Transcendence

~ Chapter 18: The Final Exchange ~

It was an ordinary autumn morning aside from the fact that Sev wasn't teaching -- or tutoring Harry. The Potions Master was hard at work in his brightly lit chamber while his colleague and lover, Remus, sat on the bed, marking students' assignments. An ear-piercing whistle caused the brown-eyed wizard to wince, jarring the man's concentration. He looked up to see the black-robed wizard standing hunched in a corner of the room. Sev's eyes were narrowed with concentration; he carefully carved a design out of the quartz where the amethyst would need to fit perfectly. This wasn't ordinarily done -- not that any experienced jeweler had ever tried to do what he was doing. Remus sighed and shifted a little. He looked up again at the standing wizard and suppressed a sigh of irritation. He knew that Harry was racing against time but he wished that Sev would just stop working for a little while to spend time with him. Remus took a deep breath and resumed working on the papers.

Since Sev worked on the stones at every chance he had, the stones were finally fused together on the ninth of October. Now it was the youngsters' turn to test and experiment with the finished product. Though Harry was curious as to how Sev had managed it, the boy thought that his godfather deserved to keep certain things to himself. The weekend arrived and the Potions Master volunteered to be Harry's newest test subject much to the annoyance of the Defence professor. Remus hid his irritation well but could never successfully keep it a secret from Harry. That was another source of irritation for the golden-eyed wizard. He was unsure why he was bothered by it now but the fact that the young Gryffindor was aware of his mood swings -- Harry had given him several oblique looks -- unnerved him.

The results of the experiments that Harry and Hermione had carried out with the gems were satisfactory. The emerald-eyed boy believed that his theory would work but the only way to know for certain would be to attack Voldemort with the stones. Hermione and Professor Flitwick worked closely together on creating the specific spells to help the stones along while Harry and Draco discussed what it would take to eliminate the Dark Lord for good. The boys still were unsure what the final step would be after two weeks had passed.

During the third week of October, the seventh-years had to sit the mock NEWT exams. The Potions practical test was relatively easy; all the students needed to concoct were a Shapeshifting Potion and its antidote. Harry became a Black-look-alike but had to spend two days sporting a cat's tail since he had made a small mistake when he brewed the reversal potion. Draco couldn't stop teasing the Gryffindor both in and out of class. It was particularly embarrassing for the raven-haired boy when the two were in the mood for intimacy and the tail happened to get in the way. It invariably broke the mood, and the Slytherin would end up laughing for hours.

Draco was looking forward to the Defence practical exam since it would give him the opportunity to prove to a certain skeptical Weasley that he was able to conjure a useful Patronus. Fortunately for him, he didn't notice Dean imitating a ferret when his back was turned. However, the Slytherin surprised his peers when he successfully called up the Patronus that had saved his soul just months before. It was the first time that Remus had seen the huge ghostly dog and he was speechless. It amused Harry that no one seemed to think that his stag was anything special anymore, not that he cared.

Dumbledore thought that the students had worked hard enough and he decided to arrange for a trip to the wizarding village so that the youngsters could de-stress. He announced that they would have a Hogsmeade weekend later that week.

**********

Saturday, 25^th October. Hogsmeade.

After their shopping, Harry's group met up at a new bar selling cold fruit juice set just beside The Three Broomsticks. Draco, Harry and Ron were each carrying armloads worth of sweets. Draco's bag gave a loud thud as the Slytherin dropped it and he gracelessly sprawled into his chair.

"Drinks for you, lads?" the owner of the bar asked politely.

Draco studied the menu written on the blackboard. He had no idea if a Peppermint Milk Shake would taste good but he bought one anyway. He took a sip using the purple straw and decided the drink was nice.

"Draco, what on earth is this?" Ginny held out a round jar containing a white, milky substance.

"Lubricant," the Slytherin responded easily and smirked when Dean's eyes bulged. Harry glared at him.

"He's joking," Harry said.

"Then what is it?" Ginny persisted.

"Varnish for parchment. It laminates," Draco answered while drinking. Ginny wanted to ask what he was going to do with it when she saw Ernie talking to a group of Hufflepuffs. The Head Boy then headed for a group of Slytherins.

"Looks like it is time for us to get back to the carriages," Seamus observed. Some of them sighed in disappointment. Draco took a last sip of his shake before hurrying after his friends. As soon as they neared Hogsmeade station, they realized that something was wrong.

A huge crowd of students had gathered to one side and there seemed to be a lot of whispering going around. Harry distinctly heard several male voices cursing at once and he thought he heard Tonks screaming for someone to fetch Dumbledore. Draco hefted his grocery bag to one side while he drew his wand. Harry's group cautiously approached the crowd and slowly insinuated themselves into it.

"What in Merlin's name?" Draco swore as he watched Leren and Theodore being manhandled by several tough station guards. Out of the way from the main action, he saw Tonks giving a helping hand to Blaise. He scanned the crowd again and saw Pansy, Greg and Vince trying to be inconspicuous though Tonks didn't let them out of her sight.

"Luna ... she's hurt," Harry said in a worried tone. The Slytherin watched as his boyfriend and Hermione approached the disheveled girl. She had a vivid bruise on her left cheek.

"What happened?" Draco asked, watching Harry from a distance.

"She says that Leren suddenly pushed her and she nearly fell onto the tracks. Thankfully, she collided with a bench and managed to stay on the platform," the Gryffindor answered with a frown.

Dumbledore and a group of Aurors appeared, striding forward purposefully. All of them looked unhappy. Draco watched as Kingsley ordered his team to take the two boys into custody. He cursed silently when he saw Leren's parents storming through the crowd. The Slytherin was sure that the adults would demand their son's release -- Mrs. Montague looked livid.

Mr. Montague, a tall sharp-nosed wizard wearing dark blue robes waved his wand at his son so suddenly that the guards weren't able to react quickly enough. However, it was not the wizard's intention to hurt the guards. Instead, Mr. Montague had severed Leren's left sleeve and completely exposed his son's fair arm. The older wizard shook with rage when he saw Voldemort's mark. Mrs. Montague slapped her second son and Leren looked at her, stunned.

"This -- boy," Mrs. Montague hissed in between sobs, "takes orders from his older brother. By all means, we allow you to take our eldest son away too!"

"Our Master will find us and kill you --" Leren's voice was quickly muted by a Silencing Charm from Kingsley.

