The dining hall bustled with the sounds of laughter and chatter. The cool November day of Lily's seventh year at school was a good one – she had two double classes with James, which would cause anyone who was his girlfriend to have a wonderful day. She was sitting by him now, holding his hand under the table and eating some mince pie, listening to him chat with Remus about Quidditch and becoming an Auror by this time a few years from now. The whole table at Ravenclaw burst into a fit of gales at something Anna Gennings said, and Lily smiled at them, loving everything today.
"Is something wrong, Lil?" James asked her with a smile. "You seem very happy today."
"I am. I don't know why; just today I've felt like there's something new in the air."
"Severus Snape's latest potion experiment?" Sirius asked to laughter by the Gryffindors.
Lily frowned. "Don't ruin it, Sirius. I mean it."
He looked pleased with himself anyway.
"Oh, come on; last year of school…ladies finally looking for dates…that new bar opening in Hogsmeade…there's no reason to get tetchy."
Lily frowned at him and looked over at James. Their looks had lately caused her to feel like she could happily spend the rest of her life with him, and she was sure he felt the same way. Their look turned into a quick kiss and they went back to chatting with their respective friends. For the next minute all seemed normal, yet then the lighting in the great hall seemed to get slightly brighter, as if a few more candles were added into the mix.
The talking lowered for a noticeable moment as faces turned questionably towards the teachers table, yet no questions were asked. The teachers were looking at the noticeable increase in the candle numbers, but they did not seem to have an answer for this.
"Looks like the house elves are having us," was all James said.
For yet a few moments more nobody made much notice, yet then there were raised voices that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once. Girls touched their mouths as if slightly frightened by this new turn, and the younger students pushed back from their chairs, curious enough to look at who was talking yet not so much as to go towards the sounds. Many boys took their cue from these standing students and stood them self, James included.
"I can almost hear them," Sirius said loudly.
"Sush!" James told him and the whole table who still had a few talking. The other tables were likewise talking too loudly to hear the voices properly.
Professor Dumbledore had a very serious look about him up at the Head Table. He was thinking Dark magic, yet he had never experienced something like this before.
"Silence, students!" Dumbledore called to them all, and they were then quiet.
More students had risen to their feet as what seemed like hundreds of voices slowly came even more into focus. They were yelling and it sounded like dueling. Bangs went off, and it was obvious a fight was happening. Yet they remained merely echoes for some time until actual words were heard here and there. By that time, Lily held James's hand so tightly his hurt.
"You haven't finished me, Lestrange!" said the clear-cut voice of a male, who then spoke a curse which caused a harsh twanging sound. The group of people Lily had heard laughing at Ravenclaw table jumped away as if struck; the sound came from directly between them all, yet it also seemed to be moving, as if an invisible ghost had spoken while flying.
"You're a fool if you think that!" replied another voice further down, and another twanging sound went off. The second voice came from around the head of the Gryffindor table and carried through the whole hall. The people around that area, including Lily, took many steps back from the voice and from a shadow that appeared there. It was a misty ghost of a person, moving quickly in and out of focus – it was a tall man.
The ghost voice around the Ravenclaws shouted in triumph and then more curses and jabber was heard, but not as challenging as that pair.
At the head of the Great Hall, Dumbledore took control of the students who had begun to jump here and there to not be so close to the voices.
"Students!" Dumbledore called again, "those near the doors please exit! Others need to move towards the walls!"
He said more, yet Lily and the people around her could not hear over the now roar of battle sounding in the Great Hall. She was practically dragged to the side of the room as more ghosts appeared, yet these were taking more corporeal form than ever, colorful and moving frantically. Lily was shocked to see that they were all in an intense battle amongst each other.
"It's like a rip in time!" she shouted to James, but she was overheard by the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws around her. "They're here but at some other time! Like maybe there's so much magic in the air it caused a reflection to show up here!"
Just then a body came crashing through several Gryffindors and hit the wall behind them; the Gryffindors screamed and dodged a projectile spell which came close by. It was a ghost's spell and wouldn't hurt them, but reflexes said to do dodge it.
