Ch. 16

A Duel, A Punishment, and an Acceptance

Harry fell hard to the ground as his scar errupted in pain. Lupin was thrown sideways and away from Harry as Voldemort flickered his wand in his direction.

"Can't have the Werewolf interupting us, now can we?" Voldemort says quietly when he had finally reached Harry, who was still sprawled out on the cold ground, unable to move from the searing pain in his skull. Voldemort laughed coldly at him, "So many of your friends, Potter, how many more will die to defend you?" Harry looked back and saw that Ron, Blaise, and Lupin were trying to fight through the growing crowd of Death Eaters to get to Harry. Hate etched coldly across each of their faces. Ron, who could hardly even say Voldemort's name without shuddering, was cursing everyone in his sight just to help Harry. Behind them stood the girls and Neville. Hermione and Ginny stood in shocked fear at the sight of Voldemort, while Tally and Neville fought against the Death Eaters and Prisoners that had begun to surround them.

"LEAVE THEM ALONE, VOLDEMORT!" Harry cried as he watched him point his wand in their direction. Voldemort laughed again.

"But, Harry, I live to watch you suffer." With that, Harry watched helplessly as Ron screamed in agony and whithered uncontrollably on the ground. Hermione screamed and ran to him, only to be cursed by the Death Eaters. Hermione fell quickly and did not get back up again. Finally regaining his senses, Harry stood and cursed Voldemort quickly. Harry's quick movements caught Voldemort off guard, allowing the curse to hit him, though Voldemort threw it off just as quickly. "You've become much stronger Harry, but you still will never defeat me." Harry laughed this time.

"Then why are you so scared of me?" Voldemort didn't answer, instead he sent Ron into another fit of agony. Tally and Ginny had managed to reach Hermione and move her to safety. Blaise, protecting Ron as best he could from any Death Eaters, watched helplessly as Ron screamed, cried, and convulsed under the Cruciatus curse. Lupin had given up trying to get to Harry and was now fighting fiercely against the Death Eaters. Harry witnessed as the Prisoners who refused to join in Voldemort's crusade or simply were too weak, were immediately killed by the Death Eaters.

"You cannot kill me Harry, so give up the fight now, or suffer the consequences."

"NO! I will not allow the Magical and Non-magical worlds fall at the likes of you! I am their only hope and I'll do whatever is necessary to make sure you don't destroy us all!" Rage filled Voldemort's face.

"Fool!" Voldemort banished Harry's friends so that Harry stood alone facing Voldemort. "Then I shall make you my example to all those who defy the The Dark Lord." Harry began to feel light-headed as Voldemort sent the Imperius Curse upon him. Follow me, Harry, and I shall spare your life. Follow me and have power beyond anything that you could ever imagine. Follow me and the lives of your friends need not be sacrifice. Just bow to me and call upon me, your new Lord.....NO! Harry fought hard against the imperius curse. My friends are counting on me!...No? Do you still defy me? Do you wish for your friends to continue to suffer because of your choices?...NO! Leave them alone. It's me you want, just leave them alone! Suddenly Harry was back to his senses, he watched as all five of his friends (minus Hermione who was still unconscious) fall to the ground as they were hit with the Cruciatus curse at the same time. Their screams echoed painfully in his head.

"NO! STUPIFY!" Harry cried out. Voldemort released his grip on his friends to block the curse Harry sent his way.

"My, my, aren't we a wee bit upset..." Voldemort antagonized Harry. They continued throwing curses at one another, Voldemort usually getting the better of Harry.

Harry grew tired and his muscles ached from dodging curses thrown at him. Voldemort seemed to have endless energy and his ancient dark magic drained Harry quickly. Suddenly a voice echoed through Harry's mind. Fight him Harry, help is on the way!...Tally? Just keep fighting him, we will always be with you, just keep fighting!...I can't....Just believe. Suddenly as that voice had entered, a new one spoke, though this one belong to a man considered to be dead, Harry, I know you have the power, you just have to believe!...Sirius? Sirius, is that you? Have you come back?...I'm always with you Harry, I told you that. Just find your power. Find the power to vanguish the Dark Lord....I can't, I'm not strong enough...Find your reason, Harry. I believe in you...

A warmth settled over Harry and knew found strength entered him. He knew his power was love. An emotion Voldemort had never felt. Harry turned all thoughts onto his friends and family. He concentrated hard and faced Voldemort. Their eyes linked and Voldemort laughed.

"You still trying to fight me, Potter? Haven't you-" The smile was gone from his face as he entered Harry's mind and saw and felt the love that Harry had always had when he entered the Wizarding world. Pain overcame Voldemort's face and he groaned as he doubled-over. Harry's mind was weakening, but he continued to think of nothing else but the loved he felt from his friends and mainly from Sirius.

