Part 4


Harry followed Karis downstairs and into the kitchen.

There was on average about 40 bodies congregated in the kitchen and hall-way. Some were animatedly chatting among themselves about the amount of Deatheaters they had stunned. Zacharias Smith’s voice was probably the most prominent out of the purple cloaked members, who all now had their masks off while their robes were dirty and dishevelled.

Molly Weasley arrived at the scene and could be heard shouting from the other side of the room at Ron, Ginny and Hermione for their severe actions. She then continued to hold them all tight while she whimpered, telling them all how proud she was of them, making Ron seem more confused than ever.

Luna Lovegood was organising the DA, making sure no-one was hurt or injured, and gathering them together so they could all travel back to Hogwarts soon with their headmaster.

Albus Dumbledore motioned over to Karis and Harry, and as if he was the grandfather of them both, he pulled them into his chest and held them close into him, tight, while they rested their faces into a shoulder each.

“Are you both alright?” he eyed them intently, showing for the first time how concerned he really was for their welfare.

Albus would never confide in them, or tell them what went through his mind in that room back at the derelict Orphanage, but all he could see was Karis, laying on the floor screaming and Harry, standing his ground, protecting her.

Harry however didn’t look at himself that way, he felt like he had let everyone down.


“Harry, not for one moment did you fail in anyway tonight!” said Albus Dumbledore, eyes still focused on him, but this time they regained their usual sparkle.

“Are you using Occlumency Professor?” Harry replied, with a wry grin on his face.

“No Harry, I just know you better than you know yourself at times.” replied Albus, eyes still fixed. “How is your hand?” asked the old man, while motioning his own to Harry’s arm, lifting it towards him to inspect the wound.

“Hurts like hell, but I’ll live. Thanks to you.”

“Nonsense Harry, you fought a brave battle tonight and you would have made them proud!”

“Who?” asked Harry, confused at Albus’ statement.

“Helga, Godric and Rowena!” answered Dumbledore matter-of-factly. “Harry, do you realise what you and the DA did tonight?”

Harry frowned. “I’m not sure entirely, but Luna said that we had the power of three houses, I did feel something remarkable while in that Orb though. I’m sure the others did too.”

“Luna is right Harry. Three of the houses united in the Orb of Refinement. I didn’t expect it to happen so soon but Karis had an idea it would. She was right to organise and arrange the event, but it could have only happened if you and the DA were ready.”

“Thanks GrandFather, I’m pleased you approve, I was quite concerned how you would take it.” interrupted Karis.


“Nonsense, what you did was wise. I am known to sometimes be an old fool and not act fast enough at times.” He paused as he stared Harry in the eye. “However, that mistake was not made on this occasion, so thank you Karis!”


Karis smiled up at her wise old Grandfather; she looked at Harry too who still held a face of many questions.


“Harry, I think I need to explain exactly what happened tonight. Please, let’s go and sit down.” said Karis, while lightly holding onto Harry’s arm, gesturing over to a quiet corner in the lounge area.

Karis sat Harry down on an old brown shabby sofa, while she promptly sat herself next to him. She felt him relax and a wave of relief washed over her small and frail body. She felt he was handling tonight’s performance very well.

Karis put her hand to her head and started rubbing her eyes, as a sharp pain shot through them. “Are you alright?” asked Harry, while taking hold of her hand.

“Yes. It’s just been one eventful evening. I’m tired that’s all.”

Harry nodded but continued to give her eye contact. “What happened tonight with the Orb Karis?” he asked.

“You came together as a unit Harry. Three houses out of four united in the battle to fight evil. It was a prophecy made hundreds of years ago, that tonight you as Dumbledore’s Army fulfilled. In fact it’s one of the oldest prophecies ever recorded. It was spoken by a seer shortly after Salazar Slythern’s descent from Hogwarts.”

Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise, eagerly waiting for her to continue. Karis noticed and carried on with her explanation.

“The thing is Harry, Hogwarts still survived after Salazar left the school, mainly because the other three Professors were extremely powerful and he couldn’t take them all on by himself. Godric for instance was known to be an extremely powerful sorcerer and Salazar was rather wary of him. Very much like the relationship Voldemort has with Albus. I knew it would happen soon, I just wasn’t sure when. But I can be honest and say that I am really pleased that it happened tonight, your help was needed more than you realise.”


“Yeah, the DA did well didn’t they!” replied Harry with an approving smile.


“Very well, and so did you! You saved my life Harry.”

Harry looked at her in surprise. “What are you talking about Karis? I didn’t save your life!”

She smiled and took Harry by the shoulder. “Yes, you did Harry. If you hadn’t arrived when you did, he would have killed me; you deterred him.”

Harry turned away, he could feel his face heating up, but he had to ask her the question that was on his lips, ever since he had calmed down.

“Karis, I…uhhh, just wanted to ask you something.” He said shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

She put her fingers up to his lips, “shhhh, it’s alright, I know what you’re going to ask me.”

She paused for a few seconds as he looked up.

“I kissed you because Voldemort wanted to believe he was messing with your emotions, hurting you further. I wanted him to believe he was winning. That was why I motioned to you with my eyes to throw me out of harms way so I could blast the door to the cell, because he was going to kill us, and deep down, I think you knew that too!”

Harry put his head down again as he spoke. “When he did that Cruciatus curse on you Karis, I…. Well I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you too, I got anxious and scared, more so than any other time in my life, and because of that……. something happened.”

Karis continued to stare at his pale face, she knew in her heart how he felt about her, she had sensed it a while ago, and it’s something that she knew they would have to discuss together as adults.

“You saw Padfoot didn’t you!” she stated quietly.

“Yeah, I did. He was the one who saved you Karis, not me.”


“No Harry. That is where you are wrong; it was the power inside you that called Sirius to your aid, in the same way Prongs comes to your need in your patronus. The power you hold is unprecedented and you really need to start believing in yourself more Harry.”

Harry smirked, “I don’t feel like the hero. One of my best friends is fighting for his life. Justin too was dead until his soul was released from Voldemort’s wand. Too many people are getting hurt because of me!”


“Not because of you Harry, because of him and his followers. None of this is your fault! Things like this happened long before you were even born. Trust me, I know!”

“What happened to you Karis? How does Voldemort know you so well?


Karis turned her face away while she started to speak. “That is something I find very hard to talk about, and it is something that I would like you to see for yourself as I cannot put it into words.” She paused for a few moments. “I guess that just means you will have to work extra hard in our Occlumency lessons.” she added, with a mocking smile.

“He hurt you bad didn’t he!” shot Harry, the anger rising up inside him again, making his pale face now flush with colour.

“I won’t lie to you. He did! He hurt me more than anyone in this world. Which is why I’m here right now, with you and the Order!”

“I can’t let you help me anymore Karis.”

Karis scoffed at Harry’s words, but deep down what he said hurt her feelings, but she understood why. She continued to stay silent.

“I mean Occlumency obviously isn’t a problem.” interjected Harry very matter-of-factly, sensing he may have been a little abrupt. “But if I ever come face to face with him again, you can’t be there Karis. I can’t handle it if anything happened.”

She couldn’t help but hold her hand out to him and gently stroke his cheek, while smiling with heartfelt appreciation.

“Harry, you really have no idea how long I have waited for the moment to see Voldemort destroyed. If that is to happen at the hands of the “boy who lived” then I will be there, and nothing you can say or do will keep me away.” She again took Harry by the shoulders and stared him directly in the eye. “You will not be alone when that time comes and you will triumph Harry, I know you will.”

“How can you be so sure?” he snapped. While getting up from the sofa and pacing the floor. “You can’t see into the future, you don’t know what’s going to happen, I could die and so could you, yet you refuse to accept that!”

“It is possible, but if you think like that Harry then he has already won!” she replied a little more malevolent than anticipated.

Harry stopped pacing and shot her a look of foreboding. “Then I guess he did mark the wrong person for the job!” he retorted, while heading for the door.

“Harry, please wait.” said Karis, while cursing herself under her breath for her lack of tact.

He turned around to face her. “I’m sorry, you are right.” she said. “I just couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you either, so I find it easier to tell myself that it won’t!”

He took in a deep breath, inside he was relieved she had finally admitted to him in her own way that she cared about him deeply and that’s when he noticed how pale and tired she really was. Karis seemed to look very unwell.

He approached her and pulled her up gently from the sofa, while holding as much of her weight as possible, that’s when she started to wobble and lose her footing, so he picked her up and cradled her in his arms as if holding a small child. Ignoring the pain in his hand while holding her tight, he slowly left the room, and headed straight back up the stairs

There was no more rooms spare for Karis to reside in as she would have under normal circumstances have been going back to Hogwarts, but Harry decided that she needed to rest. The cruciatus curse enthralled upon her had a big effect on her delicate frame.

All of the beds were also taken, all, except for one. Harry didn’t have to think twice. He gladly gave up his own bed for this woman he now held in his arms, while he resided to the fact that tonight he would be sleeping on the floor.

As the lights went out downstairs and Harry could hear footsteps of Order members departing to the spare bedrooms, Harry, with all his mite, tried to sleep.

He could hear her soft breathing filling the room as he watched her soundly sleeping, he couldn’t stop himself from thinking what would have happened if Voldemort had killed her. Just the thought of it made his throat close and a lump form while his eyes welled with salted tears.

He sat next to her on the bed, while putting the covers over her making sure she was comfortable. He laid down beside her, wondering in his own thoughts what could have made this woman so determined to fight. What was it Voldemort had subjected her to, and when?

After an hour of pondering, the resistance to sleep was quickly empowered by Harry not being able to keep his eyes open, slowly like Karis, he delved into the darkness of restful silence.