Harry Potter and the Birth of a New Sun

Harry Potter and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 53 - Nobody's Perfect

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Harry looked about at the astonished faces. Only Draco, whose arm was about Blaise's waist, understood what had happened. Then Harry noticed something else interesting. Hermione was holding tightly to Ron's arm. He looked at the others. Cho, James at her side, was cradling little Jamie and Antreas had his hands upon his sister's shoulders. Harry smiled. The energy of the love surrounding him was palpable and he could feel the stone drinking it in. He closed his eyes and observed their auras. There was joy everywhere. Even Patrick, whose energy showed three distinct colours, was radiant. Harry opened his eyes and stepped over to Gabriella taking her out of Antreas' arms and into his own. He wasn't sure why, but he began to cry.

James somehow knew that behind the different features of the boy before him was the same dear friend with whom he'd faced death. Patrick had been the first one to stand by him when he returned from Hogwarts and he would not return that great favour by questioning his appearance. He ran to Patrick and they embraced, both shedding more tears than they would later admit. Indeed, there were plenty of tears to be shared for plenty of reasons. The drips of joy that fell to the ground worked their way to the lake and the water, which had been a murky brown, briefly glistened gold.

It was awhile before Ron, wiping his own face, tapped Harry on the shoulder.

"Hey, mate, no need to be going on like that." He sniffed. "You beat him. You won!"

Harry pulled his face from Gabriella's shoulder and looked about the lake. The shoreline was empty and the waters were again dark. No trace of a battle remained, save for the scorched tops of the trees.

"They cleaned up pretty fast around here, didn't they? Wizards are good at that - hiding death so nobody can see. But the ground is soaked in blood and the blood has seeped into the waters and the waters never forget." Harry looked back at Gabriella.

"Did she make it? Tonks?" he asked, already knowing the answer in his heart. Gabriella shook her head. "And Sirius?"

"Sirius is fine," said Gabriella, stroking his hand with hers.

"Many died, Harry," added Hermione, "but many more were saved because of what you did. What you both did." She looked at Draco.

"I thought, for a moment, we had him there, eh, Ron?" said Draco, smiling at the redhead. "Of course Potter has to come and do something far more dramatic - dragons and magical stones and fiery explosions. It'll be the stuff of legend."

"He's good at that," said Ron with a grin.

"And the castle?" asked Harry still focussed on business.

"There is a lot of damage," said Antreas. "Drahmir and I fought our way through that battle on the way here, but the Hebridean Blacks arrived as promised. The blood that fell on that battlefield was vaporized before it ever hit the stones."

"Your ear," said Harry, noticing that part of Antreas' ear was missing. Antreas turned away. "Come here," said Harry waving his hand. "Let me see." He touched the ear and healed it. "Why didn't you do that?" he asked Gabriella with a tone that was sharper than he intended.

"We were a bit preoccupied," snapped Gabriella indignantly, "wondering if maybe you and Draco had been turned into two cabana boys to service Maia and Melusina."

"Don't even think it," groaned Draco.

"I wish I could have been here to help," said Harry quietly. "To heal."

"The injured may not be here, Harry," said Hermione, "but your touch would be welcomed at St. Mungo's."

"That's true," said Cho. "The hospitals across Britain are full. Many are being treated at Hogwarts and could use your... touch."

"Cho," Harry whispered, as if seeing her and his child for the first time. He briskly walked over and held them both. "Thank god you're safe. It's over... the nightmare. I swear. I'm so sorry that I--"

"We will never speak of it again," Cho interrupted. "Not in front of your child."

"No," argued Harry. "He needs to understand what evil... what hate can do. He can't grow up thinking I'm a hero, because I'm not. He'll be famous, you know, because his father destroyed Voldemort."

Draco cleared his throat and lifted one finger in the air.

"That's it exactly!" said Harry, pointing to Draco. He stepped over and put his arm around Draco's shoulder. "It wasn't Harry Potter that destroyed Voldemort. It was Harry and Draco..." He moved about the group. "...and Ron and Hermione... and Snape and Dumbledore... and Dobby and the Grawp... and Ronan and Macleta. It was all of us! It was Singehorn and Dakhil and Patrick. It was little Jamie, pulling Death Eaters into the Lake of Purity. And, in the end, it was the goodness of Tom Riddle. We all destroyed the darkness and gave birth to light." His arm was now wrapped about Patrick's shoulders.

