Disclaimer From J.K. Rowling: I own it. They do not.
A/N: We are immeasurably sorry that we have written in ages. It's been a very busy time these last several months. So here's the deal: we really want to finish this story and are making every effort to do so in next few days, before the release of Deathly Hallows. We have everything almost finished, so you should be reading it by the end of this week. Advance apologies if everything is quickly-paced… we're approaching the deadline. Good reading and hope you enjoy this. And, as an added bonus, this is 2 chapters, so here's hoping that you like both!
Chapter 25 - Questions & Answers
"I believe that my question requires a more immediate answer", Raven stated, dangling Trevor disgustedly by one of his hind legs.
As an answer, Severus strode toward Raven, and cast a revealing spell upon the frog who instantaneously turned into a short, stout, round-faced man.
"Uncle Algie?", Neville questioned, almost disbelievingly, as he moved away from the beds where his parents and Luna were sleeping peacefully.
The man didn't even have an opportunity to escape, Raven's immobilizing spell had rendered him completely incapacitated. Algie stood firmly rooted to where he had been transfigured, moving only his eyes, which were seemingly fearful of the foreboding look on Snape's face.
Meanwhile, Lupin and Madame Pomfrey were levitating Sirius onto a nearby, unoccupied bed, as he had been knocked unconscious by Raven's intolerance for stupidity.
Pulling herself together, Minerva took charge. "Abe, take him downstairs and allow Kingsley and Nymphadora to interrogate him. Severus, please make Professor Evans aware that Frank and Alice Longbottom have arrived."
"Absolutely", Snape replied. "Longbottom", he added, turning to Neville. "You have given me permission to administer the prospective antidote to your parents. Yet, Miss Lovegood is still not of age and has no guardian to speak of. As she is now considered a ward of the school, the decision rests entirely within the hands of myself, Professor McGonagall, Nia and Madame Pomfrey. That being said, we are more than willing to take your opinion into consideration. Bear in mind that this new potion has never been tested, and also the fact that your parents' reaction to it may vary quite drastically from Miss Lovegood's, being that they have been exposed to the tainted gum for nearly two decades. It's not a decision that you should take lightly, but it is one that requires an answer as soon as possible. Please have a decision ready when I return". And, without another word, Snape turned on his heel and strode purposefully out of the room behind Abe, who seemed to be having a marvelous time bouncing the paralyzed form of Uncle Algie out of the room for questioning.
Neville stood dumbfounded, as if he could hardly believe that yet another person in his family could be so evil and deceitful, for the larger portion of his life, without his knowing. Hermione strode over to comfort him.
"Neville, you weren't to know," she said softly.
"What kind of person does this make me? The two biggest influences in my life, the people that raised me, are consumed by evil…," Neville responded stoically.
Harry looked at his friend and was filled with compassion for him. In less than 2 days, everything he had ever believed had been taken away from him. He clearly said, "Nev, it's not your family that defines who you are, it's your actions that do that."
Ron added helpfully, "That's right mate. I mean just look at Malfoy. His father is pretty much the spawn of Satan, and he turned out alright. Eventually, anyway." Ron quieted upon receiving a threatening glare from Hermione.
"Thanks, Weasley," Draco replied, thumping him appreciatively on the back.
It was at this moment the group noticed Raven, practically interrogating a very irate Minerva, when Hermione decided to step in.
"I know that you all have many questions, but I don't want to have to go through this a hundred different times. Perhaps we can still just meet in Professor McGonagall's office this evening, at say 9 o'clock? Sirius should be recovered enough and we should have some new information from Voldemort's informant." Hermione said firmly.
The group decided to adjourn until later and go their separate ways. As Hermione began to walk to Raven, she felt a hand grab her arm. She quickly turned and met Harry's gaze.
He said accusingly, "This is what you were working on? What you didn't want any help with?" At Hermione's nod he continued. "Why didn't you come to me? I would've been able to help…"
"Harry," Hermione answered, "Tonight, if I'm right, we'll be able to win our first real battle of this war. If this works out the way I think it will, we'll destroy a horcrux."
Harry stood staring at his friend in shock, trying to piece together everything she wasn't telling him. He watched her leave the hospital wing, Raven close behind, and knew that tonight was going to get interesting.
Harry had spent the rest of his afternoon with Ginny, who had been utterly annoyed that she had missed so many new developments while she had been napping. In fact, as she and Harry were walking toward the Great Hall for dinner, she was still verbally expressing her annoyances.
