Finally finished this chapter! It's a little long, but it's worth it . . . So enjoy :oD
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to Mrs. J.K.Rowling :o)
Ginny had dozed off into a light sleep shortly after her talk with Hermione. Thoughts and dreams of when Harry would come back made her smile, yet nightmares about his demise make her cringe. Awaking abruptly to the screech of the train stopping, Ginny opened her eyes to see Hermione picking up Crookshanks gingerly. Also grabbing her things, Ginny followed Hermione off of the train and down to the platform where Mrs. Weasley was waiting, tears brimming the edge of her eyelids.
"Ginny! Hermione! You're both okay!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed as she ran up to Ginny and gave her a motherly hug, then switched to Hermione.
"Yeah we're fine . . ." Hermione said as she looked down to the floor.
"And I'm sure they are too." Mrs. Weasley responded smiling sadly, as she put her arms around the both of them and continued to walk out of the station.
- - - - - - -
As Voldemort led the way through Godric's Hollow, Harry looked about. Was there any possible way they could escape again? Or at least Ron. Harry pondered this over and over thinking of anything that might help. He even thought of spells, because he knew that this would be it. The fight between him and Voldemort. What if he lost? What would become of Ron? But what he won? How would he and Ron avoid the deatheaters? Harry hadn't even realized he had slowed down, until a fierce push into his back almost made him fall over.
"Get a move on it Potter." A deatheater said from behind.
Harry simply looked forward and continued walking. Although his heart felt as though it was kicking him hard from inside because of its hard beating, Harry remained calm. He thought hard and tried to remember any spells he had learned or seen or heard of that could possibly help him in the battle soon to come. Harry was so absorbed in his own thoughts, that when he finally looked up, the group had stopped. Soon Harry knew why. They had reached Godric's Hollow Cemetery. That's when it hit him; the cemetery.
- - - - - - - -
As Ginny stepped onto the soft ground covered with brown colored leaves. Where she looked up to find her home. Home sweet home Ginny thought with a smile as she began walking towards the door. As Ginny and Hermione silently walked up the creaky stairs into Ginny's room, they passed the magic clock that tells where the family is. Everyone's hands were pointing to home except Bill's, Charlie's, Percy's and Mr. Weasley's whose were pointing in between work and MORTAL DANGER. However Ron's was pointing directly to MORTAL DANGER. When Ginny realized that Hermione had stopped, she walked back down to her.
"Oh don't worry about that old thing. It has been saying we're all in mortal danger unless we're at home." Ginny said casually.
"Oh hey Ginny . . . Hermione." Fred and George said as they gave them a hug "We've got be getting back to the shop. Can't keep those customers waiting!" Fred finished shrugging before jumping the rest of the stairs and heading out the door.
"And where do you think you are going?" Mrs. Wesley's voice asked systematically.
"The shop mum." Fred answered looking towards George "Yeah we've already missed the first two business hours." George finished looking back towards Fred.
"I don't care about the first two hours of business. The shop can wait." Mrs. Weasley answered with a nod "I need you to march back into the house and help!"
"Uhh, about that . . . Hey what's that?" George pointed out behind Mrs. Weasley."
"What's what?" Mrs. Weasley asked turning around as Fred and George high-fived and appearated. Turning back around Mrs. Weasley realized what they had done and with a sigh "That's the oldest trick in the book!" She said as she continued towards the house, shaking her head.
From the bottom of the stairs Ginny and Hermione stood giggling.
"Goodness." Hermione said before a strange sound erupted from the clock.
Then suddenly the clock changed Fred and George's hands down to the in between line from work to MORTAL DANGER.
"See what I mean?" Ginny said half smiling as she helped Hermione with her trunk and continued to her room. But Hermione still couldn't get the thought to leave her mind. MORTAL DANGER.
- - - - - - -
Harry could feel the texture change from the hard and rocky road to the soft crunch of leaves beneath his feet. He looked down towards them for a second, and then watched as he stepped around the graves. Some tall, and some flat upon the ground. Although Harry knew as soon as they came upon them. One slightly large marble gravestone. Engraved large and bolded into the gravestone were the words Lily and James Potter.
Harry looked at Ron to see his face was slightly pale but showed no fear. Harry watched as Ron mouthed the words on the gravestone has he read them, before he looked up to Harry. Harry solely looked away from Ron onto the gravestone. He reread the names over and over each time his anger, loathing, and hatred growing more and more with each time.
Harry looked down to the leaf covered ground while clenching his fits. Closing his eyes, Harry took a deep breath before looking up towards Voldemort with a death glare worse then any other look or feeling of pure hatred Harry has ever had towards anyone before.
Voldemort's eyes widened slightly, surprised again by Harry's bravery, but his expression hadn't changed. He stood there merely smiling his lipless, malevolent smile.
"Is there a reason you brought me here?" Harry asked in a low slight whispered voice.
"Don't play dumb with me Potter you know exactly why we're here." Voldemort sneered as if he were annoyed by Harry's question.
