Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter
Chapter 37: The End
August 30 - Diagon Alley
Harry stood alone, facing Lord Voldemort and close to two dozen of his Death Eaters. Blood still slowly trickled down his back, but the bleeding had slowed as his phoenix-nature healed his wounds. Everything was perfectly still as if the world itself paused from the magnitude of this confrontation. Everyone was focused on their duel. Voldemort had just signaled his minions to cast the Killing Curse at Harry's bound friends, casting it himself at Hermione, all to break Harry's spirit before finishing him.
"Avada Kedavra!" they all shouted in eerie unison.
The sickening green bolts of light that had haunted Harry's dreams flashed out, the strongest coming from Voldemort's wand and aimed directly at Hermione's heart, where she was stuck to the wall, unable to resist, bound by Riddle's evil magic.
Dumbledore, Ron, Luna, Ginny, Neville, Sirius, Remus, Tonks, McGonagall, Flitwick were all similarly bound. Fred and George had abandoned their shop and joined the fight, although Harry hadn't noticed at the time. They, too, were captured and bound. There was at least one Killing Curse aimed at each of Harry's allies. Hermione had two others besides Voldemort's, several Death Eaters having decided either that her death would be most effective in breaking Harry or that as a Mudblood, she was most deserving. Dumbledore likewise was heavily targeted, as was Sirius. None of it mattered, though, as even one Killing Curse was a death sentence to the bound and helpless friends of Harry Potter.
Severus Snape had spent years as the secret agent within Voldemort's ranks. He had dedicated his life to the defeat of the evil Wizard who had taken the life of Lily, his one true love. He had served Dumbledore and secretly defended Harry while pretending to despise him. He pretended very effectively. Hiding his true emotions and motivations was his greatest skill, greater even than his Potions Mastery.
He couldn't do anything to save the lives of Harry's allies, even though their deaths would cripple him. The Dark Lord had not shared this plan with Snape, whether from distrust or just because the Potions Master had not been present when it had been planned. Severus only hoped that the losses would drive Harry to end Voldemort before dying himself. That was the only outcome that could redeem this disaster in any way, despite what a pyrrhic victory it would be. Snape could only do his part to encourage that end.
With a tiny, almost unnoticeable movement of his wand, he cast one of his signature spells, a spell he had drilled and drilled until he'd perfected it. He didn't use the incantation, knowing secrecy was his only remaining advantage.
The spell hit Voldemort in the back, causing great cuts to appear over his entire body, the strength of Snape's spell penetrating the Dark Lord's enchanted robes. Voldemort hissed, distracted by the injuries, but he couldn't afford to turn to the new threat and leave Harry behind him.
Meanwhile, Harry gathered his strength for the greatest effort of his young life. Fear would have robbed him of his strength, but the Machine felt no fear. There was a single chance to survive and perhaps triumph. His eyes locked with Hermione's. She offered him all her power through their bond and he drew on it.
The Elder Wand swung in his hand, now an extension of his own body, an extension of his own mind, and a tool of his iron will. The Death Stick seemed more eager than ever before, as if recognizing something had changed in Harry, as if he'd finally truly mastered it. Hermione had discovered the spell Harry was casting and they had used it sparingly, not wanting its existence to become well known. She had used it once in public, against Luna during the DA duels. They had saved it after realizing its potential uses, both drilling in it until it was second nature. Dumbledore and Flitwick had taught him the technique to multiply spells, while Alex had warned him that it was so draining that it could completely magically exhaust a duelist, but at the right time it could salvage victory from defeat.
Harry completed his wand movement and screamed out the incantation, putting his entire self into the spell, motivated beyond all reason.
"Foenestra!"
A wave of magic pulsed out of the Elder Wand, staggering in its magnitude. The surrounding witches and wizards, no matter how aligned, felt the passage as a physical force. Harry sagged to the ground, almost completely exhausted.
In front of each of his friends, small holes appeared between the Killing Curses and their bodies. Harry had managed to split the spell over twenty ways. Each green bolt was completely swallowed, disappearing.
Harry knew he couldn't afford any counter-stroke from Voldemort, so he did what he could to add to the Dark Wizard's distraction.
"They're gone." Harry said flatly, "I destroyed each of your Horcruxes. Nagini was the last."
