Maddy and Jo sat, gripping each other fearfully, as if waiting for a huge lightning bolt to come down and strike them. When nothing happened, Maddy reacted as was expected.
"We have to go to Albus!" Jo was wringing her hands.
"Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble…" Maddy dragged her friend out of the portrait hole with Harry, Ron, and Hermione in pursuit. Twice they ran into dead ends, and once they passed Peeves, who was cackling menacingly.
"Mad Maddy! Mad Maddy!" Barely stopping, Maddy gave a wave of her hand. Peeves was sent flying backward down the corridor, howling in anger. Harry was amazed. She hadn't needed a wand; she had sent Peeves flying away with a slight wave of her hand. He doubted that even Dumbledore could do that. Still, she dashed off down the familiar passageway to the Headmaster's office. She pounded on the gargoyle.
"ALBUS!" The gargoyle sprang to life and jumped away, revealing the headmaster standing there, a look of concern on his face.
"Maddy! What's wrong?" She broke down.
"Albus, it's so horrible! We broke the most important rule, not to come in contact with living people!" She sobbed into his shoulder.
"Oh Maddy…" he wrapped his arms around her and they stood there, oblivious to everyone else around them. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were amazed. The pair acted as if they were still the same age, just teenage sweethearts, when in reality Maddy looked fifteen and Dumbledore was much, much older. It was a curious sight, this slim teenage girl in an embrace with a white-haired, wizened old man wearing half moon spectacles. Maddy had stopped sobbing and now had her face buried in Albus' shoulder.
"I wish I'd never died, this is all that damn Grindelwald's fault, if it hadn't been for him we could have been together forever, and now I'm dead and you're old and nothing can ever be the same as it was before…" Albus comforted her.
"I know Maddy, I know. Just remember that one day, I'll come to Heaven also, and we can be together for the rest of eternity…" Just then, someone cleared their throat behind Dumbledore. It was Alastor Moody. He looked around at Harry, Ron, and Hermione's confused faces. When he reached Jo, his eyes widened.
"Jo?" Her mouth opened wide and she backed away slowly as he advanced on her.
"Jo, is that you? It's me, Alastor! Jo, I've missed you so much!" He ran to her and she gave a start. She turned and fled down the corridor.
"Jo! Jo, where are you going? Jo, I love you! I've been waiting for you…" his voice cracked as she disappeared around the corner. He stared after her, and then looked back at Maddy and Albus, still oblivious.
"Albus? What's going on here?" The headmaster looked up. He automatically went into "competent headmaster" mode.
"Alastor, if you could step up to my office… Maddy, you'd better come too. Harry, Ron, Hermione, if you could see if you could find Jo, that would be a tremendous help. Check the balcony of the Astronomy tower. When you find her, bring her here." The three nodded silently and started off towards the Astronomy Tower. "Now, Alastor, Maddy… let's see if we can get this sorted out."
**Meanwhile, in Heaven…**
"Ack!" Lily squealed, as James ambushed her from behind. He grabbed her arms and held them pinned against her sides as he leaned down and kissed her neck. "Gerroff, you big bully!" She was laughing almost too hard to speak as he waltzed her around, grinning from ear to ear. After a minute, she stole a glance back at Andrew. Albus' father was standing at the edge of the ivory-tiled veranda, gazing out into the infinite cloud of white.
"Andrew? Knut for your thoughts?"
He sighed. "I'm worried about Maddy and Jo. They always seem to get into trouble, and sending them to Earth seems to be the perfect opportunity for them to get into it even deeper…The penalties for breaking the rules on Earth are much, much more severe than those for breaking rules here in Heaven…"
****
"Memo for you, sir. It's the report from the mortal world."
"Thank you, Lisa. Could you bring me a white chocolate cappuccino? I'd be very much obliged… Thank you."
Alexander Angelus III sipped his steaming coffee. He took a casual glance down at the neatly typewritten report in front of his. Spluttering, he spilled hot cappuccino all over his freshly laundered crisp white robes.
"What in the name of Saint Peter…?" He hurriedly pressed the intercom buzzer connecting his secretary to his office.
