The Fall Of The Dark Lord

The Fall of the Dark Lord

Chapter 7: Aftermath

Harry walked confidently through the darkness, his footfalls echoing through the abyss, the same light rippling from each step. He heard the sound of strong beating wings and turned around. A black griffin stood towering over him, its piercing green eyes watching him closely, a red slash coloring the feathers just above its eyes.

The beast gave a short cry as its size shrank and Harry was once again staring at the apparition. Unlike before they had become mirror images of each other, both standing tall and confident, both with a cold look in their eyes due to the knowledge of their power.

"You did well," the apparition said.

"Did I?" Harry asked, still able to taste the blood in his mouth, realizing that he had taken a life.

"Yes. You did what was necessary. You did what destiny had ordained for you to do."

"So is that it? Is that all I was born for?"

"Yes and no. Only you can decide if that was all."

"Stop speaking in riddles."

The apparition gave no comment.

"So, I’ll take it that I have released you?"

"Yes. We are one again, as we were always meant to be."

"Then you are Primus."

"I am the part of you that is Primus. We are the same." The apparition held its palm out facing Harry. Harry moved and placed his own palm against the apparition’s. "There is no need for us to be separate any longer."

Harry nodded in understanding.

The apparition’s eyes began to glow bright green. The light spread throughout the rest of its body until all that resembled the apparition was the shape of the light. Harry gasped as the tingling sensation bolted from his scar down his spine and the light shot forward, entering into his body on his breath.

The apparition had gone—or rather it had returned—and Harry stood in the darkness alone once more.

 

Harry could hear voices again. He felt like he’d been lost for an eternity. Unable to do anything else he listened.

"I don’t understand it Albus…In all my years here, I have never seen such extensive injuries…multiple fractures in both arms and legs…at least 10 cracked, if not broken ribs…" Harry recognized it as being Madam Pomfrey’s voice. "I don’t see how he could even stand…let alone…" she paused, "And the poison…after one bite he should have been dead in seconds…Albus, it doesn’t make any sense!"

"There are a lot of things about Harry that we still have to learn, Poppy. Especially now that there is no doubt that he is the heir of Primus."

"But what is that Albus? I’ve never heard of it before. And the way You-Know-Who looked when—"

"Poppy, the man is dead. You should have no fear saying his name."

"But I do. The way he looked when Harry said it, ‘the Sign of Primus’…what does it mean?"

"You heard the projection Harry made didn’t you? It’s a mark of power, an anointing. It simply means that he has been gifted with extraordinary magical power. That is why he was able to defend himself without his wand. There is one born every 1000 years. Merlin bore the sign of Primus, as did Gandalf, and Krista. They all had it, and now Harold Potter will go down in history as having it as well."

They were both silent. Harry could tell they were close. He was most likely in the hospital wing with them sitting or standing near his bed. He heard more voices coming from outside the room.

"Madame Pomfrey! Madame Pomfrey, please, please let us see him!" It was Hermione and Ron. Harry heard as shuffling of clothes and brushing footsteps as Madame Pomfrey went to the door.

"Come in, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley. Normally I wouldn’t let you in, but I have no idea what is happening to him."

"It’s been 24 hours, there hasn’t been any change yet!?!" Hermione squeaked.

"Not that I can tell…he’s been in a coma ever since he was brought here…I don’t know when he’ll wake up, or even if he’ll wake up…"

Harry heard footsteps approaching him.

"Harry…" Hermione cried, he felt her hands encircle his.

He felt Ron touch his forehead, "God, Harry, you can’t leave us this way…" He heard Ron growl and then a hard thud as Ron presumably punched the wall.

"Mr. Weasley!"

Ron sucked in a breath and hit the wall again, "God damn it! It can’t end like this!"

"Ron, stop it!" Hermione shouted, her voice breaking, "beating yourself up isn’t going to help anyone!" Her grip on Harry’s hand tightened.

Harry hated this. He wanted to respond to all of them and just couldn’t. It was slow torture. Hermione put her head down on the mattress and he could feel her tears fall on the back of his hand. All he wanted to do was wipe her tears away and keep Ron from braking his knuckles on the stone wall.

"Why did this have to happen to him?" Hermione sobbed.

"It isn’t fair." Ron said.

"Have you both forgotten that he saved all of our lives? It was his choice." Dumbledore said.

"Why should that make any difference!?!" Ron shouted. "He’s risked his life for everyone else ever since our first year, and has anyone ever did the same for him? And now look at him. It doesn’t matter that he saved all of us because no one can save him!"

