AN: This is the start of the end. I hope you like what I'm doing, and let me know what you think.

Chapter 20

Harry looked down onto the battleground, seeing flashes of light that let him know that groups from the tunnels had already emerged and started the battle. He and the rest of the teams on brooms had gone with the werewolves after securing Hogsmeade.

Harry had been right in thinking that all Death Eaters had pulled back to Hogwarts to hunker down for the attack. In some ways, this was good, but it certainly meant this was going to be an even larger battle than it had been in Harry's world. This would be the single largest battle he had ever seen, and that wasn't something he was happy about.

After moving into the woods with the werewolves group, they'd moved through the Forbidden Forest. As soon as they knew they made it past the Hogwarts wards, they disillusioned all of their people and took to the sky, flying slightly higher than the tower, hoping that they could make it to the towers without being seen.

Invisibility charms would have been better, but they took a fair amount of energy, and only a few in their groups were capable of that spell, meaning the bulk of the spellwork would have fallen on those few, and causing exhaustion in their most capable spell workers before a battle seemed like a poor decision, so they were hoping the fight on the grounds, combined with disillusionment would be enough.

His group was hitting the North Tower, near the Main Entrance. Notable among his group were Fred and George from this world and Lily. He would have thought Lily would have wanted to be with James, but she'd been adamant that she would be in his group. He had suspicions on why, but he was hell bent on making sure that another Lily Potter didn't sacrifice herself for him.

Protecting certain loved ones certainly seemed to be in many people's minds even if they weren't fighting next to some of the ones they wished they could. Ginny's group, which was heading for Gryffindor Tower, contained Charlie, Rebecca, and Sirius, who Harry knew was going to do his best to watch Ginny's back for Harry. Alicia's group, heading for Ravenclaw Tower, had her mother, Maddy and Gabby. Ileana's group, heading for the Owelry also known as the West Tower, contained Angelina, Katie from this world and Oliver Wood. The last group, led by James, heading for the Astronomy Tower, contained Jamie, her father, and Marlene.

He could only hope they all survived the night. Harry shook his head, knowing it was time to focus. They were approaching the North Tower, also known as the Divination Tower. It was his job to blow a hold through a wall so they could breach the tower. They figured there was a good chance that few to no Death Eaters would be using the tower, giving Harry's group free reign into the castle to start forcing the Death Eaters into corners.

He started swinging towards the North Tower, knowing his group was just behind him, following his broom. As they were getting lower, something hanging from the castle ramparts above the main entrance caught his attention. He looked closer and felt sorrow and rage rise up seeing the lifeless, tortured body of Severus Snape.

A sharp gasp behind him told him that his mother had noticed. Harry closed his eyes for a moment, vowing to make sure Snape's sacrifice wasn't in vain, but he knew that as soon as they breached the tower, he needed to send out patroni. They needed to figure out whether Nagini had been taken care of.

Harry picked up speed, pointed his wand at the tower's wall and thought, 'Reducto!'

His spell blasted through the wall, leaving a more than wide enough spot to fly through. He zoomed into the tower, seeing that the walls having been blown in had actually injured two Death Eaters who were mostly buried under rubble. Four more Death Eaters were slow to respond as Harry cast a heart explosion curse into one of them and braked hard before rolling off his broom and blocking a hasty cutting curse sent his way.

As the three remaining Death Eaters tried to target him, another two dropped to blasting curses as more of Harry's team flew into the tower. Harry finished off the last Death Eater and focused his attention on the entrance to the divination classroom while the rest of his team continued to enter the castle.

So far, so good. Hopefully their entrance hadn't attracted too much attention.

**HP**

Getting into Gryffindor tower had been mostly smooth up until the final point of actually entering the castle. Death Eaters had taken control of Gryffindor Tower and were firing spells down onto the fighters on the grounds. Thankfully, this meant the windows had already been blown out, so Ginny's team had just needed to pick a window and strike. After that though, it became a heated battle to claim the Tower.

There were clearly thirty or so Death Eaters in the Tower, more than Ginny's team, but with the advantage of surprise, Ginny's team seemed to have victory in its grasp.

