TRAINING WHEELS
THE END

  Even when the sun rose very early that morning, it didn't feel like it had actually come up. It was still cold – there was still too much cloud and fog masking the huge star, shielding the wizarding world from any sense of joy or possible warmth. Amora had always loved the sun. Without it, it felt like all hope had been sucked from the world.

That was exactly what it seemed like right now.

It felt like hours that they'd been sitting around doing nothing. Amora still surprisingly felt physically fine after Amycus Carrow's attempted murder on her, but then again, she wasn't doing a lot. She always thought a battle would entail a restless night of blood thirsty fighting, with no breaks and constant death – not to spend more than half of it waiting around for something big to happen.

She lay against Draco's chest, his fingers sprawling across her body, tracing any old scars on her skin, swirling beauty marks, and rubbing over the scarred phrase 'I must not tell lies' on her hand. His calmed breathing and the steady thumping of his heart against her back seemed to keep her at ease.

"Harry went," Leon muttered as he dropped back down in front of the Slytherins. "He went to the Forbidden Forest."

Amora's heart dropped. The Holloway boy had gone around the Great Hall to see if anybody knew what was happening, and Susan had been more than happy to let him know she'd seen Hermione and Ron crying without their third piece by their side.

Draco's touch stilled on her. "He's an idiot," he muttered harshly.

Theo furrowed his brows. "Maybe he knows something we don't. We can't just jump to conclusions, Draco."

"I have not just jumped to this conclusion," Draco scoffed as he sat up slightly, holding Amora's arms to pull her up with him. "I have been saying it for the past seven years. Potter is a complete fool, and he may have just cost us everything. I've spent the past few months doing everything I could to stop him getting caught, just for him to give himself up like that when we are so fucking close to finishing this thing."

"Draco, don't talk about him like that," Amora whispered, her heart thumping so bad she thought she might be sick. "I... Whether you think he did the right thing or not, chances are that by now..." Amora sucked in a breath. "Harry may be dead, and he did it for everyone else."

"And it's not like you haven't made stupid choices before either, Malfoy," Leon quipped.

"Leon," Amora also warned.

The Hufflepuff boy sighed loudly and dropped down onto one of the benches. Before he could say another word, they heard Neville's voice call out from nearby the Entrance Hall.

"Guys..."

Everybody began to climb to their feet, some more hesitant than others, some a lot more defeated or bloody. Draco's breath hitched, pausing beside Amora's ear, and his touch on her grew stiff. Amora climbed up, and he planted a hand on her shoulder before she could step forward even an inch.

"Don't you dare leave my side," he whispered, his silver eyes hard. "Not even for a second, Amora."

Amora swallowed and nodded. "Then you better not leave mine either, Draco."

"Never," he swore, and to seal his promise, he reached out and grabbed her small hand into his large one.

"Isn't that kind of how it works?" Leon furrowed his eyebrows. "If you can't leave Malfoy's side, then he can't leave yours either so what was the point in --"

Leon released a grunted noise of pain when Pansy delivered a swift elbow to his stomach.

Amora turned to look at Pansy and gave her a weak smile. "You better not go too far either," Amora murmured. "I need you as well."

"I will always be here," Pansy murmured, briefly squeezing Amora's free hand before they followed the herds of people out of the school.

Amora was left dumbfounded by the state that it was in. The courtyard had been smashed to pieces, old statues demolished, structures that she often sat on or next to in the summer crumbled and burning. Bricks and debris lay scattered everywhere. The ground was uneven beneath Amora's feet. She nearly stumbled as she walked into the grey scene.

Her brown eyes hardened on the sight of Voldemort standing opposite the main entrance way. Dressed in his black robes as always, Bellatrix on one side and a captured Hagrid on the other. Her heart dropped when she saw that, in Hagrid's arms, lay a pale and unconscious Harry Potter.

"Holy shit," Blaise muttered under his breath from behind her.

"Harry Potter... is dead!" Voldemort announced proudly.

"No!" Ginny screamed, the agony in her voice shattering Amora's heart. "No!"

Ginny leapt forwards, however, her father pulled her back quickly, as Voldemort shot out, "Silence! Stupid girl."

Amora's eyes landed on Narcissa and Lucius standing towards the front of the Death Eaters. Their platinum hair stuck out like sore thumbs in a sea of black, and Amora was awfully reminded of the day she was captured and taken to Malfoy Manor, where she'd been able to spot Draco instantly out of everyone in the crowd preparing to witness her death.

She glanced towards her boyfriend to see if he had noticed his parents, and Draco was already looking straight at them. He swallowed harshly, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. Amora adjusted the grip that she had on his hand as if to provide a little more comfort.

"Harry Potter is dead," Voldemort said calmly, taking steps closer to all of the students and staff. "From this day forth, you put your faith... in me." His grin was terrifying.

