Chapter Twenty One:
Endgame
Fawkes the phoenix was many miles out over the Atlantic when the Gaunt Stone eventually exploded – which it did with a terrific blast. The effects of the shockwave were greatly reduced, however – thanks to the fact that the curse had been incomplete, and removed from the magic-amplified environment of Hogwarts. Instead of obliterating the population of Scotland, the stone claimed far fewer lives than the Death Eaters had hoped for. The choking embrace of death radiated only a few miles in each direction from the epicentre of the explosion. Nevertheless, one airliner was downed, killing about five hundred Muggles…
The secondary effect – that of a sudden displacement of magically-charged air – however, rippled as far as the west Scottish coast. Several fishing boats were buffeted by the great aerial blast, as the powers of the Gaunt Stone and Fawkes' magical essence combined and extended their reach as far as Hogwarts…
*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*
Back in the library, Hagrid, Percy Weasley, and Professor Minerva McGonagall were being hard-pressed.
With Delores Umbridge still gagged and dangling, ankle upmost, from the ceiling by the Levicorpus spell – the others were now standing on the heavy library tables, using everything possible to fight against the half-dozen or so ravaging, gold-collared werewolves who had broken into the dimly-lit library. Half of the beasts had shifted into humanoid form, and Professor McGonagall fought back tears as she defended herself. She knew that some of the smaller werewolves were pupils who had been punished for not complying with the new management of the Dark Lady and the Death Eaters. Now they were confounded slaves to the she-werewolf named Briar, Fenrir Greyback's last remaining deputy, who was currently snarling orders to the pack as they tried to take down the humans fighting back against them.
So far, the animated suits of armour had held the hostile werewolves back – having clubbed and skewered the first few with their weapons. But now the angry lupines were ganging up upon the metal defenders, and soon shields and suits were sent crashing down by the weight of crushing fangs and furred muscle, breaking into scattered parts on the library floor.
"Ttake the humanns downn…! Thheirr flesh wwill be yyour reward!" Briar urged her kin onwards, goading their hunger for fresh meat…
With magic spells useless against the collared werewolves themselves, Percy and McGonagall had taken to throwing books as missiles, and using chairs as improvised shields. Hagrid's flintlock pistol was now out of ammunition, and he used it instead to club one werewolf who had managed to claw his way onto the thick table that the half-giant was standing on.
Bellowing with fury, Hagrid struck out again, then quickly grabbed at the stunned beast's neck before flinging him back into the faces of two more of the feral predators.
"Now yur claws have ripped my moleskin jacket!" he protested, glancing at his torn clothing. "Yeh shunna dun tha'!" And grabbing a thick tome from a prepared pile on the table, he held it with both hands and whacked it – side on – into the muzzle of another werewolf climbing onto the table, causing it to tumble backwards to the floor again…
One of the spellbound side doors suddenly exploded into pieces. Once the dust had settled, four more werewolves – in full lupine form – bounded in. Percy's heart sank – then he realised, with surprise, that they weren't wearing gold collars. And now a certain, pink-haired witch had entered with them, her clothes torn and singed by her clashes with Death Eaters. One of her arms was bearing a shield she had taken from a suits of armour that had stood near the Great Hall.
"Hagrid! Professor!" Percy called out, his forehead thick with sweat. "Look!"
Hagrid paused as he fought to regain his breath, then he grinned as he recognised the colourings of the latest wolves. "Professor Lupin. An' the dark coloured one will be Clifford… An' the others must be the Patil sisters!"
The attacking werewolf pack halted in their assault, turning towards the new arrivals. Lupin, Clifford, Padma, and Parvati snarled angrily and leapt into action. Fangs and claws ripped at fur-coated flesh, and the library was overwhelmed with the chorus of howls and snarls.
Seconds later – or so it seemed to the humans present – three more werewolves had raced through the now-shattered double doors to the library. This time they were in half-human form. The trio was a red-furred male, and two females - one with a brown pelt, the other with white and grey markings.
"Ron…" Percy whispered in amazement, as he saw the dog-werewolf give a nod of acknowledgement towards him, before he and his pack mates dived upon a screaming Briar and her lupine lackeys.
