Redivivus
Chapter 9: Alis volat propriis

Notes: Hoping someone's still reading this and that not too many H/L-shippers have been turned off by HBP, personally I'm just more convinced. This is the last chapter, followed by an epilogue which will be up very soon. More author's notes there because I love to ramble.

Harry's mind was in a complete blur as he raced down the stairs. After Luna had flown off he had stood unmoving on the balcony for a few minutes, his mind blank after what was happened. But reality and the whole situation had soon come back to him and before Harry knew it he had bolted out of the astronomy tower. The Resistance was coming, they could be there any moment. And Lord Voldemort, according to that odd map, was in Hogwarts...

It doesn't matter what Luna says... I can't let them harm Lord Voldemort.

Thinking about Luna brought a wave of sorrow to him. She had sealed her fate the moment she had joined the Resistance and taken part in that broadcasting. There was no return for her, no pardon. Yet her words rang in Harry's ear, reminding him how that she was Luna Lovegood, not a Resistance rat. Her words was what separated her from the countless and nameless Resistance members that Death Eaters were ordered to hunt down. Her words, her smile, her voice, her entire being was what separated her from everyone else to Harry.

He knew now that he would never be able to bring himself to harm her or let anyone else do it.

She was the one battle he had lost.

The one battle he felt that he did not want to win.

Finally reaching the corridor, Harry lunged and pushed the door to the empty classroom. The door opened with a slow creak, revealing burning torches put up along the walls and the enormous gold frame of the mirror reflecting the light from the fires. Harry looked up and saw the shape of a cloaked man, his face hidden by shadows.

"My lord."

Harry fell to his knees instinctively as he had always done but a voice in his head questioned why he was kneeling at all. Luna's face came to mind briefly, as did the memory of him being told by Bellatrix for the first time how his real parents had died. He had been seven years old, Rodolphus was carrying out yet another order and Harry had asked why Draco looked so much like his mother and father and Harry didn't...

"Stand up, Harry."

The suddenness of Lord Voldemort's voice brought Harry back to the present. He stood up and raised his eyes to look up. Lord Voldemort had not moved from his position, he was still standing in front of the mirror and staring back at his reflection. At least that was what Harry saw, he assumed that Lord Voldemort was probably seeing something completely different rather than just a plain reflection.

Just like I did, Harry thought to himself.

Again, he could not keep his thoughts from wandering and when they at last settled it was on yet another memory. The memory of seeing his reflection standing in the strong sunlight and feeling a sense of peace and tranquillity. He wondered if he had come across the mirror as a seven year old and after his conversation with Bellatrix, would he have seen his parents? At that time he was a foolish and naive child who, despite loving Bellatrix and Rodolphus, felt curiosity when thinking about the two people who had brought him into this world.

What did they look like?

Did they love him?

How old had they been when they had... been killed?

"Harry!"

Shaking himself out of his thoughts again, Harry found the Dark Lord's eyes on him, looking less than pleased.

"What is the matter with you?" Lord Voldemort asked, his voice not as calm as Harry was used to hearing.

"Forgive me, my lord," Harry apologized. "I was... lost in thought."

Lord Voldemort scoffed and then turned to the mirror again. Harry took a step forwards and placed himself just a few feet behind his father and mother's murderer.

Blood rushed to his cheeks, yet Harry felt cold as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water over him. He glanced at Lord Voldemort quickly, but the latter seemed too occupied with looking at the mirror to even notice the sudden change in Harry's face. Diverting his eyes to the floor in case Lord Voldemort would decide to look at him, Harry quietly scolded himself for even thinking the thought.

Murderer, Lord Voldemort is not a murderer. My parents are blood traitors, they were foolish to stand up against Lord Voldemort for such a stupid cause. Blood traitors, blood traitors. Nothing else. Nothing more.

"This is the mirror you were talking about?" Lord Voldemort spoke. His voice had regained its usual calm.

"Yes, sir."

"It shows one's hearts true desire?"

"Yes, sir."

There was a moment of silence, then another scoff from Lord Voldemort.

"Typical of Dumbledore to use this kind of contraption. But I will not be defeated, this mirror holds the key to the Philosopher's Stone, I know it."

The name "Dumbledore" reminded Harry why he had rushed to the empty classroom and Lord Voldemort in the first place.

"My lord, the Resistance is coming," Harry warned. "They gained knowledge of your whereabouts somehow and they are coming here as we speak."