He turned back to his Death Eaters. "Harry Potter is dead!" He repeated loudly, and his followers all laughed – Bellatrix's evil cackle could be heard above all until Voldemort, surprisingly, joined in with one of his own. "And now is the time to declare yourself! Come forward and join us. Or die."

The heaviness of it all weighed on everybody's chests. Of course there would always be that tiny bit in every single one of them that would urge them to step forward to ensure their own survival, but everybody stayed put — for the greater good.

"Draco," Lucius hissed from the other side of the quad. "Draco." He tried to urge him forward with a look.

Draco pursed his lips, his silver eyes growing slightly misty. Amora gripped his hand even tighter.

"Draco..." Narcissa called, much to Amora's surprise. "Come."

Amora didn't know whether this was some sort of act so that it appeared Narcissa was still under the illusion that she'd never known about Draco and Amora, or if it was because she thought Draco had a better chance of survival on the other side.

"Ah, yes. Draco," Voldemort grinned, "I heard of your... betrayal. However, your parents seem to think you were placed under the Imperius Curse when Harry Potter came to Malfoy Manor. Is this true?"

"Draco —" Theo whispered, but was cut off by the blond himself.

"Far from it, actually," Draco spat out.

Lucius' face visibly dropped as Voldemort grew still. "Oh?" He dared.

Draco laughed dryly and dared to take a step closer, releasing Amora's hand. She anxiously watched him, her brows knitting together.

"I see you parading around here, laughing over the fact that you managed to finally kill Potter, and I can't help but think it's all a little pathetic," Draco sneered, "I mean... Are you seriously celebrating the fact that you managed to kill a seventeen year old boy? The same one you couldn't even kill when he was an infant? You are the most pathetic dark wizard that the wizarding world has seen. I am proud not to be a part of your ranks."

Amora felt a burst of pride in her chest, but at the same time she yearned to yank Draco back and muffle his words with her hand, to keep him safe and protected by her side.

"Is that the case, Draco?" Voldemort sneered, his amused smile long gone. "I am saddened to see your change of heart... Although, as the son of Lucius Malfoy, I cannot say I was ever expecting much. All talk, no action."

His followers all laughed mockingly whilst Lucius scowled from the front, his fists clenching.

"Shall we see what happens to those who choose to betray my cause? Who attempt to make a fool of me?" Voldemort suggested, pointing his wand towards Draco.

Amora instantly moved forwards and grabbed him, the rest of their friends right behind. She grabbed his arm and pulled him back a little, sending a furious glare towards the other side.

  "The only way you shall touch my son is over my dead body," Narcissa suddenly growled, stepping forwards.

"Narcissa –" Lucius hissed.

Draco felt his heart deflate in his chest. "Mother," he spoke, though it came out in a whisper.

Voldemort turned, his eyes only sparkling in amusement at the sight of Narcissa standing with her wand pointed at him. He looked down at her as if she were no challenge whatsoever.

"Cissy!" Bellatrix screeched from where she had chosen to stand on a fallen piece of concrete, sure to make herself taller than the rest of Voldemort's trusty followers. "What are you doing?"

"Well, that can be arranged, Narcissa, although I did not wish to spill so much pure blood today," Voldemort spoke.

Amora felt dizzy with anxiety, and she could only assume Draco was ten times worse. Narcissa reached for the necklace wrapped around her neck and Amora saw Draco visibly tense beside her. Amora realised Narcissa was still wearing her protean charmed one – she was communicating with Draco. Telling him it was going to be okay.

"Let this be a lesson to all of you!" Voldemort called, walking around as if he already owned Hogwarts, his wand raised. "That when you betray me, not only will you pay, but your family too. Avada –"

Voldemort's spell and Draco's sudden yell were both cut off by movement in Hagrid's arms. Harry dropped onto the cobblestone floor below and quickly stood to his feet. There were several gasps, but mainly everybody was stunned to silence – especially Voldemort who looked horrified.

"Holy fuck!" Leon cried, disbelieving laughter following.

"Confringo!" Harry yelled, pointing Draco's wand at Nagini who was slithering around by Voldemort's feet.

It seemed to catch fire but only for a moment before the flames diminished and it hissed aggressively at Harry. Harry turned to bound across the courtyard, away from Voldemort who was shooting spells at him. Immediately, some Death Eaters began to Apparate away – they knew they were going to lose. Bellatrix screamed at them all, ordering for them to come back and fight.

Despite dozens leaving, they still had hundreds there. Marching towards them, cornering them back into the castle where Order members were putting up protective charms.

"Why is he going after the snake?" Pansy cried as action broke out again.

Theo tore his wand from his pocket and shot at a Death Eater advancing towards the group. "I think–" He panted, "I think maybe the snake might be a Horcrux, like I said before. He needs to kill it to kill You-Know-Who."

"Then we should help him get the snake!" Leon cried, glancing all around them as his friends used their wands to defend themselves, forming a sort of circle. "I mean, it's just a snake, how hard can it be?"

"It's clearly being protected." Draco's voice was strangled, probably from the fear of just seeing his mother nearly be murdered. "Potter's magic didn't do anything to it at all."

