Harry Potter and the Dark Separation

Previous Chapter Harry Potter and the Dark Separation (3/12)

Author: RascalMagic

Author email: [email protected]

Category: mystery action adventure romance

Keywords: harry hermione ron pureblood ginny

Spoilers: For all four books

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Angst, depression and mild shipping ahoy as Harry deals with the consequences of Hedwig's death and, of course, Draco having a laugh at his expense.

This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter Three

Into Each Life

Harry was slumped against the wall when the rest of the Quidditch team came running in. Holding Hedwig in pale, blood-splattered fingers, he stared blankly at the owl's empty eyes, silent as the grave.

'Harry, what's...' Bradley started, and then paused, looking at the owl with understanding in his eyes. He fell silent as well. The whole team stood, awkwardly, around Harry, not knowing what to say. At last, Angelina spoke up. 'The Pureblood Alliance?' she asked, gently.

'Yeah' Harry replied quietly, not taking his eyes off Hedwig.

'Should I call Professor Dumbledore?' Dawn said, looking very pale.

'No' Harry said, looking up finally. It was obvious he had been crying earlier, but now his eyes were filled with cold hate, his green eyes focusing somewhere past the team members. 'I'll tell him myself.'

He looked back down at the owl, a sad, limp shape, dark blood clogging its feathers, dripping down Harry's arms and onto the floor. He remembered when he'd first seen Hedwig, wings proudly outstretched, her talons digging into the wooden perch on which she sat, her eyes gleaming with intelligence. He remembered his thirteenth birthday, staring out the window at the approaching owl, bringing joy into his dull home, as much a friend as Hermione or Ron. He remembered all the times he had seen a flash of white among the masses of owls bringing letters to the young Hogwarts students and known that Hedwig had returned safely. His first broomstick had been delivered in the same talons that now lay dead at the owl's side. The same eyes that had once looked at him in the window of Eeylops' stared vacuously into space.

'Bastards' he hissed, under his breath.

He stood up, putting Hedwig back in the box. 'I'll tell him myself' he repeated, and strode out of the changing rooms, not looking back at the assembled team, their faces a mixture of confusion, sympathy and fear. He swung open the door so hard it banged against the wall and stepped forward, cradling the box under his arm. Starting walking, he stared ahead down the long Hogwarts corridors, angrier than he had ever been in his life, not even seeing the red-headed figure that approached him.

'Harry?' Ginny said, running to catch up with his long strides. 'Um...Ron sent me down here to see why you're late, he wanted to talk to Dennis and you said you'd help... bloody hell, Harry, why're your arms red?'

He didn't reply.

'Harry?'

He spun around, eyes blazing. 'It's my owl, thank you very much. She's dead, Ginny, dead, because I'm bloody Harry Potter and she was my friend. I'm going to Dumbledore's office, so tell Ron that he can sod off and talk to Dennis himself. So can you, come to that.'

'Harry...' she replied, shocked.

'Save it, Ginny, just bloody save it!' He stalked off down the corridors, almost knocking over a Slytherin second-year. The young boy glared at him, and called down the corridor to Ginny.

'What the hell was that about?'

Ginny swallowed a lump in her throat. 'It's private' she said, quietly. She turned and walked away, back down the stone corridor to Gryffindor Tower.

---

A few hours later, Ron, Hermione and Ginny sat in armchairs around the fireplace in the common room. Ginny had told them what had happened as soon as she came in, pale-faced and eyes shining with tears. The three had sat in silence for the last hour, each of them remembering Hedwig in their own way. Except for Ginny.

She sat, her head in her arms, her eyes shut, remembering Harry's words to her. Because I'm bloody Harry Potter and she was my friend. She thought, not for the first time, about how much he had lost in his life- his parents, his home, delivered into the care of a family of Muggles that hated him and everything he stood for. When he was eleven, he had to face the Dark Lord single-handedly, risking his life to defend his friends. The next year... Ginny remembered how Harry had saved her, remembered how she had seen him as she woke, drenched in blood, holding a sword larger than he was, and how... grown-up he'd seemed. But of course he had to grow up quickly. Because of who he was, he had had to mature quicker than anyone she had known, had been forced to become an man when, by rights, he should still be a boy, talking about girls and music and Quidditch. No fifteen-year-old should have to do what he had done, she thought, remembering how Harry had been the few weeks after the final round of the Triwizard Tournament. Shut away, not wanting to talk to anyone, blaming himself for Cedric's death. Ginny had known that one day he wouldn't be able to save everyone, that one day the forces that opposed him every day of his life would win. But if things like this keep happening, she thought, shutting her eyes, he'll withdraw from his friends, not wanting to involve them in the battle. And being without his friends, Ginny knew... that would hurt him more than the Dark Lord could ever manage. It would destroy him.

