Thanks to everyone who reviewed:
Buffy the slayer: I'm glad it was good chezzy and your hate of Pansy has been duly noted.
Orion the Hunter: Thanks for reviewing
Fallen Star2: Thanks for reviewing. Sorry to disappoint you with the traitor malarkey.
Bunny Kat: Spike can go anywhere sunny safely and thanks for forgiving me!
Charmed Chick: My brother saw your review and disagrees. He says the cute girl should be the one to live! But I agree with you!
Blondi gurl: Glad you liked the chapter and thanks for reviewing. Willow's fight will be next chapter.
Phoenix Light Wing: Thanks for reviewing! I hope the next chapter will be up within a week.
TTrunks: Hey there; I tried to send you the fic, but it said that your email wasn't recognised?? It could just be my virus programme; it tends to be a little overprotective and sometimes doesn't let me send stuff to other people. Sorry about that!
Dragon Doll: Feel free to yell at any characters in your reviews!
Jazzy punker: Jade was a bit gullible wasn't she? Thanks for reviewing.
Lightdemondarkangel: I sent the chapter to your address (with 88 in it). I don't know if you got it or not, but if you have any comments about this chapter then feel free to put them in a review or email me and I'm happy to repost if you feel it's necessary.
Chrios: Thanks for the review. I couldn't leave Tara out, there's more of her next chapter. Happy ending? Possibly, either that or a big kaboom-y end.
Wandering Soul 24: I'm glad you like the story. Jaden isn't going to die, she's been through too much to die what with the maybe being evil an' all. Thanks for the offer on the websites, but I got lots of volunteers to beta this.
Kev: If it wasn't for the prophecy then I think Willow could squash Voldermort like a bug. But she will play a big part in the way the battle goes and will have to fight a battle which I think is harder than old Voldie.
A MASSIVE THANKS to Silver Warrior and Matt for proof reading this chapter for me. I'm not confident on fight scenes and it helped to have two people tell me that it was ok.
A/N: I think I'm going insane! My fingers have a mind of their own and they just type what they want to type and don't care if it makes sense. I really hope this will come together in the next two chapters, but trust me; anything could (and probably will) happen.
CHARACTER DEATH AHEAD; you have been warned.
CHAPTER 23- FINAL BATTLE
Dear Father, [Draco Wrote]
I have been discovered. We always knew there was a risk when I informed you of the key, but I have managed to assure one of the slayers that a wish her no harm. Fool. She is adamant that I tell her watcher of my involvement in the ritual, and there is a strong chance that she might kill me. However, if she lets me live, I would most probably be under close watch, so this will be my last letter.
The Slayers do not know of our Lords demon army, nor will they find out. I was forced to tell them that the Dark Lord had 'a few' demons on his side, but they don't know the truth about the demon numbers. I trust the plan to attack the school at sundown will still go ahead once I have told you my news as I don't believe the little girls with their swords stand a chance.
Slayers are gathering as are wizards, and not just aurors. Many workers from the ministry will be fighting, plus whatever support Dumbledore can drum up. There are a little over two hundred and fifty slayers in the hall that I know of. I am doubtful that many more shall arrive before you have a chance to put the plan into action.
I feel that I must warn you though; these slayers are known to be idiotically heroic and will do everything they can to stop the plan; I wouldn't put it past them to actually try and enter Malfoy Manor! I will rejoin you in the fight when we shall surely be victorious;
Yours, Draco Malfoy.
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"So you betrayed me." Dawn stated.
Draco squirmed under her harsh gaze. He had gone to the hospital wing first thing in the morning to tell Dawn the 'truth'. "I didn't want to, I swear it."
"I know someone had, didn't think it would be you. How did you find out? We didn't exactly shout it from the mountain tops!"
"I-I told him." Jaden stuttered. "I'm so sorry. I was upset and I..."
"It's ok, Jade." Dawn assured her friend before turning back to Malfoy. "Why are you telling me this?"
"I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I don't want to become a death eater, and I definitely don't want the Dark Lord to win." He was feeling better about this now; he had told Dawn everything and still had all his limbs attached! She seemed to be buying his story, but then he was a Malfoy.
"Are you saying that you want to fight on our side?" That wasn't what Dawn expected.
"Yes." He replied after a short pause. "I want to fight the Dark Lord." He felt sick to his stomach as he went against his master, but he must do whatever it takes to discover their plans and stay alive.
"I've gotta say that's not what I expected. I don't trust you, for obvious reasons, but we need all the help we can get. You know the set up of the Manor; I need you to tell people what you told me and everything you know about Voldermort's plans."
Draco nodded and prepared to leave.
"And Draco; if you do anything to hurt me or any of my friends ever again, and it wouldn't surprise me if you did; then there will be a very long line of people waiting to slaughter you, understand?"
Draco nodded again and practically ran out of the room.
"Follow him. Don't let him out of your sight." Dawn commented her eyes still on the retreating figure of Draco Malfoy. Jaden nodded and hurried after the Slytherin.
"Do you think he was telling the truth?" Dawn said after they had gone. She waved her hand towards the bed next to her where Harry was glaring at her.
"Malfoy wouldn't know the truth if it came up and smacked him round the head." Harry grumbled from where he was sitting next to her on the bed. "And what the hell was that all about? I can't believe you put a silencing charm on me!"
"You kept interrupting him. He deserved for us to hear him out if nothing else."
"He deserves nothing! He almost got you killed!" Harry raved.
"But he didn't. I'm fine, you're fine, and we're all fine."
"How can you be so calm about this?"
Dawn shrugged. "Probably something to do with nearly all my friend going evil at some point and them ending up kidnapping and/or torturing me at some point."
"Oh." Harry said; how was he supposed to respond to that?
"Harry; relax. I really think he's telling the truth." Harry snorted. "And if he isn't then we'll just kill him."
"I don't like this."
"I know; I don't like it either there was something bothering me about all that but I can't put my finger on it... Anyway I don't think that many people will like it. And that is why we're not going to tell them about him telling Voldermort about the prophecy, just that he's changed sides."
"Are you crazy?"
"Probably. I'll tell Buffy, but that's it...unless you want to tell anyone."
Harry thought for a moment. "Tell Dumbledore; not Ron or Hermione though, they'll kill the traitorous bastard."
"So you're not going to kill Malfoy?"
"No." Harry relented.
She kissed him. "Thank you. Oh, and by the way; last night was amazing."
He grinned. "And you're ok? No regrets?"
She frowned slightly. "No..."
"But?" Harry suddenly felt a little worried. What if she didn't love him anymore?
"Nothing, I just... When I thought about, you know, with you I guess I thought it would be more romantic and less in a hospital ward because the end of the world is coming."
