Harry Potter and the Birth of a New Sun

Harry Potter and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 36 - The Quality of Mercy

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How long had it been? It felt a lifetime ago. She was not the same woman when last she walked these streets. The flashes of red and white in the storefront windows, hearts and cupids hailing the coming of Valentine's, brought back a sudden torrent of memories. Three years were lived in the blink of an eye and a tear spilt down her cheek onto the frosty earth.

Would everything and everyone she touched turn to dust? Cedric, Anthony and now Harry... His wounds... poisoned with vampire venom, they were still bleeding when she and Tonks disapparated. Cho had read about such wounds and knew that he would not get better, but rather grow progressively worse until he was either turned, or... or... she pulled in a deep, shuddering breath and looked over to Tonks.

"What now?" she asked, wondering why she had left her son's father in the first place.

They had apparated twice to arrive at Hogsmeade. The trip was simple, uneventful. She had expected more, but there was no more, only the pounding of her nervous heart and a sleeping child that knew no better. Past midnight, the streets of Hogsmeade were quiet. The moonless night sky was sprinkled with stars and the bright comet, Harry spoke so often of, flared low on the horizon near the planet Mars, which was as red and bright as ever. The only real excitement was that Jamie would begin to fuss after each apparation. If there had been someone watching, their position would have been given away immediately. Now, however, he was peaceful. He squirmed, made a little yawning squeak and fell back to sleep.

"Shhhh!" said Tonks softly, holding one hand to her lips and extending her arm and pressing her other hand against Cho's chest, guiding her to slowly step backwards until their backs were against the wall of Zonko's. From here they could see fairly clearly down to the post office and beyond that to the windows of the Weasley's shop. Its windows were brightly lit and, within, something was flying about... a white cupid? Cho couldn't tell.

Tonks was intently staring at something down the street. She was clearly agitated and pulled on the cloth of Cho's robes, silently asking her to follow. She slid across the wall to the side of Zonko's so that they were out of sight of the street. After they both made it about the corner, Tonks relaxed a bit, letting out a long, soft breath.

"It's too quiet," she whispered as the two looked out at the great lake. "I don't like it." Cho began to slip her wand away, but Tonks shook her head. "Keep it ready." She took Cho by the arm and led her a little way from the building. She pointed out across the train tracks, some fifty meters ahead, toward the lake twice again the distance beyond the tracks. "See that cluster of trees? We go there. We don't dare try apparation. We can't afford Jamie crying again. If they're watching, they'll be watching up near the station and they'd hear him for sure. Beyond the cluster of trees will be the boats. We'll take one toward the castle, turn north and make our way to the forest."

"But--"

"The road's too dangerous and we don't have the time to hike around."

They had taken one step, maybe two, when the sound of laughter somersaulted down the main street. Two men had just left the Hog's Head and were coming their way.

"I tell yeh, there's no finer brew in all of Britain," declared one blissfully.

"One more and you'd be on yer arse! Yeh've gotcher orders. Keep an eye!"

"I don't see no Dark Lord about, nor have I yet. All we have is a boxful of Malfoy's lies and yeh heard what Dinkins said... the man's dead."

"Aye, but he also said that the Malfoy boy killed Potter and then ate his liver."

The drunk Death Eater began to laugh, slapping his legs with the flats of his hands. "As if!" he cried.

"True or not," said the one Death Eater, trying to straighten his drunken friend. "If the boy's father is dead, yeh'd best show some respect teh the lad."

"I'd sooner show respect to a pock ridden hag!" snapped the drunk. They were slowing, positioning themselves near the bend in the cobblestone road through town so that they could better see down both directions of Main Street. It was nearly the same spot Cho and Tonks had apparated to not five minutes before.

The drunk pulled his wand. "Malfoy, or not, he's a filthy vampire! I don't give a damn how much coin he has in his pocket, he'll see no respect from me."

