Actodum's Gate Part One: The Last Moments
Harry stood beside Severus Snape; both of them had grown silent in the early morning cold. He could see the dark shadow of his newly healed companion just in his peripheral vision, a dark inking that stained the muted forest that lay just behind them.
Harry's own skin felt unfamiliar and overly cool, wrapped in the worn charmed wool that looked nearly ragged by this point. It rested against his tanned skin limply, feeling as if against his own bone and muscle as if no man rested beneath it.
He had not felt alive for months.
Things had gotten steadily worse, the English Wizarding world being forced into hiding, or outright running, thousands of wizards were escaping for the borders. Refugees to France, Germany, and even the United States gaining in number with each passing disappearance or found mutilated body.
The only people left was those who supported Voldemort with their lives, and those who stood against him no matter what.
The fighting had spread from exclusive areas of Death Eater's and the Order to those unmarked and unseen faces in the city streets. Gangs of either side would track down wizards of differing view and attack viciously; they would beat them, tear at their skin or curse depending on the others 'crime.'
Harry's wand was tucked safely on his left arm, bound in a standard brown leather carrier, the nearly now pleasant pain of reminder soaking magically through the material to his skin.
A small jar of Fred and Georges black beetle juice tied just above it, the bottle had been strengthened so it would not be broken in battle. Harry had a feeling that his small companions could do some good in up close attacks, they were nearly unnoticeable in this misty air.
The younger man watched as the rolling chill of the morning mist covered the Hogwarts grounds, moving in a slow guiding motion that reminded the younger man of the ghosts that rested inside the school itself.
The world appeared to be standing just between reality, and the land of death.
It was as if the Hogwarts grounds had mutated under an unseen spell, becoming no longer a place of enlightenment, but Hades itself. They had to be let in at this specific time as the war's attacks were rapidly spreading through-out the magical and mundane worlds, there was no telling just how and who was allied with the other side. It meant that very few people indeed could be let in from the outside; no Death Eater could enter, except for Severus himself.
His mark had been changed somehow, although Harry did not realize just how, he know knew better than to ask.
For now they had so much more to worry about. After the entire world was going to Hell.
Hermione and Blaise had spent the past months working on the protective shield of Hogwarts, as well as spells, which could defend against the other side's dark magic's. Giving back their own kind of revenge that came equipped with a rather with a vicious bite. It was hard work, considering they had also been trying to bring each of the houses closer together, Harry did not know if it had been effective.
Harry had grown to suspect that a romance was blooming between Hermione and Zabini, just as he supposed that Ron and Hermione had grown close again through some act or another.
In times of strife one had to keep close to their friends, or all hope would be lost.
The green eyed young man hoped that none of them had to sacrifice themselves; he'd never forgive himself if any of them died.
They didn't deserve it; only he had that cross to bear.
Hagrid the Keeper of Key's at Hogwarts would soon be here to use his own special seal to allow entrance into the magical thick seal which surrounding the school and its grounds.
The school, over the past several months before had turned into a sort of bared area for which those who feared Voldemort's attacks and spies. They could find refuge here among the stones and cement of the most powerful wizards of the previous age.
They had come in droves, hundreds at a time, carrying only what they needed in their arms, finely dressed wizards of all sorts mingling in with those of the poorest decent. Half-witches, squibs, and even those of purest blood, such as Narcissa Malfoy had made their way inside the ancient schools protective barrier.
It was a time of unity, only through that could any of them hope to survive, after all.
Large buildings had been erected around the school, made of wood, and metal, they were rough but filled to the brim. Or so Hermione through one of the magical movement sphere's she'd invented had told Harry in detail, it was untraceable and much safer than mail by owl.
Tents had were also being used, as it was far to hard to fit everyone in the large metal buildings, and the school, fires burning so brightly Harry felt he could nearly smell the ash, even this far away.
"I don't hate you." Harry spoke to Severus, who glanced at him, staring for a moment, jet black eyes undefined, and oddly for the moment they did not seem the least bit cruel to Harry.
Merely exhausted.
"Hatred is to intense an emotion for you to feel for me Mr. Potter." He murmured in his bored tone, Harry's eyes glancing down and away
Harry smiled to himself with a near feeling of relief as he spotted Hagrid, walking from the school towards them with a purposeful stride.
The large half-giant waving at the nearly adult Harry and called out loudly, voice booming over the area in away that made Harry's heart lighten with that warm familiar feeling he'd gotten every time the other had spoken in the past seven years.
