Clarity

A/N: I must reference the fact that I researched the curses used on Wikipedia – gotta love it. Also, I apologize to you action lovers out there. I must confess I am more a romantic, but I wanted to show the end of the war, not just mention it. I hope you guys think it’s believable. Enjoy.



Chapter 11 – Over



Harry spun through a swirling vortex and then suddenly dropped out of the sky. Surprisingly, he landed on his feet. The flesh of his hand hissed and burned under the Portkey. He opened his hand gasping in pain and the round Portkey dropped to the ground. He looked down and saw a small human skull – a baby’s skull. His hand was slightly singed from the cursed bone.



“Just one of the many sacrifices this war took, Harry.” Voldemort offered calmly.



“No child should have had to die for this war, Voldemort.” Harry sneered in disgust. He looked around the new location. “Where are we?”



“Far enough away civilization that when your precious Dumbledore comes looking for you, you’ll be rotting in the moor.”



“What makes you so sure you’re going to win this war, Voldemort. I haven’t been hiding these past seven months.”

Voldemort’s evil cackle pierced the still of the night. The half reptile took one step closer to Harry, causing the fog along the ground to billow around him. “You think you’ll kill me?” He spat. “Look at you. You’re weak. Exhausted from traveling, interrogating my men, and killing them when they didn’t give you answers.”



Harry smirked, “You think I killed them? I’m don’t have the hate you possess, Voldemort. I could never take someone’s life in such a manner. I sent them to a far worse fate – a fate of living out their life with nothing but endless fear and coldness.”



“And that’s why you will never win this war, Harry. You are too kind – too weak to finish me off.”

Harry sneered. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that.” Confringo. Harry spoke the spell in his mind while pointing his wand at Voldemort’s feet. The earth exploded from the spell. The force of the blast sent Voldemort soaring through the air. As he was getting up, Harry muttered another curse, “Petrificus Totalus.”



Voldemort saw the neon light coming at him and easily blocked it. He responded with a silent curse sending Harry spinning in the air. He slammed back to the rocky ground. Hissing in pain Harry stood up quickly and shot two curses in a row at Voldemort. Although unable to block the first, the second missed him as he had fallen to the ground. He sneered in disgust at Harry before muttering, “Incendio.” The wet grass around Harry ignited in searing flames. “What’s it like to play with the big boys, Harry? Nothing like class I assume.”



Without missing a beat, Harry expelled water from his wand to douse the flames. “You forget, Voldemort. You trained me for this fight.”



“How so, Potter?” He snapped.



Harry extended his wand at his enemy. “Every year I faced you, and every year you ran. Each time I learned another one of your weaknesses, and my magic grew stronger. I only had to sit and wait for your next fuck up.”



“Such vulgar language for such a small boy.” Harry sneered at his opponent’s sarcasm. “Maybe if you had parents they could have taught you how to speak to your superiors. I suppose that lesson is my responsibility now. SECTUMSEMPRA!”



Harry muttered the blocking charm before the curse hit him with its full power. He had miss calculated the strength of the curse and received minor slashes that slashed through his shirt and drew blood. He winced and spat, “I suppose Snape should have told you I’m experienced with that one, Voldemort.”



The Dark Lord sneered and tapped his wand on his head. He disillusioned into the night. Harry cursed himself silently for not remembering the charm to reveal those hidden. Think, Harry. Think! Before he had a chance to remember, a bright blue light shot out at him. He spun violently in the air and once again landed hard against the rocky earth. Harry stayed low trying to stay hidden from Voldemort. What is that goddamn spell?! Harry racked his brain.



Voldemort - clearly unaware of Harry’s whereabouts - sent blasting charms at various spots around the moor. The closer they got to Harry the faster he filtered through his memory for the charm. Yes! That’s it! Homenum Revelio! Harry chanted silently. Before Voldemort had a chance to realize he was revealed, Harry cast all the stones around him at Voldemort. He was showered with pebbles, rocks, and large stones. Harry stood up as he watched Voldemort physically shield himself with his arms. His high-pitched, devilish scream sent shivers down Harry’s spine. The stone’s didn’t cause him to fall, however.



Voldemort raised his wand at Harry and said, “I’m sick of these childish games.” Voldemort’s eyes flashed an evil green as he summoned all his power.



Harry, aware of the next curse Voldemort would cast, raised his wand determined not to give up. Hermione flashed in his mind. She smiled at him and whispered words of encouragement. Then Ron yelling at him at the deli to be positive and confident. Then Ron, again, in the firelight telling him of the last mission. Then Sirius clapping him on his back and speaking of his pride in Harry. And finally, Dumbledore urging him to find the truth in his life.



His truth always seemed to be his savior: love. The love his mother had for him saved him as a baby. Now his love for his friends and family – and Hermione – was going to help him end this. His truth was the love he could give and the love he felt.



He saw Voldemort in front of him again. “This is the end, Potter.” He cackled. A sharp, green light soared toward Harry’s chest.



Right before it hit his chest, Harry roared, “Avada Kadavra!”



