Chapter Thirty-Five: The Last Stand

Ron, Hermione, Sirius and Snape all shared a look.

'He's lying, there's no fucking way Harry Potter would ever run away – not even from that bastard,' said Ron.

Nobody else spoke. But they began to make their way to the Great Hall and outside.

When they got there, they saw Harry's body on the ground at the feet of Voldemort. Ron noticed that the snake was free of its magical protection as it was being stroked by Voldemort.

'No!' cried Professor McGonagall.

'No! Harry! No!' cried Ginny.

Ron grabbed Ginny and pulled her close to him and did the same with Hermione and they both buried their faces into his jacket, crying, as many others were shouting too. Seeing his godson dead at the feet and hands of Voldemort, caused Sirius to fall to his knees and weep.

'SILENCE!' said Voldemort, and there was a bang and a flash of bright light, and silence was forced upon them all. 'It is over!

'Well, well, Severus Snape, your true colours, I see. You will pay for your betrayal.'

Snape looked as if he did not care. In fact, he only had eyes for Narcissa, and saw that she was fine as he looked at the line of Death Eaters and the rest of Voldemort's army.

'You see? 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!' yelled Ron, and the charm broke, as the other defenders of Hogwarts began shouting, too, until a second, more powerful bang extinguished their voices once more.

'He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds, killed while trying to save himself –'

Voldemort broke off as a shout and scuffle before he simply waved the wand and then another bang, a flash of bright light and a grunt of pain before Voldemort looked at the person who had charged at him, while throwing the challenger's wand aside.

'And who is this?' hissed Voldemort, 'who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?'

Bellatrix gave a delighted laugh.

'It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord! The boy who has been the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?'

'Ah, yes, I remember,' replied Voldemort as Neville got to his feet. 'But you are a pure-blood, aren't you, my brave boy?'

'So what if I am?' replied Neville, whose empty hands had curled into fists.

'You show spirit, and bravery, and you come from noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom,' said Voldemort.

'I'll join you when hell freezes over – Dumbledore's Army!' shouted Neville, and there was a cheer from the crowd, whom Voldemort's Silencing Charms seemed unable to hold.

'Very well, if that is your choice, Longbottom, we revert to the original plan. On your head be it.'

Voldemort waved his wand and seconds later, an old withered object was caught by Voldemort.

It was the Sorting Hat.

'There will be no more sorting at Hogwarts School, there will be no more houses. The emblem, shield and colours of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice for everyone, won't they, Neville Longbottom?'

Voldemort pointed the Elder Wand at Neville, who grew rigid and still, before the Sorting Hat was forced onto his head so that it slipped below his eyes. There was movement from the crowd, but the Death Eaters, as one, raised there wands to keep them all at bay.

'Neville here is going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me,' said Voldemort, and with a flick of the Elder Wand, the Sorting Hat was set on fire.

Screams and shouts occurred again as Neville was aflame.

But then many things all happened at the same time.

They heard uproar from the distant boundary of the school as what sounded like hundreds of people came swarming over out-of-sight walls and pelted towards the castle, uttering loud war cries. At the same time, Grawp came lumbering round the side of the castle and yelled, 'HAGGER!' His cry was answered by roars from Voldemort's giants: they ran at Grawp like bull elephants, making the earth quake. Then came hooves, and the twangs of bows, and arrows were falling amongst the Death Eaters, who broke ranks, as Neville moved too.

In one swift, fluid motion, Neville broke free of the Body-Bind Curse upon him; the Sorting Hat fell to the ground, and Neville drew from its depths the sword of Gryffindor, then, with a single stroke, he sliced off Nagini's head, killing her instantly as her body thudded to the floor at the feet of her master.

Ron and Hermione began Stunning any Death Eaters that moved as they, along with many others, were running back inside the castle and the Great Hall, as Hagrid shouted, 'HARRY! HARRY – WHERE'S HARRY?'

It was chaos as the Centaurs charged at the Death Eaters causing them to scatter, as many others were fleeing from the giants' feet as more reinforcements joined in the battle including the Thestrals, more Centaurs, and the house-elves of Hogwarts, as they stabbed at the ankles of Death Eaters and Snatchers.

Death Eaters were falling at an impressive rate. Some were being taken out by the defenders of Hogwarts, and others seemed to be dropping for some unknown reason.

