A Stitch in Time

The hazy dungeon corridor was quickly filling with smoke and the cries of fallen Death Eaters.

"Come on," the Mirror growled.

Harry noticed the determination and the adrenalin showing on the boy's face. .

His thoughts were torn away when Draco clambered past them, searching for danger.

While their eyes stung and smoke filled their lungs, they stepped over huge chunks of stone. The Mirror navigated around the dead that had been crushed by masonry or killed by Harry's blast of magic. One was in agony; the lower half of his body was severed, and he was screaming for help.

"Merlin," whispered Draco. He was paling quickly.

"KILL ME!" the Death Eater cried, raising his bloodied hands at them.

Harry squinted in the smoke and saw Yaxley ahead, pointing his wand. Silently, he gave the wizard what he wished for.

"Sit here," the Mirror said, motioning Harry over.

He obeyed, squeezing his eyes shut as the green light from the Killing Curse was taking awhile to disappear from his vision.

"And keep watch. Whatever you do, don't use your magic—until I say so."

Harry agreed. He was still extremely exhausted anyway. The shock of it all was beginning to break through the adrenalin. He was shivering now, feeling both the effects of the castle's power and Cadwallader's own.

"Hey…" The Mirror bent down. There was blood still trickling down from his eyes, and it oddly reminded Harry of Voldemort. "Stay focused."

He breathed in deeply, nodding, but he couldn't handle meeting his Mirror's eyes. "I am," he replied adamantly. It wasn't easy, not with his mind still processing everything.

"You made them pay for everything."

"Bellatrix…?"

"I'll make her regret she was ever born."

Harry felt a sort of calmness and relief at his Mirror's words. "Help your friends," he said coarsely.

Harry tuned in to the sounds around him. Outside, spells were being cried out and people were running, while explosions rang through the air like a ripple of water. The smell of burning wood and flesh was beginning to overwhelm him, while the smoke billowing into their little haven of false safety was thickening.

Suddenly the small arched windows exploded and showered them in coloured glass.

"Hurry—check for survivors."

Harry watched on as they broke down doors to empty dark rooms, until Yaxley pulled back from one, with a dark expression.

"What is it?" Draco piped.

"A dozen dead Aurors. Their bodies are still fucking warm." Yaxley walked away, shoving a crimson note into the Mirror's hands. He stormed off to open another door.

Draco shook his head as he read the note over the Mirror's shoulder.

"What does it say?" asked Harry.

"A present for the Order," replied the Mirror, crumbling the note. Harry could sense the revulsion seeping out of the boy. "We'll get their wands later."

Draco looked through the keyhole of a door which wouldn't budge. "Emily, are you in there?"

"Yes," said a muffled voice. "The Conditioned all are."

Mirror Harry almost blew the door off its hinges, revealing the quiet people inside. He pulled Emily out roughly and the others followed, including Cho and Penelope, three older Hufflepuffs, four Ravenclaws Harry remembered from school, and even a couple of Slytherins from his year.

Snape's Conditioned had taken a battering. Draco grabbed her upper arms, pulling her forward. "Are you all right?" he brushed her brown hair from her face and she simply stared back, wiping the blood from her nose.

"They were just going to interrogate us when Bellatrix summoned them." She turned to Harry as he wrapped the cloak around his shoulders. "Your magic killed our guards—it seemed to only target Death Eaters."

"How much of the castle's defences did I destroy?" He peered out of a hole in the wall where he could see the wizards' feet twirling about. It was almost like a dark dance of death.

"Most of it," the Mirror answered. "I repaired a few wards when I escaped. We can only Apparate into the castle and within it. We can't Disapparate, and no one can walk out or use Portkeys—I made sure of it."

"But then the prisoners can't get out," Emily blurted.

"I can't risk Voldemort escaping," snapped the Mirror. Harry knew he had a point.

"Where did they take the prisoners?" Yaxley was walking up and down the corridor. All the doors had been opened, and not another soul came out.

Cho bit her lip. "They rounded them all up after Harry was put in the interrogation room and moved them."

"That's—that's not good," mumbled Draco. "Where would they take a few hundred people?"

"Well somewhere they'd be used as leverage, is my guess," interjected Yaxley. "Now that our master can't escape, he'll likely draw us in."

"To be more precise, he'll draw me in." Mirror Harry nodded. "I've also noticed magic that I can't easily erase. There is something preventing people entering into the main parts of the castle."

Harry yanked his mirror towards him, remembering a detail from his earlier vision. "Is he a Mage?"

The Mirror's brow furrowed, then realisation dawned on his face. "He must have—Shit!" he yelled.

"It would explain the amount of power he's got now, even though his soul is not yet fully healed." Feeling a little steadier, Harry walked alongside his Mirror. "He may have experimented after he lost his power, and only now is he beginning to feel its true effects."

Draco pinched the crook of his nose. "It wasn't so much as a rumour, but while you were in Azkaban, a Death Eater told Bellatrix and my father about a black aura surrounding the Dark Lord when he became angry. They were diligent to keep it quiet—even made the Pettigrew kids swear on it. They killed the gossipy Death Eater on the Dark Lord's order by poisoning his drink."

"He didn't seem keen on people finding out did he?" Emily remarked.

"Well, the children told me." Harry remembered. "Did you tell Dumbledore?"

"Yes I did."

"He would've forgotten what you said," the Mirror said. "But that sounds like the Dark phase, and keeping the information quiet would've given him a surprise manoeuvre. Interesting…"

No, it was not interesting to Harry, it was damn well frightening. "He's definitely not a natural born, I bet."

"Don't be so sure about that," said Mirror Harry, urging them to walk as a fireball erupted into the sky, brightening the castle around them. "We both share Peverell's bloodline, as a snarly goblin guard in Azkaban kept telling me," he said with a gruesome smile on his face.

