War

Neville

As soon as they heard Lord Voldemort's scream echoing throughout Hogwarts, both Neville and Ginny knew that the others had already destroyed the Horcruxes and Voldemort knew what they were after, giving them a little time to act on their own. They were lucky that the Great Hall was guarded by just the two of them at the time, as the rest of the Death Eaters were either with Voldemort himself or out in the forest looking for Harry and Draco, as they expected them to turn up there in search of Snape's body.

Thus, at the moment of the commotion beneath her feet, Professor McGonagall acted instantly, summoning the castle's emergency enchantment to seal off the Hall and prevent the Death Eaters outside from breaking in, unwanted. Of course, the rest of the professors still remaining in the Hall acted alongside her to help her with the complicated set of protections she had already put in motion.

The massive doors of the Great Hall slammed shut and a sort of magical barrier reclaimed each and every wall, floor, and joint of the Hall with a sort of golden glow that both Ginny and Neville felt a bit odd, as the magic tried to discern whether they were friend or foe under the effects of the potion they were in.

"Neville, Ginny, we need a way out as soon as possible!" Professor McGonagall called as she continued to work on the mechanics of the castle and the frightened students of the remaining three houses didn't know what to do or what was going to happen to them in the middle of a war they didn't want to be part off.

"Don't worry, Professor, the others will be arriving soon, both the rest of the Order members and the house-elves," Neville said as he ran towards the exit of the Great Hall.

"Wait, Neville! What are you doing? You can't leave these walls now. You'll be safer here than outside the Hall doors. There will be a war out here, one that none of you are prepared for!" Professor McGonagall said as she tried to stop him, but Neville simply smiled right in front of the set of enchanted doors.

"I have my part to play in this war, Professor. Take care of the students, they will be rescued very soon," he told her, but once he saw Ginny running towards him as well, he raised his wand and cast an Immobulus Charm on her to freeze her in place.

"Neville Longbottom! What are you doing?" Professor Flitwick asked in surprise, after seeing him freeze Ginny Weasley on her spot. He already knew that he was impersonating Amycus Carrow, as well as Ginny, his sister, meaning that there was no reason for the boy to cast the charm on her so suddenly.

"She can't go with me, Harry Potter will kill me if she gets hurt out there. Keep her safe for me, please... now, let me out. I have a snake to kill," Neville said and before any of the teachers could remind Neville that once the protection was active, no one could enter or leave until the spell was broken, a Hogwarts elf appeared at his side and, taking his hand, they both disappeared in a column of gray smoke.

Once they reappeared somewhere in the Forbidden Forest, Neville looked up to see the endless green clouds that were throwing down a magical rain that chilled him to the bone. There were several bolts of lightning that looked like huge snakes, which could only remind him of his task. He could see the Dementors approaching that part of the Forbidden Forest and also several real Death Eaters that he had to be wary of. Although he was still under the protection of the potion, magically enchanted by Kragkor, the most trusted house elf in existence (in his humble opinion), he still needed to play the role of the Death Eater that he was not.

It was obvious that Voldemort had summoned all the Death Eaters to the forest, but since he was not a real one, he needed to find a way to know exactly where they would gather. Otherwise, his disguise would be pointless, as he needed to be near Harry when Voldemort decided to kill him and declare him dead before any other Death Eater could be ordered to do so in his place, which would be lethal not only for Harry, but for the rest of them as well.

"Can you find Harry Potter's location in this mess of Death Eaters and Dementors?" Neville asked his little companion and the elf nodded, pointing west.

"Are Hermione and Draco with them?" Neville asked, considering how he could save the pair if they were still together. He wasn't the best at fighting, but at least in a surprise attack he might have a way to get them away.

"No. Kragkor is closer to the castle now. Harry Potter is alone," the elf said and Neville sighed in relief. At least he didn't need to fight his way out for now, just to stay in character long enough to be useful and do his part.

"Take me as close to him as you can. The rest, I'll take care of on my own." Neville said as he calmed himself for the task ahead. He had no room for failure at a time like this. It was either do his part well or die trying and he wished with all his heart that if there was some kind of providence out there, to help him succeed... he wished that Dumbledore's spirit could guide him to become a proud member of his Gryffindor house.

"Oh don't worry, Neville Longbottom, you'll do it." The sorting hat whipped him out from beneath its black robes.

Ron

Once they reappeared, the group now found themselves at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, where they could see several Dementors floating overhead. On the grounds of Hogwarts, another wave of wizards and witches were beginning to appear, as expected of the Order members who were stationed at Hogsmeade and were ready to act at the slightest sign of war.

It was comforting for Ron to know that there were more than just a few teams of teenagers fighting Voldemort and he hoped that the rest of his family would remain safe through all the chaos that awaited them on that cursed night. He was sure that they alone couldn't make that much of a difference, they needed those who could fight back to their fullest to bring about the balance and now they had it.

