Part 3:
Harry was intrigued. He stared at Hermione's words trying to take in her message. How she had time to research things to help him he didn't know as they were nearly always together, but she had answered the question on his mind. And she had found the answer to soothe his soul - Voldemort could be killed, just not by hate. Who was the letter from, he opened the envelope and two letters fell out. He picked up the first and his eyes widened, tears forming at the corners of them as he read his Fathers words.
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Harry,
Well, this is it, the big adventure. If you're reading this then you must be ready. I wish I was there with you, your Mother and I both wish we were there, but we've known for some time that that just wouldn't be possible. Your Mother has been buried in textbooks for some time now, and being the brilliant witch she is I'm sure she'll find a way to get this letter to you when you need it the most. I've wondered for some time what I would say to you here, trying to imagine you older, trying to imagine myself as a younger man, and there are few things I can teach you, so many things you must learn for yourself or you will never understand. Perhaps the most important lesson for wizards of your generation and mine to learn is that magic is very powerful, we allow it in our lives, however some allow it to control their lives. You must always be able to feel yourself and your own identity as you cast a spell. This is what separates us from Dark Wizards in reality. We still have that connection to humanity, compassion and love.
What more can I say son; I never imagined anything could be this hard. I fear leaving you more than I fear dying. Never teaching you to ride a broom, hearing your first word, teasing you about your first girlfriend…one more bit of advice about that one Harry - don't be afraid to love. You know what I mean, Lily already says that you're turning into me and you're only a baby so you must be a nightmare by now.
We love you more than you'll ever know
X Dad
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Harry smiled sadly and recognised that his Dad was right, they were alike if Remus, Sirius and Albus were to be believed. It was comforting to have contact with his Dad now, for he didn't doubt that the other letter would be from his Mum. He opened it gently and began to read.
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My Darling Harry,
It's so hard to imagine you as you must be now. Your Father and I could not love you more, and to know you are reading this letter in preparation for the first day of the rest of your life. You will triumph Harry, you have more good in you than there is evil in him. You must use this good to power the spell which will save you. I wonder whether you have discovered this already, I have a feeling you will have. I have never felt such pride as the first day you smiled, you cannot imagine how proud we would feel of you now.
What more can I say? The other envelope enclosed is also for you, I ask that you open this after everything - Immediately after - You will then understand the efforts made to help and save you.
I wish you Good Luck, I wish you all the happiness in the world, I wish you everything you have ever dreamed for yourself.
Love always
Mum
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Hermione avoided going directly back to her study after the Prefect meeting. She wasn't sure how Harry would have reacted to the letter she had snuck into his pocket during their hug earlier. When she eventually pushed the door open tentatively she found the study empty but a small scrappy piece of parchment lay on her desk, simply bearing the words `Thank You' in Harry's distinctive scrawl. A small smile graced her face as she looked again at the note.
As she climbed into her bed sometime later, she sighed knowing that she had now done all she could to help Harry. She believed he was capable of the rest.
Sometime in the night she sat bolt upright, her eyes flying open as her hands rushed to where her heart had just thumped ominously. Her face drained of colour, and her head span as the realised what was happening. The spell had begun to take effect. The battle had begun.
Hermione was running, her head was swirling, nothing was in focus. She had to help.
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Harry heard the curse spoken as if in slow motion; he had not even turned before he felt a sharp hot pain across his back. He gritted his teeth. He wouldn't cry out. He would not give Voldemort the satisfaction.
"Too scared to fight face to face now Tom?"
He turned to see his destiny standing before him.
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Ron was running. Ginny had found him. Hermione had been murmuring. No one could make sense of what she was trying to say. But Ron saw Harry's empty bed and he knew exactly what she was trying to say. He took off with Neville close at his heels towards Dumbledore's office.
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Ginny looked to where Harry's trunk lay open, a crumpled piece of parchment on the top. Picking it up she scanned for a name as familiar to her as her own. There it was, in the Forest, standing in front of him was a name she had prayed never to see on Hogwarts grounds - Tom Marvolo Riddle.
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Hermione remembered red hair. Flashes of it in front of her. She was feeling weaker.
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Ginny rushed forward to catch Hermione, as her knees seemed to give out from underneath her. As Ginny lay her onto the floor, cradling her friends head, tears fell. It was if Hermione was vanishing from her own body, her eyes were open and while they darted around they didn't seem capable of taking anything in.
