Ack
(Verified Ratbag) (Unverified Great Old One)
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Huh. that would make it easier
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Uncle Quentin's Spy (Harry Potter/Buffy) (Complete)
- Thread starter Starfox5
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- buffy harry potter
Starfox5
Experienced.
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That would have been a bit too easy. I decided the room only works within Hogwarts, and cannot create doors to locations outside the school's area.
Chapter 18: Showdown
Starfox5
Experienced.
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Chapter 18: Showdown
Hermione Granger was gritting her teeth. She was still tired from the ritual that had restored Voldemort's soul, but the young witch would curse anyone who tried to keep her from going to Hogwarts and help her friends. Fortunately, neither Uncle Quentin nor Harry were as foolish as to even suggest such, even though Harry looked like he wanted to. She had met his gaze had cut him off before he could say anything though: "If you're going, I'm going as well."
It helped of course that as a witch, she was one of the few Watchers able to enter Hogwarts. Most of the Watchers couldn't even see the castle. Only those with a talent for magic, even if it may not be enough to use a wand, could, and all of them were gathering. To her surprise the shy librarian, Rupert Giles, was among them. In her opinion it was a sign just how urgent, if not desperate things were. Less than a dozen, all in all, not counting Harry and herself or the Slayer, who seemed to be quite angry that her Watcher was not coming.
India was carrying what looked like a modern repeating crossbow, and enough blades and stakes under her leather jacket to personally deal with an army of demons. Hermione hoped the girl wouldn't have to. When Kit Botwell stepped closer and the two started whispering to each other, she turned away.
Harry was standing a bit apart from the others, probably thinking of their friends, currently fleeing for their lives from Voldemort's hordes. Hermione walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "They'll be fine, Harry. Ron's already evacuating the students through the Room of Requirement." She hoped she sounded more reassuring than she felt - without Dumbledore Hogwarts was far too vulnerable. Harry smiled at her, but didn't seem to believe her.
He suddenly pulled her in close and kissed her. She kissed back, running her hands through his hair and over his back. For a moment, the upcoming battle was forgotten and there were just the two of them, sharing their love.
They broke apart when the last Watcher to go with them, a woman named Gwendolyn Post, arrived, with Uncle Quentin. The leader of the Council looked grim but determined as he addressed the group. "Hogwarts is under attack. Modern weapons should work, but as the Dark Lord was reported to have many demons with him, they won't be too effective. With our strike teams unable to take part, it is up to you all to make sure Britain will be safe from this abomination. Your priority are Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Kill them all."
The assembled Watchers nodded, their expressions as serious as his. Only India was smiling widely, apparently looking forward to the battle. Then the wizards and witches present took the hands of those not able to apparate, and Hermione felt the usual squeezing sensation as she was apparated to Hogsmeade.
*****
Harry Potter had his wand out when they arrived at Hogsmeade. For once he didn't end up flat on his back or belly, but remained standing - more or less. Hermione though didn't fare as well. He made sure they were safe - no enemy in sight - then helped her up. He wished she would have stayed at headquarters, safe, but he he knew she was too stubborn for that, too Gryffindor. And they would need every wand against Voldemort's army.
They were close to the Shrieking Shack, as agreed upon with Dumbledore. A series of Lumos spells illuminated the area around them. Harry wanted to rush to Hogwarts at once, to start fighting, but both Dumbledore and Mister Travers had ordered a meeting beforehand, to coordinate the attack. People were dying while they wanted to talk!
His face must have shown his thoughts since Hermione put a hand on his arm and whispered, low enough so only he and India could hear: "Dumbledore fought in the war against Grindelwald, he's got the experience. Trust him in this."
Harry nodded in response, unable to verbally agree. A series of pops made everyone whirl around and aim their weapons, ready to fight an ambush. It was Dumbledore and the rest of the Order of the Phoenix, which mostly consisted of Moody, Sirius, Remus, and the Weasleys - even Percy was here.
Geoffrey Patch, the Watcher Wizard in charge of the group, greeted them. "We're all here." He didn't sound hurried at all.
"Good. Let us proceed to the Hog's Head at once. The aurors are gathering there." Dumbledore stated, then apparated away himself. Harry saw Sirius coming toward him, but he was whisked away by a Watcher before his godfather got even close.
A second later he found himself in front of the disreputable pub - and on his stomach. While he scrambled up a stern-faced woman with a monocle wearing red auror robes was already talking to Dumbledore. She didn't look or sound pleased. "The evacuation is still going on. We can't enter through the tunnel while children are rushing out." She looked at the Order members and the watchers with barely hidden disdain. "Your people can secure the village and take care of the fleeing students."
Harry almost told her off, but Dumbledore was quicker. "I am sure Arthur and Molly and perhaps Percy will help out in the village, Amelia. But the others here will be far more useful in the castle, having more experience fighting such demons and Death Eaters than most of your aurors. They have taken down Bellatrix Lestrange, after all, without me."
That seemed to surprise the woman Harry belatedly recognized as the head of the DMLE, Amelia Bones. She looked at Harry, Hermione and India, then back at Dumbledore. "Children, Albus?" Harry had to clench his teeth together to avoid shouting at the two of them to stop posturing and attack Voldemort.
Then he felt arms around him - Sirius had run over. "Harry!" His godfather hugging him and telling him to be safe didn't help with the impression Madam Bones must have had of him, of course.
Dumbledore kept his calm though. "Those three have taken down a vampire witch, Amelia, and Harry has faced Voldemort more often than anyone else here, me included." Harry realized that the Headmaster didn't want to reveal the Slayer's presence, nor the prophecy - or the plans he had shared with Harry in case of a confrontation with the Dark Lord.
"We're wasting time." Hermione spoke up. Dumbledore simply smiled at Madam Bones. A few seconds later she cursed. "Dawlish! Take five aurors and handle the evacuation from here, then go up to Hogwarts through the tunnel once it's clear! The rest of you - mount up! We're flying in."
Harry had his Firebolt out in seconds, but hesitated before mounting it, looking at Sirius. His godfather sighed. "There's no use trying to tell you to stay back, is it?" he didn't wait for an answer. "Like James. Just be careful, Harry. Please."
"I will, Sirius." Harry hugged the older wizard, then mounted his broom. Hermione got up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. A second later they were up in the air, racing toward Hogwarts amidst aurors, Watchers and Order members.
*****
"Hurry! Hurry! The door won't hold for much longer! Everyone, step through here, then head to the tunnels to Hogsmeade!"
Draco Malfoy despised Longbottom's whiny voice. Who did the fool think he was fooling? When the Slytherins had been ordered back to their dorms earlier, many had wondered who would dare attacking Hogwarts. Draco of course had known it was the Dark Lord, here to avenge his murdered followers. He would have cursed that impostor Head of House, Professor Sinistra, in the back right after she had come inside to seal the door, but the witch had mentioned demons and dementors attacking the school, which had given the other Slytherins pause. Fools! As if those loyal to the Dark Lord had anything to fear from his creatures!
Draco of course had seen through the lies, and had hidden himself away - a cunning move, as had been proven when Longbottom had invaded their dorm. The boy claimed to be here to evacuate the students, but Draco knew that the Gryffindors would kill him in the confusion, and blame it on the Dark Lord. If only his bodyguard had not run off to fight those "invaders"!
"Hurry up!"
The squib was close, Draco knew. Long bottom must be standing next to the door they were herding the Slytherins through - almost right outside the room Draco himself was hiding - waiting! - in. The Slytherin could hear the sounds of combat - screams, explosions, shouted invocations - through the thin gap of the door. More screams. The Dark Lord's forces must have broken through! They had taken their time though, far longer than Draco had expected. But now was the time to strike!
"For the Dark Lord!" Draco pulled the door open and stepped out, wand out and aimed at Longbottom. The squib's eyes were wide with surprise and shock, and Draco grinned with delight, but before he could cast a curse he was struck from behind. The force of the impact threw him forward, but he managed to turn around enough before he hit the floor to face whoever had cursed him in the back.
It was a Death Eater! Draco opened his mouth to shout at the traitor, but then he felt as if his lungs were on fire, and all that came out of his mouth was a scream followed by flames. While he was in agony, a piercing spell hit the masked wizard, blowing a hole through his mask and skull. Draco turned his head, trying to breath, trying to scream with lungs filled with fire, and just caught a glimpse of Longbottom lowering his wand and closing the door, which then disappeared.
The young Slytherin was left staring at the wall, smoke and flames coming out of his mouth, burning his throat and lips and nose while he was slowly suffocating.
*****
"Remove the door, Ron!"
At Neville's yell Ron turned his attention away from the door to the kitchen, through which hundreds of house elves had come, and made the door to the Slytherin dorms vanish at once. "Did you get everyone out?"
The other Gryffindor shook his head. "No. A number of the older students were helping Professor Sinistra, in their commons room I think, and none of them made it back. Others didn't want to flee and hid." He shuddered. "But I think we got most of them who wanted to flee out."
Ron didn't have to ask about the fate of the Professor and those who had stood with her; Neville's expression said enough. "Ok. Now get…"
"Pettigrew disappeared! He was in the Slytherin dorms but he isn't not anymore! I can't find him outside either!" Lavender's yell interrupted him.
Apparition was impossible in Hogwarts, and if the rat was not outside the dorms or on the map… "Merlin! He's in here!" Ron shouted. "Look out for a rat! It's an animagus, a Death Eater!" Too late he realized what panic that would cause.
Many of the students, even the Slytherins, were screaming, and hurried to the door that led to the tunnels, pushing and shoving. Others were casting in the confusion, and at first Ron thought they had seen the rat - until McClaggen was banished into a wall. There were traitors among the snakes!
"Stun the snakes!" he shouted, cursing his decision to evacuate them. One 6th year sent a curse at him, but Lavender stepped in front of him, stopping it with her shield. While his girlfriend was dueling the traitor, other Slytherins were engaging Neville and his group. Ron saw another snake line up a spell on Lavender, and and cast a bludgeoning curse that smashed the git into the closest wall so hard, he was knocked out. Ron cast a stunner and a body-binder anyway, just to make sure that one wouldn't get up soon, while Lavender ducked under a dark green curse, then hit her attacker with a Dancing Feet spell. That broke his concentration and made him unable to dodge, and he fell soon under spells from Ron and Lavender.
Neville and his group were taking down the other snakes, and... McGonagall was dueling Pettigrew! And winning! The traitor's shield was buckling under the spells the teacher sent at him, and he was hemmed in by conjured lions to either side, with smaller cats waiting behind them. The animagus even used the Killing Curse in his desperation, but a lion jumped in front of the witch and took the curse for her. Her next spell broke the man's shield, and the other lion pounced.
Pettigrew's wand arm was crushed in the big cat's jaw while the lion's paws held him down. The traitor screamed while blood spurted from his limb, feebly trying to hit it with his silver hand, until the lion ripped out his throat, and he couldn't scream anymore. McGonagall was smiling slightly when she turned away, and Ron was distinctly reminded of Crookshanks after the half-kneazle had dropped a dead mouse at Hermione's feet.
A dozen Slytherins lay on the ground, stunned or otherwise incapacitated. Half a dozen Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs had been hit as well, and only two of them could be ennervated. The rest were hurt and needed more help that could be given by the people in the room. Pomfrey hadn't been in the Infirmary last Ron had checked; he didn't know where she was - or if she was still alive.
"Levitate them into the tunnel!" McGonagall ordered, "They need help!" Just as the students started to obey, the entire room shook. Ron saw that someone had blown the main door off it's hinges. The barricade in front of it hadn't fared much better.
"Hurry up!" he yelled, while causing the room to grow walls around the barricade. A glance at the map confirmed his fears - Voldemort was attacking. "Voldemort's outside!"
Most of the students, even among those who had followed Neville to the Slytherin dorms, screamed and panicked upon hearing that. Lavender though stayed, as did Neville, Dean and Seamus. And, sadly, Ginny and Luna. All of them were nervous, some were trembling, but they had their wands aimed at the door while behind them the other students and the elves pressed through into the tunnel. Flitwick, despite his wand arm having been shriveled by a curse, and McGonagall were there too, of course.
The room shook again, and Ron created more walls and barriers. Voldemort was no longer on the map, so he was in the room now. The head of House Gryffindor ordered the elves to carry the unconscious students, then turned to the group.
"We can't leave anyway, even if we wanted, until the rest are gone and do not block the way anymore, Professor." Ron cut her off before she could say anything.
"Gryffindors." The old witch said, and Ron wasn't sure if she was praising or insulting them - or both. So he grinned at her, and started to widen the room some more. He had barely managed to erect walls to shield that door to the tunnel from view when the barricades in front of him exploded, showering the students and teachers with rocks and debris.
And through the cloud of dust thrown up by the blast, Voldemort walked in.
*****
India Cohen grinned, holding on to Patch while they flew on his broom towards the castle, at the forefront of the relief force. An army of demons and a Dark Lord awaited her - and she was looking forward to it! Usually, it was just her - the Slayer fights alone with her Watcher - but this time, she had an army at her back! If only Kit were here and could see her...
With her enhanced vision she could see that two dozen Dementors were floating around the castle, and had noticed the approaching broom riders. If she timed it right she could pounce on one of them and ride it down to the ground while killing it… Suddenly a bright light cut through the darkness, and a glowing white stag flew towards the demons, sending them fleeing. India turned her head and sent a glare at Harry, who had just driven her prey away. Not that he'd notice her sentiment in the night.
Patch descended to the courtyard. India jumped off to drop the last three meters - she hated relinquishing control of her movement to others, it made her feel too vulnerable. The Slayershot a Polgara Demon in the head while falling and before Patch had touched the ground, India had already charged a mantis demon at the edge of the yard. The monster's two giant pincers struck at her, but the Slayer easily dropped down and slid under them, then jumped up, ramming a dagger into each of the demon's eyes. The blinded monster started to wildly flail around in a useless attempt to hit her while India used the opportunity drop to the ground again and cut into its legs. When it fell, she was ready to cut its neck.
All around her wizards were landing and casting. A number were staying on their brooms - some to guard the courtyard against returning dementors, others to rain down deadly spells on the monsters on the ground, or to hurl magic at the windows. Watcher Post was shooting with a pistol at what looked like a hellhound, then used a sabre to dispatch the wounded monster. That wasn't as surprising though as seeing Watcher Giles disemboweling a Grox'lar Beast with a sword without batting an eye, then running another through. That man was wasted in a library!
A barrage of spells from one of the towers hit the a group of wizards, leaving one of them burning and another coughing up his intestines. India was halfway to the base of the tower before she realized that a dozen red-robed wizards had returned fire already, turning the windows of the tower into craters and filling the rooms behind it with flames. Then the Slayer spotted Dumbledore, Harry and the Granger girl making their way towards a big set of doors. They would be going for the Dark Lord! Cutting the tendons in the legs of a Polgara Demon in passing and dusting a vampire trying to sneak up on a wizard with a thrown stake from behind while running, she caught up to them, grinning widely. A pair of dementor appeared to bar their way. Harry was raising his wand, but India wouldn't let him chase her prey away this time.
Before he could cast the Slayer had charged one of the demons, grabbing it with one hand and stabbing it in the face with a blessed silver knife with the other. It screamed and trashed, but couldn't do anything to her until it turned to dust under her assault, leaving her holding its tattered robes. She turned to the other, who had been trying to flee, but had been held up by a cage dropped on up. Flashing a brief smile at the old wizard who had caught it, she went to work on that demon.
When that monster too had stopped screaming and its empty robes had dropped to the ground of the cage, India noticed that half a dozen red-robed wizards were staring at her. One of them stammered "She killed a dementor!", pointing at her with a shaky hand.
Another, a witch, shook her head wildly. "Dementors cannot be killed!"
The Slayer flashed the witch a wide smile. "I can kill anything and everything!"
Dumbledore blocking a series of spells from the side with a bright shield shook the wizards out of whatever trance they were in, and they spread out to engage the Death Eaters who had cast at them. India was tempted to attack the wizards herself, but decided to stick with the old Wizard and Harry and Granger. She was after bigger prey than some minions.
*****
Ron, protected behind his girlfriend's shield spell, stared at the Dark Lord for a second, then raised walls - thicker, stronger ones - between him and the few defenders, even though he knew they wouldn't stop Voldemort. But there were still people trying to flee and they needed more time. He couldn't leave until they had fled - if he didn't vanish the door to the tunnel the Dark Lord would pursue them to Hogsmeade!
He stared at the map, then opened a door next to the first door. This one led to the tunnel to the Shrieking Shack, the one he had been dragged through by Sirius two years ago. "Get back!" he shouted, even as the walls he had erected exploded. Screams told him that this time, not all shields had held. Before he could erect new walls, McGonagall had stepped forward to duel the Dark Lord. Ron cursed and grabbed the map. "Fall back! Fall back!" he shouted, pulling Lavender with him. He needed more distance to create more walls - between himself and McGonagall, this time.
Neville was pulling a cursing, limping Ginny with him while Dean was pushing a dazed, bleeding Seamus towards Ron. Luna brought up the rear, and Ron started to fill up the space behind her with rock, marble, whatever he could think of. He couldn't see Flitwick anymore.
The small group of students was now at the back of the room, and Ron could see that only a handful of students was left in front of the two doors to the tunnels. He pointed at them. "Go, flee to Hogsmeade!" His friends didn't move until he started towards the doors himself.
"I made the room, I have to be the last one out! Go on, go on!" He waved them through, standing at the door. They didn't question him and fled through the tunnel to Hogsmeade. Everyone but Lavender and Luna. He had to push the blonde Ravenclaw through the door when she started to shake her head at him, tears in her eyes. When the witch tried to get back inside, he closed the door and vanished it. His girlfriend was still maintaining a blue shield that protected both of them from the frequent explosions behind them.
