A/N: Ooo.... Am I scaring you all? Did I just kill Harry and Astra? Is this the end?
Harry:. Not bloody Likely!
Astra: ::extreme sarcasm:: Could you have chosen a more painful way of killing me? I don't think I have been tortured enough....
Me: Ah... Quitcher Bitchin'!
Chapter Twenty-Four
Harry felt like he was suspended in the air. There was a brightness to where he was. He opened his eyes and saw nothing but brilliant white light.
He noticed that his head didn't hurt anymore. He saw that his clothes still had blood and dirt all over them. He winced through the bright light to see where exactly he was. Nothing came to his vision except bright light.
He moved one of his arms. It moved like he was swimming. He put more power into moving and straightened himself out. He had been floating at an odd angle, at least he felt like he was. The place he was in didn't exactly look like it had any up or down.
He put a hand up to his forehead and felt his scar. It wasn't burning anymore. It was incredibly cool. He took his hand away and saw blood on it. His scar was bleeding again.
"Where am I..." he said softly to himself. He briefly wondered if he was in heaven. He suddenly saw the ring Ginny had given him. He smiled. He hoped that if he was dead, that Voldemort would forget about Ginny. The last thing would want her to have to deal with is Voldemort.
He felt a tear streak his face. It felt hot as it tumbled over his cold cheek. He suddenly turned. He thought he heard someone speak. He saw someone come out of the whiteness.
It was two people. He saw a flash of green eyes and lots of black messy hair. He saw his mother and father appear. His mother smiled at him. His father smiled at him as well.
"Mum... dad?" Harry heard his voice say.
"Yes, son....." said his father.
"What are you doing here? Am I dead?" Harry stammered.
"That is not for us to say, dear...." said his mother.
"I'm so happy to see you!" Harry smiled sadly, tears were streaking his face.
"As are we..." said his father.
Harry couldn't hold back any longer. He floated over to them and hugged them. He could touch them. They were real. "I missed you so much!" He cried as he held his father. His mother took him now and he started crying into her neck. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
"For what, Harry?" she asked in a soothing voice. Her hand ran through his hair in a calming manner.
"I couldn't kill him! He was too strong!" Harry cried.
"Shhhh...." she hushed him.
He lifted his head and gazed into her eyes. They were as green as his. He felt like they were peering straight through him. "They aren't dead....." she said, but didn't open her mouth. The voice sounded as if it were coming from someplace else.
Harry lifted his head to look where the voice came from. His mother did the same. "We must go now...." she said. This time, her mouth opened. He smiled at him. "Take care...."
"Mum... mum! Dad!" They faded into the harsh white background. Harry felt cold all over again. If he was in heaven, then he didn't want to be here.
"Do you want to live....?"
Harry was startled back into his current situation. He had heard another voice. It wasn't his imagination. He glanced around. He couldn't see anyone else around in the whiteness.
The voice came again. It was a harsh tone, yet it was soft at the same time. It sounded very familiar. "Do you want to live.....?"
Everything was incredibly familiar. He couldn't place where he had heard this before. "Who are you!" He cried into the whiteness.
"Do you want to live....?"
He was taken aback by the voice. He wondered why it was asking him this. Then, he wondered how he could answer it. He desperately wanted to save Ginny and the others from Voldemort. He also wanted to be with his parents again. He desperately wanted to be with his parents.
"Do you want to live....?"
Three stones appeared in front of him. They were very familiar. One was a red stone cut into the shape of a star. Another was a small green stone, the color of his eyes. The last one was a black stone that he had seen before.
They started glowing brilliantly. They formed a circle and started spinning. They grew brighter with every turn and circled faster. They soon grew so bright Harry had to turn his gaze away.
He winced through the brilliant white light and saw a form. He saw long legs grow from the light and long, strong arms. A strong body formed as well and was covered in long white and silver robes. It was a woman not much older than he was. SHe had incredibly long silvery hair flowed around her. It was Astra.
The stones were gone. Instead a small light floated around her neck. It spun faster until it looked as though there was a line of pure white light serving as a necklace. Then, it became a brilliant silver chain. Then, Harry saw a pendant of the same bright silver. It was a triangular Celtic knot with another inside of it.
Then, Astra stopped glowing. She was suspended much like Harry was when he woke up. He floated over to her and tentatively touched her cheek. She was cold to the touch, like he was.
Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and she gasped in air. Harry jerked back and watched her carefully. She stretched and moved her self into a position much like his. Her long hair swirled around her as if she were in water. She gazed at him with eyes that weren't Astra's. They were brilliant red and empty looking.
"H-Hello?" he gulped. She was terrifying.
"Do you want to live....?" she asked in a voice that sounded like Astra's, but didn't have her warmth or her accent.
"What are you talking about.... aren't I already dead?" He said, still watching her like she was a predator.
"You have been acting as though you wish to die, but your heart says otherwise..." she said harshly. "I ask again.... do you want to live..."
Harry opened his mouth again, but nothing came out. She had said that he had been acting as though he wanted to die. "What do you mean that I have been acting as though I want to die...." he asked.
"Your heart beats strong, but you act weakly, like you wish to die... Your parents always stay on your mind, no matter what you do...." she said.
Her words hit him like a railroad spike through him. He thought about all the times he had the chance to see his mother and father. He saw them in the mirror of Erised. So he came back a few times until Dumbledore told him that he ought to stay away from it and not forget to live. He saw them during the Priori Incantatem. He wanted to be with them even at the cost of Voldemort killing him.
He looked at the ring on his hand and sighed. He realized what she meant now. He had always been wanting to be with them, that he didn't care that would die to be with them. Now, he thought about Ginny. He thought about Ron and Hermione. He thought about all of his friends. He wondered what Voldemort would do to them if he didn't go back. He shuddered as a horrible image of Ginny being tortured came to him. He remembered having to watch as Voldemort attacked her repeatedly with the Cruciatus curse.
The Astra look-alike floated in front of him. Her empty red eyes stared at him. Her lips were as red as her eyes and her skin was almost the same color as her hair. "Do you want to live...?" she said with a smile.
"Yes..." he said softly. Tears were streaking his cheeks. They weren't as hot as they had been. "I want to live...."
"You must defeat him, Harry.... It is the only way..." she said. Her smile had gone away as quickly as it had come. "Use your key to take the sword from me..."
He stared hard at her. "What the hell are you talking about."
She floated forward and took his hand. She pulled it up to show him. It was the hand with Ginny's ring on it. The gem glowed brilliantly at her touch. It was as red as her eyes. "That's the ring Ginny gave me for my birthday..." his voice barely going above a whisper.
"It is the key.... You must take the sword that is within my body and use it to defeat Voldemort...." She said.
She put his hand on her chest. For a moment, he felt skin underneath his hand. Then, he felt his hand fall through her. His knuckles knocked against something metal and he grabbed it. He pulled it out and saw a brilliant silver sword. It had the same knot on the hilt as the knot on the necklace.
Then, he felt a hand on his forehead. He jerked his head up and saw the woman smiling at him, her hand caressing his forehead where his scar was. "You will do well... Harry Potter...." she said. Then, she kissed his scar and faded away into the whiteness.
He felt himself falling. He fell through the white. He fell through the light and cold air. He fell through into a grey area. He saw around him images of things he knew. He saw Ron and Hermione smiling at him. He saw Ginny blushing to the roots of her hair as she gave him a card. He saw Astra and Nevaeh laughing like they always did. He saw Draco and him in the duel that he did in his second year. He saw all of this and more.
He fell into blackness. He saw Ginny kissing someone that wasn't him. He saw Ron crying over the dead body of Hermione. He saw Avalon and Kennedy carrying Astra and Nevaeh to a tree. He knew what this meant. It was what would happen it he didn't succeed.
Then, he felt ground underneath him. He was clutching the sword. He heard a familiar inspiring trumpeting. He glanced up and saw Fawkes the Phoenix flying above. His song brought out Harry's courage and he glanced around him. He saw Astra on the ground. She was battered, but wasn't bleeding anymore. Her wound was gone. Around her neck, he saw the necklace.
"NO! It should've killed you!" growled Voldemort insanely. He muttered something and a flash of green light shot at Harry.
Harry brought up the sword and felt something push him back. He felt as though he were going to fall back at any moment. He saw in front of him brilliant light. Then, the light vanished and he saw Voldemort glaring at him angrily. Harry felt his scar throb painfully. He felt the trickle of blood going down his nose and over his cheek.
Voldemort shot another barrage at Harry. This time, Harry fell back onto the ground. In fact, he was thrown back about ten feet away. He landed on the ground, still clutching the sword in his hand.
