RWBY: Foresworn

XV: The evening bell has tolled

Unlike Harry's previous encounters with Voldemort had ended up with Harry incapacitated, someone interfering or inconclusive. This time; there were no such trifles, Harry had no idea how he was able to even keep pace with Voldemort but he was doing so.

Upon their Master's arrival, Death Eaters; Sympethisers and Hardcore Believers drew their wands and began to fight. People who were opposed to Voldemort; either Anti-Harry or Anti-Dumbledore or even just Anti-Voldemort full stop, began to return fire. This time if it was even possible to destroy an already destroyed village then that is precisely what happened as Harry clashed with Voldemort.

Voldemort was taken off guard by the sudden barrage of the fiery barrage. Voldemort quickly realised Harry's strategy; he was the superior mage and thus Potter had to change his entire approach when they fought. Voldemort realised that Harry had improved, Voldemort apparated backwards narrowly avoiding dismemberment.

Two Death Eaters and a pair of Aurors stumbled between the pair. Harry and Voldemort subconsciously dispatched them, two killing curses and two sword strokes.

Harry had quickly switched from his massive killing blade of 'Absolution' and was instead fighting with Wand in hand and the unnamed white blade, that, Salem, had been given to him. As Voldemort retorted with a volley of spells that were definitely on the spectrum of yellow; the blade began to glow a soft ethereal silver light. The blade effortlessly deflected cut threw the barrage; Voldemort's eyes widened in horror "Impossible! She said she was going to back me until the end. She gave her word!"

"But not an oath. She and I have had words. She considers you a fleeting curiosity, you unknowingly squandered your chance to be her ally. She told me how to slay you, without slaying you. The evening bell tolls, on you, Tom Marvolo Riddle. The evening bell tolls, on you, Tom Marvolo Riddle. The evening bell tolls, on you, Tom Marvolo Riddle." The sword began to glow a blinding whitish silver light and everyone heard the sound of metal grating on metal, followed by the sound of metal heating up.

Voldemort's eyes widened further as the sword had become a scythe; Harry's own form had changed. Harry had always been pale, but now his skeleton was clearly shining throughout his skin; his robes had become tattered, torn and shabby, with a deep hood appearing out of nowhere to cover his face; leaving green glowing eyes. "The Bell tolls, begone, with the reaping!"

Harry's eyes turned from green to silver with a red pupil; then in the other eye bled red with a silver pupil. Everyone watched as emerald lightning crackled to life around Harry before a shroud of silver and red roses accompanied by silver and red crow feathers tinged with green sparks materialised into existence and Harry was gone. Voldemort, went to cackle with laughter only he found his mouth filling with blood; his hands went to his chest; his hands were coated in blood. The lightning, feathers and roses coalesced back into Harry; he was kneeling, left knee on the floor, right foot placed flat, scythe being held in the middle of the shaft with head reaching out seemingly reaping the Sun. "Begone, fragment, rest in eternal silence with your fragments for company."

The scythe pulsed that mysterious silver colour the singular cut that Harry made pulsed, thin strands of silver energy snaked around Voldemort pulling out a smokey ash version; then the shadow was sucked into the blade, causing Riddles body to disintegrate. As people slowly saw Voldemort's decomposition, Pius Thicknesse doubled over screaming; his arm smoking, with him five of his guards also began to double over.

"Someone, please, help!" Pius screamed, his throat sore from the original onset of screaming.

"Anyone who does, the evening bell tolls on them...They tried to overthrow your government; they pay the price of their foolishness." Harry rasped still looking very skeletal, although the scythe was reforming into the sword and he was assuming normal presentation.

"Harry, please, explain this." Hermione asked.

"It all started when Neville cracked me over the head." Harry responded with his trademark, off-handed comment.

"Harry, this...didn't start with me twatting you over the head. It started way before then. Now, spill; you and I both know that you know more about what's going on than all of us...or if you don't know, are skilled at reading stupid."

Greenish red eyes locked with hard brown ones "Ass…"

"Jerk, I can and I will set Velvet on you."

Harry paused, the Death Eaters were slowly decomposing, under observation. "The things I do for love. Hermione, your question is an extremely complicated one...one that is best had away from the eyes and ears of the Headmaster."

Hermione was about to interject when Dumbledore and the Staff appeared "You all took your sweet fucking time."

"Where's Tom, Harry?"

"Dead...at the least, disembodied again at the very most. Didn't realise he was going to take so many Death Eaters with him." Harry sighed. "I hadn't anticipated it to be this simple. Please tell me the bodies aren't…"

"The heads are…relatively intact, kinda paper-dry so HWC. Handle With Care." Seamus called.

Dumbledore stared at Harry "What have you done?"

"My fucking job. Voldemort is dead at best or completely disembodied without the aid of someone like Quirrel."

Dumbledore sighed "There's something that I haven't disclosed." The ancient headmaster stated, truthfully, he'd been hiding this revelation, he had been intending to reveal this closer to the time of Dumbledore's choosing I.e. When Harry had no other choice but to listen to Dumbledore's complete advice.

