Unofficial Portkey Archive

Title: Forever a Secret (10)
Author name: LittleWitch
Author email: littlewitch_br@hotmail.com
Category: Angst
Sub Category: Romance
Keywords: Book 5 AU
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: SS/PS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OoTP
Summary: "It is dark in here since he's gone; since it's all gone. I think the worst part is knowing --knowing what you'd rather forget -- But you chose to remember. Because although it hurts, you need those memories…Just to remember why you are still breathing..."
DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Also, I don't own the movie titles nor the lyrics of the following songs:

Scene XX - We Are The Champions performed by Queen.

Scene XXI - My Immortal performed by Evanescence.

Scene XXII - Save Me performed by Remy Zero.

Scene XXIII -Uninvited performed by Alanis Morissette.

Scene XXIV - Tears In Heaven performed by Eric Clapton.

Scene XXV - Born To Try performed by Delta Goodrem.

Scene XXVI - Black And White People performed by Matchbox Twenty.

Scene XXVII - High Speed performed by Coldplay.

Scene XXVIII - Feel performed by Robbie Williams.

Scene XXIX - I Shall Believe performed by Sheryl Crow.

Scene XXX - I Dare You To Move performed by Switchfoot.

Scene XXXI - All For Love performed by Michael Bolton.

For all of you who dedicated some precious hours of your life to read what have given me so much pleasure and work to write.

Chapter 10: Scenes ( Part III)

"Life is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury

Signifying nothing."

--- William Shakespeare (Macbeth, V, 9.)

Scene XX - The Godfather

I've paid my dues

Time after time

I've done my sentence

But committed no crime

"Sirius? Sirius? Are you there?"

Sirius turned around abruptly. He must be going crazy. He could swear he had heard his godson calling him.

He scanned the area around him. Hundreds of giant magical bubbles of all sorts of colors were floating in the sky -- each bubble, held a dragon imprisoned within while wizards and witches wearing black, violet, green and orange robes ducked and dodged to avoid the fire balls from the dragons that were still free. In their hands, flasks of potions turned into energy balls that were thrown on the dragons, words were chanted and more bubbles adorned the scenery. Only problem was that from each dragon they trapped, two broke free from the bubbles.

And bad mistakes

I've made a few

I've had my share of sand

Kicked in my face

But I've come through

And I need to go on and on and on and on

"Sirius! Watch out!"

This time it was not Harry. It was Charlie Weasley, pushing him of the way of certain death. Sirius could fell the heat from the fire ball that passed just a foot away from his head.

Both wizards ran away from a dragon that stooped his claws out and almost catching them. They took cover behind a pillar of stone that was once part of an old church they were using as a safe house "Sirius. Are you all right?! What's wrong with you? Didn't you see that coming?" Charlie asked frantically.

"I - I --" Sirius still seemed a little shocked. "Yeah. I'm sorry, thank you, Charlie. I owe you."

Charlie watched him closely. "Are you sure you are alright?"

Sirius nodded. Shacklebolt dodged the blow from a sharp Dragon tail. Panting, the auror stopped beside them. "We are running out of potions. We won't be able to hold them for much longer. We have to pull back."

"No. We can't. We are the last line of resistance. If we fall back now, the Muggles won't stand a chance. We won't be able to save them," said Black.

"I start to think that we don't have a chance at all, either, Sirius."

"Perhaps, we don't. But this is our fight and I'm going to fight it to the end," Sirius said, turning a flask of potion into a ball of energy. Charlie and Shacklebolt nodded, doing the same. "So, are you ready?" Both men nodded again.

We are the champions - my friend

And we'll keep on fighting till the end

We are the champions

We are the champions

No time for losers

'Cause we are the champions of the world

The three wizards came out from behind the pillar running at top speed and screaming like banshees; they joined the other remaining wizards against the dragons. They avoided the fire attacks; rolled to the side to dodge the smashing attack by a dragon that landed hard where they had just been standing … they used their H.R.H attacks as well… But more and more bubbles were breaking, releasing more and more dragons to the deadly fray…Arthur Weasley was caught by one dragon's claws…Charlie tried to free his father but was hit by another dragon's tail, collapsing unconscious on the ground.

