Guardian Angels

by sa1boy

Harry and Draco start having the same dreams, but with different endings. Who or what can be behind them

24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Eve of the War

Beta and co-author Lukanicus

"Lucius, get my generals together tonight, we move against the light, in the morning."

"Oh and Lucius, the next time you try a pitiful Death Curse on me, make sure I'm unaware. I will flay you quickly for your attempt on my life today, only joking ha ha ha. You don't think me serious Lucius. I wouldn't want to rush, killing someone who had been so faithful. Oh no, anyway I will need you to be on your guard at my side here today. If you prove yourself, I may spare your life."

"My Lord, as always your generosity knows no bounds."

He backed away from Voldemort in a cowering manner. Once he had backed far enough from his mad Master, Lucius turned and headed for his own suite within the Headquarters of the Army of Dark.

"Fucking lunatic, I will make his half breed arse pay for trying to insult a Malfoy. Just he waits and sees. Now where is that fucking flea ridden mutt?"

"Lord Malfoy you spat my name."

"Ahem, Catarrh," back of the throat 'ahem', "Now that you are here, and may I say how…, what is that interesting smell?"

"Muggle brains."

"How appetizing, ermm yes. Where was I? Yes, you said brains. How interesting, I have always gone for a meal below the neck line myself, I find that a Muggle is quite tasty when properly cleaned."

Fearing that her master was losing his way with this conversation Chaeli interjected, "How may I serve you, Lord Malfoy. Is there somewhere you need me to be?"

"Lord Fucked Up…Ahem! I mean Lord Voldemort has decided in his magnificence to attack the Army of Light tomorrow. Now although I do not doubt his wisdom ('I mean what the fuck is this snake head playing at'). We will need all our Generals here immediately. They will need to be briefed and given their battle plans. Also, we need to get them in the correct order, first of all."

Lucius took out his wand and with an exaggeratedly theatrical motion that made the she-werewolf tut uncontrollably; Lucius summoned a creature that looked like an ancient Goblin similar to the ones that manage the vaults at Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Swishes from his wand and wandless magic from Chaeli, kept the Goblin in place.

"Linyou bogwill foried crouseau."

The thought of being held against its will by a wizard was intolerable as Goblins were even more self-righteous about being the purest of the pure. Lucius addressed the creature in the Goblin's tongue. This rubbed salt into the wound since a Non-goblin speaking to a Goblin in goblin-tongue was unforgivable.

"Ierof nokdi ofvant devras enns," the Goblin spat at Lucius. This caused Chaeli to increase the energy wave that she was casting towards it.

"Oh but, you will die for us, Griswold of the third order. I promised your old friend, Gremial, that I would give you to him as a present. In return, he will grant our Death Eaters flight and I will not disappoint him."

"Dark Mark, HAHAHA, YOU HUMAN OUTCAST, you will perish at the hand of your loins. All that is dark will bath in the blood of his arrogance. Gremial be dammed, bring on your worst."

With that, Chaeli made a whooshing gesture with her wand and them both Apparated straight to the Swamps of Mortificus and Gremial.

The Swamps of Mortificus is the realm of the forsaken. The very name is thought to conjure thoughts of death, and sorrow. This dark and dank realm is where the Goblins send all that infringe on their way. Goblins would imprison all those that took up arms against them or did not follow the council's laws and rules.

Once before the quadrangle became one. Gremial was one such Goblin. Griswold was the Goblin that bought him to justice. Gremial swore that he would eat the brains of the one who sold him to justice. His skills would be the reward to any that delivered him the head of Griswold. The whole package being unopened was a major bonus that would allow a bloody and wickedly brutal retribution.

A skilled but highly unorthodox wizard, Gremial was one of the most gifted dark magicians that there ever was. It was he, who invented some of the most popularly used potions today. He invented the concoction that gave flight to the race of banshee. Losing their voice and all that remained in place was their ability to suck the souls out of living things.

He was responsible for the Dementors. The very same potion that he had given the banshees two hundred years ago was the very reason he was imprisoned in the swamp, never to be able to leave, never to be able to practice magic outside his hut.

Through magic arbitration and a need for strict guards at the new Azkaban prison, it was agreed by the First Order of Igblon, the Goblin High Council and the Ministry of Magic, that the Dementors be tasked with guarding the prisoners of Azkaban.

This duty they reluctantly agreed to perform. However, at the time, they were facing two choices, extinction or compliance. They chose self-preservation and the latter. Always awaiting an opportunity to exact vengeance on wizards and goblins for their own pseudo-imprisonment, there numbers were never allowed to grow to more than was deemed necessary to keep order at Azkaban.

