Chapter Thirty Nine: Love Is a Powerful Thing
"Good afternoon, dear students and professors of Hogwarts!" Dumbledore began his greeting speech. "I am glad to announce the beginning of the Magic Talent Show. During it, students will show what wizards and witches they have become during their years at school. Our respected jury," he gestured towards the row of professors who sat behind the front table, "will give points to each participant according to the level of the magic presented.
Isn't an easy task, is it? But I am sure everybody will get a fair judgment. The winner will receive two hundred points for their House and a huge present from Honeydukes for himself. Now let the magic begin!" Dumbledore proclaimed and sat down in the center of the jury table, which was facing the stage built for this special occasion.
It was pretty large and could fit at least four people. Its curtains of deep scarlet were decorated with the coat-of-arms of the four Houses. Surprisingly, the Slytherin coat-of-arms was also present even if there were no slytherins in the school. The stage itself was decorated as an average classroom.
The tables were turned into stands so everybody could see the performers on the stage. Between the rows, walked volunteers from junior years with refreshments and sweets. A real show, if you ask me. "Our first contestant is Lavender Brown from Gryffindor," announced Halflife, who was delegated to be the presenter of the ordeal.
Lavender went up onto the stage and smiled broadly at the audience. She wore a dark blue dress with tiny stars on it, which were charmed to twinkle. She pointed her wand towards the ceiling and shouted clearly, "Concellio Astroly!"
White fog started to thicken above the Great Hall and the ceiling's sunny sky turned into a map of the night sky constellations. After the incantation "Formato Zodiac!", the constellations in the sky started to move, forming a ring. The white fog appeared again, but now it was a material for making the constellations alive, to create the bodies of the Zodiac symbols. "Look, there is Aquarius pouring the water from its jar, looks as if the water will fall right on me!"
"Forget it, check out Virgo, that's a worthy sight!"
"Lion looks so cool and mighty." As if in confirmation, the Lion roared for everyone to hear.
Still, these approving exclamations from the audience began too early, because the main part of the number hadn't started yet. "Horoscopus Prognosis!" Lavender exclaimed the last time to begin the most important part of the performance.
Taurus became larger and moved to the center of the ring, He moved around, demonstrating its muscles in its back and its long horns, probably his pride, then uttered in a deep voice, " You're reluctant to try new ventures, especially if it means traveling, but a bloke isn't going to forget about this. Put it off if you like, but he's right. Now is the best time to go for it. Come Thursday or Friday, there's a golden second chance to put things right in a relationship and say the things you were too shy to admit to before. Take a risk and reveal what your heart desires, and let love find a way," Taurus finished and returned to its place.
It was followed by Aries and the other zodiac animals and symbols in their established order. Each of them gave a prognosis in a way characteristic to each of them. It was a parade not only of stars, but also of people characters. The students listened attentively to them, hoping that the stars were smiling at their symbol in particular that day.
After the Pisces swam away, the ring disappeared and the sky returned to its sunny view. The applause continued till Lavender took her seat in the stands. She was red to the roots of her hair, but smiling happily. "Let's thank Miss Brown for her performance." The clapping began again, but subsided on Halflife's gesture. "I hope you'll also warmly greet our next contestant, Hannah Abbot from Hufflepuff!"
Hannah went to the stage and made a curtsy. "Good day to everyone, I won't take much of your time. Before I do anything, I must warn you that I am not going to deliver your mail even if there is an emergency."
Everybody gave her a confused look, but they understood her words when she transformed into a very elegant brown owl. She made a few circles above the jury and transformed back. Her short yet fascinating performance wasn't left without cheering and clapping from the audience.
Her number was followed by several sixth years. They were quite inventive and magically advanced, but I won't tire you with the descriptions of their numbers. Still, I want to attract your attention to Dean Thomas, who was now putting five stones on the table in front of him. "I wish it could happen in real life, but stones mostly keep their solidness and boring appearance. Still I am going to change that today. Transfigo Multifirato!"
And with a flip of his wand, the stones started to transfigure into marble of the finest quality, then into five women statuettes, which were neat and quite sexy and for the grand finale, the figures became alive, turning into fairies with bright colored wings and cheeky smiles on their cute little faces.
Aaahs and ooohs from the audience followed the flying away fairies. Dean bowed deeply and took his place in the stands. "Let's thank Mister Thomas once more for his outstanding presentation." Halflife's declaration was followed by another wave of applause. "Next we have Ronald Weasley, the Gryffindor Keeper!"
Ron nervously stepped onto the stage. He looked around the stands. Finding Hermione he smiled and winked. She gave him an encouraging smile in return. "Hello everybody!" he began. "I am sure all of you know that I am a big fan of the Chudley Cannons." A choir of "Yeh," was an answer to him. "So I decided to, well, you'll see yourself."
Ron stated to mutter spell after spell and the Great Hall started gradually to transform into a ghostly Quiddich pitch. Then figures in orange robes appeared, swinging back and forth at a light speed on their broomsticks. "And the Quaffle is in the possession of the Chudley Cannons!" came a commentator's distant voice. "Pass, dash and Cannons score!"
