The battle raged on and Hogwarts was engulfed in flames.
The courtyard was full of students and staff who fought against the brutal Deatheaters.
A Deatheater stood in the way of Professor Trelawney who raised her wand with a forceful flick that sent him flying through the air.
Seamus regarded her with amazement.
"Who knew Professor Trelawney had moves," he mumbled.
"There's more to me than incense and tea leaves, Mr. Finnegan," the woman offered him a small smile as Seamus' face turned pink at the fact that she had heard his comment.
A few yards away, Dean and a single Deatheater battled while Luna stunned four Deatheaters. Before she could stun the last one, a white blast came from beside her and blasted the Deatheater square in the chest.
Luna turned around and faced Neville who's wand was smoking.
"Thanks," the Ravenclaw smiled.
"Don't mention it," Neville returned with a bright look on his face.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Riley pelted through the courtyard avoiding the large mass of Deatheaters and large gray giants who tried to step on them.
Hermione gasped and paused as she saw Fenrir Greyback crouched over Lavender Brown's motionless body.
The werewolf turned around and grinned wolvishly at them.
His teeth glistened with Lavender's blood.
Riley's heart pounded in her chest.
Just two seconds ago she remembered consoling Lavender about her failed relationship with Ron and now she was dead.
Riley shut her eyes as she saw the deep gushing red wound in Lavender's neck from where Fenrir had bitten her.
"NO!" Hermione screamed as she blasted him in the chest sending him flying in the air.
The four raced away from the burning castle.
In the distance, the Forbidden Forest had orange and red flames sticking out of it. Screams from the forest shattered the night.
In the Quidditch field, a couple of giants were swinging the Quidditch goals. One saw the four and whipped the golden goal towards them but missed them and instead hit the ground instead. The giant groaned in anger and then lurched away.
The four raced off to the boathouse.
"Wait, wait," Riley panted as her face was red as her lungs burned. Everyone paused. Ron and Hermione also were panting.
"Come, darling," Harry mumbled as he rubbed her back gently.
"How are you not panting! You have magic lungs," Riley wheezed.
"We have to keep going," he coaxed and then kissed her cheek.
Riley sucked in a breath.
"Fine," she mumbled as the four slipped outside of the boathouse. The eerie light illuminated them slightly but they glided back into the shadows. They stopped at a large window.
Voldemort stepped into view inside of the boathouse and extended the Elder wand out. Snape stood beside him in robes of all black.
"Why doesn't it work for me?" Voldemort asked as he circled around the Headmaster of Hogwarts.
"You have performed extraordinary magic with this wand, my Lord. In the last few hours alone-" Snape was interrupted by Voldemort's angry outburst.
"No! I am extraordinary! But the wand resists me!" the dark lord hissed.
Snape studied him for a moment and then his eyes shifted over to Nagini who skimmed across the wooden floor circling the two wizards.
"There is no wand more powerful. Ollivander himself said it. Tonight, when the boy comes to you, it will not fail you, I am sure. It answers to you and you only," Snape reassured.
"Does it?" Voldemort mused as he held the wand in the glimmering light. His red eyes were still cast on Snape.
"My lord?" the greasy man questioned.
"The wand. Does it truly answer tome?" Voldemort interrogated.
Snape didn't respond and stood still. His hand behind his back trembled.
"You're a clever man, Severus. Surely you must know," the dark lord hummed as Snape gulped and eyed the large snake on the floor.
"Where, Severus? Where does its loyalty lie?" Voldemort stared at the Headmaster.
"With you, of course, my Lord," Snape looked away from Nagini.
Voldemort stared at the wizard in front of him for a long time.
"The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, Severus, because I am not its true master. The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. Ollivander was quite explicit about that. You killedDumbledore, Severus. While you live, the Elder Wand cannot be truly mine," Voldemort said as Snape's eyes widened.
"My Lord-"
"You have been a good and faithful servant, Severus," Voldemort raised his wand and pointed it at Snape's throat creating a slicing sound.
Snape paused in his tracks as blood started forming around his white collar. He fell to the ground.
Riley shivered.
"But only I can live forever..." Voldemort spoke.
"Kill," he ordered Nagini who immediately strikes causing the window where the four stood at to shake.
Riley's heart pounded and her breathing became ragged.
As much as she disliked Snape because of the way he treated Harry and her friends and that he was a Deatheater but he didn't deserve such a gruesome death.
