And here we are... Chapter 57...

Summer of '93

"Hey..." greeted Jane weakly.

"Jane..." exclaimed John in an excited tone. "You look a little dull, everything alright?" he asked, his tone dying down a little.

"Just a little?" chuckled Jane in response.

John had Jane had been communicating through their 2-way mirrors, for a while now. Jane was on the run, after having confessed to opening the chamber of secrets. And it took up until the beginning of August for John to finally come to terms with what Jane had done.

The first time John and Jane spoke over the mirror that summer was an intense affair. Apart from the high emotions, there were also some shocking revelations. Jane had dropped a bomb on John by letting him know of her crazy theory, which to her, didn't sound too crazy after all.

"This may sound far-fetched, but I know what I saw," she added. After a few seconds of dramatic silence, she continued, "I think... I think... Harry is a Horcrux... It is the only explanation that connects all the dots," she finished.

John and Jane had spoken multiple times since then. Each time, they discussed one thing or the other, all connecting to Jane's Horcrux theory. Every discussion of theirs felt much more far-fetched than the one before. And each one of them was intense and mildly depressing, for Jane's theory, if correct, meant seriously disheartening repercussions.

However, this early afternoon, John had other ideas. He was tired of thinking and talking about the same thing day in and day out. And in a bid to lighten the mood, he did something that he knew for sure would make Jane's day.

"Well, I thought you might be feeling a little low..." replied John excitedly and left the sentence open-ended.

"Okay?"

"So, I did something," he added.

"What?" asked Jane, curiously.

"I have someone here with me," replied John with a big smile and turned his head to his right. Jane couldn't see what or who he was looking at.

"Who?" asked Jane. "John... who is it?" she added restlessly.

"Someone who misses you a lot," replied John with a beaming smile and gestured for someone to come in.

Jane watched in shock and anticipation. However, a couple of seconds later, someone appeared in front of the mirror and every thought in Jane's head disappeared and got replaced with happiness and relief.

"Daisy?" exclaimed Jane, surprised and elated.

"Mrs Smith," exclaimed Daisy, excitedly. "Wow," she gasped and turned back to glance at John. John gave a big smile in response.

"Mrs Smith... how are you? You look so different," remarked Daisy as she sat down beside John.

"I'm fine darling... how are you?" replied Jane.

"I'm doing great Mrs Smith... Gosh, it's been so long since I last saw you," remarked Daisy.

"A little over a year and a couple of months," replied Jane instantly.

"Yeah"

Jane, Daisy and John spent the next hour and a half talking about anything and everything. From Daisy voicing her confidence for Jane and letting her know that she knew there was no way Jane would do the things that she was accused of, to Daisy telling Jane everything that had happened in the school since Jane left and how much the students missed her. Once Daisy was done telling Jane about her school life, she went on to tell her everything the kids had done over the summer. The fact that Ron had stayed with Harry for a couple of weeks, and how baffled, confused and even at times marvelled he was at the muggle life.

There was something about Daisy and the twins, every time she was with one or both of them, the conversations seemed to flow like nothing else.

It was finally time for her to leave.

"It was so good to see you again, Daisy," remarked Jane.

"Likewise, Mrs Smith," retorted Daisy with a smile. "I still can't get over this mirror," she added with a chuckle.

"See you later," she said looking at John.

"See ya," responded John. "Bye," he added.

"Bye"

"Bye," whispered Jane under her breath.

John had walked with Daisy to the gate. The moment he came back, he glanced at Jane and the look she had on her face was worth everything.

"John..." she called out feebly. Her eyes were glistening.

"How was the surprise?" he retorted with a gentle smile.

"I can't believe you did that. I can't believe how much I needed that," she replied. "... needed her," she added feebly.

"She will always have that effect on us," remarked John. "She is the reason I forgave you," he added.

Jane chuckled at that final remark. "She has been mending our relationship all our life," she retorted.

After a few seconds, Jane continued. "Thank you so much for today. I badly needed that," she said.

"Always," retorted John with a big smile.

John had experienced a rough summer. And it was only thanks to Daisy's persistence to bring him back to speed, and the subsequent time he had spent with her and of course, with Jane through the mirror that had improved his year break somewhat. The one person that he had avoided entirely through all of this was Harry Potter.

Daisy had informed John that despite him telling her not to do it, she had told Harry and Ron about John avoiding them. However, Ron had returned to the Burrow long back. After having second thoughts, John finally decided to pay Harry Potter and the Dursleys a visit.

So, one evening, a few days before the start of their 3rd year, John went to 4, Privet Drive.

It was Dudley who opened the door when he rang the bell.

"You?" exclaimed Dudley the moment he opened the door.

"Oh... Hey," greeted John with a cheeky grin.

"What are you doing here?" asked Dudley.

"Uh... Harry? I thought I might see him for a bit," replied John calmly.

"Dudley? Who is it?" came the loud voice of Harry from inside. A few seconds later, Harry walked over to the entrance.

"John?" he exclaimed, surprised the moment he saw John.

"Harry?" exclaimed John with a bright smile. "How are you doing?" he asked as he gave Harry a quick hug.

"Brilliant... how are you?" asked Harry.

"I have been doing well," replied John.

"Come on in," said Harry and gestured John in.

"Thanks"

"Aunt Petunia," called out Harry, excitedly.

Aunt Petunia came out of her room and her eyes immediately fell on John.

