Chapter 14:
Hermione was nervously pacing the library in Slytherin's private chambers. She was worried about her father and how the cleansing ritual would go. She had received a letter from Tom that sounded much less evil than the ones had been recently so she knew the ritual was working. She was just worried about the confrontation. She was going to have to convince her father to let her remove the compulsion charm that Dumbledore cast on him and then Harry would have to try and hit him with the ritual spell. She was just scared something bad would happen to Harry and they wouldn't have the backup there to help. She knew they couldn't get the Order to help as they didn't want to risk a fight with the Death Eaters if not absolutely necessary. By just having herself and Severus involved it limited the risk to everyone else if it all went wrong somehow.
"Stop pacing love and come sit down," Severus told her gently and patted the seat next to him on the couch. She reluctantly sat down and he began to massage the tension out of her shoulders. She was glad that Severus was able to visit her as she would have gone insane by herself for so long. Severus was glad he was able to spend time alone with her as it would have been too difficult to show her the proper affection within the traditional courting process. It was torture for him just touching her shoulders, he wanted all of her. He wanted her to be his completely, but he knew they had to wait even if was killing him slowly.
"Sev that feels amazing," Hermione told him letting out a small moan at how great his hands felt massaging her neck and shoulders. "Could you massage my back as well? It has hurt for the past few days," she told him and when he agreed she began to unbutton her shirt.
"What are you doing?" He asked her startled as she began to undress.
"I want you to have access to my back," she told him, finally able to hide her devious smirk thanks to her 'Slytherin' training. "I thought it would be better if you used some of my massage oils." She told him and summoned the items from her bedroom before finishing removing her top. Severus was having difficulty remembering to breathe seeing her in a very skimpy black lace bra that left very little to his imagination. He knew she was purposely tormenting him but was determined to give her the best back massage possible. Hermione smiled to herself as she lay face down on the couch before reaching back and unhooking her bra. Severus only hesitated for a moment before beginning to massage the self heating oil into her back.
As the massage continued both were slowly loosing their control; Severus from having access to so much of her skin and Hermione from the wonderful feeling of his hands on her. They had spend a few nights kissing and petting but had never done anything more, even the night they spend together in her bed all they did was hold each other and kiss. Hermione was tired of controlling her feelings for Severus and wanted to feel his hands other places on her body so she turned over on the couch so he was hovering over her bare chest. Severus stared in wonder at her body and the two soon lost themselves in the feelings of the moment. An hour or so later Severus was finally able to gain control and untangled himself from Hermione before they went too far.
"I love you Hermione and that is why I want to wait. I want your first time to be the night I marry you." He told her gently and the two redressed and spent the rest of the night relaxing in each others arms.
Harry was nervous; he was going to take on Voldemort the next day. He knew the spell for the ritual backwards and forwards but he was still concerned that he would end up having to duel him first. He hoped it would end well for Hermione's sake but nothing in his life had ever been easy so he didn't count on it to be now. He had been pacing in the ROR for a while when his friends joined him. Neville was carrying a case of butterbeer and Draco, Ginny and Pansy had arms full of snacks, even Luna joined them and they tried to keep Harry's mind off of the impending confrontation.
"Relax Harry," Pansy told him with a smile as she began to massage his shoulders. "You won't do any of us any good tomorrow if you are so strung out." Harry leaned back into her touch and let himself get lost in the feeling instead of lost in his nervousness.
The other four in the room shared smirks as they watched the two. It was obvious that they had feelings for each other but were refusing to admit it until the other one said something. Ginny was sure that Harry was waiting to say anything until the prophesy was fulfilled and Draco was sure Pansy was waiting until she was sure Potter returned her feelings. Slytherins were not the type to profess their emotions without being 100 sure they would be returned, it was part of their survival instincts. The 6 played cards and ate snacks until curfew when Malfoy told them they better head to bed before the staff came looking for them. Harry and Pansy were the last ones left in the room.