"Where are they going to be taken to?" Draco asked as he watched the Aurors and their captives being led back into the village.

"Not to Azkaban for sure," Harry replied. "I think they will put Leren and Theodore someplace that is Unplottable."

Draco reinserted his wand into its holder along his slacks and the crowd of students began to board the waiting carriages. The incident haunted most students as they headed back to the castle; their euphoria from the day trip vanished in the face of the troubled events of the afternoon. The three other known Death Eaters in Hogwarts maintained a low profile and kept their distance from everyone else.

"Considering that there was a bunch of hotheaded Gryffindors near the site, it is lucky things didn't get too violent,"

Draco remarked to his boyfriend lightly.

"Don't remind me."

Harry shuddered, imagining a very barbarous crowd beating up the Slytherin captain.

**********

Tuesday, 28^th October. Lunch break.

Draco hurried down the magical staircase toward the Great Hall and pulled his robes closer to his body. Damn Harry and his pranks. Murderous thoughts were running through his mind as he descended the steps swiftly. Harry had massaged his entire body with ointment but Draco had not been aware that the ointment was a joke material. The Slytherin found out about its side effects while he took a quick shower. His yelling had caused his lover to bolt and flee to the safety of his friends.

It was already a cold day but the prank that he had been subjected to made the cold almost intolerable. He passed a group of young fawning Gryffindor girls when something crossed his mind. Why didn't I think of it earlier? He scolded himself and slowly, a thin layer of flames surrounded him.

"Hey! Are you all right?" asked a Gryffindor boy. The lad seriously looked alarmed.

"I'm fine. I'm cold so I'm warming myself," Draco told the boy lazily. Although there are better ways to get warm... Then he shook himself. It's school time so don't think about getting Harry in a bed. Hermione and Ron gave him odd looks but Harry was looking anywhere but at Draco.

"Do I sense someone feeling guilty about something?" Draco remarked as he sat across his boyfriend.

"It must be your imagination," the Gryffindor replied innocently.

Draco snorted and plied himself with food. He suddenly froze in his movements when he saw Blaise sitting with them. It wasn't his housemate's presence that shocked him, but the fact that Luna was resting her head against the Slytherin's shoulder and Blaise's arm was curled around her waist. The bruise on the Ravenclaw's cheek -- the one she had received a few days ago -- was fully healed.

"Did I miss something?" Draco asked his boyfriend curiously.

"You mean them?" Harry glanced quickly in Luna's direction.

"Yes. Since when did they become official?"

Harry smiled faintly as he answered, "I'm not sure but I suspect they were already together even before the trip to Hogsmeade."

Draco stared at the new couple briefly before eating his lunch. He saw that Ginny was scribbling something furiously. He waited until he had finished his meal before taking a quick look at what she was writing. It turned out to be a list -- of their birthdays. Well ... did she pester Harry for my birthday? He looked at the redheaded girl in amusement.

"Harry, when is Sev's birthday?"

The girl asked the question so suddenly that it startled the emerald-eyed boy and Harry accidentally bit his tongue. Draco's boyfriend coughed uneasily. All eyes were on him and like Ginny, Hermione was keen to know when the Potions Master celebrated his birthday.

"I can't say -- he'll kill me if I do -- I promised not to tell anyone," Harry stammered and looked at his godfather rather nervously.

"Chicken," Ginny muttered. "Since you're not telling, I think I'll just ask him myself."

"You'll be sadly missed if Sev hexes you into dust," Draco said earnestly. She made a face at him and before anyone else could say anything, Ginny was on her way to the teachers' table.

"Professor Snape? When were you born?" Ginny asked sweetly.

"I don't think it is any business of yours, Miss Weasley," Sev replied, scowling darkly at her.

"Ninth of June," Remus said quickly.

"Remus," Sev growled.

"What?" The Defence professor looked at the Potions Master innocently. Then Remus leaned closer and whispered in Sev's ear, "Are you going to spank me?"

"Don't. Push. It." Sev clenched his jaws and determinedly looked at the doors.

"Are you sure?"

Ginny blushed at Remus's insinuation and waited desperately for a moment to gain their attention. "Uh ... Professor Lupin? What about you?"

"Me? Actually ..." Remus hesitated. "Don't be disappointed but actually ... I'm born on the twenty-fourth this month."

"Oh. Okay. Thanks!" Ginny hurried back to her seat, glad to be far away from the glaring Potions Master. She had an impudent grin on her face and showed her parchment to Harry.

"You're lucky he didn't scream above a whisper," Harry mumbled gloomily.

"Pity! We missed Remus's birthday!" Hermione studied the completed list.

"Too bad the lake would be frozen when his birthday comes," Dean said lightly.

"What if it isn't?" Seamus looked at his friend in bafflement and Draco just pretended he hadn't heard a word.

"We could dunk him in there," Ginny's boyfriend replied.

Draco ignored the jests and merely observed his boyfriend.

"What's on your mind?" Harry asked softly. Draco knew that Harry knew that he was troubled but the Slytherin never really confessed what was bothering him.

"Nothing really," Draco answered and smiled. The Slytherin hoped that the emerald-eyed boy would stop worrying about him but Harry wasn't convinced. "Green-Eyes..." Draco pouted. The Gryffindor chuckled and threw his hands up in defeat.

"Hey, what are you guys planning to do on Halloween?" Dean inquired.

"What else can we do?" Ron asked and suddenly let out a loud burp. "Oops -- sorry."

"I heard that some Hufflepuffs are arranging a dancing competition," Ginny piped up.

"Why don't you partner up with your boyfriend? He can sing -- let's see if he can dance too," Hermione suggested slyly to Harry.

"No way," Draco spoke firmly. The Slytherin checked his watch and kicked Harry's leg lightly. "We'd better get going. Potions is starting in ten minutes."

"See you later guys," Harry said as he stood.

"See you later, Ron," Hermione whispered to her boyfriend and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Then she linked her arms with Harry and Draco as they exited from the Hall.

**********

Friday, 31^st October. In the Room of Requirement.

Harry stood in front of the long mirror and sighed in exasperation. Why can't I have a good hair day at least once in my life? He scowled at his reflection and tried to comb his hair again. My hair is too damned thick and -- He nearly yelled in frustration.

"Green-Eyes, are you done?" Draco approached him while readjusting his sleeves.

"Drake, I tried my best but..." Harry tugged at his hair, hoping that his boyfriend would get the hint.

