Everyone heard Voldemort's ultimatum, least of all Lulu and her gathered warriors. They stood, hidden in the shadows, not more than fifty feet from Voldemort's masses. All the Black Mages stood as still as night, not moving. When Lulu herself had arrived to her people in their designated meeting place, she was surprised at the number of Black Mages who had turned up but also at the unlooked for members of the White Mages who stood side by side with their Darker counterparts. When she arrived every single Temple member had raised their hands in the silent greeting of their kind. Then together a White and Black Mage stood forward.
"Arch Mage Lucinda, you are hereby stripped of your title of Arch Mage of Black Mages," the Black Mage said solemnly.
Lulu had half expected this to happen - Arch Mages were not meant to marry. Now that she was wed, she by rights should no longer hold the position. She bowed her head in acknowledgement.
"And are hereby bestowed the title of Arch Mage of All Mages. Your Grace, the Mages of White and Black follow your lead. You have lead us in education and harmony and now will lead us into a battle that may see peace reign in finality. You journey is at an end, Your Grace," the White Mage said.
The Black Mage placed about Lulu's neck a silk collar with an interwoven emblem, depicting both the Black and White Mage symbols, cleverly combined. It was the symbol of the Highest Arch Mage.
Lulu's training and education was at an end. She was no longer the head of her order, but now the overseer of both orders. There hadn't been one in centuries.
She swayed, overwhelmed. Her mark, on the outside of her left wrist, faded now. She belonged not to one, but both and yet neither all at the same time.
The Black Mage smiled at her. "And congratulations on your marriage, Your Grace."
Lulu grinned. "My thanks, my friend."
She turned to face her own army, which was far vaster than she could have hoped. "My friends. It brings me joy to see us gathered thus, Black and White finally united in the face of a most perilous enemy. The Dark Lord is at the front door of Hogwarts. It is our duty to defend the youth of our society and those people who fight for freedom. We may not win tonight and we certainly will not all be going home at the end of this night. However, let it be written in the history books that the Mages took part and played their part for victory well. Let us be written as heroes. Let us be written as free people. Let us be remembered!"
Her impromptu speech was met with resounding cheers.
Now serious, pushing thoughts of her promotion and marriage aside, Lulu turned around and started walking. Her army fell into place beside her as they approached the gathering place of Voldemort's followers.
So now she stood with the Black Mages in the open and yet completely unseen. She had deployed the White Mages to the edge of the castle to wait. For every Black Mage stood a White, meaning there were at least two hundred Mages now in support of Hogwarts, although the school and its occupants were barely aware of their presence.
Finally the hour came. Lulu watched as the School's barrier defences were torn apart by Voldemort himself. Then the masses swept forward. Lulu let them carry on a bit and then with just a nod, barely seen in the darkness, the Black Mages swung into action.
Amid the destruction and battles of the school itself some had noticed out the windows the charge of the Death eaters, who mingled with trolls and giants. The reports of the wolves who had tried to attack the back had already been received from Neville and Ginny's group, who had thwarted that plan by destroying the bridge. Nevertheless some had made it through.
But now eyes were on the charge. And while they watched, others seemed to be closing in on the Death Eaters, a large circle of newcomers, too far away to distinguish. In a matter of seconds the outer circle began to attack, much to the surprise of the charging enemy. Confusion reigned as the Death Eaters struggled to work out what they should do - continue the charge or engage this new powerful enemy.
Lupin stopped himself beside his wife as they stared out the window. "Is that Lulu's people?" Tonks breathed.
"I hope so," Lupin replied grimly. "They're magnificent, whoever they are."
As the couple and many others watched, Lulu herself appeared in the middle of the battle. The rest of her army had Apparated just inside the outer walls of the castle, a further frontline of defence.
"Oh my god, look at them all!" Tonks gasped.
Nearly two hundred new warriors now engaged in the battle. And out of seemingly nowhere, Treasure Otters bounded into the fray, barking and growling furiously. While there were only thirty of the War-Otters, they were huge creatures and threw themselves on enemy with ferociousness to match the werewolves they were attacking.
Fred was sprinting past the couple as Lupin turned and ran with him. "Fred your wife is amazing!" he hollered at the Weasley, who grinned back.
"Why d'you think I married her mate?" he called back, ducking a spell and going after Dolohov.
By the front door Lulu and her people were fighting with passion and with a view to kill. Students and teachers flooded out and joined the fight, not knowing who these strange new people were but not caring. They were killing Death Eaters and to the Hogwartians, that was all that mattered. Professor McGonagall appeared down the half destroyed Grand staircase with a whole herd of solid oak tables charmed into a stampeding horde. Everyone leapt out of the way as the Professor followed her charmed army yelling "CHARGE" at the top of her lungs. It would have been quite the comical sight, if there wasn't a war going on.
The few cheers that had been raised turned to screams as the giant spiders from the forest began pouring into the school, attacking rather indiscriminately. Death Eaters and Hogwartians alike stop fighting each other and starting staving off the arachnid attacks. Lulu and her people, whilst ducking the spiders and other creatures, concentrated far more on still pressing the attack on the Death Eaters themselves.
Suddenly Voldemort's voice sounded out again.
You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist, you will die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen; every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured.'
'I speak now with Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you, rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter and I shall find you and I shall punish every last man, woman and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour.'
Instantly the remaining Death Eaters vanished and the giants and spiders withdrew. Suddenly everything was eerily quiet.
