My Soul Mate

Chapter Twenty Eight - Full Fledged Devastation

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What a strange story this is,

Where had it started and where would it stop?

What is the end of all this?

Neither they nor I can understand.

How did all this happen?

Nobody had any clue about it.

Before taking such an action,

Why didn't you think once?

I was ignorant of your love.

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"Goodbye, Harry Potter," whispered Voldemort. "Avada Kedavra!"

A jet of green light shot from Voldemort's wand and traveled an inch, striking Harry Potter at the base of his throat.

A blinding pain shot through Harry's entire neck and the skin, which was attacked, tore open. Harry couldn't scream due to the Binding Curse that Voldemort had put on him earlier. He couldn't even stop himself from falling when Voldemort's Levitating Charm broke as Voldemort fell down onto the ground too.

Bellatrix Lestrange gasped loudly. She walked forwards and kneeled next to Voldemort, who wasn't moving anymore. "Master!" she shrieked. "Master, what happened! Are you all right, my Lord? My Lord ... what the hell! POTTER, WHAT DID YOU DO?"

Bella brandished her wand and hissed the counter curse of the Binding Curse on Harry, who amazingly was still alive, though his throat felt as though it was on fire.

Once able to move, Harry put his fingers to his throat and felt for the wound. He gasped as he trailed the cut.

A lightning shaped bolt wound similar to the one on his forehead had formed, burning under his touch, fresh and raw.

Harry's eyes widened in shock. What happened?

Bella lunged forwards and wrapped her own fingers on Harry's around his neck and squeezed it. Harry choked and tried to shove her off; his injury was burning painfully.

"What did you do?" roared Bella. "What did you do to my master?"

"I ... I don't know," gasped Harry. "Let me ... go."

He pushed Bella successfully this time off him. He turned to look at Voldemort. Voldemort lay on the ground, with spread-eagled legs and a shocked face.

He was unmistakably dead.

Life washed clean out of his body.

Harry stared at Voldemort and pulled his wand out in case this was some of Voldemort's tricks.

"Potter!" wheezed Bella, pointing towards his throat. "What is that?"

Harry protectively hid his wound, supposing if Bella had the urge to squeeze his throat again. "I don't know," he said again.

"It's a wound!" yelled Bella. "Like the scar on your head!"

"I know that,"

"When did you get it?"

Harry bit his lip. He knew that the cut had developed a few moments ago, but he wasn't going to let Bella know about it. In the blink of an eye, he yelled at her, "Stupefy!"

Stunned, Bellatrix Lestrange fell onto the ground. Harry looked at Voldemort again. He showed no sign of life. None at all.

Harry tore his gaze away from Voldemort and looked at Draco and Hermione, thin cords covering each inch of their bodies. He pointed his wand towards them and performed the counter-curse. Immediately, they were free. They stared at Harry open mouthed, and gasped when they found Voldemort and Bella on the ground.

"What happened?" asked Draco.

"Voldemort," replied Harry unnerved, "is dead."

"What...! How?" asked Hermione.

"I don't know ... he used the killing curse on me and then ... he died."

"And what's on your throat?"

Harry came near them, but stayed away from the invisible cage, and showed them his wound. Hermione gasped again.

"Harry..." she said weakly. "You know what it means...?"

Harry shook his head.

"Harry ... the curse rebounded..."

"What? It's not possible."

"But it has happened ... like it had last time..."

"But it cannot be!"

"Excuse me," said Draco, who had no idea what had happened when Harry had survived Voldemort's curse previously. "What are you talking about?"

Hermione and Harry ignored him.

"Look," said Harry, "for the curse to rebound, there ought to be a protection on me."

"You must have it."

"I do have but it's of no use. Voldemort has it, I mean had it too. You know that!"

"Then you must be have some new protection unknown to you."

"The protection can come only through a loved one's death, and is anybody who loves me that much dead?"

Hermione shook her head. "But ... the curse has surely rebounded ... otherwise how could Voldemort die?"

"I don't know. I just don't know."

"Will you both explain anything to me?" asked Draco impatiently. "What are you talking about?"

"I'll tell you later," said Hermione. "Wait a minute, is Voldemort really dead?"

