Majo Kon-ki The Marriage of Tanya the Witch
(The marriage chronicles of a witch)
Arc 4 - Goblet of Fire – part 8 and final
June, AD 1995, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Rita Skeeter was beside herself with joy.
"I almost called it a day seeing Potter's little performance. Still, my keen 'gossip radar' was buzzing, telling me that the best was around the corner!"
Even though entering Dumbledore's office posed a significant risk, it turned out to be a gamble that paid off. Tanya Degurechaff, once again, provided her with a juicy scoop.
'The love is over: Degurechaff tries to pass a fantastic story to dump Harry Potter.'
'Harry Potter's mentally ill bride.'
'Headmaster of Hogwarts encourages student's delusions.'
So many great ideas for a headline and only one article…
"I need something with a more striking appeal! Perhaps: 'Deluded or mental illness? The princess of the frauds!'"
Not quite hitting the mark yet, but she harbored unwavering confidence that her brilliant mind would soon conjure the ideal method to exploit this gossip to its fullest extent.
"Mwehehe! As it is to be expected of the epitome of excellence- Ah?" Immersed in her daydream, she couldn't resist a few triumphant snorts, prompting Tanya Degurechaff to take notice of her.
"I have to learn to control this badhabit of mine!" In any case, she was leaving. The girl proved to be dangerous, last time, she didn't mind blowing an entire wall trying to take out a bug.
"Wish I could see what Dumbledore is showing Potter-EEK!" The moment she attempted to take flight, Tanya swiftly cast a small blob at her. Skeeter was now an insect trapped in the spider's web.
"Did you really think I wouldn't realize? This small insect has too big of a mana signal!"
"She discovered me?! Blast!" Skeeter panicked, seeing in her mind the likely headline resulting from this fiasco: 'Attractive and talented journalist Rita Skeeter on a one way trip to Azkaban.'
"Come on, little piece of shit! Tell me what you are planning, babble to your heart's content!"
"Damn it! After one of my best years, am I going to lose everything?!"
"Cat got your tongue? Where are all your smart-ass predictions?"
"M-maybe she will take mercy on me if I, gulp, offer 'immunity'?" This meant she would cease writing about Tanya Degurechaff entirely.
"Oh! I don't want to lose the best source of gossip I had since Armando Dippet…"
"Why aren't you answering? Hmm… could I be wrong? Am I talking with a regular insect?"
"!" Lady luck hadn't forsaken Rita Skeeter. The girl seemed uncertain, implying that all the woman had to do was play the part of a dumb beetle to find her way.
"… the mana? Could it be a magical insect of some sort…?"
"That is right, you little loony! I am merely a harmless magical insect!"
"Well…" Skeeter thought she was safe…
"… it doesn't hurt to make sure." … until the girl pulled her wand over her.
"WAH!" She had no choice, she decided to break the spell, reveal herself and beg for forgiveness.
"Wait a minute! What am I doing?!" She let out a breath of relief as Tanya Degurechaff, pocketed her wand.
"Dumbledore would be furious if I damaged his table."
"Nasty little brat! Wait until I tell the whole world-"
Comparable to a bolt of lightning, Tanya Degurechaff swiftly brought a shoe down on Rita Skeeter, squashing her like the repugnant bug she truly was.
"Every single time I hear one of those little pests, something bad happens afterwards. Not today!"
Tanya's satisfaction evaporated seeing the disgusting mess left by crushing the bug.
"Yuck! It definitely wasn't Being X, not even him-"
The dead insect completely slipped from Tanya's mind as she observed Harry and Dumbledore emerging from the cabinet, the boy with tears streaming down his face.
"The plan was a success!" It was hard to maintain a straight face. She had to remind herself that whatever his reaction, she would need to feign the appropriate response.
"If he screams, I flinch! And I force out a few tears as soon ashe says it was a mistake to- !!" She was taken aback as Harry embraced her.
"Tanya! Sob! To think you were suffering so much!"
"Eh…?" The confusion on her face was genuine.
"I won't ever abandon you or shun you! I promise!"
"Y-you won't?! I-I, err, didn't you see what I did on Dacia?!"
"I did… and it was horrible! If professor Dumbledore didn't show me the memories of the day you two spoke, I wouldn't know you were forced!"
Tanya looked at Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling at her.
"Mischievous old fart!"
"I don't care how much you hurt me! You can rip out my arms everyday if it means you are staying!"
"Err- Ah! I ought to go home! I have my parents!" She said, freeing from his embrace.
"Y-you have a mother and a father…?"
"YES!"
Harry seemed at loss.
"Tanya…" Then he took a deep breath, and his expression turned serious.
"… forget about them."
"What?!"
"I realize I am being selfish, but I want you to choose me! Like I chose you!"
'I don't want to share you with a mirror or your dead parents… make your choice.'
Tanya was painfully reminded of her words during the philosopher's stone incident. When she basically forced the boy to let go of his parents in her favor.
"Ugh! This is another failure…!" She understood seeing both Harry and Dumbledore staring at her, full of expectation on their eyes.
"Fine!"
"You mean…?!"
"I am staying with you!"
"This is the only answer I can give anyway!"
"You do?! THANK YOU! Oh, thank you so much! Sob!"
"Better get used to the tears, moron! You've just blown your chance to spare yourself a needless grievance with my 'death'."
"I can't work out the hallows…" With Dumbledore's support out of the picture, Tanya decided to offer reassurance to keep him from becoming an obstacle in her way.
"… and I think you were right professor, I can't leave Harry- mmmph!" Interrupting her act, the boy kissed her without minding the headmaster's presence.
Fortunately, their moment didn't last too long as Dumbledore released a loud sound from his throat.
"While I am sincerely delighted for the both of you, please be mindful that you have classes to attend." Dumbledore said while ushering them outside.
"Oh! Now he assumes the role of the responsible adult- Huh? Where are we going?"
With a radiant smile, Harry took her hand and led her towards the Room of Requirement.
"Shall we?"
"What do you-"
Without waiting for her consent, he pulled her in.
"I-is he thinking I will do more naughty stuff with him?!"
She was relieved as, instead of a bed, Harry summoned a couch.
"Tanya, I want you…"
"Y-yes?" She was still tense thinking he may wish to do a new sort of foreplay.
"… to tell me everything."
"Huh?"
"I want to know everything about my future wife, all you have been hiding so far."
"Didn't Dumbledore tell you enough?"
"I want to hear from you, this way, I can understand all the pain you've experienced."
Tanya was on the brink of coming up with an excuse, but as she met his gaze, something assured her that she could share a few selectively chosen instances of her story.
"From where should I begin… hum, how about my days at the military training camp…?"