Voldemort was silent. Blood dripped from his body even as the cuts began to heal, closed by dark magic. He opened his mouth to respond, to deny Harry's words, but no words emerged. Over twenty small holes appeared around Tom Riddle in a pattern like the intersections of a geodesic dome and more than twenty green bolts flew from them, including his own powerful curse, striking him dead center. For a moment he was limned in sickening green light which then faded.
As if a light switch had been flipped off, the red glow disappeared from Voldemort's eyes and he fell to the cobblestones, bouncing slightly.
The Death Eaters stood, stunned by the unexpected turn of events. Snape was Harry's only ally free and he held his wand ready to defend himself to the death, but no attacks came. If the Death Eaters attacked, they would overwhelm Severus and they could have killed Harry at that moment as he panted on the pavement, but none of them had expected Voldemort to be hit. Snape stood there, not moving, not wanting to upset the delicate equilibrium.
Hermione moved first. She quickly freed herself wandlessly from the swiftly weakening bonds, bouncing off the wall as if propelled from a cannon and running to Harry's side like an avenging angel, ready to defend him from all enemies. Dumbledore quickly freed himself, Flitwick seconds after. The other Order members and the DA leaders quickly followed, running forward ready to attack the Death Eaters.
A group of ten aurors appeared, having finally portkeyed into Diagon Alley, wands drawn.
The Death Eaters, seeing the odds shifting against them and having just seen the death of one who had claimed he was undying, fled. The pops of multiple apparitions were heard before new anti-apparition wards could be raised.
"Who's in charge here?" Scrimgeour asked, directing his aurors to fan out.
Harry had been sustaining himself through pure will power and with the disappearance of the Death Eaters and Hermione by his side, he collapsed. Hermione caught his unconscious body before he hit the cobblestones and cradled him on her lap.
"I am." Dumbledore said, walking towards Harry, "However, discussion will have to wait. I must take Harry to get medical attention. I am sure you can learn what you need to from Auror Tonks and I will make myself available later for your questions."
Dumbledore gathered Hermione to his side and grasped Fawkes' tail. All three disappeared in a flash of red-gold fire.
H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr
Harry stirred, opening his eyes. He felt less pain than he expected, his injuries seemingly healed. He looked around and groaned. Nothing looked quite like the infirmary and the smell was unmistakable. He had lost count of how many times he'd woken like this after various adventures. As his mind cleared, he immediately felt his wife's presence and looked to the side of the bed, where she sat reading.
"How long?" he croaked, his throat dry.
"Not quite two days this time." Hermione said, her tone dry and the emotional spillover so full of conflicting emotions of elation, worry, and relief that even Harry could barely make sense of it all, "I expected it to be worse."
"Well, that's good then." Harry said, reaching out for a cup of water, which Hermione was already holding out to him, anticipating his need, "How is everyone else? Did everyone make it?"
"Everyone's fine." Hermione said, although there was a clear sense through the bond she wasn't sharing everything she knew, "Foenestra worked perfectly, although I never anticipated you would need to split it that many times. I asked Alex and he didn't think anyone had ever split anything other than a trivial spell that many times before."
Harry relaxed, slightly, although he kept his eyes on his wife, waiting for the rest of the information. They had a brief and gentle battle of wills through the bond, but she eventually relented, believing more in honesty with her other-half than in trying to shield him.
"Scrimgeour has taken control of the Ministry." Hermione sighed, "With Fudge gone, there is a power vacuum. Normally, the vacancy would prompt the Wizengamot to meet and elect a new Minister, but Scrimgeour apparently invoked an old power given to the Head of the Aurors to declare an emergency and suspend the Wizengamot for now, assuming emergency powers himself."
"What about Madame Bones?" Harry asked, "Isn't she over Scrimgeour?"
"Yes…" Hermione said, "but it's more complicated than that. Apparently the Auror Division is much older than the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. More recently, the DMLE was created and the head placed over all elements of law enforcement, including the Aurors. However, since the Auror Office existed first, there are some powers unique to the Head and those have never been removed from the laws. Wizards are just lazy. With Voldemort's appearance in Diagon Alley, the fight, buildings destroyed, Wizards killed…well, the environment was ripe for him to take control. Dumbledore might have prevented it, but he left immediately to bring us here and once he tried to step in, Scrimgeour had already consolidated enough power to block him."
"Did they capture Voldemort's Death Eaters?" Harry asked, hoping for some good news.
"No." Hermione said, "Most apparated out right after you killed him. Many were killed in the fight, but they were mostly Voldemort's cannon fodder. We got a few of the worst, including Bellatrix and Greyback. Snape stabbed Malfoy, but he escaped."
