Chapter 46 - 46

Chapter 46: Darkness Takes Over

Hogwarts, December 19th 1997

"H-How?" I ask, still utterly amazed by the fact that he's standing there, alive. "What happened? How did you –"

"Later, Potter," Regulus mutters, and then jerks his head towards the rest of the room; everyone is staring at us with mixed looks of curiosity and bewilderment.

I pull back from Regulus, clearing my throat. There's a faint tinge of redness on his pale cheeks. Ron then steps closer, grasping my shoulder, shaking his head slightly, before pulling me into a quick bear hug, grinning widely.

"Thank bloody Merlin," Ron breathes, so quietly, that I'm the only one who hears him.

As we lean back from each other, I notice both joy and worry in his expression. "You've no idea how relieved I was, mate, when we got the message from Neville – or, well, Fred and George did!" He says, and I give my friend a puzzled look.

Ron digs up a coin from his pocket, and shrugs slightly. "Didn't dare to use them to send you a message, in case, you know…the Death Eaters got it," he says with a grimace. "But then, Fred got the message to his DA coin, that you're here, and that we're gonna fight – "

"That is the plan, right, Harry?" George asks and steps closer after hugging Hermione. He too claps me on the back with a huge grin. "Great to see you in one piece, by the way," he adds with a wink. "We're gonna take over the school, right?"

My scar burns threateningly, and I swallow hard, focusing on the present. "I dunno…Don't exactly have a plan," I grumble, somewhat irritated.

Fred gives an indifferent shrug. "No plan, huh? We'll just wing it then, as usual," he says simply, grinning at me.

Neville clears his throat, inching closer to us, watching warily at Regulus. "Um…not to be rude, but, well…who is –"

"This is our friend, Rogue," Fred explains with a straight face, throwing an arm around Regulus, who stands stiffly in place. Fred then grins at Regulus, who looks back blankly, the flash of sharpness in his eyes promising retribution.

Ron snorts quietly behind me, and it is obvious Neville, Seamus, and the rest of the people don't believe a word Fred's said, but they don't push it. Instead, Seamus claps his hand together, looking at me with expectation.

"What now, Harry?" Seamus asks, and many of the room's occupants move their focus from Fred and his jokes back to me.

I glance at Hermione, who stands close to me, and then at Regulus and Ron, who both watch me as well. Somehow, Fred and George seem to take the hint, and move forwards to chatter with a group of Hufflepuffs.

"They could help, Harry," Ron says quietly. "They don't need to know all the details, right?" He asks, and then, to my surprise, both Regulus and Hermione give agreeing nods.

I hesitate, remembering how Dumbledore told only to Regulus and me about the mission, and said it was okay for me to include Ron and Hermione in it as well, but no one else. But is there a need to keep this top secret anymore? Isn't Voldemort already on his way, knowing perfectly well that I'm after the Horcrux that is hidden into the castle – and soon he will learn that the rest of them are destroyed.

My eyes widen slightly, and coldness trickles down my spine. "You have it, right?" I ask quietly from Ron and Regulus. "Tell me you still have it."

Regulus nods at me calmly. "We do."

"Harry?" Hermione asks, her voice low. "If he's coming, if he's on his way – we need to act fast. Everyone here can be trusted."

With a last glance at my friends and Regulus, I turn to face the room, clearing my throat. "Okay, people. We're looking for something. An item. Something that can help us defeat him," I tell the others, grimacing inwardly. Everyone is focused on me, listening attentively to my every word. "We don't know what the object is, but, um, it might've belonged to Ravenclaw," I finish, looking at the group of Ravenclaws hopefully.

There's a stunned silence.

"Isn't there anything? Any items that are mentioned in the house history? Like the Gryffindor sword?" I ask, suddenly feeling somewhat desperate.

Then, Padma Patil purses her lips, "Well, there is the lost Diadem of Ravenclaw, but that's, like, lost." She says with a pointed look.

I want to groan inwardly. Brilliant.

"How long has it been lost?" Ron asks from her, but Michael Corner replies before Padma has time to open her mouth.

"It's said that no one within living memory has seen it. So…long," he says with an apologising frown.

Bloody brilliant.

I press my fingertips on the bridge of my nose, my glasses rising up. I let out a weary sigh. "What now…?" I grumble, and then look at my friends.

"No one within living memory…" Regulus says quietly. "What about the – "

"Ghosts!" Hermione hisses quickly, her eyes widened in excitement, as she stares at Regulus.

Regulus's brows are lifted, and he too has a hint of anticipation in his expression.

Ron rolls his eyes at the pair of them, and then looks at me. "What do you reckon?" He asks quietly.

Evidently aware that everyone's eyes are on us, I try to think quickly. Ghosts. Why the hell not? If no one has seen the Diadem in living memory, could the ghosts have seen it? Or heard how it got lost?

"Yeah, let's do it," I mutter, turning back to the crowd once more. "Any of you know where to locate the Ravenclaw ghost?"

We walk over the patches of moonlight on the floor, our footsteps charmed noiseless so that they do not give us away. There are, after all, three Death Eaters walking in this school, patrolling its corridors. I wonder what happens, when I meet him? When I meet my old friend? Will he try to kill me? Will he take me to his master?

"Tell me everything," Potter urges for the second time after we have seen Hermione and Ronald disappear behind a corner, on their way to destroy the cup, my brother's Map on their hands, and with a promise to find us later.

I let out a small sigh. "I was unconscious for the most of it," I mutter, tucking Potter's Invisibility Cloak closer to me, keeping my wand at the ready. But the corridors seem to be empty at this time of the evening.

Practically feeling Potter's impatient gaze on the side of my neck, I continue, "Ronald pulled me away. He tried to Apparate us into Grimmauld Place, but unfortunately, Travers got a hold of him. Ronald Disapparated and left Travers there," I explain, my voice dark as I think about the half-witted Death Eater who had managed to keep himself alive during his imprisonment in Azkaban, and returned to his master without any doubt. And now he has access to my home.

"Then…Ronald saved my life by apparating us to his aunt and brothers, risking his and their lives in the process," I continue mutedly, my mind flashing with glimpses of agony, of several pairs of hands, panic-laced shouts, and then…darkness. A shiver racks my body. I know I'm lucky to be alive. If Ronald had not acted quickly, it would've been too late. I'm in his debt.

"What then? They – they healed you?" He asks carefully, keeping his voice quiet as we walk onwards along the empty corridors.

I grunt in acknowledgement. "They healed me, and did everything they could. The rest will be dealt with time."

We walk around a corner in silence, our robes swishing quietly in the deserted corridors.

"Reg?" Potter mutters quietly, his fingers brushing my arm. "You should've stayed there, let yourself heal properly."

I let out a small huff. Of course, I'm not fine; I'm not properly healed. But there was no way I would've stayed behind. I arch a brow at Potter, and he inclines his head in understanding, knowing already my thoughts.

"What about you? What happened? Did they take you to Wiltshire?" I ask, feeling somewhat anxious. After regaining my senses, and after the pain subsided enough for me to think, all I could see in my mind, was Potter and Hermione surrounded by the Death Eaters. All I could feel was the terror that was evident in Potter's eyes.

Potter lets out a weary sigh. "Um…yeah," he whispers, as we start climbing up the stairs towards the Ravenclaw tower. "Bellatrix figured it was us, but didn't summon him straight away, since she knew we had been in her vault," Potter says with a grimace. "She, um…tortured Hermione," he continues, his voice thick.

I look sharply at Potter, and anger flares in my chest. Bella. It's always her. Then I see the anxiousness in Potter's expression as he keeps his gaze away from me, and fixed onward. "What about you? What did they do to you?" I ask tightly, suppressing the urge to force him to look at me.

Potter swallows hard, looking stricken. "I was thrown into the cellar as Bellatrix tortured Hermione. I-I f-found – " Potter stammers, and then clears his throat, his jaw hardening. "I found my friends there, dead." He says, almost silently.

I stare at Potter, not as stunned by the news, as I am distressed for him. No. It is a fact that each of us will eventually lose someone in this war. I can only hope that for me…it is not Potter.

"Luna and Dean. And, well, Ollivander was there too," Potter whispers after a short silence.

"I'm sorry for your loss," I murmur, my fingers grazing his. Potter says nothing, and then, we finally reach the spiral staircase that leads to the entrance of the Ravenclaw common room.

The entrance, that is a stretch of wood on the wall, with a bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle.

"Is this it?" Potter whispers, glancing at me.

I haven't been inside, but I'm quite certain this is the right place, based on what the Ravenclaw students described earlier. I give him a small nod, before lifting my arm and knocking.

The noise resonates loudly in the empty corridor. "Shit…" Potter grunts under his breath, and quickly looks behind us.

Then, the beak of the eagle knocker opens. "I am always in front and never behind. What am I?"

