Chapter 36
Back at Avalon, Lavender watched as Narcissa and Draco exchanged kisses and embraces. Then she saw Narcissa look at her and smiled, warily. Lavender didn't know whether she should hate her or admire her for putting up with Lucius and for thinking ahead about Lavender's future. She was sure she had a tough decision and was torn between either letting her baby go or having her stay and endure the wrath of Lucius Malfoy. She watched as Narcissa took slow hesitant steps towards her. She sighed which made Ron tighten his grip around her.
"Could I have a word with you?" Narcissa asked Lavender. Draco was surprised that his mother knew who Lavender was. He didn't think she knew who any of the other children were until earlier that day.
"It's okay. I know." Narcissa was taken aback. She was sure that no one knew. No one except her dear friend Marissa, the midwife and the Browns knew of what transpired over 17 years before.
"How?" Draco, Ginny and Ron were confused. They didn't know what either of the women was talking about.
"I felt it, in my heart." Lavender told her. She gave her a brilliant smile despite the sadness she felt for Harry's demise. She took both of her hands as if to show that she understood her reasons and that she accepted them as well.
"Could you please tell us what you're talking about?" Draco asked almost impatiently.
But Draco was more surprised by what happened next. Narcissa wrapped her arms around Lavender and started to sob loudly. She asked Lavender if she could ever forgive her and she in turn told her that there was nothing to forgive. She told her that she was glad she'd done what she had done because she had a wonderful childhood and a good home.
"Will someone tell me what's going on?" Draco insisted.
"Lavender is your twin sister, darling." Narcissa finally informed him through hiccups.
"WHAT?!"
"Draco," Ginny tried to calm him down. He hadn't felt so selfish in a long time, but he did at that moment. To tell the truth, he actually didn't know if he was happy or angry that his mom kept his own sister from him. He wondered now why he hadn't noticed before now. As they stood side by side, Draco could see that Lavender could have been Narcissa when she was younger except for a few features that she'd obviously gotten from the man who fathered them.
"I'm sorry, darling. I've always wanted to tell you especially since you started school and I found out Lavender would as well. It was something I did for her sake as well as yours Draco. You father did not want a girl and he'd told me that incessantly. When I had you, I felt so relieved, but then Lavender came out after a minute or so. The midwife was one of my trusted friend Draco and she told me about the Browns who'd been wanting to have a child, but had trouble conceiving. I had to think of something fast before your father came back from his trip. So I had the midwife wrap Lavender up and with a note sent her to the Browns. In a way, it was a blessing that the both of you arrived a few days early. I could have had your father summoned, but the fear kept me from doing so until after you were born."
"What would you have done if we were both girls?" Draco asked knowing that his mother must have had a time trying to deal with the loss of her child and Lucius Malfoy.
"Honestly, darling, I don't know. But I know that I would have done all I could to take you somewhere safe."
As she explained into more details, she kept brushing Lavender's hair with her hand. Draco saw how happy his mom was and didn't have the heart to act like a spoiled child. He hadn't seen her so happy in a long time. Inside he knew there was always something that left his mom sad, especially on his birthdays. Now that he was older, he looked back and realized that it was because she couldn't be with both of her children. That was the reason she couldn't truly be happy until today.
"Well, Ron. I guess we'll be related either way, eh?" He looked at Ginny with loving eyes that told everyone there what he wanted.
But Ron was barely paying attention. He'd been quietly mourning the lost of his best friend and brother. Although he was happy for Lavender, the only support he'd been able to give her was the hand that stayed rooted at her waist. His heart was heavy with sadness. He was already making plans to make sure he would be there for Hermione. He knew that Lavender would understand and that she would also help when the time came, but he just felt responsible as one brother to another to take care of his best friend and in a sense his sister-in-law.
They were all brought back to what had transpired at one look at Ron's face. Narcissa asked them what was wrong and they told her about Harry. Then she understood why everyone looked so glum and she felt guilty for being so happy in the time of sorrow.
Back at the Tor, as Dumbledore and Hermione stood staring at the ashes, they noticed a movement in the ashes. At that moment, Hermione felt the connection with Harry return, but couldn't understand why. She felt whole again.
Dumbledore remembered the squawks from the phoenix and moved quickly to uncover a little phoenix chick rising out of the ashes. He smiled lovingly at Fawkes, but just as knelt to take a closer look at the tiny chick, Fawkes landed on his shoulder.
Dumbledore and Hermione looked at each other. It couldn't be possible. There couldn't be two Phoenixs alive at the same time. Only one was able to live at one time for about five hundred years. Fawkes had a few more hundreds to go at least.
They both were kneeling now looking at the chick that lay in the ashes. The chick suddenly changed into a human form. A little baby at first with dark hair then just as Hermione leaned to pick up the baby, the baby turned into a toddler, then a boy. It kept growing at a pace no one in history had ever witnessed before and probably never would. Then the boy became a man and Harry was back. Although he was in his birthday suit and lying in the midst of ashes, he was alive.