Harry pulled Pansy into a tight hug. He was terrified about tomorrow, scared that he would loose and that his friends would suffer for it. "It's alright to be frightened," Pansy told him softly, holding him even tighter. "You don't have to be strong all the time. But I know you will succeed tomorrow. You are strong and determined and you can do this. I know you want the war to be over and this is your chance. So try and relax tonight, get some sleep and do your thing tomorrow. When you come back you'll be free Harry, just remember that." She told him, not wanting to end the embrace. She realized she had fallen in love with him sometime over the past few months and she was terrified of loosing him but she knew he could do it.
Harry couldn't find the right words to say to her. He wanted to cherish this moment with her in case it was his last but he didn't want her to think he was saying goodbye as he did plan on winning and coming back to her. So he did the only other thing he could think of and kissed her. It was a tender and gentle kiss that was full of promise. He gave her one more kiss to her forehead, afraid to say anything, and then headed to his dorm to sleep. Pansy stood in the doorway to the ROR for a few moments gingerly touching her lips and staring after him before heading down to her dorm with a seldom seen smile on her face.
It was very early the next morning when Hermione, Severus and Harry began their trek to the edge of the wards. They wanted as few death eaters to be around as possible when the confrontation occurred. Harry was wearing his invisibility cloak as well as a disillusionment charm and silencing spells on so no one could hear him. Hermione was breathing deeply trying to center herself and concentrate on her mental shields. They instructed Harry to hang onto Severus and they apparated to Voldemorts current hide out. Severus and Hermione exchanged worried glances as they realized they were not at one of the abandoned hideouts Voldemort usually hid at; they were at Malfoy Manor. They didn't say anything to Harry and kept walking to the door and knocked. An elderly house elf opened the door and upon seeing the daughter of the Dark Lord quickly ushered them into the back parlor where Voldemort was.
"Severus what brings you here?" Tom asked him surprised to see his faithful follower as he rarely was able to get away from the school. Severus had entered the room first and Tom had not seen Hermione yet.
"I asked him to escort me father," She told him with a smile as she approached him. She could instantly tell that the cleansing ritual was working as he was much more like Tom than Voldemort at the moment.
"What are you doing here my daughter? Is there a problem?" He asked concern in his voice. That was when the three knew it was now or never as they had never once heard Voldemort express concern.
"I am not having any problems," She assured him with a smile. "I wanted to see you as it has been quite a while. There is one other reason for my visit," she told him, pausing to gather her courage and to get a better grip on her wand. "Father I need you to trust me, can you completely trust me to do what is right for both of us and our cause?" She asked him with pleading eyes.
"I do not give trust lightly my child, but as I can see this is weighing heavily on you, yes I trust you." He told her wondering what her concern was.
"Then I need to cast a counter spell on you father." She told him, hoping he would maintain his temper. "I found out that Dumbledore cast a compulsion charm on you and I just found the counter. You cannot perform the counter yourself father, will you trust me to do it for you?"
"What is this spell the old fool placed upon me?" He asked her, fire in his eyes at how the old man had manipulated him again.
"I am not entirely certain father. All I know is that it is the reason you have the uncontrollable urge to kill muggles." She told him, which was a partial truth. "It will not hurt you in any way, I checked. The only ramification could be the removal of any blocks on your magic and I would think that would be a good thing."
Tom thought about what his daughter was saying. He had wondered why he was so intent on killing muggles when he had no real reason for killing them. He also knew that he couldn't trust any of his followers to perform the spell and if he wanted to be free of the meddling old coot's manipulations he would have to have the charm lifted. "Alright my child I will allow you to perform the counter curse." Tom told her and was rewarded with a huge smile by his daughter that made his heart twinge for a moment. He couldn't remember anyone ever looking at him that way before, it was nice. Hermione quickly performed the counter charm before he could change his mind and let out a sigh of relief and stepped back away from him to give Harry a clear shot.
