Disclaimer: nothing mine, all JK Rowling (but the plot is mine). No commercial interest or whatsoever, just for fun reading .
Summary: It's mainly about the final confrontation with old Voldie and the outcome of it. It's a short one-shot, a little bit on the sad side though
AuthorNote: Thanks to my beta Shadow (alias Agranta on Fanfiction)
I replaced this chapter because I had to correct some mistakes in grammar and syntax. (no guarantee here that it is perfect now -grinning-)
„In the End"
by Heiko2003
The time was 9 pm, a half hour before curfew. Harry finished the DA-meeting five minutes ago and the students left the Room of Requirement slowly.
„Luna, could you wait a moment please."said Harry to the younger Ravenclaw girl.
She looked surprised at him but then her eyes changed back to her usual dreamy expression.
She nodded, „Certainly, Harry."
He putted his notes and books in his backpack and his friends, Ron, Ginny an Hermione were waiting for him.
„I will meet you later."he said to his friends. That meant, they should go on and leave him.
They looked helpless at each other but they respected his wish and went out of the room.
„What do you want from me?"asked Luna with her usual dreamy voice.
„Luna, do you have somebody to go to the Halloween-Dance with?"he asked with a friendly voice.
Her face changed to a sad expression, but only for a moment.
That showed him what he had thought of the situation too.
„Sit down, pleas!"he said to her.
Both took a seat and Harry looked at her waiting for an answer.
„Well?" he asked quietly.
She looked down in the floor.
„No."
„Do you want to go with a certain person?"he asked gently.
„I... I..."she stammered unsure, completely against her normal directness.
„Ron?" he asked.
She nodded and looked very sad.
„He will never ask me."she sighed.
„And that is why?"
„I... I..."
„Do you like him?"he asked gently.
She nodded.
„But?" asked Harry.
She sighed deeply and looked at him, „I think, he doesn't like me in this way. He... I believe, he likes Hermione even if he will never admitt it."
Harry nodded and gifted her with one of his rare smiles these days, which surprised her deeply.
„That is certainly true and I am sorry for you. I have a suggestion for you, Luna."
„Let me hear it!"
„I believe too, that Ron likes Hermione and vice versa. They are my best friends and I want them to be happy. But you are my friend also, Luna. Tell me, do you want Ron to be happy?"
„Yes, sure."she said honestly.
„Do you believe he will be really happy if he is together with you?"
„No." she sighed.
„I think, it is time to give them a push in the right direction. I hope you are not mad with me."
„No, I am not."she said quietly.
„Back to my suggestion. I would like to go with you to this dance, but only as friends."
She was surprised, but then smiled and nodded at him.
„However, I do not want to take away any chances from you to get a real date for this dance. The dance is two months away, a long time where much can happen. I will not mention our date to anybody. So if somebody asks you, who is at your liking, don't hesitate and say yes. I only want, that you tell me this if that happens."
She looked if she wanted to say something against it, but he raised his hand and stopped her.
„Please... if you get a chance, take it. I dont go to this dance to find my love. I can go alone. I only thought you could use some company, if Ron isn't going ask you. Please, promise me this."
„Ok, I'll promise. If somebody nice asks me, I will say yes and give you a message. Otherwise we will go as friends."She seemed to be really happy about this and he again gifted her with one of his rare smiles at these days.
„Harry, did somebody mention to you, that you are to good for this world?" she asked beaming.
He shrugged and looked serious again.
„Lets go. It is late. I will take you back to your common room. Nobody should go alone through the corridors nowadays."
„But what's with you then?"she asked grinning.
„Me? I am Harry Bloody Potter, great hero, Conqueror of the Darkness, fucking Boy who lived. Nothing will happen to me, I'm sure."he said and raised his chest proudly. Then he grinned back and blinked to her.
„And then I have this."he said more seriously and showed her his invisibilty cloak and the marauders map.
She smiled and her expression changed back to her dreamy expression.
He offered her his arm, „Shall we, Milady?"
She took his arm and he took her to her common room. Then he activated his map and went back to the Gryffindor-Tower.
There was Hermione already waiting for him and looking worried at him.
He sat down on the couch beside her.
„What do you want?"he asked seriuosly.
„Harry, I am worried about you."she said and looked at him with her beautiful brown eyes.
„Why?"
„You... you are so withdrawn, but... not as I thought you would be."She seemed helpless to him.
Harry looked at the fire for some minutes before he answered.
„How should I be then?"he asked sadly.
„I... Harry... you..."
„Should I am mourning Sirius?"he asked bitter and looked with sad eyes at her. He saw that she was sorry about this question.
„Harry, I didn't want..."
„ Well, what did you want then?"he asked coldly, „That was it what you meant, wasn't it? You are convinced the old Harry would be sad, biting at everyone around him and full of self pity. Well, here's the news. The old Harry doesn't exist anymore."
She winced at his hard tone.
„And... and who ist this 'New Harry'? I mean, you have changed. You gave up Quidditch and gave your beloved Firebolt to Ron, even if under the condition that Ginny can use it during the games, because she is the seeker. You would never have done such a thing in the past, especially your Firebolt."
„I dont have enough time anymore for such fruitless games."Harry sighed.
„Yeah, that's the next. What are you doing all the day? You finish your homework before me. You are in the library the whole time. You take lessons from Snape willingly... and in the nights you disappear to who knows where. And then the DA. You are even harder and more demanding than Snape. You shove the knowledge down our throats literally and are drilling us to exhaustion. And then you are teaching us knowledge beyond seventh year."
He looked up to her abruptly.
„Hermione, I do what I must. We have no time for laziness and childishness. We are at WAR and the enemy is ante portas. That is all you need to know."
She sighed deeply.
„How are your lessons with Snape going?"she asked.
