Apocalypse

Harry walked down the street staring at the death and destruction he had been unable to prevent. A million dead in the past week; the worst devastation Europe had suffered since the Black Plague. Harry spotted the remains of a young girl he had seen around the neighborhood on his summer breaks. He felt sick; Number 4, Privet Drive, was a hole in the ground. The Dursleys turned into mere atoms along with their house. Harry continued to walk; despite his feelings against his aunt and uncle, they were still his family. He stopped at the park where the various clean up teams were dumping the bodies of those dead, Muggle and wizard alike.

"You ok?" Kyle asked coming up from behind the quiet Gryffindor.

Harry numblyshrugged. "It's not like we were expecting Voldemort to be nice."

"I'm sorry about—"

"Don't, Kyle." Harry shut his eyes. "Just…don't."

"Dumbledore, what about my damn cats!"

Harry looked out past the pile of bodies to see a furious Arabella Figg sitting up on a stretcher and arguing with a weary Dumbledore. Dumbledore muttered something and Mrs. Figg's face grew bright purple. The nurse pulling the stretcher to the Apparation point rapped her wand on the old woman's head knocking her unconscious. Dumbledore smiled apologetically and went off to see to one of the few survivors.

The Order had received the distress call from the Squib an hour after the attack on the village began. Dumbledore rushed troops in to stop the Death Eaters' rampage, but Voldemort's forces overwhelmed them. Harry, Kyle and Wyatt were what remained of that first wave. They weren't "veteran" Order members, and Harry couldn't really remember their names, just the looks of horror as one by one they dropped dead from energy balls or the Killing Curse. Harry turned around to look for Wyatt.

Kyle, sensing his cousin's concern, spoke up. "He's already back at Phoenix Hall helping with the injured."

Harry nodded trying to pretend that he already knew that fact. Kyle rolled his eyes and started to walk back down the street.

"Where are you going?" Harry called after him.

Kyle continued to walk not bothering to look back. "To make sure there aren't anymore demons hiding under the rubble."

Harry sighed and went in search for an Order member. He was tired and he could not stand to look at the gruesome bodies any longer. He found Lupin placing pink tags on one of the less disfigured corpses.

"I'm heading back."

Lupin looked up. "Ok. I'll inform Dumbledore for you."

"Thanks, Remus."

And Harry Apparated away from Little Whinging for the last time.

"How many were killed?" McGonagall questioned the task force.

Remus answered the question. "We lost twenty Order members and forty allied members. The figures on the civilian deaths are still being calculated but the estimate is that over ninety percent of the inhabitants were killed. Another five percent are in critical condition awaiting treatment at St. Mungo's or here. The rest are in stable condition or uninjured."

McGonagall nodded. "Anything else to report, Potter?"

Harry looked up from his toes. "Voldemort is becoming more aggressive. He's locking down on our connection, but I'm still getting this feeling that he's planning something major. I'd inform the Ministry that it might want to send most of its employees home for the rest of the war."

McGonagall nodded her head once and Tonks disappeared out the door. Harry was sure the Auror was heading to the Ministry to report on everything said in the meeting. Despite Dumbledore and McGonagall's mistrust in the Minister of Magic, they had agreed to keep the Ministry informed of the Order's actions. McGonagall announced the debriefing meeting over and dismissed almost everyone.

Wyatt caught up to Harry. "Do you really think he's going after the Ministry again?"

"I don't know," Harry stated wearily. "All I know is that he is going to attack and soon. And without the balrogs, he can't get past Phoenix Hall's wards."

"That is, if he doesn't have the balrogs." Wyatt corrected. "We still haven't confirmed that he vanquished all of them."

"Whatever, Wy."

Wyatt and Harry walked in silence to the library where they had promised to meet their friends and fill them in on what was going on. Mrs. Weasley still refused to allow the teens to sit in on Order meetings despite knowing that most of the information reached them anyway, and that they took part in most—if not all—of the missions. She had argued against Wyatt and Harry sitting in on the meetings but with their positions on the Phoenix Council, her arguments and McGonagall's agreement meant nothing.

"So, is it bad?" Hermione started the barrage of questions before Harry was even through the door.

"Hermione, relax!" Wyatt rubbed his temples. "We just got out of an interrogation."

Harry nodded his head. "Much worse. Almost everyone in the village is dead."

Hermione gasped and a couple of the boys paled. Harry noted that Brendin and Chris did not even flinch. He wondered about their reactions until he realized that Kyle was sitting in between them.

"Voldemort isn't taking any prisoners anymore." Wyatt repeated what he had said in the debriefing verbatim.

"And I believe he's going to attack a government institution soon." Harry added.

Ron stared at Harry. "Any idea which one?"

"I hinted at the Ministry but that was only so I didn't have to deal with more questions."

Ron pulled out a checklist and started scribbling down notes. Harry frowned and Hermione smiled.

"He's running the numbers."

Harry closed his eyes. He had discovered recently that Ron had been calculating all the possible outcomes of the war and which ones were more likely. It had something to do with the skills Ron had acquired at the Academy. And also, his natural talent of being a strategist.

"It has to be a Muggle one," Ron muttered. "Too much at risk…"

Wyatt and Harry glanced at each other. The Order had received word that a terrorist organization suspected to be working for Voldemort had threatened the Prime Minister.

Ron stopped scribbling. "The royal family?"

Tonks appeared in the doorway. "Nope. Parliament…good guess, though."

"What?" Wyatt jumped out of his seat.

Tonks nodded. "We've already got troops battling there. McGonagall wants you guys to be ready with the next wave."

