Swept From the Past

Chapter 51: The Emerald's Heart -- part four

Hermione woke up in the darkness. She was lying on her stomach on the floor. Cold air made her shiver. Something crushed her under its weight. Her body ached, but the pain was tolerable. She moved her arm and felt a shooting pain up her arm. Her left wrist was swollen, but not broken. It must be sprained.

What had happened? She was talking to Ron and... the ceiling had collapsed on them both. But... Ron...? Where was Ron?

"Ron," Hermione called weakly. With the sounds of the cannons, her voice sounded like a whisper. She couldn't expect anyone to hear her.

She was trapped under debris from her waist down. She could barely move her legs. She crawled slowly forward on her stomach, helping herself with her arms. But how difficult it was with her wrist. Every movement was painful. She wounded her elbows with the fragments of stone and wood that had fallen everywhere. Her efforts fatigued her. Her limbs ached. She stopped for a few seconds and laid her chin down on the floor to rest her arms, head and shoulders. Her neck ached from the awkward position, but the tension left her arms. Then she started her efforts again. Soon she freed her abdomen, then her legs from the weight.

She looked around, trying to see anything, but the room was desperately dark. The candles that had lit the room had extinguished when the ceiling collapsed.

'My wand,' she thought.

She reached for her pockets, but she realised she was wearing a dress and not her usual school robes. Oh, no, she had left her wand in her dormitory!

She was terrified. What could she do? She was alone without her wand in a dark room in a castle under attack. Alone? No, she couldn't be alone. Ron was somewhere in the room, probably unconscious and wounded. Hermione's heart beat with force. What if he wasn't only unconscious and wounded? What if he was...?

"No," Hermione said out loud to give herself courage. "Ron!" she exclaimed. "Ron!"

No response.

Suddenly, an orange light came from a broken window, illuminating the room. A huge piece of ceiling had collapsed. Hermione gasped. A big hole stood in the floor a few meters from her.

The planks creaked. The horror of the situation hit her. What if the floor collapsed under her weight? Her breathing accelerated. She scooted backwards on her backside and moved as far as possible from the gap. Soon, her back reached a solid obstacle. The wall... Hermione leaned her back against it and hugged her knees to her chest. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her panic. She felt petrified. She couldn't move from where she was. Her body shook, both from fear and from cold.

'I'm living a nightmare,' she thought. 'This can't be happening!'

She opened her eyes again, hoping that she would wake up soon. But nothing had changed. Gathering her courage, she slid to her right toward the closest window. The panes of the window had broken. The frame had twisted. Then she cast a look outside. She gasped again. The Emerald Star was on fire. It flew in the air, devoured by big flames. What had happened? Had Burns and her crew lost the battle? Were they still on the ship? Did it mean that Harry...?

Tears dropped down her cheeks. Hermione wiped them almost immediately and swallowed her sorrow. She couldn't find Ron with blurred vision. She swivelled on her legs. A deep ache just under her knee made her shriek. She jumped from pain and sat abruptly. Looking down, she saw a trickle of dark liquid run down her leg. Why the hell had she knelt close to a broken window? She'd hurt herself on the fragments of glass. How stupid! Stupid... and scary... Although her common sense told her it was not a serious wound, seeing her own blood running from her leg made Hermione almost ill. She felt nauseous.

She gulped. It was no time to worry about her leg. Ron was more important. He was buried somewhere under the fallen ceiling. Maybe he was...?

No! Hermione reasoned with herself once more. Ron was all right. He was just... asleep. With luck, she would hear him snore or something. Nothing had happened to him. He was all right!

"Ron!" she yelled. "It's me, Hermione! Where are you? Ron!"

Still no answer.

Her gaze swept over the room. She felt despair. Again, she couldn't move. She was confused. Where could she start? What if the floor didn't support her weight? What if she moved a fragment of the ceiling and hurt Ron without knowing it? What if her actions made the situation worse? She'd read that when someone was hit by a car, his body mustn't be moved until someone competent saw his wounds. That moving the person could cause irreparable internal lesions. Being hit by a car or being crushed by a collapsing ceiling was all the same. Doing something thoughtless could have serious consequences.

"Ron!" she exclaimed. "Please tell me where you are! I don't have my wand. And... there's a big hole in the floor." She paused. "Ron! Please say something! If I step on the wrong place, the floor could collapse! Ron!" She sobbed.

Suddenly, between the sound of two cannon shots, she heard a growl. Or was it her imagination?

"Ron!" she yelled. "Is it you?"

She stopped talking and listened attentively for any sign of life coming from the room. Then she heard a muffled sound. She closed her eyes to focus on the noise. "...ione?" she heard. Hope came back to her.

"Ron?" she called again. She listened for a response.

"Hermione?" Ron replied feebly.

"Where are you?" Hermione exclaimed. She was relieved, but still scared. Ron was alive, but was he badly injured?

"Here," Ron's responded.

