Chapter Twelve

It was Quidditch weekend. Ravenclaw versus Slytherin. Everyone was cheering for the players, wanting to see who would win. No one knew that Voldemort had made last minute plans for his siege upon Hogwarts. Hogsmeade had been overrun by Death Eaters. Those supporting the Dark Lord had helped lock down the small village, but one follower was able to slip away to the school.

He had raced to the Quidditch pitch, knowing his Master was a few paces behind on his way from the village. Icy blue eyes searched for the Headmaster, "Dumbledore!" He found the white haired wizard smiling with the Professors as they watched a rousing game. But once he hissed the man's name, Albus turned to face him. "He's here! On his way!"

"Students! Return to the school and your dormitories at once!" Albus raised his voice as the Order members quickly stood to defend the students. Just as the students streaked for the safety of their school, jets of lights and loud voices overshadowed their escape. The Order began tossing their own curses and shields in hopes of saving their students.

One student in particular had been separated from his friends as he tried to avoid an orange color streak of light. He heard his friends faintly calling him as they were shoved further away by panicking classmates. Rough hands jerked him to his feet, dragging him before a smug Dark Lord, "We meet again, boy."

Severus fought to contain the flinch at those hissed words, so much like his uncle. "Voldemort."

Red eyes glimmered as the man smirked, "Any last words, boy? Or is my name all you can say? No? Well, then perhaps a goodbye from me is all you need." He raised his wand, prepared to speak the final words to rid him of the boy's infernal presence.

"Experillamus!"

Voldemort hissed in anger as his wand was forcibly removed from his hand, flying towards Dumbledore. "You!"

"This stops now, Tom!"

He sneered at the muggle-loving Headmaster, yanking the boy close to his body as he held a dagger to the pale throat, "It doesn't end with me. It ends with you and your pathetic little savior. Where is it?"

Albus stood unwavering, wand brandished upon his ex-student. He knew what it was Tom Riddle was asking for, "No one has The Eye, Tom."

"Ah, but that's where you are wrong, Headmaster. Someone does have it." Harry hadn't gone to the Quidditch match, stating his need to finish a few last minute orders by St. Mungo's. He had received one last visit from Lord Hades. He could only tell what he knew but explained that Lord Hades had to speak with his wife if he wished to learn everything. Hades had agreed to remain in the shadows until his wife appeared. Harry had grabbed the box on his way out the door when Hades mentioned a disturbance upon the school's grounds.

"Ah, Mr. Potter. You've been from my side far too long."

Harry raised a brow, uncaring to the surrounding Death Eaters and Order members. He strolled forward, hands loosely wrapped around the box. "You forget, dearest Tom." He smirked as Voldemort bristled at the name, "You set us up. What makes you think by punishing your most loyal followers that the son would come crawling to you?"

Red eyes flared with anger as Voldemort pressed the dagger harder into pale skin. The boy in his arms trembled at the feel of warm blood trickling down his throat but he never tried to move away. "Give it here."

Harry carefully released the tiny lock with a burst of wandless magic, removing the silken object. "Is this what you desire?" He held the object at chest level, smirking as the Dark Lord quivered with want.

"Give it here or the boy dies."

A dark brow rose, "And why should I care?" The Order gasped at his careless words, "Severus knows what he wants. Unlike those around us, I refuse to take it away from him. It's his choice." He refused to hand over the object, knowing what it would cost.

Enraged, Voldemort rapidly dragged the dagger over his victim's throat. He tossed the gasping form aside, never paying attention to where it landed. But the others did. Eyes grew wide at the sight of a young woman catching Severus as he fell. Golden locks of slightly curled blonde hair gently swirled in an invisible breeze as pale arms wrapped about the gasping form, holding him close to her lavender gowned body until the last breath was lost to the air around them. Rich brown eyes mourned for her child's loss of life. She peered over his black hair to her companions, her voice sweetly ringing, "Why am I here?"

Harry paced slowly towards her, distracting her eyes to his chest to see the silk covered sphere, "Remember this, my dear Lady?"

Her eyes glimmered in knowledge. "It was mine. My heart." She turned her gaze to the lifeless body in her arms, "He suffered what they desired." Angry, the winds blew with leveling rage, coursing around the standing figures.

But someone interrupted her anger, "What part of your heart lies within the wedding gift I created for you, my Queen?" Lord Hades appeared before them all in his Godlike glory. Black eyes peered down at the body resting in his wife's arms. "And he is?"

"A child suffering the whims of others. A child that wished for rest and peace. His choice." Harry opened his mind to the God of the Underworld, showing him how Severus died.

Hades faced the man responsible for the boy's death. In response, he clenched a fist, raising it towards the Dark Lord's followers. Using what he found from his child's mind, Lord Hades stole the souls of several of the Dark followers, watching with amusement as the bodies dropped without a struggle. His amusement rose as the others cried out in shock. But when he surveyed the fallen and met the gaze of his lovely wife, he was reminded of his mission. "You have much to explain, my wife."

