Clandestine Fire (Part 2)
It happened too fast.
Speeding down the hill. Running towards the mansion. Crashing through the front door. Bombarding the guards. It was like her life was on fast-forward and she was not about to press stop. Ginny ignored everything around her, just kept her eyes focused on her destination. The ballroom. She felt her body slide along the ground, colliding with the double doors as her ears registered the shouts of spells and crashes echoing behind her. Her vision remained steady as she barged inside the room and pointed her wand. No one had time to react to her sudden presence – the perfect advantage. A quick and powerful disarming charm and Percy soared through the air, crashing against Lucius and turning over two chairs.
Ginny dashed across the hall and it was only then that the remaining men realized what was going on. They raised their wands but their attempts on Ginny were halted when the rest of the men barged into the room. Charlie immediately dove into action, stunning two men while Hermione raced towards Ginny. The rest became lost in clouds of spells, cloaks and tussles. It was pure pandemonium but through it, Ginny and Hermione managed to make it to where Harry those were tied up. She knelt down quickly and undid her father's ropes first before moving along the line to free the others.
"How did you get in here?" Arthur asked, rubbing his wrists before losing James' bonds.
"Through the front door," Hermione replied. She reached behind Ron and undid his ropes, locking him into a hug immediately afterwards.
"But how did you know to come?" Arthur questioned, freeing Fred.
"Instinct, foresight, call it whatever you want but I just knew something was wrong." Ginny finally made it to Harry and smiled at him, relieved to see him alive. "I saw when Neville and Fred were taken," she explained, reaching behind him. "After that, I couldn't take waiting anymore. With Draco's help, we managed to sneak up to the front and overtake the guards. I really don't know how it happened but we managed to get through."
"I'm just glad you're here," Harry said. The ropes dropped from his hands and before anyone could stop him, he cupped Ginny's face and kissed her full on the lips.
"Ugh, hate to stop this lovely moment but we are in the middle of a fight here."
Ginny broke from Harry's lips and looked at George. He had just been knocked off his feet and slid to where all of them were. A blast curse aimed at him was deflected easily by Arthur. The pure look of fear on George's face was enough to stir Ginny into action. She gripped her wand tightly and stood up. Along with the rest of them, she took a quick survey of the room. Every where, people were locked in duels. More bodies littered the floor than she could count and people were shouting and crying out. Lights from spells flew back and forth as complete blurs. She had a hard time telling who was doing better but she truly hoped that it was their side.
"Where did he go?" Ron asked, looking around wildly. "Where did Percy go?"
Ginny turned and noticed that the front of the ballroom was empty. The chair that Percy had knocked over was still toppled on the ground but he wasn't there. From a streak of blonde and another glimpse of matted hair, Ginny instantly knew that Lucius and Greyback had disappeared into the mass of fighters; but there was no sign of Percy's red hair.
"The bastard ran," Fred said, cursing loudly afterwards.
"You guys go on," Arthur said, turning his back on the fighting. "I'll find him."
Ginny watched as her father disappeared. She wanted to go after him, too, but knew they had to cut down Percy's men first. So, instead, she turned back around and, Hermione to her side, disappeared into the throng at the same spot. The noise level seemed to rise to a deafening level but she had no time to adjust. Their presence was duly noted and it wasn't long before they both became markers.
"Stupefy!" Hermione yelled, stunning one of the men.
She made to turn but a body flew past her, the brush knocking her on her backside. Glancing slightly, she noticed that it was one of their men, one who had sought to comfort her when she had been anxious about Ron's fate. His eyes stared back at her, completely lifeless. Stifling a sob, she turned her head, only to see two men heading towards her. She scrambled to her feet and aimed her wand, blasting the floorboard and sending debris into the air. It was enough to cloud the vision of the men. Using it to her advantage, she jumped through the haze, punching one and elbowing another. She didn't stop to see if the damage was enough; she kept running, trying to take out as much men as possible.
