Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of JK Rowling and no profit is being made from this story.
Thanks to Marcus S. Lazarus, my beta and to you for reading; enjoy the chapter I am most proud of!
Chapter Six – Diagon Alley
The ex-team stayed true to their words and no longer worked together. Even when they were supposed to be training with each other, it was more a case of training against each other. There had been one incident that had caused the teens to be heavily reprimanded;
Harry and Neville were on an exercise which placed them on the same team, along with many other soldiers; both being the highest rank in the squad– now full lieutenants following their escape from captivity-, they were in charge. Initially the mission went well enough, the boys managing to mostly ignore the other. The squad had been split into two fire teams – alpha, Harry's and Delta, Neville's. The early objectives on the mission had been met and now the boy's squad were surrounding the 'enemy' position.
"OK, Potter," Neville said, speaking to Harry through a radio-like head set the army had begun to use, "I'm going in for the attack; you cover me, if you can manage it. Over"
"No, Longbottom," Harry countered- was Neville trying to screw up the plans or something?-, "the assault is Alpha's job, as we were told in the briefing! Over!"
"Look Potter, I don't care, I want this mission to succeed and the only way that will happen is if I lead the attack! Over!"
"It's not happening Longbottom! This attack is MY job! Over and out" Harry responded back into the radio, subsequently terminating the connection as he signalled for his fire team to move in on the enemy position. Even as they apparated into the centre of the camp and started to take out enemies, however, Neville's fire team came in and did the same.
Harry barely even stopped to think; quickly noting Neville's position, he apparated over to his old friend and grabbed him by the shirt collar, hauling him around so that the two were face-to-face.
"What the hell are you up to, Longbottom?" he yelled "If I needed support I would have asked for it!"
Neville's only response was to send a stunner at Harry, the other wizard instantly dodging the attack and sending his own right back. The fight soon escalated, while their troops were being decimated on the ground. The trouble was that they soon became so focused on the combat that, even when they had no troops left, they didn't even register it, their attention so focused on the battle that it seemed as though nobody could stop them. When the commanding officers moved in for the exercise debrief the two were still fighting intensely, though keeping the spells fairly low key.
Finally, Colonel Wilson arrived on the scene.
"Lieutenant Potter! Lieutenant Longbottom!" he yelled angrily at the two of them. "Stop this at once! What on Earth are you two doing? You will report to my office at 19.00hrs tonight; there will be consequences for this!"
And consequences there were. The boys were lucky- extremely lucky- not to have been demoted to a lower rank. As it was, they were banned from working with each other- not much of a punishment, they thought-, put on mess hall duty for a month, and were not allowed to take command on missions until further notice.
After that incident, they boys stayed away from each other, both of them going into solitary training. Harry took advantage of the opportunity to try and master his control of what he called his 'golden form', as well as working on regaining his pre-Mosmodre level of fitness. He didn't know what Neville was doing, but right now he didn't care; there were too many questions for him to feel even remotely comfortable working with the other boy right now.
Things continued like this for nearly a whole year. After about a month the punishment ended and Harry began to lead men on missions again. However, without Neville by his side, their formerly perfect streak was tarnished; they actually began to lose the occasional battle. Despite this, Harry ploughed on, concentrating solely on his missions, achieving the admiration of many in the higher ranks, such as the newly-promoted General Wilson (The previous General and Brigadier had been killed on a Death Eater raid). As a result of Harry's new attitude, he was given the rank of Captain.
--
Voldemort was not happy. Not only had two of his high security prisoners escaped, but the result of that was he lost his domination of the war. Potter and Longbottom, he had to admit, were excellent military leaders and could- actually, they regularly did- give his own elites a run for their money. They could defend any attack Voldemort sent at the free wizards and organised men under them superbly.
Recently he understood there was a rift between the two of them, significantly hampering their ability to work with each other when in action. The team that had once complimented each other so well was now at half strength, proving Voldemort's long-held belief that they were nothing without each other.
The time was perfect, he decided, to take Britain.
--
Harry was in his squadron's armoury inspecting the weapons of his platoon before their next mission, but was distracted from his currently negative analysis- some people weren't even bothering to clean their daggers any more; how long before their larger weapons were ignored?- when the alarm went off.
As soon as the sound reached his ears, Harry literally dropped everything and ran for the briefing room, well aware of the alarm's meaning; code red indicated that a populated area was under attack.
