Disclaimer: Harry Potter and everything related is the property of J.K. Rowling and anyone else who has claim to a piece of Harry's fame
Disclaimer 2: I own the plot, Saerry Snape, Aeyr's, and the Snapes being Slytherin's Heirs. Nothing more, nothing less.
A/N: *drum roll, trumpet sound* DUN DUN DUN! At last! After all the preparations, the battle has begun! Who will survive? Who knows? *chuckle* But you guys may just kill me at the end of this chapter. We'll have to see! But remember, kill me and there is no more! ^___^
Chapter 76 **The Battle Begins**
The Death Eaters surged forward in a tidal wave rush, yelling curses at the Hogwarts defenders. Severus and Remus bellowed out a shield charm and a reflection charm, when sent the curses hurtling back at their senders when they hit the shield. The Death Eaters either cast their own shield charms or dove out of the path of the curses. Some were not fast enough and fell to their own spells. Dementors glided down the alley made between the Death Eaters, completely oblivious to the curses. Harry howled, "Expecto Patronum!", as did several voices behind him. A brilliant white stag, a silvery phoenix, and an almost blindingly white lion charged the Dementors and drove them back.
There was a cry from both sides and then the two groups surged forward and met with a crash. Curses and counter-curses flew thick in the air as well as hexes and charms.
Harry dodged a hex and shot another back as a curse came close to his head, causing him to stumble. A Death Eater charged forward with a victorious cry, the words of the Cruciatus curse on their lips. Harry rolled and drove Gryffindors sword up at them. The blade sliced into their stomach, spraying Harry with a gout of blood. The teen quickly rolled away, jerking the sword back out of the Death Eater, then shot a hex at another as the Death Eater fell to the ground with a groan. He stumbled around as he dodged a Cruciatus Curse and wondered where his father had gotten to during the last few minutes.
On another part of the battlefield, Severus swung Slytherins sword into a Death Eater, drawing a startled cry and a line of bright blood. He swung around, dodging a well-aimed Imperious Curse, and fired Cruciatus back. The Death Eater went down with an agonized scream and Severus moved on. Then –
"Severus."
Severus whirled about, bringing Slytherins sword up – and met Voldemort's blade in a flash of sparks and clashing metal. The two blade's hummed with power as they met and Severus noticed that a seven headed serpent was etched into the other swords blade.
The Serpent and the Water Snake . . . Serpens and Hydra . . . Dear God . . .
Voldemort smiled and said, "How quaint. You have found the other blade.
Severus forced down the fear that had begun gibbering in his belly, arched an eyebrow, and said, "Pardon?"
"Slytherin made a pair of twin blades, one etched with a serpent and the other with a hydra. He chose the serpent as his own blade and gave the twin to his son."
Severus sneered, "And so it was passed down through generations to you?"
Voldemort smirked. "Yes. My mother was a Heir of Slytherin."
"Not enough of one apparently as I have the Serpent Blade and you the Hydra."
There was a hiss of steel as Voldemort twisted his blade to strike at Severus but the younger man parried the thrust aside easily. Voldemort sneered now as he said, "You are more skilled than I thought, Severus."
Severus kept his expression blank as he said, "My father was an excellent swordsman. He taught well."
"As I can see," said Voldemort. A second later he thrust the sword aside and swept it downward, at Severus' legs. Severus jumped over the blade and swept his own down at Voldemort's sword arm. The Dark Lord twisted aside and then the blades caught each other again in a flash of sparks.
In another part of the battlefield, Saerry and Remus fought back-to-back, hurling out hexes with lightning speed. Close by, Sprout and a small group of sixth years held their ground along with two fifth years. A bit away, several students and Vector held off a line of Dementors from getting by.
On the other side of the battlefield, Harry found himself fighting side-by-side with Dumbledore. He also found out that he was just a few feet away from his father.
Who was fighting Voldemort.
Harry felt a streak of white terror shoot through him at this sight. Then he noticed his father was holding his ground, fighting with precise, elegant movements. Voldemort was fighting with the same style, only it had a more savage feel to it. Suddenly a curse grazed his shoulder and he cried out, spinning around and shooting a hex back at them.
Then – "HARRY!"
Harry whirled around as someone thundered, "Letum Volaticus!" There was a brilliant flash of red light and a whooshing sound, almost like Avada Kedavra. Harry was suddenly thrown aside, landing hard on the ground with an ooof! Everything went silent a second later.