"I think only very specific things can kill Horcruxes," Theo said above the noise. "They – Stupefy! – They're very powerful things."

"Mother!" Draco suddenly yelled, and attempted to break away from the group.

Narcissa's eyes widened and she immediately bounded towards the teenagers, her skin pale and her eyes wide. Once she reached Draco, she grasped his face in both her hands and kissed his forehead three times. Then, she took him into her arms. Lucius hung around behind them anxiously, glancing over his shoulder.

"I suggest you fuck off," Blaise hissed at the man.

Lucius' lip curled. "Why you –"

"Mother, come into the castle," Draco urged her, "Please."

"Draco, I am wanted on both sides now," Narcissa said shakily, "Your father has no wand. We need to leave now, before things go too far."

"I'm not leaving," Draco said firmly, "Mother, I cannot leave."

Narcissa nodded quickly, a few tears dripping from her eyes. "Oh, I knew you would say that. My brave boy," she said, stroking his hair. "You're so brave. Braver than I ever could have been."

"I'm only doing what is right, mother," Draco whispered, "I'm standing by my friends. By Amora."

Narcissa smiled boldly and planted one last kiss on his forehead. "I know, sweetheart. I know."

"Draco, they're getting way too close!" Theo yelled, and right behind them they could hear Shacklebolt shouting for them to come back inside before they were forced to close the doors on them and lock them out. "They'll get your mother, too!"

"Go," Draco ordered his parents. "I will see you soon."

"Draco, come with us," Lucius ordered, "Don't be so foolish."

"I'm not being foolish. If you had any sense of pride or dignity then you would know where I am coming from right now," he replied hastily, "Mother, go. Disapparate quickly."

"Get in the castle," Narcissa whispered, and squeezed his hand. "I'll see you soon, my little dragon."

With that, Narcissa Disapparated, and Lucius had no choice but to send his son a look before following. Immediately, Draco grabbed a hold of Amora's arm and tugged her into the castle. Shacklebolt slammed the doors behind the last of them, and spells immediately hit at the door which shook from force.

"That could have gone a lot worse," Leon muttered.

"Tell me about it," Blaise said as the doors began to wobble further. "Okay, back up, everyone."

The Slytherins and the two Hufflepuffs took off like everybody else, as far away from the doors as possible. It didn't really matter though, for Death Eaters were getting into the castle in other ways.

"Potter saved your mum, Draco," Pansy realised, chucking herself behind a pillar when someone shot a spell at her – Draco was quick to Stun them straight after. "Why?"

"I have no idea why," Draco said through gritted teeth. "But now I owe the bastard, if he makes it through the day."

"Amora!" Theo yelled, pointing as a spell shot off in her direction. Amora shot a spell back, the Death Eater grunting as they fell to the ground among the rubble. "Good one."

"Thanks, Theo," Amora called.

By now, every single follower of Voldemort had entered the castle. This was more what Amora had thought a battle would be like. Her mother's old wand was working overtime to fight off Death Eaters approaching them – and it seemed quite a few were desperate to take off the traitorous Death Eaters.

"Pansy!" A screech came from nearby, and heads turned to where two adults were heading towards them.

The woman had the same piercing green eyes and dark hair as Pansy. Amora knew immediately that these were her parents. She felt rage boil in her blood as she moved closer to her best friend, yanking her by the arm so that they were side by side. Pansy's eyes were wide as she froze. She hadn't seen her parents since the summer before her fifth year, when they practically disowned her for her sexuality.

"Pansy, Pansy," her mother urged, stopping in front of her. "I hope you have finished with your rebellious phase. Now is the time to come home – back to safety. We have a lovely Durmstrang boy who has agreed to take your hand in marriage as soon as August comes –"

"Oh, they can fuck off for sure," Amora heard Blaise growl as soon as he noticed the Parkinsons before he moved in front of the two girls. "You realise there is a war happening around you right now? Now's not really the time for this bullshit."

"Mr Zabini," Mr Parkinson scowled, "I understand you have a warped idea of what a relationship looks like due to your mother, but my daughter's diseased brain is —"

"Stupefy!" Blaise spat quickly, sending the man hurling backwards.

Mrs Parkinson gasped, but Pansy was quick to copy out the same spell on her mother. "Oh Merlin," she suddenly lit up into a grin. "Blaise, you have no idea how long I have wanted to do that."

Blaise laughed. "Trust me, Pans. I know."

Amora turned away from the unconscious Parkinsons, her eyes landing back on her boyfriend. He had his back pressed to Theo's, the two of them using their wands to fight off people coming at them, their heads tilted ever so slightly so they could communicate with each other – calling out spells in between.

Out of the corner of her eye, Amora saw Montague stumbling up a pile of shattered concrete, a gash on the side of his head painted with dried blood. He was panting heavily, practically spitting with it, his eyes narrowed on Draco. He struggled to pull his wand out.

