The Crossroads of Fate

Chapter 32: The War of Existence

On the road…

Two roads were standing before him. One road had been taken. He sensed it. Stay or flee. Family or the world. Family came first, he had fled. His friends were abandoned, some would never forgive him unless he returned. From the back of Firenze, he sensed the road taken. He did not have to sense it of course. A sudden vision gave him the end of one such road and he knew- without a doubt- what would come about. Someone had chosen a path and would live with the consequences whatever they were. But it was for the best. Apollo knew, as much as it hurt him, that Aries might well have done the same for him. His own sister was strong, but he was her weakness. Was it a mistake that Apollo would be present at the battle? Would Aries choose to protect him over her duty?

Apollo thought of Albus' final words. They still haunted him. Friends. Would Apollo have a lot of them? He had not looked for his own future beyond his death date. Perhaps it was time he did. Perhaps it was time he discovered for sure whether Albus Potter was right or not. He closed his eyes and looked forth. He saw so many things. People he knew and people he did not know. He saw a future. He saw the entire Hogwarts Guard, minus some members who probably died or would die, sitting in a large sitting room. They were adults, all of them, with kids. He was there too, with his own wife and kids and sporting a staff like his father used to. Apollo could see them all, clearly and without a doubt, them. That was not all.

Apollo was standing on a perch, addressing the Great Hall. He was sitting on the high table… he was Headmaster. Addressing the Great Hall on his behalf was someone else, an assistant he would most probably hire. Good. Apollo did not much like speaking. His vision changed and he saw himself taking students across the grounds at night, showing the stars, teaching Divination in the North Tower. And finally, he saw himself slightly older- looking slightly older- burying his wife. He never got a good look at her. Would she be beautiful? Would Apollo love her to the extent losing her would hurt? Or would he be well prepared by the time the day came? He saw himself again, sitting in a graveyard, facing gravestones. Kimbles. They all had the Kimble name, his sister, his kids and grandkids, his wife… he did not catch the first name but he saw the last name Shafiq. A Pure-blood family name. He did not much care about blood purity.

Finally, the vision changed. He was finally old. Very old. Apollo knew the exact age he would be, the day, the month, even the time. He was sleeping, he would not realize it but there were people beside him, probably the 'friends' the late Albus Potter talked about. He would definitely be dead by then. But there were others. His old students, his great grand children, maybe his great-great grandchildren. There were others too. People in their hundreds, nineties, even fifties, some in their forties… and he watched as he himself would expire his last breath and die. He smiled again. He would die in his sleep, with the knowledge that people were around him, holding his hand. Was that a worthy future? Or was he better off dying early?

Funny. Apollo stood as the Prince of the Crossroads and yet, he too had a path to walk. He too had to choose which path he would take. He could make sure his magic was used against the Reservation and die, or stay behind. If he died, he would die and he would die with a smile on his face. Let the world see, for the first and final time, a true genuine smile on his face. He sighed sadly.

"Are you awake?" Firenze asked quietly.

"I am," Apollo muttered.

"The day we hold a human on our backs"-

"The planets have always been with the foals," another Centaur said. "It is for the best. We will argue our moral codes later."

"The war," Apollo said. "It's decided now. The War of Existence ends with this battle."

The large group of Centaurs stopped. Firenze turned his head to look at the boy on his back, "Do we stop? Do we turn back?"

"No," Apollo said immediately without thought. "Go faster."

Hogsmeade…

"So, that is why he left," Albus said.

Albus had explained to the Guard where Scorpius had gone. His departure had put a real damper on their spirits. They had gathered on the hilltop with the Shrieking Shack's rubble. Scorpius' final gift were the Manor's dark objects that were kept in glass cases. He helped to set them up and left just fifteen minutes before their time was up. Albus watched as he and Astoria made a last Portkey and left it in the Room of Requirement. They were gone. Perhaps it was for the best. Scorpius would live and so would Libra. That was most important, protecting the life of a child, a baby, from the devastating war.

The Dark objects promised to be of help. They had major effects on those it did not recognize, in this case the invaders. Incommodo and Dubium. Albus did not know what they would do and he did not dare ask. Dark Magic was going to be used now, he knew Seth was practicing on his own dark spells, perhaps the darkest he knew. Even Proxima set Curses at the very entrance to the grounds, curses on the doorways, curses all over the grounds even. The efforts had gotten very drastic. Even then, Albus was not sure if they would win.

Albus had taken the keys everyone had, Alexis made sure to count them all and even performed Charms to see if anyone was hiding any duplicate. Then, Seth had destroyed them all in hopes of stopping the Reservation completely from finding the hideout or network. Proxima on the other hand was sitting with her arms folded.

"Insolent coward," Proxima muttered.

"He did the same thing you'd do," Simon told her quietly.

