"The Ministry. You-Know-Who is coming, his Death Eaters are already here."
Harry, Draco, Remus and Severus all stared at the lynx patronus that hovered over the kitchen table. They'd sat down for dinner and were making lazy conversation, waiting for Arthur to come through and tell them the results of the body, when the patronus had come through the window and started the message from Kingsley.
Harry stared at the lynx for a few more moments, before pushing his chair from the table and standing.
"You will not go head first into battle, Potter." Snape's voiced stopped him as he made it to the door.
"I have to go. I'm not going to let people get killed, not if I can help it." Harry said, trying to keep his temper in track. His stomach was rolling and his body was itching to help, to leave the house and go to the Ministry.
"Of course you will be going." Harry heard the silent 'Not that anyone could stop you, you insufferable child.' "But you will not go rushing in like a foolish Gryffindor." Severus spat the last word with disdain.
Harry narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything. He could admit to himself that he wanted to know what kind of plan Severus had, and he didn't want any unnecessary casualty's.
"You need to be prepared to use offensive spells." Snape narrowed his eyes at Harry as he opened his mouth to protest. "You do. The Death Eaters are not going to be using hair changing spells, hoping you get distracted, that you fall into the atrium fountain or jelly jinx hexes. They will be out for the kill and wont care how they get it."
Harry grudgingly admitted it was true, and did a mental check of offensive spells he knew and could cast.
"What about my parents?" Draco asked suddenly.
He hadn't spoken much about his parents since he'd arrived at Grimmauld Place. Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy had sent Draco to deflect before it was too late for him, but had been unable to get away themselves. It had been too dangerous for Draco and his parents to stay in contact, so they hadn't had contact since the night Draco had left Malfoy Manor.
Harry went to stand behind Draco, laying a hand on his shoulder in silent comfort.
"I doubt your mother will be there. If Voldemort was confident enough to think he could take the ministry he most likely left unmarked elsewhere and took the best with them. Foolish as it is, he holds to much confidence in himself. Your father, we won't attack him unless provoked, I can't say for the Aurors or the rest of the Order but he may be safe, Draco." Severus said, trying to offer a small comfort.
Remus, Harry and Draco stood in front of the fireplace in the library, waiting for Severus to gather potions they and others may need at battle.
Remus stared sadly at the two boys -men now- in front of him. It was not fair that they had to fight so young, one possibly having to face fighting against his own parents and the other with the future of the wizarding world on his shoulders.
Stepping towards Harry, he pulled him into a firm hug.
"I need you to stay safe cub." He murmured into Harry's hair. "I don't think I could live losing you."
Remus had grown to think of Harry as his son. He'd marked Harry as his cub the first time he'd seen him, it had been the first time the wolf -Moony- and Remus had agreed on something. When Lily and James had died he'd been distraught that he wouldn't be able to take Harry, but he'd been assured that he would be safe. Finding out the way Harry had been treated almost broke his heart, wishing that he'd fought just that little bit harder. During Harry's third year, Remus had just been happy to spend time with him, and with Sirius' return, he'd backed off slightly allowing Godfather and Godson time, but when Sirius had died he'd made a promise to himself that he'd be there for Harry as long as he'd let him be.
Harry realised a wet laugh half sob into Remus' shoulder. "You too Moony."
They stepped apart, both composing themselves, and offering small smiles to each others.
"You too Draco, I've grown to care for you over the summer." Remus offered to Draco, not expecting a reply as Draco was still fairly closed with emotions to anyone other than Harry.
They had made tentative conversation and had gradually grown to care for each other as a Uncle would care for a nephew.
Draco was saved from awkwardly replying by Severus entering the room.
"Remus and myself will go first. Wait approximately a minute before following through." He ordered.
They all nodded, Harry and Draco moving to allow both the men access to the floo.
"Both of you for the love of Merlin stay safe." Severus said, somewhat stiffly as he grabbed the floo powder.
"You too Severus, Remus." Harry and Draco both chimed, offering small smiles as Severus and Remus disappeared into green flames.
After waiting the minute out in silence, they both stepped up to the floo, but before Harry could grab the floo powder, Draco pulled him into a hard kiss, all teeth, tongue and nips.
"Don't do anything stupid. Just, please. I know what you have to do but please come back for me." Draco muttered, lipswet with saliva sliding together as he spoke.
"You too." Harry replied as he nodded.