'Harry!'

Ginny looked up. Harry had come through the portrait hole, the rage in his eyes still there, but tempered with exhaustion and sadness. Hermione leapt to her feet. 'Harry...how are you?'

He looked at her, strangely tired. 'I suppose Ginny told you?'

They nodded.

'Well, I went up to Dumbledore's room and told him what happened. He's taken Hedwig away for examination, but it's pretty clear that someone used the Transmogrifan Curse on her. Hermione will tell you what that is.' He paused. 'Dumbledore's told me not to leap to any conclusions, but I think it's pretty obvious someone's trying to kill me again.'

'Who'd want to kill you?' said Ron, in his most reassuring voice.

Harry glared at him. 'Voldemort, Wormtail, Draco and Lucius Malfoy, the rest of the Death Eaters, most of Slytherin House and the Pureblood Alliance, whoever the hell they are. This is Harry Potter you're talking to, Ron!'

Ron looked sheepish. 'Just trying to make you feel better.'

'Well, it'll be a very long time until I feel better. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed.' Harry headed for the stairwell.

'But...' Hermione said, hesitantly 'don't you want to stay and talk about it, or something?'

'No, Hermione, I do not want to stay and bloody talk about it. I want to go to bed and hopefully have a few hours where some bastard does not try to kill me. Goodnight.'

Harry disappeared up the stairwell, taking the steps two at a time. Hermione turned, slowly. 'Damn. Just as he was getting over... last year... this happens. No-one should have to go through this.' She sank into an armchair. Ginny and Ron sat down, as well.

'So' Ron said, looking at Hermione 'what is the Transmogrifan Curse?'

'It's Dark Magic. Illegal, of course. What it basicaly does is cause a sensation like pins and needles on the entire body.'

'That doesn't sound so bad...'

'That's on humans. On animals, it's worse. It's really painful, and of course they don't understand what's going on. The pain drives them mad, and...' She trailed off.

'Hermione?'

'They scratch themselves to death.'

Ginny and Ron winced. 'That's horrible' Ron said, weakly. 'Someone did that on Hedwig?'

'It seems.'

Ginny closed her eyes, trying not to imagine it. 'This is bad. Very bad. If ever there was a way to piss Harry off...'

---

By the next morning, most of Hogwarts had heard about Hedwig's fate. Harry's descent into the Great Hall for breakfast was marked by sympathetic looks, muttered conversations and (in the case of a group of Slytherin sixth-years) dark sniggers. He ignored it all.

Ron, Ginny and Hermione followed behind, at a safe distance. Harry didn't know it, but they had been following him since he left Gryffindor Tower, trying to pluck up the courage to talk to him. One look in Harry's eyes had told them that he wouldn't appreciate it. As he entered the Great Hall, a familiar voice rang out.

'Hey, look, it's Harry Potter' Draco drawled, from his usual seat at the end of the Slytherin table. 'How's your owl, Potter?'

Harry stopped. Ron, Hermione and Ginny hung back, unsure of what to do.

'Well, you know. Pet-keeping was never his forté, really. Although I've got to admit, Potter, I felt strong emotion when I heard the news.'

'Really?' Harry replied, not looking at him.

'Yep. Haven't laughed like that since Longbottom transfigured his arms into cabbages.' Neville flushed red. The Slytherins roared with laughter.

'Malfoy, shut up' Hermione said, stepping forward. Draco looked at her, amused.

'Oh, great, it's Granger. Your pet's still alive, right? Harry can help you with that.'

Harry stepped forward, slowly, to the Slytherin table, his eyes blazing. 'Malfoy, if I wanted your opinion, I'd have asked for it. You may have noticed I haven't asked for it. So just piss off, will you? Go play Death Eater with your Slytherin buddies or whatever you do for kicks.'

Draco stood up. 'Well, you're angry. Can't say I blame you, though, with those friends. You've got...' he scanned the small crowd assembling behind Harry '...a Mudblood witch whose idea of fun is reading her Arithmancy textbook backwards, a lanky bugger with two Knuts to his name, his sister, an Irish...well, let's not even talk about Seamus, and a Squib hanger-on with just enough magical ability to be dangerous to himself.'

Harry loked furious. 'Malfoy...'

'Of course, if it's any consolation, they won't be your friends for long, once they realise there's a recurring theme. Diggory and your owl within a few months of each other- being friends with you is kind of an extended death sentence, isn't it? Am I right?'

Harry punched him.

