Chaos reappeared in the castle.

The fortress that had been Hogwarts just half an hour ago had fallen. The additional protections Maia and McGonagall had put in place in the courtyard had been burned to ashes. The knights were no longer protecting, the shields had been penetrated by even the most laggard of Death Eaters. Hogwarts was about to fall and the minutes were running out to repair the situation.

It was then that one of the closest pillars exploded and the swirling students realized what was happening. They fled in terror, barely aware of what had happened a few minutes ago, regardless of who they had by their side or who was casting spells at them from anywhere.

Maia was the last to come back to reality. A piece of the ladder detached and passed very close to her body, hitting the wall. She didn't have time to get on her guard, for Tonks had already taken her by the arm and was leading her the other way, along with Remus and Arthur, who had fortunately remained there.

Malfoy gripped the wand, now installed in her hand, in such a way that it almost looked like an extension of her own arm. She cast spells and curses left and right, hardly noticing who they collided with, but praying she had knocked down an opponent.

Her feelings were on the surface, it was understood every time a spell came out of her wand. Red sparks always accompanied attacking spells, while her protegos included an especially powerful aura. Bellatrix had just murdered her best friend in cold blood in front of her, and she was still furious, with a desire for revenge, but, above all, although it was overshadowed by anger at that moment, deeply sad.

She fought not to shed tears when he saw a tall boy with short hair and a black cape pass by, for anything seemed to remind her of him, and she succeeded when one of her curses knocked down the Death Eater who seemed to stalk them.

"You have to go," Tonks said grabbing her cheeks. "The rest of the Order is fighting near the Great Hall, which is where the Death Eaters must've come from. You will be safe there."

Maia shook her head repeatedly, still in her cousin's hands. "I won't leave you here alone. I will stay with you."

"I'm not alone. Remus is by my side. We will not let anything happen to the other, I promise," Tonks said with a small smile. Maia still doubted. "Trust me, please. When all of these ends, we will reunite. We'll have all the time that's been stolen from us. Be safe."

Against all odds, Maia threw herself into her cousin's arms, who squeezed her with the strengh she'd always wanted. And it is that Maia was the only thing left in her family that was still worth it, for which she was still willing to fight, the only one who still deserved a better future. Tonks brushed the dirt and some blood off her face, but she couldn't help the one that still lay on her skin and clothing. The corners of Tonks's lips twitched, and Maia could only follow her gaze to her clothes, infinite sadness returning to settle in her heart.

Maia didn't waste a second when she turned around, because she knew too well the feeling of not wanting to be separated from someone, and she knew it would happen again if she looked at Tonks again. So he listened to her and ran and ran, as fast as she could, through the corridors and through the rubble, stopping to fight on occasion with a classmate, who had given her an unexpected look of gratitude when a Death Eater decided to leave them alone.

The strangest case was that of Seamus Finnigan, who was literally fighting for his life, facing a Death Eater that Maia had once seen around her house but whose name she did not remember. The Gryffindor was sprawled on the ground, his temple bleeding and his wand yards from him, but luckily Maia was able to come to his rescue.

"Petrificus totalus!" And as tall as he was, the man fell to the ground. Maia could have done more than paralyze him, but she didn't want to disturb the calm Seamus probably craved and deserved so much. She threw the wand at him when she reached him, and helped him to his feet. "You should go get that checked. For now, just press the wound so it stops the blood flowing."

"Thanks, Malfoy."

Maia simply nodded; she didn't want to engage in more conversation than necessary. She walked as fast as she could to get away from the image of Seamus' face covered in blood, but she couldn't help but look at her hands and clothes and see them soaked in the red dye. Her insides churned, bile rose up her throat, and her brain kept blaming her that she had done nothing to stop her aunt. Her hands were shaking, the sobs were fighting their way out of her throat and she had no more strength to continue being something she was not.

She collided with a body smaller than hers as she turned the corner, and the strength that covered her face snapped back into position. She clenched her hands to stop their shaking and took a deep breath to regain control of her body.

Hermione Granger watched her, stunned. Why is it always covered in blood when I see her? Maia thought the Gryffindor was thinking, as the brunette's eyes instantly traveled to her belly. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment before neither could say anything.

"Hermione!" Ron called out to her from behind, as if he instantly knew she'd found something.

"She's here." The Gryffindor said in a small voice. "We've been looking for you. We heard what happened to you. Are you okay?"

