A battle: that's what awaited Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A battle couldn't have waited two more years until I was out of school?

Oh well, nobody ever said living in a world where a dark lord terrorized it was easy.

Lord Voldemort and his trusted followers—Death Eaters—were about ready to attack the school, should the school not give up Harry Potter, the very person destined to defeat the Dark Lord himself. We were only given an hour.

We were using this time wisely, setting up defenses for the school and preparing for battle. I stepped outside into the courtyard attached to the viaduct. A few teachers—Professors Slughorn, McGonagall, and Flitwick—were all outside, setting up protective enchantments. I watched in awe as jets of light flew into the sky, all of them melting together to create one huge, blue shield to cover the entire school, even the Wooden Bridge that connected Hogwarts to the Forbidden Forest.

"Lauren," someone called my name.

I turned my attention to see Seamus Finnigan trotting to me. He and I were pretty good friends even though we were in different Hogwarts Houses: him Gryffindor, and me a Ravenclaw. He had a year on me, being in his seventh and final year at this school.

"I'm going to need your help with something," he said.

"Oh?" I asked, stealing a glance up at the forming shield above our heads. "What is it?"

"Professor McGonagall gave me permission to blow up the bridge, but I'm going to need an extra hand in getting the explosives in place. I don't know how much time we've got, and there's no way I can plant the explosives all by myself quickly."

"Can't you find somebody else to do it?" Whenever Seamus asked me to do something, I almost always ended up having things explode in my face. Just last year, he had told me about his potion blowing up in his face when he had tried to make a Draught of Living Death in Potions.

It seemed like every year he blew up something.

"No. So...will you help? I've got the explosives." He patted the bag hanging at his side.

"Why are you asking me? I know nothing about explosives!"

"But you know how to wave a wand and do magic. I don't trust anybody with these except for you."

I wasn't sure whether to be flattered or concerned. "You really think this is a good idea, knowing our past experiences?"

"This time is not accidental. Please, Lauren?" Seamus pleaded.

I sighed. "All right," I said uneasily.

Seamus beamed. Hastily, he grabbed my wrist and tugged me away to the Wooden Bridge.

We had to maneuver past hustling students. I was glad I had pulled my light brown hair into a tight ponytail. I couldn't exactly concentrate if I had loose hair in my vision.

Seamus led me down the zigzagged, sloped terrain that the Wooden Bridge held itself against.

The shield was complete now, it vanished. I was sure it was invisible so that the Death Eaters thought we were naïve. I hoped a good handful got a taste of their own medicine trying to penetrate the shield.

"All right," Seamus panted. We were at one of the holding platforms of the bridge. He planted a glowing crystal explosive in the wood. "One down, four to go. Do you think you can manage to levitate two into good places?"

"Maybe," I considered.

Seamus pulled out two more glowing crystal explosives, handing them to me. "Be extremely careful with them," he said cautiously. "I'll get the remaining two. If anything goes wrong, yell for me."

"Will do. And, Seamus?"

"Yeah?"

"What happens if the shield dies off before we're finished?"

"Yell and I'll cover you until you can get the explosives in place," he said. "Nothing is going to stand in our way. I'll make sure of it."

I ran ahead of Seamus, trying to spy two perfect spots for the explosives. I jumped when I saw about a thousand balls of green light fly through the air. The shield stopped them, making a dull boom ring in my ears. Don't worry about the shield, get the explosives into place.

I ran carefully, trying not to drop the explosives. I ran past two holding platforms (Seamus could plant his two there) and stopped at the third. I lay a crystal explosive on the platform.

I made the hike up to the other holding platform and planted the final one of mine there. Success. I grinned. This wasn't so bad.

A bright color—the color of fire—flashed above. I watched in horror as the shield began to shatter, pieces of it falling away down to the ground. Oh no. I swallowed. Well, it's time to go.

I backpedaled and ran, hearing spell fire and Disapparating Death Eaters in the sky. It was hard to see them though; they were black smoke, not easy to spot in the dead of night.

"Seamus!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. I had no idea where he was. "We're out of time!" I tripped over something while making a sharp turn. Falling forward, rolling down the slope, I pulled myself tight together so that I didn't sustain bad injuries. I stumbled forward, trying to regain my footing. My legs felt wobbly, like they were going to cave.

