Harry Potter and the Final Battle

Chapter 1-The Potters' Demises

On Halloween Night, 1981, Lily Potter and her husband James were just putting their son, Harry, in bed for the night. They lived in an old house in a village called Godric's Hollow. They had been targeted by the evil wizard, Lord Voldemort, and Albus Dumbledore, the Potters' close friend, and headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, had warned them against Voldemort's evil deeds. Voldemort had already sent some witches and wizards to St. Mungo's, like Frank and Alice Longbottom. Bellatrix Black Lestrange, a follower of Voldemort, had tortured the Longbottoms in insanity.

Unknowingly, outside the Potter house, two cloaked figures apparated onto the grounds. One of them was Peter Pettigrew, one of James' close friends at school, and a follower of Voldemort. The other figure was Lord Voldemort himself.

Voldemort stared at the dark house, and turned to Pettigrew, and said, "You better be sure that James and Lily Potter doesn't know anything about you coming to me. According to the prophecy, their son, Harry, is supposed to be the Chosen One." His red pupils narrowed into slits when he said this.

Pettigrew said, "Master, James doesn't know anything. When they appointed me Secret Keeper, they had no idea I was coming to you."
Voldemort said, "Good, or you'll pay for your foolishness." He pushed Pettigrew aside, and went to the door.

Voldemort took out his wand and said, "Alohomora" and the door magically unlocked by itself.
Voldemort said, "Pettigrew, you stay outside and keep watch, just in case that meddling fool Dumbledore stops by."

Pettigrew nodded, and Voldemort went inside.

Lily Potter heard the door creaking open, and she got scared so she jumped out of the bed and rushed over to Harry to check on him. As she came out of Harry's bedroom, she heard footsteps coming up the stairs. She yelled, "James!" James heard Lily's screams and ran out of the bedroom, and saw Lily peeking out of Harry's bedroom scared, with her wand drawn.

They heard a cold and hard voice coming up the stairs, "I know you're up here, Lily and James."

James turned to Lily and said, "It's Voldemort! Take Harry, and run!"

Lily ran back into the room, and picked up Harry. She heard James yelling at Voldemort, "You'll never get through me or Lily."

Voldemort's cackling voice replied, "Do you really think you could get through the greatest wizard ever, Lord Voldemort?"

Voldemort took out his wand and said, "Avada Kevadra." The blinding green light flashed in front of James' terrified eyes, and he fell facedown dead.

Lily heard James' fall, and she stepped out of the room, with her wand drawn in one arm, and Harry in her other arm. She looked terrified, but she knew she had to protect Harry somehow from Voldemort.

Lily said, "You can't take Harry! Take me instead."

Voldemort laughed, "You foolish girl. Move out of the way."

Lily yelled, "No, I won't let you take Harry!"

Voldemort said, "Then we'll have to do the hard way. Avada Kedavra!"

Lily fell facedown dead right beside her husband.

Voldemort looked at the baby Harry right beside his dead mother, and said, "Harry, Harry, it's time you joined your parents. Avada Kedavra!"

Apparently, the spell backfired, and instead of hitting Harry, it hit Voldemort instead.
Voldemort screamed, "YOU FOOL! You haven't seen the last of Lord Voldemort!" He dissolved into ashes, and then the house began coming down on poor Harry. The only effect of Voldemort's spell was a lightning bolt-shaped scar on Harry's forehead.

Meanwhile, far away at Hogwarts, an old man was sitting in an office atop the tallest tower. This man was Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of the school. Dumbledore was working on retrieving his memory into the Pensieve when a knock on his door happened.

Dumbledore stopped what he was doing, and he said softly, "Come in."

The door opened, and a hook-nosed man with greasy black hair came in.

Dumbledore looked up and said, "Severus Snape, I'm surprised to see you. A Death Eater coming to see me? What has Voldemort done this time?"

His voice was calm, and his cerulean eyes twinkled when he spoke.
Snape said, "Dumbledore, I came to warn you. I am afraid a terrible murder is about to take place this night."

Dumbledore said, "Who is Voldemort after this time, and why did you come to see me?" Snape winced at Voldemort's name.

Snape said, "Lily Evans Potter and her family. Peter Pettigrew, known as Wormtail to some people, told the Dark Lord where the Potters resided, and now the Dark Lord's heading there right now, but I fear it's too late."

Dumbledore looked sadly at Snape and said, "Oh, dear. I knew this was going to happen. Severus, thank you for telling me. You have always hated James Potter. Why would you try to save the Potters, when you had a grudge against young James Potter?"

Snape said, "You remember Lily Potter being kind to me when James wasn't? I just feel I have to repay Lily back for her kindness by protecting her and her family."

Dumbledore smiled and said, "Ah, Severus, I see. Still, why did you come to see me, whom is the enemy of your master?"

Snape said, "You're the greatest wizard ever, and the Dark Lord fears you. I'm tired of being on his side. I feel that I have to join your side."
Dumbledore said, "Ah, well if you feel that, then I guess I welcome you to the good side, but first I want to do something."

Dumbledore went to his desk, and took his wand out of his desk, and he said to Snape, "I think it's best if we do an Unbreakable Vow together."
Snape hissed, "If you think it's the best thing to do then, Dumbledore."

Dumbledore said, "Kneel, Severus, and I'll do the same thing." Both Snape and Professor Dumbledore got into the kneeling position facing each other and they put their hands against each other.

