Charity Burbage is not involved in the war. She's simply a Professor at Hogwarts, teaching Muggle Studies. She leaves the war to those who can fight.

(She likes to think she's like the Muggle Switzerland, neutral so that no harm can possibly come to her. After all, she's a pureblood. She isn't going to be attacked.

She underestimates the power of hate and prejudice.)

For all her attempts at staying out of the war, the Death Eaters still come for her in the middle of the night. Asleep, she never has a chance to fight back.

(It wouldn't have helped it she had had the chance. She never learned some of the truly nasty curses and jinxes, preferring to stay out of the way.)

When she wakes up, she's suspended upside-down in the air; looking down at a table full of names she's only ever seen on the wanted posters that dot Hogsmeade.

Her eyes are drawn towards the only one who is speaking – a snakelike man, who has two slits where his nose should be.

You-Know-Who, her mind whispers. So much for your dreams of neutrality.

But maybe, maybe, she can be saved. Because Severus is sitting there too, at the right hand of the Dark Lord, which means he is important.

Albus always said Severus was on their side, so he can't be all bad, can he? Even though he killed Albus, there's no way he can just sit there and watch her – someone he knows, someone he's worked with – die. He's not that heartless. No one is that heartless.

"Severus," she cries, "Severus, please."

But he just looks at her with uncaring eyes as You-Know-Who talks about how the subject she teaches is useless – how she is useless. And slowly, she realises that there is no help coming. She is alone.

(Maybe she should have learned those curses after all. Purity of blood didn't stop the Potters, the Longbottoms or the Weasleys from being attacked. Why had she ever thought it would protect her?)

The last thing she sees is Severus' eyes. She fancies they're asking for her forgiveness.

Stupid, of course. He's a Death Eater. He doesn't care about a Muggle Studies teacher at all. Why should he? Her life's work has been based around contradicting everything he believes in.

(And if she ever had a tiny, miniscule crush on him, well, that's not something she thinks about as she dies.)

She misses the bolt of green that shoots towards her from the side.

(Perhaps it's a good thing. She dies without knowing that her death is racing towards her as she watches. It spares her that fear.)

In the end, Charity Burbage is not an extraordinary woman. She does not leave behind an extraordinary life, or the memory of a brilliant teacher.

But she does leave behind motivation. Because as the rumours of her death spread throughout Hogwarts, more and more students join Dumbledore's Army, vowing to fight in memory of her wrongful death.

In the end, it is not Charity Burbage's life that matters, but her death.

For:

The Not For The Faint Of Heart Competition, Operation Grim Reaper (one-shot)

The If You Dare Challenge, Prompt 69. Death's Doorstep

All Canon bootcamp, Prompt 20. Machete

Pairing Diversity Bootcamp, Prompt 32. Dangerous

Philosopher's Stone Competition, Keeper of the Keys

Snakes and Ladders Challenge

Greenhouses Competition, Poppy

Hogwarts Classes Competition, Muggle Studies

6 Senses Competition, Emotion: Fear