15. A Time to Die
Voldemort knew he was trapped, but if Potter wanted to fight here, so be it. This place was a good as any, in fact it was better. To destroy Potter, Dumbledore and Hogwarts all in one day would be a crowning moment on his path to controlling the entire wizarding world. Avalon had become a side show now; he would deal with them later, if Lucius had not already completed the task for him. He urged his Death Eaters forward, there were only six students facing them, destroying them would be an easy task for his followers.
He watched in amusement as the wizards raced up the lawns to reach the doors of the castle. All of them giving Harry Potter a wide berth and none of them dared to fire at him. This did not stop the boy from dropping four of his Death Eaters, as the passed him, with what appeared to be a stunning spell, one of such power that each of them was blasted off their feet to land some ten paces away. So the boy was not as weak as he had made out, so much the better. Voldemort relished the idea of killing the boy, how ever good he was, Potter was his. He drew his wand, and he walked towards the boy standing inside his shimmering shield.
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Antonin Dolohov moved swiftly up the lawn with Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange close behind him. The two brothers, intent on reaching the Castle doors, only just caught the gesture from Dolohov calling them to him. He had seen Hermione sitting on the grass, seemingly unconcerned to all that was going on around her.
"The girl!" Dolohov yelled, "Potter's mudblood, kill her!"
Almost simultaneously the three Death Eaters fired curses at Hermione. There were two cries of "Avada Kedavra" from the Lestranges. From such a close range avoiding the bolts of green fire returned to them by Hermione's Tear was an impossibility, and neither brother fared any better than Bellatrix had done. Dolohov had opted for the spell he had tried to kill Hermione with at the Ministry two years before, but on that occasion had been unable to speak the enchantment.
"SECTUMSEMPRA" He bellowed slashing his wand downwards. He had the opportunity denied to the Lestranges, of seeing both of them fall to their own curses. Then Antonin Dolohov was immersed in problems of his own making, as his curse rebounded and opened his body from shoulder to hip. He screamed once as the agonising pain tore through him. He sank to the ground but did not die immediately, his failing sight fixed now on the girl sitting not six feet from him. He could feel his life and his blood flowing away, he tried to curse her but the curse would not leave his mouth, there was too much blood, he couldn't speak. Dolohov gave a wet gurgle and the encroaching blackness took him.
Hermione, who had shut her eyes on seeing the three wizards approaching her slowly opened them, saw what remained of Dolohov on the grass in front of her and quickly shut them again. She concentrated on maintaining her link with Harry and waiting for the order to summon Sirius.
The remaining Death Eaters with Macnair and Avery in the lead advanced on the four members of the Tyr standing alone on the castle steps. Ron was worried again, Solomon should have been here by now, and there was no sign of him. Still, they were holding their own so far. The spells had been easily deflected; curses were dealt with either by dodging out of the way if they were killers, or deflection if not. Their training in 'Volo ventosum' allowed them all to move freely of one another, but also in concert, which to the attacking wizards presented a bewildering pattern of flashing shields and counter curses.
The way these students moved was so alien to the Death Eaters, more used to a 'stand still and slug it out' type of fight that they fell to temptation, and closed in around them. By the time they realised their mistake it was too late. Neville's shield tilted and struck, two bodies collapsed twitching to the steps. They were the first to fall but not the last. Like the well oiled machine that they were, the shield bearers of the Tyr struck in turn, each taking one or two of their attackers, with the edges of their shields.
The lower steps were becoming slippery with blood and obstructed with bodies. The attackers backed off, now firing spells not only at the Tyr but at the building behind them. Chunks of stone as big as a fist were blasted out of the walls to rain down on the students. It was instinct on Luna's part to raise her shield to protect her head, leaving herself vulnerable.
She was fortunate that the first spell to hit her was a stunner, for as she was blasted backwards into the door two green bolts of energy passed through the spot where she had been standing moments before. Ginny moved to stand over her and protect her as best she could, then Ron took the initiative.
He flung his still spinning shield away from him and at the same time raised his hand and shouted "AEGIS MAXIMUS" his shield only surpassed in strength by Harry's, enveloped the top two steps, and the descending stone and brickwork bounced harmlessly off it. Ron's small shield hovered to one side of the steps; he held it there with his wand. It spun ominously giving off red sparks and a menacing hum, like an angry wasp. He looked quickly at the others; he was relieved to see Luna getting to her feet, Ginny having re-enervated her.