Ginny and Sirius fought back to back, defending each other while striking down any Death Eaters that seemed to be showing signs of successfully holding their own in the heated battle. Ginny grimaced as she saw two of her team members blasted back out of the tower without their brooms by an explosion curse.

Charlie retaliated angrily, engulfing three Death Eaters in flames and using some wind to strengthen the flames and blast the three Death Eaters into a wall where they dropped to the ground, screaming in pain.

"Well, isn't this fun," a voice said coldly, and Ginny turned, slightly fearful, to see Jason's dark counterpart with a manic grin on his face. Lestrange sent a killing curse which hit Charlie, dropping him to the ground without another sound.

It may not have been her brother, but he was still her brother, and seeing him die like that brought rage and despair to the top of her emotions.

Ginny, Sirius, Rebecca, and three others all shot curses at Lestrange, but he faded into shadow causing all six spells to go through where he used to be and impact three of the few remaining Death Eaters. He reappeared and blasted down two more of Ginny's fighters who were just finishing off the remaining Death Eaters.

She, Rebecca, and Sirius engaged him, but he just laughed and shadow traveled away. The three of them stood back to back, but he didn't reappear, which told Ginny that he was jumping between the different fronts and picking off the more powerful fighters and anyone else he could. Ginny glanced at Charlie's fallen form as the rest of her team decimated the remaining Death Eaters.

"We'll mourn him later," Sirius said softly, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder and she nodded sadly, using her Occlumency skills to keep herself steady. She glanced around sad to see that with Sirius, Rebecca, and herself, they only had ten of her group left.

Grimly she nodded, and she gathered her group to hopefully meet up with Harry's team to capture the seventh floor.

**HP**

This battle had been going on for nearly half an hour and Neville felt like he'd nearly died a dozen times. This was honestly so much larger than the Battle of Hogwarts in his own world, it made that battle seem miniscule in comparison, which was really saying something. It was clear that Voldemort had pulled anybody who had loyalty to him in the Ministry to fight, or at least most of them. Just based on how it seemed the Death Eaters were able to counter every move Neville's people made told him the Death Eaters at minimum equaled the Order led forces of around eleven hundred fighters, but Neville sadly suspected they had more, and they definitely had more if you considered the suits of armor. He only hoped the goblins were easily dispatching those. He'd already gotten reports that there was fighting at the gates to Hogwarts as more and more witches and wizards showed up to support or fight the Death Eaters. The only bright side to that was that reinforcements seemed to be held at bay for both armies.

The person who both surprisingly and unsurprisingly had been the greatest boon to Neville's battle group and who had saved Neville's life at least four times already was Grindelwald. Neville really didn't know how he felt knowing he owed a former Dark Lord his life.

Neville shielded himself from a volley of conjured knives and was about to retaliate against the three Ministry wizards when they all fell to a liquid wall of acid that engulfed them. Another two Death Eaters near them had their throats ripped out by two werewolves while another guarded their backs, all three grinning savagely.

Neville suppressed a shudder and sent three conjured knives into a Death Eater who had just defeated one of the American wizards that was in Neville's battle group. He glanced over to see Remus and Tonks destroying anyone who came near them, slowly fighting their way through Voldemort's forces. By Neville's estimation, they had lost half of their group and the Death Eaters roughly equaled them, but now Neville's group was starting to overwhelm the Death Eaters as Remus, Tonks, Grindelwald, Neville himself, Greyback, and a very talented trio of American wizards started protecting their less experienced fighters and combining attacks to defeat their opponents now that less opponents in general were on the field of battle.

"I always wondered what it would be like to see the Dark Lord Grindelwald fight," a familiar voice said, and Neville turned to see Jason's dark counterpart. "I must say, I'm quite impressed."

Lestrange transfigured the ground near five fighters, two of which were Death Eaters causing spikes to spring from the ground, impaling them all. Neville launched a lightning bolt which Lestrange absorbed with a shield and then he faded into shadow appearing near the effective trio of Americans who had just dispatched another two Ministry fighters.

They all fired blasting curses at Lestrange who rolled under the spells firing back a black bolt of cursed fire that engulfed the leader of the group.

"Sanders!" one cried out in alarm while the other desperately fired his own bolt of cursed fire.

