Hello!
In case some where confused in the last chapter.
What happened in the last scene was from Harry Pov. He was half conscious and couldn't understand what happened in the graveyard exactly.
Enjoy this chap.
Please be kind in your reviews, they really hurt, English is not even my second language, it is my third and I try my best to make a good story for all of you.
35
Loss.
There are no fancy words to describe it. It is something that one must feel within the deepest part of their hearts and souls to understand as it howls with anguish for an untold amount of time. The body, heart, mind, and soul would beg for release—for its end. Only the tears that would be shed,like a hollow would swallow the person
Daphne laid the bleeding body of her husband on the soft white bed of the infirmary. The sheets were tainted almost instantaneously as the pure, snowy color became a sickly shade of crimson. Pomfrey morphed into and shoved Daphne aside. Normally, the old woman was gentle and kind, however, when duty called, she was as serious as they came. The nurse started tending to the arm first before jumping to the abdominal wound. It was the most serious of his injuries. The skewered leg would be a problem, but it wouldn't threaten his life.
"Harry, you will be alright! Stay with me! Love!" But did he hear her?
At the back of Harry's mind he felt the frantic worry coming from his wife. She tried to hold off herself from him, not to disturb him if he was still fighting, but he knew it was hard for her. She wanted to reach out to him and feel if he was safe.
Daphne tried to calm her breathing but it was harder than she thought. When she saw how battered Harry looked… She squeezed her eyes shut.
'You did this to him!'
She shook her head. It was the worst condition she has seen him in so far. She could have lost him. It's too much for her to bear… She squeezed her eyes trying to stop the hyperventilation.
She refused to cry, she won't cry! Harry hates when she cries. She won't disappoint him. Madam Pomfrey was shocked by the boy's state and for a moment she froze but the nurse, despite her frown, tended to Harry's hand and kept casting spells, endlessly. And the charmed needle was stitching the injuries.
Daphne cleaned all the other injuries and gave him some pain relief potions meanwhile.
The blonde cursed Nagini's poison that was running through her veins because it prevented her from healing her husband.
'You should have shown them that you are worthy of their fear. Exercise your superiority like a queen you are. Prove that you are strong enough to be feared,'
The scent of blood was strong and it made her vision blurry with traumatic memories.
She could feel his heartbeat slowing down, and Lilith said he was going to die, just like her brother.
"You'll be fine, right?" Daphne pulled her hand away from Harry's chest and was horrified to see the amount of blood on it. There was so much that it was literally dripping from her hand. "we have to hurry and treat your wounds."
'Death is approaching,'
She stepped back, her mind completely blank, she lost Harry, he was dying and she couldn't do anything. 'N-No this was not supposed to happen,' Daphne's hands shaking and her legs failed her as she crouched by his side in heartbreak.
This was all her fault, she caused this, she was the one who pushed Sirius to the lights, and she was the one who encouraged Harry. She was nothing but a bad omen.
'He needs to live!' A voice in the back of her head kept saying inside.
Dobby showed up in front of her and she felt kind of relieved. He was holding vials of potions in his hands. "Mistress you said if something bad happens, I will bring it to you!"
It took Daphne couple of seconds before she finally adjusted to her surroundings.
Daphne let out a sigh she was holding and hugged Dobby before snatching the bottles from his tiny hands and went to Harry, Dobby noticed some blood on the ground and frowned.
"Mistress, are you injured?" He asked.
"No, just my old wounds reopened but nothing serious, why?" She asked him without looking down at him.
"What are you doing?" The nurse asked,confused. As Daphne tilted her husband's head to give him some drops.
"A healing potion madam, it will do for now…"
Waiting until the effect showed up, she noticed that the old scars did not heal, like the bullet on the shoulder and the fang of the basilisk's scar did not fade because they were not recent injuries and she only wished for his recovery.
Right now, it was touch and go. The professors that were in the order gathered outside of the door anxiously. They all seemed to be holding their breath. Harry was strong. No one could deny that… But no one could deny his youth nor the severity of his wound either. Everyone saw the stabs onto his body. They felt the nauseating spray of blood mixed with salt water. What terrified them most, however, was seeing the bouncy, hyperactive body of their student transform into a limp ragdoll right in front of their eyes.
When Daphne hopped inside the school with Harry in her arms, the raven-haired boy looked like a train wreck. If it weren't for the faint rise and fall of his chest, they would have thought he was already gone. Hsi wife wasted no time heading for the infirmary. Pomfrey had already rushed ahead frantically to gather the supplies. Now, all the staff could do was wait outside the door of the infirmary anxiously. Minutes felt like hours. An hour felt like a day.
"Do you think he'll make it?" One of the members of the order murmured, breaking the silence. The crew exchanged looks with each other. They seemed unsure for once.
"Of course he'll make it," Hagrid hissed. He had been kicked out of the infirmary. His words seemed to have an effect on the staff. "He is Harry for Godrick's sake."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," McGonagall said, smiling weakly. Just then, the door to the infirmary opened and the staff scuttled out of the way. Pomfrey's eyes were tired. As the staff awaited his response in silence, the woman slowly lifted her head and looked up at them. Her eyes were moist, trying to fight back tears.
"He's… stable for now," she said quietly. Normally, the staff would be overjoyed but they rarely saw the woman close to crying if her patient was okay.
"When will he wake up, Poppy?" McGonagall asked calmly, finally breaking the icy silence.
"…That's the problem! I don't know," she cried out. She trembled. "When he lost all of that blood his body went into shock. He is… Potter went into a mental collapse."
The staff crew was quiet. Their fearless, stupidly strong student was sitting at Death's door… Pomfrey had let them into the infirmary to see him now. His bedridden state was even more shocking. He was lying on his back,
Hagrid suddenly inhaled deeply as he stared at one of the medical beds that were against the further wall. "Ha… Harry..." he all but whispered. For some reason, it felt wrong to shout.
