@Hestia, the Advance Guard
A soft breath whooshed from Emme's lips when Hestia finally agreed. She didn't smile, but a feeling of reassurance washed over her. Hes would go with them. She would go. "Thank you," she whispered, grateful for her friend's consent, realizing Hes understood all of her reasons.
When Hes next spoke, Emme internally cringed at her own hesitance. She couldn't promise that. Hes knew she couldn't promise that. Neither of them could. If they were caught in the crossfire, either of the pair would be struck down. But rational, logical conversation was rarely a good thing in times of war. Logical reasoning had taken a back seat the first time, hadn't it? Not until the very end, when things had become too serious to ignore. When smiles and encouragement, hope and happiness had to be pushed aside for graver matters. So many losses, so much death. Looking back, she'd never felt closure from the war. Never felt like it had actually been over. Sure, she'd lived her life since then. She'd left Magical Law Enforcement and finished her Healer training. She'd made a few friends of her colleagues, saved a few lives. But the friendship she truly craved, the friendships she missed were the ones she hadn’t been able to save. She hadn't saved them then, and that had always stayed with her.
So even though Emme hesitated for a second, she turned her hand to squeeze Hestia's. "I promise. You won't lose me. We'll stick together." She'd never understand why her life had been spared when so many others hadn't. But on the cusp of this great task, preparing herself to fight for Harry, she was filled with a renewed purpose. She'd protect him with her dying breath. For her friends. She'd fight to stay alive, for his sake and for Hestia's. The other woman didn't deserve anymore loss. Neither of them did.