Swept From the Past

Chapter 53: The Emerald's Heart -- part six

Burns left her quarters. She felt powerful. More powerful than she had felt in a long time. She was still tired, but a strong magic coursed in her veins. Her health seemed to improve. It was strange. Getting rid of her memories had never had this effect on her before. Something had happened which had given her strength. She felt her power had been renewed. Was it linked to the memories she had put in the Pensieve? Something must have happened that had fortified her powers...

The last thing she remembered was how confused she had been just before Snape had tried to enter her mind. All the rubbish she had said about not being able to fight him... Why had she said that? Why had she been so weak? What had Snape done to her?

"Heee usssed the Lovvve Phhhiltre on youuu," Grindelwald said in her head. "Heee hasss usssed thaaat maaagical conneeection to maaake youuu weeeaak..."

"The Love Philtre," Burns whispered. Yes, it was surely the reason why he'd had so much power over her.

"Therrre isss nooo lovvve betweeeen youuu and himmm," Grindelwald continued. "Jusssstt maaagiccc. Thisss isss an illluuusion."

"An illusion..." Burns repeated. Only an illusion... Of course, everything was false. Snape had tried to use his usual Slytherin tricks on her! He was a master of manipulation. Burns snorted and clenched her fists. 'Pathetic,' she thought. But it was the last time that she would act so weakly. Now, her mind was clear. She knew what she had to do. She was here to protect the castle and fight whatever would come. An instant of weakness would cause the death of too many people. She was responsible for their lives. What was that power Lord Grindelwald had been talking about? Voldemort's? No, he was already busy with Harry. He had surely sent his Death Eaters in his place, as usual...

"Capt'n Burns!" a pirate exclaimed. "You're here!"

"Unfortunately, yes," she replied without turning around. She didn't have time to waste. Her mission was most important. How could she best protect the castle? Fighting the vampires? Hmmm... Later. Her crew could do it without her.

"Fiiighttt the Demmmeeenntorsss," Grindelwald said. "Desssttrrroyyy thhem alll!"

Yes, the Dementors. Burns smirked. The creatures would regret coming to Hogwarts. She couldn't wait to get rid of them.

A vampire attacked her from behind. All her senses were heightened. She felt the presence of the creature while he was running to her. He jumped on her. She bent. Caught by his impetus, he rolled over her back and fell violently on the floor. She kicked his head with force, took her sword out of its sheath and placed the tip of the blade at his throat.

"Desssttrrroyyy himmm," Grindelwald ordered.

"Stupid creature," she said. She cut off his head in one motion. Then she stepped forward. But suddenly she felt very tired. She had trouble keeping her eyes open. What was happening to her? Fighting a single vampire couldn't have drained so much energy from her. She felt... as if her emotions had exhausted her, like when she had revisited her old memories in her Pensieves. Damn! Throwing away her memories had probably drained her energy! Although Burns' magic was strong, she needed to sleep if she wanted to control it.

"Finddd strengthhh," Grindelwald's voice whispered. "Youuu neeed mooorrre energyyy."

Burns heard shrieks. A group of first years Gryffindors appeared at the other end of the corridor. They looked terrified.

"Feaaar is energyyy," Grindelwald said, "Ussse the kiddds."

"Fear is energy," Burns repeated. She opened her hands, her palms facing the students.

"Energeia!" she yelled, ready to absorb their energy.

***

Severus ran in the corridors, searching desperately for Burns. Bloody Alphonso! That bastard had impeded him! How dare he attack Severus from behind? But the cretin had just had his lesson. Severus had been pleased to hex him. The memory of his Impediment Jinx hitting Alphonso and sending him flying was more than satisfying. Severus' temple was slightly gashed, but he didn't care. The cut had stopped bleeding anyway. He'd had his revenge. Katarina was his, and he would never let any man try to take her from him.

He was rather surprised that Lupin had thrown himself in the path of Alphonso's spell. Hmmm... for once the werewolf had been useful...

Severus reached Burns' quarters, but the entrance door was locked.

"Password," a voice said. Severus raised his head and saw the portrait of a young pirate above the door.

"Open the door immediately!" Severus snarled. "I have to see Professor Burns right away!"

The pirate arched an eyebrow and glared at Severus. "The Capt'n has just left," he replied.

"Where has she gone?" Severus snapped.

"She took the corridor on your right," the pirate replied. "And you should watch your manners, silly bat of the d--"

"Silencio!" Severus shouted, pointing his wand at the portrait. Then he followed the direction indicated by the foolish pirate.

Severus growled. Why had he stupidly tried to enter Burns' mind? She had admitted that she didn't want to kill him. That she couldn't fight him. Somehow, she had admitted her feelings for him. He should have taken her in his arms and kissed her instead of using Legilimency on her. He was sure he could have fought Grindelwald's presence that way.

