Chapter 19

He could feel that his plan was working. He could feel Voldemort's confusion. He knew that he had figured it out. Harry was going to use the one thing that Voldemort couldn't understand, the one emotion he had never felt, the only power he knew he had that the Dark Lord knew not…love.

He started to think about Sirius. Just like the time in the Ministry when Voldemort had possessed him, he had thought about Sirius and Voldemort couldn't take it. He thought about how much he loved Sirius and how much he missed him. He thought about the only Christmas that they had spent together and how much he had enjoyed it. He thought about how he would do anything to bring Sirius back.

His scar seared. Voldemort was angry, very angry. He could feel his confusion and pain. Harry's love for Sirius actually caused him pain. Voldemort did the only thing he could think of, he tried to fight back with the feelings of utter hatred that he felt towards everyone.

Harry's scar seared again. He tried to block out the pain and at the same time block out the hate he felt. He had the sudden urge to go out and fight, but he knew Voldemort was trying to trick him.

Harry fought back by thinking of his parents. He thought about the first time he had seen them in the Mirror of Erised. He thought about how much he loved them and how much they loved him. After all, they did sacrifice their lives for him. He thought about all this as well as what it would be like to have them here now, alive. These were not sad thoughts, they were mere projections of the happy life that could have been, and Harry projected these thoughts right into Voldemort's mind and he couldn't take it.

"Aaahhhh!" Voldemort screamed as his mind was bombarded by the emotion he had never felt, love. He countered the only way he knew how, by thinking of the most awful things he could think of. By thinking of all the hatred he had towards the world and sending it directly at Harry. By thinking of all the people he had killed and tortured.

Harry saw his parents die again and it wasn't easy.

Harry's scar seared more painfully still and he tried to block out the other visions that were sent his way. He thought of Ron and Hermione next. He thought about everything they had been through over the years and everything they had overcome. He thought about the love that Ron and Hermione had felt for each other. He also thought about how he would do anything to save his friends. He scar told him that Voldemort was getting angrier and weaker by the second. He knew he had to finish this soon.

He started to think about Pansy. Every now and then a muggle torture scene would spring into his head and he too would scream out in pain, but he tried to push it to the back of his mind as he also tried to ignore the fact that his head was splitting in two while he thought about the only other person he would give his life for, Pansy. He thought about her hair, her eyes, her smile, her smirk, everything. He thought about her hands and how they fit so perfectly in his. He even thought about how they seemed to fit perfectly together when they held each other. He thought about what it would be like to spend the rest of his life with her. He remembered her kisses and how they made him feel and he sent that feeling straight at Voldemort who was standing mere feet away at the edge of the forest doubled over in pain.

No emotions as pure as Harry's had ever entered the Dark Lord's head, and he couldn't handle them. They caused him physical pain. He couldn't even think straight. He tried to get the feelings out of him but it was too late. Harry sent one dose of feeling right after the other.

Lily, James, Sirius, Ron, Hermione, and Pansy. He thought about them all at the same time and how wonderful they all were to him and how much he loved them all.

To the people watching from the gaping hole in the Great Hall, this looked like a spectacle. It seemed to them like they were watching the Dark Lord go insane…not that he was ever sane. He was standing at the very edge of the forest screaming in agony as he held his head.

All of a sudden a glow from Hagrid's hut was visible. Harry would have seen it too had his eyes not been clamped shut in concentration. They glow steadily increased and the light escaped the hut and surrounded Voldemort and he was lifted into the air.

He was still screaming when he vanished and the last thing he said was, "I WILL RETURN!"

He was gone without a trace. Although, the more observant eye would have seen, if they looked hard enough, a trail of black smoke fading away into the forest. His essence.

Everyone broke out into cheers. If Harry didn't know better he would have sworn he was at the Quidditch World Cup again. He opened his eyes and waited; waited for the pain of his scar to tell him whether or not he had been successful. All he felt was a slight tingle. He had heard Voldemort scream, followed by the worst burning in his scar of all…but then…nothing.

He walked out of the hut and looked around. No one was any where to be seen. He looked up at the massive hole in the side of the wall and saw everyone looking down at the scene. He looked wearily at them all and knew that he was not ready for them, or their questions, or their congratulations. He was physically and emotionally drained and couldn't stand the thought of even talking to anyone at the moment.