"Harry," said Gabriella gently. "Who is this? You say his name is Patrick, but he's clearly not."

"Yes he is," said James defiantly. "You'd have to be blind not to see it."

"James is right," said Draco. "Dakhil and Tom sacrificed themselves that Patrick might live again. Their spirits are free, but he has a piece of each of them in his soul now. If you close one eye and think of cigar smoke and warm soup, you'll see a bit of Dakhil." Patrick smiled. Harry took Gabriella's hand that bore the ring of firestones and held it to his chest.

"Dakhil is dead," he whispered. Her knees went weak and he held her up in his arms. "But not completely. Like Draco said, he gave himself up that Patrick might return. This young man here is Patrick O'Riley. The spark of life was given him by Tom Riddle, the part of his soul that only knew purity, and his body is that of Dakhil Barghouti. I'm not sure if it comes with a set of fangs yet." He smiled gently. "Dakhil's left me a message for your mother; remind me when we see her." Gabriella nodded and Harry kissed her forehead.

"That's not possible," said Hermione. "You can't just give your body away."

"No?" asked Draco, a gleam of mischief in his eyes. "Let's find out." In an instant he transformed into his vampire shape, causing Cho to shriek. He leapt into the air toward Patrick, but before flapping his wings a single stroke, the boy transformed himself into a vampire, lean and muscular with fur identical to that of Dakhil's form. Before Draco landed, Patrick was in the air and had him by the neck. They hovered there for a moment, then settled back to earth and transformed back into their human shapes.

Everyone was stunned. James and Jamie were smiling, but Cho was trembling. Draco stepped toward her, realizing that he had frightened her. "I'm sorry. I didn't--"

"Stay back!"

Draco stopped and nodded his head even as his shoulders slumped.

"He didn't mean anything by it!" said Blaise angry at Cho's reaction, though even he was shaken a bit.

"It's okay," said Draco, wondering how he could have enjoyed that same look when he considered killing her in Hogsmeade. What sort of monster was he? "I was being stupid. I... I should go."

He started to walk away from the group when Patrick grabbed him by the arm.

"Yeh can't go," he said. "We need yeh." Draco looked back wondering what Patrick was talking about.

"You don't need me," said Draco, slipping away.

"Harry?" asked Patrick, hoping Harry would understand. "We orphans... we have teh stick together, right?"

"I'm not an orphan!" snapped Draco.

"The gate..." Ron muttered under his breath.

"What?" asked Hermione.

"Someone's thinking about the entrance gate to Hogwarts."

"I am," said Harry. "Draco... don't you dare leave." He began to fiddle nervously with his wand. "Is it possible, Pat?"

"I was dead, Harry. I would know if they had died too. He's still under there. It's the last bit of cleanin' up left teh be done and we're the only ones, besides Neville, that know they're there."

"Theodore?" asked Hermione, her voice rising. "Theodore Nott's still alive? Neville was just being melodramatic. They couldn't have survived, buried under the earth. Those things were tearing them apart before they went under."

"The parasites are eatin' 'em from the inside out, but they're also keepin' 'em alive. If we leave 'em be, they'll suffer down there fer months, maybe a year. Then, when the body's consumed a tree grows and more seed pods wait fer new victims."

"I haven't read about--"

"It's dark magic, Hermione," Patrick interrupted. "Yeh wouldn't find that in any library you visit. All the trees have been destroyed; supposed teh be extinct. The Ministry's seen teh that. How Neville got his hands on the pods, I don't know."

"Then let's get them out," said Hermione. "Sirius can pull them up, or we can remove the dirt."

"He could. We could," said Patrick. "But the seedling parasites are extremely fragile. If they're exposed teh air, they'll die. And, if the parasite dies, the host dies."

"We could use water; we could--"

"It's been tried, Hermione. It's all been tried and it's all failed. That's why the trees have all been destroyed. Once you've been infected, you're as good as dead." Draco moved closer.

"You know this because Tom knows this," he said, not really questioning, but Patrick nodded anyway.

