Chapter Nineteen: The Battle
The following morning, one week before Christmas, it all began in earnest. As Ogden Dover and Percy Weasley arrived separately for work at the Ministry, they were both taken into custody for questioning. As this was happening at the Ministry, six teams of aurors descended on the Welsh estate of the Dover family.
As the two in custody denied any knowledge of the activity in the portal rooms, the aurors were discovering that, while there were signs of several hundred people having been recently housed at or near the large estate home, no one was there now. At least, no one beyond the emaciated and half-crazed elder brother of Ogden Dover, who they found chained to a bed in a bedroom on the third floor. When confronted, Ogden denied knowledge of this, as well, claiming to have had a falling out with his brother years prior, and never having visited the family home since.
While teams of aurors were busy in London and Wales, the question as to what had happened to several hundred undead answered itself. They descended on Hogwarts, and wer emet at the gates by the very large gamekeeper and Care of Magical Creatures Professor, carrying a massive crossbow in one hand and a bright pink child's umbrella in the other.
Hagrid became the first casualty of what everyone hoped would be the last final battle – the first to die on the last of the Dark Days.
Ginny Weasley knew the moment that the ancient bell began tolling during her last DADA class before leaving for Christmas holidays that something was desperately wrong. Every student at Hogwarts knew that the bell only tolled for three reasons: when a new Minister of Magic was announced, when the Headmaster of Hogwarts died, and as a call to arms when the school was under attack. Ginny had heard it once before, and had prayed to never hear it again.
Everyone in the class froze for a moment, until Harry quickly banished the notes and materials on his desk and swiftly began giving instructions.
"You're the NEWT class... you are all expected to help in any way you can to defend the school and protect those students who cannot protect themselves. Go now to your common rooms and wait for instructions from your head of house or the Head Boy or Girl. Go. Don't stop, don't look for friends. Get there quickly and do not leave until you are told to."
Immediately, the room began to empty.
"Harry?"
"Ginny," he pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly, before pulling back and searching her eyes, almost desperately. "I have to find Dumbledore, Ginny. Go."
"I'm staying with you!"
"Ginny, you're needed in Gryffindor Tower. You have to go and help Professor McGonagall."
"But, Harry..."
"Ginny, I love you. But you have to go," Harry kissed her hand, then grabbed his wand and headed towards the door. "Go, help McGonagall, Ginny, please..."
Turning, he ran down the corridor towards the main entrance hall where he was certain he would find Dumbledore. Ginny watched him go before turning back to the classroom.
"You can come out now," she said.
"How did you...?" Tonks pulled the Invisibility Cloak off, leaving her hair rumpled and messy, and startled look on her face.
"You wear a very distinctive perfume," Ginny said. "You've been following me about for days."
"But..."
"Come on, Tonks, we have work to do."
"Harry said to..."
"You may be required to do as he tells you, but I'm not," Ginny said quickly. "I know that McGonagall will need help, and that is where we're heading, but after I make sure that she knows that we're fine, we'll be going with the rest of the seventh years, Tonks."
"Ginny..."
"Tonks," Ginny looked at the pretty auror. "Would you let Remus go without even..."
"No," Tonks said quickly. "Just... we have to stick together, okay?"
"Let's go," Ginny said, leading the way out the door and into the corridor that was now filled with panicking students, then taking off at a sprint towards Gryffindor Tower.
Harry thought, an hour later, that he'd never been so frightened in his life. That was, until he saw the bright red swathe of Ginny Weasley's hair off fifty yards to his right, the bright purple head of Nymphadora Tonks right beside her. His fear increased a thousandfold when he watched the bright purple head go down, the shocked look on Ginny's face as she turned...
But at that moment, he was suddenly surrounded by robed figures trying to kill him, and his attention was torn from Ginny and redirected to the half-dozen Death Eaters and their followers surrounding him.
The hexes and charms that Bill had taught them all had come in handy, but in all honesty, Harry found he had better luck when he simply destroyed the Death Eater in charge of each group. When they went down, the five or six undead they were controlling with the Imperius curse suddenly became very biddable, pleading to return through the Gate.
Harry concentrated on doing this, at least while he could. He very soon found himself surrounded by hooded figures, headed by a laughing death eater. Draco Malfoy's laugh was easily identified.
"So, Potter... didn't expect me, now did you?"
"Back for more, Draco?" Harry gritted through clenched teeth.
"I never left, Potter, not really. My lord and master called me first. Did you know that? He called me, Draco Malfoy, first of all those loyal to him. I was happy to bring a few... acquaintances... along. Take off your hoods, and let poor Mr Potter see just who he'll be fighting today."
Harry froze. Looking around at the robed figures, he was stunned when they all reached up to remove their concealing hoods. Harry's heart sped up as he recognized them. Blaise Zabini, Colin Creevy, Susan Bones, Terry Boot, Ernie MacMillian... and...
Dear Merlin, no!
Lily and James Potter.
"I invited that mutt you called a godfather, but he declined the invitation. Of course, your mummy and daddy were only too pleased to come along..."