She gave him a general view of the days she lived on the empire as an aerial mage.
"… and it didn't matter how good I was, they kept sending me to the worst battlefields! I only wanted a job in the rear!"
"Is this why you don't want to be an auror?"
"You can bet! No way I am ending up as a soldier again!"
Tanya had to admit she was enjoying this talk, it was the first time she talked so openly with anyone in almost thirty years.
"… no one tried to rescue you?!"
"No…" Telling her days with Loria and the betrayal of the Empire wasn't her initial plan, it came out naturally.
"I was a liability, it seems. They had to get rid of me."
"I wish I could have been there with you, I really do."
"What a corny thing to say…" And yet, she was sure he was being honest. Contrary to those traitors from the Empire, Harry would sacrifice anything to save her.
"He is identical to Visha in this aspect…" Suddenly, she found herself unable to turn away from his adoring gaze.
"Tanya… did you ingest a love potion today?"
"No…"
"Were you charmed by a veela?"
"N-no…"
"Then…" He kissed her, or rather, their lips met halfway.
"He… got better…?" By her own free will, she wanted to lose a little of herself.
"Ah…?" It went a bit too far when his hands slowly reached under her skirt.
"… If you want to stop, say it now…"
She didn't respond, instead, Tanya pulled him closer.
"Don't worry… I won't go all the way…"
Tanya hoped he would be able to control himself, for she certainly couldn't. In the blink of an eye, they were entangled on the couch-magically-turned-bed without a single piece of clothing…
About an hour later, her lust satiated, it was the moment to confront the stark reality of her actions.
"Why I- how did- UGH!" This wasn't supposed to happen. As Harry had pointed out, she didn't drink any love potion and there was no succubus' spell at play.
"Maybe… this body learned how good it can feel…?" And there was no turning back to her former ignorant self. Actually, the tendency would be to escalate things.
"Like we just did!" Harry remained true to his word, they didn't go all the way. Nonetheless, the things they did made the night she was under the veela's heat pale in comparison.
"I-I didn't even know half thestuff we did was possible!"
"Tanya… you are so beautiful…"
She realized that while she was lost in her thoughts, Harry was lovingly gazing at her naked body.
"Uh… I wish I could die of shame…!"
"Please, don't wake me up if I am dreaming- Ah! The dream!"
The boy sprung out of bed, seemingly recalling something of the utmost importance.
"AHHHH! It completely slipped from my mind! Hear me out…"
Harry related about the awful dream he had earlier.
"Crouch was under the imperius?!" She was puzzled as this piece of information contradicted Harry's first dream.
"Didn't Voldemort claim his servant at Hogwarts was exceptionally loyal?"
"Is there more? Did Voldemort mention his plan?"
"No, only that his other servant almost blew it because of you."
"It's doubtful he's planning to approach you during the task, given the heightened security. Could his intention be to strike during the commemoration?"
"Ah! Maybe Mr Crouch would capture me during the party! If so, all I need to do is keep around people-"
"No, if you sense any trap, you must fall for it, on your terms of course!"
On many occasions, the two had devised numerous strategies for the day he would confront Voldemort. Ultimately, all plans converged on two crucial steps…
"If he has a host, Harry can use his 'mortal touch'. Then, while in his defenseless wraith form, Voldemort will die by the spell I created!"
"Have you been practicing the spell I taught you?"
"Yes, Myrtle and Sir Nick have been helping me with it."
"They do…?" It was obvious the reason for the melodramatic Myrtle.
"Is Sir Nicholas still trying to get properly- h-hey! W-what are you doing?!" It was needless to ask, his touching and caresses told her plenty.
"Tanya, fancy another go…?"
"W-we already did it so much! Aren't you tired?!"
"Nope."
"Ugh!" She embarrassingly nodded her head.
"Hope he proves to be this relentless and s-skillful when fighting Voldemort as well…"
On the day of the Triwizard Tournament's conclusion, Tanya harbored the expectation that, along with it, all her two lives of troubles would come to a definitive end.
"Taken that I don't start looking at young boys' way when I get home!" This became a serious concern as, (not so much) regrettably, meeting in the Room of Requirement became a daily ritual for her and Harry.
"At least, today he gave me a break…" Not that she could relax, as Sirius…
'I managed to book a date in that church of yours. Sorry, there will be no honeymoon, you willmarry a few days before returning to Hogwarts.'
… the Lovegoods…
'Please Tanya! The Crumple-Horned Snorkack-'
'Xeno! Don't start!'
… and Mrs Weasley with her older son, Bill…
'Next week, we are arranging for your dress!'
'And you can leave the guest list to me! Sirius told me the church is kinda small, tough.'
… all came over to greet the couple and…
'Well… you are not pregnant, right? The mother superior said she would kill ME if Harry knocked you up.'
'Sweetheart, are you sure you are in conditions to undergo physical labor…?'
'If you and Harry did something you shouldn't, there is no shame in confessing it now.'
… to make sure she wasn't PREGNANT.
"Oh, how I wish I could- could CRUSH that Skeeter bitch!" This wasn't all the harm the sensationalist reporter had inflicted upon her. On the stands, Tanya observed people casting uneasy glances in her direction. In particular, the Minister for magic, Cornelius Fudge, seemed visibly tense.
She was reminded of the past, the day she first learned about the wizarding world and feared the possibility of being taken into custody for questioning.
"Not gonna happen! Any minute, Harry will appear holding the cup and I will be on my merry way!" She expected it to end fast as Harry could track the mana signal emanating from the trophy.
Unluckily, this plan turned out to be flawed. The mana emitted by the cup was too faint, and amidst the maze, bustling with life, it proved challenging to discern a clear signal from the other.
"Even I can barely tell apart Harry's signal and- Ah! He is walking in circles again!" And so, hours went by without a winner being decided…
"Alright, Miss Degurechaff, it's almost your turn." Professor Dumbledore declared to her.
"What? Am I going to have a chance?!" She let out a sigh.
"Damn, I was counting on someone else winning! I can't slip away during the celebration if all eyes are on me!"
"So, on my whistle!" Ludo Bagman started counting under the sonorus charm.
"I already gave instructions for Kreacher to wait for me. We willdestroy the type-95 and leave evidence of my death by the hands of a vengeful death eater…"
"Three…!"
"Fine!A slight adjustment to the plan: I take the cup then run back to my room, taking a detour to avoid being seen by anyone."
"Two…!"
"And if, for any reason, I can't destroy the Hallows, I'll come back to claim the money prize and, before a new morning arrives, I disappear into the world." She would go somewhere safe and peaceful to investigate a way to destroy the hallows.
"One…!"