Hermione stood up. She paid attention to where she stepped, and followed the sound of his voice. Soon, she heard him more clearly. Then she noticed a hand sticking out from under a big piece of wood.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Ron!" She sat on her knees and took his hand in hers. "Are you all right?"

"Dunno," Ron replied. "Can't move. It's too heavy! And my foot hurts!"

"Where's your wand?" Hermione asked.

"In my pocket," Ron responded. "Can't reach it!"

"Hold on, Ron!" Hermione exclaimed. "My wrist is sprained, but I'll... try to lift up the plank with my other hand. Then crawl in my direction!"

"Okay," Ron replied.

Hermione got up on her feet. She bent, took the edge of the wooden plank in her right hand and lifted it. The board was really heavy. Hermione only managed to lift it a few inches.

"Crawl!" she exclaimed. "Hurry up! I can't hold it! It's too... too heavy!"

"Can't do more," Ron responded. "My foot is stuck! Ouch!"

Hermione felt too exhausted. She couldn't lift the board anymore. "I'll put the plank back," she said with a panting breath. She replaced the board on its original place slowly, not to hurt Ron. Then she sat down on the messy floor. She was so on edge that she sobbed again. What could she do? She wasn't strong enough to lift the plank entirely. She couldn't help Ron! He was stuck under this board, but she couldn't do anything! She felt so helpless!

"Hermione," Ron said. "What's going on?"

"I..." she replied, "I can't help you," she said. "I'm trying to, but I can't..." She sniffed.

Suddenly, she heard a deafening din. The floor trembled. Hermione fell on her side, terrified. She took Ron's hand in hers and shook from head to foot, her eyes shut. After what seemed to be an eternity, the trembling stopped.

Hermione opened her eyes again. The room was still lit, but the light had dimmed. What had just happened?

"The Emerald Star!" Hermione gasped. The din, the trembling... The burning ship must have fallen onto the Hogwarts grounds. "It has sunk!" she exclaimed. "It..." But Hermione was too shocked to continue.

Ron squeezed her hand. "Hermione," he said with a quavering voice.

"I'm terrified," she replied.

"I'm terrified too," Ron responded. "But we must leave this place. We can't stay here."

"How?" Hermione asked. She was so afraid that she couldn't think properly.

"Lift the plank again," Ron said. "If you hold long enough, maybe I can reach my wand. Dunno if I can do it. But I'll try."

"All right," Hermione replied. She wiped her tears. She got up on her feet and bent to seize the edge of the board for the second time. Then she gathered her strength and lifted up the heavy plank again. She wished that Ron would reach his wand and free it fast. His hand disappeared under the piece of wood.

"Ron?" she asked, through clenched teeth.

"Hold... on..." he replied. "Bloody pocket!" He swore and growled. Hermione didn't know if she could hold the board much longer. Splinters from the board pierced her hand.

"I got it!" Ron exclaimed suddenly. His hand went out from under the plank, holding his wand.

Hermione put the board back down and tried to calm her breath.

"All right?" Ron asked.

"Yes," Hermione responded. She grabbed Ron's wand, flicked it, and said "Wingardium Leviosa."

The heavy board rose off the floor. Another flick of his wand and the plank flew away from Ron. The board stopped above one of the beds and fell slowly on the mattress.

Ron was lying on the floor. He tried to get up. Hermione was so relived to see he was all right! She sat on her knees and embraced him. Ron appeared to be a bit surprised, but he didn't push her away.

"I'm so glad that you're all right," Hermione whispered.

Ron patted her back awkwardly. Of course he was embarrassed... Hermione moved away from him. His hair, face, and clothes were covered with a white dust.

"Your wrist..." Ron said.

"It's all right," Hermione replied. "Let's see what happened to your foot."

Hermione looked at Ron's left foot. His ankle was stuck in a hole in the floor.

"Now I know why my foot ached like hell," Ron grumbled.

"How did you do that?" Hermione asked.

"Dunno," Ron replied. "There are holes all around," he continued, pointing at several openings in the floor.

Hermione hadn't noticed them because the big plank covered them. Ron had probably caught his foot when the ceiling had collapsed, or just after.

"Well," she said, "let's free your foot. Libera!" she uttered.

Ron's foot freed instantaneously from the wood.

"Ouch!" he exclaimed. He tucked his leg in and massaged his ankle. He moved his sock down. Hermione could see blood on his sock and on his ankle.

"Not broken," Ron said. "Just very sore. It'll be okay." He paused. Then his stare fixed on her knee. "Your leg's bleeding, Hermione!" he exclaimed.

"I know," she replied. "I hurt myself on some broken glass. I'll take care of it later." Thinking of her wound made her nauseous again. 'It's nothing,' she thought. 'Nothing.'

"When McGonagall told us we'd be safer in the dormitories," Ron said, "I bet she didn't plan on this."

"I bet she didn't plan many things," Hermione replied. She sighed.

