A/N: I made myself cry writing this chapter. So did Mum. We're getting close to the end, but there shall be tragedies as well as triumphs. And I rather suspect there will be contracts out on my life when you're all done reading this chapter. Oh, and about that flame…don't feed the trolls, people. Just laugh at them amongst yourselves and let them fizzle off the review board into obscurity.

WARNING: There is VIOLENCE in this chapter, and some graphic bloodshed. The story is still PG-13, but please proceed with caution, younger readers!

Chapter Forty-Six: Denial of What Must Be

Professor McGonagall brought them to Professor Lupin's office. "But it's full moon!" Hermione protested.

"All the same, we would prefer you away from the other students for now," Professor McGonagall said.

When she led them inside, they saw Malfoy already there with Snape. "What's all this about?" Malfoy demanded, casting a wary eye over his shoulder.

Harry was startled to see a large wolf standing a few feet from Snape. It was larger than what he'd expect a wolf to be, but definitely a wolf, as opposed to a werewolf. "Remus?"

The wolf nodded.

"Potter, you and your classmates will remain here with Professor Lupin while the situation is…dealt with," said Snape.

"What's going on?" Harry asked nervously.

"What situation?" Hermione added.

"We have intruders on the edge of the grounds," said Professor McGonagall. "Is your scar reacting?"

Harry rubbed his forehead. "No…but that doesn't mean Death Eaters wouldn't be here. Or Voldemort could show up later."

Malfoy jumped, and Ron shot him a withering look. "People on our side say his name." Hermione elbowed him.

"But why here?" Malfoy demanded of Snape, glancing apprehensively at Remus-the-wolf.

"I must go join in the defense. You will all be safest here with Lupin," said Snape. He nodded to them all and followed Professor McGonagall to the door.

"Wait!" Malfoy exclaimed. He caught up with Snape at the doorway, his expression anxious, and said something in a low, urgent voice that they couldn't make out. Something flickered across Snape's face that Harry had never seen before, then he silently gripped Draco's shoulder before vanishing out the door.

When the door closed, Draco stared at it for several moments. Ron went and settled himself behind Remus's desk, and Hermione sat down next to Remus-the-wolf. He whined sadly at her, and she scratched him behind the ears, until he rested his head on her knee and closed his eyes. Malfoy slowly crossed the room and joined Harry at the window. They stared out into the darkness of the grounds. The moon was full, but it was behind a cloud.

"What do you see?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing yet," said Harry, squinting out into the blackness.

"Wait..." Malfoy's nose was practically touching the glass. He pointed. "There."

Ron straightened up and said, "What?"

Harry stared until his vision wavered, but then saw what Malfoy was looking at: flashes in the distance of colored light, so faint they were almost invisible. "Curses. In the Forbidden Forest."

Ron scrambled out of Remus's chair, and started around the desk, but knocked his hip against it, causing a small round ornament to start to tip off. Ron yelped and caught it before it fell, and started to put it back on its little three-legged mount. "Sorry, Remus – Hey! Hermione, your name's on this!"

Remus gave a startled bark and came running around the desk, but Hermione came around the other side and took the little globe from Ron's hand. As Remus growled in warning, Harry and Draco turned in time to see Hermione go rigid.

"Hermione?" Ginny asked in alarm.

Her eyes glazed, Hermione spoke in a low, unnatural voice:

"ON THE THIRD NIGHT OF THE THIRD MONTH, THE FALLEN SHALL NUMBER THREE. BLOOD SHALL BE SPILT OF THE INNOCENT AS WELL AS THE GUILTY AND HERALD THE END OF THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE DARK AND THE LIGHT. TWO SHALL DIE DEFIANT…ONE SHALL DIE REPENTANT…TWO SHALL DIE TRAITORS…TWO SHALL DIE FREED…ON THE THIRD NIGHT OF THE THIRD MONTH, THE FALLEN SHALL NUMBER THREE…"

Then all at once, she gasped and buckled. Ron caught her as she went limp, but couldn't reach the dropped prophecy globe before it shattered on the floor. Harry, Draco, and Ginny stared in disbelief as Hermione's hazy image floated up, the haunting words echoing again until they faded into nothing.

"Bloody hell," Draco breathed.

Propped up on the floor by Ron, Hermione rubbed her forehead. "What happened?" she mumbled. "Did I faint?"

"You're a Seer!" Draco exclaimed. Ginny shoved past the boys and grabbed a random piece of parchment at Remus's desk, writing as fast as she could.

"What?" Hermione blurted.

"Believe it," Ginny muttered. "I think I got it all," she told them.

"That would explain them making you study Divination," said Harry, his mind reeling.

Hermione scrambled to her feet and rounded on Remus. "Was anybody planning on telling ME about this?" The wolf cringed away from her and whined piteously, his tail between his legs. Hermione threw up her hands and stalked over to Ginny's side. "What'd I say?"

"You don't remember?" asked Malfoy, in surprise.

"No, I don't bloody remember! Is this all of it?"

"Think so," Ginny said.

"Blood of the innocent and guilty..." Hermione looked at Harry in horror.

Ginny was still writing. "Two traitors...two defiant...one repentant...two freed...that doesn't make any sense. You said only three would die."

Draco spoke in a shaking voice. "Yes, it makes sense…if someone is both a traitor and free." All the color was slowly draining from his face. "And defiant, too. For three people to die, one of them has to be all three things."

Ginny froze with the quill in her hand. "Oh, no."

A traitor, free and defiant…Snape

Draco started towards the door, looking dazed. "I...I have to go," he said, distractedly.

Harry ran and grabbed his arm, pulling him back from the door. "Hang on. You know we can't go out there."

"I have to bring him back."

"Malfoy, don't be stupid," Harry began, and Draco shoved him violently away.

"GET OFF ME!" he roared. "You expect me to bloody sit here while Snape gets killed? You, with your friends and you family," he waved his hand in the direction of the others. "He's all I have! I'm not going to lose him!"

Hermione stepped towards him. "Draco, you can't stop a prophecy," she said quietly. "It's just what the future will be."

"Rubbish!" Draco snapped. He pointed at Ginny and the parchment. "Someone else will die freed tonight, too. Know anyone else who's been freed recently?" he shot at Harry. "Are you just going to sit here and let him die, too?"

