Each step you took could be your last. Spells flew all around them. No one was sure who their opponent was anymore. There was too much light, too much noise.
With a small nod, the Blonde haired Death Eater walked away. Lucius had delivered his news, now he just wanted to find his wife and Son.
As though the news wasn't signalling the end of his life, Severus Snape stood anxiously in the outskirts of the room, observing. As was usual, his face betrayed little emotion. Severus' cold, dark eyes scanned the room. Eventually, he spotted the one he was looking for.
As he made his way through the centre of the room, his eyes remained fixated on his target. Around him, the voices of his old colleagues as they attempted to curse him, echoed around him. The spells missed him by mere millimetres. But, survival wasn't his aim. Not anymore. He knew what was going to happen now, he could feel within himself, that the end was coming.
Ignoring the disgusted looks he got off those who believed him to be the traitor, he made his way over to the other side, by the windows.
He stopped. His ability to scan people's minds was too easy, and in a room with so much emotion, it was much harder than usual to stay out of people's minds. He tried, but one thought caught his attention.
He was not the only one trying to find Remus Lupin.
Unaware, Remus stood over by the side, "Impedimenta," he said wearily, aiming at the masked Death Eater before him. The full moon was almost upon them, and really, Remus should have been in bed, asleep, not fighting for his life and those he cared about.
Severus looked around. Over in the distance, unnoticed by anyone but Severus, was Antonio Dolohov. He too, was staring at Remus, but his thoughts were nowhere near the blissful thoughts that surrounded Severus when he thought of his old partner. No. Antonio's thoughts were for blood. He wanted to kill.
Severus had thought the end was soon, but he hadn't thought it could be this soon. Despite Lucius' words. Speeding up, he made his way over to Remus, and without a word, took him by the arm, pulling him back through the disguised door behind him.
"What are you...Oh. It's you." Righting himself, Remus looked up, and realised who his captive was.
"Don't look at me like that," Severus said, "I mean, everyone hates me; I can deal with that, but... not you too. Anyone but you."
Severus was now leaning on the table for support. As Remus looked properly, he could see the signs of weariness across his old partner's face. There was tiredness etched upon his once smooth, pale skin. The eyes that Remus had always seen to be full of hidden love, when he looked deep enough; for he knew Severus that well, were now cold. Cold, tired and hopeless.
"I don't hate you," Remus said quietly, making his way over to Severus.
"Well you should," Severus said, trying to sound harsh with his words, but only sounding much more tired as he knelt down, leaning against the desk.
Remus carefully put his hand to Severus shoulder. With a small weary sigh, the man before him looked up slowly. Strands of hair stayed across his face, and with a slight tremble to his own hand, Remus pushed them aside. His hand still on Severus' face, Remus lowered himself down to Severus' level, both now on their knees.
"We'll get through this," Remus said, looking at Severus sincerely.
"I won't." Severus said, shaking his head.
"You can't know that," Remus replied, but it sounded more like he was begging for it not to be true.
"He wants to see me. Lucius had just told me."
There was a brief moments silence, while each of them considered the words.
"He might not..." Remus trailed off meaningfully. With a small sneer, sounding slightly like his old self, Severus shook his head, looking away.
"You know he will. I know he will," Severus said. It hurt Remus to see the man he loved so much, looking so hopeless.
"Take me with you," Remus said. Before the words were out of his mouth, Severus had already begun to protest.
"That's a ridiculous-"
Remus clamped his warm hand over Severus' mouth.
"Not in person, in thought. In your-"
"-heart," Severus finished off for him, as Remus removed his hand. Nodding, Remus gave a small smile. Severus, too, tried to smile. His eyes smiled, but his lips seemed set in stone.
"I've always loved y-" Severus began.
"Don't," Remus said, "This isn't the end. This is just the beginning." And with that, he pressed his lips to Severus' softly, carefully. Severus kissed Remus as though his life depended on it, as though all the strength he needed, would come from this one kiss. Within a matter of seconds Severus' hand was knotted amidst Remus short hair. He was afraid to let go.
Eventually, they had to.
Rising from the ground, the two of them observed each other again.
"You could still get out of this," Severus pointed out, brushing off his robe with one hand, carelessly. The doubt in his voice was evident as he recalled how much Antonio wanted Remus to be dead.
Antonio had, after all, witnessed the Dark Lord torturing Severus one night, after seeing a memory of Remus and Severus together, only four years before. He saw it as his duty; his duty as both a Death Eater and almost Severus' friend, to kill Remus quickly, before Fenrir or anyone else got the chance.
"You know that's not true, Sev," Remus said with a small smile as they made their way back to the door.
"I'll see you on the other side, then," Severus said sadly, taking one last look at Remus before beginning to walk away.
Severus had walked away from Remus many times, but never had he left on such an emotional ending. This was it, Remus reminded himself. Severus continued to walk away.
For the last time.