"Let's leave this place," Ron said.

They both stood up. Hermione put her right arm around Ron and let him lean against her shoulder for support. He limped.

"Lumos," Hermione uttered. The tip of Ron's wand lit, allowing her to observe the floor. She didn't want to fall in a hole or slip on a fragment of wood, stone or glass.

They both stepped to the exit and took their time to go downstairs. The common room and all the dormitories they passed were still lit with candles, but appeared to be deserted. All the students had left.

"Where have they all gone?" Ron asked.

"I don't know," Hermione replied.

"Do you think that they vacated Hogwarts?" Ron queried.

Hermione's heart pounded fast. Were they the only ones left in the castle? She reasoned with herself. It was nonsense. Who aimed the cannons if the castle had been deserted?

"No," she responded. "They must be somewhere in the corridors." Yes, somewhere...

"Can I have my wand back?" Ron asked.

"Your wand?" Hermione repeated, coming out of her thoughts. "Yes, but... first, I'll summon my wand," she replied. "It's in the girls' dormitory."

"Why didn't you search for it before?" Ron queried. "When we were upstairs for example...?"

"Because I was scared," Hermione replied. She felt she was blushing. "I... I couldn't go away, knowing that you were unconscious in the room." She paused and raised Ron's wand. "Accio Wand!" she exclaimed. A few seconds later, her wand stopped in mid-air in front of her. She grabbed it.

"We should leave," Ron said.

"Wait a minute," Hermione replied. "First, I should check if there's anyone left. What if someone is badly wounded and needs help?"

"I'll come with you," Ron said.

"It's the girls' dormitory," Hermione replied. "Boys are not allowed, remember."

"Okay," Ron responded. "But hurry up."

Hermione nodded. She helped Ron to sit on an armchair. Then she entered the girls' dormitory and checked the rooms. She'd feared that they would be destroyed. Fortunately, they were intact. No trace of Ginny. No trace of anyone.

Hermione felt cold and shivered. She had forgotten that she was dressed in a lightweight dress. She quickly pulled on a pair of jeans and grabbed a jumper from her drawer. Then she went downstairs.

"Anyone upstairs?" Ron asked.

"No," Hermione replied. She put her jumper on.

"Ready?" Ron asked.

"Yes," she replied. She helped him to stand up and rest on her shoulder.

"Fine," Ron said. "Now, let's leave the Gryffindor Tower."

They passed the door of the common room and entered the corridors. Surprisingly, the passageways all around looked deserted. But the cannons kept shooting. And the sound of voices came from the other floors.

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked. "The Hospital Wing?"

"Not me," Ron replied. "I'll go fight with Burns' crew."

"But your ankle?" Hermione asked, surprised. Ron limped. He needed to be healed.

"I'll manage by myself," Ron responded.

"But..." Hermione said. She was still shocked by what had happened in the boys' dormitory. For the moment, she just wished that she and Ron would be safe. No battle at all. No boulders thrown everywhere.

"It's just a wounded ankle," Ron replied. "I'm limping, but I can walk."

"It could be dangerous if--" Hermione continued.

"Harry is asleep and a huge snake is coming out of his head," Ron interrupted sharply. "I think he's the one who's in danger. People are defending the castle. How many are badly wounded or already dead? I'm not a coward. I won't hide and let trolls or any other creature enter!"

Hermione didn't reply. Would they really be safe in the Hospital Wing? Of course not. Ron was right. People were fighting, risking their lives to defend Hogwarts and protect the students. Hiding wasn't a solution. If the enemies won the battle, everything would be over. If she and Ron could help, they shouldn't hesitate.

"Which floor then?" she whispered.

Ron stared at her and smiled. "Why not the second floor?" he replied.

***

Remus was in the Hospital Wing with Professor Sprout when he heard Madam Pomfrey yell.

"What are you doing here?" she shouted. "Return to your common room! I don't have time to watch over students now! Wounded people need my help!"

Remus turned around. He gasped. A crowd of students was standing by the double doors. Gryffindor students. Why had they left their dormitories while the castle was under attack?

Remus frowned and stepped quickly to the group, followed by the Herbology teacher.

"What's going on?" he asked with a loud voice. Who could hear over all the noise? The constant cannons' shot and the deafening rumble of the student's voices didn't help.

"We can't stay in Gryffindor Tower," Dean Thomas replied. He looked terrified. "Giants are throwing boulders on us!"

"Giants are throwing boulders everywhere," Sprout snapped. "Return to your common room immediately!"

"Rocks fell in the boys' dormitory!" Lavender Brown exclaimed.

Remus felt extremely worried. He hoped that no one had been wounded. But was there really a safe place in the castle now? Maybe the rooms with a view over the lake? But with the Dementors flying around, nothing was safe.

"Anyone injured?" Sprout asked.

Remus heard incoherent sounds, but no clear answer.

"So?" Sprout repeated.

