Chapter 10. Got Your Six.
Harry awoke in a very good mood. He had spent Valentine's Day close with his wife, just enjoying life. Harry took Ginny to a Muggle Theme park where they rode Roller Coasters, and various other rides that had Ginny laughing and squealing like any regular teenager.
They then went to a muggle cinema to watch a movie, where Ginny, once again delighted in the Muggle sweets and "Wizard Pictures with words," as well as all the muggle sweets and fizzy drink.
Now, as he lay in his bed at Potter Manor, he was pleased to see her getting some rest. While they were worried about what Trelawney would reveal to Voldemort, Umbridge and what she would do, Yaxley and her quest as well as the Ministry of Magic and the Daily Prophet, they both recognized that they needed some time to unwind and simply be teenagers for a little while.
However that time was coming to a close, and as they lay in each other's arms in bed Harry was wondering why they bothered with Hogwarts anymore. He was fed up with the constant threats towards his wife, who was dealing with it admirably. He wasn't learning much more than he already knew anymore and there wasn't much intelligence to be gleaned from the place now that Dumbledore was dead, with the exception of Yaxley and Umbridge, whom they could spy on under their invisibility cloak if the need arose.
Harry decided he was craving freedom. Not conforming to anyone else's schedule, and wanting to spend time with his wife while training as much as he wanted. OWLS and NEWTS could be completed whenever they wanted, and it wasn't like the Potters ever needed to work, their investments were making a steady income that they both could live their lives off.
Ginny stirring in her sleep and murmuring his name removed him from his thoughts as his focus came back to her, planting a grin on him. He would discuss this topic with her at another time.
Harry and Ginny returned to Gryffindor's study at Hogwarts that evening, they decided together they would attend dinner, however they were yet to have the discussion about leaving the school on a permanent basis.
"Mrs. Potter…" The portrait of Godric Gryffindor spoke upon their arrival. "The Headmistress has requested your presence upon returning to school."
"Just me?" Ginny spoke, a touch of worry tinging her voice as she spoke.
"Yes… That was all she said through the floo." Godric spoke with a smile that eased her slightly.
"Okay…" Ginny said softly. 'What could she want with just me?'
'I haven't a clue, love. But be on your guard.' Harry responded, a touch of worry tainting his thoughts. Something just… didn't feel right.
'Always' Ginny smirked, then she leaned up and kissed him sweetly before she Shadow Stepped to a shadowy alcove nearest the Heads office, and made her way to the Stone Gargoyle guarding the Headmistresses office.
"Tartan." She spoke confidently to the Gargoyle as it hopped aside and she jogged up the steps taking two at a time.
"Enter!" Ginny heard McGonagall shout as she opened and entered a foot inside. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end for some reason, but she ignored it.
"Good Evening, Miss Weasley." The Headmistress said with an edge of hostility in her voice. The tone and way she addressed Ginny had alarm bells ringing in her head. "Sit." McGonagall said with a rather dark smirk.
"I think I'd rather stand…" Ginny said as she eyed the room. She reached out with her Magical Perception, but it seemed the room was warded in such a way that it interfered with it, feeling magic responding all around her. Ginny looked around, looking for anything out of place, any reason as to why McGonagall would be acting strangely. 'Harry, something's up with McGonagall… And I can't get a read on anything…"
'Legilimency?' Was the only response that came from Harry.
Ginny looked into the eyes of her Headmistress, loaded her mental probe with power and began her search. Immediately, everything was wrong, there were a few memories of the host looking at McGonagall who was strapped to a chair, then, shifting back in time, she saw the memory of the person before her kneeling before Tom Riddle.
As Ginny withdrew from the mind of the person in front of her, she was met by the visage of rage as she released her wand from the holster. "Crucio!" The imposter McGonagall screeched in McGonagall's Scottish brogue. As the spell burst from her wand, hidden under the desk she was sitting behind, flipping it violently toward the entrance as the spell streaking for the redheaded Potter.
Ginny ducked the desk and leapt to the side as soon as she heard the spell being cast, both narrowly missed her, with the desk exploding on impact with the door and the spell hitting the desk, sending shards of wood everywhere. She felt a stabbing pain in her calf muscles and back but ignored it for the moment.
As Ginny righted herself from dodging the curse of the fake McGonagall, she raised her power slightly, took aim at the fake McGonagall, a spell on her lips as 'Harry, help,' passed through her bond. However she wasn't ready for six Cruciatus curses to slam into her at the same time, the pain all over her was white hot and her world went black in an instant.
.
Whilst Ginny left to visit the Headmistress, Harry began unpacking their overnight bag and setting about the Study tidying and sorting both of their belongings out for the next day.
