Secrets of Immortality by Innermurk

Rating: PG13
Genres: Romance, Action & Adventure
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 5
Published: 25/02/2004
Last Updated: 26/02/2004
Status: In Progress

A post Hogwarts epic adventure. Voldemort is still on the rampage after Harry had to drop out of
school his seventh year to fight Death Eaters, and keep his friends safe. Now Dumbledore and Harry
are conspiring to rid the world of Voldemort's evil for once, and for all. A new spell, and
some stunning and unforeseen side-effects combine to give Harry some deep insight into life as we
know it.




1. Ultimate desire
------------------

Secrets of Immortality by Innermurk Chapter 1 : Ultimate desire

Love was an exquisite sort of pain, Harry decided as he lay by her. How else could he explain
the feeling he had? The intense joy went beyond the border of simple happiness into something that
was almost more than he could bear.

He reached over and gently ran his fingers through her hair as it lay spread around her sleeping
face. She gave a soft sigh when he reached a tangle, and he delicately unraveled it so he wouldn�t
wake her. He loved watching her sleep.

She had this habit of softly moving her lips when she dreamed, and her eyelids fluttered just a
bit. Her breathing was soft and slow, and he felt drowsy as he listened to it. He lay his head on
her and closed his eyes breathing in her scent. She was everything he�d wished for, everything he
needed.

He had no idea that in a little over seventy-two hours, it would all be taken from him.

The next morning, he got up early, kissed her cheek, promised her he would be back soon, and
left. He had an appointment to see Dumbledore, but he hoped to be back in time for lunch.

The morning air was brisk, and he mounted his broom, looking up at the clear pink-tinged sky,
swirled his invisibility cloak over himself, and kicked off. Flying was still one of his favorite
pass-times. Even though he hadn�t played Quidditch in a while, he tried to keep his skills intact.
They were useful in battle.

Harry had seen many battles in the time that had passed since he had left Hogwarts. He couldn�t
believe it had been only a few months since what would have been his seventh and final year was
over. So much had happened.

Dumbledore had wanted him to stay in school, and Harry could appreciate that. But he couldn�t
stand by and watch his friends get hurt. Hermione had been targeted more than once, and all the
Weasleys were in danger as well. He realized that he couldn�t go on as normal during his sixth
year.

Sometimes, Harry regretted his actions during that year, and sometimes he was indifferent
towards them. He never lost the perspective that he was in a war. People were suffering and dying.
Sirius� death had driven that point home, and it had taken him the better part of that next year to
get over it, if you could call the dull aching acceptance being over it.

Harry had finally convinced Dumbledore of the danger, and had earned his grudgingly given
acceptance to the prospect of Harry leaving school. He even become a full-fledged member of
Dumbledore�s Order of the Phoenix when he had managed to destroy three Death-Eaters this past year,
saving multiple people, and the village of Hogsmeade from their plots of terrorism.

The stars were fading, and the sunrise was getting brighter as Harry landed outside the
forbidding Hogwarts gates. He walked slowly through aware of the new security measures that were
surrounding the castle for student safety. The boars on top of the pedestals spoke daily with
Dumbledore, and only approved visitors were allowed through. All others were paralyzed, and if not
cleared from the snare, beheaded. They were not to be fooled with costume, invisibility, nor
polyjuice potion, and they covered the air around the gate as well as the ground.

Harry wasn�t sure how much of these precautions were Dumbledore�s ideas, or the school board�s,
but parents were anxious to send their children to Hogwarts as it was considered the safest place
in Britain, if not the world, now that Voldemort was more powerful than the Ministry.

Dumbledore had continued Harry�s training in earnest. And the secret of the prophecy remained
just that, secret. Hermione had come close to guessing, and he had almost blurted it out to her and
Ron when they were trying so desperately to help him with his trials. But he recognized the
necessity of keeping this secret. They would only worry. And the pressure on him would be greater.
He didn�t know if he could stand watching Hermione�s eyes widen in horror as she grasped what he
told them, or Ron�s stuttering as he tried to find a way out of it, or around it, for Harry.

Harry had come to terms with it. He had to destroy Voldemort, and he alone could do it. He had
learned to take smarter risks, and completed his Occlumency training in earnest. He dueled with
Dumbledore on occasion, and he realized that although Dumbledore was getting older, he was also
very powerful, and he was having a harder time keeping up with Harry.

