“This is not happening, this is not happening, this is not happening,” Hermione Granger repeated to herself as tears streamed down her eyes. She was quickly throwing on clothes and helping her roommates pack. She was the Head Girl and needed to be the one in charge. She ran through all of the dormitories telling the first years to just pack their bags, and stay put. If anyone was to walk through the portrait, they were to remain silent, and wait for a call. If the call was not given, then hide.

She quickly threw her cat into a cage, and put a cover over it, and put that into a sound proof closest; the girls dormitory made a small line where they packed all of the owl cages, and every other animal into this closet. Hermione left it up to the other 7th year girls to manage the lower classmen. Hermione then ran over to the boys' dormitories which was an absolute mess. She first ran to Ron's and Harry’s dormitory - they had everything under control, packed with the animals in the boy’s closet. Hermione then leaned on Harry’s shoulder and cried.

Harry Potter patted her back, and held her tight, with Ron rubbing her arms, telling her everything would be alright.

The final year at Hogwarts had been frightening for all of them, but no moment was more frightening than the one they were facing now. In their sixth year, Lord Voldemort regained most of his strength that he once had. His raids were getting worse, and the new Minister of Magic was to inexperienced to know what to do. Albus Dumbledore was at Hogwarts full time, and the Order of the Phoenix had nearly moved in to the school with them. Their job was to not only to protect Harry, but all of the students.

Lord Voldemort now had a massive army of Death Eaters and was getting closer and closer to the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was in the dead of night that the warning bell sounded, waking up every student. The bell tolls told them they needed to be getting ready for an invasion.

The staff was nearly as messy as the students were, barking orders, and telling all of the 3rd through 7th years to make sure that everything was running smoothly and to be prepared to help step in. The second years had to stay and watch over the first years in case the common rooms were ever breached. Hermione held on to Harry tightly, and pulled back her hair. She hugged Ron too. “You guys don’t have to come. McGonagall will pardon you Harry! Your Harry Potter, you have already battled him enough - this doesn’t have to be your fight!” she cried.

Harry looked up from the ground, and merely said, “This is everyones' fight.”

“But Harry, we need a few 7th years up here too! Please stay here! Please!” she begged. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she struggled to keep them dry by wiping the drops on her sleeves.

McGonagall burst through the door, “Hermione, go to the kitchen, Hannah Abbot will meet you down there to help the house elves. Make sure they realize what is going on. And Harry, stay here and watch the common room. Ron, round up as many ghosts as you can, and tell them to meet Albus in the Entrance Hall. Seamus and Dean will go with you. Please be sure to get as many as possible!” McGonagall shouted. They all nodded their heads and quickly ran off, wands in hand.

Harry stared at Professor McGonagall with a look of disbelief. “Professor, I can-”

“No, Harry. If he kills you, you have no idea what affect it will have on the entire wizarding world, let alone the students of this school. You of all people provide every witch and wizard with the hope that they can survive. Please Harry, stay here and protect the younger students.” She said her statement and quickly left to another dorm to bark orders at them.

---

Hermione had run all the way to kitchen where she found Hannah who was also breathing rapidly with red puffy eyes from the tears. They hugged each other and tickled the fruit to be let in. Inside they found hundreds of house elves, lost and confused, and rather worried. There was a small sigh of relief at the sight of the girls. Hermione asked Hannah to stay with them for a while as she ran to the Entrance Hall to find Dumbledore.

“Professor Dumbledore! Professor Dumbledore!” Hermione shouted, as she ran quickly to where he stood talking with a few ghosts as more were found gliding through the walls here and there.

Dumbledore turned to look at Hermione who was breathing really hard, as she asked him whether he wanted the house elves to fight or not. “They can fight! They know how! How else do you think Dobby protected Harry from Lucius Mafloy?” she gasped.

Dumbledore looked rather calm for the situation being so drastic. “Yes, tell all of them that I want to see them in the Entrance Hall. Clever idea, Granger. 10 points to Gryffindor.” Hermione stared at him absolutely amazed on how he was thinking about adding points during this time. Lord Voldemort was bound to burst through the door at any moment.

The great door opened and everyone got tense and quickly raised there wands, but a pink umbrella was stuck through the door, and Hagrid’s voice sounded from the other side. Hermione had no time to talk to Hagrid, though, as she ran quickly back to the kitchens where Hannah was found sobbing into a towel that Dobby had handed her. Hermione pulled Dobby aside, “Dobby, listen to me. Lord Voldemort is coming to Hogwarts, he will be here at any moment. Dumbledore wants all of the house elves in the Entrance Hall, please tell all of the others this, and tell them to get there as soon as possible.”

Dobby’s eyes were wide as it is, but now they were huge and glowing. He shook his head, and walked over to the crowd of house elves. He shouted, “Dumbledore needs us in the Entrance Hall. It is urgent. The master calls for our aid.” With that, the house elves all piled outside.

Hermione went back to muttering, but this time she was asking herself, “Why is this happening? Why now? We were so closed to finishing school! Why me? Why us? Why Hogwarts?” as she grabbed Hannah’s shoulders to try to calm her down.

When Hermione and Hannah quickly hustled over to the Entrance Hall again, the different Head of Houses were barking orders at all of the students to do this or that, or stand here. They were spreading themselves out, and making the Entrance Hall look like a giant army. Hermione quickly walked over to the Hufflepuff side with Hannah as she cried and then quickly hugged Ernie MacMillan; Granger then ran quickly to where McGonagall was standing on the stairs. Hermione wiped her tears, and she asked where she was supposed to stand. “Both the Head Girl and Boy are up a bit closer near the staff," she sighed, and pushed her into the direction of the professors who stood front in line. The house elves had squared themselves up behind them. 7th years were found scattered among the lines.

6th through 3rd years were crying or focusing too hard on certain curses that could bring a Death Eater down. The door was sealed completely, lock after lock, but that was no real guard for what was behind it; lurking in the shadows was one of the most powerful and darkest wizards. Ron then ran up to McGonagall begging that his little sister not be involved in the fight.

“Nonsense, Ginny is one of the brightest 6th years. There is no way she isn’t staying here to fight. Ron, go now near Dobby, and stand by him. You and Hermione will be easy targets, please watch out for one another."

Ron looked down at Hermione who was trying to calm herself down by breathing slowly and rethinking every curse she could remember. She then quickly walked over to Neville who had been standing there shaking. Nerves got to him too. Ron was about to fight “You-Know-Who”. He stood there, transfixed on that thought. He thought about Harry and what might be going through his mind. He thought about Hermione, how he had the most fantastic friendship with her, and Harry. Then there was the knock. There was a small gentle knock on the door.

The Entrance Hall went absolutely silent, as Dumbledore pushed the staff back in case the door collapsed and fell in. Hermione went back to her spot and Dumbledore then moved off to the side. Confused, Hermione looked down past the line to see what he was doing. He was staring intently at the door.

---

Harry was in the common room pacing next to the fire, standing there with Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, both whom were very frightened and shakened. Parvati was crying silently, as she wrote a letter to her parents thinking that this was her last night to live. She thought it was her last night to say that she loved them, or that those petty arguments with her sister meant nothing. Lavender Brown stared at the flames almost dead, if not for her heavy breathing, Harry would have thought so.

The man who killed his parents was about to burst in and kill friends and students of Hogwarts. He was going to kill the staff, students, and Merlin knows who else; his scar burned as he paced back and forth. Harry was thinking to hard on what was going on, though, that he ignored his scar completely. The second years were lined on the stairs, as some sort of defense, and they were all watching as the infamous Potter paced. All in shock that he wasn’t the first one that the staff came to to help fight off Voldemort.

Harry let one tear slip from his eyes, and so several second year girls started to burst out crying. Lavender jolted from her spot, and led the tearful second years to the back of the line and moved every one down a step to fill in their spots.

Harry suddenly jumped. “The windows,” he said. Lavender and the teary-eyed Parvati both looked up at him confused. “The windows,” he said again. “5th year, Lee Jordan sent nifflers into Umbridge’s office by windows. What if they try that?” he said looking at the two fearful girls.

“I will inform McGonagall right away!” Lavender said jumping from her spot and running through the portrait hole. After a few seconds of silence, Parvati looked up over to Harry.

“Tell me Harry, do you think this will be our last night living?” she said as the tears just covered her cheeks and she gasped for breath. Her mouth salivating with fear, and her nose started to run as she cried.

Harry looked up at her. “For me or you? No, for some, yes for others,” he replied as he went over to hug her as she let out another burst of tears.

---

Lavender came running to the Entrance Hall and she ran straight to McGonagall when there was yet another knock on the door. Lavender froze, she was suddenly extremely frightened. She walked quickly to McGonagall, “Windows are vulnerable. They’ll come through windows.” Lavender dared to whisper in the dead quite of the hall.

“Not to worry, Lavender, those have been cared for,” Dumbledore said out loud, scaring several 3rd years as he broke the silence. Lavender nodded her head and quickly ran away to the safety of the common room, running through the ghosts that were on the stairs without caring.

Hermione looked up to see Lavender run away, as she looked back to the door again. She looked back at Ron who was pushing his red hair from his face, and she noticed that he was rather pale. Her curly hair floated behind her as she pulled it back just moments earlier after hugging Harry tightly. Harry was what she was thinking about. Then there was another knock on the door. Then a rather strange noise was made, and the door gave a loud creak, but was still standing. Most of the students and house elves took a step back from where they were standing.

“Courage is the power of everyone in here. Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Gryffindor are all houses of courage. They are all houses that you should show pride in, yet even more so, you must believe in them. That is where you come from. The four founders of Hogwarts would be so proud to see us standing proud and united together against the common enemy. Fear though is what we should also look in ourselves for. Fear is a driven power to give people strength where in some people it can not be found. ‘Fear of a name increases fear of a thing itself.’ So Lord Voldemort has come to Hogwarts. Yes, it is so very true. Here we are standing at Hogwarts together.” Dumbledore said with a small pause as the door creaked again. “Remember Cedric. Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort. Remember Cedric Diggory.’ This is what is right. This is what we teach students for: for defense, for bravery, for honor, for confidence in the future. Hogwarts will show what valor we hold tonight,” Dumbledore finished.

