Run. You've got to run. You've got to find him.

Harry's words seem to echo louder and louder as your feet pound the cold, stone floors of Hogwarts.

*'He was planning to lead a group of fighters into the grounds - '

"Don't die, Remus, don't die, Remus, don't die, Remus," you cry under your breath as you hurtle through the familiar corridors, your footsteps the only sound in the deafening silence of the top floor corridor. This silence… it's misleading. You wish that the lack of anguished wails and spells ricocheting off walls meant that all was well outside the building in the grounds, but you know that's not the case. The silence is worse. The silence means that it's only you - only your frenzied footsteps, heavy breathing and constant mantra. "Please don't die, Remus, please don't die, Remus, please don't die."

You thunder around a corner, a low hum beginning to sneak into the air. You're closer to the source of the havoc now.

"Tonks!"

You spin around at the mention of your name, hoping to see him there, calling you. The voice is familiar, but with enormous regret, you realise it's not his. Ginny runs to your side, her wand clutched tightly in her hand.

"Come on, there's no time!" you exclaim impatiently, turning away from her, preparing to return to your search.

"Wait," Ginny says urgently, grabbing your elbow and dragging you to the nearest window. "Look."

Your eyes are blinded by surges of flashing green and red lights, and dust particles seeping into the corridor through the broken window pane. You scan the commotion below for a sight of him. Just a little one. Just to see that he's still alive. Slowly, you remove your wand from your pocket.

*'Let's hope he steps on some of them!' Ron's voice rings in the corridor, just as screams from outside seem to reach a deafening, ear-splitting peak.

*'As long as it's not any of our lot!' Ginny says, before firing a jinx out of the window, into the horde of fighters in the grounds.

Helplessly, your eyelids flutter shut in fear. You know Ginny has great aim. You know that. Yet your heart is pounding vehemently against your rib-cage. What if she hit Remus?

*'Good girl!' There's a bellow from Aberforth as he appears out of a cloud of dust, leading some students to safety. *'They look like they might be breaching the North Battlements, they've brought giants of their own!'

Giants? you think faintly. Oh no.

*'Have you seen Remus?' you shout desperately at his retreating figure.

*'He was duelling Dolohov,' Aberforth yells, 'haven't seen him since!'

Dolohov. Dolohov. Dolohov.

*'Tonks,' says a placating voice, 'Tonks, I'm sure he's OK -'

Their words stagger and fall behind as you bolt in Aberforth's direction. Dashing around a corner, you rush down the stairs, and with a jolt you realise that your eardrums have begun to tremble; he air has been infiltrated with an ear-splitting drone of commotion. As your foot meets the last step of the stairs, you realise that the walls and ceiling are shaking. Shaking. The slow, deep, rumbling trembles shake not only the solid castle walls, but your very insides. They must be close.

'This way!' a harsh voice cries, and a large group of tall, hooded men charge through the doorway. Hastily, you press your back against the wall, your breath held. You wait for the sound of the footsteps to ease, the ringing of voices to disappear as they delve further and further into the castle. When you are sure that you are alone, you make a dash for the door. You stop. Hesitatingly, you cast a glance in the direction of the top of the stairs. Ron, Hermione, Harry and Ginny are up there… Agonising guilt wrenches your insides. But you can't. You have to make sure Remus is alive. Shaking your head, you resume your run and chant, bracing yourself with your wand held aloft.

As you finally make your way out of the crumbling castle, you are forced to resist the urge to shield your eyes. The dark night sky is littered with angry coloured sparks, dust and distressed voices. It's difficult to distinguish friend from foe out here - people move in groups with flailing arms, and curses are being fired as easily as words. Their movements are frenzied, frantic and furious; everywhere, people are falling to the ground, no longer moving, yet you can't bring yourself to look at the faces. You're afraid to look. Just in case the one face you're searching for is a face belonging to one of the listless bodies strewn about the ground.

You continue to dart through the masses, though you are required to step over mounds of moaning, blood-stained bodies who have been cast aside by the still fighting, left to die.

