Golden Girl- James Potter Love Story

The Phoenix Rises

Clenching her eyes, Ella peered through the cracks, trying to gauge her surroundings.

"No, El," James was holding her close, his face pained. "You can't."

Ella held back a moan as the pain in her side returned. Another face swum in her view. Bellatrix looked horrified and her eyes were wild with disbelief. Her twin placed a hand on her cheek.

"Elizabeth. No." To her shock, tears formed in Bella's eyes. "Why did you do something so stupid?"

"Stupid is correct," Voldemort's voice hissed from in front of Ella. "Elizabeth Black was a fool, just like Dumbledore. And now their deaths will be in vain. No one stands in my way."

Bellatrix's boots clicked on the stone as she stood. "Not if I can help it. You filthy coward."

Ella felt heat began to fill the room and Voldemort's eyes flashed. "Watch. Your. Tongue."

It was time. Ella lunged forward out of James' arms and hissed as her ribs seared. "That's rather unpleasant," the blonde gasped.

She stood unsteadily as the eyes of everyone in the hall followed her.

"You're alive," James breathed.

A brief look of shock passed Voldemort's face. "Impossible."

"No, just rather improbable." Ella raised her wand and tried to stop her arm from shaking.

"How?"

"There has to be a sacrifice." Ella stared at the Dark Lord. "Professor Dumbledore made it."

His eyes narrowed. "And I suppose I couldn't kill you because of what? Dumbledore's pathetic love.."

"Made all the difference," Ella interrupted. "You couldn't hurt me."

Voldemort's eyes flashed. "Well this is what it comes down too. A mangled teenager," he gestured to her stabbed rib. "And the darkest wizard of all time."

"I wouldn't go that far," Ella flicked her wand and pieces of rubble began to float through the air. "You see, you and I are similar. We tend to think too much of ourselves."

"Sounds like the simpering words of Dumbledore," Voldemort raised an arm and more stone flew in the air. "He's dead for a reason."

Ella thrust her wand forward and a bubble of ruins began to surround her and Voldemort. She caught sight of a scrap of green banner flickering amongst the stone and smiled to herself.

"Trying to protect your idiotic allies, Black?" Voldemort spat. "I assure you, it won't work."

Ella shrugged and cried "Stupefy!" brandishing her wand.

The Dark Lord deflected it with ease. "You're trying to defeat me with child's tricks?" He smirked. "This is going to be easier than I estimated."

The blonde raised an eyebrow. "ARRESTO MOMENTUM!" And everything in their bubble froze.

Ella heard the battle resuming around them as she closed her eyes briefly. She saw Hermione's eyes light up as she discovered something new and Portia reprimanding her friends teasingly. Fred and George were sitting in their shop eagerly planning their next product and Draco was explaining his new potion to her. Remus and Peter sat talking in the common room as James and Sirius wrestled each other for copies of homework. She was laughing with Bellatrix in the forest and next looking at the hopeful faces of Dumbledore's Army. Harry and Ron sat playing chess, then Lily and the girls were giving makeovers in the dormitory. She remembered the glow on Severus' and Lily's faces when they made up for the first time while Dumbledore sat in his office, peering at her warmly. And then her family. Most of the memories had grown faint now, but they were there.

"Expecto Patronum." The words left her mouth simply as time sped up again. A great Phoenix burst from her wand with a screech and flew in front of Voldemort, absorbing the Killing Curse he had swiftly cast. For an instant, everything was silent. And then the bird exploded, sending the glowing green light back at Tom Riddle. It hit him in a wave and his body was flung back against the ground, the sound ringing throughout the hall. Just like that, it was over.