Harry Potter and the Orb of Power

Chapter 26: Longbottom's Legacy

    Harry and Ginny glared at Dr. Hageshough, his eyes clearly flashing impatience as he turned around and waited for Neville. He's already made up his mind, Harry thought savagely, watching as the doctor glanced at his wristwatch, and then back at Neville.

    "Mum, Dad, I'll be right back," Neville said quickly. Mrs. Longbottom smiled.

    "Well, the cake will be done when you get back. Mind you not take too long, you don't want stale cake!" She smiled cheerfully and walked around the curtain. Mr. Longbottom clapped Neville on the back.

    "You make sure you take care of yourself. Knowledge is power, my friend," he said quickly, and looked at Harry and Ginny. "You take care of this rascal."

    "Yes, Mr. Longbottom," Harry said.

    "We can't wait all day," Dr. Hageshough interrupted, dropping his facade of politeness. Neville followed him out of the room, but when Harry and Ginny made to follow Neville, but Dr. Hageshough cut them off. "I'm sorry, this is a private meeting, relatives only."

    "I'm his cousin," Ginny said fiercely. "And I'm not letting Neville go in there by himself!" Dr. Hageshough gave her a shrewd, calculating look. Ginny leaned close to Harry, to whisper in his ear. "Stay here. Don't let them touch Neville's parents." Harry nodded and whispered back.

    "Be careful. I don't like the sound of him." Ginny nodded, and when Harry clapped Neville on the back, the three of them filed out of the room. Harry watched them leave, and closed the door behind them. He didn't want to bother Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom, so he sat quietly in one of the chairs and, to keep himself busy, started doing more homework. He worked for a half hour, finishing Snape's essay on the Nightshade Potion, when he put his homework away, he found himself suddenly very drowsy. He tried to stay awake, but found himself falling asleep anyhow. Wondering why he was suddenly so tired, he closed his eyes, and fell into a deep sleep...

    ... "You have trials ahead, Voldemort," a voice was saying in Harry's dream. Harry found himself on a cliff, jutting out into the ocean. The water pounded relentlessly against the rocks. It looked as if it was about to downpour; storm clouds were building in the distance over the ocean. Harry looked and saw three figures surrounding a cauldron, which was sitting over a blazing fire. One, a tall, skeletal man, was clearly Voldemort. Another, a small, timid looking man, Harry recognized as Wormtail. And the last was a witch, wearing filthy, blood-red robes. She was wearing a dark veil, covering her face from view. This was the mysterious seer Harry, Hermione, and Ron were trying to find information on, Malagar. She was talking to Voldemort as she gazed into the cauldron. "They will be the source of your trials."

    "Still they plague me," Voldemort said, his icy voice filled with menace. Harry took a reluctant step forward. This was clearly the dream that Harry had on the night of his birthday. He was seeing it again, the reading that Malagar was giving to Voldemort. Who was causing trials for Voldemort? Someone was standing in his way. "Even in death they would be a nuisance. It does not matter. We can dispose of them." Harry felt his skin crawl as Voldemort spoke. He spoke so cruelly, so mercilessly. It was inhuman. Harry walked reluctantly towards the cauldron, to see who was standing in his way. However, they had begun to talk about something else. They spoke of a traitor, and Wormtail going to kill him. They spoke of two creatures that Voldemort needed to obtain. Harry listened, trying to absorb all of the details. Then, Harry heard Malagar speak again.

    "The object you require is heavily defended, I believe it will give you immortality, and immeasurable power."

    "Which is the reason I seek it, Malagar," Voldemort hissed back. Harry sudden had a flash of understanding. The Orb of Power must grant the holder immortality and power. Harry remembered Voldemort searching for the Sorcerer's Stone, back in his first year, for the same reason: immortality. The Orb, however, must be more heavily defended than the Sorcerer's Stone.

    "Be careful. It is a double edged sword," Malagar responded.

    "I understand the risks. If all goes to plan, it will not be a problem," Voldemort said dismissively.

