A/N: Alright, I know it's been a while, but hopefully you all still want to find out what happens to our lovely Harry Potter heroes and heroines. I've had tons of homework, work and other crap (writers block – grins sheepishly) occupying (or not occupying) my time. But, if you read on, you'll find the chapter worth it (I hope). I'm rather disappointed in the responses I got…which was none…to my question about how I should continue. But, I did get some reviews so I want to thank those who have reviewed; Olyy, wertyit, Wolfenheim, and BitterSweet Amusement. The title is actually a song by Disturbed; I figured it fit in well with the ending of the chapter.
Chapter 14: Down With The Sickness
Song: Headstrong
By: Trapt
I'm putting this here so you'llREAD THIS! I've made some slight changes to the story, nothing earth-shattering. I've gotten rid of the whole "Lord and Lady" magical level thing, Harry and Hallie just have a higher potential than is normal. A larger magical core, shall we say. I've checked the chapters since that first entered the story, but if you notice any flaws let me know. The only chapter that's been changed is chapter 10. Thanks. Now, then, on to the story.
-Lily's POV-
Lily woke to the sound of Calla and A.P. crying, beginning simultaneously. It was one of those times where Lily wished she and James didn't "trade" kids with Sirius and Rose for the day. It was mid afternoon, but Lily hadn't been sleeping well lately due to worry over the war. It felt as though she had just gotten to sleep. At least with Harry and Hallie, she could count on them to be quiet and to entertain themselves while she took a nap.
She always made sure there was someone else in the house, though. After all, she was tired, not a bad mother.
She got out of bed to go see what the problem was now. This was the third time they'd woken up in an hour from their own nap. The first time had been due to hunger, and then it was because of wet diapers…both of which had been checked on before their nap. She couldn't imagine what it was now, seeing as they normally only cried for three reasons; hunger, wetness, and tiredness.
Oh well, she thought to herself, walking down the hallway towards the twins' temporary room, I can always sleep later while James watches the children.
She got to the twins rather quickly, avoiding the few toys in the hall that hadn't yet been picked up by Tinker or Dabble without even looking where she was going. Living with so many children, you developed a sixth sense about things such as where to avoid walking. Toys weren't the only thing that children made a mess of, there was always a second tasting of their breakfast, or lunch, or dinner, really anything they ate that they weren't accustomed to yet.
They had found, over the past few weeks, that Neville was very finicky, Harry and A.P. would eat about anything, Mira and Cari liked their routine, and Calla, Hallie and Lucinda were adventurous but preferred what was familiar, but to a lesser degree than Mira and Cari.
They had all been trying to get the children to try new things, so as to instill open-mindedness and to expose the children to new things. Lily and Rose had decided that a good dose of muggle culture was in order, so every week a day was spent in the muggle world doing muggle things the muggle way, no magic. Everyone went with, and it was a different thing each week.
It seemed the twins just wanted attention, this time, so she took them to a chair and told them exaggerated tales of the things they had done themselves recently.
So far, on their little adventures, they had bought a car; no magic, meant no magical travel either. James had wanted a sports-car the moment he saw one, but Lily had thought a nice mini-van would suit them, with so many in tow. They had eventually compromised on a family suited sedan (enlarging charms to be placed on the thing the next day so everyone would fit). It was a little sporty, but still safe enough to suit Lily.
They had also attended a muggle church ceremony, after Rose thought back to the days she would go with her parents to church. It had been interesting, but a one time thing…at least until the children were older…Lily still didn't like to think about that poor old woman who was sitting in front of them.
Another trip had been to McDonalds. While Lily and Rose found it to be rather ordinary, they still thought it was funny to see Sirius and James chasing each other around the Play Place, down the slides and into the ball pit, proceeding to hold Marauder court and then a "war" with the provided weapons.
Lily had bought a camera, muggle of course, for future trips.
They had found a zoo not too far away, and spent the day there. They'd found out at the serpent house that Harry and Hallie were, as suspected, parseltongues and much more. It seemed as though they could communicate with all the animals; though how, they still weren't sure. The authorities, meaning Dumbledore and Minnie, had been called in to help explain, but to no avail.
