A/N: sniff The weather is killing me. I'm having a cold right how. But I'm still writing. Bored at home...Thank you to all my reviewers. I think I'm starting to have a certain contagious thing called 'writer's block', so as many ideas as possible. I'm not saying that I'm going to use them, but it might help in some ways.

Disclaimer: Why do I have to say this every time? lawyer's voice because you will get sued by J.K. Rowling if you don't.

Chapter Six

"Would you talk to me?" asked Ginny quietly.

"There's nothing to say," said Harry. "It's all behind me."

"It's been killing me," said Ginny.

Harry almost stopped, but didn't. "Then why are you alive?" He asked, coldly.

"Do I look alive, Harry?" asked Ginny. "Do I really look the same now as two years ago? If I do, then you haven't looked at me long enough to know."

"I don't care," said Harry. "Just go away and leave me alone."

"What makes you think I will?" asked Ginny, threateningly. "My family was dragged into this mess. What do you say?"

Harry scowled. "I have nothing to do with your family anymore. I broke that bond when you sent me to prison." They were walking on a narrow road in Hogsmeade. The dim candlelights were flickering inside the shops that they walked by. "Everything was broken on that day. It's hard to pick up the shatter pieces without knowing where it goes."

"Harry, I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't give me the last two years of my life back," hissed Harry. "Sorry doesn't make me forget the fact that you betrayed me. There's nothing more to talk about."

Ginny felt hot tears sliding down her cheeks. "Please, Harry. Can't I just talk to you without you lashing out?"

"No," said Harry. "Because I don't trust you."

"I know Azkaban was terrible, but will you please let me help."

Harry laughed. "You're an Auror, what's there to help?" Ginny bit her lip. She pulled out her wand and waved it. A blue folder landed in her hands.

"Do you want to know what you wrote on your application to be an Auror?" asked Ginny.

Harry turned to her. "Where did you get that?"

"Tim Vanes gave it to me," said Ginny.

"Why would he do that?"

Ginny frowned. "You know him?"

"He sent me a letter, telling me that I was accepted." For the first time since they met, Ginny heard some softness in Harry's cold voice. They warmed up, only for a mere second. "I was prepared. I was ready. I read every book on it over the summer. My training would've started in November. But..." Ginny heard the coldness coming back into his voice. "But...but I failed," he spat. "And that's all I'm going to say. Leave me alone, Ginerva."

Harry jerked his head off his pillow. He felt sweat trickled down the back of his neck and to the side of his head. His hair was damped. He shook his head. 'Nothing, it means nothing.' He thought. He climbed out of bed and went out to the hall. He walked around the empty house. His footsteps echoed through the hallways. He lit a candle and walked into the library. All four walls of the library were covered with books, ranging from a thousand years old to a year old. He put the candle to the spine of the book to see the titles. He pulled out a book and went over to the chair. He opened it and began reading. Apollo flew delicately over and perched on the arm of the chair.

Can't sleep?

"No," muttered Harry, his eyes still on the book.

I don't understand how you can read when you're half drunk.

"As you can see," growled Harry. "I'm not drunk."

Not anymore that is, because you took that Purifying Potion. It won't pass the hangover.

"Oh, who are you, my Mum?" asked Harry, coldly.

You're as stubborn as your guardians. What are you reading?

"About some ancient spells," said Harry. "Voldemort is thinking of attacking London."

You're thinking of coming out at last?

"I'm just waiting."

For?

"The moment." Harry glanced up at Apollo to see the silver phoenix tilting his head to one side. "I want the truth to come out, that's all."

So that's what the waiting is about. It's better to let Voldemort explain everything and not you. Harry nodded.

"Correct. But it's all my plan."

And Severus Snape said you couldn't plan things.

"That's because he's educated under the voice of himself." The phoenix chirped.

That's nice of you to give him such compliment. What spells are you going to use?

"I don't know yet. It's hard to choose if you want to use a torture spell or a simple death spell or just a purifier. But then scratch the purifier since he can't be purified. I think I could use a torture charm."

Merlin will be after you. And how did you know about Voldemort.

"I hear things." He closed the book and set it on the table. "Good night, Apollo."

Back to being drunk?

"No. Just preparing for tomorrow." Harry stood up. Apollo knew better than to ask questions. He knew how and where Harry got all of his information from. Harry walked out of the library and Apollo flew out.

The Burrow was in chaos that morning. People came in and out of the Weasley household, Aurors, Order members included. Ginny ran downstairs and grabbed her cloak.

"What are we doing?" She asked Ron.