"Let's finish this now," he said, gritting his teeth with the effort of maintaining the spells.
He flicked his wand and the humming shield stung. It darted across the first row of Death Eaters at shoulder height. The result was as gruesome as expected, only the last in line had the time to duck and he was hit by a curse fired by Ginny. Those of Voldemort's followers that were left were distracted, they kept a very close watch on the shield that Ron maintained hovering to one side of the castle steps. Their attack faltered, and then lost all cohesion, at that moment the Tyr struck.
The Tyr did not use stunners, it was too easy to re-enervate. The Tyr did not kill; it was not in their nature to do so easily. The Tyr, following Harry's example in the Ministry, cleaned, they wiped everything away. Time and time again they cried "OBLIVIATE", and again and again the spell found its mark, then there was no one left to fire at.
The dust settled and Ron relaxed the shields he had been holding. The castle steps were littered with bodies, there were more out on the grass, and mixed among them wizards wandered aimlessly, not knowing who they were or what they were doing.
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Out on the lawns another battle raged, it was not as obviously violent as the one at the castle doors had been, but it was savage none the less. Voldemort had not held anything back from his first attack. Harry had expected killing curses and he had not been disappointed, he kept just enough distance between Voldemort and himself to be able to dodge them, his seekers reflexes were the only things keeping him alive at the moment. The curses Harry threw back to Voldemort forced him to break his attack to deflect them, and this gave Harry the chance to keep ahead of the game. Then he lost his advantage. If you stand still it's hard to slip, Harry wasn't standing still, and a wet patch of grass was all it took. His foot shot from under him and he fell. He rolled as he fell, he kept moving but it was not enough, the green bolt from Voldemort's killing curse caught his arm. Harry's world seemed to slow down, his vision blurred, he felt terribly weak, and he was slipping away when a voice in his mind screamed
'HARRY!'
He could see her face and he thought it was the last thing he would ever see. He wanted to say goodbye, and he wanted to say he was sorry. Then there was a flash of gold and a five pointed star hidden deep in a young woman's mind blazed out as Hermione poured all her mental strength into Harry to hold his soul in his body. She acted purely on instinct, there was no plan, she just did it because it seemed the right thing to do.
Voldemort had seen his curse strike home, it was over. He took the chance to look around, and saw the carnage on and around the castle steps. His Death Eaters may be gone but they were not important, he still had the Dementors to do his bidding, they had been the key to both attacks on Avalon, now they would fulfil that same role here at Hogwarts.
The Dementors, who had remained out on the lawns, away from the battle on the steps, now, at Voldemort's urging, moved forwards. Their advance was slow but deliberate, their rasping breaths sucking the warmth out of the air.
Harry opened his eyes, he was alive and he shouldn't have been. He was lying between Voldemort and the castle and could not see the advancing Dementors. Voldemort was not looking in his direction, so trying to move a little as possible Harry began to draw in power, he only needed to stop Voldemort, not kill him, Sirius' companions wanted him alive. He moved at the last possible moment pointing his wand at Voldemort and thinking the spell he needed 'Petrificus Totalus'. It sped to its target and struck him in the chest.
Voldemort froze, his arms and legs snapping together, but he didn't fall. Harry could see that he was fighting his spell, his whole body was trembling, the muscles in his neck twitched, and very slowly Voldemort turned his head to look directly at Harry. His eyes were wide open in surprise, and they followed Harry as he climbed to his feet. Harry was using all the power available to him to hold Voldemort immobile, he had the upper hand, but Voldemort had inner strengths of his own and Harry knew he could not hold it for ever. He called to Hermione.
'NOW tell Sirius NOW,' he thought to her, but there was no response.
Harry could not turn to look, so he could not see the Dementors gathered around Hermione in her protecting sphere. Nor the fact that she seemed to have slumped to the ground. The sphere had done its job; none of the stone blasted from the castle walls had touched her. Hermione's Tear had done the rest, she had been untouched by any spell, but nothing was stopping the soul-sapping effects of the Dementors.
