I-22
Prompt: “Don’t tell me to stop. Tell the rain not to drop. Tell the wind not to blow. Tell the sun not to shine."
Harry stood between Ginny and the dead Basilisk, the Sword of Gryffindor clutched tightly within his white knuckles. Fawkes had taken to the sky and Tom was now what seemed fully corporeal. There was still mist between the dark wizard and the lifeless looking body of Ginny.
Tom picked the wand up from next to Ginny, and flicked it towards the ground. Rising up from where he had cast a spell, a stone sword began to form.
Harry watched as Tom retrieved the stone sword and lunged at him. Harry parried the attack to the left and attempted to skirt around the older boy.
The consequence of this was Tom disengaging his left hand from the hilt of the sword and thrusting it into Harry’s chest sending him flying back with more force than what should have been physically possible.
His back struck a column and Harry crumpled at the bottom of it, his breath raspy as he fought to retrieve the wind in his lungs.
Tom cackled and stared at his makeshift sword, before transfiguring the blade into a steel one. “Harry Potter, she’s dead now, I’m fully corporeal. Her magic and soul are mine for the taking.”
Harry’s eyes flicked to Ginny, and while cracked, he could make out through his foggy lenses that her chest was rising and falling ever so slightly.
Harry struggled to his feet, raising the sword into a forward guard. “So much faith that you’re winning.” Harry was eying the distance between them and estimated around 4 meters of space. He was just outside of the heavy looking blade’s reach, but the Sword of Gryffindor was short, a hand-and-a-half, or bastard sword for lack of a better term.
Harry dropped the tip of his blade, entering the fool’s guard, and he shifted his weight to his rear foot, slowly pressing forward.
Tom had a dangerous smirk on his face, and took a similar stance, but with his weight forward, and the tip of his blade aimed at Harry’s chest, in what was a plow guard. He wasted no time in pushing forward, his eye’s locked on Harry’s.
“Give up Potter, and accept your death.” Tom goaded. After two steps, The reach of the stone sword was looming in on Harry, he was close enough for a strike, and Harry fought the urge to stare at the tip of his blade.
In response to this advance, Harry began circling to the right, this put Tom between him and Ginny, but he didn’t want to be on the best side of his opponent.
Tom sensed the hesitation, and reaching for that fear, he lunged, his blade aimed for Harry’s heart. This thrust flew through the air with a hiss, and Harry reacted in turn.
His back foot swung to the right, bringing him away from the thrust, and he snapped his own blade snapped upwards, the force he exerted in this was more than he had anticipated, Tom’s strength being immense, but he was successful in parrying the heavy sword into the air.
Taking advantage of the opening, Harry brought his left foot forward, closing the distance between the two of them. Tom however, seemed to care little about maintaining the distance, recovered instantly, and swung his blade wide, into a rising cut, from below. This attempt to counter Harry’s movement, was thwarted by Harry pulling back slightly, evading the slash, and countering with a slash from above, but Tom parried his attack, and stepped back into his guard.
Harry dropped the tip of his blade to the stone floor, returning to his guard himself, sweat beginning to bead from his brow. “I will not quit,” Harry spat, the pain of his recent collision with the pillar clouding his thoughts slightly.
Tom was angry, his attacks had failed thus far, and Harry was taunting him with that awful guard. He was but a boy, he should be an easy fight. Deciding to force an opening, he stepped forward, and swung his blade in a horizontal, right-to left arc.
Harry seeing his opportunity, stepped into the arc, and inside Tom’s guard. He brought his blade up and bound the stone blade in the midst of it’s heavy blow. The force of it nearly knocked him on his feet but the goblin steel held it’s own and stopped the blow. With a pivot, he Slid his blade down and forced his sword into the cross guard of Tom’s stone sword, forcing his grip to loosen slightly.
Now with the advantage, Harry used the momentum of his movement to bring his pommel into Tom’s chin, forcing the older boy’s head and body backwards, stunning him.
Directly following this, he shifted his grip and raised his sword. The tip of the blade was now at the chest of Tom, and instantly, Harry commited, lunging and pushing the blade deep into the heart of Tom.
Tom’s eyes widened in shock as he toppled backwards, the blade passing through him, and into the diary on the floor, causing black and white magical light to spew from the diary and Tom, before the older boy dissipated into ash.
Harry quickly rushed to Ginny’s side and picked her up into his arms.
“Gin, it’s me Harry.” He whispered softly.
Her eyes fluttered open, and locked with his. She opened her mouth to speak, and her voice came out soft, yet raspy. “I told you not to come, to run.”
Harry softly tried shushing her but her weak hand came up and pushed his away. “I told you I didn’t need rescuing, to stop worrying, why didn’t you listen.”
“Don’t tell me to stop. Tell the rain not to drop. Tell the wind not to blow. Tell the sun not to shine.” Harry responded softly. “To tell me to do the impossible is stupid, I’ll never stop.”
Ginny smiled slightly, her eyes closed and she sighed before falling to sleep.