Part XIV

"What did you say to me?"

Nataliya stood with the rest of the Warsaw Pact, her face pale but expression serious. All the Death Eaters were gathered together with Voldemort at the head, staring down at a hapless little goblin.

"Say it again," Voldemort hissed, malice lacing his voice like poison. "Say it again!"

"M-my Lord," the goblin stammered, staring at the Dark Lord's feet, "we... we t-tried t-to st-stop them... Im-impostors, my Lord... they broke... broke... broke into the... into the L-Lestranges' v-vault..."

"Impostors? What impostors? I thought Gringotts had ways of revealing impostors? Who were they?"

The goblin's eyes were wide with fear. "It... it was the... the P-Potter boy and t-two a-accomplices..."

Nataliya thought she had seen Voldemort at his most terrible when he punished the Malfoys and Lestranges for letting Harry and the others in the cellar escape. But now...

The Dark Lord's voice was high, tainted slightly with fear. His red eyes were wider than usual but still managing to convey anger. Nataliya felt herself shift slightly towards the exit.

"And they took?" Voldemort demanded. "Tell me! What did they take?"

The goblin gave a squeak of fright. "A... a s-small golden c-cup, m-my Lord..."

Green light filled the room and the goblin keeled over, dead at Voldemort's feet. The Death Eaters all scattered; Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy shoved everyone aside as they ran towards the door. Those who did not reach the sanctuary of the hallway were slain – Nataliya turned around at the door and saw Elisabeta Héderváry fall, her scream cut short by green light – she barged into the hallway, stabbing her way to safety.

She took refuge in an alcove, watching the Dark Lord stride by with his snake Nagini in tow. Voldemort looked preoccupied with something. What was it? Why was he so worried about that cup? Surely it was nothing of true value, was it?

But then why would Harry go out of his way to break into Gringotts and steal it?

Arthur was lying in bed with Kiku sitting in a chair at his side.

"Wonder when the call comes out to go back to Hogwarts," he said conversationally as he flipped through the pages of Odoacer's diary with Dumbledore's glasses perched on his nose. Kiku sighed.

"Arthur-san, please. I entreat you to not return to Hogwarts," he whispered, leaning forward and kissing Arthur's forehead. "You'll get hurt and you're not exactly as strong as you used to be before He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named returned."

Arthur looked up at Kiku. "Duty to my school," he replied. "I failed to defend Hogwarts the night Dumbledore died. When the call comes... this time, I want to be there. I want to return and make up for what I did wrong."

Kiku looked at him beseechingly. "Please, Arthur. I can't stand to have you hurt again."

"And all I want to do is go and fight," Arthur replied as calmly as he can. "I don't want to be known as the Nation who stood aside and let himself be destroyed. If me getting hurt is all that it takes for Voldemort to be defeated, then I'm willing to make that sacrifice!"

"Why are you starting to sound like Alfred?" Kiku asked worriedly, taking his hand. "Arthur, please. I don't want to lose you. Not now."

"It's not about us, Kiku!" Arthur snapped, sitting up. "We're Nations, Kiku! Even if I stay now, in the end you'll still lose me if Voldemort triumphs!"

Kiku looked away, a resigned look on his face. "I don't want to fight with you, Arthur-san..."

"Then let me go. When the time comes, let me go. Please?"

"H-Hai..."

Arthur smiled, cupping Kiku's face in one hand. His lips brushed the corners of the Japanese's eyes, whisking away tears. "Good," he murmured, kissing Kiku's lips.

The Japanese sighed and closed his eyes.

Francis, Alfred, and Madeline were sitting listlessly in the backyard, their brooms lying on the ground beside them. They had just finished a very late game of two-on-one Quidditch – even that had lost its appeal after a while.

"Ouch!" Alfred suddenly cried. "Something's burning in my pocket!"

"You felt that, too?" Francis demanded, rifling around in his pocket. He pulled out a Galleon.

Madeline reached for her robes and pulled out her own, checking it. "We're fighting!" she exclaimed.

"What?" Alfred exclaimed, taking out his Galleon and looking at it. "Yeah, we are! Come on; we have to tell Artie!"

"Arthur's hurt; wouldn't it be better for him to stay away?" Francis wondered.

Alfred snorted. "I'll bet Artie's just itching to kick Death Eater ass. We totally need to bring him."

"It's nearly midnight!" Kiku cried in dismay. "Arthur needs his rest!"

"I've been resting for a good part of the day!" Arthur retaliated. He sent an imploring look at Alfred, as if begging the American to drag him along to Hogwarts even if Kiku told him not to go after all.

"But you were hurt again after dinner!" Kiku retorted. "I didn't expect the call to come now... it's far too soon..."

Arthur clambered out of bed. "Kiku, I'm going to have to go whether you want me to or not," he said firmly, walking over to the closet to grab a set of robes. Flinging them on and grabbing his wand, Arthur turned to Alfred. "Where are we going, then? We can't Apparate into Hogwarts."

"The Hog's Head pub," Alfred replied, expression serious for once.