Meanwhile, Ginny fought a few feet away from her. Her face was covered in sweat and she already had a few scratches on her arms. But she paid no attention to them. Instead, she kept her eyes focused and trained on her surroundings, anticipating moves and skillfully avoiding them. Her mind kept shifting to thoughts of the others, thinking that any second she would tread over one of their bodies or shift her eyes just in time to watch them fall. But she hadn't yet and that kept her going. Just as she managed to weaken one man, she spotted another heading towards her from her right side.
"Stupefy!" she cried, her spell hitting its target. She spun and saw another adversary. Thinking quickly, she sprang to the side and aimed. "Impedimenta!"
The man halted and, unknown to Ginny, blocked a forth coming spell. His body exploded, the force knocking her to her knees. She looked up to see nothing but remains and blood splattered on the ground as well as her clothes. Her stomach lurched and she forced herself not the throw up. It was a horrific sight and the fact that the spell had been aimed for her made the queasiness that much worse. She tried to pull herself to her feet but her legs refused to cooperate. Someone sunk next to her and she looked up to see Hermione.
"Come on, Gin," she said, taking her hand. "You gatta get up."
Ginny nodded and pulled herself to her feet. The two stood together, shoulder to shoulder. Their breathing was heavy and they looked tired but they refused to give up. Too much was riding on their fighting.
Neville fought his heart out. His actions were instinctively decided, calculated and carried out without so much as a second thought. He didn't have time to rethink them, anyway. If he killed a man, he killed him. If he stunned another, he stunned him. No hesitation, not uncertainty, no vacillation. None.
As he cut another man down, his eyes found his main target. Greyback crouched in the back of the room, watching the raging battle scene with a sick and utterly sadistic smile on his face. In front of him, a pile of bloody bodies was humped together, obviously leftovers from his monstrous way of killing. Neville noticed that some of the men in the mound were cloaked. He grunted and rolled his eyes at Greyback's level of cruelty – so thirsty for blood that it didn't matter whose side his targets were from, just as long as he got what he wanted. And Neville was about to get what he wanted, as well.
As if sensing Neville's scrutiny, Greyback turned to look at him. His grin was malevolent, revealing a row of jagged yellow teeth, some marked with a dark crimson. His hair was coated in red, too, and his scent was putrid – the smell of rotting corpses and stale blood. He stepped forward and stretched to his full height, towering at least three feet above Neville. But the attempt at intimidation did little to squash the desire for retribution. Greyback was about to pay for killing Albus Dumbledore and was going to do so dearly.
"Longbottom," Greyback growled, taking another step. "We meet in the throws of battle again, I see."
"It's going to be the last one, too," Neville said. He lifted his wand and narrowed his eyes, readying himself for a tough combat. "For you, anyway."
Greyback laughed and then snarled. "Is that a threat? I don't do so well with threats."
"You killed my grandfather," Neville said, eliciting a head-tilt from the werewolf. "And you hurt Luna."
Neville watched as Greyback scanned the room until his eyes locked. Without having to turn himself, Neville knew just who had caught the werewolf's attention. He could just manage, through Fenrir's large eyes, to see Luna in a heated battle with one of the cloaked men. A part of him wanted to go to her aid but he took comfort in knowing that he wasn't the only one who wanted to keep her safe. He watched as Draco shot into view and knocked Luna out of the way of an off course spell, concurrently taking out the same man she had been battling.
"She's a pretty little thing, isn't she?" Greyback's voice drew Neville's attention. "I'm going to have fun with her when this is over. Just like I was promised."
All time froze as Greyback's words sunk in. Luna's predicament had been worse than he imagined. Not only had Percy attempted to rape her, but he had promised her to Greyback who would have undoubtedly done the same and then kill her. Neville's anger bubbled, rose to the surface and exploded. He lunged at Greyback so fast that the werewolf was caught off guard and tumbled onto his back. A punch cracked against his lips and he pushed, flinging Neville a few feet away.
