A Mother's Love is a crossover between The Dresden Files and Harry Potter. It takes place after Cold Days and midway through Deathly Hallows. Yes I know it's not actually possible this is my story. Artistic licence so to speak.

All know and recognisable characters and places, magic etc are the rightful property of Mr Jim Butcher and Ms J. . I own nothing but this crazy idea.

I will make alterations and repairs when people point out glaring errors, as I am unbeta'd and appreciate the feedback.

Due to Health Reasons my updates may be somewhat sporadic but I am going to keep trying.

Chapter 14

WINTER IS COMING

Dresden's P.O.V.

The last mighty fortress I had to storm was an knock down drag out brawl, a life and death fight... literally. Taking over Hogwarts, not so much. Of course, we did have Snape and three quarters of the staff and students on our side. Not to mention uncounted numbers of house-elves who had taken severe umbrage to the return of Voldemort and to both the Ministry and the Death Eaters behaviour. They knew what it would mean for them if Voldemort won. He did not respect Elves, and regarding them as 'lesser' beings, as tools to be used until they broke and then discarded. Pretty much how he saw everyone really. So we had a veritable army of the little guys, all ready to kick some Dark Wizard arse.

We approached Hogwarts under the cover of darkness, and one of Molly's wonder-veils, the trip shortened considerably by a convenient Way. I am still unsure how my mother added the knowledge of the Ways here to my gem, but I sure wasn't complaining. I figure, in spirit form, or whatever she was now, Mum probably went wherever she pleased. He.. pretty much as she'd done in life really.

Getting into Hogwarts unseen was no drama when you have Molly, mistress of veils, the Weasley twins AND the Marauder's Map. I snorted to myself as we moved, hidden completely by Molly, up staircases and down hallways, twice we took passageways between the walls, passed through three tapestries hiding secret entrances, and one door that was pretending to be a wall, (at least that's what George said.. I just saw the wall). So reaching the Room or Requirement was surprisingly easy. We didn't see anyone. Not that they could have seen us, but still. Snape knew we were coming and would meet us, with those Staff still loyal to the light, in the Room of Requirement. Hermione had sent out a message through the clever messenger galleons they had used in their fifth year, and we could only hope that the DA would be reforming, ready to join us. Remus and Tonks had contacted the Order and other like minded witches and wizards, and like us, they were readying. Most preparing to join me when I sacked Azkaban. I was really looking forward to that, and to seeing if Dementors burned.. or froze.. whichever. I'd work out how to kill them, one way or another. Harry's nifty new fire patronus should do the trick if all else failed, the little smart-arse had worked out a way to combine his patronus with a fireball, he, with a bit of help from Hermione and Luna, was still perfecting it but we were all looking forward to trying it out.

The Room of Requirement had outdone itself. Snape had asked for 'somewhere to hold a war council' or some derivative there of and.. well.. lets just say King Arthur would have been jealous. The room had become quite large with a sunken, completely circular area in the very centre. Here stood a huge round, and exquisitely carved mahogany table encircled by thickly padded matching chairs. There was no head of table, no showy throne. Each chair was identical to the one on either side of it. The walls of the room were lined with maps, sections of blackboard and pin-up board, and weapons. Lots and lots of weapons. Thomas looked around and whistled. "Cool." he said. Karrin was eyeing a rack of weapons like another woman might eye a shoe sale, Mouse just panted and Molly, Molly simply seemed to be in a trance.

"Molly?" I asked, as her hand gripped my arm tightly.

"Harry.. I can hear the castle! She's awake, whoa.. she's a genius loci, like Demonreach... but one of magic, in it's most pure form, and oh.. oh my!" Molly whispered. She became very still, Fae still, and her skin began to glow, faintly golden.

"What?" I looked at her, her eyes were closed and she swayed. Her voice came out, dreamy, breathy and excited, but tinged with other emotions, sadness, anger, frustration.

"She's very unhappy, she wants the darkness gone from within her and from the grounds. She wants the all evil people and things within her walls gone and if Voldemort gets in.. she's going to blow! She won't let him gain access to her power... and she has a lot of it. This castle has been home to magical children and learning for centuries.. it fed her, gave her life and she is devoted to her children, as she sees ever student here as such, good or bad. She is sad to see so many dark auras, trying to shut down the light. The children lost to that darkness pain her the most. She grieves for them eve now.

