Voices (HP Fanfic)

Chapter 29: The Phoenix Lament

"When the sun has set, no candle can replace it." -Ser Loras Tyrell

Chapter 29: The Phoenix Lament

Penelope's POV:

Draco and I entered the Malfoy Manor quickly as his mother and his aunt greeted us. Bellatrix grabbed my arm to steady me as I began to stumble just a little. She lead me to the parlor and sat me down on the couch.

"Narcissa, get me a healer." Bellatrix shouted, alerting the others that something was not right with me. A hand went to my hair as I vomited again on the Persian rug the Malfoy's had in their living room. One of the Death Eaters who had been a healer at St. Mungo's entered the room with a rather large bag. He sat it down on the coffee table and he pushed lightly on my stomach. He mumbled some words and then he took his hands off my stomach.

"Leave us." he said sternly. Narcissa and the others left the room. Closing the doors behind them. "From what I gather Miss. Carver, you are pregnant."

"How long?" I breathed feeling tears burning behind my eyes.

"Two months." he nodded. I felt my world crashing down around me. Who could possibly be the father?

Third Person POV:

"C 'mere, Harry..."

"No."

"Yeh can' stay here, Harry... Come on, now..."

"No."

He did not want to leave Dumbledores side, he did not want to move anywhere. Hagrid's hand on his shoulder was trembling. Then another voice said, "Harry, come on."

A much smaller and warmer hand had enclosed his and was pulling him upward. He obeyed its pressure without really thinking about it. Only as he walked blindly back through the crowd did he realize, from a trace of flowery scent on the air, that it was Ginny who was leading him back into the castle. Incomprehensible voices battered him, sobs and shouts and wails stabbed the night, but Harry and Ginny walked on, back up the steps into the entrance hall. Faces swam on the edges of Harry's vision, people were peering at him, whispering, wondering, and Gryffindor rubies glistened on the floor like drops of blood as they made their way toward the marble staircase.

"We're going to the hospital wing," said Ginny.

"I'm not hurt," said Harry.

"It's McGonagalls orders," said Ginny. "Everyone's up there, Ron and Hermione and Lupin and everyone —"

Fear stirred in Harry's chest again: He had forgotten the inert figures he had left behind.

"Ginny, who else is dead?"

"Don't worry, none of us."

"But the Dark Mark — Malfoy said he stepped over a body —"

"He stepped over Bill, but its all right, he's alive."

There was something in her voice, however, that Harry knew boded ill.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure... he's a — a bit of a mess, that's all. Greyback attacked him. Madam Pomfrey says he won't — won't look the same anymore..."

Ginny's voice trembled a little.

"We don't really know what the aftereffects will be — I mean, Greyback being a werewolf, but not transformed at the time."