AN: As pitiful as it sounds, I am putting up a chapter because it is only Tuesday and my week has already been horribly stressful and sharing my writing makes me happy. ENJOY!

Sirius attempted to walk forward, but Dumbledore put a restraining hand across his chest and said, "I am afraid Holly isn't in control anymore. She is possessed."

"Possessed?" Sirius bellowed in outrage, "What are you playing at?"

Dumbledore replied calmly, "I had suspicions, but it seems her Occlumency lessons with Severus did not help protect her as much as we originally thought."

Chilling laughter suddenly filled the room. It came from every direction at once and the room dropped several degrees in temperature in a matter of seconds. Holly murmured, "Petrificus Totalus." Bellatrix dropped to the floor like a stiff piece of wood. Holly whirled around and faced the same direction as Dumbledore and the rest of her allies. A high-pitched voice hissed like a snake from the darkened corner. "Our Holly is not possessed, old man. In fact, she is very much in control of her own actions."

Dumbledore never took his eyes from that corner as he called out, "Show yourself, Tom. Let us discuss this like true men."

He came gliding into the light, but the shadows danced around him as if they were attracted to his very skin. His red eyes flickered around, taking in all details. His slit-pupils focused on Holly as he gave a twisted smile and asked, "How did it feel to inflict pain on an enemy, Holly? How did it feel to be in control of everything in that moment? You have the potential to be powerful, young girl, and I can offer you what is necessary to aid you in growing that potential."

Holly kept her mind and face as blank as possible. She worked to build the mental shield Snape had tried to desperately to teach her. She said nothing. Seconds ticked by and Dumbledore finally spoke in a booming voice, "You don't want to involve a child who is not up to your standards, Tom. You are here for me, so let us get on with it. Let the rest leave and you will have the battle you so crave."

Voldemort laughed hauntingly and the sound caused gooseflesh to break out across Holly's skin. She watched as Voldemort glided even closer, until he was only a couple feet away. He cocked his head to the side and blinked eerily before saying, "Be quiet, old man. I will get to you eventually. I'm talking to the girl right now."

He turned his vicious eyes to Holly once more and said, "I have been watching you torture one of my favorite pets for the last several minutes. I must say, I was a bit surprised to see such a dark trait within you, Holly Potter. They call you the Chosen One. The one who is to defeat me, but I have never seen or heard of any trait remarkable enough to show claim to that until tonight. Perhaps, given the right training, you could have a small portion of power that I possess."

Voldemort paused and then continued, "But that is no matter at the moment. I will give you ample time to decide if you wish to join me while I kill Dumbledore. Before that, though, I am quite curious about one thing. One thing that I found to be most peculiar."

He cocked his head to the side once again and quietly asked, "Why would you save Severus Snape? A treacherous and cruel man such as he is worthy of being saved by the heroic Holly Potter? How very interesting."

That hot fire came bubbling forward until she burst out, "He's better than you think. He's certainly more of a man than you are."
Voldemort gave a parody of a smile before whirling to Snape, who was still slumped over on the ground. His skin was a sickly gray color and his eyes were bloodshot. Holly could tell that his body was still contracting with muscle spasms from the torturing curse inflicted upon him. Snape's wand was in his hand and his sweaty face was expressionless as he stared up at Voldemort. The Dark Lord pushed a bare foot with talons across Snape's stomach and shoved the man like he was no more than a mangy dog.

Holly took a step forward, but Dumbledore shoved her backward with wordless magic. She stumbled and watched as Voldemort focused on Snape. He laughed, "How cute, Severus. It seems as if you have found friends at Hogwarts. Holly Potter not only saved you from my Bellatrix, but spoke in defense of your character. It seems she fancies you. Some things are bound by fate, don't you think? I, for one, find that Lily Evan's daughter has romantic feelings for Severus Snape to be quite ironic. How about you, old man?"

Voldemort turned his back on Snape and danced back toward Dumbledore and Holly. Voldemort snapped, "I was speaking to you, old man."

Dumbledore's reply was calm and almost bored, "I have never found caring for another person to be ironic at all. Perhaps you should try it, Tom."

Voldemort waved his hand and said, "You always believed in such nonsense. You know, you would have gotten much further in this world if you would have lost that weak heart of yours, Albus."

Dumbledore replied, "On the contrary, my only strength is my compassion."

Voldemort scoffed, "How could you people follow this ignorant oaf?"

