The Legend of the Phoenix Well

Chapter Nine: Muggle for a Day

"Just what do you think you are doing, Henry?" Grandmother seethed. Harry cringed.

"It's Harry," he gritted out through clenched teeth.

"Your father and mother were lacking sleep when they named you," Grandmother snapped. "Otherwise, you would be Henry or Edward, a good, respectable name worthy of our family."

"Right," Harry said sarcastically. He was feeling the urge to strangle his own grandmother. Was he going mad?

Grandmother's eyes narrowed. "Don't talk to me that way, Henry. Now you and your little girlfriend will go back to the castle. Now."

"She's not my girlfriend," Harry said.

"NOW!"

Harry and Ginny jumped. "Bloody hell, woman," Harry said under his breath has he and Ginny strode quickly towards the castle, Grandmother trailing them like a hawk.

Harry quickly left Ginny and his grandmother when he saw that everyone was beginning to disperse and go back to their common rooms. He made his way to Ron and Hermione, who hailed him over.

"Are you all right, Harry?" Ron said, looking at Harry's annoyed face.

"Perfect," Harry said. "Bloody brilliant. Never been better."

"Grandmother issues?" Ron said.

"Why did she just come this year? Why couldn't she have stayed away for the rest of her lousy life?" Harry seethed.

"I'm sure she'll tell you..." Hermione said.

Malfoy interrupted her by bumping into Harry. "Move, Potter," Malfoy spat. "You're blocking the corridor with your fat arse." Icicle gave Harry an apologetic glance.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry said. He was already in a bad mood, and didn't want to be in a worse mood because of Malfoy.

"Screw you, Potter," Malfoy said.

"You seemed to want to when you were bloody asking me to marry you," Harry retorted.

"Asking you to marry me?" Malfoy said. Harry couldn't tell if he was telling the truth or not. "You wish, Potty. Who's the old hag that keeps on screaming at you? They say she's Weasel's grandmother... but I don't think so..."

"Shut up," Ron said.

Malfoy ignored him. "So, who's the old hag?"

Harry ignored him and moved past him. Ron and Hermione followed him. Harry fumed all the way back to the Common Room, and slumped into one of the armchairs near the fire, arms crossed.

"I've been thinking," Ron said. "No one besides us and a few others knows that your grandmother is... your grandmother... they all think she's my grandmother."

Harry said nothing.

"What if she's hiding something?" Ron said. Harry sat silently in his seat.

"It's not just your grandmother, is it?" Hermione said, seeing the worry etched in Harry's face.

"No. You know when Ginny and I went outside?"

"You didn't snog, did you?" Ron said abruptly.

"No," Harry said, looking at him strangely. "She was sick from the firewhisky."

"I thought you wanted them to get together," Hermione said.

Ron looked guiltily at the carpet. "Well... it seemed like a good idea during the summer... but after Malfoy, I..."

"Anyway," Harry said. "We found Percy and Cho together. They were talking about the Order."

Ron let out a gasp. "The Order?"

"The Order. When Ginny and I got nearer, they started snogging, I guess to cover up."

"Hmm..." Hermione said.

Suddenly, Harry felt a sharp jab in his scar. "Ahh..." he winced, feeling his scar.

Ron and Hermione looked at him, worried expressions on both their faces. "Are you all right?" Ron asked. Harry nodded.

The pain subsided slowly, and Ron and Hermione looked at Harry, their faces pale. "We'll have to check the Daily Prophet tomorrow," Hermione said. "Wait... did McGonagall ever tell you two about what happened that time Harry's scar hurt in the hospital wing?"

Harry and Ron looked at each other. "No," they said at the same time.

"Hmm," Hermione said. "I was thinking... suppose the two incidents had something to do with each other..."

"Yeah..." Ron said.

But Harry was thinking about Blaise's note. "You know how in Hogsmeade, Malfoy started proposing to everyone?"

Ron sniggered. "Yeah," he said.

"I think Blaise Zabini caused him to do it," Harry said. "Because Malfoy didn't remember doing it when we met in the corridors."

"He could have been lying," Hermione pointed out.

"Yes, but Blaise Zabini handed me a note while he was causing chaos."

