The Trap

***

Alissa dashed off further to the side as the Death Eaters and Aurors clashed in front of the gates. She wielded her wand to deflect Unforgiveables and shielded herself from harm. Wave after wave came with the giants and acromantulas in the distance. She found herself in an intense, heated battle with one of the Weasley boys. He was quite skilled and his eyes were full of fun. Then when the battle heated up and there was little chance to be found out, she sent out a Tripping jinx and threw herself on him. They scrambled to an alcove just inside the walls, and she pinned him down as she ripped off her mask. The boy tried to gain the upper hand, unimpressed or not caring that she wasn't a man. Finally, she got her wand to his throat.

"Listen!" she hissed. "Are you an Order member?"

"Liked I'd bloody tell you, you bitch!" he swore.

Flames of red, green, and purple soared past them. She pushed herself flatter on top of him and pulled his robes so they were face to face.

"Cor! If Molly could hear you now, she'd have your hide!" she whispered at him.

"What the...?" he began.

"Listen, I'm on your side. Your parents know all about me. Minerva, Remus, even Moody knew me. I'm no ruddy Death Eater!" She rolled them over to the wall and pushed them up. She flung the mask far from her and said, "You have to get more help! That snake bastard has giants and the acromantulas from the Forbidden Forest coming. He doesn't care. He'll raze this castle to the ground if he has to..."

Another blast came from the main gate. Rumblings could be heard from inside the school.

"Go! Go!" she screamed at him. She watched as he dashed inside and then made her way in as well. She screamed as a wall buckled and came crashing in. A giant was coming through and destroying everything in his path. She found a pocket of fierce fighting as the Death Eaters poured into the castle. She braced herself and made the leap into defection, finally letting her true loyalties finally be known. She saw Aberforth yell his praise to the young Weasley girl as she hexed the Death Eaters on the floor underneath her. Alissa fought as she climbed up the stairs, killing as many Death Eaters as she could. Her presence was quite disconcerting for the young girl. Yet, they fought side by side until Bellatrix Lestrange saw her.

"You fucking blood traitor!" she screamed. She took her wand and slashed it through the air.

A hundred arrows flew straight at Alissa. She shielded herself and screamed "Confrigo!"

The arrows blasted into fire and rained down on the Death Eaters below. They ran for their lives. When they got a substantial distance way, Ginny grabbed her and pointed her wand to her face.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"An Order member!" the older woman shrieked.

"With Death Eater robes on?" the youngest Weasley challenged.

"What, you think Snape was the only spy in your camp?" she sounded back.

A blast blew them across the hall and into a stone wall.

"Oh, shite!" the red-head said.

"Are you okay?" Alissa asked as she crawled to her.

"Yeah, just got the wind knocked out of me, is all."

Alissa looked out at the dust and rubble and then went to make her escape.

"Where are you going?" the girl cried out after her as she grabbed her arm.

"I can't stay here all day," Alissa chuckled. "More to do, more to do! You are a worthy opponent, you know," she said as another blast shattered above them. "I told Snape you were a real spitfire on the Express that day!"

She saw a group of Death Eaters coming up the stairs. Ginny jumped up in front of Alissa and screamed, "REDUCTO!"

The staircase blew apart, sending the Death Eaters to their demises below. The two women dropped back to the floor as spells flew over their heads.

"It was you that took Luna?" she asked incredulously.

"Sorry," Alissa said with a smile and flew away in a blur of white to the ground. She saw acromantulas closing in as she fought and battled. She jumped around, so it would be difficult to be recognized. But Bellatrix knew, and that meant the Dark Lord had to know by now. She was standing in another alcove looking out for Remus Lupin when he recognized some of the spells blasting in front of him were not by his own hand. He turned and saw Alissa. He stopped, stunned with disbelief.

"Remus!" she screamed as a Death Eater sent a curse his way. She shielded him, and the two of them battled side by side.

"What the devil is going on here?" he yelled happily. "Haven't seen you in years!"

"Well, I figured it was about time I showed up to save your sorry arse!" she joked.

"Don't tell me you've been in the serpent's lair this whole time?" he gasped as he fought.

"Oh yes," she retorted. "And not alone, Remus. Snape is still on our side!"

Another huge blast erupted from nowhere and they were thrown back. Alissa slid under the main staircase, while Remus struggled on the stairs. A Death Eater closed in, and as he went to cast the Killing curse, Alissa cursed him. His insides exploded out of him and he fell over dead. Blood and tissue rained down over them. Alissa grabbed Remus and pulled him back under the staircase. He was wounded, but not mortally. He had a bad superficial gash on his forehead, but his legs were mangled, and he was having difficulty breathing.

"I think I've got some broken ribs," he gasped painfully. "That was a particularly nasty bit of dark magic, Alissa!" he tried to say light-heartedly.

Alissa got him cleaned off as much as she could, mopping off the blood and intestines with the bottom of her Death Eater weeds. "Well," she said wryly, "one does what one can. I suppose I could have been less dramatic, but I certainly scared off the others now, didn't I?"

"Too right you are," he replied as he winced, trying to get up again.

