The Beginning Of The End

Voldemort

The moment his hand touched the wand that was inside Dumbledore's tomb, he felt the power that such wand held. The Elder Wand, the most powerful wand in existence was now his at last. Such a wand was wasted in a fool man like Dumbledore, but in his hands it was perfection itself. Now he could fully embrace his new world, his rightful vision of what it was best for him and his fellow wizards and he was going to make it happen soon. Oh, very soon.

Now that Dumbledore was out of his way there was only one obstacle left and with the Elder Wand in his possession, Harry Potter will not be a nuisance any longer. The boy had been lucky so far, but his luck had just run out on him at the moment he touched such a magnificent creation. Certainly, the most powerful wand in the world was more than enough to beat Potter's weaker one and it was about time for him to show the boy what genuine despair looked like.

Feeling himself in his best in a long time, at his most dominant and almighty moment, he raised his brand new wand into the sky to taste its power. Without any need of words, a lot of potent lightnings came out of it, deeply illuminating the night sky while resonating like ferocious beasts. It looked like a sudden lightning storm that came out of nowhere and he was pleased with the result. It felt good to come back from the shadows and even stronger than before, very good indeed. For far too long he had lived in such shadows, for far too long he had waited to be back and now, the world should know that Lord Voldemort was on his way to the top once more and stronger than ever.

"Have a taste of what is coming to you all soon and learn how to fear me again..." He whispers to himself and cast his dark mark high above in the sky, near the Hogwarts castle and watched with fascination as the huge snake coiled inside the glowing green skull in the night. He didn't have to wait more than a minute to see some Dementors gliding close to him and he laughed delighted. He has missed having a body that could feel, touch and taste, that could torture and punish as well.

"Go and spread some terror and panic..." He commanded and the vile creatures hovered toward Hogwarts and Hogsmaede. "Now Potter, it's time to punish you." Two Death Eaters, called the Carrow brothers, showed up, after seen his mark and he nodded in approval.

"Lord Voldemort... your wish is my command." The male said and he thought their timing was just perfect.

"Good. I want you to bring me the Weasley girl that's inside the castle and any other Potter's friend you can find while at it. I will be waiting inside the Forbidden Forest, don't make me wait long." He said.

"What about Snape my Lord?" The woman asked.

"Let him deal with the Hogwarts crisis as a Headmaster should, despite my desire to punish those who dare defy me, I do not wish to harm the young purebloods that will soon surrender to me. Now go and bring me Potter's closer friends, I will summon more Death Eaters so they can witness my new power and watch as I bring down Potter once and for all. I'm sure that when Potter gets the news about what is happening at his dear Hogwarts, he will come to save his friends. If not, then he is nothing more than a coward that everyone will hate and forget soon enough." He said while holding Alecto's arm to summon his followers through his dark mark and a second later, he was gone to wait inside the Forbidden Forest. He was anxious to get a few things done and specially, he was eager to show Draco how capturing Potter should be done, as well as what being a Death Eater truly means.

Ron

By the time they had rushed out of the room to search for Ginny, Hogwarts had already become a place of chaos. High above in the night sky, Voldemort's mark shined like a greenish sun, making the Dementors around the school and town run wild. The teachers had come out in a hurry, trying to keep the Demetors at bay and the students safe but it was kind of hard to do in such a sudden attack. They passed Professor Macgonagall, who shouted at them to head to the great hall where it was safer, but they ignored her. Ginny's life was in danger and they didn't have the time to tell the Professor that the Carrow twins had taken her, probably to meet Voldemort.

It was more than obvious that Voldemort was nearby with the dark mark glowing in the night, all the lightnings that came out of nowhere and the Dementors on the loose making havoc, which only make Ron fear more for his sister's life as well as the rest of his family. He hoped with all his heart that his parents and brothers were somehow safe and that he could find his sister before it was too late. However, finding Ginny was becoming more difficult than they anticipated.

While they ran at full speed toward the Forbidden Forest where some students told them that they saw the Carrow's for the last time, Neville's magnificent lion Patronus kept the Dementors at bay, but some Slythering students were determined to either delay their advance or try to capture them if it was possible, making their breakthrough to rescue Ginny slow and difficult. As a result, lots of curses and spells flew here and there as both sides confronted each other without holding back. Crabbe and Goyle were specially aggressive in their attempt to get them, but all the defense against the dark arts classes they got from Harry payed off when it counted the most. Still, the many confrontations keep their advance almost none existent and Ron was getting impatient and mad, even desperate to the point that he failed to see a coming curse Goyle directed at him.