Potter looks at me with his brows lifted. "They really weren't taking the piss," he mutters, referring to the group of Ravenclaws in the Room of Requirement, who gave us the way to their common room, and explained that at the entrance, one must answer a riddle correctly, to gain permission to enter. "What do you reckon it is?"

I watch Potter, contemplating the riddle. "The future," I say quietly, my eyes still at him.

The door swings open. Potter's brows lift slightly upwards. "Good one," he mutters under his breath.

We step into the empty and quiet common room; a wide and circular space with long, arched windows on the walls that are surrounded by blue and bronze curtains. As I glance around the elegant, but comfortable furniture, and take in all the intricate details from the mantelpiece to the portrait frames, and the domed ceiling painted with stars, I have to admit that the place is somewhat more inviting than the Slytherin common room in the dungeons; mostly because of the view behind the windows displaying the mountains and green forests, and the lack of constant coldness.

Potter lets out a small, astonished sound, and then steps away from under the cloak, making his way to the tall statue of white marble opposite to the door; the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw.

He leans closer, looking more closely at the diadem carved on top of the statue's head. "'Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure.'" Potter mutters quietly.

"Which makes you pretty skint, witless," an amused voice, achingly familiar, says in the darkness. A voice that makes my spine trickle with unease.

Alecto Carrow.

Potter staggers quickly away from the statue, lifting his wand. I too throw the cloak away, my wand at the ready, a curse on my lips, but before neither of us can do anything, Alecto presses the Dark Mark on her skin.

Instantly, Potter collapses on his knees, yelling in pain, and at the same time, my left arm burns savagely, making me stumble in my steps.

"If my eyes aren't betraying me…" Alecto whispers, watching me in amazement. "Regulus Black!" She gasps, her voice excited and thick with bewilderment.

"In the flesh." I mutter, my jaw tight as I breathe through the pain in my arm. I see how her posture relaxes, how her wand hand drops to her side. "It's been a while, Alecto."

Relief mixes into the astonishment in her expression, "I don't know how, but – "

What she is about to say, is cut off by the flash of my wand, by the curse that hits her straight in the chest. Alecto drops to the floor, like a marionette with its strings cut, her eyes closed.

I stare at the witch silently, a witch whom I've always more or less loathed, a witch who thought we were nothing but friends, after what we went through together many, many years ago.

How utterly wrong she was.

Potter coughs, lifting up to sit on the floor, panting, his eyes moving from Alecto to me. He looks…horrified.

"You – you killed her?" He croaks, staring at me with a mix of disbelief and shock in his expression.

I narrow my eyes at him, his reaction bothering me quite a lot. "No, Potter. I cursed her into an enchanted slumber. She will not wake up without an antidote," I tell him, leaving unsaid that even with the antidote, it is possible that she will not wake up.

"Oh…okay then," Potter says and stands up, looking almost…relieved.

I feel a surge of irritation by his reaction. "The only reason I didn't kill her, is because I knew her. Because she helped me, long time ago," I tell Potter, giving him a dark look. "If you believe I will refrain from killing a Death Eater when facing them, you are greatly mistaken, Potter," I tell him, my voice harsh.

There's a deep frown between Potter's eyes, and he stares at me for a long moment, his bright green eyes innocent and contemplative.

He then gives me a small nod. "Okay. Okay," he says, and walks up to me, taking my hand.

Then, there are sounds of many doors opening in the dormitories upstairs, and the ceiling shakes slightly as several footsteps start to draw nearer. "Come on, we should not be seen," I whisper, reaching out to snatch the Cloak from the floor, before throwing it over us.

As several students pour into the common room from the two doors leading to the dormitories, Potter and I back away towards the far corner.

" – is she…dead?"

"Looks like it – "

"But what happened?"

Several students whisper hurriedly with anxious looks on their faces. One of the students pokes Alecto with their feet, and the woman stays limp, lying on the floor.

Potter starts panting next to me, and I turn my focus to him. "Harry?" I whisper silently. "What is going on?"

There's a look of anguish on his face, and then he blinks at me, wearily. "He's in the cave."

I stare at him in surprise, but then, there's a loud yell on the hall, outside of the common room.

Most of the Ravenclaw students freeze in place as Amycus's voice carries through the door.

"I dunno! Will you bloody let me in! I'm a teacher! Alecto! Are you there?!"

Something loud blasts against the door; Amycus is trying to force his way in, sending spells against the door, and screaming for his sister.

Then, another voice, calmer, speaks outside the common room. "Good evening, Professor Carrow."

"McGonagall!" Potter whispers urgently, glancing at me.

I give him a nod, and listen, as Amycus forces Professor McGonagall to answer to the riddle for him.

The Ravenclaw students in the common room quickly vanish back to their dormitories, right before the door opens.

Amycus steps in, and lets out a yell of shock, after seeing his sister on the floor, close to the statue. He runs to her, and then looks up to the two doors leading to the dormitories.

"W-Who – " he growls, his posture stiffening, his body shaking with anger. "I will kill them. Kill all of them. He then grabs his hair with both hands. "No…No, no, no…She called him. She told him we had Potter. And now they've killed her!"

McGonagall leans towards Alecto's body, before straightening up. "She's not dead. And what on earth are you talking about Potter?" She asks coldly.

Amycus narrows his eyes at McGonagall. "We were told that Potter will try to get inside the Ravenclaw Tower. The Dark Lord told us to call for him if we caught Potter!"

Potter and I share a look of unease, both holding our wands at the ready.

"Why would Potter try to get inside Ravenclaw Tower?" McGonagall asks sharply. "Potter belongs to my House!"

Amycus lets out an exasperated snarl. "What does it matter, old hag?" He hisses, and then looks back to the dormitories. "We could…we could say the kids did it. They ambushed her, forced her to call for him, and then cursed – "

"You will not do such thing, you coward!" McGonagall says tightly, her eyes blazing with anger.

Amycus lets out a dry laugh. "You defying me, hag?" He asks with a dark voice, taking a step towards McGonagall.

I feel Potter gritting his teeth together, as if suppressing an urge to run to them and send a curse on Amycus's back.

"Your time is over. It is the Death Eaters who are in charge here, the Dark Lord who makes the decisions now," Amycus growls, moving closer and closer to McGonagall, until he is inches from her.

McGonagall doesn't look away, and I have to hand it to her, I didn't think of her to defy a Death Eater in these circumstances, as it is quite possible that the penalty for that is death.

"You'll back me up or you'll pay the price," Amycus says, confirming my thoughts, before spitting in her face.

Potter tears the Cloak away from us in rage, his wand lifted, as he marches closer. "You should not have done that," he growls menacingly.

As Amycus turns around, his eyes rounding in astonishment as he sees both Potter and me, Potter yells, "CRUCIO!"

A soundless gasp leaves my lungs as I see the look of hate in Potter's eyes, the flicker of satisfaction…and the hunger, as he watches the Death Eater trashing in the air, screaming in pain, clawing his body, before Potter flicks his wand and sends the now unconscious man hard against a bookcase. Amycus drops to the floor, unmoving.

Potter stares at him for a moment, panting. He glances at me, but then looks back at McGonagall. "I see what Bellatrix meant. You have to mean it," he says, his voice calm, but somewhat hollow.

"Potter!" McGonagall gasps in shock. "What are you doing in here? You shouldn't be – you know how dangerous it is, and you attacked – "

"Minerva," I mutter, stepping closer.

McGonagall gives me an exasperated look. "Regulus too? Merlin's sake – "

"Professor," Potter says coolly. "Voldemort is on his way. He knows I'm here, knows that I'm looking for something – something that can help us to destroy him," Potter tells her urgently.

McGonagall stumbles in her steps, and she falls to a nearby chair, looking somewhat overwhelmed.

As Potter explains what we are looking for, and if she has an idea how to get into contact with the Ravenclaw ghost, I step closer to look at Amycus, who starts to stir.

Before I can lift my wand, a spell hits Amycus in the chest, stunning him, and then he's being lifted up, and tied to the ceiling. I look back at McGonagall who watches me with slightly pursed lips, evidently realising what curse I had used at Amycus's sister.

"If You-Know-Who is on his way, and he knows that you are here – "

Her sentence is drowned by Potter's moan of pain. As I run to him, Potter holds his head between his hands, leaning slightly forward, gasping.

I take his hands into mine, calling him, distressed by the thought of the Dark Lord having this much control over Potter's mind.

"Harry!" I say urgently, for the third time, and then, Potter blinks at me tiredly.

"He knows the cave is empty," he mutters, before shaking his head slightly and looking at McGonagall.

I let go of one of his hands, but hold on to the other.

"He's on his way, and I need to find the diadem, Professor. Dumbledore told me to do this, he explained everything to me!" Potter says urgently. "We need to secure the school, and evacuate the students. There's a way out, that no one knows of – it leads to the Hog's Head, and Voldemort won't be interested what happens in Hogsmeade, as long as he knows that I'm in the school," Potter explains.

