(A/N) Merry Christmas everyone, welcome to our surprise update! More to follow, enjoy.

Chapter 27

Pursuing Susan was all Harry could do as he cut his way against the crowd. She was only a few steps ahead, but he was desperate to be at her side when they discovered whatever was happening. It wasn't long before they were running side by side with wands in hand. When they reached the first area of fighting Harry couldn't believe his eyes. His instincts told him it was true, but he had a hard time believing it. Death Eaters were everywhere, but there was something different about them. As he jumped into a fight between a Security Hitwizard and two Death Eaters he immediately had them both down, but noticed a disturbing difference between the enemies in front of him and the Death Eaters from years passed. Red spirals were drawn in what looked like blood on the masks, and Harry felt a fist of fury clench his gut.

Susan and Harry became a force of nature immediately tearing through dozens of enemies that were trying to cause a disarray. Harry was shielding Susan as she did master level battle transfigurations from wreckage left from the stampeding crowd that were trying to escape only for the pair to switch as Harry decimated scores of Death Eaters that tried to fight back. They were the starting line for where the Security hitwizards and aurors rallied too. They swept across the grounds for over an hour taking down Death Eaters, and even sympathizers who rallied to fight with them.

It was an exhausting hour, but when they took down the last few Susan was hunched over heaving for breath, "I haven't fought like that since the Battle of Hogwarts."

Harry, who was slightly out of breath, could only nod before responding, "Me too. Most of our raids are over in minutes. This was crazy. I never could've imagined in my worst case scenario that this many sympathizers even were among us. This is...this is impossible."

The words echoed around Harry as he surveyed the massive campgrounds that had been practically torched to the grounds. Bodies were lying across the field scattered around. This many people had likely not died in Britain since the final battle at Hogwarts. It was a bloodbath, and Harry had predicted it. As he surveyed it though it still just didn't make sense. The magical population had taken a serious beating in Britain over the last decade, and there was no possible way this many had risen from the common folk.

Harry walked over to a downed Death Eater, and removed his mask. The man was heaving deeply in pain, clearly fighting for the will to survive. Harry grabbed the man by the robes, "Who are you?"

The man spat blood in Harry's face before saying, "Vai all'inferno bastardo."

Harry frowned at his words, and Susan who was behind him scoffed before stunning the man, and walking over to the next person repeating the process, and getting more colorful words in different languages. Harry shook his head as he stunned a woman that Susan had punched in the face, "They aren't British. These aren't real death eaters."

Harry shook his head, "Why did this happen then? If this isn't about blood supremacy, and they aren't Death Eaters then they must be-"

"Mercenaries." A familiar deep voice echoed from behind Harry. The young man whirled around to see Jason Jackson standing maybe ten yards from him smiling with his arms crossed.

Harry frowned, "Mercenaries? But who hired them? Why now?"

The man shrugged as he casually displayed his wand in his hand, "You don't question the amount of money that was offered to this group. They went in for the best money could buy, and here we are."

Suddenly Harry began glancing around and well over two dozen of the Security teams Hitwizards were discreetly starting to surround Harry and Susan. Susan gasped as she stood to her feet as well going back to back with Harry as the two began to realize the situation they were in.

Jackson merely shrugged his shoulders, "I want to play a game Harry Potter. You have allowed the noble way of life of this country to fall to ashes, and the people of this country will stand for it no longer. Our contractor told you this day would come. The day for you to play your game. I stand before you with the best wands money can buy, and I see you aren't even carrying your greatest weapon. What a mistake."

Susan spat angrily at the man, "He doesn't need the Elder Wand to beat all of you. He has me."

This made the man laugh, "Susan Bones. I had heard a lot about you from my master. I was told that Potter here is keeping better female company these days, but he assured me his taste in women was quite exquisite and seeing you now preparing to die but still standing as proud as ever makes me agree. What do you say you lay down that wand, and we can have some fun before I kill you."

Harry grunted angrily, "You will never touch her."

It was this that made him spur into action with a flurry of offensive magic that would've killed half a dozen men if Jackson had intercepted it with a massive shield. Susan screamed, "HARRY!"

When a barrage of magic came towards them she threw up a massive shield protecting them both. Harry unleashed his magic like he had never before. The young man didn't hold this type of power when he fought at the battle of Hogwarts but he had spent most days since then turning his body and magic into the ultimate weapon. He may not have the Elder Wand tonight, but he was going to fight like he did.

