Hey fans! Sorry this took so long. Been swamped with schoolwork. >.< Anyhow, there are only 2 more chapters after this one. =) So yes, this story (and I think series) will be coming to an end. It's been fun for me, even though I've struggled here and there with writing this. But anyhow... I'll save the sappiness for the end. Hope you all enjoy Chapter 17! =)

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Artemis

         This was it. Voldemort wanted to see Harry and me in the Forbidden Forest. So much as running through my mind; did I go, and probably not come back out, or did I not go at all? No matter which option I chose, people were going to get hurt. It was a matter of who was more important- Audrey, and my friends and family, or myself? As we sat in the now destroyed Great Hall, we all had the same thoughts running through our minds.

         I glanced up, looking at Harry who was sitting across from me. He had a grim look stretched across his face. I knew he was thinking the same things I was. “What are we going to do?” I finally decided to ask him.

         Harry shrugged. “We don’t have much of a choice, Artemis. If we don’t go, a lot of people are going to get hurt. We have to think about what benefits the whole, not just us.”

         I nodded. It was something I had already figured. I took a deep breath, debating my next words over in my head. “We have to,” I said quietly. “I mean… what choice do we have? If we stay more people are going to die, get hurt… and it might be someone we’re closer to. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I can let that happen.”

         Harry was silent for a moment before he spoke again. “Me either.”

         I glanced around the group, trying to gauge whether or not any of them had heard what we had just said. The only one who seemed to be paying any attention to us was Audrey. The rest of the group was preoccupied as Hermione and Holly tended to their wounds. Instinctively, I turned to Audrey; I had to know what she was thinking.

         “Go,” she said in a whisper. “I know you have to.”

         Even though she said that, I could tell that she really didn’t want me to go. There was a certain sadness lingering in her voice, in her words. I could tell Audrey was worried about the outcome, and I couldn’t say I blamed her. I wanted to tell her everything was going to be alright, that I was going to come back out of the Forbidden Forest alive, but I couldn’t make that promise to her. I didn’t know what was going to happen once we got in there, and I surely didn’t believe we were going there just to have a chat over a cup of tea. I was nearly certain we were going to die in the forest, but I surely didn’t want to freak Audrey out more than I already had.

         “No matter what happens in the forest tonight, you’re going to be okay, Audrey,” even as I spoke the words I felt sick to my stomach. “No matter what happens to me, I want you to remain strong. You’re going to get through this one way or another. Please… don’t worry about me.”

         I watched as her brown eyes started to glaze over with tears, feeling myself die inside just a little. I hated doing this to her; but what choice did I have? “But Artemis…” she pleaded.

         “No buts,” I cut her off. “We have to do this. And we’re going to do our best to get the hell out of there in one piece.” I looked at Harry for a moment before I spoke again. “If we can I think we’re going to try to bring the battle back to you.”

         “Actually, Artemis… I have a better idea,” Harry spoke up.

         I turned away from Audrey for a moment, curious to know what in the name of Merlin he could’ve came up with since we had been sitting there.

*****

         I had been sitting on a stump on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest for what seemed like an eternity. Harry’s plan admittedly wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, but since he had been gone for such a long time, I wasn’t sure if it had went off without a hitch like he had anticipated. He had to get the Horcrux out of him, and the only way that was possible was if Voldemort did it himself. Harry figured if Voldemort was mad enough that I hadn’t come, he would kill Harry on the spot. I, however, knew that Harry had a secret or two up his sleeves.

         Before I could get too more lost in my thoughts, I heard something stirring in the forest. Something, or someone, was heading towards me. Using my vampiric speed that for some reason I had forgotten about until then, I moved out of sight, peeking out from behind a large rock that was nearby. As it turned out, I had moved at the perfect time; only a minute or so later, a group of Death Eaters emerged from the forest, Voldemort leading the way, a menacing glare on his face. I immediately searched for Harry, and I didn’t like where I found him. He was being carried by Hagrid, whom the Death Eaters had captured, and from what I could tell, he was at least unconscious- but probably dead.

         This was not good. My mind immediately started to panic. If Harry was in fact dead, this impending battle was sure to not be as promising as one could hope. Harry was the one who was supposed to defeat Voldemort. If he was dead, who was going to be able to eliminate Voldemort for good?

         I tried to shake the thought from my head as I began to make my way back towards the castle, hoping I could make it back before Voldemort arrived, and without being seen in the process. With every step I took, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, my brain racing trying to come up with every possible outcome of this. You’re stupid for letting him go in there alone; you should’ve known Voldemort was going to seriously kill him, my brain told me.

         My feet came to a screeching halt when I came to the courtyard. All of the students were standing outside, along with the teachers. I had almost run straight into the center of the courtyard where I would’ve been in the opening, a sitting duck for the Death Eaters on the other side to kill. I glanced around, trying my best to spot Audrey in the crowd of confusion. I didn’t have to search hard; she was standing not too far away from McGonagall. I snuck quietly over to them, somehow managing to blend in with the other students.

         I placed my hand on Audrey’s shoulder, the only thing I needed to do to get her attention. She glanced over her shoulder, a small smile on her face. Audrey only looked at me for a second before she brought her attention back to the scene before us, just in time to hear Voldemort make a horrifying announcement.

         “Harry Potter is dead!” he screamed, almost in a laugh. I felt my heart sink at those words. As much as Harry and I butted heads, it was still rather disappointing he had come to such a tragic end, especially when we were so close. “The war is over; you lose. Your precious hero has failed you as he attempted to escape, leaving you all to be slaughtered.” I bit my tongue. I knew Harry would’ve never done that.

         “It’s time for a new order at Hogwarts. There will no longer be the four houses you all hold so near and dear to your hearts; there will only be one. The house of my ancestors shall be home to all of you; the crest, the colors, the emblem of Salazar Slytherin will suffice for everyone,” Voldemort continued. Until that day, I had always been a proud Slytherin, supporting my house any way I could. Now, all I felt was shame.

         But before Voldemort could continue, or I could feel much more shame about my house, the unthinkable happened. Harry rolled out of Hagrid’s arms, very much so alive. A roar erupted from the crowd of students and teachers. All I could do was smirk for a moment; there was the hero we all needed. This war wasn’t over yet.