Voldemort let out a harsh laugh.
Lily's heart was beating very fast, her mind seemed to have stopped working as she saw the tip of the elder wand pointed at them, her wand was deep in her pocket and James was in his pocket. James' grip on her wrist was very tight, he was doing some movement but her mind wasn't working.
"No point doing anything, Potter," said Voldemort. "Avada. . . "
There was a growl and hiss, and Lily saw it, Felix, her cat moved very fast, jumped and attacked Voldemort's hand. Voldemort who was between killing them didn't noticed the cat in his confidence. The cat landed on his wand arm, scratching it, Voldemort let out a painful hiss and lost his control.
The cat ran up to Lily and sat on her shoulder, meanwhile James has closed his hand around her other wrist, over the bracelet.
"I will wait for you in your home, Tom Riddle at Hogwarts with my army, you bring your army there, we'll finish it there. Either you will live or me," James said.
It wasn't making sense to Lily at all, he wasn't taking out his wand and has gripped both of her hands, was he mad?
"Your army at Hogwarts? Army of students?" laughed Voldemort. "You can't disapparate, I have placed the anti-disapparation jinx."
"Just meet me at Hogwarts, Tom," James said loudly. "One of us will only live."
Voldemort raised his wand, "I will kill you now, here itself."
"Ducere," said James and Lily felt herself revolving fast, she saw Voldemort snarl angrily, she felt Felix holding her tightly, its furry tail brushing her face.
And then it stopped and they landed.
James let out a sigh of relief but didn't release her hand, Felix jumped off her shoulder.
"Thanks for saving us, Felix," James said, and the cat let out a purr.
"Where are we?" Lily asked looking around.
"You tell me," he said hugging and kissing her.
"On the balcony," Lily gasped. "In Hogwarts. How?"
"I asked Dumbledore to do it, on our last day in Hogwarts when we mate him," replied James. "He did it secretly."
"Why didn't you tell me?" asked Lily.
"There was no need, Hogwarts wasn't that safe," he told her. "And the bracelet would have signalled you itself when the time comes."
Lily was silent and then said, "Peter betrayed us, I can't believe it."
"No," replied James. "Now's not the time." He took out the mirror. "Sirius, Sirius," Sirius appeared in the mirror. "We're here at Hogwarts, alert everyone, and began the plan."
"See, if the area's clean," Sirisu said hurriedly.
James took out the marauder's map. "All clear, you can come in. I am going to meet Minnie."
"Cool, we'll be there within minutes," said Sirius.
"James, what's going on?" Lily asked tensed.
"We don't have time," said James, pointing his wand in the air. A very big mongoose appeared in the sky. James immediately wore his Thanatos robe and made Lily wear her. "Let's go."
All the students in the common room were shocked at the sudden appearance of Thanatos.
"James," called a familiar voice, Kevin Bell, and the other familiar faces behind him. "You're here, you've become a hero, our hero, we all are on your side, we support you, don't we guys?"
The entire common room agreed. "You are our hero.", "We support you." "Life has been hell at Hogwarts since Dumbledore's death."
"Kevin, I don't have time, gather everyone in the great hall, now," said James.
"Are we going to fight?" asked Lee.
"Yes, something like that, now hurry. We'll get McGonagall," said James. "Come, Lils."
Both of them ran towards the headmistress's office.
"Dumbledore," shouted James and the gargoyle moved. Before they could go up, Minnie came running down.
"James, you're here," she said looking at him. "I just received the message from The Order, is you know who really coming here?"
"Yes, Minerva, he is. It's our only hope," said James. "Alert everyone, protect the castle, I need some time to set things up, can you do that?"
"I think so," said Minerva dryly, "we teachers are rather good at magic, you know. I am sure we will be able to hold him off for a while if we all put our best efforts into it."
"Excellent, the others are on their way here," said James.
"What about students here?" said Lily. "Surely, James you aren't thinking of throwing them into a fight."
"Of course not," said James.
Soon all the teachers came running to Minerva, as they all heard students moving and saw the mongoose.
"I have asked Gryffindors to gather in the Great Hall," said James.
"James!" Slughorn Panted. "And Lily!" he messaged his chest. "My dears. . . what a surprise."
"Minerva, we've to act fast," James said hurriedly as he looked at the map.
"Very well. He-who-must-not-be-named is coming," she told the other teachers. Sprout and Flitwick gasped; Slughorn let out a low groan. "James has work to do in the castle, the order and others are coming to our aid. We need to put in place every protection of which we are capable while Potter does what he needs to do."
"James, James," came the voice from his pocket. "I have fired the mongoose in each place, the message written beneath it. Everyone is coming. I am in Honeydukes, Moody is leading everyone inside. We have protected the shop, no sign of them yet but Frank has reported that there has been a movement among them."
"Cool, get the next plan started," said James, as Moody followed by most of the order, Ryan, Tracey, Regulus and several muggleborns, half-bloods and people who wanted to help appeared.
"This is the finale, boy, eh?" asked Moody.
"Yes, I hope so," said James, he then looked at Marls. "You know its location better, go along with Mary, Remus and Reg, and get it and meet us in Myrtle's bathroom."
Marls nodded and the four of them rushed off.
