I do not own Harry Potter. Direct quotes from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will be in bold.

There are some characters that shall be saved, but alas there are some that must perish for the sake of the story.

Light In the Darkness

The fighting was still going on around her. She could dimly make out Kingsley engaging Bellatrix in battle in place of Sirius. Dumbledore had rounded up most of the Death Eaters and Moody was tending to Tonks, who was knocked out. Deflected spells flew past them, but she paid her surroundings little heed. She stared blankly at the veil, the haunted whispering ringing in her ears.

Her knees buckled and she fell to the dais, numb and overwhelmed with grief. Remus hovered over her, hands still lingering on her shoulders, fearing she would once more try to fling herself after her fallen godfather. Tears were stuck in his throat and he felt wrenching pain, but this was not the time to mourn.

"Charlie," whispered Harry shakily, crawling beside his sister. "Charlie, I'm so sorry."

She gave no indication that she heard him. Remus took a shuddering breath and looked at his ward. "Where are the others?"

"We left them in the Brain Room," he answered. "Hermione's unconscious, Ron's fighting a brain, and the others are injured to some degree."

Bang!

"A-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

Bellatrix's shrill, delighted laughter echoed chillingly throughout the room. As if activated by some sort of switch, Charlie rocketed to her feet, turning to watch Kingsley fall to the floor with a cry of pain. Bellatrix took off for the exit, deflecting a spell cast by Dumbledore in an attempt to stop her and disappearing from the chamber.

Red-hot anger boiled within Charlie and she wrenched away from Remus' grip. "Charlie!" he hollered, but the girl ignored him.

"Charlotte!"

Dumbledore's call fell on deaf ears as well. Charlie sprinted through the door and into the Brain Room, where Bellatrix noticed her. She cast a spell and the tank tipped over, spilling foul-smelling liquid and brains across the floor. Charlie slid and stumbled, but she managed to shout, "Wingardium Leviosa!" to send the brains flying away from her.

"What's wrong?" croaked Luna, stirring weakly from where she lay.

"It's fine, don't move," she ordered before slamming through the door into the dark hall. Bellatrix disappeared through a door at the end of room, and Charlie could see the corridor that led to lifts beyond the woman. The walls turned once more and when they stopped moving, she pleaded, "Show me the way out, please!"

It was as if this was all the room had ever needed. The door behind her opened and she charged through it, racing down the corridor and glimpsing Bellatrix disappear into the lift. She slapped the button to call another shaft and fidgeted in agitation, listening to the clangs as the mechanisms moved.

The ride to the Atrium seemed to take forever, but when she stepped out she could see Bellatrix almost at the telephone booth. The Death Eater paused and turned around when she heard pursuing footsteps. She cast another spell and Charlie hastily dove behind the Fountain of Magical Brethren to avoid it.

"Did you come after me to hide or fight?" taunted Bellatrix. "Haven't you come to avenge my dear cousin?"

"Stupefy!" Charlie cried, swinging herself into the open and raising her wand.

Bellatrix just managed to avoid the spell and her eyes glinted with disgust. "How pitiful. I killed your godfather and you're still too weak to cast an Unforgiveable Curse. No wonder you can't save anyone."

Charlie tried to keep her expression stoic, but the words cut her like a knife. She was angry enough, she certainly felt enough hatred to cast a Cruciatus, but the words would not form on her tongue. She couldn't do it. Not even for Sirius.

I'm sorry…I'm so sorry.

"Why don't I show you how to cast an Unforgiveable Curse?" asked Bellatrix softly. "Perhaps it will spur you into true action. Crucio!"

Charlie dove back behind the golden fountain, flinching as the centaur's arm blew off and crashed to the ground. Gritting her teeth, she listened intently to the sound of Bellatrix's footsteps. She could hear the woman inching to her right, trying to get a clear shot. She ducked behind the legs of the centaur and stayed out of sight, trying not to breathe too heavily.

"You're out of your league, Potter," whispered Bellatrix. "I am the Dark Lord's greatest and most loyal servant. I am his most powerful follower! I know spells well beyond your limited knowledge. You stand no chance!"

Well, that's never stopped me from trying.

She crept behind the goblin and stuck her wand through the space between him and the wizard. Bellatrix's back was to her as she tried to peer around the fountain. "Stupefy!" she cried again.

But the woman was fast, spinning around and countering with a Shield Charm. Charlie was forced to shrink back behind the fountain, the goblin's ear sliced from his head and cracking into the floor.

A fountain representing unity, inadvertently being destroyed by a Death Eater. I hate irony.

"I'll give you one last chance," declared Bellatrix. "Roll the prophecy to me and I may let you live."

"Guess we're both out of luck," returned Charlie flatly. "I already destroyed it."

"You what?" shrieked Bellatrix, and for the first time there was true fear in her voice.

The raven-haired girl gripped the edge of the fountain, gritting her teeth as pain exploded in her scar, a white-hot sensation that never got easier to withstand. Rage consumed her, a fury that was not her own, and she knew then that Voldemort had been listening and he believed her. He was no doubt on his way, ready to end her meddlesome presence once and for all.

