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 29 – Prophecy's End

"You're insane," Harry said his eyes fixed on Voldemort. Ginny stood next to him, her eyes had a glazed look to them. Voldemort smiled as though he was feeding off the emotions that were running through Harry.

"To young you think?" Voldemort asked. "But what is age to an immortal?" He put his arm around Ginny and in the most disgusting act Harry had ever seen, Voldemort kissed her on her lips. As they broke apart Harry could see that her face was still blank and emotionless. Voldemort knelt down next to her and whispered into her ear. "I have something to ask of you, my love." Harry was working to his feet now. Pain was all over his body but the rage gave him power to stand. Harry pulled the baton from his side. "I want you to kill him for me," Voldemort's eyes flicked to the sword that rested on the top of King Arthur's tomb. "With that sword."

Ginny did not argue, did not hesitate. She moved to the sword and pulled it from the hands of the statue that rested atop the tomb. She turned on Harry advancing. Her face still showed no emotion. Harry did not want to fight her. She didn't know what she was doing.

The sword swung between them Harry was just barely able to move out of the way as the next attack swung at him. The baton collided and sparks shot into the air.

"Ginny!" Harry shouted as she attacked again. "You have to stop, you don't want to do this!" But she didn't seem to hear him.

"But she does," Voldemort said. "It has been her dream to kill you. She has shared it with me, her desire for power. And you are all that stands in the way between her and the power I can give her." Harry deflected another attack. Ginny was much better at this kind of fighting him. Harry was also injured and he felt his strength leaving him with each block. He would not be able to keep this up for long.

"I don't believe you!" Harry shouted back at Voldemort. "Why doesn't Ginny say any of this herself?" Ginny's face was still emotionless as she continued to attack. "Why don't you fight me yourself!" Ginny stopped and Harry backed away. She lowered the sword staring at Harry. Her mouth began to move and her voice began to speak but it was not her own.

"But I am fighting you Harry," Ginny said. Harry looked at Voldemort whose lips had been moving too. There was a dark smile on his face. With a quick movement Ginny lunged forward, Harry moved to parry but the tip of the sword sunk into the spot opposite of Harry's heart.

Harry spit blood as he toppled backwards and felt his back hit the stone wall. Ginny did not strike again. She lowered the sword watching him with glazed over eyes. Harry put his hand upon the wound in his chest, blood was flowing freely from it, but there was something else.

Harry could already feel his thoughts beginning to falter. At first he thought that it was part of his robe fluttering out of his wound but he soon realized that it was coming from inside him. It was a black ribbon made of smoke. It was almost like Harry was filled with it like some kind of piñata. Harry tried to push the ribbon back inside him but it found ways to escape around his fingers.

"Yessss," Voldemort hissed. He had moving closer. "At last, that which you have stolen from me will be mine again." Voldemort reached out a hand towards the black ribbon as though he was intending to pull it out of Harry.

There was a flash of silver and a scream. The hand Voldemort had been reaching out with lay in Harry's lap. Blood poured from the stump of Voldemort's arm as he pulled away. A black ribbon fluttered from his wrist just like the one that had come out of Harry's chest. And like Harry no matter how much Voldemort tried to push it back inside him the ribbon continued to find a way out.

Voldemort's eyes feel on Ginny as though seeing her for the first time. Without a moments hesitation her sword flicked through the air and cut Voldemort's head from his shoulders. The body lingered for a moment standing before crashing to the ground and pouring out crimson blood onto the floor.

Ginny turned the blade of Excalibur in her hands and stuck it into the stone floor. The look on her face remained the same as though she wasn't really aware of what she was doing. She moved to Voldemort and bent down over him.

"NO!" Harry shouted realizing that her hand was reaching for the black ribbon that extended from the stump of Voldemort's arm. But it was too late. As her fingers touched it the ribbon erupted outwards. Like a tentacle it wrapped around her arm and up her body shredding her robe as it went and burning itself to her skin.

Ginny stood and turned towards Harry. She was half naked as the black tattoos wrapped along her arm and up her body. The glazed look was gone from her eyes and Harry could see a red glow shinning in them. Her face had become contorted with vengeful anger.