"Aunt Petunia," said John and got up from his seat. "I'm John... John Smith," he introduced himself.

"John? Oh, so you're John Smith... Harry has told us so much about you," replied Petunia with a smile. John glanced at Harry and then back at Petunia.

"Only the good things I hope," he retorted and chuckled.

"Only the good things, I promise," replied Petunia with a chuckle. "Your Aunt taught in Dudley's school for a while didn't she?" she asked.

"Jane... yes, she did," replied John.

"So, John... what's up?" asked Harry, presuming there would be an agenda for John's visit.

"Uh... nothing... I just thought of hanging out with you," replied John calmly.

"Oh"

"Unless you have something else you're doing?" asked John, hoping Harry would say no.

"No... It's the holidays, what could I possibly be doing?" retorted Harry with a chuckle.

"Perfect... let's go for a walk?" asked John.

"Yeah, sounds good... I'll be back in a few," replied Harry and ran back upstairs, leaving John alone with Dudley.

"So..." began John.

"You seem like a nice chap," remarked Dudley.

"I'm sorry for what I said... the last time we saw each other," retorted John with a hopeful grin.

"Oh, that? It's not a big deal..." replied Dudley. "Besides, I said some mean things myself," he added.

"Cool," remarked John.

Harry was back downstairs in a couple of minutes.

"Shall we go?" he asked the moment he came down.

"Yeah"

The pair had almost made their way out of the house when Dudley had something to remark.

"Hey, John?" he called out.

John turned around to look at Dudley.

"It's funny, but has anyone ever told you how much you look like Dicey?" he asked and chuckled.

"Daisy?" retorted John. "Not really," he added with a chuckle.

"You could totally pass as siblings, cousins or something," remarked Dudley.

"Really?" retorted Harry. He stared hard at John, but couldn't see what Dudley had. "I don't see it," he added.

"Okay... enough of this..." chuckled John uncomfortably. "Let's go, shall we?" he added glancing at Harry. And with that, the pair left for a pleasant stroll.

"So, how are you, Harry?" asked John once the pair had gone a few steps.

"I'm fine," replied Harry.

"Are you really?" retorted John.

"Yeah..." replied Harry, confused. "Why do you ask?" he added.

"Good... Good that you have been doing well," sighed John. "With everything that happened in the chamber, I was just concerned, that it might have left a mark," he added.

"I have been having nightmares," said Harry after a few seconds.

John stopped dead in his tracks and stared at Harry. "Nightmares?" he asked, intrigued and worried.

"Well, they were much more frequent at the beginning of the break. They have reduced now, but I still get them now and then," replied Harry.

"What happens in these nightmares?" asked John.

"They are always weird... But I don't remember much about them when I wake up. It's always hazy," replied Harry.

"Hmm"

"But, they always end the same way," added Harry. "With a jet of green light," he sighed.

John tried to act like he didn't know what that was supposed to mean.

"But, they have reduced recently, you say?" he asked.

"Yeah... I suppose, ever since Ron came to stay with us," replied Harry.

The boys continued walking. Harry had been resisting the urge to ask John about his summer.

After a couple of minutes, John continued. "So, you told Daisy, huh?" he remarked.

Harry glanced at John and saw that he had a pleasant expression on his face.

"You're not mad that I told her, right?" he asked in response.

"Of course not, Harry... why would you think that?" chuckled John in reply.

"I don't know... I wasn't sure if I should tell her," sighed Harry.

"Well, she had to find out someday," retorted John.

"Right"

"And I also heard, Remus made a visit?" remarked John.

"Yes, he did," replied Harry with a bright smile. "He told us that you were the one who got him a job at Hogwarts," he added.

"Did he now?" chuckled John. "I wouldn't go that far," he added with a grin. "But, I did mention his name to Dumbledore, and he was more than happy to consider Remus," he finished.

"He wanted to see you, you know?" remarked Harry.

"Yeah"

"We all did," added Harry.

"Hmm"

"John," called out Harry.

"Yeah?"

"Why have you been so secluded this summer?" asked Harry, finally.

"I'm always secluded," chuckled John, but realised that Harry didn't seem to find that funny. "Well, what can I say?" he remarked calmly.

"We had a great time this summer, especially when Ron was around... You could have joined us... instead of staying alone," replied Harry.

"I'm happy to know that you all had a fun summer, Harry. I wouldn't have wanted to come in between that," replied John. Harry looked at him perplexed. He found it difficult to understand John's position. But then again, he was an adult in a child's body. And Harry decided not to prod further.

"How is Jane? Where is she? Have you spoken with her?" he asked instead.

"She's doing well," replied John.

"Why did she do it?" asked Harry.

"Let's not talk about her, Harry... she had her reasons, some of which I do not agree with. But she did what she did, and there's nothing we could do to change it," replied John, bluntly. "However, I am definitely interested to know what Remus had to tell you," he added with a smile.

"About what?" asked Harry, confused.

"Everything... what all did you speak about?" asked John.

"Mostly about my parents," replied Harry. "He was their best friend in school," he added.

"Nice... I'm happy for him, he had been wanting to meet you for a long time," sighed John with a smile. "Anything else?" he asked after a couple of seconds.

"Hmm... not really, just a bit about my friends, Hogwarts, stuff like that," replied Harry. After a few seconds, he added, "Sirius Black... he told me about Black as well"

"Sirius? He told you about Sirius?" asked John, intrigued. That is exactly what he had been wanting to hear.

