Author's Note: Deathly Hallows stuff quoted. You-Know-Who owns that.
Thanks for the hate reviews. I like the reviews that leave me love a little bit better, though.
(the War) Sixth Year
Rumour has it that there is a new radio station named Potterwatch which broadcasts any sort of information pertaining to helping the Light side. We all tried to tune the radio to it in the Gryffindor Common Room last night but none of us had the access password. What we did hear was the voice of Lee Jordan, a former Gryffindor and Fred and George's bestie, as well as Lupin's commentary.
The new Dumbledore's Army is huddled around the main radio in the Room of Requirement. Neville managed to guess the password tonight: Albus.
". . . pleased to tell you that two of our regular contributors have joined me here this evening. Evening, boys!" Lee says, his voice crackling with static.
"Hi."
"Evening, River."
"Who?" Michael Corner asks.
"'River' is Lee Jordan," Neville explains patiently. "I guess they use codenames to protect confidentiality. But shh, we're missing some important news."
Everyone obeys Neville's command and we all wait with bated breath for Lee's next words.
". . . it is with great regret that we inform our listeners of the murders of Ted Tonks and Dirk Cresswell. A goblin by the name of Gornuk was also killed. It is believed that Muggle-born Dean Thomas and a second goblin, both believed to have been travelling with Tonks, Cresswell, and Gornuk, may have escaped."
There is a muffled outcry of shock and grief that arises from Dumbledore's Army. Mr Tonks was well-known to us from those who have ties with the Order of the Phoenix, and Dean is a Gryffindor whose missing presence at Hogwarts has stuck out like a sore thumb. Neville and I exchange worried glances, both of us wondering how Tonks and Andromeda are faring.
". . . the remains of Bathilda Bagshot have been discovered in Godric's Hollow. The evidence is that she died several months ago. The Order of the Phoenix informs us that her body showed unmistakable signs of injuries inflicted by Dark Magic.
"Listeners, I'd like to invite you now to join us in a minute's silence in memory of Ted Tonks, Dirk Cresswell, Bathilda Bagshot, Gornuk, and the unnamed, but no less regretted, Muggles murdered by the Death Eaters."
Silence echoes around the Room of Requirement, and everybody's heads are bowed as we each remember the people who now walk among the world of the spirits. Tissues and sniffles are passed around as well as tears of loss.
"Thank you," Lee's voice murmurs.
He then proceeds to introduce 'Royal' who is undoubtedly Kingsley Shacklebolt if the slow, deep voice is any indication of its owner. Kingsley informs all of us listening of the Muggle relations and their relative ignorance to the catastrophes currently happening in the Wizarding world. After Kingsley, Lupin comes onto the air and says a few sincere words regarding you and his belief that you are alive (Merlin, I hope you are). Following this, Lupin reports that Xenophilius Lovegood, Luna's father, has been imprisoned due to sketchy publishing's in The Quibbler that do not match up with the Ministry's hush-hush policy. Next, Lupin proclaims Hagrid's almost-arrest from two days ago when he thoughtfully but unwisely hosted a 'Support Harry Potter' party down at his hut.
And then the biggest shock of all came when I heard my brother's jocular voice reverberating through the radio's speakers.
"'Rodent'?" Fred exclaims in disgust. "I'm not being 'Rodent', no way, I told you I wanted to be 'Rapier'!"
"Is that your brother?" Seamus Finnegan asks me in surprise.
"What's Fred doing on there?" Michael says.
I open my mouth to answer them but Neville speaks before I can. "Shh, guys, we'll figure it all out later. Would you mind being quiet right now so we don't miss anything?"
Seamus and Michael mumble their apologies to Neville. I nod in agreement with Neville's statement and smile proudly at my friend. He has certainly grown up a lot these past few years at Hogwarts. Gone is the shy guy afraid of Professor – I mean, Headmaster – Snape. (Actually, Neville isn't at all afraid of Headmaster Snape.) Leadership suits Neville quite well.