"I just—" want to sleep, the girl wanted to say, but a tremor in her mind stopped her. She felt strangely weak, as if that had been the last straw for her strength to run out. She would soon know that the worst had not yet come.

"There's been a truce," the Gryffindor girl wanted to light the mood, but everyone around her —even herself— looked tired. "The Death Eaters have disappeared. Everyone is at the Great Hall, the nurses are there if you want to have that checked," Hermione pointed to her eyebrow, wondering whether to touch the wound with her finger or leave her privacy to the girl: she opted for the latter. "I guess everyone's just waiting for the end of it all."

"How noble of the Dark Lord, showing mercy," the blonde girl uttered, her head down.

The scene that awaited them on the other side of the doors was overwhelming. Dozens of bodies lying on stretchers, nurses walking from here to there with the intention of taking in some more wounded. Others had not been so lucky, had to face death face to face and had lost. Maia felt fortunate that she did not have to mourn any more losses but distressed that she could not mourn the deaths of those people she simply did not know.

Suddenly, Ron broke away from the group and advanced on various members of his family. Maia's heart skipped a beat then, taking in the situation: Ginny. Pure panic ran through her body when she saw Ronald crouching down on a stretcher, his face contorted and sobs attacking his chest. Maia's world came to a stop when she saw Ginny leaning against her siblings' shoulders.

Because the redhead was all that mattered. Ginny was fine, Ginny was safe, that was the only thing that could make sense right now. When their eyes met she felt sorry again for just thinking of the Gryffindor when there were other more seriously affected people around her. Fuck it, he thought.

She hugged the redhead with all her strength, feeling the youngest crying again but this time against her chest. If Ginny was fine but Ronald cried like that, someone hadn't been as lucky as they were. She brushed Ginny's hair away from her own face, and she could see how one of the twins was lying on the floor, his other brother crouched next to him, stroking his hair and mourning his loss.

Maia squeezed her eyes shut, the image of Eden coming back to her mind. She fought to push it away; she wanted to cry for him, she wanted to be able to give him the end he deserved, but this moment was for Ginny and only Ginny; she would have time to share her own miseries. She tenderly kissed the side of her head, inhaling the scent that her girlfriend's hair gave off.

"I'm so, so sorry, lovely," Maia kept repeating against Ginny's hair. She thought those were the only words she was worthy of saying.

Ginny seemed not to want to separate from the body of the older, who continued to hold her without putting any impediment. Oh, how many times had she wanted this, to feel her heart beat against her chest, to have her this close, but not in these conditions. She felt guilty just thinking about it.

"At least you're okay," Ginny managed to say, hiccups affecting the tone of her voice.

Maia's heart skipped a beat, and her eyes weren't able to meet the redhead's. She felt like a coward, a liar, for not telling her the truth even though she was aware that Ginny already knew all the details of what would happen that night. Just neither of the two girls wanted to believe that, for it to all end, Maia had to die.

"I will always be here."

Then she realized what it all meant. There was no future with Ginny, not even a present, if she thought about it. There would be no world where Maia Malfoy managed to live, grow up, become an adult with the redhead, watch Teddy grow up, enjoy the existence of a new world in which Voldemort was no longer living. Because she was the origin, but also the end.

She hugged the youngest once more to hide everything that crossed her mind. The Weasleys were still mourning the loss of one of their members, and Maia understood all the pain that her mere existence caused and would continue to cause if she did not act now.

Because yes, maybe she would always be with her, but not in the way that the redhead wanted.

She separated from her once more and joined their lips with all the love she could deposit in that kiss. She wanted, needed, for Ginny to be aware that what she had awakened in that cold heart had not been achieved by anyone else, she wanted the redhead to be sure that what she felt for her was real and genuine, and that this was the purest that she would never give her.

"I love you, I hope you know that. And that you understand the meaning and the depth of it. Please know that no matter what happens tonight, I'll look for you."

"Even if you don't make it tonight?"

Maia's voice broke. "Even if I don't."

The blonde wiped away the silent tears that were running down the Gryffindor's cheeks and separated from her, this time for good. She looked around and could no longer bear the guilt that flooded her heart. All those wounded, all those dead, all the families and friends devastated by the loss, that had been her fault for not giving herself up, and she was not willing to let any more misfortune happen. It was the moment.

She turned, and as soon as she did, she detected a pair of green eyes watching her from a distance. Harry was far away, surrounded by loneliness and probably with the same weight on his heart as her right now. He was almost imploring her with his eyes that it was time to go, and once again, she didn't think twice when she released Ginny's hand to go with Harry.

