The Light at the End of the Tunnel

by fireboy

Harry has nearly finished training to kill Voldemort. Voldemort has nearly finished his plan. The race for victory is on. Good or Evil is about to be destroyed. HPCC.

27. The Final Battle

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for the plot and anything you don't

recognise.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel.

Chapter 27: The Final Battle.

Night had fallen. Harry stood and watched in silence as thousands of Death Eaters appeared before his eyes. He felt the dread in his stomach increase by the second as a seemingly incomprehensible number of dark witches and wizards formed up facing them. He narrowed his eyes, the moonlight just good enough to see by, at least ten thousand had appeared in the space of half an hour.

Harry turned and looked at the DA and the Guardians standing behind him. They were exhausted and bloody, many were leaning on one an other just so as to remain upright. Their eyes had a hollow, haunted look in them. But Harry saw, beneath the terror, a burning determination and he knew, that when the time came, they would charge the Death Eaters without hesitation and with all the bravery of before. Some of them grinned at him weakly and he grinned back.

"Not many of them, is there? Should be easy." A weak ripple of laughter

resounded through the group.

Harry turned and looked at the Aurors and the Order that had arrived. He felt his heart sink. There couldn't be more than four or five thousand. As he was scanning the line his eyes locked on a group of figures standing on a slight rise just behind the line. Even from this distance he could see Dumbledore's beard shining in the moonlight. Grinning he began to walk over to them.

As he walked along the line people noticed him and whispers broke out and suddenly cheers filled the air. People were yelling his name. Harry grinned, at least morale was high. As he walked passed the Aurors and the Order were shouting his name and thrusting their fists into the air.

Harry approached Dumbledore and saw that he was stood with Lupin and some of the leading members of the Order. Dumbledore looked up and when he saw Harry his face split into a wide smile.

"You held for me."

"I said I would, sir." Dumbledore smile broadened and, throwing away all sense of propriety, he walked over to Harry and embraced him.

"I cannot thank you enough for what you did." Harry was slightly embarrassed at Dumbledore's thanks.

"I just did what I could."

"No. You did more than you were ever expected to do, and for that, we are in your debt." Lupin walked over.

"I don't know how you did it with only a hundred and twenty men. But you did it, Harry." He pulled Harry into a hug before taking a good look at him. "And by the

looks of it, you took every spell they threw at you." Harry laughed.

"Some of my men are worse."

"How many men do you have left?"

"Around sixty or seventy Guardians. All of the DA." Their eyes widened in surprise.

"How the hell did you hold off all those Death Eaters with so few casualties?"

Lupin's voice was filled with disbelief. Harry looked at him.

"We didn't have much choice. We knew we couldn't fall. You don't know what it was like. Fighting like crazy, only just holding them back, a shout, a rally cry and then we were charging them again. A hundred of us against a thousand of them. Running into the spells, watching the guy next to you overwhelmed as a dozen slashing curses forced him to the ground. Then we would be forced to stop, the spells would be too much, and we would have to grit our teeth and dig our heels in and hold on as they ran towards us again, pushing us further and further back until we had to close our eyes and charge them again, ignoring the blood and the pain of the spells hitting your body, knowing that we could not retreat anymore. We fought, we stood and we refused to fall. That's how we did it."

Harry shook himself out of his reverie.

"Wormtail's dead." Several mouths dropped. Lupin stared at him like he couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"What?"

"He's dead." He tried to run and hide. I saw him and caught up with him in a cave with several other Death Eaters and a couple of assassins." Harry shrugged. "I guess I've avenged my parents and Sirius now. Well nearly. I still have to kill Voldemort." Lupin looked oddly subdued at the news of Wormtail's death. Harry turned to him.

"You're remembering the boy he was rather than the man he became." Lupin nodded.

"Yes." Dumbledore smiled at Lupin.

"A good idea, Remus, that is the best way to remember someone." Harry looked over at the armies. More Death Eaters had arrived bringing the number to around twelve thousand. No more Aurors or Order had arrived.

"Where are the Goblins?" Lupin shook his head sadly.