"Potter..." Minerva said softly as she walked towards his side.
The rest of the crew followed her and they all soon surrounded.
He looked hauntingly serene. It just…wasn't right. The staff fought with conflicting emotions and questions.
A school elf popped in front of them and said, "madam nurse, the chamber is ready,"
"Now that he is stable we need to move him…" the nurse said.
"What! Why?" Daphne finally spoke, making the teachers notice her but she cared less.
"First, students would notice and I'm pretty sure none of you wants to be seen at the moment and second it's Albus's decision not mine,"
Daphne pursed her lips, she was not in her right stare to demand anything and she simply nodded.
Professor Dumbledore asked the elves to prepare the Dark Tower! The place was known as a narrow, tall tower near the Transfiguration Courtyard at Hogwarts Castle. This tower was used as a prison.
The room was perfectly neat and clean however it lingered with smell of death.
'What a weakness, disgrace! Such a low class hybrid whipped earth with you!'
'Shut it!' Daphne felt a headache.
'i feel sick by what I've seen, I am,
What I want you to want, what I want you to feel,
But it's like no matter what I do, I can't convince you,
To just believe this is real.'
"Stop!" She snapped.
'This what happens when you
Decided to let go,'
"Miss Greengrass? Are you alright?" a concerned Pomfrey asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. Daphne looked up at her with painful eyes then shook her head, trying to gain her composure.
"I am fine. Nothing to worry about." She said, trying to smile.
'So I,
Let go, watching you,
Turn your back like you always do,
Face away and pretend that I'm not,'
"You sure?" the nurse looked concerned.
"Yes, I'll be fine. And please stop calling me Greengrass!"
"Very well, you better rest," Madam Pomfrey said to Daphne, with a sad smile.
"Thank you madam Pomfrey, for everything," she bowed her head respectively to her.
'Hear me out now!
You're gonna listen to me like it or not right now!
Hear me out now!
You're gonna listen to me like it or not right NOW!'
As she saw the woman close the door behind her, Daphne fell into the chair with a loud sigh, dropping her arm on her knees, she leaned her forehead on them for support as she groaned. Grasping each side of her head temples, painful headache. She must take those pills again, Lilith must sleep.
Taking them from Dobby after she summoned him, she went into a prayer position, feeling quite relaxed.
'Please, if you can hear me. Please let him come back to me. I need him here. I can't imagine my life without him. I love him.' Some things were just beyond her powers and Harry's rouse was up to him to decide.
"My most sincere friend, my merry faced love,my daytime, my world, my garden, my fortune and my spring…"
Daphne could hear Harry's gentle voice in the back of her head. And wanted to take his hand in hers.
Harry on the other side, was in the betweens, he felt and haven't felt.
At that moment someone showed up in front of her and as her eyes raised to meet with the person, she immediately jumped into his embrace.
Kou the Japanese fox wrapped his hands around her tiny figure and drew circles in her back for comfort as she just hugged, no tears or sobs, she needed support at that moment and he was there for her.
"Sorry for being late, I got held up…" he smiled.
Much later that night, Draco Malfoy had found himself sitting outside an office in the Aurors Headquarters. The massacre of House malfoy was enough to declare a urgent alert, Draco at first seemed puzzled why there was a big fuss, sure his family was like royals in the country. Department of Magical Law Enforcement would stop at nothing to make sure that whoever had done this to the two famed adults would pay for his crime.
He hears that many other noble men died and some were captured,
Draco wasn't alone in there. His teacher, also his godfather Snape, had come into the building to give him some comfort. It was always recommended to have an adult beside a grief-stricken child to help them get through it all. Snape sat beside the boy who had now become an orphan.
"I cannot tell you how much the deaths of your parents disturb me Draco." the potion master spoke, more to fill the silence than anything.
Draco didn't respond. He hadn't spoken a word since the news had happened.
"…why Professor?" Draco suddenly snivelled, "Why did they do it?"
Snape took a moment to ponder on the question.
"That is something I don't believe I can answer…" he replied, "Criminals often act in mysterious ways. I doubt we'll ever know why he did it."
Then suddenly, a door opened up and Draco could hear great fuss coming from inside, an old man walked out to greet them. Draco noticed that he was one of the head of Aurors but despite his occupation, he looked very friendly and gentle.
"Hello Mr. Malfoy, my name is Rufus Scrimgeour,"
/
The atmosphere was stifling. The air stank of burning, ashes and dust made it heavy, making it difficult to breathe. It smelled of death, desolation, destruction.
The minutes seemed interminable, head Auror Scrimgeour said that they found only the body of his father, appearantly he was having his nightly walk when he was killed, but no sign to his mother's, he felt sick, thinking of ashes that could belong to his sweet mother! He wanted to vomit just by imagining. That's what Draco thought as he walked through destroyed or burned rooms, through corridors that were missing much of the roof, or all of it, leaving the sky greyish, cloudy and full of ashes. He had climbed stairs half collapsed.
He was seriously beginning to wonder if it was really worth it. His memories, his childhood everything kept flashing in his mind, each corner had a story, funny, horrifying, sad or happy.
They said it was not a simple curse, that could destroy this place, that was warded with the most ancient spells.
Snape was by his side, as he walked and each step Draco made, he counted and listed the names of his enemies.
Who will take down what had come to his family.
Daphne sat on a chair next to her husband. She did not listen to the protests of Pomfrey about her health. She just sat there for an uncertain amount of time; a vacuous expression graced her face.
