Ch 38
A/N: For those of you out there that don't like sappy parts, you may want to skip this. For those of you who do, you'll be very pleased. I know this may feel a bit rushed, but I really didn't want to rewrite what was already written, and I personally think JK did a wonderful job of writing the battle. I know I couldn't have done it justice, so please forgive me. As usual I would always like to hear your thoughts in either a review or a PM. Thanks for reading.
...
Although they were cooped up inside the house, the months seemed to fly by now that Teddy was in their lives. He added happiness to the house that nothing else could have. The simple sound of the infant's giggle seemed to dissipate the tension that hung in the atmosphere.
Outside, they all knew things were about to change. Harry and his friends had reportedly broken into Gringotts just the night before. According to Potterwatch the teens had escaped on a dragon, but most people didn't believe this to be true. Potterwatch was supposed to air that night, and Remus had been asked to join them on the air waves once again, but he declined stating that there was nothing new for him to report.
They were all in the sitting room as the program began. Remus, being part of the Potterwatch crew, easily gave the password and tapped the radio with his wand. The machine came to life and Lee's voice permeated the silence of the room. Taking a seat next to Tonks who was holding Teddy, Remus listened to the radio with rapt attention. Andromeda sat doing a bit of needlework, a muggle hobby she'd picked up from Ted's mother, while Victoria sat with Regina comfortably curled up on her lap. The gentle stroking motions nearly put her to sleep as she listened.
Suddenly a different voice broke through on the radio. Kingsley's deep voice rang through the room making everyone take notice, "Attention Order members, Lightning has struck. I repeat Lightning has struck. Please report to the Swine's Skull immediately."
Victoria and Remus were already on their feet. They shared a look of determination mixed with fear and nodded. Tonks stood handing Teddy off to Andromeda, "Mum, take care of Teddy…"
Remus put a hand on her shoulder stopping her, "No, you must say here."
"Remus, you can't ask me to…" Tonks fixed him with a pleading look.
"I must. You and Teddy mean the world to me. I cannot lose either of you." He said softly stroking her cheek.
"And you mean the world to me. That's why I have to go. You will need as many people as you can get," she retorted quickly.
"Dora, please. I cannot let you come. Trust me." He pleaded.
Tonks hung her head, knowing he'd won, "Alright, but please take care of yourself."
He nodded giving her a tight embrace and then backing away. She then turned to Victoria, "Vicky, be careful please."
Victoria laughed returning Tonks's strong hug, "I'm an Auror, where's the challenge?"
Tonks released her, "I mean it. You're family now too."
"Thanks Tonks. You take care of that little one." Victoria said tousling Teddy's aquamarine tresses. "Come on Remus," she said after a moment, "it's time."
He nodded, giving Tonks a parting kiss, he and Victoria disapparated.
…
Not long after, Victoria found herself in the front of the Great Hall with the other Order members and staff. All the while Minerva was talking about their evacuation plans she paid no attention, but looked around frantically for the one face she'd been longing to see. A girl from the Slytherin table seemed to echo her thoughts as she stood to ask, "Where is Professor Snape?"
She was unable to see Minerva's face from her position, but listened intently as she replied, "He has, to use the common phrase, done a bunk."
Although Victoria didn't completely understand the phrase, she got the gist of it. Unable to listen to anything else Minerva said, as terror gripped her chest thinking of where Severus could be.
Suddenly Minerva's voice was cut off by another. A cold, clear, hiss reverberated through the room, resonating, it seemed, from inside the walls themselves. "I know that you are preparing to fight." Shivers ran through her body as seemed to be the same for others. Screams were heard from students throughout the hall as they clutched to one another. "Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood. Give me Harry Potter," said Voldemort's voice, "and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight."
After a moments silence, a Slytherin girl Victoria had seen, but didn't know the name of shouted, "But he's there! Potter's there! Someone grab him!"
Before anyone could utter another word, the rest of the students in the Hall seemed to move at once. The Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws moved in front of Harry, blocking him from the Slytherin's grasp.
"Thank you, Miss Parkinson," said Minerva in a clipped voice. "You will leave the Hall first with Mr. Filch. If the rest of your House could follow."