"Maybe you should consider shaving your head," Draco said lightly. Then his lips stretched into a wide grin when Harry glared. "Leave it as it is, lover. When you get older, I think you should don a longer length," the Slytherin murmured as he hugged Harry from behind. A humble knock on their door broke the peaceful silence between them.

"Harry? Draco? Are you ready?" The voice belonged to Hermione.

Harry made a last attempt brushing his hair but instantly gave up when his friend knocked again. "We might as well go now," the Gryffindor said in a resigned tone. He opened the door and smiled at Hermione. "Where's Ron?"

"On his way. Why didn't you use that SleekEasy potion?" Hermione asked curiously, examining Harry's hair.

"Saving it up for the Yule Ball," Harry answered flippantly and his friend raised an eyebrow.

"Oh. Really?" She looked skeptical. "Who did you ask to be your partner?"

Harry shrugged but he was looking wistfully at Draco.

"Hey! Let's go down!" Ron appeared, with the rest of their friends several feet away.

"Yeah, let's go," Harry agreed. As they were descending the staircase, he boldly asked Draco, "Would you be my partner for the Yule Ball, Drake?"

Draco turned around quickly, disbelief clear in his eyes. Then the Slytherin forced himself to keep walking and Harry waited anxiously for his boyfriend's reply. The Gryffindor was a little surprised that his request had actually made his silver-eyed lover flustered. They finally reached the ground floor but the Slytherin hadn't replied. Just when Harry started to feel disappointed, he felt Draco's fingers lightly brush his. Harry turned and his spirits soared when he saw the gentle look in the Slytherin's eyes.

"I accept," the Slytherin answered shyly. "Thank you for asking me out."

Harry couldn't help himself; he started to grin like a madman. Draco didn't say anything either but happiness shone in his eyes. They went into the Great Hall and headed straight for their usual seats.

"I don't see Sev," Hermione remarked as she took her seat.

Harry looked curiously at the staff table. Remus isn't here either. Well, I wouldn't be surprised if the two decided to skip the feast to spend time with each other instead. I have taken up too much of Sev's time the last few days.

They didn't have to wait very long for the feast to begin. A variety of dishes materialized on the massive oak tables. A colony of bats swooped down and Hermione's hands unconsciously went to protect her hair.

"They won't get tangled in your hair, you know," Draco muttered.

"Just instinct," Hermione replied sheepishly. Ron wanted to comment but his girlfriend shut him up with a look.

Harry chuckled and helped himself to some roasted chicken. Poor Ron. It seems like 'Mione won't tolerate his habit of speaking with his mouth full.

"Is it just me or is the Hall getting brighter than last Halloween?" Dean asked in amusement.

"Too many pumpkins," Ginny said.

Harry munched thoughtfully and tried not to be obvious about studying his boyfriend. Why does he keep looking back at the window? The Gryffindor wondered. Why is he feeling ... edgy? Harry turned his head slightly and watched the pale-haired Slytherin beside him. A feeling of anxiety reached him but it was not coming from his boyfriend or any of his friends. He felt Sev entering the Hall just as Hermione elbowed him lightly.

Heads turned and followed the Potions Master's movement across the Hall. The chattering and whispers died out and the students watched Sev's grim expression uneasily. Harry stared at his godfather as the man leaned forward to speak softly to the Headmaster. It can't be about Remus's transformation. We won't have a full moon until the fourteenth next month. The Gryffindor refocused his attention on Dumbledore. The older wizard shook his head and Harry saw him turn to McGonagall. She too, shook her head.

Those who didn't know Sev well would think he was just being grouchy like usual, but that wasn't the case at all. The Potions Master was worried about something and Harry was about to find out why. Harry's group paused eating as they waited for Sev to reach their table.

"Have any of you seen Professor Lupin?" Sev asked in an undertone. For no obvious reason, Draco turned pale.

The youngsters exchanged glances but it was Hermione who broke the uncomfortable silence. "No, we haven't. We thought that," her voice dropped below a whisper, "he was with you."

"Well, obviously, since I am here asking for him, he isn't," Sev answered bitterly and turned to go.

It took Harry a few moments to summon his limbs to move. When he did, he ended up running toward his godfather. The Gryffindor managed to intercept the downcast wizard and whispered harshly.

"Did you guys quarrel?" Harry asked, making sure that no one near them was able to hear the words.

"We did not, Harry. I couldn't find him in any of his usual haunts -- We had agreed on having dinner in my quarters," Sev replied softly. "Two hours have passed and he still hasn't turned up."

"But it's unlike him not to leave a note or inform you beforehand," Draco said with a frown.

"Sev, Dumbledore hasn't any idea where Remus could be, does he?" Harry asked after a moment. At his godfather's nod, the Gryffindor's eyes darkened. "I don't like it." Without warning he summoned a map -- the Marauder's map. His godfather looked at the familiar roll with narrowed eyes but unlike the last time, Sev knew the map for what it was.

Harry drew his wand and tapped the surface of the map lightly as he spoke: "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." He waited until the parchment revealed all of Hogwarts' passages. He saw tiny labeled dots belonging to himself, Sev and Draco; the map also showed that Hermione and the rest of his friends were heading his way. However, there was no sign indicating that Remus was in Hogwarts at all. Before Harry could even think about how that was possible, his scar burned intensely, temporarily disabling him.

"Harry?" Draco reached for him but the Slytherin doubled in pain a second later.

Harry was unaware that some of the staff and students were in similar pain. He couldn't think past the pain that surrounded his mind and in that moment of weakness, someone attempted to strangle him. His arms flailed about wildly for a moment before he thought of using magic to throw the person off of him.

"What's going on?" Harry heard someone demanded.

"Stop him!" Dumbledore shouted. "You two! Grab the professor!"

What in the hell is going on? Harry cursed. He fisted his fingers and willed the pain to go away. When he stopped seeing double, he saw to his horror that Draco, Neville and Ron were trying to restrain his godfather.

"Get off him!" Harry shouted.

"No!" Hermione pulled him back. "He's not himself! He tried to strangle you!"

"What?" his jaw dropped. A detached part of him studied the Potions Master and concluded that the wizard was being controlled. Someone was manipulating his godfather through the Dark Mark. It didn't take long for him to realize that Voldemort was around the castle -- somewhere.

Does that mean that Remus is in his reach? How on earth did that happen?! one part of his mind clamored. "Draco, stay here with Sev," Harry commanded sharply.

