First off, this in the third installment in a series. Just a note if you are new to my stories, my writing has improved greatly throughout my past two fanfics so this current one will most likely be vastly better written than my first.

To old readers, I am excited to start writing the last book about Rigel. I don't believe I'll be writing a prequel so this should be it. Thanks for sticking it out with me.

Also I've been planning Deathly Hallows for a while now so I have a lot of events to fit in, therefore right off the bat, big things will begin to happen.

I hope you enjoy.

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Cold. That's all I felt. It was like someone had cut me open with a rusty knife and ripped away all my hope. And in a way, they did.

I walked slowly into the room and pulled out a chair at the wooden table before me. I sat down heavily, and with my elbows on the table, I put my head in my hands and was silent.

All that was heard in the kitchen of Grimmauld was my soft breaths and the clicking of the grandfather clock in the corner. I stayed like that for what seemed like forever, just trying to block out the truth playing in my head.

The kitchen door creaking open startled me, and I quickly grabbed my wand defensively and pointed in the direction.

Oliver raised his hands in surrender as he stayed frozen in the doorway. I let out the breath I had been holding and quickly lowered my wand.

"Sorry," I mumbled quietly, setting my wand back down on the table.

I heard his footsteps enter the room, "It's fine."

A chair scraped against the floor as it was pulled back and I looked up to see Oliver sitting down across from me.

"Where is everyone?" I questioned simply.

"At Hogwarts still." He replied.

My hands fanned out on the top of my jean covered thighs and I pressed deeply into my flesh to let loose the tension I felt.

"I just can't believe it." I muttered finally.

"I don't think anyone can." Wood told me quietly.

I couldn't stand this. The silence that seemed to be around us, threatening to engulf whatever we had left.

I shut my eyes tightly and my hands formed into fists. I kicked the table leg beside me darkly and gave a frustrated cry.

Oliver didn't even flinch as he watched me.

I abruptly stood up and kicked the leg again, my hands coming into my tangled hair and pulling at it infuriatingly.

I gave another shout of anger before I moved to the counter and put my hands on the top, leaning against it heavily. My head dipped low and I shut my eyes again as my breathing came out in hazard gasps.

"No." I muttered angrily, my one hand slamming down on the counter.

I didn't even hear Wood get up from his seat. I just felt his warm hand on my back as he came up next to me.

I felt tears prick at my eyes in the utter despair I was feeling.

Oliver's hand moved to my wrist and he pulled me firmly away from the counter.

I went into his strong arms willingly and I clung to the back of his shirt as he held me.

"This can't be happening." I cried lowly, "How are we supposed to fight without Dumbledore? Tell me Wood, what hope do we have left?!"

"We have Harry." He responded calmly.

"Harry's a sixteen year old boy!" I argued back, pulling away from him so I could look into his face.

"Who has lived through much more than any of us could dream of," Wood countered, "You have to stop thinking of him like a little kid, Rig."

My jaw clenched, "Well I'm sorry for not feeling very optimistic, it's just a little hard after Death Eaters infiltrated Hogwarts and Dumbledore got killed!"

"Don't take your anger out on me, Rigel." He responded, his body tense.

My face flushed at his words as I took into account of his meaning. I didn't even realize how much Dumbledore's death was affecting him; I was too wrapped up in my own pain. And now here I was using him as a punching bag while he was trying to reassure me.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, my arms coming around my frame as I took a step away from him, "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking."

He didn't say anything and I just took another step away, "I should just go and head to the Ministry, no doubt it will be getting hectic over there."

After Hogwarts I started working for Kingsley in the Auror department. I didn't really do Auror work as I didn't have the training, but I was in charge of keeping files, finding information and such. Pretty much just background work.

"You should just wait until the morning," Oliver responded, "You're already running on no sleep as it is. We should just get back to the apartment."

"I can't just stand still," I told him softly, "I need to do something. Anything."

"There's nothing you can do tonight." He persuaded, "You're not thinking clearly anyway."

"Then maybe I can just wait here until everyone gets back," I tried, the useless feeling overwhelming me, "I'm sure Moody will find something for me to do…"

I trailed off as I knew that he wouldn't.

"Let's just go home, Rigel." Oliver said softly, "There's nothing more we can do tonight."

I took in a deep breath before slowly nodding, "Alright."

I left Grimmauld with a mental ache in my body. What would we do without Dumbledore?

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"Alright Potter, we've got some problems with Plan A, therefore we're going to Plan B." Mad-Eye told the messy haired boy.

