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The door to the Astronomy Tower, the one locked by Kingsley, rattled and then opened. Michael was ready, a loaded handgun pointed toward it, but when he heard Molly Weasley's voice he hesitated.

"Come in slowly," he said, "and look at me."

Molly walked in and allowed him to see her eyes. She had never had a gun pointed at her, and magical or not, she found it unnerving.

"Okay," he said cheerfully. "Sorry about that. Lock the door, would you? Then come over here, so I can keep watching."

Molly did as he asked and approached the window. "Have you seen anything?" she asked apprehensively.

"Not since Kingsley and Minerva went in," he said. His eyes were trained on the edge of the trees. "Sorry I can't look away."

"Is this what a sniper does?" she asked curiously. "You've been up here, staring through that scope for quite a long time."

"I have to be ready when something happens," he replied. "I may only have one shot."

"I see," she said thoughtfully.

"Kingsley left a pair of Omnioculars somewhere here, if you want to see," he said. "What's happening in the castle?"

Molly spotted the brass device, settled next to him at the window and held it up to her eyes as she spoke. "We captured the last of the Death Eaters, removed the giant and the rest of the staff is doing a final inspection of the castle to make sure the Inferi are destroyed. Once we're certain it's safe, we'll seal the doors against intruders and wait to see what comes out of the Forest." She sighed. "The waiting is terrible."

"Are you okay, Molly?" he asked. "I noticed your face is bruised when you came in."

"I'm fine," she said. "I feel like an idiot, though. A Death Eater attacked me and I would've died if Aberforth Dumbledore hadn't stopped him."

Without withdrawing his eyes from his task, Michael put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You're not an idiot, though, and that's why we work together. No one could do this alone... although Severus was ready to give it a try."

"Thanks, Michael," she said. "They don't really need me downstairs. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"if you're really available, would you stay here? Kingsley made it sound like there are a fair number of people down there and I don't want to shoot the wrong guy. I need someone to tell me the good guys from the bad guys."

"Of course," she said, training her eyes on the edge of the Forest. "The air is beautifully fresh up here. Filius Flitwick and the others would envy me this."

"Why's that?" asked Michael.

"We destroyed the Inferi by burning them," she said bluntly. "It was utterly horrific and I hope we can get rid of the smell. I'll have nightmares about it as long as I live."

Michael had been told what an Inferius was, and was shocked at her calm tone. "Ugh! How many?"

"Something over one hundred in the Great Hall, and more throughout the school and the grounds."

"You're one tough lady," he said admiringly. "If there's ever another war, I want you on my side."

She smiled, ridiculously flattered by his obvious admiration. Then she narrowed her eyes. "Michael, is that something moving in the trees?" she asked.


&&&&&&&&&


Minerva McGonagall was deeply worried. She had hoped that Severus might regain consciousness, but he lay unmoving as they Levitated the stretcher through the Forest. "Remus, he seems seriously injured. We must go faster."

Remus was Levitating the stretcher before him. "If we try to go faster, he'll be bounced around. I'm no Healer, but I'm sure that won't be good." In spite of his words, he began walking a bit faster. "Why do you all care so much about him?" he burst out. "Chances are when the Ministry gets hold of him, he'll go to prison for years."

"Why do you persist in holding this childish grudge?" Minerva asked sternly. "You know why we trust him. The proof of his loyalty to our cause is incontrovertible."

"He's such a cold bastard, yet when Harry found him today, he acted like he bloody loved the ugly git," Lupin snarled aggrievedly. "What the hell has he done to Harry?"

Minerva wished she could have seen such a sight. She wanted to laugh, yet it warmed her heart to think that Harry and Severus had managed to trust and support each other on this day. "Perhaps Harry Potter has realized that Severus has worked tirelessly to teach him and keep him alive, in spite of Potter's often dreadfully disrespectful behavior," she said sternly.

Remus marched on, still not happy with the situation. He could only imagine what Sirius and James would say if they knew. Then his thoughts turned in another direction. "Minerva, what happened back there? What did Snape do, and who killed Voldemort/? We always thought Harry would end up in a duel to the death with him, but... what did /you do back there?"

Minerva's stern features were transformed by a beatific smile. "Ah, Remus, I cannot wait to tell Albus's portrait. It was the power the Dark Lord knew not. It was love," she said. "We all did it. Harry could not have managed it alone, nor could Severus or even Albus himself. But all of us together..."

Remus had never imagined such a strange end to Lord Voldemort. "What did Snape do back there?" he asked again.

"Voldemort must have come to collect his Horcruxes," she replied, ignoring the hiss of horror from him. "Harry had not found that one, but Severus destroyed it. Then when Harry did his Disarming Spell, and Ronald Weasley ignited the wand and Kingsley destroyed it..." she shook her head at the beauty of it. "What spell did you cast?" she asked curiously.

"The strongest Blasting Curse I could manage," he replied. "I never imagined that it could kill, though."

"Nor did I, when I cast mine," she said. "But together, and with Kingsley, Ronald and Harry, of course, it was enough. We all did it."

