Chapter 11
Harry Potter was in 'the capital of the south' in Kyrgyzstan, and he was quite enjoying the heat. Summer was most definitely here, the temperatures were getting high, especially compared to the winters.
Osh had a diverse and spread out wizarding population, and very friendly. He'd had offers from many families who found it surprising to find an English wizard who spoke, albeit not amazingly Russian and Arabic, and was a potion maker. He wasn't great at any of those things, but it seemed to matter not to them. But he had offered, nay, wanted to help; fruit picking, potion ingredient foraging, spell reinforcement, whatever they might need. He'd stayed with half a dozen people in the past few months he'd been here and barely explored the city and its surrounds. But it felt like a safe place to stay for a while before going out and exploring, and everyone had said there was a place for him in winter, which was nice to know and to know he could do things here that weren't on such an industrial scale as the flying carpet manufacturer.
-/
"There's a bar here, if you want something to go with the tea," Harry joked as he embraced Sirius.
Sirius laughed. "I realised I couldn't keep going with that Harry."
Harry nodded as they sat down, he knew something had been up with Sirius, he'd smelt of alcohol more than once when they'd met, but he didn't want to say anything.
"17, Harry," Sirius shook his head, clearly amused. "A few years in Hogwarts and now you're probably the youngest most travelled wizard, from Britain at least, even I didn't go out adventuring that much."
Harry leaned back in his chair an easy smile on his face. "It's a freeing experience, I'd endorse others to do the same a 'Grand Tour', wizards used to do it all of the time I gather," Harry explained thinking of a book he'd read. "Getting away from it all…" he trailed off, he didn't think of Hogwarts or what happened, not so much. He tried not to in any case, the time for ruminating on Ron had passed. His feelings about Ron were in the past.
"There's a new Minister for Magic," Sirius broke into the silence that came out of Harry's silent musing "she's promised to look into the death warrant," he let the statement hang for a moment before adding "the current crisis is more important though," Sirius finished. "Voldemort's become more emboldened," he added.
"Who's replaced Fudge?" Harry asked curiously, Severus hadn't told him anything much of wizarding politics and he'd not thought to ask. The death warrant wasn't what was really keeping him travelling, not really.
"Amelia Bones, from what I hear it was a bit of a coup, no one's forced a change of Minister while they're still alive for at least 200 years, Dumbledore thought she'd be better than Fudge," Sirius paused to add a copious amount of sugar to his tea.
"But…?" Harry prompted.
"Well, I heard that Dumbledore had Fudge properly scared," Sirius gave him a look. "And under his thumb."
"A little too scared," Harry mused. "Scared people are prone to doing quite wild things."
Sirius laughed. "He didn't, got paranoid. Bones swept in with over three quarters support, Diggory's now her deputy."
"Good for Amos," Harry praised, hopefully Amos would be able to clear up all those things he lamented back when he helped him escape those few years ago. He smiled at the thought.
Sirius gave him a knowing look but didn't say anything. "So I hear, Bones isn't going to be bossed around by anyone, certainly not Dumbledore. She's reigned in the Order 'can't have a vigilante group running around, we've already got Voldemort's cronies to deal with'."
"Your source must be well placed to hear all of this," Harry commented.
Sirius raised his eyebrows at him. "The Ministry still likes me, outside of the old guard within the Ministry but I know enough about all the other things the Ministry didn't want to touch. Not under Fudge at least. Now hopefully some real change'll start to happen."
"Hopefully, you mean Fudge didn't do much?" Harry asked curiously, the way Sirius talked he was really helping.
Sirius shook his head. "Fudge'd help enough, but there were still people who didn't want werewolves getting too in control, ingredients suppliers that were screwing the Ministry for all they were worth, other things the nasty parts of politics."
Harry nodded. "You can have the politics Sirius, I don't care," he sighed. "Not about whoever's in charge or the death warrant, or the contract or whatever," he paused to sip his tea. "I'm enjoying my life, here" he gestured around idly with a hand and smiled. "Now I have to deal with the question I don't want to know, but really do."