Ron grabbed his wand. "Front of the Ministry. Voldemort has that place surrounded. We got to go." Fred and George Disapperated as Ron said it. "Dumbledore called everyone there, as quick as possible."

"Does he think that we can win?" asked Ginny.

Ron didn't say anything. "We'll try our best. But who knows what can happen. You ready?"

Ginny nodded. "Yeah." They Disapperated.

Dumbledore stood facing Voldemort. The scarlet pupils glowed with satisfaction as it saw how the number of its enemy was weakening. There was barely any hope left in the blue eyes of the old headmaster. From the corner of his eyes, he saw the number of witches and wizards that were injured or died. No, there wasn't barely any hope, there was no hope. Unless...but no. The old headmaster hung his head guiltily. He knew the sentence was wrong. He knew the guilt would torture him. It was his fault. Yes, it was. The old headmaster stared back at the scarlet pupils. It sneered at him. It knows his thoughts and his guilt.

"Professor," a voice made the headmaster turned his gaze away from the eyes of Voldemort. "What do we do now?" Ginny asked. Dumbledore sighed.

"What is there to do besides buy time."

Ron glared. "Buy time? Are you saying we can't defeat him?"

"With this number of people, yes, but against his power, no," said Dumbledore. Ron was clearly confused and it was written all over his face. Ginny stared around. Tonks was leaning against the wall with an injury and Hestia was helping her. Most of the Ministry's Aurors were standing on the side, their wand clenched in their hands. Her brothers were standing beside Dumbledore, watching the Death Eaters' every move.

"Let's get this over with!" cried a Death Eater. Voldemort laughed.

"Patience," he said, icily. "You are defenseless, Dumbledore. You have no savior to save you now."

"What do you mean we have no savior?" asked Ron, loudly.

The Death Eaters and Voldemort laughed. Voldemort stepped forward. The Aurors' wand went up, but no one shot a spell. "Weak," drawled Voldemort. "Your defense is weak and your mind is weak." He drew out some things and threw them on the ground. "It's so easy to plant evidence and frame someone, isn't it? What are you now? Without your savior? Nothing! You people of the Light disgust me. You prize loyalty, bravery, and love beyond everything else, but you can't even find a sense of decency to know the difference between guilt and innocence." Everyone lifted their heads up to look at Voldemort. Their fears ran through them and Voldemort knew it.

"Loyalty...shame. My Nagini is more loyal than you. Loyalty is nothing unless you know how to use it during important measures. For example..." Voldemort sneered, his eyes danced with dark enjoyment. "Harry Potter. Where was the loyalty there? I didn't even think this plan of Wormtail would work out. It's rather a miracle actually. Kill off Remus Lupin and Mundungus Fletcher and frame it on Harry Potter was perfect. I have to admit, I thought it would fail since you prize so much on loyalty, but you fell right in my grasp."

"What are you talking about?" asked Dumbledore, wearily.

Voldemort laughed. "Killing off Fletcher was easy. Lupin was a bit more difficult. He put up a fight, but then don't all of James Potter's friends put up a fight? Well, except Wormtail, who I say, is quite a thinker. The sense of betrayal goes deep, right Wormtail? If everyone is able to turn on Sirius Black because of some evidence, so why can't everyone turn on Harry Potter? All I need was some precious things of Potter's and an insider."

"Who's the insider?" asked Ginny.

"Ginerva Weasley, I don't think your mind can take anymore of it. I can't believe that it wasn't me that got rid of Harry Potter, but his friends."

Everyone gasped. Ginny felt her face heating up. Her hands shook with anger. A hand came on her shoulder. She turned and saw Hermione. Hermione's eyes flickered with hate. Ginny turned back to Voldemort.

"Now, away with that. It doesn't matter much anymore," said Voldemort. He raised his wand. "Escucharius!" A high pitch scream rang through the street. Ginny clasped her ears, but the sound still blared through her hands and into her ears. She looked up and saw everyone covering their ears, screaming along. The high pitch scream stopped and Ginny lowered her hand. "That was fun," laughed Voldemort. "Now, no more fun and games!" The Death Eaters pulled out their wands and began casting spells everywhere. A red beam of light came right past Ginny's ear. She raised her wand.

"Linstari!" A golden rush of light came out and mixed with the other lights. The battle began again. Dumbledore held his head high and watched as the Aurors and his Order ran into the battle, shooting spells and curses. He deflected a spell and cast one to a Death Eater.