'I knew that you had planned something!' she had said. 'Yet I let you... I even thought... Oh, I'm so stupid!'

Severus was furious with himself. She had started to trust him again. He shouldn't have reacted so impulsively. Damn! He'd been a good spy, who always controlled his emotions and always thought before doing anything. But when he was with Katarina, he'd forgotten all the basic rules he'd used for all these years. Fear had got the upper hand on him.

Severus turned the corner and gasped. Burns stood in the passageway. She stared at a group of young students.

"Fear is energy," she said.

Suddenly, she opened her hands, her palms facing the students.

"Energeia!" she yelled.

Blue mist swirled around the students. They fell to the floor, unconscious. The vapour flew straight to Burns. She sucked it up entirely as if it was a liquid.

Severus was horrified. She reminded him of a Dementor, feeding on people's happiness and souls.

"What did you do?" he exclaimed, running to her. Were the students really unconscious? They looked dead. Had she...?

Burns turned partially toward Snape.

"I fed," she replied coldly.

"Like what?" Severus hissed. "A Dementor?"

Why had she done that? No, Burns couldn't have killed children. She enjoyed threatening Malfoy and those students who showed disrespect, but hurting them... killing them... Severus couldn't believe that she had really...

"The kids are just asleep," Burns said quietly.

Severus sighed in relief.

"They'll wake up in a couple of hours, Burns added. She snorted. "I mean... if I manage to save the school..."

If she managed to save the school? Severus frowned. Oh, no! She'd done enough.

"You must rest!" Severus replied.

"Silence!" Burns snapped. Her voice sounded menacing.

She stared at him icily. It had been a long time since he'd seen this frightening stare. There was no emotion in her eyes. No trace of the desire he had read in her eyes tonight. No trace of anything. Just coldness. Something had changed.

"What have you done?" he asked, alarmed. "I know that you've done something!"

It was as if she'd never experienced any good emotions. As if...

"The Pensieves!" Severus gasped. "You put your last memories of us in your Pensieves!"

Burns laughed. "Yes," she said, "I got rid of those bloody memories. Forever."

Severus was furious. All his efforts, all the progress he had made with her had been erased. She had deliberately pushed him out of her mind because she couldn't get him out of her heart. Because he had stupidly scared her when he had used Legilimency.

"How could you?" Severus snarled. "You were about to know the truth about us. It was our second chance! Do you realise what you did?" He had a lump in his throat.

"Shut up," Burns snapped.

"Why did you listen to Grindelwald?" Severus hissed. "Haven't I fought enough for you? Haven't I given you the proof that I care for you? What must I do to make you understand that I love you, stubborn g--?"

A hiss interrupted Severus. He turned around and jumped.

Ten vampires stood in the corridor, ready to attack them. Severus raised his wand and pulled a stake out of his robes. Burns' stake.

Severus was scared. Was Burns strong enough to fight against ten vampires? How could he protect her? How could he prevent the vampires from approaching the unconscious students? Vampires were fast. He could use magic to trap one or two of them, but not ten. And he wasn't good at fighting with stakes.

Burns faced the vampires and laughed devilishly. Then her eyes opened wide. A red light flashed in them. She placed her right hand in front of her eyes and crooked it. Her forefinger and middle finger were raised up, hooked. Her thumb was extended. She made three circular movements with her hand, clockwise. Severus hardly breathed. These were the same gestures Katarina had used against Agrippina Snape when the old shrew had tried to hypnotise her.

The vampires didn't move. They watched Burns' hand as if they were fascinated. Burns moved her hand from right to left and left to right, slowly. The vampires' bodies followed the movement. Seeing that Burns had so much control over creatures like vampires was creepy.

"Ten little vampires," Burns said softly. "Ten stupid creatures who dare to provoke me. A flick of my hand and you'll return to dust."

She closed her fist and opened it abruptly. Red bolts of lightning went out of her fingers and spread from vampire to vampire. All the creatures caught on fire and disappeared into piles of ashes.

Burns laughed so devilishly that she looked insane.

"Katarina!" Severus exclaimed. He had to stop her. No doubt Grindelwald was using her. Her powers were huge. She was becoming too dangerous for herself.

"This is Captain Burns!" she spat. "Heiress of the great Lord Grindelwald! You'd better not forget it." The red light flashed in her eyes again. She looked so menacing that Severus didn't dare to approach her.

She extended her arm.

"Accio broomstick!" she shouted.

"What are you doing?" Severus asked furiously. Why did she need her broomstick? What silly plan did she have in mind?

"I'll sweep the area," she replied ironically. "The castle and the grounds are dirty."

Her broomstick flew in the air straight to her.

"Don't!" Severus shouted. But she didn't listen to him.

