I forgot to add a tribute to CoconutGirl…I took her idea of Lavender becoming a therapist to use in that last chapter. She knows :)
New authors note: I wrote most of this chapter months ago, but couldn't quite finish it. It ended with Voldie sounding too whiney, but hopefully now I've got it.
The opening scene starts just hours after the end of the last chapter, Ron had a flashback talking with Lavender.
Chapter 21: The Final Battle Part I
That night Ron had another flashback as he was thinking about Hermione.
Flashback
He had been following her about the library as she picked out book after book as he held out his arms to take each book as she took it from the shelves and plopped them onto his arms.
"You know, I'd be willing to bet you have stronger arms than I do, if you've been this studious all your life." He joked with her.
She paused to give him a chaste kiss on the cheek before checking her list for the next book.
"I suppose, but I was usually alone in the library and just took book after book to my table."
"No one helped you before?"
Hermione shook her head. "I didn't really have any friends at Durmstrang"
"Really?"
"No one wanted to talk to me. I was just a mudblood in their eyes. If anything, I had to be careful. Some were quite horrid."
"What about Victor?" He asked, even though he didn't like to think about Hermione's ex. But after meeting Victor twice since dating Hermione, he felt somewhat comfortable talking to her about him. And her own dealings with his ex hadn't been so nice.
"He was my first real friend. He was already an inner school celebrity when I first started, then during my second year he was offered the position on his first professional team. Everyone was always around him, girls flocking about for his attention. I didn't even notice him until he started spending time in the library. I guess no one really thought of looking for him there."
"And that's how you became an item?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, actually it was at the quidditch pitch. As you already know, I'm dreadful at flying…"
"Not anymore." Ron added.
She smiled at him. "Thanks to you. Well, anyway, I was out there trying to get off the ground, and Victor helped me a bit. I think he knew already he was going to Hogwarts the next year, so he asked me to help him with his English skills. I agreed, and he helped me pass my third year's flying test. Which really was nothing but calling my broom and getting off the ground. I nearly fell, but passed nonetheless."
End Flashback
Ron frowned at the memory. Hermione had gone two full school years without any friends. And she'd mentioned that her summers were spent traveling with her parents. How could someone go through school without anyone to hang around? To talk to?
A nagging voice in his head tried to remind him that Maria's letters the first couple of years had mentioned her own loneliness.
He then remembered how polite Victor was when they'd met at Grimmauld Place. Most ex's who'd shagged the girl weren't nice at all. Especially not to their new boyfriends.
He sighed as he snuggled under his covers. Victor really was an important person in Hermione's past. She'd made a mistake, even admitted it to him that night they'd been about to make love. Should she really have to pay for it by his rejection if he really loved her?
Black Friday
It was gloomy outside, as if the skies sensed the upcoming battle on Hogwarts and Hogsmead. The younger years, fourth year and below, were quietly escorted from their classes and brought to an underground safe house. Kat was one of those students. Those in fifth and sixth year were assembled, and those not ready to fight were also sent down. Seventh years and the rest were given a choice. Many followed their school mates, but a good number stayed to fight.
Members of the Order had quietly arrived during the night. They knew the grounds were likely being watched, and so Dumbledore had created an invisible tunnel. He cast the weakest of spells in order for the tunnel not to be traced, only allowing three or four Order members to come through at a time. Had he made it stronger, Voldemort or his most powerful of followers would have detected the magic.
A large supply of Polyjuice Potion had arrived with the crew, samples of various students who went below were taken for the adult fighters to disguise themselves. They were marked with yet another light spell, one that allowed students to tell who were really Order members and to follow whatever directions they gave.
It wasn't really a far fetch to trust the remaining Slytherins that chose to fight; those who didn't return to school after the holiday break had left to receive the mark. Their names were discretely given to Harry and his most trusted friends. Draco took charge of informing the students who were the likely Slytherins not to trust should they cross those students' paths.
Ron stood near a window, looking out into the Forbidden Forest. Aumon was going to give him a sign should he or the other centaurs detect any Deatheaters. He nearly jumped when he heard someone approach him from behind.
"Weasley." Came Draco's voice with hardly any sneer in it. The two had been civil before Ron and Hermione's blowout. But during the past weeks Draco had returned to his snarky self toward the redhead. But now they were going to fight; they were on the same side.
"Everyone else all set?" Ron said turning his head.