"Blaise Zabini?" Ron said. "Oh, no, I think that I know what that note says. Blaise Zabini stakes out the boys she likes... and gives them a note."

Hermione snorted. "Ron, that's not true. Blaise and I talk sometimes during classes, you know. She's not half-bad, actually. She likes to read... and she read Hogwarts, A History," she added pointedly. "Anyway, she told me that was a rumor started by Pansy Parkinson one day in the third year..."

"I've got the note right here," Harry said, pulling the note from his cloak. Hermione took it, and unfolded it.

"Dear Harry," she read. "Please meet me in the kitchens corridor at nine at night on the day the signal used at Hogsmeade goes off. You know what the signal is. Bring no one else, and make sure no one sees you."

"Signal?" Ron said.

"Must be Malfoy," Harry said.

"Do you think she's... turned?" Hermione whispered.

"There's only one way to find out, and that's for me to meet with her when the time comes," Harry said grimly.

***

The next morning, Harry went down to the Great Hall to find Hermione untying a copy of the Daily Prophet from an owl's leg. Ron slouched in after him, rubbing his eyes.

"Well, here goes," Hermione said, unrolling the newspaper.

"Blimey!" Ron said as soon as the newspaper was unrolled. "Amelia Bones Killed in Mysterious Attack," he read.

"Amelia Bones?" Harry said. From the corner of his eye, he could see McGonagall leading a sobbing Susan away from the Hufflepuff table.

"Listen to this last sentence. 'The Ministry believes that the culprit is You-Know-Who,'" Hermione said. "That's why your scar hurt, Harry. Amelia Bones must have had something to do with the Order."

"She was Head Girl," Ron noticed. Hermione looked at him. "What? It's obvious she was..."

"Ron, is that all you can notice?" Hermione said. "She's got family!"

"No... but..."

"Don't argue," Harry said, sighing.

"Right," Ron said. "So... the Christmas holidays are coming up soon," he said. "Where are you two going? I'm going home... Mum says she wants the family together at Christmas. You two can come if you want..."

"My parents want me to stay with them... now that the war's started..." Hermione said.

"I suppose..." Harry started. There was a rapping on the window, and Hermione opened the window. An unfamiliar, regal looking owl flew in, dropped an envelope gracefully onto Harry's lap, and flew straight out again.

Confused, Harry picked the envelope up and opened it, unfolding the letter inside. It was written in an unfamiliar, neat, script. Harry groaned when he saw the first line. "Not her," he moaned.

"Don't tell me... your grandmother," Ron said.

Harry nodded. "She says I'm to spend Christmas at..."

"Berkshire Hall of the Potters," Hermione said. "One of the oldest manors of the Pure-blood families, built the same year as Malfoy Manor and Fulchester Park of the Bones, in 1567."

Harry and Ron goggled at her. "Hermione, have you swallowed a textbook?" Ron asked.

"Of course not. It was in Hogwarts, A History. All three families made donations to the school for supplies, and the school paid them back by building them manors."

Harry and Ron looked at each other. "She's swallowed a textbook," Harry said.

Hermione didn't hear. "It's wonderful, Harry, you'll be able to find out more about your family's history!" Hermione said.

"One detail you're forgetting, Hermione," Harry said. "I'm stuck with a tyrant for the holidays. Oh, joy!"

"Well... I suppose that's bad... but..." Hermione said.

"Hermione, give it a rest," Ron said.

***

Harry had never gone home for the Christmas holidays, except during fifth year. However, it had been a warm winter. It was quite strange to see snow outside Platform 9 ¾ when he got off the Hogwarts Express.

"Harry! What a surprise to see you here!" Mrs. Weasley said. "Are you coming with us?"

"No, Mrs. Weasley, he is coming with me," a voice said from behind. Grandmother was behind Mrs. Weasley, looking very McGonagall-like.

"Hello, Grandmother," Harry said immediately.

"Where are your glasses?" Grandmother hissed.

Harry hurriedly put them on. He had forgotten. There goes my idea of impressing Grandmother, he thought bitterly.

"Oh, hello," Mrs. Weasley said. "You must be Anne, then. About the cover... stay with it... that's what Dumbledore said the last time I saw him."

"I will, don't worry, Molly," Grandmother said.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at each other. Cover? Grandmother turned to Harry. "I suppose you know how to Apparate?" she said.