'Tonks!' your voice is called out repeatedly - desperately, gratefully, hopelessly, thankfully. You ignore the cries for help. Although you are loathe to admit it, you only have two priorities; to find Remus, and to return to Teddy alive. Those are the only two people in the world who you owe anything to, and you are determined to succeed. You promised. You promised yourself, your mother, Remus and you promised Teddy.

You peer into the wooden cot, and with a sigh of relief, you gaze at his peaceful sleeping face. Teddy had kicked up a bit of a fuss at first about sleeping tonight, but after a few minutes of pitiful yowls, he had slipped into a deep slumber. Dragging your chair to the side of the cot, you perch yourself down, your hand gently stroking his momentary pale blue hair. He was so beautiful. Beautiful, but mischievous looking. Even when he was fast asleep, the corners of his small, pursed lips quirked upwards into an impish smile. It's funny how much he resembles you. It was more than the colour flickering hair - though that was a strong resemblance - it was just a look. Just a simple look. Though he looks like Remus too. You never thought you'd be so happy to say that. You were terrified during the pregnancy. Terrified. Absolutely terrified that the tiny, defenceless little baby that you were carrying would suffer from the very lycanthropy that almost destroyed his father's life. You hoped with all your might that your child would not be punished for his parents' foolish mistake.

Suddenly, the door of the bedroom swings open and meets the wall with a thump. Teddy stirs instantly, and you murmur softly, continuing to stroke his soft hair. 'Shh, Teddy, shh, go back to sleep. It's okay. Mummy's here. Shh.'

You turn to face the figure at the doorway. 'Remus!' you reproach him. 'I'm only just after getting him to fall asleep!'

You notice his ashen face and his wild looking eyes.

'Remus?' you ask uncertainly. 'What is it? What's the matter?

'We've heard from Neville. The battle - it's on.' Remus' voice is urgent, and his eyes bore into yours.

No. No…

'You can't - '

'I've got to go,' he says simply.

Your stomach plummets, and you remove your hand from Teddy's cot and make your way over to Remus.

'Remus, I…'

'You must stay here.'

'I can't,' you whisper.

'You have to. Someone has to stay here for Teddy.'

'Couldn't you..?' Your voice trails off. You know it's hopeless.

Remus sighs and kisses the top of your forehead. 'I couldn't. I'm sorry.' He removes his hands from your shoulders. 'I'll be okay.'

'Promise?'

He stares into your eyes, unflinchingly obstinate. 'I promise. I have to go. Stay here. I'll be back. Wait for me, okay?'

You nod silently, too afraid that an attempt to speak might instead open a torrent of refusals.

Before he leaves, he kisses you - swiftly, sweetly, softly, deeply. He breaks away, and dashes out the door.

You're alone.

Slowly you make your way back to Teddy's side, and seat yourself carefully onto the chair. You gaze into the cot at Teddy. He's returned again to a peaceful sleep. Peace. The word seems odd in your head now - like a conflicting ideal. It's been so long since you've known peace. You try to think of a time where you truly felt at ease, at peace, safe even - but it's a struggle. Remus couldn't promise you any of those things. Peace, safety - they were all out of his control. He told you that. That's why he ran away, you think. He thought they were things you wanted. But they weren't. Not really. The thing you really wanted was him. Everything else didn't matter, as long as you had him by your side.

There is a creak of a tentative footstep on a wooden board, and you look up at the door to see your mother watching you with an anxious expression on her face.

'Dora,' she starts.

'Shh!' you whisper furiously, making a dramatic gesture as you put your fingers to your lips, signalling to Teddy in the cot.

She waits.

Giving Teddy one last look, you kiss him softly on his forehead and smooth an obstinate tuft of hair onto his forehead.

Quietly, you pad across the floor, trying with all your might to avoid making a loud or sudden noise. When you are outside in the dimly lit hall, you shut the door with a swift 'click'. You turn to your mother.

'What?'

'He's gone, isn't he? I saw him Apparate outside.'

You give your mother a withering look. You can hear the not-so-subtle note of disapproval in her voice. 'He's gone to the battle. At Hogwarts. It's started, you know. The war.'

'He should be at home with his wife and new-born child.'

You flinch. You can't stand the note of condemnation in her voice, though you wish he was at home with you.

