Harry Potter and the Loss of Innocence

Chapter Forty-Two:

I Hate You, Harry Potter

Blurring and stirring the truth and the lies,
So I don't know what's real and what's not.
Always confusing the thoughts in my head,
So I can't trust myself anymore.
I'm dying again.
~Evanescence: Going Under

"Where is he?" Ginny asked Hermione angrily. "He should be back by now." Ginny was livid, her face as red as her hair.

"You know the Order has no clue where he is," Hermione told her friend, trying to calm her down. "We're all worried about him, Ginny, but you can't expect miracles."

"And why can't I?" Ginny yelled right back at Hermione. "Miracles and Harry go hand in hand! He survived when he was one. He saved the Philosopher's stone. He rescued me. He saved Sirius and Peter. He won the Triwizard Tournament and survived the graveyard. He survived the Ministry fiasco. He survived his Christmas duel. His life is a miracle, Hermione!"

"But this time he's in enemy territory, Ginny," Hermione tried to reason with her.

"He decided to go there, Hermione!" Ginny screamed at her. Harry tried to touch her, to reach her, but he couldn't. His hand went right through her. Ginny looked away from Hermione. Harry couldn't see her face, so he moved around her and watched her.

He was surprised to see how vulnerable she was at the moment. She looked so deserted and depressed. Ginny shook her head slowly and Harry watched a guilty look cross her face. What's the matter, Gin? he asked her silently. Ginny shook her head once more, starting to talk again.

"What if he left on purpose, Hermione?" she asked the older girl softly. Harry sat hard on the floor. Did Ginny just ask what he thought she did? She'd never ask that. Never!

"He did leave on purpose, Ginny," Hermione answered. Harry looked at her, surprised. "He bargained for our lives and left to fulfill his half of the bargain. You know that, Ginny." Hermione tried to place a comforting arm around the hurting girl, but Ginny shook her off.

"That's not what I meant, Hermione," she replied. "What if Rita was right all along? What if Harry and You-Know-Who were allies this whole time?" Harry's jaw dropped as Ginny spoke. Hermione was looking at the girl as if she had grown a few horns.

"How can you even think that, Gin!" Hermione cried. Ginny recoiled as if Hermione had hit her.

"Don't call me that!" Ginny shouted at Hermione. "Only Harry has ever called me that!" Hermione opened her mouth to apologize. "Don't, Hermione. Just... just leave me alone!" Hermione gave the furious girl one last look and then left the dorm room.

Ginny turned around slowly, not really looking at anything. Her eyes landed on the window and she walked over to it. She stared out it, searching for something. Harry figured that she was looking for him. Shaking her head angrily and with clenched fists, Ginny turned around to the room.

"I hate him!" she yelled as loud as she could manage. "I hate Harry James Potter!" Harry couldn't move. He couldn't believe what he had just heard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"It's your fault He killed my family!" Bill screamed at Harry.

"Burnt to a crisp," Charlie mumbled sadly.

"A hole through my gut protecting you," Shacklebolt accused.

"Siamese twins," Fred said in his monotone.

"So funny," George remarked in a similar monotone.

"She was my life, my all," Remus said in condemnation, carrying Tonks' limp body.

"All of my boys and my daughter gone," Mrs. Weasley cried out.

"Is this how you repay us for our friendship?" Ron asked, the anger dripping from the words.

"Why didn't you protect my family, your family?" Mr. Weasley asked, confused.

"I failed you, I failed the world," Dumbledore said mournfully.

"Do you recognize us?" Hermione asked, but in a defeated, pitiful way.

"There were some things worth dieing for, and I thought you were one of them," Thia said, with a sad shake of her head.

"I hate you, Harry James Potter!" Ginny shouted at Harry, bring him to his knees. "I hate you with every ounce of my soul!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey, Ron," Hermione said as Ron's arms encircled his waist. "How are you?" Harry smiled as his best friends exchanged a kiss, only slightly mortified by the sight. Harry could put up with the sight because they were happy. The two walked up to the boy's dorm room for some privacy.

