Author's note:
As always, it all belongs to JKR. I own nothing.
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Children of the Flame Saga
Book III: Flame's Final Burning
Chapter IVX
It's Time
Albus Dumbledore weaved unsteadily on his feet. It had taken a full week, repeated four times over with a Time-Turner to complete the fabrication of a stone to replace the Skrulgron's Heart. But it was done and now they could move forward. He was settling wearily into his chair when Bill entered the office. "Well?" Dumbledore asked.
Bill dropped into a chair. "It's a Horcrux." Dumbledore's response was cut off by a chiming alarm from one of the many instruments arrayed on the shelves of his office. Bill glanced at the item in question. "What's that one?"
"Gringotts, in London."
Bill took a deep breath. "This could work in our favour."
Dumbledore pulled a phial from his pocket and quickly downed the contents. "Walk with me?" he asked as he rose.
"I can't believe we're going to do this," Bill muttered.
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Facing each other, Harry and Ginny held their hands out to their sides. They reached towards each other some, but kept at least a foot or so between their hands actually touching. Between them, floating at chest height was the Skrulgorn's Heart. "Anima domini mei custodita ignite Cor. Anima mea et vita mea ad comburendum. Animae meae : Anima, inimicus purgaretur. Anima mea consistere." they chanted together. A light built in their hands, growing to surround them both. Within the sphere, Harry and Ginny became columns not of Flame, but Light itself that pulsed within the encompassing sphere.
Outside the sphere, Hermione watched in utter wonder. She had seen this sphere, albeit on a much smaller scale, before. She had thought what she had seen was a metaphor of sort, a representation that she could understand. But now, she understood the orb she had seen Death Himself preside over had been Harry's and Ginny's very soul. And this, this was them unleashing the infinite within the earthly realm. It was wondrous, awe inducing and … terrifying. "It's them," she whispered.
"Them?" Ron asked.
"It's their soul," Luna said, "the true form of us all. It spans all time, all realities, all of existence, even that of which we are unaware. To perceive it in this realm is a blessing beyond all but the very act of creating life."
"Your observation, as always, is most intriguing, Miss Lovegood," Dumbledore said. Before another word could be spoken, an unearthly wail of agony had them all clapping their hands over their ears. As quickly as it began it ended and the sphere around Harry and Ginny collapsed.
"Oh dear," Ginny managed before she and Harry crumpled, unconscious on the floor.
"HARRY! GINEVRA!" Hermione and Luna cried rushing to them.
"And you expect they'll need to hold the spell longer to deal with the bastard?" Ron asked darkly.
"Yes," Bill said.
"For some time, I fear," Dumbledore said.
Ron dropped his head in resignation. "Bugger."
Bill stepped forward and conjured a stretcher. "Good thing we had them create the stairs out of this place before they went ahead with that."
"Indeed," Dumbledore agreed.
Neville swiped his foot across a pile of ash. "At least we know the goblins will never find the real stone," he muttered.
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Voldemort made his way through the ruins of Gringotts London to the worship chamber. Somehow the meddlesome old fool had discovered his secret. The ring and locket were missing. He already knew the fool, Lucius Malfoy, had cost him the diary. Faced with the probable loss of three of his Horcruxes his rage had been all consuming. The attack on the bank had been a blood bath for both sides; at least until he had entered the battle. The goblin hordes were no match for the power of Lord Voldemort! At the exact moment his eyes settled on where his Horcrux should have been it felt as if a stake had been driven through his skull. He crashed to his knees, clutching at his head and shrieked in agony. An explosion of magic ripped from his body reducing everything in the worship chamber to dust.
Bellatrix Lestrange cautiously stepped into the doorway. "Master?" she whispered. Snarling like an animal with its leg caught in a trap he whirled on her. She dropped to the ground and prostrated herself before him.
Seething, Voldemort stood over her. His mind raced. That had been the worst yet. Could they possibly have found and destroyed another? And what had the goblins done with the Skrulgorn's Heart? Surely the old fool hadn't dared take it, had he? Nagini slithered across the floor and wound her way up his body to rest on his shoulders. "Hurrssstsss."
