And So It Begins…
Harry was devastated by the loss of Hermione, and it was clear to everyone that he cared for her deeply. Despite others from most of the class, he chose to work on his own and was observed turning to his left and asking Hermione what she thought of the process. The sad sight of Harry beginning to lose his mind shocked even the normally stoic Miss Hardbroom. She had noticed that he had stopped taking his Firebolt out for weekend runs around the forest, and that his work was nothing short of perfect. He had stopped asking questions during lessons, and only spoke when asked directly. It was several long, painful weeks before Harry was back to a near normal state, and the whole school sighed with relief at the change.
"Harry?" a voice called from his bedroom door. Harry looked up from the picture in his hands, and saw Mildred and the others looking at him.
"Oh come in" he said, and idly created several plush chairs for them to sit in. "What can I do for you?" he asked as he put the picture of himself and Hermione down on his bedside table. The picture had been taken during the snowball fight in first year at Hogwarts, and it just showed himself and Hermione with an arm around the other with smiles on the flushed, sweaty faces after the game was over. There were several other pictures of the pair dotted around his room.
"We thought you might want to go to the DOBS den for a while – get away from your room" Maud said.
"Might as well" Harry said. "I'll just nip next door and get Hermio…" he paused as the pain of her death flashed over his eyes. "Lets go" he said, and left with the others following after sharing looks.
# # # # #
"How long until the Dark Lord has enough people?" asked Dumbledore.
"By the end of the term, Headmaster" said Snape. "He wishes me to remind you of the deal you and him made, and that you must not interfere with his killing of Harry Potter" he added, and the old man's eyes twinkled.
"I shall of course send the entire Order to repulse the attack, but he will have more then enough to wipe them out" said Dumbledore. "Harry is killed, Voldemort gets to take over fully and I get to keep the school and all of my offices" he mused.
"What do you know of the protections around this school?" asked Snape.
"Hogwarts has a number of intri…" but Snape cut Dumbledore off.
"The one the brat is at now" he said.
"Oh" replied Dumbledore. "The school only has witches in it. There are no wizards, though some do visit when circumstance dictates. There are three non magical persons present, but I do not think that they are of any problem. The pupils do not use wands, so their magic will be unfocused compared to ours. There are only two minor issues – the first being Harry himself" Dumbledore paused.
"And the other?"
"The other is a woman you know of for a long time, Severus… Constance Hardbroom"
"Oh fuck" said the Potion Teacher.
"You see the problem" Dumbledore said. "Now Miss Cackle's sister has had some experience in storming the school, but her past associates have been of little power and use. Now she is allied with the Death Eaters, it is proberble that she can take out the teaching staff at Cackle's. I will have the Aurors sent either to another location or told to go into the same ambush spot as the Order. Just give me a moment with the boy, and then you can take him to the Dark Lord" he finished.
"I shall relay your additional request, although I can foresee no issues with this. When do you expect everything to be ready?" Snape asked.
"I should have everything ready by the end of a fortnight, but I would like to go in three instead" and Dumbledore's remark caused Snape to raise an eyebrow.
"Why?" he asked. "Why not go when everything is ready?" and Dumbledore nodded in understanding.
"The school will be concerned with leaving for the holidays" he explained. "We can slip in unawares and take out Miss Hardbroom" and it was a clever plan indeed.
"Once the Aurors and the Order have been eliminated, there shall be nothing to stop us from reaching our goals of taking over the country" and Snape and Dumbledore laughed.
"Dickhead" thought Fawkes, and went back to sleep.
# # # # #
"What have you got planned for the holidays?" asked Maud.
"My father was planning on taking me and the family to Italy" said Enid. "While I'm there, I might try to find a shop dealing in magical books" and everyone talked about what they would do before starting college.
"What about you?" asked Ruby of Harry.
"I… I'm not really sure" he replied. He was sat on the windowsill sipping a butterbeer, and he thought about what he would like to do. "I think we know what is going to happen though. I will have to fight Voldemort and I am going to die" Harry added.