I skidded to a halt when two thick black smokes stopped in front of me. Death Eaters. I couldn't see any emotion past their masks. I swallowed.

"Where do you think you're going, girl?" crooned a distorted voice.

Remember what you learned in Dumbledore's Army. Dear God, that was two years ago.

"Stupefy!" I barked.

One Death Eater Disapparated while the other stayed put. I ran past him, knocking him aside. He gave a cry of outrage and flew in the air, giving chase. My breaths were panicked. From the corner of my eye, above, Snatchers climbed down. They may not be able to Disapparate—from what I knew of them—but they still used magic.

I ducked just in time as one Snatcher tried to take me out while I ran. I heard him tumbling down the path I was headed towards. I made a quick left into no man's land. On the other side were Death Eaters and Snatchers.

One Hogwarts student against at least ten enemies.

Lovely odds.

I jumped behind a rock barrier just in time—a jet of red light would've smacked into me a second later. I pressed my back against the wall, panicking. Where was Seamus? He said he had my back! Death Eaters are probably cornering him, too. He wouldn't abandon me.

"Confringo!" I barked, popping quickly from the rock barrier. Blue light exploded from my wand, hitting a good half of the Death Eaters and Snatchers blocking my path.

Jets of green and short bursts of red light continued to shoot over my head just barely. I crept to the edge of the rock barrier. There was another wall I could cower behind; it was just a few feet away. I breathed, taking a chance.

I sprang from my cover. I dodged a massive jet of red light, only to duck just in time to avoid a green jet of light. More spells directed at me were either way too high or way too to one side. Why can't all of these creeps be horrible shooters?

I craned my head up over the barrier. The Death Eaters and Snatchers' attention was on someone else behind them. They kept tearing away at a tall rock behind them. Maybe it's Seamus.

Whoever it was, I was going to help them. I stealthily moved closer, sniping Snatchers close to me with the Full Body-Bind Spell. Two fell instantly. I shot a Death Eater in the back and knocked him out—he collapsed on his face. His partner turned and saw me. I jumped to the ground, the spell colliding with the rock. I screamed.

"Avada Kedavra!" hissed the voice. The green light flew just in front of my face.

I gulped, shooting another Stunning Spell at those who were paying attention to me. Two shots of red light socked the remaining enemies of mine. The coast was clear.

Before more decided to make landfall, I ran, turning the corner past the rock. I screamed when someone grabbed my arm, pulling me back. I thrashed about, trying to bite the hand that covered my mouth.

"Lauren, stop moving! It's me," Seamus hissed.

I ceased immediately. Seamus uncovered my mouth. I didn't turn around to face him; I looked warily to the skies. "How far are we from the Wooden Bridge's entrance?" I whispered.

"Not far, just up this slope and then the one to the bridge itself," he reported. "Why?"

"Why isn't the bridge exploding?" I panicked. The massive wooden structure still stood strong.

"Don't worry; I gave Neville a charge to set on the bridge up with him. If the Death Eaters come, he'll shoot it. It should cause a chain reaction. We better move before more come."

With a gentle nudge, Seamus tailed me as we booked it up the slope. I kept my panting light and quiet. I couldn't imagine what awaited us back at the courtyard. Probably chaos.

We were halfway up the incline when black smoke got between us, knocking Seamus and me both in different direction. I stopped myself from crashing against the wall. Seamus was knocked on the ground, on all fours. I grabbed him, pulling him to his feet.

Seamus shot spells as Disapparating Death Eaters tried to throw us off balance again. I kept shooting looks over my shoulders. I threw spells behind us.

A huge red light zipped just in front of us, causing the rock wall beside us to explode. Huge chunks rained down. One knocked me good in the head, and others took shots at my body. My head smacked the ground. My hand kept a weak grip on my wand.

"Lauren!" Seamus cried. I could hear him shout curses and spells, defending me from harm.

I was fighting a battle of my own, to keep awake. My fingers twitched feebly, trying to grip my wand tighter. I felt so weak that I couldn't move my body much.

After cries were heard, I felt myself be rolled over. Someone—probably Seamus—scooped me up in his arms. I could hear him breathing heavily as he hiked.

