'Miss Granger, Mr Potter, can you come with me please,' said Professor McGonagall in a voice stern, but close to cracking at any moment. 'What, why? What's happened? Another attack?' Harry was instantly scared. The last time he had heard her speak like this was in the second year when she had told him and Ron that Hermione had been petrified. 'Not here Mr Potter, my office, I don't want anyone else to overhear. We have to be quick, we can't keep the others waiting, they all need to hear this.'
They hurried from library up the stairs and passed the portraits in the corridors, who all stayed uncharacteristically still and quiet. Not a student was visible in the hallways, though this wasn't surprising as since the frequency of the attacks on Hogsmede had increased the curfew at Hogwarts had been put to 7 pm. McGonagall's pace was one which Ron's broom wouldn't be able to match, and her expression grew more serious as the time went on.
As they finally reached the Gargoyles guarding her office she said, 'take out your wands and stay close. They have bewitched themselves to only activate after the people passing through have cast a patronus, we think this is owing to the Dementors which broke in last month'.
'On three now.' 'Expecto patronum!' Above their chanting Professor McGonagall calmly said, 'chocolate frogs'. A moment or two later the stairs appeared and they ascended up into her office, were shouting could be clearly heard. A gruff male voice who Harry guessed was Mad Eye Moody, and a women's voice reaching heights of volume which Harry had never believed possible.
As the door was opened he saw that the voice belonged to Mrs Weasley who was looking redder than the fire which Harry had dodged during the Triwizards cup in the fourth year. However as Professor McGonagall closed the door behind them, not a sound could be heard, which gave Harry a chance to look around. Mad Eye Moody, Mr and Mrs Weasley and all the Weasley children, apart from one. He spun round and looked at Hermione in panic, and then up at McGonagall, 'Where's Ron?'
'Ronald has been taken into the Forbidden Forest, were Voldemort and his Death Eaters are stationed. Rubeus Hagrid tried to get to him to safety, putting himself into great danger. He managed to delay the Death Eaters long enough for him to send a message to us, but that was his last action. I found him laying dead by his cabin, with his umbrella a couple of centimetres from him. They have Ron, and have killed Hagrid. We MUST evacuate the school immediately.'
'NO!' bellowed Harry, 'I am not leaving.' 'Nor am I,' stuttered Hermione.' The Weasley's all stood open mouthed, but nodded in agreement. Not even Mrs Weasley said anything; she wasn't even crying.
'I knew that you wouldn't which is why you are here and not being transported to platform 9 and three quarters by port key.' Professor McGonagall carried on saying 'however you will not be involved.' 'I am not Dumbledore, and I will allow you to be put into danger.'
Hermione suddenly regained some colour into her face, and blurted out 'does this mean that Hogwarts is closed?' 'Yes, with immediate effect,' Came the frosty reply 'In which case Minerva, you have no authority over us, and thus it is our choice.' 'And we will be fighting,' finished Harry.
Harry suddenly looked up at the portrait of Dumbledore, and all previous confidence was regained, as there was a definite twinkle in the old mans eye. 'Minerva,' said Dumbledore, 'Could you please leave me alone with the two brave warriors for a while. There is something I wish to discuss.'
'Certainly Professor. You heard the man; out!' Saying this McGonagall opened the door and lead the way down the spiralling stairway, Mr and Mrs Weasley however stayed behind briefly, and said 'Don't you dare get yourselves hurt. And Harry, your parents would be proud.'
As the door closed behind them they crept closer to Dumbledore's portrait, which was positioned above the old mans desk. 'Miss Granger, can you please go over to the table by the wall and retrieve the sword which Mr Potter used in the second year. You will need to use this to kill Nagini, otherwise Voldemort will posses her and make his escape, she is also one of the remaining Horcruxes. You will have to recite a spell of old magic as you penetrate her heart, Godrick's spell. Nagini's venom will also break the metal of the sword, and if that is indeed a Horcrux, there will only be the Hufflepuff cup to destroy. Which I believe is within the vaults of Malfoy Manor. So that, and not the forest, is your first location, do I make myself clear.'
'Yes Headmaster,' came the chorused reply. 'Oh and good luck.'