    "If Potter gets a hold of it..." Malagar said, but trailed off. What happened if Harry got hold of it? Harry shook his head. He didn't know enough. He listened more closely, but the scene began to swirl and change. His dream was shifting, changing, growing foggier and more confusing. Harry felt a pain in his forehead...

    ...Harry awoke with a start, his scar twinging painfully. He put a hand to his scar, and wondered why it was burning painfully. He saw the now familiar hospital room, and began to calm down a bit. He had that dream again for a reason. He stood up, shaking his head, when he heard someone knocking at the ward door. Before Harry could answer, the door swung open, and a horribly old looking witch came limping in through the doorway, her right leg dragging behind her. She saw Harry's surprised look, and gave him a rather ugly smile.

    "Why hello deary. I'm Nurse Alygma, I treat the Longbottom family," she said in a screeching voice. She limped over to the curtain. "Alice? Frank? It's time for your potions." Mr. and Mr. Longbottom came from around the curtains, and looked at the goblets. Harry looked over, interested, and saw a nasty looking black liquid in the goblets. "I'll be back in a half hour, I want those goblets empty when I get back!" Nurse Alygma walked back towards the door. She looked at Harry importantly. "Do make sure they have that potion, the hospital will have my job if they don't drink it."

    "Yes, ma'am," Harry said. The nurse smiled again, and hobbled out of the room. Harry looked at the Longbottoms, and saw them looking apprehensively at the potions.

    "This stuff again? You'd think they'd serve us something more appetizing," Mr. Longbottom said, his nose wrinkling at the smell of the potion, which looked a lot like oil.

    "I do agree," Mrs. Longbottom agreed. "But there's nothing else to drink around here. You know they give this to us all the time, they would have given us something else if they had it. But...all the same...I think I might pass."

    "Mrs. Longbottom," Harry began awkwardly. "Nurse Alygma said to drink it up." Harry smile weakly, and looked at the Longbottoms. Nurse Alygma...the name sounded familiar to Harry. He didn't have time to ponder it, he had to get the Longbottoms to drink the potion.

    "Yes, I suppose," Mrs. Longbottom sighed. She picked up the goblet. Harry watched her put the goblet to her lips, and suddenly had a thought. The nurse looked awfully familiar; she looked rather twisted, and she had a limp in her right leg. Harry remembered his dream, and made an awful connection.

    Malagar was posing as a nurse.

    Harry swiftly knocked the goblet out of Mrs. Longbottom's hand before she could drink any.

    "Well, I know it's bad, but I have to drink something," she exclaimed.

    "Don't drink it!" Harry shouted, grabbing the goblet in front of Mr. Longbottom and dumping it out.

    "Strange behavior, have you been working here long?" he asked Harry, giving him a suspicious look. Harry ignored this and walked over, locking the ward door. Malagar, here at St. Mungo's. Why? What was she doing? And then that too, clicked in Harry's mind. They were the ones causing trials for Voldemort. But just as Harry had answered that question, more sprang out of the answer. What trials? What exactly were the Longbottoms doing that were interfering with Voldemort's plan? Harry looked back at them, and when he saw the confusion in their faces, he couldn't understand. Harry tried to figure out a way he could send for help. Hedwig wasn't here, so he couldn't owl anyone. There was no fireplace, no chance for Floo Powder. And Harry certainly couldn't Apparate or make a portkey. Harry retrieved his wand from his trunk, and began looking for an alternate escape route.

    "Is there another door out of here?" he asked the Longbottoms. They looked utterly confused.

    "What's wrong with the front one? Don't tell me I need to buy another one," Mrs. Longbottom said impatiently. She suddenly staggered, and Mr. Longbottom caught her. "I don't feel well all of the sudden." Harry looked, panicked, at the Longbottoms. Mr. Longbottom too looked as if he was about to pass out.

    "I need help," Harry muttered aloud. He walked behind the curtain, and saw a mirror stretching half the wall's length. It's probably for observation, Harry thought. If he broke it, he could probably crawl out. But then again, doctors were probably monitoring that room, if they weren't in there now. Options running out, Harry returned to the main part of the room. He saw Mr. Longbottom staring at him.

