Harry Potter and all characters, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling, not me.

If You Can Help Her – Chapter 49 – The Blue Rose

The next several weeks passed quickly as many Gryffindors gloated to the Slytherins about how badly they'd been beaten. The Slytherins seemed very subdued. Professor Slughorn had made the Slytherin Quidditch team double their practices in an effort to stop this humiliation from ever happening again. Katie had been very proud of how well Ginny did in the game.

Classes continued to be increasingly difficult, with the homework load growing almost daily, especially for those in their O.W.L. year. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny continued their training with Kingsley Shacklebolt, as well as their Animagus training.

In early December, both Hermione and Ron managed the full transformation into their palomino horse and St. Bernard dog forms respectively, and on the same day. Harry and Ginny suspected that Hermione had already achieved it privately but waited to reveal it to Ron until he'd managed his form, but they didn't say anything because of how excited Ron was.

The other three spent the next week trying to convince Hermione to sneak out into the forest some night to run around in their animal forms like the Marauders did on a full moon, but she flat out refused, saying that, "I learned this for survival, not for fun, and certainly not to risk my life in the Forbidden Forest for no reason!" Harry and Ginny decided to wait until the spring to try convincing her again.

The bonded couple was getting much closer to becoming a dragon. They could combine and hold the form of an animal with human legs (Harry's) and a dragon upper body, although its head had a mane of auburn hair on it. Small wings were even beginning to sprout out of its back. It did not have a tail and couldn't fly, but it did breathe fire. The time they could hold the form, as well as its size, was slowly increasing every time they practiced. They were now actually too big to practice in the cramped Honeydukes passage anymore, and were currently using a large abandoned classroom. Harry had considered suggesting the Chamber of Secrets because of its size, but didn't want to bring that up until it became absolutely necessary.

The more Harry and Ginny practiced their transformation, the closer they became, and every week or so, Harry could have sworn he heard a thought from Ginny when she wasn't in the room. When he'd told her about it, she admitted to having the same feeling.

There had been no actual news about Voldemort, which worried Harry. He knew that Riddle had taken several losses lately, but most of his inner circle was still at large. Bellatrix, Rudolphus, and Rabastan LeStrange; Antonin Dolohov, Augustus Rookwood, Severus Snape, Sebastian Avery, Walden MacNair, Vincent Crabbe Sr. and Lucius Malfoy had all escaped Azkaban in the summer when the Dementors defected. Of those, only Rabastan and Avery had been killed during the Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade attacks respectively. Wormtail and Goyle Sr. were killed when Voldemort rose. All the other Death Eaters that had been killed or captured were either new recruits or previously unknown. Draco and Umbridge were in Azkaban with the other captured Death Eaters.

There had been rumors of Voldemort recruiting more dark creatures, but no substantial evidence had thus far been brought forward.

-IYCHH-

One evening, about a week before school let out for Christmas break, all the students and faculty were sitting in the Great Hall having dinner. At the Gryffindor table, Harry and Ginny were sitting across from Ron and Hermione. A white speck appeared near the ceiling at the entrance to the hall that owls normally used during breakfast to bring mail.

The speck kept moving forward, and soon it could be identified as a snowy owl, but not just any owl. It was Hedwig, and she was carrying a package. She flew not to Harry, but to Ginny, who grabbed Harry's hand while several other girls watched in envy.

'What's this?'

'What's what?'

'What have you sent me?'

'There's only one way to find out, isn't there?' Harry smiled at his girlfriend as she tore the weird wrapping to reveal a dozen roses, but not red like most boyfriends send. The blooms were a light blue at the top, but darkening toward the bottom, where they connect to the stem.

"Blue roses?" remarked Ginny out loud. "They're beautiful." She sniffed them. "But why did you get them?"

"Do I need a reason?" he asked with a slightly surprised look on his face.

