The Unforgettable Fire

CHAPTER 19: Event Horizon

Livid. Absolutely, without a doubt irate beyond any hope of calming. Furious. Fuming and enraged with a passion fueled by the deepest, darkest pit of hell. Fire burning all around, clenched jaw and twitching hands angry.

It only began to describe how Harry felt. Not only had he put his faith in the protection of Ginny with the elves, he had felt justified and reassured in doing it. They had told him to let them train him. They had told him they would keep his greatest treasure safe. They had reassured him the best of the best were watching his love's every move.

Now she was gone and there was an unquenchable fire, fueled by hate and distrust and absence, and it was burning though his sanity. He'd not wished and yearned for five or more years to loose her after they were so in love. He had not gone through hell on Aphladendail, training enough to make him crazy, to loose her now.

She was gone.

Captured.

By a Death Eater.

By a minion of Voldemort.

His blood boiled. His mind steamed. Harry could feel the magical tattoo on his chest alternate from burning to freezing to burning to freezing again in annoyance. He clenched his fist next to him and howled.

Collapsing on her bed he inhaled her sweet scent and imagined he could still feel her warmth. Burying his head in her pillow he brought the blanket to his face yelled again into it.

It was all Voldemort. It was all always his fault. It was his fault that Cedric was dead. It was his fault all those Muggles were dead. It was his fault that his parents were dead. It was his fault that Ginny was gone. He would kill Voldemort for this. He would make him suffer. He would make Voldemort scream for this.

Harry sat in the bed and looked around him. He and Ginny would make love in this room again. A smile broke out onto his face. Images of Voldemort dying at his hands flashed through his mind. He would kiss Ginny again and everything would be okay.

