Chapter 100: The Eve of Battle
Disclaimer:
Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
I own only the original characters I create.
"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
-Author notes-
Chapter 100: The Eve of Battle
One day in the early morning, Harry found Pansy sitting on a weathered stone bench near the fountain. Her black hair was loose around her shoulders, and she clutched a letter in her hands.
Vesper, his faithful owl, was perched on the bench beside her, preening his dark grey feathers with an air of quiet satisfaction.
Pansy looked up at the sound of his footsteps, and for a moment, Harry was struck by how different she seemed from the hollow shell he had rescued from the Ministry.
Another week had passed since he had pulled her from the depths of her broken mind, and in that time, she had begun to truly bloom. Her cheeks had regained their color, her dark eyes now held a spark of life that had been absent before, and her smile felt much more genuine and less forced.
"Harry!" She held up the letter, her voice carrying a note of excitement that he hadn't heard in a while. "I received a letter from Vincent!"
Harry returned her smile, though something in his chest tightened at the sight of her joy. How long had it been since any of them had felt truly happy? How long since they had been able to live without fear, without hiding, without the constant weight of Dumbledore's shadow pressing down on them?
"That's wonderful," he said, sitting down beside her on the bench. Vesper immediately hopped onto his shoulder, nibbling affectionately at his ear. "What does he say?"
Pansy's eyes scanned the letter, her smile widening. "He's doing well. His father is recovering...twelve years in Azkaban left its mark, but he's strong. Vincent says they're making arrangements to meet soon. At the headquarters." She looked up at Harry, her expression hopeful.
That's one of the few safe places for them to meet now, as they can't exactly walk into Diagon Alley for a Butterbeer anymore. Regardless of their agreement, they were all wanted criminals.
That's how messed up this world was.
Harry nodded, but the smile faded from his face very quickly as he was reminded of this fact.
Right now, the Knights of Walpurgis and anyone associated with them were the most hunted people in Magical Britain, and for good reason. They were the only ones standing against Dumbledore's tyranny.
"I'm glad Vincent is doing well," Harry said, and he meant it. Vincent Crabbe had been a loyal friend, a steady presence in the chaos of their lives. He deserved happiness and peace.
But the thought of his friends living as fugitives, hiding in safe houses and secret islands, unable to walk the streets of their own world...it made something dark and angry curl in Harry's chest.
'Soon,' he reminded himself. 'The raid is in two days. Soon, this will all be over.' As long as they succeed.
"Harry?" Pansy's voice pulled him from his thoughts. She was watching him with concern, her dark eyes searching his face. "You look distracted. Is something wrong?"
"No." Harry shook his head, forcing a smile. "Just thinking about the future."
"The future, huh?" She looked pensive. "I think about that too."
"It's all ready," Harry said, his voice quieter than he intended.
"I see..." Pansy muttered. She lifted her face to look at him, and there was something in her eyes that showed how she felt. "Just make sure to be careful. And come back." Her voice faltered, barely a whisper. "It may sound selfish, but... I'm terrified of being left alone."
Harry looked at her and was reminded of what she had to go through at the Ministry. "It's not selfish," he said. "I think it's normal to be worried about those things."
"You're just saying that."
"I'm not."
She didn't reply. Instead, she turned her gaze to the fountain, watching the water cascade over the stones. Vesper shifted on Harry's shoulder.
"The Ministry," Pansy said after a long moment. "After Dumbledore is gone. What happens then?"
"We take it back." Harry's voice was firm. "The last raid hurt them badly. Key people eliminated. Informants in place. Once Dumbledore falls, the rest will follow."
"And then?"
Harry paused. He thought about Hogwarts...the school that should have been a home but had become a prison. He thought about Daphne, still hiding in France, still waiting for the day when she could return.
"Maybe we can go back," he said. "To Hogwarts. After it's all over. Daphne could come back from France. We could all be... I don't know. Normal, I suppose."
Pansy turned to look at him, and for a moment, her expression was unreadable. Then, slowly, the corner of her mouth twitched upward.
"Normal," she repeated. "That's a funny word."
"It is."
"I'm not sure I'd know what to do with it." She paused. "But it sounds nice."
Harry smiled. "It does."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a long moment.
<><>
The training room at Potter Castle was Harry's sanctuary.
It was a vast chamber carved into the bedrock, lit by enchanted crystals. Racks of practice dummies lined the walls, their surfaces scarred and dented from years of use.
In the center of the room was a dueling circle, its edges inscribed with ancient runes that protected the walls from stray spells.
Harry stood in the center of the circle, his wand in his hand, his body moving through a series of complex motions. He had been training for hours, pushing himself to the limit, honing the skills he would need in the days to come.
"Verbero." A concussive blast of force shot from his wand, striking the dummy nearest him and sending it flying across the room.
"Gladius Incendia." A blade of fire erupted from his wand, slicing through the air with a sound like tearing silk.
"Ventus Gladius." A blade of wind, invisible but deadly, cut a deep gash in another dummy.
Harry moved through the spells with a fluidity that would have been impossible a year ago. He had grown stronger...so much stronger.
The training with his ancestors' portraits, the endless hours in the Grimoire's inner library, the brutal practice sessions with Bellatrix and Tom...all of it had forged him into something new.
He paused, catching his breath, and thought about his progress.
The Grimoire had been his greatest advantage. Its inner library existed outside of time, allowing him to study for weeks while only hours passed in the real world.
He had spent months there, or maybe even years, learning spells and techniques that most wizards would never even hear of.
And the portraits of his ancestors had been invaluable teachers. Each one had their own area of expertise.
Arcturus Potter had taught him how to weave apparition into combat, appearing and disappearing in the middle of a fight.
Charlus Potter had taught him defensive magic, ways to shield himself from even the most powerful curses.
Dorea Potter had taught him healing, a skill that had already saved lives.
Harry had absorbed it all, pushing himself harder than ever before. He had no choice. He was the Chosen One...the one the prophecy spoke of. He had to be ready.
'I am no longer the defenseless boy who needed to hide from everyone. I am no longer afraid.' He thought to himself.
He raised his wand and began again.
"Speculum Aeternum." A shimmering mirror appeared before him, and when he fired a spell at it, the magic rebounded, striking the wall behind him.
"Aegis." A powerful shield materialized around him, glowing with a soft blue light.
Harry moved faster, pushing himself harder. He apparated across the room, firing spells mid-air, deflecting the jinxes fired by the enchanted dummies with his shield, countering with blasts of fire and wind. He was a force of nature.
And when he finally stopped, breathing hard, he felt something he hadn't felt in a long time.
Confidence.
He was ready. He was more than ready.
<><>
The safe house was just a normal-looking hunting cabin that could be found in most large forests in the country.
It sat on a gentle hill overlooking a vast plain, its wooden walls weathered by years of wind and rain. There was nothing remarkable about it. Nothing that would draw attention. It was just a cabin, isolated and forgotten, the kind of place that travelers might pass by without a second glance.
But if one were to travel several miles north, they would see it. A castle. A castle with towers and turrets, with ancient walls and hidden secrets.
Hogwarts.
The Carrow twins had done their work well. The wards around the cabin were subtle but powerful detection charms, concealment spells, and anti-apparition jinxes. They would know if anyone approached. They would know if anyone was watching.
Harry arrived as the sun was beginning to set. He apparated just outside the cabin's protective perimeter and walked the rest of the way, his boots crunching on the dry grass.
The cabin was already full when he arrived.
Bellatrix Lestrange stood near the window. Peter Pettigrew was in the corner, wringing his hands nervously. The Carrow twins, Alecto and Amycus, were huddled together, reviewing their notes on the wards.
Rabastan Lestrange stood by the door. And there were others like: Avery, Gibbon, Mulciber, Augustus Rookwood, and Evan Rosier.
Selwyn. Travers. Fenrir Greyback, his yellow eyes gleaming in the dim light of the torches.
And at the center of it all, Tom Riddle.
"Harry." Tom's voice cut through the murmur of conversation. "You're here. Good."
Harry nodded, surveying the room. Almost the full force of the Knights of Walpurgis was assembled today. The only ones missing were those serving as spies in the Ministry, like Walden Macnair, Jugson, Nott, and a few who had remained at headquarters to protect the island.
But there was one face missing that Harry had expected to see.
"Where's Lucius?" he asked.
Tom's expression showed a mixture of concern and suspicion. But just for an instant, and then it was gone.
"He sent word that he would be late. Something urgent came up at the Ministry."
Harry frowned. Lucius Malfoy was one of the most important members of the order...third in command, according to some. He had helped plan much of this mission. His absence was... troubling.
But there was no time to dwell on it. The sun was setting. The night was coming.
"Everyone," Tom said, raising his voice. "Gather round."
The Knights formed a loose circle around him, their faces serious, their wands in their hands. Harry stood near the front, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Tonight," Tom began, "we strike at the heart of the enemy. Tonight, we end this war."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.
"For years, we have fought in the shadows. We have lost friends. We have lost family. We have sacrificed everything for a cause that many believed was hopeless. But tonight, we prove them wrong."
"Tonight, we avenge them all."
The Knights murmured their agreement, their faces hard with determination.
"The plan is simple," Tom continued. "We approach Hogwarts under cover of darkness. The Carrows have mapped the outer wards...we know where the gaps are. We will enter through the Forbidden Forest, fly up to the Astronomy Tower, and make our way to the dungeons."
He looked at Harry.
"I will lead the strike team. Bellatrix and Harry will provide support. The rest of you know your roles."
Harry nodded, his jaw set. He had been preparing for this moment for months.
"We have two objectives," Tom said. "First, kill Dumbledore's homunculus. Harvest its blood. Second, use that blood to open the entrance to the underground facility. Once we're inside, I will destroy Dumbledore's real body."
"And if something goes wrong?" Fenrir Greyback's voice was a low growl.
"Then we'll have to adapt." Tom's eyes were hard. "We do not retreat and do not surrender. Tonight...we win."
The room was silent. Then, one by one, the Knights nodded.
It was time.
The sky outside the cabin had grown dark. The stars were beginning to appear. The moon was a thin crescent, casting just enough light to see by...perfect for a night raid.
Harry checked his equipment one last time. His wand. His dragonhide robe. The invisibility cloak, hidden in his pocket, and his flying broom. Everything was in place.
But then-
"Wait." Harry's voice cut through the silence. "Something's wrong."
The detection wards. They had been disturbed. It was subtle...so subtle that most wizards would never have noticed. But Harry had a special sensitivity for magic that most lacked. He could even feel the most minor disturbance.
Someone was out there.
Tom's expression changed immediately. His eyes hardened, and his wand appeared in his hand.
"Get ready to fight," he said, his voice cold and sharp. "We have been found."
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