The Boy who lived and The Boy who survived (Drarry)

Chapter 56: Death of a Hero

2 Years ago. The Battle of Hogwarts.

"Well well... What a glittering assemblage..." Voldemort sneered and eyed the students surrounding the entrance of the castle as he and his death eaters made their way over. He stopped and eyed the cluster of people gathered in front of the castle entrance. "Purebloods, blood traitors, half-breeds and..."

He let out a cold laugh.

"How quaint..." Voldemort smiled mockingly. "Even the mudbloods."

Draco saw Hagrid carrying someone in his arms, but he couldn't see who.

Arthur Weasley was standing at the front of the crowd of people coming out of the Great Hall. Molly walked slowly to stand beside Arthur. Arthur tensed up, knowing who it was in Hagrid's arms. He kept his face firm.

"Arthur, who is that? In Hagrid's arms? Who has he got?" Molly asked, voice shaking. Arthur pressed his lips in a firm line and his face turned white. Hearing Molly Weasley's cries, Voldemort let out an evil smile before addressing everyone with a shout.

"Harry Potter... IS DEAD!" Voldemort's echo radiated across the grounds of Hogwarts.  There was a deafening silence in the crowd and then -

"NO!"

"Harry! HARRY!"

"NO! THAT'S NOT TRUE!"

"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!"

Harry wanted nothing more than to call back, yet he made himself lie silent, and their cries acted like a trigger; the crowd of survivors took up the cause, screaming and yelling abuse at the Death Eaters, until —

"SILENCE!" cried Voldemort, and there was a bang and a flash of bright light, and silence was forced upon them all. "Harry Potter is dead."

In the distance, Hermione, Ron and Draco stood watching the scene unfold. Ron had his arms around her, and there were tears falling wordlessly from her eyes the moment she saw Harry in Hagrid's arms. Draco felt his heartbeat momentarily stop when he saw him. He knew, of course he did. He could feel it when the Dark Lord hit him, the moment he took his last breath. Draco had felt it. He knew he was dead, right before his eyes. But he couldn't bring himself to believe it.

"From this day forth..." The words of that thing that breathed in the dark, deep and pussiant as the voice of an abyss. Draco felt his teeth vibrate, his fist clenching. "You put your faith... in me."

Draco's fist tightened in anger and despair as he stared ahead at Voldemort with cold eyes. He felt Ron reach forward and touch his shoulder from beside him and his breath hitched at the comforting touch, his mouth started to tremble and he felt the first few fresh tears drop from his eyes. He made no move to wipe them away. He felt Ron's hand on his shoulder tighten in the hopes of comforting him, but it did nothing to ease the pain in his heart.

"Put him down Hagrid." Voldemort commanded. "At my feet. Where he belongs."

Harry felt himself lowered onto the grass.

"You see?" said Voldemort, as he strode backward and forward right beside the place where Harry lay before turning to the Death Eaters and throwing his arms wide. "HARRY POTTER IS DEAD!"

There were laughs from the death eaters, and Draco recognised his Aunt Bellatrix's laugh standing out above all. He looked over and saw his mother in the crowd, her eyes were sad, and she was not laughing with the others.

"And now is the time to declare yourself." Voldemort laughed darkly and faced the students, holding out his arms in mock invitation. "Come forward and join us."