SEVEN: GREEN

Dawn was approaching. Over one hundred men and women stood at the outline of the Dark Forest, their wands in hand and masks upon their faces. At the other side of the field stood over two hundred men and women, their wands, and reflexes, ready. The sides of Light and Dark were ready to fight till the death, the head of each standing tall in front, prepared for the first move. Severus stood with the Dark Lord, his wand like all the others. Hermione stood beside, with what little choice she had. The plan was for them to sneak out of the battle and into the forest, so as not to be harmed. Hopefully it would work, since Harry had given them his invisibility cloak for protection.

Suddenly a cry ran through the air, no one knew from where, and the battle began. Colours of the rainbow began showering the field, men and women fighting for their lives. Hermione pulled the invisibility cloak from under her Death Eater robes and threw it over herself and Severus. They rushed into the forest, hoping they would not be noticed having disappeared. But they were. Lucius Malfoy ran after them, with Draco after him, and Ron after Draco. This would surely be interesting.

Aiden and Aileen were with Poppy, who had offered to stay behind in the castle; Peeves had decided he would fight as well, so he could not watch them. It was a relief to Hermione and Severus to know that their children were safe. They reached their safe house in the forest, created for them by Hagrid the week before when the plan was devised. As they started getting something to eat, the door opened to reveal Lucius. He raised his wand into the air and pointed it straight at Severus.

"I see you couldn't prove I was a traitor."

"Doesn't mean I can't just take your dead body back to the Dark Lord."

"Doesn't mean you have anything to prove if you do take my body back."

"But I have some proof. This house, for instance. Why else would it be here if it weren't for Dumbledore?"

"Maybe I have my reasons." Hermione took a step forward.

"You don't have to kill us Mr. Malfoy. I asked Severus to make this for me. I want to be able to keep our children safe for our Lord." She looked confident, standing tall and holding Severus' arm. She motioned to the cribs (that were placed there if this may have happened) and smiled. "I have a portkey ready to get them once we got here and ate. They are still in the castle with Madam Pomfrey."

"Do you think I would believe you mudblood? You have another thing coming if you do. For that I will kill both of you." He took a step forward, coming fully into the cabin.

"That would make our Lord unhappy. You know he has no other Potions Master, and if you kill Hermione, he will not have anyone who can care for the twins until they are ready to learn the Dark Arts."

"There are other women."

"They are close to their mother, and their magic is strong already. Aiden has performed numerous levitating charms to just be near his mother, and Aileen cast a summoning spell on Hermione no more than a week ago. You really think they will obey someone else when they are so devoted."

"You make a point Severus. Then I shall spare her, but I will still kill you." It was at this moment both Severus and Hermione saw Draco running in the forest toward their cabin, Ron not far behind him. She took a few steps forward, coming closer to Lucius' wand.

"Do you really think I would allow you to kill my husband? I am devoted to him myself, and I stay devoted to him for the sake of our Lord. He makes sure I do obey our Lord as I do him. You really think our Lord will approve of Severus' death when I could easily just run in fear." They were getting closer.

"You are bound to the Dark Lord just like everyone else."

"No I am not. I have never been Marked, nor has Severus and I magically bonded. Marriage bonds are not safe when the woman is pregnant, it can lead to miscarriage. I could not do that to our Lord when he was so looking forward to my children. And I have not had the strength needed since their birth, for they are still infants and need constant care."

"We would find you no matter what."

"And I would kill myself long before you could find my trail. As I said, I am devoted to my husband and our Lord above all. I should kill you for threatening my duties to our Lord." She took her wand out, pointing it at Lucius. Her eyes became slits, figure straight-backed and anger streaming.

"Stop right there Death Eater!" Draco's voice was loud; Lucius turned, surprised, at his son.

"Who are you to call me that? I am your father."

"And I am a member of the Order. I am here to protect the Snapes at all cost."

"So Dumbledore still prized his Potions Master?" Ron finally caught up.

