A/N: It's beginning.

jjchickybabe: Hello, and thank you so much! I'm really happy to hear that you're enjoying the story and characters. But no need to worry! Rowan will definitely survive the coming events and will play a role in the Order when Harry's grown. There will be some turmoil in the meantime, but our protagonist will persevere! Thank you so much again for the following and favoriting, and I really hope you continue to enjoy!

Lovirosa: Thank you! I'm afraid I don't understand your question - do you mean when will Rowan tell Remus about the success of her experiment? If yes, then we're assuming that he knows already since the Prewetts have announced it to essentially the whole Order. I realize now that I didn't illustrate his reaction. I probably should've done that -_- Sorry for overlooking that...

SMGF1: Thank you! Hmm I'd considered another M chapter, but I don't think it suits the tone at this point. I was thinking about writing up a couple of short vignettes separate from this file but of the same storyline, so if people really want another M scene, I might consider doing something in that form. I'm also interested in a few chapters of Sirius x Mina from the Hogwarts days if that piques anyone's interest. I obviously don't want to put a lot of time into it if no one is going to read.

As for Lily and James, I think the big climax will occur pretty soon. It's the end of August now in this chapter, so it all happens in two months, chronologically. I imagine it'll happen within the next 5 chapters, and then it's just a matter of tying up the loose ends before wrapping this story up and heading to the next! Finally, right?

Sweetbutteri: Thank you! I really like Isaac's character, so I'm glad you approve of the small ties he has to the other OCs.

DontTellMeImWrongBitch: Thank you, as always ^^

REVIEW MEEEEE!

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Chapter 58: Of the Peak's Break

Rowan had a dark sense of déjà vu.

It was the end of August - a deeply humid summer night. The black blanket of darkness fell over the hills outside of London heavily. Rowan could feel the night hanging on every inch of her skin like a dead weight. Her eyes scanned slowly over the swells of the hills. A bead of sweat dripped down the length of her back, punctuating each vertebrae like the gently rolling waves around her.

Dolohov Manor was even larger and more formidable than Lestrange Manor. Rowan was tempted to compare it to a castle, really. Two dark spires stood against the pillowy night sky. Their dim yellow lights hovered hazily amongst the heavy moisture.

Lord Voldemort was there. That's what their sources had told them at least. Rowan still couldn't seem to grasp the full gravity of such a claim. Lord Voldemort, the Dark Lord, was there.

The Dark Lord, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named... The past three years had been an uphill battle against this figure, this terrible almost-man, and yet, she barely knew what he even looked like. She'd heard the tales - almost mythic in proportion - from survivors and her allies, but it was not as if photos were being published of him by The Daily Prophet. She knew many of her allies had brushed wands with him, and a few were fortunate enough to come out unscathed. But still, he seemed like a fairytale, a faceless monster in the closet. She knew she should be terrified of what lay ahead of her that night, but it felt almost like a detached dream.

"Ready?"

She looked ahead to see Gideon Prewett, Alastor Moody, and Sirius Black. She half-expected to see another head of red hair but then reminded herself that her usual partner wasn't there - they'd somehow convinced Arthur to stay home with his family at the last moment. Though she was deeply relieved that he was safe, it felt wrong to not have him by her side. She realized that Moody was looking at her questioningly. She nodded grimly and readied her wand as they moved. She couldn't shake this terrible sense of déjà vu.

Remus wasn't sure if he should feel grateful or full of dread. He hadn't been assigned to the infiltration team this time - thank Merlin - but he was part of the protection team, draped with heavy concealment and disillusionment charms. He looked down and saw a slight shift in the darkness - his charms were fading already. With a slight flick of his wand, he brought the enchantments back up, effectively hiding his presence in the shadows once again. He let out a silent sigh and turned back towards the long hall below.

He, Fabian, Peter, and Emmeline Vance had penetrated Dolohov Manor earlier in the evening as the Death Eaters changed guard shifts, sneaking past them through a series of tunnels and winding halls. They staked out the main points of the grand house and took up guard in each. Fabian had taken the west tower, which held the dungeons, in which were reported to be multiple prisoners; Peter had watch over the foyer; and Emmeline stood in the east watch tower, taking out the guards that stood at the ready there. This left the main hall to Remus.

