Middle Ground
You could say it was difficult to be able to pick a side, especially when you got thrown into the midst of battle. No matter how much you would strive and fight to keep in the middle, to stay neutral. Sometimes, that decision would be taken from you and force you to stand a stand.
That stand… may not be the side you would originally choose either.
Desmond Miles did not stand with the Assassins, in which the Brotherhood he was born into. He hated his father and everything that the man stood for. He could admit that the Brotherhood did have the right ideals. To be not oppressed and controlled by others. Not like the Templars tried to do. But he didn’t side with them either.
Templars weren’t above wiping anyone that they foresaw being in their way. Complete and utter control.
Desmond didn’t follow either of their paths. But it was almost impossible to not be against the Templars. Especially when they threatened the life of the person that understood him more than he knew himself.
He was fully aware that the so-called Death Eaters was only a cover for who they really are. But their actions made it abundantly clear. And he was still a target to them, he was an Assassin by blood. By that alone, they wanted him dead.
There were many times that Desmond would have to take action for himself to keep himself alive. Usually that was by killing them before they did. He still was an Assassin by birth, so he used the skills he was taught by them. Even to some Assassins that probably saw him as a traitor, for abandoning them.
Which is why he was not a fan when the Death Eaters brought their war to Hogwarts, the final stand.
He understood why Harry decided to go back there. He had been on the hunt for Voldemort’s horcruxes for over a year by now. He had stayed by his side that entire time. He had been abandoned by the people he had needed most, his friends. But as it came out, they weren’t very good friends to begin with.
Desmond had never liked Ron or Hermione to begin with. They rubbed him wrong. Too controlling for his liking, reminded him too much of his own father. But he didn’t attend Hogwarts with Harry to tell him his opinions. He was a few years older than him but it wasn’t like it was hard to sneak into the grounds. He had made a habit of it during his own time there.
He may have been a few years older than Harry but it worked for them.
So, while Harry went on this hunt to find the Diadem of Ravenclaw with Luna, he went on his own path and observe his enemy. He knew where they were, and he could take them out later. Blending into the background was his specialty. He had never been one to be in the spotlight.
It did not worry him that his boyfriend was with Luna, he trusted her a lot. He knew that Harry became friends with her in his fourth year of Hogwarts. He had even asked her to the Yule Ball as friends. Since nobody would ask her to go. He had never felt any jealousy over their friendship when he was starting to get to know Harry around that time. They hadn’t even started dating yet.
So, no, he didn’t mind Luna. Her mind worked in marvelous ways that he could never understand.
“Did you find it, then?” Desmond had asked.
Harry shrugged with a grin, “might be a pile of silver by now.”
The Gryffindor was by himself, it was likely that Luna had gone to a different part of the castle.
“How do you manage to burn it? It takes more than Incendio to destroy a horcrux,” Desmond pointed out.
“Crabbe decided to cast Fiendfyre in the Room of Requirement,” Harry revealed. “It got him killed in the end along with his friends.”
“Fiendfyre?! What about Luna?” Desmond was shocked. It was lucky that it didn’t burn the entire castle down. But if it was in the Room of Requirement… perhaps Hogwarts was trying to protect herself then.
“Luna said that this was something I needed to do and that she was needed elsewhere,” Harry admitted, which he was glad for. He didn’t want her getting hurt.
Desmond nodded, “who were the others?”
“Malfoy and Goyle, neither of them got out in time.”
“Most likely wanted to even the score for their side. That makes where there is only one more and it won’t be easy,” Desmond replied.
“Don’t remind me,” Harry muttered.
Desmond couldn’t resist smirking, “ready for a full drawn-out battle, are you?”
“Not particularly,” Harry admitted, “but what choice do I have?”
“Well… not dying would be an excellent start,” Desmond quipped. “Though, you always have a choice in the matter…”
“I’m not a coward, Desmond!” Harry snapped.
“Who said that running is a coward’s move?” Desmond countered. “Especially if you are doing it to save your life and fight for another day.”
“Feels like it is…” Harry mumbled.
