Disclaimer: yay, Harry Potter is mine, all MINE. *crash* ah, no sorry. Just a dream. Still Rowlings and I'm still just borrowing.
The only two things the students did notice as they returned to the castle was that first: Professor Clay was still alive and still their teacher, secondly: absolutely every teacher seemed unusual energetic, if a bit tired. But the first thing was what kept their attention and what made some students write hasty letters to home.
Hogwarts didn't seem changed for them, the stress of the teachers was to blame on you-know-who and all-in-all it was just school. Elsewhere, in another castle though things changed quite much. Muggle-repelling charms had to be erected, as well as simple wards. Mentioning of the castle were erased, stating it as a ruin with only a few pebbles left. Ruin was a word which could no longer be used with castle Alnwick anymore. Relentlessly people worked on new towers, other windows, a changed entrance door. Magic truly was a wondrous thing, accomplishing work of weeks in days, especially if the workers were motivated and strong. It was only a few people but they worked day and night. Regulus Black was there, as was Remus Lupin and two werewolf friends of his, the couple Eldritch, friends of Albus helped and of course the teachers dropped by whenever they could. Whenever they felt tired of calculating the runes, Albus and the Flamels would help as well, the latter fascinated by the idea to transport a whole castle with leylines.
Everything moved forward and they could see their work unfolding. After the first two weeks of school, Sprout planted an obscure kind of bush that caused nasty pustules if you touched them at several spots. As they grew and first students came to Madame Pomfrey for treatment, students were officially warned to go wandering the lands and stay inside as it was unclear how fast the bushes grew and where. Of course, it was a ruse, used to bury the mines Harry had built and let the students be safe. The lucky thing about the bushes were that they only needed to be sprayed with peppered water to wither and turn to dust. The rest of the marauders and lily were recruited as well. Together with the Prewitt twins and the Longbottoms, they developed weapons- or built those Harry commissioned, as he generally had ideas they had never heard of.
Harry of course knew some of the stuff he wouldn't have thought about as well- things like portable swamps or self-flying brooms for bombing but to his luck, he had known Fred and George when they still lived. And he remembered their ideas quite vividly. Even if he had no idea how they did some of those.
Harry helped where he could but mostly worked on a project of himself. He forged armour from what he could find, since he knew some people who would be too stubborn to stay out of the fighting and tried to develop talisman to fend of dementors or reduce their effects. While making armour was routine, the talisman thing was not. He himself was, after long training, always capable with or without wand to summon a patronus. But he knew, many couldn't or didn't have the mind for it in a battle. The talisman was easier than he thought- it didn't fend of dementors but shielded one to a degree from the effects so you had time to flee or use a patronus. It was better than nothing, so Harry could go to the problem that occurred when he thought about the last big fight Voldemort initiated and the creatures he summoned.
While with the new armour they would be lighter, faster and stronger and as such better equipped to go against vampires and werewolf's, the real and big problem, quite literally were the giants and, worst case scenario, dragons. Magic was mostly useless against their skin and the concentrated mass they needed could never be brought up in a fight. They were big, mean and incredibly powerful. Since Harry didn't want to sent Hagrid again to the giants as it was very dangerous (and also because he didn't want Gwarp again in the forest), he needed something else which was big, powerful and dumb enough to not be a serious loss. The answer occurred to him as he walked the corridors and saw the knights. They had fought as well in the protection of Hogwarts but they were small and no real use, cannon fodder. But if he could make a very big one, or two...he firstly searched in the library, hoping that even if he wasn't Hermione would find an answer as well. And he did, partially. The answer was, he needed a golem. He could make him as big or small as he liked it seemed, as long as he was strong enough to activate him. The real problem was, there was no information on how to make or activate one. Which, once again, brought him to his last resort of answers.
„Bloody pops." he said and the gargoyle stepped aside.
„Come in Harry." Albus said even before Harry had knocked. Inside was an older couple sitting already.
„Harry, let me introduce you to Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel. They have been quite interested in getting to know you." Instantly, Harry brightened up. He greeted them politely.
„Mister and misses Flamel. It's nice to know that we have all the brains in our teams there are." Perenelle laughed warmly.
„A charmer, aha! How nice of you to say Harry Clay, please call us Penny and Nicholas."