He felt the feeling of caution and worry coming from Ginny before he heard her 'voice' in his head, 'Harry, something's up with McGonagall… And I can't get a read on anything…"
'Legilimency.' Harry responded, thinking Ginny must be very worried if she didn't think to try that for herself.
Harry went and fetched his robes as a precautionary measure, he then felt the feeling of horror from his wife. 'Harry, Help' He heard from Ginny through his link with her, as he quickly threw his robes over his head, having been wearing muggle clothing most of the weekend, then he felt a white hot pain streak through him and then felt Ginny fade from his consciousness.
In an instant Harry drew his Glaives and Shadow Stepped to McGonagall's office, and the position where he felt Ginny's consciousness fade.
As he appeared in the office, barely a foot in front of his unconscious and bleeding wife, rage swept through him and he let his aura loose not caring who was there or how many. Harry's eyes did a quick sweep of the room and saw multiple people just coming out of their Disillusionment charms, having cast other spells causing the camouflage spell to fade.
Ginny hadn't been able to successfully check the room out with her Magical Perception, so she couldn't notice Pansy Parkinson, Bridgette Yaxley, Theodore Nott, Millicent Bulstrode, Victor Crabbe and Gregory Goyle all standing in a crescent formation each side of the 'Headmistress,' under disillusionment charms.
Harry felt an inferno of Fury sweep over him as he moved into action, tossing his left Glaive up and catching it by the tip of the blade, he flicked it as hard as he could at Pansy, she didn't have the speed nor the skill to dodge the double bladed weapon streaking for her faster than anything she had seen before. In the blink of an eye it had done its job as it sliced through her midsection, wedging itself in the wall behind her.
The fight raged on before her, the newcomer striking fear into his opponents with his tremendous power radiating from him and his speed and grace. When the room rumbled, Pansy discovered why she couldn't move and was struggling to breathe, as the top half of her body separated from the bottom. She looked down at her legless torso, her entrails sprawled out beside her, and she looked up to see Potter taking down the rest of her friends, and she screamed in horror and helpless rage while she bled to death on the floor.
.
After Harry threw the Glaive, he Shadow Stepped to the opposite side of the room to Goyle and thrust his other Glaive into the boy's chest, with a roar of anger and continuing the movement he lifted the heavy set boy off the ground completely and slammed him to the floor, shaking the room and pinning the boy to the ground.
Leaving Goyle pinned to the floor, Harry spun, Crabbe in his sights he raised a hand, thumb, index and middle fingers making a triangle shape and he shouted, "EVISCERATE!" The spell erupting from his hand with a force that could have moved boulders, but not Harry as the Death Eater trainee was struck by a golden light and he exploded into a mass of what looked like minced meat soup, painting the wall behind where he stood before in a three dimensional artwork of gore.
"Stop!" The Imposter McGonagall shouted, causing Harry to quickly turn to the direction of the sound. She seemed to be slowly de-morphing from McGonagall, as she shortened and widened into a toad like figure. Causing Harry to almost vibrate with unchecked rage that was coursing through him.
Umbridge was now standing at the entrance to the room having somehow moved there in the commotion, her wand pointed at Ginny who was lying helplessly on the stone floor, splinters from what looked to be from the Headmistress's desk protruding from her back and legs. "One more move and the girl dies, P-potter." Umbridge stuttered with feigned confidence as she watched Potter stand there, his red aura scorching the ceiling, the sparks jumping outward from him, in some cases crawling along the floor and the globe of golden streaks shimmering as it swirled around him. It was beautiful, in an odd sort of way. Now that Harry stood still and just glared at Umbridge, she then nodded to someone who stood behind Harry.
Harry just stood there and growled facing Umbridge as the sound of the floo seemed to flare behind him. Someone having escaped had only added to Harry's mounting Fury.
In a flash of Flame Neville and Grace appeared holding onto Fawkes with one hand and wand in the other aimed already at Umbridge, Neville then roared "OBLITERATE!"
Grace was facing the other direction aimed at someone behind Harry yelling the same spell at the same time, however she was drowned out by Neville, as a beam of light erupted from each of their wands. Neville's launched at Umbridge, collecting her in the chest, just as she finished saying "Avada-," her wand aimed at Ginny, taking the words and the breath from her as she lost most of her chest and vital organs in the blast.
Grace's spell hit Millicent Bulstrode in the head, leaving behind a lifeless corpse erupting a fountain of blood in periodic pumps in time with her heartbeat, before the body collapsed to the floor.
As quick as a flash, Harry turned and Shadow Stepped to the sole remaining enemy in the room, a silent 'Petrificus Totalus' to the back of the head of the last Death Eater minion, and Bridgette Yaxley was standing there, stone still.
