Chaos. Utter chaos. That's what it was like in Hogwarts at the minute. So much filled his senses all at once. It was almost dizzying. Remus took a deep breath and almost choked on some acrid smoke. There were shouts and cries and screams and Remus couldnt even begin to understand what was going on.

He'd had to rush in from where he had been stationed outside, he'd been defending a group of his former students who had been caught unawares by the Carrows sneaking behind them while they were duelling other threats.

And there were so many threats. So many. Death Eaters. Giants. He'd felt the chill of dementors as well though, thankfully, he hadn't come across one. That didn't stop him feeling their effect. The hopelessness. The despair. Or maybe that was just the result of seeing so many bodies fall with terrified, frozen looks on their faces. So many small bodies.

What was going on? What was happening? Were they winning? Losing? They had already lost so much. So many people. Remus swallowed heavily and tried to rid himself of those thoughts. They wouldn't help anyone.

Neville Longbottom ran past, wand in front and a determined look on his face. Like that time he had braved the boggart.

Remus stepped forward to ask him if he'd seen Harry. Suddenly Remus really needed to see Harry. He hadn't seen him since the Great Hall. How long ago was that now? But Neville was gone, having disappeared into the school.

A blast of yellow light shook him out of his trance and he jumped backwards, wand at the ready. Had that been from a friend or from a foe?

Remus wasnt aware of time passing. Didn't know whether it had been hours or minutes since he had arrived. All he knew that he was jumping form one opponent to the next, with barely a chance to catch his breath in between. He'd run up stairs and run down them and even used suits of armour as a shield. A method which was surprisingly effective even if it wasn't the most practial of solutions. Still, it saved his life. Twice.

He duelled a Lestrange brother, the falling debris made it hard to figure out who, but whoever it was was soon distracted by someone else. Remus manged to get out of the cramped and almost demolished corridor and made for outside. If he could stop people from coming in, maybe they'd have a better chance.

He got into a doorway just in time. Dolohov came running up, robes askew and cuts all down one side of his face. He grinned when he saw Remus and didn't say anything before he threw his first hex.

Antonin Dolohov was a fierce and skilled fighter. And he was ruthless. Cutting spells were the mildest thing he shot at him. And he didn't rely on those a lot. But Remus could be ruthless too. He grew up during the First War. Had fought more times that he wished to think about. He knew a thing or two about being ruthless. You couldn't show any mercy to a man like Dolohov.

And he didn't. Remus fired off spell after spell. Hex after hex, refusing to give up. He ducked and he wove and ignored any aches and pains he might have had. Unfortunately, Dolohov was extremely capable of doing the same.

A burning pain shot through his shoulder and he gasped and crouched to the ground, clutching it. His robe was torn and it was hot. Warm. Warm and... sticky? Sticky. He knew that feeling. It was blood. He was bleeding. Profusely. Or was it only a little bit? He couldn't tell from the dirt and sweat and blood and Merlin knows what else was on him. He didn't even want to think about what was covering him. There had been too many close calls. Too many misses.

Remus raised his want and shot off yet another spell that narrowly missed Dolohov. Dammit.

Dolohov had this manic grin on his face. The look of a man who didn't believe he could lose. That he was in the right. That he held all the power.

And it turned out he did as a sickly blue light hit him firmly on tbe stomach. Remjs gasped and he could literally feel whatever the spell was wrap around his torso before disapating. What was that? Remus' vision came and went briefly. Then all he could see was Dolohov's grin as he aimed his wand right at his face.

No. He wasn't going to win. Remus wasnt going to go down like this. He raised his own wand in a similar manner, only to realise that whatever spell he had been hit with made his arms tremble uncontrollably. How was he supposed to aim?

Maybe Dolohov was going to win. Remus braced every muscle in his body to prepare himself to jump out of the way.

Except he didn't have to because a blast came from behind Dolohov, flinging him to the side. Someone else cast a spell at him as stone and wooden beams came crashing down. What was happening? Remus suddenly felt very bewildered. Was this the spell he had been hit with th or the adrenaline talking? Everything felt like it was going in slow motion. Remus blinked, everyone's voices starting to echo.

As his body swayed quite suddenly a high, cold voice spoke so close to him that Remus could swear that he was in the castle. Except that wasn't right, was it? It couldnt be. His thoughts were slow to come and confusing. Was Voldemort here? Where was he? He had to fight.

Voldemort's voice reverberated from the walls and floor, and Remus realised that he was talking to all those still fighting in the castle. Still pushing on. He had to push on. His muscles strained as he fought to stay upright. It was a losing battle, he found as heeaned heavily against the wall.

"You have fought," said the high, cold voice, "valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery."

Yes, Remus thought bitterly, everything around him starting to lose focus, he treated bravery with death.

"Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste."

Did he really... did he really expect people to believe that? After all this? After now?

"Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately."

They were retreating? Death Eaters? Remus was confused. His thoughts were sluggish, like he was trying to dredge them up through treacle.

"You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured."

Dora. Where was Dora? He had to get to her. See if she was okay. She had to be okay. He tried to make his legs move but they didn't seem to be working. Instead, he slid further down the wall.

"I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

There was a brief silence when Vomdemort stopped speaking. It was a silence were everyone froze and looked around, not sure what to do. But it was only for a brief second and then everyone got moving again. People were running, Death Eaters leaving them, obeying their master's orders without even a moment's hesitation. It was so odd to see.

Remus was sitting down now, he could feel the ground under him and the wall on his back. When had he bent to sit down?

He tried to call out, to get some words out but nothing happened. No sound came out. His throat? Was his throat not working? He couldn't even bring his hand up to clutch at his throat.

People ran last him without seeing him. He could barely see them, the corners of his vision going dark.

And then he knew no more.