"It leads to the Shrieking Shack," Ron said, pointing at the other door. "Go, Lav!" She might have heard 'Love'; it wouldn't have been a lie either.
"Not without you!"
"I have to be the last, or he'll chase you!"
Her eyes opening wide told him she had understood, and he pushed her through the door before she could object, then closed it and vanished it. Behind him, the last of his obstacles turned to dust and splinters under the Dark Lord's spells, revealing the room again. McGonagall was still facing the wizard, but she looked battered and bruised, and reeling. He didn't see Flitwick… there, a small, burning body was on the ground near the door.
His teacher glanced at him for an instant. "Go, Mister Weasley!" But Ron couldn't leave, not now. He raised his wand to help the witch. Voldemort was surrounded by conjured animals of all sorts, trying to reach him, but his shield withstood their attacks easily. Ron's piercing curse was absorbed as well, without any apparent effect.
The Dark Lord casually sent a Killing Curse at him in response. Ron raised a wall to stop it just in time, but the resulting explosion pelted him with rocks and splinters and left him on the ground in pain. Blood from a cut on his forehead ran into his left eye before he managed to close that wound. His leg hurt too much to stand though.
"Ah, you are the one who has control of the room!" Voldemort announced with glee.
"Mister Weasley, go!" McGonagall shouted, casting spell after spell at the Dark Lord. Half of them Ron didn't even saw taking effect, but from the way Voldemort wielded his wand, he was doing something in reaction to them. Ron wasn't out of the battle yet, though, and with his leg he couldn't run even if he wanted.
He opened a trapdoor under the Dark Lord, which led straight to the Dungeons. The snake-faced wizard dropped down a meter, then rose up again - the monster could fly without a broom!
Ron glanced at the map again, still clutched in his left hand. The names in the Great Hall… he looked up and saw the Dark Lord hit McGonagall with a Killing Curse. Before the monster could cast another at Ron the Gryffindor student opened a trapdoor directly underneath himself.
*****
A cannon blast spell erupted in the Great Hall, followed by an overpowered lumos, before Albus Dumbledore entered himself. Two dementors turned to face him, unaffected by his spells, while a few other demons were reeling. The Headmaster felt a brief flash of fury at such unnatural creatures defiling this location, his school, threatening his students, and dropped two conjured cages over the dementors. While the Slayer charged ahead to destroy them, Albus cut two other demons to pieces with a series of Diffindos. Another of the creatures fell under the spells of Harry and Miss Granger. The old wizard didn't spot any other enemy in the hall. Now where was Tom?
A sudden scream caught his attention, and he had just enough time to cast a levitation spell and a cushioning charm to save Mister Weasley's life. Apparently, someone had installed a trapdoor in the ceiling of the Great Hall. But why would… ah! Clever! Movement in the open trapdoor warned him, and he summoned the brave boy to him before a spell from above smashed into him. Unfortunately, the rescue of Mister Weasley had cost him the opportunity to hit Tom while the Dark Lord floated down into the hall through the trapdoor himself.
"Ron!" Miss Granger shouted behind Albus.
He quickly said "Get him to safety, Miss Granger!"
The Headmaster looked at his old adversary. Judging by the grin on Tom's inhuman face, the wizard had realized that with four others to protect, Albus was at a severe disadvantage. He could only hope that Miss Granger would listen and remove herself and Mister Weasley from the Great Hall. Otherwise Albus would be facing a very difficult choice.
*****
Hermione heard the order, and for a moment wanted to shout that she'd not leave Harry. Then all around the hall, spikes started to erupt from the ground, and only a quick jump on the Hufflepuff table saved her from getting impaled. The spikes disappeared as quickly as they had appeared, and she suddenly understood just how dangerous this clash between Dumbledore and Voldemort would be. With her still weak from the ritual, she'd be only a hindrance in that fight. She ignored the small voice in her head that told her that she'd only be a hindrance even well-rested, and started to drag the floating Ron towards the doors. He was bleeding and looked like he had caught a dozen bludgers with his body, and especially his leg, but his wand was out and he was trying to shield them both.
Another spell flew towards them from the floating Dark Lord, and only the Hufflepuff table suddenly jumping in its way saved them - and both their shields almost buckled under the hail of splinters the table exploded into.
"Bloody Hell!" Ron cursed.
"Language!" She said, automatically.
Both were laughing almost hysterically while she dragged him through the gates just before a whirlwind of blades appeared inside.
"Harry!" Her love was still in the Great Hall! The young witch tried to enter again, but the gates swung shut before she reached them, and none of her spells managed to open them again.
*****
Hermione and Ron were safe, Harry knew that. He wasn't - but he had rolled under the Gryffindor table when the whirlwind of blades appeared in the hall. A dozen of them impaled the table, the point of one almost hitting his head. He pressed himself flat on the floor and crawled further ahead, hopefully out of the Dark Lord's sight, until the sound of rushing, whirling metal disappeared. Suddenly the smell of dust and something else disappeared - someone had cast a Bubblehead charm on him. Dumbledore, but why?
He rolled out from under the table and saw that Voldemort and Dumbledore were still exchanging spells at a rate Harry would have believed impossible. Harry didn't recognize most of them either. Neither wizard seemed to be verbally casting, and both pointed their wands at each other, without going through complicated casting motions. It was an awesome but also humbling spectacle.
He saw that India was crouching behind Dumbledore's old seat, shooting with her crossbow at the Dark Lord. Her bolts didn't go through the shield surrounding him though, and a casual wave of his wand sent her scrambling for better cover while the staff table was turned into kindling behind her.
Dumbledore was waving his wand around, and multicolored arrows struck at the Dark Lord from all directions, causing his shield to waver. It did not break though, and in response, the Ravenclaw table started to rot, collapsing while brown clouds spread out from it. Wherever they touched the benches, or other wood or fabric, more rot started at once
A spell from Dumbledore stopped it, and another set the rotting material ablaze. Harry almost cheered, then saw that the Headmaster looked to be straining, and seemed to be limping - had Voldemort hurt him already, and that badly? Behind the student a dozen snakes appeared, spitting poison at him while insulting his lineage and sexual habits. Harry's shield stopped the poison, and the snakes vanished right afterwards. Another of Dumbledore's spells caused a fine blue mist to settle over Harry, and he realized that Dumbledore was protecting both himself and Harry - and probably the Slayer as well - from spells he didn't even see, much less could recognize. No wonder the Headmaster looked as if he was having a difficult time!
Harry stood up and started casting spell after spell at the murderer of his family.
*****
Albus smiled. Miss Granger and Mister Weasley were safe. Harry and the Slayer were attacking Tom, and Albus himself had managed, so far, to protect all three of them. Mostly - a few curses had hit him, and he'd pay later for not dealing with them right away, he knew that. It couldn't be helped though - Tom was far more powerful than he had expected after their last fight. He was casting faster, floating without apparent strain or need to focus, and his shields seemed to be more powerful too. At least his spell repertoire and imagination hadn't grown.
Now if only Tom would cast directly at Harry, and the boy remember what he had been told before… Coughing up some blood, the old wizard countered another poison spell from Tom before conjuring a solid cap over the invisible acid quicksand trap the Dark Lord had placed near the Slayer and sending another spell at the Dark Lord that started to turn the air around him into vacuum.
*****
Harry was dodging another blasting curse from the Dark Lord - mostly shielding, if he was honest - and rolled behind the remains of the staff table. "Can't aim anymore, Tom? Old age catching up?"
It was a cheap shot, but Tom had a real big ego, maybe it would make him turn his attention to Harry.
The floating Dark Lord turned his inhuman head towards him, snarling. Another blasting curse showered him with splinters. Maybe if he got closer… He sprinted forward in zigzag course, as he had trained to with the Watchers, casting as he moved, but Voldemort deflected all his spells. Where was India? He had lost sight of her.
Harry shook his head after another near miss left him reeling slightly. There was no choice. When he saw Voldemort's wand move again and a spell shoot in his direction, he dove toward the spell, and cast directly at it. "Confringo!"
The two spells collided, and a golden cage sprung up around Voldemort and Harry.
*****
"Priori Incantatem!" Dumbledore sighed with relief - and no small amount of pain - when he saw the golden effect surround Tom and Harry. It had been a long shot, but with Tom's sudden growth in power, it was their best shot.
He sent a piercing curse and a few other spells at Tom, but as expected, the golden cage kept all his spell at bay. Now it was up to Harry to withstand Tom. If he managed to subdue Tom's wand…
Unfortunately, it wasn't the case. Dumbledore could see the rolling, glowing, pent-up energy of the two spells slowly drift towards Harry. Tom had grown just too powerful since their last confrontation. If those spells connected…
But all was not lost yet. One last chance remained.
Looking up, and seeing the Slayer on the chandelier closest to Tom, Albus smiled.
*****
Climbing the wall had been easy, but reaching the chandelier had been a pain - the support beams were hidden inside an illusion that had played havoc with the Slayer's senses. Now she was almost at the Dark Lord though. He was protected by a golden shield that repelled her crossbow bolts. Even the blessed silver throwing knives. But she was the Slayer, she had other weapons. And if they failed, she was a weapon herself, one that never failed!
She stood up as far as she could without touching that damned illusion effect, then started to make the chandelier swing back and forth. She only needed a bit more… now!
Pushing herself off, India flew towards Voldemort. She hit the golden field and passed straight through. Her left hand gripped the wizard's robes, her legs wrapped around him, and her right fist started hitting his face as hard and as fast as she could.
He was tougher than a human, but not as tough as a vampire. And not even nearly as strong, or as fast. A few quick jabs to his face left him reeling, and a hit to the throat smashed his larynx and left him choking. Then she gripped his head with both hands and pulled and twisted until she heard his neck break.
When the two started to drop to the ground, she knew she had won. She yelled with glee - the Dark Lord had been slain.
Then that energy ball which had been floating between the Dark Lord and Harry blew up.
Chapter 19: Picking up the Pieces
Hermione Granger was gritting her teeth. She was still tired from the ritual that had restored Voldemort's soul, but the young witch would curse anyone who tried to keep her from going to Hogwarts and help her friends. Fortunately, neither Uncle Quentin nor Harry were as foolish as to even suggest such, even though Harry looked like he wanted to. She had met his gaze had cut him off before he could say anything though: "If you're going, I'm going as well."
It helped of course that as a witch, she was one of the few Watchers able to enter Hogwarts. Most of the Watchers couldn't even see the castle. Only those with a talent for magic, even if it may not be enough to use a wand, could, and all of them were gathering. To her surprise the shy librarian, Rupert Giles, was among them. In her opinion it was a sign just how urgent, if not desperate things were. Less than a dozen, all in all, not counting Harry and herself or the Slayer, who seemed to be quite angry that her Watcher was not coming.
India was carrying what looked like a modern repeating crossbow, and enough blades and stakes under her leather jacket to personally deal with an army of demons. Hermione hoped the girl wouldn't have to. When Kit Botwell stepped closer and the two started whispering to each other, she turned away.
Harry was standing a bit apart from the others, probably thinking of their friends, currently fleeing for their lives from Voldemort's hordes. Hermione walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "They'll be fine, Harry. Ron's already evacuating the students through the Room of Requirement." She hoped she sounded more reassuring than she felt - without Dumbledore Hogwarts was far too vulnerable. Harry smiled at her, but didn't seem to believe her.
He suddenly pulled her in close and kissed her. She kissed back, running her hands through his hair and over his back. For a moment, the upcoming battle was forgotten and there were just the two of them, sharing their love.
They broke apart when the last Watcher to go with them, a woman named Gwendolyn Post, arrived, with Uncle Quentin. The leader of the Council looked grim but determined as he addressed the group. "Hogwarts is under attack. Modern weapons should work, but as the Dark Lord was reported to have many demons with him, they won't be too effective. With our strike teams unable to take part, it is up to you all to make sure Britain will be safe from this abomination. Your priority are Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Kill them all."
The assembled Watchers nodded, their expressions as serious as his. Only India was smiling widely, apparently looking forward to the battle. Then the wizards and witches present took the hands of those not able to apparate, and Hermione felt the usual squeezing sensation as she was apparated to Hogsmeade.
*****
Harry Potter had his wand out when they arrived at Hogsmeade. For once he didn't end up flat on his back or belly, but remained standing - more or less. Hermione though didn't fare as well. He made sure they were safe - no enemy in sight - then helped her up. He wished she would have stayed at headquarters, safe, but he he knew she was too stubborn for that, too Gryffindor. And they would need every wand against Voldemort's army.
They were close to the Shrieking Shack, as agreed upon with Dumbledore. A series of Lumos spells illuminated the area around them. Harry wanted to rush to Hogwarts at once, to start fighting, but both Dumbledore and Mister Travers had ordered a meeting beforehand, to coordinate the attack. People were dying while they wanted to talk!
His face must have shown his thoughts since Hermione put a hand on his arm and whispered, low enough so only he and India could hear: "Dumbledore fought in the war against Grindelwald, he's got the experience. Trust him in this."
Harry nodded in response, unable to verbally agree. A series of pops made everyone whirl around and aim their weapons, ready to fight an ambush. It was Dumbledore and the rest of the Order of the Phoenix, which mostly consisted of Moody, Sirius, Remus, and the Weasleys - even Percy was here.
Geoffrey Patch, the Watcher Wizard in charge of the group, greeted them. "We're all here." He didn't sound hurried at all.
"Good. Let us proceed to the Hog's Head at once. The aurors are gathering there." Dumbledore stated, then apparated away himself. Harry saw Sirius coming toward him, but he was whisked away by a Watcher before his godfather got even close.
A second later he found himself in front of the disreputable pub - and on his stomach. While he scrambled up a stern-faced woman with a monocle wearing red auror robes was already talking to Dumbledore. She didn't look or sound pleased. "The evacuation is still going on. We can't enter through the tunnel while children are rushing out." She looked at the Order members and the watchers with barely hidden disdain. "Your people can secure the village and take care of the fleeing students."
Harry almost told her off, but Dumbledore was quicker. "I am sure Arthur and Molly and perhaps Percy will help out in the village, Amelia. But the others here will be far more useful in the castle, having more experience fighting such demons and Death Eaters than most of your aurors. They have taken down Bellatrix Lestrange, after all, without me."
That seemed to surprise the woman Harry belatedly recognized as the head of the DMLE, Amelia Bones. She looked at Harry, Hermione and India, then back at Dumbledore. "Children, Albus?" Harry had to clench his teeth together to avoid shouting at the two of them to stop posturing and attack Voldemort.
Then he felt arms around him - Sirius had run over. "Harry!" His godfather hugging him and telling him to be safe didn't help with the impression Madam Bones must have had of him, of course.
Dumbledore kept his calm though. "Those three have taken down a vampire witch, Amelia, and Harry has faced Voldemort more often than anyone else here, me included." Harry realized that the Headmaster didn't want to reveal the Slayer's presence, nor the prophecy - or the plans he had shared with Harry in case of a confrontation with the Dark Lord.
"We're wasting time." Hermione spoke up. Dumbledore simply smiled at Madam Bones. A few seconds later she cursed. "Dawlish! Take five aurors and handle the evacuation from here, then go up to Hogwarts through the tunnel once it's clear! The rest of you - mount up! We're flying in."
Harry had his Firebolt out in seconds, but hesitated before mounting it, looking at Sirius. His godfather sighed. "There's no use trying to tell you to stay back, is it?" he didn't wait for an answer. "Like James. Just be careful, Harry. Please."
"I will, Sirius." Harry hugged the older wizard, then mounted his broom. Hermione got up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. A second later they were up in the air, racing toward Hogwarts amidst aurors, Watchers and Order members.
*****
"Hurry! Hurry! The door won't hold for much longer! Everyone, step through here, then head to the tunnels to Hogsmeade!"
Draco Malfoy despised Longbottom's whiny voice. Who did the fool think he was fooling? When the Slytherins had been ordered back to their dorms earlier, many had wondered who would dare attacking Hogwarts. Draco of course had known it was the Dark Lord, here to avenge his murdered followers. He would have cursed that impostor Head of House, Professor Sinistra, in the back right after she had come inside to seal the door, but the witch had mentioned demons and dementors attacking the school, which had given the other Slytherins pause. Fools! As if those loyal to the Dark Lord had anything to fear from his creatures!
Draco of course had seen through the lies, and had hidden himself away - a cunning move, as had been proven when Longbottom had invaded their dorm. The boy claimed to be here to evacuate the students, but Draco knew that the Gryffindors would kill him in the confusion, and blame it on the Dark Lord. If only his bodyguard had not run off to fight those "invaders"!
"Hurry up!"
The squib was close, Draco knew. Long bottom must be standing next to the door they were herding the Slytherins through - almost right outside the room Draco himself was hiding - waiting! - in. The Slytherin could hear the sounds of combat - screams, explosions, shouted invocations - through the thin gap of the door. More screams. The Dark Lord's forces must have broken through! They had taken their time though, far longer than Draco had expected. But now was the time to strike!
"For the Dark Lord!" Draco pulled the door open and stepped out, wand out and aimed at Longbottom. The squib's eyes were wide with surprise and shock, and Draco grinned with delight, but before he could cast a curse he was struck from behind. The force of the impact threw him forward, but he managed to turn around enough before he hit the floor to face whoever had cursed him in the back.