With a swift motion, she mounted the object and kicked off the floor. A window opened at the other end of the corridor. Burns flew out of the castle.

Severus ran to the window and didn't remove his eyes from Burns. She flew straight into a Dementor. The creature didn't seem to notice her presence. Severus was almost relieved. At least, Katarina wouldn't receive a Dementor's Kiss. The problem was that the Potions master wouldn't receive any other kiss from her either. It seemed that every hope was lost for their relationship. His heart sank.

Blue energy went out of Burns and hit the Dementor, making it explode. Burns swirled in the air to avoid the results of the blast. Then she hunted other Dementors, making them blow up one by one. Soon, she flew out of view.

Severus sighed in frustration. He closed the window, put the stake back in his robes, turned around and stepped to the comatose students. He knelt beside them to check if they were all right. He didn't forget that he was a teacher and was responsible for them. Leaving them unconscious in the corridors was unprofessional. Vampires could come and kill them. Stupid kids! Gryffindors, of course. Why must Severus waste his time with those kids? He had to find Katarina before she destroyed herself!

Severus sighed in irritation and produced several stretchers to levitate the students to the Hospital Wing.

Suddenly, three men ran out of a room along the corridor.

"Hey!" Severus shouted. "Come here!"

He'd just had an idea to get rid of his responsibility for those awful Gryffindors. A Slytherin idea. He smirked inwardly.

"You must bring these unconscious students to the Hospital Wing," he said. "It's an order from your Captain!"

The men frowned. One of them grumbled something Severus didn't hear.

The Potions master didn't care. He stepped away from the men and students. Burns wouldn't come back to the castle by the same window anyway. Severus entered a room, hoping that he would see Burns through the window. Instead, he saw five men dead on the dusty floor. Eight other men were fighting against ten vampires. Some of the men looked seriously wounded.

Severus was not used to fighting like them. He had practised with swords, but not as much as the pirates. Yet, he'd mastered the art of magic. And the configuration of the room offered a few advantages for Severus' art, even if it was against vampires. With a bit of precision, he could prove his great ability with a wand.

"Murus Flammae!" Severus uttered, pointing his wand at some broken windows in the room. Flames rose to cover the windows. The vampires hissed and seemed all the more agitated. The pirates kept fighting though. One creature grabbed an exhausted man by the head and drove its teeth in the pirate's neck.

"Stupefy!" Severus shouted, pointing so rapidly at the vampire's head that the creature didn't have time to react. The spell hit the vampire, which was projected backwards straight onto a wall of fire and disappeared into ashes. The wounded man fell forward, a trickle of blood running from his neck.

Severus repeated the incantation. The spells missed their aim several times, but with effort, the Potions master managed to destroy more than half of the creatures.

Two men forced one vampire to step backwards. A part of his clothes caught fire, destroying the creature at last. Stakes and swords got rid of the last four creatures.

Severus didn't wait for the men's comments. He left the room and ran in the corridors. He looked through a window and didn't see any Dementors in the air. Burns had surely returned to the castle by now. He had to find her. He went down the stairs and checked the third floor. He gasped. Burns and her crew were fighting vampires near the Hospital Wing. Alphonso was there. Severus' jaw clenched.

That bastard was fighting close to Burns. Alphonso knocked one vampire several times hard with his fists. The creature appeared to be groggy and fell backwards. Then Alphonso pulled two swords out of their sheath and made them swirl very fast in his hands. Severus was sure the cretin was trying to impress Burns.

'She doesn't like men like you,' Severus thought. 'All muscle and no brains. You have no chance with her. She loves cleverness.'

If he hadn't hated the git so much, Severus would have admitted that Alphonso had good technique. He was probably the best male fighter -- with a sword -- that the Potions master had ever seen. But after all, the bastard probably spent his free time practising to impress stupid women. Maybe his ability with swords was linked to his Veela Charm. Severus snorted. No need to be impressed.

The Potions master jumped in to protect Burns. He couldn't demonstrate with swords, but he had his wand... and a stake. He knew it was dangerous, but he didn't care. Alphonso wouldn't become a hero!

A vampire attacked the Potions master. "Impedimenta!" he uttered, pointing his wand at the vampire at the last moment. The spell hit the creature, knocking it over backwards with force. Severus rushed over to the vampire and pulled the stake out of his robes. He knelt and drove the stake in its heart, changing the creature into dust.

Severus stood up and turned around. "Expelliarmus!" he shouted again, pointing at another creature which had approached Burns. The dazzling flash of scarlet light hit the vampire from behind. It knocked the creature off its feet into a pillar. The vampire fell onto the floor. It stood up almost immediately. Severus smirked. As he had planned, the creature's teeth dropped out of its mouth. Its sharpened nails detached from its hands and fell onto the floor. The vampire moved its hands furiously and tried to hiss, but without nails and teeth it just looked and sounded ridiculous. One swirl of his sword and a pirate got rid of the pathetic creature.