Draco staggered backwards, out of surprise more than anything else. He hissed something Harry couldn't hear, and kicked him in the chest. The crowd started to cheer them on, or maybe talk them out of it- there seemed to be a mix of both. 'Kick him, Harry!' - that was Fred, or maybe George - 'Harry! He's not worth it!' - that seemed to be Hermione - the Slytherins were cheering Draco - Harry grabbed him by his robes and threw him backwards, hitting Draco's head against the table. He got up, brushed down his robes and reached for his wand-

'POTTER! MALFOY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?'

Draco looked up into the face of a furious Professor McGonagall. Harry stood still, head down, seemingly ashamed of himself. The crowd had dispersed as quickly as it had arrived, making way for Professor Dumbledore and Snape, who had a hint of a malicious grin on his face, the same expression he always wore when Harry was in trouble.

'BRAWLING IN THE GREAT HALL? I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT! WHO STARTED IT?'

'Him, Professor' Draco said, looking the picture of innocence. He rubbed his face. 'Jesus Christ, I think my nose is broken...'

Snape looked at Harry, equally surprised and amused. 'Is this true, Potter?'

Harry glared at Draco. 'Yeah.'

Dumbledore stepped forward. 'Did he provoke you?'

Harry remained silent.

'If I may say something' Snape said, icily 'I believe that young Potter here is possibly traumatised from the events of last year.' Draco looked at him disbelievingly. 'I would suggest' Snape continued 'that he be removed from Hogwarts to recieve treatment for his condition at St. Mungo's.'

Harry looked up- this was too much for even him to take. 'I don't need a shrink...'

'Severus' Dumbledore said, turning around 'I belive Harry to be in a perfectly sound state of mind. Removing him from Hogwarts will do nothing to aid him. I do not know why this incident occured, but I plan to get to the bottom of it. Harry, Draco, would you accompany me to my office?' The two boys nodded. 'Meanwhile, Severus, you have something that needs doing, do you not? I'd make a start on that, if I were you.' This obviously meant something to Snape, as he blanched and departed.

Dumbledore started walking, with Harry and Draco in tow. The rest of the Great Hall began to talk again. Draco muttered to Harry 'Now you're in for it.'

'Listen, Malfoy' Harry muttered back 'Snape may have been convinced by that saintly act you pulled back there, but I don't think Dumbledore was. He's not dumb.'

'And you admitting to it won't affect his judgement in any way?'

Harry paused for a moment. 'Shut up, Malfoy.'

---

A few hours later, the two were stuck in Professor Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore had been called out by a flustered Professor Flitwick to try and reverse a Levitation spell which had resulted in Neville hovering eighty feet off the floor, leaving Harry and Draco to glare at each other. Draco leaned nonchalantly against the wall, looking unconcerned and trying to read some of Dumbledore's documents, while Harry was sat on a fat leather chair in the corner, completely silent. Draco glanced out the window, and said, offhand 'You can see Neville from here.'

'Shut it, Malfoy' Harry said, not looking up.

'Something of a sight, you might say.'

'Shut it, Malfoy.'

'Could take a photograph. Perfect view from here. Sun glinting off his fat, pasty, scared face like that...'

'Shut it, Malfoy.'

Draco laughed to himself. Harry glared at him. 'What's so funny?'

'It's your friends, Potter.'

Harry stood up. 'You're not going to start that again, are you?'

'No. But this is different, I'm being serious. Why them? What exactly do they have that makes them worth being friends with? Granted, the Mudblood can give you a hand with your homework, but I couldn't stand to be around her for more than a few minutes.'

'What's your point?'

'My point, Potter, is' Draco said, walking over to where Harry was 'that you picked possibly the worst people to associate with if you ever want to get ahead in life. When I leave Hogwarts, I'll have been friends with the most esteemed young wizards in Britain. The Parkinsons, the Notts, the Zabinis... whereas you'll have influence over the square root of sod all.'

'Malfoy, I don't choose my friends by some kind of selection process. Well, if you don't count the thing about them not making me want to put a wand to my head like you do. Friendship happens, Malfoy, and if you don't get that, then you have no bloody idea what you're talking about.'

Draco smiled. 'Well, maybe. But if you continue the way you're going, you won't have any friends left. And I don't mean they'll all die' he said, as Harry started for him 'although they probably will, but they'll exclude you. Or, more likely, you'll exclude them.'

'What the hell are you talking about, Malfoy?'

'It's obvious to anyone with half a brain. You're losing them pretty rapidly. Now, I'm no expert on the subject, but I heard a very interesting thing from Malcolm Baddock yesterday. Apparently you'd told that red-haired friend of yours to 'sod off'.

'My bloody owl had just....' He stopped. 'You know.'

'Yeah, and I'm not saying that wasn't funny, but if you're going around telling your friends to go away, eventually they will. And then what'll you be left with?'

