Disclaimer- I do not own Harry potter or any other clever sayings that can go up here
Author's Note- I am really sorry that it took me so long to get this chapter out to you. I don't even know if it is that great of one. There is a lot of stress here. I've had a ton of work from school and papers galore (I have a life you know) and Granddad is in the hospital which is causing a lot of tension in my house. It's just a bunch of stuff. I can't complain though, it's just life. Put on a smiley face! I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 17
Dumbledore stared worriedly at the spot where his students had been sitting less than five minutes ago. He didn't flinch or jump when his staff appeared in his office one at a time. Finally, when it seemed as though there was no more room left in the space, he began to address them. His face was grave and the professors listened closely, not wanting to miss a word.
"It appears as though Madame Hooch was correct. The war, as much as we hate to admit, has begun." The professors gasped.
"Oh Albus!" Minerva McGonagall cried, "Does this have to do with the disappearance of Ms. Granger?" Dumbledore solemnly nodded his head. The staff looked around wildly at each other.
"Headmaster," Snape broke the terse silence, "What exactly does Minerva mean by 'Ms. Granger has disappeared?" His peers nodded questioningly.
"Where's 'Erminone 'eadmaster?" Hagrid demanded. The headmaster shook his head sadly.
"I do not know." The women and men in the room gasped in surprise.
"What do you mean you don't know?" Flitwick cried, "You always know."
"I know what happens in my school Professor. It seems that Ms. Granger was taken about two hours ago on her way to Hogsmeade. Harry, Ron, Draco and Millicent rushed to inform me that they thought she was attacked by death eaters." Professor Vector looked startled.
"Hogsmeade is always so crowded! How do you think they kidnapped her? Surely she is in the library or in one of the shops in the town!" Trelawney agreed.
"I predict that she is well. I see- I see - I see death in her future." Snape sighed angrily.
"Of course you see death you imposter! Everyone is going to die." Professor Trelawney looked put out.
"I foresee pain in your—"
"That is quite enough. Professor, there is no need to make predictions right now. We only need to find out where the children are. I think that Hermione was kidnapped with the aid of a disillusionment charm." Professor Vector nodded as she pondered this. Professor Wadley's face became convoluted.
"What do you mean 'children,' Albus? What other children are missing?" The professors around him nodded vigorously, echoing his thoughts.
"Harry, Ron, Draco and Millicent are all missing." All eyes on the renowned headmaster widened.
"How?" was the voiced sentiment coming from all the teacher's lips.
"The four students were in the middle of having a discussion with me when Mr. Malfoy just disappeared."
"How?" Snape exclaimed again. "We know that portkey travel and apparation do not work on Hogwart's grounds."
"I know that, Severus." Dumbledore said quietly. "After Draco vanished, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley departed from my presence. Only Millicent was left and she was looking at her leg…." His eyes widened in realization.
"What, Albus, What?" McGonagall howled.
"Harry was looking at his legs. I believed him to be downcast but, whenever he has come to talk to me about one of his friends, he has kept complete and direct eye contact. Not once in my meetings with him discussing relationships, has he broken it. Today, right as Draco disappeared, he looked at his knee. Mr. Weasley looked over his shoulder. Ms. Bulstrode stared at her leg. I assumed Mr. Weasley felt paranoid and was glancing over his shoulder, Mr. Malfoy had just disappeared. I supposed that Harry and Millicent were downcast! No! I can not believe this just worked out in my mind!"
"What are you talking about Albus? The kids were downcast! Their best friend was taken from them." Madame Pomfrey comforted.
"No! I explained to Hermione a few weeks ago about a special scar she found on her body. The scar was shaped like a star. She was worried about it because, after her husband brushed it with his hand, he passed out. A small scar appeared on his neck. The same occurred to three other people. Mr. Potter and Ms. Bulstrode both had star marks somewhere on their legs. Mr. Weasley had one on his shoulder. Mr. Malfoy, getting the strongest connectional scar, mustn't have had time to feel the sensation before he vanished. Yes! They were called! They are her guardians and were called to help her. She must have felt she was in danger. I understand now!" he glanced at his clock, "Time is passing quickly, we must plan, I have taken much to long to figure out this piece of the puzzle."
"Albus, it has been ten minutes since you called us here. It has been fifteen minutes since the students disappeared. You have figured this out very quickly. You always say worrying won't solve anything. Now, let's get to work!" With a wave of his hand chairs for the professors appeared. Each wizard in the room took a seat and immediately they began planning.
