A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed! You may want to get the Kleenexes for this one...it's a tear-jerker.

Chapter 26- Sacrifice

Love is everything it's cracked up to be…It really is worth fighting for, bring brave for, risking everything for.- Erica Jong

Severus and Draco worked tirelessly on Draco's Occlumency as the Order continued to make plans for the defense of Hogsmeade. A week and a half before the attack, Harry received a patronus as he and Severus were playing a game of chess in the library.

James-
I just got my team's rendezvous time. I'm to be in Hogsmeade no later than 12 noon on the day of the attack. I'm assuming all squads will drop at noon. I won't be able to come by the 12 before the attack. I keep having visitors drop by unannounced, but they're always gone by 11pm. Give my regards to Mum and Dad. Patronus if anything changes from your end.


Be careful, bro. I'll be by sometime after the attack.
Elias

"12 noon," muttered Severus after he had read the correspondence and handed it back to Harry. "The busiest time of the day."

"Did we expect anything else?" said Harry. He folded the letter and tossed it on the table in front of him. He flicked his wand into his hand and shot his stag patronus through the wall. "I told Remus that we should be there no later than 11:15, 11:30." He sat back in his chair, gazing out of the window.

"Will this work, Severus?" asked Harry quietly. "Will we be able to stop them?"

"I don't know the answer to that, James," said Severus. He observed the young man before him carefully, watching Harry tap his fingers nervously on the arm of the chair. "We will do our best. We can do no more than meet them head-on." He saw Samantha come to stand inside the doorway.

"But what if something goes wrong?" said Harry frantically. "What if something happens to Elias? Or to one of us?"

"We will continue to do what we have been doing," said Samantha as she stepped into the room. She walked over to stand in front of Harry. She took his face in her hand, stroking it softly. "We cannot orchestrate the future, love. It will come, no matter how much we plan and prepare." Harry sighed as she dropped her hand.

"James, you must have faith in us and in the rest of the Order," said Severus. "You have to rely on us to do our job, just as we rely on you to do yours. Elias knows what he has to do and he will do it to the best of his ability. I have trained him and taught him everything I know. He will do well. And so will you."

Harry stood and ambled over to the window. He leaned his head against the cool glass, looking out over the backyard of the house. "Aren't either of you scared?"

"Of course," said Severus gently. "We'd be fools if we weren't. Arrogant confidence and believing yourself invincible gets you killed." He sighed at Harry's tense frame. "I have forgotten what it's like to be thrust into battle at such a young age. You must forgive an old man and his cynicism." Harry chuckled morosely.

"I grew up a long time ago," said Harry softly. "I don't know what it's like to be a kid."

"Yet, you are still a child," said Samantha softly. Severus rose silently and stood behind Harry. He raised his hands, putting them on Harry's shoulders.

"You can do this, Harry," whispered Severus. "Find courage within yourself, in who you really are. You are not the Chosen One, you are not the Boy-Who-Lived. You're Harry, just Harry. Find strength in understanding who you are and where you come from. Do that, and you will be stronger than you ever thought you could be. We'll be right there beside you."

Severus squeezed his shoulders gently and released him. Harry dropped his gaze to the floor and walked towards the door.

"I think I'm going to go lie down for a bit," said Harry. He left without waiting for a response. Severus sat back down and traced his lips with a pale finger.

"He's so frightened," said Samantha softly as she sat across from Severus. "He won't be able to sleep well until this is over."

"That makes two of us," said Severus. "He'll be fine once we're there, I think. His spell casting is phenomenal. Lupin and I specifically put him in charge of a rooftop team so that I could keep an eye on him from the other."

Samantha nodded. She twirled her engagement ring around her finger, deep in thought. Severus took her hands in his, brushing the backs with his thumbs.

"I love you," said Severus as he gazed into her eyes. She smiled at him.

"I love you too, Severus," said Samantha.

Samantha lie in bed awake on the morning of the attack, listening to the thunder rumble outside the window, drowning out the sound of Severus's heartbeat next to her ear. She felt him shift his weight slightly and looked up at his face. He was staring up at the ceiling. She sighed softly and sat up, running a hand through her messy hair. She brought her knees up to sit cross-legged on the bed.

"What time is it?" asked Severus as he ran a hand down her back. Samantha looked at the clock on the wall.