"My theory exactly," said Dumbledore coming out of a collection of bodies towards them. He stopped near their group and just looked out at the sea of battle, his eyes jumping with the stress of the situation. His students were huddled together, yet they impressed him by their lack of involvement in the proceedings and their urgency to protect those around them.
Then suddenly there was a shift in the air and all came into even more focus. Faces could be seen and identified, more voices were heard, and the only sign between who was real and who wasn't came from the airy breeze which followed the recent guests to this hall. People could now see that a good number of the people in that room wore Death Eater drab – masks on some lost – and the other bunch in street clothes. It was obvious the Death Eater side was outnumbering the other, as it was mostly two against one in battle.
Suddenly James shouted, "There!" and grabbed Dumbledore's arm, and pointed far to the right near the doors.
And there was Dumbledore in robes of velvet, running into the hall with a group of men and women; all casting violent spells in the name of good. Many students around the hall figured out the same thing, and thus the agitation level in the hall rose tenfold.
"To the left, Remus!" shouted someone in the jumble of people, and suddenly the war became even more personal as a man, clearly older, possible forties or fifties, wearing tattered clothes, ran from his position helping another man defend himself. He came into view and the resemblance to Remus Lupin who stood nearby was remarkable; it was Remus Lupin, yet an older version.
"Remus! What's going on?" Lily shouted, grabbing his arm and pulling him closer to her and farther away from the battle.
"I don't know," he answered, looking between his friends yet not finding the comfort he needed.
The man named Remus fought fearlessly with a pretty, young woman against three Death Eaters for mere seconds until she was free of them, and for the briefest of moments there was calm around them.
"Tonks!" Remus breathed, kissing her lips.
"I'm okay," she told him, smiling, yet then they were back to fighting and became lost to the students on the edges. Remus wrapped his arms around himself.
More faces in the crowd became clear to the students around the borders of the room. The Slytherin's recognized many of their numbers as being Death Eaters; some even witnessed their own death. Many Gryffindors saw the same thing, yet they fought for the side of light. Young Bill Weasley who stood in a crowd of Ravenclaws saw his parents, and brothers and sisters yet to be born. The chaos was unsustainable, yet the climax was yet to happen.
It was obvious by now the Aurors had won over most of the room, leaving only a few dozen fights left, yet what was left was something unimaginable: a man appeared in the center of the crowd who looked so evil he made Dumbledore's jaw set.
"It's him…" James whispered. Lily was sure she was the only one to hear. "You Know Who…"
Voldemort was up against five, one of which was Remus, another Dumbledore, and yet another was Professor McGonagall. Those five put up a gallant fight, yet there was something unnaturally powerful about Voldemort that made their aim go astray.
One by one the other contenders fell, and soon all that was left was a dark haired, gaunt woman and the pale, disturbing Dark Lord Voldemort admit a crowd of see-through bodies. The woman was quickly taken out, and that caused Voldemort to scream in anger and send a deadly bolt of magic towards the source of his anger: a man, tall, dark, hair past his shoulders and brushes with curses evident in his scorched clothing – many wore such burns. His face, everything about him, was a replica of Severus Snape.
"Die now Snape!" Voldemort screamed as his wand fired deadly spells.
Shadow-Snape deflected the curse with a violet counter.
"I don't believe it!" gasped Sirius in surprise to Lily's right, but there was nothing to be said in reply as shadow-Snape, the man now in Voldemort's sights, might have been done for by another curse had Dumbledore not blocked it.
Snape, the real person standing amongst a crowd of his peers, was riveted by the scene before him, yet the Snape fighting Voldemort had eyes only for a body over the heads of the crowd near the doorway. That person, Lily saw, was a blur as he ran into the room and yelled for Voldemort by name, and all fighting stopped and a line was made between the man and Voldemort.
It was strange, but it seemed as if everyone was waiting for him.
Dumbledore and Voldemort still had their wands trained on each other, eyes still locked, but the standstill was strong. The running figure slowed his run to a trot, coming closer to Dumbledore with his wand raised, and Dumbledore took a step back.
