Insert standard legal disclaimer and boilerplate notes here.
Note: There will be a few instances where I refer to Hogwarts Castle and it's rooms and features. I use as my inspiration a floor by floor plan/map of the castle available on the deviantart website that I tracked down in a general image search. These plans may not be canon, but I think they work fairly well.
The Little Veela that Could
Chapter Twenty-four: Seraphim
Four broomriders held together in close formation. Their small group drifted slowly along with the winds, slowly floating over the forest canopy just below. If they strayed too high, then they would lose even that navigational aid. The clouds were low and heavy, and if it got any darker then the group would have to start making their own light or risk flying blind. A light dusting of snow came down and the temperature was falling quickly.
"Sergeant?" A witch on the right called, her words thick with fear and uncertainty.
Her sergeant was frowning. They all were. They were in harm's way and they damn well knew it. Sitting on the border between Hogsmeade Valley and unwarded muggle land, they were at the far edge of organized patrols... and they were currently on the outermost leg of their patrol route. The most vulnerable one.
The auror on the far left began to hold his head in his hands. "I... I think we've found them, Sergeant..."
"Chocolate." It was an order.
The lead broomrider already had a bar in his hands, its foil wrapper crinkled loudly in the near soundless environment. It was just as the witch took her first bite of her chocolate rations that dark a form began to emerge from the fog surrounding them. Then another. And another. Dementors.
"Jesus!" The one on the far left shouted.
None of his squad mates sought to censure him as they were all thinking the same thing. A giant swarm of evil bastards silently flew by on either side of the I.C.W. patrol.
"Dixon. Du Bois. Climb out of the swarm and see if you can get a head count on these fuckers to take back to HQ. Hicks and I will stay with them."
Tucking his chocolate into a breast pocket, the Sergeant pointed his wand upwards and began to cast the spell that would clear the path for Dixon and Du Bois.
"Expecto Pat-"
But that's as far as the man got before his broom exploded.
"York!" The witch yelled as she watched her sergeant fall into the mists below.
A dull red shaft of magical light shot up and between the three remaining broomriders, almost hitting one of them.
"Ambush!" The almost-victim shouted just as they heard their sergeant's body strike the forest floor.
All three kicked their brooms into motion and held their wands tight.
The dementor swarm shifted. They got closer. Sergeant York had their only dementor repelling medallion and he was now twenty meters below them on the forest floor.
"Bail!" One of them shouted, panicked.
All three rose up into the air like their lives depended on it. Truly, it was more than just their lives at stake.
After thirty seconds of rapid ascent, the clouds thinned out and three aurors could see each other again in the light of the moon. Due to the desperate nature of their retreat, they did not all pop out of the cloud cover at the same place; there was at least fifty meters between the witch and her two remaining companions. The dark haze of dementor exposure was beginning to fade as well.
"Dammit, Hicks!" The witch shouted, suddenly ashamed of leaving her sergeant behind. "What about York?"
"Is that his name?" A deep voice growled behind her.
Rather than lose time turning around, she kicked downwards on her broom. Dropping suddenly when most people dodge up would shake him... hopefully. Even as she tugged hard on her broom's handle for the tightest turn possible, flashes of colored light played off her features. Her two teammates were exchanging spell fire with someone.
"How rude!" The voice from behind her called.
He was more distant this time but not by far, and a woman had joined the chase if the accompanying giggle was any indicator. Having fallen back into the fog she turned to a random heading and took off as quick as she could manage. Icy winds bit into her skin and snowflakes caught in her eyelashes.
"Which one are you then?" That voice called again. She flinched and cut hard right. How in God's name was he following her through these clouds? "Dixon, perhaps? I believe the Dixon family is an old pureblood line from the American east coast. I do not recognize the name Du Bois as being pureblooded. He is a mudblood, isn't he?"
Dixon, as he had guessed correctly, tried to activate her emergency portkey. It didn't work. Time for desperate measures. She pointed her wand to the rear, not even sparing the time to aim, and shot off a pair of blind silent Reductor curses. He didn't reply with words. Oh, no. Unfortunately for Auror Dixon, what he did do was grab the end of her broom and yank it out from under her.
"None defy Lord Voldemort and live to speak of it!" He yelled as she free fell through the mists.
She was too disoriented in free-fall to attempt apparation, doubly so as happiness and logic both began to flee her. She was falling back into the dementor swarm.
No.
Not that.
Auror Dixon's last conscious act before she struck the ground was to pull a pin on her personal emergency anti-soul loss device. It was a grenade strapped into a bandolier across her chest and it went off seconds after she hit the ground. Mercifully, it also went off seconds before any dementors could get close enough to kiss her. Her spirit fled before they could take it.
The explosive report reached Lord Voldemort as he hovered broomless between the clouds. He looked down and scowled.
"Your death means nothing. You cannot keep my allies from feeding. They are hungry and I have promised them a great feast."
Two dark forms drew close to him on brooms.
"They did not escape, My Lord." One called. "Both fell to their deaths."
"And the first one? York?" The Dark Lord asked.
"Rodolphus has him, My Lord. He still lives."
Voldemort turned his gaze in the direction of Hogwarts Castle even though it was still well out of visual range.
"Take his medallion and let our 'friends' have him." He sneered.
"Yes, My Lord." The servant turned and carried out his Lord's command.
Soon.
Soon they would all suffer for their defiance. He cared not for how many he ruled so long as he ruled over all.
-o\0/o-
Harry stared into Luna's eyes. She was still trembling a bit, but her eyes didn't seem to shift under their lids. Probably not dreaming then, right? Harry wouldn't have felt right popping into her mind for a look around just then anyway, not with Pomfrey , Flitwick and those I.C.W. officials hopping about as they were.
"He cast the killing curse..." The man with gold lettering on his I.C.W. patch repeated, "...but Snape was the one that died when it hit Miss Lovegood, correct?"
Harry turned to look at the man.
"That's right, sir."
Harry saw the man glare. It was a hard thing to accept. After all, the last time this happened, Harry was involved that time too, only there was no Snape and no Luna. Just Harry, his mother and a Dark Lord.
"And how do you explain that?"
"I don't. I can't." Harry stared back just as hard as the officer. He wondered how long it would take before he was accused of killing Snape outright. Not that he didn't want to… it's just that he didn't.
"Perhaps this will help solve the riddle..." A higher pitched yet still male voice called out behind them.
Both man and ghost turned to see Professor Flitwick slowly levitating a small jeweled sandglass in a gilt housing out of the dead headmaster's robes.
