Synthetic Life - Chapter One
A/N: Disclaimer - As much as I sometimes wished I did, I do not own Harry Potter!
Warnings - Eventual slash pairings (TMR/HP), Language, abuse, character death.
Summary - On the eve of what appeared to be the final battle an emotionally broke Lord Voldemort comes to Harry begging for death. Before giving him his final wish, Harry receives all of Voldemort's memories. Spurred on by new found sympathy for his long time enemy and hatred towards Dumbledore, Harry ends up being thrown back in time, right to where it all began, determined to right what went wrong.
This is a response to a challenge set by Jester08 so credit for the idea and summary go to her, though credit to writing it goes to me.
/-\ - Signifies start and end of flashback.
Read, Review and Enjoy!
--
One would think that after all he had been through he would be accustomed to the taste of blood, but no in all honesty Harry Potter found the metallic taste of blood sickening. It was this that caused the boy to spit out a mouthful of the red liquid onto the already blood stained floor. With a grimace he used the back of his free hand to wipe across his mouth. His other hand, or more accurately his whole arm was being used to support one of the two of his best friends.
Ron Weasley was currently in very bad shape. He was incapable of independent movement which was why Harry was one side supporting him and Hermione the other. Ron's eyes were out of focus and he was bleeding profusely from several wounds including a particular nasty gash to the side of his head, but he was still thankfully breathing though only semi-conscious.
Harry himself was sporting several fairly painful injuries though he'd lived through worse. It was all in the name after all he was the Boy-Who-Lived. How he hated that name, hated it with a passion, if the stupid people who refereed to him as such had absolutely any idea of what he'd really lived through, they wouldn't be so quick to judge him.
"RON!"
Harry was snapped out of his thoughts by Hermione's shout in time to catch his friend mere moments before he hit the floor.
Hogwarts was under attack and what was he doing? Standing in a blood stained corridor, supporting his critically wounded now unconscious friend and philosophising about what the Wizarding community thought of him and the unfairness of it all. Now was not the time.
The distant sounds were a reminder that currently there was a battle going on. Said battle had been raging on for at the very least three or four hours yet neither side showed any inclination of giving in. It was serious yet had taken many by surprise, including Dumbledore.
/-\
Harry made his way down to dinner that night in high spirits. The last lesson of the day had been defence against the dark arts. Normally everyone, sans the slytherins were glad to escape from the class. Luckily Snape wasn't there and no one cared why as Professor Flitwick covered the lesson. Needless to say it had been highly entertaining.
Dinner was nearly finished when Snape entered the Great Hall. Or would it be more accurate to say stumbled and limped into the Great Hall with an air of extreme urgency, face a lot paler than usual.
Every single head had swivelled round the moment their DADA teacher burst into the hall. As silence commenced all eyes, including Harry's followed him up to the head table where he spoke with Dumbledore. By this time whispers had broke out among the students and it was just then that Harry noticed Snape was wearing Death Eater robes.
Death Eater meeting, thought Harry immediately. So that's why Snape wasn't present during their lesson, but since when did Voldemort hold meetings in the middle of the day, surely they'd be in the middle of the night just to make them more creepy and terrifying.
As for why Snape appeared as he did, he'd probably had a few crucio's shot at him. Perhaps Voldemort had discovered he was spying, but no doubt if that was the case he'd be dead right now, not shaken after being lightly tortured. It had to be something serious to cause Snape to run straight to Dumbledore after the meeting. Harry looked across the table at his two best friends and by the expressions on their faces, they were obviously quite worried to.
"SILENCE!!"
For the second time that night every head in the hall whipped round, though this time their eyes were pinned to the headmaster not Snape.
Dumbledore appeared very grave indeed, even the twinkle in his eyes had gone, and Harry knew he wasn't going to like what the Headmaster was about to say. He wasn't going to like it one bit.
"I'm afraid the time has come. Voldemort has planned an attack on Hogwarts for to-"
He didn't get any further, all it took where the words 'Voldemort', 'attack' and 'Hogwarts' and the students were in uproar. Fear and panic seemed to be the dominant emotions among the students yet Harry felt neither. Shock and confusement were more like it. Voldemort was going to attack Hogwarts. Voldemort wouldn't attack Hogwarts unless he knew he would succeed but that was impossible, there was no way in hell that the Dark Lord could defeat Hogwarts. Surely an attack of this magnitude would need extensive planning, but this was obviously the first time Snape or Dumbledore had heard of anything. Maybe it was to be a surprise attack, well Snape had successfully blown that. It would be stupid to attack now, and Voldemort wasn't stupid. Granted he was an evil, psychotic, murdering madman, but he wasn't stupid. This wasn't adding up.
