Barry Potter - Chapter 15

"BARRY!"

Alden's scream rent through the air as she watched Barry's body crumple slowly to the floor. She ran forward as he hit the ground. Beside her she could hear the thudding footsteps of McGonagall and the Moones.

Harry's eyes focused on them as they reached the now silent circle and knelt at the fallen boy's side. He felt tipsy, as though he were drunk. "I did it!" he heard himself muttering, "I killed Voldemort!"

Two bi-colored eyes glared up at him. "What was that, Harry?"

He shivered a little at Alden's icy tone. "I've killed Voldemort. There he is, right there at your feet."

"You FOOL!" Alden shrieked, half-rising. Silvia and Kayla instinctively grabbed the back of her robes, pulling her back to the floor. She hissed at Harry, "You think that someone as pathetic as you could defeat the Dark Lord?"

"I just did!" Harry saw red, anger allowing him to stand proud and tall over the four women huddled before him around his vanquished foe. "And I'm not pathetic," he added thickly.

He could see her rage mounting as her fists clenched and unclenched the corpse's robes. Actually, they weren't robe, they were Muggle street clothes. No matter. He, Harry Potter, had just killed Voldemort, and annoyed Alden to boot. Wait... annoyed Alden? Why was she annoyed with him? Then realization hit him over the head like a sack of cement. His eyes narrowed as he spat, "And I know what you are, too!"

"Oh really?" There was murder in Alden's eyes, but he didn't care. He could take her! Once the world knew, they'd all be behind him again.

"You're a filthy, stinking Death Eater!"

The silence reached an unbearable pitch. He could hear his own words echoing in the corridor, magnified by the deafening silence. For a moment, he thought he saw a smile slither across Alden's lips, much like a snake. Then he was brought back to the Earth with the sharp whisper of McGonagall's voice. "Potter! How can you dare suggest such a thing?"

"It's the truth!" Surely, she must see that! Or could only he now see Voldemort dead before him, with his horrible American Death Eater crying over him?

"Alden is a trusted member of the Order!"

Oh. A minor flaw in his reality. Then he found the answer. "A spy!"

Alden would have attacked him then and there, but Silvia's hand quickly arrested her wand arm and Kayla threw an arm around her neck. She struggled against her two friends, but they held strong, reinforced by a sharp, reprimanding whisper from McGonagall. Harry smiled triumphantly. "See? A spy. It's as if she admitted it herself!"

"What, that girl? A spy? For me?"

Pain greater than Harry had ever known seemed to split his head in two. He sank to the floor, howling in pain. When he managed to open his eyes again, he saw that Alden was likewise doubled over in pain, a silent scream frozen on her lips. All around them, students were screaming and running, shoving each other out of the way as they scrambled frantically from the scene. Harry raised his eyes up and beheld the horrible, snake-like face of Voldemort.

The Dark Lord laughed. "What, is this the welcome Hogwarts alumni should expect?" His red eyes flashed to McGonagall, who was drawing her wand. He tutted slightly. "Oh, I don't think so, Minerva. CRUCIO!!"

Minerva McGonagall dropped to the ground, writhing in pain as a horrifying screech escaped her lips. Harry watched as her body flew into spasms, still with the ear-splitting howl of pain and despair. Harry reached for his own wand. It was all impossible, he had just killed Voldemort....

The Dark Lord laughed again, a chilling sound. Harry saw his wand whisked away and fly into Voldemort's hand. The horrid red eyes mocked him, glittering with cruel pleasure at Minerva's pain. "Come, Potter," he hissed softly, "Look at her pain. Imperio!" Harry's eyes were drawn to his professor's body as her limbs twisted and struck out, the horrible scream still bursting from her lips. For one horrible moment, Harry felt his eyes light up as he fleetingly found deep satisfaction in her suffering. He tore his eyes away, his stomach doing backflips at his enjoyment of her pain. "Yes," he heard Voldemort's voice whisper, "Yes, you like it, don't you? Search your feelings, Potter... the truth is there, though it's hidden... you're just as awful as I am, Potter..."

"Reducto!"

