Author's Note: I just want to point out a few things before this chapter. This chapter was started in the spring of 2010 and has sat on my computer for nearly a year, in progress, before I picked it back up. I tried to smooth any transitions and make it flow in the best way possible. But I don't think that, short of a complete rewrite, I can avoid the jump in the story. Aside from that, I noticed when I uploaded this chapter that formatting on seems to have changed recently. Section dividers within chapter don't seem to be showing up if I typed them into Word originally. Instead, I had to insert them manually after I uploaded. I glanced back at some of the more recent chapters, and it appears that this is the case for the past couple as well. I apologize for that, if it made reading more difficult. I'll edit them back in for the next chapter as well. For now, please enjoy!

Chapter 29

I Have Finished the Race

Dan Granger watched as Harry and Hermione exited the library of Potter Manor in a hurry. Of course, he could understand why they were in a hurry, but that didn't change the feeling of shock that was coursing through his system. Not five minutes before, they had been planning an offensive against Hogwarts, set for an unspecified date. Now that unspecified date had been moved up to immediately. And it was up to him to make sure everything went according to plan.

Doing his best impression of a General, Dan turned to the rest of the assembled members of the Order of the Gold Cross. "Well, you heard them, let's get going. Everyone, take some time for yourself, contact anyone else you know who can help us, and meet outside the house in one hour. We leave then. Emma and I have an errand to run first."

The members of the Order filed out of the library, leaving only Dan, Emma, and Minerva behind.

"What am I about to get myself into?" Dan asked rhetorically. But Minerva answered him anyway.

"You are about to lead a makeshift army into a desperate battle for the future of mankind," she said.

"No pressure or anything," he replied sarcastically under his breath.

"Dan, do you really think that Hermione would have put you in charge if she didn't think that you could handle it?" Emma suggested. "And for that matter, don't you think that Harry would have objected if he thought that you wouldn't do a good job? Face it, there's a reason they chose you."

"But Harry did object."

"To Hermione going with him, not with you leading the Order. But enough of this, we have things to get done."

Dan nodded and strode out of the library, with the others right behind him. They walked downstairs to the sitting room, where the floo-connected fireplace was located. Dan grabbed a handful of powder and threw it into the hearth.

"Gringotts Bank!" he bellowed before being engulfed by green flames. Once the smoke and flames had cleared, Emma took some powder as well.

"I think I'll stay behind here with Elizabeth," Minerva announced. "I think she needs someone to keep her company while you're all away."

Emma accepted that without question, even though she knew that it was not the full story. She believed that Minerva was not quite ready to go back to Hogwarts, as it held too many memories for her. In time, she thought, Minerva would be ready. But until then, it was just best if she was allowed time to herself to grieve without dredging up the past.

Emma bade goodbye to Minerva before throwing the floo powder down just as Dan had. After announcing her destination as Gringotts as well, she too disappeared…

And reappeared in the lobby of the largest wizarding bank in England. She tumbled out of the fireplace, landing in the arms of her husband. Due to their reliance on apparition and their pendants for travel, neither of the Grangers had developed much skill when it came to using the floo. Emma rose to her feet, helped by Dan, before looking around. It appeared as though her mishap with the floo hadn't attracted too much attention. Apparently, it was not an uncommon occurrence, despite the fact that most of the Gringotts patrons were pureblood witches and wizards.

The two Grangers approached the nearest teller and waited for the goblin to notice them.

"Yes?" he asked, peering over his glasses.

"Actually, we're here to speak with Director Ragnok," Dan said politely.

The goblin appeared unimpressed. "And did you have an appointment to speak with Director Ragnok? His time is precious, and cannot be wasted with walk-in meetings."

"No, we don't have an appointment," Dan replied, beginning to lose his patience.

"Then you will just have to make-"

"We're here on behalf of Harry Potter," Emma interrupted, giving Dan a glare for not mentioning that in the first place. He blushed slightly and shrugged.

The goblin's eyes narrowed and he was silent for a moment. Dan shifted his feet uncomfortably. For some reason, the diminutive creature was oddly imposing. "Very well. I will notify Director Ragnok that you are here to speak with him." However the goblin simply sat in his seat, not moving.

"Didn't you say you were going to tell the Director we were here?" Emma asked.

"Indeed I did," the goblin replied. "And so I have. A wizard's perception of the world is very…simplistic. Just because you did not see anything, does not mean that nothing transpired. Ah! Here comes Director Ragnok now."

Dan and Emma turned to see Ragnok approach them at a quick pace, a look of worry etched across his face.

"Is there something I can help you with Mr…" he trailed off.

"Granger. Dan Granger. I'm here representing Harry Potter, who is in need of your…special assistance at Hogwarts. Now."

The senior goblin's eyes widened slightly before returning to normal, the look of worry on his face replaced by one of steely determination. "I see. And I assume that by 'now,' you mean immediately. Am I right?"

Dan bit back a sarcastic remark and simply nodded.

"Then please follow me," Ragnok requested, and spun on his heel and led the Grangers back the way he came. They followed him through a well-hidden door in the wall and down a stony corridor lined with several doors. Instead of turning to go through the door to the Director's office, as Harry and Hermione once had, they kept walking quickly down the downward sloping corridor for several minutes until they reached a large door, which looked as though it was made of steel, or some other strong magical material.

Director Ragnok muttered something in Gobbledegook, which neither Dan nor Emma understood. An instant later, the door shimmered before disappearing completely, leaving only a gaping hole in the stone passage. The three walked through to find themselves on a ledge, overlooking a massive chamber, with ceilings several hundred meters above them. Neither Granger could begin to estimate the width, or depth of the cavern, which was lined with magical torches every few meters, as well as hundreds hanging from the ceiling, in order to provide adequate illumination. They could also see dozens of goblins milling about, amongst the several long buildings that lined the floor.

"Welcome," Ragnok began, "to Ipswak, the goblin military base."

"You have a military base underground in the heart of Diagon Alley?" Dan asked.

Ragnok broke into a toothy grin, baring his sharp fangs, but kept his gaze fixed on the site below them. "Mr. Granger, Gringotts is the most secure bank in the magical world for a reason. How do you think we deal with intruders and thieves if we did not have a small security force such as this?"

"Small?" Emma croaked. "I see a few hundred troops down there. That's a small force to you?" Ragnok only nodded.

"And it is time for this small force to get some practice in," he responded with a chuckle. He waved his right hand and a loud horn sounded, echoing off of the chamber walls. All of the goblins below immediately stopped moving and turned to face the three on the cliff, all of them standing at attention.

"Very good," Ragnok bellowed, his magically amplified voice carrying throughout the cave. "It has been a long while since the goblin army was last called into service outside of Gringotts. However, today that has happened. Though historically, wizards have not been the greatest allies of the goblin nation, today their need is dire, and it falls to us to help. So prepare yourselves, for in five minutes, we leave for Hogwarts, and war."


Harry and Hermione appeared outside Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, just within the tree line of the Forbidden Forest. They could see the massive castle looming in the distance, the sun just beginning to dip behind the tallest walls, as well as Hagrid's hut. Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her out of the confines of the Forest and towards the school.

"Come on," he urged, pulling her forward. Harry was reluctant to let go of her hand, as he didn't want to risk setting off the wards.

As expected, as they passed Hagrid's hut, Harry felt a cool wave pass over him. Frantically turning his head to look at Hermione, he saw that she remained unaffected. So they pressed on. Once they were completely inside the wards, Harry released Hermione's hand and pulled his invisibility cloak over both of them.