"Was that Regulus Black? I thought that Regulus was dead," gasped Slughorn.
"You realize, of course, that, nothing we do will be able to keep out you-know-who indefinitely?" squeaked Flitwick.
"But we can hold him up," said Sprout.
"Thank you, Pomona," said Minerva.
"Umm, Professor, we have to let him come in when the time comes," said James, the others looked at him as though he was mad. "Please let me, and the marauders lead the war."
"And the Valkyries," interjected Lily.
"Students out of bed! Students in the corridors!" The caretaker had just come hobbling into view, shouting.
"They'resupposed to be, you blithering idiot!" shouted Minerva. "Now go and do something constructive! Find Peeves!"
"P-Peeves?" stammered Filch as though he had never heard the name before.
"Yes, Peevesm you fool, Peeves! Haven't you been complaining about him for a quarter of a century? Go and fetch him, at once!"
Minerva then turned to others, "I suggest we establish basic protection around the place, then gather our students and meet in the Great Hall. Most must be evacuated, though if any of those who are over age wish to stay and fight, I think they ought to be given the chance."
"For evacuation, there's a passageway behind the one-eyed witch statue, it'll lead them out in Hogsmeade from where they can disapparate or whatever," said James. "Ryan and Tracey can assist you with fast evacuation."
"Mr Potter, I am Barty Crouch Snr," said a man moving forward and shaking James' hand. James wanted to tell a secret to him but kept it to himself.
"I am glad you come to our help, sir," said James. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do. Sirius will be here soon till then do your part of the plan Alastor."
James then Lily fast into Myrtle's bathroom.
"Why didn't you tell me about any of this?" asked Lily. "And why are we going in the bathroom."
"We're going to the Chamber of Secrets," answered James. "And you don't know because you were supposed to be with Marls and arrive with others. He then let out a hissing sound and the sink moved.
"Why in there?" asked Lily but James has already taken her hand and jumped inside.
"We need Basilisk's fangs, they are the other thing that destroys a Horcrux," James explained as they got to their feet. "It has a foul smell here."
"But I already have the sword," said Lily pointing at the locket.
"That's one only, we need at least five others just to be safe," said James. "And also I need to put the skeleton of the basilisk, we can't leave it here." He was smirking
"Does this plan of yours include fighting with Voldemort?" she asked, James, grimaced but nodded.
"I have a plan though, don't worry."
They entered the chambers, Salazar's statue in front of them and the skeleton of Basilisk near its foot.
"Just don't die," she said taking him and making him face her, she cupped his face. "We have to complete our dream."
"We'll Lily, we'll survive, I have the promise to keep," he said lowering his shirt. "This sign was to remind me of the promise, it is the promise to defeat Tom Riddle."
Lily gave him a kiss. "We're together, until the very end."
"Until the very end," James kissed her forehead and then her.
A pureblood kissing a muggleborn in front of the statue of Slytherin, in his chamber.
"Pardey, Dobby," James called and immediately the two elves appeared. James has taken Dobby under his service now, he was paying the elf a galleon a week. "I have a work for you two."
"Dobby will do anything James Potter, sir says," the elf bowed. "Dobby will die fighting for master Potter, the Thanatos."
"How are we going up?" asked Lily once they both had collected many fangs.
"You're a witch, Lils," snorted James. "Wingardium Leviosa."
Once they both reached up, they saw that the others were already there, Marls was holding the Diadem in her shaky hands.
James took it in his hands and felt the negative energy.
"James," came the voice of Sirius, he took out the mirror. "They're here, the snake is here too, they have surrounded the place. Mate they have got Giants too. Though our defence is strong and we are all ready."
"Excellent!" said James. "I have got the diadem."
"I can't believe Peter betrayed us," said Mary. "He's fighting for them."
"It's all part of the plan," said James. "Sirius, start it and come here, we are in the finale."
"We solemnly swear that we're up to no good," said both the boys. "I am coming in a moment, Prongs."
James opened his locket and took out a box, then opened the four small boxes.
"Marls, you take the diadem," he said. "Remus, you take this cup of Hufflepuff. Mary, you take this ring. Sirius then arrived panting. "Here, Regulus, you take this diary." He handed them the Horcruxes and then gave each of them two fangs. "You'll destroy the Horcruxes with these fangs when you get the signal."
The others nodded.
"And what about the locket and snake?" asked Sirius.
"Lily has got the sword, you'll help her kill the snake, and the moment the snake dies, the others will destroy the Horcruxes," he explained.
"As for the locket, I have made you and Lily make that sound a thousand times, it's the password for opening the locket.
"Oh! it was that" Sirius hit his head. "I thought you were messing with me."
"Be serious, do you both know how to make the noise?" he asked.
They both nodded and made the noise. "Good, to open it look at it and make the sound and then kill it, okay?"
"Don't worry, James," Sirius took the locket from him.
"Now, let's go outside and hunt the snake first," said James. "I will lure Voldemort to me, Sirius and Remus, you both know what to do, the moment the defence breaks, you to make sure that Marauders' trap comes to work."
"Don't worry, we'll make sure of it."
James put forward his hand and the others placed their hands over it, "Whatever it takes."
"Whatever it takes."
