He squinted again for a single second and saw the open
doorway filling with people, as the survivors of the battle came out onto the front steps
to face their vanquishers and see the truth of Harry'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!"
"No!"
"Harry! HARRY!"
Ron's, Hermione's, and Ginny's voices were worse than McGonagall's; Harry
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 yelling abuse at the Death Eathers, until -
"SILENCE!" cried Voldemort, and there was a bang and a flash of bright light,
and silence was forced upn them all. "It is over! Set him down,
Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs!"
Harry felt himself lowered onto the grass.
"You see? said Voldemort, and Harry felt him striding backward and forward
right beside the place where he lay. "Harry Potter is dead! Do you
understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to
sacrifice themselves for him!"
"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 Voldemort,
and there was a relish in his voice for the lie. "killed while trying
to save himself - "
But Voldemort broke off: Harry heard a scuffle and a shout, then another bang, a
flash of light, and grunt of pain; he opened his eyes an infinitesimal
amount. Someone had broken free of the crowd and charged at Voldemort: Harry 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 what 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 Voldemort, looking down at Neville, who was
struggling back to his feet, unarmed and unproctected, 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 stood 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 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 Harry heard more danger in the silkiness of his