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Endings and Beginnings by Eternal Fire
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Endings and Beginnings

Eternal Fire

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Harry Potter. They are the property of J. K. Rowling.

Graduation day at Hogwarts was a very important day. The graduates were all getting fitted for their gowns - each of them wearing their house's colors. It was also the second to last day for continuing students.

Ron and Hermione were sitting in the Great Hall anxiously awaiting a letter from Harry. They hadn't heard from him since Hermione's letter, but it usually took Hedwig a few days each way. Hermione was a nervous wreck because she knew something no other student knew and what this day was going to bring.

"Hey Herm, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine…just relieved that the year's over." Ron grinned at her.

"Aw, you just wanna see Harry again!" he teased.

"Well…yeah, I do. He is my boyfriend," she retorted. 'And so much more,' she added silently.

The main gates of Hogwarts castle opened to welcome their guests for the day. Various reporters were there from several wizard papers, and Minister Fudge entered with two of his aids at his side.

"Cornelius," Dumbledore greeted and shook his friend's hand. The minister had a fake smile on his face.

"Normally Albus, I'd be happy to see you and to be here, but the last few days have been a nightmare."

"What's the latest news?" the headmaster asked as the two headed into a side passage.

"We know that You-Know-Who is gathering his followers, but we don't know where he is going to strike."

"Why not here?" Dumbledore asked making his colleague gasp. "Think about it, why wouldn't he attack Hogwarts today. He knows that important people show up."

"That's not funny, Albus. I'm here to show that the ministry is not afraid of dark magic or threats. And personally, I still don't believe that You-Know-Who is still alive." Dumbledore wanted to scream.

"Cornelius, you can be serious. Do you really think that anyone aside from Voldemort could raid Azkaban successfully? Or are you still refusing to accept the truth?"

"Mind your words, my friend, we have no proof that he was behind this. True, the Dark Mark was conjured, but it does not mean You-Know-Who is behind it. His followers are just trying to stir up trouble."

"This is going to come back to bite you," Dumbledore muttered under his breath.

"It's too bad that Potter couldn't be here to finish his schooling. He would have made a fine graduate," Fudge stated changing the subject.

"Then that is something that we both agree on, Cornelius."

After spending twenty annoying minutes with the Minister of Magic, Dumbledore headed back to his office. Upon entering the walkway, he saw his fellow professors waiting for him.

"Good, I'm glad that you're all here."

"Professor Dumbledore, do you really believe that You-Know-Who will attack the ceremony?" Professor Flitwick asked rubbing his long nose.

"Yes, my friend, I believe he will. I assume that each of you has done as I asked," he said looking at his colleagues.

"Of course, Albus, we each did our part," Professor McGonagall answered.

"Thank you. I pray that I am wrong about this."

"What happens if he does show up?" Snape asked, his eyes narrowing. Dumbledore looked at the Potions teacher.

"Then God help us."

"I see today as day when much blood shall be shed," Professor Trelawney said softly.

"I hope you are wrong about that."

"My visions always hold some truth, Professor Dumbledore."

"Hagrid?"

"Yes sir?" the half giant stated.

"Prepare the grounds for the ceremony. It is time to begin."

The student body of Hogwarts gathered outside the main gates where rows of chairs magically appeared, and the first through sixth years were seated. The faculty took their seats in front of the students, and Dumbledore and Minister Fudge stood up to address the crowd.

"Welcome students, faculty, and journalists. Another year has gone by, and another class has completed Hogwarts training. Each of them has done well, and it is time for them to receive their certification as full-fledged wizards and witches," Dumbledore began. The old man could feel the hairs on the back of his neck tingle. He could feel something, and his gaze glanced in the direction of the Dark Forest. The trees were rustling, and a slight breeze was coming from its depths.

"I congratulate each student on their fine work and look forward to each of yours success in the future," Fudge added. "Now, if everything is in order, we would like to call up the students to receive their diplomas."

