CHAPTER SIX
' the cries of battle '
VIOLENCE WARNING.

   AURORA woke to Dean hovering over her, eyes wide and breathing in short huffs, clearly out of breath.

   "Dean? You're back? What's going on? Did the Carrows take someone to the dungeons again?" Aurora tossed her blankets to the side, standing up to place her hands on Dean's shoulders, trying to calm him down.

   "It's Harry."

   "What? Is he okay?"

   "He is here. So are Hermione and Ron. Neville sent the message to gather the D.A. on the old galleons. I just got here with Luna. We have to hurry." Dean turned on his feet, tossing one of Ginny's Quidditch jumpers at Aurora from the foot of her bed.

   She glanced around her at the kids stirring awake in the Room of Requirement, rushing towards the back of the room. She brushed her fingers through her curls after pulling the jumper over her tank top and jeans, sliding her feet into her trainers and tucking her wand into her waistband.

She pulled the notebook given to her by Hermione from under her pillow, shrinking it with her wand and slipping it into her back pocket. Following Hermione's advice she had written months ago, she also shrunk a small bag with some of her belongings, slipping it into her other pocket should they have to flee.

Pushing the curtain out of the way, she eyed the crowd that had gathered at the back of the room, weaving her way through the crowd until she saw them.

Harry stood in the middle, eyes widening when they landed on Aurora and before he had a moment to register it, she had flung herself in his arms. "Merlin, you're lucky I'm so happy to see you, or else I'd hex you for making me worry so much."

Aurora smiled as Harry brushed her curls from her face, dropping a brotherly kiss to her head, "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Bambi." Aurora let him go before exchanging smiles with Hermione and Ron, "So, it's time to kick Death Eater arse?"

AURORA rounded the corner quietly, eyes darting around as she crept around. The sounds of the castle crumbling and shouting filled her ears.

They had refused to give Harry up and Voldemort was angry. Some students had fled the castle while most stayed behind to fight— including Blaise and Theo.

"Aurora!"

Aurora spun on her heel, eyes wide at the voice, "Dad?"

Liam advanced towards his daughter, tugging her into another corridor before pulling her into a hug, "You need to go to the Hogs Head right now and get out."

"Dad, I'm staying."

"Like hell you are!"

"Dad, I have to fight."

Liam stared down at her before he sighed, "All those years ago when I told you I hoped you would be a Gryffindor, I take it back."

"I love you too, Dad."

"Be safe, love."

Aurora turned on her feet and took off in a sprint when she heard a scream. She looked over her shoulder one last time for a final look at her father.

SHE had made it to the front of the building before she encountered a Death Eater. A green light flashed beside her and she jumped, eyes moving to Thorus Nott. Her gaze hardened as she brandished her wand.

   "Miss me, pet?"

   "Afraid not," Aurora dodged another curse, "your son has been keeping me warm."

   Thorus glared, rolling his shoulders as he neared her, "You'll regret that."

   Aurora twisted away from him, sending a slicing hex to his ankle, "Make me."

   Thorus winced as he surged forward, sending his own slicing hex to her side, grinning as her blood seeped through her jumper. Aurora pressed one hand against the wound, using her dueling hand to throw curses at the man. Ducking behind a slab of stone, she threw up a Protego as Nott followed her.

   When he got close enough, she discarded her wand, punching him across the face. Stumbling slightly— he spat blood out beside him before gazing down at her. His lip curled back as he surged forward, grabbing a fistful of her hair and slamming her head against the stone.

   Aurora winced— blood coating her curls as her vision faded in and out. Thorus grinned, returning a hit that made her stumble to her knees, fingers reaching for her wand. She but back a scream as he stepped forward, pressing her fingers beneath the heel of his foot. Using her free hand, she grabbed onto his ankle, nails digging into the skin until she pulled back. Just as her fingers grasped her wand, ropes wrapped around her body, stopping her from making any movements.

   Thorus smirked from above her, "Perhaps the Dark Lord will let me keep you after this, pet."

   Just as Thorus raised his wand, a body stepped between them.

   Theo growled protectively in front of Aurora, shielding her from his father who smirked before him. "Hello, son. Come to save your pet, have you?"

