Chapter Eleven: Final Battles

Headmaster's Office

Fawkes jerked awake, almost falling off his perch. There was a feeling of oppression in the room. The air felt close and heavy with magic. Fawkes shivered violently. He was a phoenix, a creature of fire. He wasn't supposed to feel cold, but he felt a chill all the same. This unnatural cold sank all the way to his bones causing them to ache. He heard a slight movement in the room, and looked around fearfully. Someone was here, but who was it? Concentrating on his bond with Dumbledore, he determined that his companion was in bed sleeping, but if that was true, then who was in the office with him?

"Hello Fawkes," Harry walked out of the shadows. "Lovely night isn't it?"

Fawkes tried to screech, but no sound came out. He struggled to open his beak, but to no avail. Beginning to panic, Fawkes tried to spread his wings, but they wouldn't move either. It was as if he'd been petrified.

"Sorry old boy," Harry said effecting a sad expression, but I can't have you warning Dumbledore." Harry looked back at the shadows. "Can you watch the turkey while I deal with the old man, Gin?"

Another figure walked into the light. "Of course love," Ginny said as she stared at the phoenix, a gleam of anticipation in her eyes, "I can have some fun with him while I wait."

Smiling, Harry turned and made his way towards Dumbledore's quarters. He could hear shrill whimpers from behind him. He idly wondered what Ginny was doing to the bird. After all Fawkes had allowed to happen, Harry hoped it was creative.

Dumbledore's Quarters

Dumbledore felt a bolt of pain explode through his face, waking him with a start. He grunted, and tried to move away, but found himself unable. He could feel blood running down his face into his beard. The blood stung as it ran into his eyes. Harry Potter leaned over him, wand raised. He glared down at him with blazing green eyes.

"Hello Albus," he hissed, "Did you miss me?"

With a flick of Harry's wand, Dumbledore found that he could move his head. "Harry," he said groggily. "What are you doing here?

Moody's House

Remus stepped on to Moody's stoop. He could feel the bruise he had received the day before aching, and every muscle in his body felt stiff. He heard Tonks come up behind him. "Are you sure about this Remus?" she whispered, "You're not exactly at full strength.

Remus nodded firmly. "This has to be done. You and I both know how Moody is. When Voldemort is dead, he's going to come after Harry. He needs to be dealt with before that can happen.

Tonks sighed. She knew Remus was right, but Moody had been her instructor in auror training. It was hard to think of killing him.

Seeming to sense her apprehension, Remus placed a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to do this," he said softly. "You can leave, and let me take care of Moody."

Tonks shook her head resolutely. "You need my help," she whispered back, "now come on Moody probably knows we're here by now."

Headmaster's Office

Ginny stared down at the phoenix rubbing her hands together eagerly. She was going to enjoy torturing this flaming chicken. She slowly drew her wand and approached the bird, only to freeze as the bird let out a pitiful shriek, convulsing violently and falling off its perch.

Flames blazed up around it before beginning to fade. Ginny could hear its bones breaking with loud cracking sounds, poking through its feathers before retreating back into its body. Slowly, its shape began to change.

Its body contorted stretching and growing wider, forming a more human shape. The wings grew longer, twisting out of shape, and becoming arms. The birds head grew larger, and its amber eyes turned a bright twinkling blue. Its beak softened, widening, and taking the shape of a human mouth. The feathers covering the now human shape fell out leaving pale creamy skin in there place. The only feathers left were on the head. As Ginny watched, those feathers became long golden hair; within moments, a young girl of about fourteen years, lay naked in front of Ginny.

Ginny stared down at the naked girl in shock. "Who are you?" she asked finally.

The girl rose stiffly to her feet and smiled at Ginny. "I am Ariana Dumbledore," she said in a soft musical voice, "I am Albus's younger sister."

"Dumbledore has a sister?" Ginny asked in disbelief.

The girl shook her head. "He had a sister," she said coldly. "I've been dead for over a hundred years."

Ginny looked at the girl skeptically. "If you've been dead for a hundred years, then how are you here now?"

The girl shrugged. "It is a long story, and I don't have time to explain now." She smiled and gestured for Ginny to follow her. "Come on, I have a brother to see."

Dumbledore's Quarters

Harry stared at Dumbledore with a hurt expression on his face. "Aren't you happy to see me?" he asked, "after all, I was your weapon for years."

Dumbledore was thinking fast. "You were never a weapon my boy," he said in a grandfatherly tone. "I loved you like a Grandson. Now unfreeze me so we can talk about this," he finished sternly.

Harry snorted. "You don't even know what love is old man," "and I'm no longer one of your students, so don't think you can order me around."

"You are wrong my boy," Dumbledore said, a sad expression on his face. "I am well aware of the joys and horrors of love."

"All you know how to do, is use people for your own personal gain, and throw them away when they are of no more use to you."

"Sacrifices must be made for the greater good," Dumbledore said stubbornly.

"Like me?" someone said from the doorway. Harry and Dumbledore turned there heads to face the door. Dumbledore went pale when he saw who stood next to Ginny.

