Moira | Harry Potter

Chapter Thirty Eight

Story: Moira
Chapter Thirty Eight: The Unforgettable Loss

The gargoyle sprang aside as Ginny shouted the password, 'Lemon drops' at it. Hot on her tail was Harry who was more breathless than she was, given her recent torture. They entered the office without bothering to knock and found Dumbledore slumped heavily on his throne like chair, slightly falling to his left side. Ginny ran up to him and helped him sit straight but he seemed to be half unconscious.

"Harry! What's happened to him?!"

Harry looked at the aged Headmaster, trying to find the fault for his condition. Then his eyes caught the darkened hand.

"He's been cursed," Harry said in a grave tone. He walked up to the chair and held Dumbledore's darkened hand.

"Please! I beg you, do something!" Ginny pleaded.

"In my trunk," Harry started and looked at her. The pain on her face was more evident now. "there is a small vial of counter potion for dark curses. I use it when I get cursed badly. Go and get it. I can get it but I will have to contain his curse to his hand. Merlin's beard, if only he had shown this to me earlier," Harry sighed. Ginny looked at the phoenix for help.

"Take me to Harry's dorm, Fawkes." In an instant, the phoenix stooped down to her, caught her shoulder using its talons and flamed away. Harry removed another clear potion from the moleskin purse in his neck and conjured a cup. Pouring it into the cup, he let the Headmaster take a sip as he pointed his wand at the darkened hand and started muttering counter curses to bind the curse from spreading to the whole body.

In a few minutes, Ginny flamed back into the room and offered Harry a tiny vial with a green potion. He motioned her to give that to Dumbledore, who was much more conscious than before. Ginny did as she was told and he finished his incantations a few minutes later.

"M-master! Are you okay?" Ginny asked, concern laced in her tone despite her own weakness.

"Master?" Dumbledore croaked, looking slightly confused. Harry facepalmed. He was sure the Obliviate charm had gone wrong: Pettigrew would have been behind it. Taking his wand in his hand again, he got up and pointed it at the Headmaster.

"Harry!" Ginny exclaimed but he did not budge.

"Reversio Obliviatum." A blue light glowed at the tip of his wand for several minutes before distinguishing. Dumbledore's eyes glazed over for that time then he sat up with a jolt.

"Ginny? M-Mister Harry?"

"Master! Do – do you remember me?"

"Ah, yes," Dumbledore replied weakly. Ginny let out a breath of relief. "So, is the task done?" This time, the question was directed to Harry who raised his eyebrows as a train of suspicious theories clicked into place in his mind.

"You sent the ring, didn't you?"

"Ring? What ring?" Ginny asked but Harry held his hand up to stop her as he gazed into Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes.

"Perhaps. Someone has to sacrifice themself for the greater good, isn't it? So how long do I have?" Dumbledore asked in a casual voice that anyone who would have heard him would think he was asking for what was on the menu that night.

"You don't mind then? D-dying I mean," Harry asked. Dumbledore smiled.

"I am afraid, my boy that I have committed a mistake many fools have done, way before my time. This grave mistake mustn't be ignored. No more of the future generations must seek for them."

"I don't find any relevance with your answer and my question. Explain what you are talking about," Harry said.

"To those curious souls, death is but the next great adventure to occupy with. The living, especially the ones without love, are the ones who desperately seek for it but unfortunately, although Death is cruel, Moira has her own ways to take revenge whilst fulfilling Death's wishes."