"Harry...?" Lily Potter stepped forward, holding out a hand to him. Harry looked at her. She was as corporeal as he... solid flesh, the look in her eyes... she looked torn. There was pain there, and desperation, but aggression too. Harry flinched.
At this close a range, Harry could see that he did, indeed, have her eyes. The portrait really didn't do them justice. In the face of Lily Potter, they were indeed a striking feature.
But it was strange... everyone said how much Ginny resembled her. Harry had thought, from the photos and paintings, that Ginny resembled her strongly, but now, in person, he could see that the resemblance was fleeting, at best. Lily was tall and willowy, while Ginny was small enough to fit against his side. His mother's hair was long and red, but without the golden streaks that made Ginny's hair come alive. And it was straight, pin straight, while Ginny's curled around him when he buried his hands in it. There was a slight resemblance, something to do with the shape of the face, but Harry couldn't see anything more than that that would make others comment on how much she looked like his mother.
But then, Ginny had never looked at him with that combination of love and... confused rage. As he watched, the struggle in her eyes went on, but Malfoy had given no order yet. This situation could yet go either way.
"How... how did you do this, Malfoy? How did he do this?" Harry tore his attention from his mother and directed it back to his most despised nemesis.
"You always underestimated the power of dark magic, Potter. We know things that you will never understand!" Draco's eyes were lit with manic fire, but he was, if possible, even paler than usual.
Understandable, I suppose, Harry thought. It's not every day you come back from the dead.
"You thought you could win, Potter? My Lord Voldemort is..."
"How!" Harry screamed, not understanding how, when he had watched him die, all of them die... that they could be here, not looking much different than...
"So much you don't understand, and never will, you filthy half-blood," Draco shook his head. "My Lord Voldemort chose immortality. He is forever now, Potter, and you can do nothing about it. In his greatness, he discovered a way to bring his loyal and... not so loyal... back to him through the Gates. Wonderful job on the bodies, don't you think? A bit of dark magic, and... voila. I'm back, fighting fit."
"These people... would never have betrayed me in life. They laid down their lives against Voldemort!"
"Wonderful thing, the Imperius curse. Makes people do all sorts of things they'd never think they were capable of. Ask Ogden Dover. Such a biddable chap."
Harry stared at Malfoy.
"That doesn't work on me any more, Potter, that pitiful attempt at intimidation. I admit, in life, I was... weaker. But now... now, I have been through Death... I have walked the halls on the other side, and you, with your mudblood-loving friends and blood traitor whore of a girlfriend, you are as nothing now."
Harry remained silent, waiting. He wanted as much information as Malfoy would give him while running off at the mouth. But he swore that Draco would pay for that comment about Ginny.
"What is really amusing, Potter, is that the dead don't particularly want to be here – what they have in death is much more desirable. But what my Lord gives me... what he will reward his faithful with... well, it's worth sticking around for."
"Stick this, Malfoy!" Harry turned on him, his wand at the ready, the words on his tongue to that most ancient of Unforgivables, certain he had enough hate in him for it. Draco Malfoy had been a thorn in his side for far too long. As he moved his wand arm up, so did Malfoy. Apparently, death had improved his reaction time.
But before he could utter the curse, two figures sprang past him and, in a flurry of robes, enveloped Malfoy. Harry wasn't immediately sure what was happening, as it happened so quickly, but the gurgling, sucking sound that could be heard from Malfoy seemed to indicate that the bodies that had jumped him, covered him, were not doing him any good. Draco's wand dropped to the ground moments before his body followed, his face even more pale and devoid of expression, and his grey eyes blank. Harry watched, speechless, as the bodies of his parents moved back.
"Imperius is... difficult..." James gasped, "...to throw off."
"You're..."
"Oh, Harry...!" Lily Potter moved closer to him, but Harry stepped back. He didn't know...
"Harry?" Colin Creevey looked at those surrounding him, seemingly lost. "What am I doing here? What...?"
"Colin?" Harry whispered.
"I... no... Oh, Harry... please... take us back!" Susan Bones sobbed. "Please... I want to go back! Please!"
"You must take them back, Harry," Lily's eyes were filled with tears, her voice resigned. "You must. They... they wish to return. They must return. They aren't meant to be here."
"Mum?"
"I..." Lily looked at him, the tears running down her cheeks. "Oh, my Harry... I... I am so sorry..."
"You resisted the Imperius... you... Malfoy?"
James Potter looked behind them. "As much as we would like to continue this... I believe you're needed over there."
Harry turned to look to where a group of aurors surrounded a tall figure... a non-corporeal figure. As he watched, there was a blast of light and two of the aurors fell.
Voldemort.
"Don't go anywhere!" He said to them fiercely. "Stay right here. I'll be right back."
Harry strode through the battling aurors and undead and then stopped abruptly.
"Thought you'd never get here, lad."
Harry looked to his left to see the rather rotund grey wispiness of the Bloody Baron at his side, and sighed with relief. He had known he couldn't do this without the Baron's help, but he had thought he'd have to try.