"Lisa? Call in the Law Enforcement Squad. It seems that two of our young Earth travelers have decided to break the rules…"
******
"Maddy, I'm sure everything will be fine." Albus was trying to calm his own nerves long enough to think of something to do about the situation. "Can I see your rule packet?" She handed it to him with shaking hands. Alastor was pacing the length of the office. Even Fawkes seemed to recognize the direness of the situation, as he was ruffling his feathers nervously and kept shifting on his golden perch. Albus reached the back page of the pamphlet and frowned.
"I didn't know that you weren't supposed to come in contact with mortals." He gave Maddy a penetrating look over the tops of his half-moon spectacles, raising his eyebrows. She rolled her eyes.
"Don't look at me like that, like I'm one of your students who has misbehaved, Albus. Jo and I didn't realize that either until we brought down the packet this afternoon. Honestly." She sniffed.
"I apologize, I'm just so used to being headmaster that I've forgotten how to give someone a normal, exasperated look." Maddy chose to ignore the slight sarcasm in his voice. Alastor turned.
"Honestly, it's like not even a day has passed since we were in fifth year, you two. Still going at it like cats and dogs." He grinned lopsidedly. His smile, however, vanished at the knock on the door.
"Professor? We've brought Jo." Alastor froze.
"Come in." Harry was leading Jo by the arm. Hermione and Ron came in after and closed the door. All four looked very wet. Jo was shivering, her hair hanging like limp ribbons framing her face.
"She was up on the balcony of North Tower," Hermione whispered to Maddy, "It's raining now, and she refused to come in. We had to persuade her to come in." Maddy nodded.
"Thank you." She reached over and pulled up a chair for Jo. "Joey, what on earth were you thinking of, going out in the freezing rain? Albus…" He nodded and conjured some thick towels. She handed one to Jo, passing the rest back to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Jo scowled.
"What? It's not like I can die again…" Albus shook his head.
"Jo, just because you're already… erm… deceased, that doesn't mean that you should-" He was abruptly cut off by several white-clad, semi-transparent beings suddenly appearing in the room. Each had a shiny silver badge bearing the title "Officer, H.L.E.S." Maddy's mouth dropped open in horror; Jo winced and shivered violently. The angel who seemed to be the leader turned to Maddy and Jo, crossing his arms and giving the pair a patronizing look.
"You two," he spat, "Have been the cause of much chaos and panic. Did you not thoroughly read the rules? Did they not firmly specify that you were not to come into contact with any humans or sentient beings? What do you have to say for yourselves?" Maddy shuddered slightly.
"Erm… we didn't know we were doing anything wrong?" The angel let out a snort, making it clear that he didn't believe her. At this, Albus stood up.
"Now, that's a bit harsh. They didn't realize that they were doing anything wrong…" The angel raised his narrowed his eyes and raised his eyebrows at Dumbledore; it was clear that he thought himself higher that the headmaster.
"The rulebook clearly states this rule as the most important. These two will be facing extremely severe penalties… I wouldn't expect a mortal like you to understand." He turned to the rest of the squad, who surrounded Maddy and Jo. "Let's go." Holding them by their shoulders, they yanked the two girls up.
"Bye," said Maddy miserably. Her shoulders sagged visibly as the entire group shimmered once and was gone.
****
"How could you do this? When they gave you the rules specifically?" Andrew was pacing back and forth. He had just retrieved Maddy and Jo from the enraged clutches of the Head Angel in charge of Mortal Relations, Alexander Angelus III. They had gotten off on a relatively minor sentence for the consequences, six months of service and paperwork 3 days a week in the Mortal Relations office for the next year, along with a warning and a severe reprimand. Maddy was sitting on a chair, staring down at the thick white shag carpet. Jo was resting her elbow on a side table, massaging her temples.
"Andrew, we said we didn't mean to," said Jo meekly. He shook his head and looked disapprovingly at the pair. Lily and James chose this moment to come in.
"Hey, you guys! Back already?" Lily smiled at Maddy, who didn't look up. "What's wrong?" She just shook her head silently and motioned towards Andrew, who was frowning deeply at them. "Andrew?"
"These two decided to spend some time with the mortals on Earth, breaking the rule about no mortal contact. When I got to the Office to retrieve them, the H.L.E.S. was in a frenzy." He frowned back at Jo, who looked down at the table again.
