The Battle Ends

Harry's temper flared as he saw Malfoy running at him with a smile on his face. A strong wind immediately picked up. Harry looked at Malfoy and put his hand up. Malfoy looked as if he hit a brick wall, he stood for a moment then with a flick of Harry's wrist Malfoy flew backwards where he hit the castle wall. Malfoy dropped to the ground unconscious.

"Impressive, Harry," Voldemort hissed, "I knew you had grown stronger but this is a surprise."

"Shut up, Tom," Harry spit back. Harry cast another stunning spell at Voldemort which hit the tree that Voldemort was hiding behind. The fight continued moving from tree to tree, Voldemort was attempting to get off of the school grounds. Harry was doing a perfect job of keeping himself between Voldemort and the exit.

A steady wind had continued to blow as Harry fought but he didn't use it against Voldemort, he knew it would be no use. Harry had managed to lead Voldemort back to the other groups that had been fighting. That was when Voldemort saw Dumbledore.

"Avada K..." Voldemort began to cast at the Headmaster.

"Novo Intentio," Harry hit Voldemort with the spell just in time. Voldemort's focus shifted back to his escape. He didn't want to fight anymore, he knew he his plan had been discovered, the odds were no longer in favor. And worst of all for Voldemort, the two wizards he feared above all else were here, trying to kill him.

"Reducto!" Voldemort's spell hit the wall of the castle and drew everyone's attention to it. Huge pieces of the wall fell narrowly missing Bill Weasley, unfortunately for one of the Death Eaters a large stone fell right on top of him.

Harry looked back to continue his fight with Voldemort and saw that he was gone. He looked down the path and saw Voldemort running for the entrance gate.

"Locomotor Mortis," Harry sent the spell at Voldemort. It hit him just as he reached the gates, he used his arms to pull himself through the gate. He could hear Harry getting closer.

"Avada Kadavra!" a bright flash of green light left Harry's wand out and flew at Voldemort. Just before the spell reached Voldemort, he Disapparated. The spell hit the ground right where he had been a moment before.

Harry turned disappointed that Voldemort had escaped. Harry saw that the battle was definitely going well for the Order. They had captured a few Death Eaters, while most were following Voldemort in retreat. Harry knew that Dumbledore could handle the current battle, Harry wanted to get back to Ginny.

Harry ran to the spot where Ginny had fallen. It had happened, Ginny sacrificed herself for someone that she loved. He knelt down beside her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Ginny, no Ginny, don't be dead. Please don't be dead," Harry cried while rocking her in his arms. Harry heard that the sounds of battle had ended, "Ginny you can't be dead, I love you."

Harry saw Professor Dumbledore bind Draco and carry him inside. Harry stood and lifted Ginny's body into his arms. He carried her to the castle and walked through the blown open doors. Harry saw a line of Death Eaters and students tied together along the wall. Pettigrew, Crabbe's father, Crabbe, Goyle, Malfoy and Tooker.

"Ginny!" Ron yelled from a crowd of people. He ran forward to Harry, his face was pale white and he began to cry. "What happened? How did she get out there?"

"I don't know," Harry answered quietly, "She jumped in front of a killing curse that Voldemort sent at me."

"She came down to warn us that Tooker was a spy," Hermione said with blood running down her face, "When she saw you weren't here she went to help you. I'm sorry, Harry."

"Where is Remus?" Harry asked.

"He went up the stairs when Ginny told us about Malfoy," Hermione answered again as she pointed to the Death Eaters that were tied together, "Where is Bellatrix? She was right there too."

Harry then heard Remus yell out in pain. He looked up the stairs and knew that Bellatrix was there as well. Harry looked down one last time at Ginny then handed her to Charlie who had just walked in. Harry then ran up the stairs to aide Remus.

Harry made it to the stairs leading to the fifth floor and could hear Remus and Bellatrix casting curses and jinxes at each other. Harry waited for the stairs to come to him and let him climb to the fifth floor. Harry climbed the steps and saw that Remus was fighting Bellatrix in the corridor that led to the Wizengamot Council Lounge.

A errant stunning spell just missed Harry's head as he ducked below it. He slowly crept forward and prepared to join the fight. Harry raised his wand and began to cast a spell when Remus was hit with a stunning spell. Immediately, Bellatrix began casting Crucio.

Harry watched his friend's body shake violently on the floor. Harry stood up and came out from behind his hiding place. He stood behind Bellatrix and raised his wand and began to cast a curse then stopped.

I can't do this, I can't kill someone from behind. Harry thought to himself.

"Bellatrix," Harry shouted.

Bellatrix froze, the curse she was casting ceased and she slowly turned around. Her lips curled into a snarl when she saw that Harry had somehow escaped Lord Voldemort.

