Disclaimer: I do not own the wonderful world of Harry Potter.

Chapter Twenty One: The Escape

Voldemort rose to leave and another Death Eater appeared by her side. Her head was spinning. The man at her side pulled her chair out and Ginny made eye contact. The shock she felt as her new escort was mask-free was nothing compared to the recognition. The brilliant white, perfectly even teeth of Blaise Zabini leered smugly. She wasn't able to hide the look of surprise.

He offered her a hand and she limply accepted it as she was escorted to the opposite doorway from which she'd entered.

Her mind was in a distracted frenzy. If Voldemort had been right, and she was pretty confident he was, then everyone she cared about was just outside of her reach. It nearly made her weep with love for them but she wished more than anything that they had stayed away. If they died... she refused to consider that option. I can't worry about them now. It was her own situation that called for her complete attention. Zabini walked less than a pace behind her. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck.

"You must be wondering what's going to happen tonight," he whispered forebodingly, lips nearly brushing against her earlobe. "And how we knew where to find you."

Ginny paused in her tracks. Zabini took a step past her before catching himself.

He laughed at the troubled look on her face.

"I'm surprised, and a little disappointed that you hadn't figured it out the day you saw me at St. Mungo's." Ginny remembered it well, and her initial suspicions from that day being just as quickly dismissed.

"I was afraid our cover might have been compromised. Rosaline Caspian, heir to one of the oldest pureblood lines left in Britain marrying a Weasley?" His conceited sneer causing her blood to boil. He took a step towards her and she moved back reflexively. "We've had eyes and ears inside the Order for years now. Inside your family."

Again he stepped closer. Ginny's fists were clenched at her sides. Without a wand she was no match for him.

He stepped closer again, looming over her. She tried again to increase the space between them but her heel struck the wall. Her heart quickened. She didn't want to take her eyes of his lest he give any of his intentions away but she wished she had. Her back now pressed completely against the wall, she had missed him drawing his wand. At that moment he was tracing the tip down the open front of her dress between her breasts. The look in his eye was menacing. She was shaking.

"You haven't felt fear yet," he cooed, evidently pleased at her loss of composure. "Once we've killed every last one of your family and friends, I'm going to rape you in front of their dead bodies."

The world around her closed in. She let her feelings of helplessness wash over her completely. The trapped anxiety, the pain, the fury. It swelled inside her like a wave approaching the shore until finally, it broke. Ginny's entire body began to shudder as the tears fell. Her sobbing breaths choked her as they fought to escape. She made no attempt to stop them.

She wailed and fell to her knees. "You should save your energy, we haven't even—"

As he leaned forward to grab her everything she had hoped came to fruition. The tip of his wand lowered ever so slightly as he came to her side. She acted decisively. Grabbing his wand arm swiftly around the wrist she wrenched him forward and down. His head struck the wall behind her. Without allowing him to recover from the shock she punched him with the entire weight of her body in the groin. With disgust she noticed he was already firm.

He fell like a bag of rocks.

Ginny twisted his wrist sharply so that he released his wand as he fell. It cluttered to the ground where she snapped it up. He whimpered while clutching himself. She rose, giving him a single swift kick to the head. He went silent and limp.

Her breathing was ragged and she took several deep inhalations to calm it. She wiped her face from the tears she had forcefully drawn out in an attempt to lower his guard by appearing weak and defeated. It had worked more effectively than she could have hoped but she had unleashed her real fears to make the pain authentic and now she had to force them back down. She had new worries.

She didn't know where she was or where to go. She had no idea what to do with Zabini's body had to escape without being noticed herself. She kicked off her shoes in contempt as there was no way she'd be able to make it far in them. Which she considered might have been the point.

Having nowhere to hide him and no strength to carry him, Ginny decided to see if she could manage to cast a Disillusionment Charm with his wand. She watched as he took on the patterned appearance of the rug. It wasn't perfect but it would do. She at least hoped that if there was a battle outside then there wouldn't be many Death Eaters left patrolling the halls. She grabbed him by the robes and dragged him to the side of the hall near a jutting pillar, laying him lengthwise along the wall to minimize the chance of someone tripping over him and then went to work. She mustered up the energy to preform some of the recuperating charms that had been drilled into her head during her Auror training. The spells to use in a situation like this when you were worn out and had no opportunity for rest. It was a combination to soothe nerves, clear the mind, and give her energy. It was only temporary and by the time it wore out you were just as bad off, if not worse. But she would cross that bridge when she got there. Instantly the tremors in her hands went still. Her breathing slowed and she felt her wits grow sharper. She paralyzed Zabini with another spell for good measure. She could dimly recall the general direction from there to the lower levels, recalling the impressive hallway they had traveled earlier. She distinctly remembered the sight of colourful stained-glass windows at the far end. She padded quickly towards that direction. If there was a window, she could probably reach the outside. Judging from her view earlier they were at most three stories off the ground.