" 'arry, its been to long. I missed ya so much, come on in." he pulled out a wand, moving his hand in a fashion that Harry thought so odd to see on the other, he'd cast a spell.
"You got your wand back Hagrid?" Harry could not at the moment hold back the joy that sprouted in his voice, smiling at the other bearded man, who he guessed was most likely flushing under his massive beard, his beetle black eyes glimmering with that kind happiness that had made Harry see him as an adoptive father in many ways.
"Aye, 'arry, Dumbledore gave it to me to help protect all da little ones in the castle. Great man Dumbledore, we'll do just fine with him in charge." He spoke gruffly with his own pleasure, Harry nodding faintly as he and Severus stepped through the thick shields.
As the shields passed over Harry's body, it felt warm, and not unpleasant as he would have thought it might be, his elder counter part growling with a face change of immense pain.
He as someone who had carried the Dark Mark for years was still stained by the consuming corrupt ideals that it had left. Even when the mark had been removed from his skin, its stain still rested upon his soul.
They went into the castle, climbing the ancient stairways, the wizards within not speaking to Severus or himself. Harry knew why, they saw them as shadows, the markings of death hanging dreadfully just over there heads, black draperies of Hades swinging roughly just as their cloaks did over the cold floor.
Hagrid followed them silently, great huffing weight settling over Harry's back. His aura was like a warm shadow, that did him more good than any amount of butterbeer ever could. The young man could nearly feel his own worrying thoughts sifting through the silence of the school's air, attempting to form a protective mask over Harry.
"Harry, oh Merlin I've missed you!" Hermione spoke; standing up from her chair in a swirling of old dark gray robes and puffed out brown hair. Her small arms wrapped around Harry's neck, the young man feeling such happiness as she touched his skin; she was safe, as were the rest of them. Within the now changed book covered Slytherin common room, Blaise Zabini, as well as Remus Lupin and Sirius Black also stood.
Sirius smiled at Harry, his face seeming worn, but not as dead tired as the man had been within his hated childhood home, his lover, Remus standing just at his side. Intelligent golden eyes flickering to Severus, then back to Harry in a silent movement that the young man realized contained a large amount of worry.
Blaise Zabini was silent, green eyes watching the exchange with Hermione in a nearly snide way, not bothering to glare at Harry, he merely looked bored and irritated that he'd been interrupted in his research. His dark curly hair had always reminded Harry of a dust mop, strands flicking out in all directions.
The young man sat down with Hermione, her kind eyes fastening on Severus who had moved to Harry's side, his dark ink colored eyes staring at her as if she was the black plague itself.
"What have you found?" Harry's voice was not cold, but held little emotions that others could perceive. His eyes fastened on Hermione's worried youthful face, round soft with large green eyes held in dark brown lashes, beautiful if only he wasn't gay. He was frightened just as the rest of them, mostly likely more really, although for different reasons.
He now held no doubt in himself; he knew that would only lead to his own destruction, or worse the destruction of those he loved, along with the only world that had ever offered him any sort of comfort. Harry could only hide the sincere fear and utter hatred he felt, at this world, at Voldemort. At all the things he could not control or change, he hated every bit of it.
The ultimate reason for his animosity and chilling coldness was oncoming cost of winning this battle. Who would be the brave hero, which he would be forced to remember in depression, if he survived?
As if he would survive, no for Voldemort to die he must sacrifice his own being. As he knew he was connected to the other just as Severus was.
Hermione moved her hand over a map, Blaise speaking up as if for the both of them. Harry inwardly smiled at that, his gut had been right, the young couple were slowly blooming into quite the lovebirds. Hermione after all would not allow just anyone to speak for her, not even Harry.
"We are going to have the elder student force move out through the front to attack the main gathering of Death Eaters. We think Voldemort will be in the back giving commands." Blaise glanced up at Harry, staring in his eyes without any modem of fear, the Slytherin holding no illusions of what Harry was going to do. "You and Professor Snape can attack him while we are holding off the main force, maybe manage to surprise him." His voice was quiet, elegantly accented in his native Italian language; it was attractive in its own way if you were into that sort of thing.
Severus spoke up, intelligent cruel eyes looking down, no doubt memorizing the pattern that lay before him. Harry stood at his side, dark green eyes
It had been inscribed on the magical piece of parchment. The two forces had been depicted, on opposite sides. Their side had more numbers, each name written in glittering white ink that moved with the person in question, as they themselves moved about their business.