Harry's face fell. "I'm sorry."
"What for? I don't regret doing it with you, just the timing. I love you, Harry."
"I love you to."
He kissed her lightly, but although it wasn't the devouring kisses of last night, it was still filled with passion.
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Dawn and Harry had been released from the hospital wing not long after Draco's visit. Dawn had told Buffy and, once she had stopped the threats to disembowel him, she had accepted Draco onto the team. Buffy had insisting on telling Faith as she was going to be responsible for him during the fight. She too accepted him onto the team, but she was going to keep a very close eye on him.
Buffy had paid a visit to Willow who was preparing herself to do the spell. She had told the Wicca about the demons Draco had told them about. Luckily a hundred or so demons wouldn't make that much of a difference in the grand scale of things, so there were no problems there.
Willow had decided not to tell Buffy about her dream; she had enough to worry about. She had simply approached the two slayers who were going to be with her at the time of the spell and told them that there was the chance that she might go evil and at the first sign of her hair going black, they were to kill her. They had been confused, but had reluctantly agreed.
The school had been told what was going on; that the final battle with Voldermort was coming sooner rather than later. They had reacted in different ways. Some in disbelief, some accepted it, some feared it and a few pledged their support to the (greatly expanded) Order.
They were having their breakfast (and probably lunch when it came around) in the common rooms due to the massive amount of slayers living in the great hall and several other members of the Order coming and going.
The worst part for everyone was the waiting. They didn't know if they would live or die or how long they would have to wait. They were ready to fight, even with Draco's report of Voldermort's small army of demons; now they just had to hang around until Voldermort was ready.
All the Scoobies, Faith, Angel, Wes, Gunn, Dawn, Harry, Draco and Dumbledore mounted the dais. Draco looked around in alarm. There must be nearly double the amount of slayers here than he thought, and it was too late to get word to his father.
He didn't like the sound of this plan. He had semi-warned his father that the slayers might try an attack and he expected the death eaters to be ready for some sort of action, but probably not on this scale.
As Draco observed the people on the dais, he noticed that Buffy and Faith were looking at him like they wanted to kill him and Dumbledore was looking back at him with mild confusion on his features. He knew that they had been told; he'd have to watch his back around the slayers.
To everyone's surprise, it was Faith who spoke first. "Hey! HEY! Are you ready to fight?"
"YES!" Came the resounding reply.
"So are we." She gestured to Willow, Dawn, Harry and everyone else standing on the platform.
Buffy started to speak: "We have, err, acquired a port key that will lead us to right outside the caves where he is gathering his forces. As far as we know, Voldermort will be in a room in the centre of the house, in his throne room. Dawn, Harry, Spike, Giles and I will head for there, fighting whatever guards we come up against; they don't expect us so we don't think we'll have much to do.
"Willow will stay clear of the building to work the mojo and she will be guarded by Rona and Vi. All the rest of you will be with Xander, Faith, Angel, Wes or Gunn. The Order will be going in first with Faith and Angel to help until Willow's spell can work."
"I've got everyone who was fighting in Cleveland." Faith announced. "You guys have the most experience, so we'll be going in first through the front entrance and killing all the guards on our way down. You'll form half the front line. We're also gonna have a regiment of wizards with our group and him over there." Faith pointed to Draco who shifted uncomfortably.
"Everyone from the Asian hellmouth is with me." Angel said quietly. "We're going in the back way after Faith's lot have gone. You guys will form the rest of the front line. All the witch-slayers who've been staying at Hogwarts with Dawn are with me too. You six should make sure you have your wands as well as any weapons."
Xander took over the speaking. "All you guys from the Australian or the South American slayer centres and any volunteers from Hogwarts are with me. We're taking care of the death eaters and demons that escape. We have the biggest group, so if the signal is given, then half the slayers from our group will join those fighting in the caves."
Wes stepped forward. "Gunn and I will each have half of the European slayers plus the aurors and other wizard that are fighting. Half will follow Angel in with Gunn and the rest will go through the house after Faith has cleared it to get to the main cave and stop any escaping that way. You are the second line."
Buffy started speaking again. "We leave in one hour. Get the weapons you want and we will have portal access to any others we might need. Good Luck."
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"Dawn!" Buffy grabbed her younger sister's arm.
"What? And, by the way, ow!" The youngest Summers sister was picking out her weapons. She settles on a sword that was technically Buffy's, but sisters share everything, right?
"Don't go." Buffy didn't even notice that Dawn was pinching one of her favourite swords.
"What?"
"Dawn, I can't lose you and I can't save you this time. Please stay here, don't fight. You'll die, I can feel it." Buffy pleaded.
"Buffy, you heard the prophecy. I have to go; 'without each other they shall surely fail' remember? I-I'm sorry."
The two sisters hugged each other tightly and that is how you would find them until it was time to leave.
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One hour later the slayers, wizards and everyone else fighting that morning were crammed in the Great hall.
It was decided that Dawn, Buffy, Faith, Angel, Giles and Spike would go first and clear the area and then Dawn would open a portal for everyone else to come through.
"Are you ready?" Buffy asked Dawn.
Dawn nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
"Let's go, on the count of three. One...two...three."
The six grabbed hold of the port key and felt the tug around their stomach as they were transported to Malfoy Manor. Giles immediately pulled out his wand and the others dropped into defensive stances around Dawn who started to open the portal.
The portal had to be massive; they wanted to get over a thousand wizards and slayers through it in seven minutes. The minute the portal opened people started pouring through and running clear lead by Xander, and they continued to come through as it got bigger and bigger. Within eight minutes everyone was through and Dawn shrunk the portal so that it was big enough for just two people.
All the slayers and wizards began to separate into their groups under the cover of the woodland in Malfoy Manor. They were trying to be quiet, but when you have over a thousand troops it's not that easy. It took nearly fifteen minutes before everyone stopped bustling about, and there had been no sign of any death eaters.
"Everyone ready?" Buffy asked of each group leaders.
A series of nods responded. "Yes."
Angel and Gunn's charges started sneaking round to the back door that led directly into the main cavern. The group who would be confronting Voldermort and Faith's group made their way towards the entrance of Malfoy Manor. And Xander's troop fanned out to cover the perimeter.
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When the bulk of the army had taken their positions, three had not moved: Willow, Rona and Vi. The spot they were in was a long way from the manor and sheltered from their view, yet they could still see what was happening.
The three quickly set about getting everything in place. Willow took out the scythe and laid it in front of her. She sat cross-legged and closed her eyes to slip into the trance state that would be needed for her to perform the spell.
