What is Love?
CHAPTER XXXIV
Stonehenge
Life and love and why
Child, adult, then die
All of your hoping
And all of your searching
For what?
Ask me for what am I living
Or what gives me strength
That I'm willing to die for
.- Life and Love and Why by Switchfoot
The first thing Hermione felt as she regained conscience was panic. She couldn't move her arms or legs, and they felt stiff from being extended. My baby!, she thought desperately and reached inside her own mind to feel the growing infant inside her. She was still there. Hermione could feel her, and she let out a breath of relief.
A few moments later, she gathered the courage to open her eyes, and it took her a couple of seconds to realize she was facing Draco a couple of feet to her left, and Harry almost in front of her. They were all tied to the inner arches of the ancient rock formation, each on one of the remains, with Draco in the center, where the altar had once been, above the cauldron they'd lost back in the caves. Harry was tied to a wooden cross, effectively closing the inner circle, putting Draco -and the potion- between in the center of the six of them.
Her mind started woking frantically, trying to remember her Ancient Runes and Advanced Spell-making classes and put together the shape they were forming, the potion, the time of the year, this particular site in the world… how? How would they bring Lord Voldemort back with all these ingredients?
And then it hit her. The resurrection stone! They'll use all of our magical essences and Harry's stone! She tried to wiggle out of her bindings to no end and successfully called to the attention of the Death Eater who appeared to be the leader of the Falange. Hermione hadn't noticed them making a closed circle, tracing the outer shape of Stonehenge.
"Don't overthink it, miss Granger, you'll just give yourself a headache. Crucio!" he cast breezily and ripped a high-pitched scream from the young witch.
Hermione's cry called to something deep inside Harry. Despite his body protesting and his magical energy weakened from all the use, Harry snapped his eyes open and focused on the Death Eater who had cast the curse. "Carrow," he muttered, and it was full of venom.
Alecto Carrow let out a scream of pain and fell to the ground. Immediately, the rest of the Falange was pointing their wands at Harry. Carrow made a gesture and they all lowered their wands. "Potter, I see the potion isn't completely inhibiting your magic. It has matured quite amazingly, I must say." He waved his wand and a grey light went through Harry, knocking the wind out of him.
Harry heard the distant call of his name, but now it was useless; he couldn't summon the magic to do wandless spells anymore.
"That should keep him in check. Any other takers?" Carrow looked at the other six, who were now awake and wearing looks of fear.
"You bastard! If you've hurt him, I swear!" Ron growled and pulled at his bindings, which only cut deeper into his skin.
"Always the bravado, Weasley. Just like your brother Fred!"
"Shut up! Don't even dare say his name!" he pulled at the bindings again and they tightened even more, drawing a small thread of blood from his wrists.
"If you want to keep your hand, Wesley, I suggest you stay still."
"Ron, please! I'm fine," Harry said softly and turned to Alecto, "what do you want? I kill scum like you for a living," he asked dangerously.
"It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing."
Harry narrowed his eyes at Carrow; he definitely wasn't in the mood for metaphors. "What. The fuck. Do you want!" he questioned again with all the strength he could muster.
"Your heart's longing, Potter, nothing else," Carrow answered, and upon not receiving a response, he waved his wand and six small lines of magical strip wrapped themselves around the sixsome's necks, strangling them.
"Don't! You know what I want, what I love. I don't know what you all want with us here!"
Sighing in disappointment, Carrow waved his wand again and the strips disappeared. "They're of no use dead. What we want? Oh, nothing, just the old stuff. Bring my Lord back, conquer the magical world, rid it of mudbloods like your little bitch here," he waved his wand and this time Hermione's scream of pain was strangled; she wouldn't give him the pleasure.
"Stop it!" Ginny cried when seeing her friend's face.
"And traitors like this one! Crucio!"
Ginny only closed her eyes and bit her lip, a tear escaping her eyes and blood running down her chin, from where she'd bitten to not scream.
"All right, all right!" Neville screamed; he couldn't bear to see Ginny in pain. "We know you're in charge. What do you want us for?"
"Nothing much. I just want Potter and Wesley's trace of The Dark Lord and your lives. Oh, and Malfoy's stone."
