Maddie paced across the Gryffindor common room, nervously. The students crowded around, sitting in the chairs and couches near the fireplace. She looked around and surveyed the scene. Harry and Hermione were sitting in one chair, snuggled together. Ron was sitting on a couch, alone, as Ginny and Rosalie were sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the room. Poor Ron. I'm going to solve this right now, she decided.
"Ginny," Maddie said.
"Yeah?"
"We need to talk."
"About what?" Ginny asked.
"About Ron."
Ginny frowned. "What about him?"
"Look at him, he's miserable. He's really sorry," Maddie told her.
"No, he's not. I hate him! I wish I was an only child."
"Do you really?" Maddie asked.
Ginny studied her for a minute. "No, I guess not."
"He cried, after you left. He was crying. He felt so bad about… you know, what happened," Maddie said.
"Sure he did," Ginny rolled her eyes.
"I'm not kidding. He's miserable."
"I'm not going to apologize! He doesn't deserve it!" Ginny cried.
"Ginny Weasley, you better get your ass over there and talk to him right now. If you don't you're the one who doesn't deserve him," Maddie barked. As soon as she said it, she noticed who she sounded like. Her mother.
Ginny looked at Maddie in amazement at her outburst. "Ok, ok. I'll go and talk to him. But I'm not promising anything." She got off of the couch and walked over to Ron.
"I've never seen you this mad," Rosalie noted.
Maddie sighed. "I just think it's really stupid to hold a grudge like that. I mean, we're in a crisis now. McGonagall hasn't told us what's happened, but I'm sure you have some guesses?"
Rosalie bit her lip. "You-know-who is here?"
Maddie nodded. "I think so too. In a time of life or death, there should not be any fights. What if someone died, and the last words we spoke to them were 'I hate you'? That's horrible." Maddie shut her eyes and remembered the last words she had said to Gwyneth.
"You bitch!" Maddie screamed. "All you do is wave your perfect grades in my face, your Quidditch team victories, and when I have a moment in the spotlight you have to take it away from me! For the first time in my life I won something, even if it was the Herbology fair!"
"It's just the stupid Herbology fair," Gwyneth said. "When I was still at Hogwarts I won that all the time."
"Well, it was my first. Then you have to come in and brag about your stupid JOB PROMOTION!" Maddie glared at her. "Why do you have to be so goddamn perfect!"
Gwyneth's face softened. "It's not my fault I'm like this. Believe me, being perfect all the time is not all it's cracked up to be."
"Oh, yeah, really?" Maddie hissed. "What's so bad about it?"
"The PRESSURE! I have to be perfect. I feel like I don't do anything for me, it's just for everyone else! If I'm not perfect, I think mum and dad would have a heart attack!"
"Give me a break!" Maddie yelled. "That's the biggest bunch of bullshit I've ever heard! You want to know about problems? Look at me! I've certainly got enough!"
"Maddie, I…" Gwyneth began.
"And another thing, I hate you! I HATE YOU! You are so perfect and proper and I'm just so damn sick of it! Go to hell, Gwyneth Lillian Potter! Go to hell!" Maddie screamed at the top of her lungs. She stomped off to her room and slammed the door as hard as she could.
Maddie felt a tear roll down her cheek. Why hadn't she listened to Gwyneth? Why had she said all those horrible things to her sister when she hadn't met them. She did love Gwyneth. Maddie had not realized it until that moment, but she did love her. I'm such a horrible person, Maddie thought. If I ever get back, I'll say I'm sorry. I'll say I'm sorry for not listening, for being mean, and for not understanding her problems.
Maddie now better understood Gwyneth. When Maddie had been run away and rebelled, Gwyneth had been put under pressure to be the 'good' sister. To have perfect grades, to be respectful. Maddie remembered that towards the end of her fourth year and Gwyneth's seventh year, that Gwyneth had was sick a lot. It was because of all the pressure on her, to graduate with all NEWTS, to be on top of her class. And because of me.
Maddie looked around. She saw Hermione asleep in her chair, alone. Damnit, where was Harry? She looked around, but didn't see him. He's gone out there, she realized. He has his invisibility cloak and was going outside to face Voldemort on his own. Over my dead body, Maddie thought. She raced up the stairs to the girl's dormitory and pulled on her own invisibility cloak.
Maddie raced down the stairs back into the common room. She took one last look around, at her seventeen year old mother asleep in her chair, Ginny and Ron hugging and apologizing on the couch, and Parvati and Lavender crying on each other's shoulders. Maddie had lived in this past world for almost two months and felt almost as comfortable here as she did in her own time. It'll soon be time to return, she thought as she climbed out of the portrait hall and looked for some sign of Harry or Voldemort.
***
Hermione stirred awake and noticed Harry's absence beside her. "Harry?" she mumbled, to no answer. She staggered out of the chair, and looked around. No Harry. She ran up to the boy's dormitory, where her suspicions were confirmed: Harry's invisibility cloak was gone. "Shit," she muttered under her breath. She found a note on his trunk, addressed to her and Ron.
Dear Hermione and Ron,
Please don't think I'm a coward. I just could not stay here and allow anything to happen to you two. You are my best friends in the world, and the only people who have ever loved me. I am sorry I had to hurt you. Please don't hate me. Ron- I know we've always done our adventures together, but now things have changed. Please don't come after me. Hermione- I love you. I always have and always will. I'll watch after you both.
Love,
Harry
"Shit," she swore again. She raced down the stairs to Ron.