James smiled. "Come on, it can't be that bad…"
Maddy shrugged. "That's what I said… it's not our fault that all the Head Angels are paranoid control freaks."
"Maddy, that's enough," Andrew admonished.
"Well, I still don't understand what the big deal is." She turned to Lily. "I almost forgot! I met Harry!" Lily's eyes widened. She sank down on a footstool and glanced over at James, who moved closer to stand behind her.
"Is he… is he okay?"
Maddy smiled. "He's great. Really terrific. We talked to him, he's the nicest person you could imagine. A great Quidditch player-" James cut her off.
"Quidditch? He plays Quidditch?" He looked as though all of his dreams had come true.
"Yes, he's Seeker for Gryffindor. He's a natural flier, you should see him! It's a miracle that his celebrity status hasn't gone to his head… he's really down-to-earth. You have a wonderful son." Lily smiled. James, however, looked confused.
"Celebrity?"
Maddy looked up. "Yes, didn't you know? He's famous for causing the downfall of some Voldemort bloke after your deaths." Lily and James exchanged a surprised look.
"And did he say how things were living with Sirius?"
Maddy bit her lip. "Well, he didn't exactly go to live with Sirius. Sirius was convicted of being a spy to Voldemort and for the death of Peter Pettigrew. But Pettigrew faked his own death and Sirius got sent to Azkaban…" She went on to explain the whole story as Harry had explained to her and Jo on the previous day. When she was done, Lily and James sat back with mild shock.
"You mean Harry didn't get to live with Sirius like we wanted him to? He had to live with my stinking sister and her horrible family?" Maddy nodded silently. Lily looked crestfallen. "My poor baby, he's probably had a horrible childhood!" She wiped away a tear. James patted her shoulder.
"Lily, there's nothing we can do. I'm sure Harry will be fine." At this moment, a smartly dressed man with large wings entered.
"Miss Madeleine Potter?"
Maddy looked up. "What do you want now?" The man raised his eyebrows. "Sorry, sorry. What did you need?"
"You're needed in the Prayers and Incoming Calls Department." She sighed and stood up.
"Probably need me to mop the floors or something," she grumbled, but followed the man out of the room.
"Meet us here later, we can have a game of Quidditch!" called James after her. She waved a hand back at them.
**
Upon reaching the Incoming Calls office, Maddy was quite surprised to discover that the reason that she had been called was not because they needed her to clean; rather, it was on serious business. When she arrived, the secretary at the desk nodded at her.
"Ms. Atromus will see to you in a moment." She motioned towards the closed door to her left, upon which was a plaque reading: ANGELA ATROMUS, DIRECTOR.
(A/N: Is it just me, or do all the Head Angels seem to have names that start with "A"? Huh.)
Maddy sat down and flipped through an old copy of Heaven Today. After a moment, the door opened and a flustered young man walked out.
"Miss Potter to see you, ma'am."
"Send her in." Maddy stood and walked through the open doorway, which automatically shut with a snap behind her. "Have a seat." Maddy sat. "Now, I guess you're wondering what this is about." She nodded mutely. "Well, it seems that you have had a call from the mortal world. From one Albus Dumbledore, I believe." She peered down at the paper in front of her as Maddy held back a choke. "At any rate, our normal procedure would be to simply ignore a call such as this- we get thousands of prayers and pleas each day, very few of which are actually are passed on- but in light of recent events…" She looked at Maddy, who turned pink. "A situation such as this must be handled with extreme caution. When mortals pray, most do not sincerely believe to receive an answer to their prayers. Heaven is not proven in their world… we keep it that way for certain reasons. But after your, er, unfortunate incident in the mortal world recently, some things must be taken into account… This Mr. Dumbledore knows that there is a real and concrete Heaven, as you yourself proved to him. We would like to prevent this from being spread around… Only chaos and disarray could come of this. Therefore, the only solution that I could see is to send you back to the mortal world to help your Mr. Dumbledore." Maddy could barely conceal her grin. Before she could say anything, Ms. Atromus held up her hand. "But be forewarned: Any further breaking of the rules shall result in severe consequences."
"Will I be able to talk to the mortals?" asked Maddy.
"Oh, I suppose so. I can't see how you would be able to help them otherwise. Just make sure not to tell anyone else where you came from." Maddy grinned.
