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He was four, lying in a hospital bed after discovering what he had become. He was ten, and he had received an invitation to a school of magic. He was eleven, and he had made the best friends anyone could have. He was fifteen, and already fighting a war against Voldemort. And here he was.... with his memories reshaping in his mind's eye as he battled for his son, for his true love... and for the greater good.

A sudden yell of fury brought Remus Lupin back to the present, and he dived to the ground as a shot of green light teasingly missed his heart.

"Not quite up to your usual standards, eh, werewolf?" Antonin Dolohov cackled as he sent yet another Killing Curse at his opponent. Screams and bursts of light dominated the threshold of Hogwarts, from students and teachers alike as they struggled to drive the Death Eaters and their cronies out of the castle.

"I will not permit you to ruin the lives of innocents, Dolohov!" cried Remus furiously, and he sent a Stunner right at Dolohov's face, and it would have hit its mark had Bellatrix not interfered on her way to duel with some students. The heavy-lidded witch pushed Dolohov out of the way as she ran, laughing her high, cruel laugh as she went.

"You won't permit me? You won't permit me? You realize that's a joke right? After I'm done dealing with you, your pretty-faced wife is going to get it too!"

"I'm not letting Tonks come anywhere near you, Death Eater." Remus' voice was shaking desperately in his attempt to remain calm.The thought of Tonks being injured at Dolohov's hand was too much to bear. For the third time in his life, he began to think it was a mistake on his part to marry Tonks, because everything he did put her in danger. However, he realized that he wouldn't have been able to survive without her, that she was his angel and he would never let anything happen to her or Teddy, ever.

"Oh really? Well take this! Crucio!"

Remus collapsed as the torturous curse hit him in the chest. He cleared his mind and put all his effort into not screaming, but he eventually succumbed to the pain. He could vaguely hear Dolohov and Bellatrix laughing nearby... but the next thing he heard was enough to rid himself of the Cruciatus Curse.

"Expelliarmus!"

Nymphadora Tonks came running down the marble staircase, her wand pointed at Bellatrix. The latter blinked in surprise as her newly procured wand went sailing out of her hands and over the heads of many fighters. Bellatrix scowled, but had no choice but to go and retrieve it and attempt to re-enter the fray better prepared.

Meanwhile, Remus pulled himself to his feet and attempted to Disarm Dolohov with the same charm that Tonks had uttered moments previously, but to no avail. The foolish Death Eater had somehow managed to turn around and deflect the spell just in time, which left Remus with nothing to do but stare, horrified, at his wife.

"Tonks - what - What do you think you're doing down here?!" Remus yelled in frustration.

"Saving you, what else?" Tonks grinned at him and sent a random curse at Dolohov, causing him to double over in pain as sharp, pointed spikes began to protrude from his arms and legs. This bought Remus a bit more time to convince Tonks to leave... that is, if he could bring her to listen.

"You can't stay here! I don't want you to get hurt, love, please, just get yourself out of the way for my sake... for Teddy's sake!"

"Are you insane? I'm not going to just abandon you here! We're in this together, why won't you understand that? You always try to -- what was it? - oh yes, 'keep me out of trouble,' but honestly, I'm just as capable---"

"This is not a question of your capability!" Remus screamed, running his fingers through his hair in misery. "I merely wish for you to stay safe. I don't want you to be injured in anyway, because any blow to you will be the death of me.. please, don't do this. I never wanted this to happen, but for Teddy, you have to keep yourself unharmed!" Remus paused for a moment to check on Dolohov, who was still attempting to get the dreadful spikes off of his appendages, then turned back to Tonks.

"Why for Teddy? Why not for you? Or for the rest of the Wizarding World? It's like Dumbledore said, all for the greater good, Remus! Besides, I'm not just going to let you die. Either you fight for life with me, or we die together. It doesn't matter, but I'm not leaving you!"

"Tonks, don't argue, just go back upstairs, stay away from the fight, return to the Room of Requirement..."