A bright whizzing light spiralled their way, illuminating their tiny corner.

"GET DOWN!" the Mirror shouted.

An explosion rocked every inch of the castle and they could hear cries outside as more stonework and masonry collapsed. A tonne of dirt and rocks fell. Harry flung himself away from the debris smacking into Cho and Emily.

They stumbled upright with each other's help.

Harry stooped to see the carnage outside as the cold, blustery wind dispersed the smoke. He saw wizards succumbing to their injuries. Both sides weren't immune to war. Harry seemed momentarily mesmerised by the bursts of magic and intense fervour of the duels.

Was this what would happen in his war? Would he have to jump over the dead to find Voldemort? The questions circled his mind, gathering speed. This would be his test run, and he would learn from it.

Harry looked up and saw two German Aurors try to enter the castle, only to fall screaming as their skin turned inside out.

"What the—POTTER!" Draco yelled into his ear. "MOVE!" Harry was dragged away.


"Severus. Severus… WAKE UP!"

Somebody was shaking his shoulders, but he could not open his eyes. The blissful blackness held him back. He heard other sounds: splashes of spells, screams, and the commands of ghosts.

Severus opened his eyes wide. He tried to sit up, but a hand held him down.

"Don't move," replied Edric Ibbott.

"Are we dead?"

Edric laughed scratchily. "Not yet."

His hands were on Severus's chest. And he could feel something wet and warm against his skin. Severus looked down and realised he was swimming in his own blood.

He remembered a short duel with his master, and being struck, before the ghosts banded together and prevented Voldemort from casting the final blow.

"I need to get you out—I've tried to staunch the blood, but whatever curse our master has put on you, it's deterring Healing spells."

"My spell. He used my spell." Severus relaxed, staring at the dark ceiling of the passageway. Sir Nick was staring down at him with the Fat Friar by his side.

He was going to die.

"What's that incantation you use to treat the spell?' Edric questioned.

Severus opened his eyes again, feeling sleepier.

"STAY AWAKE!"

"Page 54…"

"What?"

"The book—in my robes," Severus sighed. He had always hidden his old text book in his classroom. And when Hogwarts closed, decided to keep it on him at all times. It was a small reminder of the old days: the good and the bad and a constant reminder that Hogwarts would never be the same again.

Edric rummaged through the pockets until he found it, stained with blood with pages almost ripped in half and smouldering around the edges. He roughly flicked through the pages. "Right—Friar hold the book open." He waved his wand in circles. "I'm not good at Healing—"

"No you're not," smiled Severus sleepily. "But you're good at inflicting harm…"

"You have an excellent way of buttering up people who are about to help you," Ibbott snarled.

Severus chuckled weakly. "Get on with it. we have a fight to be part of."

He closed his eyes, and after a hesitation by Voldemort's ex Chief Interrogator, heard the wizard sing the incantation. Around them the ghosts continued to fight as a new influx of senior Death Eaters tried to escape.


"JAMES!" Lily yelped. She lost her husband in the scrum that was pushing the hordes of Aurors and Order members towards the castle. They had Apparated quickly, but the Death Eaters were waiting behind every window and battlement, and struck down many before they even had the chance to move.

"JAMES!"

Spells crisscrossed through the air, sparks flew and Dark Marks blazoned the sky like a grim fireworks display. She saw smoke and bodies flying. She heard the screams and the determined words of magic. Everywhere she could feel the sweat and blood splattering onto her face and the cold seeping into her clothes.

"Here! Over here." He yelled, waving his arm into the air. He was sitting behind the flaming remains of Hagrid's hut with Bladak and Bill. Lily saw him, but so did a few enemies. James protected himself best he could with a timely Protection Charm as spells whizzed at him, and hid behind the body of a centaur.

Lily screamed when hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her in her husband's direction.

"It's just me," replied Kingsley into her ear. "I'll watch your back."

But a circle of Death Eaters appeared in front of them. As people realised they needed help, they threw curses, but the Death Eaters seemed to repel the magic.

"What the," James and Bill yelled.

Lily gasped. Her heart was pounding furiously. "Oh my god." They were trapped. They were going to die before they even had the chance to enter the castle.

But Bladak rose up, clapped his hands and a cold blast of silver magic threw the Death Eaters off their feet. "No need to thank me."

"James," Lily ran into his embrace. His face was wet with blood.

"We need to get as close as possible to the castle—"

"We can't enter it—there's a curse," Kingsley snapped, holding a gold galleon firmly in his hand. Aurors appeared next to him. "Report."

"Sir, they've blocked the entrances and they're hitting us with all the manpower they've got from strategic points. We're sitting ducks!"

"Cordukes, order the dragon handler to get the dragons flying up there. Burn them. And get as many men possible on broomsticks," Kingsley ordered. The fair haired Auror disappeared, but the rest stayed behind. "All of you, cover us."

"I don't need your cover," Bladak grunted. He ran through the fighting wizards and Lily lost sight of him.

James gripped her arm. "I'm Apparating us to a closer point."


Yaxley and Draco erected a temporary shield, drowning out the noise outside and

when they felt it was safe gain, hid in a storeroom where once it would've held Snape's stores. Now looking around, the shelves were empty.

"Where to now?" asked Penelope. "We don't know where our wands are kept—and everyone elses's."

"The wands are usually kept in a store room one floor above," answered Yaxley. He handed the Conditioned the wands he had stolen from the dead wizards. "There'll be thousands there."

"If we find the prisoners how will we get them out to safety? Most are not fit enough to fight," Emily pondered out loud. The others murmured in agreement.

"No way is safe—I didn't plan for this."

"What about the Room of Requirement—we can do side-along Apparition? Then we can Apparate back in to fight again. Or if we risk the passageways, the ghosts will let us escape."

