The War of Shades

7th year - The scar connection becomes wide open, giving both Harry and Voldemort ever more detailed views into each other's mind. Harry works on practicing the message he gained in Egypt (Harry Potter and the Goblin Rebellion), but Voldemort launches the Second War to fill Harry with hatred and anger and to strip him of all who are loyal to him. Ever more desperately Harry trains himself and others to fight, but something is making all of his friends fight each other. Harry must find a way to stop the internal warfare or Voldemort will be able to launch an attack on Hogwarts that will destroy all who are capable of resisting him, including Harry. Through all this, Harry must learn for himself how he will finally vanquish Voldemort.

Remus Lupin brings Reverend MacBoon to meet with Harry. Aunt Petunia surprises Harry again with her knowledge of the magical world. Harry learns about universal love, and begins to examine his relationships, beginning with Professor Dumbledore and Remus Lupin.

Harry's scar tells him in disturbing detail that Voldemort has ordered a killing. He gives the information to Lupin who tries to assemble a team to stop it, but they are too late. That night he has difficult dreams about the killing. The next day he discusses this turn of events with Dumbledore, who tells Harry what he thinks is the true nature of the scar connection.

The Dursleys see the Dark Mark on the telly and ask Harry about it. They also plot to work around Aunt Marge. Then he visits Cameron MacBoon at Mrs. Figg's house, and after taking time to tease Tonks, they have a counseling session learning to address Harry's resentments against Mrs. Figg.

Amid the on-going terror attacks by Voldemort's forces, Harry begins a weekend visit with Seamus Finnegan, learning a lot about mixed muggle-magical families.

Harry is still visiting Seamus when he learns of a large number of terror attacks. He doesn't realize until Seamus tells him that one of the attacks is to be in Seamus's neighborhood. Even Mrs. Finnegan can't stay out of it when the war comes to her doorstep.

Seamus Finnegan's family hold a celebration of Katherine's rescue and Seamus's new skill. Harry learns a bit of Irish dance. Later he discusses concerns about the war and women with Remus Lupin.

Harry talks with Reverend MacBoon about Aunt Marge and Katherine Finnegan, gaining new insight into the complexities of human beings.

Aunt Marge comes to visit. She is every bit as unpleasant as ever. Harry can't resist tweaking her, but she still is able to get him upset.

Harry visits Ernie McMillan and family. They are warm and pleasant, with Ernie's father being extravagantly proud of his son and Ernie's mother being the embodiment of grace. In stark contrast when he returns to Little Whinging is Aunt Marge who continues to nettle him. She seizes his wands and creates a scene before Harry is able to recover them.

Harry visits Luna Lovegood and her father and gains valuable new insights.

Harry goes to the training camp at Longbottom Manor. The evening he arrives he seeks out Ginny Weasley for a heart-to-heart talk which does not go as he hoped.

Harry is confronted by Ron over having made Ginny cry. After the twins defuse Ron's angry stance, Ron, Harry and Hermione talk over Harry's need to resolve emotional issues concerning Marietta. Harry then runs into Lupin who gives him further advice about dealing with issues concerning death.

The training camp gets organized and has its first day of work.

Harry returns to Privet Drive for his birthday. Marge won't let up with provoking him, but Harry mostly just ignores it. When Marge goes too far, Harry gets some unexpected help.

In a large round of attacks, Ernie McMillan's home is targeted. Ernie disapparates to his neighborhood and against Lupin's attempts to stop him, Harry goes as well to help Ernie. The results are tragic and distress Harry greatly.

Still angry over the attack on the McMillans, Harry doubles his efforts on patronus training. His frustration with Tonks' inability to do the charm finally makes him erupt into a tirade. Afterward Harry, Ron, Neville and Hermione come up with a plan for an alternate way to fight dementors.

Chapter 19 - Tonks makes a breakthrough with her patronus and gives the credit to Harry. Now that all the adults can use a patronus, the training camp schedules are adjusted again.

Harry finds that the young women at the training camp are being oddly friendly with him. After a particularly disconcerting encounter with the Patils, Harry corners Ron and Hermione to sort it out. Later Harry meets with Cho, although she seems to have intentions beyond discussing Marietta.

Harry and Ron go to rescue Hermione. They expect an ambush so they turn the tables on the attackers. Even then there is a very dangerous surprise for Harry and he must make a frightening snap decision.

