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Strange and Wondrous by Vivien
Rating: This chapter R for Really Angsty.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. I am simply borrowing them. No profit is made, no disrespect intended.
Summary: This ties in with the sequel for my story Regaining, which might not ever get written. But if it does, it well tell more about the end of Voldemort.
Epilogue
June 1998 Hogwarts
White and red bursts of light exploded throughout the chamber far under the dungeons of Hogwarts. A fierce magical wind thrashed the occupants. Minerva could barely stand in the gale, and she wasn't sure how the children were managing it. Her wand hand vibrated with a steady, powerful throbbing as she held it on Voldemort. Minerva focused all of her powers in keeping the magic flowing from her wand. Severus stood beside her, his face twisting with effort as his wand arm trembled with the power of the Staying charm.
They had captured Voldemort; the plan was working. Minerva could see the semicircle of students, children still, standing around Voldemort. Hermione's nose was bleeding profusely but still she kept her wand up with her teeth gritted and hate in her eyes. Harry was mouthing the words for the killing curse; he would be ready if their plan failed. Fear battled with hopeful determination on the tired faces of Neville, Ron, and Ginny.
Red strands of energy erupted from the monstrous body of the Dark wizard and whipped through the air to Albus Dumbledore, where they were captured and transfigured into silver filaments that wafted up through the ceiling. Dumbledore's voice boomed the incantation to draw the Darkness from Voldemort's body.
Voldemort was writhing in red mist. Terrible screams issued from his lips, but Dumbledore's voice remained steady and commanding.
Minerva watched in horror as cadaverous skin began disintegrating from the release of the magic that had kept Voldemort alive and bound to this corporeal form. His face shifted, losing its alien shape. His eyes were no longer red, but the dark color she remembered. Then the eyes closed and the screams stopped. The red mist swirled around him in a funnel as it was sucked towards Dumbledore and transformed. The last of it was brought out of Voldemort's body with an explosion that flashed with a white so bright that Minerva's eyes were blinded even as she was thrown back against the stone walls.
When she came to moments later, the wind had stopped, and silver filaments crackled and snapped throughout the room. The children were unconscious on the floor, and she could see the crumpled body that had been Voldemort prone and unmoving. She shakily rose to her feet, her wand out and ready to deal with him, if need be. Her eyes darted to Albus, who had also collapsed. His skin was nearly translucent and his breathing labored, but a look of peace was set upon his face. She was aware of Severus crawling towards him, and she advanced upon Voldemort.
She knelt down and pressed the wand to Voldemort's heart. There was no movement, nor would there be. The robes covered bones and dust. Voldemort had been defeated. She quickly transfigured the remains into a gold heart in memory of the man the monster had once been. She slipped it into her pocket and turned to the children. Hermione was looking towards her with glazed eyes, and Harry's mouth was still murmuring the words he'd been prepared to use though his eyes were closed. Minerva went to each of them, saying quick healing spells over each of them that would ease their injuries until they could be moved to the infirmary. Finally, taking a shaky breath, she turned to face Albus. She could tell his life was ebbing, and tears prickled in her eyes.
Severus held Dumbledore's head in his lap, his wand waving while he frantically spoke healing charms to no avail. She walked quickly towards the two men, knowing there was not much anyone could do. She sank down to her knees and took Albus's hands in her own.
"Albus, it's over," she said, her voice wavering. "You've done it."
"We've done it, my dear," he whispered. "Take care of them, Minerva. Take care of Hogwarts."
"I will, Albus," she said, "I promise."
Albus Dumbledore sighed then and smiled up at the two people who loved him most. Then the light faded from his eyes, and the world's greatest wizard was no more. Minerva gently moved him from Severus's lap and laid him on the floor. She conjured a sheet to cover him.
Severus was crying. She'd seen him look this broken only once before, and she knew that the loss of Dumbledore was greater for him in many ways than it was for her. She took him in her arms as a mother would a child. But she didn't have much time. Consolation would have to wait.
"I need you, Severus," she said. "We still have a battle to fight. You must protect the children. Can you do that for me?"
Severus nodded his head and wiped his eyes. "Yes," he said in a rough voice. "I can."
They helped each other stand, and Minerva opened the wards on the door. "I'll send help as soon as I can. Keep an eye on Hermione - she lost a great deal of blood."
Minerva hurried down the narrow hallway to join the Order in the Battle for Hogwarts.
Thirty-six hours later Minerva finally collapsed into her own bed. The battle had been decisively won, although the cost in lives on both sides had been high. The student population had been safely evacuated at the time of the attack, and all but a few had been safely sent home. The few who would never go home again had fought valiantly beside the Aurors and Order members, but there were others, mostly Slytherins, who had gone ominously missing. More grievous was the loss of so many fine Aurors and friends, but she could not dwell on that at this moment.
The events of the past two days were blurring together, but fragments of pain stuck out in her mind. Not having Albus to turn to had been the hardest part. It didn't seem real to her yet, but she knew that the reality of his absence would hit her hard in the coming days.
She had made time between the funeral, the clean up of the battle, and assuming the duties of Headmistress to Apparate to McGonagall Castle. A gold heart now rested in the crypt that would one day hold her own body.
As her head hit the pillow, she immediately eased into a deep sleep. Images of Miranda as a little girl laughing in the arms of her smiling father drifted through her dreams. She also saw Albus, hale and hearty once again, walking beside her in her new office, encouraging her with kind words. When she awoke the next day, her pillow was wet from tears, but she was at peace.
The End
Written from December 2002 to January 2003