They'd done a few other things, generally enjoying themselves. They'd had a movie day, watching a bunch of Disney movies; Bambi, Dumbo, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White. Of course, they hadn't gotten to them all in the one day, but they still watched and enjoyed them all thoroughly. Sirius had even made popcorn the muggle way, with a popper and seeds. His first batch had been a little salty, and then too buttery, finally he got sick of it and made everyone add their own condiments. It was funny seeing Sirius flustered.
This week, for Halloween, they were going to go trick-or-treating with the kids. They hadn't decided which night yet, Lily and Sirius had been debating the point for a while now;
---Flashback---
"Sirius," Lily said for the fifteenth time in less minutes, trying to keep her cool but failing miserably, "you can't go trick-or-treating the day before Halloween, everyone will look at you like you're nutters and call the police! You have to go on Halloween, if it's to be any fun!"
"But we were supposed to have a party, and what does it matter what night we go out? I don't get what the problem is! Besides," he mumbled to himself, or so he thought, "it's not like any of us have never looked like whack jobs before."
"And just what, Sirius Orion Black, are you implying with that statement?" Lily questioned, her tone making Sirius step back a pace and everyone else in the room cringe slightly.
"Just that we've looked like idiots before, and willingly. Why's now different?" Lily seemed to calm down a bit, after her, in Sirius' opinion, unwarranted outburst. This gave Sirius a new confidence to continue. "Why don't we take the kids out some other night, it isn't as though they'll know the difference!"
"No, they won't," Sirius started to feel hopeful…he wanted his party on Halloween, "but I will." Sirius' face fell after that last, but he kept going on for another two hours, not persuading Lily one bit.
---End Flashback---
They'd had many discussions, fine, maybe they were arguments, since then. Nothing had been resolved as of yet, so they were all going to vote on what to do. Sirius and Lily would have a short debate, well…argument, in front of everyone, not that anyone needed clarification on who wanted what, and then vote for what they wanted to do. You know, Lily thought as she recalled this last bit, some people would say we were extremely lame, but what are you to do when everyone you can trust is coming with you or busy and you can't trust a babysitter. Just because they were married with kids didn't mean they didn't need entertainment, no matter how pointless or lame.
-Sirius' POV-
Lily was being entirely unreasonable, in Sirius' opinion. She couldn't see that it really didn't matter when you went whatever-it-was, so long as you went. It was the day before Halloween and they still hadn't decided their plans yet; talk about last minute invite!
Okay, he decided to consider Lily's point more rationally. Ha, yeah right! At least I can admit I'm being childish, it is who I am after all. Alright, so maybe I'm being selfish, and maybe a little bit of overreacting took place on my part about not being able to have the party when I want, but Merlin am I bored!
It was getting late, nearing on midnight, as Sirius finally reasoned out that he didn't want his kids, god kids, nieces and nephews to look like losers going out whatever-it-was on the wrong night. Besides, he wanted to dress up…it sounded like fun. He would tell Lily tomorrow that they could go that night and have the party the next night.
Sirius sighed. When did I lose my winning charm, winning being the operative phrase here? When did I stop being able to charm anyone into getting my own way? Merlin, I must be getting old. I must write down my ways so they are not lost! I must teach future generations! What if A.P. and Harry grow up never knowing how to get themselves out of detention, or losing house points?!
Sirius began to panic, and then he remembered he had James to help him and he could always ask Dumbledore if he could borrow his pensieve for educational purposes. Educational my arse! But he doesn't need to know that.
He plopped into bed, waiting for Rose to finish up her nightly shower and come to bed. Merlin he loved it when they traded kids with Lily and James, Harry and Hallie never got upset about anything and were mostly self-sufficient, already getting used to their magic. It amazed him how much control they already had over their magical powers, simply amazed him.
Sirius drifted off thinking of this whole begging for candy thing, he kind of liked the sound of that.
-Rose's POV-
Rose stepped out of the shower and finished her nightly preparations for bed, brushing her hair and teeth and so on. When she walked into the bedroom once again, she saw Sirius had not been able to stay awake for long. She smiled at the expression he wore when he slept, no matter what he dreamt about he always held the same look of innocence he had practiced and used so many times on unsuspecting teachers. He, of course, didn't know that he did so.
She climbed into bed and went to sleep, thinking of how they would resolve that damned problem about Halloween. Personally, she was on Lily's side, but she knew where Sirius was coming from.
