CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: WAGES OF WAR
Six hippogriffs were harnessed in the giant pen behind Hagrid's cabin. At the very front stood Buckbeak, waiting for Harry. Harry bowed in greeting and Buckbeak did the same. Jillian and Hermione cast Disillusionment Charms on everyone. Harry was cloaked and astride Buckbeak in moments. Hermione chose to ride with Ron. She absolutely hated flying, but she was determined to go with them. The ground soon grew further and further away, and the rush of wind against their faces made all their eyes water.
They passed the mountains and kept going, and just as Flitwick had described, the panorama opened up to a startling expanse of land, the nearest village separated by a long, winding river.
What Harry had not known before was that if they followed that river path until its end, they would have wound up at a little stream that ran through the very place he visited with Lupin and the others all those months ago, Godric's Hollow.
Godric Gryffindor, the man, had chosen to settle-- for a short time before joining his friends to start Hogwarts-- not very far from where Godric Gryffindor, the boy, had been raised.
Harry dismounted as soon as Buckbeak's hind legs touched the ground. He felt like a lighting rod. His skin stung with energy, anxiety and anticipation. He'd thought his physical reaction to Godric's Hollow had been driven by his emotions. And on some level, it had been. But it was more than that. He felt connected to it, and not just because it had been his home with his parents. At the time, he'd not even thought about its possible connection to Gryffindor, and he'd had no clue about its significance to Albus Dumbledore; yet his subconscious had sensed it. Everything inside him told him this was where he needed to be.
"The others should be arriving shortly, Harry," said DeSousa, looking towards Buckbeak's broad back, where he thought Harry still sat.
"I'm already down, Andre," said Harry, and listened as the others dismounted.
"Okay, Buckbeak," he whispered. "Take your friends up in the mountains and wait for us. Stay close. If things go badly, I'm counting on you to get as many of them out of here as possible. All right?"
The hippogriff bowed once more, let out a cry and took off. The others followed behind him.
"Where's everyone else?" asked Hermione.
"They're coming with Moody," said Kingsley. "I'm sure he's yelling out last minute orders back at the school."
"A good number of Aurors from abroad showed up last night when we called for reinforcements," added Jillian. "Kipling will be commanding them, with help from Arthur and Charlie."
"Don't forget, the centaurs are still guarding the grounds," piped in Tonks. "Word spread quickly about the attacks at Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. The Ministry got a lot of requests from others who wanted to help. They're still arriving by Floo as we speak."
"And the D.A. is standing guard, as well," said DeSousa. "You did an amazing job with them, Harry."
"Good luck getting him to believe it," said Ron.
"They did all the work," said Harry. "I only showed them how. I just hope it's enough and that I haven't made things worse for them by splitting us up."
"It was enough last night. Don't doubt yourself now," urged Kingsley. "We got hit hard; but so did their forces. You're putting yourself front and center, and You-Know-Who will come wherever you are. Even he can't be in two places at one time."
"I wish Remus and the others would hurry up and get here," said Tonks. "I don't like standing out in the open like this."
Harry knew she'd begun walking around when small stones suddenly turned into large boulders and rock formations. She was creating makeshift positions of cover for them.
And as if they heard her, small gusts of wind blew about and Harry heard people Apparating and landing, even though he couldn't immediately see them. The others were arriving Disillusioned, as well.
Everyone had drawn their wands until they heard Moody's voice taking roll call on the teams landing.
"All right, Potter, are you sure you want to do this?" asked Moody.
"Yes, we need to have them contained. I know once the Six-Point Anti-Disapparation Jinx is cast, we'll be unable to get out of here quickly. If any of you are uncomfortable with this, now's the time to duck out. I'll completely understand," said Harry, and he meant it, knowing he'd pretty much just asked them to agree to give up their fastest means of retreat and escape.
At first, no one said a word and Harry didn't hear anyone Disapparating. What he did begin to hear were wand taps and whispered spells as the others began reversing their Disillusionment Charms. Much of the Order was standing with him, along with more Ministry Aurors, including Scrimgeour himself. And the last to reveal themselves were Neville and Seamus.
Lupin was looking towards the spot from which Harry had spoken. Harry reversed his own Disillusionment Charm and dropped the hood on his Cloak, looking at everyone assembled in the middle of nowhere.
"Seamus? Neville?" said Harry.
"McGonagall already tried to talk us out of it, Harry," said Seamus. "But we're of age, so the decision was ours."
"Don't start, Harry," added Neville "Fred and George know every inch of the castle, and they're pretty ruthless when they're not joking around. The D.A. couldn't be in better hands. And I needed to be here."
Neville didn't have to explain any further. Harry knew this was as personal for Neville as it was for him.
"I was only going to ask what took you so long," said Harry, managing a hint of humor when he was actually feeling sick to his stomach.
"Hermione," said Lupin, taking the focus off the trio's other friends, "we're counting on you to cast half of the Six-Point Jinx on this side. Harry will take care of the points behind the Death Eaters -- the last after the guest of honor shows up. You'll need to get to Jillian and shadow her. She'll provide cover for you and get you to the perimeter points."
"I can do that," said Hermione.
"I do not doubt it," said Lupin with an approving nod.
Hermione rushed to Harry and gave him a hearty hug.
"You're a great wizard, Harry, you know," she whispered, her eyes bright and tear filled, repeating something she'd once said to him just before he found himself face-to-face with Voldemort for the first time.
Harry winked at her.
"Ready, mate?" asked Ron, as he joined them, clasping Harry about the shoulders.
"As I'll ever be," said Harry, looking intently at the friend who was a brother to him in every way that counted.