Hugging Hermione's body close to his, Harry inched the two of them closer to the castle, until a few minutes later, they reached the large main gates. Harry silently cast an unlocking charm and pushed the door open very slightly, allowing only enough room for both of them to squeeze through. Once they were inside, Harry closed the door again as carefully as he could, making sure not to make any noise.

The entry lay in ruin. Rubble was strewn about the ground, and great craters from spell damage littered the walls. Tapestries from each house that had once proudly adorned the walls were in shreds, with the exception of the one from Slytherin house. Harry couldn't help but think that this was the Death Eaters' doing.

All of a sudden, Hermione pulled Harry over to the side of the corridor.

"Whoa! Hey, what're you doing?" he hissed, his face inches from her own.

"Harry, we need to split up," she said simply. "Think about it. We've got two, actually three things we have to do here, and they're all time sensitive. Wouldn't it make sense to do them as quickly as possible?"

Harry shook his head. "No way. It's too dangerous for you to go out on your own."

"Oh, and it isn't too dangerous for you to come her alone? Come off of it, Harry. We've got to check out the Chamber, deactivate the wards, and possibly find Nagini. Do you really think we can do all three of those things quickly? I'm gonna go up to the Headmaster's office to deactivate the wards, since I remember how Albus got in there in the first place. Then I'll see if I can find Nagini. You need to go down to the Chamber to make sure it's secure. You're the only one of us who can get past the parseltongue door."

Harry had to admit that Hermione's reasoning was sound, and he couldn't argue with her logic. But at the same time, he didn't want to give in and let her waltz into a dangerous situation unprotected.

"Alright, fine," he conceded. "But on one condition. You take the cloak. Wait- before you argue with me let me finish. You'll be safer under the cloak, and you'll need it more than I will, especially since I know where I'm going. I mean, I'm going down to the Chamber, but you'll be wandering around to see if Nagini is here. Trust me; you need the protection of the cloak more than I do."

Hermione grudgingly accepted Harry's terms, and the two of them moved behind one of the suits of armor for cover. Harry stepped out from under the cloak, but kept the side of it held up behind him. He turned around and kissed Hermione softly.

"I love you," he whispered, before dropping the cloak back into place. Instantly, the glimpse of Hermione vanished.

Hermione, under the cover of the invisibility cloak, watched as Harry turned and snuck down the corridor, finally disappearing around a corner. Once he was gone, she returned to the path the two of them had been on when they first entered the castle. She cautiously walked down the corridor, trying to silence her footfalls as much as possible. As Hermione approached the first three-way junction, a pair of Death Eaters came around the corner and nearly ran into her. She barely had time to throw herself up against the nearest wall, and press herself against it.

The two Death Eaters continued by, giving no indication that they had noticed her. Once they had disappeared down the corridor, Hermione allowed herself to release the breath that she didn't realize she had been holding. Making sure that the coast was clear, Hermione peeled herself away from the wall, and adjusted the cloak to make sure she was still adequately covered. She then resumed her trek towards the Headmaster's office.

As she passed the large doors to the Great Hall, Hermione could have sworn that she heard voices coming from inside. A lot of voices. However, she immediately perished any thought of investigating, as it would be too dangerous, and she had a mission to complete. Giving one last curious look to the doors, Hermione turned back and continued on her way.

For the most part, the rest of the journey was uneventful. Hermione encountered several Death Eaters on patrol, always traveling in groups of two or more. As a result, she decided to simply slip by them, unnoticed, as opposed to dealing with them in other ways. Despite these encounters, the castle seemed oddly quiet to Hermione. She had almost been expecting to walk into the school to immediately hear screams echoing from the dungeons, as Voldemort and his followers tortured non-purebloods. But that was not the case. Instead, the lack of excitement in the air only added to Hermione's suspicions, and caused her to be that much more alert.

Something's not right here, she thought as she walked. Shouldn't there be more of them somewhere around here? Shouldn't they be doing whatever it is that Death Eaters do in their free time? Like raiding muggle villages or holding evil charity auctions? I hope Harry's alright.

Thoughts of Harry's safety consumed Hermione as she walked, causing her to almost run into three Death Eaters who were standing directly in front of the gargoyle leading to the Headmaster's office. Instantly, she stopped in her tracks.

Just great. How am I gonna get the gargoyle to open without them noticing?

"So why is it that it takes three of us to guard a lousy door?" one of the Death Eaters asked.

"Are you questioning the Dark Lord?" another sneered. He, like the first, sounded quite young, almost like he still belonged at Hogwarts as a student.

Typical henchmen conversation, Hermione thought with a smile. They're just like the minions in those muggle cartoons. Or students… Wait…maybe I can use that against them… It's worth a shot at least.

Raising her wand, Hermione took aim at the first Death Eater who had spoken.

"Imperio," she whispered.

Instantly, the targeted Death Eater tensed up, and a glazed look overtook his face.

"What is it now, Dodson?"

But there was no response. Instead, Hermione ordered the Death Eater, who was apparently named Dodson, to raise his wand. And that's when everything went to hell. Under the cover of the invisibility cloak, all Hermione saw was red and green flashes, followed by two dull thuds. She peeked out through the cloak to see one remaining Death Eater looking over the bodies of two others. Dodson, as well as another, were both dead on the ground. One stunner from her hidden position later, and the third Death Eater was incapacitated.

That was pathetic, Hermione thought. I guess that new Death Eaters don't get trained on avoiding the Imperious.

Hermione bent over and snapped all three wands, so that the stunned Death Eater wouldn't have access to one when he eventually awoke.

"Incarcerous," she whispered, and bound him as well. She then stepped over the three bodies and made her way to the gargoyle nearby. The gargoyle slid open silently, granting her access without a password as it had done ever since she and Harry had joined the Hogwarts faculty. Hermione took the stairs in silence, and took a deep breath before slowly turning the handle. The door swung open silently, revealing the familiar office, seemingly untouched since the last time she had been there only a few days prior.

The office appeared to be empty. Dark, but empty.

Discarding the invisibility cloak for greater mobility, Hermione walked into the office, wand lit and at the ready. The soft glow from the tip of her wand caused an eerie light to dance on the walls. Hermione crept forward and towards the corner of the office where Dumbledore had kept the ward stone.

The ornate cabinet was in pristine condition, apparently unmolested by the Death Eater occupation. Hermione suddenly stopped a few inches from the cabinet. She couldn't remember what it was that Dumbledore had said to open it before. All she remembered was that it was some string of odd words in another language. But she couldn't even remember the language; let alone what it was that he had said.

With a sigh, Hermione pulled on the cabinet door, and surprisingly it swung open without protest. There, inside the cabinet, was the ward stone, resting in its base just as it had the day Albus had changed the wards. Hermione quickly removed the obsidian cube from its cradle, but stopped once she had it in her hand. What now? What was she supposed to do with it? She couldn't very well keep it with her, as she had no place to hold a one foot cube. She also couldn't just throw it out the window like Malfoy had done, since there was nobody waiting below to catch it.

For an instant, Hermione flirted with the idea of flying it out the window as an eagle, but then realized that she wouldn't be able to keep her grip on such a large smooth surface. She had to come up with another idea. Then it hit her. Hermione searched the office for an unsuspecting spot. After a moment, she found it, in the corner behind the Headmaster's desk, right behind where Fawkes' perch rested. The phoenix was not in the office, and Hermione suspected he hadn't since the passing of Dumbledore. But there was just enough room behind the perch to fit the ward stone.