The duelling had proceeded to the Great Hall where Yaxley was defeated by Fred and George, Dolohov defeated by Flitwick, Macnair being thrown across the Hall by Hagrid hitting the wall and crumpling on to the floor unconscious. Sirius killed Fenrir Greyback; Aberforth defeated Rookwood, Arthur and Percy defeating Thicknesse, while Narcissa Malfoy was running through the crowd screaming for her son, not even attempting to fight.

At one end of the hall, Voldemort was now duelling McGonagall, Slughorn and Kingsley all at once, with cold hatred on his face as they ducked and wove around, unable to finish him.

Bellatrix was fighting too, fifty yards away from Voldemort, and like her master, duelled three at once: Hermione, Ginny and Luna, all battling their hardest, but Bellatrix was equal to them.

When Ron saw that Hermione was duelling Bellatrix, his heart stopped. But then, a Killing Curse shot so close to Ginny that she missed death by an inch.

'NOT MY SISTER, YOU BITCH!' bellowed Ron, as his mother bellowed,

'NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!'

It was a foot race between Ron and his mother as to who got to Bellatrix first.

Ron pushed his mother aside and said, 'OUT OF MY WAY!' to the three girls, who all saw the look on his face, did as they were told, as he pulled out the wands that belonged to Bellatrix and Pettigrew.

Bellatrix laughed at the sight of her new challenger, but her smile faltered when she saw the wand in Ron's right hand.

'Recognise this?' he said, showing her the walnut wand, 'appropriate, don't you think? That I'm going to use it to kick your ugly, inbred arse!'

Bellatrix fired a spell which Ron blocked with the wand in his left hand at the same time as he used the walnut wand cut her shin, which made her wince and yelp. She fired another spell, and again Pettigrew's wand blocked as the walnut wand cut her again, this time, on her upper thigh. This was the pattern of their duel, block and cut from Ron as Bellatrix attacked, until Ron, bored with using cutting charms on his prey, (she was cut on her abdomen, both her arms and her face), so this time when he blocked her attack, he cast a Disarming Spell, causing her stolen wand to leave her hand and fly through the air and away from her.

Ron then placed the two wands he had been using into his left hand as he drew his own wand. Then, with a bang, he sent Bellatrix flying backwards to the wall and chained her to it with another wave of his wand. Then, with his face full of anger and hatred, he pointed the two wands in his left hand at Bellatrix, and said, 'Crucio!'

Bellatrix' screams of agony tore through the Great Hall. She sounded like a Banshee as she screamed, before Ron cast a silencing charm upon her. He approached her as he kept the dual Cruciatus Curse on her as she writhed and twitched and then began whispering in her ear.

'Do you remember me telling you that you would die screaming? Well, here you are, screaming. This is for the Longbottoms, for all the others you have hurt, but most of all, this is for my wife, whom you tortured a few weeks ago. You didn't break her. She lied to you, so fuck you. My wife is the kindest person you could meet, she's warm and compassionate. I don't have her compassion though, because if I did, you would not be in the pain you are in right now. But I do have mercy, so, now I'm going to kill you.'

Ron then backed away from her and pointed his own wand at her. He began to build up all the hatred he possessed for her, and taking a deep breath his mouth began to form the two words that end the life of Bellatrix Lestrange.

But then a voice inside his head began to speak. The voice belonged to Hermione.

'Don't do it, Ron. She isn't worth it,' said the voice.

'But you are,' thought Ron.

'Please, Ron, don't become a killer, not for me. Killing rips the soul apart, Ron, and your soul is mine, as mine is yours, please don't rip our souls apart for Bellatrix Lestrange,' the voice pleaded.

Ron's hand was shaking as the conversation in his head was happening. The voice of his conscience was right. He could not kill this disgraceful excuse for a human being, and he knew it.

'It's all right, Weasley,' said a silky voice.

It was Snape.

Ron still had the dual Cruciatus Curse on Bellatrix, as Snape pulled down his right hand before addressing the still writhing, and silently screaming Bellatrix.

'You know, I never liked you, Bellatrix, and I do believe the world will be a better place without you, so, goodbye bitch. Avada Kedavra!'

A jet of green light left the tip of Snape's wand and hit Bellatrix over her heart, killing her.

Loud cheers greeted the demise of Bellatrix Lestrange, and then Ron waved his wand again, the chains holding Bellatrix vanished and then her body fell, face first to the ground.

But then, Voldemort, who had seen Bellatrix killed by the traitor, sent his three opponents flying backwards before pointing his wand at Severus Snape.

But then a voice roared from nowhere, 'Protego!' as a Shield Charm appeared and expanded in the middle of the hall.