"As our listeners will know, unless they've taken refuge at the bottom of a garden pond or somewhere similar, You-Know-Who's strategy of remaining in the shadows is creating a nice little climate of panic. Mind you, if all the alleged sightings of him are genuine, we must have a good nineteen You-Know-Whos running around the place," Fred remarks with his typical amount of snark.
"Which suits him, of course," says Kingsley. "The air of mystery is creating more terror than actually showing himself."
"Agreed," Fred says. "So, people, let's try and calm down a bit. Things are bad enough without inventing stuff as well. For instance, this new idea that You-Know-Who can kill with a single glance from his eyes. That's a basilisk, listeners. One simple test: Check whether the thing that's glaring at you has got legs. If it has, it's safe to look into its eyes, although if it really is You-Know-Who, that's still likely to be the last thing you ever do."
"And the rumours that he keeps being sighted abroad?" asks Lee.
"Well, who wouldn't want a nice little holiday after all the hard work he's been putting in?" Fred says. "Point is, people, don't get lulled into a false sense of security, thinking he's out of the country. Maybe he is, maybe he isn't, but the fact remains he can move faster than Severus Snape confronted with shampoo–" There were a few big laughs resounding around the room from this comment, " –when he wants to, so don't count on him being a long way away if you're planning on taking any risks. I never thought I'd hear myself say it, but safety first!"
I smile ruefully along with a couple others. Even without actually being here, my brother managed to alleviate the tension that clouded our minds due to the inevitable Wizarding war that was bound to come crashing down upon everyone one of these days. I am so lost in my thoughts about when times were a bit happier, that I almost miss the end of the Potterwatch broadcast.
". . . Keep twiddling those dials: The next password will be 'Mad-Eye'. Keep each other safe: Keep faith. Good night." And then the dial on the radio twirls and the lights behind the tuning panel turn off.
I look around the room at the members of Dumbledore's Army. Everyone still looks tense but there are faint traces of smiles blossoming on our faces. A single session of Potterwatch and our priorities have been reorganised and our strength renewed. Those Death Eaters might be bigger, but we're faster and never scared.
.
.
I was wrong last term. Things at Hogwarts could get worse, and they already have. Dumbledore's Army is reckless with their actions, and although gallant and resilient, Neville has become rash with his little acts of rebellion. He constantly swoops in to save the younger Years from any unnecessary torture the Death Eater professors convict them with. If I didn't know any better, I would have mistaken him for Superman. However, to me, you will always my Superman. Neville obviously learned his heroic tendencies from you.
I try to help him out any way I can to fight against the Death Eaters. But, I feel so useless these days. As much as I try to fight against it, I feel myself shutting down a little more as the days pass by and nothing improves at Hogwarts. Smiles are scarce and spirits are low. My family is being scattered across the globe as we try to elude ourselves from the Pureblood bigots who hate us for being blood traitors. And, I miss you, terribly. I wish you were here to hold me and console me and kiss away my fears and make everything better. But my thoughts and feelings are unimportant in the big pictures, so I suck it up and soldier on without objection.
Mum is determined to keep me home despite the fact that the Easter holidays were over yesterday. I didn't complain about her decision. I hope Dumbledore's Army can survive with just Neville leading them now.
.
.
There's a crash out in the front garden of Great-Aunt Muriel's house. Mum glances at me worriedly from where we are making shepherd's pie in the kitchen. Out of habit, her eyes flit to the clock that depicts where everyone is. (I hadn't even realised until now that Mum had brought along that old clock when we transferred from The Burrow to Aunt Muriel's.) Dad, Percy, and Charlie are at Work; Fred and George are in Hogsmeade (packing up the last of their shop, they say); Ron is Unknown; and Bill is Home. Wait, what? Bill's here at Auntie Muriel's?
Mum wastes no time in flying out the front door – not literally since she's going at a speed a broomstick could never touch – and comes running breathlessly back in with my oldest brother in tow.