Hermione stared at him, thinking about valor, thinking about Harry, thinking about Cedric Diggory. Ron stared at him, thinking about power, thinking evil, thinking about the possibilities which were countless. And every student was thinking about life above all else. How they wanted their parents and older brothers and sisters to be standing next to them. How they wanted to be next to a loved one. How they wanted someone else to battle this through, as if Hogwarts had brought them no comfort or love in any way. Hermione stood staring at the door, as it creaked yet again, and suddenly gave way. It more so crumbled to the ground, then fell inwards as many of the staff and students thought.

Gazing back at them was the emptiness of the outside, no one could be seen. Hagrid was fidgeting as he looked out to see his hut ablaze. They were there, just no one could see them. A spring breeze with the thickness of oncoming rain was blowing through the door, turning the hearts of most of the students and staff cold.

Then the worst fear had hit Hermione. What if they had brought the Dementors? The Dementors had been bought off by Voldemort by offering them what everyone thought they didn’t want. Freedom. The freedom to do things outside of Ministry control: to kiss people that they have been wanting to get there scabby little fingers on for ages. Voldemort had offered them this power and freedom. A small singing caw could be heard, but that was Fawkes as he flew in from Dumbledore’s office, to aid in whatever way he could. The breeze went cold, and in the distance, the fire of Hagrid’s Hut was dimmering. The grass was going limp. Hermione feared this, as she gasped. McGonagall talked as calmly as she could and told all of the students to perform a patronus that instant, and have their forms go off to save them in the distance. Dumbledore’s phoenix patronus was the first one through, followed by patronuses of all sorts and sizes. Hermione thought of her happy thought: the day she went to the Yule Ball with Krum, that had to be the happiest day of her life. She whispered the charm, 'Expecto Patronum' and a rather large otter sprawled out of her wand.

Ron thought of his happiest moment: befriending the most famous wizard in the world, Harry Potter. He whispered his charm and a dog leapt out of his wand. The other 6th and 7th years were the only ones who knew to how to perform the charm too. They tried to help the younger years try and perform one. A few accomplished it, and out the door was a rush of patronus charms.

Dumbledore stared intently on where the door once stood.

Dumbledore’s eyes grew wide, as he stood at the still empty lawn. “Start fighting. Hex the area outside of the door! Now!” he shouted, and there was a was a disarray of curses flying out of the door. Most being blocked by an invisible shield.

Then there was this cold and sudden voice. Hermione shivered as soon as she heard it, and Ron gave a small squeak.

“Dumbledore, your attempts are idle. Not even full grown adults can defeat me, what makes you think that little school children can?” the cold voice asked loudly, echoing in the hall - the source still unknown.

“You have always underestimated the power of those determined to protect what they love, Tom. Last time it cost you fifteen years of powerless suffering," Dumbledore replied.* Ron could only imagine the face that Voldemort gave Dumbledore at that come back. If not for the events that were occurring, he would have laughed at the comment.

Hermione looked over to where Dumbledore was staring. It seemed there was an invisible person standing in front of the staff line, and down a little ways from her. It frightened her to know that Voldemort stood so close. She was watching Dumbledore closely and what happened next scared all of the students to the point that it started the real war of Hogwarts.

Dumbledore was squinting as if he could no longer could see where Voldemort was. Hermione gasped, and then there was this cold ringing around the hall, “Avada Kedavra." There were shrieks ringing through the hall, as Dumbledore slumped over and fell to the ground following the flash of green. There was cawing of Fawkes as it tried to cry on Dumbledore in no avail. Suddenly, all of the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort himself appeared. Hundreds upon hundreds of evil witches and wizards cloaked unveiled themselves. The Entrance Hall was silent, no one talked, no one hexed, and no one cursed the Death Eaters, they were pure shocked at it all.

Lord Voldemort spoke up, turning towards the Slytherin corner, and then to Severus Snape, “If you remove your students, Severus, and they help us in this fight, then I am sure I can pardon them from the awful death that awaits them.”

Professor Snape went really white, as he replied, “You should have never threatened Hogwarts, Voldemort.” He started the curses back up, this time shouting Crucio, one of the three unforgivable curses.

Lord Voldemort’s face went blank as he fought back by killing any nearby students, and as many house elves as possible.

The Death Eaters piled in front of him protecting him from any major harm. Hermione was now right there, part of the staff that was continuing to fall. Professor McGonagall with tears streaming down her face was shouting the unforgivable curses too. Hermione started to stun people but she knew that wouldn’t last long.

Ron was pale and shaking nearly as bad as Neville had before Dumbledore died. He was trying as hard as he could to disarm people. Hermione looked back at them and had a small idea. She was stunning people running up to them, and stealing there wands, as much risk as it was to get as close to the Death Eaters as she was. They were now a mingled mess, the Death Eaters spread all over the Entrance Hall, leaving a path of dead people. Draco Malfoy had pulled his hood up over his head, and joined the Death Eater side, along with his friends Goyle and Crabbe. Ron disarmed them immediately. They were thrown back against a group of Slytherin girls who were trying to enlarge the teeth of one Death Eater that was near by.

One by one, the students and the Death Eaters fell. Tears were streaming down the face of Hermione as she struggled to throw a punch at one Death Eater, having her wand fallen to the ground. Ron picked it up for her and disarmed the guy she was trying to fight off, and handed her wand back.

The cold voice rose again from all of the shouts. “Where is Harry?” the voice bellowed.

---

The silence of the common room was broken by the faint screams that could be heard far below them. However, they knew nothing about what was happening, or what Voldemort was doing. Harry’s patience was wearing out; he wanted to help fight, he wanted to know what was happening. This was worse than before he went to go stay with the Order of the Phoenix before his fifth year. He wanted to be able to do something. Lavender kept the line flowing, and by the end of the girls line, every second year girl was crying. She stood in the middle of the stair way frustrated at her ill attempts to sooth them. “Enough! You will not be killed! You will be perfectly fine up here. What are the chances of them being let in through the Fat Lady? What are the chances of that? If you don’t stop your crying, I will kill you myself! Girls, we need to stand tall and strong. Be happy that you are not fighting down there below. Be happy you are in the safety of the Gryffindor House. You were sorted into this house because you were brave! This is the time to make Godric proud!” she shouted. Even the boys heard her, and they all stood a little straighter when she walked up their stairs to inspect on how they were holding up.

Harry still paced back and forth feeling useless. Parvati continued to sob but only let tears falls after hearing what Lavender had to say.

---

Hermione shivered as she heard Voldemort’s voice ask for Harry. Ron looked up at her, and then ran to the stairs, to McGonagall. “What should I do?” he asked her.

“Go to Dumbledore’s office. The Order is there; tell them to get down here this very instant. Leave someone up there to guard Harry though, and stay with him, Ron,” she bellowed between “Crucio” and “Expelliarmus.” Ron ran out of the battle hugged Ginny as quickly as he could and ran out of the mess. He ran away from it. He got away with his life, but what about the dead fourth year he passed along the way? Why was Harry getting treated special? Why wasn’t he able to escape this mayhem before it started? Why didn’t Hogwarts shut down?

Ron ran through the corridors, looking behind him to make sure he wasn’t being followed, and then up the stairs to the Fat Lady where she quickly let him through the portrait.

Hermione watched as Ron ran away from this evil. Hermione looked back and she was face to face with Lord Voldemort. With a small gasp, she quickly was disarmed by another Death Eater. “Well, well, Potter’s girlfriend may know.”

Draco could be heard shouting from one of the stair cases, “Granger is a filthy little Mudblood.” Ginny looked over at him, punched him, and disarmed him all within seconds and quickly moved on to the two oafs Crabbe and Goyle who were standing behind him, but she was hit with a stunner.

“A Mudblood goes out with Potter?” drawled the cold voice of Lord Voldemort. She did everything to hold back the tears and to look strong, but it was a messy attempt. He gave a cold hearted laugh, as he began to speak again. “Tell me then, Granger, and I will not hurt you. Where is Potter? Why is he hiding from me again?” he asked her. Hermione looked down at her feet, and then back up at those evil eyes of Voldemort. She said nothing. She wouldn’t tell. She would have to be tortured.

“You think you’re just as strong as Potter don’t you?” he asked.

---

Author's Note:*Huge thanks to Masked One on MNff forums for creatnig a more Dumbledore-like response.

Ron burst through the portrait, all the second years quickly raised their wands, along with Harry, and Lavender. Parvati had fainted.

Harry gave a sigh of relief, and burst with the questions first. “What is happening, where is everyone else? Is Voldemort down there?”

“Not now, Lavender, toughen up the forces around here; Harry come with me now,” Ron shouted, as he ran back down the hall. Harry on his heels slamming the portrait shut. “We have to stay out of sight,” Ron whispered running down the corridors.

They ran to the front of Dumbledore’s office to the statues, where Ron looked around again, whispered, “Banana Fritters,” and hopped onto the rolling stair case, dragging Harry with him.

They reached the top and knocked softly on the door. The voice of Moody could be heard on the other side. “It’s only Ron and Harry, come on in.” They walked in, out of breath from the running. Moody quickly walked up to him, and asked him what was happening.

“It’s time, go now! Go NOW!” Ron shouted. “One person stays behind to protect Harry, the others go now!” Tonks made her way to the back and stayed with Harry and Ron. The others quickly ran out of the door.

---

Hermione was face to face to Voldemort.

“You know, this looks so familiar. Harry Potter was hiding, and I continued to play with him. My loyal Death Eaters numbers have grown though, and Harry has parents who care to much for him. But your parents are muggles!” Voldemort said coldly with a small chuckle. Hermione had no time to react before Voldemort pulled out his next stunt.

“Imperio!” he shouted, “now tell me, where is Potter?”

Hermione’s thoughts melted away and she was left in a warm nothingness. Only something that she could find in a book.

“Just tell me…” said a voice from the back of her head.

And she started to think on this - trying to remember from her melted thoughts how to break this curse from the fourth year.

“I won’t,” said a strong voice in her head. The voice still whispered in her head though.

“NO!” she shouted. This time the words came out of her mouth. Her heart was racing as she was just hit with an unforgivable curse. Voldemort looked at her calmly, and the looked to the Slytherins trying to find where Draco had gone to ask him if she was really muggle born.