"It's like the Joinin', Draco. I carry 'em both with me," said Patrick. "I'd never seen a live dragon, 'till tonight." He exposed his forearm to reveal the mark of the dragon. It symbolized his membership with the Votary, but the mark was not the same as Dakhil's. The dragon was there, but at the base, where Harry had a Viswa Vajra, Patrick's symbol was a singular spiral with three arms, resembling a spinning galaxy.

"I know this rune," said Hermione, examining Patrick's arm. She pointed at the passages between the spirals with her finger. "Life, death, rebirth."

"That's me," said Patrick with a smile. Gabriella came over to have a closer look.

"Excuse me," said Draco, stepping in front of her. "I still don't understand. If they can't be saved, why do you need me?"

"We can't save 'em all. We can only save one and, if he comes to his senses he'll need teh listen teh someone he trusts. That'd be you, Draco."

"Why only one?" asked Antreas. "Who is it?"

"Nott," said Harry.

"Theodore?" asked Hermione, her face grim as she recalled the memory of nearly killing him last year.

"You helped nurse him back to health after you... well, you know, after Dumbledore placed him in Gryffindor," said Harry. "He said that it would knit a strong magical bond. I guess you two are linked somehow. Maybe you could pinpoint him under the ground, or you might be able to hold on to his spirit just long enough for me to heal him. Is that it, Patrick? Can we use their connection?"

"It'll be the only way teh keep his life force strong. We also have another magic teh work in Nott's favour - we made our pact at Hogwarts that orphans need to stick together; Nott became a member when his mum committed suicide last year. All of that, working in concert with Draco's help, might be enough teh hold 'im here while yeh use the stone."

For ten beats of a quickening heart, all was silent. No one spoke, as the water continued to roar over the falls.

"It's a stretch, I know," said Patrick. "But we made a pact, Harry."

"We have to try. How do we get there?" asked Hermione. "Through the forest, it's an hour at least. Harry, you can run. Draco, you can... fly, but you can't take us all."

"Our friends are near," said Antreas.

"More than you know, brother," said Harry. He closed his eyes and before they opened a white Centaur appeared, the same Centaur that had brought Ron and Hermione to the falls. "Hello Felspar."

"It is in an honour, Harry Potter" she replied with a low bow. "Word has already spread through the forest of your return."

"How is your home," Harry asked with concern.

"That you place it first upon your lips shows all you do indeed hold the heart of a Centaur." This time Harry bowed in deference to the compliment. "Already the vines return and the bulbs begin to flower. Terntalag will soon be whole again. Two great wizards have worked tirelessly these last few days helping in its restoration."

"That's good to know. And the Dementors?"

"That battle..." She looked to the sky towards Mars. Ebyrth was gone and the red planet could not be seen. It was blanketed with a multi-coloured glow that flickered and flamed as if that region of space were on fire. "It is over, Harry." She looked down on him and a thin smile crossed her face. "Over forever. Yesterday, Firenze laughed. It was the first sign of mirth Terntalag has seen in centuries and Magorian, overhearing, did not scold him."

"Your ways then," said Harry, "are changing for the better."

"Our ways, Harry," she corrected. "Our ways."

The sound of wings beating overhead signalled the return of dragons - Drahmir, Talisan and a Hebridean Black Harry didn't know. When they landed at the forest edge, little Jamie's eyes grew bright with excitement. He pointed, urging his mother to take him closer, but Cho was nervous.

"We're not actually..." she began.

"No. I've asked Felspar if she will carry the two of you and your brother to Hogwarts and she's agreed." The Centaur nodded.

"I will see you safely through the forest," she said gently. "Firenze will be joining us."

"I'm staying with Patrick," James protested.

"I'll meet yeh at the castle, James," said Patrick. "We won't be long, but it's somethin' we got teh do."

Reluctantly James nodded. He and Cho climbed on Felspar's back with help from Antreas and Harry handed her their son after kissing his cheek. As she took Jamie from his hands, they began to shake and he drew in a deep breath to gather himself. Now was not the time.

"I would like to see Terntalag again," said Cho. "One last time before we go."

"Certainly," said Felspar. "But you will always be welcome. You are, after all, the mate of the Chosen." Cho looked at Harry to say something, but before she could Felspar took off and they disappeared in a blur. The others turned to look at the dragons.