In the midst of the action, there was another pair of breathless newcomers who now appeared at the broken side door. Percy's blood turned cold as he saw the two Death Eaters raise their wands. He recognised them both from the Ministry's prison photos – the twisted features of the meaner-looking wizard was Anton Dolohov, whilst the younger man with the glazed eyes of a Imperiused slave was Stan Shunpike, former conductor of the Knight Bus…
"Kill anyone not wearing a gold collar, Shunpike!" Dolohov spat, as he took a step into the room, and aimed his wand at Professor Lupin, as the latter tore away at the throat of the enemy werewolf he'd just defeated.
"Yes, sir!" Shunpike muttered. His eyes managed to lock focus on Tonks…
"Watch out!" Percy yelled to Lupin and Tonks. In the next instant, he dived aside to avoid the claws on one of Briar's pack. With a flick of his own wand, he sent another pile of books on the table crashing down on the beast, making it back off.
Tonks twisted round, and saw the danger. Deflecting Shunpike's Killing Curse with her shield, she then jumped into Dolohov's line of fire.
"Remus!" she screamed.
As the Lupin-wolf spun round, Dolohov fired.
"Expulso!" he snarled.
The metal shield shattered into fragments. Tonks was thrown backwards by the blast next to the nearest bookcase. Her wand dropped to the floor next to her.
"Let's finish 'em, Shunpike!" Both Dolohov and his hypnotised accomplice drew in closer, as they watched out for the other fighters.
Move it, Miss Fearless! Tonks yelled at herself. Grabbing her wand, she rolled aside, hiding behind the bookcase. Then she fired back, but at the centre of the shelves.
"Expulso!"
The bookcase was split into two by the explosion – with the top half crashing down upon a wailing Shunpike, as he became buried beneath the books and surrounding woodwork.
Anton Dolohov managed to escape his comrade's fate, but he was momentarily stunned by the blast. Wiping the dust from his eyes, he moved round and quickly fired a Killing Curse at Tonks. It failed to hit her directly – but as the witch flung herself to one side, it glanced her shoulder, sending her spinning to the floor as she cried out in agony.
Dolohov's lips pulled into an ugly smile, as he ran over to the wounded lady. Tonks glanced up at him with frightened eyes, as she pressed her hand to her injured shoulder.
The Death Eater's wand was now aimed directly at her chest.
"Another one to my score!" Dolohov gloated. "Avada Ked…"
"Nnnoo!"
The snarl was accompanied by a blur of motion that Tonks just managed to take in. The Death Eater was slammed to the floor by the werewolf that had leapt upon him. Dolohov screamed upon having his wand arm bitten into – then his cries turned into a gasping choke as his throat was tightly squeezed by a hairy half-paw, the claws of which sliced into his sweaty flesh.
With a growl of bestial fury, Professor Lupin shot out his other arm, and shoved Dolohov's head violently to one side, breaking his neck…
Within moments, the battle in the library was over. Close by, Ron removed his red-flecked muzzle from the gory remains of Briar's throat. Feeling somewhat giddy from the scents of blood and death, Ron looked around, to see that those on the side of Hogwarts – both humans and werewolves – were miraculously still alive, though exhausted, or injured, or both.
Nearby, Hermione released her werewolf opponent from her tight grasp. With amber eyes that no longer saw anything, the female member of the enemy pack flopped upon the stained carpet of the library, her neck broken. The last of the casualties.
Ron loped over and licked at Hermione's cuts – and she reciprocated in turn. Then they greeted and helped up Luna, Clifford, and Professor Lupin. The wolf man whined as he nuzzled Tonks.
"I'm alright, Remus," she breathed as she stroked his face. "You saved me."
"You've saved us all," Professor McGonagall observed as she got down from the table in the centre of the library, and swept her gaze to take in Tonks and the surviving werewolves. "Is it over?"
"I'm afraid not!" Professor Flitwick squeaked as he bounded into the library. His bearded face bore an expression of worry and panic. "Sorry I'm late, everyone! I was trying to hold off the Dementors that we encountered, en route, here!" He threw Ron, Hermione, and Luna their wands.
The three humanoid werewolves took the hint, grabbed their wands – and then nipped between the bookcases to quickly change into their human forms.
The air in the library turned colder. Through the two open doorways two pairs of Dementors floated into the room. Their arms reached for the huddled group of survivors before them…
"C'mon, Hermione, Luna!" Ron urged them. "We can break 'em. Concentrate on some loving thoughts…"
Hermione smiled and slipped her free hand inside of Ron's.
