Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Bon Jovi….

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Chapter 53: BLAZE OF GLORY

(A/N I have been waiting the WHOLE 54 chapters to use this title….one of the best Bon Jovi songs.

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The Great Hall was Dark. Small whimpers of younger siblings of the graduates could be heard in the stillness of the immense space. The candles had partly been blown out by the strong wind whipping through the now shattered windows and partly by the group of young Death Eaters already present in the Hall.

Thousands of thoughts were running through Sirius' head, the primary one being the fact that they needed to get out of the confined space filled with people who were not prepared to fight.

After the initial curse that had almost hit Remus and Tonks, the Order members present at the ceremony, including the Weasley's, Kingsley and Amelia Bones, tried to calm the terrified crowd as they made their way outside.

They didn't make it.

Before any of them made it to the large doors no less than thirty stunners felled Dumbledore.

That's when they knew it was bad.

Half of the Slytherin house had their wands out and trained on the more powerful wizards and witches in the room. What really shocked Hermione and made her blood boil were the scatterings of students in Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and even Gryffindor that stood with the house of the Snake.

Now the room was segmented.

Families were herded to the front, the pure bloods separated from the half bloods and muggleborns. The years had been separated, with fewer wands aimed at the first years than the seventh. The smallest group was that of the Muggle parents who had come to Hogwarts to see their children graduate. Hermione watched fearfully as her parents, along with four others, were taken from the room.

Hermione shuddered.

Sirius sent her a concerned look and he saw the fear in her chocolate eyes. Not fear of the fight, fear for her parents. He tried to send her his most reassuring smile but Hermione's expression remained fixed as she swung her gaze back to the door her parents had just been lead through.

Sirius growled.

Draco Malfoy was standing with his fellow house mates, his wand trained on the back of Hermione's head. Sirius received a sharp jab with his own captor's wand and he decided then that the first person on his list was Theodore Nott Jn.

Sirius glanced over at Harry. His Godson had five seventh years surrounding him, their wands not wavering even under the cool stare coming from the piercing green eyes.

Sirius met Remus' eyes. There was a silent communication between the two. They needed to get out of this room and outside.

Now.

They had no advantage in the confined space filled with hostages. The fight was outside where most of the Death Eaters were, if they didn't get out soon they would reach the Great Hall, where the Order members and others had no chance of winning.

Sirius and Remus saw two flaws in the strategy of the students holding them. One, they'd left only one student with Remus; they should have known a werewolf was powerful even without his wand. Two, they'd pissed Sirius off.

You don't piss Sirius off.

His grey eyes were flashing as he prepared himself. One nod to Remus who returned the gesture and it began.

At the side Draco surreptitiously slipped Hermione her wand.

Remus stood and caught Pansy Parkinson off guard sending her flying across the room and taking out half of the students surrounding Harry.

At the same time Sirius switched to Padfoot. The next thing Nott knew he had a giant black dog sitting on his chest baring its teeth while emitting a low growl from deep in his throat. Not wasting any time Padfoot lunged for Notts wand hand tearing through flesh and bone while snapping the willow wand in half.

Ignoring the blood curling scream from the Slytherin Sirius bounded towards Draco who was now fighting back to back with Hermione as the spells and curses began to fly, slowing to a halt Sirius changed back and grabbed his wand that had fallen to the floor next to the withering Nott.

Harry and Remus had managed to disarm the captors around the Order member and the older students and were now work at disarming the rest.

While fending off curses Sirius headed for the door, aware that many others around him were doing the same thing.

One last glance around the room Sirius took off down the corridor the footsteps of others close on his heels.

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Outside the rain had stopped. The air was cool and crisp, the grounds wet and muddy. The fifty odd wizards and witches now gathered outside to meet the Death Eaters took no notice of this.

Hermione's robes whipped up around her legs, she felt Sirius on one side of her, Harry on the other. Her gaze swept along the ranks of the Death Eaters, they were outnumbered two to one; odds Hermione didn't like but could not do anything about. There was no sign of Voldemort, but there where familiar faces slightly visible beneath the dark hoods.

With one last glance at Hermione, his eyes expressing what words could not, Sirius stepped forward. And it began. Spells were flying through the air in both directions, the bright flashes lighting up the sky. Hermione had already been separated from Sirius and was fighting along side Harry.

Within five minutes it was hard to tell who was who. The only discernable difference was the distinguishing green flashes of light coming from the Death Eaters. As the intensity of the battle increased this would soon change, as the forces of the Light sought vengance for fallen friends.

Sirius ducked and weaved sending spell after spell in the direction of the enemy, his sight fixed squarely on a tall figure with blonde locks whipping from his hood.