"Professor!" Shrieked the voice of Hermione. Dumbledore turned around, only to be hit with a red beam of light. He flew backwards, but before he slams into the wall, an invisible force stopped him and lowered him to the ground. He stood up and stared around. A phoenix flew over his head; its tail was swishing through the air. The clouds pulled together and the sky rumbled as thunder rolled across the sky. The unknown phoenix sang a song and perched itself on the lamppost. It lifted its head into the air, as if to smell the sky. It lowered its head and stared at Dumbledore, through emerald green eyes. Dumbledore gasped. Those eyes were so familiar. Screams rang through the air. Dumbledore turned his attention back to the battle. Life and death flashed before him. He raced into the battlefield.

Ginny ducked, ran, cast, and jumped as she weaved through the spells and the people. She saw Ron and George dueling against a Death Eater. Ginny tripped over a Death Eater's body and fell to the ground. As she stood up a black beam of light came at her. Her body froze. No point in deflecting it, it was flying through the air too quickly. She closed her eyes expecting a hit, but nothing came. She opened her eyes and saw a bright light bursting in front of her, blasting some people off their feet. Ginny stood up. The spells stopped and everyone looked around, confused, including Voldemort. Sitting in the middle of the street was a white Siberian tiger. It sat there, in silence. The green eyes didn't seem to move, but they didn't seemed flustered or anything. They were calm.

"Ron," said Ginny. "What do you think that tiger is doing there?"

Ron frowned. "I don't know. But I don't think Siberian tigers are native to London."

Hermione gasped. "That's not a real tiger. It's an Animagi." Everyone's eyes were on the tiger, expecting it to make a move, but it didn't. A cry of the phoenix made everyone jump. They diverted their eyes to the phoenix that perched on the lamppost. It opened its wings and swoop down to the tiger. It perched on the tiger's head, who shook its head. The phoenix flew off and back to the lamppost.

The white tiger got onto its legs and walked silently toward Voldemort. It stopped and its eyes flashed upon Voldemort. The white tiger glowed and then turned into a tall man, clad in a dark green cloak. His back was at the Order and the Ministry. Ron tried to stand on his toes to see who it was, but that doesn't work.

"Who do you think that is?" asked Ron.

Ginny frowned. An idea came to her head. She turned to Hermione, who has the same expression as her. "Do you think...?"

"Maybe," said Hermione.

Ron looked at them. "What are you too getting at?" Ginny shushed him and turned back to the scene. Ginny saw a look of terror twisted onto Voldemort's face.

"Harry Potter," he hissed. Ginny heard a gasp from Ron and everyone else. "So, you've shown yourself at last."

Harry glared. "I've shown myself to do what I'm destined to do."

Voldemort laughed. "Where will that lead you? Into Azkaban again!"

"You framed me," said Harry, calmly. "I'm not going to let that go by."

"Baby Potter, going back to his friends after being too lonely?" taunted Voldemort. He laughed coldly. With one move, his wand shot into the air. "Infernio!" Harry didn't move. The spell disappeared before it touched Harry. Voldemort's eyes darted to his Death Eaters, who stood by watching.

"Let's see if you're still a hero, Potter," drawled Voldemort. He waved his wand. "Vertiro!" A green beam of light went past Harry. Harry whirled around and saw the spell heading for Ginny Weasley. He put his hand in front of him and muttered a spell. He moved his hand quickly to a Death Eater and the green spell flew at the Death Eater, hitting him on the chest. The Death Eater was thrown backwards into the fall and fell unconscious.

Voldemort sneered. "So, Harry Potter still carries a heart."

Harry glared. "That must mean that I have something you don't."

"Averta!" cried Voldemort. Harry shifted his body to one side.

A smirk came on Harry's lips. "Kirtenia!" A burst of white light came out of Harry and blast against Voldemort's curse. Harry watched as Voldemort staggered.

Voldemort looked at Harry. "Let's make this a real duel, Potter, wand against wand."

Harry smiled mockingly. "Don't tell me you can't do wandless magic."

"But a read duel has wand," laughed Voldemort. "Or you're afraid because they've snapped your wand in half."

Harry cringed. "My wand was from the same core as yours. So if they didn't wouldn't my wand be useless against you?"

Voldemort cackled. "For the reason of the same core, that you've made everything easier."

"Is it because of the same core wands usually can be used to transfer spells from one wand to another?" asked Harry, although he already knew the answer.

"A perfect scheme, don't you think, Potter? That made everything so much easier for us. It became clear to me that it was possible to transfer spells through wands if they have the same core. For this matter, it was possible for me to send Avada Kedavra and Cruciatus to your wand."

Harry nodded. "Since I don't have a wand right now, because it was snapped, it's best for me to get a new one." As if on cue, the golden phoenix flew down and dropped a golden tail feather into Harry's hand. Harry threw the feather into the air and watched as the golden light glowed around the feather. Soon the feather wasn't visible, but something else. The light faded into the center and a wand came down to Harry's right hand.

