A Different Moon

Chapter 36

The Beginning and The End

Immediately after the action started, everyone sprang into defensive mode. Shields flew up; spells were cast back and forth, as they engaged each other in duels. Voldemort watching his dark glad figures with sickening pride. He'd waited a long time for this day, here it was and soon Hogwarts would be his. The whole world would be his. What he failed to realize was for most part the hero's always won. Too omnipotent in his belief that he was better than everyone else. He didn't have to look far to see Alec Potter, his red hair was like a beacon, especially beside Albus Dumbledore. In his normal disgusting multicoloured robes. That's when he caught sight of them, the vampires! How had Albus Dumbledore gained their alliance when even he couldn't? He couldn't believe it. They were snapping necks of his Death Eaters, when they could get close enough.

"Lucius," sneered Severus realizing who had flung the spell at him.

"How the hell did you survive?" he asked in disbelief, when he heard the last voice he expected in the fray. His lord had disposed of the spy, or so he had led them to believe. Then he saw it, his unmarked arm, how had he managed it? He'd tried for years to get the mark removed. Hiring the best curse breakers and charms masters in the world. Each of them had failed him, and he'd given up hope of it being removed. Turned out to be a good thing, since he hadn't been completely destroyed. Don't get him wrong, he proudly wore his mark. When Voldemort had died, he believed the mark would taint the name.

Severus just chuckled wickedly, firing a spell at the blonde, one of his own creations, "Effligo" it would break his bones, none were better than Severus Snape at creating spells. He was amazing, too bad he stuck to Potions, but at the end of the day he did what he wanted to.

"Crucio!" snarled Lucius avoiding the spell. He always had loathed Severus, especially after he was initiated and became almost an instant favourite of his lords. His power and ability to brew anything had earned him a place as Voldemort's number one. Depending on his mood, sometimes it was Bellatrix when she went on a bloodthirsty crusade. It had seldom been him, and he was a jealous man, he was a Malfoy and he should have been his lord's number one. He gave him money, the means to live and a place to stay.

"Cruor Vomica," said Severus firing another spell, this one was to boil the blood sidestepping away from the Cruciatus curse. The thing about most Death Eaters, they used the same three predictable spells all the time. Cruciatus Curse, Imperious Curse and of course the Killing Curse.

The spell hit Lucius Malfoy on the arm, causing him to scream, as his wand arm boiled dangerously. Switching hands he flung another spell at Severus, then used 'Finite Incantantem' on his arm stopping it. Unfortunately it still hurt too much for him to use his proper wand arm. He'd just have to make do with his other hand.

"Confringo!" yelled Lucius, desperately, he had to finish this and soon. Severus was too good a dueller to fight. He knew that which was why he was going to end this now. He had promised his wife he'd come back, and damn it he would.

"Diffindo," hissed Severus, the spell had hit him but he wasn't about to lie down and die, he'd suffered much worse at the hands of the Dark Lord.

"Avada Kedavra!" yelled Lucius at the same time; it was time to end this now.

Just then a firework aimed right at Lucius's spell caused an explosion, catching Lucius unprepared. The spells exploded the fireworks violently causing his robes to catch fire. Severus on the other hand was unaffected. He had his robes for teaching Potions on; it stopped him catching fire as he would have like Lucius if he hadn't had them on. Even his wand was just a charred piece of mess. Lucius rolled on the floor panic consuming him, he managed to get the flames out, and unfortunately he was suffering from burns. Moaning in agony, the next thing he saw was Severus standing over him, his wand pointed straight at his chest.

"I'm unarmed," croaked Lucius his arms up in surrender, "I'll come quietly."

"And take the chance of you paying your way out?" sneered Severus.

"I'm unarmed," said Lucius again, his blue eyes wide with fear, "Draco is your godson, think off him."

"This is why I'm going to end up before he does turn out like you," said Severus his dark eyes flashing in fury.

"Please Severus," whispered Lucius fearfully.

"You tried to kill me, it ends here Lucius," said Severus, and then he said the spell that would ensure he died a horrible painful death. For all the people he had hurt, for the life's he'd taken - he didn't deserve a mercy killing. He also didn't deserve to survive, especially considering how corrupt the ministry was. "Sectumsempra." he said, the spell hit Lucius, who began moaning in pain as he lost blood alarmingly from the cuts that automatically appeared all over him.

Severus didn't get a chance to watch, he had to rejoin the battle as a free Death Eater sought him out.

Fred kept a watch, for anyone in danger of loosing their duels; he saw the green light and reacted immediately. Damon liked Severus, and if he was honest he liked his Potions teachers' sarcasm too. He had helped them with their creations, nobody knew that, he wasn't about to let him die. He grinned in triumph when Lucius was down for the count. He noticed the Trolls and yelled to them, "Stunning spells on three!" after the count down, stupefy after stupefy rained down on the Trolls stopping them in their tracks. Unfortunately their actions weren't going unnoticed down below. People began firing spells, them being so far up they were able to back away before the spells hit them. Thankfully the tower was holding strong despite the barrage of spells.

