212DISCLAIMER:- This is a one time disclaimer. I am not going to write it every chapter. So, please keep it in your mind if you don't know that
HARRY POTTER IS THE PROPERTY OF J.K. ROWLING.
I just had the idea of this particular story.
Author's Note:-The premise for this story is inspired from one of my previous stories which got deleted from this site, that is to say, that the first two chapters are essentially the same with some minor changes. I am posting these two chapters today. The rest of the story is entirely different. Since English is not my first language and I have no Beta, you may encounter certain mistakes but I'll try my best to minimize them.
PROLOGUE-CH1
31 JULY, 2001
Harry Potter couldn't believe it.
After a lifetime of pain and suffering, sorrow and loss, and death, real death, after countless battles and a great war, with an enemy who was as powerful as an elephant is in front of an insect, and as merciful as death itself is in front of frail old men who had no purpose left but to die, after being a winner and a hero, after rebuilding a world which was torn apart from its very foundation, Harry Potter could finally do something for himself. He could finally live his dream. Not a complete dream, but it was a dream come true nonetheless.
He could finally have a family.
As he waited on the altar with his best friend Ron Weasley for his lovely bride-to-be, Ginny, his one true love, he reflected on how he had finally proposed to the girl he had dated for almost five years. Although he had broken off with her when he was away on the camping trip all those years ago, she had waited for him. He marveled at the idea that he himself had several doubts regarding the matter of his success, but she had never doubted him. She had told him the very next day, "I knew you would win, dear. After all, we have to get married someday, don't we?"
He had been caught as a deer in headlights at the idea of marriage but Ginny had waited. Patiently. She had allowed him to cope with his grief, gave him a shoulder to cry during his episodes which had initially occurred almost daily. She had held him and given him reassurances during his nightmares. She had been a wall of support when he thought he would surely fall. Slowly, but surely, she had healed him.
And now, she was about to become his wife. The one person he loved more than anyone in the world was to become his better half.
Harry had initially thought that she would want a very big, very magical wedding. But she had expressed her desire to marry in a muggle way and that too, not at the Burrow, but at a simple church. At first, Harry was puzzled by this request but then he realized that she was doing this for him. His Ginny knew that he hated big crowds, so she herself had settled for a small muggle wedding, since it wasn't possible to have a magical wedding without the presence of the whole wizarding world right there in the tent, praising, whistling and clapping for their hero and savior.
He smiled fondly at the thought how well she knew him.
How lucky he was to have her in his life. How lucky he was to have a girl who loved him so much more than he himself could love her.
He was about to find out.
He saw as she made her way towards him taking her father's hand. He saw her smile and radiance as she positively glowed at the prospect of marrying him. He saw the beauty, that was his Ginny, blush, as she looked him over. He noticed that her eyes never came upon his face. Instead, she had fixed them upon the Goblin who stood at his side for the magical registration of their marriage. She was shy. Oh! How shy she was of him.
It was fortunate that the Father, who was the only muggle, could not see the Goblin, otherwise he would have mistaken him for the groom.
At last, she reached him and looked up to meet his eyes and her smile grew wider. If it wasn't him but anyone else, they might have thought that it was a big smirk rather than a genuine, caring, loving smile, but it was him and he knew his Ginny. He was so happy to know that she was so happy at the prospect of marrying him.
Oh how giddy he was!
The priest finally started speaking and all paid attention to the words being spoken. He had his eyes and ears only for his beloved.
The vows were spoken and he never once blinked as he gave himself completely to her.
He heard her recitation of the sacred vows and his heart filled with affection. He thanked God as the priest pronounced them man and wife and he blinked his tears away as he gave her a gentle, loving kiss.
The after wedding reception went well and they thanked all the guests who gave them gifts and congratulations.
He himself was anxiously waiting for the time when he would be left alone with his wife.
It seemed to take forever but finally only the Weasleys remained and Ginny suggested that they all have dinner together.
Everyone agreed and as they sat at the dining table, he could feel an almost overwhelming love for his surrogate, no, it was his real family now.
All the Weasleys except George were present. George had never been the same after Fred's death. He had lost all his desire for pranks and it was as if he had lost his voice too. Over the years, he had gradually decreased his contact with the others and got himself a job in a muggle post office. He now worked as a clerk there and lived a lonely existence. Everyone from the family had tried to get him to open up but it was for naught. Harry himself went and visited him once every few weeks but he could never find anything other than a shell of a person who was George Weasley before he lost his twin.
He started from his thoughts as Ginny said something to him.
"Sorry, love. What did you say?"
"Harry, I proposed a toast for us. Our marriage. Here, drink this." She smiled as she gave him a drink.
"For Harry and Ginny" Everyone chorused and drank.
"What was- " Harry never completed his question as darkness fell over him.
When he awoke from his slumber, he found himself lying face-down in the store room of his newly built home which they had named Potter Cruise.
He was wearing only his underwear.
He felt confused and disoriented but quickly remembered about the dinner with his family and then the toast and the drink. But, what happened after that?
He was startled from his thoughts when he heard his wife's amused voice.
"So, awake at last dear."
She was sitting in a chair in front of him and her face was shrouded in darkness.
"Ginny, what happened?" He asked with some difficulty. His throat seemed to burn for some reason.
"Oh, nothing love." She said sweetly. For some reason, her voice produced a shiver in his spine. It seemed a little too sweet. "We are here to give you a farewell."
"A farewell?" He asked. Something was wrong. Ginny was acting strangely. "Where am I going love? And where are my clothes?"