Neville flew to his feet quickly. Just as Greyback started towards him, he aimed his wand and shouted, "Expulso!"
The werewolf managed to bounce around the spell, causing the wall behind him to explode. Neville cursed and readied his wand again, only to be knocked down by Greyback. The two struggled against one another, one trying to dispel the other. Curling back his lips, Fenrir, growled and tried to knick Neville's neck. He knew he couldn't turn him into a werewolf but he could dismantle him, rip him to pieces and it would give him the same amount of satisfaction. But Neville had other plans. Freeing his leg, Neville managed to steady himself, gaining enough stability to push Greyback off of him. And it worked. The werewolf rolled away and Neville managed to move just before his hand scraped for him.
The two continued like that, matching skill for skill, wit for wit and move for move with neither coming out on top. Neville faltered a few times, his resolution slowly waning but each time Greyback made a move, he managed to block and retaliate. A part of him felt as if it was a useless battle, one he was going to lose. But another part - the one that had visions of a propitious future refused to give up - even after Neville was thrown to the ground and his wand clattered and rolled away from him, almost completely out of his reach.
"It's time to end this, Longbottom."
Neville sidled onto his back and looked up at Greyback. "It doesn't end here. One way or another, someone's going to get you. And when they do, there won't be any mercy."
Greyback's responding laugh was deep. He leaned closer to Neville and whispered, "I hope you're ready to die."
Neville prayed a quick prayer and hoped his idea was going to work. Timing it perfectly, he waited until Greyback's leg was positioned properly. Then, he swung his foot sideways, knocking against the werewolf's calf. Greyback stumbled and started to drop. Neville rolled out of the way just in time and heard a loud crunch as he propelled himself forward. He reached his hand out and grabbed the end of his wand, turning on his side once it was secure in his hand. Still lying on the ground, he aimed and yelled, "Incendio!"
Greyback didn't see it coming. Still trying to recover from his collision with the ground, he had no time to prepare for the shot of flames that came at him. The last thing he saw was a fiery mixture of red and orange before heat completely consumed him. His body burned. His skin bubbled and cracked while is flesh melted from his bones. It was pure agony, repayment for all the pain he had inflicted on his victims. Out of the redness of the flames, he saw a figure rise into view, watching him as he was engulfed by the flames, welcomed by the very weapon of hell.
Neville struggled to his feet as Greyback continued to burn. His screams were loud and as blazing as the fire that swallowed him but Neville looked on, oblivious to anything but what he was seeing. He knew being smoldered alive was one of the most torturous ways to die because of the amount of pain it inflicted – burning, suffocation and a painfully slow death. But no one deserved that kind of death more than Greyback. Relief flooded Neville as he realized his mission had been accomplished. His grandfather's death was avenged and they were even closer to rectifying a long made mistake.
The scent of burnt flesh and tormented screams filled the room but Luna was unaware of it. Her attention was manned by something else. After Draco had saved her from what could have been an ugly death, the two had become locked in a duel with someone she never thought she would have the courage to fight.
"Is that all you've got, child?"
Luna's hand shook as she tried to cast a spell. "Au-Augamenti!"
The jet of water was weak and only managed to form a mere puddle in front of Lucius' feet. He stepped over it and laughed, spewing another insult from his lips. Lucius' taunting was his weapon against her. She had tried to stun, blast and curse him but his words kept her aim off, riddled her to the point that she could not keep steady. She was afraid of him, afraid of what he might do to her. If it wasn't for Draco's presence, he may have already killed her. Draco had managed to keep Lucius in check; most of his spells had kept the man on his toes, unable to deal any kind of fatal blow.
"Protego!"