"Seems like he escaped to Azkaban to come after me," sighed Harry nonchalantly. "He also told me that he was working for Voldemort," he added. "And that the only reason he had escaped Azkaban was to finish what his master had started all those years back," he finished.

John gave a slight chuckle at that final statement. "You don't have anything to worry about, Harry," he said.

"I know... he can't get to me in Hogwarts, can he?" retorted Harry confidently.

That is not what John had meant, but he wasn't going to mention it just then. The pair roamed around the locality a few times and chatted for a long time. Finally, when it was time to return back home, John had one final thing to do.

"Well, Harry," he began. "I did miss your birthday, didn't I? Well, I do have a small present for you," he added and took out a wand from his pocket.

"Present? I already got your present," retorted Harry, confused. "The wand holster? That was beautiful," he added.

"Wand holster? What are you talking about?" retorted John, confused.

"Wait... that wasn't you?" asked Harry, shocked.

"No, I didn't send you any holster," replied John.

"Oh... I wonder who it was then," sighed Harry, surprised.

"Well, I don't know about that... but I do have a wand for you," replied John and held out a wand.

"A wand?" asked Harry, confused as he took the wand from John's hand.

"Yes... This has been with me for some time now... But it's time, I gave this to you. I'm certain this will work well for you, even if not as well as your own wand," replied John.

"But why?" asked Harry as he examined the wand.

"Having 2 wands is not unheard of... a lot of wizards and witches have 2 wands," replied John. "Your wand, Harry, is very important. The wand that's truly yours is always the best one. But it's not a bad idea to have a second one, just in case," he added. Harry still had a perplexed expression on his face. Hence, John continued, "think of it this way," he said. "For general classes and stuff, you can use this one. That way, your wand will be safe. Remember what happened to Ron's wand last year? If something like that happens, you will still have another wand with you," he added.

"Yeah... okay, that makes sense," replied Harry.

"Right... so, protect your wand, Harry. It is important that you remember that," remarked John calmly.

"Of course... thank you so much, John. I will definitely make use of this," replied Harry.

With that, the boys returned back to 4, Privet Drive. John left pretty soon after that. And before he returned home, he had one particular conversation he had been meaning to have with Daisy.

It was Daisy who opened the door.

"Hey... what are you doing here?" she asked with a bright smile on her face.

"I came to see you of course," replied John cheekily.

"Really? Come on in," retorted Daisy happily.

"I'd rather prefer to have this conversation outside if you don't mind," suggested John hopefully.

"Oh... okay," said Daisy and walked out of the house. "What happened?" she asked, intrigued.

"I have something for you," he said and took out a small box from his pocket.

"Woah... what is this?" she asked excitedly as she took the box that John handed out.

"You're officially part of the wizarding world... And that means some things," remarked John as Daisy opened the box.

Daisy opened the box to find a weirdly shaped object inside it. It looked like an arrowhead, but it wasn't chiselled finely.

"What is this?" she asked, confused.

"Daisy, listen to me carefully," began John. "This is a totem," he said and Daisy stared at him intently.

"A totem?" she asked.

"It's a magical object. Now that you know everything about Harry, you also know how dangerous it could get, at any point in time. Well, this is your get out of jail free card," replied John.

"What do you mean? How do I use this? I can't perform magic right?" retorted Daisy.

"You don't need to perform magic. I have done that for you. If at any point of time, if ever you feel you are in danger... use this," replied John. "This piece of rock will transport you from anywhere in the world to back home," he added.

"Wait... seriously? All I have to do is think it, and I will be brought back here?" asked Daisy, excitedly.

"Yes, but... don't use this carelessly, alright? This is serious stuff, Daisy. It's not something to play with, you understand that, right?"

"Of course, I understand John," replied Daisy instantly, her expression turning serious.

"Good," sighed John.

"Hey," she exclaimed softly.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you so much," she said and gave him a tight hug.

February of '95

The professors at Hogwarts were having a difficult time controlling the students, especially the ones who were in their 4th year or older. Lockhart's Valentine's day party at Hogsmeade was the only thing on everyone's mind. To make matters worse, it was going to be held on a weekday, unlike the regular Hogsmeade visits that took place at the weekends.

"Before our next class, I need all of you to describe, with examples, how transforming spells must be adapted when performing cross-species switches," said Professor McGonagall in her booming voice and before she could even finish, received an uproar from her 4th-year class.

"Professor McGonagall... but, it's the day after our Hogsmeade visit," remarked one student in anguish.

"I suggest you finish your homework before visiting Hogsmeade then," retorted Professor McGonagall.

"This is so unfair"

"Professor McGonagall... please?"

"We have charms and herbology homework too"

"And ancient runes," added another student before Professor McGonagall stepped in.

"I am disappointed with this class," her voice echoed and everyone went silent. "You have your OWLs next year. And none of you seems to be grasping its importance," she added.

Such was the case even in their Potions class. Severus Snape enjoyed giving the students homework and watching them suffer in completing them. And then there was the part where he got to ridicule everyone's work. And like every other Professor, Snape bombarded the students with homework.

"An essay on various antidotes, their uses, preparation techniques, and detailed procedure to brew any three antidotes of your choice. And if I find any 2 students with the same 3 antidotes, you will have to write about every single antidote on the face of the earth," came the voice of Snape.