"He's really gone, isn't he?" Harry asked, almost unbelievingly.
"He is." Hermione said, finally letting a small smile creep across her face, "His body was taken to be displayed at the Ministry. The Department of Mysteries investigated extensively and there are no signs of any kind of half-life or spirit fragments surviving. It appears he really is gone."
Harry lapsed into silence as he contemplated that piece of information. His mind was full, busy dealing with the end of his lifetime opposition to the Dark Wizard Voldemort. Reaching this long time goal so suddenly was immensely satisfying, but brought up complex emotional responses that he hadn't yet learned to deal with. Underlying, he could barely recall some really vivid dreams he'd had while unconscious. They'd seemed to start either right before or during the final exchange with Voldemort. Harry couldn't quite recall all of them, but he felt they were very significant. Something about the Hallows…
Hermione's small hand grasped his and he allowed himself to be brought out of his reverie. They sat that way for a span of time, whether minutes or hours, Harry couldn't tell. Her presence made everything right for him and he could tell she felt the same. Despite the fact he was physically healed, he felt his mental and spiritual healing began at that moment. Dim morning light shone in the windows and the infirmary was peaceful and quiet.
The moment was broken by Madame Pomfrey bustling in.
"You're awake, Mr. Potter." She said, setting out several flasks of potion, "Take these."
"I don't want to take those." Harry resisted, "I'm healed already."
"You may be healed, but you're still suffering from magical exhaustion." Pomfrey said authoritatively, "The Headmaster told me what you did and you're lucky you survived. You could have emptied your core and been nothing more than a Squib, even if you survived. That you survived and still have your magic is a wonder. Now drink those. Unless you want to stay with me for longer?"
"If I drink those, I can go?" Harry asked, his tone changing.
Pomfrey nodded, looking down her nose at her most frequent patient. Harry looked back, but then took his gaze away and threw each potion back as fast as he could. As soon as he had emptied the last one, the healer stepped closer to him and did a quick exam with her wand and her finely developed magical senses.
"You heal even quicker now than you did before." Pomfrey said, "The good Lord knew what he was doing when he gave the fastest recovery time to the one who would need it most. Get on with you, now."
She bustled off and Harry dressed in the clean clothes folded by his bed, accepting some assistance from Hermione when he realized he was still a little weak. Hand in hand, they walked out of the infirmary and down to the Great Hall, hoping to catch breakfast.
"We missed the Express, didn't we?" Harry asked.
"We did." Hermione said, "Or soon will. It doesn't necessarily make sense to floo or apparate to the station in order to ride the Express, although I think they would have made us if you weren't in the infirmary. The rest are still going to arrive that way. Ron didn't want to leave your side, but we convinced him to go home."
"Good." Harry said, "I wouldn't want him to miss the last few days with his family, especially now that Riddle is done for. The Weasleys must be relieved."
"They are." Hermione said, "I think Molly's greatest fear was losing her family to Death Eaters."
They walked into the Great Hall, which looked strange as it was completely empty except for the Head Table. Dumbledore saw them walk in and gestured them to the front, where House Elves quickly set two more places. Harry looked around, recognizing everyone except for one heavy set man, who was looking eagerly at him. The Headmaster saw his glance and smiled slightly.
"Ah, Harry, I see you noticed our new professor." Dumbledore said, sounding somehow amused, "New meaning returned in this case, because Professor Slughorn taught your parents. Professor Slughorn, Harry Potter."
Harry reached out his hand.
"Pleased, sir."
"No, my boy!" Slughorn said enthusiastically, "It is all my pleasure! Your mother was one of my favorite students and I'm sure you will be likewise. You are all over the news. One of my old students, Barnabas Cuffe, is the editor. He always make certain I'll see stories that interest me."
Harry nodded, a little put-off by the slimy seeming professor.
"So you're teaching Defense, Professor?" Hermione asked to fill the silence.
"Oh, no, dear, not at all!" Slughorn replied, "Not my subject at all…I'm the new Potions Master."
Harry and Hermione both turned to look at Professor Snape, who gave them a pleased, but sinister looking smile.
"I will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, Mr. and Mrs. Potter." Snape said silkily, "I hope to improve upon the inconsistent education you have received thus far."
He appeared quite amused at their stunned expressions.
Dobby popped in.
"Harry Potter!" Dobby gushed, "Dobby is so happy to see you are awake! What may I bring you for breakfast?"