Lestrange faded again, appearing behind the two remaining Americans who turned to confront him only for him to jump forward and stab one of the Americans in the throat with a dagger that appeared in his free hand while his wand flashed with a cutting motion decapitating the last American.

Neville ran forward unleashing a volley of cursed daggers at Lestrange's feet while he transfigured the ground into ice, hoping to cause Lestrange to slip, but Lestrange just propelled himself into the air with a gust of wind and quickly melted the ice before he landed, smiling widely at Neville.

"That was a very good try," Lestrange complimented. "A very good try indeed. Let's see if you can keep up though."

Lestrange flicked his wrist and a volley of conjured knives flew towards Neville spun out of the way, and retaliated with a wave of fire that Lestrange dispersed with a water shield. Lestrange grinned and a flock of conjured ravens flew at Neville who vanished them and dived out of the way of Lestrange's severing curse. It helped Neville that he knew how his Jason dueled, and this one probably had many of the same tricks, even if neither realized it.

To his horror, in his peripherals, Neville watched Grindelwald dissolve four Death Eaters with an acid mummification curse before he turned towards them. Grindelwald launched a volley of dark cursed fire spears that Lestrange barely managed to shield himself from as Neville dived out of the way.

Lestrange Shadow traveled in front of Neville and Neville gasped in pain as Lestrange stuck his dagger in Neville's stomach and used a dark cutting curse to remove Neville's left leg just below the knee.

Lestrange then shadow traveled away again. Neville felt cold all over, and a hint of fear, wondering what his parents would think . . . and also regretting never having asked Hannah out.

**HP**

"I remember loving these suits of armor during the defense of Hogwarts, but bloody hell, I rather hate them now," Isabelle muttered to her mother as she blasted three suits of armor away from two fallen goblins.

The infiltration through the passageways had gone smoothly, all things considered. The goblins had effortlessly taken down the various curses, traps, and barriers that had been placed throughout the passageway. Once they reached the entrance into the castle, they found the opposition they had expected.

There had been nearly fifty suits of armor and roughly the same amount of Death Eaters. Thankfully, a fair number of Death Eaters had been eagerly near the front waiting for them, obviously thinking they would be in the position to easily ambush them.

The goblins had eagerly and viciously cut through them before they met a proper fight from the suits of armor, supported by the Death Eaters from behind them. Isabelle and her team had quickly filed out into the hallway, losing six of their people in the fatal funnel, but once they made it into the hallway, Isabelle, her mother, and Daphne had started targeting the Death Eaters in the rear, letting the goblins take care of the suits of armor, though the suits had done a sadly efficient job of matching the goblins efforts.

Now, they had a ring of goblins with the witches and wizards mostly in the center, surrounded on both sides of the hallway by suits of armor and Death Eaters. They'd lost roughly thirty goblins, by Isabelle's estimate, and twenty of her team had also fallen. She counted roughly twenty Death Eaters still standing and about thirty suits of armor.

The odds were in favor for her group, but as this battle continued, like back in their own world, it was more likely that people would turn up to battle for whichever side they deemed critical to their own survival. Unfortunately, in this world it was likely many in the Ministry would come to fight for the Death Eaters, having served the Death Eaters for so long. While avoiding casualties was key in any battle, it was especially important knowing that reinforcements were more likely to show for Voldemort than for the resistance.

Ginny's patronus appeared in front of her.

"Jason Lestrange is hopping around the various battlefronts picking off the best fighters," Ginny's voice said. "Watch out for his attacks."

Isabelle scowled, knowing just how much damage Jason could do if he was shadow traveling around and ambushing fighters when they least expected it.

"We need to be very careful," her mother responded worriedly.