Sirius frowned.
"The horcruxes?" Harry said in a solemn tone, knowing that if he actually got a final answer about them then that would mean he'd need to deal with things.
Sirius sighed. "Bones forced Dumbledore to explain everything about those to her, not the prophecy, but she knows one exists, she did a search of the Department of Mysteries of anything concerning Voldemort," Sirius explained.
Harry shrugged, he didn't really care about people knowing the prophecy.
"They're now working together, there's a horcrux in Gringotts, well probably," Sirius continued. "Ministry's using emergency powers to force the goblins to grant access," Sirius paused for quite a long time. "It shouldn't be too long until they're all found," Sirius finished in a quieter voice.
Harry sighed.
Sirius continued to explain. "Dealing with them is another question, they're quite resilient, Dumbledore has a lot of experts trying to understand and destroy them."
"And a Basilisk fang isn't going to do it?" Harry asked, thinking of his conversation with Dumbledore.
Sirius looked puzzled, so Harry explained the exact events of of the Chamber of Secrets. "Feels so long ago," Harry said with a sigh.
"I'll pass it onto to him and maybe the Minister as well, unless you don't want me to…?" Sirius looked pained.
Harry shook his head sighed. "I know it can't be good in Britain, with him running around."
"Better than it might have been, Ministry's got lots of seers that foretold a worse environment, had different actions been taken," Sirius shook his head. "'What might have been and what may still come to pass', I think they just make it up."
"I said the same about prophecy, Dumbledore said that's different," Harry shook his head, musing; "All of this is like religion, picking and choosing which bits you believe absolutely and which bits you can disregard."
Sirius bristled at the comparison. "Wizarding is nothing like religion Harry!"
His reaction surprised Harry, but not hugely. "The response and the stakes are higher I suppose."
Sirius shook his head clearly annoyed.
"Would Hogwarts have taught the distinction?" Harry asked as he poured more tea.
Sirius threw up his hands in exasperation. "Why do you have to ask these questions Harry?"
Harry looked at his godfather surprised. They weren't questions he'd really voiced before. He'd seen plenty of different faiths in the past few years on his own, and hadn't really had anyone to ask. "I'm sorry" he said meekly. "Didn't mean to upset you."
Sirius shook his head. "No, it's just, not questions I'm asked much Harry," he tried to smile.
"Maybe now there's a capable ministry I should run off? Leave wizarding Britain to Voldemort?" Harry asked his godfather, watching the emotions playing over his face. "I didn't create Voldemort, nor the environment he was born into, why should I, barely 17 years old combat a wizard so determined for life he shattered his soul?"
Sirius watched him, chewing his lip as he did.
"I asked Severus that question when he visited to 'assess me'," Harry offered.
"Dumbledore sent Snape?!" Sirius muttered.
"Had a good ole chat," Harry commented. "He couldn't give me a good answer either."
"I…I don't know what to say Harry, I wish you weren't in this position," he paused shaking his. "You could run I suppose," he smiled slightly "You've done well so far…but he knows that he'll one day have to face you, and think of the destruction-"
Harry shook his head cutting off Sirius. "That was Dumbledore's argument, to blame me for the potential damage that Voldemort might cause, searching for me, used that to try and 'persuade me'. That's an argument the Dursleys used to use on me to get me to do work for them, 'if you don't help us, how can we the people who provide everything for you, what might happen?'" Harry sneered. "It was a bad argument to a seven year old, it's an even worse one to a 17 year old."
Sirius looked at him carefully. "I don't know Harry, you've made your way in the world better than I could have. You've changed Harry."
Harry nodded. "More cynical," he paused and looked to his godfather and gave him a serious look "I realised I don't want to be looking over my shoulder, I don't want to be free knowing that Voldemort is doing whatever…I couldn't live with that, but it's my decision," he finished resolutely shaking his head. Then he rose from his chair wondering over to pay and returning.
"Fancy a wander?" Harry asked his godfather.
Sirius had stood, hand in pocket to follow him with money to pay. "You're not going to pop off like last time?"
