Honor Beyond Renown

From atop a high mountain overlooking the great lake and Hogwarts Castle, Lord Voldemort surveyed his encampments and the encampments on the opposite side of the ridge. The last skirmish fought in the valley between his forces and the forces now controlled by Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger had resulted in the death of their previous commander, Harry Potter. Voldemort's red eyes narrowed and searched for any signs of an offensive movement and saw none. Both sides had taken heavy casualties in the last attack. Voldemort himself had lost his second in command, Lucius Malfoy, and his son Draco was in a wrath. Draco had personally overseen the pillage and destruction of Hogsmeade village and was rising in the ranks of the new Death Eaters and only Voldemort and Peter Pettigrew, a.k.a. Wormtail remained of the originals. While the companies reorganized, Voldemort waited, as he had for those long years after being struck by his own curse.

Inside the Hogwarts castle, which to Muggle outsiders looks like a condemned and decrepit ruin, had actually become one. Bombarded with magical attacks and dragon raids that even Dumbledore couldn't repel, Hogwarts had fallen. However, the magic around the site had not died and those students and Hogsmeade villagers that had escaped had come to the Hogwarts site to make one final stand in battle.

Paris: October 30, 1492

Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington strode the halls of the palace to answer to King Francois the 1^st for the crime of cowardice during wartime. He was led into the by an escort of military guards and told to drop to his knees and bow his head in his presence.

"Sir Nicholas, do you deny that on the evening not more than five weeks ago that you did drop your sword in the face of the enemy?"

"No, your highness, I do not deny those charges. However, I was only making a temporary retreat in a attempt to rebuild your armies." The fear in his voice made it shake and it was evident to Francois that he was lying and showing his cowardice still.

"Liar! I can hear the tremor in your voice! Your cowardice caused the death of your commander. You are a deserter and will face a deserter's death. Beheading at dawn and you will be struck forty-two times with a blunted ax. These are the words of the King Francois, ordained by God and they shall be recorded. Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, shall die on October 31^st, 1492, without honor."

The Afterlife

Harry Potter awoke with a start on a cold, stone bed. A bright light was around him and it hurt his eyes to see. He opened them gradually and saw around him a room, whiter than white and paneled with the clearest windows. He walked to a window and looked down to a sight greater than any seen by man. It looked like a river, but glowing, he saw them as individual pinpoints of light and realized with a start that they were souls. He also discovered that he no longer needed his glasses and that his scar was gone. He realized too, that if he could see souls, then he must be one of them. He was dead.

London, 1548

Thomas Peeves awoke with a jolt on the floor; he had rolled off his stone bed in the Tower of London prison. He had been arrested for arson and murder; he was sentenced to die tomorrow. Yet, he found it somehow quite funny, but then again, he reasoned with himself, he was quite insane. Pity the judge didn't find it so humorous. He would sleep with a maiden tomorrow, a maiden cold and hard. A maiden made of iron. His thoughts drifted, a maiden, one he had set on fire and watched burn away screaming while he laughed. Once he wanted to be honorable, he could have been honorable, but the murder of his family and the burning of the skin on his back had driven him insane. He had fallen in love with flame and would die from it. The dawn broke, and he found himself being led to the chamber. They strapped his legs in and when they closed the maiden he screamed, they closed the maiden on his arms and he screamed again. Then they closed it on his torso and he screamed. When they closed it on his head, driving spikes in his eyes, he screamed. Finally, they closed it on his throat, shredding his windpipe and he died.

The Valley: Present Day

Ron Weasley stood at the door to his tent, looking at the encampment and at the ridge nearest to him where Harry's body now lay, covered in a heavy snow. His body is unable to be retrieved due to Voldemort's ability to change the weather to blizzard conditions at any attempt to retrieve his body. Ron turned around and looked at the battle maps. He knew he must make some move soon, else all will be lost. Time was running out. Hermione came in staggering, she turned, and Ron saw her side drenched in blood and the haft of an arrow sticking out partially. He pulled out the arrow, at which she screamed, and then called a medic. They came quickly and laid Hermione on the bed. The wound was healed but she was still unconscious. Ron felt as if he was about to die, he had lost his most trusted friend and advisor. He turned the arrow over and saw a wood burned mark on the arrow, the initials D.M. with the words "tempus fugit" His hands snapped the arrow in anger and vowed to himself that he would destroy Malfoy. Even if it destroyed him too.

