CHAPTER 29 - Nobility's True Badge

ooo000ooo000ooo000ooo000ooo


Raven's eyes widened until the whites were showing. "NO!"

"Avada Kedavra."

Everything happened in slow motion. Or so it seemed to Tom Riddle. As soon as the oft-spoken incantation left his mouth, the bright green flash of light burst from the tip of his wand, just as expected. What was not so expected was what happened next.

Raven's eyes had widened until the whites were showing. Nothing so particularly odd about that, considering her shock and horror. What was odd was the whites of her eyes continued to grow until there were no irises or pupils left visible. In fact, her eyes became so white, that they glowed with the intensity of a sun. The light was accompanied by an ear-splitting ringing that Riddle initially thought was coming from inside his own head. But it grew louder and louder until it became deafening.

The room vibrated with the energy from her eyes, which was rapidly expanding outward. Right before Voldemort had to shade his eyes from the blinding light, he just managed to see his dear Nagini being vaporized and turned to ashes by the intensity of the white energy.

That's when the Dark Lord felt - rather than saw - the crackling bolt of green magic ram headlong into a solid barrier.

Behind the shield of pure white light, Raven didn't have time to think about what was happening. She didn't have time to think, period. The red ropes that had suspended Severus spread-eagle from the ceiling and pulled his ankles separate had vanished. Realizing she was free from the snake's muscly coil, she dove to grab Severus as he fell, tackling him out of the trajectory of Voldemort's Killing Curse.

A second later, the green lighting bolt rammed its way through the white barrier, only to hit the wall behind them and fizzle out harmlessly.

Her eyes, though still glowing white, had dimmed to a safe intensity as she looked down at Snape's face.

He was too weak to feel confusion, shock, or fear. All he could register was the deep affection he felt for the woman lying on top of him, even amid the whirlwind of energy flying around the room and the otherwise deafening, high-pitched ringing. His dark eyes softened as he looked up at her, as though everything around them had disappeared and they were back in the Room of Requirement.

One corner of his mouth pulled back slightly in a feeble smile. "Foolish girl," he slurred before slipping unconscious.

Tenderly, in contrast to happening in the room, Raven sat up and caressed the rough side of his cheek before moving the hand down onto his bloodied, mutilated chest and abdomen. Her hand glowed an intense white yet again and the deep lacerations in his skin instantly melded back together with no trace of scarring.

The giant white, intangible wall that had formed between them and Voldemort disappeared, and with it the ear-piercing, high-pitched ringing. The Dark Lord, who had been covering his ear holes in agony with his eyes screwed shut, straightened up and cracked his eyes open. He briefly saw her straddling Snape's hips as she finished healing his body before slowly rising to her feet.

He immediately noticed her appearance was different. She had changed. Her boots and her cloak were no longer dark blue, but a shimmering, iridescent white. Her hair, though still an unnatural dark purple, was now long enough to reach below her chest rather than below her chin. Her body language was confident and her expression fearless. Her eyes returned to display her violet irises, but Voldemort knew that the blinding energy was simply dormant, waiting for her command.

The anger in those eyes was righteous, but controlled. There was a calmness about her that struck something very primal in Riddle...the kind of fear that someone gets when they realize the extent of their misjudgment. He took half a step back, trying to process what just happened and how he should proceed.

"That was..." he fished for words as he retreated another step, "...unexpected."

Raven didn't respond. However, she advanced a step.

Noting the sudden reversal of situational control, Voldemort internally searched for an exit strategy. He took another step back.

"Might I inquire how you managed it?"

Wordless, she took a matching step forward. Her accusatory eyes and lack of verbal responses disturbed him to the core, and he found himself desperately struggling to fill the silence between them.

"You are not a witch, and the source of your power came from your demonic father," he rambled, trying to buy time. "Yet once the demon half of you was removed, you manage to surprise me with sssomething else entirely."

At last, Raven spoke, but when she did, Voldemort questioned his desire for her to do so. Her voice was quiet, but fearless. Strong, yet meek. "Trigon may have been my father, but I was born in Azerath. The monks imbued me with the ability to harness their energy of purity and righteousness."