"Potter, keep that Cloak on as long as possible," said Moody. "You-Know-Who won't likely move in until it looks like his Death Eaters are in trouble or he spots you. I prefer it to be the first one."
"Wait," called DeSousa and he came to Harry's side. "Here, take this one. You've earned it."
It was one of the Ginunting swords. Harry opened the folds of his Cloak and accepted it, clipping the sheathed sword to his belt.
"Thanks, Andre," he said and lifted his hood once more. "Okay, Jillian, now."
Jillian raised her wand and pointed it skyward. Harry managed a real smile as he watched the image take shape in the predawn sky. It was the outline of a large phoenix, red and gold and glowing bright and brilliantly against the darkness.
They did not have to wait very long. That phoenix image was like waving a red flag in front of a bull. Voldemort's Death Eaters began arriving in dark swirls of wind, just as they'd done three years ago on the night the Dark Lord returned. And once more, they'd forgone hiding behind masks.
"Morsmordre," bellowed Macnair, one of the first to appear.
The Dark Mark formed in the sky above and the two seemed to be battling for dominance above, while the battle below began.
Bellatrix was front and center, sending curse after curse directly at Tonks.
"What's the matter, darling niece?" she challenged. "Are your parlor tricks not up to snuff?"
Tonks's answer came in the form of a charging Erumpent, which she transfigured from a dark gray stone lying before her. Bellatrix barely got out of the way, and it took four Death Eaters to stop the beast, but not before it had impaled Crabbe Sr. as easily as a marshmallow on a stick.
Bill, Scrimgeour and DeSousa took full advantage of the temporary distraction and brought down Avery and another Death Eater.
Bellatrix was furious. Harry knew what she was about to do. From beneath his Cloak he threw a Shield Charm in front of Tonks. But Moody had seen it too, and he dove at Tonks from the other side, crossing in front of Harry's shield. At first, Harry thought Bellatrix's spell had passed by him, but it had not. Moody hit the ground and he did not get up again.
"You are running out of leaders for your little club, aren't you?" cackled Bellatrix.
The Order and Aurors kept fighting, even though every one of them wanted to weep. Harry tucked his pain away in the same spot as his grief for Hagrid and the others and pushed on.
There were more Death Eaters than expected. No wonder Voldemort had been so willing to gamble on last night's losses. Harry needed to increase their odds. He walked hidden among them and cast spells and curses at the Death Eaters. Harry took a small amount of pleasure in watching several of them fall as a result of some of Snape's handiwork. Grudgingly, he admitted once more that the Half Blood Prince had been nobody's fool.
"Get behind us," said Lupin, when he realized it was not his spell alone that cut down Macnair.
"I can't stand back there and do nothing," whispered Harry, and he left before Lupin could say anything else.
But Harry realized he could stand behind the Death Eaters and do something. As quickly as possible, he moved on the outside of the battle and made his way behind the Death Eaters.
With a few well-timed curses, he picked off a good number of the newer Death Eaters, trying to time his spells with those from the Order so that it didn't appear that they were being attacked from the rear.
Harry looked across in time to see Greyback lunge at Ron. Ron fell back but rolled out of the way, and the green light from Bill's wand tracked the werewolf like a laser. His dead body fell inches away from Ron.
Two Aurors were killed by a combination of spells and Scrimgeour let out a roar as he aimed straight for one of Death Eaters who'd just killed his men.
Neville and Seamus were near Jillian, helping her provide cover for Hermione, who was silently casting the Anti-Disapparation Jinx on the designated perimeter points. To anyone else, it might have looked like they were trying to retreat, but Harry knew they were moving their opponents in a cleverly concealed half circle.
Harry needed to do the same on this side before it became too late. He picked two points behind the Death Eaters and cast the same jinx as Hermione. Then he moved back nearer the center of the battle. This would be where he closed the Six-Point Jinx once Voldemort showed up. He couldn't stray too far from this spot until then.
From his vantage point, he saw about ten Order and Auror fighters down, and there was no doubt that at least four of them would not be getting up again. Lupin would definitely disapprove, but he decided to take a few risks. Because even though Death Eater bodies littered the ground, there were still too many of them standing. Harry knew Voldemort would arrive with more and he wanted to give them all a fighting chance.
He began attacking from where he stood. He stunned Rabastan Lestrange unconscious, body-bound one unknown Death Eater and disarmed a second one before anyone noticed the direction from which the spells and curses emitted. Harry had just transformed Nott into a Crup when a small alarm went off in his head.
He moved about a foot to the left, and Rodolphus Lestrange's curse came within inches from where he'd been standing.
"I believe the Potter brat is here!" shouted Rodolphus as he dodged a curse from Scrimgeour and fired back, striking the Minister in the chest.
It looked like a stunning spell, and although he was out of the fight, Scrimgeour seemed to still be breathing. Rodolphus made to touch the tip of his wand to the Dark Mark tattooed on his left arm, no doubt ready to summon Voldemort to the bloodbath.
But Kingsley moved fluidly past the Minister's fallen body and a jet of green light caught Rodolphus in the throat. The Death Eater dropped face down, but not before he'd sent his summons to his master. Bellatrix let out a cry like a warrior. Kingsley had just killed her husband. A luminous arc of blue light flared from her wand and hit the ground in front of them.
"Get back," yelled Jillian, and everyone scrambled back, trying to dodge spells and curses.
The place along where most of them had just stood erupted into a wall of electrified blue flames, and it started moving rapidly towards the others as they hurried back.
Harry cast the strongest Freezing Charm he could think of; and although it stopped moving forward, the wall of flames continued to dance.