Rather than feeling the slightest bit of alarm upon hearing that a small army coming to destroy him, Lord Voldemort just smiled as if Harry had just told him a witty joke. He finally turned to Harry and put a gloved hand on his shoulder.

"The Resistance, you say? Let them come if that is what they want... I will crush them all like flies. But we have more important matters at hand, Harry."

Harry felt Lord Voldemort's hand grip his shoulder tightly and in the blink of an eye he was pulled to stand in front of the mirror with Lord Voldemort standing behind him. Looking straight ahead, he stared right into his own confused and lost eyes.

"Tell me what you see, my son," Lord Voldemort urged.

The reflection changed before Harry as if it was done on command. The dark and shadowed interior of the classroom disappeared and in its place was the field of wild flowers and green grass. Everything that was dark was gone and replaced by the blue sky and the sun shining down so strong that Harry's reflection had to squint his eyes. Harry himself could almost feel the warmth of the sun on his skin, the serenity of the scene and smell the scent of the wild flowers.

His reflection suddenly took his eyes whatever he was staring at and looked straight at Harry instead. Harry frowned at this sudden change, last time he had looked into the mirror his reflection had never moved at all. But his reflection moving was not the only change. People started to appear next to his reflection. Men, women, people he had never seen before. Some bore a physical resemblance to him, some bore none at all.

Next to his reflection stood Luna, looking straight at him with her large silvery eyes. Behind the two of them, stood a man and a woman Harry could had sworn he had never met before but at the same time they felt like an old, cherished memory...

His hair and face... looks like mine... And she... her eyes...

"Well, what do you see?" Lord Voldemort asked impatiently.

His grip on Harry's shoulder tightened almost to the point where Harry winced in pain. But when he looked at the mirror and saw that man and woman smiling at him affectionately, his entire heart and mind screamed at him not share the tiny piece of information that had just occurred to him. Those two in the mirror were his parents, the ones he had lost before he had had a chance to know them, to love them. Luna was in the mirror as well and a dreadful thought occurred to Harry.

If it wasn't for Lord Voldemort, his parents would be alive. He would have had the chance to know them. If it wasn't for Lord Voldemort, Luna would not be hunted with a bounty on her and be forced to go into hiding.

"I... I see glory," Harry blurted out and struggled to sound more confidence. "I see the demise of the Resistance and all of those who oppose us... and glory to we who defeat them."

He was lying. He was flat out lying to Lord Voldemort. It was different from the last time, where he had just concealed a large part of the truth by not talking about Luna. But this... this was nothing but a pure lie.

"Is that so? You see nothing related to the stone?"

Lord Voldemort released his grip on Harry's shoulder and stepped away from him. Harry did not dare to turn around and face him, but judging by Lord Voldemort's voice he knew that Lord Voldemort already suspected that something was wrong with what he had just said.

"No..."

His reflection stared back at him still smiling. Harry wondered for a moment if he could be smiling so freely as well, if there was no trouble in the world. If there were no Death Eaters fighting the Resistance, if there was no hiding and seeking, if there were no reasons to fight... if there was no Voldemort.

Voldemort sought immortality.

Him gaining the Philosopher's Stone and thus immortality would ensure nothing but an endless struggle between two sides.

More death, more sorrow.

As long as Voldemort existed, it would never end.

As long as Voldemort existed, Luna would be in danger.

"If I was your enemy, would you hesitate to use your wand now and kill me?"

"...because I believe in you."

Harry looked into the mirror. His reflection smiled even broader and revealed a crimson stone in his hand. The stone seemed to sparkle in the sunlight and, as if his own reflection in the mirror approved of his thoughts, he placed the stone in the pocket of his robes. Harry felt a tiny weight drop into his right pocket and when he reached his hand inside, he felt the cold surface of the Philosopher's Stone against his fingertips.

How it ended up there, he did not know and at the moment he could not care less.

"Harry? What do you have in your pocket?"

Startled, Harry jumped into an almost defensive stance as he turned around to face Voldemort. The latter looked only curious at first, but Harry's reaction confirmed that there was something going on and his expression turned from curious to pleased.

"So you do have the stone," Lord Voldemort smiled and reached out his hand. "Very good of you, my boy, now give it to me..."

Harry flinched and took a step backwards. Though Voldemort did not withdraw his hand, there was a hint of a displeased frown on his brow.

"Why do you hesitate?" he demanded. "Am I not your lord, your father to whom you have sworn fealty?"

