"Dammit, Nimue!" Kamen skidded to a halt as his sister slipped away from him. His longer legs allowed him to catch her easily, "I'm supposed to get you up to Gryffindor tower, I don't have time for this!"

She tried to free her wrist from his iron like grasp. "I told you, I don't belong there!"

"Of your own free will or not, you're going with me."

"I will not!"

"And I'm not facing Dad if something happens to you!" Kamen yelled out in pain and dropped Nimue's wrist. A faint blue charge seemed to cling to her skin, her hair fanned out around her face.

"Let me be," Nimue hissed, "There is something I must do. I've Seen it a hundred times, it's always there, always calling to me."

Kamen didn't dare touch her again, not with the shock he had received the last time.

"Please, Kamen," Nimue pleaded, "just let me go."

If Kamen did as his sister asked he knew he might never see her again. Before he could decide whether to follow her or go to the Gryffindor Tower Beth came tearing around the corner.

She grabbed his arm, "we need your help, the hospital wing is secure, but Poppy already has more patients than she can handle."

Kamen followed her, hoping that his sister would be able to look after herself. He exchanged curt nods with Zach and Alberto, who were guarding the entrance to the hospital wing. They were the only remaining dragon handlers.

"Where do you need me first?" He looked down at Beth. She was so different than the girls he had surrounded himself with in school. She wasn't the tall, model-type he had dated. She was rather average looking. Her chestnut hair refused to either curl or straighten properly. Her nose, which was slightly turned up at the tip was covered in freckles. She didn't flirt. But she always had a smile for him, as well as anyone else who crossed her path.

"We have a dozen Hufflepuffs who got caught by some sort of detonation, they all have varying degrees of burns. What is it?" She caught the way Kamen was looking at her.

He kissed her. And to his surprise she kissed him back.

Narmer dove into the lake and a grey seal resurfaced.

"Hold on tight around his neck," Meara directed. She made sure Olivia was secure, "now take a deep breath and hold on," she directed the little girl, "I'll follow right behind. Don't let go!"

Olivia did as she was told, and all of a sudden water was all around her. Right when she thought she couldn't hold her breath for any longer they surfaced and she gulped in the heavy air. "Where are we?" She spluttered.

Narmer had returned to his human form and lifted her out of the water and onto a stone ledge. "In a cave under the school."

Meara pulled herself up out of the water to sit by Olivia. "We will wait here for now."

"Why did my dad let me come with you?" Olivia asked, "he didn't want me to see you before."

Meara stroked the child's streaming hair, "he did not know that it was us who were visiting you. He thought it was someone who meant you harm. He was right to be concerned. However, we kept those who would have hurt you away from the lake."

"Why?"

"Because, it is safer for us if Voldemort does not live. If he gains power he will enslave my people to use as spies. Besides, your mother saved my life once, long ago. It is my turn to protect you."

Olivia looked around the watery cave. Narmer had lit several small blue fires. "Can I look around?"

Meara nodded, "just stay within sight."

Olivia got up and crossed the slippery stone floor carefully. A finely sculpted stone statue stood in an alcove. She tipped her head to the side and examined the long-bearded wizard with interest. She reached out a finger to touch the stone staff he held.

"Your hands better be clean!" The statue barked at her.

Olivia stared wide-eyed at the statue. Then she looked down at her hands. "They're pretty clean," she finally said.

The statue laughed, "you remind me of my own daughter. I lost her many years ago…"

"How can a statue have a daughter?"

"I am not just a statue! I am a guardian. Many fine witches and wizards have made the sacrifice of leaving behind a part of their soul when they die so that they might offer protection for someone or something that they loved very dearly."

Olivia looked around, "why did you love a cave so much?"

"Not the cave, what's above the cave."

Olivia looked up, "the school?"

The guardian inclined its stone head in a nod. "A siege was attempted from this very spot once. I vowed that I would try my best to make sure it never happened again. It must have been about a thousand years ago… sometimes it feels like more. It is rather lonely down here."

Sophia ran into Mark when he stopped suddenly. He turned around to glare at her, but didn't dare say anything in case any Death Eaters were close by. The Bulstrode triplets, who had insisted on accompanying the head boy, were actually managing to be silent for once. Mark considered this to be a miracle and made a mental note to tell Snape about it provided they all lived through this.

"All clear ahead," Marcus whispered. He had snuck up to peer around the corner.

Mark nodded, "in here," he gestured toward an unused classroom. If there were any death eaters inside at least the Slytherins would have the element of surprise, if it was empty they'd have a chance to plan. He eased the door open.

"It's about time you got here!" Dierna snapped, "you've been lurking in that corridor for ages."

Mark felt his mouth fall open, "be quiet!" he hissed after recovering himself, "they could be nearby."

Dierna rolled her eyes, "they're all up by the great hall."

Sophia's eyes narrowed, "how do you know this? Do you have a scrying bowl?"

"Better," Serena brandished a bit of parchment, "we have the marauder's map."

Mark grinned, "well then, what are we waiting for? I say we sneak up on them, stun and bind." His grin faded, "how long have you been looking at that thing?"

Serena ducked her head and looked away.

Dierna looked at the small cluster of Slytherins, "I've counted four students. None of the staff have fallen though." She hesitated, "I can't be certain, but I don't think any of the names that disappeared were Slytherins."

Mark nodded, it still didn't make it easier. Well… maybe a little. "Let's get going then. The more death eaters we put out of commission, the safer the rest of the students will be."

They left the classroom together, the twins holding the map between them with Mark looking over the shoulders.

