A scream cut the air like a knife. Harry jumped, and turned to look
questioningly at the other Marauders. Had they got anything planned, or. .
.
"You didn't do that thing with the mice, did you Sirius?" James asked, also suspicious since Sirius had been planning to release mice on the Hufflepuff table. Sirius shook his head. James and Harry looked at each other.
"Its coming from the Great Hall," Harry said seriously, pulling his wand from his pocket and starting to run down the corridor. The others fell in behind him. Harry hadn't kept secrets about how serious this could be.
Harry pulled up short just outside the door and looked in. Students were huddling in terrified little groups by the walls and the teachers were trapped behind their table, except for Dumbledore, who was away at a meeting at the Ministry. A few, Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick for sure, seemed to be unconscious.
Even worse than all that were the twenty or so black robed, masked figures that were prowling around, roughly questioning people and sparing none of their Dark curses. One was even sitting in Dumbledore's own seat!
Harry took a deep breath, suddenly understanding that everything that was going on just as he'd feared, and stepped through the door into the Great Hall.
"I was wondering where you were, Harry James Potter," said the cold, high voice Harry knew all too well.
"You shouldn't have come here, Riddle, you already exist in this time frame," Harry said, desperately trying to intimidate his enemy and appear braver than he was. Mentally, he was quickly running through his options.
"When better to kill you, Potter, than in front of your parents? They will then know that it is pointless for you even to be born, since you're going to die so young."
"Everyone dies in the end, Riddle, that does not worry me. They know what I have already achieved against you and will know that my sacrifice will be worthwhile. However, do not be so confident that you will be victorious. This is a place where I am strong."
Harry knew this to be true. Having the support of so many people would greatly increase his power, and he could imagine quite realistically what the Hogwarts wards thought about the presence of a Dark wizard.
"I give you a final opportunity to leave," Harry said, his last hope of avoiding a fight.
"Leave? I think not, Harry Potter. Let us finish the duel that you so rudely interrupted two years ago."
"If you wish," Harry said negligently. "My conditions are these: that your followers return to our own time before we commence and that the students will not be harmed by you should you be victorious. That would disrupt the whole fabric of time."
Voldemort laughed scornfully.
"Why should I do that?"
"Because otherwise the students here will kill them, and even if you succeed in killing me, your forces will be much depleted without many of your elite Death Eaters."
"Very well," Voldemort said reluctantly, unwilling to concede the victory to a mere boy. "They are gone."
"Master!" one protested. Harry thought that he recognized Lucius Malfoy's slimy voice. "You aren't giving in to him, are you? These children couldn't kill us? We are your Death Eaters, and they are mere students."
"As I recall, Malfoy, that boy and his little friends have bested you more than once in the past. Go! Or I will kill you myself, you would be no great loss to my cause."
The Death Eaters vanished hastily at that threat. They knew all to well that should they argue, it would be carried out without mercy. Voldemort stood up and came forwards down the main aisle to face Harry once more.
"I know you can do it, Harry," James told him urgently, standing at his shoulder. "We're all with you."
"Thanks James. . . Dad. Tell Lily I said bye, will you?"
"But you'll win . . ."
Harry sighed.
"If I win, there's a chance that I will immediately return to my own time. I hope that you'll be seeing me again soon enough, though, whatever happens."
"Me too," said James emphatically, glancing over to where Lily was standing.
"You'd better go join the others now, it's going to get violent out here. See if you can put up some sort of shield for the younger ones, I don't want them to get hurt," Harry suggested.
James looked at his son doubtfully, then nodded and went over to the wall where he entered a huddled conversation with Remus and Lily. A few seconds later, a shimmering white glow appeared between the children and Harry.
Deciding, perhaps, that he'd wasted enough time, Voldemort came forwards to take his place opposite Harry, his wand raised ready in front of him. They bowed, straightened and, for a split second, Harry looked his enemy straight in the eye. A moment later, he was flying upwards into the enchanted, sky-like roof of the Great Hall, his red and gold phoenix wings beating strongly. Voldemort looked startled at this new development in Harry's abilities, then changed himself into a winged serpent and followed. Harry thought, rather inappropriately given the circumstances, that the Ministry must be very ineffective if there were so many illegal Animagi running around unregistered.
Harry glanced down at James, mentally thanking him passionately for making him spend so much time practicing combat skills once he'd mastered the basic Animagi shape change. He dove viciously at the snake's body, gouging it deeply. Voldemort sent a bolt of pure, black energy flying at Harry, who dodged and dove in again, scoring another wound on the scaled body.
Both of their shapes were magical creatures, and therefore had special powers. Harry had a fairly good idea of his, but Voldemort's were unknown and he'd have to watch out for them. Focussing deeply, Harry sent a bolt of fire streaking through the air. He felt relieved he'd spent so much time playing Quidditch: this was almost like a game - feint, attack, dodge, parry and dive in again.
It was tiring work, and Harry soon felt himself flagging. With a cry, he sent one last bolt at Voldemort, who was now so covered in blood that it dripped grossly down on the food-covered tables below.
It hit.
Harry held his breath and watched as Voldemort lost control of his serpent form and, for a moment, lay suspended in the air. Then he was hurtling downwards. With a last glance up at Harry, he raised his wand one final time and cried,
"Avada Kedavra!"
The flash of green lighting that Harry saw so often in his dreams hit him squarely on his red-feathered chest. He had no time to dodge, no time to raise a shield. He was falling too, burning up. He only vaguely felt the impact as he hit the ground. He was dead.