Voldemort waked down the passageways and onto the main floor of the Parliament building. He stared at all the political leaders of the British Isles with his demons and Death Eaters distributed throughout the quivering Muggles. Two had tried to escape; so far, both now lay in crumpled heaps, every bone in their body crushed, a new weapon invented by his new right hand man. The power play made by Ash Goth after the destruction of Hogwarts had failed utterly and Eyad had paid for it. Voldemort had initiated Severus Snape as his right hand, despite the Slytherin's failure. Snape stood behind him next to Ash Goth.

"Fellow leaders of the British Isles, I offer my condolences for having kept you waiting, but I had more important matters to attend to."

Voldemort snapped his fingers and Eyad appeared out the door Voldemort had just entered from. Eyad was dragging a package that flailed helplessly against his bonds. Eyad set the man up on his feet and unlocked the chains.

"Now who among you had the courage to inform the Prime Minister to not attend work today?" Voldemort stared out at the quiet crowd. "Who knew of the probability of my arrival? Who was foolish enough to anger the most powerful Dark Lord to ever walk this world?"

Voldemort stepped forward and raised his hand. An old man who could barely stand without support floated into the air. "You stink of Dumbledore, wretched traitor."

The man pulled against the invisible hand holding him off the ground. "I-I d-d-do…"

The man gasped as Voldemort brought his raised hand down hard. The man hit the floor.

"It is not nice to lie," Voldemort purposely strode up to the man. "Especially when you are in my presence. I can tell when you are lying, when you're fearing for your life, and when you are trying to contact help!"

Voldemort held his palm out and a silver button jumped out of the man's coat pocket. Voldemort crushed the object between his two fingers. He whippedout his wand and stared at the aged man. Without so much as a word a single word, he put the man out of his misery. A Death Eater ran forward and pulled the body out of Voldemort's way.

"Now," Voldemort spoke more jovially, "The rest of you need not have to suffer the same fate. You only need pledge your loyalty to me."

"And why would you need their loyalty, Voldemort?" Harry shouted from further up.

Voldemort's eyes glinted with anger. "Potter! How kind of you to join us."

Harry started his descent to the speaking floor. "You didn't answer my question."

"Ahh," Voldemort raised his finger to his lip, "so I did not. Perhaps you would like to watch the rest of the proceedings and maybe that would answer your question."

Harry found himself instantly surrounded by demons and Death Eaters with wands drawn. "I'd love to stay and chat, Tom, but I have other engagements."

Harry blinked his eyes and the circle of enemies flew outwards in all directions. He closed his eyes again and this time reappeared behind Voldemort. Voldemort spun around and threw a curse at the Gryffindor. Harry caught the curse and dissipated its energy.

"Snape," Voldemort spoke with deadly calm, "NOW."

Harry turned to see his ex-professor slice the throat of the Prime Minister before he Disapparated. Ash Goth followed suit. Voldemort took Harry's momentary distracted stance to knock the teenager unconscious. He leaned down and smiled.

"You are next." he whispered and Disapparated.

The Death Eaters all left Parliament without hurting another Muggle. The Order arrived seconds later to find the politicians running around in hysteria and an unconscious Harry Potter.

Wyatt and Ginny stunned the last of the royal guards. They led the rest of the small group deeper into the royal family's residence. So far they had not run into any problems other than a few ill-informed Aurors assigned to the protection of the royal family. The Aurors had been taken care of by Ron and Hermione as the rest of the group continued on. They finally reached the Queen's private quarters. Wyatt held up his hand and motioned once for the group to form an outlook while he entered the room. He was thankful that Dumbledore had only assigned one target to his group. He couldn't take much more of this commanding thing.

He placed his hand on the door handle and pulled. A single bullet hit him in the stomach and he heard Ginny scream.

"Stupid of you to open the door by yourself," a feminine voice spoke.

Ginny pulled out her wand and fired a curse off at the cloaked villain. The villain dodged the attack and fired another bullet at the witch. The rest of the group filed into the room and continued to search for the Queen ignoring the growing battle between the Muggle kidnapper and Ginny.

Ginny got off an explosion hex and the spell hit the woman's gun. The kidnapper screamed as half her arm burst along with her weapon.

"You'll pay for that you—"

Wyatt suddenly had the criminal in a choke hold. "No one says that about my girlfriend."

Wyatt waved his free hand and the villain burst into orbs. He collapsed into a chair clutching his stomach. Ginny dropped down beside him.

"You need a healer."

Wyatt nodded. "I suppose I do, but you need to carry on leading the mission. The Queen must be evacuated."

Ron and Hermione rushed past the two. "On that."

Wyatt chuckled. "I guess it's settled then."

Ron and Hermione found the group two doors down from Wyatt and Ginny. They were busy hurling curses and charms at a group of terrorists firing back with various automated weapons. Ron stared at Hermione.

"Definitely not Voldemort's style." Ron stated.

Hermione nodded. "Anyone spotted the target?"

Arthur, a new recruit from Salem Institute, answered. "She's safe in our hands. The adults arrived seconds ago and transported her away. We've been given the retreat order. "

Hermione frowned. "Then why aren't you following it?"

"They shot down one of our own."

Hermione shook her head in frustration. "They're bloody Muggles! Just freeze them."

Ron looked back at his girlfriend, "Easier said than done."

Arthur nodded. "It seems they've been trained to deal with magic…they're too quick for us to hit from a distance."

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Hermione walked up to the frontline and raised her wand above her head. "SOLORUS!

"Stun them and get them transported to a prison." Hermione crossly ordered.

Two days into the battle, the more natural 'duel as you meet the enemy' tactics had replaced the ordered military-like actions by the Resistance. The battle lines had been more or less drawn with the Resistance controlling Western London and Voldemort's forces terrorizing the east side. The teens had been kept out of any dangerous actions after the initial missions. They were instead running errands for the generals and making sure that none of the Muggles wandered too far from their quarters near the back of the Order's main nursing station.

"If they keep this up much longer, I'm going to blow someone up." Wyatt complained.

