The Cupboard Series 3: Potter Haven

Chapter 28

The green light of Lucius Malfoy's killing curse impacted squarely on Harry Potter's shoulder mere moments after he'd managed to push his friend, the house elf Dobby, out of its path. The light of determination in his eyes was instantly extinguished. His body, no longer under mortal control continued its leap, landing unceremoniously in the dirt, arms and legs splayed every which way that gravity allowed.

In front of his lifeless body, his very best friend screamed at such an ear-piercing volume as to bring the aurors down the lane running. Tears streamed down Hermione Granger's face as she struggled out from under Dobby who had been pushed into her from where they'd ended up sprawled on the ground.

"Harry! Harry! No! Nonononono," she wailed.

Finally freeing herself, she flung herself on top of him, trying to wrap him in one of her famous hugs.

"Master Harry Sir?" Dobby breathed.

"It's all my fault! It's all my fault! I'm so sorry, Harry! It's all my fault! If it wasn't for me you ... you'd still ... you'd still be ... alive!" she sobbed.

"Master Harry Sir saved Dobby!" the house elf wailed, catching up to and threatening to surpass Hermione's grief in a fraction of a second.

"Hermione, let us see," her mother commanded, grasping her arms to pull her back and away from the motionless boy.

The instant that he had room, Dan Granger reached in, grasped Harry's shoulder and rolled him onto his back. Eager fingers pressed onto his neck even as his ear was laid flat against the boy's chest.

"No pulse or breath," he reported to his wife.

Determinedly, Emma forced her daughter to the side.

"You massage his heart; I'll breathe for him," she stated, to the agreeing nod of her husband.

"Mister Granger, Mrs Granger, there's nothing that you can do for him," Amelia Bones said gently, even as the two ignored her.

"Leave them be," Hermione choked out. "They're doctors ... healers. Let them do what they're trained to do."

"Is that ... is that the Boy-Who-Lived?" Auror Pritchards breathed, staring at the strange sight of the dead teen with the muggle pushing rapidly on his chest.

"Not any more," Dawlish drawled.

"John!" Amelia snapped, silencing him instantly.

The sight of a lone wand caught Amelia's attention. From where it lay, it had obviously been Harry's. Now, it looked little more than a stick, rolled off to the side. Carefully skirting the Grangers, she retrieved it before placing it inside a clear tube which then went into one of the pockets of her uniform.

As she turned back, the sight of a small, red-haired girl clinging tightly to a house-elf caught her attention. Both were sobbing uncontrollably into each others' shoulders.

"Susan?" she asked in disbelief.

The girl looked up, her watery blue eyes almost grey in colour with her grief, seeking the voice.

"Auntie?" Susan gasped.

Somehow, she managed to disentangle herself from Dobby before scrambling to her feet and flinging herself into Amelia's arms.

"What are you doing here, child? Why aren't you at Hogwarts?" Amelia asked. Suddenly a thought occurred to her. "Where's Hannah?" And then, as her eyes fell once more upon Hermione still crashed upon her knees, staring at her parents, tears streaming from her eyes, "For that matter, where's Neville Longbottom?"