Disclaimer:

J.K. Rowling is the owner of Harry Potter. Stories she has written and characters that she created are not mine. I don't take credit for any of her work. I do thank her for providing such a wonderful universe to dream about and write in.

Harry Potter and the Shadow of Evil

By: Starwin

Chapter 28 – Return to Avalon

The thick white fog was starting to clear. The trip seemed very short. The boats could not have traveled much further than perhaps the other side of the black lake but it was not the shore of the other side of the lake that awaited them or the calm water that they sailed upon. The island of Avalon stood against the night sky, rising out of the ocean waves.

Fire burned from the spot where Harry knew the castle should be and he felt a pang of guilt inside him. They were too late, Avalon had already fallen. Were the Death Eaters even here anymore? Had Voldemort even come? Harry knew the answer. His scar had been silent for a long time but Voldemort was too close now for the pain to be blocked. Almost like an alarm sensor Harry's scar was burning dully on his head so that it felt as though someone had pressed a hot metal wire against his forehead.

Absently Harry squeezed the item in his pocket that Hermione had taken form Snape's office for him. His brain seemed to realize that he had not put it on yet. Pulling it from his pocket he unwrapped it carefully and put it on, hiding it beneath his robes.

Ron was looking wide eyed at him as though he couldn't believe what Harry was doing. "Harry!" Ron said. "What are you planning to…" Harry waved him off the other boats were very close to him and this was not something he wanted to talk about. The idea had been Hermione's and at the moment she was the only person who knew everything that Harry feared might happen tonight. Over the past months the connection had become stronger. It was almost like they had been sharing the same thoughts sometimes but right now he could barely hear her at all.

"Just in case," Harry said squeezing the item uneasily. Part of the plan would be that Hermione would be able to help but he didn't know if that would be possible anymore. He just had to hope that he was wrong.

The boats skidded up onto the sandy beach and the DA members jumped out, wands drawn. However there was no one waiting for them on the shore. As each boat emptied it slid backwards into the water and sunk beneath the surface.

"I will meet you at the castle," said Solaris and his wings opened to take flight. Harry reached out and took his wrist before he could.

"You should stick with us," Harry said. Solaris looked at Harry and for a moment Harry thought he might start screaming at him but instead he nodded.

"Alright," said Ron. "Our first order of business is to find out what we're up against. Do you think you can manage the spell Harry?" Ron asked. Harry looked uncertainly at Hermione who nodded.

"I think we can do it." Harry said. Hermione was already pulling parchment from her robes. She pressed it down on the sand holding it flat. Harry began preformed the first part of the spell. Moving his wand in triangle in the air and said "Expans Cebrium." The tip of Harry's wand glowed golden for a moment and the outline of the triangle glowed in the air. As though he were trying to push a hundred pound weight Harry forces his wand and the triangle down towards the parchment. The two touched and with a flash the triangle burned into the map. Golden lines raced inside the triangle.

Hermione tapped the parchment with her wand but did not speak any words. As though she had spilled an ink bottle on the parchment a black liquid began to spread across the map. The outline of the triangle remained even as ink spread across it.

As though it were alive the ink began to scatter across the parchment like little ants making a rough circle. The tiny pellets of ink began to make other shapes, things that Harry recognized as the Moonwell and the stairs to the castle of Avalon. The spell had worked, they had a map of Avalon! It only took a few moments more before the ink stopped spreading and the gold triangle sunk down into the parchment. Names began to appear all over the map.

Many names were gathered along the stairs that lead up to the castle, many were in the castle itself and two large groups stood on shore, on either side, of Avalon. One was the D.A. The others must be Death Eaters.

Ron poured over the map for a long moment.

"Alright," Ron said at last. "Our first target should be this group." Ron said pointing at the group of Death Eaters on the far shore. "I count thirty of them, it looks like the highest concentration so it's most likely their main force. If we can take them out of even cut them off from reaching any place else we will have this battle by numbers." Harry nodded agreeing with Ron's plan even though he hardly heard a word of it. His eyes were searching the map looking for Voldemort. "We should also send two advanced groups up to the castle, along with Solaris." Ron said looking at the Seraphim. "I suggest Ginny's and Hermione's teams because they can both scout invisible." Harry nodded again not hearing until Ginny's name clicked in his head.

"No, Ron I would rather that Ginny's team stay here." Harry said uneasily. Both Ron and Ginny shot Harry uncertain looks. Ginny looked a bit angry.

"Don't you try and pull the 'I'm worried about your safety,' card!" Ginny said building up into a rage. "We knew that this was coming…"

"But…" Harry tried to interrupt.

