It was still hard to get around the new castle.

Built from the old plans, raised from the rubble- most of the secret passages and probably a few new ones were the same. Many thought it was daft to build on the spot where it was known the castle was. But others took it as a sign of the future hopes and dreams of the Brittiana Wizarding World when the tall Ravenclaw Aerie Tower and the tallest Astronomy tower were magically lifted and sealed back into place.

A permanent memorial was placed in the main hall to honor the students and faculty who died in the massacre. For a change I ran by it without a second glance. Still being among the youngest faculty members, I quickly outstripped the rest at a full sprint all the while really wishing for a broom.

I began taking the winding stairs more then 2 at a time hoping I wouldn't land in one of the trick stairs at the speed I was going.

Voldemort and his followers had successfully invaded the castle again.

I saw one of the ghosts floating down through the stairs. "Sir Nicholas! Have you found them?"

"Room of Requirement."

I put on a fresh burst of speed. Was there a D.A. meeting tonight? I couldn't remember what Neville had told me. How did Voldemort get into the castle- help from the inside? Maybe a student?

I was nearly out of breath when I reached the out of the way corridor.

The door was no where to be seen, but I could faintly hear the sounds of screams and spells on the other side of the wall.

Room of requirement? What I required was an entrance and the room to provide us with what we needed to defeat Voldemort permanently. I paced my required 3 circuits thinking all the while "Griffendor- you made the room, now your heirs defend it. Help them!" Finally the door appeared. I pulled it open quickly enough to see the room dissolve from the D.A.. classroom, to resemble a dark stone room at the ministry with the stone arch with its concealing and ever-floating curtains.

Harry, Neville, Seamus, Ron, Hermione and the rest of the D.A.. were fighting a losing battle for their lives against 15 death eaters and Voldemort. The room seemed huge, more then big enough to accommodate the numbers. There was a brief stunned pause as the environment changed.

Harry was the first to look and see the door was open. I heard him order Hermione and Ron to start getting the students out. Several refused to leave, including Neville. There were also several down on the floor, I was unsure who they were, but by the look of the way they fell- they wouldn't be getting back up again.

Time seemed to move into slow motion.

I provided cover fire for the students making for the exit hoping the other teachers would help get them to the grounds safely. Neville was holding his own against Bellatrix and Harry was once again facing Voldemort yelling at his friends to leave the entire time.

Voldemort was laughing in that odd high-pitched way of his. I began to think that this was only a set back. That he'd set us up. Then I heard the voices from the curtains; the voices hungering for revenge on the one who sent many of them beyond before their time.

Potter must have heard them as well, and he started to steer Voldemort towards the opening.

I saw Bellatrix fall clutching at her knee in pain. I'm not sure what Neville did, but there was a lot of blood.

"AVADA KADAVRA!!!" Potters deep voice boomed across the dungeon above the rest of the noise.

A green light shot out of his wand straight at Voldemort.

Nothing happened. Silence once again filled the room.

Then Voldemort started laughing. And pointed his wand at Harry.

"Let me show you how it's done, boy. First you have to really WANT to hurt your opponent."

"Crucio!" Harry doubled over as the red light hit him. He tried to raise his wand to protect himself, but a death eater kicked it away. We finally got the students who would leave out the door the last one wedged the door open.

What was taking the faculty so long to get here!

Sir Nicholas found me again as if answering my unspoken thought- "Ambush, stairs moved and destroyed, having to invent a new route. Will be here soon!"

"Crucio!" Harry hit the floor clutching his abdomen blood forming at the side of his mouth. I knew I could never cross the room in time, but I began to duel my way through the wall of death eaters to try.

"Crucio!" Another Death eater blocked my way, a strong silver hand reached out from the robe and grabbed my by my neck. As the air slowly began to run out, my thoughts and eyes were still on Harry. Very few have felt the full force of that spell from "the master" and lived to tell about it. Death would seem preferable and kind at this point.

"Accio Wand" I heard Ron's clear tenor voice and saw Harry's wand fly through the air to Ron who then sent it flying back to Harry. Harry picked up the wand, and forced himself to stand and try to cast another spell.

"Avada Kadavara!" Potter managed to get the spell out- a bright green light flew out of his wand staggering Voldemort back a few steps before he fully regained his footing he began to cast at Harry again.

"Cruci---"

"NOOO!!!" And a body flew threw the air at Voldemort knocking him even closer to the opening in the wall. Momentum carrying Voldemort and his assailant to the opening, tripping on the dais, and turning in such a way that I could see that the attacker was Neville. It was getting hot, harder to breathe. My neck and shoulders hurt from the pressure being exerted.

"Expecto Patronum!" A stag burst out of Harry's wand and what Neville started, Prongs finished.

Voldemort was beyond the veil.

The silver hand clutching my neck suddenly vanished and was replaced by a cauterized stump. I fell to the floor hard on one shoulder, and took gasping breaths rubbing my throat.

"Patrificus Totalius!" A feminine voice said from behind us. The death-eaters body went fully rigid from Hermione's spell.

We were closest to the door, where we staggered to keep the rest of the death eaters present from escaping. I was having a difficult time breathing, didn't feel like I was getting enough air, but this wasn't the time for injuries. Several had surrendered by throwing their wands to the floor others were trying to push past us to escape. This was when the remainder of the faculty finally caught up with us.

Hermione took the mask off of the death-eater she froze, revealing a rather starved and terrified Peter Petticrew. My final mystery solved, I tried to take a deep breath, and felt myself fall backwards against the doorframe. And I saw no more.