Mistaking Sirius' advance as a challenge to duel like proper wizards, Malfoy pointed his wand upwards. Sirius however had other plans.

Advancing with long strides Sirius didn't stop when he reached the blonde, his fist connecting with Malfoy's nose with a sickening crack.

Sirius grinned as Malfoy fell to the ground with a thud, blood pouring from his face. Not waiting for him to get up, Sirius placed a well aimed kick in Malfoys side.

Kneeling down next to the gasping Death Eater, Sirius grabbed him by the collar to pull him close.

"You took her from me," he growled, so only Malfoy could hear.

Through the blood Malfoy sneered. "You couldn't keep her in your grasp. You let her go."

Sirius growled and pushed Malfoy back down to the ground his, grey eyes flashing he stood back, waiting for the blonde to get to his feet.

Malfoy made slow progress but soon stood in front of the vengeful Black. Both had their wands drawn and were eyeing each other, warily waiting for the first move.

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Tonks felt the familiar rush of adrenaline burst through her as she found herself in the middle of the battle. She sent disarming charms and a few curses in the direction of her enemies; red, blue and yellow beams bursting from her wand with every spell muttered.

She had been fighting along side Remus but lost him in the fray and now found herself with red heads on either side of her as Fred and George sent spells, as well as a few unidentifiable objects in the direction of the Death Eaters.

Around her wizards and witches fell, Dark and Light, screams of those under unforgivables echoing through the night.

Tonks ducked a bolt of green light and turned her piercing violet gaze on the Death Eater that had sent it her way.

No one tries Avada Kedavra Nymphadora Tonks and expect to get away with it.

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"Crucio"

Hermione ducked the beam of light sent her way and sent one straight back.

"Furnunculus"

The Death Eater she'd been duelling fell to the ground in pain as boils erupted over his body. Binding him Hermione quickly moved on.

Her hair was coming loose from its tight plait, her robes were torn in numerous places and she could feel blood tracing down her face from a cut on her hairline. Her hands shook with a combination of cold and adrenaline her dark eyes wide and alert.

Beside her Harry, Ginny, Neville and Luna were sending various hexes at the Death Eaters. Further down the hill she could see Seamus with Lavendar and Cho.

"Tarantallegra" Neville shouted the nearest Death Eater loosing control of his legs as they started to move rapidly.

Hermione was fighting and searching at the same time.

Where was Sirius?

She didn't have much time to ponder the question when a bright beam of green light hit Neville squarely in the chest.

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Harry moved like he'd never moved before. Like Tonks and Hermione, the adrenaline of the fight kept him going. Spell after spell, hex after hex he kept moving forward. At the same time he kept his eyes on Ginny and Hermione. Two of the people he cared most for were fighting beside him. That made him thankful, yet bloody well anxious at the same time.

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"Diffindo"

Breathing heavily Sirius ducked Malfoys curse. He didn't know how long they'd been duelling for but Malfoy didn't appear to be tiring.

Something hit Sirius in the back of the head and his vision blurred. The next thing he knew he was on his back in the mud. Malfoy and Monique were standing over him, grins on their faces.

"No one here to save you now Black," Monique spat, grinning as she pointed her wand at the fallen Animagus.

"Expalliarmus"

The force of Hermione's spell sent both Death Eaters flying through the air.

"Sirius!" Hermione called kneeling down beside him.

"I'm ok," he said rubbing the back of his head.

Hermione nodded and stood, wand at the ready fending off enemy curses as Sirius gingerly got to his feet.

Hermione fixed her gaze on Monique.

She'd waited for this moment for twenty years.

Monique stood and walked up to Hermione, they began to circle each other.

Monique was the first to move, the spell so quick Hermione barley had time to register the beam of light before she felt herself flying through the air; she hit a large tree with a sharp thud and slumped to the ground.

Sirius moved to help her but was blocked by a grinning Malfoy. His face was a sight. His cold eyes gleaming, his mouth in its usual sneer was now covered by a layer of quickly drying blood from his broken nose.

"Expelliarmus!" Sirius shouted, desperate to see if Hermione was ok.

Malfoy ducked the beam of light, laughing at Sirius' frantic attempt to get past him.

In the corner of Sirius' eyes he saw Monique wandering up to Hermione's prone form beneath the tree.

Growling, Sirius sent a volley of curses in Malfoys direction.

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Hermione lay still, she had a stabbing pain in her right leg but tried to ignore it. Cracking open an eye she saw Sirius fighting desperately to reach her while Monique sauntered in her direction.