"We don't know," Seamus Finnigan responded. "We all... ran away when--"

"You didn't even check?" Sprout yelled.

"It was dangerous!" Parvati Patil exclaimed. She looked panic-stricken. "We're all going to die! The giants will kill us... or the trolls... or the Dementors... or the snake... We'll die like Harry!" She sobbed.

A few students shrieked. "Ginny fainted!" someone shouted.

Two boys entered the room. They carried Ginny Weasley in their arms. She was unconscious and looked as pale as a ghost.

"Stand aside," Madam Pomfrey said. "She's in shock."

The students moved over and let the boys carry Ginny to a bed.

Remus remembered that Ginny was Harry's partner. No doubt that she cared for him. Poor girl...

"It's awful!" a girl yelled. "Really awful! I don't want to die!"

"Come on!" Sprout replied. "That's rubbish. You won't die. Professor Burns' ship will protect you!"

"The ship won't protect us anymore!" Lavender exclaimed. "It's on fire!"

On fire? Remus' heart almost stopped. "Katarina..." he whispered.

He cleared a way through the students and hastened to a room which had a view over the grounds.

Then he gasped. The ship floated above the Hogwarts' grounds. It was consumed by huge blazes.

'Why had Katarina decided to stay on her ship while her whole crew had retreated to the castle?' Remus had wondered. 'And why hadn't Severus brought her back yet? What was Katarina planning?'

Remus felt he was stupid. He hadn't understood, although the answer had been obvious. Yet, he knew what Katarina had tried to do fifteen years ago. He knew that she wanted to end her life. And Severus... Severus was on the ship with her because he didn't want her to die.

Remus closed his eyes painfully and fought back his coming tears. He had already lost too many people because of the war. He wasn't ready to lose his sister...

'Please, Severus,' he thought, 'save her. Don't let her die...'

He opened his eyes again. This time, he noticed a crowd of human-sized creatures running onto the Hogwarts' grounds. Vampires probably. What would happen when they'd reach the castle? Remus gulped.

His gaze fixed on the ship. But... something strange was happening. The Emerald Star appeared to be shaking, as if... Remus stopped breathing. The front part of the Galleon went into a nose-dive, straight onto the creatures. It landed on the Hogwarts grounds with a crash. The floor and the castle walls trembled. People shrieked.

Out of instinct, Remus knelt, covered his ears, and closed his eyes. He opened them briefly to have a glimpse of what was going on. The burning ship broke in half. Then the back part of the Galleon crashed onto the grounds. Many blazing fragments of the ship flew all around. The fire spread onto the lawns. Many of the vampires took fire and vanished in the air. The others retreated to the forest.

The trembling stopped. Remus was shocked. Had Katarina remained on the ship? Was she still alive? Wounded? Had Severus managed to reason with her?

'He loves her,' Remus thought to give himself hope. 'He would never have left her alone on her ship. He must have saved her. She can't be dead...'

"Remus," someone said with a quavering voice.

He jumped and got up on his shaking legs. Professor Sprout stood behind him, a scared expression on her face.

"I'll help Poppy and Sybill with the students," she said, breathless. "They became hysterical. We used sleeping spells, but some of them ran away. They..." she stopped and stared out the window with wide eyes. Colour drained from her face.

"The ship has sunk," Remus said. "But it fell onto a group of vampires and destroyed them," he added to reassure the squat little witch. He didn't want her to faint.

"It explains that... awful din," Sprout replied with emotion. "I... I must search for the students who ran away," she said. "And I must check their dormitories, just in case someone's wounded. I can't--"

"It's okay," Remus replied. "I'll search for Alphonso on my own. If you meet him, tell him about the bow.

Sprout nodded and left.

"The bow," Remus whispered. Although it was awful not to know if Katarina was still alive, he had a mission to achieve. Remus swallowed the painful lump in his throat and took a deep breath. People counted on him. His own preoccupations didn't matter now...

***

Burns opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Snape, staring at her with... concern. His arm supported her neck and his hand brushed her cheek. Where was she? She was confused. Why were the cannons shooting? She could hear their thunderous sound.

"Are you all right?" Snape asked.

Burns tried to get up on her knees. Snape helped her. She looked around. She was in one of the classrooms. It was night and many candles lit the room. Through the windows, Burns saw something burning outside. Then she realised what had happened. The Emerald Star...

"Nooo!" she exclaimed. She meant to go down with her ship! To be freed from her torment! Why had she saved Snape's life? She had stopped thinking when she'd seen the burning sail fall over him. She had just felt terrified... for him...

She looked at Snape, but tears obscured her vision. "Why did you do that?" she yelled. "It was my destiny! I could have been freed! I wanted this more than anything!"

Snape clenched her shoulders. "Not more than anything," he said. "Despite your great desire to die, you saved my life. You want me more than anything, stubborn girl! Why do you reject your feelings for me?"

His words hurt too much. How could he still have so much power over her? Burns hit his chest again and again with force. "I hate you," she spat. "I hate you!"