    "Harry? Harry Potter?" he asked, confused. "My word...Harry Potter...all grown up! I...I don't understand." Mr. Longbottom looked very confused, staring unbelievingly at Harry. Harry also was filled with confusion. Was Mr. Longbottom snapping out of his insanity?

    "Where are we?" Mrs. Longbottom asked confusedly.

    "St. Mungo's," Harry responded.

    "Why are we here?" Mrs. Longbottom asked.

    "Because you were tortured by Death Eaters using the Cruciatus Curse. They said you were driven into insanity, and they've kept you here since," Harry explained quickly.

    "But the Cruciatus Curse doesn't drive anyone into insanity," Mrs. Longbottom said slowly. She looked at Mr. Longbottom, who suddenly understood.

    "So they're after it," he said suddenly. "Damn, I need my wand. Alice, they're coming for it, we need to get out of here."

    "Wait, what..." Harry started to say, but Mr. Longbottom cut him off.

    "There's no time. You need to get out of here." Mr. Longbottom looked at the ground, and saw the puddle of black potion on the ground. "Subjugation Potion. They've been giving it to us, keeping us from not telling anyone about it. They must have realized we wouldn't tell them, but they couldn't kill us..." Mr. Longbottom took of a golden chain that he had warn around his neck. It looked like a plain golden chain.

    "I am the Keeper, reveal thyself!" Mr. Longbottom said loudly. There was a shimmering of golden sparks at the end of the chain, and a small, crystal orb appeared at the end. Harry's jaw dropped.

    "The Orb of Power..." Harry started to say. Mr. Longbottom looked as if he was about to say something, but shook his head.

    "There isn't time..." he seemed to mumble to himself. He put the chain around Harry's neck. "Under normal circumstances, Neville would wear this, but it's time for it to be used for the purpose it was created." Harry didn't understand what Neville's father was talking about, but he didn't ask any questions.

    "How is Neville?" Mrs. Longbottom asked, tears shimmering in her eyes.

    "He's...he's great. He does really well at school, and he's very popular," Harry lied. He couldn't think of anything else to say.

    "I wish he could have known us..." she started to say, but stopped.

    "What do you mean?" Harry sputtered, but Mr. Longbottom silenced him.

    "Get out of here, now. They'll be coming, the doctors have a back entrance into the room. Go and get Neville, and get out of the hospital."

    "Tell Neville..." Mrs. Longbottom started to say, but Harry never heard her finish it. Harry heard a pounding on the back door, and the lights flickered out.

    "Lumos", Harry muttered, lighting up his wand.

    "Go, now!" Mr. Longbottom hissed. Harry made to leave, but the front door burst open as well. Harry dived behind the row of chairs.

    "Nox!" Harry whispered just in time, extinguishing his wand. He felt a familiar cold sensation creep over his body, and heard an all too familiar rattling breath. Dementors had entered the room, followed closely by a witch, dressed in blood red robes and dragging her right leg behind her. Malagar.

    "Alice, Frank, how are you?" Malagar screeched, cackling as she held a ball of grey flames that flickered in her hand. "Where is it?"

    "I don't know what you're talking about," Mr. Longbottom started to say, but Malagar flashed her wand, and blasted him against the wall.

    "I don't have any patience for this," Malagar hissed. "Accio Orb!" she yelled, and Harry felt the Orb of Power fly off of his neck, and into the air. Harry looked, horrified, as the Orb fell into Malagar's hand. "Excellent. And who were you showing it to?" Frank said nothing, staring defiantly at Malagar. She stared at the Orb. "First, my own question..." Malagar hissed vaguely. She closed her hand over the Orb, and closed her eyes. Suddenly, she opened her hand, and the Orb was shimmering silver. Then, with a gust of wind, orange light streaked out, and formed a picture of three pyramids, rising high above desert sand. Malagar gave a twisted smile, and the image shot back into the Orb, and it became a clear crystal again. "Now, for Voldemort's desire," Malagar said lazily, with a hint of impatience in her voice. Suddenly, the front door swung open. Ginny and Neville were returning from the meeting. Neville's face was filled with fury, until he looked up. Ginny and Neville looked shocked, and were hit by the wave of dread that the dementors emanated.