"Harry," He heard Grace say behind him, as he turned and saw her sheathing her wand from inspecting Ginny. "Leave Yaxley to Neville and I," Grace suggested softly her eyes wide, as she talked through Harry's fury. "Get Ginny home and help her. She needs treatment for the Cruciatus, some restoratives, and you need to tend to her wounds, I've already vanished the wood."
Harry, with his aura still fully ablaze nodded, summoned his Glaives to him, causing a sucking sound as one wrenched itself from Goyle's chest. As he caught his Glaives and holstered them he looked in the direction of where his second one had come from, Pansy had stopped screaming some time ago, her dead eyes were staring in the direction of Ginny and Umbridge's corpse. In his anger, Harry flicked both glaives into wands and sent a blasting hex at the top half of her body and it erupted into a fine mist on the wall behind her.
Harry then holstered his wands, moved to Ginny, scooped up his wife and Shadow Stepped to Potter Manor.
Harry arrived directly in the Master Bedroom of Potter Manor, with Ginny in hand. He lay her face down on the bed and pulled a wand. He vanished her clothes and began healing the cuts on her back first, to prevent any further blood loss.
"Milly." Harry said gruffly.
A popping noise behind him signified that she had entered the room, "Ma-"
"I need some potions, Strengthening Solution, Pain Relieving…" Harry trailed off, one of the new potions Professor Flanagan had worked on with them would be ideal at this moment. "Never mind Milly… Can you please heal these cuts, I'll return in a moment." Harry said softly as he Shadow Stepped from Potter Manor directly to the Potion Masters Office.
"MERLIN'S BALLS!..." Professor Flanagan roared as Harry appeared in his office, Red flaming aura, golden streaked sphere and sparks crackling around him like a mini lightning storm. "Potter?! Seeing it in the paper is one thing, but…"
"Sir, I… we..." Harry stuttered then calmed himself, his panic ebbed slightly, and he couldn't help Ginny if he couldn't ask for what he needed. "Sir, I need an Elixir of Life, it's for Ginny."
Flanagan reached into the drawer of his desk and pulled a vial of the rare and near impossible to make potion that they had successfully made weeks ago. "Take me with you." Flanagan said, Harry didn't argue, he conjured a note with the address of Potter Manor on it and handed it to his friend and Professor, who read it and nodded.
Harry snapped his fingers and it burst into flame, he reached for the Potion Master's hand, took it and Shadow Stepped back to Ginny's side. Flanagan let go of Harry's hand and made his way to Ginny's side, turning her onto her side with his wand, while Harry paced anxiously at the foot of the bed, while Flanagan fed Ginny the Elixir.
"Harry, you're in shock…" Flanagan said softly, looking to Harry from the bedside. "Take a moment to calm yourself, she will be fine. The Elixir will make sure of it."
Harry stood there and closed his eyes, he reached out with his Magical Perception and took deep breaths. He focused on reeling his aura back in, and as he did he began to notice he felt drained. The worry and stress from seeing Ginny like that had taken everything he had from him, as his aura faded, and the sparks calmed Harry collapsed to his knees.
"Harry, it's alright." Flanagan said, as he put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Your wife is a strong young woman, anyone can see that a mile away. Go take a shower, then get some rest. Your wife will be fine, she responded immediately to the potion, she's just sleeping. Her mind needs the rest, you however have drained your magical core somewhat, here." He then handed Harry a measured amount of the same Elixir from the vial.
Harry nodded. "Thank you, sir." accepting the Potion graciously he downed it in a swig, handing it back to Flanagan with a smirk, feeling rather invigorated from the replenishing effect of the Elixir.
"Please... outside of class it's Kevin, you of all people know that." Flanagan said returning a smirk as he held out a hand to Harry, who took it and stood. "Now, I need to get back to the school…" Kevin chuckled, as he did Fawkes flashed into the room and shook his tail-feathers before the man. "Ah, Phoenix Express. Don't mind if I do... Mr. Potter, come see me in the morning and if she needs another dose I shall give it to you then, but as strong she is, I doubt she'll need it. I would like to know how she's doing regardless..."
Harry nodded. "Thank you, Kevin… Don't you want to know how she got hurt?"
"Not really," Kevin said with a smirk. "The less I know, the more I can bullshit to whoever the authority figure is that asks." He then laughed and Harry let forth a weak smile. Fawkes trilled, "Until next time, Harry." Kevin said with a wink and Fawkes flashed out of the room.
Harry made his way back to the head of the bed where his wife lay. The pale, drawn look she held just a moment ago from the blood loss and the intense pain he knew she had felt was gone, she looked as though she was just sleeping now.
