Chapter 4-Azkaban anyone?
Saturday morning arrived, even if Ron hadn't. Harry wanted to beat Ron to a pulp for leaving Hermione alone on Hogsmeade weekend. The whole purpose was to have fun as a foursome. Since they were all of legal age, it wasn't out of the question that a few too many Guinness Stout would be on tap instead of that weak Butterbeer that they'd always been restricted to.
"Hermione, I'm sorry that Ron's not here. But you have to come with Parvati and I anyway," pleaded Harry. "You can't sit here alone today."
"Harry," Hermione whispered. "I know you aren't as devastated by breaking up with Ginny as everyone else believes. If you were, and if it were just a friendly trip to Hogsmeade with Parvati, I'd go. But you guys might not hit it off like you should if I'm there." Hermione looked hurt still even if she was trying to look strong for Harry at the moment.
Harry had to think of something. "Hey, who knows? Maybe you and I will hit it off and I'll get lucky with two girls?" He leaned back and pretended to beat his chest like a gorilla or caveman. He couldn't hold back the laugh. "If Parvati and I are going to get on well together, it won't be spoiled by you in one day like today."
"You really do need help, Harry. Maybe we should take you to a veterinarian and get you neutered like a little puppy. That way you can't do so much damage," she responded playfully.
"Come on, Hermione. We'll all go get some candy and some lunch. If you feel uncomfortable, you can always come back early," reasoned Harry.
Hermione looked out the window of the common room and mumbled something under her breath. "That's reasonable, Harry. I'm not pleased that you have beaten me at my own game and used a logical argument I can't argue with to get me to go though." She smiled. "I'll wait upstairs until you and Parvati have had time to reacquaint yourselves."
He sighed as he watched Hermione go up the stairs. She's right though, thought Harry. Parvati and I might be a little uncomfortable with her there all the time. He thought about how it might mess up his chances for getting a kiss from Parvati. Her long, sleek dark face, brown eyes and ruby red lips suddenly appeared in front of Harry. He wanted to kiss her right there. "Hi, Parvati. You look really…uhh…byoo…nice…ah, heck. You look great Parvati." Harry was at a loss for words. It wasn't his daydream. She was right there.
"That's sweet, Harry, thanks," replied Parvati as she kissed Harry ever so lightly on the left cheek. "I didn't mean to surprise you. Were you thinking about something?"
Harry almost laughed out loud and blurted that he'd just been thinking of kissing her, but he held back. "Yeah, Ron isn't back from London. I hope you don't mind that I convinced Hermione she should at least come with us for lunch."
"No, I don't mind. After all, Hermione kind-of helped us get together." Parvati paused and tried to hide a bit of a forlorn sigh, but regrouped. "No, no problem at all."
"So, it's been like three years since the Ball, right Parvati?" Harry mentioned to break the ice. "You are stunning Parvati. I must admit…you took my breath away just a minute ago."
Parvati lowered her head a little to hide the blushing red cheeks that probably wouldn't have shown through her dark complexion in any event. "Harry, you have to stop making me self-conscious. This is hard for both of us I think. I think you're cute too, but…," she stopped short as Hermione saved them from the awkwardness of that moment.
Suddenly, both of them were glad Hermione was there. Harry certainly hadn't expected their first little conversation to heat up so dramatically. He loved being part of the three-way conversation with them. They laughed and joked. Harry even enjoyed some of the friendly jabs at guys. Before he knew it, he'd convinced them both to join him for a couple of ales at the Three Broomsticks.
Finally, he could feel that he and Parvati had gotten over the initial uneasiness. He took her hand softly and said, "What would you like to drink?" Part of Parvati's beliefs included no alcohol for her, but she said she didn't mind if Harry did.
"I'll have something fruity without alcohol, please." Parvati she emphasized as she watched Harry walk to the bar.
"Hermione, you didn't tell me that Harry could be so direct. I mean I never felt so much like blushing in my life as when he looked at me and told me how gorgeous I was. He's a flirt," she said fanning herself.
"Should I leave, Parvati? I don't mind. I want to be there when that jerk, Ron, gets back anyway," said Hermione.
"Well, stay for a drink or two and some laughs. But it would be nice to see where Harry and I are alone," she winked.
Harry hadn't made it a habit to drink a lot of beer, so after his first one he felt a little more light-headed than he'd felt before. It was good. He figured if he could drink that skele-gro and all the other potions he'd taken over the years, he'd get used to the beer taste too. He could feel himself loosen up a little, but he was careful to not get carried away. He took Parvati's hand quietly under the table and almost immediately, Hermione began babbling about having to get back. Harry laughed aloud.
"So, timing is funny thing," he said as he laughed. "I begin to hold Parvati's hand and a message from God all of a sudden calls Hermione away."
Both girls turned beet red. "Okay, Harry. You could have handled that a little better," chided Hermione. "You're going to embarrass her, Harry."
"Oh, no, you got it wrong guys. Both of you. I would have held your hand earlier if I'd known it would get us time alone. That's what I meant," said Harry apologetically and honestly. He wanted to be with Parvati, even though he was having fun with Hermione too. But she was his best friend's girlfriend and he was single.
"Harry, you know you could have said something to me earlier. I'm not stupid," said Hermione.
"I thought, maybe Parvati was more comfortable with you here until now," he asserted.
Parvati wasn't shy, but had never been known for outlandish behavior or witty comebacks so what she said next, shocked both Harry and Hermione. "Harry, it's you who might be safer with her here." Harry could hear the nervousness in her voice, but it relieved the tension as they all roared with laughter.
"Can I get you something before I go? I'm up," offered Hermione.
"Yeah, tell the bartender we want two of whatever he calls what he's been making Parvati," said Harry. He didn't want to get drunk and he knew the two he'd had were probably enough for a light-weight drinker like him.
Once Hermione left and they had their drinks, Harry looked at Parvati in all seriousness and said, "I was really nervous today when we met. I'm sorry if I embarrassed you, but I was kind of fantasizing about kissing you and … boo…you were right there. I'm not asking for a kiss. I just wanted you to know I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable." Harry didn't know why he felt obliged to tell her what he was thinking when she approached him, but he was glad a moment later.
"I thought you were going to be really melancholy about the break up with Ginny, but it seems it was a bit of a relief for you," she said. "I mean you don't look like a guy mourning a lost relationship. My brother went into a deep depression and stopped eating for a month when he broke up with his girlfriend."
"Maybe I'm not, but don't think I didn't love Ginny and still do probably. I don't want to hurt someone else though or get into another relationship too soon," he confided.
"That's what Hermione said. We have a lot of room to grow as friends though Harry. I'm not really looking for anyone special so we can be friends and not worry about jealousy," offered Parvati a bit timidly.
Harry leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. They were soft, smooth and tasty with the faint taste of the fruit juice. He hadn't been close enough to smell her perfume until then either. He felt a little weak so, he backed off quickly. "I should have treated you better at the Yule Ball." He didn't want to act like a horny teenager with Parvati or any girl for that matter. He'd learned how satisfying romantic kissing could be with Ginny. He wanted romance without being tied down and knew it would be hard to achieve.
"Ah, that's in the past. A lot has happened since then," said Parvati as her whole body seemed to relax. As if she was going to ignore the kiss at first but changed her mind, she said, "That was nice, Harry. I can see why Hermione told me to be careful. You are a charmer."
"Is that a good or a bad thing, Parvati?" asked Harry softly.
"For now it's a good thing," she smiled as their lips met again.
Harry and Parvati sat quietly in Madam Puddifoot's later that afternoon just chatting and laughing. "Harry, you are so full of it sometimes." Harry had just told her another story of summers at the Dursley's. "There is no way you can convince me that you let those pitiful muggles treat the great Harry Potter like a red-headed stepchild."
Harry was somewhat offended, because the conversation had just switched to the Dursley's. They had been talking about all the danger he'd faced in the Tri-Wizard tournament and the Ministry of Magic. Parvati said that she couldn't think of anyone more fearless than Harry. "Parvati, stop. Look at me. Yes, I lived in a broom cupboard under the stairs at my uncle's house for years. Those rumors are true. I swear to you."
Parvati's face still bore the smile she had as she'd been laughing, but it was fading slowly as she saw the pain in Harry's eyes. "That's why Ron and Hermione were so important to me. They were the first real friends I ever had in my whole life." Her smile had changed to a frown.
Harry saw her change and felt bad for acting like a poor, neglected child even though he had been. The love he'd experienced since had all but erased those memories. "Don't you dare cry, Parvati. I never did because I met wonderful people like you who made me forget all that." It was almost too late. "Don't you dare," he warned as he held her hand tightly. "You're a bright spot too. You make me happy. Don't let me live in the past with you."
She looked at him. "That's why you're everyone's hero, Harry. You come to their rescue faster than your own. How can you live with knowing they got away with it?" Parvati said.
"I learned a lesson that helped defeat Voldemort, Parvati. That's how. Evil is it's own reward. If you breed evil in the things you do, you will receive it as your reward," said Harry.
"What happened with Voldemort, Harry? I want to know what really happened," said Parvati looking into Harry's eyes. "There's more to it than anyone knows, I can feel it."
Harry couldn't believe the warmth of Parvati's gaze could be so strong. He didn't know what to make of it. It was sensual, but not sexual. It was as if she longed to understand him. It was a completely new experience. One, if anyone asked at this moment, he loved above all other encounters with a woman he'd ever had. "Okay, but you have to listen and believe every word. You'll want to say that's just not possible, but I tell you I won't lie or embellish it. Okay?"
"It's a deal, but I might ask questions." Parvati got up and grabbed a chair moved in toward Harry as close as she could so she could look Harry in the eye as he told the story.
Harry began with his first year at Hogwarts and how the whole thing transpired with the Philosopher's Stone. He even put in details about how Hermione and Ron helped him. He was sure she understood that without them, there was no way he could have succeeded.
He continued through confrontation with Voldemort, including his dreams and his suspicions about Professor Snape. It was at this point that Parvati said for about the tenth time, "I wish I understood what was happening then. It makes so much sense."
The closer he got to the present, the more incredulous the story got and the more questions Parvati asked. "You mean that Professor Dumbledore's murder had been planned between Snape and him? That sounds crazy."
"No, it wasn't planned, but Professor Dumbledore knew of the Unbreakable Vow and I think he had made Professor Snape promise that no harm should come to me either and if he must maintain his identity as a Death Eater and confidant of Lord Voldemort, he was expendable--he being Professor Dumbledore." There were tears in Parvati's eyes and she ran her hand through Harry's hair and down his cheek.
"All this time, we watched you in a life and death struggle that we didn't want to believe was happening. Professor Dumbledore may have been the bravest man I've ever known," Parvati said kindly.
Harry had to stop at that for a moment. She had hit a nerve he had thought had long since healed. Professor Dumbledore was also the wisest man he ever knew, but she'd pointed out something he'd overlooked. Maybe that's how he could trust his instincts with Professor Snape and never flinch. "That's very well put Parvati. Thank you for recognizing that."
When finally, Harry came to the part where he, Ron and Hermione arrived in Godric's Hollow to investigate the last of the Horcrux Parvati looked at Harry and whispered, "No matter how scary it is, don't leave anything out, Harry." She looked terrified.
They had arrived late on Sunday, November 27th and found a place to stay that night while trying to maintain a low profile, Harry explained. No one but Death Eaters or Voldemort himself cared who they were, but, as Harry explained, no one knew who was or wasn't a member of the Death Eater's anymore. They sat in the little diner near the Inn and ate a very nice meal and listened to the towns people talk. One older gentleman seemed to be at odds with a frequent visitor to town and immediately Harry knew who that was.
The man, Harry thought, was probably in his late 50's and would have been around ten years older than his parents. He described the visitor as this creepy guy who wouldn't look directly at him and always wore a black hood. He had rented a bungalow somewhere in town a year ago and had said he would only be staying for a few months. He kept hoping the man would say where the bungalow was. Harry now knew the man as the Landlord and called him that as he recounted the story to Parvati.
"You see, Parvati, the Landlord wanted nothing to do with this guy and even went so far as to tell anyone who would listen that he didn't believe in truly evil people, but this man who demanded to be called Lord Voldemort was one. He even thought about calling mental health authorities to come get him, but was scared. Ron and Hermione sat frozen in their seats that night as he said the man's name. I began to shake. We had to leave for fear that our recognition of the name as the rest of the crowd guffawed at the Landlord. We feared anything we said or did from there on would get us an unwanted visit from some Death Eaters. As it was, I think that was the night he was alerted to our presence," related Harry.
"We moved out of the Inn in Godric's Hollow and lived in the car I had rented. We used the car to hold our belongings thinking that no one would expect wizard kids to use a muggle contraption and it would give us a safe haven if we needed it. It turned out to be true. We read in the paper two nights later that our room in the Inn had been ransacked and several of the tenants scared out of their wits by men dressed in black, early 20th century attire. That was what brought the whole thing to a head. The paper also contained an article about the explosion and seeming deaths of several residents on Halloween some sixteen years before. The similarities were the subject of the article. The same kind of menacing presence had been reported to police before and after the blast all those years ago," Harry continued.
"The exact location where the explosion happened was in the newspaper," said Harry. "It freaked me out because the names of the people that owned the house then were James and Lily Potter, according to the article. I was infuriated and missed the most obvious. There was no way their names were on the title or lease. The house had been protected by the Fidelius Charm. Those facts had to be added for our benefit. But I wouldn't listen to Hermione."
"No, you're kidding," Parvati said in a raspy, terrified voice.
"I should have smelled the set up by the Death Eaters. They had successfully lured us out into the open, because I wouldn't listen to Hermione." said Harry. "Luckily for me, Hermione was against exposing ourselves completely. So much so, that she apparated back to the Burrow warning Lupin and the others. When they arrived, they saved my bacon by battling the Death Eaters who nearly had captured me and Ron. The Ministry was notified and several members of the Auror staff joined them. See, Parvati, I was lucky too. Without Hermione and Professor Lupin, it might have turned out differently."
Parvati sat motionless and transfixed on Harry as he spoke. "Now that the Ministry and the Order of the Phoenix were involved we made a plan to put the bungalow under surveillance. But as with all plans, there was a flaw. We forgot that Voldemort might have us under surveillance. In the middle of the night the next Sunday night, Hermione, Ron and I were taken from our rooms at the Inn we had left and taken forcibly by portkey into the bungalow. We had been under the protection of Alistar Moody too. I would never have guessed it possible."
Harry admitted that much of what happened after that was a blur, but he remembered the pain as he was hit with the Cruciatus curse for what he thought had to be the fourth or fifth time. "I fought Parvati. I had to remember what I'd learned. I told him that the Tom who wanted only to be loved and taken care of would hate him for what he was doing. It made him madder and the pain was worse each time for what seemed like forever. I couldn't remember what he said as he tortured me. But every time he stopped he said, `Beg for death Potter. I'll grant your wish, I'll make it stop. You will obey me eventually.'" Harry touched the back of his elbow and wrist where they had been bruised from thrashing around on the floor. His back hurt as well for the same reasons. He could feel the crushing again in his ribs as the curse had tried to crush the will to live out of him. No one knew that pain. And he had blocked it out ever since. Parvati noticed him rubbing his wrists and fidgeting.
"What's wrong, Harry? If this is bothering you, you don't have to satisfy me with the story. I'm satisfied that he's gone," she said when he recognized his writhing hands. "What happened to you, Harry? I want to call you sweetheart and every girl whoever heard this story would too, so don't take it wrong. You are such a sweetheart for what you did to take that menace out." Her hand touched his face and tilted his head to hold it between his shoulder and face. It soothed him. He had no idea how much recounting this would take out of him.
"But don't you see, me, Harry Potter had no wizard powers to match his malice, his hate. I was no hero. I cried like a baby in pain. But I wouldn't let him kill me like he did Cedric, my parents and Merlin knows who else. I don't know how long it was that this cycle continued until I could tell he was hurting me out of his own pain and suffering. Yet, he still threatened to kill me and take the pain away. That's when I said, `Go ahead and kill the only good thing that your mother ever gave you. Kill your mother's gift.'" said Harry.
"Parvati had been listening with her elbows on his knees and her face in her hands at this point kneeling in front of him. But she sat up with a start, "Okay, now, what are you talking about?"
Harry had only briefly touched on the meaning of his scar and had not mentioned that during this ordeal the pain there made him want to die. He hadn't mentioned the voices of his mother and father in his head telling him, urging him to fight it. He hadn't mentioned the sound of a baby crying in the background that buoyed him. He hadn't mentioned that that baby was Lord Voldemort/Tom Riddle at his birth or shortly there after. He had been bathed in the same love from his mother that Lily had shown him. She died to make sure he survived with a good name and a future.
As he explained this to Parvati, she wept. Harry couldn't stop her and he felt an immense burden in his chest almost the same as he had that night. "Parvati, I was blessed by my mother's love and that part of him that had been blessed by his mother's love was transferred to me. He never stood a chance, Parvati. Love was going to win, because it is unstoppable. It had nothing to do with me. It could have been anyone who had that old power in them. They could have accomplished it too. His anger grew but his power waned. Each successive time he cursed me, it became less powerful and his questioning between more calm. It doesn't matter what was said after that until one moment when I said that I was proud of him letting Tom take over again and that I would gladly let him have his mother's gift if he would give over completely to Tom. He raged and at that moment I thought I was going to die. He looked at me and screamed the killing curse at me, the same as he had over sixteen years before, but nothing happened. He did it over and over again. And finally, he turned his wand on himself and did the same. The explosion knocked me to the wall. My tailbone is still bruised underneath. He hated what he had become and the curse worked." Harry sat staring off into space. "I had a huge headache and a blinding flash that probably meant that the proximity between us that he destroyed the Horcrux at the same moment as he killed himself."
Harry looked on the table and found a clean napkin and handed it to Parvati. Her mascara had run because of her tears. He put his hand tenderly to her face. "See, I wasn't a hero. Hero's don't cry and just hope to live." He felt embarrassed a bit.
"Harry, you are silly. I take back what I said before. You are the bravest man I've ever known. I can't believe you trusted me enough to share this with me. Your secret is safe though. I won't tell anyone what a hero you really are. I'll let them decide for themselves. They'll know by just getting to know you," she said as she initiated a passionate kiss for the first time. It lasted only a minute, but Harry could hardly wait for more. But she backed away and said, "Okay, so we're just friends, but you are one heck of a special friend to me. I have to freshen up and I suppose we should be going."
He looked around it was probably much later than the time they should have been back. He realized he'd be in no trouble but Parvati could get grounded from future visits. "I'll go to the loo and meet you here in a few minutes."
Harry walked toward the loo as he watched her disappear into the women's loo. He felt both excited and ashamed for his fantasies about her. She was special. He knew he liked her, but he also knew that he had to be careful. Not every girl was the one, just because they were kind and beautiful. The urinals were covered in tape and appeared to be overflowing so he went to the stall. When he finished, he grabbed the handle on the side and it came off in his hand. Suddenly fear rushed through him. He was spinning and a moment later he fell on the ground. He looked over and realized he was in the square in the middle of town. His heart raced. Some one was using a portkey to get him out of the way. "Oh, my God," he said aloud. "Parvati."
He ran as fast as he could. He screamed at the top of his lungs. "No, no…not again." The flashes of Cedric's lifeless body laying in the cemetery haunted him. "No, please no," he begged.
It was only a few hundred yards, maybe a minute or so to get there. He looked inside. The bartender looked at him angrily as did several of the patrons. Parvati's things were still sitting on the chair next to the table. "The girl, where did the girl go?"
"You tell me, you lousy bastard. I hoped she'd kicked you and got away. Looks like she did," laughed an old drunk. "That'll teach you to drag a woman by the hair."
"You'll get more sex by asking than demanding mate," said another as he stood up and hit Harry so hard he passed out in the middle of Madam Puddifoot's. "Matter of fact, once we get a constable here, maybe you'll end up the girlfriend of your cellmate in jail. How about that for a little unwanted sex, mate."
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