Violet took a few deep breaths before she shifted right back into Dalinda, while the remains of the snake vanished, a hollow wisp of dust floating with Voldemort's face fading away.
"You alright, Dalinda?", Neville ran up to her as she nodded. "Thanks, Neville... you really saved all of us there.", Dalinda smiled.
"Don't thank just me... Daphne weakened that snake for me to slice.", Neville grinned. Dalinda blinked in shock. The strange creature is Daphne?! Dalinda looked over to the newfound Animagus form of Daphne as it shifted back to the Slytherin 7th year woman.
Daphne gave a laugh, "I did it! I found her! Ron was right...Oh, boy, I can't wait to show him!", and Dalinda smiled softly, "You certainly did, and that was quite the mashup of a Animagus right there; a unicorn, phoenix, and kneazle altogether...".
Neville chuckled, "Yep. You're really nasty with that horn, hooves and claws...", and Daphne smiled proudly before blinking as a thought came to her, "That's it! I can call her Thorn!".
Dalinda nodded approvingly, "That's a fine name, Daph.", before realizing as she remembered something. She looked at the dead snake, and she took a deep breath as tears fell again, taking out her HDA coin.
She looked at it and sobbed as she vaguely heard Neville and Daphne asking in concern, and Dalinda whispered to the coin, "Snake dead. Cubs safe. I love you, Mr. Potter.", spinning it over as it then sent the message to Harry's coin.
Harry got the message right then and there, thankfully, the battle was so loud, and Dalinda's message was silent enough that Voldemort wouldn't have heard. He knew he was the last one... that if he dies, Voldemort will truly be vulnerable. However, it looked like that Voldemort was starting to gain the upper hand on Dumbledore unless something drastic had to be done.
"I'm ready to die.", Harry whispered to himself. "Be safe, everyone.". He got up and hid away his wand and cloak in his clothing before he walked out into the open, getting the full attention of Voldemort. The fighting came to a sudden stop right then and there. "Hello, Riddle. Been looking for me?".
"Harry Potter...", the Dark Lord chuckled. "As I thought, Dumbledore, shielding him as usual, afraid that I will be able to kill him?".
Dumbledore looks to Harry frantically, "Harry, I told you to go!", and Harry exhaled, "It's okay. It's time to change. And Hogwarts needs you, not me.", looking at Dumbledore with acceptance in his eyes.
"Finally deciding to not behind others to fight your battles, Potter?", Voldemort taunted. "Nope. I've made my decision... I wonder if you've made yours.", Harry said.
"Very much so. Your death will mean that I have nothing more to fear...", Voldemort gave a cold smile as Harry simply raised an eyebrow.
"And you still take it at face value? That I'll be the one to end you? You yourself made it come true when you tried to kill me in Godric's Hallow all those years ago.", Harry replied.
"A temporary mistake as I said. One that I will be quick to rectify.", Voldemort casted a spell that threw Dumbledore back to keep him from trying to interfere in any way. "Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived... come to die.".
Harry snorted, "Bring it on, Snakeface.", internally giving a small smile as he remembered Waylon, and then his memories flashed by in seconds; Ron, Hermione, his other friends and allies, his teachers, Dumbledore, Edward, Narcissa, his uncles, his half-siblings and cousins, and most of all, Dalinda and his cubs.
Voldemort snarled and roared, "Avada Kedavra!", as Dumbledore shouted, "No!", and Harry spared him a glance with a peaceful smile, "Protect them, Grandfather.", before his world became dark, feeling the power of the green spell envelop him, and he then felt weightless yet cold at the same time as he went limp.
The next thing Harry realized was a feeling of just pure calmness. Not a sound, not a feeling in him; no aching, no pain or exhaustion, just perfect tranquility. He slowly opened his eyes to find a world of light; an almost familiar sight, but much larger, emptier, and completely coated in white as he heard something. He slowly pulled himself off the floor as he found himself wearing his Hogwarts robes but just as pure white as all around him. He looked around for the sound before he found it underneath a bench.