"My brother is here and he's weak," Proxima sniped. "Do you see me fleeing? I'm staying because if we lose, he's dead and so am I."

"No, you stayed for another reason," Simon told her. "You're Pure-blood. You can take their side right now, Alpha could decide to take his father's side and you could both live. You're staying for another reason you can't be stuffed to admit to me."

"Oh?" Proxima asked dubiously. "Like what?"

"Don't ask me to answer to your own mind," Simon scoffed. "You just like shutting yourself off and you're gonna die shutting yourself off."

"If we win this," Proxima vowed. "I'm fighting Scorpius for his Manor. He's betrayed me for the last time."

"Proxy"-

"Can we- can we focus on more important things?" Fauna asked Proxima with a shocked look. "You might not be alive to do anything like that. And if you are, be grateful your newest cousin is alive!" The rumbling went on again, continuously and ominously. The grounds went silent. Alexis whipped her quill out and began writing intensely. She was writing what looked like a list.

Mors Incommodo orders Arenal into battle when Hogsmeade is attacked.

Mors Incommodo orders the Arsenal to focus fire on the Reservation.

Mors Incommodo focuses solely on Putus Dubium until he meets Aries.

Mors Incommodo orders Arsenal to leave Aries to him once he fights her.

Mors Incommodo touches the Orb upon receiving it.

Hogwarts…

Maria clambered into the Room of Requirement, now a tiny cupboard of a room. She took a deep breath, finally out of the Guard's way. Now to meet Incommodo once more. She kept the Orb covered and inside her robes, now neutral. The battle was due to start very soon now, but she had to talk to the Minister first. To his Foulest Lord Herpo. She opened the door and stepped out. Waiting for her in the corridor was Hannigan Guill. Hannigan had once acted as Harry's warden, now she was standing waiting for Maria to arrive. She stopped.

"Come with me, Prince," she said ominously.

Maria obliged and tagged along, "So… how's the school now?"

"I believe Herpo will tell you," Hannigan said shortly. "However, it has certainly seen far worse days. The students fall into line one by one. We've had to carry five executions out for not obeying rules."

"I- I mean, we- you don't feel the need to abide by the agreement with the rebels?" she asked casually.

Hannigan looked at her suspiciously. "We do. However, this is an agreement the Arsenal made with them. Herpo never got into this, so Herpo does as he desires. He's waiting for you," she pointed to the door leading to the Astronomy tower. "Just so you know, you will not come down alive. He has many questions for you and failure to abide means certain death."

Maria gulped as she ascended the stairs. She really did feel like she was rising to meet her own end. What did she do wrong, though? Was he just not taking any chances anymore? Did he not need her at all? She began to regret coming just when she opened the door. She meant to bow down but she felt all air leave her body as she rose up, strangled, and bound against the wall. Incommodo was standing there, looking more terrifying than ever, and outside was his Scepter seemingly performing the magic. He walked forth, eyes maddeningly wide. He stood below her but she could barely see him, "I wait, I be patient, and yet you take too long! I trust but you betray! Where is my Orb, Prince?"

Maria struggled for breath, motioning frantically to her robes, trying to get him to understand, desperate to save herself by any means necessary. She didn't want to die. Incommodo let her go and she fell to the floor, gasping for air desperately. She felt like her lungs would just give in any second if she didn't breathe. Finally, she moved into kneeling position, trying desperately to show loyalty. "I- I have it. I'm ready, I just had to keep my cover a little whil"-

"Crucio!"

Maria screamed as the curse hit, it was painful, more painful than it usually was. She begged, she screamed, but her words were a garbled mess under her noises, she was certain her body would have visible cuts when it was over. She tried to catch his eyes, to beg him to stop but she couldn't. He held her under the curse for a while, it felt like hours but it must have only been a minute. Finally, he released her and she sobbed feebly into a corner. She thought of Mark. She thought of Seth too. She never got to confess her feelings for him. Not that he'd reciprocate. She was probably living a lie anyway. Finally, she looked up.

"Why didn't you tell Lex about my Rune, they nearly killed Potter and ended me," he growled.

"Apologies," she muttered. "I- we- I didn't know he was meant to know. I thought that was a plan between us. Exposing a weakness might've fostered discontent and a temptation to kill you. I- I didn't know you wanted him to know. My, Lord… the Guard…"

"I want to know everything," Incommodo demanded. "Everything about the rebels, the students who defied me, everything. Leave anything out and you'll be killed a very painful death. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I do," she muttered, rising briefly to be in sitting position. He was asking for exactly what he hoped he would. This would allow her to save herself with both sides, just in case one turned out to lose.

Then, Incommodo took his scepter and held it before her, the orb on top a dim yellow. "This orb will stay before your eyes, you will look into it. If anything you say is a lie, you will die. So… out with it."