Across the street, toward the back of the post office, Cho thought she saw, if for only an instant, a bright orange glow, a small ember blazing against the night that disappeared in a puff of smoke. Tonks must have seen it too, because she decided that it was safer to start moving, slowly, toward their objective - the boats.

They'd taken only two steps when there was a whisper and the quiet night erupted in a flash of green. From the post office a bolt of green lightning... the killing curse... shot across the street and struck the drunk Death Eater dead. He crumpled to ground without so much as a sigh.

"Run!" cried Tonks in a hushed voice.

The Death Eater's partner, oblivious to the two witches, returned fire on his attacker - stunning spell after stunning spell lit up the side of the post office in flaming red, but there was nothing there, nothing but a lingering puff of smoke. Cho turned toward the lake and began to run.

They were nearly to the tracks when Cho heard two large snaps. She froze. Two wizards, in dark robes, had apparated to their left. They were up near the station and had a clear view of the two witches. Only, when the wizards heard the wand fire up the street, their attention was diverted and they began to run toward the commotion. Soon, the buildings of Hogsmeade were shielding their escape and Cho began to run again. She could hear the wizards shouting at each other in the distance.

"Move!" hissed Tonks again. Her voice was more urgent than ever.

There was yelling, arguing, and then quiet. Only their footsteps crunching across the frosty earth made a sound. When she crossed the tracks, Cho slipped and Jamie gave a little complaint. Not so much a cry as a yowl. He settled quickly, but the sound was enough.

"There!" cried one of the Death Eaters.

Sprays of multi-coloured wand fire flew over their heads. There was no point in trying to keep hidden.

"Apparate!" called Tonks. "To the boats."

Cho held her wand high and focussed her vision, but something was blocking it. She tried again... nothing. "There's an anti-apparation charm!" she called back, starting to run once more toward the lake.

"That's not possible," said Tonks, deep puffs of billowing smoke escaping from her lungs as she too jumped the tracks. "Unless--"

A stunning spell glanced off Tonks' shoulder, dropping her to the ground as she screamed out in pain.

"Tonks!" yelled Cho, turning back to help her friend.

"Run!" returned Tonks, turning about onto her back and returning fire from the ground. "I'll hold them off as long as I can!"

"No! I won't--"

"You must protect the boy! That's what they want. Now RUN!"

Cho had almost forgotten that she was now speaking for two. For a moment, she'd lost herself, but then a rush of motherly instincts flooded her emotions and she turned and ran toward the boats.

The cluster of trees was still dusted with a fine powder of frosty snow. The white reflected the colours streaking across the sky from behind in a panoply that would have, at any other time, been beautiful. As she passed beneath the boughs, sprinkles of snow fell down onto Jamie's face and he began to cry.

The trees, here near the lake, were dense, and Cho had to weave her way through the brambles. For a moment she stopped to take one last look back and the vision lifted her heart. Others from the town had entered the fray and Tonks was now not the only wizard fighting the Death Eaters.

"Thank Merlin," she whispered, and moved deeper into the trees that enveloped her, hiding her from Hogsmeade. For a moment, she stopped to gather herself. She checked on Jamie who was now awake, but seemingly curious about the white branches above his head. He kept pointing his finger, smiling at the branches, or maybe at something beyond.

"Time for a boat ride, little one," she said softly, dusting a bit of snow from his face with the back of her hand. The thunder of spells from the nearby town was growing louder. Quickly, she checked that Jamie was secure in his pack, put him on her back and broke through onto the shore of the lake.

The water was still, frozen in spots, but easily passable by the small boats that were just a ways up shore, moored at the Hogsmeade dock. As she moved up the shore she noticed the different coloured boats, each one representing the four houses of Hogwarts. Why had she never noticed before? She remembered Hagrid taking her across as a first year. That was a wonderful time... a time before trolls, before basilisks, before Dementors, before dragons and death, before... Harry.

Her heart shuddered at the thought and she cursed herself for letting her mind spill into a sinkhole of pity. "You'd be dead if it weren't for Harry," she whispered to herself. "And there wouldn't be..." her hand reached back and touched the foot of their son, "...love."

