WARNINGS: BLOOD, DEATH, GORE, VIOLENCE, TRAUMA AND EMOTIONAL DAMAGE FOR THE READERS

Friday, May 1st

MENTE STRIAE:

"Bloody hell."

Said a stunned Ron Weasley as he stepped into the secretive room that resided next to the Astronomy room. After breaking out of Gringrotts with a dragon as their getaway vehicle, they spent their time battling to find the rest of the Horcrux's, when they ran into an insisting Blaise who brought them to Mente Striae.

"I knew it," Harry shook his head in shock.

A wave of calmness washed over them, it was as overwhelming as it was refreshing. Having a bounty on them never allowed them to feel anything apart from paranoia, fear and dread.

"Oh, get just in," Blaise dragged them into his family room, looking behind before abruptly slamming the door shut. He couldn't risk a thing or the whole operation would go tits up.

"I thought you were lying Harry, I thought Artemis must've tricked us of something," Hermoine uttered.

"Umm that's my cousin you're on about."

Ignoring him, Hermoine took note of everything in this room and let out a laugh of disbelief.

"Why do I feel so calm?" She asked, "This doesn't feel normal, right, I shouldn't be feeling like this, should I? Am I the only one who feels eerily calm?"

Ron blinked, "Most calm I've felt in months."

"It's a spell that my ancestor Adriel placed on the room when he built it into the castle all those years ago, his own spell, don't ask us how he perfected it," Blaise informed, as he busied himself in the corner of the room, looking for something, not that they took much notice of it. "Adriel wanted his kids to have someone to relax with when their studies got hard. And it's Hogwarts, nothing is ever easy or simple. So being the helpful wizard he was, he made sure they wouldn't have a care in the world when they entered this dome."

"Blimey."

Blaise added, "And yes, this is where we've been keeping one of your housemates."

"Dean was here? How is that possible, with the Carrows sniffing around how did you even get him in?" Hermoine inquired.

Walking around they took everything, the plant-filled table, the lonely window, the tall bookcase filled with books, the bean bags that shifted to chairs which shifted to stools and so on. The soft music playing in the background from a record player, muggle stuff in a pureblood room? A Polaroid camera, pictures of the pureblood 5 when they couldn't be more than 12, near a wall filled with Letters — initials, that must've belonged to everyone that stepped in there. Wall of Ghosts.

"Bloody hell that must date back—"

"—years and years, it's a wall of ghosts Ron," Harry said obviously, receiving a pointed look from his best friend.

"Potter's got it," Blaise snorted, "and how I got Dean in here is a long story, just know he's been alright."

"I bet he bloody has, it's like a paradise in here. Imagine the naps you could have in here," Ron gawked, wanting to drop onto the bean-bags he stood near.

Hermione squinted at him, "The naps? You see something as extraordinarily peculiar as this and all you can think about is sleeping?"

"Considering the lack of sleep we've been getting for the past year. Yes, 'Mione, that's where my head is at."

"T.M.R," Harry's neck twitched when his finger skimmed over the initial, "He was here. Tom Marvolo Riddle...Voldemort, he's been in here, in this room."

"You-know-who? Here?! How could you let him in?" Hermoine asked, tensing up and looking back at the Slytherin boy.

"I don't know if you've noticed Granger but I'm not 100 years old, I wasn't the one to let Lord D in, we're not best friends, I don't write about him in my journal," Blaise retorted, hastily came back to the trio with something in hand.

They all caught the Seramore crest on top which intrigued them even more.

"Alright Zabini," Ron shot him a glare, not liking his tone, "but he was in this room, I get it's for calming someone when they're in a mood or tired or out of their mind and whatnot but he's the worst. Him being in her me just doesn't make any sense."

"I'm not here to give you a history lesson, I've told you enough and you being in here is frankly overbearing and overwhelming," Blaise rolled his eyes, unlocking the box, then passed the contents to Harry who was still comprehending that Voldemort once walked through here. "Now what you need to do is figure out what this means," he jabbed at the top parchment with squiggles across it, "it's a clue isn't it?"

"What is it, Harry?" Hermione questioned, looking over it all trying to find the clue, Ron kept his gaze on his best friend.

"I-I," Another twitch flowed through Harry's body when his eyes zeroed onto the writing.

It was as if it pulled him in, beckoned him to understand what was written, what he had to comprehend. Hissing, screeching, words, letters, it was coming together but not properly. Focus. The throbbing vein in his neck grew and his heartbeat picked up again. His iris dilated, overtaking the green as he sorted out the words and sounds echoing in his head.

And just when he thought he didn't get it, his mouth flew open again.

"Looks like the man you fear, something close, something near. Separate the two with a single blade, Slice in half and then it'll fade. Do it quick, do it soon, If not completed we will all meet our doom."

They all stared at him wide-eyed.

Blaise's face scrunched up, "What?"

"How did you get that from that?" Ron shook his head.

"It's parseltongue." Was Harry's only answer as he turned back to the page that he suddenly could no longer understand.

Ron turned to Blaise, "How does your cousin know that?"

"You need to stop asking that." Blaise deadpanned.

"She knows parseltongue, Of course, she does," Hermoine muttered, sounding more intrigued than bitter, "but what- oh gosh."

"What? What is it?" Harry looked at her.