Lucius bounced back from the force of the barrier and looked at Draco. He was still shocked that the boy was even still alive. When Lucius had spotted Luna, he had made a beeline for her, hoping to capture her and hand her back over to Percy. He still believed she deserved to suffer for her treachery and was not above letting her get her just punishment. But someone had stopped him, knocked right into him and sent him hurling to the ground. He had spun, thinking of murdering the son of a bitch, only to find that it was his son who had done it. The shock had been evident on his face and had distracted him enough for Draco to deal him a healthy punch. His lips still bled and burned from it.
Absentmindedly rubbing the tender spot, Lucius glared. "I don't know how you managed to survive, but I'm getting sick of you."
"Too bad," Draco said, stepping in front of Luna. He was amazed at the level of energy that he had but was not about to question it. He raised his wand and twirled it, conjuring a knife. Grabbing it by the hilt, he held it steady and poised. "I would think that you'd be happy to see me, father." The last word came out more as a sneer.
Lucius returned the sneer. He was beyond aggravated and the sound of Draco calling him father made something inside of him snap, something from a past he had tried to bury for as long as possible. It didn't matter anymore, though. Things were going to change after this and his secret would no longer be a concern. Realizing this, Lucius' sneer developed into a mischievous grin.
"You are no son of mine," he said, lifting his wand. "You never were."
Draco's faced slipped into one of confusion. "What are you…?"
"It's amazing the wonders that permanent transfigurations can do," Lucius interjected, cutting off anymore words from Draco. "A little swish here a little flick there and one person can become another. A completely different individual. One who can be molded and trained into something else. It's a pity it all went to waste."
Draco's confusion grew heavier. His grip on his wand and the knife slipped as he tried to make sense of Lucius' words. Was he trying to hint that Draco was not who he thought it was? That he was somebody else? He looked directly at the man he had called father all these years but his attention wasn't on him, it was on someone else. Glancing out the corner of his eyes, he saw James Potter battling alongside Harry, their backs to each other and their eyes focused. But, before he had a chance to contemplate anything further, Lucius lunged at him.
Acting instinctively, Draco swung his arm forward, consequentially embedding the blade of the knife into the man's stomach, dropping his wand to the ground. A loud gasp of both pain and surprise escaped from Lucius' mouth. He hadn't been expecting it. He had hoped that Draco had been thrown off balance by his cryptic words, giving him an opportunity to take him out. But he hadn't. He had reacted to Lucius' movement quickly, and it resulted in the man's death.
Shocked by his own actions, Draco slowly fell to his knees, Lucius dropping along with him. The man fell to his back, the hilt of the knife sticking up from his stomach. Draco pushed away, his eyes still lingering on the knife. But it was strange. He didn't feel sorry for his actions. He felt strangely relieved and free. He stood and watched as Lucius' eyes close, locking him into eternal sleep. Luna stepped up to him and placed her hand on his back.
"Did you hear him?" Draco asked quietly.
Luna bent and picked up his wand. "Yes, I did."
Draco turned to face her. "What do you think he meant?"
Luna's response was caught off by a loud blast. Draco pulled her to the ground and covered her body with his as debris rained over them. After a few minutes, the ring of the explosion ended and the two stood back up and looked around. The room was quiet, a huge contrast to the noise that had dominated it for almost a full hour. More bodies littered the ground now, most scarred and bloody. But a few people still remained standing. One quick survey told Luna that it was the original eight plus Charlie, Draco, James and Sirius who remained, along with a few of their army members.
James and Harry were still standing back to back, breathing heavily. Hermione and Ginny were on the other end of the room, also standing next to each other. Ron was helping Fred to his feet while George surveyed the room as well. Sirius and Charlie were walking over to where James and Harry were, smiles of triumph on their faces. Neville was clambering to his feet, also wearing a smile of victory. When Luna caught site of him, she broke from Draco and dashed over, wrapping her arms around his neck and knocking him back onto the ground. Laughter erupted from around them as Luna kissed Neville, overwhelmed and happy that he was still alive.
"I'm glad to see you, too," Neville said, grinning up at her.
"Was it you who took out Greyback?" she asked, crawling back to her feet. Neville nodded. "I'm so proud of you."
