– Chapter Twenty Eight –
This is War
Caramia Allen stared up at the picture frame above the fire place. It was just about the only thing hanging in this building. The fireplace was empty, she was certain that it hadn't been lit in a very long time, if ever. There were about twenty people in the room. They all seemed to have jobs; sorting resources, cleaning weapons.
Caramia rubbed her arms, trying to warm herself up. She looked at some of the others who had sweaters and was a little envious. She glanced back at the picture frame. She didn't know what it meant, but it was incredibly sad.
"Hey," said a voice beside her. She turned to look. There was a boy about her age, seventeen or eighteen years old, with brown hair and a comforting smile. "You're Caramia Allen, right?" She nodded. "Trevor Bailey," he said, holding out his hand. "Nice to meet you." Caramia took his hand gently, and he squeezed affectionately. "You're the witch that they went to pick up, right?"
"Yeah," Caramia replied.
"Surprises every day," Trevor said, "we thought that there weren't any more witches or wizards out there."
"There isn't much of anything out there," Caramia said.
"Touché," answered Trevor. "How did War get you?" he asked.
"Eight years ago," Caramia replied, "My parents and I were in Germany. Trying to out run it all."
"Really nowhere to run," Trevor said. There was a loud booming outside, and Caramia jumped, looking to the large heavy door, the only entrance she had seen so far.
"Don't worry," Trevor said, watching her face. "Demons have been trying to get through that door for ten years. Romi keeps them out."
"I haven't met her," Caramia answered. "Just the other two."
Trevor nodded. "They're pretty good too. They've been fighting since the beginning. Watch out for Neville's temper, though. He blames himself and after ten years, he's a little volatile, especially after her death."
"Whose death?" Caramia asked, focusing on Trevor. Trevor pointed to the picture frame on the wall above the fireplace. It had three wands in it, and that was it.
"One for each of them," Trevor replied. "The top one is Harry Potter's. He died protecting Ginny right at the beginning. Next is Luna Lovegood's. She died six years ago, on a raid in Austria. War got the jump on them and sent his brother. She stayed behind to let Neville, Romi and Ginny escape. Neville has never forgiven himself for that."
Caramia was silent for a long moment. "And the last one?" she asked.
"That was Romi's husband's," Trevor answered.
"Husband?" Caramia asked surprised. "People still get married here?"
"Just them, four years ago," Trevor explained. "Draco Malfoy said that he wanted to live the rest of his life married to Romi. I guess he did spend the rest of it in the end." Trevor watched the wands with a sad expression on his face. "They keep it up there to remind themselves what they've done wrong."
"Done wrong?" Caramia said, "How could they have done anything wrong? They've been fighting War since the very beginning."
"Yeah," Trevor replied, "and according to them, they should have stopped him at Hogwarts ten years ago, and they didn't."
"It's amazing War didn't kill them," Caramia said softly, looking at the wands.
"Oh, he tried," Trevor answered. "Seriously hurt three of them, left them to die. He didn't count on Romi coming round and healing their wounds. They tried to help at the castle, but ultimately all they could do was come here with a few that survived."
Caramia sighed, "I guess we've all got stories of War," she paused for a long time. "Why did they come find me?"
"They need all the magical help they can get," Trevor replied. "Come on, I'll introduce you to Romi, and then see that you get a bed. And a sweater," he added, glancing at her, "it gets cold in Canada."
Caramia nodded in agreement and followed Trevor as he led her down a passage way into a back room. The place was worn down and falling apart, but the people that lived here were ingenious enough to keep it going.
As they approached the back room, Caramia could hear voices coming from it.
"We should be attacking now!" said an angry voice. Caramia recognized it as Neville's. He sounded very similar to when he and Ginny had come to rescue her from a horde of demons that had attacked her outside of Amsterdam.
"And what would that prove?" said a voice that Caramia didn't recognize. It was female and sounded exhausted. "All you'd manage to do is kill yourself."
There was a long silence from the back room.