"The students are being evacuated from the Great Hall," Dobby pointed out to Ron, so that he knew that his sister would be safe from the coming war, as well as everyone else who for some reason was left behind at Hogwarts.

"What about Harry, Hermione and Draco?" Luna asked as she looked around. They were still in the forest, though the rain had finally stopped falling, but she had the nagging feeling that something wasn't right.

"They're still in the forest. But not together! Are they lost? I have to go!" Dobby said as he disappeared from their sight, leaving them alone as they wondered if something had gone wrong with their team.

"We should go help them. If they're in trouble, they might need more than just Dobby." Seamus offered first, but Luna shook his head in disapproval.

"No... I don't think we should go to them without knowing what's going on first. Draco had mentioned the many ways we had ahead of us to change the future and all of them have consequences." Luna warned the others.

"So what? What if they're in danger? There are so many Death Eaters looking for them that it will be impossible for them to fight them all on their own. That will be suicide." Cho Chan said worriedly, as she feared that outcome from the start.

"We should join the Order members and ask for their guidance. I'm sure they're already aware of what's going on. Those who came with us from Draco's manor should inform them of what we had planned. Besides, Kragkor is the most trustworthy house-elf I've ever seen. He'll make sure the others get out safely," Luna added, which didn't sit well with Ron.

"Yeah, well, I hate to say it, but that house-elf is working with Draco Malfoy, not Harry, and who's to say that, hunted like the traitor he is, he won't yield under pressure and hand Harry and Hermione over on a silver platter." The sound of a slap broke the silence of the night and Ron stared dumbfounded at the one who had done it without holding back.

"What the hell was that about Luna?" Ron asked angrily.

"No matter how evil or wicked Draco Malfoy may have been in the past, he saved my life and my father's, as well as your own sister's, not to mention the rest of your family and practically half the students at Hogwarts. He led us to the Horcruxes and risked his life for it. I was there to witness him come face to face with the Dark Lord and in front of his most loyal followers, no less, and that alone takes courage, Ron. I was there when he protected Ginny and Hermione, making himself the Dark Lord's next target, and I was there to see him suffer greatly just so he could have a chance at redemption. Say what you will about Draco's past, because he certainly deserves it, but you're in no position to accuse him of being a traitor now that he's almost died for our cause twice," She said angrily and for a moment, Ron felt ashamed of his accusation when his suspicions had previously been proven wrong before.

"I... I'm sorry, Luna... I was out of line..." He admitted and Luna smiled at him.

"That's fine, we need to regroup with the others now, lets run back to the castle." So, after a heartfelt apology, they headed towards the castle in a hurry, trying to avoid as many unwanted enemies as they could. That was until they came face to face with a massive werewolf near the shore of the Black Lake.

"Damn... is that who I think it is?" Ron asked as his jaw dropped from the unpleasant surprise of seeing the beast right in their path towards the castle.

"Fenrir Greyback..." Luna whispered as she held her wand tighter in her hand. "Great, I owe him some pain in return..." At that, Ron looked at Luna with even more surprise. 

He had never given Luna too much credit or attention, but he had to admit that despite her strange personality, the girl was something else, just like Hermione. Maybe that was why the two got along so well.

"Well then, let's pay him back. Just don't let it bite you..." Ron said as he prepare himself for the battle of his life.

"As if... let's do this! Disperse!" Luna commanded to her friends as she casted the very first spell. "Confringo!" The blasting curse.

Dramione

"Draco... is there really no other way? Is there no other future in where he doesn't need to die?" Hermione asked as he wiped her tears away with a gentle gesture that almost brought more tears to her face.

"I wish there was, but I'm afraid it's inevitable. If he doesn't die, then Voldemort will win this war for sure." Draco whispered and helped her stand up on the wet floor.

"But..."

"Hermione, trust me, even if it looks like he will die on the spot, only his Horcrux part will be killed. There is nothing either you or me can do about it... what we need is to trust in the courage of others. We need to trust Longbottom... the hidden hero on our story." Draco whisper pulling her closer.

"I trust him, I know he has a brave heart..." Hermione agree with Draco.

"Then let him shine, let him write his page on the history of this resurgence, let him beat the odds and change the world." At that Hermione smiled, quite proud of both Neville and Draco alike.

"I'm glad that you have changed for the best..." Hermione said and about to kiss Draco, when Kragkor intervened.

"Master Draco, she is coming!" Both Draco and Hermione let go of each other and held their wands for a fight, just in time to see Bellatrix Lestrange and other Death Eaters that had stayed on his manor reappear close to them.

"Ah, so here it is the little traitor in the flesh. Lord Voldemort will be delighted for me to present you to him, so he could personally kill the both of you with pleasure." His aunt said as she pointed her wand at him with a wide grin on her face. 

