The next morning dawned bright and cheery, yet few students felt happy as they sat at breakfast wondering where Harry was. No-one was sitting by house table, Draco was seated with Neville and Hermione with Ron close by, all three trying to comfort him. Luna was with Crabbe and Goyle who seemed calmer and more rational about the deaths of their fathers, then again they still had their mothers and had not seen both their parents die before them like Draco had. Severus was worried for Draco but he did have good friends and they would help him through this the best they could. His parents were heroes for what they did, Severus did not think Lucius had it in him to fight back as he had but he did, and the way he had done so showed he really was a good man deep down.
Breakfast wound down and the students remained seated as if waiting for something, what they did not know. The doors to the great hall opened and the students turned to see Harry Potter enter the room and took out what looked like a book from his satchel. He enlarged it to a trunk, reached into it and pulled out a bound and very weak Voldemort. There were screams and only Dumbledore shooting sparks from his wand got the hall quiet. Harry walked up to the dais with his prisoner and forced the once terrifying lord Voldemort to his knees. Dumbledore looked surprised as did everyone there, they could not believe what they were seeing, Voldemort defeated and on his knees at the bidding of Harry. He looked sick and pale but there were no bruises on him and he was still clad in his fine robes of silk and velvet with a velvet black cap over his bald head.
"I did not torture him." Harry said, "he knows I have won, but I will not gloat about it, I did not want this, ever."
"Harry he has to go to Azkaban ." Dumbledore said.
"No sir, he missed his hearing and trial, he was sentenced to death there, as he marked me as his equal I am the executioner." Harry replied. "Though as I said I don't want this, but I must do this, it is justice after all."
"Why did you bring him here?" McGonagall managed to ask.
"Two reasons, one I wanted the last thing Voldemort saw was the great hall, it is magnificent and I am merciful in that regard, second as Hogwarts has, from time to time housed the magical government this is the site executions can take place."
"Harry you do not have to do this." Dumbledore said.
"Sir, headmaster Voldemort has no magic now, he is as good as a squib, he lost it all when the death eaters died. He would rather die than be without magic, besides that the law must be upheld."
"Don't bother speaking for me old man." Voldemort spat at Dumbledore, "it is true I am less magical than even Filch the filthy squib!"
"Don't you dare insult Filch, he is a great man!" Harry snapped, he turned, a hand still on his captive to the hall," for those of you who do not wish to see this you may leave, but I am going to chop of Voldemort's head as is my right. I will not use the old ways of execution for a traitor, I am no torture or sadist, he will die quickly and as painlessly as I can make it."
Many of the students left, mostly first and second years, the rest stayed. With a wave of his wand Harry sent the tables to the edges of the hall and conjured up a block and forced Voldemort to put his head on the block. If anyone saw the tears in Voldemort's eyes falling down his face they did not say anything. Harry took out his sword, made sure that Voldemort could not move and brought down the sword cutting through his neck with one clean stroke. The head rolled from the body and Harry pointed his wand and the body and turned it to ash. The head he would send to the minister as a gift. He turned to the students who had watched him kill Voldemort before them, yet before he could do anything Hermione had run to him and grabbed him kissing him.
"You had me worried you, you prat!" Hermione said between kisses.
"Well I had to have a chat with him." Harry replied, "I even offered him a last meal, he only wanted my heart on a platter, I had to deny him that. Pity I was willing to give him any treat he wanted."
"So he is gone, really gone?" Draco said walking up to Harry.
"Yes, thanks to your parents, I promise they will receive the reward they deserve." Harry said, "which reminds me I have something that will help you."
"What is that?" Draco asked.
"You will need to go to professor Snape's office as well, I sent it there. Thought he would like it first, that or he will kill me." Harry smirked. "Trust me you will like it, but I am not telling now, it's a surprise."
Draco just stared at Harry before he could speak the hall, realizing what had happened gave out a cheer as Voldemort really was dead and gone. They all wanted to congratulate Harry and of course they all wanted to know how he had managed to destroy Voldemort. For this he had all the students come in and those who took a part in the defeat of Voldemort joined him in the telling. When Harry was done it was lunch time and the house elves made a great big feast for lunch for the students. The remaining giants who had been on Voldemort's side sued for peace and the remaining werewolves without Grayback did the same. A new day had dawned and hope and light were back in the land.
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There was one boy who found it hard to celebrate at this time, Draco Malfoy. He was seated at the edge of the lake skipping stones deep in thought. On one hand it was good Voldemort was gone, on the other he had seen his parents die right before him. He saw Crabbe and Goyle come and sit by him, they were not bright boys in most things being more concerned for things of the earth than fancy books and such. In things like this they were smart and understood Draco's suffering, their father's had been there too, though they still had their mothers and Draco did not they still felt his pain.
"They are heroes for what they did." Crabbe said. "It does not hurt any less but they did die honorably."
"I know that, I was there." Draco snapped. "I had to watch them die, I should be glad the dark lord is gone but I just can't."
"I know, I do not feel like celebrating either." Goyle said, "much good has happened, I heard that the Dementors are gone too."
"Really?" Draco said looking up, "how is that possible?"
"It was what your parents did, their selfless sacrifice for all of us." Harry said walking up and sitting down by Draco.
"Why are you not inside celebrating?" Draco asked him.
"Many people forget how many good people we lost, I do plan on a statue of them." Harry said.
"It must be of Mr. Malfoy and lady Narcissa." Goyle said, "they were the bravest besides my dad."
"I think we can do that, oh and here Draco." Harry said handing over a small frame "once you wake them you can take that back to your manor and put it where ever you want."
"My parents made a portrait?" Draco said wide-eyed, "but only your parents, forgive me your mother was able to have two people in one portrait, not just a moving painting."
"She talked to your parents before they died, they asked them to not tell any what they were going to do." Harry said, "so my mum told them how to do this, it's not the same as having them really here but it helps, I know trust me."
"Thank you Harry, I thought you would put this in Severus's office for me?"
"I was going to but I value my life, once I recovered from what Severus did what Hermione did for upsetting him would be worse."
"We will leave you alone." Goyle said, "come on Crabbe."
They left and Draco took the shrunken portrait and looked on his parents, they both were clad in their finest robes and appeared to be sleeping. He new how to wake them and after a moment he did so, he watched as they woke slowly and looked around. The first thing they saw was the tear stained face of their son.
"Hello son." Lucius said, "I take it lord Potter got the portrait to you?"
"He did father." Draco said, "I miss you."
"I know you do." Narcissa said, "you are such a good brave boy."
"So much better than me." Lucius said, "I joined the dark lord, you never did."
"Father do not say that, you are a hero, you saved us all! For what you and mother did evil has been pushed far back." Draco said.
"So it did work." Narcissa said smiling, "it took all the death eaters, even the Dementors?"
"Yes, all them, Harry, er lord Potter wants to have a statue of you made." Draco said.
"Really, well that would be very nice," Lucius said, "I could give him pointers of course."
"Dear let him do what is needed." Narcissa said, "after all he is the true hero of the hour."
"He would disagree." Draco replied.
"Tell us of the battle." Lucius said. "How did Harry kill that beast?"
Draco settled in and if he embellished a bit he was allowed to of course. Though his parents were dead he could still talk to their portraits and it helped with the pain a bit for him. He was very proud of his father for what he had done and he was so glad he would never have to serve that evil creature that had dared call himself a lord. The war was over and Draco, tired from all that had happened over the past days went to his dorm room and fell fast asleep with no nightmares for the first time in weeks.