"I've been a whole lot better," Ron answered. "Nothing is the same without Harry around. And my dad's dead and I'm not really over that shock. It doesn't seem real any of this. It's like I'll wake up and find out it was just a horrible dream."

"Agreed," Hermione said. "For your and Ginny's sake, I hope this is just a dream."

"What about your sake?" Ron asked confused and concerned by her words.

Hermione decided to distract Ron with a kiss. Harry felt his cheeks blush red and turned his back as they started to snog in the empty boy's dorm. He wished that he could leave, but when he tried to exit out the door he couldn't. The longer he had to listen the more his cheeks burned. He didn't want to even think about his two best friends snogging, yet here he was forced to listen to it.

"Whoa," Ron said breathlessly. Harry was relieved that the sounds had stopped. He turned around slowly and saw Hermione finish pulling her shirt down. "I don't want the first thing Harry does when he gets back to be skinning me alive."

"Huh?" Hermione asked absentmindedly.

"Him being your brother and all," Ron explained to her.

"I don't need an older brother," Hermione snapped back at him. "I can look after myself, thank you very much."

"That's not what I meant," Ron said quickly, trying to pacify her. "I just meant that Harry's your older brother, just like I'm Ginny's."

"Well, I don't need one," Hermione replied, standing up angrily. "When will you two learn to just let me protect myself? I don't need a knight in shining armor! I don't want one!" Harry looked at her, his mouth agape at her words. He had always thought Hermione found it comforting to know that he'd look after her as an older brother.

"Sorry to bring it up," Ron shouted back, letting his temper get the best of him. "It's just his way to show that he cares!"

"I don't need his love anymore than yours!" Hermione screamed back.

"Is that how you truly feel?" Ron asked yelling just as loud as she was. Harry, though, noticed that he had paled considerable. Harry felt the same way. Hermione didn't need their love?

"That is exactly how I feel," Hermione told him angrily, though there was a chill in her voice. Ron's mouth dropped and he tried to say something, but he couldn't get his mouth to work properly. "I'm going, Ron, and we are through." Ron and Harry stared at the door that had just been slammed.

"Merlin," Ron muttered. "I never thought I'd actually hate Harry, but I do for what he just did."

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"I wish he were here," Ginny mumbled as she, Ron, and Hermione placed the final touches on the collage. They stepped back from the hanging poster and surveyed their handiwork. "I wonder what he would have written had he not gone with Voldemort."

"Who knows," Ron answered quietly. "But I bet he wouldn't have been thankful for older brothers." Ginny smiled at the half-hearted attempt at a joke. Neither she nor Ron was looking forward to the funeral in two days. They were leaving Hogwarts in the morning, along with all the students, and the day after attending their father's funeral, unlike the others.

"He would have probably put his friends down as the thing he was most thankful for," Hermione said quietly. "And family as the reason to celebrate."

"Probably," Ginny said thoughtfully. This was the Ginny Harry was used to seeing. He took one step forward and tried to touch her. His hand went right through her. Ginny shivered and looked around wildly. She was positive that Harry was nearby.

"What's the matter, Ginny?" Ron asked alarmed. His sister had paled considerably. She pulled her robes closer to her body, even though the day was extremely hot.

"Nothing," Ginny replied. "Nothing at all."

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"I can't believe he just deserted us like that," Neville spoke to his dorm mates. "I was so sure he was on our side."

"Same here," Seamus agreed. "Guess he had us all fooled."

"The bloody traitor tried to comfort me after my family was killed," Dean told them, horrified. "He was the one to order their deaths."

"I feel bad for Ginny," Neville said, his concern evident in his voice. "After the Prophet printed the article with Harry's letter blasting Muggle-borns, Muggles, and 'blood traitors', she hasn't been the same. I told the bastard not to hurt her."

"After everything Ron, Hermione, and Ginny did for him," Seamus started conspiratorially, "you'd think the boy would have some decency."

