Well, thanks to all who reviewed (namely, none). This chapter contains a bit more action than the previous ones, but I hope you like it, even though the writing style kind of mixes with normal writing styles.
At midnight on the 31st of December, Harry Potter was awakened by a scream along with the rest of the castle. He had stayed behind that holiday because his parents had decided to go to another 'honeymoon'. He was glad that his friend Ron had stayed as well, though the reason was that the redhead didn't want to spend more time than necessary in his claustrophobic house with all his siblings. Still, Harry had a feeling of foreboding as he shook awake the snoring Weasley.
"Wassamattaarry?"
The raven haired wizard gestured for the other boy to be quiet, and the two dressed quickly, their wands at the ready. Ron was in a complete sleepy drowsiness, so he didn't offer many complaints, however he was awake and alert as soon as they went downstairs and a crackling green spell whooshed past his ear.
"What's going on?" He screamed at Harry in panic. The wizard in question didn't respond, just eyed the situation and gauged it mentally. He was thankful there were only two opponents because he wasn't sure if Ron would be a suitable partner to watch his back if they were surrounded.
The two started firing random spells in quick succession at their assailants who turned out to be Slytherin students. Harry was puzzled, but not surprised at the sudden battle. What would one expect when the whole lot of mamma's boys and daddy's girls that Slytherin is comprised of stayed behind for the holidays? With a satisfying crack, one of his spells hit Flint Marcus, the annoying sleaze ball, and Harry dragged Ron away from the former battlefield in order to check on the others. One name in particular popped into Harry's mind almost immediately, Hermione Granger.
Though he has barely ever talked to her, he believed she was a nice girl who didn't deserve the bullying she had faced from his own best friend. On the other hand, Harry was your average everyday nobody with barely any friends, so when Ron and he had become friends, Harry had vowed to try his best at keeping that friendship. If anything, he was grateful for the red head, and though said red head's judgment was a bit clouded at times, he was a pretty okay guy.
Through one of the windows, Harry spotted the familiar bushy mane of hair running through the warfield which the bank of the Black Lake has become, managing somehow not to engage in battle. He managed a relieved sigh, focusing back on making his way through the now cluttered interior of the caste.
~.~
At midnight on the 31st of December, Hermione Granger was unknowingly as far away from the battle as possible, courtesy of Tom Riddle himself. The view from the window showed the same old Quidditch pitch as it always did, an empty, deserted field covered in December snow and sparkling invitingly below the moonlight. The stone walls echoed the emptiness of the midnight silence. There was no breeze coming from the cracks in the window to ruffle the finished essays lying on the desk, drying. There was no hungry tweet from the bird sitting on the windowsill outside, although it opened its mouth numerous times, hopping around its leverage because of the cold, and finally flying away, followed by a small flurry of snow. It was quiet in the dark room, not a soul stirring.
Hermione Granger was obliviously asleep inside her unknown cell.
~.~
Half an hour after midnight, 31st of December, saw a beaked bird-like creature stalking down the corridors of Hogwarts. Its beady eyes were hazy, and it snapped at every person who got in its way. It was obviously looking for something or someone; however, the bursts of magic coming every which way confounded its senses, and the veela found itself just about running in circles. With an angered shriek, it dove into the fight, clawing at the wizards and witches on the battlefield.
~.~
At the exact same time, at the other side of Hogwarts, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore knew what he had to do. He rushed down the corridors to the known residence of the fifth year female Gryffindor prefect. He had little time and who knew what he would have to face to get to that particular dorm. Along the way, he saw the two people he intended to look for after that, and he sighed in relief mentally.
"Messrs Potter and Weazley! Follow me, please!" He boomed, his voice momentarily stunning the mentioned people's opponents. The Slytherin students fell back to regroup, the threat of Dumbledore taking them on seeming too big for the scattered group they were at the moment. Relieved, Ron and Harry hurried to the Head Teacher's side.
"What is going on, Professor?!" The raven haired student asked in a panicked tone, "Why are the Slytherins attacking us?"
"There's no time to explain, follow me," Dumbledore said gravely, briskly walking down the corridor towards his destination.
Confused, the two Gryffs followed.
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