    "Get them!" Malagar shrieked.

    "Accio Orb!" Harry bellowed, standing up suddenly. The Orb sailed out of Malagar's hand and into Harry's.

    "Get him!" Malagar shrieked, pointing her wand at Harry.

    "Stupefy!" Harry bellowed first, his spell streaking towards Malagar. She snarled, and then vanished, Apparating away. The dementors glided towards Harry, and he could feel the cold smothering him. He pointed his wand at them, as Ginny pulled out her own wand.

    "Expecto Patronum!" Harry yelled, keeping the memory of winning the Quidditch Cup in his head. A brilliant silver stag erupted from his wand, and kept the dementors at bay. The stag charged down one of the dementors, and they both disappeared into the darkness. The lights flickered back on, and Harry turned to Ginny and Neville.

    "We have to get out of here!" Harry yelled, the banging on the backdoor becoming louder.

    "There's more of them?" Ginny yelled disbelievingly. She took out her wand, and pointed it at the trunks. "Locomotor Trunks!" The trunks hovered, and Ginny walked quickly out of the room. Harry followed, and saw Neville lingering, staring at his parents.

    "There's something different about them!" Neville whispered, taking a step forward.

    "Neville, we have to go!" Harry yelled, grabbing his arm. Neville pulled his arm away, ignoring Harry's protests and the banging on the back door.

    "Neville, please!" Ginny shouted, the trunks floating down the hall.

    "Mom? Dad?" Neville said quietly. Mrs. Longbottom had tears running down her eyes. Suddenly, the back door swung open, hidden in the walls, and men in dark robes, masked, were sweeping in. Death Eaters. Harry grabbed Neville and dragged him backwards.

    "MOM! DAD!" Neville screamed, but there was a muffled sound, and a flash of green light. A rushing sound filled their ears, and Neville's father fell silently to the ground, a sad look fixed on his face. The Thought Bubble that Neville had bought his father rolled out of his hands, and stopped at Harry's feet. He picked it up, and saw that Neville plunged his hand into his pockets, pulling out his wand. Harry pulled him backwards. There was another flash of green light, and Neville's mother fell next to her father, the tears frozen in her eyes. Harry swung the door shut, and Neville collapsed against the door, his eyes glazed over, as if his brain had emptied. Ginny was trying to pull him up.

    "We have to get out of here, Neville," she was saying, but there was no use. Neville was staring into space, his face utterly hopeless. Harry felt urgency overcoming him, and he pointed his wand at Neville.

    "I'm really, really sorry about this Neville," Harry said quickly. "Petrificus Totalus!" Harry muttered. Neville snapped up, laying on the ground stiffly. "Mobilicorpus!" Neville started floating, and Harry flicked his wand, so that Neville would follow the trunks.

    "Was that necessary?" Ginny asked breathlessly.

    "We have to get out of here!" Harry shouted again. "We need to find a fireplace, or something, we can't just run out!" Harry heard shuffling footsteps inside the ward room. "They'll figure out that we escaped." Harry pointed his wand at the door. "Colloportus!" Harry shouted, making sure the door would stay locked. Harry grabbed Ginny by the arm, and rushed down the hall, using his wand to steer Neville while Ginny steered their trunks. They made their way through twisted walls. They heard a muffled explosion from somewhere behind them, and Harry realized that the Death Eaters had blasted through the door.

    "There's a communication room in the hospital, I remember seeing it when I was getting drinks," Ginny said breathlessly, looking behind her. "It's this way!" She opened a door, and allowed the odd procession to enter the room. There were several fireplaces, none of them were lit. Harry thought wildly that someone should be around, some nurse, a doctor, but the hospital seemed to be empty. Harry heard footsteps coming down the hall.