Harry and Tonks go to the Ministry to fill out reports on the ambush. Acting Minister of Magic Arthur Weasley summons Harry, and they have a long talk with Dumbledore. During this talk, Harry makes a frightening offer to allow Arthur to win the war at a very tragic price - Harry's own life.

Harry is taken to see the new Fountain of Magical Brethren and then has lunch with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, after noting a particular coldness of Mrs. Weasley toward Tonks.

Harry explains to Tonks about the rumors. Tonks explains why she likes the notion. Harry sees her point. Back at training camp, there is excitement over the rescue. In the morning, there is a change in policy - everyone is now required to wear sunglasses at all times to keep Harry from lapsing into a legilemency reading of them.

In the last two weeks of camp, students begin supplementing the attack response teams very effectively. Harry finds the singlasses everyone is wearing particularly annoying and isolating. The rest of the DA comes to Harry with a new idea for organizing their efforts.

The training camp disbands and the Hogwarts students take the Hogwarts Express. Harry asks his friends' help in seeing what Hagrid needs to be taught, and tells then he wants to explain a secret to them at that time. Crabbe and Goyle pay a surprising visit.

As the Hogwarts Express arrives at Hogsmeade Station, Harry, Luna and Neville describe the thestrals to Hermione so she won't be shocked, not that she has seen a death. At the station, the fighting aomng those who were at the training camp continues. Back at the castle, the Sorting hat sings its song and the sorting proceeds. The new Defense teacher is revealed.

On the way back to the dorm, Ginny trips and her glasses come off - she received detention, to be served with Snape, even though it was an accident. Harry discusses the summer with his portrait of Sirius, but is interrupted by an attack warning. He calls Remus and then gathers the seventh-years who can to use the Floo to go help. As they return, they all get into fights with each other. Harry leaves to avoid the fights and on the wat with snacks from the kitchen, he runs into Ginny, who is filthy. She tells him her detention was cleaning the potions classroom with a scrub brush.

Harry and friends visit Hagrid and find Madame Maxime at the hut. They discuss the upcoming school year. After she leaves, they test Hagrid for his wizarding skills. Then Harry tells them all about the prophecy.

As classes at Hogwarts resume, Ron and Hermione tell Harry about several areas that have been designated off-limits to him, so as to allow students and staff a chance to have their sunglasses off. The first week passes as they develop new routines for classes, training, and responding to attacks. Draco Malfoy confronts Harry at the end of the first week.

Hogwarts settles into classes. Harry has a run-in with Snape. Melony starts to give seminars from the goblins' point of view and Madame Maxime arranges for her to give guest lectures in Defense on the goblin specialty of anti-apparation spells.

Harry discusses miracles with Reverend MacBoon

At the Halloween feast, Hedwig returns from a flight for Ginny grievously injures - she had been intercepted and her left leg cut off. As Hagrid rushes to help her, Harry remembers the hand-restoring spell Voldemort performed in the graveyeard and modifies it ofr Hedwig. Still Hedwig is at death's door as Hagrid takes her to give her help. Harry is distraught as he and his freinds leave the feast. Draco Malfoy cannot resist the opportunity to taunt Harry. Harry is enraged and vents his anger through a spectacular display of lower. Although he harms no one, he is given immediate detention with Reverend MacBoon.

As Reverend MacBoon takes Harry to Hagrid's hut to see about Hedwig's condition, he gives Harry a short lesson on prayer. When they arrive, Hagrid tells them that it does not look good for Hedwig. Harry runs to the basket she is in, and Reverend MacBoon encourages Harry to try prayer. Harry puts his whole heart into it for Hedwig.

When Hermione invites Ginny to join her and Ron at Hogsmeade, Ron enlists Harry to come along as well so as to get Ginny away from them so Ron and Hermione can have a proper date. Harry is reluctant to even go without checking with Professor Dumbledore, but not only does Dumbledore agree for him to go, he asks Harry to handle a task around the countryside around Hogsmeade which requires him to have a helper. Ginny is none too thrilled, but agrees to be the helper.

Chapter 37 - Harry makes a speech to the DA announcing Voldemort's plans to attack Hogwarts if the studuents don't stop fighting amongst each other. Even while pledging to stop, a fight breaks out. Harry leaves in disgust, but is brought back by pleas from a surprising source.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville are anxious going to the Care of Magical Creatures lesson because Hagrid missed the DA meeting the night before. When they arrive at his hut, they learn why - the basilisk hatched and he has petrified himself. After they depetrify him, they discuss magical creatures and the fighting amongst the students. Hagrid suggests there is a curse making them fight and Harry accepts that as the most likely cause.

