Chapter 23

~*~

The students assembled in the Great Hall and Professor Dumbledore walked up to the podium. He looked out among them and his gaze rested on Hermione and Ginny. Severus grabbed Remus's arm painfully to stop him from moving. He knew that his cousin would attack him if didn't hold him in place.

"Calm down Remus. I know you don't like him looking at Hermione but you must calm down that damn wolf." Severus hissed in his ear.

"It's alright dear." Minerva whispered. "He won't do anything. Just take several deep breaths."

Remus nodded and took several deep breaths. He looked at her and smiled weakly. He had grown to love the woman as a grandmother. He did even before she became his grandfather's wife. Minerva was always by his side after his transformations when he was student. He was happy she was now actually apart of the family. He rarely knew his grandmother. She had died when he was two. Remus shook his head when he heard Albus begin to speak.

"Students may I have your attention." Professor Dumbledore called and they were silent and turned to the Headmaster. "I fear Hogwarts is no longer safe-" he was interrupted by the students. "Silence!" he yelled above them. They were quiet and he continued. "Hogwarts is not longer safe at the moment. We will evacuate the students first through fifth years. We will use a secret tunnel that will lead to Hogs Head. This won't draw attention to people in Hogsmeade. I want you to pack all of your belongings and have one of the older students to shrink your trunks. The younger students will leave tomorrow night. You are free to go. Please spend time with your friends." Professor Dumbledore said and left the hall.

Hermione stood outside the Great Hall with Ginny. She smiled when she saw Remus. He pulled her into his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder. He gently rubbed her back.

"I want you to go to the Gryffindor tower and spend some time with your friends. Tomorrow night we'll spend time with the family." Remus whispered and kissed her forehead. He looked over at Severus who was telling Ginny to do the same. She nodded. "It's alright honey. Everything's going to be just fine. Now go on."

Hermione kissed Remus gently and turned to Ginny. They walked down the corridor and up to Harry who was waiting for them. Remus and Severus watched them walk down the hall. The men went their separate ways.

~*~

Harry, Ginny and Hermione walked through the portrait hole and into the common room. The students got quiet watching Harry sit down on the couch. Hermione gave them an evil look and they started up their conversations once more. Neville sat down in an empty arm chair in front of the fireplace.

Hermione motioned for Harry and Ginny to move in closer. The couple leaned over and she spoke to them in hushed tones. Neville wondered what they were discussing. He would love to know. He was good friends with the trio that sat before him. He watched Harry and Ginny smile and nod their heads in agreement.

"Neville we have something important to tell. So let's go to the ROR." Harry whispered so the other's wouldn't over hear.

"Ok." he said uneasily tone.

"I'll tell Remus." Hermione whispered as they walked through the portrait hole.

'Love, please meet me in the ROR. We need to speak about something.'

'What is it dear?' he asked. 'Are you alright?'

'I'm fine. Will you come?'

'I'll be there.'

"He's meeting us there." Hermione told the trio. She laughed at Neville's puzzled expression. She quietly explain about her and Remus.

"Oh. Wow that's neat. I'm glad you're happy Mione. You're actually pregnant?" Neville asked. She nodded and Ginny told him her story as well. "Snape! You and Snape together?"

"He truly a good man Neville. He cares deeply about his family. Why do you think he does what he does." Ginny said sincerely. He couldn't help but agree with the red head.

~*~

Remus and Severus walked into the room. It was cozy with a fireplace two couches and two arm chairs. The men saw their wives stretched out on the couch. They joined them on couches.

"What is this about Hermione?" Severus asked with a raised brow. Ginny exhaled a breath when a light contraction hit. "Are you alright?" He asked knowing that the contraction were becoming more regular. She nodded.

"We want to tell Neville the truth." Hermione told her cousin. He raised his brow higher. "Please he's our friend."

"Come on Severus," Harry said. "If he doesn't believe us we can always erase his memory."

"Severus, Frank and Alice were with us. Why not their son."

"Fine than you stubborn werewolf." hissed Severus. Remus smiled at his cousin. "Here's the truth about the war Neville."

Neville listened carefully. He asked questions time to time. The family were happy to answer them. "Wait did Lestrange still-" asked unable to finish the question.

"Yes. She turned on all of us. A few turned on us. It's war and bound to happen." Severus told the man that sat before them.

Hermione eased herself up off the couch. A table and pensieve appeared before her. She slowly removed memory by memory of her first meeting with her grandfather and of those she pieced the adventures of her Harry and Ron and the attack that Ron and Dumbledore made on her and Ginny.

"There that will help you understand better Neville." Hermione told her friend.

He nodded got up and entered the pool of memories. Hermione returned to the couch and Remus pulled her into his arms. Neville came out of the memories in shock. He had been lied to for years by those he trusted. He sat down unblinking. He was on the wrong side of the war.

"I believe you." he whispered. "I can't believe I've been lied to."

"Are you with us Neville?" asked Harry.