She has great rage for what he did to Sasha, the Basilisk. She was never meant as a weapon against the Muggle-born, but as a last line of defence for the school. He twisted her somehow, warped her purpose. Or perhaps her long slumber confused her, allowed him to take control of her. She says, Harry is not to blame himself, the old Sasha would have rather died then hurt students. He did her a kindness. It was Hogwarts who sent Fawkes with the hat." Molly winced. "She is telling me so much.. oh..." and Molly lit up, her golden glow brightening to a eye searing brilliance. We all gasped and threw up our arms to shield our eyes. Peering through the brilliance I saw Molly as she was lifted up off the floor, her body rotated gently, brightly coloured motes of light danced over her skin, a million emotions ranging over her face. Light beamed and bounced off of her and she rotated gently twice, her hair flaring out, before the lights dimmed and she sunk back to the floor. She sunk all the way down to rest lightly upon her knees, hands braced forward on the stone floor. After a long minute she looked up at me and grinned.

"Now I have Intellectus too!" she giggled before she sunk down in a heap on the floor.

I sighed. So unfair. I had had to brawl with Demonreach to get my Intellectus, and it wasn't anywhere near as nice as Hogwarts seemed to be. Molly had a dazed but happy look on her face.

Hells Bells. Life hates me sometimes.

Once Molly had herself together, and had taken in some of the information the castle was pumping into her, we gathered to plan.

It was interesting, meeting these people. I had heard a lot about them from the kids of course, but this was meeting them for real.

Minerva McGonagal was terrifying. A tall, thin and stern looking woman, the vestiges of great beauty still there in her face. She stood, ramrod straight and alert, her dark but greying hair pulled into a tight bun at the base of her neck and sharp, all-seeing eyes taking in the whole room. She looked at me and I felt like a naughty schoolboy caught out of bounds. There was just something about her. I liked her at once, and respected that behind the matronly schoolmarm facade was a powerful Witch who could more then hold her own. She would have to be, given that she was Deputy Headmistress of a school full of young adults, all with magical talents and deadly weapons in hand at any time of the day, coupled with all the restraint of the teenagers they were. She did this job while being the Head of Gryffindor, the House best known for hot-headed recklessness. She had had to be a force of nature just to keep her students in, mostly, one piece.

Filius Flitwick was just.. awesome. Tiny and quick, his Goblin ancestry clearly apparent, the man was scary smart and I saw past the kindly expression to the razor keen intellect, superior senses and the ruthless single mindedness common to his kind. Only unlike his full-blooded brethren, Filius had not craved gold. No, for him it was all about knowledge. Knowledge led to skill, to power, and he had proved that, still holding several duelling records and the status of both Charms Master and Duelling Master. Now he taught Charms to the students and cared for his old House.

Apparently the Ravenclaw House had had it's problems, Flitwick had brought the hammer down hard when he had discovered Luna's problem with bullies in her second year. After apologising profusely to the child he had set to cleaning house with all the subtlety of an atom bomb. The detentions for bullying he dished out to his own 'Claws had been spoken of only in whispers for months. Snape and Madam Pomfrey coincidentally had looked very happy and there had been lots of new potions on the potions store cupboards, all consisting of some very nasty ingredients. Marietta's betrayal had upset him greatly, and she had received little aid with her blemishes from him, or any Ravenclaw for that matter, as they all felt she deserved her punishment. He bounced a little, as if excited to be taking the fight to the Death Eaters. After all, his own prospects if the new world order continued were bleak. He was a half breed, with Goblin ancestry in his blood. And it was not in a Goblin's blood, no matter how much it may be diluted, to be submissive. They were a fierce, warrior race to the last.

Likewise for Hagrid. His beetle black eyes were quietly watchful as he settled into a specially enlarged chair. He'd already hugged and cried over the trio, and Luna, resulting in more then a few winces and superstitiously rubbed ribs. For a man of such immense size he moved lightly, and easily. His strength, and giant toughened skin would be a great asset. His loyalty to Harry too was another bonus. For now, he mostly listened, but his large hands were turning my large dog to mush. Mouse had gone crazy for the gamekeeper, behaving much like the puppy he had once been, not a powerhouse of mythical muscle and teeth. Hagrid in return had fallen for Mouse, hook line and sinker the minute he'd seen him and had pronounced him "the most magnificent fellow' he'd ever seen.