"Remus, stay here!" Alissa ordered. "Lie back down!" She stripped off her slip underneath her robes and used it to pillow his head. She softly caressed his cheek. "Just relax, stay here until it is safe to come out. I'll let someone know to come get you when it's safe." She turned to get up and back into the fighting, but Remus grabbed her arm.

"No! My wife, Dora! I have-have t-to find her!" he said deliriously.

"I'll find her!" Alissa said. "Just stay here. What does she look like?"

"A Metamorphmagus," he whispered. He struggled to say more but failed.

She shushed him. "Okay, okay, Remus. I'll find her. You stay here out of sight!"

"Please!" he begged, grabbing her arm. His hazel eyes were full of fear and pain. "We have a son, please!" he said with a rasping voice.

"I'll find her Remus, I promise!" she said firmly.

Then she dashed back out into the fray.

***

She ran out of the gates to find the fighting was starting to retreat from the main castle entrance. Instead, the battle had shifted to the sides. Spiders, giants, dementors, Aurors, students, and professors were fighting with all their strength. Alissa ran her hand through her hair. How was she to find a Metamorphmagus named "Dora" in all this mess? She saw the Weasley girl again and made her way to her as she fought with a group of fellow students. They were trying to subdue an acromantula...and they were losing. Alissa pushed her way to the front and screamed for them to get back. She conjured a ball of fire and hurled it at the giant monster. The blaze was awesome as the overgrown spider screamed and writhed on the ground. She levitated the blazing animal and hurled it towards a fearsome giant that was hell-bent on destroying an entire side of the castle. Aurors and Death Eaters alike raced to the scene of the burning pyre of spider and giant.

Alissa turned and faced Ginny. "I need to find Dora, Remus' wife!" she screamed above the din.

Ginny shrieked as a wall of stone came crashing towards them. She grabbed Alissa and the others with her, and they dashed out of the way of the crash. They all fell to the ground coughing and sputtering as the cloud of dust settled around them.

"Tonks is dead!" Ginny coughed out as she recovered.

"Tonks?" Alissa asked, confused by the name.

"Remus calls her Dora, but to us, her name is 'Tonks,'" she yelled in reply.

"MOVE!" a boy screamed suddenly.

The entire face of the castle wall was crashing down. Alissa had to get back to Remus, she had to-to...what the hell?

She saw Lucius Malfoy enter the Whomping Willow. She had a bad feeling about it and was compelled to follow. She fought and struggled towards the entranceway and deftly followed the exhausted man. She knew better than to attempt a cloaking charm around the Dark Lord, so she remained back, hid, and waited.

After a while, Lucius had found a place for himself in a dark corner. Silence reigned as the Dark Lord sat immersed in his own thoughts as he twirled the Elder Wand between his scaly fingers.

"Please, my Lord," he spoke brokenly. "My son..." he began.

The Dark Lord cut him off impatiently. "If your son is dead, Lucius, it is not my fault. He did not come and join me like the rest of the Slytherins. Perhaps he has decided to befriend Harry Potter?"

"No! Never!" Lucius whispered hoarsely.

The Dark Lord murmured something softly in reply that Alissa could not hear or understand. She strained her ears to listen but could not make out the rest of the exchange. Finally, the Dark Lord spoke clearly.

"Go fetch Snape."

"Snape, m-my Lord?"

"Yes, there is a...service...I require from him. Go."

Alissa watched cautiously as the man retreated from the shack. She looked back at the Dark Lord. He was speaking to his snake, lovingly and softly. Nagini was encased in a magical box. Protected...but why? Alissa waited for what seemed like an eternity.

***

Severus came into the Shack, filthy and dirt streaked from the battle.

"My Lord," he bowed gracefully.

"Snape, have you a report for me?"

"My Lord, their resistance is crumbling..."

"...and is doing so without your help. Skilled wizard though you are, Severus, I do not think you will make much difference now. We are almost there... almost!"

There was a hitch in Severus' breath. Alissa could feel it. She sensed danger. So did he.

"Let me bring Potter to you," he begged.

Severus! Get the hell out of there! Alissa screamed silently in her head.

"I know I can find him, my Lord," he added.

"I have a problem, Severus," the Dark Lord said softly.

Severus, get the bloody hell out!

"My Lord?"

"Why doesn't it work for me, Snape?"

Oh my God! It's a trap! It's a trap! she screamed internally, opening the connection between them.

Alissa could see his back stiffen. He could hear her!

"My...my Lord?" Severus asked ignorantly. He was obviously trying to buy time.

The Dark Lord was explaining his problem with the Elder Wand. He started pacing around the room as he spoke to his most trusted servant.

"I have thought long and hard, Severus... Do you know why I've called you back from the battle?"

Oh my God! Oh my God! Severus, he's going to kill you! Get the hell out of there! she screamed.

"No, my Lord, but I beg you will let me return. Let me find Potter." He voice was becoming desperate. Alissa's wand was itching in her hand. This was not happening!

Back and forth they spoke. Severus was becoming increasingly nervous while the Dark Lord became increasingly predatory. To Alissa, it was like watching a lion waiting to pounce on a gazelle.