They unlike all other magical creatures were forbidden their own rules and governing body. They were treated as the products of an experiment. However, they were more gifted at deception than they were ever given credit. They were constantly wheeling and dealing amongst various different allies. With Voldemort's reign as the desired result, the Dementors offered their support in exchange for a reward. They never decided on what the reward was. All that anyone knew was that when the Dementors did decide, they could have practically anything they wanted.

Voldemort wanted the potion that Gremial could make and wanted to test it on his Death Eaters. He had always admired the grace with which the Dementors moved. He figured it a fitting addition to his Death Eaters, the ability to fly.

Standing just outside Gremials shack, Chaeli shouted to get the Goblin's attention, "Gremial, you old worm, I have a present from the Dark Lord. Have you the potion that you have promised him? Gremial, come out now, before I deny you the pleasure of the kill."

The door to the shack opened and out slithered a wizened old hand, followed by a long pointed nose attached to an equally severely shaped head. The eyes in Gremial's head were as black as coal.

"What is it? Who dares call my name? Oh, wolf girl it's you. And what do we have here? Griswold, it has been such a long time since I have seen you. How nice of you to pay me a visit. What's that? You are going to do what, with your…oh, I think not."

Gesturing to Chaeli, he motioned inside the shack. There he handed her two bottles of potion, one about three pints in size, the other a small vile about the size of a pipette.

"Give these to your lord. The big bottle is for the flight seekers. The small vile, he will know when to use that. But tell him, he only has six hours flight with each drop. If he gives more than ten drops, they will stay as Dementors forever. Now leave me while I enjoy my meal."

Chaeli turned to leave. Just as she was going through the doorway, she saw Gremial lunge at Griswold, biting down hard on the top of the old Goblins skull. Blood squirted in all directions. Griswold was not making any noise although his mouth was in the shape of a scream. She realized that he was still under the Silencio Spell she had cast on him to shut him up. With the flick of her hand, his voice returned. Blood curdling screams abounded as his mad co-species bit through bone and flesh to get at the prize he had promised himself, Griswold's Brain.

Returning to the apparition point, Chaeli hummed a tune as she walked with bottles in hand. She was having a very good day

Voldemort had made alliances with many over the last few years. The Dementors were one of his most potent supporters. Notwithstanding, the Dementors could only administer 'the kiss' in close proximity and they were susceptible to the Patronus Spell. Take there manoeuvrability and add it to the total ruthlessness and bloodthirsty loyalty of the Death Eaters and you got a super fighting force. Voldemort was going to use this force as his piste de resistance.

After Chaeli had returned, she dispensed the two bottles to Lucius. Taking further instructions, she visited the Troll King at Trellee. He had already sworn his army to Voldemort's cause. He awaited the signal to manoeuvre his forces into place. Surprisingly, the Troll King was quite intelligent. He was the only one of his kind with a sizeable frontal lobe. What he instructed his army, they would obey without question. They knew no other way.

From there, she visited the Giants of Greenland and Scandinavia. They had been promised a limitless supply of fresh Muggle meat for their cooperation. The Giant Queen had also been promised the country of Wales. Apparently, when she last visited her estranged and now outcast great grand son Hagrid, she had liked her reflection in Lake Bala so much that she insisted that every meal she had during her stay be washed there and that every barrel of tea she drank be made from its waters.

Yes, she enjoyed Wales so much that she tried to claim it for herself. She had caused the last Muggle-Giant war. The Ministry of Magic had to intervene. The outcome was that the once fierce protectors of Wizarding-kind were banished to the forests of Scandinavia and Greenland.

Like all of Voldemort's supporters, they had a unique grudge against Dumbledore and his supporters. Exiled from the Giantine Circle for going against his Mother's wishes and coming of age on his 75th birthday, Hagrid, enrolled in Hogwarts. His mother tried to change his mind, but like all children, she had to let him make his own mistakes. He never thought that his Grand Mother would be so bitter towards him. Of course, it was the fact that her husband was out of bounds. No one was allowed to touch him, and that made Granny very mad. He was a prime plump Muggle. He should have been in one of her stockpots. And his half-breed son should have been feeding her pet dragon.

On hearing that Voldemort was about to move against the Army of Light, she gathered all her offspring, all 300 of them. Giants used to number in the thousands. But, there had only been one birth since the Great War. And now, it is forbidden to talk about the one last born.

