Disclaimer: Credit to JKR…character death.

You Could

By WittchWay

The old tree in front of the Burrow was on fire.

That was Harry Potter's first thought as he apparated to the front of the Burrow.

The tree looked sad as its twisted branches of willow slowly turned to ash and chard flakes took flight into the afternoon sky. The shadow of an old tree house the willow once held had collapsed in a fiery death at the base of the tree. Causing more ash and chard wood to take flight into the sunny afternoon sky as branches fell to the earth below. The sky that was quickly turning to a gray haze of smoke.

It wasn't only the tree that was on fire…it was everything.

Billowing clouds of smoke were tumbling from a small side garage and storage area east of the house. The garage that once held the Ford Anglia that Harry and Ron had once flown to Hogwarts in their second year. A car that now ran wild of its own accord in the forbidden forest.

Different colors of smoke tumbled from the attic rooms of the Burrow house itself, indicating it was a magical fire. Harry thought quickly of the ghoul that lived there, if he had escaped…could he escape. The attic right above his best friends room… Ron. Harry shivered and made as if to dart for the house.

But a fireball of flame's shot passed his head as he quickly remembered that there was a battle going on. He ducked on instinct just as Dean apparated and stumbled into him, knocking them both to the ground…just in time . He looked peeked and just as nervous as Harry did.

Another fiery shot zipped past them as they crouched there on the ground. Harry whimpered. For all his haste and impulsiveness in the past he was suddenly frozen in fear, in terror for his friend and family and their safety. Never his own.

Dean recovered quickly grabbing Harry by his Auror's cloak pulling him along toward the house. They came quickly around the corner of the Burrow, passing several Auror's throwing counter hexes and charms towards a group of distant bushes and trees.

The side of the house by the Weasley backdoor seemed to be the safe spot for the moment. Groups of Auror's were standing around Shacklebolt who was barking orders and positions. Several of the other Jr-Aurors were running to their assigned post with their assigned partner.

"Thomas about time you showed up, go with Bell to the shed" he pointed to a overly tall man with silvery hair, "Wilson and Bugle are already there. NO one leaves that shed…even if you have to stupefy them."

Dean nodded and followed Bell quickly trotting along behind the man.

An Auror Harry didn't know came running around the corner, "Shacklebolt, in the house now." he yelled urgently.

They followed Shacklebolt into the house through the backdoor into the kitchen where Arthur Weasley stood in the middle of the room holding a crying Ginny to his chest. His wand pulled, the tails of his robe were singed and smoking, he had dark circles under his eye as if he had been up for days.

Harry quickly surveyed the room. George Weasley was holding his head sitting against the sink on the floor. Fred was right next to him tying George's shoelaces and looking glum. Errol, the Weasley owl, was lying on the draining board still and unmoving. A very calm Pig right next to him rubbing his head over Errol's chest hooting mournfully.

Professor Lupin was helping a limping Bill down the stairs into the kitchen. The room was heavy with smoke that stung ones eyes.

Harry blinked, Ron was sitting on one of the benches at the end of the table, his eyes crossed and staring at the ceiling. Harry was instantly glad to see him and headed over to his friend.

Several members of the Order of the Phoenix stood off to one side Moody, Tonks and Fletcher who was eyeing the contents of the room…and Snape.

Harry seethed, hissing…The Auror's guarding the windows turned to look at him strangely. But Harry didn't care.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Harry snapped. His eyes focused on Snape alone, everyone else was but a blur.

Snape sneered, "Mister Potter…the Order asked me to join them on today's mission."

Harry clenched his hands into fists, the damn man never went on Order business like this. Why was he so insistent on being here today, in every aspect of his life, first in school and now in Auror training…in bond, if only Harry would let him.

"I don't want him here, make him leave…he has no business here." Harry felt like a toddler throwing a tantrum but he didn't care. He wanted his first mission Snape-free. He just wanted to be part of a normal Auror mission. Snape would only distract him with his insane rambling about completing the bond.

"Remember yourself Auror Potter." Shacklebolt fiercely snapped, his tone harsh.

Harry growled and focused on Ron who was attempting to stand at the table, holding on shakily.

"Harry, They hexed me… stupid Death Eaters." Ron tilted his head trying to get a picture of Harry in his sight. "It's kind of funny everything is like in sections," he grinned his face all red.

Ron had on the traditional reddish robes of a future Junior Ministry official. Harry smiled as much as Ron had complained and whined about the Ministry and it's lack of adventure he had followed in his father and older brother's footsteps.

Harry wasn't quite sure what it was Ron did at the Ministry. Every time Ron attempted to explain, Harry had ended up more confused then when they had started. All he definitely knew was that he did something in the offices where the prophecies were kept but not with the prophecies.

