Sirius Black's Twin

The Final Fight

This WAS going to be the last chapter, but I decided that the battle is too long and glorious and important to be fit into just one small chapter, so I'm breaking it in half. There will be (probably) two more chapters after this and that's it.

I hope you like this one!

Lyra Black-Blue lived a long, happy life. Although it was plagued by war and death, she still married, she still had children, and she still had surviving friends who she knew would risk their lives for her. The only thing that would make her truly happy would be the knowledge that her two children would get the same.

Lynx and Will were always happy children. They were great wizards, and good people. They grew up knowing that their mother loved them, and even with the absence of their father they never felt unloved by him, either. But Lyra knew that they deserved more than this constant fear that hovered above them all.

“It's finally happening,” Nick said from beside her.

Lyra grabbed his hand. He sounded so happy, so relieved, but for some reason neither emotion was inside her. She felt a terrible hole in her chest, and her eyes were stinging like she was only an inch from bursting into tears. Even with the comfort of her husband's rough fingers closing around hers in a caress, she felt cold.

“The final battle,” Lyra agreed, a lump growing in her throat.

Around them the remaining members of the Order were embracing each other and saying their good byes. Though no one planned to die, they knew that they might not see each other ever again. The final battle was always where the most casualties happened.

Harry Potter was at Hogwarts. Lyra watched that boy grow from a confused eleven year old wizard to a brave, loyal man. Ever since she met him she knew that he would be a powerful wizard, and she knew that her best friends, Lily and James Potter, would be beyond proud of him. Sirius, her brother, was probably shining with joy at the man he had become.

Harry might not know how loved he was by the people around him. He might not even know that his presence determined the end of the war.

“It's time to go,” Lyra said to the families and friends around her. She hated to be the one to break the tearful goodbyes, but since Moody and Dumbledore died, someone had to take the lead. “Good luck to you all.”

Nick gave his wife's hand a squeeze, and then apparated them to Aberforth Dumbledore's pub. It was a dingy place with cobwebs and clumps of dust, but it was the only safe route to Hogwarts, so they went there. The rest of the Order were apparating in Hogsmeade and attacking Hogwarts full on, but Lyra and Nick needed to know that their children were safe before they faced possible death.

“Bah!” came a raspy, old voice. Aberforth came striding towards the couple, an awful scowl on his wrinkled face. “This isn't a train station!”

“We're sorry,” Nick said smoothly. He never liked Aberforth, but Lyra understood the man's coldness. “We need to use your passage.”

“Why?” Aberforth demanded.

“It's happening,” Lyra said. “The final fight. It's happening right now.”

“And what's the miracle that you two aren't in the thick of it?” Aberforth said. From the distance, Lyra could hear screams and shrieks and explosions. Her fingers itched to grab her wand and run towards it, but the mother part of her firmly snuffed the feeling out.

“We need to make sure that our children are safe first,” Lyra said. “They told us about the secret passage-way, Aberforth.”

“Fine! Fine,” Aberforth gestured for them to follow him, and they did. He led them to the back where there was an almost-clean room. Lyra's gaze immediately went to a portrait of a young girl about the age of twelve with auburn hair and nice blue eyes that both Dumbledore brothers shared. Lyra rushed to it while Aberfoth stepped forward to talk to Nick. “I'm guessing you know what to do?”