Categories > Books > Harry Potter > The Ritual
The Ritual #18
Disclaimer: See previous chapters
Author’s Note: This is the last chapter. There was going to be an epilogue but there was a bit too much to cover for a one chapter epilogue. There will be a sequel eventually.
The death eaters never knew what hit them. Ginny was the first to see them but everyone heard the loud sound of a dozen people apparating in at once. Harry immediately started trading spells with Voldemort and Ginny drew her wand and attacked while shouting, “How dare you attack my family!”
Most of the younger guests had been members of the Defense Association and all of those had their wands out and were hexing up a storm. Naturally all the Weasleys there were casting. Fleur was there as well and was showing that the Goblet of Fire had good reason to pick her to enter the Triwizard Tournament.
The elder guests had at first reacted with fear, memories of the first war clouding their judgement. However upon seeing their children leap into the fray they shook off their stupor and attacked as well.
Two things soon became clear. That the attack on the Burrow was a great failure and that Harry and Ginny were now head and shoulders above most, if not all, other spellcasters. Ginny’s first spell normally produced three arrows and her opponent had his shield up before she’d even finished casting it. Both she and her opponent were shocked when instead of three arrows twenty-seven sped towards him with such speed that the first hit only a second later. The death eater’s shield blocked the first six but the remaining twenty-one skewered him fatally. She shook off her surprise, suppressed her revulsion at having taken a life for the first time, and looked around for another opponent.
Harry, facing Voldemort himself, had a bit more trouble. His first spell exploded against Riddle’s shield but did no more than create a flash of light where it struck. He spent the rest of the battle tossing spells at his opponent while blocking Riddle’s counterattacks. Soon Harry and Riddle were the only combatants left. None of the death eaters had even attempted to surrender. They knew it would do nothing but delay their death.
When Fudge fell and Scrimgeour took his place a new policy was enacted. All marked death eaters were sent through the veil. The new Minister of Magic had said, “It is time to show these scum that we will not tolerate their actions. They once spread terror throughout magical Britain and were safe in the knowledge that even if captured they could plead innocent and say they’d been under imperius. Well no longer! Anyone we catch who is marked goes through the veil. No more buying pardons, no more intimidating witnesses to prevent their testimony, no more putting a person in jail only to see them broken out in a raid a week later to go and commit more atrocities. It ends here!” After hearing of this death eaters kept a low profile. When they had to fight though they all fought to the death.
When Harry saw he and Riddle were the only ones still fighting he grinned and said, “You should have brought more men Tom! Twelve wasn’t nearly enough!”
“Don’t call me by that name Potter!” was the only reply he got from Riddle.
Ginny felt like throwing up from all the carnage at the edge of her family’s yard but she told herself that Harry needed her now and she could puke later. She walked up next to him, her shield handling Riddle’s curses just as easily as Harry’s and merging with his seamlessly until she is standing by his side. “You should have stayed dead Tom. Each time you come back we’ll kill you again until you finally stay dead.” She started casting her own spells at the monster who called himself a dark lord.
Harry, hearing that, remembered their rather whimsical plan. He stopped casting spells at Riddle and since there was no school laundry to raid he used his magic to conjure a six foot pile of the stinkiest, dirtiest, laundry he could imagine over Voldemort’s head. Occupied with fending off the curses of Ginny Weasley Voldemort missed the conjuration until it fell and covered him with its foulness.
Riddle started to banish the foul things at his opponents but before he could Ginny petrified the pile turning it to stone around him. Harry then dug a deep pit in the grass under Riddle and his stone prison dropped inside. Immediately thereafter Ginny conjured molten rock to fill up the remainder of the hole, determined that Riddle would not get out to menace her family.
Harry cast a freezing spell to solidify the lava and said, “I think that’s done it. He couldn’t move enough to either apparate or trigger a portkey after you petrified the undies so he should be dead again. We’ll need to find his remaining anchors to the mortal plane to keep him dead though.”
Bill stopped gaping at the two long enough to say, “If you mean soul jars like some of the ancient Egyptian sorcerers used I can help you find them. I know a spell to detect any within ten meters or so and the safest way to destroy one.”
Ginny had lost her battle with her stomach and was throwing up so Harry answered while holding her hair back, “I’ll be glad to have your help Bill. I don’t know how many he made but during our training we discovered that the diary Ginny had trouble with her first year had been one of them. And since he still returned after that was destroyed …” Harry trailed off.
Bill nodded, “There are still more out there. We can start that search in a few days. First we all need a bit of time to recover and I need to ask my boss if I can borrow the equipment or if you’ll have to actually hire me officially before they’ll let me assist you.”
Harry grimaced, “I’d hate to interrupt your vacation Bill. It took him over a decade to come back the first time. So I think we can afford to wait until after you come back from visiting Fleur’s parents.”
Albus Dumbledore decided to stick his oar in while Harry was cleaning up after and comforting Ginny. He said, “Indeed William. I think I can make a shrewd guess or two as to the location of some of these horrid things if you give me some time. You could hardly search all of Great Britain even if you spent the whole rest of your vacation. By the time you return from France I should have at least one specific location for you to check and if Harry insists on going I shall excuse him from school to go with you. He is certainly far enough along in his studies that an occasional few days away from school won’t affect his grades. In fact I daresay he could pass his Defense NEWT already with no further studying at all.”
Harry gave Albus a dirty look, thinking that the headmaster probably already knew the locations. Then he sighed internally. He couldn’t call the headmaster out because he needed him, at least for the near future. So he made himself smile and said, “That sounds reasonable Professor. I might take my NEWTs early but I’m sure I’ll need a little more schooling although I might skip taking Defense in favor of teaching the D.A. more often and at more regular times.”
Albus grinned at him, “I’m sure we can accommodate that my boy! And Miss Weasley can take over the instruction on those days when you are off with her eldest brother. I’ll be happy to arrange it before you get to school. I only wish I could hire you as the official Defense teacher. Alas, that can’t be until after you’ve taken your NEWTS. If you do so early then perhaps we can discuss your employment at the end of the school year?”
Harry said, “That is a bit far in the future for me but I’m sure we can chat after the coming school year is over in any case.” Harry was hoping to have all of this over and done by then so he need never return to that school again but he knew he couldn’t say that, not yet anyway.
Ginny had recovered enough to get in on the conversation, “I might delegate instruction to Hermione sometimes and go along. I’m sure Bill will be a suitable chaperone. I’m not as hardened to these sorts of things yet as Harry has become but I am now his equal magically and I don’t want him to have to deal with such things without me in the future. Hermione is a better tutor than I am anyway.”
Hermione said, “I’ll gladly substitute for either of you and I’m sure Ron will help as well. Right Ron?”
Ron nodded, “Er, yeah.”
Fleur smiled, “If we are going to do this in an at least semi-official fashion, and the Potter fortune can withstand the cost of course, then I would like to accompany William in the destruction of these so called anchors. It will allow me what they call “field experience”. This will help my advancement at work, allow me to do my part for the war effort, and allow me to spend more time with my beloved. I can also help chaperone and give Ginny another girl to talk to, zomething I think she does not get too often with six brothers.”
Ginny smiled at her, “I would like that too Fleur. We can get to know each other better before the wedding.”
Molly huffed, “It is surely too soon to be discussing wedding plans. We need to get the aurors in to deal with these monsters then have your birthday party.”
Amelia Bones said, “I’ve already sent for more aurors. They’ll be here as soon as they have assembled. They’ll take statements from all of you and start the paperwork. I think it best if you do not make any mention of soul jars or anchors to the mortal plane. It will only give people ideas or make them unduly scared. If you need help in your search however I’ll be glad to assist you, even if I must do so covertly. But officially let’s say he’s dead and for good this time. It’s for the best.” After everyone had agreed she walked toward the bloody remains of the attackers and said, “As for the remains, well I see no reason for them to continue to distress you. While you’ve talked I’ve noted the identities of the deceased. As they are all marked death eaters they are officially traitors to the state so nobody is in trouble for killing them and they do not deserve a proper burial.“ She gestured with her wand and all the remains dissolved into smoke and blew away on the breeze. As the aurors apparated in as a group she turned to Harry and Ginny and said in a loud clear voice, “Thank you Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley for defeating Voldemort. You have my gratitude and I’m sure the whole nation shares my feelings.”
The aurors cheered as did several party guests. Amelia spoke to them at length and showed them the bare rock that held the remains of Voldemort. Luna got a big scoop for the Quibbler as she was the first to interview the couple and in fact was the only reporter to whom they spoke freely then or ever about it.
After the investigators took statements from everyone and left the party mostly broke up. The only people left were the Weasley family, Harry, Hermione, and Fleur. Ginny opened her presents and when she got to the ring Harry proposed. She said yes and they kissed ignoring any grumbling from Ron or Molly in the background.
“All that’s left now is the clean up,” Hermione said.
Disclaimer: See previous chapters
Author’s Note: This is the last chapter. There was going to be an epilogue but there was a bit too much to cover for a one chapter epilogue. There will be a sequel eventually.
The death eaters never knew what hit them. Ginny was the first to see them but everyone heard the loud sound of a dozen people apparating in at once. Harry immediately started trading spells with Voldemort and Ginny drew her wand and attacked while shouting, “How dare you attack my family!”
Most of the younger guests had been members of the Defense Association and all of those had their wands out and were hexing up a storm. Naturally all the Weasleys there were casting. Fleur was there as well and was showing that the Goblet of Fire had good reason to pick her to enter the Triwizard Tournament.
The elder guests had at first reacted with fear, memories of the first war clouding their judgement. However upon seeing their children leap into the fray they shook off their stupor and attacked as well.
Two things soon became clear. That the attack on the Burrow was a great failure and that Harry and Ginny were now head and shoulders above most, if not all, other spellcasters. Ginny’s first spell normally produced three arrows and her opponent had his shield up before she’d even finished casting it. Both she and her opponent were shocked when instead of three arrows twenty-seven sped towards him with such speed that the first hit only a second later. The death eater’s shield blocked the first six but the remaining twenty-one skewered him fatally. She shook off her surprise, suppressed her revulsion at having taken a life for the first time, and looked around for another opponent.
Harry, facing Voldemort himself, had a bit more trouble. His first spell exploded against Riddle’s shield but did no more than create a flash of light where it struck. He spent the rest of the battle tossing spells at his opponent while blocking Riddle’s counterattacks. Soon Harry and Riddle were the only combatants left. None of the death eaters had even attempted to surrender. They knew it would do nothing but delay their death.
When Fudge fell and Scrimgeour took his place a new policy was enacted. All marked death eaters were sent through the veil. The new Minister of Magic had said, “It is time to show these scum that we will not tolerate their actions. They once spread terror throughout magical Britain and were safe in the knowledge that even if captured they could plead innocent and say they’d been under imperius. Well no longer! Anyone we catch who is marked goes through the veil. No more buying pardons, no more intimidating witnesses to prevent their testimony, no more putting a person in jail only to see them broken out in a raid a week later to go and commit more atrocities. It ends here!” After hearing of this death eaters kept a low profile. When they had to fight though they all fought to the death.
When Harry saw he and Riddle were the only ones still fighting he grinned and said, “You should have brought more men Tom! Twelve wasn’t nearly enough!”
“Don’t call me by that name Potter!” was the only reply he got from Riddle.
Ginny felt like throwing up from all the carnage at the edge of her family’s yard but she told herself that Harry needed her now and she could puke later. She walked up next to him, her shield handling Riddle’s curses just as easily as Harry’s and merging with his seamlessly until she is standing by his side. “You should have stayed dead Tom. Each time you come back we’ll kill you again until you finally stay dead.” She started casting her own spells at the monster who called himself a dark lord.
Harry, hearing that, remembered their rather whimsical plan. He stopped casting spells at Riddle and since there was no school laundry to raid he used his magic to conjure a six foot pile of the stinkiest, dirtiest, laundry he could imagine over Voldemort’s head. Occupied with fending off the curses of Ginny Weasley Voldemort missed the conjuration until it fell and covered him with its foulness.
Riddle started to banish the foul things at his opponents but before he could Ginny petrified the pile turning it to stone around him. Harry then dug a deep pit in the grass under Riddle and his stone prison dropped inside. Immediately thereafter Ginny conjured molten rock to fill up the remainder of the hole, determined that Riddle would not get out to menace her family.
Harry cast a freezing spell to solidify the lava and said, “I think that’s done it. He couldn’t move enough to either apparate or trigger a portkey after you petrified the undies so he should be dead again. We’ll need to find his remaining anchors to the mortal plane to keep him dead though.”
Bill stopped gaping at the two long enough to say, “If you mean soul jars like some of the ancient Egyptian sorcerers used I can help you find them. I know a spell to detect any within ten meters or so and the safest way to destroy one.”
Ginny had lost her battle with her stomach and was throwing up so Harry answered while holding her hair back, “I’ll be glad to have your help Bill. I don’t know how many he made but during our training we discovered that the diary Ginny had trouble with her first year had been one of them. And since he still returned after that was destroyed …” Harry trailed off.
Bill nodded, “There are still more out there. We can start that search in a few days. First we all need a bit of time to recover and I need to ask my boss if I can borrow the equipment or if you’ll have to actually hire me officially before they’ll let me assist you.”
Harry grimaced, “I’d hate to interrupt your vacation Bill. It took him over a decade to come back the first time. So I think we can afford to wait until after you come back from visiting Fleur’s parents.”
Albus Dumbledore decided to stick his oar in while Harry was cleaning up after and comforting Ginny. He said, “Indeed William. I think I can make a shrewd guess or two as to the location of some of these horrid things if you give me some time. You could hardly search all of Great Britain even if you spent the whole rest of your vacation. By the time you return from France I should have at least one specific location for you to check and if Harry insists on going I shall excuse him from school to go with you. He is certainly far enough along in his studies that an occasional few days away from school won’t affect his grades. In fact I daresay he could pass his Defense NEWT already with no further studying at all.”
Harry gave Albus a dirty look, thinking that the headmaster probably already knew the locations. Then he sighed internally. He couldn’t call the headmaster out because he needed him, at least for the near future. So he made himself smile and said, “That sounds reasonable Professor. I might take my NEWTs early but I’m sure I’ll need a little more schooling although I might skip taking Defense in favor of teaching the D.A. more often and at more regular times.”
Albus grinned at him, “I’m sure we can accommodate that my boy! And Miss Weasley can take over the instruction on those days when you are off with her eldest brother. I’ll be happy to arrange it before you get to school. I only wish I could hire you as the official Defense teacher. Alas, that can’t be until after you’ve taken your NEWTS. If you do so early then perhaps we can discuss your employment at the end of the school year?”
Harry said, “That is a bit far in the future for me but I’m sure we can chat after the coming school year is over in any case.” Harry was hoping to have all of this over and done by then so he need never return to that school again but he knew he couldn’t say that, not yet anyway.
Ginny had recovered enough to get in on the conversation, “I might delegate instruction to Hermione sometimes and go along. I’m sure Bill will be a suitable chaperone. I’m not as hardened to these sorts of things yet as Harry has become but I am now his equal magically and I don’t want him to have to deal with such things without me in the future. Hermione is a better tutor than I am anyway.”
Hermione said, “I’ll gladly substitute for either of you and I’m sure Ron will help as well. Right Ron?”
Ron nodded, “Er, yeah.”
Fleur smiled, “If we are going to do this in an at least semi-official fashion, and the Potter fortune can withstand the cost of course, then I would like to accompany William in the destruction of these so called anchors. It will allow me what they call “field experience”. This will help my advancement at work, allow me to do my part for the war effort, and allow me to spend more time with my beloved. I can also help chaperone and give Ginny another girl to talk to, zomething I think she does not get too often with six brothers.”
Ginny smiled at her, “I would like that too Fleur. We can get to know each other better before the wedding.”
Molly huffed, “It is surely too soon to be discussing wedding plans. We need to get the aurors in to deal with these monsters then have your birthday party.”
Amelia Bones said, “I’ve already sent for more aurors. They’ll be here as soon as they have assembled. They’ll take statements from all of you and start the paperwork. I think it best if you do not make any mention of soul jars or anchors to the mortal plane. It will only give people ideas or make them unduly scared. If you need help in your search however I’ll be glad to assist you, even if I must do so covertly. But officially let’s say he’s dead and for good this time. It’s for the best.” After everyone had agreed she walked toward the bloody remains of the attackers and said, “As for the remains, well I see no reason for them to continue to distress you. While you’ve talked I’ve noted the identities of the deceased. As they are all marked death eaters they are officially traitors to the state so nobody is in trouble for killing them and they do not deserve a proper burial.“ She gestured with her wand and all the remains dissolved into smoke and blew away on the breeze. As the aurors apparated in as a group she turned to Harry and Ginny and said in a loud clear voice, “Thank you Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley for defeating Voldemort. You have my gratitude and I’m sure the whole nation shares my feelings.”
The aurors cheered as did several party guests. Amelia spoke to them at length and showed them the bare rock that held the remains of Voldemort. Luna got a big scoop for the Quibbler as she was the first to interview the couple and in fact was the only reporter to whom they spoke freely then or ever about it.
After the investigators took statements from everyone and left the party mostly broke up. The only people left were the Weasley family, Harry, Hermione, and Fleur. Ginny opened her presents and when she got to the ring Harry proposed. She said yes and they kissed ignoring any grumbling from Ron or Molly in the background.
“All that’s left now is the clean up,” Hermione said.
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