A/N: The following spells, I made up when I looked up certain words on a Latin- English dictionary. They are in the order of use in the chapter, and yes, I am lazy and did not want to have the battle that long.

Affor Retrogradior- to speak backwards /Intumesco- to swell

Congelo- to freeze / Obvio- counter

Altivolus- soar / Ballista- stone thrower

Caecus- blind /Crapula- drunkness

Pulsus- push

Let's sing the death song, kids,

We got no future

We wanna be just like you

We wanna be just like you

We wanna be just like you

The Death Song- Marilyn Manson

The cool air followed Damon as he travelled his way to the Hospital Wing, early that morning. The light pitter-patter of the rain seemed to echo his steps. It was just after what would have been sunrise, if the clouds had not covered the sun.

Damon had hoped, arriving this early he could catch Hermione sleeping, and not have to answer unwanted questions. He had just wanted to check in on how she was doing. When he silently slid into the chair by her bedside, however, she was wide awake, with a book in her lap, reading.

He tensed up slightly, "Typical,"

She gave a small smile, "Damon. You're up early." She proceeded with closing her book.

He answered as if it was common, "I could not sleep."

Her friendly self was hidden by concern, "Oh, anything I could help you with?"

Damon shrugged it off, "No," He explained simply, "I'm just nervous about something."

"And it led you to me?" She inquired, raising an eyebrow.

He shrugged, "I have no one else to talk to about this."

"Not your father, not Draco?" She asked in disbelief.

Damon shook his head. "They wouldn't understand."

"Well, what is it?" She questioned gently.

He hesitated, but answered slowly, "I have a bad feeling about tonight.."

"What is happening tonight?"

He answered with silence, not looking at her.

"Damon?" She reached out for his arm. She whispered, "A meeting?"

Damon gave a small nod as response.

Her eyes growing wider, "What is it?"

Damon wanted to tell her everything so bad, so maybe she could help. He just couldn't open up.

"Is it Harry?" She asked with concern.

Damon shut his eyes, growing angry, "Harry, Harry, Harry.. it's all I hear! What is so great about Harry?"

Hermione whispered, "I love him."

Damon opened his eyes once more.

"What are you doing here?" He heard from behind him. Damon did not have to turn around to know who it was. Ron. "Hermione! GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

Damon rose, "Shut up, Ron. I'm leaving anyway."

Leaving Weasley silenced, he finally tried to go to sleep. He needed the energy.

Having not seen his son at breakfast, he rose from the table and caught up with Draco.

"Draco, have you seen Damon?" Severus asked with concern.

Draco shifted in his Slytherin robes and hesitated a response, "No, not since last night, Professor. Why?"

Severus said thoughtfully, "It's important I talk to him. Go over a few things..."

"For tonight?" Draco asked with curiousity.

Severus gave a slight nod.

"Damon and I went over some duelling methods last night until around.. eleven? ..in the Room of Requirement, but he never went back to the common room."

Severus gave a nod of gratitude, and swept off. If Damon was going to run around at a time like this, he could get himself killed.

Someone was watching him. He felt it. He tried to determine whether he should fear or not. He became anxious to the thought, and opened his tired eyes. It was dark around him, which gave him the impression it was late, later than it was, because it was nearing December.

He saw a pale girl standing there, with brown eyes and ginger hair. He sat up, "Ginny?"

She blinked, realizing where she was and what she was doing, and fled.

Damon chased after her, but she seemed to disappear. He continued his search for her.

He ran into Snape instead.

"Damon! Where have you been?" He held onto his arm tightly, so he wouldn't leave.

"Around, look, I need to go-"

Severus replied, "No, we need to prepare. It is almost time, Damon, whatever little escapade you've been running around on can wait."

"But-"

Reluctantly, Damon followed his professor.

"You have to let Draco be his heir." Snape said, once he put silencing charms on his office.

"What? Why?"

"Draco has many advantages over you. He's an animagi. He's got the training. If you win, then the Dark Lord definetly will question your strength. I cannot give you a potion to minimize your strength because you will be fighting Pettigrew as well. You have to take the fall."

"And have Draco be bonded with him? No."

"Draco's strong, Damon, he can handle it."

"He can handle the things the Dark Lord sees? Does? He can handle disturbed sleep?"

"And you think you can handle it, if it grew worse?" He asked getting enraged to the thought the boy was questioning him.

"Will he mark him?" He asked after a minute silence.

"Most likely." He sneered. He then replied, "Clear your mind, we must have you practising."

