Chapter 31
"Dumbledore!" I exclaimed, unable to contain my smile, despite the battle that waged outside the doors.
"Wh-what happened?" he asked, confused.
"The potion you drank, it was the Draught of Living Death! I realized it too late!" I exclaimed. Briefly, I told about what had occurred since he'd been…drugged.
"Brilliant, Bella! Well, done!" he said, trying to stand clumsily. "I'm afraid I can't go anywhere yet, though. My strength is gone."
I nodded. "I have to go now. Thank you!"
I Apparated to the Great Hall, after casting another Disillusionment Charm.
Voldemort was in the center of the room, near where the Head Table used to be, dueling several. Mother dear wasn't far off, busy dueling as well.
I couldn't get close enough, but I fought my way to my enemy. Along the way, an invisible hand grabbed my hand. "Harry?" I asked.
"Yeah!" was my quiet reply.
Together, we fought towards Voldemort, striking down Death Eater after Death Eater.
I saw many of my friends take down Death Eaters. Yaxley slammed to the ground by Fred, George, and Lee Jordan; Dolohov fall with a girly scream--(snickers)-- at Flitwick's hands; Macnair thrown across the room by Hagrid; Edward and Alice taking down Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange--I love them so much for that, don't you?)--; Ron, Neville, and Jasper defeating Fenrir Greyback; Tonks and Lupin fighting a masked Death Eater; Aberforth Dumbledore Stunning Rookwood--ha ha--; Mr. Weasley and Percy Weasley flooring Avery; Rosalie and Emmett pummeling a cloaked figure--Emmett was really enjoying that--; Carlisle and Esme fighting any Death Eater that threatened a student or Hogwartian…and Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy running, frantically looking for their son…desperation on their faces.(Rolls eyes. Apparently loyalty isn't a concept to them.)
Then I noticed Snape taking down the Carrows—two sibling Death Eaters. I smiled because he finally was showing his real loyalty. Finally!
All around me, Death Eaters were being defeated.
Finally, Harry and I could see Voldemort.
He was dueling McGonagall, Shacklebolt, and Horace Slughorn all at once, cold hatred on his face.
Fifty yards off, Bellatrix was fighting Hermione, Ginny, and Luna, all battling their hardest, but Bellatrix was equal to them, and I felt Harry freeze beside them as Ginny missed a Killing Curse by an inch—
"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!"--Love that line. Snickers-- a woman screamed, nearly running Harry and me over. It was Mrs. Weasley. She pushed the three girls out of the way and began dueling the cruel, mad Death Eater. Bellatrix's face warped into a smile, but that quickly melted away into a snarl as she realized exactly how fierce Mrs. Weasley's wrath was when you threatened her family.
As they fought, all other Death Eaters had been defeated, leaving only Voldemort and his second-in command.
Every other Hogwartian was along the walls, watching the two duels. Harry and I were torn, unsure of which to help.
"I've heard that your family was close to Potter and my traitorous little whore of a daughter--(So complementary, don't you think?)--, like they were your own children. I wonder how your family will take your death then? And what will happen to your children once I've killed you?" Bellatrix taunted.
"You—will—never—touch—my—family—again!" Mrs. Weasley snarled back. (snickers...again)
Bellatrix laughed, deranged; it was the same laugh as when she'd killed Sirius. (*in a sing-song voice* Psycho!)
Mrs. Weasley's Stunning Spell flew through the air, under Bellatrix's arm and hit her squarely in the chest. Bellatrix's gloating smile froze, just before she toppled. Defeated. Unconscious. I smirked. Finally!
The surrounding Hogwartians roared, and I joined in, cheering madly.
I could have hugged Mrs. Weasley right then and there.
I spun as I realize what Voldemort would do. He roared, releasing a spell that sent his opponents flying backwards to the floor.
Suddenly, the door at the end of the hall flung open, and in came Dumbledore.
I was grinning wildly at the sudden dead silence in the room. Then, as cheers rang out, I laughed at the look on Voldemort's face.
Immediately, Dumbledore and Voldemort were locked in combat, spells flying everywhere, raw magic crackling through the air, like electricity.
"This isn't right," I said, watching the duel. "We should be the one dueling him, not Dumbledore!"
Harry replied, "How—how is he—"
"The potion he drank was the Draught of Living Death," I explained. "That's what I realized before we…woke up. Just before coming in here, I went to the Hospital Wing and gave him the antidote. I told him what happened. He said he needed to regain his strength before engaging in dueling."
"Good timing," Harry murmured.
Suddenly, Voldemort cast a spell that caused an explosion.
I screamed at what happened next.
Dumbledore was thrown back, landing right beside his wife, who hadn't gotten to her feet yet, as she had been staring in shock, afraid to believe her husband was alive after all.
"PROTEGO!" I shouted, casting a Shield Charm wandlessly.
My voice rang out in the silence. Voldemort stared in our general direction.
"Now," said Harry, and I took down the Disillusionment Charm.
"HARRY!"
"BELLA!"
"They're alive!"
Shouts of jubilation rang out as Harry and I went up to Voldemort, stopping ten feet from him. We began circling simultaneously.