Harry shook his head. "Way you tell it Dumbledore is too busy," he shrugged. "And I've been here a while, I don't think he would be able to take me away, if he wished to try."
"You've made friends, people who'd protect you?" Sirius asked.
"I've met friendly people, people who've offered me sanctuary," Harry confirmed.
"Can I meet some of them?" Sirius wondered with a hopeful smile.
"Speak any of the local language?" Harry asked as they walked away from the café.
Sirius shook his head and laughed. "No."
"Then it'll be a short and awkward meeting," Harry said with a laugh.
"And you Harry?" Sirius enquired.
Harry shrugged. "Badly."
-/
Remus walked in amongst the students as they filtered out into Hogsmeade, cries of 'watch out for the Sludge' rang out as taunts as he looked around the streets for the very real threat, but one they, all the professors tried to minimise.
'The Sludge', that was what they were being called, after a pro-Voldemort piece appeared in the Daily Prophet calling them a 'Scourge to whip away the chaff from the wheat of wizarding society', someone on the on the wireless commented they were more the sludge than scourge.
Somehow the name stuck within the consciousness of the British wizarding society.
The Sludge had attacked another of the wizarding wireless' relay stations recently, this one on top of the Leaky Cauldron damaging all of its accommodation.
He'd heard on the wireless that the Ministry had offered to assist in the rebuilding, but they had refused in order to remain independent, from Sirius Remus had heard that the Ministry was now trying to get the Cauldron fixed up as it was still a useful location for the comings and goings in and out of Diagon Alley, and while that part hadn't been damaged the attack and damage had shaken everyone.
Remus was thankful that he was relatively protected at Hogwarts from the worst of the Sludge's violence and could protect the children from the same. Let them just be children.
Even that was slowly evaporating, the older sixth and seventh year students were forming up groups for when they returned home, just in case something happened, the more industrious ones were forming groups to protect muggles as well. It was quite 'community minded' of them, even if liberal use of memory modification was needed.
A loud noise startled him out of his musings and he took off running towards it.
Remus let out a breath of relief seeing it was just some coal being delivered.
With the change in government he hoped that things would change quickly, unfortunately sections of the Ministry seemed to be trying to move extra slowly to frustrate the new Ministry, and given Voldemort's actions thus far Amelia Bones couldn't throw out everything and start again, that had been Sirius' suggestion.
Governing wasn't as simple as that.
Most of the students seems to have filtered into shops and there were now a few plain robed Aurors patrolling the streets.
Not the one he'd been hoping for, over the school year thus far he had been getting on familiar terms with one Nymphadora Tonks 'just Tonks' she'd said. Perhaps she'd got her wish to cover more interesting roles given her status as a metamorphmagus. He couldn't even owl her, all her owls had to go through the Ministry, so they'd just taken to meeting in Hogsmeade in between her shifts, but only after they'd seen each other on the weekend to set a time.
Remus smiled and shook his head, he'd join Minerva instead at The Three Broomsticks instead.
"There's more Aurors out, good I suppose," she said by way of greeting as he brought over a gillywater for her along with his own drink. "What the devil is that Remus?"
Remus looked at the tall drink he had opposite her. "Grapefruit juice, with guarana."
She wrinkled her nose. "Why Remus?"
Remus sipped it, wincing slightly. "With the full moon, Severus has indicated that the grapefruit is good for my liver, it stops some of the worst effects of the wolfsbane being picked up, the guarana I gather is a herb like coffee."
Minerva shook her head.
"It helps, I have Madame Rosmerta source the guarana for me, apparently it comes from a muggle source," he said in a faux whisper and chuckled.
Minerva just nodded as she took in the information. "I heard a muggle news organisation almost stumbled upon one of the Sludge's meeting sites, the Ministry's rushed out memory modifications before it was broadcast."
"Sirius tells me they're still working out how to deal with the sympathisers within the Ministry, he's not worried being within the beast," Remus related to her.
"Sirius still meets with Mr Potter doesn't he?" Minerva enquired curiously.
