Silver Blood
Chapter 26: Apocalypse
The trees blew roughly against the howling winds that grew colder even in the summer atmosphere. The dark clouds looming overhead caused cries of victory to be heard. Fires were ablaze, the orange flames licking across the landscape as houses were burned. The screams had long since died away, floating away with the ash as it rose to the dark sky. Burning inside the flames a black skull was glistening, its hollow eyes looking directly at the world below.
Deep red splotches were lit from the intensity of the light flickering from the flames. Wet trails glazed the streets as large, unusual footprints glimmered a slight sickly green were seen beside the red trails. It wasn't just the unlucky neighborhood that happened to be desolate except for the burning wood and belongings and the blood that covered the ground, city after city was quickly becoming the same. Houses were taken over by creatures instead of humans, picking at whatever they could find. And now with the dark clouds covering part of the eclipsed sun, there was no hope in sight for the darkness to unveil itself.
No movements were heard throughout the entire city. No screams, no hungry howling, just silence that grew in the atmosphere. Cars were toppled over on one another, windows cracked or broken and no bodies in sight to match with the occasional blood-spots. No policemen out on their nightly duties to help any accidents. There was no life in sight.
Deep in the heart of the city, nearby a dance club and a gas station that had broken light poles, one dripping with a gooey splotch of a strange blue substance, a quiet figure raced across the deserted grounds. The small figure was moving quickly, following trails of blue goop that looked as if something had been dragged in it.
Fast, rapid movements barely touched the ground as the figure continued on for a while before slowing down. The blue goop trails began to clear slightly until it completely stopped. The figure halted in front a small forest of trees, its yellow eyes glinting toward the pulsating thing in front of it. A horrendous large glob had attached itself to the trees, like a spider web, clinging tightly. Its thick blue goop had dug into the ground, pulsating and sucking up the life and nutrients the ground held. At least ten feet beyond the entire figure the ground was shriveling and turning a strange black crispy substance.
The yellow eyes glinted toward it wisely, holding no fear approaching it slowly. Once the figure was almost toward the part of the ground that had turned black, the feline cat made a sound as its bones cracked and twisted quickly, the paws changing as the yellow eyes turned to dark brown ones and a long cloak took place of the fur that had once been there. Professor McGonagall stood in her full size, her eyes gleaming with a powerful radiance not seen in her classroom face. She lifted her wand high and sent off sparks that lit up the area around her.
In no less than a minute several pops were heard behind her and nearby her as figures came to her from the call. The figure closest to her with one magical eye that was focused around them while his one good eye remained focused ahead, stared at the glob with half fascination half acknowledgment.
"It's definitely related to the Shadow Dwellers," Mad-Eye Moody retorted with folded arms. "Question is, what was bred with it to create such a manifestation?"
"Oh this is awful!" Arthur Weasley stated, staring apprehensively at the throbbing mass of goop that was created by the hybrid creature. "We should've put much better tracking devices on the creatures we encountered, and maybe this wouldn't have happened."
"No Arthur," professor McGonagall spoke up, shaking her head, "there is no way we could've prevented this. There are too many creatures and not enough aurors and wizards to keep track of them all. What I fear now is that the barriers we did put up to keep the creatures from getting to the muggle world are failing, as well as the barriers set up inside Hogwarts."
She heard a gasp from behind her and turned to see Tonks stumbling toward them, having apparated later.
"Minerva, there isn't, I mean they can't…right?" Tonks said, looking from one face to another.
"Nymphadora, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with Sirius and Remus, and the rest of the professors?" Minerva asked, settling her eyes on her.
Tonks looked up confused, as if she had never heard that, and then she put a finger to her chin.
"Strange…I recall something like that…," she said, leaning up against a tree.
As she leaned against it, she missed seeing the black spots covering the tree from the stump up, because of the darkness. The tree made a small crackling sound before it suddenly collapsed on itself turning to ash. Tonks stumbled but managed to catch herself, her eyes looking down at the ashy mess that was once a tree, her finger returning to her cheek.
"Oh…oh my, now how did that happen?"
Minerva refrained from rolling her eyes, feeling an oncoming headache from the several days of strange happenings and rising storm of what Dumbledore feared was an apocalypse.
Mad-Eye Moody snorted loudly, turning to rest one eye on Minerva and the other on Arthur, "Who brought her along?"
"Moody that is quite uncalled for!" Minerva shot him a sharp glance, thankful that Tonks was too busy studying the dead tree, or what was left of it.
"She is with the Order too, Moody," Arthur replied with slight uneasiness. "She was staying at the safety tower with the remaining wizards and witches and children, helping to watch over them but we needed more volunteers to help keep tabs on the creatures to prevent anymore damage to our world and the muggle world. She was one of the few volunteers."
"She can barely keep a head on her shoulders, let alone keep creatures under control," Moody scoffed slightly. "The woman touches anything and it falls apart!"
"As I recall, you've had your times in which people didn't trust your judgment Alastor," a voice spoke up.
They turned to see Kingsley Shacklebolt stepping out of the shadows, turning to stare at Moody with an even expression. Moody muttered something under his breath but didn't respond.
"Well, are we just going to stand here or see what these creatures have stored?" Kingsley asked, pointing his wand at the blob. "Incantante!" he bellowed, a light purplish beam emitting out of his wand, hitting the blob head on. At first the blob appeared to not have been harmed, but soon it began to dry up, crackling like bones breaking until it finally shriveled up and fell to the ground, the pulsating mass dying and the trees that had been infected turning immediately to ash.