Some time later, she woke to somebody shaking her rather roughly.
"Sirius, not now I'm trying to sleep. You have to catch me before the eyes shut." Rose grumbled out a sleepy response, not caring if she sounded cranky…she was.
"Wake up; I don't want that," she looked up at him, mock hurt and real disbelief on her face, "well, not now anyway." She smiled and indulged him by sitting up and turning on their bedside lamp.
"What is it, love?" she forced out in a curious way, she was tired and she wanted to get more sleep before she had to take back Calla and A.P., who were soon going to be called demon children if they didn't get out of their 'cry all the time' phase.
"I had the strangest dream!" he began.
"You woke me up because of a dream? Not to sound rude, but couldn't this wait until the sun is up at least?"
"No, it was a dream about Halloween. We have to do that whatever-it-is thingy on Halloween." He said this all in a rush.
"Why the sudden change of heart?" Rose was genuinely curious to the change in Sirius' opinion. Usually, arguing with Sirius was similar to arguing with a rock; pointless and completely frustrating.
"Umm," Sirius said, obviously hiding something. "No reason, love, really," he added, seeing the doubtful look on her face.
"You don't change your mind for nothing. Besides, you woke me up at two in the freaking morning. Just tell me so I can go back to sleep."
"I just, umm, don't want the kids to look like losers is all?" He looked sheepish now.
"Really, you woke me up because you don't want the one-year-old kids to look like losers?"
"I had a dream that Snivellus had kids and they were more popular than ours because they went what-or-whatevering, okay. I can't let Snivellus have cooler kids than us! Hell, Snivellus shouldn't have kids at all. He's one of those people."
"Its call trick-or-treating, and one of what people?" she asked.
"The people who you wish their parents had used birth control."
"Oh, like Filch, I get it. Anyway, I still don't know that your story is entirely plausible, but I'm too tired to try and get the real story out of you so I'll buy it for tonight. Now let me go back to sleep."
Rose rolled over and turned off the light before Sirius could protest too much. She fell promptly back to sleep and had a nightmare similar to that of Sirius', she guessed. Snape had had triplets with some woman, and at school they were adored by nearly everyone while their kids were taunted and teased. She saw a scene of A.P. at a muggle psychiatrist's office, talking about how if they'd gone trick-or-treating that one year, they wouldn't have had any problems at all.
She now understood Sirius' panic. That man would do nearly anything to top Severus 'Snivellus' Snape. When she woke up, she had to laugh at what Sirius must have thought about the Snape look a likes in his dreams.
- Pettigrew's POV-
His Lord had wanted the location of the Potters, so he had told him what he knew. He wasn't sure what his Lord could do to get around the Fidelius, especially doubled up as it was, but he had been a faithful follower and told his master what he could, not that that had spared him from hours of torture.
He hoped those foolish people, his ex "friends", would get what was coming to them. In fact, it hadn't been hard at all for him to tell the location of the dolts who only thought of him as a follower and a worthless tagalong. They'd get theirs, and soon. His Lord was planning an attack that very evening, and he was glad of it. He couldn't wait to be rid of the morons who had treated him as dirt for so long, no more than an imposition and inconvenience.
He apparated home and laughed maniacally, ignoring the lingering numbness that wasn't quite pain. His childhood tormentors, for that's what he now viewed them as, would soon be gone from the world of the living and sent to hell in a hand basket. He was positively gleeful.
-Snape's POV-
He had been at his "Lord's" side when the Pettigrew fool sold out the location of his childhood enemies. He wasn't surprised, really, that Pettigrew had told their Lord how to locate the Potters. Pettigrew had come to hate them nearly as much as Snape did. He wasn't sure why his "Lord" wanted the Potters, but he knew he couldn't get them.
It was probably something to do with their children; he gave a mental sneer at the thought of those idiots reproducing. That meant he had to do something, loathe it as he might, because he was a part of the Order, allowed at the safe-house or not.
Much could be said about him, most of it bad, but he wouldn't let his own personal hatred of a man stop him from doing what was right when it concerned two such special children.
Oh yes, he knew all about the Potter brats; Albus did trust him after all, and for good reason.
And now, he had to do something he would despise himself for later; he had to save the Potters.
