Hermione shook from rage, her fingers digging roughly into the edges of her wand, her eyes sharp, alert and dangerous; when her voice slid from her mouth like a silvery snake, it was a silky, malicious hiss that could chill even Lord Voldemort to the soul and touch fear there. "You don't mess with my friends and survive that, Tom," she hissed. And then she lunged forward, her arm striking out as she murmured the incantation of the first spells that came to mind. "Sectumsempra! Expelliarmus! Immobulus!"

Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange were now both flanking Voldemort; the Death Eaters had swarmed around them, giving them a wide berth for the duel. Voldemort's scarlet eyes had sharpened and his wand was clutched in his fingers as he deflected each spell she sent for him; but, no matter how many spells he deflected, no matter how strong his shield was or how powerful his curses were, she was always one step ahead, she was always more powerful, she was always bringing back something he couldn't.

She was fuelled by fury, love and hope; he was pushed onwards by hunger for blood, power and destruction. Hermione was powerful and so was he, but she was always more so. It was as if the blood in her veins was vanished and was replaced with a passion that was undeniable and strong, the blood replaced with intelligence, a thirst for vengeance and with love.

The power flowing between the four was extraordinary. Bright lights of every colour flew between them; she was outnumbered, but somehow holding her own and coming back stronger every time she was knocked back. A seemingly golden light had surrounded them now, a cage, an elaborate net of the spells they were using that knitted itself together around them, stopping the twelve forms throwing themselves at the barrier.

"You're a coward! A bastard!" she shrieked, standing over Lily's form, protecting the redheaded girl from harm. There was no way that she was letting any of her pack be sacrificed to the 'greater good' for anything. Lily was an angel, an ethereal presence that could not be dismissed from her mind; the dents in her health were driving her onwards, fuelling her anger and her power. She was dangerous when her friends came into the question.

"And you're a little girl! You are no match for the Dark Lord!" Bellatrix screeched right back.

But it was undeniable with the amount of power that Hermione was radiating at that moment in time. There was no denying the elaborate spells she was using, or the crackle of lightning over her skin. She was furious and her magic was providing her with the fuel she needed to propel herself forward.

She was beginning to gain the upper hand. Lord Voldemort's scarlet eyes blazed as he watched a seventeen year old witch use the love and determination she felt for the girl whom his followers had tortured to gain the upper hand over the darkest wizard to roam the lands since Grindewald. There was no denying the power she had, but it didn't mean that he was happy about it.

"Avada Kedavra!" Hermione yelled, her fingers shaking as she watched the bright emerald creature erupt from the tip of her wand and lurch forward… Lucius Malfoy was struck dead in the chest, sending him spiralling backwards and onto his back, his cold hard silver eyes wide open and unseeing. There was no regret in her eyes, no pain. She was too far away for that to occur.

"No!" Narcissa Black had lunged forward, her eyes wide and frantic. There was an undeniable something in her eyes, something there that could not be ignored. Narcissa was now taking up Lucius' spot, her own wand working in tandem with her sister's. But the other witch facing the three was growing stronger and stronger, despite the weariness and exhaustion her form was taking on from the power of her spells.

Hermione let loose a stunner that was headed for Bellatrix. Bellatrix cackled. "You stupid girl!" she raised her wand to deflect it, but the stunner was layered; once Bellatrix triggered the first layer, the other two layers combined and struck her in the face, sending her spiralling to the ground, passed out cold, the wound on her forehead spilling blood all over the floor.

Voldemort gave a high-pitched shriek of rage and pushed Narcissa out of the way, causing her to melt into the golden net and onto the other side. "The girl is mine!" he roared.

"So be it," murmured Hermione determinedly. She raised her wand, bellowed the first spell that came to mind, and allowed her magic to flow through her arm. Her fingers tingled and she knew immediately that she had forced too much power into the spell; her head was now pounding from exhaustion, the edges of her vision blackening. But she fought to stay awake, she had to stay awake for them. Because she wasn't letting the world fall to Voldemort… she had yet to tell the Order about the future… she had yet to find love… she had yet to apologise… she had to stay awake for them.

For Lily, who was passionate, strong, hot-tempered and beautiful; for Marlene, whose determination and stubbornness could not be faulted in the slightest and whose power could not be rivalled, and yet whose love was unbeatable; for Dorcas, whose fire could never be extinguished; for Cassandra, whose quiet nature and yet fiery temper clashed so well; for Alice, whose happy-go-lucky nature and whose grin could light up the world.

For James, whose hazel eyes would flash through her mind and remind her that everything was alright, that as long as she was with him she was safe and sound, whose mischievous tendencies could get him into trouble but whose heart was larger than the world that revolved around him; for Sirius, whose brotherly nature was more than enough for her, whose hand would always find hers in times of trouble, whose heart swelled near her – only she would know that the mischievous and outgoing Sirius Black could really be a cuddly sap; for Remus, who had made her feel warm and protected from the moment they met and whose arms would always encircle her when she needed him.

