First Place - Angst

Like many others there, Severus had a personal agenda he intended to see to as part of this battle. Before they charged out the front doors of the castle, as had to be expected of them, Severus had checked Moony's Map one more time to fix the positions of three specific Death Eaters in his head. He had an advantage over many of those on the side of light.

He could identify Death Eaters by their voices, the way they moved, and their fighting style. Using the map to locate them would only narrow down the areas to search in. Picking out these three, who were well known to him, would not be at all difficult. Coming up with a defense for why he killed them would not be a problem either. After all, he had been a spy and could lie with ease, even under most truth serums, and he had his counter for Veritaserum.

Dragon fire broke the line of professors and students, scattering them. Severus saw Harry treating wounded and went about the same work himself. Battlefield medicine was rushed and incomplete but was just enough to stabilize the fallen until other help was obtained. Severus had a rather substantial supply of potions in single dose vials on a special belt, but he had to be careful in using them where they were absolutely needed to save lives.

Those Portkeys that the Gryffindors had devised would doubtlessly save dozens of lives that would otherwise be lost while waiting for help. Severus sent Minerva, who had shielded three students with her body, to St. Mungo's, the skin on her back and legs blackened, her hair burned away, after dosing her with a strong pain killer, the vial attached to her robes for the healers. He took a moment, all he could spare, to say a fervent wish for his colleague... his friend's recovery.

When he had helped everyone he could Severus strode straight towards the Death Eaters coming out of the forest. He ignored the dragon roars above him and focused on the two targets waiting for him. He knew exactly where to find them, and would recognize them quickly despite the disguise of cloak and mask.

They had been friends almost from infancy, Walden McNair and Sheridan Avery, and almost inseparable all through their time at Hogwarts, a few years ahead of Severus. They had tormented Gryffindors together, started working for the Ministry together, and joined Voldemort together. In a fight, one was never far from the other, and Severus was counting on it that morning.

He strode past the greenhouses, crossed the quidditch pitch, and approached the Death Eaters coming from the north. Aurors and students came down from the north tower on brooms. The Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor chasers were flying at breakneck speed and shot curses at the Death Eaters from overhead. The rest of the mounted team landed behind Severus and joined him.

When they got within wand range curses started shooting back and forth, and Severus spotted his quarry towards the back. They would send the victims of the Imperious Curse in front of them to thin out the opposition before engaging the enemy themselves, the less work for them, the less risk, the better.

"Walden!" Severus called out as a direct challenge to the usually more volatile of the two. His wand was sparking with his anger and his black robes were billowing behind him even more dramatically than usual, but for the first time on a battlefield he was not wearing a cloak or a mask. He stunned insignificant Death Eaters left and right, not bothering to bind them. The Aurors or students could take care of that.

He paused when he spotted Walden McNair and began slowly weaving a personal shield around himself. It would deflect most of the lower level curses and hexes, leaving him able to concentrate on more dangerous spells.

"Severus how nice to see you again," Sheridan Avery said, walking up smoothly beside Walden McNair.

The fight raged around them and Severus smirked in anticipation at his two opponents, "I assure you that the pleasure is all yours."

"We had the pleasure of your son," McNair laughed superiorly.

"I know," Severus said in the voice he used when he caught students breaking rules, the voice that used to make Neville Longbottom quake with fear. "Why do you think I sought you in particular?"

If McNair and Avery hadn't been wearing masks they would have exchanged uneasy glances. As it was, their body language gave away their sudden fear. They knew how well Severus fought, as both had been bested by him in practice duels, and duels for Voldemort's entertainment before. "When I am done with you, Lucius is next."

A flick of his wrist banished the white featureless masks. Severus wanted to see their faces as they reaped what they had sown. Simultaneous curses flashed his way and Severus easily blocked them. Avery and McNair were formidable when they fought together, but they usually went up against muggles, children, or the untrained. Severus was a master dueler.

He hit them with curses where it would not incapacitate them. He wanted them in pain, wanted them to fear for their lives. He was toying with them. If Albus knew what Severus was doing he would surely disapprove, but Severus had done worse in Albus's service and to better people. For the first time he was doing this for his own purposes.

Very few curses hit Severus, and those that did would not cause any lasting harm. At the most he would add another scar or two to his collection, something that did not bother him at all.

