Chapter Three: Fight

Chapter Three: Fight

Harry ran through the castle, the Time-Turner tucked around his neck. He reached the large doors leading out to the castle grounds and flew down the steps several at a time. He slowed to catch his breath as he passed through the castle gates; gathering his thoughts, he then stepped around and Apparated.

Within moments Harry found himself back in the woods where he had run following the battle. It was now dark, and from somewhere nearby he could hear the tragic aftermath of the horrific battle: sharp keening and sobbing that tore his heart out.

It's okay, he told himself. You're going to fix this. They are not going to die. He took the Time-Turner from around his neck and studied it carefully with the light of his wand. He would go back two turns, to the beginning of the battle. Just as he was about to start, Harry heard footsteps running through the woods toward him. Quickly he made the first turn.

"Harry! Harry, where are you?" It was Remus Lupin. Harry couldn't let anyone find out what he was about to do; he made the second turn as Lupin rushed into the clearing where he stood. Time began to flow quickly backward, and Lupin disappeared, looking confused. Harry was now standing alone in the clearing. It was quiet, and the sun was low in the sky as clouds began to gather overhead: the battle hadn't begun yet.

Harry immediately cast a Disillusionment Charm over himself. Glancing down at his hand, he saw that he blended in perfectly with his surroundings. He was well hidden; he knew how important it was to remain unseen. Yet during his only other experience with a Time-Turner he had in fact seen himself and had ended up saving both him and Sirius. He shook his head, confused when it came to the intricacies of time travel.

Setting out at a brisk walk, Harry tried to calm his racing mind by taking deep, slow breaths. He had to remain focused; he knew what he had to do, and he would not fail.

Not this time.

Harry made his way toward a small hill in an open field not far from the outskirts of Godric's Hollow. To the right was a dense forest, and down the hill was the village itself. Harry had chosen this location for his final confrontation with Voldemort, for he felt it appropriate that the Dark Lord finally be vanquished in the village where he had murdered Harry's parents and set the prophecy ruling their fate in motion.

As Harry walked through the field, he saw his past self on top of the hill. Grey clouds ringed the hilltop as the sun began to set, and a brisk wind kicked up loose dirt, swirling it about the dry summer grass. Voldemort arrived, alone, and Harry remembered their conversation . . .

"Good evening, Harry!" Voldemort said smoothly. "Imagine finding you here, of all places. Returning home to die? I believe dogs do the same thing when they sense the end is near."

"I can still try," he said quietly, in spite of his doubts and fears. Voldemort's taunting reawakened his determination to succeed. His heart swelled as he thought about Ron and Hermione, Ginny and the rest of the Weasleys, and the Order of the Phoenix: they all depended on him. He was the one who was destined to kill Voldemort, and until he did they were all in danger. He would not let them suffer because he failed. He would give them a world that was safe from Voldemort's Dark Magic. . .

Harry watched as his past self verbally dueled with Voldemort. He made his way toward the hill, knowing what would happen next.

Voldemort gave Harry's past self a twisted smile as he raised his wand into the air and cried, "Morsmordre!" A sickly green skull and serpent appeared in the gathering clouds. Voldemort was not only summoning his followers, but declaring his victory by marking the area with the sign of death: Harry's death.

The wind picked up as Death Eaters began appearing. They Apparated with loud pops and cracks, their dark robes swirling in the cool air as they surrounded their master. Bellatrix Lestrange was the first to appear, unmasked; her heavily-lidded eyes were filled with evil malice as she stepped to Voldemort's side. Harry saw Snape appear near the Dark Lord and felt a silent surge of anger. The former Potions master had failed to give up any of his secrets during the hunt for Voldemort's Horcruxes, and Harry still questioned where the man's loyalties were truly placed.

Harry watched as his past self faced Voldemort and dozens of his followers, alone but resolute. He saw how overmatched he had truly been and realized how fortunate he was that Ron and Hermione had once again ignored his directions and refused to stay behind.