Harry reached out and gingerly stroked one of her matted coppery locks from her face and tucked it behind her ear, as he did she stirred, her brow creased as her eyes opened and she looked up to Harry. "Harry?" She whispered softly.
"It's okay, Gin." Harry said as he leaned down and kissed her forehead and cheek. "You're safe, we're at the manor."
"Kay…" She said as she fell asleep again, causing Harry to smirk as her worry lines faded and her face fell back into the neutral peaceful state it was in before.
Harry was immediately relieved now that Ginny had shown to be recovering already, however his relief was immediately replaced again by the raging inferno of fury that someone had done this to his wife, His Ginny.
"Milly?" Harry addressed as kindly as he could in his current mood, the house elf who had taken up standing in the corner of the room, wringing her hands nervously jumped to attention. "Please keep watch over her and apprise me of any changes… anything at all."
"Yessir!" The elf hurriedly squeaked in panic.
Harry then Shadow Stepped to his quarters at Hogwarts, grabbed his Invisibility cloak, immediately donning it before Shadow Stepping into the Headmistresses office.
Neville and Grace were standing there with Professor McGonagall sitting in her chair, who was shaking uncontrollably from exposure to the Cruciatus and Fawkes resting on Grace's shoulder. There was no sign of trouble brewing from the Ministry… yet. Harry removed his cloak once again, revealing himself to the room.
"Ma'am," Harry addressed gruffly, McGonagall jumped, but Grace and Neville must have sensed his presence for they showed no outward reaction to his sudden appearance.
"How is she?" Grace asked worriedly.
"Fine." Harry replied, a curt tinge to his tone. "What happened?" Harry inclined his head to McGonagall.
Neville frowned before he spoke, "She was ambushed, similarly to Ginny… Then tortured and stunned and that's all she knows." He said inclining his head to McGonagall, he then nodded to the prone form of Bridgette Yaxley who had her throat slit in true Neville fashion causing Harry to smirk darkly. "The task here was nothing more than an ambush to get Ginny, to get to you... Nott escaped, they're all Death Eaters in training, but I think it's best we abandon Hogwarts, Hermione and the twins included."
"Agreed." Harry said. McGonagall coughed, gaining their attention before he spoke again.
"There's something else, Potter." She said rather weakly. "They're planning an attack, I heard Dolores speaking of it when I came to. Something about your relatives in Surrey."
"No loss there." Harry growled as he turned back to Neville.
"Don't be so dark, Potter!" McGonagall exclaimed, the horror evident in her voice drawing Harry's attention back to her. "I know they mistreated you…"
"They tortured me… I was a helpless child."
McGonagall winced but continued on, "Even so, do all of the Muggles in Surrey deserve the same fate?" She said softly, a frown and familiar thin lipped expression adorning her aged features.
Harry sighed and looking to the ground, "Harry?" Grace whispered, "Fawkes and I can go tend to Ginny while you and Nev take care of everything here? I can have Fawkes deliver a message to Nick with everything that happened if you like?" She reached up and stroked the grey, red and gold Phoenix that had arrived in the room before him.
Harry nodded. As much as he loved and respected Milly, Grace would have the Human touch that someone in recovery would need, and seeing as it appeared it was going to be a long evening, Harry appreciated the thought from Grace. "Thanks, Grace… that would be great."
Neville moved forwards and gave Grace a light kiss on the lips, "I'll keep in touch and we will be along when we can, Hun." Grace nodded, smiled to the pair of them, and then said something to Fawkes that Harry didn't catch before they both disappeared in a flash of flame.
"I think Fawkes has proven himself to me." Harry said softly to Neville, "Who knows what could have happened if you three didn't show up."
"I've said before mate," Neville put his hand on Harry's shoulder as they met each other's eyes. "I've got your six… Now, what do we do about Surrey?"
Lord Voldemort was in a towering rage. Not only had Umbridge and Yaxley failed him, but Nott had arrived a short moment ago, having fled the battle at the instruction of Umbridge with the revelation that Potter, was the Vigilante - Harbinger.
This meant that the boy's wife was Interfector, and the others were his school friends. What infuriated him the most was that school children had been the cause for all of his headaches, led by none other than The Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter.
As Nott remained kneeling on the floor before him, Voldemort stood and attempted to keep his anger in check until it was most needed.
"Young Theodore, you have served me well…" Voldemort crooned as he stalked his way around the room, "You shall be rewarded shortly."
"Thank you my Lord, I am most grateful." Theodore Nott smiled as he stood and made his way to the side of the room under the obvious dismissal. Voldemort sensed that his thoughts now drifted to the women that lay in the Dungeons below him, and how he would have his pick of them later. Oh how wrong he was, news of failure never received such rewards.