"Where are you going?" the Slytherin asked harshly.

"Voldemort. It's time." Harry gazed steadily at his boyfriend.

Dumbledore quickly came and knelt down beside the struggling Potions Master. The Headmaster chanted a spell and Sev became limp and his eyes closed. Then the old wizard glanced sideways at Harry. "Are you sure?"

Harry tilted his head to one side. He was sure that he felt strong magical energy coming from due south. He nodded his head in confirmation and turned to leave. However, he was brutally pulled back and found himself staring into a pair of stormy gray eyes.

"Sirius told me to stick to you always. You made me promise never to leave you. I'm coming with you."

Harry smiled faintly at the annoyance radiating out from the Slytherin. "Of course you are coming with me. I think I might need you. You know, as backup energy or something."

Draco only snorted and both proceeded out of the Hall. Seconds later, Dumbledore and the DA members followed them, armed and ready for action.

**********

"I wished we had thought of sending -- no, having scouts," Harry muttered as the group stealthily crossed the grounds and into the Forbidden Forest. They were being extra cautious since there was no moonlight to help them along and Dumbledore felt it unwise to light their wands.

"Well, we can always depend on you to feel them out," Ron said, half attempting to joke.

"You're right," Harry reluctantly agreed and raised his hand to signal for a stop.

"You can just skip trying to see them with Othersight. The magic is too strong here for it to be of help," Draco inserted.

"Death Eaters," Harry suddenly said and summoned his Patronus. With the stag taking the lead, other misty-shaped Patronii followed it and charged toward a group of Voldemort's followers.

"Expelliarmus!" Dozens of voices pierced the silence of the forest.

"Avada Kedavra!" was the response from the wizards that had been waiting for them.

The youngsters dropped to the ground while Dumbledore took cover behind a massive trunk. Harry and his friends continued to try to disarm the wizards leaving the Headmaster free to tackle the enemies secretly. A minute later, their enemies were turned to stone. Harry's group moved forward and did not look back even when they heard a loud crashing noise coming from the stone Death Eaters.

"This way," Harry instructed in a quiet voice and the group went slowly. There were so many raised roots and pits just ahead of them that by the time they reached flat and easy ground, the youngsters were sweating from the arduous course. They had been walking for about fifteen minutes or so when Draco's sharp eyes spotted the slightest flicker of light.

Harry, Draco, Ron and Hermione crept along the ground. When the intensity of the light grew, they crouched and moved slowly until... Hermione gasped in horror. What they saw was truly chilling. Remus was suspended five feet above ground and his robes hung about him in tatters.

"What's the whole point of doing that to him?" Draco asked. The Slytherin was seething with anger.

"He is still alive," Harry said after checking the life force that was present in the wizard's body. His scar throbbed again but he ignored it.

"They're going to flog him," Hermione choked on the words. As if her voice had triggered it, the black chain about Harry's neck grew cold all of a sudden. A forceful gale swept across them. It was then that they saw the wraiths again, shielding the unconscious Defence professor with the strange vortex that was a threat to all other ghostly apparitions.

"Harry..." Ginny pulled at the boy's sleeve and handed him a wand that he recognized as Remus's. He took the wand and tucked it safely inside a pocket before returning his attention to the melee unfolding in the small clearing. Voldemort wasn't there however.

"Demons!" Neville shrieked out suddenly, gaining attention from both his friends and the Death Eaters who seemed too busy dealing with Sirius and his company.

"Potter! He is out there!" one of Voldemort's followers yelled.

Harry muttered out every curse that he knew as he withdrew from his position and straightened his back. Behind Dumbledore's army was a group of about twenty demonic beings -- towering over eight feet in height.

"Stupefy!" Neville yelled and one of the demons became disorientated but only temporarily. Harry's group made the mistake of thinking that the creatures were slow moving. The green-eyed Gryffindor barely got away just as a set of claws ripped through the space where he had been standing seconds before.

If that wasn't bad enough for the company of teenagers, giants carrying huge spiked clubs came crashing into the area. Harry recognized the thundering footsteps quite well. The demons were herding them toward the clearing before they knew it.

"Incoming!" Ron yelled. Dumbledore and Hermione managed to stop a flying giant club in midair before it got the chance to hit them. Dumbledore chanted a very tricky-to-pronounce spell and sent the club flying back to its thrower. Harry felt vibrations on the ground but the giants didn't cause it.

"Move out of the way," a strange voice hissed.

"There he is!" a Death Eater exclaimed, clambering up to his feet only to be knocked back by two arrows fired by Bane. More centaurs appeared by their leader and the band trotted to the area where the giants had congregated. Harry's group was now in the clearing and they had to deal with the demons and Voldemort's minions at the same time.

"How the hell are we going to finish them off?" Dean asked angrily before letting loose a Blasting Curse. That worked, but only to a certain degree.

**********

Thirty minutes later...

Harry, Ron, Luna, Neville and Seamus were standing back to back in a circle as they warded off the Death Eaters following them. Once cleared, the group moved deeper into the forest. While they were on the run, Harry could feel Draco's fear increasing with every passing minute. Dumbledore's army had been separated into three groups and Draco was stuck with half of the DA members trying to fend off the demons.

"Harry! Where in the hell are you?!" Draco's thought was almost panicky and Harry felt his heart contract with the sheer intensity of desperation that accompanied the thought.

"Don't worry, Drake. I'm safe --" The Gryffindor's reply was extremely cut off when he felt a strong surge of bloodlust. Ron swore and quickly informed the rest of the group that they were still being chased.

Harry looked around; he could tell that he was in familiar territory. "Guys, this way!"

"Harry!" Neville struggled to keep pace with the rest. "Where are you taking us?"

"Near Aragog's lair," Harry answered quickly.

"Near what?"

"Harry, are you mad?" Ron glanced at the dark-haired Gryffindor.

"I probably am," Harry agreed.

**********

Dumbledore's eyes scanned the area quickly and he winced when he saw Ginny's form being smashed against a tree. To his amazement, the girl got back on her feet and furiously cursed the demon incoherent. There was movement to his right and he responded to it, knocking out two Death Eaters with a single wave of his wand.

I think it may be prudent to call for help now, the wizard thought. With that decision made, he lifted his wand and a second later, a ball of light shot high above the forest canopy and exploded into a shower of blue sparks, illuminating the black sky.

