I hope people are actually reading this, idk?

I know I changed Teddy's birthdate. BUT, you'll see why in DH.

I keep skipping time, and I'm sorry(not really)

I already have an idea for a post-war sequel following the ones who I let survive this fic. It'll be a lot shorter, called something like 'Surviving the Storm' or something idk. I thought of that title last night and really liked it so

Remus and Sirius appeared in Hogsmeade, Bill and Fleur appearing a few seconds later.

"Death Eaters, huh?" Bill asked as they made their way up to the school.

"Apparently." Sirius responded. "But the message said Harry wasn't there, I want to know why."

"I want to know how the Death Eaters got in." Remus said as they passed the gates. "And where are the Aurors?"

They rushed into the Entrance Hall, but all was silent- what was going on?

"The Astronomy Tower!" Neville yelled, running up to them. "That's where they are!"

There was an explosion, and suddenly the corridor was filled with dust and debris. They lunged into the battle, but a few minutes later, Bill fell with a scream as Greyback lunged at him. It took three curses from Sirius to get the werewolf off of the redheaded man, who was silent in a pool of his own blood. Greyback turned on Sirius instead, but not before Remus threw himself at the werewolf.

It seemed like Greyback gave up, as he vanished from the fight with Remus. Stray curses from an extremely large Death Eater were flying everywhere, Sirius had to duck to have any chance of hitting the man with a curse. Other Death Eaters ran by, and Remus was sure he saw Draco Malfoy among them...

There was a yell and Neville, who had been trying to run up the stairs leading to the tower, was thrown backwards.

"There's a barrier!" McGonagall yelled. "They've sealed it!"

Remus was now taking on one of the Carrows, when he spotted Harry running through the fray. Sirius must have noticed too, because he made to follow, but seemed to rethink and remained attempting to subdue the Death Eater with the terrible aim. One of the Death Eater's stray curses barely missed Sirius, and struck another Death Eater, who crumpled. A few moments of duelling passed, Death Eaters were retreating, following a voice.

"It's over, let's go!"

The Order members who were left standing rushed to help students. Sirius and Remus went to Bill, propping him up between them. His face was mangled terribly, it made even Remus' stomach lurch at the sight.

"Hospital wing." Remus said hoarsely to Sirius, who nodded. He caught sight of a few students helping each other up, Ginny and Hermione were half carrying Neville towards the same destination.

When Ron looked at Remus with the question, Remus could see the fear in Ron's eyes. This was the boy that had witnessed, first hand, the horrors of a werewolf in his third year.

"No, I don't think he will be a true werewolf." Remus replied. "These are cursed wounds, though, there will be contamination. I doubt they'll ever heal. And- and he'll have wolfish characteristics."

"But Dumbledore can fix it-" Ron began.

"Dumbledore's dead, Ron." Ginny said quietly.

Remus felt like someone had punched him. Sirius sank onto an empty bed, his hand over his mouth.

"No." Remus said, glancing at Harry. At the look on Harry's face, he knew it was true.

"Snape did it." Harry said, even quieter than Ginny. "I was there, I saw it. It was at the top of the tower- Dumbledore was ill, Snape did it."

The silence seemed to echo in the hospital wing. "Listen." Ginny said suddenly, and everyone seemed to hear it. A phoenix was singing, somewhere, a mournful sound that seemed to embrace the grief they all felt.

It could have been minutes, it could have been hours, that they all listened silently to the phoenix's song. The doors swung open, and the magic that held them all seemed to break as McGonagall walked in.

"Arthur and Molly are on their way." She said, glancing at Harry. Her hair was coming loose from it's bun, her robes were torn and her face had a few grazes. "Harry, what happened? Hagrid said you saw-"

"It was Snape." Harry said. Every time he said it, it seemed to solidify the fact. Dumbledore was dead, killed by someone he trusted.

She cried when Remus returned home that night. Alastor and Kingsley weren't home, neither would be for a few hours yet. When he spoke the words, she cried. She went about, healing their cuts and scrapes, insisting she had to help some way, but she still cried as she did it.

She cried for most of the night. She tried to blame hormones when Remus asked her, at two am, if she'd be okay. But she was just expressing what everyone felt- pure grief.

I haven't been getting reviews since CH 24, but I sure would love some *wink wink