"We'll bring the fall of the serpent."
They all ran to the Great Hall where all the students were there preparing to evacuate.
"We have already placed protection around the castle," said Minerva. "but it is unlikely to hold long enough. I must ask you, therefore, to move quickly and calmly, and do as your prefects. . . "
But her final words were drowned as a different voice echoed throughout the Hall. It was high, cold and clear: There was no telling from where it come; it seemed to issue from the walls themselves. Like the monster it had once commanded, it might have lain dormant there for centuries.
"I know you're preparing to fight." There were screams amongst the students, some of them clutched each other, looking around in terror for the source of the sound. "Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me, the Dark Lord, the one to kill Dumbledore, the owner of the Elder wand."
James laughed at this.
"I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood."
There was silence in the Hall now, the kind of silence that presses against the eardrums, that seems to huge to be contained by the walls.
"Give me James Potter," said Voldemort's voice, "and none shall be harmed. Give me the Potters, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me The Potters, James Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have an hour."
The silence swallowed them all again. Every head turned, every eye in the place seemed to have found James and Lily, to hold them frozen in the glare of thousands of invisible beams. Then a figure rose from the Slytherin table and James recognized him, and so did Crouch Snr., Barty Crouch Jnr, he raised his wand at James and shrieked, "He's there! Potter's there! I will grab him!"
Crouch sent a spell at James which James deflected towards the ceiling easily and the next moment Barty Crouch Jnr was on the grounds.
"Someone take the foolish boy out of here," growled Crouch Snr.
"Thank you, now the Slytherins will leave first," said Minerva. "Followed by Rvaenclaws, Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors."
Only older students were left, James was quite shocked to see that about ten Slytherins of age students have stayed behind, while half of Ravenclaws, most of Hufflepuffs and the entire Gryffindor have stayed to fight.
"Not all of us are evil, Potter," said a boy named Greengrass from the Slytherin table. James nodded at them.
James then stood on the top of the table and looked at Sirius who nodded.
"My dear friends, my dear people of the wizarding world," James' loud voice echoed, not only here but in Leaky Cauldron, Hogsmeade, in front of The Ministry Of Magic and several other wizarding places. "I am James Potter, also known as Thanatos, I am the one who has been mentioned in the Prophecy, I am the one who'll defeat the dark lord. I speak to you all tonight. You all have seen how the reign of Voldemort had been in the past two weeks, you have been deprived of basic rights, you have to face violence, face the wrath of this tyrant. Under Voldemort's reign, murder, torture, robbery, rape, and inequality has been as common as a gnome in a garden.
You all have to face difficulties under his reign, no matter your blood status, all of you have suffered. His death eaters were ruling the world, doing what they pleased, they were killing muggles, muggleborns, half-bloods and even Purebloods. I didn't killed Albus Dumbledore, Voldemort has just now confessed that he has killed Albus Dumbledore.
My dear people, I am going to fight Voldemort and his death eaters tonight, I will do whatever it takes to defeat him, I will do it for my magical world, the world I love, I will bring peace and love back in our wonderful world. I will die but I will do my best to free the world from this monster.
I am here in Hogwarts fighting Voldemort, I ask you all to come to our aid and help free our world, the world we all love, let's come together and defeat this tyrant."
There was silence, James looked out of a big window and then spoke again.
"Tom Marvolo Riddle, a half-blood, I now speak directly to you. You have killed many people, you have crossed the line long ago and now there's no turning back. You deserved to die, you need to be punished for all the crimes you have done. You couldn't save Aisha Khan, tsk, tsk, tsk. I know about your childhood in an orphanage. I tonight challenge you to a duel till death, be prepared."
James removed the wand from his mouth and pointed it out of the window and a red spell shot from its end. Aisha Khan's name appeared there in the sky.
"Was it really necessary?" asked Lily.
"I had to make him as angry as possible, to prevent him from thinking," said James and then turned to the others. "Be prepared to fight, attack can happen any moment."
"Piertotum Locotor!" said McGonagall and all along the castle, the statues and suits of armour jumped down from their plinths. "Hogwarts is threatened! Man the boundaries, protect us, do your duty to our school!" Chattering and yelling, the horde of statues moved out. "I have always wanted to use that spell."
"Potter!" Aberforth Dumbledore appeared in front of him as James was checking the map to make sure everything was going as planned. "What's gotten into you?"
"We're going to fight, Voldemort's . . ."
". . .Attacking because you are here, yeah," said Aberforth. "I'm not deaf, the whole of Hogsmeade heard both of you. You have put yourself to a duel with Voldemort, have you lost your mind? Is this doing of my brother? He always has been like this, putting others' lives in danger. And it never occurred to you to keep a few Slytherins hostage? There are kids of Death Eaters you've just sent to safety."
"It wouldn't stop Tom Riddle," said James, "and your brother would never have done it," Aberforth grunted and then went away to help.
There was a deafening blast and the building shook, they had destroyed the protection layer.
"It's time, to target the snake first and be safe, we have to destroy the Horcrux then," said James looking at the map. "He has entered the boundary, I have to divert him from the main fight and the snake," he said.
"Remus, you go and send the signal when the times come, I will take care of the rest," said Sirius, Remus nodded and with Marls went away.