The revelation of the Horcruxes and Harry's knowledge of them had cost Dumbledore quite a bit. But most of the Horcruxes had been destroyed, it had turned out that the Goblins despised soul-splitting more than theft. It turned out that the Goblins were the ones who were hiding the knowledge of phylacteries; all of the Curse-Breakers who had investigated further into phylacteries oft wound up in fatal accidents.

However, for Harry, Salem had one last trick up her sleeve. When Voldemort had met her, she hadn't wasted any time in sending a few disposable servants, alongside her Grimm, who was she to turn down this opportunity for knowledge to defeat Ozma. When, Harry had received the blade from her, whom in turn had inherited it from the Brothers who had cursed her with immortality. She had neglected to tell him of the properties.

The sword 'Reaper' contained the soul or parts of the soul of the one 'reaped' by it. It also included anyone who had bound themselves to the target; Salem had neglected to mention that someone bathed in the Pools of Grimm could extract the soul. There was more to the blade, but Salem didn't know what it was.

Harry stared down Dumbledore, the glowing silver streaked with black blade throbbing ominously, and ever so slightly stretching. "What, are you hiding Dumbledore? The Bells have Tolled on Tom Riddle; I've plenty of strength to Toll the Bells on you. How's Snape?"

"Professor Snape, Harry. Professor Snape...is not in the best state. He is alive, but his right arm had to be removed to save his life."

"Fucking, pity, fucking pity. The guy was and is and always will be on my shit list; for his blatant murder boner for my father/adopted uncle...Anyway, continue, I'd advise you to tell me truthfully."

Dumbledore stood, or rather tried to stand, his ground; however, the power and sheer potential his young student turned lamb for his ultimate glory stared him down. The way Harry stood in defiance of him, reminded Dumbledore of a much younger Tom Riddle "Do you realise…"

"You finish that sentence with any insinuation towards the dead, I am taking your life and dumping your head, the bodies of the Death Eaters and Voldemort along with the Interim Minister at the doors of the Ministry, getting my money and going."

"A prophecy. A prophecy was made to me, by Professor Trawlany."

Harry's eyes narrowed "Let me guess, me or Tom. Horcruxes dealt with, Tom dealt with. I want my money so I can go home."

Dumbledore chuckled "Of course, as a member of the Wizengamot, you'll get your money. But you and Mr. Longbottom are under arrest, for the uncontrolled systematic and systemic destruction of Noble and Esteemed Families. I believe both families' fortunes are a suitable reparations, for the loss of such valuable members. "

It was Seamus who spoke, rage evident in his voice "How about you find something called Viagra, and it'll help you go fuck yourself. Harry's right! You brought him here to clean up our shit and yet, he's getting punished for doing as was required."

"It was always going to be like this. It could have all been avoided if Harry acted like the meek lamb and followed my plans to the letter. He might not be in this situation." Dumbledore turned to Harry, tears running down his cheeks.

"I'm terribly sorry, this is just how things are going to be. Inc…"

"Accio Absolution." The original killing blade launched itself from the rubble where it had been hidden, it began to shift into a much larger scythe; it landed in its rifle form. Harry pointed it at Dumbledore and pulled the trigger.

A single shot, rang out, like a thunderclap. Dumbledore stopped, his chest suddenly revealing a growing red patch. His wand dropped out of his hand "Like you said, Headmaster...it's just how things are going to be."

Neville turned to the assembled students and members of the public "Now is the time you're going to have to fend for yourselves. Harry and I, have other places to be and everyone is going to let us go."

Dumbledore had collapsed, his wand lying just out of reach. Harry grinned and summoned it to his hand; power ran through his body, more potent than any amount of lightning or electricity he could channel. Everyone watched, people watched with baited breath as Harry, Neville, Dean and Seamus identified the Death Eaters, stacked them in a pile beforw Dean summoned the Knight Bus. In Harry's hands Reapers secret effects were taking place; it was scouring the entirety of the local leylines, of which Britain had in abundance, the creator of the blade, the Darkness scoured the leylines looking for the parts of Tom Riddle's soul. The younger brother, well known was his fury; but his fury towards Salem, was but a bonfire for a Pagan Festival; in comparison to the fury of Tom Riddle and his Servants. One by one, the remaining Horcruxes were destroyed and forced into the blade; for each fragment eight people lost their lives.

Hermione watched "Harry, I'm coming with you."

"You're certain? You do remember the last time we met back in Vale."

Hermione flushed "I was wrong, out of line. Since we're opening our hearts and grievances too the public; you were my first friend...ever." Harry's eyes widened and the tension left him.

"Harry, we could need Hermione." Neville stated "How hold on you, Scarecrow of Murder, think. Just think about it, we're trading one shitstorm for another...admittedly one we've improvised accurately on. Hermione brings a very good Occam's Razor to our stable. You and yours hit things, Mine shield but we flipped off everyone bar Ozpin and Glynda."

"You're an absolute asshole...but you're right. Dean, Seamus and Hermione will make fine admissions to our stable. Although when we get home, I've a fiery crash of an entrance to make."

"A fiery crash?" Seamus asked, skeptically.

"Others call them Dynamic Entries…besides, Velvet would kill me if I crashed and burned in Haven and didn't go to find her."

Hermione cocked her head "Let's go. We can roast Harry on his lady love on the way."