Neither can Live While the Other Survives …
Chapter Five: Inside My Head
Summary: Either must die at the hands of the other, for neither can live while the other survives … the Prophecy is about to be fulfilled …who will die at the other's hand? Can Harry say everything he wants to say before it's too late? Harry must vanquish the Dark Lord, or the Dark Lord will vanquish him …
Disclaimer: I own this plot as no one but JK herself knows how it will end. Oh, there goes an odd coloured carrot embedded inside the ever-approaching iceberg. And a monkey.
Kikiushi: I hope you manage to live with the stress! Lol, here's a little pick me up. Haha.
Mystikalolo: Muhahaha, I am glad you now realise that the Cliffies are now back in action. Love for our beloved hero? Good Lord girl what do you take me for …? Ahem. Yes. Yes there shall be.
SillyGillie: Haha, oh but I can leave it there. That's a privilege of being an author. Ha. Sorry if you're frustrated. Here you go!
SunnyChika: Don't worry; I changed my mind, so a few more chapters yet.
Templa Otmena: Still haven't got your review for the Good New Days! L But no worries. Not your fault honey! Glad you liked my Harry taunting; I love writing evil Voldie. Anyhow. Good luck with the coursework!
Sakura Sayoran: You don't have to wait any longer! Lol, (keep taking the pills.)
Marauder3Moony: Well, to leave it there, I simply stop typing! Lol. But I have resumed now.
A/N: OK I lied. There will be more than one more chapter. I just came up with an ingenious idea. (If I do say so myself.) Sorry this chapter took a while, but a close friend of mine just passed away and I'm swamped with school stuff that I don't really need. Writing is an escape. So here you are.
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Hermione, who was still crouching next to Ron in their protective Bubble, screamed. Mrs Weasley gasped and Mad Eye Moody swore under his breath. The force of the spell drove Harry to his knees, as he tried to stop himself crying out, hitting the floor. The Death Eaters were chuckling softly. Lupin balled his fists and tried to breath deeply, but it was no use. Harry was being tortured, Death Eaters were laughing and they, the Order, the last stand against the Dark Side, were standing doing nothing, waiting for Dumbledore to come back. Lupin knew one thing for sure; this was not going to happen any longer.
The Death Eater to his left, who was laughing louder than the rest, could have been distinguished as Rookwood. Lupin raised his arm and elbowed him in the face, hard. Lupin felt the cartilage crush under his arm as Rookwood went down hard, crying out and holding his nose as it spurted blood. Everyone turned to watch, no one spoke or moved, even Voldemort turned his head.
A cruel smile broke out over his lips, as he said, "Kill him."
No sooner had he uttered these words, the battle continued as though it had never stopped. Two or three people sprang in front of Lupin to deflect the spells from numerous Death Eaters, Hermione smashed the charm as her and Ron hurled themselves into the fray once more, and Ginny sprang like a cat onto the shoulders of another Death Eater, clawing at his eyes as he tried to hex her parents.
It was the moment Harry had been waiting for; with immense effort, remembering everything that Dumbledore had taught him, he concentrated his mind on throwing off the torturous curse, and only that, through hazy stabs of pain, hot and agonizing. Release, release, he thought furiously, though keeping his brain as clear as he could make it. Stop now … stop … Suddenly, Voldemort dropped his wand as though burned by it, and as he stared down, it was coloured not black, but had turned a hissing shade of red, like a red hot poker. Harry got shakily to his feet, feeling for his wand on the floor before rising.
"Mind games now, is it, Harry?" he said jauntily. "Another little trait from your good friend Dumbledore? Well done, very good … but where is he now, then?"
Harry found his wand, curled his fingers around it.
"Where is the man who saved you last time we met? Where is your father, who died fighting to give you a chance? Where is your mother who died saving you?"
Harry said nothing, but his mind was listing all the possible curses he could use to keep Voldemort down before he had to do what he knew was coming eventually … if only Dumbledore would hurry up …
"Or maybe I should ask … where is your dear Godfather? Where is Mr Sirius Black?"
Harry's hands shook.
"Perhaps he is standing behind that veil you so wanted to look at … or perhaps he is looking down on you in despair now, realising that your end has come, like so many of your friends around you now? Or maybe he's rotting somewhere in the –"
"EXPELLIARMUS!" Harry yelled, and as he said it, the wand Voldemort had stowed in his pocket, the other wand which was Harry's wand's brother, the feather which cam from Fawkes, soar away and smash into the opposite wall many metres away. Voldemort was now unarmed.
He chuckled. "Aha! The good old Disarming charm. Worked a treat that night in the graveyard, didn't it?" Voldemort bent down to his searing wand on the floor, and gripped it in his right fingers. Harry distinctly heard the flesh hiss and become scalded by the wand.
"You should know by now, Potter, that pain means nothing to me. I am the most powerful wizard in the world. I will overcome all on this planet, including you –"
"Perhaps you should change your name, you know," said Harry. "You know, to something like, The Taunter. It suits you, 'cos Voldemort's just a bit too big really, the kind of name you'd get on Star Wars, (he laughed softly, trying to ignore the shouts around him) sorry, that's a Muggle show. You're part Muggle, aren't you?"
