AN: Many thanks to my great beta reader Verlor (id: 1113787) for his fantastic help with this chapter!
Chapter 38 - A Journey Ends
Under the inky night sky Harry and Daphne sat on the roof of 12 Grimmauld Place, their heads leaned together. Their final day of repose had just ended. Tomorrow morning the long-awaited day would finally have come. Tomorrow morning they would storm Gringotts. Tomorrow morning the war would end, they would kill Voldemort once and for all or die trying.
Tomorrow morning. Not today, not here, not now.
At that moment the future was not important, no blood and death, no atonement and guilt. At that moment, only the two of them mattered, their togetherness, Daphne's body on his, her warmth – the stars their only witness. Far too few for Harry's liking.
"Some day," he said in his mind, "I want to see all the stars. I want to visit places where the night sky is pristine. Places devoid of other people."
Daphne pressed even closer to him, her warm breath slipping down his neck, leaving goosebumps. "That sounds beautiful," she said with a pleased sigh.
"And you?"
"Me?"
"What places do you want to see? Where do you wish to go when it's all over?"
For a few moments there was silence between them, as Daphne was pondering her answer. "I don't know," she then said hesitantly. "I can't name exact places, but there are so many things I'd like to see ... vast seas, towering mountains, where the distant sky is close ... a sunset resting on a picnic blanket in a green meadow..."
"I would put flowers in your hair," Harry said with a smile. "In the meadow. I'm sure it will be full of flowers."
"And I would have filled the picnic basket with delicious food. And ... and around us, our family would be..." Suddenly Daphne's body began to tremble, tears running down her cheeks. "Oh, Harry! I want that so much … I don't want our dream to end tomorrow…"
Harry tightened his grip on his wife, letting her feel all his love. "It won't," he said firmly. "All the things we dream of, we'll have them! Nothing will ever stop us ... I promise you!"
Harry and Daphne were not the only ones thinking of hopes and dreams that evening. Just a few floors below, two house-elves were polishing a newly purchased broom to assist their masters during their fight, while hundreds of miles away, in the far north of the British Isles, three Gryffindors were preparing for their final exam the next day. In the same castle, albeit in a different tower, a headmaster was gazing into a cloud-covered sky, inwardly praying that their plan would work and that he could atone for past mistakes, while next to him on a golden perch a phoenix dreamed of a little girl laughing and running around with a snake in her arms. And in the Ministry of Magic, a witch was still sitting at her desk late at night, planning to protect her people.
Meanwhile, in the county of Devon, not far from the Muggle village of Ottery St. Catchpole, a man joined his wife, who was sitting at the kitchen table, writing.
"Molly, honey," said Arthur Weasley. "What are you doing there? We should go to sleep. We'll need it tomorrow."
"In a moment," said Molly. "I just want to finish this."
Curious, Arthur sat down next to his wife. "What are you writing anyway?"
Without looking up, Molly replied, "It's a letter to our children. In … in case something happens to us tomorrow…"
Arthur's stomach tightened. Tomorrow they would fight against the Death Eaters without their children knowing anything about it. It was better this way.
"Honey," he said tenderly, putting his hand on his wife's back. "You don't have to fight. I'm sure –"
Molly jerked her head. "We've discussed that enough already," she hissed angrily. "I'm fine. And I won't let you fight alone. Someone has to protect you!"
"But the fight –"
"Will be dangerous. I know! Why do you think I'm writing this letter? Why do you think I'm making arrangements in case we die and never see them again? I know the risks, but ... but I don't want Ginny's death to be in vain, and ... I want our children to have a future! That's what makes it all worth it!"
Arthur sighed. He knew he was powerless against her love as a mother – but that was also why he loved her so much.
"They will have a future," he whispered, kissing her forehead. "I promise you."
A cool wind slid over Dumbledore's face as he stood hidden on a roof in Diagon Alley, looking at the snow-white building of Gringotts opposite, which towered above the surrounding area. It was a warm June morning with a bright sun in a cloudless sky that had no inkling of the bloodshed to come. Dumbledore's heart pounded in his chest as his fingers played nervously with his wand; his original wand, the one he had carried until his duel with Gellert. Since then he had seldom felt as agitated as he did today...
His eyes glided over Diagon Alley; the cobblestones, the numerous shops, the epitome of magical life in Great Britain. There was not much happening yet, only a few witches and wizards going on their way, but he knew that the rest of the Order members were hiding all over the street, just like him, waiting. They were few, so, so few; everything was counting on their plan to work, that Harry and Daphne would destroy the Horcrux in time, that he could hold Voldemort long enough, and that the Aurors would arrive in time.
Worriedly, Dumbledore looked at the bank's entrance portal, which was just then unlocked by uniformed goblins, wishing they had more time to prepare. Although he had been able to get a map up to the Lestrange Vault, even he did not know what security measures the goblins had placed in their underground labyrinth. Everything now depended on Harry and Daphne...
He checked his watch. Ten more seconds. Nine, eight, seven...
They were almost there. Dumbledore took a deep breath.
...three, two, one, now!
At eight o'clock sharp there was a loud bang, and Harry, Daphne, and Fawkes appeared in a cloud of smoke and fire right on the steps of Gringotts. Harry and Daphne, clad in black, leather combat armor – with Daphne supplemented by a dark blindfold – were surrounded by red and black streaks of fog, giving them an eerie appearance. Even at this distance, Dumbledore got goosebumps from the feeling of the dark, but also incredibly powerful magic.
Then everything happened very quickly. Several red flashes cut the air, knocking out the goblin guards in front of the portal. Immediately Harry and Daphne ran into the bank with Fawkes over their heads, thus disappearing from Dumbledore's view.
In Diagon Alley, the attack did not go unnoticed, screams of horror and surprise ringing out in the street. An attack on Gringotts? That hadn't happened in over two hundred years!
The die was cast, and now Dumbledore had no choice but to wait. Everything depended on Harry and Daphne destroying the Horcrux and returning in time so that they could fight Voldemort together. The fate of the wizarding world was now in their hands.
Blood rushing in their ears, Harry and Daphne ran through the inner silver doors with the poem warning potential thieves of dire retribution. They, however, didn't want to steal, just destroy.
