[NOTE: The italicised paragraph is what appears at the end of Chapter 34 in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The following is how I was totally expecting the ending to be. I apologize in advance for the epilouge-ish paragraph; I wasn't quite sure how to end it.]
Voldemort had raised his wand. His head was tilted to one side, like a curious child, wondering what would happen if he proceeded. Harry looked back into the red eyes, and wanted it to happen now, quickly, while he could still stand, before he lost control, before he betrayed fear--
"STOP!"
Harry turned around to locate the source of the sound. Out of the woods came members of Dumbledore's Army: Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Cho, and several others, all with their wands raised. Harry was stunned. Hadn't he come into the forest with the Invisibility Cloak on? He was sure that no one had see him enter the forest.
"I heard someone talking in the forest," said Ginny, as if answering his question. "It sounded an awful lot like you, Harry, and I knew that you were going to meet Voldemort. So I rounded up as many DA members as I could, and we came here to fight with you."
"You don't understand!" Harry shouted back. "I have to do this on my own! 'Neither can live while the other survives'!"
"SILENCE!" shouted Voldemort. Turning to Harry, he said, "If your friends wish to witness your death, let them stay. In fact, let's give them a very intimate experience."
Voldemort scanned the faces of the DA members, his wand at the ready. His red slit-eyes rested on Ron, who, despite having a hardened face and stature, was overcome with a sense of fear he had never known before. Voldemort smirked, pointed his wand at Ron, and shouted, "Imperio!"
Ron jerked into a stiff, standing position. Hermione noticed a blank look in his eyes, and turned to the rest of the DA. "He's under the Imperius Curse!" she shouted. "He has no control over what he's doing! He's... he's..." Hermione burst into tears, unable to say anymore. She ran into Ginny's arms, her shoulders heaving with every sob.
Voldemort shot a sideways glance and Harry, and grinned. "Now then, boy," he said to Ron. "What sort of show shall we put on for Potter?" With a flick of the wand, Ron turned to the forest and shouted, "Accio!" From the depths of the forest, several woodland creatures flew toward Ron and landed at his feet. Ron cast various spells on the creatures, making them do things like flips, handstands, and twirls. If the situation weren't so dire, Harry would have found humor in these little animals. As it was, Harry knew it was a matter of time before --
"Avada Kedavra!"
A flash of green light burst from Ron's wand, and three of the woodland creatures fell dead. The others shrieked and ran back into the forest, only to be met with their own green light and demise.
Ron then turned toward Harry, and Harry saw, for the first time, the blank look in his friend's eyes. Ron didn't appear to be himself; he stared into Harry's eyes without really seeing anything, he had no control over his actions, and if he could give any hint of independance, he surely would have indicated it to Harry. But Ron was under no control over himself. He would do Voldemort's bidding without question and without fighting back.
Voldemort's voice brought Harry back to his surroundings. "I would love to be able to do this on my own," he said, "but I'm sure I would get much more enjoyment out of watching your best friend do it." Voldemort flicked his wand, and Ron pointed the tip of his to Harry's scar. His scar had never burned with this intensity before, and Harry knew that he was about to be killed by his best friend. With tears welling in his eyes from both the pain of his scar and his impending death, Harry braced himself for the inevitable.
"Avada Kedavra!"
A flash of green light blinded everyone present, and as they gained their sight back, they could see Harry still standing. No one breathed as they watched Harry's body slowly crumple and fall to the ground. Neville's eyes went from Harry's limp and lifeless body to Voldemort's satisfied grin.
"That will be all," said Voldemort, and with a final flick of his wrist, Ron also fell to the ground. Voldemort turned and beckoned his Death Eaters. "Come," he said. "Let's finish the rest of them."
Neville's blood began to boil, and in a fit of rage, he pointed his wand at Voldemort's back and shouted, "STUPEFY!" Voldemort fell to the ground, and, after lying on the ground for several moments, shakily got to his feet.
Neville broke from the rest of the DA and stormed over to Voldemort, casting Stunning Spells every step of the way. Voldemort continuted to be flung back to the ground, getting weaker with every spell thrown at him. Voldemort raised his wand to fire back, but Neville quickly disarmed him, and cast another Stunning Spell. Voldemort was too weakened to rise, and Neville saw his opportunity. "Crucio!" Neville shouted, and Voldemort tensed up and cried out at the extremity of the pain.
"I don't understand," shouted Voldemort through clenched teeth. "Why am I not resisting these spells?"
"Because," Neville shouted back, "Harry was the final Horcrux, the final part of your soul left. By killing him, you've only killed yourself."
"But the prophecy --"
"-- has been fulfilled. AVADA KEDAVRA!"
A flash of green light, and Voldemort's body flew through the forest, and with a sickening crack, flew into a tree, and crumpled on the ground. Neville, breathing hard, turned to the Death Eaters, who stood in their spot in a stunned silence. He made his way through the crowd and returned to the members of the DA, who were crowded around Harry and Ron's bodies. Ron twitched and slowly sat up.
"Wha, what happened?" he asked. "The last I remember is... HARRY!"
"Harry's dead," said Neville. "You killed him under the Imperius Curse."
Ron was stunned. "But... but I can't have..."
"It was the only way to defeat Voldemort. He could have done it himself, but he got a sick sense of enjoyment making you do it. It's okay, Ron, you had no control, but the fact remains, Harry is dead, and because of it, Voldemort is, too."
Ron was surprised at the bluntness of Neville's statement, but as the reality sank in, Ron could not contain his grief anymore. He flung himself onto Harry's lifeless body and cried harder than he ever had before. Hermione, who had just stopped crying, started up again as she went to pull Ron off of Harry's body. Hagrid, who was still chained up, softly began to cry. Neville turned to Hagrid and unchained him. Hagrid walked over to Harry's body and picked it up.
"Come on," said Neville. "We have to tell the others."
Neville led Hagrid and the rest of the DA out of the forest and onto the school grounds. The throngs of Death Eaters and Order members were still gathering their respective dead, and they all stopped and looked at the approaching DA members. Silence fell over the grounds, and Neville held his wand to his throat.
"Attention everyone," said Neville, his voice amplified by his wand. "There is some terrible news I feel I must share with you. Harry Potter is dead."
Some of the Death Eaters cheered at the news. Neville quickly silenced them as he continued.
"However, Harry did not die at the hand of Voldemort. Our very own Ron Weasley was put under the Imperius Curse, and was forced to perform the deed that the coward Voldemort could not do himself. Do not judge Ron; in order to defeat Voldemort, Harry had to die, and because of Harry's death, Voldemort lies dead against a tree in the forest. So do not mourn Harry's death; rather, celebrate your freedom from Voldemort's rule."
The members of Hogwarts began to cheer, and the Death Eaters slunk back into the shadows. Hagrid carried Harry's body to the rows of others who had died in the fight, and laid him at the front.
Several years passed, and the wizarding world was back on its feet. Harry's sacrifice was not forgotten, and his portrait now hangs in the Great Hall, providing the incoming students a role model of excellence, courage, and sacrifice.
Points: 433
Reviews: 19
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