Harry's scream was clouded by Snape's loud howl of pain as the snake kept striking him.
Voldemort's hand trailed around the Elder wand and for a moment he seemed transfixed and then suddenly turned away.
"Nagini! Come!" the dark lord hissed as Nagini complied and took her fangs out of Snape's flesh and slithered away after her master.
Harry, Hermione, and Riley all rushed into the boathouse while Ron looked out into the distance.
"Shit," Riley whispered as she looked at the state of her old professor.
Harry knelt by Snape and laid his fingers on his wound that was extremely bloody. The blood oozed out of his neck like syrup and leaked onto the wooden boards on the floor.
Snape's eyes shifted and looked at Harry and then began to cry.
"Take them," Snape coughed.
Harry looked confused and hesitant.
"Take them," Snape repeated as he shuddered and tears that looked silvery-blue fell from his eyes.
Harry's eyebrows furrowed. It looked familiar.
Snape pulled him by the collar.
"Please," he choked and then fell to the floor.
"Give me something! Quickly! A flask! Anything," Harry looked between Riley and Hermione as the brunette conjured a flask.
Harry took the flask and pressed it to Snape's cheek as the blue tears dropped into the flask.
"They are the same," the boy who lived mumbled as he looked into Snape's brown eyes. The greasy-haired man tried to say something but couldn't.
"You have your mother's eyes..." Snape's voice trailed off as his face turned pale and his breathing stopped.
Riley closed her eyes and put her hand on Harry's shoulder as he shivered.
"He's gone. The snake too," Ron appeared in the doorway.
Just then, the sound of thunder boomed like a storm and the entire room started to shake.
"You have fought valiantly... but in vain. I do not wish this. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a terrible waste," Voldemort's voice echoed in the air.
Riley had chills up her spine.
"I, therefore, command my forces to retreat. In their absence, dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured," Voldemort's voice was soft.
"Harry Potter, I speak now directly to you. On this night you have allowed your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. There is no greater dishonor. Join me in the Forbidden Forest and confront your fate. Should you do so I give my word that no other life will be lost on this night. You have one hour. If at the end of that time, you have not given yourself up, then I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who tries to conceal you from me," Voldemort's voice disappeared.
The sounds of night returned.
"THAT'S NEVER GONNA HAPPEN YOU FUCKING BALD BITCH!" Riley roared.
"Never! Do you hear me! NEVER!" Ron added as Hermione put her hand over his neck and they all glanced at Harry.
He gazed down at Snape's still body one last time before exiting the boathouse.
....
When they returned to the castle, the courtyard was empty and the dead bodies were removed. The Deatheaters were gone and replaced with broken wands on the cobblestones.
"Where is everyone?" Hermione looked around.
"I'd assume the Great Hall," Riley answered as they walked into the castle.
Ron pushed the doors open to the Great Hall.
The house tables were pushed to the walls as injured students and staff stood in groups with their arms slung around each other as they waited for Madam Pomfrey to treat them.
Filch sat on a bench where blood oozed out of his forearm. Next to him, Flitwick stood with gashes and scratches across his face.
Harry stood frozen in the doorway.
Riley gasped as she walked up and saw Remus and Tonks's motionless bodies. Their bloodstained hands were intertwined.
Riley choked on a sob and clapped a hand over her mouth.
From next to their bodies, a heartbroken sob came out of George who kneeled over a motionless dead man. Hazel stood over him with tears slipping down her face.
Fred. Fred Weasley was dead.
Hermione gasped as she came over and wrapped her arms around Ginny who was weeping. Her eyes were red and puffy as the brunette girl stroked her red hair.
Ron ran over to his family and embraced George as he too started crying.
Hazel looked at Riley and immediately hugged her.
"I'm so glad you're okay," Riley cried on her best friend's shoulder and wrapped her arms around her neck.
"I know I was so worried about you, my little gremlin," Hazel cupped her friend's face and kissed her forehead.
Riley let out a laugh.
"It's so nice to hear someone talking in an American accent," Riley sniffled.
Harry stood in the doorway watching this interaction as he slipped away from the hall and out of sight.
....
Harry walked inside of Dumbledore's old office and flung open a cabinet.
The cabinet revealed a bowl. A Pensieve.
He slammed it on Dumbledore's old desk and then proceeded to pry the cork of the flask in his hands off and then poured the blue liquid into the Pensieve.