This was terrible. Harry didn’t want to just lie there listening to this. He had to knock some sense into Ron and Hermione. Dumbledore was perfectly calm. Dumbledore understood. Dumbledore knew Harry was fine. Dumbledore knew Harry was just having trouble waking up. It wasn’t a life and death situation anymore!

"I don’t want to believe that!" Hermione shouted, "Madame Pomfrey, there must be something that you can do!!"

"I’ve done everything I can do, Hermione. I don’t have anything else I can give him."

"THAT’S BULLSHIT! I’m not going to stay here and listen to you say that there’s nothing you can do! There’s got to be something you can do!"

"Hermione…"

"Just SHUT UP Ron!" She screamed, "JUST SHUT UP!!"

Harry couldn’t stand this anymore. He was going to take control of his body if it killed him. He couldn’t stand his friends in such pain on the account of him.

"I can’t believe you are being such a bitch, Hermione, don’t you think I’m hurting just as bad as you are!" Ron shouted back at her.

"Both of you, calm down," Dumbledore said.

"I will not calm down!" Hermione yelled and started at Ron again.

It took all his strength, but Harry managed to squeeze her hand, stopping her in mid-sentence.

"Harry!?!" She gasped.

"Hey," he whispered, his voice scratchy and barely audible, "How’s a guy supposed to get any sleep around here? You guys are giving me a headache."

He half-opened his eyes, seeing her blurred face rushing toward him. He was suddenly caught in a strong hug around his midsection, "YOU’RE OK!!! Oh, thank God you’re OK!"

Harry barely kept from screaming was she crushed his bruised ribs, but couldn’t keep from smiling at Hermione’s embrace. He was able to look up at Ron, who although he spoke as if he was fine, looked as though he was going to cry with relief, "Never do that again. You really put us through the ringer. How are you feeling?"

"Probably about as good as you can after being crushed by a 60 foot snake."

"Harry, how did you do all of that…without your wand…and becoming animagus…"

"I’m not sure…"

"All right, all right!" Madame Pomfrey said happily, "Now that you’re awake I can finally find out what I have to do to fix you up! Everyone, out! Out!"

"See ya later man!" Ron said, lightly punching him in the arm, leaving the room quickly so that no one could see his tears.

"Bye Harry," Hermione whispered. Harry brushed a tear away from her eyes and smiled at her. She leaned down as she stood up and kissed him lightly on the lips before scurrying out of the room.

Dumbledore stood up from his chair and put his hand on Harry’s shoulder, "We’ll talk soon." The headmaster smiled, the old twinkle shinning in his eyes like never before. He turned and left Harry to the school nurse.

Harry looked at Madame Pomfrey, "I’m not going to enjoy this, am I?"

"Probably not," she answered.

 

Harry was eventually able to get out of the hospital wing after Madame Pomfrey had checked multiple times in disbelief to make sure nothing was left broken or torn, and that he indeed had all ten fingers and toes left. He was able to weasel out the door with her insisting that she check to make sure his ribs were mended correctly for the 28^th time. As if I wouldn’t notice if my ribs were still broken! he growled to himself as he hurried down the hall.

Harry passed many classmates on his way to Gryffindor Tower. To his amazement no one stopped him to ask how he was. Instead the ocean of students parted as soon as they saw him and let him pass through like Moses parting the Red Sea. Harry wasn’t sure what to make of it. Seeing their faces as he passed, some seemed to do it out of respect, others out of fear, some out of amazement that he was still alive.

It was really annoying.

Harry noticed that many students were no longer at Hogwarts, most of them Slytherins. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were the first absences that he took in. He learned later that they had disappeared the night of the banquet, the word was that their families were on the run from the Ministry because their parents had been recognized in the attack as Death Eaters.

As he reached the portrait of the fat lady even his fellow Gryffindors who were returning to the common room avoided him. He stopped mid-password and looked around him, a minimum five foot radius separating him from every other person there. He gave a disgruntled sigh and turned away from the portrait, the flock of Gryffindors jumping out of his way as he retraced his steps.

What is wrong with them!?! He growled, I’m still the same person…why are they acting so scared? They should know that I’d never hurt them!! Harry was heading for Dumbledore’s office. He wanted to talk to Harry and Harry wanted to talk to him, but more importantly, Harry did not want to be shunned in his own house tower.