"And that's not an option!" said the female voice quickly. "You know perfectly well that when the Horsemen have finished on Earth they'll get bored and reach through the magic and start tormenting those who have died already!"
"I know," said the gruff voice of Neville.
Trevor reached the door and gave a sharp tap on it. There was some banging noises and then the voice Caramia didn't recognise called out;
"Come in."
Trevor opened the door, and peaked in. Caramia looked over his shoulder. She could see Ginny and Neville, looking extremely worn out and battled scarred. Ginny caught her eye and smiled. Caramia looked to the third person in the room. She was in her mid-twenties, with short red hair and wearing glasses in front of her green eyes.
"What is it, Trevor?" the woman asked him.
"I brought Caramia," Trevor replied, "I thought you'd like to meet her."
"Oh, yes," the woman said, rubbing her forehead, but smiling. "Come in."
Trevor went into the dingy, little room and Caramia followed him in, wringing her hands anxiously. The woman smiled warmly at her.
"Caramia," Trevor said, looking to her, "This is Andromeda."
"Just Romi is fine," the woman replied. "I'm not exactly at full power right now."
Caramia didn't really know what to say to that, but she smiled back at Romi.
"Hi," Caramia said, not knowing what else to say.
"Hi," answered Romi. "I know you've met these two," she said nodding to Neville and Ginny. Both gave a little smile to Caramia.
"Yes, thank you," Caramia said, looking to the two of them. "You have good timing," she added.
"If we had better timing we would have found you years ago," Neville muttered. Romi gave him a look that told him to be quiet.
"Do you have any family that you know of?" Romi asked her. Caramia shook her head.
"I've been on my own for a long time," Caramia answered, rubbing a hand along her arms again, trying to warm them up. Romi watched her carefully as she did that.
"Have you used much magic?" she asked finally.
"A little," Caramia answered. "I don't have very good control of it."
"I didn't expect you too," Romi asked.
"I didn't meet any other magical people," Caramia said, "I met a few others, though… none of them lasted very long."
Romi nodded, "I suspect that we're some of the only people left in the world. No way to find out, though." She paused for a long moment. Just then a very thin, black cat jumped up onto the table, and purred at Romi. Romi watched her for a moment, and then looked up to Ginny.
"Sounds like some demons are breaking through the east gate – could you go take care of them?" Romi asked.
"Sure," Ginny replied, "I'll take Higgons and Morrow with me."
"Okay," Romi answered. The black cat went and curled up in Romi's lap purring. Romi scratched her ears and then looked up at Caramia.
"Do you have any questions right now?" Romi asked.
"How did you know that demons were attacking?" Caramia asked, frowning at the cat confused. Romi smiled.
"Zhi is my Familiar," Romi said, "it's like having an extra pair of eyes. Anything else?"
Caramia shook her head, glancing at Trevor.
"Trevor, why don't you get her comfortable, some good food and a rest, I think," Romi said. Trevor nodded and smiled. "And some better clothes," Romi added.
"I think we have a couple spare sweaters," Trevor said, "I'll have to check with Barnes though, you know what he's like."
"She can have one of mine for now," Romi answered. "I'll talk with you later, Caramia? I'd like to hear about your last ten years."
Caramia nodded and glanced to Trevor.
"This way," he said, motioning for her leave the room first.
Romi and Neville watched her go. When Trevor had shut the door behind him, Romi sighed and leaned back in her chair.
"She's so young," Romi said, glancing at Neville.
"Luna was the same age," Neville answered, looking at Romi.
"I know," she replied. They were silent for a long moment.
"If you would just need–" Neville started.
"No," Romi interrupted. "I've been arguing this with you every day for ten years, what makes you think I'm going to change my position?"
"One day you might just change your mind," replied Neville.
"Not likely," Romi answered. "I didn't heal that bullet wound just for you to walk up to War and say 'here you go, have my life'."
"That's not what is going to happen," Neville said.
