Thank you for all your reviews, sorry to leave you such a cliff-hanger, but I figured I was entitled to a least one biggy! leggylover03, plasterwork, TigerLily Padfoot(),KeenW(),harrycrazy432, Iesa, Locolisa, Rocky235, chaser1, Midknight(),Numba1, jbfritz , Zaptor, Millie 4 Harry potter, Nphipps, jekl, athenakitty, JES(),saxistwriterchick , Ash Knight ( Harry already used the Green Flame Torch, it activated his elemental magic, and Dumbledore told him that one he had used it he would never need it again, because it would have fulfilled its purpose, sorry if that wasn't clear, I think it was in chapter 18)
Chapter 32 Tom Riddle
Harry stood on the shore of the lake, surveying the scene before him. Hogwarts stood in all its splendour in the dying light. The group of black robed figures casting spells at its doors, trying to break through. Voldemort stood, excitement radiating from him, his aura burning a bright red with a black outline.
"My name is Lord Voldemort," The red eyed monster shouted at Harry.
Harry disappeared and made his way into the centre of the group, he cast ropes to bind two of the death eaters nearest him, and reaching into the pocket of his robes he placed a green sticker on the back of their robes.
"Your name is Tom Riddle – named for your father, a muggle who hated all things magic, including your mother!" Harry replied. He moved his position and bound another two of the death eaters, two more stickers were applied.
"My name is Voldemort. I am the Heir of Slytherin!" Two more death eaters are immobilised and received stickers.
"Slytherin didn't want a half-blood as his heir – Just as your own father didn't want you!" Harry called from behind him.
"Show yourself boy, are you afraid to die?" Voldemort's voice shook in anger. He ordered the death eaters to find Harry, "Look for his aura you idiots."
"I do not fear you anymore. You are still just that angry little boy, who nobody loved – I pity you." Harry retorted as he bound another three death eaters and tagged them.
"I do not need your pity. I am the most powerful wizard alive!" Voldemort screeched. His death eaters were now casting spells in all directions seeking the invisible Harry.
Harry caught another small group and restrained them.
"Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard alive," Harry called, from behind Voldemort.
"Dumbledore is dead!"
"Dumbledore will never die, until you do!" Harry retorted as more death eaters were caught unawares.
"If I am so weak, why are you afraid to show yourself?"
Harry's disillusionment charm dissipated and he appeared, his aura burning bright silver. Many of the death eaters closest to him screamed and he caught a few more for good measure.
"Let me show you how to hate! CRUCIO!" Voldemort pointed his wand at Harry.
Harry with a flick of his arms built a wall of fire around himself and the curse bounced of and struck one of the death eaters moving towards Harry. Harry took the moment to take out his wand and muttered, "Activate." The twenty or so death eaters he had bound disappeared as Harry activated the port key stickers he had placed on them.
The death eaters shifted warily and waited for Voldemort's command. Several of them tried to disapparate but Dumbledore must have been successful repairing the wards, because they made a loud popping sound and remained where they were.
Harry felt Voldemorts rage spill over and then coldness, the echoing voices of his parents, and Harry knew the dementors had arrived. Many of the death eaters fell to their knees as the dementors advanced, caught up in the high emotions, attacking who ever stood in their way.
Harry used the distraction to tag another few death eaters, letting their curses bounce off of his fire shield. Wormtail turned to run towards the dark forest but Nagini had better plans for him. Harry watched in horror as the huge snake caught and ate her prey. Harry was dodging between the death eaters, tagging them. When he had used all his blue stickers, he activated them and another twenty death eaters disappeared.
"Enough," yelled Voldemort over the chaos. "Severus, you have betrayed me! You told me that a potion had weakened the boy's powers." Voldemort turned to face one of the many black robed figures. "AVADA KEDAVRA!" the green light shot out of Voldemort's wand, Harry reacted in an instant, sending a fire ball out of his hands he knocked the green spell away, just as it approached Snape.
