Chapter 36

EDWARD WRIGHT

Edward Wright had been wrong. He had also made mistakes previously, but this time his mistakes had nearly cost him his life. And as he turned his face to the side to glance at the blonde asleep at his side, he berated himself once more. Nearly her life as well!

He moved his hand to brush aside the locks covering her face as Fleur slept with her arms wrapped around him, the exhaustion clear on her face.

She shifted on the small hospital bed, and her arms tightened around him, not waking up despite getting disturbed. Edward tried to smile yet winced as sharp pain radiated over his face, making him hiss lightly.

Suddenly there was a calming caw reverberating across the room, making his pain go away, and he looked up at the fiery bird chirping light over his head. He smiled at Fawkes. The bird had been there for some time, his melodious cry there to reassure him in such difficult, trying times.

"Thank you," he whispered to the bird, and then with what seemed like a nod, Fawkes burst into flames again, leaving him alone with Fleur in the room once more.

He felt Fleur shift slightly to his side and watched as her eyes fluttered lightly before they widened as he smiled at her.

"Hello," he teased her as he poked her nose with his hand and smiled. Her face turned red, and she tried to separate herself from him. But he stopped her as he held her close once more.

"Edward! Let me go!" she said exasperatedly as she tried to get away.

"Why?" he teased her back, and she frowned as she looked towards the door.

"Anyone could walk in! Let me go!" she replied, panicking a bit, and he finally let go of her as she stepped off the bed, straightening up her clothes as she stared at the clock on the wall, her eyes widening as she saw that the whole night had passed.

"Gods! The whole night! You could have woken me up. You need rest more than me," she complained, finally sitting down on the bed and looking at all the space she had hogged guiltily. He just shrugged.

"Something told me that you hadn't rested well for some time, so I let you be," and he noticed how her fists clenched as her face lost its color and she looked to the side.

"It's nothing. You don't need to worry about it," she replied hurriedly, and he knew she was trying to hide something. He reached for her hand and held it, making her look toward him.

"Whatever it is, you can tell me?" he told her, and she just shook his head.

"It's nothing," she rebuffed with a smile, squeezing his hand again.

"Hmm, then I guess you would simply consider breaking up with me. After all, which veela would want to go out with a disfigure…."

"NO!" she cut him off immediately, her face inches away from his own as she stared him right in the eyes, her blue eyes shining with resolve.

"Don't even joke about this, Edward. Don't!" she said seriously as her hands nestled his face, caressing his bandages lightly, and he saw her chew her lip and her eyes moisten a bit.

"That night, if it weren't for you, all of us would be dead! You freed us, planned the escape, and when I froze," he tried to say something, yet she silenced him with her finger continuing.

"You shielded me! You protected me despite being injured yourself! When you asked me out, you promised that you would be willing to protect me for life."

And Edward still remembered that day in the kitchens, and his eyes widened as he saw Fleur lightly kiss his forehead before she locked head with him as she added.

"So let me make my own promise to you here. Edward Wright! No matter what happens in the future. I shall never leave you. No matter what!"

And his eyes widened as he noticed the distance between them close as her lips crashed onto his with passion, the sudden movement making him wince in pain a bit, but the pain was a minor concern in that heated moment.

They separated minutes later, eyes and souls locked, and his eyes widened as he heard her mutter in a small whisper.

"You are mine. And I am yours. From this day to the end of my days!"

0000

HARRY POTTER

The last couple of days had been hellish for Harry Potter. For once, Harry had hoped that he would have a normal year at Hogwarts, yet it seemed like his hopes had been dashed once more. The atmosphere in the Great Hall was tense, and he could see them all staring at him, murmuring as they talked about Voldemort's return.

Though now it wasn't him alone they stared at. They also stared at his friend, Hermione, and often pestered her about details of that night. Hermione had told him how she had only woken up by the end of it all, a little before she had been apparated alongside Krum to Hog's Head.

The classes had been canceled for the last two days due to administrative reasons, and Harry had noticed how Dumbledore had been absent from the Dinners, yet today an assembly had been called and all of them gathered in the Hall for the announcement.

"What do you reckon it's all about? There are rumors that they might have to close the school?" Harry noticed how Hermione's head whipped towards Ron at that.

"Who's saying that?" she questioned sharply, and Ron just shrugged.

"The twins are taking bets on this. They say that many parents are trying to pull their kids from school," and that was true as Harry scanned the tables and found many faces missing from across the three tables.

"Why, though? The only person he-who-shall-not-be-named was afraid of is Professor Dumbledore. With him here, why would they pull the kids out of the school? What about their studies?" she questioned exasperatedly. And Ron just shook his head.

"I don't know, but it's what I have heard," Ron finished as he began to butter the toast. Hermione just huffed and began to look at her own plate.

"How can they close the school? We have our OWLs next year?" she spoke up, and Harry smiled, seeing her like this, forgetting about the dangers that lay outside these halls as he began to pile up the omellete on his own plate. Not noticing how she seemed to be glaring at him, he frowned when he finally looked up.

"What?" he questioned, seeing her glare.

"Don't tell me you also don't care about our studies!" she reprimanded him, and just as he was about to reply, Professor Dumbledore stood up, and he felt the Hall quieten down at that as the man walked up to the dais.

"First of all, I would like to inform all of you that your classes are t resume as per the regular schedule from today. Despite the flagrant rumors, the school is not closing down," he finished with a smile, and there was a groan from some of the students, the biggest one from the Weasley twins. And Harry watched Hermione's face light up at this. However, the professor wasn't done yet as he continued.

