Prologue. In which Harry has a rude awakening...
The explosion rocked the Great Hall of Hogwarts.
Harry watched helplessly as Voldemort turned towards Neville, the last of the DA standing. But Neville stood strangely composed, wand ready.
"Crucio."
Voldemort screamed and fell to the floor, his body contorting as the spell wracked through him.
"Crucio," Neville cursed again sending fresh agonies through the Dark Lord. "Crucio you bastard. Did you laugh when Bella did this to my mother? Crucio. Did you enjoy it when she did this to my father? Crucio. Left me little more than a squib because of what you had done to them, didn't think I was a threat, eh? Crucio. Well, you bastard, you hurt my parents and you hurt my friends, but you're not going to hurt anyone else. Voldemort Incendio."
Voldemort's flesh twisted as the fires started within his body. The bones of his arm, wrenched from their socket, tore through his skin in a fountain of blood. His robes burst into flames, mere cloth not able to take the heat coursing through his flesh. Defiant to the end Voldemort staggered to his feet and raised his wand but the wood caught and he
was left holding ashes. For a moment he looked shocked, this could not happen to him, he would not let it happen to him, not from the likes of Longbottom.
Neville raised his wand again. "So it must end, Avada Kedavra."
Voldemort screamed again as he was consumed by the green light from Neville's wand. Then he was gone.
Harry knew that everyone present would be haunted by that scream for as long as they lived.
Neville, exhausted, sank to his knees, tears flowing freely.
Harry threw off the rubble that covered him and looked around the ruin of the Great Hall. Ron, bleeding from a cut on his temple, was trying to comfort Hermione. Her limbs were still shrivelled from Voldemort's curse, but she was still conscious despite the pain. Seamus was in some ways more fortunate, unconsciousness shielded him from his injuries. Snape, dragging one leg uselessly, was checking the other members of the staff, while McGonagall sat propped up against a pillar, catching her breath. Snape lifted a beam from across Professor Flitwick's diminutive form, and shook his head sadly to McGonagall. Hogwarts would be needing a new teacher for Charms.
Harry turned, attracted by the shifting of the rubble behind him. He quickly regretted it for it brought Draco into his field of view. The boy had paid along with the other Death Eaters, when their master decided he needed more power. His torn and eviscerated corpse still hung in mid air mirroring that of his father on the floor. Harry tried to tell himself that he had deserved this fate, especially after what he had done to Ginny, but the sight still made him feel sick.
Rubble shifted and there was a short scream. A silver hand clawed the air for a moment, then was still. More rubble shifted and the last of the Death Eaters was buried from view.
Harry turned back to where Snape was clearing debris to free Madam Hooch's arm. The job was not made easier by the fact that two of the larger stones had apparently merged with her flesh.
"Is it really over. Professor?" asked Harry. "Is he really gone?"
Snape gently laid Hooch's arm down, and painfully limped over to Harry.
"Oh Harry, Harry..." Snape had tears forming in his eyes.
"It's not too bad. Professor, I'm just a bit dazed, that's all."
Snape, tears flowing freely now, did his best to compose himself but could only do so by releasing his anger. "Never were very quick on the uptake, were you Potter?" He snapped.
Harry's gaze followed Snape's eyes downwards, to the bloodied figure lying like a broken doll at his feet. Suddenly he understood all too well.