The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord… Neither can live while the other survives…

A/N: I own nothing, it's all Rowling's

Chapter Twenty – Deceptions and Resolutions

"You have really got to stop showing up here like this," a drawling voice came from in front of them. Harry looked up to see Draco standing with his arms crossed over his chest and shaking his head.

Harry was breathing deeply, trying to focus passed the pain that was running through him as he and Devon entered into the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts with Devon supporting Harry. Devon had gotten sick of Harry calling him Master Riddle and nearly ordered him to use his first name. Harry had laughed and then proceeded to cough up blood, before he had reminded Devon rather weakly that he did not know his name. By then they were out of Slytherin Keep and Devon had produced a hidden Portkey with a destination for Hogwarts. Apparently, he'd been planning his escape for sometime, and was just waiting for the opportune time to get both him and his mother out.

"You could be nice and give me assistance, he is not as light as he looks," Devon said scathingly and with an heir of superiority that rivaled even Draco, which he had no doubt, acquired from his time as Voldemort's guest.

Draco raised an eyebrow. Harry coughed, when he attempted to laugh and tried to straighten a little, but the pain wouldn't allow it. "Be nice Devon, Draco's right, I do need to stop showing up like this," Harry rasped before he proceeded to collapsed.

Draco jumped down the last steps to them and took Harry's full weight onto himself. "Shit, Harry. What the hell did he do to you?"

Harry winced and bit his tongue to keep from crying out as Draco shifted him, to help him walk. "Actually, only the Cruciatus Curse. The rest was my Gryffindor stupidity," Harry ground out through clenched teeth.

"Fire first, ask questions later?"

"That'd be the one," Harry winced again as Devon got on the other side of him. "Hospital Wing, please."

"Sure thing and then I'll get your dad. He hasn't left Dumbledore's office since you snapped your wand and declaring you were never coming back. How's that going by the way?"

Harry would have laughed if he weren't in so much pain. Instead, he breathed deeply and clenched his teeth tighter. By the time they had gotten to the hospital wing, Harry was shaking from the pain he was in and he knew that he needed his potion now. Devon pushed open the door and Draco helped Harry to his bed.

"Madam Pomfrey…" Draco began to call out, but stopped. "Professor Dumbledore, Professor Potter."

"Harry!" James ran from between Alara and Evine's bedsides to his son, Riemann looked up at them, but didn't move from his spot between the Elvin sisters. Madam Pomfrey was quicker than James, and was at Harry's side before either Dumbledore or James could cross the hall.

"You're magic stores are very low. Harry, what happened?" she asked as she ran her wand calmly and proficiently over Harry.

"The Unicorn's blood, I need my potion," Harry gasped.

Madam Pomfrey's eyes widened. "Harry, there isn't any left; we gave the last to you while you were still in your coma. We didn't know how to make more."

Harry closed his eyes and focused through the pain. "Madam Pomfrey, do what you can for my chest wound." Harry coughed and then looked up to James. "Dad, get Snape. Tell him to bring me a silver cauldron and the ingredients to Veritaserum, the Wolfsbane Potion, and the Draught of Living Death." James nodded to Harry's bizarre request and started to leave. "Dad," James stopped and looked back at his son. "Hurry," James nodded again with worry in his eyes and quickly left.

"Harry, how did this happen. Why are your magic stores so low?" Madam Pomfrey asked. Harry knew she was just trying to keep him talking while she healed him, hoping he'd focus pass the pain long enough for his dad and Snape to return, but he was grateful to oblige, anything to keep him from passing out before he was able to make his potion, or rather instruct Snape in how to make it.

"The pendant, Voldemort used the pendant to take my magic," Harry said hoarsely. "He used my own weapon against me!" Harry growled angrily, and unbeknownst to him, his eyes flashed momentarily blue, before returning back to green. He was absolutely pissed about it, at least the thing was destroyed; the Dark Lord would never be able to use the pendant again, no one would.

"Voldemort is using your mother's pendant?" Dumbledore questioned.

"Not anymore, Harry used it against Voldemort, it was remarkable," Devon spoke up from Harry's side; Harry would have laughed at Devon's excited tone had he not been in so much pain. "Then he destroyed it, I still don't know why you did that." Devon looked at Harry curiously.

"It was full of Dark Magic," Harry ground out. "I couldn't have done it without you. Y-you saved my life, Devon," Harry said seriously.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" Draco asked as he looked inquiringly at Devon. Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore both looked questioningly at the boy as well.

