It was Peter who woke them up on the next morning. He seemed both sad, frightened and angry.
"Aslan's dead." he announced. "I don't know what to do, now."
"You have to lead us, Pete." Ed replied. "You're the future High King of Narnia, and they all know that."
"The Narnians will stand by you, whatever you decide." Hermione added.
"But I don't know how to lead a battle!"
"We can help you with that." George declared. "Fred and I played a lot of wizard's chess. We taught Ron how to play."
"So we're quite good with strategy."
"Oreius will help you as well." Ed said. "He's a fine warrior."
"Peter, remember!" Hermione suddenly said. "I know the story. I know you're gonna win."
The teenager sent her a long look, and then finally nodded.
"Then let's get to work." He said. "I'll take every advice you can give."
And that's how, at midday, the first battle of Beruna started. The witch was the one who sent her troops first. Hermione, Ed and the twins at first battled the wizards Jadis had summoned, as well as the magical creatures; and then joined the rest of the army against the minotaurs, wolves and other dwarves. The witch, as for her, was turning her enemies into stone, swirling her wand around swiftly, and with great precision. Young Edmund understood they couldn't hope to win if she had this weapon. He hence decided to sneak away from Mr. Beaver, whom Peter had charged to take him to safety. He then hid on a rock above the plain the witch was fighting on, waiting for the right moment, and then jumped from his hiding place, and hit the witch's wand with his sword, thus breaking it. After a brief moment of surprise, Jadis' face was deformed by hatred, and she turned her broken wand handle front, and stabbed the kid with it. He fell on his knees. Just like Ed, who let out a cry of pain at the same moment.
"Ed!" Hermione shouted.
The young man put his hand on his belly, right were Jadis had hit her years ago. Hermione understood immediately.
"Can you get up?" She asked.
"No. I'm out, sorry."
"George, you stay with him, and take him somewhere safe."
"Got it!"
"Fred, with me. Peter's gonna need our help."
Indeed, Peter had seen what happened, and was swinging his sword, opening himself a passage to the witch.
"You hang on, Ed!" Hermione said.
It wasn't a prayer. It was an order.
"I'll do my best."
George helped him on his feet, and they started to walk away from the battle field. Fred and Hermione, as for them, apparated in front of the witch, who was fighting Peter. She sent him a jab he could not evade.
"Protego!" Fred shouted.
"Stupefy!" Hermione sent.
But Jadis was partly a Djinn, and the curse had no effect on her, except for maddening her a bit more. It took the joined efforts of Fred, Peter and Hermione to keep the fight fair. When they started to think every hope was lost, they suddenly heard a sound neither Peter nor Fred was expecting to hear. No more than the witch. A majestic roar. Aslan was back, and with him were Susan, Lucy, and all the creatures Jadis had turned to stone before the battle.
"YES !" Fred shouted.
And with the regain of hope, they fought her even harder, until the Great Lion himself jumped on the witch, killing her, and bringing an end to the battle. Most of what remained of her army ran away back into the woods, and went into hiding. Lucy and Susan dashed to Peter, and celebrated their victory.
"Where's Edmund?" Susan suddenly asked.
And peter's face crumbled. Followed by his sister, he started running. At the same moment, red sparkles came up in the sky.
"Ed...!" Hermione whispered
"George!" Fred said in a worried tone.
And they ran into the direction of the sparkles. George was fighting a minotaur, to which Fred sent a stupefy to neutralize it. They soon joined the young man who was doing his best to help Ed.
"He's really bad." he said. "Revigorous is not working."
The young king was indeed looking poorly. His whole body was shaking, his teeth were shattering, and he seemed to hardly find his breath.
"Oh, no!" Hermione panicked. "Ed, you have to hold on! Don't leave me alone, I need you. Come on, please! Don't let go..."
"I'm... I'm sorry." he said in a faint voice.
"No! Don't you dare say goodbye! Wait for just another minute. Lucy's gonna heal you, soon."
"I'm cold, Hermione..."
And he let out a scream of pain, then a sigh, and closed his eyes.