DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. She's the genius behind the magic. I claim to be neither her, nor another genius. Au contraire, you all are already aware of my idiocy! ________________________________________________________________________

Chapter Four: A Plan and A Party.

Severus Snape, having used the Floo network to arrive at his place, got his Death Eater robes ready. This was the most dangerous mission he had ever had in his entire life as a spy. He was supposed to rescue Potter and that werewolf. The Dark Lord would not let down his guard for one moment. Harry Potter was his biggest enemy and as Severus now knew, his most dangerous one. The boy was the only one who could destroy the Dark Lord. He held the other side of the sock that had been given to Remus Lupin and cast an Invisibility Charm on it.

He Apparated into the presence of the Dark Lord as the other Death Eaters began coming in one by one. Soon the room was filled, but unlike other crowds, this one was completely silent. That was quite normal of these meetings. No one spoke unless they were addressed directly by the Dark Lord. He went up to kiss the robe of the person he most detested in the entire world. It was quite lucky that he, Severus Snape was so accomplished in Occlumency, because he would not be alive if Voldemort knew the thoughts running through his mind.

The Dark Lord stood up and all attention was focused on him. "Now that you're all here we may begin the party." * So it is true, the boy and the werewolf are here. * The Dark Lord continued, "Lucius, you know what to do." Lucius disappeared for a moment and returned propelling the boy. The Death Eaters jeered at him, unable to contain their excitement. The Dark Lord now focused entirely on the proud creature standing in the middle of the room. "Oh so you have that same irritating defiance as the last time. Well, there is no one to save you now! That Muggle-Loving fool cannot find you here! Your spirit shall be broken boy! CRUCIO!"

At that moment Severus was forced to admire the boy. When the curse hit him, he did not so much as wince. He stood there staring straight into the Dark Lord's eyes. "So Potter, would you care to tell me what that Prophecy said?" The boy answered him calmly, "No." One simple word, yet it caused the Dark Lord so much anger. "Boy, I have other ways of finding out. If you tell me it will be much easier for you!" At this point Severus was extremely afraid. He knew exactly what other ways the Dark Lord was speaking about. He also knew that when the Dark Lord tried to get into Harry's mind, there would not be much to stop him. "So you won't tell. Fine then. Legilimens!"

Severus looked on intently and so did the others around him, but for other reasons. He saw concentration etched onto Voldemort's snakelike face. Was he imagining it, or was the boy actually resisting him? The intense silence that had prevailed was suddenly broken as the boy spoke. "What's the matter Tom? Are you too scared to have a fair fight? Was our last duel too much for you?" It was a challenge. The crowd knew it, and was apprehensive. They were all aware of what had happened the last time a battle ensued between the two.

Minerva stood in Albus' office, her hands held tightly together, her face pale. "Albus, shouldn't they have been here by now?" The ever-present twinkle in Albus' eyes was present no longer and he answered, "The Magnetism Charm can only work if Harry and Remus are together, and the Portkey will only be activated when it's touching them both. I used a spell binding the sock and a shoe, which is currently on my foot so that the Portkey cannot be diverted."

Minerva stood wringing her hands, her anxiety shown strongly on her face. "But Albus, What could it mean, them being apart? You don't suppose that one of them is ." "No Minerva," the Headmaster's voice was worried and weary. "If that were the case, the other would have been here by now. It means that they're trying to get information. Voldemort needs to know what the Prophecy said so as not to make another near fatal mistake. I only hope they can hold out. As soon as Voldemort gets that information ."

Harry wanted to kick himself for challenging Voldemort. It had been the only thing that came to his mind at that point in time. He did not think that he would have been able to keep Voldemort out of his mind much longer. Now all that he could think about was Sirius' death, and Cedric, and his parents. All of that came back to one person. He remembered what he had seen in Dumbledore's Pensieve. The Crouch family being broken up, Neville's parents losing their memories, everything all came back to Voldemort.

The ropes that bound him were removed and his wand was thrown to him. All that he could think about was his hatred for Voldemort, how much he wanted him to suffer and without even considering the consequences, he yelled, "CRUCIO!" There was silence around him as the Death Eaters watched their Master writhing on the floor. He knew that sooner or later, Voldemort would be able to handle the pain. He lifted his wand slightly, ending the curse and shouted, "Expelliarmus!" Still in pain and in shock from the thought that the hero of the Light Side could perform an Unforgivable so effectively, Voldemort was too slow in trying to curse Harry. His wand lay in Harry's hands.

Harry realized that this was his chance. "Petrificus Totalus Maximus!" he cried. Voldy and all the Death Eaters, previously advancing towards him, were stopped by the full body bind. Thinking quickly and knowing that he had for the most, a half hour before the effects of the curse wore off, Harry said, "Accio bag," and catching the bag that zoomed towards him, "Accio wands!" The wands of all the Death Eaters flew into the bag. He turned around and whispered to the wand "Point Me" hoping to find Lupin.

Severus Snape lay on the floor. The boy never ceased to surprise him. He never would have dreamed that Harry would be able to perform a full Unforgivable and one strong enough to affect the Dark Lord. If he had been in this present situation he may have even applauded the boy's quick thinking. He himself could not have done better than to use an expanded body bind curse. The boy turned around and for a moment it seemed as though he was about to find his werewolf friend and leave, but he suddenly turned back to the Dark Lord and said, "I may as well finish it." Severus wondered what he meant by that shortly until he lifted his wand and said with pure hatred and venom, "You deserve to die like this you bastard! AVADA KEDAVRA!!"

Tom Riddle lay on the floor and looked at the boy in front of him. The champion of the Light Side. He suddenly realized that the body bind had been lifted. His Death Eaters had not yet discovered this. He saw as though in slow motion a jet of green light coming towards him. He looked into the eyes of the boy who in a few milli-seconds would be his murderer. At that point he could guess quite accurately what the Prophecy had said, and knew that the boy had no choice. What was left of his human side silently apologized to the boy for the pain he had caused and then he was no more.

Harry could not believe it. Had Lord Voldemort actually apologized to him? He was now certain that Voldemort was dead. If he had enough human in him to apologize, then he had enough to die. No, Voldemort had died a few seconds before the curse had hit him. It was Tom Riddle Harry had killed. He glanced across the room and spotted Professor Snape. He walked over to him and performed again the body bind on all of the Death Eaters. As Snape was a spy, the curse did not work on him. Harry helped him up, and they made a silent agreement not to speak about what had happened just yet. Professor Snape took his hand and led him to the room where Remus Lupin was being held and on the way whispered, "It's over now."

"Harry you're alright!" Lupin smiled at him, "hello Severus." He looked relieved. Severus explained what they had to do for the Portkey to work and soon the three of them were back at Hogwarts, however, not before Harry could say, "Accio body." Professor Dumbledore stared at Harry. "What exactly happened there? Is that.?" Harry answered wearily, "There. I fulfilled the Prophecy!" Harry winced as the Headmaster approached him. He knew what was coming now. He would be forced to tell the entirely painful tale.

While the other three looked at him apprehensively, Severus Snape stepped forward and said, "Harry has been through enough today. He needs rest now." "No, Severus." That was Dumbledore of course; "It would be better if he told it all now." Harry looked up and said, "Do you want to know what happened? Okay, I'll tell you. I just became a murderer. Okay! I fulfilled the stupid Prophecy. I've done what I was supposed to do! Now leave me alone. I want to sleep and pretend that it all never happened!" All this he said in a deadly calm voice and walked out of the room, leaving Lupin, McGonogall and Dumbledore staring. Snape turned and followed him.