All I Ever Wanted Was the World

chapter 32

Tom woke up alone in Harry's bed.
He sat up abruptly, his heart uncharacteristically beating hard and fast in his rib cage.
He threw off the covers and quickly got to searching for the missing warmth.
He was frantic, scanning the tent for any sign of the boy before hastily getting dressed.
Never had he ever felt this desperate in his life.

Tom was quick to pack everything, making the tent portable once more (with Harry's items) before tucking his own trunk away.

He quickly took down the wards and raced onto the forest, concentrating to the best of his abilities to pick up on Harry's magical aura.
He shut his eyes as he ran and felt the cold sting cross his face as he went, and he tuned out any sensations that he felt were unimportant.
It was then he could pick up the faint trail of the boy.
Tom picked up on the clearing before he had even arrived, and he could feel his body slow before he began to process anything.
The trail stopped on the middle of all the trees, and he could see the faint imprint of a body that had been laid in the center.
His heart stopped as his run became a jog, and his jog became a walk.
His feet trudged in the snow as he came nearer, and he knew then that that was where his magical aura remained, faint and weak.
As if he-
Tom's hand clutched at his wand and he fell to his knees.
His eyes were transfixed to the point where the magical aura began to die, and he sat back on his heels at the revelation.
He sat in silence, feeling the cold wind whip at his body and the snow crunch under him as he sank into the ground.
He felt heat rise in his belly, and anger began to consume him as he picked up the familiar magical aura that came from the side.
"I'm going to kill him." He whispered murderously, and his fingers gently ran through the snow where the aura was starting to disappear.
He crushed it in his palm and stood on his feet, knowing exactly where the damned man would be.
With a hissed curse under his breath and disheveled hair, he apparated.
He had no time for plans and preparation.

"My Lord..." Narcissa paled, though she did not remove herself, "...he has been confirmed dead."
The room exploded with rejoice, and the Death Eaters shouted in excitement at the guaranteed end of The Chosen One.
"Very well! We have proof as shared by Narcissa Malloy. Very well, done, then."
Voldemort had a twisted, malicious grin across his pale, snake-like face.
"We cannot celebrate early, my loyal Death Eaters. We must finish this war once and for all. To Hogwarts!"
The breathy voice hissed, the words echoing across the hall as the sound of the Death Eaters once again began to pick up.

Quickly, the ranks of the Death Eaters began to trickle out of the manor, and it was the Malloy family left in the remnants of their own home that no longer felt like home.

Draco stood staring blankly at the space where Harry lay. He drew his wand to levitate the body into one of the bedrooms.
He'd at least keep his body safe until they could do something for him.
His mind raced as began to think of everything.
He felt like the world was crumbling around him, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
What would the ginger and muggleborn say about their friend dying?
No, not just their friend, Draco gulped, their family.

Narcissa stood and moved aside, letting out a small noise before gesturing for Draco to continue.
After all, no one was left but the two and house elves, so who would care to say something if Harry's body no longer laid in the hall?

In a sudden burst of life, Harry bolted up from his place on the ground, his body now sitting up.
"Expelliarmus!" The pale boy shouted, his arm automatically moving up into the air as he caught Draco's wand. His voice was hoarse and raspy, as if it's life had been drained only moments before.
Like it had been.
Draco stared in shock at the raven-haired boy, feeling his stomach drop as he looked at the now reanimated corpse. Or at least what he thought was a corpse.
Narcissa let out a shrill sound, her hand flying up to her mouth as she looked in shock at the boy before her.
Harry looked dumbfounded for a moment, snapping out of his daze because of the noise as he stared at Draco's wand in one hand and his own in the other. His brows furrowed.
He closed his eyes before holding both wands in one hand and scrubbing his face with the other.
He moved to stand and stumbled, prompting Draco to finally move from his rooted spot in the hall.
"What in the bloody hell!" Draco said in amazement, grabbing onto Harry and helping him up.
"Where- where am I?" Harry struggled and swallowed, blinking blearily and looking around wildly.
He spotted Narcissa and let a small smile grace his trembling lips.
"I heard you talking in my head, thought it was just me. Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy."
Harry's head dropped for a moment and he shook it, running a hand through his overgrown hair.
"I had no clue...I thought you were truly dead." She said surprised, keeping her hand poised over her mouth.
"My god." She whispered, her eyes downcast at the sight of her son and the Chosen One. 
"Mother, I'm going to have to go with him. Please, stay safe in the manor. Call the aurors. We can't let this happen."
He said desperately, his hands clutching onto Harry's jumper as the boy leaned heavily on him.
"No- no. I have to go, you two stay put. If I can avoid risking more lives, I'll take that route." Harry said finally, standing up on his own.
He held out Draco's wand.