Harry Potter and the Final Sacrifice
Harry and Ron were crouched at one end of the main corridor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The corridor itself was dark, lit only by a few dim torches on the walls and many of the windows were cracked or missing. The entire school, with the exception of themselves and a few people in other major parts of the building, was deserted, the students having been sent home to their families for their safety. The air was still and held a eerie, deathly silence.
Throughout the whole of Harry and Ron's fifth and sixth years at Hogwarts, Voldemort had been gaining power once more. Some students, mostly from Slytherin (although to the great surprise of many, not Draco Malfoy), had been removed from the school and sent to Durmstrang, which was now regarded as Lord Voldemort's training school for the Dark Arts. As predicted by Professor Dumbledore, the Dementors had returned to Voldemort as had some other creatures, and during the last term of Harry's sixth year Azkaban had been 'liberated' by Voldemort's supporters. Muggle killings were rising and the murders of muggle and half-blood wizards and witches were increasing. Fear, like a dark shadow, had crept over the wizarding community and lay across the country like a stifling blanket which made people talk in hushed voices and meant that no one dared to venture out of their homes. The Dark Mark was once again a common sight over wizarding buildings and the fear of returning home to find it hovering over your home was again the worst fear imaginable.
The Ministry of Magic had remained in operation and workers like Arthur Weasley still travelled to their offices, however Cornelius Fudge was no longer Minister due to his bungled handling of the Death Eater situation and Francis Hedsham (a close friend of Bill Weasley) had taken his place. Under this new direction, Sirius Black had been cleared of his crimes and was recruited to the Ministry.
By the end of the first term of Harry and Ron's seventh year it had become clear that Voldemort was preparing to take on Hogwarts and therefore it was decided that once the students had left for the Christmas holidays, they would not be asked to return. Harry had of course refused to leave and had maintained that he belonged at Hogwarts where both Sirius and Remus Lupin would remain. Ron too refused the leave without Harry and Dumbledore could see that there was no way he could persuade them otherwise. Hermione however, reluctantly returned home because it was far too dangerous for her, being of muggle parents, to remain at school.
And so it was that, on the first week in February, Harry and Ron were guarding the front doors as Sirius, Remus and Dumbledore organised the defence of the building. There were approximately thirty other wizards and witches who had come to join in the defence and they listened to Sirius' strategies as Voldemort's supporters grew closer, encircling the grounds. The grounds themselves were no longer under enchantments (even though in the building it remained impossible to apparate or disapparate) and they all knew that it was only a matter of time before Voldemort's minions attacked. A strange peace had fallen upon Hogwarts and it was like the calm before the storm. They were using the wait to their advantage and carrying out as many plans and repairs as they could. And now they waited for the first blow to fall and for the onslaught to begin.
The silence was suddenly broken by Ron speaking nervously, "What about the others?" He asked. "Mum and Dad and Ginny and the twins are all at home. By now He'll know I'm in here and the Death Eaters'll go to The Burrow."
Harry turned to his friend and frowned, "You should go to them. You can't put them at risk as well."
"What about you?"
"I'm staying here." Harry replied. "So don't ask me not to."
"I wasn't going to. I know you have to stay." Ron looked sadly at him, "But you can't stay on your own."
"I'm not on my own, there's Sirius and Remus and Professor Dumbledore."
"You know what I mean." They sat in silence for another moment before Ron spoke again, quietly, in the tone of voice that told Harry he was terrified but he was managing not to show it, "What do we do?" He asked, "When they start attacking... there's way too many of them for us to be able to stop."
"I don't know." Harry replied truthfully.
"Harry..." Ron began.
"Hmm?"
"Are you... are you scared?" Ron looked at Harry hoping that his friend wouldn't laugh in his face.
Harry paused, then said quietly, "Yes."
Ron placed a hand on Harry's and they sat in silence. Harry rubbed his eyes, yawning. They hadn't had any sleep properly for three days and it was started to show. Suddenly, a voice spoke as if out of thin air, causing them both to jump.
"They're getting nearer, Harry." Sirius' voice echoed around the corridor.
"Damn voice-transmitter." Ron muttered. Sirius had invented a device that, when someone spoke into it, transmitted their voice to the desired destination.
"When they get within a few hundred metres, I'll let you know." Sirius continued. He was actually in one of the towers with Remus and Dumbledore, watching for Voldemort and planning the defence.
As Sirius' voice cut out, their was a loud crash as something came sailing through a window on the other side of the corridor. It came to a stop at Harry's feet and he reached out to pick it up. Ron however, knocked his hand out of the way and moved in front of him.
"We don't know what it is." He said, by way of an explanation.
"Which is exactly why I was going to pick it up and have a look."