Isabelle knew that her mother worried about them running into Jason, and truth be told, she was a little as well. She was prepared to do what was necessary, but she knew it would be hard, both emotionally, and physically. She honestly didn't think she could beat her actual brother. He and Alicia spent too much time in combat with their employment, and while she certainly hadn't lost her edge from the war, she also didn't duel every day like she had back then, and thus hadn't improved as much as her brother had. This dark version of Jason might or might not be as good as her brother, but even at her brother's worst, she rarely beat him in a duel. She certainly had a chance to beat even her brother, but the odds were certainly stacked against her, and it could very well also be true against his dark counterpart

Isabelle focused back on the battle at hand watching a team of goblins with spears mow down three suits of armor. Three more goblins with swords rushed from behind the first group of goblins and efficiently cut down another two suits of armor before one of those goblins was hit with a fleshrending curse. Isabelle aimed at the wizard who just used that spell and retaliated with a fleshrending curse of her own, feeling a grim sense of achievement as the man screamed in pain as he died, causing two Death Eaters around the man to back away from his body in fear only to be filled with arrows from a few goblins who carried bows.

"Behind us," Daphne said sharply, and Isabelle turned to see five trolls come barreling down the hallway and smash through the line of goblins, their clubs flinging the goblins to the side before two of them flattened a witch and wizard, crushing them and killing them instantly.

Daphne launched a fireball that Isabelle enhanced with a gust of wind engulfing one of the trolls in a supercharged blast of fire. Isabelle moved forward, conjuring a set of dark spears that she flung forward impaling another troll. One of the remaining trolls was brought down by a volley of cutting curses while one was killed by the goblins, just leaving the one who crushed another wizard.

Isabelle lit the creature up with a lightning bolt as the goblins did their best to reform up against a new wave of Ministry people and Death Eaters.

"You really are like her," a voice said almost sadly, and Isabelle turned in horror, cursing herself for not having sensed him appearing.

With a knife to her mother's stomach was her brother's dark counterpart.

"I didn't realize your versions of our parents were still alive," Lestrange said, a hint of curiosity in his tone, looking at her mother. "Perhaps I'll get to hear the difference in our histories some day, but unfortunately, their survival only means there is more I need to do before my counterpart is ready."

And then, like out of one of Isabelle's nightmares, Lestrange sunk his blade into her mothers stomach and then ripped across her abdomen, Isla screamed in pain.

"NO!" Isabelle and Daphne both screamed.

"Extiguio!" Isabelle shouted, but Jason summoned one of the resistance wizards into the path, causing him to die to Isabelle's spells.

"It's not quite time for you to die, but very soon, I'll stop your pain," Lestrange vowed and disappeared into shadow.

Isabelle rushed forward with Daphne falling to her knees and grabbing her mother, immediately starting to use all of her medical knowledge to try and stem the bleeding and start repairing the flesh.

"I-I-It's o-okay, swe-sweetie," Isla gasped out.

**HP**

Ron shielded himself and Hermione from a volley of blasting curses while his brilliant fiance unleashed an extremely complicated transfiguration that caused the floor to rise up and engulf six Death Eaters causing them to disappear into the floor.

He and Hermione were pushing down one direction of the fourth floor while Kingsley and Mcdonald led the other group heading in the other direction of the corridor. The fight wasn't going as well for them as they would have liked. On one hand, just being able to use the tunnel was a win, since the goblins had been able to use some of their magic to repair the tunnel and allow them to pass, but the fourth floor was teeming with Ministry people, Death Eaters, and suits of armor, and it had been a bloodbath to even get into the corridor.

Ron and Hermione were pushing hard, using every trick he'd learned as an auror or that Jason, Alicia, Harry, and Isabelle had taught them, but it was a fairly even fight. Kingsley was really the main difference currently between winning and losing. Their progress was fairly even or stagnant whenever one of the more powerful Death Eaters challenged him, but then he'd strike down his opponent and go back to using his power and skill to help the Resistance continue its push to take the corridor.

"Ron, duck!" Kingsley's voice rang out and Ron did as ordered ducking to the ground as a vicious cutting curse flew over his head from behind, luckily striking a Death Eater that had been Ron's opponent. Ron rolled over and jumped to his feet, seeing Kinglsey now engaged with Jason Lestrange, who must have tried to take him out from behind.

Kingsley's power was showing as he engaged Lestrange, skillfully restricting Lestrange's spells from hitting any of Kingsley's teammates, while also restricting Lestrange's movements to their engagement area.

Ron wanted to help, but he knew that he wasn't a match for Lestrange, and he'd likely only get in Kingsley's way, especially since they weren't familiar with fighting with each other, at least this Kingsley wasn't familiar with fighting with him. If it was Ron's Kingsley, then that would be a different story.

