Chapter 43 All is fair in love and war
Eleven weeks... well worth it, this is one of the last chapters only one or two left before we move on to the second part of my story. Remember there is three... Now then on to the story.
Chapter 43 All is fair in love and war
Harry and Alexander walked briskly through Hogwarts. Harry only had one thing on his mind: The last Horcrux before the final battle.
“The battle will be here tomorrow at nightfall” Axel replied to the unasked question that Harry had on his mind.
“WHAT!?!?! Are you serious? You mean I have to find and destroy the last Horcrux tonight?” Harry yelled.
“Yep” Axel said calmly.
“How the bloody hell am I supposed to do that?” Harry replied.
“Harry, you just came back from the place where you learned how” Axel replied.
“Oh” Harry said as he realized that he now had the power of Spirit. He very well could take the knowledge from the deepest darkest place in Voldemort’s brain.
They reached the portrait and Harry entered quietly. It was late already; no one was down there except Ron and Hermione that had fallen asleep on the couch. Harry picked a quiet dark spot and sat in the chair there.
He cleared his mind and channeled all the power of Spirit he could. He focused on Voldemort.
“Wait, I don’t want to give too much away” he whispered to himself.
Instead of searching for the knowledge on one Horcrux, he would take it all along with other experiments he might have made into immortality. He focused on that and then attacked Voldemort’s mind violently and quickly.
Elsewhere, Voldemort awoke as his head felt as if it was being decimated. He screamed in utter agony as nightmarish visions of Dumbledore dancing with Hagrid in the nude ruled his mind. He was immobile, he felt Potter invading his brain, searching for something, then he saw images of immortality experiments and Horcruxes. Potter had gotten it all.
“You're not the only one that can become immortal” Harry said aloud in Voldemort’s brain before he severed the link and blocked him out.
“This way he will think that I am after something else entirely, might buy me some time” he thought to himself.
He sorted through the knowledge and found what he was looking for, it was Rowena’s Pensive. In it were stored boundless quantities of knowledge, all the stuff that wouldn’t fit in her brain, but it was emptied out. Voldemort had no interest in her smarts; he filled it with his evil knowledge of dark spells and ceremonies. Luckily though, it was somewhere close by, somewhere very familiar to him, somewhere he never thought he would return. But it could wait, first he would shower, he reeked of high heaven and he could barely stand his own smell.
A sharp pain awakened Rose. Her mark burned hard and she awoke. She ran to the outer gate, Malfoy was close behind.
“We must get to the Dark Lord” Malfoy said as he winced in pain.
“He is calling us rather ‘adamantly’” Rose surmised as the pain grew
When they got to the gate Lucius Malfoy was there waiting for them.
“I bring urgent orders from the Dark Lord” he said impatiently and then began to detail to them all that he was instructed to as quickly as he could. Then the two Hogwarts students rushed off to complete their mission.
Three showers later Harry finally felt clean. He headed towards his final destination. He headed down the stairs and pondered why no one seemed to be out of bed. He crept out the portrait hole and down the stairs towards a long abandoned girl’s bathroom. Even more quietly he entered and hissed at the sink and the secret passageways opened to the Chamber of Secrets.
“I should have figured Tom would leave something at school, and I should have known that he would have left it there” Harry half chastised himself. As he reached the vault door and hissed at it. He quickly entered the familiar chamber. Dark memories haunted him as he smelled the dank air that reeked of the putrefying dead Basilisk that was now rotting flesh. He walked towards it and admired his kill.
“You were a sick bastard” he said referring to the snake and to Voldemort. “Ironic how the first one I destroyed was here and now the last before the battle will be here as well” he added with a chuckle.
A yell and a whisper crossed the air and two jets of light headed towards Harry.
Harry reacted instinctively; he activated his Sentemus and his power of Wind. He moved out of the way at an amazing rate and headed towards where the scream came. There he found a figure, hidden inside one of the passages he had run through. He had shot through a small opening and was still aiming his wand at the spot he had fired at half a second ago. Time always felt like it stopped when Harry used his abilities this much. He drilled through the top of the tunnel and dropped in before turning off his abilities and feeling time resume.
“I think I got the bastard” the man said with triumph. Then he blinked and realized that Harry was not there. “What the bloody hell? Where is he?” he screamed again.
“Behind you ferret boy” Harry said calmly
Draco turned violently, wand already warming a curse. Harry caught his arm with his hand and crushed the bone to dust using the power of Earth. Somehow he didn’t feel as merciful as to use pressure points to disable him. He grabbed his other arm and did the same.
Malfoy screamed in agony, before Harry took pity on him and knocked him out with one swift strike to a pressure point. Also Harry didn’t want to let the other intruder know where he was. Harry turned on his sight again and now surveyed the whole room.
“Should have done this from the start” he chastised himself as he quickly saw where the Horcrux lay as well as where his other attacker was hidden. He made sure there were no more and then decided that a direct assault should be good enough. Harry raced behind the person and was faced with his girlfriends back.
“Crap” he said to himself.
“Stupid Malfoy, screaming out bloody loud, of course he gave away his position to the opponent” Rose growled angrily.
Harry raised a finger and hit a pressure point to paralyze her temporarily. When she felt his presence it was too late and she was as stiff as stone crouched in the tunnel. Harry picked her up and it was then she glimpsed at who her attacker had been.
Shock, questions, and a bit of anger and hurt were in her eyes. Harry could read all that was in her mind without even having to look into her eyes. When they finally reached the giant head he laid her down against a wall and backed away.
“Why did you have to be down here Rose?” Harry asked her.
She could not reply, and he preferred it that way. “Why the bloody hell else, because I was ordered, you think I just gallivant through drainages cause I feel like it” she thought.
Harry chuckled, “Yes but it would have made all of this a lot less complicated” he replied out loud.
Rose’s eyes widened, “Did he just read my mind?” she thought.
“Yep” he replied simply.
“How are you breaking my Occlumency?” she thought.
“That’s a secret” Harry replied but kept his smile.
“How long?” she thought.
Harry lost the smile but remained silent
“How long?” she asked again, this time with louder thought.
Harry still remained silent.
“How bloody fucking long have you been reading my mind?” she thought furiously.
“Since the moment I met you” Harry replied softly.
Rose was shocked, the implications of that one sentence reverberated within her. Every moment, of every day, every part of her relationship with him, her deepest thoughts and feelings, the truth, the lies, the love, the betrayal, all of it was an open book to Harry from day 1. She felt violated, she felt raped, beyond fury, but at the same time it meant that Harry knew every sin she made against him, the lies she said, the betrayal, the fact that she had willingly conspired to help her father end him. All of it turned to bitter guilt and fear.
“Why?” she thought, the only thought that she could coherently ask.
“Why did I do it? Wouldn’t you? Why did I make you join my friends knowing who you were? Because it got you away from Malfoy, because it kept you close so I could watch you, and ….because I liked you from the moment I laid eyes on you” Harry began.
“Why could I still love you despite everything you did and planned to do? Because I know the real you, the one that is trapped beneath all the darkness. Why didn’t I say anything? Why did I hide this from you? I hid this from everyone, no one knows the extent of my power except my teacher” Harry replied out loud.
To this she raised her eyes at him. “Canem” she said as a statement instead of a question.
“At this point I might as well admit it’s true, Canem has taught me. And my power is great. This war is bigger and more complicated than you can fathom Rose” Harry said as he approached her. His words would one day prove to be beyond ironic. She felt repulsed by him, if she could move she would run away and Harry felt it.
He stopped before reaching her.
“I knew it” her mind hissed.
“Yes, he is powerful, beyond what is needed to kill your father, but it is my fate to take his life as he did my parents’. And trust me Rose, he will die” Harry said coldly as he stared at her.
Rose felt a chill run down her back. This wasn’t the Harry she knew, this wasn’t Snuffles. The eyes she saw looking at her were those of a man who had seen the edge and had come back with a mission. Those eyes looked tired, drained; they held a cold fury, no mercy, no hesitation, no fear. Those eyes said more than his words, those eyes screamed ‘I am a warrior, my enemy will die, end of story, no arguments, no bollocks, nothing, he will DIE’.
“Yes, Rose I am that resolute, but I guess while you’re here I can tell you a story, a story about a boy named Tom Riddle…” Harry began as he pushed a few secret panels on the face and all of a sudden there was a rumble and a ladder appeared on one side of the face and a hole opened in the forehead.
Harry climbed, “You see Tom was living in an orphanage, but he once had a family…” he continued as he reached the top and then levitated the pensive down with his wand. Voldemort had made no more traps; he probably thought the Basilisk would do the job well enough Harry gathered.
“Now before we continue this story, please give me a moment” Harry said as he dunked his head into the pensive with no hesitation.
Inside the knowledge swirled around him like a hurricane tempting him, giving him glimpses of the power it represented, urging him to seek out Voldemort to master it all.
Harry just stood there and rejected any information that invaded too much of his minds eyes for his liking. He pulled all the power of Spirit he could and then sent out a blast that decimated the knowledge in one stroke. There was a flash of incredibly white light and he was back outside the pensive and the content flew out of the pensive and then exploded in a cloud of blackness that turned to nothingness as a scream was heard and then died.
Rose watched all this in awe and fear, she didn’t know what was happening, but it was terrible in its nature, she knew that much.
Harry got up and put his wand to his temple. He summoned the necessary memories and put them into the pensive. “This will be faster, I guess” Harry said as he put them in and then carefully laid her next to it.
Rose looked at him quizzically.
“You want to know the truth don’t you? All of it?” Harry asked.
She hesitated, it felt like forever, but then she slowly nodded. Harry laid her on her knees and pressed her forehead to the liquid.
She was drawn in. Inside she saw everything, from the memory of his parent’s death, through the years of torture at the Dursleys, to Hogwarts and the battles he had fought. To the information on Horcruxes, to the death of Dumbledore. To the last year and everything he had done, except he left out every single minute he had trained with Axel and any memories of him using his skills. He didn’t want her to even glimpse of the power he had learned from Axel. And then it was over, she was back in the Chamber.
Her heart torn in pieces, all her anger and frustration mixed with her love, guilt, and fear, now added to it the horror of the things she saw her father do and at his attempt at immortality, pity, sorrow, and outrage at the life Harry had lived, and dozens of other emotions that were now a hurricane within her. She could move now, but she dared not, dared not, hoping this was all a nightmare and she would wake up.