"Draco," Amora shrieked, darting towards him and lifting her wand.

She got there too late, and Draco was blasted backwards by an unknown spell. Amora heard his heavy groan and heard Theo yell his name. The brunette girl was quick to blast Montague back with a spell of her own – his body smacking into an already half-crumbled pillar and taking it down with him. Amora nearly winced when she saw all of the debris pile on top of Montague, but her attention was quickly back on Draco.

None of their friends had made it to him, all wrapped up with Death Eaters of their own, but Amora used her free time to quickly dart over, kneeling by him. She placed her hands on her arms and winced at the cut on his lip dripping with blood. Draco accepted her hands as she guided him back up, his wand pointed.

"Where did that bastard go?" Draco hissed through gritted teeth.

"I dealt with him. It's okay," Amora insisted.

Draco's silver eyes sparkled for a moment as he watched her immediately turn to help Blaise with a particularly advanced Death Eater. He shook his head, knowing now was definitely not the time to be thinking about how much he loved his girlfriend, and  heard a loud howl from the front of the room.

Eyes darted over as Fenrir Greyback sauntered in, stalking among the shooting lights and wizards and witches fighting for their causes. Draco cursed under his breath, hoping this wouldn't be another Amycus Carrow situation where Greyback still felt he was promised Amora's life for finding her all those months ago.

"I've got him," Leon called, seeing the look on Draco's face.

Draco gave him a small nod with pursed lips. "Be careful, Holloway."

Leon gave him a small salute and rushed off. Draco kept an eye out for Amora the whole time, listening for spells being shot around, putting up Protego charms for his friends in need. It felt like everybody was piling on top of them.

Draco supposed they should have found a quieter place in the castle. However, they seemed to be doing fine in the middle of  —

There was an agonised scream. It was Amora's.

Draco's heart stopped in his chest and his arm felt heavy holding his wand. This couldn't be happening, because he'd only saved her a few hours ago. Nobody could be so unlucky in one night — this wasn't supposed to be happening.

However, when his head turned, he realised Amora wasn't screaming for herself. She was leaning over a body. Draco's blood still ran cold. He still felt like his heart was going to come out of his throat. Pansy was dead.

Draco could tell immediately from ten feet away, because his eyes met her green ones, and there was nothing there. They were wide and still, unmoving and lifeless. No matter how much Amora shook Pansy's body and screamed, Pansy wasn't going to wake back up. She was gone, ripped from them in a matter of seconds. Draco had just seen her grinning at Amora for a particularly good hex.

Now she was on the floor and she wasn't breathing and everything felt so slow.

Heads were turning towards them, Blaise didn't block a hex coming his way. He was sent to the ground immediately, coughing wildly as the Death Eater advanced. Draco swallowed thickly and tried his best to Occlude – and he Stunned the Death Eater. He looked around – Theo was struggling to keep someone off now too.

"Pansy, no," Amora sobbed, "Pans, please. Please, please, please, not like this. Not like this, Pansy."

She gripped a hold of Pansy's school uniform, traced the freckles on her face with her thumb. She didn't care for the war going on around her. She was faintly aware of Theo now trying to defend himself as well as Amora slumped over Pansy's body, but she felt so frozen. She couldn't leave Pansy here, she had to try. She had to do something.

"Pansy," Amora whimpered, stroking her dark hair. "P – Pans..."

A hand grabbed the back of her cardigan and she was hauled to her feet. Draco's face was stern, but she could see it swimming in his eyes – his heart was broken too.

"Amora, you have to keep fighting," he ordered. "You have to fight."

Amora nodded quickly, sniffling, but it felt like there were forces trying to drag her back down to where Pansy lay, growing colder and colder. She couldn't hit any Death Eaters, hardly able to see through her teary vision, and then she grew so angry, so fucking furious, and she blast a Stupefy spell so powerful that one Death Eater hurdled back through an entire wall.

Suddenly, a huge Protego shield was cast in the middle of the Great Hall and there was several cries.

"Harry!"

People turned, Amora's body freezing when she realised Voldemort and Harry were both in the centre of the room. Voldemort raised a hand, his Death Eaters stopped fighting. Everybody froze. This was going to be it – years and years of war, and it was all down to whose wand was about to work the quickest or be the strongest, apparently.

"I don't want anyone else to help," Harry announced loudly, and total silence followed around the hall. "It's got to be like this. It's got to be me."

Amora breathed heavy beside Draco, who latched his hand into hers. Blaise and Theo were right beside them as Leon staggered over with a wounded leg. And despite the fact that they practically had front row seats to the fight that would dictate the rest of their futures, all Amora was thinking about was how if this had taken place only a few moments before, Pansy would be standing right beside her right now.

"Potter doesn't mean that," Voldemort hissed, "This isn't how it works, is it? Who are you going to use as a shield today, Potter?"

"Nobody," Harry replied firmly, "There are no more Horcruxes. It's just you and me. Neither can live while the other survives, and one of us is about to leave for good..."

