The next chapter for my wonderful reviewers! Can't let you hang from that cliff for too long ... Enjoy!

And many, many thanks again to cecelle for beta-reading!

Disclaimer: no own, no money, only play ...

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Chapter 10: The last Duel

Before Harry could open his mouth to answer, Snape had already shot the first curse at him, quick as lightning. A sharp pain seared through his cheek. Harry wiped away the blood, seething with rage and confusion. What was Snape playing at? He was supposed to be on their side, wasn't he? Why did the bloody bastard attack him now? Another curse came hurtling at him, but this time Harry was ready. He ducked the curse, and at the same time shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

"You still haven't learned, Potter, have you? Didn't I teach you non-verbal spells for almost a year? Try again!" Snape sneered, his wand still in his hand.

With all his might, Harry thought Levicorpus, but Snape parried again, moving deeper into the shadows of the orchard.

"Better, Potter, better. But not good enough for me," he jeered and fired a Stinging Hex that painfully grazed Harry's ear. Throwing all caution to the winds in his rising fury, Harry ran after Snape, who disappeared between the trees, firing hex after hex over his shoulder.

"You won't get away this time, you bloody –" Another curse hit Harry in the knee, and he stumbled. Clenching his fists in anger and pain, he scrambled back to his feet and continued the wild chase through the orchard and up the hill towards the forest, oblivious of the battle raging through the Weasleys' house and garden.

At the edge of the forest, Snape turned around. Half of his face was illuminated by the eerie green glow of the Dark Mark. The utter loathing that was etched into those sharp, mask-like features made Harry shudder to the bone. A searing pain shot through his scar, and his mind went blank as Snape approached him.

"Here I have you, Potter ..." the Death Eater hissed, then shouted "Expelliarmus!" Harry tried to duck the curse, but was too slow. He was blasted backwards, his wand flying from his hand and high into the air. "Without a wand ..." Snape continued. He pointed at the boy lying on the ground, and thin, snakelike cords shot from the tip of his wand, curling around Harry's legs and arms, "… bound ... and all alone with me," he bowed in mock-curtesy, then motioned towards the trees, sneering, "– and the Dark Lord!"

Harry's heart went cold. A tall, thin figure shrouded in black emerged from the forest, red eyes gleaming in the darkness. And through the grass slithered his giant snake, Nagini.

"Welcome to your death party," the hollow, high-pitched voice rang in Harry's ears, "– Harry Potter. Time to fulfil the prophecy, don't you agree?" He turned towards Snape, who was kneeling in the grass not far from Harry. "Well done, Severus, my most faithful one. Will you bring me the boy's wand?"

Snape rose and walked over to where Harry's wand lay in the grass. If looks could kill, you would be dead, traitor, thought Harry, staring daggers at the Death Eater as he passed him. He had trusted Snape those last few days, truly trusted him for the first time in seven years. Snape had given him the recipe for the Amortentia Potion, had alerted them to the attack - with a Unicorn Patronus to boot! He had promised to kill Nagini, hadn't he? But there she was, as alive as ever. And he, Harry, was lying on the ground, wandless, defenceless, lured into Voldemort's arms by that very same wizard: Snape, who had sworn to his mother that he would protect Harry. And now he was going to die a most horrible death, thanks to the bloody traitor.

But wouldn't Snape die too, for breaking his Vow? You are dead, traitor, thought Harry, and a strange, malicious satisfaction filled him at the thought. He was just about to open his mouth and shout the words at his former teacher, who was passing him on his way back to Voldemort, when he heard a low hissing.

"Have the Potion ready as soon as I release you from your bonds, Potter."

Almost automatically Harry felt for the small bump in his pocket, now completely confused. Which side was Snape really on? The phial with the altered Amortentia Potion was still there. However, it wasn't activated yet. How on earth did Snape expect him to perform the spell? It was impossible. There was no one else, only he, Voldemort, and – Snape. Harry's eyes grew wide. Snape couldn't mean to –

He stared at the black figure moving towards Voldemort, holding Harry's wand in his left hand like a trophy. A few feet away from his destiny, Snape knelt again.

"Harry Potter's wand, my Lord," he announced, then smoothly stood up. "Well, I think not," he added casually and, with a flick of his wrist, threw the wand backwards towards Harry, at the same time pointing his own wand at the snake's raised head.

"Avada Kedavra," he said almost lazily, and Nagini fell to the ground in a violent explosion of green light, dead.

Both Snape and Voldemort were thrown backwards by the blast of the curse, but quickly got back to their feet.

"Snape, you bloody idiot, what have you done?" roared Voldemort. His face was contorted in senseless rage and disbelief.

"I've killed your last Horcrux, my Lord," Snape said in a dangerously low voice. "Yes, your very last one. The Ring is gone, Slytherin's Locket, Hufflepuff's Cup, just to mention a few."

"Liar! You are lying! My Horcruxes are safe!" Voldemort cried, his voice cracking in agitation and – uncertainty?

"I myself broke your Mirror," Snape continued haughtily. "Bella was so big-headed about being the one you favoured with safekeeping it, she hardly missed an opportunity to brag." He sneered in contempt. "Presently, she is the proud owner of an expertly made replica. Never even noticed I had been to her hidey-hole." Snape paused for effect, his black eyes boring into Voldemort's. "And now, my Lord," he lowered his voice to a dangerous whisper, "you are as mortal as any of us. And I'm going to kill you. Expelliarmus!"

Voldemort's wand soared high into the air. The self-declaimed Dark Lord gave a hissing sound, whirled around, and disappeared. In the blink of an eye, he re-appeared in the spot where his wand had fallen to the ground. Snape was already facing him, his wand raised high. "Sectumsempra!"

Again, Voldemort whirled and was gone. "You? Kill me?" his inhuman voice jeered from behind, and Snape spun around. "Want the glory all to yourself, do you? The wizard who killed both Dumbledore and the Dark Lord? - I think not. Crucio!"

Snape deflected the curse. It hit one of the trees, sending sparks of pale green light into the sky. At the same moment, fiery arrows flew from Snape's wand towards Voldemort, but the Dark wizard had Disapparated once again.

"Nice try," came the high-pitched voice from behind a boulder. "I always knew you had potential, Snape. Too bad you are just throwing it to the winds. AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Snape had vanished from the spot even before the green jet of light had left Voldemort's wand.

Harry stared, amazed that anybody could react that fast.

He could not have imagined the scene that followed, not even in his wildest dreams. For a long time, the two Dark wizards seemed equally matched. Beams of light flew from their wands, thick as hail, one immediately answered by the other, but not a word was said. They had stopped shouting the incantations, but duelled in utmost silence, appearing and disappearing in the darkness as they Apparated in and out. Like two demons from hell, the two black figures were locked in a deadly, and at the same time strangely beautiful, dance. And he, Harry, 'The Chosen One' could do nothing but watch, his heart beating frantically as he lay in the grass.

From down the hill, the faint noise of fighting and the screeching of an enraged Hippogriff reached Harry's ear.

TBC

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Another cliffhanger, sorry (the more reviews the sooner the update, LOL). 2 more chapters to go, and an epilogue.