She didn't meet another soul as she reached the other hallway. Along it ran nearly a dozen matching stained glass windows each depicting dramatic scenes of battle. It appeared to tell a chronological story and Ginny judged, by the many repeated depictions of blond-haired individuals, it was the history of the Malfoy family. Ginny did not linger long. Instead she sought a means of opening one but finding none, decided to improvise. She threw a quick Silencing Charm around the glass and broke through it. The charm did not work perfectly as the sound of glass shattering could be heard, although she prayed it didn't carry far. Even still, she moved quickly. She'd blown a hole large enough to crawl through and lower herself down. She could see below the dark outline of trees that grew right up to the mansion's walls. Ginny was surprised to see that the landscape was actually quite brightly illuminated. The sky appeared quite overcast and she knew the full moon had recently passed. Whatever the cause, she didn't care. A wolf howled in the near distance and she shuddered. It was one thing to escape the building but she had no idea what else lurked on the grounds. Her best bet would be to find the Order as quickly as possible.

Ginny lowered herself down by grabbing onto the lip of the window sill. The stone was old and rugged and Ginny's feet just barely touched the top of the window below. She let herself drop down the few inches and landed firmly, her bare feet acting as perfect grips. From here she edged along the grooves in the wall to reach a large branch which she was able to grab hold of. She thanked Merlin with every step for her experience with rock climbing. She wedged herself into the large tree and worked her way down. Her dress caught on various twigs and her arms and legs were scrapped and bleeding but she had never felt so accomplished when her toes touched the cold, hard dirt. She looked above her and saw the lit window with the hole in the bottom many meters above her.

She considered her options. The flash of light she had seen previously was in the direction of the sunset and when she used the wand to find her direction it showed forward as being north. She could either continue along the wall of the mansion where she was more than likely to be seen or risk the woods in her state. A shout came from above and she looked up to see a masked individual poking his head out. He'd seen her and was fumbling to get an arm out to curse her but she set off into the darkness.

There was no way they would be able to catch up unless they themselves climbed down after. She ran until she couldn't any longer.

As she stopped to catch her breath she could see through the trees the source of the bright light. Above the Manor was an unnatural, giant, gleaming white orb. Ginny was utterly unsure of what benefit it could offer other than giving light to the battle, but if it lit everything for everyone, she couldn't see how that would be an advantage.

A wolf howled again in the distance. Only this time there was a call of reply. Many softer howls joined in. They were much closer than before.

Ginny's stomach started to twist in knots. The light looked an awful lot like a full moon.

She started to run again, with every fiber of her being.

Hermione's hands were shaking violently as she prepared. She hadn't slept a minute last night, nor much more that week. She held on to Ron even as he snored, completely astounded at how well he could sleep. He would be in the thick of things tomorrow to find Ginny, he'd made sure of that being one of the small few who organized the attack. Ron had told her not to worry, the three of them had been fighting Voldemort since they were eleven years old. And if she played her part, "Like you always have and always will," he reminded, then this will be the last time.

It was a small relief considering the only way they were going to kill Voldemort was for her to preform a spell that had never been used before because she had created it herself. She was utterly sure it was going to work as she'd been working on it for three years. But what if...

She shook so bad she dropped the metal link she was holding. Dumbledore made a move to help her but she snatched it from the dirt. He was sitting some feet away in a large chair he'd transfigured from a boulder. He looked absolutely at ease. A wistful smile on his face. It was doing nothing to calm her nerves.

She placed a small wooden table before him and rested seven metal, open chain links in a circle. She knew the ancient runes carved into them that were not presently visible were humming with anticipation. These were the most complicated pieces of the entire process and she would not have been able to create them without the help of Flamel. He'd spent almost a millennium studying the delicate intricacies of mortality. In the center of the circle lay a gold ring, which Dumbledore told her once belonged to Marvolo Gaunt, Tom Riddle's maternal grandfather. It contained one of the pieces of Voldemort's soul, and from it they would be able to bind the remaining others.