Tonks covered her mouth as she approached a little closer, "Oh my…look at all of them."
Lying on the ground, covered in massive amounts of remaining goop, were bodies sprawled over the black ground. Although the mass had been cleared the bodies covered in bits of slime and goop appeared to not be breathing. Minerva approached, bending down to one of them and studying the body of a young woman whose hair color was covered by the goop. It appeared as though she had also been bleeding profoundly from the large bite in her shoulder and the deep wounds along her legs. Strangely, clenched in her hand was a collar with a small bell on it, now also covered in goop.
Covering her mouth, Minerva inspected them, trying to locate a pulse. After a minute, she stood up, turning to the expectant members of the Order and Ministry.
"They're barely alive," she said quietly. "The spit from the creature must've contained some oxygen in it to keep them breathing while unconscious, which means that these survivors were being saved for a later meal. A couple of them are injured badly but most of them escaped without too much damage, which I'm surprised at. Shadow Dwellers are known for their violent attacks."
"That's why they're the hybrids," Kingsley said folding his arms. "They must have been bred with those darn lethorns. They seem to get around a lot," he muttered.
"I wonder why they're saving them for later?" Tonks asked, looking at the bodies strangely. "Maybe they're not hungry right now."
"Whatever the reason we've got to get these muggles some medical attention," Arthur Weasley said, looking highly disappointed. "Can you believe those creatures are destroying the muggle world? All those devices!"
"Let's just get them to the tower, everyone has been moved there, including Madam Pomprey and even some witches and wizards that work at St. Mungo's. After this is all over with we'll have to erase their memories," Minerva said turning around to look at the bodies. "If this ever ends."
"Oh sure it will! Harry Potter can defeat the Dark Lord, we all know that," Tonks said, her tone cheerful despite the circumstances.
"We can't possibly leave the burden on his shoulders! This is way over his head!" Arthur exclaimed. "Harry's an extremely powerful young wizard but defeating the Dark Lord, a-and the tyrants, as Dumbledore told us, and keeping creatures at bay…we can barely just watch the creatures. Harry is going to need help!"
"But what can we do?" Kingsley asked.
"The only way is to stop the eclipse," a stern voice spoke up.
Tonks jumped, hearing the voice from behind her and almost falling to the ground, had she not grabbed onto Kingsley, causing him to almost fall on his face. Out of the shadows a tall figure loomed, a long silver beard that had grown over the years. The twinkle in the familiar blue eyes was gone as the hardened eyes watched them carefully.
"Dumbledore," Minerva spoke up quietly.
"We must stop this eclipse," he repeated, his eyes searching the few members. "The rest of the Order is protecting the people inside the tower. There's no one to protect the muggles. We have tried before to tell them they'd be safer with us, but they are so full of fear. Right now, anything and anyone with magic is an enemy, or a monster to them. I fear that the muggle world is rapidly being destroyed."
"Oh no! How will they survive those creatures without magic to protect themselves?" Tonks gasped.
Dumbledore shook his head, looking toward the bodies behind them, waving a hand so the bodies vanished, heading toward much safer grounds, "They will not survive. So many have been killed all ready…however, recently I have realized that the creatures are beginning to wrap them up and save them, instead of eating them, which leads me to believe that there's more coming. And I fear that has something to do with Lord Voldemort."
"What…what does it have to do with him?" Arthur asked weakly.
Dumbledore stared straight ahead, his eyes narrowing, "He has activated the Orb, which means he has Muldoon's staff. He will no doubt be heading to the top of the Ministry building in order to use the powers of the staff, which can only be used by an eclipse because that was how it was created, with the use of the energy emitting off of an eclipsed sun. But to acquire the ultimate powers of the Orb, there needs to be sacrifices…"
Minerva gasped, "All those muggles…No, it can't be…"
"I'm afraid so, Minerva. Voldemort will destroy all muggles in order to bring about the darkest powers the Orb possesses, unless there is a way to stop the eclipse."
"But how do you stop an eclipse?" Arthur asked, glancing around before returning to gaze helplessly at Dumbledore.
"There is only one way, and that is that we need the strength of more people to overthrow whatever force has been reawakened to bring about the eclipse," Dumbledore said darkly. "In order to do so we will have to convince the muggles that are alive, some which are being held against their will in the tower for their own safety, to help us and give their strengths to us to increase our powers. If our powers are increased to the maximum, with enough people, as well as everyone inside the towers, there may be a way…"
"You don't mean…you're going to risk using such a power?" Minerva managed to stutter out. "Albus…that is unheard of. Even if we managed enough power to create a light big enough to cover the eclipse, all the power…the light energy, it would have to be directed from one non-magical source."
"There is no way the muggles would agree to be that one source," Kingsley shook his head. "They'd have to really be willing also knowing the consequences. Everyone is too afraid to risk their own lives."
Dumbledore's eyes dimmed as he nodded in affirmation, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. The unwelcome silence hung in the air as the comment was left to drift through each of their mind's. Finally, Mad-Eye glanced up at Dumbledore with both eyes, his expression grim and his gaze hardening with wisdom and understanding. His face nearly matched the tired yet determined gaze Dumbledore was also holding.
"You're going to use Harry Potter, aren't you?" he voiced the question as a statement.