"SILENCE!!"
The hall fell silent once again, as the occupants of the four tables, returned their attention to the headmaster. Quickly scanning the staff table Harry noted the teachers went from varying degrees of fear, worry and shock.
"I urge you all to PLEASE remain CALM. The attack is planned for midnight which gives us ample time to ensure everyone's safety. Prefects, lead your houses back to your Common Rooms. You are to remain there while the staff organise evacuation methods for ALL students!"
As Dumbledore finished speaking, sparkling blue eyes met emerald green for a fraction of a second, and Harry knew Dumbledore had reinforced the word ALL for a reason. He really meant all students.
Once the Headmaster turned his back to the hall to address his staff, the students all rose at once and with forced calm made their way out the hall. Harry made no move to even stand up. He wanted to know what was going on. No on knew this was going to happen, but surely they were going to try and fight. They had to. He obviously wouldn't be around to find out. He had a feeling McGonagall or even Dumbledore would personally see he left.
"Come on Harry! We have to go!"
Harry opened his mouth to retort when he found a hand clamped over it. Hermione had sounded urgent, and she was practically pulling him along an into the throngs of people leaving the hall, Ron following closely behind. With a look back at the staff he saw them deep in discussion. He wasn't getting answers. He would just be expected to leave ignorant of what was going on. He'd be damned if that was going to happen. If Voldemort was going to attack Hogwarts he'd fight.
"Nngh-NO! Hermione…STOP!"
Harry managed to wriggle out his friends tight grip and pulled her hand of his mouth.
"I refuse to leave."
He had no idea how he was going to evade Dumbledore long enough to stay and fight, but he'd try. Dumbledore and the Order be damned.
"Yes Harry, but please, we have to go back to the common room first!"
"But-"
"Professor Dumbledore will know if we don't turn up there!"
"And-"
"Trust me!"
Harry frowned. Surely they'd never get away if they went to the Common Room. However Harry did as his friend suggested, not that he didn't already trust Hermione, and followed after his friends back to the common room.
By the time the three Gryffindors arrived, they were obviously the last to turn up. The room had never been more packed, nor had it ever been this noisy, not even when the Weasley Twins stayed here. A group of younger students, First Years at a guess were in tears.
Harry and Ron pushed their way across the packed common room, and up the stairs to their dormitory leaving Hermione behind to sort things out. Hermione was normally left to all the prefect duties as Ron normally neglected his, it was quite normal.
Harry instinctively collapsed on top of his bed. Ron went and perched on the end of his own facing Harry. Neither spoke until Hermione arrived.
Soft footsteps were heard on the stairs before Hermione entered the room, and sat down next to Ron.
"I calmed down the First Years and the Seventh Years consented to watching over everyone."
Harry didn't reply he was trying to think of a way to hide from Dumbledore.
"No one even saw it coming," commented Ron quietly when no one spoke.
"Yes it's certainly strange," agreed Hermione. She spoke in the tone of voice she usually adopted when there was problem that needed solving. Perhaps it was the familiarity but it made Harry smile. The evil Dark Lord was coming to attack the school and Hermione was going about this logically. Well at least someone was.
"The Death Eaters were obviously only informed earlier today, so it seems as if Voldemort decided this today, but surely he would plan for something. Hogwarts is the safest most highly protected place in the world, you can't just waltz in."
Harry had of course followed this train of thought himself and it hadn't led anywhere. He pulled himself up into a sitting position and spoke for this first time since entering the dorm.
"Look, perhaps old voldie's finally completely lost it, wouldn't surprise me, or maybe he has been planning this and only informed his death eaters at the last minute in case of traitors and spies. No doubt they would have the upper hand, perhaps even beat us if w hadn't known. If it's a surprise attack I'd say everyone's pretty surprised. I don't think it matters now though. We need to work on stopping them, I doubt the Order will take this lying down, and I refuse to leave not with everyone here."
"Us too," stated Rom quietly. Hermione simply nodded.
Harry was prevented from replying when their fellow Sixth Year, Dean Thomas arrived at the door.