"Bill, hi!" I exclaim as I roll out the dough for the pie.
He flashes me a small smile. "Hey, Ginny. Dinner smells good."
"Thanks," I say appreciatively. A flicker of movement catches my eye from behind Bill's shoulder. "Where's Fleur? Is she the person behind you?"
Bill turns to Mum and Dad who have come to stand beside me, revealing the person who had been standing in Bill's shadow. "Actually, I brought Ollivander along. Shell Cottage is getting a bit crowded, and Fleur and I were wondering if you would do us the immense honour of looking over Ollivander until he gets his health and strength back."
"No, no, that will be no problem," Mum says with a wave of her hand. "There's plenty of room here." Auntie Muriel gives a haughty cough at this comment, but Mum ignores her. "Merlin bless you, Mr Ollivander, and give you help and guidance in these dark, troubled times."
"The same goes for you, dear Mrs Weasley," Ollivander croaks gratefully.
Bill nods at the new arrangements. "Alright, then. Thanks, Mum. Dad. Can't stay long, but it was awfully nice to see all of you once more. Take care." He turns to leave Auntie Muriel's house but his hand strays to his pocket and his brow furrows. "Wait a minute." He pulls out a worn velvet case and heads into the parlour to give it to Auntie Muriel. "Here. Fleur wanted to return this to you."
"It's about time," Auntie Muriel snaps. "I thought your new bride had stolen it."
Bill raises an eyebrow but holds his tongue. We've all figured out long ago that it is best to leave Auntie Muriel to think her strong but wrong opinions because there is absolutely no way she'll ever be swayed from her beliefs.
"Best be off to Shell Cottage, now," Bill says to us. He comes around and gives each of us a hug. "Stay safe."
"Tell Fleur I give her my love and best regards!" I call out before he leaves Auntie Muriel's house.
"Will do!" I hear before there is a distinct pop as Bill Apparates off Auntie Muriel's property lines.
From inside the house, Ollivander's voice can be distinctly heard, saying: "Harry Potter, now there is a good man inside and out. The wand chooses the wizard, I like to say, but things change. Soon we enter an era where the world of magic could break or fall, and all due to the choices and changes made by Harry Potter and the Dark Lord. Just think, Mr Potter could be making history right now while he waits for news back at Shell Cottage. . . ."
My mouth falls open. You're at Bill and Fleur's place right now? Why didn't Bill say anything to me about that? What the bloody hell is going on with all of this secrecy and such?
.
.
My fake Galleon glows a burning red and words etch themselves onto its face in Neville's slanted handwriting: Battle of Hogwarts. It's the fight of our lives and we'll stand as champions tonight. And that is when I know for sure that shit just got serious.
I notify Mum and the rest of family who is in the Order of Neville's message. Immediately, they all clamour to come and disapprove of my choice to fight too. Apparently being an Underage witch still means shit to them in this moment of crisis. Whatever. I'm still going to Hogwarts to duel and kick some Death Eater ass whether they like it or not.
We Apparate directly into the Hog's Head and use Ariana Dumbledore's portrait and her secret tunnel that leads into the Room of Requirement to get into Hogwarts. The smooth stone steps are exactly as I remember them from fall term when Aberforth would sneak us some food and drinks when times were a wee bit tough and none of us were well enough to visit the Hogwarts Kitchens after a particularly brutal round of being inflicted with the Cruciatus Curse. Brass lamps cast a yellow glow around the passageway, and the dirt floor shows fresh footprints – someone must've recently used this route.
In the corridor, my family and I come across Dean and Luna. My old boyfriend, Luna, and I share a look and suddenly we are running to the other side of the passage, knowing that time is precious and that we cannot afford to lose a single moment when the Battle of Hogwarts is finally about to happen.