„They are going well. I can block him nearly completely.... Hermione, can I ask you something?"
She nodded, „Sure... you are my best friend."
He grinned, „Me? Not Ron?"His eyes were twinkling.
She looked at him surprised for a moment, then she blushed slightly.
„However.. with whom are you going to the dance?"
Now she looked afraid.
„Nobody asked me yet. You... do ... do you want to ask me?"she stammered frightened.
He looked seemingly disappointed and dejected.
He stood up and sighed, „It seems to me that this question is not welcome."
Shr grabbed his hand and hold him.
He looked at her questioningly and he saw the struggles of her feelings and thoughts in her.
Finally she looked sadly to the floor.
„Hermione, look at me!"he demanded.
She looked up to him with moist eyes.
„You don't want, that I ask you. That much is clear. Who should ask you then?"
She didnt answer.
„So much about being your best friend."he said disappointed and severed Hermiones hold on him.
He took two steps then he heard her calling „Harry! Stay... please!"
Her voice sounded uncertain and broken.
He turned around to her and looked expectantly.
„I... I didnt want to hurt you."she said quietly.
„Will you answer my question?"he asked coldly.
„I... I hope Ron will ask me."she answered hesitantly.
She looked at him, doubts and uncertainity were mirrored in her eyes.
He sat down beside her and kept her waiting under his serious stare. Then he grinned and said with twinkling eyes: „What was so hard now?"
„Good night!"he said, ignoring her surprised face and left the room quickly.
He waited in the shadows until she had left the room too, before he left the tower again.
In the next morning an impatient and scowling Hermione was waiting for him as he and Ron came downstairs. She had a heavy bag with her books in her hand. As she had greeted Ron nicely, she shot a glare at Harry and hit him hard on his arm. Harry rubbed his arm and laughed loudly. That caused Hermione to turn and leave the room muttering about 'boys'.
„What in the hell was that?"asked Ron.
„Sorry, that is between me and Hermione."answered Harry grinning, „But maybe she will tell you about it one day when you two are sitting at a romantic dinner with candles and such and are talking about the good old days."
Ron blanched and stammered, „What... what are you talking about?"
Harry shook his head and said, „I may need glasses to see, but I am not blind enough to miss THAT. I see how you look at her and I see that you like her... more than just a friend."
Ron stared at him with an open mouth and stammered: „That... I ... Hermione... never..."
Ginny came from behind him and knocked him on his shoulder, „Give up Ron, denying is futile."
She blinked to Harry and joined him to get in the Great Hall for breakfast. They left a completely stunned Ron behind. He joined him later at the table, not so much as looking at Harry, Ginny or Hermione for the rest of the day.
It was two days later, Hermione had just left to the library, as Ron took Harry to the side.
„Can I ask you something?"
„Sure."
Ron looked at him uncertainly. They sat down at a separated table where they were undisturbed.
After minutes of silence Harry became impatient.
„Ron, what do you want to talk about?"
„I..." he stammered.
„Is this about Hermione?"Harry sighed and Ron nodded eagerly.
„Why don't you just ask her?"
„It's ... argh.. is that so obvious?"
Harry grinned, „Do you want a honest answer?"
„What? Uhm... no. Forget it! I mean... we are good friends, right? I... I dont know..."
He tored his red hair.
„Ron! Think about it. What happens, if she says no? Do you believe, she will cancel your friendship? Come on, you know her better. I mean, it's our Hermione, the sincerest and most honest girl who walks this planet."
„You may be right."
„And if she says yes?"Harry asked.
„Uhm..."
„Exactly!" Harry grinned, „You are the happiest fool who exist."
Ron grinned now too but then he became serious again.
„What's with you then? Are you ok with that?"
„Me? Why shouldn't I? What changes between us? I do not have such a liking for Hermione. She is like a sister to me, nothing more but nothing less. Ron, no matter what happens in the future, you both will be my friends... forever. I mean it, Ron. Do not ever forget that!"Harry said so seriously that Ron had never heard such tone before from his best friend and somehow it frightened him to the bone.
„Do you think, I should ask her?"Ron asked him.
„Ron, what did you learn from our fourth year... right. Dont wait until its too late, until she is asked by some other guy. I mean she is stunningly beautiful, who wouldn't want to go with her? Who knows? Maybe some one has asked her already?"Harry teased him.
Ron looked horrified at him.
Harry blinked at him but then he became seriuos and looked Ron deep in his eyes.
„Ron, we live in dark times. Everyone needs hope and something to live for ... to fight for. Nobody knows the outcome of this war. Use every opportunity to be happy. There is nothing more worth in life then love. Don't forget that!"Harry said that with a serious nearly despaired voice and stood up. As he reached the stair to his domitory he turned his head to Ron and said, „She is in the library if you dont know."Then he disappeared.
Ron did ask Hermione and they came in later both with sprakling eyes and clasped hands.
Harry saw it and smiled but then left without a word. They looked after him surprised. They had seen the expression of pure despair and emptiness in his eyes as he turned.
The new pair was talked about through the whole school the next day and phrases like: "Finally!" or "About time!" were heard often through the halls. They seemed to be really in love and very happy about each other. They didn't notice that Harry spent much less time with them and was more withdrawn from them than ever. They only saw him in classes, the DA or when he was making homework and then he wasn't easily distracted if they wanted to talk with him. They did notice that something wasn't right but they were too busy with themselves and their new relationship to do something about it.
Two weeks later was the next Hogsmeade-Weekend.
"Harry, do you come along with us to Hogsmeade?" they asked happily after breakfast.
He looked seriously at them and frowned, "No."
They were surprised at this.
"Honestly, I have work to do." he said, "Enjoy your time together. To the things, loving peopley usually do. Go to Puddifood's or something like that but don't get caught snogging." He added grinning at the blushing pair.
