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They had lost three of their own, a former professor and two students in fighting this battle. Harry was so caught up in trying to comprehend all that had happened that he had almost forgot that Ron and the rest of the group where elsewhere in the castle, most likely engaged in their own personal fights. As Hermione took Tonks and the others to the Room of Requirements, Harry raced down the flights of steps to find his other friends with nothing but fear racing through his mind as he hoped that none of them had been seriously hurt or worse.
Just as he was about the reach the last of the stairs suddenly an image flashed in his minds eye that caused him to stumble backwards and fall to one knee. He was now hearing two voices echo in his ears as he now saw Snape standing with the Dark Lord himself in his old potions classroom.
"You have performed extraordinary magic with this wand in the last few hours alone," Snape explained.
"No, I am extraordinary." Voldemort responded. "But the wand, it resists me."
"There is no wand more powerful. Tonight when you face the boy it will not fail you I'm sure of it. It answers to you, and you only."
"Does it?"
Snape smiled a little.
"My lord?"
Voldemort slowly began to circle around the other man, making Snape start to feel increasingly nervous.
"The wand? Does it truly answer to me? You're a clever man, Severus. Surly you must know. Where does its true loyalty lie?"
"With you. Of course."
Voldemort then stopped to face him.
"The elder wand cannot serve me properly because I am not its true master. The elder wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. You killed Dumbledore, Severus. While you live the elder wand cannot truly be mine."
Snape looked on at the Dark Lord, fear racing through his body as he knew deep down in his heart where this was heading.
"You've been a good and faithful servant, Severus. But only I can live forever."
"My lord?"
Before he could say another word Voldemort quickly used his wand to slit his throat. Gasping in shock and in pain, Snape fell backwards against the wall and onto the floor.
"Nagini, kill." Voldemort ordered.
Nagini, who had been in the room this whole time slithering around its owner's feet came at Snape with a deadly bite to the throat. Then again, then again.
Harry watched this whole thing like he was watching it on a television screen when suddenly his thoughts were broken when someone started shaking him rapidly to get his attention.
"Harry? Harry!"
He looked up to see Hermione standing over him.
"Are you okay?"
He didn't answer as he got up and led the way to the potions classroom. Voldemort and his snake were long gone by now as the two of them slowly made their way inside. Once they saw Snape and the condition he was in, Hermione covered her mouth as Harry only stared down at him, a large part of him glad to see his former professor the way he was. Snape slowly opened his eyes to see them and he and Harry made eye contact. He mouthed something at Harry causing the young teen's brows to furrow as he quickly crouched down in front of him. Hermione watched as Snape whispered something in Harry's ear.
Harry leaned back and stared at Snape for a moment before getting to his feet and pointing his wand at him.
"Legilimens!"
Harry looked inside Snape's memories as he had just been asked to and began to see Snape talking with Dumbledore, that morning of the day he had killed him.
"You must carry out Voldemort's order, Severus. You have to be the one to kill me tonight." Dumbledore spoke.
"There has to be some other way." Snape responded.
"I wish there was but there is not. Voldemort cannot find out where your true loyalties lie."
"My role as a spy isn't as important as-"
"It's not that Severus. With me out of the way, Voldemort will feel that victory is inevitable for him. He will be blinded to the fact that the elder wand will not truly be his."
"You are leaving a lot to chance, Albus."
Dumbledore smiled.
"Harry will prevail. Believe me on this, Severus."
Breaking the spell, Harry now looked down at Snape in shock as he learned the truth. Dumbledore had told him to kill him, and he was carrying out the headmasters wish so that Voldemort would continue to trust him. He had stayed loyal this whole time.
Harry leaned down again in front of Snape, wishing there was something he could do to help him. Just then, Snape spoke in a weak voice;
"You have your mother's eyes."