Draco nodded as Ron turned back toward the window.
"And you?" Ron asked.
"I felt it this morning. He spoke to me in his dream. I've already told Dumbledore and Harry."
"What about everyone else?"
"You know they can not know."
"We have to…"
"Leave it, Weasley. It is best they don't. They…they won't know. That's not how it is going to work."
A couple of moments passed before Ron saw the signal. He backed away into the shadows where Draco stood. "They're here."
The two rushed toward the Great Hall where everyone was waiting. Others had been given places throughout the castle, and would feel a bracelet given to them, charmed by Hermione and Professor Snape, warm as signal to prepare. Ron cast the charm as the two quickly hurried.
They were just a few yards from the Headmaster and other professors when Draco's body lurched and he suddenly held his head. Professor Snape motioned the other students away as Dumbledore took the boy toward an empty corridor. He motioned to Harry who followed a minute later.
Dumbledore took them into an empty classroom. "What has he told you."
"To lure Potter toward a classroom in the dungeons."
Dumbledore nodded, knowing there was an old, forgotten tunnel leading toward the supply closet in the classroom.
"You two should head down there immediately. Mr. Malfoy, you should go ahead. Mr. Potter, you shall follow but you must bring Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger with you."
"But I can't!" Harry exclaimed. "I can't bring them into danger!"
Draco only nodded. "It makes sense, Potter. You wouldn't go without someone…and he knows who your friends are. I don't like the idea either, Hermione is my friend."
Dumbledore only watched the emotions going through both the two young men.
"I shall have Order members follow you under invisibility cloaks. Another is under Polyjuice as Mr. Longbottom."
Neville and Parvati had already chosen to stay with Madame Pomfrey, to help the injured. "And Mr. Potter, remember what I told you."
"Let's do it." Harry said, as Draco left. Harry followed, but when they passed by the Great Hall, Harry went to get Hermione and Ron. They were two of the only students left, others had scattered to specific areas with Order members.
"Harry…" Hermione started to say.
"We have to follow Draco." He whispered as they came to him.
The two nodded, knowing that Harry certainly knew more than them. "Just be on your best guard." He told them as "Neville" soon joined them.
The group followed Draco carefully, as if trying to not let him know they were there. Draco, of course, knew they were and was careful as he turned every corner and went down the winding stairs toward the dungeons. He would let them know if he saw anyone by lighting his wand, as if trying to see his way. Only a few of the torches were lit, so the halls were rather dark.
Draco and the others all jumped as they heard a scream coming from above. The fighting had begun. There was no turning back now. The sounds of spells echoes through the school as students and Order members began to battle against the Deatheaters. Draco wondered how they all got into the castle, but continued onward.
He felt the voice call from within. Voldemort knew Harry and his friends were there. It was enough. Draco cast the bracelet so that only Harry and Dumbledore would feel it.
Harry turned toward his friends and shushed them into a corner. He waited as Dumbledore's spell was cast through the tunnel to where he and his friends were. Hermione and Ron were astonished when mirror images of the three suddenly appeared. Harry held them back, as the "Trio" and "Neville" continued to follow Draco without expression.
"Neville", who was really Moody, nodded to Harry. They had to get outside, away from the castle.
Meanwhile, Draco smirked as he ran inside the room where Voldemort was waiting. The Dark Lord nodded at the young man, and waited for his enemy to arrive. Three Deatheaters stood beside him, Lucius being one of them. Snape was there as well, but his job was to actually get Draco out of there unharmed.
A sinister smile crossed the Dark Lord's face as the trio ran came into the room.
"Potter…at last we meet. It seems we have unfinished business." The Dark Lord had his wand held by his corpse-like hand.
But Potter did nothing, neither did his friends. They simply stood there, emotionless.
The Dark Lord turned toward Draco, his want held he started to mutter a curse toward Draco.
"My Lord," Snape spoke. "It appears Dumbledore has fooled the young lad."
"But the necklace…"
"The old man must have known. We must go and find the boy. He must still be in the castle, or likely taken outside. Even Dumbledore cannot apparate the boy away,"
"You're right, Severus. The old fool will try to protect the boy, even at the expense of the students." Voldemort said accepting Snape's advice, then turned to his followers. "To the Forbidden Forest!" They all turned to retreat out of the tunnel, knowing others of their kind would be watching the castle carefully. Those inside were to remain fighting, killing as many as they could.