“Well, well. You take after Potter in more ways than one. I can give you a scar to, my dear, but I am afraid I would kill you at the same time,” the cold, heartless voice said again as he began to walk around Hermione.

Hermione was thinking and thinking as fast as she could. “Why me? Oh - don’t have self pity, it won’t help you. What will help me? Harry, hide, please don’t get caught up in this. Someone save me.” There were to many random thoughts running through her head.

“Crucio,” the cold voice bellowed and she began to lose it. It hurt her in more ways than one as she was sent twitching into mid air. The staff all saw her floating in the air, twitching, and crying as she was waved back and forth following Voldemort’s wand. Students screamed and cried for Hermione as her hair band snapped when she hit her head on one of the walls and her hair went flying around her face.

Ginny was revived finally and saw her best friend twitching in the air, confused and heart broken she picked up her dropped wand, and was stunning everyone in her way to get to Hermione.

---

Lavender heard pounding on the door. She told all of the second years to get ready, to everyone get their hexes in their head, there mind set on them. The Fat Lady sent out a shriek and could be heard following the wall, leaving the portrait. Parvati was well hidden in one of the dormitories, revived but to scared to move. Lavender lifted her wand, ready to stun anyone who walked through that door.

---

The Order finally arrived into the battle. They were left shocked, and in an utter state of disbelief as the students fell slowly.

Mad Eye Moody stumped along, knocking out several Slytherin students who were caught hexing Gryffindors nearby. He saw Hermione floating in mid air twitching madly and tears falling easily. He shouted, “Expelliarmus,” at Voldemort, and Voldemort’s wand went flying in to the air, and Hermione fell to the ground, knocked out.

Eight Death Eaters near Moody all stunned him and knocked him out. Lupin was the next person to walk through who was stunning as many people as possible. The rest of the Order had all run to the aid of the last few surviving teachers.

Ron looked up at Harry and Tonks, both desperate for knowledge in was happening during the battle. “He died!” cried Ron. Tears flowing freely for the first time on his face. “It was all so unexpected. We couldn’t see him, but Dumbledore could. He told Voldemort that he would die because once Harry had defeated him. He’s dead. Dumbledore was the first person to die!”

Harry looked down, blaming himself for Dumbledore’s death, thinking that if he was only down there, it would have distracted his attention, and Dumbledore could have killed him instead.

---

A strange noise was heard on the common room door, and the door creaked - Lavendar could only remember walking to the Entrance Hall and when she ran out she heard this noise. She let a single tear drop, and then what used to be the portrait hole collapsed into a pile of rubbles. Around three or four Death Eathers walked into the common room to be stunned.

Lavendar shouted, “Quick everyone; the Repairo curse on the count of three!” she said looking at everyone on the stairs, a few moved closer to get a better aim.

“One…two…three!” she shouted.

---

Hermione Granger laid on the floor, still alive, but just barely. All consciousness was gone, and she was lost in a world of peace and dreams, suddenly there was this cold drear of even what seemed like her death. The few surviving dementors had returned, and turned the Entrance Hall into a cold, dark, dreadful place. The surviving students and staff who could complete Patronuses, did so and the Dementors fled the hall, leaving it to the muggy thick breeze again from the outside.

Harry couldn’t hide it anymore. He had to fight. He just had to. There were to many people have died, when only he should have. Voldemort had only come to Hogwarts for one reason, to find Harry, and kill him. He would have left afterwards.

Tonks was being brave, telling them that staying in the office was a noble deed. If he ran, not only would he perish, but everyone in the school would encounter a more fatal result as well.

Tonks turned up to the pictures hanging on the walls, “Dumbledore is dead, can you please inform me of what is going on in the Entrance Hall?” Tonks asked calmly. There was a small gasp among the pictures as several scattered out of view. Others started to sulk for their beloved Headmaster.

Harry’s scar was burning as he thought of what the witches and wizards were doing in the Entrance Hall. Where was Hermione?

McGonagall was absolutely amazed this was happening at Hogwarts. Where were the Ministry of Magic officials? They were supposed to be here. They too knew when Hogwarts was going under attack, they should have apparated at the gates and been here by now.

Mad Eye Moody had woken up from his stun, to find himself next to Shacklebolt stunned as well. He revived him, and the two were quickly making their way down the stairs, tripping here and there on stunned and dead students. They were putting the Cruciatus Curse on any Death Eater who passed them.

Ginny following close behind after being held up by a large Death Eater, only stunning a few people on the ground floor as she ran the stairs downwards. She wanted to get to Hermione. McGonagall had joined the plight and quickly stepped past Ginny to gain order with Moody and Shacklebolt. Lupin, Mundungus, Dedalus Diggle were already on the ground floor fighting, while the other members could not be seen from the Order of the Phoenix.

Ginny was thinking even faster, "Hermione is dead, my parents are dead, my brothers are dead, why, why, why, why?" She was asking her self to many questions. As she finally reached the ground floor, her mum grabbed her from the corner, and was crying as she hugged her so tightly. “Honey, go back to the stairs!” she cried, as her father came from the behind, stunning a Death Eater who was approaching them.

“I can’t mum! Hermione!” Ginny said bravely. She hadn’t cried yet, and the site of her mother and father cheered her up. The fact that they were still alive made her happier in such a dreadful place.

“Ron, is in Dumbledore’s office, mum, he isn’t here,” she said as she noticed her mother searching all around. She gave a small sigh of relief.

“Won’t you please join him?” Molly told her daughter.

“I can’t mum, I am needed here. Hermione needs me, McGonagall needs me, the other students need me,” Ginny told her mother.

“But I need you too!” she cried.

“Mum, I will be fine, Stupefy, please, mum!” Ginny said stunning a near by Death Eater.

The Order advanced on the Death Eaters, and some kind of order was restored. They collected as many staff members as they possibly could, and stood straight in a line, all of them cursing one of the three unforgivable curses.

Voldemort was losing, so to buy time, he sent another wave of Dementors into the room. More than the ones before, so he attacked the teachers while they were conjuring patronuses. Not just putting them on the Cruciastus Curse, or the Imperio Curse, but he was killing them. One by one, the line was falling.

Snape stood next to Professor Sprout who had just fallen. Tears were streaming everyone’s eyes by now, as the students could only watch in the small instance, stunning as many as possible within the wand distance. 7th years then called for students to move forward.

---

Harry sat in the office, scar burning, wand ready, frustrated as the people from the portraits started to talk about the events below. How they even saw Dumbledore’s dead body, and students mixed with Death Eaters lying on the floor, stunned or dead. Some were under the crucio curse, as they twitched nervously in a compulsive manner.

Harry listened to the reports and drowned himself in the sorrrow, but never did he cry. Not once, he couldn’t, if he cried he would give in to Voldemort, this he could not do.

Harry got up and began pacing. Tonks was whispering to herself, and Ron was staring at the ground, tears flooding his mind. “My parents are down there, along with Bill and Charlie, and Ginny,” he was muttering.

Harry looked up at Ron, “Don’t leave Harry! You could get them killed,” Ron cried.

Harry looked up at his friend, “Then fight with me for them.”

Tonk’s eyes grew wide, “Oh no! Harry, you can’t !” she screamed as he opened the door and ran down the steps with Ron on his tail, Tonks screaming at them as she too quickly followed pursuit. Harry and Ron silently turned a corner, though, that Tonks did not.

---

“Repairo,” shouted Lavender and a large crowd of 2nd years. The door was mended, but the portrait was not. Any real Gryffindor trying to get in wouldn’t be able to since the Fat Lady had left the portrait shrieking. Lavendar, told one of the third years who stayed behind to watch the lines, that she was going to keep an eye outside. “If you hear a knock like this, it means it is me, and it means that you let me in right away. Don’t you dare keep me locked out there.” she told the third year. The third year nodded her head and stood by the portrait hole as Lavender climbed out.

---

The Order and the Staff were pulling themselves together to try one last blow, and it was working. However, they couldn’t find Voldemort any more, whether he went invisible or whether he left Hogwarts, they all were asking Moody where he was, but he didn’t seem to know either. The disappearance of Voldemort frightened the Death Eaters in that some were even retreating.

Ginny ran to Hermione and held her head up as she saw Dobby running over from the distance, pushing back as many Death Eaters as possible for his to tiny elf hands.

“Is she hurt ma’am?” asked Dobby as he looked from Hermione to Ginny. Ginny shaked her head yes and wanted to scream out and kill Voldemort this instant.

“Is there anything Dobby can do?” he asked, looking down at the pale Hermione.

“Yes, can you get into Dumbledore’s office?” she asked as Dobby nodded his head, “Then tell the paintings, every single one of them, that if they have a portrait in St. Mungo’s tell them that they need to go there and raise the alarm that Hogwarts is being attacked, tell the same thing for the Ministry of Magic. And Dobby, hurry!” she said as the house elf ran as fast his feet could carry him. Tonks came running out when Dobby was running in to that corridor.

She saw that the Order and the Staff were making forward progression, and that almost half of the students who once stood tall and proud were now laying on the floor.

Tonks gasped at the sight of green flashes where people were actually getting killed.

---

Lavender knocked on the door where the portrait laid empty, and the third year girl opened the door for her. Harry and Ron were the ones to burst through the door though, and frightened several second years into throwing stunning charms at them. Harry bolted through the door up the stairs, and came back with his invisibility cloak as Ron scolded as many of the second years he could at once, and back again they flew out the door.

Suddenly, a huge burst of flashes were coming from outside. The Death Eaters who had once retreated were back, and their numbers seemed to double.

The Order could not fail though, these were the best Aurors that the Ministry had to offer; if they failed, then no one could defeat Voldemort. It would leave no hope for the outside Wizarding World. The students couldn’t hold up to the power of full grown wizards and witches who knew all sorts of Dark Magic, and it was a real gamble to expect them to fight. It was a mistake to let them fight.

McGonagall looked up to see the students in smaller numbers, and almost half of the Slytherin’s turned up their hoods and battled the students. It hurt her to see such fine upstanding students die, or turn against Hogwarts. How could they forget their past like that? No Hogwarts student would do that, she didn’t teach them that.

