Requiem

Chapter 2
Dies Irae

The backsides of hearths, some rough stone in place for centuries, others newly laid, spun around him. When he reached the Hogsmeade fireplace, the spinning stopped, and he grabbed the wall of the fireplace for support. Harry always hated Flooing anywhere. With a single, economical motion he climbed out of the fireplace, brushed himself off, and left the small room off of the post office.

Harry found himself looking out onto the High Street of Hogsmeade as he had never seen it before. Empty. Not a soul remained in the town for anyone, good or bad, to find. Most of the residents of the village had taken refuge at Hogwarts, and were going to help the Aurors defend the last true bastion of the light.

Although it was summer, and a much warmer one than ever remembered, Harry wore his traveling cloak over his plain black robes. He walked quickly up the road to Hogwarts, noting the preparations being made all over the grounds. Hexes, Charms and Curses were being laid on the great Hogwarts lawns, so that when Voldemort arrived, they would not be without defenses.

There had been some intelligence as to what Voldemort was going to bring to the battle, but nothing was certain. Some said that his army would consist of Dementors, or Giants, or both, along with the Death Eaters. Harry hoped that when he reached the command tent Dumbledore would have more information that he could pass onto his teams.

He almost missed the command tent, and it was only Ron's voice coming from inside that he realized where he was.

"Mister Weasley, I can tell you no more. That is all that we were able to get out of him." Dumbledore spoke matter-of-factly.

Harry crossed over the road, and pushed back the tent flaps. Inside the large tent was a vast command and communications center that Dumbledore had brought out just for the occasion. In the middle of the vast room stood a long table, strewn with parchments and maps of the area. A MagiMap of the Hogwarts grounds hung from the ceiling, magically marking all of the defensive spells out for the occupants of the room.

Ron stood next to Remus Lupin, who was looking slightly the worse for wear, as two days ago there had been a full moon. Sirius Black flanked Remus on the other side, his face deep in concentration. Minerva McGonagall stood to the left of Dumbledore, studying the MagiMap very carefully. Dumbledore stood in the center of the group, knitting a pair of warm woolen socks.

"Professor?" Harry asked once he had stepped inside.

"Harry! Good to see you!" Dumbledore exclaimed, lifting his eyes from his needles.

"What's the plan?" Harry continued, strangely anxious to have Voldemort arrive, so that the butterflies that had begun to creep in could go away.

Sirius moved towards his godson. "Harry, are you all right?"

Everyone froze. Harry took a step back from Sirius and took a deep breath. "Yes," he lied, hoping that no one would notice. If anyone had, they didn't say anything, and Sirius let the matter drop without another word.

"The plan remains the same, Harry, as it was yesterday," Remus told him, steering the conversation back to the earlier topic.

"Refresh my memory, please."

"Here goes. We have three teams of ten creating defenses in addition to those already in place at Hogwarts. Little things, minor annoyances. We expect that Voldemort is going to attack with basically everything he has."

"Which is?" Sirius cut in.

"Giants, Dementors, and a few of the darker Goblins. Along with his usual entourage of Death Eaters, we should have our hands full. Do you really think we're ready?"

"Remus, we're as ready as we will ever be. It's now or never. You know that," Harry reminded him. In the last year, the Dark Lord had been gaining ground against the rest of the Wizarding world, and if they could not stop him here, at Hogwarts, then they would never get the chance again.

"Anything else, Aurors?" Dumbledore asked them as a group.

"No," The four Aurors spoke in unison.

"Good. Then if you will excuse me, I must make sure that everyone at Hogwarts is safe." Dumbledore dismissed them.

Harry, Ron and Sirius walked out of the tent, and looked out onto the rolling grounds leading into Hogsmeade.

"We have only a few minutes left." Ron broke the silence, sighing.

"We do," Sirius replied, just as mournful.

They watched the last defenses being put up below them, and the wizards and witches trudging back up the hill.

"Everything in place Neville?" Ron asked as his old classmate passed by him.

"Yes. Unless it's a horde, the defenses should help us injure enough of them to do some real damage."

