| Jarvey
Join Date: May 2008 Location: Leicester, UK
Posts: 567
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Krysta Hedwig
Sixth Year | 
Chapter 27, Part 2
Harry barely got no chance to respond which was probably a good thing. The tonne of bricks hovering over his head would have to wait since it was rudely interrupted by the dorm-room door being flung violently open.
"Ron, common room, now!" ordered Fred shortly before disappearing again. Ron didn't need telling twice. He was out of the door before Harry could get a word in. Harry leapt to his feet and went to follow before realising he was wearing only his underwear and was forced to quickly throw on some pyjama bottoms before darting out of the door after his friend.
The first thing he saw upon entering the common room was the small cluster of people, mainly fourth year girls in the middle of the room. When he saw what they were gathered around he gasped and dashed forward to join Ron and his brothers who were crouching on the floor.
Lying in George's arms was Ginny, apparently unconscious and whimpering. Harry inched closer and Ron noticed him.
"They just found her. She's been like this for nearly ten minutes, we can't wake her." He explained his voice shaking.
"Has anyone sent for Madam Pomfrey?" Harry asked.
"That sixth year went. The tall black girl." Piped up one of Ginny's friends - the little blonde girl. Harry had since learnt her name to be Angel. Harry nodded in response, trust Heather to be on the ball. After all it had been her that had taken the initiative to make sure Wormtail hadn't escaped. How had she recognised him anyway?
Those thoughts were quickly disbanded when he noticed a couple of unfamiliar boys had joined the crowd and were smirking to each other as they looked down at Ginny. A quick look in the same direction told Harry why: her nightshirt had ridden up her legs a little and the boys were undoubtedly enjoying the view. He threw the boys an ugly look and they both immediately looked petrified and quickly turned away. Harry smiled to himself. For once the rumours about his temper and sanity were proving to be useful. After all, who would want to get on the bad side of Ginny's boyfriend, especially when he had a reputation for being violent and just a little crazy.
He turned back to Ginny and pulled her nightshirt back down to her knees. The backs of his fingers brushed her skin and a familiar rush of heat washed through his flesh. The second their skin touched there was an immediate change and Ginny's eyes opened sharply…but they weren't Ginny's eyes.
Harry's mouth dropped open in shock. He'd seen this once before. Fred and George had seen it too. Now Ron looked into Ginny's eyes and Lily's eyes looked back.
"Harry?" asked a soft voice through Ginny's lips but it wasn't hers. Fred fell back on his heels gripping the back of his head with both palms. Harry couldn't speak to begin with. A thousand thoughts and questions flowed through him.
"Mum?" he asked quietly, his voice soft and innocent, his eyes pleading. Anyone who looked closely enough would see them glaze with salt-water.
Green eyes stared back at him confused, Ginny's head shook gently.
"She is there. She is one. Not here." Ginny's lips spoke once more, but Harry didn't understand the words.
"I don't understand." He shook his head.
"Mummy and Daddy are there." She spoke again. Her voice was innocent and childish, her smile gentle and pure.
"Where?" he asked
"In the collective." She said again her eyes sparkling with joy. Harry didn't understand. Was this not his Mother? Was this not Lily? They were her eyes he was sure of it. They were his eyes, just like his eyes. Around him the people were silent watching in fascination. Ron was shaking next to him.
"Who are you?" he asked, almost whispering. The emeralds danced again.
"I am Amy." She whispered back as though telling him a deep secret. Something clicked inside him, something connected and he felt his blood surge. He knew. He knew who she was. It was instinct. It was blood.
His face relaxed and he let the girl crawl into his arms and he held her, holding his breath. His arms tightened around her and a tear finally rolled down his cheek landing silently on his sister's shoulder.
*
He sat on the edge of his bed, silently in the dark. He'd been on the verge of tears for nearly an hour but somehow they hadn't quite managed to fall.
He didn't respond when a figure appeared in the door and made her way over to him. Hermione sat next to him and draped an arm around his shoulder. He didn't move, just stayed hunched in the same position he hadn't moved from for an hour, the photograph album balanced clumsily on his knee. For several minutes neither of them spoke.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?"
His words hung in the air for a few moments and Hermione released a deep breath.
"Maybe no one knew." She suggested though he could tell by her voice she knew that wasn't true. He gave a look that told her so. "I guess it just hurt too much, Harry." She said wisely and compassionately. He knew she was right but he couldn't ignore the anger that accompanied his own pain.
"I had a right to know!" he cried, his voice breaking in the middle. Her arm around his shoulders tightened and she leant her head against his shoulder.
"I know, Harry." She said gently. "I know."
They both were silent. Harry turned pages in the photo album gazing at pictures of his Mother and Father, scrutinizing the images of his Mother.
"She doesn't show in any of these." He said, his voice monotone. Hermione shook her head.