"I am afraid…," Dumbledore stopped and swallowed hard, his eyes losing all their gleam. "I am afraid that is the only choice."
"You can't be serious, Albus," Minerva stared at him wide-eyed. "After everything the poor boy has been through, you can't expect him to take in so much power so suddenly and live afterwards!"
Arthur looked between both of them, his face suddenly pale, "But…how, Harry can't do that even if he was willing. He's got powers."
Dumbledore rose his head, his determined glance coming back, "He doesn't right now, Arthur. Voldemort has stripped him of his powers. His life essence and energy are still much stronger than any muggle or young wizard that I know, and that is why he is the perfect source for this very charm. I am aware that in his…current state it would be nearly impossible for him to survive very long afterwards…," Dumbledore's eyes creased as if he was in pain.
"But…y-you can't," Arthur stuttered. "Albus the boy has been through enough! He has defeated the Dark Lord countless times and he shouldn't even have been asked to go to the Ministry! If I had been here I would've shipped Fudge straight to an island and dump him there, letting the creatures inhabiting it have their way with him.
"Harry stumbled back nearly five months ago barely alive from defeating the Dark Lord and surviving the killing curse…again! There is no way he will be able to survive this. And Sirius…," Arthur trailed off.
A strange gleam seemed to enter into Dumbledore's eyes at the mention of him, but it was gone before Minerva had any hope to question it.
"It is either that or everyone including Harry, and all the muggles, are destroyed. Voldemort will use the full power of the staff, sacrificing all the muggles that the creatures have gathered, in order to summon a power that will wipe us out," Dumbledore said, a flash glinting in his eyes. "We have no other choice. There is nothing in this world that can stop the Orb, which was why Muldoon sealed off its power. He opened a portal to a dimension in order to achieve creating such a power and binding himself to it with his blood. We do not have enough time to go back in time and find out which dimension and then create a very difficult potion to open the portal and reverse whatever incantation Muldoon sealed on the Orb. By then the entire world would be nearly rid of every muggle, muggle-born and half muggle wizards and witches."
"P-please D-dumbledore," Arthur stuttered, tears on the verge of spilling as his lips trembled. "Don't do this to Harry. Don't let him end up like his parents."
"You will see, Arthur…," Dumbledore spoke gravely, "that in the end, this is what needs to be done."
Arthur made small noises in his throat and choked on a sob, but didn't allow the tears to fall for fear he wouldn't be able to stop crying. Minerva had her hands clasped over her mouth and Tonks was actually standing up steady on her own two feet, looking very glum, an expression exchanged with Kingsley. Mad-Eye Moody however, had his magical eye on Dumbledore the whole time as if his eye could see something the rest couldn't. His expression was grim but hardly as sad as the others. His magical eye glinted strangely as he kept his eyes focused.
"Then we have no time to waste," Moody said, his voice wavering from gruff to smooth and determined. "We will go to the tower to get as many people as we can and begin the charm. It will take some time for the power to reach its full potential."
Dumbledore nodded, "Indeed, which is why we will split up. I, along with Arthur and Minerva and the rest of the Order and Ministry members waiting for us, will head off Voldemort at the Ministry building. Nymphadora," Dumbledore turned to Tonks who shot her head up immediately, "you, Kingsley and Alastor will go to the tower and get as many people as possible to begin the ritual. We will buy you time until it can be completed. When the power is only half to its maximum send up sparks to let me know."
Kingsley turned abruptly, "Why half of its maximum?"
"There is no time to explain, Kingsley, this is our last hope to bring the world back to peace, or else darkness will befall it for as long as Voldemort reigns," Dumbledore said darkly, his voice firm and commanding. "Just make sure to send up red sparks the moment it reaches its half-point and not a moment later!"
Kingsley nodded, somewhat apprehensive and disappeared with a pop, followed by Mad-Eye Moody and shortly after a few uneasy glances around Tonks nodded firmly and vanished as well. Dumbledore turned his attention back to Arthur and Minerva, his gaze settling on them and flashing powerfully.
"Let us go retrieve the rest of the Order and Ministry and head off Lord Voldemort for, hopefully, one last time."
With a pop all three of them vanished, leaving the dying grounds alone and desolate in the darkness of the eclipsed sun.
XXXXX
Coldness swept through the thin confinement of his robes, causing him to shiver from the touch. The air felt as if it were filled with blood and death, like a Dementor's cold hand grasping his skin. As the journey seemed to go on forever, the walls around him began to blur so he could only see the dark cloaks swishing in front of them as he was led on.
He stumbled suddenly, unable to walk in a completely straight line anymore. He felt a tug on his arm and looked up weakly into the dark brown eyes he had come to find so familiar in just those hours.
"Keep moving," Macnair ordered, staring at him darkly.
"I can't…it's too blurry," Harry shivered suddenly, seeing his face come in and out of focus. Even with the new set of glasses that Madam Pomprey had given him, although a bit larger than the more fancy ones Sirius had bought him as a gift when Harry was first moving in with him, almost everything appeared to have a blurry hue around it.
"If you don't want to feel worse I suggest you keep moving," Macnair said quietly so as not to draw attention. "Master will not tolerate any hold-ups."
Harry remained silent, not having the energy to glare at him. Macnair began picking up the pace again and Harry forced himself to carry on as well, hoping that their destination was approaching. He knew his fever was only getting worse because of the strain on his body.