Of course, he thought dully.

He gazed down below at the dark figures gathered in the grand hall, murmuring to each other quietly - there were perhaps 13 there. Mina and Kingsley were down there somewhere, scattered amongst the group in place of the secretly arrested Augustus Rookwood and Zechariah Mulciber Jr., but he couldn't identify them from the silver glinting masks. He grimaced silently. It seemed like a much too risky operation, especially considering their low numbers, but Moody had insisted that they might not get another chance at the Dark Lord for a while. At the very least, they could gather some critical information from this meeting of Death Eaters. He just hoped that the benefits outweighed the risk.

He thought about Rowan momentarily. At least she had been assigned to the rescue team - her mission wouldn't require direct contact with the enemy if all things went according to plan. He grimaced silently - he could only hope things went that way. He still stood by his decision to come on this mission - something in his gut told him it was critical that he be here - but there was a soft, grating whisper at the back of his mind, like the small hum of tinnitus. He noted that Fabian was standing guard in Rowan's region - good. He felt a bit better as he thought of the fiery older man looking out for her.

The murmuring below then fizzled quietly, and a distinct electricity overtook the dimly lit room. The hair on the back of Remus' neck stood at attention as he felt the energy amongst the dark figures abruptly change. His sweat suddenly seemed much stickier.

"My children."

Remus' blood ran cold as a saccharine voice seeped out from a dark mist that had begun to accumulate, billowing quietly at the head of the room. A long dark tendril slithered out from the shadows - cloth? No. Remus' chest tightened as he realized that it was, in fact, a massive black snake, gliding silently across the dark stone of the floors, glistening in the yellow light. A couple of the already sparse candles flickered out beneath the caress of the black fog, bringing the room even further into darkness. The cloud gathered and thickened, solidifying into a tall, thin form draped in black. The robes fell and cascaded over a smooth expanse of pale, translucent skin. His red eyes pierced through room.

Lord Voldemort.

The rescue team flew up the stairs to the west tower like a quiet storm. Rowan's heart pounded deafeningly in her head as she paced up the seemingly endless spire. The protection team had certainly done its job efficiently - there were no Death Eaters in sight. The foyer had been completely empty, save for Peter's quiet squeak from the shadows, and the tower held no guards at all. Rowan knew she should be pleased, but it all felt as if it were going too smoothly - shouldn't they have run into at least one obstacle since entering the manor?

But she continued upwards. If the culled information from the Ministry's captured Death Eaters was reliable, there should be about five prisoners held in the dungeons here. Rowan's stomach was tight with anticipation. She knew Lacey Jones, one of her old roommates from Hogwarts, had been missing for several weeks. Her older brother Isaiah had been the one to betray the Order two years ago - her shoulder ached a bit at the memory - and after he'd been convicted and sent to Azkaban, her family had spoken out against his actions, earning the spite of the Death Eaters. It was safe to assume that Lacey had been abducted as an act of retribution. She could only hope that the girl was safe and here where she could be saved.

As they climbed the stairs, the moon seemed to glow larger and brighter. The tall windows of the tower opened up the dark blanket of rolling hills in the distance with the blue light spilling and splashing onto the stone steps. As Rowan stepped into each puddle of light, she half-expected to be filled with its cold presence, but her lungs continued to sear hotly, face burning with exertion.

Finally, they reached the top, a vast round room of tall, iron bars running from ceiling to floor. In the middle of the room, the cold stone above was cut away, covered only by another series of daunting, cold bars, which sliced the icy light of the moon evenly. From their height hung medieval chains and shackles, which rattled ever-so-slightly with the soft breeze. Hanging from these shackles were the limp forms of four figures in tattered robes. One was a thin, mousy-haired young woman.

"Lacey," Rowan breathed.

