Story: Stress
Chapter: 25
Rating of Chapter: PG-13
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. The only things I own are the plot, any characters, spells etc that you do not recognize.
Author Notes: Prayers Answered
Chapter 25: This is the last chapter of the fic, but the sequel will be started ASAP. I know some characters have been introduced a little late but they will play roles in the sequel so do not fear. Also, this fic finishes a little differently to your usual HP stories, but this is Fan Fiction.
Another month later Harry was walking through a corridor when he heard something. He put his hands up to his ears, as the screeching grew louder, he stumbled round the corner and bumped into Draco Malfoy. The sound disappeared.
"Ok Potter?" asked Draco.
"No, not really. Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"That, that screeching?"
"No, where was it coming from?" Draco asked,
"Outside…I think, I'm going to find out." Harry walked outside where Draco followed; he saw Ron and Hermione come out from another exit.
"What are you two doing?" asked Ron.
"Potter's hearing noises," answered Draco. Hermione moved to catch up with Harry.
"What's happening?" she asked.
"I heard something coming from out here, I'm trying to find out what it is."
"What's this?" Draco said, picking up a sheet of parchment and handing it to Harry.
"I think it's another riddle?" said Harry.
"This is no time for games Potter," said Draco. Ron, Harry and Hermione frowned at him.
"Aparecium," muttered Harry, causing the ink to reveal. He read the clue out. "What you are seeking may well be hidden, and where it is could possibly be forbidden."
"The forest," said Hermione. "We can look later, after Potions."
"No Hermione, I'm going now, I can't wait any longer." He gave her a determined look, as he gazed deeply into her eyes.
"Then I'm coming with you," she said.
"Me too," added Ron.
"And I'd like to see what's going on," said Draco.
"You're not coming," sneered Ron.
"Let him come," said Harry.
They made their way to the edge of the forbidden forest when Harry stopped them quickly. "Remember to keep a close eye, there are Centaurs here, as well as Grawp… and other things. Keep quiet." They stepped into the forest and the cold chill swept through them, it had been a warm day, but the forest was as cold as ever. Harry took Hermione's hand and pulled her close to him to keep her warm and safe, Draco and Ron were walking slowly behind them.
They had been walking through the mist for about half an hour before Hermione tripped on a branch and fell to the floor. "Hermione!" said Harry, a little too loudly. "Are you ok?"
"I think so," she said, nodding her head slightly. Harry lifted her up, but she winced in pain. He looked down at her leg and noticed that it was bleeding slightly.
"Draco, you take Hermione back to the Hospital Wing," he ordered.
"No, I won't leave you Harry," she said. Harry looked down at the adamant look on her face; he could see how serious she was about all of this.
"Ok, but I'm carrying you as much as I can," he stated, as he swept her up into his arms.
"How romantic," said Draco sarcastically.
Harry was still carrying Hermione when he saw something dark in the sky. "What's that?" he asked, pointing up.
"I don't know, keep moving," said Ron. They carried on walking until they reached the start of a cobbled path. They could see nothing in the distance, and Harry knew where they were.
"This is the place from my dream Hermione," he whispered in her ear. "Draw you wands," he said. Hermione scrambled out of his arms, drew out her wand, and pointed it at Harry.
"Don't try and stop me again or I'll hex you into next week," she said seriously. Harry smiled and pulled out his own wand. They moved forward at a steady pace, and then they encountered something that was not in Harry's dream. Spiders.
There were four black, hairy spiders, all about a metre high. Harry heard Ron squeal behind them, he looked around to see Hermione and Draco looking extremely scared. The spiders started creeping towards them. "Impedimenta!" Harry yelled, and the first disintegrated in front of him.
All four of them continued to stun the spiders, but more and more seemed to be coming, Harry heard a scream and noticed that Draco had a web knitted around him; it was ravelling up towards his neck and face. He tried to get there but he was still fighting off spiders. He saw Hermione casting numerous 'Stupefy' spells to the spiders. Ron was doing the same. "Try to help Draco!" Harry yelled to them. They seemed to be being held off though as the web moved around Draco's neck. Harry felt panic and guilt rise through him as he could see Draco choking, but every time he tried to cast a decent spell a spider would intercept. But the fear was removed when he heard a spell cast. "Incendio!" somebody cast, and the web was burned away. Harry turned around to see the tall, brown haired man. "Who are you?" asked Harry, as the man destroyed the remaining spiders.
"Eric Sullivan, I'm a friend of Draco's," he said offering a hand to Harry, but he refused to shake.
"You're the shapeshifter!" exclaimed Ron.
"That I am," he said, smirking. He helped Draco up.
"I didn't know you could fight," he said.
"I don't believe that is the first thing that you haven't known about me," answered Eric. "What are you four up to anyway?"
"That's none of your business," said Hermione stubbornly. "Why should we trust you? We don't even know who you are!"
"I can be anybody I like," he said. He then took the shape of first Snape, then Dumbledore and then Mrs Weasley, causing Ron to squeal yet again. Once he had returned to his usual self he asked them what they were up to again.
"We're just trying to solve a mystery," said Harry.
"Any room for another member of the group?" Eric asked.
"Sure," said Harry, smiling.
Harry led them down the path and they reached the familiar oak door. He tried to open it but it wouldn't budge. Four Death Eaters then appeared behind him. He turned to face them, wand out. They all muttered a quick spell and Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco and Eric were trapped inside a small cell.