Hermione looked uneasy about it but Harry said, "I do really have not enough time. Bring some sweets for me, will you?"
Ron nodded and dragged Hermione out of the hall.
"Ron! That's not right. He is our friend!"she said despaired.
"I know... but we will not change his mind." he sighed in defeat.
Then they were to far away to hear for Harry.
They didn't notice that Harry looked after them longingly with sad eyes. Nobody noticed it but Luna. She wanted to join him as Cho walked to him.
"Hi Harry."
"Cho, nice to see you." he said friendly his sorrow carefully hidden.
"I... I wanted to ask you if... if you would go to the dance with me." she asked hesitantly.
"I'm sorry, Cho, but no."
She looked surprised at him, "If it is because auf last year... Harry, I am over Cedric now... really." It sounded sincere to Harry and sorry.
For a moment the sorrow in his eyes was back but he caught himself fast. He laid his hands over hers.
"Cho, you are a beautiful and not to forget very bright girl. What last year happened is past, what us awaits is future. But it is no future for us. I really had a great crush on you but that is also the past. You deserve somebody who cares for you, who is there for you, someone who is better than me. I am truly sorry, but there is no future for us." he said sincerely.
She was surprised about his sincerity and openness. She nodded sadly and went away. He looked also very sad after her, just as he did with his friends and Luna who observed him the whole time got a jolt of her heart. Now she went over to him and sat down beside him.
„Why are you doing this?"she asked him and he jumped.
"Luna!" he called surprised but covered his face with his cool mask quickly.
"I don't know what are you talking about."
"First your friends and now Cho. Why don't you take her to the dance? She was serious, you know. I talked often with her in the last days and she is really sorry about how she treated you last year. She is also not together with Michael anymore. She truly cares about you."
"I know." He said quietly.
She scrutinized him carefully and concerned.
"Why?" she repeated her question.
"You wouldn't understand." He said quietly but then looked at her.
"Maybe you would, but I can't tell you. I am sorry."
She nodded, "You don't push away your friends like last year, on the contrary, you helped them and made them happy. You seem to accept their help in coming battles that is showing in the effort you are putting in the DA. But you isolate yourself in a different way. What are you plannning, Harry?"
He didn't say anything and for a short moment sorrow, pain and despair broke through his mask which he wore since the beginning of the term.
"I think Ginny is waiting for you." He said and pointed to the exit of the hall.
Luna sighed and stood up and after a last pleading glance at Harry she left the hall with her friend.
In the evening a meeting of the order took place. Harry wasn't a full member but was allowed to join the meetings now. He didn't mention it to his friends despite Dumbledore didn't forbid it.
The meeting brought nothing new so far only reports about the failed meetings with the giants and werewolves. Suddenly Snapes hand flew to his forearm and his face contorted in pain.
The ten present members looked at each other meaningful and Snape got up.
To the surprise of all other Harry caught him on his arm and said politely, "Stay here, Professor!"
"POTTER!" snarled Snape.
Harry was unimpressed.
Dumbledore cleared his throat, "Harry would you explain to us why he should stay, please."
"It's a trap. Voldemort knows about his status as our spy now." He said coolly.
The members moaned but Snape blanched.
Then he snapped at Harry: "How do you know it?"
Harry drew his wand and called: "Accio pensive!"
The members whispered stunned to each other and a moment later, a pensive came floating in the secret room in Hogwarts. The pensive was filled with the usual silvery liquid.
"Harry! Where did you get that?" Dumbledore asked concerned.
"Knocktourn Alley." he answered relaxed but the others gasped.
"WHAT? HARRY! What did you do in this horrid place?" shrieked Mrs. Weasley.
"Shopping." he answered grinning.
"Harry, did you buy something else?" asked Dumbledore seriously.
"Sure."
"What?"
"That is not of your concern, at least at the moment. I think Professor Snape's safety is a more pressing matter, isn't it?"
Dumbledore nodded defeated.
Harry tipped his wand at his temple and drew a silvery thread from it to the bowl. Then he tipped the wand at the pensive and muttered something under his breath. A nearly transparent silvery image of Voldemort and five Deatheaters appeared over the pensive.
The members jumped slightly and whispered but a dejecting sound of Harry made them listening.
They heard the hissing voice of Voldemort, „Snape is the traitor. I knew it. Malfoy, Nott you are responsible that he will get caught when he is going to appear here in the evening. He doesn't know about my discovery yet. But get him alive!"
"As you wish, Master."
"I have some new nasty curses to try on him... something that burns his flesh from his bones." Voldemort laughed nastily and Harry let this thought disappear.
He was met with stunned silence and Snape fell to his seat aghast.
"Harry... may a take a further look in your pensive?" Dumbledore asked eagerly.
"No." said Harry and banned it back to his dormitory.
Dumbledore seemed deep in thought then he asked, "Harry, when and why were you in Knocktourn Alley?"
"I was there on the first day of the holidays and in Diagon Alley too. I have to prepare for a battle, you know." he said and looked intently at the old headmaster.
"I also had business to attend at Gringotts. Thanks by the way that you hided my inheritance from me, Professor. My parents are surely pleased about that." he spat.
Dumbledore twitched like he had been hit by a whip, exactly as Remus who was also hit with an icy stare of Harry.
„Albus, what does he mean?"asked Molly distrustful.
Dumbledore kept quiet but Remus answered instead.
"He means, that the gold in his vault was only a small part of his real inheritance, Molly." He said quietly,
"Nobody informed him of his inheritance, his property, his home... his family fault..."
"But... how could you?" Molly nearly screamed at them but Harry silenced her with a raise of his hand.
"That is of no importance right now." Then he turned to Snape, "You days as spy are over, Professor."
"But how do we get information now?" asked Tonks defeated.