 

Harry stood in front of the gargoyle again, but instead of playing the guessing game, he simply placed his hand on the gargoyle’s head and muttered a few Latin words. Soon a word came up in his mind, "Geeze, more Muggle candy. I think he’s trying to fry my brain: skittles." The gargoyle hoped out of the way and Harry went into Dumbledore’s office to wait.

Harry sat down in the chair in front of Dumbledore’s desk again. Fawkes, who was sitting on his perch, gave a friendly squawk and flew over to greet him.

"How ya doin’ Fawkes?" Harry asked stroking the phoenix’s head, "Sorry I lost your feather—couldn’t help it though."

Fawkes gave an understanding crackle and rubbed its head against Harry’s shoulder in a fashion more like a cat than a bird.

Harry looked about the room. It was disorderly as usual, papers and magical objects scattered all around. How Dumbledore ever managed to keep things strait when his office looked like this was beyond Harry.

Harry touched his scar. "Fawkes, do you know what’s happening to me?"

The bird only chirped as the door to Dumbledore’s office opened and Dumbledore himself came in.

"Oh," he said, "Harry, I didn’t expect you in here." Despite the fact that Harry had broken into his office, Dumbledore was as friendly as ever and sat down behind his desk.

"Are you ready to talk, Professor?"

"Harry, I am always ready to talk."

"What’s happening to me?"

"Do you mean to say you still don’t know?"

"Yes, and no. Primus. The Sign of Primus. Why did I have to be born with this thing?"

"It’s a gift Harry. Never think of it as anything else. It is a gift."

"A gift? I’d say it’s more of a curse. Because of this my parents were killed…because of this I have brought danger near everything and everyone I’ve ever loved…and now because of this everyone is afraid of me…"

"Harry, it is because of that you survived Voldemort. It is because of that you were able to protect what you love despite the danger it brought. It is because of that you were able to defeat Voldemort once and for all. He can never hurt anyone ever again."

"And it’s because of this that I’ve taken a human life…that I’ve become a killer…"

"You’re not a killer Harry. It was in self-defense: kill or be killed. You had no choice. You showed mercy, and Voldemort was simply too proud to accept it."

"You would think that they’d be grateful…"

"Who?"

"Everyone. Instead they’re afraid of me…as if I’d ever hurt them."

"Give them time Harry. They’ve seen what you’re capable of doing. After they get used to that, they will go back to normal."

"And what am I supposed to do when I leave here? I’m sure the entire world knows that I defeated Voldemort again…I’m never going to get a moment’s peace for the rest of my life…"

"That is true, Harry, especially for the next few months. I’ve barred all media from the school until after graduation. The Daily Prophet has been trying to beat the doors down to get an interview."

Harry sat forward putting his head in his hands, "God…what am I going to do…"

"Harry, I must ask, just out of curiosity, were you animagus before the banquet?"

"No."

"You’d never tried to become one?"

"No, not at all. I still don’t know how I did it. I just…I just kept thinking about what he was going to do to everyone else…I didn’t really even think about what would happen to me, accept that if I died, nothing was going to keep him from the others…"

"Harry, you don’t know anything about the Sign of Primus, do you, aside from what Voldemort said the night he killed your parents, is that correct?"

"Yes. I don’t know anything accept for what he said."

"Well, let me tell you what I know."

Harry looked up again.

"As you already know, in every millennia, a witch or wizard is born destined to be extremely powerful. Each has a specific destiny, and they are distinguished by having the Sign of Primus somewhere on their bodies. For example, Merlin bore the Sign of Primus on his forearm, and he is considered the greatest wizard of all time. His destiny was to aid Arthur Pendragon during his reign as king. Another was a witch named Krista. Little is know about her, accept that she was an extremely powerful seer. She predicted a great deal of our history that has come true, unfortunately her writings have been lost for centuries. But she did bare the Sign of Primus on her back between her shoulder blades."

"Has there ever been an heir of Primus that…became dark?"

"There is very little know about the heirs of Primus. The mark itself is not a well know fact. I could probably count on one hand the number of groups in the world today that are aware of it. You see, the barers go down in history, but the fact that they wore the mark is rarely documented."

"How do you know about it then? How did Voldemort?"

"I’ve been around. There are ancient clans of people in Scotland and Ireland, the Druids. Their elders have common knowledge of the mark, as well as many other secrets in magic. I learned a great deal while I studied with them, as I believe Voldemort must have as well. When I learned about the power the barer could hold I kept my ear to the news around our society, trying to learn of anyone who might have it, for curiosity…study more than anything else. I trust Voldemort did the same thing, like you had said, to gain their support when they came to power."

