Even with the Lumos spells lighting up the tunnel and knowing he was not alone, Harry felt the old feelings of fear well up within him. He felt the dark cloak him like a shroud and he shivered convulsively. It’s all right, there’s nothing to be afraid of, you twit! He scolded himself sharply, but he could not calm himself. He tried to avoid thinking about the tons of stone above his head, stone that was not going to fall and crush him . . .

A familiar hand gripped his arm and a silky voice whispered reassurance in his ear. “Breathe deeply, Harry. And concentrate upon the light. The light illuminates the darkness and banishes it. Breathe and remember, this tunnel has stood for centuries and there is no danger of it collapsing. I am with you and I will never let harm come to you. Trust me.”

Harry gulped and forced himself to relax. Severus was here, he could trust him. Severus would keep him safe, he had always known that. He took one breath and then another until the tight feeling in his chest had receded somewhat. He did as Severus said and focuses on the light. The light and his mission to destroy the last Horcrux. That was what mattered. That and finding his friends.

“Thanks, Sev.”

Severus patted his shoulder, thinking that as soon as this was over, he was going to schedule an appointment with a good Mind Healer for Harry. Maybe that Healer Sandrilas would do. He had helped Black after all, surely he could help a resilient fifteen-year-old like Harry.

The other nerve wracking thing about traversing the tunnel was the silence. It was so quiet that you could hear your breathing and that of your companions and every footfall sounded like a giant stomping, try though they did to be noiseless. Harry winced every time he heard Tonks stumble or Sirius cough or Moody’s leg drag across the stone. He had grown accustomed to Snape’s noiseless glide or the wolfen’s silent steps and to his sensitive ears, the whole group sounded like a herd of stampeding elephants. A part of him couldn’t believe they had made it this far without being discovered.

Didn’t the Death Eaters have alarms set or something? Or did they rely on the fact that their new base was so hidden and underused no one would find them? Harry suspected it was the latter, given the arrogance of Lucius and Bella and the others. Something which would work to their advantage.

Vera continued through the tunnel, making sure the noisy two legs were following every few feet or so. She had never realized how confounded slow they were until she had to travel at their pace. It was rather irritating, but she would put up with it given that her serpent-brother had promised they were going to rescue her wizard. She would endure anything for Vince. Even creeping along at a snail’s pace.

The tunnel seemed to go on forever, but at last they came to a fork. Vera never hesitated, she slipped into the lefthand side and coiled there, waiting for Moody to catch up before continuing onward. They were fairly close now.

Severus nudged Harry and motioned for him to pull up the hood of his Invisibility Cloak.

Harry frowned but did as he was told. He knew the element of surprise was key to finding the last Horcrux, and if it was what he expected it to be, he would need to surprise her in order to gain the upper hand.

And then, once that was done, he could face his greatest adversary and “teach death to die”. Somehow, he knew this would be the last and greatest battle, and one way or another, the prophecy of the Two Hawks Hunting would be fulfilled or destroyed.

Vera glided over the stone, her scales rasping softly, her tongue testing the air every minute or two, smelling her master with every flicker. Closer and closer she drew, until she was a scant few feet from where Vince and the girls were creeping up the main corridor leading to the Chamber of Secrets.

Vince, I have returned! The viridian boa hissed in delight, rocketing forward at full speed.

Moody swore colorfully. “Where the blazes did she go? Potter, why did the snake bolt?”

Harry answered quietly from the shadow of the Invisibility Cloak. “She smelled Vince close by and went to him. She’ll probably come back to us soon.”

Moody seemed mollified by that explanation and continued down the corridor.

Only to come up short by a stocky young man pointing a loaded magical crossbow at him. Vera was curled about his wrist like a living bracelet, looking extremely proud of herself. “Hold it right there!”

“Relax, boy. I’m an Auror.” Moody began, holding up his hands.

“Vince, that’s Mad Eye Moody,” Hermione said, coming up beside him.

“It looks like him, but it could be a trap,” Vince said. “Could be an illusion or polyjuice or a metamorphmagus.” The crossbow did not waver. “Prove you are who you say you are. Where’s Harry?”

Harry threw off his cloak and came forward. “Vince, it’s all right. We’ve come to help, but looks like you’re managing pretty good on your own.”

Vince nodded, still suspicious. “If you’re really Harry, you won’t mind answering a question. What did we do to Malfoy last term?”

“We pranked him good, you, me, Marietta, Jace, and Vera. We put Vera inside a box of soap and you gave it to him like it was a gift from Marietta and he freaked when he saw Vera and ran out of the bathroom naked. Funniest thing I ever saw!”

Vince grinned. “Nobody else would know that. Guess you are the real thing.” He lowered the crossbow.