During the following twenty five minutes, the students watched an active game of Chudley Cannons against the Irish team the Lucky Lepricons. Their eyes were locked on the Quaffle, which moved from one hands to another with such speed it was impossible for one's head to stay without turning in all directions.
But the main point of all this, was that the stands with the audience were in the middle of the pitch, not around it. So you can understand what extreme amusement the game show was. Especially if the Bludger flies right towards you, even if it is a ghostly one.
After the Snitch was caught by a Cannon's Seeker, the whole picture disappeared. "This is said to be the best game of the decade and I hope you are pleased to be the witnesses of this event," Ron announced. "Thank you for your attention."
With cries "Cannons are the best!" from, probably, the fans of the team and "Weasley is our king" from the Gryffindor Quiddich team, Ron took Hermione's warm place because it was her turn.
"Good afternoon professors and students of Hogwarts," Hermione began in her usual official tone. "I am going to perform a spell that shows…" she suddenly blushed and took her glance away. "I'll explain later," she finished in hurry.
She stretched out her hand with a wand and pointed it to the people on the stands. Then opening her mouth, not a spell left her lips, but a tender song. She was so strong and passionate in a way, that it practically went into the ears of everybody; right deep down, right into the heart.
During her singing, airy bridges appeared above the students. There was also one between certain professors, but luckily for them, nobody noticed. One, which was bright red, connected Hermione to Ron. When Hermione's song ended, she blushed again, but then tilted her head up and said proudly, "This is a True Love spell. People on both ends of one bridge are soul mates. Their unit is destined in Heaven. I am very glad that we have so many people who truly love each other in our school."
Hermione walked off the stage and went to her place, but as we know, it had been occupied by Ron. So what? Ron's lap was still available. "So soul mates, hah? I like that," Ron said, settling Hermione on his lap.
"Ginny! You are smiling!" Hermione exclaimed, glancing at Ginny.
Her surprised reaction was caused by the fact that Ginny hadn't smiled or been her cheerful self since Draco's imprisonment. She spent all her time in the laboratory, declining any conversation with her relatives about her and Draco's relationship (even if it didn't exist), but her brothers didn't know that so they presumed the worst.
The twins were absolutely mute, they neither accused nor defended Draco, but Ginny wasn't asking them for help; she was dying, dying in this world. When he opened his heart to her, she understood how much she wanted him to love her. To be his girl, mate, friend, wife, everything to be his and just to have him.
But, as it usually happens, (A/N: especially in my fic), their happiness was destroyed at the very moment they decided to put the first stone in the wall of their relationship. Yes, the world was cruel.
Still now, a goofy smile was playing on her lips while she clenched the front of her robes tightly. "What is it, Gin?"
"It is so warm…" Ginny drawled, certainly her thought far from there.
"Who? What?"
Ginny took out her pendant and showed it to Ron and Hermione. "My dragon," she explained.
The pendant glow with a white light, radiating warmth. But the most remarkable thing was the clearly visible connection between Ginny and the pendant. "Hermione, are you sure the spell is right?" Ron asked doubtfully.
"Of course I am sure! Or are you implying that there is another love in my life!"
"Of course not, darling," Ron answered defensively. "But Ginny and…and, well, never mind. I have my true love on my lap, what else do I need?" Ron said impishly and kissed Hermione, quite soundly I might add.
"Our last but not least contestant is Harry Potter!" Halflife announced from her seat, not daring to stand up, because of, well you know.
Harry appeared on the stage with a large Pensieve and put it carefully on the table. "Hello to everybody. I bet you are wondering what trick Harry has up his sleeve today, but I'll disappoint you this time. You want some answers and I am now ready to provide them. Just telling you the story about that night, which made possible our sitting and laughing here, will be boring and unproven, that's why I am going to show it to you," Harry said, putting his hand on the Pensieve. "Here are memories of that night. Some of them are mine, but mostly of my friend, who is, unfortunately, not present here today. He usually called himself a guide to my victory, but I prefer to have him as a friend. Pencieve Engrossus!"
The Hall held their breaths from nervousness and fear. They didn't want to return to that awful night, but simple curiosity was winning over. After Harry's incantation, a huge screen appeared above the stands, connected to the Pencieve by a stream of light. To a muggle spectator, it would've looked like a 3D movie.
(A/N: VERY IMPORTANT! Everything else is going to be written in an ordinary way, but there also will be reactions from the audience or text outside the memories, which is marked like this /…/ Also the audience can hear or understand the thoughts of the characters on the screen, because it is their memories. And here we go!)
The first picture that appeared on the screen was of the Entrance Hall, full of students ready to dash into the fight. The Dream Team were discussing something quietly in the corner. Suddenly a hooded figure neared them. "Potter, my last words for you," he said firmly and Harry followed him mutely into a classroom. "So today is the day?" the man said with irony and took off his hood to reveal Draco Malfoy. "Are you ready for the Final Duel?"
"Yes," Harry answered without hesitance.
"Are you afraid of Voldemort or the fact that you could die today?"
"No."
"Good. I am sure you understand the importance of the outcome of today's battle, so do your best. Remember everything I told you and also don't forget about your key to the victory. Attitude. Attitude is the thing that will drive Voldemort crazy. You can Avada Kadavra him any time," Harry paled slightly. "I am sure you can, but try to show him that you are not who he thinks you are. By the way, I have a present for you from Dumbledore." Draco searched his robes and took out a middle sized crystal pyramid on a golden chain. "This is your secret weapon. The final blow."