It had only been ten minutes when Severus Snape shot up from his seat. All eyes were on him as he clenched his fists. The headmaster gave him a caring look. "Are you okay, Severus?" he asked delicately. Professor Snape nodded as his fists clenched again.
"Headmaster, I have to go. I'll be back as soon as possible." A few of the professors looked at Snape questioningly.
"Are you okay, Severus?" Sprout asked.
"I have to use the restroom and check with Filch for the student list." She nodded.
"Be safe." Snape's mouth twitched upwards in a small smile.
"I will try." Bidding him farewell, the staff got back to work.
-
"Goodbye." Voldemort said, his voice filled with hatred. He pointed his wand at a Harry who hadn't had time to pull out his own.
Hermione saw him pointing the wand and she saw Harry take a defiant stance. "No!" She screamed, leaping to her feet. The chains around her ankles tightened but allowed her to stand up. Voldemort laughed.
"What are you going to do mudblood? Talk me to death?" His maniacal laugh again filled the room.
"Drink the potion!" Hermione screamed, her body glowing brighter. Her four friends turned to look blankly at her. "Now!" Each student reached into their shirt to yank out the small vial. In the blink of an eye all four had downed the potion and felt a tingling sensation throughout their body.
"A fat lot of good a potion will do for you and your friends, mudblood." He looked at her and bellowed a hex at the students.
"Chain ut Parietis" (Chain to wall) Harry, Ron and Millicent were thrown into the wall with an excruciating force. Hermione braved a glance at them, grimacing at the way they were attached.
Millicent's feet were on the ground but her hands were twisted at awkward angles. Every time she moved it looked as if pain coursed through her body. Ron was to her left and he wasn't moving. His eyes were barely open and his hands were hanging limply above his head. Harry Potter, the great Harry Potter, was lying unresponsively against the wall. His face was pale and his head was hanging. Hermione cringed.
"Stop!" She screamed. Voldemort looked at the resplendent glow coming off of her then sneered, not realizing what the light meant. He turned to Draco and noticed the dull glow on him. He frowned angrily.
"Boy! I will free you. Get with your father now." Draco looked at Hermione, whose eyes were now rolling back in her head, and then looked to the Dark Lord. He took a long deep breath.
"No." Voldemort looked stunned. He didn't notice that Hermione was growing even brighter.
"What are you talking about boy? Do not disobey your master!" Draco frowned.
"I follow no one." Voldemort raised his wand and pointed it at Draco's chest. Draco stood rebelliously in front of the Dark Lord.
"You are following a mudblood." He snorted. "You're following a mudblood over the Dark Lord, Lord Voldemort."
"I have made a commitment. At least 'the mudblood' is not a half-blood leading around a bunch of psycho killers defeating his own people." Tom Riddle roared. The three men in the corner, who had been watching the scene fervently, rushed over. Voldemort aimed his wand at Draco's heart.
Lucius' face paled. His lord, who was now staring Draco in the eyes, was going to kill his son. His eyes broadened helplessly at the realization as he watched his child, his only child, stare insubordinately back. "Enough." The Dark Lord growled. "I have had enough." Hermione's eyes opened again and she focused evenly on Draco who had just turned to look at her. She tilted her brunette head and he nodded.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" The Dark Lord shouted. Lucius leaped from his spot behind him.
"No! Not my son!" He yelled and bounded toward the jet of green light. As if it was in slow motion, Hermione saw the father leaping towards the beam. She knew Draco would live if he got hit by the beam, Lucius would not. She reacted reflexively, and threw a spell, using all her power, at him.
"Subsisto!" She screamed at Lucius. He stopped in mid air and fell to the floor just barely missing the ray. The spell Voldemort had sent slammed into Draco full force and he fell backwards from the sheer force of it. Voldemort cackled and looked to Hermione skeptically.
"You like father and son, eh? It's too bad the son is dead and the father will kill you." Hermione smirked at him, ignoring her fast beating heart.
"He may try." Voldemort held out his wand to her.
"You have pushed my buttons too long you stupid girl." He aimed his wand at her heart, "Heroes in wizarding books play with their prey and then they end up losing. I will kill you and you will never be able to help anyone again. AVADA KEDAVRA!" He shot the beam at Hermione and it hit her square in the chest. He snickered, turning away to face his two still standing followers. Both were staring at her body which was slumped flaccidly against the wall. Voldemort laughed. "No one threatens me." Parkinson and Bulstrode agreed jovially.
