::38::

Sakura was dismayed as Kyuubi continued to stand there and both Orochimaru and Voldermort were starting to recuperate. Sakura shut her eyes as her vision started to sway. With being thrown around by explosions and her constantly thinning chakra, Sakura felt like she was going to pass out soon.

Voldermort's eyes were flashing an angry red as he finally managed to push himself up and grab his wand.

He saw the Kyuubi standing there, legs quivering slightly. After taking cover from the terrifying destruction that was taking place on the other side of the battle field, everyone was staring at the Kyuubi. Any remaining Oto ninjas finally fled the battle scene, not wanting to be killed by the Kyuubi and any remaining Death Eaters were held captive by the other wizards.

Voldermort finally pushed himself up and glared dangerously at Kyuubi when the unbelievable happened – Kyuubi fell to the floor.

There were cheers that erupted from the wizards as Sakura looked on horrified. Yamato and Kakashi exchanged unsure glances.

Voldermort smiled as he slowly approached the fallen Kyuubi. He would kill the fox and then take what was rightfully his from Orochimaru. His rein here was nowhere near done.

"Protego!"

Voldermort stopped wide eyed as he looked at the red shield that suddenly blocked him from the Kyuubi. He whipped around, looking for whoever would dare defy him when his eyes landed on Harry Potter.

"IT'S POTTER!" Everyone shouted. "HE'S ALIVE!"

Harry stood before Voldermort, having tossed away the Invisibility Cloak, weary eyed and sporting a bleeding lip from his fight with Sasuke. "Don't touch him; this fight is between you and me."

Orochimaru started to wheeze as he groveled on the ground. He coughed violently before spitting up some blood. As he wiped his mouth, he looked up to see Voldermort standing face to Harry Potter. Orochimaru scowled. If he had been sitting behind two powerful shields, he would probably be in Voldermort's place and Voldermort would be dead. And he was only in this place in the first place because he didn't have to summon a triple Rashoumon.

Regardless, Orochimaru just about knew that this body had it after he spitted up some more blood. He pulled himself up on his hands before turning to see that his legs had been blown off. He scowled before managing to reemerge whole again out of his old body.

But he was still weak and he fell to his knees. Then Orochimaru grinned. Where was Sasuke-kun?

"Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke opened his eyes to see that he was lying in a very large crater. Sasuke picked up himself up and went to rub his face with his hand when an unbelievable pain shot through his entire arm. He looked down to see that his arm was a wreck and a bloody mess. He let out an irritated growl when Orochimaru called him.

Sasuke turned to see that Orochimaru was behind him on the ground coughing up blood. Sasuke narrowed his eyes before walking over to him.

"Sasuke-kun, help me." Rasped Orochimaru reaching his arm out to him.

Suddenly, everything clicked in Sasuke's mind. Orochimaru was beyond broken...in this body. Orochimaru expected Sasuke to just hand him his body here and now.

But Sasuke had no intention of doing so. Sasuke took a step back from Orochimaru.

"You're weak." Sasuke replied in a cool tone.

Orochimatu narrowed his eyes. "What do you think you are doing?"

Sasuke turned from Orochimaru. "It may have been Kyuubi I was fighting, but lost to Naruto's technique. I no longer have anything to gain by staying with you." He turned his face to the side so he could look Orochimaru in the eye. "I've outgrown you."

Orochimaru gritted his teeth angrily, helpless to do anything.

Sasuke held his arm, so it wouldn't hit against his hip. "I'll be back later to kill you."

Then Sasuke walked off.

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke looked up to see his old sensei standing in front of him. Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Get out of my way, Kakashi."

"What do you think you have to gain by killing Itachi?" Asked Kakashi in a harsh voice. "You will throw your life away if you continue on this fruitless pursuit of revenge."

"Why would I come back to Konoha?" Asked Sasuke in an equally hard voice. "So I can end up like you?"

Kakashi blanched at his words.

"Konoha has only made you weak. Besides, haven't you done enough damage...teaching an A-rank jutsu to a missing nin?" Leered Sasuke.

