Stormseeker: Borrowed Destiny

The last full moon of the school year is in late May. I'll be glad to be able to spend the next couple ones safely away from Hogwarts. I've made the excuse of keeping Professor Lupin company in order to excuse my absenses, but I won't have that excuse next year. Nobody outside of the circle yet suspects me of being a werewolf.

The day following the last night of transformation, we lounge around resting, sleeping, regaining our strength well into the evening. There's a heat wave going on at the moment that's left the three of us panting as canines even at night. It's raining when we finally wake, and I hope that it might cool things down a bit. Still, we're not too eager to head back to the castle in the rain, so we wait around a bit longer, but it shows no signs of abating. We finally head out to try and get back in before dark.

As we emerge from the tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow, I feel a bone-numbing, unnatural cold. A flash of lightning silhouettes shadowy figures approaching us in the darkness of the storm.

"Shit," I murmur. "Dementors."

"They're blocking the way back," Sirius says.

"Expecto Patronum!" Moony casts. A silvery wolf springs forth from his wand to stand between us and the Dementors, but there's too many of them. "Run!"

Sirius doesn't need to be told twice. I grab Moony's sleeve and turn to flee toward the Forbidden Forest. There must be at least a hundred Dementors chasing after us.

"Damn it, what are they doing back on the school grounds?" I say. "After the Quidditch debacle and that crazy inspection, I wouldn't expect Dumbledore to let them get close again!"

"I don't know, but they seem to be hungry," Sirius says. "They've been denied their meal for too long."

They're still after us, despite Moony's attempts to ward them off with his Patronus. There's no hope of losing them in the Forbidden Forest. And with the rain and darkness, we can hardly see where we're going as it is.

"Can we circle around back to the gates?" I ask.

"Too many of them..." Moony says. "We're surrounded."

"Look," Sirius says. "It's me they're after. The two of you can escape if I give myself over to them..."

"No fucking way," I say.

"I'll echo Harry's sentiment in a less vulgar manner," Moony says. "Besides, with them in this sort of state, I have to doubt that they'd stop with you, anyway."

"Eexpecto Patronum!" I cast, trying to focus on the taste of pancakes. But it's no use. The shimmering wisp of light that comes forth wouldn't hold anything off for a second.

"Merlin, they're everywhere," Sirius breathes.

I trip over something, slipping in the mud, and go tumbling down into the dark. "Gah!" I cry out. The Dementors will be on me in a moment, I'm sure of it. But I didn't land on the ground, but under it.

"Harry!" Moony calls. "Where are you?"

"Down here!" I reply.

Sirius and Moony slide down as well. "Looks like a cave or something," Sirius says.

We move back further in, with the Patronus wolf guarding us as best as it can. At least it seems to be a little easier with a choke point, so that we're not just out in the open and surrounded on all sides. Unfortunately, that's where our luck runs out, as the tunnel doesn't go very far before ending in a cave-in.

"Dead end," I say, sighing. "Shit."

I turn around to look at the way we came in. The silvery wolf Patronus is snarling at the Dementors, who don't dare approach too closely, but neither can we manage any headway against that many. At least we're out of the rain in here, for whatever small consolation that gives considering that we're still soaking wet.

"Is there any other way out of here?" I say. "Can you guys Apparate from here?"

Moony shakes his head. "We're still within the Hogwarts wards, unfortunately. I'd been hoping we could get far enough away, but no such luck."

"Portkey?" I ask.

"Only the Headmaster can make portkeys to and from Hogwarts," Moony replies.

I sigh. "If we're well and truly trapped, I could just kill us with an overpowered Lightning Curse and go back to warn us."

"I don't know that it would help, though," Sirius says. "They were on us the moment we stepped out of the passageway. I think they must have just been waiting for us."

"Do Dementors do that sort of thing?" I wonder.

"Damned if I know what goes on under those hoods of theirs," Sirius says.

The Dementors peer at us with their lifeless faces from the end of the tunnel. I'm glad that Moony's Patronus is holding the better part of their aura at bay, but how long can he keep it up?

"I'd use my Patronus to send a message back to the teachers to come and rescue us," Moony says. "But that would leave us undefended."

"Maybe one of us can manage to cast it..." I say.

"I don't know if there's much hope of me pulling it off," Sirius says. "Not after Azkaban. It's hard to remember any happy memories..."

I hug him. "Sirius, damn it, if we get out of this alive, I'll give you all the happy memories you could ever hope for."