Ginny patted his shoulder gently. "They'll come to their senses eventually."

"That's all fine and dandy," Harry spoke up, "except for the fact that we're waiting time for them to come to terms with sending us out."

Caleb poked his head out of a nearby tent where he had set up a secret snack stand for the Muggle children. "So why don't we make the choice for them?"

"We're under orders," Wyatt said and then frowned.

Hermione saw the glint in his eye and shook his head. "Don't even think about it. They did not explicitly order us to remain out of the fighting, but they sure as hell meant it."

"Yes," Wyatt sat up, "but my dear angel, magic does not work with implicit meanings. Well, that not true but this type of contract doesn't…we could walk out into the middle of the battlefield and not be disobeying orders."

Harry took a deep breath. "Wyatt, we should wait. I'd preferably not take that chance."

"What chance?" Wyatt argued. "I helped come up with the binding oath. I know exactly what is constituted as breaking the oath."

Hermione stood up stretching herself as tall as she possibly could. "We are not going to commit treason while we're in the middle of the biggest battle magic has possibly ever seen."

Wyatt stood up and looked down at Hermione. "We won't be committing treason…just bending the rules a little."

"Absolutely not." Hermione stated with absolute resolution.

Wyatt opened and closed his mouth a few of times. "Well, no one is asking you to come with us."

"I'll inform the adults before you even finish orbing out." Hermione threatened.

Wyatt blew up an empty crate Harry was sitting next to. "For the love of God, Hermione! Stop being so damn uptight!"

Harry dusted off his cloak and waved his hand to reform the crate. "Wyatt, you know as well as I do that we can't just go out there and start fighting. They have somewhat of a plan. We're waiting for the rest of the fighters to get here before we start the final assault."
Wyatt sank down defeated. "I hate it when you're so freaking right."

Harry smiled to break the tension. "Oh, well it helped you out quite nicely on the last Defense exam."

Wyatt's eyes widened and he froze Hermione before she could get into the argument. "I'll get you for that, Potter."

Harry nodded. "I'll start to worry once you've survived Hermione's lecture."

Wyatt groaned as the bushy haired witch unfroze.

Harry and Wyatt were covering Charlie's back when it happened. The battle had begun in earnest two days ago when the entire armies of the Elven and Dwarven Kingdoms arrived along with numerous coalitions of various international ministries. To Harry's surprise, Dumbledore had even called in the students of Hogwarts that were willing and capable of fighting. Most had turned down the offer, but almost all the Gryffindors had answered the call of duty as did a couple of students who had more contact with Harry than most. But once the battle started, nothing mattered. Inexperienced or not, anyone able tocast a Disarming Spell charged into battle.

Harry and Wyatt had originally planned to remain nearby the rest of their close friends but as the battle waged on, it became obvious that concentrating so much power in one area was not working. They had split up and on occasion ran into each other. They had switched off with Ron when the met him and his brothers Fred, Charlie, and Bill. Ron needed a rest but did not feel it right to leave his brothers a man less. Harry had convinced Ron to take a break by adding Wyatt to the group.

Now he was regretting that decision. They had run into a rather large group of powerful demons and Charlie had gotten separated from the rest of the group. He ran into a Death Eater before Harry could reach out to him and yank him closer through the Earth. Once Charlie was in the duel such a spell would be disastrous so Harry started his battle toward Charlie.

Charlie was nimble and much quicker than the Death Eater and was beating the dark wizard back into a corner. He fired off a quick series of stunning and disarming charms. The dark wizard dodged all of them but Charlie's next spell, a disarming spell, hit the wizard directly in the head. His wand flew in an arch over Charlie's head and the Death Eater's mask fell off his face. Charlie froze for half a deadly second.

Snape stood up and charged with a sword in hand. Charlie's shock at seeing his ex-professor slowed him down. Snape's blade ran straight through the man's torso, chopping the man cleanly in half. Snape moved forward and found himself face to face with a murderous Harry.

"CURCIO!" Harry yelled.

The Death Eaters around him dropped to the floor, twitching in silent agony. Snape simply smiled and threw a fireball at the Gryffindor before Disapparating. Harry knocked the fireball out of the air with his bare hand and ran to the fallen body of Ron's brother. He dropped to his knees feeling sick. He closed Charlie's eyes, turned away and vomited. Wyatt walked up next to him and placed a hand on Harry's head.

"NO!" Fred was yelling, "NO, NO, NO, NO!"

Bill hugged his younger brother, not sure what to feel.

Wyatt took charge. He gathered the Weasley brothers around Harry and orbed the living young men back to camp before touching both parts of Charlie and orbing to camp himself.

Dumbledore sat silent in the tent watching gravely as the Weasley family came to grips with the loss of Charlie. He saw Harry watching him and raised an eyebrow. Harry motioned for him to follow. He gave Mrs. Weasley a solemn glace and exited the tent. Harry was a few meters away, watching two Muggle children fight over a piece of chocolate.

"Harry?"

Harry turned around. "Sir, Wyatt's not responding. I want to go after him."

Dumbledore sighed, "I cannot allow it. He is seeking revenge and his mind is clouded. I need you refreshed for your battle with Voldemort."

Harry threw his head back but spoke in a calm voice. "That could be weeks from now."

"Or tomorrow," Dumbledore countered somewhat sternly. "You should go and grieve with your friend over the loss of Charlie. I shall ask Professor McGonagall to send out a group of Order members to locate Wyatt."

Harry glanced at the headmaster and saw the old man already walking away. He sighed and walked back to the tent, hoping that Wyatt was not doing anything foolish.