"Eight," said Samantha. She got up and slipped on her dressing robe over her bedclothes, stretching a little. She stumbled slowly down the stairs to the kitchen. Harry was already at the table, drinking his coffee.

"Morning," he said as she tapped the kettle to heat some water. She walked over and placed a kiss on his head.

"Morning, love," she said as she sat across from him. She unrolled the paper that had arrived earlier and began to scan the front page. Severus came in a few minutes later.

"Good morning, James," he said. He poured his cup of coffee and drank it standing by the stove. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay," said Harry as he swirled the last mouthful of coffee around in his cup. "The rain's going to make this a lot of fun."

Severus shrugged. "Just like a Quidditch match in the early spring. Visibility won't be optimal. The chill might get to us a bit, but not until after the adrenaline has worn off. If things go well, we'll be back here well before that happens."

Harry nodded and drank the last of his coffee. Samantha stood and started to fix some breakfast.

"Are you hungry, James?" she asked as Severus handed her some eggs and a bit of bacon. Harry shook his head.

"No thanks," he said. He pulled the Prophet towards him and began to read the paper. Severus watched him for a few minutes. Harry's eyes never moved nor did he turn the page. Severus frowned slightly as he turned to help Samantha cook.

The three of them left the 12 at 11:20, dressed in their customary black attire. They walked quickly in the rain, the drops hitting the hilts of Severus and Harry's daggers resting in their sheaths. They reached the grove and Severus touched his wand to his forehead as Harry did the same, casting their glamours.

"Everyone know where we're apparating to?" asked Severus. Harry and Samantha nodded. "Then let's go."

Three barely audible pops later, the three of them appeared near the Shrieking Shack. Remus and Arthur waved them over to the group that had already arrived, huddling together to ward off the cold. All the Weasleys, minus Charlie who was stuck overseas, stood close together, along with Hermione. Tonks stood beside Kingsley and Moody, looking once again over the parchment map that Harry had given them. Flitwick and McGonagall stood a little ways away with everyone else, watching the edge of the village.

"That's everyone," said Remus. "Severus and Harry's teams, go ahead and mount your brooms. Everyone else go in groups of twos and threes into town. Stagger your times, please. At 11:40, everyone disillusion yourselves and move into position. Move out, people."

Severus placed an arm around Harry's shoulder.

"Be careful, James," said Severus quietly. "Call my bracelet or Sam's if you get into trouble." He gave Harry a one-armed hug. "See you afterwards." Harry took a deep breath and summoned his broom.

"Let's do this," he said firmly. He climbed aboard his Firebolt and disillusioned himself. The rest of his team did the same and took off to the Post Office. Severus turned quickly to Samantha.

"I love you, Sam," said Severus. He kissed her deeply, holding her face in his hands. She grabbed his wrists tightly.

"I love you," whispered Samantha. "Please be careful. Watch out for our boys." She kissed him again quickly. "Now go, love. Your team's waiting." She watched him mount his Nimbus and fade into nothingness. The rest of his team disillusioned themselves as they took off behind him. Remus put his arm around her.

"They'll be alright, Sami," he said softly. She lifted her fingers to her lips, staring at where Severus had just stood. Remus lifted her left hand, fingering the beautiful solitaire diamond. He gave her a shocked look.

"Oh yeah," said Samantha with a grin as she brushed her wet hair back from her face. "Guess we haven't talked in a while."

"He proposed?" whispered Remus in shock. He gazed back down at the ring. "Samantha, it's gorgeous."

"It was his mother's ring," said Samantha softly. "He asked me the day of Harry's birthday."

Remus gave her a small smile and sighed as he let go of her hand.

"Well, congratulations, Sami," he said. He glared towards town. "He'd better take care of you or I'll rip him apart."

Samantha chuckled as they began walking towards Hogsmeade. "If anything ever happened, you'd have to get in line. I'm sure Draco and Harry would beat you to it." She smiled softly as they neared The Three Broomsticks. Remus gave her a bemused look.

"You care a lot about those boys, don't you?" asked Remus. Samantha grinned at him.

"They're our entire existence," said Samantha.