„Albus has told us a few things about you and I must say I'm quite intrigued. I've heard the name Clay of course but never as a wizard name and someone so bright and talented cannot have gone unnoticed for...what, twenty years?" Nicholas inquired friendly. Harry grinned.
„Something like that. I fear I just wasn't interested in being noticed until now. But those tales are for another time."
„Work again Harry? You should take a break from time to time." Albus admonished him lightly. Harry shrugged.
„Can't help it, I'm having too much fun. Has been awhile since I was part in such a big operation. Anyway, I'm in search for some information, unfortunately it isn't in the library." He looked to Albus with puppy eyes, who sighed.
„Very well Harry, what are you searching for?"
„Golems." Harrys look wandered from Dumbledore to the Flamels and back.
„While normally, I wouldn't deem them really practical and useful since it's too much effort, the chances are high that Voldemort might recruit giants or even dragons and whatnot. Big, bigger and mostly immune to magic. The easiest answer is brute force and golems seem the best option. Since we don't know what exactly he has in petto, we have to generalize for everything big and mean." Albus hummed.
„That seems right. Nicholas, Penny? What do you think?" The couple sat down again in thought.
„Of course we have seen golems, was it in Prague? I believe so. Penny, you informed yourself better about those things." Penny nodded.
„Yes and what Harry said is logical and a good idea. I think I might even know where to get the necessary spell for a golem, it would be great to have a break from all this arithmancy for a while." She winked at Harry. „The only problem would be the power needed for such a big golem. I have seen some eight or nine feet high but two wizards were needed to power them. I don't think you could gather enough people just to power one that is as high as a giant." Harry tipped his head from side to side, thinking. There were options of course, like jewels used as batteries or try to enhance the golems via leyline.
„There are options, for a single person to manage this. I've had a few instances where I'd need the power of more people and only had me so I found solutions. Penny, I'd love to work with you on the golems if you are interested?" Penny looked to her husband, who smiled.
„I think we can bear without you Penny." He looked to Harry, „Numbers aren't her strong point, you know?" Penny poked his rips.
„Really, you have to excuse my husband. Hundreds of years and he still behaves like this. Of course Harry, that would be nice. We can go to Al's, we have a room there." For security matters, they had agreed to shorten Alnwick castle to Al's, as it sounded more like a hotel or an ally than another castle.
„Great. I knew I'd find answers in the headmaster office." He replied.
„Always of help Harry, for those who seek it." Albus replied with a grin of his own. Harry stopped in his tracks and looked at the headmaster, mustering him.
„Headmaster...you look better than I've ever seen you. Livelier, somehow." Indeed the Albus seemed to brim with power and energy.
„It's all the paperwork Harry, he thrives in it. That's why he became headmaster." Nicholas said in a loud whisper.
„Nicholas!" Penny exclaimed amused. Albus and Harry chuckled.
„I need to thank you for that Harry. I fear that I have let Voldemort become bigger in my head than he is as well. But you've brought hope. You haven't forgotten that he is only human, like the rest of us." Harry blushed at the praising.
„Well there are worse things than maniacs like him." He simply answered.
„Now now Albus, you embarrass the poor boy." Penny said. „Now Harry, you tell me about that solutions of yours and I tell you everything I know about golems..."
Halloween slowly approached and Harry felt an anxiousness that he knew was not his own. He had lowered his walls a bit, to feel the echo of Voldemorts feelings. He had told the others that he would know when Voldemort would attack and though they had no idea how he did it. But they trusted him, since he had known of the attack at St. Mungos beforehand as well.
Alnwick castle now really looked like Hogwarts and the runestones were finished as well. They had tested them at another place and switched two houses they prepared. Traps were buried over the grounds as well and the whole castle Alnwick was a mass of hidden assault. Harry had finished together with Penny two Golems they powered with several diamonds that had the powers of Albus, the Flamels and Harry himself in it. While the preparations of the Hogwarts battle were good, Voldemorts attacks hadn't stopped in the meantime. Harry had tried to prevent raids but the followers had quickly risen in numbers.
Now he felt the anxiousness and couldn't help but feel scared. What if they prepared the wrong battlefield? Halloween was the day Voldemort had attacked his family. Maybe it was the same. Maybe he first wanted to destroy Harry and afterwards turn to Hogwarts? Harry couldn't risk that. Firstly, baby-Harry would become a horcrux again. Secondly the potters would die. And thirdly, Voldemorts forces would be blown into all winds again and slowly pollute the wizarding world until the next up-starter came to start a war.