"We can't risk it and Peeves may have booby-trapped the Room of—PEEVES!"

There was a sudden invisible whooshing sound on the floor. Harry jumped back to see a black, undulating smoke filtering under the door. It rapidly spread across of the arched ceiling.

"A-yeeesssssss?" His orange eyes appeared.

"Is the Room of Requirement safe?"

"Of course not, Potty—"

"Well make it safe!" clipped the boy. "But leave a little bit of yourself here to follow us."

The black smoke pulled back a little, and a chuckle emerged. "Do you want me to make it safe for Death Eaters trapped within the room?"

"Kill only the Death Eaters."

"And then what? I'm feeling rather itchy to be naughty."

"Where's Voldemort? Is Snape alive?"

"Dun know, dun know… Snapey is hanging on by a thread."

The black smoke was now skimming around their legs.

"Shall I chase the snake?" Peeves hissed.

"Snake—?"

The Mirror seemed shocked. "He let it loose?"

"The basilisk?" Draco spluttered. "Well…" he laughed humourlessly, "that just takes the biscuit!"

The Mirror ignored him. "Where are the prisoners?"

"Floating…"

"What?"

The poltergeist laughed and his body materialised in full. He hung upside down with the smoke waving around him. "Floating, floating. FLOATING!"

"Do not test me, Peeves," the Mirror said with a soft, dangerous tone. "After you help the prisoners, create some hell for Voldemort."

More windows were broken. Harry could hear the crashing glass, and the howls of pain from irreversible injuries. There was a sudden loud sound reverberating upstairs. It sounded like they were trying to break down doors.

"Your wish is my command." Peeves bowed. The smoke retreated from the ceiling and vanished the same way it had come.

"Good," the Mirror said. "First thing we need to do is get your wands—here, Harry," he added, pulling out a battered wand from his pocket. "I found yours in the office."

Harry took it, instantly feeling warmth in his fingertips. "Thank you." He felt oddly protected with it in his hand. The Mirror looked at him strangely before leaving the room.

"Secondly, we need to find the prisoners—any news, Draco?" he asked, "If Peeves says they're floating somewhere, we need to get them out fast."

Their coins burned. Draco looked at the galleon in his hands. "Snape's out. He's still alive. The ghosts are holding strong."

"Tell Ibbott to hide near the Room of Requirement, he'll be allowed into the room with the others. Everyone follow me."

"He's actually coming to us."

"What's happening outside?" asked Emily, as they carefully exited the storeroom in twos.

Draco stared attentively at the coin and they watched it glow. "Blaise said there's a spell preventing anyone who isn't a Death Eater from getting through."

"Yeah, I think we just witnessed it with those poor Aurors," Penelope said in disgust.

Draco was about to reply when something growled outside.

"RETREAT!' Yaxley called out.

Before Harry understood what had happened, he a saw a hand the size of a car plunge in through the shattered wall.

They screamed and jumped out of the way as the giant growled and grew angry as spells failed to penetrate its thick hide. Yet, with its arm almost fully submerged and pulling away the stone, it continued searching the corridor with one large eye peering through with a hunger to snatch a body. Emily tripped and the hand almost grabbed her.

"Conjunctivis," Draco and Cho yelled. The red hex shot out and hit its target.

The giant withdrew with a howl of agony and was pounced on by no less than a dozen wizards, including Hagrid. Harry saw centaurs galloping by shooting arrows. One of the arrows was halfway through the hole before it was incinerated into ash.

"UPSTAIRS!" The Mirror yelled, leading them on.

But when they reached the landing, they were ambushed from the darkness.

"ARGHHHHHHH!" They sprinted out of the area with their hands over their heads. As spells suddenly flew at them from behind, Harry backed himself against the wall and squinted at the closed classrooms around them.

Then he heard his name being called. "Immobilise the Death Eaters ahead," Yaxley bellowed. Harry lifted his hand, but his Mirror stopped him.

"Wait, you need time for your magic to settle." He thrust his hands out and three Death Eaters were thrown to the ground, writhing.

Cho struck one with the Killing Curse, while Emily slashed one across the eyes. Draco was smacked onto the ground and the Mirror protected him.

Harry was itching to help. Perhaps, with the aid of a wand, it would help focus his magic. He aimed it at one, but it was too late because an arching red fire punched them in their stomachs, smashing them all against the wall. They were suddenly stuck to the walls and could not move.

"Where do you think you're all going?" a Death Eater shouted through the chaos, "Joining your little friends in the fight? You'll be dead before you can."

"Shut your mouth, Dreadford!" Draco hissed, frazzled, his blonde hair in disarray.

Olive Dreadford was leading the pack in front of them, still alive. She looked extremely pale now, the tattoos standing out even more, and blood was pouring from the back of her head. Right behind her, Death Eaters carried an unconscious Cho and Penelope.

Everyone could not detach themselves from the wall as the Death Eaters closed in as the bedlam continued above them.

"Quite a display you traitors put up in our escape passages. But you little shits aren't going to get far either, not while I have your precious Mudloving cunts."

Harry focus was not on his Mirror and Dreadford. He watched Malfoy nod at Emily, slyly pointing with his one moving finger to an oak door labelled 'stores'. The wands were in there.

"We need a distraction. Talk," Harry commanded.

"Listen Olive," the Mirror began. "I saw a little girl, about eleven, with dark hair"

From the corner of his eyes, Harry saw the smoke, signalling Peeves's return. The smoke hid in the darkness so it was not recognisable. For added effect, the sconces were extinguished and the only light they got was from the myriad of coloured spells flashing in from the battlefield.

"She had a birthmark on her right temple."

Olive Dreadford's eyes widened. "Where's my sister? What have you done with the girl?"

"Annabel... She looks like you, when you were still a pretty girl." The Mirror cocked his head. "What fucked you up, Olive? Was it Julien and Vera Roux? Perhaps something else… Or was it the voices in your head? I can hear them now."

