Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.
A/N: Warning: Another really, really short chapter. I'll try and post the next one really, really soon to make up for it. The only reason this chapter is so short is because the next events that are going to happen, if I had put them all in this chapter, you'd all be reading until next week. So I've divided the next part up into, like, three different short chapters. Enjoy!
Three chapters left…
Chapter 17: The Prophecy Fulfilled
Harry watched the green light coming towards him as if in slow motion. He had no wand in his hand, as it was now in Voldemort's possession. He knew that there was nothing he could do to defend himself. Ron and Draco's shouts were drowned out by the sound of death rushing towards him, just as it had his parents sixteen years ago.
Suddenly, as if acting on an order, Harry flung his arms straight out in front of him, palms facing the deadly light. A glowing red shield materialized in the air, effectively blocking the path of the curse. The green light hit the shield, and a loud clang, as if from a bell, reverberated throughout the forest. Harry felt the ground tremble with the force of impact, but did not lower his arms. The shield stayed securely in place until the curse was entirely absorbed. The shield disappeared and Harry lowered is arms.
"This has gone on long enough, Tom," Harry said calmly, in a deathly quiet voice. "I'm ending it now."
Voldemort didn't answer, only shot another curse at Harry. Harry sent up his shield again, only this time the spell rebounded and shot straight at Draco. Fortunately, the light missed hitting the blonde by a fraction of an inch, but the invisible ropes binding him to the tree were severed. Draco fell to the ground and sprinted to untie Ron. Harry faced Voldemort again.
"Face it, Tom, you can't win," he said. Voldemort's red eyes narrowed and he scowled.
"I can, and I will, Potter," he snarled. "You will die at my mercy, just like your weak, foolish father and your pathetic Mudblood mother."
Harry's fists clenched. Draco grabbed Ron, who had run forward to help, and hauled him behind the cover of the trees. Ron whirled on him.
"What do you think you're doing? He needs help!"
"I think he's perfectly fine on his own," Draco said, not taking his eyes off of Harry. "Look."
A red glow, the same color as his shield, had appeared around Harry. It began to grow, and the others in the clearing could almost feel the power and anger radiating off the Boy-Who-Lived.
"My parents were a greater witch and wizard than you will ever be," Harry said slowly. "And now, I'm avenging their deaths, and the deaths of all the innocent people you've ever killed. Have fun in purgatory, Tom."
Before Voldemort could reply, a burst of energy exploded from Harry. This one was ten times more powerful than the one that had hit Bellatrix Lestrang, and it seemed to flow from every pore on Harry's body. The blinding scarlet light collided directly with Voldemort's chest. The Dark Lord was lifted off his feet and thrown backwards. He burst into flames, and Harry watched as the body was reduced to nothing but a pile of smoldering ash, the painful screams echoing in his ears.
He had done it. He had killed Voldemort. The prophecy was fulfilled. His destiny was complete.
Those were Harry's last coherent thoughts before the darkness took him under.