"Ginny," Harry said weakly. She knelt in front of him. Harry tried to knock her hand away but her fingers touched the ribbon. It leapt from Harry's body just like the one from Voldemort had done. The ribbon wrapped around her other arm sinking into the skin, burning a black tattoo.

Ginny stood flexing her hands and looking at the tattoos on her arms. Her eyes pulsed red and the room seemed to become darker around her.

"At last," Ginny said. "Tromedlov is reborn!" Harry reached with the last of his strength for the ethereal connecter that he had hidden around his neck.

---

The colorlessness of the ethereal plane existed for only a moment as Harry leapt from his body. Ginny's eyes had gone wide like she could see him but there was no time to react as Harry dove into her mind.

At first all that Harry could see was darkness then slowly the world came into focus around him. Harry had never been inside Ginny's mind, though she had been inside his on countless occasions, but this place didn't feel like it belonged, it was almost like he was inside someone else's thoughts. There was a long stairway leading up in front of him. A long red strip of carpet led up to a thrown perched high at the top. A man sat in the chair, his eyes glowing red. It was impossible. It could not be who Harry thought it was.

The man stood from his throne and looked down upon Harry. In one hand the man had a long silver chain that trailed around to behind the stone chair. In the other hand he held a sword with a blackened blade.

The man took a step forward, descending down the stairs. He gave a rough pull on the chain and there was a whimper of pain. Ginny emerged. She was naked and her body was badly bruised. The silver chain was wrapped around her neck and held fast with a silver lock. Ginny had her arms crossed awkwardly across her body. The man pulled her along behind him like a dog. Harry felt disgusted and angry.

"Well, Harry," the man said as he walked slowly down the long flight of stairs. "It would seem that you don't know how to die, but I am sure we can fix that."

"You, but… Why? Why are you doing this," Harry said. "You're supposed to be a good man, the greatest of all men. You're King Arthur! Merlin was your closest friend. I don't understand."

"You wouldn't," Arthur said. "Hermione would, she always amazed me. Always knew what you were thinking before you thought it. I would say it was the only thing that ever really frightened me, that she might figure out who I was. But I guess she wasn't smart enough."

"But why you, I thought you were a protector of good, your sword, it was made to destroy evil!" Harry said watching Arthur smile evilly as he moved closer and a sinister laugh escaped his lips. He was not the same man Harry had met before.

"Destroy evil? No," Author said. "Haven't you learned anything, you cannot destroy evil! Excalibur is merrily a key, it unlocks and traps evil inside the wielder. I killed many evil men and one day I woke up dead. I was no longer Arthur Pendragon. I was Tromedlov the greatest evil of all time. Nothing could stand against my power! I commanded the air and the earth to do my bidding. Even Merlin's magic could not stand against me."

Tromedlov stopped on the last step of the stairs looking down at Harry. Ginny stood behind his with sad eyes looking away.

"Let her go, Tromeldov," Harry said looking at the demon standing before him. "I know it's me you really want." There was a booming laugh. Black shadows, like insects began to crawl all over Tromedlov's skin. His red eyes became brighter and brighter.

"You?" Tromedlov's voice sounded like many people laughing now. "Why would I want you when I have an obedient bitch already?" Tromeldov gave a pull upon the chain and Ginny stumbled forward, off the steps and falling onto her hands and knees.

"Merlin thought he could destroy me," Tromeldov said. All of the voices had merged together into a very deep dark voice. "But all he did was make me stronger." Shadows erupted over Arthur's body and the shadow monster that Harry had fought so many times in his dreams stood before him. In its hand was a great black sword, mouth with many jagged teeth opened and closed hungrily upon its hilt.

"For centuries I have sought a way to find that which was hidden from me, the rest of my power. But I could not exist on my own and so I found others to support me, Muggles for the most part. I had to find a wizard that already had great power. A wizard that could help me regain what was trapped in Avalon."

"What was trapped in Avalon?" Harry asked. He had to stall for time. Where was Hermione? 'Come on Hermione, I need your help!' Harry thought.

"Merlin once made the mistake of assuming he could destroy me, but that is impossible." Tromeldov sneered. "When he defeated me again he trapped part of my power in my brother's son, Solaris, and my body was taken to be hidden on Avalon. Without my full power or my body I could not bring myself back as I had before. But soon I found the mind of a muggle to harbor me and I waited.