"Arthur, dozo," Kiku entreated.

"You can't stop me, Kiku." Arthur's voice was distant, detached. "If you're not coming, I'll understand. I love you; be safe."

He walked out of the room with Alfred.

The Hog's Head was a dingy little pub in Hogsmeade. But tonight it seemed to be open late, because as soon as the compressing darkness disappeared there was general commotion and it seemed as if everyone in the pub was trying to grab some part of him.

"You're back!" Ginny Weasley cried. "Did you see Kiku yet?"

"Welcome back, Arthur!"

"Hello, Arthur!"

The members of Dumbledore's Army – the ones who had left school plus Ginny Weasley – were all gathered in the pub. Arthur recognised them, but they had never interacted before. Thus he was slightly overwhelmed at the enthusiasm of the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws who were hugging him, welcoming him back.

"Come on, come on," the bartender suddenly called, much to Arthur's relief. "I'm under instruction to send you lot into the castle. Let's go."

Led by the bartender, the members of Dumbledore's Army all walked upstairs to a sitting room, where an oil painting of a girl hung above the mantelpiece of a small fireplace.

The painting swung open to reveal a tunnel. "In case you didn't know, this passage leads to Hogwarts," the bartender said gruffly. The others started to clamber onto the mantelpiece and into the tunnel, saying their thanks to the bartender as they did so. Finally Arthur, Alfred, Francis, and Madeline were the only ones left.

There was a commotion back downstairs. The bartender left the room and suddenly came back with Ludwig and Gilbert Beilschmidt and Feliciano and Lovino Vargas. Kiku followed them, looking slightly nervous.

"I'd rather die by your side than not know if you were dead at all," Kiku said as he walked up to Arthur, taking the Brit's hands. Arthur smiled slightly, hugging Kiku.

All around them the other Nations climbed into the portrait hole, but Arthur held onto Kiku in an embrace, not knowing if he'd ever be able to hold him like that ever again.

"Come on, Artie!" Alfred called from the mantelpiece. Arthur broke away from Kiku, kissing him before climbing into the hole, one hand extended.

Smiling, Kiku grabbed it and they entered the tunnel.

Hogwarts glowed with lights from every window. Nataliya was overcome with a sense of familiarity as she looked at the castle. It was like coming home under orders to burn down said home.

"I don't want to do this," Yekaterina whimpered from next to her. Nataliya squeezed her sister's hand gently, tearing her eyes away from the castle to where Ivan stood with Bellatrix Lestrange at the head of the Death Eaters.

"We're doing this for Brother, remember," she whispered back. "Everything... we do everything for Brother. Remember, Kat? He saved our lives."

Yekaterina sniffled slightly. "I know he did..." she mumbled. "I just don't want to fight Matthew... if he's there, he'll be fighting us..."

"And I don't want to fight Alfred either," Nataliya reasoned. "But we promised Brother... all those years ago, remember?"

The Death Eaters entered the Forbidden Forest to prepare for battle.

"I know that you are preparing to fight."

Arthur unconsciously gripped Kiku's hand tighter as the students screamed and looked around for the source of the high, cold voice.

"Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts; I do not wish to spill magical blood."

There was a long silence after that. Kiku whimpered slightly. Arthur patted his shoulder and looked over at Alfred standing at the other side of the hall with the members of the Order of the Phoenix who had come to fight.

"Give me Harry Potter," continued Voldemort, and all eyes found Harry, standing there near the Gryffindor table. "Give me Harry Potter, and none shall be harmed. I shall leave the school untouched; you shall be rewarded. You have until midnight."

The voice faded, but silence still pressed in as they all stared at Harry. Then a girl jumped up at the Slytherin table.

"But he's there! Potter's there! Someone grab him!"

"You cow!" Arthur bellowed, stalking over to her with his wand drawn. Screw chivalry. He did not spend his entire Hogwarts career trying to prove that Slytherins were not all evil self-minded bastards just to have them disprove him. The spell of silence that hung over them was broken with his outcry; the Gryffindors all moved and stood with their backs to Harry. The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws did the very same. Arthur glowered at the girl.

"My very life depends on Harry Potter. You dare defy your own nation? Stand and fight!" Arthur hissed in her face, jabbing at her neck with his wand. "You – all the rest of you – have been brought up with the age-old prejudice that you are all evil stinking cowards. You can defy that stereotype if you choose. Slytherin used to be a noble house, but the actions of every single one of its members has brought it a bad reputation. Defy that reputation. Stand up to the Dark Lord and fight."

"Thank you, Mr. Kirkland, Miss Parkinson," Professor McGonagall said crisply from the High Table. "Miss Parkinson, you will leave the Hall first with Mr. Filch. The rest of your house can follow."

Silently the students evacuated. Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Gryffindors stayed behind, but Arthur noticed the empty Slytherin table. He bit his lip, feeling the sting of tears in his eyes.

"Come on, Arthur," Kiku said quietly, walking over and taking his hand. "They've made their choice."

The battle would soon begin.