"He's a lying, cheating scum bag," Dean answered. "It isn't possible for him to have a consc--"

The door slammed opened and the last resident of the room entered. He noticed the sudden silence and scowled. Throwing himself on his bed, he laughed bitterly. "Talking about how that freak hoodwinked us all?" Harry gaped at Ron, along with the other occupants. "I just came back from comforting Ginny. I have no respect for the bloody idiot. He has Hermione, Ginny, and my mum in a right mess, and he's betrayed the trust of everyone I love. He's a bloody git. He's worse than Snape and Malfoy and Pansy rolled up into one. Make's me wonder about Snape's loyalties once again."

"How is Ginny?" Neville asked concerned.

"The bloody bastard broke her heart," Ron answered dangerously. "When I get my hands on him, I'm going to rip out his heart and see how he likes it."

"That's the spirit," Dean agreed. "I feel like cutting in several curse scars for him. See if that makes him more famous."

"I knew my mum was always right about him," Seamus, muttered. "Insane and looking for attention."

"Well, he has ours now," Ron said. "And when we meet up with him once again, he's not going to forget about it soon after."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Mum!" Ginny cried out. She ran to the open arms of Molly Weasley and clung to her. This was the first time Ginny had seen Molly after Arthur's death. Both sobbed silently, feeling the missing presence. They weren't the only two crying on Platform 9 ¾. There had been many deaths that Saturday, and many before and after. Parents were glad to be reunited with their children, and the children were glad their parents were alive.

Molly broke from the hug and pulled Ron into one as well. The boy didn't cry, but a tear or two streamed down his face. It was obvious that the boy didn't want to appear weak, but he was broken on the inside.

"Molly, we need to be going," Remus told the woman softly. Molly nodded and herded her children off of the platform and into Muggle London. They walked the short distance to number twelve Grimmauld Place. Ginny hung back to the end of the group, not wanting to enter the old Black house. Sensing her trepidation, Remus walked next to her.

"I hate this," Ginny told the man silently. Harry had to agree. Not only did he hate the house, he was so confused. What was real and what was not. "Why'd you let him go with Voldemort?"

"Because I promised myself not to interfere," Remus answered.

"How is that interfering?" Ginny asked, her temper at the surface.

"Because Harry made that bargain and he had to fulfill it, whether we like it or not," Remus replied. "I had no clue that he was going to bargain himself. If I had, I wouldn't have let him."

"I miss him," Ginny said, barely above a whisper.

"I do too, Ginny," Remus answered, holding the door for her. Ginny entered the house. Harry watched as the memories washed over her. He knew when the panic took hold, and wasn't surprised when she bolted for the door; Remus was though. Ginny was in the middle of the street before anyone knew it. She sat down and pulled her legs to her chest.

Ron walked out to her, carrying a stuffed animal. Harry smiled sadly as he recognized Prongs. Ron handed the stag to her and Ginny hugged it close. Harry tried to reach her, but once again his hand went through her. Ginny shivered, but didn't look around.

"What's the matter, sis?" Ron asked sitting next to her. Ginny shook her head, but Ron just waited. "I hate the house too, Ginny, but it's our home now and we had better get used to it."

"I can't live there," Ginny told him hysterically. "There are too many bad memories there. Christmas when Dad was at St. Mungo's, Sirius, last Spring Break. Memories of Harry and Dad. It's just too much. I can't take it."

Tonks sat on Ginny's other side. "I'll see what I can do, but maybe you can spend a few weeks at my place. Maybe Hermione can come over and Ron." Ginny looked at the woman thankfully. "But I can't promise anything until I talk to Dumbledore."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Your whore is staying at the old Black place," Voldemort said with triumphant gleaming from his eyes. "But she's moving to that Mudblood's house. The wards there won't be as hard to destroy. We'll just wait until she's there before we invite her to the party." The nearby Death Eaters laughed. "I'm sure you'll be looking forward to that day, Draco." There was more crude laughter, and Harry felt himself gag.

"Of course, my Lord," Draco replied smoothly. "Though I would like some alone time with Potter."

"Very well," the monster replied. "Take the boy back to his cell and don't kill him. I'm not through with him yet." Harry groaned as Malfoy threw him into walls on the way back. Though Voldemort had been in and out of Harry's head, the man had not found the Prophecy.