Harry Potter, who had been her brother's arch enemy —and therefore hers— and right now was her only company to face death.

"She understands."

The boy was the first to break the silence. He didn't know if he should have kept quiet or made some conversation to make Maia feel better, but he preferred to share his doubts rather than keep quiet until he faced his fate.

The Slytherin glanced at him as soon as they left the castle. A slight breeze stirred her hair, as well as the boy's, and chilled her veins at the simple thought that she would never feel that again. Never.

"She does, doesn't she?" Harry nodded and Maia let out a sigh. "I'm so worried for her. She's just lost her brother, and I'll be gone in a matter of time. I did know I wouldn't be able to take care of her forever, but I thought I had more time."

"She won't be alone. None of they will be alone, they will have each other. We won't be there with them, but we... we would've helped. It's the only thing I have in mind that lets me do this. I don't want them to lose anything else, even if that means I'm forever gone."

Their bodies inevitably drew closer, and it was Maia who noticed when their shoulders were practically joined. There were only two children, they were not even eighteen, and they were about to sacrifice everything. They both knew they were not to blame, they had not chosen this fate, and that if they had known, they would probably have preferred not having magic than letting the entire wizarding world suffer for them.

"Even your brother," followed Harry, and Maia's heart broke a bit. "If we do this, that means Draco will be safe, too. Isn't it why you're doing this?"

Maia didn't know what to answer to it, so she took her time. Yes, years ago she had decided to go to Dumbledore to save her brother, but she had not understood to what extent her brother was already lost, for the mark pulsed on his arm as if it had a life of its own. And yes, keeping her brother safe was still one of her priorities, but she had dreamed of this very moment for so long that now that she lived through it it seemed that everything stopped making sense.

So he just answered, "It is." but, knowing that he was about to die, she decided that she did not want to be silent anymore. "I've dreamed of this situation a hundred of times, maybe even more. Me finally about to defeat Voldemort once and for all, Draco being safe, me dying, but now... I'm scared shitless. I don't want to die, even if I want to."

Harry nodded repeatedly. "I know. I feel just like you. We just don't have to think about it. We just... dive into it. Like when water's too cold. You don't have to think about it or you will never swim." Maia was silent until she saw the Gryffindor take something out of his pocket. "Dumbledore gave me this. It's the first snitch I've ever caught, when I played my first game. I know it has something special —Dumbledore gave it to me, after all— but it only says 'I open at the close'. Any chance have you ever told you what that meant?"

Without realizing it, they were already in the forest. Only the leaves sounded under their feet and the terrifying silence enveloped them.

"He didn't, but Harry... This is your close. You're minutes away from dying. This is it. Maybe try to tell the snitch how you feel."

Harry brought the little snitch to his mouth, and whispered something so low that not even Maia, who was inches from him, could hear it. Suddenly the boy's hand shook, and the Snitch fell to the ground. Maia quickly ducked to the ground, ready to pick it up, fearing if it had broken, but she noticed something red inside the golden object. She started to pick it up, but stopped short when Harry gasped.

"What...?"

She fell silent quickly when she saw two people in front of her. She opened her mouth, pale, but the words couldn't get out. Harry gulped and tried to get closer to them, but Maia stopped him with all the pain in the world.

"They're not here, Harry. I understand now: it's the resurrection stone. It allows you to see people... that are gone."

Maia gulped like her partner as she silently watched the silhouettes of James and Lily Potter. Neither of them said anything, but it was not necessary either: parents and son looked at each other in silence, as if trying to decipher their looks. On their other side, Sirius Black appeared in their fields of vision. Maia held back a shocked gesture.

"You've been so brave, sweetheart," Lily Potter mused.

The blood in Maia's veins froze: she could never have thought she would experience such a situation.

"Why are you here? All of you?"

"We never left," once again, Harry's mother replied.

Tears acted again, this time in the eyes of the two students. Harry addressed Sirius this time. "Does it hurt? Dying."

"Quicker than falling asleep." The voice did not come from Sirius's lips, but was a female voice coming from behind them.

Maia turned with the worst feeling installed in her heart. Tonks introduced herself in front of her, her hair now pink and a small smile living on her lips. Maia's heart broke into a thousand pieces just at that moment. She walked quickly to her, raised her hand and ... stroked the air. Her lips were trembling.

"No, please, please ... You promised!" Maia yelled angrily, tears streaming down her cheeks. "You said you'd be safe with Remus, you said nothing would happen to you. You lied!"

