Chapter 29 – Becoming The Hero
Harry felt his hand tighten on Fred's on his shoulder as Remus grabbed his and pulled him forward and out of the carnage. Harry looked back to see the Death Eater's staggering to their feet as Dumbledore emerged from under his cloak, wand twirling in the dim moonlight glimmering over the corridor. Harry could also see Mr Weasley coming out from under his cloak and taking down a Death Eater, but Harry could hear more Death Eater's coming: the alarm had been raised. Then, above all the carnage, Harry heard Dumbledore's voice.
"REMUS, GO!" He said, looking straight at Harry. Their eyes connected to a moment, confirming Harry's many year suspicion that Dumbledore could see invisibility cloaks. Harry thought he could see a tear in Dumbledore's eye, and for the first time since Harry had met his headmaster, Dumbledore looked truly lost. A moment later, Dumbledore turned away. "PULL BACK!" He yelled to the rest of the group.
"Harry, and Fred if you're there, come ON!" Remus whispered urgently, and Harry grabbed Fred more firmly and took off after Remus, entangling themselves from the Death Eaters and taking off down the corridor. Dodging past a few late comers to the fray, (Harry covertly took out one of them from behind before they could cause any damage), the three of them rounded the corner from where George's screams had emerged. Remus slowed down and put his hand on Harry's chest, and Harry stopped. He heard Fred stop next to him, as they listened to the voices from the room next to him.
"He's not going to talk tonight," said a voice. "Tie him up in the corner and put his wand in the container." The door opened and Harry and Remus had to silently flatten Fred against the wall as the two Death Eaters departed. Remus removed his cloak and silently tapped his wand against the lock. After a few moments of frowning the door swung open.
George looked terrible. His few hours in captivity had obviously had a drastic effect, his blood-shot eyes looked slightly dulled and fresh blood-stains lined the floor. Harry felt his stomach lurch with a combination of fear and anger, and he was aware that Remus was looking at him under the cloak, but then he turned away. George moaned but then his eyes found Fred, Harry and Remus. Remus put a hand to his lips as they picked George up. Remus muttered a pain-relieving spell and George murmured his thanks, as Fred released George's wand from the magically sealed container. Harry helped George under Fred's cloak, and they locked the cell door as they headed down the corridor. Remus positioned Harry's hand onto Fred's shoulder, before guiding Fred's hand onto his own, before setting off at the front of the group.
The sounds of battle had quietened down, and as they rounded a corner they could see that several Death Eaters were unconscious, and Harry breathed a sigh of relief when it became obvious that there were no Order Members down. The four of them crept along the side of the wall silently, as a single Death Eater was trying to rouse the others. Then Harry heard a voice that he recognised. He recoiled in horror as he realised Wormtail will still alive, and more than that, was stood in front of him.
"I will check on the prisoner," he said anxiously to himself, and Harry was about to turn and cast a spell at him when he felt a chill fall upon him. He turned around to see a mini army of Dementors emerging from a side corridor.
"RUN!" bellowed Remus, and Harry felt Fred and George slip from his grasp. Ahead of him Remus had removed his cloak to distract the Dementors, but Harry knew they could see through cloaks. He grabbed Remus and dragged him under his own cloak.
"They can see through this anyway!" Harry muttered furiously, backing down the corridor quickly. "If you come out from under the cloak you'll only draw the attention of the other Death Eaters."
Harry looked at the closing Dementors, and he poked his wand out from under his cloak, imaging them all dead. "Expecto Patronum!" he muttered with as much vigour and as little sound as possible. A golden stag erupted out of his wand and charged the Dementors, but by now some of the Death Eaters were awakening. Harry and Remus tore back down the corridor under the cloak, until soon they almost ran into a pack of Death Eaters. Silently Harry edged himself and Remus into a cell like the one George had been in, but not the same one Harry noted, and locked the door behind them.
