Unofficial Portkey Archive

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling, etc, etc. Anyone who thinks I do own Harry Potter is an idiot.

A/N: This chapter is a little weird. You'll see. Hope you enjoy anyway. Reviews are fuel.

Immediately following the Great Hall meeting, Harry and Dumbledore made their way to visit the false Grangers. They stood, waiting silently, for the arrival of Horace Slughorn, and the Veritaserum. The fake Mrs Granger glared murderously at Harry. "Mr Granger" was struggling against his magical bonds, his efforts futile.

Finally, Slughorn arrived with the truth potion. He handed it to Harry and stood back to watch.

Harry pulled the cork free of the bottle and approached the more vocal of the two - the witch posing as Mrs Granger.

'Going to play nice, or do I have to be rough?' Harry asked. She continued to glare at him, death in her eyes. 'It's going to happen, whether you like it or not.'

'Try it,' she snarled.

He reached for her. She spat at him. Harry took a moment, and then wiped the spittle from his face. 'Okay,' he said, 'I guess I'm going to have to force you.'

Before she could react, he grabbed her by the jaw, tipped her head back, and forced the bottle to her lips. 'Drink it,' he commanded. The liquid slid into her throat slowly, but it went in. Harry took the bottle away and clamped his hand over her mouth. She thrashed in her seat, but couldn't escape. Her eyes bore into him with venom. Harry glared back.

'It's done Harry,' Dumbledore announced. 'You can let her go.'

Harry slowly released her and she gasped for air, choking, trying to vomit up the potion. The potion began to take effect as her movement stilled. She slumped back into her seat.

'What is your name?' Dumbledore asked her.

'Marlyn Arment,' she replied dimly.

'And where is the location of Voldemort's hideout?'

'Azkaban.'

Dumbledore and Harry shared a look. Harry nodded. Dumbledore took Horace and left the cell. They had what they needed. Harry looked back at Marlyn.

'What happened to the real Grangers?'

She smiled dopily. 'We killed them.'

Harry took out his wand and pointed it at her. She giggled. His arm shook. He tightened his hand around the wand, the urge to kill her so powerful. He struggled against it, and then relaxed his arm. He put the wand away and stuck his face close to Marlyn's.

'I'm going to kill Voldemort. I'm going to kill him and anyone who gets in my way. Then Azkaban will be ours again. And guess where you're going?'

She lolled her head back in the wooden chair and laughed.

The Weasley family had gathered in the Gryffindor common room.

'I'm going!' The youngest Weasley Ron was in the middle of an argument with his mother. 'You can't stop me!'

'I'm your mother,' Mrs Weasley said, standing with her hands on her hips.

The Weasley twins Fred and George recognized that stance - they'd been on the other end of it many times. Right now, they each sat on an arm of a chair, watching the brewing argument with matching grins.

'You will listen to me Ronald,' Mrs Weasley continued stubbornly, 'I won't lose anyone else in this family. I won't!'

The Weasley twins grins faded, both remembering the death of their father, and the recent loss of their little sister Ginny.

'What about the twins!' Ron shouted back. 'They're going. And Charlie and Bill and Percy!' He pointed to each of his brothers in turn. 'It's okay for them, but not me?'

Mrs Weasley had tears in her eyes. She dashed them away. 'I won't let you,' she said, 'not you - you're my baby.'

Ron growled.

'Calm down Ron,' Bill said evenly.

'No,' Ron shot back, 'don't you hear this? It's not fair! Just because I'm the youngest now, I can't fight for this family?'

Charlie remained silent, sympathizing with his little brother.

'If Mum says no, then I think you should just do as you're told,' Percy added his two cents.

'You would!'

'Ronald, don't talk to your Brother like that.'

'Whatever. I've had enough of this. You can't stop me.'

With this, ignoring the protests of his mother and Percy, Ron stormed out of the room. Mrs Weasley let out a sob. Bill took her in his arms. Fred and George shared miserable looks. Charlie sighed.

Seraphina knocked on Neville's door quietly. It was late and she didn't want to face the wrath of her boyfriend's infamous Gran. Neville was waiting. He opened the door quickly and slipped out. He took her hand and led her further down the corridor. When he felt they were far enough away not to wake his Gran, he stopped.

'Hi,' he said, squeezing her hand.

'You're going tomorrow aren't you?' Seraphina couldn't keep the worry from her voice.

'I have to,' Neville said. 'Harry will need all the help he can get.'

Seraphina embraced Neville, holding back tears. 'You're so brave,' she whispered in his ear.

'I try.'

'I'm not going, Neville.' Seraphina kissed his hair. 'I know my strengths and weaknesses, and I'm no fighter.'

'I understand. Actually, I'm a little relieved. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you. It's a cliché, I know, but it's true.'

Seraphina smiled happily. 'Neville?'

'Hmm?'

'I love you.'