“No love it isn’t a nightmare, this is my reality” Harry said bitterly.
“Terrible, it’s all terrible” she whispered in fear
“Yea and you only got to see the highlights, imagine LIVING through all of it” he said as he took a seat beside her.
“I don’t know…, I don’t know what to do, what to say, what to feel. I am lost” she said as tears started pouring like rivers from her eyes.
Harry didn’t hold her; he knew it would only do her harm right now. “I can’t tell you that Rose, that is for you to figure out. What I can tell you is I love you more than anything in this world, above all remember that. Despite everything, despite all of this mess, I love you” he said getting up.
Rose followed him with her now reddening eyes.
“But tomorrow, do not interfere; I will be watching you, every moment of your day. Don’t interfere, this is a battle between your father and me, and one of us WILL die” Harry said coldly not looking back at her. He picked up the pensive and just walked away.
He told the truth, he loved her with everything he was.
“Then don’t fight him, neither of you has to die” Rose whispered desperately.
Harry held the tears; he smiled sadly and looked back at her. “Yes Rose, one of us does, for while I am alive he will never find true victory neither on the battlefield nor in his own mind, and while he is alive I will never be able to let go of the anger, the pain, the fear, the sorrow, and the bloodlust that is within me. Neither of us can live while the other survives” he said and then turned and walked out of the chamber.
Rose cried openly, the prophecy she saw in the pensive, it all made sense now, every part of it; every single phrase had come true. Her father had catalyzed and ignited every single part of it till it all became true. He had created an irreversible and inescapable endgame where either Harry, or he, or neither would survive.
Harry made it to his bed and fell asleep instantly. It felt like moments but he was awoken with a pale of cold water and it was light all around.
“Get up Harry” Hermione ordered.
“Why? I am bloody done studying Hermione; why the bloody hell did you wake me up?” Harry screamed.
“Because today we are graduating you ass!” Hermione replied as she laughed out in glee. Yes, the heaven shook and the earth parted, Hermione was gleeful and jumping around like…well like a schoolgirl.
“You’re shitting me” Harry said now sitting up. He had been away for a while and he nearly missed his own graduation, what’s more he nearly missed the final battle. Harry got up quickly and saw that Ron was also up and far more drenched than he was.
“No Harry, I am not shitting you. Man you really must have gone somewhere important if you can’t even notice what day it is” Hermione said in a concerned tone.
“The last of a certain affair that has to do with a dairy, a locket, a ring and a few other things has finally been resolved. Leaving only two snakes to take care of” Harry told her in a low voice.
Hermione’s eyes went wide, “They are all destroyed?” she whispered back.
“Last night I got the last one” he concluded as he pulled on something to wear. The ceremony would be at lunch so he still had time before he had to get dressed up.
“So is everyone up and getting ready?” Harry said as he put on a shirt. Hermione turned around and blushed watching his sculpt body.
“Yea, except Rose, I can’t seem to find her. Maybe she got up even earlier from all the excitement” Hermione replied.
“Yea maybe” Harry said holding the concern in his voice. He extended his sight and saw that she was sitting alone in the Astronomy tower. He had laid a Spirit block in her mind to prevent her from contacting her father but it seemed to be still intact so she hadn’t even tried.
“What are you guys talking about?” Ron inquired as he came around now dry and dressed.
“Oh Harry was just giving me some good news” Hermione replied as they went down to eat breakfast.
“Blimey Harry, congrats” Ron said patting him hard on the back as they sat down and Ron shoveled food on his plate.
Hermione didn’t even comment as she was too happy about graduating, a sentiment that was shared by all there.
“This is the best tasting food ever” Ron commented.
“Must be because your glad to be graduating” Harry replied as he took was enjoying his meal, but still held a bit of bitterness for being at ends with Rose. They hadn’t defined where they stood, she had a lot to consider, things he had had months to process, she was only getting now. He also had a tinge of nervousness, in a matter of hours a war would break out, and he knew he would be at the center of it.
Breakfast ended and everyone returned to the Common Room at their own pace. On the board there was a notice letting everyone know that lunch would begin promptly at quarter to one and everyone should be in their seats. The graduating class had to be seated on a stand that would be set up below the teachers so that they too would be facing the four tables of the houses. It also reminded them to be in their formal graduating robes and it announced that Hermione had been deemed valedictorian, as was expected by all.
Harry smiled, “Congrats Mione”
Hermione jumped up and down and screamed when she read it, “Yea McGonagall told me three days ago, I can’t believe that I did it. I so rock” she said excitedly.
“Uhm, Hermione, love, who the bloody hell else did you think was going to take it?” Ron replied.
“Well you never know” Hermione said calming down a bit.
“Hermione, you’re crazy, no one could possibly compete with you” Harry replied.
“Well you did a good job during the NEWTS” Hermione defended.
“But I only did that well this year, you’ve been at it for six years more than I. Of course you would win” Harry explained.
The morning slithered away; Harry readied his outfit for the Graduation and also readied the gear for the battle to come at nightfall. He got in the shower, his mind’s eye still on Rose. She was in her room now; she was getting ready and putting on a brave front for the ceremony. He sensed the turmoil in her, light and dark forces were moving against each other inside of her. After today though, if it all worked then the darkness would lose its source.
Harry came out of the bath, fully dressed and ready for the ceremony. “You ready Ron?” Harry said with a fake smile
“Yea mate, let’s go” Ron replied.
“Hey don’t forget us” Neville said as Seamus followed.
“Wouldn’t dream of it” Harry chuckled.
When they reached the bottom of the stairs Hermione was waiting for them.
“We are going to be late, and if I am late I will kill you” she warned.
“Right Hermione let’s just go” Harry said as he lead the way. Rose was still getting ready. Harry saw it, or maybe she was just avoiding them.
The group reached the bottom of the stairs and met with the other graduates.
Remus and the other teachers were there. He walked up to Harry and hugged him. “Your parents and Sirius would have been so proud” he said with pride.
“Sirius…” Harry whispered and then a flashback came to him. In between the nightmares he had seen in the world of Spirit, there had been something about Sirius, something that had filled him with hope instead of horror. The darkness had gotten much darker and then he saw it, he saw the book, HIS book. He knew where it was. He had forgot about it, but Remus had triggered the memory.
Unbeknownst to Harry, the Land of Spirit had been covered by a deep darkness at that moment, and the ground had shook, a force outside his understanding had intervened and sent him that vision.
Harry shook his head and snapped out of it, “Thanks Remus, I just wish they were here” he said sadly.
“So do I Harry, so do I” Remus said as he went on to congratulate the rest.
All the teachers passed by one by one congratulating their students. Finally it was McGonagall herself.
She went straight to Hermione, “Ms. Granger, or should I say, Hermione. I am extremely pleased with you. You have far exceeded my already high expectations of you. I am looking forward to your speech during the ceremony” she said proudly.
“Thank you Headmistress, I just hope I don’t mess it up” Hermione replied a bit nervously.
“It’s Minerva from now on and I am sure you will do just fine” McGonagall reassured her. “As for you Harry, it has been a very interesting year, ups, downs, triumphs and quite a bit of mischief. I must say I will be hard pressed to ever find a student that keeps me on my toes such as you have” she said brimming with pride as she broke her façade for a second and hugged him briefly.
Harry was a bit taken aback, “Thank you Professor, but you never know I might have a few more surprises left in store” he said with a wink, but his smile was far to fake. The darkness it concealed was almost too apparent.
“Heaven hope not” she worded out slowly as she tried to analyze the boy. Something was off, but she would have to figure it out later. Little did she know that later would never arrive.
Axel came over and shook Harry’s hand. “All has been arranged the package shall be delivered by the house elves to the designated targets. The barrier spell is completely ready” he said as he handed Harry a crystal. “This is all the help I can give you Harry. This is your fight. Are you sure you want to do it this way?” he asked.
“Positive” Harry said grimly but didn’t lose his fake smile.
The music began to sound and Harry and the other graduates began to walk up the center aisle. Parents and family all around then began to snap pictures wildly. The graduates for the most part did not break their smiles. They walked calmly up to the stage that had been built and sat in their designated seats. All around they saw small tables that would seat families. In places, like the Weasley’s table, several tables were pushed together to accommodate larger groups. The cheering was loud from that table as Mrs. Weasley was in tears and didn’t even notice the loud noisemakers the twins were spinning around over their heads.
Harry was laughing despite himself. He smiled as he settled to enjoy the moment, and then after the meal prepare for the battle. Almost like he would live in a dream world and when the meal was done he would return to his reality.
Harry took a seat as did everyone else. Rose finally appeared near the end and sat far from her friends.
“What’s up with her?” Ron asked.
“Don’t worry about it Ron. We had a small argument, we will sort it out later” Harry lied in order to pacify his friend.
“Welcome parents, and family members to another graduation ceremony. This year has by far been one of the most exciting and challenging. In these dark times we have for the most part been lucky. We have had joyous and relatively peaceful days…with a few exceptions that were more jovial than otherwise” McGonagall started and then looked over at the Marauders. “It is therefore that I have the extreme pleasure to introduce you to our graduating class. They are some of the brightest, most vibrant, and most special people I have ever had the pleasure of teaching. This year….” And then McGonagall proceeded to detail all the accomplishments of the graduating class, including the Quidditch Cup, their high NEWTS, and rather astounding results that some of them had achieved.
Finally, after a while, she cleared her throat and then said. “Now we shall hear words from Hermione Granger, Head Girl, and Valedictorian”. This was followed by applause.
Hermione stood up and approached the podium quite primly as she received a round of applause. Harry, Ron, and all her friends clapped wildly. The Weasley twins went mad and started hollering and throwing mini fireworks into the air that puffed into brilliant lights quietly.
“The shame of a Marauder being valedictorian, truly ghastly” Harry laughed.
“Indeed my dear Snuffles, dreadfully shameful” Seamus retorted.
“I concur, I think that Redfang is going to have to have words with her” Neville continued.
“More like a spanking” Ron said as he chuckled as well.
“You dog you” Harry said showing his friend playfully.
“Ruff, ruff” Ron barked smiling.
