Okay, this chapter is short but it's the final battle. I hope it's okay, I normally don't write this kind of stuff, I'm usually all fluff. Speaking of that, I've started working on another story already, but I wont' post it until this is done. Which will be soon. I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 12
It was like clockwork. Everything that was planned and constructed was playing out perfectly. As Harry, his friends and most of the Aurors waited in the well protected Great Hall, they heard spells and shouts, first that started out very faint, but were growing closer and closer. Everyone hated waiting, they felt they should go out and help the Aurors that were risking their life to draw the Death Eaters to the Great Hall. The orders, however, were to wait.
Harry gripped Hermione's hand as they crouched behind one of the long tables that were connected at the corners, making a huge upside "U" shape in the room. All the Aurors were behind the magically protected tables. "It's almost time," Harry whispered. "Be safe, Hermione. No matter what, don't jump out from behind these tables."
"I won't if you won't," she promised.
"I won't until I have to," he said and gave her a quick kiss.
Before she could say anything else the first of the Aurors were running in, yelling to get ready to fight. One by one the Death Eaters that had not yet been struck, came piling into the room. Hundreds of spells went flying and the Death Eaters were trying their best to lunge and leap out of the way, but they were too many of them.
The doors were closed after the last Death Eater was in, trapping them so they had nowhere to go. They were helpless like rats and Harry started to take notice as the Death Eaters started to fall, one by one, until only a handful remained. Once a Death Eater was stunned, someone would put a powerful binding spell on them, preventing them to move. Then they were taken down to the kitchens were other Aurors were waiting to imprison them.
Harry looked around carefully as Hermione stayed close to his side. No one on there side had been killed or seriously hurt yet and he hoped that it stayed that way. It was dying down, and it had only taken a half an hour for them to take the Death Eaters out.
"Harry!" Ron exclaimed from further down the table. "We did it! We are busting butt and taking names!"
Harry grinned and was about to respond, but then a shadow lurking in the corner, creeping towards Ron, made his smile dropped. He had a dagger and was sneaking right up behind Ron and he was clueless. He didn't hear himself shout out a warning to Ron, but obviously he heard it because he spun around. But it was too late.
The Death Eater lunged towards Ron, the dagger heading straight for Ron's heart and Harry's world spun. "NO!" He didn't hear Hermione tell out a stunning spell, making Ron's attacker fly back into the wall. He saw Ron's eyes widen with shock as he stumbled back into Luna's arm and Harry's legs were like jelly as he ran to him. "Ron…no."
"Ron," Hermione cried as she knelt down beside Harry.
Ron's eyes, however were open, as he stared around wildly around them. "Why aren't I dead? Oh bloody hell, he stabbed me!"
Once Harry got his bearings he finally noticed that the dagger didn't plunge all the way through. The tip seamed to be the only thing that went through his shirt, but the dagger was sticking straight up. There was a trickle of blood seeping through his white shirt, but it should have been a lot more and the blade should have gone all the way through. Harry poked his finger through the slight hole of his shirt by the dagger and then ripped the hole to make it wide enough to examine what was beneath.
Hermione gasped and grabbed Harry's arm as he stared dumbly at the necklace of butterbeer bottle caps that Luna had given him. The tip of the knife had connected into one of the caps, slowing down the blade only allowing the tip. The knife would have eventually gone through if the Death Eater had a few more seconds to plunge the knife in. Thankfully, Hermione's stunning spell prevented him to do that.
"Well," Ron finally said as he looked away from the knife and up to Luna's watery eyes. "Guess I owe you and your mum my life. It really is lucky."
"Oh, Ron," Luna cried as she leaned down and rain kisses all over his face. "I love you."
Hermione sniffed away tears as she leaned her head on Harry's shoulder. "You gave us a scare, Ron."
"Gave myself a scare," he said as he let out a shaky breath. "Would someone mind taking this dagger out of me please?"
"Happy to," Harry said as he carefully grabbed the knife and yanked it out of the bottle cap. "Looks like the tip nicked your skin."
Ron casually wiped away the blood. "Better than piercing my heart."
"I'll say," he said as he helped Ron sit up. "I'm glad you're okay. So glad in fact, that I might have to give your girlfriend a big fat kiss of appreciation."
"Thanks, but leave that to me," Ron said with a smile. "And kiss your own girlfriend."
Harry exchanged a smile with Hermione. "Don't mind if I do," he said and was leaning over to kiss her when a loud terrifying scream echoed through the room.
Even as Harry spun around to see why someone screamed, he knew he was here and he knew it was time. Hermione gasped and stepped closer to him as every eye in the room laid upon Voldemort. He made an entrance and he knew it by the smug look on his face, although Harry could tell that he was furious his plan had failed.
Voldemort only stared at Harry and although he was a bundle of nerves he forced himself to remain cool. He would not give Voldemort the satisfaction. He took a step but Hermione sobbed as she held onto him. He kept his eyes on Voldemort, but gave Hermione one last squeeze with his hand, silently telling her to let him go.