   Aurora struggled against her binds, watching as Theo glared at his father. "This is between us."

   "Always so dramatic, Theodore." Thorus turned to look at Aurora, "It's pathetic, really. Your mother made you weak."

   "Says the man who got locked up in Azkaban after losing a fight to a fourteen-year-old," Theo cocked his head, "the daughter of a Muggle and Muggleborn at that."

   "Crucio,"

   Aurora watched as Theo fell beside her, body withering as an anguished scream cut through the air. Theo clamped his mouth shut as he pulled himself up onto his feet, pulling out his wand. "I'm not eleven anymore, father."

"No, you're not."

Aurora struggled against the ropes as Theo and his father dueled. Theo was quick on his feet, but his father was ruthless. There was a moment where Aurora had hope— Theo had managed to stun his father in the chest but the moment Theo turned to her— that mischievous glint in his eye as though he were going to make a joke, a curse Aurora didn't know was murmured.

The binds on her loosened as Theo dropped to his knees, dropping his wand as his hands came to press against his neck. Aurora removed towards him, blood gushed from his neck, some of it spraying onto Aurora.

   He choked as he tried to speak to her, fingers reaching up and brushing her cheek, "Rory, I,"

   She shushed him, her tears falling onto his cheeks as she held her hand to his neck, soaking her skin in his blood. "I know, love. I love you too."

   Theo nodded, lips pulling back into a content smile, teeth red from blood pooling in his mouth. He met her eye one last time before his eyes fluttered shut and his breathing ceased.

   Theodore Nott would never tell a joke again.

Aurora wiped the tears that had fallen, unintentionally spreading Theo's blood across her cheeks before staring up at his father. Her eyes narrowed as she reached over, pulling her wand into her hands.

"Come on pet, get your wand," he taunted, twirling his wand between his fingers, "let's see what Theo's pet Mudblood has in her, huh?"

Aurora cocked her head to the side, her glare hardening as she stared at the man, a smirk working its way onto her face when he fell to his knees with a yelp.

"What are you doing?"

"What? A pureblood like you can't figure out what a weak little witch like me is doing?"

   Thorus glared up at Aurora from his place beneath her, wand clutched in his hand. "You are no witch."

Aurora quirked an eyebrow, "Is that so? Tell me then, how am I using magic on you without speaking or using my wand?"

"You filthy,"

"Sectumsepra," the curse fell from Aurora's lips easily, because with every bone in her body— she meant it.

Thorus choked on his words, hands reaching up to the cuts that scattered his chest, growing in size as the slashes coated his skin in blood.

Aurora lowered herself to be eye level with him, paying no attention to the way the blood spattered her clothes and face, "Defeated by a Mudblood, what would your precious Dark Lord think of you now?"

With a final look, she stood up, shaking turning around, and falling beside Theo's body. Blood coated any of her uncovered skin as she brushed her thumbs against his cheeks. Screams echoed around her, jumping off the walls. "I'm going to come back for you love, I promise."

Shakily making her way to stand, she threw up the strongest disillusionment spell she could muster over Theo's motionless body before swiveling on her feet.

   HARRY stumbled upon Aurora as she dueled two Death Eaters. Her hair whipped around as she narrowly ducked a curse, straightening herself out as she stunned one of the masked duelists, focusing her attention on the other.

   Harry's voice cried out when the man grabbed her by the hair, yanking as she winced. His grip loosened when the Crucio left Harry's lips, leaving the man to drop to his knees before Aurora.

  Aurora gulped, fingers tightening around her wand as the man dropped, withering at her feet. Her head twisted to view Harry, "You should be hiding."

   Harry shook his head. "Listen, I don't have much time. I already spoke to Neville. I am going into the Forest."

   The Forbidden Forest.

   Aurora pointed her wand in his direction, "If you're thinking about turning yourself over, I'll stun you right now."

   "Rory, listen to me, I have to do this. I have a plan. Dumbledore has been putting everything into place for this since my parents died."

   "What the fuck are you on about?"

   "Tom. He accidentally created another Horcrux the night my parents died. It's time for it to die."