Ron knew that voice, but it could not be him. It was impossible, he could not be alive.

But then Harry Potter shed his invisibility cloak to reveal himself.

There were shouts of 'He's alive!' as Ron looked at his best mate. He could not believe his eyes as he felt a hand take his.

It was Hermione.

'I don't want anyone else to try to help. It's got to be like this. It's got to be me,' said Harry.

Voldemort hissed.

'Potter doesn't mean that, that's not how he works, is it? Who are you going to use as a shield today, Potter?'

'Nobody, there are no more Horcruxes. It's just you and me. Neither can live while the other survives, and one of us is about to leave for good …'

'Horcruxes, of course …' Sirius murmured as Snape mouthed, 'Horcruxes?'

Voldemort saw Snape and said, 'Why, Severus, why did you betray me? I would have given you everything.'

Snape sneered and said, 'Everything? That's funny, because I have it on good authority that you were going to kill me. Besides, you already took everything from me when you murdered Lily Potter. She was the first person I loved, she was my first friend and you took her out of this world because she was in your way as you wanted to murder an innocent infant!'

Voldemort turned back to Harry and said, 'One of us? You think it will be you, do you, the boy who survived by accident, and because Dumbledore was pulling the strings?'

'Accident, was it, when my mother died to save me? Accident, when I decided to fight in that graveyard? Accident, that I didn't defend myself tonight, and still survived, and returned to fight again?'

Ron watched as Harry and Voldemort circled each other, it was beginning to make him dizzy as he held Hermione in his arms.

'Accidents!' screamed Voldemort, 'Accident and chance and the fact that you crouched and snivelled behind the skirts of greater men and women, and permitted me to kill them for you!'

'You won't be killing anyone else tonight. You won't be able to kill any of them, ever again. Don't you get it? I was ready to die to stop you hurting these people –'

'But you did not!'

'– I meant to, and that's what did it. I've done what my mother did. They're protected from you. Haven't you noticed how none of the spells you put on them are binding? You can't torture them. You can't touch them. You don't learn from your mistakes, Riddle, do you?'

'You dare –'

'Yes, I dare, Tom Riddle, that is your real name, isn't it? I know things you don't know, Tom Riddle. I know lots of important things you don't. Want to hear some, before you make another big mistake?'

Most of the people in the Great Hall were intrigued but they also wanted Harry to strike and finish Voldemort for good. The entire hall watched and listened as Harry educated Voldemort on things like love and friendship, while Voldemort retorted about Dumbledore keeping the Elder Wand away from him, Harry retorted by offering him mercy and to feel remorse for the things he had done, to save himself, before Voldemort retorted about having the Elder Wand.

'But then, Potter, Dumbledore as good as gave me the wand! I stole the wand from its last master's tomb! I removed it against its last master's wishes! Its power is mine!'

'You still don't get it, Riddle, do you? Possessing the wand isn't enough! Holding it, using it, doesn't make it really yours. Didn't you listen to Ollivander? The wand chooses the wizard … the Elder Wand recognised a new master before Dumbledore died, someone who never even laid a hand on it. The new master removed the wand from Dumbledore against his will, never realising exactly what he had done, or that the world's most dangerous wand had given him its allegiance …

'The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy.'

For Ron, it clicked. He had told Harry to Disarm Draco at the Manor, long after Draco had disarmed Dumbledore that night on the top of the Astronomy Tower. He shared a look with Hermione and they both thought the same thing: 'Harry is the master of the Elder Wand!'

'But what does it matter? Even if you are right, Potter, it makes no difference to you and me. You no longer have the phoenix wand: we duel on skill alone … and after I have killed you, I can attend to Draco Malfoy …'

'But you're too late. You've missed your chance. I got there first. I overpowered Draco weeks ago. I took this wand from him,' Harry gave the hawthorn wand a twitch and the eyes of everyone in the hall fell upon it.

'So it all comes down to this, doesn't it?' whispered Harry, 'Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed?

'Because if it does … I am the true master of the Elder Wand,' he finished.

Just then, a red-gold glow burst through the enchanted sky above them, as the sun had risen. The light hit both their faces at the same time.

'Avada Kedavra!' shouted Voldemort.

'Expelliarmus!' yelled Harry.

The two spells collided and then the Elder Wand left Voldemort's hand and flew across the hall toward Harry, as the Killing Curse rebounded upon Voldemort, killing him instantly before his body hit the floor, just as Harry caught the Elder Wand in his free hand.

