A/N: Here it is! The final chapter!
Chapter 23: Second Chances
Harry watched as the two Death Eaters just stood there dumbly at DeMarco's command. The Death Eater next to him tilted his head to the side just a bit and clicked his tongue softly as if in thought. Suddenly he moved forward.
"Don't just stand there gaping like idiots!" he said in a threatening voice Harry immediately recognized as Dolohov's.
Unease filled him suddenly. Dolohov stepped in front of the two dumb Death Eaters and tapped on a brick in the back of the giant fireplace. The grinding sound of stone against stone filled the air as the back of the fireplace moved, revealing a stone stairwell that spiraled down.
"Move!" DeMarco said roughly, shoving both Neville and him forward.
The stone stairwell was lit with torch lights that cast their strange shadows against the wall as the group made their descent. A stale and cold smell that comes from places buried in deep below ground filled Harry's nostrils almost making him want to sneeze. Their descent finally ended and they spilled out into a large chamber. It, too, was made of stone, its floor the packed earth and lit by torches all around the room. Harry inhaled sharply as he gazed at one end of the room. A large carving of the dark mark decorated the wall, in front of it was a small stone table, an altar of some sort. In the middle of the room was an even larger table, long and rectangular, a set of robes rested on it, clothing that Harry immediately recognized. Something clicked in his head and he began to struggle.
"Get him ready!" DeMarco ordered as he strode to the altar, setting a large cauldron on top of it.
A couple of Death Eaters grabbed Neville and as he struggled, tied him to an upright stone slab, his arms pinned to his sides.
"Stop struggling!" Harry shouted to his friend. "Just do everything they tell you." He gave him a pointed look.
It took all of Hermione's will not to scream in terror when she saw the Dark Mark on the wall and all her willpower not to help Harry as he was tied to a slab of stone. Draco moved closer to her, sensing her unease.
"Bring the prisoners," DeMarco barked out.
"No need," Dolohov said passively nodding at a couple of Death Eaters.
Hermione and Draco let out shouts of protest as they were seized from behind, pinned so they couldn't move, they were unmasked.
"Let her go!" Harry shouted out, struggling against his binds. Neville made a motion to dart forward but stopped himself. Hermione felt his eyes burning into her.
"You're going to pay for this!" Draco snarled.
DeMarco sighed. "I should've known better, Draco. After all, you have a reputation of turning against your fathers."
"You are NOT my father!"
"I TREATED YOU LIKE A SON!!" DeMarco shouted, his voice echoing off the stone walls until it faded. Hermione placed a hand on Draco's arm, a look that asked him not to say anything.
The water in the cauldron bubbled softly, the only sound in the room for a moment. Harry watched as DeMarco reached under the tabled and drew out a large thick book covered in a thick layer of dust. He opened it and looked out to his audience.
"The day we have been waiting for has arrived. Tonight, our master shall rejoin us! We will bring him back from the land of the dead and he shall reward us!"
"Hail the Dark One!" the Death Eaters chanted. "Hail Lord Voldemort!"
"Stop this! This is crazy!" Neville pleaded.
The Death Eaters began to chant, a steady drone of words that Harry couldn't understand, repeated over and over.
"Bring forth his body!" DeMarco ordered over the steady drone. Dolohov stepped forward, a pillow held in front of him with an object shrouded in black velvet. It was reverently placed on the altar as DeMarco lifted the shroud revealing a human-like skull. DeMarco carefully lifted it then walked around the altar and stood before the long table. He raised the skull triumphantly over his head.
"Hail the Dark One! Hail Lord Voldemort!" The Death Eaters shouted as one then resumed their chanting. DeMarco carefully placed the skull on the table at the head of the robes.
"Why do this DeMarco?" Harry shouted. "He won't reward you like you think!"
DeMarco ignored him as he began to pour potions into the cauldron. "Next, the sacrifice of a faithful servant," he chanted aloud.
Another Death Eater stepped forward holding another pillow, on top of this was a jar. Hermione stifled a scream when she realized that it was a human heart…still beating. The Death Eater offered the jar to DeMarco who held it high above his head.
"Hail the Dark One! Hail Lord Voldemort!"