"You heard me," she snapped, unable to care that her greatest enemy was most likely soon to arrive. "It's gone. No one will ever know what it said. I suggest you start working on your apology, because Voldemort knows and he's livid."

"You're lying!"

"Nope. I smashed it right into Macnair's face. He's probably still got some glass to pick out." Charlie screwed her eyes shut for a brief moment to keep her tears of pain from escaping. "But if you don't believe me, try summoning it."

"Accio prophecy!" called Bellatrix. Her horror increased when nothing zoomed into her waiting hand. "No!"

Charlie could not help but grin in a rather mad manner. "Voldemort's greatest follower, huh? You're not exactly proving yourself right now, are you?"

"Master, please, I'm so sorry! I tried! Do not punish me, I beg of you!"

"You should not speak so flippantly, Potter."

It was if someone had doused the room in ice water- the air seemed to chill significantly and Charlie's arms prickled with goosebumps. The pain in her scar had lessened somewhat, allowing her to slowly stand and turn around.

Tall and thin, with a pale face and menacing red eyes, he loomed over her, wand pointed at her chest. "All those months of planning," he coldly, eyes flashing, "all for naught. Once more, my Death Eaters have been thwarted by a child."

Bellatrix flung herself at his feet and kissed the hem of his robes. "Master, I did not know! I was fighting Black at the time, I'm sorry-"

"Quiet," hissed Voldemort. "You will be dealt with later. I did not come here to listen to your worthless apologies."

"But Master, he is here-"

Voldemort ignored her, stepping dangerously close to the straight-backed, defiant Ravenclaw. "This ends here, Potter. You have interfered far too much for too long. Avada Kedavra!"

As badly as she wanted the spell to hit her, to erase the overwhelming grief and agony, she could not fall now. Her friends were still here, she needed to get them out of the mess she had dragged them into. There would be opportunity for death later.

She bent her knees, prepared to dive out of the way (it would be a close call) but before she could move the golden wizard jumped down from the platform and landed in front of her. The spell bounced off of his chest and Voldemort let a shout of shocked fury.

Eyes wide, Charlie peeked around the wizard and felt a swirl of emotions she could not distinguish in that moment at the sight of Dumbledore standing in front of the golden gates.

"You," snarled Voldemort, whirling around and firing another Killing Curse.

Dumbledore turned slightly, disappearing with a wave of his cloak. He reappeared behind Voldemort and waved his towards the remaining statues on the fountain. They sprang to life, jumping to the floor and scattering in different directions. The witch ran at Bellatrix, who immediately tried to defend herself in a futile effort. The goblin and house-elf moved along the fireplaces and the centaur galloped towards Voldemort, who vanished and reappeared by the pool.

Dumbledore advanced towards the Dark wizard, expression cool. "You're a fool for coming here tonight, Tom. The Aurors will be here shortly."

"That's of no consequence to me," returned Voldemort with a sneer. "When they arrive I shall be gone and you will be dead!"

Charlie was bustled backwards, away from the fight by the wizard, who continued to stand in front of her protectively. She felt her hair stand up from the sheer power of the spells Dumbledore cast. Her apprehension grew when Voldemort countered or blocked a spell with fluid, almost lazy wand movements.

"Still not trying to kill me, Dumbledore?" taunted Voldemort. "You can't expect to destroy me if you believe yourself to be above such brutality."

"Oh, there are many other ways to destroy a man," returned Dumbledore in a soft tone that was just as menacing as Voldemort's cold, emotionless voice. "But you never understood that, did you, Tom? No, to you, death is the worst fate man can receive."

"If you are so open to Death's waiting arms, then let me be the one to push you into them," growled Voldemort.

Charlie's eyes widened and she let out a squeak of terror as another Killing Curse streaked towards Dumbledore, who was walking towards Voldemort in an almost serene manner. The centaur ran in front of the headmaster and took the spell, shattering into hundreds of pieces. Dumbledore lifted his wand and gave it a brief wave, so that fiery ropes would wrap tightly around Voldemort.

The Dark Lord quickly transformed the fiery plumes into a snake and disappeared a second later. The snake lunged for Dumbledore but there was another burst of red and orange flames above his head, occurring just as Voldemort reappeared on the platform of the fountain, where the five statues once stood. Another Killing Curse was fired just as the snake went to strike.

In one, fluid movement, Dumbledore banished the snake as Fawkes swallowed the jet of green light. The phoenix fell to the floor in a flightless heap and Dumbledore whirled around, giving his wand a sharp flick. The water in the pool rose up, surrounding Voldemort in a dark, shimmering cocoon. Voldemort thrashed for a moment, but then the water fell back into the pool, water drenching the floor as it sloshed over the sides.

Voldemort was nowhere in sight.

Charlie felt a sickening lurch in her gut as Bellatrix cried out in fear. Something's not right. Where'd he go? He wouldn't flee so quickly-

"Aagghh!"