Suddenly, the wind was knocked out of him as he was slammed against the wall by an invisible force. Harry's eyes blinked open, and he saw that McGonagall, Alden, and the Moones were thrown against the opposite wall, and fleeing students had been strewn about the hall. Voldemort appeared rattled; he hadn't cast the spell. His horrid eyes darted over those before him, seeking the fool who had dared try to knock him down. The boy before him, crouched on one knee, wand already drawn... now rising from the crouch... shaking his white-blonde hair from his fiery eyes...

Voldemort's lips curled into a smile as he saw Draco Malfoy standing before him, wand raised. "Ah, yes," he said softly, "One of my most devoted followers..."

"Not anymore," Draco hissed through clenched teeth, "Father!"

Voldemort's eyes grew wide, temporarily confused. "What are you saying? I'm not your father!"

"No," growled a softer, more feminine voice, "But you're someone's father!"

The Dark Lord glanced toward the second voice as its owner drew her wand. As he opened his mouth, three voices rang through the air. "Avada Kedavra!"

Three beams of light hit Voldemort square in the chest. For a moment Harry saw his horrible snake eyes, reeling and confused, stunned by some sort of shock. Then they shone with a terrible dead light, and the corpse of the man who had been Tom Riddle hit the ground with one last terrifying scream.

Dazed, Harry looked around. There had been three beams of light. One came from Draco, obviously. The haughty Slytherin stood very still, though he was breathing heavily. His face was paler than usual, and his eyes were shining with a dull look of painful victory.

Harry turned toward where the other two had emitted from. Both Alden and Kayla's wands were drawn, though both were down. Both girls were breathing as heavily as Draco. Kayla had a vaguely pleased look about her. Alden, on the other hand, had her eyes closed, and was leaning her head back against the wall. His eyes moved on to Silvia and McGonagall. They were both slumped against the wall, apparently stunned by the blow. And standing tall above them...

Albus Dumbledore was quietly pocketing his wand and bending down toward Minerva. He touched her shoulder, making her move slightly and mutter something. His pale blue eyes turned from the fallen professor over the entire hallway. They drank in everything; those near him leaning against the wall, students beginning to tentatively rise and look around terrified, Draco standing panting in the middle of everything, Voldemort's body having a last spasm of life, and at last Harry thrown against the wall, beside whom lay a corpse identical to the living boy...

There was a roar of anger, making Harry's head whip around. A Death Eater was tearing down the hall toward his fallen master. The mask was whipped off as he ran, revealing the face of Lucius Malfoy, contorted with rage.

The elder Malfoy threw himself down beside Voldemort, screeching insanely as he tried in vain to rouse the fallen Lord. With a howl not dissimilar to a wounded wolf, Lucius raised himself onto one knee, eyes flashing wildly about the hall.

"Who did this?" he shrieked, "WHO DID THIS??"

Dumbledore opened his mouth calmly to say something, but Draco's clear voice cut him off. "I did it, Father."

Lucius gaped at his son for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was soft with shock. "Draco?" When the boy nodded curtly, he said in disbelief, "You couldn't have! You're just a child!"

"I had help," Draco was now raising his wand again.

"But why?" Lucius' voice was beginning to build to a hysterical pitch. "Why did you aid in the destruction of our Lord?"

"Your Lord, you mean," his son replied coolly, "I'll tell you why I did it. I did it because I thought he was you!"

With another terrible shriek, Lucius whipped out his wand. Draco was ready for him. And, apparently, so were others.

"Imperio!"

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Expecto Patronum!"

"Reducto!"

There was a deafening explosion, and Harry felt himself snapped back against the wall. When his eyes opened, he blinked away a cloud of haze. Dumbledore's wand was raised and quivering; Harry guessed he had used the Reductor Curse which had managed to throw Draco backwards a yard. Alden's eyes were flashing as she once again dropped her wand, breathing slowly and heavily. Her Patronus stood near Harry, apparently having charged Lucius. He had only a moment to guess what it was before it faded; it had appeared to be a dark wolven creature with glaring snake eyes.

Near his feet lay the limp body of Lucius Malfoy, fallen back over the body of the Dark Lord with a look of surprise on his face. He could only assume that the late Mr. Malfoy had used the Imperius Curse, for some reason. Meaning Draco had cast the Killing Curse...