"What is it exactly?" Harry interrupted.
"I won't tell you because I don't know myself. And we also don't know how powerful it is, so do as much as you can to weaken Voldemort. When you feel that you can do no more or that he prevails, just put it on your heart and think about the people you love, the rest will be done for you."
"And what are you going to do?" Harry asked.
"I have some unfinished business to attend to."
Harry noticed the way Draco was dressed, the clothes were probably the best of his wardrobe, and the Slytherin crest was on his robes too. "Once a slytherin always a slytherin," Harry repeated the old saying of the gryffindors, commenting on the presence of the crest.
"Once a gryffindor always a gryffindor," Draco said in return. "Don't make this saying true tonight, be a bit slytherinish; it'll certainly help you."
"Then do the same. Use some gryffindoric features in finishing your business," Harry said with a wry smile.
"Crap! You've got me on my own words! Someday I am going to be afraid of you, but this day is in the furthest future imaginable."
"Of course," Harry agreed with mock seriousness. "I don't know about you, but I am really anxious to kick some asses," Harry said enthusiastically.
"Don't break your leg," Draco remarked with sarcasm, rolling his eyes.
The picture swiftly changed to reveal a battlefield where the fight was going in full swing. A group of people in dark green robes stepped out of the Forbidden Forest and headed towards the Greenhouses. One man was leading them. "Going somewhere, Zabini?" came a voice from behind one of the trees.
The group stopped and every member looked around for the one who knew the name of their leader. "So Voldemort has some brains after all: he made you the leader of his glorious slytherin army," Draco drawled, emerging from behind the tree.
"Well, well, well, who do we have here? Draco Malfoy the traitor. And we hoped you were lying somewhere in mud, the right place for traitors it is," spat someone with a masked face, probably Paddock.
"Well, as you can see, your hopes are in vain. Take off those stupid mask, let's speak face to face like real men do," Draco challenged. When they hesitated, he added, "So you are afraid of me? Don't dare to show your scared faces like you do in front of the Dark Lord!" That made the slytherins remove their masks even if they were far from willing to do it. "So where were you going? To work, perhaps?" Draco asked conversationally.
"Before you rudely interrupted us, Malfoy," someone from the back grunted. "We were going on a very important mission so move or we will move you!"
"The problem is that I am also on a mission, which consists of excluding you from the battle."
"So you gonna fight us? One by one or all together?" someone asked, snickering.
"You know us, slytherins, we are quite lazy. So I decided to finish you off in one strike."
"How dare you call yourself a slytherin! No true slytherin betrays the Dark Lord. It is his destiny to be a servant of the Dark Lord, the only true leader of the wizarding world!" Pansy declared with pathos.
"So you think a true slytherin is a slave? A slave to a creature who only wants to have everything and gives nothing in return? To whom it doesn't matter how many of you will return to him? Who is just a power greedy maniac to whom you are only tools and not alive persons? You wanted, you've got it. You can proceed with your mission, but firstly solve one little problem. Me. I won't let you move any further, only over my dead body."
"This problem is quite easy to solve. Taking into consideration that we have fifty wands against yours, so your chances are equal to zero," Paddock said with a malicious sneer.
"What do you think, Zabini? Your group wants my blood, your word is a command to them," Draco said coolly and turned to Blaise, locking his glance with his.
There was a question in Draco's eyes, a prayer even, but Blaise only shook his head with a determined expression then raised his wand and pointed it at Draco. That was the signal everybody was waiting for. Almost fifty wands were pointed at Draco, but he only shrugged and showed that his hands were empty. Helplessness never stopped the Death Eaters and a fountain of sparks of different colors were sent towards Draco, but he didn't bother to acknowledge it. An orange bubble protected him from the curses and hexes the slytherins sent.
He kneeled down and put his hands on the ground. Draco concentrated the magic in his hands, his whole body tensed then began to shake, but one by one cracks in the ground started to emerge from under his fingers. They became longer and wider until all the territory under the young Death Eaters turned into a web of canyons. 'I can't watch it,' Draco thought, closing his eyes not to see his former housemates falling down to the Earth's depths.
Thirty seconds later no trace of the earthquake was left, the lawn was as green as ten minutes ago. Nothing showed that there was a grave under it. A lonely figure of Draco was the only proof of the ordeal. "Sorry, guys. I hoped the choice was made for you, but you proved me wrong. I had to do it. And Blaise, why? Why didn't you fight for your own life? I could've saved you! What did he threaten you with to join him? Still, it was your choice to die. Whoever you were, you were still people I'd spent seven years of my life with. So rest in peace in this blessed ground."
A tear went down his cheek and fell on the ground, as if sealing the deed. Draco stood up and walked away with a grimy expression on his face and a storm in his eyes.
The next memory revealed the dark sky with a bright Moon above the mess of fighting people. Again Draco appeared on the screen. There was a determined look in his eye-slits; he was certainly going somewhere. On his way he blasted a few Death Eaters with power waves. They were on the way to his destination, what else could he do? He firmly paved his way through the hexing crowd to a man in black robes that stood a bit closer to the Forest, not actually taking active participation in the struggle for ideals. "What a displeasure to meet you here," Draco greeted with one of his most sneering smirks.