"The rebellion is called the Hogwarts Guard," she said honestly, staring fearfully at the Orb. "They were founded a couple of years ago but I wasn't there. They disbanded now under- under my influence, so I can talk freely. Their leader was Albus Potter, he is still alive somehow, he was kept alive, I saved him for you. So you won't die from him, because you share the Rune."

"And does anybody know of it?"

"No, they don't, except his girlfriend, Alexis Ackerly, Heir of Ravenclaw," she said quickly. "He meant to kill himself to get to you but I stopped it, I told her to check his forearm and she did and Seth refused to kill him because I asked him not to and Ackerly… stopped him. That was the original plan, you see. So, I saved you. You can now take him hostage and keep him away while we do battle."

"It is far too late for that," Incommodo growled. "Potter will be against the Reservation, they will kill him and unwittingly destroy me. You claim loyalty, yet you failed to hand me Potter with you."

"I can't take a seventh year," she said honestly. "But- I can take my own Relic. I sacrificed a pure soul to it and took it out. A child is dead but the Orb is neutral now. It's- it's yours. And it'll allow you to save yourself, to resist Potter's death and live. I- I have that with me. So, Potter can die, just as you want and you can rule. It all comes back the way you wanted it to. Just- trust me."

She kept her eyes down, not daring to meet those yellow eyes piercing through her. "Look at me, Prince. Into my eyes." Maria looked into his eyes, trying to resist the urge the faint. "Very well, you'll be remaining in the castle where I can see you. In the meantime, hand me the Orb."

Maria did as told. She took out of her robes the Orb and set it on a table. Incommodo stared hungrily, almost disbelievingly, like he seriously expected Maria to have another reason to not hand it to him. He stared at it and she tapped her wand on it, making it glow slowly, making it safe for Incommodo to place his hand on. She took a deep breath. "This is going to do you a favor," she said slowly as she began the process once again.

Incommodo lost the reddish tint in his eyes, changed to full yellow, and slowly saw his physical appearance change to something more like Ink, just with that small white beard that Herpo had. The Voldemort part of his soul moved into the Orb slowly. She sighed in relief, "The soul resets itself when it enters the Orb, but you still have a connection to it, to what was connected to it before it was sent into it, it's what tethers it to life." The only problem was, Maria was not completely sure whether the soul was reset to be part of Albus like it originally was, or as Incommodo like it was before it went inside. She had an idea but she wasn't about to share that with Incommodo.

Just then, a loud bang sounded from the distance. Incommodo looked up, now looking more like himself. The battle had begun.

Hogsmeade…

"Ready?" Aries asked everyone as her Amulet glowed very feebly.

They all shook their heads but nonetheless got up. Fauna wielded her wand with the sword in a hilt, shrunken until withdrawn, in her pocket. Seth held the staff and Fora wore the cloak around her back. All Relics were ready. He took a deep breath, staring in utmost terror. He feared death and there he was, facing it.

"It's alright," Alex said. "We'll get through this."

"We might not," Eric muttered.

"Then we'll die… but we die together," Alex sighed. "I'm ready. I'm ready for death. I've had to psyche myself up for this for weeks. So, note here: Mark Wallader, Alex Wallaby and Eric Wallaby died here, Hogsmeade village, April 2024. Just… try our best. Mark's strong, we all are, we can do this."

Mark had tears in his eyes as he had Alex and Eric hugging him, supporting him. If Mark died, Albus reflected, at least he had his cousins by him once more. The blonde looked at his stick leg and sighed, "I can't go my fullest with this damned leg."

"Hmm… Oh, yeah…" Aries bent down and hurriedly used a permanent ink quill to draw two Runes on Mark's stump. The Rune of Need and the Rune of Man. Then, she performed a bit of magic Albus had to admire, "Creatio Naudiz Mannaz Crus!"

The spell looked complex but the stick fell off as a new leg grew in its place. Mark stared at it and stared at Aries as if saying now you do this? But Aries shook her head, "It's a Rune Spell and unhealthy to use too much. It's temporary. Once you erase the Rune, it's gone. Just… try your best out there. I won't be around to protect you this time."

"I don't need protection," Mark sighed, getting up and standing on his two feet, getting used to them again. "I'm Mark Wallader, I can murder Dubium fifty times over if I want."

"That's the Mark we know and love," Albus said, walking up from beside Alex.

"And Riley just messaged me," Nate said quietly. "He's on his way with a clan. Should be here in an hour or two. Then maybe we'll have better luck."

"Oh, well lucky we have you then," Cherry shook her head. "I've been quite worried about how we would beat him."

"I'm staying in too," Alexis said honestly. "Gotta watch from afar and write if I have to."