His curse was not green – it was a blinding white light. Harry closed his eyes to shield himself from its intensity, but kept all his focus on blocking Voldemort’s curse and pushing his own.



Voldemort, blinded by the bright light, dropped to his knees. He covered his eyes with his hands causing his curse to falter and fall as well. Harry’s white light enveloped Voldemort from all sides. Harry stood with his eyes shut until the searing light dissipated.



When he opened his eyes, it was over. Somehow he had over powered the totality of Voldemort’s magic with his own. He slowly walked over to where Voldemort lay motionless amongst the fog. His chest did not rise or fall with breath. His eyes were wide and his face showed his last emotion: fear.



It’s over. Harry thought silently, suddenly aware of his tattered clothing in the cold air of the night. He could do nothing else but walk away. It was over; there was no more work to be done. He didn’t have enough magical energy to apparate anywhere, so he walked. He hadn’t the slightest idea where he was – but he needed to find a bed, food, and an owl.



He walked for what seemed like ages until he came upon a small cabin with its lights on. He knocked on the door. A large man opened the door with a shocked expression on his face. Harry said nothing, but collapsed in the arms of the man. His world went black.



The owner of the house pushed the dark hair out of Harry’s eyes. The man revealed the jagged scar on his forehead and gasped. He started to shake Harry in hopes to waken him. Harry remained lifeless in his arms. “Meryl!!” the man yelled, gathering Harry in his arms and carrying him inside the house. “It’s Harry Potter! Get some blankets!”



Back in Surry, Hermione woke with a start. She didn’t need an owl to tell her it was over. Her child, their child, was dancing for joy. For the first time in over seven months she felt whole again – she felt his love. She laid back down on her bed, closed her eyes and hummed a happy tune to her belly. The baby calmed and together, mother and unborn child fell asleep smiling.



Four days later Hermione still had not heard from Harry, nor had she seen headlines about the war ending. Worry dripped from her being. Her instincts told her Voldemort was dead. She could only hope Harry wasn’t as well.



On the other side of Great Britain, Harry was finally waking up. A plump woman busied herself at his bedside, pulling the sheets over him tightly and preparing some broth for when he teetered between consciousnesses. When she saw his eyes open, she exclaimed, “Oh thank Merlin you’re awake. John!!! He’s awake!” Turning back to Harry, she patted his hand and calmly stated, “We though we lost you, Harry.”



Slowly Harry sat up, confused on to how the woman knew his name. John walked in just as the woman started to fix his pillows. “Oh Meryl – leave him alone. The poor boy needs some air.” Meryl looked shocked that she hadn’t realized her proximity to Harry may be overwhelming. She smiled at him apologetically and stepped back to stand beside her husband.



“We are Meryl and John Carmel. You knocked on our door and fell into my arms four nights ago. Can you speak?”



“Yes.” Harry responded strongly. They know me. They must be magical. “Do you have an owl?”



“Oh yes! Of course!” Meryl chirped and ran out of the room.



John looked at Harry, who was now getting out of bed. He stretched after four days of lying in a bed. His body was still extremely sore from the Last Battle. Harry winced as he twisted and turned to stretch out all the kinks. John watched him and finally spoke, “We didn’t contact anyone. We didn’t know – well. Is it over?”



Harry nodded one swift motion. He didn’t want to talk about it with complete strangers. All he wanted was to be in Hermione’s arms. He needed to hold her and tell her that the war was over, that they could be together. The war is over…the prophecy…Harry’s head snapped up in revelation…Ginny. He, in his excitement, forgot about Ginny - and the baby. The only way he could have won the battle was if he was going to be a father. Tears clung to his eyes. He tried to force them away, but he ended up wiping them off of his cheeks instead. I’ll have to be with Ginny now, regardless of what my heart wants. Oh Hermione…



When Meryl returned with the owl and material to write with. Harry thanked her politely and began to write a few notes. First to Dumbeldore:



Professor:

It’s over. Voldemort fell four days ago in the moors of Britain. I’ll be at Hogwarts within the hour – call everyone down. I want to make the announcement public and very quick.

-Harry



The second to Ginny:



Ginny

I’ll be at Hogwarts within the hour. It’s over - I suppose we have a lot to discuss and plan.

-Harry



And the last to Hermione



My Mione,

The war is over. I need to see you. Please come to Hogwarts – I’m announcing the end there in an hour. We need to talk about everything.

Yours…Harry



Harry stayed with the Carmel’s a little longer. Meryl, who fret over his slim frame much like Molly, fed him a hearty meal. Before he left he graciously thanked them for their hospitality, and they thanked him as well. He then apparated to the gates of Hogwarts.



He could see the massive amount of people at the front doors. He took an enormous breath and slowly walked up to the castle. When he got near, he started to jog. I need to talk to Hermione. I need to tell her how sorry I am. When he was close enough to search faces, he looked frantically for hers. After passing by some Weasleys, classmates, and the press, his worn out green eyes landed on Ginny.