Harry laughed bitterly, "You want his plans? Well... he is going to attack Hogwarts, maybe the ministry as distraction and he is going to do it this very year. If somebody is interested and pays a visit to Askaban, he will find it deserted. He freed his followers and killed the rest."
They stared at him as if he was crazy.
"How...?" asked Molly but Harry pointed only to his scar.
"But what if it is only a false vision like last year with Siri... oh." stammered Tonks and looked ashamed to the floor.
Harry looked at Snape pointedly.
He rolled his eyes and then spoke: "I hate to admit it, but he mastered Occlumency. He knows what he is talking about and pensives don't lie."
Dumbledore nodded, "Severus, you will stay here in Hogwarts. Only here we can protect you. Harry, will you tell us, if you catch something new?"
"Sure."
"Then the meeting is adjourned." said Dumbledore and the members left until only Harry and Snape stayed and Snape was not looking as if he wanted to leave in near future.
Harry muttered some silent words and shortly after that a bottle with amber liquid and two glasses appeared. He filled some liquid in both and shoved one over to Snape.
"Firewhiskey. Potter?" he snapped.
"No, Glenfidditch, Single Malt." he replied coolly.
Both took a sip.
"There is no more reason to keep up your facade now, Professor." Harry said, "You are intelligent and sharp minded like no other I know of and every fool would know by now that I am not my father or even like him."
"POTTER!"
"My name is Harry, Professor and before you start it again, I was never disrespectful to you nor am I arrogant or see me as the bloody Boy Who Lived and don't say that isn't true, because then I have to revaluate my opinion of you and your intellect. Even Neville knows how much I dislike my fame."
Snape stared at him for a while then he nodded and sank back in his seat defeated. Harry shove the bottle over to him.
"You know that is against the rules, Po... Harry?"
Harry grinned, "Now, that is a point, where you were right in some aspects. I did bend some of the rules but never without a sound reason, that you have to admit."
Snape rolled with his eyes but nodded nonetheless.
"In the moment you need a good drink... and I anyway." He added quietly and took a great sip.
"Why?" asked Snape curious.
"Ask that old fool Dumbledore."
He looked seriously at Snape and continued "I know, what you are thinking now. You believe, you are of no worth now for the order or the world at all. Something happened to change your mind, made you leave the Deatheaters and made you a spy. You have feelings of guilt about the things you did as Deatheater and I don't want to know what happened but let me tell you something. You expiated your deeds, your working as a spy was more dangerous than the workings of every other member and surely you paid with enough pain at your 'meetings' with the snakeface. No matter what you did in the past, you paid enough for it and saved many lives in both wars. Your debts are paid now. And don't think for a second you are of no use. You are a... no you are THE potion master. You are helping enough with your potions and with that you save also lives. Alone the fact, that Voldemort lost your abilities is an invaluable victory for us." he said seriously and full of sincerity.
Snape stared in awe at this sixteen years old boy before him. You could have thought that he had read his thoughts, not that he would put legilimency past Potter, but his Occlumency shields were at the fullest.
Harry emptied his glass and got up. He laid a hand on Snapes shoulder.
"You have my deepest respect professor even if you don't believe it. What now counts for you is to live. Let your past go. Be happy, enjoy your life, make friends and find some one to love. There is a meaning in life... look for it, find it! You have a future, please believe me this one time. The war will be over soon."
That said he left without glancing back. Dumbledore disappeared from the shadows he hid in with tears in his eyes.
The next morning was a sunday and Harry saw that Remus had stayed over night and looked for him. Harry left his friends after breakfast and asked Remus with a look to follow him.
He went out to the lake and sat down under his favourite tree and enjoyed the late summer-sun.
Remus found him looking at the lake and the ancient castle.
"Moony, old friend." he said friendly, „What are you doing here?"
Remus looked at him surprised.
Harry sighed at this, "So you also expected to see me sad and mourning, did you? Tell me, how are you? You were closer to Sirius than me."
Remus stared unbelievingly at that teen, it took him nearly a minute to get a grip.
"Harry, nobody was of more importance for Sirius than you, not even me." He said quietly but seriuosly.
"I know. But how are you?"
"I miss him. He was the last of my friends, the last other marauder." answered Remus in a sad voice.
"That he was. But I think, he is looking down to us now and I bet if he could he would give you a hard kick in your ass because you are in such a sorrow state now."
Remus could do nothing but stare at this young boy who seemed to be wiser then a hundred year old.
"Remus, do know Luna?"
He nodded.
„After the ministry she said to me, that we will meet our loved ones again and I know that is right. I will see them again, Mum, Dad and Padfoot when I leave this world and you also." He said seriously.
"What's left to do then? What would Sirius have wanted us to do?" Harry asked insistently.
"He... he would have wanted us to remember him..."
"And that we will do as long as we live and beyond." Harry said seriously and now a little sad.
"And he would have wanted, that we are happy, live on and play some pranks."
Harry nodded and smiled at him.
"And why are you then sitting here instead of chasing after Tonks?" he teased.
Remus blushed deeply.
"uhm..."
"Ah come on! Moony! Don't tell me, you don't get it. She fancies you."
Remus blushed even more.
"Moony, she likes you. Don't push her away. She knows that you are a werewolf and she likes you despite it. There are people who are seeing you as what you really are, not a beast but a human with a disease which keeps you a night or two a month an animal... an animal with a human mind thanks to Snape and his foul tasting potions. And don't dare you to tell me otherwise! And even if not for the potion, it is calculable and you can take measures to protect you and others from harm for this nights. Don't make you lower than you are, Moony. You are a human who is loved and can love back. Respect what Sirius would want and what your heart tells you. Be happy and ask her finally out you walking flea nest." He sounded so sincere and seriously till the last sentence were he teased the old friend of his father good minded.