"Ariana?" he croaked. "Is it really you?"

"Ariana?" Harry looked bemused. "Who is Ariana?"

"My sister," Dumbledore whispered, his eyes were wide and his hands shook, "but she's dead."

"That's right," Ariana hissed, her eyes flashing, "and it was your fault."

Dumbledore winced. "It was an accident. I never meant for it to happen.

Faster than anyone saw, Ariana had moved across the room clamping her hand around Dumbledore's throat. "You allowed me to die, and for what, your own twisted view of the greater good."

Dumbledore tried to speak, but choked. Finally, he managed to say, "You weren't supposed to be there. You were supposed to be in your room. We never meant to kill you. Things just got out of hand.

Harry laughed cruelly. "Out of hand," he said still chuckling. "You killed your own sister."

"Stay out of this," Dumbledore snapped. "This has nothing to do with you. This is between me and Ariana."

"But the death of Ariana has affected all your decisions over the last hundred years," Ginny growled, "That means it affects all of us."

Ariana nodded to Ginny before she turned back to her brother. "Any last requests," she sneered.

Dumbledore looked at his sister brokenly. "How are you here?" he asked. "Isn't there any way you can forgive me?"

Ariana's expression softened. "If it was just me; I could forgive you, but you have hurt so many people for your own personal gain. I can't forgive that." She paused, before continuing. "As for how I'm here, I absorbed the life-force of your phoenix to give myself a temporary life."

Dumbledore's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "You killed a phoenix? How could you? They are creatures of light."

"They are just as capable of being corrupted as anyone, and yours had become very corrupt."

Dumbledore stared at his sister dazed. 'Corrupted,' he thought, 'my phoenix? It's not possible.'

Ariana laughed at his expression. "Poor Albus," she cooed sarcastically, "He thought that just because he had a phoenix he was perfect. I guess you've learned different, haven't you?"

Moody's House

Remus went flying backwards from a blasting curse, as soon as he'd nudged the door open. Moody stepped out on to his stoop. "I knew you were there," he growled, "Harry sent you after me, did he?"

Remus fired a cutting curse from the ground, but Moody simply leaned slightly to the left, avoiding the curse. "You'll have to do better than that, werewolf."

Tonks fired an explosion hex, which Moody deflected. "Nice try Tonks," he growled, "but I trained you. I know all of your moves."

Tonks grinned. "Not quite," she stretched her arm and punched Moody in the face.

Moody's nose flattened and he grunted as he slammed back against the wall of his house. He flailed trying to get his wand up, but Tonks tripped him causing him to crash to the ground."

"You didn't teach me that move," Tonks said calmly as she walked over to stand before the fallen auror.

"You won't win," Moody growled, trying to push himself to his feet. "Dumbledore will figure out what you've done, and he'll deal with you."

Tonks chuckled. "Dumbledore is being taken care of as we speak. He won't be dealing with anyone anymore."

Moody's face didn't change. He spoke a word, and a large wolf appeared out of nowhere, walking slowly towards Remus, who'd finally regained his feet. "You are fighting me at my home; I have the advantage here."

Tonks sent a powerful finite at the wolf, but the creature side-stepped the spell, and leaped at Remus.

Remus caught the wolf in mid-air with a cutting curse, almost cutting it in two. The wolf whimpered, and turned back into a life-sized wooden carving of a wolf.

Moody grunted as his creation was destroyed. "I can't keep this up,' he thought. 'I'm too old for this.' He dodged an entrails expelling curse from Tonks and fired off a blasting curse which missed Tonks, but hit Remus in the face.

Remus's head vanished in a spray of blood and bone; His body fell backward to the ground, twitching spasmodically.

Tonks let out a cry of rage and grief. Moody turned to her calmly, and took a step towards her. "Let's stop this pointless battle," Moody said gently. "You were my favorite student. I don't want to kill you. I understand that you were corrupted. Let me help you."

Dumbledore's quarters

Dumbledore stared up at Ariana brokenly. "What are you going to do with me?"

Ariana laughed again. "Me? Nothing, but Harry and Ginny here," she paused and grinned wickedly, "They want to have some fun with you."

Albus turned to Harry and Ginny. "Please, allow me a chance to redeem myself. I don't want to die yet. I still have so much to do."

"No one wants to die," Harry chuckled, "but dying is a natural part of life."

Dumbledore struggled desperately, trying to move. Panic ran through him as he watched Harry approach him.

Harry drew a knife from the folds of his robes. I have a unique punishment for you. He gestures at Ginny, who urges Ariana forward with a slight push.

Harry tore open Dumbledore's robes, and began to carve runes into the old man's chest. As he worked, he talked to Dumbledore cheerfully. "I was planning to take your life and magic for Ginny and myself, but I Think Ariana deserves it a lot more, don't you?"

Dumbledore screamed in pain as the knife sliced into his flesh. He struggled against the spell that bound him, but to no avail. He could feel blood running down his chest. He watched in horror as Harry drew a circle around him to contain the magic. Raising his wand, Harry spoke in a clear and carrying voice.