The little House Elf soon disappeared, only to reappear almost instantly with a plate heaped with food for both Potters. Hermione leaned over and whispered to Harry.
"He was so worried about you, he alternated between the infirmary, moving your things into our rooms here, and making sure everything would be ready for you at home."
They ate breakfast and then walked up to their room, because Harry was still recovering. He slept most of the day while Hermione read her textbooks, preparing for classes as she always did prior to start of term. When he wasn't asleep, they talked. Hermione showed him the newspapers and told him the parts of the fight he hadn't seen, some of which she'd learned from others since she hadn't seen all of the battle, either. At noon, Dobby brought them lunch in their room and afterwards Harry decided he had something he must do. Hermione instantly recognized his need and silently prepared to go with him. Holding hands, they disappeared in a flash of fire.
H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr
They reappeared in a small cemetery. Hedwig also appeared, gliding gracefully to her Wizard's shoulder. She recognized his need and sang a quiet song of reassurance. Together, all three went towards a small grave site, a single headstone marked with two names and a quote. Harry knelt in front of the marker. Hermione laid her hand on the shoulder that Hedwig was not perched on and offered her support. He was silent for many minutes, collecting his thoughts. Finally, he spoke.
"Mum," Harry started quietly, "Dad, I did it. I know you wouldn't have wanted me to do it for revenge, but I think you'd be happy that I finished it. Riddle is gone. Nobody ever needs worry about that psychopath again. Sirius took care of Pettigrew. I think it will help him, that he finished him."
Harry lapsed back into another extended silence.
"I don't know what else to say. It's time for Hermione and I to have our happy ever after. Maybe you'll enjoy watching that part more, but I'll keep trying to make you proud of me."
Hermione watched and finally, sure Harry didn't have any more to say, she squeezed his shoulder and helped him to his feet.
"They would be." Hermione said, embracing her husband, "I'm sure they are very proud of the man you've become."
Hermione produced a wreath of beautiful white flowers and placed it reverently on her in-law's graves, sad for her husband and sad for herself she'd never met them. Together, they stood arm-in-arm in the late Summer evening. Finally, Harry stirred.
"We'd better go or we're going to miss the Sorting." He said, turning away from his parents' graves. Perhaps it would seem a little thing to most people, but he'd only recently learned where their graves were and this was only his second visit. Being able to share his victory with them, the last victims of Voldemort's last reign of terror, brought some measure of peace.
H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr
They returned to their room and changed into their more formal robes. Harry fussed with his clothing so long Hermione eventually had to push him towards the door, recognizing her husband had never taken so much interest in his dress before. He was delaying, nervous and not wanting to see the others. Harry and Hermione walked downstairs slowly. She provided support for him as they went. He was physically almost completely well, but emotionally he was in turmoil. He had never been very fond of attention and although he had gotten better at taking a more obvious leadership role through his work in the DA, he had spent much of his waking time reading copies of the weekend's newspapers. The special edition of The Daily Prophet had made it obvious he was going to be even more famous, the headline reading "The Chosen One defeats Voldemort!" Harry realized on reading that headline that Tom Riddle's mystique had been destroyed by his death. Unfortunately, his own fame was only growing.
Together they paused in front of the massive doors into the Great Hall. Hermione looked sympathetically at Harry as he collected his courage to walk into the room. He could face Voldemort bravely, but the thought of being stared at by his peers was unsettling. Finally, he steeled himself, his face taking on a trace of his Machine persona. His spine straightened and his chin rose. Hermione stepped next to him, taking his arm, ready to act her part. Harry gestured and the doors swung open, interrupting the sorting, barely begun.
Harry and Hermione strode into the room, in step with one another, robes billowing around both as impressively as Snape had ever managed. Severus himself settled back in his chair, watching them walk down the aisle as if it were done for his own entertainment. McGonagall stopped mid-sentence as she prepared the first years for the sorting. There was initially total silence as the two walked towards the Gryffindor table. Before they were a quarter of the way there, clapping started. Neither noticed who started it, but Hermione suspected it was Neville. All of Gryffindor quickly joined, as did Hufflepuff. Ravenclaw was slower to start, packed with very independent minded students, but they soon joined as well. Soon, only Slytherin was not clapping and it appeared that some were even going to go against their House Mates and join. Most surprisingly was Draco Malfoy, who clapped for the Potters with a very amused look on his face, not unlike Professor Snape's.
