The Ultimate Power

I remember when
We used to laugh
About nothing at all
It was better than going mad
From trying to solve all the problems we're going through
Forget 'em all
Cause on those nights we would stand and never fall
Together we faced it all
Remember when we'd

Stay up late and we'd talk all night
In a dark room lit by the TV light
Through all the hard times in my life
Those nights kept me alive

-Skillet (Those Nights)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Those Nights

Beginning of January to end of March, 1998

The holidays passed and with them went the full moon. Remus spent the time secured safely in the basement of his home while Holli fidgeted and paced the night away above him. When he had awoken, he found himself nestled in the soft warmth of his own bed on the second floor with Holli close by, watching attentively. While a full moon was never an occasion for smiles, Remus had felt oddly comforted by this new development. He had gone far too long with no one by his side the morning after a full moon.

The following day, with Remus recovered - if still a bit weak - the two departed for Hogwarts and arrived only a couple of hours before the rest of the returning students. The trio arrived with Ron never having been so happy to be back at school and rid of his two older brothers.

"Blimey, they wouldn't leave me alone after you two left," he had burst after relating to Holli the twins reaction after she and Remus had departed. "They kept pestering me about you and what they could do to win you over."

"And what did you tell them?" Holli had prodded tentatively, fearful of the answer.

Ron had grinned. "I told them to bugger off."

"Ron!" Hermione had exploded in exasperation, but with a faint hint of amusement in her eyes. Holli had chuckled while Harry was bent double with laughter.

"You should have seen their faces," he had commented as he swiped at his streaming eyes. "I never knew Fred and George could look so shocked and heartbroken."

Holli had grabbed Ron's arm and pulled him with her into the common room as she said, "You, Ron, are my new best friend."

They had positioned themselves in various places around the fire as the trio asked Holli how the rest of her and Remus' holiday had been. Harry had provided her with an inquisitive smile as he said, "Well, you certainly do look oddly rested and peaceful."

Holli had simply smiled serenely with a small wink at him once Hermione's and Ron's backs were turned. Harry had balked and refused to look her in the eye for the rest of the night, much to Holli's general amusement.

The following day arrived and with it, the start of a new term and the return to classes. Mountains of homework and studying for N.E.W.T.s and Holli's other exams took up the majority of their time. For Harry and Ron, their spare time was spent on the Quidditch pitch training and practising for their next match against Ravenclaw. Thus far, Gryffindor was in the lead for the Quidditch and House cups, but - as the boys liked to remind Hermione and Holli on a daily basis - that could change at any time.

February passed in much of the same way. The foursome plus Remus had started searching for ways in which to destroy the Horcrux and where to locate the remaining two they had still yet to find once again. There was also the slight problem as to how they were meant to kill Nagini while she was held close to Voldemort's side.

Holli's nightmares persisted and she had learned to reapply her silencing charms to her bed in the dormitory. Yet the nights she stayed with Remus, little could be done and she awoke more often than not with him gazing at her worriedly. No amount of gentle pushing and prodding, however, could get her to discuss what plagued her dreams.

It was one night in early March that Holli started awake, gasping for breath and half-convulsing with shakes. It was the night after the full moon and Remus was sleeping with rare soundness. Holli studied him silently as she calmed herself from her terror filled state. She had been there since that morning, directly after the moon set, stating to the trio when they had called to check in upon him that he would require someone to be there to attend to his needs. Harry had given her a knowing and sympathetic smile over their heads, but had refrained from commenting.

Holli ran a hand gently over his forehead and through his hair before, with careful and silent movements, slipping out of bed, through the door, and into Remus' living room. She wandered absently around the space, poking at the dying embers in the fire, studying books upon shelves, scanning her eyes over various photos scattered haphazardly around the room, until finally settling herself on the window sill and drawing figures and faces in the condensation on the glass; doing anything but allowing her mind to linger on the darker thoughts that were springing to life. All to no avail it would seem.

Holli let out an explosive sigh as she drew her legs up to her chest and rested her cheek upon her knees, staring through the window at the misty grounds. Why now? she thought, her temper rising. Why is it you always wait until I'm happy before you crop up and ruin it? Wouldn't it be easier to simply keep me miserable for the rest of my life?

Holli's anger fizzed out and died as quickly as it had arisen and she felt like crying. That's it, though, isn't it? It's better if I have a taste before it is ripped away again. It devastates me more that way, and you know that.