Harry knew he should be relieved that Voldemort hadn't found out. However, hiding the Prophecy meant hiding it from himself as well and Harry couldn't remember what it contained. Whatever it was, it was important that Voldemort not learn it, and Harry was positive that he wouldn't learn it from him.

"Well, Potter, don't say I didn't warn you," Malfoy said icily. "But I did tell you that you picked the wrong side and see where it has led you: in the basement of my Manor. And I can do exactly as I please with you." Malfoy laughed viciously and Harry tried to stand. "No, I want you on your knees." With a quick flick of his wand, Malfoy had both of Harry's legs broken. Harry fell flat on his face. Malfoy laughed again.

"I've been waiting for this day since first year," Malfoy spat at Harry. "Ever since you turned down my invitation of friendship. How different we would both be if you had only accepted it."

"Don't blame your choices on me," Harry countered. "You're the one who made them."

"But you were the cause, and my life is the effect," Malfoy informed Harry. "Too late now. I'm going to enjoy the next few hours." And he did. By the time Malfoy left, Harry was a bloody mess. The Death Eater Harry had nicknamed 'Healer' entered and fixed Harry up quite a bit. When the man left, Harry's eyelids were heavy.

"I'm not going to sleep," he commanded himself. "I'm going to stay awake. I'm not sleeping. I'm not going to let Voldemort screw with my head any longer. I'm not going to sleep." Harry wasn't sure when his eyelids finally closed, but he knew when the dreams started.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Draco, wait for me!" Ginny shouted to the Slytherin. Draco paused, a malicious smile on his face. "I thought you were leaving without me."

"Never," Draco smiled, taking Ginny's hand and leading her down the path toward the waiting carriages. Harry cracked his knuckles, but he knew he wouldn't be able to punch the slime bag. "Life would not be as interesting without you." He handed her up into the carriage and Harry got on with them.

"I'm glad the Dark Lord finally took care of Potter," Ginny said in a bored voice as if they were talking about the weather. "I was getting tired of playing the role of his girlfriend."

"Let's not talk of him then," Draco said, pulling Ginny into a very passionate kiss and embrace. Harry waited, impatiently, but he couldn't watch the girl of his dreams get groped by the little pervert or watch her grope him back.

"I'm so glad our master took care of Potter," Ginny said once more, before climbing onto Draco's lap and straddling him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Tell me what it is, boy!" Voldemort screamed at the bound form of Ron. Harry tried to move forward to help his best friend, but couldn't. He tried to yell, to take the attention away from Ron, but couldn't.

"I won't," Ron got out, even though his mouth was filled with blood.

"You won't," Voldemort repeated dangerously quiet. "Crucio! Don't take that insolent tone with me, boy. I know many ways to stretch out your death."

Voldemort released Ron from the spell, and he sagged against the chains that were holding him up. "I can't tell you," Ron finally said. "He never told us the exact wording."

"Crucio!" Voldemort growled. "Don't lie to me either; I know the Potter boy told you. Now, what is it?" Voldemort asked again, releasing Ron once more.

"If you know he told me, then you should know what it is," Ron replied in an annoying monotone. Harry had to smile, even if it would earn Ron more torture (for Harry knew by experience) telling off Voldemort held a certain amount of thrill and enjoyment for Harry. Knowing that Ron had the guts to do it as well, proved Ron was a true Gryffindor.

"Bella, have fun with the boy," Voldemort commanded. "I'll be back when he is more willing to talk. Just remember as your sanity starts to waver, Weasley, this is all Potter's fault."

All my fault, Harry echoed silently as he watched Ron go through the torture that made up his life at the moment. All my fault.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry glanced around at the unfamiliar surroundings. About twenty or so witches and wizards stood in front of a carefully constructed funeral pyre. Harry recognized several Order members, many Ministry officials, and friends of the Weasleys. However, he couldn't see any of the Weasleys. His curiosity was soon quenched as Remus, Tonks, Shacklebolt, and Emmeline Vance carried the body of Arthur Weasley on a stretcher. Following in line was Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, George, Fred, Ron, and Ginny. All were shedding tears, though Molly and Ginny were crying the hardest.