James reached below where Alisha's name was floating. "Lily and Sirius, you both hide under the cloak, let me face him, he'll come here for sure, I will distract him, grab the chance and kill the snake."
They both nodded. "All the best, love," said Lily. James smiled at her.
"All the best, Prongsie love," mimicked Sirius and the three of them laughed.
James pointed his wand in the air again and another Mongoose appeared with the message, "I am waiting for you, Riddle, you alone." He then took out the quaffle. "It's time, we're at the end."
The red ball returned to its original size and opened, inside it was the small stone, he pulled it out and put back the quaffle. James watched on the map that Tom Riddle was approaching him, the snake labelled Nagini beside him.
The house elves should be ready now.
And so should the marauder plan, then only we'll able to defeat them.
His heart was beating fast as he turned the stone three times in his hands and four figures appeared in front of him.
Aunt May, Uncle Ben and his parents. A tear fell from James' eyes.
"You have been so brave, my child," smiled May.
"I am so proud of you, you have made us very proud," grinned Uncle Ben.
"It was due to you that all this was possible," James told him.
"And I am glad," he said proudly.
"Do your best my son," said Fleamont. "I am so proud that you're my son."
"All the best, baby," said Euphemia. "Love always wins, don't be afraid now, you will win. You have our blessings with you."
"He's here," said Ben. "Do your best, you have it in you."
"All the best, child," said May. "You are very brave, be strong."
James nodded and took the stone in his other hand, the figures disappeared and Voldemort appeared, the snake slithering ten feet behind him attacking the fighters.
"Good morning, Tom," said James looking at the sky, dawn was approaching. "I wasn't able to greet you last time."
"You will die before the sun rises," snarled Voldemort raising his wand.
"I know, I will," said James. "But don't you want to know how I knew about Aisha Khan?"
"You must have heard it from some filthy muggle from that filthy orphanage," hissed Voldemort.
James shook his head. "I heard it from Aisha, herself."
"You're lying, she's long dead, long before even you were born," said Voldemort.
"But who said that one can't summon dead?" James said hurriedly so as he doesn't attack him. He was hoping that Sirius and Lily kill the snake soon.
Voldemort's eyes widened. "It's impossible, I have tried, it's not possible."
"It is possible," said James. "You have the Elder wand, one of the three deathly hallows, don't you think the other two hallows ar real too?"
"There's no mention of them ever, they both are just myths," said Voldemort, though James could tell he was curious.
"No, it's not, I have the one here," he showed Voldemort the stone, all the while hoping that he doesn't recognize it, Dumbledore has made a little change to its appearance after separating it from the ring. "It's resurrection stone, I used it to summon my parents and find out about you through it. I was able to talk to her and find out that you had tried to summon her many times but failed, sometimes some voice would reach you but of someone else. You have murdered people and then performed dark magic to summon her but failed. I know all this because of this stone. Do you want to talk to her yourself?"
Voldemort was looking at the stone in James' hand curiously but didn't speak anything. Behind him, James saw that the fight was becoming cruel.
"Here, why don't you try it," James tossed the stone at Voldemort who caught it and began examining it closely, his wand lowered a bit. "Go on, summon her, only you will be able to see and hear her."
"Why are you so interested in me trying to summon her," asked Riddle narrowing his eyes at James.
"I felt bad for you, Aisha suffered a lot during her death time, and she told me you were by her death bed," James spoke. "So, I am just giving you a chance to talk to her, and am showing you that there are aspects of magic that even you don't understand."
Voldemort looked at the stone again, and James stole a glace at Nagini, the snake was in open now and far away from Voldemort. James saw Sirius' and Lily's feet near the snake. Go on, kill it fast.
James then looked back at Riddle, who was turning the stone in his hands, James observed Riddle carefully as the man's eyes widen and he gasped. James wasn't able to see her but Voldemort was. James was wondering whether there's a difference between who that young Riddle was and this adult Voldemort.
"So, it's possible," was the words that Riddle first spoke. "You are just the same. . . I tried all things to bring you back to life. . . You didn't want to? Why?... Can't you see what I have achieved? I have become what I wanted, I am now ruling the wizarding world, and soon the muggles too. . . I am bringing you back to life now, now that I know it's possible. . . I will do with a shadow. . . Are you a fool? There's nothing worse than death. . . "
James' attention, however, was focused on the scene behind Voldemort. Lily and Sirius both had come out from the cloak and had surrounded the snake. Nagini was trying to attack them but they were jumping aside, avoiding its fangs, sending jinxes at it but the snake was able to avoid the jinxes or wasn't affected by them. Then Lily pulled out Gryffindor's sword and swung it hard but the snake avoided it, it was about to attack her when she jumped back and at the same time Sirius hit it with a jinx. Lily tossed the sword to Sirius who caught it and lunged at the snake but the snake avoided it again.
White, Frank and Alice were covering them from other death eaters.
Sirius rushed backwards to avoid the snake's fangs, lost control and fell backwards on the ground, the sword leaving his hands and falling five feet away from his reach. The snake was about to kill Sirius when Lily rushed forward, she use wandless magic, and the sword flew into her arms, the snake's mouth was wide open moments away from biting Sirius when she sliced off its head, which spun around in the air and then the snake's body hit the floor, think black smoke emerged in the shape of a snake face before dissolving.
