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Chapter 15: End of it All...
Grinning sinisterly, Cassandra raised her sword up fully intending to behead Hermione right there. For an awful moment, it looked like Hermione had finally been defeated. She was simply sitting there apparently in a daze. However, just as Cassandra's sword came swiping down, Hermione ducked and avoided the blade.
"Expelliarmus!" she shouted. Cassandra's eyes widened in shock and surprise ad her sword flew out of her hand and into Hermione's hand. She didn't have time to blink as Hermione spun around and stabbed her in the abdomen. Hermione stood up and said, "Accio." Her own sword flew into her other hand of the arm that had been wounded by Cassandra. While Cassandra had been taunting her, Hermione had been secretly applying healing charms to her wounded arm.
"You won't be waiting for long," hissed Hermione. "Your master will be joining you soon." With that, she slashed Cassandra's throat, cutting her life short.
Hermione fell to the ground panting with exhaustion and on the verge of crying. She absolutely loathed taking a life but Cassandra Frost had given her no choice. At the moment, Hermione simply wanted to curl up and sob her feelings of guilt and remorse away, preferably in Harry's arms. 'Harry,' she reminded herself. 'He's still fighting outside.'
Hermione wiped away the tears that had formed in her eyes and stood up. Slowly, she made it over to the podium where the last of the rings of the One Deity were. She reached her hand over the rings.
With a flash of light, the rings disappeared off the podium and reappeared on Hermione's fingers. 'That's all of them,' she thought. A new feeling of determination welled up inside her. 'Now to finish the threat of Tempest once and for all!'
* * *
Meanwhile, the Alliance military had finally arrived and were now laying siege to the coliseum. Commanding the army on horseback were two older men. One of them was of course Albus Dumbledore. The other man had a peg leg, a face covered with scars, and a magical eye. He was Alastar "Mad- Eye" Moody, a retired veteran Mage Knight whom had been called back into duty to lead the final battle against the Dark Lord.
"Archers Fire!" he screamed. Alliance archers fired their arrows into the coliseum taking down the remaining cultists on the walls and stands. Catapults also released their projectiles, causing great damage to the coliseum. Meanwhile, the battering rams were still working to break down the great doors.
"Come on! Come on! Work it up! Them Mage Knights need our help in there," yelled Moody at the battering rams. The battering rams started working harder, but they still could not bring the heavy-set doors down.
Suddenly, Moody heard a throat being cleared behind him. Moody turned around to see Severus Snape standing there.
"Allow me," said Snape. He pulled out a small vial containing a dark gray potion and tossed it at the doors. There was a huge explosion, and the doors came tumbling down.
Moody was speechless for a second while Dumbledore beamed at a smug looking Snape. Moody quickly recovered and shouted, "Charge!" Alliance cavalry and infantry charged into the coliseum to aid the much-overwhelmed Mage Knights. Soon, the tide of the battle had turned against the Children of Tempest.
However, there were two swordsmen completely oblivious to the battle raging around them. Harry and Voldemort were now dueling on the very stands of the coliseum, the swords whirling around in high speeds with clashes of metal.
Voldemort swung his sword up in an upward movement, deflecting Harry's sword away. "It ends now. Avada Kedavra!" he shouted. Harry rolled out of the way, avoiding the green light.
"Oh, so now we've moved onto the killing curse have we?" said Harry. He readied his sword into a battle ready position.
"This is the end!" screamed Voldemort. "Victory is mine, in the name of Tempest! Avada Kedavra!"
Harry avoided the killing curse by leaping in the air. He somersaulted and landed behind the Dark Lord. He spun around, swinging his sword out. Voldemort flicked his sword behind his back and blocked Harry's blow. Harry twirled his sword around into a battle ready position as Voldemort spun around, his own sword lifted in a battle ready position. The two duelers circled around each other, their glaring eyes burning into each other.
Harry struck first, thrusting his sword out in a sudden move. Voldemort deflected the blow and stuck at Harry with and downward strike. Harry blocked the sword and spun around, lashing his sword out. This attack was also blocked. The two duelers continued lashing out at each other, their swords moving faster and faster in a whirlwind of motion. However, Harry was now starting to get exhausted.
"You're tiring, Potter," taunted Voldemort. "It looks as if I will be the victor this time. Avada Kedavra!" Harry leapt out of the way and landed on a low wall near by. He quickly regained his balance as Voldemort also made his way onto the wall.
"We'll see who is victor," hissed Harry. He let out a cry and swung his sword down at Voldemort. The Dark Lord avoided the first blow by backing away and blocked the second. He backed away a little more, clearly intending to send a curse at Harry. Harry braced himself for Voldemort's curse. Voldemort grinned and shouted, "Expelliarmus!" Harry, whom had been expecting the killing curse was caught by surprise and his sword flew out of his hand.
Voldemort swung at Harry but Harry ducked and avoided the blade. He rammed his fist into the Dark Lord's gut as hard as he could, causing Voldemort to reel back. This gave Harry the time to edge away from Voldemort and summon his sword. Harry's was panting rather heavily and was having a hard time catching his breath.
