Aria Black and the Battle for Hogwarts

The End of Lord Voldemort

Loud marching and gleeful cries come from outside the castle. Fred and my eyes meet from across the room.

"Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone." Voldemort cries gleefully, voice amplified across the grounds.

"The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you, and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together." He continues.

No one speaks or even moves in the Great Hall.

Fred and I race out of the Great Hall, holding hands.

The Death Eaters are coming on the bridge, led by Voldemort, their steps unanimous. They let out shouts of glee, and cries of praise to Voldemort.

Others are filing in behind us.

The Death Eaters stop advancing, and form a horizontal line in front of us and the castle.

Hagrid walks next to Voldemort, in heavy chains, holding a body.

"NO!"

Minerva's cry of despair is a sad sound, the one that makes you want to cry yourself.

"No!"

"No!"

I don't understand why Minerva, Ron, and Hermiome are crying, until Ginny yells something through her tears.

"Harry! HARRY!"

Yes, it is Harry. I see his brown jacket, and jeans.

"No." I say quietly, squeezing Fred's hand so tightly it might fall off.

Fred curses angrily at Voldemort and the Death Eaters, and the rest of the survivors follow suit.

"SILENCE!" cries Voldemort, and he casts an aggressive Silencing Charm on the lot of us. "It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs!"

Hagrid, loudly sobbing, gently places Harry at Voldemort's feet.

"You see?" Voldemort says, pacing back and forth in front of Harry's body. "Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!"

"He beat you!" yells Ron, and the Silencing Charm breaks. We survivors of the battle begin shouting and screaming again until Voldemort casts another charm and we're silenced.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds." Voldemort says. "killed while trying to save himself-"

But Voldemort can't finish his sentence. Neville runs at Voldemort, wand raised. Voldemort laughs as he easily disarms him.

"And who is this?" He hisses. "Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?"

Bellatrix gives a delighted laugh. "It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord! The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?"

"Ah, yes, I remember." Voldemort says, looking down at Neville, who's struggling back to his feet, unarmed and unprotected, standing in the no-man's-land between the survivors and the Death Eaters. "But you are a pureblood, aren't you, my brave boy?" Voldemort asks Neville, who stands facing him, his empty hands curled in fists.