"I doubt that very much" Jadu replied. "I bet you could beat any wizard from Camelot hands down" and Harry brightened a bit.
"Well thank you for that bit of confidence, Miss Wadi" he smiled, "But we all know what is to take place. Voldemort will do it sooner rather then in a few years down the line. If I could decide what to do" Harry continued, "I'd like to go to Weirdsister's with the rest of you" and Maud reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out an application.
"I thought you might want one" said the girl, and Harry placed it on his desk to fill in later. As they continued to sip butterbeer, a brief moment occurred when Harry's face turned to sadness.
"What is wrong?" asked Mildred.
"I was thinking how much Hermione would have liked to have graduated and gone to Wierdsister" he replied. Enid glanced out of the window before looking back at her friends.
"Why don't we go to the lake?" she suggested.
"That would be nice" said Mildred, and so they finished their drinks, told Miss Hardbroom what they were doing, and set off for the lake.
#
It had been a few weeks since they had last been there, but not much had changed. A few tree trunks had been scattered by a storm a few days previous, but that was all. The girls watched as Harry spoke to a large stone in the ground near the water's edge. After he had recovered from the shock of Hermione's death, Harry had elected to place a marker down by the edge of the lake so all would know what had happened. He often spoke to it, but with the preparation for the exams, Harry had forgotten all about it – as had the girls. When he was done, they sat by the water and watched everything go on around them. They were just setting off back to the castle when there was the sound of multiple pops. Harry was just pulling out his wand when screams could be heard – screams that were cut off almost straight after.
"Oh gods…" Ruby muttered.
"Stay close to me" Harry cautioned the girls, and they moved as quietly as possible as they went through the forest to the source of the screams. They hid behind a long fallen tree trunk and peered over it. Three dozen Death Eaters stood over the corpses of the freshly killed Order members.
"We shall attack the castle" said a hooked nosed man – Snape. "But we must await the Dark Lord's message" and the Death Eaters amused themselves by using the bodies as target practice.
"What are we going to do?" asked Mildred.
"This is the day I feared…" Harry said, and he gathered the girls into a giant hug and silently apperated away.
#
"… and that is how I feel, Miss Hardbroom" Miss Drill said.
"If you can not cope with the demands the school places on you, then you are free to leave" replied Miss Hardbroom, sipping from her tea. Miss Drill was about to reply when Harry and the girls appeared in a slight heap. "I assume you have a reason for this, Harry Potter?" asked the Deputy Headmistress.
"Death Eaters are…" Harry was cut off by Voldemort's voice filling the castle.
GIVE ME HARRY POTTER! I WANT YOU BOY. GIVE ME HARRY POTTER AND I SHALL LET YOU SURVIVE UNDER MY RULE! GIVE ME HARRY POTTER, OR YOU SHALL ALL DIE. YOU HAVE HALF AN HOUR TO DECIDE
"I see" said Hardbroom, and the door to the staffroom flung open and Cackle and Bat came in.
"You heard that?" asked Miss Cackle, and the others nodded. "What do you suggest we do then?" she asked.
"I could give myself up to him" Harry said.
"That is not an option" said Miss Bat, seemingly calm after what had just happened. Harry and the others relayed what they had heard and seen to the staff, and Miss Cackle looked at the clock before making a decision.
"Harry, we will assist you in your fight. Constance, Imogen. Get the pupils awake, dressed in whatever is close at hand and down to the hall. Davina, go to my office and get that box please – but don't touch the contents" Miss Cackle swung into action and started giving orders. Although it was still daytime, she knew a lot of pupils would have changed into light clothing and dozed off in the heat.
#
"SILENCE!" the pupils in the hall fell silent at Miss Hardbroom's shout.
"The school is under an attack unlike any we have received before" began Cackle. "Only Harry Potter has a hope of fighting what is about to happen. You all heard the time we have, and we are now evacuating the school of all pupils and non magical staff. Miss Bat will go with you to ensure your safety" Cackle finished. It had been decided that she should leave the school lest she run into the cupboard and not come out again.