"Interitio!" Goyle yelled directing the curse straight at him. Such curse could only belonged to the dark arts as it was a destruction curse that would have killed Ron on the spot if Dooby, who had suddenly appeared in front of him, didn't redirect it in time, high toward the Slytherings group. The blasting of that part of the ceiling, fell over the black and green dressed students knocking them out instantly, although not really killing them.

"Ron!" Harry shouted to his half petrified friend, hugging him, as he was quite glad they have arrived just in time to save him.

"Harry!" Neville yelled coming closer to them, making Harry turn to also hug him in return. Harry could see some traces of blood on his face and a few wounds here and there, but nothing serious, for which he was also glad. At his side, a translucent lion roared, or so it looked, as he could not hear it and Neville could not help himself but to look at Harry with a great amount of pride.

"You see, Harry? I can make a Patronus now!" Neville said and Harry smiled, glad that he had finally been able to create one and an impressive one at that.

"I'm so glad for you Neville..."

"Harry, Ginny seems to be inside the Forbidden Forest and we think the Dark Lord is there as well." Ron interrupted, finally getting out of his shock for almost get himself killed seconds ago.

"Yeah, it seems so. Don't worry Ron, I will not let anything happen to Ginny..."

"We are not letting anything happen to Ginny, Harry... we are here too, for if you didn't notice." Seamus said and Harry looked at the rest of his fellow DA member with satisfaction. They had done well on their own, very well indeed.

"Then, let's go. We have some extra help this time..." Harry said pointing at the few house elves that had appeared along with him and Dobby. They were ready to face their destinies, whatever for the better or the worst.

Saving The Weasley's

Arthur

Arthur Weasley knew that something was wrong the moment he felt like someone was watching him. Something similar had happened in the day he was bite by Voldemort's snake that almost killed him. However, this time he was well aware of what could come his way, for which he prepared himself for a surprise attack or whatever else could come instead.

When he got out of his office, he looked left and right looking for possible danger while he held his wand in his hand, expecting to use it at any moment. Voldemort didn't exactly play fair games and nor did his many minions, but if he prepared himself for the unexpected, he may take his enemies by surprise and react faster than he would otherwise. As he walked toward the elevator wish was a perfect place to ambush him, he worry about his wife, Molly and his son's and daughter. He wonder if they were alright or if he was just making things up in his mind. Things at the Ministry were not the same ever since Voldemort's puppet, Pius Thicknesse had take over the Ministry.

His more or less peaceful days at work had been over ever since and he had to admit that it had been hard to keep appearances when he could be attack or took as a hostage at any moment of each day, but somehow he had persevered, mostly for his family's sake. He wasn't exactly afraid for his safety, he worried the most for Ron, as he was traveling with Harry, then for Ginny at Hogwarts who could be at the mercy of the Death Eaters inside the castle and a lot more for Molly when she was alone at home.

He hoped that it was all his personal paranoia and that all the members in his family were safe. As he came closer to the elevator, he didn't fail to notice that the corridor was unusually empty for the end of the day. There were a few members from the other departments he knew well, but some of them looked at him nervously. Arthur wasn't a fool, he was aware that among the people walking to the elevator were some Death Eaters that he had learned to be careful with.

With his wand secured in his right hand Arthur waited for the elevator door to open a few seconds later and just when the door begins to open, he turned to face those who will probably tried to attack him. Three of the few who remained in the corridor with him had already raised their wands in his direction, but before any of them (including himself) could do something, a bunch of small blue pixies flied out of the elevator and begin to destroy everything they saw. Papers, books, personal stuff and all kind of things were thrown everywhere by the devilish things. Miraculously enough the pixies, ignored him as he stepped aside from the sudden chaos, but the Death Eaters who were ready to attack him were not that fortunate and find themselves fighting the little troublemakers instead.

"Arthur Weasley... come, come..." A voice at his back said and Arthur turned to look inside the still open elevator. To his surprise, in one corner of the elevator was a house elf with fine clothes who was signaling him to enter.

"Hurry, hurry... the pixies will distract the others... come, come." Arthur wasn't sure if it was all part of an odd trap, but he took his chance and got inside the elevator and when the door closed, the small elf touched his hand, disappearing along with him in the same instant.

The Burrow

For some reason, Molly felt nervous that night while waiting for Arthur to come back home. The twins were already at home, planing who knows what for their shop in Hogsmaede. Earlier she heard a small explosion coming from their room, which unfortunately wasn't all that unusual lately and after telling them that destroying the house was off limits, she had come back to the kitchen to finish their dinner and wait for her husband.