Voldemort snarled, "One of us? You think it will be you, do you, the boy who has survived by accident, and because Dumbledore was pulling the strings?"

"Accident, was it, when my mother died to save me?" asked Harry as they both circled each other, keeping their distance and their wands ready. "Accident, when I decided to fight in that graveyard? Accident, that I didn't defend myself tonight, and still survived, and returned to fight again?"

Voldemort practically lost it as he screamed, "Accidents! Accident and chance and the fact that you crouched and snivelled behind the skirts of greater men and women, and permitted me to kill them for you!"

"You won't be killing anyone else tonight," Harry spat, "You won't be able to kill any of them ever again. Don't you get it? I was ready to die to stop you from hurting these people - "

"But you did not!"

" - I meant to, and that's what did it. I've done what my mother did. They're protected from you. Haven't you noticed how none of the spells you put on them are binding? You can't torture them. You can't touch them. You don't learn from your mistakes, Riddle, do you?"

"You dare -"

"Yes, I dare," Harry smirked, "I know things you don't know, Tom Riddle. I know lots of important things that you don't. Want to hear some, before you make another big mistake?"

Voldemort remained silent, as did the rest of the Great Hall. Amora's heart was practically pounding out of its chest.

"Is it love again?" Voldemort jeered, "Dumbledore's favourite solution, love, which he claimed conquered death, though love did not stop him falling from the tower and breaking like an old waxwork? Love, which did not prevent me stamping out your Mudblood mother like a cockroach, Potter - and nobody seems to love you enough to run forward this time and take my curse. So what will stop you dying now when I strike?"

"Just one thing," Harry said.

  "If it is not love that will save you this time," Voldemort spoke, "you must believe that you have magic that I do not, or else a weapon more powerful than mine?"

"I believe both," Harry replied, and Voldemort looked shocked as he laughed in Harry's face – the sound bouncing off of the silent Great Hall's walls and sending chills down everybody's spines.

Amora gripped Draco's hand tighter.

"You think you know more magic than I do?" he said. "Than I, the Lord Voldemort, who has performed magic that Dumbledore himself never dreamed of?"

"Oh he dreamed of it," said Harry, "but he knew more than you, knew enough not to do what you've done."

"You mean he was weak!" Voldemort cried, "Too weak to dare, too weak to take what might have been his, what will be mine!"

"No, he was cleverer than you," Harry spat, "a better wizard, a better man."

"I brought about the death of Albus Dumbledore!"

"You thought you did," said Harry, "but you were wrong."

Draco and Amora shared a glance as many people began to stir, sucking in breaths and giving small whispers. It wasn't even possible.

"Dumbledore is dead!" Voldemort yelled, "He is in the marble tomb in the grounds of this castle, I have seen it, Potter, and he will not return!"

  "Yes, Dumbledore is dead," Harry spoke, eerily calmly, "but you didn't have him killed. He chose his own manner of dying, chose it months before he died, arranged the whole thing with the man you thought was your servant."

Draco stilled. This was what Dumbledore had been talking about – the bigger picture.

"What childish dream is this?" Snapped Voldemort, his eyes trained on Harry even more intensely than before.

"Severus Snape wasn't yours," said Harry. "Snape was Dumbledore's. Dumbledore's from the moment you starting hunting down my mother. And you never realised it, because of the thing you can't understand. You never saw Snape cast a Patronus, did you, Riddle?"

  They continued to circle each other, but Voldemort said nothing again.

  "Snape's Patronus was a doe," said Harry, "the same as my mother's, because he loved her for nearly all of his life, from the time when they were children. You should have realised. He asked you to spare her life, didn't he?"

"He desired her, that was all," Voldemort sneered, "but when she had gone, he agreed that there were other women, and of purer blood, worthier of him - "

"Of course he told you that," said Harry, "but he was Dumbledore's spy from the moment you threatened her, and he's been working against you ever since! Dumbledore was already dying when Snape finished him!"

"It matters not!" shrieked Voldemort and released a cackle of insane laughter. "It matters not whether Snape was mine or Dumbledore's, or what petty obstacles they tried to put in my path! I crushed them as I crushed your mother, Snape's supposed great love! Oh, but it all makes sense, Potter, and in ways that you do not understand! Dumbledore was trying to keep the Elder Wand from me! He intended that Snape should be the true master of the wand! But I got there ahead of you, little boy - I reached the wand before you could get your hands on it, I understood the truth before you caught up. I killed Severus Snape three hours ago, and the Elder Wand, the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny is truly mine! Dumbledore's last plan went wrong, Harry Potter!"

  "Yeah, it did." said Harry. "You're right. But before you try to kill me, I'd advise you think what you've done... Think, and try for some remorse, Riddle..."

"What is this?" Voldemort stilled.

  "It's your one last chance," said Harry, "it's all you've got left... I've seen what you'll be otherwise... Be a man... try...Try for some remorse..."

"You dare —?"

