A/N: Didn't mean to post the first chapter already, but it happened. This is my first story/fan fiction, so let's see where it goes. I have absolutely no schedule for this, so I'll get chapters out when I can. I don't know where this is headed, so I'm running along with this. I have more ideas, but I want this story to have a strong foundation before I start writing other stories. I want to have a few chapters finished before I release them. So there will be a period with no updates while I am writing.

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

Chapter 2- The Last Stand

Dumbledore rushes down to the Great Hall as fast as he can, pushing is frail body to its limits. Being 150 has its drawbacks. He knows he can't fight the time, but being 150 years old gives him a very strategic ind. As he's entering the Great Hall, he notices Neville already setting up defenses and directing the DA where to stand for this suicidal defense. Dumbledore wished it did not come to this, but alas we must face the consequences of our choices. As Dumbledore rounds the corner, Professor McGonagall calls "Albus! Did you hear the wards? What are we going to do?". "We'll do what the light always does", Dumbledore responds, as he's walking to the head table. "Today is a day I wish would never happen, yet it seems fate has deemed it to pass. I will not be cryptic, Voldemort is outside these walls, and will do whatever possible to get in." As Dumbledore continues talking, Minerva notices the twinkle in his eye is gone. It was always there, every speech he gave over the years. During the TriWizard tournament speech, it was there. Every time she met with him is was there. Even after Cedric's death, it was there. Even when Albus questioned Harry about his addition into the TriWizard tournament, it was there. She wondered where her two favorite lions were. When Ron came back she was terrified. Had Harry and Hermione died? What happened to them? We're they ok? She prayed to everything good and holy that they were alive. She was snapped out of her thoughts when a errant spell hit the clock tower. "It's time", Dumbledore whispered softly. Nobody heard it, and nobody needed to.

As Neville, the DA and the teachers start to head outside, they hear a hissing voice. "Bring me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded. Bring me your golden boy and you will be spared. If he is not out in 15 minutes, total annihilation is imminent. I will be waiting in the clock tower courtyard". They paid no heed to the message, for Harry was not there. As they exit the clock tower, they move to stand how Harry had shown them. A slightly curved line. The teachers saw this and their respect for Harry grew even more. Neville was at the front of the pack, standing face to face with the madman himself, Voldemort. Voldemort sneers at not seeing Harry, but Neville in front of him. "Where is Harry Potter?", questioned Voldemort. "He isn't here. Hasn't been since September 1st.", answered Neville. "So you have chosen to be slaughtered", Voldemort states. "Not to be slaughtered, but to live to fight another day. Harry trained us for this specific reason", Neville says, more to himself and the DA than the madman 30 feet away, "to fight when necessary. To allow us to stand against the likes of men such as yourself", Neville said, shocking everyone, including himself. "That's what he did. And he gave up everything for it. He sacrificed everything to give us the best chance", continued Neville, with renewed vigor. "And it won't matter what happens here, today, because there will be people like Harry. Always willing to give everything for a cause. That damned savior", Neville chuckled under his breath. "There will always be people willing to stand up against tyranny!", Neville finished, yanking the Sword of Gryffindor out of the Shorting Hat, shocking everyone. No one had seen the Sword of Gryffindor in decades, except a certain bearded wizard.

Dumbledore chuckled up in the clock tower, watching the scene unfold. He was a bit surprised to see Neville wielding the sword. 'Only a true Gryffindor can pull that out of the hat', he thought. Dumbledore was not down with the rest of the school because he was too old. His frail body cannot hold the power needed to duel Tom. He made his way up to a window in the Clock Tower to provide supporting fire from above. The Elder Wand thrummed with barely-restraint power in the wood. It cannot fall into Tom's hands. Harry needed it. But how to get it to him? An explosion shook him from his thoughts as he observed the carnage unfolding below him. Time to put this ancient mind to good use.

Voldemort sneered. It seems that Harry Potter was not here. Oh well, he will come back eventually. He always does. He just needs to bide his time. The kids in front of him will be good entertainment for him. He raised his wand and found his first combatant, Minerva McGonagall.

