Chapter 31: Face to Face

"Harry, are you crazy? We'll all be killed!" Hermione screeched.

"Well, what did you expect? We stayed behind to fight him, remember?" Harry asked. Hermione frowned, knowing that he was right. The fear was evident on her face as she gripped her wand and nodded her consent.

"Then let's go," Neville defiantly said.

As Harry made his way to the Great Hall, he couldn't help but feeling that he would lose the battle against Voldemort. Although he, Harry, had embraced Light Magic, he felt much too inexperienced to properly use it against the Dark Lord. Spell after spell spun in Harry's mind, each one seeming more useless than the next. Fear was starting to penetrate his heart as he neared the Great Hall. Once outside the mahogany doors, he stopped, listened carefully for a moment then slowly opened the door.

"I've been waiting, Potter," came the voice of Voldemort. "Ah, I see you've brought some friends, excellent!"

Voldemort stood in the center of the Great Hall, which was devoid of any sign of life other than him. There were no Death Eaters, and no teachers. The House Table were destroyed and laid in pieces on the floor, and the ceiling did not show the beautiful night sky as it always did; instead, it was blood red. Voldemort himself appeared just as Harry remembered from the year before from the Department of Mysteries. He was thin, tall and had a face as white as snow. His eyes had slit pupils that were scarlet. Harry suddenly felt utterly stupid for leading his friends into such apparent danger.

"Well now, onto to business!" Voldemort continued. "I'm looking for something very special, Potter, and I do hope that you know where it is. You do of course know that I am speaking of the Serpent's Stone. I'm sure that you or maybe one of your little friends know where I may find it."

"No," Harry said through gritted teeth.

"No need for hostilities! I merely want the stone, and I'll be on my way…wont even know I was ever here," Voldemort lied, insane happiness in his voice.

"You can't have it, and I wont tell you were it is," Harry retorted. Harry was clutching his wand so tight that his hand began to shake.

"My, my, you are quite troublesome," Voldemort said nonchalantly.

"I came here to stop you."

"Stop me? You, stop me? Why stop me when you can join me?" Voldemort propositioned.

"Why would I ever do that? You killed my parents and countless lives of so many others!"

"Power. You want power; everyone does. Why not embrace the potential you have and join me as my apprentice? You and I could rule this entire world! Don't you want that?"

Harry's mind raced; there was some truth to Voldemort's words…power…Harry shook his head; it was only a mind game.

"No!"

"Tut-tut, Mister Potter, you are much too hasty. If I cannot interest you, however, I guess I must find some other form of persuasion," Voldemort said. In a single moment, Voldemort suddenly had Neville at his side with fingers around his neck. "Tell me how to get the stone or he dies."

Neville's eyes were on Harry's, staring at him in terror.

"Don't…tell…him…Harry," he managed to say. The grip tightened and Neville began to choke. Ginny started crying from behind Harry. Where was Dumbledore, where was anybody? Harry didn't know what to do. Tears were running down Neville's cheeks, and Ginny was sobbing.

"Tell me now, or he dies and I have my Death Eaters come in here. They are waiting outside, and would much enjoy the chance to meet you."

"Harry…don't," Neville gasped, his eyes rolling back. Harry's eyes darted from Voldemort, Neville, Ginny, and then back to Voldemort over and over; he had no idea of what to do. He knew the stone must be protected, but why should Neville die for trying to do what was right?

Following his instincts, Harry charged, wand in hand at Voldemort.

Before he knew what was happening, Death Eaters had blasted the doors and the room was flooded with the light of spells. Harry could hear his friends using every spell they knew to draw their fire. Voldemort, obviously surprised by Harry's bold move, was caught off guard.

"Fool!" he hissed, pulling out his wand. Neville was dropped to the floor, where he struggled to catch his breath.

Harry began shouting every spell that came to mind, but Voldemort easily deflected them. Whenever he got the opportunity, Voldemort sent a spell at Harry, which he chose to dodge. Harry knew that his only chance of survival was to keep Voldemort busy so he could not use deadly magic against him.

"You'll never win this fight, Potter! Your parents couldn't, and now you can't," Voldemort sneered. Harry tried to ignore him and sent more spells at him, and once again, they were deflected.

"Harry!" it was Hermione. For the first time, Harry took his eyes from the Dark Lord and turned to see the battle raging behind him. His friends were greatly outnumbered by the Death Eaters, and the Serpents of Salazar had only just arrived making matters even worse. Voldemort started to laugh.

"Oh my! Look at the trouble you're in now! Not only are you going to die, but also you're bringing your friends with you! How utterly delightful!" Voldemort continued maniacally laughing. Harry knew that he was right, and a feeling of hopelessness enveloped his heart. In that moment, he let his guard down, and Voldemort attacked. "Expelliarmus!" Harry's wand flew from his hand.

"Well now, this is special. You are unarmed, so now what are you going to do? Join me or die," Voldemort said. He waved his hand and the Death Eaters stopped fighting. Harry looked around to the damage that had been dealt. Hermione and Ron were hunched over in exhaustion while Lavender was helping Ginny to her feet. Neville had only just begun to recover as he leaned against the wall to support himself. The Serpents of Salazar stood together with the Death Eaters, waiting for their next command.

"Face it, Potter, you have lost," Voldemort said, twirling Harry's wand in his fingers. Harry desperately searched through his robes for something, anything, which would be enough to defend him. His fingers touched his father's knife that Lupin had given him so long ago for his birthday. He remembered what Lupin had told him: "The magic in that blade is strong; Sirius made each blade himself out of pure loyalty for us. That's powerful, Harry."

Harry pulled the knife out and extended the blade. Though it was dull, Harry had no other choice. He made a dash for Voldemort, who did not have time to defend himself. Harry stabbed him in the chest and they both crashed to the ground. Voldemort started to scream and writhing in agony as Harry held the blade in his chest. The Death Eaters and Serpents of Salazar recommenced their attack and once again the room was filled with the sounds of battle. Harry could barely hear what was happening over Voldemort's screams.

Harry pulled out the knife and stabbed him again. He saw that Voldemort's first wound was shining with a brilliant light, and Harry taking this as a good sign, rolled off of him and stared at what was once the most feared man in the world. The knife still laid embedded in his chest as he continued to hiss and screech.

"This…is…not…over…I…cannot…be…stopped," he managed to say, grabbing Harry's wrist with unbelievable strength. Harry's scar began to sear with pain. Unable to control himself, he started shouting for someone to help him. His eyes began to blur with tears and his head was pounding with incomprehensible agony. He felt his consciousness slipping from him, when suddenly out of the darkness; he felt a hand on his shoulder. He felt himself being pulled away from Voldemort, who had now gone silent, and being laid down on the floor. He recognized the silhouette of Hermione before she raced back into battle.

Harry's vision slowly came back to him and he rolled over trying to see what was happening. The battle was still raging between the two forces and Harry could see that his side could not hold on much longer. As if on cue, Dumbledore burst through the doors with his fellow professors, including Professor Edwards, who had returned to his normal form. Harry struggled to stand as the battle became more heated with the addition of the Hogwarts staff.

"Stupefy!" Harry bellowed to the Death Eater nearest him. Harry's spell hit its mark, and the man fell to the ground. Harry bolted to Dumbledore's side and continued his onslaught against the Death Eaters. "Fieraga!" he shouted, and the room was lit with a blinding light that washed over the Death Eaters and Serpents of Salazar. They were all tossed from their feet and landed hard on the ground. Malfoy was the first to recover.

"Come on then, Potter!" he shouted, his wand pointing directly at Harry's chest. "Embicio!"

A black chord of smoke billowed from Malfoy's wand and wrapped itself around Harry, making it impossible for him to breathe. Through the haze, Harry could see the others getting to their feet and preventing any of the professors to help him. Harry's mind raced for any spell to get out of whatever it was that bound him. He could only think of his parents, how their sacrifice had gotten him this far. Harry felt the grip of the smoke lessen, and realizing what that meant, he continued to think of his mother and father. As the smoke began to dissipate, Harry felt able to perform magic.

"Juxupasha!" he bellowed at Malfoy. Malfoy was struck with a wall of light that sent him to the floor in an unconscious heap.

The battle soon subsided, and Harry realized that he had won. He saw the motionless body of Voldemort, and went to retrieve the knife from his chest. When Harry turned back towards his group he knew that the battle had come of great loss to his friends. The teachers alone looked unhurt as they rushed around to help the students. Ginny sat against the wall with Neville at her side; she was clutching her forehead where it was clear she had received a considerable gash. Hermione was on her knees, shaking from exhaustion with Ron standing behind her for support. Lavender lay on the floor, unmoving, with Professor Edwards crouching over her in attempts to revive her.

"There's nothing that can be done," he murmured miserably. "She's gone."

Harry fell to his knees; tears streaming down his face. What had he done?