-Chapter Seventeen-

Lovers and Enemies

Buffy felt the energy rise within her again as the cold chill that had filled the room disappeared. She looked up at the old man stood in front of her. He looked like a shabby Merlin. His hair was knotted and untamed, it reached just passed his belt buckle, both beard and hair reaching to the belt. His clothes were just as tatty, ripped and greying, the colour had almost drained from them as they hung from him damp and baggy. They were rags. The clothes of his former self. Buffy could tell that they had once been beautiful and regal. She could tell by his eyes. His blue eyes sparkled that of a man who exhumed power, a power awakened after so many years.

“Dumbledore,” Voldemort breathed his red eyes wide at the sight of the man before him. A smile crossed his white face, “I should have known you wouldn’t let any harm come to the boy.”

Buffy glanced to her right to see Harry frozen at the sight of the two titanous men stood in front of him. She stood up to her feet picking up the sword she had brought with her. She could tell this Dumbledore could handle himself but better safe than sorry, especially when dealing with her brother.

“I dare say the boy can take care of himself,” Dumbledore said calmly, “he certainly took care of your Dementors.”

Harry had gotten rid of them? Buffy thought surprised looking at Harry both impressed and in awe. He had driven away those Dementors, all of them, there were at least a hundred of them. Although, as she looked at him closely she could see that he did look worn out. Sweat was rolling off of his head, although frozen he looked as though it was taking everything in him to keep stood watching what was happening.

“Him?” Voldemort sneered coldly, “The boy can barely stand.”

“You have felt his power as have I,” Dumbledore said softly, “you have seen it whilst invading his mind. It scares you.”

“It only intrigues me,” Voldemort hissed, “a power like that is not like my own, weak, untamed and yet it makes the boy powerful. He is fuelled by emotions. How else could I trick him into coming here tonight?”

“That is what makes you different from him Tom,” Dumbledore said gravely, “you have no emotion to be seen. You barely even a man now. You are fuelled by greed and evil desires.”

“Whereas he is fuelled by love is that it Dumbledore?” Voldemort cackled cruelly. Buffy looked closely to see Sirius getting to his feet slowly from the ground. He was groggy and like Harry he was finding it hard to get to his feet. “Let’s see how he does shall we? Avada Kedavra.”

A green flash of light hit Sirius square in the chest. His eyes widened, becoming blank. He fell to the ground crumpled. His blank eyes looking up to the ground.

Harry watched him fall to the ground. He couldn’t believe it. His eyes widened at the body before him. Voldemort’s laughter echoing through his ears. “NOOO! SIRIUS!” Harry yelled looking down at the man and up at the man creature stood cackling, “You kill him! YOU KILLED HIM!”

Harry flicked his wand angrily slashing it down sending a blue light at Voldemort. He flicked it away lazily. Harry breathing like a wounded buffalo firing a bombardment of jets of light. Voldemort flicked them all away.

“I think you exaggerated his abilities a bit Dumbledore,” Voldemort sneered as Harry ceased firing. “All the boy has done is giving my hand cramp.”

“Who said I was aiming for you?” Harry spat glancing at the cell doors, Voldemort following his gaze to see every door lock blown open.

“You fool,” Voldemort yelled, he lifted his wand in the air, “you damn fool!”

Harry froze as he saw the wand light green. He was going to die. He was going to die like Sirius.

BOOM!!

Harry fell to the floor as Azkaban rocked, Dumbledore and Voldemort both stumbled. Buffy watched in horror running down the hallway using Voldemort’s unsteady balance to allow her to get past him. She stopped at the stairwell to see Angel holding the sword of the Acathla. He took the sword from the chest spinning it in his hand triumphantly smiling up at her. “Time for some fun lover,” he smirked. Buffy dived from the stairwell at Angel, their swords clashing

Harry watched Voldemort stumble as the prison began to rock the inmates screaming terrified as it started to fall down around them. Harry darted at Voldemort knowing what he had to do.

“Harry nooo!!” Dumbledore yelled as he watched Harry run at Voldemort.