"What is it?" Ron asked after seeing her face. She wordlessly handed him the letter. Ron read it silently, his face paling as he read more. "Damn," he muttered. He looked up at Hermione. "What do you want to do?"
"Go after him. What else can we do?" Hermione asked, her voice cracking. Harry had said he loved her, so why was he doing this to her?
"He doesn't want you to do that," Ginny said softly.
"What does he know," Ron snapped.
"Well, it's his last wish. Maybe you should respect it," Ginny whispered.
"Hell no. Ron, let's go," Hermione said and turned toward the portrait hole, Ron behind her.
"Then I want to go too," Ginny said stubbornly.
"NO!" Hermione and Ron said simultaneously.
"Why not?"
"You'll get yourself killed!" Hermione cried.
"So will you," Ginny pointed out.
"Ginny, you're only sixteen," Ron argued.
"A year younger than you," she insisted.
"Ginny, there is no way in hell you are going. SIT DOWN!" Ron yelled. Ginny made no move to back off and stood her ground. Ron stared at her for a minute, then sighed. "Ginny, if you get yourself killed, I don't know what I'll do. Please don't."
"How do you think Harry feels that you two are getting involved? Probably the same way!" Ginny cried.
"Harry is being stupid. He thinks that he can do this by himself, which he can't," Hermione sighed.
"Then why can't I come? Four heads are better than three!" Ginny argued.
Hermione and Ron exchanged a look. "Ginny, if you come, you're going to leave at the first sign of danger. Is that understood?" Ron asked. Ginny nodded. The three walked over to the portrait hole and climbed out on their search for Harry.
***
"Potter, go back to your common room!" Snape barked.
"No!" Harry cried. He was standing in the middle of Dumbledore's study, along with all of the other teachers. Maddie was in the corner, watching the scene with interest, hidden by her invisibility cloak.
"Potter, you heard me. GO!" Snape yelled.
"No! I will not go back and endanger the lives of everyone I love. I won't!" Harry screamed. Maddie had to suppress a giggle; he looked like a little child having a temper tantrum.
"POTTER! GO!" Snape yelled. "I will not have you getting killed!"
"Why not!" Harry yelled back. "Why do you care?"
"Because I owe it to your parents!" Harry looked at Snape quizzically as Snape sighed and put his face in his hands. "Minnie, tell him to go back," he whined.
"Harry, we know this is hard…"
"You know, you really don't."
"But you can't do anything stupid. Think before you act!" McGonagall cried.
"He's going to kill me anyway. I might as well get it over now," Harry stated, looking his professor in the eye. Maddie sighed. Was he brave, or just stupid? She decided on brave. She had always thought that her father was brave, and now was no time to change her views.
"Harry…" Dumbledore started. There was a loud noise coming from outside, near the Quidditch field. It sounded like thunder, but it was concentrated.
"Oh, god," McGonagall mumbled. "Harry!" She called after the boy, but he was already on his way to the Quidditch field. Their teachers ran after him, followed by Maddie.
***
"What was that!" Ginny cried. Ron and Hermione looked at each other, both extremely frightened.
"Is it him?" Hermione asked.
Ron bit his lip. "I don't know. I think it is."
"It came from the Quidditch field," Ginny said.
"Let's go." Hermione started walking, but Ron grabbed her arm.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked meekly.
Hermione nodded. "I love him, and I'm not about to let him die." She placed her hand on Ron's shoulders. "Are you sure?"
Ron looked at her for a minute, then nodded. "You two are my best friends. I can't just…" he trailed off. He turned to Ginny. "Go back."
"No way!"
"You said when it got dangerous you'd go back. It's dangerous. Go back!" Ron snapped.
"Ron!" Ginny cried. "You're my brother, my favorite brother. I'm going to stick with you, whether you like it or not!"
Ron sighed and gave in. "Let's go." The trio then raced toward the Quidditch field.
***
"Where are you Riddle!" Harry screamed at the sky. The sky had dark, ominous looking clouds covering the sun, making the afternoon look like night. "I'm ready for you!"
"Harry, don't do that!" McGonagall cried.
"Harry, be rational," Dumbledore said. "Do you think he's still here?"
At that moment a cold breeze went by, along with another loud thunder crash. They heard a small, taunting voice coming from no direction. 'I am everywhere'.
"Come and face me like a man!" Harry roared. "If it's a fight you want, come and fight!"
'But I'm not interested in a fight. All I want is death' the voice came again.
"You COWARD!" Harry screamed. "You horrid COWARD!"
Another clap of thunder followed, this one almost deafening. Ginny screamed as she, Ron, and Hermione approached the field. Harry turned to them, hysterical with anger.
"He's gone nuts," Ron muttered to Hermione. She just looked ahead at Harry.
"I thought I told you not to come!" He yelled.
"Did you really think we'd listen?" Hermione asked.
"Goddamn it! Go back now! Where you'll be safe! This isn't your battle!" Harry screamed.
"NO!" Hermione screamed.
"We're sticking with you until the end," Ron said.
"This is the end! GO!" Harry cried, his voice cracking. "Go, please!"
"No," Hermione said calmly, standing her ground. Harry stared at her; his eyes burning into her own.
"Please?" Harry pleaded.
"NO," Hermione, Ron, and Ginny said at the same time.
"We're with you now and forever," Hermione said, placing her hand on his shoulder. "We love you." She paused before continuing. "I love you."
Harry cracked a smile. "I love you too." He hugged her tightly, clutching her until he couldn't hold her any closer. He looked over at Ron and Ginny over Hermione's shoulder. They were both smiling at them.
"Malfoy!" Snape exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
Everyone turned around to see Draco Malfoy walking onto the Quidditch field. "Draco!" Ginny cried with glee. She started to run to him, but he held up his hand to stop her.
"What are you doing here?" Snape repeated.
"He's here to see me, Severus," a voice said from the corner of the field. Lucius Malfoy calmly strutted towards Draco. "I see you got my note?" he asked Draco.
"Yes, father," Draco muttered.
"Good. Very good." Lucius turned to Harry. "Potter, how are you?"
"What do you want?" Harry said calmly, pushing Hermione aside roughly. Ron caught her before she fell.
"What manners have your parents been teaching you?" Lucius laughed. "Oh, I forgot. You don't have parents, the little orphan hero of the wizarding world. The boy who lived." Lucius narrowed his eyes at Harry. "My friend Tom has a few words to say to you."
Tom? Oh, Tom Riddle. Voldemort. Maddie felt a shudder as she stood there, watching, fully concealed under the cloak. The sky turned darker and the breeze got harsher, colder.
"Bring him on," Harry said. "I'm ready."
Lucius laughed again. "Are you really?" He sighed. "Harry, you're beaten in the odds. There's me, Tom, his disciples, and my son." He put his hand on Draco's shoulder. Draco cringed and looked at the grass. "And who do you have, a few seventeen year old friends and some old teachers. You're outnumbered, Potter."
"It's just me you want. I want one on one with him."
"Harry!" Hermione hissed. "Don't!" He waved her comment away.
Lucius shook his head. "Why don't you listen to your little girlfriend?"
"Keep her out of this," Harry snapped.
"Draco," Ginny moaned.
He looked up at them, his eyes watering with tears. "I'm sorry." Oh Draco, Maddie thought. Poor Draco. I'm the one who's sorry.
A loud thunder clap came from the sky. The wind started blowing so hard it started taking off shingles from the roof. A large lightning bolt struck the castle, and it caught on a purple flame.
Hermione gasped. "That's ollehevaw fire. It can only be created by dark magic and stopped by dark magic. It's intangible to other wizards." She cringed. "Everyone will have to get out."
The doors from the castle suddenly flew open, and students ran from their burning school. Lucius had a smile on his face. This is what he wanted, Maddie realized. He wants to take as many lives as possible.
Once many students were out of the building, Lucius snapped his fingers and the fire ceased. No smoke, no nothing.
Dumbledore spoke for the first time. "Lucius, what do you want?"
"I want my master to have what he wants." Lucius turned to Harry. "My master wants Harry Potter."
Another breeze came, and a figure of a man appeared. He had thinning dark hair, and black, cold eyes. He turned to Harry. "Potter, do you see what I have become?" Harry said nothing. "I have my powers back, mostly. But it is because of you that I don't have it all. You are the reason for my downfall once, but you will not make me fall again."
"Voldemort," Harry hissed.
He laughed. Harry cringed. It was the same laugh he heard in his nightmares, the same laugh he heard when a dememtor came near him. "Potter."
Voldemort waved his hand and threw a fireball at a group of first years huddled together. They dodged it at the last minute. "Leave them alone!" Harry screamed. "It's me you want, isn't it?"
Voldemort grinned evilly. "I want to have a little fun first." He threw a fireball at a group of sixth years, this time hitting one of them. A very pretty brunette girl.
"Rosalie!" Ginny screamed and ran to her friend's side. "Oh, Rosalie," she sobbed. Ginny felt for a pulse but felt none. "She's dead."
Draco felt nauseous. Poor Rosalie, she was such a sweet girl. He then realized that Voldemort was aiming another one at Ginny.
"NO!" He screamed, and ran toward Ginny, covering her.
"Draco! What are you doing?" Lucius yelled.
"Something I should have done a long time ago. Go to hell, father."
"Draco…" Lucius looked confused, if hurt.
"You heard me. Go to hell." Draco turned to Voldemort. "You too! You deserve it!" Voldemort angrily threw a fireball at them, and Draco dragged Ginny away from Rosalie's body.
"Take this!" Voldemort started throwing fireballs around at everyone; it became a mad dash to avoid them. Harry grabbed Hermione and Ron and ran towards the bleachers.
"Stay here," he told them.
"Harry…" Hermione began.
"If you stay here, you'll get hit and killed."
Ron nodded. "Hermione, he's right. Stay down."
Hermione felt tears roll down her cheeks. "Be careful."
"I will," Harry whispered.
Hermione wiped her tears. "I hate playing the damsel in distress role. Just waiting for my knight in shining armor to save me," she said sarcastically.
"Hey, look at me," Harry took her face in his hands. "I love you."
Hermione just looked at him, then leaned in and kissed him. It was a funny site, Maddie thought, two lovers kissing amidst the destructive battle scene. It was like something out of a movie, but it was real. It was the very incarnation of the love and hate in the world, both showing at the same time.
"Be careful," Hermione repeated after their kiss had been broken. Harry smiled and nodded, then ran off towards Voldemort.
***
Maddie surveyed the damage at hand. She saw at least four, five, six, bodies on the ground, most likely all dead. Fire was everywhere, and where there was no fire, the ground was covered in blood. It's now or never, she said to herself. I have to do it now or die trying. She shrugged off the invisibility cloak and walked toward Voldemort.
***
"Stop Riddle!" Harry screamed. "It's me you want, and here I am! Stop playing with them. Kill me!"
Voldemort turned to Harry. "Do you think you'd last a second against me, boy?" He took a step closer. "Do you? Do you know what I could do to you?"
Harry was brave; he stood his ground and looked Voldemort in the eye. "I do know, and I dare you to."
Maddie crept forward. She now found her father stupid.
Voldemort laughed. "Very well, boy." He threw a fireball at Harry.
"No!" Maddie yelled. She ran forward and caught the fireball in her hand, as one would catch a baseball. The entire battlefield was now silent. Maddie heard many "how did she do that?" and "that's not possible" remarks. Maddie threw the ball up in the air and caught it again. "I believe this is yours, Riddle?"
"I've been waiting to meet you, Madeleine." Voldemort said.
Maddie shook her eyes. "The reason you're attacking now is so we wouldn't have to meet, because you know what I'm capable of. I guess I thought this meeting was unavoidable."
"How did you get here?" he asked mockingly.
Maddie glared at him. "Good has certain advantages over evil." She smiled.
"Evil? I'm not evil. Nor am I good. There is no evil or good, merely power. I believe you know what I mean."
"How would I?" Maddie asked.
"Your parents never loved you, did they?" he said.
"Of course they did!"
Voldemort looked at her. "Poor, poor girl. They loved your sister, but never you."
Maddie rolled her eyes. "Fat chance of brainwashing me. I'm not that gullible."
"Name one person who loves you."
Maddie bit her lip. "Gray."
Voldemort laughed his ear splitting, evil laugh. "Gray? Gray never loved you."
That hurt. What if Gray never did love her? Not even as a friend? She shook the idea out of her head. "Why am I wasting my time with a seventy year old dark wizard wannabe coward?" she grinned. "A rule for next time, pick on people your own size. Or power." She pulled out her wand.
"Don't," Voldemort pleaded.
"Actually, there won't be a next time, because you're going down," Maddie hissed. She pointed her wand at him. "Kegivuliyll mortitrocious!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. A blinding white light came out of her wand and made her entire body glow. She was lifted about a foot above the ground, her hair flying everywhere in the wind. "Kegivuliyll mortitrocious, kegivuliyll mortitrocious," she mumbled over and over again.
Voldemort fell to the ground, limp and lifeless. She was lowered down to the ground, still glowing. Then his body exploded, scattering dust everywhere and creating a shock wave so intense that everyone in the nearest thousand meters fell over, and those in the nearest five hundred meters were knocked out of consciousness, meaning everyone on the Quidditch field except Maddie.
She looked around and surveyed the damage. Among the dead was Lavender Brown and Neville Longbottom. There were two third years, a fifth year, three fourth years, and five first years, all who couldn't defend themselves. And their was Rosalie, his first victim. Poor Rosalie. Poor Lavender. Lavender Brown had been a bit snobby but she had been Maddie's friend, and Maddie felt the grief. She turned to the teachers. "Oh no," she gasped. It was Dumbledore. "Professor," she whispered, kneeling over him.
He smiled at her. "You did a brave thing today, Madeleine Potter."
She smiled. "Thank you." She paused. "Why could I…"
"Why could you kill him? Stop the fireball?" Maddie nodded. Dumbedore continued. "You're an anjelique."
"A what?"
"An anjelique. It is a person with such good inside of them that no dark magic can defeat. Your grandmother Lily was one too, but she gave her powers up for her son. They are very rare."
"Is my father one?"
"Harry has a bit of anjelique in him, but no, he is not a full one." Dumbledore looked up at her. "Do you know why you were chosen for this mission?"
Maddie shook her head. "I really don't. Gwyneth would have been so much better suited…"
"Gwyneth is not an anjelique."
Maddie looked at him in surprise. "She's not?"
The old man shook his head. "No, she's not. Even with all her intelligence and sheer power, she would have not been able to defeat him."
Maddie pressed her lips together. She was something her sister was not? "I thought perfect Gwen…"
"She is not as perfect as she seems. Give her a chance in the future," he smiled sadly. "Watch over your parents for me."
"Oh, professor," Maddie said as she sat next to a dying Dumbledore.
"Worry not," he smiled at her. "To the well prepared mind, death is merely the next adventure."
Maddie sighed. "Take care."
"You too," he said as he shut his eyes and slipped from life.
Maddie stood there for a while, watching him. Then she felt raindrops on her head. The dark clouds vanished, and in their place, light, crystalline clouds appeared. The rain fell harder, putting out the fires and arousing the knocked out students and teachers. Maddie felt down her robes and grabbed her time turner. It's time to go home, she told herself. She turned her time turner once, twice, three times…
***
Harry felt his eyes open. He was laying on the grass in the Quidditch field, with the rain falling down upon him. The memories came rushing back to him of what happened. Maddie, he thought. He sat up and looked around, but saw no sign of her. He felt a pain in his heart. She had died for him. He and the rest of the wizarding world owed her their lives. He turned around, and saw her standing there.
"Maddie!" He cried.
She turned to him. She had a time turner and was holding it. "Harry," she whispered.
"You…" he began.
"Forget it," she said.
"Why!"
"I don't want to be a hero. You already are one. You killed him, you saved us all."
Harry shook his head, confused. "But you,"
"I did save your life, didn't I?" she asked. Harry nodded. "Then tell no one about this. I don't care what you tell them, that you killed him, that Dumbledore killed him, just don't say anything about me."
"Why not?"
"You'll understand later. Not now. Please," she begged. Harry nodded.
"See ya'" she smiled and turned her time turner, then was gone.
A/N: I'm done! Yeah! This part was pretty lame, I'm not good at writing action scenes. Please read and review!
"Ginny," Maddie said.
"Yeah?"
"We need to talk."
"About what?" Ginny asked.
"About Ron."
Ginny frowned. "What about him?"
"Look at him, he's miserable. He's really sorry," Maddie told her.
"No, he's not. I hate him! I wish I was an only child."
"Do you really?" Maddie asked.
Ginny studied her for a minute. "No, I guess not."
"He cried, after you left. He was crying. He felt so bad about… you know, what happened," Maddie said.
"Sure he did," Ginny rolled her eyes.
"I'm not kidding. He's miserable."
"I'm not going to apologize! He doesn't deserve it!" Ginny cried.
"Ginny Weasley, you better get your ass over there and talk to him right now. If you don't you're the one who doesn't deserve him," Maddie barked. As soon as she said it, she noticed who she sounded like. Her mother.
Ginny looked at Maddie in amazement at her outburst. "Ok, ok. I'll go and talk to him. But I'm not promising anything." She got off of the couch and walked over to Ron.
"I've never seen you this mad," Rosalie noted.
Maddie sighed. "I just think it's really stupid to hold a grudge like that. I mean, we're in a crisis now. McGonagall hasn't told us what's happened, but I'm sure you have some guesses?"
Rosalie bit her lip. "You-know-who is here?"
Maddie nodded. "I think so too. In a time of life or death, there should not be any fights. What if someone died, and the last words we spoke to them were 'I hate you'? That's horrible." Maddie shut her eyes and remembered the last words she had said to Gwyneth.
"You bitch!" Maddie screamed. "All you do is wave your perfect grades in my face, your Quidditch team victories, and when I have a moment in the spotlight you have to take it away from me! For the first time in my life I won something, even if it was the Herbology fair!"
"It's just the stupid Herbology fair," Gwyneth said. "When I was still at Hogwarts I won that all the time."
"Well, it was my first. Then you have to come in and brag about your stupid JOB PROMOTION!" Maddie glared at her. "Why do you have to be so goddamn perfect!"
Gwyneth's face softened. "It's not my fault I'm like this. Believe me, being perfect all the time is not all it's cracked up to be."
"Oh, yeah, really?" Maddie hissed. "What's so bad about it?"
"The PRESSURE! I have to be perfect. I feel like I don't do anything for me, it's just for everyone else! If I'm not perfect, I think mum and dad would have a heart attack!"
"Give me a break!" Maddie yelled. "That's the biggest bunch of bullshit I've ever heard! You want to know about problems? Look at me! I've certainly got enough!"
"Maddie, I…" Gwyneth began.
"And another thing, I hate you! I HATE YOU! You are so perfect and proper and I'm just so damn sick of it! Go to hell, Gwyneth Lillian Potter! Go to hell!" Maddie screamed at the top of her lungs. She stomped off to her room and slammed the door as hard as she could.
Maddie felt a tear roll down her cheek. Why hadn't she listened to Gwyneth? Why had she said all those horrible things to her sister when she hadn't met them. She did love Gwyneth. Maddie had not realized it until that moment, but she did love her. I'm such a horrible person, Maddie thought. If I ever get back, I'll say I'm sorry. I'll say I'm sorry for not listening, for being mean, and for not understanding her problems.
Maddie now better understood Gwyneth. When Maddie had been run away and rebelled, Gwyneth had been put under pressure to be the 'good' sister. To have perfect grades, to be respectful. Maddie remembered that towards the end of her fourth year and Gwyneth's seventh year, that Gwyneth had was sick a lot. It was because of all the pressure on her, to graduate with all NEWTS, to be on top of her class. And because of me.
Maddie looked around. She saw Hermione asleep in her chair, alone. Damnit, where was Harry? She looked around, but didn't see him. He's gone out there, she realized. He has his invisibility cloak and was going outside to face Voldemort on his own. Over my dead body, Maddie thought. She raced up the stairs to the girl's dormitory and pulled on her own invisibility cloak.
Maddie raced down the stairs back into the common room. She took one last look around, at her seventeen year old mother asleep in her chair, Ginny and Ron hugging and apologizing on the couch, and Parvati and Lavender crying on each other's shoulders. Maddie had lived in this past world for almost two months and felt almost as comfortable here as she did in her own time. It'll soon be time to return, she thought as she climbed out of the portrait hall and looked for some sign of Harry or Voldemort.
***
Hermione stirred awake and noticed Harry's absence beside her. "Harry?" she mumbled, to no answer. She staggered out of the chair, and looked around. No Harry. She ran up to the boy's dormitory, where her suspicions were confirmed: Harry's invisibility cloak was gone. "Shit," she muttered under her breath. She found a note on his trunk, addressed to her and Ron.
Dear Hermione and Ron,
Please don't think I'm a coward. I just could not stay here and allow anything to happen to you two. You are my best friends in the world, and the only people who have ever loved me. I am sorry I had to hurt you. Please don't hate me. Ron- I know we've always done our adventures together, but now things have changed. Please don't come after me. Hermione- I love you. I always have and always will. I'll watch after you both.
Love,
Harry
"Shit," she swore again. She raced down the stairs to Ron.
"What is it?" Ron asked after seeing her face. She wordlessly handed him the letter. Ron read it silently, his face paling as he read more. "Damn," he muttered. He looked up at Hermione. "What do you want to do?"
"Go after him. What else can we do?" Hermione asked, her voice cracking. Harry had said he loved her, so why was he doing this to her?
"He doesn't want you to do that," Ginny said softly.
"What does he know," Ron snapped.
"Well, it's his last wish. Maybe you should respect it," Ginny whispered.
"Hell no. Ron, let's go," Hermione said and turned toward the portrait hole, Ron behind her.
"Then I want to go too," Ginny said stubbornly.
"NO!" Hermione and Ron said simultaneously.
"Why not?"
"You'll get yourself killed!" Hermione cried.
"So will you," Ginny pointed out.
"Ginny, you're only sixteen," Ron argued.
"A year younger than you," she insisted.
"Ginny, there is no way in hell you are going. SIT DOWN!" Ron yelled. Ginny made no move to back off and stood her ground. Ron stared at her for a minute, then sighed. "Ginny, if you get yourself killed, I don't know what I'll do. Please don't."
"How do you think Harry feels that you two are getting involved? Probably the same way!" Ginny cried.
"Harry is being stupid. He thinks that he can do this by himself, which he can't," Hermione sighed.
"Then why can't I come? Four heads are better than three!" Ginny argued.
Hermione and Ron exchanged a look. "Ginny, if you come, you're going to leave at the first sign of danger. Is that understood?" Ron asked. Ginny nodded. The three walked over to the portrait hole and climbed out on their search for Harry.
***
"Potter, go back to your common room!" Snape barked.
"No!" Harry cried. He was standing in the middle of Dumbledore's study, along with all of the other teachers. Maddie was in the corner, watching the scene with interest, hidden by her invisibility cloak.
"Potter, you heard me. GO!" Snape yelled.
"No! I will not go back and endanger the lives of everyone I love. I won't!" Harry screamed. Maddie had to suppress a giggle; he looked like a little child having a temper tantrum.
"POTTER! GO!" Snape yelled. "I will not have you getting killed!"
"Why not!" Harry yelled back. "Why do you care?"
"Because I owe it to your parents!" Harry looked at Snape quizzically as Snape sighed and put his face in his hands. "Minnie, tell him to go back," he whined.
"Harry, we know this is hard…"
"You know, you really don't."
"But you can't do anything stupid. Think before you act!" McGonagall cried.
"He's going to kill me anyway. I might as well get it over now," Harry stated, looking his professor in the eye. Maddie sighed. Was he brave, or just stupid? She decided on brave. She had always thought that her father was brave, and now was no time to change her views.
"Harry…" Dumbledore started. There was a loud noise coming from outside, near the Quidditch field. It sounded like thunder, but it was concentrated.
"Oh, god," McGonagall mumbled. "Harry!" She called after the boy, but he was already on his way to the Quidditch field. Their teachers ran after him, followed by Maddie.
***
"What was that!" Ginny cried. Ron and Hermione looked at each other, both extremely frightened.
"Is it him?" Hermione asked.
Ron bit his lip. "I don't know. I think it is."
"It came from the Quidditch field," Ginny said.
"Let's go." Hermione started walking, but Ron grabbed her arm.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked meekly.
Hermione nodded. "I love him, and I'm not about to let him die." She placed her hand on Ron's shoulders. "Are you sure?"
Ron looked at her for a minute, then nodded. "You two are my best friends. I can't just…" he trailed off. He turned to Ginny. "Go back."
"No way!"
"You said when it got dangerous you'd go back. It's dangerous. Go back!" Ron snapped.
"Ron!" Ginny cried. "You're my brother, my favorite brother. I'm going to stick with you, whether you like it or not!"
Ron sighed and gave in. "Let's go." The trio then raced toward the Quidditch field.
***
"Where are you Riddle!" Harry screamed at the sky. The sky had dark, ominous looking clouds covering the sun, making the afternoon look like night. "I'm ready for you!"
"Harry, don't do that!" McGonagall cried.
"Harry, be rational," Dumbledore said. "Do you think he's still here?"
At that moment a cold breeze went by, along with another loud thunder crash. They heard a small, taunting voice coming from no direction. 'I am everywhere'.
"Come and face me like a man!" Harry roared. "If it's a fight you want, come and fight!"
'But I'm not interested in a fight. All I want is death' the voice came again.
"You COWARD!" Harry screamed. "You horrid COWARD!"
Another clap of thunder followed, this one almost deafening. Ginny screamed as she, Ron, and Hermione approached the field. Harry turned to them, hysterical with anger.
"He's gone nuts," Ron muttered to Hermione. She just looked ahead at Harry.
"I thought I told you not to come!" He yelled.
"Did you really think we'd listen?" Hermione asked.
"Goddamn it! Go back now! Where you'll be safe! This isn't your battle!" Harry screamed.
"NO!" Hermione screamed.
"We're sticking with you until the end," Ron said.
"This is the end! GO!" Harry cried, his voice cracking. "Go, please!"
"No," Hermione said calmly, standing her ground. Harry stared at her; his eyes burning into her own.
"Please?" Harry pleaded.
"NO," Hermione, Ron, and Ginny said at the same time.
"We're with you now and forever," Hermione said, placing her hand on his shoulder. "We love you." She paused before continuing. "I love you."
Harry cracked a smile. "I love you too." He hugged her tightly, clutching her until he couldn't hold her any closer. He looked over at Ron and Ginny over Hermione's shoulder. They were both smiling at them.