"GET OUT!" She shook her head, shaking her wand in his face. "Get out of my head, Potter!"

"Maybe not your Mentors… that was the only way you could escape your family and," the Mirror laughed, "you willingly submitted. So it was partly the voices—partly what that Muggle boy's betrayal—partly your family."

"I'm warning you, Potter—" she snapped, sparks flying out of her wand.

"Your parents disowned you. You thought you were in love with that Muggle, but you came back to them when he—"

"—STOP PLAYING GAMES—!"

"—But going back wasn't enough. So they locked you in the attic for years, all alone and in the dark."

Olive was now inches from his face, snarling.

Harry looked down and saw the thin slithers of smoke wrapping around the Death Eaters legs. He could feel it around his own legs, cold and unusual.

"Then my family bowed to the Dark Lord." She grinned, making her tattoo more hideous.

"You were one of the first to be successfully conditioned by Julien and Vera—maybe because you were way older than what they usually go for—"

"And so were you." She licked her lips.

A twitch appeared on the Mirror's cheek. "I remember you couldn't handle the dark during my very first day of conditioning. You had to escape."

"Oh boo hoo to me," Olive chuckled.

But the Mirror continued. "That Muggle boy's the first name you had tattooed—right over your heart."

Olive curled her lips and moved a few steps away from the Mirror. "So, Potter, why this trip down memory lane? Do you think I care?" She shrilled. "Where's Annabel?"

Harry watched on in silence, but his mind was opening up.

In the darkness he was running through smoke, disappointed he could not escape. He could not undo the boy's magic, so in defence, he had made his own. And if the enemy made it through, they would falter. The Horcruxes were in his robes and the stitch safely in its leather.

"Bella, Barty, Vera, Priscott, Nott. Go into the Chamber. Wait there. The rest follow me."

"But my Lord, the Great Hall—"

"Is covered. I will make them know that I am to be feared."

Harry's eyes rolled back, and he found himself being stared at by a worried Emily and Draco. His heart was beating so fast. "The Great Hall—Voldemort's going to do something—" he mouthed.

Harry looked down at the smoke around his feet. "Peeves," he whispered. "Peeves!"

The smoke lifted a little.

"Go to the Great Hall. The Room of Requirement can wait." Some of the smoke retreated, but enough was left behind to worry about the Death Eaters in front of them.

Draco whispered. "Is there anyway you can remove Voldemort's magic?"

"That isn't easy, it would take time." Harry wasn't sure he had the strength at the moment with the volatility of his magic, but he could try.

"You removed Harry's—"

"That's different. We're Mirrors. My magic is his and vice versa. Everything about us is the same."

He remembered reading that natural Mages can remove another's imprint, but it takes awhile, and a lot of power and concentration. However removing a Dark Arts Mage's imprint was much more difficult and Harry wasn't sure what sort Voldemort was.

"You're also a Horcrux."

"Draco, I am not connecting with Voldemort's soul to do this." He closed his eyes, and it was then his Mirror came through with one word.

"Wait."

As they watched, the Mirror's stance changed. A smirk played on his lips. The hair on the back of Harry's neck stood up and he thought, perhaps, his Mirror was now more like the boy he remembered from the cave. More like Voldemort.

"Your father gave her up." He said this with a hint of amusement. "She's dead."

The way he said the word dead was too callous, thought Harry. It's not him.

"She's…" There was a moment of shock on Olive's ugly face, but that was quickly replaced with a stone cold expression.

"I saw her body. You didn't know, did you?"

Harry closed his eyes and concentrated on his Mirror and the castle. He could feel a foreign magic, deep purple in hue, surrounding the castle walls and the interior. But first, Harry focused on four spots outside. He saw his Mirror piercing them open as he spoke to Olive. He felt a surge of magic and Voldemort's magic giving way. But the magic in the castle was strengthening in parts, except the Great Hall where it weakened and vanished. But Voldemort knew and was fighting back.

But his Mirror had done the damage. It worked. They heard the wizards outside yelling in victory and the great entrance door being torn down.

"Something is wrong. That was too easy," Mirror Harry remarked.

Olive shifted her weight. "She was useless. Annabel never had the guts to learn our ways. She was weak—a pitiful excuse for a pureblood." She moved forwards, her shoulders hunched as she trained her wand on the Mirror.

The Mirror sighed deeply, his eyes fluttering as he focused solely on her now. "Don't you want to know what was done to her?"

"Whatever my master did, it was for a reason, and my family will be rewarded—you fucking idiot, do you think you could throw me off?"

The Mirror smirked. "Just making sure you're still a crazy bitch."

And right on cue, the Death Eaters were tripped by Peeves's magic, as through someone had pulled the rug from beneath their feet.

But Dreadford was quick, and highly trained. Before she was thrown to the ground, she flicked her wand with deadly effect. They ducked as daggers and sharp implements were thrown at them.

The Mirror ripped himself off the wall as the weapons were plunged his way.


"INSIDE. INSIDE!" Kingsley roared at the Order, goblins and others.

James and Lily had gotten as close as possible to the castle without dying and followed the Auror.

"Kingsley," Commander Larue called.

They turned around to see the French Commander shaking her head. He waved at her silently and motioned a circle above his head, which she agreed to.

Then hundreds of Aurors did not enter the castle, but instead they were ordered to circle the exterior of the castle in stealth. Disillusionment Charms slithered over their bodies. That was the last Lily saw of them, as the few remaining Death Eaters on the battlements continued to bombard them with curses.

After a quick diagnostics check, their magic failed to discover an invisible barrier preventing them from going up the main stairs. They found out rather grimly when an Auror, goblins and a Grindelwald supporter tried to run through it, only to be turned inside out on contact. They died screaming, their blood pumping out onto the floor.

