Chapter 48: Going to Battle

Chapter 48: Going to Battle

When the morning of battle arrived, there was no time for a repeat of the previous night's performance, no time to lie and drowse in Severus' company as Hermione would have liked. They had a meeting at the Burrow paddock at nine, as Headquarters was not sufficiently large for the group they hoped to gather. Severus would have to meet with the Dark Lord and his minions an hour before they were due to appear on the field, but he would make a showing at the Order meeting first.

"It's time we got up, my sweet. We've a big day ahead of us," Severus said, though far from nudging her to stand, he slid a hand over her belly and caressed it. Hermione knew he was thinking of the new life inside her, and he was wondering if he would be alive to see it, or she to bear it.

She knew because she often wondered the same thing herself.

After another long moment, he extricated himself from her arms, and she let him go. The whole cottage seemed to be thick with silence, as though it were a heavy layer of fog filling the rooms. They went about their usual daily tasks with little or no talk, though Hermione often caught him stealing looks at her, as she stole looks at him.

So much of their time together had been spent with secrets keeping them apart. Now that they were finally in accord, they had to face a battle they may not survive. Hermione wouldn't allow herself to dwell on it, however, as she didn't need to be emotional today. This day of all days, she needed a clear head.

Breakfast passed and after gathering the vials of Felix Felicis, they walked from the cottage hand in hand, then stood in the little path between the door and gate. He drew her into his arms and cradled her head against his chest. "As I will not be able to publicly take you in my arms again before battle: Be brave, be careful and know that I love you far more than life itself."

Tears welled in her eyes and she fought them back, knowing it would do no good to cry right now, though she could feel the emotion choking them both. "And you: Be brave, be careful and know that I love you, too, more than life itself."

He lifted her chin and placed an intensely passionate kiss on her mouth, then finally drew back. She let him go, knowing she would already be late. He would Apparate over a few minutes after she did.

"You'd better go."

She allowed a twisted smile in reply, let go of him completely, and Apparated to the front steps of the Burrow. As she crossed the street, she forced herself to focus on what lay ahead that day instead of what she had left behind and feared never to have again.

The Order meeting was just beginning in the paddock when Hermione walked in, and after setting the vials to the side of the entrance to be passed around before they left, she quietly slid into an empty spot on the ground beside Harry. He looked over and smiled, then threw an arm around her shoulder in a half hug and turned back to Mad-Eye, who was addressing the group. Hermione knew there was confusion in some of the Order members' minds about her relationship with Harry since most had not been brought back into their secret yet. That would be solved soon, however.

When Hermione sensed Severus's approach from the house behind her, she shrugged off Harry's arm and smiled when he looked back at her. Mad-Eye glared toward the back of the group where Severus was standing and changed topics. "As most of you know, we have been receiving information from an informant over the past several months. What the majority of you don't know is the informant's name. About two months ago, Severus Snape," He paused while a murmur of surprise ran through the crowd, then continued, "took an Unbreakable Vow before more than a dozen of our Order members.

"In it he pledged to continue the fight against He Who Must Not Be Named, to tell us of all actions within the Dark Lord's camp that he was aware of, and to fight to end the madman we go against today. As much as I would prefer to do otherwise, I would ask that you withhold your hexes until this meeting is over. He has come to give us the final information we need from Voldemort's plans. Miss Granger, if you would stand and question him for us."

Hermione stood and turned toward her husband, her blandest expression in place. "Severus Snape, please tell everyone present everything you know about the Dark Lord's plans for today's encounters and what he knows or expects to encounter to the best of your knowledge."

Someone in the back shouted out, asking why Hermione was asking the questions and not Mad-Eye. Hermione turned to the man and answered, "I am the one he took the vow to, so I am the only one who can ask him and expect a full answer. Now, if you'll let him report?"

Severus scowled at her, then told her everything he had told her the night before. He highlighted the members who would be there, their strengths and weaknesses. He managed to do so with a minimum of vitriol at people who asked questions, choosing to ignore them for the time being, if not permanently.