Harry got up and laid his hand in a friendly and supporting gesture on his shoulder before he went back to the castle. Remus looked after him deep in thoughts but because Harry hat his back to him, Remus couldn't see the tears, that ran over his face, but again he helped some loved one to see his future... his future after this war which was soon to end from his hands.
The weeks flew by for Harry who was more then busy even if he didn't play Quidditch anymore and spent little time with his friends, but he was there whenever they needed him.
But that was not very often, because they were happy together. He didn't push them away he only spend not much time with them.
Halloween came nearer and the girls seemed to talk about nothing more than the upcoming dance and which dresses they would wear. Finally, two weeks before Halloween, Luna came to the Gryffindortable after breakfast.
"Harry, can I speak with you for a moment?" she asked. She seemed slightly disturbed and unsure which went completely against her nature.
Hermione, Ginny and Ron looked surprised at her. She was always so direct and open.
Harry scrutinized her, then he smiled at her.
"Who asked you?" he asked her friendly.
Her protuberant eyes widened even more.
"Neville." she answered quietly.
Harry nodded, "It's alright, Luna. Have fun then. We'll meet at the dance. Be sure to save me a dance, will you?"
She nodded happily and went back to her table.
"Harry, what in the hell was that?" asked Ron.
Ginny sent him a sorry look, as Lunas best friend she probably knew about their agreement.
"Nothing. We talked about who will go with whom to this dance." answered Harry outwardly cool.
"Whom do you take?" asked Hermione and Ron at the same time.
"Me? Nobody. I will go alone and keep you at bay." he joked.
"Why don't you ask somebody?" Ginny asked him curiously.
"Who would want to go with me?" he countered smiling.
She looked at him surprised.
"What's with Cho?" asked Ron grinning.
"Well, I will not go with her." he said, then he took a look at his watch, "Will you excuse me? I have to go." He got up, took his bag and left. He didn't realize, that his friends had seen his sad expression... a look full of sorrow, despair and loneliness that it seemed to them like a burning knife had stuck them in their hearts.
„Di... Did you see that?"Ron asked finally and looked questioningly at Ginny and Hermione.
Ginny nodded sadly and said quietly, "He didn't tell us the full truth."
"What do you mean?" asked Hermione her friend worried.
"He and Luna had an agreement. They wanted to go as friends to the dance."
"But why is she going with Neville then?" Ron asked slightly angry.
"Because he made a condition to this agreement." Ginny replied quietly and looked sadly at the disappearing man with the ravenblack hair who took a handkerchief out of his robe and took it to his face. Her heart took a jolt at this sight.
"What condition?" asked Hermione concerned who had seen this gesture also.
"He said, if a boy would ask her whom she finds nice, she had to agree to go with this boy instead of him and only give him a message. He didn't want to ruin a chance of finding a mate for her."
"How could she do this to him?" asked Ron.
Ginny sighed, "You will find no one who is more direct and truthful than Luna, Ron. If she agrees to such a condition, she will act after it, no matter what she thinks about it."
"And Harry knew that otherwise he hadn't asked her in the first place." added Hermione.
"That's right." said Ginny.
"Did Luna have a special interest in some one?" asked Hermione suddenly.
Ginny nodded and looked pointedly at Ron, which he missed luckily.
Hermiones eyes widened, "Ginny, when did he ask her?" Her voice was shaking.
"Shortly before you two got together, why?"
"Ron, please tell me the truth. Did Harry convince you to ask me out in any way?"
Ron blushed deeply and nodded.
Tears welled up in Hermiones eyes and Ron blanched, "Hermione, he ... he didn't convince me, that I like you... That came from me. I do like you, really. He only gave me some courage to ask you."
Hermione grabbed his hand, "Ron, I know that. But he did gave me courage too. He did that only for us... he brought us together and also kept an eye on Luna and helped her too... without a thought of his own happiness. And we... what did we for him? When cared we for him in the last months?" a single tear rolled down her cheek.
Her friends stared at her incredulously.
They didn't have a chance to speak with him before the dance. He was less available then ever to them. Finally the evening of the dance came and they waited for him. Lastly Ron came to the common room. He was wearing a new dress robe, which he found on his bed with a note attached.
"Ron... you are looking really nice."said Hermione admiring.
"Thanks, but the robe... I don't know where it came from. There was a note which said 'for you, Ron'"
"Ron, did you see Harry?" asked Ginny.
"No... this robe... it's from him, isn't it?" he asked.
Hermione looked at him lovingly, "I think so. We... we should go."
Ron nodded and took her hand and lead her to the great hall.
Ginny and Dean followed him.
They entered the great hall which was nicely decorated with pumpkins, bats and skeletons like every Halloween. This dance was open to all students fourth year and above and should bring them some happiness during these dark times.
They looked for a while and found him finally alone at a round table winking for them to come over. He was wearing a nice black dressrobe with silver trimmings.
"Harry! We waited for you!" Hermione scolded.
He shrugged, „Why? I thought Ron was your date. Nev and Luna will join us shortly. He is waiting for her at her common room."
They sat down.
Ron looked hesitantly at him, "Harry, this robe, is it from you?"
"Yeah. I couldn't allow that you go with my favourite sister in some filthy old dress couldn't I?"
"Favourite sister?"asked Hermione surprised.
"Yes, you are like a sister to me, a sister, I never had. We have so much endured together and without you, I wouldn't be sitting here now. And Ginny is of course my second favourite sister." He blinked at her.
Both girls looked at him beaming.
Neville and Luna joined them some minutes later and they enjoyed the nice meal the elves had prepared for them and danced some times. Harry danced with each of the girls during the evening at least once and all were truly happy.
A half hour before midnight Harry nodded to the headmaster.
He nodded back and stood up.