"Bring me Nott's son," he hissed softly. If this kept up he would be incapacitated by pain. He couldn't afford to wait to capture Potter. "And the girls. I don't care which. They need only be magical and pure."
Bellatrix cautiously rose and backed out of the chamber. "Yes, my Lord."
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Lord Voldemort raised his hand and examined it carefully.
This was good.
He cautiously sat up and levered himself from the stone dais. He paid no mind to the squelch of sticky blood and entrails under his feet. A casual wave of his hand conjured a full-length mirror in which to view himself. The body was weak. It would not support his magic for long but already he could feel his soul had been stabilized. This would do till he could obtain Potter's body. And with the consumption of the souls of both Potter and his wife, his soul would be restored to a point he could construct his Horcruxes anew.
"Bella!" he snarled.
The door clicked open and slowly swung wide. Even she paused at the level of atrocity evidenced by the blood and bodies strewn across the seven altars surrounding the dais he had lain on. "My Lord?" she whispered.
He chuckled softly. "Do you not recognize me, Bella?" he asked.
"You are … restored?"
"Nott's son continues to serve my purpose."
"I see," she offered.
"My robe, Bella."
She hurried forward and draped his robe across his shoulders. "As you command, my Lord."
He turned on her and she bowed her head. Voldemort reached out and lifted her chin. Stroking her cheek with his thumb he smiled evilly. "You always were my most loyal, were you not?"
"Always," she gasped.
"Bring me six girls, Bella. This time ensure they are not only pure but of pure-blood. They must be as powerful as you can find. They also are not to be harmed any more than is needed to obtain them."
"Only six, my lord?" she asked.
"Potter's wife will be the seventh."
"But surely she is no longer pure, my lord."
"Potter himself will provide my new body. As he is the only one to have taken her, it will not matter." She tried to hide her concern but he caught it. His hand tightened on her jaw. "You have doubts?"
"Only as to her faithfulness to her husband. Powerful she may be, but she is still nothing more than a blood traitor whore."
Voldemort considered. "We will ascertain the truth before using her. Find a seventh girl just in case."
"As you wish, my Lord."
Voldemort pulled her to him and kissed her harshly before shoving her away. "Go now."
She staggered back, wiping blood from where he had bitten her lip. "I will not fail you, my Lord," she said and swiftly left the room.
Voldemort pressed his wand to his left forearm. Seconds later eight of his servants rushed into the room. "What?" one of them cried.
"Silence," Voldemort hissed.
"Who are you?" the same servant demanded.
"Crucio," Voldemort said, his voice barely above a whisper. His servant crumpled to the floor where he writhed among the blood and entrails. Voldemort eventually released him and waited patiently for the man to regain his feet. "I trust you know me now, Nott?"
"My lord," the man gasped.
"I am."
"And m–my son?" he managed to stammer.
"Has served his purpose," Voldemort answered. "As have your daughters," he added.
"Our daughters?" another asked.
"You object, Parkinson," Voldemort hissed.
The man dropped to his knees. "N–no my lord."
"I thought not." Voldemort answered. He continued to glower at the small grouping of servants. "You should be honored, your sons and daughters have placed us on the cusp of our ultimate victory." He waited patiently.
"You honor us, Lord," Gibbon whispered.
"I do," Voldemort agreed and strode from the room.
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Amelia Bones glowered at the man before her. Everything about him revolted her. And what had brought him here now, only served to deepen her disgust. "Is it possible he's lying?" she growled.
"Five drops of veritaserum," Snape said silkily. "Only the Dark Lord himself could withstand that level of coercion." She exchanged looks with Dumbledore, and Kingsley Shackelbolt. "Extract everything you possibly can from him."
"I'll give you anything you ask," the man said. "I no longer care and happily await my execution."
Amelia braced her hands on the table. "Oh no, my dear Travers, that is far to easy. I'm afraid you and the Dementors are going to spend many years together." She paused and waited for her words to filter past the veritaserum and register in the man's mind. "I only pray the imaginings of your daughter's screams don't drive you mad too quickly… Get him out of my sight," she snarled when he paled.
"With pleasure, Minister," Tonks growled. She grabbed him by a handful of hair and dragged him from the interrogation room.
