Author's note:

Hi, sorry this is so short, but I've been very busy with reading up on everything for my exams, and I just didn't have time to write more for now. In case you're wondering i wrote this all in one go, over the span of 5 hours. . . in the middle of the night. . . yeah.

But anyway, i hope you enjoy and please review :D

The End and the Beginning

Daphne practically dragged Asteria all the way up to the castle. She stared in chock at what she saw up there. Death. Wounded, and dead fighters everywhere.

"Come on." Daphne said as she led Asteria through the entry hall, and into the Great-hall where more dead and wounded were laying with their families.

"I don't see them Daph." Asteria whispered. Daphne shook her head, and closed her eyes with a sigh. She leaned on the nearest wall, and slowly sunk to the ground. Asteria stood awkwardly in front of her for a moment before she kneeled down, and put a hesitant hand on her sister's shoulder.

"They're fine Daph, they have to be." She said sternly, and looked around again, but no one was looking at them. And to her great surprise Daphne laughed a dry laugh, and looked up at her with tears in her eyes.

"Yeah, and the worst part. . . I don't know if I'm looking for them." She said and dropped her head back on her knees.

Asteria didn't know what to do, or say. So she didn't. She sat down next to her sister, and stared at the crying and grieving people in the room.

The Weasleys were there. Asteria could spot Ginny, with her brothers and parents. All standing around one of the twins. The other and their mother were sitting next to him. Their mother crying. Was he dead? Asteria looked down. But she couldn't help it, she looked up again, in a different direction and saw more death. She could see her old teacher Professor Lupin. Next to a woman with vibrantly pink hair. Both not moving.

"It's not over yet is it?" Daphne asked, and Asteria looked at her sister, who was staring at the sky through one of the great windows. Asteria looked back down at the floor.

"No. probably not." Asteria said monotonously. "Not like Potter will turn himself over." She continued numbly.

"Maybe he will." Daphne said blankly.

Just then the Dark Lord's voice rang through the school and grounds. Everyone seemed to still, until they started to scramble for the exit. Except for the dead, and some others, those who couldn't just leave.

Asteria stayed put, even when Daphne stood and hesitantly walked towards the door. She could hear the Dark Lord perfectly from where she was. And she heard McGonagall scream. And the uproar and the cold voice of the Dark Lord when he told them how Potter had run. And had then been killed.

Asteria didn't think it sounded anything like Potter. Like the-boy-who-lived. Not at all. She looked around in the room again, and saw Mrs. Weasley, still by her son's side. The other twin as well. George, Asteria thought. Wasn't it George? She couldn't be sure, but it was her best guess.

No. Potter wouldn't have run. Not when so many people had given their lives for this. So many people who didn't deserve to die.

That's when she heard the terrifying sound of the Dark Lord. Screaming? Asteria frowned and stood up. What was going on? When she reached the entry hall she could easily see that the battle had begun again. She backed into the Great-hall again as duels erupted all over between Death-Eaters and everyone else. It was one big blur of spells being thrown everywhere, and people watching the duel that had escalated in the middle of the room.

Asteria suddenly spotted Blaise in the middle of it all. Almost right next to Ginny and the others. And a Death-Eater not far away about to hex him. Asteria had just enough time to think why a Death-Eater would be hexing Blaise, before she'd drawn her wand and hit him with a stunner. quickly He mouthed a 'thank you' before he ran off to Merlin knows where. Asteria looked around her, and sought out the nearest Death-Eater. With a furious look she hexed the man with the nastiest spell she could think of, and was promptly grabbed by someone and pulled to the side.

"Draco?" she asked when his face became clear. Somewhere in the background she could hear Mrs. Weasley yell something.

"What are you doing?" He asked desperately. He had a firm grip on her arms.

"I don't know." Asteria said honestly, and Draco looked at her like she was mad.

"You don't?- . ." Asteria silenced him by putting her hands on either side of his face and press her lips to hers.

"No." She whispered against his lips.

And then the Dark Lord screamed with fury and Asteria had just enough time to see the green curse deflect when it was about to hit Mrs. Weasley.

"What the?- . ."Draco said, just as a dark-haired figure emerged from under an invisibility cloak.

And then the whispers were all over the hall. Potter.

Asteria stared in shock at the scene before her. The Dark Lord and Potter simply stared at each other for a few moments before the Dark Lord started laughing.

Asteria's mind was foggy, and would somehow only register that Draco had put his arms around her and was holding her tight.

She caught fractions of what Potter was saying. Tom, horcrux, and something that sounded like deathly hallow. And Draco, she heard Potter say Draco's name. In a sentence about an 'Elder Wand' The Dark Lord's next words were crystal clear in her mind, and she tightened her grip on Draco's arms, as she felt him shake ever so slightly.

And then it was over. What happened between that moment and the Dark Lord falling to the ground, was lost on her. And then the only thing she heard was cheer, and happiness.

But the only thing she noticed was Draco's arms. She looked up into his eyes, and he looked back. She could feel the words on her tongue. About to come out.

"Asteria!" It was Daphne. Asteria turned around and looked at her sister.

Daphne looked at Asteria and then at Draco. She then marched up to them, and swatted Draco's arms away.

"What are you doing?" Asteria asked in shock, as Daphne pushed her behind her.

"If you love her, you'll let her go with me." Daphne said to Draco, and to Asteria's horror Draco nodded, and Daphne pulled her towards the now visible figure of Theo.

"Daphne! What?" Asteria protested.

"Is your Mark gone?" Theo asked as soon as they were close enough for no one to hear them.

"What?" Asteria asked confusedly. Theo put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her seriously.

"Is your Mark gone?" he repeated sternly.

"I-I don't know." Asteria said helplessly. Theo frowned, but didn't do anything to check, and Asteria looked back at Daphne, who was watching the celebrating people.

"We're nowhere near safe yet." She said monotonously, and looked at Asteria. Asteria frowned and looked back at her cousin.

"Then what now?" Asteria asked.

"I have no idea." Theo said blankly.

Asteria let out a deep breath and looked around the hall again. The faces were lost on her, and she didn't care enough to bring them into focus.

"Fine." She said, and walked off in no particular direction. Not caring about the protests of her only relatives. Or so she assumed.

She walked around the edge of the Great-hall where people were now sat at the tables. Chatting happily. Asteria had no idea how they could just sit there. To her the future looked just as bleak as it had a few hours ago. Undetermined, dangerous, unpredictable.

"Asteria." She turned to find Ginny Weasley standing in front of her. She looked more like you would have expected. Sad, grieving.

"Yes?" Asteria asked blankly. Ginny looked over her dusty uniform, and her emotionless face.

"Did you fight?" She asked.

"No." Asteria said in almost a whisper. Ginny nodded silently.

"I don't blame you." she said with a bitter smile. Asteria had enough will to raised her eyebrows in surprise. Ginny didn't say anything else, and simply went towards her family.

Asteria walked out of the Great-hall and leaned on the wall outside. She remembered what Theo had asked and rolled up her sleeve to look at her left forearm. There was nothing there. So the Dark Lord really was gone. Asteria felt a tinge of relief as she rolled her sleeve back down, but it was dulled by the fear of what would happen next.

A/N:

Yes i know, annoyingly short, but there's just nothing to be done about it. . . hope you liked it though, i thought it was okay :P

Review, review! I live for those things! ^^'