Whilst she was doing this, Vi lit a circle of candles all around her and Rona placed four tablets with different symbols painted on them in front of Willow, along with an urn of holy water and a bunch of eight white roses, tied together with a piece of string.
They were ready.
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"Oi, kid; why aren't there any guards?" Faith asked in a low voice as they crept towards the mansion.
They had left Wesley and his part of the second line further back so that the Manor wouldn't be too crowded. They would enter when it was decided that enough time had been given for Faith to get into the underground cavern.
"What? Put death eaters on the grounds where anyone can see them?" Draco responded scornfully.
"Watch it, kid." Faith growled back. "You're still on probation."
Dawn was gripping Harry's hand tightly. "You ready?" She whispered.
He took a moment to think about his answer. "As I'll ever be."
"Me neither."
He gave her hand a squeeze as they approached the large door.
"One, two, three!" Buffy and Faith kicked down the door as if it were paper.
The slayers and wizards in the group had their weapons raised. But there was no-one in the entrance hall, nor could they hear anyone close to them. They entered the Manor cautiously; looking up and around for possible threats...but they didn't look down.
If they had looked down to their ankles, then they would have seen the red beam, not unlike a muggle burglar alarm, that they had all walked through.
"Something's wrong. Someone should have heard that door crashing in." Faith commented; "This is almost too ea-"
"Don't!" Buffy exclaimed. Everyone looked at her as if she was crazy but Buffy just shrugged. "She might jinx us."
They walked in silence to the main stairway everyone keeping an ear out for potential threats. There were none.
"This is where we part, B."
"Take care of yourself." Buffy said seriously.
Faith nodded. "You too. Take it easy guys." She waved at the small, but powerful, group and led her half of the front line down the stairs.
Considering that there were over two hundred pairs of feet treading down those stairs, it was surprisingly quiet. 'Too quiet.' Faith couldn't help but think.
They continued down the stairs, wands and weapons raised and ready. Faith opened her senses as much as she could.
The mini-army reached a long corridor at the bottom of the stairs. Faith's spider sense was going wild. Something wasn't right down here. She stopped, signalling those behind her to do the same.
There were people down here; she could tell. Waiting probably, but for what? She heard a whisper from along one of the walls and fired her crossbow at the noise.
Two gasps came. One from the death eater against the wall, the second from a slayer behind her. They were the first casualties of this battle.
The lights in the corridor lit up to reveal death eaters standing on a platform around the walls. Their black robes seemed to shine in the light of the flame as the slayers and wizards below them took in the scene. There may have been silence for a moment, but then battle overtook them.
The last thought Faith had before ditching her crossbow in favour of a long sword was that it had been a trap and, for the second time in under a week, they had been betrayed to Lord Voldermort.
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'Angel's army' had also left their back-up at the door. Gunn watched as the group went out of sight and listened for much longer. They were going to give Angel a chance to clear the way to the massive caves where the death eaters were gathering before following.
But, as always, things didn't go to plan. Battle cries reached their ears not five minutes after Angel had left. They weren't the sounds of picking off twenty odd demons that were guarding the entrance; Angel had been ambushed.
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It took about three seconds for their carefully laid battle plans to go to pot. They didn't even get into the main lair before they were attacked and both first and second lines were fighting full out against demons that they didn't know about.
In Malfoy manor, the slayers were at a distinct disadvantage. About half of the girls were using crossbows so they could fire from a distance and they had the Order of the Phoenix to help pick off the death eaters, but it was hard for them to get a clear shot. The death eaters had probably killed more of their own than slayers. They just didn't care who they hit.
Kennedy was fighting two of the death eaters by hand. She had lost her daggers long ago, but she had also managed to kick their wands away. She sent one of them flying backwards with a kick to the abdomen and gave the other's neck a quick twist. She repeated the same manoeuvre on the other death eater that was just about to stand back up and turned around.
Across the room another death eater was observing from the side lines. He noticed Kennedy standing alone, about to launch back into the fight. He raised his wand and fired one of the unforgivable curses at her.
Faith pulled Draco behind a pile of rubble that had fallen in. "Hey, kid; I thought you said that there were only a hundred demons. I can see at least a hundred here and no-one would send all their forces to one place when we know of at least three entrances."
Draco smirked. "I did say that, didn't I?" He said in a cool voice.
"You've been spying for them!"
"I wouldn't say that; I just informed my father that wizards and slayers from all over the world were gathering at Hogwarts. They know nothing of your plan...yet."
"What do you mean?" Faith asked suspiciously.
"I couldn't tell them what was going on because you had such a close eye on me!" He spat. "But there's nothing stopping me now."
Draco moved as if to go to one of the death eaters; his father who was standing out of the way on a small platform ordering various death eaters about and firing the odd curse. Faith recovered from her shock at his blatant double crossing and moved after him.
"Oh, I think there is something stopping you."
Draco turned around as if to say something, but he was dead before he even opened his mouth. Draco fell to the ground, blood oozing out from the wound in his chest. Within second his body was trampled on by demons, death eaters, wizards and slayers, all fighting to get the upper hand.
Faith surveyed the carnage around her. It hadn't even been twenty minutes but the house was trashed; several of the walls had been forcefully removed to give the fighters more room. The walls that were still standing were covered in blood and grime, even the high ceiling was dirtied beyond recognition of the pristine manor they originally entered.
Bodies littered the floor. Faith was relieved to see that they were mostly demons and death eaters, but Faith had already seen four of her comrades' fall to various wizards, and knew that there would be more deaths that she hadn't seen.
"Get their wands!" She yelled, knowing that that was their best chance at the moment. "Snap them in half!"
Kennedy was weaving in and out the hand-to-hand fights that were going on throughout the hall. She spotted her target. 'Kill her' the voice in her head was saying, 'slit her throat. She doesn't care if you die, why should you care if she does?'
Kennedy picked up a sword out of one of her fallen comrades hands and moved silently behind Faith who was fighting one of the death eaters. She raised her sword ready to strike.
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Meanwhile the smallest section of the group were also having problems. They had left Faith at the staircase and carried on along the quiet corridors all alert. Harry and Giles held their wands out in front of them while Buffy and Spike held their weapons by their side, but poised to strike at a moments notice.
Harry stopped and pointed to a door. "In there." He said recognising it from when he and Dawn had been held there.
Dawn pulled out her sword, also known as Buffy's sword that she had 'borrowed'.
"Are you sur- wait, is that my sword?" The blond slayer turned on her sister.
"Err I – Oh look, the door!" Dawn said, almost relieved to have something to distract her big sister with, although she did wish it wasn't the entrance of the room that could lead to her death.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Ready?"
