"Because of the Hallows?"

"Those, somewhat, though - it's more complicated than just 'you happen to be holding these powerful artifacts.' Because of who you are. Because of those who have sacrificed for you, and those you have sacrificed for. And most importantly - because you have looked Death in the eye and understood it for what it is."

"What choices do I have?"

"You can go on, to whatever is on the other side from life. I haven't been there, so I don't know for sure what it's like, but I've learned something of it in my time on the edge - that in that place, Death reigns over all, and you would be its master."

"You can stay here, on the boundary. It's more than the simple construct your mind has made for you. You'd be immune to both the dead and the living, and yet you could influence them. Only with subtlety, but that's the path I've walked the last sixteen years, and - to say I planned this implies I only had one plan, but I steered until this was one of the outcomes your world could contain. You could protect and guide those in either world."

"You can return, to the life you lived before. You'd be one of the living. Still Master of Death, but in a realm where that matters little."

"You can have Fay and Anathema with you, wherever you go. Oaths are meaningful, of allegiance or marriage - and it was Fay's loyalty that gave you the final Hallow. They are bound to you."

"You might be able to move between the realms as you want, but... I'm unsure of that. The Hallows are a bridge. I don't know how many times it can be walked, nor all those who may walk it."

"You are no longer the container of a horcrux, and returning would not bring it back with you. You are free."

"I'm going back. We're not done yet."

She grins. "Of course."

"Are you... staying here?"

She hums. "It's up to you, in part - I can't make that bridge myself, not yet."

"I'm content where I am. Being on the edge of Death hasn't hindered me from learning or from pursuing my goals, and has helped me in more than a few cases. And - it might be useful to you, to have someone on the boundary watching over you."

"But I'd be content being alive, too, and I regret that I didn't get to help you grow up."

"I also, though, don't think this is the last time you could make that choice. Even if you can only cross the bridge once - the bridge can still be opened."

"Okay. I'll- see you later?"

Soft smile. "Whenever you want, Ellie."

Smile.

"Uh. How do I get back?"

"Well... The metaphor here seems to be that you take a boat."

"I think - it's whatever one feels right. This place was constructed by your mind."

Hmmm...

She goes to the magic boat and gets in. It's the one that brought her Fay, so it's the one that's going to take Ellie back to her.

The boat takes off, smoothly -

Ellie doesn't exactly notice the point when the ocean around her fades, and the world of the living - the world she died in - returns.

She's fallen all the way to the ground.

She doesn't move yet.

"Not worth all that much in the end..." Voldemort is saying, softly. And then he's turning away from her - addressing someone - "I'll leave you to manage preparations for tonight's press. I have business to attend to."

She waits a heartbeat more-

Then is roasting him alive.

Followed by biting him in half.

He was not expecting that, apparently!

He seems very, very dead.

The Death Eaters he was talking to - the ones not killed in her initial fireball - scatter. The smart ones try to Apparate away from the angry dragon.

They are going to have to be very quick, because she is very large and very angry.

She roars as she strikes out with her claws.

A few of them manage, leaving body parts behind. It's possible they won't manage to arrive anywhere.

The farther Death Eaters and assorted miscellaneous allies are also panicking, and the Dementors -

Appear to have lost any overarching control. The cloud is breaking up, the bulk of it slamming toward the castle hungrily, the edges targeting their ex-allies, who now start panicking even faster.

She takes to the air and turns her attentions to the Dementors, scattering them with blasts of silver-tinged fire like Fay's Patronus was using.

They do not like that.

Some, actually, catch fire - many of those in the direct path of her blast do -

It seems to be not just scattering but seriously injuring them.

Good.

She will destroy them.