No. He needed to make sure Voldemort first came to hogwarts. But how? If the trap was obvious, Voldemort would be gone before they could seal of Hogwarts grounds. Or would just not come. But if the hint was to small, he wouldn't change his plans as well.
Last time, he attacked because Harry was there and Dumbledore wasn't. The control he took after Dumbledore died and he had the ministry. At the moment the ministry was already mostly in his clutches, so much that Dumbledore never left the school. And while undesirable number one and two, namely Harry and Severus resided also in Hogwarts, Voldemort was cautious enough to not come storming in. Dumbledore would need to leave the school. And maybe Harry could somehow 'incapacitate' himself. Two of Voldemorts biggest opponents wouldn't be there or unable to truly hinder him. He thought back. Last time, Voldemort had waited for an opportunity like this, as he was sure Harry would sooner or later return to school. It had taken mere hours for him from the moment Harry had openly shown his face to the moment he and his army arrived at the gates. Harry chuckled at the memory. He had been such a weak runt then and still Voldemort felt it necessary to come with everything he'd got. It had been pure overkill.
A few days until Halloween. He would need the Potters to come hiding in the castle and Dumbledore leaving the castle. Even if Voldemort would see the trap, he was arrogant and enough goals of his would be there for him to not not attack. Getting back to the real world, Harry turned to get to the headmaster.
„Mylord, I bring news!" Alecto Carrow came in the throne room. Voldemort glanced at her with red eyes.
„And what could be so important to let you forget to knock?" He said in a bored tone. Alecto threw herself on the ground.
„I apologize my Lord, please punish me..." She began babbling. The handsome man sighed and twirled his wand in his fingers.
„Talk Carrow." He demanded. Instantly, Alecto sat up.
„It's the potters, my lord, and the longbottoms. They left their homes with packed bags. Each one was gotten with two order members. They seemed in a hurry."
Voldemort straightened up. Now? Was it coincidence? No...It was never coincidence. Somehow, someone found out he knew the locations and planned on attacking...And since they were hurrying, they were scared, those worthless humans. They knew he wanted to attack or they just rightly assumed so. They fled, which meant...right now, they were in a less protected environment.
„Where have they been brought?"
„I-i don't know mylord.." Alecto answered unsure.
„Lucius!" He bellowed. A door opened and the blonde came in.
„Yes mylord?"
„Has the old fool returned to the castle?"
„No my Lord. Last we know of, he was seen at Nurmengard." Voldemort leaned back. Nurmengard? The old man was getting desperate if he sought help from his former nemesis. The thought brought a smile to his lips.
„The Potters and the Longbottoms, find out where they have been brought." He dismissed them. Alecto fled from the room, while Lucius stood still.
„Yes lucius?"
„Mylord...we are quite sure they have been brought to hogwarts until Dumbledore returns to renew the fidelius." There was no movement than a slight widening of Voldemorts eyes.
„How sure?"
„The young Parkinson boy heard McGonagall talking with Burbage. It was said that the safest place to be for the families in hogwarts since after Dumbledore, Clay would be the most powerful and..." Lucius gulped.
„Out with it, Lucius." Voldemort whispered.
„And most feared by you myLord." A high laugh escaped Voldemorts throat.
„Feared by me?" He chuckled. „So you believe the families to be the Potters and the Longbottoms?" Lucius nodded.
Yes, Voldemort thought, it did make sense from their point of view. Obviously, Dumbledore wasn't in reach for them either and the next powerful one in line was Clay. Somehow they had obtained the news that the Potters and Longbottoms weren't safe anymore and brought them to the safest place they knew, as long as someone powerful was there- Hogwarts.
He had wanted to take the school for a long time. And now, Dumbledore wasn't even there but the traitor Snape, Clay and even the prophesied children. It seemed a bit too good to be true.
„Clay, Lucius, is there still no more information on him?"