"Yes, Grandmother," Harry said.

"Good." She handed him a picture of a snow-capped manor. "This is the manor. Picture it. You should appear there. If not, you'll appear at Fulchester Park... they look similar."

Harry nodded. "See you," he said to Ron and Hermione.

"We'll try and visit," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Bye, Harry," Hermione said. She started forward to hug him, but Grandmother cleared her throat.

"Er..." Harry said, shaking Hermione's hand. "See you soon, Hermione," he said in a business-like tone. Ron sniggered silently. Grandmother Disapparated.

"Er... yeah, see you, Harry," Ron said.

Harry nodded, and Disapparated.

He was relieved to see Grandmother standing in front of him when he materialised in front of Potter Manor. The manor was large and made of stone. The front garden was covered in trees, and a single path led the way up the orchard to the front steps. Harry was reminded of Hogwarts' front door. It was quite pretty, if not at all inviting.

"Come, Henry," Grandmother said.

Harry didn't even bother to correct her. Instead, he followed her up the garden path and up the steps, dragging his trunk behind him. Hedwig descended down upon them, and came to rest on Harry's shoulder. Grandmother gave the owl a disapproving look, but knocked on the door.

A house-elf answered the door. It wore a red toga-like sheet, and a tea cozy. Harry knew he shouldn't have been surprised, but he was just a little. "Mistress Potter," the elf said. It was female. "Jingle is glad you're back, Mistress." Jingle's eyes widened at the sight of Harry. "It can't be... young Master!"

"No, no," Grandmother said impatiently. "I told Toomy last week that my grandson was coming to stay. Jingle, this is James' son."

"New young Master!" Jingle said reverently. Harry was feeling a little uncomfortable under the house-elf's scrutiny.

"I'm Harry," he said. "Just Harry."

"Young Master," Jingle repeated. She turned back to Grandmother. "Please come in, Mistress. And young Master."

Harry entered the great entrance hall lit by crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

Five other house-elves rushed from different directions. They were in the same uniform as Jingle. "Welcome back, Mistress," they said. Harry squirmed guiltily. Hermione would be berating him for this if she found out.

"Is this the new young Master?" asked a male house-elf that resembled Dobby. "I is Toomy, good sir. And these are Penny, Grumpsie, Kiki, and Lufus."

"Er... nice to meet you, Toomy," Harry said.

Toomy looked as if he had been given twenty new chores to do. His face lit up in a brilliant smile. "Thank you, young Master..." he said tearfully. "Toomy heard how kind young Master was from his brother Dobby... but Toomy never thought young Master would be so kind... so polite..."

"That's all right," Harry said quickly. He was strongly reminded of the Dobby he had first met.

"Young Master is too kind..." Toomy sniffed, wiping his eyes on his red sheet.

"Would Mistress or young Master like some tea?" the elf named Penny asked in a squeaky voice.

"No, thank you, Penny," Grandmother said. "Henry, dear, your elf will be Toomy. Toomy, please show my grandson his room."

"Yes, Mistress. Come, young Master." Toomy started up a wide, grand staircase. Harry followed him.

"So you're Dobby's brother?" Harry asked.

"Yes, young Master. Toomy is properly ashamed of Dobby, but Toomy still talks to Dobby, not like the rest of Toomy and Dobby's family." They turned into a corridor lined with portraits. Harry felt strange. All the men in the paintings looked remotely like him, some more than others, and all the women had dark hair and either blue or brown eyes. A few had blond hair and grey eyes, and one had very dark red hair, but they were the minority.

"Well, if it isn't the famous Harry," one of the blond, pale women said.

"Hello," Harry said.

The woman's features were very familiar. "I'm Aurelia Potter. Married to William Potter. I'm your great-great-great-great grandmother."

"Nice to meet you," Harry said. "You look like someone I know," he said. "I just can't place it..."

"Do I look like your... classmate Draco Malfoy?" Aurelia inquired.

"How did you know about Malfoy?" Harry asked.

Aurelia smiled. "He is my great-great-great-great grandnephew, of course. You didn't think that the Malfoys and Potters didn't mix? I do think someone would have told you that all Pure-blooded families are related some way or the other. I'm the link to the Malfoys. By marriage. Now of course, that was back when the family name was still Pietro... very Italian, we were."

