Chapter 11: Victory Comes When The Four Fight as One...

Albus Potter fought back to back with Ashley Wright as Voldemort charged into the Ministry. It really was easy with the Elder Wand. Albus began to toy with the wizards they were facing, about eight in all. Ashley elbowed him in the ribs and reminded him not to become overconfident. Always overprotective.

Albus finished dispatching the last of the wizards and looked around. Neville Longbottom was fighting a crazy looking woman near the wall of the lobby. Albus's grandparents had somehow gotten a hold of some broomsticks and were flying around the room sending curses at unsuspecting Death Eaters. Sirius Black stunned his opponent and came up next to Albus.

"Doing alright there Albus?" he asked.

"Yeah, you?" Albus responded.

"Are you kidding?" Sirius asked. "This is great!" he said as he rushed back off to join the fight, but he was stopped short as Harry Potter flew through the room and slammed into half of the Fountain of Magical Brethren. Albus rushed to his father's side, but before he got there, Harry ran off toward the lifts at the far end of the lobby. Albus looked up just in time to see Lord Voldemort disappear into a lift.

"What do we do now?" Ashley asked, catching up to Albus and seeing Voldemort disappear too.

"What do you mean?" Albus asked.

"Voldemort," she said. "He's gone."

"We can still get Travers," Albus said. As if on cue, a stunning spell struck an inferus in front of him and revealing Adam Travers fighting against two of his fellow students. He slashed down with his wand and an invisible force swept both of them aside into the nearby fireplace. Travers looked up, saw Albus and promptly ran down a nearby corridor. Albus caught the eye of his brother James and Ashley's brother John Wright and they joined Albus and Ashley as they ran down the corridor after Travers. Just as they met, a red spell hit Ashley in the ribs and sent her into a nearby group of French wizards. Albus stopped but John grabbed him and pulled him into the hallway.

"Hey," he said. "We need her!"

"She'll be alright," John said.

"But we need a fourth," Albus said, pulling away.

"If we lose Travers it won't matter how many we have," James said. Albus finally relented and joined John and James as they raced up the corridor.

Albus had been inside the Ministry several times before, but he had never been down this hallway. It wound its way around several corners and past the Ministry gift shop. There were rows and rows of "Weasley for Minister" t-shirts along the back wall and a package of fake Harry Potter scar tattoos in the window. Albus rubbed his left arm as they passed several towers of merchandise which had been pushed over, blocking the path. At least they knew they were still on the right path.

The hall began to slope upward and Albus found it more difficult to run. The hall flattened out. There was a staircase which rose from the left side of the hallway and curved around back toward the lobby. The three stopped, trying to figure out which way Travers had gone. James pulled out his wand. "Travers," he said. The wand spun in his hand and pointed back the way they came.

James turned and began heading up the stairs. Albus and John struggled to follow. "What was that?" Albus asked.

"Tracking spell," James said. "Dad's invention."

"Cool," John said as they reached the top of the stairs. There was a noise from down the corridor, back toward the lobby. Albus, James and John ran toward it.

Finally they saw light flood the hallway, light which was sparkling with the flags on the Ministry ceiling. The hallway they were in ended in a railed balcony which overlooked the lobby. A man was standing at the railing facing them. The man sent a green spell at them but they dodged the spell. James shouted "Expelliarmus!" but Travers simply brushed the spell aside.

"I must say I'm impressed," Travers said as the three of them began to surround him about fifty yards away. "You've done very well for yourself Mr. Potter. Certainly grown up from the cowering boy you were a year ago."

"Shut up," John said. "You kidnapped Ashley. Give her back or else!"

"But didn't Mr. Potter tell you?" Travers said. "Ashley is dead." John stood in stunned silence. "Of course, Albus was dead too, so maybe he forgot to mention that."

"I haven't quite had time to catch them up," Albus said. "You forgot the part where you killed her though." The revelation brought John back to his senses.

"I'll kill you!" John shouted.

"No!" Albus and James said together. "Together," Albus said. The three of them leveled their wands at Travers; Albus shouting "Stupefy!" and James and John shouting "Impedimentia!" The spells hit Travers at the same time but Travers cast Protego just in time. The spells caused him to stagger back but he regained his balance in time.

"Impressive power young wizards," Travers said. "But you're missing something. The prophecy clearly says you need four, not three. Yes, I know of the prophecy Mr. Potter. And since you only have three..." Suddenly Travers began to blink many times as if coming out of a trance and Albus heard noises from behind him. He turned to look at the source of the noise.

Scorpius Malfoy stood, panting, ten feet behind him. Albus pointed his wand at him. "You," he said.

"Please, let me explain," Scorpius said between breaths.

"NO," John said. "You're the reason Ashley's dead!"

"He also attempted to save her," James said.

"Just tell me: are you for us or against us?" Albus said.

Scorpius looked straight at him. "I'm not my father, Albus. I've always been on your side."

"All right then," he said and the four of them turned back to Travers who seemed to only just be regaining his bearings. "Together!"

The four of them trained their wands at Travers. Albus, James and John sent the same spells. Scorpius shouted "Expelliarmus!" Travers was ready for Albus, James and John's spells, but Scorpius was slightly faster on the draw. His spell reached Travers before the other three and sent Travers's wand flying over the balcony. Then the other three spells found their mark. Travers's face was blank, eyes wide with shock as he was knocked back, flipped over the balcony and fell, face first, to the lobby floor below.

Albus looked at his three friends. Each had the same stunned expression on their face. "The four fight as one," he said. "I should have known."

"Why?" John asked.

"Look at us," he said. "Me, John, James and Scorpius: Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Slytherin. It had to be the right four. If Scorpius hadn't been here, Travers might not have been disarmed and we never would have won."

John walked up to the balcony. "Look," he said. Albus joined him. The room was full of bodies on the floor. Travers lay in a heap directly below the balcony, clearly dead. As predicted, all of the inferi died with him. Everyone who was alive was looking at the lifts. Standing at the lifts was a wizard that Albus didn't recognize and one that Albus quickly recognized as Peter Pettigrew. The wizard Albus didn't recognize was carrying a body reverently in front of him and Peter was using his wand to "carry," upside down, the body that Albus clearly recognized as Lord Voldemort. Scorpius joined them on the balcony.

"Who's that?" he asked.

"Voldemort," Albus said. "He's dead."

"Who're the others?" he asked.

"Peter Pettigrew and Nicolas Flamel," James said, joining them. "Pettigrew is the one holding up Voldemort."

"Then who is Flamel holding?" Scorpius asked.