Harry Potter and the Sword of Gryffindor - 16. Chapter 16

"Get UP!" The voice was exasperated, and Neville jumped a little as he came awake. He blinked for a moment and then focused his eyes on Blaise Zabini.

"Neville, we've already had six hours of sleep, take a bath, get dressed in the robes waiting on the armchair and get your ass downstairs, got it? The Slytherin was practically hissing. Neville nodded, heading into the bathing chamber. The water was still there, unused, and a quick poke of his finger revealed the house elf had used a warming charm so that water wouldn't be chilly.

Ten minutes later he was walking out of the bathing room, his hair in some semblance of order, and his mind felt more alert than it had since before Harry had summoned him to his quarters yesterday. The thought of Harry had him rushing to the armchair, and he almost gasped at the dark clothes laying in wait for him. Of course a moment's consideration made him agree that if you're going into Death Eater headquarters, dressing like a Death Eater might help. He picked the mask up, not willing to put it on yet, and started to head out the door. He stopped though, going to his dirty school robes he'd pulled off the night before and grabbed his Defenders of Hogwarts badge. A little bit of fumbling and he managed to attach it to his undershirt facing inwards so it rode against his skin. Then he took off downstairs.

A house elf at the foot of the stairs informed him he was the last to arrive and directed him to the garden outside. He spotted Malfoy standing next to his mother immediately. Next to them was an wizard whose long, white beard reminded him a little of Dumbledore. Snape stood on the other side of the man and just nodded when Neville showed up. Zabini was standing next to a man who resembled the dark-haired Slytherin enough for Neville to feel safe assuming it was the elder Zabini. Crabbe and Goyle were standing next to two men who could be nothing but their fathers. Neville took up a spot next to the Weasley twins, who both nodded at him. Altogether, they formed a semi-circle around the white-bearded wizard. Everyone except the old wizard and Narcissa Malfoy were dressed in Death Eater robes and held masks in their hands.

Everyone was silent for a moment, until Snape moved forward. He whispered something to the younger Goyle, who rolled up the sleeve of his robe. Snape tapped his wand on the bare forearm with his wand, and moved on to the younger Crabbe. He did the same thing, moving down the line. When he tapped his wand on Fred's arm, Neville saw what was happening and shuddered as a glowing image of the dark mark appeared there. Before he could say anything, Snape was in front of him.

"Do calm down, Longbottom." Snape almost hissed. "Bare your arm. It's only an illusion."

As Snape moved on to the younger Zabini, Neville rubbed his arm and realized Snape had been truthful, it was just an illusion. The skin under it was still as smooth as it had been before. As Snape moved back to his position, the older wizard began to speak in a very low voice to Malfoy. Neville couldn't hear what was being said, but the wizard appeared to be satisfied with Malfoy's response. The same thing happened with Narcissa and Snape. When he'd talked with all three, the old wizard waived his wand and muttered an incantation that Neville had never heard before. When Malfoy raised his arm and his bracelet began to glow, Neville felt like something in his head was tickling a memory forward. When the lion he remembered seeing around the Potter seal on the bracelet leaped out, and began to grow until it reached the same size as a real lion, Neville remembered the story his grandmother told him about the ancient magic surrounding the engagement charm.

"Since the tradition was often used to end blood feuds, sometimes one side or another would kidnap one of the future spouses." She had said. "If that happened, the other party would be able to have a spell performed by the Magister who set the charm in the first place. It's actually a bit like necromancy because the original spell actually calls forth a spirit of the ancestor to act as the Guardian on the bracelet. If either of them are kidnapped and being held against their will, then the guardian spirit can be called forth in the form given on the bracelet and will lead them to where the kidnapped person is."

"What do you require of me?" The voice came from the mouth of the golden lion and Neville shuddered as it brought back vague memories of the Veil in the Department of Ministries.

"Harry has been taken from me." Malfoy said, his voice louder. There was a note of desperation in his voice. "I need to find where he is."

"I know." The lion said firmly. "I feel my mate on his arm, I feel his hurt. He does not want to be where he is, and he is kept from leaving. I will take you as close to him as I can."

"You can't take us directly to him?" Malfoy asked.

"If it was possible, I would." The lion said. "You are good for my son, and I want you to live long with him. My Lily cries out because they have tried to tempt him, but he was strong. Now they try to taunt him, and although he does not show the hurt, it is there."

"Your Lily?" Snape hissed, staring at the magical form in front of him. When he spoke next, his voice held fear, pain, and surprise all in one. "Potter?"

"It has been long, Snape." The lion rumbled softly. "For what it is worth, you have proven yourself to be a better man than I in many ways. Watch over my son, please. Now that Sirius is gone, he will have need of your guidance and I can think of no one better than you."

"Dumbledore?" Snape asked, his eyebrows raised in disbelief. Neville was just so shocked that this guardian spirit was Harry's father that he wasn't thinking of anything.

"He is too flawed, and too old." The lion that was the incarnation of James Potter replied. "We may have had many…disagreements…in our youth, Snape, but I trust you with my son, as does Lily. I only hope you can forgive me for the things we did, or at least see past them enough to not take them out on Harry."

"I already have, you stubborn Gryffindor." Snape snapped back. Then he took a deep breath. "As if he were my own son, James Potter, I will care for him."

"It is good." The lion said. "Those who will join my son's love in freeing him, come forward and touch your hands on this form."

Neville joined the others, and followed Snape's lead in putting the Death Eater mask on, and raising the cowl of the robes. When everyone was around the lion, touching it's cool metallic form, the world around Neville began to spin. When it stopped, they were standing next to a tall hedge. Surrounding them was a dark wood. The sun, which had been close to setting when he stood in the garden of Malfoy Manor, had inched its way down a little more. The lion was nowhere to be seen, but from the look on Malfoy's face when he checked his bracelet, it had returned to prowling around the Potter seal. Snape hissed at them, and led them into the shadows of the nearby wood where they could see that the tall hedge surrounded a rather large manor house Neville had never seen before.

"Snape." The elder Goyle said harshly "The mark."

"Yes, mine is burning too." Snape hissed. "They must be beginning the final part of the ritual soon. He'll want as many followers there as he can get to witness him killing Potter and getting his own powers back from the boy. We'll wait till the sun has set and then head in at the same time as the other group. You boys, keep your mouths shut. There'll be a Dementor at the entrance. It's okay to feel fear, everyone does around them, but you should also be feeling some kind of pleasure or excitement. You're about to see your Lord and Master kill your greatest enemy. Think along those thoughts, no thoughts of rescue or anything like that. The Dementor gets one whiff of that and we'll be part of the entertainment right alongside Harry. Just walk up there, concentrating on projecting the right emotions. Then, before you pass the Dementor, raise the sleeve of your arm to show the mark. Now follow me."

As Neville followed the others, he couldn't help but give in to fear a little. Sure, he'd finally mastered the Patronus spell this year, but he wasn't anywhere near ready to try it for real. Then there was the fact that he was sneaking into Death Eaters Headquarters with only ten other people, three of them Death Eaters who might betray them anyway. Oh, no, there was nothing to fear. Typical Harry Potter, landing him in these types of situations. Who the hell did he think he was? Neville Longbottom was in no way suited to be invading Death Eater headquarter, totally outnumbered!

His panic receded though as other memories came up inside him. The Department of Mysteries, how certain he was that no one would come out of that alive when Lucius Malfoy had first caught them, how even if he had broken his nose, he had managed to help subdue several of them, and that had been a year ago, before he'd gotten as strong as he was now. When Snape signaled them to stop, Neville hunkered down with the others as they waited for the sun to set. Neville thought once more to the attack on Hogwarts. He'd only cast one spell, really, but it had worked tremendously. He could do this. He moved just a little bit, to get more comfortable, and to wait calmly for the sun to finish setting and for Snape to give the signal that would set things in motion.

Tonight he would prove to his parents, and to his grandmother that their pride in him was not in vain.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Ah, is the wee little lad still sleepy poo?" The very familiar taunting voice was what pulled Harry out of the exhausted sleep he'd been in for who knows how long. The good news was that he felt well rested. The bad news was that the voice belonged to Bellatrix Lestrange. He could feel the sheet was no longer wrapped around him and for a moment he quailed about facing her nude. The good thing was that the Lust potion had definitely worn off. He felt a gibbering panic rise in him as Bellatrix taunted him by telling him she knew he was awake.

How would Draco handle this?

He suppressed a smile as he knew the answer to that question. He got up from the cot, relieved that he no longer felt guilty, faced the entrance and sneered at the hated woman who stood just outside the entrance. He crossed his arms and forced is whole body to stand straight as if he was fully dressed and just stared at her, his face revealing no emotion whatsoever.

"Oh, look at the wee little lad in his birthday suit!" Bellatrix taunted. "My, my too bad he's a poofter. But then he's a Pottie baby and he'd never be able to satisfy a real woman."

It was tough to bite back the sarcastic comment, but he did. Anger roared up inside him, but he squelched that down as well. He did cock his head to the side though and raise an eyebrow. Bellatrix continued taunting him along the same train of thought, but he paid her no attention. Finally she cracked and demanded to know what he was thinking. He waited until she'd started cussing quite graphically before responding.

"Sorry, was just wondering if I should use heated or chilled hooks when I rip out your intestines." Harry said like it was no big deal. The woman gaped at him for a moment, then started to lunge through the barrier at him, she stopped half a step inside, then took a step back, her face flushed with anger before she whispered something to the person who had been standing behind her. The person was wearing Death Eater robes, but no mask so he immediately recognized Cho Chang. The Ravenclaw flinched at whatever it was Lestrange said to her, but she through a bundle of clothes and a pair of shoes into the room before following the woman out of his sight. The sound of the door clanging shut behind them only made Harry smile. The clothes, he noticed were his school uniform, complete with robes. His heart leaped for joy when he noticed the Defenders badge still on the uniform. A voice from across the hall almost startled him, but he finished getting dressed with barely a jerk in surprise.

"They gave you a potion and I couldn't wake you." Lucius apologized from his own cell.

"How long?" Harry asked while he finished putting his shoes on.

"You have about fifteen minutes before they come and take you upstairs." Lucius said with a sad sigh. "My son never showed."

"That's because heroes never show up until the last minute." Harry said with far more confidence than he felt. Well, if he was going to die, he was going to die with style. Lucius laughed softly for a while, then looked across the hall at Harry.

"Can't you do anything with your hair?"

"Sorry, Draco's even tried." Harry said with a shrug. Lucius laughed again, then his face began somber again.

"They are going to force me to go with you, to watch."

"Then you're in for a show." Harry said with as vicious of a smile as he could manage.

"I hope it is one that I will enjoy." Lucius said sadly.

"Just remember that when the time comes you have to help, or I won't plead your case to the Ministry." Harry said with his own smile.

"You and I against every Death Eater he can summon?" Lucius said with a tinge of disbelief in his voice. "Either you have an overrated impression of your abilities, my abilities, or both our abilities."

"Or Draco's abilities." Harry added, which got another smile. The door to the dungeon clanged, and Harry felt an icy chill reach into his soul, and the lights go dim. The Dementor approached the cell and waived its hand over the entrance. Harry felt it disappear, but couldn't move as it went to do the same to Lucius' cell. The elder Malfoy's face had an expression of pain, and Harry knew he was feeling the same. The Dementor waived its arms in a motion telling Harry to move, and he complied woodenly. Followed by the awful creater, he walked beside Lucius Malfoy to yet another confrontation with Voldemort. When he got to the top of the stairs, he saw ten Death Eaters waiting, all with their wands drawn and fully masked. They surrounded Harry and Lucius and herded them through the halls of whatever building this was.

Fortunately, the Dementor turned aside as their captors led them up another set of stairs and out into garden lit by several torches. A ring of Death Eaters stood around a marble altar. Bellatrix Lestrange stood to the right of Voldemort, who stood in front of the altar. Harry noticed two identical wands sticking up out of the sash Voldemort wore around his robes. As the two moved into the circle, Harry took a deep breath and bareley noticed that as he stood next to the altar, the circle closed behind him. There were over a hundred Death Eaters here now.

With a deep breath, Harry felt his impending death and sent a silent message of love out to Draco wherever he was. If Harry Potter was going to die, he was going to die in a way that would make Draco Malfoy proud.

"Is this all you could get, Tom, old boy?" Harry said, a sneer on his face and contempt in his voice. "I thought you finally getting a chance to kill me would attract all your followers? Or is this paltry bunch all you got? To think I thought you were a real threat."

"SILENCE, CHILD!" Voldemort roared. "Malfoy, come and stand by your rightful lord. Leave the child, he will be nothing but rotting flesh soon."

"Ah, the voice of experience." Harry snorted contemptuously. He turned to the senior Malfoy and smiled viciously for just a second. "Go ahead, father. Comfort the insecure boy and stand by him. I don't mind."

"I said silence!" Voldemort hissed, as Lucius moved to his side with a sardonic grin on his own. He was enjoying this.

"Please!" Harry chided, shaking a finger at Voldemort. "I would have thought that 7 years at Hogwarts and in Slytherin house would have taught you some manners. No need to yell."

"Silence yourself or I shall silence you!" Voldemort hissed, pulling his wand out and pointing it at Harry.

"What, and prove to your followers that a sixteen year old kid bugged you so much you had to silence him because you couldn't intimidate him?"

"It is no matter, Potter." Voldemort said in a calmer voice, but still breathing heavily. "You will soon be bleeding your life out and returning to me my rightful strength."

"Let's just get this over with." Harry said with a smirk, he crossed his arms across his chest with an insolent smirk, a finger touching the badge he wore. "It'll be nice spending some time with my parents again since some nice guy decided to separate us."

"Your should fear your death, Potter." Voldemort hissed.

"Haven't you heard, Tom," Harry said, not letting his voice show any of the surge of joy and hope he felt. The charmed badge he activated told him beyond a doubt he was no longer alone. So few, but maybe he could die fighting instead of as a sacrifice. "death is not something to be feared. There are far worse fates."

"Such as?" Voldemort sneered.

"Oh, I don't know." Harry continued stalling, "say maybe being stuck in the same bed as you."

"GAG HIM!" Voldemort roared, and two Death Eaters surged forward, but they stopped as a powerful force of magic made itself felt. Voldemort's wand was in his hand again, and he was roaring once more. "GO! Strengthen the wards! They must hold for the ceremony to be completed! You two, grab him and tie him on the altar now! MOVE!"

Most of the Death Eaters that surrounded him began to rush inside, but the two who had moved to grab him made no move towards him. Voldemort had rushed to the altar, but did not realize the Death Eaters hadn't moved. When he did realize, he looked up in surprise and locked eyes with Harry, who let a slow grin form on his face as he felt a his arms being grabbed, and his hand weighted down.

"Dumbledore's here, Tom, and I don't think he likes you anymore." He said, and he looked beyond the figure of the Dark Lord to see a look of hope appear on Lucius Malfoy's face.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Neville hated waiting. In his opinion it was the worst thing in the world. He had to change that evaluation however when Snape stood and motioned them to follow. His legs were stiff the first few strides, but by the time they fell in line behind the group of five Death Eaters, they were working fine. However, the feel of the Dementor as they got close made him wish he was back in the woods hiding.

He struggled to achieve a sense of excitement as he neared the creature, but he wasn't sure how successful he was. He almost forgot to uncover his arm, but remembered at the last moment. For a moment he thought he'd heard Hermione's voice hissing instructions at him, and he smiled behind the mask he wore. He couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts and tell her this story about sneaking into Voldemort's Headquarters and rescuing Harry.

Maybe it'd be a good enough story she'd agree to taking a bath together again.

His thoughts were interrupted as they entered the main room of the manor house. Snape hissed quietly that they were to stay there. Fifteen minutes later, another Death Eater ordered them to assemble with the others in the garden. The masked form of Mr. Goyle nodded and motioned for them to follow them. Neville was bringing up the rear of their little group, when he felt someone moving into place beside them.

"Neville, tell the others the dungeon is too guarded. Try to get in the first ring around the altar." The figure hissed, and he recognized Snape's voice. "Lucius is being held prisoner as we heard. I'm going to try to get his wand."

With that Snape was gone, but Neville leaned forward and whispered to the Weasley twins. As they entered the garden, Mr. Goyle pushed several people aside until they all stood in the front and second row. The hulking forms of Goyle, Crabbe, and their sons guaranteed no arguments, although a few groused.

Then there was more waiting and Neville changed his mind about the Dementor. Maybe this really was worse. Over the next hour, more and more Death Eaters showed up until there were over a hundred of them. He saw someone moving through the rough circle and the he thought he recognized Professor Snape's walk, but he couldn't be sure. Soon enough he felt a chill that was different than the Dementor's, and he felt everyone around him begin to bow. Quickly he copied them, thanking Merlin that the Weasley twins were also quick. Truth be told, they were just a smidge faster than he was. Once the Dark Lord stood at the head of the altar, he ordered his minions to rise, and Neville got his first good look at the man who had terrorized his family.

While his stomach sought to wretch up everything it had ever eaten, and he fought to keep it under control, while his legs turned to jelly and he fought to stand upright, and while he fought the gibbering terror that welled up in him, he wondered how an eleven year old, or even a fourteen year old Harry Potter had stood up to this…thing. He had always looked up to the quiet, soft-spoken Harry Potter he'd known when they were younger, and he admired the Harry Potter that had returned to school this year, but until this moment he'd never realized just how strong and brave Harry Potter was. Then when Voldemort began to speak his respect for Harry Potter grew even more.

"My followers." Voldemort almost hissed. "Tonight is a magnificent night. Bellatrix Lestrange and my new servant Cho Chang have managed to bring us Harry Potter. Soon, I shall reclaim the powers he stole from me many years ago, and he shall die. With his death, only that fool Dumbledore will be left to stand against us, and he is old and weak. Soon, our beloved dream of purifying the wizarding world and setting the muggles into their place shall be brought to fruition."

When Voldemort has said the names Bellatrix Lestrange and Cho Chang, he'd pointed to two masked figures, and Neville resisted the urge to blast his fellow student right there. They had to wait for Harry. Snape had whispered several basic plans while they waited and they all required having Harry in their midst. While Neville was thinking, he noticed ten more Death Eaters approaching, and in their midst stood Lucius Malfoy and Harry.

Harry walked erect and proud, like was heading to a ball, not to his death. As the Death Eaters closed up the circle, Lucius and Harry walked until they stood next to the altar where Harry was meant to die. Nothing in Harry's bearing held any indication that he acknowledged the danger he was in, and Neville wondered if he'd been driven insane or something. Then when Harry spoke in clear, unfrightened tones, Neville knew why Harry Potter was a hero.

Neville knew that in two hundred years he'd never be brave enough to antagonize the dark lord that way. He could feel, and hear the Death Eaters around him murmuring and shuffling in unease as their lord ranted at the defiant teenager. Neville was poised, his hand inside his robe and caressing his wand. When the time came to move, he would be ready.

He jumped, along with anyone else, when he felt the force of powerful magic hit the wards protecting the Manor. Voldemort's orders cleared all but twenty people from the garden and sent them rushing to defend the place from attack. Twenty people, over half of whom were on their side. Calmly, as Malfoy and Goyle moved to grab Harry as the Dark Lord ordered, Neville drew his wand and picked his target. Fortunately for him, Cho Chang was the closest to him, so he would get to knock the traitorous bitch down.

"Dumbledore's here, Tom, and I don't think he likes you anymore." Harry Potter said, and Neville looked at him just long enough to see the Sword of Gryffindor rise in his hands. Then Neville's attention returned to Cho Chang and he shouted "embroilio". She didn't even have her wand out as vines two feet thick grew from the ground below her and twined around her until she couldn't move. Her cries of pain came from the two inch thorns the vines had, thorns now poking into her chest.

Forgetting her, he blocked a curse from another Death Eater and dropped him with another spell, He turned quickly, and saw the other bitch he wanted to get tonight. He realized he was laughing as he chased after the fleeing woman

"LESTRANGE!" Neville Longbottom roared at the top of his lungs "COME BACK HERE AND FACE A LONGBOTTOM!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As Harry raised the Sword of Gryffindor, he had the pleasure of seeing fear in his enemies face. That was all Harry needed as he used the Sword to summon his own wand from the dark lord's sash. Then he cast a stupefy before his enemy even moved for his wand.

To his horror, the spell bounced off, and he barely deflected it himself in time. In a corner of his mind, he noticed several people doffing their masks and robes so they were clad only in dark pants and while flowing shirts. Spells started to fly around them. Cho Chang was enveloped in thick vines, screaming in pain. Beatrix Lestrange ran, with Neville Longbottom chasing her and dropping any Death Eater who tried to stop him. Snape had tossed a wand to Lucius Malfoy who joined him and took on four Death Eaters that had managed to drop the two men with Crabbe and Goyle. But all of that happened in a flash, while Harry stood facing Voldemort.

"Do you think you are ready to face me, boy?" Voldemort hissed. "Has that trinket made you brave?"

"This is how it's meant to be, Tom." Harry answered calmly, moving to his right, inching closer. "You and me, until one of us is dead."

"Not tonight, Potter." Voldemort spat, and disappeared with a pop. Harry straightened from the fighting crouch he had been in and shook his head in disappointment. He felt someone behind him and turned, all but falling into a tight embrace with Draco. He felt more presences around him, and heard the familiar voices of Crabbe and Goyle crying "enervate!"

"Son." The familiar voice of Lucius Malfoy said behind him. Harry lifted his head from Draco's shoulder and turned so that they faced the elder Malfoy side by side. Lucius' face as beaming in pride. "I've never been so proud of you."

Before Draco had a chance to respond, a commotion from the entryway grabbed everyone's attention. Neville came flying through the closed glass doors amidst a sprinkling of broken glass, followed by the green bolt of a killing curse. The curse hit the ground and exploded, barely missing the rolling form of Neville. Chang's screams reached a new pitch behind them as the Weasley twins began flinging hexes through the broken doors. Zabini rushed over to help Neville up and bring him back to the tight group. Crabbe and Goyle joined the twins, using blocking spells and shield spells to guard them as they continued firing off spells at them. Neville was bleeding in several places and another man who bore a strong resemblance to Zabini cost several minor healing spells on the grinning Gryffindor.

"I got Lestrange with that bat bogey spell." Neville gasped out. "You should hear her shrieking."

"We need to get out of here before she gets enough of her fellow Death Eaters to overwhelm us." Snape said urgently. "Even if they're not reinforced, those wards are strong enough to hold Dumbledore and whatever forces he's mustered out for a while."

"That path." Lucius said after a moment's thought, pointing in to the shadows beyond the torches to a barely visible garden path. "It leads to a side gate. Voldemort expected me to rejoin him once Harry was dead so I doubt he'd change the key."

"Richard, Marcus, Conal, take the lead." Snape ordered, and the three men Harry assumed to be the fathers of the Slytherins headed out. "Harry, Draco, Lucius, follow them. The rest of us will bring up the rear."

Not wishing to argue, Harry fell in behind the three men, Draco at his side and Lucius behind. The Weasley twins shouted as their spells hit a few marks and they moved slowly behind the rest of them. Snape joined them, casting a few spells himself before throwing a vial of some potion. When it hit the ground, a wall of dense smoke formed, obscuring everything. His order to run was followed by everyone, and soon the garden was left behind.

It was a dark night, and the group was forced to slow to a walk after too many of them tripped. Lucius moved forward to whisper directions to the men in front as blasts of magic lit the night sky. When they faded, everyone's night vision was ruined and it became like groping their way through a pitch black room. A room filled with things to trip over. He barely caught a glimpse of Lucius Malfoy's blond hair before the man crashed into Harry and Draco, knocking them down. Right on top of him, the green blast of a killing curse splintered a tree standing right behind where they had been. Snape's light spell shattered the night, and as Lucius rolled off of him, Harry saw Beatrix Lestrange, her face marked by multiple bites, leading at least thirty Death Eaters at the group. As Harry regained his feet, Sword in hand, the spells began to fly. His compatriots all took cover and began to send hexes and jinxes at the Death Eaters. Neville used an Auror spell to knock two Death Eaters down. Draco was using a combination of basic spells and three Auror spells on a knot of five Death Eaters, casting them so fast and in such rapid succession that they had no time to respond. Then Bellatrix Lestrange cast a burning spell at Harry, which he blocked with the Sword and sent at another Death Eater, who lit up like a torch.

Lestrange reacted in surprise, but flung another spell at him. He parried that one as well, sending it at one of the five men that Draco was dueling, knocking him flat. With that, he let out a scream of rage at last, vocalizing all the anger, all the pain he'd been enduring since his capture, since the death of Sirius, since the death of Cedric. Rage at the loss of his childhood flooded his voice as he charged the woman. She flung spell after spell at him, but he parried them all. When he was a mere couple of feet from her, she turned to run, but an Impedimenta jinx from Neville tripped her feet. She fell on the ground, then rolled over just as Harry reached her. Her wand was gone, and the Death Eaters around her were either down or fled. She looked up at him in fear, then smiled.

"Now laddie, you wouldna hurt an unarmed woman would ya?" She asked him in that voice he had come to hate. Harry saw the movement in her sleeve and gave her his answer as he slid the blade into her stomach. She gasped in pain, the knife falling from her hand as they moved to grasp the blade sticking out of her stomach. A wave of pleasure rolled through Harry as he saw the blood bubble in her mouth as she tried to breath out the word mercy.

"What mercy?" Harry whispered, the boiling rage he felt filling his voice. "The same mercy you gave the Longbottoms? The same mercy you gave Sirius? Where's your wit now, Bellatrix?"

He felt a figure behind him, and stiffened at Draco's touch. He lifted his eyes from the pain-filled face of Bellatrix Lestrange, and looked into the eyes of Draco. Those silver eyes glistened with unshed tears, and the memory of a slap burned on Harry's cheeks and he heard those words again "I will not be married to another Voldemort!". Those eyes, those silver eyes, drained the rage out of him and he pulled the Sword of Gryffindor out of Bellatrix Lestrange and turned his back on her. He made his way back to the group, Draco walking behind him. He had just reached them when he heard a sound that made his heart stop.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Malfoy!" Neville's voice rent the night and Harry turned just in time to see the green bolt of the killing curse streak towards Draco, only to hit Neville who had thrown his body in the path of the curse.

"NO!" Harry screamed, bring his sword up and preparing to cast a curse when Draco's wand was raised and he cast an Auror spell that sent a bolt of crushing force into Beatrix Lestrange's neck. The woman fell, he throat crushed, her stomach gashed open, and her body no longer able to bring in the air it needed to live.

By the time Snape had lifted the still form of Neville Longbottom, and Lucius had led them to the gate, Beatrix Lestrange had breathed her last breath, and Harry Potter had sworn to never leave a live enemy behind him again.

They emerged from the side gate into the midst of a team of Aurors. It was only the fact that Snape was right behind Lucius Malfoy and that all the adults had put their wands away as soon as the gate opened, that prevented the Aurors from immediately casting curses on them. When they saw Harry among them, the Aurors immediately surrounded the group and led them the nearby woods. Dumbledore was standing there, talking to Shacklebolt Kinsgsley and a senior Auror Harry had met before. When he saw the group approaching his face lit up with joy until he saw the still body being carried by Professor Snape. The senior Auror, a man by the name of Dawley as Harry remembered it, stepped forward and faced the adults immediately.

"Malfoy, Goyle, Crabbe, Zabini, you are all under arrest for committing numerous crimes as Death Eaters and for breaking out of Azkaban for some of you!" Dawley said, motioning for some Aurors to take their wands. Harry took a deep breath and stepped forward, squaring his shoulders and standing as tall as he could, holding the bloody Sword of Gryffindor across, but not touching his chest.

"Mister Dawley." Harry said firmly, in a tone that denied any argument. "These men have all helped me to escape from the clutches of Lord Voldemort. They will be treated with the utmost of respect while in custody, and no trials shall be held until I have spoken with the Minister and with the Chair of the Wizengamot, Albus Dumbledore. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, Mister Potter." Dawley said after staring at him with wide eyes for a moment. His note held a hint of questions, but Dumbledore showed no reaction, so he just nodded at the Aurors, who allowed the men to surrender their wands without forcing them. Then they led the men away, unbound to where a portkey had been created. Harry watched them go before turning back to Dumbledore. The only people still in the small section of the woods was Dumbledore, Kingsley, Snape, and his fellow students. Snape had lowered the body of Neville to the ground as Dumbledore bent down for a moment to touch the face of Neville, a face that had an odd smile on it.

"He died a true Gryffindor, saving the life of another." Harry said into the silence, feeling nothing but a coldness that permeated him.

"You are safe, but it is a heavy price to pay." Dumbledore said softly, looking into the young face with great sadness.

"One more debt owed to Voldemort." Harry said softly, feeling Draco once more take his hand. Draco's touch unlocked the flood gates and the coldness Harry felt was broken by a wave of grief.

"He died a hero." Harry whispered. "But more importantly he died knowing he was a hero."

"Let's get you back to Hogwarts." Dumbledore said softly, removing an old boot from one of his pockets. "Harry, did you know there is blood on the Sword?"

"Beatrix Lestrange is dead." Harry answered Dumbledore as he joined the other students touching the old boot. He barely noticed the hook behind his navel this time.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ron nearly jumped out of his bed, and Hermione sitting in the chair did jump up, wand drawn, when the group appeared in the middle of the infirmary. Madame Pomfrey immediately came out of her small office, rushing to Professor Snape who held someone in his arms. She stopped when she saw the look on Professor Snape's face, and he shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Poppy." Snape said in a voice so close to tears that Ron thought he was in a nightmare. "He was hit with the killing curse."

"NEVILLE!" Hermione screamed when Snape moved to follow Madame Pomfrey towards the back of the room. Ron tried to rise out of the bed, but was still too weak. It was Draco who caught her, and into whose arms she collapsed, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed. Harry stood there looking at them, and looking at Ron, no emotion on his face. In his hand there was a bloody sword and for a moment, Ron was scared of his old friend. He looked back up into those eyes, and noticed oddly that Harry's glasses missing, but his friend appeared to have no problems seeing.

"Harry?" Ron asked in a weak voice. Ron's voice seemed to snap Harry out of whatever thoughts he was thinking, and a flash of the Harry Potter he'd first met on the train showed on that face.

"Ron, it's good to see you're okay." The old Harry said with that quirky smile before turning back to Dumbledore.

"You're timing was impeccable once more, old man." The new Harry said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"I'm glad to hear that Harry." Dumbledore said, clapping Harry on the shoulder. "What happened with Voldemort?"

"When he realized he wasn't going to be able to complete his ritual," Harry told Dumbledore in a calm voice, "he took down the ward against Apparating. He left and I imagine his Death Eaters will too once they realize he's gone."

"They were already leaving before we left." Dumbledore said, and Ron was surprised at how their conversation was going. There was nothing that sounded like teacher and student to it, it sounded like two adults. "Tell me how you got the aid of those men"

"They were upset that Voldemort attacked the school." Harry said in that strange, flat voice. "I promised their sons that if they didn't participate in any attacks against me or against the school I would be…supportive of them. They are the ones who warned us of the attack. They figured Voldemort would consider them traitors and they decided to throw their lots in with me by helping me to escape."

"With you, Harry?" Dumbledore asked. Ron was distracted by the fact that his brothers had finally spotted him and rushed to his side. They took turns asking him what happened to him and telling him everything they'd been up to, so Ron missed the rest of the conversation between his old friend and Dumbledore. As Fred and George pestered him about why he was in the bed, Ron pondered whether he actually wanted to be friends with the Harry Potter he had just seen, and what the future would hold.