Harry Potter and the Wizard Slayer

"Oh, Harry..." Ginny looked as startled as Hermione. "You're awake."

I couldn't remember ever being in that place before. It seemed like a fairly nice hotel. Green, smooth carpet. An open window and a walk-in closet. Typical hotel room. But... why was I there?

I growled with anger as my memory resurfaced. Yes, I was awake. And yes, I knew where Severus Snape was. The message was clear.

"Harry, please don't go after Snape. You haven't the faintest idea of where he could be."

"I know where he is." I glared at Hermione and she immediately glowered. "You know nothing," I hissed.

"Do what you wish, then. You're good at getting yourself nearly killed, you know that?"

"You don't understand. He left me a message."

Hermione leaned back against a painted blue wall with her arms folded across her chest. "Is that so?"

"The memory of my father dying. Except it wasn't my memory... it belonged to the Dark Lord."

"You call him the Dark Lord. Do you worship him now?" She peered at me with pity. Yet even with her menacing looks, she was still quite pretty. I hadn't noticed her robes before. They were black like mine. All wizards wore black robes. I knew that. How does anyone tell us apart?

"Dark Lord. Voldemort. Whatever. It wasn't mine." Why was her complexion so perfect? Mine was terrible. I didn't even want to think about it.

"What do you want me to say, Harry?" Hermione chuckled, reminiscing old times. "You've known for years that your scar connects you to him. This isn't anything new."

"Sensitive as ever, aren't you? Yeah, back then, people used to have an obsession with my scar. Now it's old news." I laughed. "You're right. It is funny. There's nobody left that cares." Dumbledore and Sirius always wanted to know. But even with them, it became old, tired news.

"Oh, perhaps we should pity you. Is that what you want?"

"No." She always knew exactly what to say in order to piss me off. I hated Hermione. Perhaps it was because she hated me just as much... or maybe it was because she knew me better than I did myself.

"Well - I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got to meet with Dumbledore. We're going to America- oh, and you're still invited if you ever decide to come to your senses." She looked smug and superior. I had no doubt that she prided herself in defying me.

"Dumbledore?" And with a pop she disappeared. Whatever. It wasn't like I cared. Dumbledore died a long time ago.

"I suppose you need to be going, too, Ginny."

"Please come with us, Harry. I promise you won't regret it." She looked so innocent when she pleaded with me. It took me a long time to become resistant to such lies. She could almost make me feel like we cared about each other. Only when I stopped to think about it.... I didn't even know if I could love anymore.

"I'm sorry, but I'm a busy person. Wizards to kill. You know."

Ginny, Ginny, Ginny. Traditional robes. Black. Why are we wizards so generic?

"You're such a prat! Killing Snape's not going to do anything! As long as Voldemort lives, you will never kill all the Death Eaters." And she looked cute when she was angry. But that's all she had. She wasn't very well endowed. Dependent and needy. That's how I remember her.

"His time will come."

"Not anytime soon, it won't." Ginny gazed at me with a longing look. "It's been fifteen years, Harry. When will his time come?"

"Ginny... I-"

"When, Harry? When will his time come?"

"Soon."

"Fifteen years too late, Harry. How many people are you going to let die before you do something about it?" Ginny glared at me with such hostility. How dare she speak to me like this! But, God, she was right. Hermione was right. They were both right. But I just didn't have it in me to accept it. I was too engulfed with insanity.

"I've let no one die, Ginny Weasley. They die by themselves. I am not their saviour. I am not an angel; I am a wizard slayer."

"You are not a wizard slayer!" Ginny looked angrier than I'd ever seen her. "You are not the Wizard Slayer. You are not beyond us. You are Harry Potter, the Chosen One." I smirked. The Chosen One. I had not been called that in a long time. "But don't let it get to your head. You can still die. You're mortal just like the rest of us!"

"I cannot die."

"You can die, Harry. And I don't want you to die." Her eyes... bright brown and full of tragedy. They were the only truly beautiful thing about her. Ginny Weasley. After Voldemort rose from his grave... the thing that changed about her-

"I won't die, so don't worry about it. Everything's going to be fine." What was I doing? Was I attempting to comfort her? Surely not something the angsty Harry Potter would do. No, no...

"Nothing is ever going to be alright as long as Voldemort is alive." She sighed and walked over to the window. She looked so empty when she stared into the sky. Her red hair flared with sadness; each strand smoothly flowed gently behind her.

"He will fall by my hand. Make no mistake."

"How can he fall if you get yourself killed?" She did not look at me when she said this. She continued to look out the window.

"I will not die."

"You say that... but how many people do you think said that in the face of evil? And look where we are now. Almost everyone is gone. While there were once millions upon millions of wizards in the world, where are they now? Where are those who said they would not die? They are dead, Harry. There's probably less than a million of us left."

