Chapter 34
Dedicated to: Everyone in Sea-Dorm: Michelle, Doug, Nansi, Jesse, Nick, my step-brother Brent, and Alex.
Note: I said this would be the last chapter, but its not. It's the next to last chapter. Please enjoy!!!! YAY!!!!!!
The earth began to shake. The wind blew the sand into little waves. The dark cloud fell over the wizarding world. With a great flash of light, the full moon burst into view over Harry and the others. The rumbling came closer and closer. 4 wolves howled nearby. Then, in a blinding flash of lighting from the cloud, HE appeared.
"Harry Potter!" The voice split through the thick air like an arrow. "You've been waiting."
"We all have been waiting, Voldemort!" Harry yelled back at the shadowy figure on the lead Dark Unicorns. More figures on Dark Unicorns loomed into view behind Voldemort.
"I challenge you to a duel! A duel to end your reign over the wizarding world! I challenge you, Tom Marvolo Riddle!" Harry yelled.
"Do not speak that name! I! Lord Voldemort accept your challenge!"
"NOW!" Harry yelled to the wizards and witches. Harry swung his other leg off the unicorn and jumped to the ground. He ran, toward the many Death Eaters rushing forward. Flashes of colored lights of spells hit all targets. Harry drew out his wand and ran toward the figure standing beside the head Unicorn. The only one not fighting. Voldemort.
"This is the end, Voldemort! Give up!" Harry said to Voldemort, brandishing his wand at the cloaked figure.
"You don't deserve to live in this world any longer!" Harry said, his voice beginning to shake. "You killed my parents! You've killed my friends! Are you going to fight or not? Be who you truly are!" Voldemort raised his head and his hood slipped from his head. Harry's eyes widened. He stepped back, foot sinking into the ground.
"Dad?" Harry said. The hair. The face. It was him. Harry's father. "It can't be!" Harry said. Voldemort took a step towards Harry.
"But it is Harry. You told me to be who I truly am. I am your father."
"No. No! I don't believe you!" Harry yelled, squeezing his eyes shut and shaking his head.
"Why don't you believe me? Can you not trust even your own father?"
"If you aren't lying, then why did you kill my mom? Why did you try to kill me?" Harry asked, eyes narrowed, looking up at Voldemort.
"Why? Harry, my boy. Isn't it obvious? She knew you were a strong wizard, as young as you were then. When your mother discovered my dark past, she tried to escape with you. So I killed her. With her out of the way, it was time to kill you. But your foolish mother had protected you. My attempts failed. Now, son. It is finally your time to die." Voldemort's hand moved towards the inside of his robe. Harry's hand flew forward and he grasped Voldemort's throat inside his hand. He squeezed, meaning business.
"You're not my father." Harry growled.
"How do you know?" Voldemort said, breathing heavily. He gulped for air.
"2 reasons." Harry said, tightening his grip. "One, you never mentioned Nellie. And two, my father doesn't have green eyes."
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Hermione, Ginny, Pavarti, Dean, Lavender, Seamus, and Neville were sprawled out in the boys dormitory in Gryffindor Tower. Hermione had an arm comfortingly around Ginny's shoulders. Ginny sniffed periodically. Seamus and Lavender were holding hands and cuddling on his bed, staring out the open window. Blasts could be heard from the dueling field. Neville sighed loudly. Dean coughed. Silence once again. Ginny wiped her face on her sleeve. She stood up and walked out of the room. It was Hermione's turn to sigh. She fell back, her head falling onto Harry's pillow. She took it and hugged it close to her.
"I'm going to get some food. You guys want anything?" Dean asked.
"You're eating at a time like this?" Seamus asked.
"Well, I eat when I'm nervous." Dean said, shrugging.
"No thanks." Lavender said. Pavarti shook her head.
"Hermione?" Dean asked. Hermione didn't answer. She clutched the pillow closer to herself.
"Well. Okay then." Dean left the room.
Ginny walked through the empty halls. The only people out were those getting food from the great hall. Ginny walked down a flight of stairs and turned down a dark hall. Her footsteps echoed loudly. Only one torch was lit, next to a stone wall. Ginny took a breath. She pounded on the wall. Nothing happened. Ginny hit the wall, the kicked it before it opened.
"Oh. It's you." Graham Pritchard said, glaring at her through the crack he had opened in the wall. He let her in. The door slammed shut behind her.
"You know, you could have just asked him for the password." Graham sneered at her back. Ginny didn't answer. Graham flopped down in a chair.