Once the stone was situated in its hiding place, Hermione retrieved the invisibility cloak from where she had discarded it near the door. She then draped it over the stone, tucking its edges in to keep anyone from tripping on it and noticing it.

As soon as this was completed, Hermione stepped back to admire her handiwork. She couldn't even tell there was anything hidden in the dark corner, which was exactly how she wanted it. She figured that, if and when Hogwarts was retaken, they could simply return to the office and replace the stone it is base to reactivate the wards.

Satisfied with her work, Hermione spun and returned to the door, her wand once again raised. Since she had abandoned the cloak, she was at the mercy of her own stealth abilities, as well as her prowess in battle. Silently she descended from the office to the ground floor of Hogwarts, and stepped out of the stairwell before turning and beginning the trek towards the second floor girls' lavatory, hoping that she would find some trace of Nagini along the way.


Dan and Emma had returned to Potter Manor soon after visiting Ipswak to meet up with the rest of the Order. Director Ragnok had promised that he and his force would meet up with members of both the old Order of the Phoenix as well as the Order of the Gold Cross in Hogsmeade. They would mass their force in the village before making their push on the castle. In the end, the visit to Gringotts had only taken twenty minutes. Despite that, it was a surprisingly tiring trip, or so Dan thought. But maybe it was more the fact that the day was coming to a close.

As soon as they entered the Manor, both Grangers were struck by the silence that seemed to hang in the air.

"Where is everyone?" Dan asked.

"Well, you're the one who told them to take some time for themselves," Emma quipped. "You shouldn't be surprised when they do just that. So long as they all are here when we leave, we're fine. But you…you don't look fine. In fact, you look positively knackered. Why don't you sit down for a few and I'll get you when it's time."

With that, Emma turned and walked upstairs to their room, leaving Dan alone in the foyer. Putting his hands in his jeans pockets, Dan trudged into the sitting room to do as his wife had suggested. However, he slowed as he entered the room as he saw Draco sitting on one of the couches, staring off into space.

Dan tenuously sat down on the couch opposite Draco. He couldn't help but notice that the young man across from him was dealing with a number of issues. Having watched him deal with Lucius Malfoy the way he had, Dan knew exactly what issues Draco was wrestling with. But he also had to tread lightly.

"You alright son?" Dan asked tenderly.

Draco blinked a few times before focusing his eyes on Dan. His eyes were empty, lifeless, devoid of any light. Dan shuddered as he looked into Draco's eyes for the first time. But at the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief. It had been four days since his girlfriend had been killed, four days since he had killed his father. Yet in that time, Draco hadn't really shown any emotion about what had happened, he hadn't dealt with his grief.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Draco whispered in response. Dan snorted.

"Bollocks. You are not alright. You've been bottling things up inside of you for several days now. It's time you bring it out into the open. Deal with it. You're not doing yourself, or anyone else for that matter, any favors by keeping everything inside."

"What would you have me do?" Draco growled, scowling at Dan. But Dan didn't cower under the blonde's glare. "Bawl my eyes out? Cry over everything that's happened?"

"That would be a start," Dan retorted. He stood up and walked over to the other couch, sitting down near Draco. "So tell me, what's going through your head right now?"

"Besides annoyance at your nagging?" Draco snapped. Dan nodded. He wasn't about to let himself get baited. He knew Draco had issues to work through, and misdirected anger was only a natural response. Under Dan's intense gaze, Draco shrank back slightly. He now understood why Harry was still intimidated by the man.

"I guess…it's just my fault somehow. I mean…if I hadn't let Ginny get near me, she wouldn't have been in danger."

"You don't know that," Dan replied. "There's no way for you to be sure that she was targeted just because she was with you. In fact, I'm willing to be that that wasn't the case. I think she was chosen just because she was the sister of the Ron fellow. Just because it was Lucius who was polyjuiced as Ron doesn't mean that he used her to get to you. Although I wouldn't put it past him, it seems rather petty. I think it's more that she was close and available when Lucius was impersonating Ron."

"But you can't deny that he used me through her! Lucius was able to get information simply because Ginny was near me! Just look at when Harry and Hermione were in America!"

"You're exactly right," Dan said in a quieter tone, purposefully not matching Draco's. "But she was already involved. Lucius just exploited that. I don't know if Harry and Hermione told you about this, but a few years ago, just before your second year, we took a trip to Diagon Alley for supplies. I'm sure you remember Harry's duel with that berk Lockhart?" Draco nodded. "Harry and Hermione don't know that Emma and I know, but that was just a distraction for something else. See, Lucius had slipped a diary into Ginny's cauldron that day, and Hermione stole it under the cover of the duel. That diary was full of dark magic that neither Harry nor Hermione would explain to us. All I know is that it was some kind of attempt to attack or use Ginny. To make a long story short, Ginny was involved long before she was with you. You can't blame yourself Draco."

"And yet I can't help feel like it's my fault."

"There's no reason to though. But I do have a question, Draco. Is that it? Is everything you're feeling just based on blaming yourself?"

"I…don't know what you mean…"

"Did you love her?" Dan asked bluntly. "I know what you told Lucius. But are you grieving just because you blame yourself, or because you were in love with her?"

"I…I don't know. I mean, I loved her…but I don't know if I was in love with her. I'm not even sure I know what love like that is."

Dan nodded understandingly. "I know what you mean. Not from experience, mind you, but I know exactly what you're referring to. After meeting your…father…or Lucius, I can imagine that he wasn't a very loving person. You probably have no model for love between two people. For most people, the model of love they are exposed to is that between their mother and father, if they are so blessed. But you weren't so lucky. So I think we need to start from scratch here. Tell me how you felt about Ginny. Really, I mean."

Draco paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. But Dan could tell he was dealing with a myriad of emotions, all stemming from his memories of Ginny.

"I guess…I cared for her. A lot. I had fun when she was around me. I actually felt human for once, and not some kind of Death Eater spawn. When she died, I felt as though a part of me died with her. But at the same time, I knew I could go on. Is that where the difference is?"

Dan nodded thoughtfully at Draco's question. "Perhaps. But it's not my place to tell you if you were in love or not. But I can tell you what it is I feel for Emma, what love is to me. Yes, it's everything you just said. When Emma's around, I feel human, I feel complete. But I know that I couldn't go on without her, I couldn't live with myself if I let something happen to her. Her life, her happiness, is more important to me than my own. To me, that's where the difference lies. It's in how much you are willing to sacrifice yourself for the one you love that determines the depth of your relationship. At least to me, that is. Everyone has their own interpretation though."

"Well then by your definition, I wasn't in love with Ginny."

"That's for you to decide for yourself though, Draco. In your own time and your own way. But let me be clear to you: I've always believed that there is some force driving everything in the universe. Harry and Hermione's experiences have only confirmed that for me. The fact that Ginny died, tragic though it may be, serves to highlight the fact that she might not have been the one for you. Think about that for a bit." With that, Dan stood and made his way back towards the room's exit. "We're going to be leaving in a few minutes. But if you need time, take it. Nobody will think any less of you if you don't come with us."

An instant later, Draco was left in the sitting room, alone with his thoughts.


Realizing that the sitting room probably wasn't the best place for him to be at that moment, Dan made his way up to his and Emma's bedroom. He nudged open the door with his foot and threw himself down on the bed, interlacing his fingers behind his head. After a few moments, Emma emerged from the large closet, now dressed in her Order uniform.

