ALL WE NEED IS A MIRACLE…

Life just absolutely sucked at times. What had started as a simple plan to escape the confines of the school, to maybe try and enjoy a few laps around the pitch on his broom and clear his head before the coming problems of the day, had turned into a lucky break on catching what appeared as a quick dawn time raid on Hogwarts.

Shaking his head, Harry scanned the Marauder's Map gripped tightly in his hands as he watched the names that kept appearing on the edges of the magicked parchment. So far, there had been nearly twelve names that had appeared on the outskirts of the Hogwarts grounds. The stars must have been aligned properly, the names no where near any students or teachers… though Hermione, Ron and the others that had been sent to Hagrid for detention were the closest and nearest to the coming danger.

His immediate thought had been to sound the alarm, to let Headmistress McGonagall alert the Order, to counter the early morning strike, but two other names had caught his attention, suddenly making him hesitate in what he should do.

Tonks' name was mixed in with the approaching force of strange names. Was she a prisoner? Was she in disguise? It was just too early to tell… and if this was Order business then he needed to stay out of it.

The second name was worse. Peter Pettigrew. It was only the fact that Harry instinctively checked for all of his close friends… the constant worry that Voldemort would try and get him by hurting those he loved the most. Wormtail was up near the Gryffindor Tower. Worse, though, was that Ginny's name was directly next to his.

Sighing, Harry shook his head ruefully. It figures that the three women he felt closest to were all suddenly in the path of danger.

He looked up sharply as footsteps started drawing closer. He cursed himself for the lapse as his eyes drew back to his name, trying to catch a glimpse of whoever was approaching. Flipping to the folded edge, he felt a breath that he didn't even realize that he'd been holding escape as he saw Remus Lupin's name on the dot that was fast approaching his. Looking up, he moved out of the shadows so that he could catch the older man's eye before he passed.

"Moony?"

The older wizard looked haggard, his eyes amber and clothes rumpled, as he jerked back, the wand in his hand raising quickly towards where Harry stood. "Harry?"

Nodding, Harry smiled. "Merlin, but I'm glad to see you. We got trouble."

"Trouble?" Remus looked around. "What do you know about what's going on? Did Ginny find you?"

"Ginny? No… she's up ion the tower."

Remus' face scrunched in confusion. "How do you know what's going on if Ginny didn't find you?"

Silently, Harry held the Map up. "Trust me. I know we've got trouble."

The relief flooded into the last Marauder's gaze before it turned dark. "What is it saying?"

Harry gestured where towards the moving ink on the parchment. "Invaders heading in from Hogsmeade and the Forbidden Forest."

Remus was nodding as he scanned the Map. "Oh, yeah. Minerva has called in reinforcements. Moody and Shacklebolt are on their way, plus a few aurors."

"Yeah. But Wormtail's here too."

At the mention of his father's betrayer, Harry watched as Remus gripped his wand tighter, the knuckles on his right hand nearly glowing white. "Peter? He's here?"

"Yeah. Gryffindor Tower."

Remus looked ready to bolt, but remained where he stood, his body nearly quivering with suppressed fury. "Why are we standing here? We should…"

"Sure. Sounds good… but what about the invading force?"

Remus ran a hand through his graying hair, his face seeming to age several years in the span of moments. "I'm not sure…"

"Look." Harry shoved the Map into his friend's hands. "Stop Wormtail. You're one of the few I trust to deal with this… but Remus." The older man stopped as Harry's hand grabbed his arm. "Be careful. I need you to make sure Ginny and the other students are safe. That's top priority. We can get Peter later if we have to."

Harry never knew how angry as well as how proud he was at that moment. "You are so like your parents, Harry."

The younger man grinned. "Yeah, yeah. Just be safe, you old wolf. I still have to kick your arse for trying to steal my girl."

Harry could have laughed at the look of embarrassment that flooded the werewolf's face. "You… y-you?"

"I know." Harry turned to move towards the front door of the school. "And while I forgive you, you know that by the old Marauder's code, I get to even the score. My decision."

Remus shook his head as he chuckled. "Okay, cub. I'll accept it… but that mean's you have to come back safe, too."