Thinking of the duel, all scenes kept repeating in her mind, and that six shadows she saw. Those were souls, she was pretty sure that she had seen souls, it was terrifying, how could a human have six souls, even demons don't have it, no one ever heard or seen such a thing! And for a second Harry's almost looked like Voldemort's. They couldn't possibly have the same soul, God created each body for one soul, she surely knows that.
Was there a magic that could shove souls?
She felt her throat dry from thinking of such things, souls were a mysterious subject, thousands of years and they haven't reached a clear answer of how it work.
The agony held her very heart and soul as she stared out of the window into the night. Am I jinxed? This is not fair! In her mind, she continued to question the ramifications of the past few years. "I failed you! You would have been better without me, I only caused you more damage, didn't I ?" She berated me.
"Such an unkind word would harm you, forgive me I didn't mean to eavesdrop." Dumbledore entered.
Daphne stood up in blue and went to him, "Tell me you captured him! Tell me he did not escape! " she said with pleading eyes.
The old man shook his head. "I'm afraid I cannot,"
And Daphne sinked in her chair, "If that criminal runs away after what he has done, If Harry doesn't wake up… I will not leave a stone above a stone around, headmaster!"
"..."
When she heard no reply she continued, "Why I haven't heard about the prophecy? I would have took precautions,"
"I was not preparing to tell Harry any time soon either but–"
"He was not ready! " She snapped at him, "He is not like us, Dumbledore… he wasn't born with a wand and sword in his hands, ready to fight the world, we made a mistake, we made him believe more than he think in himself!" She frowned.
"We did not want him to think that he caused the death of his parents," Dumbledore finally said.
She took a deep breath and after she calmed down, she stared at him for a moment and noticed the tiredness wearing him, " tea?" She offered. As he sat on the opposite of her while she brewed some herbal tea.
Dumbledore told her about the whole prophecy incident fourteen years ago and she took it in.
"... I tried to stop it … the duel, it terrifies me, the thought of Harry as the saviour of our world, thinking that he may end up crossed like Jesus!" She chuckled at the last sentence. That made Dumbledore smile too.
"No wonder why Harry doesn't want anyone to find out about this prophecy," he said.
Her chuckle faded slowly as she stared at the naivety of her husband and perhaps wisdom.
"Thank you, taking us in here, it means a lot, I will be forever in your debt…"
Dumbledore brought the tea cup to his lips, "Don't say such a thing, your presence by Harry's side is enough…" It made the girl smile softly.
"You had a horrible night, didn't you?" She asked.
He nodded raising his brows, "that I hadn't in a very long time…I stretched some old musculus,"
"Well, I'm listening…" she said, taking a cookie..
He explained the interaction between him and Voldemort as well as the hell arguments in the ministry with Fudge.
"He wants to include Harry and push him in the front line to protect his own tail, typical Politicians, " she commented, sarcastically, voice going cold.
She tilted her head, in annoyance. Feeling tension in her neck's muscles. Perhaps this was a good opportunity to relieve her anger.
"It would also give people hope," Dumbledore noted.
She just stared at him, was it actually hope, prophecies are mischievous and dangerous. "And if Tom wins?"
Dumbledore gave her a silent treatment, "... he may not, unless you knew something,"
She took a deep breath, could she tell Dumbledore of her thoughts? he was a genius man. Something no one would deny, averting her eyes from him. She said, instead "–You know what to do,"
A giant white fox appeared outside the window, nodded and flew away while she sipped motionlessly her tea.
And finally looked up to the headmaster, with eyes full of determination, "I gave Tom Riddle an option and he refused, let him handle the consequences,"
Daphne immediately noticed the change and became alarmed at how pale her husband suddenly became. He was sweating more and his breathing greatly increased. His eyes were also dilated and a tinge of blue formed on his lips. It was like death itself had seized him.
"Harry? Harry, are you okay?" She asked, closed to panicking.
Harry was feeling pain. Unimaginable, burning pain was shooting through his chest and spreading across his entire body like a wildfire. It felt like someone had stabbed a flaming knife through his heart and was slowing twisting it.
He was no stranger to pain. As himself he had torn muscles, dislocated joints, shattered every bone in his body, had holes shot through him. But this was different. The agony in his chest was so unbearable that he literally wanted to rip his own heart out.
"Harry, do you hear me!?" Dumbledore asked in calm yet increasing panic. He was surprised.
"I need a real healer!" Daphne turned to the headmaster.
Without warning, Harry released a piercing, almost animalistic scream. He grabbed his chest where his heart was and howled in pure anguish. The pain was so intense that tears were falling down his eyes as wave after wave of flaming agony shoot through him.
"Harry!" She screamed in horror as she attempted to hold him down. "Harry, please hang on!"
Harry was beyond hearing her. The only thing he could focus on was the pain drowning all his senses.
It hurts! Harry wanted to say.
It hurts so badly that he wanted to die. Anything was better than this agony! He take being shoot almost to the chest by Snape, crushed by a dragon, more than one dragon, or beating demons over this! It felt like his heart was exploding into flames.
It hurts! Make it stopped! Please make it stop! He begged, pleading for anyone or anything to take the pain away. It was like he was losing his very mind to the pain.
Daphne tried to calm him down as she shook him, who was now thrashing frantically.
What's wrong with him? It was like he was having a heart attack, but that was impossible. Harry was too young for that. No…not even a heart attack looked this bad. It sounded like he was being tortured.
She felt his power take a sudden and sharp dip, in flash she was pushed across the room and crushed against the wall, alongside all the belongings of the room, even the window glass shattered. It happened again, his energy was unstable just like during the duel.
Daphne asked Dumbledore to let healer Yan Lin come through the wards, and Winky went to fetch the mid witch in a no time, Snape and Kou burst into the room.