Harry suddenly felt a huge weight on his chest. He couldn't breathe. Remus ran between Draco and the door, growling, and Draco drew his wand, shouting at the wolf to get out of his way.

"Malfoy, no!" Hermione shouted and lunged towards Draco. He grabbed her and threw her into Harry, knocking them both off balance. As they struggled to right themselves, they heard Malfoy shout a curse, followed by the wolf's yelp of surprise.

"Remus!' Ginny cried, and another curse from Malfoy blew out the classroom door, as Harry and Hermione rushed to the fallen wolf. Ron raced past them to the door, shouting at Malfoy to stop.

Remus shook his head and pulled his feet back under his body as Harry, Hermione, and Ginny hovered anxiously over him. Ron came back and said, "Malfoy's gone. I tried to Stun him, but..." he shrugged helplessly.

Harry whispered, "Remus? Is Sirius the other person who dies?" Remus let out a miserable cry and nudged Harry's face with his nose.

"What do we do now?" Ron asked.

"Well, we need to get Malfoy back before he does anything stupid," said Harry. "We also can't stay in this room."

He got up and started for the door, but Remus barked in protest, and Hermione said," We shouldn't all go out there."

Ginny ran back to the windows. "It's getting worse out there, but I don't think it's that much closer." She grimaced and said, "I'll stay here if you want – or better yet, I'll go to the hospital wing. There'll be wounded coming in."

"It's not safe for you to go through the halls alone," Hermione protested.

Then Remus got up and walked slowly to Ginny's side. She smiled. "Looks like I've got an escort."

"Right." Harry drew his wand, but Remus whined at him. He looked back and forced a smile. "Yeah. We'll be careful."

O

"Harry," Hermione said as they followed her Seek Spell tracking Malfoy toward the exit to the castle. "You realize, once we get Malfoy…we can't go after Sirius."

There was that weight against Harry's chest again, making it hard to breathe as they half-ran through the dark, silent corridors, the sounds of their feet and ragged breathing echoing loud. "I…"

"We don't know for sure it's Sirius in the prophecy," Ron added, as the Spell led them to a small exit door that had been forced open but sensibly spelled closed again. "And if it is…you know prophecies…"

Harry swallowed very hard as Hermione carefully muttered spells to unlock the door again without compromising the heavy wards sealing the castle. "I know…"

"Let's just get Malfoy back in, go back inside, and…you know…" Ron swallowed. "Hope for the best. It's all we can do, mate." He squeezed Harry's shoulder, and Harry noticed distractedly that his friend was very pale. Ron cared about Sirius too.

"Well, we owe it to Snape to protect Draco," Hermione sighed. "When it's over…if the worst happens…hang on, one more minute…we'll keep him safe." There was a soft click, and the door opened. Harry held her back and moved carefully to it, his wand ready. The curse flashes were still far down on the very edge of the grounds, and he could hear only faintest noises of the battle. He nodded, and they slipped out, closing the door again. Hermione sealed it once more. "I'll be able to get us back in once we've got Malfoy," she whispered.

"Is it safe to do a Seek Spell out here?" Ron asked her.

They scurried over the grounds to hide behind some bushes, and Hermione peered out into the dark. "I don't know."

"They're not that close," Ron said.

"No, but they might see the Spell up here," Harry warned.

Just then, they heard voices and footsteps nearby and hunkered down to stay hidden, but Harry looked out and saw that it was Order members, and with them… "Hey!"

Sirius skidded to a stop and stared at the bushes. "Harry? What the hell?"

"Malfoy's out here somewhere!" Hermione whispered. "We tried to stop him, but he ran off when he found out the prophecy."

Mad-Eye Moody stiffened. "How'd you lot know about it?"

"Never mind! Sirius," Harry grabbed his godfather's robes. "It's… it's not…you…"

Sirius's face fell, and he motioned the other Order members to go on, then led Harry and his friends back toward the building. "If it is me, there's nothing we can do about it, Harry. You know that."

"Sirius…"

Shouts and commotion suddenly erupted from down the grounds, and Sirius pulled them all back against the castle wall, drawing his wand. "Get down—"

"Get off me! GET OFF!"

"You're going right back inside, you idiot little—"

"LEGGO! GEROFF!" yelled a figure who was currently being bodily dragged back toward the castle by Mad-Eye Moody.

Hermione let out her breath in a rush. "Ah. They found him."

Moody was refusing to relinquish his grip on the outraged boy, and hauled him over to Sirius and the others. "Potter? Lose something?"

Hermione snatched Malfoy's wand from Moody and grabbed Malfoy by the ear. "You sodding idiot! You could've got yourself killed!"

"I want Snape!" Draco said stubbornly. "I'm not going to let him him die—"

"Draco? POTTER!" A familiar voice roared. "What the devil do you think you're doing out here?" They all turned to see Snape storming toward them. "Damn it, Potter—"

"Don't blame Harry! It wasn't us this time; it was him!" Ron yelled, pointing at Draco.

But before Snape could respond, his errant student had attached himself to his arms. "The prophecy says you're going to die you can't you have to come backIneedyouyoucan'tbeouthereIwon'tletyoudieplease—"

"Draco!" Snape grabbed the distraught Slytherin by the shoulders. "Calm yourself. There are things I must do for the Order tonight…"

"But the prophecy—"

"I know about the prophecy, Draco!" Snape said, giving him a shake. His bearing softened at the sight of Draco's desperate face. "Listen to me. There has always been the chance of dying in this war."

"No—"

Harry flinched, and Sirius squeezed his shoulders from behind. Snape went on, ignoring all of them but Malfoy. "There is no denying what must be. I cannot abandon my duties, even for you."

"So you'll abandon me instead," Draco said bitterly, but Harry was stunned to notice that his eyes were brimming. Silent behind Harry, Sirius was holding him very tight.

"You don't need me, Draco—"

"Yes, I do!" Draco cried, his voice cracking. "You can't die…"

"I can, and before this night is over, I may," Snape cupped Draco's cheek in one hand said softly, "Or else I would not leave you. But you can survive without me, and you will. I have no doubt of it, and you must not. Let go, Draco."

