ANGEL
"Just go." Annika said from Malfoy's grasp. "I can handle him."
George and I looked at each other. We didn't want to leave her alone, especially with Malfoy. Granted, we knew that he would be no match for her now that she had her powers back. And if anyone had a right to beat the shit out of him, it was her. Still, neither George or myself wanted to take that kind of risk with her.
"If you make one move, I'll kill her." Malfoy stated.
We didn't move. We definitely weren't leaving until we knew that she was in a position to handle heself. And his wand at her throat was not somehting either of us was comfortable with.
"Go." she stated.
"You know I can't." George stated his voice shaking with fear. I nodded my agreement with him.
I watched amazed as she performed a manuever that Chris taught. She stomped down on Malfoy's foot with her heel. And then grabbed his arm and twisted. His wand hit the floor with a clatter. She continued to twist it until she was behind him with his body against hers. I couldn't see his face bacuse both their backs were to us now, but I was happy to hear a whimper of fear and pain from his lips.
"Now, do you believe me." she shouted at George and I. "I have to do this but you need to continue with the plan. I'll be fine. Go!"
George and I shared another look. We both knew there would be no stopping her now. Besides, she was right, she needed to do it. She needed to finally be free of him. We couldn't blame her for wanting that. George nodded at me then faced Annika's back.
"I love you!" he said.
"Go now be mushy later!" she yelled.
George and I took off down the hallway. I was happy to find to hear whimpers of pain from Malfoy as we continued to run. We ran to the room in the middle of the hallway, knocking out Death Eaters along the way. Once we were inside the room, we did a quick check for any Death Eaters that might be hiding but come up with nothing. George said a spell that ignited the curtains and did the same thing to the bed and dresser. Then we took off out of the room to get Annika then continue with the plan.
When we came end of the hall and I smiled at what I saw. Annika was standing over an unconcious and very bloody Malfoy. She was wearing a satisfied smile. I couldn't surpress the pride I was feeling towards my sister at that moment. She looked up when she saw us coming and smiled.
"Now, the next time I tell you I'll be fine, you'll believe me, won't you?" she said to George.
He pulled her into a quick embrace. When he pulled back, he got right back to business.
"Okay, now, I know you guys aren't going to like this." he said very quickly. "But we don't have time to argue so just go do it. I want you to run down to the fourth floor and look for Harry and Ginny. If you find them meet me on the landing with them. If not, meet on the landing anyway. Then well go to the third floor."
He was right. I didn't like it and I could tell Annika didn't either. He was right, though, we didn't have time to argue. The first fire was already starting to spread quickly.
"I love you." Annika stated to him as I started pulling her down the stairs.
"Go now, be mushy later." he replied in imitation of her earlier attitude.
We checked every room on the fourth floor. Though we found many examples of their handy work, there was no sign of Ginny or Harry. They ran to the landing where George was already waiting for them. He sent them to search the third floor while he took care of the fire on the fourth.
Once again, it was all their handy work but they were nowhere to be found. We were about to got back and meet George when Annika found a locked door. Wanting to make sure that Harry and Ginny weren't trapped inside, I blew it off the hinges. Harry and Ginny weren't there but there was a battered and bloody man. He was unconcious. Upon further inspection, I realized that it was Snape.
The gasp that escaped Annika's lips told me that she realized it too. She immediately bent down to him and started trying to wake him up. He didn't respond. I bent down to check his pulse. It was barely there. He wasn't going to make it.
"Help me." Annika said grabbing his arm and trying to pull him up.
"Anni, there isn't time." Angel said. "Besides, he won't make it even if we get him out."
"I have to try." she said. "Please, help me."
I looked around up the hallway. The fires from the other floors were seeping through to this one. They were going to cave in on us. I had to get her to move but she wouldn't stop trying to pull him up.
"Annika, please. The floor is going to collapse." I begged.
"I can't leave him. Not after everything that he's gone through to help me. To help us." she cried still trying to pull him up.
"He's gonna die anyway." I looked back up the hallway. We needed to go but she wasn't moving.
"Annika, Angel!" George voice called up the hallway. "Are you guys alright?"
"No, George. I need you." I yelled back. "I can't get Annika to leave!"
He came running up the hallway.
"What's going on?" he asked urgently.
"We found Snape. He's not going to make it but she won't leave him." I explained.
She was still trying to pull him up when George looked over to her.
"Baby," he said. "We have to go."
"But you don't understand. He saved me. I have to save him." she cried.
"There isn't time." George replied. Annika refused to give it up. George walked behind her and pried her hands off of Snape. "I'm sorry I have to do this babe."
He put her arms in a lock behind her back and started to drag her away. She continued to cry and plead with him as we ran down the hallway. The debris from the fire were already falling down on us. When we reached the second landing, we heard an unmistakable carash. The fourth had collapsed onto the third. Annika let out a scream and started to cry hysterically. She refused to move from there.
"I'm so sorry baby." George whispered as he swung her into his arms bridal style.
We continued down to the ground floor as quickly as we could. Annika was still sobbing into George's chest.
"Should we keep looking for the others?" I asked.
"No time." George shook his head. "We just have to pray they made it out."
I nodded and we ran to the door as the fire continued to spread.