The identity of the cloaked figure wasn't known to the spectators till this very moment, but when he just slightly turned, revealing white hair and a pale face, he was instantly recognized as Lucius Malfoy. It was strange to see a man who was known to be dead, or more precisely, to be killed. Still, it was intriguing how and why he was murdered. "I didn't think I'd see you here, son," Lucius replied with despise, covered with aristocratic contempt.
"I am surprised you haven't disowned me right after I left," Draco said, not taking his glance from Lucius'.
"So eager to squander Malfoys fortune?"
"Far from it. I won't take a sickle of your damn money," Draco spat. "I swear it on my mother's grave, if she even has one."
"Watch your tongue, boy, or it may lead to drastic consequences."
"For you maybe. As for me, I doubt it," Draco remarked with a shrug.
Lucius sized him up with a disgusted look. "And you think you can compete with me? Me, who taught you everything you know, who knows your every step and tricks, the most valuable Death Eater of the Dark Lord. And you dare challenge me to a duel?"
"Why not? I have the right as anyone down there," he waved toward the battlefield. "And what's the fuss if you are so sure about your winning?" Draco asked with a sly smile. "Or are you afraid of me because I also know all your tricks?"
"Afraid? Of you? You're scum compared to me!" Lucius snapped, but notes of hesitance were noticeable in his voice.
Draco already wanted to ask, "What are you waiting for then?", but noticed familiar red hair behind the bushes.
"What are you doing here?" he asked instead.
"You are in trouble. In big trouble," Ginny said softly, coming out from the bushes.
"And what is this filth doing here?" Lucius asked with pure disgust, taking into consideration Ginny's read hair and shabby clothes. "You've fallen lower than I thought, Draco. You and a Weasley, brrrrr," Lucius made an expression as if he was going to throw up. "I can't even breathe in her presence. Avada Kadevra!"
/The whole Hall held their breaths, forgetting already that both Draco and Ginny were alive./
Before the curse was even finished, Draco was by Ginny's side, covering her with his body and this time not forgetting to pull his hood up. The bright green spark hit Draco on the back, he felt an agonizing pain in his ribs, paralyzing them, threatening with suffocation, but Draco hugged Ginny even tighter, which made Ginny almost suffocate herself, and the green light vanished.
"So you want to play dirty, hah?" came Draco's voice full of contained rage.
Probably it was the first time in his life when Lucius Malfoy was truly surprised.
/"Never thought that surprised expression could look so stupid," somebody commented with a snicker./
"Go back to the castle," Draco whispered. "It is only between me and him. Go back there and don't even peep outside. Who even let you come out here!"
"Draco, I…" Ginny began.
"I said go!"
With eyes full of worry, not because she could've been killed just a moment ago, but for Draco's well being, Ginny ran back to the Forest, popping up from time to time between the trees. 'God, keep an eye on her,' Draco prayed in his head, but then swiftly turned back to his former father, who had overcome his shock and was thinking how to disarm his enemy with his newfound power. The fact that that enemy was his own son didn't bother him at all. His future was with the Dark Lord and he could get another heir in no time from Bellatrix, for example.
'He is starting to get scared of me, thinks that I am immortal. He always wished for immortality. Well, that's a good start. I hope.' "I am challenging you to a wizarding duel!" Draco exclaimed clearly and firmly.
"You must state a reason," Lucius said like speaking to a five-year-old.
"I am challenging you to a duel till death to avenge my mother and everybody who suffered because of you."
"How noble we've become," Lucius mocked.
But Draco's only answer was a Jelly Leg fourth level hex, which missed Lucius by an inch and then another one, which almost hit his head. "We are not playing a game, as I remember, we are fighting to the death," Draco remarked, sending another curse.
Only now Lucius understood that it wasn't some silly joke from a child, but he really could be killed and not get fame and glory he wished so much for. Curses started to fly back and forth, but the duelers still weren't injured in any way.
/"Holly Gryffindor! It's advanced Dark Magic!" McGonagall gasped./
The duel continued. The curses became nastier and nastier, Crucio was heard several times, but seemed not to reach its aim. Draco's face was full of resolve and concentration. He didn't choose curses which brought ugly and agonizing things with them, but curses which could weaken his opponent. They were far from fluffy and gentle, of course, but still didn't have any drama effect.
Lucius, on the contrary, being a Death Eater, tried to curse Draco so he could see him suffer and beg for mercy. He must've forgotten that Draco was still a Malfoy and knew – Malfoys don't beg. That's why Draco would stand till the end: to live or die.
After another twenty minutes the outcome of the duel was predetermined. Lucius was laying on the ground, gasping for air, his eyes wide with pure fear of death in their glassy look. "You don't want to die, right, Lucius?" Draco asked conversationally.
"Just kill me, you prat. Or you want to watch my agony? There always will be a Death Eater inside you," Lucius said with as much dignity as possible in his situation.
"I only wish for you to be dead and harmless to people. I promise you'll die quickly, but I admit that there is still something of a Death Eater in me, even though I have tried so hard to get rid of it. And because of that, you won't die right now."
