Chapter 13: A New Age Begins
A/N: Amanda here again, this is gonna get weird. I'm going to rush the ending a bit, so only the epilogue is left after this.
Calm down, fledgling, you'll do your mate no good by dying.
But… she can't be alive… it's not possible.
She has been given some of our magic, correct? Pray that she had the gift of foresight bestowed upon her. Call to your egg, should they be among the living, you will sense them.
Should your mate and your egg have perished, your death would not avenge them so calm yourself.
Harry concentrated on the developing fetus inside of Amanda, unsure of what else to do. A spark of life could be found. He knew they were alive. They are all right. Let me go, I have to fight. Voldemort must be stopped!
This is why we do not grant this power to your kind. Humans are far too excitable, extremely irritable, and blind themselves with their fears and anger.
I need to get up… I need to fight. Why is everything dark? Why can't I move?
You are ready for your wings, summoning us proves that. This is why you cannot move.
Wh-what? Wings?
Wake up, young one.
Harry's body shot into the air, surrounded by seven phoenixes. The battles stopped again as a cocoon of fire appeared around him. The seven phoenixes flew into the blazing cocoon, exiting the other side as a shower of ashes and seven phoenix chicks, which were deftly caught by the remaining five phoenixes. The flames subsided and Harry was standing in the air, red and gold wings had sprouted from his back and tail feathers had erupted from his backside. The gathered witches and wizards failed to hide their shock and surprise, if they even tried to hide it at all.
Harry slowly fell to the ground, everyone stepping back to give him room to land. Looking around, he saw the Death Eaters eyes were filled with fear, and if he had looked for it, he would have seen the same looks on the faces of his friends and teachers. Harry continued his walk toward Voldemort, leaving the parted crowd to their own devices. Voldemort's terrible voice disrupted the silence. "Kill him you fools!"
One solitary Death Eater stepped in Harry's path, his wand pointed directly at the lightning bolt scar on Harry's forehead. When five of the six syllables that make up Avada Kedavra were pronounced, Harry leapt into the air, hovering as the curse soared past his previous position, striking a ferret scurrying along the ground. The newly fallen victim of the killing curse shot into the air, flew backward a few feet, and hit the ground with a dull thud. Whilst in the air, the ferret mutated. Draco Malfoy lay on the ground dead. The murderer dropped to his knees, removing his mask in the process, vomiting violently. When he looked back at the form of his son, Lucius Malfoy looked distraught, as though the life of his son actually mattered to him. Harry supposed that being the cause of the destruction of his own bloodline was enough to make anyone who cared about the purity of blood as sick as it had made Malfoy, but as he didn't know anyone who cared well enough to be sure, he couldn't be certain. Malfoy senior's face contorted in rage as he took aim at Harry and cast the killing curse once more.
Being airborne, Harry had ample room to dodge the curse. It wasn't until many more joined Lucius in his attempt that Harry began to have trouble. Seeing Harry move around in the air, dodging killing curses, stunners, bludgeoning spells, and innumerable other spells, hexes, jinxes, and curses seemed to shake the school's defenses out of their stupor. It was the D.A. that first began firing indiscriminately at the Death Eaters, the first curse coming from Neville Longbottom. The Order followed their example.
A lapse in the spells aimed at him allowed Harry to touch down in front of Voldemort. Phoenix and Serpent stood staring at one another, each sizing the other up. Voldemort's face broke into a serpentine smile. "It seems as though I am not the only one who has undergone transformations in a quest for power. How very much alike we are, Harry. I take it that your newfound ability to block me completely from me from your mind to be a result of one of these transformations?" Harry said nothing. "Have it your way, but had you answered my questions, you would have lived longer.
"Nagini!" Voldemort hissed in Parseltongue. The snake slithered down the trunk of a tree and wrapped itself around his body. A loud hiss of pain escaped his lips and Nagini was gone. Voldemort's tongue, which was previously as human as Harry's, flicked out and tasted the air. Harry noticed at once that it had become as forked as any snakes and a sickening smile revealed two glistening fangs.