Slowly the Hall emptied, leaving the Slytherin table completely empty. Some of the older Ravenclaws stayed behind, as well as most of the Hufflepuffs. Half of the Gryffindor table tried to stay behind, but the underage were quickly escorted out.
On the staff platform Kingsley had risen and began to speak, "We've only got half an hour until midnight, so we need to act fast!" he said addressing everyone still in attendance, "A battle plan has been agreed between the teachers of Hogwarts and the Order of the Phoenix. Professors Flitwick, Sprout, and McGonagall are going to take groups of fighters up to the three highest towers – Ravenclaw, Astronomy, and Gryffindor – where they'll have a good overview, excellent positions from which to work spells. Meanwhile Remus, Arthur, I will take groups into the grounds. We'll need somebody to organize defense of the entrances of the passageways into the school –"
"Sounds like a job for us," called Fred, indicating himself and George.
Kingsley nodded his approval, "All right, leaders up here and we'll divide up the troops!"
"Potter," said Minerva, hurrying up to him, as students flooded the platform, jostling for position, receiving instructions, "Aren't you supposed to be looking for something?"
"What? Oh," said Harry, "oh yeah!"
"Then go, Potter, go," she said ushering him out as Victoria stepped up to her.
"Minerva, where is Severus?" she asked frantically, while still trying to keep her voice low.
Minerva looked around the crowd, making sure no one was listening in, "We had a duel, but it was merely a diversion. He should be on his way to the Forest. If you hurry you may still be able to catch him."
"Thank you," Victoria said hastily.
"Victoria," Minerva called out quickly, her voice quavering slightly.
"Yes," she said spinning around.
Minerva hurried over to her, enveloping her in a tight hug, "Do be careful."
Victoria returned the hug, "You too."
Releasing her hold on her Minerva gave a small smile and watched as Victoria sprinted out the door.
…
As Victoria made her way to the grounds what sounded like an explosion echoed around her. Within seconds thousands of Death Eaters were upon them. Spells rippled through the air, some nearly missing her as she continued to sprint her way across the bridge towards the forest.
One spell suddenly caught her in the side, causing her to crumble to the ground. Pulling herself up, she saw the familiar square jaw and short dirty blonde hair of Caden. He smirked, "So we meet again."
"Not for long," she growled sending out a spell his way.
He tried to block, but missed by a second, the spell hitting him full force in the chest and knocking him back a few feet. He growled and threw out another at her, which missed by mere centimeters. She sent out three more in quick succession, knocking him off of his feet. "You never were any good at dueling," she taunted.
"I nearly won both times we fought," he retorted hotly, sending out another stream of spells at her.
"Nearly isn't good enough," she said easily blocking his spells.
He growled once more, "I'll show you not good enough!" he shouted running full force at her.
She hit him with another spell, knocking him back once again. He was now on the edge of the bridge, his footing slipping on the smooth stone. "Victoria," he screamed in terror as his foot slid out from under him.
She ran at him. Although she knew he had gone to the other side, she couldn't help but try to save the young man she'd known. He had been her friend after all. She thrust her hand out, but his fingertips merely brushed hers as he fell. She could do nothing but watch in horror as he fell through the air, falling out of sight in the darkness.
Turning away from the sight with a tear in her eye, she knew there was nothing else she could do.
A moment later, through the chaos, she spotted the one person she'd been looking for, with another she was loath to see. Victoria watched in horror as Lucius led Severus to the shrieking shack. She knew without a shadow of a doubt that nothing good could possibly come from being with Malfoy. She didn't even think for a moment, automatically she felt herself shrink down into her Animagus. She felt more than blessed that she became an animal that could run much faster than her human form. Instead of following them to the whomping willow, she chose to go around to the front of the building. Although it was true that in human form there was no way that anyone could possibly enter the building from the front, as she'd learned from previous experience, an Animagus could get through the simple shielding charms, and she found a crack large enough to easily slip through in her smaller form.
As she entered she could hear two distinct voices, one was Lord Voldemort, and the other was Severus, her blood ran cold hearing the two speak. She crept up silently to the doorway of the small room they were in. She could see Severus backed up against one of the walls, his eyes darted between Voldemort, who was pacing very slowly across the dust covered floor making it creak and groan with every step, and the snake Nagini in what looked like a great swirling silvery bubble. Although she should have been worried that Voldemort would see her, or that Nagini would somehow escape her bubble, none of that worried her right now, all she could see was the terrified look in Severus's eyes.