"What are we to do?" Hermione asked Dumbledore as the trio found him waiting in the Great Hall.
"Come, we've no time to spare. We must make it to the Unicorn's Meadow before Voldemort finds us."
"Why…" Hermione's words were not heard as the group raced outside. At the entrance, Dumbledore took forth a small bottle of what looked like muggle blowing bubbles. He took out the scooper and blew a large bubble which soon encompassed all there: Hermione, Ron, Remus, Tonks, Bill, and Charlie - and of course, Harry.
"Minerva will bring the rest, others are waiting as we speak." Dumbledore explained.
The doors opened and the bubble carried them out of the castle. It flew up in the air, not very high, and brought them floating over the Forbidden Forest.
From their view they could see some of the Deatheaters running about, as if in search for something. Most likely Harry.
"They cannot see us," Dumbledore said.
"This is brilliant!" Ron cried out.
Dumbledore laughed. "I actually got the idea from your brothers, Ron. Speaking of the two, they are among those waiting for us."
The others were all in awe as they flew toward an open field. Ron could see Aumon there, among a small herd of centaurs. So Aumon had gotten some of them to fight after all!
Ron groaned as he also saw Aragog waiting with Hagrid. No doubt his "family" were hidden all about. At least he could look forward to those spiders chasing after something besides him!
The bubble landed them with a soft "pop!" and the group was free to look about. A brilliant unicorn who appeared a light silver color was there, and it approached Dumbledore who gently caressed the beast. "We thank you for allowing us to use your sacred ground."
The unicorn whinnied, causing Dumbledore to chuckle. "Yes, you have not forgotten what Voldemort has done to your kind. Now go, this is not your battle. You are above this." The unicorn let one leg down and bowed to Dumbledore in thanks, then cantered off into the woods.
"Charlie, are they here?"
The second eldest Weasley son nodded. He got out a strange looking horn and blew. Nothing was heard. Hermione recognized it as a dragon caller, and knew that dragons were now likely on their way to help as well.
Suddenly Harry felt a piercing pain coming from his scar. He immediately fell to his knees. "He's coming. He…he knows somehow."
Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, he likely has come to the conclusion that we would be in the place where he is most unwelcome."
"Most unwelcome?" Ron bellowed.
"I think we should get into place, Albus." Remus said before Ron started to argue more.
"Yes. Harry, you stay with me. Everyone else, find a place." The others scattered, while Dumbledore and Harry remained in the middle. Harry felt as though he were a direct target; if Voldemort decided to fly then he could simply take aim as if at an archery range.
Time passed. Ron twitched in anticipation, feeling his hand begin to sweat as it gripped his wand. He switched for a moment, catching sight of Hermione in a nearby tree as he did. He wished he had followed her when they scattered. Suddenly a hand placed itself on his shoulder. It was Aumon.
"Careful, it won't be long. And it will be quicker than it seems."
"Even quicker if I die."
Aumon patted him. "Do not despair, young Ron. Remember what I told you, fight for what you believe in. Fight for what your heart truly desires. You already have answered it."
Ron's eyes immediately went back to Hermione. She turned toward him at that exact moment. He could see the fear in her eyes, even though it was dark out. As if sensing the battle, the skies had become darker than anything they'd ever seen. Less than two hours before Ron had shoved down his breakfast at record speed, even for him.
Ron then looked over at Harry. From all appearances, Harry seemed confident and ready. But he knew Harry; he was likely just as scared. Perhaps more; if he, himself, failed…
Ron had barely gulped when the sound came.
"Well, well, well." Voldemort hissed as appeared at one side of the meadow. Bellatrix and Lucius were at his side, many other Deatheaters behind them. "I knew you'd take the boy yourself, Dumbledore. Thought you could hide from me? Such a shame about your students. They'll likely all be gone when I'm through with the both of you. And you, young Potter, will be no more." He raised his wand.
"Now!" Dumbledore roared. The others let their presence be known. Order members, centaurs, Aragog, and the others. Spells came flying out of nowhere and the creatures all charged. The skies grew even darker as several dragons flew overhead.
The fighting had begun.
AN: the charmed bracelets were based on the coins in OotP and Scales and a Tail (by Halfling). The secret tunnel is also based on a secret trapdoor in Scales. The Bubble is kind of based on another fan fiction as well…Ron and Harry use the twins invention to transport to Hogwarts their final year. I think it was What I've always known.