Neville pulled her into a hug and then led her over to everyone else was. "Is it really over?" he asked, looking around.
Harry shook his head. "I don't think so. We still don't know if Arthur found Percy."
"Does anyone even know where they could be?" Ginny asked, rubbing dirt from her forehead.
Again Harry shook his head. "No. Are you alright?" he questioned, walking over to her.
She nodded as he rubbed her stomach and kissed her cheek. "I'm fine, Harry, just a couple of bruises. It's nothing to worry about."
"You didn't take any blows to your stomach did you?" Ron asked, his arm around Hermione's shoulder.
"Just a few. I was kidding," she added hastily when Harry's eyes widened and he let out a strangled cry.
Harry sighed and wagged a finger at her. "That's not even funny."
Ginny smiled and reached up to kiss him. Just as their lips touched, the ground shook and another blast erupted. "What the hell was that?" she asked, grabbing onto Harry for support.
"It sounded like it came from upstairs," Sirius said, staring up at the ceiling. "Think it could be Arthur?"
"Only one way to find out," Harry said, gripping tightly to his wand. "Come on."
The group headed towards the doors of the ballroom and raced down the hallway, driven by the battle cries from above.
Percy was loosing. He knew it, too; felt it deep in his bones. When he had retreated from the ballroom, under the cover of the raging battle, he had hoped that it would buy him time. He needed to figure out how he was going to take out his father, James, and all the rest of their team. A part of him was hoping that someone downstairs would do the job for him but he knew that there was a slim chance that would happen. Therefore, he had to strategize. Ginny's ambush, although expected, had caught him off guard. He was expecting hours to pass, giving him enough time to torture his captives and then prepare for the rest. But it had been only minutes and his plan was suffering for it, crumbling before his very eyes.
Then, to make matters worse, Arthur had come after me. Percy had come upstairs, to the top floor, where a small army of men were waiting and was going into hiding. But his father had caught him in time, stopped him from leaving. And what a force Arthur was. He was driven by desire and pure rage. He had taken out five of Percy's bodyguards without even having to raise his wand. It was that sight had begun to break down Percy's tough façade and driven him into a yearning for escape rather than murder. But it was something that Arthur was preventing at all costs. Percy had flung men at him but it was futile. Now, there were only three left to guard him and even they were injured.
"Expelliarmus!"
Make that two. The man hit by the spell crumpled from the sheer force, his wand flying out of range, somewhere behind Percy. The other two looked as if they were ready to give in and hand him over. Their wand arm shook and their duelling stances were weak. Percy looked from them and then to his father, knowing that he would have to duel the man himself. It was not something he was looking forward to.
"What's the matter, Percy?" Arthur's voice seemed to echo in the hall. "Can't do the dirty work yourself? Come on. Fight me yourself."
"Don't sound so sure, father," Percy said, although his voice was shaky. "It may not be as easy as you think."
"Expulso!"
Arthur's spell blasted another section of the floor, sending the remaining two men flying across the hall. Their bodies knocked into each other and they both fell to the ground. Arthur couldn't tell if they were dead or alive. But he didn't care. They were out of the way. That's what counted. He took a step closer to Percy, who took a step back.
"Are you forgetting that I'm the one who taught how to duel, Percy?" He crossed one of his feet over the other and, as suspected, Percy did the same. "I taught you wand motions, foot movements." Again, he stepped and again, Percy followed him. "I know how you think, how you move."
"If you know me so good, how come you didn't know what I was planning?" A bit of resolve returned to Percy and he stood straighter. "You were blind to it all these years, catering to the very person who was out to destroy you."
A flash of regret shone in Arthur's eyes. "A mistake on my part," he said, looking past Percy for a few seconds. "Too occupied with other matters."
"So, you see, father," Percy said, his lips curving into a smile, "you and I are so much alike."
"That's not true," Arthur spat.
