Ch. 15

Azkaban

"Professor, he's going to attack Azkaban! He's going to attack tonight!" Harry panted, pain easing a bit on his head. Dumbledore stood and motioned the teachers. Immediately people were in full out panic. It reminded Harry of the night in his first year when Professor Quirrel let a troll enter Hogwarts on Halloween night.

"STOP!" Dumbledore cried. Everyone stopped and turned to him. " The Head Boy and Girl will take everyone to their rightful common rooms. No one and I mean, no one," he looked down at Harry who was still on the floor surrounded by his friends; each had an equal look of horror and fear on their faces, "is allowed to leave their common rooms until their Head of House has spoken with them. Dismissed." Ron and Hermione left immediately to help supervise, while Blaise and Tally lifted Harry off the floor. Instead of heading to the common room, Harry ran to Dumbledore.

"Professor, I want to go, I can help!" Dumbledore looked him in the eye. His usual twinkle gone and his eyes seemed to hold worry within them, causing him to look tired and old like last year at the Ministry.

"Harry, you are not ready. It's best if you stay here."

"I can help, I know how to fight. I've been training!"

"You are to remain here, Harry."

"But-" Dumbledore's eyes flashed in anger,

"You are to stay here. I cannot allow you to fight now. You are not ready for that yet! Do not argue with me, Harry, it's for your own good." With that, Dumbledore turned away from him. Harry anger boiled. How could Dumbledore do that to him? After everything that has happened, Dumbledore didn't think he could handle it. How was he ever suppose to battle against Voldemort, if no one would even let him out of this damn school. Harry knew he had to find a way to get to Azkaban; he had to help.

Most of the students had left, only some of the older ones stayed behind to help, including Tally and Blaise, who both still seemed too stunned to move anyway. Harry headed back to them. Tally made to comfort him, but he shrugged her off. He knew he was letting his anger control him, but he didn't care.

"I need to find a way to get to Azkaban." Both sets of eyes widened dramatically at this, but they nodded their heads in understanding without hesitation. "Come on, let's go find Ron and Hermione." They turned and quickly hurried out of the Great Hall, breaking into a run when they reached the stairs.

"Absolutely not, Harry!" Hermione said shrilly. Harry, Tally, and Blaise had entered the common room to find it packed with students. The moment they walked in, all eyes turned to Harry and he could see the humger for gossip in their eyes. He immediately bypassed them and went directly to Ron and Hermione, who were sitting in their usual corner with Neville and Ginny. He grabbed their attention and nodded to the boys' dormitories and they followed him up to the 6th year boys' dorm.

Here they were, Harry just having explained his vision to them and his need to find a way to Azkaban. Hermione's flat out rejection of the idea made Harry want to grab her shoulders and shake some sense into her. She obviously didn't understand how serious the situation is because then she would realize that if Voldemort broke Azkaban, chaos would only ensue.

"Hermione, I have to go!"

"But Harry-"

"DON'T YOU GET IT, I HAVE TO GO! THERE IS NO OTHER BLOODY ANSWER!" Harry roared. Ron had remained silent with a terrified look prominant on his face. Tally, Blaise, Neville, and Ginny had been sitting on Neville's bed talking quietly to each other, but stop and looked around at them when Harry shouted. Hermione winced at him and he could see tears in her eyes. "I have to go, Hermione." He added quietly.

"Think about what happened last time. Think about Sirius." Harry looked away from her. He was always thinking about Sirius and what he had done, but this was different. He couldn't let Voldemort get his faithful followers, like Malfoy, back.

"I know, Hermione, I know. And that's why I'm going alone-" They was an abrupt outcry from the occupants within the room.

"You can't!"

"But, Harry-"

"I'm going!"

"Not alone!"

"I CAN'T LET ANYONE ELSE GET HURT!" Harry yelled over them. Ron had finally looked up at Harry and cleared his throat.

"Sorry, mate. I can't let you do that. I made a promise and I intend on keeping it."

"Ron, what are you talking about?" Hermione demanded.