"Licking their wounds. They suffered the most at You-Know-Who's castle, their ranks were absolutely decimated. We'll have to do without them." Harry nodded. It would've been a hard enough fight with the Goblins, without them it was going to be near impossible.

An Auror walked over to them. He turned to Dumbledore.

"We're ready, sir." Harry looked over at the line. Sure enough the line was fully formed and waiting silently. A quick look over at the Death Eaters showed the same thing. A quick jolt of terror reminded Harry that, somewhere amidst that sea of black robes and silver masks stood Voldemort and soon Harry would have to find him and confront him. He was snapped back to reality by the sound of Dumbledore's voice.

"Good luck to you all. This is it." Harry nodded.

"Let's go finish a war. For good."

Lupin followed Harry down to where the DA and the Guardians were waiting.

Dumbledore and Mad-Eye Moody walked over to where the main body of the Order were waiting.

Lupin slid his sword out of his scabbard and sheathed it again. Satisfied that it would draw easily he turned to Harry.

"Scared?" Harry nodded truthfully.

"Very."

"Good. I'd be worried if you weren't." Just before they got to the DA and Guardians Harry turned to Lupin.

"Look, when I go after Voldemort, don't follow me. Keep an eye on my men, but don't follow me. I don't what you to die as well." Lupin could tell he had been bursting to say that.

"I won't, Harry. Just do me one favour. Take care of yourself. No unnecessary heroics." Harry nodded. They looked at each other for a minute before pulling each other into a rough hug.

They continued walking over to the waiting Guardians and DA. Lupin flashed a grin at the DA before walking over to Ron and Hermione.

Harry looked at his men.

"We've been through hell and back together. Now I have to ask you to do it once more. Fight with me, one last time, that's all I ask you. Just fight with me for one last time." They raised a cheer. Harry grinned. It seemed that nothing would break the morale of his men.

Harry looked along the line. He could see Dumbledore standing in front of it further about a hundred paces away, with Moody further down the line.

Silence descended for a minute. Harry stared straight ahead at the Death Eaters.

"Tonight we stand on the edge of our time. Tonight we choose our destiny." He raised his voice to carry right down the line. "This is what it comes down to. After tonight we get no second chance. If we lose now. We lose for good." He spun around and looked at them. "Who here wants to live in darkness and fear? Who here is willing to forsake the world? Who here is willing to turn his back on his family and friends? WHO HERE REFUSES TO FIGHT? NONE OF US!" A great cheer was raised along the line. "WE STAND, AS THE LAST LINE AGAINST THE DARKNESS, SO FEW OF US AND SO MANY OF THEM! BUT STILL WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN!" Another great cheer was raised. Harry paused. Silence fell again. "Fight with me, my friends, follow me and fight. One last time."

Harry looked along the line, spread out against the night sky. Drawing his sword, he turned and sprinted towards the Death Eaters.

There was a great cheer. Then the whole line suddenly surged forwards behind him. The DA and Guardians charged the hardest, sprinting ahead of the line. They had been through hell and nobody would have blamed them if they hesitated, but they had seen their comrades killed, they had experienced the fear and so now, driven by revenge, their bloodlust was up.

There was a great howl from the Death Eaters and they too sprinted forwards.

The armies clashed. The spells flew.

Harry felt his legs burning as he sprinted towards the Death Eater line. He heard their howl and saw them sprinting forwards.

He looked behind him, Ron, Hermione and Lupin were just behind him and his men were behind them. To his left and right Aurors were surging forwards.

Suddenly the Death Eaters were in range. A massive volley of spells were fired from either side. He watched Death Eaters fall to the ground as they were hit and heard screams come from behind him.

The two armies were forced to a stand still about a hundred yards away from each other. Spells were being traded rapidly. Harry ducked one that flew towards him and felt another bounce of his armour. He fired a couple of slashing curses at a group of Death Eaters before pushing his way over to where Ron, Hermione, Lupin and a couple of Guardians were duelling with a group of Death Eaters.

Lupin gave Ron a hard shove out of the way of a jet of green light, Harry dropped the Death Eater with a well placed slashing curse. Lupin looked over and grinned at Harry.

