CHAPTER 20: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

Sirius dodged another spell and fired back a series of stunners. Of all the times for Albus to leave, now was the time that the death eaters arrive. He had to get to the owlery. If he was lucky he could get a message to Dumbledore and make sure that he took Harry somewhere safe before returning. If the death eaters got their hands on his godson…

"Sirius!" a voice suddenly called out. The animagus looked up in time to see Tonks slash her wand down, sending his three attackers flying.

"Dora!" he shouted in shock. "What are you doing here?!"

"Dudley sent us," Remus said, coming around the corner. Sirius grinned.

"Great! Dora, go cover the entrance to Hufflepuff; Remus, you take Ravenclaw tower." his face grew grim, "I think some of Harry's friends are running around trying to help. Who knows what sort of trouble they've gotten into."

"You let them leave?!" Remus demanded with a horrified sneer.

" 'Let' had nothing to do with it!" Sirius insisted with a worried grimace; "Hermione stunned me."

"She stunned you?" Remus asked with a blink.

"It was an insanely lucky shot," Sirius argued with a scowl. "She caught me off guard. There was an explosion and when I turned back around she got me. She let me go after she ran after Ron and I think Neville."

"We'll try to get them to head back to the commons." Tonks assured him, "and any other students we see running around."

"Right." Sirius said, "good luck!"

"Same to you!" Remus cried before the pair of them jogged away. Sirius watched them go. At the end of the hall Tonks grabbed Remus's hand one last time, giving it a little squeeze before they separated. Sirius beamed. He knew that they'd work out. He turned back around and froze. He knew that face. He'd recognize that slimy mug anywhere.

" 'Ello Sirius." Barty Crouch Jr said, lisping slightly as he hissed out Sirius's name, tongue twitching out of his mouth as was his nervous tick. Sirius scowled and tightened his grip on his wand.

Sirius dashed around the corner, dodging the blasting curse which blew a sizable hole in the corner of the hall, instead of his face. He grimaced as he ran around yet another corner and ducked into an alcove. This fight was not going very well.

"Come on now Black!'' Barty shouted with a mad glint in his eyes. "It's not the time for hide and seek! Don't you want to say hello to your old cellmate!"

"Bulltshit!" Sirius shouted back angrily. Then he transformed and dashed away, having given up his hiding spot. He change back and threw opened a door to one of the long galleries. A portrait screamed as Barty misfired another spell. "You were only in Azkaban for a week! Two tops! Dear old daddy was more than happy to toss the likes of me into prison. But Merlin forbid his son suffer."

"Suffer!'' Barty snarled, before his lips curled into a twisted grin, "you think Azkaban is suffering? Dear sweet little Sirius. You don't know what it means to suffer." the glint was back in his eyes, "but I look forward to helping you find out!" Sirius turned into a dog again, narrowly dodging the curse Barty threw and bolted straight towards the man's legs. The death eater toppled over and spat a curse before scrambling back to his feet and chasing after the massive hound. Snuffles was faster on four legs, but it was harder to open doors, and it was all too easy to stumble down the steep steps of Hogwarts. But going up the stairs was child's play. So he made a mad dash for the fourth floor. If he was lucky, he'd have enough distance between him and Barty that he could risk transforming to open the doors to the hanging bridge. Once he got to the other side of the school he could make his way to the astronomy tower. It was the highest point of Hogwarts. With any luck, he could barricade the doors before he sent a message to Dumbledore via Patronus. If they were moving it would be harder for them to hear the spells but it was all he could do now. Barty had cut off the safest route to the owlery, and he didn't dare use any of the secret passageways with death eaters about. Hopefully, it would arrive in time. But as he made his way across the school he skidded to halt. Snape was running down the hallways towards the astronomy tower. Sirius quickly changed back.

"SEVERUS!" he shouted. The potions master froze and turned to him. His face said everything that Sirius himself felt. Of all the times to call him by his actual name. But all things considered now wasn't the time for divisions. Sirius jogged to catch up with the man "Death eaters!"

"Yes I'm aware." the man said with a roll of his eyes. Sirius wanted to deck him but knew that he would need Snape's help.