"Amelia…?" Miss Bat was surprised.
"Davina, you are the only one who can do this. Miss Drill has no magic and therefore can not defend the girls should they need defending in the magical way" said Hardbroom. She reflected that she was getting quite good at stretching the truth.
"I shall do the best I can" Miss Bat stood tall and proud, turned and left the platform to handout the portkeys that Harry had created and stored for a use he hoped he would never need.
"You girls had better get yourself going" said Miss Cackle.
"Best you leave while you can" Harry said. "The Death Eaters are going to be swarming in here, and you'll not be able to go then" and there was a short silence as the other girls popped out via portkey.
"I'm staying" said Ruby. "I have nowhere else left to go"
"If Harry stays, then I am staying as well" said Mildred loyally, and Enid, Maud and Jadu also said they would stay – along with Drusilla. The girl knew that should Voldemort win, then she would be in line to be tortured and killed. Harry looked at her for a moment before nodding.
"How exactly are we going to defend a school with only nine persons who are magically capable?" she asked.
"We have tricks" said Ruby, and after the last person had left the hall Miss Cackle led the way to a classroom which was supposed to be deserted. Inside was a row of monitors, plans of the school and the surrounding area lined two walls and a number of other things scattered the room. Ruby turned on all the monitors which displayed views of the corridors inside the castle as well as the courtyard. A square of four provided a view of the outside of the walls.
"We have only four minutes left of our time limit" Miss Hardbroom said.
"I know" said Miss Cackle, and she placed her hand on a rune that Harry had made – based on Hermione's notes. "Battle Stations" and the school was covered in thick light that spread sideways and then down. A few moments later, and the shield was in place over the castle.
"Shields are up" reported Ruby.
"Now what?" asked Drusilla.
"Now we wait, Drusilla" said Miss Hardbroom.
"I would have expected a few other people" said Miss Cackle.
"This is just a small raiding party" said Harry. "Voldemort must be after more then just me" he mused, and then the cameras providing views of the forest stopped working. They all feared the worst before they came back on again.
"Only a powerful burst of magic could do that" Ruby said, running through various things to check the picture signal.
"If the Aurors investigated the sudden deaths of the Order members, then they would have gone into the same trap" Maud remarked. The remaining minute ticked down as they all waited. Dead on the stroke of the clock, spells poured out of the forest and pounded at the shield surrounding the school. Mildred broke out the walkie talkies from the cabinet, and explained to the two teachers that it was easier to inform others of what was happening rather then face to face. Drusilla was given a quick lesson in how to use them, and then the group paired up with Hardbroom and Cackle staying behind to guard Ruby should she need defending at all. The idea was to take up positions in the towers, and be ready to fire spells down into the Death Eaters when they breached the shield. As Harry was the only wand user in the school, he took up position above the courtyard so he could fire spells more rapidly.
#
"We better get moving" said Jadu. "I don't think that shield will last long, hello Ethel, and then we'll really…" the girl skidded to a stop.
"Ethel…?" Drusilla whispered. "Why haven't you left?" she asked. Ethel hesitated before replying to the question.
"I wanted to stay" she replied at last. "I was going to leave, but then I realised I owed Harry Potter a life debt twice over. Once for saving me from my own selfish mistake, and the other for getting Sybil and my parents treatment quickly using that elf of his" and Ethel hesitated which led Drusilla to believe there was another reason.
"What else?" she asked her friend.
"I wanted to stay with you" Ethel replied.
"Even though you could die?" asked Drusilla. Jadu kept looking between the two girls with impatience.
"Dru…" Ethel's voice was filled with emotion. "I nearly lost my family, and that would have been bad enough" and she looked down at her feet. "I'd rather die then live in a world without you" and Jadu's jaw dropped at the revelation that Ethel liked Drusilla as more then just a friend.
"You mean that you…" Drusilla stopped as she hugged her friend and gently kissed her on the lips.
