Chapter 03: The Prophecy

Neville sat in his bed wide awake. Cold sweat poured down the side of his face. His heart was beating quickly and he was panting. Fear wrapped its hand tightly around Neville's body. Once more Neville had the same nightmare. He was in the Ministry of Magic. It was a dark corridor with little lighting. No one was around. The Auror guard was dead.

He was going down along the walls checking the aisle numbers. When he reached aisle 49, he walked down. Neville reached halfway down the aisle when he saw his name on the plate. He pulled out a glass cylinder and examined it. This was exactly what he was searching for.

Neville wanted the dream to end there, but there was more. As he laughed, he turned to face three figures. One was his grandmother. The second was Arthur Weasley. The third was Victor Krum. Why were they all here? Suddenly, they fell to the ground. He was laughing again, however, Neville was not. Neville tried to move to their side and help them, but he soon realized they were all dead. He had what he was searching for.

But what was it? Neville was not searching for something. He just wanted to be left alone. The events of Cedric's death were still fresh in his mind. He had entered the Triwizard Tournament under the watchful eye of a Death Eater which split the Hufflepuff house. Some supported Neville because he was The-Boy-Who-Lived while others supported Cedric because he was rightfully chosen for the task. In the end of the tournament, Neville had convinced Cedric to take the cup together. His decision led Cedric to his death.

Kill the spare. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had ordered. The other man Neville did not recognize, but after the death of Cedric, You-Know-Who was revived. This was all Neville's fault. He had been foolish and thought he was safe from harm. He had thought nothing could go wrong. But everything did.

Neville tossed his sheets to the side, changed into his robes and left the Hufflepuff Tower. At first, Neville wanted to be alone and made his way to the Great Hall for breakfast, but he needed to tell somebody about his dream. So he rushed off to the Gryffindor Tower first. As he stepped up to the portrait of the Fat Lady, he asked, "I don't suppose Ron is awake, is he?"

The Fat Lady just glared at Neville stating the obvious answer. Neville just shrugged and turned to walk away, but the portrait swung open and Ron was standing there rubbing his eyes. "You wanted to talk?" Ron yawned and stretched.

"Yeah!" Neville said quickly. "We need to get Hermione first."

The two boys made their way across Hogwarts to the Ravenclaw Tower hoping Hermione was awake. Actually, only Neville was hoping she was awake. Ron hoped that Hermione was asleep so he could get some more sleep. Hermione had kept him up late forcing him to study. Contrary to popular belief, Ron had asked Hermione to help him prepare for today's exam. Instead of finding Hermione at the Ravenclaw Tower, Neville and Ron bumped into her in the corridor leading to the library.

"You two are up early," Hermione said with a skeptical look. Ron was still yawning and dosing off as he leaned against the wall. Neville was wide awake in comparison to his friend, but did not look like he had a good nights rest.

"Yeah. Well, I couldn't sleep. I had another dream," Neville replied as they entered the library. He retold the events of his dream carefully making sure that he did not miss a single detail. This dream had haunted Neville's nights for well over half a year now, but this morning was the first time he saw the deaths of his grandmother, Victor and Mr. Weasley.

When Neville finished, Hermione was ghostly pale while Ron was burning bright red in fury. But neither could form the words they wanted to say. "I think it's time to bring other DA members into this. We will need them in the upcoming battle."

"What makes you think that there will be a battle?" Ron asked in an angry tone.

"Because I need to stop You-Know-Who from getting whatever is in the Ministry." Neville replied. "Whatever it is, it will tip the balance into You-Know-Who's favor. With the Ministry dismissing my claims and the Order shutting me out, we're on our own."

"But what if-" Hermione tried to protest, but Ron cut her off.

"Don't say it, Hermione!" Ron commanded.

"That is why we need DA," Neville pulled out his coin and placed it on the table. "I don't know if this will happen, but I do know that we need to be ready."

"Maybe we should talk to Dumbledore first," Hermione quickly suggested. She was not all that thrilled in having to face He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Nor was she feeling very well after hearing that Victor was going to die. Well, he died in Neville's dream.