The White Mages began their real work immediately. Many a life would have been further lost if not for the addition of the highly trained healer mages. Those who had already perished were gathered into the Great Hall and the survivors gathered there to tend to wounds and each other. Shock reigned supreme. No one had seen Harry since the beginning of the battle.
Lulu, covered in injuries, wound her way inside.
"Lu, no, don't," Arthur Weasley tried to stop her from coming closer to their family.
"What? Why?" Lulu asked, concerned. She spotted the bodies of Lupin and Tonks and felt her heart stop for a minute. "Oh god no. Not Lupin and tonks. Their son…"
"Is with Tonks' mother and is safe," Arthur assured her through his tears. "But Lu, just stay here a min-"
"NO!" roared George, leaping over people and heading towards his family. "FRED NO!"
Lulu's heart froze again. She stepped around Arthur and walked towards the group, shocked.
There, on the floor, with the ghost of his last laugh still etched on his face, lay her just recently husband. Fred Weasley was dead. Molly was cast over his chest, sobbing brokenly. George was at his head, cradling his twin. At that same instance Ron, Hermione and Harry appeared. Ron threw himself on fallen brother and Hermione hugged Ginny tightly.
They looked up as Lulu approached. She knelt by Fred and tried to figure out if there was anything she or her people could do. A White Mage appeared out of nowhere and knelt beside Fred's body too.
"I'm sorry Your Grace. If we had been but five minutes earlier, but he is gone," the healer shook her head sadly.
"It's okay. Tend to those you can save," Lulu responded automatically.
"Oh Lu," Molly whimpered, reaching across and grasping her newest daughter-in-law's hand. "I'm sorry."
"It is I who is sorry," Lulu said to her. "I'm so sorry for your loss. I should have gone straight to him to protect him. I should have been right here to protect you all."
"Without you those Death Eaters would have charged straight through the front door," Bill Weasley said gently. "You can't save everyone, Lu."
Ron was looking confused. George, now calm in his grief nodded his head towards Fred's wedding band and then Lulu's.
"They got married last night mate," he told Ron.
Those who didn't know were quite surprised, least of all Harry, Ron and Hermione. Lulu ignored the looks of confusion and rose, still staring at her dead husband. Then she turned to Harry.
"You have another task to attend to now Harry," she said hollowly.
Harry understood. He followed the Arch Mage out the front doors and down to the front bridge.
They stood together at the entrance for a while. Lulu was staring at her wedding rings and Harry was startled to see tears falling from her cheeks. He hadn't even known that she and Fred were close, let alone in love enough to be married. But the pain radiating from the Arch Mage now was indescribable. Harry was feeling something similar.
"I'm sorry about Fred," he said in a shallow tone. "I…"
"I'm sorry too," Lulu said. "He was a wonderful person. Everyone who has fallen here tonight will be remembered always but for us, in particular, the loss of Lupin and Tonk and Fred are hitting closer than ever to home, are they not?"
Harry nodded, swallowing thickly. Lulu looked beautiful even in her agony.
"Now is the time, Harry. Now you must do the task I spoke of. I must die. Then it's just the snake. Then he's just a man, just a shell."
"There's one more thing," Harry said.
Lulu looked at him with great sadness in her eyes. "Then you have seen the memories of Severus Snape," she said.
He stared at her. "You knew? You knew Snape was on our side?" he gasped.
Lulu looked out towards the boathouse, as though sensing where Snape's last resting place was. "Severus and I have been friends for years."
"So then you know what I must do?" Harry asked.
"And now you understand why I am telling you why I must die?" Lulu countered.
"I do," Harry nodded slowly.
"Then go from here, when it's done and go straight to Him. He will not expect this, he hasn't seen the logic of the magic. He's more a fool than anyone could imagine, my father."
"Come with me," Harry said suddenly. "I.."
Lulu looked at him. "I think I would like that actually. Who knows, maybe the fool will kill me himself?"
Together they turned away from the castle. They hadn't gotten far when Finbarr appeared and bounded after them. Lulu knelt to her Treasure Otter and embraced him tightly.
"Finbarr, you must no longer follow me," she said sadly, crying again. "You are free of your Guardian duties now. I am no longer an Arch Mage. I am now Arch Mage of Black and White, see?"
She pulled her necklace forward for her Guardian to see. Finbarr howled in distress. The markings on his fur faded until they vanished. His duties were fulfilled, he was no longer bound to Lulu. The Otter was greatly pained by this separation. He nuzzled Lulu fiercely and she hugged her treasured friend as though she never wanted to let him go.
"You must go now," she said through her tears. Big fat tears fell from Finbarr's agonised gaze. "Go to the Weasleys. Protect my husband's family, if you can. I will not be back, my dearest friend. I will always be in your heart."
With that she rose and walked determinedly away. Finbarr's howls rent the air and her heart. She feared if she looked over her shoulder at him just once, her resolve would vanish. But she had always known this day would come.
"You're not an Arch Mage any more?" Harry asked in the silence, to try and distract her from what he perceived to be a double blow to her - first she lost her husband and now she was leaving behind her greatest companion. It was like Harry was walking away from Ginny and Ron and Hermione.
"My order ordained it last night, shortly after I left Fred," Lulu said. "My journey is complete and at its end now. I have nothing more to do, but die."
Harry nodded and they continued in silence. Halfway there Harry finally solved the clue of the Snitch and his parents appeared before him, as well as Sirius and Lupin. Lulu could clearly see them and she nodded at Sirius and Lupin.
Harry spoke with his loved ones before resolving himself to his fate and the strange little group moved on, the appointed hour almost over.