"Stop it, silly girl!" Snape hissed, restraining her arms. Then he pulled her to his chest and took her in his arms firmly. She fought his embrace for a couple of seconds, but didn't find strength to continue. She sobbed hard on his chest. Why had he forced her to abandon the ship? She would keep living in hell...

"Shhh, calm down," he said softly. "Calm down, Katarina..."

Burns stayed in Snape's arms for a few minutes. She didn't understand anything of what she felt. She wanted to hit him as much as she wanted to squeeze him in her arms and kiss him.

"You remind me of myself," Snape whispered under his breath. "Before we dated, I thought that I hated you. I wanted to be awful with you, to hurt you." He paused. "You obsessed me. Later, shortly after our first kiss, I realised that it had nothing to do with hate. I was in love with you. As you are in love with me."

"Shut up," Burns replied with a strangled voice. "I don't want to hear that."

No, she didn't want to hear anything. All that was too much...

"But you'll have to," he responded with irritation. "Because it's the bloody truth."

'He's a Death Eater,' Burns repeated in her mind. 'A Death Eater. Voldemort's slave. It's a trap. He's smart. There's something he expects from you. At the first occasion, he'll betray you.'

"Don't you understand?" Snape hissed, "You don't hurt me because you hate me. You hurt me because you don't want to admit your feelings for me. You think that the more you'll hurt me, the more I'll go away. But I won't give up." He paused. "I won't give you up, Kat," he whispered.

Burns felt lost. A part of her wanted to push him away, but the other part wanted to stay in his arms forever. To stop thinking, to stop fighting him, although she knew he was a traitor. She couldn't make her decision to leave him.

"Capt'n," a man exclaimed. "You're here!"

Snape growled. His hold loosened. He looked at the door with a cross stare. Burns reluctantly moved away from the Potions master. She stood up, her back turned to the man who'd just entered, and wiped her wet tears. Then she took hold of herself and turned around.

Taz stood by the door. "Capt'n?" he asked, a shocked expression on his face. "W... what's going on?"

"Nothing," Burns replied sharply. "Why?"

Damn! How embarrassing to be caught crying in Snape's arms!

"Er," Taz responded. "It's... just that you have... er... black marks on your face..."

"Oh," Burns replied. Bloody mascara! "It's... well... er..." She cleared her throat. "What do you want, Taz?"

"The ship has sunk onto the grounds," Taz responded. "Straight onto a big group of vampires. They didn't like the fire. And we got rid of most of the trolls."

"That's good news," Burns replied. "Keep shooting all our enemies, until you don't have ammunition left."

"The Gurg's still alive," Taz continued. "But Joachim said the teachers were trying to find a solution." He paused. "Glad to see that you're all right, Capt'n," he said. "The whole crew worried about you. We can't win the fight without you."

"I'm fine," Burns replied.

She had a lump in her throat. Although her crew counted on her, she had tried to go down with her ship. It was selfish and irresponsible. But she had seen the occasion to complete what she had started -- and failed -- fifteen and a half years ago. Was it cowardice? Not really. She didn't fear the vampires or the Dementors. She had just wanted everything to be over...

"Tell the crew to keep fighting," she continued. "I'll come soon. I need a few minutes to think."

Taz nodded and left the room.

Burns sat on the edge of a table. She needed rest. She leaned her forehead on her hand, closed her eyes, and sighed. She'd had enough of fighting. Enough of suffering.

"So," Snape said silkily, "where are we now?" Of course, he was referring to their 'relationship.'

Burns was tempted to reply 'in a classroom in Hogwarts,' but she was too exhausted to quarrel again.

"I don't know," she responded. "I really don't know." She couldn't sort out her feelings. And since when did she have feelings? "There's the battle," she whispered, "and... this is too much. I don't understand anything." She sniffed. "And I look terrifying with these ugly mascara marks."

She wiped her eyes again with the tip of her gloves, hoping that the marks would disappear.

Snape stepped to her. He put his hand in his pocket. Burns thought he would pull his wand out, but he only took a greyish handkerchief from his robes.

She stared at him with a questioning look. What was he playing at?

With one hand, he raised her chin, and with the other one he softly rubbed the skin under her eyes and her cheeks with the handkerchief. Burns was too tired to prevent him from doing anything. All that she could do was look him straight in the eye.

"I don't see anything ugly or terrifying here," he said silkily. His upper lip curled.

'If only it was true,' Burns thought in spite of herself. 'But I know how you really consider me.'

Snape raised an eyebrow. Burns bit her lip. She was so tired that she had forgotten to mask her emotions. No doubt that Snape had read her mind.

Snape's face leant over hers. Burns couldn't detach her eyes from his. There was... so much love within them. It was... a trap... But she was too exhausted to fight him. And damn that desire to kiss him!

As if to show her he'd read her emotions, Snape caressed her lips with his thumb.