He lifted himself up. The sword had taken Voldemort's curse for him. It seemed to absorb the power thrown into it, but couldn't take it all. That was why he was on the ground again.
The sword was vibrating in his hand. It practically buzzed with power. He swung the sword and felt it give off a blow. Voldemort flew back and hit the ground. He had landed next to Ginny.
"Fine... I see you need persuasion..." He said with a demented gleam in his eyes. He put his hand in his robes and brought out a nasty looking knife. Harry rushed forward and swung his sword. Voldemort flew back again with Ginny in his arms. Voldemort growled at Harry again and plunged the knife into Ginny.
"Ginny!" Harry shouted as he rushed forward again. Ginny's eyes had opened just as Voldemort plunged the knife into her stomach.
Her eyes closed and she went limp Voldemort's arms. Voldemort stood up, his front and his right hand were covered in blood. The knife was still in his hand as he gave Harry an amused grin.
Harry felt tears streak his cheeks again. Voldemort rushed forward and swung the blade at Harry. Harry blocked the attack. The blade grew suddenly to the size of a sword. It looked even nastier than it did before. The edge of the blade was jagged.
"I'm going to kill you now! I grow tired of having to deal with you time and again!" Voldemort growled at Harry as he swung the blade again.
Harry blocked as much as he could. He felt the jagged edge tear his shoulder. He felt the blood trickle down from it. He blocked another attack by Voldemort. Harry couldn't feel anymore. He saw Ginny's body lying on the ground, blood was spilling from her.
Then, he heard a song come out of no where. Fawkes was singing again. He gave Harry renewed courage. He flew down next to Ginny and Harry knew everything really would be alright.
He charged Voldemort and swung the bright silver blade. He cut Voldemort across his chest. "Fool! Do you think I will be defeated by a mere brat!"
"You will not harm anyone else ever again!" Harry cried.
Voldemort pushed Harry to a tree and stabbed at Harry. Harry caught part of the blade in his leg. He jumped up and climbed the tree to get away from Voldemort. He ran along a branch and jumped off, landing on the ground on his bad leg. Pain coursed through him.
"No you don't!"
Harry saw Voldemort coming at him again. Harry jumped up and blocked Voldemort's blade from hitting him. Harry managed to scratch Voldemort's cheek.
Harry ran backwards toward Ginny. He saw Fawkes next to her. Fawkes gave a call and Harry felt renewed strength in him. Harry blocked another blow.
Voldemort successfully disarmed Harry. His sword fell from his hand and Voldemort swung at him still. Harry dodged his blade as best as he could. He led him away from Ginny as fast as he could. He dove under Voldemort and grabbed the blade.
Voldemort saw him and stabbed at him. Harry felt the jagged blade pierce his other leg. He felt the blade leave him. He threw himself at his sword again. He grabbed it.
Voldemort lunged at Harry again. Harry swung around. He stabbed his sword upward at Voldemort. He felt it go into something.
Harry opened his eyes again. He saw blood coursing over his hands. He saw Voldemort growling at him. The color had drained from his already too pale face. His lips had grown a blue-ish coloration.
He choked and gave a strangled sound. Harry saw his blade was buried deep into Voldemort's chest. He saw blood in Voldemort's mouth. It trickled out of his mouth. "Now... I'm really pissed off...." Voldemort said in a raspy voice.
Harry growled at him and jerked back on the hilt of the sword. Harry fell backward with the bloody sword in his hand. Voldemort stood like a marionette that had its strings caught up. He gave a cry and light tore through him.
Voldemort's wounds opened up with light pouring from them. Harry had to wince at the bright light that was filling his gaze. Voldemort reached for Harry and jerked back as he cried out again. Then, he disintegrated into the light.
Harry sat and stared at the place where Voldemort had stood. Harry shook his head slightly. He wondered if he actually witnessed this. He gazed around and saw Ginny. Fawkes stood beside her.
Harry crawled over to her. He touched her hand and he felt warmth coming from it. Her bright brown eyes fluttered open. She turned her head and smiled up at Harry. "Harry you're alright..." she said softly. Her hand reached up and caressed his cheek. He smiled back at her.
"I'm sorry that he did that to you..." He said in a raspy voice. He put a hand on her stomach where there was a hole in her sweater and shirt. Blood stained the cloth, but there wasn't any wound there now. A tear fell down his cheek.
