The Battle Cry
'Remus, Wait!' Dora shouted as she ran to him. She was only on the top of the stairs, when the front door slammed shut. She ran down, her hand was on the doorknob when a wail broke the silence. Dora glanced upwards, her heart breaking at the sound.
She choked on a sob, as she abandoned the door, pelting up the stairs. Andromeda held Teddy, who was screaming, his face red, his hair Nymphadora's pink. Dora grabbed the door to steady herself, chest heaving as tears ran down her pale face.
Andromeda placed him in her arms; tears shining in her eyes, though her Black upbringing did not let them fall. Teddy's wailing ceased as he cuddled into his mothers' chest.
'Mum, I have to go' her voice was barely more than a whisper, lacking conviction and her hands clutched Teddy.
'Dora, please, think of Teddy' She held him tighter, causing the infant's face to crumple with wails once more.
'I am thinking of Teddy, Mum. I have to do this for him!' she said forcefully, though her heart still told her to cling to her child. She stared at the infant in her arms 'I love you, Teddy. We do. Mummy and Daddy love you so much. We have to go though. It's who I am. I was trained for this!' she paused, trying to stop sobbing enough to speak coherently. 'It doesn't mean we don't love you. Please, don't ever think that because Mummy and Daddy love you very very much' She pressed her lips to his forehead, committing every touch, smell, sight to her memory. She placed Teddy back in Andromeda's arms, shaking too much to hug her mother.
'I'll be back soon' she said, knowing in the pit of her stomach that she was lying, 'I love you both. We'll be back soon'. Her mother was crying, openly sobbing.
'Dora, please, don't go' Andromeda clutched desperately to her daughter's hand, 'Don't go. For me, if not for Teddy'
'I have to go' insisted Dora 'Remus is out there' Andromeda began to protest. 'Imagine if it was Dad' Dora cried, flailing her arms in agitation, 'You would go! You know it!'Andromeda released her hand, pain flooding her eyes at the thought of her husband, the man she gave her family up for. She knew Dora was right. She'd have followed her husband to hell. Dora looked at her hand in surprise and desperately kissed her mother and son once more.
'Take care of him' Dora whispered from the doorway, and both the women understood what she meant. Turning on her heel, she tore downstairs, slamming out of the house with a resounding finality. Dora didn't pause to disapparate, knowing had she paused, she would have turned back to her son.
When she reached Hogsmeade, no tears fell from her eyes. This was something she had to do, because it was right. Because it was what Teddy deserved.