"I love you," she whispered as she let him go. "We're all here for you."
"I love you, too," he murmured and then stepped over the table and walked closer to his enemy. "Everyone stay behind the table." His voice was loud and forceful, but his eyes still never wavered from Voldemort's.
"So this is it, Potter," his jagged teeth flashed as he sneered. "Are you ready to die?"
"I'm in no hurry to be honest," he said as he held tightly to his wand. "What do you think of our little surprise attack. We knew your plan…all along. Are you surprised Voldemort? We all hope no one would spoil the surprise and ruin our little party we have going here."
"You think this matters?" Voldemort sneered as he started to walk in a wide circle. "Just because Malfoy's poor excuse for a son snitched on us."
Harry walked in the opposite direction making sure they were always right across from each other. "I'll be the first to agree with you about Draco, I'm not a fan of him myself. But he didn't do the snitching. Turns out a wizard that happened to fly by one of your little meetings." Harry chuckled wickedly. "The best part was that I heard the wizard was Muggleborn. How does it feel, to be duped by a Muggleborn."
Voldemort let out cry of rage as he let his emotions get the best of him and sent the killing curse right at him. Harry dodged it easily, hearing Hermione cry his name as it hit the table behind him sending it right back to Voldemort. He avoided it, as Harry expected but it didn't mean he couldn't have a little fun in bating him. "Careful now, Voldemort. These tables are pretty powerful."
"You think any of this matters?" he asked as they both continued to circle. "I could destroy every single wizard in here with a swish of my wand. We both know that." Voldemort's eyes shifted away from Harry's and flickered over to where his friends lay crouched behind the table. "Maybe I'll start with your mudblood girlfriend."
He felt the anger inside him start to boil but he ordered himself to relax. He was doing it on purpose and he wouldn't let him get away with it. "You'd have to get through me first," he said calmly. "Although I think my girl can take you, she's a lot smarter than you. And a lot prettier too, you're looking rough these days, Voldemort."
"Enough!" he cried angrily as he pointed his wand roughly at him. "This ends here! You are nothing! You will die, Potter, just as you should have died with your mother and father!"
"You can surely try to kill me, Voldemort!" Harry yelled as he pointed his wand as well. "But I
won't make it easy for you."
They both stopped circling and stared each other down while every person in the room held their breath. Harry stood strong and waited for him to take his first move, not caring how long it took. He wouldn't allow to even blink until Voldemort finally cracked. And as soon as he saw Voldemort open his mouth to say the dreaded killing curse, he opened his mouth and said the same curse. It was his first time and he knew it would be his last.
The identical green lights connected and held, just as they did in fourth year at the graveyard. Harry's wand vibrated and his knees started to shake, but he held on. He had to hold on. Voldemort started to talk…telling him how weak he was, how pitiful and hopeless he was. It wasn't true…he wasn't going to give up and he sure as hell wasn't going to allow him to end his life so easily.
The connection stayed right in the middle, neither showing any progress in overpowering. He noticed Voldemort held his wand with both hands, but he kept holding it with one. It was a good sign and boosted up his confidence.
"You are alone, Harry," Voldemort gasped out a breath. "You think love can beat me? Love is for the weak and blinded. Only power is the key. And I'll have power."
"You are wrong, Voldemort."
Harry heard Hermione's soft yet powerful voice as she stood by him, then placed a hand over his that held his wand. "I love him." Harry felt a slight warmth spread through his hand and his strength that started to flee him was slowly returning.
Then another hand went on top of Hermione's and he saw Ron out of the corner of his eye. "So do I," he said as he placed his other hand in Luna's.
Harry's beam of green light turned to gold and started to move closer to Voldemort, who's eyes were now wide with fear. One by one he noticed people coming up, grabbing Hermione's hand, then another and another, until everyone was joined with Harry in a long connection of locked hands. He was going to win. He had love and support behind him and Voldemort had no one.
"Harry," a voice he recognized behind him as Lupin. "End it now. For your parents. For Sirius."
"For Dumbledore," Tonks voice said in his other ear.
Harry narrowed his eyes as he stepped closer to Voldemort while everyone matched his step. Voldemort kept backing away everything they advanced. "You are the one that's alone, Voldemort," he said as an intense energy swept through him. "I'm finishing this. It ends now!"
He thought of all the love he felt for everyone in his life. His parents. He never got to know him but the love for them was strong and true. Sirius and Dumbledore. Sirius was the father he never had and Dumbledore was his hero. His guardian and his teacher. Ron and Hermione. His first real friends and the most important people in his life. Hermione. His Hermione who he loved so completely and she who loved him. He wanted to end this now so he could start a fresh start with her. A life without fear and evil. A life without Voldemort.
There was a flash of light, blinding everyone as it filled the room and the floor trembled. Harry's wand jerked and vibrated but he held on as he squinted into the brilliant light. It then faded slowly and even though Harry's vision blurred he knew he was gone. Voldemort was gone.
Darkness enveloped him and his body swayed as fell, but the hands of his friends never let him hit the floor.