Harry could feel something strange going on in his mind as he realized Voldemort was searching his thoughts. Harry, reacting quickly, immediately resisted it as his thoughts of hatred overpowered and blocked out Voldemort. Voldemort was yet again surprised and showed nothing, but one slightly raised eyebrow.
"Come on Potter, you should know by now what to do." Voldemort taunted as he stepped back a few steps and gripped his wand.
The deatheaters again formed a circle around them while two deatheaters grabbed and held Ron back.
"First we bow, come now, come now, Harry." Voldemort said chillingly, but Harry stood there and didn't move. He didn't let Voldemort mess with him last time and he wasn't going to let him do it again. "I said bow!" Voldemort said pointing his wand towards Harry. But Harry stood there as still as he had before. This surprised not only the circle of deatheaters but also Voldemort, whose red eyes grew very wide.
"I thought you wanted to duel." Harry said slyly gripping his wand and thinking of the first spell he could.
"CRUICO!" Voldemort shouted, as a jet of pale green light emitted from his wand.
"Expelliarmus." Harry hollered as a jet of bright red light burst from his wand also, and again both spells met in mid air. The wands began to vibrate madly just as Harry had expected. Voldemort on the other hand was not surprised, but still didn't know what to do.
Just as it had two years ago, the spirits of those murdered by Voldemort emitted from the tip of Voldemort's wand. First was a small group of people. As they filled in they whispered to each other and glared at Voldemort. Harry held on as tight as possible as Voldemort attempted to break the connection, knowing this is what Harry had done before, but the spirits and the vibrations of the wand would not allow it. Finally Cedric, than the old man, Bertha, and than finally, Harry's parents emerged from the tip.
"Harry . . . you were expecting this weren't you?" Lily softly whispered into his ear.
"Yeah, I was mum." Harry answered back, smiling that he actually was talking to his mother.
"But Harry you also know we can't help you this time." James Potter's voice added from the left of Harry.
"Yeah I figured." Harry responded. "But if you can't help me fight Voldemort, can you help me get rid of them?" Harry asked nodding his head towards the deatheaters.
"We can try." The old man answered from the corner as he began gliding towards the shocked deatheaters.
"I love you Harry." Lily said as the soft, chilly hand of the Harry's mother touched his arm and then floated towards the deatheaters.
"And we're proud of you." James added as he gave Harry a gently pat on his shoulder than glided away.
- - - - - - - - -
Hermione sat upon the extra bed that sat in Ginny's room made just for her. As she sat upon the bed she decided she might as well get some fresh air. Rushing downstairs, Hermione set off to find Ginny.
"Hello Hermione." Mrs. Weasley said politely.
"Hello, do you know where Ginny's gone?" Hermione said walking up to the window and looking out into the bare trees.
"She said she was going for a short walk but that was a bit ago." Mrs. Weasley answered observably.
"Okay thanks." Hermione responded before grabbing her jacket and running out the door in search for Ginny.
Where could she have gotten to? Hermione wondered as she walked along the leaf covered path.
"Ginny? Ginny, where are you?" Hermione called loudly, her voice echoing against the trees. She listened silently, waiting for an answer, but heard nothing. "Ginny!" She called again and again but fell silent as she walked further into the woods.
As she continued her search for Ginny, Hermione heard a rustle in the bushes. Following the noise, Hermione pulled back the branches to find a red haired girl crying upon a rock.
"Ginny?" Hermione asked jogging up to her side to comfort her "Where have you been? I've been searching for you practically all day!"
"I woke early to find her." Ginny answered pointing over to a tree.
"Who?" Hermione asked, but fell silent as soon as she saw what Ginny was pointing to "Hedwig? Oh my, what has happened?" Hermione asked as she stroked the owl's torn feathers and wings. But stopped as soon as Hedwig let out a screech of pain.
"She's been intercepted. Isn't it obvious?" Ginny announced covering her tear stricken face with her hands.
"Oh Ginny, you mustn't blame yourself! It wasn't you fault." Hermione said as she helped Ginny off the hard, ice cold rock.
"What do you mean it wasn't my fault? Yes it was! You're the one who told me not to be contacting them anyways!" Ginny answered sobbing.
"Yeah, well then it was different. There's nothing you could've done besides write." Hermione said.
"Here, read it." Ginny said attempting to dry her face from the tears.
Hermione gently took the parchment from Ginny's hand sand read the letter.
"They're okay! So what's the problem?" Hermione declared happily.
"Yes, but it just now occurred to me that if Voldemort were to see Hedwig, which apparently he did, he could intercept the letter and it would lead him exactly to where Harry and Ron are." Ginny said the thought hanging her head because she knew it was her fault Harry and Ron were put into danger again.
- - - - -
"Stop chatting with your parents Potter! We're in the middle of a duel! Unless you want to just give up." Voldemort mocked.
Harry watched as Voldemort yanked at his wand, and still couldn't release the golden thread of light. This gave Harry an idea. Quickly and carefully, Harry yanked up his end of the thread and it broke immediately.
"Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted as he watched Voldemort's wand fly from his hands.