"I was afraid that you would hate me…" whispered Ethel. "And this sort of stuff isn't allowed at Cackle's" she added – eyes darting to the waiting form of Jadu.
"I believe the rules say that relations of your kind are banned from dorms. As you are standing in a corridor, I see no problem with that" said the girl. Ethel did the unexpected and hugged Jadu – albeit briefly.
"I've got to talk to Mildred and tell her I'm sorry for everything" Ethel said, but Drusilla shook her head.
"We have work to do first. After we have beaten back the attack we'll find her" and Jadu walked in front as she and Ethel walked behind her hand in hand.
#
"Alright" muttered Ruby, "Lets have a comm check. This is Base One – all units check in" and the radio burst into life with replies.
"Top tower ready"
"Dorm block ready"
"Workshops ready – all three of us" Drusilla said.
"Three?" questioned Miss Hardbroom.
"We found Ethel in the corridor. Seems as if she didn't hear the evacuation call" replied Jadu.
"I see" said Miss Cackle. She suspected that she knew the true reason for Ethel remaining behind, and it was possible that Harry knew too – she wasn't certain. "I would like a word with Miss Hallow after this is over" she added. The shield continued to be pounded away at by the Death Eaters, and the thing eventually broke. All at once, fire spells came rushing out from the woods and hit the school. Water charms came out from the windows of the school and doused them as best they could.
"The fire is taking hold rapidly" remarked Miss Hardbroom.
"All the potion fumes helping to fuel it" said Ruby, and reached out a hand to flick a switch on a panel. "Okay… the fire is contained, and we have seven people heading this way" she said after a moment of looking at the camera feeds.
"Everyone, this is Big Momma" Miss Hardbroom frowned at her callsign. She would have liked to have something less rude, but if this was how it all worked, then Constance Hardbroom would deal with it. "We have people heading this way" and the groups acknowledged her message. "I still say I should have had a better name" she muttered.
"Its code, Miss" said Ruby. "If the Death Eaters get hold of one, then they will hear just a codename" and she explained the security implications. Miss Hardbroom accepted it but still frowned.
"Looks like we have a couple of people about to enter through Walker's Gate" said Miss Cackle.
"That should be Harry's job" Ruby said. "Okaaaaaay – the fire is contained, and we are ready to activate internal defences" she added. As she spoke, several of the Death Eaters vanished from sight.
"They've gone invisible" said Mildred's voice from the radio.
"Acknowledged" Ruby replied. "Switching to infrared… now" and one of the cameras changed from a normal view to one of a hippie's heaven. However, they could still see the invisible Death Eaters under the disillusionment spells.
#
Harry waited for them to come through the gate before unleashing spell work. The first few shots missed, but he soon got the range and picked priority targets. Several Death Eaters went down to stunners, and Mildred nailed one with a well aimed binder. At that same moment, the other two positions opened up and poured spell fire into the courtyard. The Death Eaters attempted to blast holes in the towers and the walls, but they only created small chips in the stonework. Cracks did appear in the structure, but nobody minded them much as they had other things on their minds. When it looked as if the Death Eaters would entered the school itself, Harry switched from non lethal to spells that would do the job – right or wrong. He cut down four Death Eaters with a wide beam before they gathered their wits and began activating portkeys which took them and their fallen comrades away.
"I want everybody back to the room" said Miss Cackle's voice sounded over the radio. Harry and Mildred waited a few seconds before heading back down top where Ruby had her little control room. "You have more experience then the rest of us at this, Harry" she said when they had all gathered in one place again. "Do you think this was it for the school?" she asked him.
"I don't think so" replied Harry. He flicked on the wireless and they listened to the WWN as reports of attacks were received.
"He must have all his followers in action" said Hardbroom quietly.
"What about the girls and staff?" asked Cackle.