Hermione braced herself and then began, “Parents, family, Headmistress, Professors, Fellow students, and my fellow graduates, we thank you all for attending and for showing your support for us. Not only today, but for everyday you stood by us and helped us and trusted us to study hard here at Hogwarts. We were truly blessed. We lived through difficult times. At times the darkness only touched a few, others in more recent days have touched us all. Yet the light did not fail to appear, someone always stood up and fought, and thanks to them we are still here” Hermione said as he looked over at Harry and smiled. There was a bit of applause. “Today I want to remember those that have fallen in the defense of the school. Those that should have graduated but couldn’t because they were taken away by selfish men and women that are bent upon their insanity. I remember Dumbledore, Sirius Black, Aurors, Ministry officials and many other adults that have laid their life down in defense of students that for the most part they didn’t know. It is thanks to them and many others that we got to enjoy studying in the library” she continued.
“Only she enjoyed that” Harry and Ron mumbled together.
“Playing Quidditch, falling in love, making friends, and growing up. To all of them and for all of that. I want to say thank you, thanks to you we stand here, graduates, young adults ready to head off and face the future. To take on the darkness like they took it on. To our Professors, we thank you for your guidance and your help. You guided us with diligence and with care to this point and for that I thank you. To our fellow students, keep working hard, and soon you shall stand on this podium like we are, and stare into the future. It is daunting, but at the same time it is exhilarating. Finally to my fellow graduates, I wish you good luck, godspeed and above all else I want to say….Congratulations guys we did it!” she ended and then threw some of the fireworks the Weasleys were using up in the air.
There were loud cheers and clapping from the audience and the class. Hermione smiled and then retook her seat.
“Congrats love that was brilliant” Ron said giving her a quick kiss.
“Yea Spitfire, great speech” Harry said as she patted her lightly on the back.
McGonagall stepped up to the podium. “Now then, with that let us move along to the next part of the ceremony. The awarding of the spell and diplomas of graduation. If I could just have the list…” she began to say but was stopped as she noticed Harry stood up.
“Yes Mr. Potter?” McGonagall said as she raised an eyebrow. There were murmurs in the audience.
“Headmistress, I believe you skipped a speech” Harry said with an innocent grin.
Remus smacked his forehead. “Bloody hell, I should have seen this coming. Of course they would know about that” he mumbled as he shook his head.
McGonagall kept her eyebrow up and turned to Remus. “Professor Lupin, it seems you can enlighten me as to what this is about” she questioned.
“The Marauders Mega Monumental Most Memorable Masochistically Moroon Mentions Missives, and Memorandums” Harry supplied.
“You are jesting right?” McGonagall said recognizing the name.
“Dumbledore made a pact with the Marauders. James got him to phrase it in such a way that it applies. On the day Marauders graduate, they may elect a representative to deliver a tasteful speech” Remus said covering his eyes. “Really Harry, you just had to do something didn’t you” he said in a lower tone.
“Sorry Moony traditions must be respected” Harry said.
“Here here” the Marauders replied and so did the Weasley twins from where they stood.
Truth be told only Harry had known about it and the rest of the Marauders were just as surprised as everyone else was.
“Well then, thank you Headmistress. I think I speak for my partners and I when I say we will be supplying your fine institution for many, many, many years to come with all your pranking and special item needs. Even that certain something you order in bulk” he began to say garnering cheers from the twins and a death glare from McGonagall. “My esteemed and honorable fellow students… o and you Slytherins as well” Harry continued.
“Potter” McGonagall warned though kept it low. She had a hard time defending the snakes.
“Yes Minny” Harry said with a devilish grin.
“Potter” this time she said it quite loudly.
Harry chuckled as many were laughing or trying to contain their laughs.
“Harry only your father ever called her that” Remus sanctioned in a low voice.
“Who do you think helped me write the speech” Harry whispered back.
“Kill me now before Minny, I mean the Headmistress does” Remus replied and then corrected himself as he received a death glare.
Harry laughed a bit now and then sobered up. “As Spitfire, I mean Hermione so graciously pointed out. We must thank our families, mine for example, although quite deceased have provided me with endlessly useful knowledge that most would agree has been rather entertaining throughout the year. Well that is unless you were prank…I mean involved in said events” Harry corrected as the laughter and murmurs grew. McGonagall was now nearing Weasley red.
“I have many fond memories from this year, I could mention some of them, but I fear for my life and that of my fellow Black Marauders” he said nodding to McGonagall, who now was on Weasley red. The twins and their brothers with the exception of Percy where now full out laughing.
“Well then there has been a lot of love this year. In many places, even some rumors of some love in the Headmistresses office” Harry continued in a jovial but cool tone.
There were gasps, cheers, and whistles. McGonagall prepared to stand up but was tapped on the shoulder by Axel and was frozen in position. “Canem” she whispered as loud as she could but even her throat was restrained.
“Sorry Minerva, but I only honor my cousin’s wishes” he replied.
“Also snakes… I mean Slytherins, those times that the Quaffle didn’t go through that center hoop. That is also explained by some extracurricular activities rumored of certain people” Harry continued. McGonagall was now as red as a tomato.
“In any case, we were a very loving bunch” Harry concluded as most of his classmates were either bushing or laughing or both.
“Man look at that Gryffindor Spirit, it is impressive coming from all the students regardless of house. They all have decided to go with the crimson colors today. Though how they get their faces like that naturally I don’t know” he said innocently.
Some were laughing so hard that they couldn’t breathe.
“In any case let’s move on shall we. We studied a lot this year, my favorite class was biology” Harry continued.
“Harry, you mean Herbology right?” Hermione interrupted.
“No, I meant biology. Remember you and a certain red head had some rather intense ‘studying sessions’” Harry said and then watched her and Ron turn beat red.
“Quidditch was awesome, England rocked” Harry said and received loud cheers from the audience.
“Though we did borderline on an international incident. Rumors are that it was someone from England that caused all that commotion with the Ministers office and the German team. Frankly I can adamantly say that the British players had absolutely nothing to do with it” Harry said in a serious tone.
“What about the coach?” said Seamus laughing.
“I know nothing, I saw nothing, I think nothing, I heard nothing, and keep that Veritaserum away from me” Harry replied in a serious tone.
The room erupted in gasps and laughter again.
Axel just looked at Harry and raised an eyebrow.
“In any case, let’s move on with this speech before someone tries to kill me in order to silence what I know” Harry said as he shuffled nonexistent papers in front of him.
“This has been a hard few years. I have face many perils, for the most part I have faced many perils. If I ever get to have kids I will seriously have to be a teacher here in order to make sure that getting into trouble is not a genetic Potter trait as so far it has been proven otherwise. I have been nearly killed so many times that some Aurors cringe at the count. Giant spiders, Giant Snakes, Snakes in general” he said looking at the Slytherins who looked at him evilly. “Greasy gits that were formally known as teachers” he added and garnered more mean looks. “Voldemort…” there were several gasps. “Yea we are going to have to work on that people, I am working on getting him dead, so the least you can do is work on saying his name” Harry protested. Some smiled, others looked appalled. “OK how bout we reach a compromise, we call him the mentally deranged, half blood psychopath formally known as Tom Riddle and soon to be known as compost. Does that work for your people?” he said with smile.
Some people fainted, but those that were laughing were now rolling on the ground.
“I have seen many die, too many die. I am done with that, the only one I want to see die now is him. But enough of that depressing snake. Let’s get on with the party. Congratulations people, we all graduated, I wonder how some of us pulled it off” as he looked at Ron and the Slytherins. “I guess miracles do happen, or in Ron’s case death threats are a great motivator. I am sure you will thank Hermione and your mother later for those” he said and watched as both Hermione and Mrs. Weasley turned crimson and everyone laughed.
“Now to finish, I will take the lead from a very wise man and leave you with a few words: Mayhem, pranks, gumdrops, bats, chandelier, Timbuktu, renegotiation, and lint” he said out loud. Then added, at everyone’s confusion, “Hey I don’t get it either, but we still haven’t gotten Dumbledore to explain it to us”. There were claps and roars of laughter from some as Harry finally took his seat again.
McGonagall was unfrozen and then restrained by Remus and Axel from chocking the life out of Harry, then from chocking it out of Axel. Finally she realized the scene she was making and stepped casually forward.
“Well then I guess it’s FINALLY time for us to move to the next part” she said as she fixed herself off. There were still some stray laughs in the back. “When I call your name please step forward and present your wand” she instructed and began to call names in alphabetical order. When they passed she handed them a diploma then conjured a spell around their wand to that marked them as graduates of Hogwarts. Hermione went first, then Neville, then Harry carefully inched his way forward.
“Harry James Potter, Congratulations Mr. Potter, we are very happy to see you go” McGonagall said as she cast the spell and handed Harry the diploma as civilly as she could muster.
“Thank you Headmistress, I will be sure to leave my mark on this school” he jested.
“I am sure you’ve accomplished that already” she said worriedly.
“I might have one last surprise left for Hogwarts” Harry replied and then went back to his seat leaving McGonagall severely concerned.
Rose went up next, Harry observed she was quiet, her mind still in turmoil. At least it looked like she would stay out of the fight. It almost seemed like he had told her at the perfect time, this confusion put her out of action.
Ron went last to the roar of the Weasley clan, and then the ceremony was at an end.
McGonagall then said, “Congratulations Hogwarts graduates” and they all shot sparks in the air with their wands. The twins unleashed the full range of fireworks they were capable of to the horror and amusement of the crowds. Their mother was still on cloud 9 drying her tears and didn’t react.
“Please graduates take your seats at the tables, the meal shall be served forthwith” McGonagall explained.
Harry, Hermione, Ron and Neville went to sit with the Weasley’s, Hermione’s parents, and Neville’s grandmum all in one table. Soon Remus and Tonks joined them as well.
“Well Harry, your father and Sirius would be proud. That was definitely a Marauder speech” Remus said as he smacked the back of Harry’s head.
“Ow, bloody hell Mooney, no need to get rough” Harry replied.
“Yes there is” Remus replied stifling a grin.
“O quit it Remus, you know it was funny” Tonks said as she laughed a bit. “It was brilliant Harry” he added.
“Yea mate” George began.
“Made us proud you did” Fred continued.
“Even put Minny in her place” George said causing many to laugh.
“And made sure to advertize our business” Fred added.
“Brilliant work all the way” George went on.
“Couldn’t have done it better ourselves” Fred joked.
“Yea, we value our lives too much” George finished and all laughed.
McGonagall on the other hand had elected to stay away and eat with the teachers as was tradition. That and it insured she didn’t try to kill Harry.
There was congratulations all around but Harry’s mind was elsewhere.