"Yeah! We're not afraid of yur – yur freaks!" Hagrid bellowed, in an attempt to raise their spirits. His breath formed a vapour in the chilly air.
"I'm glad to hear that," McGonagall muttered as she clung to Hagrid, her tall, somewhat-thin frame quivering with fright.
But Professor Lupin, the Patils, and Clifford all whined and took a series of steps back. Another six Dementors were now at the doors, sensing the prospect of a psychic feast.
"There's…there's too many of them!" Percy fell to his knees, exhausted by the fighting he'd already endured. Ron helped him back up.
"Look's like this is the end, little brother…" Percy breathed, as he stared at Ron. "I'm sorry for being such a prat, when…"
"It's alright, Percy." Ron gave a weak smile. "I've already forgiven you. For each occasion. Even though I lost count…"
The ten Dementors, now surrounding them in a closing circle, gave a piercing shriek and dived for their prey. Delores Umbridge's eyes widened with fright as one of the fiends rose in the air to feed on her…
"Expecto Petronum!" Professor Flitwick cried out, flicking his wand and casting forth a pure-white light to repel the Dementor closest to him.
Percy, Hagrid, and Minerva McGonagall followed the Headmaster's example – whilst Ron, Hermione, Luna, and Tonks cast forth their improved variation of the Patronus spell, as they concentrated their minds on their love for their respective partners. Professor Lupin, Clifford, and the Patil sisters, unable to transform in time, did their best to distract the spectral reapers from the wand bearers.
The first three Dementors, including the one attacking Umbridge, were forced back or blasted into nothingness by the magical array of white lights and silvery animals cast against them. The second wave, however, flew in and attached themselves to Professors Flitwick and McGonagall, Hagrid, Percy, Ron, Hermione, and Luna. They all screamed as the kiss of the Dementors began to rob them of their flagging energies – the terrible sucking sensation leeching their memories and souls…
One-by-one, the rest of the surrounded humans and werewolves fell to the determined assault.
*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*
The next half-minute or so after crashing into the elevated walkway was a visual blur for Harry. His Firebolt and Draco Malfoy's Nimbus 2000 struck the floor before either of them could pull up in time. Like Pansy before them, the two combatants were catapulted forwards, flung from the broomsticks. Harry tried to curl himself into a ball as his shoulder struck the floorboards and he rolled over and over.
Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch…
"Urrrr…"
The 'word' was something of an understatement, Harry considered, as he groaned and finally decided to move from where he had come to a stop. His whole body throbbed, but already he could feel his werewolf-enhanced healing ability getting to work, realigning and repairing bones that felt injured and broken. Automatically, he reached out for his wand – then remembered that it had been lost during the deadly flight, as Draco had struck out at him.
He gingerly opened his eyes and waited for the world to stop spinning. Then, through cracked lenses, he spied the wand lying on the floorboards, barely a meter away from him. His muscles protested as he dragged himself over and picked up the wand.
Malfoy's…
Harry took off his spectacles and laid them on the floor, before pointing the wand at them.
"Onnoculus reparo!" he croaked.
The cracks vanished in an instant. Feeling his strength returning, Harry slipped his glasses back on, and slowly rose upon his feet – using the wooden railing and adjacent pillar to support him. He suddenly stiffened, and sniffed the air. Someone was charging towards him from his right…
"Aagghh!"
Harry was sent flying sideways from the force of the shove. The wand fell from his grip and rolled to one side of the walkway.
As quickly as he could, Harry got back up upon his feet. He was pressing his back against the railing of the elevated platform, at a ninety degree angle turn of the twisting walkway. To his right, some yards away, was Pansy Parkinson's broomstick – still bearing the Solstice Star and the Spear of Slytherin. A little further beyond it was the moaning, slumped form of Pansy herself.
In the distance, footsteps could be heard, hurrying along the walkway…
In front of Harry the floorboards extended in the other direction. Right before him, however, was Draco.
His unruly-ash blond hair was matted with blood from a gash to his temple, and his face bore multiple bruises. There were tears in his crimson-trimmed, black wizard robes.
Draco flexed the joints of his right fist, and narrowed his eyes.