"You see, Harry, Nagini has always been a part of me. I used her in my first transformations, I used her venom and unicorn blood to regain strength, and since so much of her flows through my veins, much like your blood does, I can absorb her into my body and complete the transformation I first underwent." Voldemort explained in Parseltongue, inwardly smirking at Harry's shocked face. Before Harry could even register this new situation, he felt himself hitting the ground, his chest aching from the knockback jinx that came from nowhere.
"Stand up, boy. Face me like your father did, like your mother tried, like Dumbledore. You are a man now, Harry, fight like one! All of your protectors have gone, they've all left you. You are alone in the world, Harry. Your parents were the first, your father told your mother to run. He actually fought. Your filthy mudblood mother didn't even raise her wand at me. She held your infant body tightly against her and turned her back on me.
"Then your dog," Voldemort smiled evilly, his fangs glistening with a sickening yellow liquid. ("Most likely venom," thought Harry) "I'm terribly sorry, your godfather died because you thought he was being tortured. Then there was your young lady friend, Ginevra. Perhaps you wonder why she was taken? The girl resisted me for nearly a year. An eleven-year-old girl resisted the greatest wizard of all time! I knew that if she had done as she had so desired and made you fall in love with her, she would have made you nearly invincible. The only two people who aren't dead after being possessed by the Dark Lord would have been difficult to overcome, were they together. The girl was strong willed and never gave in to our demands. Do you know how long she was under the Cruciatus curse? Hours upon hours, but that got us nowhere. One of my faithful Death Eaters broke her, after a while. Lucius, I think, or possibly young Draco. They alternated, I believe. Did you know she was being held in Hogsmeade?
"Dumbledore, as you can see, is gone too. The old fool thought he was a match for Lord Voldemort. No, Harry, he never had a chance. It has been Seen that only one of us can defeat the other. Yes, I know the Prophecy. Dumbledore knew he couldn't win, and so he died at my hand. A fitting end for the old fool, I believe. This is a castle, after all, and one must dispatch the king before the castle will truly fall.
"Come, Harry, let us duel now. I've solved the problem with our wands, this will be a proper fight." Voldemort laughed. Harry stood and drew his wand, launching hex after hex at Voldemort. The two volleyed extremely powerful and advanced spells, Harry fighting as fiercely as Dumbledore had done, calling on the knowledge of the spells that Dumbledore had taught him and the collective knowledge of the four phoenixes that first marked him with the Phoenix Flame.
Ron was mad with rage. The tower collapsing had shaken him immensely. Hermione and Amanda had a clear view of the lake through the wall, so it was possible that they ran from the room when the dragon landed, it was even possible that they had ran from the castle and were on the grounds, fighting for their children's futures. The human mind has an annoying tendency to speculate the worst in situations like that, however, and Ron, while hopeful that no one was in the guest rooms at the time, expected to find six bodies in the rubble when the battle was won or lost.
As the Weasley family fought to protect one another, more and more Death Eaters, students, Order members, and teachers fell, thought if they were dead, stunned, or merely unconscious from fatigue remained to be seen. The Weasleys considered themselves extremely lucky to have no casualties on the field as yet. Charlie was still as safe as possible on his dragon while the rest of the family created a circle, everyone facing different directions, each person protecting the two on their sides by firing curses in their own little section of battlefield. It couldn't have been more obvious that most of the Death Eaters couldn't cast a proper killing curse, as only four-dozen or so had attempted it that day, the problem came when the Weasley family was faced with one who actually could cast the curse, should one person dodge it, it would hit the person behind him, and if they didn't dodge it…
Percy had no chance of survival; no one could have blocked it due to the close proximity of Percy's killer. Six stunners immediately avenged the fallen Weasley, as four stunners to the head and two to the chest of the Death Eater caused extensive internal injuries, blood seeped from his nose and mouth, pooling around his lifeless body. If the murderer wasn't dead, he would be within minutes, and while the Weasley family had only fully welcomed Percy back after Ginny's death, he was still their brother and son, and he deserved a better fate than the one he got. Molly Weasley didn't miss the fact that had Percy moved to avoid the curse it would have hit either Arthur or Ron, or quite possibly both, judging by the way they had been standing.