"Yes, I dare," Harry spat, "because Dumbledore's last plan hasn't backfired on me at all. It's backfired on you, Riddle."

Whilst Harry's grip on Draco's wand was tight, Amora swore that she could see Voldemort's trembling on the Elder Wand. It was going to happen any moment now. She felt like she could be sick with anxiety.

"That wand still isn't working properly for you because you murdered the wrong person. Severus Snape was never the true master of the Elder Wand. He never defeated Dumbledore."

"He killed --- "

"Aren't you listening? Snape never beat Dumbledore! Dumbledore's death was planned between them! Dumbledore intended to die, undefeated, the wand's last true master! If all had gone as planned, the wand's power would have died with him, because it had never been won from him!"

"But then, Potter, Dumbledore as good as gave me the wand!" Voldemort grinned. "I stole the wand from its last master's tomb! I removed it against the last master's wishes! Its power is mine!"

"You still don't get it, Riddle, do you? Possessing the wand isn't enough! Holding it, using it, doesn't make it really yours. Didn't you listen to Ollivander? The wand chooses the wizard... The Elder Wand recognised a new master before Dumbledore died, someone who never even laid a hand on it. The new master removed the wand from Dumbledore against his will, never realising exactly what he had done, or that the world's most dangerous wand had given him its allegiance..."

"Me," Draco realised in a breathless whisper, his eyes wide. "It was mine."

Amora and the others' eyes all widened too – Draco had owned the most powerful wand for months and not even realised it. Amora was just so, so thankful that Voldemort hadn't realised it either – otherwise Draco would have been in Snape's place.

Voldemort was breathing heavily.

"The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy," Harry confirmed, and Voldemort looked enraged.

"But what does it matter?" he said softly. "Even if you are right, Potter, it makes no difference to you and me. You no longer have the phoenix wand: We duel on skill alone . . . and after I have killed you, I can attend to Draco Malfoy, just as I intended to do anyway..."

Amora's grip was practically crushing Draco's hand by now. The Malfoy boy's shoulders had tensed.

"But you're too late," said Harry. "You've missed your chance. I got there first. I took Draco's wand from him."

Everybody in the hall stared at Draco's wand in Harry's hand.

  "So it all comes down to this, doesn't it?" whispered Harry. "Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does... I am the true master of the Elder Wand."

In a fit of rage, Voldemort raised his wand and screamed, "Avada Kedavra!" However, Harry had been expecting it and called, "Expelliarmus!"

There were cries and yells and people staggered backwards as magic erupted from the ends of both their wands. Draco's wand emitted a flashing red light that met Voldemort's green in the centre of the Great Hall. Voldemort cried out, yelling with all of his might. Harry looked a mixture of terrified and determined, holding the wand out as firmly as he could.

"Come on, Potter," Draco muttered from Amora's side.

The brightness of the magic in the air was almost blinding, it blew back Harry's hair and his jacket, displaying his bloody and dirty face. And then, much to Amora's relief, the green began to grow shorter. Harry's magic started to overpower Voldemort's, and the snake-like man began to look defeated — he stared at the Elder Wand in his hand as if it had betrayed him. The Expelliarmus spell triumphed – the Elder Wand flew across the air and straight into Harry's hand.

Harry watched with wide eyes as his life-long enemy crumbled to his knees, Voldemort's paper-like skin beginning to flake away as he became a gasping mess and then nothing.

Harry smiled in relief, his shoulders sagging as cheers came from all around him. Amora saw Ginny run to throw her arms around Harry's shoulders, Hermione and Ron and the rest of the Weasleys right behind her, and Amora could only allow the corners of her lips to twitch upward for a second before everything came crashing back down.

Amora turned away from the celebration, and her chest was filled with a hollow sensation upon seeing Pansy's body lying about twenty feet away, surrounded by debris and broken benches. She stumbled back over, ignoring Draco's call of her name, and landed back by Pansy's side. She grabbed Pansy's cold hand, trying not to frown too much at how heavy it felt in hers.

Amora felt someone fall to sit beside her and turned her head to see Blaise. His face was scrunched up slightly as he swallowed thickly, shaking his head. He moved to brush some of Pansy's fringe out of the way.

"It's not..." Blaise choked, "It's not fair. Pansy was going to come back to mine for the summer. My mother loved her."

Amora closed her eyes and felt a few hot tears trickle down her cheeks. She said nothing but flung her arms around Blaise, burying her face against his shoulder. Blaise sniffled as he stroked her back, and then Amora felt a hand on both their shoulders. They tore apart so Theo could quickly burrow himself with them.

Draco stared at Pansy, gritting his teeth as his eyes welled with tears. "Fuck," he whispered, and leaned forwards so that he could close her eyes.

Theo turned to watch what Draco was doing. "C'mere, mate," he croaked.

Even if Amora didn't know it, she and Draco had lost more than just Pansy tonight – and Theo couldn't imagine how hard it would be hitting Draco now that everything was over. Draco didn't hesitate to come over, the four of them sitting in a little huddle next to Pansy. Draco extended his hand to wipe away some of Amora's tears.