He recoiled. He had spotted the thing that was making the noises. It had the form of a small, naked child, curled on the ground, its skin raw and rough, flayed-looking, and it lay shuddering under a seat where it had been left, unwanted, stuffed out of sight, struggling for breath. He was afraid of it. Small and fragile and wounded though it was, he did not want to approach it. Nevertheless, he drew slowly nearer, ready to jump back at any moment. Soon he stood near enough to touch it, yet he could not bring himself to do it. He ought to comfort it, but it repulsed him.
Harry then heard a voice, "Don't bother about it, Prongslet. Riddle will be gone soon enough.", and he paused, turning around, and then he exhaled in shock and surprise as he stared at two young adults; scruffy black hair, hazel eyes behind glasses, and a crooked smile on the man's face and long lush red hair, emerald, green eyes, and a warm smile on the woman's face.
"M-Mum...? D-Dad...?", Harry questioned. He quickly looked back to realize that probably was all that could truly remain of Riddle, or at least a good representation of what his future awaits him. If that would be his punishment in Hell, it would be all too fitting.
"Harry...", Lily's voice echoed. "You brave, wonderful, young man.", she smiled tearfully. James gestured with his head, "Well, quit standing there, and give us a hug, Harry.", with a grin, and Harry sobbed, ran to his parents, hugging them as James and Lily enveloped him in their arms.
Harry couldn't help but do this… he never got a chance to do anything like this in the graveyard, but now, it seemed he had all the time in the world to just remain in his parents' embrace.
Lily kissed her son all over his face as Harry smiled and playfully squirmed, "Mum, you're embarrassing me in front of Dad!", and James laughed heartily, "Nah, it's funny to see you squirm, Prongslet.", ruffling his hair.
Lily caressed Harry's face, "Oh, Harry, look at you...You've grown so much, and you have found yourself. You truly are your own person...", with a lovingly, motherly smile, and James chuckled, "That's true, and you are even a bit taller than your old man!".
Harry smiled even wider, realizing that he's barely an inch taller than his own dad, and chuckled, "Pops taught me the best of his favorite exercise methods...Quidditch helped out too...", and James grinned lightly, "I bet...You can tell Waylon that he sure raised you good, Harry.".
Lily nodded softly, "Yes, we couldn't have imagined any better than Waylon taking you in...Professor Dumbledore was right about him...", and Harry sighed softly, "I wish he was here meeting you, but he got a life back there...and I am not alive anymore..".
James chuckled lightly, "It's your choice, Prongslet, thought I would think you would like to go back for that beautiful wife of yours and those adorable children you made with her.". Harry looked at his father with a strange look, "You mean…?"
"All Voldemort killed was the last bit of his soul that was in you.", Lily said. "By taking your blood to make his new body… he completely didn't realize how you practically made yourself invincible to him. Thanks to my protection.".
Harry whispered, "I can go back?", and James smiled softly, "The horcrux kept you alive through, and now since the ugly baby thing of Riddle's gone, you can either move on, or go back.".
Harry blinked and looked back, seeing that the baby thing was gone now, and looked back at his parents, "Then it means that Voldemort can now be killed...I wish you could come back with me...".
Lily gently held his face in her hands, "Harry, baby, we are already dead, but we are always watching over you...Why, we were there at your wedding...James here cried like a girl.", with a teasing smirk.
James gasped, "You wound me there, Lilyflower! I didn't cry like a girl, I was only emotional for my only son to get married, and to Dalinda Black! She has guts, Harry.", with a chuckle.
Harry blushed red, feeling both proud and bashful, realizing that he is finally hearing his dad compliment his wife. Lily chuckled, "Indeed. And our grandchildren, we will see them turn to human soon, and they are already so perfect. You will have a handful of trouble if your boys turn out like James.".
James rolled his eyes, "Oi! And don't forget to be really scary with your daughter's boyfriends, Harry. After all, nobody will be perfect for my granddaughter until you say so.", with a raised eyebrow.