But everywhere else was shrouded in darkness and a silence that dripped of foreboding.

"Great Hall is safe."

Strangely the cursed barrier was not around the entrance to the Great Hall. However, upon entering the hall, what they saw on arrival changed their tact. In the middle of the hall were three hundred Death Eaters. Two lines deep of the outer circle had their wands pointed towards the entering horde.

The high windows were broken and people were climbing through. Goblins were entering though one of the chambers with the help of Grindelwald's men. All four corners were filling up with the infiltrating Order, Aurors and goblins.

Lily gasped. She noticed the grim inner circle of Death Eaters and what they were aiming at on the ceiling.

The magnificent ceiling of the Great Hall would've sparkled with the outside view of the sky, and thousands of floating candles. Now the magic was long gone.

Now Kingsley outstretched his arms, his eyes wide. "Do not attack," he said over his shoulder. The European Auror commanders and Grindelwald repeated the same to their groups.

Lily squeezed James's hand staring at the ceiling filled with the floating injured and prisoners. The wizards and witches captured via the Floo network hung upside down, unconscious, their robes and hair floating upwards as though they were in water.

"I can't find Voldemort."

"It's a trap!" whispered Tonks, her hair turning a mousey brown.

"My-my-my wife—she's up there."

Lily heard people talking. She could feel the panic rising around her. People were stirring, lost as to what they should do. And from the corner of her eye she saw Derwent holding Imogen's arm with a vice grip.

Then a Death Eater's voice boomed through the hall. "One step forward and your loved ones will fry," he enunciated. "Leave. Go home and they will survive. The Dark Lord will spare them if you submit to him."

"To hell we will!" roared Bladak. Others yelled their approval, but many, particularly those starting at their loved ones hanging on the ceiling about to be slaughtered, stood silent.


Emily yelled as she hit the ground, covering her head as a Death Eater threw a hex at her. Harry smacked the ground as his Mirror plucked one of the daggers. He swivelled around, elbowing Dreadford hard in the face as Death Eaters fired at him.

Peeves's magic entered the Death Eaters mouths, making them scream and writhe in agony. He left one untouched, and that was Dreadford herself.

"POTTER!" Snape yelled, above Peeves's chuckles and Dreadford's insane cries.

Harry squinted through the myriad of blinding lights and blackness with no sense of direction; he didn't know where the hell his Mirror was now as the smoke obscured their vision. The spells were hitting a shield; he knew by the deep metallic sound it made that it was either deflecting or absorbing several Killing Curses.

"THERE'S MORE! MORE HAVE ARRIVED," Ibbott roared. One of the Death Eaters must have called for help.

Then suddenly they were all duelling Death Eaters around them. Cho and Penelope tore through their restraints and were fighting back. Emily threw a dagger at a Death Eater and it struck him in the neck. Draco kicked one with his boot and killed him quickly.

It was Snape and Ibbott who were fighting magnificently. With their years of experience and knowledge, they were quicker than the Conditioned, with one curse they were able to wipe out three.

After a deafening minute of grunts, pain and Latin words, someone who sounded like Snape ordered for them to stop. "IT'S OVER!"

As the smoke settled, Harry heard people gasping. Cho was now unconscious, and two of the Conditioned were dead.

He looked up and saw his Mirror straddling Olive Dreadford's body. She was long dead, and the Death Eaters around her struck unconscious or dying. But the Mirror, now covered in blood, continued stabbing her.

"Shit!" Draco rubbed his chin in thought.

Snape slowly approached him, his black robes slashed and slick with blood. He looked weak and deathly pale. "Potter… Potter, she's dead." He placed a steady hand on his shoulder, his other aiming his wand into the boy's face.

"LEAVE ME!" the Mirror screamed. The bloodied dagger was shaking in his fist. The dark red aura of mage magic seeped from him, perking up Harry's interest for a moment.

"We need to move on."

"She fucking deserved it!"

"I'm not going to argue about that," Snape replied coolly. "However, she's more than gone now."

After everything the Mirror had endured, this was his revenge. Harry couldn't blame him as he stared into the distraught pain on his face. What the thirteen Death Eaters had done, had destroyed him. Even though he had put up a façade and had forced himself to act strong, bold and a complete ass at times, there was a vulnerability that showed now. It was naked and red raw and he couldn't hide it anymore.

"Potter," Ibbott said quietly. He looked slightly unsettled, gazing at the witch's body. "Let the knife go."

The Mirror stared into his bloodied hands and left the dagger in Dreadford's chest. Covered in blood, he stood up. Everyone gave him a wide berth. "Conditioned restrain any of the Death Eaters alive and chuck them into a classroom."

"We'll come back when we have time to take prisoners. We're moving on to the Great Hall, Potter. I think that's where most of the action will be," Snape concluded.

"They've fallen into a trap." The Mirror looked at the ceiling, breathing deeply. "He'll have them surrounded. It'll be a blood bath. " He bowed his head and laughed. "I fell right into it. He knew I'd let them through and he intentionally weakened the magic."

Suddenly, there was a series of petrified screams coming from the great Hall.

"Can you undo Voldemort's magic everywhere?" Harry asked.

"Too late…" The boy shook his head. "Too late. He's closed them into the Great Hall now. " He looked so tired. The weight of the world was crushing him. "There are Death Eaters everywhere and they'll ambush the Order from within."

"Not quite," piped Penelope, pointing out of the broken window. "There are hundreds of Aurors still outside."

"We need to be quick, Voldemort's heading there," Harry said, watching his Mirror contemplate going to the Great Hall like they all did.

Ibbott summoned the wands out of the storeroom, though it was then the Mirror Disapparated. "POTTER," Ibbott yelled angrily. "DAMN IT—!"