**********

In the Hall...

"Hey! What's that?" a second-year Gryffindor asked curiously and immediately got out of his seat. The boy pressed his forehead against the window and looked up at the sky. He was sure that he had seen something. More of his friends followed and in the end, McGonagall too ended up watching through the glass.

"Look!" a young girl pointed excitedly at the sky.

"Professor Dumbledore called for help," Hagrid said slowly.

"Yes, but he's been answered," McGonagall replied distractedly, her eyes reflecting the blinding white sparks. The half-giant left her side quietly. "Oh, I do hope they're all ri -- Hagrid? Hagrid!"

"He's going into the Forest," Professor Flitwick said grimly.

"And it seems like he has collected a following," Madam Hooch commented.

McGonagall whirled around, just in time to see the last few fourth years and Firenze heading out of the Hall. She looked stricken and sat down on the nearest bench quickly.

"Stop the children..." Sev croaked out. McGonagall turned to see the Potions Master sit up and the Slytherins who had been keeping an eye on him backed away instantly. "They're too young to deal with him."

"You stay here, Minerva. I'll go after them," Professor Sinistra said and the witch whisked out of sight.

**********

Luna fired off a Bewitched Sleep Hex behind her and tripped on a root.

"Come on!" Harry hefted her up and casted a Confundus Charm on a very persistent wizard but since the latter was quick on his feet, the Gryffindor missed. "Damn!" Harry pulled back his arm and punched the opponent just as Ron aimed a kick at the man's groin.

"Ouch. That had better hurt," Seamus muttered.

"Harry, what is your plan?" Ron wheezed.

"I'm not entirely sure but --"

"Aaaahhhh!!!" It was raining webs a moment later and all of them were stuck. Harry's view completely blackened when something jumped atop him. The Gryffindor fell to the ground, pinned by something strong. A strange scent filled his nostrils and one of Aragog's legs pointed at his throat menacingly.

"Why is it that you and your kind disturbs the quiet peace in the forest once again, friend of Hagrid?" the acromantula growled.

Luna muffled her screams; it was the first time she ever came across the family of giant spiders -- and the ground, and trees were teeming with them. Ron was staring at the gigantic spider in terror, his eyes wide. He really looked petrified. A strange high-pitched squeal penetrated the forest, causing some of the spiders to scuttle around nervously.

"Why have you brought Dark Wizards with you?" Aragog muttered angrily and Harry finally found his voice.

"So that you can eat them," the Gryffindor said quickly and his friends looked at him in horror. "But you can only eat the Dark Wizards -- not us, or our friends. And only this once."

"Meat..." a whisper from above the trees. "Let's feast on the flesh on those ruled by him..." One large spider suspended rattled.

That's probably his mate, Harry thought inconsequentially.

"Come then, my children. We'll lie in wait here. The humans will come to us soon..."

Harry dared not breathe a sigh of relief as the leg was withdrawn from his neck. He got up on his elbows and rid himself of the webs that clung onto his robes. He saw Neville looking at him with a strange expression. He's probably thinking that I have become a cold-blooded killer.

"Are you going to worry about whether you have done the right thing or not -- now?" Draco asked almost incredulously.

"Right now lover, I don't really care. Have you seen Voldemort?" Harry asked silently as he helped Luna disentangle herself from the thick webs.

"I haven't been given a chance to look around, Green-Eyes. We're preoccupied with Voldemort's demon thingies."

"Come on, I think we ought to rejoin the others. We shouldn't have gotten separated in the first place," Luna squeaked.

"Yeah, I agree," Ron seconded. "Hey, Seamus -- you're bleeding."

Luna quickly severed the edge of her robe and tied strips around the boy's leg to put some pressure on the wound. Somewhere in the distance, they heard a loud honk and a chorus of screams and pleas for mercy.

"Harry, do you think the Ford Anglia is driving them toward Aragog?" Ron asked in a sick voice.

"Ron, do you really want to know?" Harry inquired politely.

"On second thought ... I'd rather not."

**********

Remus had finally regained consciousness and he paled when he saw Sirius in his ghostly form. "Here's your wand," a disembodied voice startled him out of his paralysis and he slowly reached for it. His back ached; no surprise when he saw that his body was laced with reddening welts -- some of them bled rather profusely.

Merlin! Sev! Remus looked around him frantically. He didn't realize that Draco was watching him as well as the demons that were slowly circling them.

"Sev's all right. He's in the castle," the Slytherin said slowly. There was a long slash along the boy's right cheek and Remus saw the pale-haired Slytherin wince in pain.

"Are you sure?" Remus spoke in a raspy voice. Draco nodded.

"What's that?" Susan asked anxiously. Remus didn't have to strain his ears to hear it. A strange keening sound began to intensify throughout the forest and for once, the demons seemed terrified by something. It was evident in the way they were whirling around and slashing at the empty air with their claws. Their eyes began to glow crimson and Remus was mesmerized by the sight.

"Don't look at their eyes!" Sirius commanded and Remus jolted back into awareness. His friend was staring at him with what looked like regret and Remus's eyes watered heavily. The keening sound had turned into a loud wail and it was converging on their area.

Hermione sank onto her knees and clapped her hands against her ears, face scrunched up into an expression of pain. Then the sound failed abruptly and Draco looked around in confusion. But Remus knew that the sound didn't stop at all; it was in a much higher frequency than anyone could hear. He didn't hear it but he felt it, like gentle waves of water against his skin.

They weren't prepared for what appeared next. Dozens of griffins swooped down on the demons and began a ferocious fight, carefully herding Voldemort's creatures into a circle. It was quickly apparent that the demonic beings weren't immune to the talons and beaks of the griffins. Remus saw that even their wings managed to cause severe damage. I didn't know that their feathers were sharp. They look like plate armor. The rest of the Death Eaters fled when a huge horde of goblins came forward via a single Portkey. The horde stopped and they rearranged themselves to trap the demons inside a perfectly shaped hexagon.

A mantra of cleansing began. Dumbledore warned his students not to look and Remus could see why. The process wasn't a pretty one and he knew that he would have nightmares just from seeing how the goblins mercilessly anatomized the demons before vaporizing the parts into ashes. It was a gruesome sight.

Things got a little more chaotic when a fresh group of Death Eaters came upon them. However, they weren't expecting Dumbledore or the huge company of griffins. Remus felt a little nonplussed at the erratic, screaming behavior but his demeanor changed when row upon row of students stormed into the clearing.