"No one approach!" Dumbledore shouted. As flying objects kept floating around.
When Dumbledore felt the boy's power settle. It was still very weak, but at least it didn't feel like it was going to burn out. He motioned to healer Yan Lin to approach the bed and check on Harry.
"It is a heart virus," Yan Lin said. "What kind of curses he got? Was he awakened?"
"I don't remember but many of dark ones, level four curses and he was crucified a lot, yes, he got his magic awakening as well," Daphne said as she stood beside her.
"It is common that a body explodes during the awakening, 0.1% could survive worth side damage. No wonder, he will gets a lot of episodes, like this one, be prepared, I will write down the potions and medics he will need, do you have a good potion professor, Dumbledore?" She turned to him.
"He is standing next to me, one of the best in Europe,"
"That will make the work rather easier," she said as a flying quill finished writing.
"High fever, hallucinate nightmares, drowsiness, weakness in the arms, an irregular and fast heartbeat. He also will have severe chest pains that leave him screaming in agony for minutes on end." Yan Lin finished.
Dumbledore turned to her as Snape took the parchment and left to start brewing.
"He had awakening!?"
"Did I forget to mention that!" She felt guilty a bit, damn that man knows how to make someone feel bad.
On the other side of Britain, a train was in its highest speed, crossing through the borders.
A man was sleeping in his cabin when someone slammed against the door of his cabin harshly to wake him up.
Tom Riddle Jr, groaned in displeasure for disturbing his peaceful sleep.
He glanced at his window and the day was bright for his own disliking, he looked at his lap where The Daily Prophet laid.
He was not interested in what the low wizard folk did but interested in the hot topic of the week.
HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED RETURNS
The massacre of House Malfoy.
Martyrs of the Dark Lord's regain.
Bellatrix created a great masterpiece for him, the way he wanted, she done well as he saw the picture of the manor in it's ash, 'let the world hear the anthem of my war,'
Bellatrix was his favourite student, she never came to disappoint him.
Voldemort survived was a weak word for him, he… retreated.
Dumbledore interfered in his duel with Potter, because the bastard showed up, armed with Fudge and the Aurors.
It was rather early for his public appearance but it doesn't matter, he had nothing to worry. Everything was still under control.
He cursed his unfortunate chance in finishing Potter and make sure that fucking prophecy was no longer exist.
And that bloody woman who middled through the duel, she would pay for that.
Truthfully, Voldemort lost the energy to fight the moment Harry Potter stabbed him. He leaned his head against the glass, his eyes closed.
He was still feeling the cold metal cutting his heart, pretending that it hasn't affect him would make him a liar but it was then, he came to the final result of his new elixir.
Sleepless nights of working on the blood of the royal heiress, to find the secrets of Eden's fruit.
The road was still long to celebrate his discovery.
The drops didn't satisfy him, sure he gained his youth again but his body was not undefeatable yet.
He wasn't fully immortal yet.
Voldemort reopened his red eyed again and stared at his palm, it still smell like burning meat, that boy…
How did he do it, he was pretty sure that he lost all his strength, and yet.
The sudden change in the boy's magic frightened Voldemort, if Potter was a bit smarter and faster, he could have whipped him off earth.
Someone entered the cabin and closed it behind it, Voldemort's eyes darted and saw her.
Nagini. Her back facing him, there she was standing, in the middle of the cabin.
Nagini in her human form, another proof for the legend. When the snake bit Daphne attacking her for trying to harm her master.
The bite went too far for the snake, the blood that mingled with the fangs of the snake, cured her long curse.
And there, Nagini stood in her gorgeous form, a form that she herself once forgot how it actually looked like. As if she had felt his gaze on her, Nagini turned around and saw him in turn.
"He could have killed you master!" she said.
"But he didn't…" Voldemort chuckled.
"You're hurt…"
"Does it matter?"
"We eliminated the traitors, What happens now?" she asked him. "Is Bellatrix able to complete this task on her own?"
Voldemort shot her a killing stare, "Do you underestimate me?"
"I beg you forgiveness,master!" She withdrew her stare, squeezing her hands to her lap.
Voldemort looked up to the sky for a moment and thought about the next step, "She and Dolohov are capable of that,"
Voldemort eliminated The Malfoys out of the picture, a huge step. Voldemort was merciful and gave the patriarch a second chance but again his expectations were disappointed, the man's arrogance and greed began to grow with each day, and his reaching the stage of assuming the position of minister was imminent, just as that girl said, a person of such wealth and influence as Malfoy should never take a position of power. Eliminating the Malfoy matriarch will make it easy to seize their property, easy with a child who still does not understand right from wrong, if he raises him in the necessary way, he will become just like his Sam and more.
"Let's head to France first," he said, touching her hand, "Aren't you interested in some shopping?"
Gossips had spread overnight throughout the school. There was no explanation to how all the students inside the castle seemed to know that Dumbledore had fought Voldemort.
Gossips created among the Slytherin students first, No matter where Hermione and Ron went inside the castle, the only topic of conversation was Dumbledore.
The funerals of those who died in the Malfoy manor, was still taking the headlines of the newspapers.
It was a scandal to the upper class of wizarding world, families's that were involved with the dark lord tried their best to cover their own shame.
The Malfoys miraculously managed to be pictured as martyrs especially when the real murderer was the famous Deatheater, Bellatrix Lestrange.
Not much been told and not much been mentioned, It didn't matter how inaccurate the information had been, they remained silent.
Hagrid was their only chance for answering their questions and they run for him in hope.
When he opened the door he was having a sad look but sobered up and let them inside his hut.
"Is it true?" Hermione asked.
"Did Dumbledore really duel with you-know-who?" Ron asked quietly.
Hagrid let out a tired sigh and so he told the necessary that was allowed to be spoken of.
