A/N:

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I think I finally got all the replies taken care of, sorry it took so long. I love it when you guys give me your feedback! It's such a good muse!

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Chapter 15: The Final Showdown

Harry stood back and took in what Snape had said. Azkaban? He wondered if he were telling the truth. Why would he go to Azkaban, Snape showed no signs of being there but Hermione looked close to tears.

"Why would you go to Azkaban? Our problems are clearly here…in Egypt."

"Obviously you know everything Potter." Severus said sarcastically. "Do you recall the process in reviving Ron and Arthur earlier from their near catatonic state?"

"Yes." Disdain and anger filled his voice.

"And who is in Azkaban that could help Mr. Malfoy in the room behind you?" Severus smirked clearly enjoying treating Potter as the juvenile that he is.

"Lucius." Clearly Snape feels he is still a student.

"And how is Mr. Malfoy? Does he appear to be lucid and coherent?" Drawing it out in his low hypnotic voice.

"No. If you're quite done belittling my intelligence, could you please interrogate Malfoy now?" Harry proceeded to explain Draco's answers without waiting for a response catching them up to speed with the events that had transpired since they had arrived.

Severus walked Hermione over to Arthur and let her go into his arms. She graciously clung to him with fear still beaming from her eyes. She wasn't hurt but terrified at the horrors that Azkaban had to offer. He looked at Potter and nodded for him to enter the holding cell where Draco awaited. They entered and Severus immediately walked over to him and without hesitation entered his mind.

Severus flew through his mind desperately looking for answers. Finally it came in the middle of Draco's sixth year. The Dark Lord knew that Draco would fail at killing Dumbledore. So on Christmas holiday he met with Lucius and Draco at Malfoy manner and began to instruct him on his ultimate task. Severus could feel his fear for himself, his mother and his father. The Dark Lord entrusted Draco with his plan's for life in the event that the prophecy was fulfilled and Potter was victorious. He would give the blood traitor's the potion in the event of his death and take the potion himself along with several others; giving him the ultimate power of the Dark Lord.

The Dark Lord cast several enchantments over Draco that night. He advised him to continue as planned and to tell no one of his new task. The Dark Lord gave explicit instructions to save Dumbledore's death for Severus, for he knew that Severus was firmly for the light.

A bone chilling shiver ran down Severus' spine. The Dark Lord knew and did nothing for over a year. Entrusted him with Hogwarts despite his knowledge that he was a traitor; the ultimate revenge for turning his back on him for a mudblood. Severus zoomed to the next memory of the battle of Hogwarts. Searching for the moment Ron and Arthur took the potions. He watched Draco slip the potion in their tea's as well as his own.

He was thrown to the next memory of Draco speaking to Utet. He watched as Draco killed Utet in his apothecary after he searched Utet's mind and unlocked Severus' memory charm. He watched as Draco organized the men in black, his tainted army, his new breed of Death Eater's simply known as the Phantom's of the Dark. He watched as Draco played the general to his army. Instructing his Phantom's to wreak havoc and kill at will without mercy. He played on their vulnerabilities just as the Dark Lord had previously done. His charismatic nature made him the perfect persuasive speaker and Severus was in awe and nearly drawn in to the propaganda that was being shown merely by memory.

He flashed to the next memory revealing an impossible conversation of Draco in his holding cell with one of his Phantom's. They know his location! He pulled out of Draco's mind immediately.

"Potter! They are coming!" Severus yelled out at Harry.

Harry stared wide eyed and in shock. That's what Draco kept saying over and over to Jeffery and again to him just moments ago. What the hell does it mean?

"Who is coming Snape?" Said with little fear but full of curiosity.

"The Phantoms; we must prepare now I'm sure the building is surrounded. We won't have much chance if the building isn't properly warded." He pinched the bridge of his nose. He saw the massacre in Draco's mind of the Auror's. The connection he had with his men was from the same potion he had given Arthur and Ron. He controlled them all like mere pawns. "Harry please tell me the rest of the Auror's have returned? Call Jeffery and Hermione in here now!"

Harry stepped back he didn't know if they had returned. The Phantoms? Who were the bloody phantoms? He pulled the door open a crack and motioned for Hermione and Jeffery to enter. They all sat at the table adjacent from Draco and Severus.