A small chuckle escaped his lips and grew into a full out laugh. Tears streamed out the corners of his eyes as he tilted his head up and laughed out loud. He could almost feel Ginny's lips on his now.

~~~

Not to Ginny's surprise, the fat man didn't come back to retrieve her. Rather a man of stalky build and gruff looking hands with a bad attitude did. He looked her up and down and smirked before leading her down an intricate set of passageways. Ginny understood now.

"I'm sufficiently lost," she said in the calm drawl she'd learned from Draco. "You can take me where ever I really need to be."

The man turned on her and frowned. Apparently he believed her though because with three more turns he lead her up some stairs and into the dull. Ginny squinted; it was lighter than she was used too. It was nearly noon but the sun was no where in sight. Rather hidden by the heavy cloud coverage. Putting a hand to her forehead she looked around her.

Jungle scenery, check. Hulking rain clouds, check. Big stone alter, check. Intihuatana stone, check.

"Peru," she coughed. "I'm in Peru."

"Dreadfully smart aren't you," her guide sneered at her.

"Sorry? Was this a game? I've never played the 'How About I Kidnap You and You Try to Figure Out Where You Are' game. Do tell me the rules," she spat sarcastically.

Her guide merely sniggered and kept on walking up the stairs until there were no stairs to walk. In which case she was assaulted with a circle of seventeen chanting Death Eaters sitting around the Intihuatana stone which had on it the Trapezium. Ginny frowned. It must be the solstice, she thought. It was the way she envisioned it would have to look. Channelers around the Intihuatana with the Trapezium there for the energy transfer. There were even mirrors to enhance the magic and channel all of it as possible to the Trapezium. She shook her head and looked out around her. A yellow circle in the clouds told her that it was noon, or a little after.

"Is it the solstice?" she asked plainly.

"Right in one," her guide said in a voice that was clearly excited.

Ginny frowned again. A warm wind slid through the ancient stones of Macchu Picchu and whipped the silks of her flimsy and quite revealing clothes. The jungle was even quiet in this day of wickedness. Smart animals, she said to herself.

"Miss Weasley," a cold voice said from behind her.

Ginny froze. She knew that voice ANYWHERE! Licking her lips she turned around and put a hand on her hip, cocking her head at him. "Malfoy," she spat.

Malfoy just sneered at her and began a slow walk around her. Ginny didn't follow him with her eyes, merely looked ahead.

"It seems you have a bit more to offer than I originally thought, Miss Weasley," he practically cooed at her.

"Nice pick-up line," Ginny said, trying to sound superior. "I'm sure it works nicely on Mrs. Malfoy."

Malfoy grabbed her chin roughly and turned it up to him. "I wouldn't speak like that if I were you. You're mouth will get you in lots of trouble, Miss Weasley, don't you forget that."

Looking into his hard silver eyes defiantly she said, "I'm not scared of you, Mr. Malfoy. Don't you forget that."

He released her harshly, sending her back a step. "Take her to Lord Voldemort, Franklin," he said to her guard.

The stalky, brainless guard looked at her expectantly and with one last glare in Malfoy's direction she followed him. Climbing yet another set of stairs she came to a stone dais with two chairs sitting on it. One, the larger, was occupied by the ghostly, Lord Voldemort himself.

"How nice to see you again, Miss Weasley," the gravelly voice of Voldemort said. "We've missed your stimulating company at my court. Haven't we Wormtail?"

The squatty man beside him nodded, but didn't look at Ginny. Ginny sneered. It was the man who she'd scared away earlier that day.

"Wormtail," she spat. "As in Peter Pettigrew the traitor? Disgusting. Where do you find such perverted henchmen Tom? I'd love three or four myself."

She saw Voldemort clutch the stone chair in an irritated manner, his eyes never leaving hers. "How so, Miss Weasley? Has my loyal servant, Wormtail, done anything to offend you? I expressly told him not to harass you in any way."

"Maybe this 'loyal servant' needs a bit better training. He seems to be lacking the same hospitality - Franklin, was it? - has," Ginny said in a level, controlled voice.

"Is this so, Wormtail?" Voldemort drawled.

Pettigrew simpered to his master's feet and immediately began kissing the hem of his robes. He received a harsh kick in return that sent him flying down the stairs at Ginny's feet. She stepped back, appalled.

"I said, is that so, Wormtail?" Voldemort repeated. Ginny didn't miss it. It was clear as day. Voldemort was enjoying this. He was reveling in torturing his own henchman. Ginny was disgusted.

"No - Master - I mean - I only - she was - I would never go against your word, Master!" Pettigrew said, writhing on the floor.

"No," Voldemort said casually. "I don't suppose you know how, my dear, Wormtail. Franklin...my loyal Death Eater, perhaps you would like to instruct Wormtail here on how to be a loyal servant of your lord, Voldemort?"

"Yes, Master," Franklin said in his dry voice, a hint of excitement Ginny didn't like hidden in the layers.

Voldemort appeared to hear it too and smiled. Franklin hauled Pettigrew away from Ginny's feet, a small smile on his face. Ginny couldn't help but cringe. At one point she was headed in this direction. Repressing the urge to puke, Ginny looked fearlessly onto the face of death, Lord Voldemort...the Morning Star.

"Now that we are alone, Miss Weasley," Voldemort said in a slightly amused voice. "Tell me, is this how you imagined it?"

Holding her head up regally Ginny took a few steps towards the Intihuatana stone on the level below her. "The mirrors were a nice touch," she finally said.

"A suggestion made by one of my senior Death Eaters," Voldemort drawled.

"And now," she said, turning to him. "Now we wait I suppose? I do hope this works. It will be even more satisfying when Harry defeats you."

Voldemort let out a low chuckle. "I so will get to see Harry Potter and destroy him once and for all. Good. All goes perfectly on plan."

Raising her chin and looking into his bloody red eyes Ginny lifted a delicate eyebrow. "So what," she said imperiously, "do you need me for?"

Another sick chuckle escaped Voldemort's lips. "I desire to see every part of Harry Potter's life destroyed. Even down to his love. Just as all has been taken from me, all shall be taken from him. He will know true loss before I'm through with him."

"You are going to kill me?" Ginny snorted. "Then I will see him in heaven."

"I think not, Little Slytherin. I think not," Voldemort said victoriously. Damn, Ginny thought, called my bluff. "I know that your soul isn't welcome in heaven. You will be trapped here by your immortal soul. Even if, that is to say if you can die, you succeed in dying, you still won't be together. You're soul's been cast out and isn't going back home. You're, for lack of a better word I use elfish, and Earthbound Spirit."

Ginny clenched her jaw. "Maybe I am cursed with immortality, maybe not. I will never submit to you, ever."

"You see, my dear Miss Weasley," Voldemort said with an evil grin, "I'm at something of a loss. I, with the help of the Intihuatana and Trapezium, will become immortal. A king, a god, a dark deity to claim and control the lives of those on Earth. And you will be my goddess. I won't suffer anything less. I still feel that hate in you, your beauty and ambition are still present. You've not changed as much as you think Miss Weasley."

Ginny turned her eyes from him and breathed slowly, her long hair falling over her eyes. "No! You're wrong. I HAVE changed. I'm better now. I'll never join you. NEVER!"

Voldemort just smiled. "That remains to be seen, Miss Weasley. Now, please, have a seat. You look absolutely ravishing, my dear."

Ginny stood where she was defiantly. A smile of amusement on his face, Voldemort pointed his wand at her and murmured something. A vice-like grip pulled Ginny from where she was standing up in the air and sat her down on the stone seat next to Voldemort. A fresh wave of hate washed over her as she tried to stand and flee but was held down by an Enclosure Charm.

Sighing she gave up pounding on the invisible barrier and sat in her seat incontently. Ginny glared over at Voldemort, who was looking at her, an amused glint in his snake-like eyes. So much for turning Animagus and bolting, she thought bitterly. Still upset she crossed her legs and sat rigidly in the seat.

"You do look so appetizing when you pout, my dear," Voldemort said in dark mirth. "Is there anything I can get you? Food, wine, a person to play with?"

Ginny looked up at him with mock sweetness. "A wand."

At this Voldemort just laughed.

~~~

"Harry," Dumbledore said, trying his best to sound soothing. "Harry, we need to make a plan, not run off to Peru and get Ginny killed, not to mention yourself."

"Damn you!" Harry shouted in rage. "She's gone! Gone, Dumbledore! I should have been there -"

"But you weren't, for obvious reasons," Dumbledore said. "Now stay calm -"

"I'm done with staying calm!" Harry yelled. "I'm going to get Ginny!"

"Mr. Potter!" Dumbledore bellowed. His blue eyes turned suddenly hard and immobile, like the ocean had frozen over leaving a white film in its wake. Standing at his full height Dumbledore looked down on Harry with domineering eyes.

That stopped Harry in his tracks.

"Mr. Potter," Dumbledore repeated. "Do sit, please,"

Harry sat.

"I have something dreadfully important to give you, something that no one else can. Harry, I am a Shadowmaker, do you know what that means?"

Harry nodded.