The four bearers carefully set Arthur's body on the funeral pyre. Bill stepped forward to address the crowd. "Thank you for coming to the funeral of my father, Arthur Vian Weasley. You were his friends and knew him as well as we did. His loss hurts us all. His loss affects us all. He will be missed by many. I will miss him. But let us join together in our grief and in that way give each other comfort." Bill's words sounded like ceremonial words; words that these witches and wizards had heard more than a few times in their lives. Bill turned his back to the crowd and placed something along side his father. Harry moved closer and saw that it was a model sarcophagus, the mummy included.

"Thank you for coming to the funeral of my husband, Arthur Vian Weasley," Mrs. Weasley said in a soft but strong voice. "He was a man filled with love. He let his heart rule his mind, and though at times this led him into trouble, it never led him wrong. I will miss him. But let us join together in our grief and in that way give each other comfort." She turned her back to the crowd and placed a small parchment heart next to him. Harry read, 'To my true Valentine' written in the hand of Mr. Weasley.

"Thank you for coming to the funeral of my father, Arthur Vian Weasley," Charlie said his grief evident in his voice. "He was a man who didn't back down from a fight. He stood up for what he believed in and gave his life for it. He believed that all goals could be accomplished, no matter what obstacles were in the way. I will miss him. But let us join together in our grief and in that way give each other comfort." Charlie turned his back to the crowd and placed something next to his father. Harry smiled as he looked at a worn down stuffed dragon.

"Thank you for coming to the funeral of my father, Arthur Vian Weasley," George told the crowd, his smile playing at his lips. "He was a man after every prankster's heart. The little things made him smile. He appreciated a good laugh more than all the gold in the world. Someone else's laughter brought a smile to his face. I will miss him. But let us join together in our grief and in that way give each other comfort." George turned his back to the crowd and placed something small among the small pile of gifts. Harry walked closer and realized that it was a ton-tongue toffee, once thought to be completely destroyed.

"Thank you for coming to the funeral of my father, Arthur Vian Weasley," Fred started softly. "He had many joys in life. The one that we will all remember most fondly is the joy he found in learning about the Muggle world. As the Muggle-borns he counted as friends can tell you, he was most enthusiastic about anything concerning Muggles. Well, if you spent anytime with him in the Muggle world, you know just how much it meant to him. It defined who he was. I will miss him. But let us join together in our grief and in that way give each other comfort." Fred turned his back to the crowed and placed a small plaque next to the others. Written on it were the words 'My First Battery', and glued onto it was a beaten up battery.

"Thank you for coming to the funeral of my father, Arthur Vian Weasley," Ron started in a perfectly controlled voice. Harry knew from experience that Ron wasn't alright at all. "My father was the best anyone could ask for. He took in my friends over school holidays. He let me stay at Hogwarts for others. He bought tickets for my best friends so that we could go to the Quidditch World Cup together. He was such a great dad that he even took in my best friend as a son when that was all my friend ever wanted. I will miss him. But let us join together in our grief and in that way give each other comfort." Ron turned his back to the crowd and placed his Quidditch World Cup ticket among the collection.

"Thank you for coming to the funeral of my father, Arthur Vian Weasley," Ginny started softly. Harry moved closer so that he didn't have to strain to hear her comments. "Though my father wasn't one to say much, he always made sure to let us know how he felt. I learnt long ago that a disappointed look hurt more than any yelling or punishment could. I learnt that he had an angry look and thankfully that was never directed at me, because it was terrifying to see. I learnt that he had a look filled with worry, and that made my insides squirm with worry as well. I learnt that he had a look filled with love, and that made me feel safer than any hug could. But it was his look of pride, pride in me, pride in his sons, and pride in his family that I'll remember the most. I will miss him. But let us join together in our grief and in that way offer each other comfort." Ginny turned her back to the crowd and left a small teddy bear with the other offerings. Harry moved to hug her, but his arms passed right through her. Ginny shivered and looked around casually as if she knew he was there.