Molly went to her son's rescue, while Sirius, Moody and an unknown member of the Black Team tried to save Arthur. The rescue entailed Sirius distracting and jumping astride the neck of the dragon, and using his now useless wand to poke into the it's eye, making the dragon roar in pain and then release Arthur from its grip. Success was quickly turned to consternation as the dragon, furious and pain ridden, started to fly off higher and higher with Sirius still on its back.

Using what had worked before, Sirius poked the other eye of the dragon, causing it to lose its direction and momentum, and then after some crazy looping maneuvers in the air, the dragon landed or crashed into the woods. Seizing the opportunity to trap the dragon, Sirius cast a potion bubble, but no sooner had he done so that he saw three other dragons flying in his direction.

I've taken my bows

And my curtain calls

You've bought me fame and fortune

And everything that goes with it

I thank you all

He ran further into the wood, finding a large tree and leaning back against the trunk to catch his breath.

And it was then that he heard again.

"SIRIUS!"

It was Harry again -- but only Harry was not there. He couldn't be. He was miles away, at Hogwarts.

"Sirius?! Are you there? Sirius, can you hear me?"

"Harry?" Sirius asked to the thin air.

"Oh, Thank God, you are okay! Now, where the Hell are you, Sirius?"

"Where the Hell am I? Where are you, Harry? Are you wearing your invisible cloak?" Sirius asked waving his hands in the area around him like a lunatic.

"What? No - what are you talking about Sirius, I'm --"

"You shouldn't be here. You should be at Hogwarts."

"I am at Hogwarts!" Harry seemed impatient.

"You are?" It was then that something clicked inside Sirius Black head and instead of feeling about the air, he started patting the pockets of his own robes, looking for something and finally finding it inside the right hand pocket It was something that he always carried with him, out of habit perhaps, but really because, in truth, though Harry had never used it before, he had never forgotten the small mirror had given his godson on that Christmas years ago. If Harry had remembered, it would have meant fewer problems during the past years but he never had. And now that Sirius obviously didn't want to be found by Harry, finally the boy remembered his special gift.

Sirius held up the mirror and saw the reflection of his beloved godson staring back intently. And in spite of everything that was going on, everything that was about to go on, the older man smiled. It was good to know that his efforts were not in vain, that somehow his godson was still in control of himself and somehow they still had hope.

Only Harry was not smiling back. He was pissed off. "I can't believe you did this to me, Sirius! Of all the people, you… you betrayed me."

Sirius frowned. "I didn't betray you, Harry. I would never betray you."

But it's been no bed of roses no pleasant cruises

I consider it a challenge before the whole human race

And I ain't gonna lose

And I need to go on and on and on and on

"What do you call what you're doing, Sirius? You acted behind my back. You knew this was happening. You knew what was going on with the Wizarding World and you didn't tell me! Instead, you lured me to the Ministry so you could take charge of the Order, undermining my leadership, and sending all the teams into a conflict that I know nothing about…leaving the trainees behind, all alone and defenseless. And then when I finally came back to the Order, ready to fix things, you lured me out again to Hermione's burned office…you knew that episode would command my attention...would distract me from --"

"Wait a minute, Harry. Hermione's burned office? What are you talking about?"

Harry glared at his godfather through the mirror. "Don't play games with me, Sirius. You know very well what I'm talking about."

"No. I don't, Harry. I didn't betray you. Okay, so I lured you to the Ministry. And did take charge of things at the Order. I left you behind, I admit. But only to protect you, Harry. Only to protect us all. I'm your godfather, damn it. I'm responsible for you. I know what's best for you right now."

"What is the best for me, Sirius? To stay locked in Hogwarts like I did in my seventh-year? To see everybody that I care about out risking their lives and do nothing? Should I start grieving for you like I grieved for Hagrid? So, tell me Sirius, what's best for me?"