It was a Death Eater! Draco opened his mouth to shout at the traitor, but then he felt as if his lungs were on fire, and all that came out of his mouth was a scream followed by flames. While he was in agony, a piercing spell hit the masked wizard, blowing a hole through his mask and skull. Draco turned his head, trying to breath, trying to scream with lungs filled with fire, and just caught a glimpse of Longbottom lowering his wand and closing the door, which then disappeared.
The young Slytherin was left staring at the wall, smoke and flames coming out of his mouth, burning his throat and lips and nose while he was slowly suffocating.
*****
"Remove the door, Ron!"
At Neville's yell Ron turned his attention away from the door to the kitchen, through which hundreds of house elves had come, and made the door to the Slytherin dorms vanish at once. "Did you get everyone out?"
The other Gryffindor shook his head. "No. A number of the older students were helping Professor Sinistra, in their commons room I think, and none of them made it back. Others didn't want to flee and hid." He shuddered. "But I think we got most of them who wanted to flee out."
Ron didn't have to ask about the fate of the Professor and those who had stood with her; Neville's expression said enough. "Ok. Now get…"
"Pettigrew disappeared! He was in the Slytherin dorms but he isn't not anymore! I can't find him outside either!" Lavender's yell interrupted him.
Apparition was impossible in Hogwarts, and if the rat was not outside the dorms or on the map… "Merlin! He's in here!" Ron shouted. "Look out for a rat! It's an animagus, a Death Eater!" Too late he realized what panic that would cause.
Many of the students, even the Slytherins, were screaming, and hurried to the door that led to the tunnels, pushing and shoving. Others were casting in the confusion, and at first Ron thought they had seen the rat - until McClaggen was banished into a wall. There were traitors among the snakes!
"Stun the snakes!" he shouted, cursing his decision to evacuate them. One 6th year sent a curse at him, but Lavender stepped in front of him, stopping it with her shield. While his girlfriend was dueling the traitor, other Slytherins were engaging Neville and his group. Ron saw another snake line up a spell on Lavender, and and cast a bludgeoning curse that smashed the git into the closest wall so hard, he was knocked out. Ron cast a stunner and a body-binder anyway, just to make sure that one wouldn't get up soon, while Lavender ducked under a dark green curse, then hit her attacker with a Dancing Feet spell. That broke his concentration and made him unable to dodge, and he fell soon under spells from Ron and Lavender.
Neville and his group were taking down the other snakes, and... McGonagall was dueling Pettigrew! And winning! The traitor's shield was buckling under the spells the teacher sent at him, and he was hemmed in by conjured lions to either side, with smaller cats waiting behind them. The animagus even used the Killing Curse in his desperation, but a lion jumped in front of the witch and took the curse for her. Her next spell broke the man's shield, and the other lion pounced.
Pettigrew's wand arm was crushed in the big cat's jaw while the lion's paws held him down. The traitor screamed while blood spurted from his limb, feebly trying to hit it with his silver hand, until the lion ripped out his throat, and he couldn't scream anymore. McGonagall was smiling slightly when she turned away, and Ron was distinctly reminded of Crookshanks after the half-kneazle had dropped a dead mouse at Hermione's feet.
A dozen Slytherins lay on the ground, stunned or otherwise incapacitated. Half a dozen Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs had been hit as well, and only two of them could be ennervated. The rest were hurt and needed more help that could be given by the people in the room. Pomfrey hadn't been in the Infirmary last Ron had checked; he didn't know where she was - or if she was still alive.
"Levitate them into the tunnel!" McGonagall ordered, "They need help!" Just as the students started to obey, the entire room shook. Ron saw that someone had blown the main door off it's hinges. The barricade in front of it hadn't fared much better.
"Hurry up!" he yelled, while causing the room to grow walls around the barricade. A glance at the map confirmed his fears - Voldemort was attacking. "Voldemort's outside!"
Most of the students, even among those who had followed Neville to the Slytherin dorms, screamed and panicked upon hearing that. Lavender though stayed, as did Neville, Dean and Seamus. And, sadly, Ginny and Luna. All of them were nervous, some were trembling, but they had their wands aimed at the door while behind them the other students and the elves pressed through into the tunnel. Flitwick, despite his wand arm having been shriveled by a curse, and McGonagall were there too, of course.
The room shook again, and Ron created more walls and barriers. Voldemort was no longer on the map, so he was in the room now. The head of House Gryffindor ordered the elves to carry the unconscious students, then turned to the group.
"We can't leave anyway, even if we wanted, until the rest are gone and do not block the way anymore, Professor." Ron cut her off before she could say anything.
"Gryffindors." The old witch said, and Ron wasn't sure if she was praising or insulting them - or both. So he grinned at her, and started to widen the room some more. He had barely managed to erect walls to shield that door to the tunnel from view when the barricades in front of him exploded, showering the students and teachers with rocks and debris.
And through the cloud of dust thrown up by the blast, Voldemort walked in.
*****
India Cohen grinned, holding on to Patch while they flew on his broom towards the castle, at the forefront of the relief force. An army of demons and a Dark Lord awaited her - and she was looking forward to it! Usually, it was just her - the Slayer fights alone with her Watcher - but this time, she had an army at her back! If only Kit were here and could see her...
With her enhanced vision she could see that two dozen Dementors were floating around the castle, and had noticed the approaching broom riders. If she timed it right she could pounce on one of them and ride it down to the ground while killing it… Suddenly a bright light cut through the darkness, and a glowing white stag flew towards the demons, sending them fleeing. India turned her head and sent a glare at Harry, who had just driven her prey away. Not that he'd notice her sentiment in the night.
Patch descended to the courtyard. India jumped off to drop the last three meters - she hated relinquishing control of her movement to others, it made her feel too vulnerable. The Slayershot a Polgara Demon in the head while falling and before Patch had touched the ground, India had already charged a mantis demon at the edge of the yard. The monster's two giant pincers struck at her, but the Slayer easily dropped down and slid under them, then jumped up, ramming a dagger into each of the demon's eyes. The blinded monster started to wildly flail around in a useless attempt to hit her while India used the opportunity drop to the ground again and cut into its legs. When it fell, she was ready to cut its neck.
All around her wizards were landing and casting. A number were staying on their brooms - some to guard the courtyard against returning dementors, others to rain down deadly spells on the monsters on the ground, or to hurl magic at the windows. Watcher Post was shooting with a pistol at what looked like a hellhound, then used a sabre to dispatch the wounded monster. That wasn't as surprising though as seeing Watcher Giles disemboweling a Grox'lar Beast with a sword without batting an eye, then running another through. That man was wasted in a library!
A barrage of spells from one of the towers hit the a group of wizards, leaving one of them burning and another coughing up his intestines. India was halfway to the base of the tower before she realized that a dozen red-robed wizards had returned fire already, turning the windows of the tower into craters and filling the rooms behind it with flames. Then the Slayer spotted Dumbledore, Harry and the Granger girl making their way towards a big set of doors. They would be going for the Dark Lord! Cutting the tendons in the legs of a Polgara Demon in passing and dusting a vampire trying to sneak up on a wizard with a thrown stake from behind while running, she caught up to them, grinning widely. A pair of dementor appeared to bar their way. Harry was raising his wand, but India wouldn't let him chase her prey away this time.
Before he could cast the Slayer had charged one of the demons, grabbing it with one hand and stabbing it in the face with a blessed silver knife with the other. It screamed and trashed, but couldn't do anything to her until it turned to dust under her assault, leaving her holding its tattered robes. She turned to the other, who had been trying to flee, but had been held up by a cage dropped on up. Flashing a brief smile at the old wizard who had caught it, she went to work on that demon.
When that monster too had stopped screaming and its empty robes had dropped to the ground of the cage, India noticed that half a dozen red-robed wizards were staring at her. One of them stammered "She killed a dementor!", pointing at her with a shaky hand.
Another, a witch, shook her head wildly. "Dementors cannot be killed!"
The Slayer flashed the witch a wide smile. "I can kill anything and everything!"
Dumbledore blocking a series of spells from the side with a bright shield shook the wizards out of whatever trance they were in, and they spread out to engage the Death Eaters who had cast at them. India was tempted to attack the wizards herself, but decided to stick with the old Wizard and Harry and Granger. She was after bigger prey than some minions.
*****
Ron, protected behind his girlfriend's shield spell, stared at the Dark Lord for a second, then raised walls - thicker, stronger ones - between him and the few defenders, even though he knew they wouldn't stop Voldemort. But there were still people trying to flee and they needed more time. He couldn't leave until they had fled - if he didn't vanish the door to the tunnel the Dark Lord would pursue them to Hogsmeade!
He stared at the map, then opened a door next to the first door. This one led to the tunnel to the Shrieking Shack, the one he had been dragged through by Sirius two years ago. "Get back!" he shouted, even as the walls he had erected exploded. Screams told him that this time, not all shields had held. Before he could erect new walls, McGonagall had stepped forward to duel the Dark Lord. Ron cursed and grabbed the map. "Fall back! Fall back!" he shouted, pulling Lavender with him. He needed more distance to create more walls - between himself and McGonagall, this time.
Neville was pulling a cursing, limping Ginny with him while Dean was pushing a dazed, bleeding Seamus towards Ron. Luna brought up the rear, and Ron started to fill up the space behind her with rock, marble, whatever he could think of. He couldn't see Flitwick anymore.
The small group of students was now at the back of the room, and Ron could see that only a handful of students was left in front of the two doors to the tunnels. He pointed at them. "Go, flee to Hogsmeade!" His friends didn't move until he started towards the doors himself.
"I made the room, I have to be the last one out! Go on, go on!" He waved them through, standing at the door. They didn't question him and fled through the tunnel to Hogsmeade. Everyone but Lavender and Luna. He had to push the blonde Ravenclaw through the door when she started to shake her head at him, tears in her eyes. When the witch tried to get back inside, he closed the door and vanished it. His girlfriend was still maintaining a blue shield that protected both of them from the frequent explosions behind them.
"It leads to the Shrieking Shack," Ron said, pointing at the other door. "Go, Lav!" She might have heard 'Love'; it wouldn't have been a lie either.
"Not without you!"
"I have to be the last, or he'll chase you!"
Her eyes opening wide told him she had understood, and he pushed her through the door before she could object, then closed it and vanished it. Behind him, the last of his obstacles turned to dust and splinters under the Dark Lord's spells, revealing the room again. McGonagall was still facing the wizard, but she looked battered and bruised, and reeling. He didn't see Flitwick… there, a small, burning body was on the ground near the door.
His teacher glanced at him for an instant. "Go, Mister Weasley!" But Ron couldn't leave, not now. He raised his wand to help the witch. Voldemort was surrounded by conjured animals of all sorts, trying to reach him, but his shield withstood their attacks easily. Ron's piercing curse was absorbed as well, without any apparent effect.
The Dark Lord casually sent a Killing Curse at him in response. Ron raised a wall to stop it just in time, but the resulting explosion pelted him with rocks and splinters and left him on the ground in pain. Blood from a cut on his forehead ran into his left eye before he managed to close that wound. His leg hurt too much to stand though.
"Ah, you are the one who has control of the room!" Voldemort announced with glee.
"Mister Weasley, go!" McGonagall shouted, casting spell after spell at the Dark Lord. Half of them Ron didn't even saw taking effect, but from the way Voldemort wielded his wand, he was doing something in reaction to them. Ron wasn't out of the battle yet, though, and with his leg he couldn't run even if he wanted.
He opened a trapdoor under the Dark Lord, which led straight to the Dungeons. The snake-faced wizard dropped down a meter, then rose up again - the monster could fly without a broom!
Ron glanced at the map again, still clutched in his left hand. The names in the Great Hall… he looked up and saw the Dark Lord hit McGonagall with a Killing Curse. Before the monster could cast another at Ron the Gryffindor student opened a trapdoor directly underneath himself.
*****
A cannon blast spell erupted in the Great Hall, followed by an overpowered lumos, before Albus Dumbledore entered himself. Two dementors turned to face him, unaffected by his spells, while a few other demons were reeling. The Headmaster felt a brief flash of fury at such unnatural creatures defiling this location, his school, threatening his students, and dropped two conjured cages over the dementors. While the Slayer charged ahead to destroy them, Albus cut two other demons to pieces with a series of Diffindos. Another of the creatures fell under the spells of Harry and Miss Granger. The old wizard didn't spot any other enemy in the hall. Now where was Tom?
A sudden scream caught his attention, and he had just enough time to cast a levitation spell and a cushioning charm to save Mister Weasley's life. Apparently, someone had installed a trapdoor in the ceiling of the Great Hall. But why would… ah! Clever! Movement in the open trapdoor warned him, and he summoned the brave boy to him before a spell from above smashed into him. Unfortunately, the rescue of Mister Weasley had cost him the opportunity to hit Tom while the Dark Lord floated down into the hall through the trapdoor himself.
"Ron!" Miss Granger shouted behind Albus.
He quickly said "Get him to safety, Miss Granger!"
The Headmaster looked at his old adversary. Judging by the grin on Tom's inhuman face, the wizard had realized that with four others to protect, Albus was at a severe disadvantage. He could only hope that Miss Granger would listen and remove herself and Mister Weasley from the Great Hall. Otherwise Albus would be facing a very difficult choice.
*****
Hermione heard the order, and for a moment wanted to shout that she'd not leave Harry. Then all around the hall, spikes started to erupt from the ground, and only a quick jump on the Hufflepuff table saved her from getting impaled. The spikes disappeared as quickly as they had appeared, and she suddenly understood just how dangerous this clash between Dumbledore and Voldemort would be. With her still weak from the ritual, she'd be only a hindrance in that fight. She ignored the small voice in her head that told her that she'd only be a hindrance even well-rested, and started to drag the floating Ron towards the doors. He was bleeding and looked like he had caught a dozen bludgers with his body, and especially his leg, but his wand was out and he was trying to shield them both.
Another spell flew towards them from the floating Dark Lord, and only the Hufflepuff table suddenly jumping in its way saved them - and both their shields almost buckled under the hail of splinters the table exploded into.
"Bloody Hell!" Ron cursed.
"Language!" She said, automatically.
Both were laughing almost hysterically while she dragged him through the gates just before a whirlwind of blades appeared inside.
"Harry!" Her love was still in the Great Hall! The young witch tried to enter again, but the gates swung shut before she reached them, and none of her spells managed to open them again.
*****
Hermione and Ron were safe, Harry knew that. He wasn't - but he had rolled under the Gryffindor table when the whirlwind of blades appeared in the hall. A dozen of them impaled the table, the point of one almost hitting his head. He pressed himself flat on the floor and crawled further ahead, hopefully out of the Dark Lord's sight, until the sound of rushing, whirling metal disappeared. Suddenly the smell of dust and something else disappeared - someone had cast a Bubblehead charm on him. Dumbledore, but why?
He rolled out from under the table and saw that Voldemort and Dumbledore were still exchanging spells at a rate Harry would have believed impossible. Harry didn't recognize most of them either. Neither wizard seemed to be verbally casting, and both pointed their wands at each other, without going through complicated casting motions. It was an awesome but also humbling spectacle.
He saw that India was crouching behind Dumbledore's old seat, shooting with her crossbow at the Dark Lord. Her bolts didn't go through the shield surrounding him though, and a casual wave of his wand sent her scrambling for better cover while the staff table was turned into kindling behind her.
Dumbledore was waving his wand around, and multicolored arrows struck at the Dark Lord from all directions, causing his shield to waver. It did not break though, and in response, the Ravenclaw table started to rot, collapsing while brown clouds spread out from it. Wherever they touched the benches, or other wood or fabric, more rot started at once
A spell from Dumbledore stopped it, and another set the rotting material ablaze. Harry almost cheered, then saw that the Headmaster looked to be straining, and seemed to be limping - had Voldemort hurt him already, and that badly? Behind the student a dozen snakes appeared, spitting poison at him while insulting his lineage and sexual habits. Harry's shield stopped the poison, and the snakes vanished right afterwards. Another of Dumbledore's spells caused a fine blue mist to settle over Harry, and he realized that Dumbledore was protecting both himself and Harry - and probably the Slayer as well - from spells he didn't even see, much less could recognize. No wonder the Headmaster looked as if he was having a difficult time!
Harry stood up and started casting spell after spell at the murderer of his family.
*****
Albus smiled. Miss Granger and Mister Weasley were safe. Harry and the Slayer were attacking Tom, and Albus himself had managed, so far, to protect all three of them. Mostly - a few curses had hit him, and he'd pay later for not dealing with them right away, he knew that. It couldn't be helped though - Tom was far more powerful than he had expected after their last fight. He was casting faster, floating without apparent strain or need to focus, and his shields seemed to be more powerful too. At least his spell repertoire and imagination hadn't grown.
Now if only Tom would cast directly at Harry, and the boy remember what he had been told before… Coughing up some blood, the old wizard countered another poison spell from Tom before conjuring a solid cap over the invisible acid quicksand trap the Dark Lord had placed near the Slayer and sending another spell at the Dark Lord that started to turn the air around him into vacuum.
*****
Harry was dodging another blasting curse from the Dark Lord - mostly shielding, if he was honest - and rolled behind the remains of the staff table. "Can't aim anymore, Tom? Old age catching up?"
It was a cheap shot, but Tom had a real big ego, maybe it would make him turn his attention to Harry.
The floating Dark Lord turned his inhuman head towards him, snarling. Another blasting curse showered him with splinters. Maybe if he got closer… He sprinted forward in zigzag course, as he had trained to with the Watchers, casting as he moved, but Voldemort deflected all his spells. Where was India? He had lost sight of her.
Harry shook his head after another near miss left him reeling slightly. There was no choice. When he saw Voldemort's wand move again and a spell shoot in his direction, he dove toward the spell, and cast directly at it. "Confringo!"