It was over and barely a second had passed before the hall erupted in delight as people rushed to Harry. The first to reach him were Ron and Hermione, followed by Sirius, and then the Weasleys each took their turn in hugging him. Including Ginny who was torn between hugging him and slugging him for making her think he was dead, but Harry, he wanted to kiss her, but he could not. Not yet, first he had to earn her forgiveness and trust again before he could act on his feelings. Many others, too, wanted to touch some piece of Harry: Neville and Luna, Hagrid, Kingsley Shacklebolt, as well as Professors McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout.

When the dust had finally settled, Ron and Hermione were sitting at a table far away from everyone else. Hermione was sitting on his lap as he held her tight in his arms. They had heard the news of prisoners being released, those who had been under enchantment, freed. The news that Death Eaters and Snatchers were being rounded up and that Kingsley Shacklebolt had been named as Temporary Minister of Magic.

Ron and Hermione noticed that Ginny was sitting with her head on her mother's shoulder as the rest of the family talked, they noticed Neville sitting with Hannah Abbott, who was giving him a bit of a telling off for nearly getting killed by Voldemort before he silenced her with a kiss, as his grandmother watched on with a smile. They noticed Draco sitting with his mother, with Snape watching them. Sirius was sitting with Amelia and Susan, and Harry was sitting next to Luna Lovegood.

'I couldn't do it, love, I couldn't kill that bitch for you,' he said softly in her ear.

'It's all right, Ron, I didn't want you to kill her, she wasn't worth it. I love you so much, Ron,' she replied.

'I love you too, Hermione. I love you so fucking much. Thank you for still being here, I need you, I can't live without you …'

'No, Ron, thank you for still being here. I can't live without you either.'

They heard what sounded like Luna's voice shouting something about a Blibbering Humdinger, but ignored it to share a deep, passionate kiss.

When they broke apart, a voice said, 'It's me, will you come with me?'

At once, they got to their feet and walked out of the Great Hall and started to climb the stairs. In the distance they could hear Peeves the Poltergeist singing a victory song of his own composition:

We did it, we bashed them, wee Potter's the One,

And Voldy's gone mouldy, so now let's have fun!

'Really gives a feeling for the scope and tragedy of the thing, doesn't it?' said Ron, pushing open a door for them as they continued to walk with no real destination in mind, though it did appear that they were heading in the direction of the Headmaster's Office.

Harry told them what was in Snape's memories, about walking to Voldemort and using the Resurrection Stone, and about his talk with Dumbledore, before reaching the stone gargoyle that stood sentinel over the office.

'Can we go up?' he asked the gargoyle.

'Feel free,' it groaned in response.

The trio then climbed up to the office where they were met by almost deafening applause from the portraits, including Phineas Nigellus Black.

Harry, however, only had eyes for the man who stood in the largest portrait directly behind the Headmaster's chair. The object of the portrait had tears streaming down his old face, but he was smiling at them all with great pride, as finally, the other portraits became silent.

'The thing that was hidden in the Snitch, I dropped it in the Forest. I don't know exactly where, but I'm not going to go looking for it again. Do you agree?' asked Harry.

'My dear boy, I do,' said Dumbledore, 'a wise and courageous decision, but no less than I would have expected of you. Does anyone else know where it fell?'

'No one,' said Harry, 'I'm going to keep Ignotus' present, though.'

'But of course, Harry, it is yours forever, until you pass it on!' replied Dumbledore beaming.

Harry then took out the Elder Wand and said, 'And then there's this.

'I don't want it.'

'Of course you don't, mate,' said Ron, rolling his eyes.

'I know it's powerful, but I was happier with mine. So …'

Harry then took the broken pieces of the phoenix wand from out of his Mokeskin pouch and laid them on the desk, touched the wand with the very tip of the Elder Wand and said, 'Reparo.'

The wand resealed and red sparks flew out of its end and Harry picked it up and felt warmth in his fingers. He then tucked it away in his inside jacket pocket.

'I'm putting the Elder Wand back where it came from. It can stay there. If I die a natural death like Ignotus, its power will be broken, won't it? The previous master will never have been defeated. That'll be the end of it.'

Dumbledore nodded. They smiled at each other.

Harry then turned to Ron and Hermione and said, 'I don't know about you, but I've had enough trouble to last me for a lifetime. Let's find somewhere to sleep for at least a week, but not before I eat a bacon sandwich.'

Ron and Hermione laughed and agreed as they left the Headmaster's office for Gryffindor Tower.