"No, he prizes his godchildren and friends. Sorry we're late you two." Lucius turned back to Severus, who had his wand out now, and stared at him.

"So you are a traitor? All that talk was just to bury me in my grave? How could you Severus, I thought you were my friend?"

"If you were my friend, you wouldn't have threatened to kill my wife and I. I feel very sorry for you Lucius. You could become free from all this, but instead you are going to come to the same fate as many more before and after you." While Severus talked, Ron and Draco walked up behind Lucius, Draco somehow successfully getting his wand.

"And what fate would that be?" He raised his arm to find his wand gone, looking behind him, he saw his son holding it, his own wand at the ready.

"A trial, and from there I cannot say. You did this to yourself."

"You will be tried as well; you bear the same Mark as I do." He turned to his son. "And you will be beside him, traitor."

"Stupefy." Ron waved his wand and Lucius' body fell to the ground in a heap. Draco, Ron, and Severus put him into a chair and Hermione finished the food. They all ate, talking about the possible outcomes of the Final Battle. Hermione wasn't lying when she said she had a portkey to get the children, only it was Poppy who held it. The three of them appeared around tea time, the twins wanting their mother and needing a nap. They waited until nightfall (which they were only able to tell by the time because the Dark Forest is always dark) for someone to come. When no one did, Ron went to check the battlefield. He arrived two hours later with a few Aurors who had come to take Lucius. Hermione and the twins were portkeyed back to the castle, while Severus, Draco, and Ron walked with the Aurors. As they did, they were told of what happened at the Final Battle.

After Hermione and Severus went into the forest, with Draco and Ron following, the biggest fight occurred. Albus was surrounded by Death Eaters when Tonks, Remus, and Harry attacked all seven. Harry then made his way to Voldemort, helped along by Mad-eye Moody, Tonks, Remus, and Albus. Minerva was at the front doors of Hogwarts protecting it, and many of the fifth through seventh years were helping in the fight. About thirty people on the Order's side died all together, almost fifty Death Eaters died. All others were taken into custody of the Aurors.

No one knew what happened in the fight between Voldemort and Harry, since the plan was to get them into the quidditch field and leave them be. Once the injured were taken care of, the Death Eaters sent off Azkaban until trial, and the battlefield cleaned up, did anyone ask of Harry. Some said he was still fighting, but the glowing of spells had long since ended, and the smell of death was still fresh in the air. Everyone hoped, above all hope, that Harry was alive and victorious.

No one knew where Harry Potter was, nor where the Dark Lord was, and everyone was worried. Albus had informed everyone not to go near the quidditch field, the spell placed upon it for that battle was still there, which meant that so were they. The entire wizarding world waited with baited breath for the moment when the true victory rose and took his place. It wasn't until that night that they got their answer.

Harry walked out of the field, holding his Firebolt and two wands. His feet carried him to the front doors of the castle, but he didn't have enough strength to open them. It didn't matter though, because there were people everyone, waiting, and he was taken to the hospital wing immediately after her collapsed. Poppy tended to his wounds and ailments. Other than a few scrapes, he was in perfect health. Everyone rejoiced.

Two days later, Harry called Albus, Minerva, Severus, Hermione, Luna, Neville, Ginny, Ron, Draco, and Poppy to his bedside. The twins were in attendance, since they could not be left alone and Peeves had not been seen since the Final Battle ended. Harry was ready to tell the tale of what happened on the quidditch pitch.

The battle (in third person):

The shield rose, surprising Harry. He wasn't expecting an audience, but he also wasn't expecting to be left alone with the monster that called himself a man. It made his stomach turn to think about what this monster had put everyone through just to get want he wanted.

"So it ends here." His voice was strong, it echoed everywhere.

"Yes, Potter, I suppose it does." The two looked at one another, watching every move.

"I just have one question for you."

"And that would be?"

"Why?

