9 A Need To Breathe*
4:30 PM - Great Hall, Hogwarts
After the reporters were shooed away, I looked towards Professor McGonagall, pride radiating from her when our eyes met.
"Well said, Mr. Potter. It is a rare occasion to witness my students mature in front of my eyes. These past 2 years have-" she held back a sob, pride morphing into grief, "-have been the most humbling experience of my life. Witnessing students I had nurtured die; their lives cut short so early, lives so full of potential."
"Yet seeing some mature and become responsible adults- is the most gratifying experience. I'm so proud of you Mr. Potter." Her face beamed with a radiant smile.
Warmth erupted in my chest, as her smile caused my heart to beat chaotically, the memory it evoked causing me to tear up.
'Her smile, her smile looks so much like... like mother's.'
I raised my head towards the ceiling in an attempt to prevent the tears from leaving my eyes, throat feeling weak. After a second I looked back at her. "Professor- I..I.. what can I do to help?"
"Now, we bury our dead and rebuild our school." She said, face visibly ageing as she looked around at the bodies covered in shrouds.
'Its good to have something to ground me on a journey like this.' I consoled myself, sobering up.
The second part of what she said caused me to perk up, as my magic had wanted to repair the school when I neared it earlier.
I solemnly grasped on the only star left in my [Soul Dimension], my Holly and Phoenix feathered wand appearing in my hand.
'Let's get this done.'
Instantly, the Repairing Charm surfaced in my consciousness, as magic churned in excitement.
"I might be able to help out with the latter, Professor." I said, waving my wand in a circular motion.
"I would suggest you wai-"
"𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘰." I breathed, as a sudden breeze picked up in the Great Hall.
FWOOSH...
It began spreading, proliferating around, until all of Hogwarts was covered in it.
Rubbles and pieces of wood flew around us, surrounding the air in a whirlwind of debris.
The gasp that escaped her mouth and her words the last thing I heard, before my awareness expanded. "-WHAT ON EARTH..."
All around, windows began reappeared in their places as glass fragments floating up to them, returning to their rightful places; the dining tables of the Great hall reformed as splinters of wood gathered; the golden throne belonging to Dumbledore reappeared alongside the teachers chairs; walls that had giant holes pierced through them filled up.
Outside, tiles returned to their places on the rooftops, and bricks reformed once again, taking the places they've been in for centuries; the enchantments upon then snapping back in place, stronger than ever.
Gasps rang out around me, as everyone stood in wonder, eyes not believing the magnitude of the Repairing Charm that had been cast.
But I ignored it all as my awareness continued to expand with my magic, watching all that was happening. I saw the clearing outside the great hall, where most of the fighting had occurred, being repaired. I saw the bridge leading towards the school being rebuilt, piece by piece. I saw the multitude of damage caused by stray spell fire vanishing, as if they never happened.
And finally, I felt my magic reach towards the Room of Requirements, remembering the curse Crabbie had used inside, a curse Harry had no knowledge of before I took over: Fiendfyre.
'Oh, that slipped my mind. Bloody hell Crabbie!'
I remembered information on the curse, having read an excerpt on it from the Harry Potter Wiki.
'It's impossible to repair things damaged by it.'
However, recalling the electrifying feeling of power I felt when I drew on the power of the Elder Wand, I couldn't help but feel giddy at the prospect of proving it wrong.
My magic took a bright grey hue as I called on the Elder Wands power again, the density of my magic exponentially increasing, as a feeling of electrifying power shot through my body.
Distantly, I could hear thuds and rocks cracking apart.
It rushed into the Room and attempted to repair it but as expected, nothing happened.
'No, it must be my intent.' I thought, recalling what I had thought of before. I have to believe.
'I can DO it. I can DO IT. I -- CAN -- DO -- IT.'
Intent radiated through my magic, as I felt it wrap around a power source, fueling it beyond it ever had been.
The school wards, the one that had been ripped to shreds by Voldemort and his army, snapped back into place around the school, its own magic washing over mine, humming in appreciation.
'Huh... oh, the heart stone. Is that what I felt my magic latch on?'
The heart stone, based off of what I read on fan-fiction, was the power source of the castle. It powered all of its enchantments, and was situated at the top of the intersection of ley lines. It also powered the wards.
After what seemed like an eternity, the Room began to piece itself together, its enchantments powering up again, and the repairs around the castle came to an end.
Gradually my awareness began to reduce in size, returning to where I was standing in the Great Hall. I looked at my shaking hand, wand warm in it, as the great hall came into view, shining bright as its enchanted ceiling and candles reappeared. It would have been perfect if not for the bodies that were laid upon its floor.
Looking around, gobsmacked and awe filled faces were all that I saw, before looking towards Professor McGonagall.
...
Moments before - Great Hall, Hogwarts
"I would suggest you wai-"
He waved his wand before I could stop him, a whisper escaping from his barely open lips. "𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘰."
Instantly, magic, the heaviest I have ever felt in my near century of existence, billowed around the hall, causing me stop what I was about to say to Mr. Potter. The ground of the hall began to vibrate so much, I feared for the safety of its inhabitants.