Devon glanced at Harry and Harry nodded. "Devon, umm, Devon Riddle," he said nervously, looking at the faces of Riddle and then back to Harry.

"Voldemort has a son?" Dumbledore inquired, also looking at Harry.

"Voldemort has nothing! He is an evil creature, nothing more!" Devon said harshly. "Tom Riddle was my grandfather; Voldemort is not him and never was. He's the thing that killed him and my father… and my mother." Devon lowered his head to hide the tears that began to fall.

"I'm sorry, Devon," Harry said quietly through clenched teeth. "I promise you the next time we meet, he won't have the chance to run, and I keep my promises."

Devon nodded somberly, sniffing a little, and then his eyes took on a determined glare. Harry had to admire how strong the kid was. If Harry had been in his situation, he didn't think he would have been so strong, not at that age.

Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak when Harry suddenly let out a pain-filled scream as Madam Pomfrey tried to remove the swords on his back. "Harry, what's wrong?" Dumbledore asked when Harry literally tore away from Madam Pomfrey and ran to the other side of the ward, breathing heavily.

Harry sunk to his knees and touched Slytherin's sword on his back briefly, it stung his hand and he pulled away quickly. The sword began to glow and the pain in his back intensified. Harry screamed as he grabbed at the sword again, forcing aside the mild stinging, anything to get it to stop the extra pain the swords were causing him. He pulled it out of the sheath and felt the blade slice through his shoulder before he managed to get it away from him. It skidded across the floor and abruptly stopped glowing, but the pain was still there and it only was getting worse.

Harry tore Gryffindor's sword from his back as well and it clattered to the floor as he collapsed, the pain finally ebbing away, the constant throbbing from the Unicorn's blood, came to the forefront again, but was not as bad now. Madam Pomfrey was at his side not a moment later and Dumbledore knelt down to examine Slytherin's sword.

"No," Harry breathed and Dumbledore pulled his hand away before he could touch it. "Don't touch it; it's got the magic from the pendant in it, and the magic from Slytherin's Diary."

"Harry?" James asked going towards his son as he came back into the Hospital Wing with Snape and Lyndira following quickly behind him. He took a quick step back when Harry looked up at him. His eyes were swirling between a mixture of red and blue. "Harry?" he asked urgently.

Harry closed his eyes against a voice that echoed through his mind. It was deafening and he fought to ignore it. The runes on his chest glowed brightly, as did Gryffindor and Slytherin's swords. Madam Pomfrey stepped back as Harry wrapped himself into a fetal position. "I am not the Protector, I am not the Protector," Harry repeated in a whisper as he clamped his eyes shut tighter. "No, leave me alone!" Harry cried.

'You are the Protector. You will serve me as I have trained you to do!' The voice of Lady Magic rang in Harry's head angrily. 'If you refuse me, Voldemort will win and your visions will come true!'

"No! I serve no one. Not Voldemort, not YOU!" Harry's eyes snapped open and his back arched as the magic that had come from the pendent tore into him from the swords. The others took several steps back as they watched, not able to do anything else.

'Submit and serve me, Heir of Slytherin!' Another voice, a darker voice, an all too familiar voice, roared in Harry's head and he clasped his hands to his head against it.

"NO!" Harry screamed, his voice quivering with fear. But it was too late, he had made his choice in rejecting Magic and he was not strong enough to fight the Dark Magic, not this time. He was not strong enough to fight Voldemort. Harry's head snapped up, his eyes completely red. "Run, NOW!" Harry yelled before he was completely consumed and calmness settled over him and he forgot why he had told them all to run.

Harry stilled, breathing heavily. The two swords had stopped glowing and he stood shakily. Harry watched in fascination as his wounds healed before his eyes and the pain from the Unicorns blood disappeared completely. "This is new," Harry stated, not looking at the people near him as he looked intently at the ring on his hand. It was talking to him.

"Young master, fight it!" hissed two voices loudly in Harry's head. Harry shook his head and rolled his eyes at the feeble attempt.

Harry began to walk towards the people in the Hospital wing, but stilled again as a strange sensation ran over him. There was something off; Harry didn't feel right. Was he fighting the Magic? He looked up as Dumbledore drew his wand, as did his father and he smirked. The two voices fell silent, as if they were waiting to see what he was going to do.

"Harry, fight it, don't let it consume you!" Dumbledore shouted. As if shouting would get through to him. Harry narrowed his eyes.

