Was it all enough? - Year 7

The atmosphere around the seventh years was pretty stressed. Everyone was worried about N.E.W.T.s as well as Voldemort being back. Hermione spent every free minute studying and even Ron and Parvati could be found in the common room studying in the evenings. Harry was concentrating on Potions and History of Magic. He felt comfortable with the special presentation, defense and charms. Actually, Harry would be fine getting the 10 for their special presentation but wouldn't live it down if he didn't get defense and charms as well.

Many of the other sixth years were also having issues with the Apparation lessons. They had completed the theory and were beginning to try practical things in Hogsmeade. No one had been able to master it yet and being in Hogsmeade made everyone nervous.

The students were all down for breakfast one morning when Harry noticed Professor Dumbledore come out of the teacher's room with a very strained look on his face. The other teachers all turned to him and in a loud voice he suddenly said, "Prefects immediately lead all students to their common rooms and do not come out until a teacher personally tells you to." Everyone started moving and Harry saw Sirius run out of the teacher's room and speak to Dumbledore. They both looked at Harry and Sirius pushed his way up to where Harry was walking with Hermione.

"What's up Sirius?" Harry asked.

"Let's just get to the common room and then we'll talk. We need to move faster." Harry had never seen Sirius so focused before.

Harry suddenly had a feeling he knew what it was. "He's here isn't he?" Harry asked but Sirius didn't answer. When they got to the common room Professor McGonagall told all students except for seventh year to go to their dormitories. No one questioned her at all. Once only the seventh year students were left she was about to say something when they all heard a voice so loud things shook. "Give me the boy or you all die."

Harry looked at Sirius who looked like he wanted to cry. "Just let me go out there Sirius. I can't let anyone else get hurt," Harry pleaded loudly.

Hermione and Ron were saying, "No way."

Sirius said, "Do you really think he won't hurt others even if he has you? Can't you think of other people he wants to wipe out as well?"

Harry looked at Hermione and knew Sirius was right. "If I can get to the forest, maybe he'll come after me and then you can have a chance to get away," Harry said trying to think of any options

Sirius started to answer but was interrupted by the booming voice. "The first person out of the door who isn't the boy dies."

Professor McGonagall turned to Sirius. "Could you please wait outside? Make sure he doesn't get out that way."

"If you come through that picture, I'm stunning you," Sirius said and Harry realized his godfather wasn't kidding at all.

One of the students yelled. "Dumbledore's out there."

"You can't stop me old man. Not this time." Voldemort yelled.

They couldn't hear what Dumbledore was saying but Voldemort just laughed in response.

Harry got up and started pacing back and forth. The other students moved out of his way. Hermione could feel the rush of magic around him. Even some of the other students and Professor McGonagall obviously sensed something different about him. "This is my fight." Harry was saying to no one in particular.

People were talking to Harry but he wasn't paying any attention. He heard more noise from outside and some loud explosions and knew the two wizards were dueling. Harry again said more forcefully this time, "This is my fight."

Suddenly, in his head he heard, "So go fight."

Harry perked up and looked around but found no one. The next explosion caused him to pace again until he heard some screams and McGonagall gasp. Looking up Harry was directly in front of what looked like a ghost but no ghost he had ever seen. This was a large regal looking man with a long beard. The man looked strangely familiar.

"If this is your fight, then go fight," the ghost said looking directly at Harry.

"How can I get out there? Either the teacher or Sirius will stop me," Harry replied as if talking to a ghost was just natural.

Harry could hear other students saying things but couldn't really focus on what they were saying. Hermione was just staring at Harry and the ghost. Hermione had been able to feel the difference in Harry throughout this year and now everyone in the common room could see something had changed. He was totally focused on the large ghost in front of him and Harry almost seemed to give off his own light. Everyone other than Hermione backed up.

The ghost smiled broadly at the young man. "Just go. You're right, is your fight."

"How can I fight him? My wand won't work against him," Harry asked seeming to understand instantly who this ghost was.

The ghost laughed and appeared very calm despite the terrifying sounds coming from outside. "You asked for help once before and it was provided. Just ask for it again."

Suddenly a picture formed in his mind and Harry asked, "May I have the sword?"

The ghost smiled broadly and said, "Of course. It is yours after all."

Godric Gryffindor's sword suddenly appeared in Harry's hand. It was exactly as he remembered it from the Chamber of Secrets.

"Can I defeat Voldemort with this?" Harry asked trying to ignore the sounds from outside.

"Of course. However, Voldemort is not your real concern. Do you want to fight Voldemort or evil?" the ghost asked coming closer to Harry.

"But the orb can't be destroyed," Harry said with some confusion, but not backing up from the ghost.

"No? Are you sure? What is one of the most destructive forces in nature?" The ghost stared at Harry. Harry turned to look at Hermione and thought of lightning. "That's right," the ghost added. "You can destroy Voldemort alone but not evil. You will need help."

Harry turned and said, "Hermione I need a storm, the best you can do."

This hit Hermione just like a request from Dumbledore would do when the Headmaster was being very serious. It was polite, but there was no doubt you didn't have a choice. "But Harry, I don't..." Hermione was saying before she was cut off.