"Baron..."
"Ready for this?" There was a look of determination, almost longing, in the ghostly grey eyes.
"As I'll ever be," Harry said.
"You understand the risks?"
"I understand that doing this got you a lifetime sentence to chasing Peeves around Hogwarts," Harry said, shooting a dark look at the ghost.
"Lifetime?" the Baron chuckled. "Try eternity, lad... but it's not so bad. I no longer get indigestion. Of course, my diet is rather restricted, but..."
Harry chuckled despite himself.
"Ready?" The Baron was serious once more.
"Ready."
And with that, Harry Potter addressed his fate, took the risk of living an eternity as a trapped spirit, and took off at a sprint through the group that surrounded the Dark Lord... the one who had chosen this most horrible form of immortality. Aurors around him, members of the Order, Dumbledore, Bill, Charlie, Arthur. They were all there, and he noticed them as he strode through. They were clearing a path for him, and all he had to do was take it.
Entering the centre of the group, surrounded by battle, Harry saw his prey. Floating a foot off the uneven ground, eyes glowing red in the wispy greyness, was the snake-like face of Tom Riddle.
"Tom," Harry greeted him. "Fancy meeting you here."
"Potter. You know that this, all of this," Voldemort swept his arms out. "Is for you? All the dead... mine and yours... battling over... you."
"Not over me, Tom," Harry said. "The dead you've brought back battle because of a curse. The Death Eaters, because they're frightened of a world where they don't maintain control. You... because you're too dim to know when you've lost."
"Lost?" Tom Riddle's laughter rang out. "Lost? I'm back, Potter... you couldn't kill me last time... and you certainly can't kill me now!"
"There are worse things than death, Tom."
"Worse than death?" Tom sneered. "Oh, yes... especially when one has the benefit of immortality, Potter. Unfortunate that you didn't take that into consideration, isn't it?"
"Oh, but I did, Tom."
Voldemort's eyes narrowed, and he looked down on the very much alive wizard in front of him. "You have no idea what you're..."
"But I do. You underestimated me again, Tom. Once more... because you feel I'm somehow inferior to you. When will you learn that love makes me stronger than you will ever be? Immortalis Nex!" Harry screamed, thrusting his wand into the cold, cold remains of what had once been Tom Riddle.
Vaguely he heard the Baron reciting an ancient incantation, and the words flowed over him, making him feel every hair on his body stand up, his flesh cringing from the spell he and the Baron were performing. Then, feeling the cold travel up his arm, through him, encasing him in ice, Harry thought for a moment that he had failed... failed dismally. He would be trapped, watching as those he loved fell, paying for this inability, this lack of skill, for eternity.
An eternity without Ginny Weasley in his arms.
And then, he heard a scream. It wasn't a mortal scream. It wasn't human. It came from inside the cold mass which he had thrust his wand into. It came from inside Harry himself. As he felt the cold diminish, there was a ripping sensation in his own brain... he could feel something being torn free, something pulling through the very core of his being...
Harry Potter dropped to his knees, the white form that had been the ghost of Tom Riddle, the self-proclaimed Lord Voldemort, ceased to be, and the boy who destroyed him fell forward, unconscious, onto the cold, hard ground.
Mwhahahaha! I do so love a cliffie...
I apologise most profusely for my lack of review responses. I AM reading them, but I've been so incredibly busy this past week or so that I haven't had time to do much more than post – and even that has been late a couple of days. I'm working on a really nasty deadline, and trying to keep my kids amused while I'm doing it, as well.
There are a few more chapters left... just a few...
CQ
YelloWitchGrl: Do wizards have guns? Hmmm...
LarnaMandrea: It's lovely to write for people who can see it!
WolfsScream: "Bridezilla"? LOL! No. I don't think so.
NymphondraTonks: "Happy and Perfect"? No, none of that here, now...
Shotgunn: Sorry about being MIA... I've been working on a deadline for a magazine and haven't had time for much of anything at all, least of all checking my emails. I'm back now, though -- ;- . As for the Bill and Charlie thing, I think it was simply reaction during a very... stressful time! Forgive them, for they know not what they say...
Perenelle: I believe there would be a certain amount of choice involved in how Tonks managed to do Harry's bidding. It's not as though he's going to tell her to do something insignificant or without possibility of success. His order of "protect Ginny" leaves enough room for interpretation on Tonks' part. Marchbanks is not a canon character. The quote about Percy's report comes from canon, however. In one of the books (OotP, I think) the twins tease him about his VERY important report on substandard cauldron bottoms... The school that was attacked really has no significance, other than the fact that Moldy Voldie (quite literally now, I suppose...) has no compunction about attacking children.
And thank you to everyone else who commented! -- FroBoy, Kordolin, BrittSchrick, Volleypickle16, GiGiFanfic, Gerie, AlliBaby, HeartofGryffindor89, RinnaMarie, Manatheron, Starnat, HarryGinnyluv4ever, SilverWarrior