"You have no idea of what I feel for you," he said softly. "Remember our deal. Let me show you the truth."

He leaned in close and brushed her lips with his. Burns closed her eyes. Everything went too fast in her head... The battle, the giants, The Emerald Star... These lips playing with hers... She was too tired to think clearly. She wanted to forget about everything. To cede to that forbidden affair she'd rejected, although it was playing with fire. To feel something after all those years, although it would destroy her... The kiss became intense. She put her arms around his neck and tightened her hold. He crushed his body against hers and grabbed her waist as if he didn't want her to go away. She wasn't strong enough to stop herself. And did she want to? She needed to feel the contact of his skin. Her left hand grabbed the tip of her right glove. One movement and her right hand was free. Her bare hand teased the nape of his neck, then followed the curve of his collar and ended on his Adam's apple. Her fingers went down his throat in a caress and found their way to the buttons on the top of his coat, undoing them.

But suddenly, something burst into the classroom, startling her. The kiss ended abruptly. The jolt knocked Burns to the floor, still in Snape's arms. Burns looked around. What had happened? A rock had smashed through a window.

"Bloody hell!" Snape swore. "Why is there always something bothering us when..." But he stopped. He turned his head to the window which had exploded. Burns felt his body quaver against hers. Her own body shivered a bit. But... Why? It was impossible that...

The Potions master pulled his wand out and aimed at the hole in the wall. He stood up.

Suddenly, four Dementors flew through the opening and entered the room.

"Expecto Patronum!" Snape yelled. A glittering, silver raven came out of the end of his wand. The crow flew straight on the Dementors and made them retreat out of the classroom. The dazzling bird disappeared through the opening and kept hunting the creatures.

Burns stood up and stared at the window. Had she really felt the cold caused by the Dementors? Even if it was only partially... it meant that the Dementors could feel her presence again. And all that... was linked to Snape? She stared at him and at his partially unbuttoned coat. She was shocked. What had she almost done?

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed, putting her glove back on. "Don't approach me!"

"Why?" he asked with a smirk. "Things started to get very interesting. I was about to undo the buttons of your shirt."

"What an idiot I've been!" She gasped. "All that was a trap to make me vulnerable to Dementors!"

"What?" Snape asked with a puzzled expression. "You are sensitive to Dementors now?"

"Oh, as if you didn't know!" Burns exclaimed. "You planned everything! You kissed me to make me weaker!"

"Of course not," Snape hissed. "I've planned to win you back because I care for you. And I kissed you for the same reasons. Why would have I produced a Patronus if I wanted a Dementor to attack you?"

Burns frowned, remembering what Snape had told her about his Patronus.

"Didn't you say that you couldn't produce a Patronus?" she asked. "You obviously can. So it's another lie you made up?"

Snape didn't agree. He frowned. His jaw clenched. He stared at her with an indignant expression.

"I couldn't produce a Patronus before," he snarled. "Before you came back... Before I realised there was still hope for us... I didn't lie to you! Can't you try to trust me? Just for once?"

"We'll see," Burns responded, looking away. 'We'll see?' Had she just said that she would try to trust him? And had she indirectly said that there was still hope for Snape and her? In front of him? After having kissed him willingly? Was she mental? What was happening to her?

Snape didn't reply. Of course, the git was enjoying his little victory...

Burns stepped to the broken window to see what was happening outside. The grounds were littered with dead trolls and giants. The Gurg was not visible among them. Was the Gurg dead or had he retreated to the forest? The smashed hull of The Emerald Star lay burning on the Hogwarts grounds. A part of the lawns had caught on fire. The vampires had retreated to the edge of the forest. Several Dementors flew in the air, but incandescent cannonballs shot from the cannons to hit them.

Burns stared at her shattered ship, devoured by huge flames. The fire mesmerized her. The blaze consumed her full attention. A shadowy man stood in front of The Emerald Star, as if he came out of the Galleon. Burns' vision broadened. She couldn't see his features clearly, but she knew he was staring at her. She felt it. And she knew him. He held out his arm towards her. With a gesture of his hand, he motioned for her to come to him.

"Kaaattaaarrriiinnaaa," Lord Grindelwald's voice whispered. She had often heard his voice for the last fifteen years. A fascinating music. Was it the truth or was it just an illusion? She didn't care. His call touched something in her. She could feel strength come from him. His power echoed to hers. They shared the same bloodline... the same pain... the same heritage... Conscious thought left her. Although he was away from her, she extended her hand towards him. She was ready to follow him.

"Katarina!" Snape exclaimed. He shook her. She came back to reality. Snape stared at her, an expression of panic in his eyes.

"What did you see?" he asked.

"Nothing," she replied. "And don't call me--"

"What did you see?" he hissed. "I know that you saw something! Tell me now!"

"Look for yourself," Burns replied with irritation. "He's standing in front of the ship."

"He?" Snape asked. "Who? There's no one in front of the ship!"

