Ron and Ginny were in the process of being released by Madame Pompfrey when they returned to the ward. Hermione was moved to the bed previously occupied by Ginny, enabling Ron and Ginny to sit between to the beds and wait patiently for the two girls to wake. Much to Madame Pomfrey's concern Hermione didn't wake once that day, although she did twitch around dinnertime. As promised Healer Adelaide returned to Hogwarts later on in the evening whilst Ron and Ginny were at dinner, the three waiting males were again ushered away from the bed while the healer re-examined her. After twenty minutes she emerged from behind the screens that were hiding Ellie from view.

"No change at all. Both her heartbeat and her breathing are unsteady; in fact her breathing is far too shallow. I'm very, very sorry but I don't see any signs that she'll recover," she told them sorrowfully. Charlie leant forward and put his head in his hands, Remus held his breath and Harry felt the tears welling up in his eyes. She was going to die. He had lost yet another family member.

"Thank you for everything you've done, I know you have tried your very best," Remus again shook her hand.

"I haven't entirely given up yet, I'll have Poppy keep giving her the potion to keep her heart rate up just to make sure but it really doesn't look very good. You might want to get the rest of her family in to say goodbye, for when the worst happens," she suggested

"I'll do that," Remus nodded solemnly. Without any warning Charlie jumped out of his seat and disappeared from the hospital wing.

"Death can be very hard on older brothers," Healer Adelaide said as she watched Charlie retreating.

"Charlie isn't her brother," Remus added in a confused manner.

"Isn't he? I just assumed that because of the hair he was her family,"

"I'm her family," Harry told her dejectedly.

"Charlie is her fiancée," Remus informed her.

"The poor thing! To lose your wife before you've even had her is such a terrible tragedy. But then again it's always a tragedy when it's someone so young, that's the only part of this job that ever really affects me," she smiled mournfully at Remus before departing.

"I can't believe she's going to die," Harry approached her bed once more.

"She could pull through," Remus said in a voice that was more hopeful than his eyes.

"But it doesn't look likely. When are you going to accept that she's gone?" Harry scolded. Remus's constant denial of Ellie's condition was beginning to irk him a little bit.

"She'll live, Harry, just you wait and see. The Potters are notorious for doing the unexpected and impossible," Remus tried to smile at him warmly but failed because the smile didn't extend to his eyes.

"Why did she do it? Why didn't she just stay where she was?" Harry wailed into her bed sheets.

"Have you ever heard of Aristotle?" Remus asked him.

"I don't think so."

"He was a philosopher, scientist and physician in Ancient Greece. Ellie is rather fond of his work much like her mother was, Jane always had her nose in a book and would be reading about someone's take on the world. Anyway when we started up the order, we held a toast and Jane quoted Aristotle, 'The wise man does not expose himself needlessly to danger, since there are few things for which he cares sufficiently; but he is wiling, in great crises, to give even his life – knowing that under certain conditions it is not worthwhile to live.' Jane certainly believed it and Ellie does as well. From her point of view it would not be worthwhile to live in a world without you and so she was wiling to sacrifice herself."

"I'll never get to know her properly now."

"What makes you think that you don't already?"

"Well I don't really know anything about her really…"

"All you really need to know is that she loved you and that you loved her, nothing else matters."

"I didn't know enough about her to love her?"

"You must have, otherwise she couldn't have done what she did. Sacrifice only requires two things, Harry, strength and courage. Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage – Lao Tzu, another of Ellie's favourites," he smiled at his goddaughter.

"But she loved Charlie and he loved her, maybe that's what gave her them,"

"There is not a single doubt in my mind that she loves Charlie and that he loves her but she didn't jump in front of Charlie, I daresay that she would but all the same she didn't. She stood in front of you; she sacrificed herself for you because she loves you," Remus said emphatically.

"I don't know why, all I ever do is get people killed."

"You do not. You have a certain ability Harry, I'm not really sure what it is but it endears you to people. They can't spend time with you and not love you, and with love comes a duty, a duty to ensure that you live. Have you heard the phrase 'If you love someone let them go'?"

"Yeah," Harry tried to hide his confusion.

"Well sacrifice works along the same lines, if you love someone deeply enough then you would die for them. Not because you want to die but because you want them to live, that is why Ellie took the blow for you and it's why Sirius went to the Department of Mysteries. The best way to repay them for that is to go on living and to be happy, that is all that has ever mattered to them and to your parents."

"What if she does…die?" he struggled to say the words.

"Then we can rest assured that she will be happy. Her mother and father have been waiting to meet her again and see how wonderfully their little girl turned out. Your Dad will hold a party in her honour and thank her graciously for saving his son, Lily will be positively beside herself and Sirius will be begging your mum and Ellie to start a 'We saved Harry Potter' club," Remus laughed at his own vision, Harry allowed himself a smile. "But she's not going to die, not here and not now. She is going to die an old woman at home in her bed most probably surrounded by legions of red-haired grandchildren. Isn't that right Ellie?" he leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm going to go and see Molly; she wanted to know how everything was going. I won't be gone more than twenty minutes." Harry waved him off and settled back into his seat to wait for Ron and Ginny. They returned only five minutes before Remus who was red-eyed, "Molly is distraught, Arthur is trying to comfort her," he sat next to Ron.

"Why is she so upset?" Ron asked. Remus looked at Harry questioningly but Harry shook his head.

"The healer from St. Mungo's came back earlier," Remus told the two red-haired teenagers. "She doesn't think it's likely that Ellie will recover." Ron gulped and looked down at Ellie's pale face. Ginny held her breath for a moment before the sobs overcame her, she buried her face in Harry's shoulder and for the second time in less than six months her tears were so heavy that they soon soaked through his robes. They sat in silence for hours until the light padding of feet disturbed the uneasy air. Harry's eyes shifted from his cousin to the hospital doorway where Professor Dumbledore now stood with a look of great misery adorning his features.

"Good evening everyone. Mr and Miss Weasley you look thoroughly tired, might I suggest that you go up to your dormitory and get a proper night's rest? I am aware that sleeping in a hospital bed can be extremely difficult." Ron and Ginny politely obeyed and left for bed. "Remus, I have asked Mr Filch to make up the spare bedroom in my quarters for you, should you wish to get some rest as well," Dumbledore added to the werewolf.

"Thank you Professor. But although Elizabeth is of age now she is still my goddaughter and I am Harry's guardian so anything that you would like to say shall be said in my presence," the sting in Remus's voice took Harry by surprise.

"I understand. Harry, last year when you asked me to tell you the truth I was not entirely honest with you for reasons that I assume are obvious to you now," he waved his hand over Elizabeth. "But now the time is right to tell you more…"

A/N: Do you hate me and my evil cliff-hangers yet? No. Oh well I've still got a couple of chapters up my sleeve so I've got time to put it right!

Next up is…The Second Prohpecy.