She could tell he was only trying to protect her but she almost wished he was mocking her. The certainty in his voice, his adamant nature that she was not strong enough, that she should run and hide left her empty, stunned and speechless. Even his compliments that she was a builder, a healer, even a leader echoed off the shattered halls that had once housed her self belief.

She had never doubted her capabilities, knew what she was and was happy with it.but to hear such condemnation even with the best intentions left her stricken.

Even as he walked away the echoes of his footsteps like the final steps of a funeral march she could still here his words playing on a sickening cycle inside her head.and she placed her hands in her hair mouth open wide as she struggled to shut out the sound but they words were rebounding, reverberating through her.... your not a fighter.... your not a fighter.... your not a fighter. She could hear screaming inside her head then the dam burst and the indignation came rushing to wash the wounding words away.

Who the fuck did he think he was? Acting as if he knew her, knew the strength inside of her. Knowledge was power and she knew a lot more than most. No she wasn't the type to walk past an individual that was screaming in agony and leave him, she would help him,defend him by whatever means.... no by whatever legal means necessary... he was right about that,, get him to safety, nurse him to health if possible then go back and get the next one and the next. 

That was who she was,and nobody would tell her otherwise.

Was it really such a weakness, compassion, that she would stun not kill, protect over harm? 

Her indignation was draining, leaving nervous energy in it's wake, could she really fight in a battle?

She could just go home, come back and pick up the pieces the next morning, no one would think any less of her.

There was one feeling she couldn't shake, a feeling that got her feet moving down the left side of the corridor towards the atrium... the fact that if they lost this one, there may not be anything left to rebuild.

She stepped from the elevators calmly, a small smile on her face as she saw not only auror's hit wizards and members of the magical law enforcement squad but cleaners, cafeteria workers, even the 92 year old witch that pushed the tea trolly round on the 4th floor. People that had come here willing to stand for freedom, to lay down their lives.... she frooze midstep, her own mortality a hammer smashing into her, a lurch of nausea making her sway ever so slightly

She could die here today? She was cold, confronted by the icy skeleton of her lonely unfulfilled desires, her future stolen from her in a simple second. Some things were worth dying for, but would that make it any easier if the time came. 

No but she almost feared loosing her nerve and fleeing as much as that deadly flash of gre... no don't think it.... a look at her trembling hands told her she was lying to herself.

 Desperately she tried to distract herself, eyes fixing upon a huddle of people standing eyes raised to the heavens. She followed their gaze to see the dark mark hanging above them like a noose above their necks. 

A message, death was coming.

 It was odd, mere minutes ago this would have sent her running, weeping, desperate to escape. Now compared to the weight of her own mortality, threats to her life seemed insignificant, a mere pawn in a fatal game.

She could here the minister's growling voice, a tubby security guard's hurried words beyond her hearing, his flushed face twisted with terror, eyes flitting anywhere but the mark on the ceiling.

" Well that explains it, if Thickness conjured the mark, it explains how the imperiorised got through security, why they've been two steps ahead of us for months and why Graves tried to kill me. I would never have suspected the ratty little cunt"

The slow solemn voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt answered him

"Rats are most likely to hide in the darkness"

Scrimgeour gave a grunt
"Well it means we should assume all of our defences are compromised. He Who Must Not be Named could throw anything and everything at us"

Dawlish's voice was grim " We should move minster. Thickness knows all the emergency entrance and exits, he could attack us from downstairs and through the front gate"

Scrimgeour gave a wry smile

"Being minister gives me some power. Once Tanner gets up here confirming the apparition points are clear I'll lock the elevators and the apparition points down. Our backs will be covered and anything he wants to throw at us will have to come through the front door"

Dawlish gave a frown

"Couldn't you lock down the front door too minister?"

Scrimgeour's look held a hint of longing in his voice 

" I could but only one thing is getting through that door once I seal it and that's You Know Who Himself and a handful of giants and if you think I want giants in the middle of muggle London you've got another thing coming"

"What about You Know Who?" piped up the portly security guard, his mouth falling open as he realised the words had slid from his mind to his tongue

"Oh he's coming Mr Perkins" Scrimgeour's growling voice was almost amused as he clasped the security guards suddenly weak shoulder "he's coming for my head but we're going to make him pay a high price for it"

The conversation was disturbed by running footsteps, 3 more portly figures eyes wide, mouths working desperately to shout a warning through ragged breaths

"Inf....Infe.... Inf"

"Inferi" growled Scrimgeour tone suddenly business like, cloak rippling behind him like a cape as he snapped into action " form the line"

She felt a lurch in her stomach, the dead walked, necromancy befouled this place. Perhaps she knew too much, had read and seen too much, images from books making her head whirl. A look at the Minister, brought her back to reality. You could tell he was a warrior, a grizzled battle commander, see conflict etched in the lines on his face as he took his place at the heart of the line. Pausing only to take Old Mrs Gregg from the 4th floor by the hand to lead her to pride of place next to him. He stooped from his great height, words in her ear that none but her could hear, turning her worried and confused gaze into a small smile followed by steely eyed determination.

She was moving herself though she had no idea what the line was or what it should look like. People jostled her,knocking her, eyes flitting til she found Nott. Half tempted to stand at the other end of the line, she swallowed. He would not forgive himself if she died and he could do nothing. He might be an insufferable prick but she knew he card, knew her death would tear him apart. She owed him an explanation.

Tentatively she moved to stand next to him

She knew he knew she was there, knew he was probably disappointed, worried or irritated by the little girl coming to play at soldiers so she broke the silence the words begrudgingly dragged up from within

" I know you think I shouldn't be here but this is my house too, part of my life they are trying to tear down."

she never faced him, the words spoken to the shadows that moved in the darkness ahead of her, limping and leering as they shuffled forwards

"I can't shake the feeling that if we don't stand against him today, he won't leave anything for us to build again, or the life we have after this won't be worth living. I think that's worth fighting for... i think that's worth dying for "

she bowed her head even as she drew her wand from her robes, her voice little more than a hoarse whisper

"I'm sorry"