A/N I promised you would get it so here it is!
As always, JKR has all the rights.
Does that mean that we get the wrongs?
This chapter is very fast-paced and contains a lot of information. In following chapters, several events will be mentioned and you will receive comprehensive. . .uh, lists.
Harry and Ginny rushed headlong into the frenzied battle. Many of the DA members were already out of the school and the Death Eaters that they were fighting had greatly decreased in number.
As Harry stunned a wiry Death Eater from behind, he inwardly marvelled that his classmates had managed to take out so much of the enemy.
Flashes of red and green arced over him and Harry ducked, then turning, saw Bellatrix Lestrange bearing down on him.
"Little baby Potter," she said cruelly. "It's so good to see you again."
Harry glared back at her, gripping his wand tightly.
"Crucio!" she said, almost lazily. With his Quidditch reflexes, Harry dodged the beam of light.
"Impedimenta!" She flicked her wand and his spell bounced harmlessly away.
Her next Cruciatus Curse hit him but he only had about a second to scream when the connection was broken. Harry looked up panting.
Colin and Dennis Creevey had hurled themselves into Bellatrix, knocking her to the ground.
He watched in silent horror as she send identical flashes of green light into the brother's bodies. Colin and Dennis fell to the ground; expressions of surprise set eternally on their faces.
"No!" Harry screamed, pushing himself up from the ground. Bellatrix turned, hatred combining with glee in her features.
"You're next, Potter."
Harry raised his wand as Bellatrix raised hers. They began to call out their spells when a flash of red light grazed her cheek. Blood spattered upon her face and she whirled around to find Snape with his wand in an attacking position.
"Traitor!" she hissed, blood pouring down her cheek.
"You didn't see this coming?" Snape asked calmly. "Come now Bella, you're no fool. Everyone else has wondered why Dumbledore has always put such faith in me."
"This will be the end of you," Bellatrix said, crazily. "My master will have you finished."
As Harry watched their own battle begin, he felt a curse brush past his arm. He wheeled around, remembering the raging battle around him.
"Stupefy!" he yelled and the Death Eater fell back. Another jumped forward and Harry engaged him as well. The light passing back and forth illuminated the Death Eater and Harry saw himself looking again in Lucius Malfoy's face.
"They're dying," Lucius said, pointing behind him at Hannah Abbot's lifeless body. "How does that make you feel?" He shot another bold of light. "Like a hero? You failed!"
Harry felt tears sting his eyes, but he determinedly shot hexes and curses at Lucius. A Boiling Hex landed its mark and Lucius screamed, clutching at the red sores erupting onto his face. Then, he went slack and fell onto his side.
Ginny stood behind him, her wand pointed at Lucius' back. She nodded at Harry and they stood back to back, defending each other from the barrage of curses aimed towards them.
Seamus was the next to fall, his Shield Charm shattered by Rodolphus Lestrange's Killing Curse.
Suddenly, a loud noise erupted from the inside of the school and more Death Eaters poured out, followed closely by the teachers and Order members; Dumbledore at the lead.
Bellatrix looked up from Snape's fallen body and grinned. She raised her wand into the air, sending a purple stream of light into the sky, followed by the Dark Mark.
Tonks rushed to fight her and the others joined into the fray. Harry glanced at the Dark Mark.
Why didn't they send it up earlier? he asked himself. Hearing a shriek, he spun around. Pettigrew had his wand towards Trelawney, who screamed in agony as she floated in the air. The screams then silenced and he lifeless body crashed to the earth.
Out from nowhere, Cho ran at Pettigrew, sending him into the grass. She raised her wand to stun him but a flash of green light exploded in her face.
Cho too, fell to the earth. Harry felt his very soul howl out but he could make no sound.
He moved towards her, crying, the battle momentarily forgotten. Picking up her limp body, tears fall onto her face as he rocked back and forth.
"I'm so sorry!" he sobbed. "All of you!"
Behind him, he heard an evil cackle and he turned to find Rodolphus Lestrange's wand pointed directly between his eyes.
"She once was pretty, wasn't she? Pretty and so alive. Would you like to join her in death? Avada Keda-"
Harry could only stare blankly into the wand as a green stream of light barreled its way into the Death Eater.
Rodolphus' face held a shocked expression as he keeled over and Harry turned to see who had fired the curse.
Pettigrew stood with his wand outstretched, shaking and looking terrified.
"My debt is repaid!" he squeaked.
"I never should have saved your life!" Harry bellowed. "You took everything away from me!"
Pettigrew turned his wand to point at his own heart.
"You're so much like your father."
His mouth formed the words for the curse and before Harry could yell again, the last of the Marauders was gone.
Pettigrew lay unmoving, dead upon the grass and Harry turned back to the battle.
"Ginny!" he screamed, caring no longer for the fight, only desperate to get his friends to safety. Nearby, Ron galnced over after sending a curse at Rodolphus' brother, Rabastan.
"She's near the lake, I think!"
Harry ran down the hill as Hermione fired the hex taht brought Rabastan down.
"Ginny, where are you?" By the lake, the sounds of the battle were distant and Harry moved quietly, his eyes darting about to find her.
Suddenly, by the dock, red fire exploded and Ginny jumped up, Bellatrix Lestrange in hot pursuit.
"Ah, little girl, you can't hide forever. Eventually your strength will wane. How about if I shorten the time that it takes?" Bellatrix lifted her hand and twitched it slightly.
There was a loud cracking sound and Ginny collapsed, her ankle broken for the third time. Harry was running towards them as quickly as he could, yet he was still some distance away.
"My that ankle has been giving you some trouble, hasn't it girl? Maybe a different place then. Your wrist, perhaps?" Again, a twitch of the hand, a cracking sound and this time, Ginny let out a small whimper.
Harry had almost reached them.
"You're more difficult to break then some, but I'll have you screaming for the end anyway. Your spine should do the trick."
Bellatrix's hand went up and Harry slammed into her body with all the strength he could muster.
Bellatrix let out a banshee-like shriek as her wand feel away, along with Harry's. They wrestled on the ground, magic forgotten as Harry filled with rage.
"You evil--you foul--" Harry had his hands on her throat, his anger spurring him on.
Bellatrix gasped for breath, then screamed.
As she did, power surgted and Harry was hurled onto his back beside Ginny. All the breath was knocked from his body and he could only watch in wide-eyed and unmoving as Bellatrix collected her wand and turned to face him. At his side, Ginny had finally fainted from the pain.
"The Dark Lord wanted to be the one to do this," she panted, her eyes a maniacal red, unfocused and desperate. "But you are too much of a threat to be taken alive. So, I will end this."
Bellatrix gripped Harry's collar, pressing the tip of her wand into his throat so that he gagged.
"Say hello to your parents for me, Little Baby Potter." Harry only stared, ready to welcome death.
"Stupefy!" roared a voice from behind her. Bellatrix fell forward, landing on top of Harry. Disgusted, he pushed her off, then looked to see who her attacker was.
"Neville?"
Neville joined him on the ground. "Is Ginny okay?"
"She has a broken ankle and wrist," Harry said distractedly. "Here." He grabbed Neville's wand and tapped the ankle and then the wrist, muttering, "Ferula."
Makeshift splints wrapped about them both and Harry handed Neville back his wand.
"Where's yours?" Neville asked as Harry felt for Ginny's pulse and tried to awaken her.
"It rolled over there." Harry pointed and Neville trotted over to find it.
"Ginny!" Harry whispered urgently, and she moaned softly, opening her eyes.
"Ginny, I want you to lay low. This is almost over."
"I want to fight!" she insisted weakly, trying to push herself up.
"No." Harry touched his forehead to hers. "Ginny, you're strong, but you're in no condition now to fight. You've done your part."
"Harry!" Neville called. Harry turned to see him trotting up the hill. In his hands were two bits of wood, a red feather hanging out the ends.
"I'm sorry," Neville said, holding out Harry's wand.
"What about hers?" Harry asked, jerking his head towards Bellatrix's body.
Neville shook his head. "Snapped too. She must have landed on it when you pushed her away."
Ginny grabbed Harry's sleeve. "Take mine," she urged. "If I'm staying here, I won't need it."
Harry's eyes shone with gratitude, not so much for the wand, but for her agreement to stay put.
"I'll find you after," he said, repeating her promise.
"If you die," she whispered. "I'll kill you."
"Come on," Neville insisted. "We have to hurry."
Harry and Ginny embraced quickly before Harry pulled away. He and Neville ran up the hill, towards the battle.
As they breached the top, there was a massive explosion of green fire and people screamed.
"Oh no," Harry murmured, realization dawning on his face. Neville look at him nervously.
"What is. . ."
"Voldemort. He's here." Harry broke into a dead run and Neville hastened to follow. They came nearer and suddenly, red and gold light met the green flames.
"Dumbledore!" Neville panted.
The Death Eaters, Order, DA members, and teachers had all ceased their fighting to form a ring around the two most powerful wizards in the world as they battled.
Harry pushed his way through the circle to the very front where he could see Dumbledore and Voldemort as they fought.
"Once more," Voldemort was hissing. "Your refusal to kill me is weighing down your chances. When will you realize that nothing is worse than death?"
"You are blinded, Tom," replied Dumbledore evenly. "Blinded in short, by your hatred and your greed. It will lead to your ruin."
"If you won't take your shot, then I will!"
As purple fire exploded from the tip of Voldemort's wand, Dumbledore seemed to look straight into Harry's eyes.
Harry wanted to yell out a warning but his throat had constricted and he could only watch in horror as the purple fire slammed into Dumbledore, sending his body into the air, and landing on the ground with a sickening thud.
"Where are you boy?!" Voldemort called through brutal and cruel laughter. "Come out and die, Potter!"
Steeled by an anger that he had never before felt, Harry raised up Ginny's wand and strode purposefully into the ring; facing his greatest enemy.
"Do your worst, Tom."
I would like you all to know that as promised, I did get this typed quickly and all in one sitting, which is a rarity. I am now very nearly blind from staring at a computer screen so long but it is finished.
Yes, I am aware that the cliffhanger is horrific and as such your spoiler will be. . .nonexistant!!! Yes, I have finally cracked and I will hold the spoiler for the time being. (Mainly because my work on 46 is iffy and needs major readjustments and reworkings.) Enjoy the break.
Usually I'm not one who begs for reviews. I ask sometimes, but now I beg you. Please leave me heartfelt, honest reviews, especially as the story begins to wind up here on out. I'd love to make it to a thousand!