"What happened?" He asked in a whisper.

Amora had to shut her eyes again for a second. "She..." Amora shook her head. "It was really fast. I'm not entirely sure. She'd just Stunned a Death Eater, she turned to me for a second to laugh about it, and it was like as soon..." Amora choked. "As soon as our eyes met, there was just this flash of green, and for a moment I thought it was me, but - but it was her. And she was on the floor, and she – she wouldn't look at me."

Draco stroked her back and let her crawl into his arms. He made soothing circles. He held the back of her head when a couple of wizards Draco didn't recognise came to place a cloth over Pansy's body. He kept her there for a few moments.

"I'm sorry for your loss," one of the wizards said.

Amora tilted her head, her heart aching as she watched them levitate Pansy's lifeless body onto the stretcher. She desperately wanted to scream at them to put her back, to tear herself from Draco's arms and hug her best friend one last time, but she knew Pansy had to rest now. Pansy's time with Amora was up.

Blaise's eyes burned as he grabbed one of the wizard's arms. "Be careful with her," he ordered.

"Of course," the wizard replied immediately, "We'll just be placing her down with all of our other loved ones. So they can rest in a more appropriate place."

Blaise could only manage a single nod, averting his gaze back to the ground. They were all sort of stunned into silence – despite seeing her fall and looking into her lifeless ideas, it still didn't really make any sense that Pansy was gone yet. They took Pansy's body away from them, and it felt like the wizards were taking bits of all four of them away at the same time.

"Pansy never loved anyone on this planet more than you, Amora," Theo said, his voice thick with anguish. "Nobody, okay? You came above everyone in her eyes."

"I love her too," Amora whimpered, tearing away. "Fuck! This – This isn't okay."

"She'll always be with us," Blaise murmured, rubbing her arm. "Always. Pans isn't going anywhere — she'll be sure to bug us even in the afterlife, I'm sure."

Amora managed a small, bitter laugh as she shook her head. "Oh, I don't doubt that for a second that she wouldn't do everything in her power to annoy you lot." She managed a small smile. "But Pansy never bugged me."

"Water?" Someone asked.

Amora paid no attention as the boys all reached forward to grab cups. Draco grabbed one for Amora too and handed it to her. Her hands were shaking slightly as she grasped it, her eyes glassy on the floor.

"To Pansy." Blaise cleared his throat. "Who would have wished this was something stronger after the past twenty-four hours we've had."

Amora's lips twitched upwards as their cups of water all meeted in the middle. "To Pansy," they all chorused back weakly.

D.M + A.B

  Hogwarts was golden. The sun finally peaked through the clouds, as if it knew today had been a success for the Order. Amora wrapped her cardigan tighter around her body, standing beside Leon as the pair took in some fresh air. He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her into a sort of side hug.

"I guess this is it," Leon said, "Our last year of Hogwarts done. It feels like we were being Sorted into Hufflepuff only a year ago or something."

Amora felt a shiver down her spine, as if every memory had come back to her at once. "Yeah," she breathed, "It does feel that way. At the same time though, so much has happened..."

Leon laughed. "Oh, yeah. I'm a bloody werewolf now. It's insane."

Amora shook her head with a slight amused smile. "You're insane."

"I'm very much sane. You're the one who swore Malfoy was the worst person you'd ever met, only to be in a full blown relationship by the end of Hogwarts!" Leon exclaimed, a grin on his face.

A breathless chuckle fell from her lips. "I vaguely recall telling him myself that if I was ever happy to see him then I would have gone insane. Something like that."

"It's funny the way the world works," Leon murmured, grabbing the concrete railing. "I, for one, have found myself unsure if I want to strangle Zabini for being just like me, or jump his bones because he's so suave with it. It's, like, kind of hot, isn't it?"

Amora's eyes widened and this time she choked on laughter. "Leon!" Amora exclaimed, "I – you fancy Blaise?"

"Oh, come on. Who doesn't fancy Zabini a little bit?" Leon nudged her. "Even you did!"

"Fair enough," Amora grinned, teeth and all. "I just wasn't aware you fancied boys too."

"I'll fancy anyone that is fit and can crack a good joke," Leon replied.

"Oh, Merlin, how did you resist falling in love with me then?" Amora teased.

Leon rolled his dark eyes just as footsteps came from behind them. They turned to see Draco, his hands in the pockets of his trousers as he sent Leon a small nod and then looked at Amora.

"May I borrow you?" Draco asked.

"Yeah, sure," Amora replied softly and then looked at Leon, squeezing his hand. "I'll speak to you later, okay?"

"Oh, I'll be on the edge of my seat waiting."

Amora scoffed with a smile as she grabbed Draco's hand and allowed him to lead her back through the Great Hall. Filch was already attempting to clean up some of the rubble with only his broom and no magic, and McGongall was ordering about a few people who were also pushing materials to the side. Their wands seemed to be making the job a lot easier.