She wanted to shriek and cry and pull her hair out at the injustice of it all. The thoughts felt like tennis balls bouncing and ricocheting painfully around in her mind. But I left and I never looked back. I left because I couldn't take it anymore; couldn't deal with the torture anymore! Holli let go and buried her face in her hands, finally allowing the tears to spill from her eyes. I'm through with you; finished. So why do you still haunt me?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Remus stretched, his arm searching for the warmth of Holli's body and encountered nothing but a cold sheet. He peered around the room with bleary, sleep filled eyes as though he would find her somewhere close by.

"Holli?" he called softly. No answer.

Remus groaned as he forced stiff and sore muscles to move and raised himself from the comforting embrace of the blankets, placing his feet on the chilly stone floor with a hiss. He sat there for a moment, gaining his equilibrium before standing and journeying out of the room in search of Holli.

He found her in the living room, perched on the deep window sill - her place of choice for most occasions so it seemed - gazing distantly in the direction of the forest. From what he could see of her face, she looked distressed which worried Remus tremendously.

"Holli," he said as he moved closer. She didn't move and he placed a hand on her hunched back. "Holli?"

She started at the touch and whipped her head around to stare at him with wide, surprised eyes.

"Remus?" she questioned bemusedly. "Why are you awake? You should be sleeping, you need your strength."

"I woke up and you were gone. I was worried."

Holli smiled, but Remus noticed that it did not reach her eyes.

"Sorry," she mumbled apologetically as she directed her gaze back to the window. "I didn't mean to worry you. I just couldn't sleep."

Remus studied her before guessing, "You had another nightmare, didn't you?"

"Is it that obvious?" she asked with a sigh of disappointment as she curled deeper into herself.

"Only to me," Remus replied gently as he seated himself across from her. They sat in silence for some time, Remus waiting to see if she would voice her fears, though he knew from experience that she would not. "Holli," he finally pleaded, "please talk to me. I'm worried about you. You barely sleep anymore because of these dreams and it isn't healthy to bottle it all up." He smiled grimly. "Trust me, I know."

Holli shifted uneasily as she avoided his eyes. "I don't think I can, Remus. I want to; God, how much I want to, because I do think I'd feel a little better. I just - I can barely stand to think about it to myself, and to talk about it aloud, well, it's like bringing it to life all over again." Her shoulders quivered as she whispered, "I'm not that strong, Remus. I can't bear it all over again. It terrifies me."

"You are strong, Holli," Remus said reverently, "and you know that. Whatever it is, you made it through the first time, and I know you can again if you have to. And like I said before, I'm not going to let anything hurt you, ever."

Holli shook her head. "It's never going to happen again," she assured vehemently. "I won't let it. It's the memories I can't bear. They're what I'm terrified of."

Remus frowned in sympathetic puzzlement. "I don't understand," he said. "If you faced whatever this is in real life and got away from it or stopped it or something along those lines, why are you frightened of memories?"

Holli swallowed hard as she whispered, "Because...while I know that I truly did get away from it - ran, more like - and will never have to physically face it again, my memories don't show that. They never stop; like they're on some sort of never ending loop."

Remus pulled Holli against his chest and held her tightly. "Please just tell me, Holli," he pleaded once more. "Maybe I can help you if you do."

Holli trembled in his arms. "It - I - I can't," she stuttered. "I just can't, Remus, I'm sorry. My mouth refuses to form the words and I can't seem to make it."

Remus clutched her against him as she shook with suppressed sobs. When she had calmed down considerably, he tried again, "Holli -" but she cut him off.

"So, I've been thinking," she said, changing the subject suddenly, "about the full moons."

Remus barely contained his sigh as he followed the topic change, trying to hide his disappointment. "What about them?" he asked slowly.

"Well," she said contemplatively, "I think I should start staying with you on the nights you transform."

Remus pushed her back, holding her at arm's length. "Absolutely not," he refused immediately.

"And why not?" she asked, her expression becoming that of a disgruntled pout.

"It's too dangerous, that's why!" Remus exclaimed.

"I don't see why," Holli huffed irritably. "You take the Wolfsbane potion every month so you keep your mind."

"And what happens if that potion fails for some reason, Holli?" Remus asked as he massaged his temples. "Neither one of us would know until it was too late."

"Well, I don't think that would ever happen," she stated with a sniff.

"It probably never would, but we don't know that, love," Remus reasoned gently. "If it did, worst case scenario is that I kill you. Best case is that you're a werewolf for the remainder of your life. I refuse to live with either of those possibilities. I couldn't; it would kill me, Holli, either way."

Holli chewed on her lower lip for a few silent moments. "I don't like it," she finally consented. "I don't like it at all."

"I know you don't," Remus said with a slight smile, "but to me, it's the best alternative." He stood and offered his hand to her. "Let's go back to bed and try to get a few more hours of sleep, shall we?"