“Smart boy,” Moody said approvingly.

Hermione ran to hug Harry and then Susan and Marietta came out from around the corner. Susan was given a great big hug by her aunt Amelia and Marietta was nearly crushed by Molly, who had known her since she was a toddler.

Then the elder Crabbe came into view, he had been keeping an eye on the rear, but now he wished to see his son. “I see that pendant came in handy after all, didn’t it, Vince?”

Vince stared at his father in disbelief. “Da? What are you doing here?”

“Came lookin’ fer you, o’course,” said the other simply, a smile creasing his weathered features.

“But the others, they’ll be after your blood, ‘cause you’re a traitor . . .”

“Don’ matter much now. I never was one o’them, y’know that. And besides, nobody hurts my son,” the other declared fiercely. He pushed past Moody and caught his son up in a hug. “Did they hurt ye, son?”

“No, I’m okay.” Vince returned the hug. Vera began making a sort of contented purring sound.

“Harry, I’m so glad Vera found you,” Hermione cried. “I was hoping and hoping . . .” she had tears in her eyes.

“Miss Granger, are you unhurt?” Severus asked, coming up to examine the girl. “They didn’t curse you?”

“Professor! I told Marietta you wouldn’t let Harry come alone,” Hermione cried.

“Indeed not.” Severus began, looking her over quickly. She did not seem to be suffereing any ill effects. He was relieved, for he knew all too well what the Death Eaters did to Muggleborns. She was dirty and frightened, but nothing that a good night’s sleep and a hot meal wouldn’t cure.

Suddenly, Hermione quit clinging to Harry and flung herself at Snape, who caught her reflexively. Her arms clutched him and she buried her head in his robes and sobbed softly. “Professor, I was so scared . . .they w-wanted to . . .to kill us . . .”

Severus coughed, then he tightened his hold upon the shivering girl and patted her back. “Here now, Miss Granger, no need to be afraid, I won’t let them hurt you. You’re safe.”

He could feel the other wizards and witches eyes upon him, and he stiffened, daring them to say something. But they remained silent and he ignored their slack-jawed expressions and continued to hold his student until she regained control over herself. She needed to be held and in lieu of her father, he provided her with comfort, much as he would have done for Harry.

Hermione did not allow herself the luxury of tears for long, despite the fact that she felt so warm and safe within Snape’s arms. She did not know quite why, but for some reason she knew he would protect her better than anyone. She straightened, wiped her face on her sleeve, then said, “Sorry, sir. Didn’t mean to bawl all over you. Thanks for coming.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened,” Severus murmured, handing her a handkerchief. “And you should know by now that none of us would ever leave a child in the hands of those beasts.” He looked at Alastor. “Moody, we ought to send these four to safety, but every second we delay is another second we risk Riddle gaining power. We must strike now, while he is still adjusting to having a body again.”

Hermione gasped. “You mean . . .he’s back?”

Severus nodded. “Yes, but if we are quick, we can defeat him.”

Moody nodded heavily. “I hate to say it, but you’re right, Snape. Have the kids stay in the back and leave the fighting to us.”

“Yes. Come, Harry, Miss Granger.”

He led Hermione back towards the rear of the group. Harry followed, pulling up his cloak hood. He did not say it aloud, but he would be damned if he sat this battle out.

“We need to find Professor Dumbledore as well, sir,” Hermione said. “He’s down here too. We all saw him.”

The Aurors looked grave. All of them knew that Dumbledore was probably being held to use his body and magic and now that Voldemort had returned . . .

“Well, no sense in standing about with our thumbs sticking up, is there?” Amelia said briskly. “Come on, let’s follow the tunnel to the end. I’d wager my wand we’ll find some Death Eaters at the end of it and I owe them for scaring my neice.”

“Right you are, Miss Bones,” Crabbe said. He returned to his spot in the group and Vince walked beside him, still carrying the crossbow.

Marietta walked inbetween Molly and Arthur, talking to them quietly about how they had tricked the Death Eaters.

“Shh, Miss Edgecombe!” ordered Shacklebolt. “You can talk about what happened later. Right now we need you to be quiet, so we can take the Death Eaters by surprise.”

“Oh, sorry.” Marietta promptly shut up, blushing.

“Listen up, younglings. You stay back where it’s safe when we engage the Death Eaters, understand? We can’t afford to protect you and fight at the same time.” Moody ordered abruptly. “So you just keep back and let us take care of them. Matter of fact, Auror Tonks will be with you, protecting you, just in case. Understand?”

The four young wizards muttered agreement, though they were a bit indignant. Hadn’t they managed to escape from those same Death Eaters just fine? Still, it was a relief to let adults step in and handle the bad guys for once. But if help was needed, all of them would try to help, orders or no orders.