Fearful of losing any more of her oldest children, the Queen picked out the youngest ten from those present. She summoned her speediest dragon Olvaggia who was saddled up with the three seats. The giants sat in the saddle. After singing him a beard and with an affectionate peck on the cheek, he agreed to fly with stealth. He took off for a relatively quick crossing of the North Sea and landed in the pre-designated rendezvous point in Wiltshire. On the last run, Olvaggia carried the Queen in her ceremonial robes, an outfit similar to what you would see on an aunty visiting for tea on a Sunday, wool suit with a flowery hat.

Chaeli knew from experience, never to look quizzically at a giant's attire. It could be that last thing you do. Walking to a huge marquee about 60 feet in height and 50 feet wide, the flaps on the front was magically charmed to open as soon as the Queen entered thereby inviting the Queen to the ready set up throne room.

"Majesty, the Dark Lord hopes that these quarters will be comfortable enough for you. Through that door at the end is a slurry pool, for bathing. And through here, we have some delicacies you may like."

Opening a side door Chaeli presented to the Giant Queen with a positive delight for a gourmet giant.

"ARE THEY ALL FRESH"

"Yes majesty, my Lord Malfoy had them hand picked from their residents only this afternoon. Every nationality we could find. A gift for your delectation, My Lord offers fresh replenishments when these have been enjoyed."

"HOW MANY?"

There is no quiet talking where a giant is concerned, everything comes out as a BOOM.

"Fifty-two Majesty, they are all different colours and creeds of Muggle, enjoy."

With that Chaeli undid the bars on the cages that they were in, walking away to leave the Queen to her feast. Fresh Muggle meat was her particular favourite, live muggle meat, a veritable delicacy.

Curtseying as she walked back out, Chaeli lifted the damping charm on the cage. What happened next was like sweet music to her ears, fear, total and utter fear. Screams as terrifying as the mind could envisage were coming from every one of the Muggles. Over them, the Queen picked individuals up by the head, like Chess pieces, and bit said head off.

"TOO SPICEY … TOO TOUGH … SWEET AND JUICY … TANGY … FISHEY … TASTY … GOOD … YES WE LIKES YOUR TASTE," the queen relished every morsel of the boy she had just eaten. All that remained was the red dragon Rugby shirt that he was wearing with the word CYMRU emblazoned on the back of it.

"TELL YOUR LORD WE ARE PLEASED WITH HIS OFFERING. MANY WARRIORS OF LIGHT WILL PERISH TODAY IN HIS HONOUR."

Backing out of the tent, Chaeli went to report on her progress to Malfoy.

"Lord Malfoy, Lord Malfoy, LORD MALFOY isn't that body deceased? I can smell death all over it. Would you like me to find you a live Muggle to sodomise?"

Raising an eyebrow in a way Lucius always recognized as sarcasm, he reset himself and moved away from the boy Voldemort had brutally killed before, speaking under his breath.

"Fucking waste, I would have loved this one, just right for me, and no cheek either. I love the strong silent type … What … oh, Chaeli, how is the progress? Have you contacted the Giants? Did she like her offering? Good, then we are set. Kindly inform the invited guests that we will be having an address by the Dark Lord in fifteen minutes. And Chaeli, just a young one, about twelve should do it, make sure he smells of strawberries."

Returning to the apparition point, Chaeli thought how Malfoy seemed to have completely lost his mind. With that, she decided that she would keep a very close eye on Lucius. Any deviation from the Dark Lord's plan could earn her a promotion. And him, well she was fed up with finding untouched Muggles. The smell did not sit well on her stomach. She felt like she fancied a change.

"Lord they await you."

Lucius was taken aback by the sounds and the sights he was experiencing in the main hall of Fairwood Common. Voldemort had just given the potion to each of the one-hundred or so Death Eaters in front of him. Each had followed the one before, falling to there knees. Then levitating to the ceiling, a sickening alien screeching sound generated by his mind, he was sure that no audible noise could be as terrifying as this.

"Music to my ears, stay here my Death Mentors. You know your role. I will call on you soon. Lucius, I want to test the weapon."

"Of course sir, the target?"

"Norfolk."

"Excellent choice Sire, but what part of Norfolk? It is rather a large place."
Lucius gave a feint chuckle.

"Hogsmeade"

"Surely you didn't say, Hogs… Sire when we have won this war we will want some…"

"You heard me Lucius, the target is Hogsmeade. Burn it to the ground, NOW, and Lucius."