She had reached the dock in silence. Clearly the wandfire had pulled anyone and everyone to the town. Now was their chance to slip away. She came up the dock and made her way to one of the boats, pulled off the heavy burlap cover and untied one of its two ropes. She made sure there were oars and then proceeded to untie the second rope. She had just loosened the knot when a voice startled her.

"Going somewhere?"

She spun, wand at the ready. Leaning against the boathouse, smoking a cigarette, was Draco Malfoy. He took a long drag from the fag, tossed it into the air and vanished it. Then, he let out the smoke into a continuously expanding plume. He was dressed completely in black, but his face and hair were as white as the snow and against the moss covered boathouse they shown as a moon in the darkness with two grey eyes filled with hate. Seeing his smirk, rage began to fill Cho's heart for what Malfoy had done to her husband Anthony and to Harry.

"YOU!" she spat, standing tall. Malfoy took but one step forward and Cho, choosing not to enjoin his conversation, cast a stunning spell. He deflected it, but did not return fire.

"Did you think you could kill my father and I would do nothing?" he asked, stepping down the dock toward her. She cast a slashing spell and again he deflected it, only this time with some difficulty. That irritated him.

"If you didn't have the child on your back, you'd be dead where you stand."

Silently, Cho slipped the pack off her back and set Jamie gently down into the boat. She turned and faced Malfoy. They were some twenty paces away, each standing tall in the darkness.

"You don't think I can handle the likes of you?" said Cho with steeled determination. "You'll have no excuses on my account, murderer." She stepped closer. "It was you in the shadows, wasn't it? Killing your own?"

Malfoy drew nearer still; each ensuring the next spell would strike true. His face was contorted, his eyes unblinking.

"You're here now, aren't you? Why do you think that is? Can't you hear the battle raging as we speak? But you and me... we're here all alone... just the two of us."

"I don't know what you've done to yourself, Malfoy, but I know what you did to Harry and what you... you did to Anthony." She tried not to show her sorrow, but it spilt out anyway. Then, pulling her emotions together and focussing her anger on Malfoy, she snapped through gritted teeth. "You and your pathetic excuse for a father."

The lips about Malfoy's fangs curled. A sneer and then a smirk. "What I did to Harry? I saved his life!" he yelled. "And I saved yours!" For a moment, Cho actually thought that Malfoy believed his own words. "And as for your pathetic excuse for a husband... no Malfoy had a hand in his pyre."

Cho's eyes narrowed.

"What? You don't believe me? Look in my eyes." He stepped closer still and she could see truth lingering in the grey pools that were rimmed in red.

"My dearest Cho, you'll have to look much closer to home to know who fried Goldstein. But then, he wasn't much of a father, was he, letting himself get killed by his own. Tell me... I know he gave you a child and all, but was he really much of a husband? You know, where it matters?"

A flash of red skimmed past Malfoy's head.

"Oh, you want to play, don't you? That might be fun. I can almost taste you from here."

A bolt of green flashed from Cho's wand, but Malfoy disapparated and reappeared behind her, between Cho and her child. He bent down near the boat, too close for Cho to risk another spell.

"Oh my... tsk... tsk... A bit careless for a new mother, I'd say." He chuckled. "I guess you can blame the anti-apparation charm on me." Red erupted from his wand and struck Cho in the chest, even as she tried to deflect the spell. She flew backward onto the dock, dazed, but still conscious. "I'll kill you soon enough! But first... perhaps a little Goldstein appetizer." He reached down and stroked Jamie's head.

"Get your hands off him you filth!" cried Cho, casting another killing curse, but this one deliberately high. "I'll kill you. I swear!"

Malfoy lifted Jamie out of the pack and pulled him close, his fangs glistening in the starlight.

"NO!" Cho began to stumble toward him, but another spell from Malfoy locked her legs.