Kakashi took a deep breath. "Don't you ever turn your mistakes on me! I am not some silly little boy with a vendetta. I know what mistakes I have made and it's time for you to recognize yours." Snarled Kakashi.

Sasuke kept his mouth closed as he glared at Kakashi before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

In the background, Kakashi could see Voldermort and Kabuto escaping through the trees.

Sakura felt a smile spread across her face when she heard a faint whisper over the intense silence.

"Haruno Sakura."

Sakura tore her eyes away from Harry and Voldermort and saw the Kyuubi staring at her with his red eyes. Sakura froze. "Please…"Kyuubi blinked and for a moment, Sakura thought she saw Naruto's blue eyes.

Sakura picked herself off the ground and crawled over to Kyuubi, away from the tearful Hermione and Ginny. No one noticed the pink haired ninja as she made her way to the demon fox.

"So, who will you use for a shield now Potter?" Sneered Voldermort, "Whose selfless sacrifice will you be taking?"

"No one's." Said Harry simply. "There are no more Horcruxes, it's just you and me. After this, one of us will live; the other will be gone from this world forever."

"One of us?" Asked Voldermort incredulously. "Valliant words Potter, do you think you will be the one to walk away from here. Let me remind you Dumbledore is not here to pull the strings."

Both Harry and Voldermort started to circle each other dangerously.

Sakura knelt hesitantly over Kyuubi. "Naruto?" She whispered.

Kyuubi closed its eyes and slightly smirked. "No, you incompetent girl. But if I die, then Naruto will surely die with me." Said Kyuubi in his low voice.

"What can I do?" Whispered Sakura.

"I've seen though Naruto that you are the best medic in Konoha. You are the only one with a chance at healing me. Please…" Then Kyuubi's body went limp.

"You don't learn from your mistakes do you, Riddle?" Mocked Harry.

"You dare…" Growled Voldermort.

"Yes I dare!" Shouted Harry.

Some people flinched at Harry's voice, as they were so drawn into the words Harry dare spoke to the Dark Lord.

"Because I know something that you do not." Said Harry with a grin.

"Is this some ploy," Asked Voldermort as he narrowed his eyes, "In order to keep you from your ultimate demise by my hand? Well enlighten me." Said Voldermort.

"What could you possible know that I do not? Do you think that you know more spells, more magic than me?" At this Voldermort laughed. "Even that great fool Dumbledore did not know more than me!"

"Dumbledore is a better man than you, even in death!" Shouted Harry.

"But he couldn't stop me from killing him did he?" Asked Voldermort.

Harry took a breath. "He's dead, but you didn't kill him. He chose his own way to die long before he actually did."

Voldermort stared directly at Harry. "What are you trying to say?"

Sakura had her eyes closed as she summoned the remaining amount of her chakra and felt along the Kyuubi's body. The damage done was intense, especially the arm where Kyuubi had used the Rasengan. Sakura feared that to fix everything would take much more chakra than she had, but she would not give up. She poured all her chakra out and little by little, she could see that the dried blood was disappearing and Naruto's skin was slowly recovering the area.

"I know Dumbledore was trying to keep the Elder Wand away from me!" Yelled Voldermort.

"But I understood the truth before you did!" Voldermort laughed. "I killed Severus Snape three hours ago and now the Elder Wand is mine! Dumbledore has failed!"

Harry smiled and shook his head. Harry could tell that Voldermort had just about had it. "Wrong again Riddle, but before I explain, perhaps you should try for some remorse." Said Harry, pushing him farther.

Voldermort was now seething, but he smiled. "Don't tell me the great solution to all of this is love. Dumbledore's secret remedy was that love solved everything. But did love stop him from falling off the clock tower and breaking like a piece of wood? Did love stop me from stamping out your Mudblood mother like a cockroach? Will love stop me from killing you or that – "

At that point, Voldermort glanced back at Kyuubi and saw Sakura trying to heal him.

Harry turned to see what he was looking at and his eyes widened. This was not in the plan.