"Stay under the cloak, Harry," Remus whispered. "I need to talk to you." Harry was puzzled, couldn't this wait? He considered for a moment before judging that Remus would probably know when it was or wasn't the right time to say something, so he kept quiet and allowed Remus to continue.
"Dumbledore intended for you to meet with Voldemort tonight, Harry," he said, as matter-of-factly as he possibly could, but Harry could hear his voice tremble. Harry's heart was beating so loudly now that Harry was sure it would alert the Death Eaters to their presence. Remus continued.
"He thought that, after seeing whatever had happened to George, that you would be in the right frame of mind," he said gravely. "And I think he may have been right." Harry still said nothing, allowing Remus to continue. "Which means we need to find Voldemort now."
"What?" Harry said, caught off guard entirely. Remus nodded soberly under the cloak.
"Yes, now," he said softly. "We know that he returned to Azkaban between the last raid and this one. And now I know that you are ready." He was quiet for a moment, before asking Harry a question that had been puzzling him. "So, how are we going to get out of this cell?"
Harry didn't have a clue. "Blast our way out?" he muttered sarcastically, still digesting Remus' words. Remus pulled his sleeves up.
"Excellent idea Harry," he said briskly, pulling Harry to his feet and drawing his wand.
"What?" Harry spluttered. "I was kidding!" But too late, Remus was aiming quietly at the outside wall of the cell.
"Reducto!" He murmured, and the wall dissolved in a cloud of dust. Remus grabbed Harry under the cloak and pulled him out in the cold sea air. He dragged him along the outside of the wall along a thing path, before turning around. "Reparo!" He muttered, and the wall reappeared.
"And now we have a choice, Harry," Remus said gravely. "Do you wish to go on?"
Harry was silent. He already knew his answer, and had done from the moment Remus had suggested it, but he could no longer now hide his fear. He stared out at the sea for a moment, trembling slightly but he felt his resolve redouble. He turned to face Remus and slowly, but definitively, he nodded.
"Okay then," said Remus, shaking himself slightly. "We need to get back inside, away from the Dementors, and find Voldemort. Follow me."
Remus turned under the cloak and he and Harry walked slowly along the outer ridge of the great prison. Looking inside the windows Harry could tell that the fortress was being searched by Dementors, and so Harry and Remus waited outside until what felt like hours later, when Remus adjudged it to be clear inside.
"We'll have to be silent now, but we know Voldemort's quarters are at this end of the prison. I think we should go in now, it looks safe." Harry and Remus headed into the prison the same way as they left it, by reducing a wall to dust before promptly repairing it, after checking the coast was clear. Remus looked around him for a moment and turned to head down the corridor. Then the Dementors floated around the corner.
"Run!" Harry whispered urgently at Remus, and they turned and fled down the corridor. Harry turned and dragged Remus down a side corridor, hurtling round a corner to find – a dead end. "In here!" Harry muttered pointing at one of the doors at the very end of the corridor. Remus yanked open the door and pushed Harry through, both of them looking back down the corridor to see if the Dementors had spotted them.
"Why Harry," said a cold voice from behind them, "How good of you to drop in." Harry and Remus span around and Harry felt his stomach go icy. Harry drew his wand but did not move, his eyes staring intently into the eyes of the man he'd come to kill.
"And dear Remus," said Voldemort, careful to keep his eyes still on Harry. "Well I can't deny that this is a nice surprise. I thought Dumbledore would keep a closer eye on his favourite pet then to let him wander into the arms of a predator such as myself. Bad form, bad form indeed."
Harry seemed to have frozen on the inside, but now he registered the person standing beside Voldemort and he felt some strength return to him. Enough at least, to show some spirit, he thought.
"Hoped you were dead," Harry said to Wormtail, who had been looking between Voldemort and Harry were a mixture of fear and feverish anticipation. He blanched as he realised Harry was talking to him, and Voldemort laughed.