The baby basilisk is tested on the pethifold. Dobby announces to Harry that he will soon be a father. Harry gets comfort from Ginny when student fighting breaks out before the first Gryffindor quidditch match. Harry starts to move toward a relationship, but is overly cautious.

Harry spends Christmas Brak with Reverend MacBoon and Arabella Figg volunteering at the Rescue Mission in Aberdeen. He has a number of challenging and eye-opening experiences there, including an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

Harry returns to Hogwarts to find that over 90% of the students have stayed have been jinxed into hospital as a result of 2 melees that broke out over the previous three days. In discussing it with people, he learns several new things about the nature of the hex on the school. Returning to the library, Voldemort engages Harry in a chilling discussion.

Harry is already stressed out over finding a solution to the curse that's making all of Hogwarts at war with itself when he finds it has spread to the two he thought would never succumb: Dobby and Melony have a vicious fight. Harry goes for a long walk away from everyone, but later Ginny comes to find him. She offers him support and they come to terms about how they feel for each other. Then they decide to tell Ron and Hermione.

Ron, Hermione and Ernie MacMillan corner Harry to make plans for repeating the war games they had held the previous Spring Break, known as the Spring Skirmish. Harry is reluctant, due to all the fighting around the school, but he relents. Later he received an owl-post from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley inviting Ginny and him to visit during Spring Break. They both recognize that this is not an invitation that can be refused.

March goes well for Harry, despite the on-going frustration of the curse affecting Hogwarts. Harry is even screamed at by Dobby after Melony delivers their baby. Harry and Ginny apparate to Grimmauld Place for Spring Break and are given a tour of the improvements as they discuss various things.

Spring Break at Grimmauld Place starts with a good workout in dueling with most of the Weasley children. Then the rest is spent working on Dark Arts research and curse detection. Near the end of the week, Harry gets a message from Hagrid that fills Harry with dark forebodings.

Harry and Ginny return to Hogwarts at the end of Spring Break to find destruction everywhere, including the castle itself. The students are nearly all in hospital. The professors are reconstructing the damaged parts. Harry's scar connection tells him that Voldemort has demanded of the Death Eaters that the attack on the school commence before summer break. Harry begins an exhausting search for the cure to the curse that has all the defenders fighting each other. This even includes a painful search through Voldemort's memories. On the last day of exams, Harry admits failure: he has not found the solution, the attack has commenced, the students are panicking and fighting each other - and then Harry is knocked out by a stunner from Ron.

Harry awakes from Ron's stunner to find himself surrounded by various sorts of beings. He plans to fight his way out, but Hermione prevails on him to trust her. He does and then participates in a group spell. Then Hermione explains the defensive plan to him, as far as she is allowed.

Harry asks Hermione whether everything was planned, including his romance with Ginny. Hermione enthusiastically tells how all the steps were put into place, including Ginny getting detentions to give her time to learn occlumency from Snape so she would be able to remove her glasses with Harry. Harry is crushed but gets on with his duties, the first of which is to apparate Hagrid to Aragog to enlist the Acromantulas help in counter-attacking the giants.

Harry apparates to Gringotts, where a goblin army is quickly gathered for apparation to a cave behind the dark army. He then goes to the main battlefield where he evacuates the wounded. Harry is called by Remus Lupin for help fighting the giants. Hedwig gets her revenge.

Continuing the evacuation of the wounded, Harry finds that Ron has withdrawn from the battle with the giants because of the arrival of the acromantulas. After Ron recovers, he and Harry go to Ernie to see if they can help on the south battlefield. As they visit the remaining and most deadly dark fighters concentrate their efforts to break through to the north. Ernie marshalls his forces, while Harry returns to the castle to alert adults for a fight on the open heath. Then Harry takes Ron to ask the help of the centaurs and goblins in mopping up the wounded and stragglers. Returning, they find LeStrange and Harry uses her to force Voldemort to appear. The foursome battles fiercely, until both Ron and LeStrange are critically wounded.

Harry finds Ron at death's door. In his grief, he begs for the injury to be his rather than Ron's. He discovers a new power - healing. In discussing it with Hermione, he learns his mother had a weaker version of it and that it explains so many development over the previous three years. His friends want him to use it for others, but Harry hasn't told them the terrible price he pays when he uses it.