Voldemort frowned, his internal thoughts going haywire. A part of his brain was screaming at him that this fit. A piece of some, crucial puzzle that he couldn't quite place. He shook his rounded head in denial. "Azerath and all its monks were desstroyed, evissscerated by you and your father. There's nothing left of it."

Her cloak rippled slightly in a non-existent breeze, and Voldemort shrunk back further.

"He may have annihilated the monks, the citizens, the cities, and the planet, but that doesn't annihilate their righteousness and purity. Once goodness exists, it cannot be erased. Forgotten, buried, ignored... But never completely gone."

The Dark Lord had his back to the Horcrux, now sitting in the fire altar growing hotter and hotter in the flames. He couldn't make an obvious move for it... Who knew what the girl was capable of, after what he'd seen. Only once before had someone survived the Killing Curse, and that had nearly ruined him. He'd learned from his mistake in the past and decided to take one step at a time with the utmost caution.

"I wondered how you defeated your father when he came to Earth," he commented. "Your friends ssucceeded in withholding that useful tidbit."

Raven raised her chin defiantly.

He calculated her rising anger at his mention of her former teammates and attempted to supplement his remark with some careful manipulation. "They were sstronger than I thought," he offered. "Knowing they'd kicked you out, I had anticipated they'd be more...amenable to sharing information with me."

"If you think their betrayal will excuse you of your actions," she commented with that same, calm tone that made Voldemort's scales stand on end, "then you are mistaken yet again."

Wand in hand, the Dark Lord ran through situational analyses, playing scenarios out in his head to try and find one that offered the highest probability of success. And by success, at this point for him anyway, meant survival.

He suddenly heard voices from elsewhere in the mansion. Raven heard them too, but neither of them made a move.

The voices were calling her name. She identified Harry, Remus, and Ginny on the stairs racing up to find her.

Voldemort sneered. "The cavalry."

The moment Harry, Ginny, and Lupin came into sight outside in the hall, the Dark Lord saw an opportunity and took it. Using the momentary distraction of their arrival, he swirled on his toes, grabbed the handle of the hand mirror, and Disapparated.

Or at least, he would have, if after the initial POP, he had been able to Apparate away. As it was, the tugging sensation around his navel area suddenly seared in pain, and he was blinded by a vortex of spiraling white light. When he opened his eyes again, he was still in the Malfoy playroom and his hand was suffering third-degree burns from gripping the scalding hot mirror in the fire.

Growling in pain, he released the Horcrux and turned back to his audience...the new guests staring open-mouthed at Raven, whose eyes were glowing again.

She lowered her outstretched arm. "You're not going anywhere."

At that moment, another guest entered the room, having clearly followed Harry, Remus, and Ginny at a slower pace.

The Dark Lord bared his spiky teeth in a feral hiss. "Albusss...what a pleasant ssurprise." He trained his wand at the group to keep them at bay in the door.

"I find it neither pleasant nor surprising," Dumbledore replied. Then, to Raven, "we heard the shrieking noise that accompanied the blast of light...it was so intense it shattered every window in the manor. I gathered that to mean you succeeded in reclaiming your father's soul. It appears I was mistaken..." he looked back to the Dark Lord with a sudden gleam in his blue eyes. "...On multiple counts."

Voldemort narrowed his slitted eyes suspiciously, darting them between Raven, Dumbledore, and Harry Potter.

The Azthranian motioned to Snape, still lying unconscious on the floor behind her. "Take him to safety," she ordered.

Remus and Harry moved to drag the Potions Master out of the room, but they only got three steps in before Voldemort made his move.

With two successive POPs, Voldemort Apparated behind Raven, next to Snape. A simultaneous, nonverbal Levicorpus raised Severus up like a human shield as Riddle dug the tip of his wand into the side of his neck.

"Care to find out if your 'purity and righteousness' can sstop a Killing Curse from this range?" he snarled, pushing the wand even further into Snape's neck.