"I need to get a message to Dumbledore." Sirius cried desperately. "He has to leave Harry somewhere safe." Snape's face twisted.

"I just received word from the headmaster that he and Harry have just returned. He requires medical assistance." At Sirius' rapidly paling face he quickly added, "Harry is fine. Albus is the injured one. But both have returned."

"Shit," Sirius said with a paling face. He had to get Harry out of here!

"SIRIUS!" Barty suddenly sang from down the hall and around the corner, "don't you know that naughty dogs get put down!"

"Shit," Sirius swore again. He turned back to Snape. Go! Help Albus then get Harry out of here! I'll hold them back and buy you some time." Snape gave a jerking nod then dashed towards the tower. Sirius squared his shoulders and turned around with grim determination. Barty came around the corner panting. His lank hair was dripping with sweat, plastered to his face making him look drowned. His tongue was twitching so rapidly that he looked like Snuffles did on a hot day. His mad eyes were on fire and when his mouth wasn't open, to allow his tongue to wet his cracking lip, it was screwed shut in a furious, teeth bared, snarl. Sirius snorted.

"You look more like a mad dog to me Crouch," Sirius said before he gripped his wand tighter. "Let's see who'll be putting down who tonight." Barty's snarl turned into a sinister smile. Then the pair fired their spells.

Harry stared up through the dusty floorboards to the room above with apprehension. He could hear Bellatrix barking out orders while Dumbledore continued to weakly talk to Draco in his calm voice, as if he wasn't surrounded, in a severely weakened state, without a wand, but half a dozen extremely dangerous criminals.

"Draco," Bellatrix began with growing agitation, "we have a schedule. Barty can't hold the line forever you know!" Harry flinched as he heard that. Barty Crouch Jr. running amok through Hogwarts was about the furthest thing from ideal. Suddenly Harry felt a wand at his neck and he froze. Slowly he turned around. It was Snape. Harry's relieved smile was beaming. Snape lowered his wand and brought a finger to his lips. Harry nodded. Then the man looked down, saw Harry's cloak sticking out of his pocket, and nodded to it. Harry blinked and could have smacked himself. What an idiot! As silently as he could he pulled the invisibility cloak around himself. Snape nodded before silently moving to the stairs. Once there he looked back towards Harry and jerked his head towards the exit. Harry nodded then berated himself. He was invisible. Besides, that wasn't a request. Snape was slowly climbing the stairs and Harry inched towards them as well.

"Come on Draco!" Bella suddenly shrieked, "NOW!"

"No!" Snape's voice suddenly cut through the tension. Harry froze and looked back, heart thumping wildly in his ears. What was Snape doing!? He could be killed! "No." the man repeated, going to stand beside Draco.

"Severus." Dumbledore suddenly cried. "Please." Harry held his breath.

"Avada Kedavra," Snape said. And suddenly sound evaporated. Harry stared in horror as the green light enveloped Dumbledore and he toppled backwards over the edge of the tower rail. He could see Bellatrix cackling. But there was no sound. Then suddenly the group was rushing down the stairs. Snape was gripping Draco's arm, dragging him down as well. Harry stared after him, tears streaming down his face. Then suddenly the silence was replaced with the high-pitched ringing of rage. His face twisted and snarled and then he cast off his cloak and charged after the group with single-minded contempt.

Sirius dodged another spell before firing back a few. Barty Crouch's tongue was twitching at an alarming rate, catching the taste of the split lip Sirius had given him at the beginning of the battle.

"Barty!" Bellatrix suddenly cried, "We're leaving!" Sirius looked over. Snape caught his eye for just a moment and Sirius saw red.

"You traitorous bastard!" he shouted. Then Barty caught him with a spell. He was flung into the wall, sliding down with a groan as the world spun. As he dizzily climbed back to his feet the hall was empty. Sirius stumbled and ran in the direction he'd seen the death eaters fleeing. Suddenly he heard a screechy sound of sneakers and saw Harry sprint around the other corner. "Harry!" he shouted in relief but his godson dashed right past him. "Harry!" he shouted again, relief turning into fear. But Harry didn't stop. He continued his mad pursuit with burning fury.