Harry, of course, wasn’t planning on following those orders, he and Severus had their own agenda. He darted an invisible glance at Tonks, to see if she minded being a kind of glorified babysitter. But the youngest Auror showed no irritation at her superior’s orders, only a cheerful resignation. She knew her limitations and preferred to leave the real fighting to those best suited to it, like Shacklebolt, Moody, Amelia, Sirius, and Snape.

Remus put an arm about her and whispered, “I’ll be close by, love.”

“I know. Watching my back,” she replied, giving him a quick kiss.

The werewolf blushed, but no one noticed in the darkness.

There was no further sound save for the scrape of feet against stone.

* * * * * *

The first sight that greeted Snape’s eyes upon entering the Chamber of Secrets was Lucius, carefully gathering the items about the altar and erasing the chalked symbols with his foot. He had his back to the tunnel entrance and so did not notice the other wizard’s approach.

In a hasty conference just moments before, it had been decided that Snape would go and confront whoever was inside the chamber, and hopefully take them by surprise and then the others would join him.

“I would never have figured you for an altar boy, Lucius.” Snape drawled, sarcasm dripping like venom off his tongue. “Then again, I guess it depends on the altar you worship at.”

Lucius spun. “Snape!”

Severus raised an eyebrow and sneered.

Malfoy froze, his arms full of half-burnt candles, unable to reach his wand. He dropped the candles to the floor and drew his wand. “How dare you show your face here—traitor!”

“Temper, Lucius. Now you’ve made a mess, as usual. Too bad there’s no house elf here to clean up after you. That’s the trouble with you purebloods, you never learn to take responsibility for your actions.”

“What are you blathering on about, Snape?”

“You have much to answer for, Lucius,” Severus continued, still using that vitriolic cold tone. “And I’ve come to collect on my debt.”

“Your debt?” Lucius spat. “You cost me my eye, you bloody bastard!”

“That was the beginning. This is the end,” Severus said, then he flicked his wand and a swarm of tiny fiery projectiles shot out of the end of his wand.

Lucius brought his hands up and some of the projectiles bounced off of his hastily conjured shield. They slammed into the walls and then fizzled and died. But a few found their way past the Death Eater’s hastily drawn defenses and stung him, making him wince and mutter a quick Water Conjuring charm. He emerged soaking wet, pointing his wand at Snape and chanting a short sharp phrase.

About ten vipers shot out of Malfoy’s wand and landed on the floor in front of Snape’s boots, hissing and furious, coiled to attack.

Before Severus could react, Harry did.

Halt, brothers-s-s-in-s-s-scales! This-s-s one is under my protection! S-s-seek your prey els-s-swhere!

The vipers turned and hissed gratingly, We have been woken from our s-s-sleep and are hungry! Why s-s-should we obey you, S-s-serpent-tongue?

Because I am your friend, hississareth! Go and hunt down the dark pas-s-sage, you will find plenty of rats to eat. But the wizard is-s-s not your enemy. Harry told them firmly.

Abruptly, the vipers turned aside, leaving Snape alone and slithered away.

“Stop!” Lucius thundered. “You can’t leave, I haven’t given you permission!”

“I don’t think they care,” Severus mocked, knowing perfectly well what had happened.

Lucius snarled and backed away, his wand weaving in the air.

A Blood Boil Curse was deflected by Severus, who then responded with a quick Suffocation hex.

Lucius began to choke and turn blue, falling to the floor.

“Luc!” Narcissa screamed, Apparating into chamber. Because the catacombs had been built before the castle proper, the Anti-Apparition wards did not extend down far enough to be a hindrance and while within them, wizards and witches could still Apparate. “Finite Incantatem!”

Immediately, Lucius stopped gasping for air and climbed shakily to his feet. “Cissy, beware! Snape is here!”

“So I see,” she declared coldly. “Why don’t we show our uninvited guest a proper welcome?” She pointed her wand at the black-robed professor.

“I say, two on one is hardly sporting, Narcissa,” said Molly, stepping out of the tunnel and confronting the other woman. “But then, I shouldn’t expect fair play from someone who worships darkness and tortures children. Expelliarmus!”

Narcissa blocked the Disarming Charm. “Fancy meeting you here, Molly. Lost your way, have you?”

“Not as much as you have, dearie!” Molly said, her jolly face hard. “You’ve become something your own mum wouldn’t recognize.”

The two of them began to duel fiercely.

As if that were a signal, other Death Eaters appeared in the chamber, and the Order burst from the tunnel to battle them.

“Thought I killed you once already, MacNair,” Moody said, firing off a hex at the burly executioner.

