You Made Me What I Am

Chapter 24: A Fight for the Ages

Albus Dumbledore had lived far-past his time now and was a man of critical calculations and long-term planning. He had every idea he had made planned out to the every detail within a matter of hours. He made adjustments as soon as needed and had back-up plans for nearly anything that went wrong.

What he had never planned on was that Harry would even consider hearing Tom's side of the story out on his own and that he would believe it. Of course, it made sense that the boy would when he knew that Harry would become an Incubus and that Tom had been his mate from time they found out in his school years.

That was partially what caused the rift between them. Albus did not any longer believe in such things as soul-mates or true-bonds because he had not been able to save Gellert from himself and had been forced to kill/imprison his own mate in order to save the world from him.

"Albus, we have got a serious problem that needs immediate action." Minerva said as she ran in and looked panicked

"Calm yourself and tell me." Albus told her

"We are about to be besieged upon by Tom and his forces. They outnumber us thirty to one. Hagrid says there are werewolves, vampires, veela, elves and even foul incubi all among his Inner and Outer circles. They are about to reach the castle and start to tear down the wards as we speak.

Albus paled at this news, "Minerva, I want you and all the heads of the houses to get the students to their dorms immediately and tell any sixth or seventh year who wishes to fight to safeguard the school that they can. I will not order them to and they do not have to, but it would be welcome for them to help us even if it is a small amount of help. I'll summon the Order and alert the Ministry immediately of this. Meet me in the foyer of the castle when you are done."

She nodded and left while Albus stood and grimaced, "So Harry, you've chosen who you will side with then? It is of no surprise to me and I welcome that you face me so openly now. It is time for this to end."  He said aloud to no one

--

The ward teams stood defiant of the spells from the aurors that slung spell after spell at them but never hit as they tore a large hole in the castle's defenses and as the races and Tom's followers poured into the front of the castle to counter-attack. Harry was not seen by them, but all there knew it was his magic that had allowed no spells to hit them and avert the plans. The staff stood there and held firm while the races stopped before them and one of the werewolves howled to alert Harry they had paused while the Order halted in suspicion as did the aurors and hit-wizards who had hurried on-scene from the Ministry.

The staff was wary of them and wondered why they paused. Albus watched this with keen interest as this was typically not in their natures to do and was odd enough to warrant the suspicion placed at them. They were not attacking outright and so something was off?

"Why do you come if not to attack us?" he asked them

All of their eyes turned to him and bored into his with differing glares as they all remained silent and their eyes eerily bored into the faculties and created an unsettling amount of tension among them all and Albus grew more wary of the silence than their presence now.

"Why are you here, I ask again, if not to attack us?" He implored to them

Silence was reigning and unease filtered to the troops behind Albus.

The headmaster became angered now and his wand was sparking at them, "Why do you all invade this school if you are not here to attack us. Answer me or else?" he thundered

Then a loud screeching roar sounded as winds blew through the front of the castle and a large ball of purple-black fire shot out at him and he barely dodged it in time. The staff and students then all gasped as the dragon appeared before them from the clouds; armored and angry with an equally powerful rider on her back and one who definitely had presence as his magic was felt.