"Welcome to hell, Harry." He called cheerfully. Harry shook his head.

"Not quite. That's where were sending that lot," He said, jerking his head towards the Death Eaters, "this is only hell's docks."

Harry fired a slashing curse at another Death Eater; the Death Eater blocked it before retaliating with a stunner. Harry moved to the side and Ron fired a slashing curse that caught the Death Eater in the face.

Both sides were fighting viciously, they understood that this was what it came down to. Harry watched Auror after Auror, Death Eater after Death Eater fall to the ground. A group of the Order ran towards the Death Eaters, firing off spell after spell to try and push them back. Harry turned and joined them.

The man in front of Harry was brought down by a barrage of spells, Harry leapt over the body and felt a spell glance off his armour, he turned and stunned the Death Eater responsible, another Order member killed him.

The group Harry was with was forced to a standstill, half their number had fallen but they had managed to push into the Death Eaters' line. Harry fired off spells at the Death Eaters around him, before a spell hit him on the cheek, throwing him to the ground, another Order member fell next to him. Ignoring the pain in his cheek he leapt to his feet and killed a Death Eater dueling with one of the Order members. Just over twenty Order members were still fighting.

"We need to get back!" One of them yelled.

"We can't!" Another yelled back. Harry watched as two more of the Order were killed, one of them screaming horribly as several slashing curses ripped open his stomach. The situation was getting desperate. Harry glanced over at their own line, several Aurors were trying to get to them but were having to fight off a large group of Death Eaters.

Three more of the Order fell, their blue robes turned scarlet. Throwing caution to the winds Harry thrust his wand into the air and out poured a fountain of green sparks. Almost immediately a barrage of spells flew his way, the remaining Order members threw themselves in front of him to block them, the Death Eaters doubled their attacks and more and more of the Order fell.

Suddenly a great cry was heard from the battle line of Aurors, Guardians and DA and a great mass of men were running towards them, Ron, Hermione, Lupin and the DA at the front. Ron suddenly stopped them. The Death Eaters around Harry and the Order stopped too, as if they knew what was about to happen.

"DROP!" Yelled Harry at the Order. They did so and a split second later a barrage of spells flew over their heads, cutting the Death Eaters down. "GO, GO, GO!" Harry yelled. A second later they were sprinting back to their lines, ignoring the spells that thudded into the ground around their feet. Once they were back safely amidst the Aurors, Harry turned to Lupin, Ron and Hermione.

"Thanks." Lupin glared at him.

"I told you no bloody heroics."

"I'm not going to get through tonight unless I try." Lupin growled but couldn't say any more as a group of Death Eaters turned towards them. Harry shot an arrowhead curse at a Death Eater who blocked and retaliated with a jet of grey light, Harry wasn't quick enough and the spell hit him in the jaw. It felt like the blow of a sledgehammer. Harry rolled to the right to avoid two more of the spells before he heard someone shout a spell above him and the Death Eater fell to the ground.

Harry got shakily to his feet. He saw one of his Guardians looking at him in concern.

"Are you alright, sir?" It was the person who had killed the Death Eater. Harry turned his head to the side and spat out the blood.

"I'll survive. Get back to the fight." The Guardian nodded and turned to duel with a Death Eater. Further to the right the DA and Lupin were fighting a large group of Death Eaters. Harry heard Parvati yell as two slashing curses caught her in the chest and side. Susan ran over to help but was brought down by a spell.

Ron grabbed two of the DA and ran forwards firing off spells rapidly, a spell caught one of his companions, Terry, thought Harry, in the shoulder and threw him to the ground. Cho deflected a Death Eater's curse and stunned one that was trying to overcome Lavender. A group of seven Aurors finished off a group of Death Eaters before running over to help some of Harry's Guardians.

Harry grabbed the Aurors and directed them towards them DA. They nodded and ran off, one of them falling to the ground after a jet of green light hit him in the chest.

Despite being heavily outnumbered the Aurors and Order were holding their own. Harry saw a large group of the Order, with what looked like Dumbledore at the front overcome a group of Death Eaters before turning and running to help some Aurors who were being forced back.