As he hurried into the briefing room, he wasn't surprised to discover that it was the epitome of chaos. General Wilson and a number of others, including Major Greer– the man who used to be the lieutenant in charge of simulations and ranges– were pouring over huge maps. On the maps were tiny black dots moving about showing a plan of the battlefield.
"Captain Potter!" said Major Greer, turning to briefly nod at him in acknowledgement of his presence. "The Death Eaters have launched an attack on Diagon Alley!"
"How many do they have and how many do we have?" Harry asked, leaning on the table to better survey the map.
"Death Eaters at around four-hundred strong, no WA squads in yet, the aurors are currently keeping them at bay… barely," Greer replied, nodding in acknowledgement of Harry's anger at the lack of response. "We're going to move five squads in to support them; mine, Colonel Smith's, Lt.Colonel Burns', Captain Longbottom's and yours." He acknowledged the brief expression on Harry's face at the reference to Neville, but otherwise continued speaking as though nothing had happened.
"You and me will be apparating in at the Gringott's end; Captain Longbottom and Colonel Smith at the Leaky Cauldron end; Lt Colonel Burns will be at Knockturn Alley in case we need support. The aurors will join in the ranks as we push forward; eventually, we hope to close in the Death Eaters when the squads reach each other. Any questions?"
"No sir."
"Very well then, prepare your men – we move out in five minutes."
Harry saluted then dashed out of the briefing room, heading back towards the Section Eights armoury to rejoin his men.
"Suit up lads! We're going to get some Death Eaters!" he shouted, the response was a large cheer from the men. He briefed them as they dressed; Harry, as always, favoured his traditional outfit of skinny black jeans, calf length boots with pointed toes and a black, tight vest, simultaneously charming his hair in the typical up and out fashion. He looked pretty intimidating in the outfit along with his green eyes, accentuated by the black rings around them. Once all the men had dressed for the battle, and got their weapons (Harry went for his usual selection; two wands, two daggers, and a sword), the portkey was brought to them by a messenger from the briefing room.
"Ok, guys!" Harry said, looking resolutely around at his men. "Form up three ranks; we need to be ready to start fighting the second we arrive!"
The men nodded and cheered, took hold of the rope that was their portkey, pulled out their weapons and waited. Harry looked at the watch his grandfather had given him so long ago, lost on thoughts and recollections for a moment, before he turned around to smile at his men.
"This is crunch time," he said, nodding resolutely at them. "Let's go!"
With that, he tapped the portkey; the battle was about to begin.
--
The Weasley family sat, huddled around their new ministry issue WV (wireless, visual). This was an invention based on the muggle electronic system a fellytision- as Arthur called it-, capable of successfully projecting out images– live and recorded– of goings on in the Wizarding world.
Currently it was broadcasting images from the battle of Diagon Alley, where the situation currently appeared to be grim for the aurors present; even though they weren't really outnumbered the Death Eaters were just far better organised.
However, just as the cameras were showing images of Gringotts bank, two full squads of soldiers arrived, increasing the army's chances of success significantly.
"Look!" Ginny practically yelled. "There's Harry, at the front of the group on the right!"
"Blimey!" Ron said, staring in awe at the soldier who'd saved his sister's life and actually made an effort to treat him like a person during their first- and so far only- meeting. "He looks better than he did at Hogwarts! Bloody Hell, they are ploughing right through those scumbags like a hot knife through butter!"
"RONALD WEASLEY! Watch your mouth!" shouted an annoyed Molly Weasley.
"He's right though mum!" Ginny said, staring in awe at the screen. "Look at how fast Harry is; he's got his sword and his wand... wow, he's using them at the same time!"
"Yeah, mum!" Fred put in. "Look how gorgeous and dreamy he is with his wand..."
"Tell me about it oh-brother-mine," George added, a slightly teasing smile on his face as his eyes flicked over to look at Ginny. "What a hero..."
"You two ought to have more respect for him," a stern-sounding Bill said as he looked over at his younger brothers. "He's two years younger than you and he's out there leading from the front, already a cap- BLIMEY!" he yelled, interrupting himself as he stared in awe at the screen. "Did you see that? He just lobbed a Death Eater's head clean off!"
