Disclaimer: See Chapter I, but to reiterate, I'm not getting a penny out of this, just an intellectual exercise in what could have been.

Note: Two more after this. These last three were the most dangerous to write as I've been incorporating the most of Bk. V canon into these last three chaps. Oh and please be patient, just a little longer, as all will be explained in due time.

Chapter XXXX: Alex

Harry didn't really know what happened. One moment he had been up the steps with Neville, when Sirius had gotten hit and fallen through the arch. Next thing he realized he was sprinting down the steps, wand drawn but at his side, Lestrange with her scream in his head. Harry didn't know what the hell he was doing really, and waited for Sirius to jump out from behind the veil. The jet hadn't been green; all it had been was a stunner. For a man like Sirius, he should be able to dust himself off, get up from behind the arch, still laughing the way he had been.

Yet the arch stayed still.

"Sirius! SIRIUS!" Harry yelled.

Reaching the foot of the dais, chest burning as he had been sprinting the rest of the way, Harry thought to himself, He's hit pretty bad…

As he started to go up it, Lupin stepped in front of him, holding him still by his chest, the way a rugger tackled someone.

"Let go! We need to get Sirius!" Harry spoke hurriedly, trying to get out of Lupin's grip. Remus though, shook him, and then said, his voice heavy. "He's gone, Harry."

Harry didn't hear him at first, explaining, "We got to get him, Moony, he's hit!"

"Harry, there's nothing we can do…"

Harry stopped, turned to Lupin.

"Come again?"

"There's nothing we can do. He's gone, Harry."

Harry heard a roaring in his ears, as the full weight of the meaning in those words hit him. Around him he knew there were still fighting, but nothing really registered. The headmaster seemed to be mopping up the remaining Death Eaters, unmasking them: Rookwood, Crabbe the Elder, Goyle the Elder, Nott, Avery, Jugson, Dolohov, Malfoy the Elder. Kingsley Shacklebolt took off, and was soon crossing wands with Bellatrix…

"SIRIUS! SIRIUS!" Harry didn't believe Lupin, he wouldn't. After all, hadn't he just had that false vision of him and Alex laying bleeding on the ground, so life-like yet so goddamn false? Harry kept pushing forward; Sirius was going to come out from behind the veil, laugh and get the job finished.

"He can't come back, Harry" Harry stopped then, as Lupin's voice sounded huskier, the voice breaking.

"He's dead, Harry." Now that it had been said, Harry felt as though he had been hit in the stomach, and he stopped as the thoughts he had kept in the back of his head, that if Sirius wasn't not appearing in this firefight, not when Harry called for him and his best friend were in danger, then he really wasn't coming back. That he really was dead…

The strength went out of him, and Lupin dragged him away from the dais, and sat him on a bench. Harry breathed, and saw, but nothing really registered.

"Harry?"

It was Neville who had limped, every breath a painful one, down the stairs. His hair was dusty, and grimy, his robe gone for a blanket, his tie for a tourniquet, white shirt and belt kit splattered with blood. Harry looked at his friend, with whom he had shared and done a lot with in a pretty short time, his mind empty. Neville threw an arm around Harry's neck, and hugged him. "I'm sorry, mate, I'm sorry." A distant part of Harry's mind registered that his friend was there, but all he could do was nothing, everything numb and empty.

Lupin, who had turned away from them for a moment, turned back to them. His face was pale, even in the dim light of the room. "All right…Let's find the others." He took a deep a breath. "Where are they all, Neville?" Every word seemed to be forced, and he had his back turned to the arch as he spoke. Neville got up, leaving Harry sitting alone, still staring at the arch.

"Doc's in an office, he's pretty bad. Hermione's got hit pretty bad, but she's got a pulse. Ron got hit by a brain, but I think…"

There was a loud bang, almost like a gunshot, and Harry's was snapped out of his stupor. Kingsley fell, screaming as he hit the ground. Dumbledore fired something, but she deflected it, and started sprinting up the stairs.

Harry leapt to his feet, wand out, in hot pursuit. Vaguely he could hear Neville and Lupin yelling for him, but he ignored them as he took to jumping up the benches. He saw the hem of her robes disappear through a doorway, and Harry found himself back in the brain room.

She heard him, as she sent a curse at him that caused the tank of brains to rise and spill. The foul-smelling mess, reeking a lot like piss, deluged him, and he could feel the tentacles, but waved his wand and shouted "Wingardium Leviosa!" The brains rose in the air as Harry slipped and slid to wards the door. He jumped over Luna, who was on the floor moaning, past Ginny (awake with her back to a desk) who said, "Harry-Whats" with Katrina slumped next to her. Ron was still on the ground, giggling like a madman, and Hermione was, as before, out like a light bulb.