Defeating the goblin guards at the entrance had been easy; a few quick stunners had struck them down. As they ran into the bank's vast marble hall, they were greeted by the surprised looks of goblins on high stools preparing to serve the first customers of the day.
But just then a high-pitched siren sounded, and a metal grille snapped down behind them, blocking their way back. Fawkes screamed angrily overhead as Harry and Daphne raised their wands to fight.
Amelia Bones suppressed a yawn as she glanced at the documents on the desk in front of her. Maybe sleeping more than four hours would've helped, but there had still been so much to do last night. Even now, her duties as minister demanded her full attention; she owed that to the people. They relied on her to protect them and to do everything in her power to end this war as soon as possible. Still, before her tired eyes, the numbers of the new equipment order for the Aurors blurred, her eyelids drooping. A little nap would surely –
Suddenly the door to her office was thrown open, making Amelia jerk up and see her new assistant, Percy Weasley, panting on the threshold.
"Madam," he shouted, "Gringotts is under attack."
Gringotts?!
GRINGOTTS?!
"Who?" she called, hurrying up from her chair. "Who is attacking?"
"We don't know yet, madam. The message just came in. Mr. Scrimgeour left immediately with his Aurors."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Amelia called, storming past the guards in front of her office door. "Come on! We have to go there!"
Ron groaned as he looked at Hermione's notes in a last-ditch attempt to prepare for today's History of Magic OWL. How the hell should he know what the goblin Brigold the Bloodthirsty had yelled during the Gamarhak Uprising in 1357?
"Diiiiieeeee!" one goblin screamed as he ran towards Harry and Daphne, swinging a huge axe over his head, but Harry quickly pointed his wand at him and thick ropes shot out of the tip, tying the goblin to the nearest pillar.
The next moment several doors to the hall opened. Goblins poured in from everywhere, armed with glittering daggers, axes, and clubs, screaming loud battle cries, but Harry and Daphne didn't hesitate for a second. Together they screamed in Parseltongue and thrust their wands on the stone floor. A tremendous shock wave formed, catching the goblins and hurling them against the walls and pillars. Blood splattered as the goblins were killed and mutilated by their own weapons, but some of them were already getting to their feet again.
"We don't want to kill anyone!" Harry shouted as loudly as he could. "Flee!"
Daphne tugged on his hand. "Harry! We must hurry!"
Hand in hand they ran to one of the doors on the right, hoping that Dumbledore's directions were correct. Thick crossbow bolts shot through the air but were repelled by the streaks of red fog around them, while a thunderous rumble sounded as if an entire army was approaching.
Harry cast a Blasting Curse on the dark wooden door in front of them, which then shattered into thousands and thousands of pieces. As fast as they could they ran through the broken door into a rough stone passageway which was lit with flaming torches. They kept running until they reached a dark track leading into a tunnel.
"Stop them," Harry yelled as he pulled out his newly acquired, shrunken Firebolt from a small pouch in front of his chest, its stick polished by Dobby and Kreacher.
With a quick flick of his wand, Harry enlarged the broom back to its original size, while Daphne conjured several heavy boulders to block the passage.
Then Harry sat on the broom, taking Daphne's hand. "Hold on to me."
As soon as Daphne sat on the broomstick behind him and wrapped her arms around his torso, he pushed them off the ground. Darkness enveloped them, only lit by Fawkes' flaming glow in front of them as they flew into the labyrinth of tunnels and caves, behind them the screams of furious goblins.
Panicked screams rang out from everywhere, drowned out only by the siren from Gringotts, as Arthur and Molly stood in Diagon Alley. The shopkeepers hurriedly bolted their doors, while the remaining people on the street quickly ran away. Only the two of them remained motionless, watching for any suspicious movement.
Suddenly loud bangs were heard, and several figures appeared on the street. Immediately, Arthur and Molly raised their wands before recognizing the newcomers' red cloaks. Aurors!
"You there!" one of the Aurors, a freckled young man, called to them. "Go away! We lock down Diagon Alley!"
Arthur and Molly nodded quickly, pretending to obey the instruction when clouds darkened the blue sky. Suddenly a deathly cold enveloped the street, Arthur's breath freezing instantly.
"Dementors!" yelled the young Auror. "Dementors att–"
He couldn't finish his warning. All of a sudden there were more loud bangs from everywhere and Death Eaters in their hooded robes appeared in Diagon Alley, not hesitating for a second. Spells shot through the air, and one hit the young Auror in the head, causing it to explode. Blood and cerebral matter splattered in all directions.
Arthur instinctively pulled his wife to the ground, just in time, before several curses missed them by a hair's breadth. And then chaos broke out around them as the Aurors and Death Eaters started fighting.
"Molly," shouted Arthur, trying to drown out the noise of the fight. Nearby a building seemed to collapse. "Stay with me! Whatever happens, we stay together!"
With that they jumped, rushing into the battle.
Helplessly, Dumbledore had to watch as Death Eaters appeared everywhere, attacking the Aurors and his order members, while the dark figures of Dementors shot down from the sky. By now the air had become so cold that ice crystals formed on his glasses. Every ounce of his being was screaming at him to join, to help his friends and all the other poor souls, but he remained motionless. He could not reveal his presence.
Suddenly there was a horrific explosion when one of the buildings behind Dumbledore collapsed, but he barely noticed it. For just at that moment another figure appeared on the steps of Gringotts – tall, thin, and black-hooded, unnatural white hands sticking out of the sleeves. It was Voldemort.
The time had come.
When Amelia and her companions appeared in Diagon Alley, she felt like she had landed in an apocalyptic hell. There were screams all around her, the air was full of ashes and smoke so thick that one couldn't see more than ten paces ahead, and behind her, the Leaky Cauldron seemed to be in ruins.
Suddenly, a red flash lit the darkness, hitting her assistant Percy Weasley right in the chest. As he collapsed, Amelia threw herself reflexively on the ground, thoughts whirling in her head. It had been just a stunner. If Death Eaters attacked Diagon Alley, they wouldn't use stunners, which would mean –
"It's me!" Amelia yelled as loudly as she could. "Amelia Bones! Don't fire! I repeat, don't fire! I'm Amelia Bones!"