“Tried. Didn’t work, you crippled old fart.” MacNair snapped, dodging Moody’s hex. He shot a Lightning Bolt curse back at the old Auror.

“Looks like I need to try harder,” Moody snorted, deflecting the hex off into the wall.

McGonagall and Shacklebolt faced two sharp-featured sneering Death Eaters that looked as if they were twins, brother and sister. Both had limp long blond hair and hard cold eyes, filled with madness and the need to rend and tear things.

“Look, Amycus!” shrilled the witch. “Look who’s come out to play with us. A hag and a handsome warlock. Such a pity we have to damage him.” She eyed Shacklebolt appreciatively.

“I know you,” Shacklebolt said. “You’re the Carrows. You escaped Azkaban during the first war, but not this time.”

“You can’t make us go there!” giggled Amycus.

“You can go there or go to hell,” Minerva growled. Then she cast a swift Burning Hex. She too knew of the Carrows and their reputation for torturing animals and small children. They were the worst kind of depraved monster. The world would not miss them one bit.

Meanwhile, Tonks had backed the four children into an alcove, and stood in front of them, wand out, watching the battle taking place. Vince was behind her, crossbow drawn, ready to defend them again if he had to. His eyes were fixed upon his father, who was now dueling his former ally, Grant Goyle.

“Finally got up enough guts to show your face, didja?” Goyle asked, blocking the other’s curse. “You’re a dead man, Crabbe, ya know that? The Master is gonna rip out yer guts with a red hot hook and roast ya on a spit afore he kills ya.”

“Really? He’d have to catch me first. And I don’t see him anywhere, do you?”

Goyle backed up a pace, looking uneasy. Much as he hated to admit it, Crabbe had a valid point. Where was Voldemort? Then he brushed aside his concern. His dark master always came to the aid of his loyal followers, sooner or later. Perhaps this was a test, to see how well they could thrash the Aurors. “He’ll be here soon, Crabbe. An’ then you’re gonna die. Die like the traitorous coward ya are, pissing yerself in fear!”

Crabbe shook his head. “In yer dreams, Grant, old boy.” He chanted a spell that superheated the air about the other wizard, inn effect roasting the other alive. “Give my regards to the devil,” he said, watching as the other gasped and writhed before succumbing to the spell and dying. Crabbe gave his old ally a contemptuous look. “Payback fer those kids you tortured that time down in Kent. I told ya one day the wrong you did would find you, and it just did.”

Then the ex-Death Eater turned away to help Arthur fight off Nott, who was pressing him hard, making the other back away and defend frantically against the steady barrage of hexes. Weasley was a decent dueler, but he lacked the sheer grittiness of the best duelists, the ones who weren’t afraid to use curses that truly hurt and maimed their opponent. And being an honorable fighter wouldn’t serve in this battle.

Crabbe moved into view and called loudly, “Oi, Theo! Miss me?”

Nott spun at Crabbe’s voice and he howled, “Bastard, you’ll pay in blood! Nobody betrays the Master!”

Crabbe ducked a fireball hex, then moved in for the kill.

Across the room, Shacklebolt and McGonagall were giving the twin Carrows a right good thrashing.

The evil twins had thought the big Auror and the schoolteacher easy prey, because they would not use Unforgivables. They discovered to their dismay that Unforgivables were the least of their worries. There were other ways to skin a Death Eater.

Shacklebolt was bleeding from a Cutting Curse, but it did not seem to slow him down. He focused past the sharp pain and zapped Amycus with a Blundering Curse, making the already dim wizard even stupider. Amycus stepped right into the path of his sister’s Shredding Hex, and ended up getting his feet and legs torn into strips. He died still not knowing what had hit him.

“No-o-o!” screamed his twin, dropping to her knees to hug the messy remains of her brother. She howled like a maddened beast.

Minerva leveled her wand at the insane witch and took her out with a Witch Bolt, which was a concentrated burst of a witch’s power, sending her to join her brother beyond the Veil.

“Good riddance to bad rubbish,” she said quietly, then turned away to see if anyone else needed help.

Molly and Narcissa were still going at it hammer and tongs, and Molly had abandoned magic and grabbed the smaller witch by her collar and was bashing her head into the stone wall.

“How dare you call yourself a mother, keeping innocent children captive and planning to use them for some bloody ritual?!” the Weasley matriarch screamed, her face purpling. That was the worst crime imaginable in her book, the willfull harm of a child. Bash! Bash!Bash! “How would you like it if someone did that to your son?”

Narcissa’s head wobbled back and forth like a top. “They wouldn’t because . . .my son . . .knows the right one to follow . . .you dumb bitch!” She struck out at Molly with her nails, scratching her across the face.