For Frank, her brother in all but blood and the man who could pull her through anything, the one who would always make her feel better just when he was in the room; for Fabian and Gideon, the two that could make anyone laugh and who could always open their arms to her.

She would stay alive for them, if only so that she could say goodbye properly, so that everything would work out.

Her feet should have caved, her knees should have buckled, but they didn't. She stood strong and powerful, fighting an internal battle that most would have lost within minutes; she knew her own weaknesses and limits and was still fighting against them, defiance shining through in every movement. The spells flew between them seamlessly and neither was gaining the upper hand. If someone didn't interfere, they could be there forever, until one of them died and the other lived. There was no going back from this point.

"So, Tom, you've taken to attacking my students?" said Dumbledore's voice, sending ripples of relief through her. Voldemort's wand stopped moving immediately and he turned around to face the figure passing through the net, his cloak rippling out behind him as he pulled from the net. "Step away from Hermione, Tom, and you shall live to see another day."

"You cannot kill me, Dumbledore," Voldemort rasped, though Hermione could see through the amused façade and to the panic underneath. "Retreat, my Death Eaters – it is no longer safe here. Forget the plans and meet where it's hidden. I must see to my own business."

There were several 'pops' of Apparation as the Death Eaters willingly fled the room; only the unconscious forms remained, but their leader paid them no heed. His ankle, however, did come into contact with Bellatrix's wrist, and the witch stirred and grabbed onto it, her hand clenching around her Dark Lord's ankle.

"Let us go, Bellatrix. We are in no need here," he murmured silkily, and then looked up at Hermione, his eyes flashing. "Until we meet again, Miss Granger – and next time I will win."

And then the sound of apparation ran throughout the room, leaving the members of the Order, each one battered, bruised, slightly mangled but alive, standing there. Bodies littered the floor, one of them the body of Lucius Malfoy and another of Narcissa Black, and one in the doorway stood out in Hermione's mind.

She let out a strangled cry and fell onto her knees, crawling forwards towards the limp and unseeing body of Peter Pettigrew. "This was never supposed to happen," she wailed, cradling his head in her shaking hands. "You weren't supposed to die like this, Peter, I am so sorry. I am so, so, so sorry – it's all my fault…" Hermione was openly sobbing, fighting against the blackness pulling at the edges of her vision; the cheers of the Order had died away and now all that existed was her, kneeling on the floor over the body of someone who hadn't deserved to die, someone who had spent their last minutes saving lives. "I'm so sorry, Peter, so sorry… It's all my fault…"

"Hermione!"

Sirius and Remus were coming at her from both sides, sandwiching the sobbing witch in a hug… and then they stiffened over her, their shaking fingers retreating from her waist and shoulders to drop at their sides.

"H-Hermione, is-is that…?"

Nodding wordlessly, Hermione shrunk into Remus' sides and buried her fingers into Sirius' thigh. She knew the pain they were feeling, she had felt it herself at many points in her life… but she still felt herself shake at their wails of grief as Sirius grabbed their fourth's face in his hands and pressed his forehead against his.

"No, no, no, no, no," Remus was insisting, shaking his head frantically. Hermione could do nothing but watch him break, watch the four Marauders break. James was in front of her now, his hands cradling Peter's hands. Remus' tears streamed into her hair and she could feel Sirius' body pressed against her back, looming over Peter as he grabbed his cheeks, shaking roughly. "He isn't dead, he isn't… he can't be gone, no, no, no, no, no…"

"W-Wormy?" Sirius questioned softly, his tears dropping off his chin and onto Peter's face, his hands shaking. "He's not gone, you don't understand," he turned back to Hermione, who was shaking as Remus joined James. "He's not dead! He can't be! He's not gone! He's NOT DEAD!" He lurched to his feet. "Why are you crying? He was here because of YOU! He was saving YOU!"

Hermione could do nothing but watch the remaining three Marauders break. James was sobbing uncontrollably, begging Peter to wake up, that this was a cruel joke; Sirius was yelling, screaming incoherent words that couldn't break through the numb barrier that she had begun to feel; Remus was pulling her closer and closer, as though this wasn't real, it was all a dream, that if he could just wake up everything would be alright.