It was a long few minutes after the door had closed that Kingsley said, "While I shouldn't be, I still find myself surprised at the level of depravity the Dark Lord will sink to and wonder what could have driven him to these acts." He turned on Snape. "You're the resident expert on the bastard, why would he have done this?"
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The wraith of Rowena Ravenclaw settled in one of the many chairs in the headmaster's study. "It seems we are destined to only make things more difficult for them," she said softly.
"It was a mistake to destroy the Horcruxes before the end," Helga agreed.
"So his soul is stabilized," Godric said, "Once the snake is killed does he not remain mortal?"
"Much of what Severus has been able to determine has been piecemeal," Dumbledore said. "Coupled with his own research, he believes the current situation is temporary. The body of Theodore Nott was not built to contain power on the levels Tom wields. Severus feels Tom's new body will begin to deteriorate in a matter of months and cannot possibly last even a year. Further, the frailty of the body prevents Tom from attempting to fashion even a single Horcrux. This appears to be borne out in that recent attacks have seen the abduction of dozens of young witches. Apparently the cells at the ministry are full to bursting with them. The most curious thing is, while these women are all held against their will, Tom has not allowed his servants to partake of their normal activities. The one servant who did so … suffice it to say, things did not end well for him. Severus also reports that where before Voldemort had ordered Ginny's death he has now changed course and has spent considerably more time than normal emphasizing that both she and Harry are to be brought to him no more damaged than is necessary to capture them. The death of either, Harry in particular, has been warned against most forcefully."
"That would indicate he intends to perform the ritual again, with Harry's body to become his new vessel," Rowena said.
"Yes," Dumbledore agreed. "And with Harry's body as the vessel, Tom will once again be able to fashion new Horcruxes."
"At the expense of once again being called a crass bastard," Godric said, "surely none of us believe Ginny remains a virgin. What purpose in capturing her?"
"Severus feels with Harry to be the new vessel it may not be necessary for Ginny to be a virgin and could possibly be of benefit to the ritual. In fact, if Harry were somehow forced or tricked into have intercourse with the other sacrifices, Tom's purposes would be furthered all the more."
"Despite our best efforts, our greatest fears take hold unchecked," Helga said. "Harry and Ginny will either defeat Voldemort or their combined power, joined to that of Voldemort, will be unleashed against us. We truly stand at the brink of the abyss for all mankind."
"How stand they in their recovery from unleashing Soul-Fire?" Godric asked.
"They are fully recovered," Dumbledore said. "And, as yet, remain unaware of the price paid for doing so."
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Harry pulled his shirt on and shrugged uncomfortably. "Gin?" he asked.
"Yes?"
"Have I gained weight or anything?"
"Harry, gaining weight is not something you need to be concerned about." She tugged the strap of her bra and adjusted her breasts in the cups. "How come none of my bras fit?" she huffed.
Harry glanced at her, quite liking the way she seemed to be overfilling her bra. "They look fine to me," he leered.
Ginny tossed a sock at him. "Lecherous cad."
Harry smirked. "You'd be lecherous too if you were looking at what I am."
She laughed. "Too true." Harry chuckled and tugged his pants on. "Those shrunk," Ginny observed.
"Tell me about it," Harry gasped. He waved his hand, adding a couple inches to both the length and waist. "Nothing I have fits. It's like I grew overnight."
"Me too," Ginny sighed. She pulled a shirt on and tugged at it. Giving up she resized the shirt with magic.
Harry studied her for a second. "Seems really odd that both of us grew out of all our clothes at the same time. Do you suppose the twins somehow shrank them?"
Ginny studied him as well. "Seems far to tame a prank for them," she said. She considered him another few moments. "Harry, how tall are you?"
Harry shrugged. "About 5'-5"."
"Come here," she said. Harry quickly obliged and she took out her wand. "Harry, you're almost 5'-8"."
Harry gave her an incredulous look. "You're joking."
"I'm not kidding, Harry. You've grown."
"What's that charm?" he asked. Ginny quickly showed him the measuring charm and Harry performed it on her. "5'-4"," he said.
"We were in Gladrags two weeks ago. I was 5'-2"."
Harry grabbed her hand and pulled her into the bathroom where he jumped on the scale. "Twenty pounds," he said when he looked at her.