"…and we both agreed that we would do whatever it took to stop Voldemort…"

"But Gin…"

"…and I am going to fight just like you trained us to do Harry!" Ginny shouted angrily and with that she began to march off calling out her squad that followed behind her obediently.

"Hermione…" Harry said looking at her with sharp eyes. Even though their link was weak at the moment Hermione still knew what he was thinking. With a quick nod Hermione turned to follow after Ginny.

"Wait!" Ron said and he pulled from his pocket two flesh colored strings. He handed one to Hermione and then another one. Hermione nodded and took off after Ginny, her squad moving after her and the almost invisible extendable ears trailing out behind her.

Harry let out an exasperated sigh. That had not gone the way he had wanted. "Solaris follow…" But Solaris was no longer standing with them, Harry looked around at the ranks of students who were standing waiting for orders, but he could not spot Solaris. Harry looked down at the map but if Solaris was some place on the island Harry could not find him at a glance.

"Okay," Harry said. "What's the plan, where do you want us?" Ron traced his finger along two sides of the map.

"All remaining groups will split up and attack from both sides, catching our enemy in a pincer attack. With any luck you'll be able to take them by surprise." Ron said. "Harry your team will lead the attack from this side," Ron moved his finger along the shore that went behind the castle. "groups 5-8 will go with you and groups 4, and 9-15 will go around the front. We want don't want the Death Eaters to know which side you're coming from." Harry nodded.

"Okay Ron, move um out," Harry said. Ron nodded after pointing his wand at his throat Ron's voice boomed out across the groups as he shouted orders. Students began to move around the beach. One person from every group came to get a pair of extendable ears from Ron.

"Remember," Harry shouted over the movement. "If you encounter Voldemort DO NOT engage, fall back and contact Ron. LET'S MOVE!" Harry and the squads following him moved quickly along the shore, they were heading to the far side of Avalon.

"Message coming in from Ron," said Dean who had gotten the extendable ears in Harry's squad. "He says that groups two and three have reach the front of the castle. However group two is not holding to scout, they're advancing." Harry cursed under his breath. Group two was Ginny's group. She hadn't taken extendable ears with here and she also hadn't stuck around for Harry's orders.

"Tell Ron to move group three in for support," Harry said. "If possible I want them all out of there." Dean nodded and began speaking through the extendable ear in his hand back to Ron.

The night air was cold but it was not what was making the hair on the back of Harry's neck stand on end. Screams and shouts were filling the air now as they passed behind the castle. Flames licked at the sky and turned the beach to day. They had to be there soon, the Death Eaters could not be far now.

"The second advance has been spotted and has engaged with the Death Eater camp," Dean said. Harry cursed again. Their trip was longer this way around but Harry had thought they'd allotted enough time to arrive together.

And then, as they turned a sharp outcropping of rock on the shore Harry could see spells racing through the night air. He could hear shouts, the cries of students and Death Eaters alike.

Without words Harry motioned for his squads to spread and attack. Harry drew his baton. The Death Eaters had not spotted them coming from this side yet. Which meant that they could get good and close. Harry spotted a group of Death Eaters crouching behind a rock. Every now and then they would look up over it and fire a spell at the D.A. squads on the other side.

Without a moments hesitation Harry rushed them, his baton extended and the shield on his arm activated. They had only a moments warning. Jinxes and Hex flew at Harry but the shield deflected them. Harry swung with deadly accuracy as he let in upon the three Death Eaters, with in moments they were broken upon the ground. This wasn't over, not by a long shot.

---

Ginny pressed the attack as she moved up the stairs, her squad behind her. There was little if no cover from attack and the air was heavy with spells from their enemies. The shields they had been using had taken all that they could and lay discarded many steps behind them.

"Ginny!" Hermione said as she ducked under a curse that flew over head. "We need to fall back and wait for the rest of the D.A.!" But Ginny ignored her warning. She had seen him, Tom, going into the castle. He had looked right at her, almost mockingly as though he was taunting her to follow him.

Angrily Ginny shot spells into the air. She had hit a few of the Death Eaters with Bat-Bogie-Hex's but there were still many of them blocking the path into the castle.

"He's here!" Ginny shouted back at Hermione. "Tom! We have to get him, we have to stop him!" Hermione looked a little surprised. Ginny knew she didn't understand. Her and Harry might be connected but that didn't mean she knew everything about Harry. She obviously didn't know about the prophecy that said that either Tom or Harry must die by the others hand. Ginny would not let that happen. She would find Voldemort first and she would kill him. "I don't have time for this!" Ginny snarled. She drew her baton and rushed out of the safety of the line.

She dashed back and forth as she rushed up the stairs avoiding curses. She was very close to the Death Eaters now that blocked her path. They had their wands trained on her. Without knowing or understanding how Ginny swept her hand in front of her and the wands flew from the Death Eaters hands.