No sooner had he been wondering if he was going to pass out before they reached it, when a sudden gust of wind brushed across him. Harry blinked, focusing ahead as he realized they were outside. His muscles tensed as his eyes caught sight of the ground many, many meters below them. The bottom of the ground far below came in and out of focus as Harry managed to keep standing.
We're on top of the Ministry building!
He was so surprised, looking at the large expansion of tall roof and the ground far below, that he hadn't realized they had stopped moving. Macnair was gripping his arm tightly, as if afraid he'd fall, and had his focus firmly ahead. Harry's eyes weakly looked around and saw that Bella and several other Death Eaters had now surrounded Voldemort and were bowing their heads. As if he could feel the dark presence, Harry's eyes moved up at an angle to see a clear view of the eclipse, shivering under its aura.
That's definitely not any normal eclipse. I wonder…if it was the cause of all of this, then perhaps if it were to be covered back by the sun everything would go back to normal…But how do I get the sun back? How does anyone stop an eclipse? Wait…if it's not a normal eclipse then magic may work on it. But I don't anything that's powerful enough to counter an eclipse. And if only I could get my wand back from Voldemort…
Harry's eyes drifted toward Voldemort to see that he was facing the eclipse, sneering menacingly. He watched helplessly as Voldemort rose the staff higher and higher, even as it left his fingers and floated all by itself up toward the sky. Harry's eyes followed it, watching it with a mixture of horror and awe, as it finally stopped mid-air appearing to stand in front of the eclipse. The eclipse had grown so abnormally large that it almost felt like the sun was going to fall to Earth. Instead, it made it appear that the staff was no more than meters away from the eclipsed sun, even though Harry knew it had to have been much farther.
With every ounce of energy left, Harry kept his focus from blurring in hopes that Dumbledore would suddenly come and save the day. Even as the thought crossed his mind and sparked a tiny bit of hope inside him, that hope began to dwindle just as the staff began to shimmer.
In the darkness, against the night, the soft aura was almost eerie to stare at. Harry's eyes were hooked to it, watching as the edges of the eclipse began to change color. An almost shimmering flow of mist began to emit off of the eclipsed sun heading directly toward the glowing staff as if it was being sucked into it. As the aura began to flow into the staff the silver hue around it began to alter, becoming a dark golden hue. Small sparks of power, that resembled static, began encasing the staff as its power grew.
The Death Eaters stood around, heads raised to watch the sight. To them it was magnificent, to Harry it was horrific, and his terror only grew as the staff was sparking all around, sending out bursts of light here and there. Suddenly, as if it the two had been destined to combine, the staff began to move closer and closer to the eclipsed sun. Voldemort's hands were raised, as if directing where the staff went, his eyes focused on the sight above him and his emotions reflecting complete victory.
The staff suddenly was swallowed by its own sparking powers and glowing aura as it became a giant encasement of golden mist, crackles of sparks still surrounding it. And suddenly, the aura changed and instead of the staff sucking up the mist from the sun, it reversed itself as the staff was being sucked up by the sun. Harry's eyes widened, his deep green eyes reflecting the darkening aura as the staff suddenly disappeared, immersed in the eclipsed sun, merged as one.
The last few sparks were emitted before the staff was no longer visible, swallowed by the dark eclipse. The world was suddenly left in silence as a cold wind swept over the lands, blowing Harry's robe. The winds slowly died down, trees blowing gently unseen in the dark. The light from the staff had vanished as well, leaving them all with only the sliver of light from around the edges of the eclipse, barely emitting anything.
Did it not work? Could my blood have somehow activated it but not been strong enough to use the powers?
Any last chances of hope were blown away by the thunderous roar that felt like it shook the sky as well as the earth. Macnair stumbled, causing Harry to lose his balance and tumble to the roof floor lying on his back. The Death Eaters were all gripping onto the roof for their lives as the building shook with the quake. A sudden light ripped through the center of the eclipse, a straight golden beam of light reaching far across the landscape and disappearing toward the other end of the sky. Harry managed to get himself on his knees to watch the thick beam of light shooting across the open sky above Voldemort.
No, no, please don't work! STOP!
The light began to swirl, against Harry's inward screaming, closing in around the eclipsed sun so that the sky was being lit up from the beam. The wind had picked up to a horrendous degree, actually moving Harry several inches forward. As the light continued to surround the eclipse, lighting up the edges, the eclipse began to cave in on itself. Harry watched from his sitting position as the sun was swallowed up, surrounded by the beam of light. In no less than a minute a small swirling black material came forth.
Harry could feel it before he completely saw it. The winds had picked up to an extreme speed that he was holding onto the roof along with the other Death Eaters. The material began to mold and swirl, occasionally sucking in mist from the beam that was still glowing around it but had ceased shooting off across the sky.
At first Harry thought Voldemort opened some sort of portal that was coming closer, looking very similar to pictures of outer space he had seen when attending the muggle school with Dudley many years ago. Upon watching it grow, Harry's mouth dropped open, his eyes gleaming with terror as trees were swept out of their roots, swallowed by the swirling vortex.
That's a…is that…a black hole?!
Harry immediately began scooting away from the opening vortex that seemed to grow larger with each minute. He watched as the trees around them began to get swallowed whole until there was nothing but the Ministry standing. Dirt was flying up around them, swirling like a tornado from the high-speed winds.