Rose had vanished again. Harry searched for her with his eyes and saw her heading back to the Common Room. He knew that right now, she saw no allies, no friends. Her family was a psychopath that would be arriving shortly and her boyfriend was…well…complicated. The meal progressed as goblets of pumpkin juice and Butterbeer were passed around. Harry watched with interest as people drank from them. Tomorrow they would have the farewell banquet, but today everyone was celebrating them. But in order for tomorrow to come, Harry had taken a step ahead and had the elves spike the goblets with a little something extra.
Hermione nudged Harry, Slughorn raised his goblet with a sober nod towards Harry. Hermione also detected it.
“Harry did you spike the drinks?” she asked soberly.
“Yea” he replied plainly.
“With what?” Hermione replied controlling herself.
“Well if I knew I couldn’t trust them, in other words, if they are Tom’s accomplices, then a little surprise concoction that I brewed with the help of some very wise friends” he said smiling evilly. “Some very Marauderish friends” he added.
“Harry Potter, you will not ruin our…” Hermione began to yell but Harry covered her mouth.
“Mione, trust me, this isn’t about a prank” Harry said.
Hermione furrowed her brow and stopped trying to scream. “Then what is this about?” she asked.
“This one time Hermione, don’t ask questions and just trust me. This is what has to be done” Harry said grimly.
The tone he used added with his words convince Hermione to drop it. The meal progressed merrily and Harry smiled and laughed throughout it. When it was over, Harry quickly got up and started to head out.
Hermione put her hand on his shoulder as a thought dashed through her mind. “Harry, what did you put into the goblets of those that you could trust” she asked.
Harry tried to shake her off and ignore the question.
“Harry” she said grimly.
“Felix Falacis” Harry replied softly without turning and them quickly moved away.
“Luck potion? Why would he give everyone luck potion?” she pondered and then it hit her. “Unless…” she quickly turned to the Weasleys and everyone else that was at the table.
“Wand in hand” she whispered.
Tonks immediately reacted and got hold of hers.
“What is going on Hermione?” Remus asked seriously as he restrained Tonks.
“Something is wrong, Harry just dashed out of here after telling me he put Felix Falacis in the goblets of everyone he trusts” she explained as she had her wand ready.
Remus quickly analyzed the implications of such an action. “But why wouldn’t he say anything to us?” Remus replied quickly.
Hermione only remained silent as both their minds reached one single conclusion.
“He wouldn’t be that foolish…what am I saying he is the son of James Potter and the godchild of Sirius Black, foolish is genetically engraved in him along with idiotic levels of courage and selflessness” he concluded. He quickly dashed to McGonagall who was speaking with Slughorn.
“Are you sure Horace?” she asked with a look of impending dread on her face.
“Yes, Minerva, I am positive, this is Felix Falacis, and it’s in all our goblets” he said gravely.
“But why would anyone do that, and who would go to the trouble of giving us all luck for a day?” she asked and then saw Remus dashing towards her and it hit her. She looked around the room, everyone of the Black Marauders was there except Rose and…Harry.
“What has he done Remus?” McGonagall said as the answer was already forming in her mind.
“Wands in hand” was Lupin’s reply.
McGonagall quickly processed that statement and all its implications. “He wouldn’t” she whispered. Then she thought about it, and for the first time in a long time she cursed, “Bloody hell, he would. It is what Albus would have done” she said.
“Sonorous” she said to her throat as the ground shook. “Everyone who loves Hogwarts, draw your wands, the final battle is upon us” she said gravely as there was a boom.
Harry had already reached his room and changed into his battle gear as the sun went down and it happened. The earth shook and there was an ear shattering boom. The defenses, the barriers, had fallen.
“And so it begins” he said gravely.
Everyone in the Great Hall was in a state of panic and confusion, everyone except the Marauders, the Teachers, the Order, and Dumbledore’s Army. When they heard the call to arms there was no doubt or hesitation in their actions.
“Everyone prepare for battle” Hermione ordered and that command was relayed to the DA. They in turn relayed it to their parents. They didn’t understand, but they trusted their children, so they drew their wands.
McGonagall rushed towards the doors of the Great hall, everyone soon followed her actions. But there was a flash in front of them as many Slytherins and their parents stood in front of the doors.
“I am afraid that will not be possible” Malfoy said snidely.
It was then when there was a chuckle in the background, and that chuckle grew into laughter that spread.
Malfoy looked perplexed until he looked over to his right and noticed that his accomplices were now all canary yellow and had the words “Traitor” in bold red on their foreheads.
“What the pwuaca bloody hell, is happening to pwuaca us?” he asked as the clucks of a chicken started to emit from their mouths. Feathers quickly started to grow on them as well.
McGonagall cracked a smile as others laughed heartily. “Seems like we know who not to trust then. Curse them” she said viciously as everyone looked for the closest yellow clucking person and began to shoots spells at them.
McGonagall, along with some of the teachers headed through the main doors. Hermione saw this and signaled the Black Marauders to follow. When they reached the main doors they stood open. The quickly rushed out and found that McGonagall and the teachers were frozen in place.
“Good Merlin save us all” McGonagall said out loud.
“What is she…?” Ron began but then his eyes adjusted to the Twilight and he saw in the dying rays of the sun the cause…the army.
Hordes upon hordes of masked individuals. Giants, werewolves, vampires, Dementors, and other dark magical creatures were marching on Hogwarts.
“How?” Lupin asked in terror.
Axel calmly looked on, “Voldemort has managed to gain the favor of the Army of the Crimson Darkness” he replied nonchalantly.
At those words all the adults cringed in true horror as did Hermione.
“Good Merlin, no, we are doomed” Hermione said as she unconsciously backed and then fell to the ground.
“Hermione what the bloody hell are you going on about, who is the Army of the Crimson whatever?” Ron asked perplexed as Neville and Seamus tried to help her out.
Hermione was too scared to scold him, “History of Magic, the greatest evil army ever assembled under one individual. Nearly conquered the world, but one man defeated their Lord and they vanished. Without his leadership they scattered and hid” she replied.
“Who was it?” Neville asked as he too tried to fight the terror within him.
“The one that defeated him, that would have been Dumbledore” Axel replied as he sighed. “This is troublesome, the harlot pulled out all the stops” he thought to himself.
“And the defeated?” Seamus said dreading the answer.
“Grindenwald” McGonagall said as she too sank to the ground. The combined forces of Grindenwald and Voldemort were way beyond anything that they would be able to handle. Hogwarts would fall.
Ginny stepped forward ignoring everyone else and searched the field. It was there were she saw him. Standing alone in the middle of the field, wand in one hand, and the black sword Axel had given him for Christmas in the other. “He is bloody out of his mind” she whispered.
They all were shaken by Ginny’s words and followed her line of sight.
“Good Merlin” McGonagall gasped.
“Blood Idiot” Remus said out loud.
“What is he thinking?” Tonks added as they all moved towards him.
Harry sensed them approaching and he took out the stone that Axel had given him and placed it in an empty slot on the blade of his sword. He then planted the blade in the ground behind him. He took 5 steps forward and a pillar of light surged from the blade and then there was a blast as the pillar expanded sideways and then around the incoming army finally closing behind them, then above them a dome formed. The army did not falter they just kept marching forwards ignoring what had just happened.
The group finally reached where Harry was and ran into the barrier. They pounder their fists against it but it was solid and it was a good 10 feet thick.
“Harry James Potter what the bloody hell are you doing?” Remus shouted.
Harry turned and smiled at him, “Fulfilling my destiny” he replied simply.
“Are you insane, Harry, do you want to die?” Tonks screamed at him.
“No Tonks, I have no intention of dying. I will fight and I will win” he replied back.
“Harry that is impossible, there is no way you can stand up to even a fraction of all of them” Hermione said with tears in her eyes.
“Relax Spitfire, I know what I am doing. Axel, thanks for the barrier. I think it will do the job nicely” Harry continued.
Everyone looked at Axel.
“Professor Canem, you knew about this?” McGonagall asked shocked.
“Of course I knew about it” he replied matter of factly.
“And you actually helped him in this insane plan. You do know you sent the boy to his death” Remus shouted as he grabbed his robes and shook him.
Axel calmly removed his hands, “First of all he is not a boy, he is a man. Second of all I told him this was insane, that taking on all of them would be difficult” he replied calmly.
“Difficult? Are you bloody mad, this is blooming insanity” Ron said joining in with Lupin.
“You let Harry go in there and fight alone. You are a bloody coward” Ginny said as he smacked Axel.
“Technically he is not alone” Axel replied as if nothing had happened.
Then looked towards Harry and saw that a small black lizard was standing on his shoulder.
“What good is an iguana going to do?” Tonks said out loud.
Shadow heard her, he turned his head and shot a pure black flame that was so strong it even bent the barrier.
Harry turned, “Hum, yep this shield will definitely do” he commented.
Tonks meanwhile had hid behind Remus.
“I wouldn’t recommend ever calling a Black Emperor Dragon an Iguana, they might just take offense to that” Axel said calmly.
“Ok so he has an extremely large and nearly invulnerable dragon with him, that still is rather cross odds against an army” Hermione shouted at him as she joined the mob.
“Stop it, this is how I wanted things. You have to take care of the Death Eaters inside, granted it should be easy considering right about now they should be experiencing one of my potions more…interesting side effects. I put in a mild laxative” Harry said with a sly grin.
“Harry who are you kidding?” Axel replied with the same grin.
“Alright, alright, I put in Troll laxative, they should be shitting like crazy about now” Harry said as they both laughed heartily.
“They are both insane and idiotic” McGonagall said in utter shock.
“Well that was good for a laugh, time to get down to business” Harry said getting serious.
“Remember Harry, take out the snake first” Axel reminded him.
“Roger that teach” Harry said with a salute and a smile. “Good luck everyone, see you soon. And if I don’t, well I love you all” he said and then vanished.
Harry appeared in front of the approaching army. Voldemort was leading them and slithering in front of him was Nagini.
“Hello Tom, how are you doing this fine evening” Harry said politely as Shadow silently crawled down Harry and began to move towards Nagini.
“Insolent child” he said launching a curse towards him.
Harry easily moved out of the way.
“You know Tom, it’s a good thing you came. I was just aching to pay you a visit” Harry chuckled.
“Oh really, and why is that Harry. And do refer to me as Lord Voldemort” he replied.
