Everlasting

Harry was resting his head on the table, his face hidden under one arm. If not for his bright red robe which announced to the world his position as an Auror, any wizard or witch looking his way would think he was nothing more than one more drunk in the pub. 

He appeared lax, legs spread indolently and a finger playing absentmindedly with the rim of his glass. However, if someone were to look in his eyes, they would immediately notice their sharpness, indicating he was perfectly sober. 

His coworkers nearby thankfully didn’t notice or didn’t care enough to expose him. The tall man with dark skin by his left gazed at him with wry amusement before going back to his own conversation with Longbottom, indicating he was in the latter group. 

“…..a little young for retirement…’’ a simple comment Harry easily caught, thinking it was about Neville’s odd choice of changing career when he was only 23 years old. If memory served him right, he was going to be Sprout’s personal apprentice coming this september. 

His chest tighten in displeasure, a trickle of bitterness on his tongue. He too wish he could change career, or at least have the choice to choose where he could be employed. 

Heavy footsteps come his way, followed by the loud sound of a glass full of ale being slammed on the table he was sitting at. Harry did not have to look up to know who it was.

“Can you believe it? After 3 years of training, Neville decide he somehow miss it and go back to school!’’ A witch clothed in a robe who had seen better days give the man who complained a sneer, a wet spot on her shoulder left behind from Ron’s drink as he passed by. 

“Hm’’ Harry answer, knowing better than to talk back. Ron may say all he want, he knew that if he could, he would do the same as Neville. Unfortunately, the three of them having decided to enter the Auror’s program directly after the end of the war, it left little to no options for either himself or Ron.

Neville at least finished his last year of schooling, the Carrow aside. But Ron and Harry being busy running in the wood during the same year made the both of them school dropouts as far as most institutions were concerned.

Harry may once have wished to become an Auror in his fifth year at Hogwarts, but that was when he was 15. After the war, when he thought he was free, he had considered finishing his last year of schooling in America, far, far away from what remained of Britain. 

Unfortunately, this had not pleased the members of the Wizengamot. Realizing he was still  being monitored was a shock, but the restrictive measures used on him were beyond his wildest imagination. Had it not been for the new Minister of magic intervention, he is not sure what he would have done.

As it is, even 6 years later, he was forced to stay on Britain’s ground by laws. And being adamant  in refusing to step foot in Hogwarts anytime soon, it was either become an Auror or be jobless. 

His only consolation at the time was that he would be trained beside two friends of his, one of which was leaving the department in a few months. 

“….and don’t ask me about Hermione! Ugh, that girl is as stubborn as an hippogriff’’ Ron continued to whine, now no doubt complaining about his favorite subject of choice, his girlfriend. How those two are still together after years of fighting, Harry had no clues. 

He sigh, looking at his watch where two stars told him it was close to midnight. Perhaps, finally thinking of someone else than himself, Ron quiet down after seeing the motion. 

“Mom was wondering if you were free this weekend, to visit her at the Burrow’’ he timidly ask Harry, making the latter stand very still. 

There was an awkward lull in their conversation, one-sided at is was before. Exhaling, Harry shake his head.

“Sorry, I have something with Zabini that weekend’’ 

Ron frown, his ears becoming red which was never a good sign. 

“Well, could you see him another time? You both are already partners, surely he could leave your side for one day?’’ He suggest between gritted teeth, still not over the fact the Slytherin was paired with Harry while he was stuck with Neville. 

Harry know he should play along, think of another excuse or says some platitude to gently let down his friend. But he was tired and weary, fully conscious that he was invited for one specific reason.

“Is she taking another week off from the Harpy’s?’’ 

Ron open his mouth in a unattractive manner, gaping. He try to speak a few times before finally being able to articulate his next words.

“Mate, seriously, when will you move on? It was a joke’’

Harry next reply was rude and he was proud of it. “Move on? You should tell her that! She’s the one who slipped Amortentia in my treacle tart!’’

Ron startled, making a loud shushing motion at the blunt way Harry openly disclosed what his sister did the last time they were both at the Burrow, the Weasley’s family home. 

Someone whistle, making Ron skin turn white then red in anger when he notice who did it.

“Damn, Red isn’t messing around uh’’ 

It was the tall man from earlier and current Harry’s Auror partner, Blaise Zabini. It was at once the best and worst person possible to include in their conversation. Best from Harry’s perspective and worst from Ron’s. 