"Yes my Lord"

Feeling excruciating pain well from within and bursting out of every pore, Voldemort was sending his Death Glare straight at Lucius as he spoke. Lucius wished he had succeeded in using the Avada Kedavra earlier, promising himself that he wouldn't pass up the opportunity, if and when it rose again.

"Forgive me Lord … aaarrgghh … I meant no disrespect."

The pain in Lucius' body was building, he felt like his skin was about to peel away from his bones.

"Lord please, I am truly sorry."

Voldemort gave up his glare. Lucius was released.

"Hogsmeade Lucius, NOW."

"Of course My Lord, I will do it right away. I will not fail you."

Lucius Apparated to the top-secret weapon sight.

"Chaeli, accompany MALFOY, IF HE FAILS, EAT HIM."

With a bow and a growl, she too Apparated after Lucius.

Lucius readied it for the destruction of Hogsmeade, the last remaining wizard settlement in Britain. Lucius knew that any wizard unlucky enough to be in that part of the world today would be on borrowed time.

He set the weapon, and hit execute. All he had to do now was to wait for the backlash.

o

Voldemort appeared in the centre of the stone circle. The very place the Giants had created millennia ago as a meeting place for the different clans. Holding his hands out at his side, he projected his image into the sky. All those around could see his face.

Thunderous applause surrounded him as his army were riled by his battle cry. He gave out his battle plan.

"I have two thousand Muggles." Waving his hand, out of thin air to his left appeared two thousand Muggle males, all with what looked like dynamite strapped to their chests. Each stood with totally blank looks on their faces. At the end of each flank of Muggles there sat a wolf man, atop a bear sized dog. They presumably were there to make sure no Muggles could escape.

"These Muggle things will be the front line. Their job will be to die. The more of them that die, the more Wizards of Light will die with them. Behind the Muggles we will have our trusted Trolls, one hundred of these, fully armed."

Again waving his hand, the trolls line up behind the humans.

"Coming down the flanks we have the Giants. You will draw any fire away from my Death Eaters. They will send Death Taker Curses at any muggles that escape or Wizards of the Light that they can."

Behind the Trolls came the Death Eaters. On the Trolls flanks, came the Giants.

"Behind the Death Eater rank of twenty will be my Dementors."

With that a hundred whooshing figures appeared, all moisture in the air turned to ice, shivers running down even the Giants' spines. Settling in long dark lines the Dementors took there spot.

"Finally we have my new force, welcome my Death Mentors."

With that, the air was filled with that same sound that Lucius had heard, only one-hundred times louder this time. Like black ghosts flying through the air, they took formation, stopped in mid air and took out their wands at the ready.

Voldemort flicked his wrist to the direction of the Muggles. Three quickly flew into the air in different directions. As each rose fifty feet above the ground, the Death Mentors aimed and fired, blowing them to smithereens. With jovial laughs from the Trolls and the Giants, Voldemort pushed out his chest and a look victory appeared on his scaly face.

With all his army looking on in total obedience at his image in the sky, Voldemort delivered his speech for rally to battle.

"As the sky turns black, my hunger grows for killing and slaying. I raise my fist against the northern lights as I scream my pleasure at their pain. The blood from your veins caresses my skin as my battle against mankind goes on. I will keep on killing
until mankind is gone forever.

When the night fades away, I return to my deep cold cave longing for the next night to arrive. I await the arrival of the Black Star and for the arrival of the battle-divine.

For hundreds of years I have struggled never to surrender, never to die. I am immortal. I am the battle-divine.

I have travelled through ages to find you and finally you are mine. You will die for me, the battle-divine. For those who have strayed I say. Betrayer, you will die by my fire. My fire is the everlasting pain."

The air was filled with a mixture of cheers, screams for battle and screeches from the Death Mentors. The sound was spine chilling. This was the most lethal force of evil, assembled in generations. Voldemort hoped that the speed in which he was moving would be enough to catch Dumbledore's Army of Light off-guard.

At his side appeared Lucius and Chaeli.

"Is it done?"

"Yes Lord, it is done. Hogsmeade will be a crisp."

o

Lucius Malfoy always liked to deliver a fresh, clean snack to his master, especially if the snack looked a lot older than they were. The dark lord loved a child in a young man's body. The more obvious the gap was, all the sweeter was the prize. It was during one of these times whilst raping the latest youth that Voldemort came across the idea for the genocide weapon.

Voldemort was never one to let pass the added attraction of a hysterical mother screaming as she watches her child, brutally buggered by a half-human thing. The mother pleaded with him to stop. They always did plead. It was the major attraction.