   It suddenly all fell into place inside Aurora's mind. The scar. The parseltongue. The nightmares.

   "Harry,"

   "You can't stop me."

   "I wasn't going to. I'm coming with you."

   "They'll kill you," Harry shook his head.

   "You can't do this alone."

   "I'm not alone," Harry held up a snitch, a small smile gracing his face, "I'm never alone. I need you to do something for me."

   "Anything."

   "When Tom brings my body, which we both know he will, promise me you will keep Ginny from doing anything, protect her. I have a plan."

   Aurora met his gaze, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat before giving him a nod, "Okay, I promise I'll protect her."

   "Try not to die while I'm gone."

   "I'll try my hardest," Aurora tried to smile, her vision blurring as tears clouded her vision, "I have a nasty habit of pissing Death Eaters off."

   AURORA pushed past the students running, shouting the password to the gargoyle, and rushing into the Headmaster's office. Harry had given her all the information she needed to confirm all the suspicion she had about her former Headmaster. With narrowed eyes she approached Dumbledore's painting, seething as the man smiled at her.

   "The end has come my dear, hasn't it?" Dumbledore continued to smile, "Harry has seen what is to come just moments ago, I assume that is why you are here?"

   "You disgust me."

   "One day, you will,"

   Aurora's voice cut him off, aware of the other portraits watching them with curiosity. "Do not go on some condescending rant. You raised Harry to die. You allowed him to live with the Dursleys, knowing well that they were abusive. You planned everything." Aurora stepped closer to his portrait, "Tell me, why did you have James Potter's invisibility cloak the night he died?"

   His eyes flashed and he folded his hands on his lap. "Now, child, this will all be over soon and you will understand the sacrifices made for the greater good."

   "Greater good, my arse. You are bloody lucky you're already dead," Aurora growled, fingers tightening around her wand.

   Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Is that so?"

   Aurora felt her hair crackle as Dumbledore mocked her. Drawing in a deep breath, she straightened out her posture, meeting Dumbledore's eyes through the painting, "One of your gravest mistakes was underestimating of your students. You underestimated Tom Riddle, and so every speck of blood that stains the stones of this castle today is on you. Take your 'greater good' and shove it up your arse." She turned on her heel, moving to leave before looking over her shoulder once more, "I'll be back once we win and I'm going to burn your painting. Because bastards like you don't deserve glory."

   AURORA held her palm flats against her side, trying to keep pressure on the largest wound on her body. She stumbled slightly as she limped into the Great Hall. Bile rose in her throat as she saw the beaten and still bodies of her classmates.

   The Great Hall which had once been filled with laughter and joy was now filled with cries and despair.

   Blood covered her body from head to toe— matting her curls and sticking her clothes to her skin.

   A flash of red hair being lowered onto the floor caught her eye as the Weasley family crowded around a body.

   Fred Weasley would never laugh or prank again.

   A sob caught in her throat as her legs finally gave out when she reached the stretcher. Ginny found her way into Aurora's arms, sobbing into the crook of her neck.

   Percy was mumbling above them, something about dying with laughter, how he had never apologized, and how he should've jumped in front of Fred.

   Ginny finally looked up at Aurora, "Where is Harry?"

"HARRY Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!"

"He beat you!" Ron's voice cut through the silence of the crowd, yelling of the Hogwarts students following.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds, killed while trying to save himself."

Aurora's hold on Ginny loosened when Neville ran past them. Her right arm shot out to grab him but missed him, fingers brushing his jumper.

There was a loud shout as a light flew towards Neville— hitting him in the center of the chest. He crumbled to the ground, face contorting in anguish.

Voldemort approached him, grabbing his wand and tossing it aside. "And who is this? Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?"

"It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord! The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?" Bellatrix giggled, swaying on her feet happily.

"Ah, yes, I remember. But you are a pureblood, aren't you, my brave boy?

"So what if I am?"

"You show spirit and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom."

"I'll join you when hell freezes over," Neville said defiantly. "Dumbledore's Army!"

A collective cheer rang out on Hogwart's side, a mixture of despair and pride.

"Very well. If that is your choice, Longbottom,
we revert to the original plan. On your head, be it."