A moment later, they heard a strange echoing cackle and the ceiling collapsed. Dozens of Death Eaters rained down around them, covered in black smoke. Harry and the others jumped out of the way as the bright light and dust from the Great Hall swam above them. And there was a cold laughter amongst the screams.

Yaxley, Ibbott, Snape, Draco and the Conditioned simultaneously flicked their wands, killing the Death Eaters before they had a chance to realise they were surrounded. Without a backward glance, Harry climbed over the bodies, into the light streaming out of the hall.


James backed Lily behind him as the floor gave way and the Death Eaters in the centre of the inner circle fell through. It did not stop some from blindly hurling spells at the prisoners. Some hit their targets and James had to turn away as the bodies crashed to the floor. The screams from loved ones around the Great Hall pierced through him.

The outer circle of Death Eaters began attacking them.

James threw some choice spells and Lily charmed a few of the knights of armour shields their way to deflect curses. "Good thinking," he said.

"LOOK!" an old witch pointed.

The smoke rose and spiralled, covering the prisoners. It twinkled orange in some parts. Everyone was mesmerised, and when the smoke disappeared, the prisoners were gone.

"Where did they go?"

But they heard the cold laughter in their ears. Voldemort was not with them, but it felt like he was there.

"You cannot beat me. You are all surrounded. Give up and you may survive."

James could feel Lily's rapid pulse in his fingers. It felt horrible, but deep down he did not care for these people. He needed to find a way to his children.

Grindelwald emerged from the group against the wall, his hands outstretched as he surveyed the empty ceiling. "We are ready to fight, Tom. Why don't you show your snake face and we can see how fearsome you really are."

"Your words are nothing, Gellert. This is my domain."

"Your domain is weak. Your army is weak. Otherwise how did I get so far? Half my army were once Death Eaters," he chortled.

"Yes, you are nothing but a thief."

"Show yourself, Tom… or are you a coward?" Gellert loudly proclaimed. He walked around, waiting. "Being a coward does not raise the morale of your army, seeing as they are dying for you."

Kingsley nudged James, and from the corner of his eye he saw the Conditioned and his Mirror son climbing up the hole in the floor.

Lily sighed in relief. "Thank God, he's alright."

There was a crack at the other end of the hall, and Harry Apparated within, smiling dangerously, covered in blood. This time, James and Lily held their breath.

The boy crouched down, fingers lightly touching the floor. "Where are you?"

"Everywhere, Harry."

And suddenly, they could not breathe, James clutched his throat. All air seemed to have been sucked out of the room. The pain he experienced seeing Lily struggling for air tore at his being.

Wizards fell around them like flies, and Death Eaters walked through the Great Hall's walls like they were made of butter. Stoically, with their silver masks glowing ominously, they marched forwards, wiping out as many of the choking Aurors and Order as they could possibly get to.

Goblins and the other beings involved were the only ones able to remove the curse. Some of them stood up and began duelling.

Was this how he was going to die? James refused to believe it as he covered Lily with his body. She shook her head, but no, he was determined that she would live.

Harry whirled around, striking the marching Death Eaters. Grindelwald laughed and pounced on a few, moving nothing but a hand.

"Harry, come join me—together we will beat him."

"Nice try, Gellert, but I don't think you'd want that."

"Why, my dear boy?"

"Dumbledore—"

His words were cut short when Voldemort appeared, with a few of his inner circle around him like an armoured guard. And the choking spell around the Great Hall was vanquished. A collective gasp for air resounded in the hall. Lily coughed and James helped her up.

Grindelwald struck the guard with a long red lash of a spell. But it did not penetrate the circle. "Fight Tom, show us how scary you truly are."

Their son simply crouched down on the floor once more.

Lily shook her head as she massaged her neck. "What is he doing?"

"Letting Grindelwald and Voldemort fight."

"He's waiting," said Hermione, pulling Ron along next to James. There was a series of pops behind them. Mirror Harry, the Conditioned and the others arrived. Harry grabbed Hermione's arm.

"Hermione, we have to go—"

"Where?" she said.

"Chamber of Secrets—Harry's removed the magic inside the castle, it's safe to move."

"You are not going anywhere without us!" Lily snipped, staring at them.

Grindelwald threw a large fireball, and the guard was drenched in flames. Voldemort attacked with a timely Killing Curse forcing Grindelwald to spin out of the way. The curse hit an Order member in the face.

"Attack!" yelled Kingsley hoarsely.

Around the hall wizards and witches on both sides were duelling, leaving nothing but a wide berth in the middle where the Dark Lords were fighting.

Grindelwald slashed his wand, scorching Voldemort's cloak.

Back and forth the wizards threw spells with such intensity that the ground was beginning to heat up, and yet, the Mirror simply watched on.

"Harry," James called out as bodies fell around them.

He saw Derwent fall to his side, and Imogen standing over his body with her wand smoking. Deep down he knew she had killed him and he didn't care.

"HARRY," he yelled again.

To his other side he saw Blaise Zabini succumb with a few of the Conditioned, and Order members were dying. Goblins were mutilated and centaurs were rearing as spells hid their hides. Two small horntails had found their way inside, flying through, their flames causing havoc.

"HARRY!"

His son simply looked up. There was a sort of sadness in his expression and it worried James. "Do something!" his son shook his head slowly as Voldemort had the last word, knocking Grindelwald off his feet, the floor splattering with blood.

Voldemort pointed his wand at his son, and something white wrapped around him.

"NO—HARRY!" Lily and Hermione screamed. As the white smoke cleared, Voldemort and Harry were gone, leaving none but Death Eaters fighting and Grindelwald being ambushed. But the old wizard was powerful and the Death Eaters flew into the air.

"GO!" Their Mirror son gripped their arms, dashing forward, with Draco and Emily clearing the way. Ron and Hermione were already sprinting up the crumbling staircase with Yaxley and Snape disappearing around the corner.

