Chapter 27

It was May seventeenth, a Saturday at Hogwarts. The DA was in meeting, while Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and Nott were off in the dungeons, plotting who knows what. Lupin, Moody and Dumbledore were helping out with advanced curses in the DA, directly across from the Great Hall.

Moody had once again brought in a jar of spiders for them to work on, and it was going rather well, even for Ron, his fear and hat of spiders seemed to be increasing the spell's damage.

Two doors down the hallway, in McGonagall's office, Catherine and Charlie were talking. Seemings as Lupin came to the school, Charlie figured the most he could do was visit.

"How are things going?" The young man asked, taking a seat in one of the chairs placed around the room.

"Rather good." Cate replied, softly sitting on her boyfriend's lap, "Malfoy tried to get me into bed with him, but I got out of it."

"Good." Charlie kissed her cheek gently, "I would hate to see the outcome of that."

"As would I." The nineteen-year-old shifted around slightly so that she was completely facing Charlie. "Besides, I love you too much." She smiled, brushing their lips together.

"I love you too." Charlie whispered, pulling her close, he kissed her passionately.

Back in the other room, the students were doing very well, so well in fact, that Dumbledore stood up.

"Reamus, you seem to have everything under control here. I think I'm going to take a nice walk."

"Are you sure Albus?"

"Why yes."

"Be careful not to wander too far."

"Oh I won't." The elderly man smiled softly, his eyes twinkling, and then left the room. Hogwarts was unusually quiet for a bright sunny, Saturday afternoon. Mind you, there were only around thirty-five students at the school, and ninety-five percent of them belonged to the DA. Albus walked into the entrance hall, and fond the doors to the school wide open.

"That's odd." He whispered to himself, glance around. Dumbledore moved toward the doors, as if to close them, when he heard a whisper. The man turned a second too late, all he saw was a flash of green light, and blackness.

Screams form many portraits echoed throughout the hallways, and Hagrid (who had witnessed the whole thing from the grounds) let out howls of anger. The DA all froze mid-spell. Moody's magical eye whipped around, Lupin looked over at him.

"Alastor?"

"It's time." He growled in reply.

Two doors down, Cate and Charlie tore apart, looking around in fear.

"What was that?" Catherine asked fearfully.

"It sounded like Hagrid."

"What would . . . " The young woman was silenced by Tonks bursting through the door.

"We're under attack!" She said breathlessly, "Get ready!" Tonks then ran.

"Oh my God." Cate breathed hurrying over to a cabinet, she opened it, pulling out the two guns and holster her mother had left her, she turned to Charlie.

"This is it." He smiled encouragingly. "Don't worry, we'll make it through this." Charlie hugged her tightly, kissing her quickly. "I love you. Now, remember to stay hidden as much as possible, if Voldemort finds out you're a traitor, and catches you, you'll be far worse than dead."

'I know." She nodded. The couple hugged once again before leaving the room, joining Tonks in the hallway.

"Where's everyone else?" Charlie asked quickly.

"The Order is heading down to the Great hall, the DA is waiting, Severus is no where to be seen, and Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and Nott are being locked up." The woman replied as the three of them ran off to the Great Hall. "Remember to stay as low and hidden as possible." Tonks glanced at Cate, "Robes are insanely bulky, I'd take them off. And make sure you aren't seen!"

"I know!" Catherine replied, stripping off her robes, now only in jeans and a t-shirt, she pulled her hair off her face, and followed the other two into the hall.

Death eaters had swarmed the room, blasting house tables into smithereens as they took over. Aurorers were spread around the hall, shooting spells and curses at their attackers. A few members of both sides of the war lay dead of horribly injured on the floor, a couple of healers were sneaking around trying to get the bodies into care so they wouldn't pass on.

Catherine ducked behind an overturned bench, pulling out her wand as she went. Her eyes skimmed around the room, searching for a death eater that was close enough, finally, she found one. The nineteen-year-old raised her wand, took a deep breath, and muttered the incantation.

"Avada Kedavra." A flash of green light shot from her wand, killing the death eater. Cate ducked down again before anyone saw her, then shot a couple more spells out, killing enemies.

"Exeplliarmus!" A voice behind her shouted, and her wand flew out of her hand. Catherine turned quickly, as Lucius Malfoy pulled her up by the collar of her shirt. "So . . . " He began menacingly. "You thought you'd fight against us and get away with it? You thought wrong." Lucius waved his wand, and the room froze. The aurorers and death eaters looked up, Lucius stood infront of them all, Catherine held up against him.

"Shit." Tonks whispered to herself, this wasn't good, Cate could not be killed.

"Do you see what has happened?" The man spoke cooly to everyone, "It turns out that we have a traitor, perhaps it runs in the blood." He spat, throwing her to the ground. The young woman's back hit the corner of a nearby table, pain rushed through her. "Do you know what happens to traitors?" The blonde man raised his wand, "They're tortured!" He cackled to himself. "Crucio!"