"He isn't ignorant," Holly snarled.

Voldemort ceased all movement and she saw Sirius slowly moving closer to her. He came to stand by her shoulder and gripped one of her hands. His body was tense, but he was uncharacteristically quiet. The Dark Lord abruptly laughed and mockingly said, "You do have quite a loyal kid on your side, Albus. Stupid and close to powerless, but definitely loyal. After all, what other child would run to your aid except her?"

The Dark Lord sighed and said, "Loyalty is an admirable quality, Holly, I will give you that much. However, you are ill-equipped for power and are defenseless against the likes of me. I'm unsure what Albus believes he will be able to accomplish with you."

Dumbledore spoke up, "I do believe the time for talking is at an end. Let the rest go, Tom, and deal with me as you so badly want to."

Voldemort gave the slightest nod and Dumbledore slowly reached up and touched his own chest. Holly was unsure what this meant, but it must have had significance to the others because all the adults around her Apparated with loud popping noises. She felt Sirius kiss the side of her temple. He murmured, "You will be okay. Dumbledore will not fail."

Holly blinked and the only people left were Dumbledore, Snape, herself and Voldemort. With a cackling laugh, Voldemort threw up a blinding green light. She watched, numb inside, as a large skull with a protruding snake danced high above the room. It was the Dark Mark. His mark.

"All of your friends left," Voldemort mocked, "How cowardly of them, old man."

"Cowardly is the man who bullies others into submission and forcibly takes what he wants, regardless of who he hurts. This is yet another lesson you never learned."

Instead of answering, Voldemort raised his wand and threw out a thick, putrid green mist. It snaked along the floor as quickly as a Cobra. Dumbledore waved one hand and sent Holly soaring through the air. All she could see were blurs of colors as she flew, but quite abruptly she came to a gentle stop and hovered right above Snape. She hovered only a moment before dropping heavily into his lap. His hands gripped her arms to keep her steady as she scrambled around in a frantic attempt to spot Dumbledore. Fear for the older wizard was choking her as she watched Dumbledore and Voldemort hurl showers of sparks at one another without raising their wands or uttering a single word.

Holly blinked and realized that she and Snape were incased in a bubble of clean air and the putrid mist was skirting right over them. She was horrified and simultaneously amazed as she watched Dumbledore easily deflect a large shower of stones Voldemort sent hurtling his way like deadly missiles. Voldemort hissed with anger and pointed his wand toward a massive stained-glass window toward the very back of the room. Several sharp pieces lay broken on the ground, but now they bolted up off of the floor and came zooming at Dumbledore as quickly as the speed of light. Holly let out a silent scream and struggled against Snape's hold in a feeble attempt to run to Dumbledore's aid.

"Stop this, Holly," Snape whispered urgently in her ear, "Albus knows what he is doing. You mustn't distract either of them."

His forearm was wrapped around her slim waist like a vice and his other arm was flush against the length of her right arm. His long fingers were curled around her wand to prevent her from raising it and casting a spell. He whispered, "Trust Dumbledore. Trust me, Holly. Stay silent and still. Wait until this is over."

He demanded the upmost control of her emotions, but that was no new feat from Severus Snape. Wasn't he usually demanding her to control herself? Even now, in the midst of a war, Snape demanded her to control her emotions. She feverishly wondered how he managed to control his emotions all the time as she watched Dumbledore shoot out a jet of his preferred purple flames. They leapt forward gleefully and were inches from devouring Voldemort when they were doused with fat, acidic raindrops. As the flames spat and hissed their last dying breath, Voldemort smirked and disappeared into a whirlwind of black and gray smoke.

His laughter could be heard echoing around the room as Dumbledore swiftly turned, following the sharp wisps of smoke as it whirled across the room. A sinister whisper sounded right at Holly's ear, "Do you truly think you could ever be free of me, Potter? Did you believe you would have the skill to lock me out of your mind?"

Holly's eyes widened as her heart pounded and she wrapped her fingers around Snape's forearm to maintain some grasp of reality. Images of blood and death and decay had her gasping for breath. She felt piercing pain probing at her temples and she cried out as she fell forward. She heard Snape frantically calling her name, but she couldn't respond. Her dreams were forcing themselves to the forefront of her mind while Voldemort violated every inch of her mind. He saw it all. Her desire. Her love. Long fingers running up her thighs. A deep and quiet voice whispering to her in the dark. Cool, soft bed sheets beneath her and a warm body pressed against her own. Black eyes glittering with secrets and gloom. Quiet laughter and soft conversation suddenly drenched in blood. Drowning herself. Dying. All of the joy sucked straight out of her soul. A hundred times worse than Dementors.

