I don't own Harry Potter. Please enjoy!
Severus looked down at the Weasley boy lying in the hospital bed with new respect. Despite being blasted by the Crucio curse, the boy had found the will to power through and knock his opponent unconscious.
He paid the price for the willpower now as he lay in a nearly comatose state. It was unknown if he would awaken.
No one had told Granger yet. She was still at her post in the Astronomy Tower, launching spells down to the battlefield and helping the students there under her command protect the rest of the castle from attacks. It was already decided that they would break the news to her afterwords, when the battle was over. They needed her now and it was what Weasley would have wanted.
Severus took a deep breath before turning out to head back to battle. His Dark Mark still burned, so he knew that Voldemort was still alive.
Severus was glad though. He knew that Harry Potter was destined to destroy the Dark Lord, but that didn't mean that Severus didn't want a chance to avenge Airiala himself. He couldn't do that if her murderer was dead.
Airiala and Pyro moved along the forest in silence. It was dangerous to remain where they had been standing, Lando was manipulating the tree roots making the ground unstable. Great for putting the enemies off guard, but bad for them who were just trying to get to Severus.
Pyro had wanted to question Airiala about the Ultimate Truth, but she was remaining tight-lipped on the subject. It didn't help that Pyro also knew that they were being followed.
Someone had seen them as they moved through the forest and was now following them, somewhat un-stealthily. Pyro didn't know who it was, but he know that it was an enemy.
A friend would have made themselves known by this point.
As they rounded on the Quidditch Pitch, far from the current battle at the castle gates, a blast from the stalker caused Airiala and Pyro to duck.
Pyro turned and faced the opponent, his fire at the ready.
Draco Malfoy.
The same asshole who had kidnapped Airiala in the first place.
Airiala glared at him and moved to approach, but Pyro kept her behind him.
"Go," he said firmly. "Find Severus. I'll handle this brat."
Draco glared at Pyro, but said nothing. Airiala looked from one man to the other before nodding towards Pyro and running towards Hogwarts.
Pyro stood firm, his red eyes staring into Draco's blue ones. His arm engulfed in the flame he knew so well.
"Shall we?" Pyro said with a smirk. Draco lifted his wand to the Fire Elemental.
No other words were spoken as the two engaged in battle.
Airiala rushed to the hospital wing as fast as her feet would carry her. No Deatheaters had made it into the school thanks to the efforts of the Order. She passed several Order members, too busy with what they were doing to notice that the Wind Elemental was still up and about.
She heard the screaming long before she entered the Hospital Wing.
Normally the Hospital Wing was quiet, only a few students gracing the beds unless someone accidentally blew up a potion. This was not that time.
All the beds were filled. Students and Order members were lying everyone. She could see the screamer, a young Ravenclaw boy whose leg was being worked on.
She looked around the room, but she couldn't see Severus. She found Ron Weasley, lying alone on a bed, but no Severus.
He must have returned to the battle after dropping off Ron.
She turned and left the injured to be healed. She didn't want those injuries to be in vain. If Severus was back at the battlefield then she would follow him there, powers or not.
Her drive focused, she started back to the front of the school, where the battle was still going strong.
The closer she got the front entrance, the more carnage and destruction she found. She ignored it all, her goal strictly on finding Severus. There would be time for destruction later.
Right now, she had to tell Severus the Ultimate Truth. She had to save the one she loved.
She burst out the front entrance of Hogwarts and her eyes widened in shock. The angle of the battlefield was much more devastating from this angle.
Many of the larger boulders that Lando had brought up were being used to hide some of the injured Order members and students. There was more blood and more pain on this side of the battle, or maybe it was just because there were more people that she cared about on this side.
Her eyes focused on Dumbledore and Harry, for she knew that Severus wouldn't be that far from the boy.
She was right, for right there, lying against the boulder next to Harry's leg, was Severus.
Airiala's body froze. She was focused on nothing else the moment her eyes focused on Severus. His body was resting next to Harry, his head leaning back against the boulder. He was too far away for Airiala to know why he was hurt.
"...ala?"
Someone had spoken her name. It was a woman, but she barely registered the sound. She didn't respond and simply moved, her feet rushing to get her to Severus.
She noticed nothing else as she ran to him, no other bodies, no other damage, nothing more that Severus lying next to Harry.
As she got closer she started to see more about Severus. His clothes were ripped, his face was filthy, his hair was covered in dirt and sticking up in some places.
It was like walking through a dream. She could see people getting his by spells, the ground exploding either by Lando's hand or another spell, water falling by Raina's hand, but still nothing stopped her from her path.
She slid on the muddy ground to Severus' aid. He was bloody too, she could see that now.
It was disturbing and caused panic to fill her. She reached out and gently caressed his cheek, her panic subsiding slightly at the feeling of warmth that he still had. Other than that, there was no response from him.
"Severus?" she said his name so softly, no one could hear her voice.
It wasn't until she leaned forward that Harry registered another being next to him and turned to see who had come up beside him.
His eyes widened at the Wind Elemental and he got down to her level and touched her shoulder. She didn't seem to feel his hand there. "Airiala?" She gave no move that she heard his voice.
He was close enough to hear her next words.
"Please wake up Severus. I love you."