Severus stared at Burns. She did a backward jump, landed on her hands and kicked a vampire hard on his face. Then she grabbed her broomstick that lay on the floor and drove its tip in the creature's chest. She pulled her sword out of its sheath and raised the hand that held the handle so that she could stare at the blade. She uttered something Severus didn't hear. Blue energy covered the sword, which floated above the palm of her hand. Then it swirled fast in the air and cut off the heads of the remaining vampires.

"Reveni!" Burns yelled. The blade stopped whirling and returned to her hand. She put it back in its sheath.

"All hail Capt'n Burns!" the pirates shouted. They all raised their swords and acclaimed her.

Severus stepped forward.

"Alphonso," Burns said, "check in every room and take care of the last vampires. Take some of the men with you."

"Aye, Capt'n," Alphonso replied. He grinned. Then his eyes stopped on Severus. His expression changed and became murderous.

Severus looked at him with a similar stare. Then he smirked. After all, he had won their little fight. Why should he hide his pride?

Alphonso kept glaring at Severus and didn't move from his place.

"So what?" Burns asked Alphonso with irritation. "What are you waiting for?"

"Capt'n," Alphonso said, "maybe I should stay with you. Just in case you--"

"I gave an order," Burns snapped. "Who's the Captain here?"

"I apologise, Capt'n," Alphonso replied with an embarrassed look. He threw a last nasty stare at Severus and left with a group of pirates.

"Capt'n!" a man exclaimed. He came from an adjacent room and had an alarmed expression on his face.

"What's up?" Burns asked.

"It's Sam," the man replied. "A Dementor kissed him."

A few men gasped. Severus observed Burns. She remained impassive. No touch of emotion. Nothing.

"What did he want?" Burns asked.

'What did he want?' Severus wondered what Burns was talking about.

"The usual request," the man responded.

Burns nodded. "Where is he?" she asked.

"Here," the man replied, pointing back in the direction from which he'd come.

Burns followed him to the room, but strangely, few men came with her. Severus entered too.

A man was lying on the floor, his eyes closed. Burns bent over the 'unconscious' man and examined him. He was alive without being alive. Soulless. The worst way to live or die.

"Is it really too late?" a pirate asked.

"Yes, it is," Burns responded.

"What will you do?" another pirate queried.

"My duty as Captain," Burns replied. "I'll do as he had wished."

Severus was intrigued. What did she mean?

Burns stood up. She pulled her wand out.

"I'll respect your wish," Burns said to the comatose man. "Living like that is not living. You were a good fighter, who deserves to end his life in honour and not in shame."

Severus hardly breathed. Would she...?

"You have won the respect of the Grindelwalds," Burns continued. "The respect of the whole crew and the respect of the whole Wizarding World. Your courage helped to save the children of this school. You can be proud of yourself. And now I'll reunite you with your wife and family." She pointed her wand at his chest. "Rest in peace, Samuel Blee." She paused. "Avada Kedavra!"

A flash of green light escaped her wand and hit the man. His chest jumped from the force of the spell. Severus gasped. The man was dead.

It was difficult for Severus to accept what he had seen. Katarina, his Katarina, would have never killed an innocent man, even someone kissed by a Dementor. She would have brought him to St. Mungo's instead. How many people had she already killed like that? Severus knew that death was better than living after a Dementor's Kiss, that Burns had respected the man's wish, but... why did she have to do it? Couldn't one of her crew do it in her place? That bloody Alphonso?

"Why did you do that?" the Potions master hissed. "Couldn't anyone do it in your place?"

"It's my duty as Captain," Burns repeated.

"You could be sent to Azkaban for using an Unforgivable Curse," he replied.

"It wouldn't make any difference," Burns responded. "Azkaban, Hogwarts... it's all the same for me."

"Don't say that," Severus replied.

"Why not?" Burns said sarcastically. "It's the truth. It's..." But she stopped and frowned. She appeared taken aback. She moved her head as if she was trying to hear a sound or look at something Severus couldn't see. A strange expression crossed her face, as if she was struggling to contain her emotions.

Suddenly, the Potions master noticed thin red lines in the shape of a cross on her left cheek. The lines got thicker. A trickle of blood ran from her left cheek. Severus gasped. Her scar had opened again.

Burns put the tip of her gloved hand on her wounded cheek. Then she observed her fingers, covered with her blood.

"Bellatrix Lestrange..." she hissed disdainfully, and grimaced.

***

Burns was talking to Snape when a strange and disagreeable sensation overwhelmed her. An odd feeling, both huge and threatening. Something nasty was coming. A strong power based on hate. Dark Magic in its worst way. She could feel the essence of that terrifying magic and feel its taste in her mouth. The taste of blood. How many people had died in awful sufferings because of this power? Too many, obviously. This power smelled of death. It gave Burns nausea.