McGonagall is silent for a short moment. "That we shall do then. You two find this – object – and leave the rest to us," McGonagall says, standing up, looking at us with a determined look. "However, something needs to be done to the current Headmaster before that," she adds with a hint of a sneer on her face.

"Let me – " Potter growls, but McGonagall interrupts him.

"We must alert the others. Follow me. And put that Cloak back on."

We make our way hastily through the corridor, and down the spiralling staircase, McGonagall's tartan dressing gown billowing behind her, while Potter and I follow her under the Cloak, silently, our wands at the ready. At the foot of the stairs of the Ravenclaw Tower, McGonagall sends three messenger Patronuses to the other Heads of Houses, which disappear into different directions. Following one silvery cat's steps, we walk through two passages, and reach the third floor, where McGonagall suddenly stops in her tracks, in the middle of the corridor.

With her wand lifted up, she speaks into the darkness, "Who's there?"

"It is I," a low voice says.

A voice that used to make me at ease, that used to mean friendship, trust and solidarity, but now only betrayal and distrust. A voice that cannot belong to anyone other than Severus Snape.

The man who I used to call my friend, steps from behind a suit or armour.

Potter stiffens next to me, and as I stare at the man, dressed in his black robes, watching McGonagall with the familiar cold expression, I only feel…resentment towards him. He betrayed me. He betrayed everyone. If there had been anything else related to Dumbledore's death's circumstances, surely Severus would've come forth already. Surely, he would've tried to find me, confide in me. Seeing him finally, somehow confirms it. He is not who we thought. He serves the Dark Lord. And he killed Dumbledore.

"Where are the Carrows?" Severus asks from McGonagall, his voice quiet, but his eyes sharply watching around her.

"Wherever you told them to be, I expect, Severus," McGonagall says briskly.

Severus takes a step closer. "Is he with you?"

"Who are you talking about? Amycus?" McGonagall asks.

Severus's eyes sweep the corridors behind McGonagall, twice passing the place Potter and I stand.

"Potter. He is here."

"Oh?" McGonagall asks, unimpressed. "Why would you think so?"

McGonagall must've seen Severus's hand twitch, as she hums thoughtfully. "But of course, you Death Eaters have your own ways of communication," she says darkly.

"Why are you out of bed at this time, Minerva?" Severus asks quietly.

"I thought I heard a disturbance," McGonagall says.

Severus looks at her for a short moment, before he speaks. "Is Potter with you? Because if he is, as the Headmaster, I must insist – "

Potter moves before I have time to stop him, throwing the cloak away, stepping towards Severus, his wand hand trembling as it is pointed at the man.

"How dare you call yourself that?!" Potter yells, his voice trembling with rage. "How dare you stand there, after you murdered him?!"

Severus's wand slashes across the air so fast that I only have time to pull Potter away from the spell that was aimed at him, and right that moment, Severus notices me, his eyes widening slightly.

All of us have our wands pointed at him.

I watch him in disbelief. "You will not commit another murder, Severus!" I say warningly, pushing Potter behind and taking a step towards him, feeling somewhat enraged.

McGonagall is faster than me, as a purple jet of light soars through the air towards Severus from the tip of her wand, but Severus manages to block it with a powerful shield charm.

Time slows down, as the three of us, and perhaps Potter too, start to duel in earnest, wands slashing through the air, fire soaring across the corridor, changing form into water, changing form into knives, which in the end blast against the wall close to Potter.

"Move back!" I yell at Potter, before blocking a curse sent towards me, and sending one back, that hits the windows behind Severus, as he swiftly moves to the side, to parry McGonagall's curse.

Then, Professors Flitwick, Sprout and Slughorn emerge from behind the corner.

"No!" Flitwick yells, charming the suits of armours to attack Severus, and he finally has to pull back, as there are too many of us, and only one of him.

He looks straight into my eyes, brows furrowing, before his shield charm breaks, and with flurry of black robes, he vanishes through the broken window behind him.

"COWARD!" McGonagall yells as she reaches the window.

"My, oh my! Potter! And – and Mr. Black!" Slughorn says loudly in astonishment, as McGonagall, Sprout, Potter and Flitwick stare at the window after Severus, who has learned to fly without a broom, it seems.

I turn to my old Head of House. "Professor," I say politely, nodding at him.

"How is it – but you are – is it even possible…?" Slughorn stammers, his eyes round as they move up and down my frame.

"Yes, yes, Horace. Regulus is back. And he's with the Order," McGonagall says impatiently, looking each of the professors in turn.

Professor Sprout watches me with a sharp look. "I trust Minerva. If you are with the Order, then…it is good to have you back, Mr. Black," she says with a tight smile.

Professor Flitwick gives an agreeing nod beside her.

Slughorn splutters but then manages to collect himself. "Yes – yes. Very good, indeed!" He bellows, still watching me with an amazed look.

"Professor!" Potter yells suddenly, his face scrunched up in pain.

My stomach sinks. He must be in the Dark Lord's mind again.

"He's coming now! Voldemort's coming! We need to barricade the school!"

"What is the meaning of this, Minerva? Barricade the school? You-Know-Who is – what? Where did the Headmaster go?" Slughorn stammers, fear evident in his voice.

"Our Headmaster has been dismissed," McGonagall explains to the professors. "And his name is Voldemort, Horace. He is coming, and we need to protect the school. I suggest we place basic protection around the place, then gather our students. Every underage student will be evacuated, but if any of those who are over age wish to stay and fight, I think they ought to be given the chance."

"The protection will not last long, but it gives us time to get the students into safety," Flitwick says promptly, and McGonagall nods.

"I expect each of you to get your houses to the Great Hall, where I will give further instructions," McGonagall says.

Professors Sprout and Flitwick both nod and murmur their agreements, before Sprout leaves hastily, muttering about plants, and Flitwick steps to the window, and aims his wand to the castle grounds, casting spells nonverbally.

While McGonagall joins Flitwick to cast spells, Potter walks up to them, to discuss with Flitwick, I assume about the Ravenclaw ghost.

"Mr. Black, good to see you…alive," Slughorn mutters, still taken aback. "Mind if I ask what happened to you m'boy? How have you not aged…?"

I give my old Head of House a polite smile. "I'm afraid it is a rather long story, sir. One, which I may be inclined to explain to you, one day," I say, pointedly, and Slughorn gives me a nod, understanding to back off.

"Reg!" Potter then breathes, running towards me, "We call her by her name!" He says hastily. "She's her daughter!" He continues, eyes glinting in excitement.

"Her daughter…?" I ask, thinking quickly. Does Potter mean, that Rowena Ravenclaw's daughter is the ghost of Ravenclaw?

"Let's go then," I murmur to Potter, as McGonagall finishes with one of her spells, and returns to us.

"Minerva! Is he really coming?" Slughorn asks, upset, as we start to make our way along the corridor, back to where we originally came from. "Is this wise? If he finds out, and punishes – "

"Horace," McGonagall says sternly. "Please bring your students to the Great Hall. If you wish to leave with them, you may, but remember this; If any student from your house lifts a wand against us, we will duel to kill."

Slughorn splutters, taken aback. Potter and I share a surprised look.

"Of course not, Minerva, how could you – "

"The time has come for Slytherin House to decide upon its loyalties," McGonagall interrupts him. "Go and wake your students, Horace."

Slughorn leaves towards the dungeons, looking speechless.

McGonagall turns to us. "Did you two have something you were looking for?"

Potter nods, moving to grab the Cloak. "We have. Thank you, professor," He says, before pulling me to the nearest classroom.

I close the door behind me, locking it with a spell. "Call her, then," I tell Potter, feeling anxious.

Potter takes in a calming breath, before he speaks. "Helena Ravenclaw!" He calls, slightly unsurely, to the empty classroom.

Nothing happens.

Then, suddenly, a ghost with waist-length hair and floor-length cloak appears in the middle of the room. The Grey Lady. Or, Helena Ravenclaw.

"Why have you summoned me?" She asks quietly, watching both of us in doubt.

"We need your help. We need to find the lost diadem, and we wanted to ask if you knew anything about it?" Potter asks tentatively, lifting his brows slightly.

There's a cold look in the ghost's eyes. "I cannot help you," she merely says, and turns to leave.

"WAIT!" Potter yells, desperately. "We need to find it, it is crucial!"

Helena Ravenclaw watches Potter, and then me with a haughty look. "You are hardly the first ones to ask the whereabouts of the diadem. Generations of students have inquired me the same thing."

Potter sighs exasperatedly. "I'm not trying to get it because of its powers! I'm trying to defeat him – defeat Voldemort! We need the diadem for that! Do you know what happened to it?"

Helena Ravenclaw looks stunned for a moment, before she speaks, very quietly. "My mother's diadem. I…I stole it. I ran away with it."