But Molly was no stranger to cat fights, she had grown up with three sisters. She twisted her head away and grabbed Narcissa’s fingers and bent them backward. “You reap what you sow, Mistress Malfoy!”

Narcissa shrieked. “The Dark Lord shall destroy you all, you bloody brood cow! You and all your measly brats shall die, but I’ll tell him to save you for last, so you can watch and then we’ll toss you on their funeral pyre.”

Molly backhanded her hard across the face.

“Not in this life, bitch!”

Narcissa’s head hit the wall again, hard enough to knock her out. She slumped to her knees and Molly dusted off her hands and cast an Incarcerus Charm, wrapping the other in layers of rope. “It’s Azkaban for you, unnatural harpy.”

“Go, Mum!” Charlie cheered, then he turned and blocked a Cutting Curse from another Death Eater.

* * * * * *

Voldemort was resting with his head in Bella’s lap, allowing the infatuated sorceress to massage away the headache that had suddenly come upon him. They were alone in a small room that Bella had fixed up for him, save for Nagini, who was curled beside the couch. The dark wizard had retreated there soon after assigning routine things to his followers, for he did not wish to show weakness to them. But Bellatrix was another story. He knew he could manipulate her, use her blind obsession and longing to assist him. He also knew she would keep her mouth shut.

“Is that better, my lord?” asked Bellatrix solicitously. She gently stroked his hair away from his face, which was quite handsome, if one overlooked the occasional scale that dotted his skin and the unnatural pallor. Not to mention the snake eyes.

“Much.”

“You had a tension headache, my lord. I sometimes get them too. It’s stress.”

Voldemort closed his eyes, not bothering to answer. Her fingers eased the pain and that was all he cared about.

Bella hummed softly and continued her massage, overjoyed to perform this intimate service. She could easily imagine her hands stroking him in other places and she smiled wickedly.

Her musings were cut short by something shaking the catacombs. She sat bolt upright, her hands freezing in mid-movement. “What was that? An earthquake?”

Voldemort shook his head. No, this was not an earthquake. Something was very wrong, he could feel it. “Bella, take Nagini and go scout the corridors. There is something amiss.” He dared not go himself, the unnatural weakness he felt had not quite been banished.

Bella sighed, but obeyed,taking her wand from the end table and striding over to the door and opening it. Whatever idiot was making all that racket was going to get a good piece of her mind! Disturbing her beloved was the ultimate sin and she would make sure the lout doing the disturbing never forgot the offense. Nagini followed after Voldemort had spoken to her, also eager to hunt again. It had been too long since the queen cobra had tasted manflesh.

* * * * * *

Down in the chamber, the battle raged on, drawing even the unwilling children into the fray, despite all the attempt to keep them out of it. A hulking Death Eater nearly the size of Hagrid advanced upon Tonks. His blond hair was spiked and his face was a mess of tattoos. The wand in his hand looked like a toy, and his blue eyes gleamed upon catching sight of the small Auror.

“Hello, pretty. Want to dance with Thorfinn?”

“Whoa, tall, dark, and ugly! Go find Medusa, she’s more your style,” Tonks said, staring up at the huge brute in horror. She quickly wove a Repelling Charm about the floor, but the big wizard ignored the stinging and burning and reached out and grabbed Tonks right off the floor.

“Pretty thing, you belong to Thorfinn now!” he bellowed.

Tonks struggled, shifting her face from her normal appearance to that of a hideous old hag, trying to cast a spell, but the brute’s hand was squeezing her so tightly she was going numb. “Put . . .me . . .down . . .!” The world started to spin, she could not get any air into her lungs. “Remus . . .help me!”

Remus and Sirius had just finished off two minor Death Eaters and at Dora’s call, Lupin turned.

The sight of her dangling in the brute’s paw made him see red.

He howled in fury and Changed, becoming a hundred-and-fifty pound wolf in a split second.

Marietta screamed as Thorfinn snatched up Tonks. “Get off her!” she cried, and cast a Slippery Hex.

Thorfinn found Tonks slipping from his grasp, and he gaped in astonishment.

“Huh?”

It was then that Vince shot him in the knee.

The Death Eater howled and clutched the appendage, but it did not fell him.

Remus landed upon the Death Eater’s back, growling and snarling, his fangs biting deep into the humped shoulders.

While Marietta ran to drag Tonks to safety, Vince moved out of the alcove to shoot again.

Thorfinn began casting wildly, and flame and lightning shot about the room, making the others duck and swear.

Lucius and Severus were still engaged in their own battle, though the wily Malfoy was searching for a way to gain the upper hand, since he found Snape a much harder opponent to defeat in a fair fight than he had expected. He deflected another hex from Snape’s wand and backed steadily across the chamber, eyes darting here and there.