"I promised Harry that I would fight beside him in this war. If he's going to Azkaban to fight, then I'm going with him." Hermione looked utterly shocked and started yelling at Ron for supporting Harry. Harry was looking at Ron in surprise. He wasn't surprised by what Ron had said, Ron would always stand beside Harry, they were best friends afterall, Harry was surprised by what he saw. Ron was no longer the tall, gangly, awkward red-head he met on the train six years ago. Ron had grown into himself. He is seventeen now, an adult in the Wizarding world and it showed. He stood at 6'3, his body had filled out from Quittach, and his face now squared. His freckles still stood out, but they no longer seemed to define him. Harry was looking no longer at a boy or even that of an adolescent, but at a man. Somehow Ron had managed to grow-up without Harry ever noticing and that surprised him most of all as he turned his attention to Hermione and found that she too, had grown into an adult. She stood just under 5'8, her hair was still bushy, but within the next year or so would probably be nothing more than soft curls. Her body had filled out and had become curvy beneath her school uniform. Her face, now twisted in fury, held a maturity there that Harry had always taken as superiority. Her face was thin and slightly pointy, her small nose and large eyes gave her a look of innocence, but her knowledge and notorious looks gave her an essense of beauty. She had become quite pretty for the know-it-all with large front teeth that he had first met and befriended in their first year.

Harry smiled to himself as his two best friends continued to argue. Harry knew he had changed too. He was now 6 feet even, his untidy hair longer than usual and his emerald eyes no longer held innocence and naivette, but rather truth and heavy burdens. He had also built muscles and filled himself out with Quittach and defense training. Years of abuse, fighting, and death had begun to harden Harry, or at least that's what he had always thought. Now looking at his friends who yelled, stomped, and demanded that they be allowed to go with him, Harry realized that instead of shutting himself off from the world, he had let them in. Tally, who was still sitting on the bed away from the arguing, was watching Harry intently. Her forest green eyes bore into his emerald ones. He felt his heart flutter as he looked at her. Everything began obvious to him. They were the reason he was still fighting. Fighting and winning.

"Hermione, I'm going to go with Harry!" Harry heard Ron say. "We aren't asking you to come, but just to bloody support us. We're at war damnit, and you should be used to this sort of thing!"

"Yeah, Hermione. Since when does Harry listen to adults anyway." Ginny added.

"I'm going, Hermione. Ron can come too. I would prefer for you to stay here with everyone else." Again there was an uproar,

"Oh no, if you and Ron are going, then I'm going too. We've done this together every year, this isn't any different." Hermione stated. Her hands on her hips and her eyes flashed with anger.

"Fine, but we still need a way to get there." Harry said. He started pacing in front of his bed. Tally stood and walked up to him.

"I know a way to get there." Harry's head shot up.

"How?"

"I'm not saying until you agree that we can come too." Harry started to protest. "No, Harry. You and I both know that I can fight. Blaise is talented with the wand, we've all witnessed that in the DA. You trusted Neville and Ginny last year, they are good fighters too. Why is this year any different?"

"You have a bad heart and I don't want them getting hurt."

"My heart is my business, I'll keep it in check. As for them, it's their choice to make, not yours." Harry was silent for a moment. He looked over at Ron and Hermione, both looked upset at the idea, but neither could think of any other alternative.

"Fine, fine, you three can go, but no one else." Ginny and Neville cried in triumph and Tally smiled sadly. Blaise still remained still and silent. "Now, how are we getting there?"

"By portkey." Hermione snorted and Harry felt extremely downhearted.

"Be reasonable, Tally. How are we going to get a portkey?" Ron asked.

"Create one ourselves, of course!" Tally said as if that was an every day occurrence for them.

"But that's illegal and we've never done that." Hermione reminded her.

"You haven't, but I have." They looked at her with disbelief.

"American laws are different from yours. We're allowed to do to underage magic when we aren't in school, but only in our homes. We also learned about how to set up portkeys last year for our O.W.L. examinations. Last summer, Josh let me make one to travel here." She smiled at their faces. "Besides, didn't you say, Harry, that you and only you are allowed access to portkeys without authorization?"

