He Cried
I see them falling, one by one, dropping like stones on the marble floor. People I love, like, and love to hate. The followers of the light are fighting gallantly against the Death Eaters, and the evil creatures that follow You-Know-Who.
One young man stands out particularly amongst the rest, his sharp emerald eyes wide as he sends hexes and curses towards the people in masks. His naturally messy hair is dampened with sweat as he ducks and dodges counter attacks. I have known him since I was merely 11 years old, and I have see him develop into the promising 17 year old that his is now. An orphan since the age of one, he has been through an incredible deal lot more than any other wizard in centuries. All his life has been mounting towards today…the final battle between him and the Dark Lord.
"LOOK OUT!" Someone screams from behind me, I turn swiftly and freeze. A blast of green light ignites from Lucius Malfoys wand and heads towards me. In a flash a man of tall stature and severe red hair is by me, tackling me out of the path of the curse.
"RON!" I immediately find myself crying, as the mop of red hair writhes and yells in pain on the ground. I bend down beside him, attempting to ease the pains of the Cruciatus Curse. Feeling the overcast of a dark shadow over me, I look up slowly to find Malfoys wand pointed at my chest.
I
am so high,
I can hear heaven.
I am so high,
I can hear
heaven.
Oh but heaven,
No heaven, don't hear me.Before
the man can even utter a single word, a great roar can be heard not
far from my right. Before either myself or Malfoy have time to react,
he is thrown across the room with such force that the wall he hits
cracks from the pressure.
"Are you alright?" Harry James Potter asks me, his wand held tight in his hand as he tries to breathe normally, instantly standing above me.
Trembling, I nod my head fervently. "Ron?" I say softly as he attempts to rise from his position on the floor.
Harry, too, looks at his best friend with concern.
"Thanks mate," he mumbles as I help him steady his feet, his knees still shaking slightly, "be careful…"
Harry attempts a grin that doesn't meet his eyes. "You two as well...stick together, like we discussed in the plan…" He cautions, looking more so at me than anybody else.
"Harry-" I try to begin, but he has already taken off to face Nott. I want to tell him how I feel, how much I care for him and how I'll always be there for him…and I'm terrified I won't be able to after today's end.
"He's just got to win…" Ron says more so to himself. "V-Voldemort…he just can't…he can't kill Harry."
Neither of us have time to contemplate this as we soon find ourselves facing two truly real Dementors.
"Stupefy!" I hear Harry shout from my right and suddenly it hits me as I chase away the Dementor, what has fallen on his young shoulders. I know all about the prophecy…and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…Harry has to kill You-Know-Who…he has to the murderer or the one to be murdered.
Growing up, I always envisioned the savior of the world to be the person who simply protected those weaker than themselves…not one who had to kill another being-no matter how evil-in order to complete their destiny. Poor Harry, I think to myself sadly, how he can live with such knowledge, the mere thought of it is more than I can stand.
Very suddenly, there is a quiet stillness in the Great Hall of Hogwarts.
And
they say that
A hero can save us,
I'm not gonna stand
here
And wait.
I'll hold onto the wings
Of the
eagles.
Watch as they all fly away.
Both Death Eaters and members of the Order of the Phoenix alike, drop their guard to see what is happening. Everyone's attention is brought to the center of the Great Hall, where Harry and You-Know-Who stand, twenty feet apart from each other. Both of them look truly powerful, staring each other down in an eerie silence.
"I can't believe it has come to this…" I whisper, heartbroken by all the death and bloodshed. I break my gaze from the two powerful figures in the center of the Hall and look around. Padma Patil lays only feet by me, blood trickling from her mouth as her lifeless eyes gaze into nothingness. Her sister evidently still does not know, as she stands at the opposite end of the hall, staring at Harry, unaware that her twin sister is dead.
Professor Snape is kneeling by Neville Longbottom, attempting fruitlessly to stem the flow of blood pouring relentlessly out of his students' thigh. His eyes flashing between Neville's leg and Harry through his long black hair.
This war has brought some people together…and torn some apart, I think as my attention flickers from the former enemies to Draco Malfoy. Apparently someone got through to his thick skull and he escaped his fate as a Death Eater, his father kicked him out after mercilessly torturing him…he was saved by Dumbledore and put into the care of Snape.
Dumbledore, his eyes blazing, looks older then ever as he gazes at whom he refers to as Tom Riddle.
A thought strikes me for the second time during this great battle, this whole thing began nearly 50 years ago…all because of a young man named Tom Riddle. His passion for power and hatred towards love…and the severe lack of it he had, has led us to today.
Someone
told me,
Love would all save us.
But how can that be?
Look
what love gave us.
A world full of killing,
And blood
spilling.
That world never came.
"You can't win, Potter." Riddle snarled, raising his wand. "I will win this battle and the prophecy will be fulfilled at last."
"You'd be surprised at what I'm capable of, Tom." Harry replied coolly.
The evil mans eyes narrowed with anger until they were nothing but red slits. The scattered Death Eaters stirred restlessly throughout the room. "I wonder, Potter, if you remember the last time we dueled? Our wands are useless against the other, so how do you plan on killing me. I, I am the most powerful wizard of mankind…but you are nothing short of a scrawny schoolboy." Voldemort hissed, a maniacal grin spreading across his thin lips.
"Dumbledore is more powerful than you'll ever be." Harry replied shortly.