"Pietro?" Harry asked.

"Yes. I believe Nicholas Pietro changed our name to the more English 'Potter' in 1885. He was tired of people calling him 'pie trow'."

"No wonder Hermione couldn't find me when she went through the family history craze last year," Harry said.

"Ah, yes, I do think we are listed under 'Pietro' in the genealogy books. "

"Come, young Master," Toomy said. "Good day, Mistress."

"Bye," Harry said to Aurelia. "Thanks for the history."

"No need to thank me, Harry," Aurelia said. "I do miss your father and his friend running around. Bring your friends one day."

Harry walked away with a grin on his face. Maybe not all Malfoys were evil gits. Maybe his holiday wouldn't be so bad after all.

***

Harry spent most of the next few days talking to the portraits. Some of his ancestors were mysterious, others talkative and bubbly like Aurelia. Hermione would love this, Harry thought as he talked to Frederick Pietro, who had lived during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and had plenty of stories to tell.

Aurelia in the portrait was actually only a year older than him, Harry found out. She allowed Harry to call her Aurelia because of that. The dark-haired woman in the next portrait, Bellarizia Pietro, who had lived before the manor was built, disapproved of this, and sent haughty glares in their direction every few minutes.

Harry was also introduced to Miranda Weasley, the redheaded woman who was very far back in the timeline, farther even than Bellarizia Pietro. She was something like his great aunt's second cousin times ten. She reminded him of the old Ginny, so he spent a lot of time with her too.

It was Christmas Day when Grandmother suddenly announced over breakfast, "We're going to visit your aunt and uncle."

"What?" Harry said, spiting out his toast in surprise. He was confused. "Did they ask for me?"

"No," Grandmother said. "But I want you to pay them a visit. It is, after all, Christmas. I've got them a present, Henry, you'll be the one to give it to them. And for heaven's sake, boy, stop looking at me that way! You need to visit them!"

"Yes, Grandmother," Harry agreed sullenly.

"Now there's a good lad," Grandmother said. "We'll leave in an hour. Heaven knows how long it will take to get there by Muggle transportation."

"Where are we... Grandmother?" Harry said.

"The outskirts of London," Grandmother said. "The centre is half an hour away."

"It will take at the most two hours," Harry reasoned.

Grandmother seemed to be thinking. "Yes. Then we should make good time... ten o' clock would suit. Go and get ready, then."

"Er... should I wear Muggle clothes?" Harry asked.

"Of course!" Grandmother exclaimed. "Wear your school uniform that you wear under your robes. That should do well enough."

Sighing, Harry left the dining room and trudged up past the portraits. "What is wrong, Harry?" Aurelia asked as he passed her.

"I have to visit my relatives," he informed her.

"Well... it can't be that bad, can it?" Aurelia said. "Your grandmother will be with you."

Harry walked into another corridor, then turned into his room. It was much larger than his room at Privet Drive, though as empty. Hedwig hooted as he came in, and Harry slipped an owl treat through the bars of her cage.

Quickly, he dressed in his uniform, and tried to make his hair look straight. Making sure not to forget his glasses (Grandmother had pestered him about them as soon as he had gone down to breakfast without them), he sighed. "You look fine, dear," his mirror informed him.

Harry made his way back down the stairs, and met his grandmother in the entrance hall. "Have a good journey, young Master," Toomy said.

"See you, Toomy," Harry said.

Grandmother led the way, carrying a large parcel in her arms. "Take this, Henry," she said, handing the parcel to Harry. Harry struggled with the parcel, and finally was able to put it into the boot of the Ministry car that was waiting for them.

The Ministry driver looked at Harry with some reverence, but otherwise acted normally. Harry was glad when they arrived into the familiar Privet Drive so unfamiliarly covered in snow; the car had been too silent.

The driver helped Harry take the parcel out of the car, tipped his cap, and drove off. "Well? Which one is the house?" Grandmother asked.

"That one," Harry said, pointing at number four with a sigh. Grandmother strode up to the door purposefully, and rang the doorbell. Flat-footed footsteps sounded from inside the house, and the door was opened by Uncle Vernon.