Draco had been quiet the whole time, observing, and he tensed at the mention of his name. He had a whole other plan, and had managed to fool both groups so far. He didn't want to ruin it now. "Fuck you, Carrow!"
"Since when are you so feisty, Malfoy? Wasn't this whole business your idea?"
All eyes were on him now. Hermione and Ginny's were hurt, Ron's were blazing in fury, Neville looked pained at the deceit, and Draco was glad Harry's magic was inhibited for the moment, or he would be dead right now. He had to do some damage control.
"Was it now? Then why am I tied up?"
"It'll hurt, that's all," another Death Eater came forward, to stand next to Carrow, and spoke.
"Zabini!" Draco exclaimed and hoped his former classmate knew him enough to get what he was trying to do.
"Why do you look surprised?" she asked sweetly and narrowed her eyes.
There was no choice now. "This wasn't what we agreed on."
"Consider yourself a sacrifice, Malfoy. I'm sure my Lord will make a nice headstone thanking you," Blaise singsung and laughed. Echoes followed her laughter.
Malfoy's eyes widened and he looked at his former allies. Maybe he'd gotten in too deep. But Dumbledore said! He chastised himself with regret. All I wanted was a whole life, he thought with a sigh. Maybe he could still pull this through, he tried to give himself some hope.
"Think of it this way, Draco: this is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy," Carrow said and earned a glare from the blond.
Another jet of light flew toward Harry, this time paralyzing his whole body. "Stop fighting, Potter. Your fate is set on stone."
"Before it's set in stone, I want to know who's holding the chisel," Harry said in a strained voice and managed to free himself of the spell, much to the Death Eaters' surprise, but his efforts only went to weaken him more and cut through the skin of his wrists due to the bindings.
Carrow rolled his eyes and sighed. "I do see how you got to lead the resistance, Potter, but now you're out of your league. Blaise," he motioned to the petit brunette and she went towards the potion, making the last spells and movements.
"Now, while we finish with this, I'll give a gesture of good faith and tell you what's in store so you can prepare yourselves. First, you'll do that damned spell you worked that day."
Neville snorted at this first statement, and Carrow narrowed his eyes. "Yes, you will, whether you want it or not, mister Longbottom. See? While you were out, we shot you with the potion mister Potter here, managed to mildly overcome. I don't suppose you have some more hidden talents, do you?"
"You still can't make us say a spell," Ginny said defiantly.
"I'm sure your father has told you about the Imperius curse…" Zabini said from the cauldron.
"But our magic won't work properly," Ron said with a smirk.
"Oh, Weasley, you should've taken that advanced-spellmaking class. Even with the potion suppressing your magic, spells like the fine piece of work you did when you delayed the inevitable, when you thought you defeated my master-"
"We did, you idiot!"
Carrow continued as if Ron hadn't spoken. "-those spells take the magic not only from the casters, but from nature itself, so you're mere… let's say… wands."
Ron turned red at the Death Eater's words and bit his lip. Carrow looked at him and smirked. "That's more like it," he said, "as I was saying, the recipe: your spell, a little stone, our own spell, the potion, a few life essences…" he motioned around to the tied-up witches and wizards, "…traces of a soul…" he looked pointedly at Harry and Ginny, "and the rightful lord will come back to life."
Hermione let out a small gasp. This could actually work!, she thought in panic.
"You're seeing it now, miss Granger? Aren't you glad to bear witness to such amazing magic?"
She was shaking her head; she couldn't see any way out of this!
Carrow looked at her with a bit of pity in his eyes and walked forward, placing a hand on her cheek, caressing her as a lover. "Such a shame… so bright, so beautiful… I sincerely wish you could be spared, miss Granger…"
She recoiled from his hand, feeling Harry's anger and frustration all the way from where he was tied up, spelled and potioned… so powerful… she thought with tears in her eyes. All they've had to do to him...
"Shall we begin?" Blaise asked, annoyed as a green smoke started to rise from the cauldron.
Carrow didn't take his eyes from Hermione as he responded in glee, "oh, you're done, lovely? Delightful!" he exclaimed with an eager clap of his hands. All the Death Eaters around started to whistle and exclaim in excitement. "So, procede?" Carrow asked the seven of them and motioned for Blaise to come to him. She stood to his right, eyeing Hermione with venom.