"A hostage, Tom?" Albus smiled serenely. "I would advise against it...It appears you aren't the only one to seriously underestimate this young woman."

"What are you babbling about, old man?"

The smile on Dumbledore's face suddenly vanished, his twinkly blue eyes freezing over as he stared down the Dark Lord. "You really haven't figured it out, have you Tom?"

Voldemort merely clutched Snape's motionless form tighter, but continued listening.

The Headmaster's voice lowered a register as he took a step closer, making Riddle twist his wand as he pulled Severus further in front of him. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Born as the seventh month dies..."

The red, reptilian eyes widened in rage and disbelief. "No," he interrupted venomously. "Impossible!"

But Dumbledore recited on. "And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal..."

Riddle inhaled sharply through his nostril slits as he had a sudden flashback:

He stood in Malfoy's ballroom, holding back a smile as he regarded the powerful woman before him. "I want to offer you a partnership ... free of the Mark ... free of any Unbreakable Vow or otherwise binding arrangement..." With her by his side, there was literally nothing he couldn't achieve. It was a long shot, and if she refused, he'd always have his initial plan. It didn't hurt to ask, especially with so much to gain.

"Your partner," she had repeated with heavy skepticism.

"My equal," he clarified.

Shaking his head, he let out a breathy chuckle.

Knowing he had struck a chord, Albus continued: "...But he will have power the Dark Lord knows not..." Dumbledore swept a wrinkled hand toward Raven, whose glowing eyes were locked on Voldemort. Her vibrantly white cloak continued rippling, and the energy spilling from her eyes danced like flames.

The Dark Lord looked between them in barely concealed rage as that last puzzle piece slipped into place.

Albus leaned in as he finished: "...And either must die at the hand of the other. For neither can live while the other survives."

He was shaking. Trembling. Raven managed to tap into her dormant power of Empathy and read his emotions from twelve feet away. Fury, but rooted in terror.

"For being proclaimed the wisest wizard of our time, I was a fool for overlooking the fact that prophecies use masculine pronouns when the specific identity isn't revealed. Nor did it ever mention anything about your vanquisher being a wizard."

Harry Potter, his mouth gaping, looked simultaneously shocked and relieved. His entire life...had been a lie?

Voldemort straightened to his full height as he glared at Raven.

"Well?!" he spat. "Do it! Just remember that it won't only be me who you murder." To emphasize his point, Riddle raised his wand to press harder into Snape's neck.

With a slight groan, Snape began to stir.

"He's waking up!" Ginny whispered nervously.

"BACK OFF!" Voldemort screamed. He began dragging Snape's body backwards as he began stepping toward the main doors.

The people there obligingly entered the room and slowly made an opening for him.

"If anyone tries anything, I won't hessitate to kill him."

Glancing to Raven, Dumbledore pleaded with his eyes. "My dear, it's now or never. I know you love Severus, but it has to be done."

She didn't respond.

Voldemort backed toward the doors.

"Yesss," he goaded. "Kill him!"

"It's all right..." a tiny, weak voice slurred slightly.

Severus.

Raven's heart suddenly seized up. The flames flickering in her eyes died out and were replaced by her purple irises.

"Aww," Riddle cooed, "love has always been a weakness I rejected. But I gotta ssay...I'm grateful for it now! We'll be in touch."

He made another step backward. Snape began to wriggle slightly in the air.

"Don't mistake my mercy for conceding, Voldemort." Low and warning. "I told you before," the French doors behind the Dark Lord suddenly slammed shut, "you're not going anywhere."

A diversion. That's what he needed.

He needed to suddenly and immediately overwhelm the girl's attention so he could Apparate away.

His hostage.

There would only be one shot.

"Then neither is he!" He shouted, gripping his wand with white knuckles. "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

The spark of green barely made it to the front of his wand before he was consumed by the blistering white light. His bearings were gone, lost in the swirling energy that surrounded him. Were his feet still on the floor? Was he even alive?

