Smaragdus arcanum Lunam

Cloud Sorano

16

Edward kept behind the Death Eaters, keeping his eyes on the half-giant carrying Harry in his arms. They were making their way through the wood, toward the castle. The Dark Lord was in the lead, smiling as if it was Christmas morning, but it wasn't a pretty smile, but gruesome, in his opinion. He could hear Harry's thoughts.

"Be careful, love," Harry told him, "He need to be closer to the others at Hogwarts, so that way the snake can be killed."

Edward frowned; he could see the snake slithering beside Voldemort, its great green body wavering in between the legs. He responded, "It's right there. I can kill it and they wouldn't know any better."

"No. I don't think it's that simple. Voldemort knows he is down to one Horcrux left, he might have some kind of protection on her. Let's see where this goes."

Voldemort turned his head, looking at Harry, and a slight frown marred his gray forehead. He had thought he heard something brush by his mind. He held his hand up, pausing the group's movement. He stepped up to Hagrid and sneered up at the half-giant who jerked and pulled Harry away from him. "Oh, stop that, you big oaf. What more can I do to him?" Voldemort chided him and laid his hand on top of Harry's chest. He could not feel any beating heart and Harry's skin felt cold to the touch. "Hm. Deader than dead." He laughed and turned, starting his walk again.

Edward rolled his eyes and kept quiet, following a few paces behind the last of the Death Eaters. He can easily outrun them if he wanted, but he wanted to stay closer to Harry and wait.

They reached the gate, and the last of the ward weakened fell apart under Voldemort's wave of a hand. It chirped momently and faded. They continued across the stone scattered bridge. Voldemort waved his hand, knocking a dead troll aside to the chasm below. Bellatrix danced few paces behind her Lord, crackling with glee.

They reached the front courtyard of the entrance, and Voldemort came to a stop. People began to emerge from the castle, curious and wary as they looked on to see the crowd of Death Eater at the courtyard entrance.

Ginny came up to Neville, asking, "Who is that Hagrid carrying? Neville, who is it?"

Neville sharply inhaled as he held the Sorting Hat he had picked up. He wasn't sure how it got to the courtyard. He looked on and grew pale, recognizing who was in Hagrid's arms.

Voldemort looked around at the growing crowd from Hogwarts and announced, "Harry Potter is dead!"

Ginny screamed, "No!" She ran forward, "No! NO!" Her father grabbed her and pulled her aside, holding her back as she sobbed.

Ron and Hermione came stumbling to the front, standing beside Neville, looking on with shock on their faces.

"Stupid girl," Voldemort said, mocking, "Harry Potter is dead." He gestured to himself, "From this day forth, you'll put your faith in me."

Edward took the chance and used his speed to run around the crowd of Death Eater and behind the other group, slipping the cloak off and stuffed it in his pocket. He was amazed how a flowy cloak could become compact. He pushed his way through and stood beside Ron and Hermione.

Ron gasped as Edward appeared beside him, "Harry?" He asked quietly, fearful it was true.

Edward gave a little head-shake. "No. He lives."

Hermione clutched Ron's hand, whispering, "Why the pretense?"

Edward shook his head. "He wants to see what he would do." He gestured subtly toward the Dark Lord, who was still going on.

Voldemort turned to his followers and shouted, "Harry Potter is dead!" They laughed with him. "And now is the time to declare yourself. Come forward and join us… or die!"

All those from Hogwarts looked on solemnly, not budging from where they stood. Tears streaked down their faces; hopes fell from their eyes.

Silence filled the air.

Lucius broke the silence, "Draco!" He wavered and looked imploringly at his son across the courtyard. "Oh, Draco."

Draco stared back, tears in his eyes as he firmly stood his ground. His mother called for him, and his father held his hand out. He quickly looked around and swallowed. "Come." Narcissa said.

Everyone watched as Draco moved toward his parents, head bowed. He made his way past Voldemort but was grabbed in a hug by the Dark Lord, shocked to the core. He shuddered as Voldemort praised him, "Well done, Draco."

As he was released, he hurried to his parents' sides. Narcissa grabbed him and made their way to the back of the crowd, toward the bridge. Lucius looked on before moving to follow his family.