"That's so romantic," commented Hermione, causing Ron's ears to turn pink. "I wish other boyfriends would buy flowers for no reason." Ron wisely kept his mouth shut, but he obviously wasn't too pleased. Harry knew that he was increasing the standard that Hogwarts boyfriends were measured by and several of the other guys had complained to him.

Ginny took one of the roses and stuck it on the front of Harry's robe with a charm before placing another one behind her left ear. She didn't notice other animals flying into the Great Hall. She quickly kissed him before speaking. "I also love it that you don't just stick with red roses. That would get boring. You gave me yellow roses last time. You've also given me…"

"What's going on?" asked Hermione, pointing at the thirty-one small creatures flying into the hall. "Those aren't owls."

"THEY'RE BATS!" yelled Susan Bones, "VAMPIRE BATS!"

Mass chaos immediately broke out as the students in unison stood up. Some, like Harry and his friends, pulled out their wands, but most began to run for the doors, only to be stopped as thirty of the bats transformed into a small army of the undead, strategically placed to block all the exits. Nobody noticed the solitary bat flying away toward the castle's entrance.

Twenty of the fleeing students stopped suddenly under the enchanting gaze of a vampire and slowly walked toward them; girls toward male vampires and boys toward female ones. Harry noticed that Colin Creevey was among those hypnotized, but before he could do anything about it, one of the male vampires had grabbed his shoulder.

Harry's boxing lessons took over as he put his wand in his left hand, and with his right hand delivered a knock-out punch to the dark creature who didn't know what hit him as he fell unconscious. Nobody had probably ever punched him before. He noticed Ron punch another one while their girlfriends were using their karate. Several staff members, including Shacklebolt, were also fighting the undead creatures. Other students were using spells, but Harry knew that vampires were highly resistant to most magic. He punched another one just as he heard Dumbledore's voice shout, "Lumos Solarus!" just before a blinding light filled the room. Harry closed his eyes as he heard several high-pitched screeches of terror.

The light held for about ten seconds before the screams ended and Harry could tell that the light had faded. He blinked a few times as he took in the sight of the hall. All the vampires were on the floor and looked as if they were decaying. He felt a lump in his throat as he saw Colin lying next to what used to be a beautiful vampire. He had fresh bite marks on his neck and Harry could see black decay that started from that spot spreading over his body. He heard the fourth-year boy mutter, "Better to die as a human than live as a…" His body stopped moving before he could finish that sentence.

He saw Dennis Creevey run toward his now dead brother and hurried over to him. "Colin!" the twelve-year-old screamed as tears began falling from his eyes.

"Dennis," said Harry as he put a hand on his shoulder.

The boy turned to see who'd touched him, and a look of hatred came on his face. "He thought that YOU could save him from anything! He believed in you, but look what it got him!" He wrenched his shoulder away from Harry and marched off, leaving the Boy-Who-Lived staring after him.

However, Gryffindor's star Seeker didn't have time to think about that, or the other dozen dead students near Colin, because from behind him he heard a pair of wings flapping, as well as several loud footsteps. He turned to see a lone bat leading six mountain trolls into the hall. In pure angry reflex, Harry pointed his wand at the bat and shouted, "REDUCTO!" The bat was shattered into a million pieces.

As Harry aimed his wand at one of the trolls, he noticed a chill run down his spine, and with a knot in his stomach he realized what was coming next. Without waiting for confirmation, he aimed his wand toward the doorway and shouted, "Expecto Patronum!" sending, to his astonishment, a cheetah instead of a stag at the fifteen Dementors that had finally shown themselves.

Three of them turned back, but the other dozen made it into the room as it got colder and he could hear a faint memory of Ginny holding him under the cruciatus curse. He fought that image away and cast another Patronus, only then realizing that his cheetah was being joined by several others. His friends had all learned the Patronus spell during the summer once the Dementors defected, and that was the last time he'd practiced the spell.