"Dear students. Thanks to a special student of yours we can present you a special feature for this night. Halloween isn't without reason the feast of horror and ghosts."
The students began to whisper.
"Thanks to the help of Mr. Potter we organized a trip for you all to ... the Chamber of Secrets. All students who wish to pay a visit to this place meet us at the bathroom in the second floor."
The students stared incredulously at Harry who gave them a small smile. Then they hurried to the second floor. Harry blinked to his friends and went with them to the second floor. There he hissed to the horror of the students to the basin in parsel and it opened.
"Now all you have to do is slide down this tube and enjoy the sight. The ghosts are waiting down there and will guide you." the headmaster announced with twinkling eyes. The students were hesitant, but Neville and Luna were the first who overcame their fear and slid down the tube. The others followed then quickly.
"How do we come back up?" Hermione asked the headmaster.
"Harry found stairs that lead up. Have no worries."
Harry shot Dumbledore a pointed look and disappeared. Hermione saw this and hold up Ron who wanted to slid down this moment. She took him and Ginny aside.
"What's up, Hermione?" Ron asked.
"Ron, Harry... he disappeared. Something is foul."
"Where to?"
"I don't know. Look... the headmaster is leaving too. Lets follow him, quickly."
He followed her and Ginny too.
They reached the great hall shortly after Dumbledore and stopped suddenly. There was chaos... a battle was fought between Deatheaters and the teachers of Hogwarts. Hexes and curses were flying through the air... the teachers stood against nearly fifty Deatheaters and had problems to hold their position. And Harry... he was in the midst of it all. He didnt wear his robe anymore instead he was wearing a black trouser and a shortsleeved black T-shirt and he jumped and dodged the curses with ease or so did it seem. He stunned one Deatheater after another or freezed them with a petrificus totalus or other hexes unknown to his friends. He stood his own ground and that without so much as sweating. His friends stared in awe at him.
Dumbledore joined the fight and they wanted to join it too but were suddenly blocked by a shield wich was raised by Dumbledore the moment they moved.
„HEADMASTER!" Ron screamed but he earned a sorry look from the old wise mage before he turned back to the battle at hand. Hermione, Ginny and Ron starred at him.
„He must have a deal with Harry that he stops us in this way."she sweared.
„Bloody hell! How could he do this to us? HARRY!"Ron screamed but was ignored. Harry was fighting three Deatheaters at the once now.
Suddenly the door to the great hall flew open with a BANG and the Order stormed in to help the guards of Hogwarts. The teachers won ground back quickly now.
Then they all shuddered unwillingly and were gripped by an evil fear. A dark figure appeared from nowhere in the middle of the great hall.
Harry stunned his last Deatheater and screamed „DOBBY! NOW!"
About fifty houseelves appeared and worked their elf magic. The dark figure, seemingly Voldemort himself and Harry were separated by a blue shield from the rest of the wizards and the elves.
Harry nodded smirking to the dark figure, „Riddle!"
„POTTER!" spat the dark lord, „Your fate is sealed!"
„You are talking of fate... pah! Do you know my fate?"Harry asked his archenemy coolly.
„Yes... you will die... today!"the dark lord sneered.
„False answer. My fate is your undoing. I will defeat you as it was prophesized."
His friends groaned as they heared that. Now they knew what he had been hiding the whole time. The last of the Deatheaters were defeated by now.
Harry smirked again and took his wand away in his trouser pocket.
„You fool! You will die as all this mugglescum and all the mudbloods when I am through with you."
„It's funny, that my idea of how I am going to kill you comes from a muggle movie then, isn't it? Say, do you know Highlander 2?"
„I am not interestet in muggles, Potter!"Voldemort screamed.
Ginny and Ron looked expectantly at Hermione who shrugged.
„I know this movie, but I have no clue what he means."
„You're pathetic, POTTER!... CRUCIO!"
The read beam hit Harry squarely in the chest and his face contorted with pain but he remained standing. After a few moments he opened his eyes again, raised his head high and began to mutter a long chant under his breath and that all under the excruciating pain of the cruciatus-curse. His friends had tears in their eyes as they watched him suffering.
Voldemort stopped the curse as he was engulfed in a golden light. But nothing further happened to him seemingly.
„What was that?"Voldemort screamed.
„Why, Tom? Something the matter with you?"Harry replied grinning.
Voldemort casted some spells on himself and during this Harry seemed to concentrate. If his friends didn't knew better, they would say he was meditating... in the middle of a gruesome battle.
„POTTER... What have you done?"Riddle spat.
„Tell me Snakeface... do you have a soul?"asked Harry calmly.
„Surely... every being has a soul."Riddle sneered.
„That's good then because now it's bound to your ugly body, Riddle and it will die with it."Harry said smirking.
Suddenly they all felt a raising power of indefinite strength from the middle of the great hall but it didn't come from Voldemort as they first thought it would, no, it came from Harry.
Hermiones eyes widened and she clinged to Ron. He laid his arms around her unwittingly.
„What is it?"he asked concerned at her behavior.
„I think I have a clue now what Harry is doing ... from the movie, you know... and I like it no bit."
„What do you mean?"asked Ginny, tears rolled down her cheeks.
„Wait and see."was all she said and clinged only harder at Ron.
„I don't like it to repeat me but you are a fool Potter.... AVADA KEDAVRA!"
A blinding beam of green light flew towards Harry. All he did was to raise his left hand and a blue orb of light was growing around it. The green beam hit the blue orb and they linked together and flowed slowly back in Harrys body. He was slightly trembling now and breathed heavily. There was no sound in the hall and all were staring at this teen. He had done the impossible and blocked, no, absorbed the death curse.
„Now comes your end, Tom!"Harry said loudly and fiercely.