The Dark Lord bared his teeth, an angry expression, and then said, "I've been waiting for this moment, Potter! And now here it is…"
James let go of Lily's hand and stepped forwards a few steps, as if unable to keep his legs from being still, as if he was going forward to meet the man running to battle the Dark Lord.
The shadow look-alike James came abreast Dumbledore, then further forwards. The circle of Aurors and defenders of the light took wiry steps back to give them lots of room.
"I can see you survived it, Potter." Voldemort did not sound pleased.
"Haven't you learned by now," he was a little out of breath, "that your Avada Kedavras will never kill me?"
Voldemort bared his teeth again and shook his head, as if a very annoying fly was endlessly circling his head. The crowd around Lily glanced amongst each other. This person did not sound like James, nor did he now even look very much like he would be at age forty or so. This person was very young. This person was James's age at this moment.
"Who is he?" Lily said aloud to anyone with an answer, but no one replied, and she shook with fear and hurried forward to take James's hand again in hers. He squeezed tightly.
So the new person met the Dark Lord's will and he was smiled at. They began to prowl each other, stepping in a slow circle on the floor.
"You look as if you've been to war, my dear Harry Potter." His words were smug.
People were confused by the name he used. James let out a breath of relief. Now, together, the two of them stood out to the crowd of people, and many looked between them both to the scene before them.
"The Last Battle, Voldemort. This is the last!" The young man said sternly. To the group of Hogwarts students and staff twenty years behind, Harry Potter was discussing the fate of the world
"Undeniably. I have trifled with you and Dumbledore for too long," he indicated the people around him. "Because with you all now I only see traitors –" Voldemort indicted Severus Snape, and the real boy in the room was filled with a glowing sense of pride as his old friend Lily Evans picked him out and looked at him with pride of her own. "And weakness –" he spoke of Dumbledore out of spite. "And deserters –" he spoke of many who were not here tonight. "And you. You, the Chose One, the cause for it all!"
"I have NOT caused all of this!" Harry Potter yelled and picked up his pace. "I didn't kill my parents! My Godfather! Everyone I ever loved you've taken away from me! You're the one who did this!"
The Dark Lord laughed. "Then why is it I have you to thank for all my success? If you had just died when you were an infant you could still be with them. But the prophecy, Harry! And now this!" He indicates the room around them. "Do you like my choice for our final confrontation? I chose it so you would know where to find it."
"The prophecy?" Harry said gently. "You never did get to hear the end of it, did you? Do you want to hear it? Do you want to hear the rest of it?"
"It was destroyed!" Voldemort countered angrily, embarrassed by the topic and the delay.
"But Dumbledore had the original memory." The ghostly form of Harry Potter squared his shoulders and a smiled widely. "It said I'll have power you don't, and 'Neither can live while the other survives.'You and I, Voldemort. You marked me and you chose me. It's you. It's always been you!"
"Power I don't have…" Voldemort muttered, then smirked. "It didn't mention the power I do have!" And he raised his open left hand to the roof. "And that power is stronger than whatever feeble magic it is you have! Because in this room I can kill you! Because in this room your mother Lily is still alive!"
And then in the air around Lily Evans was a golden mist, and she appeared to the ghosts in the room. Frightened out of her wits, she grabbed for James Potter and screamed at the top of her lungs, but his grabbing hands misted right through her. The real Dumbledore stepped forwards and waved his wand, chanting an incantation, but not even his spells could release her. And so Lily was pulled screaming and struggling from her place and brought closer to the middle of the battle. James followed her, still trying to wrap his arms around her.
Before she was finished being tugged forwards and into the grasp of Voldemort, Harry ran forward, taking from his side a long sword, hidden before. Voldemort watched him unable to stop him. Harry slashed the blade through the air between Lily and Voldemort with a mighty shout. There, though she was still partially surrounded by the mist, James' arms could find purchase and he held her, both crying.
They were both seen now by the ghosts as whatever wrapped around Lily spread to James.
"Oh my god!" spirit-Remus gasped from nearby. "James and Lily! Oh my god!"
