"What? How can we be sure you aren't leading us into a trap?" Lupin asked warily.
"Well, you could ask Dumbledore's portrait, but since it's in the castle, I guess you'll just have to trust me." Snape retorted.
"You wish." Harry snapped. "I'll go get the Chocolate Frog card I used to speak to him last time." Harry was gone and back in a flash. "Professor, are you there? I really need to talk to you." Harry said urgently to the smiling Dumbledore.
"Well, hello again, Harry!" Dumbledore greeted merrily.
"Hi, Professor." Harry said hurriedly. "Listen, I really need to know if you instructed Snape to Avada Kedavra you the night you, um, died." Harry asked awkwardly.
"Is Severus with you?" Dumbledore asked interestedly.
"Yes, he is but-" Harry started.
"May I talk with him, please?" Dumbledore asked.
"Sure, I guess." Harry said passing the card to Snape with a look of contempt.
"Ah, Severus. It's good to see you again. I hope that the past weeks haven't been too hard on you." Dumbledore greeted.
"Nothing I didn't expect, Headmaster." Snape replied.
By this point, everyone was gathered around so that they could all see and hear Dumbledore speak.
"Harry, I can assure you that Professor Snape did everything that I asked him to do." Dumbledore said with a gentle smile.
"But, sir, why would you- I mean, why would you ask him to kill you?" Harry asked, frustrated.
"Because I did not want young Draco to have to carry the heavy burden of murdering me for all of his life. Not when I think that he'll straighten out sooner than later. I was an old man, Harry. Draco is young with an infinite amount of potential. I did not mind ending my life a bit early so that Draco could be free to live his. But now that everyone knows the truth, I must be going now. Goodbye!" Dumbledore said as he resumed waving and smiling.
"Well, I guess your story checks out, Snape." Lupin stated, his tone still unfriendly as he released the chains binding the former Death Eater. "We need to alert the others and get to Hogwarts as quickly as possible."
"The others?" Hermione spoke up.
"We've been expecting a battle for months now and so we've met with other trusted wizards and witches who want to help defeat Voldemort. Dora, could you please send the Patronus?" Lupin asked fondly. He had began calling Tonks, Dora, short for Nymphadora.
She nodded and swiftly sent the message. "Good, now everyone will be alerted shortly." Lupin said. Let's apparate to Hogsmeade quickly. We can take one of the secret passageways to the school in case it's being watched. Is the Shrieking Shack safe to apparate to, Snape? Any Death Eaters hanging around there?" Lupin asked.
"Not for awhile. But I'll apparate there first to make sure. If I don't come back immediately, apparate behind Honeydukes and take that passage." Snape replied.
Snape apparated and within a minute he was back. It's safe, let's go." he stated.
Harry's eyes flashed. This was the moment he had been waiting for. Finally, he would get his revenge." Harry offered Ginny his arm and they apparated with a small pop. Harry and Ginny waited as everyone else arrived.
"Let's go!" McGonagall said, her eyes flashing fire. "I'll be damned if I let Voldemort take my school!"
The group quickly made their way up to the school and started making plans. "Harry, I need the map, please." Lupin asked.
"What map?" McGonagall asked.
Lupin actually blushed a bit. "Well, it's a map James, Sirius, Peter, and I made when we were here at school. We called it the Marauder's Map and it shows where everyone is within the building and grounds of Hogwarts." He took the map from Harry and tapped it with his wand. "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good."
McGonagall watched with a stern eye as it showed their position in the castle. "Well then, I suppose we should just position people at all entrances to the castle including the secret passages." McGonagall ordered.
The next several hours were hectic as supporters responded to the Order's message and came pouring in to help. Harry pulled his friends into an empty classroom. "Look, you guys, this is going to be really dangerous. I wish you guys would just find somewhere to hide until all of this is over. I don't want you to get hurt, or worse, killed.
Hermione's eyes flashed. "Harry, would you please stop treating us like three first years? We know what we're doing just as well as you do. We're fighting and that's that."
Harry stared at Hermione with widened eyes. "You're right, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to come across like that, I just want you guys to be safe. But look, if I don't come back from this, I just want all of you to know how much you mean to me- how much I love you. You've been the best friends- the best family- that I could have ever hoped for."
"We feel the same way about you, mate." Ron said awkwardly.
"'Arry! Glad I found ya." Hagrid greeted in a somber voice as he entered the room. "McGonagall says for everyone ter get ter their positions. But I jus' wanted ter tell ya all I'm glad I got the chance ter know ya." Hagrid said, wiping his eyes. "Bin great having some friends here at Hogwarts. Take care o' yourselves." he said gathering all of them in a hug. "Let's go."
Harry and Ginny moved to their positions by the front entrance. Ron and Hermione walked down the corridor to the secret passageway that led to the Shrieking Shack.
Lupin magnified the sound of his voice so that it could be heard throughout the castle, in order to let everyone know when and where people would be coming from. "Now listen up, everyone! Voldemort and the Death Eaters will not fight fair, you all know that. So, do what you have to do including using the Killing curse if necessary.
Everyone was in position for about an hour when Lupin made the first announcement. "Five people coming through your passageway, Shacklebolt! Five more through your passageway, Minerva! Five more through your passageway, Moody! And, oh! At least thirty coming through the front!" Lupin cried before he pocketed the map and drew his wand.