Suddenly, Burns' left cheek ached. A pain she had already felt once. A long time ago...

She could feel a trickle of blood run down her face. She mechanically touched her wounded cheek with her fingers. Then she observed the blood that remained on the tip of her gloves.

So that was it... The power Lord Grindelwald had talked about. The power stronger than hers that would destroy everything and kill everyone in the castle. The power of the woman who had tortured her...

"Bellatrix Lestrange..." she hissed disdainfully. This name sounded and tasted disgusting in her mouth. She grimaced.

"Tiiime fffor vvvengeanccce hasss cccome," Grindelwald whispered. "Feeeel yourrr pooower..."

Burns closed her eyes, took a deep breath and gathered her strength. It was time for revenge. Time to make Bellatrix pay for her crimes. Vengeance coursed in Burns' veins.

"Fiiighttt herrr," Grindelwald continued in her head. "Forgeeettt eeeverything eeelse. Maaake her regrettt provoookkking ourrr fffamily." Grindelwald's voice became enraged. "I ordeeer youuu to beee ruthlessss!" he exclaimed.

Some people shrieked. Burns went out of her thoughts and opened her eyes again.

"Here, Capt'n!" Hugo, one of the pirates exclaimed. He stood in front of a window with a view over the grounds and pointed outside.

Burns stared out the window. A gigantic greenish skull was blazing in the air, higher and higher, its awful serpent tongue hanging from its mouth. Burns clenched her jaw and fists. Her real enemy had arrived, hidden somewhere in the Forbidden Forest. And Burns was ready to fight her.

***

Harry felt he was falling. The sensation was awful. His insides, his brains, his thoughts... everything was upside-down. The boy wished it would stop. Was it death? Was it hell? Where was he? Would he fall endlessly? It was so dark... Sirius... where was Sirius? Had Harry saved his godfather's life? Or had Sirius decided to abandon him, like his friends?

Suddenly, Harry landed on his back on a solid, cold floor. The boy didn't have strength anymore. His body seemed to be broken. He couldn't move at all and felt a disagreeable pressure on his body, as if he was compressed by something hard and heavy. A strong and nasty power went up his legs like a poisonous heat, as if it ran in his blood. Harry tried to scream but no sound came out of his mouth.

"Finally," Voldemort's voice hissed, "you stopped fighting my power."

He laughed like a devil.

Harry was terrified. Everything was dark around him... in him... Despair invaded him while the toxic power spread in his veins. There was no hope anymore. Wherever he looked, Harry saw nothing except darkness. He felt vanquished ... He knew he was vanquished. Voldemort had won. His friends... everyone... they had given up on him. He was all alone.

Harry's legs seemed to be stuck together as if they were one. He couldn't move them. His arms lay inert on the floor. A rush of panic flooded him. Harry wanted to escape, but his muscles refused to respond. He felt imprisoned in his body. And still that awful pressure on his limbs... Harry gasped for air.

"You thought that you were the equal of Lord Voldemort," Voldemort said. "But no one can pretend to dethrone me. I am the most powerful wizard in the entire world. And soon, those Muggles, Mudbloods and half-bloods will learn it. I will make all my opponents pay for having resisted me."

Voldemort laughed hard.

Harry had a dreadful sensation in his mouth, as if his tongue stretched out while its width got thinner. He tried to speak, but he only heard a hiss. He whimpered. Tears came out of his eyes. He felt he was buried alive in his own body, a body which didn't belong to him anymore. And he couldn't yell! He couldn't speak! He could only hiss like a snake or moan like a little boy. Terror made him regress to a childlike state.

A serpent. He would become a serpent. He was already one of them! Noooo! He didn't want it! Nooooooo!

Suddenly, Harry heard a whisper coming from inside of him. Something he didn't understand, but felt reassuring. It was like hearing a caress. The voice was soft and belonged to someone or something immaterial. A protective voice. Hope grew in his chest.

Voldemort emitted a growl. Had he felt or heard that presence?

"Old fool," Voldemort said, "Do you think you can do anything now?"

Old fool? So... the voice belonged to... Yes, it could only belong to Dumbledore. Dumbledore had always been there to help Harry! Harry focused all his hopes on the Headmaster.

"The boy is mine," Voldemort hissed. "My victory is complete. My army will destroy your ridiculous group of dissidents and take control over the castle, if it's not already done. Be assured my faithful servant Bellatrix will kill them until the last one. She'll take care of Burns, that little half-blood bitch who dared to provoke me. A Barrier Keeper with nothing to keep..." Voldemort laughed. "She won't be able to resist Bellatrix's new powers for long!"