Then he punched Harry in the stomach – hard.
Harry gasped for breath, and fell to his knees.
"I've wanted to do that for a long time, Potter." Malfoy then kicked Harry in the chest – his foot just missing the Nightshadow jet.
The Death Eater paused, to wipe blood from his mouth. Harry guessed that he had bitten his tongue in the crash.
"All the damage you and your friends have done will amount to NOTHING, Potter! The power of the Gaunt Stone will be unleashed – and all you 'liberators' will die!" Draco yelled hysterically. "This world belongs to the purebloods! Only through us will there be order! Aunt Bellatrix will replace the Muggle Queen – and I will become the Crown Prince."
"You won't know…how to cope…with the responsibility…of ruling…," Harry wheezed defiantly, as Malfoy grabbed him by his hair. "You're just another…deluded fascist! Unable to see the value…in that which you scorn… You will never rule, Malfoy…, because you don't appreciate Muggles – and so don't learn from them!"
Draco gave a staccato bark of a laugh as he drew his face closer to Harry's. "Muggles have nothing left in them to surprise me. Not even a Muggle-raised wizard like you!"
"Wrong!" Summoning up his flagging strength, Harry shot out both of his hands in an arc towards Malfoy. With his fingers clenched into a flat fist formation, Harry struck Draco's ears simultaneously.
His enemy screamed from the effects of the blow, and fell backwards.
"Self-defence classes, Malfoy! I had a Muggle teacher," he roared.
Dazed, Draco quickly scampered back up before Harry could follow up upon his attack. The Heir-To-Be reached into his robes. A sharp-bladed knife was now in his hand.
Harry halted. His nose twitched with disgust, as his senses told him that the blade was made of silver – the metal that was most dangerous to were-creatures such as himself.
"The fun's over, Potter," Draco hissed. "I'll just kill you without further ado…"
Then the shock wave from the explosion of the Gaunt Stone reached Hogwarts…
*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*
In spite of her still-throbbing wrist and her indignation at being bested by three teenagers, Bellatrix Lestrange's spirits were lifting as she encouraged her troll escort to lash out at the Freedom Fighters who were unfortunate enough to get overtaken by the monster. A couple of Durmstrang students were struck by the club and sent flying into the marsh.
Any time now, and the Oblivion spell will be cast forth. The self-titled Dark Lady smiled in mounting anticipation, her heartbeat quickening, waiting for her moment of triumph…
Bellatrix's grin widened as the shockwave struck. Then it vanished abruptly, as the expected disintegration of the Freedom Fighters failed to unfold.
No! It can't be! The Gaunt Stone… The…, the shockwave…! It came from the sea – miles away, Bellatrix realised.
The leader of the Death Eaters dug her sharp nails into her overgrown black locks and pulled at them, as she screamed out her fury…
*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*
The walkway juddered. Taken aback, Draco grabbed hold of the nearest railing with his free hand and steadied himself – then he looked back at Harry, as the wooden boards stopped rocking.
He sucked in his breath – then both young men looked up into the sky, to see the Freedom Fighters still battling on, unharmed by the earthquake-like force they had just experienced, closer to the ground.
"No! The spell ritual…!" Draco trailed off. His face had just turned white. With shock, Harry realised.
"…has failed." Harry released his breath. He smiled. "Look's like you and your chums won't go down in history as the greatest mass-murderers in recent history, after all, Malfoy! Lucky you."
Ron, Hermione, Luna… You did it! I'm proud of you…! Harry smiled to himself.
With a scream of absolute fury, Draco Malfoy threw himself at Harry. The knife flashed in the morning sunlight. Harry ducked and then grappled with his long-standing school nemesis – blocking his knife-arm, then counter-striking with a punch to Malfoy's jaw, stunning him.
The two of them slammed sideways into the railing at the corner of the walkway. It shuddered under their combined weight, but held…
*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*
The shockwave from the destruction of the Gaunt Stone, combined with the magical essence of Fawkes the phoenix, rippled through the grounds of Hogwarts. Inside the battle-shaken corridors, rooms and tunnels of the school itself, the disturbance on the physical and psychic planes did not affect the fighters or the ghosts. However, the directed energy of Fawkes' sacrifice - helped by the background magic of the school - totally inversed the originally-intended effects of the Oblivion curse. And so, the Gaunt Stone did indeed unleash death within the castle – but not of the nature the Death Eaters had desired…
Hovering over the collapsed bodies of their latest victims, the Dementors gave a collective scream as the shockwave swept through the library.