Riemann, who had been watching from Alara and Evine's bedside, slowly stood up. Harry eyed the Carpathian and slowly bent down and picked up Gryffindor's sword. He clasped his hand around the handle of the sword and it glowed briefly. The Sword of Slytherin shot off the floor and stopped in front of him, floating in mid air. Harry's vision, the destruction of Hogwarts by his hands, flashed before his eyes and he smiled. No he was definitely not fighting the Magic.

"Harry, drop the sword!" Dumbledore ordered.

Harry lifted his right hand and Dumbledore was thrown back into the wall. "You dare challenge me, old man! You challenge me and you challenge the power of Lord Voldemort! I am his Heir, the Heir of Slytherin and I will bring down this school stone by stone!" Harry's voice reverberated coldly around the room and he grabbed the handle of Slytherin's sword. Riemann was forced off his feet by a shock wave of power that also knocked everyone else to the floor.

"No stop this," the hissing continued again, but Harry brushed it aside. "You don't know what you are doing. You are being controlled."

"What's happening to him?" Devon asked with fear in his voice, getting back to his feet beside Draco who was just pushing himself up as well.

"I don't know but it's not good. My mark is burning," Draco said the last, more for James and Dumbledore then for Devon.

"I knew there was something wrong with you," Riemann said calmly as he pushed himself back to his feet.

"There's always been something wrong with me, Riemann," Harry stated casually. "I was chosen, but never given a choice." Riemann frowned and then was suddenly and violently thrown against the wall and pinned there by a force of magic.

"Harry, please, fight it!" James shouted, as he also got to his feet, he was winded, by otherwise unharmed. "This isn't you!" Harry raised his hand and James too was pinned to the wall.

"Really? And who do you think I am? You don't even know me, your own son! You think the weakling that stood by what is right, is me? You think the boy who lets everyone manipulate him until he can't take anymore, yet still says nothing, is me? Well I'll let you in on a little secret, Dad. He isn't me. He hasn't been for sometime. I've just been biding my time, waiting until I had enough power, and now I do." Harry sheathed Gryffindor's sword, still holding tightly to Slytherin's. The Hospital Wing doors were suddenly thrown open and several wands were aimed at Harry. Harry laughed and swiped his hand. The wands of his friends and a few DA members flew from their grasps.

"Harry, please! Remember who you are. Remember what the mark you gave us stands for!" Hermione pleaded.

"Oh, and what do you think that it stands for, Hermione?" The DA members were suddenly forced to their knees as Harry pushed a wave of magic through the mark.

Draco gasped as he dropped his wand that he was just pulling out and clamped his hand to his mark as he too was forced to his knees.

Hermione surprised everyone and remained standing. "Master of Oracles, Master of Serpents, Lord of Gryffindor, Lord of Slytherin, Heir of Merlin, and Protector of Magic!" she yelled. "That's who you are!" At the last, Harry's eyes glowed in anger and he moved towards the group of students, who suddenly found themselves unable to move.

"Not anymore," he growled an inch away from Hermione's face and swept passed them. He stalked through the open door and walked though the halls of Hogwarts calmly. Every student and staff he passed was suddenly pinned to the nearest wall. Harry only laughed at this as he exited Hogwarts and shut the large wooden double doors behind him, he lifted his hands and fire sprang to life surrounding the massive castle. Harry laughed as he saw Severus Snape looking down on him from an above window. He had fear in his eyes. Harry smirked at the man but his smirk fell away from the voice behind that suddenly came from behind him.

"Harry, what are you doing? Please stop this, this isn't you!" Harry spun around to be faced with Hermione, Ginny, and Ron. A flicker of fear showed in his eyes before it quickly diminished.

"How the Hell did you get out?" Harry demanded. "Never mind, I'll just kill you here!" Harry swung Slytherin's sword, slashing Hermione across the chest. She fell with shock in her hazel eyes, already lifeless. Harry staggered inside, but outside, there was no reaction.

"You murderer!" Ron screamed and ran at Harry. Harry lifted the sword and it caught Ron in the gut. He pulled it out with little emotion and Ron fell to the ground to lie beside Hermione. A voice screamed in Harry's head, and part of him tried to fight what he was doing, but that small part of him was trapped inside a monster and couldn't get out.

