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THE QUARTET APPARATED straight to Hogsmeade, to find a way into Hogwarts. This was the last final piece to finishing Voldemort, once and for all. They just needed to find the last reminding Horcruxes and destroy them. And Aubrey was determined to see the mission all the way through-she wanted to see the wizard who lied to her, and who used her, to be killed by the very wizard who once took away his powers once before.
Aubrey was ready to end this.
Shouts from Death Eaters echoed across the village, as they scattered around, trying to find Harry Potter. They knew he was back in town, along with his fellow friends.
A man with a long grey beard, and hair arose from a cabin waving the quartet over to his home. The quartet wasted no time racing into the cabin, hiding from the numerous Death Eaters searching around the village. Aubrey had to do a double-take, making sure that the man wasn't Albus Dumbledore. And it couldn't be. She watched the headmaster fall from the Astronomy tower dead-killed by Severus Snape.
"You bloody fools!" The man hissed. "What were you thinking coming here? Have you any idea how dangerous it is?" The man scolded the four teenagers standing before him.
Aubrey huffed. She never liked being talked down to. "Excuse me, sir. But the things we've done in the past year, are more up there in the level of dangerous than coming back to Hogwarts," the witch objected.
The man narrowed his sunken eyes at her. "You're Aberforth," Harry stated. "Dumbledore's brother. It's who I've been seeing in here," Harry said, referring to the broken fragment of a mirror, that laid in his hands. "You're the one who sent Dobby."
Aberforth nodded. "Where have you left him?" He wondered, casually looking around.
"He's dead," Harry sadly expressed, looking down at the floor. Aubrey moved closer to the raven-haired boy, interlocking their hands together. Harry looked up at the witch, smiling lightly at her. Aubrey's heart fluttered, feeling the electric shock pulse through her body. She was absolutely in love with him. And he was absolutely in love with her.
"Do you hear from the others much? From The Order?" Hermione asked.
"The Order's finished," Aberforth grumbled. "You-Know-Who's won. Anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves."
"That's a load of rubbish and you know it," Aubrey spat. "You-Know-Who hasn't won-at least not yet. Everyone's too scared to do anything, because Harry hasn't been around. But he's here now, and he can finished what he started sixteen years ago."
Aberforth took a large gulp of his whiskey, slamming his cup down onto the table, causing Hermione to flinch. "Listen here, little girl. You're kidding yourself thinking the good is gonna triumph. You-Know-Who has taken over everything. We've all lost. Go home."
Aubrey shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest, standing back with Hermione and Ron. She was so angry she could explode; but she thought it'd be best to just walk away from the situation.
Harry, on the other hand, remained at his spot. "We need to get into Hogwarts. Tonight. Dumbledore gave us a job to do," Harry declared.
"Did he now?" Aberforth condescendingly said. "Nice job. Easy?"
"We've been hunting Horcruxes," Harry stated. "We think the last ones are inside the castle, but we'll need your help getting in."
"That's not a job my brother's given you," Aberforth protested, "it's a suicide mission! Do yourself a favor boy. Go home. Live a little longer," the man advised, taking another sip of his whiskey.
Harry remained unfazed. His determination still shining through his exterior. "Dumbledore trusted me to see this through."
"What makes you think you can trust him? What makes you think you can believe anything my brother told you?" The man prompted. "In all the time you knew him, did he ever mention my name? Did he ever mention her's?" Aberforth gestured to the framed, painted portrait of a young girl.
"Why would he?" Harry dared to question.
"Keep secrets? You tell me," Aberforth shrugged carelessly.
"I trusted him," the wizard vowed.
"That's a boy's answer!" Aberforth shouted. "A boy who goes chasing Horcruxes on the word of a man who wouldn't even tell him where to start! You're lying! Not just to me, that doesn't matter. To yourself as well. That's what a fool does. You don't strike me as a fool Harry Potter. So, I'll ask again. There must be a reason," the man demanded.
"I'm not interested in what happened between you and your brother. I don't care that you've given up. I trusted the man I knew," Harry attested. "We need to get into the castle tonight," he restated.
Aberforth went silent, before nodding his head at once. He turned to the portrait, giving it a light nod. "You know what to do." The girl in the picture gave him a small smile, before turning away, walking into the distance before disappearing beyond the horizon.
Harry frowned, as did the others. "Where have you sent her?"
"You'll see soon enough," Aberforth waved off.
"That's your sister, Ariana isn't it?" Hermione asked, looking over at the empty painting. "She died very young, didn't she?"
Aberforth nodded in sorrow. "My brother sacrificed many things, Mr. Potter...On his journey to find power, including Ariana. And she was devoted to him. He gave her everything...but time."
Hermione had turned to Harry, who stood in the center of the room. "He did save our lives twice. Kept an eye on us in the mirror. That doesn't seem like someone who's given up."
Harry remained silent. "Hermione, the man has given up. He checked in on us, because he wants us to live. The two don't correlate," Aubrey reasoned, only making Hermione shake her head.
"Hey, she's coming back," Aubrey mentioned, staring at the girl arriving back into the frame.
The framed portrait open to the side, revealing a beaten and bruised, Neville Longbottom. "Neville!" Harry expressed fondly of the Gryffindor student. "Oh, you look..."
"-Like hell, I reckon. This is nothing. Seamus is worse," Neville joked.
Aubrey found it nice that Neville could joke at times like this.
Neville guided the quartet through the narrow passageway to the Room of Requirement. Once Neville opened the portal door, cheers of happiness and glee made its way through the room. The quartet step into the room, being crowded by their fellow classmates.
"What's the plan, Harry?" Neville asked, as everyone murmured in curiosity across the room.
"Okay," Harry breathed, "there's something we need to find, something hidden in the castle. And it may help us defeat You-Know-Who," he announced.
"Right. What is it?"
"I don't know," Harry honestly said.
"Where is it?" Dean questioned.
Harry looked at the trio, before looking at the crowd. "We don't know that either." Harry stared out into the confused glances of his peers. "I realize it's nothing to go on."
"That's nothing to go on," Seamus agreed.
"I think it has to do with Ravenclaw," Harry elaborated. "It'll be small, easily concealed. Anyone? Any ideas?"
Everyone looked around at each other, muttering incoherent words, but no solid leads. "Well, there's Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem," Luna spoke up.
"Oh, bloody hell, here we go," Ron groaned. Aubrey elbowed the red-haired wizard, making him hiss in pain.
"The last diadem of Ravenclaw. Hasn't anyone heard of it? It's quite famous," Luna acknowledged, as she heard various whispers of what she was talking about.
"Yes, but Luna it's lost," Cho chimed, "for centuries now. There isn't a person alive today whose seen it."
Fast pace footsteps where heard, as a red-haired girl appeared, her eyes growing big spotting the Potter boy. "Harry!" Ginny expressed.
Aubrey scoffed, grabbing onto Harry's hand, leaning against him. She still had a hatred for Ginny, and her lustful glances toward her boyfriend didn't help make the cause any better.
"What is it, Ginny?" Neville asked.
"Snape knows. He knows that Harry was spotted in Hogsmeade," Ginny announced.
The plan was to be disguised in Hogwarts robes, as Snape had called all the houses to the Dining Hall. The four houses were separated, standing in fear, silently sulking. Snape stood at the front of the room, as the other staff members coerced with fear by the houses.
Aubrey had joined the other Slytherin's, making sure to hide her face from the students who might recognize her. Harry was hesitant on letting her go over to her house, but Aubrey insisted she needed to blend in. The brunette gave him a quick peck on the lips, before joining her house.
"Many of you are surely wondering why I have summoned you at this hour," Snape began grueling. "It's come to my attention that earlier this evening, Harry Potter was sighted in Hogsmeade." Whispers erupted in the hall, before Snape silenced everyone. "Now, should anyone; student or staff, attempt to aid Mr. Potter, they will be punished in a manor consistent with the severity of their transgression. Furthermore, any person found to have knowledge of these events, who fails to come forward will be treated as equally guilty. Now then, if anyone here has any knowledge of Mr. Potter's movements this evening, I invite them to step forward...now."
No one moved a muscle as no one spoke a single word. Harry gave the trio a nod, as they threw off their robes, and moved to the center of the room. Other students from the Room of Requirement joined the movement, as the doors opened, revealing Order members.
Harry and Aubrey took multiple steps forward. "It seems despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you still have a little bit of a security problem, headmaster. And I'm afraid it's quite extensive," Harry sassed.
Aubrey smirked. "I guess having Death Eaters rule the school didn't work out. Shame," the witch taunted, a grin worming its way to her lips.
"How dare you stand where he stood!" Harry barked. "Tell them how it happened that night! Tell them how you looked him in the eye! A man who trusted you and killed him! Tell him!" Harry roared.
Snape whipped his hand out, shooting a spell at Harry, but McGonagall interjected. Snape threw his black rope around him, before he turned to a fog like mist, bursting the window, taking off. McGonagall brought light back to the lanterns that lined the wall, as everyone cheered.
The cheering ceased, when a voice erupted in everyone's ears. "I know that many of you will want to fight. Some of you may even think that to fight is wise. But it is false. Give me Harry Potter. Do this and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter and I shall leave Hogwarts untouched. Give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded. You have one hour," Voldemort's voice warned.
It was silent. Everyone stared at Harry and Aubrey, who stood at the center of the hall. "What are you waiting for? Someone grab him!" Pansy screeched, pointing to the boy.
Aubrey stood in front of her boyfriend, as the other three houses joined. "Touch him, Pansy and I will make sure you have a painful death," the brunette threatened. Pansy gulped, backing slowly away.
McGonagall had told Filch to take the Slytherin's down to the dungeons. Which Aubrey found it unfair, considering it was only Pansy who was acting out, and nobody else. Not everyone in Slytherin were evil, and Aubrey wished people would see that.
"I presume you have a reason for returning, Potter? What is you need?" McGonagall asked.
"Time, professor," Harry confessed. "As much as you can give me."
McGonagall nodded instantly. "Do what you have to do. I'll secure the castle."
Harry and Aubrey started off, but McGonagall called Harry and Aubrey back. "It's good to see you both," the professor smiled at them.
Aubrey smiled back, nodding gratefully at her. "It's good to see you too, Professor," Harry replied.
The duo raced out of the hall, running down the staircase, but had bumped into Hermione and Ron. "Harry!" Ron shouted. "Hermione and I have been thinking. It doesn't matter if we can find a Horcrux."
"Of course it does," Aubrey argued.
"Unless we can destroy it," Hermione added.
"So, we were thinking-" Ron started, but was cut off.
"-Well, Ron was thinking. It was Ron's idea. It's completely brilliant!" Hermione expressed, her smile reaching her glistening eyes.
Aubrey loved that her two best friends were finally realizing their love for each other, but now wasn't the time. "Can you get to the point," the brunette impatiently complained.
"You destroyed Tom Riddle's diary with a Basilisk fang, right?" Harry nodded, following Ron's words. "Well, me and Hermione think we know where we might find one."
Harry nodded. Hastily handing Ron the Marauder's map. "Okay, but take this. That way you can find me when you get back."
The Potter boy took Aubrey's hand, as they began to climb the staircase toward the Ravenclaw common room. Luna had hollered there names, passing numerous descending students racing down the staircase. The whimsical blonde made the point that they would have to talk to someone dead to get information about the diadem.
The duo headed toward the Ravenclaw tower, as they spotted The Grey Lady; the ghost of Ravenclaw tower.
Helena Ravenclaw, Rowena's daughter was quite wearily about the duo.
"You seek my mother's diadem?" Helena asked flatly.
"Yes, that's right," Harry nodded.
"I cannot help you!" Helena shrieked, floating to the other side of the tower.
Aubrey and Harry peered through the opened windows, pleading for her to wait. "We want to destroy it!" Aubrey proclaimed.
Helena stopped in her tracks, slowing floating her way over toward the teenagers again. "That's what you want, isn't it, Helena? You want it destroyed?" Harry questioned.
"Another swore to destroy it many years ago...A strange boy with a strange name..." Helena trailed off.
"Tom Riddle," Harry mentioned.
"But he lied," Helena softly sneered.
"He's lied to many people," Harry claimed.
"I know what he's done! I know who he is! He defiled it with dark magic!" Helena roared in rage.
"I can destroy it once and for all," Harry promised. "But only if you tell us where he hid it. You just have to tell us. Please."
"Strange. You both remind me of him a bit," she observed them cautiously. "It's here. In the castle. In the place where everything is hidden. If you have to ask you'll never know. If you know you need to only ask." Helena floated away in the distance, leaving the two with the answer.
The duo raced toward the Room of Requirement, their hands clenched tightly. Finally, they were getting another step closer to finishing this once and for all.
They stood before the door, closing their eyes, silently thinking of what they needed-the diadem. The large door appeared, as they pushed it open. Huge piles of antiques and items collected over centuries were piled high to the ceiling. Harry found a box, opening the lid, revealing the bright blue diadem. His finger traced over the lines on the diamond, as Aubrey stared at it, the reflection of the diamond making her bright, brown eyes glisten.
"Well, well," a voice spoke out, causing the two teenagers to whip their body's around. "What brings you here, Potter and my dear sister, Aubrey?" Draco asked, as Goyle and Blaise stood on other side of him, their wands pointed at the duo.
Aubrey glared at her brother. "I could ask you the same thing," Harry said.
"You have something of mine. I'd like it back," Draco insisted, referring to his wand in Harry's hand.
"Well, what's wrong with the one you have?"
"It's my mother's," Draco implied. "It's powerful, but it's not the same. It doesn't quite understand me. Know what I mean?"
"Why didn't you tell her? Bellatrix. You knew it was me. You didn't say anything," Harry professed, as Draco's untouchable stance faltered.
"Yes, Draco," Aubrey said. "Why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you say anything when our sweet, Aunt Bellatrix carved my skin?" Aubrey taunted, showing off her tattoo, with the words 'blood traitor', forever engraved on her arm.
Draco guiltily clenched his eyes shut, not being able to see the tattoo against his sister's skin. "Come on, Draco. Don't be a prat. Do it," Goyle pressured the blond-haired boy, whose wand was pointed directly at the Potter boy.
"Expelliarmus!" Hermione's casted, Draco's wand shooting out of his to the brunette's hand.
Hermione and Ron had snuck into the room without being detected by Draco and his two minions.
"Avada Kadavra!" Goyle cursed at Hermione, but she managed to dodge the evil spell with Stupefy.
"That's my girlfriend you numpties!" Ron raged, running after the Slytherin boy.
Harry had climbed to the stack of the items, trying to retrieve the diadem that flung onto the pile during the duel. He managed to get ahold of it, bringing himself back down to the ground.
A glowing flame erupted, as Ron came running from the same direction. "Run! Goyle set the bloody place on fire!" Ron warned.
The quartet ran, trying to escape the growing flames. They all spotted four brooms, using them to escape. While trying to grip onto a stack of items, Goyle had tripped, falling into the blazing flames. Draco and Blaise looked terrified, holding on by a thread on the piles of items.
"We can't leave them!" Harry insisted, turning back on his broom.
"He's joking right?" Ron hissed. "If we die for them Harry, I'm gonna kill you!"
"I'm not leaving my brother here to die, Ron!" Aubrey shouted over at him.
Harry took ahold of Draco's hand, pulling him onto the back of his broom. As Blaise sat on the back of Ron's broom. They flew toward the door, painfully landed on the hard ground.
After touching onto the ground, Draco and Blaise immediately made a ran for it. Aubrey called after Draco's name, but he never looked back, he just kept going. The brunette sighed, as Hermione gave her a sympathetic smile. Aubrey really just wanted Draco to get out of this alive.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, pointing to the diadem.
Harry grabbed the diadem, taking the Basilisk fang from Ron, slamming it down onto the diadem. A shrieking sound erupted from the Horcrux, as Harry immediately was hit with a vision into Voldemort's mind.
Aubrey leaned down beside the raven-haired boy, a worrying expression riddled her face.
"It's the snake," Harry stammered. "She's the last one. It's the last Horcrux."
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VOLDEMORT'S EAR PIERCING voice spoke once more, insisting on Harry to meet him in the Forbidden Forest to meet his fate. Aubrey was adamant on not letting that happen, especially without her. She was not letting Harry walk face first into death.
Harry had taken Aubrey to Dumbledore's office, pulling out the pensieve. He used the tears the newly pronounced dead, Severus Snape's tears to see the memories he wanted Harry to see.
Aubrey paced around awaiting for Harry to finish watching the memories. She bit anxiously on her fingernails, watching the man she loved. Harry came back to reality, sliding against a wall, leaning against it. Aubrey joined him, as she wrapped her arms around him. She kissed the top of his head, whispering everything was going to be okay.
"I'm the last Horcrux," Harry announced, looking into the eyes of Aubrey.
The brunette felt like her whole world stop. She gaped at the boy, her eyes filling up with the tears. "You're not going to the forest," Aubrey demanded, tears falling down her face.
Harry wiped the falling tears from her face. "Listen to me, you're going to help Hermione and Ron kill the snake. Just kill the snake, and then it's just him."
Aubrey placed her hands on top of his. "I'm going with you. I'm not letting you go alone."
Harry shook his head. "You're going to live a long, happy life. You'll fall back in love and have a family. I'll always be with you, Aubrey. I love you," the raven-haired boy vowed.
Aubrey pained, but smiled halfheartedly. "And I love you too."
The two shared a passionate kiss. It was filled with some much love and emotion. Their love thrived from protecting each other from harms way. Their love was infinite and triumphed over any evil in the world; it was mighty gift that shaped them both. And both would never forget how each other impacted their lives. Their love was special-it was something that could not be touched.
Aubrey Thomas watched the love of her life walk off to his final fate.
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THE DEATHS KEPT adding up. Lives were taken, but their deaths weren't in vain, they died for what was right. One thing was for sure, in a war you can't protect anyone, and Aubrey sadly had come to realize that. She sat with Hermione and Ron on the steps of the school's entrance, as the fighting had stopped. The Death Eaters joined their master in the Forbidden Forest, where Harry had faced off with Voldemort.
Aubrey hugged her knees, tear stains dried against her cheek. Her hair was in knots, and her clothes were covered in dirt, as were her face and body. She wanted Harry to be alive. She wanted him to be okay.
The brunette stood up, spotting a line of people walking toward the castle. Everyone stood up, following her, as they all starting seeing the Death Eaters and Voldemort growing closer to the castle.
"Harry Potter is dead!" Voldemort announced, a smile glowing against his pale, smooth skin.
"No!" Aubrey shouted in despair. "You fucking snake!"
Voldemort glared at his once protege. "Silence, you worthless blood traitor!"
"Harry Potter is dead!" Voldemort shouted once again, his Death Eaters cheering. "From this day forth, you put your faith in me. And now it's the time to declare yourself. Come forward and join us. Or die," The Dark Lord threatened.
"Draco!" Lucius hissed, calling his son over.
"Draco, come," Narcissa calmly said.
Aubrey looked over at her brother, her face practically begging for him to stay on her side. Draco gave his sister a short look of pity, before he crossed over toward his parents. The brunette shook her head, knowing her brother was dead to her. She stared at Harry's body that lay limp in the arms of Hagrid. Tears came crushing down from her eyes, wishing she was dead and not him.
Neville had limped forward, as Voldemort stared at the boy in amusement. "Ah, well. I must say I had hoped for better," Voldemort jokingly jeered, his Death Eaters joining in on a laugh. "And who might you be, young man?"
"Neville Longbottom." More laughs from the Death Eaters grew.
"Well, Neville I'm sure we can find a place for you our ranks," Voldemort mentioned.
"I'd like to say something," Neville interjected.
Voldemort looked taken back, but remained his composure. "Well, Neville I'm sure we'd all be fascinated to hear what you have to say."
"It doesn't matter that Harry's gone," Neville implied.
"Don't you dare, Neville!" Aubrey barked.
"People die everyday," Neville shot back at her. "Friends...family...yeah. We lost Harry tonight, but he's still with us. In here!" Neville declared, pointing to his heart. "So's Fred, and Remus, Tonks. All of them. They didn't die in vain. But you will. Because you're wrong! Harry's heart did beat for us! For all of us! This is not over!" Neville took out the Gryffindor sword from the sorting hand, showing it off.
In a swift motion, Harry had jumped from Hagrid's arm, throwing Confringo over at Voldemort. Aubrey let out the biggest sigh of relief, as she ran over to him. The two embraced, sharing a short and sweet peck on the lips.
Aubrey noticed her adoptive family fleeing the battlefield, and she could only think of one word to describe the Malfoy family: cowards.
The Death Eaters suddenly attack, as The Battle of Hogwarts has commenced.
Aubrey was casting spells left and right, as she came face to face with Bellatrix Lestrange-the witch whom envied the Thomas girl for being her master's second-in-command.
"If it isn't the little blood traitor," Bellatrix taunted. "How's the tattoo?"
Aubrey gripped onto her wand tightly, cursing Crucio at the dark-haired witch. Bellatrix screamed out in pain, falling to her knees. "How's the pain from down there?" The brunette smirked heavily.
The smirk was wiped off her face when Bellatrix shot back with Sectumsempra, a few times. A scream escaped the lips of the brunette, as she had fallen down onto her back, clenching onto her stomach that was oozing out blood.
"I guess Severus did come in handy. Good riddance, blood traitor!" Bellatrix cackled, stepping over Aubrey's bleeding out body.
She winced in pain, trying to keep pressure on her wound. She looked around at her surroundings seeing everyone paying too much attention to fighting. Harry spotted the wounded witch, as he raced by her side. He immediately placed his hands on top of the wound, trying to keep the blood from coming out, but it was flowing out profusely.
"H-Harry..." Aubrey breathed out, as she laid in the lap of Harry, her body slowly starting to shut down.
"It's okay. You're going to live," Harry cried out, trying to figure out a way to save her. No healing spell could save her; he needed someone with medical training, and he wasn't that.
Aubrey weakly rose her hand up to touch the face of Harry's. She smiled, lightly rubbing her thumb against his cheek. "Finish him, Harry. End it."
"I'm not going to lose you," Harry stressed, cradling her body in his arms.
"I'll be fine, and you'll be too," Aubrey vowed. "Don't let my death be in vain. Make my death mean something. Promise me."
Harry nodded. "I promise," he wept, tears pouring down his face.
"I love you, Harry Potter," Aubrey whispered horsely, before her eyes fluttered shut.
"I love you too, Aubrey Thomas." Her body limped in Harry's arms, as he rocked back and forth, hugging her dead body.
Aubrey Thomas was dead, but her death would not be in vain.
And Harry would make sure the Wizarding World knew how strong and courages she really was.
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