Harry began the incantation for the spell. He was still hidden under the silencing spell and the cloak so Tom didn't even know it was coming. As soon as Hermione stepped aside he released the cloak and hurled the cleansing spell at the Dark Lord. Tom didn't have time enough to react before the spell hit him and he was engulfed in light. The three watched as Voldemort cried out in agony, Severus holding onto a sobbing Hermione who thought the spell was killing her father.
Harry watched as a cloud of pure black began to rise from Voldemort and hovered over the light. When Tom stopped screaming and no more black was being expelled by his body, Harry began the final incantation of the cleansing ritual. He banished the black cloud which was the evil being cleansed from Tom Riddle's soul. It took a lot of power for Harry to banish so much evil as it was putting up a fight, wanting to stay and corrupt someone else. Finally he was victorious and the black cloud was gone. Harry slumped to the floor exhausted.
Tom Riddle blinked slowly and looked around before noticing his daughter sobbing into Severus' robes. His body felt lighter and the voice in his that he associated with Voldemort had stopped giving orders. He felt like himself for the first time in years. He wondered how it had happened and then remembered seeing Harry Potter's face briefly before a spell hit him. He looked around and saw the boy lying not too far from him; he looked to be sleeping so Tom assumed he had used a lot of energy to do whatever it was he did.
"Why do you cry my daughter?" He asked her and was surprised by the warm tenor of his voice, he no longer sounded like he was speaking in partial parseltongue.
Hermione whipped her head around to look at her father and whooped with joy. Standing before her was Tom Riddle. Gone were all traces of the half-man half-snake he had been. He was now a man in his sixties with salt and pepper hair and startling green eyes like Harry's. He was pale but looked healthy. "Father!" She exclaimed and without thinking rushed into his arms. Tom smiled as he gathered his daughter into a tight embrace, the first he had ever shared with her. "I thought it hadn't worked, I was afraid you had died too."
Severus used the opportunity to check on Harry. He snorted as he saw the boy was fast asleep and even snoring lightly. "Well that answers that question," He said trying to hold in his laughter.
"What question Severus?" Tom asked curiously.
"I always wondered what the Boy-Who-Lived would do once he fulfilled his prophesy, it seems that the answer is sleep like a baby." He told them and they laughed at the absurdity of it.
"How did he fulfill the prophesy though as I am still alive?" Tom asked them; hoping that meant the war was over and he could retire in peace.
"He only had to vanquish the Dark Lord and he did that. We performed a cleansing ritual on the Slytherin ring and he performed the final spell that cleansed Voldemort from your body. He killed the Dark Lord Voldemort but allowed Tom Riddle, a good but manipulated man, to live on." Hermione told him with a smile. "You were never given a choice on how you wanted to live your life. Dumbledore took that away from you at a very early age. He placed compulsion charms on you that drew you to the dark. Every time you used any dark magic the compulsion charm pulled you deeper in, there was no way for you to become anything other than the next Dark Lord. Dumbledore wanted to create you and then destroy you so he could use the influence to open the magical world to muggles."
"So what happens now?" Tom asked, wondering how they would proceed.
"Now we hide Potter in one of the bedrooms so he can sleep off his exhaustion and call a meeting of your followers. We tell them that all deaths will stop, all use of the unforgivable curses will stop unless authorized by you, all torture and baiting of muggles will stop and finally all attacks on muggle lovers, muggleborns, half-bloods, and magical creatures will stop. We explain our new philosophy of keeping the wizarding world completely separate from the muggle world and tell them it is their job to try and convince the public as we will work through the ministry and the Wizengamot to change the current laws. In time we will have completely changed how our country reacts to prejudice and have it secure from muggle terrorists." Severus told him seriously. He knew a lot of changes had to be made but he was willing to work hard to see they were accomplished and he knew most of his fellow Death Eaters were as well as those on the Light side following Potter. "Remember we have an ally in Potter now and things will only improve."