Students didn't dare to make a ruckus as they had done in transfiguration, but there were murmurs all over.

"Miserable git," whispered Ron to Harry in disgust, but caught the eye of Snape.

"What was that Mr Weasley?" retorted Snape as he walked slowly towards Harry and Ron.

Ron went silent. Snape walked over to the pair. And after a few seconds, walked away. But only before uttering, "10 points from Gryffindor".

Valentine's day finally arrived, slower than the students wished for. Harry woke up early that morning, and so did Ron. As the boys made their way to the great hall, a visual shock hit them. For a second, they weren't sure if they had made it to the great hall, or by accident ended up in another world.

The walls were all covered with large and shockingly sensational pink flowers. Heart-shaped confetti was falling from the pale blue ceiling. Harry glanced at Ron and found him particularly disgusted.

"What happened here?" gasped Ron in shock.

"This is... breathtaking," remarked Harry with a bright smile.

"Nauseating," remarked Ron at the same time and glared at Harry's comment. "Breathtaking?" he asked, shocked.

"Wait... you don't like this?" retorted Harry, surprised.

"And you do? I have never seen so much pink in my life. My eye literally hurts," replied Ron.

The boys made their way to the table and found Hermione and John already seated. Once they took their seats, Harry continued.

"This looks grand," commented Harry.

"It does, doesn't it?" remarked John in response.

"Oh, not you too?" sighed Ron looking disappointed.

"I mean, it is a bit extra... but nothing surprising when you remember who's hosting this," replied John with a chuckle.

"I can't wait to see what's next in store," retorted Ron sarcastically. What lie next in the store was something that took even an annoyed Ron Weasley by surprise. Large vertical structures had been erected across the entire route, from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade. And every single one of them had been painted in a mix of pink and blue shades, while decorated with similar pink flowers. And the heart-shaped confetti followed the students everywhere they went, of course.

The moment they entered Hogsmeade, Harry and Daphne spotted Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, wearing bright pink robes, with shades of blue, matching the decorations.

"Happy Valentine's Day, everyone," shouted Lockhart at the top of his voice. "Welcome to Hogsmeade on this special occasion," he added with a classic Lockhart smile, showing all his teeth. "And may I thank the 46 people who have so far sent me cards," he beamed.

Hogsmeade visits were generally pleasant and jovial occasions. And this one felt like that and more. The ambience was a lot more cheerful if that was even possible. Couples all around glowed and basked in the moment.

Harry and Daphne were no different. Amidst the heavy school work and their phoenix juniors' sessions, the couple had found very little time for each other. Perhaps, it was also down to some of the bitterness shared between them pre-Christmas. And it felt like the day couldn't have come at a better time, and couldn't have been better set up for them to enjoy each other's company. And that they did.

Harry and Daphne were sitting down at one of the many tables arranged. It had been a few hours since they had come to Hogsmeade. The couple was lost in a discussion of their own. It was then that Harry caught something from the corner of his eye. At first, he wasn't sure of what he had seen. But when he noticed him the second time, he was certain he hadn't imagined him the first time.

The man Harry had seen was walking away from him. But it was difficult to keep track of him through the crowd of people standing.

"I'll get us more butterbeer," whispered Harry to Daphne, kissed her cheek and got up from his seat.

The first few steps, he took cautiously, trying not to intrigue Daphne, but with every second, Harry feared he'd lose track of the man he had spotted. Within seconds, Harry was walking briskly through the crowd.

But just as Harry picked up his pace, he bumped into John.

"Harry," exclaimed John, surprised.

"John... I'm so sorry," retorted Harry, though his eyes were still trying to keep track of the man.

"What's up? Why are you so..." began John but paused to turn around and look at what Harry was staring at.

"Come with me," replied Harry and resumed his brisk walk, he was almost jogging after the man now.

"Harry? What happened?" asked John, confused as he chased after Harry.

Harry did not respond. John and Harry continued on their pursuit for a few seconds, but eventually, Harry came to a still.

"Harry..." exclaimed John, looking a little alarmed. "What is going on?" he asked.

"I thought I saw someone... but he got away," replied Harry panting for breath.

"Who?"

"I don't know... But I have seen him before... In my dreams," replied Harry.

"What do you mean?" retorted John.

"I have seen this man, with You-Know-Who... in my dreams. I'm certain I saw him here just now. I can't believe he got away," replied Harry as he kicked away in frustration.

John remained silent and stared at Harry, looking perplexed and worried.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"I'm pretty sure it was the same man," replied Harry confidently.

After a few seconds, John spoke up again. "Okay, come on," he said and resumed their pursuit.

"Where are we going?" asked Harry as he walked beside John.

"Not sure... stay alert, Harry," replied John. Even though he hadn't taken his wand out, one of his hands was inside the pocket clutching it hard.

With every step they took through the crowd, their heart beat faster. Within a couple of minutes, they had managed to get away from the crowd.

And suddenly everything seemed to happen in an instant.

It all started with the first scream they both heard. By the time Harry and John turned around to see what happened, they heard a few more screams. And then they saw it.

The atmosphere had turned gloomy. And on the sky, rising higher and higher was a colossal skull, composed of what looked like emerald stars, with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue. There was a haze of greenish smoke and the skull etched itself in the sky like a constellation.

