Chương 448: The Turned Tables

Hidden under the invisible cloak, Harry watched as the students, teachers, and the Order members piled back into the castle, following Luna, Hermione, and Aurelia. A few of the Death Eaters tried to follow them as well, considering the Centaurs, the dragons and the wizards riding the dragons were attacking with absolutely everything in their power to defeat Maligno's Minions and Death Eaters. However, as soon as a few Death Eaters made it inside the castle, two vampires appeared out of nowhere and snapped their necks in the blink of an eye. In fact, Harry thought his eyes needed more time blinking than the vampires did snapping all those Death Eaters' necks. Seeing this scene, the Death Eaters and Maligno's minions stopped in their tracks, including Voldemort and Harry saw fear — genuine fear in his slit eyes and Harry couldn't help but feel a savage satisfaction at that. The battle of Hogwarts was finally turning around in their favor. Voldemort, Maligno, and their army was struggling.

Harry looked back at the figure of floating Chris charged with white blinding powers, standing in front of a blank and terrified-looking Malgino. Harry was happy at the sight because now there was a big chance Chris and him could finally finish off their mortal enemies. But at the same time seeing her power, he was worried, as now her powers felt completely out of control. Yes, she was strong but at what cost? Harry didn't know and as much as he wanted to run towards her and protect her from her own power, he knew he couldn't do that because this was something Chris had to do herself and there was something Harry needed to do on his own.

Harry turned back to the battle in front of him. He saw Yaxley slammed to the floor by Fred, George and Lee Jordan, Arthur and Percy flooring Thicknesse, and Voldemort striking and smiting all within reach. Harry could not get a clear shot but fought his way nearer, still invisible. However, before he could reach Voldemort, the dark lord grabbed one of Maligno's minions, who Harry knew was Graham.

"You said the vampires wouldn't impose a problem. Your master promised he would take care of the vampires, does this look like you are taking care of this?" Voldemort grabbed the back of Graham's neck and almost choked him as thrust Graham's neck to look around. "Do something or I will kill you right now!"

"Forgive me . . . my lord," Graham spoke in between choked breaths as Voldemort pointed his wand at Graham and he couldn't breathe properly. "But I'm . . . not aware of what . . . technique or spell . . . our master was planning . . . to use in case the . . . vampires showed up . . . We thought we had weakened . . . them enough to not . . . join this fight."

Hearing him Voldemort flared up more and threw Graham on the ground and used the Cruciatus curse on him. Graham started yelling and coughed blood. For the first time, Harry felt a tinge of sympathy for Graham despite what he had done in the past. Only because within the last half an hour Graham had lied . . . multiple times. For Harry and the right side.

It was after Harry had thought he was dead and met Dumbledore in a dreamworld when he fell face-first into the forest floor and realized he was still very much alive. The smell of the forest filled his nostrils. He could feel the cold hard ground beneath his cheek, and the hinge of his glasses which had been knocked sideways by the fall cutting into his temple. Every inch of him ached, and the place where Killing Curse had hit him felt like the bruise of an iron-clad punch. He did not stir, but he remained exactly where he had fallen, with his left arm bent out at an awkward angle and his mouth gaping.

He had expected to hear the cheer of triumph and jubilation at his death, but instead hurried footsteps, whispers, and solicitous murmurs filled the air.

"My Lord... my Lord..."

It was Bellatrix's voice, and she spoke as if to a lover. Harry did not dare open his eyes but allowed his other senses to explore his predicament. He knew that his wand was still stowed beneath his robes because he could feel it pressed between his chest and the ground. A slight cushioning effect in the area of his stomach

told him that the Invisibility Cloak was also there, stuffed out of sight.

"My Lord..."

"That will do," said Voldemort's voice.

More footsteps. Several people were backing away from the same spot. Desperate to see what was

happening and why, Harry opened his eyes by a millimeter.

Voldemort seemed to be getting to his feet. Various Death Eaters were hurrying away from him, returning to the crowd lining the clearing. Bellatrix and Maligno remained behind, standing beside Voldemort.

Harry closed his eyes again and considered what he had seen. The Death Eaters have been buddled around Voldemort, who seemed to have fallen to the ground. Something had happened when he had hit Harry with the Killing Curse. Had Voldemort too collapsed? It seemed like it. And both of them had briefly fallen unconscious and both of them had now returned. . .

"My Lord, let me --"

"I do not require assistance," said Voldemort coldly, and though he could not see it, Harry pictured Bellatrix withdrawing a helpful hand. "The boy . . . Is he dead?"

There was a complete silence in the clearing. Nobody approached Harry, but he felt their concentrated gaze; it seemed to press him harder into the ground, and he was terrified a finger or an eyelid might twitch.

"You," said Voldemort, and there was a bang and a small shrink of pain. "Examine him. Tell me whether he is dead."

Harry did not know who had been sent to verify. He could only lie there, with his heart thumping traitorously, and wait to be

examined, but at the same time nothing, small comfort through it was, that Voldemort was wary of approaching him, that Voldemort suspected that all had not gone to plan . . .

A hand softly touched Harry's face, and felt his heart. The hand stopped as soon as it felt Harry's heartbeat and Harry's heart dropped realizing he had been caught. Now he had to get up and fight this army of Death Eaters and Maligno's minions along with Voldemort, all on his own. Could he win that fight? It didn't matter. He was going to fight either way. However, before he could get up, the owner of that hand spoke,

"Our master is planning to suck the entire life force of Hogwarts including the life of everyone here," The man's voice was less than a whisper but Harry heard him as he spoke just above his ear. "Including ours and all the children here. He doesn't care about any of us. Neither do the Dark Lord. But you care about your people, you came to die for them. So now ave them, Harry Potter. I will help you as much as possible. I would sabotage them in case they want help to subdue the Vampires. I will try to give them zero information unless our master directly orders me. Just finish this. End them. End this all."

Harry couldn't believe his ears. Did this man really had a change of heart? Was Maligno really going to kill everyone in Hogwarts including his own army? Was this a trick or the truth? However, before Harry could come to any conclusions, a cold voice spoke,

"What is taking so long? Is Harry Potter dead or not?" asked Bellatrix clearly annoyed at Graham.

Graham left Harry at the ground and stood up, Harry dared to open his eyes slightly again and saw Graham meeting Voldemort's eyes.

"He is dead."

[To be continued]