AN: The characters belong to J.K. Rowling

Chapter 4 - The Final Battle

The planning for the Final Battle continued, and gradually students were approached to find out if they would fight. Families were added to the Order and there was an air of nervousness amongst those that knew what was coming. No one talked about it, not openly, but there was an unwritten understanding that sometime not to far into the future, they would be involved in the fight of their lives. The war was coming.

Eventually the evening they had all been waiting / preparing for arrived. All students were rounded up and back in their common rooms by 9pm.

Draco helped the Death Eaters, including his aunt Bella, into Hogwarts at 10pm as planned. They headed to the Clock Tower where Dumbledore was waiting.

As they headed to the Clock Tower, the students who were fighting left their common rooms, with the Heads of House locking the doors behind them, ensuring all other students were safe, before heading to their appointed point in the castle.

The Order of Phoenix had entered Hogwarts via a secret tunnel between the Hogs Head and the Room of Requirements. They were now too making their way to the places in the castle they had been assigned.

At the Clock Tower the confrontation began, with Draco raising his wand to kill Dumbledore. Snape arrived and summons the Dark Lord with his Dark Mark. Dumbledore clasped Fawkes and vanished from sight.

A trail of red sparks went flying into the air. This was the sign to the Order, the final battle had begun.

Within 10 minutes of the Death Eaters entering Hogwarts there was dueling everywhere.

Lord Voldemort arrived with more Death Eaters and it didn't take them long to realise that they had entered a trap. They were not happy, and outnumbered, but they were fighting hard. Many had waited years for this day.

Soon the main part of the battle was taking place in the Great Hall.

A loud yell came from Lucius when he realises his son is fighting for the Order. The other Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort suddenly realised the same thing. It was also at this point that Snape showed his true allegiance by making his way towards Draco as his father turned on him. As Lucius raised his wand to hex his son, Snape yelled "Avada Kedavra" striking Lucius, who didn't see the hex coming.

All of the Death Eaters were now certain that they had 2 defectors within their ranks, and suddenly Draco and Snape were fighting for their lives. Members of the Order came to their defense, and the level of fighting had reached a whole new level.

Lord Voldemort, who had been allowing his Death Eaters to fight his fight, suddenly appeared ready to fight and finally kill Harry Potter.

The appearance of Lord Voldemort saw a surge of activity on both sides and the battle seemed to reach a whole new level of intensity. The Death Eater that had been dueling with Harry Potter stepped aside almost instantly for Lord Voldemort to commence the dual he so desperately wanted to win.

As this battle started, one of the most intense reached its conclusion with Neville sending the killing curse to Bellatrix, screaming "that's for my parents" as she fell to the ground. Her death caused a small waver in confidence of some of the Death Eaters. It appeared none of them expected Bellatrix Lestrange to fall, but she had. The other Death Eaters suddenly realised that they had to fight on or they would join her.

Neville on the other hand was almost bursting with confidence now that he had avenged his parents. Feeling that nothing could stop him, he ran over to assist others in the fight.

Draco and Snape had been cornered but were still fighting valiantly with assistance from various Order members where possible. Draco felt something sliding across his feet and saw that Ngani has entered the hall, and was making her way to Lord Voldemort. As he turned, having dodged the latest curse aimed at him, he flicked his want murmuring a spell that decapitated the snake. "I hated that thing" he yelled, remembering the way the snake used to slide around Malfoy Manner, spying and reporting to Voldemort all that she saw.

Lord Voldemort noticed that Ngani had been killed and roared with anger, sending curses flying in all directions. As everyone ducked for cover Harry seized the opportunity and pointed his wand and yelled "Avada Kedavra" killing Lord Voldemort.

Death Eaters were stunned and some tried to apparate away. The Order jumped straight into action rounding up and securing those Death Eaters they could.

The war was over.

AN: I promise there will be more feelings and emotions in the next chapter...which is the aftermath...and should be up in a day or so (I hope)