Remus heard a group of girls screaming, "Ferula!" and pointing their wands at a Death Eater. He was rather dubious about the outcome of the spell but was given a pleasant surprise by the Hufflepuffs.

"Rictusempra!" Draco couldn't resist hexing the mummified wizard with the Tickling Charm. The Death Eater couldn't control his movements and rubbing against unyielding wood and a thick layer of bandages proved just as disastrous as a Cruciatus Curse wielded by Voldemort; especially after the wizard tripped and began rolling down a slope that had tangled roots running all over the ground.

"Professor Lupin!" one of the girls exclaimed and rushed over to him. "You're all right!"

"Ferula?" Remus inquired gently.

"Well, it worked didn't it?" The girl smiled happily at him and he returned it. Not all of the students were unharmed. Some had been inflicted with deep gashes all over their bodies and Remus was suddenly reminded of the hex that Sev had inflicted on James when they had been students. Several students had sprouted feelers over their heads and were scuttling along the ground like ants.

Dear Lord... We're lucky that none of those bastards used the Killing Curse on them... Remus trembled and felt arms on either side supporting him. He saw Sirius's regretful face again. My friend...

**********

"Aaahhh!!! Mummy rolling our way!" Ron shouted and the group jumped out of the way. Four Gryffindors and one Ravenclaw watched the black and white body -- they didn't know that the person rolling down was still alive -- in a bemused manner.

"Green-Eyes!" Draco threw himself upon Harry. The Gryffindor hugged the Slytherin back just as tightly. Harry completely forgot that they weren't alone and traced Draco's wound lightly. He'll have a scar... it's rather deep. "You don't have to worry about this," Draco pointed at the wound. "Remus cast something on it so that infection won't settle in."

"He's all right?" Harry looked into the silver eyes anxiously.

"Sirius did a good job of protecting him."

The students who suddenly saw Draco running were shocked and scandalized when the Slytherin actually hugged his 'enemy'. By the looks of it, they knew that Draco also wanted to give the Gryffindor a kiss and would have had Hermione not pulled them apart.

"Griffins? Goblins?" Harry looked at the large company in astonishment.

"Blaise?!"

Luna became rigid as she watched her boyfriend walking slowly toward her.

"What on earth are you -- What are all of you doing here?" Harry asked sternly.

Van, the sixth year Slytherin cleared his throat humbly. "We wanted to help, that's all. You did call for help..."

Harry muttered something inaudible as he approached a different-looking griffin. Unlike the rest who were golden-feathered, the one he had picked was wearing a silver breastplate. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Professors Sinistra and Dumbledore helping to end the curses which some of the students were suffering from.

The griffin appraised Harry and Draco calmly as the boys neared it. Up close, the griffin was as large as a centaur. The Gryffindor took a deep breath and asked the magical creature directly: "Where stands Voldemort, the Dark Lord?"

The students and staff of Hogwarts assembled closer to The Boy Who Lived and paid careful attention to the movements of the griffins. The creatures began congregating around their leader -- the silver-armored griffin.

"What are they doing?" Draco asked quickly when he felt the air about him thicken with energy.

"I don't know," Harry replied, watching their glowing violet eyes avidly. Then the griffins started a low growl and the students sprang back nervously. All of the griffins turned in one direction and started slinking away. "Drake, look there." The Slytherin looked at the direction of his gaze and watched the thickening fog.

"I think they've sniffed out Voldemort," the pale-haired boy finally spoke. The goblin horde went ahead with Harry and Draco behind them. The others started to follow but halted when they heard a shout:

"Descend!" Similar commands erupted in the darkness. Harry and Draco stopped in their paces and turned back sharply. They saw several girls faint when a very large snout poked through the trees.

"Charlie?" Ron and Ginny exclaimed incredulously. More dragons wove gracefully in between the trees and it was a little cramped in the clearing.

"Damn. Looks like we've missed most of the action," a blonde rider riding a Common Welsh Green muttered.

"But at least we've immobilized the giants that the centaurs were having trouble dealing with," Charlie Weasley replied with a grin.

One goblin stepped forward. Harry thought it was Griphook but he was probably mistaken. All of them looked alike anyway.

"You'll get your chance, Dragon Keeper. If it pleases you, you are most welcome to go through the enemy lines first," the goblin rasped out, pointing a gnarly finger at the direction they were going. "We do not wish to endanger our partners unnecessarily." The rest of his kind nodded, placing their small hands on the griffins' sides protectively.

A white haired rider, who had a wrinkled and heavily tanned face and was wearing somber gray robes spoke to his colleagues, "Come on fellas. I'm sure there are more giants ahead."

"Adversaries which I completely hate to contend with," Charlie grumbled. "Nasty pikes."

"Hey, Craig," the blonde rider shouted. "Why don't you and your mate go ahead first? Joshua's feeling a mite bit vicious tonight, isn't he?"

"Right. He's still a little grumpy after that giant with the gold-studded pikes attacked his tail. I thought biting the head off would ease his anger somewhat," the one called Craig said.

"Well, you know dragons. Damn unpredictable fellows."

"Harry, are you sure that Charlie doesn't have a mean streak?" Draco turned a little pale upon hearing the riders' casual talk. Harry did not answer as he quickly walked out of the way -- and range -- of a very grumpy Hebridean Black.

**********

The ranks of tightly grouped students, goblins and griffins remained behind the safety of the broad ancient trees. Golgomath's heavily armed giant clan stood in wait for them. Harry wondered if the giants were shortsighted or lacked the sense of smell. Alternatively, were they aware that dragons had bracketed them?

"Professor," Remus looked up at the old wizard, "won't the trees burn?"

"It is all right Remus," Dumbledore assured him. "Stand still; the riders are moving in."

Harry could have been watching a television screen accompanied with very loud speakers. He watched the play of fire and the slow swinging of the dangerous pikes in fascination. While the giants were busy harrying the dragons, Voldemort was watching them, protected by a shield.

"We will summon the minotaurs now, Albus," one goblin informed the Headmaster.

"Minotaurs?" Ron whispered into Hermione's ear. "What good will they do?"

"I have heard that the creatures are capable of disrupting spells already in effect," his girlfriend answered, nodding her head in approval at the goblins' decision.