The camera view then changed to the other end of the Alley, about one hundred metres away from the Leaky Cauldron, where two squads were pushing their way forward, closing in on the Death Eaters in the same fashion as Harry's section. Before long the death eaters were closed in, their backs to one of the shops in the wider area of the Alley, surrounded to the left and the right, with a small but clearly strong group in front of them.
For those viewers wandering who the group directly in front of the Death Eater forces are, the reporter's voice said from the WV, I am told it is the leaders of the battle; James Potter of the Aurors, Albus Dumbledore representing the Order of the Phoenix, and… yes… yes, I am hearing that the other two standing there are Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom.
So far we have seen large casualties on each side; perhaps the most notable casualties are two army leaders, a… Simon Burns and Richard Smith. We are expecting the Death Eaters here, numbering about two-hundred to be arrested any moment now, I am sure we can be confident of… what? Who are… oh Merlin. Merlin no – It can't be… the reporter continued, his tone becoming more fearful as a group of about ten Death Eaters apparated in front of their remaining troops. Ladies and Gentlemen, those individuals who have just arrived on the side of the death eaters are none other than You-Know-Who and his elites. Merlin help those poor men and women still down there…
--
Harry was pleased with how the battle had gone so far; the Death Eaters had been forced back and were now pretty much surrounded. He went over to the small group in front of the Death Eaters to discuss further orders with the other leaders (With Major Greer having been injured in battle and evacuated, command had automatically fallen to him). However, his good mood at the battle's outcome fell when he saw who was with the group; his father, James Potter, representing the aurors, Albus Dumbledore, representing the Order of the Phoenix, and Neville, representing his flank of the army attack.
Great… he mused, as he walked over to join them. I have to work with the three people on Earth I'd do anything to not be stuck in a room with…
"Harry?" James said, looking over at him in surprise as he approached. "What are you doing here?"
"That's Captain Potter to you, Lieutenant," Harry replied, struggling to hide his amusement- he might not like the man but that didn't mean he wanted to humiliate somebody he had to work with-, "and I'm here because those men to our left are under my command."
"Ah...yes, well– you see all the men in red robes? They're Aurors under my command!" James replied, a slightly smug look on his face as he spoke; Harry wondered if it was even worth pointing out the fact that he wasn't even half James's age and yet had almost more people following him.
"Dumbledore, what's the plan?" James continued, now looking to the old man for guidance, Harry having apparently been pushed to one side as far as he was concerned.
"We shall detain these men and keep them prisoner, to await trials where they shall be charged," Dumbledore replied.
"And where shall they be kept?" Harry pointed out; the wizards had never managed to create an effective replacement for Azkaban after Voldemort took control of the island.
"And who'll charge them?" Neville added; with the Ministry divided, gathering the Wizengamont together was a nearly impossible task.
"Well, we shall cross that bridge when we come to it," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling in a manner that Harry couldn't identify but didn't much like the look of.
"We're on that bridge, Dumbledore!" Harry groaned, exasperation in his voice. "With Azkaban gone we have nowhere to keep them!"
"We'll figure something out," Dumbledore began, looking at Harry as though wondering what gave the younger boy the right to speak to him that way. "Don't you worry my dea-"
Whatever the headmaster had been about to say was cut off at the sound of multiple apparitions, prompting Harry to spun around and level both his wands at the threat, Neville only a few seconds behind him.
It only took a few seconds to confirm that the worst-case-scenario had just taken place; Voldemort and his elite were here.
"Dumbledore, how nice to see you!" the Dark Lord began, smiling despite the multiple wands aimed at him. "And big Potter! How does it feel to be outranked and outpowered by your own son?"
"Don't be ridiculous!" James countered; whether he actually believed that or was just contradicting Voldemort for the sake of it, Harry wasn't sure.
"And little Potter...I still don't know why you chose to leave my Island resort! I don't know how you left either..."
For a moment Voldemort trailed off, leaving Harry uncertain what was going to happen next, before he spoke again. "And Captain Longbottom...I fancy that you would challenge me, yes?"
Neville remained silent, staring at Voldemort.
"Don't rise to it Mr. Longbottom…" Dumbledore said in a low voice. "Do not engage him…"
"No," Neville said simply, smirking and raising his wand as he took a step towards Voldemort.