At the nods of her team, Buffy opened the door cautiously. They had expected to see Voldermort and maybe a few death eaters, but the room was empty. They went inside, still on their guard and looked around. They heard a hissing noise from behind them. Spike swung around and tried to open the door which had just shut itself, but it was no use; they were trapped.
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Willow had been muttering under her breath ever since she had begun the spell.
"Goddess; rid this place of black magic. Take the power from those who wish to use it for darkness." She felt the power start to drift into her. "Oh...my...goddess."
White light started to pour down her arms into the scythe which started buzzing. There was a great flash of lightening and the world went dark as the moon slid across the sun like an eclipse.
Then it begun. All over the manor and down in the caves the death eaters stopped. They could feel their magic being ripped from them. Black light cackled all over the grounds and flew towards where Willow was sitting.
The slayers watched by the light of the candles and the glow of the scythe, their hair blowing about on the previously still afternoon. They saw all the black lightening enter the scythe, turning the white glow to black.
But it didn't stop with the death eaters. Willow was prepared for approximately one hundred demons' energy to also be drawn to the scythe. She wasn't prepared for way over a thousand.
The slayers and wizards looked on as the demons and vampires they were fighting started to stagger. They same black energy came out of them as it did with the death eaters and started to fly over the grounds.
Inside Faith, Angel, Gunn and Wesley drew the slayers attention back to the matter at hand and they started to hack their way through the wavering demons with a vengeance, and a lot faster than they had previously.
As the energy flew into the scythe, the grey glow darkened so that it was almost black. The energy kept coming and entering the scythe until it could hold no more. But even then it didn't stop.
The black burnt up Willow's arms. She screamed, but couldn't remove her hands from the scythe; it was almost like she was holding onto an electric cable and getting an electric shock.
Rona and Vi panicked; this wasn't part of the plan.
"The scythe's overloaded!" Vi cried.
"I can see that! We have to get her away from it!" Rona responded, looking around for something to help. There was no way in hell that she was touching the scythe!
She found a rather sturdy looking tree branch that looked like it may do the trick. She swung the branch at Willow, breaking several of the Wicca's ribs in the process, and knocked her away from the scythe.
There was a flash of blinding light and they were all thrown backwards. The moon slid back allowing the sun to shine again and the black lightening in the air seemed to disappear.
Rona and Vi both got up uninjured. They went over to Willow who was still lying unconscious on the ground. And what they saw had them raising their weapons just in case.
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[A/N: Buffy & co. still don't know about the hundreds of demons or about Draco's betrayal; as far as they're concerned it's business as usual, for now.]
'Buffy's group' were still trying to find a way out of the little room when they saw the bright flash of light.
"What was that?" Dawn asked.
"It came from the portal- Oh God; Willow! She must have done the spell, do you think it worked?"
"I hope so; otherwise we don't stand a chance." Giles said gloomily.
"Way to have confidence in the troops, Giles. We'll win, I know we will." But Buffy didn't sound so convinced.
"Bloody 'ell!" Spike exclaimed from the corner.
One of the tapestries on the wall was gathering itself up to reveal a narrow passage.
"You don't think that they were expecting us do you?" Harry asked, fighting to keep his voice steady.
Buffy looked alarmed. "How?"
"I don't know; but it seems awfully convenient that there are no guards, no- one in the throne room and its set up so that we get locked in and a doorway just happens to open."
"It does seem suspicious." Giles commented.
"So; what do we do?" Dawn asked.
"I guess we go up there; it's not like we have that many options. Do we? Does anybody have any options?" Buffy asked, almost begging them to have another option.
Everyone shook their heads to the slayers question.
"Oh. Then I guess we go up; stay alert."
Buffy went through first, then Giles, and then Dawn and Harry with Spike bringing up the rear.
The tunnel wasn't very long. They could see light at the end from the beginning...they could also see death eaters and Voldermort.
They entered the room, weapons at the ready, but they weren't attacked by Voldermort or the thirteen death eaters he had at his sides.
"Well this is... inconvenient." He hissed. "My informant told me that you might attack at some point, but this was just too soon. I wasn't ready."
"Yeah, sorry about that." Spike said patronisingly.
"Silence!" Voldermort stopped and thought. "Oh well, kill them." He ordered the death eaters at his sides.
Buffy dived out the way of the wand of a death eater, but the charm he was saying didn't come. "Willow did it!" Buffy exclaimed.
Voldermort looked mildly impressed, before signalling to the death eaters who all removed their masks and took out swords. "Meet my specialist crew of sword fighters." Voldermort sneered before battle ensued.
The room was filled with the sounds of swords clashing. Each 'good guy' had to fight at least two 'baddies' and some of them weren't strong enough. Harry had only been training with a sword for a short time, so fell back on his trusty wand, stuperfying his opponents until Voldermort freed them, it seemed that his magic wasn't affected by Willow's spell and he watched his death eaters from the side lines.
Giles was using his sword, but also held his wand in his left hand so he too could stuperfy the odd death eater. Buffy and Spike always seemed to have two or three death eaters attacking them, but they never got close enough to be killed, well mostly.
Dawn was struggling. She had always relied on her magic, but it seemed that whatever spell Voldermort had put on the manor when she was kidnapped still applied and although she could fight one, or possibly two, vampires without magic, she was having problems with the three highly trained death eaters.
It didn't take long, however, for Buffy and Spike to gain the upper hand in their fights. Soon Buffy had killed three death eaters and Spike had killed two. Buffy looked around, Harry was in the most danger. He seemed to have lost his wand and was trying to fight with his sword against the three death eaters. So she joined him with an anxious glance at the rapidly tiring Dawn.
One of those attacking Giles joined his 'ally' in fighting the blond vampire, but he soon killed them both and made to help Dawn.
"I'm here Niblet." He said as he got to her side.
Dawn looked up at him wearily. "Spike! Thank G-"Her eyes went wide. Spike smelt blood and looked down. There was about half a sword poking out of her abdomen, the hilt sticking out by about four inches the other side of her body.
"Oh" Dawn exclaimed, almost in surprise before she dropped to the floor.
There was a green wave; the essence of the key, which flooded the building, giving Giles and Spike that bit of extra energy they needed to defeat the death eaters still attacking them.
Harry rushed to her side having, with Buffy's help, defeated those attacking him; but it was too late.
Dawn was dead.
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NEXT CHAPTER: (which will hopefully be less than 5500 words) What has/ will happen to Willow, does Kennedy kill Faith and can Harry cope without Dawn? (There will be NO resurrection spell and Dawn is DEFINITELY DEAD she 'aint faking folks). Also, more on all three prophecies.
Only two chapters left!!! I don't know what I'll do with myself when this stories over with, start a new one I suppose! You know the drill; the more reviews I get, the faster I update. So Please Review!