"Merlin thought he had succeeded in trapping all of me inside Solaris, but part of me remained free. The halves were still connected and from time to time I could hear Solaris' thoughts as he questioned the evil inside himself and the dark things I persuaded him to do. But my effect over him was not absolute. I needed another great wizard to help me retrieve my sword and unlock my power from him.

"But the Order of the Phoenix watched too carefully and I could not make my move. If I returned I risked losing the power I had gained, or worse being imprisoned with the rest of myself.

"And then the order faltered. My control of the muggle named Hitler had not been expected and I saw my chance with the world in chaos to reemerge in Tom Riddle. He had great potential and a thirst for power. But I had made a mistake. His power even at such a young age was incredible. I was overwhelmed for many years I became nothing more than a lost thought in his mind. Much the same as when I encountered you Harry.

"But in the end I began to win him over. His need to control everyone else was so absolute that he did not realize that it was someone else controlling him. He was easily fooled with the promises of the power I could give him. Just like you Harry and just like her." Tromeldov said his eyes falling on Ginny who was still on her hands and knees.

"I embraced his mind, promised him power like he could not dream of. And I showed him the way to Avalon. Solaris and Puck were wary of him though. Puck could see the evil hidden in Riddle's eyes and Solaris could feel my presence. But it would appear that my shadow within Solaris was winning for he did not speak against me.

"It is funny that Voldemort would pick almost exactly the same way to draw my shadow from you as I chose to draw it from Solaris."

"What do you mean," Harry asked confused.

"Excalibur requires a pure heart to wielded, a spell placed on it after my imprisonment to ensure that none like me would ever emerge again, so I needed an innocent. I manipulated a jealous love and persuaded her to attack Solaris for me. My shadow was too much a part of Tom Riddle he could not touch the sword without being destroyed by it. So with a few lies I was able to convince Elsea to do the deed for us, just as I convinced Ginny.

"You're lying," Harry snarled. "Ginny would never do such a thing. You must have been controlling her!" Harry shouted. Ginny looked up at him there was terror in her eyes.

"No, the truth is much more fun." Tromedlov said with a dark laugh. "I promised her power, power enough to make you love her with all your heart. All she had to do was help take the evil out of you. Of course I just neglected to mention the fatal side effect.

"But at last I was whole and I had begun to grow weary of Voldemort. Our power combine would be enough to tear the world asunder with nothing more than a wave of hand. But he had his own plans. I was the one that had given him true dark power and he shunned me. He wasted time with petty ambitions. England was but one country. And I wanted the world, but Voldemort ignored me." Rage was building on Tromedlov's face. "I was voice that was too loud in his head. Near the end I think he became frightened of me for he made a foolish move when he destroyed himself trying to kill you.

"It was on that day that I met you Harry Potter. My shadow has been with you from the day your parents died. Growing inside you, becoming stronger, feeding off your thirst for power and vengeance.

"You fought me, at first. The magical protection placed upon you was very strong. Dumbledore knew what had happened. He is the leader of the Order of the Phoenix and they have been watching for my return for thousands of years. But the old fool thought he could control you, control me. Your anger was so close to the surface but you still fought me, even when I offered you power. I couldn't understand how or why. But slowly I began to find cracks, holes, in which I could escape into your mind. It was incredible. Your thirst for power was absolute. Dumbledore had placed you in a tormented environment all your life.

"How many nights did you consider killing the Dersley's if you got the chance. How many times did we dream together about cutting the fat boy apart to see what made him tick?"

"Shut up!" Harry snarled. He could remember the dreams and the thoughts came before his eyes as though Tromedlov was putting them in his head. "It was all you! I never wanted that I just wanted to protect my friends."

"Yes," Tromedlov said disgusted. "Your friends. They were your weakness and your strength. Voldemort had no friends, no weakness beyond himself. But I must admit they also gave strength I could not understand. For a time I was unable to effect you. But you could not bury me!" Tromedlov shouted angry. "I found a way back, my power was becoming stronger. We had failed to become Slytherins like I had hoped but no matter as a Gryffindor I could hide in the open.

