Author's Note: I don't want to say much about this chapter, because I don't want to spoil the surprise. However, if you get to the end and start contemplating death threats, just remember- if I were a truly evil author, I would end the story here, instead of giving you one more chapter after this. Enjoy!

31 October 2020
The Great Hall of Hogwarts was a sight to behold, a vision of black, orange and gold. The long tables had been cleared away to make room for dancing. Pumpkins and gourds overflowed in the corners. In place of the House banners, golden streamers and pennants had been hung. Innumerable golden candles hung overhead, competing with the illusion of the stars on the ceiling. The hall was ready for a party that wasn't to be.

In normal years where there were no wars, Halloween had been a favorite holiday of the students of Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall, during her tenure as Headmistress, had begun a tradition of a Halloween dance, a custom which Headmaster Potter had upheld. In years past, Halloween had been a night of loud music and delicious treats brought in from London and Hogsmeade. The school ghosts would flock to join the living attendants, Peeves would play pranks, and everyone would be incredibly jolly.

This year, however, the school was on lockdown. This year, there was a war going on, a war that had invaded even into Hogwarts' hallowed halls. This year, the students had been ushered into their dormitories, and the Headmaster and Professors had bewitched the entrances, keeping the students locked inside. The Headmaster had stood up during breakfast and announced that any student- even the prefects and Head Boy and Girl- found wandering outside of the dormitories would be immediately expelled from school. Tonight, instead of entertaining the students, Hogwarts' beloved Halloween Bash was being used to lure the Death Eaters into a trap.

They milled around the room as if they were attending a private party; after all, they reasoned, while they were waiting for the battle to begin they might as well enjoy the decorations. Ron Weasley and Harry Potter leaned against the head table with large glasses of pumpkin juice while Hermione danced with Clint Moss, who had graduated Auror Training with them. Moody stood off to one side, leaning heavily on his cane and speaking quietly with McGonagall while his magical eye constantly whizzed around, waiting for danger to present itself. A small cluster of junior Aurors huddled by the refreshment table, their faces tense with a mix of anticipation and fear. And on the dance floor, somehow managing to look as though they hadn't a care in the world, Roman Corona twirled Leto Semele.

Harry wasn't particularly pleased that Roman had the honor of dancing with his wife, but Alana had persuaded him that it was necessary for her to meet Tisiphone while still in disguise. Personally, Harry thought that was merely Alana giving in to a desire for a dramatic unveiling, but he held his peace and allowed her to carry on as she liked. However, he wasn't about to allow Alana to dance with Roman for this particular song…

He set his goblet down, pushing off the table and walking out to the dance floor, propelled by soft violin and the strains of a Spanish-sounding guitar. He held his hand out to Leto, a small smile on his face.

"I do believe this is my dance," he said.

Smiling, Leto allowed herself to be propelled into his arms, and they lost track of the rest of the world, bound by the music and their shared memories.

"What would your wife say if she saw us dancing like this, Mr. Potter?" she asked, tilting her head.
"She'd probably kill you," he said nonchalantly, managing to keep a straight face. "She was a Death Eater, you know. They're a bit touchy."
"So I've heard," she replied, amused. "You think she'd be jealous?"
"Wouldn't you be?" Harry asked.
"Yes," Leto nodded. "I daresay I would."
"Don't tell her about this, then," Harry said, a moment before he broke their cover and leaned in to capture her lips.

Something was creeping through the shadows of the dungeons.

Or rather, someone. It had been immensely difficult for Julian Malfoy to creep around the castle, out of the notice of both the professors, the prefects, and his fellow students, but he'd managed it. He'd spent most of the day in the library, and when it came time for students to be cloistered away in their dormitories, he'd slipped into the kitchen. If anyone had noticed his absence, they hadn't come looking for him. When the house elves began bustling around, sending food up into the Great Hall for the Not-Really-A-Party Party, Julian had simply gone down into the dungeons, there to wait until close to midnight.

It had been wretchedly cold down there. He hadn't dared to light a fire for warmth, or even a candle for light, for fear of being caught. He had simply huddled into his thick woolen cloak, tucked himself as far as he could into the shadowy corner away from the door, and waited. Perhaps he had slept; maybe he had simply frozen. Either way, when his watch showed that it was fifteen till midnight, Julian had stood, forcing his numb limbs to work again.

Creeping upstairs had been perilous. Julian had kept to the shadows as much as he could, hardly daring to breathe. Fortunately, the professors were stationed outdoors as sentinels, and weren't prowling the halls. Cautiously, Julian crept to the main doors, tiptoeing silently past the Great Hall. He stared at the enormous double doors in anguish; how was he supposed to open them without anyone noticing?

At that exact moment, the clock began to toll the hour. The sound was deafening, echoing through the empty halls. Seizing his moment, Julian lunged for the handle, pulling with all his strength, praying that the booming chimes of the clock would mask the groaning of the heavy wooden door.

He looked outside, scanning the darkness. For a long moment he saw nothing; then he saw a stirring in the darkness. A procession of hooded and cloaked figures, approaching the castle quickly. There was one figure leading them, one who beneath the black cloak moved more fluidly than the others, with the gait of a young person. Julian's eyes narrowed as he tried to appraise the approaching person; could this be his cousin?

"Tizzi?" he breathed, hardly daring to speak.

The figure stopped before him, a pale, long-fingered hand pushing back the hood. Black hair framed her deathly pale face. Her mouth was cruel, her jaw ruthless. Her features were aristocratic, like Julian's own, but they were not tempered with any youth or compassion. And her eyes… her cold, emotionless blood red eyes… Julian swallowed hard, wondering just how big of a mistake he'd just made.

