When Death Eaters Attack

She clutched a hand to her side, her wand hanging limply from her hand, as she stood over the body of the fallen Death Eater. She looked across the room, to where they stood, wands outstreched. She had to get them out of here. She had to get them to safety. There was only one place they could find that now.

"HELP! SOMEBODY PLEASE!"
Rhee stopped running. She watched as the older students continued to race away, ignoring the pleas of the young students. With only a moment's hesitation she turned, and followed the screams.

As she got closer, she reached into her pocket, and withdrew her wand. Tiptoeing to the door, she peered into the Charms classroom. What she saw made her boil with rage. Six of the first year students were huddled together, putting as much distance between themselves and the man in the mask. The body of their unconscious Professor lay feet away from them. She raised her wand, when a curse hit her from behind. She fell to the ground.

The man tormenting the children turned, and watched her pick herself up with amusement. She stepped back in fear. Now there were two of them. And she had lost the element of surprise. She held her wand in front of her, despite her shaking hands.
"She wants to play!" cackled one of them, her voice sending shiver's down the fifteen year olds back.
"Let's have some fun!" answered the other, his voice equally as terryfing.
"CRUCIO!" yelled the woman. Her screams echoed through the room, as she fell to the ground. Her body convulsed, her wand falling to the ground beside her. Finally, the woman lifted the curse. Rhee's vision blurred as she struggled to catch her breath.
"CRUCIO!" cried the man, and again the pain racked through her body. Again the curse was lifted, and her screams died away. She wanted to cry. She wanted to curl up in a ball and sob; but then she heard it. It was barely audible, and yet that one simple sound gave her the strength she knew she would need. One of the younger girls had let out a strangled sob.

Rhee's expression changed to one of stubborn determination. She scrambled for her wand, and forced herself to her feet.
"My turn," she murmured. "STUPEFY!" she cried. The jet of red light hit the woman square in the chest, knocking her to the floor temporarily. She turned to the man, but he simply laughed. He flicked his wand again. She tried to avoid whatever curse he had directed at her, but a searing pain at her side told her she was unsuccessful. She cried out in shock, before flinging her own curse at him. He blocked it effortlessly.
"Is that what they're teaching the students these days?" he laughed. "CRUCIO!"
Again she was writhing on the floor, but this time she would not scream. She felt the blood fill her mouth as she bit down on her tounge.
"STUPEFY!" she managed to cry out, and again the red jet burst out of the tip of her wand. She missed.

"STUPEFY!"
Six separate red jets burst from the opposite end of the room, hitting him in the back. He fell to the floor. Rhee pulled herself to her feet once more.
She clutched a hand to her side, her wand hanging limply beside her as she stood over the body of the fallen Death Eater. She looked across the room, to where they stood, wands outstreched. She had to get them out of here. She had to get them to safety. There was only one place they could find that now.
"Come here," she gasped out. "QUICKLY!" she cried, as the woman stirred. They rushed to her side, and she told them to hold onto her tightly. They did. The woman was almost awake now. She was reaching for her wand. Her lips were forming words, but Rhee could not hear them. She closed her eyes and twisted on the spot.

Struggling not to collapse from exhaustion, she opened her eyes, and breathed in relief. They had awhile to walk before they reached the building; but they had made it. They were safe. They were here.
She urged them forward.
"Where are we?" cried the smallest girl in the group.
Rhee smiled tiredly.
"Hogwarts"

A Feast Interrupted

"Excuse me Professor" announced an aristocratic ghost with a bored tone, from the other end of the Hall. "There's a girl just arrived. Says she apparated them here from Merlin's Academy. Attacked by Death Eaters apparently" the Professors all stood in shock. "Just thought you should be informed."

Rhee screamed out in frustration. The castle doors were locked. She began banging on them with her fists.

"SOMEBODY!" she shouted. "Anybody! Please..." her voice trailed off as she slumped against the wall; tears prickling her eyes.

"Yes?" asked a bored voice. Rhee was so excited she jumped up.

"Please! We need some help!"

"I'll get the caretaker," the ghost sighed.

"No wait!"

But he had gone. For what seemed like hours they waited, rain pelting down on them, before an angry looking old man, with long hair, opened the doors; grunting about late students, and whipping. The ghost was still there, watching them with that infuriating bored expression on his face.

"Get Dumbledore," she said weakly.

"Why would I do that?" he asked.

"We need help."

Professor Dumbledore was scanning the hall. It was Halloween, and the students were all enjoying the feast. But something was unnerving him. He smiled reassuringly in response to Professor McGonagall's worrying eyes. Something was about to happen. He just wasn't sure what it was.

"Excuse me Professor" announced an aristocratic ghost with a bored tone, from the other end of the Hall. "There's a girl just arrived. Says she apparated them here from Merlin's Academy. Attacked by Death Eaters apparently" the Professors all stood in shock. "Just thought you should be informed."

The reaction was immediate. The students began murmuring excitedly to each other. No one noticed Severus Snape's face pale.

"What's her name?" he asked. The ghost did not answer. "WHAT'S HER NAME?" he shouted.

"Severus, enough!" said Dumbledore. The hall was now silent, as the students were staring at their Potions Professor in shock. "Students, if you would please return to your dormitories, Prefects, if you would guide them please. Minerva, if you could have an owl dispatched to the Ministry of Magic immediately, the rest of you, would you follow me"

The students began shouting and pushing each other in their rush for the doors, when several 11 year olds came running into the Hall. They were all wearing the Merlin's Academy uniform, and they looked terrified.

"Somebody help her please!" sobbed one of the smaller girls. "YOU HAVE TO HELP HER!"

"Calm down Lucette," murmured an older girl, approaching the doors. Her blonde hair and uniform was soaking wet. Her hair was a mess. Her face was pale, and the side of her blouse was turning red from blood. Two younger boys were supporting her, as she seemed barely able to move.

"He said... if I ever needed help... to come... here... I'm... here"

"Who said?" asked an older Hufflepuff boy, who had raced forward to help her.

"RHEE!" came two male voices shouting through the hall, voices echoing with pain. Jaws dropped; it was by far the most shocking thing that had occurred all night. Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape both leapt over their tables, running towards the strange girl, fear and worry etched into their features. Draco reached her just as she collapsed, catching her in her arms.

"Come on Rhee," he murmured, lowering her to the ground. "Wake up... wake up!"

He let out a choked sob, as he looked down at his hand, now covered in her blood.

Professor Snape was quick to act. He bent down and picked her up in his arms.

"We have to get her to the Hospital Wing," he said quickly to the young Slytherin. "Warn Madam Pomfrey, make sure she's prepared," he continued ordering as they strode out of the Hall.

"STUDENTS! To your dormitories now!" ordered Dumbledore. No one dared disobey.

Back in the Gryffindor Common Room, the older students were huddled around the fire.

"I think I'm going insane," said Ron Weasley, the others looked at him "coz either I was hallucinating, or... Draco Malfoy was... crying?"