'What do you care, Malfoy?'

'I don't.'

'Then why the hell are you talking to me? It is none of your business and furthermore you do not know what you are talking about.

Draco smirked, stepping back. 'Keep telling yourself that, Potter.'

'Just go back to your precious Pureblood Alliance, Malfoy. Plot something really underhand to do next time. Set fire to Gryffindor Tower, perhaps.'

'Well, that's a good idea, but I'm not involved.'

Harry looked at him, obviously not believing him. 'You're not involved' he said, sarcastically. 'And in other news, Hell has frozen over.'

'What, you really think I was in it? Why the hell would I get into it?'

'Gosh, you know, I can't think of a single reason. Except for that whole hating-Muggles thing.'

'Okay, I'll grant you that. Don't you think I'd be a little more subtle about it if I was involved? I don't know who's in this Pureblood thing- they've got the right idea, though.'

'Somehow, Malfoy, I don't believe you.'

'Suit yourself. Anyway, Dumbledore's coming back. They seem to have got Neville down.' Harry looked out the window. Neville was lying on the floor, rubbing a bruised leg.

'I really should have taken that photo, you know.'

---

Harry walked up the steps of the Gryffindor tower, reflecting on what Dumbledore had said to him. They'd both got detention, Harry with Flitwick and Draco with Professor Sinistra, to be carried out on Thursday. After Draco had left, nursing an injured nose and pride, Dumbledore had called him over to his desk. 'Harry' he had said, looking solemn, 'I am sure that you had a reason for injuring Mr Malfoy, and although I won't ask what, I do ask one thing. You are proof' he said, standing up 'that one can face evil and win. The events of the last few months have been terrible. Cornelius Fudge has withdrawn Ministry funding for the school, meaning that whatever is taught here is funded by some more open-minded wizarding families. These are families that believe that Voldemort has returned, and that he can be defeated again. Your confrontation with the Dark Lord last year has no doubt left its mark, and I do not expect you to act as if nothing has happened. However, you must consider your actions before you carry them out. You are Harry Potter, and if you begin to slip, then Hogwarts will believe that one cannot face Voldemort and remain the same. They will lose heart and become scared, and if there is one thing we cannot afford, it is scared pupils. I know that you did not ask for this, and that it is unfair to ask you not to behave like others would in the same situation, but it is, unfortunately, something that must be done.'

He gave the password ('Short-snout') and entered the common room. The room was deserted, so he collapsed onto a soft chair in the corner. Dumbledore was right, he thought. I'm the only person to face Voldemort and survive. I have to stay the same. No matter what happens, I can't change who I am. I'm... Harry paused. The portrait had swung open. Standing in the common room, looking surprised, carrying her wand and a Charms book and seemingly ready to bolt at any second, stood Ginny.

'Hey, Ginny.'

Ginny looked even more surprised. No doubt she'd expected him to either remain silent or snap at her. A friendly greeting was completely unexpected.

'Um...hi.'

'Just been in Charms?'

'Yeah' Ginny said, sitting down. 'We were doing Summoning Charms.'

'Pretty tricky, those. Look, Ginny, I think I owe you an apology. I was being an arsehole last night, and I didn't mean to hurt you. It was just...'

'I know. I would've been the same if it had happened to me. It's okay.'

'No, it's not. I was just in Dumbledore's office, talking to Malfoy. He was being his usual self, but he said something that I don't think I can afford to ignore.'

Ginny looked equal parts shocked and amused. 'You're taking advice off Malfoy?'

Harry smiled. 'Yeah, I know. Incidentally, I talked to him about this Pureblood Alliance thing, and he said he wasn't involved.'

'Do you believe him?'

'No. What he said was that I'd been pushing my friends away. I was immediately inclined to ignore him, but I have been. After Cedric...' he broke off '...I haven't exactly been the most fun bloke to be around. And now, with...with what's just happened...' He paused again, trying to think how to phrase it '...I don't want to lose my friends. You, Hermione, Ron, everyone else... if I'm going to make it through this, I'll need them. And you.'

'You count me among your friends, huh?' Ginny said, smiling.

''Course, Ginn. I've kind of got to go repeat this to Hermione and Ron. Don't suppose you know where they are?'

'Ron's on his way up. Hermione's in...'

'The library, yes' Harry finished for her. 'Well, I'm off. Got to talk to Ron. See ya, Ginny.'

He left through the portrait-hole. Ginny stayed seated.

Colin Creevey, entering the room from the dormitory staircase, saw the portrait shut. 'Who was that?'

'Harry' Ginny replied.

'What'd he want?'

She smiled. 'It's private.'