"Malfoy!" Snape exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
Everyone turned around to see Draco Malfoy walking onto the Quidditch field. "Draco!" Ginny cried with glee. She started to run to him, but he held up his hand to stop her.
"What are you doing here?" Snape repeated.
"He's here to see me, Severus," a voice said from the corner of the field. Lucius Malfoy calmly strutted towards Draco. "I see you got my note?" he asked Draco.
"Yes, father," Draco muttered.
"Good. Very good." Lucius turned to Harry. "Potter, how are you?"
"What do you want?" Harry said calmly, pushing Hermione aside roughly. Ron caught her before she fell.
"What manners have your parents been teaching you?" Lucius laughed. "Oh, I forgot. You don't have parents, the little orphan hero of the wizarding world. The boy who lived." Lucius narrowed his eyes at Harry. "My friend Tom has a few words to say to you."
Tom? Oh, Tom Riddle. Voldemort. Maddie felt a shudder as she stood there, watching, fully concealed under the cloak. The sky turned darker and the breeze got harsher, colder.
"Bring him on," Harry said. "I'm ready."
Lucius laughed again. "Are you really?" He sighed. "Harry, you're beaten in the odds. There's me, Tom, his disciples, and my son." He put his hand on Draco's shoulder. Draco cringed and looked at the grass. "And who do you have, a few seventeen year old friends and some old teachers. You're outnumbered, Potter."
"It's just me you want. I want one on one with him."
"Harry!" Hermione hissed. "Don't!" He waved her comment away.
Lucius shook his head. "Why don't you listen to your little girlfriend?"
"Keep her out of this," Harry snapped.
"Draco," Ginny moaned.
He looked up at them, his eyes watering with tears. "I'm sorry." Oh Draco, Maddie thought. Poor Draco. I'm the one who's sorry.
A loud thunder clap came from the sky. The wind started blowing so hard it started taking off shingles from the roof. A large lightning bolt struck the castle, and it caught on a purple flame.
Hermione gasped. "That's ollehevaw fire. It can only be created by dark magic and stopped by dark magic. It's intangible to other wizards." She cringed. "Everyone will have to get out."
The doors from the castle suddenly flew open, and students ran from their burning school. Lucius had a smile on his face. This is what he wanted, Maddie realized. He wants to take as many lives as possible.
Once many students were out of the building, Lucius snapped his fingers and the fire ceased. No smoke, no nothing.
Dumbledore spoke for the first time. "Lucius, what do you want?"
"I want my master to have what he wants." Lucius turned to Harry. "My master wants Harry Potter."
Another breeze came, and a figure of a man appeared. He had thinning dark hair, and black, cold eyes. He turned to Harry. "Potter, do you see what I have become?" Harry said nothing. "I have my powers back, mostly. But it is because of you that I don't have it all. You are the reason for my downfall once, but you will not make me fall again."
"Voldemort," Harry hissed.
He laughed. Harry cringed. It was the same laugh he heard in his nightmares, the same laugh he heard when a dememtor came near him. "Potter."
Voldemort waved his hand and threw a fireball at a group of first years huddled together. They dodged it at the last minute. "Leave them alone!" Harry screamed. "It's me you want, isn't it?"
Voldemort grinned evilly. "I want to have a little fun first." He threw a fireball at a group of sixth years, this time hitting one of them. A very pretty brunette girl.
"Rosalie!" Ginny screamed and ran to her friend's side. "Oh, Rosalie," she sobbed. Ginny felt for a pulse but felt none. "She's dead."
Draco felt nauseous. Poor Rosalie, she was such a sweet girl. He then realized that Voldemort was aiming another one at Ginny.
"NO!" He screamed, and ran toward Ginny, covering her.
"Draco! What are you doing?" Lucius yelled.
"Something I should have done a long time ago. Go to hell, father."
"Draco…" Lucius looked confused, if hurt.
"You heard me. Go to hell." Draco turned to Voldemort. "You too! You deserve it!" Voldemort angrily threw a fireball at them, and Draco dragged Ginny away from Rosalie's body.
"Take this!" Voldemort started throwing fireballs around at everyone; it became a mad dash to avoid them. Harry grabbed Hermione and Ron and ran towards the bleachers.
"Stay here," he told them.
"Harry…" Hermione began.
"If you stay here, you'll get hit and killed."
Ron nodded. "Hermione, he's right. Stay down."
Hermione felt tears roll down her cheeks. "Be careful."
"I will," Harry whispered.
Hermione wiped her tears. "I hate playing the damsel in distress role. Just waiting for my knight in shining armor to save me," she said sarcastically.
"Hey, look at me," Harry took her face in his hands. "I love you."
Hermione just looked at him, then leaned in and kissed him. It was a funny site, Maddie thought, two lovers kissing amidst the destructive battle scene. It was like something out of a movie, but it was real. It was the very incarnation of the love and hate in the world, both showing at the same time.
"Be careful," Hermione repeated after their kiss had been broken. Harry smiled and nodded, then ran off towards Voldemort.
***
Maddie surveyed the damage at hand. She saw at least four, five, six, bodies on the ground, most likely all dead. Fire was everywhere, and where there was no fire, the ground was covered in blood. It's now or never, she said to herself. I have to do it now or die trying. She shrugged off the invisibility cloak and walked toward Voldemort.
***
"Stop Riddle!" Harry screamed. "It's me you want, and here I am! Stop playing with them. Kill me!"
Voldemort turned to Harry. "Do you think you'd last a second against me, boy?" He took a step closer. "Do you? Do you know what I could do to you?"