Harry staggered to his feet, using Gryffindors sword to push himself up. Looking around, he saw everyone had stopped fighting and were staring at something behind him. Turning, he looked.
And immediately wish he hadn't.
Albus Dumbledore lay there, blue eyes focused steadily on the sky.
(a/n: Don't you guys hate me now?)
Harry gasped then looked around. He saw the faces of the professors and his fellow students, who looked shocked, with despair already beginning to pool in their eyes. But the Death Eaters were beginning to get back their spirit, reaching for wands with maniacal gleams in their eyes.
Suddenly there was a clash of metal and all eyes turned to Severus and Voldemort, who had been the one to fire whatever curse had killed Dumbledore. The two were once again fighting but Severus used a different tactic this time and swept Voldemort's feet out from under him with what looked vaguely like a martial arts move. As the Dark Lord went down he yelled, "Defend Hogwarts! It falls, we all fall!" Voldemort sprang at him a second later and Severus was forced to block, no longer able to speak.
Harry roared, "Defend Hogwarts!", trying to snap the professors and students out of it, and swung around, hitting a Death Eater in the head with the flat of his blade. He whirled back to block a hex and yelled again.
The professors and students seemed to snap out of despair and lifted their wands again. With the cry of "Defend Hogwarts!" they renewed their attack.
Harry cheered and spotted Saerry and Remus in the surge of people. The two werewolves were firing curses simultaneously into the swarm of Death Eaters, taking down swath after swath of them. He thought he heard Saerry howl as she struck down ten at one time. Harry then whirled about and saw his father go down, Slytherins sword falling from his now limp fingers. Voldemort's blade followed him down.
"NO!"
There was a flash of brilliant white light and then Harry was there, standing over his father, Gryffindors sword in his right hand and Slytherins in his left. There was a sudden streak of silver light over the battlefield and then Saeln was hovering above Harry's head. Moments later, phoenix song burst into the air and Fawkes appeared, taking a place on Harry's right shoulder.
Voldemort sneered and said, "Harry. I was wondering when you would appear again."
Harry softly spoke, ignoring the brilliant pain in his scar.
"Well I'm here now."
"I see." Voldemort's red eyes shifted from Harry to Fawkes and Saeln. "And with two defenders. Dumbledore's phoenix and an Aeyr, nonetheless."
Saeln hissed softly and settled on Harry's left shoulder, yellow-amber eyes whirling with anger. Voldemort gave the Aeyr an amused look then threw back his head and laughed, causing everyone around, even the Death Eaters, to cringe. By now all movement on the battlefield has ceased and everyone was watching the two. Especially Severus, who had been dragged back by Saerry and Remus. Voldemort chuckled and said, "You think you can defeat me with a measly bird and a snake? I could turn that weak serpent against you in a moment."
Harry looked sideways at Saeln, never taking his eyes off Voldemort, and spat in Parseltongue, "Try it. Ssssee how far you get."
Voldemort narrowed his eyes then spoke to Saeln. Harry listened but made no remark. Saeln flapped his wings when Voldemort was done and hissed, "I ssserve no massster. Not you, Dark Ssserpent, or anyone." He turned his yellow-amber eyes on Harry and continued, "Harry isss my friend and Hogwartsss is my home. And I ssshall protect it from the likesss of you."
Voldemort blinked at Saeln then chuckled to cover it. He said, "A feisty one, I see. Perhaps when I destroy Potter you will change your mind."
Saeln hissed angrily, his wings glowing silver, and Harry narrowed his eyes. He softly said, "My name is Snape."
Voldemort arched an eyebrow. "Pardon?"
Harry said louder, "My – name – is – SNAPE!" On the last word, he thrust Gryffindors sword towards Voldemort. The older wizard jumped back and parried the blade aside but Harry already had Slytherins sword moving. The blade struck solidly in Voldemort's arm, causing the Dark Lord to hiss in pain and dance away but Harry followed, eyes flashing darkly. Fawkes trilled a high note from above them and Harry lunged forward. Voldemort twisted aside then fell as a flash of silver rammed into the back of his knees. Harry followed the Dark Lord down and then –
There was a hurricane roar and then everything went dark.
A/N: Mwaaaaha. A cliffie. ^^
Letum Volaticus – Winged Death