Here They Come!
Améthyste and Jade were sitting with the students involved in Harry's army. They had brought in a Merlin gauge. The students were testing themselves. Most of them were a high average of about two thousand on the scale. Some peaked higher at between twenty-five and thirty hundred points.
"So what are you two then?" Ernie Macmillan asked.
Améthyste smiled. "Give it here I'll show you," she said. She grabbed the gauge and activated the meter. She held it so the students could see what it showed.
"Five thousand two hundred," Ernie said. "That's like double what we show."
"You need at least four thousand to use a staff," Jade said. "You just don't have enough power before then."
"So headmaster Dumbledore is below four thousand?" Hannah Abbot asked.
"He's probably close," Améthyste said. "I would say right on the edge."
"How come the average is so low?" Colin Creevy asked.
"It has gone down over time," Améthyste said. "It might rise again. Old blood can go up a lot if it gets an influx of new blood. Nomagborn students are seldom above twenty-five hundred ever. You need older blood after that. I'm from an old family. I just got lucky. Jade is from an old family with new blood. Her mother was nomag-born."
"So our kids could be way higher?" Natalie McDonald asked. She was in Dennis Creevey's year. He had brought her along to the meetings.
"Yes and no," Jade said. "Your kids won't necessarily be stronger. If Amy and I have kids they will probably not be more powerful than we are. They might even be less powerful. Magical power levels are really hard to predict."
"Why are purebloods less powerful these days then?" Susan Bones asked.
"Because of inbreeding," Améthyste said. "Families that have a lot of inbreeding have less powerful members. Sometimes they still go shining through though."
"So Weasleys don't have that kind of problem because they don't care as much about purity," Dennis said.
"That's right. Or a family like Malfoy where the Lords tend to marry purebloods from other countries so that there is no inbreeding," Améthyste said.
"But we have what we need?" Neville asked. "Two of us will match you guys right?"
"Yes you will," Jade said. "Actually Hermione and Severus will go over a bit."
"We have all the adults, right?" Natalie asked.
"We do," Ginny said. "Bill has promised he will help, and he was the last one."
"We need to set everything up now. We have information that Voldemort is planning an attack. We need to have everything set up before then. You guys are in charge of making sure we have everyone we need here on the day. Figure something out that will let them know they need to be here," Améthyste said. "We'll get the ritual set up."
"I've got everything ordered," Ron said. "We could do this tomorrow and win."
"Watch that confidence," Jade said. "We're using the fact that Voldemort will be overconfident against him."
"Roger that," Ron said. He'd been watching a lot of movies over at Hermione's place lately. He was using terminology from them more and more.
"Just get everything set up and make sure that you can get a hold of everyone else we need," Jade said. "We don't want to stand there on the day with only a dozen or so people."
They wrapped up not long after that. Everyone had things to do.
A few days later Améthyste and Jade were walking around outside. They were drawing up the ritual circle and star. It was a bit of a complicated design. They would need to hide the circle so no one would see it. There would be marks for Ron to go off though so he could direct the battle.
"I guess this is all we can do," Jade said as they finished up.
"Well, we could leave so nasty surprises around the field too," Améthyste said.
"How will we make sure no students or Professors doesn't get hit by that though," Jade said.
"Good point."
There was nothing else they could do. Now it was all just wait and see.
Jade smiled at here class several days later. They had just managed to perform the Patronus charm perfectly. She had every student doing it. "That's great," she said. "And people say it's too hard."
"Yeah, it really isn't all that bad once you get a hold of it," Daphne Greengrass, one of the Slytherin seventh year students, said.
Hermione had been one of the students with the most difficulties until Améthyste had brought out the Arithmancy for the spell so she could see how it was built up. Améthyste had early on figured out that Hermione understood the composition of a spell way better than any kind of description.
They sent the seventh year students off. They would bring the fifth year students in next. That would be the last class of the day. The weekend was coming up. It would be nice with some rest.
Spring was slowly showing off outside. The trees were budding in fresh green. The snow was gone. Birds were chirping happily. Jade and Améthyste were wandering around outside once they were done with classes for the day. It was a fairly warm day for early spring.
The two of them walked hand in hand. Améthyste closed her eyes. "I love spring," she said. "Everything is coming back."