When he finished his narrative, Hermione asked for clarification on a couple of the questions, then asked if there were any others. Elphias Dodge, a silver-haired man, stood and asked, "If you are really on our side, why did you kill Albus Dumbledore, and how are we supposed to believe that you are really on our side now?"

Hermione nodded at Severus. "Tell him." He glared at her for allowing his privacy to be invaded like this, but turned back to the man.

"You are aware, I imagine, of the results of breaking an Unbreakable Vow?" Severus waited for the old man to nod that he did know. "I had one with Dumbledore as well, and he ordered me to kill him if it became necessary to do so to preserve my life so I could continue to spy for the Order. If I hadn't done so, I would be dead now. And if I were lying to you now, I would also die in front of your eyes, as Miss Granger has ordered me to tell you what happened."

"How do we know you didn't use a spell on her to believe you made the vow, when you actually didn't?" Another voice called out.

"All here who witnessed Snape give Hermione the vow, stand!" This was Harry's voice, and he stood as he spoke. When everyone else was standing, Harry continued. "Unless you believe we were all ensorcelled, you have it on good authority that Snape has been providing us with useful information over the past several months, as many of you know, having had your lives saved by his forewarning."

"But what of the attacks you didn't prevent?" another asked.

"Contrary to popular belief, the Dark Lord does not tell me every secret he holds, nor can I speak of every one, if I am to maintain my fiction of being his loyal bootlicker. As he expects me to arrive beside him any moment now, I suggest you question Miss Granger if you have anything else you wish to know. She, at least, has been privy to everything I have learned since the vow." Then he Disapparated, leaving her with every eye upon her.

"We don't have time to bicker this out today. What you do need to know is that he has been feeding me information after every meeting with the Dark Lord. He has been training Harry, Ron and myself in field battle and taught me the Occlumency and Legilimency that helped prepare so many of you for today's battle."

Tonks stood and attracted everyone's attention. "At the Death Eater attack on the school, Snape took out more Death Eaters under the pretence of fighting me than any three other people."

"Really? He didn't mention that. He's also the one who developed the spell we're going to use today to defeat Voldemort once and for all. Oh, and while I have the floor, Harry and I were never really fighting; it was all a ruse for the Dark Lord's benefit. Now, if you will listen to Moody, we can finish our preparations for today." She sat again, her legs feelings somewhat weak from nerves.

"Very nice, Hermione." Harry patted her on the shoulder.

"Thanks." She touched his hand, then withdrew her own and turned to face Moody.

*****

After collecting his Death Eater robes from the cottage, Severus donned them, downed his own tiny dose of Felix Felicis, and touched the tip of his wand to the mark on his left arm. When the squeeze of Apparition lifted and he opened his eyes to behold the field around Riddle House where the Death Eaters were gathering, he stared at the group before him. Apparently, the plans had changed. Instead of the dozen minions the Dark Lord had planned to bring, it appeared all of his followers were milling about. With a shudder, Severus saw a group of dark figures gliding across the farmland to the north. Dementors.

*****

The meeting at the Burrow only lasted another ten minutes before everyone split into groups and was given directions of where to Apparate. The Felix Felicis was passed around in miniscule doses, with the hope that the few hours of protection each should give would be enough. The third set of batches wouldn't be finished for another week, so they had to make do with what they had. When Hermione looked around to be sure everyone was huddled with their groups, she saw Ginny running toward them. The younger girl was dressed in her school robes, stunning with her siren-red hair and her wand clutched in her hand.

Though Harry had repeatedly told Ginny she would not be accompanying them into battle, the youngest Weasley had obviously paid him no mind. She had been training with her older brothers and practiced the spell they would be using that day. Hermione figured the Weasley daughter was as ready as anyone could be.

"You're not coming, Ginny," Harry said when she reached them, though he had his back to her and hadn't looked in her direction.

"Yes, I am, and you can't stop me."

"You can't Apparate."

"Neither can Hagrid, but he's going with a Portkey group, isn't he? So will I."

