Prologue
"This is it", she thought bitterly to herself.
Hermione Jean Granger, brightest witch of her age, stood in a darc corner in the Great Hall, tried to bring her exhausted body to strength again. She didn't know how much longer she would be able to fight, her eyes searched frantically for a sign that they could win this battle, but to her distress, she found none. The Order was fighting everywhere along with wizards and witches who belived in Harry Potter, Hermione could see Remus Lupin fighting Lucius Malfoy, but her body froze in shock as her eyes met the sight of Ginny Weasley duelling Bellatrix Lestrange.
Panic overcame her and the brunette shot out of her hiding place, her eyes were still focused on the young witch, but the situation got even worse. Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottem appeared out of nowhere, curses shot out of their wands as they joined the battle.
Curses of green light shot through the Great Hall, screams filled the once proud hall, which had always been a place of peace to her, the horrible smell of blood clouded the air. Her mouth shot open and a silent scream escaped it as she managed to throw her body to the floor, the curse missed her just a few inches and hit Neville instead. Using her battle skills, she rolled around, aiming her wand at the Death Eater. "Petrificus Totalus!" The hex hit Dolohov in the stomach, his body fell to the floor.
A horrible scream echoed through the hall, bones cracked and Luna Lovegood sank to the ground, blood all around her lifeless body. Hermione watched in shock as Neville ran torwards the blackhaired woman, he screamed in agony as he threw himself at the insane witch. It all happened too fast: the killing curse hit him right in the stomach while Ginny Weasley screamed heartbreaking.
Suddenly Hermione jumped to her feets, images of Luna and Neville killed by the hands of Bellatrix flashed through her mind. Neville and Luna, the sweetest persons in the whole wizarding world, her friends, dead. Curses shot out of her wand, taking down several enemy, as she eventually ran torwards Ginny Weasley who was still fighting against the insane witch, but to her horror Hermione could see that the redhead wouldn't last long.
"If this isn't my favourite Mudblood", laughed Bellatrix as Hermione threw a hex at her, just to see the Death Eater put her curse down easily, never would she be willing to lose Ginny too.
"Came to rescue the little bloodtraitor?", she teased. It was obvious that neither her nor Ginny stood a chance against the witch. Ginny was breathing heavily, her injuris were serious, she was clenching her left arm which was bleeding dangerously. Her skin was pale and Hermione knew from the fanatic look on her face that the only reason that the readhead was still on her feets was her unbreakable willpower.
"Hermione, watch out!" Ginny cried out as Bellatrix began to throw curses at her. It seemed like time slowed down, the youngest Weasley was pushed to the ground by the brunette who was now throwing herself hexes at the Death Eater. Every move she made hurt, her body was bleeding to an extent that Hermione knew that she would die by bloodloss soon if she wouldn't get help. Her left ankle was broken, scares covered all of her skin and her clothes were ripped and sucked with her own blood and her vision was blurry because of a deep cut on her forhead.
Where was Harry? She needed to find him, she had to save him, no matter the risk, but first she had to make sure that Ginny would make it out of the fight alive, Harry could never bear the loss of the youngest Weasley and neither could she.
"Crucio!" The Unforgivable hit her right in the stomach, her body fell to the ground and the young witch could taste her own blood on her lips. She screamed out in agony, digging her nails into her bleeding skin, she felt like she was burning, all she heart was Bellatrix' cruel laugh.
This was the end, she knew it. The pain was too much to bear for Hermione, her senses were gone, all she praied for was for death to come and end her pain. What was there worth living for anyway? Luna, Neville, Fred, George, Lupin, Tonks, Parvati and countless of other people who were dear to her were gone. Dead. Her parents... Tears were streaming down her face as the pain grew unbearable, finally darkness came to surround her. Her last thoughts were about Harry Potter, the boy who lived, she praied to all gods she knew that he would win, that her bestfriend would get the chance to be happy, he had suffered so much to fullfill the prophecy and she knew noone who deserved a loving, caring and happy life as much as him.
A blue light surrounded her lifeless body as she slowly disappeared, vanished away.