Ron and the others had tried to fight the creatures off; each of them had produced a patronus and sent them out to help Hermione. Ron's terrier patronus was running round and snapping at the Dementors but there were too many of them, and the already exhausted Tyr could not maintain the spell for long. Then help arrived in the shape of the Order of the Phoenix, the six wizards burst out on to the lawns and added their strength to the embattled Tyr. Ron saw Fred, George, Remus, Tonks, and Neville's parents Frank and Alice Longbottom, multiple cries of 'EXPECTO PATRONUM' rang out and their patronesses went to work.
Hermione stirred, the weight of sorrow was lifting, and then the little silver brooch Luna had given her came to her aid. Perhaps it did make the inside of the sphere smell like the kitchens just after the baking had been finished, but that simple aroma roused Hermione and the memories flooded back. An image of Harry flashed into her mind and then she heard his thoughts, 'NOW HERMIONE, NOW', and she responded. Focusing her thoughts into the pyramid she called to Sirius.
The numbers of Dementors were beginning to tell, the fight was going their way again, as the defenders tired, and they closed in once more. Then something happened that only Hagrid and AH could see from the window of Hagrid's hut. On the battlements above the castle doors four figures appeared. One was dressed in red and gold, one in blue and silver, one in yellow and black, and the tall figure of Albus Dumbledore in purple and gold.
None of the figures spoke, but all raised their hands stretching their palms out, and the walls of the old castle began to give off a low blue light. The light waxed and waned, each time getting a little brighter, and each time pushing further out away from the walls. The Dementors gave a collective cry of anguish, writhing and moaning they were forced back, but could not escape from the light for they were held by it.
Then a vortex of wind howling and shrieking appeared on the top castle step, not four feet from where Ginny was standing half supporting Luna. Out of it stepped Solomon, Ron thought he looked really pissed off. He held the staff of Avalon aloft and shouted at the top of his voice 'MERLINUS PATRONUM'.
What erupted from the golden pentagram was definitely a patronus, but it was huge, it had the appearance of an old man in a long flowing cloak, who grew and grew in size until it could open it arms wide enough to engulf all the moaning but unmoving Dementors. The enormous arms began to close, gathering the Dementors in an unwelcome embrace. As each was touched it cried out anew, a horrible wailing sound, there was a flash of flame, and then Dementor dust rained down onto the grass.
As the enchantment on the castle flickered and died three of the figures on the battlements faded from sight. Dumbledore stood for a moment looking down on the scene below him. His life had run its course, he had protected the castle as he had intended now he was ready; he knew Harry would win and that was all that mattered. He slowly collapsed to the ground, all the strength leaving him, he expected to move on but something told him to wait. He rested his eyes, and waited.
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Harry's control on Voldemort was slipping, the Dark Lord was able to speak, he could see the defenders futile fight, the Dementors would have them.
"You will soon be alone boy, your friends will fall, then you will fall, and I shall be triumphant," his voice hissed out, it was almost a laugh.
Although he could not see what was happening behind him Hermione was thinking at him and he knew that the Dementors were being driven back by the castle itself, then he felt the relief in her thoughts as, 'Solomon's here', was sent.
Harry would not let Voldemort move, they both heard the screams of the Dementors, they both knew that they were gone, but Voldemort never gave up. He taunted Harry
"Loneliness is all you will ever know, Harry. Your friends will not help you now. They never will, they only look to themselves. Call them, call them now, no one will come. YOU ARE ALONE!"
Harry considered the most evil wizard in the world; did he feel pity for him? No not really, he was only getting what he deserved. Then a small thought slipped into his mind. 'Here Harry just say the word'
'Thanks Sirius,' he replied.
"Oh Tom, you're wrong you know," Harry said quietly, "I let love into my heart and because of that I am never alone." With that Harry raised his arms and thousands of small golden lights appeared in the air around him. They floated, gently moving up and down like the surface of a calm sea. "I even brought some friends for you; you'll be dying to meet them I know."
All but one of the lights moved forward and crowded around Voldemort, whose eyes were now bulging in fear for he recognised them for what they were. They settled on him and their weight, despite Harry's spell, drove him to his knees. Then the lights sank through Voldemort's robes, through his pale papery skin, into the core of his body and there they surrounded his soul. Harry released his spell, Voldemort cried out and flung his arms wide, His soul burst apart and shattered into thousands of pieces, each of the souls of the Inferius took a piece of that dark soul. But that soul was only dark when intact, these pieces in isolation were as pure as if they had come from the soul of a child and so the souls of Voldemort's dead became complete.