"Now, now, come Harry, that's a bit dark for you isn't it? Still time maybe…" he trailed off looking thoughtfully at Harry before addressing Remus.
"I suppose you must be so longing to see Sirius and James to have come here Remus…" he smirked slightly. "Do not worry, I shall grant you your wish very soon, very soon indeed." He turned his attention back to Harry.
"Last chance, Harry?" He said softly. "Last chance to become the second great wizard who ever lived…"
"Behind Dumbledore!" Harry yelled, now ready. "EXPELLIARMOUS!"
Voldemort blocked his spell with a shield and quickly fired one back. Harry saw it coming and blocked it with a shield of his own. On his left Harry became aware that Remus was duelling with Peter, but only for a split second his focus was now entirely on Voldemort. Harry leapt to one side.
"STUPEFY!" he yelled. "IMPEDITIA, STUPEFY!" He watched as his three jinx soared across the room. Voldemort's shield blocked the first and he ducked the second, but the third spell hit and Voldemort was knocked to the floor. Before Harry could even begin to marvel at what he had accomplished he heard Voldemort speak again.
"CRUCIO!" Harry had been caught unawares and suddenly he found himself writhing under the torture of the Cruciatus Curse.
"NO!" Harry yelled, and suddenly he was free. He and Voldemort stared at each other for a moment, both breathing heavily. Voldemort was looking as puzzled as Harry felt, but Harry leapt at his chance.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" He bellowed, and a jet of green light leapt from his wand, but in the excitement of the moment the spell whipped just over Voldemort's shoulder, setting the curtains alight behind him. For the first time in any of their encounters, Voldemort looked slightly afraid, but soon his expression changed to enragement.
"CRUCIO!" He yelled again, and Harry was once again on the floor. Through all his pain he could hear Voldemort screeching insanely at him. "HOW DO I KILL YOU? WHAT WAS SAID IN THE PROPHECY?" But yet again, Harry broke the curse. Harry staggered to his feet just as Voldemort yelled his worst to the chill air.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Sure that it was over now, knowing that he could not block it, Harry looked up to see a jet of green light emerge from Voldemort's wand. However, Harry's strange feeling of relief turned to icy horror as he realised that Voldemort's wand was not pointed at him. In a haze of green it was over and Remus Lupin fell to the floor. Wormtail gave a triumphant yell, evidently pleased that he had survived this long, and Harry snapped.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Harry's eyes blazed green with shining tears as he watched the painfully familiar green light burst forth and strike Wormtail full in the chest. Harry and Voldemort watched as he crumpled to the floor, his expression still frozen, jubilant.
Harry and Voldemort stared at each other for a moment. "I think you've had enough pain Harry, now I shall-"
But Harry wasn't going to let Voldemort distract him this time. His mind made up, he caught Voldemort off-guard.
"Serpent Aniservia!" He felt himself shrink into an enormous sinewy snake, and his head exploded with pain, but he had been ready for it. Ahead of him he could see Voldemort lying on the floor, twisting and twitching as if having a fit. Not sure how much more he could take, Harry transfigured back, and quickly got to his feet. Voldemort was breathing heavily on the ground, his pale white fingers clasped around his wand but he seemed utterly paralysed by what had just taken place. Harry looked down at this man, whom had killed his parents, Sirius, Remus and who had ruined the lives of many, and his head brimmed with hatred. He raised his wand one last time.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" As if in slow motion, Harry watched as the green light emerged from his wand. There was no chance of it missing this time. Yet just before it hit Voldemort, Harry saw Voldemort's wand move rapidly up and down. He looked into Voldemort's eyes and could see that he was looking at Harry intently, his mouth muttering something inaudible. As the green light impacted a blue glow emerged from Voldemort's wand. Harry saw Voldemort lie still, definitely dead, but the blue light travelled back from Voldemort's wand and along Harry's spell, before touching the tip of Harry's wand. The moment it touched Harry's wand, Harry felt intense, acute pain before the world dissolved into darkness around him.