"Luciusss... we must speak!" The Dark Lord said.

"Yes, my Lord?"

"Tonight your boy fights. Do you have any doubt he will fail?"

"No, my lord. Draco is a strong boy, raised and trained as you adviced."

"Let's make a wager, Lucius. I'm feeling daring. I bet to you, not only will your son lose tonight, but it will be Severus' son who will become my heir."

"Yes, my lord, and what if Damon wins?"

"Take Severus to the backroom, if he does. I will want a word or so with him. Do it quietly. If your boy wins tonight, you shall be personally rewarded."

He nodded, as the Death Eaters began to show up.

Severus kept close to his son, as Draco did to his father. Lucius was busy whispering reminders of curses.

"As much as I would enjoy duels to the death," The Dark Lord began, "I am afraid the lives of my prodigies are too much worth while."

Severus thought bitterly, didn't stop you from having that religious one killed.

He proceeded to explain, "The duels shall be until the other cannot cast another spell, or until the other has fallen to the ground. Once prodigy has been defeated, they have no opportunity to be an heir.

"So, in this case, one of the three will battle twice. This also means they will have a weakness from the previous battle."

He looked at Polly Pettigrew. "Pettigrew, you're up first." He then let his eyes fall to Damon, and with delight said, "Damon, you duel Pettigrew."

The fact that he called Damon by his first name, told Severus something. He figured that Damon would win, giving him the disadvantage over Draco. Severus found this a good thing, so Damon would not win and be marked.

"1.. 2.. 3!"

Wand pre-risen, Damon shouted, "Expelliarmus!"

Disarming? How noble. How Gryffindor like. Severus sneered with disgust.

"Tarantallegra!" Polly shouted, and Damon found his legs jerking around uncontrollably, but he kept his balance. Clearly, Quidditch was practise for the curse.

"Affor Retrogradior!" Draco managed to say.

All of Polly's following spells were unable to be casted, and Damon became the winner in only two minutes. Polly had been eliminated from being heir, and was sulking.

The Dark Lord announced, "Draco and Damon!"

Severus watched with worry, hoping that Damon took the fall, like he had asked.

"Intumesco!" Damon shouted.

Draco replied quickly as his body began to grow, "Obvio!"

"Altviolus!"

Draco was lifted into the air to reply his curse. "Ballista!"

It was a foolish move on Draco's part, being in the air like that as stones began to fall down at the two from nowhere, with no end. Damon felt one hit his shoulder, most likely bruising it severely. He glanced over at Draco who was now on his feet, rubbing his head.

"Congelo!" Damon said, watching the rocks and the surrounding area, and Draco turn to ice. All he would have to do now was get him on the ground. "Caecus!" Damon said, as the ice melted and fell down.

Draco was blind, but not speechless, as he shouted his spell, "Crapula!"

Damon thought he had the upper hand here, as the rocks were tumbling around Draco and him, as Draco was getting nailed in the shoulder and the head, and anywhere else due to his lack of sight. However, now intoxicated, he was stumbling around, loosing his footing.

"Pulsus!" Damon said, pushing the blind Draco over to the ground.

Watching Draco fall to the ground, a shock was carried across the throne room.

Severus was disappointed. He had not wanted his son to be marked, he had not needed the secondary connection to the Dark Lord.

"Damon, come forth, my heir!" The Dark Lord bellowed, eyes of red taunting him.

Severus watched as Damon went to the Dark Lord, and dropped to his knees. Just as that, he heard a silencing charm be cast, and he felt someone snag his arm, pulling it behind him.

"This is exactly where you should be..." The Dark Lord mentioned, holding Damon's arm, ready to mark him.

Voices swarming painfully through the Dark Lord's mind, swarmed into Damon's. The pain from their connection before was hard to hide.

Kill the traitor.. he must rot and suffer.. the liar..

The Dark Lord's anger was filling into him. Damon could feel the burning on his arm. He could feel his body wanting to go into spasm.

The Dark Lord clutched Damon's burning arm.

He's marking him... Severus thought bitterly, looking at his own arm.

He paced the back room, wondering, waiting.

Every since Draco started to fall to the ground, like a well executed dance routine; Lucius snatched up his arm behind his back, and uttered a silencing charm on him. He hulled him into here, and without a word, left him.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" He hissed, bitterly.

Damon didn't answer.

"Yes.. this is exactly where you should be.." He pierced Damon's arm with his nails, "Harry Potter!"