"Thank you! When do I leave?"
"Right away. I'll send you on the next transport… it departs in five minutes. I'll tell Mr. Andrew Dumbledore and your companions where you've gone." She looked up as Maddy stood. "Be careful."
Ten minutes later, Maddy was standing once more on the windswept grounds of Hogwarts.
"I wonder what in Heaven Albus could have wanted me for," she asked herself. "Well, I expect I'll soon find out." A few moments later, she was standing outside of the stone gargoyle. One of the professors walked out.
"Excuse me, did you need something?"
"Er, yes, I wanted to see Alb- I mean, Professor Dumbledore." Maddy smiled, trying to look angelic.
The professor, a tall witch with black hair tied back in a bun and square spectacles looked at Maddy suspiciously.
"All right then." Maddy grinned and started off towards Albus' office. "Excuse me, but…" Maddy turned. The woman was looking at her oddly. "I don't believe I've seen you here before… I was sure I knew all of the students at this school. I teach Transfiguration."
Maddy tried to think of an excuse. "I'm, er, an exchange student. Just arrived now." Professor McGonagall pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes, but Maddy turned and rushed up the spiraling staircase before Professor McGonagall could say anything else. She knocked on the door to Albus' study.
"Come in." She grinned and burst in.
"You called?" Albus looked up and gasped.
"Maddy? What are you doing back? It's been two years…" She grinned.
"I'm here to help you with your problem… whatever that might be." At this, Albus sighed and looked down again.
"Albus?"
"I've received word that the Death Eaters are going to raid Hogwarts. Tonight. And I have no way of stopping them, no way of getting everyone out in time. I don't know whether I should tell the school and cause a panic, or not tell them and be unprepared. I fear this is the end of Hogwarts…" Maddy looked at Albus. He dark circles under his eyes, and his face seemed to have become even more lined with age. She bit her lip, wondering what on Earth he thought that she could do…
"Albus… What can I do to help?" He looked up at her, a ghost of his old smile flitting across his face.
"Get Harry, Hermione, and Ron from the Gryffindor common room. You know where it is; the password is "Golden Snitch". Then go to the Slytherin dungeon- you know where that is also- and retrieve Draco Malfoy. The password is "Veritaserum". Bring them up here to my office. If you run into any of the teachers, tell them to meet me in the staff room in half an hour." His gaze lingered on her face for a brief moment before flickering back down to the parchment in front of him. Maddy strode quickly from the study. She was only held up once at the Fat Lady's portrait, who insisted on babbling on to her about how she looked exactly the same as she had years and years before. As she began to relive old memories, Maddy smiled indulgently but quickly gave the password and climbed through the portrait hole.
"Harry? Hermione, Ron?" They looked up from their homework.
"Maddy! You're back!" Harry jumped up and ran to her, Hermione and Ron close behind him. "What are you doing here?"
Maddy looked down at her feet, still clad in their white sandals. "I'll explain later," If there is a later, she thought, before immediately shooing the thought out of her mind, "Albus needs to see you his office immediately."
Harry's eyes widened. Hermione and Ron shared a look. "What's up? Is there something wrong?"
"No time to explain, just hurry!" She headed off towards the Slytherin dungeon.
"Maddy? Isn't Dumbledore's office the other way?" Ron frowned as they hurried down the dark passageways.
"We have to, er, make a brief stop to pick up someone. You three had best stay out of sight." She reached the entrance. "Veritaserum." The wall slid open. She poked her head into the room. "Draco? Can I have a word?" Scowling slightly, Draco entered the passage.
"Who are you? What do you want?" He noticed Harry, Hermione, and Ron. "What are they doing here?"
"I'm, er… a friend. Dumbledore wants to see you in his office right away." Draco scowled again.
"Why should I?" Maddy rolled her eyes.
"Either you come willingly, or I'll force you to." She raised her wand threateningly. Draco crossed his arms defiantly, but started walking up the passage. The remaining four looked at each other, but quickly hurried after him.
*
Dumbledore cleared his throat. The four teenagers seated in front of his desk were watching his every move, their eyes wide with anticipation. Maddy was standing next to Albus, her hand on his shoulder.
"Now will you explain?" asked Harry carefully. Dumbledore looked grim.