They ran as fast as they could. James was thinking about nothing but his children.

They followed Harry to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. There was an eerie silence around them, and the darkness was thick with cold.

Ron was huffing and puffing. "I have a bad feeling about this—"

"No shit, Weasley," Draco said with a clenched jaw. Harry was near the bathroom door, where Snape and Yaxley stood.

"Where's Ibbott?" Harry asked.

"He went around the corner checking for the enemy—we heard him yelling out basilisk and nothing more."

"Dead," Yaxley replied thickly in his Scottish accent.

"Oh my," Hermione quibbled, covering her mouth. "We have to get in fast before it knows we're here."

"We've tried opening the door with spells and implements, nothing worked." Snape said. "We even tried to break it down."

Then Yaxley smiled grimly. "I drew the short straw… here goes nothing." He touched the door

The curse on the door propelled him backwards. Lily was screaming his name, but all James could see was his hand was smouldering black and red. The Death Eater was trembling.

"FERGUS!" Snape fell by his side.

Yaxley seemed to have snapped himself out of the fuzziness and just stared. "I can't move a fucking finger!"

Snape bent low and examined the injury. It's a bad curse, Yaxley. We need to get out of here to halt its progression."

"And if I don't?"

"You'll die eventually."

The Death Eater laughed as James turned around to look at the innocent looking girl's bathroom.

"Sorry, but I think I've been through too much shit to die like this."

"Snape take him to safety—and you look like you need some help too." James pointed out.

The sallow-faced git scowled, and locked eyes with Lily.

"Don't worry about me," she said quietly.

"I'm not just worried about you," he replied, flicking back his robes to help Yaxley. "I'll be back."

James wished he wouldn't as the Death Eaters Disapparated.

"Pity Moaning Myrtle couldn't tell us what the fuck that was," James blurted.

Harry walked forward. "I can hear the snake. It's hiding around the corner. I'm going to try and subdue it."

"That's insane!"

"I think we are beyond rational thought. Besides, I've had experience dealing with it."

"He's right," said Hermione. "I bet the moment we figure out a way to open the door it will attack."

Emily waved at them. "Back yourselves against the wall and close your eyes. "Whatever happens, don't look into its eyes."

James watched his son slowly approach the snake with half closed eyes. But whatever words they spoke in Parseltongue, it did not obey them.

"Why isn't it working?

"Maybe it knows your true allegiance?" Draco yelled back.

"Oh no…" Harry said. "RUN!"

The boy bolted their way and the snake followed at great speed, hissing at him. It's tail reared over its head, smashing down next to them, making them run in every direction.

"OH SHIT!" Ron yelled.

"Don't do anything stupid—hide," Harry snapped. His eyes were half-trained on the floor.

The basilisk dispersed them. James was breathing heavily now, he needed to get to Lily before it did.

But Lily was still cowering on the ground near the bathroom with Hermione.

Emily and Draco were near a tapestry, their cloaks covering their faces.

The basilisk seemed to make a beeline for Lily and Hermione and they screamed.

"Oi, ugly! Over here!" Ron said, waving his hands with half closed eyes, standing in the middle of the corridor. The snake hissed, turning around its head, but did not leave Lily and Hermione alone. Emily began clapping behind him.

Instead the snake's tail swung their way knocking Ron off his feet.

"OHHHH SHIIITTTTT!"

The tail smashed against the column next to him and it collapsed, pinning him to the ground while a shard of stone smacked Emily on her head. Draco bravely jumped out and pulled Emily away from any more danger.

Harry and James slashed at its scales with the Reducto Curse. The gigantic basilisk hissed and slithered their way, suddenly forgetting about Lily and Hermione.

"DON"T LOOK INTO ITS EYES," Harry bellowed. He shoved James out of the way and he had enough space to run to Lily. Harry dodged the basilisk's coils and snapping fangs and made it to Ron's side.

"Move," James said, pushing the girls behind a dark alcove where a suit of armour stood. They were now blocked by the snake's slithering body.

They could hear the red-head cursing and praying under his breath as the snake's tongue flicked over his face.

Squinting, James watched Hermione who had cleverly taken out a pocket mirror to see where the basilisk was and put her next to Lily.

She then shrilled in protest. "Harry, look left and run for it. It'll give us time to help Ron."

Harry did as he was told, and the basilisk followed him.

With a few swish and flicks, they all worked together to raise the column off Ron's midriff. Blood spurted from his mouth and he coughed. Hermione wanted to move, but Lily held her by the shoulders.

"James, let me go out there and stabilise his injuries," Lily suggested.

"Are you mad?" he hissed, sounding almost like the basilisk.

Emily staggered onto her feet and whistled. She pirouetted on the spot, as the basilisk chased Harry. It hissed and lunged at her, but she Apparated next to Draco.

When the snake's head turned, Harry threw a red ball of magic. It struck the snake's red plume on its head, setting it alight.

The basilisk shook his head, hissing angrily, raising its green coils, twisting and unfurling fluidly. Then they heard his high cold hisses of Parseltongue. "DAMN IT, LISTEN TO ME!" he roared. "I'm TOM RIDDLE!"

James was in shock. "Is he-is he really invoking the Horcrux?"

Lily covered her mouth. "Harry don't!"

But the boy ignored them, speaking Parseltongue and urging the snake away from them.

James held his breath as the basilisk reared back and Harry opened his eyes fully staring into its eyes. The Basilisk cocked its head left and right and its tongue flicked over the boy several times before it bowed its head.

Harry moved backwards. He alone seemed immuned to the snake's eyes. James wasn't sure if this was because he was a Mage or because the snake lowered its defences around him.

"Harry," Emily said gently, not daring to raise her voice. The snake seemed partly tranced. "Where are you taking it?"