However, Hermione moved to stand in front of him, which only made Draco exhale behind her. The last person he needed protecting was his aunt. He had a big score to settle with her, both for his own and Hermione's.

"You will get him over my death body." Hermione said in defiance at the evil woman in front of her.

"Oh, that can be arranged, so don't you worry. I only need Draco alive, your corps can feed Lord Voldemort's snake for all I care. Die you filthy mudblood!"

"Protego!" Draco yelled as he cast it on Hermione, so his aunt curse will rebound back to her and moved aside to send a course toward his aunt, one that she will recognize, so he will regain her focus on him instead of her and give her another taste of the pain she deserved.

"Sectumsempra!" In the split of a second in were the first spells were casted from both sides, he directed his wand toward her and although his intent was not to kill, it was to the point of giving her scars that she will live with for life, just like the words she had written on Hermione's forearm. However, another Death Eater took the curse for her, falling to the group in pain and blood loss.

"You bloody traitor! It was you who hurt me last time! He is mine!" Bellatrix screamed angrily as she charged at him with a bunch of dark spells, forgetting for a moment to leave Draco alive. Of course, Draco had been trained by Snape for precisely that moment when it came to his life, so he was not inferior to his aunt, even in her madness, because his clearer mind and quick reflexes gave him an advantage over her.

For her part, Hermione was forced to face other Death Eaters instead of the one she most wanted to curse. With Draco dueling her aunt, it was her against three more Death Eaters, which didn't bode well for her. Perhaps fate was still on her side, though, as the little elf who could barely be seen in that greenish darkness knew how to do some damage himself and help her deal with the remaining ones.

Kragkor had of course promised his Master that he would protect his future wife from all harm, so he took his duty very seriously and did not hold back in his well-timed attacks. It was because the wizards had underestimated his kind that they were unable to figure out where the unexpected attacks they were experiencing were coming from, thinking there were others nearby assisting the couple and thus confusing them in the process, giving Madam Granger the opportunities she needed to get the upper hand.

Draco also sent unspoken spells at them when given the chance to help her, but he had his hands full with his crazy aunt. In their duel of dark magic, both were throwing everything they had at their disposal to subdue the other and he was glad that Snape didn't hold back in teaching him every single dark spell he learned or invented throughout his life. Though he was injured here and there, his aunt was definitely in worse shape than him.

Then, there was a huge flash in the night sky, Voldemort's mark shining through green clouds as if in mockery of the wizards struggling under its evil projection. Seeing it shine so brightly, Bellatrix laughed madly, knowing that Harry Potter was finally dead, but just that small moment of pure ectasis at Voldemort's triumph gave Draco the opportunity to strike her with all his might and full force in the chest with his final unspoken spell, sending her flying backwards into the trunk of a tree, which practically broke a few of her ribs, making her scream in true pain as she fell to the ground, unable to stand back again.

Kragkor also managed to take out one of the Death Eaters fighting Hermione, while she finished off another, leaving only one, quite injured, who used the distraction of Voldemort's mark to get away from the fight.

"Draco!" Hermione was instantly at his side, as he fell to his knees in pain, once again from the mark on his wrists.

"This is the crucial moment, we have to go. Kragkor, get to Voldemort!" He demanded and Kragkor put his hand on his Master's shoulder and they left, leaving Bellatrix Lestrange severely injured and screaming in despair, as she deserved.

Voldemort

Finding and killing the boy has been relatively easy for him, now that he has everything under his control. His snake had served as a distraction to split up the fools in the woods and when he found him, he was a little disappointed to find him alone. Finding Draco would have been more challenging than easily killing the supposed boy who lived. Well, he lived no more... did he?

"Someone make sure he's dead," Voldemort demanded and immediately Amycus Carrow, who arrived a little late, stepped forward to deliver the order. Thus, Voldemort watched as the thin man knelt next to the body and over it to check for any signs of life left. Then Amycus turned to face him with a wide grin on his face that gave Voldemort the answer he needed.

"He's dead, Harry Potter is finally gone!" Amycus rejoiced, which pleased Voldemort even more and in his joy, he called upon his mark to shine as bright as the sun to tell the world that the boy who lived was defeated at last by his almighty Elder wand. From then on, there was only his rule to follow, his orders to obey, and his worldview to be validated. He won...

"Take the boy back to the castle and show them the body of his supposed savior..." Voldemort said and Amycus took Harry Potter in his arms. However, when he turned his back on all the Death Eaters and began to walk with Harry closely guarded, he looked down for a few seconds to his tired friend.

"Are you ready Harry?" Neville Longbottom whisper so softly that Harry could barely hear him.

"Anytime..." Thus, Amycus smiled even more as he proudly walked toward the castle.

AN: Thanks for reading, it was fun writing this, it's been so long since I have write this many words in one chapter. See you next time.