16 Chapter 16 Harry is an Idiot

Disclaimer: Without an ending, there can't be any beginning.

"It's time to go Lavender," Hamilton said to his protege.

"Yes Professor," Lavender agreed.

"Before you do," Percy entered the conversation. "I've been instructed to give you a gift from Mr. Black himself."

"Really?" Hamilton asked with a pleased smile. "What is it?"

"A book of spells," Percy answered as Lavender tore open the package.

"Common Cosmetic Charms from Around the World," Lavender read.

"I'm told it also has several other more . . ." Percy paused to find the correct term. "Of the type normally thought to be used by Mr. Black."

"Thanks Percy," Lavender said.

"It's Pencil," Percy said primly.

"What are you doing around here?"

"Paperwork and research into the history of Mr. Black," Percy said quickly. "Did you know that the Soviet Union went through several leaders in rapid succession before they got the one that allowed Communism to fall?"

"Really?" Lavender asked in shock. "What happened?"

"They all died," Percy said with a smirk. "Of natural causes."

"Quite fascinating," Hamilton interrupted. "But we really have to go now Lavender, you two can continue this later."

"Ok," Lavender agreed. "Goodbye Per . . . Pencil."

"Goodbye Ms. Brown," Percy replied. "Know that you are welcome to return at any time." With that, Lavender took hold of the Portkey and traveled back to Hogwarts.

IIIIIIIIII

"How much longer do I have to rest in bed?" Harry asked.

"The Doctor wants you there for another few days," Henchgirl replied with a smile. "And you're going to listen to her, aren't you?"

"Can't," Harry replied. "I have to get back on my feet and on the job. Can't abandon the world can I?"

"You don't have to do anything," Henchgirl said quickly. "In fact, doing nothing might be the best thing you could do."

"But what would happen if Mr. Black were to disappear?" Harry protested, "I have a responsibility to . . ."

"Shut up," Henchgirl growled. "I didn't want to believe it, but you really are an idiot."

"Wha?"

"I talked to Hermione about you." Henchgirl ignored Harry's expression. "She said that her friend Harry had one major flaw . . . can you guess what it is?"

"A saving people thing?" Harry ventured.

"No," Henchgirl replied. "But close. She said that you liked to feel responsible for everything, Harry to the rescue, it's all my fault Voldemort came back, etc. I didn't believe her, I knew my friend, the man I'd met in Paris wasn't like that. But look what happened, you find out about the mysterious Mr. Black and decide that you have to become him."

"But I do," Harry said slowly. "Like I said, what would happen if Mr. Black disappeared?"

"You have no idea do you?" Henchgirl asked in shock. "Let me tell you about something that happened yesterday. A policeman was walking up a flight of stairs in his station when he slipped and fell down them, breaking a leg."

"What's this . . ."

"I'm not finished," Henchgirl said sternly. "He landed in front of several paramedics and was taken to the hospital. His wife heard about this and packed up the children to go meet him. Only minutes after they left, the house fell into a sinkhole. They tell me that one of the walls collapsed onto the baby's crib. At the hospital, a routine test determined that the policeman had a tumor that was removed in the nick of time. An investigation was launched and they determined that this was all the work of Mr. Black. Mr. Black noticed the Policeman's tumor and he noticed the sinkhole that was going to swallow the house and he arranged an accident to fix everything."

"Why didn't Mr. Black just say something?" Harry asked.

"The Policeman was injured on the job," Henchgirl explained. "Which makes life a bit easier for him. Not to mention the fact that his wife was not happy to learn that he'd been putting off his physical. I know about this because she sent a polite thank you note asking you to break both legs next time. It came with his thank you note saying that if his wife had found out then she would have broken both of his legs, it added that as things were she was letting him off."

"Oh"

"It happened in a place that you've never been near," Henchgirl began. "And as far as I can tell it was all a complete accident. You don't have to be Mr. Black, you don't have to take responsibility, just relax and let things occur naturally."

"So I should stop being Mr. Black?"

"You should relax," Henchgirl corrected. "OK?"

"OK," Harry agreed.

"Now that that is settled." Henchgirl began. "I need you to do something for me."

"What is it?"