Dumbledore said, "Severus, do you promise to watch after Harry Potter, if something happens to me in the future? I'm trusting you, Severus."

Snape said, "Yes, I do, Dumbledore. I promise to put aside my grudges against James Potter, and look after the little boy throughout his schooling years."

Dumbledore said, "Excellent, Severus. I'll be watching Harry, too. Now, we could use you in Potions."

Snape said, "But I'm good in the Dark Arts, why can't I do Defense against the Dark Arts?"

Dumbledore hesitated and said, "I'm afraid it'd bring out the worst of you if I gave you the Defense Against the Dark Arts post, because Voldemort would use it as an advantage if he heard you were doing the DADA post."

Snape said, "I better get back to my master before he finds out I came to see you, Dumbledore."
Dumbledore said, "Severus, just be careful. Also, I'd appreciate it if you called me Albus instead of Dumbledore. You work here now."
Snape left, and Dumbledore looked outside the window.

Suddenly, the fire crackled from the fireplace, and a head appeared. Dumbledore turned around to see who it was.

Dumbledore saw that the head belonged to a stringy and bushy-haired man.

Dumbledore said, "Why, Sirius Black, what can I do for you?"
Sirius said, "Professor, I'm at Godric's Hollow, and I just found out that the Potters are dead, except for Harry. What should we do with Harry?"
Dumbledore sighed and said, "I'm going to take him to his aunt and uncle. They are his only living relatives left. I'll send Rubeus Hagrid over to Godric's Hollow to pick up Harry. In the meanwhile, I have to write a letter, and then I'm going to the Dursleys'."

Sirius protested, "But, Professor, I'm Harry's godfather. Why does he have to live with the Muggles?"

Dumbledore said, "Because Petunia Dursley is Lily's sister. She has Lily's blood, and Harry can only be protected if he is with his mother's blood kin, and Petunia is the only one who can provide that protection."

In another part of Hogwarts, a stern old lady with black hair walked in her office, carrying some books. She was wearing an emerald green robe. This lady was Minerva McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, and Head of Gryffindor.

Professor McGonagall sat down at her desk, when the fire crackled behind her.

Professor McGonagall turned to the fireplace, and saw a head that belonged to a man, who had dark brown hair, and a long bushy beard.

Professor McGonagall said, "Why, Rubeus Hagrid, what can I do for you? I'm surprised to see you."

Hagrid said sadly, "Professor, I just heard from Sirius, who is at Godric's Hollow this moment, that the Potters were found dead, except baby Harry."

McGonagall gasped and put her hands to her mouth, and said, "It can't be! Lily and James dead? Oh, How dreadful! Does Dumbledore know of this?"

Hagrid said, " I don't know. All I know is that Dumbledore wanted me to go to Godric's Hollow right away to check up on something, then Dumbledore said for me to go to 4 Privet Drive in London."

Professor McGonagall said, "Rubeus, what would Dumbledore have wanted you to do in London, and why would he want you to go to a Muggle neighborhood!"

Hagrid said, " I don't know, but I'm sure it's urgent, because Professor Dumbledore wanted me to do it right away."

Professor McGonagall said, "I wonder if this has to do with the Potters' murder, and You Know Who. " Professor McGonagall decided then that she had to go investigate 4 Privet Drive. Hagrid had protested, but Professor McGonagall wouldn't listen to Hagrid's protests. Hagrid disappeared, and McGonagall transfigured into her cat form, and left the office.

McGonagall arrived at 4 Privet Drive, and she looked out of her cat eyes, and saw that Mr. Dursley was getting ready to go to work, so she jumped on the wall, and got out a map to read.

Mrs. Dursley escorted her husband to the car, and they looked surprised to see a tabby cat sitting on a wall reading a map.

McGonagall sat on that wall all day, watching Mrs. Dursley snoop around the house, and when Mr. Dursley got back home, he still saw the cat reading the map. That night, the Dursleys had gone to bed, and McGonagall was still sitting on the wall, watching the Dursleys' bedroom window.

McGonagall heard something rustling in the woods, and she turned to see an old man come out of the forest.

The old man searched in his robes, and took out a device that looked like a silver cigarette lighter with a button on it.

The old man pushed the button, and pointed it to the lights, and the lights went out. At that time, he turned toward the house, and saw a tabby cat sitting on the wall.
Dumbledore smiled and said, "I should have known you'd be here, Professor McGonagall."

Professor McGonagall turned back into her human form and said, "Albus, how did you know it was me?"

Dumbledore laughed and said, "I have never seen a cat sitting so still and stiffly. I suppose Hagrid was the one who told you that I'd be here tonight."
McGonagall frowned and said, "Yes, that's right. Albus, is it true that Lily and James are dead?"

Dumbledore said, "I'm afraid so, Minerva."

McGonagall said, "What about the baby?"
Dumbledore said, "Hagrid's bringing him here."

McGonagall said, "Do we have to leave Harry with these dreadful Muggles? I have been watching them all day."

Dumbledore said, "Minerva, the Dursleys are Harry's only living relatives left."
McGonagall said, "Are you sure it's wise to trust Hagrid with a job like this?"
Dumbledore said, "I'd trust Hagrid with my own life."

Suddenly, they heard a roaring of a motorcycle vibrating in the still air.