Avery was down, with blood leaking from a cut in his lower abdomen, his ears, and several other non-fatal areas. There were burns on his face, arms, and legs. He was still conscious, but out of the fight. McNair had a broken ankle but was still fighting. Severus continued cursing them both, using the same curses they had cast on him a year ago.

"It doesn't matter if you beat me Severus," McNair wheezed. "Lucius will kill you."

Severus smirked. McNair was about to drop and was making idle threats, trying to trip Severus up. It was pathetic.

"It has been over twenty years Walden," Severus said in a silky tone, "since I have enjoyed what I am about to do."

McNair, who had tortured and killed countless muggles, had been the executioner of dangerous creatures for the Ministry, and had been a resident of Azkaban Prison for a time, looked at Severus with pure fear. It sent a thrill down Severus's spine that he had not felt in decades.

Though Severus had never wanted the Dark Mark, and had not felt the same hatred for muggles as the other Death Eaters, he had tried for a time to force himself to live the lifestyle, to make the most of a horrendous situation. Dark magic affected the caster, could even become addictive, and Severus had been close until James saw what was happening and saved him from ruin. For the past two years Severus had a kept a close eye on Harry and knew that his son had not even approached that point.

Severus smiled wickedly and let the rush of dark magic sweep over him. He raised his wand and silenced and bound McNair, the man's eyes growing even wider. With his wand aimed directly between Avery's eyes, Severus cast a quick silencing spell and then spoke the dark spell softly.

Terrificare!

McNair would have whimpered had he been able to speak. Avery's body thrashed, though no sound came from it. The spell Severus had used should have been an Unforgivable in his opinion, and while it was certainly dark it was not illegal. It took a considerable amount of power to cast, and was made easier to use if one had mastered Legilimency, and so only a handful of people alive could successfully cast it. The curse trapped the victim's mind within their deepest, darkest fears.

Severus spoke the curse again, this time with his wand aimed at McNair. He watched dispassionately as the man fought the ropes that bound him, wriggling like a flobberworm. Of all the people on the battlefield, Severus knew that only he and Voldemort, and Dumbledore and Harry, maybe Remus as well, would be able to break that curse. He did not want to leave anything to chance though, and there was a small part of him that seemed to speak with James's voice that was disgusted, so he slashed his wand through the air, cutting McNair's throat open. He banished the ropes and removed the silencing spell as the man died.

He repeated the action with Avery and told himself that Harry would survive that day, and would never have to see these men again. That feeling of disgust, of uncleanliness, started to take hold but Severus pushed it away. He had felt the same way after every Death Eater mission he was sent on, after every torture session he took part in, and he needed to hold it off just a little longer. The only mission he had ever sent himself on was not yet over.

Lucius would be a more difficult target and Severus had intentionally gone after Avery and McNair first. Lucius was more skilled than those two, more powerful, and knew Severus much better. The former head of the Malfoy family was with the main group that had come from the forest.

Now far behind the main focus of the battle Severus quickly healed his own wounds so that nothing would hinder him when he faced Lucius. As he came upon stunned students he revived them and either sent them away with their Portkeys if they were too disoriented, or reluctantly allowed them to run back into the fray.

Severus had to fight his way back across the grounds of the school. He saw Death Eaters trying to breach the walls of the school and stopped in amazement for a brief moment. The statues outside the school that had always been motionless were knocking the Death Eaters unconsciousness with a single blow, not affected by any spells shot at them.

The greenhouses were traps all in themselves. Anyone in a white mask that got near was instantly wrapped in vines or avoiding snapping plants. The Whomping Willow had extended its reach and had several Death Eaters bound in its clutches. Seemingly innocuous hedges that flanked the main doors of the school had sucked in at least one Death Eater.

Those that touched the stones themselves were in for a nasty surprise. They found their hands stuck in place, and their joints becoming stiff. Their skin grew paler, a whiteness creeping up their arms from the stone of the castle. Robes, hair, skin, eyes, all turned white until the Death Eaters were no more than inanimate statues themselves.

Harry was certainly right when he said that Hogwarts woke up.

He put the castle out of his mind and rejoined the battle, thankful that no curses hit him in his momentary lapse. Adrenalin was rushing through him as Severus stunned white masked attackers. He bound those he felled and any Death Eaters that were lying on the ground. Severus cringed at how many students were down. He activated Portkeys, knowing that somewhere James was laughing at him for having to say those ridiculous muggle keywords over and over.