"There is no need to keep this from you all any longer. I have reason to believe that Voldemort and his Death Eaters will be attacking the school tonight." The reactions on each student's face were instantaneous. Harry's jaw dropped, a look that was followed by firm resolve. Hermione looked stunned, shaking her head. Ron bit his lip, and glanced at Harry worriedly, as if expecting his friend to do something rash and unpredictable. Draco looked nothing less than horrified; though he quickly concealed his surprise with his normal cool expression. Maddy clenched her teeth, mentally cursing Voldemort, who sounded like a modern Grindelwald except ten times worse. Harry was the first to recover.
"What can we do? We should get all the students out of the castle immediately…" Dumbledore stopped him.
"No, everyone will be safer inside. I am giving orders for all students to lock themselves into their dormitories. Hermione and Ron, I want you to take one last sweep around the castle to make sure that there are no students out. The teachers will come in a few minutes to help you. Do not split up under any circumstances. If there is a break-in, go back to Gryffindor Tower immediately; the Fat Lady will let you in. Draco…" he looked carefully at him, "Go to your dormitory and retrieve the, er, object that you received a few months ago. Meet me at the staff room in ten minutes. You must all hurry." They departed rapidly. Harry looked up at Dumbledore. "Harry…" He reached over and opened the glass case, handing the Gryffindor sword to him. "You and Maddy come with me." Walking down the corridors, Maddy felt very exposed in her bright white robes. The shadows seemed to loom around her.
Why am I scared? I can't possibly die again, Maddy told herself fiercely, I should be scared for Harry and Albus. And the rest of the school. They reached the staff room. The teachers were gathered there, looking worried.
"Albus?" asked Professor McGonagall, "Is it… them?" He nodded grimly. A nervous babble broke out.
"Now, I believe that the students will be safe where they are. Minerva, Severus, Sylvia, Frederick?" he nodded at Professors McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, and Flitwick, "Please go to your houses and inform the students to stay in their dormitories until we give the word." They nodded. Professor Trelawney cleared her throat.
"Excuse me, Headmaster, I have foreseen in the Orb that the best plan of action would be to…" Professor McGonagall cut her off with a fierce glare.
"Right then, I will ask the rest of the staff to prepare to defend the castle as needed. Hurry now." Albus looked more anxious than Maddy had ever seen him. As the teachers departed, a very pale-looking Draco entered the room. A short object was wrapped in his cloak. As the last of the staff left, he pulled it out from the folds of cloth. A shining silver dagger set with deep green emeralds in the hilt glinted dangerously in the flickering candlelight. Harry moved back a step. The dagger looked very old, yet a resonance of power seemed to radiate around it. As Draco moved slightly, Harry saw an engraving on the handle… Salazar Slytherin. The object that Draco possessed was none other than Slytherin's dagger; the one that had been used to kill Godric Gryffindor just after Gryffindor had stabbed him in their last fateful battle. As Harry remembered from numerous Histories of Magic classes devoted to the battle, it had resulted in both of their deaths. Once trusted friends, Slytherin and Gryffindor had turned against each other. Harry tore his gaze away as Dumbledore began to speak.
"Ah yes, the dagger. It has very specific magical properties. The tradition of this dagger, as you may well know, Mr. Malfoy, is that it has the time-honored tradition of being used to betray someone close to the bearer." He looked up at Draco, who was staring pointedly at the floor in front of Dumbledore's feet. Draco scowled.
"Can we get on with this?" Albus nodded mutely and led the three from the room.
~
BANG!
Maddy looked up from her position with Harry at the top of the marble staircase in the entrance hall. They were crouched behind the thick banister, waiting.
BANG!
There was no mistaking it. The Death Eaters had come, and were banging on the oaken front doors, locked.
"Bit stupid, isn't it?" Harry whispered. "They must know that we'd be expecting them to come through the front." Maddy frowned.
"This is most likely just a decoy. They've probably got the majority of the group sneaking in side doors. I think Albus was expecting this." She pursed her lips.
BANG… BANG… CRRRRACK!
Harry visibly paled at the sound of the heavy doors beginning to give way. He tensed, his wand and sword at the ready. Maddy had her eyes. Everything from her elbow down was glowing a golden color, illuminating her immortally beautiful face. She gripped his hand tightly with her normal hand as the door began to creak slowly open.