"Good," said Remus. Samantha tilted her head, giving him a questioning look. Remus shrugged. "Someone needs to be there for them, to be a constant presence. Those two have lost everything they have. It's good that you and Severus will be there to take care of them." He glanced quickly at his watch. "It's 11:40, Sami. Let's go." They walked quickly to the opposite side of the Post Office and hit themselves with a Disillusionment charm. Remus watched back towards the station while Samantha crept to the next building and watched the end of the road for black cloaks. After about ten minutes, she glanced back at Remus's blue outline and brought her wrist to her mouth.

"Gabriel," she said. The bracelet warmed immediately.

"Sam, what's wrong?" said Severus. She smiled as she looked towards the roof.

"Nothing, love, I'm fine," she said. "Just checking to make sure you're ready up there."

"Yes, we're ready," said Severus. "I can just barely see James from here."

"Good," said Samantha softly. "Bon courage, mon amour."

"Je t'aime," said Severus. Her bracelet cooled quickly. At 11:55, all the stores closed and locked their doors, pulling in the few shoppers that were out. The wind blew hard down the road, lifting up dust as thunder sounded above their heads. Heavy raindrops hit the ground before the air exploded in loud cracks. Forty Death Eaters appeared on the road and shouted a battle cry. Their cries fell silent as they looked around in confusion.

"Where is everyone?" said Bellatrix loudly as she lifted her mask. She peered into the window of a nearby store and was hit from behind with a stunner.

"NOW!" shouted Remus. Samantha fired off several stunners as she tried to avoid the spells cast from the roof. The minutes passed in a blaze of light. She saw Hestia's Disillusionment charm flicker as the sky opened up, drenching everything in a freezing rain. Samantha's eyes bulged as she saw Hestia fall to the ground in a heap, the green light fading rapidly from her body.

"Damn," whispered Samantha as she continued to volley curses at the Death Eaters nearest her. More and more of the Order members' charms flickered, causing them to dodge Avadas as they scrambled for cover.

"RECAST YOUR CHARMS, IF YOU CAN!" shouted Samantha. She glanced quickly above her and saw, to her relief, that none of the rooftop snipers were visible. She moved into the road, and began to attack the main core of white masks. Hours passed as the spells flew with deadly speed, the Death Eaters becoming enraged at not being able to see very many of their opponents. She caught a glimpse of red hair next to a mess of curly brown as she moved back into an alleyway to catch her breath. She heard a choked scream and a man cackled in amusement. The next voice she heard was Ron's.

"I'LL KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD!" he screamed. Samantha looked back around the edge of the building and saw a tall form jump down from a rooftop. The figure made its way carefully towards where Hermione lay on the ground surrounded by a growing pool of crimson as Ron strode forward towards the Death Eater.

"RON, NO!" screamed an invisible Harry. The Death Eater threw back his head and laughed at Ron.

"Then bring it, Weasley," said the deep voice. They began to trade spells, the spells flashing in tandem with the lightning from the storm. The figure reached Hermione as Samantha tried to get to Ron.

"Professor?" whispered Hermione as she gripped his hand. Her breathing was labored and wheezing as Severus surveyed the damage to her small frame in shock.

"Don't talk," he said softly. "I'll try and heal you the best I can until we can get you to St. Mungo's." He fired a fierce stunner at an approaching Death Eater. She squeezed his hand tightly as she coughed violently. She gasped to catch her breath.

"I'm so sorry, Professor," she said. "I'm so - so sorry."

"No, don't start that," said Severus fiercely as he tried to stem the blood that was pouring out of her, the liquid mixing with the mud on the road. "Just stay with me, Hermione."

"Tell Harry," she gasped. "So -- sorry." She gasped a couple of times before her body became perfect still, her eyes glazing over.

"Damn it, Hermione!" yelled Severus. Ron looked back to where Hermione lay unmoving. His eyes lit up with fury as he turned back to face the Death Eater who had cast the curse.

"NO!" he shouted. He screamed loudly at the Death Eater as he fired off slicing hexes as quick as he could. The Death Eater's blood sprayed around him, splattering his face with red dots. Samantha ran over to try and help him. She raised her wand just as Ron's face froze in shock as he was hit with a Killing curse and fell heavily to the ground. The Death Eater who cast it stumbled and fell also, unconscious from the blood loss due to Ron's hexes. Time seemed to stop as Samantha stared horrified at Ron's body lying in the mud. A spell flew past her eyes, shaking her from her thoughts. She shot off spells in every direction, taking down about five Death Eaters in succession as the town clock struck four o'clock.