A dark shadow crossed Sirius Black's eyes. "The best thing for you is her. But I can't give her to you. It would be best if you could have the normal life you truly want with her. But, no one can give this to you."

Harry's facial expression changed to perplexity. "I don't understand. What are you talking about, Sirius?"

We are the champions - my friend

And we'll keep on fighting till the end

We are the champions

We are the champions

No time for losers

'Cause we are the champions

Sirius could hear the sound of the dragons' wings approaching rapidly behind him. "Look, Harry. I'm kind of busy right now. Just don't try to leave Hogwarts, okay? Even with all that is going on, Hogwarts is still the safest place for you. Just stay cool, control your magic and you will be fine, we all be fine. Just don't --"

"No, Sirius. You don't understand. THERE'S A BASILISK IN THE SCHOOL!"

"A what?" Sirius asked, completely dumbfounded. The tree beside the one Sirius behind went up in flames. He looked up and saw one of the dragons soar over him.

"Sirius? What was THAT?" Harry's worried voice echoed through the mirror. "SIRIUS!"

The mirror was on the ground. Sirius could still hear him but he couldn't answer. He was too busy, fighting the Dragons…

We are the champions

We are the champions

No time for losers

'Cause we are the champions

**************************************

Scene XXI - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Having just said goodnight to her mother, Hermione went to take a long hot bath. She got into her flannel pajamas, her hair still up in a messy knot on top of her head, and then picked up her dirty clothes as she headed back into her bedroom. She glanced at the thick book on her desk, on top of all her other books that were scattered across the desktop and down to the floor - and a look of complete desolation crossed her face.

I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all of my childish fears

She placed the bundle of clothes on the chair and picked up her wand from the bedside table. She waved the light off and stared at her bed. She couldn't sleep. She was afraid of doing so. It was in her sleep that she was most vulnerable to his attacks.

And if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave

She took out her hairclip letting her hair down to hang loosely across her shoulders. She shivered as a draft of cool air blew through the open window. She quickly went to the window and closed it.

Because your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone

Magic. It was in the wind. It was in the air. Something was changing. The spell had failed just a short time ago; for one second, her mother had remembered. The spell was fading…But how? Why? She knew the rose was destroyed. She could feel it. She could feel Harry becoming more distant…

These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I've held your hand through all of these years
But you still have all of me

But there was something more… And something in the magic. What was going on in the Wizard World? What was happening back home?

She sighed. She needed to contact them and quickly. But how could she do that? She was isolated from the Wizarding World here. Her grandparent's house was protected with all kind of wards as well as anti-apparation charms. The fireplace was not connected to the Floo network. And it was in times like these that she questioned why she never got herself an owl.

But then, no owl had come either. She had told Snape and Sirius to warn her if something out of the normal happened. And no owl had come. They would warn her, wouldn't they? Unless they couldn't ...Oh God...She had to contact them, someone...had to make sure he was okay...knowing if he was well would be a relief even if she didn't know for sure what was going on. The nagging premonition kept her stomach in knots that wouldn't go away...

Oh, why couldn't wizards just start using telephones…It would all be so easier…?

You used to captivate me
By your resonating light
But now I'm bound by the life you left behind
Your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away all the sanity in me

She placed her hand on the cold glass of the window, tracing a pattern between the bright stars on the pane. Points of light created by objects that didn't might not even exist anymore; Some of these stars were actually dead now; lost into the darkness that surrounded them a long time ago. How could these relics of the past dictate her life in the here and now?

"Ah, Harry...What are you doing now? What am I going to do?"

*POP*

Hermione eyes went wide as her ears recognized the sound before her brain could catch up with shocked concurrence. She had just a moment to wonder who could manage to pass through the charms and Apparate here before she brought up her wand and cast a defensive spell.

But only a small stream of sparks came out of her wand. "What -"Hermione stared mystified at her wand.

"Miss?" Once more Hermione's ears recognized the sound before her brain. She knew that voice.

"Dobby?" Hermione asked to the darkness, she reached for the lamp beside her bed and switched it on.