His magical eye caught sight of the children and the werewolf fighting Thorfinn, Dora upon the ground, and he smiled diabolically.

Hermione had been coming to help Marietta levitate Tonks, who was nearly unconscious, bruised and battered, when she felt an iron hand clamp down upon her shoulder and drag her away from her friends.

She screamed as the hand hauled her against something hard and jabbed a wand to her throat. “Move an inch, Mudblood, and I’ll boil the blood in your veins and cleanse the world of your taint!” Lucius hissed.

The utter coldness and violence in his tone convinced Hermione beyond the shadow of a doubt that he meant what he said, and she froze like a deer caught in headlights, her throat working convulsively, her eyes wide with terror.

Severus, who had been striding after his opponent, his face grim as Death, froze. “Let the girl go, Lucius. This is between us.” His tone was glacial, but beneath the ice he felt his stomach clench. No. I promised no harm would come to her. I will not be foresworn.

Lucius grinned. “It’s between whoever I choose, Snape. Do you care for the Mudblood, traitor? Would you weep if I killed her? The way you did when we burned down that Mudblood house all those years ago? You asked that the Master spare the baby, and he knocked you down and threw the brat on the flames. Remember?”

“ I remember.”

“You were soft, Snape. Weak. A sniveling coward even then. Like all you half-bloods.” Lucius taunted. He dug his wand into Hermione’s throat and she whimpered.

“And you, Lucius, are a fool. Like all you pureblooded supremacists,” Severus sneered. He had one chance to get this right. He bent his will upon the girl in Lucius’ arms and silently intoned a Fetching Charm. The charm was designed to fetch a familiar or a small child from danger, such as an open flame. Snape was unsure if it would work upon a teenager, but he could think of no other way to get Granger out of harm’s way. He knew Lucius would continue to toy with him, playing with him like a cat with a mouse, and he wanted to finish this quickly.

The spell took hold and Hermione was Fetched away from Lucius and to Severus, who grabbed her and shoved her behind him. “Fight your own battles, Malfoy!” spat the irate Potions Master.

Lucius gaped in astonishment. “How--?”

Severus didn’t waste breath on explanations. He leveled his wand again and his eyes blazed with fury. No more children would die so long as he was there. That was what he had vowed that long ago night, and he had kept that vow. He drew upon every last scrap of power he possessed and hurled one final curse at the gloating pureblood.

Sectumsempra!

Lucius felt something hard and cold bite into him, slicing him open.

His hands went to his chest, and came away covered in blood. He staggered, burning pain erupting all over him as Snape’s curse caused dreadful wounds to appear in his chest, abdomen, legs, and shoulders. He sank to his knees, gasping and gurgling, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“Goodbye, Lucius, old friend,” Severus growled. “It must rankle, knowing a mere half-blood’s personal spell killed your high-and-mighty self. That’s for all the children you killed. Au revoir!”

For once Lucius Malfoy had no reply, since his soul was already on its way down to hell.

Severus turned to see where Hermione was. He found her staring at the dead wizard with revulsion. He touched her shoulder and she jerked up. “Miss Granger . . . Hermione . . .”

“He would have killed me,” she said woodenly. “Like swatting a fly.”

“Yes, he would have.” Severus agreed. “But you’re safe now. Come.” He drew her towards the alcove, where Marietta and Susan knelt beside a semi-conscious Tonks.

He bent and waved his wand over the Auror, finding her pulse strong, and pulled a vial from his robes. “Give her this. It’s a pain reliever. It should revive her somewhat.”

Hermione took it. “Thanks, sir.”

Severus merely nodded. “Stay put.” He ordered brusquely, and waved his wand, creating a large Shield Charm. There! That ought to keep them out of trouble. Now where is Vince? And Harry?

He glanced about, spotting his Slytherin shooting bolts at a hulking Death Eater that Snape always thought was part ogre, but there was no sign of Harry. And no sign of several other key players in this drama. Where was Bellatrix? Where was Nagini? And most important of all, where was Voldemort?

* * * * * *

Thorfinn’s wild hexes slammed into the wall and caused some of the broken stone to explode, sending shards flying all over. One large chunk of stone hit Amelia Bones in the back of the head and she went down. Several smaller pieces hit Charlie in the face, and he staggered backwards, crying, “Ahh! My eyes! I can’t see!”

Molly ran to help her son and that was when a werewolf tried to jump her from behind.

Luckily, Bill was not far away and he cast a Stunning Hex that knocked the leaping carnivore into the stone altar. Then he too ran to his stricken sibling and together they managed to get Charlie into a corner where Molly could asses the damage. Bill stood guard while his mother tried to staunch the bleeding and determine how badly her second oldest was hurt.

Bill could tell from her expression that it was not good.