Harry watched in shock as the crowd in front of him started running around like they had gone mad. Total chaos ensued at Hogsmeade.

"What is that..." began Harry.

"The dark mark," replied John, with a shiver in his voice, as he glanced at a confused Harry. "It's used by the death eaters... it's the mark of You-Know-Who," he added, voice barely coming out of his suddenly dry mouth. And just as he finished speaking, he heard a buzzing sound. John took out his watch and saw that Harry's needle was once again pointing at "Mortal Danger".

Harry stared at John, shocked and then glanced back at the dark mark.

"Harry... we should leave," whispered John. The boys had just taken a step when they heard a voice from behind them.

"I wouldn't take another step," remarked Barty Crouch Jr and smirked as John and Harry turned around to face him. Harry watched in shock as the very person he had followed through the crowd, stood in front of him. Barty had his wand pointed at John and Harry. John was ready with his wand, but before he could do anything, a spell hit him from the side and he fell to the ground.

"John," exclaimed Harry and the next shock of the afternoon arrived in front of him.

"Harry, Harry, Harry," grinned Lockhart. And before Harry could do anything, a flash of red light hit him straight in the chest and he too fell to the ground.

Lockhart walked closer to the boys and took their wands.

"We should leave before anyone sees us," remarked Lockhart looking at Barty.

"Take them both," ordered Barty in response.

"Both? We were to only take Harry," retorted Lockhart, surprised.

"He wasn't supposed to be here. But now that he is, I'm not going to deny the gift. Stop asking questions and do what you're told," replied Barty.

And within seconds, Lockhart and Barty Crouch Jr apparated out of Hogsmeade, with not just Harry Potter, but also John Smith.

John and Harry fell to the ground with a thud as they arrived at the Little Hangleton graveyard, in the company of Lockhart and Barty Crouch Jr.

"My Lord?" exclaimed Barty as he knelt on the ground. Lockhart followed him and knelt on the ground.

"Harry Potter," exclaimed Voldemort with a big smile on his face. "And who do we have here?" he remarked.

"John Smith," replied Barty cautiously.

"You've brought them both to me?" asked Voldemort, a slight pride in his voice.

"Yes, My Lord," replied Barty. Meanwhile, Lockhart watched in surprise as the dark lord seemed just as interested in Mr Smith as Harry Potter.

Meanwhile, John and Harry lay on the ground motionless.

"Harry," whispered John, with as low a voice as possible. Harry opened his eyes in response but didn't utter a word for fear of getting caught.

"Your other wand?" whispered John. Harry blinked his eyes a couple of times. John nodded in acknowledgement.

As Harry lay still, trying not to make a sound, John's hands reached out to Harry, extending as much as he physically could, and grabbed his robe. A moment later, he guided his hand in and grasped Harry's wand and pulled it out as slowly as he could.

The moment he had, he placed the wand on the ground, in between each other, hiding it under his arm.

John stared at Harry and Harry stared back at John, both of them frightened for their lives. It was almost a telepathic conversation between the pair.

One that said, "get ready to run".

"Procidat Incipio" exclaimed John and swished his wand around ferociously.

Voldemort, Barty Crouch Jr, Lockhart, Pettigrew and Eldon Redwood, were all engulfed in the illusion John had created.

"Harry... quick... hide," exclaimed John and pointed his wand at Lockhart.

"Stupefy," he muttered and Lockhart fell on the ground flat. John dashed towards Lockhart, grabbed both of their wands and ran back towards Harry hiding behind a marble headstone.

"Harry, are you alright?" asked John as he grabbed Harry in a hug.

"I'm fine... what are we going to do now?" retorted Harry panicking.

And just then they heard an angry groan from Voldemort who had managed to come out of the illusion. With a flick of the wand and everyone around him snapped out of the illusion.

"Do you think you can hide from me, Mr Smith?" exclaimed Voldemort loudly and started laughing like a maniac.

"We are not playing hide and seek, Harry," added Voldemort in a soft and cold voice.

"John," whispered Harry.

"Harry... here are your wands," replied John and handed him back his wands. "I want you to fight him," he added in a whisper.

"What?" retorted Harry, shocked.

"Harry... listen to me. You can fight him..." replied John encouragingly. "I should have told you this long back. But your wand, your original wand, gives you a power that even he can't take away from you. Now trust me and face him... I will protect you from the rest," he added quickly.

"What are you talking about?" retorted Harry, confused.

"Go..." replied John hastily.

Harry took a deep breath. His whole body was shivering. He couldn't believe what he was about to do.

"Harry," whispered John. "Trust me," he added and nodded at Harry. Harry nodded back in response. With his phoenix feather in his hand, Harry walked away from the shelter of the marble tombstone and into the light, to face Voldemort.

"Harry Potter," exclaimed Voldemort as his eyes fell on Harry. "You're braver than I thought, Harry," he added and pointed his wand at him.

Harry had his wand up immediately. And there was only one thing running through his head. "You can fight him...", John's words replaying on a loop.

"Your mother sacrificed herself for you all those years ago," remarked Voldemort. "Only for you to die in my hands all these years later," he added.

"Avada Kedavra" cried Voldemort and a jet of green light approached Harry, the very same he had dreamt in his nightmares, all his life.

"Protego Maxima" cried Harry even though he very well knew there was no defending the killing curse.

