Life Happens

Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter or Twilight series or have any rights to them.

AN: I know it's short compared to my other chapters, and that it is basically mid week, but I was a little busy and a little down with the responses from last chapter. Thank you who did review, you are wonderful. I really do look forward to feedback, but I won't beg or hold out. I'll just write when I feel like writing. Here's the next chapter.

Chapter 20: Trapped and a Return

As the days went by, more and more death eaters began to accumulate in the Forbidden Forest. The Order watched with growing distress as they tried to formulate a plan. The Aurors had not been able to get to the castle yet, held up with other death eater attacks, and the people and resources they had were limited.

They had most of the teachers and oldest students keeping an eye on the students as well as taking care of the injured and sick. When the castle began collapsing, it had been without any forewarning or preempt. Because of this, many students had been injured in some way and as well a few teachers. The minor injuries had been dealt with quickly, but about a third of the injured were more serious cases. Beds full of students re-growing broken bones, nursing bruises, and healing from cuts lined the halls. Special rooms were put aside for more serious cases, ranging from bad concussions to crushed ribcages to potion mishaps. When the castle was struck, class had been in session and even though it was the last class of the day, one of them had been a double potions class. The collapsing ceiling caused ingredients to go flying and potions to tip over and mix. Many, if not all, of the students in the class were affected aversely in some way.

Thankfully the house elves were able to use their own brand of magic to reinforce the kitchens, where they had taken refuge, and were still supplying the school with food. Unfortunately, the dungeons had been buried in rubble by now, along with potion stocks, supplies, and ingredients. Severus was trying to convince the headmaster to let him go down and excavate. So far, it was still deemed to dangerous. The dungeons were one of the more unstable parts of the castle.

"Albus, we are running out of potions and there are some we need they we never even had!" Severus exclaimed. Poppy nodded in agreement beside him.

"Albus, if we don't start treating some of the more serious cases I don't know if we will be able to help them completely in the end," she sighed.

"What if I go with him?" Rosalie piped up, surprising everyone. She very rarely spoke u in meetings and never offered anything she wasn't asked for. She had a soft spot for children though, as the rest of the Cullens knew.

"I'll go too," Esme added, "Together we can get him in and out safely and with all of the supplies needed." Rosalie and Esme both stepped up beside Severus as well. Albus looked them all over and sighed.

"Alright, but be quick. None of us know what will happen next right now and I don't want to loose anyone, even as necessary as this quest might be."

After informing the Aurors of their attack, Albus had had to cut off all floo networks in the castle, to keep the death eaters out. Now, with everyone stuck in the infirmary, the only way to reach the outside was either through Fawkes or, surprisingly enough, Hedwig, who had some way of getting on and off the grounds without being seen or caught. Smart owl.

A potions lab was set up in a room off of the Order's main room and soon Severus was seen very sparsely. He had taken some of his best NEWT potions students to make the basic healing potions, while he focused on more complex problems. Even Esme, who loved cooking and likened potion making to it, was a quick study and began making potions as well. With Molly, Carlisle, Rosalie, and Mrs. Diggory helping Poppy with the injured kids, and Minerva, and the rest of the free teachers keeping the students busy, there were very few adults left to plan.

"I wish we knew what was going on out there." Remus sighed, running a hand through his hair. Sirius patted him on the back in support. They could see Remus was exhausted. Two nights ago had been the full moon. Severus had some wolfsbane in stock, and they had him locked in a secluded room than was warded, so none of the children noticed. It didn't help Remus much though; he was tired and stressed and worried.

"I'm sorry. It's all fuzzy. There are too many decisions to be made, too many not made yet, and too many being made at the last minute. I can't see Bella either, she's blocked me." Alice slumped in her seat, looking put-out.

"Knowing Bella, she probably though we'd all be safest if we didn't and couldn't know whatever it is she is up to. You know, in case we get captured." Sirius was right. If any of them were captured, their minds could be broken into; even with occulmency shields- they only ever lasted so long. If whatever Bella was doing was going to help end the war in their favor, it was best they not know.

"Have the Aurors responded yet?" Jasper asked Albus, steering towards a more conducive conversation topic.

"Yes, but it was only a short message. It seems most of the other attacks have halted and the death eaters have pulled back to Merlin knows where." Mr. Diggory responded for the headmaster, "They are trying to get to Hogwarts, but there seems to be more death eaters surrounding the castle outside the grounds, which we cannot see. They want us to open the floo, but the dangers of doing so could be too high. Death eaters could be just waiting for such an opportunity."