To his left, the doors opened and out stumbled several more Death Eaters. Their hoods were disheveled, revealing their faces because of the strong gusts that blew around them. Lucius Malfoy's eyes locked onto the black hole a sinister smirk playing at his lips even after the flash of fear in his eyes. His eyes caught Harry's, but instead of teasing at him with a smirk he ignored him and approached as close as he could without being blown away.
"Master! Master!" he shouted loudly over the raging winds.
Voldemort's attention turned to him, his red eyes flashing in warning, telling him it better be important.
"They're on their way!" he shouted.
Before his words could completely sink into Harry's mind, a flash suddenly erupted, sending a million small bright lights in ever direction like a star in space that had combusted. The bright light soon came together in front of the opening hole blocking it from sucking anything inside it. Although no more trees were uprooted and the dirt began to fall back to the ground, the black hole continued to grow in size despite the blockage.
Voldemort wheeled around, his red eyes raging with anger as figures came into view. The figures appeared to be able to fly steady because of the temporary blockage on the swirling hole. Harry lifted himself onto his hands and knees, moving his messy hair out of his eyes to see. There, on brooms, were members of the Ministry and Order, each with their wands out. There were many of them, outnumbering the Death Eaters. And up front, just as Harry hoped, Dumbledore was floating his wand still glowing from producing the light that blocked the hole. Next to Dumbledore was Mr. Weasley, Professor McGonagall, and others that Harry had met from the Order in his fifth year.
Instead of being enraged and cursing everyone around him, Voldemort let out a cruel and loud laugh that echoed around them. Once he stopped laughing he stared menacingly at Dumbledore, the sick smirk on his face and his eyes practically glowing in the dim light.
"Well, well, it seems you've finally showed yourself, Dumbledore. Not one to give up, are you?" Voldemort sneered.
Dumbledore didn't seem the least bit fazed. He glared down at him with power and wisdom that Harry had only seen once when Hogwarts was under attack right before Harry had fought Voldemort again to bind him in a cage of ice.
"Give up Voldemort! Your followers are no match for the amount of people behind the Order of the Phoenix!" Dumbledore bellowed.
Voldemort only sneered wider, "How touching…but why should I give up when I have the power to destroy you?"
"You won't for long! We have a power that will turn this all around and destroy the eclipse! Can't you see? Your eclipse is being blocked right now. That shield we produced will last until the finally blow destroys it," Dumbledore said confidently.
Harry felt weak but he managed to smile up at Dumbledore, feeling immense relief wash over him. He knew somehow with Dumbledore there everything would be all right.
A cold sharp laugh sliced through Harry's emotions, causing him shudder. He turned to see Voldemort raising his arms.
"You think you can stop me old man? Your shield may have stopped it for only a few minutes, but as you can see it continues to grow and soon when the shield breaks it will take in all the sacrifices!" Voldemort shouted, raising his arms higher.
Bursting through the air, more light glowed all around as objects came flying toward the Order. Harry opened his mouth to scream to them, but he stopped cold, realizing that the objects weren't going to crash, they were coming closer to the portal. And what he assumed were objects, were really people. Flying high up, each individual covered in a golden hue and unconscious, some of them wrapped in goop, others bleeding. Harry knew almost immediately that most of them were muggles, and he assumed some were probably witches and wizards that were muggle-born or soon-to-be muggle-borns with powers. He watched as hoards of figures immerged in the sky, floating high up toward the portal. Harry could see the hesitation in Dumbledore's eyes and knew that no matter how confident he was, Voldemort was still one step ahead.
"Now you see, Dumbledore! You cannot stop what was meant to be! These muggles and muggle-borns are the perfect source of power that the Orb needs in order to create a creature capable of taking out each of you. Those that want to live will serve under my rule and I will create a new world for Slytherins only, just like Salazar wanted it!" Voldemort's eyes flashed a darker crimson.
"And when your shield breaks, which it will soon as the Orb grows stronger," he sneered, "all muggles will be wiped from this Earth and soon you and your Order will join them!"
The Death Eaters that stood by Voldemort laughed with him, as if their victory had all ready been won. Harry's attention was suddenly turned to a direction not too far away where sparks of red were shooting up toward the sky. He saw that the Ministry and Order members were turned and looking toward it. Voldemort's eyes caught sight of it, staring at them with illuminating red eyes. Dumbledore turned back toward Voldemort, a strange gleam in his eye but still a grim expression on his face.
"Lord Voldemort, this is where it ends! It is finally ready! We will use the one power to stop this eclipse!" Dumbledore bellowed again, raising his wand.
Voldemort sneered at him, his hands lowering, "You fool! You think you can use the Lunar Charm," he laughed coldly, his eyes glinting as he did so. "No muggle would dare help a wizard, and it wouldn't matter if they had the courage because there are no muggles you can use! Every single one of them is being called toward this power that will suck them into eternal oblivion! You have no power!"
Dumbledore's eyes hardened, "You are wrong, Voldemort," he said, as Voldemort's eyes narrowed, his sneer diminishing slightly. "We have a power," he said, his gleaming blue eyes suddenly locking into Harry's.
Harry was frozen on the spot, staring up at Dumbledore with confusion and utter shock. Dumbledore was expecting him to fight? With what weapon, or power? He had no wand, and he certainly was in no condition to be fighting. Voldemort wheeled around to stare at Harry, along with the other Death Eaters. Harry's eyes were still locked into Dumbledore's, as if trying to read his mind. Unconsciously, Harry lifted himself to his feet, trusting his mentor with the last sliver of hope he had, and nodded.