Harry helped his friend settle back down in the seat wondering where the rest of the Weasley's were. Mrs. Weasley was unaccounted for. Was Charlie home as well? Hermione was suppose to be visiting before heading to university in the fall. Harry was just about to get his questions answered when one of the Auror's at the window yelled "Incoming".

The Weasley's as a family hit the ground. Mister Weasley pulling Ginny with him, covering her body with his in order to protect her.

The Auror's at the window started sending counter hexes and charms at some unknown person outside and then they ducked as a large ball of fire burst through the window.

Splintered wood flew in every direction. Another ball of fire quickly entered flying through the kitchen window, then the living room…repeatedly, randomly. The fireballs came faster and fiercer, some were bigger then others, each causing their own damage.

Freezing charms and water sprout charms were quickly cast, another group of Auror's came running into the house. "The Death Eaters just received reinforcement." Bell said as he stumbled into the room. The tail of his robe on fire.

"Lets get the Weasley's moving." Shacklebolt ordered, "Potter…Sna…Lupin" he corrected, "Why don't you two get Fred and George to the shed out back."

Snape stood, "I'm with Potter, Lupin stay." He barked.

Harry helped an injured George to his feet angrily, he was not going to let Snape get to him. He was going to do his job. That's what he was here for. To keep the Weasley's safe, to protect them, to learn. Nothing like hands on training, you couldn't learn this in a classroom. That's what the Auror trainers all said, "field work was the key."

George leaned on him heavily, Fred pulled himself up, "I wish we could just apparated." He frowned pulling his jacket on.

"No" Mister Weasley said, "You're both injured and overly tired…" his voice was filled with worry. "Just get to the shed, the Headmaster should be here any minute and he'll apparated the shed in its entirety and the lot of you along with it to the gates of Hogwarts."

"There's a group of Auror's already there waiting for you…," said Shacklebolt.

"Ironic isn't it Potter," Snape snarled, his words heated on the back of Harry's neck, "if you bond with me, we could end this right now…but our supreme little boy who lived is just to damn selfish for that aren't you…." Snape leaned his face in closer, "Will you bond with me Potter? Will you end this."

Harry braced himself, he would not rise to the bait, he would not be lured into this argument again. He had every right to be on his own, to live his own life…to become his own person. Surly these people saw that. Surly they understood.

But everyone was watching them, waiting for a response. Waiting for Harry Potter to sacrifice his life once again.

"No" Harry whispered trying to stay calm and turned away from him.

Snape smirked opening the backdoor beckoning Harry to proceed. Snape grabbed Fred's arm in his grip, the boy seemed to be limping. The senior Auror's prepared to cover them as Snape and Harry prepared to dash across the yard toward the shed.

"Why aren't we using a portkey," Harry looked over his shoulder to Shacklebolt.

"Dumbledore has his reasons," Shacklebolt eyes turned golden in color sending a chill down Harry's spine as a unreadable look crossed his face.

If he wasn't about to run for his life Harry would have thought that look meant something. That there was some hidden message in that look. But as it was he didn't have the leisure to think right now. He held on to George tighter as the redhead's head lolled on to his shoulder. His breathing grew uneven.

"Go" Snape screamed… and Harry ran dragging George Weasley along with him.

The twenty feet to the shed was the longest of Harry's life, they were totally exposed. Flames and hexes flew past them, some to close for comfort. Snape was on his heels, muttering under his breath, throwing his own hexes. Harry slammed into the shed first and forced the door open and stopped dead in his tracks.

Dean was cradling Mrs. Weasley's head in his lap. Her eyes were shut and her breathing shallow. George slumped to the floor, Fred right there besides him. Auror Bell came bustling in carrying several potions and knelt pouring the vials down the woman's throat.

She didn't stir.

Fred crawled to his mother pulling her hair back from her face and kissed her forehead.

"Is she okay?" Harry asked, his voice was shakier then he would have liked, he didn't think he could live if Mrs. Weasley died.

Bell nodded, "Yeah but we have to get her to St. Mungo's for further treatment."

"Come on Potter lets get the rest." Snape opened the door checked his surroundings and dragged Harry with him back across the yard.

Harry noticed for the first time blocks of ice littered the surrounding area, patches of water muddied the yard and strips of fire were burning parts of the garden.

The feel of Snape's hand on his arm was distracting enough he almost tripped, the tingling sensation was overwhelming. They returned back to the main house with little occurrence.

Mister Weasley pulled Ginny toward the door nearly carrying her. Bill was leaning on Lupin both of their wands pulled. Ron with a very different Hermione was standing next to him. Her hair was caked with blood, a gash on her head was covered with a plaster. Ron stood a little off balance coming toward Harry pulling his own wand. Harry silently took Hermione's hand, she smiled as he did so, Ron took her other hand. He was glad she was okay.