The team rushed forward to the unconscious, chained prisoners with Sirius standing guard near the stairs. Rowan reached her old classmate first, while her teammates tended to the other wounded prisoners. Her kind, familiar face was bloodied and purpled, lip swollen and cracked.

"Alohamora!" she whispered against the shackles, which flung open with a clang, releasing their prisoner into a heap on the ground. Rowan fell forward to grab Lacey before she collapsed to the cold stone, cradling her carefully. She pushed her hair from her face to see the paleness of her skin, almost blue. Checking her pulse, she confirmed with relief that she was still alive and raised her wand to her mouth.

"Novo."

Lacey's eyes flew open, mouth gaping as air surged from her lungs. She gasped and sputtered, hands flailing blindly. She released a panicked cry, holding her arms in front of her face in desperation.

"No, please! No more!" she cried.

"Lacey, it's me! Lacey!" Rowan whispered hurriedly, trying to quiet her friend, but the young woman kept flailing.

"Please! Let me go! I don't know anything!"

"Lacey! Lacey!" Rowan finally grabbed the woman by the shoulders and shook her hard. Her head jerked roughly, choking on her lungs until her eyes focused on Rowan's face.

"R-R-Rowan...?" she sputtered. "H-how? What are you...?" Her eyes then widened, mouth falling open again in fear.

"No... No, shouldn't be here!" she choked out. Her hands grabbed Rowan's shoulders wildly, fingers gripping and pulling at her robes. "You don't understand! You shouldn't be here! You have to get out now! You have to leave-"

"Lacey, it's okay. We're here to get you out. You're going-"

"No!" Lacey shouted. Rowan recoiled at the sudden outburst. She gawped at the usually quiet girl in her arms, who was now pushing Rowan away as roughly as she could. "You have to get out of here! Don't you understand? It's a trap!"

Rowan's blood ran cold.

What?

Lacey suddenly shoved Rowan down to the ground as a blast of green light shot over their heads. Rowan's cheek crashed against the hard stone of the dungeon floor painfully. Her ears rang, eyes blurring slightly, at the collision and could already feel her face bruise hotly.

But she didn't have time for that. She rolled quickly to her feet.

"Protego!" she shouted, bringing up a shield over her team just in time as a Stunning Spell shot directly at Moody.

"Disperse!" the old Auror commanded. The team then scattered for the tall pillars that dotted the dungeon. In a burst of adrenaline, Rowan grabbed and essentially threw Lacey behind the nearest pillar before diving behind it as well. Her lungs burned.

"Don't move!" she shouted at the injured girl, who nodded quickly, body trembling and collapsed against the tall structure. Her body seemed to shrink into its base.

Rowan had to precariously shield herself behind the column while also maintaining her balance over Lacey's crouched form. Once she had her bearings, she took a breath a threw her wand out from behind the column.

But before she could get out her hex, the words seemed to catch in her throat. Attacking them wasn't any Death Eater - it was Fabian.

Her dear friend and colleague was attacking with a wild abandon she'd never seen, face contorted into the most twisted snarl. His face suddenly turned towards her, eyes burning with spite.

"Crucio!"

A beam of red light shot out at her. Rowan threw herself behind the column again as the beam shot past her and crashed into the far wall with an echoing crash. A few large stones from the wall cracked and fell into a heap. Rowan eyed the remaining structure briefly and prayed that it would hold before throwing another protection charm up around her and Lacey.

"Fabian!" she heard Gideon cry out. "What the hell are you doing?"

But Fabian didn't respond. Instead, another beam of light ricocheted against the walls of the dungeon dangerously. She heard another crash and saw one of the chains that hung from the bars above collapse to the floor. It clanged loudly, echoing around the room in harmony with the shouts from her teammates.

"It's no use!" Moody shouted over the dissonance. "He's been Imperiused! He can't hear you!"

Rowan's stomach clenched. Imperiused? Her eyes widened in realization as she identified the crazed yet blank look in his eyes. But no one should know that they were there! And even if the Death Eaters had caught him, they would have more likely killed him than Imperiused him. How would they have known to use him against them in this situation? He would've killed himself before giving into interrogation or Legilimency.