Ginny pushed him out of the way and stepped on the scale herself. "Fifteen … how do you get three inches and only twenty pounds while I get fifteen but only two inches?" she demanded angrily.
"Bigger boobs don't add height?" Harry offered. Even as he said it he couldn't help cringing a bit. She glowered at him. "They really look good," he offered.
Her lip twitched into a smirk. "They do, don't they."
Harry studied himself in the mirror. He was still shorter than Ron, but then pretty much the whole school was shorter than his best mate. Still, the extra height felt good. "Whatever we ate, I wouldn't mind doing it again," he said.
Ginny smacked his shoulder. "These aren't big enough?" she demanded.
Harry put his hands on her boobs and backed her to the wall where he proceeded to thoroughly feel her up. "They're perfect," he said. "Just like they were perfect before and will be perfect if they get bigger."
They were interrupted by Ron bellowing from the sitting area. "OI! You two coming or not?"
"The Neanderthal is calling," Ginny said.
Harry pecked her on the nose. "Latter."
"I've got new toys to play with," Ginny said, "you better believe there's going to be a later."
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"What news?" Voldemort hissed.
"My Lord," Rabastan Lestrange answered, "the stone is in Hogsmeade. It remains in the Goblins' hands."
Voldemort slowly smiled. Even with the Diadem, the wards of Hogwarts itself were too strong. He couldn't get past them without a direct assault. But those around the town and annexed lands, they could not keep him out; not when he was already inside them. "Assemble my army, Rabastan," he hissed. "We attack at dawn."
Rabastan bowed low. "As you command, my Lord," he said and backed out of the room.
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Harry sat down at the Gryffindor table with Ginny next to him. He poured them both milk while she piled mashed potatoes on their plates. "Bangers or ham?" he asked.
"Bangers," she answered. Harry put two on her plate and three on his while she added gravy to both.
"Veg?" he asked.
"Just broccoli." Harry served them both from the platter and dug into his dinner.
"You two are really weird," Ron teased.
"We aim to irritate you," Ginny retorted.
"I asked mum to take you back but she wouldn't listen."
"Lucky for you, or the twins would have only had one of us to experiment on."
"You two look different," Hermione interrupted their banter.
"We grew," Harry and Ginny said together.
"Grew?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah," Harry said, "like three inches in the last…" he trailed off as Luna's fork clattered to the table. A look of horror was slowly growing on her face.
"Luna?" Ginny asked warily.
"He said you knew," she whispered.
"Knew what?" Harry asked.
"The consequences," Luna croaked.
"Consequences?" Harry pressed.
"Oh God," Hermione gasped.
"What!" Harry hissed.
"Harry, you haven't just grown," Hermione whispered.
"You've aged," Luna said.
"Aged?" Ron and Neville said together.
Ginny stared at Luna for a second before whipping around to look at Harry. She studied him for a moment before taking his face in her hand and turning his head back and forth. "Please tell me she's wrong," he said. They both felt eyes on them and turned to the Head Table. Dumbledore didn't look away under their combined glare. Trembling with rage, Ginny stood. "Gin," he tried cautiously. Dumbledore's goblet exploded, showering him with wine.
"BASTARD!" Ginny hissed venomously and stormed for the doors. Harry rushed after her.
"MRS. POTTER!" Professor McGonagall shrieked.
Without turning, Ginny screamed, "GO TO HELL!" and broke into a run.
Harry stopped at the doors and turned back. "I blame you," he said, pointing at the head table where Dumbledore, the rest of the staff and the Wraiths were all seated. "Every last one of you who should have done something before it came to this … You're cowards and enablers whose place in hell is every bit as earned as Voldemort's." He spun on his heel and shoved the closed doors so hard they were blasted from their hinges.
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"What if we just left?" she asked. She hadn't tried to hide from him but Harry had still taken his time following Ginny to the gates of the castle grounds. He walked up behind her and wrapped her in his arms.
"We'd be as guilty as the they are," he answered softly.
"It's too much, Harry… Everything that's been taken from us and now we're expected to just give up years of our lives to finish him."