Harry drew his wand and waited for the first Death Eater to come through the door. The first person he saw to come in was Bellatrix Lestrange. "Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled at Lestrange. The spell hit the target and her wand flew out of her hand. Harry broke it in half and threw it on the floor. "Stupefy!" Harry repeated over and over .Lestrange fell unconscious to the floor.
By this point, the fighting was chaos. There were curses flying everywhere and most of the remaining Death Eaters had made it into the school. Harry looked around while fighting off another Death Eater. He knew a lot of the people that were fighting along side of him. Neville Longbottom, Amos Diggory, Seamus, Dean, Luna, and dozens of others.
Harry knocked another Death Eater unconscious when he turned around and saw Ginny fighting with Goyle. Goyle raised his wand and shouted "Crucio!" The curse hit Ginny before Harry could stop it. "Ennervate!" he shouted, his wand at Ginny. Harry turned to Goyle, lifted his wand and shouted, "Sectumsepra! Stupefy!" He was furious and had to stop himself from killing him.
Harry was about to throw another curse at him when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Nagini. Harry made his way down the hall, fighting his way through, blasting Death Eaters out of the way. "Avada Kedavra!" Harry shouted, pointing his wand at the snake. Nothing happened. Nagini spoke. "You can't kill me so easily." she hissed. "Only very few people have the ability to kill me."
You must have to speak the curse in Parseltongue, Harry thought. He raised his wand again. "Avada Kedavra." Harry hissed back in the snake's language. Nagini tried to slither away as the curse flew at her, but it hit her nonetheless. Nagini fell limp to the ground.
Harry turned around and saw Lucius Malfoy. "Crucio!" he yelled, catching Malfoy off guard. The spell connected and Malfoy doubled over in pain.
"Tell me where Voldemort is!" Harry shouted. Lucious just glared at him. "Crucio!" Harry yelled again. Lucius screamed in pain as the next curse connected. "Tell me where he is or I will kill you, you filthy coward!
Lucius managed to raise his wand shakily and yelled, "Sectumsempra!" at Harry. It connected and Harry felt white hot pain slice through his body.
Just then, Harry's scar felt like it was on fire. "I'm right here, Potter." Voldemort said coldly.
Harry tried not to wince from the pain as he stood up to face
Voldemort. "Glad to see you, Tom. I've got some things to tell you." Harry said coldly. "First of all, I killed your snake a minute ago. Just thought you might want to know." Harry said with a cruel laugh.
Voldemort glanced over to where Nagini was laying on the floor and fury filled his face. "You're going to wish you hadn't done that, Potter." he screamed.
"Oh, but that's not all I've done!" Harry said in a sarcastic voice. "You see, I've also destroyed Slytherin's locket, Ravenclaw's raven figurine, Hufflepuff's cup and Nagini. Oh, and before he died, Dumbledore destroyed your grandfather's ring. So you see, Tom, you are mortal once more!" Harry said with a wicked look.
Voldemort's face was a picture of rage and hate. But Harry could also detect fear as well.
"Yes, Tom, I'd be afraid too if I were you." Harry continued.
"STOP CALLING ME TOM! MY NAME IS LORD VOLDEMORT!" Voldemort screamed.
Harry laughed. "No, I think I killed the last of Lord Voldemort when I killed your stupid snake. I think all that's left of you is plain, unimportant, insignificant Tom Riddle. And I'm afraid that Tom's not going to be around all that long."
Voldemort raised his wand. "Crucio!" he yelled at Harry.
"Finite Incantatum!" Harry nonverbally blocked the spell. Harry saw a mixture of fear and surprise in Voldemort's eyes.
"Oh, I guess you didn't hear the news, Tom. I'm all grown up now!" Harry said with a laugh. "I'm not the kid you used to fight. But you know what the funny thing is? You were supposed to be this all powerful wizard who people were afraid of so much that they wouldn't speak your name. And you still couldn't kill me! You couldn't defeat me then and you sure as hell can't defeat me now, Tom!" Harry yelled.
Harry raised his wand to kill Voldemort but all of a sudden he was flooded with memories of his parents. Dumbledore's words came to his mind. "You have powers Voldemort doesn't, Harry. You have the ability to love." Harry knew that using the Killing curse on Voldemort wouldn't kill him even though he was mortal once more. There was only one way. Harry pointed his wand at Voldemort's heart and focused all the love that he felt for his parents, Sirius, his friends, and Ginny on Voldemort. He pushed out all the hate and rage. Harry didn't know what to say, or really, what to do. He just kept focusing his ability to love onto Voldemort. Harry's wand shot out a yellow beam at Voldemort. The more Harry concentrated, the stronger and more intense the beam became. Soon, it lit up the whole room in it's brightness.
"What are you doing to me?" Voldemort whispered.
"I'm showing you what if feels like to love, Tom." Harry replied. "Dumbledore was right. You don't have the ability to love. You've split your soul so many times, that the little fragment of a soul you have left in you will not be able to contain love. It will kill you." Just then, the yellow beam penetrated through Voldemort's body through his heart. With a weak cry of defeat, Voldemort crumbled to the floor. As soon as the yellow beam disappeared, Harry also dropped to the floor, unconscious.
A/N: So what do you all think? Please review! I need to know what you think so I know how to write the next chapter. To everyone who has reviewed so far, thanks for all the compliments, encouragement, and help. I really couldn't have gotten this far in the story without reading all your reviews, so thanks! I'll try to have the next chapter up as soon as possible, because I really want to know what happens next too!