The Reticulation

Harry half-expected a lighting bolt to strike Umbridge down at any moment and wasn't sure whether, if it did happen, it would have made him feel more scared or more happy. In any case, it didn't happen. Instead, after waiting the longest twelve seconds of his life, he heard Voldemort again.

"Maybe I cannot destroy you, but you cannot destroy me either! I have finally achieved immortality by blending myself with Hogwarts. Hogwarts was my true home when I was a boy and now I am Hogwarts!"

For just a fraction of a second, Harry felt sympathy for Voldemort--Hogwarts had been his only home, maybe they should just leave him be...

But they couldn't do that! They needed him out of the Reticulation or they wouldn't be able to go to school ever again. Besides, this was Lord Voldemort--the one who had murdered Harry's parents and so many others--they were talking about. He had to destroyed!

"Yes, we can destroy you," Umbridge shouted back. "If we destroy the castle, we'll destroy you!"

"You would never do such a thing. Hogwarts has stood for a thousand years."

"But with you inside the Reticulation, the building is useless," Umbridge fired back. "Maybe we won't waste our time destroying you--maybe we'll simply abandon you and build a new magical school."

Harry hated the idea of abandoning Hogwarts and building a new wizarding school--after all, there could only be one Hogwarts. He realized Umbridge probably didn't really mean what she had said, but the idea still made him feel rather angry. Umbridge was no doubt an awful person, but surely she would never sacrifice Hogwarts...

"If I leave the castle, I will die. Unless..."

Everyone, it seemed, was holding their breath waiting apprehensively to find out what the "unless" was.

"Unless, I get a new body to inhabit. Harry Potter destroyed my old body in the Astronomy Tower, so I'll need one of you contribute your own body. That way, I could live and Hogwarts would be saved."

There was an immediate uproar, which mostly had to do with how disgusting almost everyone found the idea of giving their body to Lord Voldemort.

"I'll do it!" said Blaise Zabini. Since Draco Malfoy had fled Hogwarts with the Death Eaters, Zabini has taken over as lead Slytherin troublemaker and heartthrob.

"No, you won't!" McGonagall told him strictly.

"Well, somebody had better do it!" Umbridge shouted. "Do you realize how helpful this could be to the Ministry? If we had Lord Voldemort in our hands--"

"If it's so important, why don't you do it, Dolores?" McGonagall asked her. Umbridge looked piqued.

"Maybe I will!" she declared. "It's suitable for me to give up my body to help the Ministry. Besides, I expect they'll eventually find a way to get him out of me." Umbridge turned back to the school and raised her wand.

"Voldemort," she said into it, "I have volunteered to give you my body." -- (Ron, thinking of this statement in a different context, snorted) -- "Once you have control of me, you'll be able to leave the school in peace." She then turned to a Ministry official and whispered, "as soon as he has me, stun me and take me directly to Azkaban."

"How do I know you'll keep your word, Umbridge?"

"Oh, I've given you no word to keep," Umbridge replied smugly. "In my judgment you simply have no alternative." They waited--

"Step forward, Umbridge--you alone."

Umbridge stepped onto the grounds and walked up to the castle doors. Bolts of red light rained down on her from the castle until, finally, they stopped and she turned to leave the grounds.

"You, stop right there!" yelled the Ministry official she had been speaking with. He and several others ran towards her, but, three seconds later, they were all dead. As Umbridge laughed evilly just the way Voldemort did, teachers and students alike turned and ran back into the forest. However, Professor McGonagall, an unusual wry grin on her face, pointed her wand at an unprepared Umbridge.

"Avada Kedavra!" There was an instant flash of green light.

The Dark Lord had finally fallen...