The trio walked in silence through the castle to the main chamber, where Voldemort was last seen. As they turned down another corridor, they saw it. Large oak doors emblazoned with a serpent loomed before them, daring them to enter. Dumbledore stopped their trek.
"Both of you stand together. I am going to cast spells on both of you to help you in your fight."
Harry, who had been thinking for some time, finally spoke up. "Sir, why are you letting us fight? I mean, a lot of people have said that we're too young, or to let the older ones handle it. Why don't you just go get a lot of Aurors and storm the place?"
"Harry, it is true that many feel you are too young to shoulder this responsibility. In the past, I have stopped you for just that reason. But now, I believe you are not only ready for this, but destined for it. So I will help you, as will these two," he motioned to the two birds perched above them. "Harry, the phoenix is a very selective creature, and Fawkes has chosen you to protect. He rather insisted on coming along." Caribe screeched in agreement, rather annoyed with the flighty bird, but tolerant just the same.
"Sir, I don't really know what to do. What if I fail? What if he wins?" Harry's mind began racing with doubt, and Draco nudged him.
"Hey, don't start that, Potter. Find some of that bloody Gryffindor bravery and let's go." Harry nodded slightly and turned to the Headmaster, who smiled at them. He lifted his wand and began incanting very complex spells. This was repeated over and over until the two boys could clearly see the wear on the older wizard's face.
"I must leave you now and rest. When it is done, send Caribe back with a message, and I will send Minerva to retrieve you. If this is not possible, you must find a means to get yourselves out of here. I have faith in both of you, and good luck." With a quick hug to both boys (something which caught Draco off guard) he left, casting a glance back to them before turning the corner.
Harry looked at Draco and took a deep breath. Steeling himself for the battle, he stuck out his hand. Without a word, Draco took it firmly and they shook. Harry straightened his robes and grasped his wand firmly, then walked at Draco's side to the door.
It was larger than it first appeared, and it now towered over them. Harry looked over at Draco and shrugged, then leaned into the door. With the other boy's help, they managed to creak the door open wide enough for them to fit.
Inside it was dark, and the decrepit smell of death oozed into every crevice. Though only in the room for mere seconds, both boys felt it permeating their bodies. A roaring fire crackled in a seemingly endless fireplace along the back-arc of the wall, but that was the only light, and the only heat. To Harry, it looked like a throne room from one of Dudley's old storybooks. To Draco, it was an all-too-familiar reminder of what might have been.
The room was circular, with a 3 foot ledge running the circumference about 4 feet off the ground. Directly in front of the door were steps leading down into the impression. In the middle of the room was a large chair, made of black mahogany with deep green fabric. The armrests of the chair were serpents, and in the back, which was facing the door, was carved the Slytherin symbol. Draco thought he could faintly see an outline of someone in the chair, and pointed it out silently to Harry. As if in response, the someone spoke.
"Mr. Potter, how kind of you to call upon me at this hour. And to bring an old friend of mine…I am overjoyed that you two are together. This will be enjoyable." A dark figure rose from the shadows, holding a wand. Draco paled a little, but held his ground. Harry gulped audibly, and held his wand at the ready. "Not scared, are you boys? Tsk, tsk, where's that hailed Gryffindor courage?"
"You're acting very brave for being outnumbered, Voldemort!" Harry yelled, trying to sound bolder than he really felt. "Are you sure you shouldn't be a Gryffindor?" Draco's eyes widened, and he was sure the Dark Lord would have killed Harry on the spot. Instead, he chuckled.
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear. Such as power; my power. As for being outnumbered? Well, let us just say that I will enjoy playing with the two of you before I kill you."
Draco and Harry split and began walking opposite ways on the ledge, circling the Dark Lord. All three figures were waiting to see who would make the first move. In the end, it was Harry. Calling on the memory of his discussion with Hermione, he began recalling the various charms and spells she had been rattling off that day.
"Lumos Ferito!" A crack of thunder was heard, then a bright flash seen, and Voldemort was blown back near the fireplace. Smirking, he stood, and pointed his wand at Harry. Draco logged that spell in his memory, then began to quickly analyze it. Lumos is light, he thought, but what's ferito? He thought about the effect, then came up with the only logical solution: a light strike. Now, he thought, to modify it a little. He pointed his wand at the Dark Lord, who had just cast a choking spell at Harry, and shouted with all his might.
"Frigio Ferito!" A large wave of cold rushed at Voldemort, encompassing him. When the light cleared, Voldemort was entombed in a block of ice, still smirking. But it had had the desired effect; Harry was no longer choking. He jumped down, sprinting past Voldemort, and joined Draco on the other side. Both boys watched as Voldemort's hands glowed red with energy, and the ice shattered, sending shards everywhere. Draco let out a cry as one sliver embedded itself in his left shoulder.