"This, Voldemort, is wand. It is twelve inches long, containing a tail feather of my phoenix and is made out of the same wood as my old wand, holly. So, let's say that this is the same wand, except for the size and the core. Do you still want to duel?"

Voldemort raised his wand. "This is what it comes to Potter. Incanis!"

Harry raised his wand. "Opherieno!" Spells, curses, and charms flew from both wands. Everyone stared, not knowing where the spell came from or which spell they were using. They stood there, only hoping that they would win.

Harry's wand began to glow. "It's time," said Harry. "Tercerus mancere invules rescendo!" At the tip of Harry's wand a sphere of white light came out. It grew larger and larger, then without warning it burst. Its energy blew everyone off their feet, landing on the ground. However, the sphere was still there. It surrounded Voldemort and ensnared him. He screamed and his shadow disappeared inside the white light. The white light let out another amount of energy, this time only hitting the Death Eaters, who screamed as they were thrown backwards again. The sphere of white disappeared and Voldemort's body stood there.

"He's still alive!" Whispers rose. Ginny watched Harry, but he looked satisfied. To everyone's surprise, Voldemort fell to the ground. The Death Eaters struggled to get up, but they couldn't stand. Harry stepped over to Voldemort and lowered himself to check the Dark Lord. He pulled the hood off to see a normal face, worn out by time. Harry thought the face to be the age of sixty or so. He saw that gray hair was mixed with the dark brown. Harry furrowed his brows as the eyes opened slowly. He was surprised by the eyes that looked at him. It wasn't scarlet, but it was dark blue, dark as the night. There was no terror or hate in the eyes, just fear and weakness. The face was thin, but it looked less snakelike and the nose seemed more normal.

"Just like a normal man," said Harry, quietly.

The lips of Voldemort moved, but no sound came from it. Harry stood up and turned to the Order. He looked from one person to another. His eyes landed on Hermione. "Granger," he called, coldly. "You're a Healer, come here." Hermione felt her heart beating against her chest. She walked slowly forward. Ron grabbed her arm.

"Wait," he said. "You're..."

Hermione looked at him. "Don't worry," she said. She walked over to Harry. She looked at him. Harry nodded to Voldemort.

"What do you think?"

Hermione hesitated. She didn't want to look at Voldemort, afraid of what Harry said about his features were true. She swallowed. She slowly looked down. She gasped. She had expected the snakelike face and the red pupils. However, the face that she saw was very normal. "What?" She asked. She lowered herself down to get a better look. It was true, Voldemort is human. She looked up at Harry, but he avoided her gaze. She looked back at Voldemort.

"I don't know what to do," she admitted. Harry lowered himself back down.

"What do you want, Voldemort?" He asked, sharply.

Voldemort's lips moved. "Riddle," he whispered, hoarsely. "Tom Riddle."

"Then what do you want, Tom Riddle?" asked Harry.

"My old self," said Riddle.

Harry frowned. "As Voldemort?"

Riddle shifted his head. "N-No. As Riddle."

"Well, you got that," said Harry. "Anything else?"

"S-sorry...H-Harry Potter. Forgive..." With that, the dark blue eyes disappeared behind the eyelids. Harry looked at Hermione.

"He's dead," confirmed Hermione.

Harry looked at Tom Riddle. "Did I use a purifier?" The phoenix swooped down.

You released him of the evil, but he still had to die. It was the prophecy. Harry nodded. "Yeah." He turned to the Death Eaters, who were by the wall of the shops. They glared at him, menacingly. He walked by each one of them, figuring out who's who. He stopped in front of a single Death Eater. Rage took over Harry. He pulled the Death Eater up and the hood fell off, revealing the thin face of an aged person. Harry dragged the Death Eater out from the group and threw him to the ground. Harry pointed his wand at the Death Eater.

"Wormtail," he snarled. "It's over."

"Please, Harry, don't...don't," begged Wormtail. Harry glared.

"You betrayed my parents, killed Remus, framed Sirius, and destroyed my life. Why should I not kill you?"

Wormtail whimpered. "It wasn't all me. There-there was an insider." That made Harry remembered what Voldemort had said about an insider.

"Who was the insider?" asked Harry.

Wormtail shook with fear. "Don't kill me."

"I won't, if you tell me who the insider is."

Wormtail mumbled something, but Harry didn't hear it. He requested Wormtail to say it again. "Weasley," was all Harry heard.

"Which one?" asked Harry.

"Percy," mumbled Wormtail. Harry looked up at the crowd. He saw everyone there, of course, except Percy Weasley.

