We Lost Again

"You have fought," said the high, cold voice, "valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured."

"Merciful? Like they aren't doing this because suddenly there is an army of vampires attacking them," said Hermione disdainfully.

"I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you," Voldemort's voice reverberated from the walls and floor. "You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me or given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me, including Christina Norton, who has decided to meddle with forces beyond her reach. My friend Maligno has different plans for her but if she interferes with mine, she dies. One hour."

Both Ron and Hermione shook their heads frantically, looking at Harry.

"Don't listen to him," said Ron.

"It'll be all right," said Hermione wildly. "Let's – let's get back to the castle if he's gone to the forest we'll need to think of a new plan – "

You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest… My friend Maligno has different plans for her but if she interferes with mine, she dies... One hour…

The words echoed through Harry's mind again and again as they walked back towards the castle. It had been hours since he had run away with Grey Lady, found the Diadem, and destroyed it along with the cup and the ring to weaken Voldemort. But Voldemort had just gotten angrier and angrier with the destruction of every Horcrux. In his anger, he had killed several of his own followers and he was about to turn on Maligno when the vampires arrived and started taking the death eaters and Malgino's minions down. Harry saw and heard all of it inside Voldemort's head. At first, Maligno and Voldemort were surprised but they soon started to fight back, however, Harry could see the fear in their followers' eyes as they were being ripped apart one by one, and even the werewolf followers of Maligno and Voldemort started to back down. Only the giants remained and three or four Vampires banded together to fight each giant.

One of them even reached Voldemort and to save himself he sacrificed Snape. A female vampire looking absolutely monstrous with her red eyes, fangs dripping with blood, bit Snape and threw him aside to reach Voldemort, but by then Voldemort was already gone. Harry, Ron, and Hermione watched Snape die as they were looking for the last Horcrux, which happened to be Voldemort's snake Nagini. But Nagini disappeared with Voldemort and Harry was left with a dying Snape, who asked him to take his memories leaking with his tears. Harry did what Snape asked of him and that was when Voldemort's retreating announcement came.

Harry's heart pounded in his ears as he, Ron, and Hermione approached the castle.

One hour . . . Chris and everyone else who were helping him . . . were they ok?

Small bundles seemed to litter the lawn at the front of the castle. It could only be an hour or so from dawn, yet it was pitch-black. The three of them hurried toward the stone steps. A lone dog, the size of a small boat, lay abandoned in front of them. The castle was unnaturally silent. There were no flashes of light now, no bangs or screams or shouts. The flagstones of the deserted entrance hall were stained with blood. Emeralds were still scattered all over the floor, along with pieces of marble and splintered wood. Part of the banisters had been blown away.

"Where is everyone?" whispered Hermione.

Ron led the way to the Great Hall. The House tables were gone and the room was crowded. The survivors stood in groups, their arms around each other's necks. The injured were being treated upon the raised platform by Madam Pomfrey and a group of helpers. Firenze was amongst the injured; his flank poured blood and he shook where he lay, unable to stand.

The dead lay in a row in the middle of the Hall. Ron and Hermione entered the Great Hall but Harry hesitated at the doorway. Harry knew people had died tonight but seeing rows of dead was a completely different feeling. 

For him. These people had died for him. 

Harry couldn't breathe. He couldn't bear to look at these people. He needed to get away . . . away from here. Maybe for just a few moments.

Harry turned around, about to take off when a man appeared in front of him.

"Harry, I have been looking for you," said the man, and Harry looked up when he couldn't recognize the voice.

It took a while for Harry to realize who was talking to him. It was Chris's stepfather Richard Nelson, who looked extremely worried and grim at that moment.

"You were looking for me?" Harry repeated as he struggled to keep his breathing even.

"Yes . . . well, something happened . . . You see, Christina --" Mr. Nelson hesitated and Harry's heart stopped beating for a second.

"What happened to Chris?!!" He was breathing too hard and his eyes widened.

No, nothing happened to Chris, right? She should be fine, right?

"No, Christina is fine," Mr. Nelson eyed Harry's urgency and slight relief hearing his words before continuing. "Well, physically she is fine. But -- let me show you."

Mr. Nelson brushed some dust off Harry's jacket, Harry didn't even know was there and guided him inside. This time Harry didn't hesitate or he couldn't because the only thought in his mind was Chris. What did he mean by she was physically fine?

"Christina was fighting alongside us," Mr. Nelson started explaining, "-- and everything was going well for a while but then, she got attacked and . . . a kid came in between her and the attacker to save her," Mr. Nelson sighed as Harry sucked in a breath. "The vampires arrived just then and handled the situation but one of them told me to inform you and you would know what to do."

"What? Me? To help the person who saved Chris?" Harry asked his eyes now scanning the entire Hall looking for a single trace of Chris.

"No, Harry. To help Christina . . . the kid is dead," Harry heard Mr. Nelson at the same time his eyes landed on the hunched figure in a corner, her messy dark brown hair covering most of her face. A rush of warmth spread inside his chest and Harry was so relieved to find her that it took a moment for him to realize what Mr. Nelson just told him.

"What?" Harry whirled to look at Mr. Nelson. "Who is dead?"

Mr. Nelson grimaced and glanced toward where Chris was sitting.

"I think the boy's name was . . . Jason."

Harry froze, his entire body just stopped working for a moment before he ran to the corner where Chris was. It could have been bad if anyone had died for Chris, Harry knew it. He knew the guilt feeling, the pain one felt when someone dies for them but to be that person . . . who you once loved and then hated. It was a hundred times worse. 

But then Harry saw it. How it was worse than he imagined. In front of Chris's hunched figure was Jason's lifeless body, his clothes bloody and a gaping hole in his chest covered in dark red, which matched the color of Chris's shirt and hands. Though Harry instantly knew it wasn't her blood in her hands but Jason's because of the way, she was staring at them without moving.

"Chris . . ." Harry softly called as he approached her and slowly sat down next to her. The back of Harry's eyes burned with unshed tears as he reached for her ice-cold hands. When Chris still didn't move, he called again, this time barely a whisper near her ear. "Chris." 

Chris slightly lifted her head but there was no comprehension on her face. Her bunched-up shoulders dropped as she stared at Harry's hand covering her own bloodied ones.

"We lost, Harry. . . We lost. . . We lost again. . ."

[To be continued]