"It's going to collapse!" yelled one of the seventh years.

"No it will hold," said Fred, they were all on the floor. "Accio broomsticks!"

"Just in case?" asked Dennis from where he sat peeking over the rail now and again to see what was happening. George and five other students were on the other tower doing the same thing. It was nice being able to help, even if it was from up there. He covered his head as the broomsticks rained up on them.

"Yes," said Fred grimly, he hoped his brother was watching so he could do the same thing.

"Pettigrew," hissed James angrily, catching sight of his portly disgusting ex- best friend. He was the reason his family had almost died. His anger was ignited by sight of him; he'd been dying to kill the son of a bitch since that night. Unfortunately he had hidden too well, and even with the Auror's they couldn't find him. His Animagus form was a good one, they couldn't hunt down all rats and try and transform them unfortunately.

"James," squeaked Pettigrew his eyes wide in surprise.

"I'm going to kill you," snapped James his hands out in front of him, as if he would personally strangle the wizard instead of using a spell.

Pettigrew backed away, throwing feeble spells at him, stupefy, Incarcerous, and the disarming charm. Neither of which managed to hit James, he side stepped them all still walking towards him. His face full of fury, his brown eyes flashing dangerously.

"I'm sorry," squeaked, Pettigrew still backing away from his advancing friend. "He made me do it, if I didn't he would have killed me…nobody got hurt…it all worked out in the end." squeaked Pettigrew bolting for the Forbidden forest.

"Extrarius," hissed James at Pettigrew's back. It was strangle him, exactly what James wanted to do to him with his bare hands.

The spell hit the retreating figure; he immediately fell to the ground, his hands around his throat in apparent shock. Gasping for each breath he took, panicking and whimpering. His eyes were almost popping out of his head by the time James Potter was hovering over him.

"Well in the end he didn't need to kill you Pettigrew I did it." sneered James.

"Please," whined Pettigrew "Take it off uss," his voice not sounding like Pettigrew but more like a possessed demon*cough Smeagol/gollum cough*. His eyes were going red with the blood vessels popping as oxygen was deprived from them. His body began to shake, as it fought for oxygen, it didn't get it. Eventually Pettigrew's lips turned blue and he stilled his heart finally giving up.

"The towers going to collapse," said Dennis to Fred looking worried, as he looked in the opposite direction. Fred immediately looked around, Dennis was right. Grabbing his broom, two others followed his example and they were in the air, flying towards the crumbling tower.

George was surprised when the tower began breaking; he'd just lit another firework and sent it on its way. The shake had him falling over the railing, cursing as he held on he yelled "Stay there! It wont hold both our weights!" to the advancing seventh year who was trying to help him.

"Wingardium leviosa!" yelled the seventh year, but it didn't work! The basic spells around Hogwarts must be holding. You couldn't use that kind of spell near here, they could only guess why! "Shit its not working!" yelled the seventh year. As another rumble gave way causing them to fall once more. Three of them had backed off, two were watching George fearfully.

"Find something! Rope! Wood! Anything!" yelled the seventh year fanatically looking around for something to help George. There was nothing there, trying to conjure anything resulted in a failure it wasn't long enough to help the Weasley twin.

Another rumble followed and it began to tilt dangerously, the seventh year that had cursed leapt for George in a desperate attempt to help him. Grabbing his arm, he began pulling him up. Unfortunately the added weight wasn't a good idea, it began crumbling under them. They thought it was over and they would die, at the last second they were grabbed.

"Fred!" yelled George hooking his leg over on the broom, helping the seventh year on as well.

"Get to the other tower!" yelled Fred to the seventh years that were inside the tower safe from harm. They nodded before they began running, just glad to be away from danger for a few minutes. "Wands out! And fire!" he told his brother and the other passenger.

"Mines on the tower!" yelled the seventh year; he'd dropped it to use two hands to help George.

"Accio Adams' wand!" yelled Fred before flinging the wand at the student. "Thanks, "he said grateful to have his wand again. Then they were flying back over, avoiding spells cast in their direction, sending their own in retribution, being careful not to hit friendly's on their side. Once they were safely on the tower George summoned their products he'd left behind. There wasn't much left here so they had to.

"The Floo isn't working," said Sirius when the Floo just spat him back out at his home in Grimmauld Place.

"I can see that," said Remus groaning as he picked himself up off the floor. He helped Sirius get up as well.

"Why?" asked Sirius shaking off the dust, he was slightly winded from the powerful landing.

"I have no idea," said Remus, "I didn't know you could seal off the Floo networks at Hogwarts."

