Gone Twisted

On and on they marched through the undergrowth of the Forbidden Forest. Behind them the giants, making her spine tingle with every step. Voldemorts arms still wrapped around her shoulders and a sly grin on his face. Her face was mirroring his, only did it not entertain any genuine feelings.

With careful eyes she watched Hagrids broad back as he shuffled along before them.

Suddenly he called out, "Bane! Are you happy now, are you? That you didn't fight, you cowardly bunch of hags? Are you happy now that Harry Pot-t-ter is de-dea-d" his voice broke into sobs again, and Ash looked to her left.

A horde of centaurs stood a little further up a hill, looking down at them in sorrowful eyes. But they didn't say a word, nor did they move a muscle. Had they maybe read the stars and knew what was happening? Ash didn't know, she didn't dare think about it with Voldemort so near.

Finally they reached the end of the forest and a chill ran over her body as she noticed the domentors floating above them. Quickly she shut off her fear, but she needed worry, they never came anywhere near Voldemort. When they stepped outside the edge of the forest, the Dark Lord commanded "Stop."

Carefully he lead her to stand in front of Hagrid, pulling out his wand and started speaking in his amplified voice once again.

"Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body, as prove that your hero is gone!" he shouted, his voice booming from every side, "The battle is won, you have lost half of your fighters, my Death Eaters outnumber you, and the boy who lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone that continues to resist, man women or child will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now! Kneel before me and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."

Ash shuddered at his speech. She knew Harry wasn't as dead as the pale man thought he was, but listening to his cold and lying words stabbed her in the back. Killed when he was trying to save himself? Harry was no spineless coward like all these people around her in their silver masks, he was the bravest person she had ever encountered. But gritting her teeth she kept her mouth shut.

"Come," Voldemort said and started striding once again. His every step shouting pride and arrogance. Around his shoulder now lay Nagini, free from her enchanted cage. Voldemort didn't fear for her life any more, he didn't believe in any kind of resistance.

Harry stood in front of her, nodding with a sigh. "Dumbledore told me you would ask. He gave me the O.K. to tell you," he said, glancing at Hermione and Ron, so that they wouldn't interrupt him. "We're doing this since last year. He's telling me all he knows about Tom Riddle and how he's come to be Voldemort. His family life, how he grew up in an orphanage, his school life... everything."

"Why would you want to know all that? Isn't it enough to just kill him?" Ash interrupted.

"No. He's not so easy to kill... he's got something what is called a Horcrux. Ever heard of them?"

"Horcrux... no never, what is it?"

"From what we gathered, its an object that holds a fragment of its makers soul."

"His soul? That would mean that Voldemort split his soul... would it not? So he's only a fragment of his former human being..."

"Exactly."

"So... you have to destroy the Horcrux first?"

"Yes. We've already found and destroyed two of them but the others are still out there."

"Two of them? That means he has more then one."

"Six to be exact."

"He shattered his soul into six parts? No wonder he's such a poor excuse for a human being." Ash said softly. "How are they made?"

"Murder and the wizard placing a part of the soul into the object desired."

Ash coughed a bit and looked at Harry in a sad way. "And all of them need to be destroyed?"

"Yes, we're searching all over the place for the others, but - "

"And who will destroy you?" Ash asked bluntly.

"What do you mean?" he asked her truthful confusion in his face.

Ash hitched a breath as she continued staring at the man and his snake. Was that the reason for Harry's sacrifice? Had Voldemort been so anal about Nagini's safety due to that fact? Wonderingly she played with the wand in her hands. He had his back turned on her... he would never be able to save that wrenched snake if she...

"Ash," a hand flew over hers, enprisoning her wand hand. Next to her stood Draco. "Can... can you believe this? The Dark Lord finally won," he said with a small - surprisingly weak smile.

Ash mirrored his smile, "You should never celebrate to early," she muttered under her breath, her eyes once again transfixed on the snake. But with Draco next to her she couldn't do anything without endangering him as well. And his hand was still tightly enclosed over hers stopping her from doing the necessary moves.