Jade smiled. She stopped and pulled Améthyste closer. She knew they weren't supposed to be too affectionate in public. It wouldn't look good. She wouldn't hide, but she could respect that they weren't supposed to snog in front of the students.
…
Weeks passed by. Dumbledore didn't seem to care that the school might be attacked. The Order wasn't even told about it. Then one day shit hit the fan.
Améthyste walked into potions class Wednesday. She walked straight up to Ron. Everyone had agreed he would be the one to sound the alarm for their people. "They are on their way," she said. "They are pounding the wards."
Ron nodded. He pulled a mirror out of his pocket and did something to it. Several students in class just stood up and walked out the door. Severus didn't say anything; he knew what was going on. He was not going to participate in most of the fighting. He was heading out when they needed him. It was for his own safety since Voldemort had access to his Dark Mark. Students were gathering out on the lawn. Améthyste and Jade stood among them. Ron came out and he started giving out orders. Suddenly there were over fifty people in the air on brooms. Fred and George were at opposite ends managing the people around them. Old students from all of Harry's years at Hogwarts had shown up. This wasn't just about dealing with Voldemort, it was about protecting the school they had all gone to. They were there to do their part.
The members of Harry's Army had spread out. Each one of them was in charge of a separate squad of students. Then the elves showed up. In front of each student on the ground stood a house-elf. They were there to protect their home. Winky and Dobby stood in front of everyone else. They were in charge of the elves.
Ron looked out over the field. He could see the markers. That's where he needed the Death Eaters to end up. They had sent a team into the forest. That's where Améthyste had said they would show up from. Neville sent him a signal.
They were on their way.
Then he received a second signal.
"Dementors incoming," Ron called out.
Améthyste raised her staff. She could see students around her raising their wands. "Expecto Patronum," she called out and a Gryphon burst from her wand. It moved out and then it stopped to wait for the other Patronuses. A wave of shimmering animals left the students to charge the Dementors. The wailing wraiths came to a dead stop as the Patronuses charged them. They barely stopped before they were taking off.
"Should do something about those one day," Améthyste mumbled.
Ron grimaced. "Giants," he called out. They had planned for that. It was one of those beings they knew might come. The giants stomped through the forest and out on the field. As they came out, the house-elves moved forward and took them down. There was no good way to describe it. It all happened too fast. The giants appeared from within the forest and they fell as they came out. The elves were taking the giants out like ants attacking a spider.
Once the giants were downed the elves vanished. The Death Eaters started streaming in. "First position," Ron called out.
The people in the air and on the ground moved. They formed a half moon. "Voldemort isn't here yet," Améthyste said. "These guys are just fodder." She moved forward.
"Attack," Ron called out.
The students moved forward and disarmed the Death Eaters. They made sure they caught the wands and broke them. Within seconds all the Death Eaters on the field were useless. Several of them were allowed to run back to wherever Voldemort was. A lot of the others were stunned before they left the circle.
Voldemort was pissed off. Children were overtaking his Death Eaters. Kids. Little snotty kids. Who did they think they were? "Move out," he ordered his closest followers. He would teach them to fear him.
"Stage two," Ron called out. Now the students were moving. As soon as Voldemort and his Death Eaters came walking out on the field, the students and house-elves surrounded them. There was no getting back out. The elves had thrown up an anti-apparition ward around. No one was getting out.
"Shields," Ron called out.
All the students raised shields.
"Forward," Ron called.
The students on the ground started moving. The Death Eaters started casting at them.
"Counter," Ron shouted. The students on the brooms started casting spells down at the Death Eaters. Fred and George flew around hitting bludgers down at black-clad people. Slowly they forced the Death Eaters into the circle.
"No!"
Jade turned slightly. She wasn't sure what had happened, but someone had fallen. She knew the house-elves would take care of any injured. She hoped whoever it was had survived. She steeled herself. Only a little further. She stepped into her point of the star.
"Hold!" Ron shouted.
"By the power of the dark and the light I call upon the shadows of the world to aid me," Améthyste spoke clearly before she slammed her staff to the ground.
Severus placed his hand on Hermione's shoulder. He held his wand out and so did she. "By the power of the seas and the rain we call upon the power of the water of the world to aid us," they called together.