"You knew then…what I was when I was born…didn’t you?"

"Yes and no. At first I didn’t believe it…that the person I had always wanted to meet was born right under my nose…to my own students, James and Lily Potter. I wasn’t sure of course. I wouldn’t know until you came to power."

"And Voldemort learned that I’d been born with it?"

"Yes. I suspect that Peter Pettigrew told him of your strange birthmark, and that was what first made him come after you I believe. As much as you hate Professor Snape, you should feel very grateful to him."

Harry quirked an eyebrow, "What on Earth for?"

"Severus was in close leagues with Voldemort at that time. He had been a spy for us for a great deal of time by then. He was the one who found out that Voldemort was coming after your family. If it wasn’t for him your parents never would have eluded Voldemort as long as they did."

"But they still died…"

"I know, but if they hadn’t been warned ahead of time things could have turned out much different…he may have been able to successfully take you from them."

"I would have became a dark wizard then?"

"Most likely."

"There have been others then?"

"Yes. There was one, some 5,000 years ago in India. He was unstoppable, and had that part of the world completely conquered until his death. His name was Kain. He was completely merciless, and because he had the power of Primus, no one could stand up to him."

"That’s what their all afraid of then, isn’t it? They’re afraid that I will become like Kain…like Voldemort…"

"Yes. It was one thing when the way you defeated Voldemort was a mystery. No one felt threatened by you then, but now that they’ve witnessed the defeat they realize what could happen if they cross you, and therefore they have decided it safer to keep their distance from you."

"They should know better…"

"They can’t Harry. Power has the potential to permanently alter a person, especially with the magnitude that you have displayed. I doubt that you realize it, but you became a completely different person when you were fighting him. I must admit, that even I didn’t recognize you. You’re back to normal now, but everyone else doesn’t know that."

Harry held the bridge of his nose, "I hate this…"

There were several moments of silence.

"Harry, tell me…the pain in your scar…what happened to it during the rest of the day?"

Harry looked up again, "It kept getting worse up until Voldemort called the Death Eaters…and then it erupted like normal…like my skull was splitting in two…then, when I started to fight…when I realized that I had to stop him from hurting everyone else…then the pain stopped…it turned into a…I don’t even know what…and that was when I remembered everything…it just came back in a great flood…"

"Were you having flashbacks from that night?"

"Yes…I couldn’t let it happen again…I couldn’t let him do that to anyone else…"

"One of the things I learned, was that trauma was what drove the anointed to come to power: that the power came in response to a need, not a desire; that the pain of loss brought it out the most viciously and unbridled. When you faced him the first time, as a child you could hear your parents pain, and you wanted to stop it. Does that sound right?"

"Yes."

"At one year old, you briefly came to power, but after it was over the power recessed again, simply because you were too young to control it. Now, the power is yours to command at will. You can do just about anything now…even become animagus without any preparation whatsoever. None of us have any idea how far your skills have come. I think you’ve even become a prophet."

"What makes you think that?"

"Your dreams…they were reminding you of the past…warning you of the future…don’t you think so? Did anything that happened in your dreams occur again in the battle?"

Harry thought a moment. "Yes. In the second dream…the one with the other me in it…I became like him during the battle…in the dream when he left and I tried to stop him he turned on me…he took his robes off like I did when Voldemort changed, and then he changed into something…I guess it was the griffin I turned into…Yes you’re right."

"Harry, I have to know if you want to attend graduation tomorrow? We’ve barred the media from it because I know what would happen if they were allowed to enter…but do you want to be present? If you are not comfortable being there after all that’s happened there is no need for you to attend."

"I want to attend…even if everyone is afraid of me. I’m head boy after all. What kind of example would I be making if I didn’t attend graduation?"

The twinkle raged in Dumbledore’s eye, "Give them time, Harry. They will get over the shock eventually."

Harry merely nodded.

 

The halls were empty for the most part on his way back to Gryffindor tower. No one backed out of his way this time, simply for the fact that they could easily avoid bumping into him, however he still received the frightened looks that he had gotten earlier in the day.

When Harry reached the portrait of the fat lady he realized he didn’t know the password. As he did with the gargoyle he placed his hand on the frame of the painting and muttered the incantations until the word came to his mind. "The truth is out there? Is this some kind of joke?" Apparently it wasn’t because the portrait swung open when he said the phrase and he passed through the hole.

