A/N: Okay! Second to last Chapter! The last one is done... I will not post it until later though... I just picked up HBP... so far it is awesome...!

Chapter 23

Neville clenched his teeth. Bellatrix smiled lightly.

"You think you stand a chance? You think you could beat me? Even your parents could not, and they were powerful magicians. And you? Ah, well you are about as dangerous as a flobberworm. I doubt it will take more than about ten seconds before I -"

She was cut off as she flew off of her feet and into a row of unsuspecting Death Eaters, dropping her wand. Neville had, under his breath, cast the disarming charm. He ran towards where she was getting up, and before she could level her wand, he bashed her in the face with the broad side of his sword. Three Death Eaters jumped at him. He twirled around slicing all three of them across the stomach. They dropped their knees, then fell forward, landing face down. The ten Death Eaters that had gathered to watch closed in on him. Hermione and Ron jumped up to help him, but Voldemort back kicked, hit Hermione in the stomach. She fell backwards into Ron. After she got her breath back, they looked back up towards Neville. He was standing at the center of thirteen Death Eaters, some decapitated, some stabbed in the heart, and some just unconscious. He walked over to where Bellatrix was laying on the floor, still clutching her face. As soon as he neared her, she left up, wand at the ready. Her nose was almost flat, blood flowing freely across her mouth, and there was a somewhat indented purple-red bruise running from her left eye down across her nose and mouth.

Voldemort walked up behind Harry. Draco, Ginny, and Luna ran up to Ron and Hermione, who had assembled in front of Harry. Harry spun around to face Voldemort. They all drew their wands. Voldemort smirked. He flicked his wand and everyone except Harry and Draco, who dodged the spell, flew back unconscious. Draco looked down and Ginny. A small trickle of blood was leaking from where her skull had hit the stone ground. It wasn't serious, but it really pissed Draco off. He lunged at the Dark Lord, who side stepped and tripped Draco.

"Little boy. So unlike your father. He knew what true power is. You have chosen Potter over me." He stunned Draco. "I will come back for you later."

Bellatrix gritted her teeth and whipped her wand forward. There was a purple flash as the same spell that had been fired at Hermione at then end of the last school year was thrown at Neville. He dodged it easily and tried, with no luck, to disarm Bellatrix.

"Crucio!"

Neville fell to the floor screaming.

"Look what you did to my face you whelp! You will pay with your life. Cruci -" she was cut off as Melinda kicked her in the back of the head. Neville stood up and put his sword to her throat.

"You don't have the guts to kill me. You parents didn't. That was their weakness. They had me cornered I admit. But they couldn't do it. Your weak useless mother couldn't do it. She attempted to bind me, but then I was able to get up. You will fall to the same fate.'

Neville's face was getting redder with rage as he stood there. He pushed the sword closer. She drew in a quick breath. Neville pulled the sword back.

She chuckled, "I knew you coul -"

He had finished his back swing and brought the sword down onto her neck.

"Bitch."

Voldemort drew Draco's sword from the ground and brandished it towards Harry. Harry held his sword at the ready.