The two spells collided, and a golden cage sprung up around Voldemort and Harry.
*****
"Priori Incantatem!" Dumbledore sighed with relief - and no small amount of pain - when he saw the golden effect surround Tom and Harry. It had been a long shot, but with Tom's sudden growth in power, it was their best shot.
He sent a piercing curse and a few other spells at Tom, but as expected, the golden cage kept all his spell at bay. Now it was up to Harry to withstand Tom. If he managed to subdue Tom's wand…
Unfortunately, it wasn't the case. Dumbledore could see the rolling, glowing, pent-up energy of the two spells slowly drift towards Harry. Tom had grown just too powerful since their last confrontation. If those spells connected…
But all was not lost yet. One last chance remained.
Looking up, and seeing the Slayer on the chandelier closest to Tom, Albus smiled.
*****
Climbing the wall had been easy, but reaching the chandelier had been a pain - the support beams were hidden inside an illusion that had played havoc with the Slayer's senses. Now she was almost at the Dark Lord though. He was protected by a golden shield that repelled her crossbow bolts. Even the blessed silver throwing knives. But she was the Slayer, she had other weapons. And if they failed, she was a weapon herself, one that never failed!
She stood up as far as she could without touching that damned illusion effect, then started to make the chandelier swing back and forth. She only needed a bit more… now!
Pushing herself off, India flew towards Voldemort. She hit the golden field and passed straight through. Her left hand gripped the wizard's robes, her legs wrapped around him, and her right fist started hitting his face as hard and as fast as she could.
He was tougher than a human, but not as tough as a vampire. And not even nearly as strong, or as fast. A few quick jabs to his face left him reeling, and a hit to the throat smashed his larynx and left him choking. Then she gripped his head with both hands and pulled and twisted until she heard his neck break.
When the two started to drop to the ground, she knew she had won. She yelled with glee - the Dark Lord had been slain.
Then that energy ball which had been floating between the Dark Lord and Harry blew up.
Chapter 19: Picking up the Pieces
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macdjord
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Dammit, India, didn't Kit ever teach you not to taunt Murphy?
Prince Charon
Just zis guy, you know?
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To be fair, she's a teenager.
Chapter 19: Picking up the Pieces
Starfox5
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Chapter 19: Picking up the Pieces
Hermione Granger had pounded on the gates leading to the Great Hall, cast at them, but they had remained closed. Locked and barred. Probably magically sealed as well. Behind them, Dumbledore, Harry and the Slayer had been facing Voldemort. "Harry!" she had shouted, again.
"Hermione! Dumbledore defeated him once already, he'll do it again!"
She had turned towards Ron Weasley, who had been sitting on the stone floor next to her, battered and bruised, holding his leg. For a second, she had been ashamed. Ron had not been able to stand, much less run, and around them, they had still been hearing the sound of fierce fighting as aurors, Order members and Watchers had been engaging the remains of the Death Eaters and the demons in Voldemort's horde. But her Harry had been behind those gates, locked in with that madman. Even with Dumbledore there, it would only have taken one spell and he… she hadn't wanted to think about that. Hadn't been able to think about it.
"Watch the hallways!" She had knelt down next to Ron and had run her wand over his leg, wincing at the results from her diagnostic spell. "It's broken. I can't fix it myself."
"Damn." Ron had taken a deep breath, then had clenched his teeth together. He had been in obvious pain.
"I can numb it and splint it though." She had learned that earlier this summer - Watchers able to wield a wand needed to know such spells, they were very likely to get hurt doing their duty. A few spells later Ron's leg had been encased on a conjured plaster, of sort, and he had been looking better, even if his leg had still been broken.
"What's going on?" Her friend had waved with his wand at the rest of Hogwarts.
"Aurors, the Order and the friends of the Slayer are battling Voldemort's forces. I think we're winning, but I don't know what's exactly happening." Judging by the fights she had seen and taken part in, Voldemort's horde would not stand a chance without him, and the Dark Lord had been locked in combat with Dumbledore. But should he win…
She had taken a deep breath, and stared at the gates again, unwilling to move until they would open again. If Voldemort would be the one to open them… well, it would mean Harry would have died. There would be no point in fleeing then. "Watch the left side, I'll take the right side."
She had stood there, wand out, and tried to ignore the faint sounds of explosions she had heard through the gates, the faint tremors she had felt shaking the area. The arrival of two Polgara Demons had been almost a relief, giving her a target to focus on, and to vent her frustration and fear.
"Confringo!"
The spell had hit the first demon directly in the chest. The explosion had sent its limbs and other pieces flying, with the head landing close to the two teenagers, and rolling past them. The other demon had hesitated a second, long enough for Ron to hit it with a jelly-leg curse. When the monster had tried to charge them, it had fallen down. Another blasting curse from Hermione had gone a bit wide, but had hit and destroyed one of its arms. After that, Ron and her hadn't had any problems killing it while it futilely had tried to drag itself towards them.
Any elation or satisfaction the young witch had felt about that feat had vanished right afterwards though, when an explosion had blown the gates to the Great Hall open - from the inside….
"Harry!" Hermione rushed into the Great Hall, wand ready - and was greeted by utter destruction. The crushed remains of the tables covered the floor at the walls, where they apparently had been blown to. Only one chandelier was still left hanging, the others were smashed on the floor. The tapestries were shredded or burning, and the stone floor itself was sporting a crater, right where Voldemort had appeared. A thin cloud of dust was still settling. And… "Harry!"
Hermione rushed forward, towards the area where the staff table had been, and where she spotted the crumpled form of her boyfriend. He wasn't moving, he was bleeding… from multiple wounds, including the head. But she could hear him breathing, or try to.
Gasping and with tears in her eyes, she knelt down and cast a bubblehead charm on him, hoping it was just the dust that made it difficult for him to breath. It did help, but he remained unconscious.
"Episkey! Episkey! Episkey!" A series of spells stopped the bleeding from the gash in his head and his other wounds. He didn't wake up then either though. The young witch bit her lower lip, wondering if she she should try to wake him up, or if it was better to let him rest, in case he could aggravate his injuries by moving.
"Hermione!"
She whipped her head around and saw Ron limping towards her. "He's alive, but hurt! Watch him, and look for Dumbledore and India, I'll get help!"
Without giving him a chance to say anything, she ran past him, out of the Great Hall. She needed to get help, now!
*****
"Go on! Go on! Head to the Three Broomsticks! The floo there is open!"
Molly Weasley stood in the Hog's Head in front of the exit of the tunnel from Hogwarts, herding the students that were arriving out of the pub. The floo there was already crowded, and the powder was getting scarce. Arthur, her husband, was outside, helping to guard the village. Her sons Fred and George were there as well - or so she hoped. They'd better be there, and not have gone back to the castle…
Another group arrived. Many of them looked hurt, some were limping, others were unconscious, levitated by the rest. Molly waved them through and directed them towards the floo of the pub. "Make way for the wounded! They need to get to St. Mungo's right away!" The students standing in line scattered at her yell.
One of the wounded objected though. "We can't, Mrs Weasley! There are traitors among them, we need them under guard to sort them out!"
Molly stared at him. "They fought for You-Know-Who?"
"Yes, Ma'am. Ron sent us in to evacuate them, and they attacked us!" More students nodded, sending angry glares towards the unconscious teenagers - who were all Slytherins, Molly noticed.
"Merlin! Go outside and call an auror then!" Molly turned towards the tunnel again. Another group arrived, staggering.
"Ginny!" Molly rushed forward and hugged her only daughter, her youngest child. "You're safe!" She ignored her daughter's protests, or the sniggering of the other students who had come with her. Her daughter was safe! She was limping, but she was alive!
After a while she released the young witch, and looked around. "Where's Ron?"
Ginny stopped looking indignant, and looked afraid. "He was behind us. He must have gone to the tunnel leading to the Shrieking Shack." Next to her, Luna Lovegood was crying, and shaking her head.
Molly gasped, then rushed to the door. "Arthur! Ginny's here! She's hurt, make sure she's treated! I'll look for Ron at the Shrieking Shack!"
Her husband had barely nodded before she was on her way, fear driving her on. She arrived at the shack that was supposedly the most haunted building in Britain and vanished the door when it seemed stuck. Inside, she heard sobs - someone was crying. Rushing on, she almost ran over a young witch coming out of a tunnel - Lavender Brown. Ron's girlfriend!
"Lavender!"
The girl almost hexed her, or so Molly thought, before recognizing her. "Mrs Weasley!"
"Where's Ron?" Ron wouldn't leave his girlfriend alone, would he? She had raised her children better than that!
"He… he… he said he .. had to stay behind. To vanish the doors. Or the… the Dark Lord would follow us." Lavender was looking at her, tears running down her cheeks. "He stayed back, in the room with You-Know-Who! And he vanished the door!"
Oh, Ron! Molly joined the girl in crying, the two witches holding each other.
*****
He was pushing against the spell energy slowly moving towards him, and yet he could not stop its advance, much less send it back to Voldemort. He knew, somehow, that if that energy touched him, he'd die. And yet he couldn't stop it, couldn't save himself from death reaching for him, slowly, but inevitably. Until suddenly, the Dark Lord jerked, and Harry could push the energy back, towards Voldemort. But before it reached his enemy, it exploded, and he was hit with a giant bludger, flying through the air...
Harry Potter opened his eyes, and stared at a blurry ceiling in a very familiar color. He was in the Hogwarts infirmary. When he turned his head to check if he was in his usual bed too, and where his glasses were, he noticed someone sitting next to his bed, sleeping. Even slightly blurry, he recognized her at once.
"Hermione?" He reached out and patted her arm.
"Harry?" She woke up with a gasp, almost standing up. "Harry!" He found his hand caught in a crushing grip as the witch gripped it with both hands "Harry! You're awake!"
Harry tried to pat her hand and noticed that his other arm was immobilized by a spell. As were his legs. "What happened? Is Voldemort…?"
"He's dead. The body was found. What's left of it, that is - the explosion left only pieces." Hermione explained. Harry was reminded of Pettigrew's ruse. Then she handed him his glasses. The charms on them must have protected them from the explosion, he thought.
"Dumbledore? India?"
"Both are alive, but both were hurt. India woke up earlier and has already left the Infirmary, to the surprise of the healers." Hermione grinned slightly at that.
Harry nodded. He knew that Slayers healed up faster - even faster with magical healing. But his friend hadn't mentioned Dumbledore.
As if prompted, Hermione sighed. "The explosion hurt the Headmaster as well, but he'll heal from the wounds it caused - among you three, he was the furthest away from the explosion. But he is suffering from the effects of a few dark curses he didn't counter in time, or so he told us. Dealing with those will be more difficult." Dark curses were a nasty business.
Harry closed his eyes. It was his fault. If he hadn't been there, then the Headmaster could have concentrated on fighting Voldemort, and would have beaten the Dark Lord, just like in the Ministry. But Dumbledore had to protect him, and suffered for it. Was suffering for it still. A gentle hand on his shoulder shook him out of his thoughts.
"It's not your fault. Dumbledore said so. Without you and India, the Headmaster would have lost." Hermione was staring in his eyes, and he could see she'd not let this drop until he agreed.
"How? He beat him before."
"The Dark Lord has grown more powerful since then." Hermione bit her lower lip. looking guilty.
"How? We weakened him with the ritual…" Harry trailed off. "Merlin's balls! It strengthened him?"
"Yes. With his soul restored, he must have grown stronger." Hermione looked away.
It was Harry's turn to set her straight. "It's not your fault."
"I know. We needed the ritual, we needed to make him mortal, and to save you, but…"
"It is hard to believe it's not our fault, even if we know it." Harry finished for her.
Hermione nodded.
"Was Pomfrey mad at me getting hurt again, in Hogwarts?" Harry asked, trying to change the topic. When he saw Hermione flinch, he knew he had made a mistake, but how...
"She was killed by demons when she was trying to save Professor Sprout." Hermione said, lookin down.
Pomfrey was dead. It felt wrong to be here, to be treated in the infirmary, with her dead. Harry took a few deep breaths. Hermione didn't say anything, but rubbed his shoulder. "What about Sprout?" he asked after a bit.
"She was killed at the same time, or so it looked like." Hermione answered.
Harry didn't want to know more - demons of all kinds were brutal in their attacks. "Who else died?" Best to get it over with, Harry thought, before he asked to meet others who had died without him being aware of that.
"Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were killed by Voldemort when they were defending the Room of Requirement during the evacuation. Professor Sinistra died in the Slytherin common room; Death Eaters killed her - the aurors are trying to find out if some students of hers attacked her from behind or not."
Slytherins! Harry almost snarled. All four Head of Houses were dead. He shook his head.
Hermione continued. "Professor Vector is in St. Mungo's in critical condition. They hope she will pull through. Professor Trelawney survived unscathed. She had removed the stairs to her classroom and quarters, and cast from there at the attackers below her." Harry's friend sounded as if she couldn't believe that the Divination teacher of all professors had survived. "Hagrid was fighting demons. He got grievously wounded, but is healing. Sirius and Remus are alive and well, as are Tonks and the Weasleys."
"What about the students?" Harry asked. Hermione would have told him first if a friend of theirs had died, wouldn't she?
"Ron's got a broken leg and bruises and a number of wounds, but he's recovering nicely."
"That's impressive for facing Voldemort by himself."
"Yes." Hermione smiled briefly. "Molly has taken him to the burrow. She would have tried to take you there as well, she doesn't trust Hogwarts to be safe right now, but Sirius put his foot down. All our other friends escaped. There were a number of student deaths. Mostly Slytherins, either fighting against the Death Eaters breaking into their common room, or fighting for the Death Eaters against aurors."
"Mostly?"
"A few students seem to have ignored the order to head to their dorms, and were caught out in the corridors when the walls were breached. They are still trying to identify the remains." Hermione explained, looking grim. She must have remembered how she had been caught by that troll, so many years ago. "Malfoy was killed by a Death Eater."
"What?" Harry gaped at Hermione. Had the ferret redeemed himself?
"He tried to hex Neville, and accidentally stepped into the line of fire of another Death Eater." Hermione smiled. "A fitting end for that piece of scum."
Harry agreed with her. "Oh, yes."
"Pettigrew was killed too, in the Room of Requirement."
Harry smiled widely. That filthy traitor finally got what he deserved!
Another voice interrupted them. "Mister Potter? I am Healer Brenwick. How are you feeling?" A middle-aged witch wearing white robes was smiling at the two of them, though she looked tired. Harry suddenly realized that if he was in the Hogwarts Infirmary and not in St. Mungo's, then the clinic might have been swamped with patients.
"I am f…" Harry was interrupted by a hand covering his mouth.
"He is not fine. He's got several broken bones, and needs Skele-Gro still. His bruises and wounds have been treated, but he's still weak." Hermione stated, switching from glaring at Harry to smiling at the Healer and back while she spoke.
"I know his state, Miss Granger. I was asking how he was feeling." Brenwick chided Harry's friend, who blushed slightly in embarrassment.
"I feel better, knowing Voldemort is dead." Harry stated. Before the Healer could chide him, he added. "I am not in pain, but I guess that's because I haven't gotten the potions yet."
"Correct. You've taken Skele-Gro before then. We had to vanish some of your bones because they had complicated compound fractures." Brenwick held up a potion Harry was quite familiar with.
He looked around the room again. But for the absence of Pomfrey, it looked very familiar. But knowing how many had died, Harry knew that Hogwarts wouldn't feel familiar. Not anymore.
*****
"Are you awake, Albus?"
"I am now, Amelia." Albus Dumbledore hadn't been before Amelia had asked. Which the head of the DMLE probably had known. He looked up, a gesture of his summoning his glasses. He didn't wince at the pain he felt. "Did you identify all those who have died?"
"We're still working on that. I am not here for that though. I've been hearing about a girl who supposedly killed a pair of dementors with her bare hands. A girl who was found half-dead near the remains of the Dark Lord, and who disappeared from the Infirmary here despite the healer treating her claiming she'd not even wake up until tomorrow. What games are you playing, Albus?"
Dumbledore smiled slightly. "I am not playing any games, Amelia." He tried to sit up and would have fallen back into his pillow if not for a quick spell to prop himself up. He felt so weak.
"You brought her with you."
"It would be more correct to say that she came at the same time I did. She is not a member of my Order, but a recent ally, Amelia. I do not know where she is now."
"Who is she, Albus? The rumor mill is running wild. Some people even think she's the sister of Harry Potter and was hidden by you and trained in secret since she was the one to defeat Voldemort in 1981, and Potter was just a decoy."
Albus laughed at that, then winced at the pain this caused to him. "I can assure you, she is not related to Harry at all."
"Stop playing games, Albus. Who is she?" Amelia leaned forward, and Albus realized she'd not let up. And he was too weak, too hurt.
He summoned his wand, noticing Amelia tensing up as he did so, and cast a few privacy spells. "This does not leave this room, Amelia. You will not inform anyone of this." He stared at her.
"Don't try to threaten me, Albus." Amelia met his eyes.
The Headmaster smiled. "I was not threatening you, nor ordering you. But I know you will not spread this, since I know you." His smile widened just a bit when he saw her grinding her teeth. Then he grew serious again. "She came for Voldemort. She killed all who stood in her way, even those who cannot be killed. If she had died, she'd have returned, again and again, until Voldemort's death."
Amelia gasped. "That's a fairy tale!"
Albus smiled, and shook his head. "You are wrong, Amelia. The girl you saw is the Slayer. She who stands against the Darkness. The Witch Hunters' Scythe."