"Get ready," she breathed. The sound of Death Eaters sweeping through the doorway towards the staircase filled the entrance hall. The footsteps grew quickly closer.
"Go!" She and Harry jumped up. Maddy automatically raised her glowing arm, threateningly. The sight that met her eyes made her breath catch in her throat. The hall was filled with dozens of black-cloaked figures. Their masked faces were pointed up at the two lone figures just above them at the top of the staircase. There was a cold laugh from the Death Eater in the lead.
"This is the best defense that Dumbledore can provide? Two frightened teenagers?" The rest guffawed as he raised his wand.
"Lucius Malfoy…" hissed Harry.
"Harry Potter!" Lucius sounded cruelly delighted. Maddy glared at the man.
"This is your last warning," she spat. "Get out now and never come back, or face the consequences." Lucius snorted.
"I am much more in fear of my master than an adolescent, young lady. But you, my dear, might make a nice trophy for my Lord Voldemort… I shall take you alive. I will allow you to watch as the Potter boy dies." He shot a length of rope to coil around Maddy's arm. However, when the cord touched her still-bright forearm, it immediately recoiled as a visible surge of hot red energy shot back up Lucius's wand. He howled in pain as his own hand absorbed the shock. The Death Eaters were momentarily frozen as they watched their fellow writhe in pain. All at once, they screamed with rage and leapt up the stairs towards Maddy and Harry. Harry wielded Gryffindor's sword in a sharp, moon-bright slash across the nearest figure. Immediately they fell over, lifeless. He raised it again, the blade dripping with dark blood.
"Who's next?" Three large wizards lumbered towards him, cracking their knuckles. A flash of swordlight, and they joined their comrade on the cold stone floor. There was a mutinous roar from the crowd, and they surged forward once more. Abruptly they halted. Maddy cast a glance over her shoulder. There stood Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Hagrid, and Alastor, all with wands raised. She turned back.
"Go and do not return." The Death Eaters didn't need urging. They fled, down the steps to the grounds and into the Forbidden Forest.
"They won't last long in there," said Harry. Professor McGonagall was looking at Maddy.
"Exchange student, you say? I believe that we deserve a real explanation." Maddy sighed.
"All right, I'm not really a student. I'm…" she hesitated, but plunged recklessly on. "I'm an angel. An "already dead, come down from Heaven to assist mortals" angel. I… er… went to school with Albus. We were quite close, actually, if you understand what I mean…" Professor McGonagall nodded, a slight smile playing at the edges of her thin lips. "I was killed in our fifth year just after I helped Albus to defeat Grindelwald. Using this." She raised her arm, showing them. "Albus called me back here to help him defend Hogwarts." The professors stared at her, open-mouthed. Harry glanced over at the entrance to the corridor leading to the dungeons. There was a faint scuffling sound coming from farther down the passage. He motioned to Maddy. She took one last look at the dumbstruck professors and followed him down the dark passage. The entrance to the Slytherin common room was open, casting a slit of pale light into the passageway. Harry looked at Maddy. She put her finger up to her lips and crept toward the entrance. As she peered inside to the silent and abandoned room, she heard a muffled yell from the corridor leading to the boy's dormitories. Alarmed, she took off towards the noise. Harry sprinted at her heels.
"Draco Lucius Malfoy, you will come with me the instant!" The bellow rang through the hallway. Maddy skidded to a halt in front of Draco's dormitory, the door of which was flung wide open
"Draco," she gasped. He was sprawled across his bed, his father standing menacingly over him. Lucius spun around, halfway towards striking his son again.
"You…" he hissed. The lumps that were Crabbe and Goyle quivered under their bedclothes. For a moment, Maddy met Lucius' gaze, staring him down. Out of the corner of her eye, Maddy saw Draco moving slightly, shifting his position to reach into his pocket...
"Don't touch her, Father," he hissed, standing up. He was taller and more muscular than his father was, though they shared the same icy blond hair and steely grey eyes. Lucius looked mildly surprised at his son's outburst.
"Draco… this is not the time," he growled warningly. Draco shook his head.