"Good. Voldemort is the only remaining Shadowmaker left besides myself. This means either he kills me or I kill him."

Harry nodded again.

"I am tired Harry," Dumbledore said, sitting down at his chair heavily and sighing. It made him look sad and very old indeed and Harry felt a pang of guilt for yelling at him. How could he ever yell at Dumbledore? "I am tired and though I may not look it I am old. I wish to give to you what I was cursed with my whole life. It was my one darkness and my one fault as a person. It is also the one thing that I think will completely destroy Voldemort.

"You see, Harry," Dumbledore continued, looking at Harry thoughtfully over his crescent glasses, "I have no doubts that you can and will kill Voldemort today, but whether or not his soul will remain to find a body to inhabit is another story. I have the power, as Shadowmaker, to destroy a soul of a fellow Shadowmaker, it is our way. I give this power to you, Harry, in hopes that you will be able to use it against our greatest adversary."

"But, Headmaster -"

"Give me your hand, Harry," Dumbledore commanded.

Harry took it and immediately felt a surge of power enter his body. It glazed his eyes and made every bit of him feel alive and...powerful. He shook it off, fighting it. The feeling returned but he fought it again, forcing it away into a small corner of his mind. Weakly he let go of Dumbledore's hand and fell into the chair.

Dumbledore sighed and said, "It has been done. Go, Harry. Go and do what you must."

Harry left.

~~~

A small smile on his lips he entered the headmaster's office. Dumbledore was smiling innocently and sucking on a lemon drop.

"They're in position, Albus," Moody said, lounging in a chair by the fire and observing his old friend.

"Good," Dumbledore said in a distant voice. "Lemon drop, Alastor."

"No. You know what you've done?"

"I did what I had to do," Dumbledore replied.

"It may kill you."

"It will kill me."

Moody sighed.

~~~

Still in his elfin clothes of loose white pants and a white headband on his forehead, Harry Apparated into the deep jungles of Peru, sword at his side. The cool linen on his legs quickly turned warm and sticky; reminding him he was in the Southern Hemisphere. Even in the wizarding world he knew the seasons were reversed down there.

Gazing up at the mountain above him he frowned. There were ruins on top of it and an Anti-Apparition Charm was on it.

You've broken though those before, Draco reminded him. By the way, that was a fantastic exit. I do hope we win so you can practice entrances with such pizzazz.

Shut up, Harry growled mentally.

I'm just saying that breaking though Anti-Apparition Shields aren't the smartest way to go about rescuing Virginia. Might I suggest something more...subtle? Draco suggested.

Harry mulled this over. I suppose. What do you suggest?

Well now that you mention it...Draco mused. I seem to remember a secret entrance I found when I visited here with my father and Virginia the previous summer. It should be around here somewhere...Ah! There! That way!

Harry looked doubtfully at the huge wall of flora. That is pure vegetation, Draco.

You have a sword you know, Draco drawled.

Thumbing his sword Harry shrugged and began chopping at the extreme plants. Not three swings in he hit solid stone. Frowning he cut away at the shrubbery until a wall of stone stood before him. There were signs and pictures etched onto the stone, most of them worn away by time.

You never saw this on your trip to Peru...did you Draco? Harry said an amused edge to his voice.

Perhaps and then again perhaps not, Draco said off-handedly. But I do know that when you put your hand in the hand shaped indentation and say the password you enter a secret passageway into the inners of the temple. Do try.

Harry raised an eyebrow and put his hand on the stone and waited. Password?

Oh, right. It's 'Mictlan.'

Taking a deep breath, Harry said in a steady and commanding voice, "Mictlan."

A deep groan was heard and the door slid up vertically into the surface of the mountainside. Harry frowned at the old smelling air put entered into the dark anyway. Immediately a row of torches went up in flame, casting an eerie glow in the passageway.

"Frea-ky," Harry said quietly, drawing his sword and looking about himself doubtfully.

In more ways than one, Draco agreed.

Proceeding cautiously Harry took the only passage available to him into a small antechamber with a suspicious looking chair in the middle of it. Harry frowned and looked around. There were three doors, four if he counted the one he'd just exited from.

North, South, East, and West, Draco supplied. Sit in the chair.

Still eyeing the chair with suspicion Harry frowned. What will happen?

How the hell should I know? I just want to sit in the chair, Draco said. Even to Harry's ears it was unconvincing.

Why? Harry pressured him.

Well, Draco began. I want to go home.

Harry raised an eyebrow.

The chair is a way to disembody spirits! You sit in the chair and your spirit leaves your body for ever and ever to find peace in heaven! Good Merlin Potter!

So you're leaving me.

I've done what I was supposed to. Will you miss me? I'm sorry we didn't get to know each other better and -

And what is that? What were you supposed to do? Harry demanded.

Get you here, Draco answered as though it were the simplest thing in the world.

Harry sighed. So I'm on my own?

Yep, Draco answered.

Harry wanted to say something nice...but he couldn't rightly think of anything. Shrugging he leaned his sword up against the stone seat and sat down. Immediately winds rushed around him tinted with an unearthly purple hue. The faster they went the queasier Harry became until his vision blurred and he leaned against the back of the chair.

Then the wind cut, leaving him breathless. A silvery image stood in front of him. It was just defined enough so that Harry could tell it was Draco Malfoy and he was smirking.

"So you've really gotten rid of me, Potter," the echoing voice of Draco's voice said.