Harry just waved as he started running in the opposite direction, his heart a little lighter knowing that Remus was going to keep Ginny safe. That just left Hermione, Ron and Tonks for him… that's all.

That's all, he thought grimly.

O X O X O X O X O X O

"Lookie, lookie." Troodmal smiled evilly, his gaze causing Tonk's stomach to roll in worry. "I see something fun to play with. Should be easy pickings since that leashed giant of theirs is outta the way."

Turning her own gaze over to where the leader of the Blood Taker's leader was, she silently licked at her upper lip to see Hermione, Ron, Lavender and a few other students all outside of the school. Considering, she carefully weighed her options as she glanced back at where Spire, Hordz and the others in the mercenary squad were all chuckling. This was not going to be good.

"We haven't got time to play with the little ones. Enough for that later after we make sure to divert attention from what the others are doing." She was rewarded by a grimace from her boss and the sound of grumbling behind her at her words. "How bout we take 'em hostage and then have fun at our own leisure."

Castor grumbled but nodded, relief flooding through Tonks' entire being at pushing off an impending disaster. "You're right, Litsir, damn you."

"But, boss…"

The heavily muscled mercenary shot a look back over Tonks' shoulder. "All of you… listen up. Leave the girls and the boy alone. Stun 'em and leave 'em. We'll pick 'em up on our way out. Got it?"

Several men grumbled yes, but that seemed to make Castor only angrier. "I said 'got it?'"

"Yes, sir!" Everyone called back.

"Good."

Tonks nodded at the older man's look. He grimaced once as he lifted his hand. "We attack now."

Praying that the gods above were in a good mood, Tonks stood along with the rest of the mercenaries as she aided in the attack on her former school. Running to keep up, she lifted her wand, the quick fall of tears leaking from her eyes lost as the sweat began to bead across her face.

O X O X O X O X O X O

Cradling his arm, not able to take the time to consider whether it was broken or not, Ron kept his good hand tightly gripped on Hermione's arm, dragging her for all he was worth, the burning in the muscles of his legs a secondary concern. Finding somewhere safe was paramount.

The attack had come out of nowhere. One minute, they were looking around for Hagrid and wondering at the smoke in the distance, the next, rough looking wizards were popping up everywhere, sending spells in every direction.

Susan had been hit right off… a Stunner, if Ron had identified the spell correctly. They'd been caught flatfooted… a fact that made him ashamed to call himself a wizard. Lavender had thrown a shield spell over herself and the fallen girl, her eyes blazing in fury at being attacked. He and Hermione both had taken off, the need to find a professor or someone… Harry came first to mind, in the hope that they could find backup. She and Ron had barely made it ten steps before Hermione had cried at being hit from a hex.

Things were looking desperate… Hermione more of a hindrance than help as Ron tried to keep them both moving ahead of their attackers.

"Ron. Go! Leave me." She cried.

Sparing a glance to his best friend, Ron felt sick to see that at least seven wizards, all hard and dangerous looking, were quickly gaining on them. He couldn't see Lavender any longer… she'd probably already gone down.

"No."

Hermione dug her heels in, her face set in anger. "You've got to warn everyone. Sound the alarm. I-I'll try and hold them off for as long…"

"Not going to happen, Herm." He stopped, too, his wand arm lifting up to fire off several hexes at the approaching enemy. "I'm not leaving you."

Hermione turned, casting several spells at the targets that kept drawing closer. "One of us has to get away."

Ron grinned as he cast Protego to stop a wayward bolt of magic. "Then it's going to be you, cause I'm not facing my friends and family to say that I left you behind to these animals."

Crying a quick shout of victory as her casting struck one of the invaders, Hermione glanced over at Ron from the corner of her eye. "We won't last. You know that…"

"I'm not going, Hermione."

"Ron… you have to. You have to get to Harry…"

Ron smiled as he knocked another person down... they were holding their own fairly well. "Not going to happen. He'd kill me if I let anything happen to you."

Whatever retort she might have said was lost as the six remaining attackers seemed to understand that they were going to be a bit more of a challenge, three of their number downed by a couple of students, and were now spreading out, flanking them from both sides. Ron lifted his wand to fire at the bigger one, possibly the leader, when a cry to his right brought his attention away from what he was doing.

