Chapter 38
AN: Thank you for the support. I do feel bad about the cliff-hanger at the end of the last chapter. Hope you like this one.
Since Voldemort first felt Bellatrix call, he and Albus have been fighting, while Voldemort has been fighting to kill Albus has been fighting to disable. While the others would very much like to watch what is going on as it isn't often you see Wizards as skilled as Albus and Voldemort fight, Alice, Minerva, Moody, Amelia, and James all have to fight Death Eaters themselves.
"Thanks," James says to Amelia as she protects him with a spell and the two of them stand back-to-back and fight together both showing why they were killed by Voldemort in person in Mie's original timeline.
Nearby to Amelia and James Alice is fighting a high ranked Death Eater showing just how skilled she is despite her young age, while Moody and Minerva are both taking down multiple Death Eaters with single moves.
From where he is fighting against Dumbledore Voldemort realises that his death eaters are quickly being defeated, and Dumbledore is getting close to getting the upper hand. Having a sense of self-preservation Voldemort causes a large explosion, which doesn't cause any injuries to anyone, and disapparates in the chaos.
In the Hospital Wing, as soon as Remus says that Mie is not breathing, a feeling of horror takes over the room.
"What?" Regulus asks his voice breaking, his heart feeing like it is being ripped in two.
"MOVE!" Lily yells and she hurries over and pushes the others out of the way. Once she is close enough, she starts to perform CPR, feeling incredible glad that her parents took her to lessons over the summer, as it is the only thing she can think to do while the others are figuring out the magical ways to help.
"What are you doing?" Frank asks confused as he has never seen what Lily is doing.
"CPR, it will keep Mie's heart beathing and the blood pumping," Lily explains. "I can do it forever though," Lily says, looking at Madam Pomfrey for help.
"Give us space," Poppy says, stepping forward and starting to do diagnosis spells so she knows what is going on, and what she can do to help. "One of you get to the fireplace, ask for a senior healer, now!" Poppy exclaims and hearing the words Frank hurries over to the fireplace while Regulus, Sirius, Remus, Gellert and Severus watch on none of them having any idea of what they can do to help.
As he sees that Regulus is struggling Sirius puts an arm around his brother doing everything, he can to offer his brother silent comfort as while Sirius is going to be devastated if Mie dies he knows that Regulus is going to be even more devastated.
Over the next minute or so Lily continues to preform CPR on Mie while Poppy is performing diagnostic spells, everyone holding their breaths, feeling useless, until Frank and a healer come running over.
"What do you know?" The Senior healer asks Poppy.
"Her nervous system is overloaded, it's shutting down," Poppy explains to everyone's horror. "The only option is to put in place spells in place to keep her breathing and her heart beating while giving her body a chance to rest," Poppy explains. "I can't do it alone," Poppy says, looking at the other healer, before turning to the others. "There's no guarantee this will work. When we may never get a sign that Mie is ready for the spells to be removed because she can breathe on her own," Poppy explains, needing them to know that.
"Do it," Gellert says, even though he has no authority. "Do whatever you need to keep her alive," Gellert says as he knows that that is what Albus would want, and while she I sure that Gellert cannot be who she thinks he is Poppy turns to Aberforth.
"Do it, do whatever you need to do to keep Mie alive," Aberforth says to Poppy and she and the healer get to work.
Opening her eyes Mie realises that there is something very strange going on as she is no longer at the property where Voldemort was, nor is she in the hospital wing, or the Hogshead, rather she is in the Hogwarts entrance hall. Looking around Mie realises that something is different, she doesn't feel pain or the feeling that her nerves are being overwhelmed, looking around she also realises that the entrance hall feels different, it just seems vaguely out of focused, but with a feeling of safety.
Standing up Mie looks around, feeling confused, she realises that door to the Great Hall is open, not knowing for sure exactly why Mie knows that it is where she needs to go and so Mie walks towards it. As Mie walks into the Great Hall Mie is shocked by the sight that greats her, as not only is the Gryffindor table the only table in the hall there is a person sitting at the table; a person that even from the distance Mie recognizes.