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Harry gasped as the second curse hit him. Golden light began to fill the forest around them as Harry cursed right back.
He took a deep breath and thought of the words in the letter. He closed his eyes for a split second and power began to emanate from his body, his wand trembled as it connected with the light from Riddle's. A light was growing from around Harry's body, steadily overtaking the dome formed by the Brother Spell effect. Harry's eyes flew open as emotions flowed through his veins like blood. He could suddenly deep into the depths of Riddle's eyes and what he saw there was hate. Harry spoke the words he would never again utter. Purple light shot forth from his wands, striking Riddle in the chest.
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As Ron and Neville stood face to face with Albus Dumbledore the entire room was bathed in purple light.
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Ginny looked skywards as purple light filled the corridor where Hermione lay. She whispered soft words of prayer.
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Severus Snape saw purple light spread through the dungeons. He carefully pulled up the arm of his robes and looked at the inside of his forearm.
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Harry picked up a wand from the ground and snapped it in half, before raising his own to the sky and casting the symbol which could be seen over every wizarding home.
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Ginny still shocked by the purple light, looked back down at her friend, and gasped. Hermione's eyes had closed and her body was cold. Grasping for a wrist she could feel no pulse.
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Remus Lupin awoke and ran outside into the streets of London. He turned back to see the symbol of the Phoenix rising above Grimmauld Place. His shout of joy was heard streets away and echoed around the country.
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Albus Dumbledore grasped clumsily for the edge of his desk to steady himself as Fawkes cried out in joy on sighting Phoenix covering the castle. It was the only time Ron or Neville saw him appear vulnerable.
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Students ran through the hallways, not understanding what was happening. The hallways were bathed in an orange glow. Feelings of warmth seemed to pass into them from the glow undermining the fear and confusion with contentment.
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Harry stood disbelieving over the body. Was it really over? Looking through the trees he could see the castle bathed in an orange glow. His heart seemed to be trying to burst from his chest. He had no idea where all that power had suddenly come from. He was a powerful wizard, he accepted that - but he wasn't that powerful…
Ginny tried tearfully to explain what was going on when Professor McGonogal found her cradling Hermione in the hallway, but her words became confused in the emotions whizzing through her mind, and in all honesty she had no idea what was going on - only that everything was over. She just repeated it's over…it's over…
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Professor McGonogal crossed the hallway from Ginny and Hermione and tears fell as she saw the many phoenixes rising over the village of Hogsmeade in the distance. Voldemort was gone. She and Ginny carried the stricken Hermione to the hospital wing.
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Harry sank to the ground next to his defeated opponent. He looked into the frozen face - lacking in humanity - and opened his mouth to speak the words he had been planning for so many years - but no sound emerged - they just didn't fit anymore. A sob caught in his throat - this had always been for his Mum - for his Dad - for Sirius - for Cedric - for Neville's parents - but that just didn't seem enough anymore. And it wasn't his reason anymore. With a sudden clarity he knew exactly who it was for. Casting a spell to banish the body to Azkaban he turned and ran back towards the castle, through the throngs of students gathering in the Entrance Hall and Great Hall. His eyes instinctively searching for her. He ran almost headlong into Neville.
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Neville met Harry's eyes - and the two shared a moment of silent communication. Their twisted lives destined by a prophecy were freed. Reaching into his pocket Harry handed Neville a piece of wood. Neville stared at it for a moment before realising what Harry was giving him.
"No one else will suffer the way your parents did. We'll stop them Neville." Harry said hoarsely, breathing heavily from his run across the grounds.
Neville hugged his friend and only then did Harry remember the pain searing across his back and chest. He flinched and gasped at the fire burning across his torso. Neville held Harry's arms up, taking in Harry's injured status and noticing the crowd gathering around Harry, he guided him towards the hospital wing.
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The crowds of students parted around him and Harry's eyes searched out the pair he needed to see. He was feeling more and more tired, and he could tell Neville was now supporting most of his weight as they moved through the castle.
"'Mione?" Harry's voice came out much quieter than he'd intended.
Neville stopped walking to hear him better.
"Hermione." Harry said softly. Neville net his eyes and nodded.
"That's where we're going." Neville reassured him as they began moving again.
Ron rushed towards them and supported Harry's other side, the castle was bustling around them.
Harry could hear voices all around him.
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"He's wounded. I don't know how badly."
"Madam Pomfrey's waiting."
"Is he really gone?"
"The Phoenix is everywhere…"
Then there was silence.
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