The ringing whine increased so loudly that his wand fell out of his hand as he doubled over and clutched his palms to his ears. He was screaming, he could feel his vocal chords shredding, but he couldn't hear a thing over the deafening sound. His eyes burst into flames, and his seared, melting fingers clawed at his face, distantly registering that they were pulling and peeling his skin off with them.

Everything went black the moment his eyes erupted and melted in his skull. The pain was overwhelming. Every nerve in his was being cooked. Even Crucio wasn't like this..

He could feel his body twisting and writhing and...changing.

Then the pain became so intense, he stopped feeling it at all.

And that's the last thing he remembered.

The others in the room were also struggling to squint their eyes enough to still see what was happening. All they could see was a ball of swirling white energy surging over where Voldemort and Snape had been standing when he cast the Killing Curse. The ringing noise, although present, was localized in the vortex of light.

Harry looked over to Raven and was in awe of what he witnessed. Her eyes shone like headlights, her hands stretched out with thumbs overlapping as a constant stream of that white energy poured from her parted fingers. Even her mouth was slightly open in the effort it took to channel that much raw power.

With a low groan that turned into a strained growl of exertion, Raven pushed forward and leaned into the beam of light, renewing the intensity of the swirling globe.

Fingers slightly trembling, Ginny took hold of Harry's hand as they tried to keep watching.

At last, and with a mighty roar that heralded the last of her strength, Raven sank to her knees and cut off the connection of white light.

The swirling ball continued on its own for a brief moment before shrinking and shrinking until it disappeared completely. Everyone in the room lowered their arms from their face and straightened up to observe what had happened.

"What the bloody hell...?" Harry frowned.

"Is that...what I think it is?" Ginny asked timidly.

Lupin took a step toward the door in shock. "Oh my God," he murmured.

"Raven, my dear," Albus turned to her, still on her hands and knees breathing heavily. "Am I correct in assuming that that is...?"

"Tom Riddle." Raven croaked out, confirming their stunned confusion.

They watched in silent shock as Tom Riddle, naked, lay on the floor grabbing his toes next to Severus Snape.

For his part, Snape managed to push himself into a sitting position, and Raven crawled over to him, using her last bit of energy to pull him to her in a fierce hug. He kissed her long purple hair against her head and leaned into her, eyes closed to forcibly block any more rogue tears from escaping. Their embrace was interrupted by the sound of a baby's laughter.

Albus Dumbledore, sensing the fall of the wards, retrieved his wand and sent his silvery phoenix Patronus flying out of the room to deliver the news. Padding forward in his upturned boots on the soft carpet, the old wizard stooped over and picked up the giggling infant, swaddling him in his lengthy robes. The baby had a swatch of straight black hair and brown, wide-set eyes that looked up at Albus in wonder.

Remus, having watched all this with jaw hanging open, shut his lips and strode over to help Severus and Raven to their feet. As he pulled Severus up, the Potions Master inhaled sharply, and Lupin grabbed his shoulder in support, asking if he was in pain.

Snape merely shook his head as he stared in disbelief at the inside of his arm that Remus had gripped to pull. It was smooth and pale and all that remained of the Dark Mark was a light discoloration...as though he'd been sunbathing and had curious tan lines in the shape of a skull and snake.

"Harry!" Ginny exclaimed. "Your scar!"

The Boy Who Lived rubbed his forehead, astonished when he didn't feel the raised lightning bolt that had been there ever since he could remember.

"This is unprecedented, Miss Roth," Albus finally found words as he bounced the gurgling baby in his arms. "Never in my wildest..."

"How long did you know, Professor?" Harry asked suddenly.

Dumbledore looked over his half moon glasses at him inquisitively.

"How long did you know it was her and not me?" he clarified.

The Headmaster let out a weary sigh. "Oh, I'd say about the last ten minutes, give or take. My boy, if I'd known any sooner, it wouldn't have made a difference if Tom still believed you were the chosen one. But I am profoundly sorry the toll this misinterpretation has had on you."

