Hogwarts, A History, Chapter 631: The Fall of Hogwarts by XhaLe

Rating: PG
Genres: Drama, Romance
Relationships: Harry & Hermione
Book: Harry & Hermione, Books 1 - 5
Published: 16/08/2003
Last Updated: 25/08/2003
Status: Completed

The First and Second Battles of Hogwarts were remarkable for more than the sheer numbers of the
crippled and slain. They also marked the Second Rise and Second Fall of Tom Marvolo Riddle, a.k.a.
Lord Voldemort, commonly known at that time as "He Who Must Not Be Named."
Coincidentally, they also marked the second fall and second rise of Harry Potter, commonly referred
to as "The Boy Who Lived" and later as " The Defender of Britain" by Muggles
and Magicals alike. - Lily Anne Potter, 15th Revision of the 312th Ed., Hogwarts, A History, (312th
Ed. originally edited by H.A. Granger-Potter), ©2035, Lovegood Publishing, LLC.




1. untitled
-----------

Hogwarts, A History, Chapter 631: Harry Potter and the Fall of Hogwarts
or "It's All Just A Little Bit of History Repeating"

Teaser: The First and Second Battles of Hogwarts were
remarkable for more than the sheer numbers of the crippled and slain. They also marked the Second
Rise and Second Fall of Tom Marvolo Riddle, a.k.a. Lord Voldemort, commonly known at that time as
"He Who Must Not Be Named." Coincidentally, they also marked the second fall and second
rise of Harry Potter, commonly referred to as "The Boy Who Lived" and later as " The
Defender of Britain" by Muggles and Magicals alike. - Lily Anne Potter, 15th Revision of
the 312th Ed., Hogwarts, A History, (312th Ed. originally edited by H.A. Granger-Potter), ©2035,
Lovegood Publishing, LLC.

(XhaLe's Note - now, you have to picture a bit of this in your head. The following is an
excerpt from the above mentioned edition of Hogwarts, A History. I picture HAH as more of an
encyclopedia than a mere history book. Just as not all entries in an encyclopedia are written by a
single person, Hogwarts, A History was written by many people and edited by many more. If you like,
picture it in your head as being read aloud, a voiceover in a Ken Burns documentary, with the
images on the TV screen of your mind filling in the blanks. I picture the voiceover being done by
David McCullough; if you don't recognize the name you probably recognize the voice - he did the
voiceovers in "Seabiscuit" and is most well known for his PBS work,
including the aforementioned Ken Burn's Civil War. Considering this is a largely biographical
article rather than scientific, and is being written for the clearly more left of center and
subjective wizarding world, there's a good bit of editorializing being done by the writer -
just go with it. A few more notes (and an explanation about the letter) at the end.)

As an aside to the following article, I should mention that I am a Muggle. The first, in fact,
to ever have an article published in any addition or revision of Hogwarts, A History. I will not
say it is an honor and that is all you need to know.

In the time not so long ago, when the vast majority of people still thought magic was not merely
fantastic but fantastical, when history was in the past and not made every day, the Witches and
Wizards of the world feared only one thing: evil incarnate. He Who Must Not Be Named, a cold
blooded killer, a racist and fascist the likes of which had not been visited on this world since
Hitler's pogrom against the Jews.

While he was feared by most if not all of the wizarding world, few stood up against him. Most
prominent during Riddle's first war for power was Albus Dumbledore and his Order of the
Phoenix. Despite his efforts, Voldemort's power grew beyond any hope of captivity - it is only
through what is still one of civilization's greatest mysteries that Lord Voldemort was defeated
that first time by the infant Potter, the answer perhaps known only by Dumbledore's shade,
Harry Potter himself and his deceased parents.

The world was stunned by Dumbledore's private memoirs, published posthumously - the magical
feather at the heart of Voldemort's wand, as well as the core of Harry Potter's own had
come come from a single bird - Dumbledore's own pet phoenix. The ancient myth of the reborn
phoenix, now known to be true, is an apropos allegory of both the lives of Tom Riddle and that of
Harry Potter. A more contemporary and perhaps cliched explanation would be that evil never dies,
and you can't keep a good man down.

Harry's own Aunt and Uncle, both Muggles, were brutally disfigured and murdered in front of
their only child, just home from University (where he'd graduated Cum Laude, of course) two
days prior to the First Battle of Hogwarts. The young gentleman was left alive, but with a message
for Harry carved deeply into his chest. The challenge had been given - and two days later, on the
evening of May the 15th, Harry Potter passed beyond the Veil, not even leaving a body behind.

The very next day the Secret of Magic was revealed to all mankind as Lord Voldemort began his
campaign to exterminate all Muggle-born wizards and their families and to take over England.

It is of trivial importance but a matter of historical record that six months to the day of
Harry's passing, the final edition of the London Times was published. For the first time ever a
magical photograph was shown in a muggle publication - it was of course a picture of Harry Potter,
taken by the late Colin Creevy at Harry's graduation ceremony. Accompanying the picture was the
following letter, written to his wife Hermione.

