Dark Secrets

Chapter 43:

I followed Harry out of Dumbledore's office and we hid under his invisibility cloak. Which I had no idea that he owned but it came in handy today (and I'm sure it came in handy a lot of other days as well as today). We walked down the stairs and were almost to the doors when Harry stopped.

"What is it?" I whispered to Harry.

"I have to talk to Neville." Harry said and slipped out from under the invisibility cloak. Before I could say anything Harry walked up to Neville.

"Neville." Harry said.

Neville jumped. "Blimey, Harry, you nearly gave me heart failure!"

"Where are you going, alone?" Neville asked suspiciously.

"It's all part of the plan," said Harry. "There's something I've got to do. Listen-Neville-"

"Harry!" Neville looked suddenly scared. "Harry, you're not thinking of handing yourself over?"

"No," Harry lied easily. "'Course not...this is something else. But I might be out of sight for a while. You know Voldemort's snake, Neville? He's got a huge snake...Calls it Nagini..."

"I've heard, yeah...What about it?"

"It's got to be killed. Ron and Herminone know that, but just in case they-"

Harry hesitated then continued. "Just in case they're-busy-and you get the chance-"

"Kill the snake?"

"Kill the snake" Harry repeated.

"All right, Harry. You're okay, are you?"

"I'm fine. Thanks, Neville."

But Neville seized his wrist as Harry made to move on.

"We're all going to keep fighting, Harry. You know that?"

"Yeah, I-" Harry choked on his words.

Neville just nodded and patted Harry on the back before going to look for more bodies.

"Jen." Harry whisper yelled.

"Right here." I said from behind him, showing him my hand.

Harry turned around and got under the cloak with me.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine." Harry said.

I knew he was lying but I also knew not to push him. Harry glanced over and I saw him stare at Ginny who was talking to a girl laying down. Harry's eyes glazed over but he quickly looked away and we continued on.

****

We finally made it to the forbidden forest and Harry gave me his invisible cloak for safe keeping. I had no where to put it so Harry gave me his robe to hide it in and I slipped his robes on. When I slipped his robes on something fell out of the pocket. Harry leaned down and picked it up and I saw it was a snitch.

"Where did you get that?" I asked, curiously.

"Dumbledore left it for me in his will. I wonder..." Harry turned the snitch in his fingers then brought it to his lips and whispered, "I'm about to die."

Before I could ask the snitch began to creak as it opened. Inside the snitch was the jagged rock of the Resurrection Stone. Harry dropped the shell of the snitch at his feet and turned the stone in his hands three times. Nothing happened. I was about to ask when Harry looked towards the forest like he could see someone.

"Does it hurt?" Harry asked.

I furrowed my brow. What was he talking about? I opened my mouth to question him when I heard my name being called. My body tensed when I heard the familiar voice, but it couldn't be, it was impossible. I slowly turned around and my eyes nearly came out of my head.

"Grand pappy?" My voice squeaked.

Dumbledore's face brightened with a kind smile as he...floated...towards me. He was a ghost. My heart fell. He was still dead, but how he was here...

"How...what are you doing here? I asked. "How are you here? Wait, is Harry seeing his dead loved ones too?"

"Yes, Harry is with loved ones. He needs them now more than ever."

"Wait if you're here, does that mean I'm going to die too?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "No, dear, you are quite safe I assure you. Nothing will happen to you but I've come here to warn you about something."

"About what?"

"I can't explain everything, you'll have to figure it out on your own. All you need to know is there was a curse put on our family generations ago and you have to reverse it. I researched it and found out almost all you need to know to break the curse. All that you need to know is hidden in our summer house in Belgium that I left for you in my will. The past is going to repeat itself, be prepared, you are the only one who can break the curse. Go backwards in time and find a pattern, don't waste time."

My grandfather's ghost started to fade and my heart lurched. It was too soon. I had too many questions. He couldn't leave me yet.

"Wait, grand pappy, I have too many questions. How long do I have? What does this curse do? You can't leave me yet!"

"I'm sorry, Jen. I love you, you're a smart girl, you'll figure it out." Then Dumbledore's ghost disappeared.

I turned in a circle, hoping that Dumbledore would appear out of the shadows again but he did not. I also noticed that Harry was no where to be seen either. I cursed under my breath and started running. I had no idea how far in the forest Voldemort was but I had to get there before he kills Harry. I promised to be there for him. I could hear voices in the distance and started running faster. I ran into a clearing and nearly tripped on a log. Panting, I looked up to see Voldemort with his wand pointed at Harry and deatheaters standing behind Voldemort like his shadow.

"Wait," I breathed. I didn't know what to say but I had to get my bearings. My grandfather just dumped a huge weight on me in the middle of a war and I couldn't think straight.

"Well, well, well. Look who decided to join us." Voldemort said, glancing over at me but not lowering his wand that was pointed at a defenseless Harry. "Gregory, tie her up."

My eyes widened to see the man who had brought me to Voldemort in the first place step forward. I thought he was in Askaban. He started walking towards me with his wand pointed at me and I looked over at Harry. Harry didn't look at all scared, even though he was staring death in the face he looked calm and at peace.

"'ARRY! JEN! DON'T DO THIS!! YOU 'AVE SO MUCH TO LIVE FOR! DON'T THROW YER LIVES AWAY!"

I looked behind Voldemort to see Hagrid, being restrained by a least twenty deatheaters. My eyes widened. I hadn't even noticed Hagrid was there until he started yelling. One of the deatheaters hissed and threw a spell at Hagrid and he howled in pain.

"Leave him alone!" I yelled.

I was about to pull out my wand when Gregory grabbed my arms and tied them behind my back.

"RUN! BOTH OF YEH! BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!" Hagrid kept yelling.

"Shut him up." Voldemort hissed.

A silencing spell was put on Hagrid but he kept yelling, even though no one could hear him. Voldemort turned back to Harry.

"Now, where were we?" Voldemort's red eyes gleamed as he stared at Harry viciously. "Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived. Avada Kedavra!"

A green light flared then Harry fell.