Snape looked at his house in fear and sadness, thinking the same thing as Professor McGonagall, he didn’t teach his students to behave like that. It was grievous that his own house turned against Hogwarts, turned against him, the man who had lead Slytherin to victory in the years before Potter.

Professor Flitwick found an interesting way of levitating Death Eaters and send them flying on to other Death Eaters. This enthused the students a bit more than regular dueling did.

---

Harry and Ron ran through the corridors, not caring about any one in the pictures who were absent mindedly telling them about the fight. They ran through the dark corridors, and through the screams with an invisibility cloak on. They couldn't really hide from the ture terror though.

They bumped into Tonks who was rather confused in the stir, and realized who it was. She begged silently for Harry to return to the office, but she didn’t want to talk too loud for fear that Lord Voldemort would hear her and find out that Harry was in the room.

The cold voice sounded the second they entered the room, sending a shiver through everyone’s spines. “Hello Harry, how lovely of you to join us.”

Harry jumped, he was not expecting that. His mind was flashing, the time he battled him in the Graveyard in his fourth year was stirring in his memory as his scar seared his forehead. He wanted to shout out in pain, but before he could get anything out of his mouth, McGonagall was shouting at all the students to move forward, and push the Death Eaters out of the Entrance Hall.

Mad Eye Moody was staring intently at the spot where Harry stood. Harry must have figured that Voldemort must be somewhere in front of him. Somewhere so close that he would be able to touch him if he reached out his hand. Ron gave a whimper from the side.

“Ron, stay in the cloak, and get the hell out of this area. Tonks, you heard me too. Get out of here,” Harry said, and then revealed himself to the invisible Voldemort. Tonks shook her head tearfully, and grabbed Harry, and pushed him out of the way just as a green flash escaped his invisible wand, Ron was missed by a hair, and he ran faster than ever imagined down the stairs, pulling out his wand.

Ginny was staring hard at Hermione, then looked up occasionally at Harry. She was worried about both, but she felt it was her duty to make sure that Hermione wasn't stolen or finally killed by a Death Eater. Ron ran to her, and took off his cloak. He stared at Harry from the distance with tears in his eyes, and a wheeze in his breathing. Ginny rubbed his arm and told him everything would be alright.

“Alright? I nearly got killed!” Ron screamed.

McGonagall started to shout again. “Forward! Not backwards! Are you not students of intelligence?! Move forward! They are Death Eaters not spiders!”

Hagrid could be seen jumping in the corner of the Entrance Hall. At the mention of spiders, his eyes grew wide. Ron looked up to see his expression.

“Oh no, not the spiders, not the spiders, anything but the spiders.” Ron was muttering to himself.

Harry looked up to see Tonks leaning on himself panting, she was already tired from jumping on him, but he also saw something else, she had the same twitch that could be found in those hit by the Cruciatus Curse. Harry looked into her eyes, but briefly. They were cold, and no longer glimmered. Her metamorphagus talents were being put to use, as her eyes went from blue to green, and her hair color was changing vibrantly from purple to yellow, to long to short; her face overall was becoming distorted.

Harry looked up and saw nothing. Lord Voldemort was playing hide and seek with him. The memories from the Graveyard were flashing through his head, Voldemort’s cold heartless voice was ringing through his ears, as he remembered oh so clearly what happened that night.

“And you call me a coward, this isn’t a game of hide and seek,” Harry said as he set the twitching Tonks gently on to the ground, her characteristics constantly changing. He turned around and there was still no one there.

---

Lavender heard screams and the crying from way up near the common room. The voices were ringing in her ears, as tears finally escaped her eyes. She should be down there, she was a 7th year, she knew more than the younger years whom were fighting down there. She knew how to defend herself more properly, they were only children down there. Although she knew that this fight did belong to everyone, she knew it did not belong to them. Voldemort was before their time, this war should be amongst adults and trained staff and personnel who know how to deal with this kind of stuff.

---

Harry reached out his hand into the middle of air.

Ron was muttering to himself, keeping a close eye on Hagrid who had spells bouncing off of him; Ron was stunning several Death Eaters as he made his way to join Hagrid.

“No,” Ron said in the middle of the stunning charm.

“No, what?” said Hagrid looking down at him, and then started punching a Death Eater down with his massive fists.

“No spiders,” Ron said again, as he enjoyed watching Hagrid’s method of destroying Death Eaters.

“So you met Aragog, did yeh?” Hagrid said, picking up another Death Eater and throwing him off to the side.

“I met him alright, he wanted me for dinner!” Ron yelled as he saw his mother fighting with the Order.

“Well, what did yeh do to offend ‘im?” Hagrid asked.

“Nothing!” Ron yelped as a Death Eater started coming at him, apparently the Death Eater lost his wand and was trying to the muggle way to solve things, with his fists.

Before the Death Eater could even get a clear shot of Ron, Ron took up his fist and punched the Death Eater square in the nose, and then Hagrid threw him off to the side. Ron smiled at their method, and continued to disarm and stun.

Harry reached just a bit further, and gasped from both from the pain of his scar, and the shock of being met. Another hand reached out and grabbed his arm. The hand was cold, and rough. No one he knew. Then as if he stepped out of this wall, Voldemort took a step forward to meet Harry eye to eye.

The few Death Eaters who had seen Voldemort emerge from invisibility and grab Potter all cheered him on gleefully, but were quickly knocked out by spells cast by the order, as McGonagall made a mad dash for the stairs to get to him, and Lupin was right behind her.

Harry thought about what McGonagall had told him earlier, that he was a chance for hope among staff, students, and the entire wizarding world. From his bravery, they found their own. Students on the stairs stared intently, but dared not move from their spots, as they were shaking from nerves. Mainly because the back students were third years.

“This time, your parents are nowhere near, and won’t be popping out of my wand!” said the chilling voice. Harry smiled.

“My parents are always here. They are always protecting me. They are always loving me,” Harry said as he watched McGonagall reach the top and start slowing down to walk his way.

Voldemort stared at Harry and then looked cautiously to McGonagall and Lupin. The Dark Lord looked at the two, and then back to Harry, possibly confused on who he should attack first.

Before any question could be answered that was running through everybody’s head, the best thing happened. They all looked out the great doors to find flashes of red, as stunning charms flew about. They all looked back to the order who were all still inside struggling to push the Death Eaters out of the Entrance Hall. It wasn’t them who were stunning people outside.

Harry squinted from the second level.

McGonagall gasped at the sight of the charms.

Mundungus was the one to confirm all the hopes, “The Ministry is here! They are here!” he shouted.

Voldemort’s face contorted in disgust and fear. Sudenly, the happiness was broken apart. There was a huge flash of green light.

The Entrance Hall was blinded by the flash, and no one could see anything. Ron immediately held tightly to Hagrid, who stood above the green light that flooded the room, but couldn’t see anything that was happening amongst it. It sounded like a fist fight and riot had erupted when the witches and wizards were blinded. When the green finally faded away, the attention was focused on the second floor.

Lupin looked around the floor, Tonks had stopped twitching miserably, but lay still on the ground, her hair still changing colors. McGonagall lay next to her, breathing heavily as she struggled to sit up. Then Lupin turned to wear Harry was once standing. His body laid in a heap. His body, though, was not alone either. He looked over the ground, and none other than Lord Voldemort was piled on to the floor as well.

Ginny watched the events carefully, and the second the Ministry officials appeared, her heart leaped. They had won, Hogwarts had won, Dumbledore had won, and the Weasley’s had won.

---

Lavender heard the shout for the Ministry, and jumped up and shouted from joy. The girl watching the door, got confused and quickly swung open the door. “They did it! The Ministry is here!” Lavender squealed as Sir Cadegon appeared in the empty shredded picture frame.

“Ha ha! I knew I could protect you!” Sir Cadegon exclaimed as he drew his sword. Lavender let out the first laugh all evening, the second years were all smiling and cheering, and wondering what to do with the four Death Eaters they all had stunned.

“Ah, they won’t wake up any time soon, we need people to carry them down stairs though,” Lavender said grabbing the feet of a cloaked and hooded man. She slid the hood off the man and gave a small gasp.

---

Ron looked up to the second floor, in hopes of seeing Harry still alive. Voldemort had been defeated again, they all thought.

The Order all made a run for the stairs as the left over Death Eaters were rounded up by the Ministry of Magic. They all ran to side of McGonagall, or found themselves hovering over Harry. No one could tell if he was still alive or if he was still dead.

The commotion around them and the people constantly streaming up the stairs and bothering the bodies up there, Harry was moved, and when people bumped into his foot, they believed that he was still alive. And if not, they would still take him to St. Mungo’s as if he was to show the students some sign of hope that he lived, and Voldemort died.

Before Moody could really get up the stairs, they had lifted Harry’s body up and started to trudge down the stairs.

Molly Weasley ran to Ginny and screamed for her other children. All returned save for Charlie, and there was no sign of Arthur either. Fred and George weren’t in the order and had a shop in Diagon Alley to manage. Percy wasn’t fighting with Molly anymore, but he wasn’t in the Order yet either. Both Charlie and Arthur were found next to each other, on the ground.

Kingsley Shacklebolt ran to the fires with two house elves, and got two fires going. He told them to head to the Room of Requirement, and find Floo Powder, and lots of it.

The two houses elves did so and returned with a rather large bag of Floo Powder that they both carried panting down the stairs. He thanked them, and started Floo Powder portals, as a few St. Mungo’s Healers turned up.

Madam Pomfrey had not fought (only if she had to defned herself that is) but rather lingered around deciding which students were dead and which would need immediate medical attention.

Ron saw that Tonks still had a faint breath of air in her lungs, and was barely alive, very much in the state that Hermione was downstairs.

He then turned to McGonagall, who had finally managed to sit herself up right, but her breath was in gasps. He looked down stairs at Dumbledore, and then back to McGonagall. Severus Snape ran up the stairs, stared at McGonagall, and continued on to his destination, the Owlery.