The castle had been attacked? People were in danger? But why was Harry in this hole of darkness instead of fighting with the others. Why was he here? What had happened? He didn't understand anything.

"Harry," Dumbledore's voice whispered. It was the first time that Harry understood the meaning of the words. Unfortunately, he couldn't respond.

"You are losing all your energy, Dumbledore," Voldemort said. He paused. "Good," he continued in a satisfied tone. "My victory will be all the greater if I defeat you too."

"Harry," the Headmaster's voice repeated. "Listen to me. You are asleep. You are just living a nightmare. Voldemort has no power over you in real life. You are asleep in the Great Hall."

Suddenly, the hole of darkness transformed. Greyish clouds gathered in front of Harry. Through the vapours, Harry saw the image of himself, unconscious in the Great Hall. Dumbledore knelt beside him and took him in his arms. The body of a gigantic serpent writhed on the floor. It was so huge that it covered the whole place and had crushed the tables and chairs under its weight. Harry saw with horror that the snake was attached by his scar with a thread. The serpent had wound several times around Harry and Dumbledore. Harry knew what it meant. The snake would squeeze its rings around them to make them suffocate.

Harry gasped.

"You can stop it, Harry," Dumbledore said. "This is your nightmare. Wake up and the serpent will disappear."

'I must wake up,' Harry thought with all the will he found in him. 'I must wake up.' But nothing happened.

The vision faded. Darkness came back. Harry's heart sank.

***

Burns stared at the huge Dark Mark which sparked in the sky above the Hogwarts' grounds. She had a painful lump in her throat. She clenched her fists so hard that it hurt. That mark represented all that she had fought. All that had made her miserable. She couldn't allow such provocation.

"Ussse myyy wwwand!" Grindelwald ordered. "Shhhow herrr whooo isss masssterrr heeere!"

A red light flashed in front of Burns. Grindelwald's wand appeared in the air.

"Katarina!" Snape exclaimed. "Don't!"

Burns ignored Snape's plea. She grabbed the wand and felt a sudden warmth in her fingers through her gloves. Red energy sparkled and swirled all around her. The warmth spread in her whole body. She felt how powerful she was. The sensation made her tipsy. She laughed devilishly.

"Don't use that wand!" Snape shouted.

"Nnnomennn Invvvocreee..." Grindelwald's voice said in her head.

Burns stopped laughing. She stared at the wand in her hand, then looked at the Dark Mark, symbol of her ruined life. A rush of rage flooded her.

"NOMEN INVOCRE!" she yelled, pointing the wand at the Dark Mark. An endless thick jet of green light came out of the wand. Blue bolts of lightening coming from her hand surrounded the green ray of light. The spell flew straight into the Dark Mark and hit the symbol, protected by some strange incantation. Burns felt the power of her enemy, but she maintained the connection. The two powers fought until one of them ceded. The impact was violent. Burns was projected two meters backwards and fell on the floor, hitting her back. Snape rushed over to her and raised her waist.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Don'ttt trusttt thisss Deathhh Eaterrr," Grindelwald whispered. "Heee doesn'ttt cccaaare. Thisss isss a trappp."

Burns frowned and didn't reply to Snape. Why was he still here acting as if he cared for her? Looking at her as if he really felt something for her... Did he think he could prevent her from defending the castle against his dear friends, the Death Eaters? She pushed him away and stood up.

She stared at the sky. Smoke had materialized around the mark, hiding it.

"Why did you do that?" Snape hissed. "This is just a mark! Don't listen to Grindelwald! Don't waste your strength stupidly!"

"This is not just a mark," Burns retorted without looking at him. "This is bravado! Bellatrix Lestrange's way to provoke me in duel. She's defying my power. I will not give her satisfaction." She snorted. "I will not cede in front of her."

"What is the next step?" Snape asked reproachfully. "Fighting her until death? She's very powerful!"

"I'm powerful too," Burns responded.

"You're controlled by Grindelwald!" Snape exclaimed.

Burns ignored his comment and kept staring up. The smoke started to dissipate, revealing the symbol which sparkled in the air. A huge greenish 'G,' symbol of the Grindelwalds, had replaced the ugly Dark Mark. Burns smirked.

"Youuu arrre the proteeector of Hogwwwarts," Grindelwald said. "Desssignaaated by faaate."

"I am the protector of Hogwarts!" Burns claimed, still eying the mark. "And I have a score to settle with Bellatrix. Either I'll kill her or she'll kill me! If she kills me, I hope that my crew will take care of her husband as she took care of mine!" She paused. "I want her to have her heart broken and die from sorrow..." she said between clenched teeth.