The common room was loud with talk. Harry was only able to catch bits and pieces. He heard "You-Know-Who," "defeated," "gone dark," and "Harry," in several conversations, but everything fell to dead silence when they saw that he had entered the room.

Every pair of eyes were on him, each wide with fear.

He looked around, but didn’t see Hermione or Ron.

"Hello everyone," he said half-heartedly, but no one answered. He waited a few seconds in the awkward silence before rushing off to the boys’ dorm room in frustration. There were several underclassmen there. When they saw him come through the door their conversation stopped as well. Harry looked at them for several seconds, and then chose to ignore them, moving toward his bed. He saw them slink out of the room through the corner of his eye. "Idiots," he muttered to himself as he noticed the huge pile of mail stacked on his bed.

"Geeze, is this all from this morning?" Harry picked up the top letter.

Dear Harold Potter,

The Daily Prophet would like to request an interview with you discussing the attack on Hogwarts this past Friday, May 30, 1997. A date for the interview will be set at your convenience.

Sincerely,

Rita Skeeter

 "I can’t believe she has the nerve to request an interview after the way she slandered me during the Triwizard tournament!"

Harry looked though the other letters. There were at least 50 different interview requests from newspapers, magazines, even a couple television shows. "How considerate," Harry muttered, taking all the letters and dropping them into the wastebasket by the door. "It’s so nice knowing that no one gives a fig about whether I want to talk about the battle or not." Harry hesitated before dropping the lid back onto the can when he saw one letter that he hadn’t opened. He picked it out of the jumbled mess and ripped off the twine that was holding the scroll shut.

My God, Harry the news is all over the countryside! Are you all right? Oh please, please be all right. The last I heard you were in a coma…please, as soon as you get this letter write me back!! Please God, be alive…

Snuffles.

 

"Sirus…" Harry smiled, "At least you still care."

Harry sat down on his bed, extending his arm toward his trunk. The lid popped open and a quill, a bottle of ink, and a piece of parchment floated over to his hand.

Snuffles,

I am fine. I just woke up this morning. Everything is weird…I did some pretty crazy stuff. I can’t explain in a letter. Voldemort is dead. I killed him…I didn’t want to…didn’t mean to…but I did. Everyone is afraid of me now.

I am going to get you pardoned. I won’t rest until you’re free again. Even if I have to track down Wormtail myself to prove your innocence. I have the power to do it now, and I will explain all that I know in broad daylight, in a crowded room with you in plain sight when you are no longer considered a criminal. I swear it.

Harry.

 

Harry waited a minute for the ink to dry before rolling the parchment up and tying it with the same twine that Sirus’s letter had been tied with. Harry got up to take it to the owlery, but stopped at the door of the dorm. He could hear the conversations raging down in the common room again, but he couldn’t hear what was being said. He cracked the door, but still couldn’t pick any one conversation out of the numerous ones. He closed the door again, leaning his back against it. He was getting very angry. He wanted to know what they were saying about him.

His hand shot out toward his trunk. The top bounced open again, and this time his father’s invisibility cloak snaked out of it in a long swirling line and raced into his outstretched hand.

 

Harry slipped out of the dorm room and down the stairs without anyone noticing the door’s movement. Harry held the invisibility cloak tightly around him making sure no part of him was sticking out. He stopped behind the couch in the common room where a group of Second and Third years were talking in a hushed whisper.

"I’ve never been so scared in my entire life! I thought we were all going to die!" A small squeaky voiced blond girl said.

"I can’t believe that…that…V…Voldemort…is really dead. We’re finally safe," a Second Year boy added, "I’ve never felt safe to say his name, but I do now."

"He is dead, isn’t he?"

"Yes, The Daily Prophet said that there was no doubt this time. He’s gone for good. They put a bunch of bindings on the body just to make sure he couldn’t come back again," another blond girl added.

"Then we are safe."

"I wouldn’t say that," a dark skinned boy said, "I wasn’t sure who I was more afraid of, Voldemort, or Harry."

"I’ve never seen him like that…so cold…"

"My Dad said that Voldemort was a nice boy before he got a taste of real power. After seeing Harry like that…I don’t know…"

"Don’t say his name, Barry," a stringy brunette scolded. "If he knew we were saying this…who knows what he’d do."

"I heard that he wasn’t animagus before then. What kind of person can become animagus at will?"