"Feh! This sounds as if I am finally getting my 'job in the rear'!"
"GO!"
Upon hearing the whistle's blast, she swiftly conjured a dragon of fiendfyre.
Dumbledore had warned her about using dark magic and usually, she wouldn't try to get too much attention, but at this stage, Tanya could not care less.
"The cup is in the center of the maze. If I can't follow its signal, all I have to do is take a direct path to reach it!"
Everyone was aghast when the dragon went forward, opening a straight path through the maze.
"Miss Degurechaff! You-"
Without waiting for admonishment, she activated her flying skill and jettisoned forward after the dragon. The hedges proved to be well made, almost instantly, the flames were magically put out and the holes covered up.
"No matter! I need a few seconds at most!" And should she lose her window, all she has to do is cast another fiendfyre curse.
"Today, I am going all out!" And it wasn't just the maze walls, she was merciless with any creature foolish enough to cross her path…
Blast-Ended Skrewts: smashed like bugs.
Boggarts: cut in half.
Limbo Mist charm: blown out.
The acromantulas: she didn't need to bother, they cowered at her mere presence.
And, at last, her adversaries: Eventually, Tanya walked in on Krum and an unconscious Fleur at his feet.
"Thank you!" It was all she said before stunning the Durmstrang champion.
"This way, I won't feel any guilt for taking you down!" She quickly sent two streams of red sparks into the air and hurried on the path.
"Alright! With two down, I can easily win- wait! Why is this a good thing?!" It dawned on her she could have Krum win the tournament to make it easier for her to slip away unnoticed later on.
To further complicate matters, Harry's signature was significantly distant; there was no way he would reach the cup anytime soon.
"Hum… what now?"
"You are very near your goal. The quickest way is past me." A sphinx revealed itself and said.
"Should I wait a bit more to let Harry catch up or I win by myself?"
"Answer my riddle and you will-"
The sentence the creature initiated hung in the air, abruptly cut short by Tanya's beheading curse.
"Sorry! I am not in the mood to entertain you!" Without a single bit of remorse, she went past the dead body.
"Is that…?" Exactly as the sphinx had promised, the triwizard cup lay a few meters ahead of her.
"Know what…? I will win this myself!" She could no longer wait. Eagerly, Tanya dashed forward.
""WAAAAHHH!""
She was taken aback as, out of nowhere, two screaming figures materialized in front of her.
"Who…?"
"I-it's okay! We got out!"
"Whew! She almost- Albus! Your arm is on fire!"
"Huh?! ARGH!" They completely ignored Tanya's presence, so busy putting out the fire.
"Hang on! I think I saw those two before…"
"I don't get it! Why did she attack us?!"
"I dunno- By the way, where are we?!"
"Aren't those … the mysterious unspeakables I supposedly killed last year?!"
"We should be in the quidditch pitch… Hey! This must be the triwizard-"
"YOU TWO AGAIN?!" Tanya shouted, gritting her teeth in anger.
""Eh? WAAAAHHH!"" The two saw her and panicked.
"With me so close to victory, Being X sent his apostles to get in my way?! Oh no, sir! You wont'!"
"H-hurry up! We need to run!"
"G-give me a second!"
Seeing one of them reaching for a pendant, likely a portkey, Tanya swiftly seized it using a summoning charm.
""No!"" A cruel smirk played on her lips as she observed the two figures, gripped by horror, embracing each other.
"Without a portkey you won't- huh?" Upon closer inspection, the object appeared vaguely familiar.
"This is a TIME-TURNER?!" She recognized it, even if it had a different design of the one she used while training Harry.
"This means… those two are- !" Immediately, Tanya shoots slashing curses at them.
"EEEKKKK!"
"PLEASE DON'T KILL US!"
They were still in one piece, her target was their hoods.
"!" She was stunned as the faces of Harry and Draco Malfoy were revealed.
"No, it can't be Harry." The boy in front of her didn't have his mana signature. Besides, she realized they had a few small differences.
"… a time-turner plus you are the spitting images of those two." The explanation could be only one.
"You came from the future! You are Harry and Malfoy's descendants!"
"W-we are their sons to be more precise."
"And we are here to-"
"DON'T SAY A WORD!" Tanya screamed urgently. Having researched time travel, she understood the catastrophic consequences which could arise from meddling with it.
"Please, hear us. We want to- mph?!" She stopped them from carelessly reckless babbling by shooting small blobs of web at their mouths.
"I am not risking erasing myself from history! Not when I am this close to home!" She thought, peeking at the cup not too far from their position.
"Grrr! I can see the son inherited his father's talentto find trouble and to piss me off!"
Tanya paused to gather her composure, choosing to center her attention on the piece of information she had unintentionally figured out.
"That wasn't the Type-95." Rather, they must have presented her with a computation orb made in the years ahead.
"But why is it so similar-" She facepalmed herself, she did draw a picture of the type-95 for reference in her essay.
"And they aren'tBeing X's apostles…" Meaning, the devilish poltergeist may not be back, after all.
"HOORAY- wait! Why are they here? What were they planning to change?" Various scenarios raced through her mind, with the most ominous one being the possibility that Voldemort had emerged victorious in the war.
"What should I do?" She felt torn; on one side, there was the prospect of the end of the world, and on the other, the peril of bringing about the universe's demise.
"You two, listen!" The boys fixed their gazes on her.
"I will ask a question and you will either nod in affirmation or shake your head in denial, got it?"
They nodded their heads.
"A single yes or no question won't destroy existence as we know it… I hope!"
"Was Voldemort defeated?"
Once more, they nodded their heads.
"YAHOO! Everything will end well-" She recalled they didn't reveal their reasons for traveling to the past.
"D-d-don't tell me…!" Tanya grew pale, contemplating the possibility that this boy could be her son.
"He is an exact copy of his father except by the scar and… the eyes!" She breathed a sigh of relief confirming the boy's eyes were neither the distinctive green of Harry nor the familiar blue of her own, they were a shade of brown.
The irrefutable evidence that Harry, so passionately in love with Tanya, will have a child with another woman, was the ultimate confirmation of tonight's plan proceeding as intended.
"All the pieces fit together! Harry told his son thathis first love died today and he returned to try to 'save' me!" This was likely the reason they presented her with an operational orb, to make her stronger to fight off her killer.
"Albus, right? I appreciate your gesture. It's clear you're not my son…" Albus flinched.
"My assumption is that I must have died somewhere along the way and Harry married another…" She averted her gaze, pretending to wipe away tears.
"I… have no regrets! My days with Harry were brimming with joy, no matter what fate has in store for me!" She decided to maintain the facade of being in love with Harry. Her ego demanded that she be remembered in a good light.