Burns wanted Bellatrix to pay for Sirius' death. But she hadn't thought of Sirius when she had mentioned her husband. She had thought of Snape and the way Katarina had learnt the truth about him. The day she had discovered that her great love had never existed. Of course, Bellatrix would never experience this kind of torture. But wouldn't it break the bitch's heart to discover the lifeless body of her husband? Even with all the powers in the world, Bellatrix would never be able to bring him back. A delicious revenge, although not nearly the payback that Bellatrix deserved.

Burns cast a quick glance at the Potions master. He stared at her strangely. It looked like both an expression of pain and anger.

"I hate Bellatrix," he hissed. "And I hope she suffers like she made us suffer. But I refuse to let her kill you!" he exclaimed. "I'll fight her in your place. You know I'm a very good fighter. I'll kill her for you!"

"Don'ttt belieeeve himmm," Grindelwald whispered. "Heee's lyyying..."

'Yes, he's lying,' Burns thought. 'But I'm not so credulous.'

Fifteen and a half years ago, Snape had planned to kill Katarina. And Katarina would have let him do it if he had tried to. She'd never have found the strength to fight the man she loved. A man she trusted. Now was different. She knew who he was. She would never trust his lies again.

"Thisss isss yourrr battttle," Grindelwald whispered.

"This is my battle," Burns repeated out loud.

Suddenly, her cheek ached like hell. She felt dizzy, nauseous, and fell on her knees.

***

Harry was lying motionless on the floor. The greyish clouds that had revealed his real body had disappeared. Complete darkness had returned around him and in him. He had tried to wake up, but his will hadn't been strong enough. All hope seemed to have left him.

Voldemort laughed. "What did you think, Dumbledore?" he said. "That Lord Voldemort would let the boy wake up quietly? Silly old man!"

"I am not afraid, Tom," Dumbledore replied. "I have faith in Harry. You did not manage to survive in his body. You will not manage to survive in his mind either. All that you brought to him is nightmares and fear."

"Precisely," Voldemort responded. "His nightmares are the only places where I can survive easily. That stupid boy invited me there long before I decided to use the Somnus Ligatus Curse. I am at home here and he'll never manage to push me away."

Voldemort laughed devilishly.

"Harry Potter will hear his old Headmaster use his last strength to call for him," Voldemort continued, "but the boy will never manage to find old Dumby again." He paused. "Then you'll stop calling, Dumbledore," he said with hate. "I'll withdraw the last life from your body and you'll stop thwarting my plans. Forever. My power is too strong. The boy's determination will break on the darkness that is surrounding his mind. My knowledge of the Dark Arts is infinite. Like my power."

"Nothing is infinite in this world," Dumbledore replied. "Except love. The magic that defeated you once is more powerful that any Dark Arts spell. The side you chose gives you the illusion of power because you are freed from morals. But you are only a master of illusions, Tom. Only the humble man can hope to reach a great power, because he knows he does not need to use it."

"One flick of my wand and all the silly humble men in the world will die," Voldemort responded, laughing.

"Death is nothing," Dumbledore replied. "This is just another way."

"A way that you'll follow very soon," Voldemort responded. "And I'm sure you won't come back, old fool. Only I managed to dupe death! I'll take care of that awful k--"

A man laughed hard. Harry was sure he wasn't Dumbledore. His laughter echoed all around.

"Who are you?" Voldemort hissed. "How dare you share that connection? How can you? This is impossible! No living person is able to..."

"Revelarrre!" the man uttered.

An object flashed in the darkness. A golden bow with a single arrow appeared in the air. Strangely, the light wasn't blinding but agreeable. Harry felt he could breathe better. The pressure on his limbs seemed to relax a bit. He didn't know what that bow was, but it seemed to push the darkness away.

"Who dares to interrupt Lord Voldemort and disturb the darkness with this disgusting light?" Voldemort's asked angrily.

"Darknessss cccan't exissst withouuut lighttt," the man said.

His tall silhouette appeared in profile beside the bow. But Harry didn't see the man's features. He looked like a shadow. Who was he? Harry was confused.

"Who are you?" Voldemort snarled.

"Sssomeone who willll pierccce a wayyy thrrrough the darknessss," the man replied.

"I won't let you do it," Voldemort hissed.

The darkness increased like a shadowy fog and surrounded the light like an impassable dome.

The man laughed again. He grabbed the bow. The ends of the bow and the arrow stretched out. He aimed the weapon at the ceiling of darkness and drew back the string. He let the flashing arrow fly high in the air and catch on fire. A thread of light linked the arrow to the bow. Harry gasped. The burning arrow took the shape of a phoenix. It pierced the darkness as easily as if it had been just air.

"Who are you?" Voldemort yelled again. He sounded enraged.

The man chuckled and disappeared. The bow kept sparkling in the air. Harry stared at the glittering weapon and the ray of light that led to freedom. He felt it was his only hope.