Just as suddenly as they appeared, every single person in a black cloak vanished with a loud pop. The fallen Death Eaters also disappeared in a green light, being portkeyed out of the village. Molly's Disillusionment charm disappeared to reveal her struggling in a pair of invisible arms, sobbing.

"Not my baby! Not my baby!" she screamed. She yanked her body free and ran over to Ron. She fell to the ground and picked up his limp body in her arms, wailing into the rain as she rocked back and forth. She cradled him to her chest, weeping and brushing his wet hair back from his face. Harry reappeared next to her, lowering his wand from his head. He ran a hand over his short hair, staring back and forth between Molly holding Ron and where Hermione lay. He began to shake his head as Severus quickly cleaned his hands with a muttered spell and walked over to him.

"This isn't happening," whispered Harry as Severus wrapped his arms around his waist from behind. "No." He shook his head, trying to pull away from Severus, but Severus held him tight. "They can't be – they – no!" His breathing hitched as a sob escaped his throat as he screamed. "NO!"

He tried to pull away from Severus again, twisting and turning in Severus's arms. Severus was torn between letting him go and restraining him, but he held Harry around his chest.

"James, I'm sorry," said Severus. "There's nothing we can do." Harry stopped struggling and slowly slid out of Severus's grasp to the ground, his knees sinking in the mud. Severus knelt beside him and pulled Harry to his chest. Harry clung to him, sobbing. Severus held Harry tightly as he closed his eyes, tears mixing with the rain on his cheeks as he rested his chin on Harry's head. He heard loud, excited voices coming from down the road.

"We really showed them," said Fred excitedly. "I'll have to tell Ginny I used her Bat-Bogey hex on one of them." George gave him a high five and they looked down the road. Their faces fell immediately as they both sprinted over to where their mother was sobbing.

"NO!" yelled Fred as he fell to the ground next to Molly. George was still as a statue, his face ashen as Arthur walked up slowly behind them. He knelt down and tried to take Ron from Molly's embrace.

"Let him go, Molly," he said shakily. "You've got to let him go." He gently took Ron from her reluctant arms. He stared for a moment at his son before he broke into tears. He kissed Ron's forehead and disapparated.

"My baby, my baby," Molly muttered over and over again. Fred and George helped her off the ground and they all disapparated. Remus knelt down next to Hermione, sniffing slightly. He lifted her left hand, gazing at the ring on her fourth finger. He looked up at Samantha, who had moved over near him.

"He gave her a promise ring," he said quietly. She shook her head as tears ran down her face. Remus sighed shakily and closed Hermione's eyes. He took off his cloak and covered her body, lifting her gently off the ground. "I'll take her to the Burrow, then go and find the Grangers." Samantha nodded slowly as Remus turned and disappeared into thin air. Kingsley walked slowly over to Severus. He knelt down and placed a hand on Harry's back as he spoke to Severus.

"We lost Hestia," he said. Severus cursed under his breath. "Moody got hit with a nasty slicing hex, but he'll be fine. I sent him on to St. Mungo's with Tonks. No other major injuries to report. We didn't catch any Death Eaters since all of the ones we captured had those hidden portkeys." Severus nodded slightly as Harry continued to shake with sobs. Kingsley looked down at Harry and shook his head. "You'd best get out of here before it gets crowded. We had all of the floos disabled this morning, but we promised to have them back up when everything was all clear." Severus nodded.

"Thank you, Kingsley," said Severus shakily. "Tell everyone else they can go home. I'll call a meeting in a few weeks after I talk to Draco." Kingsley nodded and patted Harry on his back as he stood back up, walking towards the somber crowd of Phoenixers who stood back, watching. McGonagall was staring at Severus and Harry, tears streaming down her face.

"Come on, James," said Severus as Samantha walked over to stand beside him. "Let's go home." He stood and pulled Harry up as Samantha grabbed Harry's other arm. They disapparated together and reappeared in Grimmauld Square, where the rain was still pouring down. Harry walked slowly ahead of Severus and Samantha, his head hung low. Severus held Samantha's hand as they walked to the 12. Harry pushed open the front door and stumbled down the darkened hallway to the drawing room. The other two followed him and watched as he stopped in the middle of the room. Harry fell to his knees, his face in his hands. Tears rolled down Samantha's cheeks as she ran over to him and took him in her arms, rocking him back and forth.