-----

May the 13th, 2009 Canterbury,

My very dear Hermione:

The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days -- perhaps tomorrow. Lest I
should not be able to write you again, I feel impelled to write lines that may fall under your eye
when I shall be no more.

Our movement may be one of a few days duration and full of pleasure -- and it may be one of
severe conflict and death to me. If it is necessary that I should fall on the battlefield for my
cause, I am ready. I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in, the cause in which I am
engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter. I know how strongly Civilization now leans upon
our triumph, and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and
suffering of the struggle for peace. And I am willing -- perfectly willing -- to lay down all my
joys in this life, to help maintain the balance, and to pay that debt.

But, my dear wife, when I know that with my own joys I lay down nearly all of yours, and
replace them in this life with cares and sorrows -- when, after having eaten for long years the
bitter fruit of orphanage myself, I must offer it as their only sustenance to my dear little
children -- is it weak or dishonorable, while the banner of my purpose floats calmly and proudly in
the breeze, that my unbounded love for you, my darling wife and children, should struggle in
fierce, though useless, contest with my love of country? I cannot describe to you my feelings on
this calm summer night, when two thousand men are sleeping around me, many of them enjoying the
last, perhaps, before that of death -- and I, suspicious that Death is creeping behind me with his
fatal dart, am communing with Merlin, my parents, Ginny, and thee.

I have sought most closely and diligently, and often in my breast, for a wrong motive in
thus hazarding the happiness of those I loved and I could not find one. 'Mione, my love for you
is deathless, it seems to bind me to you with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence could
break; and yet my love of Light comes over me like a strong wind and bears me irresistibly on with
all these chains to the battlefield. The memories of the blissful moments I have spent with you
come creeping over me, and I feel most gratified to Merlin and to you that I have enjoyed them so
long. And hard it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes of future years, when
Merlin willing, we might still have lived and loved together and seen our children grow up with
honor around us. I have, I know, but few and small claims upon Divine Providence, but
somethingwhispers to me -- perhaps it is the final wafted spell of my Mother's -- that I shall
return to my loved ones unharmed. If I do not, my dear Hermione, never forget how much I love you,
and when my last breath escapes me on the battlefield, it will whisper your name.

Forgive my many faults, and the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless and foolish I
have oftentimes been! How gladly would I wash out with my tears every little spot upon your
happiness, and struggle with all the misfortune of this world, to shield you and my children from
harm. But I cannot. I must watch you from the spirit land and hover near you, while you buffet the
storms with your precious little freight, and wait with sad patience till we meet to part no
more.

But, Oh Hermione! The dead can come back to this earth and flit seen and unseen around those
they loved, and I shall always be near you; in the garish day and in the darkest night -- amidst
your happiest scenes and gloomiest hours -- always, always; and if there be a soft breeze upon your
cheek, it shall be my breath; or the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit
passing by. Hermione, do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for thee, for we shall meet
again.

Harry

-----

Like "We shall overcome" was in the days of the American Civil Rights movement, from
the day the letter was published forward, "We shall meet again" became the mantra of the
oppressed, muggle and magical alike.

In the darkest days, as the War for England ended and the War for Europe was set to begin, it
was love that saved the world. By that time Voldemort declared himself ruler of all the Britains
and had disbanded the British government and either killed or imprisoned all remaining members of
the royal family as well the members of the House and Parliament. He'd also moved the seat of
government from London to Hogsmeade. Slytherin Castle, formerly Hogwarts, had always been a
fortress, but its wards against Apparition and being Unplottable made it virtually impossible for
Wizards or any foreign muggle governments to attack. Voldemort's head death eaters had been
given great power- Lucious Malfoy was declared Prime Minister and Peter Pettigrew, commonly known
as Wormtail, had been appointed as the Liege-Lord of London.

And so it was: after five years of death and the revelation of magic and it's harrowing
power, England had fallen. The world looked on in horror as something as ludicrous as a little
stick and a whispered incantation could levitate a tank, deflect a missile attack and kill with a
mere word or two.

Hope slipped away when it was discovered that many of the able bodied Magicians had long ago
aparrated to England to fight the Dark Menace and failed, and most of those who hadn't joined
the cause had gone underground, leaving the vast masses largely undefended.

Five years after Harry's death the impossible was made possible again. Rumors abound that
Harry Potter had been betrayed by a former schoolmate at the First Battle of Hogwarts, but that has
never been confirmed. What is certain is that on the night of October 20th, using an unknown spell,
suspected to be of Dark origin, Ronald Weasley crossed through the Veil and returned with Harry
Potter and Sirius Black. Use of the spell drained most of his body's life energy and Ron
Weasley died a few hours later. He is buried near the edge of the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts, and
his epitaph, unusual for one of wizarding descent, reads, "I once was lost but now am found. I
was blind but now I see."