"Lavender!" Hermione cried.

The blonde Gryffindor was being dragged by her hair, her face already showing signs of heavy beating. Both Ron and Hermione seemed frozen, their eyes wide at seeing a friend so roughly treated.

Ron felt his blood boil. "If you've hurt her, you bastards…"

"Language, boy." Spire laughed from the stone cover he'd erected to protect him. "You talk a good game, but we all know you're all alone out here… your little friends are going to be warming our blankets tonight. Why don't you drop your wands and come out here and we'll go easy on ya…"

Ron made to stand, but Hermione's hand on his arm stopped him. "No, Ron. Please…"

"Hermione… they've got Lavender. Susan, too."

"I know… but we can't give up. You know that."

She watched as the redhead dropped his gaze, tears trailing the outer edges of his cheeks. "I hate this…"

They were suddenly in each other's arms, the desperation of their situation not lost on either one of them. Things were bad… and unless there was a miracle, it was only going to get worse.

"C'mon, boy. We're not going to wait all day." Castor laughed.

"REDUCTO!"

Three of the mercenaries were sent several yards away as the earth seemed to explode from beneath their feet… the world deciding their very presence a blasphemy against all that was right and true. Hermione and Ron both peeked from their hiding spot to see the remaining attackers scrambling, their gestures wild and erratic from the surprise attack.

"W-w-what happened?"

Shots of magic, all different colors and shapes, were being hurled in every direction, the confusion apparent. Ron couldn't help his jaw drop as two more attackers were dropped, one losing his arm while the second seemed to literally implode into a ball of fire… powerful magics piercing any shield or other feeble attempts to halt the coming onslaught. The few remaining invaders diving for cover.

Hermione shook her head, her brown eyes wide, the carnage almost more than she could witness. A cry from above her drew her attention, a streak of black against the orange tinted morning sky… several curses and hexes flinging out towards the enemy that had them pinned down.

It was Harry.

"Our miracle." She whispered.

O X O X O X O X O X O

Minerva all but ran through the portrait of the Fat Lady, her heart pounding in her ears as she led the aurors that had finally arrived to provide support. It had been nearly an hour since the initial call for assistance… the threat of an invasion of Hogwarts.

She began to direct the ministry trained wizards to fan out, when the scene before her brought her up short, the absolute carnage of the Gryffindor common room causing all rational thought to vanish.

"Lord and Lady above." The headmistress whispered, her hand clutching her wand shaking.

She thought she'd been prepared for the worst, the students of her house having escaped, all screaming of wizards attacking one another for little regard for life and limb. Mister Finnegan and Mister Thomas had both been adamant that their former Defense professor, Lupin, had been one of the men involved, but no one had a clear idea of who else was involved.

Looking around, the aurors moved out, one standing close to her while the other two, neither ones with names she could immediately recall, went for either staircase. She waited patiently… the only comfort she afforded herself, the invaders having been repelled earlier by a brilliant air attack from Harry Potter.

"We've got a live one!" A voice called from the girl's side of the dormitory.

Wasting not a moment, the elderly witch moved into action as she and her auror guardian rushed to the steps, neither waiting for the last auror to respond from the boys' side. Taking two steps at a time, Minerva rushed up towards where the yell had originated. It took a moment, the auror next to her insisting that he double-check each room that they passed.

"We may need a mediwitch…"

Minerva stopped as she reached the sixth floor dormitory, her eyes taking in the shattered furniture and chaos of the room. The telltale signs of blood were everywhere, as the overpowering stench of copper filled her nostrils.

The room reeked of death.

From where she stood, she could only see the back of the blonde-haired auror, his robes blocking any chance of glimpsing where he knelt. Knowing she had to see what he was talking about, she stepped closer, her gait unsteady as she prepared herself for whatever might be the source of the wizard's concern.

For a moment, Minerva was confused, her brow drawn tightly over her eyes as her mind seemed to refuse to accept what she was seeing, the insanity of blood and… and…

"Goddess…" was all she could say before she felt her stomach immediate react. McGonagall turned and moved as quickly towards the corner of the room as she could before spilling the early morning repast she'd enjoyed… tea and a scone, was vomited over the floor.