"Two of my sons were not able to make it," Mrs. Weasley said stepping forward. "Percy is spending time in Azkaban for his choice of following someone blindly. Harry, Ron's best friend and my son, is currently unable to be here because he chose to bargain his freedom for Ron, Ginny, and Hermione's lives. He followed the example Arthur showed and stood up for what he believed. He, too, is now facing those consequences." Mrs. Weasley turned her back to the crowd and placed a picture that had been taken before the Quidditch World Cup. In it all the Weasley family, including Hermione and Harry, were present. Joining the line with her family, she dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief.

Bill pulled a burning torch from the ground and walked to the funeral pyre. He stood on the opposite side from the crowed and opened his mouth to speak. "We now returning the magic that made you back to the world which gave you life. We will remember you until we join you on the other side. May your journey not take you farther from us then it must. Until we see you again." With that, Bill lit the pyre and stepped back to comfort his crying mother, very aware that he was now the head of his family.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"There you are, my dear," Bellatrix's evil voice rang in the room. Harry watched as Ginny struggled away from the woman. "I have a little present for you." Bellatrix pulled a cloth away to reveal the severed head of Ron. Ginny screamed, deathly white.

"You don't like it?" Bellatrix asked feigning hurt. "Well, you're definitely not going to like Lucius' gift or Pettigrew's gift either." The two men in question stepped into the room and revealed their gifts. Ginny's screams continued, only Harry could tell that something in her mind had snapped. Hermione's head was on one platter, and Mrs. Weasley's was on the other.

"I didn't think you would," Bellatrix said smiling. She laughed and her laughter was just as insane as Ginny's scream.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry walked into a room that was both comfortable and calming. He took a seat next to the fire and looked around. The room reminded him of the Burrow, with its chaos and its seemingly rightness. This place felt like home.

"Harry?" a surprised voice asked him from across the room. Ginny entered, though she was many years older.

"Of course, Gin," Harry answered. "Who else would I be?"

"Just a moment. Ron! Hermione! Get in here!" Ginny shouted out into the hallway. The two in question entered, looking older and more tired than he remembered. They stopped and their mouths dropped. Ron, however, took his wand out at the same time.

"Who are you?" he asked haltingly, as if he didn't want to hear the answer.

"Harry," Harry answered. "Who else could I be?"

"Well, Harry," Hermione started to explain. "You've been missing for years now. And the only way I know it's you is by your voice, though it's a little deeper and hoarser than I remember." Harry stood and moved to look at himself in the mirror hanging on the wall. He was just as surprised as they were to see the multiple scars that criss-crossed his face. It was impossible to see the old lightning scar among the hundreds that now adorned his face. He looked down at his hands and was surprised to see that he was missing one full arm and his other was adorned in a similar way as his face. Though he had both legs, his right leg was much stiffer and he limped on it. 'You've been missing for years,' Hermione had said. Well, the years hadn't been kind to him.

He looked back at his friends and noticed several things quickly. Ron wasn't holding Hermione's hand and they didn't have a wedding ring. This thought made Harry look at Ginny's hands. She wore his mother's ring on her right hand, but on her left...

"Is that a wedding band?" Harry asked her stupidly. Ginny nodded.

"It's been nearly 20 years, Harry," Ginny answered. "I had to move on. When Voldemort disappeared and you didn't come back, we assumed the worst. It took me a long time to accept it, but eventually I too believed that you were dead and not coming back."

"To whom?" Harry asked stunned.

"Neville," Ginny answered simply. "He was so kind to me after you disappeared and he waited so patiently. Other guys were hitting on me the next year and between me, Ron, and Neville, they learnt not to."

"How long?" His mind couldn't get around the fact that Ginny was married and not to him.

"About 13 years now," Ginny answered. "Our eldest starts at Hogwarts this fall."

"Your eldest," Harry echoed. "What about you two?" Harry asked turning his attention to his best friends.

"We fell apart the year after you disappeared," Hermione answered. "Then we graduated and went our separate ways. We only see each other when we visit the Longbottom clan."