The Afterlife

"Enjoy the view Harry?" He recognized the voice instantly and turned around to see his mentor, Albus Dumbledore with his pet phoenix Fawkes on his shoulder. "I find it quite amazing myself, and, so do your parents." Harry's heart jumped, he had entirely forgotten about his parents. "They are just outside." Harry followed Dumbledore outside the tower where he looked up and realized that he was very high indeed. His parents were sitting in the park with each other. Lily was singing to James sweetly while he sat there with his eyes closed and content.

"Dad!" Harry yelled and ran over to his father who hugged him. His mother ran to him and kissed his cheek. They started talking and Harry went into a long summary of the past 6 years at Hogwarts. They ate together and Harry met the rest of his family and felt totally at peace.

Germany, 1347

Baron Karl von Chernwitz stood on the field of his castle on a rainy morning prepared for duel with swords. A visiting French nobleman had insulted his wife, to which the baron demanded his honor be repaid in full and challenged the nobleman. The flag dropped, the duel began. They matched each other, blow for blow, until the baron stepped in a fresh spot of mud and fell forward, catching his opponent's blade in the shoulder. The baron struck back, slashing the nobleman viciously across the chest. The Frenchman collapsed to the ground and the baron, to make sport of him, kicked him several times dishonorably. The Frenchman's anger was aroused again and ran him through the chest with a miraculous rebirth of strength. Baron von Chernwitz died instantly, and after his death had his house and lands taken by the king for repayment of the war crimes he had committed. He died with a dishonored name and family and was cursed to roam the planet with the other dishonorables.

The Afterlife

Looking into a glass, down into the valley, Harry could see the battle rage constantly while holding inside a sense of unease. He felt that that's where he's supposed to be, down there, fighting alongside his friends.

"It's not my time, I'm not supposed to be here. I have unfinished business." Harry looked down and made up his mind to go back. Harry left his room and as he did, he realized that this city looked oddly familiar, somewhere he had read perhaps. He walked down the streets until he came to an empty, quiet one. He turned toward the tower and realized where he was with a start. "Rath Dinen, The Silent Street". He realized that he must be in the city of Minas Tirith in the Kingdom of Gondor. A place where the worthiest reside, those with the highest honor in their lives. Harry realized that to fight a battle like this, he would need help. With that thought, the names sprung to mind, Aragorn, Gandalf, and Theoden, and the namesake of his house, Godric Gryffindor. Harry ran through the streets to the palace of the kings of Numenor and threw the doors wide. To his surprise, he found his parents, and all the great names he sought. He dropped to one knee, and said, "I require the help of the worthies I find at the board of this great hall. My world is in trouble, and I fear that it will not survive unless you help me fight it. I beg you, assist me. I cannot do it alone." Aragorn stood and said,

"We know these things well, we have been watching." Aragorn's hand revealed a palantir that showed the valley and it's troubles. "And we will assist you." Theoden's hand drew his sword Herugrim from is sheath and pointed it towards the sky, Aragorn did the same with his sword Anduril, Gandalf drew Glamdring, and Gryffindor did the same with the sword Harry pulled out of the hat in his second year. Harry, noticing that he had no weapon, drew his wand.

Kent, 1654

A dismal day on the moors, she thought, looking out at the grounds of her manor. She was, despite the weather, quite anxious and tense. She was waiting for her fiancé to return from the front lines of the war. She was pregnant and since she was not married, it would be a scandal for anyone to find out. At that point, a page came up the road with an announcement. The page ran up to the lady's room and delivered his message. Her fiancé was dead. She broke down completely and swallowed a vial of poison. It destroyed her systems and caused a miscarriage and extreme bleeding. So died the Grey Lady of Ravenclaw and when her pregnancy was discovered, so did her honor die with her.

The Afterlife

"Harry? Harry? Albus shook him awake, "All preparations have been made for your return. Except one, a very powerful spell must be performed to restore your spirit to your body. The spell can be found in the library of the school.

"But the school is a wreck, the only ones there are..." His voice trailed off. "You've got to be kidding." Albus smiled, Harry's jaw dropped.