Harry was snapped back to reality when a spell glanced off his armour. Looking over at the DA he saw that with the Aurors' help they had pushed the Death Eaters back. Parvati was once again on her feet, dropping the dark wizards with deadly precision.

Harry noted that they were getting too spread out and being dragged into individual duels. Harry frowned as he ducked a spell that flew towards him, that wasn't how it was supposed to work. Running into their midst he thrust his wand in the air and, for the second time that night, shot out green sparks. Immediately the DA turned and rallied around him.

"Keep it together!" He yelled before leading them against a group of Death Eaters who were running towards them. The DA gave a great cheer and ran after Harry. He could see the bloodlust in their eyes as they fought. The Death Eaters were running towards them firing off numerous dark spells. Suddenly Ron was beside Harry, blocking spells and firing slashing curses back before being forced backwards under a barrage of spells, Dean Thomas took his place, his wand moving too quickly to be followed, dueling viciously with a pair of Death Eaters before a stunner caught him in the chest and threw him to the ground, Hannah appeared by his side and revived him before resuming her duel with a female Death Eater.

Harry ducked a spell that flew towards him and blocked another. He fired off two slashing curses at a Death Eater dueling with Lupin before twisting awkwardly to avoid a spell that flew his way in return. He could see Cho, Hermione and Ginny on his left, Ginny was thrown to the ground, blood spurting out of a wound on her thigh. Cho blocked another spell while Hermione healed Ginny's wound. Gritting her teeth against the pain, Ginny got to her feet and, the three of them ran forwards a few paces.

The battlefield resounded with screams of pain and fear. Harry watched one Auror member hit by close to a dozen slashing curses in quick succession as he tried to help a group of the Order who were pinned by a larger group of Death Eaters. The Auror screamed horribly as he fell to the ground. Harry felt anger boiling inside him as he watched the Death Eaters responsible laugh in pleasure before pushing harder against the Order members.

All across the battlefield the Aurors and Order were desperately trying to hold, and so far doing a fairly good job of it. No matter how hard the Death Eaters pushed the Aurors and Order pushed back just as viciously. The battle had only been raging for a short while and already hundreds of bodies littered the ground.

Harry turned his attention back to the DA and the Death Eaters they were fighting. The Death Eaters outnumbered them almost three to one but the DA were used to being outnumbered and held their ground.

Harry found himself next to Parvati Patil who was calmly picking off the Death Eaters one by one. Renown for her accuracy with a wand and the deadliness of her slashing curses she was considered the marksman of the group. The only person more accurate than her was Harry.

She grinned at him as he blocked a spell that flew his way.

"Think we should even up the odds a bit, Harry?" Harry noticed that she had a gash on her shoulder.

"I think it's a great idea." Smiled Harry. Parvati scanned the line of Death Eaters opposing the DA.

"The Death Eater dueling with Dennis. Bet you can't bring him down." Harry looked at where she was pointing. It was a relatively easy shot. A second later the Death Eater was lying on the floor in a pool of blood.

"Your turn," Harry scanned the line, "the small one, between the two large ones, near where Terry and Ernie are." Parvati lined up the shot before casting the spell, the slashing curse cut neatly through the Death Eater's throat.

"Very good." Said Harry, impressed. Parvati grinned and looked at him.

"First to five?"

"You're on." Two seconds later Harry had two Death Eaters lying on the floor in pools of blood. The third one managed to block the spell just in time and Harry cursed. Parvati caught up with a beautiful shot that flew between two Death Eaters before hitting a third in the face. The Death Eater was thrown to the ground. They each got two more before Parvati fired a slashing curse at a fifth, who managed to block it just in time, quick as lightning Harry spun and brought him down. He turned and grinned at her.

"That's five. I win." She glared at him in mock anger.

"That doesn't count! He was mine!" Harry laughed.

"Bad luck." Disheartened by the sudden deaths of their comrades the Death Eaters began to be pushed back by the DA. Seeing that their men were in trouble several Death Eaters ran over to help and soon it was the DA who were being pushed backwards.