At that moment, a thunder of footsteps sounded, announcing the arrival of Harry those. They piled into the hall, falling into line behind Arthur. But it was as if their presence was unknown. Percy and Arthur kept their eyes focused on each other, their conversation never waning.
"I would never do the things you did," Arthur continued, his grip on his wand becoming a little tighter.
"Oh?" Percy said, titling his head. "You never waged battles, went after people who threatened what you wanted?"
Arthur remained quiet, unable to say anything. Percy smiled. It was true. Every word. It was how Arthur had done things all these years. Despising James so much had made him do some of the same things Percy had done – murders, selfish moves. But there was something Percy did that Arthur had never done.
"I never went against my family." It was then that Arthur acknowledged those behind him with a nod in their direction. "I never sent people after Bill; never imprisoned Ginny or made attempts to kill Ron. That was all you."
"I DID WHAT I HAD TO DO!" Percy shouted. "I did what other people were afraid to do; even things Albus was afraid of doing," he added, glancing at Neville. "Sure, he had orchestrated the whole thing but he started to have second thoughts about it all; wanted to turn back, reveal himself and stop it. He even wanted to return what he took." Percy looked at Draco knowingly then flicked his eyes back, although everyone kept their glances on Draco, wondering. "But I couldn't let him do that, so I had him killed. Then, I took over, changed courses and I'm so close to making it."
"Why, Percy?" Ginny stepped to her father's side. "You don't have to do this!"
"Yes, I do," Percy retorted, switching his wand to her. "I want it all. Don't you see? And I can't have it with all of you around."
"You're not going to get anything if you keep it up," Ginny said. She saw Percy's eyes narrow in anger but she kept going. "This foolish idea you have is only going to get you killed if you don't stop!"
"Shut up!"
Percy muttered an incantation and made a slashing motion with his wand. Ginny gasped, not expecting it. A streak of purple flame strode towards her and everything seemed to slow down. She felt her body shoved and watched as someone else fell into her spot. The spell hit him in the chest, blasting into him so hard that his back arched and his neck fell back. Then, he crumpled as his body began its descent. His contact with the ground seemed to jerk everything back into real time and people bustled around her, jarred into action by the attack.
"Relashio!"
"Stupefy!"
"Expelliarmus!"
"Avada Keda-!"
"Protego Horribilis!"
Spells shot all around her but she didn't pay attention to them. Instead, Ginny moved onto all fours and crawled over to the rumpled body, fearing the worst. Her heart thundered in her chest and her breathing felt constricted. He couldn't be dead. She finally reached him and knelt beside him. She gingerly took his head and cradled it in her lap, tears dripping from her eyes, down her cheek and on to his face.
"Why did you do it?" she asked, her voice cracking.
"I wanted…to pr…to protect you," he replied, his eyes dropping close.
She gripped him tighter. "No…please…just hold on."
"I redeemed myself…and…and I made a promise…to…to do what I could…to make sure you…you lived be-beyond this." He coughed, his voice getting weaker. "I'm glad…I…I kept my promise." Another tear fell from Ginny's cheek and landed on his. "Remember…that…that I love you, Ginny."
"I love you, too," she managed to choke out. Then, his head lulled to the side as his eyes closed. She felt his final breath as it brushed a few strands of her fringe and she grew frantic. "Charlie?" she cried, shaking him. "Charlie?!" She shook him again. "Charlie! Wake up! Please!"
Just then, Harry dropped beside her. He was sporting a fresh cut on his cheek and his breathing was erratic. All that time, they had been fighting and she hadn't even noticed. Her mind was clouded with the fact that she was losing another one of her brothers, something she had feared all day, along with her fears of losing Harry.
"He's gone," she said, looking up at Harry with tearful eyes. "He saved me but it cost him his life."
"I'm so sorry." Harry hugged her and kissed the top of her head.
Meanwhile, Arthur and James were locked into a fierce battle with Percy. They refused to let anyone near him, wanted to take him out on their own.