"'Looks like the man you fear,'" she quoted Artemis, "what looks like the man we fear?"

"A snake. The snake." Harry rushed out.

"'Something close, something near'," Blaise started to grin, "that snake. Draco told me that Lord V always has a snake near, always, like it's more than a pet like it's —"

"—A Horcrux, but it can't be, right? Hermione it's not the snake is it?"

"'Separate the two with a blade and then it'll fade'. We have to kill the snake. "Do it quickly, do it soon, If not completed we will all meet our doom.' Is that all it says? That's the clue?" She glanced around with a slightly ecstatic look, "Wow, she's right, Artemis is right, I can't believe I didn't see it before it makes perfect sense. Something that has always been close to him. Something near. It's so ridiculously obvious."

And then something else escaped her that no one was expecting.

"She's brilliant." Hermoine praised.

"Never tell anyone I said this because I'll deny it but I agree." Ron nodded along, "When did she even have time to do this?"

Blaise shrugged, wearing a proud grin, "A while ago. Her brain is always running, it's a surprise she can even sleep, well, sometimes."

Harry almost smiled, his brain was going a mile a minute also. He took the parchment and passed the box back to Blaise before the golden trio moved away and grabbed each other.

"Potter."

"Yeah?"

"End this."

With one last nod, they apparate away leaving the Zabini wizard to get back to the Great Hall.

***

THE GREAT HALL:

Blaise stood facing the front with, Theo, Pansy, and Daphne by his side. Astoria anxiously shifted closer to her older sister, away from Vincent and Gregory.

The whole school was there, waiting and listening as their hearts pounded in their ears.

It was almost midnight and here the students were.

"Now then...if anyone here has any knowledge of Mr Potter's movements this evening," Snape said stoically, "I invite them to step forward...now."

Silence breached the room, everyone exchanged cautious and nervous looks, most were either scared to open their mouths, some wouldn't dare to speak out against their friend and the rest just wanted to their parents.

But the sounds of loud and heavy footsteps could be heard as collective gasps embraced the room.

Everyone turned when Harry emerged wearing a slightly small robe and a hardened look.

He was here.

"It seems despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you still have a bit of a security problem headmaster." Harry confidently spoke.

Blaise tried his best to hold back his smirk. The kid is brave, I'll give him that. Theo thought the same.

His confidence grew when the doors burst open, revealing the rest of the Order.

"How dare you stand where he stood," Harry said. "Tell them how it happened that night! tell them how you looked him in the eye, a man who trusted you, and you killed him!" he yelled, furious with Snape, despite all the things he was told by a Seramore witch, "Tell them!"

The students grew more anxious, and nervous about what was about to happen. The chosen one accused their headmaster of such a crime and how it wasn't that far-fetched, considering the death eaters stood beside him.

Blaise swallowed harshly when he caught a few of his friends standing behind and alongside Harry. Iziah, Zacharias, Fred, George, Lee, Aurora and Alana. All of the Divine group... too many bodies, too many risks.

But when Theo saw Dean's head peaking through, his heart shattered. He wasn't safe anymore. Even with Seamus next to him, he wasn't as safe. Why didn't he stay in that fucking room? He nervously bit down on his bottom lip and attempted to hold back his tears.

Dean caught his gaze, having been searching for him the entire time. His eyes softened and smiled at the boy he thought was his world. He knew how much it was hurting him that he was in the line of fire but it was right. I love you, Teddy. Theo read him like a book and mouthed it back.

Meanwhile, Blaise could barely focus on a thing, drowning in his thoughts, Daphne had to nudge them, directing him to the scene in front of them.

Two life-long professors duelling. Mcgonagal pushed Harry out of the way, shooting spells at Snape. The raven-haired man quickly covered his shock by deflecting all the spells coming his way.

Going so far as to hit the Carrow siblings, successfully knocking them out before he simultaneously smashed through a window and apparated out of the hall.

Cheers erupted around the room and all Daphne could think, what did this mean?

Had the day finally come?

Blaise grabbed her hand, whilst Astoria grabbed Pansies and Theo's.

Only when a scream pierced through the room was when everyone froze.

Soon another scream came and then another.

Why were they screaming?

And then they knew, the rancid voice of the Dark Lord echoed through the hall and filled their ears.

They couldn't escape it.

Some tried covering their ears but that didn't help.

"Know that many of you want to fight. Some of you may even think that to fight is wise,"

Daphne appeared as if she were about to cry and Blaise wanted to whisk her away and take her anywhere else.

"but this is folly. Give me Harry Potter. Do this and none shall be harmed."

Theo's eyes didn't leave Dean's. The Jones brothers glanced at Blaise, both wore worrisome looks, just like Alana and Aurora, who were hoping Artemis was near, but she wasn't.

"Give me Harry Potter and I shall leave Hogwarts untouched. Give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded."

The sickening voice was inescapable.

"You have one hour."

Regardless of the promise of safety, it was obvious that it was a lie.

Instant death was apparent.

Hogwarts wouldn't be safe even if Harry was there or not.

No reward would be given, nothing at all. He was the Dark Lord after all.

Everyone knew that.

Well not everyone.

Pansy spoke out of fear, fear that she would never see Luna again. Fear that they couldn't live life together, fear that if she didn't get on the Dark Lord's good side they wouldn't be able to survive at all.