Edward watched them; he could hear their thoughts. Lucius and Narcissa were both relieved their son was alive. Draco, surprisingly, his thought was on Harry, upset and sad that he was dead. They were terrified, and there was a hint of a plan, perhaps to flee Britain, away from the mad man they once thought was their Lord. He could see flashes of memories. Lord Voldemort had drained their bank, brought their house down to shame, and all there was left was their name. Pride and honor were gone.

Edward felt sorry for the family. He would tell Harry this later.

Neville stepped forward, stumbling on his bad leg. Voldemort looked on and asked, "Well, I must say I'd hope for better. And who might you be, young man?"

Edward could hear and feel the rush of astonishment through the minds of the crowds around him. But he knew what Neville was thinking.

Neville looked up, his head tall and his back straight. "Neville Longbottom." He steeled his gaze at the Dark Lord.

Voldemort grinned, "Well, Neville, I'm sure we can find a place for you in our rank."

Neville spoke up; there was a hint of stubbornness in his voice, "I'd like to say something."

Voldemort shrugged and waved his hand. "Well, Neville, I'm sure we'd all be fascinated to hear what you have to say."

Edward whispered to Ron, "Is he always this melodramatic?" Despite the grim situation, Ron barely bit back a snort, and Hermione shot him a look. Edward gave a tiny 'What? I didn't say anything, look with a shrug.

"Dosen't matter that Harry is gone." Neville said, his eyes sweeping across the courtyard, standing tall, looking every bit a soldier. Edward was impressed with the young man's steel will to stand up against the most fearsome wizard. Someone from the crowd warned him to stand down. Neville kept going, "People die every day! Friends, family. Yeah… We lost Harry tonight. He's still with us." He clutched his fist to his chest, "So as Percy, Remus, Tonks… all of them." He turned to Voldemort and locked his gaze with the red eyes, "They didn't die in vain. But you will. Because you're wrong!"

Edward's eyes widened at Neville's subsequent proclamation and the rippling thoughts and emotions of the people all around him. It was astounding that he could sense and feel the despair fade and hope and courage rise through the people like waves; it was magical. He was impressed. "Harry's heart did beat for us. For all of us!" Neville shouted as he drew a gleaming sword from the depth of the old hat he was holding and wielding it like a shining knight.

Gasps rippled through both crowds as Harry jumped down from Hagrid's arms. He waved his hand, and a spell shot as he shouted, "Confrigo!" The spell hit the snake beside him. Harry hurried to the side, ducking behind the wall as Voldemort shot an explosion of flame toward him in rage.

Edward glanced around and spotted Harry as he hurried toward the castle from the side of the courtyard, worried as Voldemort sent a volley of spells toward him. He turned and saw pandemonium began, spells flying everywhere.

The snake coiled in a tight ball behind Voldemort, tail thrashing. Edward realized the protective spell that was shielding the snake was gone. He hurried to Neville's side, "The snake! It needs to be killed!"

Then he saw Death Eaters vanishing; the wild-looking woman screeched at them to come back and stand their ground. He saw the blond-haired family looked about with fear and concerns on their face. He watched as they hurried away from the scenery toward the end of the bridge. At least they were smart enough to retreat and concede that Voldemort has lost. Harry was alive, and hope had surged once again among the people of Hogwarts.

Edward turned around, searching out for his lover but could not find him. The people were running back into the castle, several of them holding up shields as several Death Eaters remained fired upon them. Voldemort was enraged as he hurried toward them, firing spells of his own. Neville turned and rushed toward Voldemort but was shot back with a spell, sending him flying back into the Great Hall.

Edward hurried, deciding it was best to remain close to Ron and Hermione until he reunites with Harry. He felt the spell brush by him, grazing his arm. He turned and flicked his hand upward, reacting instinctively. His eyes widened as another spell shot toward him and crashed against the shield in front of him. He held his hand up and moved backward, the shield following as spells rained upon them. He could feel every vibration through his palm.

"Ron! Edward need help!" Hermione shouted.

Ron ran to his side and pulled him into the castle, "Come on, man. Did you do that?" He asked as they retreated to safety, hiding behind a large stone pillar. Hermione was shooting her defensive spells at the Death Eaters that dared to remain and fight.