"Of course there's someone in front of the sh..." Burns said, looking at The Emerald Star. She stopped talking. There was no one. She frowned. "I... must have been mistaken," she said. So it had been an illusion again... She was becoming insane...

"You were ready to follow him!" Snape exclaimed. He seemed to be furious. "Listen to me!" he snarled. "I forbid you to follow him! I forbid you to leave me again! Do you understand?"

"Who do you think you are to forbid me?" Burns retorted. He had pricked her ego. No one could give her orders. Especially not him!

"A very patient man who loves you," Snape replied. "Which gives me the right to forbid you to do anything stupid which could put you in danger."

Burns snorted. But she didn't want to argue on that endless subject. "He's gone," she snapped. "It was probably a hallucination. And I know how to defend myself. I'm a big girl."

"Who just tried to commit suicide," Snape responded. "And who was about to follow a dead Dark Mage because he called for her."

"I never mentioned any dead Dark Mage," Burns replied. How did he know she had seen Lord Grindelwald?

"Well I do," Snape hissed. "Because we both know who you saw. But I won't let him kill you. As tragic as his history was, I won't let him hurt my fiancée."

Fiancée? Burns raised an eyebrow. Was he mental? Or was it another provocation?

"Ex fiancée," she spat.

"Oh, not after our last kiss," Snape replied with a smirk. "I'm not a man of easy virtue. I only allow my future wife to kiss me with such passion."

"Oh, shut up," Burns retorted. "You're getting on my nerves!"

She stepped to the door. She'd just noticed that the canons had stopped shooting. Which meant that the vampires would attack the castle very soon.

"Where are you going?" Snape hissed.

"Helping my crew," she said. She opened the door to leave.

But Snape rushed over to the door and closed it abruptly.

"What now?" Burns asked.

"Do you think that I'll let you go anywhere, knowing all that I know about you?" Snape snarled. "I don't care if your crew needs your help! I want you to stay with me until the battle is over! I want to protect you in case you're in danger!"

"I'm an Auror!" Burns retorted. "This is my job to protect people. And unlike you, I can Disapparate within Hogwarts whenever I want. So leave this door immediately, and..."

A hiss coming from the window interrupted her. She turned around. Three vampires had climbed up the wall and entered the room.

With a quick movement, Burns raised the sleeve of her trousers and pulled out a stake hidden in her boots. She forced the stake into Snape's hands. "Don't move," she said.

"What...?" Snape asked. "Don't, silly girl!"

Burns didn't reply. She pulled her sword out of its sheath and dashed onto the vampires. She could overpower three of them. But if more entered the room, she'd have a problem. She couldn't both kill vampires and watch over Snape.

She kicked the first vampire on his face, making him fall backwards. The second one tried to hurt her with his nails, but she knocked him hard between his legs. A whirl of her sword destroyed him and severed the third vampire's hand at the same time. The first one stood up and rushed over to her, but she kicked him again, this time on his chest with her wooden high-heels, straight onto his heart. The last creature didn't have time to do much. A quick rotating movement with her blade and the vampire disappeared into dust.

Burns hastened to the window and looked at the ground below. She was on the fifth floor. Many vampires were climbing up the walls to enter the castle. Most of them stopped at the first floors, but a few others continued higher.

Snape stepped quickly to the window and stared below. He frowned.

"Move away from this window," he ordered, clutching her shoulders and making her step backwards. "I want to try something."

Burns wondered what he had he planned.

Snape aimed his wand at the broken window. "Murus Flammae!" he uttered. Big flames raised and replaced the hole in the stony wall. Then he pointed his wand at the other windows. A flick of his hand and the shutters closed.

"It will give us time," he said. "The spell won't last but I can repeat it."

"So that's your way to protect me?" Burns replied. "To enclose me in a room and wait for the others to kill the vampires in my place?"

"If I have to," Snape replied. "No one will hurt you as long as I'm here. Now let me use Legilimency and show you what I feel for you."

"Stop with the Legilimency," Burns retorted. "There are things more urgent now!"

Suddenly, she felt dizzy and lost her balance. She felt so weak that she let her sword fall onto the floor. Snape seized her by the waist at the right time and forced her to sit on a chair.

"See," he said, "You're not able to fight. Not in that state."

"A good soldier is always ready to fight," she replied.

"And a good soldier never tries to commit suicide," Snape responded.

"Except if it's for the good of his camp," Burns snapped.

"Which wasn't the case," Snape responded.

"You don't understand anything," she replied with anger. How could he understand? He didn't know what she had come through.

Burns closed her eyes and massaged her forehead. Her strength seemed to have abandoned her. Why was she still arguing with Snape? She felt she owned him an explanation, as if they were still together. It was odd and terrifying to realise that Snape was right. She was acting as if she was still engaged to him. When they had kissed, the world could have collapsed around her. She had stopped thinking of the battle. She had let her crew fight alone. She had just wanted to lose herself in him, and damn the consequences. How irresponsible! She was getting weak because of him. She was so exhausted...