Neville didn't reply.

'Neville? Did you hear me?'

'…Yeah,' Neville eventually replied, his voice cracking a little on the word.

'I love you,' she repeated. She pulled back to look him in the eyes, his very wide and shocked eyes, and smiled encouragingly at him. He opened his mouth a few times, but nothing came out. 'It's okay,' she said, and kissed him. 'I love you Neville Longbottom. Come home to me.'

'O-kay.'

Neville and Seraphina weren't the only ones sharing a midnight liaison. Ron and Luna sat on the Hogwarts ramparts, holding hands and watching the Pollot Flies dance. Ron had spent most of the night ranting and raving about how unfair it was that his mother was treating him like a child. Luna had listened dutifully, letting him vent, because she knew Ron, and she always knew what he needed. Finally, he had settled into silence, and Luna had taken hold of his hand to bring him into her world.

They didn't need to say anything. All they needed was to be together.

Deep in the dungeons of Hogwarts, locked away in Slytherin's Chamber, Draco continued to read.

In the Head Girls dormitory, Harry cradled Hermione as she cried herself to sleep, finally being able to grieve for her parents.

Morning found them assembled with the voluntary strike force that would seek to at long last take down Voldemort. It was made up of old valued members of the Order of the Phoenix, such as Mad-Eye Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Tonks, and their leader, Albus Dumbledore, amongst others. Along with those, the new generation, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom, Ron Weasley, Luna Lovegood, and their de-facto leader Harry Potter.

Harry and Hermione stood together, before the assembly.

'Are you ready Harry?' Dumbledore asked.

Harry slipped the Death Eater ring on in response. Hermione echoed him.

'Very well,' Dumbledore said, 'good luck.'

Two cracks later and the young couple had vanished.

They reappeared in a nearly deserted corridor in Azkaban. I say nearly deserted, because as soon as they arrived, the two Death Eaters on guard (though surprised) quickly regained their composure. Spells flew.

Harry instinctively pulled Hermione out of the way and down, firing a curse right through one of the Death Eaters and blasting him into the wall. The Death Eater curses splattered harmlessly above them. Hermione disarmed the other quickly.

The disarmed Death Eater stood shocked for a moment, hand still held out as if still clutching his wand. Harry smiled at him as he stood up and took aim.

'Wait, please,' the Death Eater began to plead, but Harry didn't listen.

'Stupify!' The Death Eater collapsed. Harry stood over him; casually flicking his wand to make sure the wizard was securely bound. He wasn't going to take any chances. Meanwhile, Hermione found the Death Eaters wand and snapped it.

'Alright,' Harry said, finishing up. 'Let's break those wards. Up for it?'

'I'm ready,' Hermione said firmly.

With the both of them concentrating, it only took them one minute to poke enough holes in Voldemort's wards to effectively nullify them.

'Signal the others,' Harry said.

Hermione gripped the necklace around her neck as Harry was opening one of the cell doors, levitating the unconscious Death Eater into it, and then locking the door behind him with his most powerful locking charm.

'Done,' Hermione announced, and within moments the corridor was crowed with the members of the Order of the Phoenix, both old and new.

Dumbledore stepped up next to Harry.

'Well done Harry.'

'It was easy,' Harry replied.

'I'm sure, though I see we had a slight hiccup.' Dumbledore motioned to the dead Death Eater.

Harry shrugged. 'There's another in that cell.'

'Dead?'

'Unconscious.'

'Good,' Dumbledore said, 'I'd like to keep this as clean as possible.'

'No promises,' Harry said. 'Him I didn't need to kill.'

'I suppose that is all I can ask.'

'As much as I'm enjoying this conversation,' Harry said sarcastically, 'we aren't here to chit-chat. You ready to finish this?'

Dumbledore nodded in agreement.

'Good. Before I can kill Voldemort, you need to eliminate Nagini. Take Neville, Kingsley, Mad-Eye, uh, Ron and the other Weasleys.'

'Luna's coming with me,' Ron interceded, gripping Luna by the hand.

'Sure,' Harry said, waving him off. 'I'll take Hermione, Draco, Sirius, Remus and Tonks. The rest of you split up and join a group. Dumbledore is after Voldemort's snake, so be prepared for a lot of resistance. You all know my target.'

Not surprisingly, most decided to join Dumbledore and Neville.

'Alright,' Harry said, blowing air out slowly, 'I guess that's that. Good luck.'

The two groups dispersed, going in opposite directions. Dumbledore shared a look with Harry before turning to lead his group.

'Hey, Neville,' Harry called, and Neville hung back. 'Take care of them all. And make sure that snake bites the dust. I'm counting on you. Got it?'

Neville nodded. 'Got it.'

'Good luck.'

'Ditto.'

Neville ran to catch up with his group. Harry turned back to face his. He looked at them all, barely ten wizards and two witches.

'Let's go,' he said.