It was indeed Dobby, the Elf. The same little creature with bat-ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls. Nevertheless, there was something very different about Dobby. Perhaps it was the fancy clothes he was wearing; perhaps it was something more…"Hello, Miss."

"Phew! Oh God, Dobby! You almost gave me a heart attack. You can't just show up like this. I nearly turned you into a toaster, you know?"

Dobby frowned, lowing his head down. "Dobby is really sorry, Miss. Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby," the elf yelled, ready to start banging his head on the nearly wall.

Hermione quickly ran to the elf side, stopping him. "No! Wait! What do you think you are doing, Dobby? No punishments, remember?"

"I'm sorry, Miss."

"There's no need to apologize, Dobby. You didn't do anything wrong. And please, please, how many times do I have to ask you to stop calling me Miss. Hermione, Dobby. Call me, Hermione. You are now the ambassador of the Elves by Legolas' sake. I should be the one referring as you as sir."

"Ah, yes," the elf said, tapping his forehead as he just remember of that fact and grinning at her. "Dobby forgets some times. Dobby is truly sorry, Miss."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Never mind, Sir Dobby."

Dobby smiled. She couldn't help but smile back at him. She leaned on and hugged her elfish friend.

A friend. He was true and loyal friend who had shared a tumultuous history with her over the years during and since Hogwarts She had been really angry to discover that he had collected all the hats and socks she had knitted for the elves during her fifth year at Hogwarts -- although now she had to admit that had been a really pathetic and wishful attempt to free the elves. But things got better between her and the former house-elf when in sixth year she came back to school full of new ideas to help the elves and went to Dobby for help.

She had asked Dobby to tell her more about the elves; their history, their beliefs, their hopes. And it was then that Dobby had realized that there was too little he did know about his kind and himself. So, she had spent long nights in the library, searching book after book while Dobby went to the eldest elves and the centaurs trying to piece of his own race's history together…

What they had found in the end was really intriguing…Oh, how fantastic the story of house-elves -- or better, the story of the elves were… They discovered that the elves had been on this earth years before the first man or wizard…They discovered how wizards had first slaved the elves without the pure-hearted creatures not even realizing what that really meant…they discovered how as the centuries the elves had forgotten who they really were and what it was to be free and really happy, until they became only house-elves, a species completely subservient to the will of wizards.

With all those information collected, Hermione promised Dobby she would write a book, she would make the Wizarding World face the truth, a truth that they wouldn't be able to deny any longer. She promised she would never stop fighting for them until the last elf was free; she would continue until the last elf wanted to be freed.

And Hermione was a woman of word. Even with all the problems that followed her last year at Hogwarts, even with her own heartbreak to deal with, she had honored her word.

She had gone to Luna Lovegood and asked her for help. Luna's father, the editor of The Quibbler which was not very reputable magazine, but

her father actually knew quite a few people in the printing industry and helped Hermione to find a publisher.

It had not been easy, but in the end of that apocalyptical first year after Hogwarts and the whole spell issue, her book on House Elves was released and it was a huge success. Wizards and Witches of every corner of the globe clamored to read the book. Awareness of the House Elves' plight began to register in all corners of the Wizarding world, leading to changes in laws and behavior to this oppressed race…

And with a great effort of Hermione and Dobby, the elves finally began to be interested in discussing their situation…

It had taken a year of trial and tribulation with the Ministry…The repercussions of the book…the undeniable facts of a forgotten history… as well as the pressure from the wizarding community and the elves…

But after all of the above, it happened eventually. The elves won their freedom.

However, that was only the beginning. Freeing the elves would not solve all the problems for the elves. Hermione knew that it was also necessary for the elves to find their new place in society. So she had, as she always dreamed, set up the S.P.E.W. - the Society for Promotion of Elfish Welfare, which was funded in great part from the profits of her book. And the Ministry entrusted Dobby with the job of making sure elves and wizards lived in peace.

"Dobby missed Miss' hugs."