Dumbledore nodded grimly toward him, the strange gleam in his eyes returning as he pointed his wand up toward the sky.
"Prepare to lose Lord Voldemort!"
As if on cue, all of their wands began to glow at once, their tips becoming such an immensely bright white that Harry had to cover his eyes. He didn't know how he could help but he trusted Dumbledore, even though he had lost hope before and even though it seemed that nothing could stop Voldemort. Even in the times when he thought Dumbledore truly didn't know what to do, Dumbledore had never let him down. That was how Harry had survived everything, with the help of his friends and people close to him. Now, it all came down to trust.
Light erupted from behind them, the beam of light taking place of the red sparks that had been shooting up only moments before. Harry watched as the light ripped through the sky toward the members floating there and wound into each of their wands. With arms raised high with wands pointed up, the lights burst from the ends of each of the wands, wrapping around one another and coming together in one large ball of light. Harry's eyes were focused on it, awed by the sight as it lit up the entire sky, allowing them for once to see what had become of the lands trapped in darkness. The ground was barren, turning a horrible black and dying as well as all the plant life. The entire area seemed deserted of life.
Once again, Dumbledore's eyes locked with Harry's, before his wand was suddenly pointed toward him. At once the ball of light raced toward him, not even giving him a chance to breathe before it hit him. The Death Eaters all yelled in unison trying to fire attacks to prevent what was happening. Harry was engulfed by it, feeling his nerves wracked with such power, hope, determination…and then the feeling was gone. His legs collapsed beneath him as he stumbled to the ground, panting heavily.
The Death Eaters were posed for attack, waiting for something to happen. Another cruel, heartless laugh rang out among them and the Death Eaters turned toward Voldemort who was laughing, not out of humor but of amusement.
"That was your secret weapon, old man? You use a boy who has no powers and no strength to keep fighting?" Voldemort asked, amusement taking place of the sneer.
"Harry is stronger than you think, Voldemort," Dumbledore said plainly.
"He may have survived my mind curse, which I was indeed impressed, even for him having been trained by your side. Fighting a tyrant didn't matter for the moment he were to lose I would have intervened and killed the tyrant myself to get its blood," Voldemort's expression grew more sinister. "But without his wand and without tending to his injuries, you think he can use such a powerful charm let alone survive it?"
Dumbledore didn't answer and only stared down at Harry, who had glanced up at him weakly. There was something strange in Dumbledore's eyes, but Harry was feeling too light-headed to look deeper. He finally moved, forcing his legs to stand until he was on his two feet. Harry locked eyes with Dumbledore, pleading for him to tell him what to do. He didn't feel any different at the moment, and he wondered if something had gone wrong.
Dumbledore caught his question through their eye contact and his expression grew only darker, his eyes dimming. At first, Harry thought Dumbledore was going to call defeat, the look on his face clearly tired and worn out, but then Dumbledore nodded toward him.
"Harry, you must use every ounce of your heart. Everything you believe in and love about the world, use it," Dumbledore said. "Accept the bad with the good and don't look back."
He was confused, his eyes glimmering as he tried to figure out Dumbledore's riddle. He assumed Dumbledore said think of happy memories like with a Dementor. Carefully, Harry closed his eyes thinking to the happiest memory he had, which was when Sirius' name was finally cleared and Harry heard he was going to live with him, never to return to the Dursley's. He felt something stir within him, something warm that tingled through his veins.
Is it working? Is this…could this be what Dumbledore needs?
Harry concentrated on all his good memories of defeating the Slytherins in the ultimate Quidditch game the previous year, and his friends cheering for him when he survived the killing curse again. His eyes snapped open and he realized that he was glowing. Feeling his confidence rise he concentrated harder until the white mist around him began to flow toward the eclipse. Harry watched, a smile forming very slowly on his face as the shield that was beginning to break was beginning to get put back together, the beads of light wrapping around it and encasing it in a beautiful mist that held it together.
It's working! This is really working! It's the end!
A scream of wind howled as Harry was blown off his feet, along with the Death Eaters who also fell to the ground. Dumbledore shielded himself and Ministry just barely as the beautiful white shield shattered into pieces, exploding on impact. The second it broke the winds swept over them, dirt rising off the ground and slashing over them in large gusts. Harry choked on some of the dirt, picking himself up off the ground to kneel as he stared wide-eyed at the eclipse which was now a large black hole becoming larger than the size that the eclipse had been.
Voldemort's high-pitched laughter rang out as the bodies of all the muggles flew closer, hovering nearer.
"You're such a fool to think a weak little boy can take on so much power, Dumbledore! He has no strength! The only thing that power would've done is killed him from trying to use it," Voldemort sneered. "How desperate…to use the life of your precious pupil knowing that his chances of surviving were low."
Harry's frightened eyes cast upon Dumbledore and he saw that his eyes were focused on Voldemort, a grim look upon his face. He didn't seem close to backing down, but Harry could tell the members were beginning to lose hope. Voldemort's words cut into him like a sharp blade, hoping that it wasn't true. Had he failed Dumbledore? Did Dumbledore think he could defeat the odds of death again and survive even in his current condition?
Voldemort rose his hands to the sky, laughing coldly and causing the members to shiver in fear, "You all are fools! This has been too carefully planned…too carefully set into place. You all would do better to surrender to me! Now, you will see what happens when you cross Lord Voldemort," he sneered.