"No, Father, this is the time! This is the perfect opportunity for me to tell you exactly what I think of you. I don't want to be a Death Eater, I don't want to follow Voldemort, I don't want to be like you! You're a pathetic sadist who gets his kicks from seeing innocent people die! You disgust me!" Lucius' eyes flashed.
"How dare you disgrace the Malfoy name in this hideous fashion. You will follow my orders!"
Draco reached into his pocket. "I think not, Father." He revealed Slytherin's dagger. A look of fear flitted across Lucius' face.
"You are my son. You wouldn't dream of using that on me."
Draco smiled in a way quite like his father. "I am not your son." As Maddy and Harry watched in a sort of horrified awe, Draco swung the dagger straight into his father's heart. With one last moan, Lucius fell to the ground and lay still. Draco turned on his heel and strode from the room without looking back.
"The rest of the mob will be arriving shortly." As he reached the outside corridor, Draco turned and muttered a locking charm on the Common Room entrance. "This will be their first stop, to pick up their children for assistance. They believe that Dumbledore will not raise a wand against one of his own students…" He began to stride off farther down the corridor.
"Erm, Malfoy, where are you going?" He turned.
"Haven't you been listening to a word I've been saying, Potter? I'm going to meet the Death Eaters." Harry looked at Maddy.
"Is this what denial looks like?" But they followed him down the dark passageway.
*
A war was raging. All around Maddy, wizards were engaged in wand-to-wand combat. Flashes of spells kept shooting over her head, but she deflected them with one wave of her hand. Harry was flashing through the mass of hooded Death Eaters, his magnificent sword glowing scarlet. None of their number had been killed yet, while the slain Death Eaters' numbers had grown too high to count. Bodies littered the damp, starlit grounds of Hogwarts. Even Hagrid had joined in, his crossbow at the ready. Never before had such blood been shed over the fight for good and evil. Maddy grimaced as she thrust a bolt of fire at an approaching Death Eater. Killing was a horrible business, but necessary to save all those who she held dear to her.
"All right, Maddy?" called Hermione as she banished a hooded figure straight into the stone wall.
"Yes," she called back, sending an armed group heading menacingly towards her flying. Sirius, in dog form, was tearing at Dark wizards left and right with savage accuracy. Finally, after many tiresome hours, all Death Eaters had fled or lay dead. A thought struck Maddy.
"Albus…" she whispered. He had not been down for the fighting, nor had she seen any sign of him at all. She reached over and grasped the nearest dying Death Eater by the front of his robes.
"Where is your master?" she hissed. He spat up into her face. She wiped it away and glared. "Tell me now!" He grimaced.
"My master has finally beaten Dumbledore. We have conquered." He then shuddered and lay still, his eyes glassy. Maddy dropped him with a thud. She set off at a sprint towards the castle.
"Maddy? Maddy!" Harry dashed after her.
"Albus…Albus…" Maddy hardly dared to believe it. Voldemort had gone after Albus. She had to get to him before it was too late… Tearing through the halls, she blasted the gargoyle away with one wave. Harry caught up to her, panting.
She rushed up the staircase. Voices could be heard in Albus's study. She pushed open the door and gasped. There stood the most hideous and evil-looking man she had ever seen. Voldemort was standing over Albus, who was sitting in his desk chair looking grim. Cold fury filled every line of his aged face. They looked up at the entrance of Harry and Maddy.
"No… Maddy, Harry, go…"
Voldemort smirked.
"I believe, old man, that they should stay." He locked the door behind them. " I will allow them to be here before I kill them as well." Albus shook his head.
"There is nothing that you can do now, Voldemort." He spat the name. "Your army lies dead, your followers have abandoned you." Voldemort glared.
"That is of no consequence now. My ultimate goal will be achieved." He smiled coldly. "So, Dumbledore, are you going to go down on your knees and beg for your life? I order you to bow to me and show reverence to me as the most powerful wizard on earth! I have conquered you and everything you stand for!" Voldemort gave a cruel smirk at the headmaster's pale form. Dumbledore gazed up at him.