Wyatt snuck around the edge of the camp in the shadows. He wasn't as skilled in cloaking as the nearby wraith was but he was sufficiently skilled to slip past, unnoticed by both Voldemort and Ash Goth. He knew that going after Snape would end up with him empty handed but this was a sure fire way to take his revenge for the Weasley family. The tent where his quarry slept was just yards away but Wyatt wasn't certain he was far enough away from Ash Goth to pass the distance. Luck was with him as Ash Goth walked further away toward what must be their command tent. Wyatt stepped out of the shadows and entered the tent. He covered his target's mouth and orbed out.

Wyatt flung his captor across the floor as the reemerged some distance away from London. Eyad skidded to a stop and glared at Wyatt. Wyatt glared back and sent a wave of fire at Eyad. The ex-Muggle raised his hand and the wall of flames disintegrated.

"I thought you were better than that, Wyatt," Eyad taunted.

Wyatt smiled. "You want better? You've got it."
Wyatt fired another fire wall along with a bone-crushing gust of wind. Eyad deflected the fire and shimmered out of the way of the air attack. Eyad conjured a long sword and charged Wyatt, taking the whitelighter by surprise. Wyatt fell to the ground and catapulted Eyad over his body with a quick telekinetic blast. He summoned Excalibur and scrabbled to his feet.

Eyad charged again and the clang of metal echoed through the quiet hillside. Wyatt spun around and brought Excalibur below Eyad's defense stance nipping the ex-Source's leather jacket. Eyad discarded the clothing item leaving himself bare-chested and unprotected to Wyatt's legendary sword. Wyatt flexed his fingers and Eyad's conjured fireball burst apart before the demon could throw it. Eyad caught Wyatt's attack just in time and kicked the teen witch in the chest. Wyatt landed on his back, Excalibur a few meters away.

"I thought Excalibur never abandoned its owner…unless it knew its master was going to die." Eyad mocked with a twisted smile.

Wyatt flipped himself back onto his feet and held his hand at his side. Excalibur's hilt snapped back into his palm. "I guess I'm not dying yet."

Eyad growled and conjured an energy ball hurling it at an advancing Wyatt. Wyatt smacked the attack aside with his sword's blade and continued his methodical march toward his ex-best friend. Eyad closed his eyes and a wave leapt off the ground and flicked Wyatt clearly off his feet. Wyatt landed face first, hard. Eyad slammed his boot into Wyatt's hand holding Excalibur breaking a few bones. Wyatt refused to scream and instead concentrated on the air around him. The air swirled upward sucking Eyad off him to fill the void. Wyatt rolled over and self-healed his hand. Eyad dropped to the floor ready to pounce on Wyatt.

Wyatt did not give him the opportunity. He threw his hand out in front of him and sent Eyad tumbling backwards. He flicked his wrists and Eyad's right arm disappeared. Eyad gripped the wound breathing heavily. Wyatt walked up to the demon and sent a bolt of lightning directly at Eyad's heart. Eyad dropped to his knees.

"Wyatt," Eyad pleaded, "stop…please…I."

Wyatt swung his sword across Eyad's neck, separating Eyad's head from the rest of his body. "This time, you're staying dead." Wyatt flicked his fingers and flames engulfed the body. Wyatt turned around and orbed out.

"And where have you been?" Ginny questioned.

Wyatt looked up from his dinner plate to see whom Ginny was addressing. What he saw was Ron, gracelessly stumbling into the tent.

"I…havvvvve beeeeeeen out." Ron slurred his words.

Mrs. Weasley was behind Ron in a split second. "How dare you!" She slapped Ron across the cheek. The intoxicated Gryffindor rubbed the cheek and frowned up at his mother. "Besmirching Charlie's name by getting yourself drunk. Go sleep the alcohol off." She was almost in tears.

Hermione reappeared behind Mrs. Weasley, equally red-eyed and furious. She pulled Ron out the tent and even Mrs. Weasley looked somewhat sorry for him. The rest of the dinner went past uninterestingly except for a messenger running up to Dumbledore announcing that Eyad's remains had been found. Harry smirked in Wyatt's direction before sadly returning to his pumpkin juice. Harry still could not stomach to eat anything but Cho had convinced him to at least drink.

Two days later the fighting heated up again. Ash Goth led a small battalion of Death Eaters and lower-level demons, reaching the midway point between the two camps. Harry, Wyatt, and the Power of Five were the first on the scene. The Harry and Wyatt distracted the demons and Death Eaters hoping that their friends could severely weaken the other side by vanquishing Ash Goth. The plan was working perfectly. Most of the demons and Death Eaters were concentrating on taking out Harry and Wyatt.

"I don't think so, Potter." A familiar greasy voice reached Kyle's ears seconds before he felt the numbing curse hit his back.

Kyle struggled against the effects of the curse and turned around to face Snape. "Who knew you'd survive so many encounters with my cousin?"

Snape laughed. "Potter is a weakling; a first year Hufflepuff could defeat him in a duel."

Kyle's movements were slowing. "Don't let Voldemort hear you say that. Harry's almost beaten him a number of times."

Snape glowered and pulled out his wand. "Avada Kedavra!"

Kyle closed his eyes hoping that the trick would work. He opened his eyes and got bombarded by dozens of lilies. He was trying for daisies but it was close enough. Snape stared at the almost paralyzed teen. He conjured a dagger and took a step forward. Only to have the ground underneath his foot, explode. He looked up to see a disappointed Brendin taking aim again. Snape waved his hand and the building behind him lost a huge chunk of the first floor. Kyle burst into orbs and appeared next to a surprised Ethan.

Brendin took aim again but instead found himself flying in the air. The muscular tail of Ash Goth's reptilian steed lashed back to attack the next person in line. Brendin righted himself and landed on all fours staring at the fell beast.

"Stop it!" He yelled.