Pomona Sprout was a short, dumpy woman with flyaway hair, in patched, dirty robes, the scent of dirt, the outside and fertiliser clinging to her. She strongly reminded me of Mother Summer, just not as old. She settled with several other female staff members along one segment of the table. Madam Hooch sat to her right, her sharp, hawk-like eyes taking everything in, her posture and demeanour much like Snape's, in that she was watching and wary. To her left sat the middle aged but lovely and elegant professor of Arithmancy, Septima Vector. Her beautiful features were blank, but her hands trembled, just a little. Not fear I sensed though, no, barely contained rage, just below the surface as she bestowed a narrow eyed look on Snape. To Madam Hooch's right sat Professor Babbling, an ancient runes text held open with one long finger. She seamed, almost annoyed, to have been interupted in her reading, and quite a deal more interested in the room, rather then it's occupants. Other staff filled the room, people who's names I couldn't remember, except for the aged caretaker, Filch, who for all his talk was very afraid of what may come, him being a squib and considered a lesser person because of it. True his bitterness at being without magic was oft directed outwards at those around him but Voldemort would never have his backing after his bloody snake nearly killed Mrs Norris. Said cat was twining herself about his legs and staring at everyone with great golden eyes. Mouse had eyed her, then sniffed and decided to ignore her as long as she did the same. Apparently Mrs Norris was not stupid, she stayed well away from the large dog.

Firenze was there, I had no idea how he'd gotten there but I was glad he was on our side. He was already making forays to talk with the other centaurs, who, like all other sentient creatures, were not willing to be subjected to Voldemort's Rule. Having had to fight both a centaur and a unicorn in the past, (they ended up being the same Fae being but still.) I wasn't keen for any repeats. Trelawney wasn't present, a love of too much brandy meant she was rarely seen.

Severus stood up to address the room once we were all seated. Our sudden appearance had caused a few shocked gasps and an effusive welcome from Hagrid, but the Staff settled quickly, aware of the seriousness of our situation.

Snape began to speak, and I realised the man was quite the orator.

"Fellow staff, Co workers. For years you have known me as the Dungeon Bat, the terror of Slytherin House and as a bigoted, biased bastard. You wondered how it was I could ever have been hired, whatever was Dumbledore thinking, obviously this man is not repentant. Your complaints about my appointment, and subsequent behaviour have seemingly fallen on deaf ears and insult was further added to injury when I was made head of Slytherin House over more worthy applicants." Here Snape looked at Septima Vector, and bowed his head to her. "For all of this, and for my utterly appalling behaviour in this past fifteen years I apologise. There has always been a reason, one I thought worthy of this subterfuge. It does not excuse the part I portrayed, merely explains it."

I WAS a Death Eater. I joined willingly, excitedly when I was but a boy, two weeks after our graduation actually. No coincidence, on the same weekend your parents married, Potter. My mother was dead, I had no other family, aside from a drunken wastrel father who loathed me as much as I hated him. I had lost Lily, and I was angry. I decided I would make the world a place where I would not loose again. I was alone, naive and craving acceptance. For two years I revelled in the Death Eater's powers, studied potions on Voldemort's dollar, never killing, because killing can taint a potion master's magic, and then.. I heard a prophecy. THE prophecy, but only the smallest portion. I was removed before it finished. Stupidly, craving praise I took what I knew to the Dark Lord, and oh was I rewarded. A painful Cruciatis that left me quivering for hours after. He usually didn't torture me that way, preferring to use stinging and cutting hexes then risk too much damage to his prized potion prodigy. I didn't know then, but that was my only redeemable value to him, or as cannon fodder.

I did get talked up at the meeting that night though. My pleasure in the praise was short lived when I heard WHO was expecting babies at the end of July. I cared little for the Longbottoms, nor for Potter but Lily, I still loved her. I agonised over it, even asked Him to spare her for me, as a 'plaything'. I felt sick even asking it, but he said he would. I did not believe him.