"All of these years and no one realized that there was another animagus spy. He's the third, right? Scabbers, Rita Skeeter and now Neville's Uncle. It's unreal! And Raven! Good Gods, I can't even imagine her as anything but a little piece of stone. What does she look like again?", she asked Harry. But, before he had a chance to reply, Ginny had continued, "Poor Neville. Oh Merlin, I hope this antidote is effective for his parents and Luna. How soon will we find out, I wonder? He needs a stable family life for a change. AH! I can't get the mental picture out of my head!"
Harry looked confused, "What mental picture? Of Neville's family?"
Ginny reddened, although grinning slightly, "No…. of Ron and Hermione".
"Oh, that", Harry choked. "Listen, keep that as quiet as possible. Sirius was really distraught by it all and I can't even imagine how angry Hermione would be if she found out that Ron let the cat out of the bag. After that blood spell in the Ministry, the bond between all of us seems to have convinced Sirius that he really is like a father figure to us all, and a brother to Snape. And, with Hermione's parents being gone, she may be more willing to take his advice as a parental unit…. And, I can certainly see him suggesting that she join a convent or wear a chastity belt from now on."
Ginny laughed. "Imagine the look on Mum and Dad's faces if they knew what was going on under the same roof as them. Well, at least there's good news that comes out of this."
"That there's still people who are in love, despite the war and horrors raging around them?", Harry asked.
"Well, that too. I was actually going to say that there's apparently still enough privacy in this school for two people to --", Ginny started, mischievously, before Harry interrupted her.
"Ginerva Weasley, don't you dare finish that sentence", Harry pleaded. "I'm about to walk into the Great Hall with you in front of over a hundred people. I refuse to let them see me --". Harry seemed to be at a loss for words.
"Aroused?", Ginny interjected, with a look in her eyes that Harry had never seen before…. But hoped to see again in the very near future.
Harry put his hand on the door to the Great Hall. As he opened it, he whispered softly in Ginny's ear, "I certainly am".
The noise in the Hall was overwhelming. Apparently, every resident of the new Headquarters had decided to arrive for supper early. Harry and Ginny made their way through the crowd to the Head Table to join their friends. As they were seating themselves, they overheard Snape and Nia speaking with Neville, making him aware that any results would not come to light until the following morning.
They waved to the Weasley elders, who were seated at the old Gryffindor table with Bill, Fleur, Percy and the twins, and receive a half-wave in return, as they were deep in conversation with one another. Hermione and Ron were next to Harry, both keeping a watchful eye on Raven who, was walking intentionally in a sultry manner around the Great Hall, seemingly very aware and proud of her new ability to gain the attention of almost every man in the room with nothing more than a few well-placed swivels of the hips on her new body. Harry's eyes fell upon Remus, halfway down the Head Table, who was animatedly saying something to those surrounding him.
As Harry caught his eye, Remus beckoned to him. Harry wondered what had him so anxious.
"Moony, what's wrong," Harry questioned as he approached.
"Harry," Remus began, "I'm glad you're here. Poppy said Sirius will be fine and joining us shortly. Before he comes, I wanted to warn everyone…Raven was slightly…exuberant in her hex. Sirius suffered a rather severe concussion and he's slightly…confused."
At Harry's confused face, Tonks continued for Lupin, "He's yelling a lot and still not thinking clearly. Truthfully, Poppy can't wait to evict him from the infirmary. Just be forewarned, he's not himself this evening…"
Tonks' sentence was cut short by the doors of the Great Hall being forcefully thrown open, causing a reverberating silence throughout the room. In strutted a seemingly tipsy Sirius, who still had not fully regained all levels of balance. His eyes scanned the room and they fell upon Raven. He stumbled over to her and fell to his knees at her feet.
The entirety of the Head Table jumped to their feet, all hoping to be the first to rescue Sirius from public humiliation and potentially from further injury. Harry and Ron descended the few stairs first and quickly led Sirius to his seat at the Head Table before he had a chance to say anything to her.
The rest of the Hall remained silent, and stared back and forth between Sirius and this unknown woman, with quizzical looks upon their faces.
"Lover's quarrel", Abe announced, loudly.
As this false explanation was accepted by the occupants of the room, the noise levels once again ascended, and everyone prepared to scold Sirius for his behavior, hoping to help him overcome his concussion-induced actions.
"Sirius, we're having a hard enough time convincing Raven to keep herself unnoticed. Until after the meeting in Minnie's office tonight, we don't even know exactly what we're dealing with here. Please don't draw any unnecessary attention to her", Abe scolded.