The dragon stumbled backward as if hit by a giant whip. It growled at lunged forward at Kyle and Ethan. Brendin flicked his wrists and the dragon's nose started to bleed as it pulled back. Brendin reached the other two teens. The dragon flapped its wings in irritation and tried to attack the teens again. This time, Brendin did not even move and the dragon pulled back roaring.

"Not many can exert that much willpower over my steed," Ash Goth's echoing voice stated.

He was standing next to Snape, his head pointed in the direction of the three teens. Daelan and Casey were still busy fighting the few demons not attracted away by Harry and Wyatt. He waved his hand and the dragon took off circling the battlefield. Brendin and a cured Kyle motioned at the same time. Ash Goth's cloak glowed green as it absorbed the attacks. The wraith lord strode forward and in one sweeping motion set the three teens stumbling backwards. He raised his sword and turned on one foot, disappearing and reappearing, towering over Brendin. The sword missed its intended target but still sliced through flesh. Brendin flinched in pain but kept his mind and sent a wave of magic at Ash Goth. Although it glanced his shield, the attack still made the wraith stumble backwards enough for Brendin to clamber to his feet.

Wyatt appeared at Brendin's side and started healing the teen. Harry appeared in a burst of flames behind Ash Goth and used a conjured stone club to knock Ash Goth to the ground. Ash Goth yelled and threw a small dart at Harry. Harry felt the dart embed itself in his upper arm and the poison start to circulate through his body. Ash Goth was up and slammed his metal boot into the side of Harry's face. Kyle and Ethan rushed to Harry's defense using everything around them to distract Ash Goth.

Snape attacked again, knocking Kyle to the ground. Ethan not a match by himself for the wraith retreated but continued to orb heavy objects at Ash Goth. Kyle punched Snape in the face and slid out from under the wizard. He struggled to his feet and sent a stunning charm at the still distracted man. Kyle's spell bounced off Snape's shield and connected with Harry's back. The Gryffindor spun around and a purple aura around the wizard became visible for a second. Harry waved his hand in Snape's direction and the Potions Master crashed into the outer face of a nearby building.

Ash Goth could see he was fighting a losing battle and screamed. The unprepared mortals clamped their hands over their ears and his dragon answered his call. The beast swooped down and landed in between him and his attackers. Brendin, the first to recover, felt his magic reach out to the dragon. The creature roared and charged the teen. Snape lay in the way of the stampeding reptile Ash Goth pulled back on the reins, but it was too late. There was a horrible yell and squelching sound before Snape ceased to exist. Ash Goth yanked once more on the reins and the creature took off.

"Damn it." Wyatt muttered a few other profanities. "We almost had him."

Harry nodded and awkwardly motioned the nurse to leave him alone. His face was nice and blue from the kick, but nothing was broken. "Well, at least he did us a favor."

Kyle nodded, although not with enthusiasm. "Voldemort is down to one general."

"Snape is easy to replace," Wyatt stated. "Lucius is probably already being initiated. But Ash Goth's vanquish would have made this day a decent victory."

Harry's eyes hardened. "This war is not going to be a victory. We've lost so many already."

Wyatt sobered. "Yes, we have, but it's not like Voldemort is doing all that much better. The majority of his inner circle is dead or captured."

Harry rubbed his bruised cheek. "Let's eat and then set out again. This battle is going to end today." His voice grew firm and resolute.

"Er," Hermione spoke up softly, "not to be the bearer of bad news, but it's almost dark and we're not allowed out of camp once it's dark."

Harry threw his head back and cursed Dumbledore and his cautious ways.

"Avada Kedavra!" Yelled the nameless Death Eater.

Harry flicked his hand, deflecting the attack and sent a tickling hex at the witch. "Don't they ever learn?"

Wyatt, a few meters away fighting an overgrown darklighter, shrugged. "Makes it easier for us."

Harry summoned the Death Eater's wand into his palm before freezing the witch in place. With another flick of his wrists the Death Eater was swallowed into the Earth and transported to the temporary prison set-up in the now Light-controlled Parliament building. Wyatt vanquished the demon he was fighting a few seconds later.

"Where next?" Harry questioned.

Wyatt's response was to orb out leaving a confused Harry to follow his orbing trail. When he reappeared in front of a wall of demons he understood Wyatt's actions. The demons were circling waiting for a chance to strike at the surrounded teens. Harry removed his focus from the demons, past Wyatt, to the giant dragon striking at Brendin. He moved to go and help his friends not meters away when a fireball cut across his path.

Wyatt looked over his shoulder. "I don't think they want is to interfere."

Harry smirked, "And that is stopping you?"

"Just waiting for you to get acquainted with…"

Wyatt threw his hands in front of his face. A fireball appeared out of nowhere and crashed into the whitelighter's hands. The demon firing the attack became visible for a moment before he cloaked himself again. Harry marked the spot he saw the demon and formed crystals out of the ground around the place. The cage flashed and the demon fell down on his bottom. Harry checked on Wyatt who was already getting up and healing his burns.

"Not smart." Wyatt muttered.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

Wyatt pointed at the demons around them getting ready to attack. Harry smirked and transformed. The transformation stunned the demons long enough for Wyatt to vanquish a couple before the two had to start dodging attacks.

"Can't you just mass-vanquish them?" Wyatt asked as he dodged an energy ball that singed the hair on his arms.

Harry shrugged. "You told me that spell only worked on lower level demons."

"Wouldn't hurt to try…"

Brendin focused his rage into a giant fireball and hurtled it at the dragon's rider. He watched as the dragon twisted to dodge the attack. The fireball missed completely but the attack had the desired effect of dislodging Ash Goth. The wraith landed on his metal boots with the grace and agility of a cat. Brendin backed into Kyle who seemed distracted.

"What's up?"

Kyle shook his head. "Nothing…let's end this battle."