"You protect even those who despise you?" Voldemort laughed.
The killing curse missed, but the fire ball caught him and Snape collapsed unconscious.
"You see how powerful hate can be? Your precious teacher destroyed his life for it," Voldemort's laugh filled the air and Harry felt his scar burn.
"Love is the most powerful magic of all," Harry called defiantly, blood trickled down from his scar as he raised his hands and called on the elements to bring forward a thunder storm. The sky became an angry colour and rumbling began to shake the earth, lightening bolts rained down, the bright purple lights, chasing away the rest of the dementors, and striking many of the remaining death eaters.
Harry rushed over to stick Snape with a yellow sticker and as he bent down, he felt Voldemort's curse hit the back of his neck. Harry collapsed face down on the grass, his scar pouring with blood and the sound of Voldemort's triumphant laughter filled his ears.
Flowers sprouted up around Harry and he breathed in their perfume, the flowers withered and died as Harry concentrated on pulling the energy into his body, he could feel Voldemort's joy at the thought of Harry's defeat and he absorbed it all. The hate hit Harry like a hammer in the chest and then Voldemort's image was replaced by Dumbledore's, the sound of Fawkes singing filled Harry's mind. The love of all his family, Ron, Hermione, Moony, the Weasley's and Dumbledore, flowed through Harry as one by one the pictures of his friends' faces formed in his mind.
A loud rumbling started in the distance; the earth began to shake in anger. The first fissure cracked in the ground and a deep red vein burst from the ground near Harry and traveling along towards Voldemort. Another crack appeared and more of the earths red core burst through, one by one, until there were a least twenty cracks, all heading towards Voldemort.
"NO, YOU WILL NOT SUCCEED! I AM THE RIGHTFUL RULER!" Voldemort's laughs had turned to screams.
Harry stayed face down on the earth, feeding it with his power, letting the roots bind him down and a small smile formed on his bruised and bleeding face. "No man can rule through fear and hatred!"
An earthquake shook the ground and everyone fell to their knees, many of the death eaters tried in vain to crawl away. Lava poured out of the holes in the earth and Harry raised his head to see the school engulfed. Tears of sadness pour down his face, as he watched the school crumble and his own power started to wane. The lava engulfed Voldemort as he stood shrieking, "I AM THE DARK LORD, YOU SHOULD HAVE BOWED DOWN TO WORSHIP ME!"
Then the shrieking stopped and Harry's eyes burned as the heat of the lava approached him. Movement to his left caught his attention as Snape stirred and their eyes met. "Activate the portkey," Harry whispered, his voice cracking, his magic drained. Snape struggled to point his wand at Harry and he muttered a spell.
Harry's body twisted and turned in pain and then suddenly he was free from the earth, the roots that had grown around his body released him and he flew into the dark red sky in the form of a golden Eagle.
The eagle flew up and over the ruins of Hogwarts, Snape had disappeared far below and the remaining death eaters were engulfed in the lava. The eagle circled overhead and tears dropped from its eyes. The tears touched the lava and stopped it in its path. Heat rose and the Eagle could feel it burning the underside of its wings. Turning, the Eagle flew away, over the dark forest and out to Hogsmeade.
Black robed figures were emerging from the forest, but a group of students caught them and after a few moments of bright spells, the black robed figures collapse, as a huge lion jumped on them, knocking away their wands. The eagle flew over the students, searching for someone. The students crying and sobbing filling the air, as they stood staring at the sky, where Hogwarts had once stood, waiting for news. The air was still an angry red colour.
The eagle saw him, the old man with the long white beard, wearing dark purple robes, his left arm raised, waiting. The eagle swooped down, and landed on the offered perch.
The old man smoothed the eagles ruffled feathers and says quietly, "I'm glad you made it son." Tears fall from his eyes, "I won't transform you back, you must come back to us when you are ready." The eagle nipped the old man's finger, affectionately, then spreading its wings flew upwards.