This made Harry turn around, his mouth open, ready to tell her how wrong she was, but she didn't give him a chance. Instead she seized the front of his robe and pulled him close, laying a kiss on him that was so steamy it raised the temperature of several people around them.

When she let go, Harry stood dumbly for one or two seconds, then blinked. "You could get hurt. I can't bear to see you hurt."

"I can't bear to lose you either, but I want to be by your side, whatever that may entail. If I have to travel by Knight Bus, I'll be there."

Harry sighed and pulled her into his arms for a quick hug. "Be safe. I love you." His words were barely more than a whisper and only just reached Hermione's ears.

"Same to you." Then Ginny released him and hurried to the group that included Hagrid.

When Harry turned back to Hermione, she shook her head. "The Knight Bus. I knew there was an avenue I had forgotten to use against Se-Sebastian. I could have come to Hogwarts with you two after all."

Harry laughed, as she hoped he would, then turned his attention back to the group. "Are we ready then?"

"Are you going to marry my sister if you both live through this?" George asked.

"We have to both live through this. She's my soul mate." He grinned, then gave the signal and the group Apparated to the clearing.

Upon arrival, everyone but Harry used Disillusionment Charms and sequestered themselves into the woods. Granted, it wasn't very sporting to land en masse on the opposition, but this wasn't a sporting event, and Voldemort's ranks were attempting to do the same to Harry.

Hermione began to sense her husband's disquiet. Something was wrong, horribly wrong on his side of things. Her fingers twitched as she reached for her diary, stuck, as always, in her back pocket.

Other groups of witches and wizards appeared in clusters around the clearing and then one by one, disappeared beneath various charms. Harry walked over to his parents' gravestones and stood before them. Hermione saw his lips moving again, as they had on their last visit here. She hoped he was gaining strength from speaking with them. He seemed confident, under control, and Hermione wondered how much of that was confidence in his ability, how much was a feeling of safety because Order members would outnumber Death Eaters four to one, and how much was a façade. Ginny would know.

People around her found each other and their bearings and sequestered themselves in the trees. Somewhere nearby, she heard Mr. Weasley ask if anyone had seen Perkins; he had been with them when they Apparated out of the paddock.

Finally, words began to form on the page of her diary, and Hermione shared Severus's horror.

He's changed his mind. We'll be more than a hundred strong, with Dementors as well. Warn the others.

Hermione stood and cast Sonorous on her throat, then called out. "Plans changed; they have more than a hundred with them. Prepare your Patronus; he's bringing Dementors."

She heard audible gasps from those around her. Harry's eyes shot her direction, and she saw fear in them, the same slick, hot fear she felt in herself. Someone must have tipped him off; the tables had been turned. It was sure to get nasty real quickly.

*****

As he finished putting the diary away, wandless and under cover of his voluminous robes, Severus saw a figure hurry up the stairs of the house and through the door. He began strategizing, trying to figure out how to even the odds a bit more. Almost two to one, plus Dementors. Severus wondered how many of the Order members could handle two Death Eaters at once. Granted, some of the Death Eaters were pathetic duelists, and most of the Order members would have Felix Felicis to help them along, but even so.

His attention was drawn when the Dark Lord walked through the front door of the house and came out onto the stairs to look down upon his soldiers. He had two masked minions at his sides and another came behind, Severus felt a greasy slick of uneaseness hit his belly, far worse than what he had ever felt before. Something here was not right.

The Dark Lord looked across the crowd, then called out. "We are going to battle today to slaughter those foolish few who think they are stronger than I. We will destroy the Potter brat and his supporters, and then march on the Ministry of Magic. The time has come. My right hand, my most trusted servant, Severus. Come here."

Severus strode over at a clip, not rushing, but not dawdling either. His feeling of apprehension grew as he drew closer, but he knelt at the bottom of the stairs. "My Lord, how can I serve you?"

"Am I, Severus? Am I your Lord? It seems there was more than one traitor in my battalion all this time. How long have you been working for the Order? All those times Bellatrix told me you were Dumbledore's man, and I didn't believe it. But you've been the one thwarting my plans all this time. You and that Mudblood. You made a vow to her, the filth that should be wiped from the Earth."