The emerald jewels from Slytherin's sword, glimmered in the firelight of the burning castle behind him. Blood glistened but dulled the blade of the most powerful weapon in Wizarding history as he glanced emotionlessly over the blade. There was only one blade that had stopped it in the past, and it, Harry pulled from the sheath on his back with his right hand. He stared down at the lifeless hazel eyes of one of his closest friends. He looked beside her, at where Ron lay and then he looked up from them. She was the last left.

"Please," Ginny pleaded, her voice shaking. "Please, you've destroyed everything, release him, he is of no use anymore. Let Harry go."

Scarred hands gripped tightly the two sibling swords of Slytherin and Gryffindor and shakily raised the blades to Ginny's throat. Each blade pulsed with power as did his red eyes. "Perhaps you are right, Ginevra, but do I want to be released?" His voice held a tone of uncertainty. This was too familiar, it was his vision, but it was too accurate. Why did he suddenly feel like…?

Harry screamed at himself in his head again as he watched helplessly as Ginny sank to her knees. It would only take a single stroke and then Ginny would be dead, just like the others, but as she knelt her tear glistening eyes reflected his image and the image of someone behind him. The two hissing voices in his head became more urgent, just as his mind caught up to what was happening to him, and pure rage overruled the Dark Magic that gripped at him. He was being controlled!

Harry's eyes flickered back to green in an instant and he staggered and fell to one knee. He didn't understand and he was even more confused as his two dead friends disappeared to be replaced with two robed and masked Death Eaters. It wasn't real, none of it was; it was an illusion! Harry roared and rotated the swords over his hands and swung around at the man behind him. As he stood, he caught him across the chest with Slytherin's blade, and across the stomach with Gryffindor's.

Lucius Malfoy staggered back and then collapsed to the ground, a puddle of red coloring the snow around him. A cold laugh echoed from behind him and Harry spun around, away from Lucius' dying form. He stopped to be face to face with Voldemort and at least fifty Death Eaters.

"An illusion," Harry gasped. Harry was more then just seething mad. "I told you before! Darkness will never control me again!" Harry growled.

"Oh, but it has. Not for long, but long enough…" Voldemort glanced behind Harry. "The school still burns and everyone is trapped inside!" Voldemort laughed the Death Eaters behind him laughed as well, the most grating coming from Bellatrix, her high-pitched laugh ringing out above them all.

Harry looked up at the school and all color drained from his face as he saw the fire and the plumes of dark smoke raising high into the air; it was engulfing the castle. "No," Harry whispered as he shook his head.

"Look what you have done," Voldemort rasped out.

"NO!" Harry yelled and tossed aside the swords. He charged back to the school.

"What is it that you think you are going to do, save all of their pathetic lives?" Harry ignored Bellatrix's taunting laugh as he ran to the very edge of the flames. He could feel the heat, and the dark billowing smoke threatened to choke him.

What had he done! Harry prayed to whatever deity was listening as he summoned, not the magic from Lady Magic, nor the magic from Slytherin's Diary, but his magic; his life force, he would give it all to save the school and everyone inside. Harry forced the raw power into his hands and stuck his hands into the flames.

Harry yelled in pain as the flames burned up his arms all the way to his shoulders, but he pushed the pain aside and clenched his teeth, as he willed his energy into creating a barrier between the flames and the school. He thanked Merlin as a dome of pure white power encircled the castle and another one encircled the flames and himself. Harry could hear spells bouncing off the barrier behind him, but he didn't dare focus on that. He felt a rush of heat as the flames consumed him and stole the air from his lungs, and then he suddenly felt cold air as the flames died leaving nothing more then scorch marks behind on the earth.

Harry gasped for breath, his lungs burned from the lack of oxygen, and he staggered as he released the domes and then he fell. He breathed in deeply as air rushed into his lungs. He stared up at the school and then he looked back at Voldemort with a triumphant gleam in his eyes. He saved them all.

Voldemort held Slytherin's Diary in one hand and Slytherin's sword in the other. Bellatrix stood by his side. Harry staggered back to his feet. He was sore all over, but it appeared as if he hadn't been burned by the flames, though he was feeling very dizzy.

"Very impressive," Voldemort sneered. "But I'm afraid that no one is going to save you this time." Voldemort pointed Slytherin's blade at Harry. Harry stared back as the blade glowed green and then released a beam of magic that very much resembled the killing curse. Harry made to jump aside and fell to the ground.

"Harry!" James yelled from the entryway as the doors gave way to a barrage of curses from the inside. Harry didn't move.