"What are you waiting for?" she yelled across the hall, pointing at Harry, "Someone grab him."

Instantly a protective circle surrounded the boy as everyone turned to her.

Astoria dropped her hand and cringed.

It wasn't until Flinch rushed in, outraged about Students being out of bed that Blaise realised everything was quickly going downhill.

And with that Mcgonagall ordered Flinch to send the Slytherins to the dungeons.

***

Friday, May 2nd:

FOREST OUTSIDE OF HOGWARTS:

A deathly silence surrounded the Scottish fields as the death eaters stood on top of a hill overlooking the vast grounds of Hogwarts. Awaiting their commands from their lord, no one dared to move, let alone speak. They came in thousands; followers that clung to his every word, just waiting for the right time to strike.

Narcissa watched her sister mumbling to herself, grinning and snickering as she gawked at the Dark Lord with such glee and anticipation. She quickly turned to her husband, seeing his hands subtly shake, so she took them in hers with haste, before glancing back at her son and daughter-in-law.

They waited and stared at the blanket of lights covering the castle. Protection spells surround the vast building and all its sights.

It looked so captivating and yet it had to be destroyed.

Voldemort abruptly yelled and thrust out the elder wand to the sky.

A crackling noise engulfed them, bringing them closer to the most powerful wand that was now in the hands of the darkest wizard alive.

The power he wielded was enough to break the shield, that shone like a thousand stars in the sky, blinding all that stood below.

Voldemort recoiled at the action as if it shocked him. He breathed in shallow breaths, as they all watched the shield burn brightly, dying out.

Like a Supernova.

Small pieces of the fiery wall cascaded down and almost landed near them all if it wasn't for a few moving it away with their wands.

A shift descended on all of them.

They knew it was time.

It had begun.

Crowds rushed past Artemis and Draco and almost knocked them down. Many apparated or at least attempted to, whilst the others simply stormed in that direction, all after death, chaos and violence.

All in the name of Voldemort.

Narcissa rushed over to them, "What are you playing at, stay with me, both of you stay beside us."

"Mother, we have a business to handle," Draco cast his mother an apologetic look then turned back to his wife with a hardening look.

"Draco—"

"It'll be alright, I have Artemis with me. Now go," he sent a pleading look towards his father, whose eyes flickered towards his goddaughter, she appeared to be angry.

Debating with his inner thoughts his eyes darted between the two teens and then his worried wife. So before Narcissa could stop him, he grabbed her hand his wife's hand they apparated away.

Keeping her eyes on their targets, Artemis nudged her husband.

"Oi, Warrington! Davis, this way," Draco's voice stopped the two ex-hogwarts students' movements.

"Immobilus," Artemis rushed out, halting Cassius and Tracy from joining in the battle of everyone's lives.

"Seramore!" they angrily yelled.

"Stupefy," a jet of red light flung from Narcissa's wand that Draco was now using as he was taken by Harry and co. Tracey Davis was now on her back, unconscious. "Stupid girl."

"Imperio," Artemis exclaimed before Cassius had the chance to reach for his wand, silly boy should've had it ready, she sauntered toward him, "Now you listen here you arse. I never forget what you tried to do to me. Take advantage of me all because you thought you could. You even tried using magic against me, but you were unsuccessful, so maybe should I give you a taste of your own...magic," Draco's lips quirked up at the vengeful gleam in her eyes, "Obliviate," all sense left Cassius' eyes, "you'll go about your days with no knowledge of who you are. Not a wizard, just a muggle, with no magic. You won't know who I am either or anyone in this school, the ministry and wizarding world. You will simply be Cassius Warrington, a nobody."

Draco slyly smirked, "How fitting."

"And now Tracey," Artemis turned back to the unconscious girl, "I don't think her fate should be the same, no, just leave her here and if she dies..."

"...she dies," Draco said cooly.

He then shifted the daggers that Klaus gifted him for his 16th birthday on his belt and adjusted the ones in his blazer pockets.

"Now are you ready dear wife? If you would like, we could just leave and go..."

"To Neverland?"

"Yes," he mustered up a chuckle, "to Neverland."

Taking his hand in hers, she sent him a pained smile and shook her head. In another world, she would've taken him up on that offer, but not today, they simply couldn't. They had to finish this, finish it all...with each other.

"Let's get on with it husband."

***

HOGWARTS:

Sure Artemis complained about the school, but it was her school, one of her homes, where she stayed for months on end and where she always ended up, year after year. Seeing it destroyed broke her in ways she never thought possible. The memories shared and the times spent within the halls of the hall Scottish castle, she never thought she would get another chance to return to.

A spell aiming for her abruptly pulled her from her thoughts.

Draco shoved her out the way, drawing his mother's wand that he would never get used to, "Expulso," a huge explosion caused part of the great hall to tumble down and send his opposition into it, "Arty are you alright?"

"I love you," she grinned and clasped his hand and sent a spell towards someone who tried running for them when he was distracted, "Confringo."

Whilst more explosions blasted people all over the castle, she grabbed her husbands' hand and sprinted.

They needed to find their people and the chaos was driving them further away.

Dashing down a corridor, they rounded a corner, "Where are they?" she yelled over the shouting that surrounded them.

Before he could answer, they quickly came knocking into another body.

"Luna?"