Around them, the remaining Aurors and Order members who had not returned to the battle were shifting uncomfortably. Ron and Hermione stood solemnly, close to Harry and Sirius. Draco sobbed as Snape released him, and Hermione stepped forward and took his arm, silently pulling him back. She cast an anxious glance at Harry, who turned toward his godfather, longing to scream out denials himself.

Sirius pulled him close and whispered, "Harry, no matter what happens, you realize…" His voice choked off then, and he settled for pulling Harry very tight into his arms. "You know, right?" he rasped. "You know…"

Harry couldn't stop shaking as Sirius released him, but he managed to nod. Ron came up to stand close beside him, and Hermione extended a hand toward both Sirius and Snape as they went to rejoin the battle. "Back inside, you lot," Moody told them. "There's nothing you can do here. We'll do everything we can."

"C'mon," Hermione said softly. "Let's get back—"

Zzzzzz—ak! A bolt of curse light sizzled by their heads and blasted a dent in the castle wall. "DOWN!" Moody bellowed.

Harry and Ron hit the dirt, scrambling over to Malfoy and Hermione, all of them trying to see where the hex had come from. Moody and the Aurors were returning fire, and the sound of the battle was suddenly much closer. "Stay down!" he hissed at Malfoy, who fortunately showed no further sign of trying to take off.

"God, what's happening?" Malfoy gasped beside them.

"There's a battle going on; that's what's bloody happening!" Ron hissed.

Harry could see black robes swirling in and out of the darkness and flashes of curse light, and he realized the Order was stuck in the open because they were trying to protect Harry and his friends, backed against the castle wall. "We have to move so they can get to cover!"

"We can't risk opening the door now," Hermione whispered.

Malfoy pointed with a flick of his hand at a large boulder, one of the ones on the grounds that students liked to sit on. "Think we could get behind that rock? If they could cover us for a second?"

"Hang on—Tonks!" Harry called, spotting her in the fray. She heard him and slipped to the back of the pack of Aurors. "Can you cover us long enough to get behind that rock?"

For all her clumsiness, Tonks was a very keen Auror. "Wait for my signal!" she hissed at them.

"Get ready," he muttered at his friends and Draco, and they braced themselves. He could see the wizards passing the word through the Order ranks, and they were starting to spread out, hexing more heavily to force the Death Eater lines back. If they could just hold them off long enough…Tonks flashed green sparks over her shoulder at them. "Go!"

They sprang to their feet and ran, keeping heads down and wands shielding continuously as they scurried like mad for the cover of the boulder. Curses flashed in their direction, and Ron let out a yelp and staggered once, but Malfoy grabbed him, holding him upright.

They were only meters from the scant sanctuary of the boulder when three dark forms surged out from behind it. Harry rocked back on his heels. "Watch out!" he yelled, as Hermione screamed. "Ferito!"

He knocked two Death Eaters off their feet, and a Stunner from Ron caught one of the two, but the third slipped back behind the rock. Harry aimed, but Malfoy yelled, "Don't blast our hiding place!" and took aim. "Reperfringus!"

A dazzling bolt of energy surged from his wand and aced its way toward the Boulder, but small and rounded like a Seek Spell—only faster and much more powerful. They heard a cry and a thud, and then nothing. "Come on!" Hermione shoved them forward toward the shelter.

The Death Eater was unconscious and bleeding. Harry and Draco Petrified and bound him for good measure, along with the other two, then they crouched there with Hermione, who was examining Ron's leg. "How bad?"

"Just a burn," Ron grunted as Hermione did some Healing Spells. "Hurts like mad, but I can walk."

"That should help," Hermione murmured, conjuring a bandage to wrap it. She looked at the castle. "Lord, we're never going to make it back there in this."

"And I don't know how much longer we can stay here," muttered Malfoy, daring a look over the top of the boulder.

Harry joined him, standing carefully, but he didn't have to keep his head ducked so much, since he was shorter than Draco. What he saw took his breath. He had seen battles before, but…not like this. The moon had come back out. Black robed figures, dozens, maybe hundreds of them, flitted across the dimly-lit grounds like swarming insects, their movements strangely exaggerated and freakish in the flashing strobe-effect of the curse lights. Red-robed Aurors and Hogwarts teachers and other wizards massed closer to the castle, forming staggered, broken lines and bunches of people, all trying to drive the assault back.

And what will happen if they don't?

For the first time, the possibility occurred to Harry that Hogwarts would be overrun. If the Order and their allies lost tonight…how long would the wards hold if the Death Eaters took over the grounds? How many Aurors and Order members would die—Sirius! SIRIUS!—and how much longer would any of them live, huddled besieged inside the castle?

A massive shudder caught him, and Malfoy glanced at him. "You hurt?"

"Uh-uh," he mumbled. Think. Concentrate. Don't let emotion take over…just think about getting us all back to the castle…maybe then we can plan what to do next… He shook his head hard and tried to look at the Death Eater lines again, to see how they were moving, and how much longer he and his friends and Malfoy would be safe…uh-oh. "We have to move again. Soon."

Hermione and Ron got up then, joining them to peer out at the battle. Ron crouched at the side of the boulder, peering around the side from the Death Eaters to the castle. "We won't make it. Not that way," he said, indicating the most direct route to the castle walls. "It's too open."

The Auror lines were buckling nearest to them. They were stretched too thin, trying to keep from being cut off from the four students. "Bloody hell," Harry muttered. He joined Ron, looking through the red robes and the teachers' robes, trying to figure out what to do.

"They can't stay like this; they have to regroup!" Ron said urgently.

"They're staying stretched because we're here," Hermione said. "We have to try for it! Or get them to pull back and find another way."

"Hagrid's hut, maybe?" Ron scooted to the other side of the boulder and looked around it. "It's a little quieter on that side, and darker. We might manage it and Floo back."

"The Floo won't be open," said Malfoy. "Not from there."

"I'm Head Girl, and the Headmistress gave me the spell to open it," said Hermione. "We could get back if we could reach the hut."

"Either way we have to go that way," said Harry, his resolve growing as he watched the Aurors struggling to keep from being cut off from them. "And we have to tell them to fall back from us."

Draco looked at the Auror lines again, and suddenly murmured, "There's Snape."

"It might not even be—wait!" Harry exclaimed. "Where is he?"

"What? Ah…I've lost him—no, he's there, dragging that Auror…bloody hell…to the back, see him? Why?" Draco demanded.