"I miss you too, Dobby. But I'm certain you just didn't come all this way to just hug me, do you?" The witch and the elf stared at each other. "What was going on, Dobby?"

"Dobby shouldn't be here. Elves should no longer be here."

Hermione frowned. "What do you mean? What's going on back in the Wizarding World?"

A frightening thought flashed into her mind and before Dobby could respond, she asked urgently. "Dobby, is Harry alright?"

"Harry Potter is fine. It's you that I'm concerned about, Hermione. You are no longer safe here."

Hermione was surprised -- Not just because Dobby had actually said her name, but because of his whole tone of voice -- She had never heard Dobby talk like that. Firmly, secure in his words. She had never heard any elf talk like that.

Things must be pretty bad.

"Tell me what is going --"

BANG!!!

Dobby pushed her down, saving her from the fireball that collided with the window, smashing it in the process and hitting the far wall, creating a huge hole and setting fire to Hermione's bed.

The elf helped her to her feet again. Dizzy, Hermione gazed through the broken window jamb, and for a moment she forgot how to breathe at the sight outside.

Dragons.

A hell lot of dragons.

And they were all coming toward her; fast.

Stones and dust fell from the ceiling, as a dragon landed on the roof of her grandparent's manor. The blazes were spreading out; the heat was increasing. However, Hermione remained at the same position, her eyes reflecting the flames around her as well as a dark distance. It was like she was not even there, not aware of her surroundings. Like she stopped existing; like she had no soul…

These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase

Her hand went to her chest and stayed there, her fingers tracing her neck, like she missed something…

Eventually, Hermione felt something tugging at her pajamas sleeves: Dobby. He was carrying Hogwarts: a History on his arms.

"We must go, Miss."

Hermione blinked. Her mind and soul coming back to the moment. She heard explosions and screams.

ARRRGGHHHHHHH!!!!

Hermione was startled. "Oh, My God. MUM!"

Another explosion. Another fireball.

Hermione ran desperately out of the door, as soon as she got down the hall she realized that the whole house was covered in flames…

MEOW.

Hermione looked down. "Crookshanks? Wow. Wh - What are you doing here? How --"

"You shouldn't be here, Elf. Your kind was spared. You should be with them."

Hermione froze, dumbfounded.

Has her cat just spoken? And in English, nonetheless?

"Dobby is sorry, Oh Great One. But Harry Potter and Miss are friends of Dobby. Dobby wanted to help them."

Was Dobby actually speaking with her cat?

"HERMIONE!"

She turned. She saw her father climbing up the stars, calling her name. She could see her mother downstairs holding up her grandma, and everybody else trying to extinguish the fire.

"Dad!" Forgetting everything about Crookshanks and Dobby, she crossed through the fire and reached the stairs. She was running toward her father when a huge part of the roof fell, splitting the stairs in two. "Dad! No!"

Hermione's father lost his balance and he was falling… "Leviosa!" Hermione yelled, clutching to her wand…but once more her magic failed. "NOOO!"

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I've held your hand through all of these years
But you still have all of me

But her father was able to hold onto the balustrade. From the other side of the stair, Hermione sighed in relief, "Hold on, dad. I'll --"

A loud scraping sound came from above them. Another part of the roof fell. A black dragon was descending towards them. Hermione stared in horror… A black magical aura emanated from the dragon and it was approaching Hermione with swift, purposeful movements…His dark eyes gazing intensely into hers…

So dark...so cold…so empty…She could feel herself giving in…She was so afraid…so alone…

I tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone.
But though you're still with me,
I've been alone all along.

"NO…HARRY!"

MEOW…

Crookshanks jumped in front of the Black Dragon and then an orange aura exploded, blinding them all.

***************************************************************

Scene XXII - Something's Gotta Give

HARRYYYYYYYYY

The sword slipped from his hand. Harry felt an anguish pain in his chest. His hands flew to the local of the pain. Left side; where his heart lay.

I feel my wings have broken in your hands,

I feel the words unspoken inside...