---

Lavender had unmasked the still very alive Lucius Malfoy, whose face was hurt, and contorted. His eyes were still piercing Lavender Brown as he grabbed his mask back, and stood up rapidly, pulling his wand from the pocket of his cloak. “Stupefy,” said a second year from behind. And Malfoy’s face relaxed and he passed out again. Lavender gave another small smile of glee and happiness as she made it through the night, not knowing any of the details outside. She looked at the common room full of second years who were smiling and writing letters home telling them everything they could. The first years started to mingle down one by one, and Paravti joined Lavender, but no one else returned to the common room.

---

Ron ran back down the stairs, and over to where Hermione was laying. He looked at her face, it was pale, and she was just barely breathing. He looked up at Ginny, “What did she get hit with? By whom? Why?” he managed to ask, between the sobbing tears, as he looked down and grabbed to hold her cold hand.

“Voldemort. She wouldn’t tell him where Harry was. She just refused, so he put the Cruciatus Curse on her. It looked like something out of the books, about the raids. She floated above all of us, and she twitched compulsively, she was crying, but she didn’t scream out in pain. He tried the Imperious Curse before that, but that didn’t work on her either. Ron, we can’t manage her, father, and Charlie,” she whispered as she looked back at her mother who was sulking as she cradled Arthur’s head. Ron sobbing as well as he looked up to meet his mother’s glance.

---

Lavender wasn’t the only one to notice that no one was coming back. The second years noticed it to, and slowly, the first years caught on.

“Everyone stay put, stay where you are. Listen for my knock or for the password. But do not let anyone else who doesn’t do either of those. Here me out, I am going downstairs, I will return to let all of you know what the state of things are,” Lavender said. She felt like a babysitter, but these times were dire, and it was more like she was a mother to them.

Lavender stepped out of the portrait hole, and closed it behind her. She made a mad dash to the stairs and quickly leaped down them two at a time, making sure that she didn’t step on any of the trick stairs.

She was greeted with the same horror that Tonks found, that the Order found, that the other students found. Students piled on the floor, dead or just barely hanging on for dear life. She was on the second landing, and making her way down the first stair when she looked over to see McGonagall, and Tonks lying on the floor. Lupin was huddled over McGonagall, blocking her view on whether she was ok or not.

She ran down the stairs and gasped . There in the corner, she saw for the first time, the real of horror of what Voldemort had brought to Hogwarts. The death of the Headmaster, Dumbledore. She looked down at the floor to see the Weasley’s crying over two red-haired men. And then finally she saw Ron and Ginny cradling Hermione’s head. She looked around her.

In the Slytherin side, most were lying on the ground stunned, they had either been hit by other Slytherins, or just randomly were throwing curses at each other because they didn’t know who was good or bad.

The devastation of it all had happened in a single night. One night brought all of this death, one night brought all of this turmoil and suffering. One night had changed the lives of them and the lifestyle of Hogwarts forever. She ran up to Mad-Eye Moody whose magical eye was swiveling dangerously in all directions.

“Sir, the Gryffindor Common Room was breached. Nothing serious, but we have four stunned Death Eater’s in there, and quite frankly, we can’t deal with them really.” Mad-Eye gave a quick nod of his head and followed her back to the Gryffindor Common Room.

“Sir, can you tell me if he is still alive?” Lavender said looking back at the silent Moody.

He merely stared at her, “Voldemort has been…em…taken. So as far as we are concerned, he is in for a loss,” he said carefully as he watched her shiver at the sound of his name.

Mundungus ran over to the Weasley’s and surveyed the damage. He hustled for Molly to let go of Arthur and Charlie and let the St. Mungo’s Healers deal with him.

“They are still alive, Molly. Give them a chance to live by going with them to St. Mungo’s! They can live if you hurry!” he urged, and she got up and had two men levatate each of the bodies and travel through the green fire to St. Mungo’s.

“Stay here, Bill, with Ron and Ginny. The Floo Powder can’t all be used at once. Come when the mess is a bit more cleared up, please! Please stay put! Go and help them please!” she said as she sobbed woefully into a handkerchief that she made her wand create.

Amidst the tears and sadness, Ron had forgotten that his friends were also suffering. That Hermione was just barely a live, and that Harry may have just killed “You-Know-Who” for good, while getting himself killed.

Bill ran straight to where his sibling were holding Hermione’s head crying. “Bill, we need to get her to St. Mungo’s and now. Please help me lift her up.” Ginny said as she moved to the back of Hermione while Bill pulled out his wand and whispered a curse. Ron stared at him helplessly as Bill and Hermione both vanished through the fire.

Ron looked around, he needed to help someone. He needed to get these mysteries out of his head. He looked up and found Neville in the corner, a pile of Death Eaters encircling him, as Neville huddled nervously, holding his wand up and peaking his eyes through his fingers.

"Neville, did you do all of this?" Ron asked looking at the pile of bodies that mixed within each other.

“Umm…I think so…I am not quite sure. These guys made need to get to St. Mungo’s though,” Longbottom replied shakily.

“Let the Ministry deal with Death Eaters,” Ron replied, looking at all of the ones lying on the ground.

“Did you stun all of these?” Ron asked looking at Neville seriously.

“Yeah, well, I think so. My wand went off and sent these people to the ground. I think my wand was broke though, and just backfiring.”

---

A/N Hmm - so I think you should till stick around, becuase I am not finished yet! What is the true fate of Harry, Hermione, or even Voldemort. Were their losses all in vain?

*Thanks to a review (by witchwannab), I had made a mistake - it is actually Parvati in Gryffindor, not Padma ::shameful for messing up:: I changed as many as I could recall and saw, but I think I got most of them. If you happened to read a Padma, just tell me where in a review.

Kingsley Shacklebolt walked over from the Healers, to Molly Weasley, her eyes were puffy from tears, and she took a seat and waited for him. Shacklebolt’s face was deepened with stress and lack of sleep, and looked up at Molly.

“Molly, you know how Harry was able to have this sort of mind power with Voldemort?” he asked, as Molly nodded and shivered at the name. Kingsley paused for a moment, staring at her dreadfully.

“Two years back, when he was attacked, the snake was interconnected with You-Know-Who. Well, Arthur’s snake bite had the same affect as Harry's scar. His previous wound started to bleed constantly, and it couldn’t be stopped. The spells he was hit with also produced an ill affect.” Kingsley said again, this time with a tear forming in his eye.

Molly burst out in to fresh tears, she knew what he was going to say, she knew it and she didn’t want to hear it. She refused to listen to Shacklebolt. She didn’t want it to come to this. She didn’t want to have the children know about this. Bill had just walked into the room trying to find his mother, brother and father, after he dropped Hermione off at another ward, where her living condition was still unstable. He had found his mother crying terribly, and Kingsley standing in front of her.

---

Moody looked at the portrait hole and was amazed. He stopped Lavender, and told her to hush. Inside she could here the faint screaming of the second years, she gasped. As Moody’s eye swiveled and looked through the door.

“We can’t get in,” she whispered. “The Fat Lady, she isn’t here to open it.” Moody looked grievously at her, and told her to knock on the door. He hid in the corner, while she stood there alone in front of the portrait hole. He whispered to Lavender to speak the password, and tell the third year girl that she had returned.

The portrait hole swung open.

---

Lupin returned to St. Mungo’s to check on Harry and whether he was dead or alive. He ran through the corridors, and into the ward where they were keeping him. He burst through the door and into Harry’s room. Harry, like many patients, didn’t have the luxury of a private room. Lupin looked up at the Healer that stood over Harry’s body.

“Ah, Remus,” said the Healer cautiously. Lupin looked directly to Harry, and then looked back at the Healer.

“The Boy Who Lived may not live through this. Remus, he is still alive, but just barely. It would take a real miracle for him to live through this. Although that is what Potter comes up for,” the Healer said looking back up at Lupin.

Lupin took a seat, and held his chin up with his hand.

The Healer looked more sternly at him. “Please, can you tell me what exactly happened that he got hit with?”

Lupin looked up again, he could remember it clearly.

“The Ministry was right outside of Hogwarts’ door, they were coming. It would mean victory for us, and defeat for the darkest wizard of all time. It would mean that Voldemort was brought down by a bunch of school children. It would be a grave defeat for Voldemort. Harry was told to stay well hidden in Dumbledore’s office, but he is stubborn to everyone’s ruling and came out when we were so close to winning on our own. The second we found out he was in the Entrance Hall, Voldemort was already standing close by with Tonks at Harry’s side. Minerva and I came running as fast we could up the stairs. We wanted Harry to live; we loved Harry in our own sort of way. She as his Head of House, myself as the best friend of his father and godfather. No one among Hogwarts staff or the Order wanted Harry’s life to be taken by the same man whom had killed our friends, and his family. No one wanted that to happen, so Minerva and I wanted to make sure he wouldn’t. The flashes from the wands out the door threw the Hall into disarray, when we all regained our attention to the fact that Voldemort was standing there near Harry. Voldemort had lifted his wand, the killing curse in his head, and at that exact same time, nearly the entire order, the entire staff had thrown the killing curse back. Harry was hit by a dead man’s death charm,”
Lupin said very slowly, staring at Harry's limp body which could you could barely witness the rise and fall of his chest.

The Healer coughed at the statement, “Remus, he didn’t die.”

---

Ron, Ginny, and any other surviving student helped Madam Pomfrey carry the stunned students into the Hospital Wing, while the St. Mungo’s staff and the Order took the more seriously hurt to the Witch and Wizarding Hospital. Severus Snape copied letters that told parents the general deal of what happened, and that they would be expected to pick up their child from Hogwarts as soon as possible, or they could be transported via Floo Powder to accompany their son or daughter to St. Mungo’s. He also wrote a very important letter to the Daily Prophet about an article which should be published the next morning. Seeing how it was already around five a.m. Ron was absolutely stunned to see the next morning editions of the Daily Prophet.

A Students War: An Evil and Brutal Attack on Students

The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was attacked late during the night by none other than the returning You-Know-Who and his army of Death Eaters and Dementors. The first causality of the war that took place in the Entrance Hall was their very own Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, believed by many to be the only other stronger wizard than the darkest wizard that the Wizarding World has come to know.

While the number of fatalities and injuries has not yet been revealed, Severus Snape, the potions master at this prestigious English school, had this to say: “Yes, Hogwarts went through the worst night that a school could ever survive. But that is what makes this school so advanced now. You-Know-Who was bound to make a mistake at some point during his terrible years of reign, it just happened to be that he had knocked on the wrong door.”