Waiting for the other witch to get within a few meters of her position while keeping an eye on her wand, Hermione sent a fast kick, low and unexpected into Monique's left kneecap.

Screaming in rage and agony Monique's fist contacted the side of Hermione's face before the pain caused her to buckle over, giving Hermione the chance to get to her feet, feeling slightly dazed by the punch.

To the left she saw Sirius still engaged with the eldest Malfoy.

Hermione quickly took in her surroundings and was suddenly grateful for her painful collision with the tree that had prevented her from flying off the cliff onto the rocky outcrops of the lake shore below.

Getting to her feet Monique brought her wand up once again. The cold calculating look in her eye made Hermione react quickly.

"Impedimenta" a bolt of purple light shot from Hermione's wand to momentarily slow the Death Eater down.

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Sirius breathed an internal sigh of relief when he saw Hermione rise to her feet.

He was beginning to get annoyed with Malfoy, he never thought it would be this hard to take the blonde git down but he had to give the ex-Slytherin a small amount of credit. Presently Sirius could feel a number of deep gashes, some from Malfoy, some from stray curses. He was cold, wet, muddy and bruised. Most of all he was sick and tired of an annoying arrogant pointy face with blonde hair.

He was growing tired of the dance he was in with Lucius Malfoy.

Sending a trip jinx in Malfoys direction his luck struck when it hit his opponent in his side, tripping the blonde causing him to land on his face.

Several loud screams of terror brought Sirius gaze around to the centre of the battle.

Voldemort.

Walking up through the piles of wounded and dead of both sides Voldemort had one target in his sights.

Harry Potter.

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"Harry."

Hermione's voice was a mere whisper as she saw the snake eyed man walk proudly up through the mud and blood.

Suddenly she had two powerful hands wrap around her neck. Choking Hermione tried desperately to spin around in Monique's grasp as her oxygen supply was slowly cut off.

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Sirius' eyes widened as he saw Monique grab Hermione from behind. Sending a kick into Malfoy's side Sirius took off in her direction. Hermione was positioned in front of Monique blocking Sirius line of sight.

He couldn't send a curse.

Breaking out into a run he changed to Padfoot, the sleek black dog running along the ground. The only way he saw to get Monique off Hermione was to collide with both of them.

What he didn't see was the cliff.

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Hermione's eyes widened as she saw Padfoot pick up speed and run straight into them. The remaining air was knocked out of her lungs as she felt herself fall backwards.

Monique's hands released her neck as she reached out to grab hold of something….anything.

It was too late though and gravity sent both her and Hermione over the edge.

Hermione closed her eyes waiting for the impact.

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Remus' heightened senses were in overdrive. His ears picked up every scream, every last breath as the battle waged on around him. He couldn't find Sirius or Hermione. He'd also been separated from Tonks.

He was feeling confused.

The smell of death and blood brought the wolf closer to the surface and along with the external battle he was waging with the Death Eaters he was also fighting an internal battle simultaneously with the wolf.

The wolf wanted blood yes. But Remus could control this. The wolf also wanted its pack.

Remus could not control this.

Remus wanted his pack as badly as Moony did. He never liked to fight alone. And that's what he was doing.

Fighting alone.

He had no one to protect his back. His senses made up for that he reasoned, but it was also nice to have someone near, someone he wasn't trying to kill.

Blood.

There was so much blood some of it his, most of it not. It was beginning to overpower his senses. Spell after spell he took down Death Eaters as tortured screams reached his ears. He wasn't Hogwarts best Defence against the Dark Arts Professor for nothing. He was good. He was better than the Death Eaters he was fighting, having taken down dozens on his own. A flash to the left caught his fiery amber eyes and he turned to confront it…

Silver

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"Hermione! Open your eyes!... HONEY…look at me!"

Hermione cracked her eyes open. She wasn't falling…though she wasn't far from it.

Moments before Sirius hit Hermione and Monique he'd seen the cliff. Unable to stop in time he changed back from his Animagus form in a fluid motion and had grabbed Hermione's hand. She was now dangling from the cliff. Sirius' tight hold on her hand preventing her from falling into the abyss below.

"Oh God!"

"Hermione. It's ok. Look at me."

Hermione met his grey eyes.

"I'm not going to let you go," he said trying to pull her up. "AARGGGG."

He was loosing his grip as he struggled to pull her back over the edge of the cliff.

"Sirius!" Hermione screamed as she began to slip.

"I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU GO!" His face was full of determination. Then he felt it. In the far reaches of his memory he recalled Lily talking about mothers finding extraordinary strength to save their children… Something about a muggle car….

