Chapter Two

Simply Deadly

Smoke from hundreds of potted curse marks upon the ground filled his nostrils. The screams of wounded and dying from both sides pounded in his head and, a threat of nightmarish cold dread filled his heart as he looked into those cold red orbs across from him. It had finally come down to this, the prophecy had to be fulfilled one way or another.

"Harry Potter." Whispered Voldemort

"Tom." Said Harry simply

Lord Voldemort's face scrunched into a grimace, if you could call it that, the tightly drawn grayish skin left little room for facial expressions.

"It would be wise not to anger me Harry Potter, I can make this very painful for you."

"No more so than you already have Tom, you can't inflict pain where it's no longer felt." Said Harry as he twirled his wand in his left hand.

Voldemort eyes bored into Harry's and he felt the disgusting thing push against the barrier in his mind. " I see Dumbledore has been teaching you to protect your mind, I had wondered were you had been all these months."

It was true that the Headmaster had worked endlessly with Harry to protect his mind against intrusion, but it wasn't entirely the reason for Harry's release from Voldemort's attacks.

" You might say Tom, that I've come into my own over the last few years."

Voldemort smiled. " A duel then Potter, think you can manage against my Power!" he raised his wand to the ready, and Harry mirrored his stance with is own.

The fight continued around them, curse light and hexes filled the air, but for this one brief moment in the Great Battle of Hogwarts, time seemed to stop.

"Crucio." Cried Voldemort

Harry wordlessly batted the curse away with the flick of his wand "You'll have to get trickier then that Tom."

Voldemort gave a cry and brought his wand across his body in a slashing motion sending a purple flame at Harry, who stepped to the side and sent a severing charm back at his attacker. Voldemort conjured a protégo shield, which sent the curse careening off into the night sky.

"Quick Potter, very Quick." Said Voldemort

"Are you going to quit playing with me now Tom?" asked Harry quietly

Voldemort narrowed his eyes, but a smile crept across his snake like features. "As you wish, Harry."

…………………………………………………….

"Harry? Harry! Are you listening?"

Harry shook his head breaking his thoughts. His best friend Hermione Granger gave him a sympathetic look and turned her attention back to the Headmaster who was giving his end of year speech.

"…and I would like to congratulate you all on your combined and commendable efforts in what has been a trying time for us all. As I look over all your young faces my heart soars with a hope for better times ahead." Smiling the Headmaster clapped his hands together. "Now tuck in!"

A cheer rose up from the tables on every side of Harry, as numerous dishes appeared from nowhere.

Ron Weasley, Harry's other best friend gave a cry of his own from across the table, and attacked a Sheppard's pie fiercely.

Harry looked around the Hall. It was strange to have come to the end of his time here. It seemed like only a few moments had passed since he had just been sorted into Gryffindor, and was being welcomed by Percy Weasley at his first year feast. Percy, Harry thought, had been a good friend. Yes only a few moments, but a lifetime of experiences.

"Are you alright, Harry?" Said a voice quietly next to him.

"Yeah, Gin, I'm fine." Ginny Weasley, gave him a sidelong glance that clearly said she didn't believe him, but went back to eating all the same.

Little Ginny Weasley, Harry chuckled to himself. Sometimes, Harry had found that others knew what was best for him, more so then he did. Ginny, the girl he had watched his first time on the Hogwarts express, run after the train crying. Ginny was the girl who had sent him the most embarrassing valentine of his life his second year. The girl he had saved from Tom Riddle's diary that same year, creating a bond between them, which somehow grew stronger every year after without him noticing.

While Ron and Hermione were still the best friends a wizard could ask for, it was Ginny he knew, that had saved him.

After Sirius had died in his fifth year, Harry had withdrawn into himself even more. He tried everything he could to distance himself from them, not answering letters they sent him and the like. He even refused to go to Grimauld Place that summer when he was given permission. He was drowning in depression for weeks, hating himself for being stupid, hating Dumbledore for not telling him things, and hating Sirius for dying.

But the youngest Weasley would have none of that.

One morning she had shown up at the Dursley's doorstep, much to their dismay, and simply announced "Hi I'm Ginny Weasley and I'm here to kill Harry Potter". What followed was an explosive row, with many threats, a couple of tears, and Harry earning a grudging respect for Ginny Weasley.

Harry watched her now, as she ate and chatted animatedly with Neville. He liked watching her like this when he knew she didn't know. How funny it had taken him so long to notice her. She was beautiful. He knew every part of her face so well now, he couldn't remember a time that he hadn't, well actually he could. It had been the moment he realized he wanted to know every part of her that was the turning point…

…………………………………………………………….