Tisiphone smiled at him coldly. "My my. Cousin Julian. You do look just like your father," she remarked, her voice devoid of any warmth. "Now come, cousin, welcome me to the British Isle. Show me Hogwarts, like we planned."

He didn't want to do it; every last one of his instincts fought against her command. But an alien force took over him, compelling him and guiding him down the hall.

"What have you done to me?" he demanded.
"Imperious Curse," she replied calmly, one hand resting on his shoulder. "A great specialty of your grandfather's, as I understand. Though I shouldn't need to use it. I know you're loyal to our family, Jules, even if your traitorous mother isn't," she said, spitting out the last part.

Julian tried to fight Tisiphone's hold on him, but the sway of her curse was too strong. He was helpless to stop them as they neared the Great Hall.

The soft strains of guitar, cello, and violin filled the air. It was their song, Julian knew; Harry would be dancing with Mother, and for them the rest of the world would cease to exist. A moment later he didn't have to imagine it, because they were in the Great Hall. But it wasn't Alana in Harry's arms, it was a stranger with flame red hair who was kissing him as if she had every right to be there with him.

"How charming," Tisiphone said sardonically, her voice pitched to carry across the Hall. "Good work, Leto."

The woman broke away from Harry, who stepped behind her. In a moment, the Aurors and Order members had clustered around this Leto person, forming a wall of protection. Leto herself held her head high, not seeming afraid at all. Julian swallowed hard as the redheaded woman's gaze fell upon him. Her expression didn't change, nor did she give any sign that she knew him, but Julian had the uneasy feeling that he had saddened and disappointed her, that he had betrayed her by opening Hogwarts' doors to his cousin.

"Hello, Tisiphone," she said calmly. "Right on time."
Tisiphone inclined her head. "Shall we begin?"
"Yes, we shall," Leto replied. "But before we do, I think there's something you should know about the spy in your midst."
"Spy?" Tisiphone asked, her pleasant demeanor cracking at the mention of a traitor.
"Indeed," Leto said.

She inclined her head, and a moment later Julian's eyes widened in shock. Because Leto's red hair was lengthening, darkening until it was raven black and softly curled. She was growing taller, her features lengthening and softening from their pixie-like cast into something infinitely more familiar and precious. Only the eyes remained mostly the same; slanted, catlike eyes of jade green. Leto's silky blue robes became lustrous black satin, and around her neck was a silver and diamond pendant in the shape of an eight-point star. His beautiful mother, made of starshine… He tried to call out, to warn her, but the Imperious Curse had gagged him; he was helpless.

"Alana," Tisiphone breathed, every syllable laced with shock and hatred.
"Hello Tisiphone," Alana said pleasantly, before her voice hardened into ice and steel. "Now kindly release my son."

Quick as lightning, Tisiphone whipped out her wand.

"Avada Kedavra."
"NO!"

Had the scream come from him or from Harry, or perhaps from both? Julian's eyes widened in horror as the world slowed. He saw the sickly green of the spell as it moved through the air in slow motion, saw Alana's eyes widen, saw a faint sheen of silver begin to wrap around her as she tried to Wish herself to safety. There was a flash of green-

"MOTHER!"

The curse over Julian shattered. He sprinted for his mother, but he knew it was too late. Her body was limp on the floor, her eyes wide and unseeing. He didn't need to see the look in Harry's eyes to understand; his mother was dead, and it was all his fault.

The fighting broke out instantly, Order member pitted against Death Eater in a fierce struggle for survival. In the same moment, Julian stood, his eyes on fire. Fists clenched, he turned on Tisiphone, who stood quietly watching the melee.

"You lied to me!" he screamed.
"I did not," Tisiphone replied. "This is what your family is, Julian. This is who we truly are. What your father was. He spent his entire life fighting against this pathetic Order and their love of Mudbloods and Muggles. He fought to keep wizards separate, to keep our magic pure. And your worthless mother betrayed him! Turned her back on everything he believed in to have a bastard with him," she spat, jerking her head towards Harry. "This is your family's side, Julian. Are you with us or against us?"
"You killed my mother," Julian said, trembling with rage.
"I executed a traitor," Tisiphone replied.

Julian whipped out his wand, the words to the most Unforgivable of all curses on his lips. But Tisiphone was slightly faster, and for the second time in ten minutes, a flash of green ended a life.

Tisiphone stared down at Julian's body impassively for a moment before walking forward, stepping over his corpse as her eyes met the horrified gaze of the Savior.

"Harry Potter," she said softly. "You cannot know how I have dreamed of this moment."

He made no reply. What could he say to this person, this being without a soul who had murdered his wife and stepson in cold blood with no remorse? She had destroyed half of Harry's family in mere moments; there was only one thing to do.

They bowed, saluting each other a split second before the spells started flying. Harry fought with a singleminded ferocity, his mind on nothing but killing this woman. Tisiphone for her part dodged and feinted, even flew at points, returning his spells with magic so potent that there was no way it was hers.

"You're a Horcrux, aren't you?" he bellowed.
She laughed mockingly, rising into the air. "I am the repository of all of my father's knowledge and magic, Harry Potter. You cannot defeat me!"

Harry snarled, raising his wand. He wasted no time with replies; he took advantage of her laughter and took aim. A quiet "Avada Kedavra," and Tisiphone's laughter was cut short. She collapsed to the floor, and then there was silence.

The Order members rounded up what few Death Eaters hadn't been killed already and bound them. It was over, for real this time. These Death Eaters had been Tisiphone's entire force, and they would be put into Azkaban. Tisiphone's death had buried Voldemort forever; it was finished.

And yet, as Harry sank onto the ground by the bodies of Alana and Julian, he had to ask himself… was it worth it?