"Wake up, Harry," Dumbledore said.

"There's no hope," Voldemort hissed. "I control your mind and body!"

"Focus on the bow," Dumbledore continued.

"Silly man," Voldemort replied. "This bow is just an old artefact with no value. It has no power over me!"

Harry knew it wasn't true. He could feel the bow's power. He could see the darkness retreat in front of the light!

"Find your hope again and fight Voldemort's influence," Dumbledore said.

"It's hopeless now," Voldemort hissed. "You'll be dead in a few seconds."

"You can do it, Harry!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "Follow the light!"

'I must wake up,' Harry thought with all his willpower. 'I must wake up and help my friends! Please help me leave this nightmare!' he mentally asked the bow. 'Give me strength to fight Voldemort!'

Suddenly, an eerie music filled the atmosphere, vibrating so deeply that it warmed Harry's heart. A music of hope. A phoenix's song. If it was possible, the bow brightened even more and materialised into a wonderful bird with crimson and golden feathers. The music intensified until it drowned out Voldemort's voice. The song echoed in the void and transformed into a fantastic choral. The chant was so beautiful that Harry felt all the parts of his body being cured. His hand and legs moved. His tongue returned to normal. It was like a renaissance.

"Grab hold of the phoenix's feathers, Harry," Dumbledore said. "I'll lead you to the exit."

Harry didn't hesitate. He stood up and took hold of the phoenix's tail feathers. There was a great flash of light. The second after, Harry was back to reality. He opened his eyes and saw Dumbledore's visage not far from his. The old man had a tired smile on his face.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Harry exclaimed.

"Voldemort is gone," Dumbledore said softly. "His spell has failed."

"What happened?" Harry asked with a trembling voice. "I really thought I would die!" A rush of emotion flooded him. He was so grateful to Dumbledore and to that mysterious man for having saved his life.

"I know," the Headmaster replied. "But you are still alive."

Something made a feeble gagging noise. Harry looked around. He noticed a small, wrinkled bird on the floor not away from Dumbledore.

"Fawkes?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Dumbledore replied. "He kept the serpent busy for a while... until he was bitten and swallowed, I suppose."

Harry grimaced. "Thank you, Fawkes," he said. He felt sorry and guilty for the bird. All of that was because of him.

"Fortunately," the Headmaster continued, smiling gently, "the serpent has disappeared now. I think Fawkes has had... too many emotions for one day ... He's not the only one."

Dumbledore seemed exhausted. He fell forward, but Harry caught his chest and gave him support. The boy realised he felt weak too.

"Thank you, Harry," Dumbledore said. "It was a... difficult fight. Much too... difficult for an old man like me."

"What happened in the nightmare?" Harry asked. "That man... the bow..."

"Hmmm," Dumbledore replied. He appeared to be deep in thought. "It has been a very long time..." he murmured.

"A long time for what?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore went out of his thoughts. "Oh," he replied, "since... I have last seen this bow."

"The bow?" Harry asked. Who was that man in the nightmare? Harry felt Dumbledore was hiding something from him.

"An ancient powerful weapon," Dumbledore said. "Apollo's Arch, made by the god himself." He paused and spoke with effort. "The legend says... he imprisoned a ray of sun in the arrow. The arrow's purity... could pierce through anything, even the darkness. It was meant to bring hope where there wasn't any ... and push back the shadows of ignorance."

Dumbledore smiled slightly. The Headmaster looked so old now. He seemed to have gained ages in a few hours. His shoulders lowered as if they bent under the weight of worries.

"When... how... did you see it?" Harry asked.

"As I said," Dumbledore replied, "it was... a long time ago. An old friend of mine... showed the Apollo's Arch to me. It was... a great proof of trust and friendship... since the secret had to remain in his family. Hmmm..." Dumbledore was deep in thought again. "Strange, very strange... But after all... Yes... It is like him..."

'Like who?' Harry wondered. Who was this friend Dumbledore was talking about?

But Harry didn't find strength to ask. He felt dizzy and weak. This time, Dumbledore helped him not to fall backwards. Harry resisted to the urge to fall asleep again. His body begged him to lie and have a dreamless sleep.

"Are you all right, Harry?" Dumbledore asked. "Surviving the Somnus Ligatus Curse does not happen... very often. I do not think it has... ever happened before. You need to rest."

"I need... to help my friends," Harry responded.

"I do not think... that you have strength enough for that," Dumbledore responded. "I am afraid... that rest of the events... will not depend on us..."

Harry sighed. A part of him wanted to leave the Great Hall and fight with the others. To help his friends. The other part of him told him that his body wouldn't follow. He had already fought hard today. His body was still shivering from the experience. He wasn't even sure he could stand up.

He closed his eyes for an instant, knowing that all he could do was wait.

Wait...

***

18