"A time-turner?" Harry blurted out.
"What would you know of those, boy?" The officer stated, even more suspicious than before. "Those things are highly restricted."
"I came by my knowledge honestly." Harry defended himself while the professor and officer both looked on in interest. "'Hermione got one so she could get to every class offered in Third Year. Professor McGonagall got it for her. Dumbledore knew all about it, of course."
"I did wonder..." Flitwick seemed to drift off for a moment before coming back to the here and now.
The officer's glare turned to Flitwick though he said nothing. Harry began to think that using a time turner was not something the international crowd approved of. Come to think of it, the Delacours were quite surprised to hear about Third Year the first time Hermione told the tale. Shocked even. Harry thought it was all from the dementors and Sirius, but then it could have been more. At the time, Apolline was too overwhelmed to explain on a point by point basis why she tightly embraced Hermione and didn't let go for ten minutes.
"Sooooooo..." Harry started. "What if he was using it at the time? He could have... I don't know... broken one of those rules 'Mione was so strict over... yeah?"
Flitwick lowered the sandglass onto a nearby side table. The officer shook his head and reached out for it.
"We can't have that floating about." He said as he dropped it into a random pocket. "There's a reason those damn things are restricted. Anyways, that doesn't explain why you are here to begin with, kid. Shouldn't you be in France right now?"
"I have friends here, not that I need to explain myself to you." Harry was actually getting a bit peeved at this man. "Look, I was warned that something dangerous could happen tonight and I came to look after my friends. As it turns out, I was right to come. Snape Crucio'd Luna before he tried to kill her, or have you forgotten already?"
"And who warned you?" The man insisted. "I want to ask them a few questions."
"He doesn't want to go public," Harry said, unknowingly excluding half the school population, "afraid of retaliation and all that."
"One girl is tragic and all but I have all of Scotland to look over, boy." Harry really didn't like being called 'boy'. This man was supposed to be a 'good guy' so Harry was trying to overlook his more pratworthy traits.
The officer looked to Flitwick. "Who is the new Headmaster?"
"Severus never identified a deputy, Captain. He claimed to have no the time to teach anyone about the castle wards." The diminutive Charms professor shook his head and sighed. "Hogwarts has no Headmaster."
The officer cursed heavily. "Please tell me there are dementor wards on the property."
"Sadly no." Flitwick shook frowned. "The Ministry has always maintained the right to place their guards where ever they saw fit. Hogsmeade Valley hasn't had dementor repelling wards in place since the Ministry made peace with the things all those centuries ago."
The Captain looked like he really wanted to curse more but the situation was too serious for it. "Order your staff to close all doors and windows in the castle. Lock them all. I don't give a shit who gives the order so long as it's carried out. My men will cover the Hogsmeade camp and this Castle as best we can, but it's not looking good right now. All non-essentials in camp will be sent away."
Flitwick nodded after a moment. "I'll have the students and the refugees sent into the dungeons. Hufflepuff and Slytherin dorms should be safe even if dementors do get inside. There are some hallways down there with very solid doors."
Headmaster or no, Flitwick began summoning school elves for door and window locking duty and they obeyed. He was a professor after all.
The Captain turned and left the Hospital wing without excusing himself. He had a valley defense to organize and souls to save.
Harry hovered alone and forgotten over Luna. Even Madam Pomfrey was able to ignore him and treat the broken girl beneath him. Not that he blamed her; he was beyond physical injury or pain.
Dementors. Harry thought to himself. Nasty buggers.
Nasty, yes, but not that hard to deal with if you know how. Harry turned inward. He turned his attention to Gabrielle.
Asleep? Wasn't it a bit early in the evening for that? Harry would have to check up on her more often.
A small mental nudge was sent down the bond. Gabby's eyes opened.
-o\0/o-
"Match to Weasley!" An older boy called out from the side.
Ginny stood victorious, chest heaving and sweat dripping down her face, as two Ravenclaw wizards pulled their comrade off the floor. The match judge held an open hand out to her. He wanted the loser's wand back.
Ginny looked at her trophy one last time before releasing the polished wooden shaft. It wasn't very pretty anyway. Not like her wand.
"Are you going to let someone else have a go at it, Ginny?" A girl to one side asked.
Ginny centered herself before answering. "You keep going until you lose. That's the rule tonight. It's not my fault your boyfriend isn't wizard enough to beat me."
The girl colored. Ginny had indeed just flattened the other witch's boyfriend and done so in record time. After beating three other opponents before him, even.
"No wonder you can't keep a boy interested..." The other witch muttered. It was meant just for her friends on the sidelines, but Ginny heard anyway.
"You'll just have to come up here and get rid of me yourself then!" The redhead hissed, nostrils flaring.
Her nameless challenger quickly backed into the crowd. Ginny was known for vengeful hexing, and she rated full wicked bitch status when angered. The other girl wasn't about to challenge a lioness on the hunt.
Before Ginny or anyone else could intentionally escalate the conflict the main doors opened and Draco stepped in, Daphne only one step behind.
"This meeting is over!" Draco shouted without preamble. "Back to your dorms. All of you!"
His call was met with many indignant shouts. The noise in the room rose dramatically and questions rang out from every corner.
"Sonorus." Draco intoned. "Headmaster Snape is dead!"
That got their attention.
"Go back to your dorms. This is a bad night to be about."
Many of the students immediately turned for their dorms. Some of them just stood in small groups and gossiped about what all this could mean.
Others wouldn't have it.
"Ginevra." Draco drawled as the still panting girl came right up to him.
"What's going on?" She demanded.
Her brothers were also interested, and standing right behind her, but they weren't the only ones. There were others listening in behind them.
"Headmaster Snape attacked Lovegood in the astronomy tower. Potter was there." Gasps. "Snape's dead now and Potter's got Lovegood in the Hospital Wing."
Ginny's features set. "Right then."
She pushed her way past Draco and Daphne and walked straight out the doors.
"Your dorms are the other way..." Draco muttered. "Bloody lion."
"Yes, old chap..."
"...our dormitories would be to the left..."
"...if she or we weren't going to see Ickle Harrikins..."
"...mustn't forget Ickle Lulu..."
"...Merlin forbid..."
"...so to the right it is!"
Gred and Forge nodded as one and followed Ickle Gin-Gin out and to the right. Ron didn't bother to explain, he just followed. As did Neville... and Susan... and Cedric and the Patil sisters and Head Girl Chang. Everyone else either went the expected direction or milled about.