"Give up, Percy," Arthur yelled, just as his son dodged another spell.
"Never!" Percy's shout was so loud that all movements halted. He raised his wand again and yelled, "Deprimo!"
At first, nothing happened. But then, a loud 'boom' sounded. The entire foundation of the house shook as a loud rumble reverberated through the walls. Parts of the ceiling started to crumble and fall in. Ron and Fred had to dive out of the way of a huge piece, knocking into Neville and Draco. Everyone tried to hold their feet but it was difficult. The tremors only got worse. Percy's spell had caused such a forceful pressure on the house that an earthquake erupted, shaking the core; it was as if a huge vacuum was sucking it down bit by bit, breaking it apart.
"WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!" James shouted, gesturing to everyone.
Harry pulled Ginny to her feet. She looked down at Charlie's body and said one final goodbye before allowing herself to be pulled away. It was a mad rush. The top level was blocked completely on one side. Everyone knew they had to get down to the next level before they could find a proper route for an exit. They all dashed towards the stairs, holding on to some part of the person in front of them so no one was left behind.
Another loud 'crash' sounded followed by a loud cry of pain. Arthur spun to see Percy trapped beneath a huge chunk of roof; it had fallen and, in his haste to dive out of the way, it had caught his legs, preventing him from moving anywhere. A part of Arthur, the fatherly part, made him retreat. He dove around obstructions, doing his best to balance against the shaking. In no time, he had made it to Percy's side.
"Dad, we have to go!" Ginny's shout was loud and pleading, even above the roar of the house.
But he stayed. He looked down at Percy who stared back at him. In that moment, he saw his son as he was years ago: the boy who was interested in History of Magic and loved to read above anything else; the older brother who saved Ron from being killed twenty years ago; the son he actually knew. Not the madman he had become.
Percy must have sensed it, too. His eyes crinkled and he whispered, "I'm sorry." Arthur braced his hands against the block but Percy stopped him. "No, dad. Just go on. I don't deserve rescuing."
"But son-"
"No," he said, closing his eyes. "I-I'm going to die, anyway. Risking your life to save me is useless."
The determination in Percy's eyes was set; there was no persuading him otherwise so Arthur nodded solemnly and turned. After a moment of hesitation, Percy grabbed his hand and pulled him down. He whispered something into his father's ear, his final words, before his grip slackened and his body relaxed. Dead. Arthur stared at him as he slowly stood to his feet. He would have stayed longer but Ginny ran up to him, grabbed his hand and yanked him towards the stairwell. He followed almost blindly, not registering anything of what was going on.
As a group, they all raced down the stairs. Draco and Luna took the lead, knowing the layout of the house better than anyone else. They ran through room after room, hall after hall searching for a way out. Finally, Draco burst through a side door that led out into the grounds. One by one, they fell over the threshold and started the trek to safety. Avoiding bushes and other obstacles, they made their way towards their original camp. Behind them, the tremors and rumbles of the house grew louder, fueling their momentum to get away..
Finally, they reached the top of the rise where they had made camp. Turning around, they watched as the last of the house tumbled. Ginny gripped tightly onto Harry's arm as the roof caved in. It was the same floor that Charlie and Percy had been; another two of her brothers gone. Following the roof, the sides of the house buckled and sunk, pushing down on the rest of the foundation. In one fell swoop, the entire house crumbled completely, sending up a huge puff of smoke that curled into the shape of a mushroom, reaching high into the sky.
Minutes ticked past but no one said anything. They just continued to watch as the smoke cleared, revealing nothing but a ruin of something that once was. Even the surrounding fence was no more; broken iron lying in straight heaps. Slowly, they all slipped out of their reverie. The remaining men from the army began to jump and shout. Although they had lost so much of their number, their goal had been reached. The enemy was abated; the madman finally stopped.
"It's over." Luna's soft declaration drew the attention of everyone else. "I can't believe it. It's really over."