Harry turned and looked at Voldemort. He picked up a sharp stone from the ground and flung it at Voldemort. It hit Voldemort's head and bounced onto the ground. Voldemort didn't wince.

"Check his pulse," advised Hermione.

Harry walked forwards and held Voldemort's wrist in his hand. He pressed his fingers and felt for the pulse. There was none.

Harry shook his head and dropped Voldemort's hand. He checked if he was breathing. Voldemort wasn't.

"He is clearly dead," said Harry. "Dead."

Hermione chewed on her lower lip. "The curse has rebounded on Voldemort," she started pacing the ground. "But then ... no one's dead ... and ... hang on! If the curse has rebounded than why didn't Voldemort turned to vapor again? Why dead?"

"Yeah..." said Harry slowly. "Last time it happened he didn't die..."

"Well, I understand about why that would be," said Draco. "And I know why Voldemort died if the curse has rebounded. Whenever we say a spell and it travels a distance before striking, there is some decrease in the intensity of the spell. The more it travels, the less it's intensity becomes. Do you understand? I mean, if I say 'Crucio' to Hermione standing next to me and if I say the same thing to you, Potter, over there, Hermione would feel the pain more than you because she's closer. The spell traveled lesser distance. So I think you can put it here too. Voldemort and you were so close to each other."

"I always thought about this logic," said Hermione, "ever since we learnt the Summoning Charm."

"So do you want to say," said Harry, "that the curse had greater intensity when it struck Voldemort this time? Is that why he died completely?"

"Might be," said Hermione. "But for the curse to rebound, you must have some protection, Harry!"

"A protection I am unaware of, then. Anyway, why are we waiting? Voldemort's dead, why don't we go back?"

Hermione snorted. "Can you believe it? The greatest wizard of this century is dead! Ought we not to be glad?"

"I don't care," said Draco, smiling now. "I am just glad that I got you back."

He leaned forwards and hugged Hermione.

"I am glad too," she said. "And I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too."

Harry cleared his throat loudly and Draco and Hermione broke apart. "Shall we go?" he asked.

"Surely," said Draco. "But how? Hermione and I are still in this cage. And the eleck-tri-sity is not pleasant, I tell you."

"Ah yes," said Hermione. "What is this cage? Is it invisible?"

"Yes it is," said Harry. "And electricity is flowing through it in a high voltage. Draco had touched it."

Hermione gasped again in Draco's arms.

"And nothing can come from inside the cage, not even any spell," went on Harry. "But things can co through from my side and bring things from inside. That's how I came out. Voldemort took me out."

"Then why don't you take us out?" said Hermione.

"That's what I had meant," said Harry sarcastically. "And Malfoy didn't understand."

"Well, I had other -"

"Things on mind," Harry completed for him. "I am hearing it for the third time in less than twenty-four hours, Malfoy."

Draco scowled at him.

Harry got up from the ground and walked warily towards Draco and Hermione, close for them to hold his outstretched hand, yet not so close that he was in the cage itself.

Tentatively, Hermione and Draco held Harry's arm and walked till they were level with him. To test that they were truly out of the cage, Draco walked forwards more, until he was almost close to the other end.

They were out of the cage.

"Merlin!" sighed Draco in relief. "It's all over ... everything's over."

Harry and Hermione nodded happily. Harry turned to Hermione. "Hermione, I am really sorry for what I had done. I was just brainwashed by Pansy Parkinson."

"It's all right, Harry," said Hermione. "But do you really love me?"

Draco narrowed his eyes at Hermione and Harry.

"I do, Hermione," said Harry bowing his head. "But, hear me out, please. I know I am the third person and I wish to step out. I ... I wish you and Malfoy stay together forever."

"Er ... well, thanks," said Hermione.

"Oh come on," said Draco. "Look at the bright side - Voldemort's dead. If you hadn't interfered, then Hermione and I would have never fought. If both of us hadn't fought, I wouldn't have left her alone. If I hadn't left her alone, she wouldn't have been successfully kidnapped. If she wasn't kidnapped, then we wouldn't have come to save. If we wouldn't -"

"All right, all right," said Harry, cutting in, "I get your point. Anyway, it wasn't that bad being with you, Malfoy."

"Er ... it wasn't that dreadful being with you either, but can I tell you something? Sleeping with you was terrible."

