Harry Potter and the Shadows of Life

Chapter 6- The Past and Pains

Ron and Ginny stood there gasping, as everyone else rushed in. Dumbeldore ordered everyone, but Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Draco, and Remus to get out and guard the door. The six of them stood there watching the unconscious Cho Chang.

"I will go get a vile of Veritaserum," Draco whispered as he got up to leave.

"The strongest one you have Draco," Hermione told him.

Draco nodded and left to go to Snape's old storage of his potions. Draco had to get his mind out of the horrible incident today; he wanted to think about anything else. He went into Snape's office, the memories flooded back in.

****

Severus Snape came into Dumbeldore's office falling down once he had reached Dumbeldore. Draco was they're discussing with the headmaster about the situation about his father. Draco caught Snape as he was falling, "Albus we need medical attention quickly!"

"Draco, your father... he's...," Snape sputtered. "He maybe knows..."

Draco looked shocked as Dumbeldore came in with Madam Pomfrey. Then he died; Snape had been tortured to death. Draco looked deathly pale and couldn't believe what was happening.

****

Draco rushed into the room; "I have the potion."

Draco noticed that Cho was awake and the hate in her eyes was disturbing. Hermione took the potion from Draco; she dripped 5 drops into Cho's wretched open mouth. The potion slowly started to work. Cho eyes seem to be out of focus and her body slumped.

Dumbeldore started his questioning, "Cho Chang, tell me the house you are in?"

Cho body gave a jolt and she answered in an emotionless voice, " I was in Ravenclaw, under Professor Flitwick's supervision."

Dumbeldore replied, "Good, now tell me why were you disguised as Harry Potter?"

"I was disguised as him, so that I could scorn him name. Making everyone he loved believe that he was truly the lying, killing, disgusting man he was. I would make everyone believe that he was Lord Voldemort's best supporter!" her voice seemed to echo throughout the room.

Ginny stiffed, wanting so much to slap that horrible woman that lay on the ground.

"Are you a death eater and why would you become one?" Dumbeldore said coolly.

Cho eyes seemed to get more unfocused, " No, I play Harry who is the death eater, but only so that I could get back at Wormtail."

Dumbeldore's voice seems to harden each time she answered a question, " Why are you doing this to Harry?"

Her voice rang out, "Because, Harry Potter helped murdered Cedric. He died leaving me all alone he left my side. All because of Potter and Pettigrew, they MURDERED him! I wanted revenge, and I have it. Now everyone thinks it is Potter that is murdering all those muggle-borns."

Everyone was shocked, they had not known that she had carried so much hate. Ginny was sobbing while Hermione held her. Ron, Remus, and Draco's face were blank, though their fists were held tight and that there knuckle turned white.

"Where is Harry?" Dumbeldore said after a disturbing silence.

A smile crept up her face, "Dying, in Azkaban."

Ginny looked horrified, she stepped over the woman and took out her wand. Draco grabbed in time as she started to mutter the death curse.

"Ginny, no. We need to make sure to find the real Harry first. We need her, until then we will lock her up."

Ron asked four blue members to come in; he and them stunned Cho again and took her to a dungeon in the lowest basement of Hogwarts.

"All right Ginny, Draco, Remus, Hermione, and when Ron gets back. Go to Azkaban and search every cell. We NEED to find Harry!" Dumbeldore said as he himself got ready to go.

They all took their cloaks, running out of Hogwarts and to a location where they could apparition.

Chapter Seven- Hope

The man in the cell lay there thinking hard about the only thing. Getting out, it was all that mattered to him. He was panicking; he could hear all these footsteps. He felt all of the sudden the cold dark feelings of the dementors gone; there're distance and cold feeling evaporating from him. Then he heard a voice that had enchanted him for years and the warmth of her.

Ginny sobbed and whispered, "Harry, I can't believe it. I thought you disappeared, leaving nothing behind. I thought you left me."