This particular mother offered something that other mothers before her had not, scientific knowledge. Not many knew how Voldemort sought other means to increase his power, spells from long forgotten races, potions that required live hosts to incubate, and even forgotten documents from ancient lands. Yes, Voldemort was one very curious being. What he sought more than anything else and more than any other being, magical or not, was revenge. For revenge, he needed power, and power was only achieved with knowledge. He hated the Muggles, but secretly admired their brutality when it came to death.

After forcing the mother to consume a vial of Veritaserum, Voldemort proceeded to rip from her mind all knowledge of NASA's deep space work with telescopes.
Subsequently, Voldemort's great plan was devised, the Genocide Weapon.

The rarest crystal known to Wizard-kind is called Taaffite. Taaffite is an aluminium oxide compound that is found only on Elvin shores when the moon is in its third high rising. It came in two colours. The smaller pieces of crystal are a beautiful transparent rose colour, with deep droplets inside. It is said that every time a small piece of Taaffite leaves the Elvin realm, a tear appears inside, to sympathise its loss.
Alchemists and healers have long coveted the semi-transparent crystal. It has amazing healing properties, allowing some of another's life force to heal the sick or injured.

The larger and much rarer pieces of Taaffite are often found at the entrance to underground Elvin gardens, and in their hospitals as light generators. These stones also provide the energy needed to keep the soil fertile in such dark environment.
Monolithic Taaffite crystals are the rarest of all and are normally only found in the Deserted Lands. A baron wasteland that the Elves gave up millennia ago, these wastelands turned to swamps and these swamps then were claimed by means of a non-use mandate by the Goblins.

The Goblins turned the Deserted Lands into their very own prison realm, and renamed it. They called it the Swamps of Mortificus. It was here whilst ironing out details of the Death Mentor spell with Gremial that Voldemort learnt of the crystal monolith's extraordinary energy absorbing and transfer power with the newly acquired spells from Gremial. Voldemort coupled the latest Muggle technological knowledge on GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite, mirror-imaging technology and the harnessed energy of that collected from Avada Kedavra Curses with the Monoliths.

Spells were sent to the Genocide Array, a cluster of 33 mirrors all angled at a certain precise trajectory. The beam intensifies as it reaches the last mirror of the Array then becoming a reflected image. This Genocide beam can be sent using the GPS to any designated position on the planet.

As far as weapons go, once the fuel in the form of a spell is loaded in the correct manner, in other words, being sent at the mirrors, it only needed one person to input the co-ordinates and press the red execute button. Lord Voldemort designated Lucius Malfoy to be that person. Then all any wannabe mass murder would have to do is sit back and count the bodies. Voldemort had designated the first genocide site to be Hogsmeade.

o

"Cor Harry, you don't have to … ya look a little peaky today, you too Mal… I mean Draco, are you ok, here sit down."

Harry and Draco had just descended from the sky. No sooner had they touched down then their inner spirits Din and Farore had left their bodies and taken off again, this time in search of allies. Farore had entered Voldemort and recognized a portion of herself was within Voldemort. She saw the power that he controlled and realized that he had the madness to use it. She feared for the worst.

She could not actively harm him since she would be harming a piece of herself. Din could not go against Voldemort because every injury he inflicted on him also would be an injury to Farore. They were in a Catch 22 situation.

The only way they could hope to stop him would be to drive his spirit from its human host. Then using their combined powers, try to bind the evil seed for eternity. However, they cannot survive in his form long enough to force him out. He would eventually gain power from their power and force them out.

There were two hopes. One was left for later, to awaken the Dark Star and hope he could succeed where they knew they would fail. The other was to contact the original magical spirits, ask for their help, beg forgiveness for their sin and ask them to have pity for the earthlings. It was not their fault that one part of their consciousness went mad!

They left Harry and Draco to relay details of what Farore learned whilst in his mind and took off to where they believed best suited their enormous needs, the Aurora Borealis and their siblings. Once inside they were as far away from earth as they could be. The aurora was more than a light show. It was a portal to another dimension, the home of the Guardian Angels.

"We seek your help oh Brother, dearest Rhi'eru. Darkness has befallen my seed. I can no longer control its will. It seeks to scorch the earthlings. All will die if it is not stopped. Will you help us?"

Farore's green light took on a whole different shape, a solid wall of wind, like a mini stationary cyclone, with each sound a vibrant beam of light appeared. Floating next to her, the unmistakable fire's that are Din, flickered solemnly, his flames caressing Farore's wind as it caressed his spirit.

