Labyrinth of Illusion

Eight bodies were lying in the courtyard outside of Hogwarts' School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, still and silent. A fresh layer of snow lightly dusted them as large, fat flakes fell from the sky. A reddish tint spread through the snow as several of the bodies bled.

Sirius was the first one to raise his head. His breath ragged and uneven, a twisted grin on his face. "Wormtail..." He stood up slowly, looking around frantically. "Wormtail! I lost him!"

"He returned..." Sakura murmured. "To where he had been when he was brought into the Labyrinth. As we all were."

"*I had him*!" Sirius began to curse, punching the air.

Harry tried to answer, but it just came out a wet gurgle as more blood came up.

"Oh Merlin." Sirius helped his godson to his feet. "The Hospital Wing. Everyone."

"Ye better let me take Harry," Hagrid said to Sirius, picking up Harry. "Madame Pomfrey shouldn't see ye."

Snape pulled himself to his feet, brushing the snow off the tatters of his clothing. He looked around the ground, slowly walking away. After five paces, he broke into a run.

"Where's that Git taking off to?" Sirius asked. He shook his head, transforming into Padfoot.

Remus groaned as he leaned heavily against Sakura, who leaned back against him. "I think he has to get something from Diagon Alley."

****

As soon as he had crossed the border of Hogwarts grounds, Severus had apparated. The strain on his body was great as he teleported himself across Scotland all the way to London. In his weakened state, he felt like he might die. His lungs ached and his body felt like it would fall apart.

He apparated next to Gringotts. He looked around frantically, bellowing. "Gwendolyn!"

He scrambled around, weaving through the crowds of people who walked down the streets. "Gwendolyn!"

He heard the screams next to Ollivanders. Using the last of his strength, he dashed down the alley.

Several gawkers had been attracted to rantings. Severus pushed past them.

Huddled against the wall was Gwendolyn. She hugged her knees against her chest, banging her head against the wall.

He fell to his knees in front of her, his eyes wide as he looked over her.

Gwendolyn looked up at Severus. She blinked at him. "...Back from Hell?"

Severus nodded. "Back from Hell."

****

"I swear," Madame Pomfrey admonished as she tended to Harry, "One of these days you're not going to be so lucky and I'm going to have to do your autopsy!"

Harry winced as Madame Pomfrey bandaged his cheek. The bleeding had stopped and the red liquid had now dried, caking against his face. "I really hope you're wrong."

"All of you!" Madame Pomfrey glared at the six wizards. "You're all getting yourself into trouble! I'm surprised your dog survived!"

"I'm sure they have a very good explanation, Poppy," Dumbledore stepped into the room, looking over the beds. "They just need time to tell their story. Will you give me a moment with them?"

Madame Pomfrey looked incensed. "'They've been missing for a week and show up looking like they've been through Underworld, and you expect me to just leave them?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, I do. I'll only be a moment."

Giving a sniff, Madame Pomfrey bustled out.

"Dumbledore..." Remus sat up in his bed. "I thought you were..."

"I very nearly was, my boy. Fortunately, Yasha wasn't nearly as good a shot as she thought she was. She missed the heart."

"You know it was Yasha then." Ron looked up at Dumbledore. "How-"

"I had lost my faith in Gwendolyn being alive and well. I was able to surpass the Kitsune illusion. Unfortunately, Yasha realized this and tried to end my life."

Sakura shook her head sadly. "It wasn't her place to kill you. She wanted to leave it to Voldemort. But she needed... She needed to keep you out of the way. In case you came after us-- her." Slowly, she got out of bed. "Excuse me." Clutching her throat, she fled the room.

v Remus moved to follow her, but Dumbledore held a hand up. "No... Leave her."

"You said a week had gone by," Hermione rubbed her forehead. "It wasn't more than a day!"

"I believe time moved differently in the Labyrinth than in this dimension," Dumbledore walked to Hermione's bed. "We have been quite concerned about all of you. Miss Granger, your parents have been notified. So have yours, Mr. Weasley. I suspect they will be here any moment to lavish you in affection."

Sirius transformed back into human form. "I had him," his voice was still hoarse. "I had Wormtail in my hands, but..." he bowed his head.

"Another chance will come to bring Pettigrew's treachery to light. I have faith in that."

"We failed," Harry murmured, lying back against his pillow. "We were beat up and humiliated. And we didn't defeat Voldemort."

"Small victories, Mr. Potter. Yes, Voldemort still lives. But what condition is he in? Akkei was his most loyal supporter, and one of his most powerful. Without her, he is missing a key. And the Labyrinth-- Well, since you arrived, I have been getting reports from all over-- The creatures that disappeared have all returned to their sanctuaries. Aurors who were long thought dead have returned to their homes. Wizards who crossed Voldemort... All returned. Worse for wear, but still alive. At least a dozen. Liam Doyle, Dorothea Janes, Michael Harris..."

"Gwendolyn Maclay." Snape led Gwendolyn into the room. She kept her face hidden behind her hand, whimpering.

"Well, I'll be--" Dumbledore placed his hands on Gwendolyn's shoulders. She pulled back, hissing. "Small victories. Small victories..."

Harry stood on shaky legs. "Gwendolyn... Is alive... But Yasha said she was dead."

Snape looked to Harry, a flicker of emotion passing over his cold black eyes. "Death would be preferable to this."

****

"If you're not careful," Remus leaned against the wall as he walked slowly up the corridor, approaching Sakura, "Mr. Filch is going to catch you out here."

Sakura was leaning against the window, looking out to the night sky. "I'm a big girl. I think I can handle Argus Filch."