Ash Goth's attack came from the side, a single poison arrow. Ethan caught the arrow and tossed it aside. Ash Goth continued to prowl in a slowly shrinking circle. The teens dodged or otherwise made Ash Goth's attacks miss their targets. None of them ventured to attack the wraith.

"So you are to band together until the end?" Ash Goth taunted. "Not one of you is going to claim this victory as their own?"

Brendin answered with his hand's becoming covered in flames. The wraith king laughed coldly and wrapped himself in a thin layer of ice. The other teens shrunk away from Brendin. Ash Goth charged, unsheathing his sword and brought it down toward Brendin's unprotected head. His sword connected with metal. The wraith turned his hooded head down in an obvious motion to see what had stopped his sword. Harry held Excalibur inches away from Brendin's head. Harry's eyes flashed purple and the wraith lord flew backwards.

Brendin turned apologetically to face his savior.

Harry stopped him from starting. "Get into position; I'll keep him busy."

"Where's Wyatt?" Kyle questioned Harry as he ran to the recovering Ash Goth.

Harry shrugged and brought Excalibur into an attack position. Ash Goth barely blocked the attack and stumbled backwards at the force Harry struck his sword. Harry conjured a dagger and threw it at Ash Goth. The wraith automatically blocked the dagger with his sword but forgot about Excalibur. Harry swung the sword into Ash Goth's unprotected side; he immediately felt the numbness creeping into both his hands. He ignored the physical discomfort and sent a wave of telekinetic energy ripping his opponent's weapon right out of his hands. Harry gathered himself together and felt a wave of destructive magic enclosing on him.

"Is he deaf?" Kyle muttered before yelling again, "Harry get out of there!"

Harry disappeared with a pop and reappeared behind his cousin. "Thanks for the warning."

Kyle ignored him and rejoined the chant.

"Give me strength and give me might,

To steel myself in the still of night.

The piercing cry that created fear,

Shall no more be heard, by those who tear.

Your dark powers we will sever,

Wraith, you are gone forever!"

Ash Goth's cloak burst into flames and the wraith panicked. They said the chant again and there was a horrible suction sound making all their eardrums stretch to the bursting point. Everything: air, light, magic, them, all got pulled forward into the dark hole that had formed where Ash Goth stood. As quickly as the black hole opened, it closed up. Harry and the other wizards collapsed from exhaustion.

"Damn it," Wyatt's voice shot right through their pounding eardrums. "I wanted to help."

Harry, struggling back to his feet, gave the whitelighter a glare that could have killed. The others were simply too tired to respond in a similar fashion. Wyatt shrugged and orbed the group back to camp so they could recuperate.

The stand off had lasted three weeks. Harry thought that if his life were normal, he would be fretting over the NEWTs the following week rather than an insane dark wizard trying to kill him. After the battle with Ash Goth, the teens had stayed back, preferring to protect the camp and the innocents rather than be in the frontlines much to Mrs. Weasley's relief. Wyatt and Chris had left earlier in the morning with their family to reclaim some building close to the Ministry. Harry was surprised that Voldemort had not gone after the Ministry yet and seemed to not even bother taking other magical sites. The Dark Lord was focused on destroying or capturing famous Muggle sites. Now with the twenty-second day coming to an end, Harry also wondered if they would end the battle.

"Why so glum, panda bear?" Cho asked, joining him on the roof of the abandoned Muggle building that housed the outpost of St. Mungo's.

Harry pretended to gag. "You've been watching way too much TV."

Cho smiled and snuggled up close to Harry. "Well, when you're not allowed to fight, you find there's a lot of time in a day."

Harry half smiled. "That wasn't my decision."

"I know," Cho played with Harry's hair, "but I'm beginning to regret my choice."

"Just because you haven't seen action yet doesn't mean you won't." Harry turned to face his fiancé. "He's planning something big."

"Holding us at bay for three weeks after losing all but one of his top fighters doesn't constitute as a major accomplishment?" Cho mocked Harry by raising one eyebrow.

Harry laughed. "Yes but there's something else…something we're not seeing. He's almost completely shut our connection. He's trying to hide something."

Cho sighed. "You don't have to convince me to stay put."

"I'm not trying to," Harry looked at the setting sun, which was all the more brilliant because of the dust and debris from the past month of fighting. "I'm just making idle conversation."

"So you're just wasting our little time together?" Cho faked indignation.

Harry nodded. "What would you like to do then, dear?"

Cho wickedlysmiled. "I think you know very well what I want, Mr. Potter…"

"Draco!" Chris screamed.

Draco looked in Chris's direction and the Killing Curse missed his head by a centimeter difference. Draco turned back in the direction the curse came from and spotted a familiar perfectly groomed cloak. Draco growled and sent a stunning spell at his own father. Lucius blocked the charm with his wand before advancing on Draco. Draco whipped his hand in the air and Lucius stumbled backward and lost his mask.

"You'll pay for that!" Lucius shouted.

Draco smirked. "I'm related to you already."

The last of Voldemort's generals waved his wand in a complicated fashion causing a burst of fire to leap from its tip. The fire shot at Draco's face; he twirled his wand aimlessly around his fingers. At the last second Draco raised his hand and diverted the flames into a nearby Death Eater. Draco aimed his wand and sent off another stunning spell at his father followed by a darker stunning spell. The first one missed but the second gazed Lucius's arm. The dark wizard's arm dropped to his side utterly useless.

"What did you do?" Lucius's voice showed his fear.

Draco shrugged. "You should know…you almost killed me with the same spell."

Lucius's eyes flashed and he shivered. Draco waited and a second later his father collapsed to the floor gripping his arm, screaming. Draco walked forward and towered over Lucius; he countered the curse.

"You lose." Draco said coldly.

He brought his wand to point directly between the older Slytherin's eyes. He wordlessly stunned his father and with another non-verbal spell transported him to a cell in the prison in Portland. Draco did not want his father escaping.