It looked like they'd all gotten clear when Seamus lost his footing and stumbled back precariously close to the flames. Tonks was the closest to him and saw him falter. She made a desperate grab for him with her free hand and caught his wrist, but she hadn't been centered when she reached for him and the force of his fall pulled her off balance with him. They all watched horrified as both Seamus and Tonks fell through the strange blue flames and out the other side. They looked unscathed, but neither ever moved again. The wall of flames vanished and the ground looked untouched.
Hermione let out a cry as Kingsley swore and Neville retched and lost whatever he'd last eaten. Harry saw Lupin's face transform. There was no full moon tonight, but he looked as if he could rip out Bellatrix's throat with his bare teeth. Ron and Hermione ran to stand on either side of him.
"Very nice, Bella," came the high, cruel voice that made the hair on the back of Harry's neck stand up. His scar stung for the first time in nearly two years, but no longer with the horrific pain that usually pulsed through it when Voldemort was near.
Voldemort had arrived and no one, not even his Death Eaters, had noticed. He had not arrived alone. Baldwin, Wormtail, and Snape were part of the extended entourage. And then Nagini slithered from beneath and behind Voldemort's robes.
Harry felt torn in half. He so wanted to murder Bellatrix where she stood, but he likely only had one chance to seal the Anti-Disapparation Jinx. He said the incantation silently, his wand shaking in his hand. Then as quietly as he could, he moved back among the Order, brushing Kingsley's shoulder as he did so.
"I smell cowardice in the air," said Voldemort. "You can't hide beneath that Cloak forever, Harry Potter. Perhaps you need some motivation."
Voldemort's wand emitted a long thin rope that snaked its way towards Hermione, but it was sliced in midair by a strike from Jillian's wand. Every Death Eater turned to look at her and Voldemort considered her for one long, uncomfortable moment.
"Perhaps I will let you live," he hissed at her. "Wherever did you come from?"
Jillian did not answer.
"No matter," said Voldemort. "I've no doubt I shall greatly enjoy persuading you to join me."
His Death Eaters laughed, all except Bellatrix. She was eying Jillian maliciously, but Jillian gave her a most dismissive glance, which only incensed Bellatrix more, her face flushed with anger.
"It's a pity we don't have time for a catfight," said Snape. "Perhaps later."
That was all Harry needed. It was one thing to see him standing there, but the minute he heard the voice he hated only second to Voldemort's, his vision blurred. Harry dropped his Cloak and stood facing the thing that had haunted and hunted him all his life.
"So nice of you to join us, Harry Potter," said Voldemort in mock sweetness, as Nagini hissed and coiled and uncoiled herself before him.
"I wish I could say the pleasure were all mine," replied Harry, "but I'd be lying."
His voice sounded strong and calm, and Harry thought it was the best bit of magic he'd managed because he was actually more frightened than he'd ever been in his entire life.
"You insolent little half-blood," screamed Rookwood, firing a spell at Harry.
Harry deflected it and Rookwood dropped to the ground. But he hadn't been killed by anything Harry had done. A jet of green light had struck him and the curse had come from the Death Eater beside him, Baldwin.
"Our Lord has demanded that he be the only one to touch Potter," sneered Baldwin. "I suggest the rest of us remember why we are here."
The other Death Eaters were stunned, but Voldemort looked particularly pleased.
"Perhaps you are as worthy as I first thought, Baldwin," said Voldemort. "I'm glad someone has been listening to me."
"I hope to prove myself more than worthy, Master," said Baldwin and his gold eyes briefly raked across Harry's.
He'd gotten rid of one more Death Eater, and Harry was amazed that he'd done so without giving himself away.
Another flash of wand light passed in their midst, and this one was headed for Lupin. He was still reeling from losing Tonks and his reflexes were slowed. Ron pulled him down just in time and Hermione cast the Finger-Removing Jinx at the Death Eater who'd fired at them. He wouldn't be causing any more damage with a wand.
"Move," Harry yelled when he saw Voldemort's eyes flash. A funnel of wind came out of nowhere and they were blinded by swirling dirt and debris, unable to see where they were aiming their spells and curses, and hoping that they'd somehow managed to strike any of the Death Eaters.
When the wind died down, Baldwin was standing just behind Neville, his wand held threateningly at his throat. Neville was straining against his iron grip and turning red. The other Death Eaters were grinning.
"Well, Potter," said Voldemort, "who's it going to be? You or Longbottom?"
"Neither," yelled Baldwin as he pushed Neville to the ground and fired the Killing Curse at the Death Eater called Yaxley.
He immediately transformed himself to Regulus Black and Voldemort's eyes went blood red and Bellatrix began screeching. Snape's black eyes narrowed and the others appeared as shocked as the Order had been months ago.
"You are supposed to be dead," said Voldemort in a lethal whisper.
"So are you, Master," said Regulus.
"Where is your allegiance?" demanded Bellatrix.
"Where I knew it should have been long ago," said Regulus. "With those who stood alongside my brother. You remember him, don't you, cousin? I hear it was you who murdered him."
"Well, you'll be reunited with him shortly, Regulus," spat Bellatrix.
Pure bedlam ensued as everything and everyone moved quickly as the air crackled with the sounds of men and women dueling for their lives. However, Harry heard something else that no others could. He heard Voldemort speaking to Nagini. The giant snake was on the move and headed directly towards him. But at the last second it veered it's long body and struck to the right, directly at Regulus.
Lupin had his wits about him once more and grabbed Regulus by the back of his robes, trying to yank him out of the way. He'd nearly gotten him clear when the snake struck, its fangs piercing Regulus's lower left calf. He yelled in pain and DeSousa dove beside them to help stave off any more wand strikes.