"McGonagalls here. She wants everyone in the common room."
Without saying a word Harry, Ron and Hermione all followed Dean back down to the common room.
The room was silent and in front of the portrait hole stood a stern looking Professor McGonagall. Harry was actually quite interested in hearing how Dumbledore was going to evacuate the whole school before midnight. Glancing at his watch Harry saw it was 8pm, which meant they had four hours. Once the last few people had descended the stairs into the common room Professor McGonagall addressed her house.
"The headmaster has been in contact with the Minister of Magic and the method of evacuation has been decided. Portkeys have been set up which will take you to the Ministry, there you will be able to contact family and travel home, through arranged transportation."
As soon as McGonagall paused whispers broke out among the Gryffindors, no doubt discussing the plan. These whispers halted immediately as the Professor held her hands up in a gesture of silence.
"Everyone is to be back down in the Great Hall in fifteen minutes ready to leave. Unfortunately you are not able to take possessions with you, there is no time."
"Will we ever come back?" Piped up one of the little first year girls.
The head of Gryffindor just offered her a sad smile, "I would hope so."
As she turned to leave Harry found his voice and he shouted across the common room.
"What are you doing about Voldemort!?"
All eyes were on Professor McGonagall's back, every single person was anxious to know, not just Harry. McGonagall turned to face them once more, she appeared to hesitate before answering, as if deciding what to say.
"He will not take Hogwarts as long as we still have a say."
She left quickly afterwards, and the common room broke out in noise once more. They only had fifteen minutes so most people were staying goodbye to friends and such before heading downstairs. Some more calm and collected than others. Harry participated in none of this, he needed to think. So the Ministry was involved, and from Professor McGonagall's word they definitely intended to fight. That meant the Aurours, the Order, the Teachers and anyone else would be here. Remaining without being caught was now looking slightly troublesome.
"Harry? You think we could go up to your dorm to talk for a moment?"
"Sure thing Hermione."
The three friends left the slowly emptying common room, and returned to the silent dorm room. Harry turned to face Hermione ready for her usual outburst which often contained a plan of some sort. Said witch however was not facing him, she had gone straight to Harry's trunk and was digging through it. What the hell was she doing? Harry opened his mouth to ask his friend that exact question when his face was assaulted by a piece of parchment. Catching it he realised it was a particularly old and worn piece of parchment. The Marauders Map. Did she have to throw it at his head though.
"Lets see what Dumbledore and the staff are doing for a start shall we? I solemnly swear I am up to no good." With a tap from Hermione's wand lines of ink began to spread all over the map. Those words sounded a little strange coming from Hermione.
"They're in the hall" pointed out Ron tapping the map with his finger. Every single staff member was inside the hall, including at least half of the student population, the other half were still making their way there. The fifteen minutes would be up soon, and no doubt it would be discovered that they hadn't turned up. Time was against them.
"Keep an eye on it," warned Hermione. Harry set the aged map down on Ron's bed which they had all unconsciously gathered around.
"Right, if we plan on staying to fight, we need to make it so Dumbledore nor anyone can find us until it's too late. We have the map and of course the cloak, but that's not going to work this time."
Finished stating the obvious Harry looked expectantly at his friends. Ron's eyes were fixed in the map while Hermione's gaze was directed back at Harry, forehead scrunched in thought, and biting her bottom lip slightly. After a couple of minutes it was Ron who spoke.
"What about one of the secret passageways, or we could hide in the shrieking shack, or what about-" the youngest Weasley male didn't get any further as he was cut off by an exasperated Hermione.
"We're hiding from Dumbledore, Ronald, DUMBLEDORE! NOT FILCH! The greatest most powerful wizard ever, and you think he wouldn't notice if we just waltzed on out the front doors and down to hogsmeade!"
"Oh yeah, Well…!" began Ron looking slightly annoyed as he tried to pick up on his previous train of thought. "What about the Room Of Requirement, we could-"
"For Goodness sake Ron, Dumbledore knows about that room and besides-"
Harry tuned Hermione's ranting out so he could think. Could they do something as simple as hide out in the Room of Requirement? The room will do anything the user asks it to, but would it shield them from the Headmaster of Hogwarts? It was worth a shot. The room was part of Hogwarts and not even Dumbledore would be able to get round Hogwarts itself and the founders magic.
Harry looked back at his friends to see them both looking at him expectantly.