"Let it all out, baby," she whispered. She rested her cheek on his head as Harry cried gut-wrenchingly against her. Severus sat down beside her and pulled them both into his arms, running his hand up and down Harry's back. They sat like that for an hour, Harry's ragged breathing the only sound heard in the room. Eventually, his breathing slowed and evened out, broken every now and then by a hiccup. Samantha looked down at him and leaned back against Severus.

"He's asleep," she whispered. Severus gave her a final squeeze and let go. He gently took Harry into his arms and lifted him off the floor. Samantha stood and followed them out of the room. Severus took him to Samantha's room and laid him gently on the bed. He removed Harry's muddy shoes and his glasses. Severus gently touched his wand Harry's forehead, canceling his glamour and pulled up the covers on the bed. He brushed his hand over Harry's forehead, murmuring a weak Calming spell. Harry sighed unsteadily and moved into the touch, craving it even in his sleep. Samantha knelt beside the bed, taking Harry's freezing cold hand in hers. She put her head down on the bed as her chest began to shake in silent sobs. Severus sat against the bedside table, his arm resting on his raised knee, and gazed out the window.

The room darkened slowly around them as the sun sank lower and disappeared, bringing night behind it. About midnight, Harry began to twist and turn, muttering incoherently. Samantha's head snapped up. She stood and brushed his cheek as he broke out in a cold sweat.

"No, no," mumbled Harry. He started violently, tangling himself in the bedcovers. Samantha shook his shoulder softly to wake him up, but Harry pulled away from her. He began to scream. "NO! NO! DON'T TAKE THEM FROM ME! NO!"

Severus jumped awake. Samantha shook Harry harder.

"James, wake up!" said Samantha loudly. "It's just a nightmare, love. Wake up!"

Harry continued to thrash in the bed, unable to hear Samantha. She turned to Severus, silently begging him to do something. Severus drew his wand, touching it carefully to Harry's head. Immediately, Harry woke up. His eyes flicked back and forth, searching. He sighed in relief as he spotted Severus and Samantha next to the bed. He reached out and grabbed Samantha's hand, holding it tightly before his eyes slid shut again.

"Mum, Dad, you're okay," mumbled Harry as a single tear ran down the side of his face. Severus stiffened and froze where he was, his wand poised in midair. Samantha choked back a sob as she brushed Harry's cheek with her hand, softly murmuring a sleeping spell that her mother had used on her when she was little. Harry fell into a deep sleep. She gave his hand a final squeeze, releasing it as she turned towards the door.

"Sam," hissed Severus. "Did you hear what he just said?"

"Yes," whispered Samantha. "My ears are just as good as yours are, Severus." She walked tiredly across the hall into the other bedroom. She slipped off her dirty shoes by the door as Severus gripped the doorframe.

"Sam!" whispered Severus anxiously. She turned around and kissed him briefly.

"Severus, get a grip," she said softly. She pulled her jumper over her head and slipped off her muddy trousers as Severus walked in and shut the door. She tossed her clothes to an empty corner of the room and grabbed her bedclothes from off the floor. She threw them on and jumped quickly into bed, pulling the covers over her to ward off the chill. Severus undressed slowly and slipped into bed beside her. He reached for her and pulled her to his side.

"I don't know if I can do this, Sam," said Severus. He twisted his fingers gently in her hair. "I am not his father, nor am I Draco's." He paused for a moment, causing Samantha to look up at him. He spoke in barely above a whisper. "How am I supposed to be something that I'm not?"

"But you are, Severus," said Samantha. "You have become their father, whether you know it or not. You encourage them when they do well. You punish them when they disobey, showing them where they went wrong and how to correct it. You protect them from those who would do them harm. You guide and instruct them on how to be honorable men in this world of chaos and war. You love them, Severus. And right now, they need that in order to continue to deal with what is happening to them."

"Yes, but how will I deal with this?" asked Severus wearily. Samantha leaned up and kissed him deeply.

"We will deal with this together, love," she said softly against his lips. She kissed him again briefly before lying back down next to him. "But for now, I want to sleep and pretend that everything went fine today." Severus sighed softly as he tightened his arms around her.

"Me too," he whispered into her hair as he placed a kiss on her head. He closed his eyes and slept.