Anger, hatred, vengeance filled the grey eyes of Draco Malfoy as he prepared to destroy the child of the woman who had killed his father. It had been a long time since he had tasted human flesh. He bared his teeth and, as Cho screamed for him to stop, pleaded for his mercy, he... stopped. He moved Jamie so that he and the child were face to face.

"Green eyes?" As if he'd just touched a spider, he dropped Jamie to the decking and backed away, his hands trembling. As the child screemed, so to did Malfoy. "Green eyes!" Then he spun on Cho. "You bitch! How did you convince him? What treachery.... Do you know what this means? No wonder he wants the child! It's... it's... you bitch!"

He raised his wand over Cho.

"Avada Kedavra!" he cried. A blast of green issued forth, for an instant Malfoy's vision failed him, all was dark. He blinked. Cho was gone. The night was still. He spun. The child, Harry's child, was gone. The lake was still, as the small boat, still holding Cho's pack, rocked back and forth in the twinkling night. Draco, confused, stepped over to the boat and reached for the pack. Suddenly, something grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off his feet.

Gasping for air, he wrenched himself around and saw a giant creature looming before him. It had golden brown fur with black dots that speckled its head and ran down its back to where they converged into great, black, bat-like wings that shadowed the night sky behind. Its eyes were yellow, glowing in the dim light. Its ears were also bat-like, and its face wolfen with long rows of teeth. It gave a great, gravely growl, revealing two particularly long canines in front. Malfoy knew, somehow, that this creature was, like himself, a vampire, great of power, filled with strength, and ready to kill given the slightest provocation. But the eyes, the eyes were not wild, but knowing... sinister, but filled with wisdom beyond Draco's comprehension. In a heartbeat they were above the trees. Below, were a number of wizards, many in ministerial robes, battling in the streets of Hogsmeade. More Death Eaters had apparated in. Near the tracks, Malfoy could see Remus Lupin standing next to the prone body of Tonks. In town, George Weasley, or perhaps Fred, had stepped out from his shop and was blasting down Death Eaters as easily as if he were swatting flies.

It was so dark most normal eyes would have missed it, but from behind the station Malfoy saw a Death Eater moving in on Remus who was fighting two others closer to town. Malfoy tried to point, but wasn't able to speak. The creature had been holding him with both hands, but shifted him into one hand, squeezing his neck all the more. The dark-cloaked wizard below raised his arm to strike Remus.

Somehow, the scene changed. They were no longer high above the battle, but were directly above the wizard. Malfoy saw a wand in his captor's hand. A wizard? There was a silent flash of light, and the Death Eater's head fell to the earth, his body, seemingly surprised, crumpled shortly after.

Watching the scene, the circulation of blood being cut off from his mind, Malfoy wasn't sure if he was happy or not. He blinked and they were at Remus' side.

"They are safe Remus," growled the creature, again in a deep, gravelled voice. Malfoy was sure it wasn't human speech and yet, somehow, he understood. So, too, did Remus.

Without concern, Remus turned away from the fight to look at the vampire next to him.

"Are you sure, Dakhil?" he asked. Dakhil simply growled.

"Of course. I'm sorry." Remus turned and cast a hasty stunning spell which, nonetheless, struck true. "Then we stay with the plan. Here once more, on the night of the third moon, and we don't let Harry--" Remus suddenly realized that Dakhil had in his grasp, Draco Malfoy. It looked as if Dakhil were holding a dead chicken, or at least a dying one, by the neck.

"Dakhil!" exclaimed Remus. "You'll kill him!"

Dakhil began to laugh a cavernous, throaty laugh. "Doesn't he deserve it?"

"No!" said Remus. "It is not for us to determine that destiny, if it can be helped."

"Well," replied Dakhil, "not to worry, my friend. The boy's a vampire. It will take much more than lack of oxygen to kill him now. Still, I'm told Harry has an interest in the lad and, just now, he warned me of a Death Eater about to strike you down." Remus spun and saw the decapitated foe toward the station. "And now you say he shouldn't die. Perhaps he has some other role to play."