"There’s no telling what You-Know-Who is capable of…"

Harry felt a terrible twang in his chest. He was barely able to keep from sobbing, They’re turning me into Voldemort… He backed away from the couch and into the opposite wall. He slid down to the floor, the cloak still successfully covering him. How can they say such things? How can they make me into someone like Voldemort? Harry put his hand to his mouth to try to soften his uneven breathing. He closed his eyes and tried to keep from crying as he listened to the people, who just two days prior were his friends, talk about him as if he was already a dark wizard.

He sat there for several minutes, listening to every slanderous thing they were saying about him.

He didn’t notice that Ron and Hermione finally showed up in the common room.

"Hey, has anyone seen Harry?" Hermione asked.

Harry looked up when he heard her voice.

"Shhh! Don’t say His name!"

"Why not?" Ron asked.

"He’s dangerous! We don’t want to give You-Know-Who reason to want to hurt us."

"Did you…did you just call HarryYOU-KNOW-WHO!?!" Hermione shouted.

"What the hell is wrong with you people!?! Why on earth would Harry hurt any of you?" Ron yelled.

"You never know. After what He did, who knows what He’s capable of?"

"After what he did? What? Defeat Voldemort? SAVE ALL OF OUR LIVES? Some friends you are! Real nice display of gratitude! If you want to really piss him off, keep calling him You-Know-Who! Treating him like Voldemort…" Hermione shook with rage, "You all deserve to be hurt! But you all should know damn good and well he would never hurt any of us! I have never seen such a group of fickle, small-minded…" Hermione couldn’t finish. She turned on her heel and stomped out of the room.

Harry got back up.

"You people make me sick!" Ron said. "Turning on Harry like this…you didn’t deserve to be saved!" Ron turned and left too.

Harry smiled to himself. At least they still trust me. He moved and followed Ron out the portrait hole, unseen by the rest of the room.

 

Harry could hear Hermione sobbing down the hall. Ron had gone off in the opposite direction at a fast pace. Harry decided to go after Hermione since she seemed to be more upset. He hurried after the sobbing, still absent-mindedly holding the invisibility cloak around him.

Hermione slowed her pace and then stopped, covering her face with her hands, "How could they say those things?" She sobbed, "I’ve never known such horrible people!"

Harry put a still invisible hand on her shoulder.

She whirled around to see who it was. Seeing no one she swung her fist out, barely missing Harry’s face, "PEEVES! Get away! Leave me alone!"

Harry caught her wrist as her hand came at him again, "Whoa! It’s me, it’s not Peeves!"

Hermione gasped, "Harry!?!"

Harry let go of her hand and let the top of the cloak fall around his shoulders so that his head was floating in mid-air.

"Oh Harry!" Hermione cried, "I’ve been looking for you for an hour!" She threw her arms around the invisible chest. Harry’s arms became visible as he put them around her in return.

"I was talking with Dumbledore." Harry paused as she sobbed into his chest. "Thank you for defending me."

"What do you mean?" she asked looking up at him.

"I was in the common room just now."

"Then you heard everything they were saying, didn’t you."

"Yeah."

"I don’t know how they can say such things…after all you did for them…you could have been killed! And do they care that you did it for them? Not at all!" She pressed her face into his chest again, her grip around him tightening. "None of them deserve what you did for them!"

"They’re just afraid right now. Like Dumbledore just told me, they just need time to accept everything that happened." Harry gently moved his hands up and down her back trying to calm her.

"I don’t care if they need time! I saw the exact same things they did, and I understand! I understand that you did all of that for us. That you were only thinking of us the entire time! I can’t forgive them for…for calling you You-Know-Who! For treating you as if you were Voldemort!"

"Voldemort? You said his name! I’m impressed!"

"We don’t have to be afraid anymore thanks to you, Harry. He’s dead. It’s been confirmed, and the Ministry of Magic is making sure that he stays that way."

Harry moved one hand to touch her soft hair, which was pinned back in its usual barrette again, while his other arm pulled her closer. He pressed his cheek against the top of her head while he stoked her hair.

"I’ve never felt safer than I do now," she whispered to him. He felt her arms move from around his torso up around his neck where she continued to hold him for several seconds before looking up into his eyes. Harry felt himself melting into those same sparkling eyes, the same shining luster that was always there when she was angry, but in this case tinged with tears.

The longing in each of them was apparent, her fingers crept into his hair as he bent forward. Their lips met again but this time neither pulled away. Each pulled the other closer into the embrace, Hermione standing on her tip-toes, Harry pulling his arms around her tight enough to grip one of her shoulders. After several seconds Harry reached for the clasp of his cloak, pulling it loose and then enveloping both he and Hermione in it so that no passer-by would see them.