Chapter one

Harry, Ron and Hermione stepped down from the spiral staircase, 'I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to hang around here for a couple of days. I need to put the wand back and I can't do that why there's still people here.'

'We thought you would Harry, but do you realise that you have a lot of fresh blood over you?' Hermione said wearily.

'Yeah, I'm going to see Madame Pomfrey now before I go sleep. Make sure everyone's careful. A lot of death eaters and snatchers escaped before Voldemort died. They know how close the three of us are, so please keep a look out and I'll see you both in a few days.'

'Okay, we will Harry and I'll let mum and dad know, I better get back down,' Ron took Hermione's hand then they walked off.

Harry waited until they were out of sight, then slumped against the wall before he slowly sank to the floor. He'd been trying to keep how badly hurt he was from Ron and Hermione so they wouldn't worry. But now, he just couldn't stand anymore, he was just too weak and the pain in his chest was really painful.

'Harry,' Kingsley Shacklebolt ran up to him, 'Blimey, come on, I'm taking you up to the hospital wing,' he bent down and pulled Harry to his feet, then kept his arm around him.

'Thanks,' Harry said as he passed out.

Kingsley Shacklebolt picked Harry up and carried him up to the hospital wing and straight through the doors.

'Poppy, it's Harry,' Kingsley called and saw the matron point to one of the only beds left. Kingsley placed Harry carefully on the bed, then noticed a lot of people staring, so he conjured curtains to put around them.

Poppy Pomfrey started to examine Harry, she undid his shirt to see where all the blood was coming from. Then she gasped loudly. She took a couple of deep breaths before pulling herself together. She summoned a heap of potions, gave them all to Harry before moving her wand over him.

'Is he going to be alright Poppy?'

'Yes Minister, but he has a lot of injuries. Apart from this cursed scar, he also has other marks from curses, along with broken bones. Did he say anything?'

'No, I found him slumped against the wall near Minerva's office. He must have just come down from talking to Albus. I helped him up and he passed out. So Voldemort hit Harry with the killing curse again. I wonder how he survived this time, the first time was because of his mother sacrifice.'

'Yes, Albus mentioned that. You might have to ask Harry about that Minister. When you go back down into the school, let Minerva know that Harry is here and I'm moving him into the other room. He will have everyone staring at him or trying to see what's wrong. Also tell her Harry will need a lot of rest, a week at least.'

'I'll tell her Poppy. When he does wake though, can you let me know. I need to talk to him.'

'He needs rest Minister, so any questions you might have for him might have to wait for a couple of weeks.'

"I know, I wouldn't do that to him now, I just want to make sure he's okay. We became good friends over the last couple of years.'

'Alright, I'll let you know,' Poppy covered Harry with a blanket then levitated him into a small room at the end of the hospital wing and lowered him to the bed. Then magically removed his clothes and shoes, as soon as she finished, she felt tears in her eyes with the amount of cuts, bruises, burns and scars all over Harry's body. She took a couple of deep breaths trying to control herself. She got him into some pyjamas, covered him up, before she went back out to check on her other patients.

Kingsley Shacklebolt walked slowly down through the ruined castle, he spotted Ron and Hermione with the rest of the Weasley's, so he walked over to them.

'Ron, Hermione, I thought I should tell you that Harry's in the hospital wing. I found him almost unconscious near the gargoyles to Minerva's office. The moment I helped him up, he passed out. Poppy said he'll need to stay there for at least a week but he will still need a lot of rest.'

'I thought he looked like something was wrong, but he kept saying he was fine. He will be okay though, won't he Kingsley? Sorry Minister,' Ron asked wearily.

'He will be. But did you know he got hit by the killing curse again, he has a large lightning shaped cut on his chest, that's what was still bleeding.'

'No, we didn't. He said he was going to explain some things to us in a few days. We're all really tired, we haven't slept in almost two days.' Hermione said looking worried.

'Since you three broke into and out of Gringotts?' Kingsley raised his eyebrows.

'Yeah, if you remember what Harry told Voldemort, about his horcruxes being gone, there was one in Bellatrix's vault, that's why we broke in,' Ron said wearily.

'Yes, I heard and I also know what they are. So I'll talk to the goblins and work something out. I'm sure now that we have control of the ministry again and have stopped all people going to their vaults until we can sort out who was on his side or not. Once we do, then we're seizing any death eater or snatchers vaults, so I'm sure the goblins will be happy once we pay for the damage out of their money. But we heard rumours about you three escaping on a dragon, is that true?'

'Yes, we had help getting in by Griphook, but he ended up turning on us. We got cornered, so Hermione suggested the dragon. Luckily, it didn't try to eat us.'