Harry entered the Great Hall, rubbing the sleep away from his eyes. Dumbledore had kept him up to midnight running through Occlumency exercises. He was making progress; he just wished that he could make it at an earlier hour.

He took his seat at the table and grabbed a piece of toast mindlessly and started buttering it. He heard a snigger from across the table and looked up into Ginny's mischievous eyes, smiling at him from behind her hand.

"Tired this morning Harry?" she said

"No." he said groggily as he closed his eyes "well… maybe a bit."

"I can tell."

Harry opened his eyes, and looked up at her. "Why's that?"

"Because." She said laughing, " I just watched you try to spread salt on your toast."

Harry looked down at his piece of toast that now had a thin layer of white on it. He put it down on his plate and sighed. " I wasn't that hungry anyway."

"Do you need me to do it for you, the way mum use to do ours when we were little, I'll even do the old …open wide little Harry and let the broom fly in, there's a good lad." She made a flying motion with her hand.

"Shut it you."

Ginny threw back her head and laughed. "Well I'm off to charms, see you later sleepy head." She got up and swung her bag over her shoulder. "Oh and the odd couple said they'd meet you at class, something about prefect duties, I personally think they went off to snog somewhere. See ya later." Harry laughed as she left; the odd couple was Ron and Hermione apparently.

Harry grabbed another piece of toast as she walked away, this time meticulously aiming for the butter with his knife.

Someone gave a low whistle a little ways down the table.

"See Dean, number one on my list."

"Yeah, I've got her at number three, buts that's only 'cause of the danger involved."

Harry took a bite of his toast trying to tune out the conversation, but something attracted him to this one.

"I know, Weasley would kill either of us, but I can't help it, she's gorgeous!"

"What are you two talking about?" Said Harry

Seamus eyed him for a moment. "Well." He said, " You know that Halloween ball they've announced."

Harry nodded, he had heard the announcement at dinner the previous evening, but really, another ball, he was just getting over the scarring from the last one.

" Dean and I have decided that the easiest way to narrow down the prospects is to compile a list, and rank them accordingly."

"Rank them according to what?"

" You know, looks, personality, that sort of thing. That way we just cross off the ones that don't suit us or aren't available."

" So who were you talking about just now?"

Dean and Seamus shared a look. "Come on Potter, surely you know." Said Dean.

"Know what." Asked Harry.

"Ginny." Said Seamus. " She's pretty much tops out of the Gryffindor lot, maybe for the school." Dean nodded his agreement.

"Er…" said Harry

" I mean, look at her hair, all red and wavy. Her skin is like white china." Seamus' eyes had glazed over slightly

"Not to mention her OTHER qualities." Said Dean sharing another look with Seamus, which both made them break into chuckles.

Harry suddenly didn't like these two very much; in fact his hand seemed to be twitching toward his wand in rhythm with the pounding in his head. They couldn't possible mean…. Ginny, Ginny Weasley, his good friend, who had laughed with him and cried with him when it counted. Ginny who until about a year ago had blushed at the mention of his name? She was Ron's little Sister for god sakes. Just a little…. Something seemed to break in his mind; it was like a wave of memories over the last few months, and then going back over the years. She really wasn't all that little, in fact she was just over a year younger then he was. She was in fact a young woman now.

Harry's head gave a peculiar throb of pain, and then he stood up.

Turning to Dean and Seamus as he walked passed them "You'll have to take Ginny off the list mates."

Seamus made an indignant sound.

"Why's that?" asked Dean

" She doesn't meet your criteria." And with that he stormed out of the Great Hall.

…………………………………………..

Harry rolled his eyes at the memory. He must have sounded like a pompous git when he had told them that, but really, no more so then they sounded talking about their list. He had stormed out of the Great Hall, and ran up three flights of stairs to catch Ginny on the way to charms.

That conversation could have gone better he supposed. In fact it could have gone a lot better. Apparently Ginny didn't like being told in no uncertain terms that she had to go to the ball with him simply because- No one else will be making any list about your OTHER qualities but ME! Yes, very smooth Potter. It was no wonder Ginny had gotten so hacked off at him; she flat refused to accompany him.

But as the ball approached, it appeared that Ginny had refused to go with anyone else either, and they spent Halloween night having a quiet, but interesting conversation in the Gryffindor Common room.

And the rest as they say is history….