Her sight on the verge of failing altogether, as she lay withering in agony next to Ron and Luna, Hermione saw the Dementor feeding off her suddenly shudder violently in the air before her face. Then it was virtually ripped apart by the roar of the pervading magical force, and the fiend disappeared – shrieking – in a burst of light.
Hermione, Ron, Luna, and the rest of the present fighters watched in amazement, as the remaining dark wraiths were also torn asunder. Their hellish wails faded away into silence – and the cold, oppressive atmosphere and mist they had brought with them dispersed, never to return.
Hermione gasped for breath as she stirred. She craned her head round to find Ron. His eyes found hers, and their dry lips gradually broke into broad smiles.
"Chocolate! We need chocolate…!" Ron wheezed, remembering Professor Lupin's prescribed remedy to help recovery from a Dementor attack.
In spite of his exhaustion, Percy broke into laughter. "Typical Ron! Always thinking about his stomach…"
With a groan, Hermione slowly managed to drag herself to her feet. She turned to Professor Flitwick, who was also recovering, along with everyone else. She sighed with relief. They had all survived death – by a whisker.
"Fawkes…?" Hermione put to the diminutive Headmaster.
He nodded sagely. "Fawkes' magic. His essence must have changed the end result of the Gaunt Stone's Oblivion curse. Made it the bane not of the living, but of the undead beings allied with the Death Eaters, with his act of sacrifice." Flitwick chuckled, and his flushed cheeks, just visible above his white beard, brought a little colour back to his tired, pale face. "Wonderful…!"
Hermione looked around. Outside, looking through the dirty, uncared for windows of the library, the clouds seemed to be shifting, for a bright ray of sunlight was now shining. The beams struck the Patils, Professor Lupin, and Clifford, melting their fur as their bodies reverted with a series of boney clicks and crunches into their human forms. Tonks pressed herself against her lover, to cover up for his nakedness, as Remus Lupin became a man again. Meanwhile, the other three werewolves had their clothes reform on them, now torn from the wolf fights they had engaged in.
Clifford Chagoja smiled, overjoyed to be alive, as he exchanged a high-five with Ron. Padma and Parvati clung to each other, tears of relief streaming down their faces – then they embraced Clifford as he crawled over to them.
Hagrid and Professor McGonagall seemed to be okay too, as they shakingly helped each other to their feet, both amazed to be still alive.
And Luna? Hermione began to panic…
She glanced around, and found Luna, who was still laying face-up on the floor where she had fallen. The Ravenclaw pupil was smiling serenely. The rest of the group followed her gaze, to see Umbridge still spell-gagged and spellbound to the ceiling. Her eyes glared at them with disbelief, having witnessed the end of the Dementors.
"You know, Umbridge looks almost cute when she realises she's been soundly beaten!" Luna observed in her usual, dreamy tone-of-voice.
Ron and Hermione shared a grin. Then they helped Luna up – and the three of them hugged each other in their relief and joy…
*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*
Pansy Parkinson groggily opened her eyes as the walkway shook underneath her. Startled, she pulled herself up upon her elbows, and cringed as she felt the cuts and bruises on her head and body.
Once her dizziness had subsided and her hearing adjusted, Pansy took in the scene at the bend of the walkway. Her beloved Draco and the wretched Harry Potter were fighting it out, Muggle-fashion. As she watched, Draco slashed Harry's left shoulder with his silver dagger – only for the hated Boy-That-Lived to recover and kick Draco in the stomach. Her Prince Regent fell – the blade landing behind him.
Draco himself rolled aside and was soon back on his feet, his anger giving him the will and energy to fight to the death. His fist lashed out and caught Harry on the temple. The other young man fell back against the railing behind him, nearly toppling over in the process.
As Harry regained both his balance and his wits, Draco made an attempt to retrieve the Nightshadow and its chain from him.
"Mine!" Malfoy hissed.
"No!" Harry snarled and grabbed hold of Malfoy's forearm, holding the Death Eater at bag. The anger in Harry rose, and almost before he realised it his teeth began to lengthen into fangs. His hands started to clench and morph, becoming half-paws – the fingers shrinking, whilst his nails grew out into darkening claws.