She caught Dumbledore humming a quiet tune under his breath. They were almost ready to start when the whole landscape was filled with light. Hermione squinted as a large silver object rose above the Mansion. She saw the rising orb reflected in Dumbledore's half-moon spectacles.

"What is it?" She asked in awe.

"A full moon." He said calmly but all ease was gone. "Let us begin."

She wanted to ask more but knew they hadn't the time. Whatever it was, the magic needed to create it would have been unbelievable.

Hermione looked to the man whose character she had always aspired to and hesitated.

"Miss Granger," he began softly as he took her hand, "I was not a great man until I was fifty. In that regard you have already far surpassed me. Whereas I was clever and ambitious, your capacity for universal acceptance will take you, and the wizarding world, to distances beyond what I ever reached. I lacked your heart and your determination to ensure the best possible outcome for everyone." There were tears in her eyes once more. All she could think about this past week was that she had failed and that was why he was going to die. "I am honoured to help you in this final task."

She felt strengthened by his faith in her. She always had.

She picked up the notebook that carried her diligent notes. She'd memories every single quill mark on each page but it was still a comfort.

"You will need to build the chain one link at a time. But with each one they will draw progressively more of your life force until..."

"Until it is finished." He finished for her.

She nodded, afraid to say the words lest she break down.

"You will have to attach the first link to the ring the soul passes from there to the rest. Once you close the circle at the ring his soul will be bound and he will be mortal." Dumbledore already knew this as she'd gone over it with him multiple times already but it was merely for her benefit.

He reached out and picked up the first piece of metal, inspecting it. "Beautiful craftsmanship," he muttered and looped the piece through the ring. The runes blazed to life in deep orange which reflected in his glasses. As they quieted, she saw him lean backwards, breathing hard.

Only six more to go.

After making their way through the wards of his childhood home Draco led his small group to the ancient and overgrown tunnels into the dungeon. He hadn't let any of them know that these tunnels were most frequently used to dispose of the corpses of his ancestor's prison. Though there are no records to indicate the actual number, Draco had always been led to believe the number was in the hundreds.

By the time they reached the rusted gates he remembered stumbling across as a child, Draco was bewildered to see the overgrowth had been cleared and the path had recently seen a large number of foot traffic. He let the rest of them know to make sure everyone was on full alert.

There was very little chatter between them up until that point. By the time they reached the only dungeons with any signs of use they still hadn't met another soul. They had strongly hoped this would be the case while the others drew off the Death Eaters. Ron and Charlie opened every door they could find in case Ginny was still locked inside. Harry and Andrei, Charlie's companion, went ahead to check the next level.

"Oh my gods," Ron muttered from an open cell looking in. Everyone came to see. It was a chamber four times larger than Ginny's had been with manacles hanging empty around the room. Bits of dirty rags scattered the floors implying this cell housed a number of individuals. The smell of human waste was unbearable.

"This is where they kept the children, isn't it?" Charlie asked Draco. He gave no reply. He didn't have to.

Ron's face had gone white and he clenched his teeth. He wasn't a father yet but his thoughts grew dark at the thought of having to explain to his daughter the sorts of people there were in this world.

"But where are they?" Charlie whispered to no one in particular. They were all thinking the same thing. Draco thought back to the upturned mud leading into the tunnel. Or leading out.

"We need to move. Now."

There was a shout from the direction Harry and Andrei had gone. The three of them took off but Charlie was the first to reach the top of the stairs. The shouting continued and he called out to his companion.

They turned the corner to see Harry holding a very young man, hardly more than a boy, pinned against the wall.

"Are you okay?" Charlie asked Andrei in evident concern. They grasped hands in reassurance. Draco saw the look between them. It was one he knew well, once upon a time.

"Where is she?" Ron snarled, pushing Harry aside to begin shaking the young man.

He looked from Ron to Harry to Draco whose wands were all pointed directly at his white face.

"I... I d-d-don't k-know!" he pleaded quavering. "No one does!" Draco shared a look with Ron.

"What do you mean? Speak!" Draco barked and the boy flinched as if he'd been struck.

