While Draco lay on the floor, trying to rub some life back into his legs, Hermione took the time to stab a fang into the horcrux Harry had fetched. A faint crying filled the room and then died away.

'Just the snake now.'

'Yeah, great. We going somewhere now?'

'No. I ran into Snape on the way down. He was heading with sluggers and Flitters to arrest the two new teachers. They're Death Eaters apparently.

'No loss there then. But why aren't we going?'

'The moment you-know-who finds out we were here and Snape helped us he's going to come here. Why do you think Snape ordered McGonagall to evacuate the castle? You-know-who is going to come here and he's going to attack. He'll probably bring his army with him. That means his snake wil be coming too. We can finish them both off at the same time. Anyway, Snape said he wanted a word with us after we'd destroyed this. Something about Dumbledore's last message.'

'Right. Where does he want to meet us? And does it have comfy chairs?'

'The headmasters office and yes. You coming then?'

'At the moment, I'd do anything for a sit down in a comfy chair. I might not get back up again, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Any chance of a hand up?'

Harry stuck out his hand to Draco.

'Thanks. Look. I know this seems rubbish, but you know how high that pipe is. You try shuffling yourself and Hermione up it. With my weight, that's not easy.'

'Yeah, if you say so. I still reckon you're playing it for sympathy.'

'Bloody cheek.'

'Think you can walk?'

'Stiffly.'

Harry lead the way, with Hermione in the middle and Draco shuffling along at the back, all the way up to the Headmaster's study. The gargoyle seemed to know about the meeting and opened up to let them pass. Slowly, very slowly in Draco's case, they climbed the stairs to the study. Snape stood within, his long flowing robes imparting a sense of drama to the occasion.

'You've done it?'

'Every one apart from his snake, Sir.'

'Since when have you called me sir, Potter?'

'Since earlier, Sir.'

'Well, it appears that you aren't quite a carbon copy of your father after all.'

'I don't know what to say to that, Sir.'

'Then don't. Minerva's evacuating the Great Hall and I'm calling in all the favours I can to get as much help within these walls a possible, because he's coming, Potter. He's coming. I need to know what you intend to do, though.'

'I was planning to stay. It'll come to a fight, so I might be able to get his snake in the process, and if someone gets him, then it'll be checkmate.'

'Very well. If you would accompany me downstairs then we can. Mr Malfoy? What's wrong with you? You haven't stopped moaning and rubbing your legs since you got here.' Snape said, suddenly sidetracked.

'They're aching more than a bit after climbing out of the Chamber of Secret, so if you don't mind, I'll complain all I like.'

'Here. Let's see. Yes' Snape said, walking over to a cabinet in one corner of the office.

'Here we go- basic restorative draught. Take one now and stop moaning as soon as possible.'

'Thank you.' Draco said after he had drunk the potion. Already it seemed as if all the pains in his legs were fading faintly away.

'It'll shut you up. And if it does come to a fight, you'll want your legs in working order. Come on then.' The three followed Snape down the stairs and down yet more to the back of the Great Hall.

'Right. I'm going to announce that I've got a little surprise, then I want you to walk in.'

'Why don't we just come in with you?'

'Because a certain hint of the dramatic will be a better boost to morale. We're going to need it. Even with the magic of Hogwarts, the forces stacked against us are formidable.' With that having been said, Snape turned and entered the Hall, as the door opened, the expectant babble inside the hall died away.

'I expect you've wondered why Minerva or I asked you to come, and why I evacuated the castle, with the exception of a few of you. It is because we are about to face a great and terrible enemy, who would lay us so low that we might never stand again. We all share this enemy, and it is now our job to protect this castle against him. Now, to some of you this might be something of a surprise, but I have another little surprise for you.' Snape turned and looked to the door, through which Hermione and Draco were walking. Behind them was Harry, hidden behind Draco's imposing mass, although some people were pointing at the spare pair of legs. Suddenly Draco stepped to the side, revealing Harry to the hall.

'Harry. You're back!'

'Harry!' Draco and Hermione sidled down to the floor whilst Snape briefed them all on the battle plan and Harry stood there, looking authoritative, if silent.

'I told you we would meet before the end.' Draco span round.

'Marcus Tullius, as I live and breathe. It's good to see you.'