"Yes, it is," replied Romi. She stared at the map of the world in front of her. It was covered with pins and scribbles and black marks. There were very few places left in the world, that they knew for sure were not overrun with demons, and even less sure of the places where there were humans left. Her eyes focused on the four chess pieces on the board. Four knights, each a different colour. The horse of the red knight shook its mane; the pieces were all left over from a long forgotten wizard's chess set.
The red knight was currently sitting over Egypt. The other three were all over the world map, but the white one was near the red one.
"Romi, it's a sound plan. This one is," Neville insisted.
"It involves you dying," answered Romi, looking to her best friend. "And if it doesn't work? Then you'll be dead, and we'll have no one to take on War."
"You can take on War just fine," Neville answered.
Romi reached forward and picked up the white knight. "I have my own horseman to worry about."
"You know what we need then, right?" asked Neville. Romi sighed and nodded.
"Nia," they said together.
"But she won't come," Romi answered. "She's not allowed. And besides – all the White Witches have left anyways. I don't even know where Elena is, even if she is still alive."
"I don't think it matters if Elena is still alive," replied Neville. "She got what she wanted. Destruction of the human race – and soon enough all of time."
"I guess she should have been friends with Nia," Romi answered, putting the white knight down. It moved its way back to the Arabian Peninsula. "I hear she did a good job at destroying time."
Neville didn't reply, just stared at the board in front of him.
"Do you think Caramia will be able to help?" Neville asked finally.
"Probably no more than Trevor can," answered Romi. "Neither of them are Luna, and she is the only one who can deal with him." Romi pointed at the green knight.
"You think Death will help with that?" Neville said.
"He probably won't 'help'," Romi answered. "It's the only thing I can think of though."
Neville nodded and sighed, there was a long pause. "How long has it been since we had Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks?"
Romi smiled, "More than ten years – we had some that day, before we met up with Elyssa."
Neville smiled, and then laughed, "Do you remember how awful Harry was at dancing? At the Yule Ball?"
Romi laughed, "God, he was terrible."
"A lot of them were," answered Neville.
"And Dumbledore tried to dance with – oh, what's her name – the Headmistress of Beauxbatons?" Romi said.
Neville shook his head, "I don't remember. Well, I remember that she was ridiculously tall."
"Yeah," Romi sighed. "That was so long ago."
Just then the door opened and Ginny came back it. She looked exhausted and had several cuts on her neck and cheek.
"How it go?" Romi asked.
"Oh, fine," Ginny replied, dropping into a chair. "It was just a set of minor demons."
"Any Arai?" asked Neville. Arai were nasty creatures that every time you killed one, it would place a curse on you – sometimes a fatal one.
"No, thankfully," replied Ginny. "I think we've had enough curses for the time being."
"Romi still won't approve the plan," Neville said.
"In case you forgot," Ginny said, "I don't exactly approve of it either." There was silence again, then Ginny spoke. "Did you get anything last night?"
Romi shook her head. She hadn't had a vision in years, she didn't really expect to get one now. Captain had disappeared, along with every other sight of Elyssa, Diomeda Odessa, Nia or any other White Witch. Just demons. Never ending demons.
"You should get some sleep," Neville said, looking to Romi. "You've been awake for hours."
"I'll sleep when you promise not to do anything rash," she answered looking at him. Neville held her gaze for a long time and then nodded.
"We'll talk more when you've slept," he said finally.
Romi sighed, "Okay," she said, accepting that that was probably the closest she would win against him today. She picked up Zhi and headed out of the room. Everyone else in this house, aside from Trevor and Caramia, were not magical in any way – exceptionally resourceful – but not magical, and that was proving fighting War very difficult. The longer this went on, the less magic Romi seemed to have. She just hoped that she had enough left to keep the front doors closed.
She went up the stairs and ended up in a very familiar room. Well, it wasn't familiar anymore, but she could remember growing up in this room. Where her bed and desk had been, the pictures she'd hung on the wall.