Remus sipped his drink, still wincing at its tartness. "Sirius says Harry contacts him occasionally. Severus met Harry months ago."
Minerva nodded. "Mr Potter and Ms Granger were two of my most promising students Remus, and I've lost them both," she paused. "Both have excelled from what I've been told, Ms Granger even wrote to me," she smiled.
Remus chuckled. Of course she would. "She was a great student too when I taught, both of them, Harry is the only person of his age I've taught who could produce a patronus," Remus pondered in remembrance.
Minerva sighed. "Too many are asking about defensive spells for their families Remus."
"At least they can enjoy themselves here, I mentioned to Severus we should suggest people stay for Christmas," Remus drinking some of his juice.
Minerva made a noise of agreement. "Pomona suggested the same, it won't work, they'll want to go home, the students are more perceptive than we think, they'll want to go and protect their families."
Remus nodded. "Then I'll furnish them with as many defensive spells as I can think of," he finished firmly.
-/
Sirius stood and smiled for the cameras from the Prophet while a microphone was set up by the wizarding wireless. After the destruction he had offered a donation to the wireless, without terms attached. There were plenty who donated anonymously, none who would put their name to helping them in such a public way.
One of the people he'd helped had suggested the location; Battersea Power Station. It had been a wreck for several years, and still remained so, the chimneys making for a perfect location for the the wireless' aerial.
It was to be a temporary location for now until things settled.
He wasn't sure what he was going to say. Tell people to stay safe, that the Ministry will respond to all emergencies. That the Sludge, a name that still amused him, would be dealt with.
Constant vigilance, be aware, but not alarmed.
-/
He didn't really have time to be popping off, away from Hogwarts, Albus thought to himself as he planned for his destination.
Even during this Christmas period, there were things unrelated to Hogwarts that he needed to be attending to.
At Hogwarts there were very few students staying over Christmas; barely 20 students within its walls.
Despite the risks from Voldemort and his Death Eaters the so-called 'Sludge', everyone felt that they would be more safe with their families. Or perhaps they all just wanted to spend time away from the castle this year?
Minerva would watch over the handful of students who remained, a few from all four houses.
It would, she reminded him build bonds between the students. Even years afterwards those who bonded over 'that strange Christmas' remained acquaintances. This wasn't the first time there was a handful of students, but he hoped it would be the last time such a dark cloud hung over their heads.
He had crafted his own portkey to get to his destination; Osh, Kyrgyzstan. It was quite probably the furthest he had travelled from Britain in a very long time.
The young man whom he was going to speak with had not chosen such a powerful, or rather inverse location as he had for their first meeting.
He had done a thorough survey of the area this time, something he had not thought to do when meeting with Harry the last time. He had not considered Harry would utilise the landscape, or local knowledge to such an advantage. Such locations were extremely few in Britain as to practically not exist.
The location which had been passed to him by Sirius bordered a river, and may have some magical connection.
Albus had encountered some fences, though not a firm barrier preventing him from walking through into the property, however he instead walked some ways along the road and entered through a unoccupied piece of land and then backtracked to Harry's location.
Midday in which he'd arrived had begun to slide into afternoon as he approached.
Harry was sat in front of fire pit reading a newspaper, he was wearing a old sheepskin coat, rough boots and appeared to have long hair, longer than any of his peers.
Albus noted there were no wards or protections around the fire, but he did see that Harry had his wand in a pocket of his shirt.
Sitting down opposite Albus took in the newspaper which was completely in Cyrillic.
"A translation spell Harry?" He enquired curiously by way of a greeting.
Harry Potter looked at him cooly over the newspaper. "I could have used something like that a few times," he folded the newspaper over and put it beside him. "I did it the hard way; by learning it, and understanding it."
Albus felt his tone and the words an attack on him, but did not say anything.
"Severus and Sirius indicated you might want a word," Harry pondered as he reached for his wand. Albus tensed as Harry gestured with it behind him; wordlessly summoning something, then a log came flying from a location some ways away. Harry gestured at the fire and the log slowed its velocity and slid gently into the fire.