He recognized Hermione's otter, Ron's terrier, and even Dumbledore's phoenix he'd seen once, but he didn't see Ginny's fox anywhere. He did, however, notice a wolf that looked just like his single Animagus form. Despite the presence of Dementors, he grinned as he realized his new cheetah looked just like Ginny's single form as he shot another one out of his wand. Their forms had changed when they reached phase three. He felt the same happy feeling he was experiencing come from Ginny, and they turned to share a smile for one moment before turning their full concentration back to the battle.

The Dementors were fleeing at every exit in the castle, so Harry was able to focus his concentration on finishing off the trolls. He looked around to see all but one of them on the ground. Hagrid was standing over one of them, holding its club. The troll was obviously dead with a cracked skull, among other injuries. Hagrid himself had a few bruises and a black eye. Harry noticed five students lying on the ground unconscious, possibly dead, with Madam Pomfrey checking one of them out.

Harry shot a reducto at the last troll's head, only to find that Luna Lovegood had done the same thing. Both spells hit the poor troll at the same time, causing its now headless corpse to fall to the ground.

Dumbledore chose that moment to make an announcement. There was no twinkle in his eye. "Attention, everyone. All the trolls are dead, and the Dementors have fled, so it should be safe in this room." The Headmaster closed his eyes in concentration a moment before every door and window in the Great Hall shut in unison except one – the way outside.

"I believe that the main attacking force is outside the walls of this castle, and will go out to meet it. When I leave, every way in and out of this room will be shut so that nothing but a ghost will be able to enter this room.

"I now ask for most of the staff and every able-bodied student fourth-year and above who wishes to fight for his or her freedom to join me. Do not do so lightly, for I expect this to be a costly battle and people on both sides will die. Follow me if you wish to join the battle." He turned and walked out of the room.

Without hesitation, Minerva, Flitwick, Hagrid, Shacklebolt, Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna, Dean, Seamus, Parvati, Padma, and about a hundred others began marching after Albus. Some, like Slughorn, chose to stay behind because they didn't feel they'd be useful in the fight, and would do better to guard the younger students. Others, like Crabbe and Goyle, didn't join because they wanted Voldemort to win, and noticed that Harry was looking straight at them, daring them to try betraying them.

Once everyone who was joining the battle was in the hallway, that door closed with a thud. Harry announced, "I've got an idea," as he pulled out his wand. "Let's have an air squadron. Accio, broom," and as an afterthought, "and vest!"

Ginny summoned her broom and dragon hide jacket while Ron, Dean, Cho Chang, Madam Hooch, and about twenty others summoned their brooms. Fawkes appeared in front of Dumbledore, who conjured a piece of parchment and pulled a muggle pen out of his pocket. "They're much more convenient than quills," he commented with a twinkle in his eye when he noticed several people staring at him. He quickly scribbled a note on the parchment and gave it to Fawkes, who disappeared in a flash.

While the summoned items were arriving, Dumbledore began discussing the upcoming battle. "I've sent a message to the Ministry of Magic, who I'm sure will come as soon as they can. I don't know what we'll face outside, but it'll be a much greater force than we faced here. Marked Death Eaters cannot pass the gates, and may be waiting there. However, many dark creatures and Voldemort himself may be present.

"Those of you who can cast a Patronus, handle any Dementors that may be present. As for the rest of you, until I know exactly what we're facing, all I can say is to do your best. Fight lethal force with lethal force." He looked around to see everyone had received their summoned brooms. Harry and Ginny had put on their vest and jacket respectively. Harry's blue rose was still on his school robe, which was covering his vest. "Let's go."

-IYCHH-

What they found outside was even worse than they'd imagined. About a hundred Dementors were there with twenty-five trolls, along with an innumerable army of Inferi. In the distance, another knot formed in Harry's stomach as he saw Voldemort himself behind them. Harry also noticed about a dozen Death Eaters waiting outside the gates.

Dumbledore walked up to Harry. "I'll fight Voldemort. Remember, he can't be killed yet. You lead the air fighters. Oh, and fire spells work best against those Inferi."