"I f-found her escort knocked out in one of the h-halls. When I woke him he s-said he'd she'd s-s-stunned him. I c-c-came d-down to see if anyone else had caught her and brought her back to h-her cell." He looked at them imploringly to believe him.

Ron looked at him with disgust before a small smile crept to his face.

"That sounds like Ginny."

"Where was she last seen?" Draco demanded.

"The North Corridor from the D-Dining Hall."

Ron released the front of his robes and he looked relieved. His expression remained even after Draco stunned him.

"We'll put him in a cell and keep going." And so they did.

Draco led the way through the habitable level of his old home, trying to shake the memories of his childhood. He pointedly looked away from the portrait of his mother and father as they passed, knowing by heart the disapproving look that his father had had preserved in oil.

They reached the North Corridor and looked either way. It was empty.

"I think we should split up," he said quietly looking from the entrance to the dining hall then away from it. The boy had told them she was seen going east, but she wasn't the only person he was looking for. "Your sister will have gone that way, and if you go left past the Drawing Room you will reach a staircase that leads down to the front gardens. She could very well have found that and made her way out."

"I'm going with you," Harry said at his side, a look of unshakeable determination gleaming from his emerald eyes. This was a moment they had all been accepting. Ron said his farewell to Harry and told him to promise he'd make it out in one piece. He turned to Draco and offered a hand.

Draco looked down at it, emotions rising to the surface. It had been many years, almost a lifetime since he'd made a similar offer to Harry Potter all those years ago, but this time it was accepted. They weren't schoolboys any longer.

"Thank you. For everything you've done." Ron meant it with all his heart.

Ron, Charlie and Andrei took off at a run in their search for Ginny. Draco and Harry moved deeper into the house, both in search of their personal goals.

Ginny ran until her lungs were on fire. And then she ran some more.

By the sounds she could tell she was approaching where the Order and Death Eaters were engaging.

Her foot connected with a raised root and it sent her flying forward. She landed flat on her hands and knees and gave a curse. She couldn't even pick herself up as she worked to catch her breath. She made a point to rearrange the front of her dress which had very little to keep the front in place.

"Did you hear that?" A nearby voice asked in the night and Ginny saw the robed figures moving near the next patch of trees in front of her.

"No, what—"

"THERE!"

Ginny threw herself to the left just missing the curse which left a smoking impression in the dirt beside her. She scrambled to her feet as the man and woman tore through the brush to get to her. She weaved between trees as their curses ran out in the dark, most blocked by the vegetation but some lighting a colourful path as they whipped passed her.

When they finally stopped firing, Ginny threw herself behind a large oak, feeling as if her lungs were ready to burst. She tried to pant as quietly as possible while she listened for their footsteps. They were closing the ground between them.

Ginny spotted a low branch above her and acted quickly. She jumped to wrap her arms tightly around as she kicked off the trunk to give her leverage and pulling her legs up just in time as they would have brushed the man's head below her.

She held her breath and prayed.

"Where's she gone?" The woman hissed below.

"Not sure," he replied making a full circle of the area. Ginny realized then that the dark green of her dress made for a decent camouflage. If nothing else.

A new sound carried through the woods. All three of them froze and looked in the direction she had just come from.

Something was coming towards them. Quickly.

"Oh my gods," the man below her whispered then shouted to his partner. "Run!"

He did not get far.

Ginny heard them before she saw them. A pack of about twenty wolves tore through the woods.

There were a few quick curses fired and then a pair of horrified screams filled the air. They were joined by the most awful wet sounds of ripping flesh and cracking bones. The screams did not last long. The sounds of their meal continued, emphasized by the occasional growl and snapping between the creatures.

She felt nauseous and mortally vulnerable. At her level she was still within reach of their clawed limbs. If they catch my scent… she thought, knowing just how pungent she must be, covered in sweat and blood. Her smell would be more than enticing. She took that moment while they were distracted to try and climb higher. Slowly and quietly she worked her way to a standing position. She could see the pack clustered around the two small bodies. The smell of hot blood carried through the air. She stuck her foot where a second branch grew diagonally to grab upward and threw her weight up to the branch above. As soon as she took the weight off her left foot she knew she'd made a big mistake. Her hands reached out to the branch but as she tried to pull against it there was a sickened crack. Her momentum carried her backwards and she fell. Hard. Her back struck the branch she'd originally climbed on to before she dropped to the hard ground with a thud. All the air in her lungs was forced out. The night around her was dead silent. She saw the gleam of twenty pairs of eyes fixed on her in the darkness.