"You!" He sneered. And then he flew over before Harry could say another word.

Sakura sensed his presence and immediately put herself between Voldermort and Kyuubi.

"Not another step." She said in a low voice.

Voldermort leaned in to face her. "Love will not save the fox and it certainly won't save you from going first."

"The Elder Wand is mine!" Shouted Harry as Voldermort raised his wand.

Voldermort stopped and turned to face Harry as some gasped.

"What?" Asked Voldermort incredulously.

"It hasn't been working for you, has it?" Asked Harry, feeling that he once again regained his power.

Voldermort leered at Harry, his eyes nothing more than tiny slits.

"The wand was never Snape's. Snape never beat Dumbledore because the death was planned!"

"Well then Dumbledore as good as gave me the wand." Concluded Voldermort.

"Do I have to spell it out for you, Riddle?" Asked Harry in an irritated tone. "Didn't you listen to Ollivander? The wand chooses the wizard. The Elder Wand already had a new master before Dumbledore died."

Voldermort's breathing had increased rapidly and Harry knew the ending was coming soon. He was just grateful he had saved Sakura and Naruto from near death.

Sakura continued to pour her chakra into Naruto and the new skin had slowly spread across his chest. The blood was receding, leaving Naruto in his now ratty jacket. Sakura suppressed the urge to stab Voldermort in the back with her kunai because she knew Harry needed to do this.

"Draco Malfoy is the master of the Elder Wand, but he was not the only one."

Voldermort shook his head. "It matters not Potter. Right now, we will duel on skill alone. After I kill you, I will kill Draco Malfoy…"

"I already beat you to it" Said Harry. "I disarmed Malfoy weeks ago. But did you know that Dumbledore was not the only master? The other was a ninja, but the name of Sarutobi…"

The ninjas in the crowd gasped.

Voldermort appeared to be holding his breath.

"But Naruto, as I understand, was the number one prankster in Konoha. He disarmed Sarutobi many times before." Harry took a step closer to Voldermort. "Do you understand now? Does the wand know that both of its previous masters were disarmed? Does it know that I, Harry Potter and Naruto Uzumaki are the new masters?"

Suddenly, like a blaze, the sun appeared on the horizon, setting the sky on fire.

Voldermort exploded.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Expelliarmus!"

Voldermort's green spell jetting through the air towards Harry only to meet his red spell. Harry watched in slow motion as the two spells let out a bang and the Elder Wand flew out of Voldermort's hand and through the air. Harry raced forward to catch the wand as Voldermort fell backwards to hit the ground.

His arms were out and his face caught in the expression on bewilderment.

Lord Voldermort was dead.

There was silence before there was an eruption of cheers. But Harry didn't listen and he raced straight for Sakura and Naruto. Harry dove to the ground beside Sakura and was relieved to see that some of Naruto was back to normal.

"He's ok!" Shouted Harry.

But Sakura shook his head as it glistened with sweat. "I can't…" She whispered.

Harry looked down to see that her chakra filled hands were feeble with energy.

Harry gritted his teeth. He just killed the worse wizarding enemy ever, yet he was helpless to save his friend. Suddenly Harry had an idea.

He thrust his wand out at Sakura. "I know it's not enough, but it will at least help right?"

Sakura looked down at Harry's wand with weary eyes and the grabbed it, leaving one hand on Naruto's chest. Harry watched as there was a faint golden light that wavered out of the wand and into Sakura's hand.

Then slowly, a chakra hand picked up the Hokage necklace that was now visible around Naruto's neck and Harry turned to see Yamato with his hand thrust out. He gave Harry a nod that said he was grateful and Harry nodded back. The necklace began to sparkle and Kyuubi's face began to slowly revert back to Naruto's. The ears vanished and the tufts of reddish brown fur disappeared.

Kakashi bent down next to Harry and touched the wand, pouring his own chakra too. The faint gold light had blue mixed into it as Sakura absorbed it.

"No sensei…" Sakura murmured.

"Shh, Sakura." Said Kakashi, placing his free hand on her shoulder. "Just save him."