"Behold your savior, the one person you deem can destroy such a power!" Voldemort turned his head to stare at Harry, "Now watch your savior fall!"
Voldemort's eyes flashed threateningly and Harry barely had time to comprehend what was happening. His fingers were slipping, losing their grip even as his feet were digging into the roof. His body was being pulled back roughly like an invisible force grabbing hold of him. Harry screamed loudly as he began slipping, trying to cling on for his life as his body was pulled toward the black hole.
"HELP ME!" Harry screamed as his feet were pulled off the ground, his fingers gripping onto the roof tiles. "Dumbledore!"
Voldemort's laughter rose as the Death Eaters all watched in glee, cheering him on. The Ministry members were firing curses and spells, none of which seemed to reach Harry but rather got sucked into the vortex pulling him forward. Some of the members charged forward but we swiped back by an invisible force. Dumbledore's eyes were lit with slight anger and fear as he yelled at the members to charge forward to break the invisible barrier that had been produced by Melarna, who had transformed into her demon form. The winds were too strong, blowing them backward on their brooms.
Voldemort reached into his robe and grabbed Harry's wand, pointing it at him. Harry stared at him, his eyes feeling with absolute fear as Voldemort's crimson eyes gleamed into his, sensing his every emotion. The Death Eaters had begun to shoot curses as Melarna held back as many as she could. Voldemort's sneer widened as a sickening, pleasurable expression of satisfaction came over his snake-like face. Harry's eyes were glimmering with fear as his eyes were wide and locked into the blood-red ones staring almost through him.
"Say goodbye, Harry Potter," Voldemort hissed with pleasure.
The sharp blow from the wand broke the last grip Harry had on the roof and he screamed loudly with terror as he was sucked backward, his hands still reaching out as if to grab something, the harsh winds surrounding him, drowning out part of his screaming as he came closer to the swirling hole. Harry managed to grab a hold of a tree branch of a tree that had gotten caught up against the Ministry building, its roots flying about. He saw Mr. Weasley shouting as he tried to disarm several Death Eaters to get to Harry's aid. Voldemort was currently blocking Dumbledore's path, throwing everything he could at him.
Harry's voice was hoarse from screaming and his wide terrified eyes looking forward as he tried to hold on. His legs felt as if they'd be pulled out of their sockets from the force of the current pulling him in. He could feel the branch beginning to crack beneath his grip, the tree shaking from the force about to surrender to the vortex awaiting it.
Please don't break…please don't break! I don't want to be sucked into eternal oblivion!
Somehow he managed to pull his legs in, wrapping around the tree as he held onto the branch with both hands. He tried to heave himself up onto the tree, hoping to be able to climb around it and grab hold of the Ministry building. He could break a window and get into the building through there. Harry moved his hand to grasp higher onto the branch and barely missed a spark that suddenly shot out of no where.
Harry yelped, pulling his hand back quickly and turned to see Voldemort pointing the wand at him. Harry's eyes widened and he searched frantically for Dumbledore, seeing that Melarna was now battling with him to keep him occupied. Several attempts to sneak members past her failed and Dumbledore looked ready to burst through them all. With the force of the vortex it made it much more difficult, if not impossible, to dodge curses. Because the members were in the air the Death Eaters had the advantage since they were stable on the roof, or more stable than in the air.
Fear enveloped him as Voldemort began to approach closer, his eyes lighting up as he neared. Harry tried to frantically get to a distance that would make it more difficult for Voldemort to curse him, but he couldn't reach the branch. It was too far down below him and if he accidentally slipped it would be all over.
Harry's eyes suddenly locked on a high branch that would take him above the Ministry building, hopefully slightly away from the vortex current. Using his Quidditch instincts, Harry made a reach for it, releasing one hand from the hold on the tree, his fingers brushing against the branch. He clenched his teeth as he heaved himself harder only just as his fingers grasped it the branch suddenly exploded into flames, causing him to release his grip so quickly he was dangling by one arm on the branch below. The branch he had been reaching for crackled and broke, the flaming wood getting sucked into the hole.
A soft, cold snigger caused Harry to wheel his head in the direction, finding Voldemort with his wand pointed at him, sneering in amusement. He was no more than five feet away from Harry, standing at the edge of the Ministry building near where the branches of the tree reached.
"So this is how the famous Harry Potter ends, hanging for his life on a tree," Voldemort sniggered.
Harry managed to grasp the branch with both hands, panting for air. He was holding on so tight his knuckles were turning white.
"How unfortunate that you couldn't die like your parents," Voldemort continued, finding it amusing that Harry was nearing death. "I believe you have been given too many chances to live, Potter. And it ends here."
Sharply, a red light pounded into the tree causing Harry to let out a scream as his body shook from the force. Voldemort laughed coldly, shooting yet another curse out. The curse hit the branch Harry was hanging onto and, though the branch didn't break, it shook so hard one of his hands lost a grip. The vortex was so huge now the current was unbearably strong, causing Harry to cry out as his knuckles burned in pain from holding on so tight with one hand. His legs were dangling free again, being sucked toward the hole, his other arm unable to grasp the branch again.
"DUMBLEDORE!" Harry screamed loudly, despite his voice feeling weak.
"He can't save you this time, Harry," Voldemort spoke quietly, his eyes still lit with amusement.