A slight shadow fell over the crowd, and everyone looked up to see black clouds rolling in from the direction of the Dark Forest.

"That was quick for rain clouds; I thought it was supposed to be sunny today," one of the students stated.

"Those are no rain clouds," Dumbledore said as his tone became serious.

The clouds formed into a blanket until it looked like a sheet of tar was covering the sky. It enveloped the sunlight and brought an eerie darkness over the castle. Lightning crackled, and thunder rumbled from the heavens, but no rain came down. Several of the younger students began trembling.

"What's going on?" Ron asked as the wind picked up. "I've never seen a storm move in so fast."

"This is no ordinary storm!" Hermione shouted over the howling of the wind. That was when she saw it. It was just for a second, but she swore that she sawing figures illuminated among the trees.

"Ron look!" she shouted and pointed towards the Dark Forest. Her comment made several other students follow her line of sight.

"What's going on here?" Minister Fudge gasped. Dumbledore could only shake his head.

"It's just as I feared."

From the depths of the Dark Forest appeared a hoard of black-cloaked figures. Surrounding them was a good number of werewolves and mountain trolls. They advanced on the crowd of students and teachers almost slithering across the grass.

"Minerva, get them inside now!" Dumbledore shouted.

"All students follow me!" Professor McGonagall ordered. They readily followed her back towards the castle.

However, just as they reached the gate, the mighty wooden doors slammed in their faces, and three cloaked figures stood before them.

"We cannot allow to escape so easily," one of them sneered. McGonagall held out her arms in defense of the students behind her.

The first years were trembling and tried to stay close to upper classmen that they knew. Ron's head kept snapping back and forth between the closed gate and the approaching figures from the forest.

"What the hell is going on?" he demanded.

"Dear God, it's happening," Hermione gasped, and her hands began to shake.

"What's happening?" Ron inquired.

"Those are…those are Death Eaters."

"Wait a minute, you mean those are You-Know-Who's…"

"Exactly." Ron gulped at her confirmation.

Meanwhile, Professor Dumbledore had moved to place himself between the students and the Death Eaters. Minister Fudge came to his side and look on with growing apprehension.

"I don't believe this."

As the mob of cloaked figures approached, the minions of werewolves and trolls moved to surround the students and teachers.

"Go back at once!" Dumbledore ordered. The werewolves and trolls merely snarled and continued advancing.

"Professor Sprout." At the headmaster's direction, the Herbology teacher took out a pouch of seeds and flung them into the mob of beasts.

Upon hitting the ground, the seeds erupted into enormous black vines and wrapped themselves around the dark creatures. As they struggled, the vines merely tightened, choking the life out of them.

"What is that stuff?" Ron gasped.

"Instant Devil's Snare," Hermione answered.

"I don't get it. I thought trolls were too stupid to purposely attack anyone."

"Not if they're controlled by the Imperious Curse."

"Well done, Professor," Fudge praised.

But the Devil's Snare had only taken care of part of the problem. Most of the wolves and trolls had escaped, and they didn't look very pleased.

"Professor Flitwick, Severus, you know what to do!" Dumbledore ordered.

"What are you doing?" Fudge demanded.

"Since you wouldn't heed my warning, Cornelius, I decided to take special measures to protect the students and Hogwarts."

Professor Flitwick took out his wand and levitated several of trolls into the air. He then slammed them into one another or used them like as flying projectiles and threw down on other trolls.

Snape, meanwhile, called up several sixth and seven year Slytherins who timidly came forward.

"Listen to me, all of you…" He hand them each three vials filled with a blood-red liquid, "…when I tell you, throw this at those wolves. And you better not miss."

"Yes sir!" they all said at the same time. Severus turned towards the oncoming werewolves and waited until they were within about fifty feet.

"NOW!" At his command, they flung the vials at the wolves like baseballs. When the glass shattered, the potion created a bright red mist.