"Stop!" a male voice shouted. "Don't fire!"
Shortly afterwards Rufus Scrimgeour came running towards her through the dark smoke, his wand in his hand, flanked by two more Aurors, who were carefully eyeing their surroundings.
"I'm sorry, Amelia," Rufus said as he helped her get up. "You can't see anything in this damn smoke."
Amelia raised her hand. "Enough. How is the situation?"
Rufus straightened his back. "We are engaged in combat with an unknown number of Death Eaters and Dementors," he said. "Dumbledore's Order is fighting them as well. We have no information on our own or civilian casualties, but corpses are everywhere. We were able to drive the Death Eaters out of this area, but the fighting increases the closer we get to Gringotts. The trigger for all of this was a couple of unknown wizards forcibly entering Gringotts. That is all we know as of now. Your orders, madam?"
Amelia nodded approvingly to her subordinate. They were in a shitty situation, but Rufus had made the best of it. "Well done," she said. "Now come with me. We have to find out what's going on at Gringotts."
But then a loud scream rang out, and the air around Amelia became freezing cold.
Stone walls rushed past them as they flew like the clappers ever deeper into the earth. Again and again Harry had to take sharp turns, using all his skills not to crash into the walls. It was quite a bit of fun for him if he ignored their circumstances. Daphne, however, clutched his body, jaw clenched to keep her from screaming in panic.
After a particularly daring left turn, the tunnel suddenly went up again. Fawkes let out a scream just before Harry saw a bright orange light at the end of the tunnel, accompanied by a horrible rumble, as if an avalanche was rolling towards them. And sure enough, Harry realized that it wasn't light that was moving towards them, but glowing lava. And they could neither divert nor flee.
Instinctively, Harry leaned forward on the broom, making himself as small as possible while making low hissing noises. At his words the red streaks of fog closed around them like a cocoon. Harry couldn't see anything anymore and he just hoped the tunnel kept going straight forward.
And then the lava hit their protective cocoon with tremendous force, hurling it around like a ship in a stormy sea. Harry bit his tongue and tasted blood as a horrendous heat reached them from outside the cocoon, making him feel as if he were in an oven, his body covered in sweat. After a few seconds the rumble suddenly subsided and the heat disappeared, replaced by a pleasant coolness.
Only then did Harry notice that he had been holding his breath the entire time. He let out a sigh of relief as he dispersed the magical cocoon, realizing they were in a huge cave, the ceiling of which was entirely covered with glowing green crystals, reflecting into a lake deep below them. Fawkes appeared next to them, having survived the blazing inferno of the lava unscathed.
Panicked, the Dark Lord ran into the vast marble hall of Gringotts, its walls painted with goblin blood. The last remaining goblins backed away in fear as soon as they saw him, but the Dark Lord hardly noticed any of this, his scarlet eyes were only looking for the Potters.
Where were they? Where did they go, damn it?!
He couldn't let them find his Horcrux! He had to stop them and –
"Hello, Tom."
The Dark Lord spun around.
Dressed in a red and gold robe, his long white beard gently waving in the breeze ... Dumbledore stood in the center of the hall, his wand raised, ready to fight. A new wand, for the Dark Lord held his old one in his hand, vibrating with a mysterious power and the desire to shed the blood of its enemies.
"I'm sorry it had to come to this," said Dumbledore calmly, "but today your reign of terror will come to an end, Tom."
"Wrong, you fool," hissed the Dark Lord, full of hatred. "My reign has only just begun."
With that, the Dark Lord fired a jet of green lightning at Dumbledore, who conjured a flock of yellow birds out of nowhere. One of the birds was hit by the curse and fell dead to the ground, while the rest pounced on the Dark Lord, their claws and beaks sharp as razor blades. The Dark Lord made a jerky movement with his wand and the birds, which would have rapidly torn his flesh, dissolved into dark clouds of smoke.
"Today you can't run away like a coward," said Dumbledore. "Today you will die, Tom."
The Dark Lord cried out in anger, and acid green flames erupted from his wand, enveloping Dumbledore and the entire hall in an inferno of death.
"Rufus!" Amelia yelled as her silvery shield fended off a Dementor. "Help me!"
Nobody answered.
Fearful, Amelia turned her head slightly, looking at the place where Rufus had just stood and fought. But now he lay motionless on the floor while a Dementor sucked a white glowing thread from his mouth.
"No!" Amelia screamed, but there was nothing to be done. Rufus, her colleague for many, many years ... her friend ... had been kissed, a fate far more terrible than death. Tears welled up in her eyes, the silver shield in front of her beginning to fade.
She had failed…
Suddenly a bright flash lit up the darkness and a silver weasel attacked the Dementor in front of her, jumping straight into its face, scratching wildly with its claws. The Dementor let out a horrific screech that made Amelia's blood run cold before shooting off into the air.
With a pounding heart, Amelia looked around for her savior, but she couldn't see anyone. Diagon Alley was still bathed in smoke and ashes, only lit by erratic curses.
"Aurors to me!" Amelia yelled. "To me!"
They would win this damn battle! Rufus' death would not be in vain!
They were deeper into Gringotts now than ever before; taking a hairpin bend, Harry suddenly saw a waterfall thundering down onto the track, just a few seconds away.
"Fire!" shouted Daphne. "Use fire!"
Harry quickly pointed his wand at the mass of water, hissing something in Parseltongue. A huge jet of fire broke out from the tip and hit the water, which then evaporated with a loud whistle. He just felt Daphne cast a protection spell on both of them as they shot through the hot steam. Behind them, Fawkes let out an angry cry.
Then they turned another corner and saw something Harry would not have expected so deep underground. A gigantic dragon was chained to the ground in front of them, barring access to the four deepest vaults of Gringotts. The beast's scales had turned unhealthy pale and flaky, its eyes were milky pink, but in them a terrible hatred sparkled as he turned his ugly head towards them. It roared with a noise that made the rock tremble and opened his mouth, spitting fire on them.