He suspected that was one of Dumbledore�s reasons for seeing him this morning. He was always
stronger in the mornings, and Harry had come prepared for another battle practice.

The Great Hall was decorated in beginning of the year felicity, with all the different house
colors occupying their own corners. Harry glanced around, and stowed his broom in the closet
reserved for visitors, before striding towards the staircase. Start of term was yesterday, so he�d
expected to have to wade through a crowd to get to Dumbldore�s office, but he met no one as he
passed through the proper halls and staircases.

He was nearing Dumbledore�s office when he suddenly realized he could be walking into a trap.
There should have been people around. He�d met no one, not even a guard at the door. He tensed, and
reached into his robes to pull out his wand.

Before his wand was free however, a stunning spell came ricocheting towards him, and missed by
inches. He felt his hair stand on end as he dropped to the floor and rolled to the wall.

He yanked his wand out and peered down the corridor, then glanced backwards to make sure he was
safe from behind. The passages remained deserted.

He slowly inched forward on his belly, wand at the ready, and listening intently. Silence met
his ears, and then suddenly shouting rang out, echoing from where he was heading. He leapt to a
crouch, and started moving faster, careful to keep well below his normal head level.

An intersection was coming up, and Harry jumped to the opposite side of the wall before
cautiously peering around. There were six people there engaged in some sort of eerie struggle.
Harry quickly pulled his head back around and considered. He wasn�t sure if they were enemy or
friend, but in order to find out, he would lose the element of surprise.

Weighing his options quickly he decided to move on the side of caution, so he jumped to his
feet, and sent a couple of light stunners, and a disarming spell towards them while shouting,
�Identify yourselves immediately!�

Two of the students fell over immediately hit squarely by Harry�s stunners. The rest ducked and
started babbling about chocolate frogs as their wands flew in a neat arc towards Harry who caught
them with his free hand.

Harry narrowed his eyes and peered closely at the obviously frightened students. This didn�t
look to be a trap. Had he really just stunned two students and scared the rest of them into
incoherence?

A silky voice coming from the other direction confirmed his fear.

�Well done, Potter. You have just managed to pass by the wizard who tried to stun you and
instead attack six of our new students. Dumbledore places entirely too much faith in your skills. I
would expect any rookie to be able to recognize this obstacle.�

Harry turned to face Snape, letting his wand fall by his side, though his grip tightened around
it in his fury. His old potions teacher could always bring that certain anger that festered and
bubbled up inside him. The one thing he�d been looking forward to when he quit school was no longer
being under Snape�s thumb. However, Dumbledore had insisted that Harry could profit from Snape�s
tutelage, and they had trained together occasionally ever since.

Snape was now gliding down the hall with his long and determined stride. Before he reached the
students, Harry turned, revived the two stunned students and handed back all their wands. They
remained there staring wide-eyed at Harry, as Snape continued his tirade.

�It would be too much to ask of you, I suppose Potter, to come and participate in your training
without trying to recruit yet another fan group? Or were you simply choosing an enemy that you
thought your puny skills *could* defeat?�

Harry bristled, but kept his cool brushing his hair out of his eyes, and saying, �Where is
Dumbledore? I was under the impression he wanted to speak with me, not put me through an obstacle
course.�

�Are you�you�re really�Harry Potter?�

One of the students had regained his power of speech, and Harry rolled his eyes briefly to the
ceiling before muttering, �Don�t you have to run to class?�

Snape stiffened as they all gathered around Harry and the babbling turned from frightened
protests to eager questions.

Harry gritted his teeth, and snapped at them, �Get to class, all of you. Or I�ll stun you again
and leave you there. I have other things to attend to.�

They all gave a startled yelp, and scattered.

Snape was studying Harry with his eyes narrowed and his lip curled. This didn�t have quite the
impact on him that it used to however, he was totally indifferent to Snape�s unexplained animosity
towards him by now.

�This way, Potter.� He finally said.

Harry followed him down the hallway and the familiar griffin statue came into view. He stood
silent while Snape once again studied him for a minute before speaking the password and stepping
aside, allowing him to enter.

Harry�s heart beat a bit faster as he rode the staircase upwards. Snape was one thing, but
disappointing Dumbledore was something else. His feelings for his old Headmaster had been up and
down ever since fifth year. Harry had always seen him as powerful and wise. He now had tempered
that view with the realization that he was also human, and made mistakes. But he understood that
underneath it all, Dumbledore�s plans had only fallen apart when he had allowed himself to love and
care for Harry as a person, rather than a means to an end.