Jillian's eyes gleamed dangerously and she was in Harry's head.
"Do it now," she pressed, and Harry understood her intent.
She raised her wand at Snape, knowing he would block whatever spell she cast. But that was her plan. It gave Harry the seconds he needed to release the sword from its sheath. He gripped the handle and hurled it in an over-handed throw directly at Nagini.
Voldemort aimed to blast the sword in mid strike, but this time, it was Harry's own wand spell, aimed a second behind his, that deflected the Dark Lord's.
Snape had disarmed Jillian and knocked her back, but it didn't matter. She raiser her empty hand and a burst of pure silver light cut a path directly to Harry's spinning sword, infusing it the moment it embedded itself in Nagini. The snake hissed violently and then exploded into hundreds of bloody pieces.
DeSousa summoned Jillian's wand back to her, looking at her as if he'd never seen her before. But everyone soon forgot about Jillian.
Voldemort's screams were like daggers being driven through everyone's eardrums.
"NO! NO!" he howled, over and over again, looking as if he were somehow in physical pain.
His Death Eaters were too stunned to move and most of them were watching Voldemort with fear and trepidation in their eyes.
Snape however, looked mildly curious as his black eyes roamed from Voldemort to Harry and to Jillian.
Harry and Jillian stepped back slowly, closing the distance between themselves and the others. Harry glanced over his shoulder and saw Hermione had ripped strips from Regulus's robes and was trying to tie off the flow of venom from the snakebite.
Kingsley, DeSousa and Lupin moved to stand alongside Harry and Jillian, with the others reigned in behind and around them.
When Voldemort looked up, his eyes glowed through the slowly retreating darkness. He turned his face skyward and his slit of a mouth twisted into a hideous half grin.
Harry felt it before he saw anything. The early spring air suddenly turned oddly cold and Harry could see his breath escaping from his nose.
Dementors were descending upon them. There seemed to be no end to them. And then the Death Eaters resumed their attack. Silver vapor and Patronuses were mixing with spells and curses. It was too much. They lost another Auror and two other Order members whom Harry had never known by name.
"Harry," yelled Ron, "the others can't stop fighting the Death Eaters, and our Patronuses are weakening."
There wasn't a single happy thought running through Harry's head as he watched this battle unfolding around him. His friends were trapped here, and bodies were everywhere. Could he call for Buckbeak and the other hippogriffs?
Lupin and Kingsley moved in front of Harry, shielding him as best they could.
"Harry," called Lupin over his shoulder, "I know you can do this. You have to."
Harry fought to push back every bit of fear and doubt that was stabbing at his very soul. He brought an image of his mother and father to the forefront of his mind and raised his wand and his voice.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" he bellowed, and Prongs sprung from his wand tip, bigger and brighter than Harry had ever seen him. The Patronus inclined its head at Harry and took off on the air, scattering the dementors until they all retreated. Then the silver stag did something completely unexpected, and charged at the Death Eaters.
There really was nothing the Patronus could do to them, but Pettigrew seemed to have forgotten that and tripped over his feet and robes as he tried to back out of the path of the stag. It loomed large and eerily over the fallen Death Eater, its wide silver eyes unblinking. Pettigrew cowered beneath its gaze until the stag slowly faded into nothingness.
"You fool," yelled Bellatrix. "You are a pathetic waste of Wizarding blood."
Her next spell bound Lupin about the ankles and pulled him from his feet. She had a clear shot at Harry and took it, sending a jet of red light at him. Harry parried out of its path and sent his own curse back at her, which she barely managed to dodge.
"Stop!" ordered Voldemort, but Bellatrix was beyond reason. She aimed once more at Harry, but Pettigrew had gotten to his feet and plowed into her side, the two of them becoming a tangle of limbs. No one thought Pettigrew a match for Bellatrix, but his silver hand closed about her throat and she trashed beneath him, unable to breathe or loosen his grip.
"Enough," hissed Voldemort and his Killing Curse hit Pettigrew squarely in the back. He fell over dead and Bellatrix got slowly to her feet, clutching at her badly bruised neck.
Snape's dark eyes flashed once more and the other Death Eaters looked bewildered; but Voldemort looked absolutely predatory.
"Do you wish to join him, Bella?" asked Voldemort in a deadly whisper.
"No, My Lord," said Bellatrix, her face colored and her eyes rimmed with tears. "Forgive me, Master."
Kingsley had freed Lupin almost instantaneously, and they were all reigned in around Harry once more. Harry knew it was now or never.
"You look upset, Bellatrix," Harry said loudly. "I guess I would be too if I realized my boss cared more about his pet snake than he did about me or my so called friends. You didn't hear him screaming his bloody head off when Wormtail nearly strangled you, but he practically wept over Nagini. Don't you want to know why?"
Harry saw something flicker behind Voldemort's red eyes, something he'd rarely seen before and it spurred him on.
"He figured it out, Voldemort," said Harry and the other Death Eaters gasped to hear him address the Dark Lord as such. "Dumbledore knew what Nagini was to you, other than the only living thing you ever cared about, that is."
Voldemort's wand cut through the air like a knife and Harry knew he'd silently cast "Sectemsempra," directly at Bill. He and Jillian had worked out a counter-curse for that particular curse nearly a month ago. They'd even jokingly named it after Umbridge. Jillian stepped to Bill's side, casting a Shield Charm before them and Harry sent the counter-curse directly at Voldemort, who winced and hissed as his own wand slashed once across his palm.
Voldemort did not drop his wand though; quite the contrary, he gripped it more tightly, drops of blood staining the ground around him.
It was then that Harry noticed Voldemort had a different wand, and his anger spiked as he imagined what may have become of Mr. Ollivander.