Once they'd gotten over the shock of a woman falling from the sky beside them, they all gave low menacing growls. Ginny was more than familiar enough with the sound. Each of their mouths were dripping with blood, bits of torn flesh clinging to their fur. She swallowed dryly.

Most of the pack was made up of wolves much smaller than Remus had been, some the size of domestic dogs. But among them Ginny saw without doubt who the leader was. A silver-grey monstrosity, patches of fur missing and scars glittering all over his face. Greyback. Ginny did not take her eyes off him as he approached. He was the only wolf who had not partaken in the kill. She didn't dare reach for the wand she had tucked in the band of her underwear. He was larger than Remus by far and looked as if drawn from a nightmare. The smaller wolves, or rather, the children, moved aside to let him through.

A howl came from somewhere nearby. The entire pack looked off in the distance. Greyback looked particularly interested. The ears of the younger wolves pressed against their heads.

All of a sudden there were yelps and a flurry of motion as three immense beasts ploughed through the circle and lunged at Greyback together.

The sounds were savage as teeth, fur, and claws met. Ginny was as rooted to the spot as the younglings.

Only when Greyback grabbed one of his attackers by the scruff and threw him just feet away from her did Ginny recognize him. He rose and stared straight at her, eyes boring into her soul. She would know them anywhere.

She gasped as she watched him pivot and lunge again, joining the other two full-sized wolves who were trying to bring Greyback down. The largest of the two aimed for his throat while the other attempted to throw themself on his back. Remus went for his exposed side.

Ginny had never seen such a sight in her life. She hadn't even picked herself off the ground yet even though everyone's attention was focused on them. The pack had made a wide circle around the four of them and were howling and snapping, but any time the fight grew too close to the edge they would swerve away. It was evident Greyback hadn't trained them to act without direction.

Greyback, largest of the four of them, did not seem to be wavering. He swiped at the auburn wolf and drew blood along a deep gash across its back. He snapped behind him and nearly caught the smaller black wolf's throat, missing by a hair.

Remus dodge another swipe. Fur flew as the black wolf managed to get a mouthful of his shoulder but he shook them off. They rolled hard in the dirt. Remus and the other began to coordinate their attack, each going for different sides of his throat. When he would defend from one the other would make their move. The third returned and for a moment it looked like they may have finally pinned him.

Ginny barely saw what happened but suddenly Greyback had gotten the black wolf's hindleg between his jaws. There was a horrendous yelp of pain as she saw them thrown again, landing awkwardly. They tried to stand but even from there Ginny could see that their lower limb was broken.

The auburn wolf looked from them to Greyback and with a vicious snarl launched themself over his head and onto his already bleeding back. They bit deeply and refused to let go when he thrashed furiously beneath them. He dug his claws sharply in his shoulders. Ginny's jaw had dropped open. Remus went for the throat and got some skin but he received a set of shallow claw marks to his side and was forced to release. She clambered to her feet at the sight of his blood.

By this time Greyback had finally freed himself of the one on his back, throwing him viciously on the ground before him. Before the auburn individual even had a chance the recover Greyback had captured his entire neck between his jaws.

A sickening sound filled the air before the pack howled ravenously. Greyback threw the limp body of his opponent to the outer edge of the circle, breathing hard but looking victorious. His shoulder pouring blood as it stained his left side. An enraged howl filled the enclosure and the wounded wolf threw themself back at Greyback with renewed fury.

Ginny was horrified at the sight of the lifeless body. No one gave him any notice. She pleaded for Remus not to share their fate.

She made to grab her wand from her waist when she was jerked upright and to the left. She would have shouted if it weren't for the hand that had covered her mouth.

She fought for a moment before managing to recognize who was standing inches away from her. It was Hestia Jones, long time member of the Order.

"We need to get you out of here," she urged, releasing her hand.

"I can't leave Remus," Ginny pleaded, no longer able to see the fight.

"He's just as likely to kill you as anyone else," she growled, dragging her along.

A loud yelp and fervent snarls continued but Ginny had begun to run to keep up despite every fibre telling her to stay.