"However, the same can not be said about the Tri-Wizard Tournament. The tournament has been canceled," and the Hall became quiet at that once more as Dumbledore's gaze swept across the Hall.

"As all of you may have heard, during the second task, a security breach led to the kidnapping of all six participants. While all six escaped, this could have ended in a great tragedy."

Everyone in the Hall listened attentively to his words, though each for their own reasons.

"The man behind this had plagued our society a decade ago as he tried to divide the Wizarding World. Voldemort left devastation in his wake as he ripped us apart, making wizards turn on their brethren based on a lie. Make no mistake. He shall try it once more to divide us, to make us turn on each other."

And murmurs broke out in the Hall as Dumbledore confirmed the news of Voldemort's news himself, and Harry noticed how, for the first time, he had seen the man talk about political ideologies. The Professor suddenly raised his hand, motioning for silence, and the whispers died down.

"If he were to look at you all, he would have you see purebloods, half-bloods, muggle-born. He would call one better than the other. Let me tell you, he is wrong!" the Professor's voice reverberated across, surprising even Harry, for he had never seen Professor Dumbledore speak up like this.

"I see young witched and wizards, each with limitless potential. Each with dreams and aspirations of their own. So, let me assure you that you are the future despite the dark and trying times that lay ahead, despite the mistakes and choices of the past generations. And it is up to you to define what you make of it!"

And the whole Hall quieted down at that, and Harry gulped as he felt magic brush over his senses. Then he saw the professor smile as he finished.

"Let me reaffirm. Help shall always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it!"

0000

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

"I must say it is a shame that they have decided to end the Tournament," began Amelia Bones, and Dumbledore would agree with her. Despite his insistence, the other two schools had refused to budge, and in the end, it had been decided that the tournament shall be ended.

"Indeed, but I can understand their point as well," he replied as they sat in his office. His meetings with Amelia had become a rather regular occurrence due to the sheer turmoil faced by their society. The Ministry was still in disarray, with Fudge's undersecretary trying to take control. Albus had noticed how they had just gained a rather unique ally in the form of Pius Thicknesse, whom Dumbledore suspected to be under someone else's control.

"So, when can we finally call the elections?" she asked him, and Dumbledore glanced at the calendar on his desk as he thought up any reasonable date.

"I would say in a bit over ten days. I have looked through the relevant laws, and about a month after a minister's death, Chief Warlock can call for an election," and since he was Chief Warlock, that power rested with him. So, all this mess would only last for a month or so.

Amelia nodded at that. "That's good. And they plan to nominate Thicknesse," and he nodded once more.

"Indeed though, I suspect that he may be under someone else's control," Amelia got the hint, for it was pretty obvious to see with the change in man's behavior.

"Imperius Curse! I had suspected the same," she said before she glanced at the clock herself and began to stand up.

"All right, I will be leaving. Hopefully, next time we meet, I shall be getting sworn in as the Minister," and with a nod, moved towards the floo, which erupted into greenish flames, leaving him alone in his office."

Albus leaned back onto his chair, took out the broken diadem from the drawer, and began to examine the piece, such a historied object destroyed on the whims of a madman. He also placed the Slytherin Locket to its side and lamented its fate.

Dumbledore picked up the letter he had received a day earlier from his secret helper and began to examine it. This was the third letter, and the person was willing to meet. A meeting that was now only seconds away.

And then, as soon as the clock struck nine, there was a knock on his door, and Dumbledore perked up as he spoke up.

"Come in," he spoke as the door to his office opened, revealing to him the form of his secret helper. He wasn't surprised by the identity, for he had worked it out after the second letter, and his conjecture had been right as one of his most prized students walked into the room.

The boy still had bandages on the side of his face and seemed a bit nervous. He saw the boy's eyes widen slightly as they landed on the two destroyed Horcruxes on his table. Horcruxes that he had helped Albus find. Albus decided to break the silence.

"Come in and have a seat, Mr. Wright. I believe it is time that we finally have a talk," and Albus noticed the boy stiffen slightly before walking and taking the seat opposite him.

"You don't seem nearly as surprised as I would have thought, professor," began the boy lightly, making him chuckle.

"Indeed, though, I must commend your efforts in trying to hide your secret. Fawkes is a poor secret keeper," and the phoenix burst into the room and landed on his shoulder, pecking his head as if to protest being ousted by him.

The boy chuckled as he tried to get Fawkes to leave him alone.

"Well, it seems that phoenixes aren't as loyal as they are made out to be," the boy commented and saw Fawkes turn to face the boy as if affronted by his words. Dumbledore chose to bring out the treats he had procured for exactly such times and gave them to Fawkes.

"Ohh, they are loyal, not just the best at keeping secrets!" Fawkes was soon distracted by the bribe he had given him and vanished with it, as it flew out through the window, leaving him alone with young Edward.

"Now that we have each laid down our cards, I must ask. How did you become aware of all these secrets, Mr. Edward?" and he saw the boy stiffen once more at his question.

Dumbledore did not want to appear hostile to him and hence chose to sound as calm as possible. And so, after a minute or so of silence, he saw Edward look up and stare him straight in the eye.

"What do you know of dreams, professor?"

And Dumbledore leaned back in his seat as he tried to make sense of that question.

Dreams! Such a mysterious and fascinating topic! And Dumbledore's mind reeled back to decades earlier, to a time when he had been nearly as old as the boy sitting in front of him. And how he had been asked a similar question.

'What do you know of dreams, Albus?' a young Gellert asked him.

Was it truly a coincidence?

0000

Is it? You tell me?

The reason for Ed's actions will be revealed soon.

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