    "Incendio!" Harry shouted, and the fireplace erupted into a roaring fire. "Find the Floo Powder." He closed the door behind him, and locked the door again with his wand. Ginny looked around wildly, until her hands managed to find a small bag. She took a bit out, and threw it into the fire. The flames roared and towered over them, sparkling emerald green.

    "Where to, Harry?" Ginny asked hushed.

    "Dumbledore's office, Hogwarts," Harry said, hearing the footsteps approach the door. Ginny positioned Neville and the trunks in the fireplace, and shouted the destination. Neville and the trunks soared away. Ginny was about to grab more Floo Powder when door once again blasted open, the door blasted out of it's frame. The first Death Eater stepped in, saw the Floo Powder, and extinguished it with his wand. Harry took this lapse in security by pointing his wand at him.

    "Stupefy!" Harry shouted, a brilliant jet of red light blasting the Death Eater against the wall. Another Death Eater stepped in, and Harry and Ginny together blasted the Death Eater into the crowd behind him.

    "Come here!" Harry shouted, and when Ginny ran next to Harry, Harry tapped her over the head with his wand.

    "Defluam!" he muttered. Ginny faded into the background; he had put the Disillusionment Charm on her.

    "Harry..." Ginny started to say, but Harry hissed at her to be quiet and told her to hide. Five Death Eaters walked into the room and pointed their wands at Harry.

    "The race is at its end, Harry Potter. Drop the wand," a cold, vicious voice floated through the mask. Harry had heard the voice before, somewhere in his memory, but now was not the time. He kept his and pointed at the Death Eaters.

    "Why, so you can just kill me when I put it down? No thanks," Harry responded, looking around for a way to protect himself.

    "You are outnumbered. You have no choice but to obey our commands. Now put the wand down, and give us the Orb of Power." The voice spoke with sickening amusement, but also with terrifying imperiousness. Harry was about to grab at the crystal that was hanging from his neck, but reached into his pocket, and pulled out the Thought Bubble that Neville had given his father. The figure that was speaking twitched excitedly, and held out a hand.

    "Give it to me, now!" the Death Eater barked.

    "Who are you?" Harry first said, looking at the fireplace. But there was no escape by Floo Powder here, no escape at all.

    "This is no time for questions!" the voice behind the mask hissed. "If you do not give me the Orb, then we will have to take it by force." When Harry refused to move, the Death Eater nodded. "Dolohov...get him." The Death Eater named Dolohov stepped forward, but fell to the ground, as if tripped. Harry saw the blurry outline of the masked Ginny moving. The remaining Death Eaters, four in all, started to laugh at Dolohov.

    "Get up, Dolohov," the main Death Eater spoke. "Clumsy oaf." When Dolohov tried to get up, Harry saw Ginny push him down again.

    "Someone is here, Bellatrix! Someone is in this room!" The Death Eater named Bellatrix ripped off her mask, and revealed a sickening hollow face that reminded Harry eerily of Sirius. Harry watched, terrified, thinking Ginny was about to be caught. Bellatrix sent the remaining three Death Eaters to find this mysterious nemesis. Harry could see Ginny's outline crouching back towards the wall. Harry had to distract them. Bellatrix was staring at Harry, cold fury in her eyes. Harry held the Thought Bubble to the side, and then returned the furious look at Bellatrix.

    "You all take one more step, and I drop this!" Bellatrix eyes narrowed, and she made to use a Summoning Charm.

    "Accio!" She shouted, but Harry merely pointed his wand at her.

    "Defendo!" Harry shouted, putting up the Shield Charm. Harry wasn't sure it would work, but to his great surprise, the Thought Bubble did not fly out of his hand.

    "Listen, boy, you're going to give me that Orb!" Bellatrix sneered menacingly. Harry gave Bellatrix a steely look, and started to make his way towards the fireplace.

    "Let us go, and you can have it. I don't want it, I don't need it," Harry said. "I don't even know what it is anyways." Bellatrix gave him a calculating look.