This author once had the chance to ask Mrs. Granger-Potter her opinion on the matter of the
coincidences involved in her husband's repeated death and ressurection. The response:
"Hogwash. You know, Hogwarts Two was fought on St. Crispin's Day - the day King Harry,
Henry the Fifth, fought and won at The Battle of Agincourt. That's not arithmancy, it's not
even bad numerology; that's divination," she said, smiling sadly.

Article © 2027 Dudley Dursley Revision © 2035 Lily Anne Potter

End

(XhaLe's additional notes. My first HP fic. I'm working on a longer, hopefully
lighter piece. Dunno when it'll be posted. I don't do WIPs and I write slow. I take no
credit for the letter - aside from my changes, it's taken verbatim from a U.S. Civil War letter
written by a soldier. Special thanks to Mimic for stepping out of her own fandom to beta, since I
couldn't find one here. You'll probably never see this note, but you rock, mims.)



2. Additional Notes
-------------------

Hem hem.

Warning, story spoilers ahead...

Well, I seem to have confused some people, so here are some facts around the story that were
supposed to be aparrent but aparrently aren't. It wasn't supposed to be easy, though. Oh,
well. Let me spell it out for ya - consider this the extended, even longer, special edition of the
author's notes. :)

Please do NOT NOT NOT feedback this chapter or story using the form at the bottom of the page.
If I have to update this page your review will be deleted by the Portkey automated system. Please
(pleasepleaseplease?) use the form on chapter one.

1. Voldemort was defeated, by Harry, in late October, 2014. Harry returns from the dead by the
end of the story to defeat him at 2nd Hogwarts. The "second rise" of Harry Potter
happened a few days before the anniversary of King Henry V's win at the battle of Agincourt,
now also the anniversary of 2nd Hogwarts and the (final?) defeat of Voldemort. Henry was called
Harry by many and is a common British niockname (like John F. Kennedy was called "Jack"
by all that knew him well.). One of Shakespeare's most famous lines was about Agincourt.
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers..."

2. Yeah, I brought Sirius back. No reason for him to have gone in the first place.

3. Ron (well, I implied Ron, but coulda been anyone) betrayed Harry at first Hogwarts - I left
that to the reader as to why (or even if), but we know it's in him (think of how he was over
Harry getting into the triwizard tourny). Ron then sacrificed his life to bring back Harry, and
somehow Sirius came along for the ride.

4. Hermione married Harry, had kids, served as editor of Hogwarts, A History for many years
before her daughter Lily took over.

5. Lovegood Publishing - Luna's family of course.

6. In this fic, Ginny has had -something- awful happen to her. She may be dead, may have gone
bad, something. It's up to you. Maybe she's dating Crabbe AND Goyle.

7. Yes, the "writer" of the article is our own favorite Cum Laude graduate and
permanently disfigured Dudders.

8. Harry is alive and well (in my mind) at the end of this story. Hopefully he's happy,
too.

Any other questions? PM me on talk.portkey.org, user name XhaLe. Oh, the work-in-progress fic is
titled, at the moment, "HP and the Knights of Thyme." I'm about four chapters in.

A reader gave me a REALLY cool idea - that I open up the HAH universe to other writers. I think
it's a great plan - let the Portkey shippers at it before the R/Hr or H/G folks latch onto
anything similar. Just think about it - writing your OWN piece of Hogwarts, A History. Well, I
think it's cool, anyway.

The challenge is that any story in the series can't invalidate any stories previously
posted. For example, someone could write an excerpt of chapter 637, in which we're told of
Ron's life in those five years between Harry's death and resurrection; the writer could
explain why Ron was NOT the traitor, but he/she can't change the fact that there is a grave on
the Hogwarts grounds with his name on it. The writer could, however, use any number of ways in
which Ron could come back (mirror of erised, time-turner, maybe it's just deep stasis and some
phoenix tears could revive him, etc), or to explain how Ron didn't die at all and it was just a
(insert plot here).

In other words, each writer would have to play in the gray areas left by all the authors before
him/her, or write about events which are not detailed in any previous installments.

Basically, you could write about most ANYTHING you can imagine.

So the rules for anyone interested in writing a chapter of Hogwarts, A History:

1. No shipping H or Hr with anyone but the other. All other ships are fine (yeah, even slash),
so long as they're within the Portkey.org rules.

2. You MUST send XhaLe a PM on the talk.portkey.org boards. Just because I wanna know. :)

3. Excerpts and chapters must not invalidate previously posted excerpts and chapters. However,
you can provide a different perspective, viewpoint or provide new information. The goal here is
continuity; that's what has to be preserved above all.

4. The story must focus on events in which Hogwarts is featured.

5. NC-17 is allowed, but how much smut have YOU read in history books?!? (and if it's a lot,
you have to tell me what books! :)

Any takers or ideas?

Oh, please feel free to post this to any other places it might be relevant. I'm still new
here, so I probably have no clue they exist. :)



