Authors Note: Before I begin with the chapter I would like to take a few minutes of your time to apologize. I am very sorry that it has taken me so long to update this story, there are at least a couple reasons for the delay. First, Jo came out with the wonderful novel you all may have heard of called Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and after reading that I felt somewhat deflated and defeated because I was unable to finish my story prior to her release. So, now my story has become out of cannon, and for that reason I felt that it was unneeded to finish. I am sorry for that. Secondly, I got a promotion at work which required much more of my time and I was no longer able to write while at work. Thirdly, and most importantly, I have gotten engaged to a wonderful and beautiful woman who is also my best friend. There are, I am sure, many other minor reasons I could find for not taking some time to write. Now, as far as the story goes I am sure I probably had some wicked ideas for what was going to happen but, alas, I have forgotten them and can't remember where I left my Rememberall. So, I again apologize if my story seems somewhat confused. Also, once again this wonderful magical world belongs to J.K. Rowling and not me. Ok, that was my longest authors note and I'm tired so without, further ado welcome back to Harry Potter and The Battle for Hogwarts.
Chapter 45: The Final Duel
Harry lifted his head up to see where the voice had come from. Draco stood at the top of the stairs with his all to familiar sneer.
"Your little attack on Pettigrew and the other Death Eaters was a mistake, Potter." Malfoy spoke slowly.
"Where is Ginny, Malfoy?" Harry asked calmly. "If you've touched her, I'll kill you."
"She is safe and much closer than you probably think, Potter. Now put down your wand and follow me."
"I don't think so, Malfoy. I will follow you, but not without my wand."
"Expelliarmus!" Malfoy shouted. Harry was prepared for such an attack and quickly cast a protective shield. Harry quickly whispered a disappearing spell and ran through the doorway at the bottom of the stairs.
"Potter! Ginny doesn't have the time for these games!" Malfoy yelled as he walked down the stairs. "The Dark Lord is waiting for your arrival and if you don't show up soon he will kill her."
Harry knew that Malfoy was most likely telling the truth. Harry wasn't about to let Malfoy escort him into a trap. Harry instinctively grabbed the medallion that hung from his neck and immediately came up with a plan. Harry looked up over the back of the couch he was kneeling behind and saw Malfoy enter the room.
"Come out, come out wherever you are, Potter." Malfoy smiled as he said this. Suddenly a flash of white light shot at Malfoy. Malfoy dove to the ground to dodge the spell, the spell harmlessly hit a large grandfather clock that was next to the doorway. "Your aim needs work, Potter!"
"I wasn't aiming at you, Malfoy!" Harry yelled back as he saw the grandfather clock begin to grow arms and move towards Malfoy. "It looks like your time is about up."
Draco stood up and felt two firm hands grab him by the shoulders and pull him backwards. Malfoy let out a small scream as he saw the clock trying to pull him into its open pendulum case. Harry heard Malfoy cast a spell a second before the grandfather clock burst into flames. The loud pops and crackles of the growing fire made it hard to hear any other sounds.
Instantly Harry and Malfoy began to duel in the small room. Pieces of furniture were exploding all around them as numerous curses and jinxes missed their target. With every missed spell Harry could feel himself becoming more and more angry with Malfoy and his spells became increasingly lethal.
"Dumbledore was wrong to put his faith in you, Potter!" Malfoy yelled from behind the only remaining chair in the room. "If he is the smartest wizard alive he should have known that the Dark Lord would eventually defeat you!"
"I haven't been defeated yet Malfoy!" Harry yelled back. As he did a soft wind began to blow throughout the room causing the fire to grow at an even faster rate. "Tell me where Tom is keeping Ginny and I will let you live, Malfoy!" Harry dodge a spell that came at him as he said this.