When he decided to go after them, after my Lily, something broke in me and from that night onwards I was Dumbledore's man on the inside. With my help we saved many. But we were unable to save Lily. I had caused her death, as much as if I raised the wand myself. Much as I did when I killed Albus. I did not want to cast that curse but he had made me promise, I had taken an oath and I was bound. The curse to his hand was travelling, he had precious little time left before it would have killed him. We had planned it, I had to prevent Draco from blackening his soul, Dumbledore's very last orders.. "Kill me before he does, don't let it blacken his soul." Snape swallowed. " I loved Albus, he was the only one who ever.. ever took the time to really see who I was." He gathered his thoughts.

"To continue my tale of woe; Even after the dust settled, that fatal Halloween so long ago, I KNEW he was still alive. I laid my plans with Albus and thus you had the Dudgeon Bat. An evil, ex Death Eater bastard. The inbuilt spy. I have worked, in the dark and filth to bring down this poser known as the Dark Lord and now I can finally be free to teach as I always should have. I will be stepping down as Headmaster, that position belongs to Headmistress McGonagal. I would prefer to take the upper years potion classes, or Advanced Potions courses. I do not like young children, nor they me, but I think we could bring Hogwarts to the forefront for Potion Masteries if I can devote myself to those with the drive and the skill. Septima, once we have done here you will have all our aide to clean House. I know you have longed to do so for a long time, you should always have been Head of Slytherin. Once we rid our home of those Carrows, you will finally have it."

Professor Vector just stared at him in shock, long had she railed against his appointment to Head of Slytherin. She had had tenure and seniority on him after all. Now it was being given to her, along with carte blanc to clean house!

"I will no longer play the role of Spy however, I am done. I will not allow another student to be harmed within these walls. I am going to do my job, properly. I have it on good authority that Hogwarts is very much alive and sentient and she is very Angry." He nodded to Molly.

"More like royally Pissed Off" muttered Molly. "And you really really don't want her to get angry. You won't like her if she gets angry." she dead-panned.

The Wizards didn't get it, but there were a few chuckles around the room from those who caught her tongue in cheek reference.

"Yes well, she is on our side. If we behave appropriately. We are going to clean out this castle, I have already prepared accommodation for any of the Dark Lord's supporters we need to house. I will not be setting them loose to talk or swell his ranks. Once this is done, we set to preparing for war. The reality is here my friends, we are at war and if we don't fight, what will be left of this place will be nothing but a great crater of burnt earth. Hogwarts will not let darkness rule her, she has forced hands before to remove evil headmasters. If we fall and Voldemort tries to take her, she will blow."

Mummers filled the room. Nervous looks and anxious faces surrounded him.

"Don't worry about that. Hogwarts will not fall. She is a castle, after all, and a Magical one at that. We also have a few surprising new allies, and are gathering in as many of the Light as we can. Hogwarts will be our home base, it is the most defensible place and we can house many many people. As I speak House Elves are preparing more dormitories for all seeking refuge.

We will raise all the defences, add our own and talk with the denizens of the Forest, bring them to our side if we can, remove them if they won't.

"I'll go to Arogo's kin... Aramac will listen to me, I saved her youn'un from a snake last spring." rumbled Hagrid. "I reckon the Centaurs will fight. If Death Eaters go tromping through their Forest they'll see it as an invasion of their territory, simple as tha'. And there are a few critters in there who I'm on real good terms with. They'll help."

"Good. Now, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce the Winter Knight and her Ladyship, the Winter Lady, Harry Dresden and Molly Carpenter." We stood and bowed to the room before sitting. "Their companions, the inimitable Karrin Murphy and Thomas Raith, of the Vampire White Court. The large furry one is Mouse. You all recognise Mr Potter and his friends, I trust. Good." Snape took a deep breath.

"Once we have secured and cleaned out the school, we will be freeing our brothers and sisters, magical and mundane alike. We will raze those evil camps and pull Azkaban down if we must. We have secure locations for the non-magical, the elderly or the very young. Everyone else, especially those with magic, or military training, and who are willing, will come here.

Once we have done this, well, then it will be time to start taking it to the Dark Lord. We will take the fight to him, and show him how the dish called Revenge is serverd. We will Avenge everyone he took from us and ensure he never takes from our families again."