"Yeah, I guess. Malfoy...you weren't half bad," Harry said quickly.

"You've gotten soft on me Potter!" he practically laughed. "Pull the other, Potter! And apologize to Virginia for me."

Harry frowned. "Well at least tell me which way to go," Harry said stonily, getting up from the chair.

The silvery ghost of Draco smiled. "They say that the West Wind is the strongest. I, myself, am partial to the South. But for you I'd travel on the North."

With that the transparent form of Draco floated towards the Southern exit. Then he paused at the exit. "You weren't half bad yourself, Potter."

Then he was gone. Harry bit the inside of his lip. If the rest of the day was exciting as this he might go into cardiac arrest. He frowned and walked in front of the North exit and took a step in. A tingly feeling of rightness washed over him and he began to run.

~~~

Ginny shifted uncomfortably at her stone seat next to Voldemort. Unhappy that she was forbidden to move ("Which throws escape right out the window.") she frowned and rapped her nails on the arm of the stone chair.

"How are you, my dear," Voldemort cooed from beside her.

"Peachy keen," she replied using a favored Muggle term. "I'm sitting on a granite throne with a madman who wants to dominate the world and take me as his dark queen. But other than that things are glorious. Tea, crumpet? Anyone up for a rousing chorus of 'God Save the Queen?' No? Oh, well. Let's play Who Can Kill the Most Muggles in Ten Minutes, one of my fiancé's favorites!"

This earned an amused chuckle from Voldemort and a snicker from Lucius Malfoy who was currently prostrating himself at his master's feet. "It seems," Voldemort said, "I've chosen quite a comedian for a consort."

Ginny fought with her temper and satisfied herself with rolling her eyes. Re-crossing her legs she propped her chin on her palm and stared out into the sky. It was rapidly becoming darker, not only because of the clouds but because the sun was setting. Ginny imagined the stars were above her and she and Harry were outside talking and laughing and making love. Those were her favorite nights, the long and cool ones where Harry would wrap his arms around her and she'd take the both of them away to her island in the clouds.

She must have gone starry eyed or sighed deeply or something because she felt herself being watched intently. Turning er head she saw it was Voldemort. She tried to ignore it but her eyes kept tugging back to him. Soon she felt herself facing him and staring into his eyes intently and moving towards him.

"What are you doing?" she whispered sharply. A pang of electricity shot down her body and she found herself very hot. "Stop it!" she said, trying to move away from him. "Stop it!" she said more desperately.

Voldemort merely smirked at her and put a spidery hand on her thigh, moving up it purposefully.

"Damn it!" she bit out. "Stop it or I swear to god -"

"You'll what?" Voldemort said. "What exactly are you going to do? I've blocked you from using magic. You can't move from your seat. How are you going to stop me?"

"Harry will come for me," Ginny whispered. "Harry will stop you."

This earned a snort from the Dark Lord. He pulled back and looked at her with a mad glint in his eye. "Harry, you say, Harry will come for you. Harry? My dear Miss Weasley, I'm counting on it."

A wicked laugh started in the back of his throat and echoed off the mountainsides. He was soon joined by the simpering Lucius Malfoy in his revelry. Ginny felt unexplainably and undeniably alone at that moment. Tears stinging the corners of her eyes she looked on at what she had done. She'd caused this. She'd been convinced that she could trick him somehow, make him screw up. Now he was going to win and kill Harry and do who knew what with her. If only I'd been in Gryffindor none of this would have happened, she thought morosely. If only I'd just let myself have a heart. If only I'd given it to Harry earlier. If only...

"Harry," she said dumbly.

He was right there, plain as day, staring right at her. Sure he looked different...different but still delicious. He wore thin, white, loose pants and a band that went around his forehead, covering his scar, and not much else. He did have the most interesting silvery-green tattoos however. They spiraled from his shoulders to his navel in the most beautiful way. His sword was perched on his shoulder and there was an odd look to him. Set determination perhaps. Confidence and defiance too. His lip was curled into a confident smirk. Ginny was really turned on by the smirk.

"Harry," she repeated slowly. He was really there. A slight laugh left her lips and Harry's smirk widened. Oh, I'll need to talk to him about doing that, Ginny thought absently.

"Harry Potter," Voldemort said in a slow and easy voice. "Well, isn't this a surprise. Miss Weasley and I were just discussing the chances of you coming here. Do -"

"Shut up and fight me, Voldemort," Harry said stonily.

Ginny saw Voldemort's hand flinched and let a small smile aimed at Harry grace her lips. "Not exactly gentlemanly," Voldemort said with a wave of his hand, "but I suppose I can only expect so much out of a Gryffindor barbarian. A duel it is then."

Harry just snorted and spread his legs a little wider than shoulder width apart, his sword vertical in the air. The confident smirk fell of his face and was replaced by one of complete focus. Though he wasn't looking at her, Ginny smiled and scooted to the edge of her seat, hands rapping nervously on her knees.

Abruptly Voldemort clapped his hands three times. Death Eaters appeared out of no where, circling Harry with heavy black robes flowing about them. Masks of silver hid their faces. From what Draco had told her, this meant they were the highest order of Death Eater. Ginny counted, ten against one, not a very fair fight. These would be the strongest, most loyal of Death Eaters, the cream of the crop. Ginny wondered idly why Malfoy wasn't among them. Looking about her Ginny saw that Lucius Malfoy had slithered out of the way and was now standing behind her chair, want at ready.

"These, Harry Potter," Voldemort spat, "are my best warriors. If you defeat them, maybe you will be worthy to fight me."

The Death Eaters formed a loose circle about Harry but Harry just smirked. Ginny wondered what he'd learned with the elves. Harry put on of his hands on the long silvery blade of his sword and closed his eyes. Ginny heard a few snickers from the Death Eaters below her and frowned. Harry had something up his sleeve and she couldn't wait to see what it was.