Harry turned her around and, with his fingers under her chin, raised her eyes to his. "Luna once told me something. She said you and I were two halves of a whole that had come before. She said we were very brave to have achieved Elysium and then chosen to come back, and that she didn't think she could do it … I don't want our lives here to end any sooner than they were already going to, but with everything that we've been through I'm absolutely convinced this world isn't the end for us."
"Is it so bad to want a life with you, to play Quidditch, to see this world and to have your children?"
"No."
She moved into him, resting her head on his chest and he just held her. Eventually, she pushed back and looked up at him. "It's time."
"It is."
"The others?"
"Not this time."
"To the end?"
"Always."
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Tawny popped into the Great Hall behind Dumbledore's chair. "Headmaster, sir?" she prodded.
It was everything he could do not to visibly sag before he turned to the elf. Harry's and Ginny's departure had left the Hall in quite a state. The subsequent departures of Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna as well as that of most of the students in the DA only added to the discord. The questioning looks of his staff and the remaining students left him convinced his time as Headmaster was fast coming to an end. He just prayed it wouldn't be before Tom was finished. "What is it, Tawny?" he asked kindly.
"Matron Poppy sends Tawny to tell sir that many people are arriving in the infirmary." Before he could respond a Patronus message flashed into the existence next to the elf. "Albus, I'm getting reports of an attack against Voldemort's forces at the Ministry building in London," Amelia Bones' voice said.
Dumbledore surged to his feet. "Students will return to their common rooms immediately," he bellowed.
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Two piers of white Flame burst into existence in the center of the long hall of the detention bank on the Auror level of the former ministry building in London. A wall of flame rushed in opposite directions from either pier down the hallway. More than a dozen Death Eaters were instantly incinerated. Three were left naked, and terrified but unharmed. The two piers of Flame became Harry and Ginny. He stalked to the end of the hall where he bent and placed his hand to the floor. The floor rumbled and a twenty-foot section rose to block the entry to the detention block. He then triggered the release for his wand and cast anti-apparation and portkey jinxes.
Ginny levitated the three Death Eaters from the floor and pinned them to the wall. The middle one burst into flames and quickly died, shrieking in agony. "Accio," Ginny said. Two key rings flew from burnt husks of bodies to land at the feet of the Death Eaters. "Open the cells and I will let you live," she snarled.
"We'll do anything you say!" one of them shrieked.
"Please, I have children," the second begged.
Ginny dropped them. She then kicked the second Death Eater in the stomach. "Be glad I already spared your life or I would take it now," she hissed. The two Death Eaters hesitated. "MOVE!"
"I know you're frightened," Harry shouted over the crying and shrieks of those held in the cells. "We're here to help you but you must remain calm." He melted the lock and yanked open one of the cells not yet reached by the Death Eaters Ginny had terrorized into doing her bidding.
"You're Harry Potter!" one of the women in the cell cried.
"I am," he answered. "And if you want to live, you must trust me."
"What do we have to do?" she asked.
"Just touch me," Harry answered. "As many of you as can reach," he said. "Quickly." There was a moment's hesitation and then a dozen people surged to him. A few moments later Harry delivered them all to an alley just outside of the Ministry's wards.
"Merlin!" the one woman gasped.
Harry ignored the others' cries of terror and grabbed her. "What's your name?" he asked forcefully.
"K–Karin," she managed.
"I need you to help me, Karin."
"M–me?"
Harry shoved a bag in her hand. "These are portkeys to the infirmary at Hogwarts. Each one can carry two people. I need you to stay here and distribute them … Can you do that for me, Karin?" She managed to nod. "I'll be back," he said and Flamed back to the detention block. A minute later he was back with another load.
"They aren't working," Karin said the moment she saw him.
He tossed his unicorn horn wand to her. "Tap to activate," he said. She quickly reached out and tapped the nearest portkey. It activated and one person was carried away to the safety of Hogwarts. "At least it's good for something," Harry muttered before Flaming back to the detention block.
"Quickly now!" Karin called. "Gather round. Two people to a portkey. Hurry." She tapped three portkeys in succession and another six people were whisked away.
"Go now," Ginny said. It had taken five minutes for her and Harry to empty the cells of prisoners and move them to where they could be Portkeyed to safety.
"What about you?" Karin asked.
"We're not finished yet," Harry said.
"But—"
Ginny pressed a Portkey into her hand. "Go."