Remus and Neville joined in the next point. "By the power of the dirt beneath our feet and the plants growing towards the sky we call upon the earth holding our planet together to aid us," they called.
Ginny and her big brother Bill was standing in the following point. "By the power of the sun and the heat of the day we call upon the fires of the world to aid us," they called.
Jade stepped forward a little. "By the power of the winds over fields and the lightning striking the ground I call upon the air giving breath to aid me," she called before she slammed her staff to the ground.
The circled glowed. "We call on upon the power of the elements to aid us in our hour of need. Please pass judgment and draw upon the power of those found unworthy," they all called together. The power drawn from them was intense. Their knees buckled, but they managed to stay standing.
All around them, the elements raged. There was a flash of light and the field cleared out. Erenigh breathed in slowly. He heard screams from several directions. Violet eyes darted around. He caught sight of a man pinning Neville to the ground. He started moving. He passed by Severus and Hermione. As he reached Neville, Remus had thrown Fenrir Greyback off the gentle Gryffindor. "Hold him," Erenigh said. He grabbed a vial from his belt and pulled a syringe out; he filled it and grabbed Fenrir. He knew the worst thing they could do to this man was cure him. He wasn't even hesitating. He strapped the man's arm and injected him with the cure.
"What ya doin'?" Fenrir asked.
"Curing you," Erenigh said grimly.
"What ya mean?" Fenrir said angrily.
"You're not a werewolf anymore," Erenigh said.
Fenrir tried attacking him, but he moved to the side and knocked him out with his staff.
As Erenigh was dealing with Fenrir, Harry had moved up to Hermione. Bellatrix had walked out of the smoke. She had seen Hermione and drawn her wand. When nothing happened she had screamed and drawn a knife before rushing Hermione and attacked her with it. Severus turned to see what was happening as Hermione screamed. He lifted his wand and petrified Bellatrix.
Blood poured down Hermione's face. He kneeled down next to her and removed a potion from an inner pocket. "Drink this," he said.
Harry arrived next to them. He kneeled down next to Hermione.
"Stay with her," Severus said. Elves showed up and took them away. Severus looked around. Erenigh was walking out on the field. He was holding a device in his arms. He threw it down on the ground. "Yo Voldemort, say goodbye to your Horcruxes," he called out. He activated the device. Magic shot out from it. Arms lashed out across the sky and grabbed the Horcruxes. They were pulled back into the device. Then an arm shot out and grabbed Voldemort. The snake-like man shrieked as he was pulled into the cube. It was anticlimactic. One of the worst men that had ever been born in magical Britain was dead and it had all been done with a device no bigger than a watermelon.
Erenigh turned to a man kneeling on the ground. He walked up to him. "This didn't really work out for you," he said. He moved his staff slightly and a ring came sailing to him. It was the Malfoy Lord ring. It didn't belong to the man on the ground anymore.
"Why?" Lucius asked. He looked up at his oldest son.
"Because someone had to stop you," Erenigh said. "Voldemort was never right. You guys would have destroyed the world. Someone had to do something, and I didn't want the life you wanted me to have. I found a way to deal with your idiocy."
"When the mudblood filth takes over you will not be so happy," Lucius said.
"Hmm, that's strange. Severus, a half-blood, has more power than you, a pureblood, do. I don't think your argument holds up. Heck Voldemort's father was a muggle and his mother was basically a squib. He was far more powerful than you," Erenigh said. "Nomag-borns aren't going to dilute our blood. They will strengthen us in the end. The new blood influx will help us."
Lucius knew he didn't stand a chance. His magic was gone. "What will happen now?" he asked.
"You'll all be judged. I don't know what your judgment will be," Erenigh said.
"So you will take the Lordship now. Lord Malfoy," Lucius sneered.
"No, I'll be Lord Black one day," Erenigh said. "I'll give this to Draco. He is Lord Malfoy now. I'll ask him to actually look up what our family stand for though. I have a feeling we drifted at some point." He turned slightly as Aurors showed up. Most of the students had moved back to the school. Professor McGonagall was standing on the steps. She wasn't sure what to do. Thankfully Madam Bones, Susan's aunt, had shown up. She knew what was going on so she ordered the Aurors around to gather people up.