It spotted Ron and Hermione, huddled close, crying, and as it flew over them, it dropped a small lily, that appeared in its beak. They looked up as Hermione caught the Hogwarts lily and smiled, waving to the eagle, trying to tempt it to land, but the eagle screeched and flew away.
The eagle landed on one of the tall trees in the forest and tucking its head under its wing, slept. The curiously bright green eyes flickered open hours later as bright colourful fireworks burst into the sky from Hogsmeade. They must have found the body, the eagle thinks, and now they can truly celebrate their freedom, for the first time in many years. Voldemort is dead and he will not be coming back this time. He was destroyed by the power of the earth itself, the hot core had claimed its victims. Screeching happily the eagle tucked down its head and went back to sleep.
Dumbledore had watched Harry fly away and taking a deep breath turned to his children and staff to make the announcement. "Voldemort is dead, Harry Potter had saved us once again."
The muttering started, like an angry swarm of bees, questions erupted, "Is Harry alright?" a voice shouted.
"I am not sure," Dumbledore replied, "Only time will tell. Heads of houses please check that all your students are accounted for. Remus, check the Slytherin children as it seems that Professor Snape is not here."
"Professor," Hermione Grangers voice called, "Professor Snape appeared in the Three Broomsticks a few moments ago, madam Pomfrey went to check on him."
"Thank you Miss Granger," Dumbledore smiled at his efficient Head girl. "And I see you have some prisoners." He walked towards the small group of Harry's DA. They stood with their wands pointed at five death eaters and two students. "Would anyone like to enlighten me?"
"We caught the death eaters coming out of the forest, and they tried to attack us, so they could escape. But Neville chased them, in his animagus form and knocked their wands away, so we could tie them up." Hermione related. "Then Crabbe and Goyle tried to help them, so we stunned them and tied them up too."
"Wonderful work, I am glad to hear you were able to find your form at last Neville," Dumbledore smiled at the tall dark haired boy.
"Do you know who they are?" Neville replied coldly.
Dumbledore looked at Bellatrix and her husband and nodded sadly, "Yes, they will be punished for what they have done Neville."
"Sir," Colin Creevy called out, "There were dementors too, but we managed to chase them away!"
"I am very proud of all of you!" Dumbledore twinkled.
Professors McGonagall, Sprout, Flitwick and Remus approached and confirmed that all the students had made it out safely along with the rest of the teachers and Filch, who was carrying Mrs Norris. The only person missing was Rex Greymarsh, the grounds keeper, but then Dumbledore had known all along he was a spy for Voldemort and would have joined the death eaters.
Madam Pomfrey pushed through the crowd and spoke quietly to Dumbledore, "Severus was hit by a powerful spell, which knocked him unconscious for a while. I have healed the burns, but it will take a few days to for him to recover completely. He is asking for you."
Dumbledore followed the medi-witch back to her patient and smiled as he looked down on the tired, prone figure of Severus Snape. "How are you feeling?" Dumbledore asked.
"Free," Severus replied weakly, pulling back the sleeve of his robe to reveal a bare forearm, the dark mark had gone completely. "Where is Harry?"
"He returned a short while ago, but he flew away again," Dumbledore replied.
"He was willing to sacrifice his life for us all," Severus said quietly, "I transformed him seconds before the ground collapsed and engulfed him."
"He is a brave man," Dumbledore replied.
"I always thought he was just cocky like his father," Severus said, "But it would seem he is more like his mother after all."
"Yes, Lily was a kind soul, a born healer by nature, she too sacrificed her life for love," Dumbledore smiled, "But I am glad her son did not follow in her footsteps."
"I cannot believe it is truly over," Severus whispered, as though saying the words out loud might make them untrue.
"Did you see him die?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, he is encased in lava, outside the remains of the castle," Severus replied.
"Then Hogwarts is gone, I had hoped that part of my vision was a mistake."