"Protego!" Voices shouted from a distance, blocking the spell. Severus and the DA had just arrived. Death eaters shot spells immediately, killing Luna Lovegood and Colin Creevey. Severus began to run toward Cate, Lucius picked her up quickly against him, his wand at her neck.

"Lucius! What do you think you're doing!" Snape shouted angrily, "You know that Catherine is never supposed to be harmed!"

"Even if she's fighting against us?"

"Lucius! You know what the . . . " Snape stopped, muttered to himself, then raised his wand. "Avada Kedavra!" He shouted, the burst of green light burst toward Lucius, but the plan to kill the death eater didn't work. The blonde man pulled Cate upwards, facing away from him so the spell would hit her. Thinking quickly, the young woman clasped her hands together, threw them around his neck, and pulled him downwards, avoiding the curse. It flew over them and hit the wall, exploding it to pieces. Cate pulled a gun out of its holster, just as she was raising it, Lucius grabbed it out of her hand, pushed her away from him, and shot the gun. Not even a second later, Cate had pulled out the other gun and shot Lucius, hitting him in the chest and killing him. The bullet that he shot, ended up hitting her in the arm just as the nineteen-year-old hit the ground.

"Shit." She muttered in pain and out of shock, shoving the guns back in the holster. Reamus threw her back her wand as the room unfroze.

There wasn't time for a single spell to be muttered before a sharp crack of what seemed to be thunder echoed throughout the Great Hall. Heads turned to where the noise came from, and there stood Lord Voldemort. Many members of the DA gasped, ducking slightly behind others.

"Good work my followers." He spoke to his death eaters, "I however, am not so impressed with you." He glanced over at Catherine, "What should I do with you?" Voldemort pulled out his wand, advancing on her. "Crucio!"

"No!" A few voices shrieked from the DA. The curse overtook Cate, causing her to curl over in pain, suffering to a point that she had never suffered before. After a few moments, Voldemort raised his wand, breaking the spell.

"I would do away with you, but I have far better uses for traitors." He turned his back to her, speaking to his death eaters. "As for you, I no longer need your assistance, you are done with." He waved his wand, the usual flash of green light illuminated the hall, followed by an echoing bang. When the light faded away, the majority of the death eaters lay dead on the floor, some however, had managed to escape. Voldemort laughed to himself, stepping toward the DA, heading for Harry.

'This is it.' The seventeen-year-old thought to himself.

"Harry Potter." Voldemort laughed slightly, "You may have beaten me before, but this time, you will not, and this time, it's to the death." He turned his attention to everyone else. "There is a portkey inside my robes, if Potter comes back here, he has managed to kill me and get back." The Dark Lord was then interrupted by the loud yell of Hagrid entering the hall.

"Noo!" He jumped infront of the boy, "You're not takin' 'im."

"Stupid half-breed." Voldemort muttered, waved his wand, and Hagrid was killed. Voldemort grabbed Harry's arm, and the two vanished. Moody glanced around, everyone that remained was on the good side, or dead.

"Well, all we can to is wait now." He said, putting his wand in his robed.

"Up to the hospital wing with all of you." Lupin ordered to everyone, levitating the unconscious bodies up to the Hospital wing.

Madam Pomphrey healed Cate's cuts, bullet wound, and her other injuries quickly, then sent the young woman out so there would be more room in the wing.

The nineteen-year-old walked aimlessly down the hallway, sinking down the wall. She sat there in silence for a few moments, absorbing everything that had happened.

"You all right?" A soft voice spoke from above her. Cate looked up, Charlie walked over to beside her, sinking down to sitting.

"Yeah." She replied.

"How's the arm?"

"Better."

"Good to hear." The young man whispered. Catherine leaned over, resting onto his shoulder. A few moments of silence passed, until the sound of Tonks' shoes hitting the floor broke it.

"Cate, Charlie, are you okay?"

"Yeah." They both replied.

"Mmkay." She paused, "I'm in the hospital wing if you need anything. And . . . Harry's back, we won." She smiled.

"Kay." Cate replied. After the woman left, Charlie interlocked their hands, pulling Catherine up to standing.

"Let's go walk around." He suggested. The young woman nodded in agreement and off they went.

Charlie lead Catherine through a series of hallways, and then out into the peaceful courtyard. The couple sat together on one of the stone benches, Cate leaning against her boyfriend.

"I love you." She whispered. Charlie kissed her head softly.

"I love you too." He whispered, then shifted around, "And that's why I want to marry you." Catherine looked over at him, in his hands, he held a small black box in which a diamond ring was held.

"Charlie . . . " She breathed, "Of course!" The young man slid the ring onto her finger before picking her up while hugging her tightly and kissing her passionately.