The wand in Draco's hand transformed into a whip. Lucius's eyes widened even more. What a dishonorable death. Still his life wasn't full of honorable deeds. "I don't know if you had any manual punishment in your childhood, but speaking from my own experience it isn't pleasant."
The first stroke. "This is for taking away my childhood!" Another stroke. "This is for losing Malfoy family honor!" Another one. "This is for deciding my destiny! This is for murdering your own wife! This is for killing my mother! And this," the whip turned a few times around Lucius's neck. "For addressing Virginia inappropriately."
Draco pulled the whip towards him and in ten seconds, he became the only Malfoy in the wizarding world. There was so much hate in his tirade as if he at last poured it out of him, hiding it deep inside all his life. When Lucius made his last breath, Draco released his own. Devilish sparks in his eyes slowly faded and he returned to his collected self.
"You know, I am not even a bit sorry for killing you. At last I did something worthy to society. You crushed the lives of so many families, even your own. Still, one of your most precious dreams will come true tonight – you'll unite with your Dark Lord for all eternity. Fortunately not in the wizarding world but in Hell. I am sure you'll find it comfortable, taking into consideration you made the lives of everybody around you a living Hell." He turned on his heels and started to go down the hill. "Let's see how Potter is doing there."
Draco located Harry on the pitch with his Vision and was halfway to it, when his face suddenly went deathly pale. He squeezed the shirt on his chest where a tiny weasel furiously scratched him, sending clear signals that Ginny was in danger. He looked frantically around because the pendant hadn't him pulled anywhere, so Ginny must've been somewhere nearby.
When he found her outstanding red hair, his heart sank to his toes and he almost died on the inside. His eyes were full of fear and concern for a girl so dear to him. He watched as her petite, unconscious body was thrown up and down by a huge mountain troll. It seemed it liked its new toy. The white bubble surrounded Ginny, but it was quickly dispersing.
It all happened in a few moments, but it seemed like an eternity to Draco. So many feelings and thoughts rushed through him, but one was vivid, 'If I lose her, I'll kill myself.' He made a dash towards them and a white tiger landed on the troll's back, ripping it in half in one motion.
/It wasn't an underestimation that all jaws in the Great Hall, except for Dumbledore (who knows everything as you know) and Ginny's, fell down on the floor at the sight of the white tiger with silver stripes. They recognized it right away because Halloween of that year wouldn't ever be forgotten. "It was Malfoy? Malfoy saved us on Halloween? Unbelievable," traveled whispered questions from one student to another.
"Why are you not surprised, Ginny?" asked Ron, not knowing how to react to such a revelation
But it was even more complicated to Ron. Ginny about saying that Malfoy and not Dumbledore cleared his mind came back to haunt him. Now he didn't know what to think about Malfoy anymore when it was so easy to just hate him.
"I knew it all along. Look!" Ginny whispered to Ron, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Here comes my favorite part."/
Draco landed gracefully on the ground, catching Ginny on his broad back. He gently put her on the grass and licked her face a few times, hoping to return her to consciousness.
/Uuuhs and aaaahs came from the female part of the audience./
Ginny slowly opened her eyes and found herself face to face with a tiger. She didn't look afraid of the creature. Even if she didn't see this tiger on the Halloween so closely, the scars on its shoulder told her everything. "Thank you for saving me again, Draco," Ginny said with a smile.
Draco transformed back and the features upon his face were unperfected by an angry frown. "What did you think you were doing! I thought I'd have a heart attack when I saw you! I told you to go to the castle, not wander around socializing with trolls!"
Ginny was touched by his concern and couldn't help feeling a bit happy for it, but also a bit guilty. "I am sorry. I won't do it again," she said with a puppy face. "It isn't easy just to reach the castle through this mess."
"Ok, you are right about that. Just don't do it again," Draco stretched out his hand to help her up and she took it with ease, as if it was a common thing for Draco to act like a gentleman. It was, but only around his Virginia. "I need to check on Potter. He is somewhere on the pitch and he is pretty tired," Draco said, looking at the outlines on the Quiddich Pitch.
"You are going to help Harry destroy Voldemort?" Ginny asked with surprise. She didn't think Draco was so full of heroic deeds that day.
"You remember my vow: to teach and protect him in the process. Dumbledore didn't release me from my word so I must be near him if something drastic happens. Still, with all the help provided by so many people, Potter will finish him for sure. I'll just be nearby, just in case."
"Look! The Aurors almost got the Death Eaters, but they can escape and hide in the Forest," Ginny exclaimed, pointing at the group who were furiously fighting.
"They certainly need some help there," Draco said, already in his tiger form and beginning to run towards the forest.
"Go get them, tiger!" Ginny squealed, watching as the tiger moved, radiating power and elegance.
But after a few steps it stopped and roared. It wasn't a roar of mightiness, but of pain. The tiger started to grow, tripling in size, the fur turned into scales and wings emerged from its back. After the transformation was complete, a gorgeous silver dragon was standing in front of Ginny, who gaped at it in awe.
The dragon tilted its head sideways, indicating Ginny to go and after a few flaps of its newfound wings, the dragon took off into the night sky.