Mark shook his head, "Personally, I just want"- a loud bang went off, making them jump. The side of the inn was blown open. Screams were sounding and the Guard ran outside. Some kids rushed upstairs to do their part from inside while Aries withdrew her wand and rushed outside to fight the Reservation once more, for a final time. They had come. Proxima raced to the countryside though, and imagining what she was worried about, thinking of Scorpius, he followed. And who would've thought it, standing at the front of a now revealed bungalow was Rojer Selwyn. Proxima's eyes broke, staring furiously. Yet another thing Rojer was responsible for. Of course Rojer managed to break the protections. He had the Goblins with him. And they were the first wave. And he- he had found their sanctuary.

The Malfoy Manor…

Scorpius, Melvin, Morpheus, Alpha, and Astoria, along with the baby Libra, took the journey to the Room of Requirement. Some seemed to have gotten lost in that journey. Scorpius couldn't find Alpha once they crowded the bungalow. Once they got to the Malfoy Manor, Melvin was fretting over Morpheus' disappearance. It was clear where they went. Scorpius took a look at his mother and sister. Melvin stayed too. Ultimately, Scorpius knew where he belonged, and it was not guarding his sister. It was fighting alongside his friend, and even his cousin. His mother would live, his mother- would tell his sister of her brother's heroism when he was dead.

"Don't worry," Melvin grumbled lowly. "I'll- I'll look after them. Do what you think is right, and bring my brother back."

As Scorpius left from the bungalow, a new arrival came in. Rojer had finally found his way in. The Greengrass home, the one place in that pathetic network the Reservation discovered that he had access too. A Goblin had stolen some keys from a dead student and it gave him a lot of interest. This was the network. He would find the DA after this and murder them all. Whoever won the war, he would give untold information on the final group available to die. All rebellion would be crushed. He always had access, it was his home with Daphne when they were married. He watched his nephew leave before raising his shield-breaking object. All protections collapsed, everything around the bungalow, the village, anywhere around it, were gone.

He heard the ensuing bang and allowed himself out, only to meet his daughter's eyes, her shocked, broken eyes. Where was his son? Was he not with- oh… he was hidden. She was here guarding it… very well, Rojer would proceed to get to him where he was hidden, in that little sanctuary they kept for themselves. He cast some dark curses on the bungalow to repel his daughter and proceeded through the portrait itself…

Hogsmeade…

Another bang sounded and the protections from Hogwarts went down. Before anyone could think of rushing in there, the Arsenal rushed out in droves, hordes of Arsenal members Apparating in there in the hundreds, blocking the way there and firing at everyone and everything who was not wearing their robes. Jets of green light were illuminating the scene, striking down everyone in front of them.

Just then, Kabe, Alpha, Morpheus and Alexander rushed from upstairs. "They're here. Goblins. I dunno how, but Rojer handed them a sort of object. A shield-breaker. Hogsmeade is open to fire." Alexis got up as Lucy took her side. "The cellar. Let them pass, we'll come out later. They're after us."

"What're you doing here?" Alexis demanded of Alpha. "You're supposed to be in your home!"

Alpha folded his arms, "No way I was staying out of this one!" Before Alexis could stop him, he joined his sister outside.

"We can get outside from there," Kabe said. "Fora dug a passageway out from the cellar."

"Al, let's go!" Lily yelled as Hugo rushed outside, wand high, rushing into battle for the village as he did for the Manor two years ago. Feeling a sense of déjà vu, Albus followed, hoping Alexis would be ok.

The fight was intense upon entering it. The ship was in the air, blasting the houses and inns and shops down. Those who were left, perhaps from Zonko's had fired every last firework at the ship, and even purposely left trick wands on the ground, hoping someone would pick them up. Others were running through with spells glances useless off their chests and even their foreheads, obviously protected by Lancet's armor.

The battle was enormous and truly did mean much more than Albus could have thought. The village was not just a battle zone, it was being destroyed. The ship was still in the air, attacking the protections on Hogwarts now, fighting their way through and succeeding. If he did already, then it was not working, the ship was still invulnerable. It was pounding the Three Broomsticks but Aries' defensive charms were holding up. No spell worked within the dome. Alexis was safe there. For now…

"Stupefy!" Albus yelled at the first Reservation member they saw. The spell was parried easily and Lily had to flick her wand for the bogeys to turn on him, bypassing the shield. Albus charmed them to be enflamed while Fauna transfigured the small pebbles and pieces of stone that once made up the street into spiders that scuttled up the nearest Reservation members.