"The dorms empty." He called after her. Some 4th year girls gave her mean looks. Ginny ignored them. If he was here, he would have done something about it. But he wasn't, and this was her first time in the Slytherin common room. Draco had always told her that she could come in here. All she had to do was knock. What a laugh. Knocking on a stone wall. Ginny paused at the doorways that led to the dorms. She didn't know which was which. The Slytherin's in the common room snickered, still watching her. Ginny peered down one of the hallways. Bits of parchment and tattered quills littered the stairs. Peering down the other hallway, she could smell many kinds of perfume. A black cat streaked out of the hallway. Ginny went into the littered hallway. She climbed the stairs until she reached the top door. The door was opened a crack. Ginny reached out a hand, to push it open further. She put her hand down. She stepped up to the door and looked through the crack. She pushed the door open and stepped into the room. The floor was plain stone, with a plush green rug in the middle. Ginny looked around the room. She walked to the far left side of the room and stood in front of the desk. Rolls of parchment, quills, and bottle of cologne were placed on it. She turned to the trunk at the foot of the bed and opened it. She reached in and pulled out one of Draco's sweaters. His favorite. She sat on the edge of his bed and held the sweater up to her face. She breathed in his scent. She fell back on the bed, curled up, and began crying into the sweater.
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Voldemort's green eyes opened wide.
"Rorrim!" Harry said, pointing his wand in Voldemort's face. The messy black hair sunk away. The facial features identenical to Harry's melted away. Harry was staring into the face of the real Lord Voldemort.
"Its 1997 Voldemort, do you think you could have fooled me? You're an old man with no soul. You've been around ever since the 1930's! Do you think I'm stupid?" Harry asked, leaning into Voldemort's face.
"You told me all about it. In my second year. Everything that happened that year related back to 55 years ago. 1942. You were 15 then and you opened the Chamber of Secrets for the first time. That makes you what, 70? You're a bastard!" Harry spat in Voldemort's face. In his anger, his grip loosened on Voldemort's throat.
"You and your damn spells made you look like this. You got your present body from your past. You're a cheat! A liar! And you're-"
"You're going to die!" Voldemort said, brandishing his wand. Voldemort ripped Harry's hand off his throat with his free hand. Harry fell back. He scrambled back and stood up. Voldemort summoned a spell.
"Equakehtrea!" Voldemort. Harry jumped to the side and rolled on the ground. The spell hit the ground. The ground violently shook and a large crack appeared in the ground. It let out a hiss of steam. A large break in the earth was hurtling towards Harry, eager to swallow him up and bring to him his death. Harry scrambled backwards on his hands and stood up. He jumped aside and the crack in the earth kept going until it hit something and stopped. Harry looked across to the other side of the crack to face Voldemort once again. Voldemort wasn't there. Harry was shoved from behind. He caught himself and whirled around.
"Hello, Harry." Voldemort said. Harry swore.
"Language, Potter. Language." Voldemort said, shaking a finger at him. Voldemort pointed his wand at Harry and levitated him in the air.
"I am going to drop you into this pit, Harry. You'll never see daylight again. If you land, you'll land in molten lava from the earth's core. Prepare to-" Harry fell to the ground as Voldemort yelled out, clutching his chest.
"Tom, you're not supposed to kill him. He's supposed to kill you!" Professor Midrigge said, on the opposite side of the crack.
"Who are you?" Voldemort hissed. "Why do I have this feeling like I know you? What have you done to me?" Voldemort gasped, still clutching his chest.
"You don't remember me anymore Tom. You were under a love spell."
"L- Love?" Voldemort said. "I am full of hate! Love cannot touch me." He glared at Professor Midrigge.
"I have far more greater powers than you, Tom. I was able to distract you so Harry and the others would have enough time to plan how to destroy you."
"You.. You. You bitch!" Voldemort snarled.
'Now Harry!' Spoke Professor Midrigge's voice in Harry's head. With Voldemort distracted once again, Harry grabbed the back of Voldemort's robes.
"What? Why you... You! You bastards!" Voldemort struggled.
"Professor! Get the others to stop. I don't know how, but get them to stop and send everyone back to the school. Just do it! This is duel is just for me." Harry spun Voldemort around and grabbed the front of Voldemort's robes in his fists.
"You've tried to kill me many times. Now its my turn to kill you."
"Harry!" Voldemort said, eyes widening as Harry shoved Voldemort closer to the edge of the crack with his knee.
"You won't kill me." Voldemort said. "You can't. It's not in your nature. You could never kill someone and live with the fact of what you did." Voldemort grinned at Harry.
"I could." Harry said. "If it was for the fate of the world." Harry let of Voldemort's robes and shoved him into the pit.
"ARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGH!!!!!!" Voldemort yelled. Voldemort gripped the edge of the pits edge and clawed at the ground, his body hanging over eternal paril. Harry glared down at Voldemort.
"Why."
"Why.... What?" Voldemort gasped, digging his fingers into the ground.
"Why did you kill my parents. And why did you try to kill me?"
"Prophecy.. Foretold of a boy who would bring down the evil power.. The evil power was me.. I was on a winning streak... I wouldn't let some foolish boy destroy me.. When your parents found out what was so special about you, they fought to protect you... I killed them in order to get to you... And then, your powers over took me... This is who I am.."