Harry disappeared around the bend, and the creature followed. Moments later, there was a piercing hiss and screech which made the hair on James's neck stand on end. There was a tremble as the snake thrashed around, before it stood still.

"HARRY" Emily yelled. But he emerged a few moments later covered in sticky blood and walked over to them.

"Its dead—pierced its eyes out." He also held a fang in his hand and he threw it at Hermione. "Keep it in case. Apparently Basilisk venom can kill Horcruxes."

They heard a gasp and a wispy white ghost floated through the floor. She was the only one not fighting with the other ghosts.

"Oh, you're all in a bit of a pickle," Moaning Myrtle said in both interest and shock.

"SHUT UP, MYRTLE!" Ron blasted as Lily helped him up. He coughed, clutching his middle and groaned.

"Hmmph," Myrtle grunted in indignation.

"WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?"

The ghost stared haughtily and placed her hands on her hips. "I was keeping watch for the ghosts. Oh, and if you die Ronald, don't dwell in my bathroom." She scrunched up her nose. "I don't like you much."

Ron gaped. "I'd rather die a hundred times over then share a room with you!"

"Oh Harry," she shrilled, ignoring Ron's retort. "Only Mages can open the door."

Harry strolled over and sure enough he was able to touch the handle without any disfiguring curse.

They all entered and looked down into the giant hole where a cistern usually was. He paced it in silence. "I'll go in."

"Wait a second," Lily spat. "We are going in blindly. How do we know this isn't a trap?"

Harry looked up, his green eyes bright and lingering. "He wants me down there. You are all collateral to him. But it's the only way we can end him and get the others out."

"A few of the seniors will be down there," James said.

"Correct," Harry nodded. "Stay up here. It's what Harry would want—"

Lily's cheeks reddened. "I will not let you go down there on your own, Harry! It's suicide."

Draco looked away and laughed loudly.

"IT'S NOT A JOKE!" she shouted.

But he looked back at her, a frown on his lips. "No, its not. This whole thing has been a hysterical fucked up joke. Go Harry. You can't stop us having a death wish."

Harry jumped into the hole before Lily could respond.

Draco went through next with Emily.

Hermione looked torn. James knew the girl wanted to stay with Ron as well as go down into the chamber.

"Make your choice, Hermione. Lily stay with him—"

"No," she replied defiantly. "We are going to do this together, James."

Hermione bit her lip, as Ron paled even more in front of her. "Go with them, Hermione," he moaned. "Honestly, I'll be alright." He held a galleon in his hand.

A moment later the Patil twins showed up.

"Harry?" gasped Parvati.

"Down there."

Padma Disapparated with Ron to the Room of Requirement, but Parvati stayed behind, covering her mouth as though she was about to be sick. She stared into the big hole and sighed, before rolling up her sleeves. Parvati grabbed Hermione's hand. "I've never been that great with heights."

"On three," Hermione said. They jumped in together, their screams echoing through.

James and Lily were the last. They faced each other and jumped through the hole.


The chamber was small and round, but cavernous. Harry looked up to see pitch blackness, waiting for James and Lily to slide down. The others were hiding within the darkness, waiting.

The sound of water was dripping on to the floor. Skeletons of rats and a few human skulls littered here and there. Stone snakes entwined the columns around them and Harry almost forgot what it was like down here.

As soon as his Mirror parents arrived, he silently waved them on. He was the only one who knew the location of the chamber. Down here there were many offshoots and passageways and it would've been easy to get lost.

The chamber was closed. Harry opened it, and inside the hole they saw Voldemort.

Lily and Hermione gasped.

Voldemort stood in the centre, in a round circle painted red, or perhaps it was blood. His Horcruxes were floating high above him, twinkling and hovering innocently. His hood was drawn low, and he caressed the Obsidian Stitch delicately in his gloved hand.

At his feet was Harry's Mirror. He knelt, shivering, and a collar was around his neck. To Harry's right he saw a glittering golden cage which had imprisoned Ginny, Michael, Jessica and a boy. They were all sleeping.

A sliver of dust fell over their heads as the ground shook around them.

But Voldemort was stoic. "You've finally arrived. Enter."

Harry did so first and as he did, the hidden Death Eaters ambushed the others outside. Their wands were ripped from their grasp.

"JAMES!"

A spell hit his chest and he crumbled first. Next was Emily, but Draco yanked her arm and held her close.

They were outnumbered five to one. They all cried out, but above the noise, Bellatrix laughed.

"Move and you'll die," she said in amusement, gripping Lily's hair, her wand at her neck.

Harry didn't know what to do as he watched them all struggling. They barely put up a fight.

"Come closer, Harry," Voldemort said loudly, his voice echoing around the chamber. "If you do as I say your Mirror family will survive." The black dagger glinted in his hand as he turned it over and over.

Harry was almost hypnotised by its black light.

Harrrrrrrrrry…

The Mirror turned his head slightly, catching Harry's eye. He heard it too.

Do you feel us, Harry?

Harry wasn't scared.

Can you smell the blackness of death…? Can you taste it…? Can you feel it?"

They froze.

Do you embrace it, Master of Death? Do you embrace it, Dark Mage?

"Yes," he replied and from within his mind, he heard the Mirror echoing his words. He closed his eyes; he had to trust it. From behind his eyelids he saw the pale blue eyes.

We are ready. You are ready. You are ready. Shall we dance to death, death, death? Or life, life, life?

"Both," Harry whispered.

It laughed. Do you want to hear my name?

"Yes," urged Harry.

"I was Fulvius Agelastus Maximus…"

From the corner of his eye, Harry saw something in the glittering cage stir. Jessica was the only one who had woken up. She got up and stared out of the cage with a crooked smile on her lips.

The Mirror looked terrified and Harry was too.

Finally, she cocked her head to the side and they heard her monotone voice. "And in death he became Vindictus."