She fell to her knees and grabbed Lacey by the shoulders roughly. The frail woman whimpered.

"Lacey, listen to me!" she growled. "What did you mean this was a trap? How did they know we were coming?"

Lacey whimpered again, eyes wide and wet. Her mouth trembled and twisted despairingly.

"I-I don't know, but they knew! They knew you were coming! They're planning on ambushing the others as well!" she choked out.

Rowan's lungs hit her throat. "They knew we were coming! We've been betrayed!" she shouted.

"God damn it!" Sirius roared as he flung curse after curse at the strangely agile Fabian. "Fucking shit, Fabian! Damn it!"

Rowan groped inside her robes for her enchanted Death Eater mask with panicked, fumbling hands and tapped it three times with her wand. She felt it burn against her ribs and knew that the others would feel it as well. She could only hope that they were still safe enough to heed the warning and escape.

Remus couldn't feel his lungs as he stared at the daunting figure of the most dangerous Dark wizard the modern world had ever seen.

"Thank you for coming. My friends."

The last word oozed from his mouth venomously. The gathering of dark-clad figures seemed to at once shrink and grow at their master's acknowledgement like the swelling of the tide. Remus marveled at the way the pale wizard could conduct his followers like a symphony with barely a word. He was afraid - more afraid than he'd ever fathomed - but he couldn't help but acknowledge the permeating aura of this man. This was power.

"Tonight is a very special night. I am so pleased that you all could be here to share in it with me," the Dark Lord continued. His voice was much higher than Remus had expected. It dug into his chest like a blade.

"Our collected efforts as of late have been greatly fruitful. I cannot express how truly proud I am of my Death Eaters," he continued. Remus noted the way Voldemort spoke of the group as a collective, and yet at closer examination, there was an iciness to the way he gazed upon them - almost a blankness - that undercut his words. This man was a master of flattery, of manipulation. He could see easily how men of weaker convictions would be seduced by his power and charisma.

"But tonight is truly exceptional, for we have guests."

Remus froze. He couldn't be... There was no way.

"It is with great joy that I announce that the destruction of the Aurors will commence tonight, and with them, the Order of the Phoenix shall fall."

A few Death Eaters let out low rumbles of barely concealed excitement. Remus saw one trembling with elation - Bellatrix Lestrange.

Suddenly, there was a hot flash at his side. Remus bit back a gasp as he felt the heavy Death Eater mask in his robes burn against him. It clashed against the icy horror that shot up his spine - danger.

Remus jerked back to look down to the crowd. Where were Mina and Kingsley? His eyes scoured through the dark figures but couldn't make out which were theirs.

"So please, help me in welcoming the first of our guests..."

Remus' mind screamed. They needed to get out. He had to find them. They needed to get out!

"... Kingsley Shacklebolt and Mina Surrey."

The pool of black parted, leaving two lone figures in the center of the room, and he knew it was his friends, trapped like mice. Remus saw their stiff backs try to fight the fear and surprise, but he could see no way to get out this. All the blood from his face seemed to drain into his arms, which suddenly burned with adrenaline. His hand gripped his wand, ready to attack at any moment. But what could he even do?

Lord Voldemort smiled widely, a stretch of thin lips over yellowing teeth. "Oh, dear, you didn't need to get dressed up for us," he cooed. A few sniggers were heard from the Death Eaters. "Here, allow me to help you get comfortable." And with that, he raised his hand casually. The silver masks shot from their faces, revealing a glowering Mina and solemn-faced Kingsley. The two masks flew through the air, glinting in the yellow light of the room, and then landed with a loud clatter a far distance away.

Remus' stomach seemed to collapse on itself. Seeing his friends' faces only doubled the panic. This was real - so very real.

"So," the pale wizard said quietly, "tell me - what brings such individuals as yourselves to our humble gathering?" He eyed the two narrowly, eyes red slits.

Mina bristled visibly. Remus could feel the burning rage coming off of her in waves, but Kingsley maintained calm. The older man assessed the Dark Lord evenly before responding:

"We've come to kill you."