And they pull you under,

And I will give you anything you want, oh

You are all I wanted,

All my dreams are fallin' down,

Crawlin' around and around and around...

He stumbled and Ron caught him. Harry leaned onto the closest wall, feeling weakness in his knees and let himself slide down to the floor.

Ron went down with him, calling out his friend's name. "Harry! Harry! Damn it, Harry. I knew it. I knew this was going to happen. You shouldn't have used your magic like that."

Harry had been opening portals -- or holes in the walls, whatever you preferred - ever since they left the Hospital Wing. They had been in every house, every corridor, and every classroom. They found all the teachers and students and had gathered all of them into the Great Hall -- Harry believed they would be safer if they stayed all together. And, well, he even conjured some food for the famished students. Afterwards, they had finally reached the dungeons - No, not Snape's classroom, though they had been in his office looking for some potions. But the secret rooms which existed in Hogwarts and known to them as the hidden headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix.

In the Order chambers, Harry and Ron had found the trainees that weren't as lost as they thought they would be. Apparently at some point, the trainees remembered their contingency instructions and had started to put the plans into action. Using their scant resources, they had tried to establish contact with the other Order sections around the globe…and although their attempts had been in vain, at least they tried.

Just then, Harry suddenly remembered the gift Sirius had given him years ago, and after a search of all the drawers of his office desk, they had finally managed to find the small mirror…and Harry had spoken to Sirius…though Harry remained dubious as to how much good that had been really.

Fortunately not all the trainees' work was in vain. After detonating some potions and almost killing themselves over in-fighting for leadership, they had decided to work together and tried using some magic crystals -- from an old collection that Dumbledore left behind - to figure out the source of the unbalanced magic. Ron had been really expecting them to say the source of it all was right in front of them and it was Harry, but apparently the source was in the Wizarding Cemetery.

This was really weird.

And which left Harry very quiet.

Somebody save me,

Let your warm hands break right through it,

Somebody save me,

I don't care how you do it, just

Stay, stay

C'mon, I've been waiting for you

Coming to think about it…Harry had been in the cemetery not too long ago. He went into a magical coma because of whatever happened there….and the earth trembled and the magic level was so high…and Hermione knew it was Harry. Yes, Ron remembered that, just now. How could he have forgotten? Hermione had whispered Harry's name just before the whole incident had happened, like she knew something had been going on with Harry… So, Ron figured out maybe he hadn't been so wrong and in a way, Harry was the source of all of this…but then, there was Hermione as well. She was surely involved…but how much? She probably knew what was going on. That was probably the secret she had been hiding from them…And Sirius knew about all of that too, that's why he left Harry behind…that's why he took the control of the Order, bypassing Harry's leadership. He knew. Just like Hermione.

That would explain the entire 'I know something that you don't know' look they kept sharing through all the years. Great, so Hermione didn't fancy Sirius. Good. But what was that they knew? What was going on? Why didn't she tell them? Why didn't she tell him at least? He would have done anything to help Harry… 'Perhaps she tried to tell me', Ron thought to himself. 'And I didn't listen. Just like in the H.R.H matter.'

And the H.R.H... They had not had any success with it either. They had looked for it, in Snape's office. Harry had said that Snape and the team he commanded, The Green Team, had helped Hermione with some of the H.R.H potions and that possibly some of her potions were in the Potions Master's office.

But his office had been empty, not even a simple flask of any kind of potion in it. That had been weird. That was really weird. So, Snape had disappeared with all the potions. Was he with Sirius and the others? Have they known all along that this would happen? Did they know they would need the H.R.H when their wands failed them? Was that why Hermione had started this crazy project?

Ron had a lot of questions and a lot of suppositions but no real answers…nothing to guide his search either.

The only thing he knew was that after everything was taken care of - or at least after they had done all they could, Harry had sent the trainees to the Great Hall to help the staff to protect the students as he would take care of the Basilisk on his own. Harry even tried to persuade Ron to go to the Great Hall, to stay and help protect the students. But after all these years, Ron knew there would be a time to stay behind and leave Harry take care of everything; and that this was not that time.