"Well, for your sake, I'll give it a shot," Sirius says, pulling out a wand. "Expecto Patronum!" Silvery vapor emerges from his wand, but nothing more.

I pull a bit of chocolate out of my bag, take a bite of it, and pass the rest over to Sirius. "Have some," I say.

Sirius takes a bite of the chocolate, and then tries again. "Expecto Patronum!" The spell comes out a bit stronger this time, but still doesn't coalesce into a corporeal Patronus.

"You can do it, Padfoot," I say. "We'll get out of this. We're going to spend the summer together. And everything will be safe, and happy, and peaceful..."

"Expecto Patronum!" Sirius casts, causing more swirling silver tendrils to drift out of his wand. "Expecto Patronum! Expecto Patronum!"

"Please, do it for me," I say with a wavering voice, staring at him, heart pounding. "I love you, Padfoot."

"Expecto Patronum!" Sirius says, and this time, a dog made of shining moonlight leaps from the tip of his wand. He turns to face me in surprise. "What the hell was that?"

"A confession, I think," I say sheepishly.

"I'm sure he meant as a godfather, or friend, or something," Moony reasons.

"Not exactly..." I say, shifting a little.

Sirius grunts. "Right now, I don't care. If you don't mean it, please wait until we're safely inside the castle to tell me so."

"I meant it," I say quietly.

"I'm not going to think too hard on this at the moment," Sirius says, turning to his dog Patronus. "Go find Albus Dumbledore. Tell him we're trapped by Dementors in the Forbidden Forest."

The silvery dog nods, and vanishes straight through solid rock and dirt. I put my hand on Sirius's shoulder reassuringly.

"Well, we've both cast the charm now," Sirius says. "When's yours coming up?" He gives me a grin.

"Expecto Patronum," I cast, thinking about Sirius. The bright field that erupts from my wand causes the Dementors a moment of pause, but nothing more. I shake my head with a sigh. "Maybe I just can't actually cast this spell at all..."

"Don't think like that, Stormseeker," Sirius says. "Don't give up. Isn't that what you always say? It's not like you to give up."

"Blame the Dementors," I say, grabbing another bit of chocolate from my bag and taking a bite.

We're left waiting for Sirius' Patronus to return for quite some time, probably because it had to get past the Dementors and back to the castle, I suppose. Do Patronuses (or would it be Patroni?) traverse the intervening space when they go to give a message to someone? I'd think that would make it awfully obvious that someone is sending a message, and who and to whom it was being sent, and I've never actually spotted one doing so.

The shimmering dog finally returns, and Sirius' shoulders slump dejectedly. "Couldn't reach Dumbledore," Sirius say. "Looks like he's already asleep."

"Try someone else," I say. "McGonagall, maybe?"

"Alright," Sirius says. He tells the Patronus, "Take a message to Minerva McGonagall that we're trapped in the Forbidden Forest surrounded by Dementors."

The dog Patronus nods, and then zips away again.

I glance over to Moony, who is nibbling on a bit of chocolate himself. "How are you holding up?" I ask.

"I'm alright," Moony says. "I can't keep this up forever, but I'll hold the line as long as I have to if it'll keep you and Padfoot safe."

The storm continues to pour down outside. I can hear it pounding against the ground, and the thunder rumbling overhead. "Is there anything but the Patronus Charm that would be effective against Dementors?" I ask.

"Doubtful," Moony says. "And they're immortal; even the Patronus Charm can't actually kill them."

That would seem to imply that they're not even actually alive to begin with. They're some sort of spirits, manifestations of emotions? I don't know.

Sirius' Patronus eventually returns with another failure. "I can't reach McGonagall either," Sirius says. "Damn it!"

"Try someone else!" I say. "Snape! Anyone!"

"You have got to be kidding me," Sirius says. "Ask for help from Snivellus?"

"He might actually still be awake!" I say. "He's kind of like a bat, you know?"

Sirius snorts softly. "And do you really think that he'd come and help us?"

"Just tell him that I'm here," I say. "I'm sure he will. It's worth a try, isn't it?"

Sirius sighs. "Fine, you have a point, I suppose." He turns to the Patronus and says, "Go find Severus Snape. Tell him, I'd never expect to be asking you of all people for help, but Remus, Harry, and I are trapped in the Forbidden Forest and surrounded by Dementors. Please. Help."