Despite the sunlight streaming down from the cloud-scattered sky above, the wolf in him was forcing its way to the surface of his being, threatening to take over. The pounding of Malfoy's heartbeat became louder in Harry's head. The pulsating vein in his adversary's neck now captivated his gaze, promising him with the reward of sweet blood and fresh meat beneath…
"Nooooo!" he growled.
Despite the pain he was experiencing from Harry's nails digging into his arms, Draco laughed.
"Go on, then! Kill me! Lose yourself to your beast, Potter! Even if you do manage to destroy us, you'll be the next scourge of the wizarding world. The Ministry of Magic will turn on you and your pack, should you live!"
Kill him…, the wolf in Harry howled. Do not listen to your enemy…
No… I am not a monster… Must not become as evil as the Death Eaters…, he protested inside his head.
Harry released Malfoy, then backed away. With an effort, he forced the wolf down – reversing the partial transformation. Soon, he was wholly human once more.
Time to end this! Pansy thought, fighting against the fear that had held her back. She ran over to the silver knife, and yelled.
"Draco – catch!"
"Thanks, Pansy!" Malfoy expertly caught the knife thrown over to him – then twisted back round to face Harry. He leapt, making his attack count…
"Urrrhhh!" Harry failed to completely block the incoming blade. His eyes went wide, as he looked down to see the knife sticking halfway out of him – the metal piercing the wall of his stomach. Harry gasped at the incredible pain, then collapsed upon his knees.
Malfoy beamed – his toothed smile contrasting with the bruises and injuries to his face.
"One down!" he spat. "Now for Weasley, that Mudblood Granger, and Loony Lovegood! Then the rest of your failed army!"
Harry could not speak. He coughed up blood, then fell, face-down upon the wooden floorboards.
Malfoy laughed and kicked at his defeated foe. Seeing no reaction from him, he lifted the Nightshadow jet and its chain from Harry's neck.
"You murderer!" a voice screamed out. "Stupefy!"
Startled, Draco rose and half-turned to glimpse the stunning spell aimed at him. The red beam sped past Pansy's head and struck Draco's exposed shoulder before he could position or use the Nightshadow to absorb the magical attack. He yelled as he was sent, spinning, off-balance. He collapsed against the railing, disorientated by the hastily-aimed spell. The crystal and its chain fell close to him.
Pansy sharply spun round. A battered-looking Alex Greenway was standing in front of her broomstick. He glared at her and re-aimed his wand.
Pansy was quicker. She leapt to one side, and – wand at the ready – fired her latest favourite spell.
"Electrostarsis!" she shrieked.
Alex rolled nimbly to his left. The glowing ray of blue light from the female Death Eater's wand missed the Slytherin Freedom Fighter, and instead struck the white crystal still attached to Pansy Parkinson's broom…
There was a second or two, in which time Pansy realised her grave error. She froze, horrified by what was about to happen.
"Ooooohhhhh…!"
The Solstice Star crystal glowed with the effects of the young witch's spell – then the broomstick actually turned direction of its own accord, on the floorboards. The spear came to a halt, pointing straight at Pansy.
Then the magical crystal complied with its nature, and fired the spell back at her.
Pansy Parkinson screamed as the electric arc, directed by the Spear of Salazar Slytherin, collided into her. She was struck with such force, that the teenage Death Eater crashed through the wooden railing, just feet away from Harry's body. Her wand fell next to him.
With a dying wail, Pansy's lit, electrocuted figure fell from the walkway, and tumbled to the ground below.
"PANSY!"
Draco had just managed to slip the Nightshadow jet over his chest when Pansy had been struck by the rebound of her own spell. Bounding to his feet, he hurried past the unmoving form of Harry Potter, and stopped next to the broken railing – staring down, in disbelief, at the broken, scorched remains of his would-be-princess…
Also stunned by the sudden turn in events, Alex Greenway nevertheless was quicker to recover. He rose to his feet and aimed his wand at Draco. "Now you know what it's like to have your loved one taken away from you, Malfoy! We're even!" He paused, and curled his lip. "Stupefy!"
But Alex's latest spell was just soaked up by the Nightshadow draped once more over Draco's chest, leaving him unharmed.