Wrenching open the door, he spotted Bellatrix as she slammed shut the door she had gone through. Harry jumped in, but could only swear foully as the torches spun with the room. "WHERE'S THE FUCKING EXIT? WHERE'S THE BLEEDING WAY OUT!" Harry yelled in fury. The questions must have done the trick, for a door sprung open, and Harry ran into it to find himself in the hallway leading into the lifts. One of them had just closed, and Harry ran up to it, and mashed the call button. One second, then another, Harry getting more and more impatient by the second…

Another second, and Harry heard the chime of a lift arriving. Before the doors were fully open he forced his way in, and mashed the button marked 'Atrium'. Doors closed, and Harry slid his wand back in his holster before drawing his Browning once more. Pulling the slide to rear, he saw that a round was in the chamber. The training he had received showed, for even though he hadn't thought of it, the safety was on. Holding the pistol loosely in his right hand, he used his left to hold his wand again. If shit got bad, he was going to drop his pistol, and stick with his wand, and the blade he kept close.

The lift chimed, and the gates opened. Lestrange had made it to the other side of the room. Harry stepped out, raised his right hand and fired. It missed, though Bellatrix turned at the noise, right before she got on the telephone lift. Harry sprinted towards her, straight path. She snarled a spell at him, and he dodged behind the fountain with the magical statues. The gates of the atrium rang like a bell when the spell hit it.

"Come out, come out, little Harry!" She mocked, her voice echoing off the wooden floors. "What did you come after me for, then? To find your mudblood uncle? I thought you were here to avenge my dear cousin!"

"Both!" Harry bellowed, his voice echoing back.

"Aaaah, did you love him, little baby Potter? The way you loved your uncle too?" She laughed once more, and Harry felt hatred go through him as never before, so much that he could taste it. Turning from behind the cover of the fountain, he leveled his wand and shouted, "CRUCIO!" He was rewarded by a scream, but as he brought up his pistol to put a round into her, his eyes widened as Bellatrix jumped to her feet. She wasn't down and screaming the way Nev had been…

Bellatrix was no longer laughing, as she raised her wand and sent a counter-spell that beheaded the statue of the wizard behind which Harry took cover.

"Never used an Unforgivable before, have you, boy?" She wasn't mocking him now. "You need to mean them, Potter! You need to really want to cause pain, to enjoy it. Righteous anger and so-called imagined feelings won't hurt me for long!" She was stalking him, creeping ever slowly around the statues. Harry held his pistol close, as the next chance he got he was going to shoot to wound…There was still much they had need to discuss.

Bellatrix came upon him, screamed "Crucio!". Harry ducked again, this time the behind a centaur which had its arm go airborne.

"Potter, you cannot win against me!" Harry ignored her ranting, stepping into the fountain, trying to get an edge on her. "I was and am the Dark Lord's most loyal servant, I learned the Dark Arts from his hands, and I know spells of such power that you, pathetic little boy, can never hope to…"

Harry interrupted her, "Stupefy!" As soon as he said it he raised his pistol and fired two rounds. Both missed, and Bellatrix responded to his curse like with a speed he barely had time to duck, this time in the cold water of the fountain.

"Protego!" Harry's own Stunner flew back at him and this time the ear flew off of the elf. Keeping low, Harry crawled through the water, keeping to the legs of the statues. Lestrange circled slowly, yelling, "This is your last chance, Potter. Give me the prophecy and I'll let you leave here alive." Harry wasn't going to leave quite yet, and he wasn't going to finish things just quite yet either.

"Tell you what," Harry started, "I'll make a deal with you."

"And what might that be?" She sneered.

"Tell me if you're still holding my uncle."

Harry's request was greeted by a gale of cackling, scathing laughter. Now Harry scowled, and felt his trigger finger brush against the cold metal of the trigger guard. Control yourself a little longer, he thought to himself. Before he could do anything she began speaking, her voice amused, barely controlling her laughter.

"The mudblood? Oh indeed we are, he is a very entertaining source of amusement." She laughed, "Your uncle is a very stout specimen for a mudblood, why he has lasted longer then anyone I know under the curse." Harry had little doubt as to what curse she was referring to.