The dog Patronus leaves one more time. I sit down in the dirt, shivering a little. Am I cold because I'm still wet, or because of the Dementors nearby? Or both? I've never felt so trapped and hopeless before. Usually when I'm about to die, I'm dead in pretty short order. But here I'm left with nothing but time to think about my impending doom, and the Dementors nearby to make certain that's what's on my mind.

Sirius puts a firm hand on my shoulder. "Buck up, Stormseeker," he says. "We'll get out of here. I won't let it end here. Not a chance in hell."

I grin at him. I wave my wand and say, "Expecto Patronum." Still no real success. "Maybe it's because I'm a dark wizard... can dark wizards even cast this sort of light magic?"

"Not generally, no," Sirius says.

"I always figured it was just because they weren't very happy people," I say. "Or that their happiest memories were horrible, sadistic things, or something."

"You've always been better at curses than charms, though," Moony says.

"Snape can cast it, though..." I say.

"Well, Snivellus is just a bit of an oddball," Sirius says.

After a while, the dog returns one last time, along with a doe, who says in Snape's voice, "I am on my way. Stay put." The doe vanishes again.

I breathe a sigh of relief. "Thank fuck, he's coming," I say.

"I don't know how grateful I should really be," Sirius says. "But I won't look a gift bat in the mouth."

His dog Patronus goes to stand by Moony's wolf to keep watch and hold the Dementors off. The wolf looks relieved to have the assistance. I don't know how a translucent spirit animal thing can look tired and weary, but Moony's Patronus certainly seems like it by this point. Neither of them seems particularly strong, really. I wish Moony and Padfoot could be happier. I hope Snape brings some help. I don't know that he'll be able to get through all these Dementors by himself.

The storm continues on unabated. How long can it go on? I try several more times to cast the Patronus Charm in the intervening period, still without success. I'm out of chocolate now, and the presence of the Dementors is starting to wear me down despite the protection of the luminous spirit animals. There's no way we'll be saved. I should just give up now.

And then the darkness parts. The Dementors back away, and a beautiful silvery bird flies in, sending them scattering. That's Dumbledore's Patronus! I'm not sure what kind of bird it is. Maybe a phoenix?

"He brought Dumbledore!" Sirius says.

A translucent cat jumps down into the cave as well, and Moony adds, "And McGonagall."

Finally, Snape's doe appears, and the three teachers climb down into the tunnel and approach us. "So you are here after all, Sirius Black," Snape says. "Believe me, I came here for the sake of Lily's son, not for you."

"I think, whatever might be said of Sirius, he's obviously not trying to kill Harry," McGonagall says.

"I'd never harm one hair on his head," Sirius says.

"Sirius didn't betray the Potters," I say. "Peter was their Secret-Keeper. Didn't Dumbledore tell you that already?"

"No, he did not," McGonagall says, glancing aside to Dumbledore.

"I don't believe that this is the time or place for this discussion," Dumbledore says. "Come, let's get you boys to safety."

As we head out of the cave and back toward the castle, I ask, "What's gotten the Dementors so riled up, anyway?" The Dementors are finally being driven back before us, and the horde is dispersing.

"I believe it's because they were promised Sirius Black," Dumbledore says. "Rightly or wrongly, they believe he's theirs. And they're tired of waiting."

"Tell me more about who really betrayed the Potters," Snape says. "How did you learn this?"

"And why did you not tell us, Albus?" McGonagall says. "I spent the entire year worrying about the safety of my students!"

"Under the circumstances, I did not believe it prudent," Dumbledore says.

"Prudent?" McGonagall says. "How can believing an innocent man is a threat to my student be prudent?"

"They changed their Secret-Keeper over to Peter Pettigrew at the last minute and didn't tell anyone," I explain. "Peter then faked his own death and framed Sirius for it."

"Let me guess," Snape says. "You didn't believe it was prudent because Black found Pettigrew and actually committed the murder he was imprisoned for anyway?" He glances back at us. "Right, the looks on your faces say all that need be said on that."

"Albus, is this true?" McGonagall says.

Dumbledore sighs. "It's true."

"The dirty traitor had it coming," Sirius says. "He's the reason James and Lily are dead! He was a spy for over a year before then and we had no idea!"

"I see why you did not wish this to get out, Albus," McGonagall mutters. "But I still wish you would have told us."

"Indeed," Snape agrees. "I find no fault in his actions."