"I'm going to get you to safety," he whispered. "Stay with me, Lauren."

Trying my hardest, I wanted to say.

I could hear Death Eaters Disapparating, but them being shot down, too.

"We've got you covered, Seamus!" called Ginny Weasley, a girl who I was good friends with as well. "Don't stop!"

Whoever else was with Ginny, I'd be extremely grateful for them keeping us safe. If we made it through this, I'd thank them.

I felt Seamus skid to a stop.

"I think she's knocked out," Seamus panted. "I need to get her inside."

"We'll keep you covered," Neville said seriously. He sounded like he was trying to catch his breath.

"I'll go with him, you stay with the rest," Ginny told him. "C'mon, Seamus, I'm right behind you."

"Good luck!" Neville called as the three parted ways.

Ginny was keeping a good pace at Seamus' side. Ginny was doing everything from what I could hear: she was parrying, returning fire, and engaging enemies into mini duels. I could hear roars of giants, explosions, cries of pain and outrage.

"Behind you!"

"You won't get away!"

"You're next!"

Words of war. It was hard to tell where spell fire was going and who it was aimed at. There was so much going on that it was hard to tell who was winning. Right now, I prayed it was Hogwarts that was winning.

The fighting still rang in my ears, but it was fading as Seamus and Ginny loped to wherever my safe zone was set to be. I felt Seamus stop.

"I think I can take her from here, Ginny," Seamus breathed. "Go and help the others. I'll be out shortly."

"I hope she's okay," Ginny said softly. I heard Ginny run off while Seamus walked into a quieter, non-war zone area. We had to be in the castle.

"Oh dear, one hurt already!" squeaked a voice. It was Madam Pomfrey, Hogwarts' best nurse, in my opinion. "Or is she worse?"

"I think she's unconscious, but I'm not sure," Seamus reported. "Where can I put her?"

"Set her over here."

Seamus walked not too far only to have me set down on my back on something unpleasant. I felt someone grab my hand tightly, and I heard a set of footfalls leave.

"Please wake up, Lauren," Seamus pleaded. He kissed my hand.

"I can take care of her from here," said Madam Pomfrey. "She's in good care."

"Thank you." Seamus let go of my hand.

"She's a lucky girl, to have someone like you in her life."

"Oh, we aren't together, ma'am," Seamus said quickly. "I really have to go."

"Oh, of course. Go do Hogwarts proud, boy, and be careful!"

"I will. Besides, I have something to fight for." I heard Seamus run off.

Oh sure, now my eyes decided to open. I recognized the ceiling immediately. I was in the Great Hall. So this was the new temporary hospital wing.

I turned my head to the side to see Madam Pomfrey wetting a cloth. She noticed I was awake when she came back.

"Good of you to join us again," she said, pressing the cloth to my head.

"Where did he go?" I croaked.

"He went back into battle. What a brave boy he is, like so many others in this school."

"He—he saved my life," I realized.

"Yes, he did. I think he likes you."

"We're friends, ma'am," I explained. "We've been friends for six years. I have to go help him." I tried to sit up but my body was still too weak.

Madam Pomfrey rubbed my shoulder. "Right now, you need to stay here so I can help you recover," she said softly. "I'm sure he will be fine."

"But—"

"Don't argue," she scolded me. "Be a good girl, lay here, and get some rest."

"Fine."

"I know you're worried about him." Madam Pomfrey patted the cloth on my forehead. "I'm worried about everyone who's fighting for our school. It frightens me every time an injured comes in."

I was condemned to lying in the Great Hall, hoping that Seamus came back. I wanted to tell him how thankful I was for him bringing me here to Madam Pomfrey. If he hadn't, I would probably still be out on the grounds, lying unconscious—or maybe even dead.

Until this war was over, I would fear for Seamus' life. He was more than just a Gryffindor in my eyes now—he was a guardian angel.

My guardian angel.

**even though it's been ages since I wrote this one-shot, I know exactly what inspired it. Back during the hype of the Deathly Hallows movies, I had the Part 2 video game for the Wii. Some missions I absolutely loved. And I believe one of the missions inspired this one-shot.**