"Peter… I'm sorry," she cleared her throat, her voice a raspy whisper. But all three Marauders looked up at her in that instant, their eyes disbelieving as she crawled forwards towards the young boy she had distrusted because of the future. "I should have seen this happening... I'm sorry that I never got to know you, I'm sorry that I didn't trust you properly. I'm sorry that you've gone, but I'm not sorry that we were here tonight. I'm not sorry that everything has happened leading up to this – I've found something worth living for, something that I will always hold close to me. I'm sorry that this was once yours, that I've come barging in and taken it all, so selfishly for myself. I'm sorry that I've grown to love your brothers and your sisters and the people you loved like I love. But I'm not sorry that I'm going to make sure that you don't die in vain. I'm not sorry that I won't rest until Voldemort is gone, I'm not sorry that I won't let you go properly. I'm not sorry that you're going to live on whether you want to or not. I'm not sorry that I will always hold you close, remember you for the Gryffindor and the true Marauder that you are – I'm not sorry that I've learnt that you were true and brave all along. I'm only sorry that your brothers never got to say goodbye…"

Hermione took his face in his hands. "I'm sorry that you're not going to get out of this, that you've gone and aren't coming back, that your brother have to suffer through life without you now. But, Peter, just remember that I've grown to respect and remember you and that I'll hold you close for the rest of my life. As we grow old and get these grey hairs, our children and the future to come will remember their Uncle Peter, Uncle Wormtail… because you're special and you deserve nothing less. Please, Peter. Just know that when we die, we'll always be there to welcome you back. You're with us in soul, in heart and mind and you will never be forgotten, no matter how much time passes. We love you, Wormtail.

"Remus… you might have lost one brother, but you have two more to live for. They will try and tear you apart, they will try and make you forget – but nothing will ever come as close to the bond that you four will and continue to share. You are brothers in all but blood and that is hard to come by. Not even the jaws of hell can tear you four apart. Nothing is strong enough to make you truly hate them, nothing is strong enough to pull you apart. What you have is special and sacred and you should never forget Peter, but never neglect these two. Your grief is matched. You will get through this together because that's how you've grown.

"Sirius… there is nothing that I can do to bring your brother back. It hurts now, it always will, and forever more there will be a hole in your heart that will always belong to Peter. You will never recover fully from the pain that you feel now. I know what it feels like to lose people you love, trust me, and the burden of being alive doesn't fade. But you can honour his memory by living. My best friend once told me that the best thing you can do for a person is dying for them – Peter died for Lily and saved her life. But I think the best thing you can do for a person is to live for them. Peter lives on in you and you should do the same. He lives in you and he always will. The only thing that you can do is to live for him, because he would do the same for you and that is what he did before he died.

"James… there will always be the presence of Peter, or lack thereof, in your life as long as you live. But that presence would want you to remember him. Don't dwell on what he would be doing if he was there – instead, remember that he has done those things and that he will continue to as long as you remember him. These wounds will never fully heal and I know that better than anyone, as do you, but… remember that he would have wanted you to remember him, and to never forget him, but he would have wanted you to go on and never let those you love go. You may have lost one, but you still have two wonderful, amazing, loving, mischievous brothers that are worth living for.

"The Marauders… United We Stand, Divided We Fall. You haven't truly fallen, not yet. The Marauders won't be fully gone until the last remaining Marauder forgets what you stand for – you stand for love, and hope, and mischief, and brotherhood. As long as you believe, there is no end to your legacy. You are stronger together, so for Merlin's sake remember that you still have people worth living for.

"Remember that I am here. Remember that Lily is here. And Marlene and Dorcas and Cassandra and Alice and Frank. Remember that Fabian and Gideon are here. Above all, remember that we are here for you."

Hermione chuckled weakly at their dumbfounded faces, their tear streaked sobbing messes disguising the three mischievous and passionate boys from her memory. "My shoulder's small, boys, but it will always be here for you to cry on. Always."

James wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into a tight hug, pressing her face into his chest and burying his face in her hair. Remus' hands found hers and wrapped themselves around her waist to press against her back, his head lying beside his brothers' as Sirius' hands fisted in her shirt and dragged all three of them closer. Hermione was lost in the tangle of limbs and mess, tears leaking into her scalp and onto her shoulder sleeve, where Sirius' head sat as the three remaining Marauders sobbed over the loss of their brother.

It was true. The future was unsure now that she had changed so much. Peter Pettigrew wouldn't get the chance to betray his brothers, he wouldn't have the chance to almost strangle Harry… but he wouldn't have the chance to grow up, to find himself someone he loved, to get married and have a family. He wouldn't have a chance to see the days that his brothers would. He wouldn't remember the births of his nieces and nephews and he wouldn't be the best man on their wedding days.

But there was one thing that was for sure.

Peter Pettigrew would never be forgotten.

I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in a while. I'm sure that angry mob is crowding around my window tonight. But, please understand that things are getting worse in my life at the moment - my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer almost a year ago now and there have been so many scares lately. My Dad's been getting frustrated, as he hasn't had a job in the last two years and feels useless. My Mum's work is getting her stressed and, as I've been living with them and I love them, I've taken up work in a café in town to help them - none of them know yet and I'm attempting to keep it that way.

Please don't kill me that I've been so late. This chapter... I'd recommend you get some tissues or at least use your sleeve. The music I'd ask for you to listen to while reading this would be the song that I've been listening to so much lately - You Found Me by the Fray. Please remember that things are difficult and that I will attempt to update as often as I can given all the hectic goings on in my life at the moment.

Thank you for understanding and staying with me. I really am sorry and I hope you can forgive me.

Love,

Marlene