"Wait, did Snivellus actually give me a compliment?" Sirius says. "Of a sort, anyway?"

Snape rolls his eyes. "I do so wish that you would desist in calling me by that childish name," Snape says. "And that was not a compliment, merely an observation."

"Sirius," I say. "He just saved our tails. I don't think that's too much to ask for."

"Damn it, Harry, why do you always have a point?" Sirius says, snorting softly. "First you want me to be nice to house-elves, and now to Sni-- uh, Severus?"

I grin at him. "Yep."

"What am I going to do with you?" Sirius says, chuckling and sighing.

By the time we get out of the Forbidden Forest, the sun is rising, and the storm has tapered off. I look across to the lake, where a vibrant rainbow hangs in the sky above the water. The storm has ended. The danger has passed. My friends are safe. For one fleeting moment that feels like forever, I am calmer and happier than I have ever been.

I realize, for all the fear, despair, and darkness that may shadow my life, things will work out in the end, one way or another. All things shall pass, in time. Life may not always be perfect, but perhaps it is its flaws that give it meaning. Like this glorious shimmering rainbow over the lake, it could not have come to pass if it weren't for the storm.

It's the most beautiful sight I have ever seen.

"So, about what you said to me back in the cave..." Sirius says to me quietly.

"I still mean it," I say.

"Yeah..." Sirius says. "Yeah... How about we talk about this again in, say, five years or so..."

I laugh aloud. "It doesn't matter," I say. "Right now, I'm happy with what I have."

Exams are upon us, and I think I'm going fairly well in most of my classes, except Potions, which I'm still barely scraping by in, and History of Magic and Astronomy, which I just plain don't really care about.

And then there's the final meeting of the Dueling Club. The Fire Guardians are in the lead by only a few points, with Storm Army just behind them. The Owl Order is third by a significant margin, and the Fluffy Bunny Legion is in last place, although they don't seem to care all that much.

"It seems to me that my Owl Order isn't going to win this one," Marcus Belby says. "But we've learned a lot, and we've given a good fight. I think, however, it's time to join our forces. I hereby join Storm Army."

With the addition of the Owl Order's points, Storm Army leaps into the front. The former members of the Owl Order come over to gather on our side of the hall.

"Well, I'm not going to stand for that," Lavender says. "The Fluffy Bunny Legion won't back down in the face of adversity! I hereby join the Fire Guardians!"

They go over to gather opposite of us as the Fire Guardians' score shoots up to compensate. Now, the Fire Guardians are behind by only a small margin.

"There's only one way to settle this, you know," I say.

"Yes," Ginny replies. "All of us against all of you."

"Ah, open warfare it is, then," Snape drawls, moving out of the way to stand at the side of the room.

"Let's end this in one final battle," I say. "Winner take all."

"Winner take all!" Ginny agrees.

"Protego!" I cast, a shimmering shield appearing in front of me. And so the battle begins.

Spells fly wildly about the room. I've been drilling Storm Army in Shield Charms, so many of us can cast it by now, limiting our casualties a bit. But the Fire Guardians haven't been slacking either.

Combatants fall one by one to Stunning Spells. Some of those hit with Disarming Charms decide to surrender and stand off with Snape to wait out the battle, but others refuse to give up and keep fighting, grabbing the wands of the fallen, scrambling for their own wands, or physically attacking their opponents.

In the end, there's only three on each side left standing to face off against one another. For Storm Army, there's me, Draco, and Neville. Our enemies are Ginny, Ron, and Lavender.

"So, it comes down to us," Ron says. "But the cause of right will win out in the end!"

"For truth and justice!" Ginny exclaims.

"For Binky!" Lavender cries.

I don't bother replying to their taunts or shouting any battlecries. I keep my shield up and have spells prepared. I block their attacks easily, and get past their shields by freezing the floor beneath their feet, causing them to slip and fall.

Ron and Lavender are stunned, and Ginny lays sprawling on the floor, having lost her wand. It would seem that we have won. But that's not good enough for me. I hold up my hand to Draco and Neville, and go over to pick up Ginny's wand.

"Not everything is black and white," I say, handing back her wand. "And the line between good and evil isn't always easy to see. Our friends have fought well, but we always knew it would come down to us. Why don't we end this in an honorable duel, one on one?"

"Agreed," Ginny says, taking her wand back.