Voldemort turned looking in both shock and horror as he saw Harry run at him unarmed. What was he doing? Voldemort thought to himself. He found out as quickly as the thought filled his head as Harry’s hands grasped Voldemort’s skin. Harry screamed in pain as his scar seared with pain. His screams ringing with Voldemort’s as the two sides of his face turned to ash, rotting and sizzling at Harry’s touch. He looked at Harry in horror. “I’m the one who’s going to kill you!” Harry spat through the pain in his scar.

Whoosh! Voldemort disappeared in a cloud of black smoke as he let out one last scream. Harry fell to the ground, his head feeling like it was going to explode. Dumbledore ran to him helping him up. “Are you alright?” Dumbledore asked.

“I’m fine,” Harry gasped for air, “are they?” he nodded to Hermione and Ron.

“Bit of Chocolate they should be fine,” Dumbledore chuckled. “I’ll make a portkey. It will transport you back to Sunnydale.”

“What about these people?” Harry said looking at the inmates, “we have to get them out. They’ve suffered enough.”

“My feeling exactly,” Dumbledore said straightening up and flicking his wand at the cells releasing the inmates.

Buffy dodged Angel’s swipes, rolling across the hard flooring swinging her sword at him. The entire place was falling around them. Thoughts rolled around her head as she parried Angel’s attacks. She didn’t care if she died. She had lost her chance. The Acathla had been opened. She had to kill Angel. She was too late. Willow was too late. She hadn’t got Angel back. Even if she did, what could she go back to her. Her mother had practically kicked her out.

“You step one foot out of that door that even think about coming back.”

The words rung in Buffy’s head along with each clang of the sword. Her mother had disowned her. She was alone. No Angel. And now no mother.

She dodged Angel’s attack slashing down at him he dodged it swiping his sword at her, she blocked it pushing down hard pushing him back. She spun around kicking him in the head. He fell back she slashed at his sword knocking it from his lightened grip. She kicked him once more knocking him to the ground. She pulled her sword back ready to strike.

“Buffy?” Angel gasped for air, his eyes lighting up at the sight of her. His voice no longer cruel but loving. “What’s going on? Where are we?”

Is this a trick? She thought, was this one of Angelus’ games?

“I can’t really remember anything? Feels like I’ve been gone forever,” Angel gulped standing to his feet. “You’re hurt.”

“I’ve had worse,” Buffy said softly. She looked at him closely. “Angel?”

“It’s me,” he said, “who else?”

Buffy leaned in kissing him. It was him he was back. Angel was back. Her eyes lingered past his head between the kiss to see stones falling to the ground a portal opening wide. She parted looking at him tearfully. “Close your eyes,” she said quietly and shakily. He did. She gulped back the last tear as she stabbed him square in the chest. His eyes flashed open looking at her in shock. The eyes continued to look at her as he was pulled into the portal. His hand reaching out for her. Tears welled in her eyes as he disappeared, being absorbed into the statue until finally he was gone.

She stood there tearfully and shaken. Unable to move. She had killed Angel. Not Angelus. Angel. The man she had loved. He was gone. And she had done it. She never thought she would have. She was alone.

“Buffy!” yelled Harry from the top of the stairwell, “come on! The portkeys ready! The inmates are gone! We got to get out of here!”

Buffy looked up at him. He looked so far away. She bowed her head unable to look at him. He had loved Angel too. He had blamed her when he lost his soul. Now she would blame her for killing him. As she looked to the ground it was then she saw it. The broomstick Harry had used to get her. She picked it up.

“Buffy come on!” Harry called.

Buffy looked up at him walking to the door. “I’m sorry!” she yelled, “I can’t!”

She climbed onto the broom pushing open the door and kicking off into the distance. The wind blowing against her face. It was no longer turbulent like it had been. It was clear and beautiful. As she looked out at the clear sky and back at the now steady Azkaban. It was safe now. She rocketed off leaving it behind. Her last battle. Goodbye Harry, she thought tearfully.

To Be Continued....