"Which is about once a year, maybe less," Ron answered as if this made complete sense. "My wife died in child birth two years ago. Our eldest is sixteen already. I have five other children."

"What about you, Hermione?" Harry asked tiredly. This wasn't the future he had seen coming.

"Well, I married Viktor Krum. You do remember him, don't you?" Harry nodded. "We don't have any children. What with my research and his Quidditch career, we never got around to having a family."

"Oh," Harry answered quietly. "I never thought about this as a future for the four of us."

"We never thought of a future that didn't include you, Harry," Ron responded. "We weren't ready for it and, well, this happened," he finished waving at the room vaguely.

"Not exactly what we planned, but we're happy where we are," Ginny said with a smile. "Harry, our eldest son, is so excited to go to Hogwarts and be a Gryffindor just like his namesake," she informed him with a loving smile on her face. "How are you, Harry? You don't look well."

He didn't feel well either. This wasn't the way it was supposed to end. He and Ginny were to live happily ever after together. Ron and Hermione were supposed to live happily ever after together. He had somehow survived, and yet, nothing he had fought for was possible any longer. It wasn't fair.

"Harry, are you alright?" Ginny asked once again, alarmed this time. Harry nodded his head without even thinking. "Some things never change," she added with a faint smile. "Harry, I think you should sit down."

"I'm fine," Harry grumbled, waving her off.

"Dear, where are you?" Neville called down the hall.

"I'm down here, love," Ginny responded. Neville entered, carrying a six or seven year old girl in his arms. This girl looked exactly like her mother and Harry couldn't look at her for long.

"Who's this?" Neville asked sharply.

"It's Harry, love," Ginny answered. "Let me hold Molly for a bit." She gave her husband a hug and took the little girl from him.

"Why, so it is," Neville said with a laugh. "Good to see you again, Harry Potter." He stuck out a hand to shake with. Harry stood staring at the little girl. This wasn't right. It wasn't fair. He drew his wand and before he realized what exactly was happening, the little girl named for her grandmother was dead in her mother's arms. Harry turned his wand to Neville and killed him just as easily. Next came Ron, then Hermione, then the boy who ran down the stairs; their Harry maybe? And last, but not least, Ginny, the one and only girl of his dreams.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"It's your fault He killed my family!" Bill screamed at Harry.

"Burnt to a crisp," Charlie mumbled sadly.

"A hole through my gut protecting you," Shacklebolt accused.

"Siamese twins," Fred said in his monotone.

"So funny," George remarked in a similar monotone.

"She was my life, my all," Remus said in condemnation, carrying Tonks' limp body.

"All of my boys and my daughter gone," Mrs. Weasley cried out.

"Is this how you repay us for our friendship?" Ron asked, the anger dripping from the words.

"Why didn't you protect my family, your family?" Mr. Weasley asked, confused.

"I failed you, I failed the world," Dumbledore said mournfully.

"Do you recognize us?" Hermione asked, but in a defeated, pitiful way.

"There were some things worth dying for, and I thought you were one of them," Thia said, with a sad shake of her head.

"I hate you, Harry James Potter!" Ginny shouted at Harry, bring him to his knees. "I hate you with every ounce of my soul!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Harry, your worst nightmares are of your own making," Voldemort laughed as Harry came round.

"What day is it?" Harry asked incoherently. Voldemort and the surrounding Death Eaters laughed at him.

"It is the second Thursday since you arrived, Potter," Voldemort finally answered. "It has been exactly one week since I broke into your mind. And you and I have been torturing it since."

"Bite me," Harry remarked calmly to the monster. This caused the room to erupt into more laughter. Harry took a calming breath and then stood up, cursing his weak legs.

"Do not hurt yourself, Potter," Voldemort cautioned him. "We don't need you to overtax yourself. Now, Harry, I need to know the exact contents of that Prophecy. So, if you'll be so kind and tell me it?"

Harry glared at Voldemort and remained silent. He wasn't going to let Voldemort know that he had no clue. It was the only thing keeping him alive at the moment. Voldemort wanted that Prophecy and he, Harry, was the only means for Voldemort to get it.