As dictated by the Eagle's Quill, Incommodo was indeed fighting Dubium himself with his Scepter but the man was putting a ferocious fight up. Neither seemed able to land a significant hit on the other. The white-robed men and women were all over the place. Some men, some women and some were even teenagers, some as young as Melvin or Alpha. Standing around the village in a ring of death were Inferi. These were not mgical though, just regular Inferi and therefore, much less of a threat. That still made them dangerous though. Hugo and Lily split up and dove to either side from them and Albus used Terra Dimoveo to move the earth underneath them before casting an incendiary curse.

Albus backed away just as an Eagle swooped down on them and plucked one off with her talons. The others started trying to grab Alexis, to tear her apart, but she soared too high up before dropping the Inferi down. The distraction allowed Hugo to cast, "Expulso!"

They flew in separate directions, giving them a chance to push past them and into the fray itself. Alexis flew back inside and transformed back. Just as Alexis disappeared back into the inn, a wave of cold took over. Looking up through the darkness, he saw Dementors. Hundreds of them- no, thousands of them- soaring in. Albus raised his wand, feeling weak already. He was not sure he could take too many but he raised his wand still, summoning up not a memory but a hopeful future. A future with Alexis, her brother even, and their kids. He yelled, "Expecto Patronum!"

Albus yelled in unison with one other. As his crow burst out of his wand, a silvery spider monkey leapt on the Dementors too. Who had a monkey? The answer to this question made itself known when some Dementors actually disappeared into black dust and vanished. Simon rushed in, whooping, egging his monkey on, "Get them! Get them! Haha!"

Proxima came in beside him, looking in interest as the Dementors had fled back up and into the sky, perhaps to descend at a later time. "Nice Patronus," she commented. "When did you learn that?"

"Are you kidding, I reek of happy memories!" Simon sniggered.

"Watch it!" Proxima yelled as Albus, Hugo and Lily ran off. Proxima barely pulled Simon down from a jet of green light. "Well, your happy memories aren't gonna save you now!" Proxima unleashed what looked like Fiendfyre but it was a very small amount. As good as she was, she did not seem able to cast any more than that. It quickly got rid of whatever Inferi were around as a howl screeched through the evening, making everyone's hairs stand on end.Simon looked as Proxima dragged him away, "Does-does that count as a kill, killing a dead person?"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, come on!" Proxima yelled.

A jet of light made Albus have to duck and Lily pulled Hugo down from a jet of green light intended for him. Impedimenta!

A spell burst from Albus' wand but the woman in white was unaffected. Hugo rushed up beside him, "Expelliarmus!"

Parried. Albus had to throw up a shield and jump in front to protect Hugo from a vicious counter-attack. The rebound threw the woman off and Albus sighed, "Don't use that spell so much!"

"Sectumsempra!" Hugo yelled in response.

A Goblin tried absorbing the spell but the piece of metal broke and a gash appeared on his face. A jet of red light from Lily sent him down and not a moment too soon. Albus recalled the dark curse Seth had used to take Mark's leg off, "Sectum Exosso!" As hoped, a Goblin's arm went clean off. He waved his wand to move the earth underneath their feet, hoping to cause enough of an earthquake to throw them off balance. He sighed in relief but it was too soon. Just like fifth year, another horde of Goblins overran them. Lily threw herself in front of Hugo, blocking him from rushing them and casting a spell to trip some up. They were still overrun and Albus was separated from them and unable to see what had become of them.

The place looked a wreck. Even when Ridge led a group of Goblins through the Malfoy Manor or when Rojer and Incommodo led the Arsenal through Hogsmeade, the village or grounds looked nowhere near as bad as they looked now. Goblins themselves were everywhere, butchering whoever was in sight and getting even closer to Hogwarts. Their metals were shining, even in the light of the full moon as another howl pierced through the night. Albus stopped. Hugo and Lily were still near him and the gates to the Hogwarts grounds burst open and in to the grounds rushed dozens of Werewolves and taking their reigns, vampires. Werewolves were usually wild but these seemed to be being controlled either by an Imperius Curse or because the vampires had them under control. Albus actually saw Neil drop his wand and flee into the Three Broomsticks where Rojer was said to be.

Neil was not the only one to flee either. The DA backed away as one of them threw up an earthy barrier. Luna flicked her wand and it started glowing, keeping the wolves off for the time being. The Scamander twins were by her side, taking cover behind bushes that Lysander had conjured. A jet of green light illuminated the air and for a second, Albus was afraid that Lucy, who was fighting nearby, was cast down, but it turned out to be Incommodo. The Ancient Dark Lord was still fighting Dubium, unable and unwilling to allow the man a reprieve.

Their duel was ferocious, the air heating up exponentially, sometimes exploding between them, sometimes the burst of fire being charmed at the other, neither of them taking hit or scoring one in return. Both seemed either evenly matched or simply equal in terms of defense. Around Dubium, A dozen Reservation members rushed out from the Three Broomsticks itself, Rojer in the lead. Albus looked wildly but Incommodo still seemed to be keeping the fight up. Albus rushed in to the main fight to look for his father. Harry was supposed to be on the ship which the Guard was supposed to try destroying.