"Is that her name?", Sirius asked, eagerly. "Raven? So familiar sounding…"
"Do shut up", Raven scolded, as she took her place at the table.
"Don't fight it, baby", Sirius drawled, slightly cross-eyed. "It's all foreplay."
Harry snorted into his pumpkin juice at his godfather's insolence, as Draco murmured in awe "He's my new hero."
Before Raven could retort, Sirius continued loudly, to the amusement of the entire room who's attention he had regained, "Don't deny it. You think I'm a hunk."
"A hunk of WHAT?", Raven asked, icily.
"Oh, Merlin", Remus groaned. "He's having a 1980 flashback again".
"Um, Mr. Black", Neville interjected. "It's 1998.… no one says 'hunk' anymore".
Sirius dismissed Neville with a wave of his hand, and stood to his feet. Without warning, he began to bellow 'Hooked on a Feeling' at the top of his lungs. Despite a wave of laughter, and a round of applause from Fred and George, Hermione and Ginny were able to quiet him down and reseat him.
Dinner began and continued without incident. When dessert had been eaten, and the plates cleared, Minerva stood to address the full Order. She made everyone aware of the events surrounding Blaise's recent death, the traitors that had been captured, and the prospective plans for an alliance with the Gringott's Goblins, she opened the floor to address issues and concerns amongst her audience. Harry looked around, slightly bored at the questions being raised, ranging from plans of protection to lack of supplies. He noticed that Sirius' head was slowly dipping forward toward the table, and remembered something about people with concussions having to stay awake for a specific amount of time after the incident. Harry reached over as far as he could and poked his godfather with his wand, whispering an enervation spell.
He realized at once that this wasn't the best idea, as Sirius sprang to his feet and stood next to Minerva. All eyes were once again upon him, and the room fell respectfully quiet for their ally.
"I have a major concern", Sirius stated loudly, and seemingly right-mindedly, "about this school when it is reopened to the students." He took a dramatic pause, and paced the length of the Head Table, staring at each individual who had, until recently, been considered a Hogwarts student. His gaze resting on Ron and Hermione, with a very determined expression. "It concerns SEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEXUAL EDUCATION", he announced triumphantly, drawing the word out as if it were a horrible poison.
"Honestly Sirius", Hermione whispered urgently, as she appeared at his side, attempting to guide him back to his seat.
Ginny gasped, a mix of horror and amusement, as she and a few others, Harry included, braced themselves for what Sirius would undoubtedly announce next.
"MEETING DISMISSED!!", Minerva shouted, hurriedly. Unfortunately, the entire hall was too enraptured with Sirius' performance to comply.
"Don't you act all innocent with ME, young lady!", Sirius bellowed, pointing an accusing finger at Ron. "Red over there told me AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALL about your extracurricular activities, and I want to make sure that it's marked on your permanent record and that there are not ANY …repeat performances!!!"
The entire room gasped collectively.
Sirius looked around, wildly, and managed to ask "Is anyone writing this all down?" just before Raven knocked him unconscious for the second time that night.
The room was quickly cleared by a frustrated Minerva. "Miss. Granger, I believe now would be a brilliant time for some explanations. Particularly regarding exactly how she has come to be among us…," her voice trailing off as her gaze slid to Raven.
Harry sighed. He knew that this was going to turn into a very long night.
Hermione stood in front of the large group, now relocated to Minerva's office. She was visibly nervous about explaining herself, yet there was an air of confidence about her.
Only the innermost circle was present, including a recently revived Sirius.
"Raven and I have been trying for ages to create some way to destroy the horcruxes without causing harm to ourselves, like Professor Dumbledore did. The other day, I mentioned to Harry that we believed it would take two steps to be successful. The potion that Professor Snape is creating can destroy the vessel, but the soul residing in it needs to be destroyed as well. That led us to try and ascertain the creation of a horcrux itself. This is actually a part of how Raven's being here is possible." With a look towards Harry she continued, "All of it is connected to each other. Raven, as a chess piece, was actually quite similar to a horcrux. Ravenclaw imbued her with her memories, knowledge and inadvertently, a significant portion of wandless magic. Since Raven was innately magical, I began to wonder if there was a way to separate her sentient self from the queen and give her form. With some research, we created a spell to separate the essence of an individual from within. When she was released, her corporeal form was created easily with a ritual very similar to the one we used to retrieve Sirius. All that was needed was a bit of my blood and the right incantation."
Seeing that several people present weren't following her she succinctly said, "Merlin, help me. Simply put, Raven is Rowena Ravenclaw, or rather, a part of her. When Rowena endowed the queen with so much of herself, she inadvertently created something special. All of the knowledge and powers that Raven was exposed to, she now has access to."