They appeared on the hill next to Harry, looking grim and determined. Others arrived with them: the Weasleys were all there, standing by Harry as if he were their own son. Ginny appeared with several students from the D.A., and the Order of the Phoenix arrived as well. They were still dreadfully outmatched, but stood confidently with Harry, their wands raised against the overwhelming number of Death Eaters facing them.

Harry felt his throat tighten and his heart fill with emotion as he watched so many of those he loved come to his aide, ready to fight by his side; but he knew now that they would suffer and die, and his heart was heavy with grief as well. A dogged determination to save them no matter the cost took hold of him, and he quickened his pace as he neared the top of the hill.

Harry watched grimly as the final battle began. The verbal sparring between the two unequal opponents ended when Bellatrix Lestrange shook her head impatiently and cast the first curse with a violent shriek. A vicious stream of purple light raced from her wand toward Ron. Ron staggered as he deflected the curse, and Hermione instinctively fired back. Immediately dozens of bolts of light erupted from the Death Eaters, and chaos reigned as jets of red, green, purple, and blue beams flew across the field. Trees caught fire, and a smoky haze filled the air under the repulsive green Dark Mark. Shouts, curses, and screams of pain could soon be heard all around.

The battle quickly broke up into pockets of fighting. Fred and George Weasley began dueling the Carrows. Bill Weasley, looking grimly resolute, stalked the field like a ghost; Harry knew he was looking for Fenrir Greyback, the werewolf who had attacked Bill at Hogwarts the previous year. Charlie Weasley contended with a large blond Death Eater, while Ginny was fighting back to back with Luna Lovegood. Ron and Hermione were battling furiously with Bellatrix Lestrange, who was cackling in wicked enjoyment, her eyes glittering brightly.

Harry watched as his past self began casting curses at Snape and the other Death Eaters still surrounding Voldemort, who was watching the battle with a look of evil satisfaction. Snape was firing curses in return, but Harry frowned: Snape was a powerful wizard and could have easily killed his past self. Watching as a bystander, Harry realized that Snape had been holding back. He shook off a nagging thought forming in the back of his mind, concentrating instead on finding an opening in which he could get closer to Voldemort and end the battle once and for all.

The fighting spread beyond the hill as witches and wizards sought shelter from the curses and hexes flying through the air among the trees and rocks scattered across the landscape. Harry wanted desperately to join in the battle, for the Disillusionment Charm would lend him an incredible advantage. Though he longed more than anything to start cursing Death Eaters, he knew that once he began using his wand the chances of being discovered would become even greater. He needed to remain hidden until he could get to Voldemort.

On the hilltop, Bellatrix Lestrange cast a brutal curse at Hermione, sending her flying backwards with a powerful jet of blue light. Ron ran to her side, and Harry saw his past self pause in his duel with Snape to fire a Stunning Spell at Bellatrix in retaliation. She parried the curse easily and cast one of her own at Harry's past self. Harry couldn't help it when his instincts took over and he fired an Impedimenta Curse at Bellatrix from behind her. The red stream of light from her wand went astray, missing his past self completely. She fell hard to the ground, looking around in angry astonishment for the person who had cast the curse.

Harry saw Snape narrow his eyes in his direction. He knew he had to be careful or someone would figure out he was there; Voldemort might even sense him. Yet when he saw Charlie Weasley go down not far away, hit by a violent stream of purple light, Harry threw caution to the wind and began firing curses as he made his way through the battle. He knocked out the large blond Death Eater Charlie had been battling with a powerful Reductor Curse. He ducked several jets of light aimed randomly in his direction as he continued to take out Death Eaters, unseen as he haunted the lengthening shadows, searching for the opening he needed to end the fight.

Fred and George were dueling frantically nearby with Amycus and Alecto Carrow. Fred had a large cut on the side of his head, which was bleeding profusely, and George was limping painfully on one leg. Without warning Fred was hit by a Stunning Spell in the chest; as he fell, Amycus began to cry, "Avada..." Harry hit the lumpy man in the back, sending him face down to the dirt with a well placed Body-Bind Curse. When the Death Eater's sister turned around to see what had happened, George hit her with a Stunning Spell of his own, and she toppled over to land on her brother. George ran over to help Fred, and Harry continued to stalk through the battle, lending what unseen aid he could.