After War took over England, and pretty much sunk it right back into the sea, their little group of freedom fighters had relocated to Romi's childhood home. She could remember the times that her mother, father and grandparents had stayed in this house. But it was a very different house back then.
Romi put Zhi down and lay down on a couple of thin blankets. She held her wand in one hand, and gripped her other for her sword to appear. She never went to sleep without them now. She closed her eyes, and tried to picture that day, four years ago. It was right in the middle of this war, and everything was crumbling around them; but she could remember his smile so well, and how everyone was, for the first time in years, happy.
And she drifted off to sleep.
"Man, you are hard to find," said the girl with long strawberry blond hair, sitting across the table from Romi. She passed her a cup of tea. Romi hadn't had tea in years.
"I could say the same thing about you," Romi said, accepting the cup and looking at her.
Nia shrugged, "I got interrupted, and before I knew it, this timeline had just spiralled out of control."
"You could say that again," answered Romi. "We have been trying to find you…"
"I know," Nia replied, putting her own cup down and looking worried. She was still sixteen, like the day that Romi had met her. Romi wondered if she ever aged at all. Nia looked up, realising that Romi was staring at her.
"I didn't get born this timeline, did I?" Nia asked.
"Not that I know of," Romi answered, "but it's possible, we don't know how many people are still surviving… or actually having children."
"You would know if I was born," Nia replied, "trust me, you'd definitely know. But I guess it doesn't matter, I doubt I would have been old enough to help anyways."
"Speaking of help," Romi jumped in.
"I can't," Nia sighed. "I've already tried. Whatever War has done with this timeline, I can't get into it. Which is bizarre, because I can usually get into all of them."
"But you're here now, talking to me," Romi said.
"This is different," answered Nia, "When I found out I couldn't get into this timeline, I thought I had better talk to you immediately."
"It's been ten years," Romi answered.
Nia stared at her for a moment, "oh," she said finally. "I thought I'd got here sooner. Hmmm."
"Oh well, you're here now," said Romi, "You have some message to convey?"
"What do you plan on doing?" Nia asked.
"Well, right now, we're just trying to take down the horsemen, like we have been for the last ten years," answered Romi, slightly annoyed. "Neville wants to go after War – but if I can get to Death, and get him to give back Luna then we–"
Nia shook her head, "No, that won't work," she said. "Death doesn't deal with the dead, that the Grim's job. Death just takes life from people."
"Do you have a better idea?" Romi answered, crossing her arms.
"You need to get to War," explained Nia. "It's hard to wrap your head around, but War is using his magic to create this timeline. And well, since I broke everything, the rules of time and magic are different. He might not know that."
"What does it matter if he does?" Romi asked.
"Well," answered Nia slowly, "let's just say, that, if you work on him from inside this timeline, I'll work on the timeline from outside this timeline and we might be able to break this little whirlpool of time he's got going on here."
"That doesn't make any sense," Romi replied.
"I keep forgetting that you don't know how to manipulate time when you're like this," Nia answered.
"Okay, if we do that, what exactly happens at the end?" Romi asked.
Nia was quiet, and then spoke.
"One of two things," she said, "either this timeline will disappear and you will all go back to the moment that it split, or the universe will disappear. It's like putting pressure on an aneurysm from both sides. It could explode inwards or outwards."
Romi frowned, watching her.
"I'm not following," she said finally.
"Time is a like a river," Nia said, using her finger to draw on the table in front of them. "Sometimes there are new rives adding to time, sometimes there are rivers branching off, and sometimes there are wetlands where time streams get all muddled together. And sometimes, very rarely, there is a whirlpool on the edge of the river. Time gets stuck inside it and seeing as its constantly moving it seems like time is passing, but like water in a whirlpool, it exits at the same place that it enters – hypothetically you would all go back to the beginning."
"Hypothetically?" Romi questioned.
"I've done a lot of things with time, but nothing like this before," Nia answered.
Romi sighed and rubbed her forehead. "What would we have to do?" she asked.