Karin handed Harry's wand back. "Activate it for me." Harry took the wand from her and tapped the Portkey.
Ginny turned to him. "We can't just burn the rest of it down," she said.
"There might be other prisoners," Harry agreed.
"Nagini is always with him."
"Let's hope so," Harry said. She held her hand out and he took it so she could lead him to Voldemort's throne room. Once again they appeared as two piers of white Flame on opposite sides of the room that instantly spread to engulf the entire space. Voldemort shrieked in agony as the flames burnt away at his flesh. Harry and Ginny became fully human and he instantly petrified Nagini's thrashing form. They spread their hands towards each other and began chanting. "Anima domini mei custodita ignite Cor. Anima mea et vita mea ad comburendum. Animae meae : Anima, inimicus purgaretur. Anima mea consistere."
Bellatrix rushed into the room and was caught in the edge of the sphere of light. She screeched and staggered back, her front nothing more than a mass of burns with her eyes melting in their sockets. Nagini shrieked an unnatural wail of anguish as her magically protected body was destroyed and then it was just Harry, Ginny and Tom left. Again and again he battered back at their Soul Nexus but they relentlessly compressed it, refining it till it was the exact opposite of Tom Riddle's 'ME' and was instead their 'US'. In the end The Power he knows not was far more than anything Tom Riddle could even comprehend and the battle was over almost before it had even begun.
"I don't understand!" he shrieked.
"And that is why you have lost," Harry's and Ginny's combined voices answered.
The Soul Nexus collapsed and Ginny pitched forward into Harry's arms. "Dobby," he called weakly as he crumpled to his knees.
The little elf appeared with a sharp pop. "Harry sir, calls for Dobby?"
"T–take us some–somewhere we c–can't be f–found," Ginny croaked.
"Yes, Mistress." Dobby gently placed a hand on each of them and with a loud crack took them away.
With Hermione, Luna and Neville covering him, Ron Weasley rushed down the hallway and slid behind an overturned desk. Cautiously, he took a quick glance over the desk and ducked down again. A slower look resulted in no spells being cast at him and there was no sign of movement anywhere he could see. Wand at the ready he waved the others forward. With Neville guarding their backs, they rushed into place with him. It had been well over an hour ago that the wards on the London ministry building had utterly collapsed. Since then, they, the DA, the Order, nearly every member of the reformed ministry, all the way down to the lowest paper pusher, and the majority of Hogwarts' staff had been fighting a running battle with Voldemort's forces to retake the ministry building in London.
"Clear," Neville said.
"It's been a while since we've come across anyone," Luna said.
Hermione sniffed "What is that smell?"
"Burnt flesh," Ron said, "I've been following it the last ten minutes."
"But I only just …" Hermione trailed off.
Ron tapped his nose. "Wolf sense."
Luna slipped her hand into Hermione's and gave a squeeze. "Later," she said.
Neville broke the awkward silence that followed. "Where there's burnt bodies," he said.
"Harry and Ginny have been," Ron finished grimly.
"We keep moving till we find them," Luna said.
"Bloody well we will," Hermione said.
Ron levitated the table. "Nice and slow now," he said and set off down the hall behind it. Neville spotted another table and summoned it to float along behind them. Reaching the next corner Ron sent the table around it. When no spells were thrown he peered around the corner. "Someone's been here."
"Just take you're time," Neville said. Ron nudged the table forward and edged around the corner behind it. He stopped a few feet away from the body on the floor in front of him. "Bloody hell," he said quietly.
Luna peered past him. "I believe Harry and Ginny have been here," she said.
"Ya think?" Ron asked rhetorically.
"Yes. Yes I do," she answered, completely unperturbed. A rattling whimper came from the body in front of them.
"Merlin," Ron gasped, "they're still alive." Wand leveled on whomever it was he edged forward.
"Oh," Hermione cringed as she got her first good look at the person.
"That's Bellatrix Lestrange," Ron breathed.
There was a brief moment before Neville snarled, "Reducto!" His spell hit her in the head, splattering her brain across the floor. The others could do nothing more than blink in shock. Neville spit on her body. "That's for my parents." He levitated her body out of the doorway she was sprawled in and tossed it down the hallway. "Sorry," he said when he managed to focus on the others. "She and her husband used the Cruciatus on my parents. They've been in St. Mungoes since I was one."