Just in time, Harry yanked the broom up before the burst of fire burned the air where they'd just been. Another roar followed and again flames shot towards them. Harry made an abrupt turn and the dragon's flames missed them by a hair's breadth. Daphne screamed.
Harry looked around. The cave was far too small to simply fly past the dragon. And they lacked the space for more evasive maneuvers. They had to kill it!
The dragon opened its jaws for another burst, but just then a fiery bolt shot past them, straight for one of the dragon's eyes. Fawkes' golden beak struck the eye socket, and a sudden shower of dark blood spattered the ground, while the dragon roared in agony.
Exactly the distraction Harry needed. He jerked his wand up, pointing it at the pain-stricken dragon, and opened his mouth. Melodious, hideous hissing noises rang out as Harry felt the spell tug at his and Daphne's souls. And then a dark, impenetrable fog lay around the dragon that desperately trashed its tail, causing the stone walls to tremble. A horrid stench and excruciating screams of pain filled the air as the dragon rotted alive, reminding Harry of the first task of the Tournament.
Then Daphne's voice tore him back to reality. "The dragon is dead," she called to him, and sure enough, nothing was left of the beast but a few bones. "Now we have to destroy the vaults – I'll do it!"
Harry sent her an approving thought just before she shouted, "Puranaeros Stugaeto!" All of a sudden, Harry felt their bond tremble with magical power, while Daphne's body behind him grew noticeably warmer. She screamed in pain, before suddenly a tremendous stream of fire broke out of her wand, straight towards the iron gates of the vaults, accompanied by a thunderous rumble.
As if in slow motion, Harry watched as the stream of fire, consisting of innumerable shades of color, fanned out and flaming figures erupted – gigantic birds, snakes and dragons, their mouths full of fangs. The denizens of hell hissed and roared as if wishing to destroy the whole world. Hideous but terrifyingly beautiful.
And then the Fiendfyre hit the iron gates, which melted within seconds. Ravenous, the infernal creatures invaded the vaults, devouring everything they came across. And then they heard a sudden, long, blood-curdling cry. The Horcrux was destroyed.
"Daph!" Harry shouted in his mind as he made an abrupt U-turn, the heat in the cave becoming more and more unbearable and the rock above them beginning to crunch. "You must stop the fire! Or we both die!" And with them all the goblins in Gringotts and the people in Diagon Alley. They couldn't let that happen!
"I will," Daphne called to him. "You taught me. You showed it to me. Love is stronger than hate! Oh, Harry, I love you!"
Harry felt tears of joy come to him. "And I love you! I love you! I love you!"
Again their bond trembled, but this time a sign of their eternal covenant, their promise – and their dream. Images flashed before Harry's mind. A vast sea. Falling stars in the sky. Him. Laughing, with a small, black-haired girl on his shoulders. Their family.
It was beautiful.
And then Daphne hugged him tightly as they flew back into the tunnel, panting hard. But the flames behind them were gone, as well as the searing heat, a cloud of ash and smoke settling over the field of their triumph.
They did it! The last Horcrux was destroyed!
If the rest of their plan worked, Dumbledore was fighting Voldemort at that very moment. They had to help him ... and defeat Voldemort once and for all!
Dumbledore was almost thrown backwards when the green flames hit his hastily created shield. With all his might he braced himself against the firestorm that burned everything around him to ashes. The smell of burnt flesh reached his nostrils, and he could feel the horrific heat painfully on his skin.
Suddenly there was a loud crack and his half-moon-shaped glasses burst into pieces. If he hadn't closed his eyes immediately, they would have been pierced by the broken glass, but even so he cried out in pain as the splinters hit him in the face.
The shield around Dumbledore trembled. He had no strength left to hold it up much longer. In a moment it would all be over…
An image formed in his head, an image of a little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes who was laughing happily. Ariana, his sister. And behind her, he recognized the smiling faces of his parents ... soon he would see them again.
A tear ran down his cheek ... he was ready, he just wished he could have done more...
But then the heat suddenly disappeared and the green flames around him vanished. Trembling, Dumbledore opened his eyes to see the ruined hall ... and the panting figure of Voldemort, his scarlet eyes wide in surprise, as if he could not believe Dumbledore had survived the flames.
If only he knew how close to victory he had been. As long as Voldemort had the Elder Wand, he had no chance against him. He had to provoke him further so that he would behave carelessly, as he had done in his fight against Gellert.
"Pathetic, Tom," said Dumbledore in as calm a voice as possible. "And you wanted to become a teacher at my school?"
Voldemort screamed – making the ceiling and walls tremble, rocks falling and shattering on the stone floor, shrouding the entire hall in a cloud of rubble.
Dumbledore coughed violently when suddenly a green flash shot through the cloud.
He couldn't react in time.
Amelia gave a scream of triumph as the last of the Death Eaters and Dementors fled. However, her joy was only short-lived. Diagon Alley was in ruins, no building left undamaged. And everywhere lay the corpses of the fallen, surrounded by blood and the laments of the injured.
Was that what a victory looked like?
Dazed, Amelia shook her head before a jolt went through her body. They still had no idea what was happening in Gringotts!
"Shacklebolt, Tonks," she called the nearest two Aurors. "With me!"
Together they ran to Gringotts, but just before they reached the magnificent building, it suddenly began to shake. There was a rumbling thunder when the marble cracked and heavy chunks of stone broke out of the façade, blocking the entrance gates. What the hell was going on in there?
"Clear the entrance," Amelia ordered loudly, already pointing her wand at the nearest rock to lift it.
"If I were you, I would refrain from doing that, Minister," a sudden voice came from behind them.
Amelia spun around and recognized Arthur Weasley with his wife, also marked by the battle behind them. Both their faces were covered in dirt and blood, the woman seemed to be limping and leaned heavily on her husband's arm.
"What do you mean, Weasley?" Amelia called. "Do you know what's going on in there?!"
Weasley nodded. "I do," he said. "And believe me – this fight is not for mere mortals like us."
Just before the Killing Curse reached Dumbledore, a bolt of fiery lightning suddenly cut the air – Fawkes! With a loud cry, the phoenix intercepted the curse and fell to the ground, small, wrinkled, and unable to fly.