As Harry waited with bated breath to die at the hands of Lord Voldemort, his wand started to vibrate as though an electric charge were surging through it. And before he could make head or tail of what was happening, his hand seized up around his wand. Harry struggled to release his hand, but he couldn't release it.

A narrow beam of gold light connected Harry and Voldemort's wands. It was unlike anything Harry had ever felt in his life.

"Is this how it feels to die?" wondered Harry and followed the beam of light with his astonished gaze. And to his greatest surprise, he saw Voldemort's long white fingers too were gripping a wand that was shaking and vibrating. And then out of nowhere, Harry felt his feet lift from the ground. Harry and Voldemort were both being raised into the air.

Whatever was happening seemed to drain Harry of everything he had. Harry turned his head to look around and found Voldemort's death eaters blasted a few feet away. He looked back at John and he too seemed to have been thrown back by whatever had happened between him and Voldemort. And within seconds, Harry noticed a transparent golden dome engulf him and Voldemort within.

John got up and brushed himself as he stared in amazement at the scene in front of him. The moment Harry and Voldemort's spells collided, there was a boom and John found himself thrown back by a force he had never experienced. And when he got up, he noticed Harry and Voldemort, raised in the air, struggling to break the connection.

"This is my chance," he thought to himself. This is what he had envisioned and this was his opportunity to do what he had been wanting to do for the better part of a decade.

John walked cautiously towards the struggling pair and took out his wand.

"Avada Kedavra" screamed John with everything he had. A jet of green light escaped his wand and made its way towards Voldemort. But to his shock, his spell seemed to bounce away from the dome-like structure engulfing the pair, protecting Voldemort from any attacks.

"Stupefy"

"Expelliarmus"

But nothing could get through the dome. And then panic set in John.

Everything he had thought had happened. Harry could stand his ground against Voldemort. The twin wands had behaved exactly the way John had read, and everything he had planned had played itself to perfection. Only to fail him in the last stage.

John glanced at Harry and found him shaking. Barty, Redwood, Pettigrew and Lockhart had made their way towards the pair from the opposite direction. The only thing separating them from John was the dome.

"Master... what should we do?" asked Barty, shocked at the scene.

Redwood and Barty had their wands pointed at Harry.

"Do nothing," cried Voldemort in response. "He's mine," he added in anguish.

John took a few steps back, racking his brain, wondering what to do. He could see Harry struggling and if the connection broke, Harry was as good as dead. But if Harry were to escape, his only chance lay in breaking the connection.

"Don't break the connection" muttered Harry under his breath to himself and kept repeating, powering himself to maintain his strength, with all his will.

And then suddenly, his wand began vibrating much more than before and made it almost impossible to hold on to it. And the very next instant, he watched Voldemort's wand echo screams of pain. A dusty smoke erupted out of Voldemort's wand.

"Harry, let go," yelled John at the top of his lungs. "Harry... let go... please," he pleaded.

"I can keep this going," screamed back Harry in response.

"No, Harry... I need you to let go," yelled back John and to his horror, found the death eaters encircling the dome and surrounding John from all sides.

"NOW," he screamed looking up at Harry.

Harry looked down and saw what John had seen. If the death eaters caught up with John, then they were both going to be dead.

With all his might, Harry put all his energy against what he had till now been doing. He pulled his wand upward with an almighty wrench, and the golden thread broke, the dome disappeared and Harry felt himself falling to the ground.

The moment Harry let go and the dome disappeared, John took the opportunity.

"Fumos," yelled John and an enormous cloud of smoke engulfed John.

The very next instant, John pointed his wand at Harry.

Harry in free fall found himself dragged away from a straight downward path. An instant later, he fell to the ground, with a thud, lighter than he would have thought and beside him was John. Harry got up instantly and saw a cloud of smoke a few metres in front of him.

John hugged Harry tightly. "You're alive," he gasped. "I'm sorry, Harry... I thought I knew what was going to happen. I am so sorry," he added with tears in his eyes.

"John... It's okay... I'm fine... What are we going to do now? The smoke isn't going to stop them is it?" he replied hastily. The adrenaline had kicked in long back and was the only thing keeping him going.

"Find them... Bring the Potter boy to me... and kill John Smith," came the loud thundering voice of Voldemort.

Harry and John started running away. They were in a graveyard, which meant they had loads of tombstones to hide behind. But, they weren't playing hide and seek. They were running for their lives. Hiding behind tombstones was going to delay the inevitable for only so long.

John came to a halt after a few hundred metres and so did Harry. They stayed hidden behind a tombstone.

"Harry," whispered John. "You have to leave immediately," he added.

"What? There is no way I'm leaving without you," replied Harry.

"Harry... listen to me," whispered John loudly. "I need you to get away from here. Use the totem I gave you. Go back home and call for help," he added hastily.

"I am not leaving you here alone," repeated Harry steadfastly.

"Harry... Voldemort's here... This is what I have been waiting for... for a long long time. The only way we are both surviving this is if you go back home and call for help. I'll try to hold them off till help arrives. Call for the Order, send a message to Dumbledore," replied John stubbornly. "I'm not leaving this graveyard without a fight," he added.

"But how am I going to call for help?" asked Harry. He knew what he had to do. Believing that he could do it was a whole other story.

"Come on Harry... you can do it. Believe in yourself..." replied John reassuringly. "We don't have time... Go," he added.