She tore strips off of her robe and bound it about Charlie’s eyes, intoning a Sticking Charm and then giving her son a Sleeping Draught. “He needs a Healer, Bill. I can’t . . .I don’t know if he’ll recover unless they do surgery . . .” She sounded close to tears.

“It’ll be okay, Mum,” he mumbled, though he didn’t really believe it. This was one of the worst battles he had ever been in and he was afraid none of them would survive it.

* * * * * *

Harry felt his scar begin to throb and burn like fury, and to avoid scratching himself like a wounded animal till he bled, he shifted into Freedom. For some reason, the scar hurt less when he was in hawk form. He soared up above the battle, his keen eyes taking in all the various skirmishes and duels, thrilling to Severus’s victory over Lucius, but at the same time disturbed that the battle hadn’t brought three of the strongest dark ones to investigate.

He circled, trying to figure what was keeping Bellatrix and her Master. And the cobra, the familiar that Harry strongly suspected carried a piece—the last piece—of Voldemort’s soul.

Suddenly, Bellatrix appeared in the doorway of the Chamber, Nagini beside her.

Freedom felt his head throb as soon as he orientated upon the huge cobra. His scar had always reacted thus when a Horcrux was near.

He shook his head and began searching for something to give him an advantage over the larger familiar, who would be resistant to mere talons and beak, if she had been imbued with Voldemort’s corrupt essence. He recalled one late night conversation with Severus about one way to destroy a Horcrux. Basilisk venom. This was the Chamber of Secrets, where he had battled the great serpent to the death and he was almost certain some of its remains were still here.

He cast about the chamber, his hawk eyes searching, searching . . .

A brilliant flash illuminated a pillar next to the altar and Freedom spotted a slender curved bone lying at the base of the marble statue. There! What was that?

The hawk dove down and hovered, discovering the very object he had been seeking. He snatched it up and shot away just as the wall exploded.

* * * * * *

Bellatrix could not believe her eyes. The Order had invaded their secret base. She could not fathom how that was possible. Lucius had assured her that no one knew of the catcombs beneath the castle, not even the Headmaster. And he had been right, because Dumbledore had admitted as much during his questioning. She had come in expecting a brawl between two rowdy Death Eaters and instead had found a full scale battle taking place.

Narrowing her eyes, she took in the situation, considering if she ought to summon Voldemort, and then she saw her annoying little cousin Sirius and his best mate Lupin attacking the dull but useful Thorfinn, and Snape coming to help as well. Fury surged through her and she forgot about calling for her Master. Snape and Sirius were on her list of people who needed to be drawn and quartered.

“Nagini!” she called to the cobra. “Look there! It’s Snape the traitor! He killed your master once. Now is your chance to get revenge! Kill him!” She pointed to the black robed figure.

Nagini was no ordinary cobra and though Bellatrix could not understand her, Nagini could understand nearly everything anyone said to her. And she burned with a fierce hatred of the wizard who had robbed her of her master once before. Wizards, for she knew there had been two who had brought down Voldemort before. But she only saw one of them and that one would have to do for now.

Hissing sharply, she spread her hood and slithered rapidly around the chamber, neatly avoiding the battling wizards, intent upon striking at the most opportune moment, when the traitor Snape was unaware.

Bellatrix laughed softly as Nagini slipped away, knowing full well that no one survived the queen cobra’s bite. It was almost as potent as basilisk venom.

“One down and two to go,” she sang. “First my little cousin and then itty bitty Potter, wherever he is.”

She Apparated right behind Sirius and shot a Stinging Hex at his backside.

He jumped and snarled, “Ow! What the bloody hell?”

“Naughty, naughty, Siri!” Bella chuckled. “Mustn’t hurt your playmates.”

Sirius spun around. “Bellatrix!”

She smiled sweetly at him. “Long time no see, cousin! Wanna play?”

Sirius bared his teeth. “Yes, Bella. Only this time we’ll play by my rules.” He said, then cried, “Confringo!”

The Blasting Curse caught Bellatrix almost completely off guard. She had not expected Sirius to react so quickly, and only had a partial Repel Magic Charm in place when the curse struck.

Her charm blunted the curse just enough to keep it from blowing her apart, deflecting the sheer energy about her into the wall.

The wall burst apart, and Bellatrix was thrown backwards, flying several feet through the air, to land in an untidy heap upon the floor before a desk where a familiar figure was stirring.

Bellatrix groaned and sat up, clutching her head, feeling blood trickle slowly down her face, where shards of rock had cut her.