Draco was about to be more forceful with the ones who just stood there when a house elf -pop-'ed into the room.
"Duffy is being terrible sorry, but the students is being told to head to dungeons. Ravenclaws is to be going into Slytherin dorms and Gryffindors is being going to Hufflepuff. This is being ordered by Professor Flitwick. There is being no time for dawdling about."
The elf fidgeted, nervous at having to tell students what to do for the first time in its life. As soon as the last students began to head out, the elf -pop-'ed away again.
Draco exited the door and turned right. Daphne noticed.
"Potter?" She asked.
"Potter." He replied.
She followed.
-o\0/o-
In a Hogwarts tower overlooking the greenhouses, an I.C.W. sentry spotted something. The sentry pulled out a mirror.
"Tower East to Control." The cloaked wizard intoned. "Spellfire at zero-six-seven degrees. Range two-zero-zero-zero. Altitude five-zero."
As the warning came in and the alarm spread, the watch captain would find that two patrols were late for their check in. One on the east wall and one at the far eastern edge of the valley. A third was set to cross through the sighting's location but was not due to check in for some time yet. Squads were sent to investigate all three instances on brooms. Fighting spread. There were dementors and dark wizards advancing together.
The alarm became a call to general quarters. Hogwarts prepared for battle.
-o\0/o-
"We is being ready to move Missy Lovegood, Harry Potter." An elf called at the foot of Luna's bed.
Harry nodded and watched silently as two elves levitated his friend's bed into the air and Madam Pomfrey ordered elves to move various potions and artifacts into the dungeon several floors below.
There was a disturbance at the door.
"Harry!" Ginny shouted.
Those who went right instead of left at Magical Traditions were now filling the Hospital Wing door.
"Hey, Gin." Harry replied without taking his eyes off the unconscious blonde.
"What happened, mate?" Ron asked over his sister's shoulder.
"Snape happened..." Harry ground out. "But that's over and done with. He won't be bullying anyone ever again."
Harry moved a lock of Luna's hair before turning around to greet his friends.
"Er..."
That was more people than he expected to see honestly. The twins were just about to comment on Harry's smooth reception when Madam Pomfrey beat them to it.
"Out of the way, you lot! I have a patient that needs to be transferred." The healer called in no uncertain terms.
Sadly for the healer's personal well being, someone else chose that time to enter her territory unannounced. A small point of blue-white light with an accompanying ringing tone appeared half-way between Harry and his guests. It appeared two meters off the floor and it both expanded and dropped to the ground at the same time.
"... 'z' plus 'I' over 'z'!" Hermione yelled at the floor, hoping that her last few words would make it under Gabrielle's halo and into France. She wasn't sure it would work. After all, she herself wasn't in France anymore.
Whether those last words made it to France was anyone's guess, but they certainly made it to Hogwarts.
"Woah, 'Mione!" Ron blurted. "When did you get so bloody good looking?"
Hermione may not have been wearing the jacket and cloak that was standard for travel, but she was wearing her proper uniform blouse and skirt... with the heels and stockings to match... and she still had her hair in a tight French braid. Quite flattering, all told.
Of course, there was an angel in the room now, too. She was also wearing her school uniform. Very cute. And then there was Apolline, who could make a burlap sack look hot. Her modified sleepwear was much racier than a burlap sack.
Angel, muggleborn and Veela all uncoiled from each other before Hermione responded.
"I must admit I find this much more flattering than my old Hogwarts uniform." Hermione sniffed and preened a bit.
Yes, Beauxbatons has had an effect on the girl. Parvati couldn't wait to tell Lavender.
Then Hermione saw her sister.
"Luna!" She ran to the injured witch's side.
"I understand your concern, Miss Granger," Madam Pomfrey interrupted, "but Miss Lovegood really must be escorted out of the wing now. Please stand aside. Once we are clear of the doors you may follow or stay here as pleases you."
All of the new arrivals parted quietly so that the elves could bring Luna's bed through as requested. Surprisingly, Harry failed to follow the bed out. This lead to all the others staying with him even if it was clear that Hermione, Gabrielle and Apolline very much wanted to follow Luna.
"Aren't we here for Luna?" Hermione asked Harry.
She had that tone of voice that clearly only allowed for one answer.
Harry looked through a nearby window. "Unfortunately, no."
Harry spoke in a voice that Hermione also understood clearly. It was one of those 'saving people' things.
"Fine then." She returned quickly. The others went silent so that Hermione and Harry would work out whatever it was that they had going on. "What are we here for then? We've already done trolls and a cerberus..."
Ron took up the torch, "...and a bloody great snake..."
"...dirty rats..."
"...and swarms of dementors..." Fred and Gorge added.
"... mustn't forget the dragon." Ginny finished.
Sure, there were other things, but as they were generally darker even that what was brought up, everyone seemed to know what not to say. Mentioning the snake was bad enough as far as Ginny was concerned.
"Don't I even rate?" Draco asked, hand in the air.
"Against a dragon?" Fred asked, or was it George?
Harry cut them off. "Dementors."
"Harry, mate." Ron almost whined. "We've already done that one. Old news."
"All of them I expect." Harry added. "Not just a dozen or a hundred of them. We're about to witness a full assault on Hogwarts."
It was a more of a guess on his part, but then why else would the I.C.W. captain be so concerned if it were just a few of the nasty blighters. He knew first hand how large the auror presence here was and for them to get panicky it must be bad.
"And we come to Hogwarts now?" Apolline hissed. "You endanger us all!"
Were it not for Little Angel's calming presence, Apolline may have already changed to voice her true displeasure at Harry. With fire.
"Gabby." Harry ignored the older woman and focused on his Angel. "There are a lot of people in this Castle. I want to protect them. Are you okay with that?"
Yes! ... "No!"
Hermione tensed at the argument. Daphne's grip on Draco's arm also tensed at the same time. Second and third languages were the rule rather than the exception for traditional families like hers. Why else would international students sit with Ravenclaw and Slytherin over the other houses? Because that way they had someone to talk to, of course.
Momma. I want to do this. The little angel chirped. This time she kept eye contact and made sure only Momma understood her. I will make my Lord proud. I will fight the bad things. I will make them go away. That's what real angels do, Momma.
Apolline swallowed hard and fought to keep her tears back. She wanted her little baby to go home and stay there, but this was beyond her and she knew it. Her little baby was far more than a little baby. Not even ten years old, and Little Angel's already made a name for herself in the grown-up world. Several of them, actually. Apolline's been doing what she could to keep Gabby from hearing some of the things they call her now. Gabrielle certainly didn't need to know that a new shrine to the Angel Gabrielle now stands near Jeanne's home in Domrémy-la-Pucelle.
