Destiny

Never Ending Battles

Chapter 19

Chaos erupted from the teachers stands as the professors began to panic, shouting to be heard over everyone else.

"Quiet please!" Dumbledore called, trying to restore order.

"Hey, SHUT UP!" Remus bellowed, instantly silencing the crowd.

"Thank you Remus." Turning to face all of the professors, the Headmaster continued. "Let us not panic. Head of Houses please take your students to their common rooms and then return to the Great Hall quickly."

Moving quickly, the students were soon on their way back to the school, curious to know what was happening. Glancing towards the forest, Destiny thought, 'At the speed they're moving, they're not all going to make it in time. And even if they do, there are not enough teachers to hold off an army of Death Eaters!'

"Professor Dumbledore!" she called, running after him. "You're going to need more than just the teachers to fight. I suggest having all willing sixth and seventh years help. Maybe even some of the more qualified fifth years."

"No," he replied sharply. "No students; not even you."

Jumping in front of him to force him to stop, Destiny hissed angrily, "Then you have sentenced us all to death. I may look like a mere child to you but, truth be told, in Necromancer years; I am much, MUCH older than you could even begin to comprehend." Pausing to allow this to sink in, she continued in a lowered voice, saying each word precisely. "Listen to me. There will be causalities, yes, but not the number there will be if you insist on doing this alone."

The silence that followed seemed to last hours, rather than mere seconds.

"Alright," the old man conceded. Calling out the order to the teachers, the school divided into two groups: younger students returning to their dorms and willing older students moving to the Great Hall.

Watching the procession, Destiny stayed out of sight until the last person was gone. In the Entrance Hall, Destiny stayed and waited.

No more than three minutes later, the front doors flew open and wave after wave of Death Eaters poured in.

*****

In the Great Hall, Harry stood with his friends and listened to Dumbledore's orders. They were to stay in groups so they could protect each other. If they became injured, they were told to get out of the way and to not draw attention to themselves.

Something nagged at the corner of his mind but, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember what- or who it was.

As a loud bang resounded through the school, the students and teachers readied themselves to win- or die trying.

*****

Standing where she was, Destiny was in a perfect position to observe the violent battle and not be seen.

'One, two... seven... fifteen-'

"My God," she murmured in shock.

Dark Creatures- they were everywhere and they weren't on her side by any means. Searching frantically for her werewolf friend, she finally found Remus gasping in shock, just like her.

Shaking her head to clear it of the unwanted thoughts, Destiny moved deeper into the shadows. Focusing her attention on specific, strategically positioned ghosts, she allowed her power to begin to flow. No more than five minutes after the fight had begun, another group of people burst through the doors. The difference with these people was that they were not fighting for the Dark Side- nor for the Light. They were Destiny's people and they were clearly the worst group to be enemies with.

*****

In a clearing, in the middle of the Forbidden Forest, Dakota sat absentmindedly pulling bark off of a branch. Feeling the log shake under her, she murmured, "Hello Stanton," without bothering look up.

"What are you doing?" he asked with a look that plainly stated that he didn't care.

Glancing at him, she hissed evilly, "Making a stake for you."

"Ha ha, very funny."

Sighing, she asked if he need anything.

Cocking his head to the side, he replied casually, "Your blood."

Before she could reply, a ghost appeared in front of them.

"Voldemort is attacking Hogwarts; the Necromancer requires your assistance."

Smiling, Dakota hopped to her feet and threw down her stick.

"Looks like you're about to get your blood."

*****

Running through the already smashed doors, Stanton grinned at the ensuing chaos. He had seen a lot of war and death and had yet to tire of it. Born in the times of the Crusades, he loved battles between 'Good an Evil'. There was always blood, and blood meant that he wouldn't go hungry.

Grabbing the first hooded figure he reached, he buried his fangs deep into its neck, relishing the feeling of sweet blood running down his throat.

'Ah... Now this is what death is all about!'

