The Servant

The silence soon gave way to an angry hissing.

What frightensss me and disssturbsss my ssssleep? a sibilant voice said.

They heard a rustling sound, and Harry spied a shadowy shape at the end of the room. The massive snake moved faster than Harry expected and he belatedly remembered his task.

Why ssso frightened, O ssslithering one? Harry hissed back.

A ssspeaking man, the snake mused warily, drawing a little closer to scrutinize Harry with its scarlet eyes. Ssssmall, with sssshadowed hair and green eyess, it said. In a blink of an eye, it coiled tightly to strike, hissing, It bears the sssscar.... it is the One that threatensss me -

'Avada Kedavra!' cried Snape. Green light poured from his wand, enveloping the coiled serpent. It lay unmoving on the floor. 'Quickly!' he said, throwing yet another vial of potion at the snake, a flickering greenish haze.

The green vapour spread across the serpent's body, swirling slowly around it, as they incanted the harsh syllables of the soul-shattering curse in unison. A wild wind began to blow. Both braced themselves, knowing what was to come.

Freezing winds buffeted them at high velocity, but they stood their ground and repeated the curse. The winds grew fiercer, trying to distract them, seeking to end the spell that would destroy the Horcrux. Harry was knocked off his feet by the gale and landed on his knees. He doggedly continued chanting the spell over and over, not breaking the momentum of the curse. Mentally, he cursed Snape for being able to keep to his feet.

Hailstones the size of bludgers rained down on them. They acted like bludgers too - hurtling back towards them after every hit. Both shielded themselves as best they could, never stopping the flow of words. Harry ignored the blood dripping from his wounds. He felt a bit lightheaded.

Distorted images of the other man floated about him... Snape bullying him in class... Snape's sneering face as Harry tried to tell him that Sirius was in the Department of Mysteries... the hate on Snape's face as he killed Dumbledore. A murderous rage built up within. Harry knew instinctively that if he stopped chanting, they would both die. This is your chance, a voice in his mind said triumphantly.

'Do not regret showing mercy .... it is this that will defeat Voldemort,' Dumbledore's words echoed in his head urgently.

Harry was torn in two. He felt dizzy and befuddled, but he continued casting.

After a long while, the winds died down and the hail stopped.

There was a flash of dazzling golden light. Nagini flew ten feet into the air and landed back with a sickening thud. They both stared at it numbly. There was a long silence as the bloodied and battered pair recovered. Snape looked as bad as Harry felt.

'Now that the last Horcrux is destroyed, Mr. Potter,' panted Snape, 'you shall meet my master.'

Harry twisted around to face Snape, who had sunk down to his knees.

'Harry Potter,' called a chillingly familiar voice behind them.