"Your pet won't be able to save you again, Dumbledore," came Voldemort's cold voice.
"But we can."
Both Dumbledore and Voldemort turned around when they heard the two voices. And in the dark entrance of the underground labyrinth, Harry and Daphne stood with raised wands, their faces grim and determined. With their black battle armor and the demonic fog streaks around them, they looked like otherworldly beings, a sense of power radiating from them as though they were giving off a burning heat.
"Your time is up, father," said Daphne. "I almost feel sorry for you, dying never loved and loving."
"But only almost," Harry added.
Voldemort's body trembled with fury. "How dare –"
But Harry and Daphne did not let him speak. With one voice, they began to utter terrible hissing noises, before the black streaks of fog suddenly shot forward like tentacles, straight at Voldemort, who was forced to conjure a shining silver shield on which the fog bounced off with a deep, gonglike note. At the same time, however, he was pushed back several meters.
Resolutely, Dumbledore raised his wand, despite his aching body, to attack Voldemort again.
They didn't have to communicate with each other. As if they were two arms of a single being, Daphne blocked Voldemort's counterattack by using one of the rocks lying around as a shield against his Killing Curse, while Harry struck again with their streaks of fog, but they again ricocheted off Voldemort's silver shield. The gonglike note had become quieter though. Then another flash of green light flew from behind the silver shield, but it missed them by several meters.
Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw three huge spears of ice appear in front of Dumbledore's wand before they flew quickly towards Voldemort, who made a long, fluid movement with his wand – and the ice spears changed direction, now rushing at Harry and Daphne. Their red fog arms dashed forward, grasping the ice spears, which then vanished in a wisp of dark smoke. But behind the ice spears, a green Killing Curse suddenly flew towards them, piercing the smoke and red fog; instinctively, Harry and Daphne parted, jumping in opposite directions before the green flash cut the air where they had just been standing.
Harry quickly jumped up again and saw Dumbledore brandish his wand like a whip. Then a long bronze rope broke out of the tip and flew towards Voldemort, who suddenly pulled out another wand, pointing at the rope, which then bounced off an invisible shield and was thrown back. Dumbledore had to jump sideways to avoid being hit by his own spell.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Harry and Daphne let out a hissing, hateful scream, causing their streaks of black fog to merge into a single stream that shot towards Voldemort, grabbing his right leg beneath his silver shield. Voldemort cried out in pain and stabbed the stream with his other wand, causing it to shatter into thousands of fragments as if it were made of glass. The pieces flew away aimlessly; Harry and Daphne threw themselves to the ground to avoid being hit – the fragments missing them by a hair's breadth.
Voldemort had destroyed the fog, but Harry saw that it had not been without effect. Voldemort's struck leg was completely frozen as if he could not move it anymore. That was their chance!
At the same time Harry and Daphne jumped up again, raising their wands to attack.
The Dark Lord felt something he hadn't felt in a long, long time – fear, an abysmal, existential fear.
He might die.
This sudden realization pierced the Dark Lord's mind like an icy dagger.
His right leg, where the damn fog had touched him, hung down dead. His Horcruxes may have been destroyed. The children in front of him were already getting ready for the next attack and out of the corner of his eye he could see Dumbledore getting up again as well.
And the enchantments in Gringotts were still intact. He could not escape.
A violent tremor gripped the Dark Lord's body. No, he couldn't die ... anything, just not death! He was the greatest wizard of all time...
Yes, he was the greatest wizard of all time! He was more powerful than Potter and his damned daughter, more powerful than Dumbledore and any other wizard who had ever lived and would live!
He had delved deeper into the secrets of magic than any wizard before! He had subjected every magic in this world worthy of subjecting – he would also subject the powerful magic the two children had used against him. He would crush them; them and everyone else who had ever dared to resist him.
He was Lord Voldemort!
The Dark Lord opened his mouth and began to utter those words in the most sacred of languages that the two Potters had just used against him. Suddenly his body began to tremble as he felt the power of magic inside him, a wonderful, comforting warmth flowing from his heart through his arm to his wand.
The Dark Lord cried out in triumph, pointing his wand at his enemies – before he was suddenly gripped by excruciating pain as if his body were torn apart, as if his blood was boiling and his heart turned inside out.
The soul piece in him stretched – and tore.
Stunned, Harry watched as Voldemort screamed in pain as if he were already burning in hell before suddenly collapsing on the floor. Blood began to come out of his snake-like slits, at first only a few drops, but finally in a long trickle before blood also poured out of his eye sockets, ears, and mouth.
Voldemort's body spasmed, his two wands rolling across the floor – and with abject fear in his eyes, he drew his last breath. He was dead.
Dead.
Harry felt paralyzed, but there was no doubt about it. The light in Voldemort's eyes had vanished. Lord Voldemort, his parents' murderer, the scourge of his life, was no longer among the living.
Voldemort was dead!
Harry wanted to cheer, shout with glee, jump for joy, but he just felt tired as if a great weight had been lifted off his chest.
"Harry," an overjoyed voice tore him back to reality.
Slowly Harry turned his head – and froze. Next to him was Daphne, who had torn the blindfold off her head. And her white eyes, which had been dead for nine months, were filled with a blue sheen that spread further and further until Harry could finally see his reflection laughing at him with delight. Daphne had her eyesight back!
This time Harry could not suppress his joy. In one jump he was at Daphne's side to hug her, feeling her warmth under his fingers, smelling her bewitching scent in his nose, and sensing her overwhelming bliss in his mind.
"Harry, we did it! We did it! We won!"
Harry felt his eyes welling with hot tears. "Yes, we have!" he said, hugging Daphne even closer. "We have! And you can see again! Daph, I'm so happy!"
Daphne, however, pushed him away, only to quickly take his face in her hands, kissing him passionately on the lips. At that moment they didn't need words to express their love for one another, their bound souls exploding in a firework of emotions. Again and again they had been pushed around and humiliated by the world, but in the end they had the last laugh. They had won.
Suddenly there was a soft croak and a happy laugh next to them. "Congratulations, both of you," said Dumbledore, and although Harry did not see him, he could imagine his twinkling eyes easily enough.
