Chapter Thirty Five: The Final Confrontation:
Harry knew it was time to act, people were dying and this had to stop. He knew the plans put in place were not as finished as everyone around him would want but he was ready to take on Voldemort, he was sure of it. Now was the time as the Wizarding world was banning together against Voldemort. Even the Slytherins had turned against him and now were helping to overthrow the evil wizard and his followers. Harry left the headmaster's office one gloomy spring day with the letters in hand to send to the papers in the morning and one to send to Voldemort tonight. If he refused to acknowledge the letter he would acknowledge the newspapers. Harry walked up to the Gryffindor common room after he set off the letter with a school owl and slumped into a chair.
"So you did it?" Hermione asked him sitting by him in a chair.
"Yes, I did." Harry said. "It's going to happen, I am going to have to kill him."
"Bloody hell." Ron said.
"I agree." Neville said. "So you know how you are going to kill him?"
"Well I will try to get him to see the errors of his ways, but I doubt he will." Harry said. "But I can try, and that is all that matters."
"Yea it does." Neville said. "Does anyone but us and the professors know about the werewolves?"
"No they do not." Harry said. "There is more, Charlie is coming with dragon riders."
"I thought dragons cannot be tamed." Hermione said.
"They can't." Ron said. "They will let you ride them or not, it is up to them."
"There is more, I talked to my dad." Hermione said. "He has some... connections in the muggle military."
"Wait how do they know about us?" Ron said. "Wait don't tell me, it's in a book."
"Funny Ron and you are right, Harry you said something about the power he knows not?"
"Yea but electricity does not work here and he grew up in a muggle orphanage."
"It didn't have electricity." Neville said surprising everyone. "I checked it out, it's in the muggle archives."
"Neville you continue to surprise." Ron said.
Neville grinned and the day of the battle was fast approaching. Harry was nervous but knew that this was the time. Stupid prophecy, several people had seen the duel in the atrium of the ministry of magic and Dumbledore had tried to kill Voldemort. No less than five times and he couldn't , and he was the most powerful wizard of the age! That meant Harry had no choice but to kill Voldemort. The next morning Harry took his copy of the daily prophet and saw his letter on the very front page and quickly read it to make sure everything was in order:
Harry Potter, boy who lived has asked us to print the letter he has sent to you-know-who in it's entirety. As such the name of you-know-who-will be used through out, we apologize for any discomfort it causes:
To Lord Voldemort, aka Tom Marvolo Riddle, one time head boy of Hogwarts, wizard extraordinaire, styling himself as master of the world, leader of the death eaters and scourge of the modern world, from Harry James Potter, the boy whom you chose as your equal, who's parents you murdered and who's life you have made less than pleasant greetings,
I wish to end this once and for all, I no long wish to have you destroying others and wish to have you to come to Hogwarts for your final duel with me. The winner of course will get to chose how the Wizarding world will be run. I know you cannot wait to "show me up" so you will be allowed to do just that. However remember the warning I gave to you last year. You know the prophecy as does the Wizarding world, I am not amused to be in this role and only wish to end this war. To that end I wish to call you out for a duel on May 2 of this year one week from today. I expect your response today.
Now to the followers of Voldemort, most of you follow him to protect the Wizarding world not destroy it. You fear the muggles because you see them as a threat to our world. I understand that fear and promise if you so choose to come over to our side you will be given mercy and allowed to help create a better world for all. If you wish to protect the magical world you will get your chance.
Sincerely Harry James Potter.
Harry put down the paper and sighed, somehow having this in writing made the upcoming duel all the more real. He started realize just what he had to do and felt the days go by in a blur. One minute he it was Monday and the next it was Friday. Remus did his best to comfort him as did Moody. Harry spent a lot of time with Ron and Hermione and he went over a plan that he felt Neville had a part to fulfill. Finally the day came that Harry was going to fight Voldemort and he dressed carefully in his green dress robes and walked down to the great hall. The students stood waiting and Harry saw the tables were gone. He walked to the dais and stood with Dumbledore behind him and Remus and Moody on each side.