The room was quiet as Harry asked, "Why did you need to use your blood?"
Hermione sighed, "It's like when we saved Sirius, he needed someone to serve as an anchor to draw him out. With Raven, I wasn't trying to pull her from another dimension, I just needed to use my blood as a base."
Raven cleared her throat as she began to speak, "What Hermione is saying is accurate, but I would like to further clarify. I'm sure that Hermione was the only one to notice, but in my form as the queen, I was made as a replica of Rowena. The same features and physical characteristics, that is why I look as I do. While it is also true that I possess her memories and abilities, I have spent the last thousand years evolving into a unique individual. For all of our similarities, I assure you, I am a very different woman than Ravenclaw. Hermione's blood served as a bond to give form to the likeness I was made in." She chuckled as she added lightly, " I don't believe any of you would find it charming if I began strutting around the castle in that damned tiara she always wore."
"Tiara?," Harry asked, wondering why it seemed so familiar.
There was a pause before Hermione spoke, "Now that you have all been caught up, I propose that we use the information we have and attempt to destroy one of the horcruxes in our possession."
Hermione quieted waiting for a response.
At once, the room broke into a flurry of arguments.
"You mean to tell me missy, that you want to set a piece of that bastard's soul flying around here, 'cause you think you've got it figured out?" Abe scolded.
"I simply will not allow it!" Mineva added. "There is too much potential for harm to come to everyone. We will need to find another way…"
Sirius, staring at Raven, could be heard saying, "This goddess is actually that little chess piece Mione's always toting around? Merlin, it can never be just a dull day around here, can it?"
"Actually, Professor," Hermione said quietly, "What I am proposing is that Harry, Ron and I attempt to destroy the items, with help from Raven. There can be no one else involved--"
This was met with vehement protests from everyone in the room. Draco, Ginny and Neville were as angry as the adults. Harry rubbed his temples wishing for peace when Raven stood and shouted "Silence!"
She had a commanding presence as she stalked about the room. "You, all of you, continue to treat them as children. I am afraid that you have no choice in this matter, there was a prophecy made long ago which foretold of this fight and the ones responsible for leading it."
"Bloody hell, not another bloomin' prophecy," Ron muttered.
Hermione and Raven turned and glared at Ron in unison as he defensively added, "I'm just saying, all of these things never tell us anything good."
Seeing that she had everyone's full attention Raven proceeded, "Since I have been given corporeal form, my abilities are in continual evolution. I am being overwhelmed by knowledge and information from the days of the Founders. When Hogwarts was still new, we were looking for instructors. I met an interesting seer, an ancestor of your own Professor Trelawney. During her interview, she entered a trance-like state and began to speak to myself and Helga. Her words, and I quote, went like this,
'A thousand years shall come to pass before the fractured evil seeks to end our peace. The trinity of gold shall destroy the parts. The Red Lion is the heart, look in the mud to find the Mind and the lightening will point to the Hand. Only guided by the Power of Old can they banish the dark…'"
Harry stood, "I guess that's self explanatory. Ron is obviously the red lion, Hermione's a muggleborn, so purebloods would refer to her as a mud blood and we all can guess about the lightening. Obviously I'm the hand." Glancing at Raven, "And I'm guessing she's the power of old. Like Hermione said, she's pretty much Ravenclaw, making her a powerful, wandless witch, who's over a thousand years old."
Looking at Ron and Hermione, he went on, "I say we do this now. We can try the locket first…"
"I refuse to allow this foolishness to continue-" Minerva yelled.
"I apologize Professor, but this is something you really don't have a say in. We need to do this. Both of us have been beside Harry since the beginning, we need to be there now." Ron said firmly, as Hermione nodded her agreement.
Abe walked slowly to Phineas' portrait and slowly opened it away from the wall, to reveal a hidden compartment. He reached his hand in, extracted something and walked to Harry.
"Be careful my boy. I've grown right fond of you." Abe said softly, dropping what Harry realized was the locket into his hand.
"Aberforth Dumbledore!!!! How dare you give your permission to these children to attempt something so..so…foolhardy!!!" McGonagall fumed.
"Sorry Minnie, but they 'aint been kids for a long time now. You have to let yourself see that." he folded the distraught Headmistress into his arms as Harry, Ron and Hermione locked eyes.
They all knew that this was the night that would make or break the war, each of them fervently hoping that they were ready to handle what was yet to come.