"I'll take that as a no," Voldemort remarked deadly serious. "Potter, you want to live, I want the Prophecy. Let's trade one for the other."

"I don't buy that for a second," Harry replied. "You'd never let me go."

"That may be," Voldemort agreed. "But I feel no qualms about killing you. If you don't give it to me, then I'll kill you. If you do give it to me, I might let you live another day."

"I don't like the might in that sentence," Harry responded insolently. Every Death Eater either took a step closer or cracked their knuckles angrily.

"Crucio!" Voldemort hissed vehemently. Harry fell to the ground, screaming out loud. Somehow his mind got his mouth to form words.

"Stop, just stop!" Harry screamed, surprising many of the Death Eaters. None of them had heard a victim scream fluently before. "Damn it! Stop! Please, stop!" Voldemort lifted the curse.

"What is the Prophecy?" Voldemort asked once again. Harry couldn't get his mouth to form any words, so he just concentrated on stopping his twitching body. He wouldn't be able to take too much more of the Cruciatus Curse. What would it like to be insane? Harry wondered. To be like Neville's parents? Or maybe I'll get lucky and die.

"One more time, Potter. What is the Prophecy?" Voldemort asked, clearly annoyed. "Don't make me kill you."

"And if you do," Harry finally mumbled out, "then the Prophecy goes to the grave with me. Just like whatever secret the Carrigans knew."

"How do you know about that?" Voldemort asked waspishly.

"I've watched enough of your going on's to know all about you," Harry replied, drawing strength from Voldemort's apparent unease.

"I see," Voldemort whispered. "But I don't believe you. At the very least, your whore knows along with those friends of yours. If you call them friends, the way they've reacted to your disappearance is quite pathetic."

"Those were just nightmares," Harry responded softly. "You were just screwing with my mind," he finished lamely.

"Was I, Potter?" Voldemort asked with a laugh. "How can you be so sure?"

How can I be sure? Harry asked himself. Some of those dreams had to be real, but they were too varied for them all to be true. The only question was which ones?

"What is the Prophecy?"

"I won't tell you," Harry responded calmly and without emotion.

"Don't make me give the orders to attack that Mudblood's house and capture your whore," Voldemort threatened. Harry blanched, and Voldemort knew he had hit a nerve. "You don't want me to ask her?"

"I want you to leave her out of this," Harry spat at him. "This has nothing to do with her. This is just about you and me."

"Really," Voldemort mused out loud. "And how can you be so sure?"

Harry stared Voldemort in the eyes, not afraid that the monster could read his thoughts. Voldemort had been in and out of his mind. He had left no stone unturned in his search for the Prophecy. But it wasn't there to find. Harry had hid it too well to be found, even by himself.

"You didn't, Potter?" Voldemort screamed in fury. "You hid it from yourself! Crucio!" Harry fell flat on his face once more. This time he just screamed, unable to form intelligent words. His nerves were tearing apart. His cells were coming loose from one another. He was falling apart. His mind was breaking. Soon he'd be good only for the Closed Ward at St. Mungo's. Nothing more than that. If Voldemort didn't lift the curse soon...

But he did lift the curse. Harry turned over to empty his stomach of its contents. One more time under that curse and he would crack. Harry knew that. Voldemort knew that. The older Death Eaters knew that. Just once more and Harry's mind would unravel.

"No one is to use the Cruciatus on the boy!" Voldemort commanded his servants. "I want to be the one to finally break his mind! It will not be pleasant if you push him over the edge. Now, Bella, Draco, and Wormtail come forward." The four in question stepped out of the mass of Death Eaters and went to their knees. Crawling to kiss the hems of his robs, they each muttered, 'Yes, my Lord.'

"I want you to go to the mudblood, Nymphadora Tonks' house and raze it," Voldemort instructed them. Harry felt the pit of his stomach drop out. "I want you to capture Ginevra Weasley, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Tonks if they are there. Make sure Ginevra is there and you bring her back alive. If you fail me..." Voldemort let the threat hang in the air for a few moments. "Go, all of you! And someone take Potter back to his cell."