Only a moment had passed before Hermione opened her eyes. Her head hurt almost as bad as the time when she fell off her bicycle and had to get stitches. Forcing herself to ignore the pain, Hermione lifted her hands up over her head. Parkinson turned just in time to hear her quiet chant, he inhaled sharply.
"Light, how I need you to bring strength to me
Help me to set the people free
Give me power, don't let it stray
Lead me, direct me, show me the way
Lend me a hand, help me get by
Your power that is of the whole sky
Come to me in this dark time
Envelope me and let me shine
The moon, sun, and stars are in my eyes.
This is the end- where the dark dies!"
"She isn't dead." He breathlessly informed his master. Voldemort growled.
"Of course she is. I just sent the killing curse at her." Desmond pointed to the wall and his master looked to where Hermione was supposed to be. She was staring at him insolently, the dazzling glow coming off her body nearly blinding the men.
"Think again." She told the great wizard. "It takes a little more than a killing curse to exterminate me." Voldemort's surprise was quickly masked with anger.
Voldemort looked at her questioningly. "You really think a stupid chant will help you beat me? I am the dark master, you are a mudblood." Hermione glowered and glowed. As if out of nowhere a pounding was heard on the brick walls.
"I am The Keeper of the Light." Voldemort chuckled.
"Yes, and I am really Dumbledore." He told her sarcastically "AVADA KEDAVRA!" The ray of light shot straight at her and Hermione let it hit her. Her head slammed against the wall. She felt a trickle of blood as she opened her eyes to gaze at the Dark Lord again.
The pounding was getting louder.
"Vigoratus," Hermione said faintly. The wound healed and Voldemort gaped in disbelief. Hermione smirked her husband's smirk and peeked over Tom Riddle's shoulders to get a glimpse of him. He sat with his father by the wall and was currently trying to quietly revive the man. Out of nowhere a loud explosion was heard, shocking everyone in the room. A river of light began to pour into Hermione. Voldemort backed up slowly and yelled the killing curse again. Hermione's head hit the wall but the light still soaked into her body, permeating her skin.
The moment after she was hit with the curse for the third time, a scream resounded throughout the room. Hermione's blank eyes opened and she made a slashing motion with her hands, "Absentis manacles. Haud magis chains. Solvo nos ex crucia." (Away manacles. No more chains. Free us from torture)
Voldemort again gaped as the chains that were supposed to be unbreakable fell from the wall and the students that had been hanging tumbled onto the floor. Hermione was walking towards him, the light still gushing into her. He stood his ground.
"You will die." He told her darkly and pointed his wand.
"And I'll take you down with me." She retorted back. He gave her a fleeting look and then placed an arm on his dark mark. The three men in the room cringed at the familiar pain. Voldemort merely cackled. Hermione noticed her friends were still out cold. She needed them all if she wanted to help Harry take down the Dark Lord, "Recro!" She wailed and Harry, Ron, Millicent and Lucius sat up.
Harry, Ron and Millicent swiftly made it to Hermione's side. Voldemort was still holding down his dark mark. As he released his hold he saw Draco heading over to the group. His mouth dropped open in surprise. "You are dead! I killed you!"
"Guess not." Draco nonchalantly replied. Voldemort became infuriated and was only calmed from his state when groups and groups of deatheaters began to appear.
"Deatheaters!" He called, "Kill them!" And they immediately went after the students.
-
"Headmaster!" Professor Vector screeched from her spot by the window. Albus Dumbledore's alert eyes found hers immediately and he hurried over to her. He gawked at the dark sky.
"It's the afternoon! It's not supposed to be dark!" Professor Sprout told him worriedly. Dumbledore agreed tiredly.
"It's Hermione. She has called to the light." The professors began to talk amongst themselves. Their ears suddenly perked when they heard the grating of the stairs. Severus Snape walked into the room breathing hard.
"I know where they are."
-
"Congelo!" Hermione yelled. The deatheaters closest to her froze in their spots, falling backwards onto the floor. This didn't stop the hexes and curses that were being shot at them.
Millicent leaped in front of a read ray of light and fell to the floor unblinkingly. Hermione watched her friend fall and became enraged. "Salus Contego!" She shouted, crossing her arms above her head. A blue shield fell from the ceiling and surrounded her and her fellow light fighters, the number adding to a mere three.
"We can't hold them off Hermione!" Ron shouted. Hermione, who still had her hands in an X above her head, sighed loudly.
"I know."