With one last tender bite on his lip, Daphne finally pulled away from Harry, her face beaming with a joy that made Harry's heart sing. How much he wished to see that look on her face for the rest of his life – and for the first time in forever, that dream seemed within their grasp.
Hand in hand, Harry and Daphne turned to Dumbledore, whose face was littered with scratches but who was still smiling broadly. And indeed, his eyes sparkled as usual, even if he had lost his half-moon glasses. In his arms, Dumbledore was carrying Fawkes, who still looked small and withered, but his ancient, golden eyes were fixed on Harry and Daphne.
"Congratulations on your victory over Voldemort," said Dumbledore. "And congratulations on your regained sight, Daphne."
"Thank you, Professor," Harry and Daphne said at the same time. They exchanged a look before starting to laugh.
"Let's have a look at my dear father then," Daphne finally said with a smile, urging Harry towards Voldemort's corpse. "It was very stupid and arrogant of him, trying to use demonic magic with only a fraction of a human soul. But his arrogance brought us victory."
"How do you feel about it?" Harry asked, even though he could already feel the answer in Daphne's mind.
Daphne just shook her head. "He was never a part of me. I have overcome my origins … I hope."
"Yes, we lead our own lives," Harry said determinedly, gently squeezing his wife and soulmate's hand. "We're free."
Then Harry saw something on the floor and quickly dropped to his knees. As his hand closed around the wand that Voldemort had dropped, he felt a sharp pain in his fingers, but in a split second it was gone again.
"Your wand, Professor," Harry said as he rose from the floor, handing Dumbledore the wand that many believed to be the legendary Elder Wand.
Dumbledore looked at Harry with a curious gaze before slowly shaking his head. "Thank you, Harry," he said, "but this wand hasn't been mine since Voldemort took it from me at the Ministry. It appears to me that now that you have defeated Voldemort, it serves you. So what are you going to do with the Elder Wand?"
Harry and Daphne exchanged a look before shrugging at the same time, both thinking of Valeydis' teachings about power. The wand could make them stronger, no doubt, but not truly powerful. True power came from oneself; everything else was not power but dependence. And they didn't want to be dependent, they wanted to be free.
Thus, Harry broke the wand.
Suddenly the world began to spin around Harry and Daphne. Their bodies were gripped by a horrible heat, everything turning blank before their eyes ... and the last thing Harry felt before losing consciousness was Daphne's clenched hand in his and small, sharp claws in his shoulder, along with the smell of fire and smoke.
Darkness. Abysmal, impenetrable darkness. That was what Harry saw. No light, no colors, no sounds or smells. He was surrounded by nothing but an endless void, wrapped in blackness. And yet Harry was not alone. He felt a comforting warmth inside ... the certainty of being loved ... a shared soul.
"Daphne!" he yelled as loudly as he could – and indeed, his scream echoed through the darkness. Wherever he was, it was not nothing. "Daphne! Daphne! Where are you?"
As if from far away, a voice came up to him, at first quiet, but getting louder and louder, then a pull on his soul, as if drawn to the land shortly before drowning ... and then Daphne appeared before him, still clad in her black battle armor, but her gaze was filled with terrible fear.
"Harry!" she shouted, running towards him, the same moment Harry was running towards her.
Relieved, his arms came around Daphne, hugging her close. He could even feel her wild heartbeat. "Are you okay?" he asked her quickly. "Are you hurt? Are you –"
"I'm fine," Daphne said quickly. "What about you?"
"Same."
For a moment the two just stared at each other, looking into their worried faces, not understanding what was going on. What had happened? Where were they?
"You're probably wondering where you are," came suddenly another voice; a voice Harry had heard earlier, in Fawkes' memories and the Black Library last Christmas.
Harry and Daphne looked at where the voice had come from… and shortly afterwards the figure of Valeydor appeared, this time not shimmering, but firm and clear, as if he were alive. Smiling, he stepped up to them, clad in the same loose green robe in which he had died.
"Harry and Daphne Potter, I bow to you," he said, lowering his head slightly. "You have achieved something that no one has ever achieved before. You passed the Great Trial."
A storm of confusion swept over Harry – and he could feel that Daphne felt the same way. Great Trial? What trial? What did he mean?
"Valeydor," he said hesitantly. He had never spoken to the late wizard before. "What do you mean by that? And where are we? What –"
"So many questions, Harry, so many questions," Valeydor said, his hand raised to stop Harry's flow of questions. "I'll try to answer them one by one. The Great Trial ... I think you've read about it, and my wife mentioned it too. The Great Trial that Death once put on his Children, and which they did not pass, for which he condemned them forever. The Children hadn't been able to resist the temptation of the Insignia, the temptation to be the master of life and death, to rule instead of serve. After that, the Insignia were lost. Partly they have been forgotten, partly their legacy has given rise to new legends, such as that of the Deathly Hallows."
Harry and Daphne exchanged a look. The Hallows were the Insignia of Trial?!
"But you, Harry and Daphne," continued Valeydor, "you have resisted their temptation. At different times you held the power of all three Insignia in your hands – and decided against them. Harry, you were ready to sacrifice your cloak to the flames to save Daphne. Daphne, you have not been tempted to use the stone for yourself, for your happiness, or to increase your power. The only time you used the stone to bring souls back from death – my soul and that of my daughter – you didn't do it for yourself. And just now you broke the wand, the last remnant of the third Insignia, the Spear of Triumph. Because your souls are bound, you are seen as one being by the magic of the Insignia. And this being of Harry and Daphne Potter has shown more strength in the eyes of the Insignia than the ancient demons. And it recognized you as worthy."
"But," Daphne stammered, confused. "But Valeydis said the Insignia didn't exist, that it was just a stupid legend."
"Well, I lied."
Harry and Daphne spun around, seeing Valeydis walking towards them, a mocking smile on her lips, her blood-red eyes sparkling in the darkness.
"I had to lie to you for my plan to stand a chance," Valeydis said. "You weren't allowed to know that there was a trial, otherwise you wouldn't have been able to choose freely. You had to decide against the Insignia without compulsion, as my beloved husband has already told you."