Disclaimer from Dudley: You know, I kinda like these two gals, they gave me a magic stick of my very own. Even though I am fond of them, I must also say that they own positively nothing, except the plot to this little tale.
Chapter 26 - A Time for Action
"If the three of you would follow me, I believe that the Room of Requirement would suit our needs brilliantly," Raven said confidently. "We need to discuss what will transpire so you will be prepared. I don't wish to see any harm come to any of you because you alter the sequence of events."
Glancing appraisingly at Harry and Ron she added, "Hermione is already quite familiar with the necessary spells, I hope you two will be able to aptly perform your parts in this. I currently have my doubts."
Harry muttered to Ron, "Is it just me, or is she a mite bit more condescending since becoming human?"
Ron snorted his approval as Raven's voice said, "Condescending and in possession of wonderful auditory skills, Mr. Potter."
"We're never going to get away with anything anymore, Harry," Ron lamented.
"Ah, here we are. Now, we need a tranquil place, a sanctuary…" Raven said softly, pacing. A door appeared and she strode through, quickly followed by the three.
Harry was surprised by his surroundings. He wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but this wasn't it. The wooden floor itself was bare, except for an oddly drawn square in the center of the floor. It was the walls that were eye-catching. It was as if they were in a massive library. From the floor to the ceiling the walls were covered with innumerable tomes, some of which looked older than Hogwarts.
Hermione immediately began to examine the texts. Harry heard Raven tell her that she had forgotten of the ancient books that the Founders had stored in secret areas throughout Hogwarts. By using the Room of Requirement she was able to bring them all together in one place.
"They are the only two people I know that would consider a library a sanctuary," Ron said softly, as Harry chuckled at his red-haired friend's dismay.
"Gentlemen, if you would kindly join us instead of engaging in a giggle-fest, we do have important work to do," Raven said scathingly.
It was then that the boys noticed that Raven and Hermione had moved to where the square was drawn onto the floor. The older witch waved her hand over the drawing and the floor dropped, revealing a staircase downward.
Apprehensive silence accompanied them as they descended the stairs. Harry noticed a soft, flickering light towards the bottom. When they reached the source they found themselves in another room. This one contained a stone altar close to the back wall, with a painting of the founders hanging above it.
Raven explained, "This room was used as a place of solitude for us. Some of the greatest magicks ever performed came out of this room. We commissioned a portrait, by a muggle artist, when we first created this school. He was a French painter, Jean-Claude something or other. He did rather a good job, don't you think?"
As Raven seemed immersed in memories, Harry and Ron walked towards the two women.
"So how do we do this exactly?" Ron queried.
Raven looked at the two young boys that joined her and Hermione. "As Hermione stated earlier, the destruction of a horcrux must be a two part process. If we attempt to destroy the object itself, we are releasing Voldemort's essence, it will just seek to find a new object to reside in. Due to the wording of the prophecy, I can only infer, that we are the only ones able to invoke the necessary powers to succeed. That is the most likely reason that Headmaster Dumbledore suffered that injury to his hand. This was not his burden to bear. His interference had consequences. So now you see why it must be us."
As the boys stood quietly, mesmerized by Raven's words, Hermione began to shift nervously. "Raven, perhaps we should explain to them what they need to do…"
"Ah, yes, thank you Hermione," Raven said, her eyes resting on her young protégé before returning to the young men before her. "Where was I? Yes, two parts…my role is rather minor. I am to act as a guide, giving you the necessary information you need. While I will speak the majority of the spell itself, you three will be forming a magical triad, merging your powers for the ultimate goal of destroying the horcrux, after I have released the soul from its casing, in this case, the locket."
Harry asked curiously, "Merging our magic? I've never heard of anything like that before…"
"Of course you haven't!" Raven admonished. "It is not something that is easily done. Firstly, it is an old magic, rarely attempted by even the most accomplished wizards. Secondly, it is a practice that can be attempted between those who have an intimate bond, one that is even deeper than exists in most families. To merge your magic with someone, there needs to be a limitless amount of trust, faith and unconditional love. This type of bond is easily apparent in regards to the three of you. Each of you would die for the other without a moment of hesitation or regret."
"Dumbledore always told me that love was my greatest power against Voldemort: is this what he meant? Is this how I'm supposed to defeat him, by being the hand?" Harry asked.
Raven looked thoughtful for a moment before responding. "A very astute question, Mr. Potter, but I do not believe so. You have your own prophecy about facing Slytherin's heir, a prophecy which does not mention your friends. This prophecy specifically refers to the destruction of the horcruxes, 'the fractured evil', by the three of you, not Voldemort himself. That, I am afraid, is your fight."