"What!" said Hermione in shock.

"We just spent last night together," said Harry defiantly.

"He's lying Hermione," said Draco solemnly, though Harry could see the mock part of it. "I am sorry, but Potter forced me to."

"Shut up!" said Hermione, smiling amusedly.

"Malfoy," said Harry, "I'm going to kill you. Watch out!"

"I sense trouble," said Draco as he got up and ran into the forest. Harry ran behind him, his palms balled into fists. Hermione followed them half-terrified and half-regaled.

They chased each other around for several minutes until they were all tired. They dragged themselves back to the clearing. Hermione explained everything she and Harry had been talking about to Draco while Draco and Harry told her how adventurously they had come there. Then they Apprated to the Hogwarts grounds, the Stunned Bella with them.

Lord Voldemort might be dead. All the Death Eaters might be gone. But the true Devastation didn't stop. It had begun even since Harry had started his wicked plot to spoil Hermione and Draco's relationship and it continued ever since his life was through. And nobody regretted it more than he did.

Nothing was over. Everything had just started.

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The four of them Apparated into the Hogwarts grounds. Draco was holding Hermione while Harry held Bella. Draco, Hermione and Harry looked at the ancient castle of Hogwarts cheerfully. Many people were outside, near the door of the Entrance Hall. The place was thoroughly crowded; Bella had been true.

The school seemed welcoming in spite of the hubbub outside. Draco, Hermione and Harry knew why the ado had caused. The people were berserk, as they had found out the three of them missing and Voldemort kidnapping Hermione. Draco and Harry knew they had wronged the others, sneaking away without anybody's consent. But they hoped that when they would tell everybody that Voldemort was dead, they would forgive them. Everybody would cheer them and drink to them. People will party throughout the wizarding community.

Harry levitated Bella magically as he, along with Draco and Hermione started walking towards the castle. They're faces were shining with excitement and happiness. They neared the Entrance Hall with utter cheerfulness. Ministry guards, Daily Prophet reporters and photographers swept the area. It seemed that the guards were stopping the media people from going inside the castle and interviewing the Order's members.

As Draco, Hermione and Harry, with Bella hovering behind them, reached the crowd, there was a stunned silence as someone called out loudly, "Look there!"

The journalists, photographers and guards fell quiet as they turned to see the four. Immediately babble broke out.

"Harry Potter!"

"Hermione Granger!"

"Draco Malfoy!"

"Bellatrix Lestrange!"

The media surrounded the four in the blink of an eye and started prattling with questions. Five to six people surrounded around Draco, Hermione and Harry each. In the confusion, Harry dropped Bella onto the floor and the crowd gasped.

"Harry Potter, we had got news that you were missing along with Draco Malfoy since last night. Where were you? Where did you go? What did you do? How did you find Hermione Granger? Do you know anything about You-Know-Who? Did you confront him? What happened?"

"Draco Malfoy, you were missing since last night with Harry Potter. Did the both of you vanish together? Were you also kidnapped like Hermione Granger? Was it You-Know-Who? If yes, how did you survive? What events followed?"

"Hermione Granger, you were kidnapped by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. You look fine. How did you survive? What did you have to tolerate? This is You-Know-Who's first direct action ever since last year. Where did he take you?"

"Where did you find Bellatrix Lestrange, a top rated Death Eater? Was she with You-Know-Who? Did both of them attack you together? Are you all right? Did anything serious happen? Do you three need medical treatment?"

"Do you know what is going on inside? Why have all the students been sent home the first thing this morning? Has the school been closed? And why is each and every person, right from the caretaker, wait, who is he? Yes Filch. Why is each person, right from Filch to Cornelius Fudge inside? Albus Dumbledore is planning something? What can it be? And do you know anything about the death of Travis Morretti?"

The questions went on and on. Two guards came and picked up Bella from the chaos and took her into the castle.

Harry, Draco and Hermione were caught there, unable to move. They tried to answer, but their voices sank as the media shouted their own questions at them.

"Yes, I and Malfoy went together ... we went to many places ... sorry, come again ... yeah, long story ... yes we did..."

"No weren't kidnapped ... yes, we survived ... hey, will you let me speak? I am a Malfoy."