Holli's eyes flickered to the window for half a second before settling back on Remus. They were dark and flat, but she smiled as she took his hand and followed him to the bedroom.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Remus' birthday came a few days later and Holli had conspired with the trio and the house elves to throw him a small celebration. During dinner, while Remus was distracted in the Great Hall, Hermione and Ron sneaked into his quarters and spun decorations around almost every available surface. Harry was left the duty of wrapping gifts while Holli retrieved the cake from the kitchens which she had asked the elves to prepare (triple, double chocolate; enough to make any sane person ill).

Once they were finished, Harry and Holli met the other two in Remus' rooms. Holli was sincerely impressed with what she saw when she walked through the door. It looked as though crepe paper had mated with balloons in her absence, and, by the look on Remus' face when he stepped into his quarters, he had the same idea.

"Happy birthday!" the foursome chorused, startling their professor even more. Remus gaped at them in shock.

"If you're angry," Ron said as he pushed Holli forward, "it was all her idea. Exact your revenge all you like." Holli scowled back at him.

Remus shook his head in disbelief as a slow smile spread across his face. "I'm not upset. I'm - Merlin! - I'm surprised. You three shouldn't have done this, but thank you."

"Well, in that case," Ron spoke up once more, "it wasn't all Holli's idea. In fact, she had nothing to do with it whatsoever." Ron grinned at her before yelping and diving behind Hermione as Holli wiggled her fingers at him mock threateningly.

"Oh, honestly, Ron," Hermione sighed in defeat, "Holli is not going to attack you!"

"She has before," Ron stage whispered as he eyed the witch's hands warily.

Holli rolled her eyes and made as though she was going to walk in Remus' direction before suddenly changing course and racing behind Hermione after Ron. The red head emitted a strangled noise of protest, sounding as though he had choked on his own tongue, as he raced around the room with Holli quickly closing in on his heels.

Hermione covered her face with her hands as she shook her head in embarrassment while Harry alternated between cheering Holli on and telling Ron which ways were safe to dart and run. Remus, however, laughed uproariously, thinking that this was on track to becoming the best birthday he'd celebrated since before he'd left Hogwarts.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later, after everyone had calmed down and gifts had been opened and gushed over, the five were sprawled in various positions around the room, devouring the cake the house elves had so lovingly made.

"You know, I really shouldn't be eating this," Hermione commented as she delicately licked a drop of chocolate icing from her fork. Holli saw Ron's ears flush red as he watched her and she hid her grin behind another bite of cake. "It goes against my beliefs to eat something like this that the elves made."

"Eat your cake, Hermione," Holli said as she motioned to the girl with her fork. "It's delicious and the house elves put quite a bit of work into it. More than I really asked them to, actually. It would be a shame for it to go to waste, wouldn't it? And I asked politely and they were more than eager to help. I don't like what people to do the poor things either, but the Hogwarts elves are happy and not even you can deny that."

Hermione huffed in frustration, but continued to eat nonetheless.

"Well," Remus said as he leaned back in his chair once they had all finished their treat, "I actually have something to discuss with you four. I've been wanting to for a few days now, but I wanted to talk about it when you were all together and that hasn't happened much recently when you're with me."

"What is it, Remus?" Hermione asked seriously.

"I made a trip into London Saturday while you four were at the Hufflepuff versus Slytherin match and I went to Grimmauld Place," he began. "I had an idea and figured it would be quicker to go when I got the chance instead of waiting for the next Hogsmeade weekend to come about."

"What idea?" Ron asked in bemusement.

"Well, the Black family had a massive library full of loads of dark texts. The library is still in the house and I thought, unless Sirius had burned most of them while he was there, that I might be able to find something about Horcruxes in one of them." Remus paused for a moment to let the information sink in. "And I did."

Harry jerked from his slouched position in the window next to Holli. "You what?" he demanded.

"I found information on Horcruxes," Remus replied simply. "More specifically, information on what is needed to destroy them."

Four wide pairs of eyes looked between the others in astonishment. They gaped in amazement, trying to form words to express what they each wanted to say. Hermione was the first to gain her mental bearings. She leapt from her chair and offered her hands in Remus' direction.

"Where's the book?" she asked expectantly.

Remus sighed and shook his head as Hermione sank back down in defeat. "I couldn't remove it from the house. I had it in a pocket inside my cloak and the minute I stepped foot outside of the house, it disappeared back into the library." He looked at Harry. "You're probably the only one who can remove anything from that house."