'And you. I've spoke with Snape and volunteered to hold the back bridge. I was wondering if you would join me.'

'Of course.'

'Should I?'

'No, Miss Granger, your place is at the front. Work with Flitwick- he'll show you what to do. I think we're going to need your skill to help build the shield around the castle.'

'What shield?'

'The one Snape is just about to tell us about.'

'Oh.'

'Don't worry. I'll get him back to you alive or die trying, Miss Granger. It's been an honour.' With that the young man took Hermione's hand, bent forward and kissed it.

'That's enough of that, thank you.' Draco said firmly.

'Of course.'

'Got any special plans for holding the windy bridge then?'

'None whatsoever. I find that making it up as I go along tends to work best.'

'Really?'

'No, not at all. But to a great extent, you can't plan for this, it's just a matter of fighting them off. Hmm. Looks like that's us dismissed. Come on then. I'll pick up Tonks on the way out and we'll be off.'

'Tonks?'

'Yes, Nymphodora Tonks, but don't call her that.'

'I know. We've met before. I was wondering how you'd met.'

'Oh, we haven't, well, except in passing, you know how it is, a face to nod to, but she's a young auror and since she's only just left her withdrawal, it would seem like a good time to be a bit protective of her.'

'And you think that holding a small bridge against hordes of who know what will be a safe place?'

'Not at all. Just safer, and that'll make all the difference. After all, I hear that you're a dab hand at all this fighting malarkey.'

'Who from?'

'They. You know, the ubiquitous they. And I'll be there to, and without wishing to be too bold, I dare say that with us there, there's no safer place. Anyway, we need a demolition expert.'

'Hi Tonks.'

'Draco, come here. I'm glad you're alright.'

'Me too. So, who's the father?'

'Remus.'

'Really?'

'Yeah, I like him. A lot.'

'I know what you mean.'

'So who's the lucky girl?'

'Hmm?'

'It's obvious, Draco, you've fallen for someone. Who is it?'

'Hermione.'

'Good for you. I hope you both make it through.'

'And you and Remus likewise.'

'Thanks.'

'Come on then, that's enough of a family reunion, we need to go.'

'Alright.'

Draco and Tonks followed Marcus out of the castle the same way that Draco had entered it earlier and headed to the bridge.

'Well, we don't know who's going to be coming, but I think a nice dissolving jinx at the end of the tunnel will help. We can't do anything about anyone flying the gap really, apart from trying to burn the brooms out from under them, but that's not our job. We need to hold this bridge.'

'There's only three of us.'

'I know, there are indeed only three of us, but what does that matter when we have time and time enough to plan and lay traps for our enemies? They will come, I say let them come. They will attack, I say let them attack. They will try and kill us, I say let them try. For we will be as immovable as the earth, as hard as iron and as controllable as the sea. We are gathered here today for one purpose and one purpose only, to defeat the enemy of us, the enemy of freedom and the enemy of all magical people every who adore life and liberty. We must go on and fight here this day against the forces of darkness, the forces of a man so wicked, so callous, that I have not time to mention all his crimes, I have not time to mention his murder of all those who oppose him, be they infant or adult, or to mention the way he has summoned all evil to him, this is only to be expected, for as sure as like attracts like, and the light falls towards the heavy, so he is at the centre of the crowd of evil arraigned against us here today. Here we must stand, here we must fight for nowhere is there to go from here. We have fought him time and time again and lost, yet as we stand here we must win. There is no other choice. We stand, we fight, we will destroy his evil.'

'You know there are only two of us listening to you, right.'

'Of course. Well, time to set up our own, extra defences.'

'What's the point when they could just fly over, or come round the bridge at the front.

'The point is there are plenty of them who can't fly, either because they don't have the ability to fly without a broom or they don't have a broom. Take the giants for example, they could cross here and cause no end of trouble. We are here to force the enemy to make a frontal assault, closing of the goat path so that no enemy can circumvent us.'

'Goat path?'

'Yes, goat path. Don't worry about it; it was an allusion to another battle long ago.'

'Fine.'

Before long the defensive spells were set up and they were ready long before Snape arrived on his final inspection.

'All in order here?'

'Yes, thank you Severus.'

'You don't need more wands here?'

'No thank you. This should be enough. Everything is under control.'