They had only a moment of surprise before Ginny was upon them, her baton connecting with heads and knees. In a time period that could only have been seconds a group of twelve Death Eaters lay on the steps, either dead or dieing.

Ginny rushed the last few steps and felt a cold hand wrap around her throat and another around her wrist, crushing the baton from it. Ginny struggled against the grip. Two snake-like black eyes looked into here own.

"I see you have arrived at last," Voldemort said as Ginny struggled against him. "My love."

---

Slowly spells began to thin as the D.A. pressed the attack from both sides. Harry was not sure how long they had been fighting. Each foot they gained on the small remaining group of Death Eaters, who were now holding the only cover area on the beach that defended from both sides, seemed to take hours.

"Has Ron got a plan on this yet!" Harry shouted at Dean who was crouching next to him. A loud crack echoed above them and rock fragments sailed into the air as a spell impacted with the rock they were hiding behind.

"Nothing," Dean shouted back. "Says that they have position on us, maybe if we could apperate into them we might have a chance, but he says it's too risky, that we would lose most of the attack group." Harry nodded. He wasn't ready, nor would he ever be, to start throwing lives away. Harry looked around trying to see some spot that would give them the higher ground. But the slope of the shore went too far back before it started to become steep.

Then it came to him. He wasn't sure why he hadn't thought about it before. Well it wasn't that hard to believe, he had only discovered it a few months ago in the Ministry of Magic.

Without another thought Harry transformed into Talon. With focus Talon teleported high into the sky. The Death Eaters had obviously not noticed as no spells shot his way yet.

Talon flapped his wings hovering above the group of Death Eaters. He wasn't sure how many spells he would be able to get off before they noticed him but he was willing to bet it would be enough.

As though his feathered wings were hands Talon began to fire spells down at the group of Death Eaters. It was the magic of his wand. For some reason it permitted him to cast spells even when he was transformed.

It took the Death Eaters moments to find where the attack was coming from but by the time they began to fire spells back up groups of D.A. members had advanced upon them. Talon teleported back to the ground and changed back into Harry.

"What's the status of the castle?" Harry asked, for as he had been in the sky he had seen the flames to remind him that more than one battle was taking place tonight. Dean asked and then listened. Harry was trying to hear Hermione, to listen if she needed help but there was nothing, just the dull pain in his head that seemed to put a buzzing about in his minds eye. Dean's face looked sullen.

"Ron says he can't raise them," Dean said looking worried. "He thinks their extendable ears might have been cut." Harry looked around as D.A. members came towards Harry. He could immediately see that the number of people was far less then they had started with. Quickly, Harry found Neville, he was directing students that had been trained in healing magic as they moved many of the fallen members into the area.

"How bad is it?" Harry asked. Neville looked sullen faced but his voice was steady.

"We count at least two deaths on our side," Neville said. Harry knew that there was the horrible chance that students, friends, Gin… might die tonight. Harry shook the thought from his head. He could not think about Ginny right now, he needed to keep his head or a lot more people could die. "Most of the injuries are minor, suits and shields added some proactive effect."

"Alright, Neville stay. Your top priority is to make sure that everyone who is injured is taken care of." Harry said. Neville nodded. "Everyone who is not injured rally on me, we haven't won yet, but we've hurt em bad." Harry shouted to the to the D.A. members as they began to gather around them. They had started with twelve groups, over 60 people, but Harry counted barely twenty still standing, uninjured. This would have to be enough.

Without wasting another moment they set off around the shore towards the front of the castle.

---

Ron watched on the map as a group broke away from the main attack force and moved towards the castle, Harry at the lead. It couldn't be more than an hour ago that Ginny's and Hermione's groups had entered into the castle and vanished from the map. It seemed that the castle was somehow protected from spying.

Ron wished that Harry would move faster, after all Ginny, his little sister, and Hermione his… Ron's thoughts trailed off as though his mind had almost betrayed him. He wanted to be more than he was with Hermione, but for some reason they kept pushing each other apart.

Ron shook his head. He had played thousands of games of chess and he knew emotions were the most dangerous adversary. If he let his thoughts stray, his attention wonder, he would lose and this was not a chess game this was real! This was too important to Harry to… Hermione… Ron rubbed his eyes as though he was tired and focused back on the map.

The group with Harry was very small. Only about half the size of the Death Eater force that had now pushed its way into the castle. There was still no sign of Vold… Ron felt a pang as he thought the name. How could he be such a cowered to even have such trouble thinking the name?

And then there it was. Right in front of him on the map! Closing fast from behind Harry. A small black dot labeled Voldemort. Ron pulled the extendable ear that connected him to Harry's group.