Harry ran a hand through his hair, causing it to look more windswept than ever. "I guess I'm just going to have to go back to Grimmauld Place then and get it myself."

"There's really no need," Remus said. "When I realised that I couldn't bring it with me, I read through the entire book, looking for anything else that would be useful. There wasn't anything that we didn't already know. The only thing of use was the small passage I found about destroying them."

"So, what did that say?" Holli asked. "What does it take?"

Remus looked up, his eyes going distant as though reading something invisibly suspended in mid-air. "To destroy a Horcrux, you must harbour something completely and unendingly pure; something strong and unbreakable. Horcruxes are defeated by that which has seen what its very nature stands for and has grown because of that, instead of fallen."

"What its very nature stands for..." Harry repeated as he frowned in puzzlement. "What does that mean?"

"From what I read in the book and what we know about Voldemort," Remus said as he rubbed a hand along his jaw, "Horcruxes are made by those who discredit the value of a soul. A soul is something that is sacred and should remain whole. Without it, a person is nothing more than an empty shell, which, in turn, is why a Dementor's Kiss is so feared. Every horrible and ghastly thing you can think of in this world is what a Horcrux represents. It's why they are made and what they are made of. Horcruxes are evil, plain and simple."

"It says 'harbour'," Hermione said contemplatively as her brow furrowed in a frown. "Not bear, or hold, or even possess. Almost as though it's something..." Hermione let the thought trail off, coming up blank as to the meaning.

"Almost as though it's something within whatever can destroy it," Holli whispered. Four sets of eyes met hers in silent agreement. "But what does harbour something that pure?"

Yet they kept coming up short. Every time they came close to an answer, they would let the thought taper off into nothing as their ideas fizzed out of existence. They were grasping at straws, and coming back with empty air. It was infuriating.

When curfew drew close, they decided it was time to leave. Harry, Hermione, and Ron wished Remus a happy birthday once more as they made their way to the door.

"Actually, Holli, I needed to talk to you for a moment about your exams next week," Remus spoke up before she walked through the door. "Do you care to stay a few minutes longer?"

Holli turned to her three friends and said, "Go on and get back to the common room. I'll follow in a bit. No sense in all of us risking be caught out after curfew."

The three agreed and, after a side glance and a small nod from Harry, they departed and Remus closed the door before gathering Holli into his arms.

"Thank you," he murmured into her hair. "I think I needed that."

Holli smiled into his shoulder. "You're welcome. If anyone deserves it, it's you, love."

Remus pulled away far enough to lean down and press his lips against hers. They stayed like that, tangled in one another's arms, for a long moment before Holli pulled back and smiled again.

"I better go," she told him softly. "Harry can only divert attention from my absence for so long, you know." She stood on her toes and pecked a light kiss on the tip of his nose. "I love you." Then she slipped out the door and was gone, leaving Remus with a pounding heart and large grin spreading across his face.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The day before Holli's fifth year exams found her sequestered in Remus' room. She was supposed to be concentrating on some last minute studying, but was having a rather difficult time of that. Since Remus had revealed what he had found at Grimmauld Place on his birthday, the five individuals were hard pressed to focus on anything other than the Horcrux. The only good thing to come of the revelation was that Holli's usual nightmares were now being substituted with those of lockets, snakes and flashes of golds, reds, and blinding white lights.

Holli growled and shoved her Transfiguration book away from her and across the table. Remus glanced up with mild interest.

"Not working so well is it?" he asked distractedly.

"No," she sighed as she flopped herself back upon the cushions of the couch. "I swear, I've read that same sentence fifteen times and the only thing that comes to mind when I try to remember what it said is a gold snake."

Remus grunted in agreement as he too tossed his third year essays and quill aside. "I know the feeling." He raised himself from his chair and walked into his bedroom where Holli heard the faint sounds of rummaging drifting through the open door. He returned after a quick moment with Slytherin's locket in hand. It had been decided, after their return from Grimmauld Place, that Remus' quarters would be the safest place to hide the Horcrux. No one would dare enter the private domain of Professor Lupin without first being invited and he could protect the locket with spells to his heart's content without looking suspicious.

"So what do we know?" Holli asked as Remus placed the locket upon the table before them and they both stared at it.

"We know that whatever can destroy it has to contain utter pureness and be unbreakable."

"Unbreakable or unyielding, do you think?" she puzzled.

"Is there really a difference in this case?"

"Possibly," she remarked. "Unbreakable tends to mean that something can't be shattered or made into small pieces while unyielding leans more towards the sense that something is unmovable. It won't bend, stretch, turn or anything else. It's firm and strong."

"But unbreakable means strong as well," Remus reasoned.