Edward nodded, too shocked to say anything. He listened to the minds around him and heard many types of spells shouted all around him. It was chaotic around him as it was in his mind. He could only focus on those near him. He recognized Ron and Hermione's thoughts and voices and tuned out the rest, using them as anchors.

"Bombarda!" Ron shouted, pointing toward the wall, and it exploded, raining stones and dust over the Death Eaters that were under the wall.

"Expellamarius!" Hermione shouted, her wand shot light toward a Death Eater, causing him to lose his wand in the air and shot backward, clearing away from the students he was attacking.

"Progeto!" A dark-skinned man robed in purple African style shouted, and Edward watched as the shimmering shield encased several students from attacking Death Eaters. Edward looked down at his hand, wondering if it was the same thing he had erected. It had happened the same time the man and the others were using.

His eyes widened as he saw two Death Eaters bearing down on a group of younger students, overpowering them with spells. They were being backed up in a corner and losing ground. He flicked his hand out and shouted, "Expellamarius!" toward the Death Eaters. The spell crashed into them, sending them flying and their wands flying in the air away from them. The students recovered and scrambled to escape; one looked back and grinned at him, waving his thanks. Edward nodded and turned to see Hermione and Ron running up the stairs. His eyes widened, realizing they had found Harry and was trying to aid him.


Harry ran into the darkened hallway from the side entrance he had managed to escape. He Voldemort was heading in from the front door near the Great Hall. He needed to get to the snake somehow. It was the last thing that has part of the madman's soul; then, after that, he would be mortal and not bound to earth to live once killed. He listened for the slithering and heard it coming closer.

He turned and shot a spell with the wand he had on him. It felt strange to be using a wand again. It didn't resist him when he took it from Draco Malfoy; he understood that he had won the wand's loyalty. His spells and Voldemort's spells crashed as they flung them one after another. He sneered as he stumbled over a large stone and righted himself, missing a spell flying by his head. It gave Voldemort an upper hand, flinging spells in rapid-fire, and all he could was to deflect them.

Then he was quicker; he erected a powerful shield and shot back his spells in a flurry of speed that was impossible for humans. Voldemort looked surprised and erected his shield just barely in time to protect himself.

"How is that possible?" Voldemort asked as he fought back, snarling as few of Harry's spells had gotten through his shield.

"I've gotten better," Harry quipped as he grinned grimly. He could see Hermione and Ron appearing at the base of the stairs. He then saw the familiar face behind him, Edward was also with them, and their eyes met. For a flicker of a moment, Edward silently asked if he was all right, and Harry responded with a smile.

"Time to end this," Harry softly said as he allowed the shield to fall and disappeared. Voldemort's eyes widened as he blinked, realizing Harry was gone and then appeared in front of him. "How?" He knew it wasn't an apparition; there was no familiar crack but a soft wind that brushed against his robes. He bit back a yell as Harry appeared in front of him, a mere foot away, and Harry grabbed his robes; then they were gone, this time, with a powerful apparition.

They crashed in the empty courtyard, and Harry jumped back gracefully as Voldemort rolled to stop at one end.

"It's time to end this." Harry told him as he waited for Voldemort to get his bearing and stand up.

"What are you?" The older wizard asked as he glared at Harry with his red eyes. He realized he had been separated from his snake and snarled. "How did you get so fast? It's impossible!"

Harry chuckled and relaxed his pose. "I could've killed you easily back then when I grabbed you." He looked down at his dirty hand, looking bored as he rubbed his fingers on his equally dirty jacket. "But being a honorable wizard, as you taught me the couresty of dueling." He spread his arms wide and bowed at the waist, and fell into the stance of a dueler.

Voldemort narrowed his eyes at the young wizard. He was mocking him, and he didn't like it. "I killed you. You should've been dead."

Harry blinked and slowly smiled. "Oh, I am already dead, in a sense." His teeth gleamed as his eyeteeth started to grow longer. "Your snatchers killed me, and I was given a chance to live, so to say, but as a different being. I have what you always wanted, immortality."

Voldemort's eyes widened and screamed as he flung the killing curse toward Harry. It splashed against Harry's chest. He heaved a heavy gasp as he watched Harry look down to his chest and laugh. "Impossible."

"Avada Kedavra can't kill me, you know." Harry chuckled.