"Be more specific Potter."

"Why do we have to fight? I mean, you didn't have to become what you are now; you could have been a greatly honoured man, like Dumbledore. You didn't cause all this pain to make a point." Voldemort looked at Harry for the longest time, wondering and watching. It was a while until he spoke his answer.

"I did what I felt I had to do. As we all do."

"That doesn't answer anything. You know what you have done is wrong. Don't you understand: death is never an answer, only an excuse. You could have been my mentor, instead you are my enemy. I don't understand how you could hate so much in a world filled with enough hate already."

"I was born into this world, and it never helped me once."

"What about Hogwarts. You were saved when you got your letter. You were happy in those walls!"

"Saved? From the persecution I went through everyday, I was little but saved. And after I was accepted to Hogwarts, I no longer had any friends whatsoever."

"What about here, at Hogwarts? Did you have friends here?"

"Yes, I had friends at Hogwarts, but that meant nothing."

"How could it mean nothing to have friends? I never had a friend in the world before I came here, but now I have more friends than I ever thought I would. I was persecuted everyday as well, by my own relatives was I abused, but not once have I ever wanted to kill their kind for their mistake. People like the Dursleys do not make up the world."

"The world is a harsh place Potter; if you don't know that, you need to grow up."

"I do know the harshness of the world, but I like to see the joy instead. What use is there in looking negatively at the world? It only pits you against yourself."

"Why do you care so much about a world that never cared about you?"

"Because there are people who do care about me. The world is too big to care about, but the people you know and love are the people that make up your world. That is what makes a good life. I wish you knew of that life Tom Riddle. You would have liked it, having people around you who loved and cared about you. Just because one man didn't doesn't condemn his race. If that were true, muggles would have killed themselves off long ago."

"So you will die for those you love? How sentimental."

"No. I will not die, not as long as I believe in my friends, my family, and myself." Harry launched himself at Voldemort, casting spell after spell to try and slow him down. It didn't work exactly, only a few hexes hit. After a moment's thought, Harry called his Firebolt, which was in the broom shed, to him. It flew, as if he were already on, into his hand. He jumped on it and started flying, hoping this would help keep him safe. He found it did, allowing him to move with ease in the air around Voldemort. He could also cast spells, hexes, and curses better in the air, because he knew where his target was, not vise versa.

"Potter, you annoying little brat! You want to play, I'll play!" And he called a broom into his hand. Unfortunately he called Draco's Nimbus 2001, which meant that he would be fast in the air… But not faster than the Firebolt, which was two classes better. They raced around the pitch, Harry always one step ahead. It wasn't hard for him to dodge and move quickly, he had become used to moving like this when trying to catch the snitch. As they came closer to one another, Harry started to have to dodge Killing Curses, the words resonating off the barrier and when hitting it, becoming nothing. Harry aimed his wand and said the most fatal of words, hoping he aimed right at to spot that Voldemort would be when the two collided. He was. But his victory was short-lived, as he was hit with extreme pain. Both riders fell to the ground with which they were not far from. The Dark Lord made a crunching sound when he landed, Harry's broom lightly placed him on the ground and sat beside him.

Harry's head hurt. He had fallen asleep, the dead body a few feet away not bothering him. He got up, being careful that he not get dizzy, and started off toward the gate leading outside. Once there, it took him awhile to understand the barrier spell and disarm it. Once he did, he couldn't think about anything but telling Dumbledore it was over…

Luna stayed at Harry's bedside until he could return to his room, where she made sure Ron promised to watch him. Ginny and Neville brought him his schoolwork, since Poppy said he was to stay in bed until she said so. Some teachers came into Gryffindor Tower to show him the practical work, Severus included. Minerva made sure he had everything he needed, including giving him a room to himself. A week after he was released from Poppy's instructive care, he performed the reversal spell on Draco and Severus to take the Dark Mark off their arms. It was a success. The world could finally begin to rebuild itself.