Harry could not even open his mouth to answer. A very distinct memory came to mind, one from when he was seven and had just found out who his real parents were. At that time he had felt curiosity regarding who they were but little sadness. After all, Bellatrix had assured him that he was luckier than most boys. He had a new and better mother and two fathers. There was Rodolphus who would teach Harry how to ride a broomstick and how to best handle his mother. There was Voldemort, who Harry would serve with loyalty and in return he would gain all the knowledge and power he wanted. After all, the son would one day continue the father's legacy...

Voldemort stepped closer and in return Harry only stepped further away from him.

"There is fear in you, I can sense it... Why do you fear me? You are not like the others, you are not a Death Eater. You are my son, my heir... I would never harm you. Why will you not give me the stone?"

"I don't have it," Harry lied and his hand automatically closed around his wand.

The displeased look on Voldemort's face turned to pure anger and in the blink of an eye he had his wand drawn as well.

"Everte statum!"

Feeling as if the floor disappeared beneath his feet, Harry flew up in the air like a shot and crashed rather painfully against the wall before tumbling down over a few chairs like a rag doll. Having been struck by the leg of a chair on his rib cage, Harry tried not to wince as he slowly pushed himself up on his knees.

"You insist on lying to me!" Voldemort shouted from where he stood. "Others would have suffered greatly for it, consider yourself lucky that you are my heir or you would have been begging for my mercy!"

Grabbing a table for support, Harry pulled himself up on his feet.

"Do not make the mistake of thinking that you have succeeded in your deception," Voldemort continued. "I know of the girl you so desperately seek to protect..."

All the colour drained off Harry's face and he felt completely frozen.

"Yes, I know of her..." Voldemort laughed coldly. "Her name is Luna Lovegood, isn't it? Fitting name for someone who had the ability to lure you into the state of insanity you are in. She cannot stay hidden for long as you know, all I have to do is to send one of my most loyal followers to dispose of her after the dreadful things she has done to my heir. Dolohov, perhaps? Or the Carrows? Why not send Bellatrix, I am sure that she would do whatever necessary..."

"Leave her alone," Harry said through gritted teeth and stood upright.

Voldemort smiled again.

"All you have to do is to give me the stone. You do that and the girl will be safe."

His nails digging into the surface of the table he was holding on to, Harry debated within himself what to do. Thoughts raced through his head and he could feel the pounding of his heart rather clearly. Holding onto the stone and escaping required nothing short of a miracle and Voldemort would not stop until both he and Luna were dead. Handing over the stone meant saving his own life but in no way did it guarantee Luna's. Harry had a feeling that Voldemort would not forgive her so easily for neither for planting the seeds of doubt in Harry's mind nor for meaning so much to him. The stone, still resting in his pocket, felt ten times heavier than it had before.

"Harry, son... give me the stone."

Voldemort extended his hand again and Harry stared at it wordlessly.

"I never sought you out. We met, perhaps by fate or chance. I'm not sure which one yet."

Taking a deep breath, he made up his mind and reached into his pocket.

"...because I believe in you."

His fingers found what they were looking for and it was with a heavy heart that Harry grasped it and pulled it out. The pleased look on Voldemort's face had returned when he had seen Harry reached into his pocket. But his face changed again, this time to pure shock as he saw that the object that Harry had pulled out was not the stone.

"Expelliarmus!"

Voldemort's own wand flew out of his hands as he himself was thrown backwards into a group of chairs. Seizing the only chance he would ever get, Harry bolted towards the door and rushed out of the classroom. His feet seemed to move on its own as he ran down the hallway in an attempt to put as much distance between him and Voldemort as possible. If he could just reach the stairs and then the broom closet...

"Accio stone!"

The stone twitched in his pocket and upon hearing the familiar cold voice shouting those words Harry forgot all about running and instead grabbed the stone with both hands as it left his pocket on its own.

"No, no, come on..."

The spell was pulling the stone back towards Voldemort who had emerged from the classroom and stood in the other end of the hallway. Harry's own hands were closed around the stone, trying to use force to defy magic and prevent the stone from going anywhere.

"I should have known..."

Harry yanked at the stone one last time but the pull of the spell was too strong. Realizing that he was losing that battle, he let go of the stone and pulled out his wand again. The stone immediately flew towards Voldemort, who during this time had come closer and stood no further than thirty feet away from Harry.

Voldemort raised his hand and caught the stone swiftly. He stared at the stone, completely mesmerized.

"After all this time... I have it here in my hands."