Harry stared at him with fear, his eyes watering from the harsh winds and the panic that was beginning to rise. None of them could save him and he couldn't even save himself. Voldemort lowered the wand, his eyes never wavering from Harry's face as he took a step closer.
"However, killing you with magic while you are unarmed is considered cowardly in a duel," Voldemort continued softly, the close proximity somehow not having any affect on Harry's scar, probably due to the swirling vortex that had been the staff. "You have been the most difficult adversary I have ever faced, Harry Potter. Even without having as much experience and practice as I had, you still were able to live long enough to survive every encounter," Voldemort said venomously, a frown appearing as his eyes moved toward the scar on the side of his stomach that showed as his robe was blown very roughly. "Of all the people in the world to become my downfall it had to be a weak little boy who didn't even have half the potential as I did, yet claimed just as high of a title in such short time.
"But now look where the savior has ended up," Voldemort's sneer came back. "I could kill you right now, but I prefer to teach my enemies a thing or two. And for you…I'll let your fate be decided in the black hole, whether or not you die or live in darkness for all eternity," his sneer widened into a malicious expression.
Voldemort pointed the wand at him and then suddenly lowered it, pointing toward his fingers still grasped tightly on the branch. Harry's eyes locked with his, finding where he was looking and he shook his head just as a spark flew out zapping his first finger.
"Ahhhh!" Harry screamed in both pain and fear, his finger slipping out of the grip and unable to pull through the current to latch back on.
Another zap and Harry's second and third fingers crackled as the curse hit them, causing pain to flare through his bone. Harry cried out in pain, tears welling in his eyes as his grip was loosening.
"Stop it!" Harry screamed weakly, his face scrunched up in fear and agony.
Voldemort laughed coldly, "Now you want to surrender, Potter? You should've done that the very first time we met in your first year, but you had too much pride. I would feel better if I knew that you were suffering in a dark oblivion, unable to return to this world or move on to join your parents," Voldemort's sickly venomous sneer returning.
"No, stop! Please…," Harry said, feeling his shoulders shake with fear as tears began to drip from the corners of his eyes. "SOMEONE HELP ME!"
"No one can help you!" Voldemort laughed, pulling the wand away for a second. "As much as I enjoy watching you…suffer," his eyes gleamed, settling on the tears that threatened to fall and the pained expression etched into his face. "It's time to end it for the last time…the last Potter finally mine."
"NO!" Harry screamed, tears falling from his eyes but instead of dripping down his cheeks, they were sucked backward into the vortex.
Voldemort pointed the wand back at his last two fingers holding on, his cold laughter filling Harry with terror as the curse headed straight for him. A sudden jolt collided with the curse, canceling it out so that it vanished before it reached the branch.
Voldemort wheeled around in anger to the figure hovering above, his face now contorted into fury. Harry's teary eyes glanced up as well, relief washing through him for the first time in so long.
"Get away from my Godson you sick bastard!" Sirius snarled, pointing his wand dead straight at Voldemort.
Voldemort's furious expression contorted into amusement as he stared up at him, "Ah yes, Sirius Black," he hissed. "We haven't met formally, have we?"
"You want a fight you come here and get it!" Sirius snapped, his teeth clenching in pure rage as he glared down at him.
Voldemort laughed again, his lips curling into another sinister sneer, "It's not a fight I want. I want the last Potter."
"As long as I live you're not getting your hands on him," Sirius spat venomously, getting ready to fire a curse if necessary.
Voldemort's eyes narrowed, but his sneer remained, "You were foolish not to follow your family and stand beside me. And now I'll show you what fools get when they dare challenge me!" he hissed.
Without warning, before Harry could blink, Voldemort had pointed the wand at him, the curse colliding with the branch, causing it to break completely, taking Harry's hand with it as it was caught in the sudden current.
"SIRIUS!" Harry screamed, reaching his arms out as he released the broken branch, falling toward the swirling black hole.
"HARRY!" Sirius bellowed, dashing forward faster than a strike of lightning. He was using Harry's new broom so he was able to fly past Voldemort before he could utter a curse.
A warm hand grasped his wrist and Harry reached up to Sirius' hand with both hands. The vortex was pulling them in, even as Sirius turned the broom around trying to fly in the opposite direction as fast as the broom would go. The current wasn't strong enough, barely letting the broom move an inch.
"Sirius, don't let go!" Harry shouted, tears in his eyes again as he gripped him with a death-grip.
Sirius grasped Harry's robe with one hand, while his other remained on the broom controlling it to try and get past the current as he heaved Harry behind him. Harry wound his hands around him, holding onto him for dear life.
"Don't worry, Harry…," Sirius said through clenched teeth as he tried to move the broom forward.
A loud, cruel snigger caused the both of them to turn to see Voldemort pointing his wand at them. Harry made a frightened sound, grasping onto Sirius even tighter.
"How touching…," Voldemort hissed, his words coming in hisses like a snake trying to speak their language. "Now I'll have both of you right where I want you."
Sirius grasped Harry's hand tightly as he used a free hand to point his wand at Voldemort, but the curse had all ready been said. The broom was suddenly engulfed in a strange blue light, hit from Harry's own wand that Voldemort held. With a final glance into the cruel, crimson eyes, Harry felt the broom fly backwards, put into reverse as it fell toward the swirling hole. Harry's screams were drowned out by the harsh winds as the both of them were pulled inside…
TO BE CONTINUED…