"A favor for a friend," Henchgirl replied.

IIIIIIIIII

"So what was it like?" Parvati asked eagerly.

"It was amazing," Lavender replied. "Like the best spa in the world combined with school."

"School?"

"An interesting school," Lavender corrected herself. "Like if every class was like Professor Hamilton's."

"Oh . . . so are you going to go back?"

"I think so," Lavender said. "Mr. Black gave me an open invitation."

"Really?"

"He said I had a potential that would be a crime not to nourish," Lavender said proudly.

"That it would be," another voice agreed. The girls turned to see the diminutive charms professor. "I've talked to Professor Hamilton and we've agreed that it might do you good to learn a bit of competitive dueling from me."

"Really?"

"Really," Flitwick agreed. "And I believe that Minnie wanted to teach you a few things too."

"Professor McGonagall too?" Parvati asked in shock. "Minnie?"

"She keeps going between being angry at herself for not seeing it first and pride that you're in her house," Flitwick said with a smile. "It's quite amusing."

"Professor McGonagall is proud of me?" Lavender said with a stunned look.

"She's proud of all her students," Flitwick corrected. "But you've given her something to brag about."

"She brags about me?" Lavender's mind fought to reconcile the information she'd just received with her image of the stern woman.

"Constantly," Flitwick confirmed. "Are Tuesdays after class good for you Ms. Brown?"

"Yes Professor," Lavender agreed.

"Then I will see you then," Flitwick said happily.

IIIIIIIIII

"I told you I didn't have anything to do with it," Hermione snapped.

"Oh?" Tonks said. "I suppose that their hide out just exploded by accident."

"That's what the police said," Hermione agreed.

"By accident without causing any damage to the orphanage behind it?"

"Yup," Hermione said firmly.

"Or the daycare next to it, the school across the street, and the hospital on the other side?"

"That's what happened," Hermione confirmed. "Besides, you were with me the whole time. You know I didn't do it."

"I know you took a suspiciously long time to go to the bathroom," Tonks said suspiciously.

"Luna was with me," Hermione protested. "She wanted me to help fix up her hair."

"Uh huh."

"That's not important," Hermione said in an attempt to change the subject. "Remus, what did you want to tell us?"

"I think I've found Harry," Remus said proudly.

"What?" Hermione asked in shock. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"I wanted to make sure," Remus replied. "It took a little detective work but I think he might be on Atlantis."

"Well let's go," Hermione demanded. "We have to get there before he leaves."

"Touch the coin and we'll be on our way," Remus replied. The group arrived in a small room and Hermione immediately grabbed the nearest person.

"Where is Harry Potter," she growled.

"Should be in his room at this time," the man shuddered. "Third door on the right."

"Thanks." Hermione dropped the man and stormed to the room, she was going to give him such a talking to. Hermione flung open the door and froze, suddenly uncertain now that she'd seen him. "H . . . Harry."

"Hey Hermione," Harry replied.

"How dare you 'hey Hermione' me?" Hermione hissed. "You left us."

"I'm sorry . . . I . . . I just needed some time to myself." Harry stammered. "After everything that happened, I couldn't stay there."

IIIIIIIIII

"So how'd it go?" Henchgirl asked.

"It was good to see them again," Harry replied. "I'm going to have to do that again."

"I'm glad," Henchgirl said.

"Atlantis project seems to be going good," Harry said. "Giving it to the Flamels was a good idea.

"Sorry about that," Henchgirl said. "I know you wanted to do it yourself but . . ."

"Don't be sorry," Harry interrupted. "He's doing a good job."

"Good . . . so . . . the Professor and I have a project we'd like your help with."

"Oh?"

"Yep."

"What kind of project?" Harry prompted.

"It's a variation on the Port-Trans technology," Henchgirl replied. "It will let us . . ."

The End

AN: Well, that's the story. I have a few story lines brewing that might get written or might not, I don't know but I hope they do. While I wrote 'Make A Wish,' several things happened. A friend of mine killed himself, another tried, another died in a motorcycle accident, etc. Some of the scenes were written after that and I think you can tell. Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. In an unrelated note, check my profile for news on the HP Buffy crossover.