"Face it Potter, your no match for the army of Lord Voldemort," hissed Bellatrix. "Now we can kill your friends here, and then deliver you to the dark lord personally." She pulled out her wand along with Karkaroff, Avery and Percy. "There is nothing you can do now."
Harry closed his eyes trying desperately to think of someway to escape, but when nothing came to him he heard a loud screeching again, it appeared he was the only one able to hear it still as nobody reacted.
"Oh, is little Potter scared," taunted Bellatrix, the other Death Eaters cackled stupidly. Just then the large Phoenix appeared above them in the sky, it was attached to a blue beam erupting from Harry's wand. It flew down closer to them and released an array of silver sparkles, they could no longer see the Death Eaters, and their vision was filled with silver. When the sparkled cleared the Death Eaters and the cell were gone, as too was the Phoenix. Harry got up from the ground and swept up the piece of parchment. He read the riddle, which was no longer written in invisible ink.
"Congratulations, you have made it this far, below is your final riddle." Harry looked around at the people surrounding him. He suddenly felt very nervous about reading the end. Hermione walked up to him and placed an arm on his shoulder.
"Read it Harry, whatever it is we'll be here for you, trust me," she said softly. He turned his eyes back to the parchment, and read it aloud.
"The person you are seeking is a very tall male, last time you saw him he fell through the veil." Harry now knew what it was, but he kept his composure and continued to read. He saw a small diagram of a wizard pointing his wand up high, and casting a spell. He did the same and yelled the spell, which was written down. "Hiritzo Cravine!" Bolts of lightning cracked down around him and he put his arms over his face in an attempt to shield his eyes from the blinding light.
Once the lightning had died out, he looked in front of him to see his Godfather standing before him. He beamed at Harry, and Harry returned his smile before running into his arms. "Sirius," he yelled, his eyes full of tears and his heart pounding through his chest. He pulled away and gazed into his Godfather's eyes.
"I can't believe you're here!" he exclaimed.
"Me neither Harry," answered Sirius. "How did it happen?"
"I don't really know, I guess dreams really do come true."
*
"So what was it like behind that Veil?" asked Harry. He, Sirius, Ron and Hermione were sitting around a table inside Dumbledore's office. Draco and Eric had left them alone.
"To be honest, I don't really remember anything, the last thing I can remember was Bellatrix blasting me with that spell…but anyway, what do you have to tell me? It seems like a few things have changed since I was last here," he said, grinning at Hermione, who turned a dark shade of red.
"Ok, me and Hermione are sort of….a couple," confirmed Harry.
"About time," said Sirius. "What about Draco? And that other chap, what were they doing there?"
"Draco brought me back to life, after he accidentally killed me, it was some vial or something, and that other guy…well I don't really know much about him other than that he's very good with spiders," said Ron very quickly.
Sirius laughed. "Learn to take a breath next time Ron. It sounds like you've had a very eventful year."
"Yeah we've had some good times, and plenty of rough times." Harry said, gazing off into thought.
Draco and Eric then entered the room. Draco walked over to Ron. "Weasley, could I talk to you for a moment?" he asked. Ron nodded, a little confused. He got up and walked over to the corner of the room, while Eric got settled in with the others.
"Weasley, I wanted to give you this," he said, putting a sack in his hand.
"What is it?" asked Ron.
"Five hundred Galleons, I want you and your family to have it."
"Don't you need it for your house?"
"No, I'm living with Eric, plus, that's only half the money I made."
Ron smiled a little. "Thanks," he said.
"What are friends for?" answered Draco, without a smile. He and Eric then left the room, but were replaced by Remus Lupin.
"Sirius," shouted Lupin. Who pulled Sirius into a brotherly hug. "I can't believe it's you…I just re-decorated Grimmauld Place."
"I guess it will have two owners now," added Sirius.
"Sirius, there is something you should know…I told Hermione that she could move in, her parents were murdered during the summer, I hope that's ok," Lupin said quietly.
"The more the merrier," said Sirius with a smile on his face.
*
Later that day, Harry was sitting on a bench with Hermione lying in his lap. "I can't believe there is only one month left of the year," she sighed.
"I know, it's gone so quickly. But I think I've made the best discovery since I've been here," said Harry.
"What's that?"
"Falling in love with the most wonderful woman on the world," he said softly. Hermione giggled slightly and sat up to face him.
"Harry, I want to thank you for everything you've done for me this year. If I didn't have you then I don't think I could have made it through. I love you so much," she said.
"I love you too Hermione." He pulled her into a long kiss, as the sun beamed down on them; this had certainly been a stressful year.
Authors Note: Well there you have it! The end! I know things don't usually end before the end of the year, but it just felt right to end it now. I hope that I have finished the story to your expectations and I will tie up any questions left open in the sequel. For now I'd like to thank all of my reviewers for giving me inspiration to continue writing my first feature-length fic. I will post another chapter providing you with a link to the sequel. Now I would like to ask you some questions.
What has been your:
Favourite Chapter
Favourite Character
Favourite Ship (I can guess that one)
Favourite Moment
I would love to hear some of the above; it's always nice to know what you have enjoyed. Also let me know anymore of your favourite things, such as favourite line etc.
Goodbye for now and I'll see you when the sequel is released, probably next week.