That gave him a new appreciation for Dumbledore, as Harry had known very few people in his life
that loved him for who he was, and not just what he stood for.

Dumbledore had helped him to find and rent a small apartment in Hogsmeade to stay in while he
was training. Its proximity to Hogwarts was convenient for them both. Dumbledore was able to
continue to watch over and train Harry, and Harry was able to be close to his friends, while not
compromising their safety.

He was still worried about them, but they had become adults in the magical society, and they
could take care of themselves. Ron had gone into the Ministry to work against Voldemort in
politics. He had been hoping to become an auror, but he hadn�t passed the temperament test. Ron,
Harry knew, was extremely loyal, and he would want him by his side in any fight. But he did have a
short fuse, and he tended to stun first, ask questions later. Much as he had this morning, Harry
thought guiltily picturing the two stunned students lying on the floor.

Hermione on the other hand, Harry thought, had a cooler rationale about her. She could have
passed the auror temperament test with flying colors. She could pass any test with flying colors.
She balanced Ron�s temper with her patience, and logic.

Harry often felt that they were on two opposite sides of a see saw, and he was positioned in the
middle, right above the pivot point. Each would then influence him with their argument, and he
would rock up and down, back and forth while they argued it out around him. If he didn�t act on his
own, they would be stuck there forever in perfect equilibrium, never achieving anything.

Dumbledore�s door came into view, and he smoothed the front of his robes quickly before knocking
rapidly on the wood.

�Come in, Harry,� an old voice beckoned.

He opened the door and stepped through, stopping in surprise at the scene inside. He had
expected to see Dumbledore, but not all the others. Lupin, Madam Pomfrey, Mad Eye Moody, and Arthur
Weasley stood around Dumbledore�s desk. They didn�t look as though they�d been talking, and he
hadn�t heard any voices as he was coming up, but there was a tense static in the air as though an
argument had been paused when interrupted with his presence.

�H..Hullo.� Harry cringed a bit at his stuttering. He couldn�t quite get over this sense of
inferiority around the other members of the Order. Technically, he'd done as much as some of
the older recruits, and even more than some of the newer ones, but he still felt really young
around them.

�Good morning, Harry.� Lupin smiled. �How are you feeling today?�

Madam Pomfrey tsked at his question and waved her hand towards Harry as she blurted out, �How do
you *think* the boy is feeling, Lupin?� Everyone�s eyes darted around at each other as she
continued, �Coming here to let you put an experimental spell on him so he can go out and face
You-Know-Who, not knowing if it would even work, and only able to hope that��

�Poppy.� Dumbledore cut her off.

Harry looked intensely at Dumbledore. �What spell, Professor?� he asked.

Arthur Weasley shifted uncomfortably, and Lupin coughed slightly silencing him. Moody merely
sniffed and continued his scrutiny of Harry.

Dumbledore walked around from behind his desk and said, �Quite simply, Harry, we�ve come up with
an idea.� He reached over and stroked Fawkes� brilliant red head, and continued. �I have made a
life-long study of the Phoenix, as has Professor Dalton.� He gestured towards an obscure lump of
Moody�s robes, and Harry noticed for the first time it was actually an old wizard crouched between
Moody and Mr. Weasley.

He was tiny and stooped, with white hair and small round glasses that reminded Harry of Mr.
Crouch�s. But he had a warm and smiling face under his intelligence, where Crouch had been more
distant and cool.

�Pleased to meet you,� Harry said politely extending his hand.

Moody slapped it away immediately growling, �Foolish boy, you don�t know that he�s safe! What if
he were an enemy?�

Harry rubbed his stinging skin replying, �He�s with you! I doubt that Dumbledore would��

Dumbledore interrupted again, �There�s no time for that now, Alastor. We have to try this
immediately.�

Harry looked at Dumbledore, but before he could speak the question, Dumbledore held up his hand.
�I have to ask you to trust me, Harry. We have developed a spell, with the help of Professor Dalton
and his assistant that would be of great advantage to you in battle. We�re not sure exactly how it
would work, or if there are any side-effects, as we haven�t had time to properly test it in every
possible way. However, we are convinced of its safety, and its beneficial qualities enough to risk
casting it, if you�re willing.�

Harry felt a brief moment of doubt flicker through his eyes and Dumbledore lowered his voice
gently saying, �Time is short, Harry. We want you to win unconditionally.� He grasped Harry�s
shoulder and squeezed it softly. Harry gave a brief nod of agreement, and the room galvanized into
action.