"You can't win," said Voldemort. "Even if by some stroke of luck you win this duel, I will come back even more powerful. Before the power of Tempest, none can stand. Tempest is undefeatable!"
"Well that's about to change," said a voice from behind.
"What?" Voldemort spun around to see Hermione there with rings. With a flash, have of the rings disappeared off of Hermione's fingers and reappeared on Harry's fingers.
"This is the day history changes," said Hermione. "This is the day the war between us and you, good and evil, the One Deity and Tempest ends once and for all." She raised her hands up, as did Harry.
"No," said Voldemort. For the first time ever, he truly looked frightened. "NO! Avada Kedavra!"
Hermione rolled out of the way and readied herself next to Harry. The two tried to gather power into the rings. Unfortunately, another killing curse from the Dark Lord.
"NO!" screamed Voldemort. "I am Tempest Incarnate! I am invincible! You cannot defeat me! You will never defeat me!" He charged at the couple, his sword raised in front of him. Hermione was knocked out of the way but Harry blocked the blow on his sword.
"Its over," said Harry. "One way or another it's all going to end here, today." He pushed back and rammed his hilt into Voldemort's chin. The Dark Lord reeled back but soon recovered and started lashing out at Harry.However, he was clearly letting his emotions control him and Harry now had no problem deflecting all of the blows.
Voldemort finally landed one particulary nasty blow on Harry's sword, causing Harry to buckle a little. However, Harry suddenly uppercutted the Dark Lord's right hand with his left hand, causing Voldemort's sword to fly into the air. Faster than an eye could blink, Harry grabbed the sword and stabbed it into Voldemort's abdomen!
Voldemort backed away a little, clearly in shock. This finally bought enough time for Hermione to pull herself up and rejoin Harry. Voldemort stared at them in shock and fear as Harry and Hermione lifted their hands and shouted, "Expecto Patronum!"
What emerged was not a scarlet and gold griffin like the time when only two rings were used. All eight rings together produced a dazzling light, brighter and more brilliant than any ever seen before and music, majestic to the ear and yet soothing somehow. In a flash, the light engulfed the Dark Lord.
"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!" screamed Voldemort as his body crumbled up into dust, leaving behind only the Crystal of Tempest. A shadowy wraith slowly emerged from the crystal and a small writhing voice cried out, "One Deity! Why do you still stop me from having what I want?!" With that, the shadowy form of Tempest dissolved away in thin air.
Not satisfied yet, Harry took up his sword and with one swipe, shattered the Crystal of Tempest into pieces. Thus the threat of Voldemort and of Tempest was eliminated off of Magiterran once and for all, for the last time.
Harry took a deep breath and sat on the ground. "This had better be the last time," he muttered. He felt Hermione snake her arms around him from behind.
"I'm sure this is the last time, love," said Hermione. "After all, I'm sure even Dark Lord's get tired."
Harry smiled and tilted his head around to face Hermione. Their lips met in a sweet, blissful, and passionate kiss that left them breathless. As far as they were concerned, thye didn't want this kiss to end, but like all of their previous kisses the issue for air had to finish it.
"Did I ever tell you that I love you?" said Harry.
"Quite often," said Hermione with a smile. Harry would've kissed her again if a small dragon hadn't suddenly landed right next to them. Lin and James leapt into their parents' arms, laughing in glee.
"You did it!" yelled James with a laugh. "You won! We won! We won!"
"Oh Dad, Mum, I'm so glad you're both OK," sobbed Lin. Hermione hugged their daughter close as Harry spun their son around.
The coming of the children and served as a prelude for larger crowds that now drew near the Royal Family. Ron and Ginny had recovered and were now giving their fellow Mage Knights hugs and backslaps as Draco stood nearby, cool as ever. The Griffin Riders had landed, including Sirius and Remus and they were all now congratulating Harry and Hermione and cheering. The Alliance army had just moped up the last of the cultists and was now letting out a victory cry.
"Well done!" said Dumbledore as he and Moody made their way over to Harry and Hermione, "I knew you could do it!"
However, Harry and Hermione's attention was centered on the figure of Hagrid lumbering toward them, with little Virginia sitting on his shoulder. "Daddy! Mommy!" she cried with glee. Hagrid let her down and she ran up to Harry, hugging him tight as her small arms could.
"Hello, little one," said Harry. "I missed you." Hermione led the twins over to Harry and Virginia and the Potters gathered into a family group hug. Around them, Mage Knights and Alliance soldiers were cheering while Ron released fireworks into the air.
"Where did you get those?" asked Ginny.
"From Fred and George," said Ron with a grin. "I paid them a visit before the battle, thought I'd prepare for the victory party."
Meanwhile, Harry and Hermione were still having a private moment with their children. "Is it all over?" asked Hermione. "Is it really over this time?"
"That depends on your definition of over," said Harry. "The war against Tempest is over, but the rest of our lives is just beginning."
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A/N Could everyone please do me a favor? Please go read and review the works of Colonel-DCR a.k.a. my Dad. He's posted an original western on FF.net. Just check my favorite authors list in my author's section. Thanks a lot. Next: Epilogue.