"If it isn't Harry Potter himself…Tut, tut, tut, your questions never cease, do they Potter?"
Everything stilled as Harry recognized the owner of that voice. He was standing behind Ginny. Harry saw as he leaned over her and gave her a kiss on her forehead.
"Malfoy, stay away from my wife?" Harry growled. "And what are you doing here?"
"Ah, more questions, Potter. You never seem to learn, do you?"
It was as if it happened in a slow motion. Sometimes the defining moments of your life do happen this way. Harry Potter had a number of defining moments in his life. This was the slowest amongst them.
He saw as Malfoy picked his wife up and himself sat in the chair. He saw as he put her in his own lap. He saw as he took a handful of her hair and pulled her towards him. He saw as he kissed her and he saw as she kissed him back.
Harry saw red.
He jumped from his position and made his way towards them but before he could take more than three steps, a shield burst in front of him.
"Its no use Potter, you will die tonight."
Harry felt cold ice on his back. He slowly turned and tears welled up in his eyes as he took in the level of betrayal he had suffered.
"Ron…" He couldn't say much more than "…why?"
"I am still jealous, Harry. I tried. I really did. I even saved you back then in that forest, remember? But, but I lost Harry. I lost."
Harry stared at his first and best friend in uncomprehending horror.
"You remember, Harry. You told us what You-know-who said when you confronted him in our first year."
"There is no light or dark, only power and those too weak to seek it"
"You see, Harry. I had remembered it unlike you. I always wanted power, but somehow, although I now know its not your fault, you ended up with more Power. I hated it. And I hated you for making me hate. Oh, so much hate…then, my sister, my genius, wicked sister came to me with a plan two years after we won…see, it was we who won, not you, but you, you got the power, and I, Ronald Weasley remained a sidekick…anyway, where was I, oh yes, my sister, she told me about her plan to ensnare you, wed you and kill you and she knew I would agree and I did."
Harry was speechless.
"Now, now dear don't you worry. We are actually doing you a favour. Mum and Dad are waiting for you up there don't worry." This was Molly Weasely.
"IS THE ENTIRE FUCKING WEASLEY FAMILY TRYING TO KILL ME?" Harry roared while simultaneously jumping at her, but once again, a shield came into existence.
"No, no, dear, not the entire family. You know how Arthur is, he would never agree to this. He is, after all, a fool. Always lets me do as I please. You know about George. Same for Bill, Charlie, Fleur and your dear friend, Hermione. She doesn't know you are here. In fact, she's asleep outside."
"She would kill you."
"She wouldn't know." It was Percy this time.
"And what are you in for?" asked Harry tiredly. He was starting to feel numb.
"You know Harry, I have no personal hard feelings for you. In fact, I feel quite bad in doing this since you actually saved us all from that psychopath." Percy gave Harry a friendly, almost sad smile. "But Harry, I finally understand that a ministry position is not what I want, I want money. And that's the whole point of this exercise."
Money. Bloody Hell. They could have just asked.
"You said Hermione wouldn't know. How exactly?"
"That would be me Potter" drawled Malfoy and at last came out of the shadows and Harry understood.
"Polyjuice."
"Finally, you understood."
"Malfoy, you were unable to kill Dumbledore. What makes you so sure you would be able to kill me."
"Ah, you underestimate me Potter. I am no goody two shoes. I would have killed the old fool that day but its only natural to hesitate a little before your first kill. But don't worry Potter, since then, I have had practice." He smirked. "Plus, I have company here and reason…" His face shifted into a sneer as he completed, "…Lord Black."
Ginny Weasley finally came out of the shadows and looked at her new and soon to-be-late husband.
"Why, Ginny?" Harry asked with a few tears. He was feeling pathetic.
"Don't cry, love. I really tried giving you a quick painful death. But somehow, you seem to be immune to any poisons. I discovered that back in your fifth year when you were throwing yourself at Chang, that harlot, and even my carefully prepared Amortentia didn't work on you. Hence, I had to play these games." Ginny said sadly. "As for why, that's simple Harry. I want your money, your fame and your name but not you. You are so clingy, so pathetically emotional that I can't believe any girl could live with you. These past years were such a pain. But thankfully I had my Draco to appease me in bed. Now, that's passion."
"YOU BITCH. I LOVED YOU."
"So die for me dear. I love you too, good bye." And with that Ginny Potter drived a dagger into Harry Potter.
And Harry Potter laughed.
Ron Weasley did the deed from his left.
Harry Potter laughed more.
Molly Weasley punched a knife from his right.
But he stood his ground and laughed some more.
Percy Weasley covered his back.
Harry still laughed.
Draco Malfoy didn't find it funny and punched a knife into his left eye.
Harry screamed but still, he stood and continued to laugh.
Then he suddenly stopped and looked Ginny Potter in the eye.
"I want…you…to…fi…finish." He stammered and Ginny's eyes widened but she complied and drived another knife in his chest.
Harry Potter finally collapsed on the ground but continued to wheeze, "You…think…you know…me…but…you are mis..mis..mistaken."
Ginny Potter, Draco Malfoy, Ron Weasley, Molly Weasley and Percy Weasley all gaped as he continued with gasping breaths in spite of the extreme blood loss he was suffering.
"You…forget…Ha..Harry Potter…can…ne..neve…never…be…beaten."
Malfoy scoffed. "Not even you can come back from the dead Potter."
And Harry gave another wheezing laugh.
"Ask her." And he finally stilled.
Harry Potter couldn't believe it.
The Bitch killed him.
Harry Potter couldn't believe it.