"What about Horcruxes?" he asked. "I knew nothing of this."

So for the next ten minutes, Minerva told Remus Lupin what she knew of Voldemort's plan for immortality, as they walked and Levitated the stretcher.


&&&&&&&&&


Firenze sensed other presences around them as he led the two females toward the castle, and he was disturbed. "Have you any kind of defense?" he asked Zelda as they walked.

"I have a gun," she said reluctantly. "A Muggle weapon. Do you think I'll need it?"

"We are not alone here," he replied uneasily.

Zelda glanced at Ginny, making sure her wand was at the ready. She then pulled out the gun, eased the safety off and held it comfortably as she walked.

The sense of menace increased, causing Firenze to whisper, "I shall kneel briefly and I want you to climb onto my back. We shall try to outrun the enemy."

Zelda hated the sound of this, but she whispered to Ginny, "Are you ready? Climb on behind me and hold on tight, okay?" She put the safety back on her gun and shoved it into her pocket.

At Ginny's nod, she said to Firenze, "Whenever you're ready. But wait, go over by that rock and we'll climb on your back from there."

Ginny followed her to a fairly large boulder, tall enough that they could easily make it. When Firenze got close, Zelda sprang carefully onto his back, wrapped one arm around his waist and held a hand out to Ginny. Once Ginny was holding tight to Zelda, Firenze began to canter down the path.

"Are we too heavy?" asked Zelda anxiously.

"No," he replied shortly. "We are nearly out of the trees."

Ginny screamed in Zelda's ear. Her grip on Zelda was torn away, and Zelda looked back to see the blond Malfoy woman wrestle her off and drag her to the ground.

"Firenze, no! They've got Ginny," she wailed.

"I'll return if I can, but I must get you out," said the centaur grimly, not slowing.

Zelda looked back and saw that the boy, Draco, had appeared. "Oh, Goddess," she moaned, hoping she could find help for the young witch. They rounded a curve in the path and she could no longer see what was happening. She looked forward again, and a golden sunset sky was becoming visible. It seemed at last they were leaving the Forest. Firenze ran faster, making Zelda hold on tighter.


&&&&&&&&&


Bellatrix was ready to kill anything in her path. She felt abandoned by Lord Voldemort, she'd seen nothing of the bloody werewolf, and if the castle had been taken, she should see the Dark Mark in the sky. However, as she was lost in the bloody Forest, perhaps she couldn't see it.

There was a struggle on the path ahead of her, so she stealthily approached it. Incredibly, she saw her sister and her bloody inadequate nephew, struggling with a red-haired, teenage girl. Narcissa gave a sudden squeal of triumph and held up a wand.

This was the last straw for Bella. She blasted the wand from her traitorous sister's hand and strode forward. The look on Draco's face was priceless. He knew, if her idiot sister didn't, that they would both suffer for their abandonment.

"Bella!" cried Narcissa, running and flinging her arms around her sister's neck. "It's been terrible! I'm so happy to see you."


&&&&&&&&&


"Come on," snapped Draco, grabbing Ginny's hand. "We're about thirty seconds from death at the end of my loving aunt's wand."

Ginny cast one look at the thicket where her wand had flown, then considered the mad gleam in Bellatrix Lestrange's eyes and gripped his hand, running like mad with him.

They left the path and kept going. It was slower going, but Draco hoped they'd hit another path and make better time.

"I think it's not much farther," Ginny whispered encouragingly.

"Do you know where we are?" he panted.

"I think we're going the same way as Firenze," she said. "Keep running. And thank you," she said grudgingly.

He nodded, startled that she was being so decent. They were forced to climb over a rock formation in order to stay off the path, so he gave her a hand to get to the top. "Stay low," he hissed, looking behind them.

It seemed that the sisters had come to agreement, since they were walking together and talking quickly. Draco groaned. "Come on," he said. "If they catch us, we're done for."

He jumped to the ground and held a hand up to her. When she was down they began to run again, going off to the left, avoiding the path. Suddenly, Draco went down.

"Shit," he muttered fatalistically. "Go ahead, Weasley. Keep going."

Ginny ripped up the leg of his worn pants and saw that his ankle was staring to swell. "I could heal this, with a wand," she snarled. She ripped a strip of the bottom of her robes and bound the ankle tightly. "Now, lean on me and let's get out of here." She dragged him to his feet, put her arm around his waist and off they went.


&&&&&&&&&


Firenze burst through the edge of the trees with Zelda clinging to his back and began running toward the castle, but a voice rang out nearby, screaming, "/Stupefy/!" and a shock ran through the centaur. He fell over on his side, throwing Zelda to the ground.

"Firenze!" she shouted, running back to the fallen creature. He was breathing, she was relieved to see, but he was unconscious and completely vulnerable. She drew her gun and prepared to defend him against their attacker.


&&&&&&&&&


"Cissy, your darling Draco is a traitor," hissed Bellatrix. "I can't believe he took that brat and ran from us."

