Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all his friends (and enemies) are the brain-child of J.K. Rowling. I'm just borrowing them. Exclusive ownership belongs to JKR, Arthur A. Levine Books and Scholastic Inc. Jane Sinclair and all additional characters belong to me. You belong to yourself.


Time to answer the call

It's a time for the hero to stand tall

It's a time for heroes

When our back's to the wall

It's a time for the hero... in us all

A Time For Heroes, Meatloaf

Chapter Eighteen – Shadows and Dust

where prophecies are fulfilled and victory isn't all that it is made out to be…

"SEVERUS!"

Jane flung herself to the ground beside him and pressed her ear to his chest, listening for a heartbeat. Unable to hear anything, she straightened and reached for his jacket. Her fingers fumbled impatiently with the buttons of his tunic, until she finally just ripped the layers of cloth apart, exposing his pale chest. She listened again, putting her ear against his still warm skin. An anguished sob escaped her lips, when she realized that his heart was no longer beating.

"NO!" she screamed and threw her arms around his lifeless body.

Voldemort was watching her with unconcealed delight. He loved to watch people suffer under torture, but the emotional torment he was witnessing now was even more pleasurable. He lowered his wand and grinned triumphantly at the sobbing woman at his feet.

"How touching," he mocked her callously. "But you only have yourself to blame. Severus, with his deluded sense of chivalry, protected you until the very end. If it hadn't been for you, he would still be alive."

Jane shook her head, trying to force Voldemort and his vicious words out of her mind. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks as she helplessly stared at the chaos around her. Not far from her, the Golden Trio was holding their own against older, more experienced wizards and witches. Remus and Tonks had been separated. The young witch was fighting Bellatrix Lestrange now. Jane recalled Remus telling her of how his best friend and Tonks' cousin, Sirius Black, had been killed by Bellatrix. A few feet over, Remus was battling Lucius Malfoy. McGonagall had arrived some time during the battle, as had the remainder of the Weasley clan. Seeing the people who had befriended her in the last year fighting for their lives added to Jane's sorrow and intensified her grief.

The air was thick with smoke and dust as errant spells hit the walls all around. The shouts of the combatants and the screams of the dying were deafening, and the noise mercilessly reverberated in Jane's head. Dead bodies were lying everywhere, their still faces eerily illuminated by the flashes of light zooming through the air. She wanted to squeeze her eyes shut and block out all the butchering and death around her, but she was strangely entranced by the gruesome view. Tonks finally overpowered Lestrange and a satisfied smile played across her lips. Her eyes met Jane's, and she nodded triumphantly. Suddenly, however, her face froze in surprise and her lips formed a tiny O. Clutching her side, she dropped to her knees and slowly slid to the floor.

Unable to help her friend, Jane choked back a sob and returned her attention to the man she loved. His features were relaxed and his face appeared peaceful, as though he was sleeping. She knew that there was no known spell that could counter the Killing Curse, but she didn't want to believe that this was it. Tears of helpless anger burned in her eyes as her hands stroked Severus' face, his chest. If the heart was stopped, she suddenly realized, it could be started again – if she acted quickly. It certainly was worth trying. Jane determinedly wiped the tears from her eyes, bent over Severus and began CPR.

---

The Dark Lord was still watching her, but she never noticed Voldemort's amused expression turn to one of surprise. Curious, he looked on as Jane kissed Severus with wild determination. Only, she wasn't kissing him, he realized quickly – she was breathing into him. The Dark Lord's mouth twisted into a cruel sneer. The silly woman actually tried to breathe life into Severus' dead body! He watched with interest, when next she laced her fingers together and began to compress Severus' chest at a rhythmic pace – only to stop shortly after to breathe for him again.

Jane alternated diligently, between compressing Severus' chest and breathing life into him.

"Please," she kept whispering. "Please… Please… Please… Please, live."

Voldemort was so intrigued by her obviously futile efforts to save Severus that he never noticed Harry approach.