The two of them looked at each other for a few seconds longer before the life left Snape's eyes. His body slumped over as he succumbed to his wounds. There was no doubt now that Snape was a great man, a brave man who had only done what Dumbledore had asked him to. Harry then thought back to that night and remembered it wasn't Snape who had disarmed Dumbledore, it was Percy.
Quickly getting back up, Harry looked at Hermione.
"Dumbledore told Snape to kill him that night."
"Why would he do that?"
Before Harry could explain, a voice echoed in his head. But it wasn't just him that was hearing it. Hermione shut her eyes as the cold, icy voice began to talk to everyone still fighting at Hogwarts.
"You have fought valiantly, but in vein." The voice stated. "I do not wish this, for every drop of magical blood is a waist. I command my forces to fall back, in their absence, dispose of your dead with dignity."
Harry then looked up when the voice said his name.
"Harry Potter, I now speak directly to you. On this night, you have allowed your friends to die for you instead of facing me yourself. There is no greater dishonor. Join me in front of the castle and confront your fate. If you do not do this, I will kill every man, woman, and child who tries to conceal you from me."
That was the end of it as the voice stopped speaking. Harry realized that he had just been directly challenged and his fight against Voldemort, the inevitable fight couldn't be put off any longer. The battle had died down now as the Death Eaters had retreated from the castle as ordered and Harry and Hermione slowly walked amongst all the ruble and debris to the great hall were everyone else was.
Upon seeing them, Kingsley got up from his seat and headed over to them.
"Are you alright?"
Harry nodded before looking over his shoulder and saw members of the Weasley family standing over someone. They were crying and he quickly went over to them. He looked down and recognized one of the twins laying on the ground with his face bandaged up.
'What happened?"
"Percy did this." Ron snapped. "He nearly killed Fred."
Madame Pomfrey, who was looking over the rest of the wounded then came over to them.
"He is stable for now, but I don't have everything I need." She then pulled out a list. "I need to get to the hospital wing-"
"I'll go." Draco said, surprising them all when he took the list. "Is this everything?"
"I'll go with you." Ginny then spoke.
"Ginny no-" Arthur began.
"It's okay, dad. They're gone now, I'll be safe."
The two of them then turned and hurried off to the hospital wing as Arthur looked back at Harry.
"Is Molly still in the Room of Requirements with the kids?"
"Yeah, she's okay."
The Weasley's all breathed a sign of relief before Ron spoke up.
"So what now?"
"I have to face him." Harry responded. "It's time."
Harry, Hermione, and Ron all looked at each other in silence. At that moment Harry wished he had the time to tell them just how much they meant to him, that their friendship had kept him going over the years, but he had a feeling that they already knew.
"I'll go with you," Hermione began.
"No."
"Mate, you can't just-" Ron began.
"Just stay here." Harry cut him off. "There's nothing you can do. This is my fight."
Harry then turned to leave the hall without hugging or saying goodbye to either of them. He honestly didn't know what was going to happen next. Hermione watched as her boyfriend disappeared before slumping down to the floor. Ron carefully grabbed her shoulders and helped her back up before taking over to a seat.
"Has anyone seen Remus?" Arthur then asked.
"He didn't make it." Hermione responded.
"What about Tonks?"
"She's in the Room of Requirements. What about the others? Is Professor Slughorn okay?"
"No." McGonagall answered sadly. "Nor is Professor Sprout. They both were killed."
Hermione shook her head as she then wondered who else was lost in this battle. She wanted to scream and cry and run out to Harry who was walking out to certain death to face Voldemort. But she could only wait with the rest of them. Hermione hoped that Harry believed in himself, because she did. Harry could end this, he was the only one who could. As they continued to wait in the great hall, Draco and Ginny raced to the hospital wing as fast as they could. They had gathered the supplies that Madam Pomfrey needed before making their way back when suddenly something broke through one of the already falling apart walls.
Draco pulled Ginny back protectively when they both heard the sound of a hiss. Nagini had its eyes locked on the two of them and was now coming at them both.