"Bloody hell," Ron said with a groan. "I've already been torched once. I don't much care to repeat the experience."

They stepped toward the forest's edge, away from the falls. The ground rumbled and the earth shifted. The small damn that had been causing the river to pool behind the falls fell away and the water crashed over the rocks emptying the lake in a matter of seconds. Harry expected to see an enormous pit perhaps a hundred meters deep, but it appeared that the water had only been waste deep, no more than a single meter. When the water drained away it revealed a shallow grassy marsh. Those that had been under that water were shocked.

"Morgana's main, Potter!" exclaimed Draco. "Now you can move mountains?"

"It wasn't me! I swear!"

"You'd think you were frickin' Moses!"

"Moses had a bigger wand," Gabriella chimed in flatly.

"Hell, little Jamie's got a bigger wand than Harry," said Ron with a snicker.

"Draco," said Harry, trying to quickly change the subject, "it'll be faster if you fly yourself. You can carry me, I don't mind. Then we can go by twos - Ron and Hermione, Patrick and Gabriella, and Antreas and--"

"I'm going with Draco," said Blaise.

"But--"

"We have some catching up to do."

"I'll have to transform."

"Your breath can't be any worse than Antreas'. He's been eating garlic balls all night."

"Fare enough," said Harry as Antreas sniffed his breath off his hand. "Patrick is with Antreas. Sorry, Pat, but you are the second year after all." Harry went over and patted Ron on the back because he was looking a bit pale. "Don't worry, mate. It's a bit like riding a Hippogriff, only... bigger."

"Yeah... right."

By the time Ron and Hermione were situated on top of Talisan, Draco and Blaise were already well on their way. Patrick and Antreas were circling on Helfure, the Hebridean Black. Talisan rose first and then Drahmir lifted Harry and Gabriella into the air. He and Talisan were the only Norwegian's left in Britain. The others had returned with Tanwen to the Carpathians to prepare for the ceremony of Singehorn's passing.

They flew over Terntalag, but it was too dark to make out much more than the handful of torches that lit the main path of the village. It wasn't long before they came out from the forest and made their way over the pitch at Hogwarts. There were white tents set out all over the field below. They swept wide over the school and Harry noticed that half the Ravenclaw tower was missing and what was left was scorched black. Hogwarts was badly damaged, but the giants had done far more damage the year before. Evidently Sirius' enchantments had held.

They flew on toward Hogsmeade. There, Harry's heart sank. The town was completely levelled. Only the goblin branch of Gringotts bank still stood - the only building more than a story high. Fred and George's store was gone as were so many others. Worse, the homes skirting the main town had been decimated as well. That explained the tents on the pitch. There was nothing but flat, scorched earth as far as the eye could see. Grass and other vegetation had already begun to reclaim the town.

"We'd best swing wide," suggested Talisan to Harry. "Even though we brought the Fireballs out of the sky, the wizards below get a bit nervous when we fly too near."

"Our work is at the gate," said Harry. "Head there. It's late enough, no one should see."

The dragons landed and quickly departed leaving their riders behind. Draco and Blaise were already there. Tears were glistening off of Blaise's skin as he stood motionless, transfixed at the patch of dried earth below which his comrades were being tortured. Harry wasn't sure it was such a good idea for him to be there. When the battle had come to the gate, Blaise might have been able to help his friends, but it could have meant killing Neville, maybe even killing Harry. Now his friends, if they could be called that, were facing a hideous death and it was clear he was beginning to regret his decision. Draco had his arm about Blaise's shoulder as they walked around the spot where the group of Death Eaters had plunged into the ground.

"How did the seeds get water?" asked Patrick, surveying the scene.

"The lake," answered Harry. "The merpeople."

"Complex... insidious... Neville had teh work quite hard to unleash so much hatred."

"Pat," said Harry a bit nervous about where the conversation might head, "we have to get going. I don't feel much like drawing a crowd just now."

"No... you're right. Hermione, I need you to-- Hermione?"

The bushy haired Gryffindor was frozen to a singular spot, staring down at the ground by her feet.

"I can hear him," she whispered. Her hands trembled as she reached out and held her palms flat as if she were warming them by a campfire. "It... it's awful."