"Yes, I was kidnapped ... well I undergone the Cruciatus Curse, Harry and Draco did too ... we were all in Africa, though Draco and Harry have been off to Azkaban, yes really ... no they didn't kill Morretti ... they just got the information from him..."

"Lestrange was in Africa too. Yes with Voldemort ... no, she didn't attack us, but yes, she tried to squeeze my neck ... well, we could do with some medical treatment..."

"No, we don't know exactly what's going inside. I could know if I went inside ... there's of course some sort of meeting ... the students were set off, yeah, ask Dumbledore, he'll answer ... Lestrange killed Morretti ... why the hell don't you shut up? Don't you know that nobody speaks when a Malfoy does? Hey, please, I am a Malfoy!"

"SILENCE!" boomed a voice over the racket.

Everybody fell silent and turned to look at Albus Dumbledore near the doorway, looking as though he hadn't slept last night. His usually crisp robes were wrinkled and his eyes were under-bagged.

"HARRY, DRACO AND HERMIONE," he said, his voice magically magnified. "I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU IN MY OFFICE NOW. I BEG THE REPORTERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS TO EXCUSE THEM."

Harry, Draco and Hermione made their way through the crowd and walked into the Entrance Hall. Dumbledore closed the oak-paneled doors behind them. He then pointed his wand towards his throat and said, "Quietus!"

"We'll talk in my office," said Dumbledore, his voice back to normal. "Follow me."

He led them to his office through the passages and corridors, up the legerdemain staircase and through his door with the brass knob in the shape of a griffin.

He gestured at them to seat themselves on the chairs as he did the same too. Draco, Hermione and Harry looked at him excitedly, but Dumbledore didn't speak before five minutes.

"Harry," he said, "tell me everything that happened since last night."

And thus, Harry began relating everything to Dumbledore. He told him how he and Draco had flown to the Malfoy manor and then traveled to Azkaban. He told him how he got information from Travis Morretti and then about going to Africa. He told him they met Voldemort, Bellatrix Lestrange and Hermione there and how Voldemort had tortured the three of them. When Harry mentioned about the cave, Dumbledore's face fell.

"That was Voldemort's greatest weapon," he sighed. "His ability to create spells that no one had dreamt of."

Harry then continued as to how Voldemort tried to kill him and ended up dying himself. For a moment, Dumbledore's face whitened and his forehead transuded slightly. But he let Harry continue.

After Harry was done, he asked, "Professor ... we don't understand one thing -"

Dumbledore cut in. "Harry, Hermione and Draco," he said in tone that suggested he was deliberately ignoring Harry's unfinished question, "you all have been through a lot and it's a miracle that you survived. I am so glad that everything is over and that Lord Voldemort is dead, gone forever. But I advice you all go to the hospital wing and make sure that Madam Pomfrey looks after you. Undergoing the Cruciatus Curse ... anyway, I have to see to the press and the Ministry. There'll be hustle bustle everywhere now, I daresay. But I can promise you a feast as soon as everything has been done."

"But Professor," said Harry impatiently, "why did Voldemort die? What sort of barrier was between us this time?"

Dumbledore looked at Harry and sighed. He knew it was no good trying to hide it from him. Harry would come to know all about it very soon. But Dumbledore didn't want to see the consequences. Nevertheless, he said, "The same kind of barrier it was last time."

"What do you mean?" whispered Harry slowly. Draco and Hermione waited with baited breath for Dumbledore to continue.

"The barrier of sacrifice," said Dumbledore, bowing his head down. "Ginny Weasley killed herself."

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING?" yelled Harry, his face paling and his eyes darkening.

"The truth,"

"No," Harry whispered. "You're lying."

"I am not, Harry," said Dumbledore, his eyes shining. "Ginny killed herself."

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP! I CAN'T TAKE ANY MORE OF THIS, OKAY? FIRST MY PARENTS, THEN HAGRID AND NOW GINNY! WHAT SORT OF GAME IS MY LIFE, HUH?"

Hermione didn't say anything. Her suspicion was true. Someone did die ... and it was none other than Ginny, her friend. Hagrid and then Ginny...