"All I care about is having a wand again," said Narcissa contentedly, having collected the young witch's wand again. "I'll find him and explain everything, and then we'll leave this place and be safe."

"He chose some bloody girl over you. You see how loyal he is?"

"But Bella, he doesn't understand. He's afraid of the Dark Lord and he believes that you, his own aunt, will torture or kill us both," said Narcissa reasonably.

"You're bloody right, I will," snapped her enraged sister. "He failed at his task and ran away. I'll torture him within an inch of his life and hand the remains over to the Dark Lord."

Narcissa's blue eyes were as wide as saucers. "Bella, you wouldn't!" she said reproachfully.

Bellatrix slapped her sister's vacant face, wondering how such a stupid cow had managed to survive this long. She snatched the wand from her idiot sister's feeble grasp and said, "Get moving. I have work to do, but you won't escape us again."

Narcissa began walking reluctantly. She cursed her own stupidity and hoping that somehow Draco would get away.


&&&&&&&&&


Kingsley, Harry and Ron were nearly out of the Forest. They had decided to leave the trail and try to surprise Bellatrix as she left the cover of the trees. What they did not expect was to stumble on Ginny and Draco Malfoy, trying vainly to hide behind a huge old tree.

"Ron!" she whispered, leaping from cover and throwing her arms around her brother. She turned and hugged Harry, but remembering where they were, she said softly, "You have to help me get Draco out of here."

"What?" yowled Ron, forgetting stealth.

She turned and found Draco hobbling away. "No you don't," she said firmly. She said to the others, "He saved my life and we're getting him out of here."

"We don't have time for this," said Kingsley. "Bellatrix is out there, completely mad, and Zelda's defenseless."

Harry had listened to everything. "Come on, Malfoy," he said, holding out his hand.

Draco hesitated, a sullen scowl on his face. Largesse from the bloody chosen one was hard to take. But he'd discovered that he really didn't want to die this day, so he grasped the outstretched hand and limped toward Potter. "Where's Voldemort?" he asked, hardly daring to hope.

Harry grinned, the first time he'd ever smiled at Draco Malfoy. "Dead," he said softly. "But we have more to do, so let's go."

Ron watched in horror as his best friend seemed to reach an understanding with Draco Malfoy, who seemed to have saved Ginny's life. He shook his head, it was too much.

"Who's gone ahead there?" asked Harry.

"His mum grabbed me off Firenze's back, to get my wand," said Ginny. "Firenze kept going with Zelda, so they're ahead."

"By now my aunt's probably there. I don't know who else," said Draco.

"Go ahead," Harry said to Kingsley. He looked at his friend pleadingly. "Ron?"

Ron rolled his eyes and said, "Okay, I'm there. See you. Ginny, be careful. And Malfoy," he gulped slightly, "thanks for saving my sister."

Draco nodded at him.

Kingsley and Ron ran ahead, soon seeing the end of the trees. They slowed, wanting a look before they left cover.

"Bloody hell!" snapped Ron, and they both began to run.


&&&&&&&&&


Mad-Eye Moody had finally caught someone. He strode forward eagerly, until he saw that it was a centaur, in fact the one that taught at Hogwarts. A woman knelt by the fallen beast and he realized it was the Muggle.

"Stay away!" she screamed. "You're a lunatic."

He kept coming, obviously not taking her seriously. She knew from Minerva that he wasn't convinced Severus was on his side, and worse, he'd attacked Firenze. She took careful aim and shot the thick, clumsy wooden leg out from under him, making him fall to the ground.

Moody roared with fury. He pointed his wand threateningly.

"/Expelliarmus/!" shouted a woman's voice. She ran out of the trees and picked up the wand that had gone flying. "Damn you, Mad-Eye, you stunned Firenze. I'll give it back to you if you swear to leave that woman alone."

"Bloody Muggle bitch," he growled. "It's that Zelda woman. Got no business here."

She yanked the wand back from his outstretched hand and looked threateningly at him. "You attacked them!" she snarled.

"I won't touch the bitch, if she stays out of my way," he growled nastily.

"I swear, Moody, I could wring your stringy neck," muttered Tonks. "I'll kill you myself if you harm her. Behave now." She tossed him the wand, and he proceeded to Conjure himself a new wooden leg.

Tonks ran to where Zelda waited. "I'm sorry about that old ass," she said hurriedly. "I'm Tonks."

"Zelda," she replied. "Can you revive Firenze?"

Tonks had already performed the spell, and the centaur began struggling to stand. "Firenze, I'm so sorry," she said earnestly.

"There is no time. Zelda, you must come," he said grimly, finding his feet again. "It is not finished." He positioned himself between Zelda and the Forest and began walking.


Zelda strode to his side. "Are you sure? No, never mind, let's go."

"Ware, Nymphadora Tonks," he said. "Danger draws near."

Kingsley Shacklebolt burst from the trees and ran toward them. "Tonks, get her out of here," he shouted.

A flaming hex shot out of the Forest, striking the Auror in the back and he went down hard.