    "Us eh? So there is someone here!" Bellatrix said shrewdly. "And you think you can bargain your way out of here? You think I would have bargained with the Longbottoms if they did not want to be tortured? You think I would have bargained with the Longbottoms if they wanted to be spared? You think too low of me boy. I will not hesitate in killing you, now hand over the Orb!" Harry made his way to the fireplace.

    "Let us go, you can have it!"

    "Give it to me, and I'll let you go," Bellatrix countered. Harry considered his position. He didn't believe Bellatrix in an instant. But there was nothing he could do, Ginny was still being cornered by the Death Eaters, and he couldn't leave her here. Harry couldn't risk motioning to her, in case she was spotted.

    "This is not the time to be playing games. I will not ask again. Give me the Orb!" Bellatrix shouted. Harry gave a panicked look at Ginny; the charm was wearing off. Her silhouette became more and more pronounced, and the colors that blended her together were blurring, and turning back into their usual form.

    "And here is our specter," Bellatrix sneered gleefully. Dolohov gave a nasty smile and pointed his wand at the now fully revealed Ginny.

    "Give us the Orb, or she dies," Dolohov sneered. The three other Death Eaters were laughing, their laughs echoing in Harry's head. He had no choice. He put the Thought Bubble down, and made to stand next to Ginny. Bellatrix strode over to grab the Thought Bubble, and there was a sudden charge in the air. Harry felt a prickling on the back of his neck; it was as if electricity was surging through the air. Ginny drew closer, her eyes looking apprehensive and terrified.

    "Harry...what's going on?" she stammered. Harry's shook his head. He saw Bellatrix give a concerned to Dolohov, who looked very fearful.

    "What is that?" Dolohov said, his voice breaking with fear.

    "I don't know..." Bellatrix whispered, her face screwed up in concentration. Harry heard a buzzing sound fill the air, as if something was being charged. A feeling of dread filling him, he looked quickly at Ginny.

    "You know the Shield Charm?" he whispered quickly.

    "Yes," Ginny said determinedly.

    "Do it!" Harry shouted. The two of them waved their wands and performed the Shield Charm, the barrier between them and the Death Eaters blurring Harry's vision. There was a sudden crack, and a flash of light filled the room. Harry saw something that made him gasp. Ginny screamed.

    The light flashed again, and a terrible looking bird had suddenly appeared in the room. It was completely black; it had no eyes, but two burning orbs of blue flames. It had razor sharp talons and a hooked beak, and it was issuing a cry that was horrible to hear. The sound, like nails being scraped on a chalkboard, seemed to split Harry's head. Harry felt a surge in the air, the bird was radiating an immense power. There was another flash of light, and Harry saw the mystery witch, taking the place of the immense bird, standing before them. She towered over the Death Eaters. Bellatrix seems to wither under the witch's furious gaze. She waved her wand, a bolt of crackling blue lightning struck a Death Eater, blasting him towards the wall. The figure crumpled, clearly unconscious. Harry watched as another Death Eater tried to run out of the room, but a deep blue fire had arisen around him, and engulfed him in flames. As the Death Eater writhed, screaming in agony, Bellatrix pointed her wand at the witch.

    "Avada Kedavra!" she screamed. The witch flicked her wand, and it she seemed to fall backwards, and out of her body, leaving a shell of the witch standing. The curse hit the image of the witch, and burst into pieces. The witch, whose eyes were blazing blue flames, turned on Bellatrix. Bellatrix flicked her wand, and the last anonymous Death Eater was swept in front of her. The witch flicked her wand, and an electric blue ball of energy formed at the tip of her wand, and shot at Bellatrix. The ball hit the anonymous Death Eater, and Harry just saw the figure being reduced a skeleton, and then fading into ash. Bellatrix, taking this moment of opportunity, dashed for the Thought Bubble, which she had thought was the Orb, and grabbed Dolohov. The witch flashed lightning at the two of them, but they Apparated away, leaving Harry and Ginny alone with this mysterious, towering figure. Her voice boomed as she spoke to Harry Potter.