The spirit of Rhi'eru appeared almost like a giant glowing creature, with tentacles of light, shimmering all around it.

"They who are averse from harming, even the wind, know the sorrow of all things living."

"We never intended harm to befall flora nor fauna. We cannot stop that which is our own self."

"Knowing what is bad for you, shows what is bad for others. Knowing what is bad for others, shows what is bad for you. This reciprocity should always be borne in mind."

"If we stop him, we will cease to be."

"Those whose minds are at peace, do not desire to live at the expense of others."

"We cannot give away our passion. Will you not grant us life?"

"A mind has to be free from passion in order to give up the desire to live, only then may you take away the pain."

The dialogue stopped, and Din and Farore moved closer so their flame and wind were one. Two more spirits appeared. OLmec, the sun spirit appeared as the radiance of light itself. Its benevolence to its siblings was evident from its warm embrace. Shakiri, the essence of the sea and the rainbow, was as a fountain, golden and pure. The five spirits sang there unique tune of times away, times when they were incomplete.

OLmec, spirit of the sun and the moon, broke off from the pentatonic chorus. A sudden feeling of helplessness washed over him. The other spirits reached out to him.

o

In the forbidden forest on the outskirts of Hogsmeade, Severus Snape felt a strange nausea wash over him, and a feeling of immense power from within him started to awaken. Then he collapsed and fainted. Severus could feel movement and hear voices, he did not know where he was, and he could now only see the darkness.

Out of the darkness walked himself. He stood in a blackened room. He stood naked in front of another dressed in a black robe. He was an alternate him. He talked and saw the others mouth move. Then he was the other Snape, looking at a naked version of him.

"Where am I, who are you?"

Confused, the naked Snape looked worried. He could hear the words he was saying coming out of the mouth of the black Snape, then silence. Then,

"We are one, you and I. We have been since my wards found their vessels."

"I don't understand. Since whom, Din and Farore, are you part of them? Have I died? Are you an angel?"

Naked Snape looked quizzically at the figure that due to the blackness of the room was only a floating head. Its robes seemed to blend effortlessly into the background.

"You must understand. That is why you are here. I need to show you."

Snape observed as the room changed and images flooded in front of his eyes. Images appeared of a time before magic, of flying through the air using wings of pure black flame. These images changed to a collection of those of the universe. The images felt like memories of him flying through space as planets passed in the blink of an eye. He travelled though time, seeing the Pyramids of Giza, Stonehenge, and Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the Great Wall of China, all of these and more constructions throughout time. But these memories were as a bystander. Of these memories, none were his. And of these memories, none were ever experienced by his body.

"These images are your memories?"

The dark Snape nodded

"You have witnessed all this?"

"And more"

"Why are you with me? What do you want from me?"

"We are one. I am the Dark Star. I am the Guardian of the Angels. I have followed them through time, always waiting for a time when they would ask for my help. Never once have they asked, until now."

"That's all very well, but why are you here with me? I'm very busy you know."

"At the time My Lady Farore and her love, the Din, found the destined ones. They were forced to enter their form and take residence with them so that they may enjoy the corporeal love they missed for so long. I could not stay in spirit form without their light to guide me so I shifted to the most valiant form in the room at the time, you."

"Do you mean that when Draco and Harry were born, you entered my body, and stayed there waiting to be asked for help. You'll forgive me for thinking that I'm in a dream."

"You are in a dream. But you are not dreaming. This is my destiny to save the vessels, and your destiny now to help me. Look. Your friends are under attack."

As if watching a scene unfolding on screen, the Dark Star waved his hand. There in front of them Severus could see Lupin with his head cradled in his arms. Just off from them were Harry and Draco. They held their wands out to the sky muttering an incantation as beams of light shot out at the precise spot on the perimeter barrier that the Genocide Weapon was attacking. Dumbledore stood behind them with staff in hand doing the same. Severus could hear Draco shouting commands. But he could not understand what they were. He saw Harry look like the efforts of the spell he was casting were taking there toll on him, the spot in the perimeter dome where the Genocide Weapon was trying to breach was getting redder. The efforts of the three wizards were not going to overpower the sheer might of the weapon trying to penetrate it.

"Let me go. I need to help them. I cannot let my lover die. Can you help me?"

"There is more. Look," and the scene changed and he could see Lupin, looking fully pregnant. Then another flash and Lupin was with a young child with raven hair and silver grey eyes.

"Is that… my…child?"

"Yes"

"Can we save them? What do I need to do?"

Dark Star showed Severus more images but abruptly stopped when Severus shouted at him to stop.