Harry woke up in a strange bedroom in a very comfortable bed. He was still tired from all the magic it took but he was once again alert. He noticed a pepper-up potion as well as a magic replenishing potion next to the bed and gratefully drank them down. After waiting for the steam to clear from his ears he wrapped himself in his invisibility cloak again and made his way out of the room. He didn't want to take the change of running into someone hostile when he had just fulfilled the prophesy! He made his way back to the room they had met Tom in and was surprised to see it full of Death Eaters. He cautiously listened at the door and smiled as he realized that Tom was telling his followers what had happened and how they were to proceed.
Avery was disgusted with the way things were turning. His Lord was revealed to be a weakling; he would not stand for it. "If you no longer have the conviction to rid our world of the filth that has infested it then I will do it myself!" He screamed pointing his wand at Voldemort, the others just watched in fascination wondering what the newly reformed Tom Riddle would do. Avery was about to cast a very dark severing curse when he felt a wand poke him in the back of the neck.
"I wouldn't try that," A voice hissed at him. "He may no longer be controlled by the Dark but that doesn't make him harmless or stupid." The wand dug farther into his neck as he was pushed towards Tom.
Tom had to hide a smirk at the thought of Harry Potter saying such a thing about him, let alone protecting him from unfriendly fire. "You didn't think I would have called you all here without protection to insure you wouldn't turn on me did you?" Tom asked with a glare. "What should I do with this traitor?" He asked his followers. "What do we do with the riffraff that want to split our world apart, who spout believes that we have proven false and refuse to admit their fallings?"
"We let them rot in Azkaban," Hermione finally said as no one else would speak their mind. "We leave them to the Dementors and let the darkness consume them." There was a wave of agreement through the rest of those gathered.
"Then it is decided, any who act against us will be turned into the ministry," Tom told them all. "We must first find all those who follow Bellatrix, once she is taken out all the physical threats to our cause will be taken care of. The political battle to follow will be hard fought but our children will be the ones to do most of the fighting in that arena as we have lost the trust of the population with our pointless war against Dumbledore."
"Who is going to lead the political war?" Someone in the back asked. "No offence my lady but you do not have a strong enough voice in the political arena to affect the changes we need." He told Hermione.
"No but I do," the voice from the back of the room said and there were several gasps as they watched Harry Potter walk to the front of the room to stand next to Hermione. "Together with our friends we will have the strength to change the legislation. All legislation passed by Dumbledore in the Wizengamot is under review and will be re-voted upon soon. Other changes are being made as well and we will push them forward. Soon our world will be safe from the muggles, our laws will be fair and just and our system of education will actually prepare students for what may come in life. We are on the cusp of a revolution and with your help we can make it what we have always thought it should be."
Hermione beamed at her friend as he stood fearless next to her father and facing all his once enemies. The death eaters were surprised to see that the poster boy of the wizarding world was on their side. "Mr. Potter is the prefect choice to lead this campaign; he is already considered the Chosen One of the wizarding world. He knows more than others the dangers the muggle world can bring. He is respected by the supporters of the light as well as by myself and my heir. I know what his agenda is and it is exactly what mine is. We are now on the same side and you would all do well to remember that fact." Tom said glaring down at Avery again.
The three had smiles on their faces as they walked back up to the school. Hermione was radiant and proudly holding onto the arm of Severus, she knew no one would try anything in the school now and wanted to see her friends again. Harry was still tired from his spellwork but had never felt so free in his life. He couldn't wait to start living for once!
Minerva was sitting stiffly in her chair watching the doors for any sign of her daughter. She was not the type to wait patiently and it was killing her to have to try and stay calm for the students who had no clue what was going on at the moment. There were five very subdued students in the great hall for lunch, waiting on word of two of their best friends. Luna was sitting next to Neville and the two were just leaning against each other in silent support. Ginny was curled up against Draco on one side and he had his arm supporting Pansy on the other, who kept forgetting to breathe and had not taken one successful bite of food all day. The other teachers had noticed the strange behavior of the five as well as the absence of Mr. Potter and when they noticed how agitated Minerva was they realized something big was going on.