Their names were repeated throughout the room. The ghosts of James and Lily's friends who gathered closer to them. Severus Snape stood by Remus Lupin's side, crouched and fierce.
Lily was now mere feet from the person named as her son. She and he and James stared into each other's eyes, and she noticed how green they were, and he noticed now beautiful she was.
"The Sword of Gryffindor! NO! You found it!" Voldemort yelled in anger, taking them from their slumber. Harry whipped his eyes back to the man, and then went to stand between Lily and James with the sword lofted in his left hand and his wand in his right. He stood in a pose that meant defense, all his attention back to Voldemort.
"I know you've been looking for it!" Harry shouted. "But now, Voldemort, you are the last standing on your side, and your little bit of power is broken…and I have a feeling you will not run. So that leaves us at the end of it."
Voldemort did not reply, but he did look furious at this turn of events. His mouth formed the first curse and his wand flared with a violent power. Harry shouted a blocking spell that deflected the powerful curse to the ground. The second curse came too late for a spell, but Gryffindor's sword broke it into dust.
Avada Kedevra, for the third time, came flying at Harry, who yelled, "Protego!" with his wand pointing directly at Voldemort's this time.
Their wands connected with a bright light on the direct spells. The power engulfed the two wizards and expanded, pushing the ghosts to the sides but not affecting Lily and James, the only two closest to the dome. Voldemort and Harry struggled to maintain their grip, and Harry refused to drop the sword of Gryffindor. Slowly they were lifted into the air above for all to see. The song of the phoenix sounded over the school, and in the center of the connection grew a large white knot of magic that moved first slowly, then quickly, towards Voldemort.
All at once, the energy met Voldemort's wand. Voldemort's scream of defeat sounded louder than the phoenix and the air filled with energy and became thick from the dome, making outsiders of the spectacle unable to see Harry inside. Now only James and Lily could see their strained connection. A roaring and crackling filled the air, drowning out even Voldemort's scream. The roar lasted only moments and then faded. The scream faded. The light faded. The song of the phoenix faded.
Lily and James, and the rest of the people in the Great Hall, watched as Voldemort dropped from the air into a heavy pile. Harry landed on his feet and staggered, then collapsed, dropping his wand and the sword, but no sound could be heard from either. They were heavy, but landed silently.
In that moment, all the ghosts faded from the room.
Silence followed the muffled bursts of magical crackle and Lily and James looked up.
A single person remained of the ghosts. He was on the ground no more than a few steps away from Lily and James.
The mist now gone, the smell of food returned; the tables were all pushed aside. Food was scattered all around.
There on the floor at their feet was Harry Potter. No wand, no sword. Lily crouched and turned him over. At her side soon were James and Dumbledore, and all the people she knew – including Severus Snape, looked in awe at the wide green eyes of the young man who killed Voldemort.
His eyes were open and he looked around and smiled at his parents.
"I must finally be dead," he said with happiness. Tears leaked from his eyes and he sat up, and he took Lily's hands in both of his. "Finally, after so long…I can touch you!"
James reached out and rested his hand on Harry's shoulder. He saw a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead and thought it was strange. Harry looked at him and his lips began to quiver. Tears filled his eyes and fell over his cheeks.
"Are you okay?" Lily asked, her voice thick with worry and emotion.
Harry nodded. "Voldemort's dead…it almost doesn't matter now, but at least it was me. Now I don't have to worry about being a good son…I killed the man who killed you and my dad. I think that makes me a good son."
Dumbledore stepped up behind Lily and said, "It does, but you aren't dead…Harry."
Harry smiled up at him and shook his head. "I am dead…if I wasn't, I wouldn't be here."
And he smiled wider and squeezed her hands, and looked at James, and Lily felt her hands close onto nothing as the ghost of her son faded away.
"No!" She screamed, grabbing for his misty form.
"Come back!" James yelled, collapsing on the floor, engulfing Lily in his arms.
The last of the ghosts was gone. All that was left was the room of terrified students and staff. Lily's sobs echoed out into the Entrance Way, muffling the tears of the others. Above the two Gryffindors Dumbledore stood motionless, afraid for the future now more than ever.
The End