Harry croaked in a rasped voice, "It's all right dear."

Remus, Draco, and Ron walked forward, "Gin come on, we need to take Harry to Hogwarts and get him to Madam Pomfrey."

With that the three men supported Harry, Harry could only begin to fell the great joy of leaving Azkaban.

~ ~ ~ ~

Harry laid in his bed, he woke up to find that Ginny laid on his beside asleep holding his hand, while Remus, Ron, Hermione, and Draco all slumped in chairs fast asleep. Harry couldn't help, but to smile. This was why he tried to survive so hard; he wanted to be surrounded by his loved ones. Harry silently thanked Sirius in his heart, if not for him he could have learned to survive with all those dementors. He slowly laid back down as his wounds still hurt him, he sat there watching and smiling. Ginny stirred, she was awake.

"Harry, your awake!" She cheered as she hugged him hard.

Everyone stirred in their chairs and woke up. Slowly smiles appeared as Hermione dabbed her eyes.

"Gin, hon. Owww, can you ease up a bit?" Harry said smiling hard.

"I'm sorry, you scared me. DON'T YOU EVER LEAVE ME AGAIN!" Ginny said loudly.

Madam Pomfrey came bustling in, "Well your finally awake and seem to be always in trouble." She sighed, "Its good to see you again Harry, and you seem to be doing well. All you need is rest, so the rest of you either quiet or leave."

She gave Harry a steaming potion, and Harry forcefully gulped it down. Slowly Harry drifted off to sleep while everyone in the room watched him fall back to sleep.

****

It was Remus's turn to keep watch of Harry; secretly Remus wished that Sirius were here. Harry stirred until finally he opened his eyes; he tried to sit up on his bed. Remus quickly came over to help Harry.

"Did you really believe that I could kill all those people and not fear that they would haunt me the rest of my life?" Harry said after a long silence.

Remus didn't reply but simply helped Harry get a glass of water. Harry took the glass draining the glass and handed it back to Remus. Harry eyes became unfocused as he thought about the days when Cho Chang would come to him and tell him about her killings. Telling him that all his loved ones turned their backs on him, leaving him in the dark with the dementors sucking all the life it had in Harry. He was glad that Sirius did tell him how to escape from Azkaban.

"I glad you are back Harry," Remus said quietly. "Today is Cho's trial, they wanted you as a witness, but Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Draco absolutely forbid it."

"That was nice of them," Harry said bitterly, "Now answer me Remus, did you believe that I killed those people?"

Remus couldn't answer, seep down he knew he had said himself that Harry did kill all those people. The look on Remus's face told Harry all he needed to know.

"Leave," Harry, said harshly.

Remus couldn't look into Harry's face; he turned and left the room. Leaning against the wall outside of the room, he slid down. All the memories flooded at him, all the pain. Inside Harry sat on his bed, he knew that he couldn't blame them but all the 2 years in Azkaban he with drew. He wanted to embrace them all, but their was just too much pain. The thought of all of them, all of them thought that he could kill all those people burned the insides of him. They had believed that he could do Voldemort's dirty work and still believe that he could laugh about each death. Though the worst thing was that Ginny had changed her last name back to Weasley. Cho had told him all of this, every piece of information slowly tormenting him to his death. She taunted, slapped him, and placed different pain curses on him. She mocked him, and laughed at him. He was bitter about everything that had happened, and he only longed for his friends and Ginny. However he could only feel the tears of pain in his eye, dripping away.

****

"Cho Chang, you are found guilty by this court. You have used and scorned the name Harry Potter to do You-Know-Who's bidding, killing at least 20 muggle-borns. You have been sentenced to the Dementor's kiss. On the case of Harry Potter we have found him innocent and with the full pardons of this court."

The judge banged his gavel; then a Dementor came gliding in. Many turned their heads away; some watched as they the Dementor perform the kiss. After the Dementor had left there only laid the bodiless soul of Cho Chang.