He finally opened his emerald eyes, which were closed until now and met one pair of blue mists along with brown misty eyes. He smiled up at them. Hermione immediately launched herself at him still crying, but this time it was tears of happiness.
Dumbledore too, was stunned into silence. His grandson was alive and the joy he felt could not be put into words.
"How?" Hermione asked him.
"Did you miss me?" he joked knowing how much she was hurting when he regained consciousness once more. The first thing he felt was the pang of sorrow from all the people he cared about. He could still feel it, but was trying to lighten things up.
Hermione slapped him playfully on the arm. "Oh you. This is not the time for jokes. I feel like hexing you."
"I know love. I was just trying to cheer you up. I love you." He kissed her on the forehead and turned to face his grandfather. All Dumbledore could do was gather them both in his arms in a very tight embrace. He did not trust his voice yet.
"I guess we'd better go let the others know I'm all right?"
"Not like that you don't," Hermione told him. He finally realized that he was nude. He conjured up some clothes out of thin air and was dressed within seconds. "And before we go, I want to know what happened."
"I kept the fire burning while we were inside and I learned quickly that I could change into a phoenix. I could have flown out or leapt out, but Voldermort had a strong hold on me. If I flew out or leapt out, he would have gone with me. The only way to make sure that he was purged from the world is to return him back to the dust in which he'd come. His soul, however is another story."
"Is he really gone?" Dumbledore finally spoke.
"Yes, grandfather. I felt him as his spirit left the world. In a way, I felt sorry for him. I could feel all of you already mourning me, but no one felt anything for him except for relief. It's a sad place to be."
"We all get what we deserve somehow. I'm glad you're all right, Harry."
"Me too, grandfather." He told him, but he was caught in a whirlwind of emotions that he could not yet understand. Something happened to him in his brief time in between worlds: Living and Dead and he could not explain. He would dwell on it later and he was sure that Hermione would know something about what had happened to him. Right now, he wanted to see his friends once more.
He leapt them to Avalon.
In the midst of all the mourners, Harry, Hermione and Dumbledore appeared. Everyone's mouth fell open. They couldn't believe what they were seeing.
Ron was the first to react. He ran and gave Harry a hug and loud thumps on his back. He held him again at arms length and looked at his face just to make sure it was really him, then he pulled him again in a tight embrace and more loud thumps on his back.
One by one they all went to give him a hug. Molly was once more crying loudly. "Someone, pinch me to make sure I'm not dreaming," she cried. Arthur lovingly accommodated her by pinching her on her bottom. Everyone laughed and all was well. They rejoiced that fact that Harry was alive, but mourned the other losses. They decided to hold a memorial at Hogwarts the following day.
After Harry put everyone at ease and healed broken bones and other maladies, they all turned in for the night, well just turned in since it was already nearing dawn when he'd finished with the last injury. "Beats going to St. Mungo's," one of them told him. Harry smiled. He didn't even feel weak after each healing. In fact he felt rejuvenated.
Dumbledore had asked him if the Negatus Mysterium would work on the Death Eaters they had bound and ready for Azkaban. Harry explained that the spell would only work if the receiver believed that he or she lost his or her powers. It doesn't necessarily remove their powers, but it makes them feel as if they were powerless. It was all in the mind after all. If even one of the death eaters discovered that fact, nothing could hold them back from trying to escape. The safest way would be the Dementor's kiss, but only after a fair trial.
Harry assured his grandfather that he would be at the trial to use his empath powers as necessary. He would not want any of the death eaters to go unpunished for their misdeeds.
After bidding everyone goodnight, he made his way to his and Hermione's bedroom and found her sound asleep. He'd told her to go to bed after the second time she'd nodded off on his shoulder. Dumbledore helped him by taking Hermione to their room.
He smiled and took a deep breath. He felt wonderful. He undressed and slid beside his wife.
Hermione felt him, "All done," she told him still half asleep.
"Yes, love. Go back to sleep."
Instead of keeping her eyes closed, she opened them and looked up at him. She placed her hand on his cheeks. "Do you know that the scar isn't there anymore?"
"I've been re-born remember? Besides, the person who holds the curse no longer exists; therefore the scar no longer exists."
"I love you," she told him.
"I love you too."
"Something is bothering you still?" Hermione asked. The connection between them had heightened after he was reborn.
"Yes, but we will talk about it later. I want to rest." He kissed her forehead and they both fell asleep peacefully. Today was another day and a better day without the threat of Voldermort looming over them.
A/N: I know that was short, but I didn't want you all to wait too long. Stay tuned for either and Epilogue or a short sequel to make it a trilogy. I haven't decided yet. There is still that strange sad feeling he kept feeling right? Thank you all for your wonderful reviews. I am glad you enjoyed the story.
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