It took another second for Ron to give him a sharp nod. "Right then," he said. He turned and stepped to the door. Hermione placed her hand on Neville's shoulder and gave it a squeeze before following after Ron.
Luna took Neville's hand and pulled him after the other two. "I would like to meet them one day," she said.
"They don't talk much."
"I don't care."
"Alright."
"Thank you."
Ron poked his head around the door and quickly pulled back before cautiously taking a longer look. Carefully, he edged his way into the room. "Cover the door, Nev."
"Got it," Neville said.
"Is that …" Hermione trailed off.
"Voldemort and the snake," Luna said.
"Are they dead?" Hermione asked.
Ron edged his way to Nagini and nudged it with his foot. The body cracked and split in two. He tried to edge his way to the other body but found he couldn't force himself any closer. His hand shaking he raised his wand.
"Not the head," Luna hissed.
"But?"
"Harry and Ginny didn't burn them to ash so the body could be identified."
Ron shifted his wand. "Reducto," he croaked. The spell blasted Voldemort's arm from the body in an explosion of ash and blackened embers. "Pretty sure he's dead," Ron said.
"I've got voices," Neville said. The others rushed to the door to help cover him.
"That sounds like Dumbledore," Ron said.
"HEADMASTER?" Hermione shouted.
"Miss Granger? Is that you?"
"Yes!" She poked her head around the door to see Dumbledore doing the same around the corner down the hall. "We found Voldemort and the snake," she called when he stepped out.
"Harry and Ginny?" he asked, hurrying to them.
"No. You haven't seen them?"
"I have not." He stepped past them into the room. "While I would prefer you return to the safety of the school I know better than to ask till you have found Harry and Ginny. The battle is mostly finished but that does not mean danger could not be around the next corner. Please stick together and exercise extreme caution."
There was a sharp crack that had all five of them leveling their wands on the source in less time than it took to blink. "HOLD!" Dumbledore bellowed.
"Dobby?" Hermione asked.
Dobby lowered his hands and his shimmering shield faded away. "Dobby comes to tell Miss that Harry sir and Mistress are safe and resting."
"Where are they?" she demanded.
"Mistress tells Dobby to take her and Harry sir where they can not be found. Dobby only comes to tell Miss so she will know Mistress and Harry sir are safe. Dobby will come again in two days." Before anyone could say another word the elf disappeared with a sharp crack.
"DOBBY!" Hermione screamed. "Dobby, you come back here right now!"
Dumbledore gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "He will not answer, Hermione."
"But," she protested.
"The only thing that could bring him to disobey Ginny would be fear that she would die if he did not. You can rest assured that both Harry and Ginny are in the best possible hands they could be."
"He's right, Hermione," Neville said. "Dobby is utterly devoted to Harry and even more so to Ginny. If she ordered him not to let anyone find them, there is nothing you can do that will make him bring you to them."
"I know it is hard, but the best thing you can do for Harry and Ginny now, is to return safely to your daughter."
"He's right," Luna agreed. "Harry and Ginny hurt their very soul to destroy Tom. The best thing we can do to bring them back to us now is to return to the school and stay safe."
Ron wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "I don't like it either, but they're right," he said.
Hermione sagged. "Alright," she agreed meekly.
"Thank Merlin," Dumbledore sighed when the last of them were safely away.
HPHPHP
Author's note:
Anima domini mei custodita ignite Cor. Anima mea et vita mea ad comburendum. Animae meae : Anima, inimicus purgaretur. Anima mea consistere. This roughly translates as, Soul of mine Heart Ignite. Soul of mine Life to Burn. Soul of Mine Soul mine Enemy be Purged. Mine Soul to rest in Peace.
Conclusion: Yes, in the end, it all seems too easy. One chapter to go and then some explanations as to why I did what I did.
Also, the term Soul Nexus, I'm sure some recognize as the title of a story by JadeSeraph. It is an amazing story which is sadly not completed.
As always, thank you to all my readers. And a special thank you to those who have reviewed. I do appreciate hearing from you.
Sorcerer's Muse