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"It says Ig - Ignotus, I think "I'm going to keep looking for my parents, all right?" Harry told her, a slight edge to his voice, and he set off again, leaving her crouched beside the old grave
Every now and then he recognized a surname that, like Abbott, he had met at HogwartsSometimes there were several generations of the same Wizarding family represented in the graveyard: Harry could tell from the dates that it had either died out, or the current members had moved away from Godric's HollowDeeper and deeper amongst the graves he went, and every time he reached a new headstone he felt a little lurch of apprehension and anticipation
The darkness and the silence seemed to become, all of a sudden, much deeperHarry looked around, worried, thinking of dementors, then realized that the carols had finished, that the chatter and flurry of churchgoers were fading away as they made their way back into the squareSomebody inside the church had just turned off the lights
Then Hermione's voice came out of the blackness for the third time, sharp and clear from a few yards mulberry leather away
"Harry, they're here
And he knew by her tone that it was his mother and father this time: He moved toward her, feeling as if something heavy were pressing on his chest, the same sensation he had had right after Dumbledore had died, a grief that had actually weighed on his heart and lungs
The headstone was only two rows behind Kendra and Ariana'sIt was made of white marble, just like Dumbledore's tomb, and this made it easy to read, as it seemed to shine in the darkHarry did not need to kneel or even approach very close to it to make out the words engraved upon it
JAMES POTTER LILY POTTER
BORN 27 MARCH 1960 BORN 30 JANUARY 1960
DIED 31 OCTOBER 1981 DIED 31 OCTOBER 1981
\iThe last enemy that shall be destroyed is deathi
Harry read the words slowly, as though he would have only one chance to take in their meaning, and he read the last of them aloud
"'The last enemy that shall be defeated is death' A horrible thought came to him, and with a kind of panic"Isn't that a Death Eater idea? Why is that there?"
"It doesn't mean defeating death in the way the Death men's gucci wallet Eaters mean it, Harry," said Hermione, her voice gentle
But they were not living, thought HarryThe empty words could not disguise the fact that his parents' moldering remains lay beneath snow and stone, indifferent, unknowingAnd tears came before he could stop them, boiling hot then instantly freezing on his face, and what was the point in wiping them off or pretending? He let them fall, his lips pressed hard together, looking down at the thick snow hiding from his eyes the place where the last of Lily and James lay, bones now, surely, or dust, not knowing or caring that their living son stood so near, his heart still beating, alive because of their sacrifice and close to wishing, at this moment, that he was sleeping under the snow with them
Hermione had taken his hand again and was gripping it tightlyHe could not look at her, but returned the pressure, now taking deep, sharp gulps of the night air, trying to steady himself, trying to regain controlHe should have brought something o give them, and he had not thought of it, and every plant in the graveyard was leafless devil wears prada chanel necklace and frozenBut Hermione raised her wand, moved it in a circle through the air, and a wreath of Christmas roses blossomed before themHarry caught it and laid it on his parents' grave
As soon as he stood up he wanted to leave: He did not think he could stand another moment thereHe put his arm around Hermione's shoulders, and she put hers around his waist, and they turned in silence and walked away through the snow, past Dumbledore's mother and sister, back toward the dark church and the out-of-sight kissing gate
\p\C0="Chapter Seventeen: Bathilda's Secret"
\bChapter Seventeen
\iBathilda's Secret\i\b
"Harry, stop "What's wrong?" They had only just reached the grave of the unknown Abbott"There's someone thereThere, over by the bushes They stood quite still, holding on to each other, gazing at the dense black boundary of the graveyardHarry could not see anything"Are you sure?"
"I saw something moveI could have sworn I did She broke from him to free her wand arm"We look like Muggles," Harry pointed out"Muggles who've just been laying flowers on your parents' grave? chanel reporter bag Harry, I'm sure there's someone over there!" Harry thought of A History of Magic; the graveyard was supposed to be haunted; what if \a150\a150? But then he heard a rustle and saw a little eddy of dislodged snow in the bush to which Hermione had pointedGhosts could not move snow"It's a cat," said Harry, after a second or two, "or a birdIf it was a Death Eater we'd be dead by nowBut let's get out of here, and we can put the Cloak back on They glanced back repeatedly as they made their way out of the graveyardHarry, who did not feel as sanguine as he had pretended when reassuring Hermione, was glad to reach the gate and the slippery pavementThey pulled the Invisibility Cloak back over themselvesThe pub was fuller than beforeMany voices inside it were now singing the carol that they had heard as they approached the churchFor a moment, Harry considered suggesting they take refuge inside it, but before he could say anything Hermione murmured, "Let's go this way," and pulled him down the dark street leading out of the village in the opposite direction from which they had rolex chain ent |
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