Knowing his remaining life span was numbered in minutes now, possibly seconds, Severus humbled himself even lower. "My Lord, who is bringing you such falsehoods, such lies at a time like this? It is a mistake."

"Liar! Crucio," he held the curse for the better part of a minute while Severus writhed and screamed in excruciating pain, hitting his head on the stairs more than once. After letting up for a few seconds, the madman continued, "I have seen it all, everything you revealed to those foolish Order members only minutes ago. And you didn't tell me there would be so many, that it was to be a crowd. You, the man who took down half a dozen of my followers at the attack on the school, you who developed some spell you have the vanity to believe capable of killing me. I know it all. Crucio."

It was too late. Severus wished he could see his wife, hold his baby just once. He would die here. But at least the Dark Lord was going to battle anyway. He would not have died in vain.

*****

Before Hermione could finish tucking her diary away, her whole body was wracked with pain. It took only a moment for Hermione to realize Severus had been hit with the Cruciatus Curse. It went on and on, released, then struck again. She was panting, trying to handle the echo of pain that filled her, a mere shadow of what her husband felt. And then she felt a slicing of the skin on his arm, and she knew he had been outed.

With all her might, she wished him to appear at her side. Hermione envisioned him beside her, hoping Severus had been wrong about the bond between them, that she could wish him there. But it did no good. Desperate, wracking again with the pain of Cruicio, she had an idea. "Twinkie!"

*****

Severus groaned as the Dark Lord magically cut a meandering line down his sternum and toward his belly.

"I'm going to eviscerate you now. Then leave you here to die while I kill your Mudblood whore and your child. She, too, will pay for your treachery."

As the Dark Lord lowered his wand toward Severus again, there was a soft crack of Apparition and Severus felt his wrist seized and then the painful squeezing of being Apparated away.

They landed in the Weasleys' paddock with a thud, and Severus felt his head spinning as he gasped for breath.

"My master needs help!" Twinkie's plaintive voice cried.

"Oh, dear."

Severus held in a groan as he recognized Madam Pomfrey's voice and clipped step as she hurried over. He knew she had been at the earlier meeting, so she knew of his role, but he wasn't sure she wouldn't still want to finish the job.

"Well, you've gotten yourself in quite a state." Madam Pomfrey lifted her wand and cast a diagnostic spell, tutted, then began closing the wound on his chest, followed by the one on his arm. "I didn't think the fight would have even begun yet. How did you manage to get yourself in such a state?"

"Somebody . . . told . . . Dark Lord. Going to be . . . blood bath." He sighed as she finished the second cut, then cast a pain reducing charm.

"That does sound nasty. Let me get you a blood replenishing potion and some Pepperup. Then we'll see how you feel."

*****

A moment after Twinkie disappeared, Hermione felt disorientation; a minute later the pain from the cuts slowly begin to fade from top to bottom, one at a time and she knew Twinkie had been successful. He was safe. Her stomach rolled as she felt his relief, his worry, and she pulled out her pen and jotted a quick note to him in the diary.

Message received, we stand at the ready. Please be safe and return to the cottage. I will be with you as soon as I can.

There was the sound of wind in the clearing and the Death Eaters landed in a circle around their dark leader, wands lifted and pointed outward. This was it.

A barrage of spells shot from the woods toward the Death Eaters, some fell, others retaliated, and the fight was on. After a few minutes of fighting, Hermione realized being invisible gave them advantages and disadvantages. Order members' spells might hit invisible comrades, so she removed her charm and took on the Death Eater nearest to her.

Though Severus hadn't hit her with anything that might truly hurt her or the baby during their duels, he had honed her reflexes well. This was a good thing, because she soon found herself fighting two Death Eaters simultaneously. Her shielding charms were put to good use as she alternately protected herself and parried. Ron came up behind her, she heard his voice, caught the Death Eater to her right looking at him, and decided to keep her position for the time being, back to back at least no one would sneak up on them.