"Artemis. Draco..." she rushed out and checked over their appearance, which looked far cleaner than hers, "congratulations on the wedding," she smiled at the wedding bands and then pointed her wand between their two faces which drove them to duck, "Petrificus Totalus," and turn to see a bright light sprinting towards a death eater. The married couple stared up at her in awe, "You're welcome. I need to find my girlfriend."

Grabbing the witches hands, Draco pulled them away, "Do you have any clue where she is? Where they are?"

"The dungeons," noting their anger she explained, "Pansy... you know how she is, she can't help herself, it only drove Mcgonagall to send them all there. I doubt they're harmed, but I need her out especially-" she quickly was pulled back by Artemis.

Draco groaned and pulled out one of his knives and embedded it into the chest of a death eater that was aiming for the witches.

Artemis looked impressed and thankful, similar to Luna whose eyes beamed.

Before they could get attacked once more, Artemis thrust out her wand, "Sectumsempra," angeling her wand in such a way, that drew more cuts out of the wizard who attempted to curse Ginny Weasley, they all turned to her in shock. Before they all started fighting alongside each other, it was like a dance, a violent dance. Draco wasn't expecting his wife to use the spell that had almost killed her, but it did come in handy. "Luna move. Bombarda!"

They all senselessly moved in a circle, backing away from the tumbling infrastructure and blocking spells that charged at them.

"Bombarda maxima," Draco yelled.

Ginny pointed her wand, "Stupyfy!" that spell prevented Luna from getting hurt. Artemis knew Ginny was a fierce witch and even exceeded her brothers in some ways that she wasn't acknowledged for. She was steadily regretting not inviting the Gryffindors to join the Dons all those years ago. "Oi Malfoy," the Weasley motioned behind him.

He quickly released another knife, which landed between the eyes of Amycus Carrow.

"Ugly fucker," Ginny grinned then quickly grimaced when the blood splattered across their faces.

"Dinfindo," a light escaped Artemis' wand and collided with a pillar that sliced it in half, sending it tumbling down and onto a few duelers and breaking many windows making them all wince, "Run!" she screamed when she noticed inferi were gunning for them.

Every corner they turned, there was an enemy. every dead body they looked upon, was someone familiar, a friend, a housemate. The ghosts, the paintings hanging from walls containing ex-students and professors; all ran scared. And who could blame them?

Their school, their castle, the one place they found solace was now a heartbreaking abyss.

Just when Ginny was about to duck down, Artemis dragged her to the side, saving her from a flying ball of fire.

"Thanks, Don Slytherin," she whispered, making her brown eyes briefly widen before she recalled what she advised Astoria to do during her stay at Hogwarts.

"You too Don Gryffindor," Artemis winked, and then they quickly turn back to Luna and Draco who just dodged another hex, luckily Luna deflected.

Ginny screamed her infamous hex that tunnelled for a snatcher, causing large bats to fly out of his nose, rendering him panicking and shrieking in fear as he tried seeking help from those around him, only to be struck down by Li Mei who knocked him unconscious.

"How dare he try and hurt you," The Zhong witch feigned shock as she sent another dark witch flying.

"The nerve of him," Ginny retorted with a smirk.

Li Mei turned to Artemis who grinned, "Routledge was looking for you, you know," she turned to Luna, "You as well Luna. the Jones brothers told her there was a way to escape the school through the Hufflepuff common room. Hoffman is helping as well."

"There is a way out through there if you can try and get people to go there —shit," Artemis quickly blocked another body-binding hex.

Appearing around the corner Pavarti dragged them all backwards, watching as more dark witches and wizards noticed them.

"To get to the Hufflepuff common room you have to get to the kitchens and, fuck—" Draco cursed, sneering when he noticed Yaxley preparing to shoot a spell their way. Everyone turned towards him and lifted their wands, yelling just as the death eater did.

"Avada Kedev—"

"Crucio-" Artemis bellowed over her friends inflicting a great deal of pain onto Yaxley whose knees buckled and writhed on the floor. She stumbled backwards when she realised what she just did, Draco and Luna made sure to hold her up. Using the spell that got her father killed, she looked more uncomfortable than shocked, nevertheless, they all raced away, "Merda."

"You're okay. Look at me," Draco cupped his wife's face, "You're fine."

Artemis squirmed, "I know. I know and he's not dead."

"He should be," Ginny murmured, then turned to Pavarti, "Lavander is looking for you, last I saw of her, she was near the great hall," she looked at Li Mei, "You should come we me."

"Shit, I have to go, thank you! Be safe you lot," the Patil witch quickly ran with her wand at the ready.

"I need to find my mum," Ginny breathed out, grabbing Li Mei's hand, "We gotta go, stay alive!"

Li Mei sent them smiles, "Watch your backs!"

"Dungeons?" Artemis turned to her husband and Luna.

Draco grabbed her hand and made sure Luna wasn't far behind them.

"Lu, If you see Daph, don't tell her about the wedding, she'll kill me," she worried about how her best friend would take the news.

"And I suppose we can't have that, don't worry my lips are sealed," Luna agreed, then exclaimed, "Get down," her wand directed at a death eater after the married couple moved out of the way, "Incendio," fire blasted out of her wand, "can't be too careful."

Draco gulped, "Crazier than you, Arty,"

Artemis playfully rolled her eyes, "Shut it."