There was a girlish squeal, and Harry saw Hermione running down the corridor toward them. He smiled for a moment; she wanted to see if he was alright. She would throw herself sobbing into his arms, all past misunderstandings forgotten, she would smother him with much needed affection...

Hermione tore right by past Harry, and threw herself down at Draco's side. Draco's eyes were closed, and his breath was coming in sharp gasps. Tears in her eyes, Hermione gathered his body up into her arms.

His eyes fluttered open. A smile slowly spread onto his face. "What, Granger?"

"Are you all right?" She felt tears beginning to slide down her cheeks. She didn't care.

Draco raised a hand, slowly brushing some tears from her face. "I did it, Hermione," he breathed, a half-dazed look in his eyes, "I killed him. I'm free now."

"Hush," Hermione tutted, not quiet sure what she was saying. In fact, she wasn't quite sure why she was there, holding Draco Malfoy in her arms. Again, she realized. The last time, he had been bleeding to death from a knife wound, but Alden had saved him...

Hermione's eyes swiftly flew from Draco's face to Alden's, but the American was in no condition to heal anyone. Alden's face was pale and tired, a thin line of blood trickling down from her mouth, and her leg seemed bent just the wrong way. Dumbledore was bent over her, gently examining the twisted leg and the gash at the back of Kayla's head.

With a sound of despair, Hermione turned back to Draco. She couldn't fully explain the feeling bubbling up in her chest as she studied his handsome face, but she didn't care. He was gazing up into her eyes, trademark smirk vanishing into a beautiful smile. "Hermione," he said softly, gripping onto her arm as it encircled his head, "Hermione, I think I love you."

"Still?"

"What do you mean, 'still?'"

"I mean, I've always hated you, and I stabbed you, and all..."

Draco laughed, but the laugh turned into a raspy cough, so he stopped. He put his hand on the back of her neck, drawing her toward him. "Still."

Hermione opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off as Draco pulled her toward him the rest of the way and planted a pleasantly warm kiss on her lips.

Harry watched in silence. He could feel the last little bit of his reality threatening to drain away from him. He felt better as he imagined Ron's rage at seeing Hermione and Draco together like... that. There was Ron now, stumbling toward them from the other end of the hall...

"Alden!" Ron dropped down at her side, grabbing her shoulder. Her face was now deathly pale, and her eyes were closed. Her breath was very slow... or was she breathing?

"She's fine, Ron," Dumbledore spoke softly, comfortingly, "Just let her gather her strength."

Ron nodded dumbly, gently touching Alden's cheek then wiping the blood from where it continued to dribble down her chin. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he watched the tender gestures. "Ron? Will you keep an eye on her until I can get the Moones and McGonagall to the medical wing?"

Not waiting for a reply, Dumbledore rose and raised his wand. He helped Kayla to rise and stumble down the corridor, the bodies of Minerva and Silvia floating before him. Ron watched him go, then shot an accusing look at Harry. Harry opened to mouth to say something, but was at a loss for what to say. He watched his red-haired friend gently put his arm around Alden's shoulders. Her head fell onto Ron's shoulder, making him smile and kiss her softly on the forehead.

Ron and Alden, Draco and Hermione. It made Harry sick.

Dean struggled to rise as he saw Silvia floating down the hallway toward him. "What happened? Silvia?" Dean's head spun. He couldn't really remember what had happened...

"Come along with us, Mr. Thomas," Dumbledore's soft voice directed, "I'm taking them to the medical wing." Dean fell silently into step beside Silvia, eyes scanning her face for signs of life.

Remus Lupin came running down the hall, followed closely by Tonks and Moody. He could hear the footsteps of other order members pounding along behind them. He soon saw Harry, and slowed. "We got most of 'em, only one Death Eater managed to escape. But what happened to Voldemo-"

His voice trailed off as he drank in the scene before him. Voldemort and Lucius Malfoy lay dead at his feet. A few paces away, Harry sat slumped against the wall near a corpse with his face. Ron sat across the hall, Alden leaning on his shoulder, and in the middle of everything were Draco and Hermione. Remus ran a hand through his hair, looking old and tired. "There's going to be a lot of explaining to do."

With a tranquil smile, Dumbledore appeared at the end of the hallway. "Indeed. And we'll start at the beginning."