"I sent them to my house" Harry said. "I had Dobby and Kreacher turn it into a place that would be hard to break into. Admittedly though, they might have some curse breakers – the Death Eaters that is – so they could break down the wards surrounding Grimmauld Place. But they should have enough time to get the portkeys back to here" he added, and then stopped speaking as the WWN reported that Death Eaters had taken up a guard around Hogwarts – attacking those students and staff who attempted to escape. It took a few moments for Harry and the others to realise that Dumbledore was not doing anything, had ambushed the Order and nearly all of the Aurors and was letting Voldemort take over. They all talked to each other about what best to do, and Harry knew that the battle would be won or lost at Hogwarts.
"Ruby?" Mildred spoke. "Couldn't you make something that could let Harry speak to everyone still free and get them to come here?" she asked, and there was a brief moment of silence before Ruby took hold of pencil and paper and began making drawings and writing down figures.
"Just about" and the girl set to work.
"How do you propose we go about fighting back?" asked Enid of Harry.
"People will be going to ground and hiding" said the wizard. "We have to get as many as we can here, treat as many as we can and then counter attack by taking Hogwarts" he added.
"But there are hundreds of Death Eaters, werewolves and other magical creatures surrounding it" Miss Cackle pointed out. "I do not think they will let us in just like that" but Harry smirked.
"We'll do a Maginot Line and go around them" and he explained that he needed to contact a good few many people – assuming they had escaped capture or being killed.
#
With Ruby working on building a functioning radio to override the WWN which was spewing out Death Eater Propaganda, the other girls and Harry took turns watching for more signs of attacks. Harry had calculated that they might use it one or two more times before they had the magical signature needed to pass through without a problem. Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom were in Cackle's office studying old texts on wards and protective shields. It had been at least three hours since the end of the attack by the small force, and Harry was resting in his room and most of the girls in theirs. Enid had the watch and was just about to turn away from the monitor when she spotted a number of brooms heading towards them at high speed.
"Anybody listening, it's Enid. We might have an issue here – brooms approaching fast" and Mildred, Maud and Jadu acknowledge the call at the same time. Harry's reply came a little sleep filled seconds later. Enid lowered the shield around the castle and the brooms made fast landings in the deserted courtyard. The riders of all ages, colours and creeds glanced around looking for someone, and eventually Harry came out of the shadows with his wand out – the girls with their casting fingers ready and waiting.
"Alright, Harry" said the familiar voice of Oliver Wood.
"What happened in your first quidditch match?" Harry asked, and aimed his wand at a point between Oliver's eyes.
"I was hit by a bludger"
"And what did I find you doing with Katie Bell in the showers?" he asked.
"Consoling her after her mother's death" Oliver stated calmly. Harry gave a stiff nod and then lowered his wand – Oliver breathing a sigh of relief at not being blasted apart.
"How did you get here?" asked Maud.
"We knew that Harry would have been here" said Oliver. "I gathered as many of my team mates and friends as I could and we flew here – lost a couple as we went over Swindon" he added. "I managed to get a message to Katie, Alicia and Angelina and they should be getting here soon if everything went well" and Drusilla and Ethel moved around the recent arrivals and helped those that had some injuries. Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom had spoken to Ethel the moment they saw her, and said that she would be punished most severely after this was all done with. They gathered in the great hall to talk.
#
"And what do you expect me to do?" asked Harry.
"I don't know" admitted Oliver, "But I don't think we can expect any help from the Aurors" he added.
"Is there anything that we can do?" asked Cackle.
"Be ready for when the others get here" said Harry. "I suspect a lot of potions are needed, Miss Hardbroom" and the potion teacher nodded curtly and left the room for the potions lab. "We need hot food, drinks and all the medicines from the hospital wing. If you can get those Maud, then we..."
"We have incoming" said Jadu over the radio. "Broomsticks coming in from the south. About... five in total" she added. The brooms made a pass over the school and then made perfect landings in the courtyard. Harry pointed his wand at the general direction of Fred Weasley.
"Who was the first girl you ever saw in just their bra and knickers?" he asked.
"Gin" came the reply.