"If it's something dangerous it's better me getting hurt than you." Ron said gruffly. Harry once again realised how lucky he was to have such loyal friends. Ron gingerly picked up the thing and examined it. "It's a rock." He said. "What's the point of that?"
"Maybe they were hoping it'd hit me." Harry said grimly.
"Oh, hang on!" Ron said, "What's it doing?" The rock had begun to glow fiercely. Harry gave a cry of pain and clutched his scar as light shone from the now white rock. He fell to the floor and kneaded his forehead in agony as a series of images flashed through his mind. Ron dropped the rock, rushing over to where Harry lay whimpering on the floor.
"Get rid of it!" Harry gasped. Ron nodded and grabbed the rock, hurling it back out of the window as hard as he could. Harry gave another gasp and lay shaking, his eyes tight shut. Ron watched wishing he knew what to do.
"Harry!" He said, "Are you alright?" He realised what a stupid question that was to ask someone who was rolling on the floor in agony. He knelt by his friend and lifted Harry's head, supporting it with his arms. Harry groaned and opened his eyes slowly.
Ron gazed down at him with wide, worried eyes. "Jesus, Harry! Don't scare me like that!"
"I'll be okay." Harry said weakly.
"That was weird!" Ron said. "What did it do to you?"
"I saw things..." Harry said vaguely. He pulled himself into a sitting position, leaning against the wall for support. "Ron, you have to get out of here."
"Don't be stupid." Ron said. "I'm not going anywhere."
"No, I'm serious! You have to leave. Now!" Harry struggled to his feet and gave a pathetic attempt at pulling Ron to his feet as well.
"Harry, sit down!" Ron commanded. Harry flopped to the floor, defeated. Ron's voice softened and he said more gently, "I've told you, I'm not leaving."
"But you have to!" Harry said wildly, his hair, which was now quite long, flopping in front of his face.
"Why?" Ron asked, bewildered by Harry's behaviour. "What did that rock do to you?"
"He sent it to show me what was going to happen." Harry said.
"Huh?"
"I saw the future. I saw what He's going to do." Harry glanced round wildly. "You have to get away before it's too late!"
"Look, calm down." Ron said. "Tell me what you saw."
"I saw Him! I saw Voldemort!" Harry cried. He ignored Ron's wince and continued, becoming more and more agitated. "He told me he's going to kill us all! It's going to be terrible, you have to go home!"
Ron was shocked for a moment before saying determindly, "No."
"But Ginny and your mum and dad aren't safe! Go and take them somewhere safe!"
"And leave you here on your own?"
"They're your family!" Harry cried exasperatedly.
"You're my family." Ron said.
"But you'll be hurt! Leave me here! I'll be fine!"
""Out-numbered 2000-1 by psychotic Death Eaters? I doubt it..." Ron looked at Harry. "You could come with me..."
"You know I can't." Harry snapped, then looked sadly at Ron, "I'm sorry. This is my battle and I have to fight it."
"Then I'm not going anywhere." Ron said, determined.
"Don't be stupid! I'm not going to be responsible for your death as well as mine. At least one of us can get out alive this way!"
Ron winced and looked hurt, saddened by his friend's words. "Don't say that. No one's going to die." He knew he was kidding himself, but it hurt less. "I can't leave you."
"Of course you can. Just crawl out the back and disapparate." Harry said, willing him to go.
"Fine then," Ron said. "I *won't* leave you."
Suddenly, a wand on the other side of the great doors blasted them with powerful flames. They shook and clanged but didn't break.
Harry turned to Ron, a new desperation in his eyes, "Please, Ron, get out of here. It's not safe."
Ron shook his head and refused to move. "I'm not going unless you do as well."
"But your family need you!"
"You need me."
"HARRY!" Sirius said via the voice-transmitter. "We'll be there in a minute! They're right outside! We didn't see them, they were cloaked by some-" Sirius' voice cut out.
"Ron!" Harry yelled at his friend, "Please! I'm not going to let you die!"
Suddenly, the doors crashed open and Death Eaters swarmed in. Harry and Ron spun, pulling out their wands. However, before they got a chance to defend themselves, a tall figure in a cloak with the hood drawn up so that his face could not be seen said in a voice like an icy wind, "Expelliarmus!" Harry and Ron fell backwards as their wands flew towards the figure. The figure spoke again, cold amusement in its voice, "I'm afraid it's a little too late."
To be continued.....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, all of them belong to J.K.Rowling. I only own the plot.
Author's Note: My first foray for a long time into the world of HP fanfiction. I previously (and still do occaisionally) wrote under the pen- name Matrix14, but I was having an identity crisis so I decided to let one of my multiple-personalities have an author account. Anyway, I hope that was a good enough cliff-hanger (don't hate me!). *pokes mysterious cloaked figure* Can ya guess what it is yet?