He raised now both his hands and they began to glow in a blue light. He began a long chanting which didn't even Hermione understand. She saw however the result. The air around his hands seemed to be compressed and began to get loaded with electricity... little flashes began to move around his hands. Finally there were two clouds of nearly solid air around his hands visible with flashes inside.
Harry pulled his hands to his body and the clouds parted in smaller units which morphed slowly into the forms of blades.
„Hermione... what is that?"asked Ron in awe.
„If... if I didn't know better, I would say he is using forbidden magic... elemental magic but I hope not."
„Why?"asked Ginny.
„It's forbidden for a reason, you know. If the wizard don't have enough control over his spell it will turn against himself and probably kill him."
But inside her she knew she was right he was using elemental magic and really powerful magic in this case too.
„That is for my parents, Sirius, Cedric and all the other people who were killed by you!"Harry said loudly and pushed his hands forward. The blades of air shot forward to his enemy who looked at him in pure fear and disbelief.
To the surprise of all, the blades penetrated the body of the dark lord easily... like a hot knife cutting through butter. They flew through his body and most of them came out on the other side, were they hovered for a moment. The whole body of Voldemort was teared apart... literally. The blood and pieces of meat, bones and guts flew everywhere behind his body and the rest of it sank slowly and lifeless to the ground like in slow motion. The wand fell from his lifeless hand. This time there was no shadow which moved away from the dieing body... this time it was over. He was truly defeated. Some of the airblades disappeared but not all. Four of them were left.
Harrys arms fell lifeless to his body. He turned his head to his friends and smiled happily and relieved at them. He seemed to be content, then his eyes rolled back in his head and he began to fall to the ground. The remaining blades shot at him instantly and buried themselves in his falling body. Now the blood splashed from his body and then they disappeared. His friends screamed in shock.
„NOOOOO!"
Remus was also screaming. He was standing behind them after the defeating of the Deatheaters and then they ran to Harry. The shields from Dumbledore and the elves collapsed after the disappearing of the blades.
Dumbledore, Pomfrey and Snape were the first at Harrys side. Pomfrey began muttering spells instantly and a blue glow surronded his body. After that she hold on and shook her head sadly.
Dumbledore conjured a blanket and covered his battered body just before his friends reached him.
„HARRY!" Hermione screamed and fell to her knees next to his body. The others followed her.
Hermione pulled the blanket with shaking hands down so far that they could see his face. Aghast they looked at the growing pool of blood under his body. Then their eyes moved up to his face.
„He... he looks so peaceful"she said quietly and tears dropped from her eyes at a growing rate.
„He died in peace... free of pressure and in the knowledge that he had fullfilled his destiny and that he had saved his friends. He had only one target and that was to create a future for you... his friends, his family... for us all."said Snape quietly.
They stared incredulously at the potions master. Normally he was hard and uncaring but now was his voice gentle and soothing but full of sorrow and loss too.
„He... he gave me courage to go on as Voldemort discovered that I was a spy. He let me see a meaning in life... he gave me a future and... he saved my life."he said and turned and went away after a last thankful glance at Harry.
Hermione looked at Madam Pomfrey, „Madam Pomfrey, is... died he from the airblades or maybe before they hit him?"
She looked surprised at the girl and cast some more spells at the lifeless body. Her eyes widened and she stared at Hermione.
„How did you know it?"
„He said something about a movie. In this movie used a hero his whole lifeenergy in one single moment and made a a small wonder happen. He saved his friends with this. Harry... he did that too, didn't he?"
She nodded, „He burned out his whole magic in a single moment, how... that I don't know. I didn't even know that such a thing was possible."
„Go back to your dormitories. I will answer some questions tomorrow. Try to find some rest after that battle."said the old headmaster with shining eyes after a while. In this time Hermione, Ginny and Ron sat weeping next to their dead best friend, their saviour.
In the next morning far before breakfast, all his friends met in Dumbledores office, Hermine, Ron, Ginny, Luna, Neville and all the other people he hold dear like Remus, Tonks and Dumbledore himself.
Hedwig flew to Dumbledore and laid a scroll of pergament on his desk. Then she flew to Hermione and sat down on her shoulder softly hooting and snuggled her head at Hermiones cheek. Hermione stared at her incredulously and streaked her feathers instinctively.
Dumbledore took the scroll with shaking hands and moist eyes and opened it.
Then he cleared his throat and began to read aloud... not an easy task this sad morning.
Hi all my friends!
If you are reading that now, that can only mean one thing. The final battle is over and I am no longer with you. But it also means Snakeface is gone for good and my plan has functioned properly.
„HE... he planned that all?"screamed Hermione nearly.
Dumbledore nodded sadly, „That he did. I knew that he had a plan and I knew that Voldemort would strike yesterdey on the feast. However I didn't knew the full extent of his plan. He only assured me, that he could and would beat him if I fullfilled some requests for him."
„You mean... keep us from joining the battle?"asked Ginny furiously.
The headmaster nodded, „I had to promise him to keep you safe and keep you away from him and Voldemort. And I wasn't allowed to say anything to anyone. I only could warn the order that something was about to happen that night."
„But why... why had he have to make a plan in the first place?"asked Ron.
„Now why..."Dumbledore sighed, „You remember the Prophecy, that Voldemort looked after in the ministry? It may have been destroyed there but I knew it to it full extend and I revealed it to him after the battle of the ministry. It said he was the only one who could defeat Tom, that none could live while the other survived and that one had to die at the hand of the other."
„WHAT?" screamed Hermione.
„But... shouldn't have one then survived?"asked Ginny desperately.
„That is a riddle to me, Miss Weasley. But I fear it was the way Harry chose to destroy Voldemort for good. He was full aware that he was killing himself in two ways at once, he knew that he would not survive this using of his whole power to withstand Voldemort and he knew that he couldn't possibly control such amount of elemental magic. No one in history used more than two of these airblades as much as I know about that... let alone the twenty he used to kill Tom."