To their credit, neither auror in the room said a word as she continued to expel everything in her stomach, the sickness only adding to the stench of the room. Taking deep gulps of oxygen, she flicked her wand over her shoulder and the window across the room flew open, the welcome scent of the clean morning air helping to alleviate the roiling inside of her.

Finished, she stood, negligently wiping her face with the back of her hand, and turned back to where both aurors were now examining the scene before them.

"W-what happened?" She asked softly. "Who… who is… who is that? Is it a student?"

The blonde auror shook his head, not meeting her gaze. "Looks to be an adult male. Around six foot. Graying brown hair…"

"Remus?"

The other auror that was still standing looked back at her, his eyebrow arching slightly. "Remus Lupin?"

At her nod, he turned and considered, before he slowly nodded. "Could be."

Harry was going to be devastated. Sighing, she drew closer, though she kept the aurors' bodies in the way between her and… Lupin. "Can we tell what happened?"

"Not sure." The blonde auror spoke into the still air. "There was definitely a fight… something happened here. We got heavy spell damage and some hard wounds… and what is that?"

She wasn't sure what he was referring to, but the other auror looked up at him, his face slightly green. "Looks like silver…"

Minerva felt her head start to swim. "Remus Lupin was a werewolf."

"That would explain it…" The auror answered in a detached voice. "Heavy silver damage, though what weapon would be shaped in such a way…"

"Peter Pettigrew has a silver hand… it was created by You-Know-Who."

At her words, both aurors spared her a glance before regarding each other. The auror standing considered her briefly. "Did you know that a known Deatheater was here? A ministry wanted man?"

She quietly shook her head. He grimaced. "We can only hope Lupin injured the bastard enough that we can track him down."

"Guys?" All three of them turned to find the third auror in the doorway, his face pale.

"Jemison. Report." The dark-haired auror spoke, his voice gruff.

"Sir. I've got… sir, I just…"

"What is it?"

McGonagall almost prayed that the man… Jemison, wouldn't say it. Whatever horror he'd found, that he could keep it to himself for a moment longer.

"I've got a young lady… a redhead. She's over in the boy's side. She won't let me near her. Keeps asking for someone named Harry."

A redhead? "Ginny? Ginny Weasley? Is she okay?"

Jemison shrugged. "Don't know. Is that Arthur Weasley's kid?" At her nod, the man seemed to wilt. "Headmistress… you may need to be the one to see her. I doubt she's going to let any man near her…"

Any man? It took a moment for her mind to catch on to what the auror was saying. Like a bolt of lightning, the implication of what he was implying seemed to hit her. "She was… she was raped?"

She watched as he nodded. "Looks like it, though only a mediwitch could tell for sure. "She's in a bad way…"

Minerva didn't wait, couldn't wait, any longer. Her strength returning though her heart felt shattered, she brushed past the man in the doorway and moved with a speed bellying her advanced age, years she felt hitting her at this very moment, her goal only to reach the poor girl.

The men watched her leave. Jemison, not wanting to go back and deal with a traumatized girl… the nightmare that something like this could happen to his own daughter filling his thoughts, sighed and looked at the other two.

"What've we got in here, Paul?"

Paul Whitsworth ran a hand through his blonde hair. "This poor bloke… a werewolf by the name of Remus Lupin, we think. He was one of the good guys… he went down."

The nameless dark-haired auror still standing nodded. "The headmistress claims Peter Pettigrew did this."

"And he got away?" Jemison asked.

"Maybe." Paul replied. "But I think this guy got some licks in if what I'm reading on his wand is any indication."

"Bad?"

The auror in command sighed. "Bad enough."

Jemison looked back over his shoulder, wondering at how the old witch was handling the girl. Shaking his head, he looked back at the room. "I'll start on the report… anything else I should know?"

"Looks like the victim left a message."

"A message?" Jemison wanted to draw closer, to be stronger, but couldn't. He hated himself in that moment, but he couldn't. The last words of a dying man. "What message?"

The dark-haired auror was shaking his head. "Looks like he wrote it in his own blood… took it from his own body."

"What does it say?"

The auror finally turned and looked directly at him. "It says 'Forgive me, Harry.'"