He found Ginny locked in a fierce fight with a tall, dark haired woman. Ginny held her left arm awkwardly at her side, as if it were broken, but continued to fire hexes and curses at the Death Eater. Luna still guarded Ginny's back, holding off a short man who laughed cruelly as he fought. As Harry ran by, he shot a Stunning Spell at the dark haired woman. Ginny glanced around in surprise for the unseen assailant who had just cursed her opponent. Luna, distracted as well, was quickly hit by a nasty curse that sent her toppling. Ginny fired a powerful Bat Bogey Hex in return at the short man who had felled Luna; Harry couldn't help but grin tightly as the Death Eater ran off with his own bogeys chasing after him. Ginny bent down to help Luna, her wand still trained on the battle, which had moved away. Harry was confident that she would be all right and made his way back toward the hilltop.

He came to the hill where Ron and Hermione were dueling Bellatrix Lestrange. Bellatrix cast a hex at Hermione, who was doubled over in pain from a previous curse; Ron threw up a Shield Charm to protect her. Harry hit Bellatrix from behind again, sending her flying though the air with a violent Reductor Curse. He saw the surprised look on Ron's face and smiled grimly to himself.

Suddenly a cold icy wind blew across the field, and Harry felt his heart drop into his stomach: the Dementors had arrived. Like a black storm cloud, they swarmed the Order, weakening their resolve. The battle immediately began to falter as Harry saw numerous witches and wizards struggle to cast their protective Patronus.

Several Dementors made their way to the hilltop and closed in on Ron and Hermione. Ron cried, "Expecto Patronum!" and a feisty terrier began chasing the gloomy specters away. As Ron turned back to Hermione, the battle took another horrific turn.

Bellatrix Lestrange stood, furiously shaking the dirt from her robes. She cried, "Sectumsempra!" and Ron was slashed viciously across the face and neck. He fell to the ground bleeding profusely, a stunned look on his pale face. Before Harry could react Hermione raised her wand and cried, "Relashio!" The older woman was hit by a jet of fiery sparks and shrieked as her robes caught fire. Hermione looked horrified at what she had done and stood in shocked stillness, staring at the screaming woman with her wand hanging limply at her side.

Voldemort entered the fight then and retaliated by sending an ugly stream of red light at Hermione, knocking her to the ground next to Ron in with a Body-Bind Curse. Harry watched his past self round on Voldemort, his breathing hard and his face livid. The Dark Lord leveled his wand at Ron and Hermione, stopping Harry's past self with an evil smile and flick of his wrist.

Voldemort waved his wand again and white ropes flew out, binding Ron and Hermione tightly around the arms and legs. Harry saw his past self take a step forward, furious; Voldemort motioned him back with his wand once more. He waved his arm and Harry's two friends floated upright, moving over the ground toward the Dark Lord, Ron's head lolling against his chest as he struggled to stay conscious.

"And so the great Harry Potter is neutralized," said Voldemort, his voice silky and his face ugly with victory. "By love for his friends, no less. So much for love's great power." He casually ran a long finger down Hermione's face; she stared at him with a mixture of hatred and fear, and Harry felt his heart stop all over again at the horrible position his friends were in, all because of him. "Surrender, and they live. Fight me, and they die." With another flick of his wrist, the ropes binding Ron and Hermione tightened, and Hermione grimaced as they cut into her skin.

Harry saw his past self glaring daggers at Voldemort and remembered the empty gut-wrenching feeling of defeat he had felt at that moment. "What do you want?" his past self ground out.

"I want you," hissed Voldemort. "I want the Chosen One." Harry saw Snape glance sideways at Voldemort and then narrow his eyes at Harry's past self. The nagging thought in his head grew; was it possible that Snape was having doubts? Around them the battle had slowed, as those fighting both Death Eaters and Dementors saw the confrontation on the hill and began to lose hope. Bellatrix Lestrange stood, her robes burned and smoking, and stared at Hermione with murderous hatred.