Tonks gave her another smile. "We say a lot of things we should not say in order to protect someone, don't we?"

"But Teddy...? What will happen to him now? We've left him all alone..."

"Others will tell him what his mother and father died for. One day he'll understand."

Maia couldn't believe the situation she was experiencing. She hadn't known it moments before, but now she knew that enduring so many losses around her would be harder than losing herself.

"Stay close to us," Harry finally said. "We need you now."

He set the stone on the ground, and then Tonks and the others disappeared from the sight of the two teens, but not from their hearts.

In the clearing in the forest, Voldemort awaited them. He caressed his wand like one who pampers a pet, knowing that that wand would be the one that would end the two teens and therefore the prophecy, and then he could wield the maximum power that no wizard had ever had. His henchmen stood behind him, terrified of the consequences if the young Malfoy and Potter did not appear.

But they did.

And the Death Eaters sighed, relieved, but also wanting it to end and Voldemort would be the most powerful wizard of all time. Even Bellatrix seemed surprised to see her niece there in front of her, just a weak version of what Maia Malfoy was once under her tutelage.

The blonde could not help but meet her parents' gaze, who were before her, with noticeably affected faces. Narcissa's gesture was the same as her daughter's, her lips trembled, her eyes filled with tears, knowing that her daughter, her first-born, was facing the worst punishment. She was grateful that Draco wasn't there, because she knew she couldn't bear how her brother witnessed her own death. Not after what she had promised hours ago.

"Harry, no! What are you doing here?" Hagrid screamed, desperately struggling to untie himself from the ropes.

But the boy ignored him.

"Harry Potter. The boy who lived... come to die."

Maia's heart looked like it was going to burst out of her chest. It was racing like never before, her breathing was not resting, and the stress headache was increasing. Her eyes traveled to the Death Eaters, knowing themselves outnumbered, and landed on her mother, who was looking at her the same way she was.

It happened as fast as Tonks had promised. "Avada kedavra!" Voldemort yelled, and Harry's body fell to the ground with a thud.

Now it's my turn.

Do not think.

Do not think.

She turned to see some sign of life in her companion, but there was not, and her heart stopped for the thousandth time that day.

"Now, now." The Dark Lord cleared his throat. "Be quiet. The young woman we have here also deserves to die, I think we all agree. However, in a generous gesture to her parents, here, and to her, for having been more achievable than Harry Potter, I will let her say her last words to us," Voldemort gave a chilling smile. "Anything to say, dear?"

I'm going to die anyway, the girl thought, so I'd better go in peace.

"I would like to convey my early condolences to my parents, who unknowingly raised what would be a traitor. Maybe I was not what you expected of me, maybe I was not the perfect daughter, but neither were you. It was your actions, and those of Bellatrix, that led me to do everything I have done and to become who I am today. I would also like to address Bellatrix, but I know that she will not agree to speak to a traitor like me. I pity the fanaticism you feel towards a cause based on obsession and dreams that will never come true. I am sorry that you have put your ideas before your family, and only for that reason you have never been my family. You failed in your mission to make me a powerful dark witch, and you will go to the grave knowing that, once again, you will not achieve your purposes. And to you, my lord, I would like to tell you that, whatever you do, today is your end. You know why? Because you have thought so much about something as superficial as power that you have never considered purer feelings like love or sacrifice.

So today I'll die, yeah. But knowing that you will die with me."

There was no longer an iota of fear left in her body. She had been left empty, dehumanized, at the mercy of those who hated her so much. There was no terror or sadness left, only a lament that sang from the rooftops: she was going to die and she knew it, but the gestures on the faces of her opponents were priceless.

Not even Bellatrix said anything. She looked at her like someone looking at something irrelevant, unimportant, unlike Narcissa, who seemed to want to run out of Lucius's grasp in an attempt to save the life of her beloved daughter. But it was late; Maia was the most adult she had seen in her short life and she was willing to sacrifice herself. For a moment, Narcissa was envious of what her daughter had become.

Voldemort wanted to laugh, let the girl's last attacks go by, but he knew his time was running out, so he didn't think twice.

Maia closed her eyes.

Quicker than falling asleep.

"Avada kedavra!"

here it is!! once again, so, so sorry to update this late, but i didn't want to just submit a chapter, i wanted it to be THE chapter, so i hope you're okay with this. not the end, but it is near.

lots of love! hope you're well x