Chapter 8

- Never Die In Vain -

Teddy and Arkie met with Ron and Hermione, who was sitting beside each other, their hands knitted together and their heads pressed up against one another. Harry wasn't anywhere to be seen. So all four of them had come to the same conclusion. That he had gone to face Voldemort alone.

But suddenly, there were footsteps behind them. Harry climbed down the stairs slowly, looking grim faced, but confident- like he knew what he had to do.

"Where've you been?" Hermione jumped up onto her feet. "We thought you went to the forest."

"I'm going there now." He said, walking right past them.

Teddy followed after him quickly. "Are you mad?"

"You can't give yourself up to him." Arkie continued beside him. Harry finally came to a stop, yet Teddy knew there was nothing any of them could do to change his mind. "What is it, Harry? What is it you know?" He asked, sensing there was something he wasn't telling them. Around them, the school was silent. Everyone was still inside the Great Hall. Weeping over the dead and trying to find their friends.

Harry breathed heavily, pushing his glasses up slightly on his nose. "There's a reason I can hear them. The Horcruxes. I think I've known for a while. And I think you all have, too."

They were all silent. The thought had always been on Teddy's mind, but he had always pushed it away. But it was true. Harry was a Horcrux.

"I'm going with you."

"No." Harry shook his head, looking between them all. "Kill the snake. Kill the snake, and it's just him!" Teddy stared down at Harry. He remembered meeting him so long ago on the train to Hogwarts. One of the first people who didn't care about his lycanthropy.

Hesitantly, Teddy nodded, looking down at him with sad, green eyes. Hermione stepped towards Harry hugging him with a sob. But Harry didn't stay long, he turned around and walked out of the castle, towards the Dark Forest. They all watched him go, until he disappeared out of view. Arkie was holding Teddy's hand and he gripped it tightly, hoping it would never escape his grasp again.

Hours had passed. What had happened? Was Harry dead yet? And where was the snake? She'd be at Voldemort's side most likely. How on earth would they be able to get it.

In the corner, Remus and Tonks were talking quietly to Kingsley. Bodies still laid across the floor. Teddy sat closest to Freddie, pulling his legs toward him as if searching for some kind of invisible comfort. In his hands he held an old brown hat, the Sorting Hat.

"I really wish you were here." He spoke softly to his friends, whose eyes he had closed and made him look like he was sleeping. "You'd know how to make everyone feel better."

Suddenly, there was movement. Everyone was moving outside. Teddy looked at his parents, who looked just as confused and curious as him- only their brows were lined with worry. Teddy stood up, helping Arkie, whose ankle was still bleeding, out into the courtyard. Together they made their way to the front of the crowd.

Hundreds of Voldemort's followers were walking across the large stone bridge towards the school. Among them Teddy spotted Hagrid carrying something long in his arms, but he couldn't determine what.

"Who is that?" Ginny's voice came from the crowd. She was standing next to Neville, her long red hair disheveled and her eyes wide like saucers. "Hagrid's carrying? Neville, who is it?"

Voldemort was leading the pack of Death Eaters, his skin pale like ivory, his nose slitted like a snake and his black eyes like two giant black holes, that had sucked the life out of so many around Teddy.

How many people had he lost? He'd never truly counted. It'd been too painful.

A bright smile stained the bald man's pale face. "Harry Potter... is dead!" He laughed.

Ginny ran forward but Neville grabbed her quickly, holding her back. "No! No!"

"Silence!" Voldemort order. "Stupid girl! Harry Potter is dead! From this day forth... you'll put your faith in me." He spun around to his followers, causing his long black robes to blow out behind him. "Harry Potter is dead!"

They all laughed.

Voldemort's laugh was probably the most horrible thing Teddy had ever heard, he loathed that laugh. "And now," Voldemort grinned. "It's the time to declare yourself. Come forward and join us... or die!" There was silence. No one moved. No one said anything, until...

"Draco!" A sharp whisper came from within the crowd of Death Eaters. Lucius Malfoy was standing beside his wife and staring at his son, who looked back at him with a hateful scowl. "Draco... Draco... Come." Everyone watched as he took a step forward and slowly joined his family. As he passed Voldemort though, the man walked up to him. "Well done, Draco. Well done!"

He embraced Draco in a really uncomfortable looking hug, then allowed the boy to continue. But when Draco reached his father, he walked around him, joining his mother and the two of them walked off quietly.

Voldemort turned around once more to the mass of witches and wizards. "Anyone else?" He slurred.

All heads turned in surprise when a figure moved forward, stepping across the cracked ground. His eyes were stone-like and stance was tall. His lip was split and bleeding. Two small, old scars decorated his jaw and temple, just above his eyebrow. His hair was knotted and deserved a trim. In his hand he held his Willow wood wand loosely.

The same wand he'd received around eight years ago from Olivander's. Apparently, as he had been told by the wandmaker so many years ago, 'Those who have the furthest to travel, will go farthest with willow'. Around his neck hung a long necklace, with a small, old, chipped, wooden wolf at the end. The wolf had tilted its head up in a inaudible howl.

The Death Eaters all watched the boy step forward silently. The only one to react was Fenrir Greyback, who raised a large, furry eyebrow. From the crowd behind the boy, Remus stepped forward but Tonks grabbed his arm.

"And who might you be, young man?" Voldemort asked with a half-smile.

"Tesdon Lupin." He forced himself not to stumble over his words. His heart was hammering in his chest, but he blocked out its thumps.

Voldemort looked him up and down. The boy wasn't too bad, considering the state of the other students. He looked fit enough, but of course, he sensed weakness in his compassion. "Well, Tesdon, I'm sure we can find a place for you in our ranks."

"I have something to say." He stated loudly.

Voldemort's smile vanished slightly. "Well, Tesdon, I'm sure we'd all be fascinated to hear what you have to say."

Teddy shuffled where he stood uncomfortably. His mind searched for the right words to say. Suddenly, he heard a voice in his head. It was the old Minister's voice. 'I leave this jewelry box... in hope he is encouraged to seek the best in himself.'

He let out a steady breath, though his eyes stayed plastered to the ground. "It doesn't matter that Harry is gone." There was silence. "We've lost people... everyday." He turned around to his friends and family, but didn't meet their eyes. "We've lost Harry, Fred, Mad-Eye, Freddie... But they're still here." His hand raised to his chest. "In here. All of them."

His eyes finally lifted to meet everyone elses. "They fought for those they loved, and because of that they're never truly gone. None of them died in vain... But you will!" He spun on his heel towards the Dark Lord, pointing an angry finger. "Because you're wrong! And it's not over!"

He didn't know what made him sure it would work, but his hand dipped into the Sorting Hat in his hand, pulling out a long silver and red object. Voldemort's smile vanished completely at the sight of Godrik Gryffindor's sword.

At that very moment, Harry's body fell from Hagrid's arms and stood up.

Teddy's eyes widened and for a minute everything went quiet. Then there was shouting...