A sharp shriek of female laughter rang out and echoed around the hall. Remus bristled this time. How he hated that sound. How he hated Bellatrix. He wanted to tear her windpipe from her throat so that she could never make that sound again.

"Yes, it is quite amusing," Voldemort mused lightly, but his eyes remained narrow. He sneered at Kingsley. "But I know the real answer, as do you. And I can assure you that your little rescue mission has run into some obstacles. I imagine we'll be seeing your friends here quite soon, though I can't guarantee their well-being. That depends entirely on them."

"You're full of shit," Mina spat.

Voldemort glared piercingly at the young woman, but she didn't waver. Her chin was held high and defiantly, nostrils flaring with anger. Remus wasn't sure if he wanted to clap a hand to her mouth or bow at her feet.

"You'd be wise to keep that mouth shut, Lieutenant," he sneered. But then he smirked evilly at her. "Yes, I suppose congratulations are in order - such a big promotion, after all. This was your first big command mission, wasn't it?" The smirk broadened into a grin. "I remember when the Auror department was a competitive arena. What a sad state it's become - accepting filthy Mudbloods into its officers' ranks. Pathetic."

Kingsley's hand shot out to grab Mina's wrist as it flew out reflexively to hex the Dark Lord. Her eyes flared dangerously with fury, teeth bared in defiance. The Dark Lord let out a high ringing of laughter.

"Amusing!" he declared, clapping his long-fingered hands together loudly. "Very amusing! I will say, even for a Mudblood, you are quite the sight to behold!" He grinned gleefully. "I do wish I could play with you a bit longer, but I suppose it's about time to wrap this up." He raised his wand. "Goodbye, Lieutenant. Sergeant Major.

"Avada K-"

Remus' hand shot out before he could stop himself.

"Suffumare!"

Rancid, black smoke exploded from his wand, instantly filling the vast room with a billowing cloud of impenetrable haze and the deafening sound of coughs and the Dark Lord's furious screams.

"NO! Kill them! KILL THEM!"

Bursts of shouts and green light began to erupt through the smoke, illuminating it like lightning. Remus leapt down from his vantage point in the balcony above the hall and slunk across the walls towards the exit quickly. He pointed his wand towards the fog and thought hard: Accio Mina! Accio Kingsley!

For a brief, yet painful moment, Remus stared into the chaos he'd created until two dark silhouettes came hurdling towards him - his spell had been successful! They staggered and sputtered a bit, gasping for air as they quickly readied themselves. In a moment, they were steady, and with a dark look, they sped out of the hall wordlessly. They needed to get to the west tower immediately.

Rowan's lungs burned as another Death Eater fell to the wayside. They seemed to just continue pouring into the dungeon. Moody already had a deep, bloody gash in his left shoulder, and Gideon was on the brink of hysterics as he fought his twin brother. Sirius was beginning to slow as well under the exertion of the battle. Rowan was growing more and more afraid that either she or he would slip from the fatigue. Where were their backup?

Somehow during the battle, Rowan had managed to push Lacey behind a thick stone wall, where she was safely huddled from the crossfire - one less thing to worry about. The other three prisoners had each found a nook or cranny to squeeze into to avoid getting hurt as well. But the remaining barricades were wearing thin - the column that Rowan stood behind was beginning to crumble. It wouldn't be long before it completely collapsed. She wasn't sure if she was more worried about losing her shield or about the room simply collapsing from the lack of structural support.

Finally, the flow of Death Eaters seemed to halt. About four remained, including the cursed Fabian, who was still fighting with an inhuman mania. His body flailed with a strain that was so tightly wound that he appeared he might snap at any moment - he was clearly struggling against the restraints of the curse, but it was obviously strong. Whoever had performed it was well-practiced.

"Fight it, Fabian! Fight, damn it!" Moody roared at their imprisoned ally. The Prewett brother's face strained and contorted strangely at his friend's beseeching, arms and legs jerking stiffly, but the curses continued to fly.