Finding Lucius in the midst of a battle would not necessarily be easy. Severus found several conscious students and Order members who were injured and almost exhausted his potions supply. Some of them rejoined the fight and others Portkeyed away for further medical attention.

Alastor Moody was sitting on the ground, his wooden leg gone, shooting curses at Death Eaters and rolling to dodge their responses. He snarled and snapped, his magical eye spinning rapidly, fierce and strong despite what many would consider defeat. As much as he disliked the former Auror Severus could not help but admire him, and could not leave him there, fighting four Death Eaters and unable to move.

With a few stunning spells cast in quick succession Severus downed two of the four attackers, who had not seen him coming until he had reduced their number by half. Between Severus and the retired Auror they made short work of the remaining two.

"What took you so bloody long Snape?" Alastor growled as he waited for the summoning spell to bring him his wooden leg.

"I had a few debts to pay Mad-Eye," Severus sneered, still not really liking the man.

The peg flew into Alastor's hand and he spelled it back in place, "Helping out a few old friends?"

Severus's eyes narrowed. The two seasoned veterans ignored the flashes around them, casually blocking a hex here and there on instinct. They were shielded and not easily distracted, "More like killing a few old friends."

Alastor Moody's eyebrows rose and his eye stopped spinning. It fixed on Severus, sending a shiver down his spine. "I suppose both Albus and Harry can't be entirely wrong about you."

A battlefield where the fight was still raging was an interesting place to come to an understanding, but Severus just nodded. "Have you any idea where Lucius is?"

The name Malfoy was unnecessary, as there was only one Lucius on the Hogwarts grounds that morning. Moody's eye started to spin again, only more slowly, searching. The man raised a gnarled finger and pointed, "That way lad. Give him a good hex or two from me, preferably painful ones."

With that Moody limped away to aid a pair of fifth year Ravenclaws that were floundering, coming to their rescue in a timely fashion. The giant squid reached out of the lake and pulled some Death Eaters below the water. Severus turned the other way and dodged through duels, seeking for any sign of the platinum blond hair that was a defining characteristic of Malfoy lineage.

What surrounded him was like no battle Severus had ever seen. There were clouds of smoke in a rainbow of colors. The Weasley twins were gleefully transfiguring their enemies into slugs and snails and other small, slow moving creatures and levitating them all into a large bucket.

Students were using the strangest fighting techniques Severus had ever seen, throwing off the Death Eaters with their unorthodox dueling. They used cheering charms cast too hard, leaving Death Eaters laughing hysterically, unable to retaliate. They got too close for dueling and fought muggle style. They transfigured their enemies and were always in groups of three or more.

Severus saw Hermione Granger punch a Death Eater in the temple, knocking them out cold. Anna Fawcett was charming the Death Eater masks to seal up the eye, nose, and mouth holes and stick to the faces. Several Death Eaters were stumbling around and clawing at their masks, wands forgotten in their blind panic. Ron Weasley had cast the curse that had backfired from his broken wand five years earlier and left multiple opponents on their knees spewing slugs.

Between the twins and Ron it was going to be amusing to sort out the aftermath of that battle.

The silvery form of Prongs was everywhere. There were dozens of brilliant stags, and a variety of other animals, galloping about the field despite the lack of dementors. Severus was thankful that Voldemort was still sane enough not to use dementors in a large scale battle. The creatures were impossible to control in such a setting and would turn to feasting on both sides. He wondered where the rest of the dark creatures were, though. All Severus had seen was the one dragon, which was now gone along with the dragons from the colonies.

"You are a disgrace to the Malfoy name!" Lucius's voice rang above the din.

Severus cringed. Draco Malfoy was fighting his father, and such fights never had a good end. No matter what Malfoy Senior had done, patricide was not something Severus wanted any of his students to be guilty of.

"I disagree father," Draco's voice was steady and arrogant. "We have a very different opinion on the definition of the word disgrace. You were willingly branded the slave of a psychotic mudblood."

Severus was too far away to interfere. He passed Remus just finishing his fight with Rookwood. The werewolf bodily lifted the man in the air with more strength than he had ever shown before and hurled him towards the Whomping Willow. A memory from that summer came to Severus and he was glad that Remus had not succumbed to the temptation to outright kill the man that had betrayed his father, though the condition of Rookwood's body showed it was close.

Both Severus and Remus watched the tree snatch the screaming man out of the air and whip him about, no doubt causing some more very serious injuries as Rookwood collided with several immovable objects, like the ground. The tree was treating Rookwood much more harshly than any other Death Eater and Severus suspected that the tree, like the school, had a special affinity for Remus.

