Harry wandered the space, gazing around waiting for something to change. He didn’t know where he was or how long it had been or what, exactly, had happened. He remembered Dumbledore’s Killing Curse and excruciating pain, and then he was in this place of nothing. It was nothing but empty white space, much like when Hogwarts had come to him in his dreams. He was sure he was dead and, while he wasn’t sure what he’d expected anytime he’d thought about dying, this wasn’t it. There was nothing and no one. It didn’t feel right, as though this wasn’t where he was supposed to be.

He sighed, continuing to wander aimlessly. He thought of Severus and Draco, a pang of sadness hitting him. He hoped they had made it or would if the battle had yet to end. He wanted them to have real lives, even if he didn’t get to have one with them. It hurt to know the pain they would be in from his death, but they would be okay one day and at least they had each other. They wouldn’t be alone in their pain. He would miss them, though, the life he could have had with them, the life stolen from him.

He stopped walking, then, when he felt something change, a disturbance of some kind. He turned around and was shocked to find Tom gazing around curiously.

“Tom?” Harry said, getting the man’s attention and approaching him.

“What is this place?” Tom asked.

“No idea,” Harry said with a shrug. “I’ve been here since Dumbledore killed me, whenever that was. He killed you too?”

“It would seem so,” Tom said, looking around again.

“My dad and Draco?” Harry asked, worried, unsure he wanted to know.

Tom looked at him, face tight and sad. “I don’t know. I hadn’t seen Severus since the Chamber, and Slughorn and I separated from Draco to fight Vector and Hooch.”

Harry sighed again. “So, this is it, huh? After everything…we still failed. He won.”

“Not yet, my dear children.”

Tom looked behind Harry and Harry turned to find Hogwarts. Harry frowned when he noticed how fuzzy her edges were, how dim the gems on her necklace were, and how she seemed to be more translucent. Hogwarts was fading…dying.

“There is still hope,” she said.

“How?” Tom said, frustrated and discouraged. “How could there be? He’s too strong. We had your power, the power of the Founders, and he still killed us. We can’t beat him.”

“You are not dead, not yet,” Hogwarts said and they looked at her in confusion. “You both have a protection that is keeping you in limbo, and my mothers and fathers are trying to get you back.”

“What protections?" Harry asked. “The story about my mother’s love protecting me was a lie. I never survived the Killing Curse. There was no Killing Curse.”

“No, but you have still gained the protection of love,” Hogwarts said. “The love Dumbledore tried to take from you, the love you have always found no matter what he did.”

Harry was bombarded with images of his friends and family, warmth engulfing him.

“Dumbledore has used the same curse he used Halloween night,” Hogwarts said to Tom. “Though he has modified it since. It is a Soul Extinguishing Curse and it is destroying your horcruxes before it destroys you.”

“So, I will die,” Tom said, resigned, and Harry looked at him, pained. It wasn’t fair. After everything Tom had done, after fighting alone for so long…if anyone deserved the life stolen from them, it was Tom.

“Not if you sever your connection to the horcruxes,” Hogwarts said.

“You mean, sever my soul,” Tom said and Harry frowned.

“Yes,” Hogwarts said. “All you risk is mortality.”

“Death,” Tom said shortly and Harry remembered the man’s fear of dying, forgotten and alone and insignificant.

“Natural death,” Hogwarts emphasized gently. “You will age naturally from here, giving you a full life.”

“A second chance,” Harry said and Hogwarts nodded, smiling.

Tom shook his head. “Dumbledore was right. I have no place in the world. I will never be accepted, not after what he did.”

“What about what you did?” Harry said and Tom looked at him. “You fought him for decades on your own. You brought us all together. We never would have gotten this far without you.”

“It started with me. I have nothing,” Tom said somewhat harshly. “You have a family to go back to, a home. I don’t.”

“But you do,” Harry said. “You have us.”

“I always welcome my children home,” Hogwarts said, “and I have been waiting for you for a very long time.”

Tom looked between them, clearly still hesitant.

“Don’t let him take everything,” Harry said quietly.

“You both have lives waiting for you,” Hogwarts said, “and they will be wondrous.” She held out her hands to them, palms up.

Harry looked at Tom imploringly. “Come back with me.”

They stood staring at each other silently for a long while before Tom finally gave a sharp nod. Simultaneously, they reached out and placed their hands on Hogwarts’. She smiled at them and they were blinded by the illumination of her necklace’s gems.

Harry flew up and forward with a great, heaving breath only to collapse back against the wall with a cry. Pain was radiating through the left side of his chest, his shoulder, and up part of his neck. He whimpered, his right hand hovering over the area, both wanting to touch and not.

“Oh, thank God you’re alright!”

He forced his eyes open to see Ron and Hermione kneeling beside him. They were both covered in cuts, dirt, and blood, and were dripping with water, obviously getting soaked at some point. His eyes quickly darted around, finding he was still in the headmaster’s office, though he was no longer laying amongst the shattered cabinet. Ron and Hermione must have moved him to be partially propped against the nearest wall.

Excruciating pain washed over him again and he groaned, his eyes fluttering.

“It…it hurts,” he ground out and gestured to the area. He craned his head to look as Hermione carefully moved his shirt. The sight made her gasp and Ron curse under his breath.

Across his left pectoral and up his shoulder past where Harry could see were sharp, deep green fractal pattern marks. It looked like the marks people got after being struck by lightning. The skin around the marks was inflamed and bloody and singed-looking, as though the pattern had burned into him.

“What happened?” Ron asked as Hermione jumped up and ran to a cabinet where she started rummaging through jars and vials.

“Dumbledore,” Harry said shortly. “Killing Curse.”

“You survived a Killing Curse? For real this time?” Ron said and Harry nodded jerkily.

“Explain later,” Harry said just as Hermione came running back with a jar and a couple vials. He shook his head at her as she made to start spreading a paste over the pattern. “No time. Have to go.”

“Harry, you can hardly move,” Hermione argued.

“Then help me,” Harry snapped.

Hermione huffed. “At least take this. It won’t last long, but it’ll take the edge off.”

Harry took the vial she held out and downed the contents. The searing pain dropped to a dull ache. He dropped the vial carelessly and pushed himself up further.

“We need to go,” Harry said. “We need to find my dad and Draco. We need to find Tom. He was hurt.”

“Harry, Dumbledore told everyone you’re dead and to go face him,” Hermione said.

“We thought you were dead,” Ron said grimly.

“Well, I’m not. We have to go,” Harry said almost dismissively. “We have to beat him.”

“How?” Hermione said desperately.

“Together.”

The voice of Hogwarts startled Harry, especially as it wasn’t echoing through the school like Dumbledore’s, but in his head instead. Looking at Ron and Hermione, it was clear they were hearing her as well.

“My beloved children,” Hogwarts said. “Do not despair in this time of trial. Victory is within reach, but you can only succeed together for that is the essence of Hogwarts. No one is alone here and your strength lies with each other.”

It was faint, but Harry could feel her magic buzzing, giving power and hope.

“Fight, my children. Fight together,” Hogwarts said. “We will be behind you until the very end.”

A warmth spread across the school, washing over Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

“Let’s go,” Harry said and they helped him stand. He found his wand and Gryffindor’s sword buried under glass, and they left the office.

“Hero, the others are heading to the Entrance Hall,” Gryffindor said, appearing in front of them.

“What about you and the other Founders?” Harry asked.

“We are preparing,” Gryffindor said. “We will meet you on the final battlefield.”

He disappeared then and Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione. Both shrugged, clueless about what the Founders could be doing. They trekked through the castle, far slower than Harry would like, but as fast as he was capable. They passed all kinds of destruction and bodies. They forced themselves to continue, unsure who was unconscious and who was dead, but unable to give into grief just yet. They spotted others here and there, but none under Dumbledore’s control. As they passed, others followed, joining them on their way to the Entrance Hall to join in on what was likely going to be their final stand.

Soon, they were descending the final staircase and walking through the doorway that led to the Entrance Hall. It was steadily filling with others from various directions. Students, professors, Order members, and people from outside Hogwarts were milling around, not one free of injury. Any with severe injuries were getting amateur emergency treatment from anyone with some ability, just enough for them to keep going until it was all over.

“Harry!”

Harry spun at the shout and found Draco running over to him from where he’d obviously been sitting on steps with Severus. The blonde had an arm wrapped around his waist, obviously injured and in pain, but pushing it aside as he threw himself at Harry. The pain the embrace caused was nearly unbearable, but Harry didn't care. He just hugged his brother back, beyond grateful he and Severus were alive.

“He said you were dead,” Draco said into Harry’s shoulder. “We felt something happen.”

“I kind of was dead,” Harry said and Draco pulled away in confusion. “I’ll explain later. Dad,” he said in relief as Severus approached and pulled Harry to him.

“I thought I’d lost you,” Severus whispered.

“Not yet,” Harry said just as quietly into Severus’ chest. He was so close to just breaking down, on the edge as his father kissed his head, but he fought the desire back. They had to finish it first. They parted and Severus immediately looked to his new marks, alarmed.

“Dad, I know it looks scary and it hurts like hell, but we don’t have time,” Harry said. “I’m okay. I can make it. We need to stop this.”

“Harry’s right.”

They all turned to the dungeon entrance, finding Tom slightly supported by Kingsley heading over to them. Harry looked Tom up and down, and met his eyes questioningly.

“They are gone,” Tom said, his voice tight. “I am mortal once more.”

They others looked at him with wide eyes, not knowing all the details, but Harry just nodded.

“It’ll be worth it,” Harry said, feeling sympathy for the conflict Tom was likely experiencing.

“Let’s hope so,” Tom said, sounding skeptical.

“So, what now?” Draco asked.

“You fight.”

Gasps rang through the hall as Hogwarts and the Founders appeared.

“We are ready,” Slytherin said.

“Take back your home,” Hufflepuff said.

“Where is he?” Harry asked.

“The Clock Tower Courtyard,” Ravenclaw said.

“Be ready,” Gryffindor said. “He has his army.”

Harry nodded.

“When you are ready, my children,” Hogwarts said.

Harry gazed around, taking in the scared, bloody, and exhausted faces scattered amongst the school’s rubble. He looked at Gryffindor’s sword in his hand and at the Founders, at Hogwarts. Just like in limbo, she was fading. He tightened his grasp on Gryffindor’s sword and walked over to the steps that led to the Reception Hall and walked up several until he could see mostly everyone.

“This place belongs to us,” Harry said loudly, gaining everyone’s attention. “Hogwarts is ours and Dumbledore has had it for too long.”

He gazed around, meeting eyes.

“We don’t get to call this place home if we don’t fight one more time,” Harry said and looked at Severus, Draco, and Tom. “We don’t get to call ourselves heroes.”

Grim faces looked back at him.

“I don’t know if we can win, but we can damn well try,” Harry said determinedly. “So, fight with everything you have and fight together. Together is the only chance we have.”

After a few moments, people began to stand and turn to him, grim faces turning to determination. Severus, Draco, and Tom came to stand with him and, together, they led the way through the castle, heading for the Clock Tower Courtyard. Walking into the courtyard, they spread out to face Dumbledore and his controlled army filled with students, staff, and Order members. Harry fought a smirk when he saw Dumbledore’s eyes twitching as he saw Harry and Tom, those he believed to be dead. Instead, Harry just met his gaze, his own hard.

“Is this all you have left, my boys?” Dumbledore said with a sneer.

Harry glared, knowing the man was pointing out the many missing faces, their states currently unknown. “It’s more than we’ll need.”

“Are you sure?” Dumbledore taunted. “It hasn’t been so far, has it?”

Harry clenched his jaw.

“How many have you lost?” Dumbledore said lightly. “How many went to their deaths because of you, Harry?”

Harry’s glower deepened only for his chest to constrict when Dumbledore waved his wand, sending a body rolling across the stone between the two sides. He stared at Lupin’s empty eyes, his own burning and heart pounding. The feelings were worsened when another body came from nowhere and tumbled across the ground, landing partly on Lupin.

Katie Bell.

Harry heard cries he knew had to be Angelina and Alicia screaming for their friend. Harry’s stare was murderous as it moved back to Dumbledore, taking in the man’s twisted smirk. Rage took him and all he saw was red.

“Avada Kedavra!” he yelled and the green light rushed toward Dumbledore. It was on track to hit the man only for McGonagall to suddenly step in its path. Harry’s eyes widened and his heart stopped as she crumpled to the ground, and it was only Draco grabbing his arm that kept him from falling with her.

“You are not the only one willing to sacrifice,” Dumbledore said, looking at McGonagall disinterestedly.

“But you are the only one whose sacrifices are not willing,” Hogwarts said as she and the Founders appeared in front of Harry. Dumbledore’s eyes widened. “My children want their revenge.”

And, all of a sudden, on either side of Hogwarts and the Founders, appeared more than a dozen ghostly figures. Harry couldn’t help but gape as these were not the ghosts that resided in Hogwarts. No, these were the ghosts of lost loved ones.

“Fight, children of Hogwarts!” she and the Founders cried, and the battle began as the ghosts rushed forward.

Harry was separated from Severus, Draco, and Tom fairly quickly as he was forced into battle with Moody and some Slytherins. The courtyard was electric with the concentration of magic, and echoed with battle cries and pained screams. He tried to keep track of them as well as Dumbledore who seemed to be controlling his army rather than fighting himself, but it was nearly impossible as he fought for his life.

He held back a scream of his own as a Cutting Curse hit his shoulder right where his fractal wound was, causing white hot pain that nearly made him black out. He pushed through, managing to send Millicent Bulstrode fling away from him only for her to get hit by a stray Blasting Curse. He had no time to despair for her as he was disarmed by Moody and flung to the ground. He was able to deflect the man’s Killing Curse with Gryffindor’s sword and rolled to avoid a Blood Boiling Curse only to see the man freeze. He stared up in shock at the ghost of Sirius, eyes filling with tears. He watched as Moody shook, eyes rolling back in his head, and then fell in a heap to the ground.

Sirius turned to him, the same smile on his face that had been frozen there just last year. “Hey there, kid.”

Harry found he couldn’t speak, all words stuck in his throat. He had no chance to try as he was, in that instant, pulled away. It was almost like a Portkey, but without the item or spinning. He was being pulled across the courtyard and fell to his knees as the sensation stopped. He felt others land next to him, but found his attention pulled to the ring of fire that erupted around them. The flames reached for the sky, creating inescapable walls. He looked up, finding Dumbledore before him and Severus, Draco, and Tom on either side of him. They all got to their feet, glaring at Dumbledore and grasping their swords tightly.

“I could have given you more than you could have ever imagined,” Dumbledore said, an air of disappointment in his tone.

“What could you possibly have given us?” Tom sneered.

“Legacy, my dear boys,” Dumbledore said with a grin that did not match the situation. “Legacy!”

“At the expense of our lives,” Severus drawled.

“Lives I gave you,” Dumbledore said. “I made each of you.”

“You made us who you wanted us to be,” Draco said.

“Which is more than any of you ever would have been,” Dumbledore said sharply. “What will you be without me?”

“Who we’re meant to be,” Harry said and their fight exploded.

Despite it being four against one, Dumbledore hardly seemed to struggle, showcasing just how powerful he truly was. Spells and the darkest curses flew, hitting marks and deflected by swords. They dodged and deflected the best they could, but it was nearly impossible. On several occasions, they were each sent to the ground by spells throwing them around or curses ravaging them with such pain they could no longer stand. Blood spurted from their bodies, and it became harder and harder to move as every inch of their bodies were afflicted with some kind of debilitating damage.

Harry stumbled as a curse made it feel like a knife was being dragged down his spine and he bit through his lip trying not to scream in agony, blood pouring down his chin. He fought to keep his balance, only released from the curse when one of the others landed one of their own on Dumbledore. Holding back his whimpers, Harry began to notice something. He felt something building within and around him, something warm and strong. He had no idea what it was, but it grew stronger and stronger with every minute that passed. Dumbledore had just cast something that split into four and was heading for each of them when Harry heard Hogwarts in his head once again.

“Together!” she shouted.

Instinctually, Harry slashed Gryffindor’s sword through the air, the others doing the same, and the curses were deflected, singeing the stone around Dumbledore. Harry, still operating purely by instinct, pointed his sword at Dumbledore and the man’s wand flew from his hand into the fire encircling them.

“Find what was stolen from you!” Hogwarts shouted. “Be who you were meant to be, my children!”

Power rushed through Harry and he raised Gryffindor’s sword above his head, the others mirroring him once again. He felt the power rush from him, climbing up his arm. He looked up and saw what resembled red electricity climbing up along the sword and found green, blue, and yellow doing the same on the other swords. He watched the electricity climb and then leave the swords, sparking through the air until they met. As soon as each colour joined, a warm blast of power rushed outwards, washing over them and extinguishing Dumbledore’s ring of fire.

“Together, my heroes!” Hogwarts said. “You are what he will never have, what he can never destroy!”

Harry, Severus, Draco, and Tom dropped their swords to point at Dumbledore. The headmaster glared at them, though Harry was certain he saw fear in those blue eyes.

“You are nothing without me,” he spat.

“Maybe,” Tom said.

“But at least we’ll get to find out,” Harry said.

The four Founders appeared around them, then, each placing their hand on their respective hero’s shoulder. Power coursed through Harry again and, just as he’d done before, he pushed the power into Gryffindor’s sword. This time, the coloured electricity tangled together as it went rushing through the air towards Dumbledore. They latched onto him and began wrapping around his body like Devil’s Snare. Dumbledore began to scream as he fruitlessly tried to rip the magic from him. The electric strands pulsed, Dumbledore’s screams increased, and colour began to drain from the man’s face. His screams began to break and his movements slowed even as his body was wracked with sharp tremours. He fell to his knees.

“You…could have…been…great,” Dumbledore choked out.

“We just want to be,” Harry said.

Dumbledore let out a strangled cry as the coloured threads crept across his face and fell back to the side, hitting the stone. The electricity crawled back, the man’s body twitching as they did, disappearing. Left behind was grey skin and dull, empty eyes, and a still body.

Above them, the clock came to a stop.

Around them, it all came to an end.