Chapter 36: Chapter 54 & 55 – Marks we Carry

[Volume 2! Starting with a big release of eight chapters. Four days, four releases!]

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[Next Volume is the big one, the finale with Voldemort is coming up, and so I have divided it into three parts. 50 thousand words each. Enjoy!]

 

The train to Hogwarts left as usual with new and old students on board. While the new ones were excited, some old students were not so.

"Ughh…I can't take this anymore," Aerith felt like chewing on her handkerchief. If only she was carrying one and didn't have to open her bags for it, "You two need to stop fighting!"

"We are not fighting," Cloud kept looking out the window, not even looking at Tifa.

Tifa pressed her lips exasperated, "Not until he stops talking crazy."

Cloud took a deep breath and stood up to leave; only Tifa stood before him, asking.

She took a deep breath, "Cloud…I don't understand why you are so stuck on this idea? Winky and Dobby brought over a few more House Elves who were looking for work, and though they aren't the best in paperwork, they are doing great managing other things. This severely cuts down our work enough that we can manage it by working on weekends."

Cloud looked at Tifa, but his eyes were pulled towards the door. Towards Sephiroth leaning against the door with a smile on his lips, "Come on. Tell her. It's because you keep seeing us…. You want to get rid of us before we drive you insane. But then again…you'd never tell them that, would you? Not Aerith."

He looked away, "We need them. The System has been quiet for a while, possibly because of many things. It could be that we are not strong enough, are still considered Novice, or don't have enough resources."

"Excuses."

"They'd also be good for the image, one on one Continent, and we can expand much faster."

"More excuses."

"They are enough for me," Cloud hesitated for a moment before he peered into her eyes, "If you are worried about the Corpse thing, then I have thought of an Alternative to try."

"It's not about that Cloud," Tifa cupped his cheek, gripping them, "It's…about you…your Soul is going to be torn apart to house those memories. Your blood will flow, and little will not do to make a body. Not once…not twice…I can't…Cloud…I can't."

The compartment was silent, and Tifa's hand fell to his shoulder, her palm dragging against his chest, "Cloud…Aerith might not show it…but she's worried too. No…she prepared to make up whatever you lose…a part of your soul…with hers."

Her tears dripped down her cheek, "I don't know how to…or I would do so too…but I can't. I can't see…the two people I love the most get hurt. Please…don't do this to me?"

Cloud watched her, wiping her tears; he inched closer to them, clasping her lips between his. She parted her lips, kissing him back, "Please…don't?"

"If that's what you are worried about, then you shouldn't be," Cloud raised her chin, "Horcruxes do take the Souls away. It's the Act of Murder that does. I am not creating Horcruxes, but something similar in nature which is only possible due to Jenova's Powers."

"Oh…."

"Uh…."

Abruptly both Cloud and Aerith were speechless, unsure how to continue.

Aerith laughed, covering her mouth, "I bet you feel stupid now."

Tifa parted her lips, giving Aerith a look, "You were the same as me."

"Please, I knew it all along," Aerith proudly said.

"You? The girl thinking of ways to heal his soul even if it would have hurt yours? You knew?"

"That was to reassure you!" Aerith said with a flushed face.

Cloud softly laughed, a short one, but it caused them to feel more shame than they were already feeling. He knew the details of Horcruxes because he read the book, the same lines and words, and even Tom Riddles' entire research on it, but they only knew that creating something like that damaged Souls. So it was a fair misunderstanding.

"You don't get to laugh," Tifa slugged his arm, "You could have told me!"

"I can't read minds…I mean. I can, but I try not to," Cloud scratched his cheek.

"It's all Cloud's fault for not explaining it properly," Aerith puffed her cheeks, standing up, "You should leave."

Cloud suppressed the smile, nodding before he took her palm, pulling her close. He put his hand around her waist and the other around Tifa's, pulling them in a hug, "Thank you…for everything."

"So… you won't have to lose a part of your soul?"

"No."

"How much blood?"

"A drop would do…but a syringe worth would be better."

Aerith looked up, hanging onto him, "And how are you going to transfer a whole part?"

"That's where the knowledge of Horcruxes comes in."

"You have all this planned out," Tifa placed her cheek on his shoulder.

"It's not my plan…and that's why I didn't want to do anything about it for a long time," Cloud stroked her hair.

"You really should have told us before," Aerith raised her chin, and he bent forward, kissing her.

He pulled away, "I'll sit in another compartment for a while."

"Yeah, that's for the best."

Cloud smiled again, leaving the compartment, and his eyes were attracted to the three next to him. He narrowed his eyes, darting his eyes between Hermione, Ron, and Harry.

"We didn't hear anything," Ron nervously said, on the verge of tears.

"We didn't see anything either!" Hermione spoke in a high-pitched voice, and Harry covered his face.

"I know you didn't hear anything," Cloud said, making them sigh with relief, "As for what you saw. Keep it to yourself."

"Yes!" Harry hastily spoke, "We…were just leaving."

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"I am coming with you," Cloud walked in the same direction he did.

"Please don't," Ron said in a tiny voice.

"What were you three even doing all the way here?"

"We were coming to see you …you left Ron's house before we got the chance to talk," Harry said, "My scar…it was hurting once after that. So…I wanted to know."

"Right, that," Cloud looked at his mark and Hermione's fuming face, which reminded him of Tifa's angry look, "And her?"