The young wizard had witnessed how Snape had jumped in to defend Miss Sinclair, and he had to admit that his teacher had really known what he was doing. Despite his intense dislike of Snape, Harry reluctantly acknowledged that his Potions teacher actually had been one of the good guys, after all. He frowned. He didn't like the idea, at all, because it meant that all these years he had been wrong and acted like a spoiled little brat. At least, he wouldn't have to suffer through the humiliation of having to apologize to Snape. Suddenly, Harry realized that Voldemort wasn't paying attention to what was going on around him. The Dark Lord was transfixed by the sight of Miss Sinclair performing CPR on Snape. Harry raised his wand and moved closer.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, once he had a clear shot.

Shock registered on the Dark Lord's face as his wand was propelled from his hand, but he quickly recovered.

"Do you really think I need a wand to kill you, Harry?" he sneered at the boy standing defiantly before him.

Without warning, Voldemort's hand shot out and balled into a fist. Harry immediately began to choke. The Dark Lord grinned maliciously as he squeezed his hand even more and twisted it slightly. Harry's eyes began to bulge out of their sockets as his body rose up slowly until his feet were off the ground and his legs flailed frantically through the air. The boy was clutching at his throat with one hand, while with the other he shakily pointed his wand at his tormentor, unable to voice the words he so desperately wanted to say. Voldemort's other hand rose into the air and his wand flew quickly to his master. Suddenly, a flash of blue light caught his attention. He turned, curious to know its source, and scoffed. He should have known. Jane Sinclair was still laboring over Severus Snape, except that now the body of his former servant was bathed in a pale blue light.

Jane had begun to tire, the muscles in her arms protesting under the strain, but she stubbornly kept going. Tears of desperation filled her eyes and fell onto Severus' naked chest, onto her hands. Suddenly, a pale blue light began to emanate from her hands. At first, she didn't pay attention to it, thinking that it was merely an illusion, a play of light and shadow. But with each new compression she made, the light grew stronger, until it seared into Severus like a bolt of lightning. For the fraction of a second, his entire body was bathed in ethereal blue light. Shocked, Jane snatched her hands away from him and scrambled back.

At that very moment, several things happened at once.

Severus' eyes flew open, and his body arched into the air as he took a shuddering breath. A few feet away, Voldemort dropped Harry.

"Impossible!" the Dark Lord exclaimed incredulously, as he watched Jane revive Severus. Jane Sinclair was one powerful witch, he mused, one he would have liked to have on his side. By rights, she should have been his.

A movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Harry had gotten to his feet, swaying slightly and still clutching his throat. Voldemort whipped around, his wand at the ready.

"Avada Kedavra!" man and boy yelled simultaneously, but Voldemort's spell reached Harry first.

Harry Potter, who had been the hope of the entire Wizarding world for so long, died before he hit the ground. However, as he fell, Harry's legendary scar began to glow angry red. Almost instantaneously, a red flash of light sprung from it and bored into Voldemort's chest, into his heart. The Dark Lord let out an ear-splitting scream, before he himself collapsed facedown next to Harry's lifeless body. The dark wizard who had instilled fear in generations of wizards and witches was finally dead. The prophecy had been fulfilled.

---

Night was approaching and the shadows grew longer. The last speck of dust had settled over the fallen, and an eerie silence reigned over the battlefield. The survivors walked dazedly through the carnage and debris. They turned over body after body, looking for signs of life, looking for fallen friends.

Jane looked about her, taking in the toll of their victory. Countless men and women lay slain. Good and bad, in death united. Kingsley Shacklebolt was limping heavily as he helped a handful of Aurors round up the remaining Death Eaters. A witch Jane did not recognize was helping Minerva McGonagall, who looked rather worse for wear, to a nearby chair, which seemed to have miraculously survived the battle. Arthur Weasley held his sobbing wife, heedless of the blood streaming down his face. They both stood over Remus, who was sitting on the floor, clutching a deathly pale Tonks to his chest and rocking slowly back and forth. The young witch's eyes were closed and she was very still. Too still.