Movement behind one of the pillars caught Aurora's eye, and she tugged Ginny behind her, slowly walking them back until they were at the back of the group.

"What are you doing?"

"Trust me," Aurora grabbed her hand, running to where she saw the movement. "He isn't dead."

"What?"

"He isn't dead. He has a plan."

Surprise filled her as she was met with the centaurs waiting behind the stone. In a hushed whisper, the one in front straightened their bow, looking down at Aurora and Ginny, "We have come to fight in the name of Harry Potter. You Know Who will reign no longer."

Ginny wiped her tears. "Took you bloody long enough to decide to fight alongside us."

Aurora eyes Ginny distastefully before turning to the centaur with a nod at the same time as she heard Neville's scream, flinching at the sound. "Listen, you guys storm the castle on my call, alright? The Death Eaters are gathered together in a line. Shoot to kill."

The head centaur nodded, turning to his comrades to relay the message. Ginny rolled her shoulders back, eyes flaming as she looked to her best friend. "What do you need me to do?"

"I've seen you be vicious before Gin, I need you to do that again. Any and all spells you know. The centaurs will help but we are outnumbered. Take as many down as you can."

   A small tug on her hand gained her attention as she looked down, eyes growing as she noticed the house-elves gathered behind them. Kreacher released her hand, holding up his knife, "We fight for Master Regulus."

   Aurora nodded, eyeing the locket that hung on Kreacher's neck. "On my signal."

   Creeping around one of the pillars, she held back the scream she desperately wanted to let go when she saw Neville, the burning sorting hat on his head. Closing her eyes for a second— she regained focus.

   Voldemort was watching the crowd, calculating their reaction. She needed to wait for the right moment. This was crucial. This was their leverage.

   It felt like an eternity had passed before his back finally turned to her and she whipped her head around, "Now."

   A collective uproar sounded as the centaurs pushed forward, trampling through the castle, arrows penetrating the chests of the unsuspecting Death Eaters. Ginny's red hair caught her eye as Ginny sat on the back of a female centaur— screaming with rage as she fired spells mercilessly.

   The house-elves moved forward, weaving through the crowd and rushing towards the Death Eaters— knives and cleavers in hand as they stabbed at the knees and legs. Kreacher led them into the battle— his locket shining brightly as he cried out in the name of Regulus Black.

   Aurora came out from her spot behind the pillar, running towards Neville and yanking the sorting hat from his head. He broke from the binds that held him still. A flash of silver had Aurora reaching into the hat, revealing a sword hidden inside of it. Her fingers grasped the cool silver, pulling it from the hat.

   Neville gestured to the sword, "The snake."

   Nagini was slithering towards them, mouth foaming and opening to expose her fangs. Aurora nodded to Neville, tossing the sword in his direction and tossing the hat behind her. She pulled out her wand, shielding Neville from any attacks.

   The sound of a slice silenced some of the yelling, Nagini's head falling feet away from Neville. He spun around, yelling as he sliced at a Death Eater— blood splattering his face. 

   Aurora ran after Greyback when she saw a glimpse of fur. Her mind had fully submitted to the thirst of the battle. And with Theo gone— Aurora was vengeful.

   Greyback barred his teeth at her, "Come to fight Girlie? You'll be a treat. Maybe the Dark Lord will let me keep ya. Smell good, ya do."

   Aurora calmly stepped forward, wand brandished in her hand, body soaked in both her blood and the blood of others. "No thanks. I think I'll mount your head on my wall when this is over." Her head tilted to the side as Greyback growled. "You're quite ugly but I'm sure I'll get over it after time."

   Greyback pounced with a snarl, jaws snapping as he tried to grab at her flesh. His fingers tried to grasp her, pull her into his touch. He was greedy. But Aurora was bitter.

   A killing curse was too generous.

   "Wingardium Leviosa,"

   She raised her wand, grinning as Greyback followed its movements in the air above her. She pouted at him as he growled, not saying a word. "Are you not going to beg?"

   "Girlie, I am no beggar."

   "Pity," Aurora swished her wand, a crack filling the air as Greyback slammed against the stone wall. She repeated the action until his blood painted the walls and his body slumpedt. She released him from the spell, not wasting time to see if he was breathing as she ran off.