Please review!
Harry and Ron were crouched at one end of the main corridor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The corridor itself was dark, lit only by a few dim torches on the walls and many of the windows were cracked or missing. The entire school, with the exception of themselves and a few people in other major parts of the building, was deserted, the students having been sent home to their families for their safety. The air was still and held a eerie, deathly silence.
Throughout the whole of Harry and Ron's fifth and sixth years at Hogwarts, Voldemort had been gaining power once more. Some students, mostly from Slytherin (although to the great surprise of many, not Draco Malfoy), had been removed from the school and sent to Durmstrang, which was now regarded as Lord Voldemort's training school for the Dark Arts. As predicted by Professor Dumbledore, the Dementors had returned to Voldemort as had some other creatures, and during the last term of Harry's sixth year Azkaban had been 'liberated' by Voldemort's supporters. Muggle killings were rising and the murders of muggle and half-blood wizards and witches were increasing. Fear, like a dark shadow, had crept over the wizarding community and lay across the country like a stifling blanket which made people talk in hushed voices and meant that no one dared to venture out of their homes. The Dark Mark was once again a common sight over wizarding buildings and the fear of returning home to find it hovering over your home was again the worst fear imaginable.
The Ministry of Magic had remained in operation and workers like Arthur Weasley still travelled to their offices, however Cornelius Fudge was no longer Minister due to his bungled handling of the Death Eater situation and Francis Hedsham (a close friend of Bill Weasley) had taken his place. Under this new direction, Sirius Black had been cleared of his crimes and was recruited to the Ministry.
By the end of the first term of Harry and Ron's seventh year it had become clear that Voldemort was preparing to take on Hogwarts and therefore it was decided that once the students had left for the Christmas holidays, they would not be asked to return. Harry had of course refused to leave and had maintained that he belonged at Hogwarts where both Sirius and Remus Lupin would remain. Ron too refused the leave without Harry and Dumbledore could see that there was no way he could persuade them otherwise. Hermione however, reluctantly returned home because it was far too dangerous for her, being of muggle parents, to remain at school.
And so it was that, on the first week in February, Harry and Ron were guarding the front doors as Sirius, Remus and Dumbledore organised the defence of the building. There were approximately thirty other wizards and witches who had come to join in the defence and they listened to Sirius' strategies as Voldemort's supporters grew closer, encircling the grounds. The grounds themselves were no longer under enchantments (even though in the building it remained impossible to apparate or disapparate) and they all knew that it was only a matter of time before Voldemort's minions attacked. A strange peace had fallen upon Hogwarts and it was like the calm before the storm. They were using the wait to their advantage and carrying out as many plans and repairs as they could. And now they waited for the first blow to fall and for the onslaught to begin.
The silence was suddenly broken by Ron speaking nervously, "What about the others?" He asked. "Mum and Dad and Ginny and the twins are all at home. By now He'll know I'm in here and the Death Eaters'll go to The Burrow."
Harry turned to his friend and frowned, "You should go to them. You can't put them at risk as well."
"What about you?"
"I'm staying here." Harry replied. "So don't ask me not to."
"I wasn't going to. I know you have to stay." Ron looked sadly at him, "But you can't stay on your own."
"I'm not on my own, there's Sirius and Remus and Professor Dumbledore."
"You know what I mean." They sat in silence for another moment before Ron spoke again, quietly, in the tone of voice that told Harry he was terrified but he was managing not to show it, "What do we do?" He asked, "When they start attacking... there's way too many of them for us to be able to stop."
"I don't know." Harry replied truthfully.
"Harry..." Ron began.
"Hmm?"
"Are you... are you scared?" Ron looked at Harry hoping that his friend wouldn't laugh in his face.
Harry paused, then said quietly, "Yes."
Ron placed a hand on Harry's and they sat in silence. Harry rubbed his eyes, yawning. They hadn't had any sleep properly for three days and it was started to show. Suddenly, a voice spoke as if out of thin air, causing them both to jump.
"They're getting nearer, Harry." Sirius' voice echoed around the corridor.
"Damn voice-transmitter." Ron muttered. Sirius had invented a device that, when someone spoke into it, transmitted their voice to the desired destination.
"When they get within a few hundred metres, I'll let you know." Sirius continued. He was actually in one of the towers with Remus and Dumbledore, watching for Voldemort and planning the defence.
As Sirius' voice cut out, their was a loud crash as something came sailing through a window on the other side of the corridor. It came to a stop at Harry's feet and he reached out to pick it up. Ron however, knocked his hand out of the way and moved in front of him.
"We don't know what it is." He said, by way of an explanation.
"Which is exactly why I was going to pick it up and have a look."