"My mother sent a man after me, someone who had loved me for a long time, to find me. He tracked me to where I was hiding. He – he became violent," she whispers, looking at the floor.

"The Baron always was a volatile man."

"The Bloody Baron?" I ask, and Helena nods at me.

"And - and the diadem?" Potter asks carefully.

Helena lets out a sigh. "It remained where I had hidden it when I heard the Baron blundering through the forest towards me. Concealed inside a hollow tree."

"What? Where?" Potter asks hastily.

"A forest in Albania. Somewhere I thought I could be in peace."

"Albania…" Potter mutters, his eyes flashing with realisation. I too am aware that the Dark Lord had visited Albania.

"You've told someone else about this, haven't you?" Potter asks calmly, even if his eyes are watching her intently. "You've told him? Tom Riddle?"

The ghost stares at Potter for a long time, looking shocked. "I – I did," she whispers, remorse in her voice. "He was…very persuasive. He was…flattering…he understood me…" she says, closing her eyes.

"I know how he is," Potter says simply.

So, the Dark Lord had learned about the lost diadem of Ravenclaw during his school years, and after graduation, he had sought the artefact, and turned it into a Horcrux. The question is, how did he bring it to the school?

"—the night he asked for a job!" Potter says suddenly, his voice filling the silence.

"What?" I ask, only now remembering of Potter mentioning it before.

"He came to ask for a job from Dumbledore! He knew Dumbledore wouldn't have given it to him, but it was a good excuse to come back to the school and hide the diadem!"

There's a long silence, as both Potter and I think hard. Where did he hide it?

"If there is nothing else – "

Potter quickly shakes his head, smiling at the ghost. "No, thank you for your help!"

She leaves quietly through the wall.

"Where did he hide it…?" Potter asks, frowning at the wall where the ghost disappeared through. "What place did he find, that would remain hidden? Where no one else would find it?"

We stare at each other for a long while.

" – Room of Requirement," We say in unison, and then, smirk at each other.

And as it is said aloud, it is quite obvious. The Dark Lord was obsessed to find out about magic, to find out all the secrets of magic. And the Room of Requirement is definitely one of them. Something I hadn't heard or seen in my time at Hogwarts. I doubt even my brother and his friends had found the place, as it is not placed in their Map.

"Let's go," Potter says, nodding at me. "We need to tell everyone to go to the Great Hall anyway, we'll get a chance to search the room then."

Less than ten minutes later, Potter and I are standing in front of the stretch of a wall, requesting an entrance.

As soon as we step in, I notice that there are a lot more people than there previously was.

The Order of the Phoenix is gathered there, in midst of the students.

"Harry! Regulus!" Lupin yells, pulling each of us in a tight hug. "We thought – we didn't know – "

"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley draws Potter into an embrace, while many of the Order members pats a hand on my shoulder, and then Potter's.

"What is happening?" Lupin asks from me, a deep frown between his brows.

"Voldemort is coming," Potter announces to the room. "They're barricading the school, and soon evacuating the students through this room. And, yeah, Snape's run for it!"

There're loud whoops and cheers echoing across the room.

"Everyone is asked to gather in the Great Hall for further instructions," Potter says, and Shacklebolt nods at us, before leading a large group of Order members and students away from the room.

As Potter is greeted by the Weasley members and his other friends that have stuck around, Lupin puts a hand on my shoulder.

"Where's my cousin?" I ask him, arching a brow at the wide grin on the man's face.

"She's with my son," Lupin says quietly, a bewildered smile on his lips.

It takes a moment before his words register in my mind. "Your – she – a son?" I ask, surprised. "But she wasn't due until…until –"

"The beginning of February," Lupin says, nodding. "Seven weeks early, small but healthy. He's a Metamorphmagus," He says, excitedly. "Changed the colour of his hair an hour after his birth!"

I gape at him, and somehow, unexplainedly, the news bring me…joy. "How's Dora?" I ask, feeling a sting of worry.

"She's fine. Wanted to be here, but, well, couldn't," Lupin says with a small grimace. "Fought tooth and nail, but in the end, she decided to stay with him. Edward. After Dora's father," He continues softly.

"Congratulations, Lupin," I say finally, realising that I'm smiling widely at the man.

Lupin grins at me, and he looks younger than before. "Harry and you will probably need to fight for who's to become the godfather."

"W-What?" I stammer, staring at him in surprise. "What do you mean?"

Lupin shrugs. "Dora suggested Harry, but…I thought you could do well too," he says with a lopsided smile.

I'm quite taken aback by this, and Lupin chuckles as he sees the astounded look in my eyes. "Not to worry. We'll discuss it later."

Potter then joins us, hearing the news, and I watch him and Lupin, as Potter congratulates the fresh father, and as Lupin pulls a photograph from his robes. The Weasleys gather around to watch, while I back away slightly, watching instead at the several students – younger students that start to filter into the room, and are led through the passage, towards the Hog's Head pub.

It has begun.

It must be at least half an hour later, when the last of the under aged students disappear through the portrait hole. Aberforth comes to announce his displeasure of using his pub as station for the refugees, but in the end, he tells that most students have managed to Disapparate into safety from his pub, and then grunts in agreement to fight in this war, and leaves through the room entrance towards the castle.

After a commotion between Ginny and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and then Percy and the rest of the Weasley clan, everyone starts to leave towards the Great Hall.

Everyone but Regulus and me.

Trying to explain as vaguely as possible, we are finally alone, standing in front of the room in the corridor, again.

"You ready?" I ask, glancing at him.

Regulus gives me an intense look, before nodding.

I start to pace in front of the blank wall, thinking hard, knowing exactly where I'm trying to get to.

…The ugly bust of an old warlock, standing on top of the table. The one on top of which I put the wig and the dinged tiara, which was an exact copy of what I saw later on in the Ravenclaw common room. The Horcrux, the lost diadem of Ravenclaw, in the place where everything is hidden.

All the noise; the running footsteps, the urgent shouts, everything disappears as we step inside the room. The room, that has now transformed into a magnificent chamber, with ceiling so high it is hard to see, with endless rows of torches lining the walls. A room, filled with objects, hidden objects; towers of books, and furniture, reaching up to the ceiling, piles of clothing, banned objects, potion ingredients, decorations, jewellery…The tall piles rise like columns all over us, with narrow aisles between them.

"You know where to look from?" Regulus asks, looking a bit stunned by the view ahead of us.

I give him a nod, squinting my eyes forward, recollecting the last time I came here, the paths I took. "Yeah. This way," I tell him, taking the nearest aisle to the door, speeding along the path, that soon divides into three new ones.

"Voldemort thought he was the only one who knew about this place," I explain to Regulus, taking the path in the middle, passing a large table of potion bottles, with shimmering contents still in them.

"Why did you come here?" Regulus asks, his eyes moving rapidly on the objects we pass, his wand at the ready.

I shrug. "Had to hide something," I merely say, not in the mood to explain that it was Snape's book I hid, because he'd seen me using one of his spells against Malfoy. Sectumsempra. Obviously, I hadn't known what the curse did before using it, otherwise I wouldn't have used it. I still remember the way Malfoy was lying on the bathroom floor, in a pool of blood. Not unlike Regulus, at Diagon Alley. I feel slightly sick at the thoughts.

However, I suppose Regulus might already know about what happened, as he has searched my mind, and seen most of my horrifying memories. He watches me closely, but doesn't ask more questions. We walk ahead in silence for a long moment, walking past the pillars of chairs, books and junk, occasionally taking a new path when the old divides.

"We're nearly there…" I mutter, recognising the large pile of broomsticks, and soon, there it is; the scorched looking cupboard, with the ugly bust of an old wizard, and on top of it…

"Is that it?" Regulus asks quietly.

I nod hastily, stretching out my hand in order to seize the diadem, feeling my pulse speeding up, as if confirming that this is the object that I'm looking for.

But then, there's a voice behind us.

"Hold it, Potter."

Regulus and I quickly turn around, our wands pointed at…

"Malfoy." I grunt.

Malfoy, Grabbe and Goyle, standing at the end of the aisle, their wands pointed at us.

Feeling a wave of exasperation, I let out an impatient sigh. "Look, Malfoy, we're kind of in the middle of something, so…run along," I tell him with a sneer, and Malfoy's eyes narrow into mine.

"I think not," Malfoy says coldly. "That's my wand you're holding. I'm here to get it back."

I lift my brows at him. "You brought mine in the exchange?" I ask snidely, nodding at the wand in his hands, which doesn't look like mine, and why would Malfoy even make the exchange?

"No." Malfoy grunts. "This is my mother's wand. If you think the Dark Lord would let anyone touch yours, your out of your mind, Potter," he says bitterly.

I lift my brows at him. "Why aren't the three of you with Voldemort, then?" I ask offhandedly.

Malfoy looks bored, but Grabbe drones on about their plan to grab me and take me to their master, explaining how they followed me, and heard what we talked outside.