Malfoy's eyes appraised Alex with disgust, then he quickly scooped up his wand from the floor where Harry had dropped it.
"My turn! Crucio!"
Alex screamed as the Unforgiveable Curse struck him, attacking every nerve and cell in his body. His wand fell from his hand as he went into a fit of spasms. Meanwhile, Malfoy, wincing from his own injuries, carefully approached Alex.
Unnoticed by both young men, Harry Potter re-opened his eyes as his stab wound finally stopped bleeding, and healed up. Whilst playing dead, he had pulled the silver knife out from himself, and waited until his strength had built up sufficiently…
Malfoy was now only a few feet away from the Solstice Star attached to Pansy's broomstick – and he was standing in front of it, as he gloated over Alex's torture.
Harry cast his mind back. He remembered the warning Professor Flitwick had given him, Ron, and Hermione about what would happen if the Nightshadow and the Solstice Star came together.
"If the two should ever actually make physical contact, their powers will violently collide and cancel each over out! Anyone in near-proximity to the gemstones will meet…a most unfortunate end!"
And in his note – the one Trelawney had delivered to Harry, the Headmaster had written about the Solstice Star: 'I have carefully bound an enchantment within it. It should only be triggered in the presence of the Nightshadow jet, and – when activated – the Solstice Star will magically home onto its twin. Just as light is drawn towards a black hole…
The trigger is the school motto – in Latin…!'
Harry's hand closed around Pansy's dropped wand. Having used it to heal his stab wound with a non-verbal spell, he now directed it towards the Solstice Star, as he dragged out from his memory the phrase that would activate the crystal…
"Drago dormiens nunquam titillandus!" he yelled, with the strength he had left.
Translated into English, Harry had just called out: 'Never tickle a sleeping dragon'.
"What…!" The shock of hearing Harry's voice lasted only a moment for Draco Malfoy. In the next instant, the quartz crystal blazed with rainbow colours. Then the spear at the front of the broomstick swung slightly to direct itself at the would-be Prince Regent.
He broke off the Cruciatus curse from Alex, his eyes staring widely at what was happening.
Before he could do anything else, the broomstick shot straight towards him.
Malfoy screamed wildly as the point of Salazar Slytherin's spear slammed forcefully into the jet draped over his chest. Dropping his wand, he grabbed hold of the shaft of Pansy's broomstick in a flash – hoping to save himself. But it was too late now.
Through pained, bloodshot eyes, Harry and Alex saw Draco crash backwards through the railing at the corner of the walkway – his flight propelled by the enchanted broomstick as the Solstice Star sought contact with the Nightshadow…
"Nnnnnooooo!"
As his old adversary disappeared from sight, Harry called upon his last reserves of energy and pulled himself up. He staggered over to the new break in the railing, and collapsed at the edge.
He was just in time to witness Malfoy being slammed into the ground, close to Pansy Parkinson's body. The spearhead then thrusted the Nightshadow which hung over his chest deep into him, skewering Draco – before the weapon emerged from his back, and dug into the muddy bank close to the lakeside.
With the shaft of both the broomstick and the attached spear sufficiently buried within the ribcage of the Heir-To-Be, the Solstice Star was then able to finally physically connect with the Nightshadow…
"AAAIIIEEE!"
There was an explosion of magical energies. Draco Malfoy gave one last, terrified, deafening bellow of agony, as the power of the two crystals fought each other within his very body – then they cancelled each other out, permanently, with a final wave of power that radiated across the school grounds.
Draco's arm – flopping beside him - convulsed, then fell still. The last sparks of magic disappeared from his impelled and electrocuted body.
Harry gave an almighty sigh. The tension slowly ebbed from his taut body, and he rested his head against the floorboards, as tears of relief slowly ran down his battered and injured face.
"Thank goodness…," he breathed.
Seconds passed in the sudden silence that had fallen. Alex managed to drag himself over to Harry, still sore from Draco's final spell. He flopped down next to Harry, and stared wide-eyed at the remains of their common enemy. After some moments he was able to raise a smile.
"Well…," he eventually croaked. "That's just about the best thing I've seen all day."