'Yes, you are lucky, I have to go. Get some rest, but I will need to speak with all three of you as soon as Harry's up to it.'

'You know where to find us Minister,' Ron said, then turned back to look at his mother and brother still crying over Fred's body and could feel his own tears form in his eyes again but Ron kept blinking to stop them falling.

Kingsley walked over to where Minerva McGonagall was talking quietly to a couple of family members who were grieving.

'Sorry to disturb you Minerva, but I need to speak with you on an urgent matter.'

Minerva nodded, finished talking to the family, then followed Kingsley to a quiet corner of the Great Hall.

'Harry's in the hospital wing, Poppy's putting him in the other room. She said he'll be there for at least a week, but will need more rest.'

'Does she know what's wrong with him?'

'One, he has a large lightning shaped scar on his chest, it was still bleeding heavily when I took him up there. He also has other curse scars and some broken bones. I found him slumped against the wall near the gargoyles. The moment I helped him up, he passed out.'

'So Voldemort tortured Harry then hit him with the killing curse again. Are you going to let that be known in the release?'

'Not until I talk to Harry, which Poppy said I can't do for a couple of days. He survived the first time because of his mother, what made him survive this time?'

'I wish I knew, but you said he was near the gargoyles, he must have been up talking to Albus. If anyone would know how Harry survived, he would. I'll speak with him when I get time, which right now, I don't have. Have you found any death eaters hiding on the grounds?'

'The aurors are still searching, but they haven't found any so far, let's hope they all left.'

'What about his body, when are you going to remove that?'

'Not yet, if the death eaters found out they might try to take him, maybe try to bring him back. Let's hope they don't know what horcruxes are.'

'Yes, when Harry said that, I thought I was going to faint. But Harry said horcruxes, plural, meaning he made more than one.'

'I'll ask Harry when he's well, he's going to have to give me some sort of statement. A lot of people heard what he said, but luckily that word is not widely known. I know the ministry took all books from the library that mentioned horcrux out a long time ago. The department of mysteries have them and they were checked to make sure they weren't death eaters.'

'Albus took out the ones from here when he first became headmaster. I wonder where Voldemort found out about them.'

'Might have been here, he was a student when Albus was still the transfiguration teacher.'

'Yes, that makes sense. I'll let you get back to work while I go see Poppy,' Minerva nodded wearily then headed to the hospital wing. The moment she stepped through the doors she saw a heap of reporters all shouting at Poppy. Minerva waved her wand making all of them fall silent as she hurried to Poppy, 'Now leave before I call the Minister. Can't you see there are sick and injured people here that need peace and quiet.'

'We heard Harry Potter's injured, we just want to know what happened to him,' a man said from the back.

'If he is injured then he needs rest, don't you think he deserves that. Now do you leave or do I have the aurors move you,' she kept standing there with her wand until they all finally turned around and left.

'It won't deter them for long Minerva, apart from Harry, the rest of the patience do not need to be disturbed like that.'

'I know Poppy, so when I noticed what was going on, I had an idea. What if I put Harry in one of the staff quarters, no one can get in there and they wouldn't be able to find him anyway. I could have Kreacher stay in there with him.'

'That might be the best thing for him, I can check on him a couple of times a day. Make sure he takes his potions.'

'Okay, I'll talk to Kingsley, get an auror here until I can get a room organised,' Minerva turned and hurried from the hospital wing and found Kingsley speaking with some aurors, 'Sorry to disturb you Minister, but I just had to get rid of a heap of reporters from the hospital wing. They found out Harry's there. So I was wondering if you could put an auror with him until I organise another room for him?'

'I saw a few sneak in here, but I was busy at the time. Oscar, go up to the hospital wing, stand guard at Harry's room.'

'Yes sir,' the tall auror nodded then left the hall.

'They're going to be all over Harry and right now that's the last thing he needs.'

'That's why I'm organising one of the empty staff quarters for him. No one can access them without the permission of who's staying there. I'll go do that now, the quicker we can move Harry the safer he will be. Then he might be able to rest and heal.'

Kingsley watched Minerva walk away and hoped what she said was true. They were already getting tips that the death eaters are going after Harry for killing Voldemort. So he just hoped Harry won't mind having aurors around him all the time. But Kingsley didn't think it was going to be that easy. Harry would hate having a guard with him, but Kingsley could only hope he could talk some sense into Harry and explain the dangers and Harry is in more danger now than he has ever been before. Voldemorts supporters wanted Harry dead and they didn't care who got in their way or what they had to do to achieve that.