Harry was brave; he stood his ground and looked Voldemort in the eye. "I do know, and I dare you to."
Maddie crept forward. She now found her father stupid.
Voldemort laughed. "Very well, boy." He threw a fireball at Harry.
"No!" Maddie yelled. She ran forward and caught the fireball in her hand, as one would catch a baseball. The entire battlefield was now silent. Maddie heard many "how did she do that?" and "that's not possible" remarks. Maddie threw the ball up in the air and caught it again. "I believe this is yours, Riddle?"
"I've been waiting to meet you, Madeleine." Voldemort said.
Maddie shook her eyes. "The reason you're attacking now is so we wouldn't have to meet, because you know what I'm capable of. I guess I thought this meeting was unavoidable."
"How did you get here?" he asked mockingly.
Maddie glared at him. "Good has certain advantages over evil." She smiled.
"Evil? I'm not evil. Nor am I good. There is no evil or good, merely power. I believe you know what I mean."
"How would I?" Maddie asked.
"Your parents never loved you, did they?" he said.
"Of course they did!"
Voldemort looked at her. "Poor, poor girl. They loved your sister, but never you."
Maddie rolled her eyes. "Fat chance of brainwashing me. I'm not that gullible."
"Name one person who loves you."
Maddie bit her lip. "Gray."
Voldemort laughed his ear splitting, evil laugh. "Gray? Gray never loved you."
That hurt. What if Gray never did love her? Not even as a friend? She shook the idea out of her head. "Why am I wasting my time with a seventy year old dark wizard wannabe coward?" she grinned. "A rule for next time, pick on people your own size. Or power." She pulled out her wand.
"Don't," Voldemort pleaded.
"Actually, there won't be a next time, because you're going down," Maddie hissed. She pointed her wand at him. "Kegivuliyll mortitrocious!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. A blinding white light came out of her wand and made her entire body glow. She was lifted about a foot above the ground, her hair flying everywhere in the wind. "Kegivuliyll mortitrocious, kegivuliyll mortitrocious," she mumbled over and over again.
Voldemort fell to the ground, limp and lifeless. She was lowered down to the ground, still glowing. Then his body exploded, scattering dust everywhere and creating a shock wave so intense that everyone in the nearest thousand meters fell over, and those in the nearest five hundred meters were knocked out of consciousness, meaning everyone on the Quidditch field except Maddie.
She looked around and surveyed the damage. Among the dead was Lavender Brown and Neville Longbottom. There were two third years, a fifth year, three fourth years, and five first years, all who couldn't defend themselves. And their was Rosalie, his first victim. Poor Rosalie. Poor Lavender. Lavender Brown had been a bit snobby but she had been Maddie's friend, and Maddie felt the grief. She turned to the teachers. "Oh no," she gasped. It was Dumbledore. "Professor," she whispered, kneeling over him.
He smiled at her. "You did a brave thing today, Madeleine Potter."
She smiled. "Thank you." She paused. "Why could I…"
"Why could you kill him? Stop the fireball?" Maddie nodded. Dumbedore continued. "You're an anjelique."
"A what?"
"An anjelique. It is a person with such good inside of them that no dark magic can defeat. Your grandmother Lily was one too, but she gave her powers up for her son. They are very rare."
"Is my father one?"
"Harry has a bit of anjelique in him, but no, he is not a full one." Dumbledore looked up at her. "Do you know why you were chosen for this mission?"
Maddie shook her head. "I really don't. Gwyneth would have been so much better suited…"
"Gwyneth is not an anjelique."
Maddie looked at him in surprise. "She's not?"
The old man shook his head. "No, she's not. Even with all her intelligence and sheer power, she would have not been able to defeat him."
Maddie pressed her lips together. She was something her sister was not? "I thought perfect Gwen…"
"She is not as perfect as she seems. Give her a chance in the future," he smiled sadly. "Watch over your parents for me."
"Oh, professor," Maddie said as she sat next to a dying Dumbledore.
"Worry not," he smiled at her. "To the well prepared mind, death is merely the next adventure."
Maddie sighed. "Take care."
"You too," he said as he shut his eyes and slipped from life.
Maddie stood there for a while, watching him. Then she felt raindrops on her head. The dark clouds vanished, and in their place, light, crystalline clouds appeared. The rain fell harder, putting out the fires and arousing the knocked out students and teachers. Maddie felt down her robes and grabbed her time turner. It's time to go home, she told herself. She turned her time turner once, twice, three times…
***
Harry felt his eyes open. He was laying on the grass in the Quidditch field, with the rain falling down upon him. The memories came rushing back to him of what happened. Maddie, he thought. He sat up and looked around, but saw no sign of her. He felt a pain in his heart. She had died for him. He and the rest of the wizarding world owed her their lives. He turned around, and saw her standing there.
"Maddie!" He cried.
She turned to him. She had a time turner and was holding it. "Harry," she whispered.
"You…" he began.
"Forget it," she said.
"Why!"
"I don't want to be a hero. You already are one. You killed him, you saved us all."
Harry shook his head, confused. "But you,"
"I did save your life, didn't I?" she asked. Harry nodded. "Then tell no one about this. I don't care what you tell them, that you killed him, that Dumbledore killed him, just don't say anything about me."
"Why not?"
"You'll understand later. Not now. Please," she begged. Harry nodded.
"See ya'" she smiled and turned her time turner, then was gone.
A/N: I'm done! Yeah! This part was pretty lame, I'm not good at writing action scenes. Please read and review!