Bellatrix cackled in glee as Hagrid's hut went up in flames. Beside her, Barty was watching the horizon, tongue twitching at a much more subdued pace but still alert. Draco looked a bit sick to his stomach. Snape just looked bored.

"SNAPE!" Harry suddenly screamed in anger before he fired a spell at the dark man. Snape deflected it without a word. Then Bellatrix turned her wand on him. Harry tripped as the curse sailed overhead.

"No!" Snape shouted furiously.

"Bella!" Barty snapped. "Potter's the dark lord's!" Bellatrix looked between the two and pouted before grabbing Draco's arm with her claw-like nails and dragging him into the forest.

"Go." Snape blandly said to Barty, "I'll take care of him." Barty nodded before following his fellow torturer. Harry snarled and clambered back to his feet. He continued to march towards Snape, silently firing spells. But Snape never returned fired, merely deflected them always with that bland bored expression.

"Fight me, you bastard!" Harry screamed. Slowly tears began to collect in his eyes, making his glasses fog at the bottom, "you bastard!" he screamed again, "I trusted you! I TRUSTED YOU!"

"Your trust was misplaced." Snape bit back coldly. Harry saw red.

"Sectumsempra!" he screamed for the second time in his life. That was when Snape stuck. He whipped his wand so fast that Harry hadn't even seen it coming. And suddenly he was tossed head over heels and landed on the ground with a crunch. He couldn't help but cry out in pain as a sharp rock dug into the muscle of his thigh. Then suddenly Snape was standing over him. He rolled Harry over with his foot. And finally there was an emotion of his face.

Disgust.

"You dare use my own spell against me?" he drawled venomously. Harry's soul filled with dread. "That's right Potter." Snape said, a cruel smile curling onto his lips, "I am the Half-Blood Prince." Then he kicked Harry in his injured thigh making the teen gasp and curl into a ball. "Playtime is over Potter. Welcome to the real world.'' Then he swished his cloak around, smacking Harry in the face with it and marched away before disappearing into the dark forest. And all Harry could do was watch him go and sob. He felt shattered in a million pieces. He felt as though the floor had given way to an abyss of nothing.

"HARRY!" a voice suddenly cried over the roaring of Hagrid's still burning hut. "Harry!" It was Sirius. "Harry, thank Merlin!" the man cried as he slid on his knees and scooped Harry up into his arms, "What happened?! Are you hurt?! Show me where!" Harry just sobbed and clutched onto his godfather like a lifeline. Sirius pulled him in tighter and ran a hand through his hair. "Sh sh sh. It's alright. I have you. You're safe now." the man murmured in comfort, slowly rocking the teen as the world fell apart around him.

Harry was silent as Sirius helped him walk with his bad leg. He felt completely numb. And tired. So very very tired.

"Let's get you up to Poppy," Sirius said as they approached the covered bridge

"No," Harry murmured. "The transfiguration courtyard."

"What?" Sirius questioned

"Please," Harry begged.

"Alright," Sirius said before helping Harry through the halls. When they finally arrived a huge crowd had gathered. Ron, Hermione and Susan were all part of it. Sirius's face fell when he saw them, with their tears streaming down their faces. The crowd part as Harry limped forward. Sirius' shoulders fell as he saw the broken body lying there. Then he hung his head. Harry took a few stumbled steps before falling to his knees in front of Dumbledore's body. And then he began to sob. Sirius rushed forward and placed a comforting hand on Harry's back. He knew that nothing he said would make this better. McGonagall looked up where Bellatrix had cast the dark mark and scowled. With a firm flick of her wrist, a bolt of light began to shine in the center of that hated symbol. Slowly but surely every onlooker added their own light until at last the symbol was gone. Harry looked up at the spectacle with bitterness.

If only it could be that easy.

A/N: Happy Chrismahhanaqwanzikah and merry holidays!

Welcome to the penultimate chapter.

stuff got a little heavy this time around...

I hope you had tissues.

Rori Potter: This chapter definitely deserves an oh damn. Thank you very much.

I will see you all tomorrow for the final chapter!

Enjoy!

Dont's forget to keep on reading!

-TTC