"Sirius!" Tears were running down Hermione's face as she panicked, trying desperately to keep her hand in Sirius'.

With one massive heave he pulled Hermione up, inch by inch he reached further up her arm until she was able to grab hold of his shoulders. Working together now, Hermione and Sirius collapsed on the top of the cliff in each others arms. Breathing heavily they sat there for a moment, Sirius holding Hermione in a strong embrace to calm her down.

Then the reality of the situation hit home.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed slowly getting to her feet, Sirius right behind her.

They didn't make it round the tree.

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Harry felt him before he saw him.

"Ginny!" he called. "You need to run!"

"Why?...Oh."

"GO NOW!"

The redhead did not move, her robes were torn, she was bleeding and tear tracks streaked her face from when she'd seen Neville fall. Marching up to Harry she stood in front of him, staring into his piercing green eyes.

"Harry Potter, if you think I'm going to leave you here, now of all times, you have another thing coming!"

Harry sighed and brought a hand up to cup her cheek. "I don't want to lose you," he whispered.

"You won't," she replied pressing her lips to his for a moment. "I love you."

"I love you too."

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Malfoy stood there smirk still firmly in place. Blocking their way to Harry. He held his wand squarely at them while his legs shook through a combination of pain and fatigue. Sirius glanced at his and Hermione's wands that lay forgotten in his attempt to save her.

A blur from the side took Malfoy by surprise as he was tackled to the ground. Grunting in pain as his head impacted against a rock and his wand snapped in two.

"Draco?" he whispered in disbelief blinking up at his son.

Draco stood pointing his wand at his father. "Yes father. Don't tell me you're surprised."

Malfoy ignored his son's wand and rose to his feet. "Now Draco…son. Point that thing away from me. You don't want to harm your own father now do you?"

Draco rolled his eyes before turning to Hermione and Sirius. "Go, Potter needs his friends."

Hermione and Sirius didn't need to be told twice, picking up their wands from the ground they ran in direction where the battle was still raging, Hermione sending one last glance back at Draco as he kept his wand trained on his father.

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Harry watched Voldemort approach. Off to the side he could see Ginny fighting with Tonks and one of the twins. To the left he saw Hermione and Sirius running across the grounds to reach him. That was three….

Where was Remus?

Levelling his wand at Voldemort Harry stared the creature in the eye. Green and Red.

Christmas colours was the first thought that flowed through Harry's mind.

"Potter."

"Riddle."

Voldemort chuckled, a deep malicious chuckle. "I think I might have some fun first. Flagrate."

Harry watched as he was slowly enclosed in a wall of fire, separating him and Voldemort from the rest of the battle.

"Impedimenta," Harry shouted sending a beam of light at Voldemort who easily deflected it.

"You are a foolish boy Potter, you can not defeat me."

"I already have," now it was Harry's turn to smile.

"Oh but if anything you did me a favour….Incindio."

"Protego!" Harry felt the heat of the spell but managed to deflect the full force of the fire charm off to the side.

"A favour? You were nothing for more than a decade. In fact you still are nothing."

Another deep chuckle. "You don't understand, boy, I am a lot more powerful now than when you were a baby."

"Funny that. So am I."

There was no more room for words as the largest battle known to the wizarding world began.

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"Merlin," Sirius whispered as he watched the flames circle his Godson. "Harry," he couldn't ponder the implications of Harry's situation for long as he made his way into the battle.

There was no more grass. Hagrid would not be pleased. The combination of the earlier rain with hundreds of feet and bodies made for a muddy, slightly bloody mulch. Looking around Sirius noted that there were more dead than alive now.

The battle was beginning to finish.

Hermione and Sirius found themselves caught up in a small fight with four other death eaters as Tonks, Ginny and one of the twins held back a large group attempting to breach the castle.

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Harry fell to his knees in pain as Voldemort again held a particular strong unforgivable on him. He refused to cry out as his insides burned like the flames surrounding him. Slowly getting back up to his feet, his teeth grinding as he fought back the curse, he felt his magic course through him as he sent the spell back at Voldemort catching the other wizard off guard.

Exhausted Harry couldn't hold the spell for long but held it just long enough to weaken his opponent.

Blood dripping from his forehead, arms and knees Harry began to feel the effects of the battle that, he now had no idea how long had lasted. His vision blurred as the heat from the flames began to affect him. He pointed his wand back at Voldemort who let out another chuckle.

"You and I both know that's useless," he sneered, "same core. Won't help."

Harry didn't reply to this, just held the Dark Lord with his emerald eyes trying to ignore the sting as stray trails of blood narrowly missed them.