/As we already know, Draco asked the other dragons for help and they burned the Death Eaters' asses. It was animatedly shown on the screen./
After the last Death Eater was dead, the silver dragon landed in the Forbidden Forest. He transformed back, revealing Draco on all four, breathing heavily. His robes were blood-stained and there was blood in his hair also. "Merlin," he whispered. "They really don't want to give up easily. So, Potter, it is only you and Voldemort now. Don't mess up or I'll take points from Gryffindor," he finished with a smirk and dragged himself to the pitch.
The picture on the screen changed drastically to reveal the Hogwarts Quiddich Pitch, which was surprisingly well lit, though it was past midnight already. Harry was lazily walking on the pitch, as if he was waiting to watch the sunset while hanging around on the beach. "We have met again, Harry Potter," came a squeaky drawl from the left. "I am glad to finally see you face to face. Here, the place only brought you victories, but today the matters will turn out otherwise."
"Me too," Harry responded to the ugly face of Voldemort. Even though he wore royal black robes, his face still looked zombish and it made him look pathetic in his entire struggle to look majestic. "I started to feel tired from waiting already," Harry continued. "Well, it is your mistake. The more you delayed our meeting, the more powerful I've become."
"Smug today, aren't we?" Voldemort hissed, taken aback by Harry's attitude.
He thought he would have met a crazy boy who was desperate to revenge his parents' murder, not something like this. "Today is a special day. Everyone acts at his best to kick your ass, if you even have one," Harry said, snickering in the end.
"So you've got an interest in power recently?" Voldemort asked, changing the topic. (I think the topic about his ass wasn't very exciting for him.) "You can be even more powerful after joining me. Just imagine what great things we can do together. The wizarding world would never have seen such an alliance, even in the times of the Founders."
"You'll never make me more powerful than I am now. What can you give me? Return my parents to life? Let them rest in peace. Another family took me in and I am extremely grateful for their love and care. You want to give me more power? For what? To be one of your followers? To tremble behind you and run to please you whenever you call? You call this "power"? All of your Death Eaters will always be behind you; no one will dare to stand in front of you face to face. You made sure of that. They worship you, but mostly through fear. I am not afraid of you, Voldemort, and that's why I don't find your proposal attractive. In other words, you can stuff it up your ass!" Only in the end Harry let himself lose his temper, but collected himself right away.
/"Good speech, Harry!"
"Yeh, kick his butt!"
What are you waiting for/
"So you are not afraid of me? Hm, it makes the ordeal more interesting. What about death? Are you afraid of death, Harry Potter?"
"Actually, I don't see any difference between you and death. I am not afraid, especially since I won't die tonight," Harry stated.
"You claim that the Good side will win today?" Voldemort spat with disgust.
"Of course. You thought otherwise? I am really sorry. How much money did you lose on your bet?"
That was the last straw and it sent Voldemort over the edge. "Do you think we are playing children's games here!" he intended to roar, but a high squeal only emerged.
"Who is talking about games?" Harry said as if scolding a child. "After the death of one of us, the good or bad side will practically disappear from the Earth. I am not sure it is a topic to joke about."
But the Dark Lord wasn't listening to him. He was enraged. Enraged that this brat dared to talk back to him, to insult him even with an indirect statement and stand smirking at him as if everything was under his control. "Crucio," he barely whispered to wipe the smirk from Harry's face.
The spell left his wand in a green spark, but it never reached Harry. It stopped in front of Harry's palm and he grabbed it like a ball. When he unclenched his fist, nothing was there. (A famous trick of every magician.)
The sight of a surprised Voldemort wasn't familiar to his Death Eaters, but now it was the exact expression on the Dark Lord's skull-face. He was so busy with finding a solution, how the Hell Potter had done it, that he didn't notice Harry's clenched teeth. Absorbing such a dark spell into his aura wasn't like eating a slice of Molly's pie. He felt pain going through his body, an echo of the Cruciatus curse, but Harry didn't show it. Didn't show it for Voldemort to think it was only a drop in his defenses, nothing more.
'I am Lord Voldemort, the greatest wizard of all times! And this boy thinks he can overpower me! No one can be more powerful than I! He'll meet his parents quicker than he can say "Quiddich"!' "Avada Kadevra!"
Harry took a few steps to the side and the spell simply missed him. "So eager to get rid of me? Don't you want to show me your mightiness? Watch me suffer and scream in pain? Even torture me for amusement? This is not the Dark Lord I know. What happened? Your girlfriend left you?" Harry said laughing and at the same time sending a stream of fire on Voldemort's robes.
/The audience roared with laughter. The Voldemort so feared looked pathetic and helpless./
Even in his amusement, Harry saw fire in Voldemort's red orbs; Flames of hate which were ready to burn through Harry's skull. "Right now I can order my Death Eaters to find your best friends, bring them here and then kill them in front of you. You won't be so full of yourself then," Voldemort hissed, trying to hide his temper.
"The rumors are true then," Harry continued conversationally.
"What rumors, prat?" he spat.
"They've never reached your ears? The rumors that you are a coward."
"What? Who dared?" Voldemort hissed like a giant snake.
"Unfortunately, I don't know the name of this brave man, but your actions clearly speak for themselves. Why call your slaves to bring me down? Are you afraid of me? Can't do it yourself?"