"Erm…I agree with Ron."
"But Harry-"
Harry held up his hand to stop Hermione going off on another rant of why it wouldn't work.
"The Room of Requirement is a part of Hogwarts right, I figure not even Dumbledore can overpower the founders spells, so it's worth a shot, unless you have a better idea?"
Hermione crossed her arms and her eyebrows rose, a clear sign she was doubtful, but she neither offered her own solution or raised any more objections.
"Uugh, Guys? Problem." Ron had the Marauders Map in his hand and was looking deeply troubled.
Problem indeed. Looking at the map Harry noted approximately half the black dots had disappeared from the hall meaning the evacuation was well underway, but that wasn't what bothered Harry. What bothered him was the three dots leaving the Great Hall and heading towards the staircase. The labels next to these dots read, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore. As the trio's eyes were all locked on the three dots they failed to notice anything else.
"Out of time," stated Harry calmly, "We need to go, head to the room NOW!"
Harry Snatched the Map out of Ron's hand and hastily stuffed it into his pocket before dashing to his trunk, It was still open form when Hermione had looked through it, so he quickly dug through it in search of his Invisibility Cloak.
"Come ON Harry!"
His friends were waiting at the door, and as soon as he'd located his cloak at the bottom of his trunk, he wasted no time in re-packing the items he'd thrown on the floor, but joined them, and the three quickly ran down the stairs.
Once in the common room Harry promptly flung the cloak over all three of them, they were forced to stand very close together and crouched down slightly as the cloak really wasn't big enough to cover all of them anymore. Three wands were being held tightly in their respective owners hands. Harry glanced at his watch once more. It was twenty to nine.
Nothing was said as the three friends made their way out of the common room. It would obviously be foolish to speak anyway.
Harry being at the front was the one to open the portrait hole, though that also meant he was the one who walked smack bang into the person standing directly outside. The quiet dark corridor was filled with two pained groans, as well as a panicked "Harry!"
Harry's hand leapt straight to his jaw, someone definitely had a hard head. Wait, hang on a minute, someone was right there. There was no getting out of this he'd walked into them for gods sake. Well if he had to stupefy a student so be it. But why there was someone hanging outside the Gryffindor Common Room when everyone should be being evacuated was anyone's guess.
Said person was sprawled on the floor, a hand rubbing the top of their head messing up their long red hair. Harry looked at the person suspiciously and opened his mouth to speak but Ron beat him to it.
"GINNY!"
Harry inwardly groaned, he had nothing against the only Weasley girl but this was really bad timing. Dumbledore was looking for them NOW. Harry slipped the cloak off his head, as did the other two so Ginny could see them. Harry also slipped an arm out the cloak and offered it to Ginny to help her up. She took it and he pulled the younger girl to her feet.
"Thanks. You know you have a hard head Harry."
"We need to go Gin. Shouldn't you have been evacuated by now, you should go quickly!"
He really should have known it wouldn't be that simple as Ginny fixed him with that determined stare of hers.
"Shouldn't you three have been evacuated as well? Your up to something. I know you. Your going to stay and fight aren't you?"
When Harry remained quiet Ron took it upon himself to answer his little sister's question.
"So what if we are?"
Harry actually groaned out loud at that, and he felt Hermione shift behind him obviously trying to resist the urge to smack Ron over the head.
"Well then so am I." Ginny swung her long red hair over her shoulder and crossed her arms across her front, obviously daring them to contradict her.
"No your bloody well not!" Ron spat back at his sister. They were starring daggers at each other.
"Why not Ron I can fight-"
"Your going home! RIGHT NOW!"
"Look Ginny," Hermione cut in "this is different. It really would be best if you left." Ginny's glare didn't even falter as she turned towards Hermione coldly.
"I see no reason to. The Orders coming aren't they? The whole Family will be here, Mum, Dad and everyone."
"THERE'S NO WAY-"
"ENOUGH!"
They didn't have time for this so Harry decided to cut in while he could. If they didn't get going they'd all b caught. Ginny wasn't about to give up, and Harry had nothing against her staying, as she said, the whole Weasley clan would be here. Only problem was there was no way the cloak would hide Ginny as well.
"Know any Invisibility spells Hermione?"
"Yes I know of one, but chances are Dumbledore, or maybe even the teachers will be bale to sense it.
"We'll chance it. Your going to cast it on Gin."