"You didn't do that thing with the mice, did you Sirius?" James asked, also suspicious since Sirius had been planning to release mice on the Hufflepuff table. Sirius shook his head. James and Harry looked at each other.
"Its coming from the Great Hall," Harry said seriously, pulling his wand from his pocket and starting to run down the corridor. The others fell in behind him. Harry hadn't kept secrets about how serious this could be.
Harry pulled up short just outside the door and looked in. Students were huddling in terrified little groups by the walls and the teachers were trapped behind their table, except for Dumbledore, who was away at a meeting at the Ministry. A few, Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick for sure, seemed to be unconscious.
Even worse than all that were the twenty or so black robed, masked figures that were prowling around, roughly questioning people and sparing none of their Dark curses. One was even sitting in Dumbledore's own seat!
Harry took a deep breath, suddenly understanding that everything that was going on just as he'd feared, and stepped through the door into the Great Hall.
"I was wondering where you were, Harry James Potter," said the cold, high voice Harry knew all too well.
"You shouldn't have come here, Riddle, you already exist in this time frame," Harry said, desperately trying to intimidate his enemy and appear braver than he was. Mentally, he was quickly running through his options.
"When better to kill you, Potter, than in front of your parents? They will then know that it is pointless for you even to be born, since you're going to die so young."
"Everyone dies in the end, Riddle, that does not worry me. They know what I have already achieved against you and will know that my sacrifice will be worthwhile. However, do not be so confident that you will be victorious. This is a place where I am strong."
Harry knew this to be true. Having the support of so many people would greatly increase his power, and he could imagine quite realistically what the Hogwarts wards thought about the presence of a Dark wizard.
"I give you a final opportunity to leave," Harry said, his last hope of avoiding a fight.
"Leave? I think not, Harry Potter. Let us finish the duel that you so rudely interrupted two years ago."
"If you wish," Harry said negligently. "My conditions are these: that your followers return to our own time before we commence and that the students will not be harmed by you should you be victorious. That would disrupt the whole fabric of time."
Voldemort laughed scornfully.
"Why should I do that?"
"Because otherwise the students here will kill them, and even if you succeed in killing me, your forces will be much depleted without many of your elite Death Eaters."
"Very well," Voldemort said reluctantly, unwilling to concede the victory to a mere boy. "They are gone."
"Master!" one protested. Harry thought that he recognized Lucius Malfoy's slimy voice. "You aren't giving in to him, are you? These children couldn't kill us? We are your Death Eaters, and they are mere students."
"As I recall, Malfoy, that boy and his little friends have bested you more than once in the past. Go! Or I will kill you myself, you would be no great loss to my cause."
The Death Eaters vanished hastily at that threat. They knew all to well that should they argue, it would be carried out without mercy. Voldemort stood up and came forwards down the main aisle to face Harry once more.
"I know you can do it, Harry," James told him urgently, standing at his shoulder. "We're all with you."
"Thanks James. . . Dad. Tell Lily I said bye, will you?"
"But you'll win . . ."
Harry sighed.
"If I win, there's a chance that I will immediately return to my own time. I hope that you'll be seeing me again soon enough, though, whatever happens."
"Me too," said James emphatically, glancing over to where Lily was standing.
"You'd better go join the others now, it's going to get violent out here. See if you can put up some sort of shield for the younger ones, I don't want them to get hurt," Harry suggested.
James looked at his son doubtfully, then nodded and went over to the wall where he entered a huddled conversation with Remus and Lily. A few seconds later, a shimmering white glow appeared between the children and Harry.
Deciding, perhaps, that he'd wasted enough time, Voldemort came forwards to take his place opposite Harry, his wand raised ready in front of him. They bowed, straightened and, for a split second, Harry looked his enemy straight in the eye. A moment later, he was flying upwards into the enchanted, sky-like roof of the Great Hall, his red and gold phoenix wings beating strongly. Voldemort looked startled at this new development in Harry's abilities, then changed himself into a winged serpent and followed. Harry thought, rather inappropriately given the circumstances, that the Ministry must be very ineffective if there were so many illegal Animagi running around unregistered.
Harry glanced down at James, mentally thanking him passionately for making him spend so much time practicing combat skills once he'd mastered the basic Animagi shape change. He dove viciously at the snake's body, gouging it deeply. Voldemort sent a bolt of pure, black energy flying at Harry, who dodged and dove in again, scoring another wound on the scaled body.
Both of their shapes were magical creatures, and therefore had special powers. Harry had a fairly good idea of his, but Voldemort's were unknown and he'd have to watch out for them. Focussing deeply, Harry sent a bolt of fire streaking through the air. He felt relieved he'd spent so much time playing Quidditch: this was almost like a game - feint, attack, dodge, parry and dive in again.
It was tiring work, and Harry soon felt himself flagging. With a cry, he sent one last bolt at Voldemort, who was now so covered in blood that it dripped grossly down on the food-covered tables below.
It hit.
Harry held his breath and watched as Voldemort lost control of his serpent form and, for a moment, lay suspended in the air. Then he was hurtling downwards. With a last glance up at Harry, he raised his wand one final time and cried,
"Avada Kedavra!"
The flash of green lighting that Harry saw so often in his dreams hit him squarely on his red-feathered chest. He had no time to dodge, no time to raise a shield. He was falling too, burning up. He only vaguely felt the impact as he hit the ground. He was dead.