Buffy the slayer: I'm glad it was good chezzy and your hate of Pansy has been duly noted.
Orion the Hunter: Thanks for reviewing
Fallen Star2: Thanks for reviewing. Sorry to disappoint you with the traitor malarkey.
Bunny Kat: Spike can go anywhere sunny safely and thanks for forgiving me!
Charmed Chick: My brother saw your review and disagrees. He says the cute girl should be the one to live! But I agree with you!
Blondi gurl: Glad you liked the chapter and thanks for reviewing. Willow's fight will be next chapter.
Phoenix Light Wing: Thanks for reviewing! I hope the next chapter will be up within a week.
TTrunks: Hey there; I tried to send you the fic, but it said that your email wasn't recognised?? It could just be my virus programme; it tends to be a little overprotective and sometimes doesn't let me send stuff to other people. Sorry about that!
Dragon Doll: Feel free to yell at any characters in your reviews!
Jazzy punker: Jade was a bit gullible wasn't she? Thanks for reviewing.
Lightdemondarkangel: I sent the chapter to your address (with 88 in it). I don't know if you got it or not, but if you have any comments about this chapter then feel free to put them in a review or email me and I'm happy to repost if you feel it's necessary.
Chrios: Thanks for the review. I couldn't leave Tara out, there's more of her next chapter. Happy ending? Possibly, either that or a big kaboom-y end.
Wandering Soul 24: I'm glad you like the story. Jaden isn't going to die, she's been through too much to die what with the maybe being evil an' all. Thanks for the offer on the websites, but I got lots of volunteers to beta this.
Kev: If it wasn't for the prophecy then I think Willow could squash Voldermort like a bug. But she will play a big part in the way the battle goes and will have to fight a battle which I think is harder than old Voldie.
A MASSIVE THANKS to Silver Warrior and Matt for proof reading this chapter for me. I'm not confident on fight scenes and it helped to have two people tell me that it was ok.
A/N: I think I'm going insane! My fingers have a mind of their own and they just type what they want to type and don't care if it makes sense. I really hope this will come together in the next two chapters, but trust me; anything could (and probably will) happen.
CHARACTER DEATH AHEAD; you have been warned.
CHAPTER 23- FINAL BATTLE
Dear Father, [Draco Wrote]
I have been discovered. We always knew there was a risk when I informed you of the key, but I have managed to assure one of the slayers that a wish her no harm. Fool. She is adamant that I tell her watcher of my involvement in the ritual, and there is a strong chance that she might kill me. However, if she lets me live, I would most probably be under close watch, so this will be my last letter.
The Slayers do not know of our Lords demon army, nor will they find out. I was forced to tell them that the Dark Lord had 'a few' demons on his side, but they don't know the truth about the demon numbers. I trust the plan to attack the school at sundown will still go ahead once I have told you my news as I don't believe the little girls with their swords stand a chance.
Slayers are gathering as are wizards, and not just aurors. Many workers from the ministry will be fighting, plus whatever support Dumbledore can drum up. There are a little over two hundred and fifty slayers in the hall that I know of. I am doubtful that many more shall arrive before you have a chance to put the plan into action.
I feel that I must warn you though; these slayers are known to be idiotically heroic and will do everything they can to stop the plan; I wouldn't put it past them to actually try and enter Malfoy Manor! I will rejoin you in the fight when we shall surely be victorious;
Yours, Draco Malfoy.
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"So you betrayed me." Dawn stated.
Draco squirmed under her harsh gaze. He had gone to the hospital wing first thing in the morning to tell Dawn the 'truth'. "I didn't want to, I swear it."
"I know someone had, didn't think it would be you. How did you find out? We didn't exactly shout it from the mountain tops!"
"I-I told him." Jaden stuttered. "I'm so sorry. I was upset and I..."
"It's ok, Jade." Dawn assured her friend before turning back to Malfoy. "Why are you telling me this?"
"I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I don't want to become a death eater, and I definitely don't want the Dark Lord to win." He was feeling better about this now; he had told Dawn everything and still had all his limbs attached! She seemed to be buying his story, but then he was a Malfoy.
"Are you saying that you want to fight on our side?" That wasn't what Dawn expected.
"Yes." He replied after a short pause. "I want to fight the Dark Lord." He felt sick to his stomach as he went against his master, but he must do whatever it takes to discover their plans and stay alive.
"I've gotta say that's not what I expected. I don't trust you, for obvious reasons, but we need all the help we can get. You know the set up of the Manor; I need you to tell people what you told me and everything you know about Voldermort's plans."
Draco nodded and prepared to leave.
"And Draco; if you do anything to hurt me or any of my friends ever again, and it wouldn't surprise me if you did; then there will be a very long line of people waiting to slaughter you, understand?"
Draco nodded again and practically ran out of the room.
"Follow him. Don't let him out of your sight." Dawn commented her eyes still on the retreating figure of Draco Malfoy. Jaden nodded and hurried after the Slytherin.
"Do you think he was telling the truth?" Dawn said after they had gone. She waved her hand towards the bed next to her where Harry was glaring at her.
"Malfoy wouldn't know the truth if it came up and smacked him round the head." Harry grumbled from where he was sitting next to her on the bed. "And what the hell was that all about? I can't believe you put a silencing charm on me!"
"You kept interrupting him. He deserved for us to hear him out if nothing else."
"He deserves nothing! He almost got you killed!" Harry raved.
"But he didn't. I'm fine, you're fine, and we're all fine."
"How can you be so calm about this?"
Dawn shrugged. "Probably something to do with nearly all my friend going evil at some point and them ending up kidnapping and/or torturing me at some point."
"Oh." Harry said; how was he supposed to respond to that?
"Harry; relax. I really think he's telling the truth." Harry snorted. "And if he isn't then we'll just kill him."
"I don't like this."
"I know; I don't like it either there was something bothering me about all that but I can't put my finger on it... Anyway I don't think that many people will like it. And that is why we're not going to tell them about him telling Voldermort about the prophecy, just that he's changed sides."
"Are you crazy?"
"Probably. I'll tell Buffy, but that's it...unless you want to tell anyone."
Harry thought for a moment. "Tell Dumbledore; not Ron or Hermione though, they'll kill the traitorous bastard."
"So you're not going to kill Malfoy?"
"No." Harry relented.
She kissed him. "Thank you. Oh, and by the way; last night was amazing."
He grinned. "And you're ok? No regrets?"
She frowned slightly. "No..."
"But?" Harry suddenly felt a little worried. What if she didn't love him anymore?
"Nothing, I just... When I thought about, you know, with you I guess I thought it would be more romantic and less in a hospital ward because the end of the world is coming."
