Disclaimer: I don't own, I don't own, Oh god, I seriously don't own….. gah….
Well boys and girls, I'm back, I want to be back way more often now too, since I love writing.
Hopefully this will be a permanent continuation. I really do miss this.
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Chapter Nine
This was it.
Years of manoeuvring came crashing down into one moment, a full frontal assault on Voldemort's layer. 169 able bodied witches and wizards stood together quietly a few miles away, waiting for the signal as more slowly sifted in.
And then there he was, in through the door, Dumbledore came.
'Five minutes.' And then he promptly went back out. Just like that, no twinkle, no nod, nothing.
All those gathered, 187 now, slowly stood, some stretching, others nervously testing their shields and charms. A few even carried muggle weapons, a sprinkling of guns, knives, and, oddly, quite a number of brass knuckles. It seemed many of the assembly were looking to get the Death Eaters that would inevitably be inside good and bloody in the battle to come.
The minutes ticked by, agonizingly slowly and yet far too fast.
Dumbledore appeared again, without a word, he walked in, through the crowd, slowly looking everyone in the eye.
'Its time.' He went to the door, did an about face and looked at them all very sternly. 'You are all terrified. I see that, I understand that. It's expected at this dark hour. You must pull through though!' He raised his hand in a fist, in a faintly victorious gesture. 'This is it! We are here, now, to save the Wizarding world! For our families, our children, and everyone else we hold dear. We will not fail!' The crowd stood a bit straighter with each passing word, a sense of pride pushing back some of their collective fear. 'Now, is everyone ready?' Wands rose in the air and a few overzealous members gave war woops. 'Then follow me.'
And so they were set off, following Dumbledore, to destroy the bane of the Wizarding World, and perhaps, hopefully, save the one that once saved them. Many in the audience prayed that they weren't too late.
It was a quiet affair, the walk. Not a word was spoken. All too quickly the fortress loomed up before them, bared of its magic that had hid it for so long. It was a hideous place, dark and devoid of life, like the carcass of some long dead animal that had been brutally savaged.
Dumbledore stayed at the head, with the majority of the Weasley family around him. From different parts of the group, a multitude of people ran forward, starting their work on the wards and traps surrounding the place, they would stay here for most of the battle, keeping the way clear and keep the wards from smashing everyone inside's heads in, a few others would stand guard until they gave the signal that they were needed, they all secretly knew that if that signal went off, the fight was almost surely doomed.
One of the members of group that was working on the words nodded to Dumbledore, and there was a collective intake of breath. Once they passed those wards, that was it, there was no turning back.
No one fled.
The group silently surged forward, and then noise, a cacophony of epic proportions, Death Eaters came boiling out the front door and a few side entrances, screaming out curses, hexes, and the like, the Order and its miniature army screamed right back, lights danced off innumerable shields, people dropped like rocks on either side, there was no time to count the dead, they had to keep pushing forward.
Then they were in, a large part of the group stayed outside, fending off the Death Eaters that showed up as the alarm was being raised to get them all there at once, the rest followed Dumbledore, flying through the monstrous mansion, sending up spells to search ahead of them, for both The Boy Who Lived, and The Boy that Saved Him. Death Eaters still appeared here and there, but were outnumbered, and were quickly taken down.
'I've got a response, this way!' Cried an older woman, she beckoned down a hallway that led to a flight of stairs. She was halfway down when the quickest caught up.
The stairs wound down and down, becoming more and more dungeon-like as they went. The woman, a brunette nicknamed Mir by friends, came up to a door; it had a window cut into it, bars sitting in the hole. She could hear whispering inside, but couldn't make anything out in the darkness within.
About a quarter of the small group went down, many stayed at the top, on guard, a few went further down to look out for any planned ambushes. Dumbledore, walked up to the door, tested the locks, and then, with seeming ease, smashed through all the locking charms and hexes that sat on it. He reached out, pulling the door open.
He almost wished he hadn't.
The inner walls were awash in blood, and sitting in a corner, cradling a body maimed beyond recognition, was Harry. He had as much blood on him as the room.
The stench was awful, it took a moment, but Dumbledore realized bits of flesh and Merlin knew what else everywhere .It was as if was someone had burst apart, painting the room with themselves.
Harry dazedly looked up, one side of his face covered in little rivers of dried gore, the leftovers from his eye. 'See, Draco? What'd I tell you, he's here, we're safe now, see?' He attempted to hold up the head that lay in his lap, barely attached at the neck. 'See, it's all gonna be better now, see?' Molly Weasley, who was behind Dumbledore, gave a small sob and had to back away. 'It's all better, all better,' he kept mumbling, rocking the corpse, petting its hair.
Dumbledore took a few slow steps into the room.
'Harry, come here.' He held out his hand, Harry looked at it quizzically.
'But I have to get Draco out of here, when he, when he we- went to... sleep...' Harry seemed to lose his train of thought a moment; he gave his head a shake. 'He made me promise not to let him go, he was scared, but I kept telling him you'd come, you'd save us.' He beamed up at Dumbledore, like a child proven right.
'That's- that's fine Harry, you have done well, come with us, we will take care of Draco now.' Dumbledore beckoned him out the door, hesitant to touch the boy just yet.
Slowly Harry stood up, stumbling a bit, favouring his left leg heavily. He bent down and picked up the remains, they seemed barely held together, a sac k of bones and innards. 'Poppy'll put you right Draco, don't worry.' Harry murmured under his breath, smiling at the head resting on his shoulder.
Many in the group gasped at the nightmarish sight, their saviour, dripping blood, leaving footprints of the stuff as he walked. They all noticed the gaping hole that was once his eye.
Harry looked around the gathered group, a faint smile on his lips, he looked back to Dumbledore.
'Can we go home now? Is it safe?' Dumbledore nodded, attempting a weak smile. 'Good, its safer there.'
Many of those in the group looked at one another, an inescapable fear sitting in their guts. This was their hero; this was The Boy Who Lived. They had won this battle, but winning the war suddenly seemed impossible.
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Obnoxius Patronus Tolerantium: I haven't updated 'cause I'm lazy, and working 12 hour days 5 days a weeks leaves me sleepy. If its worth anything, it was your post in particular that made me go, yeah, why hasn't it been updated?
Beth: We've known one another since grade 8, I will go to your house and make you reply if I have to. Grr.
Vespa Lady: Cliff of doom! I love cliff hangers myself Usually only when I write them though…
Rosie Girl: Ew indeed, my dear, ew indeed.
I think that was all, if I didn't reply to you, lemme know and I will update :P
Till next time!