With a great woosh Dakhil spread his wings and was gone, Malfoy dangling like a rag doll at his side. Remus watched as they disappeared into the night sky. When his eyes returned to Hogsmeade, the sound of cheers filled the air. There had been a half-dozen Death Eaters hiding in town and another twenty or so had come to join them. All were now defeated, many dead, many wrapped in ropes. Remus knew that it was only one battle and their only chance to win the war would be some weeks to come. While members of the Ministry moved in on their captives, George came running over to Remus.

"You alright, mate?" he called. Remus noticed that there was a smell of smoke about George and then he realized why - the boy's left side had been burned, his hair singed and his clothes blackened.

"Me? What about you?" He pointed at George's burns.

"Yeah, well, I think I got the worst of anybody. I was the only one stupid enough to be hit."

"The only one brave enough to stick their neck out, you mean. I saw what you did when they were about to take out Old Man Dinkens."

George only shrugged.

"Here. Take Tonks' hand," directed Remus. "She's been hurt, I'm not sure how bad, and I want you both to the hospital."

"But--"

"Do it!"

George obliged. Remus lifted a small candle from his pocket. "Now take my hand." Again George took hold. Remus kneaded the candle's wick between thumb and forefinger until the waxy coating rubbed away and there was naught but wick. The Portkey worked, and flung them back to the hospital ward at Hogwarts. He had expected to find Madam Pomfrey at the ready, but instead, standing in front of them was Madame Guérir, tears streaming down her eyes.

Beds lined both sides of the long walls of the ward. At the bed nearest Remus was Professor McGonagall, her face blistered and red. At the far end was Madam Pomfrey. She was weeping as she tended to two other patients - Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Hermione was badly bruised, but sleeping. Ron was pale, almost ghostlike.

"Ron?" called George, realizing that his brother was in the room. He walked quickly to Madam Pomfrey's side. Remus turned to the nurse before him.

"What happened, Madame Guérir?" he asked.

"Some nastiness in Professor McGonagall's office, I'm afraid."

"Here. Help me with Tonks." Remus lifted the unconscious Tonks up onto one of the beds.

"Is Minerva going to be okay?" he asked, but Madame Guérir, unable to speak for grief, only nodded back a reply, working hard to keep herself from crying. Holding one hand across her face, she continued to examine Tonks. The Auror's shoulder was bleeding and there was a large bruise on her head. Madame Guérir pulled her wand and did a quick scan and then sealed the open wound.

"She'll... She'll be fine, Headmaster," she said, sniffing. "Nothing a good night's rest and a spell or two won't cure."

"Headmaster?" Remus chuckled. "Just Professor, Juliette," he said with a smile. "Just Professor."

Madame Guérir lifted her eyes toward Remus. Another tear fell. "Professor Dumbledore is dead, sir. I was told..." Her eyes floated over to the bed where Professor McGonagall lay. "I was told that you were to be the Headmaster, at least for a while."

"Dead?" Remus choked in disbelief and yet part of him knew, had known before he was sent to save Harry, Cho and their child. Cho and Jamie were safe, but there was no Harry. Tonks had told him he was injured, was unable to travel. The night had gone poorly, save for the fact that Cho and her child were safe. "When did it happen, Juliette?" he asked.

"Tonight, sir. They say the Headmaster saved the young Weasley boy there. Gave his own to save another. I always knew that's how it'd be... I always knew. No deathbed for Albus Dumbledore." For a moment, her eyes shown bright and she smiled. She took in a short breath and returned to healing Tonks.

"And the others?" asked Remus. "How are the others?"

"Oh, terrible... terrible..." She clucked her tongue. "The villain had control of the boy and that... well, we know what it did to young Mr. Chang. And the young Ms. Granger... she suffered a terrible beating... at the hands of her own fiancée no less. Can you imagine?" Then Madame Guérir turned to Remus and whispered, "And there's a deeper damage, sir, but Madam Pomfrey won't speak of it and she won't let me near the girl."