“Sorry Tom, can’t do that. In any case the reason I wanted to visit is to return some trinkets of yours I found lying about” he said as he dropped the diary in front of him and then began to pace a bit.
Chapter 43 All is fair in love and war
Harry and Alexander walked briskly through Hogwarts. Harry only had one thing on his mind: The last Horcrux before the final battle.
“The battle will be here tomorrow at nightfall” Axel replied to the unasked question that Harry had on his mind.
“WHAT!?!?! Are you serious? You mean I have to find and destroy the last Horcrux tonight?” Harry yelled.
“Yep” Axel said calmly.
“How the bloody hell am I supposed to do that?” Harry replied.
“Harry, you just came back from the place where you learned how” Axel replied.
“Oh” Harry said as he realized that he now had the power of Spirit. He very well could take the knowledge from the deepest darkest place in Voldemort’s brain.
They reached the portrait and Harry entered quietly. It was late already; no one was down there except Ron and Hermione that had fallen asleep on the couch. Harry picked a quiet dark spot and sat in the chair there.
He cleared his mind and channeled all the power of Spirit he could. He focused on Voldemort.
“Wait, I don’t want to give too much away” he whispered to himself.
Instead of searching for the knowledge on one Horcrux, he would take it all along with other experiments he might have made into immortality. He focused on that and then attacked Voldemort’s mind violently and quickly.
Elsewhere, Voldemort awoke as his head felt as if it was being decimated. He screamed in utter agony as nightmarish visions of Dumbledore dancing with Hagrid in the nude ruled his mind. He was immobile, he felt Potter invading his brain, searching for something, then he saw images of immortality experiments and Horcruxes. Potter had gotten it all.
“You're not the only one that can become immortal” Harry said aloud in Voldemort’s brain before he severed the link and blocked him out.
“This way he will think that I am after something else entirely, might buy me some time” he thought to himself.
He sorted through the knowledge and found what he was looking for, it was Rowena’s Pensive. In it were stored boundless quantities of knowledge, all the stuff that wouldn’t fit in her brain, but it was emptied out. Voldemort had no interest in her smarts; he filled it with his evil knowledge of dark spells and ceremonies. Luckily though, it was somewhere close by, somewhere very familiar to him, somewhere he never thought he would return. But it could wait, first he would shower, he reeked of high heaven and he could barely stand his own smell.
A sharp pain awakened Rose. Her mark burned hard and she awoke. She ran to the outer gate, Malfoy was close behind.
“We must get to the Dark Lord” Malfoy said as he winced in pain.
“He is calling us rather ‘adamantly’” Rose surmised as the pain grew
When they got to the gate Lucius Malfoy was there waiting for them.
“I bring urgent orders from the Dark Lord” he said impatiently and then began to detail to them all that he was instructed to as quickly as he could. Then the two Hogwarts students rushed off to complete their mission.
Three showers later Harry finally felt clean. He headed towards his final destination. He headed down the stairs and pondered why no one seemed to be out of bed. He crept out the portrait hole and down the stairs towards a long abandoned girl’s bathroom. Even more quietly he entered and hissed at the sink and the secret passageways opened to the Chamber of Secrets.
“I should have figured Tom would leave something at school, and I should have known that he would have left it there” Harry half chastised himself. As he reached the vault door and hissed at it. He quickly entered the familiar chamber. Dark memories haunted him as he smelled the dank air that reeked of the putrefying dead Basilisk that was now rotting flesh. He walked towards it and admired his kill.
“You were a sick bastard” he said referring to the snake and to Voldemort. “Ironic how the first one I destroyed was here and now the last before the battle will be here as well” he added with a chuckle.
A yell and a whisper crossed the air and two jets of light headed towards Harry.
Harry reacted instinctively; he activated his Sentemus and his power of Wind. He moved out of the way at an amazing rate and headed towards where the scream came. There he found a figure, hidden inside one of the passages he had run through. He had shot through a small opening and was still aiming his wand at the spot he had fired at half a second ago. Time always felt like it stopped when Harry used his abilities this much. He drilled through the top of the tunnel and dropped in before turning off his abilities and feeling time resume.
“I think I got the bastard” the man said with triumph. Then he blinked and realized that Harry was not there. “What the bloody hell? Where is he?” he screamed again.
“Behind you ferret boy” Harry said calmly
Draco turned violently, wand already warming a curse. Harry caught his arm with his hand and crushed the bone to dust using the power of Earth. Somehow he didn’t feel as merciful as to use pressure points to disable him. He grabbed his other arm and did the same.
Malfoy screamed in agony, before Harry took pity on him and knocked him out with one swift strike to a pressure point. Also Harry didn’t want to let the other intruder know where he was. Harry turned on his sight again and now surveyed the whole room.
“Should have done this from the start” he chastised himself as he quickly saw where the Horcrux lay as well as where his other attacker was hidden. He made sure there were no more and then decided that a direct assault should be good enough. Harry raced behind the person and was faced with his girlfriends back.
“Crap” he said to himself.
“Stupid Malfoy, screaming out bloody loud, of course he gave away his position to the opponent” Rose growled angrily.
Harry raised a finger and hit a pressure point to paralyze her temporarily. When she felt his presence it was too late and she was as stiff as stone crouched in the tunnel. Harry picked her up and it was then she glimpsed at who her attacker had been.
Shock, questions, and a bit of anger and hurt were in her eyes. Harry could read all that was in her mind without even having to look into her eyes. When they finally reached the giant head he laid her down against a wall and backed away.
“Why did you have to be down here Rose?” Harry asked her.
She could not reply, and he preferred it that way. “Why the bloody hell else, because I was ordered, you think I just gallivant through drainages cause I feel like it” she thought.
Harry chuckled, “Yes but it would have made all of this a lot less complicated” he replied out loud.
Rose’s eyes widened, “Did he just read my mind?” she thought.
“Yep” he replied simply.
“How are you breaking my Occlumency?” she thought.
“That’s a secret” Harry replied but kept his smile.
“How long?” she thought.
Harry lost the smile but remained silent
“How long?” she asked again, this time with louder thought.
Harry still remained silent.
“How bloody fucking long have you been reading my mind?” she thought furiously.
“Since the moment I met you” Harry replied softly.
Rose was shocked, the implications of that one sentence reverberated within her. Every moment, of every day, every part of her relationship with him, her deepest thoughts and feelings, the truth, the lies, the love, the betrayal, all of it was an open book to Harry from day 1. She felt violated, she felt raped, beyond fury, but at the same time it meant that Harry knew every sin she made against him, the lies she said, the betrayal, the fact that she had willingly conspired to help her father end him. All of it turned to bitter guilt and fear.
“Why?” she thought, the only thought that she could coherently ask.
“Why did I do it? Wouldn’t you? Why did I make you join my friends knowing who you were? Because it got you away from Malfoy, because it kept you close so I could watch you, and ….because I liked you from the moment I laid eyes on you” Harry began.
“Why could I still love you despite everything you did and planned to do? Because I know the real you, the one that is trapped beneath all the darkness. Why didn’t I say anything? Why did I hide this from you? I hid this from everyone, no one knows the extent of my power except my teacher” Harry replied out loud.
To this she raised her eyes at him. “Canem” she said as a statement instead of a question.
“At this point I might as well admit it’s true, Canem has taught me. And my power is great. This war is bigger and more complicated than you can fathom Rose” Harry said as he approached her. His words would one day prove to be beyond ironic. She felt repulsed by him, if she could move she would run away and Harry felt it.
He stopped before reaching her.
“I knew it” her mind hissed.
“Yes, he is powerful, beyond what is needed to kill your father, but it is my fate to take his life as he did my parents’. And trust me Rose, he will die” Harry said coldly as he stared at her.
Rose felt a chill run down her back. This wasn’t the Harry she knew, this wasn’t Snuffles. The eyes she saw looking at her were those of a man who had seen the edge and had come back with a mission. Those eyes looked tired, drained; they held a cold fury, no mercy, no hesitation, no fear. Those eyes said more than his words, those eyes screamed ‘I am a warrior, my enemy will die, end of story, no arguments, no bollocks, nothing, he will DIE’.
“Yes, Rose I am that resolute, but I guess while you’re here I can tell you a story, a story about a boy named Tom Riddle…” Harry began as he pushed a few secret panels on the face and all of a sudden there was a rumble and a ladder appeared on one side of the face and a hole opened in the forehead.
Harry climbed, “You see Tom was living in an orphanage, but he once had a family…” he continued as he reached the top and then levitated the pensive down with his wand. Voldemort had made no more traps; he probably thought the Basilisk would do the job well enough Harry gathered.
“Now before we continue this story, please give me a moment” Harry said as he dunked his head into the pensive with no hesitation.
Inside the knowledge swirled around him like a hurricane tempting him, giving him glimpses of the power it represented, urging him to seek out Voldemort to master it all.
Harry just stood there and rejected any information that invaded too much of his minds eyes for his liking. He pulled all the power of Spirit he could and then sent out a blast that decimated the knowledge in one stroke. There was a flash of incredibly white light and he was back outside the pensive and the content flew out of the pensive and then exploded in a cloud of blackness that turned to nothingness as a scream was heard and then died.
Rose watched all this in awe and fear, she didn’t know what was happening, but it was terrible in its nature, she knew that much.
Harry got up and put his wand to his temple. He summoned the necessary memories and put them into the pensive. “This will be faster, I guess” Harry said as he put them in and then carefully laid her next to it.
Rose looked at him quizzically.
“You want to know the truth don’t you? All of it?” Harry asked.
She hesitated, it felt like forever, but then she slowly nodded. Harry laid her on her knees and pressed her forehead to the liquid.
She was drawn in. Inside she saw everything, from the memory of his parent’s death, through the years of torture at the Dursleys, to Hogwarts and the battles he had fought. To the information on Horcruxes, to the death of Dumbledore. To the last year and everything he had done, except he left out every single minute he had trained with Axel and any memories of him using his skills. He didn’t want her to even glimpse of the power he had learned from Axel. And then it was over, she was back in the Chamber.
Her heart torn in pieces, all her anger and frustration mixed with her love, guilt, and fear, now added to it the horror of the things she saw her father do and at his attempt at immortality, pity, sorrow, and outrage at the life Harry had lived, and dozens of other emotions that were now a hurricane within her. She could move now, but she dared not, dared not, hoping this was all a nightmare and she would wake up.
“No love it isn’t a nightmare, this is my reality” Harry said bitterly.