***

ROOM OF REQUIREMENT

"It's not my fucking fault Pans wanted to call Potter out, not that I blame her plus half of us are battling against our parents D, besides someone of the useless lot would be safer in the dungeons," Blaise spoke.

Draco groaned, "I don't care, I need my wand. I already had to break you out of the dungeons with my mothers."

Blaise scoffed at him, "Alright next time just leave us there."

"Next time I will."

Artemis whined, "Both of you shut it, it's been months since we've seen each other and you think arguing will help?"

"Don't you know, it's how we show love," Blaise quipped and pulled his cousin in for a hug. Has she grown? She looks so tired, exhausted like me. She wrapped her arms around him tightly breathing him. The last time they did this was almost a year ago. "I've missed you cugina."

"I've missed Cugino," pulling away she grinned, but their wands dropped to the floor with the quickness of their movements, "fuck."

They rushed to pick them up, without looking, not knowing that they were holding the wrong ones.

Draco quickly threw his arms around the boy, who squeezed the life outta him, leaving Gregory to grow more envious, nevertheless, he rolled his eyes as the godbrothers chuckled into each other. He's grown just like his hair, Draco thought, smells better than me too.

"Let's get going," Gregory insisted, "I spotted Potter going into the room of requirement."

Draco tensed slightly at the mention of the room, which Blaise felt, nevertheless, they agreed and pulled away.

They all began to rush once again.

"Yeah, this needs to be quick. Daph is with Tori. Theo told me he's going to get Dean and more students and get them out," Blaise informed.

Artemis frowned, yes they broke the Slytherins out of the dungeons using the explosive spell, but she didn't catch a glimpse of Theo and Daphne or even Astoria and Pansy, and she needed to hug them and never let go.

"Aurora is helping the Hufflepuffs," Artemis added "Pans must be with Luna now."

"and Vincent is out there as well," Gregory added, tired of hearing of the half-bloods they all grew close to.

"And Vincent," Artemis reassured.

They all entered the room and rounded the corner, towers of items loomed and they heard the bubbling voices of the golden trio.

But when they reached the area all they saw was Harry.

Draco and Gregory's wand went up, which Artemis thought was unnecessary. All they needed was Draco's wand, not a full-blown duel.

Blaise just stood on the other side of his cousin, keeping her close as he shifted uncomfortably not liking the atmosphere he felt, something was... off he just couldn't put his finger on it.

"Well well, what brings you here Potter?" Draco says, raising his mother's wand at Harry.

"Could ask you all the same thing" Harry replied, his eyes flickered over to the Seramore witch who simply rolled her eyes.

"Enough of the dramatics boys, Draco needs his wand back," she nodded to her husband, then glanced around wondering where Hermoine and Ron disappeared to, "Where's your friends?"

"Where's yours?" Harry retorted, earning a snort from the witch, then he turned back to a glaring Draco, "What's wrong with the wand you have now?"

"It's my mothers, it's powerful, but it's not the same" Draco responded, "it doesn't quite understand me. Know what I mean?"

"Why didn't you tell her, Bellatrix?" Harry questioned suddenly, not caring about the wands in the slightest. The married couple exchanged a cautious look at the sudden change in conversation, ignoring the looks from Blaise and Gregory, "You both knew it was me, you didn't say anything."

He ended his sentence looking at Artemis, waiting for her answer since she was the first to cover for him, almost effortlessly.

So she said, "You know why."

"Say it then, I need to hear you say it, all cards on the table," he grew serious and she rolled her shoulders back.

"We didn't need you getting caught did we?" She responded hastily, wanting to get out of the room and not liking his deflection, "Now you know that give Draco his wand."

Harry ignored her command, wanting her honest answer, "Come on Artemis."

"Give my godbrothers his wand Potter," Blaise spoke up for the first time, drawing his attention.

"Not until they say why."

Artemis groaned at his stubbornness, "The Dark Lord would've killed you,"

"Isn't that what you want?" He asked, cocking his head to the side, making Draco sneer.

"We didn't want to do any of this, we have no other choice, Potter, we have to..." Draco said, raising his voice.

"Artemis did," Harry countered.

She shook her head, "I wouldn't have left him alone."

Draco darkly chuckled, "She even married me to prove that point."

"What?!'' Everyone screeched at the news and Artemis turned to her husband in annoyance.

Blaise gawked, "Husband? You married him without me?" his eyes narrowed onto their wedding bands he neglected to see before, "you bastards!" he cursed.

"I'll tell you everything when Draco gets his wand back," she patted his shoulder, not wanting to dwell.

Suddenly Ron ran up to his best friend with a broad smile that quickly faded after noticing the stand-off that was happening.

"4 against 1, that's hardly fair," Ron stated, confused as to what was going on and went to reach for his wand.

Noticing the action and having enough of all the chatter, Gregory shot a spell towards the Gryffindors.

"Goyle!" Blaise screeched as a spell was sent back to him, which he tried deflecting, but something was wrong with his wand.

"Stupefy," Ron yelled and Artemis dragged Draco towards the side before he was hit.

Hermoine rushed to the commotion and soon they all began sending spells and jinxes towards each other, some worse than the others.

Soon the Slytherins turned and ran the other way, trying to find their way out of the plethora of random objects, becoming far too claustrophobic.