Voldemort laughed. "Your son is dead, just as you soon will be. Kill them!" he ordered and the Death Eaters raised their wands but nothing happened. As much as the Death Eaters tried, none of them could cast a single spell. "WHAT?" Voldemort roared.

Harry abruptly pushed himself to his feet. An aura surrounded him, making him glow. "Oh, Lord Voldemort, I'm not dead yet!" Harry taunted angrily. "You missed!"

Voldemort took a staggering step back as Gryffindor's sword flew into Harry's grasp. "Impossible!" he hollered.

"I'm full of impossibilities!" Harry charged Voldemort an old prophecy ringing in his head. Neither can live while the other survives… The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord…

The Death Eaters only stood where they were, unable to move, and James and the rest of Hogwarts could only watch as Gryffindor's blade met Slytherin's in a shower of sparks.

Harry quickly realized that he had the upper hand. He was the better sword fighter. He parried and blocked Voldemort's thrusts with ease, but it was the magic that Voldemort threw into the battle that had Harry faltering. Harry was still using his magic to hold off the Death Eaters, but released his hold to fend of Voldemort.

Harry gritted his teeth as a cutting hex hit him across his right arm and he almost lost Gryffindor's sword. He reaffirmed his hold on the sword and swung with as much force as he had. Voldemort had lifted Slytherin's sword to block his blow, but Harry had cut lower and Voldemort staggered back with disbelief in his eyes as Gryffindor's sword slashed him across the chest. Voldemort sunk to his knees, surprise written all over his face as Slytherin's Diary fell from his grasp as well as the sword.

Harry stared wide-eyed with surprise for a moment and then his surprise vanished to be replaced with resolve as he lifted Gryffindor's sword and then plunged it into the Dark Lords chest, straight through his heart. A ring of magic swept out from Voldemort and Harry simultaneously, knocking almost everyone around them off their feet. Harry pulled the sword free and Voldemort fell, lifeless eyes staring blankly at him. Harry staggered and then fell back, dropping Gryffindor's bloodied sword onto the snowy ground as he did. He was completely in shock at what he had just done. He'd finally killed Voldemort.

Harry, who had been too consumed in his fight with the Dark Lord, hadn't seen the Death Eaters fall from the hoard of teachers and students and he was just realizing that he wasn't being cursed by anyone. He looked up to the school and met Dumbledore's eyes and then he looked back to Voldemort, still dead and Harry felt… he felt normal. He didn't feel powerful; he didn't feel like he was being pulled in two anymore. He felt like his eleven-year-old self, before Quirrell, before the stone, before the basilisk, before the Tournament, before the Prophecy; all, which had spun his life out of control. He felt alive… and free!

Harry looked up to someone calling his name and saw Ron and Hermione running towards him, his father and Dumbledore, as well as several others not far behind. Harry looked again at Voldemort's body and then he looked at his father and a tear rolled down his cheek. They'd survived. He'd survived.

"Harry?" Dumbledore asked, his hand clutching his wand as he walked towards him warily.

Harry looked to Dumbledore, and for some unknown reason gulped before he spoke. "He's dead, I killed him." Harry looked back to Voldemort again and Dumbledore followed his gaze. "I killed him," Harry repeated and another tear rolled down his cheek. All eyes followed Dumbledore as he walked calmly to Voldemort's body and picked up the blackened book from beside him.

Dumbledore walked back to Harry and handed him Slytherin's Diary. Harry looked at the book and then into Dumbledore's eyes, not understanding. "Take it." Harry shook his head. "Take the Diary, Harry."

"I don't want it!" Dumbledore shoved the Diary into Harry's hands and Harry dropped it onto the muddy ground. It opened onto a page Harry had never seen before. Harry picked up the book, and glancing to his father, read the only two words on the page aloud. "Forgive me."

A blinding light came from the center of the book and Harry was the only one not to look away as the blackness of the Diary faded to be replaced by pure white. It was no longer Salazar Slytherin's Diary but Athlena Mordent's, the wife of Slytherin and the Daughter of Merlin, the first Heir. The darkness was gone for good.

Harry clutched the book; it was as if Slytherin had never touched it. He looked up to Dumbledore. "It's over?" Dumbledore nodded, the twinkle returning to his eyes for the first time in months. Hermione suddenly threw herself into Harry's arms, only as she had gotten there first, Ginny and Ron were right behind her and adding James to the pile Harry was practically pinned into one big hug on the snowy, muddy ground outside Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

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A/N: Soon to come; Christmas at The Burrow, and a Sirius Reunion?