"You've done well," Ron told the man, clasping his arm.

"Thank you, Ron. Who could have imagined this almost seven years ago?"

"Not I, that's for sure."

Harry tuned out the conversation, instead focusing his mind back on his last day at Hogwarts. The students had been given the run of the grounds, before the Leaving Feast and taking the train back the next day.

"I can't believe that we're leaving." Harry's voice was filled with sadness. He walked along the lakeshore with Hermione and Ron, watching some of the younger students play in the warm summer sun.

"You're coming to stay with us, right Harry?" Ron asked, hoping that Harry didn't have to go back to the Dursley's now that he was a fully trained wizard.

"Yeah. Dumbledore's letting me come and stay until I can get my own flat."

"Can you come as well, Hermione?" Ron asked of the girl whose hand was intertwined with Harry's.

"I can, but I need to go home first. My parents want to help me get all of my things together."

"Is Lavender coming?" Harry turned to his friends, and stopped walking.

"She is."

They said nothing more for a time, instead studying each other's faces, memorizing every detail. Although they would be together again soon, there was something about leaving their magical home for the past seven years that would carry a smidgen of sadness as well.

As if their thoughts were interconnected the trio of friends all moved together for a hug at the same time. No words were needed, not now. No words could express all that they had gone through, the fights, tears, friendship, love and experiences all coming together to cement their bond and just be part of something larger than themselves.
Ron turned back to the school and wondered out loud,"I wonder when we'll see this place again?"

"Hermione never was able to see it again," Harry said to himself, not realizing that he had spoken aloud.

"What was that, Harry?" Ron asked, not looking at his best friend.

"I was just thinking about our last day at Hogwarts, and what you said before the feast."

"She never did, did she?"

"No," Harry said curtly, not wanting to be overwhelmed by grief just then. Sirius patted his shoulder and spoke softly to both of them,

"They're watching over us. If there's anything I know about, it's that all of our friends, including Lavender and Hermione, are watching over us now."

"Thanks," Ron replied absently, his voice distant and his eyes looking over the field towards Hogsmeade. His gaze caught a lone figure running up the path, "Who's that?"

"Don't know." Harry jumped up and pulled his wand out.

The figure ran closer, the sun reflecting off of a silver hand. "Wormtail," Harry spat. Sirius growled, low and deep, and moved to pounce on the approaching man. "Don't," Harry continued, and moved to intercept Wormtail. Wormtail struggled feebly as Harry brought him to where Sirius and Ron stood. In all of the years and all of the dealings that Harry had had with Peter Pettigrew, he had never seen the man so ragged. Large clumps of hair were missing from his head, and one of his eyes had been replaced by a magical silver eye, which scanned the defenses of the school.

"What can we do for you, Worm?" Ron mocked Peter's Marauder name, meaning it in a completely different light than the 'Padfoot' of Sirius.

"My Master wishes to tell you that he is coming," the ratty man quipped, and then fell to the ground, exhausted.

"Is he dead?" Ron asked hopefully as Harry bent down to check him.

"Yes," Harry said with finality. Pettigrew's death did not fill him with elation as Harry had expected it to. Instead he felt...nothing. Not a thing for the man, neither good or ill. His time of contemplation, however, was cut short by Ron's urgent voice.

"Harry, look!" Harry looked, and blinked. Coming over the fields behind Hogsmeade. was the Dark Army, made up of several dozen giants, a hundred or so Dementors, and two hundred or more Death Eaters. The green fields became black in an instant as the army came closer. Harry could pick out Voldemort in the back, with Lucius Malfoy beside him. Sirius sent up a large amount of orange sparks, which was the signal for the Aurors and the citizens of Hogsmeade. to come to the defensive positions.

By the time everyone was assembled, the Dark Army had reached the edge of Hogsmeade. Lord Voldemort called a halt, and the army parted for him to come through to the edge of the town. He raised his wand, and a blast of fire came out of the end of it, cutting through the village. A path was now cleared, and the army crossed over the remnants of the Three Broomsticks. More slowly they came now, no one wanting to be the first to see what surprises the defenders of Hogwarts had created up for them.