"She's real, and you brought her to Hogwarts? Are you mad?"
"She was already hunting the Death Eaters, and the demons following Voldemort when I met her. I simply made sure she'd only hunt the guilty, and not all wizards and witches." He looked at her. "The Slayer is watching us, Amelia, to see if we become part of what she fights against. Watching, and waiting."
"That's… "
"You know what the Wizengamot would do, if they knew. And you have seen what she can do, what she will do, if they attack her." He didn't have to add that if she told anyone else, it would spread.
"What do you expect me to do?"
"To uphold the law, Amelia. She will know." Albus didn't think the Council would send the Slayer if a few Death Eaters escaped justice again, but if Amelia believed that, she'd become Minister for Magic just to ensure justice would prevail - and Britain needed her to. "But when you have caught the dementors, bring them to a secure place, and then tell me. I have a feeling they'll be taken care of then."
Amelia didn't answer, she gave the briefest of nods, and left. Albus canceled the spell propping him up, and let himself slowly sink down onto his pillow again. He was asleep before Fawkes landed on his chest.
*****
Ron Weasley woke up to the familiar sound of his family arguing. Loudly. He was home in the Burrow. He was healed, even - after a day or two of Skele-Gro torture, and missing the big celebrations of Voldemort's death. Not that he would have felt like celebrating anyway - too many had died for that. Most of those celebrating were those who hadn't fought, who probably didn't understand just how bloody their victory had been.
Ron got up and grabbed his robe. A few spells later he looked presentable and headed towards the kitchen, where the loudest voices were coming from. As expected, Ginny was arguing with mum. After his little sister had gotten hurt at Hogwarts, Ron's mother had become far too overprotective. Ron getting hurt, and seriously at that, hadn't helped of course. Bill, Charlie and Percy claimed to have come through unscathed, but Ron suspected they had simply seen a healer before meeting mum.
"Mum! The Dark Lord is dead! It's safe!"
"That's what we thought last time. And then they came for the Longbottoms!"
His mother was not completely wrong, Ron thought. But he was rather sure that Voldemort had taken anyone who could hold a wand with him, and that those who had escaped from Hogwarts would be fleeing now, not trying to do the Dark Lord's bidding.
"What're you arguing about?" He asked, entering. For a moment, everyone - mum, Ginny and the twins - grew silent. Dad and Percy were at the Ministry, Bill was with Fleur and Charlie was … somewhere.
Then Ginny spoke up. "I want to visit Luna. She's our neighbor, and I can even take the floo, if going outside is so dangerous." She sneered slightly when she said the last word, shaking her head.
"The Lovegoods were quite outspoken against Voldemort, and their wards are not the best, they'd not protect anyone if their house were attacked!" Mum glared at her only daughter.
Ron grabbed some breakfast. "I am going to visit Harry and Hermione today. And Lavender." His girlfriend had forgiven him for his "heroic sacrifice" when she had visited him in the Burrow. She was a Gryffindor, after all, as she had proven herself. She even got along with his mum - a first for any girlfriend of a Weasley son.
His mum started on him, but he met her eyes without flinching, He had stood against the Dark Lord, all alone, at the end. He didn't know if that made him a hero as some thought - he had received a lot of letters already, thanking him for saving the students, after the Daily Prophet had revealed his actions - but he was not about to let his overprotective mother keep him from visiting his best friends and his girlfriend.
*****
"And then I climbed up, jumped on the closest chandelier, and pounced on him!"
India Cohen used her hands to show the arc of her jump. "I grappled with him, hit him a few times to disorient him, then broke his neck."
"That's when you fell down?" Kit asked.
"That's when I started to fall. The spell or whatever it was blew up before we reached the ground." India's proud smile slipped when she saw Kit's expression darken. Her Watcher, her lover, was not happy.
"You almost died." Yes, he wasn't happy.
"But I didn't. I survived. As did Harry and Dumbledore." And the other Watchers with them. Even Watcher Giles, who was really wasted in a library. India smiled at Kit, and stepped closer to him, running her hand over his chest, up to his shoulder, to his neck, to cup the back of his head. She could feel him stiffen, then relax. He was not unhappy anymore.
"Yes, you survived." Kit smiled, though she could see him hiding some sadness. He probably thought about her dying again. Every Watcher, every Slayer knew that a Slayer died young. It was something one had to accept, or go mad. And India wasn't going mad, not after Kit finally had admitted her loved her.
The Slayer smiled back at him, then molded her own body against his and kissed him. Her other hand slipped down, to his belt.
Kit broke the kiss. "You, we, still need to finish your report."
That was her Watcher, alright. "It's not due till tomorrow." India smirked. She had most of it already done - Granger had loaned her a 'dictaquill' - but hadn't told him yet. She was looking forward to see what her Watcher would do when he received a report written on actual parchment.
But that could, as she had stated, wait. She was the Slayer, and she needed her Watcher now, she thought, as one hand slipped lower, and the other pulled Kit into a kiss again.
*****
Dumbledore had been gravely hurt, Quentin Travers thought when the old wizard entered his office. The Watcher didn't see visible wounds, but the wizard walked more slowly, more carefully, and wheezed just a bit when he sat down - heavily - in the offered seat. He not only looked, but acted his age now.
His visitor grinned wrily at the scrutiny. "I am not dead yet, but I am getting closer." He hadn't lost his humor, at least.
"What happened?"
"I was forced to delay dealing with a few curses from the Dark Lord, to ensure Harry and India could reach him without dying. The effects have sapped me of much of my health, but thankfully haven't touched my magic or mind. Although I think I will be meeting most of my friends and family sooner than I expected - or, given just how powerful Tom turned out to be, in the end, maybe I will be meeting them later than I should have expected."
Quentin nodded. Death was something to be expected and accepted as a Watcher. He had never thought he'd grow as old as he had managed, and he still doubted that he'd die in bed. "The Dark Lord was destroyed, and most of the children were saved. A successful mission by any account."
"Indeed." Dumbledore nodded, and Quentin could see that he was tiring already. "Although many of the teachers and aurors present were killed. Or worse."
"A price I am sure they gladly paid." At least the teachers, according to what Quentin had heard. He didn't think much of the aurors who had been stationed at Hogwarts.
"Not everyone did so gladly, or so I would guess. Facing a horde of demons was not something any of them could have expected." Dumbledore took a few deep breaths after speaking.
"It's likely they would have faced a much reduced amount of demons, if the aurors would have spent more time on hunting them before." It would have also given them more experience fighting those monsters, in Quentin's opinion. And it would have saved a lot of people outside Wizarding Britain.
"Something I will make sure to mention to the new Minister for Magic. Without mentioning the Council, of course. Unless you wish to strengthen your ties to Wizarding Britain."
Quentin knew Dumbledore was in favor of opening lines of communication to the Wizards' Ministry. He shook his head. "The danger of getting drawn into your internal affairs, politics and worse, is too great." And too close contact, too much knowledge gained by the Wizards, would erode the Slayer's reputation as the ultimate weapon against wizards.
"Maybe. It would also foster more trust though, and you would have more allies."
"And more enemies. Though when it comes to standing against the forces of Darkness, any good man, wizard or not, should be our ally." It was simple self-interest, even.
"Should, yes, but few are those willing to risk their lives protecting others." Dumbledore smiled ruefully.
Quentin nodded. "Indeed. Did you capture all the missing dementors yet?"
"We are close. The Slayer will be informed as soon as all is ready."
"Good." Quentin nodded. Eradicating those foul monsters would be a great step towards making Britain a safer place. Soul-eating floating demons normal humans couldn't even see - and those fools had tried to use them as their tools? If things had turned out a bit differently, a few wizards would have been killed for bringing them to Britain. Still would, should Fudge ever fall into the Council's hands.
"How are Harry and Miss Granger doing?"
"They are doing well. As I understand it, they are busy studying for their finals." Quentin stated.
Dumbledore nodded. "They do not have to take them so soon though. With all that happened, most students have rescheduled their O.W.L.s and will take them during the Summer."
"You know my grandniece." Quentin smiled. As if a thing like the Battle of Hogwarts, as people started to call it, would keep Hermione from studying and her tests. Chip of the old block, she was.
"Indeed. Miss Granger is very… studious." Dumbledore smiled, but he looked even worse now than when he had arrived. He was sweating too, Quentin noticed. "If there is nothing else, then I will take my leave now. A lot of work is waiting for me at Hogwarts." He hadn't talked about their future education, Quentin noticed, to the Watcher's surprise.
"I can imagine that, Sir." Quentin could - losing just about your whole staff was a catastrophe in itself for any school. He stood up and opened the door for the old wizard.
It was a catastrophe for Hogwarts, but an opportunity for the Council to recruit more wizards. Many students would be looking for tutors, and the Watchers had some of the best when it came to what the Wizards called 'Defense against the Dark Arts'.
Of course, the Watchers just called it 'combat'.
*****
"We could reschedule the tests, you know. Everyone is doing it."
Hermione Granger looked up from her notes at her boyfriend and glared at him. "If everyone is jumping out of the window, do we do the same?" Rescheduling their O.W.L.s would feel as if letting Voldemort have one last victory, one last disruption of their lives. She wasn't about to let that monster have that.
"There's a bit of a difference between rescheduling our O.W.L.s and jumping out of the window. Unless we have brooms. Speaking of, don't think that I'll let you skip flying lessons." Harry glared back at her.
Hermione didn't pout, but she might have come close. She didn't like skipping any lesson, but flying… "Broom flying is no O.W.L. subject."
"It should be. But It doesn't matter. If we do not reschedule our O.W.L.s we do not reschedule lessons that could save your life one day." Harry stared at her now, and Hermione caved. If she had been able to fly a broom, had carried one with her, maybe Fitzburg wouldn't have...
"OK." At least they'd visit Ron and the other Weasleys for the flying lessons. Hermione would be able to ask the twins a few things she hadn't found in her Potions books.
"Did you tell Dumbledore yet that we're not returning for 6th year?" Harry asked a few minutes later.
"Not yet. We don't have to tell him until Summer."
"We need to tell him. We owe it to him." Harry stated, closing the book he had been reading.
Hermione sighed. "Yes, we do. I'd just… I don't want to tell him now, not when he's still so… frail." She couldn't help but fearing that the news would hurt the old Wizard, and make whatever was ailing him worse.
"Are you having second thoughts?" Harry stood up and walked over to her, sitting down on the table next to her.
Hermione shook her head. "No. I want to become a Watcher. Like Uncle Quentin. The Council needs us, Humanity needs us. Far more than Wizarding Britain needs another muggleborn trying to make a difference, or a famous seeker. We save countless lives here."
Harry nodded at her. "It'll be dangerous though."
"No more dangerous than a professional Quidditch match." Hermione responded, with some heat in her voice. The amount of times Harry had been hurt, or could have been hurt, playing that stupid, insane game…
Harry grinned at her, then hopped off the table and took her hand, pulling her up. "Let's take a break. You're getting grumpy."
She stood up and narrowed her eyes. "Grumpy?" That was a new one. "Are you trying to fill in for Ron?" Their friend was usually the one trying to make them take breaks and telling her she was overdoing it when they were studying.
Harry smiled at her, and wrapped his arm around her waist. "No. Ron wouldn't do … this!"
Hermione felt herself pulled close to him, and then he dipped - dipped! - her for a kiss.
They didn't study that day. Not for the O.W.L.s at least. Hermione didn't mind though. Not at all.
Epilogues
Hermione Granger had pounded on the gates leading to the Great Hall, cast at them, but they had remained closed. Locked and barred. Probably magically sealed as well. Behind them, Dumbledore, Harry and the Slayer had been facing Voldemort. "Harry!" she had shouted, again.
"Hermione! Dumbledore defeated him once already, he'll do it again!"
She had turned towards Ron Weasley, who had been sitting on the stone floor next to her, battered and bruised, holding his leg. For a second, she had been ashamed. Ron had not been able to stand, much less run, and around them, they had still been hearing the sound of fierce fighting as aurors, Order members and Watchers had been engaging the remains of the Death Eaters and the demons in Voldemort's horde. But her Harry had been behind those gates, locked in with that madman. Even with Dumbledore there, it would only have taken one spell and he… she hadn't wanted to think about that. Hadn't been able to think about it.
"Watch the hallways!" She had knelt down next to Ron and had run her wand over his leg, wincing at the results from her diagnostic spell. "It's broken. I can't fix it myself."
"Damn." Ron had taken a deep breath, then had clenched his teeth together. He had been in obvious pain.
"I can numb it and splint it though." She had learned that earlier this summer - Watchers able to wield a wand needed to know such spells, they were very likely to get hurt doing their duty. A few spells later Ron's leg had been encased on a conjured plaster, of sort, and he had been looking better, even if his leg had still been broken.
"What's going on?" Her friend had waved with his wand at the rest of Hogwarts.
"Aurors, the Order and the friends of the Slayer are battling Voldemort's forces. I think we're winning, but I don't know what's exactly happening." Judging by the fights she had seen and taken part in, Voldemort's horde would not stand a chance without him, and the Dark Lord had been locked in combat with Dumbledore. But should he win…
She had taken a deep breath, and stared at the gates again, unwilling to move until they would open again. If Voldemort would be the one to open them… well, it would mean Harry would have died. There would be no point in fleeing then. "Watch the left side, I'll take the right side."
She had stood there, wand out, and tried to ignore the faint sounds of explosions she had heard through the gates, the faint tremors she had felt shaking the area. The arrival of two Polgara Demons had been almost a relief, giving her a target to focus on, and to vent her frustration and fear.
"Confringo!"
The spell had hit the first demon directly in the chest. The explosion had sent its limbs and other pieces flying, with the head landing close to the two teenagers, and rolling past them. The other demon had hesitated a second, long enough for Ron to hit it with a jelly-leg curse. When the monster had tried to charge them, it had fallen down. Another blasting curse from Hermione had gone a bit wide, but had hit and destroyed one of its arms. After that, Ron and her hadn't had any problems killing it while it futilely had tried to drag itself towards them.
Any elation or satisfaction the young witch had felt about that feat had vanished right afterwards though, when an explosion had blown the gates to the Great Hall open - from the inside….
"Harry!" Hermione rushed into the Great Hall, wand ready - and was greeted by utter destruction. The crushed remains of the tables covered the floor at the walls, where they apparently had been blown to. Only one chandelier was still left hanging, the others were smashed on the floor. The tapestries were shredded or burning, and the stone floor itself was sporting a crater, right where Voldemort had appeared. A thin cloud of dust was still settling. And… "Harry!"
Hermione rushed forward, towards the area where the staff table had been, and where she spotted the crumpled form of her boyfriend. He wasn't moving, he was bleeding… from multiple wounds, including the head. But she could hear him breathing, or try to.
Gasping and with tears in her eyes, she knelt down and cast a bubblehead charm on him, hoping it was just the dust that made it difficult for him to breath. It did help, but he remained unconscious.
"Episkey! Episkey! Episkey!" A series of spells stopped the bleeding from the gash in his head and his other wounds. He didn't wake up then either though. The young witch bit her lower lip, wondering if she she should try to wake him up, or if it was better to let him rest, in case he could aggravate his injuries by moving.
"Hermione!"
She whipped her head around and saw Ron limping towards her. "He's alive, but hurt! Watch him, and look for Dumbledore and India, I'll get help!"
Without giving him a chance to say anything, she ran past him, out of the Great Hall. She needed to get help, now!
*****
"Go on! Go on! Head to the Three Broomsticks! The floo there is open!"
Molly Weasley stood in the Hog's Head in front of the exit of the tunnel from Hogwarts, herding the students that were arriving out of the pub. The floo there was already crowded, and the powder was getting scarce. Arthur, her husband, was outside, helping to guard the village. Her sons Fred and George were there as well - or so she hoped. They'd better be there, and not have gone back to the castle…
Another group arrived. Many of them looked hurt, some were limping, others were unconscious, levitated by the rest. Molly waved them through and directed them towards the floo of the pub. "Make way for the wounded! They need to get to St. Mungo's right away!" The students standing in line scattered at her yell.
One of the wounded objected though. "We can't, Mrs Weasley! There are traitors among them, we need them under guard to sort them out!"
Molly stared at him. "They fought for You-Know-Who?"
"Yes, Ma'am. Ron sent us in to evacuate them, and they attacked us!" More students nodded, sending angry glares towards the unconscious teenagers - who were all Slytherins, Molly noticed.
"Merlin! Go outside and call an auror then!" Molly turned towards the tunnel again. Another group arrived, staggering.
"Ginny!" Molly rushed forward and hugged her only daughter, her youngest child. "You're safe!" She ignored her daughter's protests, or the sniggering of the other students who had come with her. Her daughter was safe! She was limping, but she was alive!
After a while she released the young witch, and looked around. "Where's Ron?"
Ginny stopped looking indignant, and looked afraid. "He was behind us. He must have gone to the tunnel leading to the Shrieking Shack." Next to her, Luna Lovegood was crying, and shaking her head.
Molly gasped, then rushed to the door. "Arthur! Ginny's here! She's hurt, make sure she's treated! I'll look for Ron at the Shrieking Shack!"
Her husband had barely nodded before she was on her way, fear driving her on. She arrived at the shack that was supposedly the most haunted building in Britain and vanished the door when it seemed stuck. Inside, she heard sobs - someone was crying. Rushing on, she almost ran over a young witch coming out of a tunnel - Lavender Brown. Ron's girlfriend!
"Lavender!"
The girl almost hexed her, or so Molly thought, before recognizing her. "Mrs Weasley!"
"Where's Ron?" Ron wouldn't leave his girlfriend alone, would he? She had raised her children better than that!