Ignoring the angry look on his best friends face he turned to the now happy and victorious looking girl, "You may stay, but be warned, you are not to take this lightly, and when the order have arrived you are to stay with your parents, understood?"
He just got a nod in response.
"Alright Ginny I recommend you latch on to Hermione now so you can follow us."
Once she had a hold on Hermione's arm, Harry nodded and Hermione cast the spell upon her.
"Everyone ready now?"
Harry got several affirmative noises from his friends, Ron it appeared wasn't saying anything. Only once Harry was sure the cloak was once again safely secured around all three of them did they continue.
Once they were three corridors away from their dorm room the unmistakeable sound of high heels hitting the stone floor at a very fast pace was heard. The four invisible Gryffindors just had time to press themselves against the wall before a frantic looking Professor McGonagall came round the corner.
Once the old witch had disappeared around the opposite end of the corridor Harry let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding in, and at a guess so did the others. That had been close. The teachers were obviously closer than he thought. McGonagall was obviously going to check Gryffindor Tower. Well that's what he got for not checking the map. Pulling the map out his pocket he vowed to keep an eye on it. So with one eye on the old magical map the other watching where he was going Harry Potter led his three friends to the Room of Requirement.
They managed to navigate their way through Hogwarts perfectly after their initial surprise, successfully avoiding anyone who came their way, whether they be staff member or ghost.
As Harry put his foot on the first step of the staircase which led down to the seventh floor the air was suddenly filled with the voice of Hogwarts resident bat, or Snape if you wished to name him. As the group hid in the shadows of a statue they listened to what Snape did best; insult Harry.
"… Obviously has another reckless plan in mind, but to involve other students and lead THEM in to danger and here I believed Potter was already as arrogant as possible. What does he think he can do, he is a danger to the plan not to mention everyone present. His incompetence and inability to follow the rules will undoubtedly be the death of him. Bigheaded and-"
The familiar voice of Albus Dumbledore cut into Snape's monologue. "Yes Severus I more than agree. Now perhaps we should find Minerva, I believe a second sweep of the Castle is needed before the Aurours arrive."
The shocked expression on Snape's face matched exactly how Harry was feeling. Did Dumbledore just agree with Snape that Harry was reckless, arrogant and incompetent. The shock disappeared to be replaced with hot anger.
"C'mon mate."
A soft shove to his back accompanied the whispered comment from Ron. Looking round Snape and Dumbledore had gone.
No less than a minute later Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were facing the blank expanse of wall opposite Barnabas the Barmy.
Three times Harry walked up and down past the wall chanting inside his head the whole time. He had to make sure he covered everything, so there were no loopholes and no matter what they wouldn't be discovered.
We need a place to hide and wait for the battle and no one is to know we're in their. Somewhere not even Dumbledore nor anyone else can find us, no matter what they try and what spells they cast.
Harry repeated those words right up until a familiar door appeared right in front of them. After they had all entered the door which was now behind them disappeared to be replaced with stone wall. Harry guessed they would be able to leave once the battle started.
The cloak was dropped as Hermione simultaneously dropped the spell on Ginny. As four people materialised out of thin air they all looked around the room. It looked suspiciously like their common room only about five times bigger and without all the portraits and paintings lining the wall.
Without a word to the others Harry ungracefully dumped himself upon one of the many armchairs, legs propped up over the arm. Harry was annoyed, his friends could tell that much. One guess what had caused it.
As the two Weasley siblings headed off towards one side of the room, Ron muttering something about using the time to practise some curses or defence and whatnot. Hermione sat herself down in the armchair next to Harry's a little more gracefully than he had. She considered her words carefully.
"I know what you're thinking Harry. But you Know Professor Dumbledore doesn't think of you as any of those things."
A snort from Harry accompanied by bitter words were all she got as an answer. "No Hermione I don't know. Dumbledore" Harry spat their Headmasters name, "probably meant every word he said, he's probably been lying to me for years, using me…" Harry's words died off and Hermione was trying to think of something else to say, she couldn't believe Professor Dumbledore would speak ill of Harry.
"Harry you have to see-"
"HARRY! Come over here a minute!" Ron's shout interrupted Hermione and Harry looked over to the far side of the room where Ron and Ginny were with their wands out. He was pointing to something pinned to the wall.
"Why?" Harry queried.
"Just look. It says you can use anyone you want as target practise, watch this."