“For the last time, it was a joke! The twin’s shop is full of love potions and you don’t see anyone complaining!’’

Harry control on his short-temper was dangerously close to snap. Blaise’s hand on his shoulder squeezed in warning, making him swallow his anger.

“Weasley, I know your not the smartest out here, but I never expected you to have lower cognitive power than a blast ended-skrewt’’ drawled Zabini, his lips raised slightly. It reminded painfully Harry of Malfoy when they were still students. 

“Yeah? Well, I find it particularly funny that it’s you who butt in a conversation about love potion, Zabini’’ Ron reply is scathing, the last word exaggerated to imply something. Knowing about Blaise’s mother many suitors and suspicious death, he was without doubt referring to the well-founded rumours she was a black widow. 

His partner’s smile showed some teeth. “Have you seen my mother? Do you think she need love potion to catch a man?’’ 

Harry gave him a side-look at that, remembering having eavesdropped on him and a few Slytherin complimenting Ginny’s beauty when they were at Hogwarts. Both knew she was a fine witch, attracting boys like honey did with flies. God know that girl dated her share of them starting from her fourth year. 

Only, she went and poisoned him with the most powerful love potion in the world while he was eating at a family feast. Whatever opinion Zabini had on that, it looked negative if that comment of his was anything going by.

“Beside, can you really compare Amortentia with one of your brother’s Love is blind serum? Had a witch try that one on me personally the other day, and beside making her look prettier, it was nothing like a long-term obsessive bewitchment that force it’s victim to obey blindly one specific key person’’

Said like that, Amortention sounded more like an Imperio, one of the three Unforgivable Curse, than a joke as Ron put it. 

That comparison was not lost on Ron either. He jumped on his feet and slammed his fist on the table, attracting the attention of everyone around him as his wand snapped in place in his other hand. 

“You take that back! You slimy snake, how dare you…!’’ The redhead started to curse, wand still pointed at Zabini’s face when a nonverbal disarming charm made it fly and slap Harry’s palm quietly. 

Ron stopped talking, turning betrayed eyes to Harry. Sensing a confrontation with fists was brewing, Neville decide to intervene.

“Ron, you’re drunk and it’s getting late. Let it go’’ he gently said, coaxing his partner as Hagrid would have with baby Norbert. Unfortunately, he was ignored. 

“Harry, you’re going to take his side over mine?’’ Whisper-shout Ron, looking gobsmacked. 

Annoyed, the green eyed man deadpan at his longest friend without caring for the consequences.“Like you’re taking Ginny’s over mine?’’

Not his most mature moment, but no one can say it wasn’t unprovoked.

“She’s my little sister!’’ He yell, nearly hitting Neville’s nose as he gesticulate. 

“Which is no excuse for trying to still matchmake me with Ginevra when I can’t stand being in the same room as her’’

He had nothing against Ginny until her latest stunt. She was indeed his best friend’s little sister, and while she had embarrassed him with her worship of him as a kid, she had since grown up and assisted him numerous times during his years at Hogwarts. Harry even considered her a dear friend of his during his fifth year, same for Luna and Neville.

Sure, there was that weird time where she confessed to having dated Corner, Dean, Cormac and McMillan in succession in order to make him get interested in her. This was followed by one single date at the Three Broomstick which was more awkward than anything else. But that was it, a single outing to try a relationship and then they both decided to separate and stay friends. 

Or at least, that was supposed to be it. Next thing you know, she is telling everyone he is taken and that they only separated in order to protect her from Voldemort. He thought it was a misunderstanding, that was how he had seen it when he had confronted her and she only seemed confused and hurt by his rejection. 

“I only see you as a little sister’’

That’s what he had told her that time, which had Mrs. Weasley smile warmly at him while trying to comfort her only daughter. 

Everything had gone back to normal after that. He even tried out a few relationships with others people since then and Ginny never seemed to act jealous or anything. Harry had really thought they both had moved forward, until he utterly humiliated himself after eating his favorite dessert. 

Had it not been from Fleur who noticed something was amiss, who know what would have happened when he tried to follow Ginny outside? Harry knew she had no malicious intention when she did it nor had she planned to do anything with him beside maybe kissing him and going on a date together.

“I just wanted you to see me as a woman!’’