"Er-yeah. I guess I am."

"See, then we can go by portkey. I'll do it of course and if they ask, we'll explain. If I get into trouble, then so be it." Harry made to protest, but Tally shot him down quickly, "Everyone gather around, it'll be quick." They gathered closely to Tally as she picked up a discarded sock from the floor. She tapped her wand to it and whispered 'portus'. She then nodded to everyone else and everyone touched a part of the sock. After only a few seconds, Harry felt the familiar pull at his naval as his body shot forward into space.

His stomach felt queazy and his body hurt from being knocked between Tally's and Ron's. If he had any second thoughts about this they fell away quickly as they landed on Azkaban grounds. There were Death Eaters everywhere.

Azkaban grounds were dark and cold. The prison itself stood tall around the surrounding water. The prison was dark gray and looked like death. The screams from inside the prison could be heard, even from where they were standing at the edge of the island. Harry saw people running. The Guards were outnumbered by the Death Eaters and Dementers that they dropped fast. More and more appeared and the prisoners were slowly escaping one by one. Everywhere that Harry looked were potential enemies and Harry could not see one Order member or Auror.

Suddenly a deathly cold air hit them hard where they were standing. Harry could hear the others shudder and instinctively the seven of them stepped closer together. Harry immediately heard the sounds of his mother and father being murder....Take Harry and laughter....No, not Harry!...green flash...his mothers scream.... He heard Hermione say something from far away and he felt utter horror at her words,

"The Dementors are everywhere! They're surrounding us!" Harry was slowly losing all his senses as his mind closed around the night he had lost his parents.

"Harry, there are so many, what do we do?" Ginny cried, her voice small and feeble from fear. Harry shook his head to clear it and looked around. Ten Dementors were closing in on them. He could hear the rattle and hissing as they sucked in the air around them.

"Think of your happiest memory. I know it'll be difficult, but you can do it. Make sure it's a strong happy feeling, otherwise it won't work." Harry saw them close their eyes. Neville and Tally's faces both scrunched in thought. Ron was whispering under his breath while Blaise had a complete blank face. Hermione stood with determination on her face as she pointed her wand at the Dementors. She nodded her ready to Harry. Harry closed his eyes and thought back to a happy memory. Old memories of his last encounters with Voldemort filled his mind...he watched as his friends battled the Death Eaters and fall one by one in the Department of Mysteries, Sirius fall through the Veil, Voldemort standing tall in front of him. No, my friends need me now. Think! He shook his head again and thought of happier memories. He thought about the Mirror of Erised where he saw his parents, he thought of Sirius and Lupin, he thought about his friends. He finally rested on thoughts of Tally. The warm sensation passed through him whenever he saw her enter the room. She could always make him happy, even in the darkest of moments. He opened his eyes again and noticed that the others were all prepared and waiting for him. He brought his wand up and turned to face the Dementors. They each pressed their backs to one another so that they made a small circle."After three, say the spell, but keep the happy thought always in your mind." The air was freezing, making it difficult to breathe. The dark memories were trying to force their way back into his mind, "one....two....THREE! EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Cried seven voices at once.

There was a blinding white light and Harry had to squint in order to see. There in front of him stood his Stag, next to his stag stood Hermione's otter. Ginny's bunny and Ron's stallion were already charging the Dementor's down. Neville's boar roamed in cicrles, preventing any Dementors from getting closer. Tally's elephant charged after the Dementors attacking the Guards by the castle. Blaise's patronus was a large dog, which reminded Harry of Sirius, went charging after the Dementors who were waiting in the shadows. Harry felt pride in knowing that he had taught them that curse and how powerful each had become since.

It wasn't long before the Dementors retreated off the island with the seven Patronuses chasing after them. However, their victory was short lived as Death Eaters immediately replaced them. One of the Death Eaters stepped closer to them and lowered her hood. Bellatrix Lestrange look down at them with a smug smile across her face. Harry's anger flared violently at the sight of her.