Another nice Omake by Celebwen Telcontar

The farmer helped his mare to foal her first baby, and took its forelegs to pull the foal in order to make it slip out of her. She struggled to her hooves to turn and lick her new baby dry. As she was about to groom the membrane off of the colt, the farmer realized that the foal was not of either the dam or sire's breed. The American feral horse, also known as the Mustang, is a compact and rugged horse, and the foal was a gangly creature, his skin stretched taught over the foal's bones. Its eyes were sunken, and the coat was very thin.

"What the?" farmer McGovern said. He touched the foal as the mare backed away from him. The colt was cold to the touch, and smelled something like a half-rotten corpse. He turned his head towards the frightened farmer, and blew at him, sounding somewhat like a goose's hiss. The mare shrank from her colt, and then broke for the open stall door as soon as she could, racing down the hallway and out into the paddock before she cowered against the side of the fence. Farmer McGovern stared at the monstrous foal before trying to pat it. He felt the cold, clammy corpse-like flesh of the colt, and the foal snorted and tried to bite him. The baby's teeth caught on his skin, and he yelled as it felt as if he had been bitten by an adder, or maybe a tarantula. He stared at the bite, which was covered in greenish goop. It was probably poisonous, McGovern thought, and went to the pump to rinse the bite out.

As McGovern went to see to his bite, he saw Darkness, the colt's half brother, a jet black colt foaled of a different mare, capering about. The colt seemed a bit more lively than usual, and, even at his young age of two days old, the colt was very strong. In fact, the colt looked almost like he had been born three weeks ago, then, as McGovern watched, the black colt became a feral black stallion. The doorway to the barn was darkened as the former colt of Windswept and Firestorm, the pale colt that looked like death stepped out. As a stallion, the magically fast-grown horse whinnied loudly. Darkness, Mars, and Moonlight, three colts by Firestorm, came cantering over. Mars broke down the fence when he came over, and the other horses shrank from the four deadly stallions.

"Daniel?" Margaret, McGovern's wife, called.

"Stay in the house!" McGovern screamed at her. "I have managed to breed the Four Horses of the Apocalypse, I think! Windswept dropped the Pale Horse this morning, and he's a stallion now!" The farmer backed away from the four horses, and stood still as he saw a man in black come up to him.

The Pale horse leapt the fence gracefully and went to stand by the stranger. "Watch out!" McGovern screamed as the horse stood near him. The three others, the mounts of War, Famine and the Antichrist, broke through the fence to stand near their leader, the mount of Death. The strange man leapt onto the horse's back, and the Pale Horse and Death rode away. In the wind of their passing, a business card fluttered to the dusty ground and now dead grasses. "Margaret, the man, he was Mr. Black."

"Mr. Black? Well then, the horses belong to him, don't they?"

"Yes. And this Henchgirl, and the Professor, and someone else. All of them are powerful enough, and are the true Heralds of Famine, War and the Antichrist. We have the apocalypse on our hands, Margaret. Let's leave the place, go to Jamaica. We've always wanted to visit there."

Harry Potter dismounted from the beautiful and skeletal pinkish horse that had appeared beside him. The horse nuzzled him, and he laughed and patted his nose.

:Harry Potter, Mr. Black, Morvala, I am Rokkofirn, the Pale Horse as some would call me. I have chosen you as my rider, and you will be known as Death throughout the world once again. Come, there is work ahead of us!: The Pale Horse had spoken to him. He grabbed his scythe and mounted the horse before the mythical creature rushed away in a gale of foul stench and deathly cold. Mr. Black would now have a new title: the rider of the Pale Horse of the Biblical chapter of Revelations. Everywhere, Christians were panicking and praying in a marathon manner. The grocery stores were sold out of ingredients to make unleavened bread and wine. No one was anything less than purely panicked, and everyone knew that the End of the World was upon them.

So mote it be. Harry Potter, Mr. Black, Morvala, whatever you call him, the Pale Rider, Death Incarnate, was again upon the land. Weep ye all with me, for thy Earth shalt ne'er be again the same. So mote it be.

AN02: I need to work on writing endings.

Author Note From FanOfAGoodStory: This is the end of this fanfic