The Dementors invaded from the skies again. Albus raised his wand for another Patronus but he knew his alone would not be enough. There were too many of them. As the Dementors invaded, more witches and wizards fell to the despair. Still, more Patronuses joined Albus' crow. An otter, a terrier, and a stag rushed into the fray and a warthog followed. More came. A hare, a fox, a lion, a puppy, a monkey, and even a tiger. The Dementors did not flee this time but the night did get brighter. It became a fight between Dementors and Patronuses and the Reservation members gathered together in one group to face the casters. Some were unseen and the ship was gearing to expel flames.

This would decimate everyone. Everyone in the village ran but it was no use. The fire and lava would spread and take everything with it. The lava burst out and Albus knew this was the end. Then… the lava disappeared and everything changed. Even Dubium widened his eyes in shock and fury, letting out a burst of force Incommodo parried. The lava disappeared and ship was finally grounded. What Albus did not know was what has happened in the bottom ridge of the ship.

Harry Potter was prisoner and so were Ron and Hermione. "Done?" Harry asked calmly.

"Almost," Hermione muttered.

"Take your time," Ron said casually. "It's not like we're, you know, in a war zone or anything."

"Ron, for the love of Merlin, keep your voice down," Hermione hissed.

The world thought they turned but the truth was Harry was captured. For the second time, Harry arranged his own capture but this time, his best friends were with him. He took it rather calmly for this time, he had the means of escape from the very beginning. It was just taking a while.

"When a micro-artifact is implanted for so long, it tends to take a while," Hermione said. "But we'll be free eventually."

"So, remind me while we're waiting this battle out, what do they do?"

"You know full well what they do, Ron," Hermione sighed.

Hermione had indeed explained too many times. All three had a small magical artifact implanted in their palms. Upon usage, it would disintegrate but it was very useful and it would let them go. Finally, after what felt like hours, Hermione went free. She blew out a sigh and picked up their wands from a table not too far from their prison. "Alohomora!"

"That spell never gets old, does it?" Ron asked as he was let free.

Harry picked his own wand up and sighed. "Alright. You feel that?"

"Dementors," Hermione agreed.

"Alright, the Patronuses will be our debut," Harry said. "Ready… Expecto Patronum!"

A stag, a terrier and an otter burst out of their wands and led them out. They rushed through the ship, Harry and Hermione casting down whoever they could in their way. Thankfully, there were not a lot but the ship was attacking the inn. It was the only force capable of destroying it despite Aries' charms. "Maybe we can't destroy the ship but we sure as hell will disarm it."

"Disarm this thing?" Ron exclaimed as Hermione tied a Reservation member up and threw him against the wall.

"Disarming is my specialty," Harry smirked ad he turned his wad to the nearest Reservation member whose back was turned. "Imperio!"

"Bad boy," Ron smirked.

"Don't recall you complaining when we Imperiused a Death Eater in Gringotts," Hermione hissed.

"Disarm the ship," Harry ordered calmly. "Destroy whatever you use to make the fire work and ground it. Now!"

Some DA members and more Guard member cheered as the ship was finally grounded. Now Fora could dig them underneath and try destroying it. Dubium tried performing a spell to undo the damage but Incommodo was strong enough to keep him occupied. Smoke was beginning to fly out from both their wands and as the smokes clashed like clouds, lightning started striking. The area around them was becoming very dangerous.

It was not that easy to dig to the ship either. Just as Fora transformed into a badger, Rojer walked out calmly towards Alpha and Proxima. Alpha had fled the inn during its attack too, and Proxima was stuck with him, trying to protect him. Alpha was petrified at the sight of his father but Proxima raised her wand, "Ava"-

A spell made her need to parry it, interrupting her casting. Rojer turned to his men and women and the damaged village behind them. The deaths that needed to take place there had been done. "This will take a second. Attack the Patronus casters. Kill them all. I have unfinished family issues to deal with. Avada Kedavra!"

Proxima dove from the curse and threw her own. Jets of green light illuminated the scene between them but Rojer was not focusing on Proxima completely. He seemed to be after his son once again. A great force blasted Proxima temporarily out of the way but she raised her wand and yelled, "Propello!"

The force from her wand propelled her back towards her father just before he could do anything. A jet of green light exploded from their wands but Alpha could not tell if they collided. The two were still fighting. Proxima was being vicious too. Once again, she was blasted aside and Alpha screamed as Rojer descended on him. Rojer boxed Alpha in the ears, on the face, and sent him down mercilessly. He kicked him and used a spell to bring him upright as Proxima got up. "Turn away," he ordered calmly. "Alpha is mine and he will realize his potential. Do not stand between me or I swear, I will kill you both as blood traitors. Turn away NOW!"