„No mylord." Lucius answered. Voldemort tapped his fingers on his arm rest. Clay was still, after all these month an unknown variable. He hadn't even been a year in hogwarts and was already well respected, trusted and liked. How he would have loved to welcome him to his ranks. He had to admit, as he had first seen him, he had been...surprised. A black-clad figure with a scythe in his hands, he had looked like death from the books. He had cut his way through Voldemorts followers, without a pause, without remorse. He was so efficient, something Voldemort mourned in his death eaters. But everything about him was a myth. No one knew who he was, where he came from and Voldemort was quite sure that his name was fake. He just appeared. He knew Voldemorts moves, he was well informed, so much actually that, had Voldemort been a lesser man, it might have frightened him. Especially after the disaster with the horcruxes. He had been so furious...and then he had lost Pettigrew, his best spy for the potter family.
Just thinking about Clay let his anger rise again. He would kill him and everyone around him.
Dumbledore wasn't in hogwarts, it's defences were weak.
And Clay was there. And Voldemort wanted to kill Clay.
Clay would die. And he would die today.
„Inform the others Lucius. Gather everyone, every force we have. We are attacking Hogwarts. Today."
Harrys eyes flew open. He summoned a patronus and spoke the muffliato charm. He sent the stag off and turned to his class.
„Class ends here today folks. I expect you to read the rest of the three chapters by yourself until our next lesson. We will start with the spell practise then. No, no questions now, I'm sorry, I have to hurry." Harry sprinted to the headmasters office, uncaring who might see him. His patronus had been sent off to Tonks, who was responsible for sealing the owlery.
„Black saps!" He shouted to the gargoyle. He burst through the door, where Albus stood in front of the windows. The headmaster of course had never left Hogwarts.
„He has decided to attack, today. We have four hours or so I believe. We need to gather everyone and activate the stones." Straight away Albus bespelled the portraits, before lifting the spells from a few chosen ones. Harry let himself fall on the ground and closed his eyes, trying to get more information about the attack. Dumbledore continued to give commands and sent out patronus before going to the floo. After half an hour Albus finally turned to Harry.
„Harry? Are you alright?" He asked confused.
„He's coming at nightfall. He's gathering all of his forces, he suspects a trap but he's hell-bent on...killing me. Always the same with him...I knew it!" Harrys eyes flew open. „He's bringing giants! Hah, I knew he'd do that!" Albus took a step back and Harry rolled his eyes.
„I haven't betrayed you until now so you could really show a bit more trust. I told you I'd explain when everything is over. So let's go now. We have to be in Alnwick for the exchange."
„Very well. I made a floo connection, so come through after me." And with that the headmaster stepped into the fire.
„Alnwick castle!" He shouted and disappeared in a flash. Harry grinned darkly. Tonight he would have his big show and kill Voldemort with all his followers.
Stepping through the flames, he landed in the main hall of Alnwick where everyone already was busy.
„Half an hour before the spell starts acting in Hogwarts." Albus yelled for everyone as Flitwick arrived. Harry quickly made his way through to Severus.
„Tonight's the big night Severus." he said with glee. Severus frowned at him.
„You really are crazy. I mean it's no wonder with everything you're through but still try to imagine that this is one of the biggest fights our community has seen for a long time." Harry laughed.
„I can't help it. I'm just so giddy. I can finally use my animagus form for a real fight. It used to be overkill but now..." Severus' eyes bulged.
„Are you kidding me? To everything else that? I thought you told me everything!" He accused. Harry winked at him.
„Come on Severus. I told you about my school years but believe it or not, the years afterwards were even more exciting." Severus shook his head.
„If Lily knew that..." He mumbled. Harry patted his shoulder.
„Not now Severus. Ah, I think it's time to hand out the armour. You should get dressed up as well." Harry left Severus and called for one of the house elves to bring the crate from his rooms in Alnwick. He then proceed to climb on a desk and enhance his voice.
„Everyone, please stop for a second! I will be handing out your armour- believe me whatever you're having right now isn't as good as what I'm going to give you. Hurry up and change!" Quickly a line formed in front of him and together with two house elves he gave out the trousers, vests, shoes and everything. On top of the bundle was the talisman he made against the dementors. The teachers, friends and people from the order took them with big eyes. Severus, now full clad in his basilisk armour looked at the bundles.
„That's not basilisk hide like ours... but it still looks very good. Where'd you get that? Its some kind of dragon skin isn't it? Even you are not this rich." Harry chuckled.
„True, I'm not. It's self-made. Everything. And it's not dragon." Severus needed a moment before he stared horrified at Harry.