Albus wanted to comment on Harry's proficient use of magic, and more importantly that he had wished Harry contact him months ago. But did not. "Indeed Harry," he paused. "The search for the horcruxes nears its end. The final has been recommended to be dealt with only when the time is right," he quoted almost verbatim those from the Order and the Ministry assisting in the discovery and destruction of the horcruxes. "I must apologise too Harry."
Harry looked at him surprised. "For what?" he asked cautiously, his hand moving to his wand.
"You were right, the quest for the horcruxes was not something I should have suggested you pursue," he sighed. "I thought that being connected to Voldemort that…" he trailed off and shook his head. "Likewise, the death warrant was foolish to endorse, I required many things of the Minister and at the time-"
"You leveraged a warrant against me to gain power at Hogwarts and with the Minister?" Harry wondered.
Albus nodded, being confronted by Minister Bones and what he had done with (former) Minister Fudge to maintain control had been something of an awakening. Something she suggested he may still pay for following the current crisis. The death warrant had not served anyone well, not him, Fudge, Harry, Mr Weasley, no one really.
"You gained Sirius his freedom, something I'm not sure I could have done for him," Harry mused. "I've enjoyed my time away from Hogwarts, you know I'll never go back don't you?"
Albus nodded, Severus had indicated as much to him.
"So now we come to the end, no escape routes for Voldemort," Harry said and then muttered "And none left for me," he looked at Albus.
Albus nodded. "Decisions will need to be made Harry, plans put in place for the final confrontation-"
Harry interjected. "I have had some thoughts on that. Where this might end," he fixed Albus with a look. "And then that's it Albus, if by some miracle I survive, no one gets a say, in fact no one gets to know. After this I have control, no more of anything following me. A line ruled under this," Harry said with some finality.
Albus listened as Harry outlined his plan, and his demands. It was a short list, but carefully considered and planned out. Harry had obviously already scouted a suitably remote location, simple where no one could easily hide. To ensure everyone would arrive by portkey was something he could engineer, even Voldemort and his supporters. Only he and Harry would know the location. One more secret to hold onto. He had plenty of those he would carry with him to the end.
"You agreed very easily to this, probably not too hard for you to engineer and manipulate people into doing," Harry mused cynically.
Albus couldn't say anything to this challenge.
"You know, I've been around a few places, read up on a few things. Spoken to a lot of witches and wizards who don't have the opportunity to go to places like Hogwarts," Harry began as he kicked the log in the fire. "Society, conflict, you know."
Albus nodded, he was aware of the privileged society British wizarding existed in.
"When Sirius and I last chatted I mentioned religion in regard to wizarding, he got quite upset," Harry mused.
Albus didn't say anything, but did wonder on Harry's current direction of thought.
"Last time I saw Sirius I suggested that wizarding is like religion," Harry explained "all believing a set of rules, that might matter or not," he snorted. "Except magic's real?" He finished in a heavily cynical tone. "If Voldemort's the ultimate criminal for what he did, and what he's done and doing, are you sending me out to fight him," Harry's tone was cold as he paused. "Because your prophecy tells you to?" Harry looked at him trying to read an expression. "Then is that any better than religion that you're so against?" Harry paused and took his newspaper throwing it into the fire and watched the flames lick at it for a few moments. "That's something I would have liked an answer to," he looked at Albus, with a mixture of disappointment and perhaps pity. "I don't know if Hogwarts would have taught the differentiation, or even challenged to think about it," Harry shook his head. "I don't know, and don't know if it would help if the end comes," Harry stood as the flames died away on the newspaper. "Now I don't care. Of all of this, prophecy and all, I want an end to it, I don't want it hanging over mine or anyone's heads. An end, whatever that means."
Harry gestured with his wand in a spiral; thoroughly extinguishing the fire. As he pocketed his wand there was barely any steam rising from it. Then he offered Albus his hand. "I thought about offering to go for a Christmas drink Albus," Harry raised his eyebrows at his former headmaster, then smiled a dangerous smile. "Then I thought maybe I could drop you in a volcano," Harry finished, his hand dropping to his side.
