Harry Potter and the Scar of Fate

Chapter 11

Evil Under the Sun

When Harry saw Hermione in the Great Hall the next day, his conscience pricked him. She was pale and red eyed, as if she'd been crying all night. She was sitting between Lavender and Parvati, who were busy chatting away and did not notice that she was not eating. She was staring at her food unhappily. She suddenly looked up, saw Harry, and walked out of the Hall. Ron rolled his eyes.

"Did you talk to her?" he asked Harry. Harry shook his head. He grabbed a stack of toasts in a napkin and ran out. Ron smiled to himself.

Harry saw her walking towards the dungeons. "Hermione! Wait!" he called loudly. She stopped, but didn't turn around. Harry could tell from the way her shoulders were shaking that she was crying. Soon, he was standing next to her. They looked at each other for a minute.

"I'm sorry," they said together, then laughed out. Hermione put her arms around Harry and cried, "I'm so sorry, Harry, I never realised I was bossing you around!"

Harry patted her hair gently. "I'm sorry, Hermione, for being such a prat. I promise to listen to you hence forth."

He offered her some toast. They ate together silently for sometime, then Hermione burst out laughing.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"Nothing...I was just thinking...Harry, we fought over a bowl of porridge!"

This made Harry laugh as well. Hermione beamed at him. They were still laughing when they reached the class.

"Have you two gone mad?" Ron hissed. "You're both miserable one minute and laughing away like mad the next! Now shut up, Snape's coming!"

Their laughter was short lived. As soon as Snape entered the dungeon, they knew something was wrong. The always cold and controlled professor was shaking. The class stared at him in shock.

"No classes today. All of you can leave," Snape said. Even his voice was shaky. Harry motioned for Ron and Hermione to wait for him outside while the others left. When the room was empty, Snape sank on his chair. Harry approached him quietly.

"What happened, Professor?"

Snape looked up, his face very white. "He has blown up the entire ministry...people all over the country were attacked and killed, Potter...entire families were annihilated...ninety two houses apart from the ministry...no one survived..."

Harry gasped in shock. So Voldemort had done it...but he'd said he would kill only the traitors...but he'd killed more innocents than traitors...a feeling of guilt swept over Harry. If only he'd said 'yes' to him...

Snape seemed to guess what was going on in his mind. "It was not your fault, Potter. You did the right thing," he said quietly. Harry nodded and walked out of the room. Ron and Hermione listened in shock.

Many students had lost their family members in this attack. The Great Hall was eerily silent for a few minutes before quiet sobs broke out. Even all the teachers were crying. Harry was the only dry eyed person in the whole school. He went up to the staff table and held up his hand. The hall fell silent against.

"We all have suffered great losses from what Voldemort did today..." he began quietly, when Cho interrupted him.

"What did you lose, Harry Potter? You would never understand what we're going through...both my parents were at the Ministry..." she choked.

Harry looked straight at her, his green eyes flashing with pure power. He seemed to be glowing.

"I've lost three members of the only family I ever had, Cho...Mr. Weasley, Bill and Percy. I don't claim to understand your pain. I probably never will, for my pain, my grief is filled with guilt. Every death which happens makes me think that I could have stopped it...I stand before you today with a last request. I want all of you to remain in the castle for now. Forget that you belong to different houses. Forget that there ever existed house rivalries. Think only of Hogwarts, of Hogwarts as a unit, Hogwarts as a family. This is the only safe place at present. This has been the only home I've ever had, and I hope you will be safe here. Please do not leave the grounds for now. I am going to do what I should have done long ago. I am going out to fight Voldemort before he does any more damage. I am guilty of being late, but this cannot go on. Only one of us will survive the battle. If Voldemort dies, I shall be back with you and we will help in the rebuilding of everything. If I die, I request you all to work as hard as you can and assist professor Dumbledore to defeat Voldemort. If both of us die, then forget all about the past and start a new life. That's all I have to say. Take it as my last wish," said Harry, his voice soft, gentle, and yet powerful. The whole school stared at him in shock. He seemed to be glowing with a soft white light as he walked to the door.

Hermione broke the silence. "Harry! Wait! I will go with you!"

Harry turned and smiled at her. A sad smile.

"No."

"Yes. It may be your duty to defeat Voldemort, but someone has to take care of his minions. I am going with you no matter what you say."

"Me too," said Ron, walking up to them. Draco was just behind him, nodding.

"And me," Neville said, approaching them.

"Count me in." Luna came up.

Within five minutes, the entire school had walked up to Harry and expressed a desire to go with him, including the faculty.