Rojer threw one last spell at Proxima she did not dare parry. He made to turn with him, knowing now Proxima was rendered powerless when Lily and Hugo, all bloodied and scratched up, physically shouldered him out of the way but Rojer was still standing and he had Lily by the neck, "Crucio!"

Lily was on the floor, screaming in as much pain as Alpha could be in. Hugo pointed his wand threateningly but Rojer continued casting the curse. His eyes said enough though. One inch higher, and this girl dies.

"NO!" Alpha screamed. "STAY AWAY FROM HER!" He leaped madly as Rojer tortured Lily. "Stupefy!"

Rojer looked up in surprise as a jet of red light and Alpha's physical form came at once. A shield blocked the jet but Alpha charged him headfirst. The spells didn't end there. There seemed to be a new fighter in Alpha, Rojer looked almost pleased as he evaded Alpha's spells. "Crucio!"

While the two fought, Simon ran in from another point, Seth at his heels. They stopped, watching the fight. Alpha avoided it barely, evading Rojer's spells, and firing his own, the best one being a Stunner before Rojer fired a low spell and another high spell. Alpha leapt over the low one and blocked the high one easily before Rojer fired a whipping curse. Alpha recoiled slightly, feeling like he'd been punched in the stomach before charging him physically again. Proxima ran in too. She fired a jet of fiery red light but Rojer seized Alpha's body with a Strangulation curse- Alpha choking and losing all air- and threw it in front. Alpha took the blast, expelling blood from his mouth as it impacted him near the heart. His eyes grew wide and Rojer threw Alpha's now limp body at Proxima. "Fire your curses and eventually you'll kill your brother."

He might have thrown Proxima into a fit of rage but at that moment, someone none of them expected jumped in. The jet went astray and instead shot down an unsuspecting Reservation member. Scorpius and Rojer were fighting over the wand. Scorpius did not seem to have any cowardice left in him. They fell to the ground, struggling over the wand. Proxima stared in slight surprise but she felt her brother. His body was weakening. Lily was there too now, her wand out, attempting her best healing spells. Simon came next, wand also out.

"You did brilliantly," Proxima muttered to Alpha.

"You're gonna be ok," Lily told him insistently. "Alright, just breathe."

"Don't bother," Alpha muttered. He certainly talked like it was hopeless. "Lily… p-please"-

"Breathe, Alpha, breathe," Proxima told him desperately. "Don't let father win over you. Alpha, Alpha"-

"Hold me," Alpha said to Lily, eyes fluttering. "I don't want to die alone, just- hold me."

Lily did, she picked him up and let his head lay in her lap as Simon tried another healing spell. "You'll be fine," he said to a weakening Alpha. "You're just gonna fall asleep right now but you'll be fine. Trust me."

Alpha didn't respond. His eyes were already shut, his head cuddled against Lily and Proxima stared, refusing to believe she was responsible for this. They couldn't tell if Alpha was dead or not, just that he'd gone very still. They watched as Rojer was floored but Scorpius was blasted out of the way. Rojer's wand was lying abandoned few feet away but Proxima got up and kicked it further away. Scorpius was still standing as Proxima kept her wand on Rojer. Both looked breathless but Proxima- Proxima looked as merciless as her father. Perhaps she hated Rojer so much because she saw a bit of him in herself when Alpha took after their calmer more heartfelt mother.

"Close your eyes, Simon," Proxima said calmly.

And without warning, Proxima started kicking the man under her. She kicked him all over, in the face, the stomach, the groin, his shins. She actually leapt on him and bit his nose viciously, not caring how terrible she was looking. She hated him. She hated him so much. And all she could yell was how much she hated him. "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!"

"PROXY"-

"THIS IS YOUR FAULT!"

"Is it now?" Rojer spat from the ground. His nose was actually torn off after Proxima's attack but he stared up hatefully. "I was mistaken. You were a better Heir. Is that what you want?"

"A better- do you think I- YOU DESTROYED MY BROTHER YOU SADISTIC"-

"I DAMN WELL DID!" Rojer screamed back. "A worthless, weak pathetic little idealist but YOU'RE the one who destroyed him now. Your brother may yet live and he will die with no ambition, no power and no legacy! He'll be"-

Proxima kicked his jaw so hard, his teeth fell out. She gazed hatefully down at him but the man kept staring. "You are much like me. As vicious as me, as ruthless as me, and as terrible as me. This is why you despise me so much, because you recognize me in yourself. And instead of embracing that side of yourself, accepting it, you chose to fight it. Do you know what happens to people who fight themselves? They die! You could have changed your brother, could have joined me in my crusade as I offered you in your first year but you turned me down in favor of him!" He pointed to Alpha. "A weakling. You make fun of weaklings! You degrade them daily and you fight me for doing the exact same thing but on a larger scale? Then you, Proxima, are a hypocrite. Are you going to kill me as I would you? Prove my point, Proxima! GO AHEAD AND DO IT!"