"I would never ask Gabby to do anything that she couldn't do." Harry pleaded. "I will be with her the whole time."
I can do this, Momma. I can! Gabby chirped.
Apolline turned to the ghost that held her daughter's life, heart and soul in his hands. "If she gets hurt..."
"Then I will come back to life just so that you can kill me yourself." Harry finished for her. "Over and over again."
"Okay!" Hermione sought to grab everyone's attention now that the impasse was resolved. "So, Harry... do you have a plan already or is that why I'm here?"
Harry was about to say that he really just wanted to go outside with Gabby, beat up the dementors and go home... but he suspected Hermione wouldn't be too impressed with the simple elegance of his plan. Time for a bit of quick revising.
"Well..." Quicker- before Hermione could say anything more. "If you think my Patronus was something special then you haven't seen an angel cast one before. Gabby and I will be focusing on the dementors themselves- so if those of you who are willing to lend a hand would kindly watch our backs until we're done then that would be great."
"Watch your backs for what?" Ginny asked.
"Whatever shows itself that isn't a dementor." Harry answered. "Had to deal with Snape already today... probably won't be the only dark bastard out and about tonight."
There was a brief pause.
"I'm in." Hermoine stated firmly.
"Absolutely, mate!" Ron cheered.
The twins chimed in. In tandem, of course. So did Ginny. Surprisingly, the non-Weasleys were similarly supportive as well.
"I've got your back, Harry." Cedric affirmed.
"I'm with you!" Susan tacked on.
"I'll do it." Neville said quietly, but he said it just the same.
"As will I." Cho added.
"And I." "And I." Padma and Parvati chorused, just out of step with each other. Not all twins were like the Weasley twins.
Apolline didn't bother with a reply. Her presence was a given. Required, even.
"Draco?" Harry took a good look at the Slytherin prince and his princess. "Is fighting off dementors the Slytherin thing to do?"
"Something tells me your merry band would be more comfortable if I weren't a part of it." Draco smiled slyly. "Besides, someone has to warn the other students. I think I know a seventh Year or two who learned the Patronus. Several Ravenclaws had a terrible fit after getting shown up by a Third Year Gryffie when you shot off that stag in the middle of a quidditch match."
"Even getting a mist would be helpful if any dementors do manage to get past us. A few first timers might get lucky, too." Harry returned. "Please spread the word for me."
Draco nodded and turned to leave. Daphne nodded as well and followed young Lord Malfoy out of the Hospital Wing. She may have seemed the perfect picture of poise and decorum, but inside her heart was hammering and her nerves were frayed. The proper young witch knew quite well she had no business dealing with dementors and the like.
"So what's our next move, Harry?" Ron asked.
Harry looked around. There were far too many windows in the Hospital Wing for his liking.
"I think it's time to say hello to Myrtle." Harry said as he turned for the door.
"Myrtle?" Hermione asked.
"And get brooms." Harry continued.
"Brooms!" Ron liked this move.
"Dobby!" Harry shouted.
-POP-
"Dobby is here, Harry Potter Sir!"
"Please fetch 'Miones broom-"
-POP-
-POP-
"Here it is, Harry Potter Sir!"
Dobby proudly handed over the mirror gloss elf spit-polished shaft. Harry Potter Sir's Missy 'Mione's Firebolt. Precious, it was.
"Brilliant, Dobby."
Harry smiled warmly as both elf and ghost watched Hermione take command of the magical speed machine. Behind them, Apolline called for Zoé and Virginie to collect brooms for everyone else.
"Now you're just having me on." Ron challenged. "I can understand 'Mione getting hot as she fills out... she wasn't half bad lookin' at the ball-" That bit got both Patil girls frowning. "-but there is no way that she ever gets into flying, mate. Much less on a Firebolt. That thing's way too much broom for her."
Hermione stared down Ron with such fire behind her eyes that Harry half wondered if she was part angel herself.
"Harry?" Hermione called in a deceptively smooth tone.
"Yes, love?"
"Race you to Myrtle?" Several brows rose at the challenge.
"Absolutely!" Harry crowed. "Rules?"
"No passing through walls, doors or floors." Hermione answered. She also brought up her shoes one at a time and transfigured the dress pumps into trainers.
"Of course." Harry replied. "Gabby, dear. Give us a countdown will you?"
This is gonna be great! Little Angel chirped.
Then she looked back over her shoulders at her neatly folded wings. Too bulky. She reverted to human form which was a real treat for those like Cho and the Patils who hadn't seen Gabby change before.
"Now I won't block the door!"
Gabby shouted before getting between the racing couple and their first turn, a rather sharp left that should favor the specter due to maneuvering room issues. She held both hands high.
"Three..."
Hermione used her wand to cut a slit on her skirt for more range of motion before throwing one leg over her broom to mount it. The auto-hover charm held her weight. The cut skirt showed a delightful hint of stocking and smooth skin. Brilliant.
"Two..."
Harry went down into a runner's stance. Gabby stood on the balls of her feet.
"One..."
The room was dead quiet.
"Go!" Gabby swished her hands down to the floor and ghost and broomrider shot off their marks.
A transparent blur disappeared around the door frame first, but Harry wasn't the one who got the best crowd reaction.
"Bloody hell!" Ron shouted. "She corkscrew turned in the middle of a school corridor!"
Ginny hit her prat of a brother over the head for cursing in an angel's presence, but she did appreciate his words. Their brave yet boring bookworm was an altogether different creature now than she was before.
"Yeahhh..." Cedric puffed up. "I taught her that one."
"Get her, Harry!"
Gabby ran out into the corridor only to stop before vanishing down the hall.
"Hey- don't shoot them they're my friends!" Gabby yelled to surprised aurors who just got buzzed by a ghost and a flying witch. Luckily, her admonishment worked. She turned around to stick her head back in the room. "Ummm... can some else be line leader? I don't know where we're going."
...
Outside the cold stone walls of Hogwarts, forces were converging. The far banks of Black Lake were aglow with spellfire and the occasional stream of tracer rounds. A Patronus would emerge from mist and shadow to push back at the darkness only to have its caster fall under assault from the dementors' human escorts. The aurors fell back. All too soon, there was no forest to the rear and what little forest lay beneath the defenders was alight with flame. Cold deep water and icy shores was all that stood between skirmishers and the castle. No one wanted to fall into Black Lake where it would be a race between nature and beast to see who could claim the unfortunate soul first.