GEORGE
When we finally made it outside, I was amazed at how well and quickly Charlie and Tonks performed their end of the plan. It seemed as though every Order member who wasn't at the house on Grimmauld Place had responded to Dumbledore. Chris's family even came to help. I had to dodge spells that were flying back and forth as we ran out of the house.
I carried a still crying Annika to a dark corner outside of the battle area. Angel was still right behind me. The first thing I needed to do was find a way to make sure everyone had made it out. There was really only one way to do that right now.
"Angel, I want you to go and find Ginny, Harry, Ron and Hermione." I said. "Try to keep them together and bring them back here. I'll be waiting. I need to make sure that they're all okay."
Angel nodded and took off. I saw her throw a few Death Eaters into the burning manor as she ran. Then I focused on my next task. I had to get Annika calmed and ready for a fight. I understood why she was so upset. I heard the part that Snape played in her first rescue. He had to blow his cover in order to make it work. That,of course, put his life in danger. Then I witnessed everything he did to help us rescue all three girls a month ago. And god only knew what kind of torture they put him through when he was trying to protect our secrets. I couldn't blame her for wanting to save him. I really wished we had more time. I would've tried if we did.
"Anni, baby." I said pulling her away from my chest. "I know you're upset about what we had to do but you need to get it together. There's still a fight going on and I don't want you to get hurt. If it helps channel the sadness and anger your feeling into your powers. It will help. There's only one thing you can do for Snape now, and that's get revenge for him. Destroy as many of these monsters as you can."
Annika wiped her tears and nodded.
"I'm sorry." she stated. "I should've just left."
"No, I'm sorry we had to ask you to leave him." I stated.
We didn't get to say anything else because our hiding spot had been found. Spells were being shot at us left and right. We both had to get into fight mode. We embraced quickly. I just wish I would've known it was going to be our last one.
ANNIKA
Once we pulled apart, George and I joined the fight. Spells were flying at us left and right. I did exactly what George said, channeled all my sadness and anger abnout Snape into my powers. I was throwing Death Eaters every which way. Some even landed in the growing fire. Part of me was very upset that I had to resort to killing.
I promised myself when I started learning my magic that I'd never use it with the intent to kill. I had to keep reminding myself that these men we sickos who would kill me if I ever gave them the chance. That helped a bit but not much. I still felt horrible for killing other living creatures reagerdless of who they were and what they did.
I had taken out at least five when my attention came back to George. He was dueling with three at once. He was quite good actually. He managed to take out two within two minutes of the fight. However, he was so intent on the fight that he didn't notice Fred sneaking up behind him.
Things seemed to go in slow motion as Fred raised his wand and uttered the words I dreaded. George wasn't paying any attention. There was only one thing I could do. I threw my hand out in front of me and knocked George to the ground. The green beam of light flew over him and hit the other Death Eater in the chest. Once time caught up with me, I ran to George and stood in front of him protectively.
"You'll pay for that, you stupid witch!" Fred yelled and began firing spells in my direction.
I threw out my hand and sent them hurling back at Fred. He dodged them. We went around in this circle for about ten minutes. I wished I had thought to pick up a wand but there were more important things happening at the time.
Though I was focused on my battle with Fred, my senses were in overdrive. I didn't want anyone to sneak up on me like Fred had to George. So when I heard leaves crunching, I whipped around to make sure that no one was behind me. It was the dumbest thing I had ever done.
The next few seconds seemed to take hours. I heard George yell my name and felt his body knock mine to the ground. When I recovered from the fall, I looked over to find George's lifeless body on the ground. His eyes were wide with shock, horror, and sadness. I crawled to him and began shaking him.
He couldn't be dead. Not George. He was one of the only good things in my pathetic life. They couldn't take that from me. I blinked back the tears as I laid over his chest.
"Please, wake up." I cried. "George, please come back. I still need you."
I heard Fred's sadistic laugh from behind me and something broke. I was up and facing him before I knew what I was doing. Just like I did with Malfoy, I concentrated hard on his throat, wrapped my hand around the air, and squeezed as hard as I could. Just like with Malfoy, Fred began gasping and grabbing at his throat trying to pry off the invisible hands.
Unlike with Malfoy, I didn't stop. My anger and sadness from everything that I had lost at the hands of these men had finally boiled over. I was done with showing them mercy. Then never once in my life showed me any so why should I give it to them. I kept squeezing until I heard an odd squelching noise and knew I had crushed his windpipe.
I dropped my hand and let Fred fall to the ground still gasping for air. I thought about ending it for him but decided it would be too good for him. He put his friends and family through hell. He did nothing but torture and cause his little sister pain for two months. He deserved nothing more than to die slowly and painfully.
My rage wasn't fully satisfied and I bent down to pick up George's wand. I began cursing and killing any Death Eater that came near me. I no longer cared about my promise to myself. I just wanted them to hurt as much as I was. Once I had wiped out around fifteen of the bastards, the rage began to fade. It was replaced with a terrible sadness.
Beyond caring who found me, I walked over to the edge of the trees, dropped to my knees, and sobbed uncontrollably.
A/N: Don't worry the next chapter is going to be the last one for the battle. I wrote this one for two reasons 1.) I wanted to wrap up Snape's story. I didn't want anyone to be asking what happened to him. 2.) I needed a way to set up getting Harry, Angel, Annika, and Voldemort together for their final showdown. I hope you enjoyed it. I really would love to hear what every thinks. I'll even give you a preview of the next chapter if that'll get me anywhere.