"Potter, I see you escaped yet again from the Dark Lord, " Bellatrix hissed. "You won't be lucky enough to escape me! Stupe…"

"Expelliarmus!" Harry cast the spell and it hit her before she finished her spell. Bellatrix's wand flew to the end of the corridor and she was left defenseless.

"Harry, you won't hurt me without a wand," Bellatrix spoke with less confidence than usual, "you are too much like your Father, you are too good and decent."

"Shut up," Harry spat, "you have no right to speak to me about my Father. I should kill you right now, I should avenge Sirius and Tonks. And now Remus, you had better hope he is ok, or even the Ministry won't be able to keep me from killing you."

"I'm sure he will live," Bellatrix smiled, "I didn't use the spell long enough for any long lasting damage to happen. Not like the Longbottoms or your friend Tonks."

Harry could feel his anger growing inside him, he tried to contain it but Bellatrix continued speaking. With every word she said Harry's anger grew larger. Soon a soft, steady breeze was blowing through the corridor.

"I only wish that I could have tortured that scum Godfather of yours," Bellatrix laughed as she said this, "but, dead is dead I suppose."

Harry had finally heard enough. The breeze immediately turned into a hurricane force wind. The wind seemed to only barely move his robes but when it hit Bellatrix she flew off her feet and hit the wall at the end of the corridor. The door leading to Avalon was blasted off its hinges when the wind hit it.

Harry strode over to Bellatrix expecting to see her unconscious, instead she still had a small smile on her face.

"Look, Potter," She began to speak, "Look at your tiny little friends running for their lives from the Dementors. They won't be able to protect themselves for long with their weak Patronus'."

Harry looked through the door and saw that there were numerous students lying on the floor. Those on the floor had been grouped together in a corner while those still awake formed a semi-circle around them. The three members of the Order were in that line as well. With every Patronus cast Harry could tell that his friends were slowly loosing the battle against the huge number of Dementors. Harry's rage grew again.

"Avada…" Harry began, he stopped when he saw Bellatrix thrust a wand at him. Harry noticed the wand was Remus'.

Bellatrix took advantage of Harry's momentary shock and ran through the door. Seeing all of his friends in danger and Merlin's statue standing there with his wand pointing skyward, Harry suddenly remembered a spell he had taught them earlier.

"Servo Populus," Harry pointed his wand to the ceiling and pictured everyone of his friends in the room. Harry knew that this spell wouldn't protect his friends from the Dementors.

"Expecto Patronum!" A huge white stag charged out of Harry's wand. The stag ran straight at the group of Dementors and tore through several of them.

Suddenly, Harry's wand flew out of his hand and fell into the lake. Bellatrix hit him with the disarming spell. Now defenseless Harry quickly began running in a zigzag pattern towards the cover of Merlin's island. When Harry got to the edge of the solid floor he realized he couldn't get across the water. Swimming would make him too vulnerable, he quickly circled to the other side so he could at least keep the statue between him and Bellatrix.

Harry knew he couldn't play this hiding game forever so he made a decision and hoped it worked. Harry put a foot out over the water and took a step. To all of his friends amazement he didn't fall into the lake. He simply seemed to walking on water. Those that had the closest look could tell that he wasn't even touching the water though, he was an inch above it.

Harry was concentrating hard on making the air just above the water solid so he could walk on it. He had hoped that if he created an area of enough pressure the air would support him, he was right.

Harry reached the island and smiled. He could hear Bellatrix casting spell after spell at him but he continued to smile.

"Merlin, can I borrow this for a moment?" Harry asked the statue as he climbed up it and pulled the wand from its hand. Relief swept across Harry's face when he saw that it was a real wand and not part of the statue. It was an old wand and very worn. Harry knew that if the rumors were true about the sword being Excalibur then this surely had to of been Merlin's wand.

Bellatrix had quit casting spells at Harry when he came around the statue. She had just sent the killing spell at one Kaylee Rose, all of the students were still amazed at what Harry had done and hadn't noticed Bellatrix's shift in attention. Harry watched hoping that his protection spell would hold against the curse. Bellatrix looked confused as she saw the curse absorb into the shield around Kaylee. Bellatrix began to cast it again when she heard Harry's voice.

"Avada Kadavra!" Harry's instincts took over when he saw Bellatrix attacking the students. He thought of his parents, Sirius, Tonks, and Ginny. The flash of green light hit Bellatrix in the chest and she fell to the floor.

Harry couldn't believe it he had actually done it, he had killed someone. He shakily put Merlin's wand back then collapsed to the ground, he couldn't move, he didn't want to. He wasn't afraid of being expelled or being sent to prison, he was worried that he would know turn out to be like Voldemort. Harry could feel his eyes closing on him as his emotions began to overtake him. His last thought was of Ginny and how much the Weasley family were going to hate him for letting her die. Harry passed out with most of Hogwarts watching him.