Nia smiled. "Go after War, and get his necklace – doesn't matter how, just get it. That's the source of his power. I'll work on this side, and hopefully we'll sort this out."
"And if you make the universe explode?" Romi asked. Nia shrugged.
"I already broke time once," she answered, "what more harm can I do?"
"Romi!" someone was shaking her awake. Groggily Romi opened her eyes and saw that she was looking at Trevor.
"What is it, Trevor?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.
"The red knight moved," he said, looking extremely worried. "Neville and Ginny are in the kitchen. They asked me to get you."
Romi nodded, and got up and stretched. "How's Caramia?" she asked, running her fingers through her short hair.
"Settling, I think," Trevor replied. "As much as anyone can."
"Good," Romi answered and looked at him for a long time. "Trevor, do me a favor."
"Sure," he said, looking confused.
"Make sure that everyone has a really good dinner tonight," she said, "I mean a really good one."
Trevor frowned slightly, "of course," he said finally, "can I ask why?"
Romi was quiet for a long moment, "just in case we don't get a chance to give them a really good dinner again."
She left the room, and hurried down the stairs towards the kitchen. Everyone in the house watched her apprehensively as she went. Romi knew them all so well now, and she felt so protective over them. They all seemed to know that something had happened. The banging against the front door was constant now.
Romi went into the kitchen and closed the door. Neville and Ginny were leaning against the table looking at the map. They glanced up at her arrival.
"It moved barely five minutes ago," Ginny said, pointing to the Red Knight. Romi's Godfather, Severus Snape, had bewitched them to follow the movements of the Horsemen years ago. They still worked after his death.
Romi walked to the map and looked down. The Red Knight was sitting on the border of Manitoba and the Northwest Territories.
"War must know where we are," Neville said, staring hard at Romi. Romi frowned, watching the map in front of her.
"I'm approving your plan, Neville," she said finally.
"What?!" Ginny said looking startled. Neville opened his mouth to say something, but Romi continued.
"I am making an adjustment to it," she said, looking at him. "I'm going to be the one to take on War."
"What? No!" Neville said, "He's my horseman, and there is no way I'm letting you die for that."
"Yes, you are," Romi said. She waved her hand across the table and a new map appeared. It was a field approximately five kilometres from the house. "Ginny and I are going to meet War here. We'll take everyone, we'll bring out Astaroth, the works, everything. But not you."
"Romi," Neville said sounding slightly angry, "I know that I failed last time but–"
"No, it has nothing to do with that," Romi said, quickly. "I need you to be here," she pointed to a small wooden area. "Every other time we've gone against War, it's been the same. He's attacked, we retaliated, he's withdrawn, we've withdrawn; or some sort of version of that. We've always gone honourably and straight to the front. Not this time. Ginny and I will engage him, and I will fight, keep him focused on me. And when he withdraws, which he will, because he always does, you will take Astaroth and hunt after him."
"Romi, he'll only withdraw from you if you're seriously injured or dead – he likes to fight too much," Neville said quietly.
"I know," Romi answered, "but that's not the point, you just need to get that necklace – don't think about anything else. That's his source of power, and once you take it, it'll be fine."
"And how did you come to that conclusion?" Ginny asked, curiously looking at Romi. Romi looked between her and Neville.
"Nia told me," she said, finally. "Just now. Apparently she's been trying, but she can't affect this timeline because War is controlling it. And that's good news."
"How is that good news?" Neville asked, skeptically.
"Because if he's out of power, Nia thinks she can return everything to where it was – before all of this –" Romi gestured to the map with so many places crossed off, "–happens."
Ginny and Neville looked at each other for a long time.
"Everything will go back as it should?" Neville said finally.
"With Harry and Luna and Draco, and Ron and Hermione, and everyone else," Romi answered.
"Okay," Ginny and Neville said immediately together.
Romi looked at them for a long time. "I don't know if it'll work," she said, finally, "Nia only promised to try."