I leaned against the back wall of the Dursley living room and moved the curtain back just enough so I could peak outside onto the street every few minutes. Oliver stood across from me beside Remus, his expression as concentrated as the rest of the Order Member's.

"Pius Thicknesse has gone over, and he was the only one who could make transportation out of here possible for you." Moody continued, his wild eye moving erratically in a paranoid motion as he explained, "So that leaved us with a problem in getting you out of the house. Second problem is you've still got the trace on you."

"I don't–" Harry began but was interrupted abruptly.

"The trace!" Moody exclaimed impatiently, "The charm that detects under aged magic! You sneeze and the Ministry knows who wipes your nose!"

I figured that a bit of an exaggeration but Mad-Eye was already mid rant and I wasn't in the mood for his scathing gaze to land on me if I dared to say anything. I let the curtains fall back into place and crossed my arms across my jumper clad chest.

"Therefore," The old Auror continued gruffly, "We need to transport you using something the Ministry can't trace; brooms, threstrals, and Hagrid's motorbike."

"Won't Voldemort," Harry questioned and beside me Fletcher cringed at the name, "Be watching the house to see if I move though?"

Moody narrowed his eyes in annoyance at being questioned, "If you'd let me finish boy I might be able explain the rest of the plan."

Harry sighed in aggravation and Moody ignored it, "We have one thing that's on our side so Voldemort won't know you're moving tonight. We've leaked a fake trail to the Ministry that you're not moving until the thirtieth. Of course You-Know-Who will probably have patrols in the skies waiting just in case. So we have set up several different safe houses to confuse them with which one you're going to. You'll be going to Tonks' parent's house that has every protection charm you can throw on it. From there you'll use a port key to get to the Burrow."

I watched as Harry's brows furrowed together in confusion, "But if everyone's going with me, won't the Death Eaters know which house when they see the lot of us travelling there?"

Mad-Eye let out another growl, "We're not all going there, we've all been split up into groups with different safe houses. Plus they won't know which one the house is because they won't know which Harry Potter is the real one."

"The real one?"

Moody pulled out his flask from his pocket and popped the top up, "I expect you are familiar with this type of brew?"

I watched as the kid's eyes widened as he realised it was Polyjuice Potion, "No!"

A snort came from the bushy haired girl in front of me, "I told you he'd take it like this."

"I'm not going to let all these people risk their lives!" Harry exclaimed loudly, his voice filling the entire room.

"Well none of us really fancy it, mate." Fred replied earnestly, "Imagine if something went wrong and we were stuck as specky scrawny gits forever?"

Harry gave Fred a heated look before swivelling back to face Moody, "You can't do it if I don't cooperate, you need one of my hairs!"

George chuckled, "Well that's the plan scuppered. Obviously there's no chance at all of us getting a bit of your hair unless you cooperate."

I elbowed him in the ribs slightly at his joking manner, as Harry was looking more and more frustrated. Of course the other twin had to finish it though.

"Yeah, sixteen of us against a bloke who's not allowed to use magic," Fred drawled, "We've got no chance."

"Funny," Said Harry though I had a feeling he didn't mean it, "Really amusing."

"Granger as discussed," Moody muttered irritated as the three continued to bicker.

While Harry was still glaring at the twins Hermione came up behind him and neatly plucked a hair from his head, causing him to growl out at her as she swiftly gave it to Mad-Eye. Harry still looked furious about it but didn't say anything as he realised he couldn't win the argument.

"Alright, fake Potters line up here," Moody barked as he shook the flask.

George was with Dad and I and we decided that it would be better for him as the youngest to be a fake Potter. Death Eaters would kill an Order member without hesitation, at least if they thought it was Harry they would just try and capture him for Voldemort. Hence a better chance at survival.

The redheaded twin moved from beside me to the front of the room and of course made a joke at Mad-Eye's expense. The Auror gave a scathing look to him.

"Just trying to defuse the tension," He said quickly and downed a sip of Polyjuice potion.

He then passed it to his twin who took a sip and then passed it to Wood. Oliver was partnered up with Lupin, and they were heading to Remus' flat to get to their port key.

"Get changed into these clothes and then get outside," Moody told the bunch as they transformed into several Harrys, "Time is of the essence!"

While the duplicates changed unbashful in the room I moved over to where Dad was standing. I brought my hand up to his arm to get his attention, "Did Moody confirm with you about the port key?"

His grey eyes, so similar to mine looked down at me and he nodded, "It's an umbrella set up in the kitchen at Grimmauld. It leaves about an hour from now." His eyes looked around the room confused then, "Is George ready? I can't tell which one he is."