"Greater men have tried Harry," Albus said rising from his chair to stand opposite him.
"I have no doubt. You're a terrible person," Harry exhaled a great sigh. "Maybe you did what you did for what you thought were the right reasons," he shook his head. "I'm not sure I could do those things," then displaying his Quidditch skills Harry grabbed Albus' hand. "Or could I?"
Without realising it Albus was side-along apparated.
-/
He was taller than he remembered.
Ron had been asked to come along with the Order. He was a member of the Order of the Phoenix.
He'd been out with Charlie and with his other brothers, patrolling, protecting the village when he'd not been at school, as part of the Order of the Phoenix. Everyone had to do their part to protect themselves and their neighbours against the Sludge. Everyone had to do their part against Voldemort.
His hair was in a long…thing down his back. It was like Ginny when she'd tried growing her hair out a few years ago, before getting frustrated she couldn't play Quidditch like that and she'd cut it all short in a fit of anger. Mum had needed to help her tidy it up so she didn't look so much like a boy.
Ron slowly approached him, Dumbledore hadn't told them not to. Well, he hadn't told him not to.
He wasn't helping with the preparations, he was just stood up here watching over some cauldrons like Snape. While everyone else was doing work, he was just up here with his back turned.
"Hello Ron, it's been a while, so you still believe I put my name in the cup?" Harry Potter turned, but not to face him, to attend to a different cauldron.
Ron clenched his fists hard to stop himself from saying something 'inflammatory'. "You're not helping?" He finally asked after some silence and Harry having turned back to whatever it was he was brewing.
"Albus is organising the troops, preparing the battleground," Harry continued, not looking at him as he spoke.
Ron wanted to walk closer, but the arrangement of the cauldrons and fires, it made him not want to cross the invisible barrier that seemed to be in place.
"What more should I be doing?" Harry asked having stirred one of the potions and moved to another.
"Helping, do you know how many wizards were injured-" Ron began as Harry looked over to meet his gaze. His face was tanned, like Bill's was. He still had those same glasses as he had at Hogwarts, even after all these years.
"I'm going to face Voldemort Ron," Harry looked at him with an expression Ron wasn't sure about. "Alone in battle, do you think me running around helping Dumbledore and his minions will matter, in the end?" He finished in a tired tone.
"But…but…" Ron began, he wasn't sure what he was meant to say, this was Harry, he thought he'd be happy to see him again. "Hermione-"
"Went to Beauxbatons, I know," Harry cut him off in a cool tone.
Ron clenched his fists again.
Harry gave him a pitying look. "Maybe when all of this is over we'll get meal, drink some vodka and reminisce."
Ron began to formulate his response as Harry spoke again.
"Or I'll be dead," Harry said with a dismissive tone that signalled the end of the conversation, so much so Ron felt himself walking away from where Harry was.
He was some distance away before he turned back to look at the figure he'd been speaking to and wondered if he should go back before someone called his name. He'd go and do something useful.
-/
Voldemort looked sickly.
Albus had provided some photos when they'd met here. He still wasn't sure if he'd done the right thing.
Not dropping him in a volcano.
The photos had been taken with some form of long lens and were normal photos, not the half moving wizarding ones. He'd only ever seen Voldemort in nightmares and attached to Quirrell. Also Harry mused when he was young in the Chamber of Secrets.
But he didn't resemble any of those visages. The wizard stood before him was thin, his robes hanging off him like wispy pieces of fabric. He looked sickly thin, with sunken eyes that looked like jelly.
Harry shifted his feet on the sand. He'd chosen the Aral Sea, or its shores, because he'd needed a location remote, not in Europe mostly to remain consistent with the warrant, and isolated enough so that no one could rush in and interfere.
"Here we are," Harry gestured around, looking around at Voldemort's Death Eaters. There was enough of a breeze that made their loose cloaks flap around in a somewhat silly manner.
"Lured here, Harry Potter?" Voldemort wondered, his wand outstretched at him.