Ron immediately addressed Harry, "Whatever comes mate, Hermione and I will be there as well. We won't let you face this alone."
Hermione tearfully looked at her two best friends. "He's right Harry. We will always be there to help you." She smiled as she embraced both boys in a tight hug.
"…-ermione…need…air," Ron gasped playfully.
Hermione swiftly swatted his head and wiped her tears. "Well then, now that we've addressed that, Raven, would you like to finish telling the boys what they need to do?"
Fifteen minutes later, the air was filled with apprehension. Harry drew in a deep breath as Raven stepped forward and laid the locket in the center of the altar, upon a brass platter. The trio stood about 10 feet in front of the altar, in a triangular shape, with Harry in front of his two friends.
With a look at the three young people and a nod of assurance to them, she began.
Raven quietly began speaking a charm in Latin as she spread a mixture of Anise, Balsam Fir Needles and Black Salt, in a ring shape around the locket. As she spoke, smoke began to arise from the vibrating locket. She quickly poured a potion over the pulsating necklace and an unnatural cracking noise filled the room, a wispy figure emerging from the destroyed piece of jewelry.
In front of their eyes stood the smoky figure of a young Tom Riddle. Harry thought he looked about the same age as when he had seen him in Dumbledore's pensieve, working in Borgin and Burke's.
The spectral form looked enraged.
As it tried to swoop towards the trio, Raven yelled,
"The knowledge of old and powers of the young shall bring your end…"
She raised both hands and a warm, comforting wind engulfed the room. Raven shouted:
"Infractus animus causa obscurum, expello piece ut servo lux lucis"
(translation: The broken soul causes darkness, Banish the piece to save the light.)
It was then Ron raised his wand and said in a steady voice, "Per pectoris," (by the heart) as a bronze colored light emerged from his wand.
Hermione's wand was raised. "Per Mens! (by the mind)," A stream of silver left her wand.
The shade of Riddle seemed trapped and there was a look that resembled fear upon his face as Harry raised his wand. "Manibus! (by the hand)," he shouted as a jet of gold shot forward and joined the beams from Ron and Hermione's wands.
As the three bolts of energy spiraled around Voldemort's soul, the three began in unison:
"Nos iacio vos vetus locus, (We cast you into the old place)
Sedeo iam obvius Puteus Animus, (Reside now in the Well of Souls)
Ex hodie per totus infinitio" (From today through all of eternity)
With a cry of disbelief the form itself began to shrink, in a spherical shape, to an almost imperceptible size. When it was about half an inch in size, the small sphere seemed to implode. The room was filled with a pure, white light and then nothing.
Harry turned to look at his friends and saw them mirroring the grin that was on his own face.
"That was easier than I figured," Ron said disbelievingly. "OI!! What the bloody hell are you doing?," rubbing his head where Raven hit him.
Raven shook her head, "That was for your ignorance. It was not easy, as you so blithely put it. The only reason it seemed so was because we had the right people, performing the correct roles. As you have all seen, in a true battle, nothing is ever simple. With the potion devised by Professor Snape, we were able to neutralize any protective measures Voldemort might have placed on the horcrux, which made banishing the soul much less complicated. Once the vessel was no longer viable, the soul wanted to find another place to reside. Our spell was able to prevent that from occurring, as well as sending the fragment to its rightful, eternal place in the Well of Souls." Raven finished with a satisfied smile on her face.
Hermione was beaming at their accomplishment. "I suggest that we inform the rest of the Order and continue with the other horcruxes as soon as possible", she said.
As they ascended up the staircase, Harry tried to ignore the nagging feeling of urgency which threatened to overcome him. This turned out to be a difficult task, indeed, as he was not entirely certain as to what it referred to.
As Harry settled in the Great Hall for a late night snack with his friends, he thought back to the events that had transpired since the beginning of the new year. Winter had quickly melted into spring, which was hastily evolving into summer. With each day that passed, the occupants of Hogwarts grew more and more anxious of the impending war.
With the air of wariness, there was also overwhelming happiness. Nia had successfully treated Luna, as well as Neville's parents. While Luna's recovery had been swift, Frank and Alice had spent several draining weeks flushing the toxins from their systems, as well as ingesting some of Nia's rejuvenating potions to help speed up the process. The results were astounding. Neville swore to Harry privately that he was more determined than ever to fight. Now he had everything he ever dreamed of, there was no way he would let his family down.