"Don't cry...." she said. She sat up and kissed his lips gently. She hugged him and he held onto her like he would never see her ever again. "Everything will be alright...." she whispered to him.
Astra felt someone holding her hand. She opened her eyes and looked up into the blue eyed gaze of Sirius. He grinned down at her. "Are you feeling alright?" He asked.
She sat up and put a hand to her head. She had a massive headache. "Where's Harry?"
"Over there.... let me help you up..." He said as he took her arms and pulled her toward him. She stood up and saw Harry hugging Ginny. She smiled.
"Harry!"
Harry twisted around and saw Astra running over to him with Sirius behind her. "Harry! Are you alright?"
Harry smiled and pulled her down into the group hug. "Thank you, Astra..." he said to her when Ginny and he let her go. "If it wasn't for that necklace you have there, I wouldn't have been able to defeat Voldemort...."
Astra blushed. "It wasn't me.... it was you... you were the one who killed him... not me..."
Sirius sighed and kneeled down on the ground with them. "You three scared the life out of me, you know that? I truly thought you two were dead!" He sighed again. Then, he stood up. "I'm going back up to the castle, sit in a cozy chair and have a nice, peaceful heart attack...."
They all laughed. It was a wonderful feeling to be alive. He knew that he would be with his mother and father one day, just not today. He had to live his life first. That was what was important now.
They trudged up to the castle and were greeted by a frightened Professor McGonagall and glowering Professor Snape. "You three could have gotten killed!" She growled at Harry, Astra and Ginny.
Fawkes flew over and settled on Harry's shoulder. Professor McGonagall saw the bird and her eyes grew wide and sad. She bowed her head and sighed. "He's dead isn't he....."
Sirius nodded solemnly. She stiffened and drew back to Professor Snape. She grasped his hand tightly, her knuckles whitened. "Let's get you all to the infirmary...." she said.
They walked to the infirmary. Harry and Ginny were greeted by a very pale Ron and Hermione. "You two scared the crap out of us, you know that!" Ron said.
"Sorry...." Harry said. Ron punched Harry on the shoulder playfully. Harry knew he deserved it for scaring them so badly. He relished the feeling of having his friends so close.
Harry:. Not bloody Likely!
Astra: ::extreme sarcasm:: Could you have chosen a more painful way of killing me? I don't think I have been tortured enough....
Me: Ah... Quitcher Bitchin'!
Chapter Twenty-Four
Harry felt like he was suspended in the air. There was a brightness to where he was. He opened his eyes and saw nothing but brilliant white light.
He noticed that his head didn't hurt anymore. He saw that his clothes still had blood and dirt all over them. He winced through the bright light to see where exactly he was. Nothing came to his vision except bright light.
He moved one of his arms. It moved like he was swimming. He put more power into moving and straightened himself out. He had been floating at an odd angle, at least he felt like he was. The place he was in didn't exactly look like it had any up or down.
He put a hand up to his forehead and felt his scar. It wasn't burning anymore. It was incredibly cool. He took his hand away and saw blood on it. His scar was bleeding again.
"Where am I..." he said softly to himself. He briefly wondered if he was in heaven. He suddenly saw the ring Ginny had given him. He smiled. He hoped that if he was dead, that Voldemort would forget about Ginny. The last thing would want her to have to deal with is Voldemort.
He felt a tear streak his face. It felt hot as it tumbled over his cold cheek. He suddenly turned. He thought he heard someone speak. He saw someone come out of the whiteness.
It was two people. He saw a flash of green eyes and lots of black messy hair. He saw his mother and father appear. His mother smiled at him. His father smiled at him as well.
"Mum... dad?" Harry heard his voice say.
"Yes, son....." said his father.
"What are you doing here? Am I dead?" Harry stammered.
"That is not for us to say, dear...." said his mother.
"I'm so happy to see you!" Harry smiled sadly, tears were streaking his face.
"As are we..." said his father.
Harry couldn't hold back any longer. He floated over to them and hugged them. He could touch them. They were real. "I missed you so much!" He cried as he held his father. His mother took him now and he started crying into her neck. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
"For what, Harry?" she asked in a soothing voice. Her hand ran through his hair in a calming manner.
"I couldn't kill him! He was too strong!" Harry cried.
"Shhhh...." she hushed him.