Hermione looked at Carrow, hoping to buy them some time so she could figure a way out of this. "Wait! Please! I don't want to die! I can help! Your procedure! There's a flaw!" she pleaded. She heard her name being called by her friends, but paid them no mind.
"What do you mean?" Carrow asked dangerously and all the Death Eaters around quieted.
"It's the stone…"
"Prey tell," he walked closer to Hermione.
"What are you doing, Hermione?" she heard Harry desperate voice in the back and that little moment of doubt from him hurt her more than she would've expected.
"I'm sorry, Harry," she said with real tears in her eyes and then turned to the Death Eater, "how do you plan on taking it from him? You've seen he won't give it…"
"An accio…"
"Won't work."
"Why?"
"You'd have to give me some assurance of safety. Isn't the shame of being a mudblood enough to live with?" she made herself say so he'd buy her story.
"There's a point."
"Alecto, can't you see she's playing you?" Blaise asked in desbelief.
"Quiet!" he said and Blaise collapsed to the floor with a strangled cry.
She looked around. One false move… "You think Lord Voldemort would be forgiving of me?"
He squared his shoulders. "Depends on what you have…"
"I won't say until you give me assurance."
Carrow raised his wand to curse her and then thought it twice. "Fine, you have my word."
Hermione made herself smile, as if she believed him. "If Malfoy won't give it voluntarily and you take it, the stone will die with him."
"That's not possible. It's a Hallow."
"But it's not complete."
"So?"
"It's linked to his life. Only he or its rightful owner can give it…"
"Rightful owner? What do you mean? Lord Voldemort was the master of the Hallows."
"If he'd been, he would've conquered death, wouldn't he have, now?" Hermione said with a smirk.
That last part took Alecto by surprise and he pursed his lips. "And how do we get this master?" he asked slowly.
"You have him here…" Hermione pointed with her face at Harry, who was now wearing a look of hurt she'd only seen once before, so many years ago. It shattered her heart a bit but kept on her mask of indifference.
"Ah… that bit I didn't know… might be I'll be able to get some mercy from my Lord for you…"
"Potter! You'll get that stone for me!"
"Yeah, right… and don't you want me to pave the road to the Ministry for you as well?" Harry answered defiantly, but he knew he'd have no choice soon. Hermione had sold the only piece of information they had on them… why? Unless… but before he could think more on that, millions of tiny arrows went through him… agonizing pain he hadn't felt in years. After the final battle, he'd always been able to deflect part of the torturing curse.
"Carrow! Please don't!" Hermione pleaded before she could stop herself, "you'll get the rock anyhow!"
"How is it that you're willing to give away the information you just gave me and still try to spare him pain?"
"I don't hate him. I don't want him in any more pain. I just don't want to die tonight," Hermione explained as flatly as she could muster while giving Harry a meaningful look.
As the wave of dizziness started to clear from Harry's mind, he managed to hear Hermione's words and at the last part she spoke and looked at him, it clicked. What she wanted him to do. He looked at Malfoy, whose face had gone pale and he was shaking his head. He knew what was coming.
If Harry took out the stone, he would die for certain. Draco knew that. That was the whole reason why he'd done all this. His life force would only cling to this world for a few minutes without the stone inside him. He would be agonizing all over again, as he'd been that fateful night, when Dumbledore had found him and given him a second chance at living at the cost of his present half-existance…
The point of all this machinations had been to use that potion, the spell and the rock to give himself a whole life again. No one was supposed to die. Draco would portkey them back to safety after he was whole again… and now… now he would die a coward and a turncloak… again.
Harry saw all the emotions and resignation pass through Malfoy's face. He deserves it… no, he doesn't… but Hermione wants me to kill him all the same when using the Stone's magic to free us all. He shook his head. It was the only way. His life for the six of theirs… He kept thinking of a way for not having to kill Malfoy -after all, he had helped them get through the caves- as Hermione fed the Falange information, and she was running out of half-truths… how long will it take Malfoy to die without the Stone? Maybe there was a chance…
"See, miss Granger? I still don't trust you, as good as you've been. Maybe you've saved your friends some pain… Potter, take the stone. Now."
"So you can kill us all? No!"
"Maybe I'll just torture her to an inch of her life? I know how much you love her, despite all her betrayals."