„It's your animagus form isn't it? Did you skin yourself?"
„Aah what I do for the protection of others." Harry answered.
„You're nuts! If they knew..." Harry held his hand in front of Severus' mouth.
„So don't tell them." A hand laid on Harrys shoulder and he turned around to see the headmaster.
„I hope you will wear your armour in spite of what you just heard?" Harry asked.
„I'm sorry I doubted you Harry." Albus just said. Harry rolled his eyes.
„You should be sorry for eavesdropping headmaster." The man in question smiled and took down his robe before Harry could protest. But underneath he already had the hide. Harry mustered him critically.
„Albus, when this is over..." Dumbledore looked up surprised. „Yes Harry?"
„Please promise me you'll never wear something like that again. You look like an old barbarian." Severus finally managed to get Harrys hand away and promptly started laughing.
Albus really looked very strange in the tight trousers and with the jacket he pulled over. But looking around he wasn't the only strange sight. Everyone had the same dress code and they looked like warriors, even if comically strange warriors.
A gong sounded, the signal that the exchange of the castles would now start. Since no one knew what to expect, everyone settled down. The start was a bit slow, a light shaking of the grounds but quickly one had the feeling of moving- many threw up.
With a loud thump the castle stopped shaking. Promptly several patroni were sent out, to check the status of Hogwarts. After a few minutes, everyone was relieved. Inside the castle everyone was still asleep and the castle itself had no damage. Black robes were thrown over and some people left the castle to have a look outside as well.
Last preparations were made but soon everyone was sitting down and talking quietly. The waiting had begun. Harry himself had checked the two golems again and, satisfied spent the rest of the time with Severus who seemed a nervous wreck. He would have liked to have Regulus on Severus side but the man was, with a few others in Hogwarts to make sure no one was there.
After two hours, darkness fell over the lands and slowly, one voice after another shut up. The anxiousness had risen, any moment the sign for the attack could come.
Finally, shortly before eleven, the first alarms went off.
Proudly, Voldemort looked at his army. They had trashed Hogsmead already, even if most people had fled before. The old fool must have set up a good warning system but he didn't care. Everyone inside hogwarts must knew as well that something was wrong- the gates had shut with a resounding boom as the first creatures ascended. He had the darkest creatures on his sides, vampires, werewolfs, arachnids, countless snakes, giants, inferi, dementors...even two dragons were managed by his followers. Even if Dumbledore managed to return in time, there was no way they could even hope to win.
Giving his people a sign, he stepped forward and took his wand. Using a spell of his own creation, he lifted it at his throat. Now everyone would hear him in their heads, without this nonsensical shouting.
„Inhabitants of hogwarts, today is the last night in your lifes. My forces will crush this castle and everyone fighting for it. But not everything is hopeless...the loss of the good blood some of you carry would be a sad miss. I will give you a change, only one. These are the names of the people I want to be given to me: the infants Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom, the traitor Severus Snape and most of all Harry Clay. You could give yourselves up and safe countless lifes. Or you hide like the weaklings you are and drag everyone you love with you to hell. And to see that I'm not giving false promises..." He took his wand and directed it at the gate. Collecting his concentration and power, he bust it off with a single spell.
„You may hide in the castle. But Hogwarts walls will not protect you forever." He hissed and ended the spell.
„March forward." He bellowed and his army moved. He relished the feeling of the earth shaking whenever the giants took a step forward. Coming closer he frowned, he had expected a brash reaction to his declaration. Suddenly, a bright flash appeared. Searching for the change, he started to laugh.
„Mylord?" Bellatrix asked eager.
„Those fools! They have erected anti-apparition wards and wards so we cannot leave! As if they have any chance of winning!" His people still moved forward, stepping over those bushes that Voldemort had known to fester on the grounds. But his people were well armoured.
They were in the middle of the grounds as the great doors opened. Illuminated by the light behind him, there was a single figure. Hooded and with a scythe in his hands.
„Clay.." Voldemort hissed hatefully. And then, he heard Clays voice inside his head- and knew he was using the same spell he had earlier.
„Good evening everyone. We would like to make an offer as well- lay down your wands and weapons and surrender. Then we might not kill you. If we don't get to excited. Voldemort, or should I call you Tommy?"
Voldemort screamed in outrage.