As the liquid swirled in the bowl, Harry looked up at the portraits of the past Headmasters above him. The portrait frames were all empty.
Harry frowned and then looked away and plunged his head into the Pensieve.
His surroundings swirled as he suddenly saw a baby wailing loudly.
Then it swirled again to a younger-looking Snape who hid under a tree. He was skinny and his hair was greasy and long.
"Lily! Come out of there! Now!" someone called as a young girl with long, wavy red hair and piercing green eyes ran out of a bush. A flower was in her palm and its petals opened and closed.
A girl with dark hair who looked like Harry's aunt Petunia emerged and knocked the flower out of Lily's hand.
"We're going home," Petunia huffed and took Lily's arm and pulled her away as a young Snape emerged.
The girls paused as they watched Snape open his palm to reveal a leaf that fluttered away like an insect. The leaf circled around Lily and then drifted away.
Petunia looked at Snape in shock as she grabbed Lily's arm and pulled her away.
Lily looked back at Snape and offered him a warm smile.
The memory faded out and then turned into Lily and Snape lying side by side in the green grass staring up at the blue sky.
"She's jealous. Because she's ordinary and you're special," Snape looked at the redheaded girl.
"That's mean," Lily frowned.
"It's true. You know so yourself," Snape studied her and noticed her eyebrows were furrowed.
The boy sighed and looked up at the tree branch above him.
The leaves began to shiver slightly and then burst like a flock of birds.
Lily watched and let out a small giggle as another branch's leaves burst.
Snape grinned. Her laugh was like music to his ears.
A train engine was heard and Harry was swept to the Hogwarts express platform where Lily and Petunia argued. Petunia's lips were curled up in a sneer as Lily turned and dashed to the scarlet train in tears.
Once she came on the train and put her belongings away she went through the aisle with tears slipping down her cheeks.
She stopped when she saw Snape who sat in a compartment alone. They stared at each other for a moment and then she sat across from him and offered him a small smile as she sniffled.
The train arrived at Hogwarts and the first years took the boats to get to the castle. Then they all entered the Great hall.
The House tables were excited as they waited for the newcomers.
A younger Professor McGonagall held a large piece of parchment as she held the sorting hat with her other hand.
"Lily Evans," McGonagall called.
Harry saw his father watch his mother as she sat on the stool and McGonagall put the hat over her head.
Meanwhile, Snape peered from the Slytherin table with a hopeful expression.
"Gryffindor!" the hat bellowed as Lily skipped from the stool over to the table clad in red.
James Potter cheered loudly for her and nudged a long-haired boy with a devilish smirk. Sirius Black.
Lily sat across from James and Sirius.
The memory diminished and Snape was carrying books and walking with Lily when someone bumped into Snape knocking down all his books.
Lily crouched down and started helping Snape pick up his books while Snape glared at James Potter who smirked and had his arms crossed.
"Are you okay?" Lily asked quietly as she followed his hateful gaze over to James.
"Yeah," Snape looked back at her and smiled.
A hillside came into view and an adult Snape stood with his face blank. He looked slightly frightened.
The wind howled and a burst of white light sent Snape's wand flying.
"No! Don't kill me!" Snape yelled fearfully as he fell to the ground.
"That wasn't my intention," Dumbledore apparated into view with his long beard swinging because of the wind.
"Stand up, Severus. I haven't much time. What message do you bring from Lord Voldemort this time?" Dumbledore's voice was firm as Snape jetted up.
"None. I come on my own account. I come with a... request," Snape said as Dumbledore's eyes glittered with interest.
"Is this about the Prophecy?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes," the greasy-haired man nodded.
"How much did you relay?" the older man questioned.
"Only what I heard. But now... he thinks it refers to her," Snape croaked.
"The Prophecy did not refer to a woman. It spoke of a boy born at the end of July," Dumbledore's forehead crinkled.
"Yes! But he thinks it's her son! He intends to hunt them down now! To kill them!" Snape's lip quivered as he mentioned Lily Potter.
"If she means so much to you, surely Lord Voldemort would spare her in exchange for the boy," Dumbledore said hastily.
"I have asked," Snape looked desperate.
"You disgust me. You would sacrifice the life of an innocent child over a schoolboy crush?" Dumbledore scoffed.
"She's more than that! She'sdifferent! Beautiful. Kind. Hide them all. I beg you," Snape pleaded.
"And should I do so, what will you give me in return, Severus?" the former Headmaster of Hogwarts asked.
