Disclaimer: See chapter one.
Chapter 21: The Amulet's End
The words echoed in Dumbledore's mind…'which one lives, which one dies.' He immediately knew the answer, but dreaded to say it. He couldn't, no wouldn't see another fall at the hands of Voldemort.
He took a small breath and said, "You will give the other student to me, no exceptions."
Voldemort's eyes darkened. "I don't think you are in a position to be making demands, Albus." He replied.
Dumbledore fixed him with a stare of his own. "I will not be a puppet in your game any longer. You will give-"
"Don't tell me what I will or will not do!" Voldemort interjected. "And you will play along with my game, as you call it, or risk losing both of these children!" He yelled.
Dumbledore glared at him, but inside he was torn. He couldn't risk losing both their lives, as he knew Voldemort would take pleasure in killing them both. He proved that with the murders of members of the Order naught but a few minutes ago. He inwardly sighed. Though he would never say it, he knew that one was key when the final battle with Voldemort came. Looking into the student's eyes he saw fear, pain, and yet a strong determination. The student stared back, knowing what the answer would be, and closed his blue eyes, waiting for what was sure to come.
"Albus!" Voldemort said dangerously, snapping him from his thoughts.
"Ronald." He said, still staring at the boy.
"No!" Harry yelled. "Professor you can't…"
"Ronald." He said more forcibly.
"Don't worry Potter," Voldemort said, "you will have your chance soon enough." He placed his wand at Ron's temple, and through closed eyes, Harry could see a bright flash of green light.
'Dead…Ron's dead.' Harry thought. 'After everything we went through…he's gone.'
"What happened!" yelled an angry voice.
Harry quickly opened his eyes. Voldemort's wand was still raised but it was now pointing at a body that lay limp on the floor…Wormtail. Another flash of green light temporarily lit the hall, revealing the body of another deatheater.
"Where are they?" yelled Crabbe, looking around wildly. He yelled again, but was quickly silenced from the killing-curse shooting forth from the shadows.
Harry looked around and realization struck him.
Garin and his men.
He thought back to when he last remembered seeing Garin. When the Order burst in, they took Voldemort's focus off Garin, allowing him and his few followers to slip into the shadows, unnoticed, while a battle broke forth.
'But if they had the chance to escape,' he thought quickly, 'why would they risk return-…of course…Voldemort.' Garin would not give up on his plan for revenge so easily, nor would he risk letting the amulet stay in Voldemort's hand.
His heart began beating very fast. He turned slightly to Ron and opened his mouth to whisper what he knew when suddenly Garin's men burst in every direction out of the shadows, shouting curses and surrounding the deatheaters.
Garin's men, however, were few, and the fight seemed futile. But Harry understood its purpose.
A distraction.
Harry, seeing movement in the corner of his eye, quickly turned to see what it was.
He found nothing but shadow.
Confused, he turned back to face Voldemort, only to see Garin lunging at him from the shadows. Dumbledore noticed this too, and quickly grabbed Harry and Ron away. Voldemort, preoccupied by the surprise attack, failed to see Garin until it was too late.
Garin, wand drawn, lunged at Voldemort and collided into him before Voldemort had time to react. They fell roughly to the ground, and Garin quickly pushed his wand to Voldemort's throat.
Voldemort, however, was too quick for him and shouted a spell Harry had never heard before. It was as if a powerful wind ripped him off Voldemort and flung him a few feet away. But Garin was determined. He quickly regained his footing and lunged back at him.
Harry turned back to Voldemort who raised the amulet, prepared to deliver the final blow. Without thinking, Harry darted around Dumbledore and did something both very brave and very stupid. He threw himself into Voldemort and the amulet flew from his grasp.
Harry smiled, hearing the unmistakable sound of shattering glass. He prepared himself for the hard collision with the floor, but it never came. Dumbledore yelled, "Accio Harry Potter," and Harry felt himself jerk back through the air, this time crashing into Ron.
"Sorry mate," he said and quickly stood back up.
"No problem, happy to help," Ron said, standing up gingerly.
He turned and saw Garin and Voldemort both staring at the broken pieces. Upon closer inspection, Harry realized why they were staring. The shards of the broken amulet were beginning to glow black. The dark light began snaking up from the wreckage, growing larger by the second.
Voldemort's eyes went wide and he quickly disapparated, several deatheaters following the suit. But the others were not so lucky.
"Down!" Dumbledore yelled, pulling Harry and Ron to the floor.
Without warning, several "arms" shot out from the darkness and wrapped around the throats of the remaining deatheaters, Garin, and his men. An electric energy passed through the arms, causing the entrapped men to burst out in screams. Harry put his head down and covered it with his hands, just as a bright light filled the hall, blinding everyone present. And just as suddenly, the light was gone. Everything was still; everything was silent
Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You guys are awesome!
happy-me-111: Thanks for the great review; I enjoyed reading it again and again!
Thanks for putting me on your favorites list! That makes me smile!
I'm glad that you like the story so much! Hehe, I didn't realize that I
was mixing up Wormtail and Wormtounge! I guess that I've had
LOTR on the brain recently. Thanks for pointing that out though, I
went back and fixed it.
Miss Piratess: Really, you think I write fight scenes well? I've always had a problem
with them. Thanks for the review and for pointing out the clichés. I
agree that the amulet does seem to be a lot like the ring in LOTR. I'll
try to do better with that. Thanks again!
Keldryck Dreggori: Thanks for the review! I know what you mean, I hate and love
when people use cliffhangers too. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Lotty: Eat away at you…ouch, sounds painful. Just kidding! Thanks for the review!
I'm glad that you are enjoying the story, and I hope that this chapter was exciting
enough for you! Let me know what you think!
Please review!!