"I never knew there were so many death eaters. At least now we know about being surrounded." Sirius pointed out. "They must be coming from all over, not just the UK."

"If we don't open the floo, how are we going to get help? Do you really think the death eaters will try to get in? How will they even know when we open it?" Charlie Weasley piped up.

"We are going to have to open the floo. It's the only way. There are vampires out there in the forest with the death eaters," Jasper pointed out on the map. "I'm sure there are more surrounding the grounds."

"As for the death eaters coming in via floo, we don't know if they will, but it doesn't help to be prepared. Perhaps we can pick a day and span time and pool our manpower. If we only open one fireplace and we all surround it we should be all right. The most that can come at once would be five, maybe ten." Arthur thought aloud, answering his son's questions. Albus nodded in agreement. It was the only way they'd get anyone in to help out.

The next day, the entire Order and all the teachers, excluding those hurt and Poppy, were waiting, wands drawn, at the fireplace in Poppy's office. The floo would be officially open from six a.m. to seven a.m. Hopefully too early for the death eater to think they'd be up to anything.

Promptly at five after six, the first set of five Aurors flooed in. Every five minutes another set would floo through and join the group, freeing some of the adults so they could go back to their duties. Everything was going smoothly until half past six. As the next group of Aurors should have flooed in, the green flames flared up but no one came through. The next thing they knew the room began to fill with smoke and the fireplace exploded in a burst of colorful hexes. In quick succession the fireplace lit up with green flames, almost as if the embers never died down at all.

The room filled with black robed figures, barely able to be seen through the thick smoke. The Aurors and remaining order members fell into a coughing fit, trying to say counter curses and hexes back with some difficulty. Someone had the sense to lock and ward to room when the smoke started, keeping all current occupants in the room, though fighting.

All that could be heard were spells flying back and forth, crashing into shields and walls and whatever was conjured to take cover under and behind. It was a good fifteen minutes before the floo flared up again.

"Depulso! Deprimo! Expellimellius!" A voice called out in quick succession, clear and articulate. The smoke cleared instantly. The Aurors and order looked around, confused. All of the death eaters were on the floor groaning. "Immobulus."

All eyes turned to the sound of the voice and the one who pretty much saved them.

"Bella!" Remus exclaimed, running to her and grabbing her up in a huge hug, planting kisses all over her face before giving her a deep passionate open mouth kiss, trying to pour in his emotions and how much he missed her. "Merlin I missed you." He sighed putting her down.

"I missed you too, Moony. Sorry I was gone so long." Smiling softly, Bella squeezed his hand before letting go. She stepped forward and handed over all the wands she had collected to Albus, who also gave her a tight hug. "Where have you been? What have you been doing? Quickly, we must close the floo." Albus rambled, not knowing which he wanted first.

"I'll tell everyone later where I was and what I was doing. As for the floo, don't worry, I exploded it on their end after I flooed through. Damn bastards thought they could capture me. Ha! They didn't know who they were messing with." She grinned sadistically, throwing a glace back at the fireplace. Remus walked up and took her in his arms again, just holding her. Bella smiled happily this time. "So, where's the Order. I'm sure we've got a lot to go over."

"But, the floo." A random Auror pointed out.

"I'm sure the rest of you can handle closing it off safely, after getting rid of this junk first that is." She said dismissively as she walked out of the room, Remus being towed behind her via their hands, and the rest of the order trailing after.

"Aunt Bella!" Harry yelled as soon as she stepped out of the office. He was the first to notice her, but his shout defiantly drew everyone else's attention. Harry ran over to her, jumping onto her with a huge hug. Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Cedric were not far behind, though they didn't leap at her seeing as her arms where full.

"Don't ever leave me again!" Harry sobbed into her shoulder as soon as he was back on two feet, still clinging to Bella. "I can't loose you! Please don't leave me behind."

Bella kissed the top of his head and squeezed him softly, "I wouldn't have gone if it wasn't absolutely necessary. You know that. I had to do what I did, and I'm glad I did. I'll explain everything to the order at once. Plus, I wasn't really gone; I would never really leave you. You know that. I was with you this whole time, all of you." She looked up at the other kids and the rest of the order that had gathered. "I was with you the whole time, through the pendants. In fact, I happen to know you five did something reckless while I was gone thanks to them, but we will talk about that later. For now, let's go catch up."

Still hugging Harry, and with Remus holding her hand again, Bella led the group, following Albus to the back room.

TBC...

Depulso- banishing charm (to get rid of the smoke)

Deprimo- spell that causes things to be forced to the ground under great pressure

I think you guys all know the other two.