"Neville, stop!" Harry yelled; Neville didn't even seem to hear him, simply continuing on as though Harry hadn't spoken. "Neville, don't-"
It was when Harry stepped forward to place a hand on Neville's shoulder that he knew something was seriously wrong.
"Get off me, Potter!" his old teammate shouted, shrugging Harry off with a brief punch to the face.
It was only after Harry hit the ground that he realised the punch had left a familiar pain in the left side of his face, to say nothing of the blood that was now on his arm.
"Oh no…" he whispered, looking up in shock, praying that he was wrong as Neville advanced towards Voldemort, hoping against the evidence that his old friend would at least try and curse the bastard…
Then Neville lowered his wand and dropped to one knee, and Harry knew that he'd been correct. Neville said one word that made Harry's heart sink;
"Master."
--
Back at the Burrow, the Weasley family could only watch in horror as the most feared wizard alive arrived at the battle, Molly and Ginny crying in fear and pain for Harry as his best friend openly betrayed him…
Then visuals cut on the WV, leaving the entire audience wondering what was now taking place on the battlefield.
--
Even with blood streaming from his cheek, the wound caused by the bladed ring that Neville must have acquired from Voldemort, Harry barely even felt the agony on his face; the sight of his life-long friend bowing before the Dark Lord more than outmatched that.
"Rise, Captain and take your place by my side!" Voldemort said, smirking slightly as he looked back at the rest of the wizards before him.
"…Why, Neville?" Dumbledore asked after a moment's silence, looking in shock at the young man.
"Power," was all that Neville said in reply.
"Now Neville, your first task as my second in command…" Voldemort said, apparently unconcerned about Harry's continued immobile status, the young man stills taring in shock at his former friend even as it began to rain, thunder and lightning vaguely audible in the distance.
"Kill Captain Potter!" Voldemort ordered, prompting Neville to smile and 'power up' into his golden state, driving the surrounding aurors back even as Harry got to his feet.
He could deal with what had just taken place before him later; right now, he had an enemy to deal with, regardless of the man's identity.
"Neville," he said, his voice harsh and rough, forcing emotion back as he glared at his former ally. "Stop this. You don't have to this!"
"No Harry, I do!" Neville countered, looking at Harry with an expression that somehow managed to combine a manic grin with genuine surprise, as though he couldn't believe Harry hadn't come to the same decision as him. "Don't you see; the side of the war you're on is weak; the only thing that stopped them from being utterly wiped out was us! Come over to us, Harry! We could rule these weaklings; hell, you and I… we could rule the world!"
As Neville smiled broadly at him, Harry wondered whether it was just whatever he might have undergone at Crucio Castle that had made him snap, or if whatever drove him to this had been there for ages and he'd just never realised it.
"Look at yourself, Neville!" he yelled, gesturing in frustration at his old ally as he stood beside Voldemort. "Not only are you insane, you've become everything we used to be against!"
"No, Harry, I'm not insane!" Neville replied, still grinning; Harry wasn't sure whether to be grateful or disturbed at the fact that Neville was still looking at him like he was the crazy one here. "I have been enlightened; while we were on Morsmodre, the great Lord Voldemort showed me the future! He showed me true power! He has helped me to reach my true potential, and he can help you too!"
"No, Neville," Harry replied, shaking his head grimly, "you haven't been enlightened; you've been disillusioned! I'll never join your side; it's wrong!"
It wasn't the best argument, of course, but he was still cursing himself for not realising something was wrong sooner; Neville's lack of grief at the deaths of his parents should have been evidence enough that something wasn't right.
Still… in the end, it was all he could say, because it was what he truly believed; he might not always like what Dumbledore did in the name of 'the greater good'- sending him and Neville off to train as part of some prophecy wasn't exactly the actions of a saint, as far as he could see; he might have wanted to leave, but wouldn't things have been different if Violet wasn't such a spoiled brat?-, but at least he didn't commit mass murder in the name of his goals.
Voldemort's way was wrong, and that was that.
"Please, Neville," he said, looking grimly back at his old friend. "Come back to us…"
After a moment's silence, Neville sighed.
"Well, Harry," he said, a dangerous gleam in his eye as he raised his arms, "if you're not with me…. you're my enemy and because of that I must destroy you..."
"You will try," Harry countered, forcing his own grief back as he powered up his own golden form, ready to fight back; his feelings about this whole mess would have to wait until Neville was… down.