"My faithful Friends." Voldemort addressed his followers smugly, who kneeled along the walls of the room. "Tonight we shall lash out at Harry Potter, through his family. I shall pick a handful of you to come with me, and we shall raze the filthy Muggle London like never before!"
Voldemort's Death Eaters cheered at the opportunity to get out and have some fun, they had been quiet since Diagon Alley and Arthur Weasley's Funeral, and the loss of so many during the retaliatory strikes from that had affected morale. As the din died down, Voldemort addressed them once more, he picked his companions for the evening then dismissed those not required that evening. "Go prepare yourselves, we leave at midnight." Voldemort told the Death Eaters he required.
"My Lord! Your will shall be done." A few of them chanted as they rose from their kneeling positions and made their way to the exit. "Nott… Follow me, you have a far more important role."
Theodore Nott nodded, pleased he wasn't joining the others, hoping for a quiet night, but even more thrilled with the news that he was more important than raiding muggle London.
"You have a much more important role, young Theodore." Voldemort crooned, keeping the boy calm for the moment. "It shall also be part of your… reward." Nott smiled up to him as he followed and was led into the backyard to the… pile.
The 'pile,' as Voldemort affectionately termed it, was a mountain of bodies in a large hole in the ground. The hole was over thirty feet in diameter and looked rather deep, the pile of bodies within stood two stories above the hole, matching the roof of the manor it stood behind. The stench was sickening and thick.
"Your role, Mr. Nott, is to lead this Army of the ever feared Inferi!..." Voldemort screeched, allowing his anger from before forth, Nott blanched and took a step backward as Voldemort turned and looked at him with his maniacal glare. Nothing Nott had ever seen was more horrifying or caused him to regret everything in his life that had led him to this point, like the vision of Lord Voldemort staring in anger at him, with a mountain of bodies behind.
"... As its leader…" Voldemort continued more softly. "You must be one of them," Quicker than Nott had ever seen before, Voldemort slashed his wand at him, and he felt something tug at his throat, as his chest quickly become wet, as his vision faded. Nott tried to say something but could only gurgle before he collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
Voldemort leaned down, grabbed Nott's ankle, and threw him onto the pile of dead. He began his most favoured ritual in the art Necromancy.
.
Several hours later, Lord Voldemort was rewarded from his efforts, as the bodies in the hole started to stir. The one thing Voldemort was grateful to the Vigilante's for was, any intact body they killed and did not vaporise with their power, they left on the field of battle for his 'cleaners' to collect.
"My Lord." Severus Snape said from behind him, "Your potion."
Voldemort took the potion from Severus and downed it, feeling the Magic within him restore to an acceptable level, and his tiredness leave him. "Thank you, Severus." Voldemort said with a smirk, as he watched his Inferi rise.
"I live to serve, milord." Snape said bowing. "If I may be so bold, I would like to join you tonight, to exact my revenge against the Potter Family… for their… Mistreatment of me"
"Indeed." Voldemort said, eyeing the man before him critically. "You would best serve me tonight by remaining here and keeping the rest in check until we return victorious. I have no time for petty Vendettas over… Some minor schoolyard bullying… and being beaten so roundly... is that clear, Severus?"
"Y-yes my lord." Snape stuttered once more, in fear of becoming the newest member of the pile and bowing quickly once more so as not to offend.
Having retrieved everyone that meant anything to him from Hogwarts, that would be hurt or targeted in retaliation for the deaths of Umbridge and the rest either by Voldemort or the Ministry, Harry now sat in the sitting room surrounded by his friends and loved ones, except for Ginny and Grace.
Hermione looked grave at what had happened to Ginny, she had checked the young Potter woman over for her own peace of mind, and had returned to the sitting room a little cheerier, knowing her friend was recovered but just sleeping because of her ordeal. Bill had doted on his sister for a moment, before he returned, saying that the Cruciatus curse cast by six people at once, even if it were only a few seconds, would feel like she had been under it for a prolonged period of time, even to someone as powerful as Ginny was. This news caused Harry's scowl to deepen.
The Twins and Katie were rather sombre and less jovial than their usual demeanour, worried about their sister and friend. Neville and Harry both had adorned dark looks on their features, while Remus, Bill and Sirius eyed them both cautiously.
All had seen the memory from when Harry entered the Head's office, until he picked up Ginny and left, so that they understood and could see what had happened.
"Sirius," Harry addressed his Godfather, assuming his command tone, however he didn't lift his eyes from the table before him. "Could you please observe and report anything that happens in Privet Drive? You can use this… Keep safe." He said as he threw his invisibility cloak which Sirius caught deftly.
