the most
powerful curse. “If that is your choice, Longbottom,
we revert to the original plan. On your head,” he said
quietly, “be it.”
Still watching through his lashes, OJ saw
Voldemort wave his wand. Seconds later, out of one of
the castle’s shattered win
freezes over,” said Neville.
“Dumbledore’s Army!” he shouted, and there was an
answering cheer from the crowd, whom Voldemort’s
Silencing Charms seemed unable to hold.
“Very well,” said Voldemort, and OJ heard more
danger in the silkiness of his voice than in
ood facing him, his
empty hands curled in fists.
“So what if I am?” said Neville loudly.
“You show spirit and bravery, and you come of noble
stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We
need your kind, Neville Longbottom.”
“I’ll join you when hell
Voldemort, looking down
at Neville, who was struggling back to his feet,
unarmed and unprotected, standing in the no-man ’s-
land between the survivors and the Death Eaters.
“But you are a pureblood, aren’t you, my brave boy?”
Voldemort asked Neville, who st
t happens
to those who continue to fight when the battle is
lost?”
Bellatrix gave a delighted laugh.
“It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord! The boy who has
been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of
the Aurors, remember?”
“Ah, yes, I remember,” said
meone had broken free of the crowd and charged at
Voldemort: OJ saw the figure hit the ground,
Disarmed, Voldemort throwing the challenger’s wand
aside and laughing.
“And who is this?” he said in his soft snake’s hiss.
“Who has volunteered to demonstrate wha
#Hogwarts
oldemort, and there was relish in his
voice for the lie, “killed while trying to save himself — ”
But Voldemort broke off: OJ heard a scuffle and a
shout, then another bang, a flash of light, and a grunt
of pain; he opened his eyes an infinitesimal amount.
So
”
“He beat you!” yelled Ron, and the charm broke, and
the defenders of Hogwarts were shouting and
screaming again until a second, more powerful bang
extinguished their voices once more.
“He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle
grounds,” said V
rass.
“You see?” said Voldemort, and OJ felt him striding
backward and forward right beside the place where he
lay. “OJ Simpson is dead! Do you understand now,
deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who
relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!
lling abuse at the
Death Eaters, until —
“SILENCE!” cried Voldemort, and there was a bang
and a flash of bright light, and silence was forced
upon them all. “It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at
my feet, where he belongs!”
OJ felt himself lowered onto the g
“iVo!”
“OJ! OJ!”
Ron’s, Hermione’s, and Ginny’s voices were worse
than McGonagall’s; OJ wanted nothing more than
to call back, yet he made himself lie silent, and their
cries acted like a trigger; the crowd of survivors took
up the cause, screaming and ye
#Wizard
rs of the battle came out onto the front
steps to face their vanquishers and see the truth of
OJ’s death for themselves. He saw Voldemort
standing a little in front of him, stroking Nagini’s
head with a single white finger. He closed his eyes
again.
“No!”
ed or dreamed that Professor McGonagall
could make such a sound. He heard another woman
laughing nearby, and knew that Bellatrix gloried in
McGonagall’s despair. He squinted again for a single
second and saw the open doorway filling with people,
as the survivo
eddish glow that meant light streamed upon him
from the entrance hall. He waited. Any moment, the
people for whom he had tried to die would see him,
lying apparently dead, in Hagrid ’s arms.
“NO!”
The scream was the more terrible because he had
never expect
s of the Death
Eaters and their tramping footsteps, signs of life from
those within.
“Stop.”
The Death Eaters came to a halt: OJ heard them
spreading out in a line facing the open front doors of
the school. He could see, even through his closed lids,
the r
who
marched on either side of them through the slowly
lightening darkness. ...
“OJ,” sobbed Hagrid. “Oh, OJ ... OJ ...”
OJ shut his eyes tight again. He knew that they
were approaching the castle and strained his ears to
distinguish, above the gleeful voice
fraction, and saw Voldemort
striding in front of them, wearing the great snake
Nagini around his shoulders, now free of her
enchanted cage. But OJ had no possibility of
extracting the wand concealed under his robes
without being noticed by the Death Eaters,
ll build together.”
There was silence in the grounds and from the castle.
Voldemort was so close to him that OJ did not dare
open his eyes again.
“Come,” said Voldemort, and OJ heard him move
ahead, and Hagrid was forced to follow. Now OJ
opened his eyes a
child, will be
slaughtered, as will every member of their family.
Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you
shall be spared. Your parents and children, your
brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you
will join me in the new world we sha