Harry shook his head slowly, still processing the revelation. The revelation that the prophecy was never about him, that his life had needlessly been tormented, and that the ultimate conclusion to the war he'd been fighting since age eleven was finally over. "No, it's all right, Professor. It's all right." He squeezed Ginny's hand and she smiled back.

"I hate to be the wet blanket on this happy occasion," Snape spoke, eyeing the baby with barely concealed disgust, "but there is still the small matter of the mirror."

They looked to the rear of the room where he was indicating to see Raven's hand mirror sitting in the flames of the pedestal, its four sinister red eyes watching them in the mirror face.

Eyeing it with consideration, Albus spoke to its owner. "The choice is yours, my dear. Either take back the soul of your father, or hide and guard the Horcrux for all eternity to ensure it never falls into either misguided or malevolent hands."

Raven didn't answer. She ran a hand through her lengthy hair in indecision.

"The school's Room of Requirement managed to hide one Voldemort's once before. I'm confident we could find another spot for yours," Albus offered.

Snape touched her arm in support.

Glancing up at him, she couldn't help a tiny, half smile that pulled one side of her lips up. In the reflection of his dark, glimmering eyes, she could see her own teal irises looking back. Making up her mind, Raven linked arms with him. "I think I'll choose option C."

The other witches and wizards jumped slightly at the WOOSH of a sudden fireball and the demonic, inhuman scream coming from the Horcrux. As they watched, the brass handle and the mirror itself warped its shape, bubbled, and began to collapse in on itself.

The others stood transfixed, watching it melt into a puddle and emit a terrifying plume of dark red smoke as the soul of Trigon inside literally gave up the ghost. But as for Raven, she had already tugged on Severus' arm as she strolled out of the room, feeling peaceful and content for one of the very few times in her life.

The grand staircase overlooked the bodies of the Death Eaters, and Snape observed them dispassionately as they made their way to the first floor. The girl on his arm didn't even glance in their direction. Her focus was on the open door at the other side of the entry hall.

Outside, the aftermath of the battle was bloody, but not unsalvageable. The other Order and DA members were healing one another and guarding the prisoners.

The woman in white finally dropped her hand from the crook of her shirtless companion's elbow and swiftly strode over to help the wounded. There wasn't much more for her to do that they hadn't done for themselves already, now that the Impotentia wards had lifted, but she made sure to heal even those who had fought against them.

Draco Malfoy and his father, magically handcuffed and sitting on the lawn with the other bloody Death Eaters, cowered in fear and distrust when she approached. They continued their look of suspicion even after she had healed their battered faces and broken ribs. Lucius spat at her, making his son cringe in fear of retaliation. To their further mistrust, Raven simply smiled. They may never be fully redeemed or rehabilitated, but she healed them anyway. She wouldn't allow the negative nature of others to alter her nature - which was to help. She smiled because she was free to embrace her inner goodness without fear of her own shortcomings. Free to focus more on who she truly was and less of what her father had made her into.

She knew there would be other difficulties ahead of her. Handling the deaths of her teammates would require the strength and support of Severus and all her new friends, not to mention the complicated legalities and notifications and funerals.

Learning how to handle emotions and adapting to normality in an unnatural world would also be a challenge.

She smiled as she heard baby Riddle shriek with laughter as Dumbledore carried him outside into the morning sunlight. It made her wonder how Albus would approach the conundrum that baby Tom presented, and expected to be subjected to endless questioning about her dormant, purely Azthranian abilities.

Though not a witch, her Azthranian heritage still afforded her certain privileges she would find invaluable in the magical realm, such as rapid healing and empathy. Apparently, the powers of purity and righteousness afforded her more than she realized, she considered, watching Ginny take the giggling infant from Dumbledore and rock it back and forth. They had reverted Voldemort back to a stage of innocence...and righted more than a few wrongs, she thought as she brushed the inside of Snape's forearm.

At her touch, Severus snaked a hand around her waist and pulled her to him.

More importantly, it offered the one thing they both had always wanted... A chance to start over.

Together.

...

The End

...


A/N: Chapter title: Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge.