The last chapter.

I think I'm going to cry…

Chapter 44: Hallowe'en 1988

31st October 1988, Godric's Hollow:

James and Lily were playing with Harry when they felt shivers run down their spines. There was a flash of silver light, and the sound of an alarm. Something was happening.

Lily gathered Harry into her arms fiercely, looking at James in fear.

"James, is He coming?" She cried, not knowing that they were nearly exactly repeating words they had spoken but a few years before, possessed by Matthew and Ivy Potter.

"I fear He is. The Charm should protect us! But why is He after us?" James cried, frustrated.

"Albus told us… Harry…"

"Lily, why would Voldemort want to slay our child? He's just a baby, no threat to anyone!" James rationalised, but it was hopeless. Anyone with eyes could see the power Harry held.

"The prophecy…"

"From that fraud? He believes it?"

"James, it was genuine, you know that. A rare genuine vision…"

"But that means…"

"Our child is the only one who can defeat Him!"

"We must protect him! With our lives, our love, our magic…"

A crash resounded outside, a thump at the door.

"He's here!" James yelled.

"How could he… the Charm…"

"We've been betrayed." James scowled, bitterly. "Peter betrayed us.

"Where are you, Potter? Where are you hiding?" Voldemort's high-pitched voice laughed, taunting dangerously as he entered the house.

"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Run! Go! I'll hold him off!" James yelled, pulling out his wand.

Lily ran into the kitchen and then up the stairs to the nursery, praying that there was some way out. The nursery was the most protected room in the house.

Voldemort advanced on James Potter.

"So, Potter, we meet for the last time. Where is your son?"

"I'll never tell you, Voldemort!" James yelled.

"Very well!"

"Petrificus Totalus!" James yelled.

Voldmort dodged it, responding with a Cruciatus Curse.

"Glacias!" The literal Freezing Charm was extremely powerful in the hands of one who had the ability to manipulate water.

"Incendio!" The Fire Charm melted the ice before it hit him.

"I forgot, snakes don't like cold, do they?" James taunted.

"You laugh at me for the last time, Potter." Voldemort scowled.

"Fulmen!" James cried out an Electrocution Curse.

Voldemort dodged it and sneered, catching James unaware with the Killing Curse at last.

"Avada Kedavra!"

A flash of green light and James fell.

Voldemort looked at the body contemptuously. "And to think they considered you a worthy opponent."

He turned and made his way to Lily's hiding place. Harry was in the cot, Lily was before it, shrinking back, her wand in hand. Fear gripped her, though, as the snake-like visage of Tom Marvolo Riddle entered the room.

He sneered at her. 'Pathetic Mudblood.'

"Give up your child." He ordered her.

Lily shook her head imperiously. "Never!"

"Get out of my way!" He made his way nearer, attempting to physically push her from the cot.

"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" Lily refused to leave, even as he forced her wand from his grip.

"Stand aside, you silly girl… stand aside, now…" Voldemort felt frustrated. Why did the woman not move? It was not necessary for her to die? What was the strange obsession with attempting to protect a child who was doomed to die?

"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead…" Lily begged.

"Out of my way!"

"Not Harry! Please… have mercy… have mercy…"

Voldemort sighed and took a few steps back. He laughed his high-pitched, shrill laugh at the futility of her gesture. A whispered incantation and a flash of green light, and Lily fell before the cot.

He sneered at her, shaking his head, never noticing the child in the cot's green gaze. So much darker than the flash of Avada Kedavra, and so much more dangerous. He looked at the child. Yes, he could see why one might think he could someday be a threat, but not yet.

He knew the Potters were powerful, knew they were his polar opposite, but a baby could not defend himself from the Killing Curse.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Voldemort watched as the spell seemed to slow. His eyes widened as a pink shield flickered, seeming to absorb the spell. Then a bolt of lightning appeared from where it hit it, absorbed the spell, hit the boy's forehead, and struck out at Voldemort.

There was a high-pitched scream as the modified Killing Curse hit Voldemort square in the chest and his body was incinerated. A spirit, barely alive, flew from the body, unable to control it's flight as it was moved along by the winds of air, magic and time.

And the baby in the cot stood up at the bars of his cot, looking his mother's body lying cold and prostrate on the floor, instinctively knowing of how she had protected him. Yet he did not know that his own magic had sent the curse back at Voldemort. He did not know that he'd struggle to control his magic until he hit sixteen. He did not that he would soon be toasted as the Boy Who Lived.

All he knew was that his mama was coming to him, she was on the floor, hurt.

"Mama! Mama!" He cried. "Dada! Pa'foo'! Kat!"

XXXXX

Peter's home:

Sirius raced from his home to where Peter was staying. Had Voldemort got to him, forced him to confess? Something was wrong here, surely he wouldn't confess so quickly…

When he arrived (on his flying motorbike, a present from Kat on his last birthday), he was instantly suspicious. The house was deserted. And as he entered…

There was no sign of a struggle.

There was no trace of dark magic.

There was no sign of Peter.

And a few moments put it together.

Peter was the spy.

Peter had been leaking the names of Order members to Voldemort.

Peter had planted suspicion in him regarding Remus.

Peter was the one Kat never trusted.

Peter betrayed Lily and James of his own free will.

It was Peter who so very subtly suggested that Sirius was obvious. Sirius realised it, took it to James, who, despite his fervent cries that Remus was completely trustworthy, agreed to the change. Sirius had thought it was all his idea. He'd been manipulated by Peter. Peter, of all people…

'No one would think they'd use a talentless, mediocre wizard like Peter,' Sirius had thought. 'The perfect bluff.'

Too perfect. Because now Sirius was the 'traitor'.

He set off to Godric's Hollow, praying that he wasn't too late.

But as he rode, he felt a terrible pain in his chest, as though parts of his heart were ripped away.

'James, Lily!'

He put his foot down.

XXXXX

The Black Home:

Kat screamed in pain as she felt James and Lily's souls depart from their bodies, their minds leave hers. It wasn't fair! It just wasn't fair!

Breathing slowly, she continued her packing. Everything of sentimental value – her daughter's cradle and cot, hers and Sirius' trophies, photo albums, journals, little notes, jewellery. Anything she didn't want the Ministry getting their hands on. Even a lot of Sirius' things.

Finally it was all packed.

She held Selene close to her chest.

She gave a sob, and sat down at the kitchen table.

Slowly, she penned a note that would be her last communication to her husband for fifteen years.

XXXXX

Godric's Hollow:

Sirius arrived to find the house ablaze. No!

"No!" He yelled.

"Sirius?" A voice spoke.

Sirius whipped around. "Hagrid! Lily, James…"

"I'm – I'm sorry, Sirius!" Hagrid sobbed. "I – I brought 'em out, so's 'ey wouldn't be burned… Dead… I can' believe it! James an' Lily, dead!"

"Harry, what about Harry?" Sirius asked, anxiously.

"E's 'ere, I got 'im. Dumbledore sent me."

"Give him to me, Hagrid. I'm his godfather. I'll look after him. Kat and I… we'll raise him. Like they wanted."

Hagrid shook his head. "I've got me orders. Dumbledore wants me teh take Harry someplace safe. E'll be fine, Sirius."

"Lily, James…" Sirius murmured, his eyes staring at the house, where the fires were slowly dying. "Dead…"

Hagrid patted the man on the back. "I know, Sirius. S'hard, but we'll get through it. We 'ave to. But… it… well, looks like You-Know-Who was in there too!"

"W-what?" Sirius looked surprised, the tears in his eyes subsiding slightly.

"E's gone, Sirius! Dumbledore said 'e felt it, when 'e felt the wards fall!" Hagrid looked amazed. "Was 'Arry. All 'Arry."

"What? H-Harry defeated him?"

Hagrid showed him the boy, the lightning-shaped cut on his forehead.

"We'll know more soon…"

Sirius nodded. His eyes grew steely – dangerous. "Hagrid, look after my bike, will you? You can take Harry on it if you like."

"B-but you love tha' bike! Kat got it yeh!" Hagrid looked amazed.

"I won't be needing it anymore. Not where I'm going."

"Wh-where?"

"Hunting." Sirius' eyes glowed.

He looked at Harry, and kissed the little boy tenderly on the forehead. "I'll make it right, kiddo. I promise."

Looking at Lily and James' dead bodies, he made a vow to himself.

'I'll take revenge on that rat if it's the last thing I do.'

XXXXX

Hogwarts:

Dumbledore felt his eyes tear as bright light shone in the copies of the Jewels of the Elemental Guardians. The emerald and sapphire glowed with unnatural light – James and Lily's souls were held to this world – somehow – by the originals. These were just copies.

Hagrid's face popped into the fireplace.

"I got 'im, sir." He told him.

"Ah, very good, Hagrid. Tomorrow evening, at midnight, you need to meet me at Number Four, Privet Drive. Harry's aunt lives there."

"He's goin' ter live with Muggles?"

"It is the safest thing for him, Hagrid."

Hagrid nodded, his eyes still tearful. "I'll look after 'im, sir. 'Til we get there."

Dumbledore nodded as Hagrid disappeared from the fire.

"I'm sorry, Harry." He spoke into the night. "I only hope you can live the life you deserve with them."

XXXXX

The Black Home:

Sirius arrived back home to find the house silent. And empty.

"Kathryn!" He yelled. Fear gripped him. "Kathryn! KAT! SELENE!"

But as he ran upstairs, he noticed the absences. Running into his daughter's room…

It had been stripped. The cradle was gone, as was the cot. The chest of drawers was empty, the toy-box gone and none of the things they had bought her remained.

Ice flooded his veins.

"No…" He murmured. "Oh, Merlin, please, no."

He ran into their room to find a similar state – no personal items remained. Most of Kat's clothes had gone, her jewellery, toiletries… Even some of his things were gone as well. Including his new battlerobes.

He ran downstairs… And found a white envelope on the hall table, his name in Kat's cursive, large script. Fearfully he opened it up.

It was short and simple.

Sirius,

I'm sorry.

I love you.

But I can't stop the future when so many more could die.

Kat.

Sirius felt fury build in his veins. She had deserted him in his hour of need! She had known Lily and James would die…

But she had also known Voldemort would be defeated.

He swallowed the bile rising to his throat.

'Oh, Merlin, what a choice to make.'

Let your friends die, and destroy the evil. Or let them live and let the evil continue killing.

'Well,' he thought grimly. 'At least we know who the spy is. And Kat knew it all along… No wonder she never liked him.'

But he now knew who to blame. Voldemort, of course, was at the root of nearly all problems anyway. But in truth…

"Peter Pettigrew." Sirius spat. "Prepare to meet your punishment."

XXXXX

1st November 1988:

Kathryn wandered through Diagon Alley, watching the celebratory actions of everyone on the street. News of Voldemort's 'demise' had spread like flame on oil.

There were the occasional sombre faces before they toasted, obviously thinking of James and Lily. The two were well-liked.

Kat knew that it was the Black family's reputation for darkness that made so many automatically think Sirius evil. That and his propensity for occasionally cruel pranks. He was not as well-liked. Still, those who knew him well would never have believed he'd have gone to the dark side. She, on the other hand… No one seemed to know what to think of her. And her disappearance would just make Sirius' case worse. She suppressed a sob at the thought of what she was condemning him to. They had no proof, but the wizarding world had never heard of 'innocent until proven guilty'.

She wore a different face today, as did her daughter. Both were deeply tanned with straight black hair and slightly Oriental looks. She was hiding in plain sight. Selene also looked a few months older.

Tomorrow Sirius would face Peter. And she would have to be there. For now, though, she had to look at where she should go. And study the history and rituals of the Elemental Guardians.

XXXXX

2nd November 1988:

Sirius stalked down the street after Peter, murder in his eyes.

Peter was running up the street. Muggle dashed out of the way of the man with the furious eyes and the fat little man who was pelting it up the road. But finally it was too late. Peter was cornered.

Far away, with a listening spell, the one other true eyewitness to Peter Pettigrew's crimes stood on a rooftop, invisible.

"You betrayed them, Peter. Your best friends. Why?" Sirius murmured. Now he was face to face with him, he just couldn't understand why the snivelling worm had done it.

Peter looked at him with a strange expression.

"I risked my life! I – I never…"

"After a few hours, Peter? You betrayed them. And now you'll pay the price."

Sirius pulled up his wand.

Peter had his in one hand, behind his back. With a Cutting Curse, he sliced off a finger, before shouting:

"Lily and James, Sirius! How could you!"

Before Sirius could voice his surprise, Peter incanted a spell and blew the place apart. Instinct forced Sirius to teleport on the spot, missing the hail of debris. He caught a glimpse of Peter transforming and disappearing down the guttering. Bodies were everywhere. Like a Muggle bomb blast.

Sirius felt bile rise in his throat. Then he began to laugh as he saw the Aurors appear, alerted by the spell.

He laughed and laughed, his voice strained and crazy. Peter Pettigrew had got the best of him, framed him. Little Peter Pettigrew, who struggled with every spell. He had beaten him, the Auror, the Elemental Guardian, the tough guy.

Two Aurors he didn't know seized his wand and fitted him with Auror manacles. He still laughed incredulously.

Peter had sent him to jail. No one would believe him. He could overcome Veritiserum – his mind was strong enough for that, so no one would believe his answers.

The perfect frame up. Everyone believed him to be the Potters' Secret Keeper. The real one was now 'dead', supposedly at his hand. His wife and daughter's disappearances would further damn him.

He was dead.

But as he was Apparated to Azkaban, his laughter turned to screams.

XXXXX

3rd November 1988:

Kat cried bitter tears over her husband's capture. Now Alice and Frank were pulling out the stops to find her.

In a few weeks or months, they would be driven insane.

She wasn't going to help with the clearing up of Death Eaters.

Lucius Malfoy was claiming to have been under Imperius.

And she could not stop it.

Instead she lay down to sleep in her live-in, custom made trunk in a dingy hotel, her daughter in a nearby cot, the house-elves in their room.

She had a mission, despite her friends' and husband's incapacitation.

She had to find a way to put them all back together.

XXXXX

4th November 1988:

Petunia Dursley opened the front door to find an ornately-carved box on the step, just two mornings after discovering her God-damned nephew.

"If they think I'm going to…" She snarled, ripping open the letter.

Her eyes widened and she paled as she read the contents. Swiftly, she gathered up the box and placed it in the living room.

Later that day, she would tell her husband that it was a gift from a friend.

XXXXX

Voldemort's rise and demise had seen many things. And destroyed them.

Janyd – Jack Orenda – insane and a patient in a ward he once worked in.

Poppy Pomfrey, a Healer who threw herself into her work, unable to marry the man she loved.

The Evanses – killed because they hosted a party for a group of Muggles who did some of the most wonderful and important work in Britain – medicine.

The Orendas – killed because of their home and their fight.

Coventina Orenda – trapped inside Magic's Haven, awaiting her time.

Caradoc Dearborn – missing.

Benjy Fenwick – dead.

The McKinnons – dead.

The Boneses – dead but for an aunt and her neice.

The Prewetts – dead but for a mother of seven.

Damion and Alura Jackson – forced to flee to protect the children and secrets they held.

Radella Leigh – insane in the hospital in which she worked, a werewolf distraught by her mate, and mother who did not know she was one.

Remus Lupin – a man destroyed by the loss of his mate and his best friends, separated from children he didn't know he had, and thought spy by some of those he trusted most dearly, only for the one person he trusted to never turn spy to be one.

Albus Dumbledore – a man burdened by decisions, having failed and lost some of his favourite students and dearest friends.

Moody – a man who lost limbs to the war, along with his friends and recruits.

Alice and Frank Longbottom – parents who were tortured to insanity for information they didn't have.

Peter Pettigrew – a man who betrayed his friends to save himself, and became an object of pity and revulsion.

Sirius Black – a man who lost his best friends, his wife, his daughter and his freedom in less than a week.

Kathryn Black – a woman inflicted by visions of a future she hated and was forced to preserve, losing five years of her life, her parents, her brother, her best friends and her husband to evil.

The Potters – a family of three generations whittled down to one in two months, killed by Voldemort.

Neville Longbottom – a boy who would grow up without his parents, scarred by the night he saw them tortured, overly-sheltered by his grandmother.

Selene Black – a girl who would not meet her father and would live with a mother constantly trying to find a way to change fate.

Harry Potter – a boy who would live a hard life, robbed of his parents, his godparents and family love by Voldemort, connected to him by a scar on his head, and forced to grow up with people who didn't care about him.

That was Voldemort's legacy. A destroyed world, slowly rebuilding itself.

But when he returned…

Well, there was a woman determined that she would provide the stimulus to bring life back to the wizarding world.

Here Endeth The Elemental Guardians

Read the next part of the story in Fifteen Years (Part 1½ of Curses, Prophecies and the Elemental Guardians) and Harry Potter and the Elemental Warriors (Part 2).

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A/N:

All over! I can't believe it! As said above, you can continue reading in Fifteen Years (a one-shot mirroring the fifteen years between this and the sequel) and Harry Potter and the Elemental Warriors, the sequel.

I hope you all enjoyed and I'll post Fifteen Years over the summer.

Harry Potter and the Elemental Warriors will be out September-ish time, and while it won't follow the canon of Half-Blood Prince, it may incorporate some elements. It has been started!

All I can say is thank you to those who have come with me through this fic. And those who give really nice reviews may have mentions/characters/references in the sequel.

Thank you all, have a nice summer and enjoy Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince!

I'll see you all soon – I might finally concentrate on my other posted-up fics (Teasing, Teaching and Time-Travel in particular).

Lol, Tanydwr