"Ok Snape we are all here. Who are these bloody Phantoms? What is going on?" Harry looked towards Snape leaning ever so slightly towards him.

"They Phantoms are very simple to explain. They are Draco's version of the Death Eaters; probably worse than the Death Eaters. Draco as suspected is under a similar spell as Ron and Arthur were subjected too. I do not know if the potion we gave them will help Draco. The dark magic used on Draco and the training from the Dark Lord was extensive. We may have lost him to the Darkness. Jeffery has any of your men returned from your mission earlier?"

"No not all of them I heard a few pops earlier while you were in here but I didn't go see who had returned. Shall I go see?"

"Yes but be quick. Hermione give Draco the potion now." Severus demanded.

Hermione fumbled with her bag still a bundle of nerves from the dementors. The horrors those men deal with daily. She had underestimated Severus' power, he held off every single dementor as they broke into Azkaban. Funny as it seems she was constantly distracted by his patronus, she had always thought it to be a doe, but when a panther emerged she was a bit shocked to see that it had changed forms.

She shifted through her bag and found the potion and looked up at Severus holding out her hand. He handed her the vile containing Lucius blood and she added it to the potion and allowed the contents to mesh together. Looking thoughtfully up at Severus with a small smile she handed him the potion.

Severus took the potion and forced it down Draco's mouth. Harry, Severus and Hermione all sat back and waited patiently to see if the effect was the same for Draco. Draco began to cough madly and quickly grabbed his throat and clutched his chest with his other hand. Severus took a step forward but Hermione grabbed his arm holding him back from approaching the boy.

Draco's chair fell back abruptly throwing him out of it and onto the floor gasping for air. His trademark blond hair turned black, his skin began to turn a charcoal black, the whites of his eyes began turning black. Draco still gasping for hair slammed his hands on the top of the table and stared into Harry's eyes. His mouth opened to speak…. "T-ha-nk you." He forced out his thank you. Draco collapsed to the floor and took his last breath. At that moment pops and cracks were heard outside the holding cell door.

Severus forced his eyes away from Draco and turned to Hermione and Harry.

"They are here."

Severus yanked the door open to see flashes of light zooming up and down the hallway. He pulled out his wand yelling out "Sectumsempra!" Hitting a Phantom but not before Jeffery fell to the ground screaming in agony.

"Hermione tend to Jeffery. Potter you come with me!" Severus ran from the room. Dropping the phantoms left and right, Harry followed closely behind him searching for the others. Harry stopped him shouting, "There! Just at the end of the hall!" They sprinted down the hall shooting spells as they went down the corridors they passed. At the end of the hall were George, Ron and Arthur fighting 20 Phantoms in the main corridor. Severus and Harry joined in the fight.

Hermione finished healing Jeffery from a simple slicing hex and ran back into the holding cell to check on Draco. Draco was still lying on the floor she ran a quick diagnostic spell over him and realized he was very near death. Jeffery walked up behind her and they watched as Draco's skin slowly became black and ashen similar to that of burnt wood flaming in a campfire. His eyes black and sunk into his head focused on Hermione. She didn't understand why this was happening. She brushed her hand over Draco's forehead and leaned down to him.

"I can try to save you Draco. But I do not know if this will work."

Draco shook his head in the negative.

"Please let me save you! At least let me try."

She stood up and pulled out her wand. She began chanting Vulnera Sanentur over and over. She kneeled down again to Draco and began chanting through her tears. She didn't know why but she could not let Draco die here. He was innocent. Always a prat but still innocent he wasn't dark he was light in disguise! A solid five minutes had past and as she looked down a Draco she watched as the life left his eyes. It hadn't worked. He was gone. A rumbling vibration was felt beneath her and she turned to look up at Jeffery. He was looking at her in horror. She quickly jumped to her feet and looked back at Draco only to see that his body had turned to ashes.

Running out of the holding cell they took off running towards the main corridor. They heard the loud bang again. Once there they looked around and each Phantom was bursting into flames and exploding into ashes. With Draco's death the connection to his servants was killing all of them that remained.

A/N

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