Neville shrugged, "It's better than this," he said. "Anything this better than this."
Romi looked down at the Red Knight. "Well, I guess we'd better go meet him," she said. "I think it's best if we sent an envoy, formally."
"He'll like that," Ginny replied.
"I'll send Zhi out then," Romi said. She whistled, and seconds later her cat appeared, jumping on the table. Romi gave her a scratch, and told her what to do. Zhi purred for a moment and then hopped off the table and headed to the front doors.
Romi followed into the room where everyone seemed to be waiting for them. The banging had stopped at the front door and it was deathly quiet.
"Trevor, open the front door for her," Romi said, pointing to Zhi. Trevor, who was close to it, pulled open the door just wide enough for Zhi to slip through and then shut it again. He looked back to the three of them, worried. Caramia was beside him, her eyes wide, and her mouth tight.
Romi took a deep breath and then looked at everyone in the room.
"War has found us," she said. There was an outbreak of concerned whispered and then they were stifled. No one looked terrified, their eyes were hollow, like they were exhausted and just waiting for this day to end. "We have a plan, but it requires action from all of us."
There was another murmur, some faces looking determined, other wary. Romi glanced at Neville and Ginny and then told them the plan. There were shouts before she had even managed to tell them what Neville's part was and the room dissolved into arguments.
"He will kill you before you get close enough, Romi," Trevor called out above the noise and everyone went silent again.
Romi went on carefully, "War likes a good fight; he will let me get close."
"He likes to win," Trevor insisted, "if you do this, you will die."
"I know," Romi replied, "That's why I'm doing it – and not any of you." They started to protest again, but Romi shouted over them, "He will bring demons like he always does and I need you to keep them busy while I deal with War."
The protests turned into grumbles. "Now," Romi continued, "I'm sending Astaroth with Neville, he's got something he needs to do, and that's all you need to know." She looked at them all hardly. "If this works… which it will because it has too… then everything will be better tomorrow."
"He's just one Horseman," said Kevin Higgins, a tall man in his twenties, with rough brown hair. He was still nursing some injuries from his battle with the demon that had attacked early that day. "What about the other three?"
"What Neville is doing will take of them," Romi replied evenly. She looked at all them carefully. "Do you trust me?"
There was a moment of silence and then Katherine Morrow spoke.
"Of course we do," she said, looking around at the people in their little group. "We're a family and you've kept us safe for all these years." There were more murmurs and nods in the group, Kevin Higgins agreed loudly.
"Then please trust me in this," Romi said, "I have faith that all of you will reach tomorrow without having to deal with our problem," Romi glanced at Neville and Ginny, "without the Horsemen."
There was a long pause.
"Where do you want us?" Caramia asked. She was looking at Romi determined. Romi smiled.
"Zhi's gone to give terms and have War meet us five miles from here, at Devil's Moot at dawn," Romi said. "Ginny and Trevor will each take half of you and watch each flanks. I'll take the centre and with it, War. Caramia go with Trevor, whatever you can do to help, do it."
Caramia nodded, and exchanged a smile with Trevor. Romi looked around at the rest of her crew, carefully looking each of them in the eyes.
"Everyone should get a good meal and then some rest. There is only a couple of hours before dawn," Romi said finally.
Trevor and Lee Barnes got moving immediately, sorting out food and supplies and dividing the group into half and assigning last minute duties.
"Are you sure about this, Romi?" Neville said, quietly.
"Of course," Romi replied, "besides, it means that in a couple of hours – none of this will have ever happened."
It was cold as Romi stood in the clearing. The weather all over the world had gone haywire since War took over. There was a freezing wind blowing through the clearing, but there was no sign of snow, despite being the middle of winter; at least she thought it was winter. They didn't measure time the same way that they used to.
Zhi had returned and was silent at Romi's feet. Romi knew that Zhi would fight when the time came, she had fought before, but Romi had half hoped that Zhi would run away, she was so old now. But the cat stayed with her as Romi watched the group across the clearing approaching.