Harry sucked in a breath and pursed his lips. "She never betrayed me… I betrayed her, and Ron," he said in a small, defeated voice.
"Oh, so it's time for atonements…" Carrow laughed.
Harry just bit his lip; he looked away. "I'll do it," he said and looked at Draco.
"Potter. Don't you dare…" he said dangerously.
Harry focused on Malfoy's chest and on that sensation that the other man had something which belonged to him. "I'd rather have you dead than have her suffer…" he said in a low voice and concentrated harder, his eyes closed. "I'm sorry."
A shrill scream pierced the night and seemed to shatter all the magic around Stonehenge as Harry called the Stone to him. He had no idea if it'd work, but he had to try. He felt the other man's pain inside his own chest but had to endure, as weakened as he was.
In the matter of seconds, a small thread of blood was falling from the blond's scar. A moment later, it began to glow and melt the skin around as the piece of the Resurrection Stone took shape before their eyes. Harry but his lip until he felt the metal taste of blood inside his mouth; it was all he could do to not desist in order to stop the pain for both of them. It's the only way.
As the Stone left his body, Draco struggled for breath and began to convulse just as Harry opened his eyes and the silver glow of the stone turned icy blue and started to expand.
"He's gonna use its magic against us!" Carrow yelled when he realized what was happening, upon seeing the blue glow reflected on Harry's usually green eyes. "Stop it, Potter! Imperio!"
The sudden unforgivable took Harry by surprise and he couldn't resist the curse. He froze in the spot as the Resurrection Stone shimmered between blue and silver.
"No! Harry!"
"Falange, now!" The Death Eaters, who had been shocked into quietness by the magic going on about them, began to move quickly and take positions around the inner circle of Stonhenge as they began to chant the spell Carrow had talked about before.
They began to call upon the dark forces, and the magic beyond the world of the living. They called for Lord Voldemort's spirit and offered the power and the lives of the wizards to bring him back.
"Zabini! Take care of the rest! I can only handle Potter's resistance!"
Blaise gasped and waved her wand towards the other five wizards tied up in the inner circle. As much as they tried to resist, the spell, tiredness and potions they'd been subjected to took a toll not only on their magic, but on their strength to resist the curse. Their eyes went vacant and the six of them established eye contact.
Drops of sweat covered Carrow's forehead; he had not anticipated Potter's power or his resistance. But he was prevailing, and he beckoned Harry to start chanting the spell that had brought Lord Voldemort down years ago.
Each of the six witches and wizards said a verse of the first stanza. The second one they said together, and the last one, in reverse order than the first one, so Harry finished the spell.
Gaia vocamus super vos,
Vis animi naturam,
Merlini, nos invocant te,
Essentiis mundi
Magica in natura
Prudentes, qua invocaverimus te
Venite munid, suscipe tua potestate
Sit ascendit amplectique tuos, magicae
Uti enim vitae
Amor enim vult dare
Da nobis vires ad mundatis mundi
eliminate nigrae anima
detrahere tenebris potentia
umbras accipere eum
et aurora potest venire
cum pace et gratia
Like with the other spell they'd created in the warm this one called upong Gaia, Merlin, the elders and the magic of the world; but unlike the other, this one beckoned for the power to clean the world, rid it of the dark soul and dark powers to achieve peace, life and love.
Both groups, the Falange and the sixsome, chanted at the same time, so the air began to vibrate with natural and dark magic, facing and fighting each other, but somehow coming together due to the darkness of the new moon and the powers of the solstice.
The Resurrection Stone began to melt into the air and magic, towards the potion beneath, as the last threads of life began leaving Draco Malfoy.
Hermione saw all of this as if from another dimension. She knew it was bad, but couldn't summon the strength or the will to fight back.
As the Stone lowered itself toward the cauldron, jets of golden light started to come from the bodies of the sixsome; their life essences being stripped from them and going into creating a new life. All that was left now was the traces of Voldemort's soul from Harry and Ginny's entrails.
Hermione kept on watching, feeling more and more sleepy by the second. I'll just close my eyes for a moment. The lights are pretty, but I'm so… tired. Oh, look, a new light! …so tired… bright green… the color of life… coming from the ground… strange, isn't it?