"We are one. Repeat after me, we are one. We come to the light, to remove the dark."

Severus started to repeat the words out loud. The next moment, he was heading towards the Dark Star. They walked into each other. Their bodies were one, their thoughts were one, and their power was One.

"He's coming too. Severus … Severus are you ok? Quickly… we need to get you to safety. The weapon is above us. Draco…"

Severus immediately stood up and placing a finger on Lupin's lips. Kissing him gently, he moved in front of them all.

"I am fine my love, I was just dreaming."

Moving towards the group, he bowed as he reached Draco and Harry. Touching them both, they disappeared. The Dark Star within was just about to follow the two to the Aurora Beaus when Severus' side took over. He spoke to his minds new partner.

"We will not abandon, my love. If he dies, my child dies. Will you help me?"

Dark Star instantly answered him with actions of sheer power.

"I will help you. It is both our child. But we may not survive, are you willing to die to save another?"

"For Remie, I'd kill, never mind die."

Severus moved both his hands together and clapping them soundly causing a blue energy ball to appear in his palms. All present including Dumbledore gasped. He then turned 90 degrees to the right and doing what could only be described as hitting a baseball, he flung his own blue energy at the perimeter barrier. A blue crystalline face surrounded the whole of the barrier, lending some more defence to the seriously depleted barrier.

"We have returned the chosen to safety."

Looking at Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore and Lupin, he spoke now as if his voice was joined with another. It instantly struck Harry and Draco that it sounded like their spirits.

"Go to the Castle and warn the others. They will attack in two hours. We will need all the help we can get. Tell them that He is using humans as ammunition. I will stay and protect the barrier for as long as I can. You need to evacuate the village. They plan on leaving no one alive. I will follow you as soon as I have finished here."

Severus then raised his left hand and making a gesture like he was blessing the sky, thrust his hand out and energy coming straight from him flew at the exact spot the energy barrier was under attack. Clicking the fingers on his right hand, Ron and Hermione disappeared to reappear moments later in Dumbledore's office.

"Quick Ron, we need to contact The Order."

Walking to the huge fireplace and throwing some Floo Powder in, he interrupted his own urgency, with a question.

"I know he just saved us, but what the bloody hell just got into Snape?"

"He is the Dark Star. A guardian spirit with its only mission is to save the lives of Din and Farore. He was created for that sole purpose."

"How do you always know these things?

"I don't know. He told me I think. I just do not know when. I feel like I have always known. I will explain later if we get a chance. Now quickly Ron, we have no time to chat."

Dumbledore and Lupin headed in the direction of the village. Remus stopped abruptly when he realised that Severus was not with them.

"Severus, hurry, we have to save the villagers. Severus, hurry, SEVERUS COME ON, you have just had a nasty turn. You cannot stay and fight. You are too weak, please my love hurry."

Remus was struggling against the will of Dumbledore to drag him in the other direction. Dumbledore had been waiting for this moment ever since the day that he witnessed the splitting of the absolute love that settled in Draco and Harry.

For all time, ever since they took human hosts, they were never alone. Always they were watched. Always a guardian spirit was there if they ever requested help from their siblings, always present but dormant.

Dumbledore witnessed the joining of Din to Harry and Farore to Draco. But more importantly, he saw what looked like a plume of Black Star dust settle in the life form next to them. For the next seventeen years, Severus Snape had played host to the Dark Star. Din and Farore for the first time in millennia had asked for help. Their siblings granted the wish. But in a moment, He would be dead. They would lose a piece of their selves. He was not aware, at least not sufficiently aware, to be able to understand. Was he?

Severus looked lovingly at Remus. Then he lifted his right arm towards him and Dumbledore. Opening his fist and with a flex of his fingers, a barrier surrounded them both. The bubble lifted off the ground and moved away at a great speed towards the village. Severus' face appeared in the bubble speaking to his lover.

"I have to stay here and protect the barrier around the village. Do not grieve me my love, for I have to do this. The Dark Star has joined now to me. His destiny is now my calling. If I die in this venture, know I have not left you alone. When we made love that night, the night true love saved us both. You gave my life meaning again. You came back to me, and gave me what we have always wanted. You awoke within me the spirit of my love."

Severus' voice was again joined by the Dark Star.