"-WHAT ON EARTH..." I couldn't help the shout that accompanied the gasp that escaped my mouth, the vibration drowning it out.
All around us, debris began returning to places they belonged to. The enchanted ceiling and candles reappearing along with the tables and my chair.
I couldn't help but gawk up at the ceiling that now showed the blue sky outside. 'How in the... Merlin's beard, the Repairing Charm can repair enchantments?'
I looked towards Harry. His wand continuously waved about, as it shined an eye stinging red; his face was blank and emotionless, his already bright green pupils shining brighter.
'What happened to him? What did he experience in that fore-'
My heart stopped. His already scary face scrunched up in annoyance as he stopped waving his wand, head turning ominously, as he looked towards somewhere.
*CRACK*
The floor began to crack apart with Potter at its center, instantly being repaired and destroyed again and again, as blazing bright grey took over his eyes, shining so bright, the hall darkened. He pointed his wand with a sharp jab.
*POP*
The skin on my face drooped from the change in his aura, ears popping from the abrupt change in pressure, as he began scrunching his eyebrows in concentration. A foggy breath escaped my mouth, as the surroundings took a chilly change, entirely different from the lukewarm temperature that was present moments before.
'What is this pow-'
A sudden wave of magic washed over my own, pulling me away from my thoughts.
'The wards...!'
...
At the same time - Great Hall, Hogwarts
"𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘰."
It was the last thing I heard before warning bells began to go off in my head. Looking towards the source of the voice, I saw Harry Potter waving his wand, as quantities of magic I have only felt from the Elders' strongest spells, barreled out from it.
It was accompanied by its own wind as it billowed around the hall, ruffling my clothes and hair. It felt warm and cold at the same time, imbued with a strong intent to repair.
Directing magic to my eyes, I activated my mage sight.
'How much magic can a boy this young possibly have for him to release such terrifying amounts of?'
What I saw caused me to nearly faint in horror.
'OH MY GOD...!'
I hurriedly shut off my mage sight, fearing for my sanity if I had kept it on any longer.
'I have to let them know. I have to let Maste-.'
*CRACK*
"Uck..." The floor gave way underneath me, making me fall to my knees.
Straining my neck, muscles bulging and popping, spittle flying from my mouth, I stood up and looked towards Potter. His eyes shined a bright grey that bled out into the surroundings, his face deadened and emotionless. He turned towards somewhere, wand extended forward in a sharp jab.
*POP*
My knees hit the concrete beneath me again, skin drooping from the sudden increase in pressure, as vibrations spread through my body. The repaired windows were blown out again, yet repaired instantly in a heartbeat.
All around me, things were in perpetual cycle of being repaired and destroyed, as if I were stuck in a time loop.
The sudden conclusion of everything made me jump to my feet, eyes never leaving the boy. It also brought my attention to how my breath fogged, suddenly painfully aware of how chilly it was around me.
"Merlin, what was that?"
4:32PM - Great Hall, Hogwarts
Professor McGonagall's turbid eyes were the first things I saw, fear, awe, and a multitude of other emotions flashing through them.
I tried to get the shaking under control. A burning sensation spread throughout my body, with the wand in my hand being the most uncomfortable, as I pocketing it and slipped it into my [Soul Dimension] when it was out of sight.
I looked around the hall, surprised at the floating candles and the enchanted ceiling that were fully functional.
'Huh... repaired enchantments?' I looked back at her.
"Professor, I think, I think that's everything." I said, feigning strength and giving her the brightest smile I could possible muster.
"Harry... Mr. Potter, what was all that?" She said, pulling herself together.
"Repairing Charm, Professor."
"No, I meant what caused you to glow like a matchstick, Mr. Potter, with magical aura so powerful?" she said in disbelief, eyes squinting in suspicion.
"If you do not want to mention your secrets Mr. Potter, just say so. You do not need to lie."
"Professor-"
"Its ok, I understand. Trust me, Mr. Potter, if living with Dumbledore for as long as I have has taught me anything, it's that if something is a secret, there is a damn good reason behind its secrecy."
"HARRY!"
The collective shout of all my friends broke us out of our chat, as I looked to see them rushing towards me.
...
9:00PM - Leaky Cauldron, Charing Cross Road, London
Pulling on the Invisibility Cloak's power, I walked into the Leaky Cauldron, exhaustion not even begin to describe what I was feeling.
It would seem straining your body beyond it ever had been magically, going through a nagging-fest with your friends, and then attending an emotionally draining funeral, was the worst possible combination. Don't even mention apparating.
Hidden from sight, I walked through the desolate Leaky Cauldron. Shuffling sounded from my right, as I turned to see Tom's shiny bald head behind the bar, drying mugs and plates.
'Such dedication.' I thought, contemplating on whether or not to order a drink.
'Heck, why not.'
Willing my self visible, I wasn't surprised by Tom's reaction.
"Oh, Mr. Potter, what an honor. Come, come take a seat."