"Stop it!" She shrieked, "Don't hurt him!"

She felt two sets of familiar hands touching her, but their touch was far away and distorted. Images of Snape with his throat slit and pouring red rivers of blood had her gagging. Voldemort's voice skirted inside and outside of her as he hissed, "I would have killed Severus for his treachery to me, but now I know your profound desire for him. He will beg me for death because of you, Potter. He will crawl at my feet and cry for death because of you."

"Fight this, Holly," She heard a sharp note to Dumbledore's voice that she had never heard before. "You are stronger than he is. You are all that Tom is not and that is why you can defeat him. You are loyal and loving, Holly. Those are your greatest strengths and will ultimately be the downfall of Tom Riddle. Fight this, Holly."

Voldemort's cackling laughter echoed from a far distance, yet it sounded as if he was kneeling right beside her. Just as Snape and Dumbledore were. They could both hear the Dark Lord's words and they both knew he was attempting to possess Holly. But they couldn't see the nightmares of hell that he was implanting in her mind. She sobbed and choked and screamed. Her body jolted in quick sessions before slamming violently onto the marble floor as if she were having a seizure.

"The old man is not as truthful as he seems, Potter. His faith in you is as hopeless as your love for Severus Snape. He will never touch you as you dream of him doing. He will never see you as you want him to. He will never love you, Potter, because love is but an illusion."

Underneath the crazed haziness of her pain, Holly grabbed ahold of a gently floating thought. Snape healing the blisters on her sunburnt neck. After that, it was like a gate had been opened and golden liquid poured into her mind. Snape protecting her from a cursed broomstick her first year in school. Snape being one of the teachers who defended her when the Chamber of Secrets was opened. Snape angrily telling Dumbledore that Holly was a child who needed to be protected and not thrown into dangerous situations. Snape who gave her Dreamless Sleep Draughts and hesitantly admitted he was trying to keep her safe from Dolores Umbridge. Then she pictured the kind smile of Mrs. Weasley and listened to the mischievous laughter of Ron when he had left a Stink Bomb underneath Hermione's bed. She thought of Remus and how happy she had been when he had taught Defense Against the Dark Arts. Holly pictured Dumbledore's twinkling eyes and felt the fierce arms of Sirius hugging her.

"NO!" She shouted in a hoarse voice, "You can't take them from me!"

She was met with silence. No voices and no taunts. She could feel the grasp he had on her mind slipping away. Snape firmly said, "Keep pushing him out, Holly. Don't let him win. You're stronger than he is."

You don't know love, she thought fiercely, and you never will. You don't know friendship or kindness. You don't understand the importance of family or loyalty. I feel sorry for you, Tom. And you will not defeat me. You will lose.

She heard a piercing cry of rage a moment before it echoed down the corridor and far away from the building. She could hear startled and frightened cries followed by thundering footsteps just moments before people came pouring into the wrecked room. Vision blurry, Holly reached out and latched onto Snape's arm. She blinked heavily and croaked, "Don't leave. Please, don't leave me."

"You're safe now." His voice was hard, "The Dark Lord is gone."

He pulled away from her as people swarmed around her body. She could hear a man brokenly saying, "He's back. He's back. You-Know-Who is back."

Dumbledore's booming voice replied curtly, "That is what I have been trying to tell you for a year now, Cornelius. Unfortunately, much damage has already been done since you have finally come to your senses."

"Well, now, Dumbledore, I…" Cornelius Fudge trailed off and silence followed.

Dumbledore bent down and ran a gentle hand across Holly's forehead. He whispered, "I do believe everyone in this world underestimates you except me, my dear."

Holly groaned at the pain still radiating through her body as Dumbledore scooped her up into his arms. He said, "Sleep now, child. I am bringing you back to the castle now. Cornelius, the first thing I must insist upon is the removal of that dreadful woman from my castle."
Holly heard Cornelius Fudge stuttered an agreement as she faded into darkness.

AN: I could really use some encouragement to ease my tough time, guys. Let me know what you think in a review, whether positive or negative. Please?:( Thanks. Taytay123456