Voldemort was watching Harry as if he were seeing someone else standing before him. So was Snape.
"So Dumbledore taught his favorite pup a few new tricks and gave him some useless information and now the great Harry Potter thinks he can battle me," said Voldemort.
"Dumbledore's information was far from useless," said Harry calmly. "Would you care to hear about it, Voldemort?"
"I cannot wait to squeeze the last drop of life from your carcass," hissed Voldemort in Parseltongue.
"Yeah, well, I certainly can," hissed Harry back at him in their private language, and several Death Eaters cringed at hearing him. Bellatrix's dark eyes were huge with rage and spurning.
"You know, it seems rude to leave everyone else out of this conversation," continued Harry. "Now where were we? Oh yes, Nagini."
"You do not know the half of which you profess to, Harry Potter," sneered Voldemort. "Neither did that Muggle loving buffoon who led you around by the nose."
"So we were wrong, then?" said Harry. "Nagini really wasn't a Horcrux? Pity, since I don't like hurting pets for no apparent reason."
Harry could hear sounds of disbelief from those around him, but he couldn't afford to glance back or around at any of them. He could however, see every single Death Eater, including Snape, watching Voldemort with wariness.
"Look at you," Voldemort said hatefully. "Standing there and believing you have the secrets of the universe at your disposal. No, dear boy, that would be me. I have defied and bent the laws of death more times than you could possibly imagine!"
"I can imagine six times," said Harry, his heart thudding so loudly he knew everyone could hear it.
But he saw what he wanted so desperately to see. He saw fear behind those red eyes and this time it wasn't fleeting.
"Dumbledore could not have possibly known …" he spat.
"He figured it out," said Harry, somehow keeping his voice calm and level.
"So what!" yelled Voldemort. "It would take a lifetime for you to find the others and I plan to make sure you life ends here. One or two of your precious Order will live to tell this tale. But they will never be able to stop me."
"They might be able to, especially since you no longer have these," said Harry, and he actually managed to grin into the face that had plagued his nightmare for years.
Harry raised his wand, and silently summoned the items he wanted, praying that he really could, just as he'd done with Gryffindor's sword. And one by one, each destroyed Horcrux, or what remained of it, appeared at his feet.
"Accio Riddle's diary."
"Accio Gaunt's ring."
"Accio Hufflepuff's cup."
"Accio Slytherin's locket."
"Accio Ravenclaw's breast plate."
"Accio Nagini's head."
If Voldemort could have murdered Harry with a look, he would have dropped dead that instant.
"Leave us!" commanded Voldemort to his Death Eaters.
"But Master," Bellatrix began sputtering, but she got no further as a cry rang out and she found Voldemort's wand pointed at her.
"Crucio," he said vehemently and she dropped to the ground, screaming in pain.
Voldemort lifted the curse and she staggered to her feet.
"Leave us," he commanded again. "I will deal with Potter and his friends."
The first Death Eater tried to Disapparate and ended up falling flat on his face.
A second one tried and found he'd gone nowhere.
"Master," said another, "we cannot move from this place."
Voldemort whirled around at Harry and the others.
"Which of you sealed this place?" he yelled.
No one moved or said a word.
"Very well, you can all die."
And like Bellatrix, Voldemort aimed his wand at the ground. But this time, no wall of strange flame erupted. Instead, the ground on which Harry and the others stood blew apart and they were thrown back through the air like toys.
Harry felt as though he'd been plucked from the air, and he had been. Voldemort had him bound in a rope spell and he slammed Harry down against one of the boulders and his wand fell from his hand. He was airborne again, and this time he landed with a resounding thud against the broken ground and the ropes disappeared.
He could hear his own bones breaking. He didn't know which ones or how many. He only knew he was in more pain than he had ever felt in his life, and Harry had felt a lot of pain.
He managed to turn his head and he could see the others had landed near one another. They were bruised and bloody, but most of them were getting to their feet.
"You foolish, stupid boy," screamed Voldemort. "I shall make the first new Horcrux with your death. But I think you need to suffer a bit more, first. And if any of your friends dare make a move, I will finish you in an instant."
"Crucio," cried Voldemort again, his wand aimed at Harry's chest.
Harry thought he would lose consciousness and then Voldemort relented, his sick laughter carrying through the air and his Death Eaters joining in the merriment.
"Get up, Potter," came a voice in his head and for a long moment, Harry thought Voldemort was possessing him as he'd tried to do two years ago. "Get up."
But it wasn't Voldemort. Harry knew this voice all too well. It was Snape. Well, he might be dying, but he refused to go with that voice in his head.
"Never again," yelled Harry. "Get out!" and he forced Snape from his head.
Had Harry been facing his former professor, he would have seen him stagger back, slightly stunned by the strength with which Harry expelled him from his mind. But Snape had been doing this a lot longer than anyone could have ever known.
"I have the last message from Dumbledore, you annoying little flea," came the voice from within Harry's head again. "Look."
And Harry could feel Snape opening a crack in his mind and pulling him through it by force. Harry was writhing on the ground, but no longer just from the pain of his injuries or the Cruciatus Curse. The montage of memories Snape cast at him was just as painful.
Harry saw his mother bent over a bubbling cauldron in Slughorn's class with her station partner, Severus Snape.
He watched them together in the library, pouring over large books.
He spied them exchanging knowing smiles after what had to be the completion of the written portion of the Potions O.W.L.
And then Harry witnessed the aftermath of the memory he'd seen in the Pensieve two years ago.
Snape was eavesdropping on a conversation between Lily and James in one of the school corridors. Well, it was more like a fight. She was furious at James for going after Snape and she had no problem blasting him and his idiotic friend for being so adolescent.