"Harry?" Mie asks shocked as she sees Harry sitting at the solitary Gryffindor table.
"Hi," Harry responds, looking just the same as the Harry Mie left in 1998, looking thrilled to see her.
"How? How are you here?" Mie asks, as she walks towards Harry.
"You and me, we're connected, we're tied together through love, through circumstances, through magic, and because of that I am able to be here with you at the end of my very long life, looking how I looked when you left, while you are what you cannot let be the end of yours," Harry says to Mie.
In the real world, in the hospital wing Poppy and the healer from Saint Mungo's are working to make it so that Mie can be kept alive while her body rests. Working carefully as a group as it is delicate process, Aberforth, Sirius, Regulus, Gellert, Poppy and the Healer are delicately moving Mie from the floor to a bed.
Just as Mie is placed on the bed, as Poppy and the healer from Saint Mungo's start to do what they need to do to make sure Mie is comfortable while magic helps to keep her alive, the door to the hospital wing opens and Albus, Minerva, Moody, Amelia, Alice, and James hurry in.
"Where is she?" Albus asks, pain in his voice, looking desperate to see his daughter.
"Over here," Gellert tells him, and Albus hurries over to where Mie is.
"How is she?" Albus asks, looking between everyone as he needs answers about how his daughter is, and after giving a look to the other healer Poppy turns towards Albus and takes a step towards him, as she knows that this is an extremely delicate process, and it would be best if what Albus needs to know comes from her.
"Mie's nervous system has been overloaded," Poppy tells Albus in a delicate voice. "She is currently unable to breathe on her own," Poppy tells Albus, pain in her voice as she has grown to care about Mie. "Healer Shafiq and I have performed spells and rituals that are allowing Mie to breathe and keep her heart beating why her body is resting," Poppy explains to Albus.
"Will she be able to breathe on her own after some rest?" Albus asks, dreading the answer.
"I can't say," Poppy admits, and once she does Albus's legs give out, a look of heartbreak on his face, tears rolling down his face, but before he collapses to the ground Aberforth and Gellert grab each of his arms and keep him from falling.
"I'm so tired," Mie tells Harry as she sits down across from him.
"I know," Harry tells her. "But Mie there is so much more to life than school and saving the world. You deserve to experience that. You deserve a future where you have everything, you're too afraid to admit you want," Harry tells Mie, clearly wanting more for the person he still considers to be his sister even after, from his perspective, so many years have passed.
"You don't have to call me…" Mie starts to say as she doesn't want Harry to be uncomfortable.
"It's your name, who you want to be, it's what I'm going to call you," Harry tells Mie, who smiles back at him, as she is very glad, he is okay with that, as Mie is who she has become, who she wants to be.
"You lived a long life?" Mie ask, clearly wanting to talk about Harry rather than herself.
"Yeah, I died at one hundred and seventy surrounded by family, but I never forgot you. You were with me every day," Harry explains, and Mie is touched by that.
"I see you all the time, in your parents, in Sirius and Remus, in places at Hogwarts we spent our time," Mie admits. "I can be sitting in the common room with my new friends and for a second it's almost like I can see you there with us," Mie reveals, and Harry smiles.
"I named my youngest daughter Hermione," Harry reveals, as he has been waiting a very long time to tell Mie that.
"You did?" Mie asks amazed, and Harry nods.
"I had five kids, grandkids, great grandkids, great grandkids, great, great grandkids, and my first great great great granddaughter was born two days before I died," Harry admits. "And every single one of them knew about you, about everything you had done for me, that you were my family," Harry tells Mie.
"I'm really glad you got the family always deserved," Mie tells Harry as that is what she has always wanted for him. "Is Ginny…." Mie starts to ask, before trailing off as she is nervous about how Harry is going to respond to that question.
"No," Harry answers. "After you left Addie told me everything… Ginny and I didn't stay together for long after that," Harry explains to Mie.
"Where you happy?" Mie asks as she needs to know that.
"Beyond happy," Harry tells Mie. "I helped Kingsley for a little while but then I became a teacher," Harry reveals, knowing he would have never considered doing that if Mie didn't encourage him to start the DA. "I taught Defence, I became the Head of Gryffindor, and after Minerva eventually retired, I became Headmaster," Harry reveals, and Mie can see how proud he is about that.
"That's incredible," Mie says. "I'm so proud of you," Mie tells Harry.
"Thank you," Harry responds. "Mie, I know we have a lot to catch up, but we also have a lot to talk about. We have to talk about where you go from here," Harry explains to Mie.
In the hospital wing Albus has been helped to the chair right next to Mie's bed while the others are standing around, both Gellert and Aberforth standing close to Albus while avoiding looking at each other.
"Albus Mie is stable, and I can help her here, but Mungo's has more of what she needs," Poppy explains
"No," Albus responds. "If you need anything bring it here," Albus tells Poppy. "Annemie is safe here, she won't be safe at Mungo's," Albus tells Poppy as he will not do anything else that will put her at risk.
"Okay," Poppy says as she knows that there is no point arguing with Albus. "Mie is stable at the moment, Healer Shafiq and I will talk in my office about everything we need," Poppy explains to Albus, who nods, and she and healer Shafiq head into her office.
After Poppy and the Healer leave the group stand in silence for a little while, all feeling horrified for Mie, and wishing that they could do more for Albus. For a few minutes after Poppy and healer Shafiq walks away the group stand in silence as they watch as magic forces Mie to keep breathing, forces her heart to keep beating.
"Why was there a delay in you and Mie returning upstairs?" Aberforth asks Gellert, needing to know, as Albus looks like he is oblivious to the conversation that is going on as he is staring at Mie watching as magic forces her chest to rise and fall.
"Annemie wouldn't leave until she had an object, a locket," Gellert explains. "She left a destroyed identical locket behind, but she wouldn't leave without the complete one," Gellert explains, and he notices the others, with the exception of Albus, exchange looks.
"The Horcrux, Slytherin's locket," Alice says, saying what they are all thinking.
"Where did Mie put the locket?" Sirius asks, his voice rushed, as he knows this is beyond important.
"In her bag," Gellert answers.
As soon as Gellert says where the locket is Regulus hurries over to Mie's bag, which is still on the floor, and after searching he finds the locket, which he pulls out of the bag and after a few seconds he pulls out the case where the Basilisk fang knifes are.
"How are we going to open it?" James asks, as he knows that that is going to be an issue as everything, they know says that the Horcrux cannot be destroyed without opening the locket.
"Mie taught me to say open in pastletounge," Regulus explains, as Mie wanted to cover all their basis, make sure that there was someone else who could say that in case she couldn't.
"Then this is yours to destroy," Remus tells him, feeling that it is right considering what happened in the other timeline.
"Stay back," Regulus tells the others, and anyone who is close to Regulus takes a step back while Gellert and Aberforth, neither of whom have seen a Horcrux destroyed, look on in interest.
After the others walk away Regulus puts the locket on the floor in front of him and he squats down on his knees. Closing his eyes Regulus focuses on what Mie taught him, what Harry taught her, "Open," Regulus says in pastletounge, and as soon as the locket opens Regulus doesn't allow the Horcrux to say or do anything and instead brings down the Basilisk blade and destroys the Horcrux that caused his death in the other timeline, with a blood curdling scream, but despite the noise Albus doesn't look away from Mie.
"What do you mean where I go from here?" Mie ask Harry, feeling incredibly confused.
"This is your version of Kings Cross," Harry tells Mie, knowing that she will know exactly what that means. "Healers are working on spells to breathe for you, to keep your heart beating, why your body rests," Harry tells Mie. "Your mind is here because you are between life and death," Harry explains. "I am here because I wanted to see you again, and to talk to you about your options, before I move on to be with everyone I love," Harry explains to Mie.