"NO! I'm sick of staying out of all the action, I want to fight! I'll fight for everyone here, I'll fight for you. I'm not afraid of dying," said Tonks defiantly, and Remus, finally defeated, turned to see Dolohov returning to his feet after defeating the curse that Tonks had placed on him.

Remus thought quickly, then captured Tonks in a quick kiss before the fight rekindled. Then, clasping hands, the werewolf and Metamorphagus glanced at each other, and hurriedly cast identical spells at the Death Eater standing furiously before them, both of which narrowly missed their target.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" It appeared that Dolohov had lost all sense of self-control, and his only aim became to kill anyone within his grasp.

Remus and Tonks were forced to release hands and dive in opposite directions to avoid the Killing Curse. However, both were quick to regain their composure, and Tonks cast a Shield Charm in front of Remus right after the latter sent a shout of "Tantallegra!" at Dolohov. His feet began to dance wildly, but he managed to cast the counter-curse before he lost his balance.

It was during the next moment that several terrible things occurred. The Shield Charm that Tonks had carelessly cast was not strong enough to resist Dolohov's retaliating series of curses, and both Tonks and Remus were kneeling on the ground to avoid being hit. Their eyes met, and in that instant, the magical couple knew what was going to happen, though it didn't make the situation any better.

"WATCH OUT, TONKS!" Remus attempted to pull Tonks back to the ground as she rose. A Killing Curse was headed straight for her, and Remus struggled to push Tonks out of the way... but it was too late. She was frozen in place, as though she had lost all sense of where she was. Remus watched helplessly as the jet of neon green light met it's mark - Tonks' heart.

Tonks looked down at Remus, and as she did so, a tiny smile lit up her beautiful, young face, giving her a glowing appearance... Her eyes were turquoise, like they were on the day he had married her. Her hair was the usual bright pink, her face pale, heart-shaped face... And even as Remus stared at her, the twinkle in Tonks' gorgeous eyes disappeared, and she fell back as if through an arch, landing in Remus' arms. Remus hardly noticed Dolohov breathing heavily a few feet in front of him. He suddenly forgot where he was and why he was there, why he was holding his dead wife, why he was fighting.... And then it all came back to him. Lord Voldemort. Bellatrix Lestrange. Antonin Dolohov.... He was fighting for the Wizarding World, for his one and only son... for the woman who now lay dead in his arms.

Remus let out a grieved howl of fury, a sound that could have only been made by a person who witnessed the death of someone they loved.... Many of the surrounding fighters in the fray turned to look at Remus, but he paid them no mind. The only person he had ever truly loved now lurked in another's heart - the heart of death. A new emotion erupted in his soul now: revenge.

"DOLOHOV!" Remus did not care about his wand. He no longer cared that he was a wizard, that he had magical abilities. He released Tonks gently, and charged for the man who had ruined his life, whose despicable nature was the cause of all his misery. Even as he lunged for the terrible Death Eater, he knew it was useless. Dolohov, after getting over his initial shock at having a werewolf hurry towards him, had regained the power to raise his wand. As Remus began to raise his wand as well, a glowing jet of green light set out from that of Dolohov's to greet him. It was too late to change course. All he could do was to welcome death with open arms. As Remus ran toward the Killing Curse, he thought he heard someone call his name... but it didn't matter now. It was time to see James, and Sirius, and Lily, and Tonks... It was to time to go on.

The Killing Curse hit Remus right where his heart was, just as it had done for his beloved. He did not feel pain, or grief. He felt a renewed happiness that he was about to see the people he loved once more, and with that thought, he prepared to leave for the world of death. The last thing he heard was a single cry: "Fight!" Remus smiled as he fell back next to Tonks. He saw the faces of his best friends in his mind's eye, waiting for him, welcoming him home at last. And it was true... he had returned home, to the only place where he had ever felt welcome... to the Marauders.

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