* * * * * *

When Sirius had turned away to fight Bellatrix, Severus moved to take his place. Thorfinn was proving to be a tough nut to crack, his half-ogre heritage giving him resistance to certain magical spells and a high tolerance for pain as well. He wasn’t very bright, but his sheer size and ability to cast certain deadly hexes made him a formidable opponent. Voldemort had kept him around for muscle and had allowed Thorfinn to pound on those wizards that had proved reluctant to cooperate with the Dark Lord and betray their friends.

But Severus recalled something about the big blond Death Eater. He hated the cold. The Potions Master reached into a pocket and pulled out a vial of a potion called Freeze Fire. The name said it all—it froze bonfires, holding the flames in a frozen stasis until a counteragent was poured on them. Snape unstoppered the vial and lobbed it right at the brute.

It struck Thorfinn dead on and the Freeze Fire coated the Death Eater from elbows to knees, rendering him unable to move or cast.

There! One less bully to fight, Severus thought, satisfied.

Freedom hovered, unnoticed, above, cheering silently.

Until he caught sight of the cobra, mouth agape, slithering from the shadows to strike at the unprotected back of his guardian. SEVERUS! WATCH YOUR BACK! He screeched and dove for the cobra.

But Nagini was quicker than he had anticipated, and he was hampered by the basilisk fang clutched in his talons.

Severus whirled about just as the cobra curled about his ankles, fangs bared.

He knew instinctively that he wasn’t going to be able to avoid the snake’s strike and so he did the only thing left to him. He transformed.

One minute Nagini was coiled about a man and the next she grasped air and Snape blurred into Warrior and shot free of her, avoiding her strike by a hairsbreadth.

Freedom slammed into her with closed talons, but couldn’t bring the tooth to bear as he had come at the snake from a wrong angle.

Nagini hissed and shook herself, for though the blow was not fatal, it did hurt.

Freedom screeched a battle cry and flew away, circling the snake.

Blast it, Warrior! I missed. My trajectory was all wrong!

I know. You need to time it just right.

But how?

You need a diversion, replied the goshawk. Me. Remember how we tagged prey in that meadow?

Yes, of course.

It’s time to play the game again, fledgling. Only this time for real.

Freedom understood. All of that game had been about accuracy and now he would need to put what he had learned into practice. Okay, Warrior. Let’s do it!

Warrior dived at Nagini, causing the cobra to coil and extend her hood, trying to bite him. He dodged her and scratched her on the hood, making her hiss in pain. But then he was away, circling and taunting her with his quick darting sorties.

Nagini tried to weave and beckon sinuously, using a cobra’s ability to mesmerize and charm its prey, but Warrior was no sparrow or robin, to be caught off guard by a silly snake making patterns in the dust on the floor.

When I catch you, hawk, I s-s-shall make you s-s-cream! One bite and you s-s-shall die!

Only if you can grow wings and fly, Obtuse One, and you are no Quetzalcoatl, Warrior laughed. Come and get me, Queen of Cobras!

Enraged, Nagini uncoiled and lunged upward, her head extended and her hood fully opened. Venom dripped from her fangs as she sought to catch the elusive hawk.

Freedom saw his best opportunity and closed his wings, plummeting down on a trajectory that allowed him to stab the basilisk fang into Nagini’s hood.

The fang didn’t go very deep, but it didn’t need to. All it needed was to penetrate the skin.

Basilisk venom was very potent and not even a cobra like Nagini was proof against it.

The cobra jerked and then flopped to the ground, gyrating and flailing about as the venom rushed through her body, lethal as any poison known to man.

Warrior and Freedom watched impassively as the cobra breathed her last. It had taken all of forty seconds. And then the last Horcrux was gone.

Freedom shrilled a victory cry. We did it! We did it! We fulfilled the prophecy! His head was no longer hurting and he was so excited he wanted to fly all over, screeching the good news.

Not quite, Warrior reminded. There’s still his master to deal with.

Both hawks flew down and shifted back to their original forms. Severus then burnt the snake’s remains with a hastily cast Fireball Charm. Better safe than sorry.

“Where is her master?” Harry wondered aloud.

“Stupid boy! I am here, and you will not oppse me any longer, Potter!” raged Voldemort, clutching his chest with one hand. He had felt the pain of Nagini’s death like a sword thrust through the heart and he could not bear the fact that she was no longer there. There was a huge emptiness within him that cried out to be filled, but it never would be again, and it was all due to this pestilential child before him, who had the audacity to survive the Killing Curse. Oh, how he hated this wretched child!

Harry stood his ground. “Says who, Snake Face?”

“Me. Only this time I shall do what I should have done before and destroy you, Harry Potter! And unlike me, there will be no return.”

He glowered malevolently at Harry, whom he knew had something to do with his beloved friend’s death. “It ends tonight, Potter. One way or another.”

Harry for once was in complete agreement. “Third time’s the charm, Voldy.”