At the appropriate signal, all I.C.W. forces fell back to the castle proper. They swarmed into tower windows and ground level gates, all taking refuge behind crenellated stone walls and window frames. The towers themselves became hardpoints; bastions of wand and steel. Inside the castle, every stair and corridor was watched. Without proper siege wards in place, and that bastard Snape all but ensured that such wards could not be brought up in time, any window or door to the outside was suspect. In spite of the I.C.W.'s seeming numerical superiority, they had a lot of ground to cover. Both at Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.
The dementors still came. Control medallions were effective when used properly yet the vast majority of wizards trained in their use died when Hogsmeade was cleansed of its sin in the blue-white flames of the Angel Gabrielle.
Hovering above the far shores of Black Lake, Voldemort signaled to his most trusted servant.
"Yes, My Lord?" Bellatrix asked.
"You are my insurance." The Dark lord called. "Be ready."
Bella bowed from the seat of her broom and turned sharply an retired from the field.
With a regal swipe of his wand bearing hand, the Dark Lord ordered his forces into the attack. The real battle was about to begin.
At a range of one thousand meters, a handful of the shadows backlit by burning forest seemed more animated than the main hoard. They stood out. They seemed more human. That helped a lot.
The air between castle and hoard was split by the harsh buzz of muggle weapons of war. Bright flashes and glowing red lines flowed out from several points along the castle's upper reaches, a testament to the volume of hot metal being thrown at targets at the rate of thousands of rounds per minute. Sniper rifles and heavy machine guns were aimed at anything that wasn't a dementor and several Death Eaters fell almost immediately. Sadly Voldemort's forces soon masked their presence amidst the hoard and cast the Impervius Charm on anyone who hadn't already used it. The inexperienced and weak had been culled. Those that remained were as ruthless and deadly as their dementor allies. Silence fell over school grounds as the last echos of gunfire faded.
At least Hogwarts was still out of range of any worthwhile combat spells for a short time. Only a true magical scholar and adept like the Dark Lord would have any control beyond a few hundred meters and most magics fell well short of a hundred.
...
Harry lost. He lost a broom race. To Hermione. Worse yet, she was riding his very own Firebolt.
"She got me on the straightaways." Was all he could say to explain his loss.
To be quite honest, the ghost was very proud of his witch and more than a little excited by her performance. There was a reason he fancied Cho before he died and it wasn't just that she was pretty. She was a seeker, a lover of flying like him. And now Hermione fit the same category, not that he didn't already love her for other things but a shared love of flying was just icing on the cake. Harry was sure 'Mione's performance on the Beauxbatons racing team would be top shelf soon enough.
Of course, Ron would never let Harry forget this most horrible of sins... and Hermione was understandably pleased with herself. Even when Ginny taunted her about the grin she had after 'riding Harry's shaft and riding it hard', she still didn't stop grinning. In fact, Hermione may have gotten an idea of how to comfort the loser from Ginny's choice of taunting subjects. Her smile just kept growing.
Sadly, the merciless teasing of Harry for losing his race with Hermione was rudely interrupted by harsh pops and loud buzzing noises coming from outside the castle.
"What's all that then?" Neville asked.
He was a pureblood. Of course he didn't know.
"Gunfire." Apolline answered. "I'm not happy with how quickly it all stopped either."
"I'm going to take a look outside." Harry said, eyeing the window. "Myrtle, be a dear and check the hall, would you?"
They had already spelled the door shut as firmly as the students, Apolline and three elves could make it.
"Will I be getting more roommates tonight?" Myrtle asked. All the activity was giving her hope and lifting her spirit.
"Not likely," Hermione answered the the ghost, "Dementors take the souls of their victims, you know. Should the worst come to pass, you will be far more lonely than before."
"Oh. Drat." Myrtle looked crestfallen as she went to check the hall. She was only just getting used to interacting with the living and the idea that it could all fall apart again was quite distressing.
It took Harry about thirty seconds to fly out the window, rise out of the main courtyard and take a look around before coming back in again. Myrtle was done in half the time.
"The halls?" Harry asked her.
"Still clear- save the Spaniards at the corner. They still don't care for me either." Myrtle responded.
Harry appeared to take a deep breath, and more than one of his friends took real breaths in anticipation.
"Alright Gabby." He looked at his Angel. "It's time."
She alone showed no signs of fear or nervous tension. Her Lord wanted her to do this, so she would. It was that simple.
"I can't begin to imagine what your Poppa will think. Why, the aurors may have already told him we are here." Apolline moaned. She bit back a sob and fell onto her Little Angel. "I'm so scared for you, my baby."
"Don't cry Momma." Gabby whispered back. She wrapped her arms around her mother and then she wrapped her wings around her mother too. I will take away your tears, Momma. I will steal them from you and you won't ever be sad ever again.
Love filled the room and Apolline's tears stopped falling. Little Angel didn't make false promises.
Gabrielle slowly pulled free of her mother and stepped into the center of the room. She drew her wings together above her head and formed her halo anew.
Harry didn't have to call to her any longer, nor did she need his spirit to enter her to build her up from within, for he was with her. She felt his love and knew his will. Rather than call for his bonded, he called for his friend.
"Dobby?"
"Yes, Harry Potter Sir?" The elf was already waiting at Harry's side and did not need to pop in this time.
"Please open the window for us."
Dobby smiled and bowed. He loved how Harry always asked or said please when he could easily order Dobby about. With a simple wave of Dobby's hand, the window vanished. Gabrielle hopped forward and drew down her wings. Two wing beats later, she stood on the stone sill between open air and Myrtle's bathroom.
"Like we agreed, 'Mione."
Harry ran his hand over the young witch's cheek. She nodded.
"We'll give you a minute to clear the window. Once Gabby's out in the open, we cross the roof to the rear and slip around to hide under the west ground floor bridge until you give us a signal." Hermione recited dutifully.
"Remember warming charms. And if her halo seems to flicker a bit as I expect it will, you look away until that settles down." Harry added.
"You still haven't told us why..." Hermione hinted that she'd like to know the answer.
"It's like that saying I used to hear on the telly sometimes... 'do not look directly into the light'."
Hermione's eyes opened wide. "Surely not..."
"You'll have to see for yourselves- but remember; if things don't look good, sneak out to Hagrid's and then on to Hogsmeade by way of the forest edge. They shouldn't be able to spot you in the dark."
"It'll be hard enough to spot ourselves, mate." Ron added. "Let's just hope this is all just 'Mione being over-prepared again."