Dean and Luna exit the tunnel first, and then I follow them into the bright, dazzling light of the Room of Requirement. There's a considerable amount of people gathered here tonight, all crowded around you. The Room looks the same and yet different: there are still multi-coloured hammocks representing the Houses – minus Slytherin – hung from the walls. Bookcases and broomsticks also line the stone walls.
You meet my eye and I give you the biggest smile possible. For once, the grey clouds of doubt that have been darkening my mind vanish into a sea of blue skies and sunshine.
But then, your eyes dart behind me and I turn to see what has caught your attention. From the tunnel spills out Fred, George, Lee Jordan, and of all people, Cho Chang. Immediately, the old stem of jealousy bubbles up inside of me as I see you divert your attention away from and towards her.
"I got the message," Cho tells you unnecessarily as she holds up her fake Galleon for your perusal. She goes over to sit by Michael Corner and looks at you expectantly. Hmph. Hopefully she and Michael are still dating and so maybe she won't sink those raven claws of her into you and try to steal you away from me again.
"So what's the plan, Harry?" George asks.
"There isn't one," you respond a bit dazedly as you take in the crowd of people who are all watching you attentively.
"Just going to make it up as we go along, are we? My favourite kind," says Fred.
Then suddenly you let out an outburst where you try to play the hero and save our lives from this danger, but don't you get it, Harry? We voluntarily came to help you. We're not here by fate, or destiny, or a horse, or whatever you want to call it. We're here because we are Dumbledore's Army and we are going to fight and help you whether you like it or not. We don't want to be saved by you, Superman. Maybe we want to be the superheroes too and not be helpless bystanders.
"There's something we need to find," you tell us. "Something – something that'll help us overthrow You-Know-Who. It's here at Hogwarts, but we don't know where. It might have belonged to Ravenclaw. Has anyone heard of an object like that? Has anyone ever come across something with her eagle on it, for instance?" You look at Padma, Michael, Terry, and Cho in answer, but it is Luna who responds from her perch on the armrest of the chair I am currently sitting in.
"Well, there's her lost diadem," she says and then rambles on with some other irrelevant information in typical Luna-fashion.
"Yeah, but the lost diadem," Michael says while rolling his eyes, "is lost, Luna. That's sort of the point."
Then you and Ron and Terry and Cho and Luna all start talking and discussing at once and I sort of lose track of the conversation as I shoot mental daggers in Cho's direction. Don't think for a single minute that I have not seen her bat her eyelashes at you or flip her hair one too many times or giggle breathlessly at your words. No wonder she's in Ravenclaw with a birdbrain like that.
"If you'd like to see what the diadem's supposed to look like, I could take you up to our common room and show you, Harry? Ravenclaw's wearing it in her statue," Cho offers while twirling her hair on her index finger.
You nod slowly and Cho gets to her feet. I cannot stand the idea of you two alone under your Invisibility Cloak and in the dark, so I quickly interject: "No, Luna will take Harry, won't you, Luna?"
"Oooh, yes, I'd like to," Luna says happily and gets up from her spot on the armrest of my chair. You and Luna leave the Room of Requirement after putting on your Cloak. Once you have gone out of everyone's sight, Cho glares at me and sits down with a look of displeasure on her face.
Serves her right, that little conniving, boyfriend-stealer Ravenclaw bitch. This could very well possibly be my last day seeing you alive and I am not letting her sabotage it by nicking you away from me.
.
.
You come back to the Room, looking quite shocked at the fair amount of people that has turned up in your absence. Kingsley, Lupin, Oliver Wood, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Bill and Fleur, and Mum and Dad have joined the D.A. while you were off looking for the lost diadem with Luna.
"Voldemort's on his way, they're barricading the school – Snape's run for it – What are you doing here? How did you know?" you stammer out your question to us, your sentences running together in your confusion.
"We sent messages to the rest of D.A.," Fred tells you. "You couldn't expect everyone to miss the fun, Harry, and the D.A. let the Order of the Phoenix know, and it all kind of snowballed."