"That doesn't explain how did you get in, though," I point out, and Malfoy sneers at me.

"I practically lived here during the past year, Potter. I know how to get in."

I nod slowly, knowing that we need to hurry, thinking of a way to snatch the diadem and run.

"Congratulations. A brilliant plan," I say with a mocking smile. "However, we kind of have more important things to do, so – "

"You're awfully quiet, cousin." Malfoy says, his eyes trained at Regulus, who stands slightly behind me. "You're not going to let this bespectacled idiot to assign orders, are you?"

I almost gape at Malfoy. Of course. Narcissa has told her son. I wonder if everyone else knows? If Voldemort knows?

"Cousin?" Grabbe asks, looking very slow as his face scrunches up in thought. "What do you mean, cousin?"

"His name is Regulus Black," Malfoy says impatiently to his friend. "He used to be one of them – one of the Death Eaters."

"One of us, you mean, Malfoy," Goyle says darkly, surprisingly fast to realise what Malfoy had said. "You mean that he was one of us?"

Malfoy merely rolls his eyes at Goyle.

"So, that means, that he's a traitor, doesn' it?" Grabbe says threateningly.

"I reckon it does," Goyle grunts, and before anyone of us realise, his wand is slashing through the air, "Crucio!"

Regulus manages to dive out of the way in a split second, and the spell hits one of the towering piles behind him, causing it to crumble down in the aisle. Regulus rolls away just before a heavy trunk smashes where he was lying.

"Stop!" Malfoy yells, as Goyle lifts his wand for the second time.

But it doesn't matter, as Regulus is faster.

With a flick of his wand, Goyle is lifted in the air, and for a second, I don't even realise what spell had hit him, and who had done it, before I see the fury in Regulus's eyes, and then – Goyle's moan of anguish echoes in the chamber.

"NO!" Malfoy yells, while his friend whimpers, trashing in the air, howling in pain. "STOP IT!"

Grabbe aims his wand at Regulus. "Avada Kedavra!"

"NO!" I scream in panic, sending a tripping jinx at Regulus, so that the Killing Curse misses him by a fracture, but cuts off the Cruciatus Curse on Goyle at the same time.

"No! Don't kill them!" Malfoy shouts at his friends, into no avail, as Grabbe aims another Killing Curse towards me.

"YOU WILL FUCKING PAY FOR THAT!" I shout, using my seeker's reflexes, and lunge away from the path of the curse. Feeling murderous, I scramble up, and then, a stunning spell after stunning spell bursts out from my wand at Malfoy, Grabbe and Goyle. Regulus quickly pulls himself onto his feet, sending his own curses towards the three of them. In seconds, Grabbe crumbles down, unconscious.

Soon, both Malfoy and Goyle lose their wands, as they dock and lunge away from the curses and spells sent on their way, and then they're wandless, standing in the middle of the path, staring at us in horror.

I use the moment to lunge towards the old bust, snatch the diadem, and as I turn back, I see Regulus, hatred in his eyes, glaring at the two unarmed wizards, his wand lifting up, a curse on his lips.

"COME ON!" I yell to Regulus, grabbing his arm, and wrenching hard. "I GOT IT, LET'S GO!"

Regulus doesn't say anything, but follows me, and then we're running along the pathway, into the other direction where we came from, trying to make it towards the door.

There's a scream behind us.

"What was that?!" I yell, as we jog on.

Regulus looks back, and swears loudly. "Fiendfyre!" He yells, and I look back, nearly stumbling in my steps.

Grabbe is there, at the end of the pathway, apparently revived, and cackling as fire erupts from his wand.

"Merlin," I gasp, as I see a large, building-sized fiery chimaera, rising upwards, setting fire into everything it touches.

We're going to burn alive if we don't get out. "D'you know the courter-curse?" I yell at Regulus, as we start to run faster towards the parts that aren't succumbed in flames.

"Yes!" Regulus grunts, glancing around, "But it's too powerful now, I doubt he can control it anymore!" He yells, and then takes a right from the path, "Come on, here!"

But as soon as we step into a new path, a fiery dragon soars towards us. "Shit!" I yell, and then we run back, only to see flames on our original path. We quickly run towards another path, where we can't see any light. The flaming creatures keep chasing at us, as if knowing where we are, as if it they are alive, and intent upon killing us.

Then, there're flickering lights ahead in the path we are running along. "No!" I gasp, looking frantically around. "Brooms!" I yell at Regulus, waving at the deserted pile of brooms halfway on the aisle.

We both grab a broom, and soar upwards, right before a fiery lion and a chimaera burst into each other, and we manage to dodge them as the flaming beasts rise upwards in a massive, fiery torch.

The whole place is on fire; there are several fiery beasts surging up and down, their mouths moving in the midst of junk, their tails flicking, setting everything on fire. The air is hot, and it is difficult to breathe in the black smoke rising upwards. I feel dizzy, but force myself to fly onwards, to where I suspect the door to the room is.

"Help!" I hear somewhere from the ground. "Potter! Help us!"

I glance around me, and see them – Malfoy and Goyle, climbing up a tottering pile of furniture, trying to escape the flames surrounding them on the ground.

"Potter!" Regulus yells warningly. "Need I remind you that they tried to kill us five minutes ago?!"

I shake my head at Regulus, swerving a burst of flames that rises up ahead of me. "I can't leave them!" I yell back, and then surge towards Malfoy and Goyle, knowing that Regulus is right behind me.

"Come on!" Regulus shouts to Goyle, who hastily climbs behind him. "Potter, you better get to that door!" Regulus barks before taking off, aiming him and Goyle towards the far corner, where I can see the entrance, between the clouds of black smoke.

But then, as I help Malfoy climb behind me, the diadem slips from my hands, falling downwards. "No!" I yell, and then, I dive after it.

"POTTER!" Malfoy screams in panic, his fingers pressing tightly on my shoulders, "What the hell are you doing!? Get to the door, Potter! NOW!"

A fiery dragon surges from the side towards us, sweeping the aisle with its tail, and I have to make a tight turn to the right to dodge it.

"POTTER! You fucking lunatic, you're going to get us killed!"

"Shut it, Malfoy!" I yell, my eyes moving frantically across the pathway I assume the diadem fell onto.

I can see the aisle, as the dragon rises upwards, aiming for another charge, and then, I see it – the diadem, lying on the ground. "There!" I shout, making another dive, avoiding the surge of flames at the same time.

I dive, straight down, ignoring the way Malfoy keeps screaming into my ear, yelling how we're going to die, and grit my teeth against the pinching pain caused by his fingers pressing tightly against my skin. As soon as my fingers curl around the object, now scorched, I plunge upwards, swerving left and right, avoiding the flames, dodging the fiery tails, and the surging peaks and talons, and finally, I see the entrance through the smoke, through the fire.

Aiming the broom at it, we surge on, and after seconds, the clear air fills my lungs, as we crash into the corridor beyond the room.

Malfoy rolls away from me, gasping, sobbing and retching. Someone yanks me up, forcefully, and before I have time to push them off, or find my wand, a pair of lips are crashing against mine, pressing in with need, with urgency, while long fingers hold my head in place, touching my jaw, snaking into my hair.

"Reg," I gasp against his mouth. I pull slightly away, my hands slipping around his neck. "I'm fine. We're fine," I mumble, my eyes searching his, before they move across his face, taking in the blackened skin, taking note of the couple of scorches on his neck, before returning back to the pair of grey eyes, filled by despair.

Regulus nods once, and then twice, breathing hard, his hands shaking against my jawline.

I touch his cheek, my fingers moving gingerly against his skin, moving close to the singes. "Are you hurt?" I ask quietly.

"No," Regulus breathes, and then, we both realise that we're not alone, as running footsteps echo in the corridor, and realise that the fight has begun in earnest, as the walls shake around us, and bursts of light soar behind the broken windows.

I take a step back, looking around. Malfoy's there, on his knees, whimpering, mumbling Grabbe's name in despair, while Goyle tries to pull him up.

Grabbe must've died in there.

"HARRY!" Someone screams, and I turn back, wand at the ready again, but instead, relief fills me.

"Hermione! Ron!" I breathe, right before my friends lunge at me, pulling me into a tight embrace. "What took you so long? Did you do it?" I ask shakily.

Ron and Hermione pull back, and Hermione holds out the cup of Helga Hufflepuff, now distorted and broken. A wide grin spreads on my lips. "YES! But how?" I whoop, and then, remember what is still clutched tightly in my hand.

I lift up the scorched and cracked diadem.

"Is that – "

I nod. "Yeah. The diadem of Ravenclaw. It's…I think it's destroyed," I mutter, looking at it closely, and as I do, it cracks down in the middle, into two, and there's a distant…scream of anguish.

"The Fiendfyre." Regulus says finally, while Hermione's and Ron's eyes widen in terror.