She flinched, winds whipping around the survivors from all angles, even if they wish to flee they couldn't move, and the wards wouldn't allow apparition. "Forgive me, my Lord." Her words begged for his forgiveness but he wanted answers. A white hand reached for the sphere Harry had just uncovered. With her gift and heart back in her hands, the memories, the feelings, she once thought gone had returned with a vengeance. Brown eyes flashed with hatred and angered, "You took me! You stole me! I hated you! I was happy in my world! How could you do this to me?" The anger bled to sorrow, "You ripped me from what I knew. I wanted to go home. But I ended up damning myself to your side by eating what was forbidden. And with time my hatred, my anger, my sorrow turned to love. I began to fall for your charms. I couldn't bear to lose you. Six months of the year wasn't enough. But I knew I had to accept what I could by ridding myself of the negative feelings that could destroy our marriage."

Harry struggled against the barricade of windy tunnels, "With love comes hate, my Lady. Nothing is ever certain. He," Harry pointed to the fallen student, "knew that." He pushed with his magic and determination to make her listen to him, "People have died in hope of unleashing your hate, your anger. You knew it could kill the world and still wouldn't accept. Your knowledge came true."

Persephone stared in fear at the raging man, something in his eyes telling her of the truth she tried to hide. "I'm sorry."

Emerald eyes closed as he remembered, Keep going. They would have learned sooner or later. "Sorry means nothing to me. I lost everyone because of you. I had to kill the innocent to gain peace." His left hand jerked in the direction of a struggling Dark Lord, "He tortured them because of you! You killed them all because you couldn't bear to lose your husband! I lost everything...everything!"

Tears flowed freely from her eyes, "Forgive me." She never wanted anyone to suffer for her mistake. She rocked the body in her arms, curling around it and her lost sliver, "Forgive me."

Enraged by his wife's daring, her knowledge of what mortals could do with such destructive powers, Hades turned his brand of Dark magic upon those who had wished to control that power. His ears rang with dying screams of Voldemort and his last few true loyal followers as they were swallowed, writhing in columns of black flames. "I, Lord Hades of the Underworld, condemn you to the far reaches of Tartarus."

The Order was stunned when two of their own members had vanished in black flames. They had no knowledge of what was spoken; all they knew was that Voldemort had been destroyed. "I am sorry for your world, my child." Persephone rose to shaky legs. Her husband came to her side, offering a helping hand. Brown eyes stared into black, hands pressing tightly against the glass, pushing it hard against her soft breast, "I love you, my husband."

"You took me despite my faults, my lovely spring child. Give me what you have taken of me." The glass cracked slowly, separating into four large pieces. The tiny sliver floated for a few seconds, glowing a soft red. Persephone tearily smiled at her husband as she gently pulled the sliver inside her body with magic. Her hands held tightly in a larger set of hands as she was flooded with lost emotions.

Harry carefully heaved his fallen student's body into his arms, watching the warm embrace of two forsaken Gods. The winds had died to a gentle breeze, allowing freedom of movement. Albus had been the second to reach Severus' body. "It's what he wanted. Peace and rest over the life he could only dream of."

"He deserved more."

"Yes, he did but he knew it wouldn't happen. He wasn't ready for a fight. He was never trained. He was always in the dark about his life. You and the Order kept secrets from Severus, things he deserved to know. He wouldn't have accepted death so easily if you allowed him the chance at life. When you're tired of fighting, you will accept a different path than to fight."

"Child, he will rest in peace. He will be happy. I am sorry for your world. I never meant for it to be found. I never wanted it to be found. All I can say is be happy with the life you have now. I cannot give back what was taken." Harry smiled sadly, already knowing he would never see his family and friends again. Perhaps in eternal sleep I can. Things were different now but he would accept knowing his Godfather and mate. Holding his student close, Harry watched as the two Gods dispersed into the winds as wispy vapors.

"He will be put to rest with his family, his true family. If anyone asks, the Gods favored him and those loyal to him." He allowed Albus to take Severus from his arms, content in his knowledge that the Headmaster would finally do right by the boy. He remained behind as the others slowly turned away. Some had gone to comfort the children, some had gone to fetch the Aurors, and others had gone to deliver the news.

"Harry?" Sirius and Remus were the only ones to remain at his back, watching him closely.

"I lost my world. You know this. I will always miss them. But I do not regret finding you. Either of you." He accepted the comforting embraces, snuggling closer to the warmth and concern. Sirius and Remus silently agreed to be at his side, always. Moony whine with delight, knowing he would have his mate by his side every full moon. "I would find my mate, Remus, no matter the life. And I would always want you as my Godfather, Sirius." They stayed together in one close embrace, unwilling to let go as memories of lost friends and family washed over them. Each had their own mourning but knew they always had someone to walk at their side.