Holli groaned and threw herself backwards once more. "We're just going round and round in circles, Remus."

"I know," he sighed as he picked up the locket, studied it for a moment, and then offered it to Holli. She turned the gold piece over and over in her palm, thinking deeply.

Remus cleared his throat. "Can I talk to you about something else for a minute?"

"Of course," she replied distractedly before turning her full attention to Remus after seeing the seriousness on his face.

"I was wondering if you had decided what you were going to do after you left Hogwarts," he said, staring at the locket in her palm.

"I haven't really thought much about it," she answered. "I know I need to, but it just seems like it's too soon to think like that. I was supposed to have seven years and I haven't really even had one." She studied her thumbnail for a moment as she thought. "I suppose I'll try to find a short-term job until I do decide what I want to do and try to find an inexpensive flat somewhere, because there is absolutely no way that I'm going back to Mum's even if she did suddenly have a drastic change of heart."

"You're not planning on staying with your father for a while? You haven't seen him in years."

"I thought about it at first - what little bit I did think about it, at least - but would be too odd for that very reason. How am I supposed to live with someone I barely know now?"

"Well," Remus began as he sucked in a deep breath, "you could always come and live with me, if you wanted to that is."

Holli jerked her head up and stared at him. "What?"

"Only if you wanted to," he said quickly. "Even as small as that cottage is, it's always felt too large with only one person there and I would enjoy the company; your company. It wouldn't just be your house, either; it would be your home, if you wanted it to be. You'd have full reign to do what you like with it." Remus paused contemplating his next words before speaking them in a soft whisper. "It would be nice to have someone to come home to."

Holli sat in shocked silence as Remus avoided her eyes, fearful of what he would find there. It took quite some time to find her voice, but when she did, she murmured, "Yes, it would."

Remus finally looked at her, almost afraid to believe. Holli searched his face for any signs of fear, second guessing, or uneasiness. All she found, however, was tentative hope.

"You're positive about this?" she asked hesitantly.

Remus smiled gently as he said, "Completely. I want you there if you choose to be."

Holli let out a breath she did not realise she had been holding. "All right then."

Remus beamed as he pulled her into his lap and kissed her with everything he had. She laughed against his lips and felt tears well up in her eyes because of the unrestrained emotion she felt surging behind his kiss. Her hand clenched around the locket she still held as it deepened and they smoldered in one another's arms.

Holli yelped as she felt a sudden burning heat shoot through her hand and up her arm. She dropped the locket to the floor where it exploded into small bits of charred and burnt gold, emanating a loud and pain filled hiss. Remus clutched Holli in his lap as he looked at the decimated heirloom.

"What just happened?" Remus asked as Holli stared at him with wide eyes.

She shook her head and swallowed once, twice, three times before she could speak.

"We destroyed it," she whispered.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Remus and Holli had no idea how long they had sat there, alternating between staring at the locket and each other, when a knock sounded at the door. Remus jerked from his thoughts and stood to answer it. The trio peered through the doorframe at them.

"Coming to dinner?" Ron asked Holli. She shook her head as Remus motioned for them to come inside.

Harry frowned. "What's the matter with you two? You look as though you've barely missed being hit in the face with a Bludger."

Remus walked back to the couch and crouched down, delicately gathering the shattered pieces of the locket into his hands before offering them to Harry. His brow furrowed as he accepted the burnt fragments. He poked and prodded at the pieces for a silent moment before his eyebrows shot up and disappeared under his fringe and his mouth dropped open.

His eyes swiveled back and forth between Holli and Remus as he stuttered, "It's - You - How?"

Ron and Hermione spoke up at the same time as they moved closer to their friend.

"Harry, what is it?" Hermione asked.

"What the bloody hell are you on about, mate?" Ron blurted.

"The locket," he whispered, "it's - it's destroyed."

The other two gasped when Harry showed them the gold pieces.

"You figured it out?" Hermione asked their two silent friends. "You found out what the passage was talking about?"

"Not intentionally," Holli replied, her eyes meeting Remus' and he thought she looked as lost and shocked as he felt. What do we say? her wide eyes begged. He really did not know.

"So what does it?" Ron asked eagerly. "What did you use to destroy it?"

Remus flicked his gaze to the trio as he whispered, "Love. Love destroyed it."

"Love?" Ron said with a hint of disappointment as Hermione's eyes grew wide and Harry's head snapped in Holli's direction in silent question.

"Of course," Hermione gasped. "To destroy a Horcrux, you must harbour something completely and unendingly pure; something strong and unbreakable. Horcruxes are defeated by that which has seen what its very nature stands for and has grown because of that, instead of fallen. It all makes sense.