"And then she came into your head." Tromedlov looked down at Ginny. "Something about her gave you calm even though you could not understand, nor could you see what was right in front of you. My tunnels through your mind began to collapse, my power waned and I considered leaving your mind to return to Voldemort. I would be his prisoner but at least my power would be whole. But the connection between you and him was too weak.

"So the only option I had was to destroy her, I manipulated Voldemort and he set things into motion to rid us of her but she survived our power. The journal did not dominate her mind as it should have, her power began intrigued me. She was strong, even without my help. Something neither you nor Voldemort were. And so through your connection to Voldemort I whispered and slowly convinced him to take Ginny into his embrace.

"She resisted. Her power was amazing, limitless. I still had to be cautious, many times Voldemort came too close to the truth. He thought that I was helping him regain his lost power that had been transferred to you. I whispered to him at night and he believed me but he was always weary."

Tromedlov gave a yank on the chain pulling Ginny up onto her knees. "Her power is mine, your power is mine, Voldemort's power is mine. I am stronger than Dumbledore or Merlin. Soon darkness will fall over the earth, you have seen the future. It is absolute."

"No," Harry said drawing his wand. As though bored Tromedlov swept the wand out of Harry's grasp. With one hand he reached out and pulled Harry from the ground.

"Your defiance no longer amuses me. If you were not already dead I would kill you." Tromedlov said still holding Harry. "There is nothing you can do."

"Maybe not," Harry said, "but how about them." Harry nodded behind Tromedlov. Tromedlov looked over his shoulder. Ginny had snatched up Harry's wand and had it pointed at Tromedlov. Hermione had also arrived, she too had her wand trained on Tromedlov.

"You dare defy me!" Tromedlov roared. Both Ginny and Hermione began shouting. Light burst from their wands. Tromedlov brought his arm up covering his eyes hissing. As though he was made of water parts of his arm began to evaporate away into the air in long black streamers, much like the shadowy ribbon that had fluttered from Harry's wounds nor more than minutes ago.

But Tromedlovs grip on Harry did not waver and he was still held Harry fast by the great clawed hand. With a growl he pulled the silver chain very hard. Ginny was pulled to the floor. Harry's wand spun out from her hand. Tromedlov's mouth opened wider then was possible there was a flicker of flam between his teeth then suddenly a burst of energy erupted tossing Hermione against the stairs. Low rumbling laughter echoed from the blackness around them.

"Your attempts are futile," Tromedlov laughed. "You only irritate me. Evil cannot be destroyed. It is intangible, existing in the minds and hearts of every person. Your attacks only make me stronger." Tromedlov turned back to Harry with a push he tossed him from his grip. "I have told you before, the future is absolute. Nothing you can do can stop me. Like time I am eternal. And like time I will kill everything.

"And we have come to the end of your time." Tromedlov said. Reaching behind him he pulled a long black blade from its out from his skin as though it had been hidden inside his body, fire erupted around its blade. Tromedlov's eyes fell upon Hermione lying against the stairs.

"Hermione," Harry shouted, she looked at him groggily. "Get out of here now!" Hermione looked like she wanted to protest. With all his might Harry sent his thoughts at her hoping that she understood, hoping she could hear him. Hermione closed her eyes and faded away.

"Haha, your friend is wise to flee, you should do the same," Tromedlov said turning back to Harry. Harry pushed himself up standing.

"You're nothing more than a parasite," Harry said, "jumping from host to host. You don't have any real power of your own, you just steal it form other people." Tromedlov's lip curled.

"Silence," Tromedlov said, Harry couldn't help but smile. "You no longer amuse me." Tromedlov raised his blade. "I will show you true power." With another yank on the chain Tromedlov pulled Ginny towards him. Her body began to change and by the time she reached his side it was the form of the nightmare, Shadow, that stood at her masters side, bound by the silver chain laced round her neck.

There was a flicker and Tromedlov stood no longer on the ground but sat atop Shadow's back. His long black blade dragged along the floor as he coxed the Nightmare forward, its hoofs of fire leaving burning marks on the ground as she advanced upon Harry.

"Move slave!" shouted Tromedlov he pulled sharply on the silver chain around Shadows neck and kicked hard into her sides. Nostrils flaring Shadow charged at Harry. Harry's reacted, diving out of the way as the blade of fire cut through the spot he had been standing.