"I'll kill you with my bare hands!"
"Then what are you waiting for?" Harry challenged.
"Amorphus!" Voldemort exclaimed.
"Mobile!" Harry shouted in return. The two spells collided together and the sparks vanished.
The effect was accidentally discovered during Harry's dueling class. The point was that there was no need for a counter spell if you knew the spell with an opposite action. Opposites attract and the spells reduce themselves. Maybe there was a mentioning of this in some book, but Draco and Harry considered it an outcome of practical experience and didn't know if they were the first to discover it.
Voldemort was distracted for a moment by this and Harry grabbed that opportunity to look into his aura. The moment he did it, he felt very sorry for his attempt. He was almost sucked into the darkness of darknesses. There was almost nothing in there; Just an enormous black hole. The only part not black of Voldemort's aura was a circle of small light spots. In the center of the circle was a bright Dark Mark. The most remarkable about the circle was that the spots disappeared from time to time and never lit up again. With each disappearance, the aura decreased in size.
'He uses the magical energy of his Death Eaters! They serve him like slaves, but it isn't enough for him. Bastard! I just need to win more time for all of them to vanish, then he'll be at his weakest point.'
Harry was really glad that he had discovered Voldemort's weakness, but such a revelation cost him a very nasty and painful hex sent by the Dark Lord. Harry's concentration was broken during the aura visioning and he swore not to let it happen again.
Voldemort's aim towards Harry's wand-arm was exact and in his typical style, or in other words – unfair. Harry looked at his now completely useless right arm, at his wand that lay in the dirt, at his feet and then at Voldemort's face which had a gloating smirk. "So what will you do now, Harry Potter? Run to Dumbledore for help?" he asked with triumph.
"Why should I? I still have my other hand," Harry responded calmly and sent a firebolt with his left hand at Voldemort. Such a gesture left quite remarkable burns on his already awful face.
"Learned some new tricks, Potter?" the Dark Lord said with badly covered rage. "Well, I also have a brand new curse. The Unforgivable Trio. Sounds interesting, doesn't it? But it is better to feel it on your own body to really appreciate its greatness," Voldemort hissed. "Impricio Fadowra!"
Harry made a protective shield around him, but the curse was too powerful and went through it, right into his head. Harry's mind instantly recognized the signs of the Imperio curse, but his mind was prepared for it and it went completely blank. No thought was there, it was like Harry was completely indifferent to the situation at hand. Still, his head became heavier as if there were bricks put on it one by one. The pressure increased, but Harry didn't give up.
Somewhere in the back of his mind appeared a wish to scratch out his firebolt scar; the scar that had brought so much pain to him. He moved his left hand towards his forehead, the pressure becoming unbearable that it seemed to Harry his head was going to explode. He just wanted it to stop, to leave him alone in peace and quiet.
The scar began to burn as if begging to be removed and, surprisingly, it was that pain that brought Harry back to Earth. He shook his head and snapped out of Imperio. He raised his head and looked straight into Voldemort's red eyes and smirked. "Want to take your mark back?" Harry asked, a spark of anger appearing for a moment in his eyes, but only for a second.
Voldemort didn't like that smirk one bit. Somewhere deep down appeared a thought that he could really lose this day. "I don't want anything from you."
"Why don't you fight like a man? Firstly disabled my wand-arm and then tried mind games. Can't you just show what you are really capable of? Or maybe you just can't do anything more and all the legends about your greatness were made up?" Harry challenged. He was pretty exhausted already because he used large amounts of magic on every blow, but he kept a smug façade to distract Voldemort.
"Who do you think you are, prat?" Voldemort spat, advancing on Harry. "I can kill you right on the spot you are standing. I can kill every brat in this damn school and go away without leaving a trace. And you are standing in front of me all smug and noble thinking you will win this battle today. Nonsense! I am the greatest wizard in the world! Everybody will obey my command!"
During that monologue Harry was researching Voldemort's aura. There were only three soul-spots left and the aura was decreasing remarkably, but still it was very big. Using of dark spells did indeed increase Voldemort's magical power level, but his rage made him unstable. So he could cast a very damaging spell, but it could miss the target simply because he didn't aim enough to hit the needed place. "Why should they? Only because you are a great wizard? There are a lot of really powerful wizards with rare magical gifts. Why don't they want to rule the wizarding world?"
"Because they are cowards!" Voldemort answered with disgust. "Mugglelovers and filthy cowards!"
"Muggles haven't done anything to you," Harry stated.
"With only their existence they poison our living!"
"If it hadn't been for one of them, you would've never been born."
"And I ended up in the orphanage because of him!"
"And I wonder how many children have become orphans because of you and your followers? What are you fighting for? I'll tell you. You want to destroy the muggle world only because of your own stupid complex! Because your father was a muggle. All those deaths only to avenge your unhappy childhood. I, of all people, know what it is to have no happy childhood memories. And you are the reason for it. You and only you, not the whole wizarding world."
"What a speech, prepared it beforehand? Pathetic," Voldemort said, spitting on the ground. "Pathetic. You and the whole school with Dumbledore and the Aurors. I am sure Hogwarts will fall in a few hours."