"I have to admit, that was clever." Voldemort suspected.
Harry merely stood there panting; his wand pointing directly at Voldemort's chest.
"Clever? Is that all?" Harry asked irritably.
"Do you really think you are going to kill me Harry?" Voldemort smirked "Killing isn't as easy as you may think Potter. Like I said before. You have to mean it." Voldemort smirked again.
Harry's insides raged with anger. He felt as though he could just run up to Voldemort and strangle him to death right there, but held back. Hearing an awkward noise from the deatheater's fight, Harry turned his head towards the other fight. Ron was dueling a few deatheaters while the spirits made their way and pushed the deatheaters out of the way from Harry and Ron.
But just as Harry looked back towards Voldemort, Harry saw a stream of blue shooting at him, hitting him hard, and throwing him into a tall, gravestone.
"CRUCIO!" Voldemort shouted but Harry quickly rolled out of the way and after stopping yelled back "CRUCIO!" and possibly for the first time, Voldemort fell to his knees in pain screaming.
After the first blow, Harry must've injured his ankle again, as he could barely stand, but had to balance off of the gravestones. Although, Harry's hatred overcame his pained ankle as he walked towards the cringing Voldemort shouted "CRUCIO!" again and again forcing Voldemort to continue shouting in pain and anguish.
"That doesn't feel to good does it Voldy?" Harry shouted in anger, almost laughing at himself mocking Voldemort.
Harry watched as Voldemort sat cringing on the ground. Harry was just about to stop and end it but suddenly Voldemort reached out and grabbed Harry's injured ankle, yanking him to the ground. Voldemort scrambled to regain his wand where he stood pointing it at Harry. Harry also scrambled back to his original position, where he pointed his wand back at Voldemort.
Harry and Voldemort stood in silence for a while. Just staring at each other as if expecting someone to shoot a spell at the other. But Harry noticed something else. It really was silent. Harry slowly turned his head to find the same two deatheaters holding Ron's hand behind his back while Ron struggled, and the rest of the deatheaters forced out of the cemetery by the spirits who were now slowly fading away.
"You'd better let him go. It's me you want." Harry said darkly.
"I don't believe you understand Potter." Voldemort said threateningly as he slowly moved his arm holding his wand and pointed it directly at Ron's chest.
"Join me." Voldemort said evilly.
"Never." Harry said just as evilly as Voldemort.
"Say good-bye to your friend than." Voldemort said as he cleared his throat.
"Don't!" Harry said helplessly. But he was too late, as Voldemort shouted the awful words 'Avada Kedavra', Harry watched as the green jet of light hit him and he fell over.
Harry stood there in pure shock. No. He's not dead. He can't be dead. Harry looked at Ron's body lying there on the ground. Just lying there.
"You." Harry said in a low, dark voice.
Catching Voldemort off guard, Harry shouted "Expelliarmus!" and watched as Voldemort's wand flew across the graveyard.
Harry gained on him and shouted "CRUCIO!" over and over again as he had before. The deatheaters had tried to come but Voldemort made them stay put.
"This is for all the pain, anguish, and torment you have caused throughout my life." Harry explained as he shouted the spell again.
"This is for all those who died because of you." Harry said once again shouting the incantation.
"And this . . . Is for me." Harry said as he shouted the words 'Avada Kedavra' and watched as Voldemort was hit square in the chest, his eyes wide, and fell flat an his back. Harry took a deep breath as he walked over to the lifeless body of his arch foe. As Harry stared into his pit less, red eyes he knew it was a sign. It was all over. The fights, the misery, the death . . . Harry then thought of Ron. Looking over at the body, Harry realized the two deatheaters where standing there also wide-eyed but now shooting spells at him.
"Pertrificus Totalus!" Harry said weakly as he shot the spell at the remaining deatheaters and hit them both. Harry watched them fall to the ground as he too fell to the ground but in exhaust. As he fell onto his back, Harry, closing his eyes, realized for the first time in a long time . . . his scar didn't hurt.
"Harry?" a voice said from in front of him. Harry opened his eyes to see Ron standing up reaching out to him.
"Ron? How are you-?" Harry asked bewildered as he took the generous hand and stood up to look into the eyes of his best mate.
"Do you remember back at Snape's shack, when he told us to practice our acting skills? Well I listened to him for a change." Ron said chuckling.
"So you were . . . pretending?" Harry asked running his hand through his dirty hair.
"Yep . . . pretty convincing huh?" Ron asked slapping Harry on the back, causing Harry to slip on his hurt ankle.
"This damn ankle never has been the same. Since the Triwizard Tournament that is." Harry said with a shrug.
"No problem. Thank god it's over. We can finally go home. It's over." Ron said as he lifter Harry's arm over his shoulder and hoisted him up.
"Yeah, it's finally over." Harry said with a sigh of relief as he hoped along Ron leaving the cemetery.
Well I got alot of reveiws and I am VERY happy about that :oD You readers who did - you rock! you who didn't- please do 0:o)
-by the way . . . I am only writing one more chapter . . . and then an epilogue.