Harry rolled up to his feet there was barley enough time to move out of the way again as Tromedlov circled around for another attack. This time Harry was not fast enough this time. He felt the tip of the blade cut across his chest. It was like there was a fire inside him. Harry collapsed to his back in pain.

Harry pressed his hands against his chest, they were stained in blood. This might all be in Ginny's mind, but it felt very real. He had to buy time, had to keep Tromedlov distracted and angry.

With all his might Harry became Talon and rushed at Tromedlov. The huge sword slashed through the air by Talon was not to be in front of it, expecting this attack Talon had teleported above Tromedlov. Talon sunk his talons into Tromedlovs shoulders and lifted him easily into the air. His plan had been to teleport Tromedlov high into the sky but now that Talon had taken hold he found himself unable to will teleportation. The next best thing he could manage was to fling Tromedlov from Shadows back.

Talon hovered before Tromedlov blocking his path back to Shadow. Tromedlov's hand still held fast the silver chain.

"I won't let you have her," Talon said and his voice was not song but words. "Without her you are nothing." Tromedlov held his position.

"Is that your plan? To distract me here and have your friends kill the girl in the real world? It won't work." Tromedlov spat. "I am not distracted. When she arrives I will kill her too. You cannot break the chain of fate with such a petty act. We will be reborn so long as one of us is alive."

"Kill Ginny?" Talon said with a smile in his voice, "Why would I want to do that when all I really needs to do is unlock your anchor to a physical body." Tromedlov's eyes opened wide and his hand shot out to hit Talon away from view. Hermione stood close to Ginny, a white bone key already in the lock holding the chain around Ginny's neck. With a click Hermione pulled the lock free and Ginny untangled the chain from her neck. Ginny let it go tossing the broken tether away.

Harry could see fear in Tromedlov's eyes. He let out a roar and rushed at Ginny and Hermione. Hermione stepped forward, wrapped her arms around Ginny and the two of them vanished. Tromedlov's arms caught air. He turned on Talon.

"I hope you like the ethereal plane," Talon said grinning. "I hear it's very hard to get out of." Tromedlov's face contorted with anger, his red eyes glowing. He opened his arms wide and rushed at Talon. Talon released the ethereal charm and vanished, leaving Tromedlov trapped forever in his own prison of power.

---

Harry stood behind Ginny. She was clutching at his lifeless body. She was crying. The black tattoos had faded from her skin. Harry knelt beside her and touched her face. His hand could not feel her soft skin, nor could she feel him. Harry closed his eyes. He had not gone back to his body which meant he was… dead. Harry took a deep breath but no air filled his lungs.

Suddenly the world froze as though time had stopped. The colorless existence of the ethereal world seemed even more errie in its frozen state. Harry's eyes drifted down to himself laying against the wall, his body's eyes flew open and the head turned upwards to look at him.

"It is your choice to make." Harry's body said, the voice was his own but it seemed distant.

"To live or to die," another voice added. Harry looked to his left to see Solaris emerging from what seemed like thin air.

"To be immortal, like Arthur Pendragon." Harry looked to his right to see the solemn face of Merlin appearing as though he had been hiding in the shadows.

"Or to die, like all humans must do," if Harry's heart could have skipped a beat it would have, this new voice was that of Sirius, he was standing beside Harry's body looking sadly down upon it.

"Death," Harry felt a hand come to rest on his shoulder Harry turned his head around to see James, his father, standing behind him, "is a natural part of life." Harry felt another hand come to rest on his other shoulder. And he heard the voice of his mother, Lilly, in his ears.

"To live forever would take away your humanity." Lilly said.

"I don't understand." Harry said looking at all the people around him. These people they were all dead and yet, here they were, standing around him. Solaris, who Voldemort had murdered not more then an hour ago, Merlin who had died centuries past, his parents and … Sirius. "I'm not dead?"

"Your body has yet to draw its final breath," Sirius said, his eyes turning up so that he could look upon Harry.

"If you return to it before it does, then you will die with it." Solaris said taking a step towards Harry.

"But if you remain where you are, as an ethereal ghost, then you will not die." Merlin said he too moved closer.