She had probably thought that he would wake up and finally realize how utterly in love with her he was, something he must have not know before because of his traumatic past and blah blah blah. 

Hermione had kindly called it cultural shock, how most of wizardkind would have found it more funny than serious since love potion was common occurence. But that’s because they didn’t know the existence of certains muggle drugs with clear nefarious implications, she had explained. 

An exemple of that cultural difference was in how animals were used in transfiguration classes as practice targets, something which would have been considered animal abuse and mistreatment in the muggle world. 

“Look, I get it. She’s family and I’m your best friend, you don’t want us to be in conflict. But Ron, what she did to me is inexcusable and the fact she doesn’t regret any of it or tried to understand how I felt is…I don’t feels comfortable with her being around’’

“She just want you to give her another chance! She never got over you after you two broke up’’

Whatever patience Harry had evaporated at that.

“We were never together in the first place! That’s all in her head!’’

“You went on a date with her and…!’’

“She told me she couldn’t get over her stupid crush, so I took pity on her and told her I would go drink a butterbeer with her once! That was all! Whatever misunderstanding she had, I already cleared it years ago!’’

Both of them were breathing hard, fists tight in frustration. Ron because he didn’t want his sister and friend to stay at odd and Harry because no matter how many times he explained himself it was as if no one talked English when it concerned his relationship with Ginny.

“I went on a date with Cho too when I was in Hogwarts, but she never called herself my girlfriend or pestered me years later to be back together. You never thought of us as a couple either, and that was after hearing me moon over her since third year’’

Someone gasp, making Harry shoulders drop down in trepidation for what the Daily’s Prophet was going to show on their front page tomorrow’s morning. He would bet his Lord’s ring Rita Skeeter was going to have a field day twisting it all up to make him some sort of Casanova, a wizard specialized in love enchantment or the like. 

Neville shook his head before extending an open palm in his direction. “I think that’s enough for the night. Give me his wand, I ask Tom to use his floo and take him home myself’’

Lips pressed in a tight line, Harry gave Ron’s wand to his partner and watched the two of them use floo powder quietly. After they were gone, the pub got busier, people going back to their conversation. However, he knew some of them were talking about what happened, if those glances back at him where anything to go by.

Harry desperately needed a drink and a bed, maybe even a lay. Merlin know he needed to get rid of all the stress in his body. 

“Well, I think it’s about time I leave too’’ alert Zabini, nodding his way before disapparating in a twist and a soft pop. 

Harry stare for approximately 2 seconds too long before doing the same, imagining himself at Grimmauld place, where his godfather and Kreacher were both waiting for him.

One moment he was inside the dark and shabby pub and the next he was pressed hard in all direction, everything around him dark. The distance being quite far yet thankfully still in London, he did not expect the effect to worsen.

His throat constrict painfully and his ribs make an ominous noise as his surrounding feels more foggy than it should. What should have taken seconds was taking minutes, the first indication something was wrong.

Having actually not sipped a single sip of alcool tonight, Harry was panicking. Nothing could explain what was happening, but something was certainly amiss. Fearing the worst such as a deadly occurrence of splinching, he try to empty his head of all emotions.

Determination. Destination. Deliberation. The three D of apparition. He focused intently with all his might, flexing his magic to no avail. 

His eyes roll at the back of his head while his tongue stick on the roof of his mouth, his teeth clenched so hard it was by miracle none of his molars broke. 

The smoke took shapes, someone voice screaming, a few others whispering, and then, nothingness became white sand illuminated by scattered candles, faint shadows made by tall palm trees on the ground.

On his left was a corpse, a man cut neatly in two at the waist. On his right a man with green hair, two bloodied swords still held loosely in his clutch. Faster than he think, he point a wand in the murderer direction, a quick disarming charm the only think saving his neck as both weapons are sent flying somewhere behind him. 

“Who are you?’’

-

A caravel, know for it’s small size, was floating on the calm water in East Blue. Under the blazing sun, the captain was frowning in worry as his last passenger was climbing down on a small boat.

“I know I’m repeating myself, but are you sure you want to row until you reach Pixis? It’s quite dangerous to venture nearby and nearly impossible to come back from’’

The man on the boat didn’t bother to look at him as he spoke, already sitting and taking hold of the oars. 

“I’m fine. That’s exactly the type of place I need’’

The older man exchanged a look with one of the sailor nearby, receiving a shrug in answer. They were here to transport someone from point A to point B. As long as they were paid, they would do as told. 