DeMarco opened the jar and dumped the heart into the cauldron. The Death Eater that gave the heart to DeMarco clutched his hands to his chest and let out a scream of agony before dropping dead to the floor, his body rolled to a stop at Hermione's feet. She screamed and jumped back, clinging to Draco who held her up so she wouldn't faint to the floor.
"Flesh…of a traitor," DeMarco said slowly and quietly, looking directly at Draco.
"What? No!" Draco looked up, startled.
Harry watched as Draco fought valiantly against the Death Eaters that surrounded him. He heard Hermione's pleas as they tore him away from her. She struggled against her captors screaming No!! Harry managed to break free from the Death Eaters that held him and pelted across the room. He tackled a few Death Eaters, knocking them down and freeing Draco. But more Death Eaters flew into the melee, Harry was pinned to the floor, half a dozen Death Eaters held him down so he couldn't move, hell, he could barely breath. Draco fought against capture again but was soon overtaken as well.
"No!" he screamed over and over as he was dragged, kicking and screaming to the altar.
"Stop it! Stop it!" Hermione screamed over and over. She was going to be sick, she just wanted to shut her eyes to what was about to happen.
"Don't do it DeMarco!" Neville shouted. He was pinned to the floor, unable to move by the Death Eaters that held him there. "I swear to you I will make you pay!"
"No! No!" Draco struggled as he reached the altar. He was forced over, bent at the waist he head slammed against the cold hard stone of the table. "You're dead, DeMarco! Do you hear me? You're dead! You're fucking dead!" He was pinned down and before realization dawned on him, he left arm was held out.
"Don't do it!" Harry yelled out.
"Stop it! Please!" Hermione cried.
"DeMarco, I'm warning you!" Neville threatened again.
Draco screamed in terror when DeMarco brought out a small axe. He raised it above his head and Hermione shut her eyes just as he brought it down. She heard the thud as it hit the table, the high pitched scream from Draco.
"Oh my God. Oh my God," Neville said over and over.
Harry remained tied to the slab but vomited over himself. Hermione opened her eyes as a whimpering Draco was thrust at her. The Death Eaters let her go and she caught him as they tumbled to the ground.
"You fucking bastard!!" Hermione shouted at DeMarco.
"Hail the Dark one! Hail Lord Voldemort!"
Hermione turned Draco's head away from him but she couldn't block out the unmistakable plop as his hand was dropped into the cauldron. Hermione forced herself to look at his wound. His left hand was gone, the wound cauterized but still tender and smelt faintly of burnt flesh. Draco whimpered and whispered threats under his breath as Hermione held and rocked him.
"You unforgiving bastard!" Hermione spat at DeMarco.
Harry felt like he was going to be sick. What was he going to do with them all? His stomach churned with terror at the thought of what DeMarco might have in store for his beloved Hermione.
"Blood…of the one from whose hands you fell," DeMarco said reverently. Thunder rumbled overhead.
A scene familiar to Harry unfolded in front of him as he watched a Death Eater approach Neville. Hermione screamed out in protest as a small dagger pierced his arm, the flow of blood that emptied into a small vial. A smile broke out on Harry's face as the consequences of what happened took hold of him. DeMarco took the vial and held it above him.
"Hail the Dark One! Hail Lord Voldemort!"
Hermione watched helplessly as the vial was emptied into the cauldron. Nobody moved, breathed or did anything. A small chuckling sound filled the air and Hermione looked to its source.
"Neville!" she hissed. "Neville be quiet!" She moaned, terrified at the consequences of her friend's disobedience.
The cauldron bubbled furiously as sparks flew out of it. The torches flickered even though there was no breeze. Then Hermione felt it, it felt like the air was moving but there was no wind. The sense that something was stirring in the room. The cauldron rose from the table, it was a vacuum to whatever presence there was in the room, sucking it into itself. There was a loud whooshing sound, another loud clap of thunder and then a blinding flash.
The cauldron disappeared.
In its place, a small glass vial appeared, inside was a black liquid, floating gently to rest on the altar. Neville was still chuckling, escalating to near hysterical laughter. DeMarco paid no heed, his attention now on the vial. He carefully picked it up then stepped down to the long rectangular table. He uncapped it as thunder boomed even louder overhead. A few of the Death Eaters looked at one another nervously, now questioning whether this was a good idea or not.