A quiet laughter came from the other end of the ward. Ron was awake, his brother, George, smiling down on him, only Ron's face was not jovial at all. It was weary and distant. Madam Pomfrey shuffled George over to yet another bed and the nurse began to work her wand along the side of his burned body.

"And Harry?" asked Ron. "Did you see Harry?"

"No, little brother."

Remus left Madame Guérir and moved down the ward. "Harry was injured in Greece," Remus said to Ron. "It may be some time until he's well enough to travel."

"Who? How?" asked Ron, turning toward the new, temporary Headmaster.

"There'll be time for questions and answers later, Mr. Weasley. For now it's best that you--"

There was a groan. Hermione was stirring. Ron suddenly realized that she was in the bed next to his. All the horror that had just happened in the last hours dropped into his mind like a bad dream. He rose and, hesitantly, went to her bedside.

"Hermione," he whispered. Madam Pomfrey, who had been treating George, turned to see Ron at Hermione's side.

"Mr. Weasley, you mustn't--"

"Hermione... it's me, Ron."

Madam Pomfrey began to move quickly, but she wasn't quick enough.

"Ron?" Hermione muttered. She opened her eyes to see Ron, smiling down on her. She began to scream.

"STAY AWAY!" she cried, raising her arm and flailing them wildly at Ron. "GET BACK!" Suddenly, Ron, Madam Pomfrey and Remus were all flung backwards against the wall. Instruments and potions came crashing to the floor. "STAY AWAY!" Hermione, her eyes wild with fear, grabbed her sheets for protection and crawled out of bed, scrambling away from them.

Ron rose to his feet. "Hermione, it's me, R--"

"DON'T TOUCH ME!"

Without a word the bed rose into the air and hurled itself at Ron, smashing him into the wall. There was flash of yellow and Hermione fell, unconscious to the floor. Madame Guérir had cast the spell, and quickly hurried over to lift Hermione back onto another bed. Remus went and pulled the debris off of Ron, who rose to his knees looking dazed as to what had just happened. There was a nasty gash high across his right cheek that ran from the corner of his eye to just below his ear. Madam Pomfrey knelt down to seal it, but Ron pushed her away.

"Leave it alone!" he snapped. "I don't care what it looks like. I... I deserve it." George helped him to his feet.

"Let's get you back in bed, little brother."

"No," answered Ron with a forlorn voice. "Take me home. I've failed her. I don't want her to see my face again. Not after what I've--"

"Ron," interrupted Remus, "you mustn't think that it was your fault."

"No? I was there Professor!" yelled Ron. "If not me, who was the one that... that--"

"Voldemort!" snapped Remus. "What? Do you think that you should somehow be more powerful? There are dozens of wizards, far older and far more experienced than you Mr. Weasley, that have fallen victim to Voldemort. You weren't the first wizard to be bent by his will and you weren't the last. Already he's taken another."

"Snape," whispered Ron, remembering Snape's offer to be taken over freely. "How could he?"

"That is something for us to discuss later, which is why I need you to stay at Hogwarts. For now, I think it best if you and your brother get some rest." He turned to Madam Pomfrey. "Poppy, can you take them to the other ward?"

"Certainly, Professor," she said softly. She took Ron by the arm, half an eye toward the blood dripping down his face.

"Don't even think about it," Ron warned.

"Mr. Weasley," she said, as they made their way to the double doors. "All you need is a little patience and a little time. You'll see. Some say that time alone heals all wounds, but, sometimes, it takes a wee bit more. For now, my child, let us work with what we have - time. The rest can come later."

And in fact, for a while at least, time was a commodity to be had at Hogwarts. Remus had thought that, once Dumbledore's death was announced, Voldemort would move immediately upon the castle, but such was not the case. Perhaps it was the defeat that the Death Eaters had suffered in Hogsmeade, maybe it was Snape exerting what will he could, but all had been quiet. Perhaps the plan was working after all.

