Into the West
Imagine the looks, on a hundred faces as a group of young witches and wizards, pace themselves into a steady walk, which may be the last hour of their lives. The students of broken families, followed by the restless souls of those already lost to men draped in black.
As they walk, they parade for hope, yet their minds are full of anger, hate and a sense of ambition. For this—the final stage of the second war—will decide the fate for people whom they are invisible to. They are the last hope and if they fail, darkness will succeed.
Their leaders are strong and you may be surprised to find that they are six, innocent teenagers, one of whom the world has rested on his shoulders for quite some time. It is now his time to shine or fall.
Harry Potter, not yet eighteen leads the front twenty people, with a look undesirable to the human eye. Under his round glasses, hidden in the emerald eyes, is not terror but a mixture of relief, pain and excitement. Dressed in black, red and gold he leads his followers down the coastal road.
Darkness is steadily falling and the warm summer night is taking over. A gentle breeze calms the people, yet the heartbeats could almost be the humming from far away traffic. The traffic of endangered muggles; weary and unknowing.
Soon after Harry, a second group of people soon follows, this time followed by a female. Long brown hair, tightened into a band to keep from her eyes, blows slightly and her deep-brown eyes are soft and full of desire as she follows, breathing lightly. She also wore the same clothes as Harry.
The third group of people was being lead by no other than Neville Longbottom who seemed unusually steady on his feet. A timid smile was balanced on his face, although he was the only one who seemed capable to do so. His eyes were colourless and his cheeks pale yet, he walked on determinedly. Beside him slithered two vines.
Behind Neville, came a second female, leading her group to a slower pace, as she was the smallest of the leaders. Ginny Weasley was the youngest of the group and not just the smallest. She showed little enthusiasm or encouragement to her group as they silently walked on, her red hair stranding in the built up wind.
The next leader was Ron Weasley, who unlike the others tried to pace himself quickly. His eyes, light and half open, watch in all directions as if expecting something. None of the people in his group seem to want to be at the back and after a couple of seconds, the reason for this is made clear.
A final group of beings makes its way towards the abandoned beach. This group is being lead from the sky. Luna Lovegood—the second youngest—rides a creature invisible to most eyes. She seems as though she is not thinking of where she's going, just enjoying the views around her with moon-like eyes. Her group consists of those previously deceased and magical beyond all belief.
As they reach the cliff, all but Harry's group and Luna's group begin to make their ways to the beach. Towards the east, Harry's follows leave to hide in a small cluster of trees and Luna instructs all but the ghosts to follow as she allows herself to hide under Harry's loaned invisibility cloak.
Assembled under the cliff, the rest of the small army waits silently, delving themselves into sad and worrying thoughts as the tide laps away from their feet. Wands out and ready for any surprise attack.
Then, with very little noise, a man appeared, although to those who knew who he was, he hardly seemed human enough to be a man. Voldemort's head was bald and his face patchy where it had been regenerated so many times. He seemed relaxed and amused—as though he could just flick Harry, who was standing in front of him—from the face of the earth.
Beside Voldemort, now appeared three other men—all dressed in black with hoods to cover their faces, a female with a net veil also appeared by his side. Harry flinched; he hated that woman as much as Voldemort. These Death eaters were now appearing in the dozens, all over the cliff and on the beach, waiting for their master's signal and laughing at the people around them.
Voldemort spoke in parsletongue. "Are you sure that you are ready for this, Potter. Although, your parents have been waiting for a long time to see you again …"
Harry glared at the man, his hand rested on the pocket that protected his wand. "I've always been ready. Are you?"
"We'll see about that. Watch your back, Harry Potter. Unless you have eyes in the back of your head," he laughed and then disappeared, reappearing a couple of metres away. Harry flicked around and voldemort made the same move. "Oh, this is going to be," he paused and then shouted, "fun!"
Then there was uproar, as spells shot from all directions, some just to stun and others aimed to kill. However, Harry's first target had not been aimed for his challenge but the woman in the veil.
"Agh," she screamed as the spell hit her, surging pain into her chest. "You've been practising. Still miss, Sirius?" she gloated and another beam of light shot at her fro Harry's wand, this time she protected herself. "I'll take that s a yes."
The ghosts began to make use of themselves by floating through spells and obscuring views, weakening the damage made towards their own side. One of the Death eaters pointed, towards the sky but none of the others beside him seemed to understand what he was looking at. A flying creature with no rider, lead several creatures and the stronger of the students towards the death eaters.
Luna—hidden under the cloak—began to weave herself through the people and towards Harry, whom now had his wand aimed at the woman who he had been attacking, she was now lying on the floor.
She brushed past him, throwing the cloak off herself and onto him. She then made her way over to where Ginny was, aiding her best friend who was now running from a Death Eater who had chased her into the water.
There was chaos everywhere. Screams of pain from those being attacked but also the silence of those who had already been killed, lowered the stamina for everybody. Harry cannonballed—invisible—into Voldemort, who had been ready to kill Hermione. She ran as he loosened her.
"Give it up, Potter. Fight like a man. Don't hide under that cloak of yours," he growled with a jester-like smile. "Nothing but wands—I wont disappear and you toss that cloak aside."
It was done. The pair stood facing each other and the prophecy was about to be fulfilled. All sound was blocked from around the world. Various cries, people falling and the pleas from those around them disappeared.