There were more Auror's then there had been before. A loud beep emitted around the room and everyone turned to look at Shacklebolt who with a flick of his wand made it stop.

"Dumbledore's here." was all he said.

"Rory, Lupin, Bill are in the first set. Arthur, Ginny, Gilmore are in the second and Potter, Ron and Hermione are in the third with Snape and I following up the rear." He turned to face the Auror's guarding the windows and doors, "Once we're are in the shed disapparate and meet back at headquarters."

Everyone nodded.

"Rory," he nodded signaling the Auror to proceed.

And they ran, Bill limping between them.

The silence in the room was disturbing as the next group prepared to run for their lives.

But as they ran Harry turned and looked over his shoulder at Snape. The mans black eyes were

locked on him, Harry's side hurt, his chest hurt, something in his stomach turned. He gripped Hermione's hand tighter causing her to whisper, "Harry" for release.

Snape didn't move, Harry looked to the ground. A tightening in his chest pressed harder, something whispered in his mind to accept the bond…now….Before it was to late. Before they ran.

Harry opened his mouth and shut it. His eyes felt wet, like when the wind whips harshly around you, stinging your skin.

He looked up at Ron. His red hair fell in his face, his green eyes still crossed.

The second group ran, a blast outside made the house shake and Ron slipped his arm around Hermione's waist for comfort.

"Bond with me Potter" was whispered in his ear, Snape loomed over him, tilting his chin up.

"Bond with me." his voice almost had a pleading tone to it. Harry shook his head thinking he had imagined it…Snape would never plead.

Snape opened his mouth to speak again and then stopped. He knew he just had to play to the boys weakness; mutter the few words and promises, tell the damn boy he would make the bond work, that he could be everything the boy longed for with time…that he could love him with more time. But Snape's stubbornness, his pride held him back.

Then the sensation was gone, Snape moved out of Harry's personal space, his face back to the mask of indifference. He had asked Potter to bond enough, he would be damned if he would beg.

"Potter," Shacklebolt called.

Harry numbly pulled Hermione toward the door. Looking once more at Snape, who was now refusing to look at him.

"Go"

And they ran, twenty feet kept racing though his mind…it's only twenty feet.

But as they stepped through the door, the reality of the battle hit home.

Death Eaters were out in the open, moving closer, apparating closer, over head on brooms.

Auror's ran among them, it was nearly impossible to tell who was who. Great clouds of smoke were suddenly consuming the house. Flames shot out one of the upper windows of the Burrow. Rocks of ice littered the yard as the Auror's froze the balls of fire. The unforgivables were being used freely by both Death Eater and Auror.

Twenty feet…fifteen feet… and they would be safe. Back at Hogwarts.

The ground behind them seemed to shake. Harry turned to look back at the Burrow, the magic that had been holding up the top level of the house began to give way. Sparks of red and green shot out of windows. Flames engulfed what had been Ron's room.

A flame shot passed Harry's head missing him by inches. He flinched and pulled Hermione along, they had to keep moving. He could hear Snape and Shacklebolt throwing hexes, Harry just knew he had to get them to safety.

"Damn it the Dark Lords here." Snape grabbed his arm in pain, the dark mark searing his skin.

"Move it Potter,"

They ran and were almost to the shed, the door now open, Harry could see the large group of people within, he swore he could see the purple robes of the headmaster.

That's when he slipped on a patch of ice.

He slid for a moment and had just about regained his footing when he was pulled backwards.

His arm nearly wrenched out of its socket.

A ball of fire missed Snape by a foot and had hit Ron.

The flames shot upward and out as the boy's robe went up in flames.

The scream that broke the air was horrible.

And then Ron's was falling, still holding Hermione's hand, pulling her down on top of him.

The Auror's moved quickly, water hit the boy from all directions, Soaking the whole area in it entirety. Harry cast his own water charm a moment to late.

Auror's were swarming them, covering them in the open.

Trembling Harry dropped to his knees next to his best friend.

Ron's robes were burnt unrecognizable. His skin bubbled in red welts. His hair twisted and burnt in fiery spirals.

Hermione moaned next to him. But it was Ron he was looking at. He wasn't moving. His eyes didn't flutter and open. His chest didn't move. Harry made a move as if to check for a pulse but

Snape grabbed his hand, stopping him. "He's dead…keep going." Snape pushed a still moving Hermione into his arms.

She moaned in pain, as she was thrust at him. Half of her body was covered in the same red welts and bubbles as red as Ron's hair. Her eyes open they had turned black in color.

Suddenly the Dark mark lit up the ash-covered sky. The green skull with the protruding snake from its mouth floated over head. Harry was shaking so bad he didn't know if he could carry Hermione the few remaining feet to the door but Snape pushed him roughly toward the shed and then he was within.

TBC

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