"Yes they did…remember? During our seventh year?" said Sirius, "Oh…you were in the Hospital wing when they told us." he realized sheepishly.

"Why?" Remus asked dumbfounded.

"I can only think of one reason," said Sirius grimly.

"Voldemort," said Remus realization dawning and he paled whiter than the moon.

Both of them Apparated out of Sirius' home and to the train station at Hogsmeade it was as close as you could get. They began running furiously, stopping abruptly when they saw the damage done to the school. One of its towers was crumbling down around it.

"Damon," cried Sirius, before he broke out in a fresh run his entire body throbbing with fear and adrenaline. Which pushed them faster and longer. They must have run for a good thirty minutes then they saw the spells, flying back and forth. They were completely exhausted, their feet aching but they didn't hesitate to enter the fray.

Back to back Remus and Sirius took down as many Death- Eaters as they could, as they made their way towards the castle - they had to know Damon was alright. Remus stuck to stunning spells and such not risking the Ministry's wrath if they tried to execute him. Sirius on the other hand used any spell he pleased, including the killing curse. As an Auror he had the right to use them freely.

"Well well, well if it isn't my little cub," sneered Fernier Greyback, his amber eyes flashing dangerously at the sight of Remus Lupin. He hadn't expected the little shite to survive; he'd done it in revenge to Lupin's father. He'd annoyed the wrong person; in turn he'd made him pay. With the thing he valued the most his son.

"Greyback," snarled Remus sounding like a deranged werewolf right there and then.

"Shall we dance cub?" he spat, nastily he was using the cub as an insult.

"Expelliarmus!" shouted Remus.

"Come on REMUS!" yelled Sirius, "Stop using those spells damn it! They aren't going to use them back!" "Confringo!" he yelled at an advancing Death Eater, still remaining at Remus' back.

"Avada Kedavra!" yelled Fernier.

Remus flung himself and Sirius to the ground; the spell went passed them and hit an advancing Death Eater on the chest. He fell to the ground, dead before he even hit the grass.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Yelled Sirius, not letting Remus loose because he was being an idiot.

Much to his surprise though, the next spell out of Remus' wand was a killing curse too "Avada Kedavra!" the spells hit Fernier in the chest, the powerful werewolf hit the ground as both Sirius and Remus continued forward without so much as hesitating.

"How do you think the Cullen's are doing?" asked Sirius curiously, as they finally made it to the centre of the grounds.

"I hope they are doing okay," said Remus worriedly, he knew what it was like having no control of what you were and how you felt.

Damon was using his wand; he didn't want to use Wandless magic. One it took too much out of him, and if he was going to have to defeat Voldemort he needed all his magic he could save. Plus it gave him one element of surprise he could use. Damon was Slytherin to the core; he didn't reveal things unless he had to. Unless there was a spy, Voldemort shouldn't know what he was capable off. He'd so far only killed three people; Edward kept interrupting and killing them before they could duel. Edward Cullen had to be the most possessive man, er vampire in the world.

He couldn't see Edmund or Severus, all he saw was masses of red - the Auror's. He was worried about them, but there wasn't much he could do from where he stood. He heard his name shouted from behind him. Turning around he smiled slightly, Sirius and Remus were here, and they were banged up a little but otherwise fine.

"Glad you could make it," said Damon ducking an oncoming spell.

"WE wouldn't miss it for the world," grinned Sirius.

"The twins said that too," laughed Damon.

"How are the others?" asked Remus firing off a spell at Damon's back, the cutting curse had the Death Eater down.

"Thanks." said Damon "So far they are fine, I can't see Edward anywhere."

"Don't worry, it's hard to kill a vampire," said Remus soothingly.

His eyes were scanning his surroundings, that's when he saw them Alec and Voldemort. "Oh shit," he said. Not out of concern for him, but more like exasperation. "I have to go and do what I got to do."

Sirius was about to follow him when he was confronted by another Death Eater, not just any death eater but his cousin - Bellatrix Lestrange.

"You," she shrieked laughing widely, her hair as it always had been a tangled massive mess.

"Great," said Sirius, "What's this? A family reunion."

"You aren't family you disgusting blood traitor!" hissed Bellatrix. "Avada Kedavra."

"Stupefy!" "Incarcerous!" "Furnunculus!" said Sirius firing them rapidly.

She just laughed "Crucio!"

"Crucio!" yelled Sirius right back, but both missing their targets.

Bellatrix sent arrows at Sirius two missed him but three embedded themselves into his arm, shoulder and leg.

"Die scum!" she yelled angrily, but to her surprise, cold hands wrapped around her neck and crack rented the air. A permanent surprise left on Bellatrix' face as her body was thrown to the ground roughly.

"Thanks Emmett," said Sirius breathing heavily.