*****

Harry was surprised when he saw all of the Dark Creatures from the forest meeting come into the school- then a little worried. Would they fight for or against them? Seeing the vampire lunge out and grab a Death Eater, he sighed in relief. Our side then.

Turning back to the fight, Harry threw curse after curse at the approaching figures. Just when one of them was forming the words that would end his life, a large black dog tackled him to the ground, leaving the curse to fly harmlessly over his head.

"Sirius?"

"Move it Harry!" his Godfather snapped after changing from his animagus form.

Leaping to his feet, Harry moved behind a nearby statue in hopes of using it as a shield. Backing in, he spun around in surprise when he bumped into something.

"Destiny?" he asked, kneeling down next to her. 'What's wrong with her?' he wondered.

Seeing the usually fiery girl sitting motionlessly on the ground unnerved him more than he would have wanted to admit. Reaching out to touch her, he drew back in fright when she turned to face him. Her eyes had no color to them; even the pupils had disappeared.

"It has begun," Destiny stated in an unearthly tone.

"What has? What the hell are you and what have you done to my girlfriend!" he shouted, aware that this... being that he was speaking to was not the girl he loved.

"I am the first magic. I have been since the beginning of time and I will be at the end. I came to delay the battle that has begun this day. The time is coming."

"For what?" Harry asked, drawn to this power that inhabited Destiny's body.

"War. The battle lines are being drawn. Before today, you could remain undecided; now, all must choose their path."

"What side do you choose?"

Smiling, the blue returned to her eyes and Destiny clearly stated in her own sweet voice, "I choose life."

Rising swiftly to her feet, Destiny stepped from behind the statue and raised her hands horizontally to her sides. Reaching one hand behind her, she grabbed Harry's arm in a vise-like grip and released a huge blast of power. As the power grew, Harry could feel the energy being drained out of him.

'She's draining me to save herself!' he thought frantically, trying uselessly to pull away.

Just as he was about to collapse, she released him and started to swirl the power into a whirlwind portal. Using the last of her strength, she pulled the Death Eaters into it and quickly let it close.

Swaying on her feet, Destiny looked at the destruction before her. There were numerous dead bodies littering the floor and more than a few were people she knew.

'If only it hadn't taken me so long to conjure that power...'

Sliding helplessly to the floor, she watched as the professors tended to the wounded in their area. As the world began to blacken, she allowed herself to be comforted by one thought: 'At least I tried...'

And then, blessed darkness claimed her.

*****

Harry awoke next to hushed whispers and didn't even need to be able to see to know where he was: the hospital wing. Opening his eyes, he immediately squeezed them shut again at the bright light and groaned.

"Harry?" a familiar voice asked soothingly. "Are you awake?"

Feeling a comforting hand brush his hair from his face, he cautiously opened his eyes. Around him stood all the teachers, his Godfather, and the Headmaster. The nurse, Madame Pomprey, was running around the room, taking care of an alarming amount of patients.

"What happened?" he managed to rasp out.

"You don't remember?" Sirius asked worriedly.

Thinking hard, Harry said, "I remember fighting, Destiny and then... nothing." Seeing them glancing at each other and Sirius' sad face, he felt a wave of dread creep over him. "What? What happened to Des?"

"Destiny is fine, Harry," Sirius replied, desperately trying to calm the panicking boy.

"Then what?" he asked, confused.

When nobody else seemed willing to step forwards and tell him, Remus sighed. Walking over, he sat carefully beside him.

"Harry... Fudge heard about what happened. He heard that there were Dark Creatures fighting for Voldemort. Not just a few, but enough to constitute as an army. He ordered that when one was found, guilty or not, it was to be killed on sight, no questions asked." Pausing to gather his thoughts and reign in his emotions, he continued. "I'm going into hiding. I just wanted to wait for you to wake up to say goodbye first. So... Goodbye."

As Remus moved to stand up, Harry grabbed his arm.