James stood there and took it. He made no more attempts to defend his and Sirius's behavior. When she'd finished venting, James had his say.
"I don't know what you see in him, Evans," he said. "But you're right, you're certainly old enough to choose your own friends. You may find me arrogant and insufferable and everything else you've called me in the last ten minutes, but you will never be able to say that Sirius or I are in league with anyone who supports the Dark Lord or his filthy beliefs. Can you say the same thing?"
He left Lily standing there and Snape emerged from behind the corner.
"Lily," began Snape, "I owe you an apology. I did not mean to take my anger out on you. And I appreciate you trying to help."
Lily laughed. It was a very sad and empty laugh.
"You only appreciate my help when we are alone or working on a project from Slughorn," she said. "Otherwise, you are as embarrassed by me as I should be by you."
"You do not mean that," retorted Snape. "Why are you listening to that idiot, Potter?"
"James is a lot of things, but an idiot is not one of them. I think that title belongs to me, alone."
"You are wrong, Lily," he said.
"I hope so," she replied. "I really do."
The next scene was of Snape surrounded by his Slytherin housemates, egging him on to torture a first or second-year Ravenclaw. Harry thought it had to be from their sixth-year.
"Go on Sev," said a sour faced Avery. "Convince the Mudblood he should go back home while he still can."
Snape flicked his wand and the little boy was pinned against the wall, his feet dangling a good six feet from the floor.
"Severus!"
Snape turned and faced Lily.
"Wow!" said another Slytherin. "Two Mudbloods in one night. What fun."
Lily disarmed the one who'd just spoken; and the others, including Snape, were blown against the far wall by spells cast from down the hall. James and Sirius had just shown up.
"All right there, Evans?" asked Sirius, as he stooped down to help the Ravenclaw back to his feet. The kid had come crashing down when Snape was stunned.
"Yes," she said, her green eyes burning as she looked at Snape with disgust.
James held his hand out to her and she took it, turning her back on Snape and walking away.
"Crucio," cried Voldemort again, watching Harry fighting for breath.
Another memory was from the night Harry and Hermione helped Sirius escape. Snape was in Professor Dumbledore's office.
"Your childhood rivalry may have very well set something very dangerous in motion tonight, Severus," said Dumbledore, his tone even, but his anger uncensored. "I thought you'd learned that lesson twelve years ago when Voldemort murdered the woman you claimed to care about."
Snape looked simultaneously ill and angry.
"I did not betray Lily," said Snape.
"No, you simply told Voldemort the prophecy that made him mark the Potters," replied Dumbledore.
"Had I known she was expecting a child, I would never have provided the Dark Lord that information," reasoned Snape, his nostrils flaring.
"I believe you, Severus, just as I believed you then," said Dumbledore. "But Sirius did not betray Lily and James, either. And I am ashamed I did not believe so years ago when someone else begged me to see the truth. However, we cannot undo the past, but you must stop living in it. You were so intent on punishing Sirius for adolescent games, you lost sight of the oath you made all those years ago. Harry nearly died tonight trying to save his godfather and that should never have happened. You swore on Lily's death that you would help me protect her son; and I'm sure you'll agree, you did a piss poor job of it this evening."
"I will not fail you again, Headmaster," said Snape.
"I am glad to hear it," said Dumbledore, his face losing its anger in an instant. "And Severus, it might help if you could refrain from seeing James every time you set eyes on Harry. I assure you, he is his own person."
"That's funny, because I find him an exact copy of his arrogant and self righteous father," said Snape.
"Then I suggest you try and look closer," said Dumbledore. "He really is an intriguing mix of both his parents. You know, they say the eyes are the gateway to the soul, and as you well know, Harry has his mother's eyes. If you bothered to notice, you'd see that he has her heart, as well."
Snape said nothing; he only looked at Dumbledore as he turned to leave the office.
"Have it your way, Severus," he said, sighing. "Good night."
"Crucio," cried Voldemort once more, and Harry lost count of how many times he'd endured the curse. He could hear Hermione screaming his name, but she seemed so far away.
Harry next saw Dumbledore and Snape arguing. This memory was definitely from last year, because Harry could see Dumbledore's injured hand.
"You do not have a choice, Severus," said Dumbledore.
"Of course I do," replied Snape, sarcastically. "You are the one always going on about how our choices define us."
"Severus," said Dumbledore, "I know I have asked you to do something you find unconscionable, but it is the only way."
"It cannot be," said Snape.
"It is. If you refuse to do it, then you and Draco will both perish. Bellatrix saw to that with the Unbreakable Vow. And if that happens, it is only a matter of time before Voldemort gets to Harry. That cannot happen. Harry is not ready to face him, yet. There is much more that needs to be done and I am trying to help him with that now."
"And if I do as you demand, then you won't be around to help him, anyway. So, what is the difference?"
"Harry will know what he needs to do," said Dumbledore. "Of that, I will make certain. I only ask that you act to give him time to do so."
"No, you only ask that I kill you," said Snape bitterly. "I cannot do it."
"Yes, you can, Severus," said Dumbledore. "You are the only one who can. And if you plan to honor your pledge on Lily's death, then you really do not have a choice. Can you live with yourself if you let her down, yet again?"
Snape glared menacingly at Dumbledore.
"Fine, have it your way, then, Headmaster," he said, echoing what Dumbledore had said to him three years previously and he stormed off, his dark cloak billowing behind him.
And the final memory was undoubtedly from last night. It was of a small portrait of Dumbledore that spoke to Snape by wand light in a very dark space.