„Whatever you do, you will die tonight. Your horcruxes are destroyed and it will be my pleasure to kill you."
„You idiot!" Voldemort screamed, forgetting his dignity, „I will kill you and everyone in there with you! You cannot defeat me, you are not the prophesied one to do so! You will lose everything!"
Clay laughed.
„I don't have anything to lose. And I am the one told to kill you, you halfblood. You fear me. You always feared me. And you know why?"
Voldemort didn't listen anymore.
„Attack!" He screamed. But Clay wasn't finished.
„You fear me Tom Riddle because I am death." And with those last words, Clay began to transform. At first, no one noticed but then the hissing sound became overwhelming. Voldemort froze in his tracks. Clay transformed- into something that looked similar to a basilisk. His body became bigger and bigger and there were wings...he looked like a cross between a dragon and a basilisk.
It couldn't be.
„I am death Tommy and I am here to get you. I am the king of all snakes and every snake here will follow my command if I tell them- turn around and attack those who follow the speaker."
Straight away screams were heard, as well as incendios.
„Mylord, what is he?" Rodolphus asked in fear.
„Conjure cocks you idiots! Move forward!" He yelled and something akin to fear crept into his own voice. Whatever kind of Basilisk Clay was, it wouldn't be enough to kill his army.
The night soon was full of cocks crows but nothing happened.
„You cannot kill death Tommy." Clay hissed. „Now it's my turn." And suddenly all hell broke loose. Left and right the ground exploded, earth and stone flew through the air, dust made the vision blurry. The night was full of screams. Voldemort liked screams of pain and terror but it were his people that screamed.
And then, everything was engulfed in fire. Voldemort wanted to yell, to torture, he wanted to rip out the spine of that bastard Clay because in the first line of his army were inferi. He hated that man, he hated him more than anything and it was impossible that he was the body of death. Voldemort would not die. He was more powerful than anyone else, no one was strong enough to defeat him and he would not die.
His army was grand enough to withstand the losses through the traps and the mystical fire. Even with your eyes of a basilisk you can not win Clay. He thought.
He heard a chuckle.
„I am not alone Tommy. Do you really think me unprepared?" The stream of fire had stopped and Voldemort knew it had been Clay. A basilisk with wings and shouting fire. Impossible.
And how did he know what he had thought? He was the best in the field of mind arts!
„Maybe you are the best. It's all nothing when confronted with death." Clay answered his unspoken words. Panic caressed slowly Voldemorts heart, prepared to clutch it tightly when his control slipped.
„Send the dragons!" He ordered. Clay would fight them in the air, which left them room to attack from underneath. The dragons roared and took air. And Clay as well. Behind him the doors of the castle shut again but Voldemort still smiled.
„The giants are to destroy the doors and walls. He wants to be unable to get inside...but he will fail." Two death eaters hurried to follow his orders. Voldemort looked up where Clay fought with the dragons. One couldn't see the stars of all the fire and only the dark outlines of the creatures were seen but one could hear them roar.
He would burn the castle before Clay even had the chance to stand against him. He would be devastated. But as the giants stepped forward, the next surprise started. Parts of Hogwarts wall seemed to move...until their outlines became clearer. They looked like giants, having been hidden in the castles shadows but yet. They were at least three feet taller than his giants. But it was two against four. Once again fire brightened the field and Voldemort could see that it weren't giants...they looked like ones, formed out of clay. And they were fast. With a mighty swing, the first giant was beheaded. The creatures didn't say anything, they didn't triumph, they just moved forward. The giants on the other side moved back a bit, more cautious against those new foes.
Voldemort foamed.
„Get a move, all of you! Break down the castle!" He screamed and the masses move forward. But he could see it in their eyes. Distrust, fear...no arrogance, no assuredness of triumph. Voldemort grit his teeth. They were to fear him! Not one man and a castle!
He just started to scream again, as, seemingly from nowhere, explosions started all over the field.
The first line of defence was breached.
As they finally flowed into the castle, Voldemort had lost his giants, inferi, his dragons and, in the fall of the dragons onto his army, several others. Their number was still big but he was in total rage that they lost so many already. With only Clay and those traps...