"Damn right I am." he said with on fear in his voice that he normally carried. He was pissed off. The family smiled at the wizard.

They spent the rest of the time together. Remus and Severus used the time to get to know the young man. Ginny, Harry and Hermione were just glad that he believed them. He would be fighting for a Darker Shade of Light.

~*~

The professors lined themselves up in the corridors and in the tunnel all the way to Hogs Head where Minerva stood at the inn with Aberforth. They instructed that first years would line up with their houses this allowed them to check to see each student was out safely. It took several hours to get them settled and had the ghost check around the school to make sure they didn't miss anyone.

Down at Hogs Head Minerva Severus stood checking their own scrolls with the students names. He nodded in approval with each house and year. The deputy slummed tiredly in a nearby chair. The students were safe that's all that matter. They wouldn't have to worry about the children. She worried for her granddaughters as she now called them and her grandsons and her great-grandchildren.

"Minerva let's get back to Hogwarts." Severus told her helping her from the chair. They went back to the school through the tunnel.

~*~

Tom gathered all his death eaters and other creatures to Malfoy Manor to go over the plan one more time before he dismissed them to spend time with their families. He wanted them ready. They spent three hours going over the plan and Tom allowed them to go home. The battle was tomorrow at sundown.

The large family gathered at the manor from Tom's family to Harry and James that they saw as family. They even had Neville there, who had joined Tom's ranks as a death eater. They sat in the large comfortable parlor and game room that was in one of the lower floors. They wanted to spend family time together and have fun at the same time. It helped them relax.

Remus and Hermione laid out on one of the couches. She shifted so often when a contraction would come. He cradled and rubbed her stomach were his children where. They had finally came up with names for them. The girl's name was Ellen Jane after both of their parents. Thomas Jonathan for their son. He was named after their parents. He was going to be called John and she was going to called Ellen. The family liked the names of all the children.

The clock stroke twelve and they all said their goodnights. They didn't want to leave each others company but they also need their rest. They all had a lot at state tomorrow night. They all turned in for the night.

~*~

Tom sat at the desk starring at Salazar Slytherin's wand. He had of yet to combine his wand with Salazar's wand. He stood up and walked over to the window and looked outside. The morning was beautiful. The sun was shinning brightly and the sky was blue. It was perfect morning.

Minerva rolled over and stretched out her arm but Tom's side of the bed was empty. She opened her eyes and saw her husband starring out the window. She got out of bed and tied her robe around her waist. She walked over to her husband.

"Love," Tom turned and looked at his wife, "everything's going to fine."

He turned his body and pulled her into his arms. Minerva rested her head on his chest. Tom ran his fingers through her hair. He closed his eyes that held worry some fear. Tom pulled her back and captured her lips with his own. He pulled the knot from the robe and pushed the robe off her shoulder and let pool behind her.

Tom ran his hands over her shoulders and down her arms. He kissed her with all the passion he had for her. "I love you. I going to spend day making you scream my name in passion." He whispered in her ear. He swept her up into his arms and laid her down on the bed.

Along with two other couples in the manor spending the day in throws of passions and, one couple taking each others virginities.

They family said their farewells and those that were needed at Hogwarts left the safety of Malfoy Manor. Tom sighed heavily. The fear and worry truly set in for his family. He wasn't concerned for himself but that of his family and his death eaters.

~*~

Remus paced the floor of his chambers. He couldn't sit still knowing that his children were going to be born and that the war was to be fought and long with his grandfather having to be killed all weighed on his shoulders. He stopped and rested his hands on the mantle and stared at the dancing flames. He had to think of a place where she and Ginny would be safe to give birth.

Hermione walked into the room and quietly went over to her husband and wrapped her arms around his waist. Remus turned around and held his wife close. "Honey Cissy and Minnie are going to be with me and Ginny tonight. It's alright." She whispered and took a deep breath. "What about the Shrieking Shack? The Whomping Willow will keep anyone from entering." Hermione told him.

Remus thought for a moment and nodded in agreement. He felt her tense up in his arms. He quietly lead her over to the couch and they sat down. He sat sideways and put Hermione between his legs. He cradled her stomach gently. She grabbed his hand when a contraction hit. The later it became the stronger they came.

"Remember love be strong." Remus whispered against her brow. She nodded they made their way to the entrance hall.

~*~

Harry looked throughout the crowd for Ginny and Hermione. He smiled when he saw his two best friends. He pulled them into a hug. He knew that tonight would end Dumbledore's rein. He pulled back and kissed them each on the forehead.

"Did you feel that?" Harry asked Remus and Minerva when he felt a small shutter. He looked around the castle. "Hogwarts is slowly vanishing." The couple nodded. "Watch your backs. Let's show our true allegiance."

Albus called for silence and those around him quieted down. "Harry are you ready to end this once and for all?"

Harry looked at the headmaster and narrowed his green eyes. "Yes I am." He walked up to the elderly wizard and whispered, "You're going straight to hell and you don't even know it yet." He walked back over to his family.

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