"Of course, Harry," Sirius smirked before he donned the cloak and vanished from sight.
The group sat there and discussed what may happen from the deaths of so many students and Umbridge at the school. As Harry, Ginny and the others were now most likely ousted by Voldemort to the Ministry as the Vigilante's, thoughts ranged from a manhunt to the closure of the school.
It wasn't until late that night that Sirius Shadow Stepped back to Potter Manor, "Harry…" Sirius said softly then shuddered. "There's an army gathering in the street now… Lots of Inferi…"
"Well…" Harry smirked and he stood, he faced Neville and stuck his hand out. "You and I?"
Neville looked shocked for a moment, his expression matching the rest in the room with the exception of Sirius who looked relieved. Neville gathered his thoughts, "Why just us?"
"I think having too many at the Battle of Hogsmeade hindered us, we were too worried about hurting our allies." Harry said thoughtfully, "Seeing as you and I are the two most powerful in this room, I would like you to have my six." Harry smirked as he finished using Neville's own words.
Neville smirked and took Harry's outstretched hand and shook it.
Harry and Neville Shadow Stepped to the corner of Privet Drive and Magnolia Crescent, Little Whinging, Surrey. A Battle was raging before them as they looked at each other briefly, then turning their attention back to the fight in the street.
There were scores of Inferi trailing behind a few dozen Death Eaters and Voldemort himself, they were fighting a handful of Hitwizards and Aurors who had arrived due to the large amounts of Magic being performed in the area.
"Shall we?" Harry asked as he raised his hood, the red eyes of Harbinger appearing as he drew his Glaives. He would be rather excited at the fight that lay before him, if he wasn't wearing a thick cloak of fury from the events that happened earlier in the day.
"After you." Neville smirked, as he raised his hood. The charmed shadows of his cloak swarming over his face before blue eyes appeared within the hood.
"When did you do that?" Rumbled the deep and power laced voice of Harbinger to his cohort, gesturing with his Glaive to the Blue orbs within the hood of Sicarius' cloak.
"It's just a little conjuring spell that the wife came up with, we don't have the same spells on our cloaks that you do…" Sicarius then drew his sword and held it parallel to his face inspecting it before lowering it to his side and drawing his wand in his offhand. "... Although it would be incredibly handy."
"We'll get Prudentia onto reverse engineering it later." Harbinger said as he flexed his legs, "Let's go."
The pair tensed and charged, running into the swarm of Inferi who were crowding each other, all single minded in their wanting to get to the middle of the fight to get their quarry.
Harbinger was like lightning as he let his Aura erupt from him, causing the ground to lurch beneath their feet, a few Inferi stumbling before Glaives tore through them, sending them to the ground. The Glaives absorbed the magic from the Inferi as it hit them, and as Harbinger cut a swathe into the enemy they were glowing a deep bright red, powerful and begging for release.
Harbinger was only too happy to oblige as he cast a quick "Obliterate," a beam erupting from the end of the each Glaives as it converged and dissipated, the sheer number of Inferi that were hit by the spell caused a huge gap in the crowd before them. Sicarius beside him, his sword slick with dried, rotting blood and gore, nodded as they both ran forward into the quickly closing clearing before they were shut out by the swarm of Inferi now storming toward them.
Harbinger recognized the familiar face of the missing Divination teacher as he cut her rotting corpse down, a small part of him noted the runes carved into her flesh and the damage done to her physical form, however he never slowed in his assault on the raised dead before him as he spun to slash at another he felt was too close to his back.
The pair of them were quickly becoming the main focus for the entire horde now completely surrounding them, even a few Death Eaters turning to them to see the cause of the commotion. Harbinger chanced another look at Sicarius and said one word that made Sicarius literally bounce with glee. "Firestorm."
Sicarius dropped his sword to the ground, clasped his wand in his right hand and let his blue spark laden aura forth. He began to sweep his wand high above his head, as Harbinger Shadow Stepped around him, cutting through the incoming Inferi so fast he was barely flickering in and out of sight, an ever so brief flash of gold and red.
Before anyone knew it, the area where the Inferi were had become a fiery tornado, located in the eye of the storm was Sicarius who was pumping all the power he could into the spell, causing the fire to surround them in a twenty-foot circle, decimating all it came in contact with as it climbed to the heavens.
Harbinger had depleted the forces within the storm's eye that threatened them, and pushed the power within him into his aura, merging it with Sicarius' firestorm, more than doubling the storm in size as it encroached upon the surrounding muggle homes. The ground was rumbling beneath the pair, as the storm took on a red hue, becoming laden with lightning that was striking out at Death Eaters that were looking on in a mixture of Horror and awe. A handful of Death Eaters were stuck by the lightning, exploding upon contact due to the sheer power it contained.