One of the Death Eaters fell from one of Sirius' attacks with a grunt, leaving two dark-clad figures. One was a tall, lanky man. The other was a hulking, domineering form. Moody and Gideon had taken on Fabian's hysterical attacks, leaving Rowan and Sirius to confront the last two. She leapt from behind the column, throwing hexes skillfully as she ran for Sirius' position.

"Lookie here - our two favorite blood traitors," the larger one sneered. His voice was a gravelly rasp. Rowan recognized it as belonging to Antonin Dolohov, the master of the house. "What luck. The Dark Lord will reward us greatly for this one, won't he?" he asked his comrade. The taller Death Eater didn't respond but continued to eye them silently. Rowan eyed him suspiciously.

"Enough small talk. Let's get this over with, old man," Sirius growled. And with that he flung himself towards the older wizard with a well-timed series of attacks.

Rowan quickly covered Sirius, alternating between attacks and shield charms for the two of them. She kept an eye on the larger wizard though watched the tall man warily. Although he was attacking efficiently, he fought with an almost apathetic, machine-like manner. He didn't seem to battle with the same fervor she identified with Death Eaters. He didn't seem to have the same drive to kill as his allies.

Finally, one of Sirius' hits landed. A red beam of light nailed the older wizard in the chest, and with a loud grunt, he collapsed to the ground. This left the taller one. Sirius and Rowan turned their wands on him quickly.

The last Death Eater seemed to understand his situation - he was clearly outmatched. Although Sirius and Rowan were tired from battling longer, they had the advantage of numbers and of fire. Rowan could nearly hear the gears turning in the Death Eater's head. What would he do?

He bolted.

"Hey!" Sirius shouted. They both took off after him, leaving Moody and Gideon to handle Fabian, who looked like he might collapse at any moment. The two sprinted down the tower stairs, winding around and around the spire dizzily, but no matter how fast they ran, they were only able to catch the tail glimpse of the Death Eater's billowing black robes.

But once they reached the top floor of the main house, the Death Eater stopped and spun around, wand armed in front of him. All three stood battle-ready, chests heaving and faces burning with exhaustion. The hall was completely silent except for the pounding of their own hearts in their ears. The deep velvet of the tapestries that hung on the walls seemed to absorb what little light there was.

"You're too late," the Death Eater finally said. His voice was muffled behind his mask, but Rowan knew that voice. She glowered at him.

"It's never too late, Barty," she said slowly. "You can give up now. If you cooperate, we can give you a lighter sentence. It's better than dying here."

Barty laughed quietly. It was a bitter sound.

"There's no saving me, Rowan," he said softly. "And I can tell you now that there's no salvation for you either. Even if you manage to escape here tonight, someone has already signed your death warrant for you."

Rowan felt that empty hollowing in her stomach again. "What are you talking about, Barty?" she asked quietly.

Barty didn't respond for a moment. He stared the two Order members down with a searching look. Rowan could see his brown eyes scanning over her face from behind his silver mask.

Finally he answered, "You must realize that one of yours is not really yours."

Rowan could see Sirius bristle from beside her, but he didn't respond. She didn't know how to either. Her mind began to race through the faces of her teammates and friends. Could Barty really be telling the truth? Why would he lie? Did it really make sense to try to justify Death Eater behavior? Rowan was about to speak when she heard a loud explosion that shook the very foundation. It had come from the tower above. Fear gripped her heart again.

"Shit!" Sirius cursed. "What the fuck?"

"Better get back upstairs. Someone could be hurt," Barty said seriously. Rowan glared hard at him, but he made no indication of jeering. Rowan and Sirius glanced between each other, Barty, and the stairs they had just run down. Rowan felt her legs moving in multiple directions.

"You-" she started, gesturing towards Barty. There was another loud bang and a distant, incoherent shout. Her stomach seized sickeningly. Her wand was still armed and pointed at Barty, but she couldn't seem to move in either direction.

Finally, heat surged through her bones. She spun back around. "Fuck!" she cursed before running for the tower. She glanced back. "This isn't over, Barty!" she shouted back at him.