"What happened to resting in the sitting room?" she asked, strapping her wand holster around her wrist.

"Well, let's just say that that room is occupied by a certain blonde wizard."

"Did you talk to him?" Emma asked pointedly, her hands on her hips. Dan knew that look. It was the look he had successfully used many times on Harry, one meant to intimidate. Unconsciously, Dan cowered slightly at his wife's stance. But he gave her the answer she wanted to hear.

"Yes."

Emma smirked, but nodded slightly. "Right answer. Now, what say we get moving? The goblins are sure to be waiting for us by now."

"We've only been here for a few minutes. What makes you think that they're ready already?"

Emma gave him a pointed look. "Do you really think that the goblins are that inefficient? They were probably ready as soon as we left. From the looks of it, their troops were on permanent standby. I'd hate to be in their shoes."

"We might as well be," Dan replied. "I mean, look at us. From the looks of it, it'll be just the two of us and an army of goblins. Talk about feeling out of place."

"Is that what you're worried about?" Emma scoffed as they walked towards the front doors. "That we won't fit in a battle to save the future of humanity, along with our daughter? You need to get your priorities straight, Dan."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. But how many others do you really expect to show up here? It's been almost an hour and we haven't seen any sign of more help. I'm almost thinking that they all ran away from here."

"And you would. Because you're a pessimist. You've always been the one to assume the worst in people. Just look at how you tortured poor Harry!"

"That was just some good-natured fun, dear!" Dan argued, adding the 'dear' to make Emma more sympathetic to his argument. It didn't work. Emma's glare bored into Dan's skull. But the latter was saved from further embarrassment when another joined the pair.

"Wait up you two," Draco called, walking swiftly down the hall. "I'm coming with you. I've got some unfinished business to take care of. Lucius is still at the castle. I've got to be there to make sure he ends up in Azkaban this time."

Dan and Emma both nodded silently, accepting the young man's decision.

"Actually, bugger that," Draco continued, "Azkaban's too good for the bloody bastard. If I have anything to say about it, Lucius won't live to see tomorrow." His lips curled into a sinister smirk, causing Dan and Emma to shudder lightly.

The three then opened the front door of the Manor to a sight that that they had not been expecting. Waiting on the large front portico was the entire Order of the Gold cross. But they were not alone. Some of the members had used their break to recruit family and friends, in order to bolster their numbers. The Order was now accompanied by the surviving Weasleys, Nymphadora and Andromeda Tonks, Xenophilius Lovegood, Aberforth Dumbledore, and even Augusta Longbottom, in addition to others.

"Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought," Dan commented to nobody in particular, as they walked out of the Manor. "Okay everyone," he began, loud enough for everyone to hear, "we're gonna meet up with the Goblins in Hogsmeade in order to take back Hogwarts from Darth Voldemort and his evil empire. I'm not gonna waste your time and mine by standing here talking, so let's get going, shall we?"


Harry landed on his feet at the bottom of the tunnel from the girls' lavatory. Sword at the ready, he looked around, finding only the massive skin of the basilisk he had slain years before. Carefully, he made his way towards the large door at the end of the corridor, which from his end appeared to be sealed tightly. As he was about ten meters away, Harry thought he heard something moving; the sound of something slipping or sliding.

He turned to look back at the slide, only to find nothing was amiss. Turning back around, Harry saw movement out of the corner of his eye.

In a flash, he dove to his left into the brittle basilisk skin. Jumping back to his feet, Harry saw the enormous form of Nagini hiss as it reared back for another strike.

Harry lunged at the snake sword first, barely missing as the beast seemed to leap out of the way. It slithered away, out of Harry's sight.

Aside from the occasional drip of water, silence reigned in the tunnel. Harry's eyes darted around, searching for the snake as he crept forward towards where he had seen Nagini slink off to.

He approached the end of the mammoth basilisk skin. Steeling himself, Harry leapt around the end, sword at the ready. But there was nothing there. No sign of Nagini to be found.

Harry continued to inch his way forward, searching for any sign of the massive snake. As he rounded the front end of the skin, Harry just barely heard a light rustling. Harry threw himself into the stone wall to his right, barely avoiding the strike from Nagini.

Wheezing and clutching his side with his left hand, Harry sliced once more at the snake. He missed as the snaked dropped to the ground, but drew an angry hiss from the beast as it slithered behind him.

As the snake rose again, Harry spun around, slicing the head off of Nagini.

The corpse of the giant snake collapsed to the ground in two pieces, blood seeping onto the cobblestone floor.

Panting lightly, Harry examined the husk of the former Horcrux, to verify that it was indeed dead. Satisfied that this was the case, he turned his attention back to the sealed door to the Chamber of Secrets.

Hermione, he called through the Hat, I ran into a bit of trouble down here.

There was a moment of silence before any reply came.

Well, are you just going to leave me in suspense Harry Potter? Hermione responded sarcastically. Or can I assume that you've already disposed of the threat? You didn't get right to the point after all.

Nice to hear your voice too, Harry replied with equal sarcasm. Anyway, I sort of ran into Nagini, and sort of killed her.

How do you sort of kill something? And isn't that a good thing? Hermione questioned. I mean, that thing was the last Horcrux after all.

Well yeah, but I just wanted to let you know. I thought you might be worried for my safety or something ridiculous like that. But not to worry, it wasn't really much of a fight. Pretty pathetic actually.

Oh, but I am worried for your safety, Harry dearest, Hermione retorted playfully. Now, what about the Chamber? Is everything alright?

Harry glanced over at the door, which was still completely sealed. I'm sure you do care. First chance you get, you change the subject. Now I know just how much I mean to you compared to the Chamber. But yeah, looks fine to me.

But something's not right here. Nagini wouldn't be wandering down here by herself, that just doesn't seem right. You might want to check inside the Chamber just to make sure she wasn't guarding something that's inside. I'll be down in a few minutes.

Right. With that, Harry shut down the link and approached the door to the Chamber of Secrets. This original door, protected by a parseltongue password, was only the first of four doors. Harry and Dumbledore had had three more doors installed directly behind this one, with a rotating set of passwords. If one password was incorrect, all three doors would close and the passwords would change. It was nearly impossible for someone to find their way into the Chamber if they did not know the passwords.

The first door slid open after Harry commanded it to do so in parseltongue, and he was immediately faced with the second door behind it.

Looking around to verify that he was still alone, Harry whispered the first of the new passwords, "family."

The second great stone door slid aside, revealing another.

"Divinity," he whispered to this door, causing the door to groan and shift to the side. The final door to the Chamber rested behind, awaiting his password.

"Lemon drops," he said to the door. Teaches me for letting Albus choose this one, Harry thought to himself. As he finished speaking, the door slid open to reveal complete darkness. The unlit expanse before him was not unfamiliar, however, so Harry stepped over the threshold and into the Chamber. As he stepped foot inside, torches along the walls began to light of their own accord.

Leaving the doors open behind him for Hermione, Harry made his way towards the end of the Chamber, where the monument to Salazar Slytherin was slowly being illuminated as the torches were lit. But as he walked, Harry couldn't help but notice the lack of life in the Chamber. There were no signs that there had been any sort of forced entry, nor were there any signs at all that another living behind had been in the Chamber in a long while. Even the statue of Slytherin, behind which the portal allegedly lay, seemed untouched, with the grate to its interior still in place.