"If it isn't ickle baby Potter and all his ickle fwiends." She said in her mocked baby voice. Harry gripped his wand painfully and growled threatenly at her. "Aw, nothing to say then? Only looking for a fight?"

"Bellatrix, leave Potter to the Lord. Take the others for whatever you wish." Harry recognized that voice immediately and turned to see a very thin, dirty, and weak looking Lucius Malfoy shuffle toward them. "Trying to play Hero again, I see, Potter."

"Can't very well have filth like you walking around free." Harry said in a threatening voice. Malfoy sneered at him and threw a curse in his directions. Harry blocked it easily. It was obvious that Malfoy was in a weak state from Azkaban and not much of a threat to him. Harry easily stunned him, but this caused an uproar with the other Death Eaters and soon, the curses and hexes went flying. "STUPEFY!" Harry hit another Death Eater, though he didn't recognize him.

"REDUCTO!" Bellatrix cried, causing the seven of them to scramble and separate. Harry lost sight of them in his fight against Bellatrix. Harry felt curse after curse whiz by him or bounce off his shieild. He heard a girl's scream and horror filled him at the thought of it being Hermione, Tally, or Ginny. He tried to see who was screaming, but Bellatrix was relentless with her curses.

"Come on Potter, I know you can fight. Let's see if your Cruciatus has gotten any better. You do enjoy the thought of cursing me, don't you? Come on, let's see you try." Harry spit at her. He knew she was just trying to get at him, but the urge to use the Cruciatus curse against her was almost overwhelming. He had wanted to hurt her for so long for Sirius.

"Shut it, Bellatrix, you can't win!" Bellatrix laughed coldly at him.

"Maybe I can't kill you, Potter, but my Master will!" Harry made to retort, but his name was heard loudly amongst the battle.

"HARRY!" He turned to see Ron standing a few feet away, behind him stood Lupin. The Order had arrived. Kingsley ran up to Harry and began dueling with Bellatrix. Soon Lupin was beside him.

"Harry, what are you doing? You shouldn't be here!"

"I came to help." Harry looked around and saw that Tally was being dragged away by her brother, who was attempting to stun a prisoner while keeping her safely behind him. Neville, Ginny, and Hermione were together standing behind Mr. Weasley and away from the the battle. Ron and Blaise were being pulled toward Mr. Weasley by Bill.

"Harry, you not only put yourself in danger, but your friends as well." Lupin said in a quiet voice. Harry felt guilty for giving in to his friends demands.

"I didn't want them to go, but they didn't really give me an option." Lupin took hold of Harry and pulled him toward the rest of his friends. Harry looked around for Dumbledore, but he was no where to be seen. Harry looked back at his friends and immediately doubled over as his scar seared with blinding pain. He looked around and to his horror, stood Voldemort, a cruel smile playing on his snakelike face. His wand pointing at Harry.

"Glad to see you could make it, Harry Potter."

A/N:

Yay! I got the chapter up after only a week, aren't you proud? I am finally getting over my illness and school has finally calmed down a bit, so I have had time to write.

I'm not so good with writing out battles, so this chapter and the next chapter might be a little weak. I'm really good at picturing them in my head, but I fail at putting all the details and descriptions down in writing. Please forgive me for that.

The next two chapters of this story (also the last of the story) are outlined and so it shouldn't take more than a couple of weeks to have them both up and completed. Once they are done, give me about another week or so after them to have the first chapter of the sequel up. I'll have the title of that when I complete this story.

I think this chapter is shorter than the others and sorry for that, but it's really just the opener for the battle. A-um-transition chapter of sorts.

Esrb99: I don't know if I ever answered you about where the battle will be. Obviously its not at Hogwarts, but who's to say that it won't be in the sequel?? :hint hint:

Indigo Feline: Thanks so much for reading my story and recommending me to others. It means so much to me. I never know if people read this or not or if they even like it. But its good to see that at least a few people do.

Chibi Chingo: YAY! I'm on your fav list!!! Thanks for reading, and is this a fast enough update for you? I hope you stick with me for the next couple of chapters and for the sequel.

THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!