"Harry, I found something…in the library. I think you have to see it."
They crept silently through the loaded shelves of books Harry letting Hermione lead the way until finally she found what she was looking for. In the reference section she pulled out the largest book Harry had ever seen and between them, they lugged it over to a table coughing as dust swirled up from the pages when it hit the wooden surface. Hermione wiped the thin layer of dust off the cover and Harry swallowed. Black letter glared up at him.
"The Book Of The Dead."
He looked at Hermione shaking his head.
"I can't look in that." He muttered and she looked sympathetic.
"I think you need to. You need to see it in writing." She said carefully. He knew what she meant by it. He stared at the book for what felt like forever and then reluctantly opened the hard cover to reveal the strangest index he'd ever seen.
A face stared grimly up at him, hooded in a dark cloak. The eyes were almost hidden but somehow Harry knew the sockets were empty. It was a face of shadow, a face that was once something more than it now was, a hollow image of its past form. He was looking at death.
A silken voice left its lips.
"Friend or foe?" it asked, the voice void of any kind of emotion. Harry looked at Hermione for guidance.
"You have to answer. You opened the book." She said quietly. Harry shrugged.
"Friend." He answered. He figured that was the best answer. The book shimmered and the lilting voice spoke again.
"Family, friend, colleague." It spoke and Harry frowned. What did it mean?
"It wants you to pick a category." Hermione whispered and Harry understood. This was the index, personalised for him.
"Family." He announced and the book shimmered again and gave him three more options
"Immediate, second generation, descendants."
"Immediate." He announced. The book shimmered and trembled a little. The image of death disappeared and a new face appeared. Red hair spilled across the page and beautiful emerald eyes shone up at him with a smile that pulled at Harry's heart.
"Lily Potter, Mother. Died 31st October 1981. More details or next?" the book asked. He was tempted to ask for more details but that could wait.
"Next." He said, not able to tear his eyes off his Mother's lovely face.
"James Henry Potter, Father. Died 31st October 1981. More details or next?" Harry stared at the grinning face of his Father and felt like he was once again looking into a mirror. He so wish he'd known this man.
"Next." He said his voice grated. Harry stared at the picture and then frowned. No face appeared at all. The page had turned several shades of pink and seemed to be throbbing. As he stared at the page he heard Hermione gasp next to him and he realised what he was looking at. He felt sick. A figure was now distinguishable in the centre of the image. A tiny foetus lay curled up in the sea of its Mother's womb, tiny pink fingers curled around clutching at the space around it. A leg kicked out at the walls of its confines and a miniature pink thumb was in her mouth. She was fully formed and Harry could see the baby's eyes were green. Harry's stomach was turning cartwheels and next to him Hermione was trying to hold back the floodgate of tears. The book spoke.
"Amy Emma Potter, Sister. Died 31st October 1981. No further details available"
*
He didn't know how long he stared into the pages of the book but it was Hermione who finally reached across and gently folded the book shut. He snapped out of the trance and turned to look at her. She flinched when she saw his face. Instead of the pain and bewilderment she'd been expecting she was met with a venomous fury that burned through his eyes. His bottom lip was shaking, his fists clenched and when he spoke his voice was deep and grated.
"He won't get away with this."
Ginny was awake when they silently entered the infirmary. Ron was with her as were the twins who were sleeping soundly in chairs beside their sister's bed.
"How do you feel?" asked Harry, his voice sounding normal and Hermione studied him.
"Ok." Ginny replied softly. Harry leaned forward to kiss her and she inclined her face towards his. She looked a little put out when he placed the kiss softly on her cheek rather than her lips but she smiled anyway.
"Do you remember anything?" asked Hermione dragging a chair over from the neighbouring bed and sitting down. Ginny just shrugged in response. Harry stared at her a mixture of emotions swirling inside him, each fighting to reach the surface.
"I had another little visit from Amy." She replied and frowned a little. Hermione nodded. Harry didn't miss the knowing look the girls shared.
"Do you know who she is?" he asked, his voice wooden and void of feeling. Ginny looked at Hermione questioningly. Hermione just nodded.
"Yes. I've known for a while." She finally answered. Harry sucked in a lungful of air and turned away slightly. He snapped back around again and hissed at her.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she looked taken aback by the sudden outburst and her mouth fell open to reply but she just shook her head and closed it again.
"I didn't know how to."
Ron stirred a little in his chair and opened his eyes. He sat bolt upright and looked at Harry and Hermione.
"You're back then?" he asked his voice strange.
"Yes. It seems you and I have something in common, Ron." Harry said sarcastically.
"Eh? What's that?" asked Ron looking confused.
"Our sister." Said Harry motioning towards Ginny. Hermione rolled her eyes and Ginny looked extremely uncomfortable.
"OUR sister?" he asked looking at Ginny and then back at Harry. Hermione had folded her arms across her chest and was scowling.