"From your mouth to God's ears, Ron." Cedric added.
Gabrielle looked at Harry. Despite her best efforts not too, Hermione did as well.
Harry turned once more to the angel in the window, whom he was already with even if the others didn't know about it, and he nodded.
Go now.
With each succeeding beat of her wings a nine year old angel rose ever higher into the open air above the castle's courtyard. Her one companion, her Lord, followed silently in her wake. Behind her, friends and loved ones slipped up and around the castle in an effort to reach their staging area unseen. She turned to the east and was witness to a dark cloud approaching Hogwarts over the shores of Black Lake.
New targets sighted.
It was a thought shared by more than one person when Gabrielle and her spectral companion cleared the roof line. Aurors charged with defending the castle began to report to their Captain that a very famous 'non-combatant' was stepping in. Requests to break cover and grab the youngest Delacour were flooding the communications network. Within the ranks of the invading hoard, a Dark Lord smiled. He welcomed the would-be savior, the little girl who is faithfully following in Harry Potter's footsteps. He had plans for her.
Surprisingly, his allies did not confer with the Dark Lord before charging forward.
The dementors saw her and instinctively they knew what her halo meant; they knew what she was. They left their wizard allies behind in a drive to meet a natural enemy, for that was what angels were to them. Hundreds of soul eating dark beasts shrieked as one and turned to bring their full numbers to bear as quickly as possible. Darkness sought to smother the light before it could grow.
Even as a full race of dark creatures rose to meet her, Gabrielle's very being hummed in anticipation. In the presence of her Lord under the ethereal glow of her halo, Gabrielle could not be intimidated. They were bad. They were bad and she would teach them a very big lesson. She would make the world a better place.
Gabby. Harry called her without words. Show me your new trick. Show everyone.
I will! Her cry answered the rising shrieks of the dementors, beasts who had no business making any noise at all.
Gabby's left hand rose, fingers reaching to grasp the halo above her directly. The humming circlet of magical flame was an extension of her being and she knew it as well as she knew her own body or the mark bestowed upon her forehead by Harry's lips. Little fingers found their target and wrapped around it. Blue-white light broke its form and flowed over her arm, her body and then her clothes.
Her magic flared and night became as day.
The creatures of darkness who now stood only a few scant meters away from Gabrielle cringed back. Every living being in line-of-sight with Gabrielle turned away unable to gaze upon her image. The dementor charge shuddered to a halt.
Gabrielle drew her radiant wings back and she rocketed into the nearest group of dementors. Her avian heritage was never more on display before than it was right now. She was a predator amongst prey... prey who were as yet too stunned to scatter like the cockroaches they really were.
She didn't stop at the first dementor. No. She went through it. And through the next one and then through the one after that. Her body shined like the surface of the sun, and to the dementors her touch was no less deadly. Her arms and wings cut directly through the fiends and their remains fell burning to the snow covered shores below. Shrieks of anger turned into cries of pain and death.
They began to turn... their attack broken against her angelic corona. They began to flee.
Where are you going? Gabrielle cried into the swarm. I'm not done with you! You can't go!
Gabrielle drew her wand and pointed it into a group of dementors who seemed intent on escaping.
Stop!
And they did. Just as she caused the flames of her first failed spell to freeze, so too did she lock the dementors before her into place. As they were unable to evade her, she ran them through by the dozen.
All sound ceased save that of wind and wings... and the dull thud of dementor bits hitting the ground below. Neither the aurors nor the dark wizards could manage an offensive action due to Gabrielle's blinding glory. Voldemort and his pureblood followers actually fell back to the far shore. No matter how aggressive their desires, being unable to gaze upon their foe made it difficult to strike at her and hovering helplessly over Black Lake was neither intelligent nor cunning. For even with all of the people and creatures in Hogsmeade Valley, Gabrielle may as well have been alone.
Except for Harry, for he was with her. Twice even. Harry's spirit was within her and also without. As he was the only soul present who could look upon her he took full advantage of that fact. Left! Harry commanded, and his angel swooped into another group of her prey at his direction. Time and time again, she tore through groups of dark creatures only to line herself up and strike again. Gabrielle's magic net didn't catch all of the dementors, but it did catch a great many of them and she did manage to run down many more as they fled. After a time, neither she nor her Lord could make out another dementor in need of her embrace.
That's all of them Angel. Let's go back to your Momma and 'Mione. They must be terribly worried about you. Harry called.
Okayyy! She squeaked.
Little Angel turned back to the castle and began to glide down to the nearer of two bridges spanning between the two main castle wings. Momma, 'Mione and the others should still be under cover nearby.
Halfway through her lazy flight back, Harry suggested she release the power which glowed about her. Somewhat embarrassed that Momma and Hermione and her friends and the 'good guys' still couldn't gaze upon her, Gabrielle did as she was told.
Day became night once more as Little Angel's glory dimmed. She gave the sky back to the Moon and stars.
As Gabrielle's feet touched stone once more, life returned to Hogwarts Castle.
"GABRIELLE!" Momma screeched as she dropped off a broom and onto the bridge next to her daughter.
Little Angel soon found herself at the center of a crushing hug. Momma was shaking like a leaf.
"How can you say that I will never be sad if you continue to do such things?" Apolline cried onto her little girl's shoulder.
As mother and daughter reconnected under the blue-white glow of Little Angel's halo, Harry turned to face the others.
"That turned out rather well, I think..." He offered.
More light spilled over the bridge as the doors at either end were pushed open. I.C.W. aurors were clearly intent on finding out just what the hell was going on. In a move that confused Harry, they stopped short of actually exiting the doorways for some reason.
Harry watched as Hermione, Ron and the others tried to think of something to say that suited the occasion. Clearly even Hermione was having trouble. He expected that one or two might be speechless after Gabby's performance, but all of them? Hold on... Hermione wasn't looking at him. Not at Gabby or her mother either.
And that wasn't joy or wonder filling her face. Even in the dim light available, he could still see that. It was... alarm? Her arm was pointed down, but she still had wand in hand. A few steps away, Cedric stepped in front of Susan and the twins edged closer to their sister. Harry opened his mouth to speak again, only, he couldn't. He couldn't move... he couldn't move!
Suddenly alert, Gabrielle jerked in her mother's arms. Momma! Let go!
"Imperio." A harsh voice growled behind Harry.
Momma! Little Angel struggled, but for all her magical strength, she was still only nine. Her small frame was no counter to a woman grown and under the power of the Imperius Curse.
