Confused Memories

Chapter 22

Hermione Granger finished instructing the Head Boy and Girl on their duties, then hurried down to the grounds. She hoped that the Aurors would arrive soon. She had sent an owl; the Floos had been blocked to prevent any Death Eaters from entering the castle. She only hoped the owl had gotten away before the battle started.

She threw a Jelly-Legs Jinx at a Death Eater rushing toward her, then dove for cover. Fifteen minutes, and they still hadn't shown. Damn.

"Ah... the little Mudblood Granger," a voice behind her sneered. Hermione turned slowly. "The Master has been looking for you. Take her wand," the voice instructed. Before she could be disarmed, Hermione shot off a series of curses guaranteed to take down at least one Death Eater. However, before she could run, a voice yelled, "Expelliarmus!"

"So you've gotten smarter in your old age," Hermione mocked. She smirked as two Death Eaters had to restrain a third.

"You're lucky that the Master doesn't want you harmed, bitch," he hissed. "Petrificus Totalus!" Hermione's body froze, and she fell to the ground.

A few moments later, they had crossed to the center of the battlefield, where the largest contingent of Death Eaters stood in a circle, protecting their leader.

"Macnair. I see you have brought me a gift," a silken voice purred. Hermione's stomach turned as she realized to whom it belonged. Lucius Malfoy.

"Why, it's Auror Granger," Lucius said. "Well done, Macnair. When that Divination professor you have been desiring is captured, I shall see to it that you receive your... reward."

"Thank you, Master," Macnair groveled.

"Now, Hermione Granger," Lucius said, drawing out each syllable. "What to do with you? You, my dear, have been a thorn in my side for too long. I have a special punishment waiting for you." He smiled cruelly. "I have given orders that your friends be captured, rather than killed. You, dear heart," he said, "will be allowed to watch as your friends are killed one... by... one." He paused. "Nothing to said about that? Oh, you can't speak, can you?" he taunted. "Well, we can't have that. Finite."

Hermione knew to attack Lucius would be suicide. However, she wasn't sure that it was not worth it, just to see how he would handle a physical attack, as opposed to a magical one. He would probably be horrified.

"So?" he asked. "What have you to say for yourself?"

Hermione spat in his face. "Go to hell, you sadistic bastard," she snarled.

"So the kitten has claws after all," Lucius said amusedly. "Not for long." He waved his wand casually. "Crucio."

****

The screaming carried across the battlefield, over the shouts of spells, over the blasts of magic. Severus Snape's head snapped up. He knew the cause of a scream like that. He had certainly made it often enough.

"Severus! You can't do anything!" tiny Professor Flitwick cried.

"We'll see about that," he snarled, stalking across the field. He dodged flying curses, making his way to the center of the battlefield.

"Let me through," he hissed at the Death Eaters. They just looked at him. He glared. "Do any of you want to challenge me? Now? Let. Me. Through." They looked at him. All the Death Eaters knew of Snape's prowess with Dark curses--he had taught most of them, after all. They hesitated, then with a small gesture apparently from the second-in-command, they opened a path to allow him through.

"Lucius," he coldly greeted the blond-haired man in the center of the circle. Lucius had taken his mask off, seemingly without a care in the world.

"Severus! How have you been, traitor?" the other man said. "Come to join in the fun? Or did you want to rescue your little Mudblood whore?" He kicked the still-whimpering woman at his feet.

Severus grinned, baring his teeth. "Why not both? Lucius Malfoy," he said formally, "I challenge you to a duel."

---

Chapter 23

Malfoy laughed delightedly. "You... challenge me...? Oh, that is rich." He stopped laughing abruptly. "Severus Snape, your challenge is accepted." On Lucius' order, the Death Eaters dispersed, leaving a large area for the duelists to move in.

The two wizards raised their wands in salute. They then moved to their starting positions, each sure not to turn his back on the other. They circled one another for a few minutes, searching for any weak spots. Meanwhile, the battle raged all around them.

Severus made the first move. He threw a curse, which his opponent blocked just in time. "You have gotten lazy in your old age, Lucius," Severus smirked.

"Perhaps," Lucius agreed, ignoring the needling. He cast a hex that Severus dodged.

The duel continued in earnest, neither man speaking except to throw or block curses.

The battlefield was a pyrotechnic display, the likes of which no Muggle could ever dream of reproducing. At the center was Severus and Lucius, struggling fiercely. The two wizards were matched strength for strength.

Neither man realized when the Aurors arrived. They Apparated directly onto the Hogwarts grounds, the Anti-Apparition wards having fallen quite a while ago.

****

A strangled cry rose from the edge of the field. Mac turned her head toward the noise. She saw Remus Lupin knelt over a prone body. The man had a familiar shock of soft brown hair. Remus stood, a murderous gleam in his eyes. Suddenly, she realized what had happened. "Clay..." she whispered brokenly. She gripped her wand and headed for the center of the field, where two wizards, one dark, one light, were deadlocked in battle.

AJ grabbed her arm, dragging her away from the fight. "Don't even think about it, Mac."

"Don't you tell me what to do. They killed my partner," she hissed.

"And if you go in there angry and upset, you'll be killed, too," AJ responded.

"I don't care!" Her eyes filled with tears. "They murdered him! This wasn't his fight to begin with! He couldn't protect himself!" She turned away and tried to enter the battle again.

AJ didn't know how to stop her. He reverted to instinct. "Colonel MacKenzie!"

She stopped in her tracks.

****

Severus, dodging a Dark curse, moved backward. Not seeing the large rock behind him, he stumbled, dropping his wand. Lucius smiled triumphantly.

"Tsk, tsk, Severus," he said. "You ought to have brushed up on your dueling skills before challenging me. That was a move worthy of a Gryffindor."

Severus closed his eyes, expecting a bolt of green light to come racing toward him at any moment. He refused to grovel or beg. It didn't take long to hear the two familiar words.

"Avada Kedavra."