"And that is all you want me to tell him?" asked Snape incredulously. "What good will that do? They just attacked the school and that is all you have to offer him – a riddle?"
"Harry knows everything he needs to know. But I suspect he will need to be reminded of the most important thing of all. So yes, that is all I want you to tell him," said Dumbledore calmly. "But it is up to you to convince him to trust you, and that may prove to be the most daunting task of all."
"What was conceived in deception, reared in indifference, driven by thirst, and reborn from hate is powerless against that of which it remains ignorant," repeated Snape through furrowed and angry eyes.
The Dumbledore in the small portrait nodded and the next second, Harry was tossed from Snape's mind and he found himself staring at the hideous reptilian face that was standing over him.
"You looked like you could use a little reprieve, Harry Potter," said Voldemort. "It's not as much fun if you are too far gone to scream and beg. We've heard you scream. Shall we see how well you beg?"
As Voldemort lifted his wand once more, Harry raised his right hand and a blast of red light sent the Dark Lord stumbling backwards into his Death Eaters. Harry did not know how he did so, but he managed to roll over and pull himself up, standing on two very unsteady legs with indescribable pain coursing through him in hot waves.
"Thank you, Professor, for everything," projected Harry to the man who had made his life a living hell since the first day of class. But Harry realized with certainty that he too, would have perished at Voldemort's hands a long time ago without Snape's efforts.
Everyone else was too stunned by what Harry had just done to notice the look on Snape's face as he heard Harry's words in his mind and focused his black eyes intently upon Harry's green ones. Everyone except Bellatrix, that was.
"You were so keen to find out what was in the rest of Trelawney's prophecy," said Harry, with his attention back on Voldemort, each word cutting through his burning lungs. "Well, I think you should hear it now. Would you like to?"
Voldemort's slit like eyes dilated as Harry recited the prophecy from memory and with great effort.
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives."
There were more gasps and whispers of shock and awe from those on both sides.
"A little patience and restraint would have saved you a whole lot of trouble, Voldemort. Wouldn't you agree?"
"No," screeched Bellatrix and she trained her wand on Harry, but Snape moved like the bat he so often resembled and deflected her curse.
"You traitor!" she shrieked. "All these years. I knew it."
She turned her wand on Snape and he deflected her curse as easily as he had the one she'd aimed at Harry, but his own counter-curse missed Bellatrix by a hair. She did not miss again and this time, the unmistakable green light of the Killing Curse hit him directly over his heart and he fell slowly to the ground.
She'd just given voice to her sick laugh when, from over Harry's shoulder, a second Killing Curse streaked past. And this time, it was Bellatrix who found herself greeted by death. Harry turned expecting to find Jillian or Lupin with their wand aimed where Bellatrix had fallen, but it was Neville. Their loathing of that twisted witch had been equal to and as personal as Harry's own, but none was older than Neville's. He'd needed to settle a score and Harry had never seen his friend look so formidable.
There were less than a dozen Death Eaters left standing with Voldemort. You could see the anxiety on each of their faces, including Voldemort's. But a frightened animal is often the most dangerous and he pointed his wand once more, only now he was aiming for the Order, the Aurors and Harry's friends.
"Protego," shouted Harry, and as he splayed the fingers of his right hand in front of the others, a shield of pure gold light wrapped itself around them.
That had never happened before.
Harry's head was spinning as Voldemort threw another curse at him. He was too hurt and too consumed to fight much longer. Harry waved his left hand in front of himself and a second gold shield appeared.
Voldemort could not touch any of them, but he could see the strain Harry was under. He was battered and broken, his shirt ripped and sticking to him and his mouth was filled with blood, which he spat onto the ground.
"It looks like your gift, surprising though it is, is a wasted one," said Voldemort in a hollow whisper that only Harry could hear. "You are unworthy to possess such an ability. But no matter, because when you finally drop, I will finish you, Harry Potter, and every single one of them, except perhaps the witch."
Harry's vision was sliding in and out of focus and he could feel bile rising in his throat.
"Your new friend is quite intriguing," continued Voldemort coldly. "It is a pity she aligned herself with the likes of you. I shall take great pleasure in punishing her for the error in judgment."
Harry closed his eyes and tried to block out everything around him. Voldemort's crude remarks began to fade. Hermione and Ron were screaming his name, but their voices became faint echoes in the back of his mind. Soon, there was nothing else. He was standing in near perfect silence. The only sounds were his own oddly beating heart and labored breathing. Harry could feel the first rays of morning light playing across his face.
He was recalling Snape's voice repeating Dumbledore's last message to him and then he realized it was not the first time he'd heard a part of it. Harry's mind rolled back to the Sorting Hat's last song. It had seemed such an odd and foreboding one. And it had been, but part of it had also been a direct message to Harry, only he'd not fully understood it at the time.
A beacon of hope dwells within us all, likely
To shine brightest when all seems lost;
Sadly, such destiny is not without great cost.
To restore balance and order to our
World and to return to ashes an evil
That should never have been,
One will have to search and find
The true source of power within.
When strength and power have waned
The heart will seek what must be attained,
Heed well always to these words
And remember to look heavenwards.
Harry turned his mind inward and concentrated on everyone he'd ever loved, those lost and those standing with him now and elsewhere. He'd worked so hard this past year to keep his emotions and his heart in check, only to finally understand why Dumbledore had called it his greatest gift. Crafty spells and wandless magic would not be enough to defeat Voldemort.
And Harry stood there, with thoughts and images of his parents, Sirius, Dumbledore, Hermione, the Weasleys, Lupin, Kingsley, Jillian, Moody, Tonks and countless others running through his heart and mind. The more he thought of them, the more even his breathing became and the relentless pain receded from his body.