Voldemort smirked, and pointed his wand at the chair, "Alacrito." Slowly, the chair began moving toward the boys. Harry tried to pull Draco out of the way, but the chair sped up. It scooped up both boys and turned around. As Harry tried to push Draco off, strands shot from the Dark Lord's wand, binding them to the chair. It trotted over to him, and Voldemort glared menacingly down at them.
A screech was heard from the corridor, but Voldemort didn't give it heed. He simply pointed his wand at Draco. "I think I'll get rid of the spare first." Memories swam through Harry's head, threatening to overtake his mind. The screams of his old friend filled his head, but all he could do was shake violently. Draco felt Harry shivering next to him, and thought perhaps that he was trying to get out. He, too, began struggling, and soon, the chair was rocked back and tipped over. Voldemort loomed over them, his wand still trained on Draco. "Tell your father hello for me, dear boy."
Faster than Voldemort could whisper the Killing Curse, his wand was snatched from his hand. All that Draco saw was a flash of orange, but he knew it was Fawkes. He could see Caribe soaring above him, and then launch into a dive, straight for Voldemort. Draco smirked in the Dark Lord's face, causing him to turn around. He dove out of the way, and Draco realized the eagle didn't have time or room to pull up. He was going to crash right into them! He shut his eyes tight, preparing for the impact. But it never came. He opened his eyes, and the last thing he saw was a bright flash, then nothing.
Voldemort staggered as he stood, blinded by the light. When it cleared, the boys were not tied to the chair. They weren't anywhere in fact. Hovering about two feet above the chair were two balls of energy; one was gold, the other silver. Slowly, they began to merge together until they were one, the brilliant white light casting everything out of shadow, leaving no corner unlit. Then, in a blink of an eye, it hurtled toward the dark wizard, then into him. At first, he felt nothing; then came the burning sensation in his heart. It was as if his blood was burning him from within, purging all the evil from his body. Light erupted out of every orifice, and a small vibration began in his brain. Voldemort watched as the evil was pushed from his body, and then molded into nothingness. As he began to wither and die away, he knew this was the end.
Fawkes was gliding near the rafters, still holding the dark wizard's wand. With his unlikely strength, he broke it in two, dropping both pieces into the fray. He dove down, landing near Caribe, who was weakened from the amount of energy lost. Fawkes laid his head down on the larger bird's wing and cried for his friend. Caribe's eyes fluttered open, and he softly screeched a command. Fawkes nodded and grabbed eagle's legs in his own talons, careful not to damage. Then, they rose, out the door and into the night. Caribe focused his last bit of energy reserved in his body and transported both of them back to Hogwarts' grounds, before falling unconscious once more.
In the Hospital Wing, Dumbledore and McGonagall heard the call of Fawkes and rushed out, leaving Snape struggling to break the confines the medi-witch had placed upon him. They met up with Lupin and Sonati, who had also heard the cry of help, and they raced out to the lake. Beside the waters, Fawkes had stopped, for fear of losing his grip on the large bird. Lupin stroked Caribe's golden feathers and lifted the bird carefully. Dumbledore smiled gravely at him, then turned to McGonagall.
"Minerva, Apparate to Hermes' Cemetery. You will see a large castle to the north. Go there and retrieve Harry and Draco." She nodded quickly, and set off at a run for the Apparation barrier. Lupin and the others ran back to the castle, and burst through the doors of the Hospital Wing.
"Poppy!" Remus cried, "Help!" He laid the bird on the bed next to Severus, who was now eying everyone intently, demanding that someone tell him something. Poppy came out and looked at her newest patient.
"I am not a veterinarian!" she huffed. "But I will try," she gave in to Dumbledore's disapproving look. She began to examine the bird, quite unsure of what she was looking for. Severus took this moment to sit up and grasp the Headmaster's arm.
"Albus, what happened?"
"I do not know, Severus, but Minerva has gone to retrieve the boys." Severus nodded solemnly.
Minerva felt the evil creeping into her skin as she appeared in front of the castle. If you have to be inaccurate at some point, she thought, I'm glad I erred here. She reached for the door handle, but pulled back at the sheer amount of energy radiating from the building. She squinted her eyes, and transformed into a cat. She slipped quietly through the corridors, and followed the waves of energy that were emanating all around her. She finally found where the strongest energy was located and carefully made her way into the room. If it weren't for her cat-eyes, she wouldn't have been able to see. The room, which looked as if a thousand rampaging elephants had had a party there, was completely empty, save a pile of robes and a broken wand.
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A/N: Okay, how did everyone like this chapter? I want to thank my friend Flyer for helping me out on this, and other, fics. She helps me get to writing so y'all get a chapter. I hope this satisfies your likes for the time being. Please review now!
In Chiller-type voice: Did our heroes survive? Will the bird live? What will happen to them all now that Voldemort is gone? Find out in the next chapter of…...booming voice The Last Sorcerer!