Days turned to weeks and the weather began to warm, hailing the arrival of spring. Though the Headmaster had passed, April came to Hogwarts as it had every year. The buds of the trees were burgeoning and the birds had returned to the castle grounds, calling beautiful songs in hopes of finding new mates. But not all was well at Hogwarts. Ron had elected to stay, but he was unable to go near Hermione, not out of anger, but rather out of guilt for what he'd done to her. Hermione did not complain. In the days that followed her release from the hospital, she seemed more timid, more jumpy than ever, never offering to answer questions in class, and refusing to point attention to herself in any way.

The news discussed about town and in the Daily Prophet was not much better. There was word of a rising mist in the dales outside Glasgow and moving north toward Hogsmeade and the environs. Edinburgh had suffered a tremendous earthquake, or so the Muggle papers reported it. According to the Ministry, nearly a dozen giants had crossed the sea and landed on Edinburgh's shore. They were, even now, making there way toward Hogwarts. Hagrid had gone on to discover their purpose.

While the darkness slowly pressed in on Hogwarts, Cho Chang was hidden deep within the Forbidden Forest. The Centaurs had prepared for both her and her child a small, but secure stronghold near the top of the magical falls at the heart of the forest. Only a handful of Centaurs knew where it was; one of them was Macleta who was charged for caring for the two, while Ronan ensured their safety. Cho was kept at the Centaur village of Terntalag and would be moved when the time was right. She thought is would come sooner, but armies take time to assemble and Voldemort was making sure he would have the upper hand.

As Cho watched the season change to spring before her eyes, she listened to the Centaurs talk in riddles about the stars and about the coming darkness. The last few weeks had been quiet and restful, but over the last few days she had noted a tension in their words, the slightest of lilts that hadn't been there earlier. Something was about to happen, something bad.

On this night, as the stars began to take hold of the darkening sky, Cho curled Jamie in her arms next to the warmth of the fire. She sat with Macleta outside the walls of the Terntalag, as they often did, to take in the beauty of the world about them and to draw from nature's energy. Tonight, however, Jamie was tense, unwilling to sleep, his green eyes searching for something in the dark, just beyond the light, flickering against the trees. Ronan and the other Centaurs were out on patrol and Cho, while confident in their skills to protect her child, was ever watchful.

The aroma of the burning wood was calming. The crackling of the embers and the forest's song of night was soothing. She drew on the world about her and tried to wrap that energy around her son. Slowly, she began to rock, back and forth, humming a tune she knew as a child - a lullaby her mother had sung when Voldemort was on the rise in Britain. Soon the tune broke out into soft, soothing song.

Hush my darling little one.

Rest your head tonight.

Dream of laughter; dream of fun.

Dream about the light

Comes the tiger to the gate,

searching to get in.

Hold my fingers, while we wait.

Watch the darkness thin.

Light will soon shine down on us - the birth of a new day.

Let the warmth of mama's arms chase your fears away.

Should you find yourself at night

as the tiger nears,

know my spirit wraps you tight,

holding back your tears.

Matters not the tiger be,

though he break the gate.

All our love we give to thee -

strength to strike that fate.

Fire will burn the tiger's tail - flame the dark away,

bringing morning's gentle song - the birth of a new day.

Hush my darling little one.

Rest your head tonight.

Dream of laughter; dream of fun.

Dream about the light.

On the second singing, Jamie drifted off to sleep and Cho laid him gently on a bundle of blankets. There was a snap of a twig in the trees just in front of her. Ordinarily, she would have thought nothing of it, but when she turned to check on Macleta, she realized the Centaur wasn't there. How was it possible? The Centaur had never left their side. She reached for her wand and stood, facing whatever might have caused the sound beyond the light of the fire. There was another snap, clearly a footstep.

"Come out!" Cho commanded. "Show yourself!"

A wizard emerged, dressed in dark blue robes. How long he'd been standing there, she didn't know. As he stepped into the light of the fire, she saw by its golden light that his face was wet with tears.

"Harry?"