The room was quiet, then McGonagal began to clap, and was quickly joined by everyone else. Harry was grinning, he was glad it was Snape doing the speech making, the boy hated all the attention.

Now it was my turn. I stepped forward, staff in hand and black duster flapping.

"Good evening everyone, I am Harry Dresden, Warden and Winter Knight. It turns out that fate has a twisted sense of humour because we are here to help you with your Moldywart problem." the room went still before several snickers and gasps of shock broke it up. "Ok.. so we're basically from another dimension, but we are here to help then we will leave, we do have our own lives elsewhere. So get ready to work hard people, revolution will start here, in Hogwarts. You want better leaders, be them. You want better Witches and Wizards, show them how to be one, you want the changes, they begin here, with the children you teach. Teach them well so they go out to lead our world well. Don't sit back and complain, make the changes. It all starts here.

Now, these Death Eater's can not be reformed. They don't want to be. They call themselves Death Eaters for a reason. They deal in Death and won't be using gentle spells on any of you, blood status regardless. So it is time to take the gloves off." There was some uneasy murmurs, but Flitwick was nodding enthusiastically, and his very goblin like smile was feral enough to make may of his fellow teachers move a little away from him.

"Lucky for all of you, I have had a LOT of experience with spine to brick situations. I have been fighting enemies bigger, more powerful or stronger then me for years, and they don't stop coming, they just keep getting bigger, and badder but I am the one still here. There are many different reasons for that, and four of them are here with me right now. Magic is great, it can do a hell of a lot. BUT you should never solely rely upon it. One day, you may not have it to use. I've been there. I have literally 'run out' of magical juice and have had to fight on without it. One of the worst of those times was when I was facing off against a very pissed off Loup Garou. I had barely enough energy to stand, and only the smallest bit of my magic left."

"Excuse me, Err.." McGonagal interupted. I realised her problem, she did not know what to call him.

"Harry or Mr Dresden is fine, Professor McGonagal."

"Thank you, Mr Dresden. May I ask what a Loup Garou is? I have never heard of such a creature."

"Most likely not Professor, I hadn't heard of one either until I had to deal with one running loose in Chicago. A Loup Garou is a variation of Werewolf, the most lethal kind in fact. They are huge, immensely powerful, intelligent, resistant to almost all magical and non magical weapons alike and scary fast. The one I had to kill was actually a nice guy, a wealthy philanthropist who's dream was to create a great wildlife sanctuary. He was the last in his line, carrying an awful curse that had been placed on his family many years before his birth. He'd done everything he could to keep himself contained but his precautions were sabotaged. I hadn't wanted to kill him but we were both manipulated into a situation where I had no choice."

Professor McGonagal opened her mouth and then she just stared at me. "oh.." she said, rather faintly. Then her face paled. "Greyback." she said. I looked at her. "He is the leader, the alpha really, of the most vicious of the werewolves. He is bigger, faster and more savage then any werewolf ever reported."

I winced. "Oh joy... we will need a supply of inherited silver.." I mused. "Maybe the Goblin's can help."

"I beg your pardon Mr Dresden?" asked McGonagal.

So I explained that it only inherited silver that could kill a Loup Garou. The Professor took that information in thoughtfully. I returned to addressing the room again.

"What I have learnt is that the more allies, skills, weapons and diversions you have, the better. You need to think outside the box, be creative, and don't be afraid to fight dirty. Don't just stun your opponents, disable them. Take away their wands and weapons. Bind them up with duct tape.. most wizards won't know what to make of it. They won't be able to just vanish it either, it's oddly spell resistant. Magical restraints are not altogether reliable, unless their magical handcuffs, nasty things." I shuddered.

"That is what we will be teaching, how to fight and stay alive." I looked over at young Harry, "and we are here to keep him alive. He's kind of family." McGonagal smiled.

"That is good to hear, that poor boy has lost almost everyone he called family, and the rest of us didn't do enough for him. Yet here he is still ready and willing to fight for our world, which has let him down so often."

"Yeah, you all did a pretty shitty job of looking out for your boy hero. Old Dumbles is coping hell from Lily, James and Sirius you know."

Professor McGonagal chuckled. "As they should, he certainly made enough mistakes when it came to Harry ."

"That he did."

We outlined our plans to the Staff and I could see Hope returning. They all agreed to help.