“Is it because you are seeking it’s treasure?’’ Ask the sailor, curious despite himself. It was a know tale amongst those travelling in East Blue that a famous treasure was hidden on the beautiful Pixis island, also know as the island closest to Heaven. Most were intrigued by the idea, but knowing of the unique sea current near it, no one sane dared come closer. 

They knew better than risk their lives for a legend, unlike pirates and now, one well know bounty hunter. 

“Treasure?’’ Wonder the green haired man before shaking the idea out of his head. Now was not the time for that, not after what Johnny told him the last time they saw each other. 

Grief took over his heart before his priority shifted to the present and the looming threat hunting him. 

“No, nothing like that, but just in case, you lots should probably not waste your time waiting for me. I only paid for one passage and who know who may come after me here’’

The captain took to heart the warning and only stayed until the smaller boat was no longer in sight before setting sail. 

None of them know in that moment that the old man would find his end the very same night, at the end of the greedy and cruel female pirate Alvida who was one of the person seeking Rorona Zoro, famous pirate hunters and the best bounty hunter in East Blue. 

Meanwhile, after his boat capsized and the current nearly drowned him, said man took the time to wring out the sea water from his shirt before exploring what he believe to be the mysterious Pixis island. 

As he hoped, it was devoid of life, the perfect place for a duel with the man who killed his old friend Yosaku in his search for Zoro. Will he was not afraid of blood, he hated the thought of more casualties, especially if innocent and defenceless civilians where the next in line. 

While travelling, he curiously found half-melted candles stuck in place amongst the trees. They were placed in a circle, with an altar at the top of the formation. Thinking of Yosaku, he kneeled down in respect and closed his eyes, praying until the sun has gone down. 

Curiously, while it was dark outside, the candles around him were alight, as if someone had magically used a match without his notice. However, the only presence he felt nearby had not gotten close enough to do so.

“You can come out now’’ he called out, still not turning his head. The man who stalked him for the last 3 days and who killed his friend did not deserve such respect from him.

“I take it you knew I was coming? Interesting choice for our meeting place’’ a man voice answered, sounding older than his own. 

“What do you want from me?’’

“The better question is, what do we want from you, Roronoa Zoro’’

A muffled sound and the footsteps of a second person made him turn around to watch in shock Johnny, injured and tied up with a gag in his mouth, falling on his knees at the feet of someone clothed from head to toes in red. 

The man in the ridiculous getup and strange chicken like haircut smile at him, pleased. “I do excuse myself for the rude introduction, I can assure you, this was not planned. I am named Mr.7 and I represent an organization knows as Baroque Works. I was sent here to invite you to join us, but unfortunately…..I had an accident with a friend of your’s on my way to you’’

“An accident? Are you talking about the man you killed or the one you hold hostage?’’ Tonelessly ask Zoro, his dark gaze never leaving Mr.7.  

The dark skinned man blink in surprise, his smile slipping from his lips.

“As I said, it was not in my intention to make enemy with you. However….those two attacked me. This one…’’ the man trailed off, kicking down Johnny on the hip and forcing him down much to Zora’s anger. “..even went after me for something as asinine as revenge. I’m sure you know the feeling, as a fellow who had taken numerous men lives in the past’’

Zoro keep quiet, trying to control his breathing and not kill the man where he stood.

“Were you to join us, we would give you access to a way for the Grand Line, as well as our support in all of your endeavours’’

“Which mean, what? You’re going to send me after a bunch of people you want me to kill? For money?’’ Spat Zoro, deeply offended to be compared to an assassin. He hunt down pirates, yes, but it was to test his skills and get stronger, all to reach his dream. 

To become the greatest swordsman in the world.

“No, nothing of the sort. We want and wish for so much more’’ 

“And what it is, that you want so much? What would you have me do, beside getting a face tattoo?  I tell you now, I refuse to have any number but one on my body’’

The man body stiffen, sensing a refusal. He glance down at the struggling form of Johnny, making Zoro hand shift to one of his sword. 

“You would refuse us, knowing denying Baroques Works mean your own demise?’’ Intone softly the man, both his hands around the handle of his swords. 

“Rest assured, I won’t be the one to die tonight’’

At once, both men took out their swords and ran at each others. Johnny is left to watch as the man he admire the most fight tooth and nail with the assassin responsible for the death of their friend, his partner, not even having been able to take out his three swords in his haste. 