Jane watched Ron and Hermione slowly walk over to Harry. She looked away, knowing what they would find, and she had no desire to witness their heartache. Besides, Severus needed her now. Their loud sobs and shouts of denial filled her ears as she gathered the man she loved into her arms, cradling him close. His breathing was shallow and his heart rate slow. But he was alive, she thought triumphantly. He was alive! Through his selfless sacrifice, he had helped bring down the mighty Voldemort. She hugged him closer, caressed his cheek and kissed him tenderly. Severus was her knight in shining armor.

---

She didn't know how long she'd been holding Severus, when suddenly somebody tapped her on the shoulder. Jane started and lifted her head to find Molly Weasley standing next to her.

"Let him go," the Molly said gently.

"No," Jane began, but the older witch shook her head.

"It's over. Let him go."

"You don't understand," Jane told her. "He's alive."

Molly looked down at her and smiled sadly. "Jane, dear…"

Just then, Severus moaned and slightly moved his head. She startled and took a hasty step backwards, one hand covering her mouth.

"It's not possible," she whispered. "I saw him fall."

Severus moaned again, and Molly took another step back.

"Arthur!" she screamed, panic giving her voice a particularly high pitch.

Her husband hastened to her side. His face was covered in dried blood and his purple plaid suit was torn in several places. "Molly?" he asked worriedly. "What is it? What's the matter?"

She pointed a trembling finger at Severus lying in Jane's lap.

"He's alive!" she whispered.

Relief spread over Arthur's face. "Thank God for little mercies." He turned to Jane. "And you? Are you alright?"

Jane nodded. "Just some cuts and bruises," she assured him. "Nothing to cry about."

He smiled wearily. "Glad to hear it. You're one of the lucky ones."

She followed his gaze as it swept over the carnage around them. "I know."

"You don't understand," Molly interrupted them. "I saw him fall. The Dark Lord killed him!"

"Now, now, Molly." Arthur smiled indulgently. "Severus was probably just stunned…"

She shook her head, thinking back. "I don't think so… there was a blue light… like swirling mist…"

Arthur stared at his wife, as though she'd lost her mind. She had to be in shock. Her ramblings simply didn't make any sense. He looked at Jane for help.

"It's true," she told him. "He was defending me. He dueled with Voldemort, and then he stumbled…" Her voice broke as the events replayed in her mind. "Voldemort killed him…"

The older wizard stared at her, confused. "And, yet, he is alive? That's impossible! No spell can counter the Killing Curse!"

"The Muggles know of a way to get the heart beating again after it has stopped. I… I revived him using that knowledge."

"Inconceivable!" Arthur exclaimed. "You've managed to reverse the Killing Curse!"

Jane shifted uncomfortably. "I have no explanation for the blue light, though. Somehow magic must have combined with Muggle knowledge to help me bring Severus back."

"How interesting." Arthur scratched his head. "Well, I'm no expert," he finally conceded, "but from what I have heard about you, Jane, I know that you are capable of great things and extraordinary magic…"

He broke off as theory after theory flashed through his mind. Molly finally had to tug at his sleeve to get his attention.

"Now is not the time, Arthur," she told him sternly, quickly becoming her old efficient self again. "We have to get him and the others to St. Mungo's. Somebody also has to inform the Ministry, if it hasn't been done already."

Arthur stared down at his wife for a long moment. "You're right," he finally sighed. "I… I'll go check." He nodded his head towards Ron and Hermione, who were holding vigil over Harry's body. "Look after the children, will you?"

He turned to leave, but stopped after a few steps, having thought of something. "And you better keep an eye on Remus, too, Molly. There's no telling what he might do."

Jane looked over at her friend. He was still cradling the woman he loved to his chest. His face was expressionless, as though all life had drained from him.

"Tonks?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

Arthur shook his head grimly, and Molly began to sob again. Jane's gaze dropped to the man in her arms, and she caressed his cheek. Yes, she thought, she was lucky.


Lost and Found © 2006 by MMHG