Before he could react, she stopped laughing, and continued moving around the statues. Harry crawled backwards, trying to keep some distance between the two of them. Part of him wanted to put a round in her, play the end game to its conclusion. Another part of him, though, wanted to observe, see how far things went.

"For the last time, give me the prophecy, and I will let you live." She held her wand out in front of her, and it was then something in Harry snapped.

Harry leaned back against the wall of the fountain, and roared with laughter. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lestrange stop, her face now perplexed. Harry continued to roar, taking a breath, and yelling at her, "Then you'll have to kill me, you slag! It broke when I was helping Neville up the stairs and it fell." Harry found he didn't care anymore, and watched the expression of terror on Lestrange's face with amusement. The scar on his head started to throb.

"Oh your lord will be so upset now. He knows, Lestrange, he knows." Bellatrix was turning even paler then he thought possible, and he found that amusing. She screamed that it wasn't possible, that he was lying, and tried calling the prophecy to her. Harry laughed even harder, though his head felt as though the scar was going to burst open. Then Lestrange fell to her knees, and began screaming for the Dark Lord to not punish her, that she had tried. Harry rose to his feet, and roared a great belly laugh. "Go ahead, waste your breath. He can't hear you."

"Can't I, Potter?", said a high, cold voice to his rear. Harry tensed, keeping his pistol by his side casually as he turned ever so slowly.

A pair of red-eyes and a serpentine face glared at him malevolently. Voldemort was still the same, bone white skin and red eyes and the slits for a nose. He stepped towards Harry, and began talking, his tone devoid of emotion.

"So all of my plans, all of the efforts of my faithful Death Eaters, have been for naught? That all the months of effort, and the sacrifices of my servants have once again been stopped by you, Potter?"

Harry saw he had his wand out now, and it was rising. Muscle memory took over. Right arm rose, slightly bent at the elbow to take some of the recoil. At a distance of three meters he wasn't worried about missing. Harry squeezed the trigger, gently but quickly, the Browning coming alive in his hands. Aiming center mass, Harry went through the remaining ten rounds before he lowered it.

Voldemort hadn't even blinked as he lazily waved his wand, and a large glowing red wall arose. Harry recognized as it as a fire shield wall charm, and watched helplessly as his bullets struck the wall and were incinerated. Voldemort then just as lazily waved his wand and the wall dissipated.

"That was amusing, Potter. Now for something just as amusing…" Again, the Dark Lord wordlessly waved his wand, and a figure popped at the end of it to land at his feet. Voldemort muttered something, and the figure rose, back straight and staring at Harry.

It was Alex. His uniform was dirty, grimy, wet, and tattered. The boots on his feet were there, still laced, but his face had a haggard crazed appearance with its bruises and cuts. Alex's eye socket was empty, gazing at Harry balefully while his hands were bound by wire in front of him. Alex hawked and spat, before looking up at Harry again and commanded, his voice coarse and raspy.

"Harry, do the world a favor and ki…" Alex screamed hoarsly as Voldemort muttered something, and pointed his wand at Alex. Blood fountained out of a hole in Alex's chest, where his sternum would have been. "This a very amusing curse I perfected over the years, as the organs of this individual will slowly dissolve over the course of an hour and empty through that hole." Voldemort sounded disinterested, and moved his wand away. Alex dropped to the ground, moaning. Harry was frozen, the events happening totally out of his control now.

"He will be joining you shortly, Potter, as I have nothing more to say to you. You have annoyed me for the last time. AVADA KEDAVRA!" Voldemort barked the spell and the green light went to Harry.

It didn't hit Harry, instead showering him with dust as it smashed into the statue of the wizard, who had come to life and thrown itself in front of Harry. Voldemort stared, "What…" He turned, and both saw Albus Dumbledore standing at the golden gates. The Dark Lord moved towards the Headmaster, and the two began dueling. Voldemort cast a Killing Curse, and watched it get deflected by Fawkes, who burst into flames and fell to the ground as squalling chick.

Harry watched, but nothing really registered. Then he snapped out of his stupor, reached down and grabbed his uncle beneath his arms. Harry dragged him to one of the pillars, hoping to take cover behind hit, but Alex raised his bound hands and said something too low for Harry to hear. Harry stopped, drew his knife and slit his uncle's bindings. Then he leaned in.

"Let…me…watch…" Alex forced out, every word an effort. Harry shook his head, pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, and held it against his uncle's wound. "Save your strength, you'll be all right if you do." Alex knocked aside his hand, grabbed Harry behind the neck and brought his ear close to his lips.