He lifted his head and gazed into her eyes. They were as green as his. He felt like they were peering straight through him. "They aren't dead....." she said, but didn't open her mouth. The voice sounded as if it were coming from someplace else.
Harry lifted his head to look where the voice came from. His mother did the same. "We must go now...." she said. This time, her mouth opened. He smiled at him. "Take care...."
"Mum... mum! Dad!" They faded into the harsh white background. Harry felt cold all over again. If he was in heaven, then he didn't want to be here.
"Do you want to live....?"
Harry was startled back into his current situation. He had heard another voice. It wasn't his imagination. He glanced around. He couldn't see anyone else around in the whiteness.
The voice came again. It was a harsh tone, yet it was soft at the same time. It sounded very familiar. "Do you want to live.....?"
Everything was incredibly familiar. He couldn't place where he had heard this before. "Who are you!" He cried into the whiteness.
"Do you want to live....?"
He was taken aback by the voice. He wondered why it was asking him this. Then, he wondered how he could answer it. He desperately wanted to save Ginny and the others from Voldemort. He also wanted to be with his parents again. He desperately wanted to be with his parents.
"Do you want to live....?"
Three stones appeared in front of him. They were very familiar. One was a red stone cut into the shape of a star. Another was a small green stone, the color of his eyes. The last one was a black stone that he had seen before.
They started glowing brilliantly. They formed a circle and started spinning. They grew brighter with every turn and circled faster. They soon grew so bright Harry had to turn his gaze away.
He winced through the brilliant white light and saw a form. He saw long legs grow from the light and long, strong arms. A strong body formed as well and was covered in long white and silver robes. It was a woman not much older than he was. SHe had incredibly long silvery hair flowed around her. It was Astra.
The stones were gone. Instead a small light floated around her neck. It spun faster until it looked as though there was a line of pure white light serving as a necklace. Then, it became a brilliant silver chain. Then, Harry saw a pendant of the same bright silver. It was a triangular Celtic knot with another inside of it.
Then, Astra stopped glowing. She was suspended much like Harry was when he woke up. He floated over to her and tentatively touched her cheek. She was cold to the touch, like he was.
Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and she gasped in air. Harry jerked back and watched her carefully. She stretched and moved her self into a position much like his. Her long hair swirled around her as if she were in water. She gazed at him with eyes that weren't Astra's. They were brilliant red and empty looking.
"H-Hello?" he gulped. She was terrifying.
"Do you want to live....?" she asked in a voice that sounded like Astra's, but didn't have her warmth or her accent.
"What are you talking about.... aren't I already dead?" He said, still watching her like she was a predator.
"You have been acting as though you wish to die, but your heart says otherwise..." she said harshly. "I ask again.... do you want to live..."
Harry opened his mouth again, but nothing came out. She had said that he had been acting as though he wanted to die. "What do you mean that I have been acting as though I want to die...." he asked.
"Your heart beats strong, but you act weakly, like you wish to die... Your parents always stay on your mind, no matter what you do...." she said.
Her words hit him like a railroad spike through him. He thought about all the times he had the chance to see his mother and father. He saw them in the mirror of Erised. So he came back a few times until Dumbledore told him that he ought to stay away from it and not forget to live. He saw them during the Priori Incantatem. He wanted to be with them even at the cost of Voldemort killing him.
He looked at the ring on his hand and sighed. He realized what she meant now. He had always been wanting to be with them, that he didn't care that would die to be with them. Now, he thought about Ginny. He thought about Ron and Hermione. He thought about all of his friends. He wondered what Voldemort would do to them if he didn't go back. He shuddered as a horrible image of Ginny being tortured came to him. He remembered having to watch as Voldemort attacked her repeatedly with the Cruciatus curse.
The Astra look-alike floated in front of him. Her empty red eyes stared at him. Her lips were as red as her eyes and her skin was almost the same color as her hair. "Do you want to live...?" she said with a smile.
"Yes..." he said softly. Tears were streaking his cheeks. They weren't as hot as they had been. "I want to live...."
"You must defeat him, Harry.... It is the only way..." she said. Her smile had gone away as quickly as it had come. "Use your key to take the sword from me..."
He stared hard at her. "What the hell are you talking about."
She floated forward and took his hand. She pulled it up to show him. It was the hand with Ginny's ring on it. The gem glowed brilliantly at her touch. It was as red as her eyes. "That's the ring Ginny gave me for my birthday..." his voice barely going above a whisper.