Ron turned back to where Hermione was still trying to direct their forces against the Death Eaters, suits of armor, and Ministry wands. It wasn't looking good. They needed reinforcements. He glanced back at Kingsley, hoping he held on or was able to beat Lestrange because if he fell, their entire battle group would likely be wiped out.

Just as that thought crossed his mind, in horror, he watched Kingsley get blasted across the hallway and into a wall. Lestrange smiled as he leveled his wand to finish Kingsley off.

**HP**

Alicia scowled as she blasted another two suits of armor away. Her group had taken Ravenclaw Tower fairly quickly and had moved down into the corridor and joined the fighting that had now filled the castle, and things were going well for her group. It was obvious the Death Eaters hadn't expected resistance on the fifth floor, there not being any secret passages to the floor, so most of the suits of armor and Death Eaters or Ministry personnel had gone up or down to other floors, but despite that good news, she still didn't like not having her husband watching her back, nor she watching his.

Having her mother with her, and Maddy and Gabby was nice. It was good to know she could look after all three, though she was sure her mother felt she was there to look after her, but it just wasn't' the same, fighting a battle like this without Jason near her.

Alicia watched as Gabby and Maddy effortlessly took down two more Death Eaters while several members of her team defeated the remaining fighters. She glanced seeing that they'd lost five of their team in the fighting. Now is when things became a bit more complicated.

"Gabby, Maddy, take half of the group and move into the Grand Staircase. Deal with anyone there, and when you have the chance, take the fight up to the sixth floor and assist our people up there. If all is going well, you should find James's group has the battle well in hand. Mum and I will take the rest down to the fourth floor through the fourth floor landing staircase," Alicia ordered, and the two girls nodded seriously knowing the plan.

The goal was for Alicia to join the fight going on below and restrict Death Eaters and Ministry personnel from moving up while Gabby and Maddy would assist all the others above with securing the fifth, sixth, and seventh floors of Hogwarts, not including the towers, most if not all were hopefully secured by the Tower Battle Groups. Once they'd secured the upper floors, all groups were to converge lower and join forces with everyone still fighting in order to keep securing Hogwarts top to bottom while the Battle Groups that came in from the grounds did their best to restrict the Death Eaters movements below.

If all went according to plan, Alicia's group and all the groups that came in through many of the passageways or towers would pincer down and help the other groups smash the remaining Death Eaters, leaving only the Great Hall to be secured, and hopefully Voldemort with some followers to destroy.

George's Coyote patronus appeared in front of her, distracting her for a moment.

"We've found Nagini's remains," George's voice said. "Moldywart is mortal."

Alicia grinned, knowing that now any number of people had a chance of killing Voldemort and hopefully ending the fighting.

Alicia turned to direct her mum and eight of their fighters when he appeared. She stared at the dark version of her husband, and where many in her group felt fear, she just felt anger. To her, this was an abomination of the man she knew and loved, and even if it wasn't his fault that he turned out this way, she was determined to make sure he was destroyed. He was a pale imitation, and it was time for him to be erased.

She looked at him more closely, noticing he was bleeding slightly from a cut on his cheek and bloodstains in his robes suggested he'd taken a cutting curse to his side.

"So, you're the woman who married my counterpart," Lestrange said with a curious look, though she saw no warmth within his eyes. "I hate to kill you, but I'm afraid your death is very important to my plans."

"Is that so?" Alicia responded stiffly, not really having a problem seeing this man as a completely different person.

"Yes, it's quite important that my counterpart understands pain," Lestrange responded with an evil smile.

Alicia scowled. "He understands it just fine, but if you're looking for a fight, I'm fully prepared to give you one"

She glanced at her mother. "Take the others and continue on. I'll take care of this."

"Alicia . . ." her mother responded hesitantly, looking fearful.

"Mum, trust me," Alicia said firmly, glancing back at Lestrange. "He'll let you pass, and you're no match for him either way."

Lestrange nodded and waved dismissively. "Of course, you may all go and kill Death Eaters to your hearts' delight. I certainly do not wish to stop you."

Her mother glanced back at her and nodded, before directing the other eight of their group to follow her around Lestrange, who firmly kept his eyes hungrily on Alicia.