Erenigh turned away from his father. His eyes landed on Voldemort, or what was left of Voldemort. It would seem that his body could not stay together without magic. His soul was gathered. Goblins had shown up to collect the device. He didn't know what they would do with it. He didn't care. He walked up to the school. He needed to have a talk with his brother. He reached the Slytherin common room. The password was spoken and Erenigh walked in. "Voldemort is dead and the Death Eaters are being arrested," he said as he walked in. There were no visible reactions. Slytherins were good at that.
Erenigh walked up to his brother. He held the Lord Ring out. "Father has lost his magic. He can no longer hold the position of Lord Malfoy. It is up to you now," he said.
Draco stood up slowly. "You did it, didn't you," he said.
"I was involved, yes," Erenigh said.
"I guess I should thank you then," Draco said. "Father wanted me to join the Death Eaters. I didn't really want to. Now I don't have to." He accepted the ring. "You're not taking this?" he asked.
"No, I'm Heir of the Black family," Erenigh said. "I'll take over when Sirius gets bored."
Draco nodded. "How about the others?" he asked.
"We'll make sure that money and the like ends up with the kids unless they are Death Eaters as well," Erenigh said. "Sirius and I have spoken about it."
"That's good," Draco said. "Most of us never really wanted anything to do with the Dark Lord."
"I know," Erenigh said. "I'll make sure things turn out alright."
"Ever the fixer, huh," Draco said. "I guess that isn't so bad now though. Just don't expect people to be grateful. You have eliminated a lot of prominent people."
Erenigh gave his brother a small smile. "I know how to play politics, Draco," he said. "Father made sure I knew how to do that." He sighed. "I'll be around if you want to talk," he said before heading off. He knew that they didn't have a very good relationship. At least he could offer to be available. He was tired. He guessed there were some more things he needed to do before he could go to bed though. He headed over to the teacher's room.
Severus was in there. The other heads of houses were there with him. "So whose brilliant idea was all this?" Minerva asked. She obviously did not approve.
"I guess I'll take responsibility," Erenigh said.
"And who are you?" Minerva asked.
"Erenigh Black aka Améthyste Umbra," Erenigh said. "I was wearing a glamour so my father couldn't force me to marry Voldemort."
"Father?" Minerva said.
"Erenigh was born a Malfoy," Severus said.
"You were aware of this Severus?" Minerva asked.
"I was yes, but I know why they hid and the reason was decent enough. It doesn't change who they are," Severus said.
"Wait Miss Jade is someone else as well," Pomona asked.
"Harry Potter," Severus said. "He's with Miss Granger in the Hospital Wing right now. Bellatrix cut her face open."
"Why would you approve of the students fighting You-Know-Who?" Minerva asked.
"Someone had to fight and they had prepared for it. I reported to Albus that the Dark Lord was planning an attack. I told him that before the Christmas holidays. He did not bother telling anyone else. Erenigh and Harry were helping the other students setting things up. We had casualties and that is awful, but it would have been much worse if we hadn't protected the school. The Death Eaters would have moved in and killed all students born to non-magicals."
Filius looked at the other Professors. "I think none of us like what has just happened, but there really was no better way to do it," he said. "Now the real question here is if we let Mr Black and Mr Potter continue teaching. They are quite young."
"They are good teachers though," Pomona said.
Minerva looked at her colleagues. "I'm guessing we should wait and see," she said. "For now I believe that we need some time off. We'll take a week off. No classes. We need to contact families of the people that did not make it. Have they cleared out all the Death Eaters yet?"
"Yes," Severus said. "Madam Bones was prepared. She took care of that rather efficiently. Some of those people will not really get punished all that much considering that they have lost their magic."
"That is quite the thing to do to so many people," Pomona said.
"It is rather fair though," Filius said. "I know the ritual. It wouldn't have affected an innocent. All of the people who lost their magic had done something awful."
The conversation moved back and forth after that, but no one really said anything new. Erenigh left some time after that. He spoke to Dobby and Winky. Several elves had lost their lives in the battle. Erenigh quickly decided something. He would need to leave to fix that though. He was going to remove his alibi. He would have brought Harry along if Hermione hadn't been hurt. He guessed his husband didn't want to leave his best friend. Instead, he found Viktor and brought him along.