Madam Pomfrey, her tightly closed lips reminiscent of McGonagall, quickly stripped him of all
but his last layer of clothing and lay him on a table that she conjured up. Lupin and Mr. Weasley
brought out a potion and gave Harry a carefully measured amount to drink. Moody was standing over
him and conjured ropes that strapped him to the table as soon as the potion was down. Dumbledore
and Professor Dalton were speaking quietly together and then they came and stood with their wands
out over him.

His heart beat just a little faster for a moment, and Madam Pomfrey said, �Oh dear, we can�t
have that.� She cast a soothing charm on him and he relaxed into the cool table and watched calmly
as the wands were raised and a bright red and gold light burst forth covering him and swelling to
almost fill the room, forcing the others to back away, and Harry to close his eyes against the
bright glare.

He felt warm, incredibly warm, and thought he were going to burst into flame before the heat
faded to a small red hot spot that settled in his chest. He felt it there, but it seemed to grow a
coat so that the heat wasn�t painful, but simply became a part of him.

He became conscious of all his muscles tensing, his body was arching, and straining against the
ropes that held him to the table. He tried to force them into relaxing, and finally gained a bit of
control over his arms, but the force required to keep them by his side was more than he could give
continuously, and he soon looked as though he were convulsing with the effort to keep them from
shooting out. He gave up, and slowly opened his eyes which had been screwed shut with his former
exertion.

His vision was tinged red, and gold sparks were shooting around at the edges of his perception,
but they too faded until he was able to glance around the room and see it normally. He felt his
body relax then, and he flexed his fingers and his toes. Everything seemed to be in working
order.

He opened his mouth, as a single note of music filled the room. Harry looked over at Fawkes, and
saw him singing. The phoenix song had always given him courage and strength, but this time the
effect was exaggerated and he felt his spirits lift so high that he felt he were going to burst out
of his body and rise on the notes to wherever they faded to. But the song ended, and faded on its
own.

Harry lay there, still bound, and started to shiver slightly against the cold metal of the table
underneath him.

�It�s done.� Dumbledore said faintly, shrewdly observing Harry as he came closer.

�This is remarkable!� Professor Dalton trilled. �We should test it!�

�No!� barked Lupin. �Why take that chance now? We�re not even sure.�

�But..we don�t want to make the first test in battle!� he squeaked nervously. �We should��

Professor Dumbledore cut him off again, �No. Lupin is right. This is only a back-up precaution.
We shall continue to hope that it will not be needed at all, and trust for the best.�

Moody released Harry from the ropes, and Madam Pomfrey quickly clothed him, handing him a warm
blanket. �I would give you a small Pepper-Up, dear, but under the circumstances�� She trailed off
under Mr. Weasley�s glare.

Lupin came over and took Harry�s hand between his own squeezing gently and asked, �You�re all
right, Harry?�

Arthur Weasley came over and grasped Harry�s shoulder. �Of course he is,� he said protectively.
�Boy�s made out of stronger stuff than that!� But Harry noticed that his face was pale, and his
fingers trembled ever so slightly.

�I�m fine,� he announced to the room. �Whatever the spell was, it didn�t hurt me at all.� He was
conscious of the small hot spot residing within his breast still, but he took out his wand and shot
several gold and red sparks out of it to prove his health.

Moody slowly got up from where he had dived to the floor when Harry had pulled his wand out.
�You�re lucky boy. I might have taken you out, if we weren�t acquainted.� No one paid much
attention to this declaration though, as they were all familiar with Moody�s extreme caution that
bordered on paranoia.

�Is anyone going to tell me what just happened?� Harry asked, rubbing his wrists where the ropes
had cut into his skin during his struggle. �Or is this going to be yet another mystery in my
life?�

�It�s better if you don�t know,� squeaked Professor Dalton. �Otherwise it could cause premature
action, and that might prove fatal. Of course, we don�t know for sure, its just that in the tests,
our previous subjects displayed tendencies to become careless, and irresponsible which invariably
led to primitive engagement, and that could injure more than aid.�

�Harry, you need to run down to your training now,� Dumbledore suggested. �A mystery it might
remain, but do not wish for its application. We continue to hope that it will remain an unnecessary
caution.�





