The Cursed King: Part Four
`Let me continue' the ghost said, Harry was now against the wall, the ghost only about 10 steps in front of him, Hermione stepped closer to the action at the same time as Charles did `I've been looking to keep the death toll down, something I was believing to be impossible…then I found you'
Harry looked stricken, understanding in his eyes but fear in his face at the ghosts' words.
`And with your death on my hands, I will be whole once more' the ghost said, laughing a loud cackle as it shot straight at Harry.
Hermione felt her heart stop as Harry eyes went momentarily blank as the ghost hit him, she wasn't sure what was going to happen until he fell to the floor, With nothing but silence coming from him. The ghost had disappeared, presumably into Harry.
Before any thoughts could come to her mind she ran to him and fell to her knees, her hands running across his face trying to detect even a glimmer of life.
`Harry!' she said, feeling tears falling freely down her cheeks. He didn't move as her hands rubbed across his eyes.
`Let me check' Charles barked as he fell down on the other side of Harry, his fingers pushing instantly into Harry's neck, `We have a pulse, but its dying' his voice seemed scared.
`Can't you do anything?' William shouted as he marched up to the pair of them.
`But what?' Hermione squealed in frustration, nothing she had seen so far could prepare her for this, not without being in the twenty first century and phoning an ambulance anyway.
`You need to do something!' William said urgently, he was now standing above them, but Hermione hardly realized, all that was going through her mind was lying in her arms.
`Hermione…' Charles said softly `…I…I have an idea'
`What is it?' Hermione said urgently, her eyes for the first time shooting up to look desperately at Charles, a fearful look was spread across his face.
`Well…' Charles started but seemed to lose the nerve.
`Quickly!' Hermione said, not caring of how rude she was being, Harry seemed to be getting colder in her arms already and she knew that wasn't a good sign.
`The ghost always attacks at the same point… or at least Harry seemed to think so' Charles said nervously.
`If Harry thought it, then it's true' Hermione said trying to lead him onto his idea.
`Well, if…I…' Charles was evidently frightened, and Hermione just gave him the silence he needed to carry on `…If I act as King Richard, then the ghost should attack me, leaving Harry'
`But…' Hermione said, words failing her.
`So both of you can die?' Shakespeare scoffed as if the idea was insane.
`But are you sure?' Hermione said softly, and although she was sure the idea could work she was completely unsure of what it meant for Charles, what danger he could be putting himself in.
`I think it'll work' Charles said unsure.
`I meant are you sure of the risk?' Hermione said worried.
`Hermione' Charles said seriously as he leaned closer `Harry's saved my life many times, he even risked his own life before we knew each other. If there was even the tiniest chance I could repay the favour I'd risk not only my life, but my soul as well'
Hermione looked at him, the determinedness in his face was evident, it almost reminded her of Harry, like he had some how been changed by the few times they had met.
`Also, I can't miss the chance of performing for old Bill here, can I?' he said with a broad smile and a wink, and as soon as he this was done he stood up he spoke out loud `Old John of Gaunt, time-honoured Lancaster, Hast Thou accordingly to thy oath…oath and…'
Hermione couldn't bear to watch as Charles clawed painfully at his throat, his eyes bulging slightly at the intense level of pain he seemed to be under.
`I have…' Hermione said as she watched Charles recover slightly, his clawing becoming less frantic `…my liege'
`Tell me…' Charles spurted out, there was no doubt in Hermione's mind that this time the pain seemed to be at new levels compared to the first actor and Harry, she suspected that this was because of the ghost not sitting dormant at the moment but actively trying to kill `…Moreover, hast thou sounded him,…if he…if he appeals the duke on…on…' Charles looked about to faint, his legs barely able to hold himself, but the fierce determination in his eyes seemed to be the only thing keeping him up. `…ancient…malice' he said in barely a whisper before his legs gave way and he fell to the floor.
`Charles!' Harry breathed in shock, sitting up the same instance as Charles fell to the floor, Harry's eyes scanning wildly but stopping on Charles seemingly unconscious body. Hermione couldn't help but feel some joy at Harry's recovery but tears still fell as she looked down upon Charles still form.
Harry leaped up instantly and shouted angrily `ACCIO WAND' with his hand outstretched. Although she hadn't known the words, she knew what they did as Harry's wand shot like a bullet across the room and into his hand as he raced towards Charles, falling down beside him and waving his wand over the body frantically. He did this for several moments, perhaps a minute, and as Hermione walked over to him he stopped.
`Is he ok?' Hermione said hopefully.
`No' Harry said simply, no emotion in his voice, his face staring straight at Charles.
`You don't mean he's…' Hermione said as she put her hand up to her mouth.
`Dead' Harry said, his voice uncharacteristically low. More moments passed where Hermione felt the tears on her cheeks as she looked down at the man that gave his life to save Harry.
`What!' William bellowed from somewhere behind them.
`But how?' Hermione asked, desperate for Harry to say it was a mistake `you didn't…that quickly'
`I was more powerful, he had to fight me first…' Harry said, his voice crackling slightly as he spoke `But Charles here…my poor Charles…'
Harry stood up and looked about violently, raising his wand after a moment and summoning the Captornasm, catching it instantly in his hand. He waved his wand over it and the eerie sound filled the room for the second time that afternoon. Almost instantly the ghost appeared with a weird look on his face.
Harry raised his wand and the ghost shot back against the wall like he was solid, the ghost now wearing a look of surprise on his face.
`How are you alive?' he said in anger, trying to fight against the invisible force that held him against the wall.
`You don't realize!' Harry shouted angrily, even making Hermione take half a step back `you killed Charles instead!'
`How?' the ghost said, he was being pushed so hard against the wall that he seemed to be merging with it.
`He acted the beginning and you transferred from me to him, you were so preoccupied with murder you didn't realize' Harry spat, walking up quickly towards him, Harry was now about a step away from him, his wand outstretched and pointing at where the ghosts heart would be.
`So now you'll kill me?' the ghost sneered as he looked straight at Harry in contempt `I'm already a ghost!'
`I won't kill you' Harry said simply, to which the ghost laughed at `I'll send you to the void'
The ghost stopped instantly, fear flooding his face for the first time.
`How?' he said, panic in his voice.
`It's easy' Harry said, moving his wand even closer to the ghosts' chest.
`But…' the ghost started but Harry cut him off.
`No more buts' Harry said, moving the wand slightly away.
`I'm not King Richard!' the ghost moaned, complete begging in his voice, tears rolling down his eyes.
`I know that' Harry spat in fury `and your pathetic story might have gotten you leniency before, even sorrow…but not now!'
`How could you know?' the ghost sobbed loudly. He ghost had broken down so much that Hermione felt the beginnings of pity enter her heart, but one look at Charles evaporated that feeling instantly.
`When you tried to murder me, we became one' Harry said `I'm an excellent Legillemens'
`But please!' the ghost begged.
`No' Harry said simply, and as he waved the wand the ghost disappeared, his wailing following him a second later.
`Is he gone?' Hermione asked nervously.
Harry didn't respond, he just stood still as he stared at the wall where the ghost had just vacated. Hermione stepped up closer to him and put a hand on his shoulder, but still he didn't respond and stayed perfectly still.
`Are you ok?' Hermione asked nervously.
At these words Harry turned and looked at her, a smile attached to his face.
`As good as I could hope under these circumstances!' Harry said brightly as he smiled a broad grin at her.
`Harry?' Hermione said worried at Harry's reaction.
`Yes, Hermione Granger?' Harry said as if he was really interested in what she was about to ask.
`What…' Hermione said confused, trying to phrase what she was feeling.
`Are you sure I wasn't right earlier when I called you simple?' Harry teased, and with a wink he started to walk over towards William `Dear old Bill!'
`Sir, are you well?' William said confused.
`Never been better' Harry said brightly `Actually that's a lie, this one time in china…'
`Your friend just died!' William said in exasperation as he stared at the man before him.
`It happens to the best of us' Harry said with a little sad smile.
`What was that thing?' William said after a moments hesitation.
`The soul of an actor' Harry said happily `do you remember a few years back when that actor died on stage?'
`No' William said uncertainly.
`Well, that make sense' Harry said simply `seeing as no one gave him a funeral, he was carted of into the carts and left…and they say people are ruthless to actors back home, Hermione?'
Harry looked at her with a smile, but Hermione was very far away from smiling back so he turned to William.
`And he died during King Richard?' William said aghast.
`At the beginning' Harry said brightly `and here's the thing that pissed him of enough to do all this…It happened so early on… in the opening dialogue even… that they got his stand-in to do the rest!'
`Oh my!' William said, his hand over his mouth to hide him gasping.
`Feeling sorry for our murdering little ghost, eh?' Harry said with a grin.
`No, but…' William said uncertain of just how he felt at this news `what was his name?'
`You don't need to know that' Harry said simply.
`But…' William said before Harry interrupted him.
`Now, Hermione, what do you think about leaving here?' Harry said turning to Hermione
Hermione looked at him in confusion but before she could speak he had said `good' and walked out through the doors. Hermione didn't even have time to say another word to William as she ran to catch up with Harry. As she left the Curtain and entered the street she could just about see him as he turned round a corner, and by the time she reached here she watched as he prepared to step into the, already visible, Ford Anglia door.
`Hurry up!' he said brightly before disappearing through the door. She bolted after him and stepped into the huge room, shutting the door behind her.
`Where to next?' Harry said brightly `Have you ever been to Paris?'
`Yeah' she said softly as she walked up to him.
`How about in the year 1789?' Harry said with a wink `nothing like a revolution to show you the best and worse of people!'
`Stop!' Hermione yelled, making Harry stand still and stare at her.
`What is it?' Harry asked bewildered.
`Your friend has just died and you're off planning your next adventure like nothing has happened!' Hermione said, now as she spoke the words the true horror made its presence known to her `It's like you don't even care!'
`Don't you say that' Harry whispered, his eyes on hers as it showed anger.
`But why are you acting…like this?' Hermione said angrily. She could still feel the soreness of recent tears in her eyes while Harry seemed fine.
`I'm not acting anyway' he said quietly, still anger behind his green eyes.
`You were smiling just 30 seconds ago!' Hermione screamed.
`That's not illegal, is it?' Harry said angrily, his voice had now risen to the volume of normal speech.
`When your friend has just died!' Hermione said shaking her head in disbelief `Is this how you'd be if I died? Just smile, shrug and walk away?'
`No' Harry said simply, no smile on his face.
`So why act like this now!' Hermione spoke these words loudly, stepping within touching distance of Harry.
`Leave it out' Harry said, turning away from her.
`No!' Hermione said grabbing him and pulling him round to face her `Tell me how you can be so heartless'
`Please' Harry said, a hint of begging in his voice.
`NOT TILL YOU TELL ME!' Hermione said, beating her hands on his chest.
`Because I have to be!' Harry said, all the pain and sorrow a person could possibly feel was etched into these words as he almost cried them out like the words were tears `You have no idea how many people I have lost! How many times I have mourned my loved ones! How many times I haven't been fast enough, or good enough to save the people I care about! I…I just can't do it anymore'
Hermione looked at him, his green eyes were sparkling with the beginning of tears but none seemed to come.
`So many people have left me that if I started now, I don't think I could stop' Harry said, looking directly at her with a sad smile on his face. Her heart seemed to break at his words and how much he meant them. She thought of his life, travelling throughout time, just by himself, alone with only the people he met now and again. Until…
`I will never leave you' Hermione said, placing a hand on his chest.
`You can't say that' Harry said as he squinted his eyes slightly to rid them of the shine of tears.
`Yes, I can' Hermione said simply, looking at him. They stared at each other till Harry smiled.
`Do you know how much trouble you will get yourself into if you mean that?' Harry said with a slight glint of his mischievous smile on his face.
`If that troubles with you, then it's no trouble at all' Hermione said honestly.
`Harry and Hermione…' Harry said laughing `Travellers through time!'
`For all time' Hermione added as she watched Harry smile.
`Then I have a place I have to take you…' Harry said with a broad grin.
*
Hermione looked around her at the full room, everyone was silent with anticipation, and her heart was beating a million beats per minute.
Her heart beat increased even more as she watched the handsome man appear on stage, this was act two scene two, and she knew exactly what was coming.
`He jests at scars, that never felt a wound' the man said, encapsulating the brilliance of the play so sublimely with every syllable. She nearly gasped as the woman appeared above him at a window `But soft! What light through yonder window break! It is the east, and Juliet is the Sun!'
Her heart beat as her mind reeled through the words she knew off by heart. She couldn't believe that she was here, the 14th of August 1949, at the Globe.
`That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet' the person playing Juliet said, and for the first time, sitting with a self proclaimed time travelling wizard, Hermione knew this was true.
She watched as the two lovers seemed to dance with their words as they circled each other, the acting of love and desire was perfect. She barely realized as a hand found its way into hers and squeezed something hard softly into her hand. Looking down she saw it was Harry's hand and looking at him she saw a wide grin on his face.
`It's a key to the Ford Anglia' Harry whispered softly he let go leaving the silver key in her hand `I've made it so the alarm button makes it visible, which I thought was a nice touch'
She couldn't help but smile as she looked at him as she pocketed this present.
`Swear by thy gracious self, which is the God of my idolatry, and I'll believe thee'
She heard Juliet's words and smiled. And with this she took Harry hand in hers, and watched the first ever performance of Romeo and Juliet.
*
So that's that Adventure done…Tell me what you think of this chapter and the whole adventure (Shakespeare time)…
Thank you to UnpredictableLover, Miss Mady, Radagast and MiSS cAsCaDa FaN90.
Every Chapter seems to get less and less reviews, lets try and stop that trend people! Please?
Next Adventure should be enjoyable, and I hope you like it…
Jms Granger.
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