Sirius started backwards cautiously, throwing Barty one last glare. The Death Eater dropped his wand in an act of truce, allowing Sirius to run for the tower after Rowan, before turning on his heel and making a beeline for the great hall.

As Rowan turned the corner of the last leg of stair, she felt the ground shake again and then a loud crash of stone. She had to stop running for a moment to steady herself, gripping the wall of the staircase for balance, before sprinting up the remaining stairs. Please be safe, she screamed in her head. She heard Sirius' feet quickly catching up with her from behind. He reached her just as they approached the dungeon at the top.

But as they stumbled into the dungeon once more, they nearly toppled over.

The dungeon floor had completely cracked down the middle, revealing a large chasm. Rowan dared to look down and saw the small fragments of stone plummeting and bouncing down into the dark recess. Her stomach clenched painfully.

"Moody!"

Rowan's head jerked up again to see the old Auror gripping his leg, which was trapped beneath a pile of collapsed stone. Rowan felt a wave of nausea. Blood soaked the floor around him darkly. His leg had been completely crushed. Sirius made a move to run to him.

"No!" he shouted, gesturing for the young man to stop. His movements were strained, face pale from blood loss. He gestured jerkily towards the distant wall. "The Prewetts - help them!" he sputtered. Rowan saw him point his wand at his leg with a dark look of determination and had to look away quickly. She had a feeling she knew what he was about to do, and she didn't want to see it.

Fabian had finally collapsed but was seizing limply in his brother's arms, eyes rolled into the back of his head, mouth slack and open. Gideon was on the verge of hysterics, holding his twin, kneeling on the crumbling floor. Tears tracked his face lightly, and Rowan finally noticed the dark red stains that coated his hands. She then saw the wetness of Gideon's black robes.

"Fabian," she gasped, running towards them.

"No!" Sirius barked. Rowan gaped at him. "Get the prisoners! I'll take care of the Prewetts," he said quickly. Rowan's chin trembled, but she nodded, quickly turning to retrieve the ones for whom they'd originally come.

She spotted Lacey and another prisoner - an old, gray man - trembling in the corner. The old man looked half-awake, eyes rolling, and Rowan immediately summoned a levitating stretcher for him as she ran forward. Lacey looked up at her with wide eyes full of fear, clutching the older man desperately. Rowan saw her face tremble. But just as she was about to reach them, she saw a dark collapsed figure out of the corner of her eye stir from the ground - Antonin Dolohov. He raised his head, then his wand.

It happened in slow motion. She felt her mouth open to scream for her friends and her wand raising to disarm the Death Eater, but she was too late. There was a flash of light and then an explosion, and she was flying backward.

There was that déjà vu again, that strange ache. It spread from the gash on her cheek and through her head and neck. There was a ringing in her ears. She landed on her knees with a distinct cracking sound echoing up her frame. Her body flopped hard to the ground. Her head seared. She couldn't hear anything. The world spun wildly around her. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head. There was a distant cracking, a dull scream. She couldn't find her eyes.

"Novo!"

Rowan's lung seared cold and freezing. She cried out and gasped at once as she sat up with a jerk. Her body screamed in protest. Her hands gripped her head in instinct. It seemed to loll heavily. She leaned forward and allowed the person at her side to guide her. Her arm was draped around something. Another arm was wrapped around his middle - whose? Was it hers? No, that made no sense. An arm. Whose arm?

The screaming in her ears pinched slowly until it narrowed into a distant ringing. Her head began to steady, manually righting it up. She looked around dumbly and saw the round face of someone - a man? She knew that man.

"Winnie!"

Rowan's eyes focused. Oh.

"Peter."

She gazed around - where was she? So much stone. It was dark. She didn't recognize this place. Her head hurt so badly. Her side was searing. Why did everything hurt?

She looked up again. Had Peter always been so tall? Peter. Peter. Peter. His name was Peter. Right?

Another face. Red. It was covered in red. And the other. He was pale. She looked down. More red. It was everywhere. On his hands. On the floor. On his arms and chest. On his... Leg. Just one. Where was the other?

"Constans."