Voldemort snarled and shot spells after spells at Harry, only to crash against his shield. He was growing weaker, and the Elder Wand was resisting him, making it harder for him to use it. "Why is it not working for me?" He screamed.


Hermione and Ron watched as Harry and Voldemort exchange spells, having them splash against each other shields. Edward caught up with them and inhaled sharply as Harry's eyes caught his. Nothing exchanged but the looks they knew of each other. For a brief moment, he was amazed that despite only knowing each other for less than a month, they were very intimate and knew every look and the meanings behind them as if they had been together for years. It did feel that way. He knew if his heart were still beating, it would be stuttering, threatening to stop at the fright upon the sight of Harry and Voldemort fighting.

Voldemort was a formidable opponent for Harry. Intimidating and strange to Edward, but he had seen enough in Harry's memories in the past couple of weeks about him. He was genuinely frightening with his appearance, gray-skinned, snake-like feature an imposing aura of power. But he could sense the power was waning every time he cast a spell against Harry. The wand must have been doing something. He could feel the frustration and building rage rising in Voldemort's mind.

Edward relayed a question with his look to Harry, asking if he was all right. Harry gave a small smile, relaying the message, "The snake, kill it. I'll take care of him."

Then in a flash, Harry disappeared from where he stood and reappeared in front of Voldemort, grabbing him and twirling, with a loud crack, they were gone.

"The snake!" Edward said. "Harry say to kill it."

Ron looked over his shoulder to the vampire and sharply nodded. "Right!"

Hermione gasped, "Ron! Edward!" She shot a spell at Nagini as it slithered toward them rapidly. They stumbled down the stairs and ran, shooting spells after another toward the snake, but it was so fast despite its large size, slithering here and there, hissing and snapping its head toward them. Hermione and Ron stumbled to their knees as they reached the bottom of the steps and scrambled backward.

Edward jumped and landed at the base of the stairs and turned, "Come on!" He shot his hand up, and several volleys of offensive spells hit Nagini, getting few deep slashes on her flank. She screamed a loud hiss and lashed forward in the air quickly, aiming for Edward with its sharp venomous fangs.

Edward raised his arm to shield himself and watched in surprise as the snake's head became detached from the body as a gleaming silver blade cutting through like butter. At the end of the blade was Neville. He had appeared from the sideline and killed Nagini.

They watched as the black mist of smoke rise from the snake's remains, screaming its last and faded.

Ron helped Hermione up. He turned to Neville and Edward, "Great job, Neville! Now it's just Voldemort."

Neville nodded, "They're outside in the courtyard."

Hermione grabbed Ron's hand, and they ran to the entrance. Edward and Neville followed.


Harry looked on at Voldemort and held up the wand in his hand. "You were right, when you told Professor Snape that the wand was failing you. It will always fail you."

Voldemort screamed, "I killed Snape!"

"Yeah," Harry shrugged, "but what if the wand never belonged to Snape? What if its allegiance has always been with someone else?"

Voldemort snarled in a furious rage, brandishing the Elder Wand toward Harry, shooting a spell. Harry pulled up the Hawthorn wand, his magic clashing with the other. The same golden cage appeared around them as their spells fought for dominance in between them.

Harry narrowed his eyes; he saw the flinch in Voldemort's face and knew what it was. The snake was dead. "It's over." His spell overtook Voldemort's and shot through the Elder Wand, hitting Voldemort, spreading the magic through his body, ending him.

The dark wizard gasped as the spell overtook him, causing the Elder Wand to fly free from his grasp. He tried to scream, but it was too late; his body degenerated, becoming ashes in the blink of an eye.

"Harry!" Edward had a look of relief on his face and glided to Harry, embracing him. He held his lover close, inhaling his familiar scent under all the grimes and dirt they managed to acclimate during the battle. "It's over, isn't it?" He asked.

Harry nodded into Edward's neck, "Yes." Then they parted but still holding hands.

Harry sighed as he allowed his arm to drop and turned to see Hermione throw herself into his arms, hugging him. He smiled and held her, burrowing his head into her wild bushy hair. She then let go and stepped back, joining Ron's side.

Ron picked up the Elder wand and held it up to Harry, "Here."

"Why didn't it work for him?" Hermione asked as Harry took the wand.