"He… he… he said he .. had to stay behind. To vanish the doors. Or the… the Dark Lord would follow us." Lavender was looking at her, tears running down her cheeks. "He stayed back, in the room with You-Know-Who! And he vanished the door!"
Oh, Ron! Molly joined the girl in crying, the two witches holding each other.
*****
He was pushing against the spell energy slowly moving towards him, and yet he could not stop its advance, much less send it back to Voldemort. He knew, somehow, that if that energy touched him, he'd die. And yet he couldn't stop it, couldn't save himself from death reaching for him, slowly, but inevitably. Until suddenly, the Dark Lord jerked, and Harry could push the energy back, towards Voldemort. But before it reached his enemy, it exploded, and he was hit with a giant bludger, flying through the air...
Harry Potter opened his eyes, and stared at a blurry ceiling in a very familiar color. He was in the Hogwarts infirmary. When he turned his head to check if he was in his usual bed too, and where his glasses were, he noticed someone sitting next to his bed, sleeping. Even slightly blurry, he recognized her at once.
"Hermione?" He reached out and patted her arm.
"Harry?" She woke up with a gasp, almost standing up. "Harry!" He found his hand caught in a crushing grip as the witch gripped it with both hands "Harry! You're awake!"
Harry tried to pat her hand and noticed that his other arm was immobilized by a spell. As were his legs. "What happened? Is Voldemort…?"
"He's dead. The body was found. What's left of it, that is - the explosion left only pieces." Hermione explained. Harry was reminded of Pettigrew's ruse. Then she handed him his glasses. The charms on them must have protected them from the explosion, he thought.
"Dumbledore? India?"
"Both are alive, but both were hurt. India woke up earlier and has already left the Infirmary, to the surprise of the healers." Hermione grinned slightly at that.
Harry nodded. He knew that Slayers healed up faster - even faster with magical healing. But his friend hadn't mentioned Dumbledore.
As if prompted, Hermione sighed. "The explosion hurt the Headmaster as well, but he'll heal from the wounds it caused - among you three, he was the furthest away from the explosion. But he is suffering from the effects of a few dark curses he didn't counter in time, or so he told us. Dealing with those will be more difficult." Dark curses were a nasty business.
Harry closed his eyes. It was his fault. If he hadn't been there, then the Headmaster could have concentrated on fighting Voldemort, and would have beaten the Dark Lord, just like in the Ministry. But Dumbledore had to protect him, and suffered for it. Was suffering for it still. A gentle hand on his shoulder shook him out of his thoughts.
"It's not your fault. Dumbledore said so. Without you and India, the Headmaster would have lost." Hermione was staring in his eyes, and he could see she'd not let this drop until he agreed.
"How? He beat him before."
"The Dark Lord has grown more powerful since then." Hermione bit her lower lip. looking guilty.
"How? We weakened him with the ritual…" Harry trailed off. "Merlin's balls! It strengthened him?"
"Yes. With his soul restored, he must have grown stronger." Hermione looked away.
It was Harry's turn to set her straight. "It's not your fault."
"I know. We needed the ritual, we needed to make him mortal, and to save you, but…"
"It is hard to believe it's not our fault, even if we know it." Harry finished for her.
Hermione nodded.
"Was Pomfrey mad at me getting hurt again, in Hogwarts?" Harry asked, trying to change the topic. When he saw Hermione flinch, he knew he had made a mistake, but how...
"She was killed by demons when she was trying to save Professor Sprout." Hermione said, lookin down.
Pomfrey was dead. It felt wrong to be here, to be treated in the infirmary, with her dead. Harry took a few deep breaths. Hermione didn't say anything, but rubbed his shoulder. "What about Sprout?" he asked after a bit.
"She was killed at the same time, or so it looked like." Hermione answered.
Harry didn't want to know more - demons of all kinds were brutal in their attacks. "Who else died?" Best to get it over with, Harry thought, before he asked to meet others who had died without him being aware of that.
"Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were killed by Voldemort when they were defending the Room of Requirement during the evacuation. Professor Sinistra died in the Slytherin common room; Death Eaters killed her - the aurors are trying to find out if some students of hers attacked her from behind or not."
Slytherins! Harry almost snarled. All four Head of Houses were dead. He shook his head.
Hermione continued. "Professor Vector is in St. Mungo's in critical condition. They hope she will pull through. Professor Trelawney survived unscathed. She had removed the stairs to her classroom and quarters, and cast from there at the attackers below her." Harry's friend sounded as if she couldn't believe that the Divination teacher of all professors had survived. "Hagrid was fighting demons. He got grievously wounded, but is healing. Sirius and Remus are alive and well, as are Tonks and the Weasleys."
"What about the students?" Harry asked. Hermione would have told him first if a friend of theirs had died, wouldn't she?
"Ron's got a broken leg and bruises and a number of wounds, but he's recovering nicely."
"That's impressive for facing Voldemort by himself."
"Yes." Hermione smiled briefly. "Molly has taken him to the burrow. She would have tried to take you there as well, she doesn't trust Hogwarts to be safe right now, but Sirius put his foot down. All our other friends escaped. There were a number of student deaths. Mostly Slytherins, either fighting against the Death Eaters breaking into their common room, or fighting for the Death Eaters against aurors."
"Mostly?"
"A few students seem to have ignored the order to head to their dorms, and were caught out in the corridors when the walls were breached. They are still trying to identify the remains." Hermione explained, looking grim. She must have remembered how she had been caught by that troll, so many years ago. "Malfoy was killed by a Death Eater."
"What?" Harry gaped at Hermione. Had the ferret redeemed himself?
"He tried to hex Neville, and accidentally stepped into the line of fire of another Death Eater." Hermione smiled. "A fitting end for that piece of scum."
Harry agreed with her. "Oh, yes."
"Pettigrew was killed too, in the Room of Requirement."
Harry smiled widely. That filthy traitor finally got what he deserved!
Another voice interrupted them. "Mister Potter? I am Healer Brenwick. How are you feeling?" A middle-aged witch wearing white robes was smiling at the two of them, though she looked tired. Harry suddenly realized that if he was in the Hogwarts Infirmary and not in St. Mungo's, then the clinic might have been swamped with patients.
"I am f…" Harry was interrupted by a hand covering his mouth.
"He is not fine. He's got several broken bones, and needs Skele-Gro still. His bruises and wounds have been treated, but he's still weak." Hermione stated, switching from glaring at Harry to smiling at the Healer and back while she spoke.
"I know his state, Miss Granger. I was asking how he was feeling." Brenwick chided Harry's friend, who blushed slightly in embarrassment.
"I feel better, knowing Voldemort is dead." Harry stated. Before the Healer could chide him, he added. "I am not in pain, but I guess that's because I haven't gotten the potions yet."
"Correct. You've taken Skele-Gro before then. We had to vanish some of your bones because they had complicated compound fractures." Brenwick held up a potion Harry was quite familiar with.
He looked around the room again. But for the absence of Pomfrey, it looked very familiar. But knowing how many had died, Harry knew that Hogwarts wouldn't feel familiar. Not anymore.
*****
"Are you awake, Albus?"
"I am now, Amelia." Albus Dumbledore hadn't been before Amelia had asked. Which the head of the DMLE probably had known. He looked up, a gesture of his summoning his glasses. He didn't wince at the pain he felt. "Did you identify all those who have died?"
"We're still working on that. I am not here for that though. I've been hearing about a girl who supposedly killed a pair of dementors with her bare hands. A girl who was found half-dead near the remains of the Dark Lord, and who disappeared from the Infirmary here despite the healer treating her claiming she'd not even wake up until tomorrow. What games are you playing, Albus?"
Dumbledore smiled slightly. "I am not playing any games, Amelia." He tried to sit up and would have fallen back into his pillow if not for a quick spell to prop himself up. He felt so weak.
"You brought her with you."
"It would be more correct to say that she came at the same time I did. She is not a member of my Order, but a recent ally, Amelia. I do not know where she is now."
"Who is she, Albus? The rumor mill is running wild. Some people even think she's the sister of Harry Potter and was hidden by you and trained in secret since she was the one to defeat Voldemort in 1981, and Potter was just a decoy."
Albus laughed at that, then winced at the pain this caused to him. "I can assure you, she is not related to Harry at all."
"Stop playing games, Albus. Who is she?" Amelia leaned forward, and Albus realized she'd not let up. And he was too weak, too hurt.
He summoned his wand, noticing Amelia tensing up as he did so, and cast a few privacy spells. "This does not leave this room, Amelia. You will not inform anyone of this." He stared at her.
"Don't try to threaten me, Albus." Amelia met his eyes.
The Headmaster smiled. "I was not threatening you, nor ordering you. But I know you will not spread this, since I know you." His smile widened just a bit when he saw her grinding her teeth. Then he grew serious again. "She came for Voldemort. She killed all who stood in her way, even those who cannot be killed. If she had died, she'd have returned, again and again, until Voldemort's death."
Amelia gasped. "That's a fairy tale!"
Albus smiled, and shook his head. "You are wrong, Amelia. The girl you saw is the Slayer. She who stands against the Darkness. The Witch Hunters' Scythe."
"She's real, and you brought her to Hogwarts? Are you mad?"
"She was already hunting the Death Eaters, and the demons following Voldemort when I met her. I simply made sure she'd only hunt the guilty, and not all wizards and witches." He looked at her. "The Slayer is watching us, Amelia, to see if we become part of what she fights against. Watching, and waiting."
"That's… "
"You know what the Wizengamot would do, if they knew. And you have seen what she can do, what she will do, if they attack her." He didn't have to add that if she told anyone else, it would spread.
"What do you expect me to do?"
"To uphold the law, Amelia. She will know." Albus didn't think the Council would send the Slayer if a few Death Eaters escaped justice again, but if Amelia believed that, she'd become Minister for Magic just to ensure justice would prevail - and Britain needed her to. "But when you have caught the dementors, bring them to a secure place, and then tell me. I have a feeling they'll be taken care of then."
Amelia didn't answer, she gave the briefest of nods, and left. Albus canceled the spell propping him up, and let himself slowly sink down onto his pillow again. He was asleep before Fawkes landed on his chest.
*****
Ron Weasley woke up to the familiar sound of his family arguing. Loudly. He was home in the Burrow. He was healed, even - after a day or two of Skele-Gro torture, and missing the big celebrations of Voldemort's death. Not that he would have felt like celebrating anyway - too many had died for that. Most of those celebrating were those who hadn't fought, who probably didn't understand just how bloody their victory had been.
Ron got up and grabbed his robe. A few spells later he looked presentable and headed towards the kitchen, where the loudest voices were coming from. As expected, Ginny was arguing with mum. After his little sister had gotten hurt at Hogwarts, Ron's mother had become far too overprotective. Ron getting hurt, and seriously at that, hadn't helped of course. Bill, Charlie and Percy claimed to have come through unscathed, but Ron suspected they had simply seen a healer before meeting mum.
"Mum! The Dark Lord is dead! It's safe!"
"That's what we thought last time. And then they came for the Longbottoms!"
His mother was not completely wrong, Ron thought. But he was rather sure that Voldemort had taken anyone who could hold a wand with him, and that those who had escaped from Hogwarts would be fleeing now, not trying to do the Dark Lord's bidding.
"What're you arguing about?" He asked, entering. For a moment, everyone - mum, Ginny and the twins - grew silent. Dad and Percy were at the Ministry, Bill was with Fleur and Charlie was … somewhere.
Then Ginny spoke up. "I want to visit Luna. She's our neighbor, and I can even take the floo, if going outside is so dangerous." She sneered slightly when she said the last word, shaking her head.
"The Lovegoods were quite outspoken against Voldemort, and their wards are not the best, they'd not protect anyone if their house were attacked!" Mum glared at her only daughter.
Ron grabbed some breakfast. "I am going to visit Harry and Hermione today. And Lavender." His girlfriend had forgiven him for his "heroic sacrifice" when she had visited him in the Burrow. She was a Gryffindor, after all, as she had proven herself. She even got along with his mum - a first for any girlfriend of a Weasley son.
His mum started on him, but he met her eyes without flinching, He had stood against the Dark Lord, all alone, at the end. He didn't know if that made him a hero as some thought - he had received a lot of letters already, thanking him for saving the students, after the Daily Prophet had revealed his actions - but he was not about to let his overprotective mother keep him from visiting his best friends and his girlfriend.
*****
"And then I climbed up, jumped on the closest chandelier, and pounced on him!"
India Cohen used her hands to show the arc of her jump. "I grappled with him, hit him a few times to disorient him, then broke his neck."
"That's when you fell down?" Kit asked.
"That's when I started to fall. The spell or whatever it was blew up before we reached the ground." India's proud smile slipped when she saw Kit's expression darken. Her Watcher, her lover, was not happy.
"You almost died." Yes, he wasn't happy.
"But I didn't. I survived. As did Harry and Dumbledore." And the other Watchers with them. Even Watcher Giles, who was really wasted in a library. India smiled at Kit, and stepped closer to him, running her hand over his chest, up to his shoulder, to his neck, to cup the back of his head. She could feel him stiffen, then relax. He was not unhappy anymore.
"Yes, you survived." Kit smiled, though she could see him hiding some sadness. He probably thought about her dying again. Every Watcher, every Slayer knew that a Slayer died young. It was something one had to accept, or go mad. And India wasn't going mad, not after Kit finally had admitted her loved her.
The Slayer smiled back at him, then molded her own body against his and kissed him. Her other hand slipped down, to his belt.
Kit broke the kiss. "You, we, still need to finish your report."
That was her Watcher, alright. "It's not due till tomorrow." India smirked. She had most of it already done - Granger had loaned her a 'dictaquill' - but hadn't told him yet. She was looking forward to see what her Watcher would do when he received a report written on actual parchment.
But that could, as she had stated, wait. She was the Slayer, and she needed her Watcher now, she thought, as one hand slipped lower, and the other pulled Kit into a kiss again.
*****
Dumbledore had been gravely hurt, Quentin Travers thought when the old wizard entered his office. The Watcher didn't see visible wounds, but the wizard walked more slowly, more carefully, and wheezed just a bit when he sat down - heavily - in the offered seat. He not only looked, but acted his age now.
His visitor grinned wrily at the scrutiny. "I am not dead yet, but I am getting closer." He hadn't lost his humor, at least.
"What happened?"
"I was forced to delay dealing with a few curses from the Dark Lord, to ensure Harry and India could reach him without dying. The effects have sapped me of much of my health, but thankfully haven't touched my magic or mind. Although I think I will be meeting most of my friends and family sooner than I expected - or, given just how powerful Tom turned out to be, in the end, maybe I will be meeting them later than I should have expected."
Quentin nodded. Death was something to be expected and accepted as a Watcher. He had never thought he'd grow as old as he had managed, and he still doubted that he'd die in bed. "The Dark Lord was destroyed, and most of the children were saved. A successful mission by any account."
"Indeed." Dumbledore nodded, and Quentin could see that he was tiring already. "Although many of the teachers and aurors present were killed. Or worse."
"A price I am sure they gladly paid." At least the teachers, according to what Quentin had heard. He didn't think much of the aurors who had been stationed at Hogwarts.
"Not everyone did so gladly, or so I would guess. Facing a horde of demons was not something any of them could have expected." Dumbledore took a few deep breaths after speaking.
"It's likely they would have faced a much reduced amount of demons, if the aurors would have spent more time on hunting them before." It would have also given them more experience fighting those monsters, in Quentin's opinion. And it would have saved a lot of people outside Wizarding Britain.
"Something I will make sure to mention to the new Minister for Magic. Without mentioning the Council, of course. Unless you wish to strengthen your ties to Wizarding Britain."
Quentin knew Dumbledore was in favor of opening lines of communication to the Wizards' Ministry. He shook his head. "The danger of getting drawn into your internal affairs, politics and worse, is too great." And too close contact, too much knowledge gained by the Wizards, would erode the Slayer's reputation as the ultimate weapon against wizards.
"Maybe. It would also foster more trust though, and you would have more allies."
"And more enemies. Though when it comes to standing against the forces of Darkness, any good man, wizard or not, should be our ally." It was simple self-interest, even.
"Should, yes, but few are those willing to risk their lives protecting others." Dumbledore smiled ruefully.
Quentin nodded. "Indeed. Did you capture all the missing dementors yet?"
"We are close. The Slayer will be informed as soon as all is ready."
"Good." Quentin nodded. Eradicating those foul monsters would be a great step towards making Britain a safer place. Soul-eating floating demons normal humans couldn't even see - and those fools had tried to use them as their tools? If things had turned out a bit differently, a few wizards would have been killed for bringing them to Britain. Still would, should Fudge ever fall into the Council's hands.
"How are Harry and Miss Granger doing?"
"They are doing well. As I understand it, they are busy studying for their finals." Quentin stated.
Dumbledore nodded. "They do not have to take them so soon though. With all that happened, most students have rescheduled their O.W.L.s and will take them during the Summer."
"You know my grandniece." Quentin smiled. As if a thing like the Battle of Hogwarts, as people started to call it, would keep Hermione from studying and her tests. Chip of the old block, she was.
"Indeed. Miss Granger is very… studious." Dumbledore smiled, but he looked even worse now than when he had arrived. He was sweating too, Quentin noticed. "If there is nothing else, then I will take my leave now. A lot of work is waiting for me at Hogwarts." He hadn't talked about their future education, Quentin noticed, to the Watcher's surprise.
"I can imagine that, Sir." Quentin could - losing just about your whole staff was a catastrophe in itself for any school. He stood up and opened the door for the old wizard.