"Please, go back to your future." Keeping a somber face, she returned their time-turner, leading to desperate head shaking on their part.
"Are they idiots? If Harry's 'first love' stays, they will change the future!" It seems she will have to press on with her lovey-dovey persona.
"I have one last question, is Harry alive and happy?"
They looked at each other and nodded their heads.
"Try to understand. You coming here placed this happiness, and your existence as well, in jeopardy." The Albus boy began to cry in front of her.
"Shh! It's okay, I am glad Harry had a son as kind as him." She gave the finishing touch of this dramatic play by pulling the boy into a hug.
"Tell your father that I love him, always!"
Her melodramatic words prompted the boy to bury his head in her shoulder, collapsing in tears.
"Should I say anything else? AH!"
"Say to him that as long as the world is free of any new Voldemorts, my memory will go on!" Tanya thought it would be for the best if someone was left taking good care of the world.
"Now, return home and stay there!" She pushed the boy away. And despite Albus Potter's stubborn insistence on trying to talk to her, Malfoy's son was convinced. He shook his head and touched the pendant on their necks. Immediately, much like their sudden appearance, they vanished without leaving a trace.
"HAHAHAHA!" Tanya couldn't help jumping and pirouetting in celebration of the two living proofs of her victory.
"Oh! I can't hold it in!" And as it happened in those instances, her moves morphed into a dance.
"Such a joy!" Gracefully, she twirled and skipped towards the trophy, concluding with her taking it as if it were her dance partner.
"Stupid poltergeist, you didn't have the guts to stalk me again! I WIN! MWAHAHAHAHA!"
"Ahem! Tanya?"
"!" With a startle, she noticed Harry just behind her.
"H-Harry?! H-how long have you been there…?"
"Err… when you took the cup for a 'spin'…"
For a moment, she was utterly embarrassed.
"No, this is perfect!" She can still have Harry act as the distracting winner she needs to help her flee.
"Here, Harry! I want you to have it." Smiling, she offered him the cup.
"What? No!"
"This stupid boy is going to be a headache until the end, isn't he?!"
"Harry, this once, don't discuss with me and TAKE THE DAMN TROPHY!" She could give him an excuse but suddenly, she ran out of patience to lie.
"You are the one who won! You take-"
What happened next, was in an instant. As soon as Harry touched the cup both were dragged away to an unknown place.
"AAAAAHHHH- GEH!" After a bumpy ride, Tanya landed face-first on the ground.
"W-what is happening?!" It took a moment for her disorientation to fade.
"Huh?" She became aware that her arms and legs were chained.
"Tanya, what is going on?!" She saw Harry lying close to her in the same situation.
"Do you know where are we? I see graves everywhere!"
"He is right, we are in some kind of cemetery…"
"Ah! We are in Little Hangleton, close to the Riddle mansion!" Tanya recognized the place she used as a shortcut to reach the village, in order to borrow food.
"Doesn't make sense. We're too far from Hogwarts, how did we end up here? And so fast?!" It seemed as if they had traveled through floo, or were apparated, or…
"A portkey! The trophy!" Tanya found the cup right between her and Harry.
Since holding it for so long did nothing, she determined it likely necessitated the touch of two individuals to activate. Additionally, a second charm created bindings upon arrival.
"Whoever brought us here, wanted us both."
"D-did you say Riddle- AAARRRGGGHHH!" Without any apparent reason, Harry was screaming in pain.
"What is wrong?!"
"My scar…! HURTS!"
"Harry?! What- !" Tanya felt a killing intent direct towards her, coming from a cloaked figure not too far.
With trembling hands, the stranger placed a bundle on the ground and edgily rushed to her.
"Degurechaff-"
"The boy first, you imbecile!" A sinister voice came from the bundle, and the figure reluctantly obeyed.
"Voldemort?!" Tanya resisted her initial urge to blow her chains opting for a strategic approach.
"No, I shouldn't reveal my hand prematurely." The best course of action was to evaluate the enemy's strength while maintaining the illusion that they held the upper hand.
"…" Quietly, she watched Harry being dragged towards a marble headstone. There, with a flick of his wand, the stranger bound the boy to a grave.
"Good, proceed with-"
"AAARRGGHHH! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANY LONGER!" Roaring, the hooded figure walked, or rather, limped towards her.
"DEGURECHAFF! Yes! Degurechaff… will suffer!"
"Err, do we know each other?" Even staring intently at his disfigured face in so close proximity offered her no clue about his identity. Tough, Tanya noticed that, aside from one hand, all of his limbs were silver.
"You… don't remember me?! H-how d-dare y-you…!"
"!" Now, this particular annoying stuttering, she distinctively associated with only one person.
"Quirrell?!" Quirinus Quirrell, her first-year DADA teacher, aka Voldemort's host.
"Shouldn't you be dead?!"
"I will soon, but I refuse to let my body turn to ashes before making you SUFFER!"
She blinked at him.
"… is this because I cut off your legs? You remember it was Voldemort and Harry who disfigured you, right?"
"DON'T LIE, YOU CHEEKY LITTLE BITCH!"
"Sigh! Figures I am the sole target of an irrational revenge…"
"You did this to me! ALL OF IT! AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Unable to move, she couldn't dodge the curse and had to rely on her passive shell to endure it.
"… ugh!" As expected, it caused an enormous drain of mana.
"Huhuhu! Don't worry, I won't kill you before you s-suffer horribly!" Mockingly, he voiced his pleasure at the idea of her experiencing pain.
"Oh! To think I almost let Crouch steal this from me!"
"You… used the imperius on him…"
"Not my most b-brilliant moment I admit. If it wasn't for our ally h-handling him, our p-plan would be over."
"Your ally? Who-"
"Speaking of him, he also i-informed me of something very i-interesting…! IMPERIO!"
"GAHHHH!" Though she was saved by her shield again, the drain was so great she almost passed out.
"… that you probably won't survive three consecutive curses!"
"Fuck…! I… messed up… phenomenally…!" It was too late to lament the wait-and-see approach.
"Not… sufficient magic… to break… free…!" Not to mention, in her weakened state, she couldn't think clearly, let alone come up with a plan.
"Let's put it to the test, shall we? CRUCIO-"
"ENOUGH!"
"Master?! You promised me the girl!"
"How many times must I repeat myself?! AFTER YOU FINISH YOUR JOB!"
"As you wish, master…!" Disgruntled, Quirrell left her side.
"This is… my chance… I must- must…" Regrettably, the impact of two consecutive Unforgivables was taking a toll on her, the dizziness was so great all her surroundings melded into a hazy, unclear blur.
"… unknowingly… bone…" And now, she could barely hear anything.