Hermione held her breath as he poured the limited volume over the skull, thunder again boomed loudly overhead.
Then nothing but complete silence.
Everyone waited with baited breath. Hermione's heart was pounding in her chest and she wouldn't have been surprised if everyone in the room could hear it. Even Neville stopped his maniacal laughter. Another loud boom of thunder made everyone jump. Draco nudged Hermione and she looked down at him. Barely visible and sticking out of his robes, Hermione could see the wand they stole earlier. He gave her a meaningful look and she very slowly slid her hand into his robes.
Harry was just about to let out a shout of triumph when the ground quietly began to rumble, thunder boomed overhead louder and more frequent.
"Look!" one of the Death Eaters exclaimed.
A green glow came from the skull as it rotated on its own face up, the bones of the neck and spine began to grow from it. They grew like vines, branching from the neck bones came the clavicle, the shoulders, the sternum, the ribs. From the shoulders came the humerus and ulna, the arms were forming.
"He did it," Dolohov said softly. "The son of a bitch did it."
The spinal column finished forming, the pelvis materialized then the femurs.
"Oh fuck it worked," Harry whispered, he was not at all amazed. He watched as his enemy he defeated long ago and with great sacrifice begin to materialize in front of him.
The skeleton was complete. DeMarco was about to let out a sound of triumph when the rumbling suddenly stopped. Silence filled the room again. Then there was a gust of wind, strong that gusted around the room making everyone's robes flap. It picked up the dirt in the floor whipping it in everyone's faces, stinging them as they shut their eyes.
"No! No!" DeMarco shouted.
Hermione opened her eyes to slits and looked at DeMarco. He was looking at the skeleton. It began to turn black then crumble like dust. The entire skeleton began to disintegrate, the wind blowing it around the room. And just as suddenly as it began, the wind stopped.
The table was bare.
No robes, no skeleton, no potion. Nothing.
Neville began to laugh again. DeMarco was furious and shoved the Death Eaters that held Neville to the ground. He yanked the auror to his feet.
"STOP LAUGHING!!" he screamed into his face.
Neville smiled. "It didn't work, did it?" he taunted.
"Don't push him, Neville!" Hermione pleaded.
"I DID EVERYTHING RIGHT! IT SHOULD'VE WORKED! IT SHOULD'VE WORKED!" DeMarco's face was red as he screamed at Neville who continued to laugh.
Slowly Neville's hair began to grow and turn dark, his face lengthening a little, the thin line of a scar appeared on his forehead and his eyes turned to a shade of emerald green. Hermione gasped as Neville turned into Harry and Harry turned into Neville.
Before heading out to find Hermione, Harry stopped by Hogwarts to ask a favor from an old professor. He asked Snape if he could brew a Polyjuice potion that would last longer than normal. Before reaching the Milannio, Harry and Neville drank it, each turning into the other. The potion lasted throughout most of their capture as Harry had hoped. When DeMarco took the blood from whom he thought was Harry, it messed up the potion, making it incomplete, thereby keeping Lord Voldemort from rising again.
"Accio wand!" Harry shouted, taking advantage of everyone's surprise. His wand flew out from DeMarco's robes and into Harry's waiting hand.
"Stupefy!" Hermione snatched the wand from Draco and struck down Dolohov who tried to strike Harry.
Draco took advantage of the distraction and with his remaining hand, seized the wand out of the Death Eater's hands who stood next to him. He covered Hermione as she quickly freed Neville from his binds. The three of them ducked behind the stone altar, Harry joined them shortly.
"Didn't your mother teach you to let people know where you're at at all times?" Harry scolded lightly to Hermione.
Hermione ducked as a wand blast hit above her. "Glad to know that you're actually putting one of my gifts to good use." She motioned to the watch on Harry's wrist.
"Sorry to break up this happy reunion but we've got about thirty Death Eaters between us and that lovely exit," Draco shouted.
Just then, a loud explosion was heard followed by more wand blasts.
"DROP YOUR WANDS!!" A familiar voice boomed aloud.