A good swordsman can fight with a single blade, but one who specialize in two-swords style will never be as good as when he use them both. For exemple, a man who usually fight using two swords could win against his opponent one day and then lose against the very same opponent the next when forced to only use one of them. 

For Zoro, who used the three-swords style, forcing him to fight using merely two was the same has cutting off one of his limbs. And his opponent was no weakling or random swordsman, but the seventh strongest of an organization working in the Grand Line, the most terrible and perilous part of the world.

Johnny was a bounty hunter who used a sword as his weapon of choice. He could tell someone talent and experience with said weapon with one glance. Had he been under normal conditions, he would have been able to tell with one look Mr.7 was no match to Zoro, even if the latter was forced to use two swords instead of three. 

Unfortunately, at that moment, he was a man who watched his partner die merely days before and who had been captured by his murderer. Said murderer injured him badly at his attempt of revenge and was now forcing him to stand aside watching him go after the life of his last living friend. 

He should have known better, but all he could feels now was panic and grief. That’s why he struggled, fighting against his binding enough to free his legs, before jumping toward the assassin, nothing in his head but the wish to save Zoro. 

Neither men could have expected this, which is why the following tragedy happened. Arms still in motions, it was too late to stop his attack as Zoro cut down Johnny who was restricting Mr.7, as well as his intended target in one swift move. 

Watching in horror as his remaining friend was killed by his own hands, nausea took hold of him, Zoro barely able to hold it down. He would not desecrate the body of Johnny with his vomit. 

“You idiot’’ he mutter, for himself and his friend's action, his breath shaky. He start to empty his mind, a common exercice while mediating, trying to regain control over his emotions. 

Staring into space, that was when black smoke started to envelop the body of Johnny. He froze, unable to look away as it swallowed whole what was left of the corpse before taking the shape of something.

The surrounding, which was humid and hot just before, had now turned cold. Only the burning at the back of his left hand, intense in it’s sudden apparition, made him withstand the freezing temperature which was leaving a layer of frost on the ground. 

Then, the smoke evaporated, the ice melted and what was left in place was someone.

Tightening his hold on his swords, Zoro had no time to be sentimental when facing this possible new threat. Body reflex taking over, he took a step forward only to feel his hands relax and watch with surprise both of his weapons fly away.

The man had not advanced further near him, but he was holding in his hand a stick? Some sort of weapon which was pointed his way in a steady hold.

“Who are you?’’

“What the fuck!’’

Forced to face so many bad turn of fate one after another, the green haired man could not react otherwise than be cursing. 

Watching his friend die, his corpse gone as a strange man took his place and now being disarmed by some strange power he could not understand, Zoro was unable to stay calm. 

“What are you?’’

The small man, barely reaching 5’4 if Zoro was generous, did not outwardly react to his question, sharp green eyes observing him carefully. 

“I’m Harry’’ he answer roughly, his voice deeper than he expected and sounding as if his throat was injured recently. 

“No last name?’’ He quip, doing his best at calming his mind. Harry grimace but says nothing.

Zoro sigh, eyeing the stick still pointed at him. “So, are you from the Grand Line?’’

When something doesn’t make sense, that part of the world is usually responsable for it. His accusation hidden as a question is therefore valid, not that the entity in front of him knew what he was referring to in the first place, much to his shock. 

Harry didn’t answer, but he didn’t need to, not when his almond-shaped eyes were so expressive. 

“You never heard of the Grand Line?’’ He ask, feelings this quite strange. “From which islands are you from then? Where you even born in the East Blue?’’

The more he interrogated Harry, the more puzzled the odd man looked. Zoro himself was starting to feels confusion face to what was no doubt a very lost person. They both stared at each others, neither moving.

“Are you going to point that stick at me for long? I have no intention to attack you unless it’s to defend myself’’

Harry seem to hesitate for one long minute before he finally decide to lower his hand. Zoro took notice he didn’t release his hold on what he assume was his weapon however, which he could appreciate. The other man was cautious, not a bad trait in these waters.

“I’m Zoro, a bounty hunter. The man at your feet is someone who was after me’’ he quickly made mention of it, putting two and two together as to why he was attacked before. 

Harry watch him carefully before relaxing his stance.“Could you tell me where we are?’’

