Harry Potter And The Prince Of Darkness

Somehow, the spy had leaked the information of Sirius Black being the Potter's Secret Keeper and the inner workings of the Fidelius. This meant that they were a trusted member who knew intimate details of the protection scheme for the Potters. Sirius had been attacked by three Inner Circle Death Eaters barely a week later and survived the encounter by the skin of his teeth. Albus had given him a portkey to Hogwarts that allowed him to make his escape once he downed two of the Death Eaters. He knew without a doubt that his status had been compromised and they needed to switch Secret Keepers.

Without telling Dumbledore, he had gone to Potter Cottage and asked whether their friend Peter Pettigrew could become their new Secret Keeper. He was willing to act as a decoy, given the last attack. He feared that he might have broken if he had been captured and tortured long enough. Remus had been embedded with a werewolf colony on the Continent to prevent them from following Fenrir Greyback. The main reason they hadn't told him about the switch was the possibility of him being captured was high. He was operating without any form of backup, seeing as the werewolf packs didn't appreciate human wizards.

The worst attack occurred just a couple of weeks after the news leaked. Potter Manor had been attacked by an entire contingent of Death Eaters, along with Voldemort himself. He had wanted to draw out James by going after his parents, but he hadn't been prepared for the kind of fight he had gotten. Charlus Potter was no slouch, and as a veteran of the Global Wizarding War, had no problem fighting with extremely Dark Curses. The man had taken down nearly 12 Death Eaters by himself before the wards were breached and he was forced to retreat. No one was able to find out what happened next, because the Manor had been destroyed in the aftermath. The bodies of Charlus and Dorea were never found, and Dumbledore had thought Voldemort was keeping them hostage. Unfortunately, Voldemort had taunted the Order by proclaiming their deaths at his hand. He had been especially saddened by Charlus' untimely passing when he gave the news to James. James and Lily were reeling in grief at their loss. The Fidelius prevented them from even attending a burial, causing them to break down in front of him. Albus had never felt so old and helpless before. He had given them his condolences and left, hoping that maybe the twins could help them get over their sorrow.

After giving his condolences to James and Lily, Dumbledore hurried back to Hogwarts. Destined for another sleepless night, he started writing missives to the Inner Circle Order members. He had chosen 4 people who he trusted implicitly to help plan a proactive campaign against the Death Eaters. Enough was enough. He was sick and tired of all the funerals. Tired of treating his enemies with honor and respecting their right to live. His people were fighting with their hands tied, and it was time to let them loose. It would hurt him to do it, but the time had come for him to take the field and fight back with lethal force.

It was a startling change in direction from the usual tactics when Dumbledore revealed his plan to actively combat the Death Eaters. He compartmentalized the entire Order and disseminated information on a need-to-know basis. There was a spy, or possibly multiple spies in the Order that needed to be found. He had his suspicions about one in particular but had not acted on his hunch until now. He split his forces into three well-rounded teams and gave them orders to attack the Death Eaters during a raid. Severus had come through with information on multiple raids that would occur during the week. The Order members were allowed to use lethal force as necessary to stop the attacks.

On the eve of the first Death Eater raid, Albus met with the members of the Order squad tasked with fighting against them. A couple expressed their hesitance at Albus' departure from his normal tactics, but he assured them of his decision. Reminding them of their numerous losses served as a motivator to use everything at their disposal to end the war. He spoke of his confidence in them and their abilities, stating the reasons why he had brought them together. He wanted them to wear robes modeled after the Unspeakables. When the hoods were drawn, a powerful Obscuring Charm would take effect, masking their faces. Alongside hiding their faces, their voices were changed with a Voice-Modulation Charm that made sure anyone who heard them would not be able to identify their gender. The robes were slightly baggy to make height and shape difficult to determine and they would have no identifiable marks linking them to the Order. He wanted to surprise the Death Eaters and make them think another force had chosen to take a stand against them. They left with high morale and a determination Albus hadn't felt in a long time. These were wizards and witches who had the initiative and drive to survive and win.

The first raid came and the Death Eaters Apparated into Diagon Alley and attacked a couple of shops owned by Muggleborns and Halfbloods. The Order squad had been waiting for them and immediately fought back. Some of the Death Eaters thought that the new group was a part of the Order, as they were the only vigilante group fighting against them. In their minds, the Order never utilized lethal or Dark curses and spells. They would simply toss Stunners and other various spells, allowing their comrades to inflict as much damage as possible before Apparating away. That was how it would have gone, had Albus Dumbledore not drastically changed his approach.

The Order members started their offense with their usual non-lethal take-down spells. Suddenly, 10 seconds into the initial barrage, Elphias Doge threw a Bone-Exploding Curse at his partner's opponent. Caught off guard, it hit the Death Eater square in the c.h.e.s.t, dropping him instantaneously. The others were astonished as they saw their comrade fall, and were subsequently brought down by several Dark curses thrown by the other Order members. Of the six Death Eaters who participated in the attack, not a single one was left alive. The Order members helped the civilians as much as they could before apparating away at the first sign of the Aurors.

Albus' plan worked, as none of the civilians who had been saved were able to give any identifiable descriptions of their saviors. The way they were being described, many people thought that the Unspeakables had gotten involved in the fight. It was an open secret that while the Unspeakables researched the many mysteries of magic, the organization also had another arm. This arm was simply known as "Field Operations". Their missions and personnel details were all heavily classified. Even Dumbledore in his capacity as Chief Warlock was rarely if ever briefed on their activities.

The Department of Mysteries was a separate entity that answered to two institutions alone. Their parent organization InterBUn (International Bureau of Unspeakables), or IBU for short, and the ICW. The IBU was run out of the ICW headquarters where all the nations with an established "Department of Mysteries", shared their respective research and breakthroughs. The Field Operations wing of the IBU served as the magical world's Interpol. They specialized in tracking down rogue Dark Wizards who committed crimes against the magical world or threatened the Statute of Secrecy. It was said that the Field Operatives were the finest fighters across the magical world, just shy of the ICW War-Wizards and the magi from the Mage Association. They could only be deployed by the IBU with the approval of the ICW. If they had fought against the Death Eaters, then even Voldemort would have to start worrying.

The shock and awe of seeing the cloaked fighters killing the Death Eaters ruthlessly had sent rumors flying all around. They made their way back to Voldemort, who had immediately summoned Augustus Rookwood, his spy in the Department of Mysteries. It had taken a couple of hours for him to arrive, and Voldemort had made his disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e known through a hearty Crucio the moment he had arrived. Lifting the spell after nearly 20 seconds, he had demanded answers from Rookwood about the rumors that Field Operations had intervened. Rookwood had nervously answered him while he trembled from the aftereffects of the Cruciatus. "M-m-my Lord. I-I have n-no idea i-i-if they a-are involved. I am n-no-not g-given any information o-on their ac-activities." Resisting the d.e.s.i.r.e to Crucio him again, Voldemort told him to get out as he thought about his next move. With Rookwood being useless, he had to move forward under the assumption that the Unspeakables were now working against him.