-Lily's POV-
She had won! Sirius had given in! She didn't know why, but who really cared so long as they were right? Lily had done a little victory dance, much to the amusement of James and Co.
They were going trick-or-treating!
Lily had decided to break the rules, just this once, and use magic to make the kids costumes, seeing as it would be umpossible to do so the muggle way and they didn't have time to go out and buy costumes.
She and Rose began their wand-work immediately, wasting no time. They made all eight costumes in just an hour, leaving them 45 minutes to get the kids ready to go before the sun began to set.
-Snape's POV-
He hated doing the right thing, Snape reflected as he walked from his "Lord's" quarters, limping slightly from the harsh use of the Cruciatus Curse. He had, of course, thought of something quickly to save the Potters' arses; that's simply what Slytherins did, they thought on their feet and put acts of subterfuge into action.
- Flashback - -
"What is it, Severus?" asked Lord Voldemort in his voice, so like a snake's hissing.
"My Lord, I have come to inform you of insolence among your ranks," he replied, strengthening his occlumency shields to cover his lie.
"Oh, and what may that be?" he asked, sounding angered at the mere thought of a follower disobeying or betraying him.
"My Lord, the information Pettigrew gave you was false. The Potters will not be at their home this evening. I have learned that they will be at the mudbloods sister's house. It seems she is trying to repair her relationship with her sister," he sneered for good measure, making it look as though he was disgusted by the thought of emotions.
"Is that so, and why, Severus, do you think Pettigrew would lie to me?"
"My Lord, I know nothing of his antics, only what I have told you."
"Yes, of course. Do you have any further information for me, my loyal servant? Perhaps you know the whereabouts of the mudblood's sister?"
"Yes, my Lord. She lives at 4 Privet Drive with her husband and son. Their home should be an easy enough target, them being muggles."
"Good, good; another disgrace to the world gone. You may go, Severus, and find Pettigrew for me; I need to speak with him privately."
Snape turned and walked towards the door, not yet rejoicing in a lack of punishment; he was, after all, still in the room.
"Oh, and Severus," he winced and turned around, bracing himself for the inevitable onslaught of pain, "don't wait so long to tell me next time."
A bright light shot at him, hit his chest and caused him to begin shaking violently, his muscles twitching and his limbs jerking.
- End Flashback - -
He would have shuddered at the memory, were he a weaker man. Dumbledore owed him hugely for this, saving his precious twins. The man wouldn't stop going on about the damn children. He knew more about them than he ever wanted to, his curiosity only extending to the point of their existence and barely that far.
And to think, he would have to teach the mongrels some day. Now that, he reflected, was enough to make him shudder.
-Lily's POV-
They all looked so cute in their costumes, so adorably sweet. Wow, Lily thought, I'm going soft.
Hallie and Harry, her pride and joy, were dressed as Tinkerbell and Peter Pan. Calla and A.P. were dressed as Lea and Luke; they'd recently watched Star Wars and it had become Sirius' favorite movie. Mira and Cari were dressed as Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. Lucinda was a miniature version of Minnie, the professor not the mouse, and Neville was a miniature version of Dumbledore. Lily loved the emerald green robes with pictures of rubber ducks on them that Neville wore.
The adults had decided to get in on it as well. Sirius and Rose were going as Brad and Janet, in their modest clothes, from Rocky Horror Picture Show; they didn't want to expose themselves too much to the general public, and many young eyes. Frank and Alice were dressed as Tarzan and Jane. Remus and Rina were dressed as Romeo and Juliet. James and Lily were dressed as Cleopatra and Mark Antony.
They left their house and began knocking on other doors in true Halloween fashion.
-James' POV-
They filled their bags plus some, though Lily didn't know about all of it. James had begun to vanish some of it home so they could keep going without having overflowing bags. He had thought about making them bottomless and weightless, but Lily would have known about that. This way, he might be able to slip the magic past her.
In the end, the candy was probably going to be eaten by the adults (Sirius and James) anyway.
They kept going, well after midnight, well past the time the kids had fallen asleep. They were having a good time.
Around one, Rina's costume started bugging her so they decided to head home. They walked in the door laughing, still hyper from the candy they'd been munching on constantly all night. When they got to the living room, James had an uh-oh moment.