He told them that Voldemort made a trap to the order in the Malfoy manor and led the order to it.
Three of the order members died in the explosion alongside some Death Eaters that were not caught in the graveyard where Dumbledore fought Voldemort.
Hermione did not believe it, "Was Harry there?" She almost whispered.
Hagrid looked up at her in surprise for a moment but soon turned away, the face of Harry was still fresh in his mind.
His reaction horrified the teen-agers, "Harry was there!" Ron frowned.
"No! He wasn't, I assure you, he had nothing to do with the incident, however…"
"However, what!?" Hermione never raised her voice on Hagrid but she couldn't help it.
He signed to them to approach him,"Dumbledore would be mad if I told you guys but I can't lie to you, promise me you won't say anything to anyone," he whispered and they two nodded, eagerly as he whispered the next words.
"Sirius… was killed in the explosion,"
Hermione's face turned pale when she heard the words, they echoed through her ears over and over.
"What. Did. You. Just said?"
"You gotta be kidding me are you, Hagrid?" Ron said in disbelief.
Hermione's mind turned blank, Sirius was killed… but nothing, no one talked about Sirius.
Why would he be killed. She felt her cheeks wetting and realized that she was crying.
Ron went to her side and comforted her while Hagrid decided to make some tea.
Over the next few days, Daphne didn't leave Harry's side. She had drawn a chair right up to his bedside, and sat there, day and night, holding his hand in both her own. She was exhausted – she sometimes fell asleep, slumped over the side of the bed, but it was never for long. She was always woken by her husband's cries of pain.
The master of potions had prepared the required medicine to ease the pain. It was all she could do. It seemed to help – after a dose Harry would quiet down, but he still wouldn't wake up. All she could do was pray.
And that thing was still bothering her, the six souls gave her an uncomfortable feeling.
Winky came further into the room, carrying a tray. "Mrs Weasley made you something to eat, Missy." She said,
"Dobby and I made you a pumpkin juice," the elf exclaimed,
Daphne was touched by the gesture of the elves nevertheless Mrs. Weasley, She knew that the woman disliked her. "Oh, Winky..." she said, starting to rise from her chair. At that moment, Harry yelled in pain. Daphne looked wildly around, trying to find the pain medicine. Winky's hands started shaking, making the contents of the tray rattle as she gazed at her Master with wide eyes.
"Here, Harry," Daphne whispered. "Drink this, sweetheart." She tipped the medicine into his mouth. And decided to light some medicinal herbs and evaporate them in the air, so that the weather would be nice for Harry.
She began to roam around the room, herb in hand, humming her lullaby in hopes that may comfort him.
The next day, Remus and Tonks came to visit. Remus was in state of shock, Harry was covered to his shoulders with a thin blanket, but the staff could tell that he was wrapped in bandages up to neck. Even his forehead was wrapped with several layers of bandages.
Harry's face was extremely pale and sickly, looking like he hadn't seen the sun in weeks. His cheeks, however, were a bright red, showing that he was still having a fever.
The thing that upset the couple the most, however, was the breathing mask that covered his mouth and the IVs that were hooked all over his body. A heart monitor was also connected to Harry, which explained the beeping sound in the room. His heartbeats were very slow and somewhat sluggish.
It was disturbing seeing Harry like this.
He looked so fragile, like a small child. Harry didn't look like himself at all. Even when Harry was beaten within an inch of his life, he still had the appearance of someone strong, even through he looked much younger when he was asleep. Now, it seemed just breathing on him or speaking too loud would kill him. That in any minute, Harry would simply stop breathing and fade away in his sleep.
"He's in a state of near-death," Daphne whispered. "All this equipment is the only reason why he simply hasn't slipped away."
Tonks hugged Daphne, Remus lingered behind, watching silently. The poor man seemed utterly defeated.
Tonks stared around the room, trying to think of something to say.
"Ya look absolutely terrible." Tonks said, her arm around Daphne's shoulders.
"I know right." Daphne chuckled, her eyes on Harry's face. He was quiet and still, for now.
"Ya know what I mean," said Tonks. "When was the last time ya slept properly? Or ate?" Daphne shrugged. "Right, well ya goi'n to go and get some rest right now."
Daphne looked up at Tonks. "I can't. He needs his medicine if he's in pain. I have to give it to him."
"We'll take care of that, don't worry," Tonks said gently. "Ya' go and have a lie-down. Ya'll make yourself sick too, at this rate."
"But-"
"Don't worry, we'l take good care of 'im, I promise. Ya go and rest."
Daphne hesitated for a moment before rising from her seat. "Thank you," She said, heading towards the door.
Tonks took Daphne's vacated seat beside. Remus walked up and stood beside her. "He's gonna get thro' this, right?" Tonks asked.
"I hope so." Remus replied. "He has to! I mean... It's Harry. You hear me, Harry?" He said, addressing the unconscious boy. "You have to get better! Daphne is in the right state, and we're all worried too," Tonks sniffed, grabbing Harry's hand, shaking it. "Ya hear 'im, ya idiot? Hurry up and get better!"
When Daphne stepped inside Grimmauld Place she could feel the walls weeping for the last Black's death.
She just sat on the bottom staircase and stared blankly at the house.
What was she even doing here anyway!?
"Oh dear! I didn't hear you come!" Mrs Weasley's voice come from upstairs.
Daphne raised her face enough to look at the woman, and smiled.
"I just arrived,"
"Oh! Is Harry alright? Do you need anything!?"
Daphne just shook her head, "Your motherly support is what we need Mrs Weasley, Harry loves you so much and wouldn't want to see you stress out,"
Mrs Weasley's lips parted to say something however words choked in her throat, she smiled weakly at the young girl, she could see dark circles under her eyes. She heard enough from Minerva when she came in the last meeting, she said Harry was lucky that he survived against you-know-who.