A powerful force began building in Ginny's chest. Slowly and steadily it grew, lightly rapping her ribs and growing progressively stronger. Ginny smiled because Voldemort hadn't noticed it. Something was happening. Something that had to do with the prophesy, something very powerful. Thudding in time with her heart she let it grow. When the right time came she would release it.

Then the first Death Eater attacked. He had barely raised his wand when Harry struck. Faster than Ginny thought was humanly possible Harry's sword was in the Death Eaters gut. The Death Eater stopped in the middle of the long sword, his body language transmitting surprise and pain. Harry sneered and twisted the blade in the impaled Death Eater. Then he removed it swiftly and the Death Eater stepped back. Harry wiped both sides of his blade on the dying Death Eater and watched as he fell to his knees and then on his face.

All chaos broke loose. Many battle screams filled the dusk sky and angry black robes hurled towards Harry. Wands flashing with spells and hexes the Death Eaters charged, surging like a mad ocean around Harry. But to Ginny's eyes, nothing seemed to be stopping him. Hell, nothing even seemed to hit him or even get close! He was faster than she could have imagined. Not only that, the strange metallic green tattoo on his chest was glowing wildly, adding to how fast he looked. His sword cutting down Death Eater after Death Eater he reminded Ginny of the heroes of old. The ones that were infused with mighty strength when their adversary was so powerful it seemed almost hopeless odds.

As quickly as it started it ended. The blacked robed villains lay spread out on the stone floor of the temple. Some were missing limbs and some were merely bleeding. Some, it seemed, had been hit with some sort of spell, maybe from Harry and maybe from a fellow Death Eater.

Panting lightly Harry stood to full height and looked up on the dais right at Voldemort. "I will fight you, Voldemort! Come and fight me!"

It became obvious to Ginny that Voldemort was stalling. The sun wasn't in the right position yet, it needed to be dusk for The Alignment to infuse him with power. But dusk wasn't far off, only ten minutes at most.

Like a slippery shadow Voldemort stood at Ginny's right. He shot a glance and Malfoy and Ginny felt cold steel on her neck and she cringed. "Do be a good girl, Miss Weasley," Malfoy whispered into her ear. "We wouldn't want to spoil this now would we?"

Ginny looked at Harry and hoped her eyes told him what she wanted. He shakes his head. He won't sacrifice her. He's come too far to sacrifice anyone anymore. Ginny sighed and said, "Do it, Harry! Just do it!"

The knife pressed close to her skin and she heard Malfoy chuckle. "Shouldn't have done that," he whispered into her ear, taking it between his teeth and biting hard. Ginny tried not to scream and just flinched.

"Malfoy!" Harry said dangerously, taking steps slowly and meaningfully towards the throne Ginny sat on.

Malfoy laughed a sick laugh and licked up the blood pooling on Ginny's shoulder then smiled at Harry. "Shouldn't have left her, Potter. She'll make a good ornament on the immortal throne of Lord Voldemort."

Rage contorted on Harry's face and a strange thing began to happen. A green sort of aura began glowing around Harry and the air around him visibly moved to a central point in front of his sword. Ginny sat amazed, eyes wide. The point of focus of the energy grew to be a ball of energy and then Harry smiled.

"Let her go, Malfoy!" he yelled, a smirk on his face. Not giving him time to answer he pointed his sword swiftly at Lucius and released the green glowing energy at him. Ginny felt the force and power of the curse like weapon Harry had created as it skimmed her head and hit Malfoy full force in the chest. He flew backwards, his body rifting apart with the force of the magic and thrown off the edge of the dais to the valley below.

Ginny looked at Harry in amazement and Harry merely snorted. He rested his sword on his shoulder and looked at Voldemort. "Now fight me. That is unless you're scared."

That got Voldemort so visibly angry that Ginny could see his veins throbbing in his deathly pale throat. He walked slowly down the steps of the dais, his wand slipping from his sleeve into his hand. Ginny smiled, she could feel his hold on her weakening as he focused more energy and magic on Harry.

"Well, Mr. Potter," Voldemort said coolly. "It seems that you've finally grown up. Not much of an improvement if you ask me. But, since you have defeated Lucius (he was unfortunately my strongest Death Eater) I suppose you've earned the right to be my servant. Submit and I may decide to favor you with top rank among my Death Eaters."

Harry looked at Voldemort and snorted.

"Not convinced?" Voldemort said, making a slow and lazy circle around Harry as he spoke. "I will have powers beyond all imaginable though, young Potter. I'll be able to give you immorality by the end. I can give you anything you desire, money, fame, power, women, you name it. I will have the power, Potter. All you have to do is drop you sword and surrender."

Harry was looking at the pacing Voldemort from the corner of his eye. A nasty spark was glinted in his eye and he frowned. "You want me to submit. I'll get anything I want. Power? Money? Influence?"

"Yes, yes, and yes, Harry," Voldemort said excitedly. "All this and more. You and I could rule the world!"

"Rule the world," Harry said speculatively. "You know, I think you may be stalling Voldemort. Why don't we just fight and whoever wins gets Ginny and the power, deal?"

Voldemort's nostrils flared angrily, giving Ginny the impression of an enraged snake with this red, vertically slited eyes. "That is a very unwise decision, Potter."

Then he swiftly pointed his wand at me and yelled, "Accio Virginia!"

Ginny felt a pull in her stomach and became aware that she was hurtling right at Voldemort. His long fingers gripped around her neck and she brought her hands to her throat trying to scratch him away. It was all to no avail and she felt her world become dizzy and faded.

"No!" Harry yelled, charging Voldemort.

Ginny's legs swung as she was moved and her eyes rolled, catching the view below her. Voldemort was holding her over the edge of the temple, laughing hysterically.

"Come one step closer Potter and she dies!" Voldemort cackled maliciously, his fingers tightening around her throat. "Does this look familiar, Potter? Seen this before...maybe in a dream?"

"Let her go, Voldemort! This is between you and me, leave Ginny out of it!" Harry shouted his sword still at ready.

Ginny couldn't see around her very well, only black with occasional color. There was a great white light above her and she thought it might be the sun. Her eyes rolling into the back of her head, she passed out.