A dark form stalked past Harry. It had an uneven gait and there were odd bumps distorting the cloak just behind its shoulders. A Dark Lord was among them.
"Boo!" Voldemort shouted, slamming one booted heel down on the stone at his feet. More than one of the students before him flinched back. "Pathetic..."
Harry saw some activity at the door behind his friends, and he wasn't the only one to notice. Voldemort drew his wand up for all to see. The tip glowed a very familiar and unwelcome green.
Gabrielle's struggles became more frantic. Momma, no!
"Unless you want these children to die, you will turn back!" Voldemort bellowed at the aurors to their rear.
Unwilling to risk innocents, the aurors at the door fell back. With a swipe of his wand, Voldemort closed the door. He then turned to do the same to the door on the far end of the bridge. It was no great leap of logic to expect aurors to take to the skies and watch him from a distance... which was why the sky quickly lit up with spellfire even as the Dark Lord stared down the children who's lives he just threatened. The I.C.W. was learning the hard way that Voldemort did not re-cross Black Lake alone.
Even as random spells struck the bridge around them and bodies began to fall from the sky, Voldemort ignored the carnage. Instead, he chose to taunt the students before him, students he knew well.
"Miss Granger. I am told that Potter would not have lasted even half as long as he did at Hogwarts were it not for your support." She didn't look too flattered. "We will have words about your poor decision making skills another time, I promise you that."
Voldemort's threat caused the girl to go pale, but he was already done with her and on to a new target.
"Ahhhhh, Ginevra..." He drawled. "This past year can't have been good for you, dear. Why don't you tell me all about it... pour your heart and soul into it... I've listened to your troubles before, have I not?"
Ginny took two steps backwards before bringing up her wand. "You stay away from me!"
The Dark Lord glared at her. "Such atrocious manners. So disrespectful. Perhaps I should take you over my knee."
Ginny was backed into a corner. She was badly shaken, furious that Tom should ever speak to her again. She lashed out.
"Reducto!"
Red light shot out of her wand. Voldemort said nothing. He didn't need to. A quick swipe of his yew and phoenix feather wand was all that was required to bounce the curse right back to the very witch it came from. With a sickening crack, Ginny's right shoulder blew open and she collapsed in a pool of her own blood.
"Bloody bastard!" Ron cried, his voice mixing with his sisters pained moans.
It was a fight or flight instinct that caused every other teen on the bridge to raise their wands. It was surely no thought that this cruel thing before them would be an easy target.
Voldemort shouted and threw his wand forward sending all ten of his young opponents tumbling backwards. He didn't kill them. No. That would be too easy. Wanted to play with them as Harry and little Gabrielle watched helplessly, unable to do anything about it.
Of course, as soon as he had Apolline under his control, he ignored the girl and her mother completely. It was perfectly reasonable to think that a grown woman would be able to control her young daughter. What was not perfectly reasonable was to expect said woman to control her young Angel daughter.
Not that Voldemort knew this of course. Nor anyone else for that matter.
As soon as Voldemort turned away from his two most prized captives to play with the teens, Harry focused. The situation was not good... but it wasn't hopeless either. His bond to Gabrielle still held. His spirit was still with her and so long as he was with her Gabrielle would not panic. She would not play the part of a helpless victim.
Angels don't get saved. They do the saving.
It was clear to Harry and Gabrielle that Momma could not break the slavery curse on her own merits, so Gabrielle would have to do it for her. She stopped struggling against her mother, preferring to stare into the woman's eyes instead.
Momma's eyes were cloudy. Dull. For a Veela, this was unacceptable. Gabrielle cooed softly to her mother. Momma. Come back to me Momma. I need you.
Momma didn't move. Her gaze did not waver. Gabrielle tried harder.
Little Angel focused on her most recent lessons, the ones on how to focus her magic through her eyes... on how to affect just one person instead of a room full of them. It was a skill taught to Gabrielle to keep random students from commenting on her glowing blue eyes but it could also do other things.
Mooooooo-mmaaaaaaaaa...
Gabrielle cooed softly. Hopefully too softly for a certain Dark Lord to hear or care for. She concentrated on pushing her thrall into the enchanted Veela and only the enchanted Veela. She pushed all the love that she felt for her Momma into the effort. Harry felt Gabrielle's magic- he felt her intent- and offered his love to build upon hers. Between Veela mother and Angel daughter, softly glowing crystal blue eyes flared with love and power.
She connected.
Apolline started.
As an Angel welcomed her Veela mother onto the 'good guy' side once again... and as the night sky above was filled with the sounds and sights of battle... Voldemort backed Ginny into an emotional corner causing her to lash out.
Red light flew across the bridge and then back again, and mother and daughter pulled away from each other. Much as she loved her little girl, Apolline pushed all of the love she had just experienced out. She expelled it and willingly fell into the fury of a woman forced to attack her own family. Her own daughter!
When Ron cried out in rage, so too did Apolline. As he drew his wand, she abandoned hers. She was no duelist. She was Veela. She drew upon her heritage, shedding her socialite looks for the frightening wings and claws of her race. As ten school children were thrown about like rag dolls, Apolline summoned bright orange fireballs into both palms.
Just then, the self-satisfied beast turned to address his captives. Satisfaction fell to surprise and anger as twin torrents of fire poured into his position. He rolled aside allowing Apolline's rage to tare lines of flame into the heavy wooden doors of Hogwarts. Voldemort returned fire.
"Avada Kedavra!" He hissed, and a green bolt of death rocketed down the bridge.
As Apolline was fully under the influence of her less human instincts, wand magic was not available to her. She could not cast defensive magics nor was she inclined to try.
She did not die. Instead, a wall of white feathers formed between Apolline and the death curse before it could connect.
"I can do better!" Voldemort yelled before calling on one of his other favored curses. Fiendfyre. "Catch this one little girl!"
A serpent of pure flame uncoiled from his wand and reared up to strike at its summoner's enemies.
Stop! Gabrielle demanded, her wand pointed stiffly at the center of the snake.
It stopped.
"Very good!" Voldemort praised, and in the light of the frozen fire snake, Harry and his Angel saw Voldemort's face twist into something that may have passed for admiration. "But not good enough!"
With a small flick of his wand, he struck. Just as Dumbledore before him, Voldemort came to the conclusion that a little angel with a wand was a troublesome little angel. Rather than let her keep the holly and phoenix feather shaft, he summoned it from her grasp. Again just as before, the wand slipped between her fingers only to stop when the chain around her neck pulled taught. A thin gold chain kept her wand from flying into the Dark Lord's grasp.