"That is correct," the goblin added. "They will also help you by making sure that the Dark Lord does not leave the vicinity. But that is all we will do," he spoke to Dumbledore. "What happens next is for you to decide."

"We have to figure out some way to distract the Death Eaters around him," Remus said quietly after the goblins and griffins retreated to one side for a summoning.

"Let's use every spell we know on them. Anti-Gravity Mist Hex, Disenchanting Spell -- anything," Ginny said resolutely, then huddled against Dean for protection when a minotaur passed her. Several of the creatures emerged from the goblins' circle. Ron's eyes widened at the large battle axes the minotaurs carried, along with the horned helmets and heavy shields.

"Come on then, let's go with those guys," Van said eagerly.

"Only the quick and sure-footed should even attempt to get close," Remus warned.

"We know! And we'll stay out of the dragons' way!"

"And the giants!"

Harry and Draco remained behind while most of their friends and those who weren't too winded, planned their way to get close to the Death Eaters before joining the minotaurs in scattering Voldemort's backup. The silver-eyed Slytherin watched in a detached manner as Van and his friends chased after two forms, one of which had pale blond hair. Nevertheless, Lucius was persistent in keeping the minotaurs and students off himself and his Master. The students of Hogwarts were successful however, with the assistance of Craig and his Hebridean Black dragon. Lucius was nearly burned on the spot but the fire missed him. Draco watched the Death Eater impassively as he turned tail and headed into the denser part of the forest.

**********

A loud roar recaptured the attention of those who had remained in the safety zone. The sound did not come from one dragon but three. One of them was injured and two other riders riding the same species converged together. The Hebridean Black almost stood on its hind legs and lashed forward with its strong, razor-sharp claws. The giant that had attacked Craig's dragon collapsed after its chest was cut into ribbons. Slowly, the group of students who had been skirmishing returned. Ron was limping slightly and Remus asked after him in a worried tone.

"It's nothing, Remus. Just sprained," the boy panted and slowly sank onto the ground to rest. Most followed his example. Dumbledore looked across to where Voldemort was dealing with the summoned creatures of the goblins. It was clear that the Dark Lord was irritated and probably wondering where Harry Potter was.

"Drake, summon a dragon here."

Draco looked at the Gryffindor in bafflement but didn't argue -- even though the Slytherin had no idea how he was going to do it. But call it he did, to his own amazement.

"The bracelet must have helped," the pale-haired Slytherin muttered.

Charlie seemed a little surprised when his dragon simply stopped fighting and slowly crawled toward Draco. A giant decided to take a piece of its leg. The red-haired rider held on to his seat as his dragon tensed and a powerful tail lashed out, knocking the giant backwards. Then Charlie's dragon continued to make its way to Draco.

"I knew you would be able to call one," Harry said with a smile.

"And I fervently hope that I don't call one by accident in the future ...."

Charlie stepped down from his suddenly well behaved ward. "What's going on?" he demanded of the two boys.

"We're just borrowing, Charlie," Harry told him. "Drake, tell it to move so that it is able to shield the rest of them."

Draco's left hand reached up to touched the bracelet on his right and he concentrated hard. They heard a low rumble coming from the dragon and it shifted its position. Then it promptly began to sleep.

"I need all of you to do me a favor. Whatever happens, stay behind this dragon," Harry said sternly and his serious expression matched the tone of his voice. He was looking gravely at the students gathered around him.

"Lover, is there --"

"I don't know if we'll survive after this night, Drake. We don't fully know how the gems and the spells will work together. We've only speculated about what the consequences were going to be." Harry studied his friends carefully as he conversed silently with his boyfriend, as though imprinting their faces into his memory.

"Well, then we shouldn't keep Voldemort waiting, don't you think?"

Draco smiled faintly at him. Harry gave a final nod and both of them walked to the side, waiting for the right moment to cross the grounds.

"Let's go while Voldemort is preoccupied with controlling the last of the giants!"

Draco nodded in affirmation and the two sped off. Halfway to reaching their target, Voldemort spotted them. Reacting in a fit of anger, the Dark Lord muttered several curses at both boys. When Harry realized that Voldemort was about to let fly a Killing curse, he warned Draco to get the firewall ready.

Green light impacted on black and the magic energy coursed through the wall of fire, changing into pretty-looking lightning. Wordlessly, Harry took Draco's hand and they passed through the Slytherin's shield. As soon as the Gryffindor was within sight of the Dark Lord, Draco was knocked sideways by the sheer force that built when twin wands met. The Slytherin landed on the ground with a muffled cry.

Harry gritted his teeth and held his wand tightly in his hand. He is strong, Harry thought and cursed silently when he felt his boots digging deep into the earth. He realized he was leaning slightly forward and tried to push the Dark Lord back. His arm tingled painfully and he started to sweat.

"Drake, when I tell you to, place the stones on his heart and push it into his body using your Fire Magic," he instructed his boyfriend as he issued more magic to flow into his wand.

"What? But I don't have the stones --"

"You do now," Harry answered impatiently. He blocked his boyfriend from his mind and stared at Voldemort calmly. Red eyes bored into his challengingly and the Gryffindor shuddered when he felt the Dark Lord's intense rage. During those moments, Harry accidentally caught a glimpse into one of Voldemort's darkest fantasies. He couldn't control his expression; his eyes widened in disbelief.

The Dark Lord saw it and smiled. Voldemort wasn't happy however. He wanted to kill the Gryffindor but unfortunately, his wand thought otherwise. Harry somehow knew that Voldemort wasn't planning on killing him in a fair match, but rather one of more subtle and underhanded methods.

"Damn you Potter," Voldemort hissed and grabbed Harry's free hand. The boy let out a gasp as the physically stronger wizard started twisting it. "Give in to me." The Dark Lord was forcing his wand to administer the Killing Curse.

"Never, Voldemort. Never." Harry's watery eyes fell onto their wands. The tip of the Dark Lord's began to glow with intense green light. Cracks slowly began to appear on both wands and Harry felt a surge of panic coming from his enemy. Silver light began to pour out of their magical instruments. Voldemort tried to loosen his grip from the wand but it was as if the wood was stuck permanently on his palm.

**********

I will not fail! Voldemort screamed mentally. Blasted wand! You will not fail me! He twisted the boy's arm mercilessly. Their wands were slowly weakening. Then he found that he didn't really care about his wand. I am a sorcerer and I will kill Potter with or without my wand. A smile appeared on his face. He forgot that there was a pale-haired Slytherin watching him like a hawk calculating the movement of its prey. He paid dearly for his lack of attention.