“Terrible, it’s all terrible” she whispered in fear
“Yea and you only got to see the highlights, imagine LIVING through all of it” he said as he took a seat beside her.
“I don’t know…, I don’t know what to do, what to say, what to feel. I am lost” she said as tears started pouring like rivers from her eyes.
Harry didn’t hold her; he knew it would only do her harm right now. “I can’t tell you that Rose, that is for you to figure out. What I can tell you is I love you more than anything in this world, above all remember that. Despite everything, despite all of this mess, I love you” he said getting up.
Rose followed him with her now reddening eyes.
“But tomorrow, do not interfere; I will be watching you, every moment of your day. Don’t interfere, this is a battle between your father and me, and one of us WILL die” Harry said coldly not looking back at her. He picked up the pensive and just walked away.
He told the truth, he loved her with everything he was.
“Then don’t fight him, neither of you has to die” Rose whispered desperately.
Harry held the tears; he smiled sadly and looked back at her. “Yes Rose, one of us does, for while I am alive he will never find true victory neither on the battlefield nor in his own mind, and while he is alive I will never be able to let go of the anger, the pain, the fear, the sorrow, and the bloodlust that is within me. Neither of us can live while the other survives” he said and then turned and walked out of the chamber.
Rose cried openly, the prophecy she saw in the pensive, it all made sense now, every part of it; every single phrase had come true. Her father had catalyzed and ignited every single part of it till it all became true. He had created an irreversible and inescapable endgame where either Harry, or he, or neither would survive.
Harry made it to his bed and fell asleep instantly. It felt like moments but he was awoken with a pale of cold water and it was light all around.
“Get up Harry” Hermione ordered.
“Why? I am bloody done studying Hermione; why the bloody hell did you wake me up?” Harry screamed.
“Because today we are graduating you ass!” Hermione replied as she laughed out in glee. Yes, the heaven shook and the earth parted, Hermione was gleeful and jumping around like…well like a schoolgirl.
“You’re shitting me” Harry said now sitting up. He had been away for a while and he nearly missed his own graduation, what’s more he nearly missed the final battle. Harry got up quickly and saw that Ron was also up and far more drenched than he was.
“No Harry, I am not shitting you. Man you really must have gone somewhere important if you can’t even notice what day it is” Hermione said in a concerned tone.
“The last of a certain affair that has to do with a dairy, a locket, a ring and a few other things has finally been resolved. Leaving only two snakes to take care of” Harry told her in a low voice.
Hermione’s eyes went wide, “They are all destroyed?” she whispered back.
“Last night I got the last one” he concluded as he pulled on something to wear. The ceremony would be at lunch so he still had time before he had to get dressed up.
“So is everyone up and getting ready?” Harry said as he put on a shirt. Hermione turned around and blushed watching his sculpt body.
“Yea, except Rose, I can’t seem to find her. Maybe she got up even earlier from all the excitement” Hermione replied.
“Yea maybe” Harry said holding the concern in his voice. He extended his sight and saw that she was sitting alone in the Astronomy tower. He had laid a Spirit block in her mind to prevent her from contacting her father but it seemed to be still intact so she hadn’t even tried.
“What are you guys talking about?” Ron inquired as he came around now dry and dressed.
“Oh Harry was just giving me some good news” Hermione replied as they went down to eat breakfast.
“Blimey Harry, congrats” Ron said patting him hard on the back as they sat down and Ron shoveled food on his plate.
Hermione didn’t even comment as she was too happy about graduating, a sentiment that was shared by all there.
“This is the best tasting food ever” Ron commented.
“Must be because your glad to be graduating” Harry replied as he took was enjoying his meal, but still held a bit of bitterness for being at ends with Rose. They hadn’t defined where they stood, she had a lot to consider, things he had had months to process, she was only getting now. He also had a tinge of nervousness, in a matter of hours a war would break out, and he knew he would be at the center of it.
Breakfast ended and everyone returned to the Common Room at their own pace. On the board there was a notice letting everyone know that lunch would begin promptly at quarter to one and everyone should be in their seats. The graduating class had to be seated on a stand that would be set up below the teachers so that they too would be facing the four tables of the houses. It also reminded them to be in their formal graduating robes and it announced that Hermione had been deemed valedictorian, as was expected by all.
Harry smiled, “Congrats Mione”
Hermione jumped up and down and screamed when she read it, “Yea McGonagall told me three days ago, I can’t believe that I did it. I so rock” she said excitedly.
“Uhm, Hermione, love, who the bloody hell else did you think was going to take it?” Ron replied.
“Well you never know” Hermione said calming down a bit.
“Hermione, you’re crazy, no one could possibly compete with you” Harry replied.
“Well you did a good job during the NEWTS” Hermione defended.
“But I only did that well this year, you’ve been at it for six years more than I. Of course you would win” Harry explained.
The morning slithered away; Harry readied his outfit for the Graduation and also readied the gear for the battle to come at nightfall. He got in the shower, his mind’s eye still on Rose. She was in her room now; she was getting ready and putting on a brave front for the ceremony. He sensed the turmoil in her, light and dark forces were moving against each other inside of her. After today though, if it all worked then the darkness would lose its source.
Harry came out of the bath, fully dressed and ready for the ceremony. “You ready Ron?” Harry said with a fake smile
“Yea mate, let’s go” Ron replied.
“Hey don’t forget us” Neville said as Seamus followed.
“Wouldn’t dream of it” Harry chuckled.
When they reached the bottom of the stairs Hermione was waiting for them.
“We are going to be late, and if I am late I will kill you” she warned.
“Right Hermione let’s just go” Harry said as he lead the way. Rose was still getting ready. Harry saw it, or maybe she was just avoiding them.
The group reached the bottom of the stairs and met with the other graduates.
Remus and the other teachers were there. He walked up to Harry and hugged him. “Your parents and Sirius would have been so proud” he said with pride.
“Sirius…” Harry whispered and then a flashback came to him. In between the nightmares he had seen in the world of Spirit, there had been something about Sirius, something that had filled him with hope instead of horror. The darkness had gotten much darker and then he saw it, he saw the book, HIS book. He knew where it was. He had forgot about it, but Remus had triggered the memory.
Unbeknownst to Harry, the Land of Spirit had been covered by a deep darkness at that moment, and the ground had shook, a force outside his understanding had intervened and sent him that vision.
Harry shook his head and snapped out of it, “Thanks Remus, I just wish they were here” he said sadly.
“So do I Harry, so do I” Remus said as he went on to congratulate the rest.
All the teachers passed by one by one congratulating their students. Finally it was McGonagall herself.
She went straight to Hermione, “Ms. Granger, or should I say, Hermione. I am extremely pleased with you. You have far exceeded my already high expectations of you. I am looking forward to your speech during the ceremony” she said proudly.
“Thank you Headmistress, I just hope I don’t mess it up” Hermione replied a bit nervously.
“It’s Minerva from now on and I am sure you will do just fine” McGonagall reassured her. “As for you Harry, it has been a very interesting year, ups, downs, triumphs and quite a bit of mischief. I must say I will be hard pressed to ever find a student that keeps me on my toes such as you have” she said brimming with pride as she broke her façade for a second and hugged him briefly.
Harry was a bit taken aback, “Thank you Professor, but you never know I might have a few more surprises left in store” he said with a wink, but his smile was far to fake. The darkness it concealed was almost too apparent.
“Heaven hope not” she worded out slowly as she tried to analyze the boy. Something was off, but she would have to figure it out later. Little did she know that later would never arrive.
Axel came over and shook Harry’s hand. “All has been arranged the package shall be delivered by the house elves to the designated targets. The barrier spell is completely ready” he said as he handed Harry a crystal. “This is all the help I can give you Harry. This is your fight. Are you sure you want to do it this way?” he asked.
“Positive” Harry said grimly but didn’t lose his fake smile.
The music began to sound and Harry and the other graduates began to walk up the center aisle. Parents and family all around then began to snap pictures wildly. The graduates for the most part did not break their smiles. They walked calmly up to the stage that had been built and sat in their designated seats. All around they saw small tables that would seat families. In places, like the Weasley’s table, several tables were pushed together to accommodate larger groups. The cheering was loud from that table as Mrs. Weasley was in tears and didn’t even notice the loud noisemakers the twins were spinning around over their heads.
Harry was laughing despite himself. He smiled as he settled to enjoy the moment, and then after the meal prepare for the battle. Almost like he would live in a dream world and when the meal was done he would return to his reality.
Harry took a seat as did everyone else. Rose finally appeared near the end and sat far from her friends.
“What’s up with her?” Ron asked.
“Don’t worry about it Ron. We had a small argument, we will sort it out later” Harry lied in order to pacify his friend.
“Welcome parents, and family members to another graduation ceremony. This year has by far been one of the most exciting and challenging. In these dark times we have for the most part been lucky. We have had joyous and relatively peaceful days…with a few exceptions that were more jovial than otherwise” McGonagall started and then looked over at the Marauders. “It is therefore that I have the extreme pleasure to introduce you to our graduating class. They are some of the brightest, most vibrant, and most special people I have ever had the pleasure of teaching. This year….” And then McGonagall proceeded to detail all the accomplishments of the graduating class, including the Quidditch Cup, their high NEWTS, and rather astounding results that some of them had achieved.
Finally, after a while, she cleared her throat and then said. “Now we shall hear words from Hermione Granger, Head Girl, and Valedictorian”. This was followed by applause.
Hermione stood up and approached the podium quite primly as she received a round of applause. Harry, Ron, and all her friends clapped wildly. The Weasley twins went mad and started hollering and throwing mini fireworks into the air that puffed into brilliant lights quietly.
“The shame of a Marauder being valedictorian, truly ghastly” Harry laughed.
“Indeed my dear Snuffles, dreadfully shameful” Seamus retorted.
“I concur, I think that Redfang is going to have to have words with her” Neville continued.
“More like a spanking” Ron said as he chuckled as well.
“You dog you” Harry said showing his friend playfully.
“Ruff, ruff” Ron barked smiling.