With a wave of his wand, Voldemort called a second halt, and then sent the Dementors forward. A wavering line of cold figures made their way to the front of the Dark Army, and pushed past it. Waves of ice pounded the defender's souls as the Dementors came closer to them.

"Wait!" Dumbledore called, his voice amplified a hundred times. "Wait," he said again, watching for the most opportune moment. "Now!"

"Expecto Patronum!" Almost a hundred voices called out at once, and a sea of silvery figures shot out of the wands and headed for the enemy. Both armies watched their opening salvos coming closer to do battle.

Silver and black mixed for a moment, the Patroni from the defenders fighting to defeat the Dementors. A wordless snarl broke out of the attacking ranks, but not because they were winning; in fact, they were losing. The darkness and fear slowly melted away as the silvery shapes gained the upper hand and advanced. Although many of the Death Eaters tried to defeat the Patroni once they were close enough, nothing could be done to save the Dementors. One by one each of the Dementors were forced to become dark clouds of angry fog, floating away and diffusing into the atmosphere.

Voldemort was not happy. He spoke to his remaining forces, and they began to march forward. Although the Dementors had take care of some of the hexes, the Death Eaters and giants were not free from them. Harry and Ron watched as several dozen Death Eaters, Ginny Malfoy included, fell to a fell well-placed Jelly-Legs Jinx. But it was not enough, and the defenders knew that.

Wands at the ready, both sides prepared for the final battle between the dark and the light. With a word, the wizards and witches on both sides began to charge each other.

Colored light flew everywhere. Spells, hexes, curses & charms zinged around Harry as he dodged as many as he could. Thin bands of green light flew across the battlefield, hitting both sides. It was chaotic. Harry hit a masked Death Eater with a heavy Stunning Curse, and moved on. He knew what he had to do, and he knew who he had to fight. His demeanor was not frantic or rushed. Harry learned, long ago about keeping cool under fire and not letting the peripheral attacks get to you.

Without warning a Hogwarts crest flew into the sky, followed by a dozen others. The Dark Army was confused, and many on the other side took that moment of confusion to inflict more damage. The Dark Army began to buckle under the confusion of almost a dozen Death Eaters suddenly switching sides, Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy among them. Oliver Wood, Dennis Creevey and Justin Finch-Fletchly had all switched as well, and began attacking their former Master.

Neither Voldemort nor Lucius Malfoy had entered the fight directly yet, although they were casting spells to those they could make eye contact with. Lucius leaned into his Master, and whispered something. Voldemort nodded, smiling, and Lucius entered the fray. Harry caught sight of Draco, dueling with a masked Eater, and watched his father fight to get to him. Harry, realizing what Lucius was going to do, made for Draco as fast as he could.

He and Lucius got there at the same time. "Behind you!" Harry cried, forcing Draco to whirl around and yell "Expelliarmus!" just as his father was beginning the Killing Curse. He and his father both dodged each other's spells.

"Father," Draco said curtly.

"Son. You have betrayed us. You have betrayed me." Lucius sounded more angry at this act of defiance than anything else. "I thought we had settled this matter."

"No, father, we didn't, not really," Draco told his father, steel eyes locking onto steel eyes.

"Do you need to be taught another lesson?" A warning.

"I do not. Your lessons are not very informative," Draco retorted, watching for an opening.

"They are, none the less, taught. Crucio!" A beam of light shot of of Lucius's wand, Draco dodged it, and it hit one of the circling wizards in the chest instead.

"You should be more careful, father, you might anger me enough to cause you serious harm. Doleo!" A blue beam hit Lucius in his wand shoulder and he fought to retain a grip on the wand.

After a moment, Lucius had countered the spell, and looked on his son coldly. He smiled. "That was not advisable, Draco." With a quick look around the circle, Lucius saw Ginny Weasley watching with intensity. Smiling coolly, he flicked his wand to her and said "Avada Kedavra!"