"And the others?" asked Ron, putting his hands on her shoulders. She spread her hands wider and nearer the ground as if she were trying to feel some warmth rising from the surface and then she shook her head.

"Just Theodore," she whispered again. "So much pain." Her whole body began to tremble and Ron held her from behind.

"What do we do, Pat?" asked Harry.

"Hermione's already doin' it. See her hands? She don't know it, but she's bringin' him to the surface. She's re-established the link and it's drawin' him toward her. Draco... Harry... be ready."

A minute of silence passed and suddenly Nott, covered in mud with long slices all about his body, appeared in Hermione's arms. A white glow surrounded the two of them, knocking Ron backward on his arse. It was a like a clear, shimmering cocoon. Patrick moved in closer.

"Harry, when I remove the parasite, he'll die. You'll have teh heal him before he can cross over. Draco, talk teh him. Convince him that Harry's there teh help. Okay, boys, here we go." He pulled the oak wand from his robes.

"Neco Vermis!"

A green ray shot from Patrick's wand and burrowed through the silver shield enveloping Nott and Hermione. It slipped in one of Nott's wounds like a snake and he screamed in pain opening his eyes and mouth wide. Green light erupted from his mouth and eyes and each wound on his body sending out a shining green beacon in all directions. Harry touched his hand over his chest. "Bravery. Wisdom. Love," he whispered. A moment later he asked to heal Nott and found himself, oddly, in the middle of an endless grassy plane. It could only mean that Nott had already begun to cross over.

The grass was dried and yellow and less than knee high, but it spread out in all directions with nothing else in sight. Harry felt as if he was in the middle of a recently harvested Kansas wheat field and a House was about to fall from the sky at any minute. As it turned out, that's nearly what happened. From nowhere a small, rundown cottage appeared on the grassy plane. It was a faded green with chipped gold trim. The front of the cottage had a small porch and to either side of the front door were two plate glass windows that were dark. On the backside was a brick chimney from which a small bit of smoke rose to the sky. Standing in the doorway was a weedy-looking young man, wearing a pair of worn out denim overalls. He was barefoot, had no shirt and was chewing a long straw between his teeth. Nott stood there, looking blankly out over the grassy plane with one hand on the door knob. Harry stepped over to the front porch and was about to ascend the steps when Nott noticed him.

"You!" he sneered. "I thought I heard Granger. Get the fuck out of here, Potter." He turned to enter into the cottage. Green light began to stream out through the windows.

"Ted, wait!" said Harry. Nott stopped, now silhouetted in a brilliant green light. He turned back and faced Harry. When he did, Harry noticed dozens of gashes on his skin, each oozing blood. When he stepped out to the porch he left a trail of bloody footprints.

"You did this to me, you bastard! Why the fuck should I wait for you!"

"I can help you!"

"I don't need your goddamned help!"

"We want you to stay."

"Why? I'm... I'm not going back to him, and I won't let you send me to Azkaban. That life... there's nothing left. By Hades, look at this place!" He waved at the barren earth. "It's a wasteland. It always has been. I wanna farm where the soil's fertile."

No sooner had he said the words than a collection of green plants began to spring up near Harry and spread out around the cottage. In the distance, mountains rose, breaking the flat horizon and nearer still, trees began to spring from the ground fully grown.

"Hermione," Harry whispered to himself, and then he turned to Nott. "See, that's changing," he said. "The war's over Ted. Voldemort's been destroyed. He can't hurt you again and we won't send you to Azkaban. Professor Black wants you to come back to Hogwarts."

The surroundings. were growing more green and inviting by the minute. Flowers were beginning to blossom and in the nearby trees the sound of birds could be heard chirping. Nott stepped to the railing of the porch and held it with both hands. Blood dripped down his shoulders. The wounds were growing worse, opening up to reveal the flesh on the inside. For a moment, he considered his new surroundings, but then his eyes narrowed on Harry.

"Fuck you and fuck your dog of a headmaster!"

A hummingbird zipped from nowhere and hovered between the two of them, seemingly looking at Nott. Its breast shimmered red and gold and briefly his expression softened, but then he growled and pushed away from the railing.

"No! I'm not going back! I don't care what she says!"

"I always knew you were a chicken shit, Nott."