The old man told Minerva to concentrate on the trolls first and then Inferi, and then began calmly marching toward his battle while Harry began to feel the affects of the Dementors. He shot another cheetah toward them as he mounted his broom and began the aerial assault. "Come on, fliers! Everyone who can cast a Patronus, fight the Dementors like Professor Dumbledore said. The rest of you shoot fire spells at the Inferi! Let's get moving!"

Harry began alternating between sending a Patronus at the Dementors and an Incendio spell at the Inferi, lighting them on fire. He noticed about a dozen Dementors had already fled the area, terrified of the many silver-white animals chasing them. He was amazed to watch his cheetah run in the air next to Ginny's wolf, watching them join forces to send another dozen away.

He noticed that Dumbledore had put some sort of fiery rope around some of the Inferi while he was passing them in his stroll toward Riddle. He silently wished he knew that spell as he shot another Incendio, taking down another walking corpse. He hated doing it one at a time.

-IYCHH-

The headmaster finally reached his destination. "Hello, Tom," he greeted casually, as though meeting an old friend.

"Don't call me by that filthy, muggle name," hissed Voldemort.

Ignoring that statement, Albus continued, "I must admit that you surprised me with the vampires, Tom. I wonder what lies you told to persuade them to join your cause."

"It's none of your concern, old man!" Voldemort then aimed his wand at Dumbledore, shooting a blue beam of light at him. With amazing agility for someone so old, Albus dodged it and shot a purple spell at his opponent, who also dodged.

-IYCHH-

On the ground, Parvati and Padma Patil were fighting the trolls. Together, they shot a pair of blasting hexes at one of their faces, killing it instantly. It fell down, dead. "Yes!" shouted Parvati, a moment before being hit from behind.

Padma watched in horror as another troll hit her sister with its club, and shot a Reducto at the monster, killing it.

-IYCHH-

Luna, in the meantime, was sending a powerful fire spell at the walking corpses, setting three on fire at once. While the Inferi screamed in pain, another grabbed Luna from behind.

Dean, who was flying above her, shot an Incendio spell at its back, causing it to drop Luna as it died.

"Thanks," she responded.

"No prob…Ahhh!" he screamed as one of the few remaining Dementors grabbed him from behind, turned him around, sucked out his soul, and let go of him.

Before his soulless body hit the ground, Ginny's wolf charged that Dementor, sending it flying away. She then sent it chasing the last few Dementors off.

-IYCHH-

Ron had just lit another corpse on fire when a troll noticed him flying above and threw its club at his left side. He didn't see it coming, so was completely surprised when it impacted him, sending him falling six feet off his broom near the edge of the forest. Three Inferi walked up to him while he was down. He felt one touch him just before something big came out of the forest and rammed into the three, running them over.

He almost fainted when he realized what it was. Despite the moss and weeds that had grown all over it, there was no mistaking the old Ford Anglia that he'd driven to Hogwarts years before. Ron caught his breath as he watched it continue to run over the rest of the walking corpses and trolls. Although he was bruised and sore, he didn't have any broken bones. He got up, summoned his Firebolt, and rejoined the fight.

-IYCHH-

Dumbledore was still dueling with Riddle, and at this point it was yet unclear who would win. The spells used were increasingly deadly, and more than once had Albus summoned rocks to block Tom's spells. The fight was moving them nearer to the gate as they continued testing each other. Neither had landed a spell on the other.

"So, this is the only man I ever feared," taunted Voldemort, "a broken down old man. I don't know what you hope to accomplish out here, Dumbledore. You can't possibly kill me, and the only one the prophecy claims can is nothing but a fifteen-year-old boy."

"There are worse things than death, Tom, and you know it. This fear of death you have is rather tiresome."

"Quit calling me Tom!" shouted the furious Dark Lord. "Avada Kedavra!"

While Voldemort was still saying that six-syllable curse, Albus nonverbally summoned a rock to hit Riddle in the back of the head while summoning another one to block the spell.