Harry and Voldemort were getting tired. Most of the people on the battlefield had been rendered unconscious, killed, or hexed so badly that they were unable to fight, only twenty or so people remained standing on either side, only Ron and Molly remained standing for the Weasley family. The five phoenixes that had carried those who gave Harry his wings were back, singing their ethereal song and crying over the humans with grave injuries. Harry could tell that the song invigorated the Dark Lord's opponents, and terrified his henchmen. Harry felt lighter and more energetic from the five songs echoing across the grounds. Even if he seemed to be part phoenix now, the song still filled him with some great power. He could only assume that a true phoenix felt the same way as he did.
Lord Voldemort seemed almost afraid. Phoenix song apparently wasn't his favorite type of music. The otherworldly sounds distracted him so severely that his spells flew past Harry in erratic patterns. Harry had no problems breaking through Voldemort's feeble shield charms, and soon he found himself taunting the Dark Lord as he had been taunted.
"Stand up, Tom. Fight me like a man. You killed my parents mercilessly in an attempt to kill me. You didn't even kill Sirius or Ginny, and you killed Dumbledore with the cowardly killing curse. That doesn't sound very manly to me-" Harry would have continued, but Voldemort's mouth had opened, as if he was trying to suck in more air with each breath than he would by breathing through his nose, and the thick yellow liquid coating his fangs shot out of his mouth, landing on Harry's abdomen, burning a hole in his robes.
"Didn't they teach you not to spit on others at the orphanage? It's rude, Tom, and disgusting." Harry stepped forward and waved his wand. Ropes came out and tried to work their way around Voldemort.
"Harry," he said in a wavering voice, "Do not think so lightly of me. The phoenixes affect me; I do not deny it, but binding me with conjured ropes? Come now, give me more credit than that." He stood, trying to block the phoenix song, concentrating on Harry. "Do not think ill of me for this, Harry, but I'm afraid I must end our duel. It has been a pleasant experience, enlightening, I must admit."
"Why so polite, Tom? You expect me to show you mercy? You expect me to spare your life? You expect me to allow you to walk away after all you've done?" Harry fumed, pointing his wand at Voldemort.
"No, you misunderstand, Harry. I'm going to kill you now. As I've said, it's been enlightening. Avada Kedavra!"
"Amora Protego Omnis!" Harry shouted. A bone-chilling scream echoed across the grounds as a golden light surrounded his body as the killing curse struck his chest. An evil smile lit Voldemort's serpentine face. With Harry Potter out of the way, it wouldn't be difficult for him to take over the world, his only opposition was dead, after all. The smile faded as Harry's glowing body grew brighter and brighter. The golden light shot forward out of the spot his scar would be, if his body was visible, and struck Voldemort. A high-pitched scream pierced the air. The glow disappeared all at once. Harry's body crumpled into a pile on the ground, but Voldemort's wasn't in sight. All that remained of the Dark Lord was a faint scorch mark, burning grass and leaves, and a layer of dust and ash.
Molly Weasley, the last of her family, aside from Charlie on dragonback, that remained standing, stood over the stunned and unconscious forms of her husband and children. The few remaining Death Eaters were being taken care of by Remus and Nymphadora, Minerva, Filius, Neville Longbottom, and a few other students. The dragon keepers and Aurors kept the Dementors that hadn't been destroyed by dragon fire at bay. It had been a shock to the dragon keepers as much as anyone to see a Dementor melt into a dark pile of something that looked like tar when the flames enshrouded their bodies. As disgusting as it looked, Molly was relieved that no one had been Kissed by a Dementor, even the Death Eaters deserved better than that.