It seemed his vanishing spell hadn't been as accurate as he'd thought, and he'd sent a lot of candy to their living room. It was piled up on the couch, chairs, and tables; it overflowed onto the floor and you could hardly see the carpet. Well, seven plus hours of begging for candy for eight kids got you a lot of candy.
"James Potter, I know this was your doing. What on earth were you thinking, vanishing the candy home?" Lily asked, quieter than he thought she would have; good, he thought, she was getting tired.
"Umm, less to carry?" he said tentatively.
"Besides, Lily, he wasn't the only one doing it. I sent quite a bit home myself, and I know Rose did as well," Sirius spoke up, defending James.
"Yeah, I sent a bunch home too," said Remus.
"No big deal, Lils," added Alice.
"Not really," Lily said. Wow, James thought, she must really be tired if she's not upset we used magic on a muggle day. "I mean, we already used magic for the costumes, why not to make the candy carrying easier?"
"Exactly," said James, while Lily was still okay with it. It made sense, after all. "Let's head up to bed, we can count candy in the morning." He received multiple murmurs of agreement after that and so they all trudged up the many stairs to their warm beds, abandoning their bags of candy with the rest of it in the living room.
-Dumbledore's POV-
If what young Severus had just told him was correct, then Albus saw a possible end to the war…at least for now. It would take a bit of planning, but it could work.
Yes, he thought to himself, with a little planning he could end this war and save the next generation from the horrors of growing up during war…or because of it.
He quickly called Minerva into his office to discuss his plan. He couldn't, after all, go into this without assistance, and who better to ask than his Deputy Headmistress?
-Snape's POV-
There, he'd told Dumbledore. The situation was out of his hands now, and he no longer need do a thing to save Potter's skin.
His life debt was repaid, however grudgingly, and he could move on with his life. Who knew, maybe after tonight he'd be able to give up spying and have a real life?
He occluded his mind and walked back into the Dark Lord's chambers, having gone to "confirm some information."
"My Lord," he was mentally repulsed by his own submission to this disgusting creature. For he was no human; having a body and being alive did not make one a human. "It is done," Snape said, "I have gathered a few suitable followers to accompany you this evening. Lucius, Narcissa, and Bellatrix are all prepared to accompany you this evening."
"And you, Severus, are you prepared to join us this evening?"
He hadn't banked on that. He quickly covered his surprise and answered, "If you wish, My Lord, I can certainly join you."
"Yes, I do wish you to join us. You can take care of Potter," he didn't need to specify which one to Snape, only one would hold interest for him, "I seem to remember you having a particular dislike for the mudblood lover, have you not Severus?"
"Yes My Lord, I do." Damn, now he'd have to continue with this plot. "I thank you, My Lord. Call when you are ready for us and we shall come." With that, Snape bowed and left, wishing he hadn't agreed to be a spy for Dumbledore.
-Dumbledore's POV-
It wasn't long before their plan had been set into motion. Albus was about to leave when he received a patronal message in the form of a raven. From Severus, then, Albus thought.
Albus, the Dark Lord has requested my presence at the raid this evening. I will, of course, be obliged to go along. I'll do my best to remain out of the thick of things, which may be difficult. See you this evening.
Well, it wouldn't harm his plans terribly to have Severus there, at least. He called for Minerva and the Prewett brothers, who'd been waiting for his word in the next room, and they set off for Hogsmeade to apparate to Privet Drive.
They got there with little time to spare, just enough to make sure the Dursley's were absent and set up their trap.
Gideon and Fabian were to watch the front door, Minerva the kitchen, and Albus would remain outside, in the back yard, invisible thanks to a spell performed in Hogsmeade so as to reduce the magical remains which would be easily sensed by Tom. Apparition would be expected by him, but invisibility spells would tip him off to the presence of others, especially if Albus' magical signature was the one behind the spell.
Their wait was not a long one, having known He would arrive around 10 O'Clock. As Albus had suspected, Tom had chosen the back door for entering. Albus quickly stepped behind the hedges and made himself visible once more. He waited for the group to walk into the kitchen through the back door, planning on hitting a at least Severus from behind with a stunner; that way, if everything went sour, Severus could maintain his post as spy, claiming he'd been incapacitated and thus unable to contribute to the raid.
