Harry approached the northern stone circle, careful to remain invisible. It took every bit of willpower not to turn and join in the battle he saw, heard and smelled stampeding furiously on the field beyond where he stood. Unbidden, the faces of the remaining members of the Order of the Phoenix, now fighting for their lives, appeared in his mind’s eye.
Stop it! he admonished himself. Taking several deep breaths, he forcibly pushed those images aside to focus on what had to be done next.
He looked up at the ancient, battered stones that loomed overhead, and briefly thought about the magic that had set them there. He hoped that same magic would serve them well tonight. Moonlight cast a glow on the inside of the stone circle, its peaceful ambiance a sharp contrast with the chaos raging behind him. As Harry gazed into the circle, he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his robes, and reflexively reached for the picture of his mother that he carried there. He wasn’t sure why he’d put it into his pocket tonight. It just seemed right that she should be with him. He took it out, and there was his mum smiling, her loving gaze meeting his eyes, as if she had meant the picture to be seen by him alone. He turned it over to read the message she had written.
‘Remember, dear Harry, I’ll always be there for you “ just look deep within. With love.’
He turned it over again to look at the mother he'd only seen in photographs, in a reflection of his heart's desire, and in a ghostly image, and returned her smile. He felt grateful for the simple gift she had left him, as if she had known what would happen. Harry was still astonished that his Aunt Petunia had saved it all these years, and even more amazed that she had thought to give it to him before he left Privet Drive.
***
As he stepped into the stone circle itself, Harry was taken aback. Although it was part of the plan, it was still a bit of a shock to move from what appeared on the outside to be a quiet empty space into the middle of a bustling hive of energy and activity.
“Harry!” Ron shouted as he bounded over, flushed with the energy of winning the first battle, not unlike the look Harry had just seen on Ginny’s face. “Where have you been? Hermione was getting a bit worried about you!”
“I was not, Ron,” Hermione retorted defensively, not taking her eyes off the enchantments she was weaving in the large circle around the fallen stone. “You were the one who was worried. Harry probably just went to look in on Ginny.”
Harry shook his head in wonder. How does she do that?
A dark look crossed Ron’s face. “Ginny? How is she? Is she all right?”
“She’s fine, Ron, don’t worry,” Harry reassured him. “I just wanted to... talk to her for a moment.”
“Talk, eh?” Ron remarked, with a snigger and a sideways glance.
Hermione had finished her spell and rescued Harry from further interrogation by Ron, taking him by the arm and crossed to the middle of the circle. “What do you think?” she asked, with a sweeping gesture.
Harry stood quietly for a moment, taking it all in. “Hermione, it’s amazing!” Just behind the standing stones, he could see a light grey cloud that rose up from the ground, reaching up to the tops of the stones, encircling and obscuring all sights and sounds from the battlefield beyond. Just in front of the stones, torches had been lit and were hovering several feet above the ground. Looking up, stars flickered overhead. Harry’s eyes were immediately drawn to the constellation of Canis Major, and he smiled as it winked at him. The warmth of the torchlight, the protective enclosure, and the glinting stars above, was exactly right. He took Hermione’s hand in his with admiration. “Brilliant. Really, truly brilliant!”
“Susan helped me on the charm for the circle barrier,” Hermione explained as Susan walked towards them.
“Anyone looking in from the outside,” Susan added, brushing some dirt off her hands, “will only see the stones and nothing inside the circle itself. I added a modified Confundus Charm so that if anyone, other than one of us, comes near it, they’ll suddenly remember that they’ve got to be somewhere else. No one will be coming in here ” not unless we want them to.” Susan paused as a look of foreboding stole across her face.
Harry put his arm round her shoulders and exchanged a glance with Hermione. “Excellent work, Susan. Really top notch! Show me more, okay?”
Hermione left Harry with Susan, and returned to her work charming more circles on the ground. Susan walked Harry over to Luna, who was using her wand to carve some intricate runes on the stones just below the torches.
“Hi, Harry. Nice, isn’t it?” she said as she looked around and nodded in appreciation, as if they were preparing for an evening garden party. “I think it’s quite lovely!”
“Looks like you’ve got those runes just right, Luna,” Harry said encouragingly.
“Yes,” said Luna. “I think they’ll do the job!” Without another word, she turned back to her runes.
Susan left Harry and to help Hermione complete the spells. Harry, glanced at his school mates, and then suddenly realised that someone was missing.
“Neville!” Harry looked around the circle in a panic. “Where’s Neville?” Everyone stopped for a moment and realised, for the first time, that he wasn’t there. Harry thought of Neville’s recklessness in facing Bellatrix Lestrange and started to worry in earnest.
Ron walked over to Harry, looking both concerned and confused. “He must be okay, Harry. We know that he brought Ginny to mum like we planned.”
As if on cue, there was a swirl and a pop! and Neville appeared in the middle of the circle, startling everyone. He had clearly lost his robes, and his hair, face, hands and tunic were filthy with dirt and blood. He was breathing rapidly, adrenaline pumping through his body and his eyes looked bright and, Harry noted, a bit wild. As he stepped forward, he lost his balance and fell on his knee. Luna got to him first and pulled him up as everyone gathered around.
“Neville!”
“Are you all right?”
“Where were you?”
“Are you hurt?”
“You’re a right mess!”
Harry took Neville’s other arm, Conjured up a camp chair and helped him to sit down on it. “You were a real prat to pull that trick with Lestrange,” Harry chided. The others looked confused and Neville looked at Harry a bit sheepishly, his breath slowly coming back to normal. “But,” Harry added, “you were bloody brilliant and I’m glad you gave her what was coming to her!”
“It was, wasn’t it!” Neville smiled proudly, relieved that Harry wasn’t mad. “I did it for both of us, Harry.”
“But, what happened after you brought Ginny to the infirmary, Neville?” Ron asked.
Neville looked around and blinked a bit nervously at all the eyes on him. His expression wavered, as if he wasn’t used to being the centre of attention for a positive reason, but then decided he rather liked it.
“Well,” he began slowly, “I brought Ginny to her mum and was on my way here, when I saw a pack of three Death Eaters fighting one of ours. The Auror needed a hand, so... I gave him one!” Neville was picking up steam now. “It was great! Every spell I used hit them dead on target. We had them on the run and we gave chase... except then we ran straight into a knot of Dementors and, for a moment, I thought I was done for. But I remembered the expression on Lestranges’ face when she realized she was trapped, and I summoned up the most amazing Patronus! The Dementors just blew away and, well, I got caught up in the fighting until just a bit ago when I remembered....” Neville took a breath. “And, now I’m here,” he finished awkwardly.
There was no immediate response as they considered the astonishing image of Neville Longbottom as a Death Eater/Dementor fighting warrior. Then, in unison, they erupted in cheers, fists in the air. The boys grabbed Neville round the shoulder and the girls bestowed him with congratulatory kisses.
“Neville”” Harry started.
“I’m sorry, Harry,” Neville interrupted, “I know I should have been here sooner. I was just being selfish, I reckon. I kept thinking of my gran and how she’d be proud of me for standing up to them. And when I was fighting them, it... felt right.”
“She’ll be enormously proud, Neville,” Harry said, smiling. “We're all proud of you, aren't we? The House of Gryffindor has a new hero!” They all cheered again and Neville felt his entire body blush.
“We’re still on schedule,” Harry reassured Neville. “You can help Ron with the pedestals. Can you stand?”
”I think so. Ron, can you give me a hand though?” Neville asked as he stood and wobbled a bit. Ron came forward to help him and, together, they began to Transfigure five bricks into tall, white marble pedestals in a semi-circle formation opposite to where the fallen stone lay.
Suddenly, there was another pop! and Draco Malfoy appeared near the stone slab, carrying a very large and awkwardly shaped pack on his back. Harry went over to help him.
“Were you seen?” Harry asked as he helped Malfoy place the pack on the ground.
“No. Everyone had been called here to fight, so Spinner’s End was left unguarded. I followed Snape’s instructions exactly and everything was where he said they’d be.” Malfoy pulled something from a pocket in his robes. “He asked me to give you this.”
He handed Harry a scroll of parchment. As he broke the seal and unrolled it, Harry immediately recognised the cramped, miniscule writing of his former Professor.
If you are reading this, it means that the Dark Lord has discovered the truth of my duplicity and I am dead. Anticipating this, I am providing you with what I hope will be some useful tools. The first is the fouled creature. Wake her carefully with the draught I’ve given Malfoy. I suggest that he administer the antidote since I doubt you’ll manage it properly on your own. Second, I return to you an old, lost ‘friend’. You’ll find him rather unhappy about his current accommodations, but he’ll do as he’s told, seeing as he has no choice. Finally, and for the very last time, I admonish you to control your emotions, Potter. While I predict abject failure on this last point, it still begs repeating. Master, control, and channel them and you may find a slim chance of coming out of this with your life intact.
Severus Snape
Harry looked up to see Malfoy smirking with his arms crossed. “Did the Professor offer up some words of wisdom?”
“Completely Snape, right up to the very end,” Harry sighed. “I still hate him, even after ”
in spite of knowing that Dumbledore was right about him all along.” He noticed that Malfoy was fidgeting. “Were you surprised?”
Malfoy nodded, staring at the ground. “I was furious,” he responded after a moment. “I wanted to expose him immediately, but he wouldn’t let me out of his sight for weeks. Then, he saved my life after... V”Voldemort killed my parents.” Malfoy sighed deeply. “I was a fool to believe....” He pushed aside the long, blonde hair that covered his face and raised his head to meet Harry’s eyes. “I’ve wished ” over and over” that I had listened to Dumbledore up on that tower. They would still be alive if I had. I can’t tell you how much I regret....”
Harry shrugged. “We all do the best we can, Malfoy, and there isn’t time to dwell on regrets, is there? We can only hope that we make better choices the next chance we get. You’ve already done that.”
Malfoy squirmed at Harry’s approbation and scowled. “Don’t go all Dumbledore on me now, Potter!”
Harry laughed at this improbable image and, turning to one of the bundles that Malfoy brought said, “Shall we let the rat out of the bag?”
Malfoy reached into one of the packs and pulled out a small cage containing a very scrawny, nervous rat, and handed it to Harry.
“Hello, Pettigrew!” Harry said, looking into the cage. “I rather like seeing you all boxed up like this. But, don’t worry ” you’ll be out in just a bit. I’ve got an important job for you!” The rat seemed to shiver violently as Harry set the cage down on the stone slab. Harry noticed he was shaking a bit himself, and recognised it as the old anger he felt whenever he thought of Pettigrew betraying his parents. Then, glancing back at the pathetic rodent cowering in the cage, the anger dissipated as quickly as it had come. In a blink, he saw Pettigrew for what he was: a truly sad and desperate creature.
***
It had gone quiet. Each of them took their places between the standing stones as they watched Hermione, their hearts beating rapidly in hopeful anticipation. The brown-haired witch, the one who had conceived the plan they all prayed would work, stood in the middle of the great circle. Positioned between the remnants of the fire pit and the fallen stone, Hermione Granger reached within to summon her magic to seal the overlapping circle enchantments.
Hermione pointed her wand a few feet away from where she stood and spoke out in a clear and ringing voice.
“The first circle to restrain at will ” Prohibeo!”
A small glow ignited in the grass where she pointed and their eyes followed the light of a small fire as it spread and moved rapidly to surround both the fire pit and the fallen standing stone, until its end met its beginning and a bright glow illuminated Hermione’s face.
“The second circle to protect and defend ” Munimentum!”
She pointed her wand to a spot, several feet behind the fallen stone and the light sparked, its flame meandering until the slab was completely encircled.
She turned in the opposite direction. “The third circle to offer release ” Solutum!”
A third, somewhat larger circle of light took flight, this time encompassing the marble pedestals behind the fire pit, around to the fallen slab on the opposite side until it completed its journey to the place where it began.
With the circle enchantments complete, Hermione concentrated her gaze next on the runes that Luna had etched into the ancient stones. Holding out her wand and, with a sound that hardly seemed like it could come from a human being, Hermione uttered an incantation in a language they did not know. They watched with amazement as she slowly turned from stone to stone to stone.
Harry marvelled at the awesome energy emanating from Hermione. She seemed almost larger than life, transforming before their eyes from a schoolgirl, to the powerful witch who stood before them invoking the ancient Magic of the stone circle.
As she finished, she stood silently, her arms raised and eyes closed. Slowly, the etched runes slowly emerged from the stones to take on a solid, fully dimensional form. With a final flick of her wand, a vibrating beam of light emanated from each rune, and shot out across the circle to seek its opposite. One by one, beams of light crossed through the circle and, all meeting at the centre, passed right through Hermione’s body.
They held their collective breath. Hermione seemed suspended in the cross beams for what seemed like forever. Finally, slowly, Hermione opened her eyes and lowered her arms. She stepped away from the light, which faded slightly, but did not disappear. She walked a bit shakily towards Ron, who caught her just as her knees buckled. He gathered her up gently and held her close. Harry could only see, but not hear, the words Ron was whispering in her ear and Hermione nodding in return. But his heart was full and glad, seeing them together and knowing that their love would always sustain them.
***
They gathered around the marble pedestals, and carefully unwrapped the packages they had brought, safely hidden in their tunics.
Opening up his package, Neville pulled out a blackened wand. He looked at it wistfully, turning it over in his hand. “Sad,” he sighed. “It was a really good wand, too. Best I ever had. I wonder how it ever came to choose me, though?” he wondered. Suddenly deciding something, Neville turned to Luna and held out the wand to her. “Here, Luna. You’re a Ravenclaw. By rights, you should do it.”
For some reason, Luna blushed as though he were handing her flowers instead of an object that had once held part of Voldemort’s soul. Taking it from him, she gazed at him with large and happy eyes. “Thank you Neville! That’s so thoughtful!” Then she threw her arms around him, engulfing him in a bear hug. When she let go, Neville stammered something unintelligible and, taking a step backwards, stumbled on his robes.
Harry called them to begin and, one by one, they each stepped forward to place their object on a separate pedestal.
Malfoy placed a ravaged, black book;
Ron, a large ring with a cracked black stone;
Hermione, a necklace with a broken, gold locket;
Luna, the blackened wand; and
Susan, two broken pieces of a single cup.
When the objects were placed, Harry stepped forward and waved his wand in a broad arc that encompassed all the objects. “Die anima in umbra!” he cried.
At first, nothing happened and Harry worried he’d done the spell wrong. He was about to ask Hermione for help when he heard a high-pitched sound, rather like someone screaming far, far away. They all stepped back nervously as the objects began to vibrate and slowly rise into the air, hovering just above their respective pedestals. As the sound and vibration increased, and when it reached a certain peak, a fine, gold dust emerged from each object. Only when the shimmering dust had completely enveloped the destroyed Horcruxes did the sound and vibration desist.
Harry’s breathing picked up speed as he watched the objects glowing above him. “Right. Well. Getting close, now.” He licked his lips which had gone dry, and turned to Ron. “All together now?” Ron nodded and motioned to the group to gather.
While Ron set everyone to stand in their place behind the fallen stone, taking care to keep within Hermione’s enchanted circle, Harry picked up the terrified rat in his cage and opened it. Keeping his wand trained on the rodent, it emerged tentatively from the cage. Stepping onto the grass, it transformed itself back into its human form as Peter Pettigrew. Pettigrew’s watery eyes took in the scene around him, and he fell to his knees before Harry, whimpering softly.
“Stand up, Pettigrew. I can’t bear you grovelling like that,” Harry prodded him with his foot in disgust. “Get up now!” He had to physically pull Pettigrew to his feet, even though the touch of him was revolting.
“Thank you, Harry. Thank you! I’m so grateful for all your kindnesses and willingness to help me after all I’ve ” what’s happened! You’re a great wizard ””
“Shut it, Pettigrew. Just listen!”
Pettigrew returned to whimpering and waited for instructions, something at which he’d become fairly adept at.
“When I signal, you’re to return directly to Voldemort and tell him the truth. Tell him it was me who foiled his plan to take over Hogwarts and tossed his Death Eaters back into Azkaban. And, remember this part especially, ask him if he’s noticed that one of his pets is missing. Understand?”
Although it didn’t seem possible that Pettigrew could turn any paler, his face became positively white with terror.
“You want me to go back... to him?! Oh, no, Harry... I can’t! He’ll kill me on the spot! No, please, anything else!” Pettigrew pleaded as he shook from head to toe.
“Sorry,” said Harry calmly, feeling only mild pity. “That’s the only way I will accept your debt to me as paid. It’s true, he may kill you, but that’s the chance you’ll have to take, isn’t it? If it’s any comfort,” Harry offered consolingly, “I have a feeling he’ll be too angry with me to pay you any mind and, if you’re lucky, you’ll have a chance to run away to live the rest of your life in peace as the rodent that you are.”
Pettigrew was trapped and he knew it. “No Hogwarts... Azkaban... missing pet....” Still shivering, he nodded to Harry in assent.
“Good! That’s settled then. Stand there, Pettigrew, next to Susan.” Harry turned to Susan who was positioned at the end of their semi-circle. “Keep a wand on him.” She did.
Malfoy was dragging out the largest of the bags and Harry helped him place it onto the fallen stone. Sensing an increasing anxiety emanating from his friends, Harry paused and faced them.
“Listen,” he began, “while it’s best if we do this together, I won’t force any of you to go on. I can’t ask it of you ” you have to decide for yourselves. If you feel you can’t stay, it’s all right. No one will think any the worse of you for going.” Harry looked at each one of them. No one spoke, but, instead, they took out their wands and drew closer together so that their shoulders touched.
“Thanks,” said Harry, with a sigh of relief and gratitude. He paused for a moment before continuing. “There’s one last thing that I need you to do. If the time comes, and I give you the signal, I want ALL of you to Apparate outside the circle immediately. Stay invisible and don't do anything until you hear from me.” He saw them start to protest, as he expected they would, but he held firm. “No questions. No dissent. ALL of you.” He looked particularly hard at Ron and Hermione, both of whom were squirming. “I need you to give me your promise. Will you?”
Hermione was in a panic. "You can’t make me promise that! You can't do it alone! Please Harry, let us help!"
"You know I have to, Hermione," Harry said gently, knowing how hard this was for her. But he wasn’t giving in. He held her eyes until she relented.
"I ” I promise, Harry," Hermione sputtered, looking away.
Only when the last of them had promised did Harry visibly relax. He turned back to Malfoy and together, holding the end of the bag, tipped it up. Slowly, the inert figure of the serpent Nagini fell out onto the length of the fallen stone. The others, who had never seen a beast the size of the one they were about to face, gasped.
“Is it dead?” asked Luna curiously, the only one of them who didn’t appear at all concerned.
Malfoy pulled out a phial from his robes. “No. She’s just having a nice, long sleep.”
Hermione’s eyes widened. “The Draught of Living Death?”
“Ten points for Gryffindor,” remarked Malfoy slyly, tipping the contents of the phial into the massive jaws of the snake.
Harry walked over to the end of the stone, standing over the snake’s head.
“I’m ready.”
Hermione opened the drawstring at the top of a deep maroon velvet bag. Ron reached inside of it and pulled out a long, silver sword, encrusted with enormous rubies in its handle. He held the weapon before the group, and each one of them touched the sharp edge, drawing a small drop of blood to stain the blade. When they had finished, Ron handed the sword to Harry who added his blood as well. Ron stepped back into place.
Holding Gryffindor’s sword over Nagini’s head, Harry looked swiftly at Peter Pettigrew and said, “Go now!” The man who had once been his father’s friend and betrayer, blinked once, turned and was gone.
Malfoy touched his wand to the snake’s body and cast the counter charm. “Reficio!” Then he stepped back to join the others in their protected circle.
They all raised their wands, pointing at Nagini, steadied their breath and waited.
Slowly, the snake’s body began to rouse. Its giant head which, still groggy, slowly rose and swayed above the stone, and stopped moving as it made eye contact with Harry. Harry spoke to it, although no one but Nagini could understand the words.
“I ask for your forgiveness, Nagini. I want to take the soul that is not yours. Will you give it?”
“Take it from me. Free me.” The giant serpent gently lowered her head but continued to hold Harry's eyes. Waiting.
Harry steadied himself, looking deeply into the dark pools of Nagini's black eyes. Quickly, then, with both hands, he brought the sword down across the length of the snake, cleaving it in two.
In that instant, Harry’s scar seared in excruciating pain, his head nearly bursting. He screamed and fell back, the sword falling to the ground. His friends fought the urge to help Harry, and maintained their position, wands to the snake. After a moment, the pain began to ebb and Harry clutched his forehead, panting in the aftermath of the attack.
“All right, mate?” Ron whispered to Harry.
Harry got to his feet. “I’m fine... stay ready.” He then joined his friends, standing directly in the middle, their combined magic giving him strength on both sides. Making sure they were touching, shoulder to shoulder, they all looked straight ahead and waited.
They didn’t have to wait long. The embers of the Death Eater’s fire began to stir, and a shape like an Ashwinder, with glowing red eyes, began to emerge from the pit, circling itself. The dark figure began to expand and grow, swirling faster and faster like a black storm erupting until it stopped, fully formed. Lord Voldemort turned out of the pit and stepped into the middle of the standing stones, a look of fury in his horrible red eyes.