It may surprise some of our readers to find out about whom it was that put a stop to You-Know-Who’s feats. It was none other than the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter. Harry Potter was undergoing his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, and it is believed that is why You-Know-Who attacked last night. This is of course, not the first time that You-Know-Who has been at Hogwarts.

You-Know-Who attended the school himself as a Slytherin when the school was under the authority of Headmaster Dippet, who has long since passed away. You-Know-Who has also had more than one encounter at the school: when Harry Potter was a first year, he attacked the school for a very highly valuable Sorcerer’s Stone, which would have ultimately brought the Dark Wizard back from his low sooner. You-Know-Who tried again the next year, acting through a student, and returning as the preservation of a mere memory when the secretive Chamber of Secrets was found. He then took a break from Hogwarts to set free prisoners from Azkaban, such as Sirius Black, who even though is still being hunted for, remains to be the infamous Harry Potter’s godfather. Dumbledore informed the entire Ministry and public of You-Know-Who’s return after Harry Potter’s fourth year, the same year that the Dark Mark was scene floating above the crowds at the Quidditch World Cup, and that same year, Hogwarts had suffered the death of Cedric Diggory, a seventh year at the time of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. He then regained almost all of his strength last year.

You-Know-Who has made his survival off of Unicorn Blood, and other acts of receiving immortal powers with a terrible curse. It is because of this reason every witch and wizard needs to be aware and cautioned by the power and might of the Dark Lord. There is still no word on the condition of You-Know-Who or Harry Potter.

---

A/N: AHHH!! He lived!!! DUN DUN DUN!! What could this mean? How will the end of all ends play out? Please review, it is encouragement for me to keep sitting out the days for approval :)

Remus looked up at the healer, completely shocked by the words Remus, he is still alive. He began boiling over with anger, and frustration.

“What? That can not be,” was all he could stutter.

“It is true, my friend. Although he would not be treated at St. Mungo’s. The Ministry doesn’t really know what to do with him. The fleet of dementors no longer guards Azkaban, so they can’t administer a kiss. He already survived the order and the staff’s killing curse. They don’t know what to do with him, Remus. It is rather unfortunate. He didn’t escape without injury, that’s for sure. He is on the edge of passing, much like Harry here,” the Healer said looking up at Professor Lupin.

Professor Lupin got up, and straigtened his tattered coat. “I will kill that damned wizard,” Lupin said running out of the room, the Healer calling after him even though it was no use.

---

Bill stared at Kingsley and then looked over to his mother, who was now crying uncontrollably.

“Molly, I am sorry. They couldn’t do anything,” Shacklebolt told her with a tear falling from his eye. “Arthur is in a better place.”

“Better place? BETTER PLACE? And what about me? What am I going to tell the kids? How am I going to raise the kids? How am I…” Molly started crying out as she looked over at Bill. She immediately threw up her arms and ran to hug him, crying non-stop into his shirt.

Bill understood immediately the conversation they exchanged as Kingsley walked over to where they stood. He patted Bill’s back and walked off back through a nearby fire, shouting out "Hogwarts" as the green flames engulfed him and he disappeared.

Bill squeezed his mother and held her tightly as he walked back with her to go and find Arthur’s body. She grabbed his hand, and cried onto him, bowing her head in silence. She looked back up at Bill who had finally let his tears fall freely.

“What am I going to tell the others?” she asked him between the coughs and the tears.

“The truth,” Bill muttered as he stood up to pace back and forth next to his father’s bed. Kingsley was right when they said the healers had tried everything. Bandage wrappers were surrounding his bed, where his open wound left a dark maroon spot on his sheets.

---

Ron and Ginny felt completely helpless as they sat in the Great Hall. Neither one of them touched their food. Their friends were all gone, save for Neville who hadn’t found the appetite to eat either. Neville waited for his grandmother to arrive to get him.

Longbottom was shaking nervously as he took his seat, leaning his head on the table, and pushing away all the food that the surviving house elves had cooked for them.

Ginny still didn’t cry, and she looked up at the surrounding students. She fought next to these people over night. She fought with these very people. They provided her with a shield around Hermione, and she provided them a shield when they didn’t know the proper spell to say. She watched as the fires were still bustling with workers and staff of all kinds.

It was only a little after the battle and she still hadn’t been able to grasp the concept of the attack.

---

Lavender stood there in front of the portrait hole as it swung open. There in front of it, was a Death Eater, masked and standing against a background of terrified second years and first years.

Lavender was so confused as the man made a grab for her arm to reel her inside the common room.

Mad-Eye made the dash out from the corner and stunned the Death Eater, as he walked in, stunning the three remaining ones, as Lavender went straight to the third year. “What happened?” she asked soothingly as the third year cried.

“Another one woke up, and no one saw him, and he revived the others, and well, you know that second years charms aren’t the strongest. They started stunning the students and then one pulled out one of the three unforgivable curses. Everyone started to scream, and all order was lost,” she sobbed as she got up off the floor where she was knocked down by first years trying to run to the stairs.

Moody left the common room, levitating the motionless bodies in front of him and out of the way. He gave a small wink at Lavender as he walked out of the room and shut the empty portrait behind him. Soon afterwards, the students slowly started to mingle back down stairs.

The second years were all interested in what was happening downstairs.

Lavender jolted at the questions, tears forming in her eyes as she remembered the bodies of students mingled on the floor with Death Eaters. She remembered the portraits screaming and crying from the losses and devastation of the war. She remembered seeing the crumpled body of Dumbledore in the corner. She remembered seeing the green flames of the fire as workers bustled in and out. She remembered Hermione lying in the corner, with Ginny by her side, and the Weasley’s huddling over two members of their family. She looked at the second years one by one, and thought any of them could have been the ones to die. She looked deep into their young eyes, and how much joy they had to offer the world, and how much longer they had to live. Any one of them could have died and their lives could have been cut short when it was unneeded.

All of this death was unneeded. All of this sadness was unneeded. She looked up at the Gryffindor common room as their small beady eyes focused and stared at her, and she dropped a small tear.

“Well…” she started.

---

Bill walked out of the fire, and into the Entrance Hall once more. He walked into the Great Hall where he noticed his siblings staring off into oblivion, not knowing that their father had been killed yet. He took a deep breath as he walked slowly over to his little brother and sister. They both looked up at him, got up and headed his way.

Neither of them knew exactly what news he had, or what they were walking to in the future. Neither of them had any clue that an innocent father’s life was taken that night.

Bill whispered, “Come with me,” as he made his way back to the fire with them following close behind.

McGonagall slowly made her way down the hospital wing, the air still knocked out of her and the strength in her upper body was gone. She looked up at Madam Pomfrey, and she was sat down on a chair as all of the beds were full, and was handed a potion. Within a few minutes she was restored. She gave a weak smile for Madam Pomfrey as she heard the vomitting of a nearby student, and quickly left for the Entrance Hall again.

McGonagall stared at the Weasley’s as they one by one made their way through the fire. Ginny looked up at her, gloom was surrounding her as she vanished into the green flames. McGonagall gave a small jog, picking up her robes, running into the hearth shouting out, “St. Mungo’s” as she threw the floo powder down. She arrived just shortly after the Weasley’s and they all gave a respectful nod to her, as she quickly ran through the corridors, asking Healers where Potter was.

“That way, ma’am,” said one healer as he pointed down the corridor.

McGonagall squinted into the distance and was relieved to see Lupin running her way. She paused for a moment, and looked at Lupin. He was getting closer and closer, it didn’t look like he was going to stop, and he didn’t. He ran right past her, leaving her speechless. She picked up her robes and called after him, “Remus! Remus!” she pulled out her wand, and called out a trip jinx sending Lupin to the floor. She stopped next to him.

“Where do you think you are going?” she asked.

He looked up at her, tears streaming down his face. “To the Ministry of Magic.”

McGonagall looked down at him, and couldn’t help but asking why.

“He is there.” Lupin replied quietly, trying to make sure he wasn’t over heard by anyone. McGonagall gave a small gasp.

“But he…he died,” McGonagall told him. Lupin shook his head and remained silent.

McGonagall felt horrible. All that pain and suffering, and Voldemort was still alive. “Lupin,” she said cautiously, “let the Ministry of Magic deal with him. We need to help Potter in any way we can.”

“No, we can’t.”

McGonagall was now officially confused. “Merlin’s beard! He’s dead?!” she asked silently.

Lupin shook his head no.

“Then for goodness sakes, explain everything to me as we go and see Harry,” she said as she pulled him to his feet and they slowly started making their way to Harry’s room, as Lupin discussed silently what he had been told by the Healer.

---

Just as Ron , Ginny and Bill turned the corner, Ron looked out and from the corner of his eyes, he saw two muggles standing there quite nervously. They were Hermione’s parents, he could recognize them anywhere. Ron stopped and turned around, and walked over to them. They smiled at the sight of someone they recognized.

“Mr. and Mrs. Granger?” Ron asked as they nodded their heads yes. “Do you need help finding Hermione?”

“Very much so, we don’t understand this hospital,” Mr. Granger explained as he looked at an incoming witch from the fire.

“I’ll go find out where Hermione is for you,” Ron said solemnly as he headed for the desk. An odd looking witch stood busily behind it. She was talking into a small fire and popped her head out when Ron came up to the desk.

“May I help you?” she asked with a croak.

“Yes, I am looking for Hogwarts student Hermione Granger. She was hit by the Cruciatus Curse,” Ron said weakly.

“Ah, Granger. Room 101,” she said as she pointed in the same direction Bill was leading them before he ditched them.

“Can you also tell me where Arthur Weasley is?” he asked again.

She frowned at him as she croaked, “Room 125.” Ron nodded a thank you and waved for the Grangers to follow him.

He lead them to Room 101 where a more peaceful looking Hermione laid on one of the beds. He had to leave the Grangers to meet with his own family.

Molly looked up at Bill and Ginny whom had just walked in. “Where is Ronald?” she asked as Bill quickly turned around, and noticed that his little brother had disappeared as Ginny ran to her father, realizing that his chest wasn’t moving with the regular breathing movement. She saw that he was covered in his own thick blood. She shrieked and hugged her mother tightly.