"You!" he said, seeing Harry. "What are you doing here?"

Grandmother looked miffed. "Excuse me, Mr. Dursley. I am Anne Potter... and of course, you know..."

Uncle Vernon ignored her. "What the bloody hell are you doing here at my house? Didn't you leave permanently?"

"Yes," Harry said defiantly at the same moment that Grandmother said "no".

More footsteps were heard as Aunt Petunia came to the door. "Vernon, what is going on? You're letting in the cold... Harry!" she said. She stepped out, and gave Harry a hug. "Welcome back, dear."

Harry could see Uncle Vernon distinctly roll his eyes. "And who are you?" Aunt Petunia said to Grandmother.

"I am Anne Potter, your nephew's grandmother."

"Grandmother? There must be a mistake. We are his only living relatives..."

"No, Mrs. Dursley, you have not heard me correctly. I am his grandmother."

"Well, yes, but..."

"Mrs. Dursley, it is freezing outside."

"Well... yes, do come in. Oh, Harry, we've missed you..." Aunt Petunia said. Harry highly doubted Uncle Vernon had missed him, as he rolled his eyes and turned purple. Harry sent him a look that clearly meant, I didn't miss you either.

"Dudley, dear!" Aunt Petunia called. "Look who's here!"

"Is it Malcolm?" Dudley's voice said from his room.

"No, better! It's Harry! Now he can go to your Smeltings Christmas celebration..." Aunt Petunia said. Harry's eyes widened in horror.

Dudley came downstairs. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Now, popkin, be nice..."

"But Mum..."

"Enough, Dudley," Aunt Petunia said sternly. "Harry, you will go to the celebration, won't you? It's this afternoon... both you and your grandmother can go..."

"Er..." Harry said. Grandmother nodded sharply once from behind Aunt Petunia. "Yes," Harry said reluctantly. From behind Grandmother, Uncle Vernon threw up his hands in frustration.

"He can't go!" Uncle Vernon hissed. "He's dressed in his blasted... school uniform! It will be obvious what he is!"

Grandmother pretended not to hear him. However, Aunt Petunia turned to glare back at Uncle Vernon, something she never did. "He can go. I don't see anything on there that doesn't suggest he goes to a normal boarding school!"

Uncle Vernon grumbled his agreement, maybe because both Harry and his grandmother were there to hex him if he argued.

Lunch was silent, except for Aunt Petunia's excited babblings. Both Harry and Dudley glared at each other; Dudley was now in his Smeltings uniform, and Harry was finding it very hard not to laugh.

Finally, all of them piled into the Dursley's car. Grandmother didn't seem to be very pleased with the travelling arrangements, and stayed silent the whole ride, which Harry thought was a gift to the world. Dudley kept sending him dirty looks, but also stayed silent. Aunt Petunia was also silent, and Uncle Vernon was grumbling to himself.

When they reached Smeltings two hours later, Harry got out of the car as quickly as he could. Everyone was dressed in the ridiculous maroon uniforms, and Harry hid his snickers with great difficulty.

Instead, he stared up at the sign on the building, probably the only not funny thing near him. It read Smeltings Public School for Boys and was Harry's escape from the masses in red.

"Is this the entire seventh year?" Harry asked Dudley, who grunted a yes in reply.

The students and families were starting to mill around, conversing, and Harry soon found himself standing in the gymnasium of the school, feeling very bored.

"Harry!" he thought he heard someone call. Harry shook his head and leaned against the wall. "HARRY!" the voice called again. To his surprise, a grinning Hermione made her way through the crowd. "Harry, what are you doing here? And why are you wearing a uniform?"

"Dudley goes here," Harry said. "Grandmother made me visit the Dursleys, and then Aunt Petunia roped me into coming here. Grandmother made me wear the uniform. It's the only Muggle clothes I have, besides the jeans and t-shirts."

"She made you wear the glasses too?" Hermione said, looking amused. "My cousin goes here. My mum and dad had me go with my aunt and uncle today... they have a dentists' party. They had to go, and they couldn't take me."

"So how have you been?" Harry asked.

"The usual. Reading, studying..." Hermione said. Harry rolled his eyes. "You?"

"Talking to portraits that hang in a corridor in the Manor," Harry said.