Without warning or at least it seemed to her, Voldemort had pulled Nagini's cage to him, encasing Severus's head. She watched in horror as she saw the snake close its jaws viciously around Severus's neck. Three bites later Severus started to loose color, blood gushing from his neck, and she could hear a sickening choking sound come from deep in his throat. Voldemort then let Nagini from her cage and she fell off of Severus. For a split second she was worried that either he or the snake had seen her and would come after her as well. Much to her relief she watched both Voldemort and the snake as they turned into a black mist and evaporated from the shack. She was about to turn herself back into her human form, when she heard more voices come from the other side.
Harry, Hermione, and Ron stepped into the room. Hermione and Ron stared at the man transfixed by the scene. Harry immediately went to Severus, putting his hand over the wound trying to stem the blood that was streaming down and staining his robes. Severus finally spoke, his voice coming out in a gurgle, "Take it."
Harry called to Hermione, grabbing a flask as she took it out of her bag. Victoria could now see what he was doing, there were silvery-blue strands coming out of his eyes, his ears, almost anywhere that they could slip out of on his face. Harry took everything that he could get, and then stood his face a strange combination of hatred and sympathy.
Severus spoke again, this time his voice barely coming out, "Go… now."
Harry stepped over to the entrance, crouching down to enter the tunnel again and looked back at Severus. Sadness filled his eyes as he entered the tunnel and left the older man alone.
Victoria didn't wait this time; she knew that he wasn't holding on by much. As she ran into the room she thought it looked so much worse than it had from her hiding spot. His eyes were closed, his head lolling back on the wall he'd slumped against. His robes were drenched and blood continued to pour from his wound. Her heart broke seeing him. She prayed to anyone who would listen that he wouldn't die before she could help him. He opened his eyes, the hint of a smile crossed his lips and his eyes filled with warmth of recognition upon seeing the small black and white cat. She immediately changed back into her human form and pulled her wand out. She whispered a few spells, her voice cracking and tears forming in her eyes. The blood started to slow and finally stop as the wound healed itself in front of her eyes. Taking a few raspy breaths, he looked up at her, his eyes glowing with something she'd never seen in them before. He reached out his hand, but she grasped it and brought it back to sit in his lap, whispering, "Please, lay still. You're very weak. Here, drink this," she said tipping, a small vial holding crimson liquid, up to his lips.
He made a face as it burned a trail down his throat, his breath returning to normal. "What was that?" He finally managed to choke out, his voice now more recognizable.
She smiled; it was like him to ask a question like that when she'd just saved his life, "A concoction of my own. When we found out that Harry would have to take down Nagini I wanted to be prepared."
Severus leaned back against the wall again, still exhausted. Looking up at her he reached his hand out to her again. This time she let him cup her cheek, his thumb stroking it gently. "There was a moment there when, as cliché as it may sound; I saw my life flash before my eyes. I realized that I have wasted considerable time my dear." Her throat seemed to close as she heard the endearment come from his lips. He continued, "You are the only part of my life that matters."
Tears trailed down her cheeks hearing this, words were lost to her. He wiped the tears from her face and pulled her into an embrace. Her voice came out in a choked whisper, "I thought I lost you."
"Because of you, I am here."
"I don't know what I would've done without you." She averted her gaze, embarrassed at hearing the words come from her own mouth.
He put his hand under her chin, lifting it back up to look in his eyes, "Nor I you." He leaned into her, capturing her lips in a tentative kiss. She returned it with everything she had, pouring out the emotions she'd had locked up for years in that one kiss. As she opened her eyes he whispered the three words she'd been longing to hear, "I love you."
"I love you too." She answered feeling a rush of happiness fill her and pressing her lips to his once more, loosing herself in the kiss.
Reality crashed down on her again as her hand landed on his robes. Feeling the cold, wet, stickiness she backed away from him. "Severus, we need to get you to the hospital wing. I can only help so much. Poppy knows far more than I do."
He nodded, knowing that she was right, but not wishing to break the wonderful spell that had seemed to form around them. He kissed her once more then stood to follow her out of the small room.