The group gathered around Harry looking at him expectantly, which caught him a bit off guard. Although they had all asked to be a part of this and had agreed to follow his lead without question, he suddenly felt the weight of an enormous responsibility for them all. He took a deep breath, hoping to find the words they needed.
“Dumbledore always told us that it was important for all the Houses of Hogwarts to work together and we have managed to do that. We’re all here; finally, to do what needs to be done.” Harry paused, feeling the energy they created as they stood side by side. They looked at each other, and he knew they could feel it as well.
“I know,” Harry continued, “that you each have personal reasons for wanting to ” to see this done. All of our families have suffered at the hands of Voldemort, and this morning it will finally come to an end.” Harry saw them stand up just a bit straighter with determination, not one of them shrinking at hearing the Name-That-Must-Be-Spoken. “But this isn’t just about Susan’s family or Malfoy’s or... or mine. It’s about the future. It’s about making sure that it is safe for them - our children - to make sure that they never have to live under this evil.” He willed himself not to look at Ginny as he said this.
Harry turned to Malfoy. “Ready?”
Malfoy nodded, and without another word, Disapparated from the hill. Harry looked through his Omnioculars and watched as Malfoy Apparated just a bit away from the smaller, northern circle to rejoin the gathering of Death Eaters around the fire.
“Harry,” Susan said, taking his hand, her eyes glistening, “we’re all ready. Thank you for giving us the chance to set things right. I know my mother would be proud. So would yours.” She gave him a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek.
A huge lump seemed to have appeared in Harry’s throat. “Right,” he went on, swallowing hard to regaining his composure. “Wait for my signals. And remember: distract, draw away, and detain. Keep yourselves hidden under your robes and do NOT engage in any direct fighting. Wait until one of the Order and the house-elves appear, and then find a safe space to hide until you’re called. Neville, as soon as you’re done, you’ll take Ginny to her mum in the infirmary. Susan, you gather up Luna. Clear?” Harry looked from one to the other as they all nodded their understanding. If they were scared, they didn’t show it. That they were determined was clear.
Without another word, they picked up their packs and put on their robes, rendering themselves instantly invisible. Ron and Hermione were last, nodded at Harry and disappeared like the others. In another second, several more ‘pops’ told Harry they were all gone. Harry put on his robe as well and, taking out his mirror, stood at the top of the hill.
“Kingsley,” Harry called into his mirror, “send the elves.” After just a moment, Harry watched as hundreds of small figures appeared in the great ditch that surrounded the field of stones. In unison, they held up their small arms until their fingertips touched. A thin white mist appeared, creating an airborne cord that seemed to knit the elves together in the charm that that would ensure that the Death Eaters would be unable to Disapparate out of the field until released. Harry, suddenly realizing he’d been holding his breath, exhaled.
Keeping his eye on the western gate to the field, Harry spoke into the mirror. “Hermione “ good luck and... GO!”
Immediately, Harry saw the silvery glow of Hermione’s Patronus, an otter that ran back and forth, drawing attention to itself. Harry focused his Omnioculars on the six Death Eaters and Malfoy in the smaller circle. He saw them all turn, startled by the source of the noise and the light of the glowing animal across the field. To Harry’s relief, they Apparated in a group to that spot. Once they were there, however, he could see that they were uncertain how to respond to the crazed otter running and prancing around them. From where Harry stood, the small group of masked wizards appeared confused, as they fired random spells. He knew Hermione would be able to dodge them easily.
“Ron... GO!” Harry ordered. He heard the firing of Fred and Georges’ Decoy Detonators. Several small explosions erupted near the eastern gate, causing three Death Eaters to peal off from the main group to investigate, Disapparating all the way across the field.
“YES!” Harry exclaimed, pumping his invisible fist into the air.
“Susan and Luna... GO!”
At the southern edge of the circle, Harry saw Susan Conjure a brilliant waterfall of light and the ghostly image of what Harry assumed to be Luna’s beloved Crumple-Horned Snorkack. Each of these illusions succeeded in separating more Death Eaters apart from each other.
****
Hermione was indeed dodging spells, as Harry had accurately assessed, and under her invisibility robe, she set off a series of Stinging Hexes, hitting her mark relentlessly . The infuriated Death Eater ripped off his mask to try to see his attacker more clearly. Fortunately, he hadn’t noticed that his comrades had been drawn off to investigate other distractions. As soon as he was alone, Hermione shouted “Langlock!” to prevent him from yelling out a warning and, in the next moment, with a loud CRACK! Hagrid and Dobby appeared. Before the Death Eater could turn to investigate this new noise, Hagrid had him bound in ropes.
“We’s got him, Miss Hermione! We’s got him!” sang Dobby with glee. He added more magical ropes of his own until the Death Eater toppled over.
Hagrid’s large foot kicked the bound form over until it faced him. “McNair!” he growled with a satisfied grin. “I never thought I’d be happy ter see you again!”
Keeping his eye, wand, and foot on McNair, Hagrid smiled at the invisible Hermione. “Good job! Dobby’ll take him now.” To McNair, Hagrid remarked genially, “I’m sure you’ll receive a warm welcome back in Azkaban. Oh... and Buckbeak sends his regards!”
McNair gave Hagrid a look mixed with loathing and fear.
Dobby bowed low to Hermione, apparently able to see her quite clearly. Without another word, Dobby grabbed hold of a length of the rope binding McNair, and with another CRACK!, they both Disapparated.
****
In spite of the many times he’d watched them in practice, Harry was filled with pride and delight at the sight of the DA distracting, separating and entrapping each of the Death Eaters, pulling them farther and farther away from the smaller circle of standing stones.
Ron succeeded in casting an Insect Jinx, which felled Goyle Senior. As the older Death Eater tried to scurry away on his little insect legs, Bill had appeared to bind him up, and his elf transported Goyle to the wizard prison.
Luna was in control of one of the unknown Death Eaters, whom she had hovering above the ground while his legs twitched uncontrollably in response to her Tarantallegra spell. Tonks and her elf appeared and, a moment later, another Death Eater was quickly immobilized and dispatched.
Avery was startled as Susan cast a spell that caused the earth to sink beneath his feet, until he was trapped in a ten-foot hole in the ground. She extricated his wand and skilfully kept him in the hole until Mad-Eye Moody appeared with an elf at his side to escort him to Azkaban.
Harry saw two of the infamous Weasley’s Wildfire Whiz Bangs erupt from Ginny’s wand. Fiery unicorns circled around, causing small explosions to erupt from their feet. Sparks flew and attacked a surprised Death Eater so violently that he could do nothing but drop to the ground and cover his head. Harry breathed a sigh of relief when Arthur appeared to finish him off.
****
“Neville... GO!”
Neville raised his wand over his head. “Incendio!” he shouted. A huge flame erupted into the air, and, in the bright light, he caught a glimpse of a Death Eater standing alone some distance away. It illuminated a woman with long, dark hair who was screaming into the night air, not realising she was alone.
“It’s a trap, you idiots! Where are you?” When she tried to Disapparate, she screamed even louder as the spell failed. Then, she stopped and focused her gaze exactly at the place where Neville stood, still invisible. Neville watched in horror as the enraged woman ran directly towards him.
Neville felt his heart thumping wildly in his chest, but he also felt the heat of anger, pain and loss rising up within him. Trying to steady himself, waiting until she got close enough, Neville pointed his wand directly at her and yelled, “STUPEFY!” Bellatrix Lestrange was tossed into the air and fell with a satisfying thud on the ground.
It only took a moment, however, before she was back on her feet, and continued to draw closer to Neville, her wand out, pointing it in various directions.
“Show yourself, you coward!” At that moment, Neville impulsively threw back his hood, revealing himself, recklessly ignoring Harry’s instructions.
“Neville, NO!” Neville heard Harry screaming from his mirror.
Neville was resolute as he fixed his eyes on the woman who had tortured his parents into madness. “Sorry, Harry. She’s mine. I’ve got her... I want her to see me do it.” He said this in a voice Harry had never heard him use before.
“Longbottom?” Bellatrix shrieked with laughter as she recognized him. “You are out past your bedtime, aren’t you? This is too precious! You’ve accomplished nothing” she spat. “The Dark Lord will not be stopped by a bunch of silly little schoolchildren!”
Ignoring her taunting words, Neville pulled a small willowy plant from a bag at his waist and Levitated it towards Bellatrix. It hovered for just a moment before the startled witch, and then it landed, directly at her feet. She looked at it and then at him.
“A plant, Longbottom? You’re attacking me with a ””
But Bellatrix never finished her question, for Neville’s little plant had suddenly sprouted hundreds of shoots that tenaciously fastened around her so tightly she was completely immobilized and barely able to breathe.
“Yes, a plant,” Neville replied calmly, never taking his eyes off her.
In that moment, Kingsley Shacklebolt appeared and ran to Neville’s side. He was still staring at Bellatrix and breathing hard.
“Are you all right?” Kingsley asked, both astonished and delighted at the sight before him.
Neville’s eyes glittered and he smiled. “I am now.”
****
The Death Eaters had all been captured, exactly as they had planned. But it wasn’t over. In the pause, all was quiet but for the sounds of voices rising up from the field below. Harry paused to gather his thoughts; waiting for what he knew was coming next. Then, a sharp, bitter-cold wind blew across the field and Harry felt a familiar icy chill go through him. He looked into his mirror again and called for Scrimgeour. The Minister of Magic appeared.
“The reinforcements... they’re coming,” Scrimgeour reported.
Sure enough, Harry could see, outlined in the moonlight, the shrouded forms of Dementors filling the night sky. In the next moment, hundreds of new Death Eaters Apparated to the field, as did the Ministry of Magic’s forces; mortal enemies poised to strike. Then, on an invisible downbeat, cries and screams and flashes of light filled the air. The Final Battle had begun.