As they ran the sounds of the beasts grew fainter but were soon replaced by others. Ginny could hear the sounds of a different battle ahead of her. Jinxes and curses were being hurled through the air and the trees were illuminated as if by fireworks. Ginny could see the silhouettes of robed figures attacking each other but struggled to identify friend versus foe. Hestia pulled her along through the trees, weaving past occupied combatants. Someone threw a curse directly at them but she deflected it aptly. Ginny caught their opponent with a deft Stunner and they continued unimpeded.

Ginny began to notice that most of the people in the woods seemed to be making their way into the opposite direction of where they were heading. She wanted to give some sort of warning of what they would encounter that way but without being able to stop someone long enough to confirm they were part of the Order made it more difficult.

A viscously sharp pain seemed to split her right foot in two as a sharp stick lodged itself deep into the meat of the arch of her foot. Ginny screamed and fell to the ground.

Hestia knelt directly beside her scanning for any injury.

"My foot, my foot!" Ginny gestured frantically as she could see the foreign body sticking out. Hestia held her leg over her knee.

"This is going to hurt," she warned before yanking the piece out. Ginny bit her tongue until she drew blood as Hestia worked to close the wound.

Ginny got to her feet but the pain in her foot had only slightly lessened.

The people running past them now did not give them a second glance. Those who came near enough showed fear in their eyes. Screams came from before them now. They set off at a slower pace than before.

There was a faint smell of campfire.

The screams grew louder.

"Get out of here! Move, move, move!"

The smell grew stronger and a warm glow grew ahead of them.

"Fiendfyre, everyone run!"

The air around them grew smoky very quickly.

The two woman exchanged glances, both seeing the whites of each other's eyes before taking off in the same direction as everyone else.

The sound of wood crackling began to chase after them.

Ginny plodded along with a significant limp as Hestia pulled her behind her. Ginny was holding her back and she knew it. She began to yell for her companion to go ahead without her but she had turned her attention to their left.

Before Ginny could follow her gaze there was a flash of distinct green. The curse hit Hestia straight in the chest and sent her flying right into Ginny, sending them both off their feet.

Ginny's head hit the ground hard as her bottom jaw slammed into the upper. She lost consciousness for a brief moment.

When she awoke she felt her skull still rattling from the fall. Everyone around her was spinning and every sound was muffled or indistinguishable. For a split second she wondered if it was dawn already. The sky above her head was on fire. Ash and burning embers rained down from above. Ginny turned on her side to regain her footing but was face to face with Hestia. Her eyes were still open and her mouth slightly agape in disbelief. It was her very last expression before being murdered. If there had been anything in her stomach Ginny would have thrown up. She closed her companion's eyes and rose, taking the woman's wand to later identify her as one of those killed in action. There was no time to do much else.

Ash began to stick to her sweaty skin as she got back to her feet. There was no one in the near vicinity but the smoke from the fire lowered visibility. She tried to remember which way they had been going when a familiar sound caught her attention.

The snarls of the pack were again close by. Another animalistic wail filled the air and Ginny made up her mind. She followed the sounds away from the fire. Remus, I'm coming.

She was not going to abandon him, even if it put her life at risk.

The area near the wolves was devoid of all humans save for her. By the time she approached she noticed immediately that the circle surrounding the fighters had been significantly reduced. She wasn't sure if the young wolves had grown too fearful to stay or if they were looking for easier prey. She prayed for the former.

The air glowed orange now everywhere she looked. Huge burning branches broke from their bodies and fell with explosions of dangerous sparks. The world was falling apart. The taste of smoke filled her mouth as she finally spotted Remus and Greyback. The dead wolf to the side remained where it had fallen but the other wolf lay nearby, hind leg still sticking out at an awkward angle.

Both Remus and Greyback were extensively injured. Blood pouring down each of their backs. Remus had what looked like bite marks all around the back of his neck but he hadn't allowed Greyback to do the same to him as his partner.

Greyback's left shoulder had a substantial flap of flesh hanging off his body as blood pooled down his forelimb. Ginny was confident she could see the muscles above his scapula but the way he moved did not signify any loss of function. The two were circling each other desperately seeking an advantage. Greyback lunged two or three times while Remus dodged. The both of them looked exhausted. But if either gave in they would die.