His pull was great, too great for her to dig in her heels. But what if... what if she didn't want to? What if her Lord had an idea... one that could win them the fight? Rather than stand her ground, Gabby ran straight towards the manically grinning Dark Lord.
Behind her, a Veela shrieked her displeasure. One of her chicks was running right into a snake's waiting jaws.
Voldemort couldn't help but smile as his hand closed around Little Angel's wand. He was about to chide the little thing for such a foolish move- but that was when Gabrielle struck.
She struck not with her wand but with her halo. Two pure white wings snapped down quickly, and when they dropped they brought the blue-white circlet of magical fire with them. The air shook as angelic power rang in the tone of a massive bell being struck. By the time her halo dissipated across the stone at her feet, Gabrielle was standing right back next to her mother again. She was back, and she brought Voldemort with her... or rather... she brought some of Voldemort back with her. His arms, his wand and the front half of his torso and legs to be specific.
Dark Lord Voldemort's body collapsed lifelessly in two different places at the same time. Ewwwww!
Her Lord was greatly pleased. Ecstatic even.
I win! Gabrielle crowed. I win! I win! I win! I win! I win!
Apolline's anger faded and she returned to human form. Oddly enough, Gabrielle's Lord was not free to move about as he expected to be.
"Oh, very good indeed..." A dark voice hissed into the air.
Shocked, angel, mother and ghost all looked for the 'man' who hissed those words. What they saw was something that Harry had the great misfortune of meeting once before, something that his angel knew of due to their connection and that Apolline knew of through pensieve memories. The shade of Voldemort appeared before them, a dark stain drifting before the mass of frozen Fiendfyre which still lit and warmed the area.
So shocked were they that Gabby lost her angelic form and glared (cutely) at the dark specter from beneath silver-blonde hair.
"Why aren't you dead like a good bad guy would be?" A righteous Gabby demanded of the disembodied Tom Riddle.
"You cannot kill me! You cannot even set me back!" He laughed. "I have come closer to immortality that any who lived before me. I can never be defeated. In time, the whole world will bow before me!"
"I'll get you! You'll see!" She may not have been intimidating standing with her brow creased and fists balled but she certainly tried to be.
"No... in fact, I have a better idea. I'll get you." Voldemort purred. "I'll get you and I'll make you my angel."
"No you can't! I won't let you! Harry won't let you!" Gabby raged.
"Won't he?" The dark shade drifted over to address Harry's still frozen form. "Did you think I wouldn't know? Did you think I who have delved into the deepest mysteries and darkest tomes in existence would not understand your connection?"
Gabby was silent. Her mother pulled the girl to her and aimed her wand at the shade.
"Begone!" Apolline shouted. "Your power is broken you honorless bastard."
Voldemort began to drift back towards the lake, but he was not done just yet. He kept his eyes on the frozen form of his first great challenge.
"I know your secret, Harry Potter. Blood magic made that girl your slave... though I am surprised that you knew enough of blood magic to catch yourself such a fine prize... perhaps this is your godfather's influence?"
Voldemort explained himself calmly, far too calmly for one who just died. And he was uncomfortably close to the truth in his deductions. Gabby's anger fell to uncertainty.
"Did you really believe I would not figure it out? Me? The greatest wizard in history? You bound her to you just before you died... and in doing so you gave me the key to absolute power!"
Uncertainty fell to fear, a reaction that was unfortunately mirrored by her Lord. She sniffed.
"I will take your angel from you Harry Potter. She will be my slave, my pet! She will shake the world apart until all who live swear to serve me!" Voldemort yelled triumphantly before flying into the night.
Gabby turned to her mother and cried.
Little Angel and big Veela held each other in the light and heat of a motionless fire snake and the world seemed to explode around them. Aurors approached the bridge to secure the area, treat the wounded and release Harry from his magical binding. Hermione and the others would soon be joining Luna in the Hospital Wing again. Ginny's condition was very serious... or it was until a sobbing angel came to sob on her. A steady rain of angel tears drew bone and muscle back together to fix up her Lord's friend. Neither Little Angel nor Harry would allow their personal troubles to stop them from helping where they could. Speaking of, Gabrielle continued to cry on command for as long as she could manage it. Luna could use healing tears too, couldn't she? And some of the aurors were hurt fighting, right? Angels helped others. That's what they did.
-o\0/o-
After the dust settled, it became clear that the Dark Lord's followers were successfully repelled in a battle that would see many graves dug and funeral pyres lit. Luckily dark wizards had the worse time of it and few escaped alive.
Even with the joy and relief of the masses for whom that night was a major victory, Harry and Gabby were troubled. Yes, dementors were killed. Yes, dark wizards by the dozen were captured or killed in a battle that would break the dark's remaining strength in England. Yes, the corpse and wand of Dark Lord Voldemort could be shown to an elated public as proof of victory. But all of that still wasn't enough for those who knew the truth.
The Dark Lord wasn't really gone. He wasn't even discouraged. Even worse, Voldemort said he knew about the bond. He said he could take Gabby away from Harry. Was he right? Was he lying? How did he find out?
The wizarding world may celebrate through the night in honor of Gabrielle Delacour, the nine year old Angel, Savior and Dark Lord killer, but Harry and Gabby would not be smiling. As soon as the full tale was told, neither would the Delacours nor would Hermione.
Harry and Gabby needed to go back to Angel School. Tomorrow even. If Gabby had to skip school to do it, she would.
End Chapter
Chapter Notes:
I had to point out to my pre-reader that this is not the end of my story. Granted, she was a bit sleepy when she came to that conclusion, but I think that some may see this as a break point before some kind of horcrux hunt. Personally, I do not like horcrux hunt stories (especially the original canon one) and I will not write a horcrux hunt into this story even if I concede the existence of horcruxes as shown in canon. There will be one more internal story arc wherein our beloved good guys seek to smite ol' Voldie once and for all. Clearly my estimate of twenty-five chapters was off a bit (as was my very first estimate of ten chapters). But still, we are past the seventy-five percent mark and possibly past eighty-five percent. It all depends on how the little stuff adds up.
I don't remember reading any other stories where teleport magic was used as a direct attack instead of a support move, not that portkeys or apparation really lend themselves to the idea. At least, not in any HP story I've read. Maybe you could intentionally splinch someone by grabbing them and forcing a bad apparation. There was that scene in the first Stargate movie... and there was always a chance that a Star Trek transporter beam could be used in creative ways... but then I don't tend to read fanfics in those universes.