"That's my girlfriend you numpties!" Ron shouted, following them.

"I got it," Blaise thought quickly. Unexpectedly fire shot out of the wand uncontrollably, "My fucking wand isn't working. Something is wrong with it," they all backed away, scared of the overwhelming flames creeping towards them.

Artemis screamed, "Wait Blaise stop, it's not right, that's my wand."

She reached to get it off of him, but the flames were almost impossible to control.

"Fiendfye," she whispered, realising what he had conjured up, "it won't stop."

A screaming Ron started to run away from the powerful flames, "Ahhh! Zabini set the bloody place on fire!"

"Ah, Merda!" Blaise could feel the heat against his skin and began quivering, "Arty!"

Every which way they turned more fire appeared.

Soon Gregory unintentionally began shooting more fire, making the flames enlarge.

"Goyle!" Draco shouted as a blanket of dread covered them.

Artemis winced, "It can't stop!"

Blaise was tugged backwards by Draco, helping him avoid the fire.

"The dream. It's just like the dream. Stop it," Draco hissed at Gregory.

"What dream?" the cousins shout.

"The dream where Arty — she falls, she falls into the fire...we need to leave here," realisation dawned on the cousins as Draco spoke, "No! No! No! No!" he screeched, knowing what they were thinking.

Artemis' eyes watered, "Blaise..."

Blaise shook his head, "We have to get out!"

The wand he held was dangerous and he had to get rid of it.

"It's the prophecy,"

Children of Icarus, whispers encircled the cousins, deafening them with their words, be careful of the rooms you enter. They exchanged tearful glances before Blasie vigorously shook his head.

Blaise threw the wand into the fire, hoping it would stop when it blocked them in. 

"Stop saying it no it isn't, we'll get out of here Arty. You'll get out of here," he promised her and ignored the anger on Draco's face as well as the pain-filled look on his cousin's.

Gregory joined Blaise and threw his wand in, only to make the fire increase.

Artemis grabbed Blaise's hand, not letting him sacrifice for her, she wouldn't.

"We have to climb," Draco yelled, hating how they seemed to be giving up, "hurry!" Gregory already started climbing to his right, whilst he picked up Artemis and forced her onto the slanted building off of the tower, Blaise quickly followed, "Come on."

The fire was picking up, creeping after them heated stalker.

"Keep going," he yelled, making sure the objects were holding onto were sturdy before moving up. He kept glancing down, worried that the fire was getting closer. They couldn't stop. He also needed to ensure that Artemis was above him, which she thankfully was, "Blaise Hurry!"

Blaise didn't stop moving, Children of Icarus, he gripped onto anything he could find as he climbed.

They were nearing the top and Artemis looked down for the first time, she was scared, the most scared she'd ever been. Being at the death eater meeting had absolutely nothing on this. Us Seramores live between life and death. She didn't even realise she was crying.

The fire wasn't the only thing that scared them, it was the smoke which was poisoning the air around them.

"Draco..." Artemis cried as she climbed, almost stopping when the others were a little bit behind her. Children of Icarus! The voices roared.

"Don't you dare stop Arty!" Draco bellowed, trying not to inhale the smoke around them. "Don't turn around, keep on going!"

The closer they moved to the top, the slippier and harder it got to grab onto things.

Reaching for a random box, Gregory thought he was safe, not noticing how loose it was making him lose his balance with his arm slipping taking the box with it as he fell.

The fire broke his fall and welcomed him with open arms, swallowing his every scream and yell.

The emerald trio turned in horror as they realised what happened.

Gregory Goyle was dead.

Draco was the first to turn back, swallowing his fears and screaming, "Keep going, please!" He couldn't lose them just like he lost Gregory, they might have not been close anymore, but they were in each other's lives since they were children. "Please keep going!"

"Draco..." Artemis couldn't get over what she saw, but that didn't matter to Blaise. Children of Icarus. He reached and grabbed her hand, placing it near his so they could climb onto the top. "He's dead. Gregory —"

"Take my hand!" ignoring her sobbing, Draco pulled her up and then Blaise.

They scoured the inflamed room, every tower, every path was ruined. They were stuck.

"How... " Blaise began to cough on the smoke, it was filling up his lungs quickly. be careful of the rooms you enter, "There's no way out!"

Artemis couldn't think of a single thing, no escape plan, nothing. Her wand was destroyed and she didn't want to risk using Blaise's. Draco looked around panicked, he wanted to save them, from the flames, his nightmare and the possibility of the prophecy coming true. But he couldn't.

It was happening.

They were living it.

Their fears obstructed their sight and their movements led the platform to tumble and slide down.

They screamed and reached to grab the top once more, screaming and crying at the fire dancing around their feet.

"We're gonna die!" Artemis tried her hardest to maintain her grip.

"No, we're not," Blaise promised, catching the sight of the three Gryffindors flying through the flames on brooms.

Seeing the state they were in, Harry glanced back as they neared the exit, "We can't leave them!"

Hermione read his mind and turned around also, despite never being the best at flying. Ron was more reluctant but followed anyway.

"If we die for them Harry, I'm gonna kill you!" Ron screamed, clutching his broom as he and his two best friends raced from the blazing inferno that was the room of requirement.

"We have to save them!" Harry yelled looking down at three Slytherins, that desperately clutched onto a tower of archaic objects that shook with their weight.