"I will never bend my knee on my own behalf. However, if I thought I could save the life of one of my friends, staff, or students, I would gladly fall down on both knees. But I know you, Voldemort. I know you better than even you know yourself. There is not a scrap of pity or mercy in your heart, only a burning desire for vengeance and the desire to inflict pain on others. I will not kneel to one who is so consumed by evil. You are mistaken. You and the Dark side have not prevailed." He and Voldemort locked gazes. The Dark lord let out a long, low hiss. He raised his wand, his sallow and sunken features showing an expression of extreme malice. Still, somewhere behind the menacing exterior there was a tiny hint of fear, perhaps apprehension in his face at Dumbledore's words.
"Any last words, old man?" Dumbledore turned his gaze away from him, looking at the two frozen and horror-stricken teenagers in the doorway.
"Maddy, Harry." They moved closer. Voldemort stepped back, folding his arms with a look of cold amusement. "Harry, always remember what I have taught you. Good and light will always prevail. Maddy…" He look up at her grave figure. "I love you. I'll be seeing you soon." Maddy smiled through her tears. After Albus died, she would be free to return to Heaven where they would be together for all eternity. From his position behind them, Voldemort let out a wry, icy laugh.
"Touching, old man. For your added benefit, I will allow the brats to stay and witness my ultimate victory and triumph over you. Once you are out of the way, I will be free to take over Hogwarts and the world." He raised his wand slowly once more. Tears coursed down Maddy's cheeks. Though she knew that after this she would finally be able to be with her true love forever, she couldn't help the pain she felt from seeing him defeated by Darkness. Harry gripped her wrist as Voldemort's thin lips formed the fatal words.
"Avada Kedavra!" Maddy screamed as the jet of green light hit Albus directly in the heart.
"Noooo! Albus!" He fell to the floor in front of his own desk, still and lifeless. Voldemort smiled maliciously, though his smirk faltered as Maddy rounded on him.
"You… you…" His eyes widened just a little as she rounded on him. Seething with rage, she raised her right hand, her palm facing up. A fiery ball of scarlet light was forming just above her palm. "You killed him! You – killed – Albus!" With one swift, fluid motion, she threw the ball at him. Upon impact with his chest, it spread to cover his entire body in a scarlet glow. There was a long, deadly pause. Finally, Voldemort let out one last piercing scream before his body exploded in a shower of green sparks. The infamous, bloodthirsty Dark lord was finally vanquished. Harry stared at the place where he had just been, his mouth hanging open. Maddy was shaking uncontrollably. Fawkes had flown to Albus' chest and was weeping, his head resting on the spot where the curse had hit him. A puddle of pearly tears lay beneath his beautiful face. He wept and wept for the one thing that even their magical properties could not conquer. Death. Maddy was slowly becoming transparent. She turned to Harry, who had now turned his gaze to his Professor's lifeless figure.
"Harry." He turned silently and looked at her. "Harry, I'm sorry to leave you here alone. I trust you can find the others outside?"
He nodded. "How'd you do that? With the ball of light?"
Maddy smiled. "This isn't the first time my powers have destroyed a powerful Dark wizard." She looked down at her hands, which were shimmering. She could see through them to the floor on the other side. "I've got to go now, Harry. Do you have any messages for anyone? For your parents?"
"Tell Dumbledore that I said thank you for everything. And tell my parents… tell them that I love them." One last tear slid down Maddy's cheek.
"I will, Harry. I know that they'd be very proud of you. We'll be waiting for you in Heaven." She kissed his cheek. "Goodbye." She shimmered one last time and was gone. Harry gazed back at Dumbledore one final time before picking up Gryffindor's sword from the doorway where he had dropped it, re-sheathing it, and turning solemnly from the office. He passed through the silent halls, littered with the wreckage left from the Death Eater's final raid. Pushing open the huge oaken front doors, he strode through the slowly clearing smoke. Down at the edge of the Forbidden Forest he could see a familiar group of figures, huddled together. One saw him and broke away from the bunch, running.
"Harry!" The strong, reassuring arms of his godfather swept him up into a fierce hug. "Are you all right?" The forms of Professor McGonagall, Snape, Remus, Ron, Hermione, and Draco Malfoy surrounded them. He looked around at their faces.
"I am now." Somewhere in the warm breeze, two faint voices could be heard.
"Everything will be all right now, won't it, Albus?""Maddy, I believe it will be." The wind rustled the trees in the Forbidden Forest, and the voices were gone.
***