The Order had been overwhelmed with optimism, all those months ago, when the horcruxes had been found and then, eventually, destroyed. Harry smiled, still proud of his own brilliance regarding the then-unknown piece of the Dark Lord's soul.
It had occurred on a day, months before, when Raven had been feeling particularly full of herself, comparing herself to 'Queen Rowena Ravenclaw' , which was the nickname she had dubbed her creator.
"Queen Rowena Ravenclaw", Raven had said. "I don't believe any of you would dare question me if I began strutting around the castle in that damned crown that she always wore. After what I've already done for you, I think a tiara of my own would be quite suitable."
Immediately, Harry had stood and shouted, "I got it!!" Grabbing Hermione and Ron he had explained how the prior year, when he had been searching for a place to hide the Half-blood Prince's potions textbook, he had found a place in the Room of Requirement. The area had been filled with objects that others had sought to hide. While he was there, hiding the book, he remembered that he had marked the spot where the book was hidden by placing a dusty wig and a tarnished tiara atop of a statue.
He looked at his friends, "If it was really just a tiara then why would someone need to have it hidden? It always struck me as odd, some of the things I had seen there."
Ron and Hermione had looked at their friend, their faces a mix of skepticism and hope.
"Harry", Hermione had said carefully. "The odds of the tiara that you saw being Rowena Ravenclaw's are slim to none."
"And even if it is her tiara", Ron had continued, "it's most likely not a horcrux."
"Listen", Harry had interrupted. "I am just now learning that everything that has gone on in my life has happened for a reason. Do you think it was just a coincidence that Fawkes only gave two feathers? Don't you find it strange that the owners of the wands which his feathers are in are myself and Voldemort? There have been too many 'chance' occurrences in my life for me to even think about overlooking even the slightest possibility. If I'm wrong, we're no worse off. But, if I'm right…."
They had ran to the Room of Requirement which, either from Harry's fierce determination or upon its own accord, obliging opened its door to reveal the area of hidden objects. It had taken some searching and backtracking, but the tiara was retrieved, identified as the unknown horcrux and destroyed within an hour.
As Harry sat now, late at night surrounded by his comrades, he remembered that day which had been full of promise, for they knew that they now only had to destroy the last horcrux, Voldemort's snake, Nagini and The Dark Lord himself. It was expected that they wouldn't get anywhere near them until the last confrontation. Hermione was still working on a plan to allow them the time they needed to cast the spell in the middle of a battle.
Harry knew now, all these months later, that the day of the final battle was quickly approaching. Voldemort's forces were becoming even more brazen. Both the wizarding population as well as Muggles rarely strayed from their homes. The world was becoming more dangerous with each passing day.
Inside the walls of Hogwarts, they were preparing for a full scale war. There was no longer any pretense of Ministry control. The remnants of the Ministry had joined the Order at their base of operations at Hogwarts.
Abe and Minerva had their hands full. While Minerva was trying to organize the Order as a whole, Abe, with the help of Raven, had taken over the training of the trio. He taught them how to fight as a unit, as well as individually. Everyone knew that it was these three that would be the primary targets throughout the battle.
The rest of the Order had been training as well, both physically and magically. It was a rare occurrence, indeed, to walk down a corridor without having to narrowly dodge out of the way of a misdirected stunner or a person being knocked to the floor. It had been Abe's idea to include physical defense for the entirety of the Order, due to the fact that wands could easily be broken amidst chaotic battle.
"It happened to young Neville two years ago in the Ministry", Abe had said, addressing the masses. "If any of you find yourselves in a position where you are incapable of performing a spell, you can't just lie on the ground as if you had broken along with your wand, waiting for the Killing Curse to finish you off. You get up and you fight like Hell for your life-- for ALL of our lives."
From then on, Hogwarts had been filled to the brim around the clock with formal and informal training sessions from the now hundreds of family members who resided at the school as Order members. Sleep schedules had been staggered in order for "Constant Vigilance" against the enemy and their impending attack.
"I have fought many battles before this", Mad-Eye had informed the members of his magical training session, months before. "This is an inevitable war. When it happens, it will occur on our terms, not theirs. We will be prepared with a battle plan, using our surroundings and the school itself, if we have to, as our advantages. The trees, the Great Lake, the Quidditch Pitch -- we can use them all as traps. They'll never see it coming."
Abe had stood at this point, "You all have a choice to make here and now. I'm not one for public speaking, but this has to be said. When the final battle comes, don't fool yourselves, it will happen here. Ole Tommy boy met his first opposition here in my brother. It all started here, in this school he became Lord Voldemort. Make no mistake, it will end here. If you want to leave we'll think no less of you, but make up your mind while you can, before Voldy makes it for you."
