Brightness of a Beloved Eye
Chapter 10: Final Battle
Draco awoke just after dawn and used the portkey to get back to the Manor, although reluctant to leave Hermione. The portkey was quieter than apparation and cleaner than floo.
Draco arrived minutes before his house elf came in to wake him up, on orders from his father.
Draco quickly washed up and met his father's call.
"It is nearly time to begin, Draco."
Draco could barely manage to contain his shock and quickly schooled his features into an indiscernible mask.
"Yes, Father. Where would you like for me to go in preparation?"
"Go into the dungeons. Your group is waiting for you there. We will leave in exactly two hours, 9 o'clock."
Lucius gave some sort of dismissive wave and Draco bowed before backing out of the room. But before he could close the door, Lucius called out one last comment to him.
"Don't disappoint me, boy."
And the door closed with an almost inaudible click.
Draco rushed to his room and called for his owl, Shiloh, in urgency. He hastily scribbled a note to Dumbledore telling of the change in plans then told his owl to take it to him and make sure it was not seen. He told his owl not to come back and to stay at Hogwarts until Draco came for it. The owl seemed to nod its head in reply and flew out of the window, staying low to the ground. Draco seemed pleased with its flying and hastened to the dungeons to prep his group.
Once Draco reached the dungeons, he saw a group of about 30 people in the standard black cloaks.
"Remember what I've told you and what we've practiced. The signal will be a certain death."
There were murmurs of agreement throughout the dungeon and they sat and waited for the battle to come.
…
Dumbledore saw Draco's owl fly in through the window flying with an urgency he'd never seen in the owl before. He saw it held a small piece of paper.
…
The time has changed. It is now.
Nikephoros
…
"Oh my." Dumbledore muttered to himself. He wondered what he should do now and knew in an instant. He quickly headed towards the classes, which were in session and called all the teachers and seventh years into an emergency meeting in the Great Hall.
Everyone wondered what Dumbledore could be in such a fuss about, but under all that talk, they had a suspicion, especially Harry and Ron.
Hermione was called from the Gryffindor common room and joined Harry and Ron at the tables. Snape was nowhere to be found and many Slytherins hadn't come at all.
Hermione arrived and had Harry and Ron go to the common room immediately. Dumbledore already told Hermione and had informed her to recap Harry.
As they rushed off through the hallways, Hermione explained the new situation.
"Harry, the final battle is now. It's changed. Voldemort thought he could surprise us when we were still in class, but we got word from Dr-Nikephoros that it's now. It's now, Harry. Do you understand?"
Hermione stopped abruptly and turned to hug Harry and Ron tightly.
"We have to get ready. They'll be coming soon. You have to remember everything Dr-Nikephoros and I have taught you two. If not, just remember the protection spells and wards. Please, you have to be careful. You're all I have left. You two are my only family left. I-I don't know what I'd do…if I ever lost you. I don't know…"
Hermione started crying silent, heartrending tears.
Harry and Ron looked at each other over Hermione's wavy brown hair and nodded.
"Don't worry. We told you yesterday. Just take care of yourself. We can take care of ourselves. Don't worry."
Harry took Hermione into his embrace and Ron looked on sadly. Harry shrugged lightly and motioned to move ahead, towards the common room.
Ron led the way and Harry carried Hermione into the common room.
"Come on now, Hermione. It'll be alright. We'll be fine. You'll be fine. And Draco will be fine."
She looked up at Ron abruptly, her tears traveling down her face slowly.
"We know about you two. We're ok with it. As long as he never hurts you. And if he does, you know you can always count on us to strangle him and bury his body in a ditch for you."
Hermione gave a small laugh at the suggestion and Harry spoke up.
"Aha! Finally got you to smile. Now, don't worry, and prep us again."
Hermione smiled at the both of them and launched into instructor mode, reviewing all the curses, wards, hexes and jinxes she and Draco taught them. Soon, McGonagall came into the room and announced that Voldemort and his army had been spotted marching up from Hogsmeade.
"It's time."
Harry spoke and looked to Ron and Hermione.
"Time."
Ron agreed.
"I love you both so much!"
Hermione suddenly came out of nowhere with her statement and enveloped them in a hug again.
Harry and Ron rolled their eyes in jest, but hugged her back tightly.
"I love you."
Harry and Ron said to Hermione at the same time.
"Alright, no tears, right?"
Harry asked Hermione as she pulled away slowly.
"No tears anymore."
"Good."
Ron said it, and started walking out of the common room, following McGonagall, not seeing her wipe her eyes with her cloak.