Hermione giggled.

"No, really," Harry said. "There's one named Aurelia that told me all about how our family's name used to be 'Pietro', until one bloke changed it in the 1880's. She was a Malfoy."

Hermione didn't seem surprised by this fact. "Yes, I supposed so... that's why I couldn't find your tree last year."

"Yes, and there's one named Mir..." A shrill scream interrupted Harry mid-word.

"What was that?" Hermione said in a worried voice as the crowd began to shuffle around hurriedly. Their answer came in a jet of red light as a stunning spell was shot at the crowd.

Black-cloaked figures began Apparating into the gymnasium, shooting spells at the confused Muggles. "Death Eaters," Harry said quietly.

Hermione was shaking as she drew her wand. "Do you think they're here for the necklace?"

"Yeah," Harry said as the Death Eaters blocked all the exits, trapping everyone in.

"Harry, dear, why are the Death Eaters here?" Grandmother said. Harry was so intent on his curse that he didn't even notice his Grandmother calling him "Harry".

"Petrificus Totalus!" he yelled, a jet of icy blue light flying from his wand and hitting one of the Death Eaters.

"One of you Apparate to get help," Grandmother said.

"Harry, go... I haven't had my test yet..." Hermione said. "We'll hold them off..."

Harry nodded, and hoped no one was outside of Grimmauld Place. He Disapparated with a crack, and reappeared outside of the headquarters. Quickly, he said the password in his mind, and Number Twelve Grimmauld Place materialised.

"Hurry," Harry muttered at the building. He sprinted up the steps and knocked on the door urgently, pressing the doorbell repeatedly.

The door was opened by a harried looking Mrs. Weasley. "Harry, dear!" she said in surprise. "What's going on?"

"Attack by Death Eaters... at Smeltings," Harry said quickly.

"What?" Lupin, who was walking around behind Mrs. Weasley, said in surprise. "I'll go tell the others."

"Harry, dear, stay here..." Mrs. Weasley said.

"NO!" Harry said with such force that Mrs. Weasley was taken aback. "Hermione and my grandmother are the only ones there right now. I have to go." Before Mrs. Weasley could stop him, he Disapparated, and reappeared next to Hermione.

"The Order's coming," Harry said, breathing heavily.

"Oh, good," Hermione said. "It's getting violent. They're demanding for you to show yourself, Harry."

"All right," Harry said.

"You can't just tell them where you are! The prophecy, Harry, the prophecy," Hermione reminded him.

"So?" Harry said. "Look, they've killed a few Muggles already... I have to."

Dudley and Piers ran past them, looking terrified. "W-who are these people?" Dudley stammered.

"Followers of Voldemort," Harry said, not taking his eyes off a figure that was taller than the rest. "There's Voldemort," he pointed out to Hermione. Hermione gasped. It was the first time she had seen Voldemort.

"Hey, you! Voldemort!" Harry called recklessly before anyone could stop him.

Voldemort turned. Unlike his Death Eaters, his face was uncovered. He grinned, and Harry heard many of the Muggles gasp.

"Shut up!" called one of the Death Eaters. It was Bellatrix Lestrange. "You are not to speak his name with your vile tongue!"

"You shut up," Harry said. "I'll have a little chat with you soon."

Bellatrix let out a mirthless laugh. "Of course you will, Potter, sure you will. Going to put the Cruciatus on me, are you, Potter? Is it actually going to work?"

Harry heard Hermione and his grandmother gasp at this. However, he kept his eyes trained on Voldemort, who smiled his lipless smile. "Hello, Potter... we haven't seen each other face to face for quite a while now."

"Yeah?" Harry said defiantly. He wasn't exactly sure why he wasn't keeping his mouth shut.

Voldemort mocked a sigh. "Ah, Harry, Harry, must I remind you to mind your manners? Very well... you asked for me to kill you... I'm in the mood for fun today, and before I take what I want, we shall have some fun, will we?"

Harry stood straight, silently. "Will we?" Voldemort repeated. "Answer me."

"I don't owe you an answer," Harry said coldly.

"Very well, Harry, defiant until the end... like your parents..." Voldemort said. "You see, Harry, you cannot kill me. I am immortal. And you will die. Crucio!"