"Potter gave me my wand back," Draco said as they headed through the Entrance Hall. "And he told me why he saved my mother."

"Oh?"

"Apparently she saved his life too," Draco murmured, and Amora was sure she could detect some pride there. "In the Forbidden Forest, she'd lied about him being dead. She saved his life – my mother, she..."

"She's incredible." Amora squeezed his hand. "And I'm sure she will be thrilled to see you back in one piece."

Draco took them around a corner and she realised where he was leading them. The library had surprisingly been left untouched, the two huge doors concealing every book and table inside of it. Amora inhaled the familiar scent, gripping Draco's hand tighter.

"Do you know where you will be living now?" Draco asked her quietly.

Amora furrowed her brows. "I never really thought about it. I won't lie, I didn't think I'd make it this far."

"I want you to stay with me," Draco said, turning to grip both of her hands this time. "But it won't be at Malfoy Manor. First, we'll holiday in France – just as I promised you. The flower fields, the small towns, the food, the lot of it. Then, we'll come back to a home of our own – one that we can make our own new memories inside."

Amora's eyes widened. "I would love that, Draco," Amora whispered breathlessly, "But I can't afford –"

He laughed, cutting her off. "I can afford it. Let me look after you. The money I spend on a holiday and a house for us will be nothing. We could never work again and I'd still have billions of Galleons in the bank for any future children, and their future children, and so on..."

Amora raised an eyebrow at him. "Have I ever told you how humble you are, Draco?"

Draco sent her a small scowl. "I'm being serious. I told you that because I knew you'd feel guilty not paying, but money really isn't a problem, Amora. I want us to live with one another — and we can have all of the things that I promised you when you were stuck at the manor. It can be by the sea, it can have a library, a big kitchen and a cosy living room..."

Amora felt butterflies in her stomach. "That does sound pretty amazing."

And also a lot like the house she'd also joked around with Pansy about having.

The Hufflepuff girl ignored the sting that pierced her heart. 

"So say yes then," Draco urged, "Say yes and I will make it happen. I'll be eighteen this time next month – I can take all my inheritance and be independent from my father. It will be everything we could have ever hoped for."

"Of course I'm saying yes," Amora breathed and then crashed her lips against his.

Draco held her hips, his head twisting and his nose momentarily brushing against her soft cheek. He loved the way her hands glided up his chest, stopping so she could hold his shoulders as one of his hands moved to cup the back of her head and keep her close. Their tongues met for a few moments, slow and gentle, and then Amora pulled back a little.

"Is there a reason we are in the library right now?" Amora whispered.

"I just thought it would be more poetic," Draco shrugged.

"Oh, so you're being all cheesy with me?" Amora's brows raised. "Well then you should have taken me to the aisle where it all happened if you wanted to do it properly."

She grabbed his hand and raced down the aisles, laughing at Draco's small protests to just walk. They came to a stop and Draco nearly crashed straight into her, her body backed against the bookshelf whilst he placed both hands on either side of her head to stop him crushing Amora.

"We made it, you know," Draco murmured, "It will never be the same again without Pans and everybody else we've lost, but we fucking made it, Amora. None of that Romeo and Juliet bullshit. We're okay."

Amora found herself smiling as she blinked back tears, snaking her arms around his neck. "Yeah, Draco," she whispered. "We did make it."

Draco's large hand stroked her face and he pressed his lips to hers. Drinking in her honey taste and inhaling the smell of old books. Wrapped in one another as if they were one.

  And Draco swore, he would do their penguin thing forever if Amora would let them.

...

Finished: Friday 18 February 22:31 2022

spin off / sequel now posted on my account :)

not me listening to o'children and sobbing as this finished. this book has been my absolute world for the past year and a half. i have never in my life enjoyed writing anything more than training wheels. it's been my favourite thing ever to make more 3D characters out of the slytherin gang and to give draco a relationship that would lead to his redemption arc. i really hope with the next fics that i write that i get the same feeling as i do when writing training wheels. that's all i could ever possibly want. and thank you for all reading -- i know a lot of you have been here since the very start, or for a long time anyway, and i have absolutely adored reading all of your comments. i will miss this and you guys so so much! this book has always been more than just a fanfiction to me and i'm sad to part with it.

i also think pansy was least expected to die in the end? i think i teased you guys way too much making you think it would be draco and amora, or leon (and we all know theo is always unlucky at the end of fics, so i thought i would spare him this one time), and i always knew it would be pans. i can't lie, i genuinely teared up when i was writing her death scene. i really fell in love with her character.

however, please don't delete this book from your libraries just yet -- the epilogue is still to come!

i thought i would leave it up to you guys though what you want to see! i could do the traditional 19 years later thing, or i could give you snippets of their future, maybe their holiday in france, a moment with scorpius, their wedding day etc.. let me know!!

thank you all so fucking much. i adore every single one of you <333

word count: 7.6k

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