~~~

"NNNOOOOOO!!!" Harry yelled frantically. "LET! HER! GO!"

"You want me to let her go?" Voldemort laughed maniacally. "Well, then, Potter, let her go I shall. Save the world or save your precious Ginny."

Then he let her go, her thin form plunging down to the ground. Harry didn't even think about it, he dropped his sword and flung himself over the edge. "Ginny!" he yelled at her descending form willing it to stop moving.

Using his manipulations of the air he dove faster until he was almost nose to nose with Ginny. He grasped her in his arms and stopped. He'd not done this before, levitate in thin air. It was like flying on a broom, but a thousand times more liberating and free. Air swirled around him faster, keeping him up, and he gently glided down, Ginny light as a feather in his arms.

It had been so long since he'd seen her. She was wearing some ridiculous outfit showing off far too much of her skin, Harry could only think that Malfoy had picked it out. He frowned as he landed and held Ginny in his arms gently, brushing some fallen strands of hair from her face.

"Ginny," he whispered in her ear. He knew she was alive, she was breathing. "Ginny," he repeated, kissing her cheeks lightly. He was with Ginny; that was all that mattered.

"Harry," she mumbled, her eyes flickering open. Her eyes were glossy from wanting to cry. His strong Ginny never cried though. He loved her for it.

"Ginny," he said again. Her body shuddered against him as she sighed deeply. Reaching for his face she caressed his skin and kissed him. Gods he'd missed her touch. "Ginny," he moaned as she kissed him again and again, deepening with each fragile touch.

Then she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "You've got to go, Harry," she whispered.

A sharp cry sounded from above them as a column of light hit the temple. Light exploded and filled their eyes. It was impure light though, tinted with gray and black stands. The cry could only be Voldemort receiving his power.

"You have to go!" Ginny said again, clambering out of his arms and looking pleadingly at him.

"It's done," Harry said. He was strangely calm. He didn't need anything but her, even if it was for a few moments. "He's won, Ginny. I chose you."

Ginny paled and a single tear broke loose of her dam. Then her eyes grew very wide and she bent over in pain, grabbing her stomach. "Ah!" she cried in agony. Her breathing became sharp and labored.

"Ginny! What's wrong?" Harry asked, rushing to her side and kneeling down with her. She was openly sobbing and crying, like she was being possessed by something.

Then she began glowing an unearthly purple and her body began levitating in the air. She still clutched at her stomach, contorting in some unimaginable pain.

"Move away Harry!" she screeched, the purple glow becoming angry and throbbing. She arched her back and screamed again, the pain apparently too much for her to bear. "AAAHHH!!!" she cried out, the glow centering around her abdomen. Her breathing was short and strenuous, like she couldn't inhale for some reason.

Harry on instinct stayed back. Something told him this was supposed to happen. It hurt him to see her in so much pain. She cried out again and the purple glow shone brightly for a second, turning white in the center before she let out another yell and fell heavily to the ground.

Above her was a sword. Not just any sword...but a Sword. It was huge, a real long sword. It seemed to be made of a foreign metal, nothing elves or men could make. It was wreathed in glowing red fire and encircling it were steams of water and air, rotating around it in many circles along the blade.

Walking slowly over to Ginny he knelt beside her, never taking his eyes from the elemental sword. Then he looked at the hilt. There was a word there. It was -

"Xanu," Ginny croaked as she stirred and sat. She was breathing heavily still, a grimace on her face as she tried to stand. Harry immediately helped her and she leaned heavily on his shoulder.

"What?" he asked.

"Xanu the Dagger," Ginny replied tiredly. "I guess it is Xanu the Sword now. I got it here. My soul was nurturing it, giving it power. It is my part in the prophesy, Harry. I'm the Mother of War. I gave 'birth' so to speak, to the Sword of War, Xanu the Sword. You must use it to defeat Voldemort."

Harry looked at her and she nodded. Cautiously he gripped the hilt and was surprised about how light it was. Considering its size it should have been a good twenty pounds. Harry hefted it from hand to hand, swishing it about over his head and to his left and right. Gripping it with two hands he smiled. "It's perfect. I can feel the power in it, Gin."

"Good," Ginny said. "Now get me up there, I'm going to hunt some Death Eaters."

At this Harry frowned. "You're staying right here."