Time slowed, and Ginny seemed to realize too late what was headed for her. She tried to duck, to dodge, to get out of the way, but the press of people was too great. Draco watched with horror as the love of his life, his reason for being, crumpled before him. He turned to his father, steel eyes darkened to slate with hatred for the man who stood before him.

"Do you see now the lesson that I must teach you, you insolent boy?" Lucius sneered, confident in his victory over the boy.

"Like father, like son." Draco pointed his wand at his father.

"Exactly." Lucius's upper lip curled even further.

"I must be more like you."

"You're getting the message now."

"Then there's only one thing to do, then. Avada Kedavra!" The circle of wizards and witches watched as a bolt of green light, the product of years of hatred and resentment towards his father, shot out of his wand and hit his father in the face. Lucius fell immediately, but Draco turned away.

Harry fought his way to Draco, who was cradling Ginny in his arms, his head bowed.

"He killed her," Draco said, not believing that she was gone.

"I understand." Harry looked into Draco's eyes, and his heart went out to the man who had risked so much to be with the one he loved.

"Yes, you do, don't you." This was said without malice but instead with simple acceptance. "I'll Disapparate to somewhere safe. I can't do this anymore, Harry."

Harry simply nodded, and a moment later, Draco and Ginny were gone.

The battle became more frenzied, if that was possible, after the duel between Draco and Lucius. As the day dragged on, both sides threw their reserves into the fight; still evenly matched, after all that had happened.

Remus and Dumbledore stood on the ridge, looking over the battle site.

"Albus, what is Harry doing?" Remus asked the old wizard.

"Looking for Voldemort," Dumbledore replied, just as calm as if Lupin had asked him about the weather. Remus grew angry at the headmaster's lack of concern.

"What do you mean looking for Voldemort?"

"Just what I said. Harry is looking for Voldemort. That will be the duel that will decide the battle. If Voldemort is killed, then we will prevail. There is no one who could take over the Dark Lord's position if he were to be killed. Lucius Malfoy could have, but he's dead now."

"Ginny--" Lupin began, interrupting Dumbledore.

Dumbledore's voice was soft "Miss Weasley was a tragic mistake. We can do no more now than mourn her once this is over, which ever way the battle goes."

"Why aren't you fighting, then?" Remus asked, exasperated by Dumbledore's lack of concern.

"My place is here. I can do no more than oversee the battle. I am a hundred and fifty years old, Remus, what can I do? My fight was with Grindelwald, not Voldemort. Harry is the one history has chosen for that honor. And if we're lucky, we will see the end today."

"Today?"

"Today. Oh look, I dropped a stitch." Dumbledore's focus shifted to his knitting for a moment, and then returned to the battle. Remus Lupin began to pace. "Mister Lupin, I would advise you to stop pacing. Mister Potter has found Voldemort." Remus stopped in mid-stride and turned to the battlefield. The headmaster was correct. The two enemies had indeed found each other.

Harry let all his feelings drain from him, isolating him further from the world around him. Voldemort and he circled each other, their wands at the ready.

"Hello, Tom," Harry began, hoping to find a weakness in his opponent before Voldemort could find one in him. Once the sound of the his old name hit Voldemort, he stiffened, not wanting to hear the name that he thought he had left behind long ago.

"Hello, Harry. We meet again."

"Indeed," Harry agreed. "How are you?"

"Patient. Yourself?"

"The same. I can wait."

Voldemort raised an eyebrow. "You plan to win?"

"Don't you?" Harry retorted, becoming swept up in the game of verbal exchange.

"I do. But I will win, while your outcome is not so certain."

"Surely?" Harry raised an eyebrow, matching Voldemort's expression and looked into the devilish red slits that Voldemort called eyes

"Yes."

"I thought your name was Tom?" Harry smiled at his own wit.

Voldemort's sense of humor, had he ever had one, was gone now. "My name is Voldemort. Crucio!" Harry dodged the spell, and the two men continued circling.

"You can do better than that, can't you?"

"I can. Imperio!" Harry was not quick enough, and he felt a familiar compulsion to Voldemort sink into his very bones. "Now, Harry, bow to me."