Hermione had caught on, and her eyes widened. "Legilimency?"

"It's worth a try, Harry, do it, quick!" Ron exclaimed, seeing more red robes starting to drop to the ground unmoving. The Order was sustaining casualties.

Harry concentrated hard on the black-haired figure in swirling school robes, in his own way more impressive than the Death Eaters with their masks, as he started back toward the front lines…he couldn't risk distracting Snape there, he had to…

Professor! Professor Snape! SNAPE! LOOK AT ME!

Snape slowed to a halt, stepping back in confusion, and looked around, rubbing his head.

On your left! The boulder, we're here! Professor, it's Harry Potter!

Stiffening in shock, Snape turned, and his black eyes, even across that distance, found Harry's. Potter?

Tell the Order to pull back from here—you're losing too many people! We're going to try to get to Hagrid's hut and Floo back. Can you hear me?

Snape stared at him. Yes, I hear you. You should return by the nearest…

We'll never make it—look for yourself! All those Aurors will die for nothing—pull them off us! We can get there! Harry insisted.

Just then a stray jinx hissed over his head, and he flinched and ducked. Snape faltered as the connection between their minds broke, but Harry saw him shouting to the Aurors. For a split second, Harry feared the Order wouldn't listen to Snape, but then the red figures nearest their hiding place broke and ran.

"Get ready…" Hermione whispered, watching the Death Eater lines.

"We shouldn't try to make it all the way to the hut; they'll see us," Draco warned, tearing his eyes from Snape. "I remember, there was…a ditch in that direction…by the oak tree…"

"Good thinking. If we stay down, they probably won't even see us in there until we move again," Harry agreed.

"If we're going to go, we better do it fast," Ron warned. The Death Eaters were surging forward to claim the ground the Aurors had given up.

"Go!" Hermione hissed.

They bolted. "Don't hex if you don't have to! Don't let them see you…" Harry hissed as they ran, hunched over, toward the tree that was just that much closer to Hagrid's.

Ron gained the furrow, cut by a stream that ran down the grounds during the rainy season, and dropped to a crouch inside, grabbing Harry's arm to pull him to its scant concealment. Hermione followed, slipping and sliding, and turned to give Malfoy a hand down, but the Slytherin boy lost his balance, lurched forward, and wound up sprawled full-length on top of Hermione in the bottom of the gully.

Catching her breath, she blinked up at him and said, "Hi!"

"Bye!" Draco said dryly, and scrambled off, but assisted Ron and Harry helping her off her back. "Now what—"

"GO'WAY!" A positively thunderous voice split through the sounds of the battle and brought Harry and the others right to their feet.

"Look!" Hermione shrieked, pointing at the forest. "It's Hagrid, and—"

"GRAWP!" Ron yelled, pumping his fist in the air. "Get 'em, Grawp! Chase 'em off!"

Draco's mouth was hanging open as the giant—now fully-grown and quite an impressive size, towering over the trees—came storming out of the forest, knocking trees aside, his fists balled with unmistakable menace toward the Death Eaters, Hagrid at his heels.

And they certainly got the dark wizards' attention. The Aurors wasted no time, but fired a fierce volley of curses, almost in unison, that caught a good number of Death Eaters in the back. Harry could almost sense the panic that spread through the dark ranks, and they watched as many began running for cover and disapparating.

The Order wizards were surging forward, driving the Death Eater lines back, and Harry's heart lifted at the sight; it no longer looked as if there was any chance the Death Eaters would reach the castle. "Is this it?" Draco asked. "Have we won?"

"Dunno—oy! Harry!" Ron exclaimed.

Harry and Malfoy turned, and Ron pointed excitedly as dozens of four-legged figures armed with bows and arrows and spears came pouring out of the forest at a full gallop. "Centaurs!" Hermione gasped. "Why would they join the battle?"

"I just hope they're willing to get rid of the Death Eaters for themselves if not for us," Harry grumbled.

One of the Centaurs suddenly broke off from the main herd and came toward them. "Bugger, he's going to give us away!" Ron exclaimed.

"It's Firenze," Hermione said. "I didn't know he was back…er…"

The Centaur reached them. "Harry Potter. You must return to the school."

"That's what we're trying to do!" Ron protested. Firenze spared him only a brief glance before returning his attention to Harry.

"The sun shall rise red on the morrow, and you cannot fight tonight. The dark one will not come for you here. This is not your battle."

Harry stiffened, looking at the chaos covering the grounds before him. "If it's at Hogwarts, then it is my battle," he said tightly. He was tired of prophecies.

"He will not come for you here, Harry Potter. Your battle is with him."

"But ours is with them," Ron said, glaring.

Harry nodded. "And that makes it mine. I'm not running away."

Firenze shook his head, looking almost sad. "Then you will see death," he warned. "This battle is not for you. You are powerless here tonight, and death will surround you."

Before Harry could absorb the words, let alone recover from the tightness they sent through his body, hexes lit up the air around them, and Hermione shouted a warning. "Get down!"

They dove for cover, and in a pounding of hooves, Firenze was gone. "Gee, thanks for your help, ruddy horse," Draco muttered.

"That's no help either," Hermione told him, taking aim. "Percutio"

The Death Eaters who had been driven away from the castle were now retreating toward the quieter areas of the grounds—straight toward them. "We can't stay here!" Ron said.

Harry needed only a moment's glance to see that they were outnumbered and about to be surrounded. "Run. Just run!"

They took off, hexing and shielding as they went, trying to stay just a few steps ahead of the retreating dark wizards. There were red robes too, Aurors giving chase, from the look of it, but Harry didn't think they had time to find out, and they certainly couldn't risk distracting the Order members. They just had to break for the castle.

"Harry, DROP!"

He wasn't sure why, but he did. And it was a good thing too, feeling the powerful hex that blasted just where he'd been. He scrambled to his feet and saw that it was Malfoy who had warned them. The Slytherin boy conjured a strong Shield over his shoulder and caught up with Harry. "Where's Ron and Hermione?" Harry asked, throwing a Blasting Hex at a group of Death Eaters.

"Ahead of us—duck! Ictus! Come on!"

To his relief, Harry spotted Ron's telltale red hair some meters ahead, but when he looked back, he realized he and Draco were seconds from being outpaced. "Problem!"