Hogwarts drawn underneath as a base for all movements, the towers for each house drawn in there respective colors, Slytherin Green, Gryffindor Red, Ravenclaw Blue and Hufflepuff Yellow. Similarly the 'civilian' quarters were labeled with each name that had been appropriate, small numbers added for easy identification. Hogsmeade was also drawn on the large new map, houses that had been destroyed now only existing as burn marks and 'rubble'. Harry hoped silently that those people who had lived in those particular homes were now safe behind the barrier. He somehow doubted it.
Voldemort's forces were written in black ink, as expected, small skulls drawn just beside each of the people in question. No not people, monsters.
It was similar to the Marauders Map in some ways, but the young man could not help but wish this particular depiction did not exist, it was a corrupted version of the very ideal which that original map had been created. Harry had quickly calculated that Remus and Sirius had created this map. Using the assistance of Severus, through letters, or maybe Draco Malfoy, Harry doubted they knew much of the particulars when it came to the opposing 'armies' forces.
"I'll be helping to protect the littuns." Hagrid stood just outside of the ring, or collection of people that stood in the room. His beetle like eyes glimmered with frightened tears for Harry, the young man glanced up and nodded keeping his face straight as he did not want to instill anymore fear within his most loved teacher.
"Of course you will, Dumbledore has assigned it to you." Severus spoke, it wasn't kind, Harry would have been sickly amused if the other had even bothered, but was pleasantly surprised that he treated Hagrid as he always had. Cold, indifferent but with a small amount of respect for the larger man, Severus had never been one to underestimate someone merely because they appeared a certain way.
Or it might have been the fact that Hagrid was indeed half giant, and could crush a mans skull with his fist.
"Alright." Harry heard himself speak, though inwardly he was silent, he had no qualms now. No suspicions of anyone's actions, as each of these people that stood beside him hard proven their merit a thousand, no a million times over.
"Let's go then. I'm tired of waiting, that's the bloody hard part." Sirius spoke up, claiming his own gallant personality that made Harry nearly smile, the edges of his mouth quirking up in an instant.
"Alright. Let's go, I'm not going to be a victim anymore. They want a war, then we'll give them one." Harry spoke and turned away, heading for the door of the common room.
His darker black haired companion stayed firmly at his side, having grown eerily silent, well as silent as Severus Snape had ever been. " If you die, I assure you I will not attend the funeral. Your mourning will be left to Granger." His voice spoke, cold as the first last snow of winter, Harry's eyes flittering over other mans elder stanch features. His eyes had become intense, not that they had not been before. Focused entirely on the battle that was soon to encompass them both, as if the very need of his presence here had turned him into a marksman. Harry had little doubt that the other was concentrating on using the quickest, and deadliest spells he could contrive within his complex maze like mind. Nose proud as ever, skin pale and would appear sickly, if not for the fact that Harry believed disease did not greet him for fear of him.
"Yeah, I know Severus." He replied, his voice containing just a bit of softness that the other man clear did not approve of if the glare he was receiving was to be understood.
As they made their way into the outer courtyard, Harry noticed just how Hermione and Blaise had organized their forces.
The students had been lined up in rows of varying importance and distinction, a few civilians who had joined them could be spotted as well, normally young women or men close to their age.
Harry realized that most of these people thought of him as some kind of leader, someone to look to although they would not be receiving orders from him. He stood straight, allowing his mouth to move of its own volition.
"Not all of you will be returning to this place, some will fall down under us as we fight. You'll die." His voice was steady, much to his own amazement. " Others will return to see the light of day, and will remember those who have fallen. Today is our Last Day. That is all we can call it from now on, the fate of our world as well as the muggle world rests in our hands now. No one else can stand against Voldemort, they have failed were we must succeed." He glanced into the unmarked, yet remembered faces that stood beside him.
Some long, some short, a few freckled, he could even spot a few scars in the masses that stood above and bellow him depending on height. Their eyes remained the same, every one holding that malice and strength that he knew was being reflected from his own face.
" It is no longer a choice of when, it is now. We will destroy the evil that spreads over our lands, and we will remember!" he shouted the last, lifting his fist upward in a motion that he had not planned, the masses of straight rowed people changing. They moved, lifting their own fists and shouting in a loud voice that echoed outward from the school and into the world.
It was the last thing that anyone said as they moved out, other than orders from the Order members who had been given 'rank'.
Harry stood beside Severus, as they made the final trek out of the schools protective front gates and through the barrier. The last thing he remembered was the warm glow of the magical seal, and the pain on Severus's face as they stood to face destiny.