She saw the green light coming from beneath and felt as if it were trying to penetrate the dome of magic that had formed around the sixsome and the potion. She saw Ginny's face of pain… but I'm not hurting anywhere… that's odd… from her dimension, she focused her attention on Harry, he, too, seemed to be in so much pain. Harry… Harry… I love Harry. Harry's in pain… no! Harry shouldn't feel more pain in his life!
She wanted to fight back this time, but she couldn't. Something prevented her from emerging into her own consciousness. Desperation took hold of her this time, but she still couldn't break free from the curse. My baby! So sorry, baby! She cried within herself as her strength started to dwindle again… something was sucking into every last ounze of her life, her magic, her will… she was going to die, and there was nothing she could do about it. At least we'll go together… was one of her last thoughts, directed to Harry. Always together…
But then, as the last of Hermione's consciousness faded, she felt stirring inside her body and an orange halo emerged slowly from her and permeated the dome of magic; just enough for the green light to burst through and take form, much to Carrow, Zabini and the rest of the Falange's surprise.
"My Lord… it is you!" Carrow called in fanatism, just as dozens of jets of light began to collide against the shield the magic had created all around Stonehenge. He lowered his wand, as did Blaise, and the seven bodies in the inner circle of Stonehenge collapsed like rag dolls.
All the members of the Falange fell to their knees as the green light took the shape of a tall man. His arms and legs seemed to extend while his face took form… a crooked nose, twinkling eyes… and a long beard.
"No! Who are you?!" Carrow demanded, not recognizing the man in front of him, hovering above the cauldron.
"You know who I am, Alecto Carrow! And you shall never harm them or the world again!" Albus Dumbledore growled as he hovered above the cauldron that was now empty and opened his arms, taking command of all the magic around. He turned his attention to each of the seven tied-up witches and wizards in turn and bathed them with gold and green light. The bodies each gave spasms when the light surrounded them, but only six pairs of eyes opened and focused on what was happening around.
"You go and be happy, my children. And know that I will always be with you. Thank you for letting me rest at last," he said sadly and then turned to Hermione, "thank you baby for letting me though, my dear, and watch over her. She's very special."
Albus then focused on the blond young man who was still on the side of death. He gathered all the magic left between his open arms. Engulfed in a brilliant blue ball of flame, Dumbledore dedicated one last look of pride and love towards Harry and his former students before closing his arms.
As soon as his hands came into contact, everything happened very fast: the blue ball of flame concentrated between his long fingers, and as it left the tips towards Draco Malfoy, it seemed to absorb the old professor's body, turning it into millions of particles that glowed for a few seconds and then went into the young man whose life he was trying to save.
The magic went through Draco and up, where it hovered for a few moments. The sixsome watched in wonder and held their breaths to see what would happen next. Seconds that seemed eternal passed, and then Draco gasped for air and opened his grey eyes. The magic above seemed to know it had fulfilled its purpose and then exploded, shattering the shield and knocking out the dark wizards all around.
Draco looked around, disoriented as a dozen aurors finally managed to get into the circle of magic that Stonehenge was. I died. I was dead… again. He looked down at his bloodied chest, where the Resurrection Stone had been just an hour ago… and he didn't feel it inside him anymore. Dumbledore did it… he gave me back my life… Draco looked into the sky and paid his silent respect to the man who had saved his life twice.
Tears ran down his face as the aurors took the Falange into custody and two of them hurried towards them. It was Lupin and Tonks, and their eyes betrayed all the worry and relief they felt upon seeing the seven of them alive.
"Thank you…" Draco said when they untied him, right after they'd brought Harry and the others down and the mediwizards were running immediate tests on them.
"We did nothing, Draco," Remus said softly and Draco nodded.
"Thank you all for my life…" he said looking at the group a few feet away. His voice wasn't nearly strong enough for them to hear, but they all knew what had gone down; how that small life force of each of them had given Draco a full life again… and they smiled tiredly at him. "My life…" he whispered and closed his eyes to rest.
They would all have lives... and love now.
A/N: Took me long enough! But I think I'm satisfied with the result… are you? I hope you liked my story, and I thank you very, VERY deeply for accompanying me in this journey. I might do an Epilogue if you wish it. Let me know what you thought (of the chapter, of the story) and if you want the Epilogue. Happy reading!