"And why did you leave Nellie to live?"
"She didn't have anything to do with this.. And just somehow.. Somehow I knew she would be of use to me.. So I let her live.. Please Harry.." Voldemort said, his fingers slipping.
"No." Harry said. He raised his foot and slammed it down on Voldemort's fingers. Voldemort yelled with agony. Harry raised his foot and Voldemort's hand left the ground and he began to fall.
"Ah!!!! Ah!!!!!!!!! AVADA!!!!!!!!!! AVADA!!!!!!!!" Voldemort yelled as he fell, he wand pointing at Harry.
"Avada Kedavra!" Harry said, pointing his own wand at Voldemort. There was a blinding flash of green light and a loud explosion. Harry fell to his knees in front of the pit. Screams echoed from across the pit.
Nellie peered out of the window of the caravan she was in, her hand pressed over her right arm. When the ground had closed, and Voldemort was gone forever, the Dark Mark, burned onto their arms had burned and the mark dripped away, sliding like ink down their arms. Her arm burned. The caravan door opened.
"Come on, dear." Professor Midrigge said, quietly. She helped Nellie out of the caravan.
"Is he gone?" Nellie asked Professor Midrigge.
"Yes. The Dark Lord is gone."
"What about Harry?" "He should be leaving now. We need to hurry to the school. Come on." Professor Midrigge was also leading a white Unicorn. They walked down into the woods and hurried back to Hogwarts. That was when it had begun to rain.
The Death Eaters were there. The ground shook again and the pit slowly closed. Harry stood up shakily. He walked across the now closed pit and over the hill, up out of the valley. He walked past the few Death Eaters that were standing. Some Death Eaters were lying on the ground, very well injured. Harry continued on. The Dark Cloud still hung over the sky. Harry came to the top of the hill.
"Professor?" Harry said. He ran forward. Professor Dumbledore was struggling to get up from his position on the ground. Harry took hold of Dumbledore's arm to help him up.
"No... Harry. It's the end for me... Don't bother." Dumbledore whispered, very pale in the moonlight.
"No, Professor! You can't die!!!!! He's gone! Voldemort's gone!! You need to help put the wizarding world back in order!!! You can't die, Professor!" Harry said.
"Leave me to my fate, Harry. You can't change whats already been predicted…"
"I told Professor Midrigge to get everyone back to the school!" Harry said.
"She told me that she wanted to take me, but you can't change the future. I was supposed to die on this day, Harry. Go back to the school and claim your victory. The others are there."
"Was anyone killed?" Harry asked, laying Dumbledore's body on the ground.
"No. We had... some injuries...." Dumbledore took a shuddering breath.
"Professor, not now. Let me get you back to the school." Harry said.
"Harry... Go and... And claim.. victory.." Dumbledore said. His eyes slowly closed behind his lopsided half moon glasses. Harry stared at him for a long time. He removed his hand from Dumbledore's arm and stood up. It started to rain. Light at first, coating the ground. Then it began to pour. Beating down on Harry. There was a snort behind him. Harry turned around. Lucious Malfoy was standing 6 feet behind him with the reigns of Voldemort's Dark Unicorn. Wormtail stood next to Mr. Malfoy. Their eyes locked. Harry's jaw clenched. Mr. Malfoy turned on his heel and walked away, leading the Unicorn. The standing Death Eaters were moving their wounded into the caravans. Harry turned silently, and walked down the hill and onto the path that led through Hogsmeade. Thunder crashed and lighting flashed. Harry could see shadows of faces, watching him from the buildings in Hogsmeade. The rain drenched his hair and it dripped into his eyes. Hogwarts looked shadowy and scary as Harry approached the front iron gate. He reached out his hands and pushed the door open. He walked over the puddles forming on the path up to the entrance hall door. Harry stood in front of the massive wooden front doors and looked up at Hogwarts. He pushed open the door and walked in. Rain from his robes dripped on to the floor. Then onto the stairs as he walked up to the Great Hall. Murmurs were heard inside. Then Harry opened the door. All heads turned to him. He shakily walked up through the tables. His breath was slow and rain continued to drip off his robes and roll down his face. The teachers at the table stared at him, hope and wonderment in their eyes. Some teachers and the ministry wizards had bandages on them. Harry reached the table and stared at the seat where Dumbledore should have been sitting. Harry gripped his wand and turned around and faced the entire school of Hogwarts.
"I, Harry Potter, have defeated the Dark Lord Voldemort!!!!!!!" Harry cried, raising his wand in the air. The Great Hall erupted with cheers. Hermione ran up to Harry and flung her arms around him. Harry smiled and twirled her around. Hermione looked up into Harry's face. Harry leaned down and kissed her, in front of the entire school. The students rushed up to Harry and they all cheered for him. Harry Potter, the Boy who defeated the Dark Lord, Voldemort. Their hero.
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