Fear briefly crossed Voldemort's face and he disapparated from sight. Shortly after his departure, the Death Eaters moved quickly to Harry only to be stopped by the presence of Albus Dumbledore. Many began to panic and swiftly apparated away like their master. Dumbledore turned to Harry and quickly took him to his friends. Once they had reached them, he picked up a log from the ground and tapped it with his wand, whispering 'Portus'. They each quickly grapped ahold of the portkey and felt the familiar nausiating pull around his naval. A few moments later, the seven of them landed hard on the floor of Dumbledore's office.

Harry picked himself off the floor with difficulty as both Blaise and Ginny had landed on top of him. Hermione, now awake, got up shakenly with the help of Ron and Tally. Neville lay beneath Harry.

"What do we do now?" Ginny asked.

"Make a run for it" Ron joked. Harry and Blaise laughed, while the girls groaned. Neville was still sitting on the floor, his face pale.

"Alright there, Neville?" Harry asked. Neville looked up and nodded uncertainly at Harry.

"Yeah, just a little shocked I guess." Harry nodded and helped him to his feet. He then made his way over to the door and turned the knob unsuccessfully.

"Looks like we're locked in. I guess Dumbledore didn't want to give us the chance to run."

"I should have known that you would be the one to cause all of this rucus." Harry looked up to see Phenias looking smugly down at them. All the other portraits were awake and looking curiously at them. Harry shot him a dirty look and ignored him completely.

"Hermione, are you alright?"

"Yes, just a little sore." They sat around making small talk or just sitting silently waiting for the adults to return. Slowly the day waned down and the night fell upon them. Harry was standing by the window, watching the students who were still outside. The door to the office opened and Dumbledore, McGonagall, Adams, Snape, and Lupin walked in. Everyone remained silent for a moment before Adams stepped forward,

"Tally, I would like to speak with you privately." Tally only looked at him. He moved to her and took ahold of her arm. She glanced over at Harry before being pulled from the room by her brother. Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"I'm saddened to find that you did not listen to what I had told you earlier this evening." He sighed and walked behind his desk. "I know you may all have injuries and I ask you now to go with Remus to the Hospital Wing and allow Madam Pomfrey to look over all of you."

They followed Lupin out of the office and walked quietly down the corridors to the Hospital Wing. Harry kept glancing at him, but Lupin refused to meet his eye. Harry could feel the disappointment oozing from Lupin.

"Remus, I-"

"It does not matter. Just as long as you are alright, I have not failed them." Harry was confused by what Lupin said, but didn't ask any questions. When they arrived, Madam Pomfrey immediately ran over to them and pushed them to a bed.

"I swear, you children will be the death of me. Of all these students in this school, I have never seen the likes of them as often as I've seen the three of you. Of course lately, it has been the seven of you, not including Miss Luvgood." Madam Pomfrey raged as they sat upon one of the beds. Tally was sitting on another one in the far corner of the Wing, arguing with her brother. Their voices filtered to where they were sitting,

"Josh, I am not as weak as you make me out to be!"

"That doesn't matter, you could have been killed. You all could have been killed. Didn't any of you take that into consideration?" Harry's heart filled with dread. He knew he was the reason his friends would be punished for Azkaban.

"YES, OF COURSE WE CONSIDERED THAT!" Tally screamed, her faced twisted in anger. Her brother caught completely off guard by her shout, had involuntarily taken a step back from her. "But none that of mattered, matters. Don't you see? Can't you understand? Harry needed us. He needed me. I will always fight with him, for him, beside him, because of him. You choose which one, I don't care. But I will always fight, even if it's in vain. I at least have to try. We all have to try. Voldemort is our enemy and young as we are or not, we know this war, we feel it everyday, every hour and you can't protect us from that." Tally finshed in a whisper. Though they were still across the room from each other, every word she spoke had reached them. Harry felt his heart fill with warmth at her conviction to fight with him.

"She's right, you know," Ron stated, startling them in the silence, "I don't care how high the stakes are, if you need me, I'll always be there." Harry smiled at Ron. Hermione, though still in pain from the curses she had received, smiled too.

"Thanks." Harry whishpered. He wasn't sure if his voice would work because of all the emotions he was feeling from his friends. Lupin stood and walked over to them.

"Harry, I understand your need to fight. I know that this all must be difficult for you, but you put the lives of your friends in danger and that is something we just cannot accept." Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape walked through the doors. Harry's heart sank at the prospect of another arguement.