Collectively they thanked Harry and he could feel their gratitude. He saw them leave Voldemort's body; the golden lights floated in a cloud around it, then they lifted up into the sky and faded from sight.
A soulless body will decay, and with Voldemort whose body had been constructed with spells and potions, the process started rapidly. Harry watched, sickened but fascinated, until he could stand it no more then pointing his wand at the decomposing body in front of him cried 'INCENDIO', the flames erupted from his wand and engulfed the body and Harry poured on the power until there was nothing left but a pile of smoking ashes.
Sirius, floating by Harry's head, surveyed the remains of the most evil wizard in the world. In his mind Harry heard his godfather chuckle 'Good job there Harry. It's been great to be with you again, have a good life and give my love to Hermione,' then, before Harry could respond, he was gone. He was too tired to be saddened at Sirius' sudden departure, he would miss not having his godfather's thoughts in his mind, but he knew that Sirius was alright, and that he was happy, and that for the moment was enough.
Wearily Harry turned back to the castle and had his first look at the devastation around the main doors. He couldn't see who was OK and who wasn't. He wanted to know, but he didn't want to find out. Then he saw Hermione rushing toward him, her robes flying out behind her in her haste. 'They're all OK, they're all OK,' she sent at him. Then she was in his arms, he gathered her up and swung her round, and he kissed her. She was the one he had shared everything with; she was the one he could now spend the rest of his life with. Voldemort was gone, it was all over.
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Harry and Hermione out on the lawns wrapped in each others arms were completely happy, too happy for words they could only stare at each other and smile. They heard a shout from the direction of Hagrid's hut, not the man himself but a young childish voice cheering and shouting, and then they could see AH as he raced up the hill towards them.
Draco Malfoy was in shock, he had witnessed the destruction of the Dark Lord and with his death the destruction of his own life. He had nothing now, his powerful master was gone, the despair crippled him, and he wanted someone to pay. The boy ran passed his hiding place up the hill towards Potter and Granger. The boy was cheering and whistling in glee, almost dancing in celebration. Draco could see Harry and Hermione beckoning him on with welcoming smiles.
This was his vengeance, Draco pointed his wand and put all his hate into the curse 'AVDARA KADAVRA' the curse leapt from his wand, the green bolt screamed through the air.
AH jumped up the last of the steps to reach the lawns, he was in mid air when Draco's curse found its mark and hit him in the middle of his back. The boy's voice stopped in mid shout, his eyes were wide with the excitement he had been expressing, and then the life was ripped away from them. His momentum carried him onto the wide green lawns and he hit the grass rolling over and over, coming to rest on his back, he was dead.
Draco smirked as he heard the cries of anguish from Harry and Hermione, but didn't dare look. He turned on his heel and made off into the forest as best as he could on his unsteady legs.
Their joy had turned to horror, Harry and Hermione ran to AH lying still and deathly pale on the ground. They reached him together, Hermione was overcome with grief, this young boy had become a symbol of the future for her. A symbol of her future with Harry, she couldn't think straight, he couldn't be dead, she had saved Harry from Voldemort's curse, and she would save AH as well.
Hermione gripped the stone of her necklace; still flickering with that strange double pulse, and she plunged her mind after AH. Harry understood instantly what she was trying to do and he knew that this time it was the wrong thing to do, but Hermione was already on her way and Harry wasn't about to lose her too, so he followed.
Of the people on the Castle steps the only one to see all of the drama on the lawns unfold was Solomon. He had cried out when AH had been hit and others had turned to see what was going on, but Solomon knew what was in Hermione's mind almost before she had done it.
He didn't run to them as most of the others did, one second he was on the steps, the next he was there in time to catch both Harry and Hermione as they slipped to the ground. He could waste no time, holding one under each arm, he vanished again, taking them with him appearing in the centre of the hospital wing, where a weary Madam Pomfrey was tending to the dying Headmaster.
She shrieked when she saw who Solomon had with him, then cried with despair when she realised that they were both dead.