"It is the key.... You must take the sword that is within my body and use it to defeat Voldemort...." She said.
She put his hand on her chest. For a moment, he felt skin underneath his hand. Then, he felt his hand fall through her. His knuckles knocked against something metal and he grabbed it. He pulled it out and saw a brilliant silver sword. It had the same knot on the hilt as the knot on the necklace.
Then, he felt a hand on his forehead. He jerked his head up and saw the woman smiling at him, her hand caressing his forehead where his scar was. "You will do well... Harry Potter...." she said. Then, she kissed his scar and faded away into the whiteness.
He felt himself falling. He fell through the white. He fell through the light and cold air. He fell through into a grey area. He saw around him images of things he knew. He saw Ron and Hermione smiling at him. He saw Ginny blushing to the roots of her hair as she gave him a card. He saw Astra and Nevaeh laughing like they always did. He saw Draco and him in the duel that he did in his second year. He saw all of this and more.
He fell into blackness. He saw Ginny kissing someone that wasn't him. He saw Ron crying over the dead body of Hermione. He saw Avalon and Kennedy carrying Astra and Nevaeh to a tree. He knew what this meant. It was what would happen it he didn't succeed.
Then, he felt ground underneath him. He was clutching the sword. He heard a familiar inspiring trumpeting. He glanced up and saw Fawkes the Phoenix flying above. His song brought out Harry's courage and he glanced around him. He saw Astra on the ground. She was battered, but wasn't bleeding anymore. Her wound was gone. Around her neck, he saw the necklace.
"NO! It should've killed you!" growled Voldemort insanely. He muttered something and a flash of green light shot at Harry.
Harry brought up the sword and felt something push him back. He felt as though he were going to fall back at any moment. He saw in front of him brilliant light. Then, the light vanished and he saw Voldemort glaring at him angrily. Harry felt his scar throb painfully. He felt the trickle of blood going down his nose and over his cheek.
Voldemort shot another barrage at Harry. This time, Harry fell back onto the ground. In fact, he was thrown back about ten feet away. He landed on the ground, still clutching the sword in his hand.
He lifted himself up. The sword had taken Voldemort's curse for him. It seemed to absorb the power thrown into it, but couldn't take it all. That was why he was on the ground again.
The sword was vibrating in his hand. It practically buzzed with power. He swung the sword and felt it give off a blow. Voldemort flew back and hit the ground. He had landed next to Ginny.
"Fine... I see you need persuasion..." He said with a demented gleam in his eyes. He put his hand in his robes and brought out a nasty looking knife. Harry rushed forward and swung his sword. Voldemort flew back again with Ginny in his arms. Voldemort growled at Harry again and plunged the knife into Ginny.
"Ginny!" Harry shouted as he rushed forward again. Ginny's eyes had opened just as Voldemort plunged the knife into her stomach.
Her eyes closed and she went limp Voldemort's arms. Voldemort stood up, his front and his right hand were covered in blood. The knife was still in his hand as he gave Harry an amused grin.
Harry felt tears streak his cheeks again. Voldemort rushed forward and swung the blade at Harry. Harry blocked the attack. The blade grew suddenly to the size of a sword. It looked even nastier than it did before. The edge of the blade was jagged.
"I'm going to kill you now! I grow tired of having to deal with you time and again!" Voldemort growled at Harry as he swung the blade again.
Harry blocked as much as he could. He felt the jagged edge tear his shoulder. He felt the blood trickle down from it. He blocked another attack by Voldemort. Harry couldn't feel anymore. He saw Ginny's body lying on the ground, blood was spilling from her.
Then, he heard a song come out of no where. Fawkes was singing again. He gave Harry renewed courage. He flew down next to Ginny and Harry knew everything really would be alright.
He charged Voldemort and swung the bright silver blade. He cut Voldemort across his chest. "Fool! Do you think I will be defeated by a mere brat!"
"You will not harm anyone else ever again!" Harry cried.
Voldemort pushed Harry to a tree and stabbed at Harry. Harry caught part of the blade in his leg. He jumped up and climbed the tree to get away from Voldemort. He ran along a branch and jumped off, landing on the ground on his bad leg. Pain coursed through him.
"No you don't!"