Bill peaked out of the room, and saw Ron coming up from the other direction. Ron walked into the room solemnly.

Ron saw that his brother, his sister and his mother were all crying. He looked at his father who was laying on the bed motionless.

---

“Well…” Lavender started, “you should all be so thankful you are to young to fight. You should all be thankful that you were safe in the common room. You should be happy that you didn’t have to witness the sadness and devastation that had spread throughout the Entrance Hall. You guys should all be happy you are loved. You should all stay in the common room, and hope for the best of the students and staff who are on the edge of passing. Your thoughts should not be on the events of what happened down stairs rather the people involved in the fight down stairs,” Lavender said, as a second year snuggled up by her side.

Mr. and Mrs. Granger sat down holding Hermione’s hand, looking at her as if everything was perfectly fine and she was only sleeping at night.

The Healer walked into Room 101, and looked up to see the Grangers sitting next to the bed. The muggle clothes they wore explained their background. He looked at them and grieved by their lack of knowledge on the Unforgivable Curses. He looked into their eyes, and sighed. "Hermione is not well as you can see," he started.

---

Ron looked up at his mother who sobbed as she held Ginny close to her chest. She nodded her head, confirming the awful thought that his father was dead. His father had died. He stood there motionless, unable to move or speak. Everyone knew that being in the Order was a risky business, and everyone knew that anyone was capable of dying, but never before did he ever think that it would be his family. Never did he think that it would affect his family above all other people.

He stared at his mum who looked down at Arthur and she started to break out in screams.

"NO! This wasn’t supposed to happen to you, Arthur! You are supposed to be here, telling me everything is going to be alright. You are supposed to be here to tell the children that Charlie was stunned, but should be fine!" Molly screamed, breaking down into a mere whisper, as Bill walked over to her to stop her screams from the other families in the room, who were all grieving that their loved one was in St. Mungo’s.

"He knew I didn’t like the Order. He knew that this was my fear, that I never wanted to find him dead. He knew that this was my worst fear, Bill. But he continued it anywise," she sobbed.

---

Professor Trelawney ran into St. Mungo’s, desperate to talk to someone, anyone about Harry. She was lost and confused, but needed to find someone. She needed to tell them this desperate piece of information. Professor Trelawney had passed out in her office before the battle had even begun. She had passed out the instant she heard the warning bell signal the attack, and the vision she had, oh, it was much worse than she ever imagined.

---

Lavender hugged all of the second years near by as she moved to another couch, and laid her head down. Her boyfriend had fought, she thought. She could only wonder the fate of her friends, and her fellow classmates. She wondered where all the other safe students were. Why was the common room still empty?

Parvati came and sat by Lavender’s head. "Lavender, you are braver than any other girl at this school."

"No, I am not. Every girl who fought downstairs is braver than I am," Lavender said, a tear slipping down her face.

Parvati leaned down, "No, you will always remain to be a true Gryffindor, Lavender. You will. You show more valor and courage beyond anyone I know."

"Parvati, shut it!" Lavender said as she frowned.

But Parvati continued, "You really are Lavender."

"I SAID SHUT IT! You think I am brave, well I am not! Alright? I saw Hermione lying on the floor down there and she looked dead. I saw the Slytherins beating each other up, and caught in the middle were three Gryffindors. I saw Neville huddled in the corner, Death Eaters surrounding him. I saw the Weasleys suffer the illness of TWO of their family members. Parvati, I told you again, you show no dignity if you call me braver than the people down there. If you think I am brave, then everyone is a coward in truth!" she shouted as she got up as the second years stared at her, and the first years squealed and ran back up the Dormitory stairs.

---

Just when Bill was beginning to think that he was going to die by the squeeze that Molly was hugging him with, Percy, Fred and George had finally arrived at St. Mungo’s, and Molly all hugged them fiercely. Each one taking close notice to the tears, and their father lying on the bed.

"Your father," she whispered but struggled to continue, "your father...your father has passed." They all had horrible faces of dread, as they took the new meaning of her hug.

---

Trelawney had run down the halls, asking for Potter. Many of the witches and wizards all looked at her as if she was insane, as a few Healers pointed her in the right direction. Her spectacles thickly gazing through the halls as she finally reached the door. She burst through it, looking carefully at the beds full of witches and wizards. She finally caught site of Minerva and Remus staring at her. "What happened? Is everything alright?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes. I mean no. I had a vision," Trelawney said miserably.

They both stared at her, and pulled her back out into the hall. The other witches and wizards in the room taking careful observation of the Divinations professor.

"The prophecy, you have heard the prophecy," Trelawney whispered, her eyes staring at the old witch and werewolf wizard. Her gaze though, seemed to look right through them.

McGonagall shook her head yes, but Lupin still had no idea what Prophecy they were talking about.

Sibyll Trelawney took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..." she repeated in a very quiet whisper.

McGonagall nodded her head in concurrence, "She had an interview with Albus," as she his name her voice quivered, "Sybill fell into a trance, and spoke of this Prophecy. Ever since then the Dark Lord has been after Potter."

Sybill's misty voice interrupted Minerva's explanation as she cried out, "It's wrong!"

McGonagall and Lupin quickly stopped in their tracks, and stared at the witch. They inspected her carefully.

McGonagall led them down a hall way and into an empty storage room.

"What do you mean it's wrong? How could it be? You spoke those words yourself before Harry was born. What changed? Prophecy's almost never lie," McGonagall started.

Trelawney stared at her behind her thick rimmed glasses. "Minvera I know, I don't know what happened. Just before he got to Hogwarts, and just as the warning bell sounded, I passed out. I had a terrible vision. It was something I should have suspected, but there is an unwilling power for me to believe that it is still true," Sybill softly said. Her misty voice hypnotizing Lupin and Minerva in a sense of peace.

Lupin finally took his turn to talk, "Then how can you be sure that this last vision is right?"

Sybill looked from Minerva over to Remus, who stood flabbergasted at the news of everything. She shook her head, and her curly bounced with her as leaned against the door, and put her head back.

"Oh, you see, it will not play out as imagined. We have all found that the single defeat lies in Harry Potter alone, and while the boy is You-Know-Who's equal, it will not be him that brings him to his feat," Sybill explained as she inhaled the sent of her perfume and essence sticks that still lingered with her.

Minerva had the same confused face that she had with Remus when he told her that the Dark Lord was still alive.

---

The Healer took a seat. "Your daughter, Hermione, was hit by a Cruciatus Curse. It was an illegal spell, and is referred to as one of the three Unforgivable Curses. She was also hit by the Imperio Curse, which affected her mental ability as a young witch to defend herself. From reports, the Imperio Curse, first hit your daughter, so that the darkest wizard could gain knowledge of the whereabouts of Harry Potter. When she refused to relay the details of his location, she had undergone the Cruciatus Curse. Both of these spells were cast by the most powerful wizard in the wizarding world, and as a seventeen year old witch, it had a greater affect since she isn’t older." He told them rapidly as they both took in what they were told. Tears fell from Mrs. Granger’s eyes, as she held her daughter’s hand tightly.

"Now, I would suspect that you know a bit about Harry Potter and so forth from what she might have told you. Your daughter is a very strong witch, but she will need quite a bit of time to recover from these spells. Most of the people hit by these spells become permanent residents of St. Mungo’s, but there is something very different about Miss Granger here. We aren’t sure why she isn’t reacting as suspected, but I will let you know everything as I find out," he said as they both nodded their head, as Mrs. Granger leaned into her husband’s jacket and cried out loud. Her voice was echoed by the tears and shouts from other parents, from other children, who had all been sitting next the bed of their own loved ones.

---

"Sybill, what did you see?" McGonagall asked trying to get some sense of the story.

Sybill took a deep breath before continuing. She hated Potter's fate and realized that it was time to share what he really had in store for him.

"They are connected, Harry and 'You-Know-Who'. They are bound together as one," Trelawney told them nervously.

They both stared at each other. McGonagall was still confused. She was lost by everything that Trelawney was telling her. She could hardly believe that the Prophecy had lied, let alone what the truth really was.

"What?" Remus asked for the two of them.

---

Bill took the others to go see Charlie in the bed across the hall while Molly Weasley said her good-byes to her husband. The healers were telling her that they could clean him up before she did that. She nodded her head in silent agreement. Parents in the room watched as the bloody bed was rolled out of the room. They watched in horror as someone died in their room. They watched in a stunned position that that same fate could be the fate of the one they so dearly clasped onto.

Molly walked across the hall, her face as red as her hair as she pulled tissues out of her wand. Now the financial responsibilities were lying on her shoulders. Now the care of her children was her soul responsibility. She was thankful, however, to have grown up children, who could help support her, who could help her get through her life. They would all have to become used to the strange absense of their red-haired father who would get them out of trouble and go easy on them. That was all over for them.

---

Lavender looked up at the children. Her eyes were full of tears. "I am sure that even Salazar Slytherin would be appalled by the outcome of some of his wizards. That is the truth. That downstairs, friends, family, boyfriends, girlfriends, and everyone who is of a proper age is down there. Whether they are dead, alive or wounded is up for grabs still. You don't understand the pressures of life until you have understood the power of life and death. You just can't figure it out," Lavander paused. A tear dripping from her eyes.

"Until you have witnessed the secret of the thestrals, until you have seen one, you have no bearing to talk about bravery. Killing a spider, or watching life pass you up is not bravery. Fighting, helping, and caring is a bravery beyond recognition," Lavender cried out loud.

"Those who think they hold such an accountability, feel free to follow me to the Great Hall to actually help those who possess such an outstanding courage," Lavander said again as she walked to the portrait hole, not once looking behind her to see who followed.

---

"If one should die, the other does too," Sybill gasped in a fearful manner.

Remus and Minerva's eyes grew wide; they looked at each other and back at Sybill trying to put everything in context and the situation.

"That is why he didn't die when you meant to kill him. Potter survived, and that was all that he needed," Trelawney told them.

"And you're sure about this?" Remus asked again, hoping that this was another lie. Trelawney nodded her head in silence confirming that this was the awful truth.