"Bugger."

In an unspoken accord, Harry and Draco turned and fought, side by side, and sometimes back-to-back as Death Eaters came at them from all directions. There was no time to think, just hex, shield, hex, curse, dodge, hex, shield, shield, double-shield, hex-hex-hex, double-shield—

"You two get out of here!" an Auror shouted, hexing a Death Eater aiming at Harry and Draco. "Get moving!"

"Come on!" Harry grabbed Draco's arm, and they bolted again, suddenly realizing that the crowd of black robes had thinned out considerably; the dark wizards were in full retreat.

Draco, bigger and faster, was just ahead of him, but suddenly stumbled to a halt, stopping right in his tracks to stare across the grounds, his eyes fixed on something. "Dad?"

"Malfoy, what the hell are you—" Then Harry saw it: two wizards still locked in a duel, the air around them lit from the curses that flashed between them, too fast to see their wands, neither giving any quarter to the other even as people ran, cursed, screamed, and fell all around them. A mortal battle.

Neither was masked, and both wore black robes, but Harry recognized them both. Long, fair hair swirled amid the flashes of curse light, and black hair damp with sweat…

He grabbed Draco's arm as the other boy started to move toward them. "Don't!"

"No," Draco choked out, almost hyperventilating.

Harry tried to yank him away. "Listen, you can't stop them!" He could see their faces. Lucius Malfoy would show no mercy, and Snape had never looked so frightening to Harry. They would continue dueling until one was dead.

"HE HELPED YOU!" Draco screamed, trying to wrench his arm free. "HE TAUGHT YOU! YOU'RE JUST GOING TO LET HIM DIE!"

Harry began to fear that he wouldn't be able to hold the taller boy back without hexing him, but out of nowhere, another tall figure appeared and caught Draco in a bear hug, hauling him to the ground. "He said go back to the castle, stupid!"

"Ron!"

Hermione was behind them. "Come on, we have to get back!" But she was less panicked than before; there weren't many Death Eaters left standing on the field, and some of the Aurors were heading toward Snape and Lucius Malfoy.

You will see death…

The fallen shall number three…

Blood shall be spilt…

Harry shuddered as Draco struggled and swore at him and Ron. "We owe it to him," he murmured, more to Ron and Hermione than the near-hysterical Draco. Ron caught his eye and nodded gravely, and Hermione's hands were pressed to her mouth as she watched the duel rage on.

It happened just as Harry feared…Professor…a hex—not from Malfoy—caught Snape and staggered him. Hermione screamed, and Draco let out a howl of denial as his father fired off another curse that dropped Snape to his knees.

Aurors were running now, hexing anything that got in their way, trying to reach the combatants before…they weren't going to make it…

No…

Lucius Malfoy towered triumphantly over his fallen opponent, raising his wand…Harry held his breath, and Ron turned his face away…

Malfoy froze. No longer looking at Snape, something had caught his gaze and now he was looking straight up the hill at…

Draco had gone rigid in Harry and Ron's grasp, eyes wide, tear-stained face frozen in shock…

Hermione gasped. Lucius Malfoy was looking directly at his son.

In an instant, it was clear, Malfoy had forgotten all about Snape; he charged past the wounded Potions Master and began tearing up the hill, wild-eyed. Draco was breathing fast again, but he seemed paralyzed. "Move! Move!" Ron yelled, yanking in vain at him. "Come ON!"

"Draco!" Hermione cried, joining the effort.

"Get out of here," Draco suddenly said, in a strangely calm voice, not taking his eyes off his father. Moving his head slightly toward Hermione and Ron, he said hoarsely, "He'll kill you. Get out of here now."

Harry felt frozen too, watching as curses felled every wizard who crossed Malfoy's path. He noticed vaguely the figure trying to come after him, black-haired and black-robed and staggering frantically, trying to shout something…

Harry tugged futilely at Draco's arm, and Ron jumped to his feet, releasing Draco, and pulled Hermione away, yelling over his shoulder, "Come on! Harry! Malfoy, COME ON!"

Lucius Malfoy had nearly reached his son, crouched motionless in the grass with Harry Potter, when a hex caught him in the shoulder from behind. Stumbling, he whirled, with a growl of fury, and spotted the black-haired man standing unsteadily before him…

Snape ducked the curse Malfoy threw at him, but fell anyway, and the Death Eater aimed again…

"Malfoy, DON'T!" Ron shouted, as in a violent wrench that knocked Harry off his feet, Draco tore himself away.

Other Order wizards screamed out warnings as well, but Draco sprinted across the grass and stopped directly between his father and Snape. "NO! Dad, no!"

Lucius froze, wand still pointing. Harry righted himself and stood where he was, wand half-raised. It was much too far to throw a curse from here, but like everyone else, he wasn't quite sure what to do.

The interrupted duel was close enough for him to hear clearly. Lucius, though completely still, spoke in a voice that trembled, and not with fear. "You. My son. Here."

Draco, on the other hand, was shaking like a leaf. "Dad, don't. Please. Not him."

"Get out of my way, Draco."

"Draco!" Snape gasped, trying to get to his feet.

Lucius aimed his wand directly at Draco, causing the boy to cringe in naked terror, and snarled, "I am your father! I pledged you to the Dark Lord's service, and he made a fool of me! For the last time…get…out…of…my…way!"

"Dad, please…"

Composure deserted Lucius, and he roared, "HOW DARE YOU? YOU DISGUSTING, UNGRATEFUL TRAITOR!"

It was like an electric shock, that word, rippling under Harry's skin; he heard Ron gasp. And in that moment, Draco's mouth opened slightly in surprise, all sign of fear deserting him as his lips soundlessly repeated his father's word.

Traitor…

Snape was trying to rise, breathing heavily in pain and panic…Harry started running down the hill, but he wasn't as fast as Draco…

Lucius was still shouting, "YOU BELONG TO THE DARK LORD!"

Draco looked up, his gray eyes meeting his father's directly, and said, "Voldemort."

Snape struggled upright with a strangled gasp of, "No!" as Lucius Malfoy's face twisted in final, murderous rage, and Hermione screamed, "OH MY GOD!" and Draco still did not move.