Hermione braced herself and then began, “Parents, family, Headmistress, Professors, Fellow students, and my fellow graduates, we thank you all for attending and for showing your support for us. Not only today, but for everyday you stood by us and helped us and trusted us to study hard here at Hogwarts. We were truly blessed. We lived through difficult times. At times the darkness only touched a few, others in more recent days have touched us all. Yet the light did not fail to appear, someone always stood up and fought, and thanks to them we are still here” Hermione said as he looked over at Harry and smiled. There was a bit of applause. “Today I want to remember those that have fallen in the defense of the school. Those that should have graduated but couldn’t because they were taken away by selfish men and women that are bent upon their insanity. I remember Dumbledore, Sirius Black, Aurors, Ministry officials and many other adults that have laid their life down in defense of students that for the most part they didn’t know. It is thanks to them and many others that we got to enjoy studying in the library” she continued.
“Only she enjoyed that” Harry and Ron mumbled together.
“Playing Quidditch, falling in love, making friends, and growing up. To all of them and for all of that. I want to say thank you, thanks to you we stand here, graduates, young adults ready to head off and face the future. To take on the darkness like they took it on. To our Professors, we thank you for your guidance and your help. You guided us with diligence and with care to this point and for that I thank you. To our fellow students, keep working hard, and soon you shall stand on this podium like we are, and stare into the future. It is daunting, but at the same time it is exhilarating. Finally to my fellow graduates, I wish you good luck, godspeed and above all else I want to say….Congratulations guys we did it!” she ended and then threw some of the fireworks the Weasleys were using up in the air.
There were loud cheers and clapping from the audience and the class. Hermione smiled and then retook her seat.
“Congrats love that was brilliant” Ron said giving her a quick kiss.
“Yea Spitfire, great speech” Harry said as she patted her lightly on the back.
McGonagall stepped up to the podium. “Now then, with that let us move along to the next part of the ceremony. The awarding of the spell and diplomas of graduation. If I could just have the list…” she began to say but was stopped as she noticed Harry stood up.
“Yes Mr. Potter?” McGonagall said as she raised an eyebrow. There were murmurs in the audience.
“Headmistress, I believe you skipped a speech” Harry said with an innocent grin.
Remus smacked his forehead. “Bloody hell, I should have seen this coming. Of course they would know about that” he mumbled as he shook his head.
McGonagall kept her eyebrow up and turned to Remus. “Professor Lupin, it seems you can enlighten me as to what this is about” she questioned.
“The Marauders Mega Monumental Most Memorable Masochistically Moroon Mentions Missives, and Memorandums” Harry supplied.
“You are jesting right?” McGonagall said recognizing the name.
“Dumbledore made a pact with the Marauders. James got him to phrase it in such a way that it applies. On the day Marauders graduate, they may elect a representative to deliver a tasteful speech” Remus said covering his eyes. “Really Harry, you just had to do something didn’t you” he said in a lower tone.
“Sorry Moony traditions must be respected” Harry said.
“Here here” the Marauders replied and so did the Weasley twins from where they stood.
Truth be told only Harry had known about it and the rest of the Marauders were just as surprised as everyone else was.
“Well then, thank you Headmistress. I think I speak for my partners and I when I say we will be supplying your fine institution for many, many, many years to come with all your pranking and special item needs. Even that certain something you order in bulk” he began to say garnering cheers from the twins and a death glare from McGonagall. “My esteemed and honorable fellow students… o and you Slytherins as well” Harry continued.
“Potter” McGonagall warned though kept it low. She had a hard time defending the snakes.
“Yes Minny” Harry said with a devilish grin.
“Potter” this time she said it quite loudly.
Harry chuckled as many were laughing or trying to contain their laughs.
“Harry only your father ever called her that” Remus sanctioned in a low voice.
“Who do you think helped me write the speech” Harry whispered back.
“Kill me now before Minny, I mean the Headmistress does” Remus replied and then corrected himself as he received a death glare.
Harry laughed a bit now and then sobered up. “As Spitfire, I mean Hermione so graciously pointed out. We must thank our families, mine for example, although quite deceased have provided me with endlessly useful knowledge that most would agree has been rather entertaining throughout the year. Well that is unless you were prank…I mean involved in said events” Harry corrected as the laughter and murmurs grew. McGonagall was now nearing Weasley red.
“I have many fond memories from this year, I could mention some of them, but I fear for my life and that of my fellow Black Marauders” he said nodding to McGonagall, who now was on Weasley red. The twins and their brothers with the exception of Percy where now full out laughing.
“Well then there has been a lot of love this year. In many places, even some rumors of some love in the Headmistresses office” Harry continued in a jovial but cool tone.
There were gasps, cheers, and whistles. McGonagall prepared to stand up but was tapped on the shoulder by Axel and was frozen in position. “Canem” she whispered as loud as she could but even her throat was restrained.
“Sorry Minerva, but I only honor my cousin’s wishes” he replied.
“Also snakes… I mean Slytherins, those times that the Quaffle didn’t go through that center hoop. That is also explained by some extracurricular activities rumored of certain people” Harry continued. McGonagall was now as red as a tomato.
“In any case, we were a very loving bunch” Harry concluded as most of his classmates were either bushing or laughing or both.
“Man look at that Gryffindor Spirit, it is impressive coming from all the students regardless of house. They all have decided to go with the crimson colors today. Though how they get their faces like that naturally I don’t know” he said innocently.
Some were laughing so hard that they couldn’t breathe.
“In any case let’s move on shall we. We studied a lot this year, my favorite class was biology” Harry continued.
“Harry, you mean Herbology right?” Hermione interrupted.
“No, I meant biology. Remember you and a certain red head had some rather intense ‘studying sessions’” Harry said and then watched her and Ron turn beat red.
“Quidditch was awesome, England rocked” Harry said and received loud cheers from the audience.
“Though we did borderline on an international incident. Rumors are that it was someone from England that caused all that commotion with the Ministers office and the German team. Frankly I can adamantly say that the British players had absolutely nothing to do with it” Harry said in a serious tone.
“What about the coach?” said Seamus laughing.
“I know nothing, I saw nothing, I think nothing, I heard nothing, and keep that Veritaserum away from me” Harry replied in a serious tone.
The room erupted in gasps and laughter again.
Axel just looked at Harry and raised an eyebrow.
“In any case, let’s move on with this speech before someone tries to kill me in order to silence what I know” Harry said as he shuffled nonexistent papers in front of him.
“This has been a hard few years. I have face many perils, for the most part I have faced many perils. If I ever get to have kids I will seriously have to be a teacher here in order to make sure that getting into trouble is not a genetic Potter trait as so far it has been proven otherwise. I have been nearly killed so many times that some Aurors cringe at the count. Giant spiders, Giant Snakes, Snakes in general” he said looking at the Slytherins who looked at him evilly. “Greasy gits that were formally known as teachers” he added and garnered more mean looks. “Voldemort…” there were several gasps. “Yea we are going to have to work on that people, I am working on getting him dead, so the least you can do is work on saying his name” Harry protested. Some smiled, others looked appalled. “OK how bout we reach a compromise, we call him the mentally deranged, half blood psychopath formally known as Tom Riddle and soon to be known as compost. Does that work for your people?” he said with smile.
Some people fainted, but those that were laughing were now rolling on the ground.
“I have seen many die, too many die. I am done with that, the only one I want to see die now is him. But enough of that depressing snake. Let’s get on with the party. Congratulations people, we all graduated, I wonder how some of us pulled it off” as he looked at Ron and the Slytherins. “I guess miracles do happen, or in Ron’s case death threats are a great motivator. I am sure you will thank Hermione and your mother later for those” he said and watched as both Hermione and Mrs. Weasley turned crimson and everyone laughed.
“Now to finish, I will take the lead from a very wise man and leave you with a few words: Mayhem, pranks, gumdrops, bats, chandelier, Timbuktu, renegotiation, and lint” he said out loud. Then added, at everyone’s confusion, “Hey I don’t get it either, but we still haven’t gotten Dumbledore to explain it to us”. There were claps and roars of laughter from some as Harry finally took his seat again.
McGonagall was unfrozen and then restrained by Remus and Axel from chocking the life out of Harry, then from chocking it out of Axel. Finally she realized the scene she was making and stepped casually forward.
“Well then I guess it’s FINALLY time for us to move to the next part” she said as she fixed herself off. There were still some stray laughs in the back. “When I call your name please step forward and present your wand” she instructed and began to call names in alphabetical order. When they passed she handed them a diploma then conjured a spell around their wand to that marked them as graduates of Hogwarts. Hermione went first, then Neville, then Harry carefully inched his way forward.
“Harry James Potter, Congratulations Mr. Potter, we are very happy to see you go” McGonagall said as she cast the spell and handed Harry the diploma as civilly as she could muster.
“Thank you Headmistress, I will be sure to leave my mark on this school” he jested.
“I am sure you’ve accomplished that already” she said worriedly.
“I might have one last surprise left for Hogwarts” Harry replied and then went back to his seat leaving McGonagall severely concerned.
Rose went up next, Harry observed she was quiet, her mind still in turmoil. At least it looked like she would stay out of the fight. It almost seemed like he had told her at the perfect time, this confusion put her out of action.
Ron went last to the roar of the Weasley clan, and then the ceremony was at an end.
McGonagall then said, “Congratulations Hogwarts graduates” and they all shot sparks in the air with their wands. The twins unleashed the full range of fireworks they were capable of to the horror and amusement of the crowds. Their mother was still on cloud 9 drying her tears and didn’t react.
“Please graduates take your seats at the tables, the meal shall be served forthwith” McGonagall explained.
Harry, Hermione, Ron and Neville went to sit with the Weasley’s, Hermione’s parents, and Neville’s grandmum all in one table. Soon Remus and Tonks joined them as well.
“Well Harry, your father and Sirius would be proud. That was definitely a Marauder speech” Remus said as he smacked the back of Harry’s head.
“Ow, bloody hell Mooney, no need to get rough” Harry replied.
“Yes there is” Remus replied stifling a grin.
“O quit it Remus, you know it was funny” Tonks said as she laughed a bit. “It was brilliant Harry” he added.
“Yea mate” George began.
“Made us proud you did” Fred continued.
“Even put Minny in her place” George said causing many to laugh.
“And made sure to advertize our business” Fred added.
“Brilliant work all the way” George went on.
“Couldn’t have done it better ourselves” Fred joked.
“Yea, we value our lives too much” George finished and all laughed.
McGonagall on the other hand had elected to stay away and eat with the teachers as was tradition. That and it insured she didn’t try to kill Harry.
There was congratulations all around but Harry’s mind was elsewhere.