Neville Longbottom took a deep breath and looked around at all of his friends, there were loads of them he was happy to say. When he had begun his time here at Hogwarts, he had been a shy, and perpetually unconfident boy. He hadn't really excelled in anything; he didn't know anyone and had no expectations of making many friends. That had changed over time; he had made tentative friendships with his dorm mates, which had grown stronger with every year. Yet, it wasn't until the end of his fifth year that he had felt he truly belonged with a group of people.

That year he had follow the trio on one of their notorious adventures, though afterwards he had realize how incredibly stupid it had been to go along, but he was glad. Down there, in the depths of the Department of Mysteries, he had found his strength and his desire to fight the evil that had shaped his life and the life of his friends. He had stood face to face with his parents' tormenters, even receiving the Cruciatus from Bellatrix, but he had fought. He thanked Merlin for that chance and the many that followed to prove his worth as a Wizard.

"So Neville, what do you plan to do now that you've graduated?" said Ginny next to him.

"Oh, well, Professor Sprout has asked me to come on next year as apprentice, I figured it couldn't hurt, Herbology is all I'm really good at, so…."

"Nonsense Neville." Said Ginny. " You can do loads of things, and don't say you can't."

" Well, really I was quite pleased, I mean maybe someday I'll be able to teach, I think I would like that."

Ginny smiled at him, and Neville, who had always had a soft spot for Ginny Weasley smiled back. It wasn't that Neville fancied her or anything; it was just that Ginny had always had a kind word for him, even when no one else had.

Someone cleared their throat behind them, and Neville looked up into the stern but kindly face of Deputy Headmistress McGonagall.

"Miss Weasley, would you be so kind as follow Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley to my office, we must discuss the Security for tomorrow's train ride." As McGonagall swept away, Neville saw Ginny make a face at her.

"Bloody Prefect Duties, I swear I think Fred and George had it right, it's all rubbish." She gave Neville a wane smile and then turned to Harry; she whispered something in his ear and then with a peck on his cheek followed Ron and Hermione out of the Hall.
Neville watched the other house prefects leave their tables and follow their respective heads of house to discuss security for the following day. Despite the fall of You Know Who, there was still danger, and many of his friends had the responsibility to protect the other students. Really, Neville knew, they all shared that responsibility.

Harry, who wasn't a prefect like himself, and who looked quite pleased about it, turned to him.

"Alright there Neville?"

"Yeah, just a little down I 'spose, can't believe the next time I'm here, I'll be part of the faculty."

Harry smiled at him, but his smile change to a grimace as something caught his eye behind him.

"What do you want?" Harry said

Neville turned in his seat and saw Draco Malfoy standing quietly behind him. He balanced from one foot to the other, as if deciding what to say.

"Well, I… I just wanted to have a word, you know, before we left for good." Said Draco in a small voice.

" Well say it then."

Neville saw Draco glance over to him. Harry seeing this said, "You can say whatever you have to in front of Neville."

Neville looked up at Malfoy and gave him a glare of his own. He saw the Slytherin swallow nervously.

"May I sit?"

Harry gave him a hard look and then motioned to the seat next to him. Neville thought how strange this would have been a year or more ago, but after all that had gone on, it wasn't all that hard to imagine.

Much to everyone's surprise, Malfoy hadn't been found out to be a Death Eater along with many of the upper classmen in his house. In fact there were rumors that Snape had personally vouched for his innocence to the ministry, which while it pained Neville enormously, held quite a bit of weight. The headmaster had proclaimed Snape a Hero in the aftermath of You Know Who's fall from power, for his valiant and dangerous task as a spy for the order. Snape was the only member of the order that had insight into who was actually in Voldemort's ranks, and he swore that Draco held no blame.

People in Gryffindor, like Harry and Neville, still had reason to dislike the boy; six years of animosity between them was hard to forget after all, but perhaps a little forgiveness might be managed.

"Well." Said Harry sharply.

" I just wanted you to know that I…I don't want to fight with you anymore Potter." Said Draco staring down at a goblet that he was rolling in his hands. "I didn't want to leave here without telling you that."

Harry simply nodded and waited for him to continue.

"I know that we've had our differences"

Harry snorted

Draco looked up at him. "Yeah I guess that doesn't really cover it, but I just thought you should know, I'm not my father. When I was younger he tried to teach me to be strong, like he thought he was, but as I got older and with the help of Professor Snape, I realized that being strong may have a very different meaning then what I was taught." Draco screwed up his face in thought. " And I know that my actions in the past have shown differently, but really, I'm very jealous of your strength, your conviction I guess. You've always known where you stand in the world, and I guess, I'm just finding out now, its all a bit confusing really."