"… willingly… flesh… servant- UGH!"
She could sense that whatever her former teacher was doing would culminate in dire consequences for them. With every ounce of her being, she battled the disorientation.
"… forcibly… blood… enemy."
"ARGH!"
"Harry!" Harry's scream served as the jolt Tanya needed to regain her awareness.
"You shall resurrect your foe!"
Unfortunately, by then, there was nothing she could do except observe Quirrell dropping a bloodied knife onto a cauldron. Less than a minute later, Lord Voldemort emerged, his body robust and fully restored.
Misery gripped Tanya as the spell she had invested so much effort into creating and perfecting had become utterly useless.
"No! As long as Harry lives…" She could tell by the painful moans coming from him that the boy was still breathing.
"… we have hope!" Even if it was hard to keep optimism seeing Voldemort summon a few DOZEN death eaters.
"My true family returns…!"
"Shit, shit- no! I can't give in to despair! Focus! Evaluate the situation!"
"… the steps I took, long ago, to guard myself against mortal death…"
"Like I found out from the memory Tom Riddle, Voldemort is the babbling villain. Perfect! It will give me the time I need to recover!" It was slow but soon Tanya will gather energy enough to destroy her binding.
"… I had my most faithful servant ensure the boy's name was in the goblet…"
"Only… I doubt Harry or I are in any condition to engage in a prolonged fight… DAMN!" With frustration she concluded they would need to abandon another great opportunity to defeat Voldemort.
"Lucius, my slippery friend…"
"Malfoy is here?!" This may be the advantage she needed.
"… thirteen death eaters are missing?! Three died at my service, two have betrayed me, one, made this all possible, and the others…?"
"If he can convince some of the death eaters to our side-"
"My lord, if you allow me, the other seven were all killed trying to get Harry Potter last summer."
Revealing this bit of information didn't mean he had betrayed her YET.
"I can't forget the coward Lucius Malfoy will take the best course to assure his survival."
"Potter must have gotten all of them, he proved a capable fighter at the world cup-"
"No. Dumbledore's little pawn wouldn't dare to kill…" Voldemort turned his snake-like face at her and smirked.
"You, on the other hand, my princess, are not weighed down by misguided conceptions such as mercy and compassion!"
She flinched under the pressure of Voldemort's gaze.
"Fear not, their elimination was of no consequence… your life is worth more than all the seven combined!"
Next, the dark lord lifted her, as if she was a trophy.
"Behold, my friends! The personification of everything we stand for!"
"Oi! Don't tell me you-"
"A true witch! In her veins run magic strong, powerful, beautiful… and PURE!"
"Yeah… as I thought!" Tanya rolled her eyes realizing she got into another mess because of that stupid fairy tale.
She found comfort in the fact that the Death Eaters didn't share their master's enthusiasm. Most of them stared at her with evident uncertainty.
"M-my lord…?" One even stepped forward to voice his doubts.
"Master, in all your wisdom, surely don't believe the rumors of a-"
"Crucio!" The curse left the death eater violently writhing and moaning on the ground.
"Fool! I follow no rumors, I myself witnessed her great powers! She can fend off the killing curse and, unlike Potter, she bears no scars!"
If Voldemort aimed to teach a lesson to this man, it was in vain. He let out a loud shriek and then fell silent and motionless.
"Dead?! Shouldn't the Cruciatus curse inflict just excruciating pain?!"
This same question was reflected in the scared eyes of the death eaters.
"Do you see? Another proof of her prowess!" He raised a very familiar red wand.
"She tamed this blood thirst wand!"
"The devil of the Rhine?!" Exactly as Tanya feared, she armed one of her enemies.
"Y-yes! I can attest to her pure lineage! In fact, I was the first to see all the signs!" Lucius Malfoy arrogantly declared.
"She shall be a formidable asset to us! A symbol of the righteousness of our cause, and, for master, a fitting CONSORT!"
The girl widened her eyes, wishing to curse to death the traitor.
"Malfoy you bastard!"
"NOOO! YOU CAN'T MY LORD!" And it seemed that Quirrell was as distressed as Tanya with this idea.
"SHE IS MINE! YOU PROMISED!"
"A consort?! Don't be ridiculous! To bind myself in matrimony would be admitting I have an equal, and Lord Voldemort has no equals!"
It was surprising how no one noticed Tanya letting out the most exaggerated breath of relief.
"D-does this mean I can h-have her?"
"Alright, I have recovered enough strength!" Tanya intended to act the moment Voldemort handed her to Quirrell.
"With luck, the blast will stun them, giving me room to escape with Harry!"
"Quirinus… I do owe you a reward for all you have done for me…"
"T-thank you my lord-"
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Quirrell found himself unable to react to his master's betrayal. With his frail condition and the formidable destructive power of the Devil of the Rhine wand, he was instantly turned into ashes.
"Here you go! I give you a painless and quick death!"
"The heck?!" Contrary to her expectations, Tanya was the one stunned.
"I am sorry you had to witness such an unpleasant sight, my princess." Voldemort said in an almost regretful tone.
"You see, I was in need of a servant and there was no one besides Quirinus available."
She was puzzled at his need to justify himself.
"Since he was dying fast, I had to fuel his hatred to give him a reason to live."
"This looks like a job interview where the candidate had already won over the boss."
"So, I changed his memories to make him believe you were the main reason for his tragedy."
In any case, she welcomed this chance to replenish more of her mana.
"Of course, I would never let him, or anyone for that matter, harm you."
To make his point across, he enveloped her in a protective embrace.
"Lucius wasn't the first to suggest to me how you were born to be my wife…"
"!" She held her breath…
"… however, I cannot give you half of all that is rightfully mine…
… and once more let out a big sigh of relief.
"… you still can sit at my right side, provided you agree to share all the ancient knowledge of your ancestors!"
"Oh, so he wants all Degretschow's secrets? He will be so disappointed!"
"I am confident that, together, we can devise more ways to immortalize oneself!"
The fact that he said 'more ways' wasn't lost to her.
"Did he just tell me he is… IMMORTAL?! This changes everything!"
"Demonstrate your undying loyalty to me, and I will bestow upon you the highest honor…"
"Should I lie interest in his cause to make him reveal-"
"… the final piece of myself into your pure body!" He gently whispered in her ear.
"… eh?" All Tanya's coherent thoughts come to a stop.
"… a piece… inside me…? He plans to make me… PREGNANT?!"
"NOOOOO!" Desperately, she tried to break free of his embrace.
"… away! I need to get AWAY!!" It was useless, the meager amount of magic she had managed to reclaim was lost the moment she succumbed to her devastating trauma.