After all of the students are Rennervated, Ginny and I face off against one another on the stage. She's good, I can certainly appreciate that. She fits like a vixen, a spitfire, a kitten from hell. It wouldn't do to underestimate her. I'm not ashamed to lose to a second year girl.

"Flipendo! Petrificus Totalus! Stupefy!" I open up with a string of spells.

"Protego!" Ginny casts, my attacks dissipating against her shield. I'm impressed, she can cast a pretty good Shield Charm. Did Moony teach that to the second years too, or did she learn it from Ron, or even pick it up on her own?

Ginny fights fiercely, and she's quicker than me, too. And then, she nails me with one lucky curse, and I'm out.

"Rennervate," Snape casts, and I climb to my feet again. "And the winner of this duel is Ginny Weasley."

I bow deeply to Ginny. "Well done."

"You... fought well too," Ginny says a little sheepishly.

In the end, Snape decides to award the trophy of Intermediate Dueling Club Champion to Ginny Weasley, but the trophy for the group combat to Storm Army. I can live with that.

"Hah!" Ron says. "You're not so great after all, are you, Stormseeker?"

"Oh, go soak your head, Weasel," Draco says.

Once again, Slytherin has won the House Cup. I cheerfully go over to celebrate with them. After all, I contributed to their victory as well, by losing points at every opportunity. I'm starting to think that Gryffindor really hates me now. No, wait, I knew they really hated me years ago.

"So, Flint, did you actually manage to do better on your NEWTs this time?" Gemma asks.

"Naturally!" Flint replies. "And I've even managed to grow a beard! Do I look dignified yet?"

"You look like a werewolf," Gemma says. She grins at him crookedly, and then goes to kiss him anyway.

I laugh aloud, and applaud.

"So, when's the wedding?" Draco asks with a smirk.

With everything else out of the way, we go outside to relax in the sun on the final day before leaving Hogwarts for the summer. It's a beautiful summer day, without a cloud in the sky. We've even dared to bring Padfoot out of the dorm to play around in the grass by the lake for a bit.

And then it gets dark, like storm clouds suddenly came out of nowhere and covered the sun, and a chill wind blows past.

"Who put out the sun?" Draco wonders, peering up at the sky.

"Shit," I murmur. "Dementors!" I put my right hand on Padfoot's back and pull out my wand in my left.

There's a lot of them, a black cloud of abominations with fluttering capes, bringing with them a horrible sense of dread and despair. Sirius could cast his Patronus, maybe, but someone might see him, and I'm not sure if it would be strong enough to ward them all off. My friends are in danger. Everyone here is in danger. They're frozen in terror, rooted to the spot and unable to move.

I've had enough of this. These horrible, soul-sucking monstrosities have threatened me and my friends for long enough. I steel myself against them and hold my ground. What makes my life more important than that of my friends? Just because they aren't time travelers doesn't mean that they deserve to lose their souls, too!

I think of the taste of pancakes. The hope to save people and make a better future. "Expecto Patronum!" I cast. A shimmering silvery shield surrounds my friends and holds off the Dementors for the moment.

That's not enough. That's not a good enough memory. No, I think I know what memory I need to use. I bring to mind the sun rising above the castle after a long, terrible night. The rainbow in the sky over the Black Lake after the storm. Through shadows and storms we will perservere, and emerge only stronger for it. All things will pass in time. No strife will last forever. The storm will bring a rainbow, in the end.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" I scream.

A shimmering, silvery winged creature bursts from the end of my wand and flies fiercely toward the storm of Dementors. A bird made of moonlight, viciously attacking the monsters and driving them off. It's a beautiful, glorious sight. The Dementors back away, and finally scatter upon the winds like black leaves.

"That was awesome," Neville says.

"Stormseeker," Draco says. "Not to complain or anything, but... your Patronus is a duck."

I laugh softly and take a closer look at the fierce bird that's standing before us, glaring around to make sure no more Dementors come close. "So it is," I say with a grin.

Padfoot barks happily and wags his tail, panting enthusiastically, as if to congratulate me on finally casting the spell. Four years. It took me four years to succeed at that. But I never really gave up. And it paid off in the end.

Moony and McGonagall are approaching us quickly. "We saw the Dementors," McGonagall says. "Are you students alright?" She peers at the duck. "Whose Patronus is that?"

"Harry's," Neville says.

I beam brightly at Moony and go over to hug him. "I got it, Moony," I say. "I finally did it!"

"Well done, Harry," Moony says. "Well done indeed."

I think... everything is going to be alright.