Gradually they were approaching the castle and when Voldemort commanded they'd halt, the Death Eaters spread out in a line. Bellatrix and herself next to Voldemort, Draco still holding her hand next to her and Nagini still wrapping herself tightly around its master. Behind her she could still hear Hagrids soft whimpers.

"No!" came the first quaking sounds from the castle as the resistance saw Harry lying in Hagrids arms.

Rapidly the entrance hall filled up with people, all shocked at the sight. There she spotted the red haired boy and the shaggy haired girl gaping at them, "No!" Ron and Hermione screamed, "It can't be! Harry!"

Their calls of despair triggered the rest of the crowd to scream abuses and pain at them.

"Silence!" Voldemort commanded and everyone fell quiet again. "It is over! Set him down Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs." Hagrid got pushed forward and softly set the limp body where Voldemort was pointing, she could see the pain and tears in her eyes, making tears rise inside her own eyes. "You see? Harry Potter is dead. Do you understand now, you deluded ones? He was nothing! Never! But a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him."

"He beat you!" Ron suddenly yelled out of the ground and the charm broke, the fighters for Hogwarts were screaming and shouting at them again.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds! Killed while trying to save himself," he said, lying gleefully. Ash ripped her hands out of Draco's, her wand in her hands tightly, quickly she forced her hand up and pointed it at Voldemort, but a movement in the ground distracted her. One of the boys - a boy she had come to recognize as Neville Longbutton, one of the boys that had held the resistance alive in Hogwarts - charged out of the crowed and towards Voldemort with a raised wand. One flick of his wrist and the boy landed before him, unarmed.

"And who is this? Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?" Voldemort asked in a snake-like whisper that floated around the castle grounds.

Bellatrix gave a delighted laugh, "That is Longbutton my Lord, the boy who has been given the Carrows so much trouble, the son of the Aurors. Remember?"

"Ah, yes I do remember!" Voldemort said surprisingly cheerful as he watched the boy struggle up again, wand less. "But you are a pure-blood, aren't you my brave boy?"

"So what if I am?" Neville cried loudly.

"You show spirit and bravery, and you come from a very honourable stock. You would make a great Death Eater, we need your kind, Neville Longbutton."

Neville spat onto the ground at the proposal, "I will join the Death Eaters when hell freezes over!" he shouted. "Dumbledore's Army!" the crowd of resisters answered with loud cheers.

"Very well," he said silkily, "If that is your choice Longbutton we revert to the original plan, on your head be it."

Her wand was still raised, but it didn't point at Voldemort directly any more. She had decided to only take action when all other hope was lost. Neville still stood a chance. She believed that Harry maybe told him about the Horcruxes himself.

Carefully she watched Voldemort raise his wand. She readied herself to attack. But his flick of his wrist didn't attack Neville, no it was pointed at one of the lower towers. A object flying out of one of the numerous broken windows.

The Sorting Hat.

Another flick of his wrist and Neville became very still. "There will be no more sorting at Hogwarts school. There will be no more houses. The emblem shield and colours of my noble ancestor Salasar Slytherin will suffice for everyone, wont they, Neville Longbutton?" he asked and walked up to him, and with one fluent movement forced the hat over his face, down below his eyes.

Ash saw the other Death Eaters raise their wands as one. A shiver of fear ran down her spine. "Neville here is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me," he called out and with a flicker of his wand, he made the hat burst into flames.

Wide eyed Ash froze in shock, but soon overcame her fear. Swiftly she took in everything that was happening. Harry couldn't stand it any more, he ripped himself from the ground, pulling out his wand and cape. He threw the cape over himself and only a small beam of light showed that he had pointed his wand at Neville and distinguished the flames that were attacking his friend. The resistance screamed loud cries of war and raced towards them. The giants from both sides ran at each others with booming screams, arrows came flying towards them from the forbidden forest.

Seizing her chance, Ash ignored the threatening death by arrow and Death Eater and turned her wand on Voldemort, muttering "Avada Kedavara." A green light streamed out of her wand and hit the target. The large snake uncoiled from her fathers shoulder and fell onto the floor dead.