Saddest – and last – chapter. I don't own it.

Teddy had woken both parents at a quarter past eleven pm. Just as he was settling down again a silver lynx soared into the lounge room. "To all Order members: Harry has been spotted at Hogwarts. The Chief Death Eater is coming. It's time, everyone. Apparate directly into the Hog's Head pub; there's a secret way up to the school there. The Battle to save Hogwarts is upon us."

The Patronus faded away and Remus and Dora were left staring at each other in shock.
"It's finally happening," Remus muttered, looking torn. He looked around the room, gaze finally resting on Teddy.

"Dora I have to go," he whispered.
Dora nodded, staring at him. "Of course we do."
Remus froze. "You can't."
"What? Remus - please -"
Remus swallowed. "Stay here, Dora," he murmured, "Please." If anything happened to her...
Dora faced him. "I — Remus... I need to help. You know how silly I'd feel here...not knowing what was going on..."
What was happening to you, she left unsaid. He knew anyway.
"What about Teddy?" he asked. Dora' defiant expression crumpled and she turned to look at her son.

Remus shook his head and put his arm around her. "Please don't come with me. I'll fight better knowing you two are safe here." as she started to protest, he continued, "Please Dora — I couldn't stand losing you."
Dora' eyes filled with tears. "Remus — be careful — I need you." she whispered.
Remus nodded wordlessly.

They exchanged a long look before Remus followed her to Teddy's portable bassinet – Dora moved it to the lounge room. Remus bent over his son. "Teddy..." he murmured, nose almost touching, "Be good for Mum and the others while I'm gone. I'm doing this for you kid." With that he moved to pull away. Teddy grabbed onto the tip of Remus' nose, playing a game that had been repeated many times. Remus' vision blurred with tears. Teddy wouldn't let go tonight if he wiggled his nose. "Daddy loves you Teddy, remember that." Remus whispered, tapping his son's fingers.

Then he stood. "Good-bye my son." he whispered. Remus turned to Dora. Husband and wife looked at each other, then moved forwards to embrace and kiss passionately. After a long moment, they pulled apart. Each gave the other a long, searching look, containing all the words they could hope to say, before Remus turned and left.

In the hallway he ran into Andromeda. "Look after Dora and Teddy for me, Andromeda. While I'm gone." he said.
She held his gaze for a long moment. "Of course." she said, "But you — stay safe. You're a good man, Remus. You deserve to come home to us in one piece."
Remus blinked in surprise. She didn't hate him, after all? He turned and went out the door.
Dora watched his progress to the Apparation Point. She blinked; and he was gone.

That marked the beginning of the long wait. Dora found she could not keep still. She was too worked up over what might be happening at Hogwarts...and she couldn't help... You have a baby, she reminded herself countless times. But the thought always resurfaced that she had a husband, too, out fighting. And so many had already been lost in this war. She couldn't stand it if…

An hour, possibly two, passed. Finally Dora snapped. "Oh this is ridiculous!" She snatched up her wand and a travelling cloak, then sighed. Dropping both, she went to Teddy's bassinet. "Be good for your Grandma, Teddy. I'm doing this so you can grow up without having to worry about all this. I — I love you." Teddy caught a lock of her hair and squeezed. Dora sighed. "I just can't stand not knowing... I need to help." She mumbled. She allowed him to stay like that for a moment before gently unwinding his fingers.
"Goodbye baby boy."

Her mother agreed to keep watch. "I promise. But please — be careful, Dora." she whispered with a kiss and motherly hug. Then Dora went on her way. To the Battle.

When Dora arrived it was chaos. For a moment she felt a jolt of fear before focusing. Find Remus.
Ginny hadn't seen him. Harry (looking more worn and mature than when she'd last seen him) gave a brief detail — he was "planning to lead some fighters onto the grounds". Dora sighed inwardly at the Gryffindor streak in her man and ran out. Maybe she'd spot him from the window. A few minutes later she saw Aberforth. "Have you seen Remus?" she called, groaning when she heard his news. Aberforth had probably just moved out of sight range from Remus and not come back, right?

Dora ran off to find out. It took several minutes to negotiate the stairs, which were in range of so many fights. Then, finally she saw him. He was sprawled on the floor of the Entrance Hall and Dolohov was leaning over him...

Just as Dora unfroze and began running pell-mell down the stairs, there was a slightly crazed shout. "Take that you slimy git!" a black boy ran out of the shadows and struck Dolohov, forcing him to reel back. The boy called, "Get goin', Professor Lupin!" out of the side of his mouth and started duelling. Remus took the boy's advice, getting to his feet and heading in the direction of the doors.