"If it's something dangerous it's better me getting hurt than you." Ron said gruffly. Harry once again realised how lucky he was to have such loyal friends. Ron gingerly picked up the thing and examined it. "It's a rock." He said. "What's the point of that?"
"Maybe they were hoping it'd hit me." Harry said grimly.
"Oh, hang on!" Ron said, "What's it doing?" The rock had begun to glow fiercely. Harry gave a cry of pain and clutched his scar as light shone from the now white rock. He fell to the floor and kneaded his forehead in agony as a series of images flashed through his mind. Ron dropped the rock, rushing over to where Harry lay whimpering on the floor.
"Get rid of it!" Harry gasped. Ron nodded and grabbed the rock, hurling it back out of the window as hard as he could. Harry gave another gasp and lay shaking, his eyes tight shut. Ron watched wishing he knew what to do.
"Harry!" He said, "Are you alright?" He realised what a stupid question that was to ask someone who was rolling on the floor in agony. He knelt by his friend and lifted Harry's head, supporting it with his arms. Harry groaned and opened his eyes slowly.
Ron gazed down at him with wide, worried eyes. "Jesus, Harry! Don't scare me like that!"
"I'll be okay." Harry said weakly.
"That was weird!" Ron said. "What did it do to you?"
"I saw things..." Harry said vaguely. He pulled himself into a sitting position, leaning against the wall for support. "Ron, you have to get out of here."
"Don't be stupid." Ron said. "I'm not going anywhere."
"No, I'm serious! You have to leave. Now!" Harry struggled to his feet and gave a pathetic attempt at pulling Ron to his feet as well.
"Harry, sit down!" Ron commanded. Harry flopped to the floor, defeated. Ron's voice softened and he said more gently, "I've told you, I'm not leaving."
"But you have to!" Harry said wildly, his hair, which was now quite long, flopping in front of his face.
"Why?" Ron asked, bewildered by Harry's behaviour. "What did that rock do to you?"
"He sent it to show me what was going to happen." Harry said.
"Huh?"
"I saw the future. I saw what He's going to do." Harry glanced round wildly. "You have to get away before it's too late!"
"Look, calm down." Ron said. "Tell me what you saw."
"I saw Him! I saw Voldemort!" Harry cried. He ignored Ron's wince and continued, becoming more and more agitated. "He told me he's going to kill us all! It's going to be terrible, you have to go home!"
Ron was shocked for a moment before saying determindly, "No."
"But Ginny and your mum and dad aren't safe! Go and take them somewhere safe!"
"And leave you here on your own?"
"They're your family!" Harry cried exasperatedly.
"You're my family." Ron said.
"But you'll be hurt! Leave me here! I'll be fine!"
""Out-numbered 2000-1 by psychotic Death Eaters? I doubt it..." Ron looked at Harry. "You could come with me..."
"You know I can't." Harry snapped, then looked sadly at Ron, "I'm sorry. This is my battle and I have to fight it."
"Then I'm not going anywhere." Ron said, determined.
"Don't be stupid! I'm not going to be responsible for your death as well as mine. At least one of us can get out alive this way!"
Ron winced and looked hurt, saddened by his friend's words. "Don't say that. No one's going to die." He knew he was kidding himself, but it hurt less. "I can't leave you."
"Of course you can. Just crawl out the back and disapparate." Harry said, willing him to go.
"Fine then," Ron said. "I *won't* leave you."
Suddenly, a wand on the other side of the great doors blasted them with powerful flames. They shook and clanged but didn't break.
Harry turned to Ron, a new desperation in his eyes, "Please, Ron, get out of here. It's not safe."
Ron shook his head and refused to move. "I'm not going unless you do as well."
"But your family need you!"
"You need me."
"HARRY!" Sirius said via the voice-transmitter. "We'll be there in a minute! They're right outside! We didn't see them, they were cloaked by some-" Sirius' voice cut out.
"Ron!" Harry yelled at his friend, "Please! I'm not going to let you die!"
Suddenly, the doors crashed open and Death Eaters swarmed in. Harry and Ron spun, pulling out their wands. However, before they got a chance to defend themselves, a tall figure in a cloak with the hood drawn up so that his face could not be seen said in a voice like an icy wind, "Expelliarmus!" Harry and Ron fell backwards as their wands flew towards the figure. The figure spoke again, cold amusement in its voice, "I'm afraid it's a little too late."
To be continued.....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, all of them belong to J.K.Rowling. I only own the plot.
Author's Note: My first foray for a long time into the world of HP fanfiction. I previously (and still do occaisionally) wrote under the pen- name Matrix14, but I was having an identity crisis so I decided to let one of my multiple-personalities have an author account. Anyway, I hope that was a good enough cliff-hanger (don't hate me!). *pokes mysterious cloaked figure* Can ya guess what it is yet?
Please review!