Harry backed slowly, feeling a tiny bit of relief that Voldemort was too busy studying the stone and basking in glory to notice that he was moving. Harry's only thought was to get to the staircases and from there the broom closet. If only he could make it there, he could grab a broom, fly out of Hogwarts, and find Luna before it was too late and...

"I guess I should thank you for acquiring it for me," Voldemort spoke and his eyes returned to Harry. "Let me show you my gratitude... Crucio!"

"Protego!" Harry shouted in return, blocking the curse. Less than a moment later he caught sight on the countless paintings on the wall, all of them empty because the people inside them had fled at the sight of the battle. Voldemort raised his wand again, but this time Harry was quicker.

"Mobilitabula!"

Dozens of paintings flew off the wall and into the direction of Voldemort. While Voldemort was busy dodging and stopping the paintings from hitting him, Harry turned around and dashed towards the staircases. They were not that far away, he just had to run through the hallway and then he would reach them. He could already see them and how they moved in their usual illogical pattern. He would reach them and from there it would be easier to escape.

Just a few more feet...

Words could not describe the relief he felt when he finally came out of the hallway and placed his foot on the first step. The stone had been lost but if only he could escape, he could still find Luna and save her...

Then suddenly something happened as he was about to take his second step down the stairs. His foot refused move and before Harry knew it he fell over and tumbled gracelessly down to the bottom of the stairs. There he lay in a rather awkward position, his body aching after falling down so roughly. Cursing to himself, Harry tried to sit up.

The thing was, he couldn't.

Normally he would use his hands to push himself up but no matter how hard he tried he could not even move a finger. The same went for the rest of his body and a moment later when the situation was clearer it occurred to him what had happened. Looking up, he only got a confirmation of it as he saw Voldemort standing on top of the staircase with a cold smile on his lips.

"Didn't think you could stop me that easily, did you?" he teased as he walked down the stairs slowly. "Perhaps I should be grateful that on some level you still feel a little of loyalty towards me, otherwise your instinct would have been to cast a more powerful spell at me."

Harry tried to worm away as Voldemort stood on the last step, but all his struggles and attempts to move were in vain. He was trapped, unable to move, because of a simple thing as a Body-Bind spell. If only he had taken the time to just look over his shoulder he might have been able to cast a spell to counter it, or jump out of the way.

"But your betrayal runs too deep, Harry," Voldemort went on. Harry could see him holding his wand tightly with his ghostly, pale fingers. "I am afraid that I have no other choice than to dispose of you. It is a shame... you could have been great if you had just stayed by my side."

He raised his wand and Harry could not help staring at it, it was just about ten inches away from his face. The look on Voldemort's face told Harry everything. It told him that he was breathing his last breaths, living his last moments. He would die within seconds, killed in the same way as his parents and by the same man. This was his fate, one that had been prolonged for nineteen years. Whatever Voldemort had been thinking back then, whatever it was that had caused Harry to be spared, was clearly gone by now.

"Then again..." The cold smile resurfaced on Voldemort's lips. "Now that I can attain immortality, I have no need for an heir."

Cold eyes met fearful ones.

"Like a schoolboy. Perhaps I should ask her for a dance. She's not as pretty as the others but she'll do." Draco teasing him.

"That used to be the Slytherin table. You would have made a fine Slytherin." Bellatrix pointing at the table and speaking with pride.

"But I must say, Harry... it is truly wonderful to have you here with me." Rodolphus sipping his drink.

"I never sought you out. We met, perhaps by fate or chance. I'm not sure which one yet." Luna coming to see him even though she was supposed to be in hiding.

"...avada kedavra!"

Facing his fate eyes wide, he saw the green light shooting out from his wand. It was so strong, so intense that it took every ounce of will that Harry had not to close his eyes. He would not die with eyes closed, he would face his end. He kept his eyes opened and waited for darkness to take him.

But it did not come.

Instead, he heard a strange noise, like an animal shrieking in pain. The wand pointing at him suddenly dropped to the floor and Harry could hear it roll away. The green light was still there but it was no longer directed at Harry.

His vision was getting blurry but he saw before him Voldemort twitching and moving strangely, as if trying to fight off something invisible. The struggled seemed to go on for an eternity yet at the same time it felt like it was over in the blink of an eye. All movement from Voldemort ceased and he fell to the floor with a dull thump.

Something smoky and translucent appeared over Harry for a moment and he felt his forehead, of all places, hurting so much that he thought that his head would explode. But whatever it was it soon flew away and the aching slowly disappeared. At that time only one thought registered in his mind.

This was hands down the strangest day of his life.

After that, everything turned black.