He was furious about the ICW declaring war against him. He would show them the power of Lord Voldemort and soon enough, they would fall at his feet. He imagined torturing and killing their families in front of them for daring to fight against him. He was an immortal, one that those filthy politicians would never be able to defeat. That's when he had a brilliant idea. His chief political advisor, Lucius Malfoy, was already bribing members of the ICW to not intervene in Britain. Most nations hadn't forgiven Britain's lack of response until their interests were threatened in the Global Wizarding War. Sure, Albus Dumbledore ending the war had raised Britain's reputation worldwide, but they didn't acknowledge him as Albus Dumbledore from Britain. They saw him as Albus Dumbledore, Master from the Transfiguration Guild and ICW War-wizard. When the British delegate and Supreme Mugwump had asked for aid, they had been met with cold apathy from their colleagues. Of course, the copious amounts of money and illicit favors that Lucius had given them had only increased their neutrality. If anyone could find out about IBU matters, it would be Lucius Malfoy through several "donations".

Summoning Malfoy to him, he had gotten a prompt response. Lucius had arrived within minutes and bowed before him. "My Lord, you called for me?" Voldemort gave a sinister smile as he looked at the man. He was the epitome of Slytherin cunning. A consummate politician and traditionalist that valued the future of Pureblood magicals. "Yes, Lucius. Rumors have reached my ears of IBU Field Operatives killing my Death Eaters. You told me that the ICW has been taken care of. So I ask you, why they have chosen to intervene now?" Voldemort heard Lucius audibly gulp as he tried to give him an answer. "My Lord, as far as I am aware, the ICW had not made any decision to intervene in our crusade. I have been in frequent contact with my informants and none of them have given me any notice about it." Hearing Lucius' reasoning, Voldemort tapped his finger on the throne, deep in thought. "I want you to reach out to your contacts and I don't care how much money you have to spend or who you have to kill or kidnap, you will find out if the IBU has decided to act against us. Am I clear?" Lucius bowed deeper as he spoke. "Yes, my Lord. I shall spare no expense in finding the information you d.e.s.i.r.e." Voldemort lightly snorted as he dismissed him. "You may go, Lucius. Do give my regards to Narcissa and the children." Trying to keep a straight face, Lucius kept his head low as he withdrew from the chamber.

Upon closing the door. Lucius almost collapsed as sweat lined his brow. That was one of the most nerve-wracking interactions he had ever had with the Dark Lord. It seems that the rumors of the Unspeakables had deeply unsettled him. Honestly, Lucius was rather scared too. If he found out the IBU was going to fight them, he would give up in an instant. The black-cloaked men in Field Operations were not ones who would be swayed by money or gifts. They would likely grab him from the street or his home and interrogate him about the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord. They did not mess around, and Lucius was worried about what that might mean for his family. The Ministry wouldn't be able to save him if the IBU captured him. At best, he would be given a long prison sentence for his role in the numerous attacks over the years. At worst, he would die a dog's death and no one would ever find his body. Attempting to collect himself and his thoughts, he rushed out of Riddle Manor as quickly as possible. He needed to reach out to his contacts immediately. The lives of him and his family were at stake.

With the first attack successfully thwarted, the Order's morale was at an all-time high. For the first time in a long time, they had taken out the Death Eaters and limited civilian casualties. Their ambush had taken them by complete surprise and the rumors they had left in their wake affected their enemy badly. The attack that had been scheduled had been abruptly postponed. Severus had confirmed to Albus that the Dark Lord had been worried about the possibility of the Unspeakables joining the fight. He had tasked Lucius Malfoy with uncovering information about any active IBU operations against the Death Eaters. Albus knew that it would be only a matter of time until they found out that the fighters were from the Order. If he knew Tom well, then the postponement would only be temporary. He needed to show that he was not intimidated by anyone, even if he was. It would also serve as a rallying cry to his forces that they would not let the ICW stop their "noble crusade". He would use the deaths of the Death Eaters who perished at Diagon Alley to foment hatred among his remaining forces. Severus would have to be careful, as he might also be conscripted to participate in a future attack.

After a two day delay, Severus had notified him of another upcoming attack. This was the continuation of the first one, but Voldemort was being careful. He was sending some experienced Inner Circle members to help guide the newer ones. They would be able to marshal their forces more effectively and fight against an organized unit. This was Albus' time to shine. He would be ready and waiting with Fawkes. When the attack starts, he would flame travel in, as there wasn't anyone knowledgeable enough in Warding to prevent phoenix travel among the Death Eaters. The plan was for him to cast overpowered Anti-Apparition and Anti-Portkey Wards underneath the existing ones the Death Eaters would put up in preparation for the attack. This would prevent them from taking their personalized portkeys that were keyed to the wards to allow them through. They would be trapped inside with Albus Dumbledore and the Order members.

The day of the attack came, and Albus was worried. He was still haunted by the spirits of the dead. Was he doing this because it was the right thing to do? Or was it to make himself feel better? He was worried that even with him taking the field, it was too little too late. Several prominent family lines both Light and Dark had been ended in the course of this war. 'It's on days like these that I remember your advice, Master Wolfe. I have acted as the weak man for too long. It is time to correct my mistakes and fight for the collective future of Magical Britain.' Digging deep inside himself, he brought up memories of his duel with Gellert, the death of his sister, the pictures of the children in the camps. The cold look in his precious students' eyes as they had carved their way through a battlefield. The madness in Gellert's eyes as he announced his grand plan for the Greater Good. Seeing the blank look on his sister's face after she was struck by the Killing Curse. He let them flow through him and channeled them into the Elder Wand.

The wand hummed in delight as it received the visions of carnage and slaughter. It seemed to be drawn towards violence, with it giving Albus strength when blood was going to be shed. When he opened his eyes, gone was the twinkling and kind visage of Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts. In his place, stood Albus Dumbledore, Defeater of the Dark Lord Grindelwald. He had dug deep into himself to summon the coldness he had felt all those years ago. He was going to fight to kill so his precious students wouldn't have to later on. To prevent the stain of blood on their hands, he was going to massacre these people. May Magic have mercy on his soul.

The signal glowed, informing Albus it was time. Summoning Fawkes, he flame traveled to the inside edge of the wards. Immediately, he set Fawkes to watch his surroundings as he started putting up several wards that prevented Apparition, Portkeys and also wards that prevented people from running outside. He had essentially created a bubble that only he or his death could dispel. There would be no escape for these animals, he would ensure it. Having set the wards, he flamed to the top of a building near the main attack. Like a conductor with his baton, he flicked the Elder wand and levitated every decently sized piece of brick and stone he could find, and transfigured them into deadly animals of various sizes. The wood shrapnel was also levitated and turned into arrows that shot towards the Death Eater ranks.

The effect had been immediate. Several arrows had found their mark and punched holes into the bodies of the Death Eaters who hadn't dodged in time. The rest were beset by a horde of animals that sought to rip and tear them to pieces. The newer recruits started panicking, which resulted in their untimely deaths. The more experienced Inner Circle Death Eaters were struggling as well. They hadn't expected the appearance of Albus Dumbledore, and more so, the lethal force he would use. They tried to portkey out, only to find that the ones Voldemort had given them didn't work. Albus saw their looks of confusion as he slowly levitated himself off the roof and walked towards them. "Lord Nott. Lord Rowle. How delightful to see you again. I believe your sons condemned the actions of the Death Eaters in the last Wizengamot session. Quite the curious situation we find ourselves in. I wonder, do they know their fathers are part of a terrorist organization? Or are they perfectly aware, being members of the organization themselves? I have to say that it was a marvelous example of misdirection on your part. No one would assume two Lords of the Sacred Twenty-Eight would engage in such activities."

Nott seemed nervous at his presence but was trying to not let it show. "Dumbledore. Lord Rowle and I have no idea what you are talking about. We were here trying to defend the people from the Death Eaters. I will see you step down as Chief Warlock should you continue making such baseless accusations against the House of Nott." Rowle nodded along and put in his own two Knuts. "Exactly right, Lord Nott. Such accusations are unacceptable and the House of Rowle shall join the House of Nott to seek recompense." Dumbledore let the two clowns try to talk their way out of the situation, but was unamused. He was observing the surrounding area as they bl.u.s.tered on.

The Order was triaging a couple of civilian casualties and stabilizing the damaged buildings. From what he could tell, some of them weren't going to make it. They had been hit by some especially Dark Curses that he knew would most likely only be found in a family grimoire. These two men had most definitely participated in the attack and killed those innocents. He decided to stop their rambling. "Gentleman. Let us get to the heart of the matter. I know you two are Death Eaters, just as I know that both of you actively participated in this attack. I am appalled that I let things devolve this far. It looks like I can start making up for my mistakes with your deaths. I wish it hadn't come to this, but sadly, I am out of options. It is time I send a message to Tom."

The two Lord's faces went pale after they heard his declaration. Nott started to bl.u.s.ter on with a bravado that could only come from an innate feeling of superiority. "Now see here, Dumbledore. As Chief Warlock, if we are suspected of a crime, you have to arrest us. We must be tried before the Wizengamot and only they can punish us!" Dumbledore's eyes looked like ice as he viciously glared at the two Lords. "No. There will be no trial for you two. You and your ilk have abused our justice system, and transformed it into the corrupt and ineffective entity it currently is. You make a mockery of our laws by throwing around your Galleons to escape punishment. No more. I will be delivering actual justice to you shortly. Do not worry yourselves. Unlike some of the good people you both have killed, you at least have family to continue your lines. Now will you surrender, or will you drag out your deaths?"

With a flick of his wand, he conjured several hummingbirds that started to fly around him. Using some of them as shields, he transfigured the rest into flaming phoenixes and set them towards the enemy. There were still several Death Eaters still standing behind the two Lords. They were most likely trying to save themselves by hiding behind them. It was almost laughable how ineffective that tactic was. With a lazy jab of his wand, two phoenixes kept flying straight towards Nott and Rowle, while the rest flew above their heads and towards the group behind them. Nott and Rowle were able to use a pair of strong shields to negate his attack, but the ones behind them weren't as lucky. 4 of them were burnt to a crisp as they bore the brunt of the attack, the others all had varying degrees of burns all over their bodies. Regardless, they were taken out of the fight.

Nott saw the others falling and he coordinated his attack with Rowle to claim the initiative. Rowle effectively shielded him as he threw lethal Dark Curses with abandon. The two must have realized that escape wasn't an option. Dumbledore conjured several small slabs of marble to receive the curses while also transfiguring the remaining hummingbirds into knives, and sending them at the pair. The Protego shield that Rowle was using could only shield against magical attacks. Physical attacks had to be shielded with a more powerful shield spell that he obviously didn't know. The knives had cut through his shield and impaled him multiple times in the c.h.e.s.t. Nott, seeing Rowle go down, forewent defense and started to use the Unforgivables. Dumbledore proved to be rather spry for a man of his age as he twisted away and slipped past the curses with ease. Nott got tired quickly, as sustained use of the Unforgivables was difficult to maintain. Only a man like Voldemort or a mage from the Mage Association could handle such an output before succ.u.mbing to magical exhaustion.

Sweat was pouring from Nott's face as struggled to cast another Killing Curse. The tell-tale green spell was fizzling at the tip of his wand, but was blinking in and out of existence. He was done for. He collapsed onto his knees, panting heavily with his wand at his side. Dumbledore walked up to him slowly, being mindful to stay aware and not underestimate any tricks Nott might have up his sleeve. When he was within 5 feet, Nott looked up at him with a insane smile on his face. "You may kill me, Dumbledore, but my legacy will live on. The Dark Lord will succeed in his endeavor and we, his loyal servants, shall cleanse British Wizarding Society! You will never be able to stop him. He is beyond you, old man. Mark my words, Dumbledore! He will avenge us! Your precious Order will fall and all will bow before the Dark Lord! He started cackling with glee at the thought. Dumbledore simply looked at him with unemotionally. He thought of young Neville and the Potter twins, Alexander and Henry. 'For the children.' He pointed his wand in between Nott's eyes and fired a Piercing Curse, splattering blood and grey matter all over the ground.

Turning away from the corpse, he addressed the Order members behind him. "My friends, it is time to reveal who we are." With those words, the Order members tapped the button shaped clasp that secured their cloaks. It transformed into a silver phoenix shape as the rear of the cloak flared with fire as a pattern in the shape of the flaming phoenix was revealed. Their robes also shifted colors from black to a light blue. Dumbledore had no doubt that their plan to masquerade as Unspeakables would be revealed shortly. He had heard that Lucius Malfoy had been in contact with several people in the ICW. It would only have been a matter of time before the ruse was ineffective. He had decided to instead use this attack to promote the Order of Phoenix and the good work they do. With several of their members killed, they needed to new blood to continue the fight.

He saw several people observing him from the wreckage all around him. He cast a non-verbal, wandless Sonorus as he began speaking. "My dear witches and wizards of the British Magical community. No doubt, you all know who I am. My name is Albus Dumbledore and I stand here, begging you to listen to my plea. We have been under attack by the terrorist known as Lord Voldemort and his servants called the Death Eaters for nearly 10 years now. They have instilled fear into our hearts and taken many loved ones in their ignoble quest to cleanse the Wizarding World of those they deem "dirty" of blood. What you saw today was but a mere fraction of the carnage that these animals have left behind from their raids. They have committed heinous and unforgivable acts of violence upon Muggles and magicals alike. The people you saw today coming to the defense of you and your loved ones are members of the Order of the Phoenix. I founded the Order in the beginning of the war against Voldemort to help protect the innocent from the Death Eaters. We have lost many good people during these last few years. So I speak to you now, to call upon all those who are able, to stand and fight alongside us! We must unite and take back our society from these murderers who would see us enslaved! We must not give in to fear! Lest we forget, the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good people to do nothing. Join us in our quest to save Britain. Or else, all will be lost. Thank you for listening."

Finishing his speech, he dispelled his wards and immediately heard multiple cracks of Apparition as several Aurors arrived on the scene. They first noticed Dumbledore standing in the middle of the street in his brightly colored robes. Then they looked around and saw the devastation around him. The smell of burning flesh hit their noses as they proceeded forward and several couldn't hold back from vomiting. The lead Auror, Gawain Robards looked behind Dumbledore and noticed the cloaked Order members tending to the wounded. "Good afternoon, Chief Warlock Dumbledore. May I ask what exactly happened here?" Albus gave him a calm smile and explained. "I was nearby and noticed a disturbance around the area. I heard screams and explosions, so I came to see what was happening, and witnessed a Death Eater raid. I chose to stay and help defend the people who were caught up in the attack. I coordinated with the members of the Order of the Phoenix, who worked to fight back against them. We were able to successfully rout the attackers and finish them off." Robards' eyes widened at the last statement. "The Order of the Phoenix? You mean the vigilante organization? I must ask, are you a member?" Dumbledore saw where this line of questioning was going, but chose to answer anyway. "Yes, Auror Robards. I guess I could be counted as a member, seeing as I founded the group." Robards nodded and procured a set of magic suppression cuffs from his robes. "Then under Ministry law, I will have to arrest you for being a part of a vigilante organization as classified by the Ministry.

The captive audience that was listening to their conversation started shouting when they heard Robards' statement. Cries from different people were heard. "You incompetent lout! How dare you try to arrest Professor Dumbledore! If it wasn't for him, we'd all be dead!" Another one shouted. "The Ministry is corrupt and has been useless for years! At least someone's fighting back against the Death Eaters." Angry shouts started erupting from the crowd as they banded together and started marching towards Robards and the Aurors. Robards saw the quickly deteriorating situation and tried to establish his authority. "All of you citizens must back away. This is DMLE business! If you interfere, you will be arrested for obstruction of justice!" That seemed to incite the crowd even more. A man in the front who had blood running down from a wound on his head marched forward and stretched his fists forward. "If you're going to arrest Dumbledore, then you better arrest me too!" He inspired the crowd which started a chant of "Arrest us too!" as they raised their hands in surrender. Even the Aurors accompanying Robards started to feel uncomfortable. The already volatile situation was starting to become explosive. If they actually arrested Albus Dumbledore, they would likely be a full-blown riot on their hands.

He hated having to capitulate, but Robards saw the writing on the wall and backtracked. "I apologize Chief Warlock Dumbledore. Despite my hesitance to accept vigilantism, you and your Order did defend these people from harm. Thank you for helping the DMLE. You may leave. We have the situation under control." Dumbledore had a gentle smile on his face as he nodded and turned to the crowd. "Thank you, my dear friends for standing up for me. However, if we are to survive this war, we need to stop fighting each other and work together. If you want to help fight against Voldemort's tyranny, the Order of the Phoenix shall welcome you. Take care." He gave a subtle signal to the Order members and they all portkeyed away in a flash of flame, resembling phoenix travel.

His speech had inspired many to take up arms against the Death Eaters. Order recruitment had soared to the point that they were nearly 170 members strong. A few Aurors who were disgruntled with the Ministry joined up and started to train recruits to at least Junior Auror standards. With training and a fire within them, they took the fight to the Death Eaters and the results were incredible. Many newer Death Eaters had been caught quickly and remanded to the custody of the Ministry. They had even made a dent on Voldemort's inner circle. Antonin Dolohov, Rabastan Lestrange, and Igor Karkaroff had been captured successfully. Dolohov and Lestrange, ever the faithful followers, refused to cooperate with the Ministry and were subsequently sent to Azkaban. Karkaroff pleaded for mercy and publicly defected by naming the names of a few Death Eaters who had been previously unknown. All those named had bounties for their capture put on them and were unable to operate in the light. This had led to the Death Eaters' recruitment to falter. While many pure-bloods secretly approved of Voldemort's message, they refused to join the Death Eaters out of fear of being captured and imprisoned.

Meanwhile, the public image of the Order had skyrocketed, with many more people taking the initiative to join them. They saw all the good that they had done and the lives they had saved. It had inspired them into action, seeing strangers risking their lives fighting Dark Wizards for them. Even the Ministry had reclassified the Order from a vigilante group to trusted partners. No doubt to grab onto their coattails for the trust and adoration of the public. Dumbledore didn't necessarily care though, because now the group had legitimacy and could publicly coordinate with the DMLE and access their resources.

With the backing of the Ministry, the Order was able to whittle down the Death Eaters into a shell of their former selves. The prestige they held seemed to have disappeared and with the public opinion turned against them, the end of the war was near. The only thing preventing the true ending of the war was the feared Dark Lord Voldemort himself. With his organization in ruins and no one willing to entertain his extremist views, he decided to engage in direct conflict. One final, all-out confrontation with the Order. The only person stopping him from conquering the entire British Wizarding World was that pesky, doddering old Dumbledore. If he managed to kill the old man, then no one would be able to stop him.

He summoned his Death Eaters and informed them of his plan. Some, like the Lestrange couple, the Carrow siblings and Barty Crouch Jr had supported with fanatic loyalty. They truly believed that Voldemort was more powerful than Dumbledore. Others opposed such a reckless idea, seeking to find a middle ground where they continued their Death Eater activities but did so while in positions of influence and power. Lucius Malfoy and Walden Macnair tried to persuade Voldemort otherwise, saying that they could simply peddle their influence to force the Ministry to act on their behalf. A battle was not needed as in the long-run, Dumbledore and the Order's influence would wane while their's grew. They would infect the Ministry and the schools with their ideology and would shape the minds of young wizards to support their cause. With them on their side, his victory would be inevitable.

While liking the subtle and effective strategies put forth by the duo, Voldemort was displeased with them. They had gotten comfortable in their positions of power and were loath to give them up. It seemed like a test was needed, to see whether they remained loyal to him. "I have decided already Lucius, Macnair. You will accompany me in this battle and we will win. Unless you do not wish to fight alongside your Lord?" The last question was put forth to see their reactions. If they even hesitated once, then he would much rather dispose of them now. His most loyal Death Eaters looked with gazes of contempt and rabidness at them. He had no doubt they would tear the two apart if they sensed their loyalty wavering.

Lucius had caught on rather quickly and kneeled. He spoke with unwavering loyalty in his voice "As you command, so it shall be my Lord." Macnair, seeing Lucius proclaim his loyalty, rushed to do the same. "I shall fight harder than ever before, for you, my Lord. We will win against the accursed Order and you shall be triumphant against Dumbledore." Knowing he had lost the initiative, he tried to embellish his praise to outshine Lucius. Voldemort looked at them with an indifferent glance while maintaining silence. The duo's figures trembled as they awaited his judgment. It was akin to a Sword of Damocles, hanging over their heads. His next words determined their life and death.

"Very well. The two of you have been loyal to me all these years, have you not? I hope that you accompany me in the final battle and you try your best. Otherwise..." He stopped talking but his meaning was crystal clear to both Lucius and Macnair. If they didn't at least look like they were trying to kill the members of the Order, then they might be killed by their compatriots. Solemnly swearing to fight like their lives depended on it, which it did, they took their leave. Lucius looked at Macnair as he met his gaze. They both knew what was going on in the other's mind. They enjoyed their positions as Family Heads. The lives of their families and themselves were comfortable. Despite their proclamations of loyalty, neither of them wanted to rush headlong into fighting with the Order. They both had reputations to keep and fighting alongside the Dark Lord was usually a one-way ticket to Azkaban, or death if they were lucky. They gave each other a nod and went their separate ways.

Lucius Malfoy immediately rushed home and called out to his wife, Narcissa. His children, Lucretia and Draco were toddling behind her, so Lucius told the house elves to take them to play in their room. He sat down with Narcissa and spoke seriously. "Narcissa, the Dark Lord has grown tired of waiting. He has instructed us to prepare for an all-out battle with the Order. I tried to persuade him otherwise, but he forced us to go along with his wishes. There is a chance that he suspects me of not being loyal. If I did anything, then he would kill me and then he would come after you and the children to set an example for others. Please, listen to me. Take them and go to my father's chateau in France. You must leave immediately and if anything happens to me, sell off all that we have here and live peacefully with them in France. With my death, the Ministry will be appeased and won't go after the three of you."

Lucius talked quickly, ignoring Narcissa as he rattled off instructions. If he had paid attention, he would have seen the look of sadness and despair on her face. Her husband was talking as if he knew he wasn't going to survive the battle. What he was saying was akin to making final preparations before his demise. He kept giving her instructions until she couldn't stifle her sobs any longer. Hearing her choke up, Lucius noticed his wife's distress for the first time since he started talking. He was overcome with immense guilt for having ignored her feelings. They both loved each other dearly and hearing him talk as if it would be the last time...

He stopped talking and fiercely hugged Narcissa, holding her as tightly as he could. She put her hands around him and squeezed hard. They both sat there in each other's arms for a couple of minutes, listening to their hearts beat. Lucius broke the hug and cupped her face with his hands. Staring into her eyes he brought her lips to his and they shared a passionate kiss. It was as if he wanted to convey all the love he held for her in that one kiss.

Breaking apart, they stared at each other in silence before Narcissa got up and spoke. "I'll go and pack our bags. Please, be safe Lucius. Our children need you. I need you. Please come home to us." She walked out of the room, leaving Lucius alone with his thoughts. He wanted to prevent the final battle from happening. The Dark Lord had become increasingly manic as the war had progressed. Lucius had slowly started distancing himself from the radical views held by the Dark Lord. While he didn't like Muggles, Mudbloods or blood traitors, his initial disdain and contempt had dulled into apathy. The turning point had been the birth of Lucretia. He stopped caring a long time ago about his fellow Death Eaters and the cause they were fighting for, choosing to focus on his family instead. He wanted to be a good husband and father to his children.

The notion of blood purity mattered to him, but not enough to sacrifice his life and freedom for it. He needed to figure out how to end the war without being seen as a traitor and having his family hunted down by his companions or the Ministry. The best way was to just warn Dumbledore of what was coming and hope that nobody found out it was him. It was too risky though. If it ever leaked that he was the one who betrayed the Dark Lord, he and his family would be looking over their shoulders for the rest of their lives. His children deserved to live a life free of His control and grow up carefree and happy.

'Wait! That's it! I can warn Severus and he will, in turn, warn Dumbledore. The Dark Lord has always suspected him of having warned Dumbledore about the Potters being hunted. Furthermore, he is Draco's godfather, so he would never betray the fact that I told him.' It was the perfect plan. With Severus acting as an intermediary, none of the other Death Eaters nor Dumbledore would figure out that it was him. Maybe he could call him over to talk about the situation and let slip what the Dark Lord was planning.

After he formulated his plan, he quickly wrote a letter asking Severus to visit later in the day. Before he began his preparations, he waited for Narcissa, Lucretia, and Draco to leave. The children were delighted that they were visiting their grandfather but upset that Lucius could not make it. Both Narcissa and Lucius tried to make the parting as joyous as possible. By the time they left, the children were none the wiser their father was in grave peril and that they might never see him again.

Lucius walked back into the empty manor and sat in his study. At the corner of his desk were pictures from his years at Hogwarts. Pictures of Narcissa and his children adorned all four walls of the room. He meandered from wall to wall, gazing at the numerous pictures of Lucretia and Draco as they grew from babies to toddlers. Fond memories flooded him as he was lost in his reminiscence. He was determined to see them again, at any cost. He was not going to leave his children fatherless and his wife a widow. He needed to be there to protect them. Even if he had to go against the Dark Lord himself, he wouldn't hesitate, if it was for them.

His hand unconsciously clenched around his cane. The handle was the makeshift grip of a wand that could be pulled out from within. It didn't matter to him who he fought against. He would come out alive, no matter what. 'I swear that I will always be there to protect you, until my dying breath.' He poured himself a glass of Ogden's Old Firewhisky and sat in his leather chair. Severus would be coming soon and he needed to be ready, but he needed a drink to calm his nerves. His family's safety and well-being were in his hands now. The plan needed to succeed.

Ten minutes later, a house-elf popped into the room and said: "Master, Severus Snape is here to see you. He is in the sitting room." 'So it begins' Lucius thought as he downed the rest of the glass and stood up. He walked down to where Severus was waiting and greeted him. "Welcome, Severus. How have you been?" Severus Snape looked at him with an indecipherable look, just staring oddly at him. The silence was deafening as Lucius kept smiling at him, waiting for an answer. Snape broke the silence by asking: "Why did you call me, Lucius. You know that I am busy spying on Dumbledore for the Dark Lord. Every time I leave his side, he grows suspicious." He had a tone of annoyance and his curtness towards his old friend sounded quite rude, but Lucius didn't mind at all. This was just how Severus was, regardless of who he was with.

"I've just come from a meeting with the Dark Lord and there is trouble brewing. He is getting tired of his forces being diminished and is going to retaliate. A final battle with the Order is being planned. You must find a way to keep Dumbledore in the dark and when the time is right, we will ambush them and end this war. Then we will go after all the Dark Lord's enemies. Especially those Potters. The Dark Lord feels that their children might be part of the prophecy and a threat to his power. After we kill them, no one will be able to stop the Dark Lord from taking his rightful place as the ruler of the British magical community."

The last bit was one he had ad-libbed but knew would be the most effective way of getting Snape to inform Dumbledore. His love for Lily Potter stemmed back to their school days and Lucius never forgot his anger at James Potter for marrying the love of his life. Using her life as bait was a cruel thing for Lucius to do, but he didn't care. He would use whatever he had at his disposal to make his plan succeed.

His ploy worked exactly as he intended. Snape hadn't batted an eye at the information about the Dark Lord rousing his Death Eaters for a grand battle. The moment Lily Potter was mentioned, although his face never changed, Lucius saw the fluctuation of emotions in his eyes. He still loved her, and that would give him the proper motivation to tell Dumbledore. Even if he couldn't be with her, he would do anything to protect her, including betraying the Dark Lord. Lucius was counting on his love for Lily to stop the plan of the Dark Lord. He'd figure out his situation afterward, but the Dark Lord must be stopped.

Snape nodded heavily and stood up saying "Alright, Lucius. I shall go and inform Dumbledore." Lucius was stunned. Why would Severus so openly admit his treason? He saw Severus looking at him with a vicious sneer. "What's wrong, Lucius? Isn't that what you wanted me to do when you told me? After all, you know how much Lily Evans means to me. I must admit, if you hadn't mentioned her, I would've never suspected your intentions." Lucius gulped as he heard Severus laid his intentions out in the open. He wasn't a genius for nothing. Although his love for Lily Potter made him reckless, he was by nature a shrewd and cunning individual. Honestly, Lucius wasn't too surprised he had seen through him, but part of him wished he hadn't. They both knew the other's secrets now. They were in this together, whether they wanted to be or not.

Snape excused himself and left the manor, Apparating away as soon as he cleared the wards. At the very least, Lucius was consoled by the fact that even if he was seen through, the mission was a success. Now came the tricky part. He had to participate in the battle, but not kill any members of the Order. He also had to protect his own life from both sides. No doubt Dumbledore would be amply prepared for the ambush once Snape apprised him of the Dark Lord's plans. If he was correct, Severus would never tell Dumbledore that it was he who provided the information as that would ruin his reputation. He trusted Severus to keep quiet, just as Severus trusted him to not tell the Dark Lord about him warning Dumbledore about the search for the Potters. A mutual understanding had been reached between them and he was confident Severus wouldn't break it.

Preparing his formal Death Eater outfit, Lucius stared at it for a couple of seconds wondering where it all went wrong. He had joined the Death Eaters against the will of his father, Abraxas Malfoy. He had been a headstrong boy that was taken in by the things Voldemort had said. He wanted to get out from under the yoke of the Ministry. He wanted to restore his family to the power and prestige they once held. Other wizards were soft, complying with all the ridiculous measures and rules the Ministry forced upon them. All the while, they would speak of returning to the days of old, but that was all they ever did: speak.

Lucius wasn't interested in words, but actions. Unlike those hypocrites, he was willing to fight to put his family back at the forefront of the wizarding community. The Dark Lord had simply been the conduit for his frustrations and pent up anger. Then he had transformed from the charismatic Heir of Slytherin who wanted to secure the future for Purebloods, into a sadistic tyrant. Lucius had no delusions of grandeur regarding ruling over Muggles, but that's what the Dark Lord's movement had become.

He was a father to two adorable children. His daughter Lucretia had recently turned two years old and his son, Draco had celebrated his first birthday. He was already proving to be a precocious young boy who looked up to him. He wanted to be a man that was worth his son's admiration. He didn't want Draco to grow up with others telling him that his father was an evil Dark Wizard. He wanted to leave behind a legacy his son could look back on with pride, not shame. As he slipped on the black robes, he only had one thought in his mind: Coming back to Narcissa, Lucretia, and Draco. He would do whatever it took to survive the upcoming battle.

He Apparated to the Death Eater's headquarters and awaited the Dark Lord's summon. The headquarters was like a ghost town. Their numbers had dwindled as the war dragged on. It had gone from a bustling hive of activity to an abandoned building with barely any signs of life. As one of the inner circle, it was his duty to be here and help prepare for the attack. He had to demonstrate his loyalty as often as possible to avoid suspicion of both the Dark Lord and his fellow Death Eaters. That way, when their ambush failed, no one would suspect him, the loyal servant who fought alongside his master.

It took a couple of hours, but eventually, his Dark Mark throbbed. The Dark Lord was summoning them. Their assault on the Order was going to begin tonight. If Severus had done his job, this night would mark the end of the war. He made his way to the meeting room and stood among the inner circle of Death Eaters. Each one of them was wearing their official Death Eater uniforms replete with intricately patterned masks. They stared at the Dark Lord with fanaticism in their eyes, seemingly bent on following him to their deaths. They maintained their silence as they waited for the Dark Lord to give the order. He sat brooding on his throne, not speaking or even acknowledging their presence.

The tension could have been cut with a knife as they waited for him to break the silence. Finally, he spoke, "My dear Death Eaters, tonight we shall go into battle against the Order of the Phoenix." Cheers resounded throughout the room. "Our spy in the Ministry has informed us of the location of their headquarters. We shall attack them where they think they are safe. We shall make them an example to all Mudbloods and blood traitors of Europe! The great, Albus Dumbledore shall fall before me! He will beg for mercy at my feet, but he shall find none. Tonight, WE WILL WIN THIS WAR!!" He proclaimed loudly as his voice reverberated throughout the headquarters. The most loyal Death Eaters like the Lestrange couple and Barty Crouch Jr cackled in glee at the thought of killing members of the Order. The thought of Dumbledore kneeling before their all-powerful master was something they desperately wanted to see. Others, similar to Lucius, were not so pleased and even anxious at the thought of perishing in battle.

"Come with me! We shall raze the Order to the ground and show what will happen to those who dare resist my rule!" Voldemort spoke with his hands cast wide. His cloak fluttered as he rose from the ground and turned into a cloud of darkness, soaring into the sky. The Death Eaters whooped in joy as they flew up on their brooms, following their Lord. Some of them hesitated but ultimately chose to fly up with their comrades. Lucius closed his eyes briefly, mentally preparing himself for battle. He had spent too much time playing politics and his dueling skills had suffered for it. He opened them and they shone with willpower and hidden resolve as he rose into the sky. Following Voldemort, they all darted through the air towards the headquarters of the Order.

When they reached, they found a dilapidated old building with peeling paint and creaking stairs. Voldemort humphed as he flicked his finger while chanting "Specialis Revelio" and the previously old and worn-down building started to transform. What stood in its place after a couple of seconds was a majestic looking building with numerous columns in the front and a grand door flanked by two marble statues. The Death Eaters were surprised at the extent of the transformation and they rushed in to attack. They were initially repulsed by the magical shield on the door, but that was soon torn down with another flick from Voldemort.

Bellatrix, ever the one to make a dramatic entrance, yelled "Bombarda Maxima" as she pointed her wand at the door. The door was blown off its hinges violently as it collapsed inwards, revealing a carpeted hallway ahead. The other Death Eaters went forward to clear any magical traps present in the hallway. They easily dismantled them as they proceeded down the corridor until they came upon a door.

Unlike the front door that was blown away by Bellatrix, this door was different. It looked out of place in the magnificent building as it was a plain wooden door. Bellatrix cackled as she was about to throw another Exploding Charm at it before Voldemort said: "Wait." She instantly stopped what she was doing and meekly stepped back. Voldemort went forward towards the door and inspected it. It looked like a simple wooden door, but appearances were often deceiving, especially with that old fox Dumbledore.

He noticed numerous tiny scratches on the door that looked like a wood grain, but he knew better. "The old fool has truly outdone himself. This door has 7 glyphs of protection inscribed 7 times repeatedly, all made to look like the grain of the wood. They are powerful protection circles and would rebound any spells thrown at them. However, it is still child's play before true Dark Magic." He spoke as his hand was engulfed in a black flame that passed through the magic barrier as if it was paper. Placing his hand on the door, a visible black stain started rapidly forming around it. The stain got darker and spread to the rest of the door, eating away at the many defensive runes placed on it. Within minutes, the entire door was stained a dark black and looked ready to fall. Voldemort sneered as he lightly blew at the door and it disintegrated into ashes. "You have to do better if you want to stop me, old man."

He drew back as his Death Eaters rushed in, anticipating the looks of shock and surprise on the faces of the Order members. They were quickly disappointed, seeing nothing but an empty room that looked as if it had been long abandoned. They looked around frantically, hoping to spot anything that might indicate that they were in the right place. Seeing his Death Eaters stop, Voldemort also glided into the room while observing the surroundings. From the looks of the intelligence files, pictures, and maps, it appeared that the building was indeed the headquarters of the Order. Some files were strewn across the floor, indicating that they were dropped by wizards who might have been Apparating away. He clicked his tongue in frustration, it seems they had just missed the Order.

One of the Death Eaters, Avery was angry that he hadn't gotten a chance to kill any Order members. He started yelling in fury "There's no one here! That spy in the Ministry must have lied to us! I'm going to tear that little rat from limb to li-" He was interrupted as a Stupefy spell soared into his back, knocking him unconscious as he dropped to the ground. The Death Eaters were caught off guard as several more spells came barreling towards them. The more skillful ones were able to put up a Shield charm in time, while others couldn't and were knocked unconscious like Avery. Their numbers had already fallen from 25 to 17. They looked around for the sources of the spells, but couldn't see through the darkness. Voldemort decided to give them some aid by snapping his fingers and chanting "Homenum Revelio". The Revealing Charm started to highlight the silhouettes of the Order members hiding in the shadows around them. This turned the tide as the Death Eaters were able to fire back now that they knew where to aim their spells.

A chaotic battle ensued as the Order members fought back against an overwhelming number of enemies. None of them knew what was happening. Although the Order was popular, they shouldn't have been able to recruit so many witches and wizards. Yet there they were, outnumbered 4 to 1. They were doing their best to resist the ambush, but the myriad spells being shot at them weren't slowing down. Their numbers were steadily dropping from 17 to 15, till there were only 11 members still left standing.

It was at this point that Voldemort decided to step in. He drew out his wand and started chanting as powerful waves of magic gathered around him. His wand lit up with magical power and he released it upwards towards the positions of their attackers. The spell was devastating, utterly destroying the domed roof of the building. Many of their attackers were injured as they bore the brunt of the force. Seeing a sizable portion of their attackers hurt, the remaining Death Eaters charged at them hoping to take some down. Just as their Killing Curses were about to land, a wall shot up from the ground and absorbed them. Voldemort looked towards the source of the spell. Standing on the edge of the destroyed roof, was Albus Dumbledore in his resplendent robes.

He looked down towards Voldemort and their gazes met. Smirking, Voldemort said "There you are, old man. It looks like you were expecting us. I hope we didn't keep you waiting long. Tonight, we will finally see who is the strongest wizard between us. Be afraid, Dumbledore. The moment of your death is nigh." Completing his speech, he shouted, "Kill the enemy in front of you, my loyal Death Eaters!" as he soared towards Dumbledore.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled in the moonlight as he stood in place, awaiting his opponent. The Elder wand in his hands hummed in anticipation of the great duel about to commence. Chuckling, Dumbledore spoke to the wand "It seems that you are excited to fight an opponent of such caliber. I hope you don't let me down." The wand buzzed in response as he saw Voldemort take up his position opposite him. Dumbledore started their duel by saying "Oh Tom, you could have been much greater than you think. It fills me with regret to see the talented young boy I brought to Hogwarts like this. I should have stopped you the moment you started down the Dark path. It seems that tonight, I shall finally be able to correct my life's greatest mistake."

Voldemort sneered as he listened to Dumbledore's speech. "Hmph. You can't stop me you old fool. I am more powerful than you ever will be! I alone have achieved immortality! I am a God that shall conquer the wizarding world and lead it to greater heights than ever before. All shall kneel before me!" As he ended his speech, he threw a Killing Curse at Dumbledore. With a flick of his wand, Dumbledore caused the metal beam at his feet to bend upwards, absorbing the curse. "You are not, and never will be a God, Tom. You will always be a sad little boy who blames the world for your suffering. Your Death Eaters are completely outnumbered and surrounded by the Order and the DMLE. Surrender, and you will live."

Voldemort cackled as if he had heard the funniest joke in his life. "My Death Eaters are simply servants. They cannot ever hope to match the like of me!" Dark tendrils of energy swirled in the air and several of them shot towards Dumbledore who deflected them with a Shield Charm. Voldemort flourished his wand and a silver shield appeared around him as he started to chant another Curse at Dumbledore. "Flamma Flagellum!" Dumbledore's wand spewed out a thin whip made of flame that wrapped around the shield, trying to attack Voldemort form behind. Voldemort quickly abandoned his chanting and transfigured the flame into a black snake that viciously attacked Dumbledore. As the snake attacked Dumbledore, Voldemort yelled: "Avada Kedavra" launching another Killing Curse towards him. Dumbledore deftly by pointing his wand at the striking snake and dragged it into the path of the Killing Curse. The snake combusted into smoke as the curse hit, which Dumbledore used as cover to transfigure the metal beams at his feet into daggers and shoot through the smoke towards Voldemort. Voldemort, seeing the incoming daggers, transmogrified into pitch-black smoke as they sailed through him.

His body reformed without a scratch on it. Seeing his opponent lightly panting as he looked at him, he triumphantly shouted "Your childish Light magic is failing you old man. Why don't you just admit defeat? It would be easier than delaying your inevitable demise. Give in, and your death will be swift and painless." He tried to affect Dumbledore's morale as he smiled and made his way towards him.

Dumbledore gave a knowing smile as he saw Voldemort approaching him. He chanted "Aqua Eructo" as a jet-like stream of water shot towards Voldemort. Voldemort dismissively waved his wand and countered with "Protego", trying to deflect the water. Suddenly the deflected water started to swirl around him as it formed a ball of water. Dumbledore lifted his arm while his wand twirled around trapping Voldemort inside.

Now, Voldemort was furious. This old bag of bones had foiled his plans one too many times. If he was gone, there would be no one left to stop him. His rage overtook him as his wand glowed bright orange and a firestorm spewed forth rapidly evaporating the ball of water trapping him. Dumbledore started to struggle as the flames grew uncontrollably, bursting through the gaps in the water prison. He finally couldn't hold the spell any longer as the fire ate through the ball and swirled violently around Voldemort. He could hear Voldemort screaming "WHY. WON'T. YOU. JUST. DIE!" Another Killing Curse was fired at him and Dumbledore reacted with another spell. The bright green and red spell lights battled with one another, creating a dazzling spectacle. As the duel continued, Dumbledore was getting more exhausted and this was reflected in the battle of wills, as Voldemort's Killing Curse started overpowering Dumbledore's spell. Voldemort grinned in delight, pushing his magic power even faster through his wand, determined to kill Dumbledore.

He started slowly taking steps towards the staggering Dumbledore, pushing harder and harder. He felt a feeling of triumph. He was about to defeat and kill the most powerful Light Wizard alive. The man who had defeated his predecessor the Dark Lord Grindelwald. This would solidify his title as the Dark Lord to all. It would prove that Light magic was limited and only Dark Magic could make a wizard truly powerful. In his reverie, he missed the object that was diving towards him from the sky.

As Voldemort drew near, Dumbledore thought 'He has gotten much stronger. It seems that I must resort to Plan B.' He contacted Fawkes, his phoenix companion to execute the plan. 'Do it now, Fawkes!' He heard a trill through their bond as Fawkes dove in front of Voldemort, taking the Killing Curse meant for him. Before Fawkes had attacked Voldemort, he had dropped something into Dumbledore's hands. It was a ruby-encrusted, silver sword that glistened in the moonlight. He charged forth as Fawkes erupted into flames, having been killed. The residual flames rushed towards Voldemort, burning him as they were the natural enemy of Dark Magic. As a being heavily tainted with Dark Magic, Voldemort suffered intense burns as the flames pounced onto him. He was bout to dispel them but was stunned as a silver sword tip shot through the flames and impaled his heart.

He stood in disbelief, seeing the sword run him through. As he tried to turn into smoke, he found out that he couldn't. The sword was preventing him from doing so. He stared at the man holding it as it stabbed him. Dumbledore looked weak, panting in exhaustion as he drove the sword deeper with sheer willpower. He looked at his previous student with mixed emotions. Regret and anger swirled in his eyes as he stared at the monster in front of him. Nothing was left of the talented young man that he had invited to Hogwarts. After many years and the deaths of hundreds, he had finally ended Voldemort's reign of terror. He had finally avenged all his fallen friends.

Voldemort coughed out black blood as he stared unflinchingly at Dumbledore. "So this was your grand plan? I must admit, it was quite entertaining. However, you forgot one thing, you old fool. I am immortal! I have triumphed over Death himself, and if you think you stopped me with this, then you are sorely mistaken. I will take you with me, Dumbledore!" He yelled with a light of madness in his eyes.

Hearing him, Dumbledore saw a gargantuan amount of magic power start to surge from Voldemort's body. 'He's going to detonate his physical body!' Coming to this conclusion, Dumbledore quickly let go of the sword and leaped backward yelling "Protego Horribilis" as Voldemort laughed "It's too late, Dumbledore! DIE!" As he screamed, his body ignited and the explosion blasted towards Dumbledore. The flames blasted apart the roof and sent a wave of flame down towards the large scale battle happening underneath. Every person, Death Eater, Order member or Auror instinctively set up a temporary truce to throw out Shield Charms. If they didn't, they would all be roasted alive by the searing black flames. Those with stronger magic were able to handle the backblast unscathed while a few on both sides suffered significant burns.

Dumbledore coughed up blood as he tried to assess the damage his body had taken. He was lying face-up, staring at the beautiful night sky as he saw a black wisp soar from the battlefield. 'It seems he has improved his soul magic by quite a margin. Even without a physical body, he can persist. The Sword of Gryffindor would have caused lasting damage though. It will be some time before he can recuperate. By the time he does, I will make sure that the Chosen One is ready to face him.' Struggling to his feet, he felt his bones creaking as he unsteadily teetered at the edge of the roof. Observing the battle below, he saw the Death Eaters surrounded and hopelessly battling to the last man. He put the tip of his wand on his neck and cast a nonverbal Sonorus. "Attention Death Eaters. Voldemort has been defeated and killed! Surrender now, and your lives will be spared!"

His voice reverberated through the chambers, reaching the ears of the Death Eaters still fighting. Hearing that the Dark Lord had been defeated, most of them felt despair. It would only be a matter of time before they couldn't fight any longer. Then, they would be arrested or killed. Lucius Malfoy grinned underneath his Death Eater mask. The plan had worked flawlessly. The Dark Lord had been defeated and his family could enjoy a brief respite before thinking about their next move. Bellatrix was screeching "Impossible! The Dark Lord would never lose to Dumbledore! He's lying to us! Keep fighting until the last man! Show your loyalty to our Lord!" She fought even harder, causing many of their opponents to focus on taking her out first. Within minutes, she was overpowered and knocked unconscious with a Stunning Charm. Seeing their strongest member incapacitated, the rest gave up willingly, kneeling and tossing their wands aside. Lucius thought 'Now's my opportunity!'

He was the last one left standing as he dropped his wand. "I surrender! Please, I was under the Imperius! I never wanted to do any of this! I won't resist!" Removing his mask and getting down on his knees, he saw the people surrounding him. He recognized many of the Aurors and a couple of the Order members. Before he could say anything more, someone sent a Stunner that hit him in the c.h.e.s.t. As the world dissolved into black, Lucius thought of his family. Now that he was captured, he had no idea if he would be able to avoid Azkaban. Hopefully, his father would be able to do something. Otherwise, he could rest easy, knowing his wife and children were safe and sound. Even if he had to spend the rest of his life in Azkaban atoning for his many sins, he wouldn't mind so long as his family was safe.

Dumbledore saw the events that happened below him and just stood there, trying not to move. His old body was aching and groaning with every breath, but he couldn't let the enemies see that. He had to put up a strong front to affect their morale. Once the final Death Eater was incapacitated, he Apparated down and slowly shuffled over to the wizards who had participated in the ambush. He looked towards a lady who was covered in soot and had the fringes of her clothes burned. She stood tall and dignified among the Ministry Aurors and hit-wizards. "Madam Bones, I thank you and the DMLE for participating in this battle. With Voldemort defeated, this war has finally reached its conclusion. All that is left, is for the Ministry to pick up the pieces."

Amelia Bones nodded towards Dumbledore, acknowledging his points. "I thank you, Dumbledore. If you hadn't taken away the attention of that monster, many more of my men would have perished in this battle." Dumbledore nodded gently as he turned towards his comrades in the Order. "Today, the Light side has won! As the war has now ended, the Order of the Phoenix shall be dissolved, effective immediately. I thank you for your bravery in these most trying times and ask that you go home to your families. Many of our brave members did not survive to witness this moment, so we shall live on and carry their legacy forward. Their sacrifices shall not be forgotten! Take a good rest. You have all earned it."

An Order member shouted "Three cheers for Dumbledore! Hip Hip Hurray! Hip Hip Hurray! Hip Hip Hurray!" The Order members whooped and cheered and were even joined in by Amelia Bones and the Aurors. They were grateful for such a powerful Light wizard being there to protect them. Dumbledore accepted the cheers with a soft smile on his face. He felt that he didn't deserve such praise as he was merely doing his duty as Headmaster of Hogwarts. With Tom gone, for now, the future generations could grow up in peace. He felt elated that the war was finally over.

Looking up into the clear night sky, Dumbledore felt an inner peace that he hadn't felt in a long time. He knew that Voldemort was not dead and that he was going to return, but at this moment, he just didn't care. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the cool night breeze softly blowing against his skin. He would also go home and take some rest. His bones ached as he Disapparated from the scene back to Hogwarts. Sinking into his cushy leather chair, he winced in pain. Summoning a Pain Relief Potion from his medicine cabinet, he chugged down the horrid concoction and rinsed it down with some water.

Summoning his regular scotch and Glencairn from the hidden cabinet, he paused and sent the bottle back. He opened up the drawer of his desk and reached for the bottle inside. This bottle of scotch was older than he was. It had been a gift from his mentor Grandmaster Alchemist Nicholas Flamel upon his promotion from Apprentice to Master Alchemist. He had only opened the bottle on special occasions. He felt that the end of the war warranted it. Pouring himself double his usual serving, he sipped it slowly, savoring the smooth taste. The Pain Relief Potion was working its wonders, but he knew that he would have to trouble Poppy soon enough. He had most likely fractured and broken multiple bones after bearing the brunt of the explosion.

Finishing his drink, he sent out a Patronus to call for Poppy's aid. It took a lot more out of him than usual as he g.r.o.a.n.e.d at the strain. It was at this time he recalled Nicholas' words when an experiment had failed and exploded in his face, tossing him almost a kilometer away. "I'm getting too old for this shit." Closing his eyes, he waited for Poppy's arrival.