"I don't want to die," Harry said roughly, "it isn't fair, we've come too far to lose like this! If there is even a chance that I can live and be with Ginny I'll do anything!"

"But what kind of a life would it be," James said softly from behind him. "would you give up your humanity to simply exist?"

"Would you choose the same path as Arthur," Lilly asked. "To live forever, desiring never to die so that you can protect the ones you hold dear?"

"Yes," Harry said quickly, that was what he wanted, he wanted to stay with Ginny and protect her always.

"And when those you love are gone," Solaris said taking a step closer to Harry. "What then?"

"Will you fashion a new name?" Merlin asked taking another step closer to Harry. "Like Tromedlov? Will all the things you held dear when you were human still mater to you? Or will your hate for those who have what you lost consume you."

"I will never become like Voldemort or Tromedlov!" Harry said angrily, how could these people, his friends, his family even think that he could ever become like that."

"When your humanity is gone all that will remain will be the darkness in your soul." Sirius said darkly.

"Humanity is that which Arthur Pendragon lost, the greatest and most noble man to ever walk the earth," Merlin said taking one final step and coming to stop less then an arms distance away.

"Can you truly say your heart is as pure as his was?" Solaris asked like Merlin he took one final step. "Do you believe that without your humanity you could ward off the hate that dwells inside you?"

"And if I die," Harry said looking back over his shoulder, "will I be with you and Mom?" James and Lilly both lifted their hands from Harry's shoulders and took a step away. Harry turned confused. "Wait, I don't know what to do!"

"It is your choice," James said his form begun to fade.

"It will always be your choice," Lilly said vanishing along side her husband. Harry whirled back around. Sirius, Solaris and Merlin had all vanished.

"The time is now." Harry's body said looking up at him, its hand raised outstretched towards him. "Take my hand and die, or stand there and live and watch me die." Harry licked his lips. His eyes fell on Ginny he moved up behind her and stroked her hair. He could not feel its softness on his finger tips, he could not see its beautiful red color and could not smell its alluring scent. Harry knew in that moment what he must do. His body watched him with an expressionless face, its hand outstretched.

---

Ginny was leaning against Harry's chest crying, praying for him to be okay. Harry stirred and Ginny's heart raced and crashed into her rib cage as a long breath escaped Harry's lips and he slumped backwards against the wall, all life gone from his body.

"No…" Ginny croaked. "No… NO! HARRY PLEASE WAKE UP!" Ginny shouted her fist balled clutching the front of his robes. "I can't lose you." Ginny cried breaking down into tears. Through the blur she was able to extend a hand and touch the side of his face, there was no warmth in his cheeks.

Her voice had left her, should could say no more she could not even beg him to come back to her. Suddenly Harry's cheek became warm, hot! Ginny pulled away her eyes unable to focus. A flash of hot air pushed against her body as flames traveled up the length of Harry's arms. Soon the fire engulfed him completely but his skin did not burn.

Ginny watched unable to move, all of the emotions she had been felling had collided in her chest.

Suddenly the flames grew hotter and more intense. The effect lasted only an instant and when the fire had gone a pile of ash lay in a mound on the floor. Ginny couldn't see anymore, tears flooded her eyes. She fell forward her hands sinking down into it as though expecting to find something, anything. But the pile of ash was nothing more than that.

Ginny's hands still moved through the ash, she would not give up on Harry so easily, he had to be here, had to be some where but there was nothing. It had all been her fault. All the horrible things she had done. Harry was gone because of her.

Ginny pulled her shaking hands from the ash. They were black as night. She whipped the tears from her face leaving a black smug across her nose. She didn't feel anything, it was like she had died too.

A hand rested upon her shoulder and a voice spoke softly to her.

"Come child, all is not lost." The elderly voice said. Ginny had not the will to look up at the man that spoke nor the ability to reply. "Your friends are waiting for you."

---

Ginny found herself outside, though she could not remember how she had gotten there, it didn't seem to matter anyhow. She walked numbly down the beach. Her feet moving on their own. Her legs felt weak but they did not give out below her. She did not know where she was going.