"I better cook then, Harry loves my food,"
"And so do I, in fact if you don't mind I'm famished," Daphne smiled before she decided to head off to the bedroom.
However she stopped midway and turned to the library, as if someone called her from there. Her fingers, scanned through the shelves, feeling rotten unused books,she stopped in front of one specific book, a book that give her a beat. It was pounding with life.
She took it from the shelf and opened it, her lips parted at the content and decided to take it from there.
Black or white. Life or death. He would think of a game of chess. A player idly waited for his opponent to choose the color of his pieces for an upcoming game, and no, he was not the one choosing. The decision was beyond his control, and neither was it in Voldemort's or Daphne's or Dumbledore's hands. The chief player in this game was fate, and he had yet to find whether it would show them mercy or judge them with a finality that bespoke doom.
He could still feel Daphne's hold around him tighten, almost to the point of physical pain when a muscular hand clutched his injured arm a little too tightly.
He could still hear her begging for him to remain conscious, he could still smell the salty tears.
He heard footsteps and echoing voices, but recognized none. For a brief moment, he wondered if he should blame it on his delirium or perhaps conclude that he had indeed never heard these voices before. The options were few.
Having been raised as no one, he had been passive. Yet there he was now, waiting for this choice to be made for him….
Black or white. Life or death.
The images of Voldemort's attacks, still flashes in his mind, fast images, the green lights of the man's Avada.
He could still the mockery laughs rings in his ears.
He was in middle of nowhere, middle of darkness.
"Harry!" His mother cried, " Spare him!"
Harry felt his legs go jelly. It was painful enough to hear the whispers, now his mother was crying. Don't cry! He wanted to say out loud.
He saw her at last, in front of old pale man begging him to spare her baby's life.
"Harry! " Cedric, Arthur, Sirius. They kept calling for him, " help us!"
All these voices from nowhere. Harry... Harry...
"No..." He closed his ears, he couldn't hear anymore, as he fell on his knees. Gasping and crying. He was useless in the end. He couldn't avenge them.
He failed them.
Harry stirred in his sleep and the heart monitor began to beat more rapidly.
"Hey, he's waking up," Tonks said in a hopeful voice as he stood up.
Harry twitched and his eyes tightened. Sweat also built on his face and his breathing became hasher.
"He appears to be pain," Remus said in concern.
"His injuries?" Tonks asked.
"Sir..." The couple heard Harry's voice whisper.
The looked around in confusion.
Remus looked at his unconscious previous student. "Impossible. He's still asleep. Plus, he can't talk with that mask on his face."
"Mum..." Harry voice returned, a little stronger this time.
Harry was now crying rivers in his sleep and winced in anguish. His breathing and heart had sped up and he shifted slightly in bed.
"Harry...we're here," Remus said barely above a whisper. "You still have us. You're not alone."
Harry couldn't hear him as his eyes tightened.
"THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING! I WON'T ACCEPT THIS!"
Inside Harry's mind and dream,
"I told you not to challenge the fates...," Harry glanced up at the source of the voice to find the same man who appeared in his vision days ago standing and looking down at him.
"You started falling," He added to Harry.
Harry's jaw tightened, biting his lip, "I tried! I tried! Where were you! Why didn't you help me! Why didn't that woman guide me to win like she did in Mesopotamia!" He snapped. Standing up to face him.
The man tutted, his eyes darkened, "May your day for the nation be of sincerity! May your love for earth be lasting," the man said again the same words he said to him in his previous visit. As he walked away.
"STOP SAYING THAT! What DOES it mean anyway?" Harry run after him.
"See! You can't control your emotions, no wonder everyone dies for your recklessness,"
How dare he! Harry threw his punch at him but he avoided it, with an easy and light move.
"You want guidance, and your heart now is full of hatred and grudge…" a familiar woman's voice said behind him.
He turned around to see a woman standing there, he had never seen her before nor in his dreams or reality.
She was wearing a long white Greek dress and her black hair was cascading down her shoulders, passing her knees. Her eyes shine in emerald.
"Your soul is tattered, your vision is limited, you can never win against a fly if you keep it this way,"
"You…" Harry whispered.
The woman held nothing but anger on her beautiful features, it only made the emerald in her eyes shines and give him a stare like dagger through his soul.
"I called for you, you never answered!" He snapped.
"I heard but why should I answer, look at yourself, what difference between you and between Salazar Slytherins's descendant…" she approached, circling around him, "You keep feeding the darkness more and more emotions, what keeps you from turning to a Voldemort yourself…"
"Stop it! I'm not him!"
"You think only of how you fight, and kill, you lose your focus and purpose, and you hurted all who were around in return!" She snapped at him.
Harry flinched.
"You ask why I didn't help you? Back in Mesopotamia, you wanted to save the wizarding world, to stop a war, to protect the innocents from that beast, you had a pure purpose!"
Harry's brows frowned and looked down at his fist that he clenched unconsciously. Her words hit a delicate spot, he lost his Godfather because of his recklessness, he lost his owl because of his foolishness, he should have listened to Dumbledore and wait, he should have listened to Daphne when she tried to prevent him from duelling Voldemort, he kneeled down clenching his fist in his trousers. Trembling.
The woman said and pulled him up from shoulders, "You will never win against Salazar's heir… If you do not clear your mind first, purge those dark thoughts, you will never win…" she disappeared.
Black or white.
Suddenly the colors did not seem so important anymore.
"Wait!" Harry shouted at her.
Harry suddenly winced and a loud ringing noise filled the memory. The battle, the way he lost, to Voldemort…The way he lost the opportunity to save his godfather…
Sirius was a victim, it was not fair.