Harry, Hermione, Draco and Neville all peeked over the altar. The Death Eaters had dropped their wands and held their hands over their heads. Fifty aurors filled the room, along with Albus Dumbledore and other members of the Order. Ron Weasley stood in front.
"Why do I always have to be the one to save your arse," he sighed then grinned at Harry.
~*~
~*~
Three Months Later…
"This is the final reminder. Floo number Twenty-eight for Hong Kong will be closing in ten minutes. Floo number Twenty-eight will be closing in ten minutes."
I sigh and pick up my heavy bag, starting what I have been putting off. I've already said my goodbyes to the staff at Hogwarts, Hagrid was inconsolable. Poor guy. I stand and walk to Kingsley and a few other aurors that made the trip here.
"Good luck, Harry. Keep in touch," he says as he shakes my hand.
"Thank you," I say and move to Remus and Tonks. I bend and hug their little boy.
"Bye Harry," he says, sadness on his face. I tossle his hair and stand to hug his mom. Tonks has tears in her eyes.
"You had better keep in touch," Tonks threatens as she hugs me.
"I will," I say and I turn to Remus.
"Take care, Harry."
The twins, Bill, Charlie and their families are next. More tears from the little ones. It really hurts to say goodbye to them. I'm going to miss seeing them grow up.
"Send back some items…you know," Fred says to me, winking.
"It's always good to know what the competition is up to," George adds.
Mr. Weasley shakes my hand. "Good luck, Harry. I'm so proud of you."
I swallow the lump in my throat and give him a hug.
"Are you sure you packed everything? Do you have your floo ticket? Don't forget to eat something when you arrive!" Mrs. Weasley fusses. I simply hug her and thank her for everything. She cries and turns to her husband for comfort.
Victoria is a blubbering mess. Most of it is probably because of her hormones. She's a couple of months pregnant so she has pretty radical mood swings. I'm glad she's crying, otherwise she'd probably clobber me for leaving.
"I'll see you in a month," Sirius says, hugging me. "You take care and try to stay out of trouble." He winks.
"Bye Harry," Neville says. "Thanks for everything."
Ginny flies into my arms. "I swear if you don't write, I'll hex you into a million pieces," she sobs.
"I promise, Gin. I promise." She lets go and I can breathe a little easier.
Draco shakes my hand. "Second chances," he says.
Luna is holding a small baby in her arms. I kiss her tiny little forehead. My godchild. I have to blink back the tears.
"Bye Harry," she whispers and kisses me on the cheek.
I stand in front of Ron. I can't think of anything to say. I can't say goodbye to him. I guess he's thinking the same thing so instead we hug. I'm really, really going to miss him.
Hermione is standing next to him, a bag slung over her shoulder. She looks up at me and smiles. I bend down and kiss her softly on the lips, then on her forehead. She shrugs the bag off her shoulder and hands it to me.
"This is for the best, Harry."
I smile at her words. We've already said goodbye to each other last night. All night actually, not to brag or anything. She's not coming with me. It's a journey I'm taking alone. We don't know exactly where things stand between us. We have so much baggage that we both need to step back and sort through our lives.
"For the best," I say back. I turn and wave one more time to everyone then give Hermione one more big hug.
I'm a little nervous, more excited actually. I feel like I did on my first trip to Hogwarts. What adventure lies before me now? For the longest time I was afraid that I would have no future to look forward to. And now, for the first time in my life, I cannot wait to see what lies ahead of me.
Somewhere beyond the sea,
Somewhere, waiting for me,
My lover stands on golden sands
And watches the ships that go sailing;
Somewhere beyond the sea,
She's there watching for me.
If I could fly like birds on high,
Then straight to her arms I'd go sailing.
It's far beyond a star,
It's near beyond the moon,
I know beyond a doubt
My heart will lead me there soon.
We'll meet beyond the shore,
We'll kiss just as before.
Happy we'll be beyond the sea,
And never again I'll go sailing!
(Beyond the Sea-Bobby Darin)
A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed and stuck with me through this story. Whew! Now I can concentrate on The Lost King but don't worry. I'll have an epilogue. It'll be short though. Thanks again, everyone!! I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I have.
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