"Mr. Potter, I do believe that you understand the severity of what you and your friends have done?" Harry and the others nodded, "I specifically told you that you were to remain here at Hogwarts and you deliberately defied me. All I ask is why?" Dumbledore's eyes were searching Harry's face, as if by simply looking, he could see all of Harry and the reasons behind his choices. Harry looked away from him, but before he could answer, Blaise spoke up,

"Sir, if I might say something," He paused and Dumbledore nodded his head to him, "You can't put all the blame on Harry. We didn't tell him not to go. Well, Hermione did, but no one else. In fact, we wouldn't let him go unless we went with him. We only wanted to make a difference, maybe stop the Death Eaters or prevent them from gaining access to Azkaban. We didn't think about what may or may not have happened, we were only thinking about helping." Snape snorted.

"You only managed to make things worse for yourselves and for the rest of us."

"Like you would know."

"Excuse me?" Snape asked as he looked coldly at Tally, who now stood behind him.

"I don't remember seeing you there. Have a hard time deciding which side to fight for, did you?" Snape growled angrily at her.

"Why you little, insignificant-"

"Tally, what has gotten into you?" Josh interrupted. She merely shrugged and stood beside Harry. She slipped her hand into his and squeezed it reassuringly.

"Mr. Potter, I am well aware that you understand the severity of your actions this afternoon. I have also informed the Headmaster of what I feel is an appropriate punishment and he has agreed. Therefore, we have all decided to remove you as Captain of the Gryffindor Quittach team-"

"WHAT?"

"YOU CAN'T!"

"WHY?"

"PROFESSORS!"

"BUT-" Harry smiled sadly at his friends' anger, but only nodded and accepted his punishment. His anger was at full boil and he was doing everything in his power to keep it in check. Tally had a look between panic and anger, while Hermione looked fearfully between Harry and the Professors.

"Excuse me, but I don't understand why you have to remove Harry from his Captaincy-" Hermione began, but was cut-off by Harry,

"Don't you see Hermione? They want to take everything that I love away from me. They wish to take all of my joy so that I will be a good little boy and listen to everything they tell me. They want to kick me when I'm down and miserable because a happy hero is nothing like one full of angst and wanting for revenge." Shocked filled the faces of his professors. His faith in them had completely dwindled. Madam Pomfrey and Remus stood off to the side looking lost and sad. Harry looked at his friends and saw completely different emotions upon their faces. Tally, though still looking quite angry, looked Harry in the eyes with understanding. Neville, who had remained silent through the whole ordeal nodded his head to him. Ron, Blaise, and Hermione smiled in understanding. Ginny, who looked the angriest of them all, patted Harry's arm in reassurance.

"Harry, that's not what-" McGonagall began.

"It doesn't matter what your real intentions are, I will always feel that you keeping secrets from me or taking away everything that I have ever enjoyed, not treating me with the respect that I deserve, is merely to keep me in the palm of your hands." Harry spat out angrily.

"It's for your own protection, Harry." Lupin said quietly, "We are only trying to keep you safe."

"When will everyone finally realize that you can't protect me from Voldemort? I will never be safe from him. He marked me as his equal, not the other way around. If I had the chance to live a normal life, to be free from all this, don't you think I would take it? But that was never an option for me and it never will be as long as Voldemort is still alive! Someday he will find a way to me and we will fight. No doubt in my mind that that will be within the next couple of years, when he knows that I am still young and vulnerable. And when that day comes, I will have to fight him, no matter how hard you try to protect me. That day will come." Harry stated matter-of-factly, surprised by how easy his acceptance of the whole prospect of fighting had finally come to him. He was the Boy-Who-Lived, destined to either die to save a world that has only knocked him down and around or kill the man who started it all.

A/N:

Ok guys, I'm done with the battle scene, how'd I do?

One more chapter and this story will be finished. I'll get started on the sequel right away, though, so don't worry.

dbzdragonlanceman: First of all, your name is really hard to spell out...But thanks for the review, I really do love to get them!

Jimmy: Up until a week ago I didn't even know what Mary-sue meant, lol. However, now that I do, I don't really see Tally as being a Mary-sue. Her past is there to make her more of an equal to Harry, someone he can trust and relate to. She's no more tragic than I would say Neville is who grew-up without his parents because they were tortured by Death Eaters too. Plus, I see her as a strong female, but her heart makes her vulnerable. As for the Feeler thing, it's a rare gift to have, but not uncommon. I even have it that Pomfrey is a Feeler to show that those who do have the gift, use it to their advantage. Um...I think that's all. If I do stray away from what I'm intending with her, I trust you to point it out and set me back on track. Thanks for the review!

Indigo Feline: Yay, you reviewed again! Thanks for enjoying this.

Flameofshadows: Thanks for the review! I always wish for more reviews, but I can't force them out of people. lol. As for the heart, I'm not really sure if I want it to be healed or not. I guess we'll both have to wait and see how the sequel goes.

The next chapter should be up sometime by next week.