Harry took out his necklace and held the totem in his hand. One second he was at the Little Hangleton graveyard with John, the next he was in front of the gate of 4, Privet Drive.

John remained still and quiet for a few seconds. He could hear the voices of the death eaters from a bit away. Without being able to apparate, his task of staying hidden from them, or putting up a fight, one against five was impossible.

The first thing he needed was time. Time to create a plan of action. Plan to survive and hopefully attack and take out a few death eaters before the order arrived and made it a fair fight.

John swished his wand around himself and then looked at himself. John now looked exactly like the ground beneath him. The disillusionment charm was now in effect.

Seconds passed by. Soon it was a minute. The voices of Voldemort's underlings grew louder with every second. And John lay still silently. He could almost hear his own heartbeat. And then he heard it.

He wasn't sure who was near him, but someone definitely was. The rustling of the grass and the sounds of footstep grew louder. John watched, staying as quiet as he could, Peter Pettigrew walking towards him and then crossing him, without even realising he was there.

"They aren't here," yelled Pettigrew after a few seconds.

"There's no one here," yelled Lockhart from another part of the graveyard.

Just as Pettigrew walked past John, back to where he came from, John took out his wand and pointed it at Pettigrew.

"Silencio," he whispered and flicked his wand at Pettigrew. Pettigrew felt something and turned around. This time, he spotted John hidden perfectly in the surrounding. "He's here," yelled Pettigrew but no sound came out of his mouth. His lips moved, but there was no sound.

"Petrificus Totalus," muttered John and pointed his wand at Pettigrew. Wormtail fell down with a thud, producing a noise that John hadn't intended.

"What was that?" exclaimed Lockhart and looked around. "Wormtail? Pettigrew?" he called out but got no response.

John slowly made his way, away from where Pettigrew lay. Making as little sound as possible, John crawled out from the scene, a little closer to where Lockhart was, yet far away from being heard by him.

"Homenum Revelio," muttered Barty Crouch Jr from far away. And unfortunately for John, that meant the end of his disillusionment charm.

"Found him... I can see him there," yelled Lockhart and pointed in the direction John was laying down. John got up and found Lockhart running towards him.

"Petrificus Totalus," muttered John and Lockhart was quick to block it.

"Stupefy"

"Stupefy"

And Lockhart blocked everything with ease.

"You deceitful little..." began John.

"Careful what you say to your Professor, Mr Smith," chuckled Lockhart.

And it was Lockhart's turn to fire a few stunners at John. John was equal to the task. But not for long.

Barty Crouch Jr and Eldon Redwood were making their way toward the pair. It hardly took them a few seconds to get there and when they did, they made short work of binding and capturing John.

"Ah... we meet again, Mr Smith," exclaimed Voldemort.

"Crucio"

John had never been subject to the cruciatus curse. The moment the curse hit him, he wished it never had. It was the most intense variety of pain John had ever experienced. He twisted and turned in pain. It felt like a million needles piercing his skin all at the same time.

"Where is Harry Potter hiding?" asked Voldemort. "Answer and you won't feel the pain anymore," he added.

John however remained silent.

"Crucio"

Voldemort enjoyed watching John writhe in pain. This one particularly brought him some joy, for this one was revenge.

"My friends, would you like to hear a story?" asked Voldemort and gave a laugh.

"Yes, My Lord," replied Barty with a chuckle.

"Crucio"

And Voldemort continued amidst the cries of pain from John that filled the air.

"Harry Potter's mother left upon him traces of her sacrifice. It was old magic. I should have remembered it. I was foolish to overlook it. My curse was deflected by the woman's sacrifice and it rebounded on me," said Voldemort. "Oh... the pain... I can still feel the pain," he added.

"Crucio"

"But before all of this happened, something else happened," continued Voldemort. "Mr Smith and his sister, Jane Smith tried to stop me. I would have killed them both, had Lily Potter not transported them," he added.

"Where did she send you, Mr Smith? And how come Lily Potter discover time travel, something that even I couldn't discover?" he asked. Voldemort stopped torturing John for a moment, hoping he would have something to say.

"Mr Smith defied me once, all those years back... and then he did it again when I was with Quirinus," said Voldemort. "And today," he added angrily, the volume of his voice increasing manifold. "And today, he has done it again. Why Mr Smith do you spoil my plans every time? Who are you?" he asked.

John remained silent, enjoying the little break Voldemort had given him.

"I asked... who are you?" repeated Voldemort angrily. "Crucio"

John writhed in pain. Every muscle, every bone, every cell in his body hurt.

"Barty... tell our friend here what you did to... what was her name again, Kristin?" remarked Voldemort and chuckled.

Barty started laughing. "I still remember her face," he replied. "The way her body writhed, twisted and turned. I still remember her screams... how she begged me to kill her," he added while laughing like a maniac. "Do you want to die, Mr Smith? Do you want us to relieve you of the pain?" he asked, continuing to laugh. "Crucio," and this time it was Barty taking a bite of the cherry.

The inevitable was coming. John could feel it. He had sent Harry away, primarily to get him to safety. But there was also the hope that the afternoon could be the moment John had been waiting for a long time. The moment when Voldemort would finally be defeated. Or at least, a part of him defeated.