Harry stopped in front of the great face of Salazar Slytherin and studied the large gate at the base of the statue. If there was going to be anything wrong in the Chamber it would be behind this gate, as that is where the location of the portal lay.

Opening the grate with the command in parseltongue, Harry stooped and entered the passage. While he had never been in this tunnel before, he could see that it was not long due to flickering light several meters ahead of him.

A moment later, Harry emerged on the other side of the passageway, and took stock of his surroundings. The chamber he found himself in was nearly as large as the main Chamber of Secrets, but was perfectly circular. Torches lined the walls at even intervals, casting an eerie glow on the room.

The floor of the room sloped gently downward from all sides towards the center, where it tapered into a flat circular platform at its lowest point. Rising from this recessed platform was a stone archway, one that immediately sparked Harry's memory.

Hermione, he called out mentally, you've got to see this.

I'm almost there, Harry. What's wrong?

I think I've found the portal, but it looks just like the one in the Department of Mysteries. The one Sirius fell through before.

But that doesn't make sense. Why would Voldemort make this portal his target if it's just the same as the one at the Ministry? That would be easier to get to.

I'm not sure, but-

"Well, Harry, I must say, if the old man tried to teach you wisdom, he failed miserably."


The great gates of Hogwarts, hastily repaired following the previous attack, gave way easily under the pressure of the goblin war machine. Goblins poured into the entrance hall, blades at the ready, only to find no reception.

"Where in the hell are they?" Dan asked as he walked in the door and took stock of the situation.

"What, do you think I've been here the whole time?" Draco responded sarcastically as he stepped beside him. "How am I supposed to know?"

"Do neither one of you two have two brain cells to rub together?" Emma asked. "Think it about it for one sodding minute, will you? When we left the other day, there were a handful of Death Eaters left, but most of Voldemort's forces were those werewolf things. It was the full moon a few days ago, so do you expect them to still be transformed and waiting for us?"

"No," the other two replied simultaneously, heads hung in shame.

"That's what I thought. But now we've got two things to do: save Harry and Hermione, and see if we can find those poor people that they turned in those camps."

"You know," Dan began, "I thought it was my job to run the show. And here you are telling us what to do!" he cried in mock indignation.

"Then run the bloody show!" his wife yelled back with equal mock anger.

Meanwhile, the goblins were standing back, watching the show impatiently, and waiting for the real fighting to begin.

"Fine! I'll go with the goblins and look for the hostages. I'm assuming that they'll be somewhere large, like the Great Hall or something. Emma, you, Draco, and the Order can go and look for Harry and Hermione. Here's a hint: look in the Chamber first."

"Now there's a great lead he's given us," Draco mumbled, to which Emma elbowed him in the ribs sharply.

"Can we just get going?" she asked. She received only nods in response, before the large group parted.


As Hermione skidded to a stop in front of the gaping hole where the girls sink used to be, she heard the great crash of the main gates giving way.

"They sure know how to make an entrance," she muttered to herself as she leapt into the chasm and slid down the tunnel.

Hermione landed gracefully on her feat wand lit and at the ready. In the distance, she saw the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, open from when Harry had gone through. Cautiously, she walked through it and into the empty chamber. On the other side of the room, the passageway through the statue of Salazar Slytherin remained open. As she entered it, she caught a glimpse of raven hair, and rushed forward, only to freeze in her tracks.

"Ah, you brought company, Harry."

Without breaking eye contact with his nemesis, Harry spoke. "Hermione, you remember Tom Riddle, don't you?"

"You dare speak that foul muggle name?" Voldemort hissed. He stood across from Harry, the recess in the center of the room with the archway separating the two of them. Both of them had weapons drawn, a sword for Harry and a wand for the Dark Lord, as they both slowly circled the portal, never breaking eye contact.

Harry shrugged as Hermione stood next to him defiantly. "I wasn't the one who gave you that name. Deal with it."

"You really must learn your place young Harry. Your attitude could get someone hurt…or worse."

"So I've been told. But from the looks of it, there are two of us and only one of you here, Tom. Now, I know that they don't teach elementary arithmetic in the wizarding world, but even you must know that two is more than one."

"Are we really accomplishing anything here?" Hermione interrupted. "You want to kill us, and we want to kill you. Aren't we really just delaying the inevitable?"

Ignoring her comment, Voldemort pressed on. "Do you know what this is, Harry?" he asked, gesturing with his free hand towards the arch. "This is a portal to another world-"

"We know this already," Harry interjected. "And we know that there are two of them. There's another one just like this at the Ministry."

"But like usual, Harry, you are wrong. You see, this is not the same as the Death Arch in the Department of Mysteries. That is a one-way portal only. An object can only enter that portal, never to return. That was a poor attempt by the fools at the Ministry to recreate this portal based purely on legend. This is the original, a way for objects to either enter the portal, or exit from it. But it is a one-way trip." By this point, Harry and Hermione were on the opposite side of the chamber from the entrance, and Hermione had noticed something different about this portal, as a pale purple glow was being emitted from the rippling screen within the archway. "The portal is not yet active, despite its appearance, mudblood," he added, noticing Hermione's interest in the archway.

"Why are you bothering to tell us this?" Harry questioned. "What are you waiting for?"

"The question is, what are you waiting for, Harry? Are you really so foolish to believe that I would come down here on my own? You did, however, open the Chamber for me, bypassing all of the wards you had so carefully set up. And to think all I was forced to do was trip the sensors on the wards. Such a shame. At one point, I actually thought you had potential."

"I'm done with this. Avada Kedavra!" Harry shouted, slashing the Sword of Gryffindor. A jet of bright green surged forward.

Suddenly, the beam changed direction and shot into the purple barrier of the portal without a ripple or a sound, as though a magnet had dragged the curse off course.

"You asked what I was waiting for Harry, and now you know the answer. The power of the portal renders any cast magic ineffective. We are all but common muggles in this room. You do, however, still wield a sword. But I would think carefully about using it if I were you."

As he finished speaking, two figures, shrouded in darkness, could be seen approaching through the passageway from the Chamber proper.

With a smirk, Voldemort spoke. "Ah, just in time…"


As Dan and the goblins approached the Great Hall, having encountered no resistance thus far, Ragnok spoke.

"I thought that we were to expect giants and Death Eaters, human," he growled, sounding disappointed.

Dan was thoughtful for a moment before speaking. "I can't speak for the Death Eaters," he began, "but I'd wager that the giants left. They're good in a siege, not as a defense."

"Then what is there to defend this castle? I see no defenders. In fact, I see no effort to hold the castle at all. What was the point of attacking and capturing this location if the attackers did not intend to hold it?"

Dan did not reply, and instead considered the words of the goblin patriarch. It was true. So far, there had been no resistance to speak of. Initially, he had thought that the defenders were hiding, or planning an ambush in a strategic location. But now it appeared that this was not the case. Granted, he knew that, at least logically, it made sense that there were few defenders, since the lycans were no longer able to help Voldemort, leaving only Death Eaters and giants. But now there were only Death Eaters.

Maybe he's trying to get the portal open before we stop him, Dan thought. That way, he can release some hellish demon army to defend the castle, instead of relying on his own people to do the dirty work.

Deciding to let the goblins engage in the sport of killing, Dan stopped in front of the closed doors to the Great Hall and signaled for the goblins to go ahead.

"You can go first," he said. "Based on how you were talking earlier, I'm assuming that not enough blood has been spilt for your tastes?"