Eventually, someone in Ravenclaw stood, Hermione noticed it was Cho, respect evident in the look she was giving the Potters, and benches scraped against the flagstone floor as others quickly joined. Soon, almost every student was standing and clapping for them. The Professors stood to join the applause, even Snape. Finally Dumbledore gestured for silence.
"You have all heard of recent events." The Headmaster began, "I cannot express how pleased I am that the Potters have upheld the reputation of Hogwarts in such a dramatic fashion. Lord Voldemort is indeed dead, I witnessed his end myself. Harry and Hermione Potter dueled him directly and once again Harry ended this threat to our world."
Dumbledore again started applauding and Hogwarts joined in. Harry blushed, looking down at the flagstones, but eventually he raised his chin and looked at everyone. With his own gesture for silence, Harry evinced his innate talent for command when he was able to quiet the entire Great Hall with a single movement. Into the stillness, he spoke.
"Tom Riddle is gone." Harry said, "I will not call him Lord Voldemort, for that was a false name he made for himself. I am pleased no one must fear so much that they call him something like He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named or You-Know-Who. We should remember him as Tom Riddle, for that is who he was. As happy as we all are for the end of the killing and the destruction, I think we must also mourn, for Tom Riddle was one of ours, a Hogwarts graduate, Head Boy of his class. Let us not forget, because if we do, we forget that it can happen again. Given the right conditions, another Wizard can rise to assume the mantle of Dark Lord and all this start again. If it does, I will be there and I won't be alone, just as I was not alone in this fight."
"I was never alone. In Diagon Alley, friends fought beside me. Of course Hermione was there." Harry bowed his head slightly to his wife and the applause swelled for a moment, before stopping again.
"Never far from my side, Ron Weasley." Harry said, "Stand up, Ron!"
Ron stood, his ears turning bright red, but his face shining in pleasure.
"Beside him, Luna Lovegood fought like a banshee." Harry continued, gesturing to Luna to stand. Her house looked at her with new respect.
"Another stout ally, Neville Longbottom even managed to stab Tom Riddle with the Sword of Gryffindor! Can you imagine?"
Neville stood shyly and there was an immense wave of applause as the students recognized what an amazing amount of courage that must have taken.
"Ginny Weasley never stopped fighting." Harry continued, "Fred and George, too, although they're not here, next time you see them in their shop, remember they're heroes!"
"Our Professors were in the middle of it. Professor Dumbledore, Professor Flitwick, and Professor McGonagall were all in the fight."
Harry's voice became rough.
"Most of you don't actually know him, but an imposter using Master Auror Alastor Moody's form taught us Defense year before last. He died facing Riddle. Remember him.
"Professor Snape cursed Riddle, despite it being a suicide move. He did it to distract him so I could hit him and it worked. He saved all of our lives."
The Gryffindors looked at Snape in a new light, the sadistic Potions Master having been instrumental in Voldemort's end would garner him endless respect from the Lions of Gryffindor.
"All of us worked together." Harry said, "It was never just me. Remember that if it ever happens again. We win by standing together against evil. It's not about Harry Potter, it's about Hogwarts and all Wizards against the darkness."
There was another wave of applause as Harry walked to his seat.
"Well said." Hermione whispered in his ear, knowing how hard that speech must have been for her attention avoiding young man.
"Thanks." Harry smiled back.
The sorting continued and led into the Welcome Feast. Another year started at Hogwarts and Harry continued smiling, hoping that this year would be the best so far.
H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr H/Hr
A/N: It took a long time to post this, because I wasn't satisfied. I ended the last chapter on a cliffhanger, but that made this chapter awkward, because the fight was moving quickly to a close and I am still concerned it created a strong sense of anticlimax. I like the fight, I'm just not sure I like where I split it.
Foenestra was initially seen in Chapter 22: Duels with the DA, where Hermione used it non-verbally against Luna. Check it out if you're interested. They learned the splitting technique in Chapter 33: OWLs.
I have left threads of the beginning of my next story. I haven't decided yet whether I'll continue it as chapters onto this one or more likely eventually mark this complete and start the sequel as a new story. Either way, I may take a while before doing it. I'd like to take the time to edit this story into better shape. I posted as quickly as I could, often sacrificing time I could have used to edit it to a higher standard.
Please keep letting me know what you think. At least let me know you read it!
Thanks for those who've read it so far and especially for those who've reviewed. I really appreciate all of you!