"Joseph will be proud," Severus said quietly, calmly deflected a stray curse.

Remus's eyes were bright amber as he turned to Severus, "I wanted to kill him. He tortured and killed my father."

"I know Remus. I would have," Severus responded in a harsh whisper, knowing Remus would hear. "Your first kill changes you Remus, creates an empty place inside, and with each one after that emptiness grows. I have already killed twice today. Pray you never experience it." The werewolf just nodded solemnly. "Come. We have students to protect."

Severus led the way towards where he had heard the voices of the last remaining Malfoys. There would be students nearby, most likely Slytherins, as Severus knew the members of his House well. Once they had been separated from Harry, as Severus had expected to happen, they would have stuck together. Loyalty was not one of the traits seen as dominant in a Slytherin, but there was a fierce House pride and equally fierce loyalty once it had been earned.

Crucio!

Severus and Remus arrived just in time to see Draco Malfoy writhe under the Cruciatus Curse cast by his father. Draco was already on the ground and Severus feared it was not the first casting of the curse. They were still too far away though, out of wand range. Remus broke into a run, dodging duelers and curses, ignoring the very few that struck, moving faster than Severus had ever seen a wizard move, making his own sprint seem like a leisurely jog, and dove to grab the Head Boy and roll them both out of the line of the curse.

Before Lucius could cast the curse again Severus shot a cutting curse towards him, ripping through the weak shield and causing a slash to appear on Lucius's wand arm. The Death Eater, perhaps the highest in rank along with Belletrix Lestrange, turned to face the new threat.

His grey eyes narrowed to slits and the aristocratic face hardened in a look of fury.

"Severus."

"Lucius."

Severus gave a very short bow, more of a nod, as if at the start of a formal duel, and strengthened his shield at his back and his sides. He focused entirely on Lucius, knowing he would need his full concentration to beat his old friend.

"I look forward to killing you Severus... traitor... mudblood lover."

"Hypocrite," Severus spat in return. "You worship a mudblood."

"Better than fucking one," Lucius sneered.

Severus laughed, "Get your facts straight Lucius. James was as pureblooded as you are."

Inflammare!

He stepped to the side, dodging the flame curse, flicked his own wand in response.

Constringere!

With precise aim, the curse could cause the muscles of the throat to constrict and suffocate the victim, breaking the windpipe and spine in the process and causing considerable pain. Severus's aim was dead on, but Lucius deflected the curse and it fizzled before reaching a target.

They fought back and forth at an almost dizzying pace. Severus only vaguely registered Remus activating Draco's Portkey to send the boy for medical attention. His body acted purely on reflex, without conscious thought. His mouth formed the shapes for a variety of curses and blocks, counters to spells that hit him. It was odd that he felt truly alive while fighting for his life.

There were only the two of them in Severus's world just then. He registered the golden glow at the far edge of the Forbidden Forest but did not give it a second thought. His wand sparked continuously as he shot off spells at the older man, the man who had taught them many of those spells when they were just boys.

Both of them broke their concentration at the same moment, when the Marks on their arms burned more powerfully than ever before, worse than the moment in which they were first branded. Severus felt elation along with the pain and he smiled. This could only mean that Harry's plan had succeeded and Voldemort was dying. Death Eaters all around him would be disarmed and bound at that moment.

Unfortunately, Lucius recovered his wits first and Severus was unable to avoid his next curse.

Crucio!

The pain was familiar, but no less excruciating for its familiarity. The pain did not end, and Severus knew that Lucius intended to draw out his death, to hurt him as much as he could before killing him. When the curse was finally lifted Severus tried to rise, to bring up his wand, but he heard those two words.

Avada Kedavra!

He fully expected the light to hit him, to end his life, and so was beyond shocked when a flash of red streaked towards him. A phoenix hovered in front of him and was only there for a second before it swallowed the killing curse and erupted in a burst of flame, leaving only ash to settle to the ground. It was long enough though for Severus to see the single green feather that on the right hip of the phoenix, the identifying characteristic of the only phoenix animagus ever known to exist. He felt like his heart had been ripped from his chest, like he had been burned alive.

Harry.

Severus raised his wand then, hatred burning deep within him, and glared at Lucius, who was startled at the interruption of his curse.

Avada Kedavra!

Finding the Key - Chapter 47

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