Scorpius and Lily were frozen, the two looking from Proxima to Rojer. Even Simon seemed split as to what he wanted done to Rojer. Proxima raised her wand.

"NO!" She yelled as Rojer reached for his wand. She stepped on him suddenly and raised her wand, "Avada Kedavra!"

It must have been Proxima's first kill. Rojer was dead, hand outstretched towards his wand, eyes wide and mouth open. Seth froze in surprise and part disappointment. No one seemed upset that Rojer had gone. Proxima, for the first time, looked a lot calmer. Like she had finally achieved her life's mission and knew she could relax. "What're you doing here? I thought you loved your sister more."

"I do… and mum is with her," Scorpius said bluntly. "I love my sister and I left her a note from her late brother. There's no way I was leaving my friends and family," he added with a look at Proxima. "People I love walking through death's door without my say so. No way!"

They all stood, staring apathetically at the body. Scorpius always feared him, Alpha feared him… but Proxima hated him. She inherited her father's hatefulness.

Scorpius was not sorry to see him go. Albus ran up from afar, seeing Scorpius arrive. "You- you"-

"Me," Scorpius smirked. "Sorry, Al. I was never going to leave you. Just make sure mum and Libra got away safely. They're in the Malfoy Manor with a Portkey to flee if they have to. I'm staying here to fight."

Albus looked tensely at Rojer's body. He had to admit, he was not particularly sorry to see him go either. Proxima killed him as easily as Seth killed Orgella, with as little care in her eyes as Seth had when he watched Soto get killed. Yet another example, Albus thought, of a family torn apart and scarred by war. Now, she was hugging Alpha tightly. He seemed alive.

"Proxy…" Simon said suddenly as she regarded a bruised and battered Simon. "I love you."

Proxima just stared, "Now, you're telling me this? In the middle of a warzone?"

"Technically, it's the end of a war," Simon said quietly. "And I want to tell you before I die."

Proxima did not seem to want to answer. She just looked at Simon with a hint of interest as Hugo and Lil shared quizzical looks, supporting Alpha. Proxima made to walk away when Simon put an arm persistently on her shoulder. Proxima turned and looked miserable. Albus could tell why. She was probably remembering all the times. Simon's jump on her from behind, his self-destructive eating of chocolate, him being bullied, cursed, tortured even and sticking up for himself. Her eyes grew watery, for the first time showing her feelings.

"Are you going to answer me before I die?"

"You're not going to die," Proxima said quietly. "Hasn't this fight taught you anything or has your self-destruction driven you so far, you've decided to get yourself killed?"

"Proxy…"

"You know I love you too," Proxima said. "You don't have to ask. You know how I feel. Now, go, and don't you dare die."

"I can't, remember?" Simon asked. "I'm self-destructive. Death is the only endpoint for me."

"No, Simon," Seth said breathlessly. He looked scratched and bruised but otherwise ok. "Death is the only endpoint for me. I've fought too hard for you. And I've done things so all I deserve is death… and nothing more or less."

Proxima gave Simon a final look before looking down at her brother again. Simon sighed as he looked down, "No, Seth. This time, I'm fighting for you. I'm not letting you go to Azkaban or dying and that's the end of it."

"Let's go, then," Seth offered. "Sierra and Sophie are with Neil. They'll need help."

"What the hell are they doing outside?" Albus demanded.

"Too many attackers inside the inn," Simon sighed. "Rojer came in from the countryside, dunno how. Attacked everyone there. We're quite lucky none of us died."

"What?" Albus exclaimed, remembering Rojer come in from the bungalow. If he knew about the Room… Albus rushed off. Seth and Simon followed at his heels, leaving Scorpius and Poxima behind.

Despite having done what she always wanted to do, she did not appear calm though. Perhaps it was Rojer's speech to her but her eyes said something different. They were blazing with hate. Scorpius intended to follow his friend when a wand touched his neck. His heart started pounding against his chest. "I got what I want. Now… I'm going to deliver justice on you." Scorpius backed against a standing wall from a destroyed dwelling. "Alpha, Hogsmeade, what happened in June, your family, even this battle now rests on you. Face it, if you hadn't stepped aside not once but three bloody times, this would never have happened. He would've never gotten in Hogwarts, never tried expelling people, even your Manor wouldn't have been attacked, no object to take down our shields here, this whole battle wouldn't be happening, if you had just done what I BEGGED! And now, I'm taking justice. Scorpius Malfoy… I'm going to kill you."