Draco ran his hand through his disheveled hair. He couldn't believe his ears. Ginny? Ginny Weasley? He looked at Hermione found tears streaming down her face. He looked at Harry, shooting daggers at Dumbledore. He knew he couldn't blame him. He found a tear rolling down from his own eye.

"I'll find it out for myself," hissed Harry. "This has to be a joke."

He ran out of the office, Hermione and Draco behind him.

Harry ran to the Prefects' quarters. He gasped the password at the painting of the Founding Four and rushed into the living room.

He wished he never had.

The room was full of people. Sirius, Lupin, Tonks and all the Weasleys. Arthur, Molly, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George and Ron. And a dead Ginny in Molly's arms.

Molly was sitting on the ground; holding Ginny and crying like a mad woman. Sirius and Lupin were comforting Arthur. Bill, Charlie, Percy and Ron were huddled together, behind their mother.

Everybody turned to look at Harry. Harry looked at each of them through teary eyes. Then, his eyes fell on Ginny.

Her face was drained and ghostly white. Her limbs hung to her body lifelessly and her mouth was slightly parted. Her eyes were out of focus.

"Ginny..." whispered Harry as he fell onto the ground too.

Ron came forward. He ignored Draco and Hermione on his way. Draco was hugging Hermione and Hermione sobbed loudly into his shoulder, holding the front of his robes tight enough to tear them.

Ron caught hold of Harry's shirt and pulled him upwards.

SMACK!

Ron slapped Harry painfully. Hermione turned around and looked at Ron, surprised. Arthur and Molly didn't show any reaction. Sirius, Lupin, Bill, Charlie, Fred, George and Percy turned to look at Ron.

Harry jerked and looked at Ron. Pure vengeance was written in Ron's eyes. "Ron, what happened -?"

Ron pulled a roll of parchment from his robes and threw it on Harry's face. It fell down. Harry picked it up and read it.

Dear ... well everybody,

Please don't be angry on me for what I am doing. I am doing it for Harry's own good. I heard Dumbledore telling about the sacrifice barrier that is needed to save him. So I am doing it because I love him more than anything on this earth, even if he never noticed. I love you, Harry.

Dad, Mum, you're the best parents of the world and I never could have got more love and care from somebody else. Bill, I love your hair style and do not change. Mom, you stop telling him to do so. Charlie, I hope you don't put dragon dung on my grave. Just kidding. Percy, I had such good chances of becoming head Girl for my seventh year but ... forget it. Fred, George, I love your jokes and I know that Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes will be a great hit. Ron, I hope you don't change Pigwidgeon's name. Hermione, you're going to be a great Head Girl, I can know it. Draco, keep Hermione happy.

And Harry ... best of luck with Cho.

Yours forever,

Ginny.

Harry stared at the letter. He couldn't believe it. Ginny had loved him ... she had loved him...

"She died..." hissed Ron through the tears streaming on his face. "She killed herself for you ... MY SISTER DIED BECAUSE OF YOU!"

Harry didn't know what to say. He just wanted to run away. He wanted his mind to escape. His heart to stop beating. For his soul to go away.

"TAKE THIS BASTARD OUT OF MY SIGHT!" shouted Molly. "HE KILLED MY DAUGHTER!"

Sirius, Lupin, Draco and Hermione looked around helplessly, not knowing what to do. They didn't hold Harry responsible but they understood the Weasleys' grief.

To everybody's surprise, Harry fainted then and there.

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The abyss was very, very long. Very long. It was gloomy and sad. There was no one. All was hazy. The tunnel had no end. It was accursed. There was no sign of the living. No voices and no movements. No laughter and no cries. No touch and no feeling. He had lost Hermione, the girl he had loved. He had lost Ginny, a girl who loved him. His family of the Weasleys kicked him out of their lives. Everybody was gone. Was this hell?

No, it wasn't. It was coma.

Harry Potter was in coma.

He was in coma in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Injuries and Maladies. When he had fainted and Madam Pomfrey had been unable to revive him, Albus Dumbledore had taken him to St. Mungo's. Sirius, Lupin, Draco and Hermione went along too. The Healer examined Harry and said that he had gone into coma due to heavy shock and depression.

The Devastation was in its full form. It was full-fledged. It was the end of Harry Potter. The Boy-Who-Lived. The boy who saved the world from the Dark Lord's reign.