A tear rolled down the cheek of the old man and disappeared in his long white beard.
„That was it then what he did everytime he was away from us... he prepared for his final battle. But where did he get the knowledge?"asked Hermine.
„I fear our young hero visited Knockturn Alley and Diagon Alley shortly after the holidays began."
Ron and Ginny groaned loudly but Hermione only nodded.
Dumbledore continued with the reading.
Surely Hermione knows by now how I squashed Snakeface .... with a concentration of all my magic and lifeenergie so that I could gather enough power to blow out his candle... literally. With this power I should be able to use the Elemental Magic I learned to such an extend that I could wipe his ugly face from this planet. Sorry about my language. Before you say something, yes I knew that I would die if I use this way to defeat him. Sometimes sacrifices have to be made and this, your safety and peace was surely worth it for me.
In the past months and weeks I tried to show you all why it's good to live and enjoy the life, because you can find friends, someone to love and found a family with. My efforts to show you this way paid off and there is nothing that could make me happier. Don't mourn me, because I reached my target. You are now happy and I am free... finally. I will now see my mother, father and Sirius again and I am looking forward to it.
Now I am no longer the boy who lived, I fullfilled my destiny and defeated Voldemort and you have now a peaceful and happy future. I am free of unwanted fame and pressure and no unholy prophecy is hanging over my head anymore. Now I am... just Harry. Keep me as such in your memory, not as hero, not as saviour but simply as your loving friend and that counts also for you, Severus Snape. That is the only wish I have to you.
During the next days some owls from Gringotts will reach you. I took the freedom and divided my inheritance between you as I thought it best. Remus... Moony, my old friend and nearly uncle. You will get all what Sirius left falsely to me... his house and all his money. I never took a knut of it. Repair the house and give it a new paint over. Remove that painting from that old hag even if you have to tear apart the wall. You are a wizard, you can repair it with a swish and flick. Then move in with Tonks and be happy. And Moony you would do good and remember what I said about mourning to long... you know it involved some ass kicking but this time it will be me of the other side of the shoe.
Remus smiled slightly at the memory of his talk with Harry and he realised only now why Harry talked with him in the first place about it. He was already prepared to go and made amends with all his friends.
Ron, Hermione... if you are still together and I hope so, then you will have a home on your own when you get out of school. I rebuilt my house in Godrics Hollow. Move in together get married and be happy and raise some little redhaired Weasley-brats. Maybe you can get one which inherits Hermiones intellect rather than Rons eating habits. And Hermione, Hedwig is now yours. I asked her and she seemed to be happy at the prospect of living with you... she seemed however mad at me that I knew I wouldn't make it out of the war alive. But you can't have all, can't you?
How the money is divided is explained in the letters.
I don't know what I should further write now. Live well and be happy. Life is to short to waste with mourning. I will watch over you all from above.
Your dear friend Harry J. Potter
P.S.: I forbid herewith, that any form of monument is build or a holiday is named after me or anything remotely of that kind of nonsens. I believe I have earned that this last wish of me will be respected.
There was now nobody in that room who wasn't fully weeping his eyes out. Hermione clinged on Ron, Tonks clinged on Remus and even Snape ran tears over his face.
„He went in full conciousness in his death to save us all. How could we be so blind? Why didn't we notice that?"sobbed Ginny.
„Because we were busy with ourselves. Nobody cared for him... we... we saw the signs. Remember the sad looks here and there? The despair and longing in his eyes... we... we ignored it all. We only cared for our own happiness."sighed Ron ashamed of himself.
„Nobody of us could foresee that."said Dumbledore seriously. „Even we knew only that Voldemort planned to attack us and when. No one knew what he wanted to do. I was the only one who knew at all that Harry wanted to make this fight to his final battle with Voldemort. Don't make yourself guilty about something that you had not the slightest influence on."
Dumbledore saw that his words didn't reach the kids at all. They all looked guilty and ashamed of themselves with their red puffy eyes.
Then Remus took the word: „Albus is right you know. I mean we are talking about Harry. He did plan this all and he didn't want you to know. You are not guilty at all. He knew all the time what he did. Please... look at me!"he demanded.
One after one they raised their heads to look at him and then he smiled.
„Harry didn't want you to be sad and swallow in self pity. Ask yourselves what would Harry want for you and then act after that. I plan to do just that. I will remember him, his friendship and his sacrifice forever but I will also respect his last wish. I will snatch this lovely lady here..."and with that he took Tonks hand and kissed it softly, „And I will make her and me happy. I know he was a true hero. He was our saviour and you will never find a man like him again on this planet. But I will remember him as what he truly was... just Harry... a beloved friend."With that he got up, dragged Tonks up from her seat too, kissed her softly on the lips and left the room with a slight fondly smile.
Harrys friends looked at each other, then they smiled as one, the pairs clasped hands and left the office after him.
Finally only Snape and Dumbledore were left and Snape stood also up. He said to nobody sepcial, simply in the room, „Thanks, Harry, for all what you have done for us and especially for what you have done for me... my friend."With that he left with a small real smile.
Dumbledore was the last as a white transparent scheme glided out of the shadows.
„Severus was truly the greatest wonder you did, Harry. So open and living I have never seen him before. I think, maybe he could even make peace with Remus now."
The ghost nodded and smiled at the old Headmaster.
„Farewell, Headmaster Dumbledore my task is now fullfilled and I will move on."and with that he dissolved into the air.
„Farewell Harry, whereever you go now and find your peace. Nobody deserve it more than you."said Dumbledore and looked to the point where a moment ago the ghost of the greatest hero of the century was floating... the ghost of Harry Potter.
Hope you enjoyed my first English story (and hope the grammar wasn't too bad). Please review.