The clashing of spells from each of the wands began to take place. The shouting from Harry Potter and the Lord echoed into each other and none of the spells took any effect. The wands refused to do harm to each other.
"Harry!" someone shouted. "Remember the chamber!" it was a female who had shouted but the name it belonged to escaped his lips.
He whispered. "Accio, sword."
Most of the fighting had now moved onto the beach, just a couple of injured students remained at the top of the cliff, to watch their hero as he battled for the world and his life.
Light disabled their views, bold and sharp—making people cover their eyes. Harry could hardly see, yet he ripped his sword in the general directions that he believed Voldemort to be in, circling his feet and feeling the pressure as it hit someone.
For a split instant in time, everything stopped. People, who could, ran from the beach onto the cliffs and the light began to fade away into the normal darkness of night. The moon glowed down onto the earth and still, half-blinded, Harry looked at the man who had haunted him, breathing hazardously.
Lay down,
Your sweet and weary head,
Night is falling,
You have come to journey's end.
"You killed everyone I loved. You killed everyone my friends loved and you made my life a living hell," he shouted, now semi conscience. "I hope you send eternity in a place where everyone who you ever hurt makes your death burn and I doubt your dedicated Death eaters, will follow you there!" Harry pieced the sword into Voldemort once again. "And stay dead," he screamed. "Stay dead," he repeated, hacking at the dead man, tears of pain and anger falling from his cheeks.
Sleep now,
Dream—of the ones who came before,
They are calling,
From across a distant shore.
"Harry," Ron and Luna shouted at the same time. Ron helping Luna by pulling her to her feet. Ginny, although trying to be serious laughed, as Luna was practically soaked to the skin.
As Ron tried to hold Luna up, Ginny ran over to where Harry was. She caught him in mid-fall, as the remaining will in his body gave way.
Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see,
All your fears will pass away.
Death Eaters began to vanish and students went to help their wounded friends or cru for those who had fallen. Hermione was balanced over Neville and Ron was walking a broken-legged Luna towards Harry.
Safe in my arms,
You're only sleeping.
Unsure of what to do, Ginny remained holding Harry. Her arms began to give way and she allowed his body to fall to the ground. She followed on her knees, resting his head on her lap.
"Please wake up."
What can you see,
On the Horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Ron lowered Luna to the ground so that she didn't damage her leg more and he fell beside his sister who was now crying over Harry. She was sure that he was dead and they had been aware that this was more than likely.
Luna could see the reflection of the moon in the water below her. She had been trying to block out the pain in her head and her leg and ignore the suffering around her but it seemed unlikely that this feeling would ever go away.
Across the sea,
A Pale moon rises,
The ships have come,
To carry you home.
Remus Lupin, followed by many men and women—late as usual—arrived at the scene. He ran to where Harry was and let out a short wail of pain, thankful that it wasn't quite a full moon.
And all will turn to silver glass,
A light on the water,
All souls pass.
Rain began to fall and some of the people began to wonder into the protection of the trees. Others, unable to move or to bewildered to, remained where they were. Lupin managed to talk Ginny away from holding Harry yet she refused to pull herself away from the ground beside him.
Hope fades,
Into the world of night,
Through Shadows falling,
Out of memory and time.
"Harry," Lupin whispered into his ear. "It's not over for your, Harry," he whispered calmly, ignoring Ginny's wails and Ron's pleas for him to still be alive.
Don't say,
We have come to the end,
White shores are calling,
You and I will meet again.
Harry was gone but the world was safe from the threat of Voldemort and Lupin understood this. He stood up and took a step away from Harry's lifeless body. Shaking his head he allowed himself to take peace of mind.
"He can't be gone!" Ginny shouted, pulling at Harry's arm wearily. Ron made no effort to stop her. He just watched and blinked.
Luna crawled over with much effort to her friend. "He's gone, Gin," she sniffed trying not to cry. "Let him go."
And you'll be here in my arms,
Just sleeping.
Ron moved his way away from them, trying to block out Ginny's screams and Luna's attempts to comfort her. The rain began to fall and Hermione disappeared with Neville and one of the women that had come with Lupin. Various students were now being helped to safety. Ron closed his eyes and then opened them to look out onto the sea again.
What do you see,
On the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Some nested seabirds began to sing as though aware of what was happening around them, trying to break the tension and pain. Lupin moved over beside Ron and stared at the glowing moon with him.
Across the sea,
A pale moon rises,
The ships have come,
To carry you home.
"I never got to say by to him," Ron croaked.
"Nor he to you."
"He was my best friend and now he's gone. So has, Hermione," he added.
"Hermione was fine, Ron—she left with Neville."
Ron shook his head. "She isn't," he watched Luna who was breathing heavily after her attempts to pull Ginny from Harry.
"You will all meet again," Lupin didn't look at Ron, "but for now—now you must help your friends."
Ron walked over to Luna with Lupin, who put the unwilling girl onto a magical stretcher. Ron pulled his kicking sister away from Harry and made every effort not to look at his body.
Lupin created a port key and helped Luna put her hand onto the object that he had used—a small silver and glass key. Ginny's eyes remained fixed on Harry and Ron's on the lowering moon. They disappeared like the rest of the people around them. Life has to go on.
And all will turn to silver glass,
A light on the water,
Grey ships pass,
Into the west.