His wand was a whirlwind as he began striking down witches and wizards that surrounded him. Susan however was screaming in exertion trying to hold the spells back from getting them. The shield she had summoned was massive, and it was holding. A killing curse made them both launch to the side, and it did them the favor of killing one of their own making Jackson roar with anger, "No unforgivables you idiots! Keep the circle, and don't kill each other!"

Harry now threw the shield up as Susan began blasting at others in the surrounding area while Jackson was throwing massive blasters at Harry hoping to beat him down. More seemed to fill the spots of the fallen however and Susan shouted, "Harry there are too many."

Shaking his head as he struggled under the might of over a dozen wizards and witches, "We can't quit. We quit here and we die."

Susan stopped firing spells for a moment catching her breath, "Fight or die then."

The spells that were coming out Susan's wands were multicolored as she had let out a stream of different deadly magic. As time progressed though Harry noticed the curses subtly began turning a familiar sickly shade of green as she downed another foreign wizard. She was screaming killing curse after killing curse, and Harry could feel the malicious magic in the air, and the anger Susan felt as she cast each spell. It was around this time that Harry realized they may actually pull it off. They may actually walk out of this alive. With new efforts he strengthened his shield, and held on as Susan was working through their numbers.

A flash of orange from behind him was the only warning he had though as he saw Susan fall. His magic immediately knew what had happened, but his brain was slower. In a cry of rage the ground shook as Harry fired a spell he had only ever studied in books before, "MOMENTUM EXPUR!"

It was as if the world was ripping itself apart, and not a single enemy remained on their feet as Harry flashed his wand and the clouds above began to swirl as lightning flashed through the air striking the ground around and laying waste to the remaining enemies. He wasn't even consciously casting spells any longer as he whirled his way through the remaining enemies. The last man he found himself actually dueling with was Jason Jackson. When it became a one on one though Harry had the man down in under a minute as he hit him with a massive piercing charm blowing apart his wand, hand, and most of his chest as he fell to the ground.

Harry sagged with relief as no further spells rang across the battlefield. He went over to the downed man to assure he was not getting back, and he was spittling blood from his mouth, "We are only the beginning Potter. More will follow. Our investors' pockets are deep, and he will run the fortunes of Britain's oldest families dry before he gives up."

Harry grunted as he kicked the man with his foot half heartedly. Too many bodies to count were lying around the edges, and the young man could only bring his eyes to one. With the very little strength that remained in his body he ran and fell beside Susan's body. There was blood coming from her nose in a slow trickly, but other than looking exhausted and cut up she appeared fine. Crouching down next to her he scooped her body up, "Susan are you okay?"

Her eyes were hazy as tears spilled down her face. She shook her head, "I've...held too many people as they died…"

Harry stood with her shaking body, and attempted to apparate away, but knew he didn't have the power stores left to get through the wards. That only meant he could walk with her, because he certainly didn't have the strength left to run, "Harry...put me down."

"It's okay Susan I am going to get you some help. Just hang in there. Daphne will save you." Harry said insistently.

"Daphne. She's good for you Harry. Keep her." Susan said with a cough.

"I plan too. I plan for all of us to have each other forever." Harry said, trying to find strength to run.

"Your forever is going to be a little longer than mine Harry...please put me down. Let me rest." She said weakly.

Harry shook his head, tears threatening to spill as he started to try and break into run, but stumbled hard and fell to his knees barely holding onto the girl. She coughed, but it came out hard, and blood followed. It was then the obvious was confirmed. Something was terribly wrong.

He tried to find his strength to get back to his feet, but his magical stores were all but gone. His energy was expelled in the final moments of the fight. He cried out in effort, but his body had given up. Susan huffed, "Harry just hold me...please."

Her words broke what resolve he had as he let out a soft sob curling the girl up to him wiping the blood off her face gently with a few strokes of his wand, and pushing hair out of her face with his hand as she looked into his eyes, "I should've run off with you years ago. We would've been happy."

Harry chuckled through his tears, "I told you we would've been bored...Happy though...you're right. Maybe we should have."

As he said these words he took her hand that could barely clench around his, "Protect our friends Harry. Keep Daphne close...Never forget that I…"

Her eyes focused on a point in the horizon, and the final words spilled out of her mouth in a whisper, "Love you."