McGonagall was standing with her students, hearing Neville's declaration. She was immensely proud of her lions, yet she didn't know how many would walk away when the sun sets, if any at all. She, Professor Flitwick, Professor Slughorn and Neville were on the defensive as soon as Neville finished his speech. She saw Voldemort sling a dark cutting curse at Minerva. McGonagall notices it and casts a strong protection charm to block the malicious attack. Bellatrix takes the post as his second, fighting Slughorn and Neville. Ron and Luna form up together to battle Lucius. Ginny and the rest of the DA engaged the death Eaters.

Neville ducked and whirled out of the way of a nasty boiling curse and casted a protection charm around Slughorn. Minerva yells "Slughorn, get over here, NOW!". Slughorn looks over where McGonagall is and sees that Voldemort is slowly overwhelming the two elderly professors. "Neville". Neville looks over the battlefield to see Slughorn. "Walk out alive", Slughorn tells him. Neville knew the implications. He would kill Bellatrix. He would kill her if it was the last thing he would do.

The battle had been raging for hours. tired muscles crying for rest were given none. For their users still needed them. Neville and Bellatrix had been fighting for over 4 hours straight, pauses in their duel were interspersed because of the dust and debris in the area that would fly up when an unusually powerful spell was interacted with. Neville was exhausted. He knew he could not go on much longer. Bella was a better fighter and more experienced. The only thing he had in his corner was that he was in better shape. He made sure to become as fit as possible when Harry explained that your magic is tied to your soul, but also your body. The better shape you are in, the easier your magic will flow through you. A fourth year Hufflepuff asked where he figured it out. Harry explained that due to the Tri-Wizard Tournament, it was necessary to be in peak physical shape. When he achieved said shape, he found it easier to cast and his spells were more potent. Since he heard Harry explain that is was in a wizards best interest to be in shape, he has trained his body to his limits and pushed it beyond. Yet, his body was not used to constant casting for hours on end. He needed to end this and now. Neville ducked out of the way of a nasty cutting curse and threw a piercing hex at Bellatrix. She blocked it. Her feral smile told him everything he needed to know. He silently summoned a piece of debris behind Bellatrix and cast a tickling charm. The charm was blocked, but that was what it was for. Distract her and let the stone knock her over. Neville's eyes widened when he saw Bellatrix duck and the stone flew straight towards him. He knew that this fight was over as the small boulder hit him in his left shoulder. He rolled with the hit, but it still hurt like a bitch.

They were bleeding in a shark tank. They were going to fall here. Colin's throat was slashed with a powerful cutting curse that over powered his shield. He had bled out long ago. Many others were like him. Bodies strewn about and around the Viaduct Courtyard. The clock tower with held the body of Dumbledore has started to collapse. Stones the size of furniture cluttered the battlefield. Dust choked out verbal casting. Explosions and flashes of the remnants of battle. The lines that had formed in the morning had collapsed. Forces intermingled with each other. Slytherin found that the trait of the Lions was well earned. Gryffindor found that the staple of the snakes suited them well. One would push and take the brunt of the attack while the other would either summon, banish or conjure an object to distract the Death Eater and then they would both overwhelm him when his focus was broken. They both realized that this was working, yet they were severely overwhelmed. Many of the Death Eaters were not even here, they were in the Scottish highlands terrorizing people. Yet, they were only a mental ping away. And more kept showing up constantly. For every one that fell, three more took their place.

Neville rolled and crouched low to fire off another hex when he heard the flapping of wings in the far-off distance.

"What the hell", he whispered as he ducked and shielded another curse. He needed help. His bones were aching, his shoulder was at least fractured and his arms felt thrice his weight. He heard another spell being cast beside him as he saw Luna saddle up next to him. He smiled, knowing that now, he had a much better chance. 'Luna was odd, not so much in a bad way. She was unique', Neville thought as they tag-teamed Bellatrix. As they closed in on Bellatrix, now everyone heard the flapping of wings, yet no one could afford to spare any ounce of attention towards the flying herd. If you lost even an inkling of focus, you would be dead. The cacophony of noise was disorienting, yet through all the madness, everyone could hear it when it was shouted.

"TOM!"