"It would appear that the spirit that's been using Ginny to communicate with Harry is his baby sister." Ron looked at Hermione and then at Harry and then back at Ginny again.
"Eh?"
Their conversation was cut rudely short and the sentence Ron had been planning to say was left in his throat unspoken. Hermione and Ginny gasped and the awake boys looked at them. Harry was about to ask them what was wrong when his question was answered by itself. The ground around them was trembling. It had begun at a gentle hum rising up through the ground. Now the chair Hermione sat on was vibrating. She leapt to her feet and gripped Harry's arm staring at the floor apprehensively.
On the other chairs both Fred and George had awoken and were staring at the people around them in surprise and then at the shaking bed Ginny was gripping hold of by the edges, her knuckles white.
She finally squealed and leapt from the bed when the air was filled with a deafening boom, the sound reverberated and echoed around them. Fred reached out for his sister and held her close to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hid her face against his chest. Another earth shattering boom ripped the atmosphere and they stumbled as the ground and masonry shook. Everyone was looking around them in confusion and fear.
Amid the sounds the trembling walls were making a new sound met Harry's ears. The sound of screaming. Next to him Hermione's mouth had fallen open in horror and Ginny's face had emerged from her brother's jumper. She looked grave but suddenly determined. Harry could feel the unspoken communication between the two girls again.
"You hear it?" Ginny asked. Hermione nodded.
"The screaming?" asked Ron, nodding. Ginny shook her head.
"No, Ron." She said. Hermione's eyes closed to mere slits.
"She means can you hear the laughing?"
The halls were filled with frantic students all screaming or burbling incomprehensively at each other, every single one of them consumed with panic.
"Were the vampires back?"
"Were they under attack?"
"Was it an earthquake?"
"Was it giants?"
The half-snippets of conversation that met them were varied. The boys were silent with panic, none of them knowing what to say or do. It had been Hermione that had pulled the door open and half walked, half ran down the stairs towards the great Hall. On the landing they met Professor Snape appearing from the basement stairway. He stopped when he saw Hermione and again there was unspoken communication. He took a step back and nodded. He turned on his heel and dashed away in the other direction.
"Where's he going?" asked George sounding disgusted. Both Harry and Ron glared after him, thinking the same thing. Typical of him to run off at a time like this when there were students running riot in the halls.
"He's going for help." Replied Hermione who had turned again and was heading down the main staircase. They followed her exchanging sceptical expressions. Her wand was out and in instinct so was Harry's.
"Hermione what the hell is going on?"
"Yeah it's quite clear you know. Don't you think you should let us in on the little no-so-quiet secret?"
The twins and ran down the stairs and cornered her at the bottom. She glared at them for a second and then at Ron and Harry who were giving her a similar look.
"Daddy's real angry."
They all turned at the sound of the new voice. Harry recognised the American accent immediately. Heather stood a few feet behind Hermione dressed not in her school robes or even her jeans but in a long black gown that swept around her feet as students bustled around her in panic. Her cloak was also black and the velvet hood was up over her head. Her wand was firmly in her hand and she had a strong urgency about her that made Harry uneasy.
"What are you talking about?" demanded Fred, the panic manifesting itself as anger. Harry was following suit.
"Yeah. I think it's about time you girls stopped playing games and told us what the hell is happening!" he yelled. Heather took a step forward moving closer to him. She opened her mouth to speak but another almighty boom shattered her concentration.
"Heather!" argued Hermione and Heather faltered.
"What's happening? We're in a hell of a lot of trouble that's what's happening." She finally answered.
"That doesn't answer the question."
"Dracus is trying to break free from the Chamber." Hermione butted in and they all stared at her. Another boom and they grabbed for the stair banisters for support. Elsewhere in the Hall people cried out as some fell causing panic to rise.
"But why now? Why hasn't he tried this before?" asked Ron angrily grabbing for Ginny as she stumbled.
"Because he really wants to get out. He has unfinished business. But that's not why we're in trouble." Heather tried to explain.
"It isn't? Then what's the reason?" asked Fred, his anger beginning to spiral out of control.
There was a scream and they all turned to see two blonde girls hanging seemingly in mid air, suspended by invisible claws. Fred and George moved forward defiantly as they recognised the girls. Ginny's friends, the twins were struggling against their unseen foe.
"No!" cried Ginny trying to move forwards to their aid but Ron and Harry stood in her way holding her back. Hermione was looking frantically around her for the source of their demise. Her eyes locked on a figure in black, cloak billowing around him, his hand held high in the air controlling the levitation spell.
"He…" she began pointing towards the figure. "…is why we're in trouble."
Caleb's icy eyes turned even as they watched to fix them with a triumphant sneer.
"Now that I have your attention…" he called, his voice piercing the continued din of frantic, panicked Hogwarts students.