"What?" They gasp in unison.

I shake my head at them. "Grabbe did the curse," I mutter, glancing at Malfoy and Goyle. "He's dead."

"What do we do with them?" Ron asks darkly, his eyes narrowing at the two Slytherins.

Malfoy gives me a worried look.

"Nothing." I grunt at Ron. "They don't have wands. And we just saved their lives, so it would be bloody foolish to have a go against us anymore," I say, aiming my last, sharp words at Malfoy and Goyle, who both give small, agreeing nods at me.

"What now?" Hermione asks, looking at me. "We've destroyed all but – "

"The snake," I finish for her. "But we don't have a way of destroying it – " I start, and then frown at her, "Hang on – how did you do it?" I ask, looking at Hermione and Ron in urgency.

Hermione beams and looks at Ron. "With these!" She says excitedly, and then points at what Ron is holding in his hand.

I frown at them, and then, realise what they are. A handful of fangs. "How did you – from the Chamber of – and you took some with – " I stammer, and Ron and Hermione share a knowing grin.

"It was all Ron," Hermione says, giving Ron a heated look.

Ron gives us a sheepish shrug. "I have the Deluminator, remember? And after I used it to get, you know, Regulus and me to my aunt's place – "

"I though you Apparated?" I interrupt him, glancing at Regulus.

Regulus looks uncertain. "I assumed."

Ron shakes his head. "No, no. I couldn't – they had new wards, so I couldn't get in, and well, Reg was bleeding on me, and it was the only thing I could think of in that moment," Ron explains, and I can only gape at him, shocked, trying to shake the image of Regulus dying and Ron desperately trying to save him out of my mind.

"Ron…" Hermione says weakly, watching him with tears in her eyes.

" – I pressed it, asking for help, for anyone to help us – and from it, came a large ball of light. And…it kind of…absorbed us," Ron says with a bemused look. "Whatever it did, it brought us straight into my aunt's sitting room," he continues with a shrug. "And when Hermione and I told you guys we'd handle the cup – we knew there were two weapons that worked against them, and knew the location of the other!" He says excitedly. "So, as we reached the entrance of the Chamber of Secrets in the bathroom, I suggested we'd use the Deluminator to get us in and out – and it worked!"

There's a stunned silence. "Wow, Ron. That's…amazing!" I tell my friend, because now – now we have a way to kill the snake. It's the only one left, and then –

Suddenly, there's a loud bang, and the floor starts to crumple down.

"RUN!" Hermione and Regulus scream, and we all lunge into different directions.

I realise, after seconds, that I'm falling downwards with the floor. In panic, I try to jump away as chunks of rock are soaring into every direction, trying to make it to safety.

I hit my shoulder hard against a wall, but manage to dodge everything else flying on my direction, and then, realising that I've fallen to the floor beneath we were just moments before, I scramble up hastily, coughing, and trying to see through the thick dust filling the air around us.

"Everyone okay?!" Ron yells, his voice carrying from the upper floor, from somewhere I can't see.

"I'm fine! I'm down here!" I yell at Ron. "Reg? Hermione?" I shout, panic flaring inside me at the long silence after my words.

"They're here!" Ron yells suddenly, sounding relieved, as more coughing sounds carry downstairs. "They're okay, Harry!"

I look up, frowning hard at the thick dust still keeping my friends hidden, fighting the urge to climb upwards to make sure they really are okay, to make sure that Regulus is not lying there, unconscious, and Hermione –

"Stay where you are, Potter," Regulus grunts from upstairs, as if knowing my thoughts. "We're coming down!"

Then, the yells and shouts come nearer, and as the dust settles, I can see several people, duelling at the end of the corridor.

Fred and Percy, duelling against three hooded and masked men.

"No, Potter, don't!" Regulus yells abruptly, but it's too late, as I'm already running towards the group in order to help them.

"Harry! Nice of you to join us, mate!" Fred says joyfully, as if we're not in a midst of a battle.

Dodging a curse flying straight at me, I flick my wand at one of the Death Eaters, making him tumble down on the corridor, his mask slipping away.

"Minister!" Percy says, sounding gleeful. "I was hoping to get a chance to have a go with you!" He yells, before charging towards the man, his wand aimed high, before settling into a duel with Thicknesse.

A moment later, Percy's curse hits the Minister straight into his face. "Oh, I forgot!" Percy shouts at the man, now kneeling in front of him and wailing in pain. " – I'm resigning!" Percy grits through his teeth, sending Thicknesse flying across the corridor, before he collides with a wall, and slides down, unconscious.

Fred laughs and whoops next to me, and together, we manage to stun the two Death Eaters.

"I can't believe you're joking, Perce, I dunno if I've ever – "

But before Fred can finish the sentence, there's a thunderous, loud blast on the wall close to us, and then, a force so powerful that it sends us all flying through the air.

There's nothing I can do, but pray that we survive the blast. Seconds later, I hit my head against the hard marble floor, and gasp in pain. The world swims around me, and my head feels like it will split open any moment.

"HARRY!"

"FRED!" Percy yells, in panic. "No!" He gasps somewhere on my right.

The way his voice breaks, makes the air leave my lungs. It makes me feel terrified.

"…No," I mumble, trying to move, trying turn to my side. Cold air flicks against my face. The castle wall has been blasted open.

"Potter, I fucking told you to wait!" Regulus's voice carries to my ears, and soon, there's a pair of hands, gingerly pushing me to lie on my back. "Are you hurt?" He asks hurriedly, and right after, I feel a diagnostic charm sweeping over me, and then, something tightening against the back of my scull. By the warm feeling in my neck, I gather I must've been bleeding, and now…Regulus has healed me.

"You…fucking…arse," Regulus grits through his teeth after a moment, letting out a long, weary sigh, and as I blink, I see him sitting next to me, looking overwhelmed, his arms resting on his knees that are pulled up.

Knowing that I'm not seriously injured by his reaction, relief fills me, at least for a second. Then I remember Fred. And then I hear Percy sobbing close to me. "Is Fred – "

"He's breathing!" Hermione screams, through Percy's wails.

I try to move up, but only manage to move my head towards the group. Hermione is kneeling next to Fred's unmoving body, her wand flicking rapidly over his chest, while Ron is crouched on his other side, his wand too casting some charms at his brother. Percy sits next to Ron, pressing his forehead against Fred's hand.

"W-What?" Percy shouts, his voice trembling, pulling back slightly. "H-He's w-what?"

"Fred's alive, Perce!" Ron yells, and I let out a long, gasp of relief, lowering my head on the ground.

There's a short moment, and then Ron and Hermione both stand up. Percy stays on the ground, still holding onto his brother

"What about the house-elves?" Ron asks from the rest of us, his eyes widening slightly.

Hermione frowns at Ron. "What do you mean? We're not asking them to fight – "

"No! I meant, we need to order them out, to safety! I doubt anyone has had the time to – umph!"

There's a muffled sound, and then, the fangs Ron had been holding clatter to the floor, as Hermione jumps at him, pressing her lips against his, kissing him with passion, with longing, and need…

Regulus and I share an unsurprised look, and there's a flicker of a smile on his lips. Finally. Finally, the terror and the worry has left from his eyes.

And in the midst of the battle, with cold wind blowing to the corridor, with the walls shaking, with distant screams and shouts, I take in a deep breath and close my eyes for a bit, just to rest for a small moment, before we are needed in the battle once more.

But as soon as I close my eyes, pain sears through my brain, paralysing me. I let out a soundless gasp, and as I blink my eyes open, I'm not in the castle anymore. I'm him.

I'm Voldemort.

The sounds of the battle are distant, and I watch calmly, as my followers wreck the castle, watch as the several Giants bang the walls, smash the turrets and squash the opponents that dare to fight them, watch as my Death Eaters fire curses and spells, know what the jets of green mean. I am satisfied, but…Potter is still there. And I need something before I can face the boy.

"My Lord?" Lucius's weak voice speaks behind me. "My – my son…my son is – please, my Lord, let me go there…I will fetch him back, and I will bring Potter – "

"No, Lucius," I say coldly, turning to look at the weak man, covering in the corner of the room, still trembling, still showing the after effects of the Cruciatus Curse I cast on him, after messing up the day before. "Potter will come to me. And your son deserves whatever he gets. He did not join me, like the rest of the Slytherins. He decided to stay there," I say venomously.

Lucius bows his head, whimpering slightly.

"Be useful, Lucius, and bring Snape to me. I need to speak with him," I order Lucius, before turning my back again to him, moving my focus back to the cracked window.

"Of course, my Lord," Lucius mumbles, before stumbling out of the room.

I look at my snake, slithering on my feet, protected by a charm. "I need the wand, Nagini. I need it to keep us both safe…now that it is only the two of us left…"

With a gasp, I'm back in the castle, I'm me again. And once again, Regulus is kneeling beside me, watching me anxiously.