"No, it won't," Harry said with a small smile. "All your Death Eaters are dead. And the Aurors will soon come into the castle."
"And you've become a prophet," Voldemort smirked.
"It's not the future, it is reality. And I am really hungry already, let's finish this. Expecto Patronum!" A huge white dog came out of Harry's hand and advanced on Voldemort.
"You want to fight me with a Patronus charm? I don't remember anything more stupid than…" His eyes went wide because it was at that very moment the patronus dog jumped in him and "entered" his body.
Harry watched in awe as his patronus penetrated into Voldemort's aura. It wasn't just a simple patronus, but all Harry's memories of the times he spent at the Weasleys and with Sirius. They were full of joy and happiness. Harry couldn't help but smile on releasing the charm. Meanwhile, the dog was biting its way through the darkness of Voldemort's Dark Magic. When the patronus vanished, there was only third of the aura left.
Voldemort looked sick. Probably, he was sick or was going to be at any moment. He doubled over, holding his stomach with a painful grimace. "You, you, you," he roared through clenched teeth. "You'll pay for this. Roctango!"
Harry's head started to spin, from the curse or from exhaustion, he didn't know. He only knew one thing, he couldn't do anything anymore. He fished the pyramid given to him by Draco out of his robes and put it in his left side, near the heart. After a moment, it flew above his head and started to rotate. Six different streams of colored light came from nowhere and went through the pyramid. The moment they touched the expanse, a tornado of memories started to flash in front of Harry's eyes.
He, Ron and Hermione hugging Hagrid and playing at the Weasleys. Molly Weasley waving at them at Kings Cross at Hogwarts Express' departure. Playing Exploding snap with Ron and doing homework with Hermione. Then a picture of Ron and Hermione snogging passionately in the classroom. /At that, both of them brushed bright red./ Then Draco and Ginny on their picnic, Snape and Halflife laughing and many, many others, which weren't clear enough to describe.
Harry went down on his knees; the power of such magic wasn't bearable for him, especially in his tired state. Light streams of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet lined and went though the pyramid, coming out in one pure light. The light hit Voldemort and everything around exploded. Even through the blinding light Harry /and the audience/ could see Voldmort blowing up into shreds.
"Love," Harry breathed out. "Love is a powerful thing," and everything went black.
The screen disappeared. Everybody's eyes went simultaneously down to Harry. "It was all I wanted to show you, Ladies and Gentlemen." He took the Pensieve and handed it to Dumbledore after leaving the stage.
Nothing else was said. It was clear that his "answers" made even more questions. It was understandable why Harry showed his duel with Voldemort – because everybody wanted to know what really happened. But why show so many memories of Draco Malfoy and call him his friend, especially when it was a well-known fact they are arch enemies. But no answers were given to that and the audience started to leave the stands.
Harry joined Hermione, Ron and Ginny on their way out.
"Great show, Harry," Ginny praised.
"I did my best," Harry said in turn.
"It was still strange, though," Hermione said with a frown.
"What do you mean, 'Mione?"
"As if it weren't you there, Harry. As if you were a slytherin or…or…"
"Malfoy," Harry finished for her. "Possibly. We acted it out so many times that I got used to this attitude. It was the only way."
"How so?
"If I'd acted the way I usually do, I would've jumped at Voldemort and bit him to death and would've been death in seconds. It wasn't an option. It was very hard to stay cool and indifferent when the murderer of your parents is standing in front of you. When you want to just kick his ass. Hard. But you must be superior to be in control, don't let your emotions rule your magic. Only you can do it. I was tired more from suppressing my wishes than from using magic, but it was worth it, wasn't it?" Harry asked with a wink.
"Well, Harry, it still seems awkward. What do you think, Ron?"
During the whole conversation, Ron walked silently beside them with a deep, thoughtful expression. "Huh?" he asked when Hermione elbowed him. "You asked something?"
"What were you thinking about? The exams, perhaps?"
"Sorry, guys. I need to visit Dumbledore," Ron mumbled and hurried in the direction of the Headmaster's office, but Harry grabbed his sleeve.
"What's the rush, pal?"
"Harry, don't make it harder than it is already," Ron groaned.
"What is it, Ron?" Hermione asked worriedly.
"I know why you showed it for us, Harry," Ron whispered.
"Enlighten us then."
"To show that it was in complete self-defense, damn," Ron answered, like it was something so unreasonable that it couldn't be even thought about.
"What are you talking about, Ron?" Harry asked with mock obliviousness.
"Do I need to put it into your mouth?" Ron asked with annoyance.
"No, just say it," Harry urged with a broad smile.
"That Malfoy didn't murder anybody! It was self-defense in both cases, satisfied!
"Well, almost. And you were going to Dumbledore to…"
"I was going to tell him this and ask if there is a possibility for Malfoy not to rot in prison for the rest of his life," Ron said through clenched teeth. It was really hard for him to say something good about his enemy.
"Oh, Ron, I love you so much!" Ginny exclaimed, giving him a suffocating hug.
"Yeh, yeh, but not a word or I'll be the laughing stock of Gryffindor."
"I am going with you, Ron," Hermione agreed suddenly. "And I am sure we won't be alone on our way there."
And once again the Dream Team went to the rescue.