He gave one last glance at the people and began walking to the quidditch pitch. He got there and didn't even bother going up to the stands. He walked to the middle of the pitch and sprawled himself on the ground face up.

Pansy was beyond ecstatic, but she still couldn't be fully happy because she knew that Voldemort being dead was too good to be true. She was however starting to worry why Harry wasn't back yet. Then it hit her. Of course he wouldn't want to deal with all of these people right now. After everything that he no doubt just went through. She turned to Hermione who was looking out into the sky, probably thinking about Ron, and whispered, "Do you have any of our invisibility potion left?"

Hermione nodded and pulled out a small vial. Pansy drank it before Hermione could ask why and disappeared from site. However, before she left she whispered to Hermione, "I'll find him and I'll bring him back when he's ready."

She left the Great Hall and knew exactly where to go. She knew he would want to be alone and far away from prying eyes, and that is why she headed towards the pitch.

She saw him lying there with his hands under his head for support. He had his eyes closed so he didn't see her coming. "Do you want a better pillow?" she whispered.

He was not very surprised that she was there. He knew she would come. She sat down beside him and without opening his eyes he laid his head down on her lap. She stroked his hair gently and he silently thanked her for understanding. It wasn't long before he fell asleep, and not too long after, she followed suit.

Needless to say, it was quite the charming sight when they were found the next morning.

::::::::::

Once Harry felt comfortable again, he agreed to see Dumbledore in his office and explain everything that had happened.

Harry explained exactly what he had done. He left out nothing. He explained how he figured out what would hurt Voldemort and how he used it to his advantage. He also explained how Voldemort had tried to hurt him also using all of the hate he had known and all of the pain he had cause over the years. It felt good to get it all off of his chest.

It also helped that Pansy was there holding his hand for support. She couldn't believe how strong he had been and everything that he had to over come.

With much effort, the wall in the Great Hall had been repaired and a feast was held in honor of those who had died in the battle. Harry had almost not attended afraid that they might try to honor him in some way, but he was relived when they didn't. Letters had been sent to every parent that had not been fighting to tell them of what had happened. Dumbledore also sent a letter to the minister of magic explaining the "surprise attack", as he had called it, to Fudge. He doubted that Fudge would have approved of staying and fighting.

Since the term was over, Dumbledore informed Harry that with Voldemort gone (although he didn't really believe that he was gone and he told Harry this) Harry only had to return to the Dursley's long enough gather some of his things, then he would be able to live in Grimmauld Place for the remainder of the summer. Harry protested about having to return at all but he knew he had to.

Pansy was extremely depressed at the thought of having to return to a giant empty manor. Harry noticed her mood and was able to guess what was wrong.

"Why don't you come live with me at Grimmauld Place?" he asked the day before they were to return.

"R-really?" she could hardly believe it. She wouldn't have to return to the place haunted her nightmares.

When Harry told Dumbledore of their plans, Dumbledore merely asked one question, "Do you trust her with all of your secrets?"

"I trust her with my life," was Harry's reply.

Somewhere in the Forbidden Forest.

Her head was aching and she couldn't see straight. She gingerly touched her head where it hurt and removed her hand to find blood there. She looked around and saw William on the ground next to her. She tried to shake him awake. He turned over and she saw a giant gash on his head. He had lost a lot of blood…he was dead.

She tried to get up but the first few times she fell back down from dizziness. When she was finally able to get up she swayed slightly and grabbed a tree for support. That's when she saw it.

A black mist straight ahead. She walked slowly towards it, curious as to what it was.

When she neared it she put her hand into it. Then she heard it.

Patricia, a cold voice whispered from what seemed like inside the mist. Come…step inside.

She walked closer until the mist was surrounding her. Instantly, she regretted it.

She began to choke. The mist was suffocating her. It entered her mouth, her nose and her eyes, until it possessed her entire body.

Patricia was no more, no more than a spectator in her own body. She had no control over the mist that now possessed her and she knew she couldn't beat it. No one could.

No one could defeat the Dark Lord.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::