"What are we going to do?" He asked frantically. Hermione eyed the room searchingly
"There is no way five kids can hold off 500 grown men and women. Draco and Millicent aren't even on a side." She glanced to look at Millicent and saw the girl was still frozen. "Ron, yell recro. It's like the enervate spell, except dark. It will help Millicent. I can't hold this shield up much longer." Ron nodded, rushing over to Millicent.
"Recro!" He shouted and Millicent blinked. Sitting up slowly she looked around.
"What are we doing?" Hermione shushed her.
"Millicent, if you don't want to fight, then I need you to go get us help." Millicent nodded.
"I can't fight against my family, Hermione. I'm sorry." Hermione gave her a small grin.
"I know you can't. I'm going to take off the shield and cast an apparation spell on you. I have about 5 seconds to do so. Stand up and have your place in mind." She threw down her arms and made a slashing motion. "Evanui." Millicent disappeared.
-
Voldemort cackled in the background as the shield around the boy wonder disappeared. Harry flinched at the noise. It was almost time to fulfill the prophecy. "Hermione!" He shouted watching her send hexes at the deatheaters moving towards her. More and more kept appearing. Harry's breath began coming in quick pants.
"Stay Calm Harry and don't let your guard down!" She shot a spell at a deatheater approaching him from behind. Harry shot a spell towards her too. A shorter death eater was about to hex her. Hermione smiled gratefully. More popping noises were heard throughout the room.
Harry's eyes widened as he saw figures begin to move. He knew he had to beat Voldemort but right now staying alive long enough to do so was his prerogative. He jumped to the left avoiding a light blue beam and then he heard a voice, "Harry, look behind you!" That was Tonks! He thought, relieved, as he spun around.
"And so we meet again Harry Potter."
He was face to face with the Dark Lord
-
Ron glanced around the room in fear. He knew that they couldn't hold the deatheaters off for more than two more minutes, and that was if they were lucky. He began to panic as he dodged a surplus of spells.
"Stay calm Weasley!" A voice shouted from the side. "To your right!" Ron turned quickly and came face to face with Bellatrix Lestrange.
"Crucio!" she screamed and before he had time to react he was hit with pains strong enough to tear him apart. He writhed on the floor for what felt like a lifetime before the spell was abruptly stopped. He sat up as quickly as he could, still in pain, and then he saw them.
Aurors! There were aurors in the room! Ron practically danced with glee. His brief moment of distraction proved to be a mistake. A deatheater who had been watching him threw a hex. Dark purple light sprayed from his wand and Ron fell to the floor.
-
Hermione watched Ron fall to the ground and screeched. Her body glowed brighter than it had before. "Subsisto Alica." She yelled. A ball of light flew across the room and surrounded Ron. Anger coursed through her veins and her glow only brightened.
"Flamma exur" She shouted and the walls of the room lit in flames; bright, dazzling white flames. Hermione's mouth dropped open. The aurors that were entering the room were staring in shock, as were the deatheaters. Shrieks of agony filled the room as the deatheaters nearest the flame began to melt. Aurors near the flame were rushing away from it, it was engulfing everything.
Hermione screamed again as she watched everyone fall from the curses that were spewed. Her head began to spin and she began to slowly collapse.
-
Draco was fighting off deatheaters left and right. The glow that was surrounding his body was making him an easy target. He was just about to send a curse when his attention was taken off the men and women currently hexing him. Ron began to panic he smelled it in the air.
He spun around to face the person whose panic he smelled and he saw the terrified look on Weasley's face. The situation seemed to be finally getting to him. "Stay calm Weasley!" He shouted and he watched as Ron's face relaxed, if only slightly.
Draco shot a stunning hex at Goyle's father before facing Ron again. "To your right!" His Aunt Bellatrix was approaching fast and the murderous look in her eyes startled Draco. It was as he was watching this scene play out that he began to feel an unknown anger build up in his system. He shot a stunning hex at his aunt and then, shooting three more hexes at people coming his way, he faced his wife.
Draco watched her in wonder. He had never seen Hermione hold so much power or house so many emotions. He was staring at her floating body when he felt someone poke his back.
"Father?" He questioned when he saw the platinum blonde hair that was his family's trademark.
"Draco, son, let's get out of here." Lucius told his son. He pulled him closer to the wall. "It is too dangerous, if we stay here we will both die."
"I must stay father if I-" But he was cut off as a ball of light shot past him to engulf Ron. "Father, I- " He trailed off as he felt a jerk throughout his body. "Get away from the wall!" He yanked his father away from the wall as it burst into white flames. Lucius gasped, obviously startled.