I frowned and then saw two Harrys standing together by Mad-Eye complaining about the clothing option available to them. "Must be over there."

True enough one of them broke away from the group after they had finished changing and came to stand beside us, "Alright, let's get this rubbish over with."

I rolled my eyes in response and the entire group began to file outside to the brooms and Threstrals. I mounted a broom with Dad behind me and George beside me as Moody hunkered down on his own at the front of the lineup. He gave everyone a passing glance before calling out the next order, "Let's go!"

We rose into the air and all seemed quiet. As I held my wand firmly in my hand, I looked out to see city lights glowing in the distance against the dark night sky. The sereneness of the atmosphere was slightly unnerving. Nothing we ever seemed to do ever went easy, and this was far too easy for comfort. I looked to Dad who came up beside me and we shared a cautious look. Something wasn't right here.

We continued to follow at the back of the group and we travelled into a large cloud, my field of vision suddenly narrowing as the fog surrounded us.

And then it happened. It almost sounded like a bolt of lightning as red and green lights filled the air and cackles and screams were heard. Dark cloaked figures appeared out of what seemed like nowhere.

"Get the boy!" One yelled out.

"Which one is he?!" Another screeched.

A blast of green light came towards George and I and I quickly casted a shield to block it.

"Spread out!" Moody barked from somewhere in the madness.

The dark figures moved about the air erratically fast and our group began to scatter in different directions to fight off the attack.

A cackling witch came towards us and George casted a hex at her, causing her to freeze and fall off her broom.

"You two," Dad shouted towards George and me, "Stick together and head towards Grimmauld, I'll cover you from behind!"

A shot of frustration ran through me at his order to practically leave him for dead, mostly because in all the chaos, I couldn't argue with him to do otherwise.

"Rigel!" Dad yelled back again as he blocked a killing curse sent our way, "Now!"

"Rig, let's go!" George urged me and I felt his hand pulling on my arm.

I let out an angry defeated noise and complied to the fake Potter at my side. As we headed off to the side in the direction of Grimmauld I saw the real Harry with Hagrid disappearing farther ahead and away from the main fight. Small relief went through me at that before I was forced back to reality. Two hooded figures were coming towards George and I from the west and I threw a hex at the one on the right as George casted another spell to the one on the left.

My first spell was reflected by the wizard and I threw another one as I dodged one of his own. This one hit him just as his partner was jinxed off his broom and I watched as he convulsed and then slid towards the ground. I wasted valuable time watching him go though, because out of nowhere, a hex hit my hand holding my broom. A sharp cut sliced through my hand and I lost my grip and balance. I careened towards the ground for only a second before my good hand, also holding my wand, latched onto the broomstick hovering above me.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw George struggling to duel with another Death Eater and I fought to climb back onto my broom. I heaved out a deep breath of air once I righted myself and quickly casted a jinx at the wizard attacking George. Once he was dealt with I hastily motioned for George to follow after me. We continued to cast more hexes and shields as we broke away from the battle, trying to lead Death Eaters after us so they wouldn't go after the real Harry. Every so often when I got the chance, I would look behind to see if Dad was still following after us, but the last time I did he was nowhere in sight.

George noticed my troubled look and gave me a questioning gaze, "What do we do?"

I looked at the witches and wizards battling brutally all around us, "We can't just leave, no matter what Sirius told us." I quickly casted a shield over us as more curses were thrown our way, "Keep fighting until you see Sirius, and stay close to me so I know where you are."

He nodded quickly in agreement and veered off to help Bill and Fleur who were a few yards away battling. Another Death Eater appeared in my vision and I began to duel with them.

Screams and shouts filled the hectic air around us and from the sounds and looks of things, the Order was becoming outnumbered.

"Disperse!" Mad-Eye's course voice boomed in the night sky and we took that as the code that Harry was well out of reach and that we needed to retreat.

I glanced around again to try and find Dad and horror sunk into my stomach as I saw him battling with Bellatrix. I moved to try and get to them but a Harry like figure came zooming towards me, "Rig! We need to get out of here!"

I knew that if we didn't start moving in the next couple of minutes we would miss the time for our port key, but I refused to just leave Dad there with his deranged cousin.

"Head to Grimmauld, I'll meet you back with Sirius shortly," I told him quickly.

"I'm not going to just leave you!" He shouted back incredulously, "You're about as trained in combat as I am!"