The two turned to find Draco standing on the right side of the porch, the sun was setting behind him and his bland hair reflected the fading light in such a way he seemed to glow.

"Malfoy?" asked Nott in disbelief.

"By Morgana's grave, you're daft!" said Draco, moving over to the front of the porch. Harry stood his ground as Draco passed in front of him always looking at Nott. "Look at you! Your flesh is falling away from your bones! You've got maybe two minutes to get this figured out, or you'll be hamburger in the afterlife."

"How'd you--?"

"I kicked his arse, that's how! The bastard's dead. He nearly killed me first, but I came back. Then, I don't fucking no why now, I asked Potter here to come save your sorry arse and you have the balls to tell him, 'No?' I always knew you were an idiot, but this... this is something more, and I don't think it has anything to do with bravado, do you? It's not that, is it, Nott? You're a chicken shit, aren't you? You're fucking afraid of Potter!" Draco made his way up the porch steps.

"I'm not afraid of anyone!" yelled Nott, blood spraying from his lips.

"Then let him heal you, you wuss. Face him like a man."

Nott looked at Harry, but hesitated. He looked back at the door through which the glowing light still gleamed. The hummingbird reappeared and landed on Harry's shoulder. It let out a high, shrill chirp then flew over to Nott, landed on his shoulder and chirped again. Whatever anger Nott had within him vanished and with it his strength to stand. He crumpled to his knees in a pool of his own blood.

"Hurry, Harry," Draco breathed, one hand upon Nott's shoulder.

Harry ran up the steps and placed both hands on Nott's face.

"Ted, let me see your eyes." Nott looked up just as the sun set.

It was cold, very cold, but Nott's life force was clearly within Harry's grasp. It reminded him of the first time he'd ever healed anything - one of Mrs. Figg's cats. Instead of using his own energy, he let the energy of the stone that had just been charged with the love of his friends, flow out and fill the emptiness glowing before him. The light grew and grew and then flashed, throwing Harry backward. When he opened his eyes, he was back at the front gate to Hogwarts flat on his back. Finally, a face looked down at him smiling. Draco offered him his hand.

"You okay?" he asked, lifting Harry to his feet.

Harry nodded and turned to see Nott sitting on the ground next to Blaise. They were surrounded by the others.

"I have to admit, Harry, that's a hell of a trick."

"How did you... appear?"

"I guess... I guess because you wanted me there. It was kind of nice actually." Draco smiled again, but it soon dimmed and he took in a deep breath. "Now the bad part." He stepped over toward Nott and Blaise and sat next to them on the ground. Nott had been covered in mud, but Hermione cast a spell and removed every trace of grime. When the dirt vanished, it was clear to all that there wasn't a scratch on his body.

"Nott, has Patrick told you what happened?" Draco asked with a steeled voice.

"He didn't have to. I knew the minute those things entered me. It's like... like we were linked. I don't know what was worse, the pain, or knowing that it would last for months." He began to tremble and started to nervously look around. For a moment his eyes rested on Harry, but then they turned to Hermione.

"I guess... I guess I should thank you... you know... for saving my life and all."

"It wasn't really me," she said, kneeling down to look at him. "Harry and Draco... they did all the--"

"If that was true, Granger, why aren't the others here? They're still down there, aren't they? I'm not stupid, Hermione. It was you that took my hand and pulled me from death. It was you that convinced me to fight to live long enough for Harry to heal me. The dude's just got a stone. You... You've got the heart." He took her hand in his and smiled softly. "Thank you."

"Yeah... well," said Ron, helping Hermione to her feet. "She does what she can; don't you love?" He kissed her cheek.

Draco helped Nott stand, though physically he didn't need the assistance. Nonetheless, his body still trembled and his eyes didn't leave the ground beneath his feet.

"Pansy's still down there," he whispered. Everyone but Blaise gasped.

"Pansy? Pansy Parkinson?"

"What the hell do you think?" snapped Nott. "Don't look at me like that! It isn't like we had much of a choice in the matter, did we?"

"I don't know," said Harry coolly. "It looked like you and your chums were having a good ole time just before you tried to kill me. You had a choice then, Ted, and you chose murder."

"Look, Potter... I--"

"You still have your wand, Ted. The energy has returned. If you wanted, you could have a go now. What are the words again? Avada Ked--"

"Harry, stop it!" yelled Hermione, but Harry simply moved in closer.