Slowly, Shikamaru carried Sai over and sat next to Sakura as both Ginny and Hermione carried Ron over. Sakura squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head.

"It's not working." She whispered.

"We can lend you…" Started Hermione, but Sakura shook her head.

"The damage is so intense, I haven't even started to work on his arm, where the most damage is. There's a lot of damage to the chakra network which makes things more impossible…" Sakura laid her head down on her arm as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Yamato retracted his hand as the last tail disappeared. Harry dropped his wand and looked at it helplessly. He fingered the other wand that he held in his hand when an idea crossed his mind.

"Try again." He said, thrusting the Elder Wand out.

Sakura shook her head. "Harry…"

"This one is different!" Yelled Harry. "Try it!"

Reluctantly, Sakura grabbed Harry's wand and placed her hand back on Harry's chest.

Kyuubi was lying down, paralyzed inside his cage. He pushed himself over to where Naruto was still lying face down in the water.

"Kit," Kyuubi growled. "You're no use to me if you're dead. Get up."

Kyuubi blew out an angry breath onto Naruto's head. Kyuubi could feel the damage done to Naruto's body and he knew his world was close to blacking out. Before, he had used his chakra to prevent Voldermort's curse from shutting down Naruto's body. A tiny bit was still there, but it wasn't a threat. However, morphing into a five tailed fox had done intensive damage to Naruto's body, slowly breaking it down. Kyuubi couldn't even get his chakra to flow to some parts of Naruto's body to repair it because of the damaged chakra network.

His last resort was to plead help from Haruno Sakura as Kyuubi retreated once again into his cage. Kyuubi could feel the girl's chakra but it wasn't enough. If she could do nothing, then Naruto's heart would stop beating. Kyuubi flipped Naruto up with his nose so that he was facing upward. Kyuubi laid his face on Naruto's chest, listening to the steady beat of the heart that kept both of them alive.

Sakura looked down at the wand in amazement as it vibrated under her touch and emitted a powerful golden light under her hand. Harry looked at it happily and he knew that this had to work.

"The Elder Wand has to work for its master." He whispered.

Kyuubi perked his head up at this new feeling that was suddenly coursing through Naruto's body. Would this be enough to save them? Sakura couldn't help but smile at herself. The chakra emitted from the wand was doing the impossible as it coursed through Naruto's veins and repaired the damaged chakra network in Naruto's arm, making a possible full recovery possible.

"Is it working?" Asked Hermione.

"Yes." Said Sakura.

It really was working.

Naruto's eyes opened a crack as he let out a groan. "Kyuubi…what are you doing?" He asked in a raspy voice.

Kyuubi picked his head up, startled by Naruto's voice. Then he chuckled. "For a while there, you and I were almost goners."

"What did you do this time?" Asked Naruto, his eyes closing again.

"How do you feel?" Asked Kyuubi.

"Like I got punched by Sakura-chan 100 times…why are you being so nice to me?"

Kyuubi chuckled again. "You need to give that Haruno girl some credit. She saved our ass. And perhaps I should give more credit to you kit. You're not so bad after all."

"Are you sure I'm not dreaming?" Asked Naruto wearily.

"No!"Kyuubi growled. "Now you better wake up and let them know you are ok before you really do wish you were dreaming." Kyuubi snarled.

Then Kyuubi got up slowly and hobbled away to the dark corners of his cage. He had enough Naruto for one day.

Sakura just about had it as she dropped the Elder Wand and collapsed onto Naruto's chest.

"Sakura!" Said Hermione alarmed.

Suddenly there was a groan. "Sakura-chan, you're kinda heavy…"

Sakura's eyes flew open as she picked her head up to stare at Naruto's face as his eyes flickered open. Naruto picked his head up to look at her and he gave a grin.

"Naruto!" She screamed and Sakura threw her arms around his neck as Naruto dropped his head back down.

"I feel horrible." He said. "What happened?"

"Oh, Naruto!" Said Hermione as she too hugged him while Shikamaru and Yamato gave out a grateful sigh and Kakashi couldn't help the tear that slid down his visible eye.