A cold finger of fear rushed down her back, and Hermione tore her eyes from her cowering opponent to see a Dementor drawing near. Thinking of her baby, of her husband safe in Madam Pomfrey's care, and of the future they might have together, Hermione shot a Patronus at the soul-sucking monster and then wrapped her opponent in ropes and petrified him. She banished him to the area they had designated for detainees and turned to the next robed man.

The fight seemed to go for days, but based on the length of time their dueling practices had seemed to last, Hermione knew it was a little more than an hour. When she and Ron happened upon Harry, she invited him into their circle and together they plowed through those who challenged them. Most of their opposition couldn't hold a candle to Severus in a duel. As they made their way through the fray, Hermione tried to take inventory of the Order members she knew personally.

Bodies lay broken and bleeding on the ground, not all of them wore black robes. When Hermione's eyes fell on Rubeus Hagrid's tortured face, which was nowhere near his body, her stomach turned, but when she saw Hestia Jones lying at a sick angle and covered with blood from dozens of cuts, it was all she could do to keep from vomiting.

She averted her eyes, focused on her opponents, and they pushed through the crowd, ever nearer to Voldemort himself. As they moved, she sensed those who had practiced the spells with them coming up behind, forming a large battling group around herself, Harry and Ron, pushing through with them. All of the Weasleys, excepting Percy, who had never re-established contact with the family, were there in various conditions. Minerva McGonagall limped over, but her wand was flashing like lightening.

*****

Finally Severus felt strong enough to Apparate without splinching himself and stood up. "Twinkie, please return me to the field where the battle is taking place."

"I cannot allow that, Severus," Madam Pomfrey said as she hurried by. "You aren't well enough yet."

"I am well enough and I must be there. My whole future is at stake. Come, Twinkie." He held out a hand to the elf. "You may return here to continue assisting Madam Pomfrey if you like."

The elf brightened and Apparated them back through the wards over the battle field, dropping Severus not thirty feet from his wife.

*****

Kingsley and Tonks were slowly making their ways over. Hermione blinked when she saw her husband join the fray. She caught only the slightest flash of house-elf as Twinkie appeared with her master, then Disapparated again. After all, house-elf magic was immune to most Anti-apparition wards. Though she could strangle Severus for joining them now when he was already weak, she was grateful he felt well enough to be here.

And then they stood before the snake-faced despot. His eyes narrowed as he saw Hermione and Harry working together to take over the ranks. "So, you have been putting on a show for me, have you? I have my own spies, you know, so I am not surprised. It won't work. By tonight you'll all be dead. Just like your traitorous lover, Mudblood."

Noticing that he had overlooked the way his ranks had been all but leveled through the fight, Hermione smiled. Harry responded aloud, though he was still fighting one of the Death Eaters. "As long as we take you with us, it won't matter in the end. There are far worse things than death, Tom Riddle." With that he blasted the black-clad woman across from him and turned toward Voldemort.

Hermione heard Bill begin to cast a shielding spell that would protect them all from incoming magic, but allow spells to go out, and Hermione and Ron began chanting.

"Partis meus diligo quod tripudium per alius."

After a moment, other voices joined them,

"Partis meus diligo quod tripudium per alius."

Then more and more joined until Hermione could hear more than a dozen voices chanting, sending Harry all of the love and joy they had ever felt. Hermione felt her husband draw close to her and lay a hand on the skin of her neck, the enchantment strengthening their feelings of love and loyalty.

"Partis meus diligo quod tripudium per alius."

The bubble inside Bill's shield seemed to light up far brighter than the sun, and Harry began his own spell.

"Partis meus diligo per meus frater obfirmo is in, planto him sentio is."

All wands pointed at Harry as the chant continued, and even without the spell being directed at her, Hermione could feel it building inside her, feel it swirling around her, could almost touch the bits of love and joy sparkling like jewels in the air she breathed. Then Harry started the chant for the third time, this time directing his wand at Voldemort, who watched them all with some fascination, but no concern. He always had ignored any magic having to do with love.