"He's in the Shrieking Shack!" I gasp, looking around me urgently. Both Hermione and Ron are standing behind Regulus, with worry in their eyes.

"He's in the Shack, and he has the snake with him!" I say, moving to sit up. Regulus pulls me upwards, frowning at me.

"He's not even fighting?!" Hermione asks, fuming. "He's there – sitting – waiting for the others to do the dirty work for him?"

I give her a weary nod. "He knows all the rest are destroyed," I explain hastily, "He knows I'm after the snake! And he thinks I'm going to go to him – he knows it, because that's where the snake is!" I tell the others.

"Any one of us could go, Harry," Ron says, looking at the others, "I will do it – I'll take the Cloak and the fangs, and he won't even see – "

"No, Ron!" Hermione gasps, "I'll do it!"

I shake my head at them. "No, no. I will go – you two – get Fred and Percy out of here, and go make sure the house-elves – "

"I will do it," Regulus then says, looking at me with a blank look. "If anything happens, then –"

I frown at him, taken aback. "No, you won't. You'll stay here and help the Order!"

"Potter," Regulus growls, "Don't make me stun you, because Salazar forbids, I will – "

"Fine! We'll go together, and Ron and Hermione will get the elves and help the Order, okay?" I ask, scowling at him.

After a moment, Ron and Hermione mutter their agreements, while Regulus and I stare at each other for a while longer, as if having a wordless battle with our eyes.

"Fine." Regulus finally grunts, and then stands up, helping me up as well.

By a miracle, Potter has managed to hold on to his Invisibility Cloak, and we throw it over ourselves, after wishing Hermione and Ronald good luck and leaving them to agree a plan to move Fred into safety with Percy.

We run towards downstairs, and everywhere we look; there's either a teacher, student or a member of the Order fighting against several more opponents. We run through a tapestry, taking a shortcut to the first floor, where we can get to the Entrance hall, stunning as many opponents as we dare, without risking of hitting anyone on our side.

Turning a corner, finally facing the Entrance hall, a terrifying view opens in front of us; gigantic spiders, pouring inside from the open doors, and from the windows in the Great Hall.

Many unmoving bodies scattered on the floors, some of them dragged by others, while several duels are being fought next to them.

"No!" Potter gasps next to me, shocked. "STUPEFY!" He yells, aiming at one of the spiders, one that is looming in front of Augusta Longbottom and her grandson. With the force of three stunners, the spider finally rolls over, its legs upwards.

The Longbottoms advance the next spider.

"Crucio!" A man yells, aiming at two girls, who duck and swerve and send their own curses towards the man. Suddenly, one of the girls is attacked from the side, bitten in the neck by none other, than…

"Greyback," Potter gasps, aiming his wand at the werewolf, as we stagger down the stairs.

This time, both of us send a stunning spell, and the creature is swept by his feet, and thrown brutally across the air, straight into one of the hourglasses, which breaks in the contact.

A wave of rubies tumble to the floor, mixing up with the blood that has already stained the marble.

Professor McGonagall, Shacklebolt and Arthur Weasley are all in the Great Hall, in the middle of a duel, each fighting one opponent, their spells so powerful that the air is crackling with magic.

Chrystal spheres fly through the air towards the spiders, as well as Snargaluff pods, thrown by Peeves, who whoops and jeers at the Death Eaters.

Hagrid emerges from behind us, running towards the entrance, where more spiders come pouring inside, causing screams of terror. Several jets of lights zoom towards the spiders, from Death Eaters wands as well as their opponents. Hagrid pushes on, trying to stop the others from hurting the spiders – for reasons I cannot understand – and in the end, the half-giant is dragged away by the spiders, which retreat, escaping the shower of spells.

"HAGRID, NO! COME BACK!" Potter yells, and then sprints off from under the cloak, running after the spiders, without caring one bit if anyone sees him.

"HARRY!"

"HAGRID!"

I run outside, cursing inwardly at Potter's stupidity, and then see him several feet ahead, stopping in his tracks.

There's a fucking Giant in front of him. "POTTER COME BACK!" I scream, as the Giant stomps onward, swinging its arm, and then, with a blow that makes the whole ground tremble, the Giant's fist hits one of the towers, crushing it completely.

I gape at the scene, at the destruction, at the screams of terror, at the people running into safety, as the tower starts to crumble down, its large rocks squashing anyone that gets hit by them.

"Come on!" Potter yells, wrenching me away, pulling me onward, running away, and for a long moment, we make our way towards the forest, away from the battle, until – until the air freezes around us, and we stumble in our steps.

"Dementors!" Potter gasps next to me, his voice trembling.

Waves of fear flood me as I see them – hundreds of them – gliding towards us, their ragged breaths tasting the air, ready for a feast.

"No," I gasp, my legs unsteady, my throat constricting. There's an image taking over in my head; the one of my brother, who stares at me through the Veil, looking weak, looking broken, watching me with eyes that are empty, eyes that are telling me to let go, telling me to give up…

"Come on, Reg, you can do it!" Potter says forcefully, yelling the incantation next to me, trying but failing to conjure a Patronus.

I can't move, I can't lift my wand, I'm useless. It looks like Potter cannot do it either. Despair fills me, as I move my eyes at the creatures closing in on us, and I know that this is it. Nothing is going to save us from this.

"I'm not fucking giving up," Potter growls next to me. "Not when we still have hope!"

There's a sudden burst of light, and then, the most beautiful thing. A large stag, brighter than I have ever seen a Patronus, its light taking it away, pulling me back from the darkness. I can breathe again. I can feel again.

I blink at the silvery creature, and then, as I feel hope swell in my chest again, knowing that as long as Potter is there, I cannot give up, I lift my wand.

"Expecto Patronum!" I yell, and watch with lightness spreading inside me, as the lion and the stag charge against the Dementors, making them scatter, driving them away, until none of them can be seen.

Potter grabs my hand and squeezes my fingers, looking at me with a deep, piercing gaze in his bright green eyes.

I swallow hard, holding his gaze.

"Let's go," Potter says eventually, "To the Whomping willow!" He says, urging us to move quickly forward.

We run again, towards the forest, and finally, reach the great tree, with its whiplike branches. "There's a passage under it?" I ask as we slow down, panting slightly. I remember seeing it in my brother's Map.

Potter nods, and peers at the tree, searching for something.

"You know how to freeze it?" I ask, quickly avoiding one long branch, that slashes where I stood moments before.

Potter nods again, and then, levitates a nearby stick to a small knot in the bark of the tree.

The willow stills.

Potter leads the way, and we crawl into a low-ceilinged tunnel. He throws the Cloak over us, before we silently start to walk, both hunched, towards the other end. As we reach the end of the tunnel, there are movement and voices coming from the room ahead, where the entrance to the Shack is blocked by an old crate.

Silently moving forward, Potter and I stop right in front of the crate, and look through the gaps in the wood.

Severus is there, standing very close to us. The snake slithers across the floor in front of him, and then – I see him.

Finally, after several years, I see him again. The Dark Lord. Dread ripples through me, as I see what he has become. A beast. A non-human. Nothing like I remember, and yet, in ways, quite similar.

Severus speaks to the Dark Lord, urging his master to let him go back to the battle, so that he can bring the boy – Potter, I presume – to him.

I stare at my old friend, and wonder, when did this happen? When did he change?

"I have a problem, Severus," the Dark Lord says quietly, pacing further down in the room.

"My Lord?" Severus says, taking a step towards his master, turning slightly, an expressionless look in his eyes.

The Dark Lord lifts his wand – the Elder Wand – showing it to Severus. "It doesn't work for me, Severus. The Elder Wand should make my magic even more magnificent, and it doesn't. I am a powerful wizard. It should make me invincible. It should allow me to do magic that has never before seen or done. I feel no difference between this wand and the one I procured from Ollivander all those years ago."

Potter shivers next to me, gritting his teeth together. I glance at him, but he merely shakes his head.

"I have thought about it, Severus, and I think I know what the problem is," the Dark Lord says, a threatening flicker in his voice.

Severus stays still, undoubtedly knowing that nothing good will follow, that his master is enraged. That he will be the one to suffer his outburst, as no one else is around to bear it.

"You have been very valuable to me, Severus. More than the others, perhaps. Which is why it took me so long to make the decision," the Dark Lord says slowly, his eyes cold.

"My Lord?"

Potter shivers again, and this time, he brings his fist to his mouth, to suppress a moan of anguish.

Fuck. I grit through my teeth, my eyes moving between Potter and the Dark Lord, who explains Severus how his previous wands had not worked against Potter, asking him if he knew why. Severus stays silent, as the Dark Lord continues to explain about the Elder Wand, how he sought it, how he took it from Dumbledore. How it still doesn't work on him, even though it is the Wand of Destiny, the Deathstick.