Neville grunted, "He's been avoiding me all year! He wouldn't even let me join the Order of the Phoenix! How do you think he will help?"

"I don't know!" Hermione answered desperately. For the first time in her life, Hermione's knowledge was not helping her. Smart as she was, Hermione did not like Divination. And dreams were not her specialty either.

"I say we just round up DA and take You-Know-Who ourselves. Dumbledore wouldn't believe that dream anyways. Why else would he have Snape train you in Occlumency?" Ron spat as he stood up from his seat. A plan was already forming in his mind. "Those that come with us must be at least our year."

"You know Ginny and Luna won't sit well with this," Neville said quickly.

"It's too dangerous for them," Ron shot back quickly.

"We trained them to be as good as the three of us here!" Neville countered. "They would be in as much danger as we would be. Plus we could just make them watch our backs. We don't have enough people still with us to take on both the Death Eaters and guard our escape route."

As the two boys argued, Hermione sat to the side and watched quietly. Leadership was Neville's strongest quality, despite his clumsy nature and his lack of magical ability. People followed Neville wherever he went and listened. Ron was the planner. The brains behind the strategies. Neville and Ron were like King and Head General.

Hermione felt left behind as she was only good for her knowledge. Her spells lacked power and accuracy in comparison with majority of DA members. She had no skill in strategies or leadership. The only thing that kept Hermione going was that she was Neville's best friend. She worked on charming the coins, creating a way to keep DA a secret from unwanted ears and other smaller things a normal secretary would do.

Neville and Ron continued to argue even as the trio made their way to breakfast in the Great Hall. Despite Neville's lack of ability in strategizing, he made up for it in leadership. Neville by far was a fair leader considering everyone in his equation even if it went against his own feelings. Their conversation came to an abrupt halt when the three had to split up to their respective tables.

As Ron sat down at the Gryffindor table, he still disagreed with Neville's reasoning for allowing Ginny and Luna to join the campaign. However, Ron knew that he could not win against the two girl's stubbornness. Quickly, Ron pulled out a parchment and began to sketch out a new plan. There would be three teams. The first group was the front line which would consist of the strongest in DA with Neville at the lead. The second group would be support for the first group. The third group would secure an exit. This was where Ron would place Ginny and Luna. They would be safer there.
Harry entered the Great Hall while scratching his scar. It prickled this morning signaling that Voldemort was up to something. Because of Harry's training in Occlumency, he did not suffer from dreams the same way Neville did. Harry usually had dreamless nights. It was one of the skills he developed over the course of the wars he fought. Killing always left Harry with a bitter and unpleasant feeling which often reflected in his nightmares. Salazar took it upon himself to teach Harry how to block out his dreams. He too was once haunted by the nightmares of his past.

Harry found a seat at the Gryffindor table across from Ron who was scribbling something down on a piece of parchment. Over the two weeks that Harry has been at Hogwarts, he has never seen Ron scratch anything down on parchment and avoid his breakfast. Dean and Seamus were trying to peak over Ron's shoulder, but he let the parchment roll over itself covering his writing. Over to the side, Ginny, Fred and George were busy fighting over Harry's spare spellbook.

"You know, Ron, if I didn't know any better, I would think you're studying," Harry said as he got himself a bowl of cereal.

"Well, I am. O.W.L.s for History of Magic is up first," Ron replied quickly as he continued to focus on his parchment.

Harry just shrugged. He only needed Ron to look up so he could make eye contact. Harry was able to gather some thoughts that were on Ron's mind. It seems Ron was making a plan of some sort. The letters 'D' and 'A' were present in most of Ron's thoughts. Harry picked off several names as well. Most notably Neville's and Hermione's.

As Harry dug into his bowl of cereal, he began to wonder if this had something to do with Voldemort. Although Harry was a Planeswalker that could step into the Plane of Time, Harry had no control over it. He could only step into the plane if Balthazar, the Guardian of Time, allowed him to. Or yanked him into the plane. Balthazar was the master of Time and allowed Planeswalkers to cross the Plane of Time if he deemed it necessary. The era a Planeswalker ended up was entirely up to Balthazar as well. It always bothered Harry that one person was in control of the Plane of Time. For what reason was Balthazar given control of the Plane? Harry once asked if it was fate, but Balthazar laughed before telling Harry that fate was often times shaped by will, whether it is from one person or a group.

Going back in time for a few moments would allow Harry to better understand Ron's plans, but capturing the most prominent thoughts in Ron's mind gave Harry a basic idea of Ron's plan. Of all the thoughts Harry was able to capture, one thought stuck to Harry's mind. Neville's dream. He had no idea what it was, but Harry knew Neville's mind was connected to Voldemort's as was his own. But Neville did not receive extensive training in Occlumency. Harry had well over five hundred years to perfect this skill.

Harry wondered if he should confront Neville about the dream, but the bell for the first exam rang. Harry looked up and saw Ron reluctantly peel himself away from the parchment. Neville, Ron and Hermione were planning something. Harry wished he could enter time and see what it was that they had planned this morning.

The thought of reporting to Albus crossed Harry's mind, but the headmaster was not here at Hogwarts. There was an attack on a Muggle village by Death Eaters early this morning sending Albus and the Order away to investigate. From the early rumors, Harry could tell it was a Death Eater named Sirius Black. Harry had observed the first war against Voldemort long enough to know that Sirius was not a Death Eater. Someone wanted the world to believe it, but Harry did not know who.

Harry met the members of the old Order briefly before he left. He was under disguise during those years to avoid the eyes of Albus. Most members were gone now, whether killed, betrayed or tortured to insanity. Sirius Black was one of the members who were betrayed. As were Harry's parents, James and Lily Potter. He wondered if Dumbledore knew the truth, but Harry's thoughts were cut short as he entered the classroom where hundreds of individual desks were set up.

Damn tests! Harry cursed in his mind. There wasn't a need for Harry to study this subject, as Harry had seen history unfold first hand. He pulled out a quill, took his seat and waited for the test to be passed out. Harry looked around and found all the fifth year students here. It was Ministry regulation that all students take the same exam at the same time to avoid cheating.

Once the tests were passed out, Harry ripped through the bindings and scribbled down the answers as they naturally came to his mind. Midway through the exam, Harry began to feel his scar burn. He looked over to search for Neville, but it seems Neville had finished the exam already. Ron and Hermione were also gone as well as many of the people Harry had seen in Ron's thoughts. Desperate for a clue, Harry let his defenses down and unwanted thought invade his mind.

When Harry woke, he found himself in the Ministry of Magic. He recognized it because he was here during the last war. He entered one of the corridors and saw an Auror guarding the entrance. A green jet shot out of his wand and the man collapsed to the ground. The doors swung open and revealed a room with thousands of aisles. Harry coasted down the aisles searching for a number. When he hit 49, he smiled and walked down. After a few meters, Harry reached the center where he looked carefully at hundreds of glass cylinders.

'Neville Longbottom' one of them read. A hand reached out and pulled out the cylinder. He began to laugh as he turned to face three people bound and beaten to the side. A green flash sparked behind their necks before they each collapsed to the ground. Harry knew instantly that they were dead, but Harry did not recognize their faces.

Harry shot up in his seat and scratched his scar again. He knew what was going to happen and when. Voldemort was after the prophecy and he was going to get it today. Harry shuffled through his exam packet and noticed he only had one unanswered question. Screw this! Harry said to himself knowing that he could pass without answering the last question.

Harry took his exam and placed it onto the front desk before dashing out of the classroom. First thing Harry needed to do was contact a member of the Order. As Harry made his way down the hall, he found himself face to face with Professor Umbridge. "So you're the boy who suddenly arrive out of nowhere and expect to be treated as a hero?"

Most of the time, Harry treated adults with respect, but Umbridge was not one who deserved it. "Shut up and get out of my way," Harry replied as he tried to walk past.

A wand rose up and pointed in his face. "You will treat me with utmost respect, Mister Potter!" Umbridge commanded.

"Make me," Harry challenged as he knocked the wand away and walked past the portly professor.

"Stop right there, boy!" a snarling voice commanded.

"Like I'll listen to you," Harry muttered disrespectfully. "If you're going to point your wand at me, make sure you're going to use it, otherwise I don't have time to waste on someone as miserable like you."

"Crucio!" a voice screamed that startled Harry. He was not expecting that curse to be thrown. Especially since Umbridge was a professor. It had been a long time since Harry had experience the Cruciatus Curse. All he remembered was that it was unpleasant. As Harry hit the ground screaming in pain, it made him remember how unpleasant it was. "Now, you filthy mutt, I dare you repeat that line you so disrespectfully used."

"It would be an insult to miserable people everywhere to label you as a miserable person. You're a fucking psychotic bitch! A female counterpart of Voldemort!" Harry blasted with a laugh as the curse was freed for a moment.

"You ungrateful, insignificant runt! Crucio!" Umbrige cried out in shock and the spell hit Harry in the chest.

This time, instead of crumpling to the ground in pain, Harry withstood the spell. "Sorry, the same trick doesn't work twice," Harry bluffed with a laugh. While he did not show any signs of pain, Harry's body was in severe pain, worse than the first wave as he angered Umbridge even more. However, Harry was able to fend off the pain through the mastery of concentration and his iron will.

"Impossible!" Umbridge cried out as she used the curse once more, but Harry was able to hold up his bluff.

"Yeah, whatever," Harry said as he pulled out a spellbook, flipped it open and spoke a quite incantation. A sudden burst of light exploded in Harry's palm knocking Umbridge out. Once the professor lost consciousness, the pain disappeared, but it had taken a toll on Harry's body.

"Assaulting a teacher and a member of the Ministry is a crime, Mister Potter," a snide voice spat. If Harry did not know any better, he would have believed the voice belonged to Salazar Slytherin in his early years as a professor. It was no so much the same voice, but the manner in which they spoke it. They both had this cold voice, but with a hint of curiosity. Hidden deeply inside the words was worry.

"She was in the way. Neville and his friends have gone to the Ministry of Magic," Harry told Snape quickly as he spun around. He did not know if Severus Snape was a member of the Order, but if this man was anything like Salazar, he would help. "They are in over their heads and you need to contact Albus with this information!"

"What makes you think that?" Snape asked with a glare.

"Neville isn't the only one who has the dreams," Harry spat as he pulled up his hair to reveal his scar. "I am connected to Voldemort as well. Ask Albus if you don't believe me. But the more time we waste debating, the more people will die against the Death Eaters."

"Fine. I will notify Dumbledore, but you are to stay here until he arrives."

"There is no time, Professor Snape," Harry shot quickly. "I have to help them or else they will die."

Snape watched in shock as a black liquid rose from Harry's shadow and wrapped around the boy. The next moment Harry was absorbed into his own shadow and disappeared. He quickly regained his composure and rushed off to the nearest fireplace.
Neville lead Ron, Hermione, Ernie, Zacharias, Dean and Seamus through the long corridors of the Ministry. Fred and George lead the support team with Hannah, Susan, Terry, Michael and Cho. Stewart led the rear guard that consisted of him, Ginny, Luna, Eleanor, Owen, Kevin and Rose.

"Stewart, you are to stay here and stay hidden from view," Neville ordered as he turned back. They could see a fallen Auror guard up ahead. It seems the Ministry was not informed that one of their guards was dead. "None of you are to follow. If we aren't out in thirty minutes, go get help from Moody!"

Neville led his team through the door first. It was dark and quiet. No one was here. As they made their way to the end of the hallway, Neville signaled Fred, George and their team to follow. When the twin's team made it past the doors, it suddenly slammed shut cutting off their escape. Green jets suddenly poured down upon them as Neville shouted for them too run.

It was far too late as he saw Terry and Michael hit the ground. Dean and Seamus shouted their spells in retaliation, but two stunners hit them knocking them out of play the instant the two boys got off their first spell. Hannah was hit by a cutting curse and blood poured out from her severed left arm. She was crying in pain as Susan dragged her to cover. George was stunned as he fired off spells to cover his team's escape and Fred carried his twin away to safety.

Ernie and Zacharias held their ground and were able to take down four of the twelve Death Eaters Neville could see that ambushed them. "Retreat!" Neville ordered as they rushed down the corridor. They were not ready for this. They were not ready for war at all. Neville was dragging Ernie, Ron was carrying Zacharias, Fred helped George while Susan moved Hannah. Hermione blew open the doors to the next room while Cho was defending their rear.

Half the team was down in the first minute of battle. Two were dead, three were stunned and one was injured. Things could not have gone worse for Neville Longbottom. "Eneverate!" Neville shouted reviving Ernie. Ron and Fred did the same for Zacharias and George while Susan tried her best to close Hannah's wound.

"Get those shelves and move it against the entrance!" Ron bellowed as wands waved and metal shelves closed itself against the entrance. "Neville, who stays and who goes?"

Neville looked around at his scattered teams. He never had a chance to decide before the shelves exploded. One of them fell over crushing Ernie's legs as he bellowed in pain. Shouts of stunners roared as red jets shot towards the doorway. One Death Eater fell, but the remaining seven split up. Several spells shot back missing Neville and his friends. But explosions erupted in the room destroying various magical objects around the room.

Hermione dodged out the way only to find that a shelf of time turners exploded to her left. She fired a spell back destroying a piece of the wall as a stunner hit the Death Eater hiding there. Hermione heard a scream as she turned to see blood splash out from a wound across Susan's back. "Expeliarmus!" Hermione shouted disarming the Death Eater before he could finish the job. "Petrificus Totalus!" Hermione cried out freezing the Death Eater. "Come on!" Hermione said as she pulled Susan and Hannah off the ground. She found a nice hiding spot in the debris and told Susan and Hannah to stay there as she placed a Disillusion Charm over them.

Ron and his twin older brothers held their ground against the remaining four Death Eaters. This allowed Neville, Cho and Zacharias to free Ernie and drag him out of harms way. However, two stunners found their way through Ron, Fred and George's defenses and hit Cho and Zacharias. Suddenly, an explosion cut off the Death Eaters from Neville and his fallen friends. Neville quickly revived Cho and Zacharias and ordered them to stay hidden to watch over their fallen friends.

"We got to go!" Ron shouted as Fred, George and Hermione made it through the other exit. Neville gave a nod to Cho and Zach before leaving them to tend the wounded.

Harry arrived before the Ministry of Magic and noticed nothing wrong. But Harry had the distinct feeling Voldemort was already inside. Harry quickly flipped through his spellbook and readied his spell before charging into the Ministry. He just hoped he was not too late. Harry made his way through the Ministry unnoticed until he met Ginny and six other students pounding on a pair of double doors.

"Ginny, how long have they been inside?" Harry shouted as he dashed down the hall.

"I don't know!" Ginny stammered. "Ten minutes?"

"When I break through this door, you are to get everyone who is down on the ground and bring them back here. Do not, under any circumstance, take on a Death Eater if you see one. Just run," Harry ordered. He concentrated and five white orbs formed around him. Two smashed into the doors destroying them effortlessly while the other three shot down the hall. One was deflected and smashed into the ceiling above toppling it down while the other two ripped through flesh.

Blood splashed onto the ground and screams came from behind Harry, but he was not fazed. More white orbs formed around him and shot down the hall at the remaining two Death Eaters. They were able to deflect the first orb, but the second one always hit. One tore through a Death Eater's chest while the other disintegrated the other's head. "Get moving, Ginny!" Harry commanded. "Voldemort will know reinforcements have come and will start sending more Death Eaters."

Harry wished he could Planeswalk in the Ministry of Magic, but there was an ancient artifact here that disrupted the Planes. Harry walked through the door and found two fellow students lying dead at the entrance. He winced as Ginny and her friends pulled them out. As he continued down the hall, he found Dean and Seamus lying on the ground stunned. "Ginny! Dean and Seamus are stunned. You'll need to revive them and have them tell you what happened!" Harry commanded before he dashed down the hallway.

Up ahead, the path was blocked by debris. Normally, Harry would use a spell to clear a path, but he has used half of his magical energy already. He had pumped more energy into the orbs than normal so they would kill on contact. As powerful as Harry was, he did not have infinite energy. He just hoped he had enough to save Neville and his friends from Voldemort's trap.

Neville raced down the familiar corridors of his dream and found his way to a chamber of aisles. "Forty nine," he whispered to himself as he raced down the wall. When he found aisle 49, he turned and saw Voldemort standing on the other side of the aisle with a smile across his face.

"Welcome, Neville Longbottom. I was wondering when you would show up. I was getting tired of waiting," Voldemort greeted. Suddenly, over twenty shadows surrounded Neville and his four friends. "Now be a good boy and retrieve the Prophecy for me."

"What makes you think I will comply?" Neville spat back.

"Oh, you will. You value the life of friends and family after all," Voldemort stepped to the side revealing Mr. Weasley, Victor and his grandmother.

Anger burst through Neville's mind as he saw how weak his grandmother seemed. She obviously had been tortured. How Voldemort captured her Neville did not know, but he was sure to make Voldemort pay.

Ron, Fred and George called out for their father, but wands pointed at the back of Arthur's neck froze the three redheads where they stood. They were itching to fire spells at the Death Eaters and save their father, but they were clearly outnumbered.

Hermione was at the verge of tears as she saw Victor barely hanging on to his life. Blood was dripping down his face and his body was red with wounds. Unknown to her friends, Hermione had begun to date Victor secretly. Now, he was forty meters across the hall and Hermione could do nothing to save him.

"Now, do you want your grandmother, the bloodtraitor's father and the mudblood's boyfriend to die? Or are you willing to give me the Prophecy to save their lives?" Voldemort asked.

"Don't do it, Neville," his grandmother commanded, but Voldemort's fist smashed into her face breaking her nose.

Neville cried out in anger, but Voldemort just laughed. "Now choose!" Reluctantly, Neville and his friends walked to the middle of the aisle and retrieved the prophecy. "Hand it over!" Voldemort commanded. Neville laid the glass cylinder on the ground and rolled it over to Voldemort. "Good. Now to keep my promises! Kill the prisoners!"

"NO!" Neville and his friends screamed in unison, but his grandmother, Mr. Weasley and Victor fell lifeless to the ground. Green jets flew down towards the group of five friends, but a transparent shield materialized around them saving them from their deaths. A few moments later, lightning blazed across the top of the room knocking all the Death Eaters away.

"Who might you be?" Voldemort questioned as Neville, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George turned around.

"Harry Potter," a boy answered as he stood with a book open in his left hand. A bolt of lightning shot out from his right palm and slammed into Voldemort's chest knocking him into the wall. "Sorry, Voldemort. You won't be taking their lives today," Harry shouted as he dashed over to Neville and his friends.

"How- You-" Neville stammered.

"No time. Ron, Fred and George. One of you or all of you summon a fireball and shoot it up at the ceiling," Harry said quickly as he tossed them the spellbook in his hand. From his pouch, he pulled out another spellbook and flipped four pages in. "Hurry up! This shield won't last much longer!"

Ron, Fred and George quickly began their incantations as Harry began his own. "Do you think a measly bolt of lightning can kill me? The Great Lord Voldemort?" Voldemort asked as he recovered from the blast. Three fireballs erupted in the room scorching the Death Eaters. Some screamed as the flames burned their flesh while others got out of the way. Suddenly, a spear shot out and stabbed into Voldemort's chest. He looked down when it exploded ripping off parts of his body.

"You killed You-Know-Who!" Hermione cheered with hope as she crawled forward to find Victor.

"No. Temporarily wounded him," Harry replied as he grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled her off the ground. "We need to go!" Harry shouted as he ushered the four other boys to their feet.

"But You-Know-Who is-" Ron started, but Harry would not let him finish.

"I can't kill Voldemort. Only Neville can," Harry shouted trying to keep the five from running over to their loved ones that had fallen. "We can get them once Albus arrives! But we need to escape. Now!"

Harry could not get the five out before Voldemort stood up again. Half of his body was gone, but it was quickly regenerating. "You know, Harry Potter. That hurt. That hurt a lot." Harry looked over and saw that the Prophecy was still in tact. He quickly drew a dagger from his pouch, tossed it and shattered the glass cylinder. Voldemort looked down in horror not believing what he had seen. "Do you know what you have done?"

Harry quickly flipped though his spellbook and began an incantation ignoring Voldemort completely. Neville and his friends were also staring at Harry not believing what Harry had just done. Before they could ask, Voldemort raised his wand and shot out a spell. At the same time, a wall of ice formed between Harry and Voldemort blocking the spell.

"WE HAVE TO GO!" Harry shouted in anger. He hated having to deal with naïve people. None understood the danger they were in. None understood how thin the line their lives were hanging on. None understood that by dying, they would not be able to honor those who died. "Either we go now or we all die!"

However, none of the five friends moved towards the exit. Instead, they were trying to get back to their loved ones. They did not care or realize that by going back, they were walking towards certain death. Harry was running low on magical energy as well as his patience and he doubted that he could cast another spell. Not one that could counter something Voldemort would throw or injure Voldemort enough to make their escape. He noticed that the ice was cracking and quickly pulled Hermione out of the way. A spear pierced through and stabbed into his right shoulder. "GO!" Harry commanded as he fell to his knees.

The ice wall exploded sending shards of ice down the aisle, but the six teenagers were well down the corridor. "HARRY POTTER!" Voldemort screamed in fury. No one has ever injured Voldemort. Not even Albus Dumbledore. However, a fifteen year old boy had destroyed half of his body with a single blow. "Chase after them!" Voldemort commanded his remaining Death Eaters.

Harry made his way down the corridor with the help of the twins. His energy was drained when he destroyed the spear and closed his wound. "We have to hurry!" Neville called out as they entered the room they battled Death Eaters earlier. The debris covering the exit blew open and the five friends drew their wands wondering if it was an enemy that stood behind the dust.

However, Neville found the familiar faces of Albus Dumbledore, Alastor Moody, Minerva McGonagall and other members of the Order of the Phoenix. "Neville!" Dumbledore cried out as he walked into the room. "What happened?"

"You-Know-Who tried to get the Prophecy, but Harry destroyed it," Neville answered quickly as Fred and George set the boy down. "He came in and save our lives…"

Dumbledore looked around and saw Cho and Zacharias come out of the shadows supporting an injured Ernie. Susan and Hannah were off in a corner coping with their injuries. "Take all the injured students back to Hogwarts and have Poppy take care of them!" Dumbledore commanded the members of the Order.

"Leaving so soon, Albus?" the voice of Voldemort asked.

"Why do you ask, Tom? Do you wish for a duel?" Dumbledore replied, but before either could raise their wands, arrows of light shot into Voldemort's chest.

"You can't win, Voldemort!" Harry said with a weak voice. "Over twenty of your Death Eaters lay dead and the Prophecy is gone. Retreat while you still have your life!"

Voldemort glared at Harry as blood trickled down his chest. They had not penetrated deeply leaving Voldemort with only light scratches, but he was greatly weakened in the earlier battle. His regeneration was working fairly slowly. "I will remember this!" Voldemort shouted as he disappeared.

Harry collapsed to the ground, but not before Dumbledore moved in and caught the boy. "You shouldn't push yourself, Alex."

"Like you're one to talk, Albus," Harry chuckled weakly before passing out.