"Are you all seeing this? The supreme demonstration of respect: FEAR!" Voldemort lifted her higher, parading the weeping girl.
"S-S-SOMEONE! ANYONE, HELP ME!"
"Shush, my princess." Tanya shivered as he whispered more words in her ear.
"As long as you remain obedient, you have nothing to be afraid of."
And now, he brushed his face against hers.
"No…! Harry… please, you promised… help me…! HARRY! HARRY! HARRY!"
"Pff! Asking for Potter's help-"
Out of nowhere, a deafening explosion echoed through the air. All eyes turned to witness the grave of Voldemort's father erupting in a forceful blast.
"GET AWAY FROM MY FIANCEE YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Harry glared at them with one eye burning with hatred, while the other, below his scar, stayed closed and twitched involuntarily.
His manifestation of power left them simultaneously impressed and intimidated.
"YES! This is how I wanted it!" Unlike the others, Voldemort was elated.
"Every single one of you, witness me defeating this boy once and for all!"
The opportunity to get his revenge apparently made him forget about Tanya as she was unceremoniously tossed aside like a bag of garbage.
Confidently, the Dark Lord strode towards Harry, while his Death Eaters formed a circle around the two.
"Have you been taught how to duel-"
"BOMBARDA!" Harry didn't let him finish. His opponent managed to defend but was thrown a good distance away.
"This wasn't nice-"
It was a mere feint. Harry jumped on Voldemort, his hands aiming to the neck of the shocked dark lord.
"Check mate! A single touch will-"
"Hahaha!" Voldemort merely laughed off the attempt.
"My turn, Potter!" The dark lord gave a small touch to Harry's forehead…
"AAARRGGHHH!" … making the boy howl in pain.
"Did you honestly believe I wouldn't find a way to fight your advantage over me? Why do you think I chose you to give me blood?!"
This scene made Tanya abandon any hope. Completely overwhelmed by despair, she let darkness take her…
"Aren't you ashamed of sleeping on the job?!"
Amidst the darkness, Tanya woke to the sound of those callous words.
"Who- !" She was dumbstruck to see the salaryman in front of her.
"… me?!"
"No, not yet! But you are very close, go back and finish your work!"
"I can't… fight Voldemort… he foiled all my plans…!" In truth, no strategy of hers seems to be working as of late.
"Incompetence is not an excuse! Work harder!"
"… was I always so harsh?" Tanya couldn't help feeling this was karma in action. There she was: tired… scared… vulnerable… and no one to show any compassion.
"If you are suffering from criticism, then maybe, you should reevaluate your entire business model-"
"Stop it! I… can't play this game anymore… it is too s-scary! Okasan! Otosan!" With all her heart, she wished to return to her childhood, a time she counted on her parents to protect her.
"Cease your bawling! Aren't you an adult man?! Besides, your parents are far from your thoughts. They were merely an excuse you threw at Harry and Dumbledore!"
"Please… leave me alone… I… give up…" She was too tired… For two lives she has been fighting non stop.
"… you understand that a destiny worse than unemployment waits for you, right?"
It was unnecessary to explain… without Harry, there won't be anyone stopping Voldemort of taking over the world or turning her into a FUCK TOY.
"I will be back… to exactly where I started…"
"Not necessarily. As a matter of fact, you could also commit suicide and restart as the Lovegoods child."
"Back… at being a baby?!" Tanya wondered if she had the mental endurance for another go.
"Hum… thinking it through, Voldemort might find out about you and presume you have the power to manipulate your own reincarnation."
"Eh?"
"He already assumes you carry ancient secrets of immortality; this would strengthen his conviction."
"… it's hopeless! Sob!"
"Don't let emotions get the better of you! Instead, finish the job and collect your payment: ME!"
"And how do you expect me to do it?! I can't fight Voldemort, I-I am too afraid of him!" If, at least, her PTSD didn't block her magic, she would have a chance.
"Thinking logically, we have one remaining alternative."
"We do?!" The salaryman's words sparked a glimmer of hope within her.
"We could… pray."
"… what?"
"Pray to Being X. Say you accept him as god and ask for his help!"
"What?!"
"Don't mistake me, I am not telling you to believe in him. Merely lie a bit."
"WHAT?!"
"Who knows? He may be so pleased, he may throw you a one-way-trip back home. You wouldn't have to rely on the deathly hallows."
'… one prayer and you shall be saved.' He had promised the last she saw him.
"… I can't deny the logic in your words. This is my best, if not, last chance."
"Then, are you going to-"
"THE DAY HELL FREEZES!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.
"Even pretending to worship that piece of shit would be like spiting in my own hard work, all the torture I went through!"
"What a pain! I told you to not let emotions get the better of you!"
"When it comes to Being X, there is no room to argue!"
"Come on! Being me again, you will forget everything anyway!"
"Doesn't matter! A simply forgotten memory would turn into the most disgusting parasite in my soul! Deep down, I wouldn't truly be MYSELF!"
"I almost forgot this important fact, I must not rely on him or any one else! I willreturn homewith my own strength!"
The salaryman's constant frown melted into a playful grin.
"Feeling better…?"
She nodded her head.
"Voldemort had a point, anger can be the best motivation!"
"Indeed, this deadly sin gave you the necessary push to fight." She saw the eyes of the salaryman lit a yellow shine.
"Being… X?"
"Go back, my child. Endure until the day I save your loveless soul!"
"… hmm?" With a startle, Tanya opened her eyes.
"A dream? Or did I really see that pretending poltergeist?" Somehow, she doubted. He was different from the usual pest.
"More importantly, what have I lost?" Glancing over, she saw Harry and Voldemort still fighting while the death eaters watched.
"Grr! If I wasn't tied-" To her surprise, the chains holding her had been cut.
"A stray spell? Whatever!" Quietly, Tanya crawled away towards the cup.
"As I thought, the portkey needs two people to activate." Regardless, she had no intention of abandoning Harry. Not the sole individual capable of defeating the dark lord.
"A-and more than ever, I need him taken out!" There was no way Tanya could live in peace knowing another creep had his eyes on her.
Taking another look, she witnessed the boy engaged in a feverish battle with Voldemort. They appeared evenly matched, but steadily and slowly, Harry was wearing himself out.
"No choice…!" With a grunt, she took from under her clothes, the pink purse Malfoy gave her during the Quidditch world cup so many months ago.
The bag itself only had an extension charm on it. It was what was inside that she needed…
"My Luger P08!"
"Die Potter- GAH!" With perfect timing, as Harry was on the brink of imminent death, she unleashed a hail of bullets at the Dark Lord.
"I don't need magic to shoot!" Not to say that wizards of this world weren't prepared for regular weapons.