"No one help us," Harry said, his voice ringing loud and clear.
"It's got to be like this. It has got to be us." I added.
"Potter and Lestrange don't mean that," Voldemort hissed, his scarlet eyes flicking back and forth between Harry and me. "That isn't how they work, is it? Who will you two be using as a shield today?"
"No one." Harry said. I continued for him loudly, so everyone could finally know the truth, "All your Horcruxes are gone."
"Impossible!" he rspat.
I felt a smile come to my face. "Is that what you think?" Quickly, I grabbed the ruined Horcruxes from my pocket and tossed them to the floor in between Harry, Voldemort, and I: the diary, the cup, the locket, and the ring. "You saw Rosalie kill Nagini, as well." Harry added.
"And you killed the last two yourself," I said.
He stared at us. "I never made seven Horcruxes, you fools!"
The grin came back.
"Of course you did," Harry said. "You just never did it properly."
He still never realized. Wow. For an evil genius, he sure is dumb.
Then, I said it loudly: "Us."
The surrounding crowds were silent, gaping at our duel, mainly Harry and me, though.
"You won't be killing anyone else, tonight, Riddle." Harry said. "You won't be able to kill any of them ever again. Don't you get it? We were ready to die to stop you from hurting these people—"
"But you did not!" he exclaimed.
"—We meant to!" I replied. "And that's what did it! We've done what Harry's mother did for us. Look around you! None of the spells you are casting are binding! You can't torture them. You can't touch them. You never learn from your mistakes, Riddle."
"You dare—"
Harry interrupted, "Yes, we dare! We know things you don't know, Tom Marvolo Riddle."
"We know so many things of which, you remain woefully inept and unaware." I said.
"I doubt that. Or is it love, again?" Voldemort jeered. "Dumbledore's answer to everything. Did love prevent me from stamping out both the Potters like cockroaches? No. How did love help him when he was dying from the potion he drank to get the locket?"
I grinned at that. "Very clever, Tom. Using the Draught of Living Death, simply with a few spells cast upon it, you know. Very clever, indeed. The person would fall unconscious before they could leave. Clever. But not clever enough.
"It made us think Dumbledore was dead…but it wasn't good enough. I figured it out, Tom. I got the antidote, and I think everyone can agree that he is alive."
"Well, I guess I underestimated you, Lestrange." He sneered. (Huh, did Snape learn that from him? Or did it come naturally?)
I rolled my eyes. "I don't really give a bloody damn that you call me by my parents' surname, instead of my chosen one. I don't really care anymore. Because after this, I'll never see them again; they'll be in Azkaban. I'm not ashamed to be called by my birth name; I'm ashamed that they disgraced the name by associating themselves with you."
Well, I guess my cat was out of the bag. Oh well. I didn't care.
I heard a spellbinding melody float through the air. I risked a glance away from Voldemort to see Fawkes—Dumbledore's phoenix—flying through the air. He landed gracefully upon my shoulder.
"Looks like Fawkes always knows what side will win." I murmured.
Voldemort ignored the beautiful bird. "You two have a way of coming out triumphant because of luck and accidents."
"Was it an accident, then," Harry asked, "When you used our blood to create your new body? When you took in a part of my mother's protective enchantment, yourself?"
"You did not think, at all, you moron." I said.
He hissed.
I added, "It's because of that that we didn't die, too. Thanks for that. Really."
His snake-like face twisted into a snarl. "But what does it matter. This is your final chance, and you will lose everything, just as I said in the Department of Mysteries two years ago."
"Yeah, you did say that," Harry said, his green eyes not moving from Voldemort. "But before you try to kill us, think, Riddle…Try for some remorse…"
"What is this?" Nothing we had said, save the fact that he'd created two more Horcruxes, had surprised him more. His pupils dilated into slits, and I saw what little color his face had drain away.
"It's your last chance, Riddle." I chimed in. "It's all you've got…We've seen what you'll be otherwise…Be a man…try…Try for some remorse…"
"You dare—"
Harry cut him off again. "Yes, we do."
"Because the plan—our plan—hasn't backfired on us at all." I said calmly. "It backfired on you, Riddle."
"You expected to trick us to sacrifice ourselves." Harry said. "You expected us to die for them, leaving you unbeatable. But your own plan backfired on you. You thought using our blood to make a new body would make you strong. Instead, it made us strong."
I said, "The prophecy had it wrong…slightly. We live, while you do. Not the other way around. Not anymore. It's just you and us…and you have already lost."
A red-gold glow came from the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall. Daybreak. The light hit Voldemort's, Harry's and my faces simultaneously.
I heard his cruel voice yell, and I responded in sync with Harry.
"Avada Kedavra!"
"Expelliarmus!"
A/N: Ohhh….Cliffie.
Will they live? Will they die?
Does Voldemort have another, unknown Horcrux or two?
Why didn't I (well, Mrs. Weasley, really) kill off dear Bellatrix?
Why did I add so much commentary?
And, why was I laughing so much during this chapter?
Don't you hate me?
(OMFG. 7 keeps coming up--look at how many questions I wrote.)
Sooner I get lots of reviews, sooner you find out what happens. REVIEW!!!