Harry continues to heal gravely injured people. They come across Lupin as a werewolf, unconscious, and in healing the woulds turns him back to human form. Then Harry finds Hagrid with Madama Maxime's body. She is near death from the killing curse. Harry tries to heal her and is so pushed to his limit that he meets with his parents and Sirius, who give him advice.

Hermione explains the Parable of the Cave to Harry and he starts to devise a plan as he continues to heal. As the first step of the plan, he gets Tonks to take on Voldemort's appearance and do everything she can to make him mad.

Harry goes to the Hospital Wing and Goblin Clinic to heal the gravely injured. His final visit is to Lucius Malfoy, for whom he has to overcome all the animosity Malfoy has created. When Harry does so, he explains to Hermione about the gist of his plan to defeat Voldemort.

Harry explains to the volunteers rounded up by Ron and Ginny just how he plans to defeat Voldemort. They invade Voldemort's island and petrify the dementors which Voldemort and Lestrange are asleep. Neville takes on Lestrange when she awakes.

Harry tries to heal Voldemort, who resists. They fight, then Voldemort tries to distract Harry by attacking the raiding party. Harry's friends protect themselves and attack back to give Harry a chance to heal. Voldemort then uses a last trick he's been saving. This gives him the chance to use the killing curse on Harry, but it stops and binds them together as the final division between them breaks down. They struggle and Harry is losing until he gets some unexpected help.

The raiding party makes a grand entrance at the year-end feast to report on the trip to Voldemort's headquarters. A bit later, Harry and Neville arrive by broom and report on their trip to London.

Additional matters are explained, such as what happened that destroyed Voldemort and the true nature of Harry's healing power. A celebration of the end of the war is announced to commence after the year-end feast. The House Cup is awarded and then the feast is held.

After the feast, Dumbledore takes Harry to his office for a meeting with Professor McGonagall and Reverend MacBoon to discuss parts of the victory in depth and to make plans for the future. Harry expresses his concern that he will lose his nerve to accept pain when someone needs his healing power.

Harry visits the hospital wing and then joins the celebration. He is thronged by people there. Later he gets together with his friends and visit Hagrid's hut. Then they find places to sit for the fireworks show.

Harry tries to talk about dealing with pain to Lupin but is interrupted by Luna and Ginny, and then by the twins' fireworks show, which is an animated retelling of Harry's adventures. When Harry and Ginny have had enough of reliving these things, they go up to the castle and talk. Later Harry works out a deal for famous wizard cards and makes sure that Ron and Hermione are included. They learn who the DAtDA teacher for the next year will be.

Ginny is enraged with Hermione for letting Harry think she didn't really like him. After some tension, Hermione calms the situation. Then Harry meets with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and asks if he can call the Mum and Dad, which they happily accept. Mrs. Weasley helps him see that the memory of pain dims while the thoughts of people helped live on, and that healing will not seem so difficult because of that. When Ginny and Harry wish for music to dance to, Fawkes responds with Phoenixsong, and while dancing with Ginny Harry sees the Mirror of Erised, which has a surprising revelation for him. This is the end of the main story. There is a multi-chapter epilogue to follow.

The celebration is over and Hogwarts' students have mostly gone home, even before the Hogwarts Express has left. Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione begin to work out what to do without a war to fight.

Harry tries to settle in to being a resident of Hogwarts Castle during the summer. He has conversations with Hagrid, Sirius's portrait and Dumbledore that help him sort a lot of things out.

Harry's dinner with McGonagall turns out to include Snape. She has arranged the dinner to force Harry and Snape to learn to be civil with her. She particularly prods Snape to tell the backstory of why he particularly despised James and Harry, and why he joined the Death Eaters and then turned away from them.

At Harry's breakfast with Dumbledore, he learns a lot more about preparing to be an instructor and the expectations of him as the one who defeated Voldemort. At the end of the meal a flurry of owls arrives with invitations for professional quidditch tryouts, a party at the Longbottoms and a promotional tour for the Harry Potter Famous Wizard cards.

Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione go on the Famous Wizard card promotional tour. Hermione trades in all their recreational events for educational and cultural things. Before she can schedule such things for their final stop, in Atlanta, the others put a stop to it and insist they are just going to have some fun in the sun.

Several decades after the war, a legend has arisen among sick muggle children of an angel dressed in green robes who comes and heals. Of course, it is Harry, but some people in his ever-growing extended family don't understand why he must go so often to people he doesn't even know. Harry explains.