Harry desperately threw a Stunner at Lucius…

It missed, as the man brought his wand to bear in a violent, sweeping motion with a roar of "AVADA KEDAVRA!" that sent a jet of green light directly into his son's heart.

As Snape lunged forward, a bundle of robes tumbled backward into his arms, the weight bearing him to the ground. "No—Draco—" He spared a stunned look up at Lucius Malfoy, who disapparated, still snarling in fury.

Harry reached them, stumbling to a halt and choking on his breath in horror, as Snape turned the limp form over in his arms...

It wasn't like with Cedric. Draco must have closed his eyes at the last second. The moonlight shone on his pale, slack face, as still as if he were sleeping, cradled by Snape…

Harry started shaking as he stood there, helpless, powerless, seeing his teacher staring into thin air with a look in his eyes of such shock, such disbelief, such despair, that it was almost impossible to fathom. Around them, a few curses still flew, the wounded groaned, voices shouted and sometimes screamed, but right then, they were deaf to all of it.

All Harry could do was stand there, staring in horror as Professor Snape's face crumpled to a grimace of agony, and he lifted Draco Malfoy's body slightly in his arms, pressing his forehead to Draco's.

"Harry," breathed a shaky voice.

Harry blinked, and sluggishly turned, and the part of his emotions not shut down in shock flooded with relief: it was Sirius. His godfather stared past him at Snape and Draco and shuddered violently before pulling Harry abruptly into his arms. "Sirius," Harry mumbled, not sure what he wanted to say.

"They…you…" Sirius muttered, trembling almost as badly as Harry. "Inside. Now."

"W-what about…"

"Severus." They turned and looked. Moody was trudging up to them, gruff and quiet. "Severus. We need you off the grounds. There's still fighting."

Snape showed no sign that he had heard, still touching his forehead to Draco's.

"Severus," it was Professor McGonagall now. Tears were sliding down her face. "Come. Let us take him inside."

"No." Everyone jumped. It was the first time Snape had spoken.

"Severus, we need…"

"No." Snape's voice was flat. Unyielding. He raised his head at last, looking savagely at the Headmistress. "I'll carry him."

If there were any doubts about his ability, no one dared to speak, and Sirius clutched Harry so hard it hurt as Snape slowly rose, carrying Draco, and began to walk in silence. Professor McGonagall and several teachers followed.

Sirius and Harry stayed where they were, unable to go with that group, and a rough voice spoke up, "Sirius, we still need you out here. To…finish things up…" It was Tonks, and she was crying.

Sirius shuddered again and gave Harry another squeeze. "Right," he muttered. "Can I…take Harry back first?"

The grounds were mostly quiet again, or at least there were only a few duels still going on. There were still a lot of people moving about, dazedly assisting the wounded and…Draco was dead…and the fights left were on the edges. Moody glanced around and nodded, but said, "Be quick about it. Got a lot to do yet." He scrubbed at his face wearily.

"'Kay," Sirius sighed, turning away. Keeping one arm tight around Harry, he said, "Let's get you inside."

They started walking, up away from all the milling people, toward the door the teachers had used to carry Draco Malfoy's body…Draco Malfoy was dead…into the school. Harry murmured, "Ron and Hermione?"

"They're inside. I saw Remus escorting them when I…" Sirius shook his head. "They're okay," he said, trying to sound reassuring.

An Auror Harry didn't know met them near the door as someone back on the field started yelling at Sirius to hurry up. "We've got him, Black. Get out there. We need you."

Sirius looked as if he wanted to protest, but couldn't find the energy. He sighed, embraced Harry fiercely, and muttered, "I'll be back soon, okay?" He ran a hand through his godson's messy hair, his forehead touching Harry's, before releasing him and jogging back toward the battlefield. Harry felt the Auror put a hand on his shoulder to steer him inside, but stood there for a moment longer, watching his godfather.

Suddenly, Sirius jerked to the right and fell to his knees as he took a hex to his side. Moving faster than Harry would have thought possible, Peter Pettigrew appeared out of the darkness and seized Sirius by the throat, moonlight reflecting off his silver hand.

"Stop!" Harry screamed, bringing his wand to bear on Pettigrew, his feet already moving toward the two men. The prophecy was unfolding in front of his eyes. Frantic to reach Sirius, he was barely aware of the chaos around him. Not Sirius…not Sirius too…

Amidst the noise and chaos, he heard the swift approach of something behind him—something that wasn't human. Before he could turn his head, he was struck by something as hard and solid as a stone wall and flung face-first into the dirt. Instinctively, he kept a firm hold on his wand as he slammed into the ground, then raised his head to see a gigantic form tearing away from him toward Sirius and Pettigrew, a slavering, snarling mass of dark gray. Harry scrambled to his feet, racing towards Sirius, but knowing that Remus would reach them first.

Sirius was sagging in Pettigrew's silver grip, when the Death Eater looked up and saw the huge wolf bearing down on him. Releasing Sirius with a cry of terror, he took a few fumbling steps backward, his eyes glazed over with panic. Without pausing, the wolf landed upon him, and Pettigrew went down screaming under the mass of gray fur.

Harry reached Sirius, who was bent over, making hoarse rasping sounds as he struggled to breathe. He held him upright, keeping his arms around his godfather to support him, and the two stared mutely at the deadly battle taking place in front of them, unable to do anything but watch.

Pettigrew's screams continued, but were nearly drowned out by enraged snarls, as the animal sought to savage the man, and the man fought desperately to destroy the wolf. Grunting and heaving they rolled on the ground in a frenzy, blood spraying from both.

A loud crack sounded as a Death Eater materialized near the fighting pair. Harry spun around, prepared to block a hex, but the Death Eater froze at the sight in front of him, then turned and ran from them in a panic.

Still gasping and wheezing, Sirius grasped Harry's arm. "Remus…stop them…silver…"

Harry broke into a cold sweat as his godfather's meaning became clear. They started forward, when an anguished cry burst from the wolf. Throwing Pettigrew aside, the animal staggered away, seemingly disoriented, then fell.

Sirius staggered to his feet with Harry's help, and they rushed forward, intent on getting to Remus, but found Wormtail's sprawled form, still writhing in pain, blocking their way. Pettigrew was horribly wounded. The wolf's fangs and claws had practically torn him apart. His hands moved feebly over his body, as if he was trying to put himself back together. Harry and Sirius stood over the man, and Harry searched inside himself for some feeling of pity. There was none.