Howls of pain roared from the suffering werewolves. It had been a blinding potion and packed a punch a hundred times more powerful than mace. The whining animals clawed helplessly at anything near them and ended up killing one another.

Back at the gate, Professor McGonagall continued to stare down the three Death Eaters blocking her path. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a giant three-headed dog burst from the trees, and each of its heads latched onto one of the cloaked men. They wailed helplessly as the dog's mighty jaws shredded them in a matter of seconds. The students gagged at the sight until Hagrid appeared behind the beast.

"All right, Fluffy, that's enough!" The dog complied and threw the three bodies out of its mouth and into the foliage.

"Hagrid?" McGonagall gasped in astonishment. "Thank goodness."

"No time to talk, professor, it'd be best if we get them kids inside." Minerva immediately complied.

"Students, follow me!" Hagrid pushed open the wooden doors, and the student body hurried into the courtyard.

Ron and Hermione stayed behind to help everyone through the doors, but they did not follow the others.

"What are you two doing?" Hagrid demanded.

"We want to help," Ron shouted. The giant man shook his head.

"Not this time, laddies, you're in way over your head."

"Hagrid, we need all the good wizards we can get," Hermione challenged.

"I said no!" But before he could force them inside, the two teenagers ducked under his arms and ran outside.

Dumbledore watched the scene, and a small smile came across his face. Good, that part was done. The trolls had stopped advancing and what was left of the werewolves were snarling at the defiant humans.

"Well Dumbledore, I see you've been expecting me," a voice sneered. The sound of that voice made everyone within earshot freeze.

The Death Eaters parted like the Red Sea, and one of them stepped forward. He had a twenty-foot long snake following him. He lifted his hood slightly, and Dumbledore saw his eyes - crimson red.

"No, it can't be!" Minister Fudge cringed. The cloaked figure laughed sadistically.

"You always were a pathetic wheezing coward, Cornelius." The man pushed his hood off to reveal a bald head and skin as white as chalk.

"He can't be alive!" Fudge said as his bottom lip trembled. Dumbledore's eyes narrowed.

"Well, you're looking well…Voldomort."

The two wizards stared one another down. Neither one displayed any signs of backing down.

"I see that you still teach your students parlor tricks, Albus. A shame they never learn real magic."

"You mean how to use magic to kill and use people as if they were puppets."

Ron and Hermione reached the other professors and took out their wands. They didn't know attack spells, but they could slow down the trolls.

"Hermione, look out!" The young woman jumped out of the way just as a large club came down on her.

"Cyclonus!" The troll was thrown a good fifty feet into the air and slammed into a tree. Ron and Hermione turned to see Remus Lupin behind them.

"Professor Lupin? What are you doing here?"

"The same as you two, stubborn kids." Hermione looked up to see no other than Sirius and Mad-Eye Moody land next to them.

"Sirius!" she said happily, and the man smiled at her.

"So Albus, I see you brought the whole gang together," Voldomort sneered.

"You will not win here today," Dumbledore said firmly.

"Oh really…" The dark wizard raised his wand, and a fireball lit on the end of it. It grew bigger and bigger until it was almost thirty feet in diameter. "…Tell me old man, with all of you out here, who is watching your bratty kids."

"Don't!" But it was too late. Voldomort launched the fireball over the archway, and Dumbledore had no time to cast a barrier over the school.

As if the ball was listening to Dumbledore, it rose back out of the courtyard - held at the end of another wand. The barer floated over the wall bringing the fireball with him - still unexploded.

"What is this?" Voldomort hissed.

"I believe this belongs to you!" a familiar stated and raised his wand into the air. The fireball shot straight up and exploded harmlessly in midair. "But I guess you won't be needing it anymore."

"Who are you?" the dark wizard demanded. As the smoke cleared, the Dark Lord saw a pair of green eyes gazing at him with a stare that would melt lead.

"Ah, if it isn't the star of the show? Welcome…Harry Potter."