With equal primal roars, Sicarius and Harbinger drew the surrounding firestorm into their wands and released it forwards. The sheer heat and intensity of the blast eliminated all remaining Inferi, and a few Death Eaters who weren't intelligent enough to move or Apparate away. The few surviving Aurors and Hitwizards Apparated away too, out of fear and seeing their chance for survival.
Voldemort conjured a large wall before him that seemed to be coated with a spell that deflected the blast into the sky.
As the pair stopped the spell, and Voldemort banished the wall, Harbinger and Sicarius both noted that Voldemort had Petunia and Vernon Dursley with him.
"Potter!" Voldemort screeched, now knowing that, to his dismay, the one carrying the red Glaives was in fact Harry Potter, and that the female that wielded the Green was his wife. He had no idea however, who wore the blue eyed outfit.
"Tom." Harbinger replied, not giving a second thought to being called out.
Harry felt through his Magical Perception, the familiar feeling of Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel who had at some point Shadow Stepped into the street but they were up high, he suspected that they were sitting on a rooftop observing the carnage below, obviously having been told by Grace that the battle had commenced. He felt that they had brought a few more people to observe the battle with them, but they didn't interfere thankfully.
"Are you not going to try and save your relatives, Potter?" Voldemort sneered, "Family, you hold so dear…"
"Nope…" Harbinger replied.
To his credit, Voldemort looked shocked, however Vernon looked incensed. "Now see here boy!" Vernon raged, his face going purple. "You and your bunch of freak friends can take your light shows and dress ups and leave us normal folk alone! Go on, piss off."
"I see…" Voldemort said, feeling nothing but venom and hatred emanating from the overly large man and his stick figure wife. "Well perhaps there can be some use for you after all, fat man." Voldemort sneered.
Vernon looked at the man who had taken him and his wife hostage with pure hatred. "I will not be used… like… like some puppet."
"That remains to be seen…" Voldemort said, pointing his wand at Vernon, "Imperio."
Once Vernon was under the spell, an odd look of calm came over him before he was obviously instructed to give into his hatred and rage, and stood, charging at the one wielding the red weapons.
Harbinger didn't flinch as he raised a Glaive, turned it into a wand and pointed it at the charging Vernon. "Confringo." He said softly, as the blasting hex connected with the fat man and he exploded into a pulpy mass, blood and gore drenching the street in front of his family home.
Petunia had decided to take a side route as Harbinger stepped forward, striding towards his true quarry, Voldemort. "He's mine by the way, Sicarius." Harbinger growled lowly as he stalked forwards. "Bellatrix is yours."
Bellatrix let forth a maddening cackle, "Ohhh pwetty bwue eyes gonna pway wif meeee?" She crooned in her antagonizing baby talk.
Neville chuckled maniacally and stalked forwards alongside Harry, they both dropped their hoods. As they did so Petunia leapt at them from the side, Harry simply raised a hand, eyes still on Voldemort and pushed out nothing but raw power, the spell-less magic enveloped the charging Petunia, as well as #4 Privet Drive, vaporising both, leaving nothing but dust and ashes.
Voldemort flinched slightly at the dark, raging fury that lay within the eyes of the stalking Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom, for he knew both were now facing down the people that destroyed their parents.
Harry Shadow Stepped behind Voldemort, and slashed at him with his off-hand Glaive, barely missing Voldemort who dodged, spun and conjured a sword. Harry then pointed his main-hand as a wand and banished Voldemort backward, who wasn't ready for a magical attack.
Voldemort swung with his sword as he fell backward, catching Harry's Glaive as the blow was deflected to the side.
Harry then Shadow Stepped again to the side of Voldemort, allowing his aura and fury to consume him while he fought, he cast a wandless summoning charm at Voldemort's sword, who to his credit, held onto it stumbling toward him slightly, but that was enough for Harry to cut down his forearm during the distraction.
As the Blade sunk into Voldemort's flesh he screamed in pain and rage as Harry then kicked at his midsection, grabbed Voldemort's sword hand and twisted with every ounce of strength he had. He heard the sweet sounds of bones breaking, and the howl of Voldemort's pain. Twisting the wrist further and his body in the opposite direction, he managed a sidekick to Voldemort's midsection, causing his nemesis to stumble backwards.
In the stumble, Voldemort had his wand levelled at Harry's face and cast a powerful cutting curse, to which Harry merely Shadow Stepped, moving now behind Voldemort he kicked him in the lower back with a large amount of power, forcing Voldemort forwards.
