When two worlds collide.

The Diadem.

Luna leads Alex up a shadowy staircase, out into a corridor.

"If you're to find her, you'll find her down there." Luna sighs.

"Aren't you coming?" Alex questions.

Luna cocks her head, staring down toward the dark end. "No. I think it best if you two talk alone. She's very shy.." Luna states as she leaves.

Alex eyes the shadows ahead.

. . .

Lupin and shacklebolt stride out into the night as Dean tags after. Shacklebolt gives instructions to Dean.

"Tell Professor McGonagall Remus and I will handle this side of the castle!"

"Yes, sir." As Dean starts off, the grounds beyond and below come into view: a sea of Death Eaters. Kingsley and Remus stop dead, narrow their eyes.

"Dean!" Kingsley yells. "On second thought, tell Professor McGonagall we might need one or two more wands this side." Dean nods and continues on, merely trading a glance with Arthur, Fred and George as they appear, staring in stunned disbelief at the deadly throng across the landscape.

"It's the quality of one's conviction that determines success, not the number of one's followers." Lupin stares straight ahead, as does Shacklebolt.

"Who said that?" Kingsley questions.

"Me." Remus mumbles.

For the first time, they look at each other and share a fatalistic smile.

Then Tonks appears.

"Speaking of quality.." Tonks rushes past the Weasleys, lightly touching Arthur's arm as she leaps into Lupin's embrace. He hugs her deeply.

"You shouldn't have. It's Teddy who needs you.."

"He'll sleep 'til dawn and snore like his father. It's you who needs me tonight." He looks her in the eye, not denying it.

Then a thunderous boom shatters the night and acrid plumes of smoke strafe the sky.

. . .

Up ahead, a gauzy shadow plays eerily in the corner, undulating like the fins of a goldfish. As she turns the corner, Alex finds a beautiful ghost. Helena Ravenclaw, floating before a veined mirror, her reflected eyes distant and sad. As her face comes into the light, she reacts, recognizing her from her visions.

"It's you.."

The Grey Lady drifts eerily, staring at Alex.

"You're the Grey Lady, the ghost of Ravenclaw Tower."

"I do not answer to that name!" She growls defensively.

"I'm sorry! It's Helena, isn't it? Helena Ravenclaw. Rowena's daughter. Luna told me." Alex sighs.

"Are you a friend of Luna's?"

"Yes. She thought you might be able to help me." Alex nods.

"You seek my mother's diadem.." Helena sighs.

Alex stops, stunned.

"Yes. That's right."

"Luna is kind. Unlike so many of the others.." She smiles light. "but she was wrong. I cannot help you."She begins to drift away.

Outside, explosions are heard. The room quakes.

Alex looks desperate.

"Wait!" She exclaims. "Please.."

"Many have sought my mother's diadem. Its powers are legendary..."

"But I don't care about its powers! Honestly-" Alex groans but Helena is drifting away.

Alex watches in desperation.

"I don't seek it for myself! have to believe me!"

But she only drifts on.

Helplessly, Alex watches her.

"I want to destroy it!"

Helena stops and turns. She sees this has hooked her in some way. Begins walking back toward her, nodding.

"That's what you want, isn't it, Helena? You want it destroyed." Alex folds her arms, standing with her legs slightly apart.

"She thought I took it to hurt her. But I only wanted to be more like her, clever and wise. She wore it so beautifully, but on me...I grew to hate it...the pain I felt...the pain I feel even now..." Helena frowns.

"I'll end your pain, Helena. Tell me where it is and I'll destroy it, I swear-"

"Another swore to destroy it, many years ago, a strange boy with a strange name..." She mutters, trying to think of the name.

"Tom Riddle." Alex drags in her breath.

"But he lied!" Helena snaps.

"He's lied to many people." Alex glances down.

Suddenly, Helenas eyes blaze with anger, her face contorting horribly and Alex can't help but take a step back. "I know what he's done! I know who he is! He defiled it! With Dark Magic!"

Alex stares at her, watching as her eyes drift and her face resolves itself again, vacant but beautiful.

"Yes. That's right. But I can undo that, Helena. I can destroy it once and for all. But only if you tell me where he hid it. You know where he hid it, don't you, Helena? You just have to tell me. Please.." Alex steps towards her. "Trust me!" Helena looks at Alex, standing so close now, only inches apart, lost in her eyes for a moment.

"Strange...you remind me of him a bit..-"

Alex stares at her, suddenly looking a bit lost herself.

Explosions sound again, faintly this time and for a moment it's as if she's forgotten why she's come here. Then, her voice brings her round. "It's here. In the castle. In the place where everything is hidden..."

Alex probes her eyes, baffled.

"If you have to ask, you'll never know. If you know, you need only ask..."

Slowly, Alex's expression changes.

"Thank you!" Alex explains, turning away. "Thank you!" Alex runs out.

Alex careens down the staircase, buffeted by the chaos that surrounds her, swept forward by the tide of people screaming and shouting as they deploy to different parts of the castle. It's madness.

. . .

Ron emerges from the shadows, basilisk fang in hand, and joins Hermione and Harry on Slytherin's altar. She reaches into the beaded bag and removes the cup. He extends the fang to her.

"You do it.." Ron looks at Hermione. She starts to speak, to object, but Harry speaks first: "Yes, you can."

She reaches out, her hand trembling, and takes the fang from his fingers. She raises her arm, still as glass for a moment, then fang down.

. . .

Voldemort howls, his eyes burning scarlet.

Alex staggers, roaring in agony, her irises blooming red in the reflected glow of the guttering torch on the wall she steadies herself against as impulsively, violently, Voldemort draws his wand, the Elder Wand, then stops...briefly, studying it. A strange mixture of awe and ambivalence darkens his face. Then, suddenly, it vanishes and he points the wand to the sky. His arm sweeps forth. And a crack of thunder shakes the grounds. The sky turns white. For a moment, everything is frozen, still and then an eruption of sound and fury rolls over the grounds.

. . .