So, they had headed to the only place they still had not checked yet. The place they dreaded to go. The place where, deep down, they knew would be the only place to find a Basilisk. They went inside Mourning Myrtle's bathroom and Harry had opened the sealed passage that only someone who spoke parseltongue could open. They were crossing the stone corridors that would lead them to the middle of The Chamber of Secrets.

And then it happened. The sword clattered when it hit the ground. Ron, running to catch his friend…He thought he would see Harry on fire at any minute again - he knew he should have stopped Harry before. He was using too much of his magic: gathering all the students; saving Madam Price from some really terrible books…rescuing Professor Sprout from a even more dangerous Devil's Snare; dueling with some crazy brooms; preparing the dinner… And it seemed that all of this magical acts were finally catching up with him…it had been like he had told him…Although it didn't seem the imbalance was affecting him more than the others, Ron was afraid that it would end up killing his friend.

However, instead of melting away, Harry just leaned on the wall and collapsed on the ground, clenching his chest… Ron thought his friend was having a heart attack…when he saw Harry's blank features softening and a spark in his friend's deep green eyes that Ron could not recall seeing before…

He was really intrigued by that spark…he didn't remember seeing it, but still…it was familiar…

"She is in danger…" His friend's voice echoed huskily in his ears. Stupefied, Ron stared at him. "I can feel her…She needs me…"

I see the world has folded in your heart,

I feel the waves crash down inside,

And they pull me under,

And, I would give you anything you want, oh

You are all I wanted,

All my dreams have fallen down,

Crawling around and around and around...

Ron felt his world collapsing. Ginny…He is talking about Ginny. It must be her…Ron had been worried sick about her…They had searched all the rooms, found everybody but her…And the last place they had to look was The Chamber of Secrets and last time it was Ginny who opened it, although she had been possessed by Tom Riddle's diary back then…But now how could she have opened it? She didn't speak parseltongue…But still he couldn't stop to associate the Chamber of Secrets and Ginny and now…and now…

"Where is she, Harry? Is she here? Please, tell me if my sister is okay." Ron was now shaking him in a aggressive way, anxious to get his answer.

But Harry didn't tell him his sister was okay. He didn't tell him anything. Harry was not even listening to his friend…He was crossing that thin line again…trying to break the barrier that holds him….he was in the between two worlds…

"My love…my treasure…"

Somebody save me,

Let your warm hands break right through it,

Somebody save me,

I don't care how you do it, just

Stay, stay

C'mon, I've been waiting for you,

All my dreams are on the ground,

Crawling around and around and around...

And he cried. A couple of solitary salty tears.

He cried for her. For him. For them all.

His eyes changed from vivid emerald to a dark jade and an unnatural glow began emanating from them as well as all across his body.

Harry's tears evaporated in the glow. His body temperature was increasing quickly. Noticing the green aura around him, Ron panicked.

"Harry! Whatever is going on, you need to fight it back, Harry. Harry! Come on, mate! Don't do this with me…HARRY!" Ron yelled, releasing him abruptly -- his hands were

burnt. The green aura had become a green flame. It was happening again…

But before the green flame could engulf Harry completely, Harry's eyes returned back to their normal color and he blinked. Instantaneously the green flame and any other vestige of Harry's aura vanished.

Ron couldn't believe it. He just looked at Harry, trying to understand.

"What?" Harry asked, waking to the reality once more and finding his friend watching him with a strange expression. "What is --" Harry's words died in his throat as from the corner of his eyes he saw the shadow of a long tail…a really huge one…

Reading his eyes, Ron froze. Carefully, Harry took his sword which was lying beside him and started to get up. "Whatever happened, keep your eyes shut." Harry muttered.

And the last thing Ron saw was the Gryffindor sword glowing in Harry's hand.

Somebody save me,

Let your warm hands break right through,

Somebody save me,

I don't care how you do it,

Just stay (stay with me)

I made this whole world shine for you...

Just stay, stay

C'mon, I'm still waiting for you

**********************************