"What first, Harry?" asks George. "What's going on?"
"They're evacuating the younger kids and everyone's meeting in teh Great Hall to get organised," you say. "We're fighting."
There is a chorus of "Hell, yeah!" and suddenly everyone is stampeding out of the Room to go help the Professors lockdown Hogwarts and Side-Along-Apparate the Underaged students off the castle grounds. After a few chaotic moments, the crowd lessens until it is just me, Mum, Lupin, Fred, George, Bill, Fleur, and you remaining in the Room.
"You're underage!" Mum screams at me as you approach us. "I won't permit it! The boys, yes,but you, you've got to go home!" She grabs me tight and makes to march me over to Ariana Dumbledore's portrait.
"I won't!" I yell back as I yank myself out of Mum's grasp. I whirl on her with flashing eyes and shout: "I'm in Dumbledore's Army –"
"A teenagers' gang!"
"A teenagers' gang that's about to take him on, which no one else has dared to do!" Fred interjects on my behalf.
"She's sixteen!" Mum cries. "She's not old enough! What you two were thinking, bringing her with you –"
The twins hang their heads in shame in guilt. My temper sparks with fury that Mum has managed to convince the biggest troublemakers on the face of Earth that they were in the wrong for 'bringing' me along with them – as if I would have obliged with the idea of staying home and twiddling my thumbs while the everyone else is off to go fight the Dark side in the battle of our lives.
"Mum's right, Ginny," Bill gently declares. "You can't do this. Everyone underage will have to leave, it's only right."
"I can't go home!" I yell with angry tears sparkling in my eyes. "My whole family's here, I can't stand waiting there alone and not knowing and –" I look you in the eyes for the first time all night. I silently plead with you to understand my point and take my side and back me up and save me, Superman, from my family's disapproval, but you shake your head in cold dismissal and I turn away sharply in defeat. "Fine," I spit out, staring at Ariana's portrait. "I'll say good-bye now, then, and –"
I am interrupted by a loud clanging and banging around when out of the tunnel tumbles Percy. "Am I too late?" my previously shunned brother asks.
There is an awkward pause as my family does not know how to take Percy's appearance and willingness to help. Lupin and Fleur try to break the tension by showing pictures of baby Teddy but they shut up when Percy and us other Weasleys take the mickey out of him and then reconcile on friendlier terms with him once we have learned that he's deserted the Ministry of Magic. I use Percy's interruption as a distraction to sneak out of the Room and go help prepare the castle for the battle.
"Ginny!" Mum snaps, freezing me in place.
I then hear Lupin say: "Molly, how about this – why doesn't Ginny stay here, then at least she'll be on the scene and know what's going on, but she won't be in the middle of the fighting?"
"I –" I interject, in an attempt to argue with Lupin's idea.
"That's a good idea," Dad says firmly. "Ginny, you stay in this room, you hear me?"
I scowl, not at all liking this new plan, but Dad is uncharacteristically firm in his opinion and I have no choice but to sulk and nod my head.
"Good girl," Dad approves and then leaves the Room with Mum and Lupin.
I pout at the sudden turn of events. I'll find a loophole in my agreement with Dad somehow – like hell am I going to stay confined to this Room when the Light side needs all the help they can get to defeat the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters.
.
.
"I know you are preparing to fight."
I jump at the sudden voice emanating and reverberating from the walls of Hogwarts. I had been sitting idly in the Room of Requirement, practising my wandwork and Stunning Spells when all of the sudden You-Know-Who's high, cold, and clear voice echoed throughout the Room.
"Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood."
Lies, I think bitterly. You are the biggest fucking liar I have ever heard. Hatred for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named courses through my veins as I recall the lies he told and promised me during my First Year when I poured my heart and soul into Tom Riddle's diary.
"Give me Harry Potter and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded.
"You have until midnight."
.
.
Five minutes until midnight and you, Ron, and Hermione come bursting breathless into the Room of Requirement where Neville's grandmum, Tonks, and I are practising Disarming Spells.