"HARRY! We are retreating, come to me!" Without needing a second call, Harry ran to her.
"YOU DARE WOUND ME WITH A MUGGLE'S TOY?!" Holding his blood arm, Voldemort turned his anger to Tanya.
"Crap! I need to reload!"
"DIE! AVADA KEDAVRA!" she closed her eyes. Being unable to manifest mana, her passive shell won't be able to protect her.
"WHAT?!" No spell came at her. Voldemort himself was perplexed gazing at his-
"That wand is actually mine!" Meaning, she didn't lose the Devil of the Rhine's loyalty.
This gave Tanya the time she needed to quickly recharge her weapon from the almost limitless supply inside the pink purse. She resumed firing, to discourage any Death Eater from attempting to impede Harry.
"YOU ARE NOT ESCAPING!" However, Voldemort gave up on Tanya and pointed the Devil of the Rhine back at Harry.
"HARRY, HURRY!" At Tanya's urging, the boy dived at her, his hands making contact with the trophy mid-air.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" She last heard Voldemort shout as they were jerked away.
"Goodness me, what led that young girl to expose such dark magic?!" Dumbledore wondered, fatigued. From the moment Tanya summoned her Fiendfyre dragon until just a while ago, he had been continuously defending her from a clearly agitated Cornelius Fudge.
"If I didn't know any better, I might presume she did it on purpose-"
"They are back!" Someone shouted, and sure enough, Harry and Tanya had materialized themselves in front of the labyrinth.
Applause erupted instantly, accompanied by inquiries about who was the winner. Dumbledore, for his part, was simply relieved they were unharmed.
"Thank you Merlin! They are safe and… tied up?"
Everything came to a halt, the applause, the questions and even the band playing. Everyone was confused to see the young couple in chains.
"H-help… please!" The young girl's plea snapped them all out of their stupor. Immediately, Severus rushed to her side, while Minerva went to Harry.
"Professor…!" As soon as she was freed, Tanya sought the teacher's embrace.
"I was so scared! He said- said he was going to… put a part of himself inside me…! Sob!"
Dumbledore and his potions master exchanged expressions of dismay.
"S-someone tried to molest you?! Who, Tanya?!"
"… Voldemort!"
"!" Her answer was much worse than they could guess.
"Miss Degurechaff, calmly tell us what-"
"AHHH! A-ALBUS!" The distraught scream from his deputy pierced the air.
"POTTER IS DEAD!"
"Wha-" Dumbledore lost his voice. He ran to the boy hoping against hope Minerva was mistaken.
Upon removing the chains, the first thing he noticed was the prominent bolt-shaped scar on his backside. The unmistakable mark of the killing curse.
The headmaster fell to his knees. The boy's eyes were lifeless open, he wasn't breathing, he wasn't moving, he was… dead.
"And today, I daresay it's not one of Miss Degurechaff's decoys…"
"HARRY!" And regarding the young lady, devastated, she persistently shook her fiance's lifeless body.
"YOU CAN'T BE DEAD! WAKE UP!"
She wasn't alone, behind him, the headmaster heard the word spreading. More voices calling the boy, people crying and screaming.
Despite Dumbledore's dear wish to offer solace, he found himself unable. He, more than anyone else, knew the terrible gravity of this tragedy.
"The prophecy… no one can stop Voldemort… the world will fall into darkness…!"
"Girl, please, let go of him! Albus, help me here!" He heard Fudge ask, but he couldn't muster the will to move.
"Harry… how did this happen…?" In her distress, Tanya refused to let go of Harry.
"She ought to be heading to the hospital wing!" He heard Alastor say next. Like Fudge, he tried to separate the tragic couple.
"… someone was helping him…"
"Move it, lass!" Forcefully, the ex-Auror yanked the girl. In response, he was met with a glare filled with murderous intent.
"…and it was YOU!" Out of nowhere, Tanya pulled a pistol and pointed it straight to Alastor's face.
"GOOD GRACIOUS! She has a muggle fire-thing!" Fudge emitted a squeal, fruitlessly covering his head in an attempt to shield himself from a danger not even directed at him.
"He mentioned how his ally handled Crouch!"
"What on earth are you prattling on about, lass?!"
"You had your magical eye in the forest! It's impossible you didn't see he was wounded and unarmed!"
"P-Potter was by my side! He backed me-"
"Plus he was awfully well informed about the resistance of my shield!"
"You're in a bit of a state, lass! There are plenty of others who saw that lesson and may have told Quirrell-"
A shot rang out. And thus, at Harry's side, lay Alastor Moody with a hole between his eyes.
"I didn't mention Quirrell. No one except Voldemort and his ally knew he was alive!"
"EEKK!" Once again, the minister shrieked.
"S-SHE KILLED ALASTOR MOODY!"
"Hold on… this is polyjuice!" Severus declared, inspecting the spilled hip-flask that had belonged to Alastor.
"Revelio!" A quick charm and another truth came to the surface.
"Merlin's beard! It is Crouch's boy, Barty Junior!" The same as Fudge, the headmaster was aghast recognizing the supposedly long dead man.
"For an entire year, I failed to realize my old friend was being impersonated!" It was truly disgraceful. This wasn't the first occasion he had endangered the whole school by letting a dangerous killer around children.
"Another regrettable error! And it has led to the harm of another innocent life!"
"I-I found his inside man, Harry! E-everything is going to be alright! Just… wake up!" Tanya was back at crying frantically over the dead Harry.
"Correction, TWO innocent lives!" He understood this number was still imprecise looking at the sorry state of the approaching Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood.
"Tanya…! Sob! He is gone…!"
"NO! He can't be! He is the only one… the only one who-"
"The only one you ever loved… we know…! Sob!"
The two finished by hugging together their grieving friend.
Dumbledore had to turn away for this heartbreaking scene… However, his eyes ended on the two youngest Weasleys being consoled by their mother and older brother. Not too far, the Lovegoods were tending to Sirius Black. The man was expressionless, probably in shock.
Turning his gaze to another direction, there was Hagrid openly weeping in front of Madame Maxime. Meanwhile, Minerva cried inconsolably on Severus' shoulder. The potions teacher himself threw an anguished glance seeing his protege in so much pain.
And finally, there were all the other students… Everywhere, sadness filled the headmaster's view.
"No! I refuse to accept it! It can't end this way!" Tanya released herself from the comforting embrace of her friends and turned towards him.
"Professor! We need a spell! Something to bring the dead back!"
"I am sorry… no spell can reawaken the dead…" He apathetically informed her.
"For years… I thought the resurrection stone-"
"The resurrection stone?! That is it!" The young girl wiped her tears and stood resolute over Harry's body.