Every second since Harry left, felt like an eternity. The ten or so minutes that had passed were the longest, most painful ten minutes of his life. His body started to feel numb. There was pain, the pain was way too much to bear. With every single spell that hit his body, the pain increased exponentially. And now, the pain had been so much, that he couldn't feel his fingers if he wanted to. He couldn't feel his legs, his face or any part of his body if he wanted to. It burnt, it was hot and it was cold. It pinched, it squeezed and it stretched, and it felt like everything else and more.

As John lay on the ground, he waited for the inevitable. At some point of time, during the torture he faced, he even felt like begging. Begging to be killed. The words of Barty Crouch Jr rung in his head, how Kristin suffered in pain, how she begged to be killed, all because her loyalties lay with him. John's thoughts started flowing once again. It was almost as if his mind saw what was coming. It forced John to relive moments of his life. Maybe it was the mind's way of keeping John alive, keeping his will to survive intact, keeping the fire burning.

"Hi, I am John Smith and you are?"

He looked at me and replied, "Harry, I am Harry Potter. Hey, do you happen to know how to get to platform 9¾?"

That was the first time John had seen Harry as a young boy. It was like a sequence of images that his mind conjured up, all the moments John had spent with Harry, all the advice he had given, all the happy, sad, terrifying moments he had spent with him.

And then he saw Hermione. The images from, "that day" when he told Hermione everything about him came flashing by, in front of him. Every moment he had spent with her, be it in the library, or the classes they took together, or the room of requirement. That wasn't all. He then saw an older Hermione, much older than a 15-year-old kid. It was from a time when he hadn't travelled back in time yet. John wondered if what he was experiencing was what people who were about to die experienced. Maybe it was the mind's trick to lessen the pain.

Pain was not new to John. This one might have been one of the most intense, but he had experienced pain before. All his transformations in the past few years brought with them an unbearable amount of pain. And then there was the day, long before John and Jane travelled back in time. The day when their dad disappeared from the face of the earth. And all he had left behind was a note. Why he had left his kids behind, where he had disappeared to, and what had hence happened to him, John never knew. The only thing that day brought back in memories was the pain of losing a father and the feeling of helplessness. Every moment he spent with his dad flashed by him. He remembered the first time he had seen Ron, after travelling back in time. It was on the Hogwarts express, at the beginning of their first year.

"Can I join you guys?" asked Ron.

"Of course! Hi, I'm John" I replied.

"I'm Ron"

He remembered a funny moment on that train journey and gave a smirk. Harry had asked John about his parents. What John wouldn't have given to point at Ron, right there, at that moment and grab him in a hug and never let go.

What he wouldn't give to get another chance to hug, another chance to talk to Ron and Daisy, show them how much he cared for them, show them how much he had missed them when they weren't around. He got reminded of the first time he had seen Daisy as a kid. It was weird seeing her the same age as he was.

John went to the door, opened it and saw a girl, about 10 to 12 years old, brown-haired, taller than average for her age, standing outside holding a bag.

"Hi, you are?" asked John, confused. He had seen that face all his life, yet at that moment, it took him a while to register it.

"Hi, I am Daisy Taylor," she replied.

And then he got reminded of the last time he had seen Daisy. It was just before the beginning of the fourth year. Daisy had come around to his house, to tell her goodbyes. John couldn't possibly let that be the last ever time he saw her.

With all his might, John tried to get up. He wasn't sure what his plan was. But he wasn't going to lay still and accept defeat.

"Crucio"

But, alas, amidst a roar of laughter, John Smith fell back down. Tears poured down his face. This was not how it was supposed to happen. Only if he had stayed vigilant.

"Harry and I should have never gone searching. I should have never let us be brought here," he thought to himself.

John closed his eyes and wished his sister was there with him. If Jane had been there, she would have never let any of this happen. She was his rock, his support and his strength. The last time they had been in the same room was the day Jane and Severus went into the Chamber of Secrets with Harry to rescue Ginny. He wanted to see her again.

"Just once... I want to see her face... I want to feel her hands... I want to hug her, just one more time. I want to tell her how much I love her... just once more," he thought to himself.

"Please, don't kill me," he whispered, barely audible to himself. "Where is the order? Where is Dumbledore?" he thought to himself. "I don't want to go... not yet," he prayed.

"Crucio"

Voldemort continued inflicting excruciating pain. Every time he stopped, he thought of killing John off. But every time, he got swayed by his desire and continued torturing the boy. He watched John writhe and twist in pain. And then he heard something, a bunch of cracking sounds.

Voldemort and all his underlings turned around. John's eyes lit up. With all his might, he got up and looked at the figures standing far away. He could make out Dumbledore, Remus and Severus from their silhouettes. But there were a few more there.

The order of phoenix had arrived.

"Goodbye, Mr Smith... I don't wish to see you in pain anymore..." remarked Voldemort with a smirk. "Your friends are here to collect you," he added.

"Avada Kedavra," he cried and a jet of green light escaped Voldemort's wand and soared through the air to make its way to John.

"Give... me... my son back," were the first words he had heard her say. She was sobbing. And there was suddenly an ache inside him that he couldn't shake. She was a young woman, who looked the same age as him. And she had just broken into their home, in the middle of the night. It was at that moment, that John had gotten smitten with her.

Images from all the years he had lived, flashed by him in an instant. The next, his breath became air. John Smith was gone, and he had left behind a mark on everyone's lives he had touched.

Hmm... I'll let this sink in...

PS - Chapter 58 will be out next week...