Harry watched as his friend closed his eyes in concentration and a second later a cardboard Draco Malfoy was standing next to him. Or it was until Ron hit it with the reductor curse, afterwards it was just dust on the floor. "HA!"
Harry grinned, Perfect, just what he needed right now. Harry clambered out of the arm chair, and walked over to Ron and Ginny. Picking up the cloak and map Hermione followed him.
Standing next to Ron, Harry closed his eyes and though about the person he would simply love to use as target practise at the moment. When he opened his eyes he was surrounded by millions of cardboard Dumbledores, all in different colours. Harry was then blasting the fake Dumbledores to the ground reducing them to dust or ash. It was certainly calming him down. Ron and Ginny soon joined in, creating their own targets. Hermione just sat and watched.
So there they waited, hours passed and nothing more interesting than blasting pretend people happened. More and more names appeared on the Marauders Map and no one found them.
/-\
Anger flickered through him as Harry remembered his headmasters words, followed by amusement as he also remembered the expression of every Order members face when he Ron, Hermione and Ginny turned up. Well it had been more like a mixture of numerous expressions, quite a few of them including Dumbledore and Snape had looked as if he wanted to throttle him, he'd laughed so much. True to her word Ginny had stuck with her parents after that and he hadn't seen her since.
He had definitely shown the old man and the greasy bat he wasn't incompetent. At a minimum half of the fallen Death Eaters must be down to him.
Looking down at his unconscious friend Harry knew Ron wasn't going to awake any time soon, and he and Hermione couldn't drag the red headed boy round, that would get them all killed.
"We need to hide him somewhere." Harry was already carefully moving his friend when Hermione answered sounding a little hysterical.
"WHAT! As in just LEAVE him somewhere? What if something happens or the wrong people find him. Ron could be KILLED!"
"It will be safer than dragging him around with us, trust me."
Hermione did not raise any more objections after that though it was clear she was anything but happy about this arrangement . Looking around Harry spotted one of the many suits of armour which littered the castle. He half dragged his friend over to it, Hermione trailing behind obviously wishing to play no part in it. Harry made sure Ron was completely hidden, concealed from view by the shadows and the tall, hollow, metal figure. Harry and Hermione then returned to battle, speaking no words to each other as they went.
--
It was now approximately five in the morning. After what felt like another full hour of fighting and ducking and dodging spells Harry was still standing though his reactions had slowed. He now had a deep cut across his left cheek. The blood from the injury had drenched his neck and shoulder. He had also been careless enough to be caught under two Cruciatus Curses.
The strange thing was neither of the unforgivable curses had been deliberately aimed at him, nor any other spell or curse for that matter. Harry was just simply not the Death Eaters top priority. He had expected, along with the Order that he would be under heavy fire, as that was what usually happened, but no one had gone out of their way to attack him. Compared to previous encounters it was if they were avoiding him. The majority of the time it was Harry who attacked first. He really couldn't fathom exactly what the incentive behind this attack was. The death eaters and other dark creatures had shown no inclination towards anything other than fighting. It was very unsettling to not be bale to predict or guess what your enemies were planning.
Harry had become separated form Hermione an hour ago, right after they had left Ron and he hadn't seen her since. It was hardly surprising as it was next to impossible to keep track of one person among the chaos and mass of darting bodies.
Harry had been up and down going from floor to floor, letting the flow of the battle lead him. Currently Harry was slipping and sliding over the floor of the Entrance Hall. He refused to cast his eyes downwards in fear of seeing the blood and bodies which undoubtedly littered very floor. Consequently this led to him loosing his balance and almost falling on more than one occasion.
Harry was in the centre of the hall surrounded by duelling pairs and groups and unfair numbers such as three on one. Professor Flitwick was one of the unlucky few subjected to this unfair duelling. He was battling three death eaters at once. Harry aimed his wand at the broadest of the three death eaters a curse areas on his lips when something or more likely someone slammed into the back of him.
Harry was sent tumbling to the ground and when his head connected quite forcefully with the stone floor pain shot through his skull and he mentally cursed whoever had ran into him. Hauling himself up Harry lifted a hand to his head. It was tender to touch and caused Harry to wince.
A figure to the left was mirroring his actions. The grumbling man scrambled to his feet, recognition flashed through Harry's mind and he quickly shot a spell at the man.
"IMPEDIMENTA!"
