A/N �“ The latin title to this chapter means "Bound in the Mind's Eye." That in English is also the title to the next chapter, so that should tell you that perhaps not everything is as it seems in this chapter.
GhostCoon
Chapter Twenty Six: Reus in Mens Oculus
Harry woke his friends early the next morning, and the four of them went about getting ready for the day quietly. Fawkes was sitting in the corner, allowing Harry to observe his friends, and he noticed quickly the tension that filled them all, even himself. Ron and Hermione rarely met each other’s eyes, but they paused often to hold hands, knuckles white, as the shared some kind of reassurance. Ginny looked at him constantly, smiling reassuringly, and he found himself smiling back despite himself; it touched him that she would look past her own nervousness to comfort him, though he could see a tightness to her eyes and a sickly set to her mouth whenever she was turned away from him. Sometimes it helped to be able to see from angles other people didn’t always remember, but he would just as soon believe that she was as confident as she could be.
As soon as they were ready, they all headed for the Great Hall. Every table was filled, though not just with students as was usual. Aurors and Ministry workers sat side by side with students and their parents, Order of the Phoenix members sprinkled liberally around as well. With Fawkes on his shoulder, Harry was able to see every face in the room turn toward him and silence fell over the crowd. Harry could feel the fear in the Army of the Phoenix, but he could feel their hope as well, their confidence that victory would be achieved; hope and confidence that all rested on him. He swallowed nervously and then smiled confidently before heading toward an empty spot at one of the tables and sitting down, forcing himself to pull food onto his plate and to begin eating. He tasted nothing, too nervous to notice what he was eating, but his show of confidence was enough. Everyone else in the room went back to their breakfast, and the low murmur of quiet conversation resumed, an excited rumble that spoke of people whispering of certain victory. Ginny squeezed his hand, and he had the feeling that she, at least, had known it was an act.
A large group of red heads walked into the room soon after, and Harry’s smile was real this time. Fred and George led the entire Weasley family into the Great Hall, pausing at the door and posing for the crowd. Everyone in the room began clapping and laughing at once; Fred wore a huge purple hat at a jaunty angle, complete with a huge feather sticking out to one side. George’s hat was identical except that his was a bright orange that contrasted horribly with his hair. Both wore shimmering cloaks of lime green, and both had rapiers belted around their waists. To top off the ensemble, they had both grown huge handle-bar mustaches which they made a constant show of twisting and stroking. They appeared to be twisted versions of renaissance-era gentlemen. The rest of the Weasleys didn’t stop as they came in, all dressed normally, and they sat down next to Harry and his friends to begin eating as well.
George spread his hands wide, gesturing for silence, and when he had it, Fred proclaimed loudly, “Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the pre-victory feast celebrating the fall of Lord Voldemort!”
There were several gasps and screams from his use of the name, but George merely waited for them to die down before continuing. “We here are the brave few who will live on in legend as the army that will defeat the greatest Dark Wizard of all time! Down with Voldemort!” The last part was said in a shout as George drew his rapier and thrust it into the air, revealing that it was actually his wand attached to a basket hilt. Harry was surprised to hear the shout echoed by the majority of the crowd, as wands were raised and fists shaken; people were taking courage, realizing that if they were going to help destroy the Dark Lord, they shouldn’t be afraid of his name any longer. True, it wasn’t spoken by everyone, but certainly by a surprising number.
George once again gestured for silence. Fred began gesturing for Harry to come forward and Harry felt a sinking sensation in his stomach; they were going to make him speak. He tried to shake his head, but suddenly flame flashed around him, and the next thing he knew, he was standing next to Fred and George while Fawkes flew up to a rafter above him, laughing happily in Harry’s mind. Harry spared one moment for an angry thought aimed at the phoenix before Fred was speaking again.
“Our victory is assured with Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One, to lead us! What words of wisdom before the battle, O mighty leader?” Harry didn’t need Fawkes to see the glint of malicious glee in Fred’s eyes; he could feel it.
“Er…” he began, and flushed at such a foolish beginning. He made himself keep going. “Voldemort has taken away our safety and freedom.” That’s better; keep going. “He’s killed countless witches and wizards, including my parents, and I know many of you have lost loved ones as well.” Harry paused for a moment, fists clenched. “He’s driven us into Hogwarts to hide from his Death Eaters, and he’s convinced that he can come after us even here. Eventually he will, and if he wins then all of us will be forced to bow to him, those of us he leaves alive. That’s why we have to stop him now! Every day more people join him out of fear. Today we’re going to try to destroy Voldemort and his followers. I can’t promise anything except that I will do everything in my power to see that Voldemort is never a threat to anyone ever again.”
He stopped and returned to his seat, and was astounded to hear the crowd erupt into cheers. His face flushed, and he lowered his head, not sure what to do. Ginny grabbed his hand, while Mrs. Weasley hugged him.
Fred and George were now moving throughout the crowd, distributing shield hats, all slightly smaller and less exuberant than their own, to anyone in the crowd that wanted them. McGonagall got up soon after and began laying out the plan of battle. Harry didn’t bother to listen; he knew the plan, had drilled it into his head until he could think of almost nothing else.
And then suddenly, it was time; everyone was standing, and dividing into groups, those who would be taking Portkeys and those who would be Apparating. Harry stayed with the Weasleys; they could all Apparate except for Ginny, and she would be transported by Fawkes with Harry. Harry waited for the signal numbly, and discovered he was no longer frightened. Then he heard it, Fawkes singing a martial hymn; it sang of victory and hope, and Harry felt the confidence that had filled him the night before return. Clutching Ginny’s hand tightly, he felt the flames engulf him once again.
The Army of the Phoenix was gathered in a huge garden outside of a large, sprawling manor house. The grounds were well tended, and exuded haughtiness. There wasn’t a living soul in sight, and silence lay heavily over the entire area.
“Come on,” Harry said, and led the way forward, toward the house.
As they neared the building the doors burst open and Voldemort strode confidently out. Harry held up an arm, and everyone stopped, waiting.
Voldemort began to laugh, his eerie, high pitched voice sending shivers down the spines of all who could hear him.
“Finally, my nemesis, your so-called ‘Chosen One,’ and his band of Muggle-loving fools gathered together in one place. I appreciate your courtesy in providing us with the convenience of wiping you all out at once.”
Suddenly Death Eaters began Apparating all around them, and began firing hexes and curses everywhere. With his panoramic view, Harry was horrified to see several members of the Army fall in the first volley. Still, the rest began hurling their own curses, and soon Death Eaters were joining the fallen. Fawkes circled overhead, singing encouragingly, and all of the Army seemed to take heart and double their efforts. Harry could see Hermione and Ron fighting back to back, Ginny standing near him with Luna and Neville, and the other Weasleys in a tight knot hurling curses out steadily and shielding each other from the unfriendly spells. The rest of the Army was similarly fighting, families and friends staying together, protecting each other and those around him. Harry found the sight encouraging, even though they were grossly outnumbered.
Suddenly, the Portkeys triggered and there were a third again more witches and wizards fighting for the Army joining the fray. The odds still stood in the favor of the Death Eaters, but now the confidence the adversary had been showing was replaced by angry snarls and wide-eyed fear.
Then, in an instant, Voldemort was upon him, and they began hurling curses of amazing power back and forth, dodging and blocking, each trying to gain the upper hand. Harry found himself struggling to match the Dark Lord, both in speed and power; it was taking all of his borrowed knowledge and agility to stay alive, and he found that he wasn’t having much luck attacking. Most of what he was doing was defensive, and Voldemort knew it. The snake-like man began laughing, and his movements and spells became contemptuous, as he began toying with his prey.
“Abolitum Atroxus!” Voldemort shouted, and a pulsing yellow light flared from his wand. Harry was just able to deflect it, and it ricocheted off into a masked Death Eater, who began to scream wildly in the voice of Lucius Malfoy, before bursting into flames and dropping to the ground, breaking apart into ashes as he fell. Harry volleyed a few more spells towards Voldemort before taunting him.
“Destroyed one of your own favorites, have you Tom?” Dumbledore had always infuriated Voldemort by calling him that; Harry figured he might be able to make him make a mistake if he got him mad enough.
“Fool!” the snake-like man hissed, “He was as replaceable as anyone. That is why I shall succeed and you shall fail. You view your followers as something more than the tools they are!” With that, Voldemort cast a killing curse, not towards Harry, but at Luna, who was fighting frantically next to Ginny against four large Death Eaters. Harry could do nothing but stare, his mouth open in a silent scream, as the spell hit her in the back, and she dropped forward on her face. Ginny began to be overwhelmed by the Death Eaters she was now facing alone; Neville had become locked in combat with Bellatrix Lestrange, and from the look in his eyes, he was unaware of everything else in the world. Voldemort cast another several spells at Harry, taking advantage of his distraction.
Harry raised a shield, knowing that it would not stop everything, but also knowing that he could not let Ginny be harmed. Even as some of the spells hit him, he shouted “Confugio!” Ginny was suddenly flying through the air as several curses flashed through the air where she had been standing. She landed in the middle of the Weasleys, and immediately turned screaming for Harry, who was now alone behind the advancing line of Death Eaters, facing Voldemort once more, but bleeding heavily from his side, where he had been hit by a harsh cutting spell.
“You see, Harry,” Voldemort mocked, “If one of my followers falls, I can always find a new one. You will be destroyed by the same love that saved you as a child.”
“Let’s see if they are all so replaceable,” Harry answered, gritting his teeth against the pain.
Using the view provided by Fawkes, Harry began dueling Voldemort with his wand, while using his free hand to send stunners and binding spells into the packed mass of Death Eaters behind him. Voldemort howled with fury, but try as he may, he seemed powerless to stop him; Harry was furious over the loss of his strange friend, angry that he didn’t even have the time to grieve, and that fury seemed to fuel his power. Before too long, the ranks of the Death Eaters were thinned considerably, and the Army began to advance, led by Hagrid and Grawp, who were laying waste to the people in front of them, yelling fiercely. As Order members broke through the line of Death Eaters, Voldemort began to scream with rage, and mirrored Harry’s tactics. Both Hagrid and Grawp went down to curses Harry didn’t immediately recognize, before Harry began concentrating all of his spells on Voldemort, hoping to occupy him enough to spare his friends. It was working, and the Army still had enough of an advantage that they continued to break through.
“Find the snake!” Harry bellowed, and Ron, Hermione, Moody, Lupin, Tonks, and Shacklebolt, followed by several others, all rushed into the Manor.
Voldemort’s eyes widened in shock.
“What do you know?” he screamed in rage, though fear was readily apparent in his voice. Harry ignored him, and briefly used his wand to cast an anti-Apparation ward around the entire area, continuing the duel with his hand.
No one can escape now, Harry thought grimly. The ward he had cast took ten times the effort and time to dispel, and Voldemort would be unable to spare the concentration. We win or die here.
Voldemort was still cursing him, with words and with magic, when an explosion from the house distracted them both. Standing outlined by the hole in the wall caused by the explosion was none other than Severus Snape, bleeding profusely from what appeared to be bite marks in his torso. In his hands he held the dead body of a huge snake.
“Finish it, Potter,” the ex-teacher spat, “I have done my part.”
Snape dropped to the ground, obviously dead.
“Nagini!” Voldemort shrieked, not in grief or sorrow, but in very real fear. “What have you done?” he raged, his voice shrill.
Harry suddenly felt Voldemort’s hated presence pushing into his mind trying to pull the information out, and his scar flared with pain. Filled with a terrible anger of his own at the pain and death around him, Harry didn’t try to shield his mind, but rather pushed back at Voldemort, and soon they were engaged in battle of wills so terrible that the ground shook beneath them, and those watching them turned away in fear.
As they struggled for mental control of each other’s minds, Harry was aware of the people who had gone after Nagini returning and re-entering the fight. The battle was not going well for the Death Eaters, and unable to escape, some were beginning to throw down their wands, begging for mercy. Harry was also aware of Neville’s continued battle with Bellatrix; both were breathing raggedly and clutching severe wounds, but they continued to circle each other, battling on with a will and frenzy that defied reason.
Harry redoubled his efforts in Legilimency, determined to best the man who had taken so much from him, determined to prevent the deaths of anyone else close to him. He was gaining ground, and started to pick up stray thoughts and feelings leaking out of the Dark Lord’s mind. I’m winning, he shouted in his mind. Voldemort panicked and raised his wand, but Harry knew his intent before the Killing Curse was cast, and raised his wand as well shouting a powerful curse of his own. The two spells collided in the air, and there was a thunderclap and a rush of intense energy that hurled Harry back into the air. He was thrown back at least two hundred feet, and Fawkes barely swooped down and caught him before he hit the ground, laying him down gently on the grass. Harry lay there, gasping in agony, feeling that he must have broken some ribs again, and his left leg was almost numb with pain. He had no idea what had just happened, but it had hurt a lot.
Harry opened his eyes, and it took a few seconds before he realized he could see. Not the magnified sharp vision of a hawk, or the aerial views provided by Fawkes, but real vision, with his own eyes.
Ginny was running towards him with a panicked look on her face, and he took in the sight of her with intense emotion. She is so beautiful! She reached him and knelt in front of him, taking in the sight of his mangled body, as tears filled her eyes. He was about to tell her it was okay, when she jerked forward into his arms, screaming in pain. Harry caught her, and looked at her back, which was cut open in a line from her hip to her shoulder, and the wound was gushing out blood; it was obvious she had just been hit by a powerful cutting curse, and Harry knew in his heart that it had been cast by Voldemort. Harry screamed in pure terror, fumbling with his wand and sealing the wound as quickly as he could. The bleeding stopped, but she was as pale as death as he laid her down on the ground, ignoring his own pain.
“Ginny?” he pleaded desperately, “please be okay. I can’t do this without you. I can’t live…” he couldn’t continue, choked with terror and grief.
Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked into his eyes.
“Harry?”
“I’m here, Ginny. Please don’t leave me,” he begged, tormented beyond any pain he had ever felt, anguish and despair consuming him.
She gazed at him, and the corners of her mouth turned up in a beautiful tremulous smile.
“I love…” she began, but her voice trailed off, and her eyes glazed over. Her chest no longer moved, and he could feel his own heart break as he realized she was dead.
The cry that left him seemed to go on forever, a chillingly inhuman shriek of pain and loss that reverberated out from where he sat clutching her body. Towards the end, however, the cry changed, and filled with rage beyond reason, and an audible desire for blood in revenge. Harry, crawled to his feet, and began stumbling forward, the expression on his face a mask of hatred.
***
Voldemort had been blasted back a much shorter distance, and had recovered more quickly. After sending a Cutting Curse towards Harry, hoping to catch him off guard, he had begun unraveling the ward that trapped him there. Seeing what he was doing, Order members rushed to oppose him, but he merely began killing them. His Death Eaters began to take heart again, and some who had surrendered grabbed fallen wands and turned on their captors, determined to win their master’s praise.
When Harry’s cry rang out, everyone but Voldemort had stopped and turned towards where he was clutching the lifeless body of Ginny Weasley. Voldemort merely continued to unravel the ward, cursing those around him indiscriminately. He needed to escape and find out what the boy had done.
***
Harry struggled forward despite the broken bone jutting out of his thigh, trying desperately to reach the fight and casting spells at any Death Eater within his range. His heart wrenched with every Order member who fell to the jets of green light coming from Voldemort’s wand. He watched in numb disbelief as Neville was hit where he stood over Bellatrix Lestrange’s twisted lifeless body, as Tonks went down accompanied by a bellow of disbelief and rage from Lupin. Molly and Arthur Weasley, shocked at their daughter’s death, put up no resistance as they were overwhelmed by Death Eaters. Harry cursed those he could, and those he hit did not get back up. He was past caring about laws or morals regarding the use of magic; his spells were meant to maim and kill, and they did what they were meant to do. Fawkes shouted in his mind for him to stop, but the thoughts he sent back to the Phoenix were as angry as the spells he sent at the Death Eaters. As George went down before five Death Eaters, his shield hat overwhelmed and his cloak in flames, Fred also began shouting in rage, casting spells with the intent to do harm, and they were joined by Remus who was snarling and baring his teeth wildly. Still, Harry could not be fast enough.
When Ron fell, standing over Hermione’s lifeless body, Harry’s last tenuous hold on reality was snapped. Ignoring the pain he began to run, and his curses were bringing down the last of the Death Eaters mercilessly. The jets of light leaving his wand now were a poisonous green, and he heard Fawkes sing out in sorrow, despair, and rejection. The phoenix vanished; leaving for what Harry dimly knew would be the final time. Harry had finally begun to trade curses with Voldemort, when the Dark Lord cackled with glee and Apparated away.
Harry bellowed his impotent rage into the merciless blue sky. He fell to the ground, and began to survey what had befallen the Order of the Phoenix, in what was to have been the final battle. Fred was on his knees sobbing, his cloak and hat discarded, while Remus prowled among the bodies, searching desperately for anyone who might still be alive. McGonagall was surrounded by a group of Aurors and others who were pointing at Harry angrily. Harry found that he didn’t care that they had seen his use of an Unforgivable Curse. No doubt they would try to stop him, but Harry still had his fate before him; to kill Voldemort or be killed. Percy was suddenly trying to comfort Fred, but Fred shoved him away, and Percy went to join Charlie, Bill and Fleur, who were eyeing Harry askance as well. It had been a victory for the Army. They had won, and defeated the Death Eaters, killing and capturing them to a man. Not more than a quarter of those Harry had led into the attack were dead, but it seemed like practically every Harry had cared about was gone. His chest felt hollow, as though his heart had been cored out of him and replaced by hate and the thirst for revenge. Harry summoned Ginny’s body and once again looked at her face, steeling himself for the trials that he would have to face.
As soon as I can, I will join you, he thought, as his eyes filled with tears. Shaking them away, he set his broken leg, not even noticing the pain, and healed all of his injuries. He got to his feet, and gathered his resolve. He stood, and found McGonagall and the Aurors facing him. Remus and Fred also got up, tears still in their eyes, and came over to stand with him.
“Harry…” McGonagall began, her eyes filled with sorrow, grief, and disappointment. “You are under arrest, for the repeated use of an Unforgivable Curse. I understand that you have faced terrible loss today, and I am sure the Wizengamot will be understanding, but we must uphold the law.”
“I don’t think so,” Harry said, his voice dead and cold. Those around him could hear the change, and a visible tension sprang up among the Aurors, a sense of hands reaching for wands.
“I have nothing against the Ministry or the laws of the Wizarding world, but nothing will come between me and destroying Voldemort.”
There was a bang, and smoke filled the air, along with flashes of light in every direction. When the smoke cleared only McGonagall was still standing, the Aurors around her unconscious, and her wand was held in Harry’s hand. Fred and Remus stood behind him resolutely.
“I’m going to finish what I started,” Harry said in a loud voice, for everyone around him to hear. Remus and Fred voiced their agreement behind him, and he told them quietly where to go. Harry tossed McGonagall’s wand back, and with a bang, all three of them were gone.