"Let the life you have taken, be restored by the sacrifice of your own."

Dumbledore's terrified scream turned into a gurgle as the magic took effect.

Harry watched as Dumbledore's body shriveled up, growing more ancient, until it turned to dust. There was a blinding flash of light throwing each corner of the room into sharp relief. Harry heard Ariana let out a cry behind him. He slowly turned to face her.

Ariana stood straight and tall. Her face was flushed, and she grinned at Harry. "Thank you for your attempt," she said hugging him tightly, "but it didn't bring me back.

Harry looked confused. "What do you mean? I thought that would bring you back to life?"

Ariana sighed. "No magic can revive the dead;" her voice was gentle, "All you did was extend the magic I used to anchor myself to the mortal plane for a short time.

"How long," Ginny asked softly, "we could kill more people. That would extend your time a little more."

Ariana shook her head. "No, I have something I want to do with this life."

Moody's House

Tonks stared at Moody for several moments before she raised her wand. "I must do what I feel is right," she said quietly. "I'm sorry Moody, but you must die."

Moody sighed sadly. "Are you sure? We could put this behind us. You could marry and have a normal life."

Tonks shook her head. "It has to be this way."

Moody nodded, and raised his own wand. "So be it." There was a blinding flash of light, and a body hit the ground with a dull thud.

Voldemort's Hideout

Voldemort hunched over in pain as the wards surrounding his hideout shattered. He looked at the small group of followers standing before him. "Find out what is going on," he roared. However, before anyone could move, the doors to his thrown room burst open.

"Hello Tom," Harry called, "How have you been you snake-faced bastard."

"Potter," Voldemort hissed in surprise. "What are you doing here?" He saw Ginny and a blond girl following Potter inside. "Who are these girls, your whores?"

Harry shook his head. "Do they look like Death Eaters to you?" He looked around at the Witches and Wizards arrayed before Voldemort. "It appears your current followers are rather lacking now, aren't they?"

Voldemort winced. "You will pay for what you did to my followers."

"No he won't," Ariana said coldly. "You are going to pay for the lives you have stolen."

Voldemort sneered. "How is a little girl like you going to make me pay?"

Ariana's smile was as cold as a winter's day, "by giving you the one thing you fear."

Voldemort's eyes widened. He composed himself. "I fear nothing little girl," he hissed, "I am Voldemort."

"Which roughly translates to Flight from death," Ariana took a step forward, and reached out with a hand.

Voldemort flinched back violently. "Stay away from me." He fired killing curses randomly, trying to kill this girl that made fear flare in his belly.

The twenty or so witches and wizards that followed Voldemort scattered. They had not signed up for this. Over half were cut down by killing curses before the rest managed to escape. Harry walked up beside Ariana, followed by Ginny.

"Shall we end this?"

Ariana nodded. "Would you like to do the honors?

Harry nodded, and raised his wand. "Goodbye Tom," he said solemnly. "This is for all those you've killed. Harry immobilized Tom with a full-body bind, and then he said the words that Voldemort had never expected to hear Potter say. "Avada kedavra."

There was a flash of green light, and Voldemort's bound body crumpled to the floor. A scaly snake-like baby wraith appeared before the three magicals. It kicked and struggled, trying in vein to escape.

"Nooo," it screamed, "I am immortal; I can't die."

Ariana stepped forward, and took the baby creature into her arms. As she did, a glowing portal opened in the air. Ariana walked towards it. At the edge of the portal, she turned back to Harry and Ginny.

"I trust that your vengeance is complete? At their nods, she continued, "Good, then live your lives and be happy. Don't let darkness grow in your hearts like Tom and my brother did. Before either of the two could reply, Ariana had swept into the portal, taking the wraith of Voldemort with her.

There was a creek behind them. Harry and Ginny spun around to see Tonks and Hermione standing there.

"Is it over?" Hermione asked tiredly.

Harry nodded. Voldemort has been dealt with." He turned to Tonks. Where's Remus?"

"He didn't make it."

Harry placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "I'm sorry."

Tonks nodded, and wiped her eyes. "So?" she said, trying to sound cheerful. "What do we do now?"

Harry shrugged. "We live."

Together, Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and Tonks left Voldemort's hideout, leaving the body of the defeated dark lord behind.

As they left the room, Hermione looked back at the body of Voldemort, and smiled. Just for a moment, her brown eyes flashed a bright blue. Ariana grinned. This was unexpected, but she wasn't going to complain. She was going to live it to the fullest.

Harry stopped, and looked back at Hermione. "Are you coming?"

Ariana/Hermione grinned, and followed Harry and Ginny out of the room.

Harry felt like something was different about Hermione, but he shrugged it off. He would worry about it later. Right now, he was going to enjoy himself. 'Who knows,' he thought,'maybe I can convince Ginny to share with Hermione.'

A/N That's it. This story is complete. I don't particularly like the ending, but here it is. I hope you enjoy it. I may post an epilogue, but it'll be a while if I do.