    "You have the Orb, Harry Potter. Now guard it with your life, and be more alert in the future. Take care, Harry Potter. We shall meet again." And with a crash, the witch was gone. Ginny was shaking with fear, and Harry couldn't blame her.

    "Who..." Ginny managed to say, but when she saw the confused and startled look at Harry, she stopped. They heard footsteps, and saw several Healers running in, with what looked like Ministry officials, following closely. Harry saw Arthur Weasley among them, looking quickly from the ashes on the ground, to the man writhing in flames, to the unconscious Death Eater lying in a heap against the wall, to the two Stupefied Death Eaters near the door.. He mouthed wordlessly as he saw Harry and Ginny, and ran over to the two of them.

    "You're alive, you're both alive," Mr. Weasley sputtered, who looked clearly horrified. Ginny leaped up and gave Mr. Weasley a great big hug. Harry, meanwhile, couldn't take his eyes off of the spot where the terrifying witch had stood. "Are you all right, Harry?" Mr. Weasley asked breathlessly.

    "I'm...," Harry managed to sputter, but he stopped talking. The weight of what had happened hit him with all it's might, and he felt as if he was going to be sick. The Ministry officials were talking animatedly, regarding the Death Eaters with shock.

    "Death Eaters...at St. Mungo's?"

    "Why were they here?"

    "The Dark Mark was above the hospital!"

    "Just like Diagon Alley!"

    "And Azkaban!" Mr. Weasley helped the two of them up, both of them exhausted from the events and the Shield Charm.

    "Mr. Weasley... Neville," Harry said, but Mr. Weasley nodded.

    "Safe with Dumbledore. He sent word to the Ministry immediately, but considering he's not the most popular wizard at the moment, he did not come here. I know the Aurors who are here, and they allowed me to tag along."

    "His parents..." Harry started to say, but Mr. Weasley cut him off.

    "We should be going. A car is waiting outside, we're taking you straight back to Hogwarts, where you'll be spending the night in the Hospital Wing. Then you'll probably have to talk to Dumbledore. But until then, no one will touch you in between."

    "We did magic," Harry tried to explain, trying to focus on something else besides the horrible pictures of Neville's parents, falling to the ground. Mr. Weasley shook his head.

    "You were in mortal peril. You can't be disciplined. Just stay here, Harry, and don't try to get up." Mr. Weasley cast a worried glance at Harry and Ginny, and then began talking to the Ministry officials, working out the logistics of Harry and Ginny being released. Ginny looked shell-shocked, and Harry put an arm around her, trying to comfort her. Mr. Weasley seemed to have finished with the Ministry workers, and came back to Harry and Ginny. They agreed to let them go, after insistence by Mr. Weasley that Harry and Ginny would give them testimony after they had some rest. Ginny was looking very pale, but determined not to dissolve into tears. Harry's mind was a complete blank. As Mr. Weasley escorted him and Ginny out of the hospital, Harry saw some Healers lying on the floor, clearly killed by the Death Eaters. Lots of the patients were wandering confused through the halls. Harry felt suddenly sick; he remembered the charred corpses at Diagon Alley, and felt that all these people had been killed for a stupid Orb. Harry started thinking about the families of those that had died, how they would react, how they would try to cope with the tragedy. How would they understand what had happened, when the Ministry was covering up attacks like these? And how could they stop Voldemort, when he knew he could have a free reign, as long as the Ministry failed to believe in his return? Harry felt waves of nausea come over him, he almost felt like throwing up. All of this loss of life, and it was just the beginning. As Harry reached the outside of St. Mungo's and saw the dilapidated old building that hid the hospital, he saw the Dark Mark twinkling menacingly in the sky, another green scar etched into the sky, another score for Voldemort to record. Harry watched the Ministry workers trying to get rid of the mark, but to no avail. They could not hide this tragedy for long. Nothing could undo the deaths, the injuries. Harry looked down at the small crystal at the end of the golden chain, and it had faded away. Harry felt an unexpected emotion fill him, wash over him. Hate. He hated the Orb of Power, he hated what it represented, and most of all, he hated Voldemort for causing all of this pain.