Even as Neville launched the first spell- a blasting curse-, Harry was already moving, jumping into the air and remaining airborne, already resolved to stick to a defensive strategy; Neville might be a powerhouse, but if he could stay on the move he had a good chance of wearing him down. Even when Neville flew up to launch a more physical assault against Harry, Harry merely dodged his various punches and kicks, the closest thing to a successful punch being a blow that Harry blocked with such force as to send the two fighters flying backwards into the buildings on either side of the alley.
--
Down on the ground, Rufus Scrimgeour and the rest of the aurors and troops watched the two teens fight in fascination, even as Scrimgeour shuddered slightly at the sight of such power in the hands of two such young wizards. As the two combatants flew back into action, away from the buildings they'd just collided with, the Longbottom boy sent a string of cutting hexes and blinding curses at the other, who brought his arm down in an arc, somehow deflecting the spells before launching what looked like a mixture of stunners and fully body binds; unlike his opponent, he seemed to be out to immobilise rather than injure.
The fight continued on at this ridiculously fast pace, rain whipping both boys' faces while simultaneously making it hard for the observers down below to see, lightning illuminating the sky every so often and thunder roaring occasionally.
Finally, as Neville sent two spells at Harry- a strong reducto and a stunner-, Harry, concentrating, seized his chance and deflected the spells, sending the stunner hurtling straight towards Neville. Although Neville simply laughed as he casually moved out of the path of the stunner, he failed to take the second spell into account, the reducto striking the shop behind Neville and causing huge chunks of rubble to fly out, one of them striking Neville in the head and sending him collapsing to the ground in a heap by Voldemort's side, his golden glow automatically fading.
Just like in training, Harry mused to himself as he landed beside his father, trying to maintain a lighter attitude even as he hated what he'd had to do to a man he'd once fought alongside. He could never learn to think more than two steps ahead…
"Pathetic, Longbottom!" Voldemort spat, looking scathingly at the crumpled form beside him before he turned back to glare at Harry. "Go on, Captain Potter; kill him! Dispose of your enemy; I have no use for someone so… weak!"
"Do it, Harry!" James hissed from behind him. "Neville's too dangerous to be left alive!"
"Your father is right, my boy," Dumbledore concurred, looking promptingly at Harry. "You must eliminate him..."
Harry heard both of their arguments.
As he looked at Neville right now, he had to agree with them.
But at the same time…
"No," he said finally, rain pouring from his soaked form, his once tall hair now flat and wet through. "No matter what he's become… no matter what he's done… I will not kill him..."
He swallowed, wishing that he'd said this before this whole mess had taken place, before he finally concluded his sentence. "My brother…"
"HARRY!" Dumbledore protested. "You can't… he's too powerful!"
"Tut Tut, Dumbledore…" Voldemort chuckled, his arms folded as he looked mockingly at the headmaster. "Two faulty weapons you've got there, it seems to me; one has seen the truth and now belongs to me, while the other is too weak to do what he must! Well, if he cannot kill, I will!"
Even as he heard Voldemort begin to utter the Killing Curse, Harry shut his eyes; just as he didn't want to kill Neville himself, he hardly wanted to see his former friend die even if he could do nothing to stop it…
"CAPTAIN! LOOK OUT!" somebody yelled, prompting Harry to open his eyes just in time to see a bright green light fly at him; evidently Voldemort wasn't going to kill Neville right now. Even as the curse struck Harry, however, something strange happened; with his golden glow still active, he almost seemed to absorb the curse, remaining still for a few brief seconds before a bright green light, tinged with golden highlights, burst from a small point on his forehead, heading straight for Voldemort…
Only to be intercepted at the last minute when a now-conscious Neville, apparently determined to regain favour with his master, jumped in the path of the spell, the force of the blast sending him flying back into the shop wall behind him, the building subsequently collapsing on him.
"NO!" screamed Harry as his ex-best friend- no, his brother- was crushed beneath the rocks and rubble of what was once a building.
He barely even registered it as Voldemort cursed, touched his blade-ring, and then apparated away; all he could do, as the rain continued to lash against him, was sink to his knees and scream into the night, unconcerned about the mass of people behind him.
Neville was dead…
Worse; Neville had betrayed him and everything they were meant to stand for.
For the first time since he'd started training, Harry didn't know what to do. So he just continued to scream.
--
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