McGonagall became red with fury and left the storage room. She marched straight to Potter's room again, and saw his breath was still recovering from the awful gasps that he had to take. Remus and Sybill who had followed her watched as she sat down, and cried.

She dropped several tears, before getting up rapidly and apparating out of the room. Remus and Sybill were helpless of trying to stop her.

McGonagall arrived at the Ministry of Magic and organized the Minister of Magic and the Order of Merlin first class members. A tear formed in her eyes as they were missing their beloved member, Dumbledore.

As everyone settled down she began to talk at a rapid, and furious pace. "You can’t kill Voldemort," she told them. They all looked at the old witch rather confused. "It can’t be done" she told them again.

The new Minister of Magic spoke up at this, "And just why not?"

"If you kill Voldemort, you kill Harry Potter. There seems to be a greater connection than we thought, and if Voldemort dies, than it would mean that Harry dies," McGonagall told them calmly. They all looked stunned at the relevation.

"Well, Minerva, it may be a comfort for you to know that 'You-Know-Who' can’t be killed anyways. Minerva, you must think about this though. We have no way of detaining such a powerful wizard. We prefer that he and Harry get killed before he gets loose and kills more innocent people," said one member.

Most of the witches and wizard nodded in agreement.

“How were they connected?” the Minister asked Minerva as he sat up and looked straight into the wet eyes of McGonagall.

“I think there is a more divine connection between the two than the scar. He sees things that the Dark Lord sees and he feels his emotions. He finds himself working as him in his sleep. Is that not a greater connection than just giving Potter a scar? Albus Dumbledore even said that he transferred some of his power to him. This would explain why Potter is a parseltongue! Now imagine this, what if he transferred part of himself into Potter?” McGonagall explained. Her eyes seemingly inheriting the same twinkle that Dumbledore once had in his day. His days were done, now and McGonagall would have to tend to the school, if she wasn’t replaced first by the Ministry.

"We don’t know how we are going to kill him. The unicorn blood has had a greater affect on him than what all the wizards and witches in this room thought. He can regain strength and wipe out this entire Ministry," the Minister told her.

"Perry, I know," McGonagall told the Minister.

There was silence in the room, as Minerva paced back and forth trying to find some way to persuade way them from their attempts on killing Voldemort, knowing that if Voldemort was hurt, Harry was as well.

"What if we tried the opposite way?" a wizard smirked from the back.

---

Lupin and Trelawney stared at one another, curious as to what McGonagall was doing. Neither of them wanted to leave Harry, or stray off to far. They felt they were bound to protect him till Minerva got back.

---

A/N: I can be really evil with some of these cliff hangers, eh? I think there will only be one more chapter after this one - so it will be the GRAND FINALE!! I am still creating it though, so *eek* Don't pounce on me when you see that it wasn't updated sooner. I finally finished this chapter today and was very pleased with the outcome. I don't think you liked the cliff hanger though. I am only trying to pull you back into the story :)

"What?" asked Minerva as she addressed the unknown wizard who said that they should try it an opposite way. The smirk he gave as a reply was frightening to McGonagall.

"The boy must still be able to kill You-Know-Who," the wizard replied again.

The Minister hadn't caught on either. So the wizard unfolded his plan. Not once did he glance at McGonagall when told the Merlin Class what they should do. Even though, she may have shouted and voiced her opinion, no one was listening to her.

---

Ron was the next to run the corridors - he had to find some way of escape. His red-haired family had never been so depressed, and it was an insecurity to be around them.

He first checked on the Grangers, but Hermione's mother was crying aloud in anguish and it frightened him away from her. He had to find some way of escape. He ran through the corridors, and asked a healer where Harry Potter was. He pointed him in the right direction, and Ron nodded a thank-you as he ran faster down the hallways.

The Healers pushed to the side of the wall as they were quickly pacing around to fetch medicines, bandages, to find other Healers. Their frightening pale appearance had softened into a sickly look as all of them were overworked. Ron found Lupin just outside of Harry's room.

"Is he-?" Ron asked, not wanting to complete his sentence.

Lupin looked up at him solemnly, and shook his head no, giving Ron a weak smile as he did. Ron gave a sigh of relief.

"May I see him?" Ron asked again quietly. Lupin moved his feet from the path to the door and silently shook his head yes. He winced as Harry's breath sharpened again, and slowly returned to a normal pace.

"What happened?" Ron asked him, trying to break the awkward silence as he stared at his best friend.

"He was hit with the Death Charm by You-Know-Who," Lupin replied simply. Ron closed his eyes for a moment, remembering the green flash that covered the Entrance Hall. He opened them to see his friend gasping again for breath.

"Did He die?" Ron asked after a moment. Lupin bowed his head in reverence and shook his head no in silence. Ron was nearly as outraged as Lupin was when he found out. He was surprised and shocked. His friend was on the verge of life and death, and the person who tried to kill him has the same fate.

Sybil came back to the room, and frightened Ron. She bowed her head and left the room again, her glasses covered with a milky salt covering as she cried. She took a seat next to Remus, and dared not close her eyes for fear of another vision.

With a crack, the wizard with the smirk arrived outside of the room, pushing past Lupin as he looked at the boy. It wouldn't be even five seconds before the Minister arrived, and then the rest of the Order of Merlin First Class. Lupin jumped to his feet, and Sybil got up slowly in his shadow.

"What is going on?" Lupin asked one of the witches.

"Nothing that minds you, my dear," she replied. Lupin wanted to know what was happening. Ron was shoved out of the room and he quickly left the corridor before stopping to hear another crack and McGonagall's voice.

Ron slowly turned around and watched as the wizards shouted and yelled over McGonagall.

McGonagall was screaming, "NO! YOU CAN’T! YOU CAN’T DO THIS!" Another wizard quickly grabbed her, stopping her from getting into the room.

Lupin shoved his way through the crowd and ran into the room, but arrived just as the wizard had announced, "Avada Kedavra," and the green flash hit Harry.

Lupin froze motionless. Tears swelled in his eyes as he heard no more of Harry's breath, and saw no more movement. A Healer also pushed his way through the crowd.

"What in Merlin's Beard!?" the Healer shouted over the crowd. The minister walked up to him to silence him, and the Healer understood. He may have been the only to understand, but Lupin stood there frozen in time, horror stricken as the precious son of Lily and James passed.

"HOW COULD YOU!?" he shouted.

The wizard who had performed the curse, walked up to Lupin. "Remus, it was the only way to kill Voldemort. It was the only way. Harry is now with his parents, though."

Remus's face turned a bright red as he argued back, "How dare you! Lily and James died to save him! They wanted him to live a long and happy life! They died to protect him from this fate!"

McGonagall buried her face into her robes, as she slouched slowly to floor. She had lost Dumbledore, she had lost her students, her friends, and she lost Harry Potter. This was no victory for her.

Sybil Trelawney was absolutely silent as Lupin was shouting over the crowd, "You had no right to do this!"

Ron's eyes swelled with tears. In a time for rejoice after the final defeat of Voldemort, there was no happiness. Families were still affected and Hogwarts was still affected. Ron walked slowly through the crowds as the Healers continued to pile in bodies through the fire, and they began to take a count of deaths. There was no screaming and shouting, there was no happiness.

Ron thought this must have been how Sirius felt back in the days when Lily and James were murdered. He was innocent, he lost everybody, but one of the darkest wizards was brought down for quite some time. There was no smile.

Ron looked into Hermione's room. He could only regret not ever telling her sorry for so many things, he had to regret that she being the smartest witch of their time, wasn't going to take her N.E.W.T.s. He stared at her parents momentarily as they bawled and kissed her frail hands. They had no idea what permanent damage she may have. Ron looked up at the ceiling, he knew that the Permanent Resident ward was above him. There he could see the destruction of Voldemort; Frank and Alice Longbottom oblivious to the defeat that they had taken a part of, and how much their son had accomplished. Ron Weasley was just one single person who realized the large scale results of this.

He walked into his brother's room. The cleaned Arthur beside him as Molly hugged him tightly. She made a fuss about Ron disappearing, but he told them, "He was defeated." There were only small smiles that let him know that he was still there.

---

There was no more movement, there were no gasps that escaped the mouth of Voldemort, as the witches and wizards busily monitored him. They silently walked into the room where he was chained to the walls, scared and frightened by his limp body. His bruised figure was frightening even at its lowest point. At death, his name was worrisome; at death his body was scary. Lord Voldemort really had reigned over the world, in a terrifying way. He had won what he wanted - fear, but now at his lowest point, he was no longer.

Lord Voldemort, the Dark Lord, was no longer a leader. He was no longer the evil man who hunted by day and night, who killed the most innocent, and sought revenge on the youngest. He was no longer alive. He was no longer the man who ate death, but a corpse who was killed by a 17 year old boy.

---

Mrs. Granger asked the Healer if a Muggle doctor might have any answers, might have any programs. He shook his head no as she silently wept over her daughter.

The Healer sat down next to the Grangers. He looked at their 17 year old daughter, with a small smile.

"There is some good news, though," he told them. They stared at the Healer through their watery eyes.

"Your daughter will not be a permanent resident, and is suspected to make a nice recovery. It will take a few weeks though, she won't wake up over night. The overall affect this had on her wasn't to bad, she will have lost some of her memory, and may be shocked for a few days. The last note I have to share is that the person who did this to her was killed," the Healer told them in a soft whisper. Mrs. Granger gave a small smile as her daughter would be okay.

Mr. Granger was just as happy and relieved. He didn't care about Harry Potter, the boy who once lived. He didn't bother to worry who did this, and what his fate was. He only cared about his lovely daughter.

---

Lavender walked down the steps, followed by the entire Gryffindor house. They saw the death, they saw the destruction, and they showed valor as they helped staff and students get everything organized.

This was indeed the end of her school years at Hogwarts. This was the end of all ends as she sat there and pondered the meaning of what this could mean for her future. She saw the green flames spring up from the hearth. Green, the color that was once associated with evil. Green, the color associated with death. Yet, she realized that green was also a sign of rebirth, of rejuvenation.

---

Lupin and McGonagall were stunned that a complete stranger could kill Harry. Someone who didn't know the boy, someone who didn't understand his hardships would be the one to slay him while he was ill. It was an awful fate, an awful death.

It was the end of all ends.