The night was alive with flashes of light, the sounds of screaming and spells echoing through the grounds. Hogwarts was in turmoil as the jumbled members of The Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army and other students who had voluntarily stayed behind, fought on against the Death Eaters and their accomplices.

Remus was in the grounds alone, the students he had led were all fighting their own battles. Their group had been scattered when several Death Eaters appeared, in the ensuing chaos Remus had seen a wounded Dolohov in the background trying to sneak away back to his master. Now he was hiding here in the courtyard, Remus was sure of it as he cast his wand light over the bushes and lawn.

"Homenum Revelio", he whispered, bracing himself for the fight. Quickly Remus was able to see the illuminated form of Dolohov behind a bush on the far side of the courtyard, as he jumped up and began firing curses towards him. Remus quickly conjured a Shield Charm and began firing his own spells back at the vicious looking man.

They fought in silence, the only sound coming from missed and colliding spells. Remus looked at the man with such hatred in his eyes that he could almost feel the wolf in him itching to get out, longing to bite and mutilate this man who had participated in the murder of the Prewett brothers. Gideon and Fabian were both powerful wizards, particularly when they fought together, and it had taken five Death Eaters to bring them down. Dolohov had been one of them, and Remus therefore knew how difficult it would be to defeat him. They had met in battle before, in the first war and more recently in the Death Room of the Department of Mysteries. Dolohov was cold and unfeeling, the kind of person that Voldemort welcomed as a Death Eater.

"AVADA KEDAVRA," yelled Dolohov at the top of his lungs, taking Remus by surprise. He dodged the curse expertly and resumed his own spellcasting. Dolohov was perfectly capable of casting the Killing Curse nonverbally so why was he shouting it now. The answer came in the form of a high pitched laugh from above as Bellatrix landed beside her comrade.

"Well well well, if it isn't my new nephew," she said with a cackle, "I think it is time to prune the family tree, there is no room on it for half-breeds and blood-traitors." She began firing curses at Remus too, and now he knew he was in trouble. He was already wary of taking on Dolohov alone, but coupled with Bellatrix this battle was rapidly becoming a suicide mission. Spell after spell was blocked now as Remus began looking for an exit strategy. There was no hope in thinking he would be able to defeat these two who were most likely Lord Voldemort's most powerful Death Eaters.

"Remus!" shouted a voice from behind him. His heart fell, he knew that voice, it was a voice that he loved so dearly that it broke his heart to hear in this place of battle and death. Then she was there at his side, dueling like the skilled Auror that she was.

"Dora what are you doing here, I told you to stay with Teddy," Remus said in a pained voice as he refocused his spells onto Dolohov, as Bellatrix had begun sending all of her spells at her niece.

"Teddy will be fine," Dora said with a mulish grin, "it's you that needs me tonight." They fought on; their spell work and cooperation in battle only enhanced by their love and desire to keep each other safe. Bellatrix and Dolohov were dueling more ferociously than ever, their desire to kill rising as grimaces of rage and hatred came to their faces. Bellatrix sent a jet of red light towards her niece, quickly followed by another streak of green. Remus's mind went into slow motion as he watched the spells flying towards his wife, the green hiding behind the red. He turned his wand away from Dolohov and sent a spell to intercept the Killing Curse that Bellatrix had hidden behind her stunner. That was all the time Dolohov needed, he quickly slashed his wand through the air and a streak of purple flame hit Remus square in the chest. It was pain unlike he had ever known, he had not thought there was anything more painful than his transformations. It felt as though he had been stabbed with a white-hot dagger and fire was now radiating through his very veins. He stumbled and fell backwards, unable to do anything due to the pain.

"NO!" Dora shouted with alarm. It pained him to hear her voice sounding so frightened. He wished he could tell her it was all going to be alright, but he could not speak. She shot an Impediment Hex at Bellatrix and hit her mark, sending her blasting backwards with a scream of rage. She then turned and fired what appeared to be a continuous bolt of lightning from her wand at Dolohov. It hit him and pushed him back against the wall of the castle, he was screaming with pain and trying to cast his own spells but it didn't look like he had control of his muscles anymore. He was being electrocuted, and the force of the spell was causing him to slide slowly up the wall, leaving the bricks charred as he continued upward. Remus watched from the ground, his vision blurring as he saw Dolohov turn his eyes towards a spot behind Dora.

"Do it!" he shouted through gritted teeth, and Remus watched as a jet of green light struck his young wife in the back, and she fell forward across his legs. Remus tried to yell, to curse, to cast a spell, but he could no longer move or speak. His eyes welled with tears as he silently looked at the lifeless body of the love of his life, the mother of his child, the woman he had tried so hard to protect. They were there now standing above him, Dolohov looking charred and angry while Bellatrix looked positively psychotic with glee.

"Took you long enough," spat Dolohov as he glared down at Remus.

"Thought you could handle yourself," cackled Bellatrix, "wait till everyone hears I had to save you from my clumsy little niece." Remus tried to form words again but all that he could manage was a small gurgle, as he was choking on his own blood.

"Oh the werewolf's alive is he?" said Bellatrix, "I shall take care of that." But Dolohov grabbed her wand arm before she could cast the curse.

"I was dueling him, it'll be me what finishes him see, now get out of it woman. Go find Potter, I'll be right behind you." Bellatrix's smile faltered a bit and she glared at Dolohov, but she turned and walked away out of the courtyard.

Remus stared up into Dolohov's twisted face, as the man pointed his wand at him grinning wickedly.

"Avada Kedavra," and Remus felt the oncoming rush of death and then, happiness, contentment. He was underneath the great beech tree on the banks of the Black Lake. He could feel them all around him as he gazed into the water. James, Lily, Sirius, his mother and father, and her. Nymphadora was there, her hand on his shoulder. She had waited, and now it was time to cross into the next world. Remus looked at his reflection in the lakes mirror-like surface, his scars were gone, he was less shabby than he could ever remember, and he had a look of happiness on his face. The happiest he had looked since the birth of his son. He turned and saw them all, his friends, his family and his wife, and they all walked together towards the castle. It was time to go on.