'Don't, Mum.'

'Don't what, Dora? Teddy isn't even a month old yet, and he's gone off to fight Death Eaters in a war! Don't tell me that's not irresponsible!'

Every single word stings you like an arrow slowly piercing your heart.

Her voice softens as she wraps you into a hug. 'Oh, Dora. I'm sorry, love, I'm sorry. But I know what it's like to lose a husband, and you don't deserve to go through that. Not yet.'

Stunned, you push her away. 'He's not going to die!'

She seems apologetic.

'He's not! He's not! Remus isn't going to die,' you protest, 'he promised. He promised!'

She moves towards you.

'No! Don't! I'm going after him!' you say wildly, fumbling in your pockets for your wand.

'Dora, no!'

You retrieve your wand from your pocket triumphantly. 'I'm going!'

She clutches at your arm. 'Stop! What about Teddy?'

'You can look after him. He knows you. I trust you. I'll be back!' You shrug her off. 'I promise!'

'Remus. I have to find Remus,' you murmur to yourself, weaving through the jets of light, as a curse barely scrapes past your ear. 'Don't die Remus, don't die, Remus.'

Suddenly, you find yourself face to face with a wand and a hooded figure. The face is masked, but two cold eyes stare out from the holes. The wand is lifted. 'Avada -'

'Furnunculus!' you shriek, directing your wand into the man's face. The spell works instantly - the man recoils in horror and tears off his mask in agony, clutching at his face as it erupts in some very painful looking boils.

You don't bother to wait and see if he is truly weakened, but continue on your frenzied search throughout the lawn at the front of the castle. The groups outside are smaller now - the majority of the Death Eaters have penetrated the walls of Hogwarts. Crumbling pieces of stone wall fall to the ground into the groups of duelling people, crushing a few bodies that were not quick enough to avoid the downfall. You swerve between flashes of light, when suddenly, you see him.

'Remus!'

The words have barely left your lips when a hex is sent firing into Remus, square in the chest.

'Noooooooooooo!'

You watch in slow motion as he crumples to the floor, Antonin Dolohov watching his demise with a cruel smile on his face.

Don't die, Remus. You can't die, Remus. You can't. You can't. You promised. You promised. You promised.

'Is that my dear, beloved niece I hear screeching so pitifully?' a slow, mimicking voice drawls.

You tear your eyes away from Remus to see Bellatrix Lestrange striding towards you, a wicked smile illuminating her gaunt, haunted face.

You are instantly on your guard as she approaches, and you circle back and forth, always moving, wand at the ready.

'My dear niece knows how to duel,' she concedes, a taunting tone to her voice, 'but this will not be difficult. Crucio! '

Though you are ready, the curse immediately takes hold of you - you cannot help but scream in agony, shuddering and jerking as white-hot, excruciating pain sears through your body all at once. You collapse to the ground, panting.

'Get up,' Bellatrix shrieks. 'Get up!'

Breathing heavily, you push yourself to your feet and fire a well-aimed jinx, but she avoids it, neatly hopping to the side.

'Not good enough, my dear niece!' she trills. 'It seems I was mistaken! It would seem that neither my darling sister nor her Mudblood of a husband ever taught you how to duel properly! '

Again, you fire a curse at her, fury pumping through your veins. It narrowly misses her side, and she seizes the opportunity to deliver another resounding 'Crucio!'

This time you are ready for it. Though the curse has gripped all of your body in a piercing, almost unbearable bind, preventing you from moving or casting another spell, you do not scream or fall to the floor.

Bellatrix smirks and raises her wand once more.

'Stupefy!' you cry, as a read beam of light emanates from the tip of your wand to the centre of Bellatrix's chest. Shrieking, she falls on her back, but quickly scrabbles back up again. All remaining hints of sadistic teasing have been eradicated, and she advances towards you, a cold fury in her eyes.

Oh Teddy. I'm so sorry.

'It seems poor Teddy will have to grow up without a mummy or a daddy,' she whispers loftily. 'The mangy half-breed. Avada Kedavra!'

A flash of green light hurtles towards you, and then there is nothing but dark.

I'll be back. I promise.