Ginny was snuggled in close to Harry’s chest, asleep. He wished that she could stay like that forever. This moment they shared in the common room was one that Harry didn’t want to end.
But it did.
The castle rocked with an explosion and the dark night sky was lit with orange flame. Ginny stirred from her slumber. “What’s happening?” She seemed disoriented and confused.
Harry leapt to his feet and ran to the window. His eyes widened in horror. “Hogsmeade is on fire.”
************************************************
Professor Dumbledore walked among the charred remains of the once prosperous wizard town, Hogsmeade. Buildings were left in rubble, glass was spread across the ground, and smoldering embers still burned in places. Aurors were seen surveying damage and looking for survivors of this horrible conflagration. Dumbledore made his way over to a wizard who was looking over a destroyed building. “So the informant was speaking truth, wasn’t he?”
Kevin nodded, but didn’t meet Dumbledore’s eyes. “I’m having the Aurors search the grounds for bodies. They’ll find a few “corpses”, and we’ll slip some information to the Daily Prophet. No one outside of Hogwarts needs to know that this village was deserted.”
Dumbledore nodded. Two days ago, Kevin had received another letter detailing an imminent attack on Hogsmeade. Dumbledore had, quietly, evacuated the village shortly thereafter. It was the hope of the headmaster that Voldemort would think the informant failed to tell his plans to Dumbledore, and the informant would continue to pass on information. If this ruse worked, then that would be exactly what happened.
“What do you suppose he has to gain from attacking this village?” Dumbledore asked.
Kevin shook his head. “Probably just to show us that he still has a few ways onto the grounds. Snape has had reports from some of the Aurors about Death Eater sightings at the edges of the protection charms. Not to mention that this is going to rattle the students, Harry most of all.”
“I’m sure that the Ministry will be sending me a letter about this incident tomorrow.”
************************************************
Albus was correct.
The Ministry of Magic sent an owl at first light the next morning. The Council had decided that, if one more incident happened that threatened the lives of the students, then Hogwarts would be shut down.
************************************************
“Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen! Today’s match features Gryffindor against Hufflepuff! This proves to be an exciting match-up and we will surely see the better team emerge victorious!”
Harry was leaning against the wall of the Gryffindor team’s locker room. It must be nice, Colin… he thought. …to be able to see things from the sidelines. Ginny walked over to him. “Harry, stop thinking about it,” she said. “There’s nothing to be done by worrying over Hogsmeade. We have to concentrate on the match today.”
He looked into her eyes. “You’re right,” he replied, but didn’t smile.
They were eventually called to the field. The stands were raucous with applause and cheers, though they were somewhat forced. The school tried with all its heart to continue on after the Hogsmeade attack, but the students were genuinely afraid. Kevin was avoided in the corridors more so now then he had been at the start of term. He seemed to catch the blame for all the bad things that had happened at Hogwarts all year.
Harry had been trying to get more information out of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, but he was hard to find these days. Sara was only around at meal times and during classes, but her pregnancy kept her secluded.
The Quidditch match seemed to go on forever.
Neither Gryffindor nor Hufflepuff seemed to have much competition in them this day. The end only came after Harry managed to grab the Snitch, well away from Hufflepuff’s Seeker. The crowd cheered enthusiastically for the two teams, and then filed out of the stadium.
Harry was the last person to leave the pitch, or so he thought.
He walked to the center of the field and took out his wand. With some quick motions, he mocked casting a series of different spells and charms. Harry never knew that someone else was on the pitch with him until he spoke.
“Would you like some actual targets?”
Harry spun around fast and saw Kevin and Sara standing twenty feet away. He felt a little embarrassed that someone had caught him, but he hid it. “What did you say?”
Kevin walked closer to him. “I said, would you like some actual targets?” He took out his wand and waved it over the field. A series of large wooden figures sprung up from the grass. “Use these.” He walked back over to his wife.
Harry stared at wooden targets for a moment. “What are these supposed to do?”
“They’ll help relieve some of the stress you’ve been feeling,” Sara answered. “You looked like you could use an outlet for your feelings.”
Harry fingered his wand for a moment. Staring at the targets, he raised it. “Incendio!” A stream of fire shot out from the tip of the wand and engulfed one of the targets. He turned towards another target. “Bombarda!” Another figure was blown to pieces.
Harry kept using different spells on different targets. When it seemed like he had destroyed them all, Kevin conjured up new ones, this time, though, with enemies faces on the targets. Seeing these new ones, Harry used more powerful spells. He started to become angry when they would keep coming back. Why won’t they just stay down? Why does he have to keep sending them back to get me?
Target after target was destroyed and re-conjured, and Harry became angrier and angrier. Finally, when it seemed that the last figure had been destroyed, a tall and menacing shadow loomed over him. An eight-foot tall figure that resembled Voldemort stood proudly over Harry. It took him a moment to find a curse that would be appropriate to destroy this target.
“Avada Kedavr…”
“Expelliarmus!”
Harry’s wand flew from his hand and landed in Kevin’s. He looked over at the older wizard with a menacing glare. Kevin simply glanced back. “Feel better?”
Harry turned his head away. “No.”
“Because he’s still in one piece?” Kevin asked. “Because you’re enemies keep appearing no matter what you or I or anyone does? Is the complete destruction of everyone you hate the only thing that will make you feel better?”
Harry nodded. “Maybe it will.”
Kevin tossed the wand back to Harry. “Then do it.” Harry looked confused for a minute. “Do it,” Kevin repeated. “Kill him.”
Harry turned back to the Voldemort target. He raised his wand. “Avada…Avada K…Avada Kedav…” He lowered his wand. “Why is it so hard now? I was ready to do it a minute ago.”
Sara walked up behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders. “Look again.”
He raised his eyes and saw Ginny’s figure standing before him. “How…what…”
“If you’re blinded by hate, you may forget who are your friends and who are your enemies,” she said. “Whatever happens, you can’t let your feelings blind you. Hate, anger and depression are just what Voldemort is hoping to inflict you with so you don’t think straight, and you won’t protect your friends. Instead, you may be their downfall.”
Harry looked into the eyes of the figure. They seemed to be pleading at him to stop whatever he was about to do.
***********************************************
Harry walked back to the castle and quickly went up to the common room. He found Ginny, Ron and Hermione sitting near the window. Walking quickly over to them, he took Ginny in his arms and kissed her strongly. Ron and Hermione turned their heads so as not to stare.
When the two broke, Ginny looked into his eyes. “Mind if I ask what that was about?”
Harry locked his gaze with hers. “I need to talk with you.” He turned to the others. “All of you.”