~ Trigger Warning: Blood, gore, abusive language. The Battle of the Astronomy Tower is taking place so be warned. ~

The only thing I had on my mind at the moment was to survive.

I certainly did not want to die so soon and there was a lot that I had to take care of before my death. I would not let Greyback rid me of the chance to live.

One of those Ravenclaw students helped me by aiming a Stupefying spell on the werewolf. Greyback was blasted to the wall in front of him and it gave me some time to steady myself and grab my wand.

"Run," I told the two of them who were still crouching under the surface, "and send help."

Of course, Greyback didn't take that hit lightly. He was angrier now but before he could pounce on me again, I had set up a barricade charm so that he wouldn't be able to reach me.

That seemed to anger him further and he lashed out far more viciously than earlier. I kept defending myself, throwing whatever spell or curse I could at him but it was clear he wasn't going to let go until he made me pay for fighting back.

The barricades broke as I couldn't keep the spell up for much longer and I tried to erect a shield charm but Greyback was too fast. Right next moment, he lunged at me again, sharp claws trying to scratch my face.

I held my arms up as the only defense I could use at the moment but before the pain from those sharp claws could strike, I felt a jolt and Greyback seemed to have toppled off me.

I lost my balance too, but a cloud of black engulfed me. I couldn't see what was going on but I could hear voices.

"Get off my sister, you bastard!"

Wait... Was that Bill? That meant my Patronus must have reached the Order and they came to help.

I had to help him. Two against Greyback would be better than him tackling the monstrous werewolf alone.

But before my vision cleared up, I felt a hand close around my wrist, and someone pulled me up to my feet. I couldn't yet see who it was but they seemed in a hurry as I was dragged away and shortly after, a hard surface touched my back.

"Lumos."

In the dim light of the wand, I was finally able to see, and much to my surprise, I saw Draco had taken me away from the place where Bill and Greyback were locked in combat.

He looked frantic and his face was white as a sheet, reminding me of that vision I had had about him not long ago.

"Katerina, you must stay here," he spoke up and his voice was trembling, "Do not leave this closet."

He had pulled me into a broom closet to keep me safe from Greyback but my thoughts were deviating to Bill.

"But Bill... He was fighting Greyback, I have to help him..."

"No, you will stay here. He can handle himself just fine. Please, try to understand..."

He didn't let me leave, holding me by the arms as he pleaded. But my arms were damaged and a pained gasp escaped me. He looked down at his hands which were turning red too and his face seemed to go even paler.

I had always assumed Draco was the kind of person who would faint at the sight of blood. And it seemed as if my assumption was correct, judging by the sickly green of his face.

But he didn't faint, instead, he mumbled a spell to conjure bandages that wrapped on my arms all by themselves.

"Thank you but I really have to go," I tried to push him aside but was caught off-guard by the look in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Kat. I can't let you go," his voice was no higher than a whisper and I stopped, unnerved by the expression on his face. I couldn't process what was he really up to and he seemed to take it to his advantage as he muttered, "Petrificus Totalus."

Did he just cast the full-body bind curse?

But why would he use it on me?

I felt my whole body turn to stone and he took my wand so I couldn't counter it either. He pushed me back inside the closet and while I wanted to do something, anything, to get myself out, I was totally helpless.

"I can't let you get hurt," he whispered, his eyes filling up with tears, "I'm sorry."

He shut the door of the broom closet, disappearing from view. I could still hear the sounds of crashes, curses, and screams from outside but I could do nothing.

Draco wanted to keep me safe and he was fulfilling his obligation. But it only made me angrier at him. He knew the Death Eaters were going to attack, he could have been instrumental in their plan and yet he saved me, even though I was on the other side.

I wanted to get out, I wanted to be part of the battle raging outside. I certainly didn't want to stay hidden in a fricking broom closet until someone came to find me.

But Draco had left me no choice.

Stubborn little brat...

But my raging thoughts came to a halt when I heard a pained yell from outside.

It was Bill... It definitely was him, and Greyback's evil cackle after, confirmed that the werewolf had probably managed to hurt my brother.

I had to get out.

I must be helping Bill fend him off, not lying petrified in a broom closet...

I had to break out of that curse.

"Finite Incantatem," I repeated in my head again and again, trying to concentrate on the words.

I hadn't used wandless magic before and my thoughts too were a mess from worrying about Bill who was at Greyback's mercy outside. I knew Greyback wouldn't leave him alive so I had to get out and do something.

Better me than Bill. I can never live with the guilt of not being able to do anything to save him.

"Finite Incantatem, Finite Incantatem, Finite Incantatem."

The curse broke at last and I was able to move again. My hand reached out to the door but before I could pull it open, my head swayed and everything began to go dark again.

I realized I had focused too much of my energy on breaking out of the body bind charm that now my body was shutting down from exhaustion.

"No, no, no, I have to get to Bill... I have to help him."

I couldn't get out of the broom closet and fell down with a dull thud, my eyes falling shut out of fatigue. The last thing I heard was a loud crash and then everything succumbed to eternal darkness.

***