"But that's not fair!" he exclaimed childishly. "You didn't do anything wrong!"

"No," he replied, gazing at Harry sadly, "I didn't. The Ministry doesn't care though."

"Can't you stay here at Hogwarts? It's the safest place right?"

"No, it's not safe from the supposed 'good guys'. Anyone caught harboring me would be put to death. I have to go." Reaching out, Remus hugged Harry tightly. "Your father would be so proud of you. I know I am."

Wiping his eyes, Harry sniffed. "What about Destiny? Where will she go?" Turning to Sirius, he asked if she would be going into hiding with him.

"No, I was freed yesterday morning. The ministry acquitted me of all the crimes. Apparently, one of the Aurors saw Pettigrew and recognized him. Kind of messes up the happiness of it with everything else that happened, doesn't it?"

"So, this means..." Face lighting up with realization, he exclaimed excitedly, "I get to live with you now!"

"Yup."

"What will happen to Destiny?"

"Don't worry about me," Destiny said from the doorway. "I've got it all figured out." Glancing at the other occupants of the room, she asked for a moment alone with her boyfriend. "Harry, when I leave this room, it may very well be the last time you ever see me. So, I wanted to tell you, you're free. I'm not going to hold you to your promise." Pulling the ring from her slender fingers, she gently placed it in his hand. "I want you to find another girl to love as much as you've loved me. Find someone else and make them feel as special as you've made me feel."

"No," he said firmly. "I love you; only you."

Closing her eyes, she whispered, "But we can never be."

"Yes we can! It may take a while but we will be together, forever... You promised it would be me waiting for you at the end of the aisle.

"And I'll keep that promise. If it can't be you, then it will never be anyone. You though, you have too much kindness and love to waste waiting for a miracle that will never come... Please... Don't make this any harder than it has to be."

Knowing there was nothing he could do to change her mind; he drew in a ragged breath and made his last request to her.

"Will you wear the ring? Even if it just means that we were once friends?"

Smiling tenderly, she nodded and allowed him to slip the ring back onto her finger. "I'll wear it forever."

Knowing that there was nothing left to say, they just sat together, unwilling to let the moment end. Letting out a strangled sob, Destiny leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. Kissing, holding each other as tightly as possible, they lost all feeling of time and space. They merely were, kissing each others lips, faces, necks, and whispering 'I love you's' in each others ears.

Pulling back, Destiny clasped his hands in hers and placed one last lingering kiss on his lips before walking out of the room... and out of his life.

At the road that led to Hogsmeade, she turned for one last glimpse at the only place she'd ever dared to call home.

Feeling her heart begin to break, she took a deep breath to steady herself. Turning away, she felt the last piece of her humanity within her, wither and die.

"Good-bye," Destiny Black whispered.

*****

The end of term came two days later and with it, graduation.

"Oh, Harry," Hermione squealed, "Isn't this so exciting? We're finally adults!"

"Yeah," he mumbled distantly, "Great."

"Cheer up mate!" Ron said, slapping him on the back. "There'll be other girls!"

"No," Harry spat, "there won't. If I can't be with her, I won't be with anyone!"

Turing on his heel, Harry stormed away, brushing past Sirius, who was coming over to congratulate them, without a word.

Epilogue

Standing by the lake, Harry raised the rose that Destiny had pressed into his hand in their final moments together, to eyes level.

Destiny had given him so much. Hope, strength, love, and the ability to go on in spite of everything. She was no longer around but, within his heart, he knew that she would never- could never- leave.

"I'll wait for you Des. No matter how long it takes, I'll wait. Forever."

Taking a deep breath, he sighed. He knew he had to let her go.

'If you love someone,' he thought, 'let them go. For if they return, they were always yours, and if they don't, they never were. I'm going to let you go now. Please come back.'

Tossing the flower into the sparkling blue lake, Harry turned and walked away from the childhood that had to end. With Destiny's leaving, his childlike innocence vanished forever.

The End