Rose had vanished again. Harry searched for her with his eyes and saw her heading back to the Common Room. He knew that right now, she saw no allies, no friends. Her family was a psychopath that would be arriving shortly and her boyfriend was…well…complicated. The meal progressed as goblets of pumpkin juice and Butterbeer were passed around. Harry watched with interest as people drank from them. Tomorrow they would have the farewell banquet, but today everyone was celebrating them. But in order for tomorrow to come, Harry had taken a step ahead and had the elves spike the goblets with a little something extra.
Hermione nudged Harry, Slughorn raised his goblet with a sober nod towards Harry. Hermione also detected it.
“Harry did you spike the drinks?” she asked soberly.
“Yea” he replied plainly.
“With what?” Hermione replied controlling herself.
“Well if I knew I couldn’t trust them, in other words, if they are Tom’s accomplices, then a little surprise concoction that I brewed with the help of some very wise friends” he said smiling evilly. “Some very Marauderish friends” he added.
“Harry Potter, you will not ruin our…” Hermione began to yell but Harry covered her mouth.
“Mione, trust me, this isn’t about a prank” Harry said.
Hermione furrowed her brow and stopped trying to scream. “Then what is this about?” she asked.
“This one time Hermione, don’t ask questions and just trust me. This is what has to be done” Harry said grimly.
The tone he used added with his words convince Hermione to drop it. The meal progressed merrily and Harry smiled and laughed throughout it. When it was over, Harry quickly got up and started to head out.
Hermione put her hand on his shoulder as a thought dashed through her mind. “Harry, what did you put into the goblets of those that you could trust” she asked.
Harry tried to shake her off and ignore the question.
“Harry” she said grimly.
“Felix Falacis” Harry replied softly without turning and them quickly moved away.
“Luck potion? Why would he give everyone luck potion?” she pondered and then it hit her. “Unless…” she quickly turned to the Weasleys and everyone else that was at the table.
“Wand in hand” she whispered.
Tonks immediately reacted and got hold of hers.
“What is going on Hermione?” Remus asked seriously as he restrained Tonks.
“Something is wrong, Harry just dashed out of here after telling me he put Felix Falacis in the goblets of everyone he trusts” she explained as she had her wand ready.
Remus quickly analyzed the implications of such an action. “But why wouldn’t he say anything to us?” Remus replied quickly.
Hermione only remained silent as both their minds reached one single conclusion.
“He wouldn’t be that foolish…what am I saying he is the son of James Potter and the godchild of Sirius Black, foolish is genetically engraved in him along with idiotic levels of courage and selflessness” he concluded. He quickly dashed to McGonagall who was speaking with Slughorn.
“Are you sure Horace?” she asked with a look of impending dread on her face.
“Yes, Minerva, I am positive, this is Felix Falacis, and it’s in all our goblets” he said gravely.
“But why would anyone do that, and who would go to the trouble of giving us all luck for a day?” she asked and then saw Remus dashing towards her and it hit her. She looked around the room, everyone of the Black Marauders was there except Rose and…Harry.
“What has he done Remus?” McGonagall said as the answer was already forming in her mind.
“Wands in hand” was Lupin’s reply.
McGonagall quickly processed that statement and all its implications. “He wouldn’t” she whispered. Then she thought about it, and for the first time in a long time she cursed, “Bloody hell, he would. It is what Albus would have done” she said.
“Sonorous” she said to her throat as the ground shook. “Everyone who loves Hogwarts, draw your wands, the final battle is upon us” she said gravely as there was a boom.
Harry had already reached his room and changed into his battle gear as the sun went down and it happened. The earth shook and there was an ear shattering boom. The defenses, the barriers, had fallen.
“And so it begins” he said gravely.
Everyone in the Great Hall was in a state of panic and confusion, everyone except the Marauders, the Teachers, the Order, and Dumbledore’s Army. When they heard the call to arms there was no doubt or hesitation in their actions.
“Everyone prepare for battle” Hermione ordered and that command was relayed to the DA. They in turn relayed it to their parents. They didn’t understand, but they trusted their children, so they drew their wands.
McGonagall rushed towards the doors of the Great hall, everyone soon followed her actions. But there was a flash in front of them as many Slytherins and their parents stood in front of the doors.
“I am afraid that will not be possible” Malfoy said snidely.
It was then when there was a chuckle in the background, and that chuckle grew into laughter that spread.
Malfoy looked perplexed until he looked over to his right and noticed that his accomplices were now all canary yellow and had the words “Traitor” in bold red on their foreheads.
“What the pwuaca bloody hell, is happening to pwuaca us?” he asked as the clucks of a chicken started to emit from their mouths. Feathers quickly started to grow on them as well.
McGonagall cracked a smile as others laughed heartily. “Seems like we know who not to trust then. Curse them” she said viciously as everyone looked for the closest yellow clucking person and began to shoots spells at them.
McGonagall, along with some of the teachers headed through the main doors. Hermione saw this and signaled the Black Marauders to follow. When they reached the main doors they stood open. The quickly rushed out and found that McGonagall and the teachers were frozen in place.
“Good Merlin save us all” McGonagall said out loud.
“What is she…?” Ron began but then his eyes adjusted to the Twilight and he saw in the dying rays of the sun the cause…the army.
Hordes upon hordes of masked individuals. Giants, werewolves, vampires, Dementors, and other dark magical creatures were marching on Hogwarts.
“How?” Lupin asked in terror.
Axel calmly looked on, “Voldemort has managed to gain the favor of the Army of the Crimson Darkness” he replied nonchalantly.
At those words all the adults cringed in true horror as did Hermione.
“Good Merlin, no, we are doomed” Hermione said as she unconsciously backed and then fell to the ground.
“Hermione what the bloody hell are you going on about, who is the Army of the Crimson whatever?” Ron asked perplexed as Neville and Seamus tried to help her out.
Hermione was too scared to scold him, “History of Magic, the greatest evil army ever assembled under one individual. Nearly conquered the world, but one man defeated their Lord and they vanished. Without his leadership they scattered and hid” she replied.
“Who was it?” Neville asked as he too tried to fight the terror within him.
“The one that defeated him, that would have been Dumbledore” Axel replied as he sighed. “This is troublesome, the harlot pulled out all the stops” he thought to himself.
“And the defeated?” Seamus said dreading the answer.
“Grindenwald” McGonagall said as she too sank to the ground. The combined forces of Grindenwald and Voldemort were way beyond anything that they would be able to handle. Hogwarts would fall.
Ginny stepped forward ignoring everyone else and searched the field. It was there were she saw him. Standing alone in the middle of the field, wand in one hand, and the black sword Axel had given him for Christmas in the other. “He is bloody out of his mind” she whispered.
They all were shaken by Ginny’s words and followed her line of sight.
“Good Merlin” McGonagall gasped.
“Blood Idiot” Remus said out loud.
“What is he thinking?” Tonks added as they all moved towards him.
Harry sensed them approaching and he took out the stone that Axel had given him and placed it in an empty slot on the blade of his sword. He then planted the blade in the ground behind him. He took 5 steps forward and a pillar of light surged from the blade and then there was a blast as the pillar expanded sideways and then around the incoming army finally closing behind them, then above them a dome formed. The army did not falter they just kept marching forwards ignoring what had just happened.
The group finally reached where Harry was and ran into the barrier. They pounder their fists against it but it was solid and it was a good 10 feet thick.
“Harry James Potter what the bloody hell are you doing?” Remus shouted.
Harry turned and smiled at him, “Fulfilling my destiny” he replied simply.
“Are you insane, Harry, do you want to die?” Tonks screamed at him.
“No Tonks, I have no intention of dying. I will fight and I will win” he replied back.
“Harry that is impossible, there is no way you can stand up to even a fraction of all of them” Hermione said with tears in her eyes.
“Relax Spitfire, I know what I am doing. Axel, thanks for the barrier. I think it will do the job nicely” Harry continued.
Everyone looked at Axel.
“Professor Canem, you knew about this?” McGonagall asked shocked.
“Of course I knew about it” he replied matter of factly.
“And you actually helped him in this insane plan. You do know you sent the boy to his death” Remus shouted as he grabbed his robes and shook him.
Axel calmly removed his hands, “First of all he is not a boy, he is a man. Second of all I told him this was insane, that taking on all of them would be difficult” he replied calmly.
“Difficult? Are you bloody mad, this is blooming insanity” Ron said joining in with Lupin.
“You let Harry go in there and fight alone. You are a bloody coward” Ginny said as he smacked Axel.
“Technically he is not alone” Axel replied as if nothing had happened.
Then looked towards Harry and saw that a small black lizard was standing on his shoulder.
“What good is an iguana going to do?” Tonks said out loud.
Shadow heard her, he turned his head and shot a pure black flame that was so strong it even bent the barrier.
Harry turned, “Hum, yep this shield will definitely do” he commented.
Tonks meanwhile had hid behind Remus.
“I wouldn’t recommend ever calling a Black Emperor Dragon an Iguana, they might just take offense to that” Axel said calmly.
“Ok so he has an extremely large and nearly invulnerable dragon with him, that still is rather cross odds against an army” Hermione shouted at him as she joined the mob.
“Stop it, this is how I wanted things. You have to take care of the Death Eaters inside, granted it should be easy considering right about now they should be experiencing one of my potions more…interesting side effects. I put in a mild laxative” Harry said with a sly grin.
“Harry who are you kidding?” Axel replied with the same grin.
“Alright, alright, I put in Troll laxative, they should be shitting like crazy about now” Harry said as they both laughed heartily.
“They are both insane and idiotic” McGonagall said in utter shock.
“Well that was good for a laugh, time to get down to business” Harry said getting serious.
“Remember Harry, take out the snake first” Axel reminded him.
“Roger that teach” Harry said with a salute and a smile. “Good luck everyone, see you soon. And if I don’t, well I love you all” he said and then vanished.
Harry appeared in front of the approaching army. Voldemort was leading them and slithering in front of him was Nagini.
“Hello Tom, how are you doing this fine evening” Harry said politely as Shadow silently crawled down Harry and began to move towards Nagini.
“Insolent child” he said launching a curse towards him.
Harry easily moved out of the way.
“You know Tom, it’s a good thing you came. I was just aching to pay you a visit” Harry chuckled.
“Oh really, and why is that Harry. And do refer to me as Lord Voldemort” he replied.
“Sorry Tom, can’t do that. In any case the reason I wanted to visit is to return some trinkets of yours I found lying about” he said as he dropped the diary in front of him and then began to pace a bit.