Serena saw the name at the same time Dierna did. Dierna handed the map completely over to Serena. "No," Serena said, immediately recognizing her sister's look of determination.

"Yes," Dierna said, "this one is mine." Her eyes were hard, her mouth set in a determined line.

Mark glanced over Serena's shoulder. The name Connor Macnair was one hallway over. "She's right," he told Dierna, "he's a nasty piece of work, a disgrace to Slytherin. We're going with you."

Dierna hesitated, "wait close by, but I need to do this." She squeezed Serena's hand, "and no matter what, don't tell Dad." She gave a strained smile and stepped away from the group.

"My favorite Gryffindor," Connor brushed a greasy strand of hair out of his face. "The Dark Lord has been most pleased with my recruitment skills. He promised me that I will be allowed a share in the spoils of war. That includes the… toy… of my choice."

Dierna palmed her wand.

"I long to hear you scream. But I want my pleasure first. Imperio!"

Dierna's eyes glazed over in a vacant stare. But mentally she was hard at work. Connor wasn't as strong as he thought he was.

"Give me your wand, blood traitor."

Dierna extended her wand arm, wand flat across the palm of her hand. She remembered that fateful day in Defense Against the Dark Arts. She remembered the anger and frustration of the simulated spiders crawling on her and how that had driven her. Connor was far worse, and her hatred of him far more deep. She didn't doubt that she could kill him. She waited until he had lowered his wand, confidant that she was fully at his command.

She moved quickly, before Connor knew that he wasn't controlling her she took a tight hold of her wand and aimed it at his chest.

He didn't have a chance, he raised his wand, "Avada…"

"Stupify!" Dierna watched as Connor fell at her feet. She quickly conjured some rope and performed a binding spell. "The Dementors are welcome to you," she said coldly, "you're not worth my time," she did kick him once for good measure. "Now… where to put you…" She finally settled concealing him in the empty classroom she had recently come from. He certainly wouldn't be going anywhere on his own, and she was certain that no other Death Eater would find him. It didn't hurt that she had transfigured him into a candelabra.

Nimue looked at the ring of Death Eaters that surrounded her. She held her head high. She had known that they would be here. It was the reason she had come to the Great Hall. Her only regret was that Voldemort wasn't here. She had spent weeks practicing for this moment. Stolen moments on the beach while Aias looked on. It was there that she had received her first kiss. It was where she realized what sort of power she could release. The only thing she didn't know was if she would survive.

They closed in around her.

She raised her wand, clutching it in both hands, and drew it in towards her chest. She cried out wordlessly, and the stone floor trembled beneath her feet.

She had unintentionally killed a group of attacking Death Eaters the year before. This time she knew what she was doing.

Light exploded around her as the very foundation of the school shook around her. And then she fell to the floor, her last wish was for blessed freedom at last.

Their allies had come. It was a godsend. They were the ones that held Voldemort's nonhuman allies at bay.

Draco effectively blocked a curse and returned another one that met its mark. He glanced over at Harry, "dammit Potter, I wish you would at least try and keep out of the way until Voldemort decides to show his face!"

Harry ground his teeth together, "Malfoy, there are too many of them for you to take down on your own!"

"Then let's get the hell out of this hallway!"

"Fine!"

The two men moved on. The Death Eaters' numbers were diminishing. Most of it was due to the hard work of the students. They weren't afraid to stand up and defend their school. It struck Harry that the students were more united now than they had ever been under Dumbledore. Before he could think about why that was, Draco shoved him from behind.

"Time to fulfill that prophecy, Potter. Try not to die."

Harry looked across the vast entry way. Voldemort and his inner circle were assembled at the other end.

"We're behind you, Harry," Draco said. "Focus on Voldemort, we'll take care of the rest."

It ended fairly quickly. The students roamed the halls in tightly packed knots, stunning any Death Eaters they found. They didn't dare kill or maim, or even remove the masks to see who their victims were. They were too shaken by the fact that any of the fallen Death Eaters could be one of their former classmates.

Their allies had come. The Valkeries were fierce in battle, and responsible for the retreat of the Lasas. The aurors still loyal to the true Minister of Magic came. They held the Death Eaters back while the final battle took place.

In a shorter time than he could have ever imagined, Harry found himself face to face with Voldemort.

"You will die, Potter," the Dark Lord hissed. It wasn't a threat, it was a promise.

Harry threw curse after curse, but they were all deflected. He caught sight of Draco, fiercely engaged in a duel with a masked Death Eater. He thought of Ginny. He thought of what his life could have been if it weren't for the prophecy that had damned him to this hell.

He saw Voldemort raise his wand one last time, and knew with startling certainty that he was too slow to respond.

"Imperius!"

Harry drew his wand with lightening speed, the killing curse fell from his lips in a violent hiss. And Voldemort died. Harry threw down his wand, his breath coming in heaving gasps. He spun around, not sure of what would happen next. But it was silent. A few Death Eaters were racing towards the forest, but the rest lay where they had fallen.

"Cleary, fame isn't everything," came the silky whisper behind him, "and I had to save your sorry life one last time."

"And you saved your own in the process," Harry turned to face Severus. He bent to retrieve his wand, "how much value did your life have while he was alive?"

Severus raised one eyebrow, and considered what fittingly cutting comment he could return. Instead, his face relaxed, "I trust that in this case, you will forgive my use of an Unforgivable."

Harry looked down at his hands, "thank you. If you hadn't used the imperio…"

"You would have died, and Voldemort would have lived. A most unsatisfactory situation to be in."

Harry looked out into the falling dusk. "Shall we see what has become of the others?"

Severus nodded.

Halfway back to the castle Draco joined them. And the three men walked back together.