"Then I'm yours," spat Harry's past self. "Let them go."

Voldemort inclined his head. "Your wand, first."

Harry watched as his past self struggled with his resolve. The ropes on Ron and Hermione tightened; Ron weakly shook his head, but Hermione cried out in pain. Harry's past self threw his wand to the ground at Voldemort's feet; he wasn't going to let Ron and Hermione die if there was something he could do.

Snape walked over and picked up the wand. Harry saw the former Potions professor give his past self a mysterious look; at the time he had been too infuriated to recognize it for anything but an acknowledgement of failure. Observing from a distance, Harry realized that Snape was trying to communicate something.

"Let them go," Harry's past self demanded again, his voice heavy with hate.

Voldemort stepped closer to his past self, red eyes flashing with victory. "In a moment. Incarcerous!" he cried, and white ropes flew from the tip of his wand to bind Harry's past self hand and foot. Hermione's eyes went wide as Voldemort shouted, "Crucio!" Harry's past self screamed as he was hit with the Cruciatus Curse; he fell to the ground, writhing in pain.

Harry decided it was time to act, whether he was discovered or not. He fired a powerful Stinging Hex at Voldemort, and the Cruciatus Curse was lifted; his past self collapsed, eyes closed, breathing heavy. Voldemort turned with a cry of fury and aimed a curse in the direction where Harry had been standing. Harry had already moved away and fired a second curse from behind Voldemort, hitting him hard in the back; he saw the Dark Lord stagger forward and fall to his knees. Bellatrix Lestrange turned and shot at him, but again Harry was gone, moving toward Ron and Hermione.

Voldemort recovered quickly; he stood and brandished his wand, squeezing the ropes that bound Ron and Hermione tighter still. Hermione cried out again, and Ron finally lost consciousness. "Come out, come out, wherever you are," Voldemort called softly. Bellatrix Lestrange stalked the hilltop, gazing about suspiciously. Harry saw Snape edge closer to his past self, who was still lying on the ground, catching his breath.

"For that, your invisible friend gets to watch you suffer some more," Voldemort declared, turning back to Harry's past self. Before Harry could stop him, Voldemort cast the Cruciatus Curse at his past self once again. Though he wanted to fire back and stop the curse, Harry held still, instinctively knowing that if he revealed himself anymore than he had already, Ron, Hermione, and possibly his past self might die for it. He bit his lip in frustration as he watched the torture, remembered the pain, and wondered when to act.

"That's better," Voldemort spoke to the empty air as he lifted the curse. "No more playing hero. It's time to end this."

"You said you'd release them," grated Harry's past self from the ground, struggling to rise.

Voldemort raised his eyebrows. "So I did...but I've changed my mind, thanks to your invisible friend. I'd like him to see just what his interference has wrought." He flung Ron and Hermione away from him, and they fell to the ground, landing hard with silent groans. Voldemort raised his wand, his face full of malevolent joy. "Say goodbye, Harry."

Voldemort began the curse that would end their lives. Without thinking, Harry aimed a spell of his own at Ron and Hermione, blasting them out of the way as Voldemort's jet of green light flew toward them. At the same time, his past self struggled to his feet, crying out as he hurled himself in front of Ron and Hermione, trying to intercept the deadly curse. Harry was shocked to see Snape fire a Stunning Spell, stopping Harry's past self and sending him crashing to the ground instead. The green light went off into the gathering darkness without hitting its mark: Ron, Hermione and Harry's past self were all alive, but unconscious.

Voldemort whirled furiously on Snape and raised his wand in angry preparation. Severus Snape now faced the Dark Lord's icy wrath as Harry watched from the unseen shadows.

* * *

A/N: Many thanks to myownmuggle for her wonderful beta work on this daunting chapter! Time-travel is an incredibly tricky thing to write. And a second thank you to Gryffinpuff for her encouragement as well.