Harry and Sirius started to pass him by, aware that he could no longer harm anyone, but the treacherous man's voice made them pause. "Harry!" he gasped out. "Wait!"

Harry hesitated, startled. "What do you want, Peter?" Sirius said in a harsh voice, keeping his arm around Harry as if to prevent his godson from going closer to the traitor.

"Harry…the debt. I owe you…wizard's debt…" Pettigrew's voice was frantic. "James and Lily…they looked at me."

"You owe me a debt. So what?" Harry spoke coldly.

"Listen," Pettigrew pleaded. "Harry, the Dark Lord…he's afraid of you…afraid of your wand."

"What?" Sirius broke in. "Why the wand?"

"He's afraid of…what happen if…wands meet again…go beyond…Priori Incantatem." Pettigrew's breathing was becoming more labored.

"What?" Harry looked from Pettigrew to Sirius in confusion. "Beyond? What's that mean?"

"I don't know…" Pettigrew shuddered. "But…please! Sirius…Harry…forgive me." Pettigrew was gasping now. "I…say you forgive me…please…"

Harry could hear labored breathing coming from not far away. They needed to see to Remus, he thought dully, and from the way Sirius shifted beside him, it was clear his godfather was thinking the same thing. Neither of them spoke.

"Please…" a deep rattle sounded in Pettigrew's throat. Harry and Sirius stood silently as Pettigrew gave another sharp gasp, then lay still.

Then they both turned and left him there.

They reached the dark form, crumpled in agony on the ground. Harry was shaken by what he saw: the wolf was gone. Remus Lupin lay shuddering and bleeding outlined by the moonlight. Sirius turned him gently cradling him in his arms, covering him against the cool air with his outer robe. Harry dropped to his knees beside them, appalled by the severity of the injury. A deep gash extended from Remus's neck, down the length of his chest, and he was bleeding profusely. Such a massive wound, torn by a silver hand…Harry realized what it meant and felt his heart lurch in horror.

Remus took a breath with a painful effort. "Sirius…old friend…"

Sirius's face was ashen. "Easy, Remus. Don't try to talk."

Remus grimaced. "No time. Sirius…take care of…our boy. Take…care…Harry…"

"Oh god," Sirius was crying now. "You don't have to ask. You know I will. But Remus…Remus, don't…" He choked out a violent sob, "Don't leave me, please…don't leave me here!"

Remus nodded, then his body arched in agony as a wave of pain seared through him. Harry reached over and took his hand.

"Harry." Remus's voice was fading. "Harry…"

"I'm right here," Harry's voice cracked.

Remus turned his head to look at him. "Harry," he sighed, seeming to be in a little less pain, and actually smiled. He reached weakly up and touched Harry's face. "Harry, I…love you. So much…know that…"

Harry's breath hitched fiercely. "I know, Remus. I know."

Remus lowered his hand with a sigh, turned his face up to gaze at the full moon above him, and he smiled. "Beautiful…"

It was several seconds before Harry realized that the light in Remus's eyes was just the reflection of the moon. He was gone.

Remus.

Gone.

A wail of anguish broke from Sirius. "God, no!" He was bent over Remus, convulsed with sobs. "Remus…Remus! It wasn't supposed to be you! Remus…no!"

Harry had no idea how long he remained on his knees, stunned, still holding Remus's hand, aware only of the body in front of him, hearing nothing but Sirius's incoherent cries.

O

He saw her from the corner of his eye, kneeling beside Harry with her arms around his shoulders. He knew then that he should turn away; he had to see to Harry, had to keep his promise, had to…

But he did not. He didn't release Remus, not even when Minerva and another Hogwarts teacher pulled Harry to his feet and led him slowly away. Sirius could hear them, as if from a very long distance away, trying to talk to Harry, comfort him, as Sirius knew he himself should be doing…but Harry was silent. He didn't even cry.

The next hour was a dim blur to Sirius, of motion in a haze of shock and grief and stark terror.

I'm alone.

The Marauders were gone. All gone. He was the only one left. James—PRONGS!—murdered with Lily by Voldemort at the traitorous word of Peter. Peter, mauled to death by Remus, wearing the mark of a Death Eater, and Remus—REMUSSSS—gone too. Dead at Peter's hand beneath the full moon.

Alone. All alone. They're all gone.

He collapsed more than once in the hour after Minerva took Harry away, and someone always pulled him to his feet. He heard people speaking around him, sometimes to him…someone tried to feed him a Potion once, but he pulled away. He didn't want Potions. There was something he had to do…he'd promised…but he couldn't think. There was a roaring in his ears, a voice screaming in his mind, howling with grief and fear with the knowledge that he, Sirius Black, was the only…one…left.

Alone.

He sat with Remus for a long time after he found himself in a cool, quiet room in Hogwarts, with other wizards milling around in the background. He couldn't find the strength to walk away. To go back out into the world…alone.

Until Minerva turned up again and tried to foist a Potion on him. When he pulled away, she fetched him a solid slap on both cheeks, and took advantage of his resulting surprise to force the contents of the vial down his throat. When he stumbled back, sputtering and blinking at her, she said, "That's better. Now, out of here, Sirius Black." Her face softened when she noticed his eyes straying to Remus's body, and she spoke more softly, "You can do nothing more for him here. And you're needed. Go. You know what you must do now."

Trembling as the Restorative Potion forced his mind back to full alertness, awareness of the raw, gaping wound of loss inside him was coupled by knowledge of the last vestige of the Marauders left in this world other than himself.

Harry.

He had promised. He had promised James, and he had promised Remus. They were gone. All gone.

And now it fell to Sirius, alone. Harry was his now. His charge, his responsibility, his purpose.

His child.

Oh god…James…Remus…

I can't do this.

But Minerva was bodily steering him out the door of the makeshift morgue, and before he could voice his fears to her, she had closed the door behind him. And there he stood, the weight of a sudden, awesome, utterly terrifying obligation of caring for another human being bearing down on his shoulders. Alone.

No, not alone.

Against his will, the Potion had restored his awareness of his surroundings, and he suddenly realized someone else was there, just outside the door of the room near the Great Hall where the dead now lay. Someone else who could not bear to step back into reality.