Harry felt as if he was floating in his own mind. He felt the need to bow, to beg forgiveness and be accepted and loved by Voldemort. But there was another part of his mind that asked him why he felt the need. Why was it so important? With great effort, he regained control of his mind.

Acting as if he was under the Imperius Curse, he began to inch towards his enemy, bowing. Suddenly he lunged forward, and headbutted the Dark Lord in the stomach. His weight was just enough to force Voldemort to topple over. Harry yelled "Expelliarmus" and the circle of people, both Death Eaters and Aurors watched as Harry's and Voldemort's wands, brothers, were united in Harry's hand.

"Harry--" Voldemort began, his voice betraying his fear.

"No. Don't say it. You've caused enough pain and anguish. You cannot beg for your life. Not after what you put me and the rest of my world through. Avada Kedavra!"

A great beam of green light shot out of the ends of both of the wands. Time stretched as Voldemort vainly tried to avoid being hit, but the Killing Curse hit him in the stomach, burying its light in his body. A blood chilling scream escaped his lips as his breathing stopped. The Dark Lord was dead.

No one moved. Not a sound was uttered from the lips of anyone for almost a full minute. The Death Eaters could not believe that their protection had died, leaving them without a Dark Lord to serve, and the Aurors and their allies couldn't believe that it was over.

Over. The long war against Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters was over. After thirty plus years, it was over. A sense of reality came back to the Death Eaters first, the more intelligent of whom decided that it would be best if they began to retreat. They ran. Masks fell away as the Death Eaters could no longer concern themselves with their coverings, but their personal safety instead.

Only a few were able to start running. Just as soon as the first Death Eater moved to run to beyond the Apparation Wards, the Aurors responded with cries of "Impedimenta!", which caused the retreating Death Eaters to stop in place. Once they had been stopped, a calm settled over the battlefield.

For the first time in three decades, a peace had settled over Hogwarts. A lasting peace, that would help the current generation of students grow up without fear of their families being killed.

All over the grounds, Aurors weary from the day of battle and the long struggle to overthrow Voldemort were congratulating each other, and using Levitation Charms to bring the prisoners to their headquarters. Harry looked around for Ron's flame hair, and found it walking down the road to him.

Harry had never been this exhausted mentally, emotionally or physically and every sinew and cell in his body ached. Not just from the day's exertions, but from the fourteen years of dedication. His defenses began to crumple. A few Aurors tried to approach him, to give words of encouragement and celebration, but he warded them away with a raised hand.

Ron approached him warily, noting that previous attempts to talk to Harry had met with failure.

"'lo," Ron tried.

"Hello," Harry replied, too tired and worn to even look at his oldest and best friend.

"Are you okay?" The last bits of masonry crumbled, and the walls that had kept Harry Potter intact for years finally fell apart. He stood in Ron's arms, sobs wracking his body. The stress of all of years of fighting finally caught up with him.

"I don't want to do this anymore, Ron," Harry cried through the tears.

"Neither do I, Harry," Ron said to him missing the point entirely, and soon joined his friend in crying for their lost loves and their shattered dreams.

They stood in the middle of the field for what seemed like hours. The sky grew dark, and the number of Aurors on the scene decreased dramatically as they brought the last prisoners away.

Finally Ron broke away. "I need to see Ginny and Draco. Will you come with me?" he asked hopefully. Ron didn't want to have to face his sister's death alone.

"I'll be along soon, I promise," Harry said, looking into Ron's eyes. Ron nodded and walked away towards the castle.

Harry was alone with his thoughts, but he no longer wanted to cry out to the world. In fact, he felt quite empty inside.

I meant what I said, Ron. I don't want to do this anymore. Hermione, I miss you more than I can think about. Your love meant so much to me, and kept me going during the Diagon Alley attacks. Why did he have to take you? I ask myself that everyday, and I still don't have an answer. I love you, and miss you. Your protection saved me. Take good care of Ginny for us. I'll see you soon, my love.

Harry squeezed his emerald eyes shut for a moment, opened them, and made his way back to Hogwarts.