Tears streamed down the emerald trio's cheeks as the flames drew closer.

"Artemis!" Harry's voice just caught her attention.

"Potter!" Blaise screamed, watching as he came closer.

Artemis' grip tightened because she was struggling to hold on.

"Save them!" she screamed and pushed her Draco onto Harry's broom, luckily he was pulled on.

She ignored her husband's yells as she turned to her cousin and then glanced back at Ron who nodded at her.

The tower was about to tumble from the pressure and a decision had to be made.

The heat crept up on the cousins and kissed their skin, spreading its burning arms and awaiting with venomous welcome.

"Arty don't you dare!"

Artemis ignored Blaise's pleading, looking at the golden trio, as she screamed, "Save them!"

"Arty!" Blaise and Draco bellowed.

But before she could object Hermoine grabbed her and pull her onto her broom, leaving Blaise alone.

Just as he went to grab Ron's extended arm an enlarged flame inched up his leg.

Blaise screamed at his burning skin, which caused his grip to loosen and fall...

"Blaise!" Artemis' gut-wrenching scream mimicked her cousin's.

"Ron!" Hermoine screeched.

Draco and Harry both turned around and yelled not seeing Ron or Blaise, the flames were almost reaching their ceiling and they couldn't locate their friends.

They had to get out before they were all dead.

"No! No! No!" sobs wrecked Artemis' body after having seen her cousin disappear.

But just when they all thought the worst, Ron's voice carried through the room.

Looking up the four noticed two people, one badly injured fly out of the room, which lead the rest to follow, not sure if they were seeing was a hallucination or not.

Harrowingly escaping the room, they dropped from the brooms and smacked the ground below.

Artemis' sobbed into the ground, smacking the surface as Harry turned and throw Diadem being thrown into the room as the doors slammed, protecting them from the impending flames.

"Draco!" she screamed, "Blaise is—"

"Here!" Ron's coughed out, peeling off the ground and moving to reveal the Zabini wizard.

Blaise wailed at the boils coating his neck and burns to etch into his left arm. It hurt so much, never had he experienced so much pain. He sobbed and groaned whenever he tried to move but nothing worked.

Draco crawled like a madman towards his friend, jaw-dropping at his sizzling leg, scarring arm and soot-covered face.

"Blaise!" Artemis rushed forward despite the pain gnawing at her body, stunned by her cousin's appearance. He's not dead, "you're gonna be okay," she promised over his screams and Draco's murmuring of healing spells.

"I-I told you I would get you out," Blaise whispered and then gasped for air.

"Bloody hell—" Ron took a step back when he realized how injured he was. Luckily he managed to grab him before the flames got to him first.

Hermoine slapped a hand over her mouth, just as Harry turned around to see the commotion after feeling part of the Horcrux shiver through him.

He quickly let out a sigh of relief after seeing his best friend, but just as a smile kissed his lips the cries belonging to three Slytherin's caught his attention.

"Artemis," he tentatively stepped forward, gulping when he saw a writhing Blaise on the ground, with burns nearly kissing his handsome face, "Blaise," his name escaped the green-eyed boy.

"Harry just go and kill the snake," Artemis didn't turn to him as she spoke, nor did she realize what else she said for the first time in years. 

"Harry?" Harry repeated, stunned that she actually said his name.

"Kill the snake, Potter," Draco croaked out, not taking his eyes off Blaise.

Out of the 7, now 6 of them, the Slytherins engulfed most of the smoke as well as the flames.

Wanting to help, Hermoine went to step forward but a quick head shake from Artemis stopped her. She mouthed a quick 'go' along with a grateful look towards Ron who had fortunately minimal injuries before turning back to her cousin.

Blaise didn't hear the three of them leave after that as he went in and out of consciousness, the shaking voice of his godbrothers reciting spells to keep him comfortable barely reached him but what did was Artemis' constant promises and pleads...

"Keep those brown eyes open," she whispered, "You're gonna be alright."

But did she truly believe her words?

***

HOGWARTS CORRIDOR

"Theo!" Draco tearfully yelled as he and Artemis made their way to the boy who stood alongside his boyfriend after duelling with Rodulphus Lestrange.

"Arty, I've missed you — Where's Blaise I felt something was wrong with the necklaces?!"

Draco and Artemis were dosed in smoke and soot, but the sight of wailing and an injured Blaise, who was slowly lowered to the ground.

"Blaise!" Daphne rushed over to her fiancé, completely hysterical.

Artemis choked back a sob in Theo's arms. The boy was an emotional wreck after seeing Blaise whilst she didn't even realise that this was how they were reuniting. Under such torture, such tragedy.

Dean gawked at Blaise in shock. After helping Kingsley Shacklebolt, he found his boyfriend and Daphne, the witch was surprisingly helping Susan Bones.

"Daph," Draco averted his eyes to look directly at the pair of his friends who he hadn't seen in what felt like a lifetime "You need to get him out of here."

Daphne couldn't stop her tears, "What happened? What happened to my love?"

"D-Daph, sweetheart don't cry," Blaise tried speaking, through the smoke burning his lungs. "N-not over me."

"Goyle is dead," Artemis informed, completely numb from the pain she felt.

Blaise wheezed, "M-my fault. The fire."