She casually looked at the enchanted clock while putting the plates in the table and as soon as she saw Arthur's face in the 'grave danger' word, (which was at where the number six would have been in a normal clock) she released the plates she was still holding in her hands, letting them fall to the floor and screamed. The twins were by her side as soon as they hear her scream and she only has to point at the clock (which was now pointing at them all in danger) for them to understand what happen to her. Without thinking it twice, both George and Fred get out of the house to look for any sign of danger coming in their way, but it was too dark to see farther than a few yards.

"George, go back to the house and take care of mom, I will see if the Death Eaters had found a way around our protective enchantments, then I will go looking for dad."

"It's too late for that Fred, they are coming. Look!" And true to his words, Fred could see movement in the high grass that surrounded half of their home. Soon after, one of the Death Eaters used a fire spell that circles the Burrow, just like they did once before and Fred took out his wand to defend himself and his home.

"Damn it! Frigus Ignis!" Fred yelled converting the hot flames in cold ones that did nothing but illuminate the darkness."Get mom out and leave! Go to Bill's cottage, if you have to. I will take care of them." Fred yelled to his brother and ran toward the closer Death Eater.

"Fragor!" His spell caused a big explosion a few yards in front of him and he heard someone yell in pain, near the area of the explosion. Then a blasting spell almost hit him back, causing him to fall at one side, although not seriously harmed.

"Fred!" He heard his mother call him behind him, but at the same moment, another blasting spell hit a portion of the house, destroying a good part of it in one go.

"Oh hell, not again!" Fred heard George yell with rage. Yeah, he felt the same way, yet, it was always better to lose a home than their lives and he stood up just in time to avoid a coming spell that hit the ground where he had fallen just seconds before.

An enraged Molly begins to cast spells one after the other in a deadly frenzy, while screamed to the Death Eaters that they will not harm her children's again. Fred helped her to keep the Death Eaters at bay, always making sure to keep both his mother and brother safe from incoming curses. George also cast some destructive spells that he had invented, knocking out a few Death Eaters at once.

They kipped it going for what looked like hours, but in reality only lasted less than half an hour, were the three of them began to get tired. Once a few more Death Eaters went down, the battle was almost over, however, a new group of Death Eaters came to join the rest and they found themselves trapped. Fred took one of George's hand and another from her mother, knowing that there was nothing else they could do and readied himself to Dissaparate from the ruins of their home, but just when he pictured his brother's home, Bill and Fleur Apparate near them.

"You idiots, why the hell did you came here?" Fred asked Bill, looking at his brother with incredulity, failing to notice the small creatures that had also appeared with the newly wedded couple in the darkness.

"There is no time for explanations, let's go. Now!" Bill grabbed Fred's shoulder at the same time another blasting spell came their way, yet the spell never reached them, as a house elf Fred had never seen before, stood in front of them, dissipating the spell before it could hit them.

"We save the Weasley's, we do... you don't harm them, you don't." The small elf said and three others joined him. Most of the Death Eaters in the vicinity were then, thrown away by an invincible, but quite strong force that sent them flying backwards a good distance from where they stood.

"What the hell?" George asked a bit confused and awed at what he just witness, but as the house elves that have come to their rescue touched them, his question remained unanswered, until they all appear back inside someone else expensive home, where they unexpectedly saw their father and a big number of Hogwarts students.

Snape

The end was near, he was aware of it, yet he found himself not really minding it. He was already too tired and exhausted both mentally and physically to care. Losing Lilly had been hard on him, then becoming a spy to keep her son alive was tiring and finally, killing Dumbledore with his own hands had loaded his soul with an extra huge weight he was barely holding. He knew that it was what Dumbledore wanted, it was what it needed to be done to save Draco as well, but killing someone regardless of the reason was still a heavy sin to carry and he was wishing for release.

"Master Snape, we came to help." A voice at his back said and Snape turned to face six house elves from the Malfoy's manor. The one who had spoken to him was no other than Nurnott, the mischievous one.

"How many elves are willing to help?" Snape asked while letting his Patronus run free to help some students in the hall.

"Most of them." Nurnott responded, nodding vigorously.

"Then tell the rest of the elves to come and take all the students from the Gryffindor, Revenclaw and Hufflepuff houses back to Draco's mansion. Just take away the students dressed in red, yellow and blue and leave behind the ones in green. Voldemort will not harm any Slytherin's students, they are already doing his bidding. Help as many students as you can and the teachers as well if there is the need."

"Yes Master Snape."

"Also, lock down all the Malfoy's properties and hide them all with your magic. If Draco becomes a traitor tonight, all Death Eaters in the country will be looking for him and I believe that you are aware of what will happen if they find him."

"Oh, no, no, no. We protect Master Draco most of all."