There was about twenty of Romi's group, not including Neville and Astaroth, who were hidden in the trees so well that Romi couldn't even see them. Across the field War was riding up to them on a fiery red horse, straight back and tall; like he had already conquered the world. Behind him were a handful of the most vicious demons Romi had encountered. She picked out Mephistopheles immediately. Romi glanced to Ginny, who nodded, looking determined. Her old bow was strung, with new arrows, and her wand was ready in her pocket.
Romi started to walk forward in the middle of the clearing. War dismounted from his horse, patted it on the neck, while it stamped and snorted a breath of fire, and walked forward to meet Romi.
"My dear, Romi!" War said, smiling broadly as he arrived. "Imagine my surprise to find you so close to my base! Why I nearly had a heart attacked when your cat showed up."
"I'm sure," Romi answered dryly.
"You wanna rumba again?" War asked, running his fingers over the hilt of his sword, watching Romi again. "I so enjoy our dances."
"This is the last one," Romi said quietly.
"Course," said War, unconvinced, "I suppose you have terms you want to say before we start."
Romi shrugged, "same as all the other times – stop and go away."
War sighed, "you could just give up you know," War said. "I'm so very good at this game."
"No," Romi answered, "after so long? It's like a family tradition."
"I suppose it would be very boring without you," mused War. "Who shall I take this time? Which one of your friends?"
War looked past Romi's shoulder to the ranks behind her. "I think you're redhead. Too many redheadeds just get me confused, I have to think about which one is you."
"Oh, you poor thing," Romi said sarcastically. "Imagine being you, War, and having to struggle to remember what your enemy looks like."
War pulled out his sword and swung at Romi. She only just had time to dodge and pull up her own sword. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ginny fire an arrow straight into Mephistopheles' eye. He roared, and charged.
Then it was a blur. Romi didn't have time to look around her to see what her people were doing, War was keeping all of her attention. He was very good, and Romi was not his equal. She fought hard. She needed him to believe that this was it, that she was fighting the final battle with him. She needed War to think that he had won.
He landed a blow with his fist to her jaw, and she landed painfully on her stomach. The pain was sending sharp jabs all over her jaw. Romi looked around quickly, taking the moment to see the rest of the group. They were doing well against the demons. She could see Ginny's bright red hair bobbing in between three demons, spells firing in every direction. Gun fire peppered the air as well, as those with the non-magical weapons descended upon the demons. Trevor was beside Caramia, who had some extraordinary wild magic at her command.
She took this all in a split second, and then eyes fell on the woods. She could see Astaroth, the completely black dragon, crouching near the ground at the edge of the woods. He was watching her with his golden eyes, ready to pounce when Neville gave the order. Romi glanced to his back, where Neville was sitting. She could barely see him, but she knew he was there.
War suddenly stepped on her right hand, crushing the bones against her sword, and then kicking it away. Romi pulled her hand close to her the minute War lifted his foot, and she rolled onto her back, pointing her wand at him with her left hand.
War drove the point of his sword into her upper left arm. Romi cried out and dropped her wand.
"You know what," said War, putting the tip of his sword at Romi's heart. "I've really had enough of you. If you're gone, you're little resistance will crumble, and that's that."
Romi didn't say anything. War lifted his sword, and she closed her eyes. She pulled up the image of every face that she had lost. She hovered on her brother's, and on Luna's, remembering them laugh. She remembered Draco's, and his smile.
Romi smiled to herself.
Neville looked away. After everything that he had seen these past ten years, he could not watch his best friend die. He held onto Astaroth's neck, and looked away. Astaroth cried in a heartbroken sort of way, closing his golden eyes. Despite being a demon himself, he had never swayed from Romi or Neville's loyalty in the past ten years. He had always fought by their side and protected them. They were his people, and even a demon's heart could break.
Neville looked back a few seconds later. War was cleaning his sword, glancing around the rest of the battle field. Several of Romi's warriors had fallen, but they had fought hard. Many of his demons were also gone, banished back to Hell for a little while.