Harry looked surprised, mostly because he didn't know that was part of the story. "Kill me now, and you can go off and conquer, with no concerns of me or the prophecy," he offered.
"Perhaps," Voldemort mused. "You have been proficient with my horcruxes, I will make new ones, better ones."
"So do you kill me here before your brethren?" Harry threw his arms wide, "Or do we battle?"
"I would not kill, even you Harry Potter, like some muggle food animal," Voldemort said in oddly calm tone, gesturing to his Death Eaters to back away. "We fight," he changed his stance. "As wizards."
"So be it," Harry said with a sigh, drawing his wand and shifting his weight around on his feet; digging into the sand. He knew what was to come would not be easy, nor free from pain.
-/
Severus hissed as he looked through the omnioculars as Potter gestured about. "What is he doing?"
"Baiting him, giving time for Nagini to be killed, we want him off balance during the fight," Black muttered beside him.
"Yes, you can begin now, the battle will soon commence," Albus was saying into a mirror beside them.
All three were lying in a small bunker a quarter of a mile from where Harry and Voldemort were, hidden physically and magically from any prying eyes.
"He has an odd fighting stance," Albus commented disconnectedly.
Severus agreed as he watched through the omnioculars.
"I just wish we weren't so removed from all of this," Black lamented.
"It was what was agreed," Albus said solemnly.
Hit wizards and those expert at long distance spells would disable or eliminate those Death Eaters present, the Ministry would supposedly deal with those in Britain, if they succeeded here.
"It's starting," Black whispered in a longing tone that suggested he wished to be out there with Potter. Perhaps they all wanted to be, to help.
Arcs of spell fire and energy were warping and fizzing out between Harry and Voldemort, it was pure magic in its rawest forms. There weren't any recognisable spells as the two wands and the magic wrought by the two casters met forming a ball of energy encompassing the pair of them.
Severus could feel the sandy ground that they were lying on shifting and rumbling beneath them.
There was a tug like they were being drawn forward and then he had to put the omnioculars down, he didn't need them; there was a slowly building ball of white hot light and then…and then everything flashed hot and burning, what followed was an intense burning on his arm as the Dark Mark heated white hot, feeling as though it burned down to his bone.
-/
He must have blacked out, because Poppy was rubbing a salve into his arm, he grabbed at it. "I can do that thank you Poppy."
"Of course Severus," she said quickly. "I have others to attend to." .
Only as he rubbed it into his arm did he realise someone must have evacuated him from the bunker they three of them had been in. Albus and Black were not nearby.
-/
There was nothing that remained, of either wizard.
Just a space of blackened bowl of glass in the shoreline, where the sand seemed to have been heated up and melted into glass.
No one had seen what had happened.
Voldemort was gone, as it seemed was Harry Potter.
No one spoke of what had happened. Some were crying, others shouting epithets of anger at those Death Eaters who remained; most had been dealt with, but a few remained bound and prevented from escaping.
Only he, Albus and Black had been close enough to even witness, everyone else was further back.
"That's it," Black said looking around.
"That's it," Severus agreed, looking down.
"No one knows where we are, part of the deal," Black said, he'd been crying.
"He could be alive," Severus tried, he didn't know why he was trying to comfort Black of all people.
"Maybe. He wanted it this way, to disappear. Did what the prophecy needed, didn't run away and leave us with the mess," Black shook his head and walked off in the direction of the portkey point.
Severus looked around and back down to the glass, the only indication a fight had occurred here and followed Black. "Probably more than we deserved."
-/
A/N:
One more chapter to go. There's still some characters to have their moments in the story.
I wanted to address, at least a little bit the theological questions that probably arose during Harry's sojourn through the Middle East, but it's only now that he's been through a lot and matured a bit that he can actually wonder about it. And that he can't have got to where he is now both physically and philosophically without thinking about these things.
Writing Harry vs Voldemort scenes I find a little bit tedious, there's only so many ways to write Harry and Voldemort flinging spells at one another. Writing it from Severus' POV means at least I can show the major parts without lots of wand waving and gesturing.
Thanks for reading.