Taking the advantage, Harry Shadow Stepped the short distance, re-appearing in the air above and to the front of Voldemort, fists raised, fingers linked together above his own head, as he let gravity do its job, he brought his closed fists down on top of Voldemort's head, who collapsed to the ground in a heap. Voldemort quickly rolled onto his back making ready to stand again, but Harry who had been working furiously with Ginny on his speed was far quicker.
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Whilst Harry stalked his foe then Shadow Stepped away, Neville Longbottom took a direct approach, charging at Bellatrix Lestrange, one of the murderers of his parents.
Bellatrix was shocked to see the Longbottom boy possessed a similar level of power to Potter. But she figured since her master didn't interfere, he must approve of her fighting and killing him.
Neville was a blur of motion as he broke into a run, Bellatrix cast a vast array of curses at him that had him dodging side to side, tucking and rolling, but he never lost his momentum.
Normally, Neville wouldn't ever think of violence against a woman, however he long since thought that Bellatrix Lestrange was anything of a sort, like Harry, he allowed his fury and aura take him as he rode his instincts in this fight. As he got in close to Bellatrix, he managed to land a punch to her gut, causing her to buckle in pain from the power inlaid blow.
He spun around her, ending the movement behind her and cast a banishing charm at the back of her head, sending her falling forwards. In another quick movement, he grabbed her long, filthy and matted hair, turned and with all of his strength he flicked her over his shoulder forcing her body to hit the ground with a sickening crunch.
Bellatrix tried to reach for her dropped wand, but to her dismay she couldn't move her arm, she tried her other one, but she couldn't feel anything but pain throughout her entire body.
Neville stood over her and looked down upon Bellatrix with nothing but disdain and disgust as she lay there helpless and unmoving. "Not such a comforting feeling is it?" He growled. "This is how my parents must have felt when they were being attacked. Useless, and terrified."
Neville saw the look of terror flash through Bellatrix's dark beady eyes, causing Neville to chuckle darkly. "That's it… Now, I just want you to know it was a Longbottom that ended you." He growled as he then raised a foot, loaded his legs with all the Magical Power he could muster and stomped down hard on her head, the resulting sound was somewhat like what a watermelon dropped from a tower would make, the mess wasn't much different either.
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Harry Shadow Stepped again with such speed that he caused a pressure wave to knock Voldemort to the ground, he then landed on top of Voldemort, straddling him, as he began to pummel him with his fists. His arms firing up and down like pistons in a blur of motion that had onlookers, both on the rooftops and Death Eaters who hadn't left but were watching the fight looking on in fear.
Harry then joined his hands together again and brought them down onto Voldemort's face. "You'll-Never-Get-My-GINEVRA!" He roared, as he punctuated each word with a blow that held every bit of strength he had in his enhanced body. He then back flipped off of Voldemort, picking up one of his forgotten Glaives he had dropped in the fight in the movement and landed on his feet, wand now levelled at Voldemort, he then screamed the two most feared words in the magical world during this war. "AVADA KEDAVRA!" Harry roared, his hatred for Voldemort filling him as the green light erupted from his wand and hit his foe in the chest.
Voldemort lay there… still and unmoving. There was a high keening feminine wail that seemed to escape from around his body and dissipated into the night air. While Harry was frozen, wondering what the screaming meant, Voldemort coughed up some blood, chuckled and grabbed something on his neck, he was immediately enveloped in a blue glow before he vanished by portkey, very much still alive.
All anyone heard for miles was Harry screaming in unbridled Fury.
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Neville caught movement out of the corner of his eye, following it he saw a Death Eater sneaking up on Harry who was still fighting Voldemort. Neville Shadow Stepped behind him, grabbed the man's wand shoulder, and with his magically enhanced strength he wrenched back, snapping the collarbone and several other smaller bones in the back and chest.
The man cried out in pain and spun with the movement. Neville recognised him as Bellatrix's husband, Rodolphus. Neville grabbed the man's good arm and throat. He lifted him up into the air by the neck as he squeezed the life from him. "This is for my mother, you sick son of a bitch." Neville growled as he crushed at the rapist's throat, having heard stories through pureblood channels of what had happened to his parents, in gruesome detail. Rodolphus kicked and struggled, but could do nothing but look into Neville's eyes in fear as the last of his life left him.
Neville tossed Rodolphus down in front of him and snapped his neck for good measure, before he heard, saw and felt Harry's rage filled scream.
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A/N. Thanks for all the reviews and favorites! I had a lot of fun with this chapter, you might be able to tell.
One of the songs that was repeated the most during the writing of this chapter was 'Wash it all Away,' by Five Finger Death Punch. Never listened to their music before but I really enjoyed this song and a couple of others.
Thanks for sticking with me through writing this book and how long it's taken me with the Real Life interruptions, don't worry there's still more to go!