Minerva sighed with relief when she saw her daughter walk through the door and then began to smile when she saw the look of joy on her face. They had been successful! Pansy was out of her seat and into Harry's arms faster than many would say was possible to move. She was sobbing onto his shoulder in relief that he was back. Draco and Ginny joined Neville and Luna as they joined the three returning. After hugs were exchanged all around they made their way as a group to the main table to tell Minerva the good news.
"Attention all students!" McGonagall said as the hall instantly quieted. "I have wonderful news for all of you. The war is over! Harry Potter vanquished the Dark Lord Voldemort this very morning with the help of Miss Granger and their friends." The cheers were deafening from the students. The Slytherins were slow to cheer but when they saw that Draco, Pansy and Snape were celebrating as well they joined in. Severus knew he would have a lot of explaining to do to his students over the rest of the year but knew it was well worth it.
As the group was making their way back to the tables for lunch Harry stiffened, turned and stunned a little 1st year Slytherin girl that was approaching them. "Mr. Potter! What is the meaning of this?" Minerva roared from the head table and hurriedly approached the 1st year with her wand out to enervate her.
"I would hold off on that professor. She reeks of dark magic." He told her with a shrug, "I think you may want to check her for human transfiguration or at least an imperious curse and take her wand before you revive her."
Minerva was startled by his explanation that a 1st year could be so corrupted but when she checked the student for human transfiguration she was appalled to find one. As she reversed the transfiguration they were all rewarded with the presence of Bellatrix Lestrange. Severus was quick to bind her and began searching her for weapons. They found a large supply of potions, many of which were poisons, three knives and two wands on her as well as three different portkeys and an amulet that masks magical signatures. The witch had been hiding amongst them for months; she must have been waiting for Hermione to show herself before she made her move.
Harry was scanning the rest of the student body with a distrustful glance. That was how he noticed the flash of silver from the corner of the room. He raised his wand, "Accio Wormtail," he intoned and a fat rat with a silver paw zoomed into his hands. "Well hello Peter," Harry said with a sneer. "I had wondered where you had sulked off to." Harry was dangling the rat by its tail as it screeched and wiggled trying to get loose. He turned to Severus, "This really is turning out to be a wonderful day. I take down Voldie and capture the two people who I hate the most on the planet." Severus just smirked and conjured a gold cage, barely large enough for the fat rat. Harry watched as Severus placed anti-animagus, anti-apparition, and indestructible charms on it before he opened it and Harry forced the rodent inside.
"Um, Mr. Potter Sir?" A little 3rd year Ravenclaw asked him timidly, raising her hand like in class. "Why are you capturing a rat?"
"This is an animagus by the name of Peter Pettigrew aka Wormtail and he is the reason I do not have parents. This rat betrayed my parents to Voldemort and he is the one who murdered Cedric Diggory." Harry told her and he heard the outraged gasp from the Hufflepuff table. "He is going to get a Dementor's kiss, I will see to it personally." He told the Hufflepuffs and they nodded, glaring at the cage in his hand.
The aurors from the ministry arrived shortly after that and were surprised to see a bound Bellatrix Lestrange. Minerva quickly explained what happened to them and they took her into custody and tried to take Peter from Harry. "I will be handing him over to Madame Bones personally. I will not let this rat escape again." He told them firmly. "Besides I have to tell her all about how I vanquished Voldemort this morning," he told them with a sly smile as he began to follow the aurors who were removing Bellatrix. Tonks stared at him like he had grown a second head for a moment before beaming at him, her hair cycling colors in her excitement. The other aurors were staring at him wondering if he had lost his mind. Severus couldn't hold it in any longer and began to laugh at the absurdity of Potter's life.
The group of friends, minus Harry, sat down and ate their lunch. All of them happy and relaxed for the first time in months. Hermione couldn't wait to introduce her mother to Tom once again. She knew that finally things were looking up and the future was hers to write.