"Heather…the lake." Hermione suddenly turned to the American giving her the order. Heather simply nodded.
"Already there." She said in a low voice. She moved back through the group, slipping away from them discreetly. Hermione never once took her eyes off the vampire prince, and he returned the gesture his eyes chilling Harry to the bone.
Another loud boom shook the entrance hall and Harry grabbed the pillar at the bottom of the banister to steady himself. Caeleb was laughing. The trembling was accompanied by a squeal as a small blonde figure collided with Ginny from behind. Sharon picked herself up and nearly screamed in shock when she saw the vampire. Harry covered her mouth, stifling her and she instead cowered behind him. Caeleb hadn't noticed her arrival; he was too busy gloating.
"That's right, father. Bang all you want. You're never getting out of there." He laughed again as another thunder clap rocked the ground
"Temper, Temper." Caeleb called again in a singsong voice, his eyes gleaming. Harry knew that look: revenge.
"Are you going to keep them hanging there all night?" Hermione suddenly asked, the tremble in her voice inaudible to all except Harry and Ron who knew her too well. Caeleb looked startled for a second but then looked up at the girls still suspended 10ft off the ground as though he'd forgotten they were even there. Harry noticed one of them was nearly unconscious, her twin looking over at her sister with fear and concern.
Behind Caeleb, Harry noticed the door click silently shut: Heather had made it out of the castle. But why had Hermione sent her to the lake? What was going on?
Caeleb looked back at Hermione.
"Well that really depends on you." He announced in a business-like manner. Harry could tell Hermione was trying to remain calm.
"Elaborate." She ordered politely. He vampire smiled, sending another jolt of electricity through Harry's blood. He was surging with adrenalin and one look at Ron said the same was happening to him. Caeleb lowered his arms and the girls dropped to the floor. One cried out and crawled over to her unconscious sister. Fred and George couldn't stand it any longer and dashed to their sides, standing over them protectively.
Caeleb chuckled. Ron now supported Ginny who watched the scene from behind him, her eyes sparkling, her brow low. Harry didn't know what it was but he suddenly feared her.
"A deal." Caeleb suddenly announced. Hermione lifted her chin boldly.
"Go on." She prodded cautiously. Another boom broke the near-silence and Harry realised how empty the Hall had become. Where had everyone gone? Caeleb waited for the trembling to diminish before speaking.
"Kill him."
The order came so abruptly that Hermione didn't have time to react. Her eyebrows raised an inch instead.
"Kill him? Your father?" she asked sounding surprised. Caeleb threw his head back in a blood-curdling laugh, which sent shivers through everyone.
"No, child. Kill HIM!" he said again, this time pointing a long bony finger. Harry's heart stopped dead in his chest. Caeleb was pointing at him.
His stomach flipped and at last he could hear and feel the flood rushing through his veins in a crimson tidal wave. His heart was now pounding in his throat and Hermione's jaw had dropped in horror. Sharon gripped Harry's arm in fear; he could feel her trembling.
"What?" Hermione gasped.
"Why?" Harry added in a voice more obstinate than originally intended. Caeleb shook his head with a kind of insane regret.
"It's nothing personal, boy. It's just that as long as you live, the risk exists that my Father may escape his prison." He explained. Ginny and Ron moved closer to Harry defiantly.
"And I'm afraid I can't allow that." He continued. "You see the last thing I want is my Father dead, far from it. I want him to live long and painful, trapped down there forever; wasting away in eternal death. He-shall-not-leave-that-chamber." His final words were defiant and deliberate.
There was suddenly silence in the entrance hall as everyone mulled over his words.
"That's not true. Voldemort could let him out, killing Harry won't solve anything." Ginny suddenly announced boldly and Ron looked down at his sister as thought she were a stranger.
"Oh no, you see that's what Daddy-darling is so annoyed about." Caeleb replied his eyes gleaming as another rumble shook the room as if to illustrate his point. "See Father knows that Voldemort is no longer loyal to him. He also knows that I plan to kill the boy which is why he's so…agitated." He paused as he chose the appropriate word to describe Dracus' tantrum.
"But getting one of his friends, a sister of Natherra even to do it for me…it's just so poetic." He said with a sickening smile, looking satisfied with himself.
Hermione took a step closer to Caeleb.
"And you'll leave then? You'll leave and not take one life before you go?" she asked. The others all stared at her in horror. They couldn't believe what they were hearing.
"You have my word." Caeleb told her solemnly taking a short bow towards her.
"Now wait a minute!" cried Harry indignantly.
"Hermione you can't be serious!" Ron added defiantly stepping forward to face her.
"I have no choice, there's too much at risk. I have only one choice." She turned and stepped closer to Harry. He looked into her stern, determined eyes; his own full of disbelief. How could she even consider this?
"I'm sorry..." She began.
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