How It All Goes Down
The Elder Wand
- Harry can't believe Fred is really dead. Everyone's in a state of shock, but Harry sees that they have to get away from the giant hole in the wall; there's a huge spider trying to get in and wreak havoc. Harry and Ron blast it away.
- Percy, mad with grief, won't let go of Fred's body, which he's trying to shield from harm.
- Harry reaches down to grab Fred and move him to safety, and Percy helps. They hide his body where it'll be safe, and run into the thick of the battle.
- Ron is incoherent in his grief; all he wants to do is get out there and kill Death Eaters.
- Hermione reminds him that their bigger goal is more important – they have to find the snake and destroy it, so Voldemort can be destroyed. She urges Harry to use his connection to Voldemort and see where he is.
- Harry easily accesses Voldemort's thoughts. The Dark Lord is in a quiet, familiar room, with Lucius Malfoy, who wants to know what happened to Draco. Voldemort tells him that he doesn't know – Draco didn't emerge from the castle with the other Slytherins.
- Lucius desperately asks if Voldemort should stop the battle, since Harry might be accidentally killed by someone else – but Voldemort knows that Harry will come to him before the fight is over.
- Voldemort sends Lucius to find Snape – he needs him for something.
- Left alone, Voldemort murmurs, "It is the only way, Nagini," addressing his Horcrux snake, who's suspended in the air, in a protective, enchanted sphere.
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- Harry pulls his thoughts back and returns to himself. He tells Ron and Hermione what he saw – Voldemort's in the Shrieking Shack.
- The three of them quarrel about who will go get the snake, but are interrupted by the entrance of two Death Eaters. Hermione orchestrates a quick escape for them.
- Hidden under the Invisibility Cloak, they rush through a corridor filled with duelers.
- They see Dean and Parvati up against Dolohov and Travers, as Peeves the poltergeist flies around, dropping things on Death Eaters.
- They also pass Malfoy pleading for his life with a masked Death Eater; Harry Stuns the Death Eater, and Ron punches Malfoy as they run by. You know, for good measure.
- Hermione stops Fenrir Greyback from attacking an injured Lavender Brown, and Professor Trelawney finishes him off by dropping a crystal ball on his head.
- The doors to the castle break open, and a swarm of the monster spiders rushes in. Hagrid runs down, yelling at the fighters not to hurt the spiders.
- Oblivious to his defense of them, the spiders swarm him instead, and carry him out as they retreat out the doors.
- A truly enormous giant appears, and Hagrid's giant half-brother Grawp – who else has a brother that big? – emerges to fight the full-grown foe.
- Next, a legion of dementors approaches, and Ron, Hermione, and Harry try to set their Patronuses on them.
- However, the dementors are too close and too powerful – until the trio gets backup from Luna, Ernie Macmillan, and Seamus, who send their Patronuses out to get rid of the dementors. Harry finally casts his stag Patronus successfully, and the dementors retreat.
- Another giant appears, waving a huge club, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione run towards the Whomping Willow, to find Voldemort in the Shrieking Shack.
- The three of them crawl down into the Shrieking Shack and hide under the Cloak.
- Harry, peering through into the Shack, sees Snape and Voldemort. Voldemort tells Snape that there's something wrong – the Elder Wand doesn't feel any more powerful to him than his old yew and phoenix wand.
- Snape tries to return to the battle, but Voldemort has other plans. He thinks he's figured out the mystery of the Elder Wand – it doesn't work properly because he's not its true master… Snape, who killed Dumbledore, is.
- Voldemort orders Nagini to kill Snape, and the nasty snake moves in for the kill.
- Voldemort looks on remorselessly, then leaves with Nagini.
- Once Voldemort leaves, Harry approaches the dying Snape. He takes off the Cloak and looks down at his former professor.
- A silvery substance – memories – is pouring from Snape's mouth, ears, and eyes. He whispers, "Take it," and Hermione hands Harry a flask; he pours the silver stuff into the flask with his wand.
- Snape, holding on to Harry, implores the boy to look at him, but their eyes only meet for a moment – he dies gazing up at Harry.