Harry came up to Draco who had not moved from the spot where he had stunned his father. He cautiously placed a hand on Draco's shoulder, bringing the Slytherin out of his stupor. Draco's eyes were emotionless and hard. Harry closed his eyes and forced himself to look into those orbs. Draco's eyes slowly softened and watered. The proud Slytherin lowered his gaze and wiped his eyes.

"Come on, let's keep moving," Draco muttered.

Harry looked around to find the others had already pushed on into the next group of demons. He nodded and allowed Draco to lead the way. Harry looked back and saw the end of a black cloak disappear into the shadows. He turned around but felt and hand on his shoulder.

"What is it?" Draco questioned.

Harry shrugged. "I'm just nervous."

Draco bought the lie and they joined the other teens and a group of Hogwarts students slowing pushing the last line of defense back into the Dark's camp.

Harry waved his hand vanquishing half a dozen drone demons. The ashes were brushed aside by a dozen more drone demons. He sighed and flicked his wrist blowing up the dozen. He held his breath praying that he was not brought to fight twenty-four demons but to no avail. He sighed and resorted to throwing the demons out of his way until he reached Wyatt.

"Are we in a Greek tragedy or something?"

Wyatt frowned and then his eyes brightened. "You need to kill the king; otherwise you'll be fighting them forever."

"Are they reforming?" Harry asked.

Wyatt shook his head vanquishing a harpy with a fireball. "The king is."

Harry, still confused, nodded and cut the demon sneaking up behind him. The demon turned into ash, as did the twenty-four Harry had been fighting.

"Lucky." Chris said mid orb. "It took me at least an hour before I found the king my first time."

Harry nodded and joined Wyatt battling a pair of banshees. They vanquished the banshees and had a clear path to the camp. Without thinking they started toward the camp and hit the wards. Harry slipped through the wards but Wyatt was electrocuted and sent flying into a harpy. Harry started back but a black tentacle grabbed his leg and pulled him further away from his friends. Harry twisted around mid air and saw a furious Voldemort holding the other side of the tentacle.

"At last…this battle comes to an end." Voldemort hissed.

Harry answered with a telekinetic shove and dug his heels into the ground. The result was Harry coming to a stop for a split second before the tentacle became taut and pulled him off balance. Voldemort pushed himself off the ground and destroyed the tentacle opting for his wand instead. Harry dodged the Killing Curse before Voldemort ever fired the curse and deflected the second one. Harry ducked behind a lump of concrete to get out of the way of a fireball when the wards around the camp shuddered.

Voldemort's cold laugh filled the stagnant air inside the ward. "It looks like your friends believe they can actually assist you."

Harry remained crouched behind the boulder. "You shouldn't be so confident you're going to win."

"You are a very funny person, Harry Potter." Voldemort chuckled, "It's a pity that you are such a coward."

Harry clenched his fists tighter and without thinking stood up. The black jet singed his hair but did nothing else. Harry threw an energy ball in Voldemort's direction and it hit the fireball Voldemort threw. The two powerful wizards covered their faces as the collision kicked up a dust storm. The dust in front of Harry grew more distinctly green and Harry barely ducked the Killing Curse. He hid behind a flimsy tent.

"Pathetic, Potter." Voldemort growled.

The tent burst into flames and Harry jumped out of the way as one of the flames reached out to enwrap his body. Harry waved his hand and the flames died. With another motion he had a boulder from behind him hurtling toward Voldemort. The dark wizard raised his wand and whatever spell he cast caused the boulder to break into two leaving Voldemort unharmed as the two parts flew past him.

Harry's eyes turned white and a tornado running parallel to the ground burst out of his hands. Voldemort held his hand out and sent a torrent of water crashing into the tornado. The two wizards battled for supremacy but the contact between their two powers did not move more than a couple of centimeters. Voldemort's eyes turned black and his power slowly gained ground. Harry closed his eyes and the tornado grew larger and started to rip up the ground beneath it. Finally both wizards gave their attacks an extra push. The result was the attacks backfiring and knocking the two wizards into the wards at opposite ends of the camp.

Wyatt gathered another series of energy balls around him and sent them crashing into the ward. The ward glowed as it absorbed the attacks. Wyatt dropped back to the ground struggling to breathe. He flicked his wrists and the ward glowed before becoming transparent again. The whitelighter saw the explosion in the camp and sensed out Harry. Sensing the Gryffindor was all right but tiring, his efforts to bring down the ward intensified.

He grabbed a group of nearby demons in a telekinetic grip and threw the group into the ward. The demons convulsed as he held them against the ward and the ward electrocuted them. The ward went almost completely opaque when the last demon burst into flames. There was a thump from the other side of the ward and the thing shimmered before collapsing.

Wyatt looked down at the body before his feet and felt a wave of fear wash over him. He backed up as Voldemort rose to his feet. The Dark Lord ignored the boy behind him and strode back into the heart of his destroyed camp. Wyatt felt the waves of hatred and anger washing off the wizard and forced himself not to orb out. He finally got a hold on his empath power and started after Voldemort when a stray fireball turned him into a bunch of orbs.

Harry struggled to his feet. He sensed Voldemort approaching him and even the Cruciatus Curse fired from the wizard's wand. He just could not get his body to move out of the way. He dropped to floor as the billions of hot knives plunged into his skin, scalding it and the organs beneath it. Then the knives turned ice cold and cut up the pieces they had missed the first round. His vision clouded over and, try as he might, he could not fight back the darkness of unconsciousness.