James moved his fist a little in victory and focused back on Riddle who was still talking while looking furious and disappointed.
"I understand," he hissed. "You have changed. . . you are no longer the person that I used to know. . .you're a filthy muggle too just like my father. . . I am not going to die, death is for the weeks. . . for filthy muggles and weak people. . . Don't try to convince me that death is better, you are stupid. . . .I am immortal, no one can kill me."
Why didn't Voldemort feel the Horcrux destroying, but then the answer came to him Vokdemort's body has suddenly become paler than before, and Riddle has divided his soul so many times that he can't even feel it himself.
"I don't want you" snarled Voldemort. "I have what I wanted. . . I have everything and soon I am going to rule the world and you'll be just a dead ghost. . . You all are foolish that you think death is unavoidable and peaceful."
James saw Voldemort throwing away the stone and turning to James angrily, James shivered a bit at seeing the murderous look in Voldemort's eyes. He has to engage him in talk.
"You are foolish, Riddle," he said. "She was right, you should accept death too."
Voldemort let out a hissing laugh, "Death is for weak people, I will send you there soon." He raised his wand.
"I know about your Horcruxes," James said Immediately, and Voldemort, who was a moment away from killing him stopped again. "I know you have made six Horcruxes, and I know where they are," James said clearly. "Look behind you, look at the snake," he shouted loudly. "It's dead."
Voldemort spun around horrified, and many things happened at once. Voldemort let out a loud angry noise, black smoke formed around James and he disappeared. The death eaters all shouted as a loud music began playing.
Buddy, you're a boy, make a big noise
Playing in the street, gonna be a big man someday
You got mud on your face, you big disgrace
Kicking your can all over the place, singin'We will, we will rock you
We will, we will rock you
A big group of people entered through Hogwarts, it included many muggleborns who have been locked at the ministry, several people who have been locked in Malfoy Manor and other Death Eaters' houses, Hogsmeade villagers, parents of the students who have stayed behind to fight.
From the forest emerged the Centaurs, bow and arrow in their hands attacking the death eaters, many Hippogriffs and Thestrals, they all attacked the Giants and pushed them out of Hogwarts into the Forest.
Behind the centaurs were The Lingum family members, their wands raised they were guiding the trees and several other creatures of the forest in attacking the death eaters. Beside them was Murphy, the vampire along with his family, he opened his cloak and several bats emerged from them helping in the destruction of giants, inferi, and death eaters.
Voldemort threw a killing curse at the spot where James previously was, the ground blasted from the spell, and Voldemort growled angrily.
"Aren't you going to use the Basilisk, Tom Riddle?" came the voice of James and then the basilisk's skeleton landed in front of Voldemort. "You thought only you are the heir of Slytherin?"
"Where are you?" shouted Voldemort. "Show yourself."
"Soon," came James' voice.
James was with the others now.
"Our plan of trapping them in middle, just like a sandwich, worked," said Sirius happily.
Most of the death eaters are either dead or have flown away," informed Remus. "Only a few left like Lestranges, Rowles, Notts and others."
"Only one final plan left," said Sirius, James nodded.
"Bellatrix is mine," said Lily.
"She's my cousin, I will kill her," said Sirius.
Lily shook her head, "You can have Rabastan but that bitch is mine."
"Fine," said Sirius.
"And I will kill Voldy-Moldy," James rolled his eyes. "Destroy the other Horcruxes. I will lure him into Great Hall, which will put him in the centre and killing him will be easy."
The others nodded and went away, Lily gave James a kiss and they both exchanged words through looks only.
James took the cloak and went where Voldemort was now fighting White, Moody, Slughorn and McGonagall.
James saw Voldemort kill White, White was thrown back, and his lifeless body hit the ground. Voldemort was then about to kill the others.
"ENOUGH, TOM RIDDLE!" roared James hitting him with a curse from under the cloak. "You'll kill no more people now."
Voldemort swung his wand and the three duelers were thrown back, he turned to look where James was.
"Then come forward, don't hide like a rat," hissed Voldemort.
James removed his cloak and appeared. "I am here."
Voldemort threw a killing curse at James but he jumped to his right to avoid it. From the back, Moody, Slughorn and Minerva were attacking Voldermort but he was way too strong.
He then disappeared and appeared in the air, sending a curse at Moody he avoided it at the last moment.
James didn't know what spell Dumbledore has used to bring Voldemort to the ground, so, James brought out his own broom, which he has kept in his locket out of love. He claimed it and came level to level with Voldemort, who laughed.
"You are gonna defeat me on a broom?" he said.
"I am a chaser, Riddle," James said sending a spell at him which he avoided. From below the three were still attacking Voldemort.
James was flying fast now with his one hand while attacking Voldemort with his wand, in the air avoiding Voldemort's spell was much easier.
He lured Voldemort into the Great Hall which was empty except for his friends. James dropped in the middle of the Hall, Voldemort in his rage didn't pay much attention to the surrounding and landed in front of James.
"Here you want to die, I see," he growled.