"No, it is gone, swallowed in the lava that killed the Dark Lord."
"I think it is time you called him by his name," Dumbledore twinkled, "He cannot harm you, and it would be a waste of your life to live in fear any longer."
"Vol…Voldemort, is dead," Severus said.
"Professor, the Ministry Aurors have arrived," Professor McGonagall came in to announce. "They want to speak to you, apparently there are sixty-four wandless death eaters in secure cells in Azkaban, they appeared there tonight."
Dumbledore rose from his seat and followed his deputy out-side. Not only had the ministry arrived, but several other groups of people were arriving as well. Parents, afraid for their children, reporters, anxious for a story and residents of Hogsmeade, desperate to know if what the students were shouting about was true; You-know-who was dead at last.
After he had made his announcement, the party began, food appeared and fireworks lit the sky as the magical world celebrated the death of the greatest evil they had faced for a long time. Dumbledore fought his way through the crowds and at the outskirts of the town he conjured five large tents, one for each house of students and one for his weary staff. The arrangements took all night; the children were to return home as there was no longer a school for them to attend.
The Daily Prophet carried the story the next day;
HARRY POTTER DEFEATS YOU-KNOW-WHO
The boy who lived once again became the saviour of
The wizarding world at 11:36pm on June 11th when he
defeated You-Know-Who, permanently
It is reported that Harry Potter and his closest friends
faked the death of Albus Dumbldore- headmaster of Hogwarts
School of Witch craft and Wizardry, to lure HIM to the
School.
All we can discover at this time, is that our hero face HIM
with over one hundred death eaters and dementors, alone.
Harry somehow managed to cause an eruption which
engulfed HIM and some of his followers and the school.
The lava encased remains of HIM have been recovered,
proving beyond doubt that he is really dead this rime,
but as yet we have no news on the whereabouts of our
saviour.
It would seem that Harry Potter passed through our
lives like a comet, burning brightly and fiercely, for a few
years and then burning out when his task was complete.
Pray for him- May his sacrifice never be forgotten.
A few days later another letter appeared in the paper;
If you are reading this, then it would seem that
I was successful, Voldemort is dead and gone
for good and I have gone as well. I ask for a
few things in return; never again let fear and
hatred split our world. His name was Voldemort
or more correctly Tom Riddle, once a simple
student much like I am or was. A wise man once
told me that 'fear of a name only increases fear
of the thing itself,' remember that, call him by his
name, he was not some great mythical figure, he
was just a bitter and hateful man.
The seven years I spent at Hogwarts were the best
days of my life. But if this letter is published then
Hogwarts is gone. I ask you for one more change.
When you rebuilt the school, build it on the same
grounds, keep the teachers the same, keep the lessons
the same, keep all of it the same if you wish but please
don't keep the sorting tradition.
Don't divide the students into the founding houses.
Stop the segregation – for the sake of the future
generations. Let them stay united.
Thank you
Harry Potter.
This letter was sent to The Daily Prophet this morning and we have printed Harry Potter's last wishes for all to read.
Dumbledore had cried as he read the letter and although he knew Harry was not gone forever, he was touched by the fears that must have crowded his young mind on those last few days before the battle. He was proud of Harry and all the students, the Ministry had awarded many of the DA, The order of Merlin, third class, a rare gift for students so young. They had also called the fifth and seventh years to sit the rest of their exams and many had been offered positions at the Auror training programme, because of their help rounding up the last few death eaters and protecting the other students.
Neville Longbottom had receive the lions share of the publicity, because his parents were remembered by many and had tearfully told the headmaster that he had accepted the offer to train as an auror, even though he did not have the correct qualifications.
Dumbledore had visited the battle scene many times and watched as a golden Eagle soared above the ruins. He knew that Remus had spent most days searching the forest, hoping to find his friends son, and convince him to return. But Dumbledore knew Harry would return when he was ready.