Sirius turned and looked at Snape, who sat motionless in a chair, staring fixedly at the open Great Hall doors where students were now milling listlessly. They must have been sent down from their towers after the battle, to be told of the deaths…

He took a shuddering breath. He had promised. "Sn—" his voice failed, and he swallowed. "Snape." The Potions Master turned a dull gaze toward him. "D'you…know where Harry is?"

The greasy-haired Slytherin made a noise in his throat almost like a sarcastic laugh. His eyes drifted away from Sirius again. In a dark, harsh voice, he replied, "I care nothing about you or yours, Black."

It should have made Sirius angry, that then, even in that hour, Snape was still being a bastard. But he didn't have the energy for anger. He sat down, right on the floor a few feet from Snape's chair, and murmured, "Listen. Hate me if you want. Doesn't matter. But leave Harry alone, he…he's got enough to…deal with. He needs…everyone." There, he'd said it. Snape had done things for Harry that Sirius couldn't. It had just taken this long to admit it.

Apparently, Snape was aware of that, for he turned and looked at Sirius again. Then his shoulders sagged, and he closed his eyes. "I heard about Lupin."

Was that a condolence, Sirius wondered idly. He recalled suddenly from the hazy memories of the morgue, there hadn't only been Remus and Peter's bodies there. There had been another. A third.

The fallen shall number three…

"I'm sorry about Draco," he said quietly.

Snape actually shuddered. "Stupid child," he muttered. "I should've known better than to let him around Potter and his ilk for too long." Sirius looked at him in astonishment, but Snape wasn't done. "Boy developed the same penchant for running into places he'd no business being, taking stupid risks, stupid…" he broke off and turned away, shuddering again. And Sirius understood.

No one thought it would be Draco. Or Remus…

Snape and I were ready…we were prepared…why did it have to be…

"I don't know what to do," he heard himself say. Snape didn't turn back, but he went on weakly, "Remus…I promised him I'd take care of Harry, just like I did with James, but…I don't…don't know if I can do this." Panic tightened his insides again. "Last year, we…came to an understanding…Remus was also the more sensible…it made sense for him to…take care of those sorts of things with Harry…the responsibilities, you know, and…now I…don't know if I can do this."

Snape's voice was steady again, though he remained hunched over in his chair, facing away from Sirius. "You'll get no sympathy from me on that score, Black."

Sirius winced. Snape had a point. But for the grace of god… "I know," he said aloud. "And I'm not…looking for sympathy, I just want…"

Snape finally turned to face him, eyes red-rimmed on his colorless, drawn face, pinning him with a hard gaze. "You want advice, Black?" Sirius didn't answer, but Snape spoke anyway. "Be a man. That would be my recommendation."

Silence hung heavy between them, amid the voices murmuring in low distress from the Great Hall, and the footsteps echoing in the halls, and the noise of hurried movements to and from the Hospital Wing. They stared at each other for a long moment, then Sirius looked down. "Yeah." He took another breath, and dragged himself to his feet. Snape watched him dully, but as he started toward the hall, he paused and looked back. "Yours are still waiting for you in there, you know." Snape stiffened, and he explained awkwardly, "I mean…you're still needed."

Snape was still staring at him when he turned away and went through the Great Hall doors.

Sirius found Harry, Ron, and Hermione with several of their other friends in a corner, trying to separate themselves from the rest of the students. Hermione was crying soundlessly, her head in Ron's lap. Ron's face was puffy with recent and prolonged tears, and Ginny, her eyes very red, was sitting quietly next to Harry, with an arm around him.

Harry, however, had not cried. Sirius was slightly startled to notice that. Harry was solemn, staring at nothing, but there was a calmness about him that was rather unnerving.

With Snape's words echoing in his ears, (Be a man,) Sirius crossed the floor, weaving through the stunned students toward his godson. Hermione gasped when she saw him, and sat up, trying to stifle her sobs. Sirius paused by her to squeeze her shoulder, and she broke down again, but Ron hugged her again, so Sirius forced a smile and left them to it. Ginny squeezed his arm as he knelt by her, and he patted her head, then turned his attention to Harry.

Harry blinked at the sight of him. Sirius wasn't sure what to expect, but Harry didn't break down. But his face at last betrayed distress, an improvement over the unnatural calm of before, and he sank willingly into his godfather's outstretched arms with a deep sigh.

Footsteps made him half-turn, still holding Harry, and he saw Neville Longbottom and the Ravenclaw girl—Luna, wasn't it?—that Harry sometimes talked about, coming over to them. Neville's face had a gentle understanding that moved Sirius, as he patted Harry's back, then went to embrace Ron and Hermione, and Luna sat down with an unusually serious expression in her large eyes as she took Ginny's hand.

A murmur went up from some of the students near the Great Hall doors, and they looked to see Severus Snape coming through them. Sirius watched with Harry and his friends as the Potions Master was met by several Slytherins, Blaise Zabini in the lead.

"Professor," they heard the sixth-year boy say. "Is it…true? About Draco?"

The Great Hall was very quiet then, and Snape's low voice could be easily heard as he replied, "I'm afraid so."

Zabini's breath caught, and a surprising number of the younger Slytherins broke down in tears. Snape watched his students for a moment, then said, "Come. The Heads of Houses are ordered to escort their students back to their towers. Slytherins, with me."

As Professor Flitwick also returned and began rounding up the Ravenclaws, Snape led his students back to the doors. Sirius, seeing Minerva also returning, motioned the Gryffindors to their feet, though he kept his arm around Harry, and ushered them off too. They passed close by the Slytherins, and for a brief moment, Sirius's eyes met Snape's.

They both nodded, and led their charges away.

To be continued…

Coming soon: (SOB!) The wizarding world mourns its fallen, and our heroes reflect on those they have lost, and the meaning they gave to their lives. But Voldemort's forces continue to inflict more catastrophe, and Harry, among others, decides the time has arrived for serious action in Chapter Forty-Seven: A Phantom of Many Colors!

Disclaimer: My Mum wishes it to be known that she has begged me repeatedly for the past nine months not to kill Remus. 'Tis quite true, she was very much against it, Remus being her favorite character, but I stood firm. As our beloved Jo would say, a writer must be ruthless. (Flees from enraged Lupin fans.)

PLEEEEEEEASE DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!