"Nope," said James. "I am here to bring your death. NOW!"
At once four Horcruxes were stabbed with fangs except for one, the locket.
A black smoke has formed in front of Regulus, Sirius who was kneeling beside the locket shouted at Regulus to kill it but the figure of inferi, and Walburga Black calling Regulus a disgrace appeared in the form of it.
Before James could do anything, Voldemort has sent a blasting spell at them, both the Black brothers were thrown apart and their locket and fangs were went into the air and landed in front of the entrance of the Great Hall.
James attacked Voldemort with three powerful spells to prevent him from getting the locket.
"You can't fly or disapparate here, Tom all of your Horcruxes are destroyed and you'll soon follow them," said James.
Voldemort laughed humorlessly, "It matters not, I am the strongest wizard alive and I have the Elder Wand," he said. "The old man wanted to give you the wand but I beat you and got it. Now even without the Horcruxes, I am immortal, I will make more beside the locket is still here." He pressed his wand at his arm. James knew he has summoned the rest of the death eaters here. The locket was still there in the middle.
Before any of his friends could reach the locket, Bellatrix, Rabastan, and Nott appeared. Sirius and Regulus were already injured and the rest were engaged in a fierce duel.
"You think that the Elder Wand will make you immortal?" laughed James avoiding a curse from Voldemort. "Don't you know that it has a bloody history? Don't you know that it is not loyal to its owner and changes its master as fast as a chameleon? Haven't you thought that the death stick has reached you it means it has passed through hundreds of hands, haven't you read its past, it isn't a reliable wand, it will change its loyalty."
"You still can't defeat me, no one can, I have the power to keep it under my control," hissed Voldemort.
"It bends to the power of love, and I know how to love but not you," said James swinging his wand in a swift motion, five dozen of sharp arrows released into the air and attacked Voldemort from all sides.
"Love and loyalty," laughed Voldemort. "You thought your friend was very loyal to you but he was a rat, he was the one to rat you out and tell me your position. He was weak and coward but had some sense to come under my protection. There's nothing like love and loyalty, it's all foolish and weak people come up with."
"You think Peter betrayed me?" laughed James. "Tom, Tom, Tom, you don't know the Marauders, do you? We are brothers, all four of us will die in a second before letting the other one die. Look behind you, there's my third brother."
Voldemort turned around to see Peter entering the Great Hall, picking up a fang and advancing at the locket that lay open on the floor.
The smoke rose again, figures began to speak that Peter is a coward, weak, fat boy who is loved by no one and that he's just a tag-along of the other three marauders.
"And don't you ever think that Peter is a coward or weak, he's a Gryffindor, brave as a lion and strong as a lion," said James continuing to engage Voldemort as Peter stabbed the Locket, a loud scream erupted from it and the smoke disappeared.
Voldemort groaned loudly, he was now a mortal again.
Soon the other Order members, Aurors, professors and others entered the Great Hall. Moody and Frank rushed to James' aid.
James saw as Marlene defeated Rabastan single-handedly.
Mary, Thomas and Minerva brought Nott to the grounds.
Chloe and Flitwick defeated Yaxley.
Kevin Bell, Sprout and Clara Lingum killed Dolohov.
Remus killed Fenrir Greyback.
Hagrid crushed Jugson into the wall like an ant.
Alice and Slughorn defeated the minister of Magic Rookwood.
Now, only Voldemort and Bellatrix were left.
"Now don't be pushy, mudblood if you have any courage, Andraste then fight with me alone," said Bella. "Your filthy muggle parents died and so'll you."
"Hmmm, your husband died, your brother-in-law died, and both of your sisters are having children of mudbloods and muggles," said Lily. "I will fight you alone, kill you myself for the death of all those innocents."
Bellatrix was ruthless but Lily was quick.
Bellatrix laughed, an exhilarated laugh, she seemed to be enjoying all the spells that hit her.
Lily on the other hand was a synonym for fire today, her flaming red hair was floating around, "This. . . is for . . .killing. . .Amy," she hit her with such a powerful spell that it echoed in the wall. "This. . .is . . . for . . . Dorcas." Lily moved across the hall so fast avoiding Bellatrix's killing curse, and sending a dark blue jet at Bellatrix, who shrieked loudly. "This . . .is for . . . Prewett brothers."
Lily's eyes shined brightly she raised her wands in the air, jumping back as a curse hit the ground where she was standing previously, Bellatrix laughed. "This is for killing NY parents and taking away my husband from me and declaring him dead." A very bright and loud spell erupted from Lily's wand and hit Bellatrix full on chest.
Bellatrix's gloating smile froze, her eyes seemed to bulge: For the tiniest space of time she knew what has happened, and then she toppled, and the watching crowd roared, and Voldemort screamed.
James who was engaged in a tight duel with Voldemort along with Frank and Moody sensed what was going to happen, he has seen Voldemort's reaction enough to know what his next move will be. He was now going to kill Lily, James' Lily.
He acted quicker than he could have ever imagined and did a spell so powerful that he wasn't sure would work.
He along with Frank and Moody was blasted backwards, flailing and writhing through the air, as Voldemort's fury at the fall of his last, best lieutenant exploded with the force of a bomb. Voldemort raised his wand and pointed at Lily Potter.