"Protego!" Harry said as the Order began to Apparate in, shooting spells at the Death Eaters. However, the curse went past Harry's shield. Harry struggled to stand upright and not cry out, gritting his teeth.

"You're pathetic!" Dudley called. "Use your fists! Why are you just standing there?"

"He's under a torture curse, you sick little..." Hermione said, calling Dudley something she would have never said under any other circumstance else.

Harry barely heard this, though. The pain was becoming unbearable. Suddenly, Harry found himself dropping to his knees and screaming loudly... perhaps louder than he had ever screamed.

"Harry! Harry!" he heard some people scream.

Voldemort laughed, and Harry felt him lift the curse. Harry stood up quickly, not minding the remaining pain. Voldemort stood in the middle of a circle of Death Eaters, watching them battle against members of the Order.

Laughing insanely, Voldemort waved a hand, and everyone else froze, forced to watch the two by themselves. Voldemort chuckled. "Ah, Harry, Harry... no one can help you right now... you can't escape my curses without them killing someone else. And now, all of these people will watch you die... Avada Kedavra!"

Harry jumped aside, and the jet of green light hit a table, to his relief. Voldemort pouted. "You're no fun, Potter," he hissed. He grinned. "Ah... this will be entertaining..." He laughed, and pointed his wand at a scared looking Uncle Vernon. "Imperio."

Uncle Vernon grabbed one of the ornamental swords that hung above the awards shelves. Harry's eyes widened. If he had imagined a battle with Voldemort before, it certainly hadn't included a sword-fight with Uncle Vernon. Harry swore as he ducked from a violent swipe Uncle Vernon had made at his head.

Thinking quickly, Harry grabbed a sword from the wall and blocked Uncle Vernon's next swipe clumsily. Uncle Vernon swiped again, and Harry blocked it just in time. He fell against one of the frozen Death Eaters. A familiar voice drawled from behind. "Get off me, Potter."

"I don't have time for you, Malfoy," Harry said, blocking another swipe. "You're a Death Eater now, aren't you?" he asked sarcastically.

"Not yet," Malfoy said. "I'm just along for the ride today."

Harry moved away from Malfoy disgustedly, and continued the sword fight. It was pretty well-matched, until, to Harry's horror, he ducked, and a Muggle man was decapitated by Uncle Vernon's sword. Some of the Muggles screamed while frozen, and some fell over stiffly. Harry was watching the man, ready to retch and breathing heavily at what had just happened.

Suddenly, he felt a very sharp pain in his arm as Uncle Vernon swiped and missed, cutting his arm instead. Harry dropped his sword in pain. He looked up at his uncle. He had to stop him... "Stupefy," he said. Uncle Vernon fell to the ground, and the sword came after.

Voldemort looked furious. "That's it, Potter... you will suffer," he hissed. "But your friends and family will suffer as well." He pointed to Hermione and Dudley, and grinned. "Which one would you like to see in pain?"

Tears began to fall down Hermione's face. "Harry, pick me, he's your cousin..." she said softly.

Dudley looked relieved. "Yes, pick her! Not me, I'm your cousin!" he said. Aunt Petunia gasped at her son's cowardice.

Voldemort laughed. "Very well, Dursley. Miss Granger... Harry has told me all about you... not consciously of course... through his mind... Crucio!"

Hermione couldn't move. She was hit with the jet of red light, and fell to the ground, screaming in pain. Harry could feel the pain coursing through her. The anger flowed through him... he didn't care if Voldemort was immortal, he wanted to cause him pain...

Voldemort seemed to sense his thoughts. Smiling, he plucked Harry's wand from his hand as if by an invisible string. "Not thinking of using an Unforgivable, Mr. Potter, are we?"

"Crucio," Harry said. A jet of red light came from his hand. Voldemort easily dodged it, and it hit one of the Death Eaters, who promptly started screaming in agony.

"Master!" he called. "Master! Help me!"

"Shut up," Voldemort snapped. He turned back to Harry. "Well... it seems we have a little more in common than I thought..." He pointed Harry's wand at him. "Crucio."

Once again, Harry felt the white-hot pain of a thousand knives stabbing him. He was already weakened by the first curse, and fell immediately, screaming like Hermione.