Alica launched an overpowered lightning bolt that was met with one of Lestrange's own.

**HP**

Jason's group was just outside of the Main Entrance to the castle, having fought their way across the grounds. It was bitter fighting, with his group taking heavy casualties, but also having dealt great losses to Riddle's forces. He was fighting with his father covering his back, while not far away, Bill and Fleur cut through everyone they faced.

"I'll breach the castle doors," Jason called out to his battle group. "Cover me."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that," a voice replied calmly, and Jason focused on a man that had just shadow traveled in front of Jason.

Jason was honestly surprised, staring at the figure of Draco Malfoy. This Malfoy was completely different from the one from his own world. This one radiated power, and had a cold indifference that reminded Jason more of Draco's father, and yet, this Draco seemed more dangerous than Lucius ever could have been.

Next to Draco was Antonin Dolohov. He quickly looked over at Bill and Fleur to see that they had gained two new opponents as well . . . Loraxus Lestrange and Percy Weasley. It seemed the inner circle members and higher ranking Ministry members were finally coming out to battle.

Jason launched a fireball at Malfoy, who raised a water shield absorbing it while Dolohov launched his signature bone melting curse at Jason's father, who raised a powerful shield that absorbed it. Jason dived over a fleshrending curse, retaliating with a mummification curse. Malfoy conjured a wall that took his curse and then launched the crumbling wall at Jason.

Jason dissolved the wall and swirled it around him before launching it back at Malfoy, transfiguring it into shards of glass that Malfoy quickly vanished.

Next to him, his father engaged Dolohov, the two of them shielding each other from destructive curses, Dolohov seemingly trying to simply overpower Alex, though finding he wasn't quite up to the task.

Bill and Fleur were not faring as well. Lestrange was a contemporary of Voldemort, the father of Rodolphus and Rabastan, and he was an extremely powerful wizard. Percy was no slouch either, and while Bill and Fleur were competent fighters, they weren't the Bill and Fleur from Jason's world, who both had been curse breakers and much more magically advanced.

Lestrange blasted Bill and Fleur apart, laughing maniacally and leveling his wand at an injured Fleur. Bill struggled to get up, looking terrified at the knowledge that his wife was about to die, but just as Jason though he was about to watch her die, while he was shielding himself from a wave of acid, Percy Weasley quickly pointed his wand and put a piercing curse through Lestrange's head, killing him instantly.

Dolohov and Draco's eyes both widened in shock at the death and betrayal, and the two Witcher men did their best to take advantage of their opponents loss of focus. Draco managed to dodge out of the way of Jason's blasting curse, but Dolohov wasn't so lucky as an explosion curse separated his right leg from his body.

Dolohov started screaming in pain, and Draco scowled, glancing around to see that Jason's group was still overrunning the rest of his Death Eaters and Ministry personnel. He looked ready to continue the duel however just as he was about to re-engage, several of his fighters dropped to a volley of spells as Albus's battle group rushed to reinforce Jason's group.

Draco grimaced and then shadow traveled away. Jason shot an appreciative look at Albus, noting that his group seemed to be in fairly good shape, still having roughly seventy or so of his initial one hundred and twenty fighters. Jason's group had taken heavy casualties and was down to only fifty or so left.

Jason glanced at Bill over Fleur's injured form, Percy standing near them, but clearly separate while Bill focused on his wife, yet also clearly keeping an eye on his wayward brother. Despite where they were and what might happen before it was over, it was nice to see Percy start to redeem himself.

"Artemis!" Jason called, and his familiar flashed in, landing on Fleur's injured body and flashing her away to the field hospital they had set up. Artemis, Apollo, and Fawkes were all doing their best to find injured Resistance fighters and get them to field hospitals in situations where the fighters themselves couldn't shadow travel them out.

"We need to continue pushing on!" Crouch yelled. "Casualties can be cared for later!"

Jason scowled, but nodded in agreement, and he started gathering up power while members of the two battle groups continued to fire spells up into open windows of the castle where they observed Riddle's forces.

"Solve ostium!" Jason yelled and his spell shot from his wand, impacting the front doors and blasting them in, completely off their hinges.