Chapter 35 : Harry Potter and the foolish choice
[Author note : Here's a chapter, guys ! As promised. The Harry Potter arc is approaching its climax. What do you think of how I re-visited it ?
If you're interested to read more and want to support me, you can visit the Patréon website (e instead of é) and search for Cathbel. Also !!! It's important, that's why I insisted with some many exclamation point. I've finally got an idea I found exciting for the story. It's not for the next arc but maybe the one after that... It's been a while since I've felt really enthusiastic about the story, so I was happy. It means I still have the spark to write it ! Well, the idea isn't exactly novel or anything... I had it for a while but I was wondering how I should go about writing it. Now, I more or less know !
Anyways, that's it for my minute rambling. Enjoy the chapter !]
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After the Dark Lord's ultimatum, the defenders of Hogwarts met back up in the great hall, but this time, the head of the auror office was also present.
« The Dark Lord's forces are diminished both in numbers and strength… While ours will increase with the impending arrival of the Ministry's reinforcements. There's no reason why we should listen to his demands ! » Rufus commented and everyone seemed to agree with him. Even those most people would dismiss as too young and thus, having no right to voice their thoughts and opinions.
Neville glanced at his group of friends before he noticed something missing. Someone… His bird's nest of black hair was usually a good distinctive feature to spot him in a crowd, as were his emerald eyes… And yet, he seemed nowhere to be found. Soon, his two best friends, too, noticed his absence.
« Where's Harry ? » Hermione asked, panicking slightly. Then, as if she came to a realization, she slumped her shoulders with a : « Oh, no ! Damn his mentality and his need to save people ! »
Ron was surprised hearing her swear… It wasn't often she did it, but when she did, that's when things were pretty bad.
« What's wrong ? » He asked.
« Harry's gone… I think he's going to surrender himself. »
« But… He'll kill him ! » Ron blurted the obvious.
Neville narrowed his eyes and pointed out :
« He knows. He probably believes that he can lower the number of deaths this way… Why would he lose hope when things are going so well ? »
The new 'golden' trio shared glances before looking down at the ground.
* * * * *
The truth of the matter was that Harry Potter had long come to accept his impeding death. Perhaps, ever since his first year in Hogwarts he had… However, after having learned of the prophecy and the nature of Horcruxe, one sentence stuck with him :
And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…
There should have been no reason why it should have been Harry who had to confront Voldemort after that fateful night, beyond the Dark Lord's obsession with him. And yet, Voldemort, or himself, had to die at the hand of the other… This meant that, the mark Tom left on that night 16 years ago, wasn't just a scar. It was one of the anchor linking the Dark Lord to this world : a horcruxe. And Harry knew that, as long as there were still even one of those, Voldemort would never truly die.
And so, taking the cape left by his parents and the Gaunt's ring when he discovered he could see his parents with it, Harry Potter started his trek through the woods, invisible and silent, with only the comforting presence of his parents alongside him.
For just a moment, he almost cursed Edgar Stark for explaining this bit of the prophecy to him… If only his armor wasn't so effective as to record it when it was destroyed in the Ministry that night ! And then, he shook his head. That's how things were going to be, regardless… He hoped to gain revenge for his parents, but he also wanted to protect his friends… And Ginny.
* * * * *
After the fight with Dolohov, which ended with him retreating after Voldemort's made his demand, Ned had made his way to the forest, as well. Not because he was going after them or something like that, but only so he could change his armor. The reactor was still half-full, however, he didn't know how long the battle to come would last. He'd rather not having to change the armor during the battle, or worse, that it suddenly stopped functioning during a fight !
That's when he detected the Boy-Who-Lived thanks to his thermal sensors. Although the cloak of Death masked his heat signature, it didn't erase the slightly warm imprint he left in the ground as Harry walked through the forest. Ned was surprised that, despite his meddling, things had gone so much like the canon story. Even though, at this point in time, Voldemort was far from controlling the country like in the Deathly Hallows…
The final battle, named after the fact in the History books of the Wizarding World the battle of Hogwarts, was still happening. And Harry was still delivering himself to his enemy, with no thoughts for his own safety. Ned felt a sense of urgency seeing this…
Because of how busy he was in the last year, the squib didn't know if Harry had managed to secure the allegiance of the Death Stick… Had he won Malfoy's wand from him at any point during the year ? In fact, the Malfoy kid might have not even disarmed Dumbledore the night of his death… What if it was Snape who did ? And what if, like in canon, Voldemort killed him ? Then, the prophecy would be fulfilled in the worst way possible !
So, instead of donning an armor whose energy he was sure to be filled up, he used the infiltration one, instead. He needed to… Ned wasn't sure, he just wanted to be there to do… anything he could to help the young man ! Swiftly changing, the squib followed his British friend's tracks. Silently, the Silver Lad made his way through the forest on his hover-skates. Soon, Harry entered his sights… or at least, the end of his tracks did. Not far ahead, the group of Death Eaters were sparsely lain about or standing around their leader. And for some reason, said-leader was trying to hype up his forces with a speech.
« …Harry Potter will die, today ! » The man finished a sentence before continuing on. « And then, once we've dealt with the Ministry's forces and the children of the castle, we'll fortify it ! And our conquest will truly begin ! »
Voldemort raised his hands in the air and almost at the same time, a giant portal, much like the ones Ned made with his enchantments appeared in the distance, behind him.
