Harry Potter and the Legacy of Merlin

Chapter 12

Inferno

"Where did he go?" Lupin asked shakily.

Ron shrugged. Dumbledore shook his head. Hagrid stared blankly. Snape looked shocked. Only Hermione nodded.

"I'll find out," she said quietly and closed her eyes. Her mind formed an image of Harry and started searching for him. Images flashed past her at lightning velocity, but there was no sign of Harry. She opened her eyes and looked at the expecting faces of everyone.

"Sorry. I couldn't find him."

She threw herself on the vacant chair in frustration, then jumped up as if burnt with a cry.

"What happened?" Ron asked.

"He's right here, Ron, but he's turned invisible. And he's unconscious!"

Everyone touched the chair and felt Harry's body as their fingers brushed against him. They could make out that he had fainted, and lay sprawled, half on the chair and half on the floor.

"How do we wake him?" Ron asked.

"We've to make him visible first." Hermione said.

"Allow me, Ms. Granger," Dumbledore said and waved his wand. Harry's body appeared. His skin was turning bluish, and his breathing was very shallow. Snape checked his pulse.

"We're losing him," he said sombrely.

"No," said Hermione and walked over to Harry. She took his limp hand in hers and whispered gently, "Get up, Harry, we're getting worried."

Nothing happened. She felt his already weak pulse weaken further and his breathing grow shallower. She called out to him, one part of her saying that it was a stupid thing to do, but she did it anyway. As soon as his breathing and pulse stopped, a wild cry escaped her.

"Come back, Harry! Come back, please!" she screamed, tears rolling down her face.

***

Harry looked around. He was back in 12, Grimmauld Place. He ran to Sirius' room. A man sat there with his back to him. He looked very familiar...

"Sirius?"

The man turned. It was Sirius, but he looked different...

Come, come with me, Harry...I can take you where you want to go...where I live...with your parents...

"No!" Harry stared at Sirius. He smiled, but there was no warmth in that smile. His eyes looked empty, there was no affection in them. This could not be - this was not Sirius. Someone was playing a very cruel joke on him...

"Get lost! You're not Sirius!"

No, I'm not...you killed Sirius...I'm what you left behind...I'm his shadow...

The man in front of Harry suddenly seemed to melt. A distant, high pitched voice was screaming for Harry desperately. But Harry didn't want to go...he wanted to know where the real Sirius was...

The screaming grew louder. With a jolt, Harry recognised the voice. He looked around wildly. The room had disappeared. He was surrounded by fire, engulfing him, burning him...

"I'm coming, Hermione!" Harry yelled and concentrated with all his will on Dumbledore's office. The fire seemed to fade...it was replaced by water rushing at him...then it was wind, trying to blow him away...then the ground shook as in an earthquake...the stars bore down at him...and he knew no more.