"Come on Harry, you've got a battle to win."
"WE have a battle to win."
Harry pulled Hermione along with him and she followed them out of the common room and to the Great Hall.
In the Great Hall, the seventh years and some sixth years were preparing to enter the battle. Aurors had arrived and were helping the students with last minute pep talks and hexes. Everyone looked up when McGonagall brought Harry, Ron and Hermione and they all cheered. The trio couldn't help but smile at them in encouragement and walked to the front of the room to stand with Dumbledore and the rest of the teachers, minus Snape.
Dumbledore urged the trio to make some sort of speech. Harry bristled and Ron turned red, but Hermione stepped up and you could almost hear everyone groan.
"Very funny…"
Hermione deadpanned and everyone laughed.
"Today's the day. We're all very proud of everyone in here. Especially me. I'd like to talk all day, just so I could keep you all here and prevent you from going outside and confronting our enemies, but I know I can't. All I can do now, is wish everyone luck and… I know we'll win."
Everyone cheered again. For Hermione's short speech and for the encouragement she gave to them.
Dumbledore and Harry led the mass of people out of Hogwarts through the main doors. Voldemort was seen coming up the hill with his hundred or more death eaters behind him, a black mass of a plague. Dumbledore and Harry led the light forces up to the black mass. They stopped a field apart and Voldemort shouted to Harry and Dumbledore.
"Today is the day I finally get to rid of two of my enemies at the same spot. How convenient! I thank you, Harry Potter, for making this so much easier than norm…"
Voldemort didn't get to finish because he was hit with a curse from Harry. The final battle had started at last.
Voldemort stumbled slightly from Harry's reducto curse, but it did nearly nothing to the Dark Lord. He laughed and motioned for his followers to go forward.
Dumbledore signaled the light forces and the Aurors, students and professors moved forward towards the coming death eaters.
Bodies began to fall immediately as they were hit with Avada Kedevra and other forbidden curses. But there were not only losses on the light side, the dark force was falling with just as many, if not more bodies.
Draco was careful to prevent his team from being hit by the light forces. They hadn't dressed up their robes to look any different from the regular death eaters. Occasionally, one of his team would fall to a member or an Auror, but he had to push forward with the rest of them. Finally, he saw his father not five feet away from Voldemort. He aimed a particularly angry Avada Kedevra at him and it hit him square in the back. He never knew what hit him and he fell to the ground, his wand falling from his hands.
Voldemort saw this and whirled furious eye slits on Draco. Draco took off his faceless mask and his black cloak and looked at Voldemort in defiance. His company followed his example and took off their masks and cloaks, revealing red bands on their arms, the representation for the light side.
Voldemort roared and confronted Draco in a loud, angry voice.
"YOU! You were a SPY, Draco? I'm disappointed in you and your father would be too."
"Yeah, well, he's dead. He can't order me around anymore. I control my life now."
"For this betrayal, you will die. You will all die!"
With that said, he lifted his wand to Draco, the words of a horrible curse on his tongue. Nearly finished with the enchantment, Hermione jumped in front of Draco.
…
…
Authoress's Notes: Ah… don't you just love cliffhangers?
Well, I know I don't. But luckily for all of you, the next chapter is finished and will be out in a few days. Just so I can rack up some reviews. ::winkwink:: Just kidding. Although, I DO appreciate reviews.
Well, notes about this chapter. This chapter actually took me a few days to write. I was uncertain on whether or not to stop here. It was originally supposed to be two short chapters, but I decided to just go with one chapter, it'd be better that way.
It seems weird that Harry wouldn't hit Voldemort with a curse when he was talking to Draco, doesn't it? But Harry and Draco wanted the full effect of Draco's betrayal to sink into Voldemort before he died.
Ah, about the red bands, I didn't know what else to put. And I remember that I read it in another fic somewhere. Unfortunately, I don't remember which one it was and neither do I remember the author. I'm so sorry, but I'll give you credit for that right now, whichever one you are. And also to the fact that it was a very nice fic.
I was hesitant to make Hermione cry and be emotional here, because I'm not a very emotional person. But I did, considering that I see her as an emotional person, wearing her heart on her sleeve, although smart enough to protect it from getting hurt. And again, that sibling affection. I can't emphasize enough on that. I love giving her two "older brothers" to look out for her. It's because I have so many of them, and they're great to have, especially when you need some consoling and your real family isn't very comforting sometimes.
Until next time, remember to REVIEW.
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Kristina Chang