When the killing curse erupted from Voldemort's wand, Molly let out a bloodcurdling scream. The golden light that had surrounded Harry's body hadn't lessened her fear at all. The fact that no one had ever glowed like that after being hit with the killing curse hadn't even entered her mind. Her one thought was to get to the boy she considered a son; no matter what she found when she got there. Alive or dead, Harry needed her. She may not have been his actual mother, and Lily Potter may have been the only person who had loved him more than she did in the way that only a mother can love her child, but she was all he had. Nymphadora was more of a big sister or aunt, and that horrid Petunia Dursley… Molly had always had half a mind to hex her beyond recognition if she ever saw her and no other muggles were around.
When the beam of golden light hit Voldemort and his deathly scream filled the air, Molly was only halfway to Harry. As soon as the light faded and Harry hit the ground, his wings, arms, and legs at odd angles and his tail feathers fanned out around his lower body, her pace doubled. At his side, she could tell that he was breathing, shallow, ragged breaths, but they were breaths nonetheless, and proof he was alive. Molly lifted him into her arms and held him, gently rocking him. Remus, Nymphadora, and the rest joined them as soon as they could. After hearing their master's scream the Death Eaters had all grasped their Dark Mark, drawing back a bloody right hand from their left forearm. The Dark Mark had opened as though someone had traced it with a razor blade, and the Death Eaters gave up the fight.
Remus picked five inches of holly off the ground, a phoenix feather sticking out of the end. The other half of the broken wand was in Harry's clenched hand. Glancing at the wings and tail that were now retreating into Harry's body, Remus reached out his hand and plucked a solitary feather. Two more fell along with it. Molly looked at him questioningly, wordlessly asking why he was stealing feathers from his dead friend's son's body.
"Broken wand," he explained, "I don't think that one of Fawkes's feathers will be enough for him." He held up one feather, "I suppose Ollivander can use these as well. There's no sense in wasting them."
Light flickered across his face, waking him from a peaceful sleep. Voices buzzed all around, like flies or bees, preventing him from seeking sleep once more. "Quiet…" he mumbled, startling everyone. A pair of arms attempted to encircle his body, but failed. They submitted and began stroking his face and hair. Amanda's voice filled his ears.
"Harry, get up, you've slept for a week." His eyes shot open. He knew that she was alive, but hearing her voice was different. She was there; he could reach out and touch her. And so he did.
"So you're not dead after all." Another voice called.
"RON!" a number of voices bellowed, Harry's weak chuckle ended their reprimand before Ron was seriously hexed.
"What happened?" Harry asked faintly, trying to sit up. Ron, Amanda, Hermione, the Lupins and the Weasleys were gathered at his side.
"That venom on your robes. It went through your skin and started eating your muscles away." Madam Pomfrey's voice called from somewhere to his right. A draft signaled his blankets being removed and his chest being exposed. A loud huff, most likely from Molly Weasley, announced disappointment in seeing the tattoo on his chest. A sharp prod in the stomach told the hospital matron what she needed to know, the weight of his blankets was on him once more and a potion was forced down his throat.
"Be glad that Ms. White's tears are the same as a phoenix's tears, Mr. Potter. Without her, you would likely be dead." Madam Pomfrey said as she shuffled off to check on other patients.
"Mrs. Potter." Amanda said, causing the assembled group to look up at her. "If I was Ms. White, my tears would have been the same as always: salty and unremarkable. When Harry and I received our phoenix powers, we were unknowingly married. Professor Dumbledore told us."
A day, or maybe a week later, Harry didn't know. He was in and out of consciousness so often that he lost all sense of time. He remembered flashes of the conversation he had when he first woke up after the final battle. He learned that Tonks had quit as an Auror, claiming that she had caught her fill of Dark wizards. He learned that Hermione and Amanda had only survived because they had summoned Dobby for some food, and that he had Apparated them to the kitchens. He was the one who saw the dragon tail coming for the tower. Cho, Katie, Angelina, and Wormtail had been on the grounds, fighting alongside the Order. He learned that Severus Snape, Percy Weasley, Rubeus Hagrid, a handful of Order members, and three first year students were the only casualties on their side, unless he counted the injured, no one escaped unscathed, and he learned that Voldemort was truly dead this time. He would never come back.
Harry was still fading in and out, waking for no more than thirty seconds on most occasions. "…CATCHES THE SNITCH!" Harry smiled before falling back to sleep, thinking that it was good that the school could gather for something like Quidditch. "Harry? Are you awake?" A whisper from beside him stirred him awake for a moment.
Darkness surrounded the room. Harry looked up and saw Amanda's sleeping form beside his bed, the Quidditch cup resting on her lap. Natalie must have caught the Snitch. Harry smiled; Gryffindor had won the cup. Amanda stirred and woke, sleepily noting Harry's open eyes and bright smile. The first thing she did was brandish the cup in front of her, the second thing was to tell him that he had missed all the N.E.W.T.s, and the third thing was to announce that Molly Weasley had began the planning of two weddings and that Amanda and Hermione had talked her into a double wedding instead. Harry smiled and nodded before falling asleep again.
Harry was released a couple of days later on the grounds that he didn't over exert himself and he report to Madam Pomfrey daily for potions. He would be staying at Hogwarts for a while during the summer to take his N.E.W.T.s, but Madam Pomfrey said that Gryffindor Tower might be better for his mood. Amanda, Ron, Hermione, and the rest of the Weasleys would be staying too. Other good news followed his release: Minerva McGonagall, as deputy headmistress, now took over Albus Dumbledore's previous position, and while this was regrettable because of the circumstances, it paved the way for better news. Remus and Nymphadora had taken two of the empty teaching positions. Remus was the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher, as a magical creature he was perfect for the job. Nymphadora had taken Minerva's old position as Transfiguration professor, claiming that her natural ability as a Metamorphmagus should be enough to earn her the job. McGonagall agreed. The potions position was still empty, as was the Defense Against the Dark Arts position.
Over the course of a week in Gryffindor Tower, Harry began to feel better than he had felt in years. He and Amanda had a room to themselves in the tower, as did Ron and Hermione, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Remus and Nymphadora, and Bill and Fleur. The unmarried Weasley brothers, with the exception of Ron, were sharing a room. Each of them protested it, saying that Ron was sharing a room with Hermione so they should be allowed to share a room with their girlfriends. Katie and Angelina were siding with Molly, however, so George and Fred couldn't protest much. Charlie, who hadn't received anything from the Girl of the Month club lately, wasn't complaining as much as the twins.
The day after Harry had completed his N.E.W.T.s, the twins and their girlfriends announced their engagements. The twins had unknowingly proposed on the same day, much to the amusement of the family.
Harry, Amanda, Ron, and Hermione had opted for a muggle wedding, mainly because Hermione's parents were going to be there. Their double wedding was held on the Quidditch pitch in Hogsmeade, Hermione's parents had arrived by portkey to the all-wizarding village. Their friends had taken the Hogwarts Express, which had been decorated with hundreds of Aphrodite's Roses. The wedding was reported as one of the most awe-inspiring that anyone had ever been witness to, The Quibbler had done a special report on the ceremony, claiming that the light from the joining spell was so bright that it could easily be seen from the nest of a Floppy-tailed Liboret, whatever that was, in the mountain cave where Sirius had once hidden.
November 11, 1998
Harry paced the corridor outside Amanda's room at St. Mungo's. Ron had already threatened to hex him if he didn't sit down. Amanda had thrown him out of the room after she ran out of fingers to break. A passing healer had offered to fix the broken appendages for him, but he refused. If Amanda learned that he had ten freshly mended fingers, she would have him back in there, gripping them until they broke again.
After his wife had been in labor for nearly four hours, she finally gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. They had settled on the name Morgana Lily Potter, the names of Amanda's grandmother, who was also Remus's aunt, and Harry's mother. Silent tears made their way down Harry's cheeks as his daughter yawned widely and blinked her vivid green eyes, her tuft of jet-black hair tickling his arm. Finally he had the family he had always wanted, and this time nothing was going to take that away from him.