"I won't stop anything! I won't listen to lies. Don't tell me we don't have choices... we do. Dakhil Barghouti left this plane tonight because he chose to give Patrick a chance to live again. Draco Malfoy survived the waters of Melusina because he defied the darkness of Voldemort and had friends like Blaise willing to sacrifice themselves for him. My son is alive right now, because Tonks offered her life to save his. Nobody made them do these things. They chose to do what was right, what was noble.

"Pansy Parkinson isn't buried under the ground being eaten alive by some hideous parasite by accident. She's there because of choices. Neville chose to let hate take control. Ted, he cursed you with those damnable things, not out of some sense of justice, but because he simply hated you and wanted revenge for the evil you'd brought to Hogwarts. It was your choice to allow that evil to control you. It was Pansy's choice to follow you. All choices and not one of them were virtuous or noble. Now she, and all your Death Eater friends, if that's what you think they were, are little more than maggot meat."

"Harry!"

"It's true! You may not hear the reapers circling us right now, but I do! And I'm so sick of hearing them I want to puke."

While Harry was going on, Nott had reached for his wand. His whole body was trembling. Harry was so close he could feel his breath. Nott's eyes were fixed on the earth, but his anger was now centring on Harry. He could have killed him; it would be easy. He was so close and there was no counter spell. His hand tightened about his wand in a fist and he brought it up in a tremendous uppercut, right at Harry's jaw. Before it struck, however, Antreas cast a shield charm that knocked both Harry and Nott backwards. Undaunted, Nott rushed Harry, but the others grabbed him.

"She loved me, you bastard!" he yelled out. "I told her to leave, to go back home and stay with her mom, but she wouldn't listen. When they started to burn Hogwarts and Voldemort slipped north, I told her it was her chance to get away. SHE WOULDN'T LEAVE!" He fell to his knees and placed his hands on the dirt. "I told her mom I'd take care of her, protect her. Now what am I going to do?" He pounded at the dirt and began to cry. Then suddenly he stopped, wiped his face with his sleeve and pointed the wand at the ground.

"I won't let her die like that."

"Wait!" called Patrick. "Yeh say she loved yeh. Did yeh love her too?"

"Of course I did," said Nott, pulling in a wavering breath. "And when she dies, she'll die in my arms, not some maggot's." He pointed his wand at the ground again.

"Ted, stop," said Harry.

"What now, Potter? Want to get a closer look?"

"I want to try and save Pansy. I want you to prove me wrong. If you love her like you say you do, maybe there's a chance."

"Let's do it!"

"Ted, it's not that simple. We'll have to bring them up, or vanish the soil all at once. When that happens, they'll die. They'll all die. In that moment, I need you to reach out with your heart to her and follow me to the brink of death. We'll have maybe an instant to hold her here long enough for me to heal her. If she crosses over, it'll be too late."

Nott looked a bit nervous. Perspiration was beginning to build about his temples.

"Okay... yeah... erm, we can do that."

"There's more. If we're too late and she crosses over, she may try to take us with her. It'll make perfect sense when we're there. Don't do it. Don't cross any doorways. Think of Hogwarts and you'll return to your body here. Is that clear?"

Nott nodded his head nervously. "Sure. Yeah... sure."

Hermione held his arm. "Just focus on your love for her Theodore," she said kindly. "That's all you have to do. Her love for you will hold her here... you'll see."

Blaise stepped over to Harry. "What about the others?" he asked. There are half a dozen men down there with Pansy. Can't we do something for them too?"

"We can't take one without pullin' up all the others," said Patrick. "Only Hermione's link with Nott allowed her teh find him among the rest. Harry can't save 'em all. Merlin, savin' Parkinson will be near impossible." Patrick stepped over to Nott and looked up at him. "They're your friends, Nott. What's your decision?"

Nott looked about, hoping to get some guidance from someone else. But everyone else was silent, waiting for his choice. He never liked groups; there was something confining about them. That's why he never really hung out with Draco and the others. He hated working for Voldemort. Everyone looked to him to make some sort of decision that held the lives of others in the balance. He wasn't very good at it mostly because he just didn't give a damn about the consequences. He just wanted Voldemort dead.