"All of this for your… godfather, he is dead," Voldmort's voice ringed.
Harry bowed his head and covered his ears as the ringing got louder.
A gasp.
Another gasp.
Whose?
Was it his?
"The battle has ended, the second war began" the man stated neutrally. "Sirius is..."
"Don't say it! Don't say another word!" Harry screamed at the bearded man, stopping him from saying more. He breathed deeply. By the almost pleading tone in his voice, the man knew that Harry was hoping against hope that he would tell him that none of it was true. That it was all a nightmare and that Sirius was safely recovering somewhere.
The man stared directly at Harry, refusing to avert his eyes from the shaking boy. "Yes, he is dead," he said bluntly.
Harry's eyes widened as the last of his remaining hope shattered before him. There was no point in denying it anymore. This was reality.
At that moment, all the life had been sucked out of Harry and all that was left was an empty, shattered shell.
He sat back on his legs and cried uncontrollably into the sky. They were the sobs and tears of a young child who had lost his father and guiding light.
Harry looked nothing like the strong, confident, childish wizard that led his friends into life threatening situations, took them on wild adventures, and raged against the darkness. This was a boy that was once a lonely, fragile child that they saw crying under a cupboard after being abused by his family. This time, there was no one around to take him into their arms and comfort him. To tell him that things would get better.
"That the only person who could defeat Voldemort for good…" Harry remembered the prophecy. The vision burst like a bubble as the words faded in the air like a dying breath.
"Saviour? Yeah right!" Harry yelled in anguish, mocking himself.
Harry hit his head against the ground again and continued to cry. "I can't be the chosen one! I can't protect anything!"
Through his tears, Harry cuddled himself on the ground like he was in great pain. Although he was still physically injured, The ringing words echoed in the air, causing him to yell louder as fell onto his back and trembled around like a turtle on its back.
The noise kept rising to the edge that he couldn't handle them anymore. And stared down at his bandaged hands and was horrified to see them drenched in blood. He slammed his fists several times into the ground as his grief and anguish overtook him. He grabbed his head, but his tears wouldn't stop falling.
He failed…
"NO!" Harry shouted. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open and he gave a loud, piercing scream, causing the couple to jump back in surprise. The screams were so loud that it reverberated across the stone walls, making the couple cover their ears. It almost felt like Harry was going to burst their eardrums.
Remus fell backwards, closing his ears, they were sensitive enough.
Harry frantically tore out his IVs and his breathing mask as he continued to scream like a crazed animal. He knocked over the IV stands and busted the monitors during his struggle.
"Harry, please calm down. You're going to hurt yourself," Remus ordered out of instinct as he reached to restrain Harry. He passed right through the young boy when he attempted to touch him.
The door burst open and several people came running into the room. They saw Harry attempting to get out of bed and rushed to stop him.
Hagrid, Bill Weasley and one member of the order, All ended in failure as Harry flung then off of him and jumped out of bed. He stumbled around like a zombie as he made his way out of the infirmary.
"Harry, calm down!" Tonks pleaded.
Harry didn't seem to hear her as he stared with crazed, unseeing eyes. "Vold… Siriu– where are they!?" he frowned.
As they attempted to stop his rampage, but Harry refused to be held down. He was a man possessed as he punched, kicked, and manhandled.
"He just woke up from a coma and he's throwing people around like they're rookies," Poppy said in awe. Unable to point her wand at him.
"Hagrid stop him!" Remus yelled in panic. "Harry is going to tear his wounds open and bleed to death if he keeps this up!"
"I– I can't," Hagrid stuttered.
Dumbledore come to the surface and none verbal spell to capture Harry.
The dizziness had become too much. Harry threw his arm against the cold wall; it was all he could do to keep from collapsing. Hagrid caught him from falling on his face.
"Harry?" Harry heard a familiar voice, he looked up slowly, steadying himself against Hagrid's hold, Dumbledore was downstairs was staring up at him, brows knitted in frown.
Harry let out a slow steady breath, pressing his hand firmly against his heart. He turned around, heart pounding.
Suddenly the place became quiet and the stairs turned empty.
He turned around and saw Hecate staring down at him, coldy. His head hurt too much to continue trying to understand what was going on anymore.
The woman turned on her heels and walked upstairs, Harry followed and he found himself.
Entering a long dark hall, black marble everywhere and the flags of Deatheaters around, and men and women in dark robes standing in two rows.
He noticed at the distant where the woman took him, a giant throne in U shape, like the one king Phobos has at the end of the hall.
And in one move the audience bowed their heads as Voldemort still in his young form made his way between the crowd to the throne and sat.
Harry's eyes widened as a woman stepped and put a hand on Voldemort's shoulder for support.
It was Lilith for certain. She gave a wicked and full of power and control smirk.
"My dear ancestor Salazar Slytherin dreamed of the day where muggles pays for their crimes, where our people take over their rights over this lands, The promised day has finally arrived, and our reign has finally began!" Voldemort announced.
And the crowds hailed to him.
Lilith stepped in front of him on one knee, kneeling. She raised her hands holding something to him, Harry could smell blood and he could hear beating.
It was a heart, alive and still pounding heart. She offered it to Voldemort and he took it in with passion.
People still hailing as if he was their saviour. He saw grounds burst with flames.
Gates open and demons flying around, hunting down humans.
Wizards torturing and playing with muggles like toys. Females raped and children crying as they were beaten.
It was rather much, a living hell, an apocalypse for certain.
Hecate turned to Harry as he was disbelieving the scene.
"That what would happen if you fail, if you let darkness swallow you, two years from now, that will be the fate if you lost your purpose,"
He just stared at the ground. His vision blurred and all he could think of was his own foolishness. Hecate's words came floating back to him.