She had dealt with pain before, physical and mental, but nothing like this. She was certain she was going to die as her scar felt like it was being ripped open. She didn't have the capacity to handle this, it was too much-

Charlie fell to the floor, writhing in agony as the Atrium dissolved before her eyes, replaced with a frightening image. She was trapped in the coils of a black figure, scarlet eyes gleaming at her. She could feel her body being merged with the creature, they were now one, and their pain was shared and inescapable.

As the creature opened its mouth to speak, she could feel her jaw moving as well.

"It seems," she rasped in a cold, triumphant voice, "that you have lost, old man."

Dumbledore stared in horror. Charlie looked up at him, her emerald eyes dark and glazed over, her lips curled into a mocking sneer. He sunk to his knees next to her, heart pounding in his chest, though he tried to keep calm. "Charlotte."

"Here is your chance to finally kill me," she hissed. "Surely the price of one life is nothing compared to ridding the world of me. Kill me, Dumbledore! If death means nothing to you, kill me!"

Every part of her was screaming in agony. Please, just do it, she thought desperately, succumbing to the dark, depressing vibes that pulsed through her. At least there's a chance he'll die with me. I can't take it…I can't take this anymore…

Shut up, her voice of reason spoke, sharply cutting off her dejected thoughts. What the hell are you doing? You vowed to defeat him, to not let him win. You think he's going to be defeated that easily? You think he'd put himself in a vulnerable situation if he knew he might die?

But I'm so tired…so tired…

Who are you fighting for?

As the thought burst through her mind so did a rapid flash of images. She saw her friends, who had come to the depths of the Department of Mysteries to help her. She saw her parents, the ones who gave up their life so that she could live. She saw Angelina, who she promised to avenge no matter what.

She saw Sirius.

A great swell of affection and determination rose within her. The coils were beginning to loosen their vice-grip, she could feel Voldemort's pain now, and he couldn't stand the strong emotions now churning through her, weakening his negative presence.

"It's not going to end like this," she panted, managing to regain control of her voice. Her body jerked and twitched as she tried to banish Voldemort from her body and his efforts to try and hold on to her consciousness. "It's not. I have people to protect, a world to defend. I feel sorry for you, Voldemort. You will never know of love and friendship. And that's the worst fate of all."

The pain disappeared completely and she lay on the floor, feeling like ice was forming within her. Voices started to sound, filling the tense silence, and she slowly lifted her head. She had a nasty headache and everything was blurry, but she could see Dumbledore a few feet away.

"Charlotte, are you alright?" asked Dumbledore anxiously.

"Uh-huh," she muttered. She squinted at the swarm of people pouring out the fireplaces, the emerald flames reflecting off of the floor. The goblin and house-elf statues were escorting a flummoxed Cornelius Fudge forwards. "What's going on? Where'd he go?"

Dumbledore did not answer. He instead gently helped the trembling girl to her feet, where she swayed slightly but managed to keep upright. The witches and wizards, dressed in their nightclothes, were speaking excitedly with one another.

"He was here!"

"You-Know-Who, I saw him!"

"He took a witch and disappeared! My word!"

"He was here, in the Ministry of Magic!" cried Fudge, eyes almost bulging out of his head. "What in Merlin's name is going on?"

Satisfied that Charlie would be fine for the moment, Dumbledore stepped forwards, alerting the crowd of Aurors to his presence. Some raised their wands but most just regarded him in amazement. "I can explain everything, Cornelius. But first you may want to send some Aurors down to the Department of Mysteries. Some Death Eaters have been restrained in the Death Chamber."

Fudge gaped at Dumbledore. "You!"

"Do not make this difficult," said Dumbledore in a sharp tone. "If I must fight your Aurors, I will. But now is not the time for fighting. Are you really going to disregard the fact that you saw Voldemort with your own eyes?"

Fudge pressed his lips. "Right," he ground out. "Dawlish and Williamson, go to the Death Chamber. Dumbledore, I need to know what went on here- oh, the Fountain of Magic Brethren," he breathed in dismay, staring at the mangled structure. "What happened to it?"

"As I said, I will explain everything, but first I must get Charlotte to school."

Fudge snapped his head around and noticed the pale, shaking teen for the first time. "Charlotte Potter!"

Dumbledore ignored the Minister's startled exclamation. "Come, Charlotte."

She complied, following after him numbly. He transformed the broken arm of the centaur into a Portkey, which Fudge blustered over, not quite ready to forget his petty feelings towards the esteemed headmaster. She half-listened as Dumbledore cut him off and listed his ultimatums, which included removing Umbridge from Hogwarts and instructing the Aurors to stop searching for Hagrid. She felt a nudge in the small of her back, urging her towards the Portkey.

"Go on, Charlotte," spoke Dumbledore softly, kindly. "I will see you in thirty minutes."

She reached out and set a hand on the golden arm, only giving a nod of acknowledgement. She felt hollow and bitter and completely exhausted. She didn't want to talk to him, but she knew she didn't have a choice.

There was a jerk behind her naval and she was pulled into a whirlwind of sound and colour. She tumbled into Dumbledore's office, where she lay limply on the floor for a moment before curling up and starting to sob in grief and despair.

Goodbye, Sirius. I love you. I'm sorry…so sorry…