"Options? So, I have a choice?" Mie asks.
"Of course, we all have choices, you know that," Harry says and Mie nods. "You can stay here, return to your life, or join me as we move on," Harry tells Mie.
"I have missed you so much," Mie admits, tears coming to her eyes.
"I know, but I'll be waiting for you whenever you're ready," Harry tells Mie. "You don't have to join me now," Harry says, before leaning forward. "Mie you can do so much more, and I'm not just talking about the better future you're creating," Harry says to Mie.
"I'm so tired," Mie admits. "Living with what's already happened, what I know, what I need to do, it's exhausting," Mie admits. "I love Dad, and my friends, and Uncle Ab, but I don't know if I can keep going, I don't know if I can keep fighting," Mie admits, doing so because it's Harry she is talking to.
"You can, and you won't be fighting forever, there is a light at the end of the tunnel," Harry promises. "Mie, I'm not going to lie you've got more fights to go, but you also have the after," Harry admits. "The after is hard. The war is over, and you have to learn how to live in the world you helped create," Harry says, speaking form his own experience. "It takes time, and it's hard in a way I can't explain, but it's beyond worth it and I want that for you," Harry tells Mie. "You've got an incredible life waiting for you, where you're going to do things, you could never imagine, you've just got to get to it," Harry tells Mie.
"Voldemort will be defeated without me, Dad, Regulus, the others, they'll make sure he's defeated, they'll make your timeline doesn't come to be," Mie says to Harry.
"They will," Harry confirms. "They'll make a better world, but you should be apart of that, be apart of what you sacrificed everything for," Harry tells Mie, wanting her to see that she doesn't need to go back to just to save the world but to live in it.
"What if I don't know how to live in that kind of world? I'm exhausted, but fighting is all I know now," Mie tells Harry. "This after you talk about, it terrifies me," Mie admits.
"It scared me too, but I figured it out," Harry tells Mie. "And you will too," Harry assures Mie. "You have free will, you have your choice, and if you won't go back for yourself then go back for the people who love you," Harry says to Mie. "I want you to have the life that's waiting for you," Harry tells Mie. "Do you think Albus and Aberforth relationship will survive if you die? Do you think your friends will be able to get over it? Do you think Regulus will?" Harry asks, trying to get through to her.
"I don't want to hurt Dad, or my friends, I love them," Mie admits. "But I don't know if I can keep fighting, and I don't know if I can go back and eventually stop fighting," Mie admits, as she cannot picture a world where she is no longer fighter, where she is living in this after that Harry is talking about.
"You can, you're so strong Mie," Harry tells her. "You shouldn't have the responsibility of others on your shoulders, but you do, and you also have an amazing future waiting for you if you just keep fighting, like I know you can, for a little longer," Harry tells Mie. "I know you're tired, I know your scared, but there is so much more for you to do, and I want that for you," Harry tells Mie, giving her a lot to think about. "I'll be here when your time finally comes, but don't let that time be now," Harry tells Mie as he knows the life she can live, and he wants that for her.
"Can I just stay here a little longer? Not move on, not move back, just stay here?" Mie asks, as she doesn't know what to do.
"Of course," Harry responds, and the two of them drift into silence.
In the hospital wing not just Albus but all of Mie's friends, Gellert, Aberforth, Moody and Minerva are sitting around Mie's bedside as Magic keeps her alive. While the others are sitting around Poppy and the healer from Mungo's are putting everything in place to monitor Mie and make sure she is in the best state possible.
"Headmaster," the portrait of a former headmaster says, coming into a portrait in the hospital wing, and Albus completely ignores him.
"What is it?" Minerva asks.
"The minster of Magic is on his way, with Mr Crouch and several other ministry officials, he is insisting that he talks to you," the portrait explains, and everyone knows how bad that is.