"The difference is that I'm still here. And he'll never be rid of me. Now, excuse me, but I have a date."

"Where are you going?"

"To see the Seer. And then to kill Snape."

"Who is the Seer, Harry?" She looked at me for the first time since she walked to the window. I could feel her pressuring stare upon my soul.

"It's none of your concern. Just an old friend." And at that moment, I finally realized that I had never actually gotten out of bed. I had been absorbed in my conversations with Ginny and Hermione. I was only wearing my boxers.

"Well, don't let me stop you. Go ahead." And then she giggled. "Sorry. I haven't seen you blush in a while. Don't worry; we only wanted to make you comfortable."

"I really don't care." I got out of bed, muttering a few words. Instantaneously, my robes wrapped themselves loosely around my body. "You've had your laughs. Go join your little friend now and pretend to keep making a difference, okay?"

"Oh, don't get mad, Harry. I didn't mean any harm. I just want to know who this Seer is."

I looked at her with curiosity. "Why do you care? It doesn't matter, anyways. The only thing that does matter is that she is a Seer."

"Has she been feeding you prophecies?"

"No. She doesn't tell me much at all. I like her better than Trelawney, though."

"I don't know many people that actually did like Professor Trelawney."

I grinned. I was actually having a pleasant conversation with someone. It was strange. Most of them were more like the ones I had with Hermione. I didn't know why she treated me so well or why I didn't ignore her.

"So, I guess you're not going to tell me anything about this Seer friend of yours. How about Snape? I wonder why you're so fixated on him, Harry. Is it because of Neville?"

I gave her a questionable look. "Why would I care about that moron?"

"Maybe because we haven't heard from Snape ever since then? Why do you think Snape had anything to do with the destruction of Hogwarts? A rumor. And guess who is in the rumor business, Harry."

"I know where he is. They left me a clue."

"Uh-huh." She didn't trust me. No one did. I was just a dark wizard. Who would trust me? On the other hand, she didn't trust the Voldemort's minions either.

"So where do you think our good old friend Snape is hiding, Harry? You seem to have all the answers today."

"Take a wild guess. When's the last time you heard of me falling hundreds of feet?"

"Quidditch."

"Quick thinker, aren't you? Perhaps cleverer than Hermione." I chuckled. No, Ginny was not anywhere near Hermione's level. But it was fun to flatter her.

"Doubt it." She then walked towards me and put her hand on my shoulder. "It could be a trap, you know."

I looked carefully at her. She had become cynical. Although I could hardly blame her. Who hadn't? "Every Death Eater is a trap, Ginny."

"What if there are too many for you to fight off?"

I laughed. Foolish girl. "There will be far more than I can kill. And not just Death Eaters. I suspect that many of the Dark Lord's minions will be waiting. I am, of course, travelling to one of his greatest strongholds."

"But why?"

"The infidel Severus Snape left me a present. I must return the favor. It is only customary, Ginny Weasley. I do not fear the Dark Lord's minions. They cannot kill me."

"Why do you keep saying that? Yes, they can! Stop running in head first and think about things for a moment. Are you trying to get yourself bloody killed? Is that it?" She frowned. So cute when she frowned. I could hardly take her seriously.

I relaxed and replied to her after waiting several seconds. "I cannot trust you with my secrets, Ginny. But I will tell you that Voldemort is not the only one capable of surviving Avada Kedavra."

She looked at me strangely then. As if she didn't know me. Yes, here I was, a semi-immortal being standing before her. Yes, it was true that I could still die. But not by normal means.

"Harry... are you still... even human?"

"Magic does not steal our humanity. My soul is still intact. Which is much more than I can say for the Dark Lord. His soul has been ripped and shredded into pieces. Yes, Ginny, I still have a soul. I am human."

For reasons that I did not know, she suddenly hugged me. "Harry, I still believe you're human. Please, stop acting so unreasonable. Come to America."

"Do not make me repeat myself."

"If you won't listen to reason, then let me come with you."

"Too dangerous. You'd get in the way."

She turned around angrily. I suspected she'd contradict me at this point. But she didn't. "Then promise me that you'll come after you kill him."

"I don't kno-"

"Just promise me! Please. Just hear us out. We have a plan. We can kill him with your help."

"Fine."

"Do you mean it?"

"Yes, I mean it. Alright? I'll hear your damn plan out. Now let me go." I hated it. I hated being touched. Human touch felt like a burning sensation. It made me strangely uncomfortable.

I don't think she realized that she had been holding onto me for so long. She let go with a blush. Foolish girl. It was time. Time to go.

"Good luck, Harry."

"Wait. Before you go, tell me, how are you travelling?"

"Boat."

"Why?"