After another hard kiss they both stepped into the floo, preparing to step and fight into battle.
Remus grunted as Peter Pettigrew shot another spell, pushing against his shield.
He had been fighting his way through Death Eaters with Severus, stunning and disarming them before continuing on, when he'd caught sight of Peter, wand held for the final blow of Arthur Weasley. He'd aimed a disarming spell at him but it had missed, though catching Peter's attention from Arthur. Remus had managed to get a stasis charm on Arthur before continuing to fight Peter, gradually backing him into a corner.
He hissed as a slashing hex caught his arm, tearing the edge of his shirt and catching his skin. He couldn't remember Peter ever being this violent, usually sticking with simple stunning or disarming spells whenever they'd practised as teenagers and even when himself and Sirius in Harry's third year had caught him. Though judging by the slightly mad glint in his eyes, Remus figured Peter wasn't quite sane.
Thinking back to Sirius and the life he'd lost in Azkaban because of Peter, Remus shot stronger and more damaging hexes and curses at Peter.
"Always thought you were better then me didn't you? You, Sirius and James, the perfect trio who let poor little peter with them." Wormtail called.
"We cared for you. You were our friend and you betrayed us all. James and Lily are dead because of you and Sirius spent 12 years in Azkaban." Remus shouted back, even as he blocked another slicing hex.
Peter didn't reply, but straightened his stance and firmly gripped his wand.
"Sectum-" Peter didn't get the chance to finish the spell. Remus shot a blasting spell at the wall behind Peter, causing rubble to fall down, crumbling pieces of marble and stone hit the floor surrounding the body of Peter Pettigrew who had been hit with one of the first falling pieces.
Remus didn't give himself the chance to mourn the loss of his once friend, before he was off to search for Severus again.
Draco reached blindly-wildly for his wand, not taking his eyes off Dolohov.
He and Harry had been separated almost immediately, Harry being attacked by Death Eaters and joined and surrounded by Aurors, he had joined and started firing spells and curses when he had caught sight of Dolohov and had taken off after him, filled with rage at what he had put Harry through.
"Poor baby Malfoy. Realised you're on the wrong side have you?" Dolohov taunted, stepping closer and kicking Draco's wand further away.
"It's a shame you're too late. The Dark lord doesn't like traitors and lucky me, I get the job to end your pitiful life."
Draco closed his eye's waiting for the final blow. He mentality apologized to Harry, praying for forgiveness.
The blow didn't come, but a heavy weight on his legs and a thud caused him to open his eyes. Dolohov lay unmoving, dead on the ground, his arms and head on Draco's legs.
His eyes widened and he quickly scrambled back, pushing the body off him and started looking for his wand, when it was held in front of him. Draco took it, following the arm which had given him back his wand, up the the persons face.
"Father?" Draco whispered.
"Yes Draco. Thank Merlin you're alright." Lucius Malfoy pulled Draco up and into a quick embrace.
"Mother? Is she here? Is she-"
"She's safe, she's at the manor." Lucius quickly soothed, taking in the sight of his son who he hadn't seen in months.
Draco nodded absently, revelling in the fact his parents where safe and that his father had saved him.
He opened his mouth to say something when his father suddenly stiffened and gripped his left arm, hissing at the contact of his Dark Mark. Looking around Draco saw the other Death Eaters gripping their arms and ceasing fire.
Remus stared at the dead and bloody body of Bellatrix Lestrange before looking up at Severus. He had a satisfied look on his face, along with several cuts along his cheek and down his arms with one on his chest.
"Severus." Remus ventured gently. Severus seemed to be in a kind of trance.
He started to move forward slowly when Severus doubled over in pain, holding his left arm. Rushing forward, Remus steadied him, while pushing up his sleeve. The dark mark was burning and red and a long bleeding gash went across the middle and looked as if it went to his ribs.
Remus searched with one had for a healing potion, steadying Severus with the other, when several pops of apparation sounded through the atrium. He looked around and saw many of the Death Eaters leaving the Ministry.
"What-" Remus was cut off when a voice he dreaded to hear hissed through the ministry.
"Harry Potter."
a/n - ooo cliffhanger :3 FINALLY THE NEXT CHAPTER. I'm so sorry for the wait, but here it is! I'm straight back to working on the next chapter now! Only a few more to go, probably two. Enjoy! and thank you for all the support on my first multi-chaptered fic xo