Remus made a move towards the bad shoulder but Greyback intercepted him. He grabbed Remus by the scruff once more and threw his entire body into the nearest trunk. Remus hit the tree hard and did not immediately rise. A bloody imprint of where he struck dripped down the bark. Greyback approached with all teeth exposed. Remus struggled to get up as his rival towered over top of him for the killing blow.

Ginny shrieked at the sight.

Greyback's head whipped around at the sound of the distraction and Remus took his chance. The last one he might ever have. He put everything into his next lunge and grabbed Greyback's exposed throat between his jaws. The larger wolf tried to pull back but Remus' jaws tightened.

Greyback thrashed as Remus refused to let go. There was a wet sound followed by choking gurgles. Remus was dislodged from his opponent, but his jaws held a long piece of dripping flesh. Greyback quivered and swayed as the blood poured from the front of his throat, or rather the hole where his throat had been. Remus watched the large wolf fall motionlessly before discarding the trachea he'd severed. Remus swayed for a sick moment before unleashing a blood curdling howl to the moon. The remaining wolves around him shrunk in fear until finally one responded. The rest of the pack followed suit. Their pack-master was dead, but they were not leaderless. Remus turned to face Ginny. As he took a step forward he collapsed next to his defeated adversary.

All at once it was as if someone had turned off the light outside. The forest grew dark, even with the roar of the fire approaching. The pack began to howl and writhe around her. Ginny watched in horror as their flesh bubbled over their frames in excruciating pain. Fur receded. Claws retracted into human nails as the dark flesh of the wolf softened into human skin. All that remained were the naked bodies of terrified children. Their screams filled the air.

"Help!" Someone shrieked desperately. Ginny saw a naked adult woman draped over the long since dead corpse of the man who had been Remus' murdered companion. She was covered tattoos partially obscured by blood and scratches. She recognized her as the black wolf with the evident tibial fracture.

Ginny was torn between running to her or to her lover's side but the woman gestured desperately to Remus' collapsed form. Their partnership obviously transcended the transformation. They're part of the Scottish pack.

Ginny threw herself to the ground beside Remus' naked form, all modesty disregarded. As she turned him gently onto his back, he let out an agonized groan. What she revealed was enough to make her faint. In all her years as a healer she had never seen such trauma. His chest was torn to shreds, oozing freely. All gashes now filled with debris from the forest floor. Tears pooled down Ginny's face. She didn't even know where to start. Bits of flesh hung off his chest and the sides of his neck. She could see some of his pectoral muscles spasm from exposure to the air. She searched for any signs of spurting that might signify a severed artery but found none.

His face had blood dripping from his mouth, but that at least was not his own. His lips were blue and his pupils constricted. He was going into shock. Ginny ripped the skirt of her dress off, what little there was, with the help of her wand and pressed it tightly to the area with the most bleeding.

"Come on," she pleaded, looking around for any help.

The woman nearby was sobbing raggedly over the other man's body. She made eye contact with Ginny with a look of pure hopelessness. Her expression changed to dread as she pointed past Ginny's shoulder.

Ginny whipped around to an armed man in a Death Eater mask approaching. Before he could open his mouth, Ginny had sent a slashing curse which hit the joint of his wand arm with lethal accuracy. Adrenaline now the only fuel in Ginny's body. The man fell to the ground howling traumatically as his arm hung by a thread of skin. His wand lost on the forest floor.

"There!" The woman warned again as Ginny spotted the shape moving through the thickening smoke.

"Stupefy!" She roared as the robed figure fell to the ground.

"Here!" Ginny shouted, tossing the wand she had taken from Hestia's warm corpse to her. The woman snatched it up and sent another curse over Ginny's shoulders. Sparks rained down in a violent shower, catching her hair and simmering.

Ginny was beginning to fade. Her senses were no longer reliable. With every bit of magic she used she came closer to oblivion. Vision tunneled as she rose to her feet and everything swayed. The burning trees around her left streaks of colour in her vision. She could feel the heat of the fire around her and the smoke filling her lungs. Another blur of movement ahead of her. Ginny threw a second cutting curse but had no idea if it made contact. Death Eater or Order Member, Ginny didn't dare give them the benefit of the doubt.

With that last hex her vision constricted to a pin-hole, as if she were looking at the world through a long narrow funnel. Someone screamed her name but it sounded far away, as if she were underwater. Without conscious awareness the ground came up to meet her. Her last experience was of her head hitting the hard ground as the world fell to pieces around her.

TBC