Harry felt her magical aura fade away before he saw life leave her eyes. He sobbed and screamed in a rage as his magic pushed his body to find more strength, and lifted her body up once again. His mind was numb to the weakness his body felt. He couldn't say how long it took him to cross the ward line. Nor could he say how he found the strength to take them both back to Potter Manor. He would forever remember Hermione's scream though. No doubt he had been a sight carrying Susan's body through the manor covered in blood. He barely remembered collapsing as Neville took the girl from his arm, or Ron attempting to sweep him up and keep him on his feet.

He would consciously remember Neville and Tracey creating a bed for the fallen auror, and being placed in the chair. His mind didn't process that Hannah needed to be told immediately of what happened to the girl who was like her sister. Maybe a small part of him knew that the last bit of good she could do was save a few lives within her control at Saint Mungos, and they could all only wait until Hannah and Daphne arrived.

His heart shattered all over again when Hannah did arrive. The scream was more haunting than Hermione's. Seeing the look on Daphne's face when she fell to the floor in realization of losing Susan would never leave his nightmares.

At some point after an insurmountable period of time he felt Daphne gently pointing her wand at some of his injuries, and patching them up with tears in her eyes. He registered the fact that she was trying to get him to drink a potion, and he did that without complaint.

A few minutes after ingesting the potion his mind became clearer, but so did the grief. Anger followed it quickly though as he realized it was all a trap. The Security team assigned by the ICW was corrupted somewhere down the line. It's possible that Jason Jackson had replaced his reputable team with high dollar thugs to help try and ambush him and Susan. It was possible Harry himself had just stacked the odds in their favor by sending his friends away. They would've crushed those bastards had they stuck together.

Standing from his chair all eyes went to him as he began walking towards the stairs that would take him to his room.

When he made it up the stairs he went straight for his closet, and waved his wand at a small area in the wall that revealed a magical safe. With a touch of his finger the safe unlocked, and a box was the only contents of the vault.

He pulled the box out and placed it on his bed as he fell to his knees. These bastards wanted a war. They wanted to kill Harry and all his friends who made their way of life begin to fade away. If it was revenge they wanted. Then Harry would give it to him. Through fire and blood if he must.

He lifted the lid of the box and deposited the items neatly on his bed. A power surged through him that he had not felt in years. A knock on his door indicated that someone had arrived and the soft voice told him it was Daphne, "Harry?"

Feeling the anger still burning in his veins he said quietly, "There are a lot of things I haven't told you about the war Daphne, and I think it's only fair that you learn these things about me if we are going to stay together. Once I take this next step the world will know what I have done, and many people will come for me because of it."

Daphne stepped over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, "I'm with you Harry. We all are. Now more than ever. You can tell me your secrets. I swear I will protect them."

"There was a legend in my family about what would happen if you assemble the three items before you. I was the first in many centuries to do it." Harry said as he stood.

When he grabbed the wand sparks flared dangerously off him causing Daphne not to flinch, but stare in wonder. When he picked up the stone and slipped it into his pocket the magical presence in the room increased. Finally when he picked up the cloak and threw it over his shoulders neatly nothing happened right away, but his eyes began to pulse with power as he turned to Daphne, "The legend goes that the wizard to assemble these items would gain a title so infamous that many have spent their life in search for them. Daphne...with these items...I am going to make whoever did this pay for what happened tonight. It's my responsibility, because together these items make me the Master of Death."

(A/N) Guys we are running towards the finish line. It's time to start wrapping up this story, and I have a lot of ground to cover still. I'd say ten more chapters, and we will close this arc.

People have been asking me about Harry being the master of Death, and since the beginning this was the plan, and I have had to keep my mouth shut. I hope this was a satisfying reveal to those questions.

The other thing people have continuously pointed out was that Harry and his group are too stagnant, but I would like to remind you all that these are peace times. Tonight was a declaration of WAR. From here Harry and co will be forward, and offensive, but before now it didn't really make sense too. They aren't psychic, and they don't know much about their enemy. This isn't Voldemort where they had something to go on or work off of. To everyone who says it's been predictable then please go ahead and tell me who the villain is. I have dropped enough hints, but no one seems to have pieced it together yet. All I am saying is…don't give up. It's all going to make sense, and we are going to hit this ending going 100 miles per hour, so stay tuned, and you can still expect the next update on Wednesday next week.

Cheers everyone, and Merry Christmas!

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