Harry took it and held it up. He could see the crackdown of the shaft. It was deep, and if it were any standard wand, it would've not worked. He noted no core within his sharp eyesight but a smoky blackness that he knew was associated with Death. So, the core is part of Death himself. "The Elder Wand?" Hermione nodded, and Harry drew out his wand from his moleskin pouch and repaired it with the Elder Wand.

Edward watched as Harry returned the wand in the pouch.

He reached out and touched the Elder Wand; he could feel the magic from it. It was different from what he could feel around him. It felt otherworldly. "It answered to somebody else, didn't it?" He asked.

Harry turned his head to his lover and nodded, "When he killed Snape, he thought the wand would become his. But the thing is… it never belonged to Snape." He held up the Hawthorn wand. "It was Draco who disarmed Dumbledore that night in the Astronomy tower. Then on, it answered him. Until I disarmed him in the Room of Requirement."

"So, that means…" Ron said.

Harry nodded, twirling the wand in his hand. "It's mine."

"What should we do with it?" Ron asked, and Hermione shot him a disbelieving look, and he shrugged as he said, "Just saying, that's the Elder Wand. The most powerful wand in the world. With that, he'll be invincible."

Edward snorted beside Harry. Harry couldn't fight back the smile that crept on his face as he looked down at the wand in his hand. "That's true. But I'm already powerful enough. No need for me to have this. No one deserve this. It should've never existed to begin with." He let go of Edward's hand and snapped the wand in two. He then crushed it, turning it into splinter and dust, and set it on fire in his hands until it was all gone. Sparks of black embers rose in the air between them all before it faded away. "That's two of the Hallows gone."

Hermione's eyes widened. "You destroyed the cloak?"

Edward shook his head. "No. The stone. He destroyed it before facing Voldemort in the wood." He looked to his lover. "He's right, to have all the Hallows makes one too powerful."

Harry nodded. "That was the power he did not know." He looked to the lightning sky. "He wanted immortality. With all three Hallows, he could've had it."

"You're…" Hermione asked and saw Harry gave her a pointed look and held a finger to his lips. She shut her mouth and nodded in understanding.

Edward leaned his head on Harry's shoulder and asked, "Now what?"

Harry laughed. "Now we help the others." He gestured to the main entrance.


Red eyes watched as the Dark Lord, a wizard promised to be powerful, become dust.

"That one." The shorter male softly said he gestured to the dark-haired wizard who stood up from finishing off the Dark Lord. "He's the wiz-vampire."

The female nodded; her voice was light and lilting, "Aro will want him."

"Is that one of the Cullens?" The taller one asked as they watched as another person approach the victor and hugged him. Their hug was intimate; every part of their bodies touched, from heads to toes. They knew instinctively that the two are mates. Then the others joined, cheering and congratulating the victor. The victor broke away from the first man and turned to the others, but they stayed close, intimately. He only hugged the wild-haired woman and the red-haired man, but none others. Even his physical contact with the two was not as intimate as the first.

The second man turned his head, looking around, frowning, and then landed on them, or the forest line in their general direction.

"It is he. We must leave or he'll find us," The taller male said, drawing back. His velvet cloak, dark with red lining, barely whispered as he moved quickly through the tree.

The shorter male turned to his sister and said, "It is Edward Cullen. So, he has mated with a wiz-vampire."

"Yes. Let's go and tell Aro," The female said, then the two were gone. Only leaves rustled where they stood.


"Edward?" Harry asked as he noticed Edward was distracted as they walked back to Great Hall.

Edward turned to Harry and shook his head. "I thought I heard some familiar thoughts, but they're gone."

Harry grasped Edward's hand and pulled him toward the castle. "I know we don't feel tired, but I can say I am mentally exhausted."

"At least it's over," Edward softly said as he trailed after Harry.

"Yes." Harry said as they stepped into the castle.


AN:

It's over. But the story isn't over. There's still more to go. Maybe about 8-10 more chapters. And of course, we gotta have couple more lemons.

We'll get back to the Cullen's side of the world and see what's going on with the issues over there, Jacob, Bella, and especially Victoria. Also there's that problem with a law. Few people knows Harry is a vampire now.

It's going slower now, I am going to try to update once a week. If I'm lucky. I've been busy with work and I'll be starting my Masters in May.