He managed to stun Severus, but only just. He keeled over backward and hit the ground with what would have been a sizeable thump if Albus hadn't temporarily cushioned the ground to eliminate the noise. The rest made it through the threshold and into the kitchen, where Minerva was waiting. She had, no doubt, called for Gideon and Fabian at first sight of Tom and his Death Eaters.
Albus followed them in, quietly as he could so as to keep his presence unknown for a bit longer. The three must be hiding, he determined, waiting for his go ahead to make their move. He decided the opportune moment had arrived, and struck at Tom first, knowing the others could handle the three Death Eaters remaining.
An all out battle began, once Albus' first spell had rebounded off of Tom's back.
Minerva jumped out from behind the counter and engaged Bellatrix, who'd removed her mask, in a duel. Gideon and Fabian seemed to come out of nowhere, as was their unique talent, and began a duel with the Malfoy's. Neither specifically chose a dueling partner, but rather worked together, covering for each other when necessary.
Albus began his fight with Tom, who had taken in the situation during a brief pause and turned to face Albus.
"Why, Dumbledore," he sneered, "how nice to see you again."
"I'm afraid I cannot say the same, Tom," he flinched at the use of his given name.
"Don't use that filthy name, if you must address me use my chosen name."
"But, Tom is such a lovely name. Why do you scorn it so?" He knew, of course, why Tom hated his given name, but he needed to throw his control off balance if he was to have any advantage in this duel at all.
"You know, you old fool. Where are the Potter's? What did you do with them?"
"They are not here, Tom, as you can see. Nor are the Dursley's; just us."
Tom scowled, but continued the conversation.
"Yes, and what did you do with them then? Send them away?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact." He didn't want to compromise Severus, if at all possible. "Now, shall we get on with this little duel? It would seem the others are tiring of our prolonged conversation."
Minerva had bound Bellatrix, stunned her, taken her wand, and begun to help Fabian. Narcissa, it seemed, had used a particularly nasty stunner on Gideon, rendering him unconscious…at least Albus hoped that's all it was. Fabian was still going at it, keeping up with both Malfoy's until Minerva could assist him. They had gotten Lucius in the same state as Bellatrix before Tom spoke again, now only having to deal with Narcissa.
"As you wish, Albus, Avada Kedavra!" and an unearthly green light filled the room, aimed at Albus.
Albus sidestepped and the spell hit the unconscious form of Lucius. Albus barely spared a glance before he fired a spell soundlessly at Tom, meant to take off any shields put up. It hit, at least it hit the shields, and Tom's defense against common spells was gone, temporarily unknown to him.
Tom kept firing spells, which Albus dodged with ease. They were locked in a world all their own, no noise penetrating the bubble that seemed to have constructed itself around them. No words were spoken; both being extremely accomplished at nonverbal spells. The only spell needing words, the killing curse, was spoken by neither. It seemed they had forgotten how to speak, that their wands fired spells only by instinct rather than thought on the part of the caster.
The fight might have gone on for two minutes, it might have lasted twenty minutes, or it could have lasted two hours. Whatever the amount of time spent on this duel, it was progressed by some wishful spell work on the part of Minerva.
-Minerva's POV-
This was getting ridiculous. They had taken out the three Death Eaters with relatively little problems. After Lucius had been killed, Narcissa had gone to his side and forgotten the duel, leaving her exposed to Fabian's vengeful stunner. She was bound and her wand taken. Her prone form lay next to her sister's unconscious body and her husband's corpse.
Fabian had gone to Gideon and checked him over, finding he would be alright after some rest. He'd been re-awoken and was now watching the duel, groggily, with Minerva and Fabian.
Minerva decided to intervene. She'd seen Albus use a spell to rid Voldemort of his shields, but wasn't sure if it was still working. The shields could have come back by now, and her plan would be pointless, but she had to at least try before Albus wore himself out trying to fight the bastard off.
She walked to behind the disgusting creature she had met before on various battlefields but never in any other situation. He had graduated several years before her appointment as Transfiguration Professor. She raised her wand and aimed it at the back of his head, the optimal place for what she planned.
And then, silently, Minerva shot a stunner at the back of Voldemort's head, effectively knocking him unconscious, for the time being.