Now, his singular wish had been granted - Voldemort would never torture his mind again. He'd been saved by a bitter enemy from a vicious death. Yet again he was surrounded by others waiting for him to speak, to make a choice. His throat tightened just thinking about it. Lives would be lost either way. Better to die sooner than to scream in terror until there was nothing left.

"Bring them up," he said at last. "Bring them all up. Whoever sees Pansy first, call out and I'll go to her."

The group formed a large circle and held their wands out. Hermione suggested the spell, something akin to summoning the nearest Death Eater. "It might bring them out one at a time," she offered.

"Either way, I'll do my best," said Harry in return.

"Okay then," she said. "On three."

When they reached three, the soil within the circle began to churn like a whirlwind. Bodies in black cloaks began to rise out of the blood stained dirt. The screams of the victims mixed with the high pitched screams of the parasites then all went silent. The whirlwind ceased and on the surface of the still earth were seven prone bodies, each lifeless in a pool of blood which oozed from the parasitic gashes of their flesh.

Gabriella tried to heal the one nearest her. Hermione did the same.

"There!" yelled Blaise. In the middle of them all laid Pansy Parkinson. Her Death Eater mask was gone and her eyes were open and blank.

"Take her hand Ted!" yelled Harry and then he spoke the incantation, "Bravery, Wisdom, Love." The Heart of Asha led him to the first gateway. "Heal Pansy," he said. A swirl of colours surrounded him and he found himself in the middle of the same barren plane that he found, trying to heal Nott. The brown grass was knee deep and spread out forever in all directions. The only thing breaking the horizon was a small cottage painted green with gold trim.

"Pansy!" he yelled. Just like Nott, she was at the doorway about to go into the cottage when she heard him call. "Pansy, stop!"

"Potter?" she said with contempt. "So you're dead too! Finally! Well... I guess it wasn't all for naught. Come on then." She waved at him to join her. "There are cookies baking inside, my mother made them."

Suddenly, Harry could smell the wonderful aroma of fresh baked cookies. He put one foot on the porch steps, but then remembered that Nott was supposed to be with him, calling to her.

"Why don't you come down here with me?" Harry asked. "Ted's looking for you." Her eyes brightened and she turned in excitement.

"Teddy?" she asked eagerly. "He's come for me, really?" She stepped out to the banister and held it in her hands. As with Nott, blood dripped down her arms, coating the upper rail. She scanned the emptiness, but Nott was nowhere to be seen.

"What sort of trick is this, Potter?" she said, narrowing her eyes in distrust. Harry stepped to the porch and held out his hand.

"Pansy, just take my hand. I promise I'll take you to him."

The grass remained lifeless. There were no flowers; there were no hummingbirds. An uninviting landscape surrounded Harry and his offer was rejected.

"You're a liar. You always were... you and your little bitch Granger. I hope she's devastated now that you're dead."

"I'm not dead! I want to take you back, back to Hogwarts, back to T-Teddy."

"Lies... all lies." She scanned the horizon one last time. "If my Teddy was alive, he'd come for me. He'd make a river," she pointed with her hand toward the distance, "and take me to the sea." She turned and headed back toward the door. "I always loved the sea."

The sound of sea birds and the roar of the ocean could be heard just inside the cottage.

"Pansy, no!"

"Shame you won't join me for cookies. Mum bakes the best cookies."

She opened the door and went inside. When the door shut behind her the whole cottage burst into flames. The green paint bubbled and the gold paint blistered. An eruption of heat spread out, igniting the dry grass and flashing the world in blaze of light that blinded Harry. He held his hand to his face and the darkness returned. When he removed his sleeve, he was back with the others at the gate to Hogwarts, seated next to Pansy. He expected to see her, dead in Nott's arms, but Nott was standing away from the group. He was facing the lake, his trembling hands hidden in his pockets. Draco knelt down next to Harry and took Pansy's lifeless hand in his own.

"He always was a loner," Draco said dejectedly. He reached over and stroked the hair from Pansy's face. With a wave of his hand he vanished the stains and scars that marred her. "I'll miss you, love." He kissed her cheek, sighed and stood up, even as Harry sat with his head in his hands. "Come on; let's get these bodies back to the school. This place has seen enough death."