I opened my mouth to argue back with him but suddenly his body slammed into mine forcefully, sending us out of the way of a sharp green light that was aimed for my head moments ago.

As we regained our balance on our brooms we saw two figures quickly coming towards us and aiming to cast more spells. I shouted a jinx at one and he fell surprisingly easily, but the second one George was having difficulty with. I tried to help him out with hexes of my own but the Death Eater was well trained and continued to deflect the shots. Finally one of George's hexes hit the figure's hood and it fell back to reveal the wizard's face.

Snape.

Anger at the man overcame me and I shot a hex at the professor, finally causing him to stumble before he threw one last curse. I wasn't aware that George was in a type of shock of seeing that it was Snape and he didn't notice the curse until it was too late. It hit the side of his head just as Snape disapparated. I froze in fear as I watched the surprise grow on his face before his eyes suddenly turned glossy. I grabbed onto his arm as he slowly went limp and began to slide off his broom.

"George!" I cried out as I tried to latch onto him, but with my hand injured I couldn't get a good grip on him and his weight was beginning to pull me off my own broom as well.

"George!" I yelled again just as I thought we were both about to go over.

Then another hand grabbed onto him.

"Dad," I breathed out as I saw his concentrated face across from me.

"We've already missed our port key," He told me as he held onto George's dead weight body firmly, we need to apparate straight to the burrow."

I simply nodded in agreement and with that a crack sounded.

We landed heavily onto the hard ground and Dad and I tried to support George's weight as we stumbled to our feet. I saw the outline of the Weasley house in front of us and we staggered together to move towards it. I glanced towards George to see how he was doing and my stomach churned as I finally noticed his ear, or lack thereof. I quickly brought my hand up to his head were blood was coming out of profusely and tried to clog it. We made it to the clearing in front of the house and Remus came rushing towards us and took my place and helped the boy get into the house.

I breathed out heavily and came to a stop as I looked around my surroundings. It was then that I saw a worried looking Harry standing to my right, just staring at me with wide eyes.

My exhausted being didn't have time to say anything as Remus came back barreling out of the house towards me, with wand raised high.

My own grey eyes widened as I saw his cold brown ones narrowing down at me. I instinctly reached for my own wand but he was too quick as he came right up to me and held his wand at my neck.

"What is Tonks' secret!?" He demanded roughly.

"Are you mad?!" I questioned.

"What is it!?" He repeated forcefully.

"She's pregnant!" I answered hastily and his wand immediately came down away from me.

He let out a hazard sigh, "I'm sorry Rigel, but I had to make sure it was you. We've been betrayed tonight."

I was still too stunned to say anything in response and I continued to just gulp in air to regain my composure.

"How did you and Oliver do?" I questioned finally, and I looked around the yard for any sign of Wood.

My eyes found Remus' again and my heart dropped at the look of sympathy and guilt on his face.

"Remus, where is he?" I demanded fiercer.

"Rigel," He tried to explain, "I had no choice but to leave, he disappeared in the commotion and I was becoming too outnumbered."

My chest rose and fell rapidly at his words and my head shook slowly at him.

"Rigel, I'm sorry, I'm sure he'll show up at any moment though." He tried to reassure me but I ignored him and my blood stained hands ran through my hair agitatedly as I tried to block the worry and fear from my emotions.

"Right," I said breathlessly as I tried to get a grip on reality, "Of course. I need to check on George."

I moved past him without another word and entered the Burrow. I saw George, now without the effects of Polyjuice, lying on the couch with Molly Weasley fussing worriedly about him.

I moved past Dad who was standing off to the side as I moved towards the battered up twin. I heard him say something about checking on Harry outside before he left the room. I crouched down beside George and gave him a weak smile.

"You look pretty when you're upset," He mumbled out slowly as he focused on my being.

I gave a rueful smile, "Git, you've got a hole in your head and you're still trying to flirt with me?"

"Have sympathy on the injured?" He questioned.

"I'm not kissing you better."

"Pity." He grumbled out, but I felt small relief at his words. If he was making jokes he must have been alright. Though a Weasley twin could probably make jokes up till their dying breath.

A loud crack sounded from outside and I remained sitting on the floor by the couch as Arthur and Fred came into the house. Fred immediately made way to his twin and I got up to make room for him.

Dad and Harry came back into the house shortly after and I went towards them.

"Remus told me about Wood." Dad told me softly, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and bringing me into a side embrace, "Stop fretting, that bloke of yours knows how to fly, he'll be here in no time."