"Oh, Harry, are you so secluded in Europe that you've forgotten? You cannot apparate across an entire ocean! Even if you could, you couldn't apparate to America. The borders to both continents are sealed off. The only way in is through the ports."

"You sound like Hermione. So annoying."

Pop. She disappeared. I think she was a bit hurt. What was she expecting? I'm not her friend, after all. But now it was time for me to go. Severus Snape's deathday was soon to come.

And with that, I disappeared with a pop as well.

I hate the feeling of apparition. It's... unpleasant to say the least.

Ginny Weasley. About her. She had a crush on me in my second year. Eventually, once she stopped acting like a kid, the situation turned around.

I do not love. I stopped loving a long time ago.

This is the part of the story that everyone enjoys. Will I fall in love with Miss Ginny Weasley? Everyone loves a good romance... but can I love? Am I even capable?

Dumbledore once told me that my greatest strength was love. And he was right. Love saved my life twice. What they don't tell you, though, is that it also killed two people. Where was love when Dumbledore and my mother died? And how many more people will die in the name of love before people start realizing that it is not a strength? It is a curse.

The world began rushing back to me. In a blur, the darkness disappeared and light entwined into my senses. I had returned to the physical world. Haven't you ever wondered where one goes when he apparates? Most wizards don't. I did. There is a void in the world. This will become important later in the story. Don't forget it. The void is everything and nothing at the same time. You'll understand.

"It's dangerous to let just anyone come into your home, Seer." It was pitch black. I could not see her and she could not see me. But we knew.

"I knew you would come."

"Of course you did. You're a regular psychic, just like your sister. A bit better at the art, though, aren't you? Since you're so clever, perhaps you could tell me how this war will end?"

Or maybe the war against evil would never end.

"The future is not a book to be read, Harry Potter. Surely you know this?"

Maybe it is a play that we must act out.

"I've heard this before. Yes, the future is an unwritten book that you can somehow catch glimpses of with these so called prophecies. You know what I think, though? I think that we make prophecies come true. Self-fulfilled. Which means that you pretty much control the destinies of anyone that is dumb enough to listen."

"You don't understand anything at all. But you will."

As if I hadn't heard that enough times.

"Cryptic, too. You think you're being clever. But you can't tell me anything."

"I can tell you what your choices will be. But what you seek I cannot. Beyond our choices, the future is unwritten."

"And what is my choice?"

"It is a circle."

I didn't understand at the time. But I knew that what she was saying was significant. Seers are always saying important things.

"I don't understand."

"You will understand when the time comes. You have a gift, Harry Potter. Don't forget that."

Dumbledore said that to me, too. He was talking about love. The same gift that killed my mother. And the same gift that would eventually kill Dumbledore.

"Do me a favor and stop being so useless. What is my gift, Seer? And please keep in mind, I'm losing my patience."

"The scar is your gift."

"This scar? Bloody hell of a gift. It killed my mother, you know."

My father died first. He was going to spare my mother. But she sacrificed herself.

"It was never for you."

"I guess it would kill you to give me an answer that I can understand."

At the time, I didn't understand. But I think what she meant was that my scar was not a gift for me, but for someone else. But how would that have even been possible if the entire thing was an accident in the first place?

But on the other hand, it wasn't really an accident. Voldemort was trying to fulfill a prophecy. He knew what he was getting into.

"Not in the near future."

"Clever girl. Tell me something..."

"Yes?"

"Does this - being a wizard slayer - can I still... do I even have the ability to-"

"Love."

"Maybe that was what I was going to say. Or maybe I was going to say something else. Choices, you know? You couldn't see my choice."

I hated fate. I didn't believe in it. The reason that I was the only one who could kill Voldemort was because I was the only one willing to take the steps necessary to do it. I knew. Wormtail got away because I let him. It had nothing to do with the prophecy Trelawney gave me. The Dark Lord was born again because of me. It was not destiny or fate. It was my failure that resulted in her prophecies coming true.

"I already knew your choices."

"If you already knew, then what choice did I have? None at all. It's a paradox."

"Everyone has a number of choices. Some are more likely than others. I know who you are. You are predictable, Harry Potter. More complicated choices are in your future. Those will not be as easily predictable."

"You still haven't answered my first question."

"You will know when you understand your gift."

"What does that mean?"

"It is something that only you can answer."

"Why? Why can't you tell me anything?"

"I am not a prophet."

It was then that I learned that there was a difference. True prophets are unaware of the prophecies that they fortell. Seers are concious of their ability, but their knowledge of the future is quite limited.

"Very well, then. I might thank you in the future. I'm sure you already know that, of course. Or maybe I'll come back and tell you how the scar was a curse rather than a gift. Choices, choices. I'm so predictable. Which do you think it will be?"

"Perhaps you will not live to tell me. Just a prediction, Harry Potter."

"So is that what you See in my future?"

"Only a prediction."