As he stepped inside, panic made the first pressure on his heart known. This wasn't Hogwarts. Hogwarts had been his home for many years and this wasn't the entrance hall. He had been tricked. Somehow, he, Voldemort had been tricked. This wasn't Hogwarts and he was sure that there were no students in these corridors. A new voice echoed through the stones.
„Ah Tom, I see you have made it inside. I would still ask you to surrender. We will fight with everything we have. You can still right things."
Voldemort laughed in a very high-pitched way.
„You old fool should have stayed away! I will crush you and your petty little order!" Quickly, he let his men free roam. He himself would take the way to the fake great hall. Just as he started moving, the first screams flew through the corridor. Screams of his men.
„Be prepared! There are traps everywhere!" He hissed to the people surrounding him. His panic grew as they encountered no traps whatsoever on their way. Throwing open the great doors, the sight nearly sent him laughing.
Albus Dumbledore and all his little bees were clad in some kind of armour and looked ridiculous with their serious faces.
„Dumbledore...you should have used your little traps on me as well." Albus sadly shook his head.
„Tom, your forces have already been reduced greatly. Your dementors-" He pointed at the creatures slowly filling the room coming from behind him, „are not affecting us. You can still safe innocent lifes if you decide to stop now."
„Stop calling me by THAT NAME! Voldemort screeched. „I will never surrender to someone like you!" Soft clapping was heard from aside and there stood...
„Clay..." He hissed. „You can call yourself death how often you like, you are still unable to defeat me." Bright green eyes locked red ones.
„Oh, because of the prophesy, right? Well, let me get something straight- I am the one from the prophesy. I know, I know, impossible right? Should I tell you my real name? I solemnly swear on my magic that my name is Harry James Potter, so mote it be." A flash of light appeared and several gasps were heard.
„Surprised Tommy-boy? The others are as well, I didn't tell them. But now you know I can defeat you. Should I tell you more?" Voldemort was frozen as Harry leaned forward dramatically and whispered loudly.
„I have already vanquished you once before. I know how it works. And since then, I learned even more, so...this time, I am really excited! Because, last time, I admit, it was pure luck on my part. But this time, I have the skill and I will rip you apart like you did with so many of the people I loved. But now I've got nothing to lose anymore." Harry giggled.
„You look so scared Tommy. Come, duel with me!" And with that Voldemort awakened from his stupor, anger took over and his vision was a red haze as he threw the first spells.
The last battle had begun.
What felt to everyone like days of fighting was finally over. Shackling the last death eaters and dark creatures, most began to treat the wounded ones. The losses were to everyone's surprise, minimal. They hadn't been many anyway but only two people had died in a backfire of spells and the wounds the others received were small or easy to treat. The fight between Voldemort and harry had at some point blown away a wall and they had disappeared on the grounds. The only reason they knew they had won was the reaction of the death eaters as they started screaming in pain and tumbling to the ground. Now, they were waiting for Harrys return.
Walking through the hole, he stepped in the great hall.
„hullo everyone. I needed a bit to renew the spells from before." He said as he stumbled forward. Many didn't know how to react to him since his revelation but Severus promptly ran forward.
„You idiot. I knew you were lying when you said the dragons didn't get you. How could you fight the dark lord like that?" Severus conjured a stretcher and laid Harry down.
„It wasn't like there was another option, was there?" He answered sullenly.
„The headmaster could have held the dark lord in a stalemate so you had more time to heal." Severus said and pried away Harrys clothes.
„Sure and he might have died doing it. No thank you. Was fine as it was.." He started to cough blood.
„You are an absolute idiot Harry." Severus sighed and handed Harry a few potions.
„You're just still sore that everyone now knows that you're friends with a potter." Harry grinned.
„It's disgusting for you to smile with blood on your teeth. ALBUS!" Severus called frantically as Harry lost consciousness. The others had turned to their own business as Severus had taken over but now parted as Dumbledore made his way through.
„We need to get him to Poppy Albus!" Severus said slightly hysterical. Albus used a few spells of his own to keep Harry in stasis.
„We will go to St. Mungos Severus, we must hurry..." But Severus stopped him.
„Linny, Stups!" He called and two house elves appeared.
„Please bring us three to St. Mungos!" Severus asked hastily. The elves got big eyes as they saw Harry and nodded. With a loud plop they were gone.
And reappeared in the lobby of the hospital. The receptionist went pale at the sight of Dumbledore.