It didn't make me feel much better though. Soon more and more Order members arrived and filed into the small confines of the Burrow's living room, but there was still no sign of Oliver.

Bill and Fleur came in and Bill's look silenced the entire room, "Mad-Eye's dead."

Molly let out a soft gasp from across the room.

"What happened?" His father questioned.

"Mundungus got scared and tried to flee," Bill explained, "Moody tried to go after him and You-Know-Who casted the killing curse when Mad-Eye wasn't looking."

My being went cold. I hadn't seen that Voldemort had been in the battle, and nobody until now had mentioned it.

I fought past the lump in my throat, "Did you see Wood?"

Bill's eyes found me amongst the crowd of people, "Last time I saw him he was following after Moody and Mundungus, is he not here yet?"

I couldn't breathe at the information that Wood had been with Mad-Eye and I couldn't respond. Beside me Dad shook his head in answer to Bill and I felt his arm tighten around me.

I had this knot in my stomach that I couldn't shake and fear was filling my being. Oliver and I hadn't been doing well lately in our relationship, if you could really call it one. From the beginning it was complicated. I mean I always knew where he stood in how he felt but I always seemed to be confused about my own feelings. After the Department of Mysteries we finally seemed to give in to our feelings but I had no idea what we had going on. We never found the right footings in our relationship and it messed with the original friendship.

Then when I had to move out of my apartment and had nowhere to go, accepting Oliver's offer to live him seemed to be more out of necessity than out of love. The confusion about our arrangement and even the stress of what was happening in the war caused arguments to occur. And while we didn't argue all the time, we still had a quarrel tonight before leaving for the Dursley's; over something I can't even remember. But it always led from the same thing. One of us knew what we wanted and the other didn't want, or know how, to give it.

I knew that I loved him though, and to know that he was missing and last spotted with a man who was now dead, was terrifying.

"Rigel, breathe," Dad's voice cut into my thoughts with authority, "Someone just arrived."

I was so lost in my own little world I hadn't even heard the crack of someone apparating into the yard. I quickly detangled myself from Dad's arm and hurried toward the doorway. I was moving so quickly that when I moved around the corner towards the door, I clashed into a hard chest. Hands clumsily came up to hold my arms to steady me and I snapped my head to look up into the face of Wood.

My eyes widened and I froze as I stared into his surprised face.

"What happened to my first owl?" I questioned.

His brows furrowed and his expression went completely blank before he responded, "He got drunk and dived off the owlery tower…"

My arms suddenly flung around him as I realised it truly was Oliver, "You git! Where the bloody hell were you?!"

"You say the sweetest things, love." He commented dryly as his own arms came around me, "I got separated from Remus, and then Mad-Eye."

I pulled away and finally got a good look at him, he was dirty, covered in dust and scratches, and his hair was windswept.

"I got outnumbered," He continued as his eyes searched around the room, "and the Death Eaters, thinking I was Harry, tried to capture me." He gave a rueful smile and I looked at him in confusion, "I got hit with some sort of jinx and I couldn't control my broom, I managed to escape the Death Eaters but I crashed into some muggle sandlot. Realising there was no point in staying or trying to get to my port key, I just apparated straight here."

"I apologize, Oliver," Remus spoke earnestly, "It was not my intention to lose sight of you."

Wood nodded but shrugged all the same, "Don't worry, it was hectic, I'm as much as to blame. Now where did Moody end up?"

My eyes looked to the ground as his searched the area.

"He's gone, Wood." Tonks told him quietly, "You-Know-Who met up with him."

"Gone?" He repeated.

Bill gave a slight nod and then slowly waved his wand in the air. I watched as several shot glasses appeared out of thin air. Bill then waved his wand again and they were filled. They floated to each person in the room and I slowly took mine into my hand.

"To Mad-Eye." Bill declared as he raised his glass.

Everyone repeated the words and toasted to him. I glimpsed Harry beside me before I drank and I saw him staring blankly into his glass, guilt apparent on his face. I knew nothing I could say would change his feeling at the moment but I still felt as if I needed to say something to him. I opened my mouth but a look from Dad silenced me. His grey eyes seemed to warn me that now was not the time. I let out a breath and finally downed back my drink.

I looked at all the faces around the room and hoped these salutes wouldn't have to happen again.

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So not a very happy intro, but have no fear, there will still be lighthearted moments to come with our dear sardonic Rigel. If you want, leave a review to say what you think of the chapter, or even ideas that you think I could use in upcoming chapters, I may not use your ideas, but I will read them and take them into consideration. :) Thanks for reading.