Slowly, Harry and Sakura helped Naruto sit up. The sun was now blazing over the school grounds and the wizards still cheering Naruto looked around at all the destruction around him.

"What happened here?" Naruto asked. "Did Sakura hit the ground one too many times?" He asked, looking over to the massive crater where Kyuubi used the chakra cannon.

"Very funny." Said Sakura as she rolled her eyes.

"What about Orochimaru and Voldermort?" Asked Naruto with new found urgency.

"Voldermort's dead." Said Harry proudly. "I killed him."

"And Orochimaru escaped." Said Yamato sadly.

"Well, that's ok, we'll get the bastard next time." Said Naruto with a yawn. "What about the teme?"

The ninjas exchanged glanced. "Sasuke escaped too." Said Shikamaru.

Naruto shrugged. "Well…that's ok, I still promised Sakura-chan…"

Sakura smiled wearily at him, knowing she would be ok if Naruto didn't keep his promise.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I could use a nap." Said Shikamaru yawning.

They all agreed as McGonagall, Hagrid, Neville, Luna and the rest of the Weasley's all rushed up to him, yelling and cheering and escorted them inside the castle.

A few wizards helped levitate Voldermort's body into the castle because no one wanted to touch him. He was put in a secluded chamber, away from the dead that had fought till the death to protect Harry.

The Great Hall was full of joy as they all sat at a table, amidst the yelling and celebrating as the sun poured in a dazzling display through the windows.

Madam Pomfrey had come over under the direct request of Sakura to heal Ron's head and Sai's injury. Both had awakened shortly after that to be glomped by Hermione. Sai was surprised by this notion but happily reveled in the moment as to understand the human emotions. They heard news that all Death Eaters that hadn't been captured were fleeing and the innocent were being released from Azkaban.

"Looks like it will be a new age for you." Speculated Shikamaru.

"Yeah, I guess it will be." Said Harry.

Harry was so overwhelmed with feeling that he didn't know what to do. The deaths of Tonks, Lupin and Fred ate away at him every time he thought about it, yet he knew they would not want him to be sad. He had killed Voldermort and helped saved an important friend. It was a new day for wizarding kind.

"Some mission report." Said Kakashi as he dug out his infamous orange book.

"But it wasn't really a mission, was it?" Asked Sai.

"It was more like vacation time." Said Shikamaru with a roll of his eyes.

"Some vacation." Muttered Sakura.

Harry smiled as he tapped the Elder Wand on the table when he remembered something.

He stood up. "There's one last thing I have to do." He said.

Ron and Hermione stood up immediately.

"We're with you, mate." Said Ron.

"Whatever you do." Said Hermione.

Harry nodded and then looked at Naruto. "It be great if you joined us."

Naruto looked at Kakashi and Sakura who smiled. "I'm with you." Said Naruto as Ron helped him up.

Together, they hobbled away, with Harry recounting everything that happened. Ron and Hermione were shocked when they heard about what happened in the forest and Harry made sure to skim over most of the Kyuubi parts. They finally reached Dumbledore's office.

Once they entered, all the portraits erupted in cheers and applauds, but Harry's eyes only went to one. Dumbledore's eyes were filled with tears as they approached. Harry held the wand up as the portraits calmed down.

"I don't want it." Said Harry.

Ron's mouth dropped open at him. "But…!" He stuttered.

"It's yours to do what you like." Smiled Dumbledore.

"Frankly, it's more trouble than its worth." Said Harry. "But…"

Then he turned to Naruto. "It's your wand too. What to do you want to do with it?"

Naruto was speechless, but then smiled. "Hey, I'm good with anything you decided."

Harry nodded his head and then took out the pieces of his broken wand. "I wonder…Reparo."

The wand fixed itself as if there were no damage at all. Then Harry turned back to Dumbledore. "I'm going to put it back where it belongs. Then, when Naruto and I die, there will be no master, and the wand will break from its power"

"A fine choice." Smiled Dumbledore.