"…and then I knew why. Perhaps you already know it, Severus? Perhaps you knew why I requested you tonight. The legend says that the wand refuses to perform to any other than its rightful owner," The Dark Lord says threateningly, his voice a whisper. "The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, because I am not its rightful owner."

No…I swallow hard, holding Potter in place, who's shaking violently in my arms, and gape at the Dark Lord in disbelief. He's going to murder Severus. The look in his eyes tells me everything.

Severus is the rightful owner of the Elder Wand – because he…he's the one who killed Dumbledore.

"My Lord," Severus breathes, lifting his wand. But he has nothing on his master.

The Dark Lord hisses silently, and then – then the snake lunges onward.

I let out a gasp, as Severus screams in terror. The snake attacks once, twice, sinking its long teeth into my old friend's neck.

All air has left my lungs, and all I can think of, are the days in my past; the long nights in front of the Slytherin common room fire that were spent studying, and discussing our futures; the smiles that were so rarely traded between us; the comforting presence of the other, after our first mission, after the first…killing. All I can think of, is that my friend is gone, and he will never come back.

Blood sprays from the wound, before Severus slumps to the floor, gurgling silently.

"I regret it," the Dark Lord says quietly, his eyes empty, before holding out his hand to his snake, and Disapparating with it, moments later.

Potter gasps loudly right after, and I take in a shuddering breath. He's still – Severus is still moving.

We manage to move the crate away, and then, both of us are kneeling next to him, next to the man I used to call my friend, to a man, who is dying; holding onto his neck with a hand, his face pale.

I let out a huff of despair, forgetting everything else, except for making sure he lives – that my friend lives – and quickly pull my wand, trying to heal the wound, trying to help him.

I only know that can't let him die.

Severus grabs my hand – the one holding my wand, and swallows with effort. He looks up at me, and gives me an intent look, and there's so much in his gaze, that I can't breathe. Regret and weariness, and…fondness. Severus shakes his head slightly, squeezing my hand.

"No!" I gasp, trying to wrench my arm away, but at the same time, he lets go of the wound.

Blood splatters everywhere, and Potter yelps, before quickly placing his hands at Severus's neck, to stop him bleeding.

Severus looks at me, anguish in his glittering eyes, beseeching me. Asking me to let him go. Asking forgiveness. He tears his eyes away from me, as my face scrunches up in sorrow.

"T-Take them," Severus gasps, giving Potter a fixed look.

Tears are slowly streaming down from his black eyes. Tears that glow with silver.

He's giving Potter his memories.

"Reg?" Potter asks quickly, and I swallow hard, before conjuring a flask, and hand it to Potter, who still holds one hand to Severus's wound, and with the other, he bottles the tears.

Severus gives me a long, weary look, all the walls of his mind now crumpled down, and I can see him – the boy I once knew – through his black eyes. Then, Severus moves his focus on Potter once more.

"Look at me," he whispers to Potter, his eyelids flickering closed, before he forces them open.

Potter frowns at the man.

"L-Look at me."

Potter gives him a hesitant nod, and looks, not understanding why.

I do.

It seems, that after all these years, the last thing Severus Snape wants to see before he dies, are Lily Evans's eyes.

The walk back to school is silent. Halfway to the school, Voldemort's voice resonates through the grounds.

"You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery," he speaks with a cold voice.

Regulus and I turn to look at each other. There's a haunted look in his eyes, but he gets more alert at the sound of Voldemort.

"…You have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured," Voldemort says calmly.

"I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the castle myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

I swallow hard.

"Let's go back," Regulus says wearily, moving forward.

I follow him silently, Voldemort's voice and his words echoing in my head. As we reach the castle, it is silent, and eery, and completely wrecked. The Entrance hall is still stained with blood, and filled by rubies, scattered over the floor, but all the bodies have disappeared.

We silently walk into the Great Hall, where everyone seems to have gathered. The house tables are moved to the side to serve as a station for treating the injured ones. There are many people, gathered around into small groups, discussing, crying, comforting each other. Then we see where the dead have been placed; in a row, close to the entrance.

Regulus stops in his tracks, his focus on a man close to us, crouching next to a woman, who is lying on the floor, unmoving, her eyes closed, her bubble-gum-pink hair bright against the pale marble.

Lupin lifts up his gaze, as if knowing that we're there, and – and his face scrunches up in pain, as a sob is wretched from his lungs. Regulus's shoulders sag as he stares at the woman on the floor, before walking up to them, and sitting silently next to his cousin, before pulling his knees up and pressing his head against his hands.

I gape at them, unable to believe that Tonks is dead, unable to bear the pain in my chest, nor the sorrow I feel for Lupin, and for Regulus.

I look away, and see many others, crying over their loved ones, until I find – until I see them.

A group of redheaded wizards and witches, gathered around a man with slightly balding, bright red hair; a man with glasses, and tall, thin build.

No…

Something heavy sits against my chest, making it painful to breathe. Mr. Weasley…Tonks. And how many more, I can't even look. I can't bear the thought of it – for it is me, who he wants. If I had given myself to Voldemort, would these people have survived? If I just had made a deal with him – but would Voldemort have honoured it?

I swallow hard, and look once more, with anguish creeping up my throat, as Mrs. Weasley sobs silently, holding her husband's hand, while stroking on the top of his head. I look at Ron, crying against Hermione, and George, Percy, Bill, Charlie, and Ginny, all trying to comfort each other, or mourning at their father.

Taking in a shuddering breath, I quickly slip out of the hall, knowing that I can't be there. I don't deserve it. They all died because of me. Because I haven't faced him.

But I will. I will face him. I just – I need to be by myself for a moment, I need to be away from my friends – anyone, really, who might stop me.

Remembering then, what Snape had given me, I decide to go to the Headmaster's office, to look at Snape's memories.

I run through the empty halls, and barge into the Headmaster's office not ten minutes later. I look around the circular room, look at the empty portraits, looking for Dumbledore – but he's not there. Nothing in the room reminds me about him; all the trinkets and the peculiar objects are gone, as well as Fawkes.

I walk up to the cabinet; the stone Pensieve is in place. I numbly pull the flask from the pocket of my robes, and pour it into the basin, glad to be somewhere else than present, hoping that this – that looking Snape's memories will make me forget, at least for a short while.

It must be a long while later, when I finally stumble away from the Pensieve, gasping for air.

What I saw, what I witnessed, is nothing I had imagined.

Feeling stunned, in disbelief, I stagger backwards, away from the stone basin, until my back hits a wall. Sliding down, I look blankly ahead, repeating the words that were said in my mind.

Hearing what I heard; what Dumbledore told Snape…

Even if I was ready to face Voldemort before seeing Snape's memories, all I want to do now, is to hide – hide somewhere far away, so that he can't get to me. Because…it turns out, there is no hope for me. All this time, I thought, I felt I could do it, that I could win – that I could actually fight Voldemort and live to see the day after that.

But now…it turns out, that I can't. Because my fate – my whole existence, really, is to die at his hands. Voldemort cannot be killed before he kills me first.

A quiet sob leaves my lungs. I wish my parents were here. I wish Sirius was here. I wish Regulus was here. I wish they'd be here, telling me what to do, telling me to run, telling me that they'd protect me, that they'd do anything there is to keep me safe.

Tears stream down my cheeks, but I'm too tired to brush them away.

My mother – so many of his memories were about my mother. I glance at the basin, a deep frown between my brows. My mother grew up with him – they were friends. He…Snape…he loved her. He loved my mother. There is so much history between them, so many years of friendship – and I never would've guessed. I never would've guessed by the way Snape was treating me since the first day we met.

He hated me. Like he hated my father.

And Dumbledore's death – there seemed to be more in it, after all. It had been an agreement between Snape and Dumbledore, because he knew. Dumbledore knew Malfoy would try to kill him, and Dumbledore knew he would die regardless of what happened, because of the ring. And he had wanted to save Malfoy – Malfoy's soul.

Many of the memories were about Regulus. Snape and Regulus spending time at the library, at their common room, at the grounds; discussing in hushed tones about something urgent, while giving unimpressed looks at my father and his friends. A shared laughter at their house table in the Great Hall – and all I could do was to stare at Regulus, as he looked so…young. So innocent.

I think about Regulus, his touch, and his breath ghosting against my lips, his presence that calms me, that makes me feel at ease. I think about the piercing, grey eyes that I will never see again, that can't look at me anymore.

I think about my parents and Sirius…perhaps I will see them instead? Perhaps…there is a place, where they are waiting for me?

Dumbledore knew everything. He knew I wouldn't have the strength to continue, had I learned what must happen before this very moment. He knew I had to see my friends suffer, the people close to me die, before I would do it.

Because he knew me. He knew I would do it for the people I love.

With a heavy heart, I brush the tears away, and stand up, knowing what I need to do. Even if I wish to not do it, I know that it has to happen. Voldemort must kill me.

It is the only way the others can live.