It was a catastrophe for Hogwarts, but an opportunity for the Council to recruit more wizards. Many students would be looking for tutors, and the Watchers had some of the best when it came to what the Wizards called 'Defense against the Dark Arts'.
Of course, the Watchers just called it 'combat'.
*****
"We could reschedule the tests, you know. Everyone is doing it."
Hermione Granger looked up from her notes at her boyfriend and glared at him. "If everyone is jumping out of the window, do we do the same?" Rescheduling their O.W.L.s would feel as if letting Voldemort have one last victory, one last disruption of their lives. She wasn't about to let that monster have that.
"There's a bit of a difference between rescheduling our O.W.L.s and jumping out of the window. Unless we have brooms. Speaking of, don't think that I'll let you skip flying lessons." Harry glared back at her.
Hermione didn't pout, but she might have come close. She didn't like skipping any lesson, but flying… "Broom flying is no O.W.L. subject."
"It should be. But It doesn't matter. If we do not reschedule our O.W.L.s we do not reschedule lessons that could save your life one day." Harry stared at her now, and Hermione caved. If she had been able to fly a broom, had carried one with her, maybe Fitzburg wouldn't have...
"OK." At least they'd visit Ron and the other Weasleys for the flying lessons. Hermione would be able to ask the twins a few things she hadn't found in her Potions books.
"Did you tell Dumbledore yet that we're not returning for 6th year?" Harry asked a few minutes later.
"Not yet. We don't have to tell him until Summer."
"We need to tell him. We owe it to him." Harry stated, closing the book he had been reading.
Hermione sighed. "Yes, we do. I'd just… I don't want to tell him now, not when he's still so… frail." She couldn't help but fearing that the news would hurt the old Wizard, and make whatever was ailing him worse.
"Are you having second thoughts?" Harry stood up and walked over to her, sitting down on the table next to her.
Hermione shook her head. "No. I want to become a Watcher. Like Uncle Quentin. The Council needs us, Humanity needs us. Far more than Wizarding Britain needs another muggleborn trying to make a difference, or a famous seeker. We save countless lives here."
Harry nodded at her. "It'll be dangerous though."
"No more dangerous than a professional Quidditch match." Hermione responded, with some heat in her voice. The amount of times Harry had been hurt, or could have been hurt, playing that stupid, insane game…
Harry grinned at her, then hopped off the table and took her hand, pulling her up. "Let's take a break. You're getting grumpy."
She stood up and narrowed her eyes. "Grumpy?" That was a new one. "Are you trying to fill in for Ron?" Their friend was usually the one trying to make them take breaks and telling her she was overdoing it when they were studying.
Harry smiled at her, and wrapped his arm around her waist. "No. Ron wouldn't do … this!"
Hermione felt herself pulled close to him, and then he dipped - dipped! - her for a kiss.
They didn't study that day. Not for the O.W.L.s at least. Hermione didn't mind though. Not at all.
Epilogues
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Prince Charon
Just zis guy, you know?
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2014
- Messages
- 10,393
Very nice.
Surprised that India survived, and am now dreading when she does die.
I wonder what reforms Amelia will push through.
Surprised that India survived, and am now dreading when she does die.
I wonder what reforms Amelia will push through.
Andrew Greaves
Wonderseeker
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2014
- Messages
- 195
I find myself suspecting that India might've come close enough to dying for Buffy to be Called.
Which presents an interesting situation. They knew that Kendra had been called because she'd been raised as a Potential, but they had to track Buffy and Faith down.
Here, they've little reason to bother looking. Maybe the last of the Guardians finds her instead.
Then Kendra gets Called, without India dying.
steamrick
Matter: protons, electrons, neutrons and morons
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2014
- Messages
- 4,444
Here's what happened in BTVS canon:
Thus, I expect that India is going to get sent to the USA after the epilogue. The Hellmouth is stirring and it needs a slayer to tend to it.
I don't think India's wounds were bad enough for Buffy to have been called - there would have been more of a fuss in that case.
Starfox5: Will the epilogue be the end of the story, or is it going to continue (or get a second installment) featuring Sunnydale?
Thus, I expect that India is going to get sent to the USA after the epilogue. The Hellmouth is stirring and it needs a slayer to tend to it.
I don't think India's wounds were bad enough for Buffy to have been called - there would have been more of a fuss in that case.
Starfox5: Will the epilogue be the end of the story, or is it going to continue (or get a second installment) featuring Sunnydale?
Starfox5
Experienced.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2015
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Amelia will likely reform the judicial system. Mandatory veritaserum, for capital crimes. No more dementors, no more torture. Maybe she'll even manage to get actual judges instead the Wizengamot to rule over cases, and otherwise battle corruption. There's only so much she can do though, without someone killing off most of the Wizengamot members and their cronies. Dumbledore's not in a state to be much of a help, Harry and Hermione do not have the influence they would have (if JKR would have thought things out) in canon.
I am leaning towards a heroic death. Otherwise it would be really hard to create anything even close to the Buffy Sunnydale events. I am not slavishly following canon, but I want Giles as Buffy's watcher, and he'd only arrive if the Council knows Buffy has been called, and arranged things. If India doesn't die, but Buffy is called, they'd not notice her. No Merrick, no instruction.
The Epilogue will finish this story, but I've got plans for a sequel set in Sunnydale, Season 3. I want to write a different story first though, but it won't be too long.
the RED and the BLUE
The Lurker at the Threshold
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You know, this comes up a lot, but it was mentioned that veritaserum works best against people who aren't prepared for it. Devious, crazy, skilled, or just rich people (who can afford the antidote) are capable of lying through it, which if anything would make things worse, since there's now a good reason to believe they were innocent. It has its place, but there's a reason nobody used it on Sirius.
Also, vaguely surprised they didn't want to finish wizard high school. How are they going to do really stupid shit like animate trees and visit Mars now?
steamrick
Matter: protons, electrons, neutrons and morons
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I see four points that need consideration for any evidence submitted with Veritaserum:
1) Have an official check for the presence of the antidote (and make sure he isn't bribed)
-> that will stop the rich fuckers
2) Depending on your personal interpretation of how Occlumency works, using it to work through Veritaserum should also be detectable. While you're at it, have a Legilimancer check for signs of obliviation.
3) Have a psychologist check if they're delusional enough to convince themselves that their lies are the truth. Fanatics are seldom overly subtle and when you ask the same question with different phrasing, discrepancies will arise.
4) Lying by telling the truth is hardly unknown. So is the possibility that someone has been deliberately misinformed in case of capture.
But even so, many a trial could be drastically shortened or mistrial prevented through use of a few unambiguously true statements.
Starfox5
Experienced.
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Well, a couple things to clarify:
The first reason to use veritaserum is not to catch a liar, but to make sure you're not condemning an innocent one. It is far worse to condemn an innocent, especially if you still have the death penalty, thant to let a guilty go. That's why it's "innocent until proven otherwise", not the other way around. Sirius would have been acquitted, had he had a trial with veritaserum - not that he had a trial at all.
The second reason is to deter lying. Like in the real world, you are punished harshly if you lie as a witness, it won't mean some people still won't try to lie, but it'll keep many others honest. A trial will usually not just involve interrogating the accused, but interrogating the witnesses too, and veritaserum helps with their testimony. Incidentally, a pensieve will help even more, since witnesses are often unreliable.
Checking for antidotes and occlumency will be standard, if possible, as well as for obliviation. It won't be perfect, of course - nothing is - but to pass such a check needs a lot of preparing, and few if any will manage it. Someone who successfully can do it probably can prepare so well, he or she won't be suspected in the first place, and therefore won't be interrogated either.
The reason they are leaving Hogwarts is that it would be a waste of time. Too much stuff to learn they won't ever use, too much teenage drama, too much rules without a point, and, to put it bluntly, too many idiots and not enough (read: None) special treatment for the highly talented or genius students like them. Hogwarts just lost almost all of their teachers, especially the most experienced ones. The Watcher Wizards and/or other hired tutors can teach Harry and Hermione far better than Hogwarts, and they'll not only be able to take their NEWTs but also to learn Watcher lore - which they'll be needing for their jobs.
Incidentally, in this story, no wizard ever reached the Moon, much less the Mars. Brooms are not fast enough to escape the gravity of Earth, apparition won't reach that far either.
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Ack
(Verified Ratbag) (Unverified Great Old One)
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As I understand things, brooms work by magical levitation. It's not a matter of speed, it's a matter of whether or not broomstick magic still works in space. If it does, then you're good to get there and back (so long as you have enough food and air for the journey). If it doesn't, then going would be a one-way trip.
The thing about speed being required for escape velocity is all about the fact that rockets run out of propellant before they leave atmosphere (and, more importantly, get far enough out of the gravity well). Fortunately for prospective astronauts, they have spares to get down with. With steady reactionless thrusters, speed matters not at all, save for getting there and back before you run out of supplies.
Starfox5
Experienced.
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I stand corrected. There still won't be wizards in space. I am not a fan of the "oh, wizards are gods, they can do anything, they are just too damn stupid, lazy and unimaginative to actually do anything worthwhile with all their power" school of thought.
steamrick
Matter: protons, electrons, neutrons and morons
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As far as I can tell, there's a principal difference between magical and nonmagical flight:
1) Nonmagical flight works through thrust. Airspeed is established when the foreward-pushing force of the engines equals the slowing force of air resistance and/or gravity.
Thus -> escape velocity because as Ack said, rockets run out of fuel very quickly - so fuel is the limiting factor
2) Magical flight seems to be more of a 'that's the speed' thing with safety spells preventing the broom from accelerating faster than the rider can hold on. The limiting factor is the maximum speed your spells can achieve and for brooms that seems to be rather slow. The average distance to the moon is 384,400km. Assuming that a firebolt can go maybe up to 200km/h, it would take 80 days to reach the moon - enough time for Phileas Fogg to make his way around the globe.
Honestly it's a lot like comparing relativistic spaceflight with FTL scifi:
1) in FTL type scifi, spaceships typically have a maximum speed, but only need a few seconds of acceleration to reach it. Look at Star Wars, Star Trek, whomever. This is analogue to how I think of magical flight (though magical flight is much slower).
2) in scifi where FTL is not a thing, spaceships spend literally the entire journey either accelerating or decelerating. A very good example is the Ender's Game series. This is physics as we know them today.
Also, I wonder if an enterprising muggleborn has ever attempted to portkey onto the moon using Nasa's photos of the lunar landing to set the destination. Or maybe the moon is simply out of range? Up to interpretation I guess.
Andrew Greaves
Wonderseeker
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Pretty much my reason for pulling in a character who only appeared in the single episode of Buffy that I never managed to catch.
That being said, there are others besides the Council. Whistler is obvious, and the relationship with Angel could hardly develop in the same fashion if it started out with him as a mentor instead of a mysterious but helpful stranger.
On a darker note, consider Wolf, Ram, and Hart.
In any case, just because the Council wouldn't have any reason to actively look for a new Slayer, doesn't mean that nobody else would notice it, through one mystic means or another.
Starfox5
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I won't use Whistler, I hate the Powers that Be in Buffy. Angel will likely stay in hell - I do not have any use for him as mentor or love interest. Wolf, Ram and Hart - they might make some good villains, but since I didn't watch Angel, if I use them, they'll be far closer to OC characters than anything else, and in order to avoid disappointing expectations, it would be better I think to use true OCs. It's not as if an evil lawyer firm is that far out, after all.
And yes, others might notice a new slayer - but I think Giles is worth more as a character, he is more fun and has more potential, than Angel.
macdjord
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Getting to the moon would certainly be possible, even without apparition, brooms, or portkeys. All you need is a pair of vanishing cabinets. One of them can't weigh more than 50kg, so you could get it launched to LEO commercially for a couple million. Once it's there, you can feed through another rocket to boost it onto a lunar transfer trajectory, then ditch that and send another for lunar capture. The most difficult bit would be soft-landing it on the moon; there's no air, and while you could easily send through a rocket motor and propellant sufficient to do the job, the precise autonomous control system to do so isn't something you can buy off-the-shelf. Once it's down, though, you're golden: just put on your space suit, step through, and there you are.
Prince Charon
Just zis guy, you know?
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Also, make sure that the other cabinet is in an air-tight room with an airlock (or without one, and you just apparate in and out on the Earth side).
macdjord
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Why? Off the top of my head, as long as they are rare enough not to be viable as the basis of a mass transport system like the floo, the only event in canon where vanishing cabinets would have been the obvious solution is evacuating Harry from Privet Drive on his majority. And since the one canonical vanishing cabinet jump, from London to Scotland, was a longer range than that would have been, it can't really be used to justify a range limit.
Starfox5
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I meant a range limit that is somewhat shorter than "Earth to Moon". The idea that wizards reached the moon, and then did nothing with that capability, feels just too much like "Wizards are stupid, lazy idiots". That's not something I want to use in the story here.
macdjord
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Eh. Even with unlimited-range vanishing cabinets, you'd still need a solid working knowledge of orbital mechanics to think of doing it like that. And it would only be possible in the last couple decades, since it depends on routine commercial space launches. So it wouldn't require them to be stupid or lazy not to have done so.
Epilogues
Starfox5
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Epilogue I: India
India Cohen grinned in anticipation. It had been several months since she the Battle of Hogwarts - some called it the "Invasion of Hogwarts", but those were wizards. It was a battle, simple. It hadn't taken her long to recover from her wounds - she was tough - and she had been back to hunting vampires and other demons quickly. And to unwind with Kit, of course. But there hadn't been a real challenge since, no fight that really tested her. The mission - or hunt - she was on now though could be such a challenge.
The local watcher in British Guiana had called the Council after a wave of disappearances from villages near an old ruin in the jungle. Local legends spoke of were creatures - were jaguars, probably, according to Kit - haunting the area. India hadn't had a good fight against a were yet, at least not during the full moon, and since they arrived right on time, she might get her wish.
As long as their native guide, Mister Alan Smith, whose parents had come over from Birmingham, didn't lose his nerve and leave them before they reached the haunted tempe, or whatever it was called. She was India the Slayer, not Indiana Jones.
The man Kit had hired had not impressed her. She was certain the only reason he had agreed to guide them was that his greed had won out over his fear - and India was rather sure that the closer they were getting to the temple ruins, the more his fear would grow. He was already nervous, jumping at any noise he heard - even if it was, as always so far, just an animal fleeing from them. Though now that she thought about it, it had been a while since she had heard the last such sound...
"What is the matter, India?" Kit asked. Of course he had noticed her reaction, and had his Steyr Scout rifle ready, with silver bullets in .308 Winchester. With his khakis and floppy hat, Kit would just need to stop shaving for a day or two, and he'd make a great Indiana Jones. India banished the thoughts that had evoked - there would be time later, when they were back, or maybe in the evening, at the camp. The guide had been making comments about them, when he had thought they wouldn't hear him. India hadn't told Kit, of course. Even though she liked it when he became protective of her, they needed the guide.
"The jungle has gone quiet." She drew her machete, and inhaled deeply. No scent that did not belong. They'd be downwind then.
"Too quiet." Kit was looking around.
"What are you doing?" Smith was staring back at the couple, leaning against a tree. He was sweating more than either of them, and India thought it was fear and not the heat.
"The jungle's gone too quiet." She told him, looking up. The canopy provided an excellent cover where the lack of sun had killed the underbrush. And too many humans never looked up in the jungle.
"Fuck, you're right." Smith unslung his own rifle, a Lee-Enfield No. 5, but India saw his hands tremble. He'd not hit much like that. Then she saw something move above him.
"Watch out!"
Smith froze and looked at her, and before India could say anything else, a noose dropped on him from above, and the man was hauled up towards the canopy, choking and kicking. India tried to cut the rope with a throwing knife, but she missed and then she had to dodge an attacker trying to get the drop on her - literally.
What looked like a catman pounced on her from above, but she slid to the side, and before the monster had recovered, her machete - with silver inlays - had split his head.
Behind her Kit started shooting. India heard a monster scream, and another, but even as she turned, he was getting tackled by a third. India yelled and charged the monster - no one hurt her Watcher! Her first swing cut into its back, and with an inhuman roar, the werejaguar - at least she thought it was one - let go of Kit and swiped at her while blood ran down its back. India ducked under the swing and drove her shoulder into its stomach, smashing it against the tree behind it, then drew a silver throwing knife and cut its throat before it had recovered its breath. It was still choking on its own blood when she was already whirling around.
A dozen of the monsters were closing on her, and Kit. Her lover's left arm was bleeding and he was drawing his Browning, his rifle probably lost already. He wouldn't make it though; those monsters were too fast. Almost as fast as the Slayer. Almost.
India ran at the first to get close to Kit, and swinging her machete at it. The catman jumped back, as she had expected, and her foot caught the other trying to get to Kit in the ribs, smashing it to the side. Kit shot it twice and India beheaded the one she had driven back.
Then the other ten were upon them. India heard Kit shooting rapidly while she gutted one pouncing on her with and slash with her blade. While dodging the corpse she got hit by another attacker from behind, screaming when she felt claws rip into her side. Bleeding she stumbled, but caught the monster with a backhand swing. Then she heard Kit's pistol run dry, followed by his scream.
"Kit!" She whirled around and saw two monsters on top of her Watcher. Before she could do anything to them though, another hit her from behind, the force of the blow driving her to the ground. She managed to flip around, and catch the next attack on her blade, slicing off a paw, but another was already grabbing her leg, and a third was striking at her head with a club.