"I can't do this by myself Hermione. I need your help," Harry said with total confidence.

"Harry, you can't go out there," Hermione yelled back.

"I'm going whether you help me or not. Please," Harry pleaded looking deep into his best friend's eyes.

Hermione was taken aback but moved to the window and started elemental magic to gather a storm.

Harry barely heard Professor McGonagall say, "Mr. Potter, we are not allowing you to leave this room!"

"Can I save Dumbledore?" Harry asked the ghost having made up his mind and ignoring McGonagall.

"No," the ghost said not looking very sad, "the destruction of so much evil cannot happen without the loss of good as well. Your Headmaster is doing all he can to help you in your fight."

Harry heard the thunder and then heard Voldemort. "Even the gods know you've lost old man. The boy will be helpless without you."

"How do you know I can do this?" Harry asked the ghost.

The ghost gave a loud laugh and said, "You are my heir. Of course you can do this if you use the sword as it was meant to be used." Then the ghost changed to look very serious and very powerful. "Just go do it!"

Harry stood up tall and just radiated power before Apparating out of the common room to the ground outside just as Dumbledore fell from the killing curse Voldemort had cast. Voldemort was hovering about twenty feet in the air in front of the castle. It was thundering and lightning was crashing around.

"No!" Screamed Harry but was drowned out by Voldemort's laugh.

Hermione could feel it again; the terrible sensation of loss that she had felt while looking into Harry's future. She was terrified that the next feeling was about to come true as well.

The screams from the common room made Sirius come in and he immediately panicked when Harry wasn't there. The ghost had already gone but McGonagall who could barely catch her breath said, "He...He...just apparated outside."

"So Harry. You got to witness the last breath of an old fool," Voldemort said relishing in the defeat of Dumbledore. "You want to fight with a sword? Why not use your wand? I assure you it will work now. You see with all the extra power I've acquired from this relic you basically handed to me the little problem of our wands being brothers has been overcome, as you will soon find out. Crucio," Voldemort screamed and Harry held the sword defiantly in front of him. The blade suddenly glowed green and seemed to absorb the spell.

"Interesting." Voldemort said without fear. "You know that when I'm through with you all your mudblood friends will be next. And then any family that won't support me. This is the end Harry, and your protector Dumbledore knew it." There was another flash of lightning.

Harry just had a sense about what needed to happen, almost like a voice in his head. "You're still a loser Tom," Harry yelled. "You've tried to kill me five times and failed each time. You want to blame it on your pathetic helpers but you've been the failure."

"Silence boy. Let's see how you like some of the new spells I've come across." Voldemort said in a rage before casting another spell that hit the sword but still sent Harry sailing back, and causing him to land hard on the ground. Voldemort laughed loudly.

Harry had the wind knocked out of him but slowly got up and came back towards Voldemort. "Is that all you've learned Tom?" Harry yelled.

Harry watched as Voldemort said another spell and saw the orb flash back to amber while the monster was casting the spell. Harry once again went sailing back again from the force of that spell and landed on the steps of the school. He could tell the sword was getting heavier with each spell it absorbed.

"All of your friends who consider you their savior are watching your defeat Potter. How does it feel to be facing death alone?" Voldemort yelled.

"I'm never alone Tom. I have people who truly love me and will always be with me. That's something you will never have," Harry yelled back struggling to get back up.

Voldemort laughed and said, "Then see how much help their love gives you now." Harry watched as Voldemort started saying the killing curse. Everything seemed to slow down and Harry saw the green flash come straight toward him. Harry held the sword in both hands out in front of him and was sent flying against the castle wall from the force of the blast.

Voldemort laughed and the volume shook the castle. Then he yelled, "There; your precious savior is dead. Send me the Mudbloods and I'll spare the rest of you. Now!"

In the common room Hermione screamed, "No!" She couldn't believe that it happened so quickly.

Voldemort yelled, "The next person out of the castle had better be a mudblood or you will all die." His voice was so loud everything shook.

Suddenly there was a small pop and Harry said, "I don't think so Tom." The sword was already in motion before Voldemort turned to see Harry standing face to face with him. The cut was clean and just as R.J. had told him; almost any creature will die if you remove its head. There was a huge gust of wind and Voldemort's body seemed to evaporate into a dark smoke and was being pulled into the orb, which glowed black almost seeming to suck the light in.

In the common room there was a second of silence and then. "He did it! Harry killed Voldemort," Ron yelled. Hermione still stared outside and knew something else was going to happen.

"What's he doing?" Sirius yelled. "He won already."

Harry was still hanging in the air with the orb levitated in front of him. He raised the sword above his head and began saying the spells to increase the lightning. The bolts were now crashing all around him and finally, one connected with the sword causing it and in fact all of Harry to glow bright white. Harry held on until he knew he couldn't anymore and roared at the same time as bringing the sword down onto the orb. There was a blinding flash of light. That was the last Harry remembered. He didn't see the wave of energy that roared through the forest and over the lake. He also didn't feel what every other person in the wizarding world felt. For most of them, it was like stepping from a smoky room into fresh air. They knew something remarkably good had just happened, but had no idea what. For some however, it was quite the opposite. They felt something being ripped from them, leaving only emptiness.