'Very well. Good luck.'

'And to you.'

Snape left them, sitting there in the cold pre-dawn.

'What do you think they're waiting for?'

'Dawn, probably. It's easier to attack an enemy when you can see him, and Voldemort'll be more concerned about that than we are, he's coming from the open and doesn't have anywhere to hide.'

'Yeah. And that would probably explain all the eyes in the forest over there.' Tonks continued gloomily.

'Where. Oh, there. You've got good eyes, Tonks.'

'None better, it's one of the many advantages of being a metamorphmagus.'

'Of course. Any idea who they are?'

'Not off the top of my head.'

'Could be the werewolves, couldn't it?' Draco suggested.

'Werewolves, makes sense. You wouldn't send them in the front, they'd just get in the way of packing wands across the bridge, send them this way though. It's not nice. And those defensive barriers can only vaporise so many before they give in.'

'How many?'

'Two or three.'

'Two or three?'

'I was rather expecting proper wizards, not werewolves. Anyway, it doesn't really change the plan.'

'Which is?'

'Hold them off with wand fire. If it looks as though we're being beaten, we may have to destroy the bridge.'

'You sure?'

'Positive. That's why I asked you to come along, Tonks. I've heard it said that you can demolish pretty much anything if you want to.'

'Are you sure someone wasn't joking about my clumsiness?'

'No. Definitely not. It's just a matter of transfiguring the supports of the bridge into something softer, then blasting the anchorage on one side away.'

'Oh, simple then.'

'Some would say.'

'You two ready?'

'Absolutely.' Good, because I think they're coming.'

Draco looked up to see that indeed they were, vast hordes pouring over the gap between the forest and the bridge. They got up and displaying far more calmness than they actually felt, walked to the end of the bridge. When there, they pulled out their wands, ready to defend themselves.

'Stop there!' Marcus said to the werewolves in a booming voice. 'If you attempt to cross over this bridge there is no guarantee that you will end the trip alive.'

The leader of the werewolves stopped, and gestured six wolves forwards. They each evaporated in the barriers that they had set about the bridge. Then another six came. The first of these broke through the barriers they had set up, but hit the vast dome of protection that lay over the whole school and recoiled as if he had been burned. The leader of the werewolves stepped forward and smiled nastily at them. Then completely uncalled for and unexpected the silvery shield that lay between them collapsed under the assault of Voldemort's attacks on the far side of the castle. The werewolves charged. Draco reacted as fast as the others and they were more than fast enough, a deadly stream of magic flowed from the covered entrance to the bridge, but it had little effect on the numbers they faced. For every man killed, two more came to take his place. Slowly but surely the werewolves crept towards them, each making more progress than the last, each forcing them back over the bridge towards the castle. They were halfway across when Marcus ordered Tonks to break ranks and start destroying the bridge. The fight became harder then and Draco fought harder and harder, casting nastier and nastier spells faster and faster but that was nothing to Marcus, whose spells were sweeping along the bridge, killing several at a stroke. Still it was not enough to halt them.

'Get back.'

'No. I'm staying here with you.'

'No. Get back and cut the bridge. I'll be alright. Don't worry about me. Get back. She'll never forgive you if you don't.'

'Alright. But you come along soon. You hear?'

'Go!' Marcus yelled. Draco cast a few parting shots before turning to run to Tonks. Behind him Marcus geared up yet again, every movement of his fluid arm becoming a blur as he cast spell after spell to keep the werewolves from encroaching on him. Soon Tonks and Draco had blasted an unjumpable chasm in the bridge and its supports. There was no way across via that bridge now.

'It's done, Marcus. Come on.'

And Marcus waved his wand in a vast arc, creating a shield that sent the front rank of fighters flying, before turning around and jumping into the deep gorge that separated the castle from that part of the grounds.

'Where's he gone?'

'Down.' Opposite them the werewolf leader snarled, unable to advance any further without falling off the bridge. He grunted at his forces and gestured them back across the bridge which had been so defended by only three. Three who were now only two.

'Do you think he'll be.?'

'No, Draco, I don't. But when this is all over, we'll fly down and pick up his body, give him a proper funeral.'

'It's only fitting.'

'Yes. Well, we've done all we can here. Let's head back in, shut the door tight and go and see if we can help elsewhere.'