"It says you must harbour; not it or an object, but you. Love, in its true form, is the most pure and potent symbol of strength in the world. Love sees every pain, hurt and injustice this world has to offer, but it never falls. Real love - true love - only ever grows."

"How did you two figure that out?" Ron asked, looking at Remus.

Remus rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well," he started slowly, but Holli cut him off.

"I was holding the locket," she lied smoothly, "and thinking about my dad and how much I missed him. Next thing I knew, my hand felt as though it was on fire and the locket was exploding."

Harry was still staring intently at Holli. "I suppose it's a good thing you love your dad so much, Holli," he told her as a small smile twitched to life on his lips. Holli finally lost her deer-in-the-headlights look and beamed back at him. Remus tried to hide his snort of amusement.

Harry grinned and shook his head as he moved his eyes over the other's faces. "Do you four realise that we now know how to destroy the Horcruxes and we only have three left?"

They all smiled joyously. Remus should have known the elation wouldn't last.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next afternoon, Holli made her way to McGonagall's office to begin her exams. There was still a slight spring in her step from what had occurred the day before and she felt like shouting for joy. They were all just beginning to realise that the faster they figured everything out, the closer they drew to the end of the war.

Holli quickly murmured the password to the stone gargoyle and darted up the spiraling staircase to the Headmistress' door. She had just raised her fist to knock when she heard muffled voices from behind it.

"Frankly, I don't care what you think, Minerva," a distinctly male voice hissed threateningly. "This has gone on far too long and I've had enough. I demand that you put a stop to it now."

"And what would you have me do?" asked McGonagall calmly. "I cannot control every aspect of my students' lives, especially if they are of age, and I expect that you know that."

"It doesn't matter what you do, so long as it ends," the man said. "If you allow this to continue I will withdraw my daughter from this school."

McGonagall's voice lowered to a whispered warning. "You will do no such thing."

Holli had the distinct feeling that she was about to be caught eavesdropping so she knocked quickly. The voices stopped abruptly and she could hear the sound of McGonagall moving towards the door.

"Ah, Miss Fallen," she greeted with a tight smile. "Right on time, as usual." Holli noticed that her Professor's face looked pale and drawn in the half-light provided by the windows. As she turned away and back to her visitor, all signs of fatigue and uneasiness disappeared and Holli had to smile. When she saw who was standing in the room, however, she almost tripped over her own feet in surprise.

She gaped at the man, struggling in to find her voice. "Dad?" she finally managed.

The man tilted his head to the side, smiled, and opened his arms wide. "Hello, Princess. I've missed you."

Holli choked on her own breath as she shot forward and wrapped her arms around him. "I was beginning to think I'd never see you again," she almost cried as she sniffed in the scent she hadn't smelt in six years.

Jenx Fallen, while constantly growing older, never changed all that much. For as long as Holli could remember, her father had always smelt of autumn leaves, regardless of what season it was. His hair, the same colour as his daughter's, was as dark as it had been in youth while his eyes were the exact twinkling shade of forest green they had always been. A formidable man if there ever was one and brilliant beyond any natural right, he possessed a sense of humour that many were unable to rival.

Holli pulled back and looked up at him. "Why are you here?"

While his expression did not change, she saw the lines around his eyes tighten as he glanced at McGonagall. "I had a matter to discuss with your Headmistress."

Holli took a few steps away from her father and moved closer to McGonagall's side. "What matter is that?" Jenx's smile dropped from his lips, but he did not answer. "You might as well tell me, I heard you talking before I knocked. You're not taking me from here, just so you know."

His eyes blazed as he said, "You'll go if I say you're to do so." Jenx took a deep breath as he calmed himself and his eyes softened. "But, hopefully, we will not have to resort to that. If you cooperate."

"If I cooperate," Holli repeated softly as her eyes narrowed. "Cooperate with what, exactly?"

Jenx clasped his hands behind his back as he replied, "I've heard rumours from many people that you have become quite close with Harry Potter. While I'm happy that you seem to be making friends, this is not acceptable."

"And why is that?" Holli demanded.

"I would like to know the same thing," McGonagall said from beside her.

Jenx moved his gaze to the older woman as he answered, "He is dangerous. People he is close to tend to end up hurt or worse when they are around him. I will not have my daughter be the next death he is responsible for."

"That's not fair to Harry," Holli all but shouted. "If you want to blame anyone for those injuries and deaths, blame Voldemort and his beloved flunkies."