"Two years? In future?" He asked.
Hecate nodded before she walked away again.
"Tell me Daphne, What is power?"
Harry snapped his eyes at the voice.
He glanced forward to see himself with Daphne walking in dark tunnel.
"Power is like fire that can burn you or can warm you up, it depends on how you use it... Power is a double-edged sword. Men seek it in order to prove themselves. To try to block something that is imperfect in them, to be part of history. As soon as they get it, the real trial begins. There are those who immediately lose that passion the moment they get it; some of them fall into the pit of power, so there is no return once they fall—" she paused for a second, looking down at her box. "Some seek it to make the world a better place and save it from those who want to burn it, to correct the mistakes of those who were before them," she finished.
Harry who was watching from afar with Hecate besides him, remembered that night, it was the night where Harry got to know his wife and secrets of wizarding world.
"Power is also a key that once you held, you lose your innocence," Hecate spoke.
This time a ball come from the shadows and stopped at his feet, Harry kneeled to grasp it, he always saw this ball in his dreams and nightmares.
And he decided to find the answer again for his questions and walked forward.
/
Remus and Hagrid put Harry down on his bed, the moment he lost consciousness again, Pomfrey rushed in pulling back all the IVs and his breathing mask, injecting him with potions and painkillers.
For an hour they all put their guards in case Harry had another panic episode.
It was horrific to see a boy struggling this much in his life.
When they made sur that Harry wouldn't have another attack.
They left except for Remus who sat next to him, his head between his hands, he was also part of all of this, he blamed himself as to what happened to both his best friend and his student.
He prayed to have Harry back. He would do anything to keep the boy safe.
Remus didn't know that Harry meanwhile was having a visit from The mistress of magic and having a voyage through time and memories.
Daphne was sitting with Mrs Weasley in the living room. Mrs Weasley was knitting something while her cat played under her feet.
Daphne was just staring at the flames, thinking and thinking, the book hanging between her fingers.
She did not even notice Kou's arrival. She first thought something bad happen but he said that everything was alright.
Kou wanted her to have some rest and decided not to tell her of what happened at the tower in her absence.
She walked him to the corner of the room to have a chat, that Molly wouldn't hear.
"Have you found them?" She asked him.
He shook his head, "No still searching, the Aurors didn't let anyone near the manor, and the captured Deatheaters most of them decided they would rather die than talk," he paused, "The Malfoys dead, the Nott senior dead and the rest disappeared,"
"Search, I want those peasants alive, to have my way with them," she ordered him and he bowed.
"Is he really a fox?" Mrs Weasley asked from the sofa when the man left.
Daphne chuckled, "With nine tails too,"
Mrs Weasley's eyes widened and Daphne used the opportunity to ask, "Where is Kreacher?"
"He hides in the attic ever since he burned the tapestry, perhaps this for the best," Mrs Weasley commented.
Daphne pursed her thoughts, why would he burn the tapestry? That would explain a lot of things, she looked at the book.
Harry meanwhile was sitting on the ground of some forest in his mind, with Hecate who was lecturing and guiding him,
"Knowledge becomes a light in the hands of those who seek the truth, but the person who seeks power and prestige, knowledge becomes fire.
Voldemort used knowledge to reach his goal. And decorate his target in people's eyes.
In the end, while knowledge is a light in our eyes, it is a fire in Voldemort's hand to blind people with his daggers and his words.
The lesson for those who consider this fire will burn Voldemort as well.
He has already had his greed, purpose, and intelligence. He has become a prisoner of everything he desires now..." The woman spoke, softly.
Harry bowed his head to his mentor and ancestor as she finished.
She offered him a blood wrapped in whitle flag with her sygil on it and a sword on top of it.
Harry accepted it, kissing the top of the book and sword.
"Never forget who you are Harry, a brave linage of my blood," Hecate said.
"I am also a Potter… a proud one," he added.
Hecate smiled at lost to him and nodded.
Not seconds later, the whole place was gone back dark and Hecate faded alongside her words, he felt his body lay on some bed, he felt light as if he was separated off his body.
He decided to stand up and as done that he saw his body lay breathless on the bed.
He saw himself covered with bandages and felt sorry and sympathy on the boy in front of him, he simply couldn't feel that it was actually him.
The window in the room opened on it's own and bright light come from it.
As he followed the light, 'How long will you still stab me in the back, death?' Harry asked death.
'Don't be repeated human, no matter how big you are and your business is, the world will be removed and death will be your executioner,'
Harry heard from a voice spoke from the window, a voice that pulled him into it.
"Harry…" Remus called from behind and as Harry turned around.
Harry stirred awake as he heard birds outside a window not too far from him. He lazily opened his emeral eyes back to reality. And The first thing he noticed when he came to, was his father's best friend and his ex teacher and family.
Remus staring stunned at him. "H-Harry!" Remus couldn't believe his eyes.
"Remus?" Harry's voice was barely a whisper but Remus heard him perfectly.
Remus almost cried out of happiness, Harry recognized him this time, Harry was not like last night, but rather calm, Remus was sure that he was conscious this time and waved his wand, summoning Madam Pomfrey to check him.
Hagrid who was at the door jumped on his feet to tell Dumbledore and the rest of the order that Harry was finally up.
Just in case you were confused about the last part.
Harry was in the betweens, between life and death.
He woke up but dropped back into his dreams and spoke at last to his ancestor.
As for what happened in house Malfoy, the government covered enough for the battle, avoiding a scandal. And Dumbledore covered and pretended it was him who dueled with Voldemort.
While Bellatrix and Deatheaters attacked House Malfoy during the night and she killed the Malfoys. I will explain the rest in the next chapter.