Artemis didn't mean to snap at him, "It's not your fault and stop talking, it won't help. Our wands got mixed up and —"

Draco cut them off, "—We'll explain after when he's healed. Now we need to get him to Mente Striae!"

***

MENTE STRIAE

"Where's the blood? Where's Elijah's blood?" Draco scourged the room, knocking over plants and books altogether, whilst Theo laid Blaise out on the table with Dean's help.

Artemis just stood in shock and squeezed her cousin's hand. Blaise tried gripping onto her, but he didn't have the energy, his muscles were weakening as was his ability to breathe. Daphne quickly ran over to them and sobbed, trying her best to use her best friend's healing spell but it failed because the second-degree burns ran too deep — and the magic was cursed or was it dark, either way, they felt doomed.

"We used the rest of it on Dean," Theo apologetically informed Draco who tensed and turned to the couple.

"I'm so sorry," Dean panicked, feeling so guilty, he couldn't look at Artemis, fearing what she'll do to him.

"You should be. He could die because of you!" Draco raged and rushed over.

"Don't blame him," Theo snapped, pushing him back, protecting his boyfriend from a mean black eye. "He didn't do this to Blaise!"

Daphne wasn't focused on the fighting going on behind her, all she could focus on were the growing boils and sizzling skin.

Theo gritted, "You're not helping, you mindless git!"

"Blaise insisted that I used it," Dean meekly confessed.

"It's n-not his fault," Blaise choked out.

"I'm trying to heal him b-but it's not working," Daphne choked back her sobs, all while Blaise mustered up a painful smile, "the bandaging charm won't be enough, it will b-barely help the boils, not the burns, but he has smoke in his lungs! He won't be able to breathe!"

The witches' hands senselessly gravitated to each other, pinkies linking together like they were never apart. Months had passed by since they were in the same space, same room or same building and the boy who they loved unconditionally, being struck so gravely injured, was what pulled them together again.

"We need to get him home," Artemis spoke up for the first time. Her coarse voice and wide eyes had them more anxious.

She settled Blaise's wand down next to him, not wanting to handle it anymore. It was the reason they were in this mess.

Pulling off his jumper, Theo quickly placed it under Blaise's head, preventing him from feeling any more discomfort.

Theo's eyes darted between the married couple, "You two need to get out of here, we can handle it. You need to make sure the rest of us are safe and Potter does what he needs to do."

"I'm not leaving my brother!" Draco almost cried, "Not now. I can't leave him."

"D-Draco, mate it's okay, I'll be alright—"a harsh coughing fit overtook Blaise, worrying them all when blood started coating his tongue, "A-arty, get out of here you have a school to save."

She shook her head, "No, you're fucking bleeding, coughing up blood Blaise!" she screeched as tears coated her face, "We shouldn't leave you."

"Do it, listen to me, g-go," he pleaded, allowing Dean to nervously wipe the blood around his mouth, "S-stay safe..."

"We've got him," Daphne rushed over to the married couple, wrapping arms around them and squeezing them ever so tightly.

It shouldn't be like this. Not at all, they should be reuniting in triumph, not like this.

"Go," she whispered to both of them.

"I love you," Artemis confessed, drawing a bittersweet smile on their faces, she said it. They all, but Draco thought.

"I love you too."

"Love you Daph," Draco mumbled, pulling away and grabbing his wife's hand. "Dean..."

"I know," Dean knew didn't mean to blame him, but he couldn't help but feel guilty.

"Theo," Draco sent another apologetic look towards the boy.

"I love you too," Theo spoke as tears poured down his face, "both of you, now go."

With one kiss pressed to Blaise's soot-covered forehead, they disapparated, leaving a sobbing Theo who continuously tried looking for at least a drop of vampire blood to relieve his closest friend of some pain, even a little and it would be okay. Dean kept muttering episkey that didn't do much to help.

There wasn't any Dittany in the room, to help speed up the healing process and they were sure there were barrels of it in the Seramore manor.

"You'll be okay my love," Daphne promised, pushing his hair out of his face and gripping his hand.

Blaise started crying again, "It hurts so much."

Apparating into Mente Striae only added to the agony and for once the room of serenity did not help.

Daphne nodded, "I know handsome."

"Am I still handsome? Tell me that I am, please tell me even if it's a lie."

He doubted if he could look in the mirror after this. He would hate himself, not only because he would have to live a life disfigured but because Daphne would have to live with him too.

"Even more than you were this morning," Daphne said honestly, though she doubted he would believe her in a time like this.

"Do you still love me?"

"Always," she said without hesitation.

Her blue eyes narrowed onto his chest when she noted it wasn't rising quickly anymore.

He wasn't coughing as much and his eyes fluttered and rolled.

"I thought I was gonna die," Blaise whispered, with a small pain-filled smile.

"You promised me some babies, so not bloody likely," she tried joking, but he couldn't laugh, it hurt too much.

Theo urgently rushed over to them, "We need to get him to the Seramore manor, Ophelia told me that's where she and Elijah were staying. They can only help there, not here... that fucking treaty," he snapped making Dean jump, "we need to get him back to England."

"I'm sorry Blaise," Dean apologised again.

"It's... alright... mate..." Blaise breathed out slowly just before his eyes fluttered shut and his grip on Daphne's hand limped, making them all scream,

"Blaise!"

***

a/n:

...children of icarus.