"Is everyone okay?" Tonks and I ask in unison.
"As far as we know," you tell us. "Are there still people in the passage to the Hog's Head?"
I give you a confused look, but it is Neville's grandmum who verbally answers you. "I was the last to come through, she says. "I sealed it, I think it unwise to leave it open now Aberforth has left his pub. Have you seen my grandson?"
"He's fighting," you say.
"Naturally," Mrs Longbottom smirks. "Excuse me, I must go and assist him." And then she leaves the Room at a surprisingly brisk walk for someone as old as she is.
You switch your gaze over to Tonks. "I thought you were supposed to be with Teddy at your mother's?"
Tonks responds anxiously: "I couldn't stand not knowing. . . . She'll look after him – have you seen Remus?"
"He was planning to lead a group of fighters into the grounds –"
Before you finish your sentence, Tonks leaves in search of her husband.
"Ginny," you say. "I'm sorry, but we need you to leave too. Just for a bit. Then you can come back in."
My face lights up at the prospect of getting out of the Room. Perhaps I can sneak away and join the fighting before Mum finds out.
"And then you can come back in!" I hear you shout after me as I run to follow Tonks' footsteps. "You've got to come back in!"
I don't think so, Superman. I've got to use all of those spells you taught during the D.A. meetings at some point in my life, and I think this battle at Hogwarts is an opportunity of a lifetime.
.
.
All of the sudden the world resounds with a bang and then in comes a cataract of Death Earters that flood the Hogwarts corridors and curse anything and everything in their sight. Unforgivables fly out of their wand tips repeatedly and nothing is safe anymore. The air crackles with magic. People are running around, duelling in the corridors and trying to save lives. I spy my brothers' trademark red Weasley hair from across the castle on a different floor and I rush onto a staircase to meet up with them. However, the staircase moves and changes directions precisely at the moment I see a Death Eater blast the corridor nearest to my family. I duck down to avoid the onslaught of wreckage but I then learn that someone else was not so lucky. Through the dust and rubble, I hear the soul-ripping howls of anguish coming from the mouth of Percy:
"No – no – no!" he shouts in disbelief. "No! Fred! No!"
.
.
There's a girl out on the castle grounds whispering for her mummy. She's terrified and clearly underage. No one stops to comfort her during this break that Voldemort has given us to recoop. I head in her direction and wrap my arms gently around her small, frightened body.
"It's all right," I tell her. "It's okay. We're going to get you inside." I know I am lying through my teeth at the moment because everything is most certainly not fine but I do not want to scare the poor girl even more than she already is.
"But I want to go home," she whispers to me. "I don't want to fight anymore!"
"I know," I say, my voice breaking a little. "It's going to be all right."
I knelt beside her trembling body and held her hand, mindful of her many injuries and contusions. Together, we walk back to the Great Hall where medi-witches are treating the injured. As we walk, however, I feel the air move even though there is no breeze. It's almost as if someone is walking by but the girl and I are the only people out here at the moment.
I do not say anything, but even so, I know you're there, Superman. You may be invisible but then again, I've always been able to see right through you.
.
.
Professor McGonagall screams awfully: "NO!" before rushing out of the main door of Hogwarts. Perplexed, the survivors who are battle-weary but still able to fight follow her.
"No!"
"No!"
"Harry! HARRY!"
Ron's, Hermione's, and my voices rise together in the most dreadful symphony of sounds. Grief and despair cling to our voices because there, in Hagrid's arms, you are laying dead with closed eyes and your glasses askew. You are a deathly pale shade and you do not seem to be breathing at all. Has Voldemort finally managed to succeed in killing you after all these years? The crowd of survivors suddenly becomes rowdy and raises their voices and start yelling and jeering once they catch sight of the Death Eaters and Voldemort and you.