Harry nodded. "Me, too." Ignoring his aching muscles, he forced himself to look up at the outcome of the battle between the two broomstick-bearing armies. With the destruction of the Nightshadow, the remaining Imperiused pupils had apparently stopped fighting - and there were several astonished faces to be seen, as the unwitting pawns of the Death Eaters allowed themselves to be escorted to the ground by the surviving airborne Freedom Fighters.
The sounds of combat were slowly fading – the roar subsiding into a trickle, as the hostilities abated throughout the school grounds. Then, in the distance, some of the Freedom Fighters began to cheer. The sound of anticipated victory – not yet confirmed – nevertheless began to spread amongst the invaders. The cheers grew stronger in volume.
"Looks like we won…!" Harry smiled, and weakly shook hands with Alex.
Alex's grin faded as he looked Harry over. "You need help, pal. I'll signal for a healer…"
"DRACO!"
Harry and Alex looked across to where the piercing cry had emanated from. A troll was standing to their left, a short distance to the south – next to the main cluster of buildings and towers. A spiked club was clenched in the gnarled hand below the troll's muscular arm. In the monster's cupped left hand was Bellatrix.
She shot out an accusing finger, pointing directly towards Harry and Alex.
"Kill them! Make them pay for my nephew's death!" Bellatrix raged.
The troll grunted his compliance and made toward the walkway, increasing his pace as he strode past a deep stretch of the marsh the Death Eaters had created. The club was gripped tightly as it was raised into the air – ready to smash the walkway into myriad pieces of broken wood…
So… I'm going to die like Cho did…, Harry realised. Fear gripped him. He had no energy left to fight with. And neither, he suspected as he glanced across, did Alex.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
The spell struck the troll on his right-hand side, catching both him and his mistress by surprise. With one leg raised in mid-stride, the creature gave a cry of alarm as his leg muscles all locked together into a rigid position.
Losing balance, the troll began to fall forwards. He tried to turn, to regain his balance. Instead, the motion caused him to topple to his left – straight towards the treacherous ground awaiting him there.
Bellatrix Lestrange screamed and grabbed hold of the troll's fingers as her feet swung out from underneath her. The world tilted to one side – replaced by the marsh…
"Whoa!" Alex's eyes could not have got any wider, thought Harry.
The noise of impact was something in-between a 'splash' and a 'squelch'. The troll bellowed and tried to rise back up. But Neville Longbottom ran after them, coming into Harry's field of vision, as he kept to the dryer ground. Then he fired off another spell.
"Stupefy!"
The red light struck the troll in the forehead, and he lost consciousness – before sinking gradually further into the swamp.
"Yaagghh! Get me out of here! Help! Heellpp…!"
Harry, Alex, and Neville all watched – numbed – as they saw the mud-splattered Bellatrix trying desperately to crawl out of the mire underneath the troll's face. The weight of her servant forced her down – and in a matter of seconds, Lestrange's agonised expression vanished, as her screams turned into a gurgle. Her outstretched arm hung above the stinking green bog, clawing at the air – then it disappeared, along with the last ripple of bubbles from her. Seconds later, the troll also sank out of sight.
Neville lowered his wand. He collapsed upon his knees – his mind taking in the fact that his personal quest was finally over. The torture of his parents by Bellatrix had now been avenged.
Then he looked up, and saw Harry and Alex. He grinned – widely.
"I got her!" he yelled triumphantly, shaking his fists in the air. He whooped. "I got her!"
Harry smiled back, and managed to raise his arm to give Neville the thumbs up.
"That was the last troll, Harry," Alex gasped, casting his eyes around the battlefield of the school's exterior. "No giants… No enemy flyers in sight, and…look!"
He pointed to the Astronomy Tower, as he helped Harry to his feet. They saw the tiny figure of Professor Flitwick climb onto the roof and unleash a fireball spell upon the silver and black flag of the Death Eater's design. Seconds later, a group with him unfolded the Hogwarts flag. Harry recognised Bill and Fleur Weasley, Theodore Nott, Katie Bell, and Davy and Galvin Gudgeon. With the use of several wands, the flagpole was re-united with its original banner.
"Yay!" Alex punched the air. The yells of both him and Neville joined in the growing chorus now ringing across the school grounds.
Harry allowed himself to relax, as he gave a sigh of relief. The Death Eaters had lost. The war was finally over.
Hogwarts had been liberated.