Ginny raised an eyebrow and put her hand on her hip. "Am I? I think not. Just do that flying thing and get us up there. I can help you."

"You don't have a wand," Harry said, searching for an excuse.

She snorted. "I don't need a sword to kill a Death Eater, Harry. Now let's go."

Harry sighed and looked at her speculatively. "All right."

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "I missed you."

He looked her in the eye for a moment, savoring her image, memorizing it for the thousandth time. Then Harry nodded and grabbed her around the waist with one arm and she held onto his shoulders. Then he focused his energy on lifting Ginny and himself. He found it was easier if he borrowed energy from the sword.

"It's like a tornado!" Ginny yelled.

Harry nodded and flew up more, the wind whipping about him and Ginny in a cylindrical motion. Higher and higher until the rested on the uppermost level of the temple. Ginny let go of his shoulders, but he kept on arm around her waist as they looked around, his sword propped on his shoulder. Below them the Dark Lord seemed to be going mad, cursing people for no reason and laughing grotesquely. He had a black glow about him and magic radiated from him like heat from a fire.

Harry looked at Ginny and found her frowning. "He's strong, Harry," she said, looking in his eyes with her coppery ones. "Stronger than you could ever imagine. I want you to come back to me."

Harry nodded and looked down. Death Eaters were scattering, some jumping off the pavilion and others scrambling down into the temple. Voldemort still hadn't noticed them, but he was too busy shooting arms of black lightning at his followers. Giving Ginny's hip another squeeze he waited for them to be noticed by Voldemort.

When Voldemort had run out of people to test his new and awesome power on he began talking to himself.

"...become greater than God himself. I am God! Nothing can stand in my way, now! Nothing!"

"I wouldn't be so sure, Voldemort!" Harry yelled from far above him.

~~~

Ginny smiled as Harry called down the Voldemort. This was the way things were supposed to happen. This was the way things were going to be. Harry held her around the waist, as if she would fall. No, she wouldn't fall, but she was going to hunt some Death Eater. She smiled at this.

"I've come back, Voldemort! More powerful and more deadly than before! Face me Voldemort! Face me and die!" Harry boasted. Then with a last look at Ginny he leapt the fifty feet to the ground and landed lightly on his feet, standing his full height.

As much as Ginny wanted to see this, she had something she should be doing. Smiling she turned into her Animagi form, a panther. Testing her muscles she leapt from incline to incline down the temple. It felt great and free. She loved the way her muscles contracted when she jumped and stretched. Her claws were sharp, too sharp from under use. I'll have to take care of that, she thought mildly.

Landing deftly on the ground she took a last look at Harry and Voldemort. It was impossible to tell who was winning; all she could see was a great black aura clashing with a silvery-green one. Then she padded into the temple.

She smelt death all around her, death and fear. It was almost impossible to smell people, so many had passed in the last hour. But she could hear people; their feet were scratching and scuffing the floor, giving away their position.

Taking the main path that most of the Death Eaters seemed to be taking into the jungle Ginny licked her whiskers, wetting them so they would be more sensitive to vibrations. She stepped into the open air to find it raining. Horrible black rain clouds with black lightning crashing from them filled the air and were deafening to her sensitive hearing.

Catching the scent of blood she sprinted out into the dark forest. They wouldn't be able to hear or see her in the forest; shadow and rain was her ally. Few raindrops bested the great leaves of the canopy, but enough to make her comfortably cool as she leapt from branch to branch.

She was near the person; she could hear him breathing now. The man was limping, leaning heavily on his right leg. Ginny's nose picked up the sharp scent of blood and she had to restrain herself from making the kill. She wanted the caught, not killed. They would suffer in jail for what they'd done. They'd suffer for a long, long time.

Then she pounced on the man and he yelled loudly. Pawing the back side of his head harshly she made sure to knock him out, not kill him. His scent was familiar, something she remembered from when she was human. Rolling him slightly she discovered who he was. Wormtail. Peter Pettigrew. If panthers smiled she'd be grinning from ear to ear.

"This way, Eloe," a soft voice said. "I heard something from over hear."

Two cloaked figures headed towards Ginny and she leapt out of sight into a tree dense with foliage. Crouching in case it was a Death Eater she waited. But to her surprise, it wasn't. In fact, they were elves. She frowned mentally. What were elves doing there? What were they doing with their bows and swords?

"We're being watched, Nevis," the other said. Then he swung his bow and pointed it right at Ginny. "There, in that tree. The black cat. It isn't a cat, I don't think."

It could be worse, Ginny decided. Doing her best to keep her balance she morphed back into her human form and looked down at the two elves.

"Is it the nature of forest cats to turn into women?" the first asked her, not lowering his bow.

"Or rather is it the nature of women to turn into forest cats?" the second asked.

Ginny smirked and stood to her full height, satisfied that she had such good balance. "Neither actually. What are you doing here elves? This is the prophesy's fight, not the elves'."

"Then what are you doing here?" the second asked.

"Hunting," Ginny replied. "Hunting Death Eaters to be specific."

"She's the Virgin From Light," the second said to her partner. "Aren't you?"

"Yes," Ginny replied. "I was. My job is done now. The rest is up to The Green Knight."

The two elves looked at her and she hoped delicately to the ground, landing soundly on the balls of her feet and standing fully height. "Capture, not kill. Remember that."

Then she turned into a panther and went on with her hunt. There were a lot of Death Eaters out there, and they weren't quite out of the Anti-Apparition Shield yet.