He awoke to the sounds of screaming and Voldemort's angry tirade. His eyes focused and he found the source of the screaming. Voldemort had Kyle under the Cruciatus Curse and was going on about Kyle causing him to miss. Harry got to his feet feeling energized again. He conjured an athame and snuck up behind the preoccupied wizard. He plunged the ceremonial dagger into Voldemort's back just next to his spine until the hilt bruised the skin. The Dark Lord arched back and smacked Harry across the face sending the teen stumbling to the floor. He ripped the dagger out of his back and threw it at its owner. Harry felt the cold metal sink into his shoulder but his brain did not register any pain.

Voldemort shot off a Killing Curse in Kyle's direction but the Curse was aimed badly. Kyle got to his feet and Disapparated. He Apparated next to Harry and pulled the athame out of Harry's shoulder. Harry looked down at the wound and the edges glowed purple as it healed. His eyes turned violet and his wand shot off sparks. Kyle struggled to keep his feet on the ground as the wind started to howl.

"You think killing another member of my family is smart?" Harry growled.

Voldemort's eyes glowed with pure hatred. He conjured a sword and charged toward Harry. Harry blocked the sword with a blade of his own and started pushing Voldemort backwards into a corner. He finally struck down hard and Voldemort's sword flew out of his hand. Voldemort looked at Harry in surprise before disappearing. Harry collapsed against the wall clutching his chest.

"Harry?" Kyle called out.

Harry smiled. "It's nothing."

Voldemort's voice boomed from above them. They looked up and in the sky was a glowing picture of Voldemort holding Neville and Luna by the hair. Harry closed his eyes trying to find Voldemort but he could not sense him. He looked up and Voldemort started to speak again.

"IT IS USELESS TO TRY AND FIND ME, HARRY. I AM TOO WELL CLOAKED; NOT EVEN YOUR WHITELIGHTER FRIEND COULD FIND ME. YOU TRIED TO KILL ME…TRIED TO STOP ME FROM MURDERING ANOTHER INNOCENT SOUL. WELL, BOY-WHO-LIVED, YOU HAVE FAILED. AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Harry watched helplessly as Neville and Luna's bodies crumpled to the ground. Voldemort's eyes seemed to turn away from Harry and focus on an unknown audience.

"THEY WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO DIE IF YOUR SAVIOR HAD DONE HIS JOB. NOW I AM GOING TO OFFER YOU THE CHANCE TO SAVE YOUR LOVED ONES' LIVES. JOIN MY CAUSE AND RENOUNCE YOUR ALLEGIANCE TO THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX! I CAN OFFER YOU PEACE FOR A THOUSAND YEARS AND MORE. SOMETHING THE LIGHT HAS NOT EVEN COME CLOSE TO…"

Harry snapped back to someone tapping on his shoulder. He turned around and realized it was Wyatt.

"Voldemort isn't as deceitful as he might like to think." Wyatt's eyes showed his anger. "I found his little hideout."

Harry walked into the small room Voldemort was transmitting from. He waved his hand and Voldemort slammed into the wall. Wyatt orbed the bodies of Neville and Luna away. Harry waited until the last orb had gone through the roof before he waved his hands and a green ward sprang to life. He ignored the tiny crystal that was transmitting everything going on in the room into the night sky above London and he was sure into every fireplace, radio, television, and computer in the world.

"This is where it ends, Voldemort."

Voldemort got to his feet smiling. "I agree. Avada Kedavra."

Harry caught the spell in his palm and thin tentacles passed around his hand to form a tail. Harry tossed the curse in the air before throwing back at Voldemort. The usually pompous man dropped to the floor. Harry smiled but made no move to take advantage of the situation. Voldemort arose and charged, bellowing in anger. Harry caught the fist and twisted Voldemort's hand behind his back before letting go.

"You have already lost, Voldemort." Harry spoke softly without any malice. "Don't make an even bigger fool of yourself."

Voldemort turned around and brought his wand up to aim. Harry raised his hand and Voldemort's wand shook before it exploded. A single phoenix feather floated to the floor and burst into flames. Harry lowered his hand and waited patiently for Voldemort to make a move.

Voldemort laughed, "You think I need a wand?"

The Dark Lord pointed his finger at Harry and a tiny red jet of light shot straight for the Gryffindor. Harry allowed the curse to hit his chest and it went straight through him. Voldemort's eyes lit up but he faltered when Harry smirked. Voldemort took a step back, which only made Harry's smile grow.

"Looks like you're finally realizing the truth."

Voldemort's eyes turned completely black and a single flame erupted in both orbs. He motioned with his finger and Harry stumbled backwards. Harry sighed and fought back. He waved his hand and Voldemort screamed when he lost his right hand. Harry shoved his hand out in front of him and Voldemort stumbled backwards into the edge of a table. Harry continued the motion of his hand and a whip of fire smacked Voldemort across the face. Voldemort pushed himself up and retaliated with numerous curses and hexes. Harry batted away the ones that came too close.

"Give up, Voldemort." Harry yelled. "You cannot win."

Voldemort let out a blood-curdling scream and lunged forward, trying to scratch at Harry. Harry took a step back and slammed his front knee into Voldemort's face. Voldemort fell onto the floor and turned over.

"So finish it then, Potter!"

Harry bent down to quietly and slowly reply, "I'm not going to kill you. I'm not going to sink to your level." Harry paused and closed his eyes. "I forgive you for all the wrongs you've caused me, but that doesn't mean you're getting out of this. You're going to die, but only after a proper trial."

Voldemort started to laugh. Harry turned around to bring down the ward he had set up. Voldemort saw his opportunity and took it. The green-colored curse leaped from his finger and hit Harry's undefended back. Harry dropped to his knees. Voldemort got to his feet in triumph. Harry dropped to the floor.

AN: Harry Potter actually lost! I must go talk to my muse…she knows I'm busy writing a squeal. What on earth was she thinking! This was the most enjoyable chapter to write thus far. It wraps everything up and all that is left to do is inform the others.

Next Chapter – The new ministry and new order.