"Actually," the wizard said coolly, "I believe I can blame Mr. Potter when my daughter's life is at stake. Those people were either injured or died because they were trying to aid him in some form or another. Are you honestly about to tell me that were he in trouble and in need of help, you would not feel the urge to do so?"

"Of course I would!" she exclaimed. "He's my friend."

"I rest my case," he said with a disparaging smile.

"But what you refuse to see is that he would do the same for me," Holli argued heatedly.

"Yet without being close to him, we would never have to worry about you being in a situation where that type of sacrifice would be required."

"Jenx," McGonagall finally spoke, "Harry Potter is no different than any other boy in this school. He is no different from you when you were his age. The boy needs friends just as much as any other."

"It does not matter," he snapped, finally losing his calm façade. "I will not allow my daughter to be one of those friends and become another casualty of this war. That is the very reason why I have remained distant from this entire thing. I refuse to risk the lives of those I care about. And it won't happen, not while I'm around."

McGonagall stepped in front of Holli as she glared at him threateningly. "I pity what you have become, Jenx. You were never what I would have considered a coward when you were in school and I am saddened that you have become so with age. Your daughter, however, if far and away from that mark and if she so chooses to stay in this school, believe me when I say that I will fight you step for step and nail for nail to assure that she remains so." McGonagall turned away and walked towards her desk. "Excuse me; I have matters to attend to."

Jenx huffed in frustration before walking through the door and snapping, "Come, Holli. We have more to discuss."

Holli slowly followed him. Before she closed the door behind her, she murmured a soft, "Thank you." A slight incline of her head was the only indication McGonagall provided to having heard her.

Holli walked with her father through the castle in silence. This wasn't nearly how she had expected her reunion with him to play out. There was supposed to be laughter and hugs; catching up was to happen and reminiscence of occurrences past. He had wanted her to attend Hogwarts so badly that it was almost impossible to believe he was now threatening to remove her over something so absurd.

"How are you finding Hogwarts?" he asked softly as they walked through the Entrance Hall.

"I - fine," she stuttered out in surprise. "I love it here."

"Good," he replied when they were outside on the grounds. He stopped walking and turned to her, his eyes hardening. "Wouldn't it be a shame, then, if you were forced to leave before you were strictly supposed to?"

Holli gaped in shock. Is my own father threatening me? she asked herself.

Jenx smiled coldly. "Perhaps that is something you ought to think rather hard about, eh?" Then he turned and walked away down the lane.

Holli held her breath, waiting until he was out of sight before releasing it and stumbling blindly around the corner of the castle. She stumbled and collapsed, falling towards the moist ground. A pair of strong arms caught her half of a second before she hit the grass and pulled her against the chest of a warm body.

"Shh, it's all right," Remus soothed into her hair and it was only then that Holli realised that she was choking on her own sobs. "I won't let him take you, Holli. I promise you that, love."

Remus lifted her into his arms and began to carry her up to his rooms. Holli buried her face in his chest and only focused on breathing as her heart attempted to force her lungs out of her ribcage.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hours later, long after the last shred of light had slipped beyond the horizon, Remus and Holli sat together in the window. Holli watched the grounds unseeingly while Remus continually gazed at her, afraid to move his eyes away for even a second.

Within five minutes of Remus seating her within the window, she had calmed, but it had taken close to an hour for him to convince her to talk about what had happened. He had been shocked, sitting in silence for quite some time, unable to comprehend the reason this had all started.

"I already told you," he finally said quietly, but forcefully, "that I won't let him take you. I'll fight him every step of the way, regardless of what happens. And I know Minerva will as well. He's doing this for all the wrong reasons and it's not fair to you, even if your father is only trying to keep you safe. Being with Harry Potter is no more dangerous than walking through Diagon Alley these days and he should realise that."

Holli had objected immediately, begging him to let McGonagall handle it, claiming they would be found out and he would lose his job. He didn't care; he'd fight until he had nothing left to fight with and still attempt to draw the battle further if it was necessary.

A knock sounded on the door while they sat in silence as they had been doing for the past half of an hour. Remus leaned over and placed a soft kiss upon Holli's forehead before standing and walking to the door.

"Hello, Remus," McGonagall greeted from the other side. "I hope you're well. I was curious as to whether I might find Miss Fallen here?"

Remus stepped back and gestured for the woman to come inside. He motioned in Holli's direction as he closed the door behind her.

"Just as I had thought," McGonagall said with a small smile.

Remus offered her a chair before seating himself back upon the wide ledge with Holli.

"How are you faring, Holli?" the older woman questioned.

Holli shrugged half-heartedly. "All right, I suppose."

McGonagall glanced to Remus in silent question. The man provided her with a slight shake of his head and sighed dejectedly.