"Anything," Snape said.
Harry's surroundings swirled again.
"You said you would keep her safe!" Snape smashed his fist onto Dumbledore's desk in his office at Hogwarts.
"Lily and James put their faith in the wrong person. Rather like you, Severus," Dumbledore said calmly.
"The boy survives. He has her eyes," Dumbledore studied Snape.
"DON'T!" Snape choked on a sob.
"If you loved Lily Evans, Severus.If you truly loved her. Then your way is clear," the older man spoke.
"He doesn't need protection. The dark lord has gone-" the old potion professor's voice was hoarse.
"The Dark Lord will return. And the boy will be in terrible danger when he does," Dumbledore explained.
"No one can know. Your word," Snape jabbed a finger at the older man.
"My word that I shall never reveal the best of you, Severus? If you insist," Dumbledore finished as the memory turned.
"He exhibits no measurable talent. His arrogance rivals even his father's. And he seems to relish his fame," Snape sneered as he talked about Harry. He looked slightly older.
"Sometimes we see what we expect to see, Severus. Other teachers indicate the boy is modest, likable and while no prodigy, possesses above-average gifts. Personally, I find him rather engaging," Dumbledore had a small smile on his face.
"You see what you want to see," Snape walked off with his black robes billowing behind him as Dumbledore smiled with amusement.
"Perhaps. Oh. Severus. Keep an eye on Professor Quirrell,won't you?" Dumbledore called.
The memory transformed once again and Dumbledore was drinking from a cup. His right hand was blackened. And a ring lied on his desk.
"Why did you put it on? Surely you realized it carried a curse," Snape asked as he motioned to the ring.
"I was... foolish... greedy..." Dumbledore sighed.
"Drink the rest. It will contain the curse to the hand for the time being," the professor motioned to the cup full of golden liquid.
"For the time being?" Dumbledore questioned.
"It will spread," Snape declared.
"How long?"
"Maybe a year," Snape answered.
"Well, this makes matters much more straightforward," Dumbledore nodded and smiled.
Snape studied the Headmaster and then looked away.
"Do not ignore me, Severus. Was it not you who told me of LordVoldemort's plan to have the Malfoy boy murder me?" the Headmaster cocked his head to the side.
"It is not expected that he will succeed," Snape said simply.
"But should he fail, one would presume the Dark Lord will turn to... you," Dumbledore stared at Snape intently as the man didn't respond.
"You must agree," the older man's voice was tender as Snape looked at him with horror.
"Yes. You must be the one to kill me, Severus. It is the only way. Only then will the Dark Lord trust you completely," Dumbledore explained.
"You ask too much," Snape looked down.
"Too much! Nothing I could ask is too much. You know what is at stake! You more than anyone!" Dumbledore was angry as Snape still didn't respond.
"There will come a time when HarryPotter must be told something. But you must wait until Voldemort is at his most vulnerable," Dumbledore sat back down and gazed at his blackened hand.
"Tell him what?" Snape asked.
"On the night Lord Voldemort went to Godric's Hollow to kill Harry, and Lily Potter cast herself between them, the curse rebounded. When that happened, a part of Lord Voldemort's soul latched itself onto the only living thing it could find, Harry himself," Dumbledore finished.
Snape stared at him with disbelief.
"There's a reason Harry can speak with snakes. There's a reason he can look into Lord Voldemort'smind. A part of Lord Voldemort lives inside him," the Headmaster cleared his throat.
"So when the time comes, the boy must die," Snape looked shocked.
"Yes. And Voldemort himself must do it. That is essential," Dumbledore nodded.
"You've kept him alive so that he can die at the proper moment. You've been raising him like a pig for slaughter," Snape's voice was bitter.
"But this is touching, Severus. Don't tell me you've grown to care for the boy?" Dumbledore's lips curled up into a smile as Snape whipped out his wand.
"Expecto Patronum!" he bellowed as a silver doe burst from his wand and skipped around the room.
"Lily. After all this time?" Dumbledore looked at the doe that diminished out of thin air.
"Always,"
"The irony of course, Severus, is that in the end you and the boy desire the same thing..." Dumbledore smiled.
The memory started fading once again and Harry plunged his head out of the Pensieve.
He stared out in the distance dripping wet as he pondered.
....
That was chapter 55! This is slowly ending ahhh. I can already picture how this is going. Anyways like always I hope you all have a fantastic day.
xx Asiya