Again, conscious thought left her.

"Kaaattaaarrriiinnaaa," Lord Grindelwald's voice whispered.

"What am I doing?" she murmured. "I can't lose control. I'm stronger than that... He's making me weak. I don't have strength anymore. My will is betraying me. Fighting him requires too much energy. It's like fighting against myself."

"Beee strooonng," Grindelwald responded. "Thhhink of your vvvengeanccce."

"I'm so tired," she said. "I wish I could sleep."

"Fiiighttt himmm," Grindelwald replied.

"I... don't want to kill him," she responded. "I... I can't do it. It's beyond my strength..."

"Not taaalking abooout kkkilling..." Grindelwald whispered. "Jusssstt forgeeetting. Use the Pennnsievesss..."

"I'm so confused," Burns responded. "That pain... I don't want to feel it anymore..."

"A strooonng pooower is cccoming," Grindelwald replied. "Strooonnger than yoursss. It willll destroyyy eeeverything heeere. It willll killll eeeveryone. You cccan't beee weeeaak."

"I can't be weak..." Burns said. "I can't be weak..."

"Katarina!" Snape exclaimed. He shook her again. She opened her eyes. He looked worried and angry.

"That's enough," he said. He aimed his wand at her face. "Legilimens!" he shouted.

***

Severus Snape was in the classroom with Burns. She had lost her balance, and he had forced her to sit on a chair. She had to rest!

Severus was determined to watch over her and protect her from any danger. But he didn't want to use Legilimency on her against her will. She was too stubborn and strong-minded. She would fight his spell and think he'd trapped her. The only thing that worked was to let her see his emotions and come to him. When they'd stared at each other before this stupid rock had spoiled everything, he had read in her eyes her desire to kiss him. He'd been pleased to oblige. Then he'd felt she didn't want to fight him anymore. Her bare hand brushing his neck and undoing the buttons of his coat was the proof. Damn that rock which had ruined his hopes!

"You don't understand anything," she said with anger. She closed her eyes and massaged her forehead.

He didn't understand anything? Severus frowned. Yes, he understood. She was exhausted, confused, and she wanted her suffering to end. She started to realise that she felt something for him, but didn't accept it, because she didn't believe him. She thought that dying would settle her problems.

"What am I doing?" Katarina murmured. "I can't lose control. I'm stronger than that... He's making me weak. I don't have strength anymore. My will is betraying me. Fighting him requires too much energy. It's like fighting against myself."

Severus raised an eyebrow. Was Katarina talking about Grindelwald? Did she want to get rid of the Dark Mage? Did Grindelwald have so much power over her?

"Who are you tal--" Severus asked.

"I'm so tired," she continued. "I wish I could sleep."

Was Katarina really talking to Severus? Her eyes were still closed. Or was she...

"I... don't want to kill him," she added. "I... I can't do it. It's beyond my strength..."

'Kill him?' But... the Dark Mage was already dead! Severus gasped. He understood. He, Severus, was the one who made her weak. The one she wanted to fight, but not kill. And Katarina was talking to Grindelwald...

"I'm so confused," Katarina said. "That pain... I don't want to feel it anymore..."

Severus was terrified. She mustn't speak to Grindelwald! The Dark Mage's influence was dangerous!

"Katarina!" he exclaimed. He knelt and shook her.

"I can't be weak..." she said. "I can't be weak..."

"Katarina!" Severus shouted again.

She opened her eyes.

"That's enough," he said. He aimed his wand at her face. She wasn't strong enough to fight him. It was time for him to let her see his worst memory... the day he had lost her...

"Legilimens!" he shouted.

Their eyes locked. Their minds connected. But suddenly, something strong stopped him. Severus had the vision of a tall man who wore a dark-green hooded cloak and black leather gloves. He had piercing blue eyes, grey hair, and a slight beard. Severus had seen pictures of him in books. He was Lord Grindelwald.

"No!" the Mage ordered with a deep voice. He looked at Severus with an icy stare. He placed his hands in front of him and opened them abruptly, his palms facing the Potions master. He pushed Severus away.

The connection stopped. Severus fell backwards on the floor, shocked. What had happened? Had his spell just failed because of Lord Grindelwald? How was it possible? How...

"Bastard!" Katarina yelled. She looked furious. "How dare you enter my mind?"

"I tried to show you my--" Severus replied.

"Silence!" she shouted. "I knew that you had planned something! Yet I let you... I even thought... Oh, I'm so stupid!"

She picked up her sword that had fallen on the floor. Then she snapped her fingers and Disapparated.

Severus was confused. He stared at the empty place in front of him and gulped. What an idiot he had been! He had almost reached his aim and then... Why had he spoiled everything at the last moment? He felt mad at himself. But how could he have guessed what had happened? He sighed from despair. How could he save Katarina if Lord Grindelwald haunted her mind?

***

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