The green jet of light left from Voldemort's wand towards Lily but James' wand has already did the work, the floor between them has risen high and engulfed the green jet, the floor blasted.
James immediately got to his feet, and roared, "DIDN'T I TOLD YOU THAT YOU'LL NOT KILL ANYONE ELSE? BUT YOU DON'T LISTEN DO YOU, RIDDLE? YOU WERE GOING TO KILL MY WIFE, KILL THE PERSON I LOVED THE MOST? YOU HAVE MADE A BIG MISTAKE. YOU HAVE DONE ENOUGH."
James began muttering spells and two very thick pillars emerged high into the air from the ground on each side of Voldemort.
Lily knew what James was doing and distracted Voldemort by sending jinxes at him, soon Marls, Mary, Remus, Sirius and Peter began doing the same. THE LAST PLAN.
A complex level of Transfiguration was performed by James, supported by Minerva who got what spell James was using, the Great Hall's door unhinged from the wall, rose in the air and converted into two manly figures. Due to the pillars Voldemort's movement was constricted.
Voldemort was trying to destroy the pillars and move forward or backwards but the pillars weren't letting him, they were rebuilding themself and following him. The wooden soldiers began blocking all the spells of Voldemort from reaching others, damaging themself each time they block the spells.
"You think you are clever?" shouted Voldemort looking at James. "Wait and see!" He did the same spell he has done when fighting Dumbledore making a thick invisible wall and locking himself and James into it. "Now, I will see who helps you, Potter."
"I was waiting for you to do it," muttered James through his bloody face.
Four dark serpents emerged from Voldemort's wands. "Kill him." Voldemort himself was throwing spells at James continuously. James has now to watch for the four snakes and Voldemort.
Lily who was outside was worried sick, this wasn't in the plan, they had forgotten to consider this possibility. This was a flaw in their plan. They were to engage Voldemort and constrict his motion, slowly-slowly locking him with the help of everyone and then killing him. But now James was inside all alone and she could do nothing but watch, the wall was so strong for any of them to break.
"You fell right in my trap, Riddle," said James avoiding the snakes.
"I just destroyed your plan of getting help from others, you fool," shouted Voldemort and four more snakes erupted from his wand. "Now, die."
James smirked and said, "The king of the Forest vanquished the dark lord, and in mythology, a stag is considered as the king of the forest."
"Your Patronus isn't going to help you here, boy," hissed Voldemort. He shot fireballs at James which stopped just in front of him and then began revolving around him hitting him every now and then, James groaned loudly and dived to right just in time to avoid a snake bite and a killing curse. His hand burned. He pointed his wand immediately in the air and thick rain began. Another spell and acid rained on Voldemort, who has to conjure a shield to avoid burn.
James chuckled, "Stags kill snakes. When the stag discovers a snake, it spits water into the hole where the snake hides, draws the snake out with its breath and tramples it to death. If the stag is ill or old, it draws the snake out of hiding and swallows it. The stag then finds water and drinks large amounts of it to overcome the poison, and is renewed.
"But I am not old and neither is my stag, PROTEGO!" he said to avoid the snakes. "Now, it's time for you to vanquish, Riddle." Thick ropes began emerging from the ground and tightening around Voldemort's leg. The rain stopped as Voldemort sent a blinding light into the air.
But James was already ahead, thick red smoke filled the enclosed area that Voldemort has formed around them. A shriek echoed in the entire hall, followed by the voice of a boy who sounded distant. "The matron came running and found me standing near the broken cupboard and then . . . and then. . . she . . . she hit me. . . with a big stick, she hit me many times, now my hands hurt, it's all red and swollen. See, mum, see, it hurts, it hurts really bad."
"STOP IT!" came the shout of Voldemort from the middle of the thick smoke.
"I want you to come back and take me away from here, mom, please or send daddy, please,"
"NO!" Tom shouted again.
"I don't want to live here. I don't know why these things happen to me, I am different from them. So, please send daddy, to take me away and save me."
"My filthy muggle father," said the teen boy's voice."Please send daddy, to take me away and save me."
"NO!" shrieked Voldemort. "Stop it."
James after using his memory and making these sounds, transfigured into the stag immediately, he crushed all the snakes on the floor and made his way towards Voldemort who was firing curses without thinking, James has to use his stag reaction to avoid them all, he was barely even able to see them, he made his way to the back side of Voldemort, transformed back into a human and removed the smoke while the voice of the small boy echoed, he put the cloak over himself.
Voldemort saw the dead snakes on the floor, snarled angrily and began looking for James.
"Come forward you piece of scum," he growled. "Disillusionment won't work in front of me," he then muttered a spell but nothing happened. "Looks like your saviour has run away," he announced to the Hall.
James sent a powerful curse from under the cloak that hit Voldemort's back and he fell forward.
"Accio Invisibility cloak," but nothing happened again.
"Don't be a coward, Potter," he rose to his feet. "You're a Gryffindor show me your bravery." Voldemort was sending killing curses everywhere to hit James, who was avoiding it, making sure to not give away his position yet.
"Don't do something stupid," Lily prayed.