~~~

Harry felt calm and ready. He'd been living his whole life for this moment. He'd waited years, trained in the harshest of conditions, and dedicated every fiber of being to this one fight, this one doom. And now that he was here everything was settling in its place. The air was right, the sound was right, even the pouring rain was right. Now was when he would grasp victory, now was when he would battle evil in its purest form.

Gripping his elemental sword again, he faced Voldemort. He could feel Voldemort's increased power, it was radiating at him. A weaker man would have been blown away. But one could say the same about Harry too. His silver/green aura flared wildly to meet Voldemort's midnight black.

"Give up, Potter," said the booming voice the Dark Lord. His black robes hung damply at his sides, rain beating down on the both of them as the faced off.

"Never!" Harry replied rebelliously. "I'll never let you take this world, Voldemort!"

"Then you will DIE!" he said, a great wave of black magic pouring from his very fingertips right at Harry. Harry summoned his green shield and fended the blast off. He could feel his feet moving backwards with the force of his hit, but stayed strong, his shield would hold forever.

Voldemort pulled off the onslaught and rallied with black wrist-thick arms of black lightning. The veins hit Harry before he had a chance to retaliate causing him to cry out in agony as the lightning ripped through him. He managed to stay standing however and struck back with a barrage of his own. Fierce winds erupted from his being and tore at Voldemort, knocking him back and earning a howl of pain.

Panting heavily, Harry looked through his thick hair at Voldemort. He'd used his strongest attack and Voldemort was barely scratched. It encouraged Harry to think that Voldemort had just used his most powerful attack as well and Harry was doing fine.

"This battle," Voldemort said in a deceptively composed voice, "cannot be won with strength it seems, Potter. Rather, it should be won by the person with the most control and finesse. Take your pick, any weapon. A duel to the death, Potter!"

"I choose a sword!" Harry returned, a smirk on his face.

A small smile formed on Voldemort's lips and he clenched a fist. A black, pointed spike of fire shot out from his fist into the shape of a sword. He swung it about and then clutched it with two hands, satisfied with his creation.

With an incline of his head, Harry darkly saluted his foe, giving a wide space between him and Voldemort. Voldemort only smiled sinisterly, raising his sword in ready position.

Then like a sweeping shadow he charged Harry, a battle cry on his lips. Harry blocked the heavy blow easily, wheeling out of the way of the flashing sword. But then the blades made contact the hissed and spat at each other, as though they were polar opposites, both attracted and repelled by each other. Blocking another swing Harry danced around his enemy with feline grace. He was much quicker than Voldemort; that was for sure. He thought that perhaps Voldemort hadn't had formal training in fencing and that would help Harry.

Fighting off the instinct to use overpowering force, Harry dodged and deflected the mighty, fiery blade of Voldemort, only occasionally thrusting. Never with the intent to hit did he attack though, just with the intent to weary his opponent.

If Voldemort thought that Harry was playing this game, he never made mention of it. Rather he seemed to think he was winning, getting the upper hand because all Harry did was block his heavy blows. Hit after hit Harry allowed himself to be driven back. But Harry also noticed that every blow was getting weaker. He realized this was Voldemort's real fight with his power and didn't quite know the extent or measure of his power yet.

This was an advantage for Harry. Though he had gained an exceptional amount of power from Ginny and her sword he knew what he could do and how to gauge his energy. Harry blocked another swipe at his head and dodged under the blow, nicking Voldemort in the stomach, ripping his black robes. A few of these light hits lined Voldemort's torso and arms, but no hit had yet to land on Harry.

Harry drew his sword up to block a vertical attack from above him, falling to one knee under the strength of Voldemort. A smile was on Voldemort's face, something like a look of victory. Harry strained under the pressure but kept in control. Harry decided that now was the time to show his full power, as Voldemort was obviously loosing command of his.

With a great burst of energy, more than Harry knew he had, he rose up and shrank from under Voldemort's blow to land a heavy one of his own in the Dark Lord's gut. Voldemort paused and Harry withdrew his sword, a grotesque black substance burning off his blade.

Smirking, Harry went to work. Hit after hit, blow after blow, thrust after thrust he beat back his opponent skillfully. His aura blazed, sending silver strokes of lightning of his own into the black clouds. Rain poured heavily on him as he drove at Voldemort again and again. The black blaze of Voldemort's sword was giving; Harry could feel it when he battered at it. It was failing; the dark power of Voldemort was failing.

Harry knew it was time. No more playing. "Now, Voldemort," he breathed. "YOU DIE!!!" Gathering his remaining power he focused his entire aura and being into the attack. A great burst of energy and magic rocketed from Harry, swirling right at Voldemort. There was no where for him to go, Voldemort would be caught in the blast.

As the great green and silver stranded beam riveted into Voldemort's soul, he cried out in aguish, rifting apart atom by atom until there was nothing, not even a trace of his soul. Then as if an aftershock, a great boom sounded throughout the mountains echoing off the distant Andes and in the narrow valleys between the peaks. It was full with finality and resolution.

Harry fell to his knees, dropping his sword before him. Panting and feeling very lightheaded, Harry put his hand on the ground and tried to stay conscious. Looking around him, the rain had all but stopped and his blade was still burning, though less intense. The wind and water and fire surrounding it slowly died, leaving just the unearthly metal.

A small smile on his face, Harry rolled over and blackness covered him, a few light drops of rain sprinkling his face.