Love Of My Life

Chapter Forty-Two: Time For The End

Once the barrier had broken and the death eaters had stormed the school, all hell broke loose. The heat from fires made Salem sweat while curses flew from every direction and the scent of blood began filling the school.

Lucius had been called away by the dark lord and Salem was busy trying to find Draco as Lucius asked her to.

She sprints through the stone hallways, searching for the reckless boy who may have already been killed. 

A small student turns the corner and sees Salem in all black. "Avada kedavra!" She says before Salem quickly blocks the spell and continues to run. "Idiot, I'm on your side!" She calls back.

Everybody was terrified. Nobody knew who was on what side. However, they damn sure knew that they couldn't trust anyone. 

Racking her brain, she tries to think of where else Draco could be when the wall begins to suddenly open up. Overhead, Draco and Harry fly out on brooms. Draco dropped down in front of her, making her let out a sigh of relief. "Easy enough," She thinks as the boy gets up and brushes off the fall.

"Salem? Where's father?" He asks in a worried tone. "He sent me to find you." She says as she pats out a small bit of fire that lingered on his cloak. "he destroyed another Horcrux." Draco blurts out to her, feeling a sense of trust between the two. "G-good." She stutters, still confused about what side Draco was really on. 

"Salem, is it almost over?" He asks in a shaky voice.

He may have been a seventeen-year-old man but at that moment Salem saw who he really was. He was a scared boy that was forced to grow up to fast. He didn't deserve all that was happening to him and everyone else at the moment.

"Possibly, just stay close, and let's go find Lucius." She tells him, not truly knowing if this was ever going to end.

They begin running back towards the front of the school, suddenly stopping when an eerie voice rings through their head. 

"You have formed valiantly." It whispers through their head as Draco looks up at her in fear and confusion. She could tell that everybody else could hear it too because several children cowered in the corner, holding their hand over their ears.

"However, I do not wish this." He speaks again. 

"Salem what's happening?" He asks in a shaky voice. "I don't know." She says in the same tone. 

"Every drop of magical blood spilled is a terrible waste. I therefore command my forces to retreat." He says through everyone's head.

"In their absence, dispose of your dead with dignity." He tells them. "Harry Potter, I now speak directly to you. On this night, you have allowed your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself." He speaks as his whispers begin hurting the pair's ears. "Join me in the forbidden forest and confront your fate. If you do not do this, I will kill every woman, man, and child that attempts to conceal you from me." He says, finally stopping the announcement.

"What do we do?" Draco asks as he looks up. "We go outside with the rest. We have no business in this castle right now." She tells him as they walk out.

The atmosphere was now gloomy and dark. As the two walked, people's cries could be heard as they sobbed for their fallen friends. This once bright and lively place was now a gravesite for wizards, witches, and several innocent children.

Once they made it outside, they were met with several death eaters, standing around in a huddle. They see Lucius and his worried expression softens at the sight of his future wife and son.

"Thank Merlin." He says before hugging Draco and kissing Salem. "Where do we go from here?" Salem asks. "He said that he's gonna give the boy an hour before we all go to the forbidden forest." He informs them. 

"Where is he now?" Draco asks. "Down at the boathouse talking to Severus." He tells them which makes Salem's face go white. 

"He's what?!" She says before quickly sprinting towards the stairs down to the boathouse. Draco and Lucius shoot each other a quick look of confusion before going after her.

She practically throws herself down the stairs, trying to get to the boathouse. She makes it to the bottom and finds Severus barely holding onto life.

"No!" She says as she throws herself at him. "I'm okay, I'm okay." He attempts to reassure her as she holds his neck wound. "Severus, I'm so sorry." She says as she rummages through her bag for something to help him. "Salem, it's my time," he says as he brushes the blonde hair out of her face.

"Severus...." Lucius says as he and Draco enter.

"No. No. I have an idea." She says as she pulls a vial of something from her bag. "Swallow this. It's about twenty years old but it will work." She tells him as he gently pours it into his mouth.

Lucius and Draco take a seat next to Severus as Salem tries her best to help him.

"That should help heal the internal wounds. But I'm gonna have to stitch up your neck." She tells him as she pulls a needle and thread from her bag. "Salem it's no use." He tells her, trying to fight off her attempts. "I'm not letting you die. Now shut up and let me save you." She says, coming off harsher than intended as she works through teary eyes.

She sewed up the snake wounds, successfully stopping the bleeding as Lucius talked to him to keep him conscious.

She had kept him from dying but he was still in a great deal of pain. "Here. This should help with the pain." She says while she helps him weakly take the potion that she had. 

"Salem, the dark forest. He'll be wondering where we are." Lucius tells her as she examines Severus.

"Stay here. I know it's hard but try and get some rest. Depending on what will happen, we'll be back in a few hours with healers." She tells Severus before gently kissing his forehead. "Thank you." He weakly speaks as she gives him a smile for comfort.

***********

Lucius holds his arm around Salem to comfort her as the three walk down the hill to the forbidden forest.

"What happens if he finds Uncle Severus?" Draco asks, earning a look from Lucius, indicating to shut up. "He'll kill him, and then he'll kill me for helping him," Salem says as she pushes back tears. "Hey, that won't happen. I promise you." Lucius tells her as the two stop walking. 

Draco walks on as the two stop to talk.

"I'm scared, Lucy. Things aren't looking good right now." She truthfully tells him. "I know, and I am too." He reassures her before pulling her into a gentle hug in the empty part of the forest. "By dawn, Severus will get the help he needs, rebuilding will begin, the dark lord will be gone, and we'll be free from this." He says as he caresses his palm over her cheek.

"Promise?" She asks as she chuckles through tears. "I promise." He says before kissing her. 

"Come, darling. It's time for the end." He says before she takes his hand and they walk through the fog-flooded forest.