With that she went to Valeydor, kissing him gently on the mouth. "I missed you, my darling."
"I missed you too," Valeydor said, returning the kiss.
Harry and Daphne exchanged a look. One thing was still unclear to them.
"But what happens now?" Harry asked carefully. "What follows the passing of this trial?"
Valeydor turned to them with a smile. "Now you'll have – an audience with Death."
Though the last words came from Valeydor's mouth, they were not spoken by him, nor by his voice, but by a voice that was much colder and more terrible than anything Harry had ever heard before. Valeydis instantly jumped away from Valeydor's body, while Harry felt the presence of a dark and ancient power.
Death had appeared.
Harry caught his breath. His heart felt like it was slowly being crushed by an icy fist. And Daphne's fingernails clawed into his palm.
"I've watched this fuss long enough," continued the cold voice of Death from Valeydor's mouth. "Your delirium of joy, your hugs and kisses. What do you think will happen now?"
"Father, I –" said Valeydis in a desperate tone, but was immediately interrupted by Death.
"Silence, traitor. You are not worth listening to. I am talking to the two humans who look at me filled with fear. What? Did you think you would pass this mysterious trial and then I would have to grant your every wish? That you might even become the Master of Death? I am Death and Life. I was the beginning and I will be the end. Before me you are nothing ... This trial only meant that you have my attention for a moment. So what are you now hoping for, Harry and Daphne Potter? But choose your words wisely. I give and I take as I please."
Harry looked at Daphne, into her regained, beautiful blue eyes that were likewise looking at him. And at the same moment they looked at Valeydis, who stood with her head bowed in the darkness, before they looked at each other again, coming to the same conclusion.
Less than five years ago no one would have bet one thin knut on them, and yet in the end they had the last laugh. Despite all the adversity and hatred of the entire world, it was them who had triumphed over Voldemort. And them, children of pain and despair, had managed to find love – and so much more. They had already worked so many miracles, maybe they could do one more here and now.
Hand in hand, Harry and Daphne turned back to Valeydor, whose face looked at them without any emotion.
"Death," said Harry, "there … there are many things we don't know. We don't know what happened back then between you and your children. We can only guess how much their betrayal hurt you, what grudge you must nurse against Valeydis, but ... we want to beg for her soul. The Valeydis we met is not a monster who seeks domination over others, not a callous beast, not a demon. The Valeydis we met is a simple woman who loves her husband and daughter. Can't you allow her to see them again, that her soul won't vanish? She has shown so much humility when she has bound her soul to that of a human, knowing full well what it would cost her. And she only did it out of love! Please, Death, please! We beg you!"
Daphne tenderly squeezed his hand, while Valeydor's cold eyes slid over Valeydis, who was keeping her head bowed. "Yes, I have to admit that I didn't expect that..." said Death. "But the original sin remains. She may have sacrificed something, but is she worth the sacrifice of others?" He turned his gaze back to them. Harry shuddered. "You too ... it is easy for you to ask for her salvation, for you have nothing to lose. So what are you willing to give me to make your wish come true? What sacrifice is the traitor's soul worth to you?"
"What … what do you want from us?" Daphne asked hesitantly.
"So they don't offer it on their own," said Death quietly. "But maybe the value only results from the choice…" Valeydor shook his head briefly before looking back at Harry and Daphne without any warmth.
"I demand what is most dear to you," said Death. "I demand the other one, I demand your life together, your love, your dream of a happy and free life. Are you ready to give up on all of this? Your own togetherness in life so that she" – he pointed to Valeydis – "can be together with her husband and daughter in death? To bring their souls together, your two souls must be separated. Are you ready for that?"
Daphne's hand cramped in his as Harry felt as if he had been submerged in a basin of icy water. With a trembling voice and a terrible premonition, he asked, "W-What would happen to us then?"
"Your bond would be broken," Death replied calmly, not caring about their pain. "If you decide against it, I will let you return to life as if none of this had ever happened. You will be able to be together forever, your souls will be eternally connected, even in death, because you are both humans. But Valeydis will be separated from her husband and child forever, for I will destroy the Insignia and never be interested in this matter again."
At his words, Valeydis sank down on the black surface, her arms wrapped around her torso, but Death ignored her.
"However, if you chose to sacrifice everything for her, your souls would be separated. You would die here and now, but I would not take your souls to the other side. Instead, you would be reborn. And maybe, if your love was strong enough, you would find each other in your next life and fall in love again. Or maybe you will never see each other again."
As if in a trance, Harry turned his head to Daphne. Tears ran down her face. The sight broke his heart.
"Daphne," he said, just to say something. "Daph –"
"Oh, Harry!" Daphne cried, throwing her arms around him, her body shaking violently. "I love you! I love you so much! More than anything else in the world! More than my own life! Just … just the idea of being apart from you hurts." She sobbed. "Then … then how must Valeydis feel? She has been separated from them for a thousand years…"
More and more tears welled out of Daphne's eyes, wetting Harry's skin. He didn't know what to say, felt so powerless...
"She did so much for us," Daphne sobbed in tears. "W-Without her we would have died long ago. Without her we couldn't have been together for so long ... couldn't have made so many wonderful memories, bound our souls, got married. Oh, Harry! Our dream, it was so, so beautiful, but…" Another heavy sob. "But it's her only chance! H-How can we deny her that? B-But ... I don't want to be separated from you..."
Daphne was crying so hard now that she was having trouble breathing. She panted and gasped for air.
"Daphne," Harry told her, soothingly stroking her back. "Breathe. Take a deep breath. Yes, like that. Breathe, Daph, breathe…"
Slowly Daphne's breathing calmed down again, but she was still shaking, crying in Harry's embrace as he kept stroking her body, her back, her arms, her hair ... her gorgeous, soft hair. How much he loved playing with her strands between his fingers ... how much he loved just looking at her, kissing her, laughing with her...
The time passed with them just holding each other in their arms, even if Harry had long since lost track of time. Time was not important, just the feeling of the person in his arms whom he loved with all his heart, for whom he wished so badly to be a cruel monster, without any compassion...
"Me too," Daphne whispered as she slowly released herself from his arms, traces of dried tears on her face. "I wish so much to be selfish, but..."