“This is a deserted island named Pixis’’ or at least, that’s what Zoro believe is the place they are on.“From what I’ve heard, no one ever managed to step foot here and leave alive, something to do with how the water make it impossible for a ship to get close’’

“Did you fly here?’’ Suggest Harry, waiting patiently for what Zoro was going to says next. He stare a little, unsure of where that idea came from. 

“Do you see wings behind my back? Wait, can you fly?’’

Harry smile and dodge the question.“Why did you came here if you can’t leave?’’

The swordsman tilt his head on the side, mentioning for the body on the ground.“I wanted to avoid…casualties’’ the last word hard to be said, his mouth dry. 

-

Harry had no ideas as to how he came here. He know someone could force themself in a side-along apparition, thanks to a past fan of his who was too insistant. But he was quite sure nothing of the sort happened here. 

This man with green hair, which Tonks would have loved to befriend, was no wizard. His surprise from a simple disarming charm and his ignorance as to what a wand was had dispelled that notion right from the start. 

However, his reaction was not the one a normal muggle, a non-magical person, would have had in the same setting. 

Grand Line. Islands. East Blue.

Those were said as if Zoro was referring to large territories. His insinuation he must have been born on an island, as if the possibility he was born on a continent was impossible, was also not lost on Harry. Yet, he doubted it was a simple mistake made from hearing his accent.

If not for his occlumecy lessons, Harry would have lost his shit a long time ago and gone back to the primitive reflex of kill first, ask questions later. 

By Merlin’s beard, he was only trying to apparate home, what happened? No matter how you look at it, he had no responsibilities in this mess. It only left one possible culprit.

Harry fixe Zoro with a hard stare, lips forcefully raised in a polite smile.

“And running into a forest or play bait at midnight in some random empty alley was not good enough?’’ 

The man glare at him, not liking the mocking remark. Tough luck.

“He killed one of my friend. I didn’t want the other one to run into danger willingly, so an island no one can reach easily was the best option, or so I thought’’ he muttered the last part glancing at the ground and then at him in rapid succession.

It feels like a pointed look, full of meaning Harry did not grasp. This also did not bode well for him, he could feels it.

“It didn’t work?’’ He inquire gently, not softening his stance but trying and failing at not feelings some sympathy for what was implied. Morgana know he understand quite well what it feels to loss of a friend.

“You tell me. By coincidence, you appeared on the same spot my friend corpse was just before, as if by magic’’

Harry did flinch at that. If it was some sort of magical interference done in presence of a muggle, Obliviators should have already been alerted. The fact none were there after so long and that the geography of his surrounding was nothing like he knew, well, this smelled bad.

Hermione was definitely going to kill him.

“Do you believe in magic?’’

Zoro snort at that.“No, but I don’t know what else to call it’’

Harry nod absentmindedly, looking at his surrounding for the first time since his arrival. It was then he took notice of the circle they were inside off, which reminded him of a pale imitation of a fairy ring. He walked out of it without further complications, so probably not. 

“Can you walk out of the circle?’’

Zoro raised an eyebrow at him but he did get out of the circle too. 

Candles alight in a deserted island where no one has set foots in who know how long, those placed in a perfect circle where blood was spilled inside. Worse, probably the blood of an innocent soul. This sounded either like ancient magic or dark arts. 

Both were bad in this case, since it involved Harry himself. By irony, he hoped it was the latter, since dark arts could be better solved than ancient magic. 

He walked slowly around the circle before squatting down near an altar made from black stone. Some strange symbols were drawn on it, none of which he recognized bar one damning him.

A straight vertical line on top of a circle, inside a triangle. 

The Deadly Hallows, because of course it was. 

Feelings the wand still in his hand start to shiver, he looked at it and was not even surprised to see it wasn’t as he thought his beloved Holly wand, but the much uglier Elder one. 

The muggle who was at the wrong place, at the wrong time, soon joined him. 

“Uh’’ he said, recognition in his voice. Harry knew from experience his situation was about to get worse, the Potter Luck was most definitely striking again.

Zoro raised one of his arm, and right there, at the back of his hand, was the symbol of the Deadly Hallows. On a closer look, it was as if this had been branded directly with a hot iron.

The horror Harry felt at that moment was indescriptible, no less than how he reacted at the end of his fourth year after waking up from the death.

Only one word could be used to show the world the impact this had on him.

“Fudge!’’