"SILENCE!" cries Voldemort and waves his wand to force silence upon all of us. "It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet where he belongs!" Hagrid has no choice but to obey, and he does so, with big basketball-sized tears running down his face. "You see?" Voldemort proclaims. "Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!"
Ron bravely interrupts Voldemort and rallies the spirits of the Light side. Voldemort then quells the crowd and spews some hippogriff shit concerning your death which is completely unbelievable because everyone knows you are not the coward Voldemort is making you out to be. The crowd surges again and then Neville is the one defying Voldemort this time. In a ghastly example of Voldemort's cruelty, the Death Eaters force a blazing Sorting Hat upon Neville's head in punishment for Neville's loyalty to you and what you stood for. But then come the giants and their distraction is enough for Neville to break the Body-Bind Curse Voldemort had placed on him. A moment of confusion takes place what with the giants attacking, centaurs stampeding, the Death Eaters running away, and Neville slicing the head off of Nagini with the Sword of Gryffindor.
Through at all, though, Voldemort's fury is felt by everyone when he creates an earthquake with his roar of hatred towards us and his anguish about the death of his beloved snake.
The onslaught of new attackers forces the defenders of Hogwarts and Death Eaters back into the castle. Jinxes, curses, and spells are cast every which way, hurting and injuring people without anyone knowing who they hit or what hit them. Hermione and Luna grab my hands and yank me away as we catch sight of Bellatrix's stormy mass of ringlets that make her look like she has been recently electrocuted. Together, all three of us duel her. Out of the corner of my eye, I realise that Voldemort is some fifty yards away from us, but I cannot jinx him without risking my life against Bellatrix because even though Hermione, Luna, and I are battling our outmost hardest, Bellatrix's skill is equal if not slightly superior to ours. A sudden flash of green light – the Killing Curse, no doubt, but I had not been able to identify the spell at the time – flashes past my face, missing me by an inch. Suddenly, I am knocked out of the way by my own mother who is screaming:
"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!" Mum throws her cloak off and then pushes Hermione, Luna, and I away so she can take on Bellatrix herself. Mum's wand twirls and slashes viciously – she is completely serious about this duel between herself and Voldemort's deputy. Jets of light fly from both wands and anything in their vicinity is liable to being cursed or broken.
"No!" Mum yells as a few students run forward to help her. "Get back! Get back! She is mine!"
"What will happen to your children when I've killed you?" taunts Bellatrix with a delighted smirk. "When Mummy's gone the same way as Freddie?"
"You – will –never – touch- our – children – again!" Mum screams at her and purely by luck or chance the curse Mum uses at the same time she screeches at Bellatrix hits the Death Eater in her chest, directly over her heart.
Before anyone can cheer, Voldemort's fury has reached catastrophic heights from the deaths of his most loyal supporter and his snake, causing a massive rumble and cracking in the castle's foundation. You choose that moment to appear, proving to everyone that you are most definitely alive, and protect everyone from Voldemort's wrath by diverting his attention to you.
"I don't want anyone else to try to help," you say in a voice that projects throughout the hall. "It's got to be like this. It's got to be me."
You and Voldemort go at each other verbally, taunting and trying to find each other's weaknesses as you relay all your findings and the Horcrux hunting you've been doing for the past few months to prepare for this moment. You reveal Voldemort's past and the crucial things that Dumbledore has passed down to you to culminate in this and give you the advantage of victory. The two of you circle each other and then, in words that have been burned in my mind since the moment they were spoken, he and you utter at the same time:
"Avada Kedavra!"
"Expelliarmus!"
With a thunderous bang, Voldemort's wand comes flying at you and the Killing Curse he has uttered is rebounded, killing the one who had spoken it. You've caught his wand in your hand and are looking at the empty shell of your enemy with something like a bit of momentary regret in your eyes.
But then there is silence which is quickly broken as everyone processes your victory and the death of the Dark Lord. We all come rushing towards you, praising you, Superman, and the fact that you have publicly saved the day. You are the Wizarding world's official hero.