"Ouch!" shouted Riddle as he touched the bump on the back of his head. He felt blood. He angrily aimed his wand at Dumbledore to retaliate, but the old man fell forward before he'd sent a spell, landing face-down in the dirt.

-IYCHH-

Harry was flying toward Dumbledore and Voldemort, hoping to get a few shots in at Riddle, when he saw one of the Death Eaters point his wand at Dumbledore's back. He shot a reducto at the killer, but not before a green light shot from his wand, killing the headmaster instantly. Harry saw his spell make contact with the enemy's chest, putting a hole where his heart belonged. The mask fell off when the dead man hit the ground, revealing a very familiar face wearing a now permanent sneer. Severus Snape had shot Albus Dumbledore in the back. He stared in shock for a few seconds while he lowered his broom. That was all it took.

He fell off his broom as an all-too-familiar pain shot through him. He was under a cruciatus curse for about thirty seconds before it suddenly stopped. While still shaking from the pain, he looked around to see that Neville Longbottom was pointing his wand toward a female Death Eater whose head had been blasted away.

"I killed Bellatrix LeStrange," muttered Neville, looking pale.

Harry shot a reducto at another Death Eater, and that seemed to snap Longbottom out of it, and he joined the fight. Side by side, Harry and Neville took out six of Voldemort's branded cattle, and were joined by Ginny, Ron (on brooms), and Hermione (on foot) to finish off the rest. Ginny killed Lucius Malfoy, who apparently hadn't learned his lesson the last time he fought the redhead.

Suddenly, they heard screaming nearby and Neville shouted, "LUNA!" as he turned to run toward the noise. The others followed to see Luna under a cruciatus curse from Voldemort, who was obviously enjoying himself.

"I haven't had this much fun in years," the maniac declared through his laughter as the blonde girl's body thrashed about in pain.

"Reducto!" shouted Neville as he ran, missing badly but gaining Riddle's attention.

"Avada Kedavra!" he shouted, shooting a green beam of light at Luna, who was in too much pain to dodge.

"NO!" shouted Neville. "Reducto!" He blasted Riddle in the same leg Harry had shot at their last encounter, causing the madman to fall to the ground, while the leg rolled several feet away.

"So, this is Neville Longbottom, the one who could've been the 'Boy-Who-Lived,' had I chosen you."

"What?" Neville asked, confused.

"Don't tell me your good friend Harry hasn't told you that you would've been him if it weren't for a simple twist of fate. Then, maybe, you'd be able to kill me. Crucio!"

Neville barely dodged out of the way, and shot an, "Expelliarmus!" at Riddle, who shielded it and shot the ground below Neville, causing him to trip, falling on top of Luna's corpse.

"Avada Kedavra!" The last thing Neville Longbottom saw was Luna's peaceful face.

Harry, who'd seen the whole thing, felt fury like he'd never known as he shouted, "Crucio!" hitting Voldemort hard.

After a moment, the pain was over, and Riddle laughed. "When you use that spell you have to mean it," he taunted. "Not some righteous anger and a desire for revenge. You have to enjoy hurting someone. Allow me to demonstrate. Crucio!"

At the same time Voldemort sent his spell, Harry sent a, "Reducto!"

The two spells hit each other and bounced away, unlike the time in Diagon Alley when Harry was using his first wand, the one that was brother to Voldemort's. The cruciatus curse hit a bird, making it fall out of the tree for a moment as it squawked in pain before flying away. Harry's spell hit the Whomping Willow, causing one of its branches to fall.

Voldemort then shot a silent spell at Harry, who was unable to dodge this time.

As Ginny and the others watched in horror, Harry disappeared while his wand, glasses, and the blue rose she'd put on his robe, fell to the ground.

"Reducto!" shouted Ginny, sending a spell speeding toward Voldemort's location. He disappeared with a small 'pop,' just before the spell made contact.

"What happened to Harry?" shouted Hermione.

"I don't know," answered Ginny, "but he's alive, and not very happy."

-IYCHH-

Chapter end