„Call someone, woman!" An unpleasant man demanded and the receptionist looked to the stretcher.
„Emergency! Wounded man in the lobby!" She called into her speaker. Immediately healers came running up to them, taking the stretcher and bombing the headmaster and his friends with questions. After they knew everything, they shut the doors in front of the wizards faces. Slowly calming down, Severus leaned against the wall for support.
„He will heal again Severus." Albus tried to console him. Severus laughed bitterly.
„If you knew what I know...you'd see that he know no reason to stay alive now that Voldemort is dead. He told me everything. He said, if he died, he'd still want to keep his promise to you and others that they would know the whole truth about him." Albus kept silent at that. It was true, he thought. He didn't know a thing about Harrys life. Thinking back and remembering the little parts he had told, he remembered the mentioning of an old man, trying to guide Harry. Albus had the bad feeling that Harry had talked about him.
„Let me through I said! I don't care where he is from, on some level he is my son!" A female voice thundered. Around the corner appeared Lily, her temperament risen to new heights, followed by several healers. She went right at the door Harry disappeared through- and was stopped by none other than Severus.
„Out of my way Severus!" She said hotly.
„Why? So you can hinder the healers inside from treating him with your unnecessary worry? I don't think so." He replied in an even voice. He had slipped on his mask so quickly, even Albus had trouble remembering where he went from worried to uncaring.
„I will not have that from you of all people!" She underlined her words with pokes in his chest. Severus simply crossed his arms.
„You are not his mother. You have your own son to worry about." He simply retorted. Lily deflated a bit.
„But he said..." Lily begun but Severus interrupted her.
„He said his true name was Harry James Potter. That is correct. But he is from another dimension, not some time travel. In his dimension, he defeated the dark Lord when he was seventeen years old. In this one, his self didn't even understand what was going on, much less fight. His parents are dead. You only share a name." But she wouldn't be that easily stopped.
„Still, he is-" Severus interrupted her once again.
„He told me so himself- his parents are dead and nothing will ever give them back to him. If he had any interest to form a bond to you, he would have done so already, no?" Finally the fire left Lily and she stepped back.
„Go to your family lily. Your real family. There's nothing here for you." He said softer and lily closed her eyes, breathed heavily and went away.
As soon as she was out of sight, Severus heaved a big breath on his own.
„You surprise me Severus. I thought you love her?" The man in question shrugged.
„I did. But Harry told me what became of me if I'd cling onto that. He told me, my other self might have had no other option but that I do have. I'm young and free. Thanks to him, I've got quite a lot of money. Even without him, I'll still find a friend in Regulus. It would be stupid to throw all that away. And I'm not. Stupid, I mean." Albus chuckled.
„No, you are not Severus...but I dare say, you can add more people to the list of friends. Hogwarts will always be open to you my boy and everyone of us will miss you. Even Minerva, I'm sure." He smiled at Severus who looked surprised.
„Filius especially will be sad to have no one to play chess against anymore." Severus chuckled.
„Even more since he beats Minerva on a regular basis." He added to Albus comment. The headmaster stepped forward and laid a hand at Severus shoulder.
„Whatever you decide to do Severus, I would be delighted if you would write from time to time. I will admit that I misjudged you in the beginning but have gotten to know you better. You are a brave, cunning young man and I'm sure you will do great things with your talents."
For the first time in his life, Severus heard true praise spoken to him and from none other than Albus Dumbledore.
„Thank you headmaster." He croaked. Albus patted his shoulder.
„Not for that my boy, not for something as simple as that..." With that, he moved away as well but shortly before he was out of sight, he called back over his shoulder.
„You should get some rest as well Severus. As you said, we aren't really useful to the healers standing there and worrying."
With that he was gone. Severus thought for a moment, before leaving as well. Harry would need some time to wake up anyway or so he thought.
Just a few minutes later the doors opened and a pale face looked outside, observing. After finding no one, it vanished and the door closed again.
THE END
I know, short and not very exciting. As I said, just needed to quickly get it out of my system. Maybe there comes a time where I'll pick it up again and do something proper with the story. Or not. Who knows?
As I said, I'd be happy if one could point out similar fics (weapon-like or reaper-like) or if anyone would be inclined to do a longer version or so.
Thanks for reading. Might post an epilogue. I might really do it.
...
Hah...yeah...we'll see