Harry's expression softened a bit. Neville wasn't sure what he thought; it was so un-Malfoy to admit a wrong; hearing it first hand was a bit disconcerting.

Harry sat quietly a moment, and Draco stood to leave.

"Wait." Said Harry, before Draco got his leg over the bench.

Harry sighed greatly and then raised a hand to pull Draco back into his seat.

"Your wrong about me Draco. I've never felt comfortable with myself. In fact before I came here to Hogwarts I never really knew who or what I was. I was always told by my relatives I was a freak or something." Harry turned and caught Draco's eye. " I probably know just how you feel right now."

Draco nodded his head staring down into his pumkin juice.

"Attention, Attention Please." Professor Dumbledore had stood from his place behind the head table. "At this time I think it would be best if we retire for the evening. I would like to remind you that the Hogwarts Express will be leaving Hogsmeade station at eleven am precisely, so make sure you have collected the majority of your items this evening. For those of you who will not be returning, thank you for making a most enjoy time of the last seven years and to those of you that are we will see you in September. Good Evening." Dumbledore took his seat again and watched the students in the hall start rising from their seats to return to their common rooms. There was only so much room the double doors could manage and the students as usual became backed up as if in a bottleneck.

Neville turned back to the conversation with Draco to find him standing to leave.

"Well thanks for the chat Potter." He stuck out his hand to Harry, just as he had nearly seven years before.

Harry looked at the hand for a moment and then with only a slight frown, took it in his own. "Stay out of trouble Draco." He said seriously.

" I will." Malfoy said and walked away.

Harry scooted over to occupy the seat next to Neville.

"Er…that was different." Neville said.

"Yeah, didn't know the git had it in him."

Harry brought his goblet up to his lips and took a drink, taking a look at the still crowded doors. "What do you reckon Neville." He said after he swallowed. "Think we'll make it out on our own."

Neville nodded. "Nothing can stop us I guess. So what'll the Boy Who Lived be doing this time next year."

Harry smacked him on the arm. " You know I hate that stuff."

Neville smiled cheekily at him.
Harry looked around and then leaned closer. "Want to know a secret?"

"What's that?" said Neville leaning closer.

"You can't tell anyone, 'specially Ginny."

"Ok, what's up." Said Neville leaning closer.

"You my friend." Said Harry. " Are looking at the next Defence Against The Dark Arts Professor."

"NO!" shouted Neville as he forgot himself, but had the decency to feel abashed when Harry gave him a look.

"Wow Harry, that's fantastic. Hey I'll be here next year too. I won't have to eat alone, I can't very well share my meals with Snape can I."

"No we can't have that. But seriously, keep this quiet. Ginny was really worried about us being apart next year, that's why I jumped at it when Dumbledore offered."

"But Harry you'll be her teacher, you can't very well get caught snogging your student."

Harry gave him an offended look. "Neville, I thought you knew me." Then he smiled devilishly. "At least enough to know that I'm too smart to get caught."

Neville chuckled. "Well I think it's great anyway, just fantastic."

"Yeah." Said Harry. He looked over at the door. "Looks like were it mate, time to head to bed."

Harry stood up from the table and drained the rest of the pumpkin juice from his goblet.

Neville follow suit and made to stand.

Harry had taken one step towards the door with Neville right behind him, when he staggered drunkenly and collapsed on the floor.

"HARRY!"

Neville reached down and turned him over.

Harry's eyes had rolled back in his head as if he were having a fit.

"Harry, can you hear me, Harry!" Neville turned to the head table and saw Dumbledore standing to leave also. "Professor, help me, its Harry."

A few straggling students had turned from the exit at the sound of Neville's voice and were hurriedly coming at his call.

"Students! Stay back." Came Dumbledore's voice from across the hall as he hurried over to Harry and Neville.

Rough hands grabbed at Neville's collar as he turned back. It was Harry, his eyes were wide with fright, and he seemed to be trembling as if under a great weight.
"What is it Harry! What's wrong?"

"Neville." He rasped out.

"What Harry! What is it?"

Harry pulled him closer, only inches away from his reddening face.

"Neville." He whispered again as his eyes rolled back in his head. His trembling increased as his body gave a massive convulsion and with what seemed a Herculean effort he whispered, "Run!"

A split second later his body wracked itself again and as Neville looked on with horror at Harry's tortured face; a blinding light filled his vision and Neville Longbottm, seventh year Gryffindor, was no more.