Voldemort cast an extinguishing spell and the fire around them disappeared. Harry felt the cool rush of the night air hit his face as he warily watched for Voldemorts next move.

"Maybe another angle," Voldemort pondered, looking around at the last pockets of the battle. "Ahh dearest Godfather and Best Friend. Looks like they're busy, I don't suppose they'd notice a killing curse headed for them do you?" Voldemort now had his wand pointed at Sirius and Hermione who were still fighting off Death Eaters.

Harry didn't rise to the bait, just held his wand at Voldemort, observing him like he'd been taught. Waiting for the signs of a spell.

"What about little Red?" Voldemort mused. "So much like your mother, I wonder if she'd look the same with no life in those pretty green eyes."

"Your pick Potter," Voldemort continued. "Its one or the other."

Harry braced himself, sending a volley of curses at Voldemort wouldn't help; it would exhaust Harry and distract him from where his opponent's wand was currently aimed.

That's when he saw it. He watched Voldemorts shoulders and knew what he was going to do.

Harry apparated with a loud crack.

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Out of the corner of her eye Ginny saw green and she froze, she couldn't move. There was a bolt of green light heading straight towards her and her legs had abandoned her.

There was a loud crack and she was tackled to the ground. Opening her eyes she saw the stray bolt of light fell a Death Eater before she found herself looking into familiar pools of green.

"Harry," she gasped.

But the messy haired wizard was already on his feet.

Time slowed.

Harry saw the green flare heading towards Sirius and Hermione. Sirius saw it too. Without thinking he pulled Hermione to him and sheltered her with his body at the last possible moment.

He also heard a crack.

Looking back up, wondering faintly why he was still alive his eyes widened in disbelief.

Harry was standing in front of them.

He was glowing green.

This was new….

Harry didn't know what happened. One minute he was apparating in front of a killing curse the next he felt weightless. Maybe this is what it was like to die….

….Maybe not.

Harry felt his magic surge through him and he raised his wand as the remainders from both sides watched on.

The first bolt of light was pale blue. It hit Voldemort in the left shoulder sending him backwards, his arms flailing as he tried to regain his balance. The eerie green glow surrounding Harry had changed to blue.

Friendship.

Harry slowly stepped closer to his foe. The pain of the killing curse was surging through his body but he stayed standing as another bolt of light shot from his wand. The red beam hit Voldemort in the same place as the previous beam as Harry changed to red.

Guardianship.

Voldemort was on his knees now trying to raise his wand that felt like lead in his hands. Harry took another painful step forward, sweat and blood dripping down his brow. The dark blue beam of light hit Voldemorts right shoulder, he fell forward.

Mentorship.

He was on his hands and knees now. A position his followers were accustomed to. Not him. Harry was meters away, his dark blue glow softening to a pale pink. This beam of light hit Voldemort in the heart. Or where his heart should have been at least.

Love.

Harry was standing above Voldemort now, his face expressionless as he whispered out the final point in the prophecy. His glow turning a magnificent gold.

"Kinship."

A bright beam of gold hit Voldemort dead centre in the chest.

The night sky lit up in a spectacular display of light as the last breath left the cold lips of Voldemort.

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Sirius and Hermione watched in awe as darkness reclaimed the night save for the faint gold glow Harry was emitting in the centre of the battle field.

Harry collapsed.

Three pairs of feet moved at once.

Ginny was closest to Harry and ran to his side sinking down beside him and placing his head gently in her lap.

"Harry?" she whispered. "Harry wake up."

Sirius and Hermione reached the pair. Kneeling down on either side of the still form they checked Harry for serious injuries.

"Harry mate," Sirius started. "Wake up," his hands were shaking as he cupped his godsons face in his hand.

A small crowd had gathered around the group, friends watching on, hopeful to see some life in the one who had just defeated the Dark Lord.

"Sirius, he's not breathing," Hermione whispered.

Sirius grabbed his wand. "Ennervate."

Nothing happened.

"Harry, you have to wake up…please," tears were rolling down Ginny's face as she pleaded for the boy in her arms to wake up.

"Merlin! ENNERVATE!" Sirius tried again, tears streaming from his own grey eyes as he tried to save his godson. Hermione beside him healing as many of Harry's wounds as possible hoping it would help.

A small breath escaped the pale lips as green eyes cracked open slightly.

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Hope you enjoyed this chapter, it's the longest so far ; ) Do you realise how many potential cliffies were in there?…I could have stopped that chapter so many times….!

Oh and I KNOW YOU CANT APPARATE IN HOGWARTS GROUNDS….you don't have to tell me this….you will find out all in good time…