He smiled at her, and she threw his arms around him. He frowned. He didn’t feel right, he didn’t feel love. Distracted by the melancholy of their reunion, he almost missed the obvious fact that she still had a flat stomach.



He looked down, “You aren’t…”



“Pregnant?” Ginny finished. “No.”



“Then how did I win this war?” He asked, to no one but himself.



“I think I know how.” Ginny answered and looked behind Harry. He turned to look in the same direction and made eye contact with Hermione, his Mione. Slowly his eyes drifted down to her stomach. His heart almost stopped beating. He could not move. He could not speak. All he could do was smile. He felt more love, in that moment, than he ever thought possible. “Go to her.” Ginny whispered, pushing him gently with her fingers.



He walked slowly, unsure if he was really walking because it felt like he was floating. My Mione – carrying my child. How did this happen? Right then, in that moment, Harry swore he was the happiest man on earth. The war was over, and he had a family.



When he finally stood in front of her, he was only dimly aware of the whispers of confusion around him. No one knew that his relationship with Ginny had ended. No one knew he was in love with the beautiful woman in front of him. He wanted to fly to the top of Gryffindor Tower and tell everyone, but it could wait. Now, his rejuvenated green eyes sparkled down at Hermione’s glowing honey hazel ones. Without words she threw her arms around his neck and started sobbing. He felt his shirt become damp with her tears.



He hushed her silent and stroked her hair. His heart leapt at the feeling of their baby between them. “Shh. Mione. I’m here now. It’s over. It’s all over.”



She lifted her head to look at him again. He softened at the sight of her tears. He would never know how many of those tears were shed in the seven months he had been gone. “I knew it was over. Our baby couldn’t stop moving, dancing for joy almost. I knew it was because you’d won. I knew I wasn’t wrong. But then you didn’t come back. Four days I’ve been in agony thinking you were in the middle of Britain with no one to take care of you. Four days I’ve–” Harry cut her off with a blistering kiss. He wanted her to know that he was there, he was alive, and he loved her.



He didn’t have many words to describe how he felt about her. He was never one to be good with words. But as they broke of the kiss, scarcely aware of the response they received from the crowd, Harry looked deep into her eyes and whispered to her, “I love you, Mione. I’m home.”



“I love you too, Harry.” She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Don’t ever leave me again.”



“Never again.” He dipped his head down again to receive the sweetest, most loving kiss the two had ever known. Their bodies’ felt like they were one, and the baby felt it too. Harry could feel the baby’s kicks against his stomach.



Hermione broke away from the kiss and giggled, “We’ve got a dancer here, Harry.”



He laughed, pulled her close and replied, “Either that or a Quidditch star. It could be flying around in there, you never know.” Hermione smiled and nuzzled her head into his chest, never wanting to leave that spot.



Ron came up behind Harry and put a hand on his shoulder. Harry looked up and saw his best friend by his side. He kissed Hermione on the forehead and released her to hug his friend tight. Harry laughed in his friend’s arms, on the verge of tears, “You knew the entire time, you bastard!”



Ron laughed with him and answered, “Like you would have been able to stay away if you had known. You are here now, that’s all that matters.”



The two separated and grinned broadly at each other. Dumbledore came over and asked Harry to come to the platform they had set up. Harry nodded. After kissing Hermione once more and leaving her in the care of Ron, he trotted up to the wooden platform that had been magically erected on the Hogwarts grounds.



He muttered the voice enchantment, pointing his wand at his throat. Nervously he began, “Did the charm work?” His voice boomed across the grounds, and everyone laughed at the irony in his question. “Well,” he continued, “I’ve never used this charm before. I’m not one for speeches, so I’ll make this short. Four days ago, Voldemort fell.” The crowd cheered loudly. Harry saw mothers, fathers, and children alike take the news in various ways. Some cried and fell to their knees in happiness. Others cheered and jumped into hugs with their friends. Some smiled in pride at the young man standing on the platform. “I will give my report to the ministry within a few days, and they can do what they like with the information. I ask that the press respect my privacy as I have a lot of catching up to do.” He glanced at Hermione and winked. He saw the smile he had missed so much and felt the familiar flutter in his stomach.



Ginny caught his eye, standing among her classmates. A smile spread across her face at his news. Her eyes were filled with tears, but she looked at Harry with pride. Not a hint of jealousy shown on her face with his blatant remark to Hermione. Of course, Harry hadn’t expected anything else from Ginny. He wasn’t aware of how she treated the Weasley’s and Hermione when he had been away.



Hermione was still batting around the idea of telling him. But as he charmed his voice to return to normal volume and marched down the steps of the platform, nothing was in her mind except being in his arms.



For the few hours following the announcement, people bombarded Harry. The press wanted as much information as possible. Strangers wanted to thank him. His friends and family watched in the distance, waiting for him to be ready to go home.



Finally as the day turned to evening and the sun started to set, Harry begged off from the press. The Weasley’s, Harry, and Hermione walked down to the edge of the Hogwarts grounds and apparated back to the Burrow.