She couldn't block that one, not with her blade buried in a monster chest, and she couldn't roll away with the corpse on her. Kit would be so disappointed that she had let herself be distracted…
*****
India woke up with a splitting headache, and found herself bound hand and foot. Her side ached, and she felt weak, and cold - she had lost a lot of blood, she knew the symptoms. She twisted her body, and hissed at the pain that caused. She was lying on the stone floor of a ruined temple. A temple decorated with skulls, fresh skulls. Around her about a dozen of the werecreatures were chanting, and one of them wearing what looked like the skin of one really big snake, had his arms raised and was holding an obsidian knife… and in front of him, tied to a stone block, was Kit! He was bleeding, bruised, but alive.
"Kit!" India yelled, and saw him turn his head. Before he could say anything though, the stone knife descended, and the monster with the snakeskin started to cut into his chest. Kit screamed, but kept looking at India. The monster was cutting his heart out. Someone was screaming louder than Kit, and she didn't realize it was herself until Kit was dead.
Her Watcher was dead. Her lover was dead. India screamed again, but not with horror, or anguish, or pain, but pure hatred and rage. She snapped her bonds and jumped at the closest catman. Her fist smashed into its face, her knee into its groin, and down it went. She grabbed its neck, and twisted until it broke. The remaining monsters seemed shocked for an instant, and India used the opportunity to grab the club of her first victim and smash the skull of the next.
Then the slaughter began in earnest. India was cut and hit, her face laid open, and they couldn't stop her, couldn't stop the Slayer. Soon she had a knife, like the one that had taken Kit's life, and the monsters screamed and bled and died. The one with the Snakeskin was screaming too, and holding Kit's heart into a fire. He was still screaming when her club smashed its ugly head. She pulled Kit's heart out of the fire before it could burn.
Kit was dead, but she had avenged him. Holding his heart, she collapsed over his body, bleeding from a dozen wounds.
*****
A few hours later, in Los Angeles, a fifteen year old girl woke up from a nightmare filled with monsters and girls who fought and died. She didn't realize she had somehow smashed her alarm clock until she had wrecked the doorknob to her bathroom. Her parents were not amused.
*****
Epilogue 2: Hermione
Hermione Granger stared at the parchment in her hands. Her N.E.W.T.s results, dropped by a Ministry owl just a moment ago. It had been over two years since Voldemort had been killed. Almost two years since the Slayer had died. She knew another girl had been called, but she still thought of India when she thought of the Slayer.
A lot had changed since then, for her and Harry. They had passed their O.W.L.s before India had died, but as planned, had not returned to Hogwarts. Many of their friends there had not understood. Ron had, though. Even if he had joked that he had only gone back for Quidditch and his mother, their friend had done the same they had done - studied for his life after Hogwarts. He was going to be an auror.
Hermione was happy for him, even though she had hoped he'd become a Watcher too. It would have been nice to stay together, the three of them. Saving the world, once again. But Harry had been correct - Ron wouldn't fit in with the Council. Too many of the other Watcher Wizards had issues with purebloods, and he wasn't their best friend. He had changed too, of course. As one of the Heroes of Hogwarts, having faced Voldemort himself, and being responsible for the evacuation of most of the children, he had become quite famous. He was handling his fame better than she would have expected - but then, so many had died at the Battle of Hogwarts, Ron knew the cost of his fame. But he'd be a good auror. At least in the field, judging by their last training session. Hermione pitied whoever had to deal with his paperwork though.
Sighing, she ran a finger over the seal on the parchment. Soon Ron would marry Lavender. Who'd have thought the flighty girl from her dorm would change into a serious young woman? A bit possessive, in Hermione's opinion, but that was quite understandable. The young muggleborn witch had had to deal with a number of witches after one of the Heroes of Hogwarts herself. And if she ever managed to meet Skeeter without witnesses and with a secure alibi…
"You haven't opened it yet?" Harry's surprise voice shook her from slightly evil thoughts. "I'd have thought you'd ripped it open before the owl could land!"
Hermione smiled wrily. "I would have thought so myself. But then I realized - this is it." She held the parchment up. "With this, we are done with Wizarding Britain."
Harry frowned. "It's not as if we're abandoning our friends. Or our family."
"Not that. I know we're not leaving them. But we're done with the official part. Parts. No more tests, no more regulations, no more permits. We're done with them, we're fully adults as far as they are concerned, and there's nothing they can hold over us anymore." Hermione grinned.
Harry snorted. "There was nothing they could do to us once Voldemort was dead and we were with the Council. And we'll still have to deal with the press and fans."
"You have to deal with them, you mean." Hermione smirked, though a small part of her couldn't help feel annoyed at the fact that she, the muggleborn witch, was not quite as famous as Harry or Ron. Despite the reforms of Minister Bones, Hermione felt that Wizarding Britain was still not a place where muggleborns had truly equal chances. But another part of her, a cynical one, welcomed that - it made recruiting other Watcher Wizards a bit easier. She didn't like thinking those thoughts, either thoughts.
"That's just because of what you did to that reporter from "Teen Witch Weekly" when she claimed that the power of love defeated Voldemort."
Hermione glared at him. "She made up some 'tantric ritual', and claimed that the sacrifice of my virginity to you mortally wounded Voldemort! Despite all the witnesses and evidence at Hogwarts!"
"Well… yes. But Dumbledore set them straight. Cursing the letter asking for another interview was a bit too much."
Hermione sniffed. "I have no idea who did that. Given her style of writing, she must have a number of enemies." If only Skeeter had been as careless… "How is Dumbledore doing, anyway?"
"He is doing 'as well as one can expect at my age'," Harry answered, frowning again.
Hermione sighed. The Headmaster still hadn't recovered from the curses he had been struck with during the battle with Voldemort. He was so frail, he had stepped down from his political offices rather quickly.
Harry stepped up to her, and pulled her in an embrace. "Cheer up. Ron's wedding is coming. We'll meet everyone from school."
"You're not the one who has to wear bridesmaid robes picked by Lavender and Parvati." Fashion in Wizarding Britain needed an update too, in her opinion.
"I am certain you'll look stunning in them." Harry grinned.
He likely had asked Colin for pictures already. Maybe she should talk with Fred and George, about a few pranks for Ron's best man, to liven up the wedding… No, she couldn't do that to Ron.
"Come on,. open it." Harry nudged her.
Hermione smiled at him, and then broke the seal, and read her N.E.W.T.s results.
*****
Author's notes: As the epilogue hints at, there will be a sequel, set in Sunnydale, during Season 3 of Buffy - though with a few changes to canon. Like this story, it'll run parallel to "Patron". I'll post a note here once I start it, I want to write another story first though, to tie up a few loose ends from "Marriage Law Revolution".
India Cohen grinned in anticipation. It had been several months since she the Battle of Hogwarts - some called it the "Invasion of Hogwarts", but those were wizards. It was a battle, simple. It hadn't taken her long to recover from her wounds - she was tough - and she had been back to hunting vampires and other demons quickly. And to unwind with Kit, of course. But there hadn't been a real challenge since, no fight that really tested her. The mission - or hunt - she was on now though could be such a challenge.
The local watcher in British Guiana had called the Council after a wave of disappearances from villages near an old ruin in the jungle. Local legends spoke of were creatures - were jaguars, probably, according to Kit - haunting the area. India hadn't had a good fight against a were yet, at least not during the full moon, and since they arrived right on time, she might get her wish.
As long as their native guide, Mister Alan Smith, whose parents had come over from Birmingham, didn't lose his nerve and leave them before they reached the haunted tempe, or whatever it was called. She was India the Slayer, not Indiana Jones.
The man Kit had hired had not impressed her. She was certain the only reason he had agreed to guide them was that his greed had won out over his fear - and India was rather sure that the closer they were getting to the temple ruins, the more his fear would grow. He was already nervous, jumping at any noise he heard - even if it was, as always so far, just an animal fleeing from them. Though now that she thought about it, it had been a while since she had heard the last such sound...
"What is the matter, India?" Kit asked. Of course he had noticed her reaction, and had his Steyr Scout rifle ready, with silver bullets in .308 Winchester. With his khakis and floppy hat, Kit would just need to stop shaving for a day or two, and he'd make a great Indiana Jones. India banished the thoughts that had evoked - there would be time later, when they were back, or maybe in the evening, at the camp. The guide had been making comments about them, when he had thought they wouldn't hear him. India hadn't told Kit, of course. Even though she liked it when he became protective of her, they needed the guide.
"The jungle has gone quiet." She drew her machete, and inhaled deeply. No scent that did not belong. They'd be downwind then.
"Too quiet." Kit was looking around.
"What are you doing?" Smith was staring back at the couple, leaning against a tree. He was sweating more than either of them, and India thought it was fear and not the heat.
"The jungle's gone too quiet." She told him, looking up. The canopy provided an excellent cover where the lack of sun had killed the underbrush. And too many humans never looked up in the jungle.
"Fuck, you're right." Smith unslung his own rifle, a Lee-Enfield No. 5, but India saw his hands tremble. He'd not hit much like that. Then she saw something move above him.
"Watch out!"
Smith froze and looked at her, and before India could say anything else, a noose dropped on him from above, and the man was hauled up towards the canopy, choking and kicking. India tried to cut the rope with a throwing knife, but she missed and then she had to dodge an attacker trying to get the drop on her - literally.
What looked like a catman pounced on her from above, but she slid to the side, and before the monster had recovered, her machete - with silver inlays - had split his head.
Behind her Kit started shooting. India heard a monster scream, and another, but even as she turned, he was getting tackled by a third. India yelled and charged the monster - no one hurt her Watcher! Her first swing cut into its back, and with an inhuman roar, the werejaguar - at least she thought it was one - let go of Kit and swiped at her while blood ran down its back. India ducked under the swing and drove her shoulder into its stomach, smashing it against the tree behind it, then drew a silver throwing knife and cut its throat before it had recovered its breath. It was still choking on its own blood when she was already whirling around.
A dozen of the monsters were closing on her, and Kit. Her lover's left arm was bleeding and he was drawing his Browning, his rifle probably lost already. He wouldn't make it though; those monsters were too fast. Almost as fast as the Slayer. Almost.
India ran at the first to get close to Kit, and swinging her machete at it. The catman jumped back, as she had expected, and her foot caught the other trying to get to Kit in the ribs, smashing it to the side. Kit shot it twice and India beheaded the one she had driven back.
Then the other ten were upon them. India heard Kit shooting rapidly while she gutted one pouncing on her with and slash with her blade. While dodging the corpse she got hit by another attacker from behind, screaming when she felt claws rip into her side. Bleeding she stumbled, but caught the monster with a backhand swing. Then she heard Kit's pistol run dry, followed by his scream.
"Kit!" She whirled around and saw two monsters on top of her Watcher. Before she could do anything to them though, another hit her from behind, the force of the blow driving her to the ground. She managed to flip around, and catch the next attack on her blade, slicing off a paw, but another was already grabbing her leg, and a third was striking at her head with a club.
She couldn't block that one, not with her blade buried in a monster chest, and she couldn't roll away with the corpse on her. Kit would be so disappointed that she had let herself be distracted…
*****
India woke up with a splitting headache, and found herself bound hand and foot. Her side ached, and she felt weak, and cold - she had lost a lot of blood, she knew the symptoms. She twisted her body, and hissed at the pain that caused. She was lying on the stone floor of a ruined temple. A temple decorated with skulls, fresh skulls. Around her about a dozen of the werecreatures were chanting, and one of them wearing what looked like the skin of one really big snake, had his arms raised and was holding an obsidian knife… and in front of him, tied to a stone block, was Kit! He was bleeding, bruised, but alive.
"Kit!" India yelled, and saw him turn his head. Before he could say anything though, the stone knife descended, and the monster with the snakeskin started to cut into his chest. Kit screamed, but kept looking at India. The monster was cutting his heart out. Someone was screaming louder than Kit, and she didn't realize it was herself until Kit was dead.
Her Watcher was dead. Her lover was dead. India screamed again, but not with horror, or anguish, or pain, but pure hatred and rage. She snapped her bonds and jumped at the closest catman. Her fist smashed into its face, her knee into its groin, and down it went. She grabbed its neck, and twisted until it broke. The remaining monsters seemed shocked for an instant, and India used the opportunity to grab the club of her first victim and smash the skull of the next.
Then the slaughter began in earnest. India was cut and hit, her face laid open, and they couldn't stop her, couldn't stop the Slayer. Soon she had a knife, like the one that had taken Kit's life, and the monsters screamed and bled and died. The one with the Snakeskin was screaming too, and holding Kit's heart into a fire. He was still screaming when her club smashed its ugly head. She pulled Kit's heart out of the fire before it could burn.
Kit was dead, but she had avenged him. Holding his heart, she collapsed over his body, bleeding from a dozen wounds.
*****
A few hours later, in Los Angeles, a fifteen year old girl woke up from a nightmare filled with monsters and girls who fought and died. She didn't realize she had somehow smashed her alarm clock until she had wrecked the doorknob to her bathroom. Her parents were not amused.
*****
Epilogue 2: Hermione
Hermione Granger stared at the parchment in her hands. Her N.E.W.T.s results, dropped by a Ministry owl just a moment ago. It had been over two years since Voldemort had been killed. Almost two years since the Slayer had died. She knew another girl had been called, but she still thought of India when she thought of the Slayer.
A lot had changed since then, for her and Harry. They had passed their O.W.L.s before India had died, but as planned, had not returned to Hogwarts. Many of their friends there had not understood. Ron had, though. Even if he had joked that he had only gone back for Quidditch and his mother, their friend had done the same they had done - studied for his life after Hogwarts. He was going to be an auror.
Hermione was happy for him, even though she had hoped he'd become a Watcher too. It would have been nice to stay together, the three of them. Saving the world, once again. But Harry had been correct - Ron wouldn't fit in with the Council. Too many of the other Watcher Wizards had issues with purebloods, and he wasn't their best friend. He had changed too, of course. As one of the Heroes of Hogwarts, having faced Voldemort himself, and being responsible for the evacuation of most of the children, he had become quite famous. He was handling his fame better than she would have expected - but then, so many had died at the Battle of Hogwarts, Ron knew the cost of his fame. But he'd be a good auror. At least in the field, judging by their last training session. Hermione pitied whoever had to deal with his paperwork though.
Sighing, she ran a finger over the seal on the parchment. Soon Ron would marry Lavender. Who'd have thought the flighty girl from her dorm would change into a serious young woman? A bit possessive, in Hermione's opinion, but that was quite understandable. The young muggleborn witch had had to deal with a number of witches after one of the Heroes of Hogwarts herself. And if she ever managed to meet Skeeter without witnesses and with a secure alibi…
"You haven't opened it yet?" Harry's surprise voice shook her from slightly evil thoughts. "I'd have thought you'd ripped it open before the owl could land!"
Hermione smiled wrily. "I would have thought so myself. But then I realized - this is it." She held the parchment up. "With this, we are done with Wizarding Britain."
Harry frowned. "It's not as if we're abandoning our friends. Or our family."
"Not that. I know we're not leaving them. But we're done with the official part. Parts. No more tests, no more regulations, no more permits. We're done with them, we're fully adults as far as they are concerned, and there's nothing they can hold over us anymore." Hermione grinned.
Harry snorted. "There was nothing they could do to us once Voldemort was dead and we were with the Council. And we'll still have to deal with the press and fans."
"You have to deal with them, you mean." Hermione smirked, though a small part of her couldn't help feel annoyed at the fact that she, the muggleborn witch, was not quite as famous as Harry or Ron. Despite the reforms of Minister Bones, Hermione felt that Wizarding Britain was still not a place where muggleborns had truly equal chances. But another part of her, a cynical one, welcomed that - it made recruiting other Watcher Wizards a bit easier. She didn't like thinking those thoughts, either thoughts.
"That's just because of what you did to that reporter from "Teen Witch Weekly" when she claimed that the power of love defeated Voldemort."
Hermione glared at him. "She made up some 'tantric ritual', and claimed that the sacrifice of my virginity to you mortally wounded Voldemort! Despite all the witnesses and evidence at Hogwarts!"
"Well… yes. But Dumbledore set them straight. Cursing the letter asking for another interview was a bit too much."
Hermione sniffed. "I have no idea who did that. Given her style of writing, she must have a number of enemies." If only Skeeter had been as careless… "How is Dumbledore doing, anyway?"
"He is doing 'as well as one can expect at my age'," Harry answered, frowning again.
Hermione sighed. The Headmaster still hadn't recovered from the curses he had been struck with during the battle with Voldemort. He was so frail, he had stepped down from his political offices rather quickly.
Harry stepped up to her, and pulled her in an embrace. "Cheer up. Ron's wedding is coming. We'll meet everyone from school."
"You're not the one who has to wear bridesmaid robes picked by Lavender and Parvati." Fashion in Wizarding Britain needed an update too, in her opinion.
"I am certain you'll look stunning in them." Harry grinned.
He likely had asked Colin for pictures already. Maybe she should talk with Fred and George, about a few pranks for Ron's best man, to liven up the wedding… No, she couldn't do that to Ron.
"Come on,. open it." Harry nudged her.
Hermione smiled at him, and then broke the seal, and read her N.E.W.T.s results.
*****
Author's notes: As the epilogue hints at, there will be a sequel, set in Sunnydale, during Season 3 of Buffy - though with a few changes to canon. Like this story, it'll run parallel to "Patron". I'll post a note here once I start it, I want to write another story first though, to tie up a few loose ends from "Marriage Law Revolution".
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Ack
(Verified Ratbag) (Unverified Great Old One)
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Awww... poor India.
Incidentally:
Incidentally:
Upwind means that the wind is blowing from them to India. She means downwind.
Starfox5
Experienced.
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Oops. I'll correct that.