Harry laughed heartily, "I will...I love you guys...I won't forget you..", embracing them as he took in his parents' scents, with James smelling like wild pine, fresh air, and musky fur, and Lily smelling like old books, lavender, and smoky fire.
"We love you too, Harry. We'll see you again someday...", James said. "Hopefully many decades from now.", Lily added; they obviously would want their son to live a rich, full life before joining them on the next journey.
"Thank you... for everything.", Harry sniffled as he tried to clear his eyes as the whole world went bright.
That's when things hit hard for Harry as his eyes barely cracked open. He suddenly felt pain, and exhaustion hitting his body before he realized someone was next to him. He opened his eyes a bit wider to suddenly realize he was in the Chamber of Secrets, and the person next to him was a dead body.
Harry blinked in surprise before he frowned softly, recognizing Terry Boot, Hermione's one of her year-mates. He groaned softly as his bones creaked out in pain, and looked around, seeing several dead bodies around him as he slowly got up, his heart breaking a little as he recognized Mad-Eye Moody two people over on the left, and Zacharias Smith, his year-mate on the right three people over.
He then heard a gasp, "Potter?!", and he looked over to see Snape staring at him in shock and disbelief. He stayed in the Chamber of Secrets after he heard Voldemort's announcement at the start of the battle and decided to help organize the dead people; regretting and shedding a tear every time he saw a student or teacher or associate that he knew from Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley and such.
Harry rubbed the back of his neck, trying to stretch his muscles as he felt stiff from lying like a corpse. "Professor... I... can explain actually.", he said as he kept looking to the bodies. He didn't see family at least, though he did find Cormac McLaggen as another fatality. Proud and a bit thickheaded, he clearly went down fighting hard as he looked almost unrecognizable. And poor Lavander Brown right beside him, it appeared she was struck from a Killing curse, somewhere.
"Too many... too many lives tonight.", Snape whispered as Harry walked over to him. "Just every corpse the elves recover... more and more pain.". Harry saw a few goblins including two Harry remembered showing up to destroy the Locket, all killed together perhaps as they were laid in the Chamber to be put to final rest soon.
"It'll be over soon though... that no-nosed idiot just spelled his doom 'killing' me. Destroyed the last Horcrux he had.", Harry said.
Snape stared at him in confusion before widening his eyes in shock as he connected the dots, "He made you into a horcrux?!".
Harry nodded, "Indirectly, yeah. He didn't know about it. By the way, Mum forgives you.", smiling as he revealed a bracelet Lily passed into his hands when they embraced that one last time in limbo.
Snape nearly had an attack upon hearing that; just everything that had happened nearly caused him to have a meltdown, but he kept his composure. Harry took it off and handed it to him, "I think she'd want her oldest friend to at least have something to remember her by.".
Snape exhaled deeply as he grasped it, recognizing the initials so well within the emerald-green beads, with a gold band, and a rose red heart. Lily had created it in her second year, and he never had seen her without it for the next four years until the fateful day everything changed.
"Thank you..Harry.", Snape smiled at him, and Harry nodded, "Of course, Severus. Well, did the elves say anything?", wondering how the battle's heading. Is the Dark Side winning? Is the Light Side exhausted? Is Voldemort dead yet?
"Apparently, the Dark Lord has retreated; he's given Dumbledore a short armistice to tend to the dead, using it to taunt him about yours and all the other deaths. The news isn't good for Hogwarts, too many wounded that have been taking to safety has left the defenses fairly bare according to him. Voldemort mostly just needs one more push to break us.". Snape feared.
"I see... well, I know everyone will still fight to the bitter end...". An idea crossed Harry's mind. "I wonder though... how do you think his army would react if they saw me alive once again? To see that he still can't kill me?".
"Might shock him at least, might cause even panic amongst his ranks; some of them were actually terrified of you for years because of that night in Godric's Hallow. If you defeated him as a toddler, how well could they hope the older you got? His resurrection did quell those fears.", Snape explained as Harry smirked, "Then how about we bring those fears back?".