-Dumbledore's POV-
Albus immediately halted his firing of spells when Tom fell forward and Minerva became exposed to any attack he would have continued with.
Shocked, Albus sped to Tom's side, incase he were to awaken sooner than expected, and took his wand; not that that would do much, seeing as he could to wandless magic. He conjured ropes and bound him, directing the ropes to coil around his body like the wrappings of a mummy.
He looked to Minerva, and saw her grim smile of satisfaction. He smiled back at her, thanking her with his eyes for her quick thought.
"I would nave let you finish him off yourself, Albus, but at the rate you two were going we'd have been here till next Tuesday."
"Is that so, Minerva? Well, I thank you for your consideration of everyone's fatigue. Now, we must deal with this mess here."
"Well, Lucius is dead. The other two are unconscious, and if I'm not mistaken, there's one outside also unconscious. We should bring him in with the others. But what of Voldemort; surely we can't turn him over to the Ministry? He'd escape within a day!"
"We must send these three to the Ministry to be dealt with, the man outside is Severus, and Voldemort will have to be killed." Minerva looked shocked at the bluntness this last statement was said with. "We can't very well let him go, and giving him to the Ministry is as good as doing so. He must be taken care of. I'll do that, though, Minerva. Why don't you take care to bring these three and Severus back to the school, then call the Ministry to pick these three up? They can make arrangements for Mr. Malfoy's burial. And Fabian, would you please take Gideon to the Hospital Wing at school? I'm sure Poppy will be more than able to care for any injuries either of you may have sustained."
"Yes sir," Fabian said, "are you sure you don't need anything else?"
"Quite sure, now get along; you too, Minerva."
"I will not, not until this is all finished up. You two go on without me."
"Alright, see you later Minnie," Minerva cringed but said nothing.
"Well, Albus, let's get on with it."
"Right, if you insist, we'll just take care of this in no time."
Albus turned to the bound form of Tom Marvolo Riddle, covered from neck to foot in rope, and took his wand out once more, aiming it at Tom's face.
-Voldemort's POV-
Tom woke and looked around. Spotting Dumbledore, he glared.
"What now, Dumbledore, going to kill me?" he grinned wickedly, though with a touch of fear in the pit of his stomach. He hadn't, after all, gotten the chance to test his latest experiment. Oh well, one of the others should work well enough.
"Yes, Tom," Dumbledore said it with such seriousness, the ever-present twinkle in his gone. "I'm afraid it is your time. You have done enough damage within your life."
"You old fool; you think you can kill me? Go ahead and try! You cannot kill the great Voldemort."
-Dumbledore's POV-
"You still have so much to learn, Tom. What a pity your wit had to be wasted on such a horrible person. Goodbye, Tom." Thinking of all the horrible things the beast in front of him had done and could do if he lived, Albus summoned the hatred to perform the spell he was about to enlist the use of. "Avada Kedavra!"
Tom's face went slack; his body frozen forever with that horrible smirk in place, a slight touch of fear glinting out from the red eyes.
"Let us depart, Minerva. We don't know when the Dursley's will be home."
"Of course, we shouldn't linger. I'll just get Severus."
She walked out and a moment later reemerged with Severus rubbing his neck a few feet behind her.
"Is it over, Albus?"
"It is indeed over, Severus. Would you please assist us in transporting these four to my office? We will need to contact quite a few people. Minerva, when we get back to the castle, I shall send Severus to the Ministry. Would you please go to headquarters and ask our hosts to prepare for a long meeting, with a celebration at the end?
"Of course, Albus; who should I send notices to for the meeting?"
"Everyone in the Order, and please tell no one of the reason for this meeting. Also, if you could send Sirius and Lily to my office, only Sirius and Lily, it would be much appreciated." He looked around the room, but couldn't find what he was looking for. "Does anyone have the time? It's been a long evening and I wish to know how much longer it will be."
"2:30 in the morning, Albus."
"Thank you Severus. Now, let us go."
The three each took charge of one, or two in Minerva's Case, bodies and apparated to Hogsmeade, where they quickly disillusioned their cargo until they entered the sanctuary that was Albus' office.
Severus and Minerva set out on their tasks and Albus waited.
The End
A/N: Thanks to those who review and shame on those who don't! (Not really, I'm just in a rambling mindset)