"We must fulfil our duty. We must protect the vessels. We must protect what has been given us to guard all these years. You have tremendous battle ahead. We must do what must be done to save you so that you can fight another time. The battle of your heart, will lead to emptiness after we are gone. You cannot allow emptiness to devour you. We no longer battle with passion. Passion is nothing compared to our devotion to you. Let it be as we have given you a gift that none can take away. We have given you our Child. Fight well my love. Our child will be our lasting tribute to you. He will now protect you against the dark seed. Always be proud of us, we love you."Turning to the side Severus put his left arm outstretched in the air towards the increasingly red barrier surrounding Hogsmeade, the forbidden forest and the school. The barrier had been in place for a thousand years and was part of all magical folk that lived there. By draining the power of the barrier, magical people within would feel a drain in their power. If the barrier breached, all would die. The Genocide Weapon would send the Avada Kedavra curse into the earth and kill all that were exposed to it. Only the water surrounding the school could save it from the same fate.

Severus made a singular deliberate thrusting motion with his left hand open and fingers outstretched. A ray of white light poured forth from his hand and met the exact spot in the barrier where the Genocide Weapon was trying to breach. A crackling sound of beautiful amplitude emanated from his fingers. The barrier was now a visible dome as far as the eye could see. The white power of Severus seemed to contain the power of the focused burst of the Genocide Weapon.

"He must stay here Remus. It is his destiny. He will save us all if we are lucky today."

"He asked me to be brave and not to waste time mourning him. How can I not mourn that which I love? How can he leave me like this? I can't do this without him?"

"Remus, quickly help me. We must evacuate the village. Severus knows what he is doing, REMUS."

Slapping Remus to get him back in the now, Dumbledore pointed in the direction of the village pub.

"Remus, we need you. Please, there will be time to grieve later. I promise. You will never be alone. Now quickly, help me."

Swiftly Dumbledore with Remus moved towards the first house that came into view, the shrieking shack. They watched as Wizards of all ages rushed about screaming while trying to gather all their belonging, shrinking them, mounting brooms and taking off.

All of a sudden out of thin air, two Death Mentors appeared, firing lethal curses at the fleeing wizards. They were unable even to attempt to dodge the fast approaching destroyers.

Lupin cast a Patronus at the Death Mentors. As big as it was, it washed up to them, but they moved though it, as if it was not there. Firing death curses at the fleeing wizards at such a rapid speed, twenty exploded in as many seconds. Dumbledore threw a deadening curse at one. It bounced off him. He countered with a series of volleys against them. One narrowly missed a child as he dived out of the way. Another was aimed straight at Remus. The green streak of energy sped toward him at high speed, hitting him square in the stomach. Instead of hurting him, it rebounded back at the Death Mentor. The Death Mentor burst into flames and instant death. Seeing this, the other shimmered out of the battle it had started.

"Are you ok Remus? It seems that Severus and the Dark Star have left you a very powerful gift."

Looking in the direction of Severus, Remus felt himself compelled to run towards him. He could see that the genocide ray was about to breach. His only thoughts were to save his lover. Then he saw time stand still. A white light encompassed Severus, and splintered in all directions. Remus could see wizards who were running, disappear. Every wizard, witch, animal and any other life form within the barrier was swept up and gone. All trace of life save his was extinguished. Severus was completely white, the ray was in contact through the barrier, fifty feet above his head and the ray was growing stronger.

"Severus, I love you"

And then with a flash and all was white. Then in Norfolk, there was an explosion of such magnitude all the houses in the village of Hogsmeade were destroyed. The Death Mentor hovering out of view disintegrated. All along the barrier where the genocide ray hit the earth, it stretched out until it reached water where the spell was broken. Every living creature that would be in its path would surely have died.Remus felt like he was walking in a sea of white clouds, but in the clouds with him was his own Dark Knight.

"Am I dead Severus? Are we at least free from our denial?"

"I had to destroy all. That way, you can now live to fight again. Go now. They need you. Moreover, I love you."

With that, he was shaken and laid in the infirmary at Hogwarts. He was not alone. Every inch of floor space was taken up by a living being, spiders, Centaurs, Vela, Wizard, Witch, Goblin, mouse, rat, owl, cat, fowl, flora and fauna. They were all there. Lupin rose and walked out. All along the corridors of Hogwarts to the main hall, the site was the same. All life that resided within the danger zone was now here, except one. Severus had saved them all. That is what he must have meant, Lupin thought.

Entering the great hall, he found Dumbledore and the Weasley's, surrounded by Centaurs and Griffons. As he walked past all the magical creatures bowed and blessed him.

"It seems Remus that the Dark Star reached out and saved all magical beings today."

"Good Professor, I promised someone that I would fight well and we have a battle to win."