"But you're not," Harry finished her sentence. "No more. We've come a long way, haven't we, my love?"
Daphne said nothing, just looking at him with her bright blue eyes. Words were no longer necessary, here at the end of their journey.
They had made their decision.
They wouldn't be monsters ... and trust their love.
"Daphne," Harry said, putting his hand on her cheek. "You're part of me. And I'm part of you. I'll never let you go again, whether in this life or another. As long as we have souls, I'm sure I will find you again. I love you, my Daphne."
Daphne now put her hand on his cheek as well, and he saw his own green eyes shimmering in her blue irides. "Yes … we'll find each other and pick up where we left off. I feel the same, my Harry. I love you."
At the same time, Harry and Daphne brought their lips together for a final, loving kiss.
With a quick wave of his hand, Death froze the bodies of both humans.
He couldn't believe it! The two of them had refused the Insignia and clearly committed themselves to life, their life – and yet they were ready to sacrifice it, their happiness to save his treacherous child? One of his children, who had disappointed him so much, was worth such a sacrifice?
His gaze slid to that very child ... Valeydis, as she called herself now. She sat huddled on the dark ground and cried. More and more tears ran down her cheeks, leaving shiny traces. She cried and cried and cried. But why was she crying? Shouldn't she be happy? She would get what she wanted after all.
"Child, why are you crying?" he asked her.
"Because I understand now, Father," she replied tearfully. "I now understand what love is. I understand its power. They … they are ready to sacrifice everything, everything they ever hoped for ... because they trust their love! Because they trust that they will find each other again. But ... but what if they're wrong?! Th-Then they would have lost everything. For me! I … I don't deserve this sacrifice, but… but I'm selfish enough to take it." She sobbed. "Love ... it is so beautiful, but ... but also so, so painful..."
"You sound like a human," Death hissed disparagingly.
"I love a human, Father..."
Now Death did something that he had not done for many millennia: he sighed. And after one last look at the weeping Valeydis, he turned back to the two humans. It was time to end this.
Daphne's lips were so soft, Harry thought as they kissed. So warm and sweet.
He didn't want to lose her. He didn't want to be separated from her. He wanted to live with her, laugh with her, grow old with her.
Suddenly he tasted salt, along with a warm, wet feeling on his cheek.
Was it his tears? Or Daphne's?
Both. They had both started crying.
Suddenly Daphne broke away from their kiss, only to throw her arms around him again. "Hold me," she sobbed desperately. "Hold me, Harry. Hold me till the end."
"I will," he said with tears in his eyes. "I'll never let you go, Daphne. And I'll find you again. Even if I must travel to the end of the world, I'll remember and find you. I'll find you, Daphne. I'll find you..."
"ENOUGH," came suddenly Death's voice. "I've had enough. Look at me, humans."
Confused, Harry and Daphne broke apart, looking at Death. What did he want? Did he want to mock them even more? Hadn't he already inflicted enough pain on them…
"Do you know what you've achieved?" asked Death.
Harry and Daphne just blinked in confusion. What did he mean?
"And they don't even notice..." Death shook his head. "You surprised me! I am a being older than time ... and you two humans surprise me. What a feeling! You awaken memories in me of days long past when the world was young and every moment was a new adventure, memories of the age of music when the stars had not yet raptured…"
Death fell silent as if he were somewhere else with his thoughts, in a past that was far away even for him.
"What ... what do you mean?" Harry asked hesitantly, not daring to give in to his budding hope.
"What do I mean?!" Death hissed loudly. "You are unique, Harry and Daphne Potter, that's what I mean. Never would I have thought it possible that you would be willing to make such a sacrifice for one of my children, a demon, only in the hope that your love would be strong enough ... you passed the trial, the final trial, the trial I never planned. I will accept Valeydis' soul and reunite her with her husband and daughter ... and I will not separate you two."
Harry and Daphne froze. Would that mean –
"Yes," Death went on as the darkness began to spin around them. "I will give you what you long for the most – a chance. Use it well."
Everything faded around Harry and Daphne. The last thing they heard before they were swallowed by a glaring light was a quiet "Thank you" from three fading voices.
With a jerk Daphne regained consciousness, noticing that she was lying on some hard surface, her whole body aching. All she remembered was Harry breaking the Elder Wand and then –
"Harry!" Daphne screamed, jumping up as fast as she could.
For a moment she felt dizzy, everything turning around her in a vortex of colors and light until she could finally see her surroundings. She was in the Blacks' library, exactly where the bodies of Valeydor and Valeydis had sat, but they were gone, as was Fawkes, only a faint smell of smoke in the air remained.
And next to Daphne, Harry slowly sat up, a slight smile on his face. "Hello, love," he muttered. "It looks like we've done it."
Daphne did the first thing that occurred to her at that moment – she flung her arms around his neck, causing him to fall back on the floor, laughing loudly. His laughter was so clear and bright and free from worry that Daphne couldn't help but start laughing too.
They did it! They had returned – together! Their souls had not been separated. She could still feel their bond, could feel it vibrate with their exuberant joy.
They had triumphed and won eternity.
At some point the couple finally rose from the floor, smiling happily at each other, their eyes bursting with love. Daphne still couldn't believe it, but she was more than willing to think about this miracle for the rest of her life – her life with Harry! The very thought made her smile again.
Yet for all their wishes and dreams for the future, a much more pressing question arose in their immediate present.
"And now?" asked Daphne.
... and another journey begins.
Next chapter: Minister for Magic Hermione Granger
Preview:
"Please," she said pleadingly in their direction. "Please no bad news on my first day."
"Sorry, honey," said Ron in an apologetic tone. "But it's really important. And the guys thought we're the best to tell you…"
AN:
The people who know the series "Darling in the Franxx ", from which the opening quote of this story comes, probably feared that I would choose a similar ending to the series. Well, the events in this chapter were undoubtedly inspired by it – and maybe it would have even been the more poetic ending if Harry and Daphne had actually sacrificed themselves – but I like it more this way :)
That was the grand finale, but two more chapters and a brief epilogue will follow to bring the story to a close.