That was a defining moment for the side of the Light. Not a single person chose to leave when Abe was done speaking. It was a moment that gave hope.
Harry now looked around at the people who surrounded him and realized how many lives had been changed in the recent months.
Neville's parents, both accomplished aurors before their attack, had taken to teaching Neville, Luna, Draco and Percy how to fight in pairs. They were all progressing remarkably well and became thought of as some of the most accomplished fighters in the Order.
He turned his gaze to his Aunt, as his eyes rested on the gold band that now resided on her ring finger. Snape, or Uncle Sev, as Aunt Nia insisted he now be called, felt that they should marry before the final battle. He said that he never wanted Nia to doubt how much he loved her if he didn't survive the fight. Harry's eyes met the onyx eyes of his new uncle. They had come to an understanding with each other. Thanks to the effects of the spell that retrieved Sirius, as well as the innumerable hours spent in each other's company while Harry translated Slytherin's potions texts, they could now behave civilly.
A sigh emitted from Harry's mouth as he saw his godfather following after Raven. It had been months and the persistent animagus had yet to stop pursuing the beautiful witch. Unfortunately for Sirius, she seemed unaffected by his self-proclaimed, charming personality. Harry chuckled as he noticed that Raven hadn't knocked Sirius into blissful unconsciousness yet. Perhaps Sirius was right, maybe he was wearing her down after all.
Harry saw someone else shaking their head at Sirius' antics. Across the Hall was Remus, still fretting over a very pregnant Tonks. A wry smile appeared on Harry's lips thinking of the sheer insanity of a pregnant woman. Poor Remus had been subjected to a full array of mood swings, food cravings and power bursts from his very pregnant girlfriend. Fred and George were also consistently in Tonks' midst, as they had become very protective over her, since the first day they had taken over her class. So protective, in fact, that the pair of wizards promised to remain with her during the battle. Their jobs would consist of assisting the wounded alongside Madame Pomfrey, Nia, Molly Weasley and various other volunteers from the Order. Additionally, the fact that they were the members of a large family seemed to come in handy, as they often preoccupied the young children, who had not yet met school-age, who resided in the castle. Not only would they consistently assuage the young children's fears about the impending battle, but they would give them small responsibilities, such as carrying medical supplies to the Great Hall (which was going to be used as a makeshift hospital) or ask them to test out harmless products that had been salvaged from their shop. The twins always put on brave faces in front of their young charges, but Harry knew that, deep down, they were concerned for the future wellbeing of their young friends, in every sense of the term.
Harry looked around at the people immediately surrounding him. As always, Ron and Hermione sat across from Harry, while Ginny nuzzled into the left side of his body. Neville and Luna were not far off, lazily flicking spells at one another, as Neville's parents looked on, amused but exhausted. It was nearing the end of the shift, and everyone, who was still awake, seemed anxious to call it a night. Harry couldn't help but to feel safe and more comfortable than he had ever been in his life. He was surrounded by the people who vowed to fight for the greater good. Surrounded by hundreds of people, who took an oath to stand in front of Harry on the battlefield, with the sole intention of protecting him by taking down as many Deatheaters as they could. These people had all promised to risk their own lives to shelter Harry's-- they were all aware, and fully believed, that he was, indeed, the 'Chosen One'.
Harry vowed not to let them down.
He locked eyes with Hermione who was drawing plans for the battlefield in a small notebook.
"The people on the frontlines have all been informed to look for the snake, Harry", she said. "It will be petrified and moved backward toward us as soon as they have a handle on it. We're experienced enough now to have it destroyed quickly".
The word 'destroyed' made Harry shudder, due to the fact that they were discussing a, although hideous and evil, living creature. Ron, picking up on his friend's emotions, quickly began a pep talk.
"Harry, it's just like Abe said. You may have to be the one to take him out in the end, but by that time, the rest of the Order may have weakened him enough where you'll be able to do it with a simple cutting spell. Besides --"
Ron's well-rehearsed speech was interrupted by the shriek of a siren. Harry was not alone when he scrambled to his feet in fear.
"THIS IS IT!", screamed Abe, running toward the doors, wand outstretched. "REMEMBER WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED! STAY IN FORMATION! ALERT THE OTHERS AND…….."
Abe's instructions were drowned out by the thunderous sound which accompanied the entire front wall of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as it came crumbling down in a pile of fire and rubble.
A/N: Stay tuned for the Final Battle to be followed by an Epilogue.