"I can not fight for this man any more, Draco. I told him that he could not kill anyone in our family, excluding me. I would have died for this cause, and I still would, but not under his control." Draco nodded.
"I must go father." Lucius Malfoy nodded. "Go, find mother, and get away." Lucius nodded again.
"I am a coward. Your mudblood was right." Draco frowned.
"Goodbye." Lucius pulled out his wand to apparate.
"Just where do you think you're going?" A feminine voice trilled. Lucius stopped. It was his wife's distant family member, the auror, Nymphadora Tonks.
-
Draco grabbed his wife as she slowly collapsed to the floor. "Get up Hermione. You are not giving up this easily. Pansy did not die for you to just give up." Hermione blinked away the tears gathered in her eyes.
"It's too much Draco!" Draco sneered at her.
"Hermione! Now is not the time for this! After we have ended this life or death situation you can cry and kick and scream all you want but right now—" He ducked as a blue spell came flying at him, "you need to hold this together. Don't do this for everyone, do this for yourself."
"I want to so badly Draco, but I just can't. I just can't. My hands are shaking so badly—" She ducked as an orange light whizzed past her ear and then leaned into Draco to avoid a fatal looking green light, "I want to, but I can't"
"That's bullshit Hermione—Stupefy!— I know that if you want to do something you can. Stop pitying yourself, damn it, and do this for your dad. Do it for your mom. Just do it for your fucking self!" He pushed Hermione out of the path of a yellow light. Hermione growled at him.
"Fine! I will do it!" She stormed away from him, stupefying deatheaters and dodging hexes. There wasn't much left right now. So many people were hurt. The battle that had been building for years was coming to an end.
It had been four hours since they had arrived.
-
"And so we meet again Harry Potter." Voldemort sneered condescendingly. Harry gulped and took a deep breath. He pointed his wand at Voldemort.
"I'm not going to let you win."
"It's a shame you're going to lose, then."
"It's a shame that you've never beaten me before." Voldemort growled at Harry's words.
"Don't get to cocky, boy." Harry smirked at his words.
"Avada Kedavra!" He shouted, his wand pointed at Voldemort's heart.
"Protego!" Voldemort blocked.
For hours the two yelled spells back and forth. Harry had been under the crucio multiple times and his body was weakening at a fast pace. Voldemort himself had been hit by several curses shot from aurors watching Harry and the Dark Lord fight, or Harry himself. Both men were tired and weak but neither was ready to give in.
Harry took a deep breath. This is it. He thought This is the end. I can't fight anymore. I can barely stand up. He gathered his energy and yelled with all the power left in him:
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Voldemort was hit.
Harry smiled at his triumph but realized too late that the Dark Lord was not going down easily. Lord Voldemort was staring shakily at Harry, his wand directed towards his heart. "I will not go down alone Harry Potter." He told the boy who was lying on the cold floor. "The curse will kill me but I was so close to being immortal that the spell won't sink in. I have time to kill you." Harry looked up with a smirk, glad he had taken his potion.
"Do your worst."
-
Hermione turned to face Draco. "Where's Harry?" Draco's eyes widened in horror as he looked over the bodies of the dead and injured into the Dark Lord and Harry's fray.
"There." He told her hoarsely. Hermione began to run as she saw Voldemort pick up his wand and aim it at Hermione.
"Harry! No!" Hermione screamed racing towards them. Harry faced Hermione and smiled at her.
"It's okay Minee, I took the potion." He called. Voldemort drew in a last shaky breath. Hermione raced onwards. It hadn't seemed so far!
"NO!" She yelled. Voldemort ignored her.
"Avada Keduvra!" He shouted as loudly as he could.
"No! Harry!" Hermione shrieked leaping closerto Harry. She reached him and shook his shoulders. "Come on Harry. Wake up! You did it. You defeated Voldemort!" Harry's eyes focused onHermione for a mere second and he gave her the tiniest of smiles. Hermioen smiled through tears at him. She hugged him andhe watched her before he felt the spell's final effects andhis world vanished.
A/N- Again, I'm going to say I am really sorry that it took me so so long to update this. To make up for that I made this chapter 11 pages long! That's pretty long! I think one maybe two more chapters to wrap things up and I only got 3 reviews last chapter! What was that about? I like 5 at least. That's a good odd number.
What was up with that ending though?
Oh, my friend Melissa wrote the poem in there. I changed a few words but the thing is basically hers. I do love rhymes!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter because once I got writing it just flew from my fingertips. I'll try to have the next update out soonish.
XO, Kate
REVIEW!