Dora ran to him, dodging spells and the like. She caught up just outside the doors as he paused at a pillar. "Remus!" she cried.
He turned. "Dora?!" he gasped, "But what-?"
"I couldn't stand not knowing," she said. He sighed then, in the middle of the battle, leant in and kissed her.

"Come on," he offered his hand, "Let's get going."
"Together." she said, taking the hand.
Remus was still puffing slightly. "Are you okay?" she asked. He shrugged. "I might have been hit by something or other back there." He waved a hand over his shoulder. Dora assumed he was thinking of his last fight.

"Let's go to the Medical area." she suggested. Remus sighed. "Great Hall."
They turned to go in but had barely walked two steps when a giant rock was thrown at the area, causing the roof to begin collapsing. "Run!" Remus yelled.

There was no other option but to stay outside. They walked quietly away from the castle a bit and rested. Dora found the Dog Star and the Andromeda galaxy. Remus jokingly pointed out the "Teddy", which was actually a bull, but stars could be anything. Dora noticed that Remus wasn't breathing properly. "Surely the fighting — the giants — would have moved on by now," she said. They stood up and began walking back the way they came until a very
familiar, unwelcome cackle stopped them. "If it isn't my little niece and her wolf!"
A second voice growled, "Aha, my cub and his mate!"

They tensed and turned. Bellatrix approached from one side, Greyback from the other. Remus faced Greyback. Dora faced Bellatrix. Back to back, they stood to confront them.

Greyback and Remus fought with wands and muscle while Dora and Bellatrix duelled with wands and words. "So, who's looking after the cub?"
"Mind your own business, old hag."
"Of course, I should have guessed. My dear sister would. I wonder what she'll say when her darling daughter doesn't come home?"
"Get lost, Trixy!"
"Oh, so you've taken to using that too! Funny, I always thought that was my cousin's idea. Stealing are we?"
"Sirius would be glad I'm using it, Trixy. Jealous?"

This continued for some time. Remus began to tire. Ever since that fight with Dolohov he'd feeling more and more sluggish. He stumbled slightly and backed against Dora again. Almost unconsciously, the two reached for a hand — his left, her right — and grasped it. The final stage would be done by wand — and word, but mainly wand — only.

They fought fiercely. Dora and Remus scored a few hits, but Bellatrix and Greyback scored more. Remus became aware he was bleeding in several places and felt short of breath. Something really wasn't right here...
Dora was also bleeding heavily from several places. She was starting to feel lightheaded, even ill. What was going on?

Greyback lunged at Remus, who wasn't fast enough. His wand sliced through the air; a silver streak of light. Remus slumped. Dora felt Remus' hand jerk in hers. Then Bellatrix laughed. "I do believe he's gone, Nymphie. You're next!" Her wand slashed; a purple flash illuminated the scene. Dora tripped and the spell just missed her as she slid to the ground.

Bellatrix loomed over her. "Aw, poor Nymphie's on da gwound," she trilled, "Guess oo won't be needing dis den."
She plucked Dora' wand from her hand. "Oo can have dis instead." She said. "He's got no use for it anymore. Squashed flat as a pancake after I took it. Never can be too careful of dose giants."
She shoved a rough wand into Dora' left hand.

Dora glared at her and struggled to get up, but couldn't. She compromised by spitting in her hated aunt's face. Was that blood? "Sorry Aunt," she croaked sarcastically, "not. Trixy, I hope you die tonight. Good luck. The amount of trouble you've caused, I reckon a mother will finish you off."
Bellatrix snarled. "Take that you little beast!" and slashed her wand again. With a scream, she fell into beckoning oblivion...

Remus barely had time to realise he was dead before Dora arrived.
"No!" both shouted, and the other's name. They embraced and kissed.

Dora sighed. "We do everything together now."
Remus nodded. "Together forever in whatever this place is." then he
spotted the others and twirled her to face them.

Sobs. This is the end.

The story started a couple of years ago. When I read DH, when it first came out, I was sooo upset. Then months passed and I began imagining stories of what it would've been like for Teddy and Harry and all the rest in a completely JKR-canon world. I healed. After I discovered fanfiction, however….

There are so many stories out there that have believable ways of Remus and Dora surviving, as well as those that are twisted differently. I created my own – Power of Love.

I need to thank a lot of people. For oneandonlysusan, MrsTater, SweetDaemon and gnbrules, who inspired me so much their scenes became slotted into here somewhere, somehow. This chapter in particular for example was inspired by MrsTaters' "No More". Check them out please!

Go to my profile for more.