"You shouldn't be out of bed." Remus leaned on the window beside her. "Your throat nearly got torn out, along with your heart."

"You're one to talk," Sakura replied dully, turning to face Remus. "You got beat up yourself, and turned into the wolf. I'm surprised you can even walk."

"Why do you think I'm leaning?" Remus slid to the floor, groaning. "I feel terrible. But I doubt I feel as terrible as you do."

Sakura sunk to the floor next to Remus. "I nearly got all of you killed."

Remus draped an arm over Sakura's shoulders. "That was Yasha. You're as much a victim as the rest of us."

"I should have been stronger. I was coming to Hogwarts and Voldemort confronted me. I thought I was going to die-- But he just brought her out."

"And you fought against her." Remus gave Sakura a weak smile. "You saved Ron and Hermione's lives against the Oni Yasha sent. You never stopped trying to get control."

"Do you think Harry is going to be able to look at me again after what I did? What about Snape?"

Remus brought a hand to her face, caressing her cheek. "They know it wasn't you. They saw what Yasha was. They doesn't hold you responsible for her actions."

"Just like Snape doesn't hold you responsible for the trick Sirius pulled?"

Remus shook his head. "If you're holding out for approval from Severus Snape, you're going to be waiting an awful long time. I'd be more worried about Harry. And he doesn't *know* you."

"Does anyone?" She laughed.

"What do you mean?"

"Thirty-two years, Remus... That's how long Yasha was with me. I don't know how to be anything but a part of her. Tell me... What's worse? Being evil or nothing at all?"

Remus shook his head. "You're not evil and you're not nothing."

"What am I?" She asked, her voice barely a whispered.

"You're Sakura Tsukino. You just need to figure out what that means." Remus stood up.

"What about you?" Sakura raised an eyebrow.

He stared at her for a long time. He then began to walk away.

****

Severus sunk deeper into the chair in Dumbledore's office. "Are you sure?"

Dumbledore nodded slowly, sitting back down in his seat. He folding his hands on his desk, staring at Severus. It was rather unnerving to see the emotions welling within the usually stoic Potions Master. "With the amount of damage, both physical and mentalÉ I believe Gwendolyn must go to St. Mungo's."

Balling his fists, Severus tried to ignore the torrent of anger and frustration inside of him. "She doesn't belong there."

"She needs to place to heal. Gwendolyn has been through a great trauma. There is hope. With the time shift within the Labyrinth, she was only there for two years-- Maybe three. There is still a chance she could recover from this. With time, and counselling and proper care."

"I did this to her," Severus replied sharply. He gripped the arms of his chair tightly.

"Severus, I realize your feelings for Gwendolyn a great."

"This isn't about love," There was no malice in his voice, just plain fact. "Whatever I had with Gwendolyn... I don't feel the same way. This is about the fact she was put in the Labyrinth because of me."

"Is that a good enough reason? She is going to need constant attention. Can you commit to that?"

Severus' nails scratched into the wood of the chair's arms. "Can I really just send her to St. Mungo's?"

Dumbledore shook his head sadly, striding over to Severus. He placed a hand on Severus' shoulder. "Believe me, Severus. You will realize in the long run, this is for the best. With what is coming, I do not know how safe the school will be. Gwendolyn will be safe in St. Mungo's. She will begin to heal. Perhaps, eventually, she will return. You can't sign your life away because of your guilt."

****

Harry awoke from a restless sleep. It was the middle of the night. Hermione and Ron were sleeping soundly, as was Hagrid. Professor Snape had refused to stay in the Hospital Wing, leaving as soon as possible. Sirius, still in his animagus form, was curled up at the foot of Harry's bed. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were in chair beside Ron, while the Doctors Granger were next to Hermione. Both sets of parents were awkwardly draped over chairs, unwilling to leave their child's side.

Someone was speaking. There was a soft murmuring coming from somewhere in the room. Harry looked around. Miss Tsukino's bed was empty, as was Remus'. Harry tiptoed across the room in stocking feet, to the corner. Gwendolyn was huddled there, rocking back and forth.

"Gwendolyn," Harry whispered, bringing his hand slowly to her face. He winced as he saw the long jagged scar over her eye.

She blinked at Harry, her good eye focused on him. She cocked her head, looking at him from another angle. She was silent now, studying him for a long time. After a drawn out pause, she spoke. "J-Jamie?"

Harry shut his eyes, felt the stab in his heart. It never hurt so much to be compared to his father. No-- He wasn't being compared to his father.

Gwendolyn, in her madness, thought he was his father.

He nodded slowly. "Yeah, Gwendolyn. Jamie."

"Sorry, Jamie," Gwendolyn whispered, wiping away tears, "I missed-- Shouldn't have-- Mean-- I missed--"

Harry chewed on his lower lip, nodding again. "I know, Gwendolyn. I missed you too."

"Severus-- He--" Gwendolyn soft crying became out and out sobs now.

"You loved him," Harry replied, running a hand over Gwendolyn's head. Madame Pomfrey had been forced to sheer her hair clean off. "I'm sorry I couldn't see it. I wish things had been better."

"Jamie--" Gwendolyn sniffled, staring at Harry. "Jamie-- Green." She shook her head. "Green eyes."

Harry allowed himself to be pulled into a hug from Gwendolyn. She rocked him back and forth gently. "Green eyes," she whispered, "He has green eyes now."

Shutting his eyes tightly, Harry listened to Gwendolyn's quiet rant. In the arms of his only remaining family, he felt himself by lulled.

For the first time in months, Harry Potter fell into a comfortable sleep.