"Listen…not much time…just listen…" Harry stopped what he was doing and leaned closer. Alex coughed, and Harry saw pink froth bubble on his lips. Alex began speaking, slowly, using all of his strength. "You…I love…like a son…Linda…tell her…I'm sorry…didn't tell her…sooner I…" Alex gave a racking cough, almost drowned out by the sounds of the fighting. Harry didn't flinch as blood and mucus got on him.

Alex resumed, "I…love her…sorry…won't be there…for her…and…our son…" His other hand grabbed Harry's hand, and he whispered, "When he's born…you hold him high and tell him…about me…." Alex coughed and continued, "Promise me…look after….him and Linda…" Harry shook his head, "I will, but it isn't necessary as you…" Alex interrupted him, "Good…lad…I'll let…your mom and Dad…and Gerry…grandmother and grandfather…know…next I see them…" Alex then coughed and spat more blood. His one eye looked at Harry, darted to his right, over Harry's back where the fighting continued. "Live….life….Harry…LIVE!" He croaked, and then surprised Harry by pushing him towards the other pillar. Harry landed on his ass and watched as his uncle, arms held high….

Then a cold, reptilian voice yelling the killing curse, the curse flying to where Harry had once crouched, hitting Alex in the chest. His uncle took the curse the curse to the chest, like before, and he turned to Harry. Alex's face had the grin he had worn the day he had picked Harry up for the summer. He landed on his back, his face to Harry, the life gone from his face.

Harry heard a scream, far-off in the distance, a voice yelling No…

When it stopped, he realized it had been himself.

Time seemed to have lost meaning for Harry. Harry looked at his uncle for a moment, then let his eyes go to the duel. Voldemort got cocooned by Dumbledore in the waters from the fountain, and when Dumbledore released his spell he was nowhere in sight. Harry got up and staggered towards the Headmaster, the energy in him gone, tired and exhausted and drained…

"STAY WHERE YOU ARE, HARRY!" Dumbledore cried out. There was a quality in it Harry had never heard before: fear. Harry stopped, but then pain he had never felt before burst through his scar, pain so fierce his world began to spin. Harry cried, clutching at his head. Blood went through his fingers as his scar opened and bled. A voice, something dark and animal, went through his head, mocking the Headmaster that if death wasn't the worst, then to kill him, to get it over with. Harry mentally begged for it, at least then he could join his parents, Alex and Sirius….

As quick as the pain arrived, it left. Harry's head stopped throbbing, his world no longer spinning. Above him was the worried, bearded face of Albus Dumbledore. Harry blinked, and saw that he was laying on the wooden floor. Slowly, he rose to his feet.

Around him he could see the fireplaces coming to life, wizards and witches coming through. Harry could hear them talking. A man in a night gown and cap walked towards them. Harry recognized him as the Minister, Cornelius Fudge. The Headmaster walked towards him, and he could see his face go pale, as everyone was telling him about seeing Voldemort. Harry watched the Headmaster confer with the Minister; hearing, but not registering anything he heard. Snatches of the conversation, of Death Eaters being held in the Department of Mysteries, of the Headmaster being reinstated, of further discussions after Harry was at school, rang through Harry's clouded mind.

The Headmaster came over to Harry, holding up the wizard's head. Dumbledore waved his wand over it, glowed briefly for a second. The Minister complained, and the two conferred some more. Harry shook his head, and saw the Headmaster before him. Dumbledore held it before him, and explained. "Take the portkey, and wait for me in my office."

Harry reached for it, but stopped as he overheard a witch wearing an Auror's badge talking to the Minister, "Sir, what do you want us to do with the body?" Harry looked over at Fudge, who had his back to him, facing Alex's body. "Send him to the morgue at Saint Mungo's. Better yet…" He stopped, for Harry roughly shouldered past him, pushing aside the wizards and witches around his uncles body.

Without a word, he knelt down, and opened his uncle's shirt. Inside he removed the two red ID tags, leaving the green. Pocketing the other two tags, he straightened back up, he took off his belt kit, and shoulder holster, tossing them with his pistol on the ground. Harry then shrugged out of his black robe, draping it over his uncle. Kneeling down again, he arranged it so the red and gold crest of Gryffindor, bloody and grimy though it was, was visible. Putting his shoulder holster and pistol back on before picking up his belt kit, and turning towards the Headmaster. Before he touched it, he spoke to no one in particular, but loud enough that Fudge and all the others could hear him.

"Alexander Slim Evans, Church of England, 6966333. An officer, an Auror, a wizard," He paused, then continued, "my family."