Desmond tilted Harry’s head towards him, “your fight is mine… don’t you forget that.”
“I don’t intend to,” Harry murmured before leaning in closer.
Desmond’s arms wrapped around Harry’s waist as he stole a kiss. It was as passionate as it was brief.
“You focus on his snake, and I’ll do what I do best. Then, you never have to even ponder the thought of running,” Desmond whispered, his breath hot on Harry’s lips.
“Long as you keep your promise,” Harry whispered.
Desmond placed a kiss on his boyfriend’s cheek before disappearing down another corridor in the castle.
Harry had to shake his head before falling after, knowing that he probably wouldn’t catch another glimpse of Desmond. He was very good at hiding in the background.
Even with a full battle in swing, since he knew where Voldemort would currently, not a single spell hit him.
Desmond used the shadows to blend in and kill each Death Eater he came across. Stealth was key right now, so he kept his wand in one hand, but unused. He used his blade for most of it.
There was so many spells flying around, that the Death Eaters weren’t noticing that their numbers were decreasing. Bodies were crumbling around them, on both sides. Though, it was the hope that the Death Eaters wouldn’t notice how quickly they were dwindling until it was too late.
The ex-assassin kept the blade that had been made for him. It was a very efficient tool to kill those that were in his way. It was silent as he brought the blade out with each kill. Even when they made a sound as they died… nobody noticed.
The courtyard was in chaos, you could hear screams of pain. Desmond knew that was the results of the Death Eaters, the Templars. He knew what dark curses that they liked to use. Knowing this, Desmond refused to let Harry out of his sights.
Perhaps that was proof on how good he was, he was never spotted as each body fell. Dark blood was pooling around them.
Not every Death Eater was dead but were currently less of a threat for the moment. That didn’t stop him from taking out the few Death Eaters that were watching guard at the Boathouse. He hadn’t been by here in years.
You could hear talking and it was that moment that he realized that Voldemort was talking to someone familiar. With guarded eyes, he sees a body go down. He wouldn’t know anything more until after Desmond snuck into the boathouse.
He observed when Harry crept around and alerted everyone in that boathouse.
The Gryffindor dodged as Nagini tried to bite at him, but it gave him the change to use the Basilisk’s fang. He slammed it into her body and the pair had to wince at the sound as the venom went through her body.
That was when a spell slammed Harry against the wall and didn’t move.
Desmond immediately stood in front of Voldemort, protecting Harry and shielding him.
“The child that has caused me so much trouble… An Assassin, how interesting…”
“You did that on yourself,” Desmond narrowed his eyes.
Voldemort snarled but didn’t raise his wand yet.
“Most of your army is dead and that is all on you,” Desmond commented softly, using that moment to catch Voldemort off guard. He didn’t want to hear anything he had to say. His first priority was Harry.
He dived at the monster, blade out, thrust into his chest.
There was a choked sound, but no words came out. The Dark Lord and Master Templar was dead.
Every one of his horcruxes were destroyed and he had no way to come back again.
Desmond used that moment to look back where Harry had collapsed, unmoving. With careful movements, Harry was lifted into his arms. His head fell against his chest, but you could hear his gentle breaths.
Slow steps were made back to the castle, but the sounds of fighting had stopped.
It did take a bit for Harry to come around. It had been around the time that Desmond made it back inside the castle and into an abandoned classroom. Away from the fight that was dying down.
“What?” Harry feels groggy.
“You feel alright?” Desmond asked.
“Head hurts…” Harry replied, holding a hand to his head.
“That’s what happened when a certain Dark Lord’s spell slams you into the wall,” Desmond told him.
“I’m not dead?” Harry asked.
Desmond leaned before and briefly sealed their lips, “no. Very much alive.”
Harry had leaned into the kiss and returned it as much as he could.
“And… what of—”
“Very much dead with the rest of this war. Which means you are finally free from Voldemort’s wish to see you dead,” Desmond answered him.
“Love you,” Harry murmured.
“I love you as well,” Desmond smiled at him. “Though, I must admit, life without war sounds like a good one.”