Harry turned his head up with his eyes still closed; but his mind felt lit by a powerful and warm light. It was as if the sun were coursing through him. He could feel the familiar humming beneath his skin, but it was stronger than he'd ever known it to be. He was not alone. They were with him and all their love was fueling his strength.
Harry lowered his head and opened his eyes, his gaze on the ground before him and he could see Voldemort's robes blowing as he circled Harry like a predator.
"You should accept that it's over, Harry Potter," said Voldemort.
"You are definitely right about that, Voldemort," said Harry, raising his head and staring directly into Voldemort's red eyes.
Harry's green eyes burned with a force that made Voldemort step back from him.
Harry smiled and looked up, and the morning clouds parted to reveal an orb of gold and white so intense, the others had to shield their eyes. The strange light seemed to hang from the heavens directly above Voldemort and Harry.
Harry took a step forward and both his shield and the glowing orb of white and gold light moved in unison.
Had there been any color remaining in Voldemort's face, it would have drained completely as fear and panic replaced the maniacal glint that had been there only moments before. But then the maniac returned once more.
"It will not work, Harry Potter," he yelled. "You cannot control it and protect yourself and your friends. I know you too well. You will not let them come to harm, even if it means giving up the chance to destroy me."
"You are right, again," answered Harry quietly. "You have harmed too many of them already; but no more. I will make sure of that with my last breath."
And Voldemort looked at Harry as his meaning became crystal clear. Harry took a few seconds to look back at the others, still protected in the strange golden shield of light. They were watching him and Jillian and Hermione looked panic stricken. They had figured out what he was about to do.
"I love you," he mouthed to them and turned his back resolutely to them and faced Voldemort once more.
"NO!" shrieked Voldemort, as he began sending useless curses and spells against the shields. "IT IS NOT POSSIBLE!"
Harry watched him for a moment, feeling oddly removed from everything going on around him. Voldemort's remaining Death Eaters were either huddled in fear or watching in complete disbelief, still shielding their eyes from the glow above.
"It is very possible," said Harry. "You should have understood that. The very thing that stopped you that night in Godric's Hollow will destroy you now. You should have believed Dumbledore when he told you it was the most powerful force of magic in the world."
"IT IS NOT!" he argued. "I HAVE DONE THINGS OTHER WIZARDS HAVE NEVER DARED TO DREAM!"
"And yet, here you stand," added Harry, calmly and quietly, wanting at least this part of their twisted conversation to be private. "My father died trying to save us and my mother's love saved me all those years ago. And Snape apparently loved her enough to fool you and everyone else practically my entire life. My godfather risked absolutely everything for me. And Dumbledore willingly gave up his life to make sure we would stand here today."
"And all your mighty protectors are gone," pressed Voldemort, his voice getting louder as his panic and anger rose. "They are all dead by my hand or my bidding!"
"You are still wrong," said Harry with conviction, his own voice raised once more. "They are dead, but they are not gone. They never will be. They're with me right now and I have never felt closer to them. Perhaps it's because of the place on which we stand. Did you realize we are on the land where Godric Gryffindor was born?"
Voldemort's eyes went still.
"I take that as a no," continued Harry. "I thought it fitting since he was the only founder whose memory you were unable to soil with your filthy Horcruxes. And he was also Dumbledore's ancestor. You've got to love the irony of it all. And I've got one last message from all of them, and from me."
What was left of Voldemort's lips turned up in a hideous snarl, but he never got a chance to say another word.
"GO TO HELL, TOM RIDDLE!" Harry said and then dropped his own shield and lifted his eyes to the orb in the sky, his left hand pointed directly at Voldemort, who seemed suddenly frozen to the spot.
Heat like nothing Harry had ever felt radiated across the landscape. It was as if the sun were trying to touch the ground upon which they stood. Every bit of energy from the orb seemed to pulsate through the top of Harry's head and out from his hand at Voldemort.
Harry watched as Voldemort's wand dropped to the ground. He heard the remaining Death Eaters yelling and screaming. And then he heard Voldemort screaming in absolute agony.
Harry's vision blurred and his own legs buckled. He dropped to his knees, but he kept his arms and hands steady, one aimed at Voldemort and the other holding the shield that still protected his friends.
He could hear the others screaming for him to stop, but he couldn't. Didn't they understand? He couldn't, not until Voldemort was gone.
"Drop the shield, Harry, please,"came Jillian's voice in his head. He shook his head and closed his mind to her pleas and any others.
Harry heard her swear in frustration and then his right arm shook as she started battering against the inside of his shield with her own spells. He knew he couldn't hold Jillian off forever, but he didn't need very much longer.
He was watching the night of Voldemort's rebirth in reverse order, with Voldemort's screams echoing without end. His robes burned from his form and then his skin melted away from his body in excruciating slowness. Muscles and tendons and veins and organs disintegrated until only a skeleton remained.
Harry's right arm finally dropped as Jillian broke through his shield, but he did not turn around to face them.
He watched Voldemort's bones darken to black coal and splinter upon the ground, roasting until they turned to ash.
Harry's left arm came down and he was on his hands and knees, his face turned to watch the orb retreat back behind the clouds. And then Voldemort's ashes were swept away on a high wind that seemed to come down from the mountaintops.
Suddenly, every bit of pain that had been held at bay came crashing back on him and he tried to cry out as he collapsed against the blood soaked ground, but he was unable to make a sound. He felt hands on him and forced himself to open his eyes. His glasses seemed to be gone, but he saw Hermione's blurred face inches from his own and her eyes told him what he already knew. Harry closed his eyes and slipped into oblivion.