Hogwarts

Peeves hovered above the remains of the great hall, bored out of his mind, ducking the occasional spell fired between the two parties outside. He heard a voice in his head.

"Peeves, it's me Harry. I need you to go to the library and find the Resurrection spell." Peeves shook his head to be rid of the voice, but it continued. "Do it Peeves! It's our only hope! Peeves went off, cursing Harry. Harry's voice also cried out to the Grey Lady, Nick, and the Baron. They assembled in the library and did as Harry told them. "For the spell to work, you must be restored of your honor."

The French Frontier, 1492

It was a bitter day on the frontier, Sir Nicholas stood at his post when an armed charge broke through the lines and Sir Nicholas raced to meet them. He stopped in his tracks when his commander was killed, but instead of fleeing, he charged towards them and died with power and honor.

London, 1535

Thomas Peeves sat at the table happily with his wife and daughter at dinner, singing and dancing. Five robbers burst through his door and held him back as they raped and eviscerated his wife, but Peeves would not be held back any longer. With a monstrous roar he broke free and killed them with his bare hands, saving his daughter in the process.

Kent, 1654

The page arrived with the message, a mistaken message she found out 4 hours later. Having not taken the poison she resolved that she would live, in honor or not, she cared not. For four hours after the page left, her fiancé arrived and they were wed two weeks after.

Hogwarts

They stood in a circle, hands together. They chanted softly with their eyes closed. Their spiritual light grew stronger and they chanted.

"Resurrectio, spiritualum rescindium. May the spirit that once resided in this hallowed body return. Let the spirits guide the spirit. Bring Harry Potter home".

The Afterlife

Harry fell to the ground and doubled up in pain, he felt himself leaving this world and reentering the old one. He stretched out a hand and dissolved.

The Valley Peak

Harry awoke to the cold, his eyes perfectly focused, and the scar still gone. His wand lay beside him along with Godric's sword. He grabbed them both and turned his head to see a horse waiting for him. He went down to the slope towards the horse, named Shadowfax. He mounted the horse and saw the horn attached to the saddle. He blew the horn and recoiled at its thunderous sound. He turned at the sound of cheering and his jaw dropped in amazement. He was at the head of an army, and next to him were Gandalf and Theoden on one side and Aragorn and Godric on the other. He swung Godric's sword in the air and rode them all to the peak. Harry sat surveying the scene and blew his horn.

Ron's Camp

Ron grabbed a pair of Omnioculars from the table and looked in Harry's direction. He spotted him and dropped the glasses. Ron gave orders to ready their wands and weapons and prepare for attack.

Voldemort's Camp

Voldemort saw the activity below and registered it as a massive offensive. He readied his own camp and saw Harry. Voldemort was astonished and yet pleased at this, he wanted the final battle to be between him and Harry.

The Peak

Harry blew his horn again and thundered down the mountain with Ron's army leading the charge. Harry drew his sword and began cutting down Dark wizards at will. Ron began hitting them with spells at the front, using the Avada Kedavra curse. Ron was blasting through wizards until he came to Draco Malfoy. They faced off, and dueled with Cruciatus Curses flying back and forth. Suddenly, Draco was knocked over by a horse and Ron had the opportunity to kill him, but was merciful and let him live. Draco was not so kind, he shot at Ron, and he ducked. Ron spun around, and killed him with one curse.

Harry chased Voldemort into the ruins and up to the smashed Astronomy Tower.

"Let's do this honorably." Harry pitched away his wand and Voldemort did the same. They both drew swords and fought long and hard. Harry got the first blow in, striking Voldemort's leg, cutting it deep. Voldemort responded with gash across Harry's shoulder. Harry next took Voldemort's hand. They both overstepped and fell onto the ruins. Harry's sword went into Voldemort's chest and killed him. Harry's body was broken on the ruins. Ron ran over to him crying.

"Harry! Don't die again, please. We need you here!"

"Ron, you needed me. You don't anymore. My business is done. Now it's your time. It's your turn. Ask them for help if you need it." He turned to his army, which had vanished. "Hermione will recover. So will the world." With that, Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, died again. Ron turned and saw him bathed in light, with Nick, Peeves, The Grey Lady, and The Baron, gone to rest with those who have achieved honor beyond renown.