"Where is he?" asked Harry. Wormtail slowly pointed to the group of Death Eaters that were on the ground. Harry frowned at Wormtail. "This is a thank you." He mumbled a spell. Wormtail squirmed, then stopped. He covered his ears.

"No! James I'm sorry! Don't! Remus! Don't hurt me! Sirius! Don't kill me please!" Wormtail's shrieks were heard by everyone. "I had to Lily, don't get mad at me. I had too." He began sobbing. "I'm sorry! Don't hurt me! Stay away from me!" Harry walked over to the Death Eaters as Wormtail continued to scream. Harry walked along the Death Eaters again. He knew what they were thinking, he knew from their aura who they were, without seeing their faces. He spotted a Death Eater, crouching against the wall. He grabbed the Death Eater by the collar and dragged him to Wormtail, who was still screaming. He threw the Death Eater down.

"What made you do it?" asked Harry. The Death Eater didn't answer. Hermione looked closely at the Death Eater. She gasped.

"Percy!" She shrieked. The Weasleys ran out to the center.

"What?" asked George, "Oh, bloody hell!"

Ginny ripped the hood off Percy's head. "How could you?" She asked.

"You're a Death Eater!" cried Ron. "You—I...we trusted you!"

Fred scowled. "I can't believe it! A Weasley—eurgh!"

Bill shook his head in disgust. "What a disgrace!" Charlie stomped his feet to the ground.

"And to think we believed this traitor!"

"Mum will probably faint!" cried Fred. "And to think, you were her favorite!"

"What do you have to say?" asked George.

Percy laughed, coldly. "I don't regret it. For three years, I had power. I felt strong."

"For three years, you've been feasting on darkness," said Harry, out of nowhere. Everyone looked at him, half afraid, and half relieved. "You're going to destroy yourself." Percy sneered.

"Who would've thought? They believed my words against the golden boy, the savior of the wizarding world."

Harry's green eyes flickered. "I'll give you a choice since you're still a Weasley. Do you want to be like Wormtail or like Tom Riddle?"

Percy looked over at his master, who lay dead on the ground. He winced. "I'm not afraid of anything."

Harry smirked. "We'll see about that." He turned himself into a white Siberian tiger. The Weasleys and Hermione jumped out of the way. The tiger walked over to Percy, who stared at it, his eyes filled with terror. The tiger's teeth were razor sharp it's legs were about three times the size of an adult. Percy stared into the sharp green eyes, without blinking. The tiger let out a roar, making Percy twitched and jumped backwards. He continued to stare at the tiger's eyes fearfully. The tiger seemed satisfied. Harry turned back to himself.

"Are you still fearless, Percy?" He asked. Percy didn't say anything. Harry went back to the pack of Death Eaters and pulled out Malfoy and Bellatrix. He threw them down next to Percy and a twitching Wormtail. Harry looked at Ron.

"Give them all Veritaserum to see what they say," said Harry. "Then lock them up in Azkaban. Give them all the Dementor's Kiss except Wormtail. He's already damaged."

Percy's head snapped up as he heard the two words 'Dementor's Kiss'. "N-No," he said. "Please, not that."

"I thought you were fearless," said Harry, taunting. "So would you rather have Wormtail's dilemma?" Percy didn't answer. Harry took that as a yes and muttered a spell. Percy clasped his hand to his ear and screamed.

"No! Don't hurt me! I'm sorry, Mum! I had to! I had to! I'm sorry!"

Harry turned to Ron. "So, again, give them all Veritaserum, give Malfoy and Bellatrix the Dementor's Kiss and send Percy and Wormtail to Azkaban. If you have any problems with it, check it with Tim Vanes."

Ginny looked at Harry. "Do you think you can forgive us?" She asked.
Harry didn't say anything to that subject. As a matter of fact, he didn't seem to hear it. He was staring at Percy, his eyebrows furrowed together. "What's Percy's job again?" He asked.

Hermione looked at everyone and then spoke up. "Assistant to Minister of Magic," she replied, softly.

Harry nodded. "Okay. I'm just curious." He looked up at the phoenix. "Apollo!" He called. The phoenix flew over to Harry. "Go with them." The phoenix nodded and flew over and perched on Ginny's shoulder. Ginny jumped and looked at it, but the phoenix was staring at Harry, with a mock expression. Ginny turned her eyes to Harry, who glared at the phoenix.

"Don't tempt me, Apollo," said Harry, before turning away.

"Harry! Wait!" called Ginny.

"There's nothing to talk about!" Harry yelled back. "And I told you before, Ginerva, leave me alone!" Harry disappeared, without a sound.