Neville prayed that he would do what he always did. That he would just withdraw; their resistance was gone, he couldn't even see Ginny anymore. War looked around the battle field for a long moment, and Neville feared that he would never turn his back.
But then he gave the signal, and turned. All the demons that he'd brought with him disappeared in puffs of smoke, off to terrorize another part of the world. War left those still alive alone, and walked to his fiery red horse.
Neville squeezed Astaroth's flanks with his thighs. The dragon shot out of the trees and streamlined for War. Neville held his wand in one hand, and narrowed his eyes, focusing on an almost invisible string at the back of War's head.
Astaroth swooped low, Neville reached out, and his fingers closed around it. Astaroth flew past, the chain broke of War's neck and into Neville's hand and caused War to be flung forward. Astaroth and Neville soared around again, and landed in front of War.
War picked himself up from the mud, looking extremely angry.
"I was wondering when you were going to show up," he grumbled, wiping the mud off of his armour, and glancing at Neville. "Nice dragon. Why on earth would you hit me in the back of the head when you could have just cut it off?" War's hands had made it to his collar, adjusting his armor. He suddenly went pale, and stared at Neville.
Neville held up the chain, "looking for this?" he asked. There was a little pendant hanging from it in the shape of a Chinese peace symbol of Ying and Yang.
"Very funny," said War, holding out a hand. "Give it back."
Neville looked at Astaroth, and then back at War. "Uh, no," he said. "Why on earth would I do that?"
"Why you little brat," War snarled and tried to lift his sword. But it was stuck to the ground. He tugged and tugged, but nothing happened. "I swear when my brothers get here…"
"I wouldn't count on them getting here in time," Neville said, as Astaroth growled beside him, crouching, ready to pounce. Neville glanced at the dragon. War also looking at him, appearing, for once, scared. "This is Astaroth," said Neville. "He's a fear demon. You just killed the woman who sealed him, you should know how fear demons are. They are exceptionally loyal to those who seal them. Also, I think he smells your fear."
"No–" War started, but Astaroth roared and pounced. Neville didn't look away this time.
A few moments later, Neville turned and walked to where Romi was lying. Her eyes were closed and even though she wasn't breathing, there seemed to be a smile on her face. Neville sank to his knees beside her.
"I got it," he said, quietly, pushing her hair out of her face. "Now what?"
Someone put a hand on his shoulder, and he turned his head, expecting to see Ginny.
It was Nia, and beyond her was nothing. Neville quickly looked around, but he was alone with Nia, kneeling in a place that was nothing but white.
"What…?" he started.
"It's reversing," Nia said, smiling. "You did it. You defeated him! Though admittedly it was a very strange route to do it."
"It's done…?" Neville asked. Nia nodded in reply. Neville looked down to the chain in his hands. "Now what?"
"Now," Nia said, "You're going to find yourself in the middle of the forest at Hogwarts at fourteen years old again."
Neville looked at her startled. "What?"
"I would say you've got about," Nia cocked her head, as though she was listening, "two minutes before this timeline disappears and you're all back where you began."
Neville looked around, "but what about the last ten years?"
"You're not going to remember them," Nia said, "because they never happened. But don't worry," she added, pointing to the pendant in Neville's hand, "you'll have proof that you defeated him."
"I don't understand how that works," Neville said, quickly, "how can time just disappear like that?"
"Time is a lot more complicated than you think," answered Nia. "I don't even know all of it."
"Who are you?" Neville demanded.
"My name is Nia," she answered. "And I broke time. I wish I could say it was an accident, but I did it on purpose. I wanted to change things, and I changed too many things. I'm sorry, but everything you've had to do and go through, that was because of me… breaking time."
Neville stared at her, he was starting to feel a little fuzzy, like he was waking up from a very realistic dream.
"I'm not going to remember this conversation, am I?" he asked finally.
"Nope," Nia replied, and everything disappeared.