Disclaimer: I'm not too fond of litigation, thank you very much. Therefore, I must formally announce that I am not the owner of Harry Potter, or all the rest.

A/N: ::dramatic music:: And so the final battle begins!

Thanks for all of your reviews guys!

Intelligent Witch: Damn, you're onto me. Hehe. Gots ta keep you on your toes. And plus, I have a terrible time being serious. C'mon...you gotta admit it's amusing!

Cassandra Thacker: ::grin:: I wouldn't be so sure about that.

June W: Alright...here's the plan. We're going to use our imaginations and pretend I didn't leave that little hole in the plot. Hehe. Maybe I can stick something in about it laters. : P

blackbird fly: Methinks me likes the way you think. ::grin::

JeanMarie: Sneaky son of a jackal? ::laughs:: Oh my..

Severus climbed the stairs two at a time, all the while envisioning lovely vengences upon the Headmaster. Strewn up by his white beard, arsenic-laced lemon drops, oh the possibilites were endless.

Now, he wasn't exactly the type to go rushing off foolishly into things, but time dictated that he make haste. He needed Hermione out of Gimmauld Place, and fast.

If Grimmauld Place was raided, unlikely but possible, and Hermione was found there...Severus shuddered at what might happen. Damn Dumbledore for not thinking.

No, he had been thinking. Just not with his head. His ego couldn't let him see the foolishness of his actions. All Dumbledore knew was that he wanted things his way.

Severus took in a hissing breath. Pulling up his sleeve, he could clearly see the dark mark. It was blacker than he had ever seen it, as if the Dark Lord's malice this eve had darkened it.

He pressed his fingers to the blemish and immediately appeared next to Dark Lord's side. A slight pang of panic sliced through him. What if the Dark Lord had realized that he didn't have Hermione anymore?

Discreetly, Severus took in his surroundings. He faintly recognized them, but it was easy enough to deduce their location. They were in the Forbidden Forest.

Apparently he had been one of the last to be called. There were already many others in attendence. Well, now he knew why none of his Slytherins had come to see him earlier, as he eyes some of the smaller frames.

"Severus?" the Dark Lord called, in a deep rasping voice. He stood in the center, as usual, though he seemed more daunting, to Severus at least.

"Yes Lord?" Severus answered, in a clear tone.

"Has my request been carried out? I do not want any mistakes." There was a edge of warning to the Dark Lord's tone.

"Yes, it has my Lord." Hermione wasn't at Hogwarts so technically he wasn't lying.

His confirmation was acknowledged by a slight nod from the Dark Lord. You could see some of the mediocre Death Eaters trembling with anticipation, or more likely fear. Severus had the sudden urge to smirk at them. Serves them right for getting themselves caught in this.

"Tonight!" The Dark Lord exclaimed, his voice sending the group into a deadly silence. Ever the dramatic speaker, he paused just long enough to make the silence uncomfortable.

"Tonight is the eve of our enemies' destruction." Power and confidence radiated from the Dark Lord's stature.

"Tonight is the time that we finally claim what is ours, and put an end to Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter's tyranny!" He paced slowly in front of his followers, as a commander would his troops.

"This is our birthright, our heritage permits us this honor! We will cleanse our society, removing the....impurities."

"You will be brother against brother," Severus noticed a figure to his right stiffen as the Dark Lord bellowed these words. "Neighbor against neighbor."

"Our task is not an easy one, but the fate of our world, our world, is in danger of becoming a playground for blood traitors and mudbloods." he spat the last part out with malice.

"Can we let this happen?!" he shouted.

"No!" the Death Eaters replied in unison. Out of the corner of his eye, Severus spotted Roldolphus Lestrange raising a butcher's knife in salute.

"Then let us fight!" the Dark Lord snarled, moving his left arm to show the direction.

And so the battle for the wizarding world began.

Hermione paced the small floor of the bedroom she was confined in. It was all very well that the Headmaster had asked her to stay here, but there was something off about it.

Beginning with the fact that he had asked her so stay in this room, and had warded it as he left.

Oh, she could get through those wards in an instant, they weren't really there to keep her in. They were there to make the statement that Albus Dumbledore expected her to stay put.

But the suspense was simply killing her. Just sitting in this tiny room. And there wasn't even a book in sight.

And where in Merlin's name was Severus? Something was going on, she was sure of it. And she didn't like it one bit.

She laid back on the bed, breathing shallowly and trying to relax. But her ever-so-analytical mind just refused to let her rest. What if something had happened?

A loud crash below dispelled any idea of remaining where she was. She wasn't about to sit here.

She grabbed her wand and quickly undid the wards on the door. Slowly, she creaked down the stairs, trying not to draw undue attention to herself. Hermione finally reached the foyer, which was currently draped in shadows as the lights were not on. There was a shape on the other side of the room.

Hermione made a quick decision. "Lumos." she whispered under her breath. As light filled the room, she readied her wand to curse the intruder but stopped when she saw who it was.

She gasped audibly. "Remus!" Hermione said as she rushed to his side.

Lupin was on the ground, curled into a ball, clutching his side where a gash was bleeding profusely. "Hermione?" he rasped out faintly, recognition and confusion in his eyes.

"Yes, I'm here." she said, pulling Lupin up gently. She tried to remember where the healing potions where kept.

"Had 't say..I.." Lupin rambled, not making much sense.

"Shh.." Hermione said, coaxing him into an armchair on the other side of the room. "Stay right here and I'll be back."

She practically ran into the kitchen, throwing cabinets open and rummaging through their contents. Hermione had practically destroyed the kitchen by the time she had found the potions she wanted.

Remus was breathing raggedly, his injury obviously causing him alot of pain. First, Hermione had him drink a simple healing potion, which closed up the wound on the surface, stopping the bleeding. Then she fed him a blood-replenishing potion, and finally, a more complex potion for healing his internal injuries.

Hermione crouched down at his feet, looking him in the eyes. "Remus, what on earth happened?" she asked.

"Voldemorte...he attacked Hogwarts. There's loads more injuries, I was lucky to get away." he said rather quickly, a byproduct of all the adrenaline in his system.

"You're serious?" Hermione said, wide-eyed, as she stood up.

Remus nodded gravely.

Hermione strode over to the other side of the room. She grabbed a cloak off of the rack and draped it across her shoulders.

"What're you doing?" Lupin asked, sitting up straight.

"Leaving." Hermione said, then she disapperated with a loud crack.

A/N: Ooh...the plot thickens.

Anyone wanna take bets on who dies? ::grin::

Oh, and I posted a new story earlier today called "On a Silver Platter". I advise you to "check it out" as the cool dudes say.

R/R.