Harry's face fell. "I'm sorry."
"What for? I don't regret doing it with you, just the timing. I love you, Harry."
"I love you to."
He kissed her lightly, but although it wasn't the devouring kisses of last night, it was still filled with passion.
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Dawn and Harry had been released from the hospital wing not long after Draco's visit. Dawn had told Buffy and, once she had stopped the threats to disembowel him, she had accepted Draco onto the team. Buffy had insisting on telling Faith as she was going to be responsible for him during the fight. She too accepted him onto the team, but she was going to keep a very close eye on him.
Buffy had paid a visit to Willow who was preparing herself to do the spell. She had told the Wicca about the demons Draco had told them about. Luckily a hundred or so demons wouldn't make that much of a difference in the grand scale of things, so there were no problems there.
Willow had decided not to tell Buffy about her dream; she had enough to worry about. She had simply approached the two slayers who were going to be with her at the time of the spell and told them that there was the chance that she might go evil and at the first sign of her hair going black, they were to kill her. They had been confused, but had reluctantly agreed.
The school had been told what was going on; that the final battle with Voldermort was coming sooner rather than later. They had reacted in different ways. Some in disbelief, some accepted it, some feared it and a few pledged their support to the (greatly expanded) Order.
They were having their breakfast (and probably lunch when it came around) in the common rooms due to the massive amount of slayers living in the great hall and several other members of the Order coming and going.
The worst part for everyone was the waiting. They didn't know if they would live or die or how long they would have to wait. They were ready to fight, even with Draco's report of Voldermort's small army of demons; now they just had to hang around until Voldermort was ready.
All the Scoobies, Faith, Angel, Wes, Gunn, Dawn, Harry, Draco and Dumbledore mounted the dais. Draco looked around in alarm. There must be nearly double the amount of slayers here than he thought, and it was too late to get word to his father.
He didn't like the sound of this plan. He had semi-warned his father that the slayers might try an attack and he expected the death eaters to be ready for some sort of action, but probably not on this scale.
As Draco observed the people on the dais, he noticed that Buffy and Faith were looking at him like they wanted to kill him and Dumbledore was looking back at him with mild confusion on his features. He knew that they had been told; he'd have to watch his back around the slayers.
To everyone's surprise, it was Faith who spoke first. "Hey! HEY! Are you ready to fight?"
"YES!" Came the resounding reply.
"So are we." She gestured to Willow, Dawn, Harry and everyone else standing on the platform.
Buffy started to speak: "We have, err, acquired a port key that will lead us to right outside the caves where he is gathering his forces. As far as we know, Voldermort will be in a room in the centre of the house, in his throne room. Dawn, Harry, Spike, Giles and I will head for there, fighting whatever guards we come up against; they don't expect us so we don't think we'll have much to do.
"Willow will stay clear of the building to work the mojo and she will be guarded by Rona and Vi. All the rest of you will be with Xander, Faith, Angel, Wes or Gunn. The Order will be going in first with Faith and Angel to help until Willow's spell can work."
"I've got everyone who was fighting in Cleveland." Faith announced. "You guys have the most experience, so we'll be going in first through the front entrance and killing all the guards on our way down. You'll form half the front line. We're also gonna have a regiment of wizards with our group and him over there." Faith pointed to Draco who shifted uncomfortably.
"Everyone from the Asian hellmouth is with me." Angel said quietly. "We're going in the back way after Faith's lot have gone. You guys will form the rest of the front line. All the witch-slayers who've been staying at Hogwarts with Dawn are with me too. You six should make sure you have your wands as well as any weapons."
Xander took over the speaking. "All you guys from the Australian or the South American slayer centres and any volunteers from Hogwarts are with me. We're taking care of the death eaters and demons that escape. We have the biggest group, so if the signal is given, then half the slayers from our group will join those fighting in the caves."
Wes stepped forward. "Gunn and I will each have half of the European slayers plus the aurors and other wizard that are fighting. Half will follow Angel in with Gunn and the rest will go through the house after Faith has cleared it to get to the main cave and stop any escaping that way. You are the second line."
Buffy started speaking again. "We leave in one hour. Get the weapons you want and we will have portal access to any others we might need. Good Luck."
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"Dawn!" Buffy grabbed her younger sister's arm.
"What? And, by the way, ow!" The youngest Summers sister was picking out her weapons. She settles on a sword that was technically Buffy's, but sisters share everything, right?
"Don't go." Buffy didn't even notice that Dawn was pinching one of her favourite swords.
"What?"
"Dawn, I can't lose you and I can't save you this time. Please stay here, don't fight. You'll die, I can feel it." Buffy pleaded.
"Buffy, you heard the prophecy. I have to go; 'without each other they shall surely fail' remember? I-I'm sorry."
The two sisters hugged each other tightly and that is how you would find them until it was time to leave.
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One hour later the slayers, wizards and everyone else fighting that morning were crammed in the Great hall.
It was decided that Dawn, Buffy, Faith, Angel, Giles and Spike would go first and clear the area and then Dawn would open a portal for everyone else to come through.
"Are you ready?" Buffy asked Dawn.
Dawn nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
"Let's go, on the count of three. One...two...three."
The six grabbed hold of the port key and felt the tug around their stomach as they were transported to Malfoy Manor. Giles immediately pulled out his wand and the others dropped into defensive stances around Dawn who started to open the portal.
The portal had to be massive; they wanted to get over a thousand wizards and slayers through it in seven minutes. The minute the portal opened people started pouring through and running clear lead by Xander, and they continued to come through as it got bigger and bigger. Within eight minutes everyone was through and Dawn shrunk the portal so that it was big enough for just two people.
All the slayers and wizards began to separate into their groups under the cover of the woodland in Malfoy Manor. They were trying to be quiet, but when you have over a thousand troops it's not that easy. It took nearly fifteen minutes before everyone stopped bustling about, and there had been no sign of any death eaters.
"Everyone ready?" Buffy asked of each group leaders.
A series of nods responded. "Yes."
Angel and Gunn's charges started sneaking round to the back door that led directly into the main cavern. The group who would be confronting Voldermort and Faith's group made their way towards the entrance of Malfoy Manor. And Xander's troop fanned out to cover the perimeter.
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When the bulk of the army had taken their positions, three had not moved: Willow, Rona and Vi. The spot they were in was a long way from the manor and sheltered from their view, yet they could still see what was happening.
The three quickly set about getting everything in place. Willow took out the scythe and laid it in front of her. She sat cross-legged and closed her eyes to slip into the trance state that would be needed for her to perform the spell.
Whilst she was doing this, Vi lit a circle of candles all around her and Rona placed four tablets with different symbols painted on them in front of Willow, along with an urn of holy water and a bunch of eight white roses, tied together with a piece of string.