"Brave doesn't mean to act foolishly, Riddle," James' voice echoed from everywhere. "Do you know the tail of the Three Brothers? Only the one with the cloak was able to defeat death, and he defeated death by accepting it."
"Enough with your little games, don't you know how to duel?" hissed Riddle.
"Oh, I know, I was just distracting you," echoed James' voice. "Look down."
A thick black liquid was covering Voldemort's legs and was reaching higher and higher. Voldemort pointed his wand and began muttering spells. "You can't use my spells on me, Potter."
"That wasn't my plan," said James. James pointed his wand at the two pillars which began flexible and wrapped them around Voldemort. The rope which was hidden under the thick liquid rose and tightened itself around Voldemort's wand.
Voldemort left the liquid there and began revolving throwing spells in each direction even though his tied hands, which now began to lose, one spell hit James and he was thrown backwards, the cloak flew aside.
"AHA!" said Voldemort triumphantly. "Now, you face your death, Potter. I will kill you and then your filthy mudblood wife."
James moved his wand very quickly and several tiny mongoose figures appeared in front of him, blocking each killing curse sent towards James.
"You can't hold me long enough," Voldemort said.
James was thrown backwards as a blasting spell it just inches away from him. He has to dive quickly to his left to avoid another curse. He stole a glance at the ropes and the liquid. the ropes had left his hand and have covered the wand instead, Voldemort who was entirely blinded in rage and focused on killing James didn't notice it. The black liquid has made its way to his thighs.
"Ignire" shouted James and the black liquid began burning, Voldemort shrieked loudly.
"Rapere et detrecto," shouted James pointing his wand at the ropes, the ropes snatched the elder wand out of Riddle's hand before he could use it and descended back into the grounds.
"Yes!" James said happily. "You have been fooled again, Riddle, all the point of the smoke was to let the ropes make their way to your wand."
"Look at yourself, your body is decaying as most of your soul is already dead, letting you live will not be the right decision," said James and he pulled back his wand and then jerked it forward very hard, a jet of yellow light emerged from the tip of the wand and hit Voldemort who was thrown back, hit the invisible wall.
He stood on shaky legs and James advanced on him, conjuring red hot balls that attacked him, he shrieked loudly.
"Liberate a vita," a purple jet of light emerged from James' wand and hit Tom Riddle full on the face, and his eyes widened. "Cessare pulsum," this spell spell hit Voldemort's heart he fell backwards, arms splayed, the slit pupils of the scarlet eyes rolling upward.
Tom Riddle hit the floor with a mundane finality, his body feeble and shrunken, the white hands empty, the snakelike face vacant and unknowing. Voldemort was dead, the dark lord was dead.
One shivering second of silence, the shock of the moment suspended: and then the tumult broke around as the screams and the cheers and the roars of the watchers rent the air.
The fierce new sun dazzled the windows, and with the first beam of sunray, The Dark Lord was gone for once and all. This was the new sun of a brighter future, a future full of happiness and peace.
James picked up the elder wand from the ground as the ropes loosened their grip on it. The invisible wall disappeared.
Lily was the first to reach him, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him loudly, the tears still flowing from her eyes. "We won."
"Yeah, we won," he smiled.
"You kept your promise," she whispered.
"You powered me," he told her. "I was fighting him by keeping you in mind, I had to get to you at all cost, get to the love of my life."
"You are here, now, with me," said Lily. "Everything's alright.
"No," James said, one of the snakes actually bit me, and my head is hurting he said.
It happened very fast, the crowd cleared and he was carried to the Hospital Wing.
His friends stayed with him as Poppy healed the snake bite.
"Quite a strong venom but nothing that I can't cure," said Poppy. "You are lucky, Potter that you were bitten once and reached here in time or it could have been fatal.
"Though speaking honestly, I missed you a lot in my hospital, you four and occasionally Ms Evans, sorry Mrs Potter were my regular patients."
"Well, it all paid back, didn't it, Poppy?" grinned Sirius.
"Of course, it did," said Poppy. "We all are so proud of you a lot." She applied lotion on the bite and then treated the other six. "Now, I will say that you all need quietness for recovery so that no one disturbs you all. While I will health others with the other Healers from St. Mungo's."
"Peter, you fooled us all," said Mary. "Who all did know about your double role?"
"We planned it with Dumbledore, initially only he knew and then James, we told Peter at the end, it was hard convincing him."
"If you weren't in Hospital, James," said Lily. "I would be shouting at you for planning all this and not telling me."
James just grinned at her and pulled her beside him, they both lay on the small bed, holding each other.
"You both are hopelessly in love," Sirius rolled his eyes. "I am going away or I might puke."
The others went to another bed, giving the couple some privacy.
"So, Mrs Potter, now we can do all we want, live peacefully and enjoy, and have children too," grinned James looking at her.
"Children will take away peace, Jim," grinned Lily, and then whispered, "but we can think about it."
"I can't believe it's finally over," sighed James.
"Me neither," sh sighed and then pinched him.
"OW! What the hell?"
"Was checking if it's real or not," answered Lily.
"I know another way to tell it," said James.
"What way?"
"This," he pulled her in a kiss. "Hmm, it's definitely real."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
"Until the Very End."
"Until the Very End."