Emmett held his breath, not going closer, he just nodded before he backed away - the smell was getting worse. It was a good thing they didn't need to breath, it's the only reason he was able to keep himself sane and not attack innocent people. Sirius removed the arrows, and then conjured bandages to wrap itself around his wounds. Remus was still fighting another Death Eater; he looked remarkably like Stan from the night bus.

Realizing it might be an innocent under the imperious curse, he yelled "Stupefy," and the man was out for the count.

"Are you alright?" asked Remus seeing the state of Sirius.

"I'll be fine," grimaced Sirius.

"He's under the Imperious curse, his eyes were empty." said Remus.

"I thought as much, it's Stan from the night bus." explained Sirius.

"Where's Damon?" asked Remus looking around wildly.

"He left, he's after Alec and Voldemort." groaned Sirius through gritted teeth.

Damon shook his head; Alec was nowhere near prepared to face Voldemort. He was a spoiled brat and he was arrogant it would only lead to his downfall. Just as he was within walking distance Voldemort cast a familiar green curse.

"Accio Alec Potter," snarled Damon yanking the teenager out of its path and summoning him though the air to land at a heap beside his feet. "Bloody idiot." he said to his 'brother' shaking his head.

Voldemort narrowed his eyes looking from one boy to the other. "Well well, it looks as if the twins have been reunited how sweet. Now I get to kill you both together…" sneered Voldemort his red eyes flashing angrily, inwardly surprised that Damon didn't so much as falter in his gaze or step.

"You can kill him if you like but you won't kill me," said Damon his face passive. One of the first lessons Edmund had taught him, if you get angry you let the other person win. An angry person is an unfocused person. And they were more likely to make mistakes, which would result in their death.

Voldemort couldn't have been more stunned by what came out of Potter's mouth. He couldn't believe it, they obviously didn't get along…this was good news. "Kill him and I'll let you live." he said. Twirling his wand around in his hand, a plan already forming.

"What too cowardly to kill him yourself?" asked Damon snidely. He'd heard Voldemort telling the other Death Eaters Alec Potter was his. That he would die by his hand nobody else's. So he obviously wanted him to turn around only to be stabbed in the back.

Voldemort's eyes narrowed "Crucio!" he said angrily, nobody spoke to him that way and got away with it.

"Reducto!" yelled Damon and the two spells struck each other cancelling them out.

"He's mine to kill!" snarled Alec knocking his brother away.

"Stupefy!" yelled Damon, and his brother fell to the floor unconscious like a little fly. "Now let's fight."

Spells were fired from their wands, one after the other, neither of them hitting their targets. Both of them trying to wind each other up, but Voldemort didn't know what buttons to push when it came do Damon.

"Is that the best you got?" asked Damon smirking as he casually sent the spell in the opposite direction.

"You cannot kill me, only your brother is destined to do so," said Voldemort viciously.

"Don't you remember what happened that night Voldie?" asked Damon "Crucio!"

Voldemort's eyes narrowed stepping away from the spell as both of them stared each other down.

"What are you talking about?" hissed Voldemort angrily.

"Come on you old fool, surely you realize which twin you tried to hit!" sneered Damon. As soon as he'd seen Voldemort he'd realized. He'd had flash back, he knew now he'd been the one to defeat Voldemort. The Prophecy Edmund told him finally made sense.

Voldemort paled, the boy was right, it hadn't been the red headed twin he tried to curse…it had been the brown haired one. "AVADA KEDAVRA!" snarled Voldemort; he realized he had to kill him quickly. He was much more powerful than Alec and he realized he had quite a fight on his hands.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" yelled Damon right back, moving away from the spell, it went sailing past harmlessly.

"Sectumsempra!" snarled Voldemort aiming at Damon's chest, he too moved out of the way of the curse.

Damon was flung back by the force of the spell, bleeding profusely landing on his back stunned.

"The world is mine," hissed Voldemort his red eyes gleaming in victory.

Damon in a last ditched attempt raised both empty hands up and gathered up the last ounces of magic. Voldemort began laughing evilly, thinking the boy was scared of him. His eyes just stared at Damon taking great satisfaction in watching him die before his eyes. His red eyes widened, unable to believe what he was seeing as a green lightening flung itself at him. The boy had just used Wandless magic, he didn't even have a chance to move, it happened so quickly. It hit his chest and he fell down dead, his reign over once and for all.

Damon lay gasping for breath, as the blood continued to seep out of him alarmingly.

The only one with the knowledge of how to close the wounds lay gasping for breath barely conscious as the war finally ended. Unaware of what was happening because of his spell.

Suddenly people were running for him, as Damon inhaled one last time before he went completely still.

Oh dear...not even vampires can raise the dead...will they save him? or will edward live with the knoweldge he couldnt even protect his mate? R&R PLEASE!