He couldn't see anything... he could hear nothing but his screams... "Incendio!" The pain stopped. Harry looked up slowly. The screaming in the room was not his own or Hermione's anymore. It was Voldemort, screaming as fire began to consume him.

Ron stood behind him, wand pointed at the Dark Lord, looking grim.

Voldemort, still screaming, dropped his wand and Harry's. Everyone began to move again, and spells were shot through the air. A Death Eater grabbed Voldemort and Apparated away with him. Harry quickly summoned his own wand, but a Death Eater snatched Voldemort's before he could get it. Ron and Hermione soon found themselves battling others... Hermione with Bellatrix and Ron with Draco Malfoy, though he didn't know it was Malfoy.

Grandmother rushed by Harry, surprising him. He was amazed at how strong she was, even though she was already McGonagall's age. "Harry, are you all right now?" Lupin said, busy duelling his own Death Eater.

"Yeah," Harry said. Lupin was rushed away, and Harry found himself in a crowd of scared Muggles and one Death Eater.

Harry recognized the figure and eyes of Wormtail. "You," he said.

Wormtail squeaked and tried to run away, but Harry stopped him with a barrier. Harry wondered why he didn't just transfigure, but found cuffs around Wormtail's wrists, which probably prevented him from changing into a rat.

Wormtail turned, and forced out tears as Harry glared at him, wand pointed at him. "Harry... please... you let me go before... your parents... remember your parents..."

Harry laughed a cold laugh that was unlike him. "I am thinking about my parents, Pettigrew," he said. He could feel something burning against his neckline... it was the necklace. Harry, however, didn't pay attention to it.

"Mercy..." Wormtail said.

"Yeah, right," Harry said. Wormtail suddenly grabbed Aunt Petunia, who had been hiding nearby. He pointed his wand at Aunt Petunia.

"Let me go, or I'll kill her," he said, quite coldly. "I'll kill her like I did your father..."

"My father?" Harry said.

"It was a special treat from Voldemort... I betray them, and then I kill James with my Master's own wand. Your father... yes, I wanted to kill him. He and Black and Lupin... they were all-powerful and popular. Me, I was a poor little tagalong. They were all purebloods. I was the little Mudblood."

"You little..." Harry said, unable to find an insult bad enough for Wormtail.

"Yes... so now, I will kill your aunt. Pity... she does look quite like Lily when she's scared."

"Go on, kill me," Aunt Petunia said with surprising bravery.

Wormtail laughed. "So very like Lily." Harry lunged for his aunt, but Wormtail held him back with Voldemort's wand. "I do like this wand," he commented. "Avada Kedavra."

"NO!" Harry yelled as the jet of green light escaped Voldemort's wand and shot into Aunt Petunia. Wormtail stood, laughing insanely as she dropped lifeless to the ground.

"Peter!" Remus said.

Harry's anger had reached the danger level. His eyes flashed a very bright green. Without him knowing it, he created a barrier around himself and Wormtail. "You sick little..." Harry said.

"Going to kill me?" Wormtail said, smiling.

"Yes," Harry said.

Wormtail's smile disappeared as Harry approached him, looking quite serious. "The necklace..." Harry thought he heard Wormtail say in fear. "Harry, I didn't do it! Voldemort, he put me under the Imperius Curse!"

"Yeah, right," Harry said sarcastically. "Voldemort put you under an Unforgivable while severely burned. Of course he did."

"Harry... please... I was joking when I said I killed your father..." Wormtail pleaded.

"Haha," Harry said, laughing hollowly. He pointed his wand at Wormtail.

"Mercy... Harry, your parents wouldn't want you to become a murderer..."

"How do you know? You were never a true friend."

"Harry... you don't want to become a murderer... Harry, you saved me last time... kind boy... merciful boy... Hermione... she wouldn't want it either..." Wormtail said, grasping the bottom of Harry's trouser legs and sobbing. "Please..."

"Avada Kedavra," Harry said softly. The world seemed to almost stop. As if in slow motion, the green light emerged from his wand, and traveled towards Wormtail, who watched it enter him with wide eyes. The eyes dimmed, and the world began to move at a normal speed again.

The barriers fell, and Harry was left, standing bewildered, looking at what he had just done with his normal bottle-green eyes.