"HARRY!" Ron shouted into the ear. "ITS VOLDEMORT HE'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU!"

---

"What say again?" shouted Dean into the extendable ear.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked losing a few strides to fall next to Dean. Dean shook his head.

"I don't know, Ron was saying something but he just sort of cut out." Dean replied. Suddenly screams erupted behind Harry. With only a moments warning Harry pushed Dean aside and leap away rolling across the ground as the air rippled with magic. The spell left a great gash in the ground.

Harry got to his feet. Many of the D.A. members lay scattered across the beach like rag dolls. Harry's wand was already out. His scar was starting to burn hotter.

Harry felt uncontrollable rage for his friends and the members in the D.A. but looking around he could not spot Voldemort across the devastation.

"Hello, Harry," said a cold voice in his ear. Harry spun away and found Voldemort standing behind him. There was nasty smile across his face. Harry began to shout something but with a flick of his wrist Voldemort sent Harry's wand up into the night. Raising a cold finger Voldemort poked at Harry like as though his finger were a lance. There was a very hard push against Harry's chest and he was forced to the ground. "It is so good to see you again, Harry."

Scrambling to his feet Harry rushed at Voldemort trying to punch him. But his fist hit only the air and he felt the same hard push again in his back as he toppled forward into the sand a second time. Voldemort let out a high pitched laugh.

"Did you think you could defeat me?" Voldemort said in a grinning voice. "Harry, Harry," Harry rolled over to see Voldemort shaking his head down at him. "Our fun is just beginning, I would not dream of letting it end so soon." Harry was breathing hard now, his mind trying to formulate an attack. Suddenly Voldemort looked up. Harry followed the glance reflexively. A second latter a blur crashing into the ground where Voldemort had been standing.

When the cloud of sand had settled Solaris knelt in a small crater his sword sunk halfway into the beach, but Voldemort was not there any longer.

"I do not believe your interference was requested." Voldemort said coldly from behind Harry.

"I have come to end this," Solaris said. Moving quickly he passed over Harry striking at the air. A cold laughter pierced the night. Harry looked around trying to see where Voldemort had vanished off to now. As though he were stepping out from under and invisibility cloak Voldemort appeared in front of Harry again.

"Still angry about the last time we parted ways?" Voldemort said. Solaris did not respond. With a movement so fast Harry could not see it Solaris rushed Voldemort again his blade outstretched. The back of Voldemort's hand stuck the sword and it shattered in Solaris hand. In the same movement Voldemort's other hand rushed up and lifted Solaris from the ground.

"I have had my fun with you, Seraphim," Voldemort said as Solaris clung at Voldemorts hand. Voldemorts wand came up to point at Solaris chest.

"Don't!" Harry cried but as he did he knew it had been the wrong thing to say. Voldemort smiled sadistically and a flash of green erupted for a split instant. Solaris' limp body fall into the sand, his protective wings unable to save him. Rage exploded inside Harry. "I'm going tear you fucking arms of off!" Harry leapt from the sand and this time he made contact with Voldemort. For a moment Harry thought he had won but Voldemorts face told him otherwise.

Harry felt like his body was being crushed as the world darkened around him. Then everything became bright like the sun had risen. Harry's eyes had not adjusted before he felt himself being tossed through the air by magic.

His arm connected with the hard stone floor as he skidded across it into the wall. Harry was sure his left arm must be broken for the pain shooting through it was incredible.

Cradling his arm Harry rolled up to see where he was. It was no longer the beach of Avalon. It was a room, a room Harry had been in before. Harry realized where he was, Arthur's Tomb.

Light was pouring in through the high stained glass windows making it still hard for Harry to see. But he was able to make out the figure of Voldemort and someone else, someone smaller, standing beside him. Harry's breath was ragged in his chest. He felt like he had cracked a rib too and his heart was beating very fast.

"I would like to introduce you to my wife to be," Voldemort said pushing the person next to him forward. "Say hello to Ginny Riddle."

Authors Notes:

Ewww creepy. Yeah Voldemort is one sick puppy! Haven't figured the part out yet eh?

This chapter isn't going to get my normal love to proof reproof and rereproof and goes up as pretty much a once over scanned document.

I am still kind of put off by what I read in book 6 and have just kind of lost the will to put anymore of myself into writing at this point in time.

All three parts to the ending are going up now. I apologize in advance for grammar or spelking mistakes I might make but I just can't spend anymore time lingering in this story.

Edit: some minor spelking corrections and better rewording have been added mostly because I can't get my mind off this story no matter how much I try. Book six was sort of like the death of a friend, I just can't accept what really happened so I keep looking back to my story.

I am going through and making corrections and additions to the last 3 chapters.