   A crowd had shaped and Aurora merged into it, eyes falling on Harry and Voldemort who were dueling. Harry had called them off. It was between Harry and Tom.

   "Avada Kedavra!"

   "Expelliarmus!"

   Aurora sucked in a breath, eyes pursuing the Elder Wand as it flew from Voldemort's grasp and into Harry's. Voldemort's cry shook the castle as his body began to go to dust.

   "Avada Kedavra!"

   Harry went still as he sought out Ginny at Aurora's side. His lips twitched as he stumbled forward, his wands clattering at his side when he finally fell. His last spell was for Hogwarts. His last glance was for Ginny.

   Harry Potter would never catch a snitch again.

   Bellatrix's laughter was filled with glee as she lowered her wand, twirling on her feet as chaos broke around them.

   Aurora stood in place. Harry can't be dead. It had to be part of his plan. Harry can't be dead. Harry can't be dead. Bambi, please.

   It was Molly Weasley's shout that snapped her from her daze. Ginny had run towards Bellatrix Lestrange, wand raised and defiance on her face.

   She was beautiful. A vision of fury and wrath as she closed in on Bellatrix. An exclamation perishing on her lips as she fell to the ground.

   Ginny Weasley would never play Quidditch again.

   Bellatrix cackled manically before her mouth fell open, the end half of a sword thrusting through the other half of her stomach. As Bellatrix fell— Neville stood behind her— blood covering him, "That was for my mother and father you crazy bint."

   Aurora finally broke out into a run, spells shooting from the end of her wand before she could process them. Her head was throbbing, her feet were sore, and her mind was empty. She was numb. Ginny couldn't be dead. Ginny, her best friend, could not be dead.

   A Death Eater gained towards her and Aurora used every ounce of her wrath to destroy the man before her. She had never yearned to see blood spill beneath her but at that moment— she was keen to paint the walls with the blood of her foes.

   Hogwarts was falling. Tom Riddle was dead but his followers persisted. Harry Potter was dead and his supporters were still fighting. They would never stop fighting.

   A flash of green robes and dark skin snatched her attention. An unmoving Slytherin laying in a pool of blood. 

   Blaise Zabini would never sneak into the kitchens again.

   A glimpse of blond hair and dreamy blue eyes still in a daze was the next she saw. Her chest was no longer moving as an indication of life.

   Luna Lovegood would never feed thestrals again.

   A glance towards the broken castle had her running. The sword of Gryffindor laying on the ground in the debris as a bruised body lay lifeless beside it.

   Neville Longbottom would never tend to a plant again.

   Neville had been fine just moments ago when his knife punctured Bellatrix Lestrange. But in a blink of an eye— he had been slain. Aurora never got to tell him goodbye. She never told Ginny goodbye. Harry. Fred. Blaise. Luna. Theo.

   Aurora shielded herself as she plucked the sword. She was not going to die without a fight. Death Eaters advanced towards her only to meet their brutal end as she swung the sword, blood spraying and limbs falling.

   She finally acknowledged her cheeks were wet with her tears when her vision blurred. Gripping the sword in her hands, she ran towards where she knew she needed to be. Theo.

   She found his body amongst the many of the fallen. People still battling around them as the sword clattered to the floor. She fell to her knees beside him, heaving his cold body to her, head resting in her lap.

   The scream that had been creeping up inside of her— coursing through her veins and pumping in her blood— finally broke through. It cut through the air with vigor, the air around her brushing against her skin furiously as her curls whirled around her.

   Her eyes closed as she screamed. Her throat felt raw at the power within her outcry but it did not stop. Her eyes peeled open and the castle around her began to spin— her eyes filling with black spots as the wails and hollers around her slowly died down.

   Theo's body disappeared from her grasp as the world around her spun. The stone beneath her turned to grass as she fell onto her side. And with a final cry, darkness ultimately took over as her body and exhaustion won.

me popping up out of
nowhere, dropping a chapter,
and killing everyone: "hey :)"

let's pretend this chapter
isn't awful, okay?

copyright © -loonylupins