A large group of people were ahead of her now, they were shouting and cheering but though Ginny could hear them she did not. Someone ran out of the crowd towards her. Hands were on Ginny's shoulders and words were in her ears but like all other things around her they did not exist.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione said concerned. Ginny did not look up at Hermione, her eyes unable to hold back the pain any longer. Hermione knew. Ginny's legs finally failed her and she collapsed to the ground emotion pouring out of her eyes. Hermione held her but the pain was too much and the tears would not come.

The cheering faded and the many students became silent as the news spread across the DA that Harry Potter was dead.

---

The next few days were perhaps the worst days of Ginny's life. Many people had died in the battle for Avalon, DA members and Seraphim alike. Though Ginny wanted to feel sadness for the other people that had died her body felt nothing her thoughts dwelling only on Harry.

A funeral was held on the shores of Avalon more then a hundred boats sat ready to be cast out to the ocean. Most were filled with Seraphim, their wings wrapped around them and their weapons clasped in their hands.

Ginny's eyes kept flicking to Harry's boat. It carried his ashes and every moment Ginny kept hopping that Harry would suddenly reappear and tell her everything was okay.

"The cost of life is high." Said a booming voice. A tall man with a white beard and flowing white hair stood before the crowd of Seraphim and Wizards, his name was Oberon. "We have paid that price. We have all lost someone and we must not let there sacrifice be in vain. We must remember those that have fought and died so that we may live. We must never forget those who have died so that they will never be lost." Oberon turned to look out across the ocean. Spreading his hands the clouds parted in the sky and the warm rays of the sun shown down onto the boats, creating a path of golden light across the water.

"Though you're bodies lie still your journeys have not ended. The boats of Avalon shall sail you to a new land. May your travels be swift and the sea calm." Oberon raised his hand and the boats began to move out into the ocean.

Ginny watched not really seeing. Her hand was clasped tightly on the wand in her pocket, Harry's wand. Dean had found it laying on the beach and given it to Ginny. It was the only thing she had left of Harry.

The boats became smaller and soon the glare of the ocean captured the ships and they were gone.

---

Upon the next day the DA left the island of Avalon, guided magically by the boats back to the shore of the lake below the castle of Hogwarts. It was as though they had never left. No teachers asked of their whereabouts. Yet oddly they all seemed to know that Voldemort was gone and that Harry was dead. He was gone, really gone.

The loss only seemed to become worse for Ginny. She found it hard to concentrate on any of her class work. She had also become sick because she felt nauseous sometimes and even throwing up. It felt like the life had been drained form her like nothing mattered anymore.

The air about Hogwarts began to return to normal after a few months. Everyone seemed to have forgotten that Harry was gone. Ginny felt herself getting angry a lot and yelling at people for no reason. How could they disrespect him so much? How could they forget about him so easily? Harry had sacrificed himself for them and they moved on acting like nothing had happened.

One day Malfoy made a snide comment about Harry and that was the end of it for Ginny. She had leapt upon him and beaten Malfoy nearly to death. It had been so bad that he had been sent to St. Mungos for treatment.

Ginny was not disciplined for the act and no points were taken. Even if they had been she no longer cared. Not about school or classes or anything. She felt like she wanted to die. Then she could be with Harry and she could be happy.

As Madam Pomfrey was treating her injuries from the brawl with Malfoy she discovered something else. At first Ginny could not believe what Madam Pomfrey had just told her. It was impossible to say the least. But it all seemed to make a strange kind of sense. Mood swings, the nausea and the extra weight she seemed to have been gaining. Ginny was pregnant.

Magical tests proved inconclusive on pretty much every aspect about what might have happened except that it might have been the result of some kind of magic, but Madam Pomfrey said she had never seen anything like it.

Because she was so young the Madam Pomfrey had had to contact Ginny's parents and tell them. Their reaction had not been as bad as Ginny first thought. Her mom had come and cried with her and her dad had been short on words. However her parents comforts did little to ease her pain.

There was the option of magical abortion still at this point but Ginny had outright refused. If there was even a small chance that some how this was Harry's and her child then she wanted it. She had a reason to continue to live on. And every day was not so dark for her.