Voldemort didn't even detect Draco's sudden movement and paralyzed by the wands, the Dark Lord fell prey to the Slytherin's fingers. He felt something go through his body but he wasn't expecting it to be literally. Blood spurted forth from his chest, spraying on Harry's arm; some of it splattered on the young Slytherin's face.

Voldemort immediately let go of Harry's hand and clutched at his chest. He looked down and in the middle of his black satin robes was a crystalline object. It's embedded into my chest... He felt odd; his vision started to darken and he slowly began to feel numb. It's draining my energy...

The amethyst was doing its job well and it quickly drained the Dark Wizard of his life force and magical energy. The quartz was turning black slowly. Voldemort weakly raised his head and looked upon the boy he had tried to kill far more times than he could count. They were still dueling with their wands but weakly. A flash of silver caught his eye. Godric's sword. A mere child has bested me. How did he find a way? He could no longer see the Gryffindor's face. He may destroy my vessel but I will still soar free. I will return.

He breathed his last breath and heard the boy's resigned whisper to Draco. "Now, Drake. Merge your power with the wand." Even on the brink of Death, Voldemort was able to sense the Slytherin's magical energy.

Voldemort didn't see the quartz turn completely black. He began to feel separate from his body and elatedly; he strove to quicken the process. Then came the clash between sword, fire and crystal. No...

**********

They felt like they were directly in the path of a very wild hurricane. Ron shielded Hermione but it was more like everyone protected each other. Only the dragons protecting them from the shock waves remained imperturbable.

It was quite sometime before they felt safe to look in the direction where their friends had been. Hermione was still shaking violently as she stood, grabbing at Ron as if he was her lifeline. Dumbledore, Hagrid, Remus, the goblins, riders and students looked around the war zone.

"What irony," Blaise said quietly and students nodded in agreement. Their surroundings were filled with a bluish haze accompanied by minute white lights. A soft breeze made the haze shift, swirling this way and that. It was a beautiful place to be in and very unlike a place that had just seen the deaths of giants, minotaurs and Death Eaters.

"Where are they?" Ginny was becoming slightly hysterical and Hermione didn't blame her. She was feeling rather close to a nervous breakdown herself.

"Ron, please. Help me," Hermione croaked out. Her boyfriend nodded solemnly, not bothering to hide the tears that were slowly running down his cheeks.

"Come on," Dean muttered hoarsely.

Although the goblins and riders remained behind, those of Hogwarts marched forward in search of the two senior students. Hermione was crying quietly with Ginny clinging to her. In the distance, they saw two sprawled forms close to each other.

Only those who were close to the two boys approached the bodies, though Hermione was the only one who got really close to Harry and Draco. Ron had broken into sobs at the edge, face buried in his hands and his shoulders shaking violently with grief. Most of them seemed to be crying in one way or another.

Hermione pressed her palm gently against Draco's cheek while her other hand reached out to clasp on Harry's burnt fingers. Please wake up! She repeated the thought in her head. Her fingers skittered to check for their pulses and she cried out in relief when Draco opened one eye. The girl's elation seemed to fade when Draco's eyes remained glazed.

"Draco?"

"Yes?" the Slytherin responded, not quite looking in the right direction. Hermione slowly waved her hand over his eyes. Draco seemed to sense the movement but he wasn't able to look directly at her. She blushed when she noticed that he was staring at her chest. "Bloody Gryffindor. Why the hell didn't you warn me that the crystal would explode in light?"

"You didn't ask, Slytherin," Harry said lazily. His glasses were missing and he repeatedly waved his hand above his eyes. "Why on earth did I ever consider letting you stay inside my mind?"

"Because you thought we were going to die, you pumpkin-headed brat," Draco grumbled and struggled to get up into a sitting position. His eyes narrowed and Hermione felt like he was looking at something that she couldn't see. "Damn showy git ... what's with the blue mist?"

"Oh, you regained your sight already?" Harry spoke in mock surprise. "I thought it would take longer for your vision to clear up. I guess I've missed my chance of working on you with a blindfold."

"Can you see anything?" Draco asked with a smile, chatting as though he and Harry were the only ones that existed on the grounds.

"Yes, I think. Considering that I'm seeing triple figures of you and five sets of Hermione's eyes, yes, I think." Harry could vaguely recall his glasses vanishing when he had collided with the ground. He'd probably need a new pair to see properly.

Hermione had been quiet during the exchange but something in her exploded and she started to hit the boys roughly. "You idiots!" she wailed, smacking Draco and Harry on their heads. "We thought we'd lost you and here you are, brawling as if you didn't just get rid of Voldemort for us!" Then she sobbed helplessly and pulled the two boys close together. The couple exchanged a look and wisely remained silent.

Once Hermione had calmed down and was smiling instead of sobbing, Harry searched for something resembling Dumbledore's figure. "Professor? About the sword..."

"It is all right, Harry. It did something worthwhile before it was destroyed."

Other questions were interrupted when they heard a loud shout. "Harry!" That was Sev, sounding strained. The professor emerged and ran toward his godson. "Fools," he choked, collapsing on his knees to embrace his godson and protégé. They had no idea how Remus ended up in the embrace but there he was, being hugged tightly by his colleague.

One by one, the students sat on the ground, leaning against each other in comfort. They were too tired to move and they looked gratefully at the goblins who informed them that help was on the way. Draco laid down again and Harry snuggled close to him, ignoring the faint gasps coming from some of the girls and boys. Hermione didn't care if they were being too open. They were still alive and it was unlikely that they would run into a Voldemort wanna-be.

The odd couple had fallen asleep and Hermione too felt like she could just curl up and sleep without caring where she was. She followed her friends' example and tugged Ron down to sleep with her. He did so without complaint. Hermione was drifting on the edge of consciousness when she heard someone ask:

"What of Lucius?"

It was Dumbledore who replied. "He had been standing very close to the blast when Voldemort was finally destroyed. Three of our members found him nearby."

"He's dead then?"

"He isn't but maybe, that would be a mercy to him."

"Albus, what happened to him?"

"I think he has lost his magic, Minerva."

That must feel awful... but considering all the things he did when his magic still flowed through him... Hermione told herself.

"Headmaster," Snape whispered. "The Mark. The Mark on my arm -- it is gone."

"And so is his scar..."

**********