Neville smiled at her and nodded before pulling her into a hug.
"I never thought I'd see the day," Ron added, shaking his head in disbelief.
Hermione smiled at him and linked her fingers with his. "All the hard work finally paid off."
"But Charlie," Ginny said, covering her mouth as she felt herself start to tear up.
Harry placed his arm around her shoulder. "It's not your fault, baby." Ginny nodded and Harry kissed the side of her head.
"I still can't believe Percy." Arthur turned back to face the house. "All these years, he was jealous of you all. Wanted what you all stood to gain for himself."
"Is that what he told you?" Ginny asked.
Arthur nodded. "He said he wanted the same thing James and I had but knew he couldn't have it with so many siblings. It all boiled down to selfishness. Selfishness and blind ambition. Just like I had."
"Don't go blaming yourself, dad." Ron stepped up to his father's side. "Percy made all of his choices on his own. You didn't even know what he was doing."
"I know that, Ron," Arthur replied. "I was only saying."
Ginny stepped up to her father's other side. "Dad, what did Percy tell you before he…before he died?"
"He told me what happened to David." Arthur looked at James and Harry. Both of their heads had shot up at his words. He smiled and started walking. "He said that after David was kidnapped, Albus had another boy killed to throw off the trail. David was then incorporated somewhere else. Somewhere where he would never be found."
"So, where is he?" Harry asked. Everyone could read the anticipation in his eyes, the excitement rising.
Arthur smiled at the boy and stopped by where Luna and Neville were standing. Reaching behind them, he pulled Draco to the forefront and then walked back towards Harry and James.
"Arthur," James started, raising an eyebrow questioningly, "what are you…"
"Draco is David."
Everyone froze. Even Draco seemed to tense up, his hands going rigid and his eyes locked on a spot on the ground. It was an almost incomprehensible revelation. Draco is David? One by one, they all switched their gaze to Draco. Harry was the first one to speak.
"Draco is…Draco can't be…how…"
"Permanent transfiguration," Draco whispered. He looked up at Luna and saw that she too realized it. She ran up to his side and looked at Harry.
"That's how he did it," she said. "That's what Lucius was talking about. They permanently transfigured David's looks so that he wouldn't be detectable. Made one person a completely different individual."
Arthur nodded. "It was the perfect way to hide him."
James walked up to Draco. He studied him, trying to see some kind of familial trace. He had seen Draco many times before and had thought that he looked too much like his father – poised and completely wound tight. But seeing him now, seeing him relaxed and looking straight into his eyes, a part of him knew. Somewhere deep down, he saw the son he had lost twenty years ago; the son he now had back.
"David."
Draco allowed himself to be hugged, pulled into an embrace. As Harry joined into the hug, words, familiar ones, echoed in Draco's head. Your family needs you. All of them. This was them. This was his family, the people he had never known but was connected to nonetheless. He had helped save them from facing death and he had been rewarded with knowing who they were, knowing that he was not alone in this world. Harry was feeling it, too. A link to something he had lost. Standing there, in an embrace with his father and his long lost brother, it was as if this Draco person never existed. And in a way, he hadn't. He had always been David Potter.
Ginny looked on, smiling as she watched the reunion. It was what she considered a perfect ending to things. The war was finally over, the guilty party sought, found and stopped. And, despite the many casualties along the way, it was a glorious thing. Now, they all had a chance to live a full life. James, although he had lost his wife, had regained his son and Harry a brother. Draco had found himself a true home, one where he could be the person he was born to be and not someone else's creation. Luna was completely free from her bondage and now able to live her life with Neville, who had managed to make a name for himself – maybe not as a world-class hero or an innovator – but as a strong person and a redeemer of his own life. Hermione and Ron, finally over their own hurdles, could move on without worries or fears clouding their way. And she, Ginny – she could finally live the peaceful life she had always wanted. There were no more threats of war or death looming over her head. Just the promise of a full life, a good one, with her family, with her baby and with Harry.