They were ready.
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"Oi, kid; why aren't there any guards?" Faith asked in a low voice as they crept towards the mansion.
They had left Wesley and his part of the second line further back so that the Manor wouldn't be too crowded. They would enter when it was decided that enough time had been given for Faith to get into the underground cavern.
"What? Put death eaters on the grounds where anyone can see them?" Draco responded scornfully.
"Watch it, kid." Faith growled back. "You're still on probation."
Dawn was gripping Harry's hand tightly. "You ready?" She whispered.
He took a moment to think about his answer. "As I'll ever be."
"Me neither."
He gave her hand a squeeze as they approached the large door.
"One, two, three!" Buffy and Faith kicked down the door as if it were paper.
The slayers and wizards in the group had their weapons raised. But there was no-one in the entrance hall, nor could they hear anyone close to them. They entered the Manor cautiously; looking up and around for possible threats...but they didn't look down.
If they had looked down to their ankles, then they would have seen the red beam, not unlike a muggle burglar alarm, that they had all walked through.
"Something's wrong. Someone should have heard that door crashing in." Faith commented; "This is almost too ea-"
"Don't!" Buffy exclaimed. Everyone looked at her as if she was crazy but Buffy just shrugged. "She might jinx us."
They walked in silence to the main stairway everyone keeping an ear out for potential threats. There were none.
"This is where we part, B."
"Take care of yourself." Buffy said seriously.
Faith nodded. "You too. Take it easy guys." She waved at the small, but powerful, group and led her half of the front line down the stairs.
Considering that there were over two hundred pairs of feet treading down those stairs, it was surprisingly quiet. 'Too quiet.' Faith couldn't help but think.
They continued down the stairs, wands and weapons raised and ready. Faith opened her senses as much as she could.
The mini-army reached a long corridor at the bottom of the stairs. Faith's spider sense was going wild. Something wasn't right down here. She stopped, signalling those behind her to do the same.
There were people down here; she could tell. Waiting probably, but for what? She heard a whisper from along one of the walls and fired her crossbow at the noise.
Two gasps came. One from the death eater against the wall, the second from a slayer behind her. They were the first casualties of this battle.
The lights in the corridor lit up to reveal death eaters standing on a platform around the walls. Their black robes seemed to shine in the light of the flame as the slayers and wizards below them took in the scene. There may have been silence for a moment, but then battle overtook them.
The last thought Faith had before ditching her crossbow in favour of a long sword was that it had been a trap and, for the second time in under a week, they had been betrayed to Lord Voldermort.
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'Angel's army' had also left their back-up at the door. Gunn watched as the group went out of sight and listened for much longer. They were going to give Angel a chance to clear the way to the massive caves where the death eaters were gathering before following.
But, as always, things didn't go to plan. Battle cries reached their ears not five minutes after Angel had left. They weren't the sounds of picking off twenty odd demons that were guarding the entrance; Angel had been ambushed.
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It took about three seconds for their carefully laid battle plans to go to pot. They didn't even get into the main lair before they were attacked and both first and second lines were fighting full out against demons that they didn't know about.
In Malfoy manor, the slayers were at a distinct disadvantage. About half of the girls were using crossbows so they could fire from a distance and they had the Order of the Phoenix to help pick off the death eaters, but it was hard for them to get a clear shot. The death eaters had probably killed more of their own than slayers. They just didn't care who they hit.
Kennedy was fighting two of the death eaters by hand. She had lost her daggers long ago, but she had also managed to kick their wands away. She sent one of them flying backwards with a kick to the abdomen and gave the other's neck a quick twist. She repeated the same manoeuvre on the other death eater that was just about to stand back up and turned around.
Across the room another death eater was observing from the side lines. He noticed Kennedy standing alone, about to launch back into the fight. He raised his wand and fired one of the unforgivable curses at her.
Faith pulled Draco behind a pile of rubble that had fallen in. "Hey, kid; I thought you said that there were only a hundred demons. I can see at least a hundred here and no-one would send all their forces to one place when we know of at least three entrances."
Draco smirked. "I did say that, didn't I?" He said in a cool voice.
"You've been spying for them!"
"I wouldn't say that; I just informed my father that wizards and slayers from all over the world were gathering at Hogwarts. They know nothing of your plan...yet."
"What do you mean?" Faith asked suspiciously.
"I couldn't tell them what was going on because you had such a close eye on me!" He spat. "But there's nothing stopping me now."
Draco moved as if to go to one of the death eaters; his father who was standing out of the way on a small platform ordering various death eaters about and firing the odd curse. Faith recovered from her shock at his blatant double crossing and moved after him.
"Oh, I think there is something stopping you."
Draco turned around as if to say something, but he was dead before he even opened his mouth. Draco fell to the ground, blood oozing out from the wound in his chest. Within second his body was trampled on by demons, death eaters, wizards and slayers, all fighting to get the upper hand.
Faith surveyed the carnage around her. It hadn't even been twenty minutes but the house was trashed; several of the walls had been forcefully removed to give the fighters more room. The walls that were still standing were covered in blood and grime, even the high ceiling was dirtied beyond recognition of the pristine manor they originally entered.
Bodies littered the floor. Faith was relieved to see that they were mostly demons and death eaters, but Faith had already seen four of her comrades' fall to various wizards, and knew that there would be more deaths that she hadn't seen.
"Get their wands!" She yelled, knowing that that was their best chance at the moment. "Snap them in half!"
Kennedy was weaving in and out the hand-to-hand fights that were going on throughout the hall. She spotted her target. 'Kill her' the voice in her head was saying, 'slit her throat. She doesn't care if you die, why should you care if she does?'
Kennedy picked up a sword out of one of her fallen comrades hands and moved silently behind Faith who was fighting one of the death eaters. She raised her sword ready to strike.
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Meanwhile the smallest section of the group were also having problems. They had left Faith at the staircase and carried on along the quiet corridors all alert. Harry and Giles held their wands out in front of them while Buffy and Spike held their weapons by their side, but poised to strike at a moments notice.
Harry stopped and pointed to a door. "In there." He said recognising it from when he and Dawn had been held there.
Dawn pulled out her sword, also known as Buffy's sword that she had 'borrowed'.
"Are you sur- wait, is that my sword?" The blond slayer turned on her sister.
"Err I – Oh look, the door!" Dawn said, almost relieved to have something to distract her big sister with, although she did wish it wasn't the entrance of the room that could lead to her death.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Ready?"