Snape blinked before smiling genuinely in a long while, "You don't have to ask; I'm going with you. It's time to show them the true Severus Snape. Like you always said, we have choices to be our own person, and I choose to be my own person...Po-Harry, if I die, will you tell Matilda that I had feelings for her?", referring to Professor Pryde.
"You can tell her yourself.", Harry put his hand on the man's shoulder. "He's not going to kill anyone else today.", Harry said with a full confidence as he pulled out the Invisibility Cloak. "Better to be able to surprise him; especially when he's at his most gloating point.".
"The Dark Lord certainly will feel he's invincible now if he thinks you're truly dead this time.", Snape said as Harry followed him out of the Chamber, planning to walk along the ruined corridors of the school before hopefully getting back to the surface. It was clear that armistice could end very soon. Harry nodded, "Arrogance blinds people, and he's no different.".
"Indeed, we can only just hope that'll remain-", Snape said before Harry interrupted him, "It will. He's still insane with splitting his soul so many times. A rational person like me or you if in the same role would just stay away as far as possible and let all the others do the fighting rather than risking harm."
Snape nodded, "Makes sense. Let's surprise the bastard.", with a devious, excited smirk.
After a few minutes of walking, Harry's heart wretched at the sight of Hogwarts, of whom he loved going to and being a part of, in total ruins like this; the scars of war devastating the historical halls. It was a sacrifice that would be well remembered though if Voldemort drew his final breath this day; exactly to the day of his first defeat. Snape walked into the Great Hall where much of the remaining defenders; Harry's family and friends included, were all sitting, comforting each other and resting for what surely would be the final stand soon.
"Still a few more minutes at least, Severus.", Dumbledore sighed as he looked out the door to the outside from the Great Hall. The viaduct bridge littered with the destroyed remains of statues, dead giants and Death Eaters. "As I feared, Voldemort was indeed keeping some of his forces in reserve.".
"He'll probably taunt us and wish for the others to surrender. You and I will certainly meet our fates, he won't spare you and make an example out of me.", Snape said.
Harry saw Dalinda looking so heartbroken as their friends comforted her. He figured that Dobby or Winky is watching the cubs as he can see Narcissa nearby, comforting Waylon as he was nearly looking to be tempted into destroying tables and all in his gator form if he could.
Harry wished right there that he could appear out from the cloak, but he knew that he has to give the ultimate surprise of the decade for all to witness otherwise Voldemort might notice that something's off in the first place.
Snape would be fine, his Occlumency certainly would keep him protected from Voldemort and others for a few moments before he would reveal himself. Nor would Voldemort even bother; he was pretty sure he was almost all but a lifeless corpse for a little while before he returned to the living. But Harry felt a bit of joy at the sight of Dalinda, she knew he was fated to die, and he was sure of it too. If they could kill Voldemort... then they could live happily with each other from now on.
"He's coming...", Seamus called out as everyone started to slowly walk out of the Great Hall to confront Voldemort's approaching Death Eater army; as Harry and Dumbledore expected, it was still a sizeable force and he clearly brought in some extra help of some wizards that looked a tad different to the Death Eaters. Mercenary scum. Harry stayed close to the Hogwarts defenders, right by the entire Weasley family, practically inches from Fred and George.
Voldemort smiled coldly, "Well, well, you have clearly decided to give yourselves up, Dumbledore and Snape.".
Dumbledore spoke harshly, "We aren't going to give up, and I won't let you take Hogwarts, not long as I'm breathing! I promised Harry whom I looked to as my own grandson that I shall protect this family, the Hogwarts family he loved and gave his life for.".
Snape then spoke, "I am Severus Tobias Snape, the Potions Master of Hogwarts, and this day, from the moment you called for my life, I regret ever working for you, and I am not a Death Eater anymore, Voldemort or should I say Tom Marvolo Riddle?".