Harry shrugged, and Hermione shot a look at Cloud, muttering, "Lech, seducer, wolf!"

Cloud scratched his cheek; he had no comeback to that, "Please…don't tell anyone else? For their sake?"

Hermione's stern look softened, and she let out a hmph, looking away. She forced the door open and walked inside, sitting down with a huff, showing her displeasure.

Cloud sat beside her, and she took some distance, warily looking at him, and he ignored her, "You two need an invitation?"

"No, no," Harry coughed, sitting down, and so did Ron, very slowly. The two of them were careful, especially after what they saw her.

"Your mark…the last I studied it…I thought I had an idea of what it was. Not that I was wrong, but now I have a much better idea," Cloud narrowed his eyes, "I'd suggest. We talk in private about this."

Hermione and Ron felt offended, looking towards Harry, who nodded, "It's ok…they know everything about this. Whatever it is…I am going to tell them."

Cloud shifted his eyes towards them; Hermione had the same displeased look, and even Ron had gained a bit of courage. He turned to look at Harry, "Fine."

He was about to tell him about the Horcrux when he found Genesis sitting beside Harry.

"Are you sure you want to tell the boy? Don't forget that is bound to heighten his emotions, and if the boy could peek into Riddle's mind, then so could Riddle. You haven't collected the Horcruxes yet. It's better not to warn Riddle, or he might change their location."

Cloud stayed quiet, mulling over it, when Harry asked again, "Please. Tell me."

"I wanted you to have a peaceful year, but then again…if it is what I think it is…then you won't be having any peace this year," Cloud said, looking out the window, "Hermione. Who is stronger? Voldemort or Dumbledore?"

"Uh…" Hermione was caught off guard, biting her lip, "Probably You-Know-Who?"

"No, it's Dumbledore for sure," Harry said since he felt like Hermione was attacking Dumbledore.

"You know Harry…Dumbledore is famous, but if he was stronger—"

"He is stronger," Cloud said, "Dumbledore…he even taught Voldemort when he was a student in Hogwarts."

"He did?"

"Yes, but people still fear him more? Why?"

"Because…of the Unforgivable Curses?" Hermione answered. It was almost as if she wanted to be correct.

"And one of them in the Unforgivable Curse, The Killing Curse," Cloud summoned his wand, leaning forward, pointing it towards Harry's forehead, "This is the hand movement for this curse."

Cloud made a hand movement in the same of S, but when in front of Harry's mark, "It's…opposite to the marks?!"

"Mirror image," Cloud let go of the wand, and it disappeared, "The Curse was reflected off you, but it left a mark. Probably the only time in history, but it's also proof that your mother's magic is protecting you. Your mother's magic didn't just protect you from that one spell…it protects you for Voldemort himself."

"That guy…can't touch you, or he'd die. That's how much power your mother's old, pure, undiluted magic hold. From where I come from, powers like these…magic that can't be copied by any other, unique magics that hold immense powers are called Limit Breaks. You saw one recently…."

"We saw…?" Harry was confused for a moment when he remembered the outrageous magic, "Aerith's….?"

"Yeah! The one she used that night! It was so powerful! I have never seen anything like that!"

"I haven't read anything like that. That was…impossible," Hermione said, hearing everything with a certain fascination.

"Yeah. That's how a controlled Limit Break looks like…though even Limit Breaks are of different levels…the one your mother used was far stronger."

"But going back to what I asked you before…if Voldemort is weaker than Dumbledore, why is everyone scared to even say his name? They tremble like Ron at the mention of it?"

"Sorry," Ron looked down, feeling ashamed.

Cloud looked up at him, looking back down, "You should be fearful. You don't have protection like his or strength like Dumbledore. Nothing to be ashamed about."

Hermione nodded, "It's because of the Unforgivable Curses…they used them whenever they liked, without any restraint. They killed anyone who got in their way; they were…uncontrollable…uninhibited…uncaring…apathetic monsters."

"Someone like that…he rules on fear…and strength," Cloud narrowed his eyes, "You think he would let you live? Someone who got away? He will kill you with his hand to keep that fear alive. What would happen if the world learned that Voldemort couldn't even hurt you? You are immune to his magic when you became a strong magician onto yourself?"

Cloud lightly smirked, sitting up, looking out the window, "That mark protects you…and if you are starting to see these flashes…and if it's hurting. Then it's obvious…Voldemort is planning something…and it involves you. He won't take it lying down…he will find a way around your mother's magic and want to kill you."

"Ok," Harry nodded, visibly shaken, nodding again. He was so out of it that he didn't even realize that Cloud had stood up. He only came out of it when he felt a palm on his head, patting his head.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you even if Voldemort comes to power…and I am sure…soon. You'd become a Wizard who can hold his own, even against someone like him or Dumbledore."

Cloud walked out of the compartment, closed the door, and pressed his lips, "I have nowhere else to sit."

"Oh, you can sit with us~!"

Cloud raised his eyes, seeing twins buying from the old lady, giggling as they invited him. A smile appeared on his lips, with the slightest bit of shyness, and they giggled even more, "Ok."

"Really?" Parvati raised her eyebrows, watching him walk over.

"Only to sit."

"Right," Her sister giggled, opening the door further and a few more laughs inside.

The old lady slipped something into Parvati's hand, "On the house."

"Oh? Ohhh!!" She laughed, "Thanks."

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