Alissa wished she could see Severus' face. He was not responding to her as she screamed at him repeatedly to get the hell out of there.

"I sought this wand, Severus. The Elder Wand, the Wand of Destiny, the Deathstick..."

Why is he making a speech? Alissa thought nervously. What is he doing? What can this possibly achieve?

"You are a clever man, after all, Severus. You have been a good and faithful servant, and I regret what must happen."

No! Severus, run! Her thoughts drowned out everything else said. She wanted to jump out and save him, to kill the Dark Lord, to stop what was happening in front of her eyes. She couldn't stop it! She willed her feet to stay firm.

"I must master the wand, Severus. Master the wand, and I master Potter at last."

It was so simple. So cut and dry. Then a horrible rattle came out of the Dark Lord's mouth.

Alissa screamed. She couldn't hold in her terror anymore. Nagini broke free from her cage and attacked Severus' neck. The enormous snake's gruesome fangs sank into his alabaster skin. Alissa shrieked and screamed along with him. She grasped onto the rotting wood in front of her, swaddled in the weeds of a Death Eater as she cried and shook terribly.

"I regret it," the Dark Lord said coldly.

Nagini was placed back into her protective cage, and he swept out of the room. Alissa was petrified. He was going to see her, she knew it! Then she remembered what Severus had said to her, "One good thing about working for a megalomaniac, they are notoriously self-absorbed." And true enough, he slithered by her without ever knowing she had been so near the entire time.

She was about to jump out to help Severus when she saw Potter and the Granger girl hovering over him. She watched as the girl conjured up a bottle, and she heard the rasping whispers from her lover to the boy. They looked into each other's eyes and then Severus' hand slipped away.

The booming voice of the Dark Lord rang out.

"You have fought, valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery."

Sod off, you snake-snogging son-of-a-bitch! she thought.

"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."

Oh, but you didn't give a shite about spilling Severus' magical blood, did you?

Potter made haste, but the girl, she looked back, one last time, and then they disappeared.

Alissa scrambled from her hiding place.

"Severus! Severus! Don't leave me, you ruddy bastard! Impossible, insufferable..."

She had only the simplest understandings of mediwizardry. She put a Coagulating Spell on him to stop the flow of blood, and she took her wand and said "Ennervate!"

He woke gasping and choking. She rummaged through his pockets and found a small bottle of dittany and a phial of sorts. She poured the dittany on his wound, and he grabbed it out of her hands. He greedily drank it all down and fell back.

"You stupid, stupid, man!" she raged. "What the hell did you think you were doing? Why did you not talk to me? I love you, you insufferable bastard!"

His eyes were shining and she kissed his thin, chalky lips delicately. Then she grabbed his wand and stuck it in her pocket. She bunched up his cloak, pillowed his head with it, and jumped to her feet. He reached his shaking hand out to her, and she yelled at him to be still.

"You stay here! I'm going to get you help, and so help me God, if you try moving from that spot, I'll kick your arse, you ruddy jackass!"

She squeezed through and went to make her way back to the castle. The morning sun was just peaking through the trees of the forest, occasionally blinding her way as the battle continued to rage around her. She was going back to the castle. The blow-hard had droned on, trying to inflame Potter and rattle his supporters. Bastard! she thought. Then she remembered Severus telling her,

"If you ever find yourself in a crisis and need a solution, she would be the one to get. Insufferable, but she has the brains to back it up."

She headed inside the main gates amongst the wounded and dying. She scanned the room for the Granger girl. She saw her with Miss Weasley. She was comforting her. She discreetly walked up to them.

The Weasley girl was crying while the Granger girl was trying to calm her. They both looked up to her and she said, "You two, come with me," she ordered. The Granger girl was wide-eyed in terror.

"It's alright, Hermione," Ginny whispered. "She's an Order member."

They went out into the main hallway and Alissa took them to Remus. Amazingly, he was still holding on.

"Ginny, see to him," she ordered. Then she dropped her voice to a whisper. "Don't tell him about her yet."

Ginny nodded, and Alissa grabbed the other girl by the arm and quick-marched her out and back to the Willow. Once safely inside the entrance, she made her threat.

"You get your arse back in there and tend to the Headmaster!"

"B-but he's dead!" she sputtered.

"He is not, you fool girl! I placed a Coagulating Spell on him along with some dittany he had in his pocket. Now, move! If he dies, I'll kill you," she whispered viciously and then she threw the girl from her. "RUN!" she screamed.

The girl jumped on her feet and speed off.

Alissa squared her shoulders to get back to the great Hall. She would need a Mediwitch and supplies. She had her wand in one hand and Severus' in the other. She walked out into the battle, for it had not stopped, even though the Dark Lord had given an hours' reprieve. Vengeance was to be meted out. She knew that beyond a doubt when she was faced by two fellow Death Eaters.

"Lying bitch!"

"Traitorous whore!"

***

A/N: We are now back at the the beginning. We are rapidly coming to the end. A couple more chapters are left. I do hope you enjoyed this. Please review! As always, much thanks to my beta, MadBrilliant. Also, large portions of this chapter were taken directly from J.K. Rowling's Deathly Hallows. Thanks to Ms. Rowling for her work!