We weren't born to follow....come on and get up off your knees...hold on to what you believe-- December 15 1998

"I'm okay," I said, gulping down the rising thirst. Before I could ask if Draco was able to walk, I heard footsteps coming from the corridor. When Iggy's face turned the corner, I sighed heavily, relieved that I wouldn't have to let the animal take over to protect us.

"Iggy, yeah. I think I'm okay." I smiled and exhaled. Iggy was smiling too, which meant that he saw me for me and not for what was inside me.

After Lily took Juniper from me, I rushed back towards Malfoy.  I saw that he had gotten help from what I assumed were friends.  I slowed down and surveyed the scene.  Perhaps all would be well and I could go back into the fray and try to help Harry.  I ran a hand through my hair as I looked at them.  "Everyone alright here?" I asked, knowing that Draco's twin wanted to keep them together and that he raelly should get to the Great Hall to be looked at.  But if his friends could get him there instead... that would be wonderful.

Blaise and I exchanged a significant look. He appeared to be keeping his dark side at bay. Nodding, I said, "Yes, I think so. We can take Draco to the infirmary. They're taking care of injuries in the Great Hall, right?"

Accompanying Draco to the one place where they were holding all the injuries did not sound like a great idea, but it was I, after all, who had gotten myself into this situation in the first place. Now that I had been able to repress the urge to kill my best friend because his blood smelled so good, I had to see it through. If things got ugly, at least Iggy was there to help. 

"I think so," I said to Iggy. "Draco, do you think you can walk?"

I watched as Potter looked relieved and left the three of us to go help his son, I imagined.  I turned my attention back to Iggy and Blaise.  "So long as someone is on my bad side, I can walk.  Whatever you did, Blaise, helped so I may be able to put more weight on it than before... but I dunno if I trust myself on my own," I said, maneuvering myself into a position so I could actually attempt to stand up.

"I was just making stuff up," I admitted, "but I'm glad that it helped." As Draco began to stand, I put one of his arms around my shoulder so that he could lean against me as we hobbled to the Great Hall. His bleeding had stopped, or so it appeared, meaning that I was able to repress the dark side of me much more easily. Once we got to the Great Hall, though, it would take a lot more than just me to keep it down.

I looked at Iggy and nodded my head ever so slightly. If anything was going to happen while we were here, I needed him to know that he had my authorization to do whatever he needed to do in order to keep the vampire restrained. We started for the Great Hall.

This entire situation was beginning to make me very nervous, as I wanted to help Blaise keep his secret for as long as we could. Putting himself in an environment that would lure the vampire out sounded dangerous and stupid, but I had to let Blaise do whatever it was he thought he needed to do. Right now, that meant helping his best friend, who, in my opinion, was a lost cause anyways. Although, maybe it appeared as though he were on the good side. It was difficult to keep up with him.

Blaise looked at me and started toward the Great Hall, Draco hobbling alongside him. With my wand at the ready, I brought up the rear. This better be worth it.

Despite the horrendous situation we were in, I had to chuckle slightly at Blaise's response.  "Are you sure you're alright?" I asked softly, knowing something had not been okay back there.  I saw something that I could not really describe in my mate's eyes... and I wanted to make sure he was okay.  We had grown apart over the past couple of years -- each having our own problems to have to deal with and decisions that separated us more than we would have liked, but I still considered Blaise one of my few true friends.

"Yeah, I think so," I concluded. "It's just that blood makes me a little woozy, that's all. Didn't want you to know and give me hell for it." I smiled a reassuring smile toward Iggy, who looked suspicious of me. I didn't blame him, of course, as I was walking us into the most tempting situation I had experienced as a vampire. "Are you still doing okay, Draco? What can I do to help?"

I didn't like where any of this was going, but at least Blaise was able to cover whatever he had exposed to Draco. The excuse itself seemed a little transparent - blood makes him woozy - but at least it was something. We were nearing the Great Hall, and I could see Blaise's body become a little stiffer as we walked. The odor was already beginning to get to him.

Just breathe... I willed to him. We hadn't discovered any spells that would help control him if things got out of hand, so I had to hope and trust that he knew what he was doing.

I attempted to laugh.  "You're right; I definitely would have given you hell," I assured him.  I still felt like there was more to it, but I let it drop.  There was no point in getting into it right now.  The longer I was up and moving, the more faint I was beginning to feel.  But I needed to get there to make sure Juniper was okay before I would succumb to my own injuries.  "You're doing everything you can... just don't let my weight pull you down."  I knew I was putting more and more pressure on Blaise the longer I was up, so I hoped that I was not making him entirely miserable.  

When we entered what was left of the Great Hall, I was nearly sick.  All of this... had stemmed from my task.  I removed the main obstacle that was stopping the Dark Lord from attacking Hogwarts all those years.  I saw the Woods next to each other, color drained from their faces; I saw Regulus Black being tended to, seemingly unscathed but clearly he had been hit by something Aunt Bellatrix threw at him; Fred Weasley was unconscious next to Elena Weasley with an injured George in between the two of them barely looking alive, Jada trying to tend to the three of them.  And there were so many more... Then I spotted my sister.  I pointed her out and knew I needed to protect her still -- even in here.

I was so close to passing out; my own injury was wearing on me let alone my wife and twin being unconscious and injured beside me with nothing I could do for them.  I was so glad that Jada was there with us... I had no idea what I would be able to do.  She was not a Healer by any means, but she could at least attempt to bandage some of our wounds to stop the flow of blood.  I was sitting on the ground between the cots, each of my hands holding one of my thirds - I no longer just had a better half, I had to be split into thirds now.  I felt tears slide down my grungy face; my head was throbbing; I closed my eyes and though, Harry... you need to end this.  You need to succeed... we need to be able to get these two out of here.  I can't lose them.

Bellatrix and I were fighting, glad to see I surprised her. She got me with a curse as it shot me back. I changed back into myself as I was in front of her. A curse just past me, " C'mon Bella!! You can do better than that!" I said sending her a curse back.

I practically growled at my cousin.  "I brought Regulus down, what makes you think that I won't succeed with you?" I yelled at him.

Smirking, loving every moment of being under her skin. " I don't care what you think of me!! That's how!" I said as I knew I had a point. I didn't care what I had to do. I would beat her down if it is the last thing I do. To let her know her side won't win. It just can't. I knew my godson could win.