"Good" Harry said, and he flipped up his wand and placed it in the holder he had been wearing since news of the assault on the Ministry.
"Oliver!" George greeted his former house team captain.
"Glad to see you made it" said Oliver.
"Not as glad when we tell you what we heard" Fred said. "They know that you are here, Ollie, and there are a group of Death Eaters and traitorous flying up on brooms when they get in range" and Oliver shook his head in anger.
"We'll get the hell out of here" he said. "It'll take the heat off you" but George shook his head.
"The bastards coming to get you were already on their way here" he said. "Their orders are to arrest the teaching staff and any pupils – plus those people that escaped here. Dumbledore and Voldemort don't want to lose control of any school or place that could rebel against them" he said.
"Then we make our stand here" said Miss Cackle. "No doubt my sister, Agatha, is going to be with them. She knows the corridors and general layout of this castle as well as I do" she added.
"What do you suggest we do, Harry Potter?" asked Miss Hardbroom.
"We have no choice but to fight here, Miss Hardbroom" Harry replied sadly, "But at least we will know when they are coming, and have a few tricks up our sleeves" he smiled.
"Well if they are flying the whole way up here, then we have at least a few hours" Miss Cackle said. "Let us sort ourselves out for a moment" and with that they all set to work. It was decided that they would most likely not attack until the following morning, and Harry retired so he could get as much rest as possible before the confrontation the next day
#
Harry sat at his desk and looked at a picture of Hermione – throwing snowballs at an unhappy Miss Hardbroom.
"Oh, Mione…" he said sadly, "What I wouldn't give to have you advise us" and putting down the picture he turned back to the diary to finish it.
28th June
The Ministry has fallen, Hogwarts is now a den of Death Eaters and followers of Dumbledore. The whole of Magical Britain is in chaos, and people scattered all over the place. A squad of Death Eaters and traitors are coming to attack and kill us in the morning. Are we going to die? I have no idea. I wonder if the Emperor Honorius watching the Visigoths coming over the Seventh Hill truly realized that the Roman Empire was about to fall. This is just another page in history, isn't it? Will this be the end of our civilization – a turn of the page? My friends have responded with the dedication I've come to expect of them. We continue to prepare our defences for the inevitable confrontation, but... I must admit, on this night I contemplate the distinct possibility that no defence may be adequate against this enemy, and like a thousand other commanders on a thousand other battlefields, I wait for the dawn.
# # # # #
"Are you all set?" Enid asked Mildred. The other girl nodded, took a deep breath before letting it out and heading towards her bedroom door. As she stepped out into the corridor, Mildred Hubble thought that this was going to be one of the most important nights of her life, and one that she couldn't screw up as it would destroy a most valued friendship. Mildred could feel the things that Maud and Enid assured her would please Harry under her nightshirt. As she stepped up to the door, she noticed light coming from Harry's bedroom, and she wondered if he was asleep or still awake. Summoning up all of her courage, Mildred put a hand on the door handle and turned it…
A/N:
Well I hope you all liked this chapter enough to review it!
The opening shots have been fired, Dumbledore is holding up his part of the deal and Hogwarts is in one piece – though in partnership with Voldemort. Cackle's has become a place to attempt to get to, but only a few have made it before groups of snatchers turn up and arrest you - if you are lucky.
If we have any Babylon 5 and Star Trek fans in the house tonight, then there are quotes from both series some place in this chapter.
I must apologise for being so long, but one of the reasons was that this chapter took this piss out of Norway, but after what happened recently, I went through it and completely switched plots around and moved stuff up as I couldn't release it as it was. However, this means we can have our long awaited Harry/Mildred chapter – with others making more then just an appearance.
I expect perhaps three normal sized chapters with the biggie being the final battle in its entirety inside one 20,000 plus word chapter. I expect about a month to do that! Expect elements from some of my HP fics to put in an appearance, plus the most original idea to gain entry to Hogwarts.
Anyway, I must dash now to begin writing chapter 11 which has more limes then a lime tree!
Regards
Pixel