« Behold ! Unlike the pitiful squib's tricks, I am able to call on all our forces disseminated in the country. We will take the castle ! »
And the giants started coming through…
* * * * *
For a moment, Ned felt despair at seeing how Voldemort had stolen his ideas and used them to bring reinforcements through… Then, he realized that, it didn't change much, really. If anything, it just evened out the chances. In the original timeline, the defenders of Hogwarts were not as prepared, nor as numerous. And yet, they had to face the giants, the dementors and the acromantulas, along with the Death Eaters.
But now, a lot of Death Eaters had been captured or killed and while, unlike in the original story, not all the children had decided to rise up against Voldemort's tyranny, the Ministry was present, along with someone capable of leading a battle. All in all, Ned liked their chances… IF Harry managed to defeat Voldemort !
So, Ned approached the group silently, standing, invisible in front of a certain someone, he looked him in the eyes before establishing a two-way legilimens connection.
The man in question suddenly felt something try and enter his mind and before he could prevent it, he 'heard' :
« Don't resist, please ! It's Ned Stark… I've connected us to communicate silently. »
The man stayed silent. When Ned had first seen him, he felt hopeful. Voldemort hadn't killed him which meant that, even if Snape had disarmed Dumbledore, the Dark Lord had secured the Death Stick's allegiance !
« Professor Snape, I vaguely know the last mission Dumbledore gave you… I have one extremely important question : Was it you or Malfoy who took Dumbledore's wand that night ? »
Snape was not a happy or gentle person. He was cold, aggressive and vindictive with pretty much everyone. Only the students of his House and their parents were treated a little better, but only for politics sake… So, when the thoughts of the squib reached him, he wanted to ignore him, to cut him off from his thoughts. But for some reason, he didn't. In fact, he answered :
« I took the wand… »
« Shit ! Then… You need to do exactly as I say! Or… Harry will truly die ! »
* * * * *
A few minutes later, Voldemort stood in front of the prone and twitching form of one of his Lieutenants. The Dark Lord's face was distorted in anger, even after the punishment he inflicted on his servant. Severus Snape had just tried to rob him of the chance to kill Harry Potter by attacking him when he appeared… Worse even : he was bested ! His wand flying out of his hand when the boy's disarming spell had hit him. For a moment, he contemplated killing the man for such an affront… But his eyes went back up and met the emerald green ones of his young foe. Snape's fate would be dealt with later. For now, he had an enemy to kill !
Without another word, the Dark Lord raised his wand toward Harry, which didn't react or move. His wand slowly fell back, along with his arm on his side. When Tom shouted the incantation, Harry closed his eyes…
The spell hit him and Harry fell backward, as if in slow motion. The Death Eater couldn't believe it happened. And then, suddenly, time resumed with the painful cry of their lord, who had, similarly to the Boy-who-lived, fell to his knees.
After a short moment, the raspy voice of Voldemort ordered :
« Get up, Severus… Go check and see if the boy is truly dead ! »
« My Lord, Let me… » The butt-kisser in chief and number one fanatic practically begged for the opportunity. But the Dark Lord only sent a venomous look at her, forcing her to shut up. Severus Snape rose with difficulty, his limbs still twitching, his face visibly unable to control its expression.
The double agent had gone along with Silver Lad's plan… He had suddenly attacked Harry when he revealed himself, and, as if the young man had been waiting for it, he casted the Expelliarmus spell at his former Potions professor. According to the squib, this little even should have secured him the allegiance of the Elder wand, and therefore protecting his life… It was time to make sure !
Snape knelt near the unmoving form of Harry, and saw his hand move ever so slightly. Encouraged, the spy lowered himself over the body, listening… The sound of breathing, and the faint heartbeat. The boy was alive. In a shaky voice, he turned to his 'master' slightly and bowing his head in deference, confirmed :
« Harry Potter is dead, my Lord ! »
* * * * *
As the defenders of Hogwarts were preparing for the end of the ultimatum, getting ready to fight once more, the ground suddenly started trembling. Then, voices from the crowd of wizards and witches present pointed toward the forest. From afar, they saw the trees trembling violently, before some were ripped or simply disappeared from the tree line.
« Giants… » A frightened voice whispered. And like a wildfire, the whisper made its way through the crowd, repeated a hundred times. Then, sounds like the chittering of insects, but much too loud and uncomfortable to listen. Unease started to turn into despair, as the sky was covered in a dark mantle of storm clouds. And flying in circles like so many vultures, atrocious humanoid figures could be seen piercing and hiding in the clouds.
The forces of Voldemort, with his monstrous allies emerged from the forest. At the front, the man, who didn't like a man anymore, but a terribly disgusting hybrid of a snake and a human ; he was the leader and the unmentionable terror that had plagued the British Wizarding world. And behind him, with most of them still hidden behind their masks except for a few, were his followers. The Death Eaters !
The dark mages approached until Voldemort raised his hand. After a motion of his wand directed at his throat, his amplified voice resounded all around the castle.
« Harry Potter, your… Savior… » The Dark Lord started to say with a mocking tone on the word savior. « … died a coward's death ! Under his invisibility cloak, he tried to escape through forest… He didn't ! » And he made a grand gesture toward the unmoving body of the young man, carried by their former potions professor.