"Then make sure he survives this night." His doe came back to him when its job of shooing Dementors was done.

"Yes, yes. Kragkor will take care of him. Oh he will and Madam Granger will protect him too, I'm sure." The little elf said completely excited about it.

"Madam Granger?" Snape asked, unable to hold his curiosity.

"Oh yes... Master Draco kissed her twice just before answering the Dark Lord's call. Kragkor said so, he saw them kiss... she is our Madam, now." If Snape had possessed a better sense of humor, he would have laughed, but he didn't feel like laughing. However, he was quite glad that Draco had finally found his partner. In many ways, Granger was perfect for him. She was loyal, courageous, annoyingly smart, quite determinate at times, strong-willed and caring. With more time, they could easily balance each other and having Granger by his side, would open new doors to Draco and give him a chance to fully embrace life and long-lasting friendships.

"Then tell Draco that I wish him the best future where he doesn't have to lose his loved one, like I did. Go now and evacuate as many students as you can and see if some others elves can do something with the Dementors back in Hogsmaede."

"Oh, there are some already helping Dumbledor's brother. Dobby likes Aberforth, he brings him help too."

"Then do your part now. I'm more than sure that almost a hundred house elves are more than enough for the task."

"Yes, yes... I'm off now." The elf said, disappearing. Snape continued searching for students in troubles, while openly helping the teachers in his way. Many of them were surprise to find him helping the students evacuate, instead of helping Voldemort take control of the castle.

Minerva for once, was glad to find out that she had been wrong all along about Snape, which she had always considered a double side sword. She had always worn Dumbledore not to trust in Snape too much, because she believed he was bound to betray him and after knowing he had end up killing Dumbledore, she had reaffirmed her bad opinion of him. However, as she had watched him rescue students right and left and saving her life once, she had finally come to understand that she had misjudged him, just like Dumbledore had always told her. Still, she had the feeling that Snape had come into a crossroad, where he needed to stand by Voldemort or betray him and she hoped with all her might for him to keep proving her wrong and make the right choice.

Draco

Draco was glad for the darkness, because it will help him look less weak and easier to mask his pain. The hood of his black cloak also helped him inside the dark forest, where the others Death Eaters would barely notice any change on him. The only one he needed to be careful with was Voldemort himself. The Dark Lord had the tendency to use Legilimency on his subjects, specially with the ones who had failed him at some point. So, when in his presence, he could not show any kind of pain, nor any kind of hesitation or signs that he had crossed sides and joined Potter instead. He closed his eyes and breathed, trying to control his racing heart and inner turmoil and when he felt he was ready, he moved closer to where the others were gathering.

Still, as he did so, he couldn't help himself thinking in Hermione and the way they have kissed. It was true that he had been the one who crossed the line first and kiss her, taking her by surprise at first, but it was also true that Hermione didn't make any attempt to push him away. It was actually the opposite, as he felt her responding to his kiss, instead of backing away from his imposition. The last kiss had showed him even more reaction than the first one and despite the fact they were not alone, she had even kissed him back with more urgency. It was kind of obvious that she at least liked him now, which would have made him extremely happy if Voldemort haven't summon him, if he wasn't a step closer to be killed.

No one payed him any attention once he joined the selected group of Voldemort's followers, which was good in a way and bad in another. They all seemed to be focus in something ahead of him and he make his way forward, moving even closer, a bit afraid of what he might see that kept the others so interested. Usually, when Voldemort summon them, nothing good happen and it was hard to forget what had happened the last time, when the Professor of the muggle studies was killed right in front of them.

Far above in the sky, Voldemort's mark shined like a deadly sign of his power and that alone showed him that he was serious about something. He just hoped that whatever that was, didn't involve him directly, that he had been summoned just to watch whatever cruelty he had in store for them. However, he was aware of where he had summoned them, right inside the Forbidden Forest, just a bit away from Hogwarts, so perhaps, another Professor was capture or worse than that, a muggle student had. Please stay safe, Hermione. He internally wished and prepare himself for the worst. Yet what he witnesses once he gets to the front of the circle, left him in complete astonishment. It was a student all right, Ginny Waesley to be precise and she was unconscious at Voldemort's feet.

"Oh hell, I'm so dead." Draco whispered to himself, fully aware that he wouldn't be able to let Harry Potter's girlfriend get killed in front of him. This was most likely the moment in which he was going to become a traitor to the Death Eaters and the place where Voldemort will end up killing him instead of her, as foreseen. Sorry Hermione, but I don't think we will see each other again. Draco said to himself, mentally giving her his farewell.

AN: Thanks for reading. 😄