I remember when Harry came back after defeating Voldemort. Before he left, I was convinced I was in love with him. But upon his return … When I looked in those once dazzling emerald eyes I realized … Voldemort died but he took the young man I loved with him. The Harry I loved never came back, just something in his place, something sad … something driven. I worry about him sometimes. I accepted we weren't meant to be, but that doesn't stop me from worrying. Especially with that mental 'Batman' running around these days … - Ginerva Weasley
Chapter 3: The Promise
I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk a...
My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Till then I walk alone...
- "Blvd of Broken Dreams" by Green Day
(-V-)
The Batmobile roared as it exited the tunnel hidden behind a moving platform under a fake dumpster before ripping into the London Streets. "Any word from Oracle?" Batman asked again as it took a hard turn heading toward the part of London Severus Snape was sighted last.
"Not yet," Remus' voice came through the com system of the mixed magical/technological assault vehicle. "Not sure where she is … maybe you should come back to the cave and wait for her to …"
"No, Snape is going down tonight," Batman snapped, gripping the steering wheel of the Batmobile. "After what he's done, he won't get away again."
"You can't go in there with a hot head," Tonks' voice spoke up. "You know how dangerous Snape is better then any of us, you can't let your emotions get the better of you. Like you always say, keep your head on the mission."
Batman simple nodded as he pushed the accelerator and rocketed the Batmobile through the quiet streets.
(-V-)
Hermione fumbled with the key to Ron's flat while trying to balance a pizza on her hip. "Ron, why aren't you answering the door, idiot?" She cursed under her breath as she finally got the door open and stepped inside the flat. "Ron? Brought Pizza! Your favorite! You home?" she called into the empty house.
"We need to talk about the Trio situation if you're not drunk, Weasley," Hermione said sitting the pizza box on Ron's living room coffee table. Hermione sighed when she didn't get a response, and made her way toward Ron's bedroom, where a faint bit of light escaped under the door.
"Ronald, we really need to … oh my …" Hermione clamped her hand over her mouth as she threw open the door to Ron's bedroom. On his bed was Ron himself lying on his back with Luna Lovegood, equally naked straddling his waist.
Ron gapped at Hermione while Luna just glanced back at the bushy haired woman. "Good evening, Hermione," Luna said with a friendly smile, despite the situation she was in. Luna dismounted Ron and got off the bed stretching her arms over the shoulder, seemingly oblivious to the fact she was completely nude. "Did you mention pizza, dear?" Luna asked turning to smile at the stunned Hermione. "We just finished and I'm always quite hungry after a good shagging."
Luna then glanced down to the glowing red Ron who was hiding his privates with a pillow, "Why are you hiding, love? We've all seen it." Luna smiled lovingly at Ron, before turning to Hermione, "I believe I'll have a slice, I'll be in the living room." She said walking past Hermione, bare as the day she was born.
"You and Luna?" Hermione asked cocking an eyebrow with an amused smirk. Ron nodded timidly, Hermione just rolled her eyes and turned to leave the room. "Get your cloths on Ronald." She said before leaving him alone.
(-V-)
The Batman smirked as he finally discovered Severus Snape's hide out. "You're losing your touch, Greasy," Batman growled to himself as he spied in the run down London apartment that seemed to have been remodeled into a potions laboratory. The Batman silently slipped in through the open window, few drops of rain water from his damp cape dripped to the floor as he spied around the room.
The Dark Knight narrowed his eyes on the caldron and goblets on the large table in the center of the room, and shelves full of potion ingredients. "I wondered when we'd finally meet, Batman," a voice spoke from the shadows causing Batman to take a defensive stance. Severus Snape stepped out of the shadows with a smirk on his face as he looked down his hooked nose at the Dark Knight. Time had been rough on Snape, his dirty looking black hair was showing signs of graying and he had lost a great deal of weight.
'Sloppy, you're being too sloppy,' Batman mentally cursed himself as he narrowed his eyes on the strangely dressed potions master. Snape was wearing ragged old robes, barely being held together by patches and rope and looked like he hadn't bathed and shaved in weeks.
"I've been expecting our meeting for sometime, Dark Knight," Snape said, a strange glaze was in the potion master's eyes, it seemed like the man was balancing on the line between sanity and insanity.
"Snape? What's happened to you?" Batman asked a hint of surprise in his growling voice.
"What happened to me? Oh nothing at all," Snape chuckled, "Just finally learned what it was that gave Lord Voldemort his greatest power and also his Achilles' Heel." He said his voice sounding more and more insane by the second. "Oh don't mind the rambles of a crazy old man …" he said as he fumbled over to the caldron.
"I'm bringing you in, Snape," Batman growled, restraining his rage at the man who murdered his mentor.
"Of course, of course, it seems you've discovered the same thing Lord Voldemort did huh?" Snape said turning to smile at the masked vigilante.
"What?" Batman narrowed his eyes.
"Fear, Batman, the greatest power in the world is Fear!" Snape exclaimed, motioning to Batman's suit. "You've surely discovered how fear and superstition have aided in your fights against my associates." Snape then rubbed his chin. "I wonder though, Batman, have you gotten past the problem with fear, the problem Voldemort never could?" Snape didn't give Batman time to reply, "You see, Voldemort was afraid himself. He feared death, and in that, no matter how frightening he was, he was still defeatable, and not using fear's true power."
"You see, Batman, I no longer fear much of anything," Snape said turning back to a goblet. "You must have something to lose to actually fear. I'm just an old man, who has nothing and no one. Fear is nothing to me." The Potion Master gave a chuckle before turning to Batman again. "You're not the only one with a mask you know, Batman?" Snape smiled as he lifted what looked like a large rag. "What do you think of my mask, Batman?" Snape asked as he pulled the rag over his head, completely covering his features.
"Snape?" Batman growled, a wand sliding out from his gantlet.
"Oh no, Severus Snape died years ago, Batman, Voldemort killed him." Snape stated, shaking his head, before tossing a chemical potion at the Batman, which hit his cape hissing as its vapor rose into the air. "I'm Scarecrow."
"It doesn't matter who you are," Batman growled throwing his cape to the side, and took a step toward his former professor.
"Who gives this young witch to this wizard?"
"I'm … bringing you in," he growled, shaking his head slightly.
"Sirius!!" Harry called out as the spell hit Sirius in the chest, sending him tumbling through the veil.
Batman's breath began to quicken as he reached out to grip Scarecrow's collar. "What did you do to me?"
"Who gives this young witch to this wizard?"
"Oh, so you have yet to master your own fears, have you Batman?" Scarecrow chuckled. "I wonder… what is it that you fear?"
The killing curse struck Dumbledore in the chest, and he fell over the railing of the tower.
"What's the matter, Batman, are you afraid?" Scarecrow asked as Batman back peddled away from Scarecrow, a look of pain and horror edged on his masked face.
"Who gives this young witch to this wizard?"
Batman didn't even act like he noticed as Snape threw another bottle of liquid on him.
"What's the matter Potter? Isn't this what you wanted since you reached puberty?"
Scarecrow laughed at Batman, who was leaning against the glass window of the apartment. "You know what, Batman; you take life way to seriously."
"You ruined our lives, Harry," Hermione and Ron hissed in unison. "I HATE YOU!!"
"You really have to lighten up, Batman," Scarecrow smirked, pressing his wand to the symbol on Batman's chest. "Incendio."
Batman screamed out in pain as his suit was engulfed in flames, the heat burning through the protective suit to his sensitive skin. "Now fly like a burning bat out of hell, my friend." Scarecrow laughed as he kicked the burning hero out the window, tumbling the two stories to the alley below.
Batman tried to pull himself but the pain was so intense; the monstrous burning. He struggled to touch a button on his belt. "Remus … Tonks …" He moaned before rolling over on his back. "Dumbledore …" He whimpered, the pain long sense started getting to him. "Sirius … Ron … Hermione …" He cried, "Hermione help me … please …" He breathed as the intense pain finally drove him to a dream-filled unconsciousness.
Ten years earlier …
Harry screamed out in pain as yet another Cruciatus Curse sending him tumbling to the floor of the Riddle House. "I must say you three have impressed me, Crucio, getting past my Death Eaters and finding your way here. Crucio. Even more so the fact you destroyed my Hercruxes, Crucio. Too bad that won't save you from me." The dark robed Lord Voldemort said sending Cruciatus Curses to Harry Ron and Hermione who were all on the ground now screaming in agony. Harry was on the far side of the room, barely staying upright on his knees with the aid of the bookshelf, but across the room Ron and Hermione were on the ground screaming with Ron futilely trying to shield her with his own body.
"This is fun, isn't it Potter?" Voldemort gave the teenaged wizard a fangy smile, as he cast yet another Cruciatus Curse at his friends. "It's a different context, but you always wanted to hear Mione scream haven't you Harry?" Voldemort grinned at the shocked expression that came across Harry's face.
"Don't call her that …" Harry growled dangerously before Voldemort slammed him with another Cruciatus Curse, giving Hermione and Ron a slight break in the constant torture.
Harry glanced to Ron and Hermione who were both simply laying there gasping for breath. "Let's play another game, shall we, Potter?" Voldemort hissed with a sinister smile.
"Imperio." Voldemort whispered striking Hermione and Ron both the curse. Ron sat back away from Hermione as she slowly pulled herself to her feet.
"Hermione?" Harry asked nervously as she approached him with a dazed expression in her usually bright chocolate eyes.
"Do you want me, Harry?" Hermione asked starting to unbutton her dragon-hide top.
"Her-Hermione, fight it, don't let Riddle control you like this!" Harry tried to get through her, the tears forming in the corners of her eyes showed that he at least was reaching her mind.
"What's the matter, Potter?" Voldemort, Ron, and Hermione spoke in unison. "Isn't this what you've wanted since you hit puberty?"
"Let them go, Riddle," Harry growled as best he good as he stared at Voldemort over Ron and Hermione's shoulders. "This is between you and me. They have nothing to do with this…"
"Yes we do, Mate," Ron said in a serious tone.
"You got us involved," Hermione agreed. "If you would have just let the teachers handle the troll."
"If you had just left me alone on the Hogwarts Express," Ron nodded at the bushy haired teen.
"Our lives would have been so much better," Ron and Hermione said in unison. "We'd have normal lives. You ruined everything, Harry."
"Truth hurts, doesn't it, Potter?" Voldemort grinned watching Harry's lowered head and tears beginning to form in his emerald orbs. "Deep down, deeper then I expected, this is exactly how they feel, Harry. It's the darkness. They don't even acknowledge it but its there. The raw hatred and it's centered on … you."
"You ruined our lives, Harry, we could have been happy if you had never been born," Ron and Hermione spat angrily. "I HATE YOU!!" they screamed in unison.
Harry's head snapped upward, glaring at Voldemort. "That's not true." Harry shook his head, his eyes growing cold, and his face setting into a mask of cold emotions. "They're my best friends. They're my family. I'm not stupid, Tom. That's just you using them, trying to get to me."
"Yes, but they love each other more then they love you," Voldemort stated, with a smirk. "They're only doing what they do with you to protect each other now, more then to keep your worthless body above ground."
"You're wrong …" Harry shook his head, gripping his wand tight.
"It doesn't matter now, does it?" Voldemort smirked, "Weasley, Mudblood, I want you to beat Potter from an inch of his life. I know the prophecy said I have to be the one to kill him so leave him alive … barely." Voldemort ordered the mind controlled young wizard and witch then turned.
Hermione and Ron seemed to be struggling to move staring at Harry oddly, obviously fighting the curses. "Do not make me hurt you both, DO IT!" Voldemort growled, casting a second Imperius Curse at the pair who instantly jumped at Harry pinning him to the ground Hermione sinking her finger nails into his neck and Ron holding him down squeezing his arms painfully. Voldemort smiled at the indisposed Harry, then swept out of the room leaving Harry's friends to do their work.
Harry managed to kick Ron off and threw Hermione against the book shelf in desperation. He pulled himself to his feet and started to back away from his best friends, who both now had eyes that more resembled wild animals then his childhood friends. "You're my best friends," Harry said moving his wand from Ron to Hermione and back again. "I love you both … forgive me." He said pointing the wand at Ron, "Stupefy!" He cast sending Ron tumbling backwards across the floor.
Harry turned his wand to Hermione who was slowly approaching menacingly. "Petrificus Totalus!" Harry yelled as he froze Hermione in mid step. "I shouldn't have brought you with me …" Harry breathed as he collapsed to his knees, before the unconscious Ron and frozen Hermione. "I'm so … sorry …" Harry climbed back to his feet before moving to Ron's body, and placed his wand on Ron's forehead. Concentrating on the last ten minutes he whispered, "Obliviate." Ron's eyes opened and flashed for a moment, then Harry turned to Hermione.
"I couldn't stop what Voldemort did to you," Harry said as he placed the wand on Hermione's head, "But I can save you from having to remember it," Harry said whispering another Obliviate, and removed the petrifying charm off her. He laid her unconscious form down to the floor gently before rising and turning toward the door Voldemort left through. "It ends here, Riddle." Harry said walking through the door.
She sits in her corner
Singing herself to sleep
Wrapped in all of the promises
That no one seems to keep
"Impressive Potter, you were able to fight off your own nearest and dearest?" Voldemort clapped his hands from his seat before the fire place. "How very … dark of you."
"Only one of us is leaving this room, Tom," Harry growled, his eyes burning with bright hatred and rage.
She no longer cries to herself
No tears left to wash away
Just diaries of empty pages
Feelings gone a stray
"You are nothing to me Potter," Voldemort chuckled, waving the young wizard off, "Your friends probably need medical attention, shouldn't you be scurrying away getting them to help while I plan how to strike at you next?" Voldemort question smirking at Harry, "it is how it's been done the last seven years hasn't it, my young friend?"
"No one else is going to be touched by your poison, Riddle, I'm ending this here and now." Harry narrowed his eyes on the Dark Lord. "You've corrupted or destroyed everything I love, and it's time I took from you what you hold most dear."
Walking through life unnoticed
Knowing that no one cares
"You think you can stop me, Potter, our wands are useless when struck against each other, you know this by now," Voldemort said standing up and walking over to a large sharp pointed Muggle hat rack. "This hat rack is all I have left of my traitorous mother and my father. I hated them, Potter, I hated my whole family. I was trash to everyone, yet here you are, evidence of 'a mother's love for her son' pathetic…" Voldemort turned back to the boy. "That's why I hate you so much, Potter. Your parents were willing to die for you while mine threw me out like trash."
"That's all this is about?" Harry blinked multiple times at the dark wizard. "That's all this is about? My parents loved me and yours didn't love you is why you've destroyed my life?" Harry asked his chest rose and fell rapidly as his anger grew.
Too consumed in their masquerade
No one sees her there
"You speak as if you didn't already know this," Voldemort turned toward the enraged teen. He didn't have time to lift his wand as Harry pounced on him, putting both hands around the Dark Lords neck, pushing him down as he cut off Voldemort's airflow.
And still she sings
Till everything burns
While everyone screams
Burning their lies
Burning my dreams
"C-Crucio!" Voldemort coughed out sending the Cruciatus Curse right into Harry's chest, but Harry's eyes showed no pain, only more anger, more rage as his grip tightened harder on Tom Riddle's throat.
All of this hate
And all of this pain
I'll burn it all down
As my anger reigns
"Please … Harry …" Voldemort dropped his wand after the third try with the Cruciatus Curse, that again instead of causing pain fed Harry's anger and tightened his grip. "Mercy …"
Harry only tightened his grip and his lips in an angry frown. "You who are without mercy, Tom, you want mercy 'old friend', beg for it." Harry said squeezing his throat even more.
Till everything burns
Everything burns
(Everything burns)
Everything burns
Watching it all fade away
(All fade away)
Everyone screams
Everyone screams
(Watching it all fade away)
Oooh, ooh
"Please … Mercy …" Voldemort wheezed, gripping Harry's arms as Harry continued to strangle the elder wizard.
"Not good enough," Harry spat, his face red with rage. "You don't know what real pain is, Riddle, you don't know what it's like. Let me show you," Harry narrowed his eyes to slits. "Legilimens." Harry hissed, but instead of searching Voldemort's mind, Harry sent his own memories. The memory of Lily dieing to protect him, Sirius falling through the veil, Dumbledore's death, Voldemort's toying with Hermione and Ron. And the emotions that came with them. Voldemort's only reply was screams.
(While everyone screams)
Burning down lies
Burning my dreams
(All of this hate)
And all of this pain
I'll burn it all down
As my anger reigns
Slowly Voldemort's clawing of Harry's arm slowed and his screaming declined to gurgling and whimpering. "I promise, on Dumbledore's grave … No one else Riddle, after you, no one else will follow in your footsteps."
Voldemort's red eyes slowly glazed over as bloody foam began to appear at the edges of his mouth. "No. One. Else." Harry hissed as he felt Voldemort's windpipe finally give way under his thumbs. "No one else…" Harry whispered, as Voldemort's eyes widened for a moment before going limp in his hands.
Till everything burns
(Everything burns)
Watching it all fade away
(Oooh, ooh)
(Everything burns)
Watching it all fade away
(-V-)
The Students of Hogwarts sat patiently in the Great Hall; they had been informed that the final battle of the war was being fought by Headmistress McGonagall. The only remaining Weasley at the school sat with her best friend Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom as she silently prayed for Harry, Hermione, and her brother, Ron's safety.
The whole hall dropped in silence as the main door swung open and Harry Potter stood there, battered, bruised, but alive. Everyone stared in shock for several moments till Ginny finally broke the stupere. "HARRY!" She called out happily as she jumped from her seat and ran as hard as her legs could carry her toward the battered yet victorious hero. She jumped toward him at the final steps and threw her arms around him in a tight hug.
It took Ginny a moment to realize Harry was just standing there and not hugging back. Before she could ask Harry pushed her away. "Not now, Ginerva," He growled, before walking away from the stunned and hurt redhead. Harry walked past her, toward Professor McGonagall with an icy expression on his face. "It's finished Professor," Harry said in sorrowful yet angry tone. "Voldemort won't come back anymore. It's done. Now you can throw whatever party or celebration you want," He said turning his back and limping out the way he came. "I'll be in my dorm room, and if everyone knows what's best for them they'll leave me alone for a while." He said walking directly past the stunned Ginny, who was now with Luna and Neville.
Present day …
"Madam Pomfrey, he's coming to!" Harry heard Tonks' voice as he slowly opened his eyes and found himself on the medical cot on the second level of his cave. He slowly opened his eyes to see Tonks, Remus, and Madam Pomfrey staring down at him. "Wotcher Harry, welcome back to the land of the living."
"What happened?" Harry grunted, trying to sit up, only to be forced back down by a mix of pain and Tonks and Remus.
"Oh no you don't, young man. Your burns haven't totally healed yet; you need at least one night of bed rest." Madam Pomfrey said, checking his eyes. "It seems what ever drug Severus used on you has made dreamless sleep potion useless, so you'll have to just let it run its course."
"He's still out there," Harry grunted, still trying to fight off the bed.
"And you're not going out there after him," Pomfery stated, literally pouring a vile of fowl tasting fluid down his throat. "This won't help your dreams, but it will help us keep you out of trouble, young man. And I will not let you go and get yourself killed like Albus, you hear me?"
Harry tried to argue but the sleeping potion was already going to work.
"Goodnight, Harry," Tonks whispered soothingly as his eyes slowly closed, "We're here with you …"
Ten years earlier …
Despite the Deatheater counter attacks, with the fall of Voldemort everyone seemed a bit more relaxed in the world, even the now almost anti-social Harry Potter. Harry had almost completely withdrawn into himself, with no one was brave enough to approach him, with the exception of two: Ron and Hermione.
A few weeks before Christmas break of their final year, Harry walked down to the Commons Room and was surprised to only find Ron and Hermione there, with Harry's bushy haired best friend giving Ron a bone crushing hug.
As soon as Hermione caught sight of Harry she dashed over and hugged him excitedly, "Oh Harry, you'll never believe what happened!"
Harry couldn't help but smile, this being the first time Hermione's truly been happy since her parent's death a few months earlier. "Hogwarts: A History got a new edition?"
"No, silly!" Hermione giggled a moment, "Ron just proposed to me! I said yes! We're getting married Harry! We're getting married!"
To Be Continued …
Next chapter: Harry remembers one of the hardest experiences of his life that shaped his future more then any other event on "The Promise part 2"
Song used in chapter: Everything Burns from the Fantastic 4 soundtrack