Slowly, Rowan's vision seemed to focus and narrow, and suddenly, she was extremely aware of the pain in her leg, in her head. She hissed with agony, grabbing her knee. The pain from the focal point of her knee shot up her thigh and down her shins into the very tips of her toes. She appeared to have broken it.

She realized, also suddenly, where she was - or rather, where she wasn't. She was no longer in the tower. When had they left? She looked around frantically. Peter was there. Oh, he'd saved her, hadn't he? How had he gotten there? Sirius was there, face bloodied but intact, and Moody... Her stomach clenched sickeningly. His right leg from the knee down was completely gone. A pool of blood was accumulating beneath him on the cold marble floor. In the puddle of blood lay Antonin Dolohov, the large Death Eater from the tower, unconscious and beaten so severely that she could barely recognize him beneath the swelling of his face.

Her stomach seized again.

"Where are Fabian and Gideon?" she whispered.

She looked around and saw Sirius' face contort with fury, but his eyes glistened with grief. She saw him clench his swollen, purple fingers. She recognized that movement. She could feel her own joints ache in memory. The blood drained from her face.

"Sirius..."

He grimaced and shook his head sadly. "The explosion... It took out half of the dungeon. They didn't..." He choked a bit, then cleared his throat. "They didn't make it."

His words washed over Rowan heavily. Fabian and Gideon - how could they...? They couldn't just be gone... could they?

"Move," Moody grunted. They all gaped down at him, amazed that he was even still conscious. "-have to move!"

They all shot up at attention at his words. They really did need to escape. Sirius hauled Moody onto his back, and Peter summoned a series of ropes, tying up and levitating the unconscious Antonin Dolohov. He then scooped up Rowan from the ground with a surge of strength she'd never seen in him then ran off after Sirius with Dolohov floating behind them.

As Rowan looked up into Peter's round face, she noted the hard line of his mouth and the watery look of his eyes. There was so much grief there.

As they stumbled out of Dolohov Manor, they saw another group of dark-clad figures burst from around the corner. Remus, Mina, Kingsley, and Emmeline came to a halt quickly, eyes wide with surprise. Each was battered and bruised as well, robes torn and frayed. Emmeline, in particular, looked worse for wear. Their faces blanched as they saw the state of their comrades.

"Identify yourselves!" Sirius barked raspingly.

Rowan saw their faces harden slightly. Mina's mouth twitched before drawing upward.

"Lieutenant Mina Surrey of the Auror Department and Order of the Phoenix. Ministry codename: Red Fox. You and I moved in together one year after we graduated from Hogwarts on July 1st," she recited quickly.

Sirius' mouth trembled a bit, but he nodded and moved down the line. Each member of the newly arrived group efficiently declared themselves. After Kingsley, Sirius let out a deep sigh, dropping his wand to his side, and Mina rushed forward. She grasped his face, eyes wide with horror. Her fingers roved over his skin quickly, identifying each cut and gash. Rowan had never seen her friend so panicked.

And then when she saw her mentor's state - limp and now unconscious against Sirius' back - her panic turned to frenzy.

"What happened? Sirius, what happened to Moody? Where are the Prewetts and the prisoners? How did this-"

Remus reached forward and grabbed Mina's arms gently, but his gaze was hard.

"Mina, we have more pressing matters to tend to. We have to get out of here now," he said quickly. As if on cue, a series of angry shouts were heard from within the manor. Mina trembled, but she nodded, hardening back into her soldier form. She shot Sirius and Moody another look before turning on her heel and looking to Kingsley. He nodded and they led the way into the dark night for the barriers.

Remus rushed forward and grabbed Rowan quickly from Peter, scooping her up into his arms. She gasped as her leg jostled against his arm but bit her lip to hold back the cry of pain. He looked at her darkly then at her swollen joint but said nothing, much to her relief. She nestled against his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck for support as he swept them into the shadows. The group moved quickly from Dolohov Manor through the darkness. Mina and Kingsley covered the group with heavy Disillusionment Charms as they moved. As soon as they made it past the grounds' enchantments, they Disapparated for London.