The man was knocked straight off his feet and was forced to slide a couple of feet across the stone floor. Harry quickly advanced pointing his straight at the mans chest.
The last time he had seen Rodolphus Lestrange he was bloody and unconscious up on the forth floor. Harry had been the one to stun him. No wonder this battle wasn't getting anywhere if someone was healing fallen death eaters.
"Lestrange shouldn't you be bleeding to death up on the fourth floor?"
"POTTER!" Spat the death eater. Rodolphus had his own hand trained on Harry but he didn't strike. He was struggling and wriggling as the jinx was still preventing any movement but it wouldn't last long. The death eaters may have refrained form attacking him but they obviously had nothing against insulting him or sending him death glares.
Harry met Rodolphus' glare with his own and raised his wand higher. The first syllables of the stunning spell on his lips.
"STUP-"
Harry never had the chance to finish the spell. Hundreds of cracks the sound usually associated with apparititon were heard throughout the hall before Harry found himself flung across the room into the hard stone wall. He hadn't even noticed the spell coming. As his head connected with a hard surface for the second time in less than five minutes, he just hoped those cracks had either been the sound of death eaters leaving or light sided reinforcements arriving. Slumped against the wall, the pain in his head slowly dissipating something clicked and Harry realised that neither should be possible as Hogwarts was surrounded by ant-apparition wards, wasn't that why the death eaters had attacked form Hogsmeade.
Opening his eyes Harry concluded people had definitely apparated into the Entrance Hall as there were now about thirty more death eaters than before he's been thrown into the wall. Dumbledore set the wards around the school himself, and as pissed off at the old man as he was he knew no death eater had the power to break the wards surrounding the old school. Which could only mean one thing someone with the power to rival Dumbledore's was here somewhere. Harry knew of only one person that could apply to.
Even as Harry though it pain shot through the curiously shaped scar in his forehead, pain like he'd never felt before. It sent him sliding back down the wall and to his knees. Harry hadn't experienced pain from his scar or any funny emotions for months and months. Hadn't Dumbledore told him that The Dark Lord was 'employing occlumency against him'. That only left one option. Voldemort was inside Hogwarts, he was here.
A high pitched scream somewhere to his right caused Harry to open his stinging eyes. All the noise was certainly not helping his throbbing head. A girl was thrashing and screaming a few feet away clearly under the Cruciatus Curse. Long red hair was fanned out across the floor and her pale face. Harry's eyes widened as the girl whipped her head round to face Harry.
Ginny. But where were Molly and Arthur?
" That's it little blood traitor scream for me. That'll teach you to try and curse me, your just a stupid, pathetic wittle girl!"
Bellatrix Lestrange was standing over Ginny clearly enjoying herself. Blocking out the pain in his scar Harry scrambled the few feet distance over to Ginny. By now blood was starting to pour out the girls mouth, and Bellatrix was cackling with mad laughter. Harry pointed his wand straight at the crazed women and shot a stinging hex straight at her. Anything to get her attention away from Ginny. Harry would simply love to Kill Bellatrix but right now Ginny was his top priority.
The hex had hit her right on the cheek and an angry red burn was the evidence along with a hiss from the insane death eater receiving it. An enraged Bellatrix spun round, and enraged snarl on her face, simultaneously this caused her to drop the curse on Ginny. Wild eyes searched for whoever dared hex her. The angry snarl disappeared when she saw Harry to be replaced with an evil smile, which if it was possible, caused her to look even more mentally unstable.
"Well if it isn't ickle bitty baby Potter! Come to rescue your blood traitor whore have you?"
Ever since they had first met Bellatrix always used her sickening twisted baby voice when speaking to him. Every single ounce of rage, anger and hatred he felt towards the women before him was running through his veins like fire telling him to kill her where she stood.
"That's a bit rich coming from you Bella, the women who spends her every waking mention licking the Dark Lords ass, I mean you practically have 'Voldemort's Slut' stamped across your face.
The deranged death eater was now shaking in rage, and Harry was satisfied to see he could make her that mad. Harry held his wand tight in front of him. Bellatrix would no doubt attack him for that. Her next actions took him by surprise though, as Harry was preparing to be attacked, to be screamed, shouted and cursed at, Bellatrix just turned her back to him, and pointing her wand at Ginny screamed those two deadly words.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Ginny Weasley was dead before Harry even had the chance to attempt to save her.