At the nods of her team, Buffy opened the door cautiously. They had expected to see Voldermort and maybe a few death eaters, but the room was empty. They went inside, still on their guard and looked around. They heard a hissing noise from behind them. Spike swung around and tried to open the door which had just shut itself, but it was no use; they were trapped.
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Willow had been muttering under her breath ever since she had begun the spell.
"Goddess; rid this place of black magic. Take the power from those who wish to use it for darkness." She felt the power start to drift into her. "Oh...my...goddess."
White light started to pour down her arms into the scythe which started buzzing. There was a great flash of lightening and the world went dark as the moon slid across the sun like an eclipse.
Then it begun. All over the manor and down in the caves the death eaters stopped. They could feel their magic being ripped from them. Black light cackled all over the grounds and flew towards where Willow was sitting.
The slayers watched by the light of the candles and the glow of the scythe, their hair blowing about on the previously still afternoon. They saw all the black lightening enter the scythe, turning the white glow to black.
But it didn't stop with the death eaters. Willow was prepared for approximately one hundred demons' energy to also be drawn to the scythe. She wasn't prepared for way over a thousand.
The slayers and wizards looked on as the demons and vampires they were fighting started to stagger. They same black energy came out of them as it did with the death eaters and started to fly over the grounds.
Inside Faith, Angel, Gunn and Wesley drew the slayers attention back to the matter at hand and they started to hack their way through the wavering demons with a vengeance, and a lot faster than they had previously.
As the energy flew into the scythe, the grey glow darkened so that it was almost black. The energy kept coming and entering the scythe until it could hold no more. But even then it didn't stop.
The black burnt up Willow's arms. She screamed, but couldn't remove her hands from the scythe; it was almost like she was holding onto an electric cable and getting an electric shock.
Rona and Vi panicked; this wasn't part of the plan.
"The scythe's overloaded!" Vi cried.
"I can see that! We have to get her away from it!" Rona responded, looking around for something to help. There was no way in hell that she was touching the scythe!
She found a rather sturdy looking tree branch that looked like it may do the trick. She swung the branch at Willow, breaking several of the Wicca's ribs in the process, and knocked her away from the scythe.
There was a flash of blinding light and they were all thrown backwards. The moon slid back allowing the sun to shine again and the black lightening in the air seemed to disappear.
Rona and Vi both got up uninjured. They went over to Willow who was still lying unconscious on the ground. And what they saw had them raising their weapons just in case.
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[A/N: Buffy & co. still don't know about the hundreds of demons or about Draco's betrayal; as far as they're concerned it's business as usual, for now.]
'Buffy's group' were still trying to find a way out of the little room when they saw the bright flash of light.
"What was that?" Dawn asked.
"It came from the portal- Oh God; Willow! She must have done the spell, do you think it worked?"
"I hope so; otherwise we don't stand a chance." Giles said gloomily.
"Way to have confidence in the troops, Giles. We'll win, I know we will." But Buffy didn't sound so convinced.
"Bloody 'ell!" Spike exclaimed from the corner.
One of the tapestries on the wall was gathering itself up to reveal a narrow passage.
"You don't think that they were expecting us do you?" Harry asked, fighting to keep his voice steady.
Buffy looked alarmed. "How?"
"I don't know; but it seems awfully convenient that there are no guards, no- one in the throne room and its set up so that we get locked in and a doorway just happens to open."
"It does seem suspicious." Giles commented.
"So; what do we do?" Dawn asked.
"I guess we go up there; it's not like we have that many options. Do we? Does anybody have any options?" Buffy asked, almost begging them to have another option.
Everyone shook their heads to the slayers question.
"Oh. Then I guess we go up; stay alert."
Buffy went through first, then Giles, and then Dawn and Harry with Spike bringing up the rear.
The tunnel wasn't very long. They could see light at the end from the beginning...they could also see death eaters and Voldermort.
They entered the room, weapons at the ready, but they weren't attacked by Voldermort or the thirteen death eaters he had at his sides.
"Well this is... inconvenient." He hissed. "My informant told me that you might attack at some point, but this was just too soon. I wasn't ready."
"Yeah, sorry about that." Spike said patronisingly.
"Silence!" Voldermort stopped and thought. "Oh well, kill them." He ordered the death eaters at his sides.
Buffy dived out the way of the wand of a death eater, but the charm he was saying didn't come. "Willow did it!" Buffy exclaimed.
Voldermort looked mildly impressed, before signalling to the death eaters who all removed their masks and took out swords. "Meet my specialist crew of sword fighters." Voldermort sneered before battle ensued.
The room was filled with the sounds of swords clashing. Each 'good guy' had to fight at least two 'baddies' and some of them weren't strong enough. Harry had only been training with a sword for a short time, so fell back on his trusty wand, stuperfying his opponents until Voldermort freed them, it seemed that his magic wasn't affected by Willow's spell and he watched his death eaters from the side lines.
Giles was using his sword, but also held his wand in his left hand so he too could stuperfy the odd death eater. Buffy and Spike always seemed to have two or three death eaters attacking them, but they never got close enough to be killed, well mostly.
Dawn was struggling. She had always relied on her magic, but it seemed that whatever spell Voldermort had put on the manor when she was kidnapped still applied and although she could fight one, or possibly two, vampires without magic, she was having problems with the three highly trained death eaters.
It didn't take long, however, for Buffy and Spike to gain the upper hand in their fights. Soon Buffy had killed three death eaters and Spike had killed two. Buffy looked around, Harry was in the most danger. He seemed to have lost his wand and was trying to fight with his sword against the three death eaters. So she joined him with an anxious glance at the rapidly tiring Dawn.
One of those attacking Giles joined his 'ally' in fighting the blond vampire, but he soon killed them both and made to help Dawn.
"I'm here Niblet." He said as he got to her side.
Dawn looked up at him wearily. "Spike! Thank G-"Her eyes went wide. Spike smelt blood and looked down. There was about half a sword poking out of her abdomen, the hilt sticking out by about four inches the other side of her body.
"Oh" Dawn exclaimed, almost in surprise before she dropped to the floor.
There was a green wave; the essence of the key, which flooded the building, giving Giles and Spike that bit of extra energy they needed to defeat the death eaters still attacking them.
Harry rushed to her side having, with Buffy's help, defeated those attacking him; but it was too late.
Dawn was dead.
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NEXT CHAPTER: (which will hopefully be less than 5500 words) What has/ will happen to Willow, does Kennedy kill Faith and can Harry cope without Dawn? (There will be NO resurrection spell and Dawn is DEFINITELY DEAD she 'aint faking folks). Also, more on all three prophecies.
Only two chapters left!!! I don't know what I'll do with myself when this stories over with, start a new one I suppose! You know the drill; the more reviews I get, the faster I update. So Please Review!