"I understand what I have to do! COME TO ME! DEATHLY HALLOWS!" She held up her hand, probably casting a summoning spell.
Not a minute later, three objects arrived like shooting stars, so much they glowed. There was silence as everyone watched what Miss Degurechaff was about to do.
"With a wand made of elder, so powerful, no one shall be able to kill me." With those words, she took the wand from the air. Now, her entire body was glowing a pale silver as well.
"With this stone, I shall not feel the despair of solitude and never take my own life." She took another hallow, pushing the stone against one of the wand's nodules and they merged.
"With His cloak, time shall not take me away, be it on sickness or old age." Lastly, she took the cloak and wrapped it over the wand/stone. For a moment, it became invisible but then, it began to glow brighter.
It seemed as if Tanya Degurechaff had become a ghost or a patronus, her body completely covered by a mist white light. Except her eyes that, in contrast, shone gold.
"Harry… where are you?" She pointed her wand up and cast a blast. It became pitch dark, as if the moon and stars had turned off.
Seconds later, new lights started to gleam, in the same faint silver hue as Tanya Degurechaff.
"What is- Merlin gracious! Are those souls?!" Dumbledore was beyond words. The lights took on distinct shapes, resembling humans and animals, almost ghost-like, except, even more ethereal, if such a thing were possible.
"She turned the truly departing spirits visible to us." This was said by Gryffindor's resident ghost Sir Nicholas.
To the headmaster's surprise, all the ghosts of the castle were around as well. All staring mesmerized at the girl.
"It's too late for him, his life essence was killed…" The Grey lady mentioned floating towards Tanya.
"It doesn't matter! I have plenty of mana to restore his mystical organ!"
"And how do you plan to bring his soul down here? He is already too distant…" The Bloody Baron added.
"Indeed, soon, he will be with the lord." The Fat Friar concluded.
"There is no god! This is why I am gonna save him myself!" After these words, a string of light emerged from the girl's wand and it reached one of the souls, Harry's.
"Come back!" She began to pull the thread, it gave the impression of being a very difficult task as it demanded great physical labor from her.
"Uh-oh! Isn't this, you know, cheating?" It was moaning Myrtle's turn to say something.
"What do you mean, Miss Warren?"
"Pay no mind to her, headmaster!" Professor Binns interrupted with an uncommonly cheerful tone.
"We are witnessing history! Never before have the heavens been so close to us!"
"T-the heavens…?"
'… the new overlord will take down the skies!'
"Miss Degurechaff is… the overlord?!" Dumbledore was so terrified, his first impulse was to intervene and stop the girl.
"No… I mustn't!" He restrained himself, recognizing she was Harry's (and the world's) sole chance.
"You idiot, didn't you hear me? I said to come back!" No matter how hard she tried, the string stubbornly resisted her attempts to pull it, almost as if it were firmly stuck in place.
"… Tanya…?" From afar, Harry's voice could be heard.
"Harry! You have much ahead of yourself! OW! Y-you have to kill Voldemort, remember?!" She managed to pull a bit more, only it was so hard she winced in pain.
"T-think of your friends! Ouch! They are all crying down here!" Again, Harry was a little closer to them.
"You- you… Aff! If you… come back… I will… m-marry you… right NOW!" Whatever had been forcing the thread away had given up. All it took was a single tug and Harry's soul floated back to his dead body.
"Great! I will pour my own- Hum?" Dumbledore was startled to see Tanya pull something resembling a 'mist serpent' from Harry's head, or more precisely, from his scar.
An agonizing scream came from Harry but not from his mouth when Tanya strangled the snake out of existence.
"… was that, what I believe it was?!" He had no opportunity to immerse himself in his musings, as next, Tanya took Harry in her arms and kissed him.
"No, not a kiss. She is… transferring some sort of energy to him…?" He could see by small gaps between their mouths, a white light flowing into Harry.
The boy's body remained immobile, then, it began to spasm and at last, he opened his eyes. Tanya separated from him and helped Harry to his feet. It was as if nothing had ever happened to him.
"I heard you… calling for me." Harry lovingly uttered, gazing tenderly at his fiancee.
"Stupid boy, your life doesn't belong solely to you, there are many things I want you to do!"
"I know. And I shall remain at your side, all my life, until death do us part!" With this pledge, he drew her back into a kiss.
""""""""""HARRY IS ALIVE!""""""""""
Loud cheers filled the air. In an act of magic, all the misery from before turned into pure joy.
""""""""""… miracle…!""""""""""
Still, Dumbledore couldn't partake in the commemoration. While relieved for Harry's well being, he pondered whether this act, in truth, spelled doom for them all.
""""""""""… the master of death…!""""""""""
"M-Merlin! She brought him back to life!" Close to him, Cornelius Fudge appeared to be the sole person to share his fears.
"The boy… is really alive! He is not an inferius or a ghost… she brought him back!" Slowly, he backed away, appearing to be about to have a panic attack.
"H-how can I compete- I mean…"
Dumbledore sighed sadly, realizing the man was merely wary for the sake of his own political position.
"S-Skeeter was right! This girl is dangerous!"
Finally, he turned and ran away.
"Oh, Cornelius. What a useless thing to do…"
""""""""""… our princess is a goddess…!""""""""""
"There is no place to run…"
""""""""""… saved her beloved in the last moment…!""""""""""
"… from the END OF THE WORLD."
""""""""""… the ELEVENTH hour GODDESS!""""""""""
Now, these words seemed to be proper for this occasion.
"This is, indeed, the world's eleventh hour!"
End of Arc 4
AN: That is it folks, the end of the longest chapter of my longest arc so far.
Tanya mistaking Voldemort's words was the way I found out to create a weakness of her towards the dark lord. This is the main reason I created Tanya's trauma with Loria in the first place. Harry has to be the one to defeat Voldemort but Tanya, being so powerful, should be able to surpass him. Oh, and Tanya destroyed another horcrux, meaning, only Helga Hufflepuff's Cup is keeping him alive (the part that should go for Nagini, is being reserved for Tanya after all). This scene was heavier originally. Voldemort would desire Tanya and even try to rape her. However, like I declared before, I don't think Voldemort is someone who enjoys sex as he lost too much of his humanity.
Oh, and you must be wondering how Harry died, taking in account that Voldemort's ritual should have protected him. I will give the answer in the next arc.
Finally, the next chapter may take long, I may return in January or maybe only in March as I plan to redo a bit of the prologues and completely remake the teaser chapter. This is a necessity as this story changed too much from what I first envisioned. Plus, I am incredibly tired, both physical and psychologically…
Next chapter: This time, we will have a different interlude. Instead of the Potter family, we will see what happened with the salaryman.