Harry saw Voldemort coming at him again. Harry jumped up and blocked Voldemort's blade from hitting him. Harry managed to scratch Voldemort's cheek.
Harry ran backwards toward Ginny. He saw Fawkes next to her. Fawkes gave a call and Harry felt renewed strength in him. Harry blocked another blow.
Voldemort successfully disarmed Harry. His sword fell from his hand and Voldemort swung at him still. Harry dodged his blade as best as he could. He led him away from Ginny as fast as he could. He dove under Voldemort and grabbed the blade.
Voldemort saw him and stabbed at him. Harry felt the jagged blade pierce his other leg. He felt the blade leave him. He threw himself at his sword again. He grabbed it.
Voldemort lunged at Harry again. Harry swung around. He stabbed his sword upward at Voldemort. He felt it go into something.
Harry opened his eyes again. He saw blood coursing over his hands. He saw Voldemort growling at him. The color had drained from his already too pale face. His lips had grown a blue-ish coloration.
He choked and gave a strangled sound. Harry saw his blade was buried deep into Voldemort's chest. He saw blood in Voldemort's mouth. It trickled out of his mouth. "Now... I'm really pissed off...." Voldemort said in a raspy voice.
Harry growled at him and jerked back on the hilt of the sword. Harry fell backward with the bloody sword in his hand. Voldemort stood like a marionette that had its strings caught up. He gave a cry and light tore through him.
Voldemort's wounds opened up with light pouring from them. Harry had to wince at the bright light that was filling his gaze. Voldemort reached for Harry and jerked back as he cried out again. Then, he disintegrated into the light.
Harry sat and stared at the place where Voldemort had stood. Harry shook his head slightly. He wondered if he actually witnessed this. He gazed around and saw Ginny. Fawkes stood beside her.
Harry crawled over to her. He touched her hand and he felt warmth coming from it. Her bright brown eyes fluttered open. She turned her head and smiled up at Harry. "Harry you're alright..." she said softly. Her hand reached up and caressed his cheek. He smiled back at her.
"I'm sorry that he did that to you..." He said in a raspy voice. He put a hand on her stomach where there was a hole in her sweater and shirt. Blood stained the cloth, but there wasn't any wound there now. A tear fell down his cheek.
"Don't cry...." she said. She sat up and kissed his lips gently. She hugged him and he held onto her like he would never see her ever again. "Everything will be alright...." she whispered to him.
Astra felt someone holding her hand. She opened her eyes and looked up into the blue eyed gaze of Sirius. He grinned down at her. "Are you feeling alright?" He asked.
She sat up and put a hand to her head. She had a massive headache. "Where's Harry?"
"Over there.... let me help you up..." He said as he took her arms and pulled her toward him. She stood up and saw Harry hugging Ginny. She smiled.
"Harry!"
Harry twisted around and saw Astra running over to him with Sirius behind her. "Harry! Are you alright?"
Harry smiled and pulled her down into the group hug. "Thank you, Astra..." he said to her when Ginny and he let her go. "If it wasn't for that necklace you have there, I wouldn't have been able to defeat Voldemort...."
Astra blushed. "It wasn't me.... it was you... you were the one who killed him... not me..."
Sirius sighed and kneeled down on the ground with them. "You three scared the life out of me, you know that? I truly thought you two were dead!" He sighed again. Then, he stood up. "I'm going back up to the castle, sit in a cozy chair and have a nice, peaceful heart attack...."
They all laughed. It was a wonderful feeling to be alive. He knew that he would be with his mother and father one day, just not today. He had to live his life first. That was what was important now.
They trudged up to the castle and were greeted by a frightened Professor McGonagall and glowering Professor Snape. "You three could have gotten killed!" She growled at Harry, Astra and Ginny.
Fawkes flew over and settled on Harry's shoulder. Professor McGonagall saw the bird and her eyes grew wide and sad. She bowed her head and sighed. "He's dead isn't he....."
Sirius nodded solemnly. She stiffened and drew back to Professor Snape. She grasped his hand tightly, her knuckles whitened. "Let's get you all to the infirmary...." she said.
They walked to the infirmary. Harry and Ginny were greeted by a very pale Ron and Hermione. "You two scared the crap out of us, you know that!" Ron said.
"Sorry...." Harry said. Ron punched Harry on the shoulder playfully. Harry knew he deserved it for scaring them so badly. He relished the feeling of having his friends so close.