Voldemort said nothing more, but raised a finger and pointed it at Harry, without uttering a single word, something blinding shot towards Harry, who was instantly on the ground writhing and screaming in pain.
As if on cue, the battle between life and evil resumed.
I had to fight the mad impulse to help Harry, as Dumbledore had strictly forbid us from interfering with the battle.
Lucius Malfoy took the opportunity to startle his son by tackling him to the ground. I watched from across the room in horror as Draco attempted to scramble to his feet. His father immediately disarmed him…the young Malfoy was defenseless.
"COWARD!" Draco yelled angrily as his dad pointed both wands at him and smiled. I was too far away to do anything, and as a feeling of helplessness started to overtake me, a young woman who once had bushy brown hair darted in out of no where and sent an extremely complex spell at Lucius. The man dropped both wands and landed in a heap nearly 30 feet from where he'd started, unconscious.
Draco broke his father's wand and upon retrieving his own, gave Hermione a quick hug. Words were exchanged and relief returned.
The people closest to the ongoing battle between Harry and You-Know-Who slowly stopped dueling against each other, the excitement of the prophecy's end clearly started to vibrate through the room. Soon, only a chosen few were still dueling…as in Lupin and Bellatrix. He still had a score to settle with the murderer of the last of his best friends.
I sneaked my way up closer to wear the deathly duel was taking place and watched in fascination. Harry could still use his wand against the Dark Lord, their spells simply could not hit in mid-air. The boy who lived sent hexes and curses flying at Riddle with such accuracy and speed, that not even the most loyal of Death Eaters look very confident in terms of the odds. Many seemed to want to help, but their master shrieked at them to do nothing,
The Dark Lord attempted to hit Harry with the death curse, but Harry dodged using his Quidditch skills and sent a stunning spell at him.
Harry's face was contorted in concentration and I new instantly that he was attempting to break into the evil mans thoughts, this worked to his disadvantage however, as Riddle took the opportunity to hit him with the Cruciatus Curse.
Riddle did not lift the curse and left Harry screaming and writhing on the floor in incredible pain. Ron and to my great surprise-Snape, were both trying to get to the young Gryffindor with all they're might, but were being held back desperately by those around them. Hermione had started to cry in fear, and I could feel the wetness forming in the corners of my eyes as well. How can Harry beat him? I asked myself sadly.
Riddle eventually lifted the curse and Harry immediately stood up and swayed, he had numerous cuts and his left arm was resting by his side at a very odd angle.
You-Know-Who had not expected Harry to get up so quickly and was not looking at him as he cackled evilly. Harry took his opportunity and yelled, "Crucio!"
Voldemort fell to the ground and Harry advanced. I and everyone else watched with baited breath as Harry pointed his wand at his nemesis. His voice rang loud and clear through the hall.
"Tom Riddle! You have killed hundreds of innocent people, muggle or magical. You killed my mum and dad, more students at this school than I can count and those I considered friends, and guardians. You took away so much that held meaning in my life and I can't let you kill anymore innocent people…this ends NOW!" Harry shouted.
A chill rang through my spine, the destiny of the world was about to be shown.
Harry new that he could only kill Voldemort if he really wanted to, so he focused on all the people that had been taken away from him by the wand of this less than human being and roared, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"
"You're only human." Harry whispered as those red slits that had haunted his nightmares closed in a flood of green light.
As soon as it was processed that the Dark Lord was indeed dead, the Death Eaters began to panic, many of them attempted to dissapparate, and upon realizing that they could not do it inside Hogwarts, they tore for the front entrance.
The teachers and members of the DA sprang into action and quickly sent stunners at the fleeing Death Eaters. No one aside from myself seemed to see Harry collapse to the ground, clutching his scar as his wand slipped through his fingers.
I ran towards him and crouched down. "Harry! Are you alright?" I cried.
"Yeah...Dumbledore warned me that my scar would hurt…connection broken…" Harry mumbled through gritted teeth.
Now
that the world isn't ending,
It's love that I am sending to
you.
It isn't the love of the hero,
And that's why I fear
it won't do.
"Harry…listen, I know this isn't really the time but I have to tell you know or I never will…I-I'm in love with you…" I whispered, my nose so close to his they were nearly touching.
He smiled the first smile I've seen him wear in over two years. "I love you too…" He whispered, kissing me lightly on the cheek, his eyes still watering from the pain he was experiencing.
"We should probably take you to someone and get you fixed up a bit…" I began, for most of the Death Eaters had been rallied up and binded by Dumbledore.
A
flash of black suddenly caught my eye and I looked up and saw Lucius
Malfoy pointing his wand at Harry's back as he roared the killing
curse. Without thinking I launched myself over Harry, and felt the
rushing sensation of the life being sucked out of me, the last thing
I heard was Harry screaming, "GINNY! NOOOOOO!"
And
they're watching us
They're watching us
As they all fly
away.
Five people shouted five different curses at Malfoy, his own son hitting him with the death curse, but it was too late. Ginny Weasley lay dead beside the Boy-Who-Lived.
Centuries from this day the entire wizarding world would speak of the day the final battle took place. June 28th/2007…the day Lord Voldemort was killed by Harry James Potter, the end of all evil suffering and the beginning of peace. They would also discuss how that fateful day was not all celebrations of the fall of the Dark Lord, but a time sadness as the great hero of the world lost his true love, Ginny Weasely.
The day that the Boy-Who-Lived vanquished Voldemort and saved the entire world, was also the day he cried.
Fini§
Hmmm…wrote it very late…