"Partis meus diligo per meus frater obfirmo is in, planto him sentio is," Harry all but yelled as a sparkling shower of magic poured from his wand and burst against Voldemort's chest, filling him, surrounding him, making him glow from the inside out.

Now horror filled the monster's face; anger sounded in his eyes, and he began looking around, searching for someone to help him, a way out. There was nowhere to go but out, however, and as his soul left his body, desperate for release from the overwhelming love invading every cell of his body, Harry ended the spell and performed a slicing hex on Voldemort's empty body, removing the head from his torso. There could be no return to that body for him.

Somewhere in the clearing, the sound of someone screaming, begging, pleading, poured around them, and with a pop, all was silent. The spell they had cast as a group slowly died in the air, losing ground. But even as the brightness ended, Hermione felt the residue streaming through her, renewing her after the awful battle.

Hermione's eyes left the broken body on the ground and turned about the clearing. It had been a blood bath, almost literally, as dozens of bodies lay around her on the ground. Death Eaters were standing in shock, unable to Apparate because of the wards the incoming Aurors were casting now that Tom Riddle's had ended. Some dropped their wands, others tried to fight and found themselves bound and piled with the others. Some Order members lay injured, but few were dead.

She turned, seeking out her husband, her emotions were too volatile to be sure if his were among them. He stood, right behind her, blood covering him and a stunned look on his face. Severus jerked with the after affects of Crucio and she realized he hadn't taken a potion for it. But he was alive. His eyes met hers and rather than join the pile up on Harry, she threw her arms around her once-hated Potions Master, in all his blood-spattered glory.

He pressed his lips to hers, murmuring disjointed, unintelligible words between kisses as she worked to relieve him of the heavy black cloak, covered in his blood. It could stay in the field for all she cared. They had both come out alive. It was a miracle.

"We have to get you out of here. The Aurors..." Hermione was interrupted as her husband went limp in her arms, then slid to the ground, hit by an Auror's spell. "Twinkie!"

Nothing happened as a tall Auror she had never seen before approached. "He's a murderer and he's going to Azkaban. No need to worry little lady. We're here to protect you."

He cast a levitation charm on Severus's body and Hermione called for the house-elf again. "Twinkie! You can't take him, you don't understand. Where is my house-elf?"

"House-elves can't get through the charms we cast. And apparently you don't know who this is. This is Severus Snape, the man who killed Albus Dumbledore. He's a very dangerous man."

"This man saved hundred of lives protecting you and your family from the Dark Lord," she said, desperate, tugging on the man's arm. "You have to listen to me!"

"It's not my choice to make. He'll have his trial just like anyone else. You'll see. I have a job to do, Miss." He tugged again at his arm where she had latched on, determined not to allow the man to take away her husband.

Then strong arms came behind her, wrapped around her and grasped her hands, pulling them away from the Auror. "Hermione, not like this. We'll find another way."

"I can't let him take Severus. I can't."

"Not for long; we'll help you fight the Ministry."

Hermione turned into Bill Weasley's arms and grasped his cloak. She buried her face in his chest and babbled between her tears. "Bill, he's the one, my soul mate, my husband. They can't take him, I have to help."

"Shhh, I know. We'll help, I promise, but we'll do it legally. It's OK. Everything's going to be all right."

Ron came over and slapped her on the back. "We did it, Voldemort's gone forever, and the bastard Snape is going to Azkaban, too. What could make this day more perfect?"

Hermione extricated herself from Bill's comforting embrace, turned around and punched Ron in the nose. "Get away from me, you git. That's my husband they're taking to Azkaban."

Ron fainted dead away.

__________

AN: Partis meus diligo quod tripudium per alius: Share my love and joy with another

Partis meus diligo per meus frater obfirmo is in, planto him sentio is: Share my love with my brother, Lock it in, make him feel it

My Latin translation was provided online at http://www.translation-guide.com/free_online_translators.php?from=English&to=Latin

I hope the hopping back and forth between scenes was clear and didn't confuse anyone. A big thanks both to my beta, countrymouse, and to RobisonRocket for their suggestions on this chapter.