"We are here with you Harry." Remus said.
"I know, Uncle Al you have the bag?" Harry asked.
"Here Harry, you want it?" Moody said.
"No, you have the right to show what it is to him." Harry said.
At that moment the doors to the great hall opened and Voldemort came in with those most loyal to him. Sirius who was standing ironically near Severus growled at Voldemort as he came in clad in robes of black trimmed with silver. Harry walked to face him in the center of the hall, he was nearly as tall as Voldemort and was of course much better looking than the bald red-eyed snake-faced dark lord.
"Morning Tom." Harry said calmly. "Nice of you to show up."
"How dare you…"
"Oh call me Harry, after all we are on first name bases you know." Harry said. "Now you know the prophecy and really I don't want to kill you."
"You can kill me today but I will rise tomorrow!" Voldemort hissed.
"I don't think so." Harry said.
"I agree." Severus said stepping forward and Harry saw he was wearing black dragon skin armor under a black surcoat.
"You!" Voldemort hissed.
"Yes me, you are doomed, ever since you betrayed all of us, betrayed the cause you pretended to believe in to draw us in!"
"I betrayed no-one!"
"Lies!" Lucius shouted stepping away from Voldemort's side. "You betrayed us by forsaking the cause to gain your own power!"
One by one death eaters denounced Voldemort and came to stand near Harry. Finally only Bellatrix, Rookwood, MacNair, Avery and Crouch stood by Voldemort while the rest stood by Harry and the other fighters of the light. Voldemort saw red and ordered Nagini to attack Lucius and that was just what Neville was waiting for. He stepped forward and with one clean stroke of the sword of Gryffindor he cut off the head of the snake. Voldemort screamed in rage and Harry held up his hand to quiet the hall. Surprisingly it worked and he nodded to Moody who drew up a table and stepped forward.
"Who here knows what a Horcrux is?" Harry asked and very few in the hall raised their hands. "Alright in a nut shell this is a Horcrux, you take a bit of your soul you broke from the whole by committing a horrible murder with a complicated spell and put that bit into an object. Once done your body could be destroyed but your soul is bound to earth. You are more powerful than a ghost, more like a wraith really. Nagini was just one, really poor thing to do an innocent creature."
"Very smart boy." Voldemort said his red eyes looking at Harry coldly.
"Uncle Al could you show him what we have found please?"
"Of course Harry, let's see Diary destroyed, ring same thing, cup, destroyed, locket, diadem the same."
"You see you are now as mortal as all of us." Harry said. "Voldemort is no more, you can give up or die, your choice."
"I am Lord Voldemort!" Voldemort screamed pulling out his wand.
"Ah but I have a power you know not." Harry said calmly. "Do you wish to continue?"
"You will die brat!" Voldemort snarled.
"Fine I did give you a chance." Harry said.
He had his wand in his left hand, and Voldemort did not realize Harry was not left handed. Not until Harry had pulled out a Glock and aim it at Voldemort did Voldemort realize he may have just underestimated this boy after all. Harry calmly shot him point blank and Voldemort stood stunned for a moment a bullet square in his forehead. He fell backward and landed on the floor dead. Harry stared down at him stunned, all the work, all the years and it seemed so…anticlimactic. No fancy spells, no flashes of light, just one bullet and that was all. He did not have much time to think as there was a shout outside and Harry realized even with Voldemort dead these dark creatures were attacking.
He rallied those able to fight and lead them out to where a full scale battle was going on. The young werewolves Remus had brought here were fighting others that were fighting with Grayback. Dragons were swooping down on giants that were trying to get to the school and the remaining Dementors were being driven off by holy water and priests. The battle was brutal but quick and the armies of Voldemort were routed and destroyed. Once the battle was over Harry stood on the grounds stunned by what he had been forced to do. Remus came up and put an arm on his shoulder and smiled at him. The worst was over, Harry would live to graduate, marry and raise his own family. In time he would tell his children, his grandchildren and great grandchildren about how he had helped defeat one of the most evil wizards of his age…