When they reached the Fat Lady, she said, 'Go on in, you three are true Gryffindors, no password necessary.' She then moved to allow them inside.

The Common Room was unscathed. Everything was where it was meant to be.

'Wow, I wasn't sure if we would ever see this room again,' admitted Ron.

'Me too,' said Hermione.

'Me three,' chuckled Harry, before he summoned Dobby.

The little elf appeared and began to hug Harry's legs, saying, 'Harry Potter, you saved us! What can Dobby do for Harry Potter and his friends?'

'Food, Dobby, and lots of it,' said Harry, hearing his, Ron's, and Hermione's stomachs rumbling.

'Yes, Harry Potter!' squeaked Dobby before he vanished and reappeared ten seconds later with plates full of bacon and sausages, with bread and butter. Harry wasted no time in putting together a bacon sandwich as Ron did the same for Hermione and then himself. The trio continued to eat until they were full, in Harry and Hermione's case, or yawning tiredly in Ron's.

'I stink, I need a shower,' said Harry.

'Same as that, little brother,' said Ron.

'Look at us we're covered from head to toe in dirt and grime. There's no way I'm sleeping until I'm clean again,' said Hermione.

The trio then made their way upstairs to the Boy's dormitories and walked through a door marked Seventh Years. There were five beds and Harry picked the one in the centre, and Ron and Hermione chose the one to the right of it. Hermione then began to take out clean clothes for the three of them, as well as their wash bags. She handed Harry his wash bag and a change of clothes before inviting him to go first. She also took out the Dittany to heal their wounds. She gave it to Ron as Ron went with Harry to make sure he did not fall asleep in the shower. When Harry was finished, Ron gave him the Dittany to treat his wounds. However, there was a large bruise on his chest that must have come from when Voldemort used the Killing Curse in the Forest.

'Fucking hell, Harry, you need to let Madam Pomfrey take a look at that,' said Ron.

'I know and I will, but right now, all I want to do is go to sleep,' replied Harry.

Harry put on his pyjama top and gathered all his discarded clothes before going back into the dorm room. Ron watched as Harry got into bed, took off his glasses, put his recently repaired wand under his pillow and fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

Ron then held out his hand to Hermione. She stood up and took his hand as he led her into the showers. Once inside, Ron locked the door and put a soundproofing charm over the room. They began to help each other out of their clothes. Jackets, jumpers, t-shirts, and Hermione's bra were on the floor quickly as they toed off their shoes. Then it was socks, jeans and underwear. Ron washed the dirt and grime from her face and her body. He then washed her hair lovingly, before Hermione did the same for him. They healed one another's wounds with the Dittany whilst in their towels. Ron pulled Hermione back into his arms and kissed her deeply as they both fought off the need for sleep.

'It's all over, isn't it? The war?' asked Ron.

'Yes, the war is over, and we survived, Ron,' replied his wife of almost ten months.

'Good, because I'm bloody knackered, I'm even too knackered to fuck you fast and hard against one of these walls right now, and I really want to. Stupid fucking battles, why are they so tiring?' he asked.

'They just are, and I'm tired too, Ron. Believe me I would like nothing more than for you to have your way with me. But we're both too tired to enjoy it. Let's just get ready for bed?' she replied.

Ron put on a pair of pyjama bottoms, while Hermione put on one of Ron's Cannons shirts: An orange shirt that dropped mid-thigh. They gathered their clothes and their wands before leaving the shower room.

Hermione then took out clothes for Harry to wear for when he wakes up, and did the same for Ron and herself. Hermione then cast an extension charm upon the bed before Ron pulled the duvet back and invited her to get in. Hermione crawled her way to the other side before Ron joined her. Together, they slid their wands under their pillows and lie down. However, Ron felt that Hermione was too far away and pulled her closer so her head was on his shoulder and her left leg draped over his left side. Wrapped up together tightly, they shared a kiss before finally falling asleep after a very, very long day.

A/N: That's it! The End! I know I say this a lot, but hopefully I haven't butchered a good story. I had a lot of fun writing this series. Big thank you to all who have taken the time to alert, favourite, read and review any part of this series. I hope you liked it. Now, there will be a follow up that continues almost right where this story ends, (give or take a day). However, it will not be a story that I will update frequently. This is because I have other stories in my head and I wish to write those instead. What they are, I'm not going to tell you. You'll just have to wait and see. So, keep an eye on my profile for them.

Harry Potter, Ron and Hermione Weasley will return.