Ragnok bared his fangs in a sinister grin before drawing a curved goblin blade. Two goblins rushed to the doors, each one taking up position at a handle. Almost on cue, they pulled, opening the great wooden doors and allowing the goblin horde to flow through.

From his position to the side of the doors, Dan could not see into the Hall. But seconds after the goblins entered the room, he could hear several dull thuds, followed by silence.

Cautiously, Dan peered around the open doors and, seeing no immediate danger, stepped into the Great Hall. Upon first entering the cavernous room, he saw the decapitated bodies of five Death Eaters, their severed heads lying on the floor in a pool of blood.

"I must say, you are efficient little fellows," he commented wryly, before surveying the rest of the Hall. But he was unprepared for what he saw when he looked up at the enchanted ceiling.

Floating, as if suspended from the ceiling by invisible threads, were hundreds of bodies, none of which were moving. They appeared to by lying as if resting on a massive bed, and were packed so tightly as to block out the ceiling from view.

"Are they alive?" Dan asked, never tearing his eyes from the gruesome sight.

One of the goblins summoned a body from the ceiling, and it slowly descended to the ground. As it landed, Dan got a brief glimpse at what appeared to be a middle-age woman, who actually reminded him of his wife, before the goblins crowded around. Ragnok shoved his way into the huddle, before kneeling over the body.

A moment later, the goblin ruler rose and stepped away from the woman and approached Dan.

"She is alive," he said quietly, his eyes darting back to the woman's prone figure. "However, just barely. It appears that she as well as the others are in some sort of magically induced coma. We can reverse it, but it will take time."

"How much time?"

"Days, most likely," Ragnok replied. "We cannot reverse the coma here, we must instead transport the subjects to Ipswak where our healers can set to work."

Glancing up at the suspended bodies once more, Dan spoke, "do it."

Ragnok nodded and began barking orders in Gobbledegook. Acting on his commands, goblins began to summon the bodies at a feverish pace.

"This will take time," Ragnok explained. "The bodies must be transported outside of the castle grounds before being taken to Ipswak. It would be unsafe to use a portkey or apparition near such a source of powerful magic as Hogwarts because this is a magically induced coma."

Dan nodded as he watched the goblins work. "I don't know how many Death Eaters there are left in the castle, but I can't imagine that there are many. Do you think that you'll be able to handle it from here if I go and find the others?"

Ragnok shot Dan a bewildered look. "Was that really a necessary question, human?"

Dan took another look at the decapitated figures of the dead Death Eaters again before shrugging his shoulders. "I guess not. I'm just going to head towards the girls' lavatory. We'll check in with you shortly."

With a final glance at the floating bodies, Dan turned towards the doors and left the Great Hall.


Draco and the others made their way towards the girls' lavatory, passing the library doors on the way. As they passed, they heard what sounded like voices coming from behind the doors, so Draco and his entourage stopped to investigate. Stopping to the side of the doors, Draco put a finger to his lips, calling for silence, before peering through one of the large windows on either side of the doors.

Inside, he could see a pair of Death Eaters, neither of which he recognized, both of whom had their backs turned to the door, apparently examining something that the shorter of the two was holding. Draco crept forward and silently inched the door open before slipping inside, followed closely by Emma.

"Yaxley! Just take the damn potion and meet with Malfoy. It's only set to last about fifteen minutes anyway, so what do you have to worry about?" The taller of the two asked.

"But what if it doesn't last that-"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake! Just drink it! Malfoy's waiting!"

A nod to Emma and two stunners later, the two Death Eaters lay incapacitated on the floor. Draco walked over and snatched the vial of potion out of Yaxley's hand.

Glancing at the vial, Emma spoke. "What do you suppose it is?" she asked.

The pale blue liquid inside the vessel shimmered under the rays of the sinking sun, which shone through the library windows. Neither Draco nor Emma recognized the potion.

"It's a short-term polyjuice potion," a dreamy voice interrupted from behind them.

Draco and Emma turned to see Luna Lovegood staring at them nonchalantly. The other two exchanged a look of incredulity before shrugging their shoulders.

"And how do you know that?" Emma asked expectantly.

"Oh, daddy wrote about it in the issue where he discovered that the entrance to the lost city of Atlantis is actually located in Hyde Park in London."

"Naturally," Emma muttered under her breath. "What else can you tell us?"

"Well, Merlin is actually still alive and living in Atlantis with Attila the Hun and Moses. Daddy says that they've spent the years enjoying many hobbies, the most recent being butter churning."

"That's not what I meant," Emma protested. "What else can you tell us about the potion?"

"Oh, not much. The potion was just mentioned in a small column next to the section on sightings of the Fountain of Youth."

Draco nodded his head patiently, never interrupting or discounting what Luna was saying.

"So, let's get this straight," Emma began, "one of these blokes was going to drink this and meet with Lucius. But then what were they going to do?"

"What, did you expect for us to walk up to them and listen in as they spilled their entire diabolical plan?" Draco asked sarcastically. "It only works that way in American films. If we really want to find out, we would have to go along with their plan and figure it out as we go along."

Emma appeared pensive for a moment. "Well, that is one option…but we don't even know who this potion is keyed to."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Oh, sod it all!" he exclaimed as he uncorked the vial.

"But you don't know-" But Emma was cut off by Draco downing the contents of the vial.

"There's no better way to find out than to jump in feet first," Draco explained.

Suddenly, he collapsed to the ground in a fit of convulsions, every limb twitching. Emma attempted to rush over to him, but was held back by Luna.

"This is normal," she explained. "He's in great pain right now, while that's not always par for the course for Polyjuice potion, this one has been modified, so the transformation process should be a bit different."

Despite her concern, Emma restrained herself from pushing forward and watched as Draco's features began to shift and change. After a moment, the convulsions and transformation ceased, leaving behind a completely different body.

"Well, that was unexpected," Luna commented, looking down at Draco's new form.

"Um, now I'm really curious as to what they were planning," Emma added.

"Why?" Draco groaned, sitting up. "What do I look like? I'm assuming that, since I can tell that I'm missing some extra bits down there, I don't look like a bloke anymore."

"You could say that," Emma began. "Draco, I'm not sure how to break this to you, but-"

"You're Elizabeth," Luna finished.

Draco stood up and looked down at his new body, which only confirmed what Luna had said.

"You have got to be kidding me," he muttered, shifting his weight to try and fit into his clothes better.

"I'm afraid not," Emma said, sniggering lightly. "But there's no time to dawdle. That potion only lasts for a few minutes, and I'm assuming that Lucius is waiting for you."

"Right," Draco said as he nodded. He turned and started for the door of the library.

"Where do you think you're going?" Emma asked. "First off, you are still wearing the same clothes as you were before, but second, do you even know where you are supposed to meet him?"

"Well, I would assume that whatever this plan is involves the Chamber, so I would think that he would be in the girls' lavatory."

"Maybe. But before you go, here." Emma pulled out her wand and transfigured Draco's clothing into a standard Hogwarts girls' uniform, complete with a skirt and blouse.

"They probably found a hair in the dormitory or something," Luna interjected as Emma finished.

"Um, yeah, sure, Luna," Draco replied. "But I've got to get going now. You can follow me, but stay a good distance behind. This is my one chance with Lucius, and I don't want to ruin it."

He left the library and continued on the route to the girls' lavatory on the second floor. Emma, Luna, and the remaining members of the Order of the Gold Cross followed, staying out of sight. A moment later, Draco walked through the door to the lavatory, to find Lucius Malfoy standing in front of the open sink.

"You're late," he commented, eyeing Draco closely. "The Dark Lord does not take kindly to tardiness. You had best hope that he is feeling forgiving today."

As Lucius spoke, Draco examined his biological father for any signs pr remnants of his interrogation session a few days prior. But he could see none. Instead, Draco simply nodded toward the opening, hoping to avoid speaking.

"Remember, you are my prisoner," Malfoy explained slowly, as though he were speaking to a child. "You must go first, at wandpoint."

Putting his faith in the effectiveness of the potion, Draco jumped into the hole in the floor and slid down towards the Chamber of Secrets. A moment after he landed at the bottom, he turned to find Lucius sliding to a halt as well. Looking around at his unfamiliar surroundings, Draco spotted the open stone door at the end of the corridor. With a glance at Lucius, he began to make his way towards the door.

This is either going to be the most cunning plan I could have ever cooked up, or the most stupid, Draco thought as he walked. At certain points, out of the corner of this eye, he could see Lucius' wand trained on him. Draco only hoped that it was only for show and that elder blonde did not suspect anything was amiss.

The two entered the Chamber proper, before making their way to the statue of Slytherin, and the opening at its base. As Draco exited the small passageway on the other side, a raspy, snake-like voice spoke.

"Ah, just in time…"

Draco whipped his head around to see the imposing visage of Voldemort to his immediate right. In front of him, rested a great stone archway, filled with a cloudy purple substance. Through the murky ooze, Draco could also see Harry and Hermione standing defiantly on the other side.

Immediately though, as he entered the room, Draco felt an arm around his shoulders and cold metal pressed against his throat.

"You see, Harry," Voldemort began, "it would be foolish if you to make use of that sword. We have taken…precautions, to prevent such an incident."

"You son of a bitch!" Harry shouted. "What are you trying to accomplish with this?"

"You really should have made sure that the little brat wouldn't follow you here, Harry. It was all too easy to take advantage of the situation and get some…leverage." As he spoke, the Dark Lord moved behind Draco and Lucius, towards the only exit from the small antechamber. With a hissing whisper, a solid stone barrier dropped into place, sealing the chamber. "I have no doubt that there are others in the castle that have come with you, Harry. Now we are alone."


Emma and the Order had just entered the main area of the Chamber of Secrets when the groaning of stone echoed through the massive cavern. At the far end of the Chamber, she could see the soft glow of candlelight through a narrow passageway as it was extinguished by some sort of obstruction.

Seeing this, Sirius ran towards the tunnel, slowing down as he crouched to enter it.

"Damn it!" he groaned, as he reached the stone slab blocking his way.

"Can you even be bothered to think, Padfoot?" Remus asked, as he came up behind him. "It's only stone. We broke through worse than that during our Hogwarts days, remember?" He pointed his wand at the obstruction. "Reducto!"

The beam lashed out from his wand and struck the barrier and reflected back, ricocheting off of the walls of the narrow passage, narrowly missing a student before exiting back into the main Chamber and dissipating.

"Yeah, don't try that again, Moony," Sirius commanded, more calmly than he felt. "I don't think that is 'only stone.'"

"Well then, what are we supposed to do now?" Remus asked.

"You were always the intelligent one of the group," Sirius pointed out. "You think of something."

With an irritated snort, Remus took another glance at the stone slab. "Even though it looks like it, I don't think this is stone."

"I already said that," Sirius muttered.

"And," Remus continued, as if Sirius had not spoken, "since it seems like it closed before we even got close to it, I think it is controlled from the inside. That means we can't open it normally from this side. And since we can't curse it into oblivion…"

"Are you suggesting that we have to just wait them out in there?" Emma interrupted.

"For now," Remus replied, "that's all I can think of."


"Now, since we are alone now, we can speak properly," Voldemort said. "Regardless of what you may think, there is a reason for bringing a worthless child into this. There is a method to my madness, if you will."

"I doubt that," Harry muttered.

"I know that you saw the information about this portal, including the runes needed to call forth the beings from the other side."

"How-"

"Do you really think I would leave such sensitive materials with my disciples and not keep it with me personally? Do you really have such a low opinion of me, Harry? As I was saying, I know you are aware of the runes needed. However, there is one requirement that was left out of the information you obtained."

"And what could that be?" Harry asked through gritted teeth, never taking his eyes off of Elizabeth.

"The runes must be drawn in blood. Now, normally this would be an easy undertaking. I have no shortage of loyal followers who would be willing to sacrifice themselves for my cause, of this you have made certain. But the one who opens the portal must do so with the blood of his equal."

Silence reigned in the chamber for a moment as Harry contemplated the meaning of the Dark Lord's words. Suddenly, a ghostly voice flashed through his mind.

"…and the Dark Lord shall mark him as his equal…"

Harry looked up at his nemesis sharply as the words rang through his mind.

"You know of what I speak, Harry."

"Yes, but how do you?"

"Did you think that you were the only one who could retrieve the prophecy, Harry? While it had your name specifically on it, the orb recognized me as the true Dark Lord of which it spoke. I assume that the old man regaled you with the tale of its creation. Quite an interesting little limerick if I do say so myself, isn't it Harry?"

"Go bugger one of your pet Death Eaters."

"Come now, Harry. Are those really some of the last words you want to say?" As he spoke, Voldemort opened the left side of his long robe and drew out a gleaming blade. "This is the Sword of Salazar Slytherin," he explained as he cast his robes to the floor. "I give you a chance now, Harry, to strike me down where I stand. Do you take advantage-"

"You're damn right I do you bastard!" Harry shouted as he charged toward his nemesis, blade first.

Voldemort easily parried Harry's first attack, deftly maneuvering behind the charging teen. Harry spun to face his enemy again, just as Voldemort sliced.

Metal struck metal as the two legendary swords collided. With a great blast of strength, Voldemort pushed back at Harry's blade. Harry staggered backward, nearly colliding with Lucius.

The Malfoy patriarch tightened his grip on Draco, pressing the knife deeper into his throat. "You will watch her die if you come any closer, Potter," he growled as they stepped to the side. "And I need not remind you that she will die if the Dark Lord loses."

With a sidelong glance at Malfoy and his prisoner, Harry leapt back into battle.

Newly reminded of the safety of his daughter, Harry fought back with reckless abandon. His renewed vigor caught Voldemort by surprise, who staggered back into the side support of the archway under Harry's assault.

Harry seized on this opportunity and slashed at his prone target. Voldemort ducked to his right at the last moment as Harry's strike grazed his left shoulder.

Hissing in pain, Voldemort backed away from Harry, clearly favoring his left side while still clutching his blade with his right. He backed toward Hermione, who had pressed herself against the wall as the fight raged.

As Voldemort backed up putting the portal between him and Harry, Harry glanced at Hermione. Taking this look as her cue, Hermione leapt at Voldemort, wrapping her arms around his neck as she tried to pull him to the ground.

"Now, Harry!" she shouted

But before Harry could strike, Voldemort elbowed Hermione with his right arm causing her to release her hold, then spun and elbowed her once again in the side of her head. She crumpled to the ground in a heap, unconscious.

"Hermione!" Harry yelled, eyes wide with panic as he watched through the haze of the portal as she fell to the ground.

Focused on his incapacitated wife, Harry didn't notice the slash until it was too late. With one deft stroke, Voldemort sliced Harry's right arm from shoulder to wrist. Blood poured from the wound as clean, white bone became visible.

