HARRY POTTER AND THE FINAL WAR

Summary: Harry Potter has returned from Hogwarts and has wasted no time in his search for Voldemort's Horcruxes. Against the wishes of his friends, he goes off alone. Will Harry win the fight against Voldemort?

Rated: M for violence, language, and sex

Disclaimer: Roses are red,
Violets are blue.
I don't own Harry Potter,
And neither do you.

Chapter 13: The Smokey Serpent.

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Harry shuddered as cold tingles shot up his spine. After the feeling subsided, he continued eating his warm porridge. It was an unusually cold morning for the beginning of Autumn, and Harry's warm breakfast wasn't aiding his lack of heat. Ginny sat across from Harry eating her own breakfast. She looked very tired, and her head kept drooping every few minutes as Ginny fought off the urge to sleep. Hermione was next to her. She looked the most awake out of the three, and Harry couldn't imagine why. Ron hadn't come to breakfast yet. He'd kicked Harry in the side when Harry attempted to awake him. Feeling angered, Harry made his way down to breakfast without his best friend.

Harry blinked stupidly and glanced at a clock. It was 15 minutes until he, Hermione, and Ron had to go to Potions. Slughorn was still teaching at Hogwarts, much to Harry's dismay. With 5 minutes to go, Harry and Hermione bade Ginny farewell and went into the dungeons. Upon entering Slughorn's classroom, Ron joined them, rubbing the slumber from his eyes.

"Morning," Ron yawned tiredly as they walked over to the back of the room to a table.

"Good morning all, and welcome back to Advanced Potions! This year we'll continue with our studies. Today, we're going to go over a new potion you all have never seen or heard of before. It is called Condutious Nevroso." Slughorn looked around the classroom, smiling brightly as he watched his students' faces contort in confusion. "It is a potion meant to cause the drinker a tortuous amount of nervousness, and can eventually cause involuntary twitching. It is used sparingly by the Ministry of Magic, since it is dangerous, but it was not uncommon for it to be used as a way of torturing information out of Death Eaters held captive in Azkaban."

Harry stared blankly as Slughorn continued to explain about the potion. Apparently, its effects only occurred when ingested, and that a few of the smallest drops could cause the drinker to begin feverish sweating. There was a weird sense of humor in his voice. Harry hoped that Slughorn wasn't planning to use the potion on the students, as Snape had always threatened. Harry didn't know what he might blurt out in that much nervousness. He could imagine the heat on his head, and the flush color of his face, as he would be sweating. Harry realized that just thinking about the potion was making him nervous.

"So," continued Slughorn, "you'll all be making the potion today. Please take out your books and turn to page 492. You'll have 80 minutes. Go." Slughorn retreated to behind his desk and sat down with a look of mild interest on his face, as if watching the class make the potion was like watching a game of Muggle soccer. Harry reached into his bag and pulled out his book, having already set up his cauldron and supplies during the longwinded speech Slughorn had given.

As Harry opened the book, he felt his stomach plummet to his feet. It had just occurred to him that he no longer had the Half-Blood prince's book. While he had gone back to retrieve it, Ginny had forced him to destroy the book, afraid of any other mysteries it might hold. She wasn't too keen on trusting books very much since her first year.

Harry turned to the page and began looking over the instructions. He followed them to his best ability, and even read each line twice to assure himself that he was fully aware of what he was doing. However, after 40 minutes had passed, his cauldron wasn't bubbling, nor was it a clear color. It looked like Harry had taken his cauldron and filled it with murky water from a dirty lake. Also, the slop was just sitting in his cauldron, no matter what Harry did to it. It wouldn't simmer, bubble, or even boil. The only time the thick liquid ever moved was when Harry stirred it.

After the allotted time had passed, Slughorn looked at Hermione's and smiled happily, congratulating her on her great potion. He raised an eyebrow upon seeing Ron's green cement-like mixture, but passed him on, reaching Harry. He stared, dumbfounded, into Harry's cauldron. He then turned his gaze up at Harry, and leaned closer to him. His face was a mere foot away from Harry's.

"Harry," Slughorn said quietly, "I am aware that your ongoing battle with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is taking up much of your time, though I am shocked to find how it has affected your schoolwork." Harry looked dead into Slughorn's eyes, not believing that people could be this stupid.

"I'm sorry Professor," Harry finally said, unable to come up with anything else to say. "I'll try harder."

"Good boy. This assignment won't affect your grade." Slughorn nodded and smiled at Harry, pulling his face away from Harry's. He continued around the room and Harry sighed awkwardly. He glanced over at Hermione, who seemed to be red as can be. Harry thought that steam might pour out of her ears if one thing was said to her, so he said nothing.

Later in the hallway, Hermione was still fuming. She hadn't said a word since Harry had been excused from the assignment, and hadn't lost any of the enraged color in her face. Harry sighed and looked down at his shoes as he walked between Hermione and Ron, amazed Hermione would allow herself to be so close to him. Harry decided to attempt to break the barrier.

"Hermione, I-"

"No," Hermione said plainly, rejecting Harry's effort to forgive and forget.

"But Hermione, it's not my fault! Slughorn's just being the usual fame-seeking whale-of-a-prat he always is!" Harry looked up at Hermione. The bright color in her face was fading slightly.

"I know, Harry," Hermione said quietly. She seemed to be struggling to talk. "I just…" she let herself trail off.

"You just what?" Ron piped up. Apparently, he now cared, probably because it was affecting Hermione.

"I CANNOT BELIEVE HIM!" Hermione finally shouted, scaring 3 first-years who were passing by them. "He judged everyone in that classroom up against Harry's OLD standard's, which were affected by a book that he shouldn't have had anyway, and then he walked up to Harry and didn't even grade him on the assignment, even though Harry obviously hadn't come CLOSE to achieving the right potion and its effects, and-"

"Hermione," Ron interrupted, blushing slightly.

"WHAT?" she bellowed, stopping in her tracks and glaring at Ron, who blushed even redder.

"You're rambling," he said quietly, looking down at his shoes. Hermione stared at Ron for a moment. The angry expression faded from her face as her fury drained.

"I'm sorry," she said plainly. She looked at Harry. "You too, I'm sorry. It's not your fault, really. Well it kind of is… But whatever." She began walking towards the Great Hall once more and Harry and Ron followed her.

Once they'd eaten and relaxed, Harry consulted his schedule. They had a free period to do some extra studying right after lunch. He put the schedule back in his bag and sighed. Normally he'd be happy that he had time to relax around the Common Room, but he actually had to do work this time. Harry still hadn't started the journal for Professor Sprout, and he had Herbology right after the free period. He also had to practice Fragorio for Flitwick. Harry hadn't been able to do the spell at all in class, and the one time he tried practicing for homework, the brick only rolled over on its side.

Harry stood up and walked to the library with Hermione and Ron after lunch. He sat at a table towards the back with them and sighed, shutting his eyes as if in anguish. He didn't want to do work. It wasn't even a week into the school year and already Harry's head was throbbing with tons of information. He also needed to focus on the Horcruxes more. As Harry opened his eyes, he smiled brightly. Standing in front of him, Hermione, and Ron was Ginny.

"Ginny, what are you doing here?" Harry asked excitedly, standing up and walking over to her. Ginny smiled at him and took his hand in hers.

"I have free periods too, you know," she said grinning at Harry. "How was your class?" she asked. Harry glanced over at Hermione and saw her turn pink. He did the same.

"Erm… Not so great…" Ginny cocked her head to the side, inviting elaboration, though none came. Eventually she gave up and sat next to Harry, pulling out her work. Harry sighed and reached into his bag as well, pulling out the brick he was trying to crack for Charms. Harry pulled his wand from his pocket and concentrated hard on the brick. Fragorio, he thought in his head, imagining the brick splitting. Fragorio, he thought again, hearing the word echo in his head. He wanted the brick to split. He needed the brick to split.

"FRAGORIO!" Harry shouting, completely forgetting he was in the library. No crack split down the side of the brick, but Harry's eyes shot open all the same. Madam Pince's shriveled, vulture-like face shot around the corner of a bookcase. Her eyes were glaring into Harry's face with such anger, Harry thought it was amazing she hadn't killed him. Madam Pince walked over to Harry.

"SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" she bellowed, and then walked away, flustered. Harry's eyes remained shot open. He turned to look at Ginny.

"Harry, she's gone now, you don't have to look so shocked." However, Harry continued to look the way he did. What if, he thought to himself, a normal, everyday spell could be used on…

Harry stood up and walked over to Hermione. "Give me the sword!" he hissed quietly through clenched teeth. Hermione merely turned pink and stared up at Harry, confused. "Give it to me, now," Harry said, still whispering.

"Harry," Hermione whispered back, leaning in closer to him, "I'm not giving it back to you unless you figure out how to destroy it properly." Harry's eyes narrowed as he stared at Hermione.

"I have figured it out, now give it to me!" Hermione raised an eyebrow at him and leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms.

"Have you, then? How?"

"Fragorio," Harry stated plainly. Hermione's eyes narrowed and her mouth moved silently, as she normally did when she was thinking hard. Finally her face returned to normal.

"It might work," she said quietly, but nervously. She didn't want to give it to him, obviously, but his idea might actually be right. Harry held his hand out towards Hermione, his palm stretched out wide. Hermione stared at Harry's outstretched hand for a moment, before finally sighing in defeat.

"Fine," she stated, and then she began blushing. Harry eyed her suspiciously.

"What?" he asked impatiently, shaking his hand in midair. Hermione blushed even redder, then muttered something that sounded very much like 'Turn around.'

"Excuse me?" Harry repeated, blushing slightly himself. Before he could question Hermione any further she quickly pulled on the collar of her robes and shoved her hand down her front, groping something for a second. Harry's eyes widened in shock as Hermione pulled the shrunken sword from her chest under her robe, her face as red as a tomato. Hermione held it out to Harry, but Harry didn't take it. In fact, he retracted his hand quickly, looking shocked.

"What the hell?" he said quickly, expecting a response. Hermione just stared down at her knees.

"Well, I… I didn't want you getting to the sword unless you f-figured out how to destroy it, and I thought it'd be the last place you'd think to look, so I just-"

"HERMIONE!" called Ron's voice from behind Harry. He was just as shocked as Harry was. "What the bloody hell kind of excuse is that for hiding a Horcrux between your cleavage?" Hermione turned even redder, and Harry heard Ginny's slight giggle from behind him. Hermione shook the sword in midair once more and waited for Harry to take it.

"Go on, Harry, she doesn't have sweaty boobs," Ginny said, giggling madly. Harry turned to see Ron glaring furiously down at Ginny, who was still sitting in her chair, laughing. She looked back up at Ron, grinning. "Well you would know better than any of us, wouldn't you?" Ron's ears turned bright red.

"Shut up!" Harry said angrily at the both of them. He whirled around and took the sword from Hermione's hand and began walking towards the front of the library with no explanation to his friends.

"Harry, wait!" Hermione called from behind him. Ignoring her, he exited the library and started walking down a corridor toward a staircase. "HARRY!" Hermione's voice called once more. Before Harry could answer her, he felt the back of his robes being tugged hard. Harry stopped in his tracks and turned to face Hermione, bright red and panting.

"What?" he asked, trying not to sound annoyed, though he was. Hermione glared at him.

"You're not doing this without us! You're not going to run off like last time and just leave us confused! We're with you in this, Harry. This isn't The Harry Potter Story, this is real life!" Behind her, Ron raised an eyebrow and Ginny grinned as if she knew something Hermione didn't.

"Fine. I'm going to the Room of Requirement," Harry said plainly, and waited for Hermione to ask why.

"Why?" Hermione asked, sounding as if they were discussing an interesting book theory.

"Because I can't think of a place that's well equipped for a huge explosion. There's the Knight Bus, but I doubt that Ernie will ever let us on there again." Harry raised an eyebrow at her. "Any more questions?" Hermione shook her head, slightly embarrassed, and followed after Harry as he climbed 3 staircases and went down the familiar route to the Room of Requirement. They walked past the blank area of wall across from the tapestry of Barnabas the Balmy 3 times, concentrating hard on needing a place to destroy a Horcrux.

After the third attempt, a door appeared, and Harry immediately ran to the door and flung it open. He stared into nothing as he tried to look at what was behind the door. It looked as if someone had taken a large canvas and had painted it all black. As Harry gazed into the vast amounts of nothing, he noticed small, white orbs of light floating around the black, open space. The small orbs of light gave the area its depth. Harry took a step into the room and instantaneously began falling. There was no floor, nothing to catch his step. He continued to fall slowly until he slowed to a stop inside the vast nothingness. He looked up, but couldn't see the door from which he had entered. Suddenly, from out of the black, mysterious sky, a shouting Ron, screaming Hermione, and flailing Ginny fell into the open plain, each slowing to a halt at different intervals.

Harry looked down at the sword in his palm and enlarged it to its normal size. He held it firmly in his hand, inspecting it. Suddenly he threw it out into the blackness, though it didn't disappear. The sword stopped and hovered on its side between the makeshift circle that Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and Ron had unknowingly formed. Harry held his wand out, feeling his energy rising. He felt the magic soar through his body everywhere from his eyes, to his fingertips, and down his legs as he shouted with the most meaning he'd ever felt in his life, "FRAGORIO!"

Suddenly the sword lurched upwards, pointing up to the black space above Harry and his friends. A short beam of light soared from the tip of Harry's wand and faded away as it hit the sword. The sword glowed brightly for a second before a bright shaft of light erupted from the tip of the sword and soared upwards, continuing into the nothingness above. The letters that spelled out Godric Gryffindor's name blared with red color as the beam was shot upward. Slowly the beam spread down the side of the sword as a loud and slow cracking noise was heard, echoing around the vast space around Harry. The floating white orbs that faintly lit the space all began to stand still in their places, as if watching what was going on with the sword, or as if paying their respects to the large event of significance happening.

The sword began glowing once again as the ray of light stopped going down the side of the sword, and the cracking noise subsided. As the glowing reached a massive and dangerous-looking point, the area between the sword and the people around it filled with light. A huge, bright blast of energy shot from the sword pushing its way outward. A huge, inexplicable noise was heard, immersing all of Harry's thoughts and hearing. As it grew nearer and nearer to Harry, his face opened wide with shock. The wave reached him as a cold feeling washed over him. The light looked warm, though as it immersed his body, a painful chill grew over him. Shooting chills shot up his spine to his head as he shot his head backward abruptly. The feeling slowly faded away as the energy continued past him, continuing into the nothingness, leaving him for good.

Harry turned his gaze back to the sword. The loud noise was gone, and Harry could hear nothing. He furrowed his brow in confusion as he focused on the weapon between him and his friends. It was no longer glowing. A small, barely audible hissing noise came from the sword as steam and smoke erupted from the crack in the sword where the light had once been. The steam and smoke raised several above the sword until it began swirling in unusual patterns. They came together and Harry watched in amazement as a large lion was shaped far above his head. It had to be at least 10 feet wide and 25 feet long. The lion let out a loud, threatening roar that echoed in Harry's ears. As soon as the hissing noise of the smoke and steam had stopped, it had begun again. More gasses were coming erupting from the crack in the sword, and were swirling and forming together just as had happened with the lion.

A large, twisting snake was formed, just as large as the lion, above them. It let out a large hiss as its smoky tongue flitted outside its mouth. The lion reared on its hind legs, and growled, lurching forward and attacking the snake. The snake twisted its body and moved out of the way, snapping at the heels of the lion as it ran by. The lion turned itself around and ran faster at the snake, quickly changing his direction as the snake did, and scratched the snake hard with its front claws. The snake hissed loudly in pain, and twisted his tail around, hitting the lion hard in the side. The lion fell back a few feet before regaining its balance. It roared angrily and ran at the snake again. The snake quickly curled its body, forming a circle. As the lion went to jump through the circle, the snake quickly contracted its body, grasping the lion tightly around the middle. The lion howled in pain and tried to escape. The snake stopped him from escaping, and continued to grip its opponent even harder. The lion snarled as it flailed its limbs, trying to scratch or harm the snake in any way possible.

When the lion's strength began fading, and it looked as if the snake would win, a familiar cry echoed around the black plain. Harry's body warmed slightly as a red bird soared into view, continuing to fly up toward the large animals. Fawkes cried angrily once more, and flung its body at the snake, scratching it hard on the middle. The snake leered at Fawkes angrily, twisting his neck round to follow Fawkes as he flew around the fight. Fawkes flung itself angrily at the snake once more, scratching him even harder than before. The snake writhed in pain and hurled its tail at Fawkes, but missing. Fawkes took advantage of the snake's open spots and opened his mouth angrily. Instead of issuing another cry, fire sprouted from the bird's mouth and shot at the snake in 3 different places, igniting the snake's smoky skin. The lion scratched the snake angrily and jumped from his hold as the snake coiled and intertwined everywhere in pain. The lion scratched the snake once more, but it was pointless. There were now holes in the snake where the fire had been shot, and the holes were growing bigger and bigger by the second. A few seconds later, the snake was gone, having dissipated into the air, eaten up by the fire.

Harry watched as the lion roared in triumph and dissolved back into the crack of the sword. Fawkes glided down to the sword and hovered by it. Harry craned his neck forward and watched as Fawkes let a few tears drop onto the sword. Another small hissing noise was heard as the crack sealed itself up the side of the sword. A quick shaft of light was issued from the sword. The beam faded away into the darkness and the sword lowered onto its side slowly, hovering in midair gently.

Harry looked over at his friends and saw that they all had the same expression on his face that he did. All had wide eyes, open mouths, and shocked expressions on their faces. Fawkes soared out of sight, and the orbs began moving again slowly.

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Authors' Note:

Sean: Sean wants to apologize for the extreme lateness of this chapter. But in his defense, it IS the end of summer, and his social life is growing, and he went to the BEST party the other night that he knows you don't care about. He hopes you'll forgive and forget, and enjoy this chapter.

Nora: Nora was away a few times and at parties and such as well... so between all that, isn't this a DAMN spiffy chapter that we finally got together?

Sean: Sean wants to comment about how he thinks it's funny Nora has began to speak in the third person as well. Muhahahaha!

R&R! Please?