"I've been trying to convince her that there's nothing he can do," he said, "seeing as she is of age." He met his superior's eyes, pleading with her to tell him this was the truth.

"Unfortunately," she spoke up morosely, "that is not the case. While Holli is seventeen, she is still school age. Certain laws state that if a parent fears for their child's safety for any reason, they have the right to withdraw said child from the school, regardless of age."

Holli pressed her forehead against the window and said nothing. Remus felt horrible enough to throw himself to the Giant Squid as a midnight snack.

"I don't care what I have to do," he said vehemently, "I will not allow him to do this to her. She's worked too hard to watch it all slip through her fingers and she doesn't deserve it. I don't care if he becomes the bloody Minister of Magic tonight, he won't get away with this."

McGonagall stared between her employee and her young student and his eyes trained themselves on Holli. Her lips twitched as she said, "It will be remember, but I do not believe it will be necessary. Jenx Fallen remembers what it was like to go against me when he was a student here. I am almost certain that age has not dwindled his fears and he will not attempt to do so."

"Almost," Holli scoffed as she turned her dull gaze to the Headmistress. "You're almost certain, but not positive. 'Almost' is in the same category as an inch when you're dodging curses. Someone hits you with a killing curse, it won't matter that it almost missed. It won't matter that just an inch to the left and it would have missed you. They're miles away when you're dead."

"Holli," Remus said, "those two situations are completely different from one another."

"Of course they are," Holli countered, "but it's still the basic point, isn't it?"

Remus did not have a response for that.

"Remus," McGonagall began, "would you mind excusing us for a few minutes?"

"Of course," he replied. He leaned over and squeezed Holli's hand firmly before standing and walking into his bedroom, quietly closing the door behind him.

McGonagall watched the interaction silently, noticing the small smothered smile that twitched upon Holli's lips at the touch and the softening of Remus' eyes when he looked at her. She contemplated her downcast student for a few heartbeats before saying:

"It is nice to have someone you care about to turn to when you are troubled. Someone you know cares about you as well. Wouldn't you agree?"

Holli pulled her head away from the window and gazed at the professor. "It is," she agreed softly. "I've never really had that before."

"He's grown quite attached to you, you know?" she told the young girl casually. "And he would do everything he said and more if there was even a slight chance of making someone he cared about happy."

"I know," Holli whispered. "It's frightening."

"Yet would you not do the same, were the situations reversed?"

"Of course I would," she answered immediately. "I'd do anything for the people I care about. That's why Dad is acting the way he is. He knows that and it terrifies him."

McGonagall hummed in agreement as she stood from her chair. "That man beyond that door needs you, Holli, in a way that I cannot even begin to comprehend. He needs you the same way in which you need him. So please believe me when I say that you will be going nowhere unless it is by your own choice."

Holli swallowed, but did not speak as she nodded. McGonagall smiled slightly as she turned and called, "Remus!" She made her way to the door as Remus emerged and seated himself beside Holli once more.

"Come to my office next Friday and we will begin your exams then," she told Holli before she walked out. "Stay as long as you like tonight. You're curfew will not be applicable this evening." Her lips twitched. "I shall locate and inform Mr. Filch that should he find you in the corridors tonight, he should release you without fuss." Then, in the blink of an eye, she was gone.

Holli glanced at Remus with a raised eyebrow. "Do you think she knows?" she asked him suspiciously.

Remus shrugged one shoulder as he replied, "Honestly, Holli, I believe the Head of Hogwarts knows everything."

A slow smile spread across Holli's face as she maneuvered in her seat and laid her head in Remus' lap. He began running his fingers through her hair, slowly lulling her to sleep.

"I suppose if she does that means she approves then," she murmured quietly.

Remus chuckled. "Well, she did start it."

Holli huffed contentedly against his thigh as her eyes drifted closed. Within seconds she was asleep and knew no more until she awoke as Remus carried her to the bed and gently tucked her in with a whispered, "I love you" and his warm chest pressed firmly against her back.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: We're getting closer. Can you feel the excitement? I know I can! ^_^ There's only five true chapters left, so if you haven't voted for the sequel's title, please do so soon. The link is in the previous chapter. If you encounter an ad which will not go away, exit out and reopen the page. It should not pop up again.

Also, I have gone back through the first few chapters and added dates which I somehow managed to overlook when I first uploaded the chapters. It would be a good idea to take a look at these as they will become important later. Actually, it's already started to happen, but if anyone has realised how yet, I swear, I'll poke myself in the eye with my pen. ;-)

Thanks to my wonderful beta, easleyweasley, as always!