Justin Finch-Fletchley brought down two of them before a spell hit him in the face. Justin fell to the floor screaming, clutching at his face with blood pouring out between his fingers. The Death Eater was just about to finish him off when Harry leapt in between them.

"Lavender, heal Justin!" He yelled before continuing the duel with the Death Eater. The Death Eater fired off and arrowhead curse before ducking to avoid Harry's burn curse. The arrowhead charm glanced off Harry's armour before another spell hit him in the arm, leaving a deep gash. Ignoring the pain, Harry let fly a barrage of arrowhead curses and slashing curses. The Death Eater, failing to block them all, was beaten to the floor and lay unmoving amongst a mass of blood.

Harry quickly looked to see how Justin was, to his relief he was back on his feet, helping Terry and Anthony fight off a group of five Death Eaters.

Even so the DA were being forced backwards. Lupin, Ron and Hermione were trying desperately to rally them and the DA were trying desperately to hold but could not under the onslaught of spells. Harry looked for help. Over to his right he could see his Guardians, led by Danny, trying to make their way over to him but they were engaged in a massive duel with around a hundred Death Eaters. Either side of him the Aurors were fighting desperately against the Death Eaters, standing their ground but too hard pressed to help the DA.

Things were looking desperate. Harry was almost ready to yell to Lupin that they were going to go in with swords to try and buy the DA some time to regroup and fight back when help arrived.

Running towards them were a group of the Order led by none other than Dumbledore. Harry could have laughed in relief. The Order fell in beside the DA who, encouraged by the arrival of reinforcements, began to fight back. Dumbledore walked over to Harry.

It was odd, Harry noted, how even amidst the biggest, most important battle yet Dumbledore still managed to look calm. He alone looked untouched by the Death Eaters' spells and was almost lazily blocking them. Harry felt the stark contrast between them, he covered in blood, not all of it his own, numerous cuts and gashes and a fierce look in his eye and Dumbledore looking as if he was taking a stroll around the grounds.

"How are you, Harry?"

"Grateful you've come." Dumbledore nodded, a faint smile on his face.

"I thought you might be," He paused and scanned the battlefield, "We're doing well." Sure enough the Aurors and the Order were holding well, giving the Death Eaters no ground. He stopped and smiled down at Harry. "Shall we?" He said, gesticulating towards the Death Eaters.

"With pleasure." Harry answered. The two of them turned and strode towards the DA and Order. Harry blocked a Death Eater's curse before bringing him down with couple of slashing curses. Dumbledore raised his wand and moved it in a slow whipping motion downwards, muttering an incantation. A dozen Death Eaters fell to the ground stunned. Harry turned to his headmaster in awe.

"You have got to teach me that!" Dumbledore chuckled before blocking a spell that flew towards him. The DA and Order began to push harder against the Death Eaters who gradually began to fall back. Harry and Dumbledore pushed forwards side by side. Somewhere nearby Harry heard Ron laugh and call out.

"The bastards don't stand a chance! Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore? They won't know what's hit them! We've got this in the bag!" Harry laughed and beside him Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively.

Both sides were fighting hard and neither side was giving ground. Bodies littered the field and screams and shouts filled the air and somewhere amongst them, Harry knew, Voldemort waited. Somewhere amongst the pain, fear, death and hatred destiny waited. His destiny.

A/N VERY IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ. First of all I am really sorry for the ridiculous delay. I have had so many problems lately it has seemed as if it has gone from one problem to the next, first my laptop crashing and being wiped clean, then the disks taking ages to arrive, then all the work and finally me falling ill. It has been a demanding few weeks and I apologise. Thank you so much for your patience.

Next. You should all know about new policy on replying to reviews. From now on I will only reply to a review if it contains any questions. But I would like to thank anyone who reviews this story from the bottom of my heart. It does mean a lot to me that you take the time to review. So thank you. If anyone would just like to talk about this fic or anything Harry Potter feel free to email me. I will reply. If anyone does feel that I should reply to reviews with questions or without then let me know. Thanks.

Next chapter will be out in about a week.

Keep reading and reviewing 'cos I'll keep writing.

Fireboy.