So when all that you ever believe comes apart at the seams,
When all of the bridges you build are washed away in the stream...
Whatever comes, it's not the end, we gotta fight and make a stand.
"Evans! Evans, wait, I'm so sorry!" The seventh years watched in amusement as a fuming Lily Evans stormed out of the school, followed by a shouting James who shouted his apologies to the young witch who herself looked like she would Avada the Potter the next second she would get her wand on him.
"So, bet that he told her again how madly in love he's with her", smirked a young blackhaired man, the amusement was clearly written all over his handsome face, while he watched his best mate and the redhead.
"Maybe, but looking at Evans reaction, poor James had no chance." Remus Lupin chuckeld. The group of two laughed and continued their way to the acreage of Hogwarts.
A few girls approached the infamous Marauders, they began eventually to giggle as the young Black flashed them a dazzling smile, next to Sirius Remus rolled his eyes dramatically at their behaviour. Sirius Black was known as the ladysman, he got looks to kill for and a flirty attitude, every girl wanted to be with him.
They finally reached the field next to the Forbidden Forest and eventually a grinning James Potter joined his friends.
"There you are! I already began to think you would miss the lesson", said a happy looking James. Remus raised a brow at his friend, one second he was looking miserable, shouting apologies after Evans, the next he ran to them grinning like an idiot.
"I assume that things with Evans went quiet well this time?", the werewolf questioned.
"Yes! Guess what, mate? SHE DIDN'T HIT ME!" Sirius burst out in laughter, he desperate tried to hold back the tears as his best mate cried out in joy. It was always the same since their second year when Lily was chosen as the love of James' life. At least one time the week the school would get to see James who admitted his undying love for the stubborn redhead, the next second James would wince in pain, because Lily hit him with one of her dusty, thick books, it was probably the most entertaining scenes Sirius had watched his whole life.
"I guess Evans will fall for you soon then, mate", Sirius laughed.
Before they got the chance to discuss James and Lilys relationship any further, their teacher for Caring for Magical Creatures appeared and the class fell silent.
"I have a surprise for you today, class", the professor told them in a cryptical voice, "we'll go into the Forbidden Forrest, there you'll get the unique chance to look at it in its natural environment. Now, follow me, but be careful, the forest can be dangerous..."
But before the professor had the chance to give his students further instructions, a heartbreaking cry escaped a blonde girl. Her skin was white as a ghost and she pointed her finger in the direction of the Forbidden Forest, her face was shocked as she stood there frozen. Her scream caused everyone to look torwards the thick, wooden trees, even Sirius and James who, until now, were busy planning their next prank for Potions with the Slytherins and had pait no attention to their professor.
"What the hell", James whispered, unable to move, "you two see that too, right?"
Sirius was frozen to the spot. He couldn't shake the odd feeling that, whatever was standing there beneath the old trees in the darkness would mean trouble. Something would happen and he was quiet sure that things wouldn't change for good.
Slowly the figure began to move out of the shadows, it revealed a body, half horse, half man. The centaur fixed his gaze on the students, his muscles tensed as he stepped proud and strong out of the forest.
"Professor", his deep voice filled the air, his darc eyes looked stern.
"Firenze", Professor Hammington answered, his voice low. This wasn't good, the old man thought to himself, the centaurs of Hogwarts never left the forest until something drastic would affect all beings and they needed to share their wisdom to save all that could be affected.
"It happened, Hammington, the stars are in a row. This is where I'll leave her. She's not save now, her injuris are serious. The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times. You need to hurry, she's nearly dead by now." He bowed his upper part of his body, students screamed in horror, James gasped, his eyes wide with shock. A small, lifeless body could be seen and Sirius tried desperate to fight the urge to throw up.
Her brown curls fell over her face, every part of her skin seemed to be covered with wounds, blood and other serious injuries. Her left ankle was broken and her torso showed a deep cut. Her clothes were ripped and sucked with blood, there was no chance for him that she could still be alive. Beside him James and Remus gasped in horror. Not one of the three could imagine what had happened to her.