I might be able to update the story one more time this week, but I will be on the road all weekend. So... be warned!

Jessica quickly made her way up a broken trail, her feet expertly avoiding the loose rocks and making little noise. Occasionally she was forced to climb up small cliffs. She was climbing up one of those cliffs when she heard a cry ring out and the battle begin. She began to climb faster, her gloves ripping open and slicing her hands on the rocks. Pulling herself up to level ground she quickly took out her bow. Slouching, she ran through the shadows of the fortress.

The fortress was huge, the whole thing carved out of rock. She looked over to the battle with longing eyes before turning away and running further into the shadows of the fortress.

"Damn!" she snapped when she ran into yet another cliff. Where an opening used to be a large pile of rocks now lay. Her eyes scanned the cliff. It would take too long to climb. Looking up she narrowed her purple eyes. The peak was less than 500 feet above her now. Her path was blocked, but there was another one, a longer one, on the other side of the fortress. That meant cutting through the battle.

Running toward the battle she pulled back her arrow. The first enemy she saw from the shadows of the fortress was hit right in the heart. She let a few more arrows go before putting her bow away. That would take far too long. Her two short swords were instantly out and spinning dangerously. The first few seconds into the group she managed to avoid killing someone. But that didn't last long and she was soon shoving her sword into the stomach of one man while cutting off the head of another.

Men were crying out and yelling all around her, a few of the dying Death Eaters even casting spells. Jessica was hit by one, but her dragon scale armor protected her from the magic. Shoving through more men, she was forced to stop and engage in a fight too often. All too soon she was swallowed up in the large mass of bloodthirsty men. Thirty minutes of fighting against the pull of the men and killing anyone that got in her way found her near the edge. Pushing through even faster she blocked a few blows.

"Jess!" someone cried out and slammed into her.

Jessica managed to avoid falling to the ground and spun around to see Finian fighting with a robed Death Eater whom she had been passing. The Death Eater was fast and cut Finian's arm. Her friend didn't falter in his attack and managed to cut off the robed man's sword arm. A piercing cry spilled out of the figure and a wand appeared. Jessica lunged forward just as a blinding light flew out of the wand. Her sword was shoved all the way up to the hilt in his chest, blood covering her right arm. She pulled the sword out and kicked the man down, turning to find Finian shaking. The Cruciatus Curse.

"No!" she cried out, falling to her knees to pick the man up. He screamed and she quickly carried him away from the battle and to the shadows of the fortress. Blood was pouring out of his mouth and nose, his cries turning hoarse. His body was being twisted in a disgusting way, forcing Jessica to relive her own experiences under the curse. But her memories weren't important. She whispered the counter-curse and ran her hand over his body. He instantly fell still, but his eyes were still wide and he continued to scream.

"Finian!" she yelled, willing him to stop. But he didn't.

After a few more minutes he trembled but grew silent. She carried him further away from the battle and up the hill for as long as she could. Setting him against a rock she ran a hand over his pale and bloody face. "Stay here. Be safe. I will come back for you."

It took everything inside of Jessica to stand and leave her friend there by himself. She cast one last glance at him before running up the hill and toward the opening she knew would be in the nearing cliff. But three Death Eaters were waiting for her when she appeared. Two of them threw curses toward her but she jumped out of the way and rolled behind a boulder. Her bow was quickly out and she put an arrow in it. With fast reflexes she spun away from the boulder and ran, letting the arrow fly and hiding behind another boulder. More curses missed her, but one almost hit her right leg.

Hearing their angry phrases she grinned. One down, two to go. She got another arrow ready and silently climbed up the boulder. Bracing herself, she stood and let the next arrow go. She had to jump down to avoid the two curses. She heard the body of the second Death Eater fall. One more. She was preparing one more arrow when she heard an arrow hiss through the air. A strangled cry followed and a body fell to the ground. Looking over to the boulder she had hid behind first, she found Severus leaning against it, his bow out.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she yelled, checking to seethat no one else was around.

"I saw you come over here," he shrugged, his dark eyes flashing with respect and wariness. "What are you doing?"

"That doesn't concern you! Go back to the battle!"

He watched as she ran through the opening, his eyes narrowing. She was up to something and he had a feeling it wasn't good.

Jessica ran through the small tunnel, her eyes wide and alert in the thick darkness. She made little noise, but it was amplified by the enclosed base. She kept her bow up and ready. There should be more security than this. After some time a light blinded her. It was coming from the end of the tunnel. Running faster, she prepared herself for an ambush. But it was surprisingly empty and… peaceful?

The light shone throughout the room, but there was no source. Trees were growing, fruit hanging heavily off of the branches. The grass was thick and a deep green. A small waterfall fell from an unknown source and into a river, which drained into the wall. Flowers perfumed the entire room. She looked up and found a rainbow stretching from one wall to the other, covering the tip of the peak. She was inside. Putting her wand away she looked around. The fruit looked so tempting, as did the grass. She wanted to lie in the fresh grass and fall into a deep sleep. But not until she was filled up with the wonderful fruit.

The blue water shimmered, beckoning her to go swim in it. Her body suddenly felt heavy and it was as though everything she had been through came crashing down upon her shoulders. She deserved a rest. Licking her lips, she was about to collapse and fall asleep when the echo of the battle rang through the room. She quickly perked up, her eyes no longer tired. Pulling out her favorite weapon, she looked up at the rainbow and concentrated. It shimmered and disappeared. It had been covering a small hole at the top of the peak.

Jessica began to breathe heavily, her eyes focused and glinting. Her brown hair was whipped around her face as a strong gust of wind slammed into her. But she didn't move. Her lips turned up into a crazygrin and she pointed the weapon up at the opening. Her body buzzed with energy and it began to gather in her right arm. She pulled back her arm then thrust it hard and cried out, "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Severus walked through the tunnel, careful not to make any noise. Her footsteps had faded, so he figured she had stopped running. When he saw a blinding white light he felt compelled to go towards it. It didn't take too long. Just as he reached the opening a large gust of wind slammed into his body, forcing him back. Recovering, he jogged to the opening once more and found something he hadn't expected. Jessica was poised in the center of the room, her wand stretched out. Before he could stop her she cried out, "AVADA KEDAVRA!" The curse burst from her wand in a large, green wave. It traveled up to the top of the room, hitting it dead center. The whole room began to shake and Severus watched helplessly as Jessica fell down. He waited but she didn't get up.Stumbling over, he kneeled next to her body and checked for a pulse. But he could only take in one fact. She wasn't breathing.