Harry collapsed to his knees in anguish, dropping his sword. Harry clutched his right shoulder with his good arm as he watched Voldemort approach him, blade at his side.

The Dark Lord walked behind Harry and kicked the Sword of Gryffindor into the portal, which rippled slightly as the blade ceased to exist. Harry then heard the clatter of the Sword of Slytherin, as it hit the ground, followed by a scratching noise from behind him that he could only assume was that blade also being kicked away.

Curious as to what was happening, Harry struggled mightily to stand. As his knees left the ground, he felt a sharp stab of pain as he saw a long, serrated hunting knife impale his left shoulder, a pale, bony hand clutching the handle. Under this added pain, Harry collapsed to his knees once more hissing in pain.

Voldemort, still holding the handle of the knife, walked around Harry and crouched in front of him, blocking most of Harry's view of the portal.

"Harry," he began, grasping Harry's chin tightly, "when I cut you down, you stay down. Permanently." To emphasize this point, he twisted the handle of the knife, eliciting an anguished scream from Harry.

During all of this, Draco had not dared to move; for fear that doing so would give away his presence. However, watching Harry at the mercy of Voldemort changed that mindset instantly.

"Harry!" he squeaked, in his best impression of Elizabeth's voice, hoping to have some impact.

Harry cocked his head slightly, turning towards the newest interruption. He knew that voice, or at least knew that it did not belong to Elizabeth. She never calls me Harry anyway, he thought. That can't really be her.

"If the little bitch talks again, she dies, Potter," Malfoy threatened. "Tell her to keep her mouth shut."

Harry smirked inwardly before speaking. "Don't worry about anything, darling," he began, emphasizing the last word, "I've got everything under control."

His final sentence drew an uncharacteristic snort from the Dark Lord crouching in front of him. "You have everything under control, Harry? I think that the situation is quite reversed myself." He drew another long blade from behind his back, brandishing it menacingly in front of Harry.

"Where do you keep finding those things?" Harry asked, as he saw Hermione begin to stir from his limited vantage point through the portal. "Hermione, dearest, we need to find some safer toys to leave around. You never know who is going to find them."

Suddenly, Draco collapsed in Lucius's arms, and fell to the ground in another fit of convulsions.

"She's dying, Harry," Voldemort explained.

"Really?" Harry rasped in reply. "Because to me it looks like the polyjuice potion is wearing off."

The Dark Lord broke eye contact with Harry to glance over his shoulder at the transformation. "I tire of this Harry. It is time to end this."

Harry shot a small smile at Hermione, who was just rising from the ground before speaking.

"Go to hell."

With that, Harry kicked off of the ground and into his enemy. As he did so, the knife impaled him in his gut and tore through his stomach as the Dark Lord flailed. Yet Harry pushed on, shoving Voldemort towards the portal. With his final ounce of strength, Harry pushed Voldemort into the portal, collapsing as he did so.

But as he fell into the shimmering purple veil, Voldemort reached and grabbed at the two blades firmly entrenched within Harry.

"Gahhh!" Harry cried as he was pulled forward with the Dark Lord and into the portal.

"Harry!" Hermione screamed, running toward the portal.

But it was too late. Silence reigned in the chamber as only a transfixed Hermione and Lucius, and a rising Draco were left.


Draco rose from the ground just in time to see Harry fall through the portal, pulled by the Dark Lord Voldemort. Both Hermione and Lucius stood, staring at the portal to which they had both lost someone. Taking advantage of this moment, Draco turned and punched Lucius in the temple, sending the older blonde to the ground. His menacing curved knife skidded across the floor to the other side of the room.

With Malfoy unconscious, Draco rushed over to the bawling Hermione and wrapped his arms around her. "Hey, I'm sure that there's some way to bring him back. This was supposed to be a two-way portal, right?"

Hermione shook her head into Draco's chest, her muffled sobs continuing unabated.

"What, why not? I mean, if we just open-"

"Are you daft, Draco?" Hermione cried, lifting her head away from his chest. "If we open the portal, all we do is accomplish what Voldemort set out to do in the first place. It's a no-win scenario!"

"Well then, maybe Lucius might know something or can help."

"I'm sure he'll be willing to do so, especially with his master gone," Hermione replied sarcastically.

"What can it hurt?" Draco asked as he released Hermione and went back over to Lucius's prone form. With both hands, he picked up the fallen head of the Malfoy family, who was just beginning to stir. Draco then dragged Lucius towards the portal and stood him up, holding him at arms' length, just barely out of reach of the portal. Draco then drew his wand and pressed it up against Lucius's stomach.

"Where are they?" Draco growled.

"Do you really have to ask, Draco?" Lucius sneered. "They're dead, both of them."

"How do we get them back?"

"Did you not hear me, boy? They. Are. Dead. You can't get them back. They are gone forever. It's just like those fools at the Ministry use their poncey version for executions. It is a one-way trip."

"You're lying."

"Have I ever lied to you Draco? I've always told you the truth, even if it wasn't what you wanted to hear. For example, you are the worst excuse of a son I could have ever been cursed with. I should have let Narcissa terminate the pregnancy at the beginning like she wanted to. But I wanted an heir. It's a shame you were never worthy of the Malfoy name. You couldn't even kill me when you had the chance."

"But I have that chance again now," Draco retorted, pressing his wand deeper into the elder man's gut.

"You expect me to believe that you would kill me while I am unarmed? That you would throw me into the veil like the others? How original. Draco," Malfoy taunted, "always living in the shadow of much larger giants. Never could think for himself."

"Who said anything about throwing you into the portal?" Draco asked.

"Draco!" Hermione called, "you can't use your wand in here. Anything you cast just gets sucked into the portal."

"Good to know," he snarled in response. "Reducto."

A flash of light slammed into Lucius, bursting out the other side in a shower of gore, which was immediately sucked into the veil. Draco released his hold on his prisoner, watching as he clutched at the gaping hole in his torso as he fell through the portal, never to be seen again.

Draco stepped back from the portal, hoping to avoid the same fate as Harry. He returned to Hermione and pulled her into another embrace, as they stood near the stone barricade leading to the outside world, staring at the portal that had claimed three lives.

"Harry!" a faint voice yelled, shaking Draco from his reverie. "Hermione!"

He released Hermione, who slid down the wall and pulled her knees to her chest, and turned and put his ear against the stone door, hoping to hear the voices better.

"Are you in there?" the muted male voice called.

"Yes!" He yelled back, hoping to penetrate the thick stone. "It's Draco! And Hermione's here with me!"

There was a pause before a tentative reply wafted through the wall. "Draco, its Dan. Where's Harry?"

Draco shot a sad, sidelong look at Hermione, who still had not torn her gaze from the portal. After taking a deep breath, Draco replied. "Harry's dead," he said simply. "It's over."

There was silence for a moment as neither side spoke.

Finally, a vaguely female voice was heard. "Draco, Emma here. We need to get you out of there, and then we can talk about what happened. But we're not sure how to open this door."

"Voldemort called it down. I think it was in parseltongue. And we can't do anything from here, since any cast magic is useless in here."

"And we can't destroy it from out here. This thing isn't made of stone. It just reflects back anything we throw at it. Dan," she said in a softer tone, likely talking to her husband separately, "go find the goblins. See if they know of any way to bypass a parseltongue door."

"I doubt it," Hermione said softly, speaking for the first time since Lucius's death. "I think we're trapped in here for a while."

End of Chapter 29