"Let me live? Let!" Malfoy's voice began to sound strained and Harry could tell the smoke was beginning to affect him. "I'll never tell you where your precious Ginny is now!" A loud crack came from the ceiling. Harry saw a large beam fall and hit the chair Malfoy was hiding behind. Malfoy let a loud painful scream out and Harry could see the beam had landed right on his upper legs. "Help! Help me, Potter! You are too good of a person to let me die here. Help me."
Harry walked over to Malfoy and kept his wand aimed directly at Malfoy's head.
"Where is Ginny?" Harry asked calmly.
"I don't know. The Dark Lord didn't tell me, he only told me to take you to the room at the end of the hall and you would know where." Malfoy's face was twisted in pain.
"Wingardium Leviosa." Harry cast the levitating spell on the beam and freed Malfoy. Draco crawled out from under the beam. Harry put the beam down and raised his wand at Malfoy when a green light filled the room. When the light faded Harry could see Malfoy lying lifelessly on the floor. Harry spun around on his heels and aimed his wand at the doorway.
"Kim?" Harry asked shocked. "What did you do that for and what are you doing here?"
"He was going to curse you, Harry. Sometimes you get much to trusting of people." Kim Tero replied.
"You didn't answer my question, Kim. What are you doing here?"
"Professor Dumbledore told me you were here." Kim answered. "He sent me to help you."
"Aguamenti." Harry began casting to extinguish the fire. For five minutes there were much more pops and crackles, then finally the fire was out. Without a word Harry climbed the stairs and began heading down the hall. He could see the door at the end of the all was open and a soft glow was emmenating from within the room.
"Harry, do you really think you should go in there?" Kim asked quietly.
"Of course I do, Kim. I have to save Ginny." Harry answered without looking at Kim. Harry stepped through the door and saw that the room was empty except for a desk and a small fireplace with a fire burning in it.
Harry looked through the room and saw what he was looking for, he took two steps toward it when he heard what he had been waiting for.
"Stop, Harry." Kim spoke quietly and calmly. "I can't let you go there with your wand."
"How long, Kim?"
"Since his return, Harry. You told all of us he had returned after the Tri-Wizard Tournament and I knew I had to find him to join him."
"Why?" Harry asked with no emotion.
"Why not? The Dark Lord is the most powerful wizard in the world, Harry." Kim answered with a laugh. "Why wouldn't I want to join him?"
"But you are a member of the Order. You swore to fight against Tom..."
"No I didn't, Harry!" Kim interrupted. "I never joined the Order. I simply told you I did and you believed me. I got George to get Dumbledore tell me where the Order headquarters are so that I could be there and spy on you."
"George would never betray me like that." Harry replied with a tear forming in his eye.
"Oh, poor, Harry Potter." Kim said in a mocking sad voice. "Don't worry, dear. George didn't betray you, he simply wanted the woman he loved to be close to him."
"Why did you kill Malfoy?"
"Those were orders from The Dark Lord. He wanted young Malfoy killed for failing to bring you back from the hollow, and I was afraid he would spill the beans on me." Kim replied. "Now enough talking, give me your wand, Harry."
Harry knew his only chance of rescuing Ginny was to listen to the order Kim gave him. He slowly grabbed his wand by the tip and began handing it to Kim when he heard someone shout stupefy and watched Kim fall stunned to the ground. Just as suddenly as it happened Harry saw Ron and Hermione remove his invisibility cloak and smile at him.
"We heard the whole thing, mate." Ron answered Harry's unspoken question.
"How long have you been here?" Harry asked.
"Since before you put the fire out. We Apparated in from Hogsmeade after Professor Dumbledore told us where you had gone. He also told us to watch for Kim, he had a feeling about her." Hermione answered. "Good thing for that fire though, Harry. It made it so loud that no one could hear us Apparate." Harry smiled and told his friends he had to be going.
"I know where Ginny is, I have to go. Tom won't wait too much longer before he kills her." Harry spoke as he walked to the desk. "If I don't make it back, I love you both."
Harry looked down and grabbed a book off of the desk. With one last word Harry vanished.
"There."