For the most part Ginny was able to hide her bulging stomach as she didn't want to tell anyone about this yet. But as it turned out Hermione figured it out on her own and soon almost all the Gryffindor girls new about it. Ginny had thought that they would make fun of her or whisper behind her back, but they did not. Everyone was very nice and very supportive. It was something Ginny needed very much in her life right now, because only in her dreams could she get the affection she needed from Harry.

It was getting harder to stay up late and study with the baby in her tummy moving around. It was like it couldn't wait to get out. But it wasn't uncomfortable it was a reminder that she wasn't alone.

At last O.W.L.S arrived. Some of the examiners gave her strange looks, as though they couldn't believe a fifteen year old was pregnant and still taking her O.W.L.S. For the most part Ginny felt like she had done a good job. But she was glad when it was over.

Finally it was the end of term and Ginny was able to return home. She was not ashamed of herself in the slightest. This baby was the only good thing that had happened to her since Harry's death.

In mid July Ginny gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. But even the medi-wizards were at a loss to explain the strangeness of the new born. For upon his forehead was a lighting shaped scar. Ginny smiled knowingly.

"I knew you would find your way back to me some how, Harry."

Authors Notes:

And that's all he wrote (well no that's not really true as I have added and subtracted here and there to this chapter at many points beyond its posting) he didn't write no more! Thanks for reading the last installment of Harry Potter and the Shadow of Evil.

Thanks to all my readers and reviews who have stuck it out with me even after the release of book 6. As such I have prepared an extra chapter for everyone. It's the first chapter of the next story, which I may or may not actually go and write. LOL you didn't really think this was the end did you? Didn't you read the summery? 'but it isn't the end, its just the beginning!'

Epilog is available on the same day that this chapter goes up. I hope you enjoy it, the epilog was actually one of my favorite chapters to write.

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Some extra notes on the ending.

First and foremost this was all written before the release of book six though I have modified it afterwards (multiple times) and although I cannot say I was not influenced by book 6 I will say that is pretty much the way I always knew the story would end. (as I really didn't want to write a book 7 and I am convinced that Harry will die at the end of book 7)

As people have pointed out to me before this goes live I would like to address some points. First of all even though Harry is reborn through Ginny it has nothing what so ever to do with (and I am aware I keep saying this) religion. If you want to see it that way you can, but that's not how it's intended. The idea had three directions. First is the one we saw, Harry is reborn through Ginny, second Harry is reborn as a little baby in the ashes, third Harry just comes back to life.

The first case I found the best choice. It allowed the question to linger of is Harry really dead? (which of course is yes and no at the same time) It also detracted a bit from the creepiness of the second option (though not by much) in which Ginny was going to take Harry as her adopted son (which I won't even go into the problems with that idea). The third case of just coming back to life seemed a bit weak and there was no real way to support it.

I know some people have found it a little creepy but it comes down to this. All his life Harry has been abused in ways I won't even begin to describe here. I thought that his reward for saving the world should be a second chance at a real life.

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Extended, Extended Authors notes.

As with many of my chapters I have gone back and reworked parts when a better solution has come along, in this case I have reworked the scene of "harry's death" from a much weaker, less senseical (though not by much) version in which (for some reason) Sirius appeared to explain the shit that was going to go down with Harry.

After having some time to think about it, and to be reinspired by having nothing to do well waiting for the goddamn movers to get here, I came up with a minor change in which all people who were important to Harry and who are dead come to guide him. It has a much more final tone to it and (at least I think so) a much better explanation of what is about to happen to Harry and what happened to King Arthur. I have also considered writing the chapters with Ginny up until Harry's (re)birth. However I think I will (unless people really want to know, I think this chapter dose an okay job of explaining it without become wholly depressing and dark) keep that locked in my head for the moment.

For those of my readers who came back to re-read this after the change, thanks for giving this chapter a second shot I hope you liked it this time around.

Starwin

Ultra extended notes.

Yeah that's right more notes! This is I think the ninth time I have come back to work on this chapter, and the last. Though only 3 versions (this being the 3rd) were posted I have made many different copies of it and let people like Alex read them before I posted them. Though he still doesn't care for my ending, and picked many choice words to describe it, non of which I shall repeat, I feel this is more towards what I was aiming at. I would still like to work out better the fight with Tromdlov but, eh, I'm tired and its close enough.