Voldemort was not smiling. "You jest again, Potter. I wonder if you shall still be jesting when I murder your girl in front of your eyes?" he said, and turned to Ginny.
Ginny turned, upon hearing her name, and was instantly knocked hard in the chest from a giant.
Harry tensed suddenly, and raised his wand. "You will not touch her," he said defiantly. "Or anyone else. I'm the one you want. Why don't you stop wasting my time and just try to kill me like a good evil wizard?"
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Harry knew there was no blocking this curse, now that Voldemort was using a different wand, so he flung himself sideways behind the wreckage of a smouldering cave troll, of which the spell hit, fragmenting loudly so everyone within a few metres radius was showered with troll body parts. Some did not notice, however, the enraging fight was too fierce.
Voldemort laughed, high and cold. "I thought you wanted to end this now, Harry?" he said. "You played this little game last time we fought, do you remember?"
Harry said nothing, but stood up very quickly, shouting, "AMPIPAIN!"
Voldemort, who had not been expecting this, had no time to block it. He was too absorbed in his own supreme knowledge of power, or winning, that he was unprepared for it. He doubled over, not quite driven to his knees, but was in obvious pain. Harry did not wait for him to He doubled over, not quite driven to his knees, but was in obvious pain. Harry did not wait for him to throw off the curse, but instead struck again.
"DESUNDGEO!" Purple light issued from his wand, and struck Voldemort across the face, where an angry white mark was left, like a welt, scorching into his skin. As Harry advanced, fully prepared to cause some more damage until the time came when Dumbledore returned, Voldemort straightened up suddenly, green angry sparks issuing from his wand that knocked Harry back a few metres to his knees. They straightened up simultaneously and stared at each other.
"Well, well, well. A little more skill now, perhaps, Harry?"
Harry smirked. "Modesty is one of my traits."
"A shame it was never one of your fathers." This was a sudden taunt about Harry's father and it caught him off guard. He had been prepared for something like this to occur, however, and managed to compose himself by balling his fists.
"Yes, you might not believe it, but as that abominable traitor Snape may have told you, whom by the way is lying dead over there, your father was rather an egotistical adolescent."
"You can't hurt me with that," said Harry. "I know my father well enough to form my own opinions, thanks."
"Suit yourself," he said … and shot a jet of multi coloured light at Harry.
Harry was hit so hard and so fast, he did not know what at first it was that had struck him. In many of the spells that he had previously fought, there was some substance about them; either pain, or not, or relief … but this one was simply numbing. He couldn't move. He tried to move his legs but they wouldn't respond to what his brain was telling them to do. His arms, also, felt unnaturally heavy. A voice in his head was screaming at him; Move! MOVE! But he couldn't. He was completely defenceless. The worst thing was that nobody had noticed; the fight was becoming more and more ferocious as he chanced glances at the crowd around him. More bodies littered the floor, Death Eaters and children alike.
Harry was beginning to notice something else now, inside his head … there was not only one voice there, not only his own …
Move! Just get up with your legs and move, you moron, he's going to –
– Tell me … tell me the Prophecy, Harry …
Oh, crap.
If you do not tell me, you know what will happen … you know what I shall do if you don't …
I'm not bothered about dying … you should know that by now …
You know that's not the only thing I can do … think about your friends, Harry …
You can't work this curse on me anymore.
Harry blinked and looked up. Voldemort was standing perfectly still, as though in a trance, meditating. Harry tried once again to move himself, to wrench himself free of this curse that he knew he really did not like, but once again, as before, he found himself physically restricted. He found himself being dragged back, against his will, into a subconscious state.
The Prophecy, Harry … I need to know …
No.
Even subconsciously, his voice was strong.
This is not the Imperious Curse … in case you were wondering. You should have noticed, as there is no feeling of relief, no?
No.
You cannot win against me. Just give me the Prophecy and I may spare your life.
The effort to fight was becoming more and more hard to do …
You … you really think you can tempt me with that stuff?
The promise of life? No, Harry, no … the promise of your friend's lives perhaps …
They'll fight t – they will …
Join me … give me the Prophecy and join me …
Like you won't kill me the moment I tell you …
Perhaps I shall … perhaps I shan't … life is full of surprises.
It wouldn't make any difference … why does it matter?
It matters to me, Harry … now give me the Prophecy …
No.
Give me … the Prophecy NOW!
NO!
With an immense effort, Harry pushed himself up with all his might, and felt a huge weight lift off him, as though an invisible hand had been holding him down. As he straightened up, he could see Voldemort doing the same, his face actually shining with sweat. Harry clutched his wand, still in his hand … still waiting … and as he thought it, there was a flash of light, firelight, and Fawkes appeared out of mid-air, closely followed by the one person Harry had been waiting for … Dumbledore.
And more importantly, he now had what Harry needed … what he needed to win …
AN: Not so much of a cliffie, I know, but what the hell. I can't stand too much suspense you know! Not long now …
Rosie x
