Chapter 25: The Hero Falls
The whole hall erupted into life. Minerva looked up at Poppy.
"Did he just say that Potter was dead?"
Poppy looked pained and confused, saying "I - I - I don't know. I don't know what I heard."
Minerva was pretty sure she had heard correctly. But it couldn't possibly be true, not one single word. Harry would never run out on them. And they couldn't have his body because he couldn't be dead. He just couldn't be.
"PEOPLE ARE COMING INTO THE COURTYARD!" somebody yelled.
Minerva got up quickly and headed for the entrance hall. Everybody seemed to be moving at once and Minerva, Pomona, Rolanda and Poppy somehow ended up at the front of the bunch.
People were indeed coming into the courtyard. It was a sea of black cloaks and grotesque masks. Leading them was Lord Voldemort himself. He didn't walk so much as float, his movements graceful yet menacing. Beside him was Bellatrix Lestrange, his second in command. She didn't walk so much as skip, obviously delighted at the morbidity of the situation. Next to her was the giant form of Hagrid and in his arms was...
"NO!"
Minerva didn't even notice the scream escape from her mouth. She didn't notice the shocked looks she received from those behind her, nor did she notice the cruel, mocking laughter of Bellatrix. The only thing she noticed was the limp body of a boy and the crippling pain that came with realization: They had spoken the truth, The Boy Who Lived was dead. Beside her, Rolanda had tensed up. Pomona blinked furiously. Poppy shook her head.
"No," Minerva whispered pathetically. "No."
Tears ran freely down her face and Minerva did nothing to stop them. She felt Poppy take her hand. Others began to cry out as well. Many voices mixed together to create a symphony of anguish.
"SILENCE!" Voldemort roared, brandishing his wand.
A forced hush fell over the crowd.
"It is over! Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs. You see?" the Dark Lord said, "Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!"
"He beat you!" Ron Weasley yelled and the crowd found their voice again.
Rolanda cheered loudly, whistling with her fingers. Pomona threw sparks up in the air. Poppy started clapping. Minerva just shouted, not really saying anything, just trying to add to the noise. Another bang, this time louder, issued across the courtyard and the defenders of Hogwarts returned to silence.
"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds," Voldemort sneered, "killed while trying to save himself -"
Minerva felt someone push past her.
"Neville!" she whispered desperately, as Neville Longbottom's wrist slipped through her fingers.
The Gryffindor boy ran forwards, holding his wand high. Voldemort laughed, flicking Neville aside with one movement of his wand.
"And who is this?" he hissed. "Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?"
Minerva clenched her fists. That evil monster could destroy her life's work and reduce her home to rubble but he could not hurt her students. She started forward when Poppy pulled her back.
"Not now." the matron whispered. "Bide your time."
"It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord!" Bellatrix laughed, in response to her master's question. "The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?"
Minerva saw Neville shiver with anger at the mention of his parents. He tried to stand, though he had no hope of once again attacking, with his wand lying at the feet of his enemy. Voldemort just smiled.
"Ah, yes I remember," he said. "But you are a pure-blood, aren't you, my brave boy?"
"So what if I am?" Neville said, sounding cool and collected. Minerva was reminded of his father and she almost smiled.
'You show spirit, and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom."
"I'll join you when hell freezes over," Neville said. "Dumbledore's Army!" he shouted and Minerva raised her voice in response, as did the rest of the crowd.
"Very well," said Voldemort, his voice getting lower and more dangerous. It was that kind of tone that reminded Minerva why she used to shiver at his name.
"If that is your choice, Longbottom, we revert to the original plan. On your head be it."
Up in one of the Hogwarts towers, what remained of the windowpane shattered as a strangely shaped object flew towards Voldemort's outstretched hand. Minerva couldn't tell what it was until it was unfurled; The Hogwarts' Sorting Hat.
"There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School." Voldemort declared. "There will be no more houses. The emblem, shield and colours of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice for everyone."
Minerva narrowed her eyes and glared Voldemort, who was now forcing the Sorting Hat onto Neville's head.
"Neville here," Voldemort said, "is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me."
He flicked his wand and the Sorting Hat burst into flames. Neville, under the influence of a spell, was unable to move and so he just screamed. This was too much for Minerva. As she raised her wand, a resounding battle cry resonated from the school boundaries. The people of Hogsmeade had decided to join in and they came sprinting towards the castle. Grawp, the giant half-brother of Hagrid came thundering from around the side of the castle, yelling, "HAGGER." The ground began to shake as Voldemort's giants ran towards him. There was a yell and the Death Eaters began to scatter as arrows fell towards them. A proud army of centaurs stood at the edge of the courtyard. Minerva met the eyes of their leader, Magorian, and she bowed her head respectfully and gratefully. Magorian inclined his own and pawed the ground with his glistening hooves.
And then, his magical prison broken, Neville Longbottom got to his feet. The Sorting Hat fell from his head and he reached inside the tattered garment. When his hand returned from within, it held a beautiful silver sword with sparkling rubies embedded it the handle. He raised it above his head and, with one clean stroke, he brought it down on Voldemort's snake. The head of the great beast flew through the air, its body slamming down on the cold stonework. Voldemort screamed with fury but no one could hear him above the rest of the noise.
At that moment all hell broke lose. The centaurs broke the Death Eater ranks, sending the Dark Lord supporters in all directions. The reinforcements from Hogsmeade and beyond swarmed on the castle, joining the centaurs. A herd of Thestrals came soaring through the sky, attacking the eyes of the giants, who in turn were driving everybody inside with the stamping of their feet. Minerva grabbed Poppy around the wrist and pulled her towards the entrance hall.
Curses flew everywhere inside the castle. Minerva cast several spells into the on coming crowd and, miraculously, she managed to hit only Death Eaters.
"This is insanity!" Minerva yelled to Poppy above the roar of the battle. "We're going to end up killing someone we don't mean to kill!"
They came into the Great Hall. It was more clear who was winning the battle in here. All around them Death Eaters were being brought down by wizards, centaurs and house elves, the latter of whom were brandishing knives. Yaxley was forced to the ground by Lee Jordan and George Weasley. Macnair was hurled across the room by Hagrid. Filius, a dueling champion in his youth, brought Dolohov to his knees without even trying.
"That's my man!" Poppy screamed with elation and Minerva rolled her eyes.
Lord Voldemort was in the heart of the fray. He was getting more and more frustrated as his minions failed him. He threw a desperate spell and it hit the ground just before Minerva's feet. It was with a mix of terror, adrenaline and Gryffindor courage that Minerva let out a shivery laugh.
"You dare laugh at me?" Voldemort hissed. "You dare laugh at me when you cannot even speak my name? Fine. Laughing may be the last thing you ever do."
A green curse flew from his wand and Minerva blocked it.
"You know what?" Minerva said, her voice showing no kind of emotion. "I am so tired. I'm so tired, I don't even have the energy to be afraid of you. So I'm laughing instead. Laughing, because you don't realise you're finished. And yes, it may well be the last thing I ever do. You could kill me without even blinking and you would not think twice about it. But you know what else? We have nothing to lose and everything to gain. And when you have nothing to lose, you are twice as dangerous."
"Your Chosen One is dead by my hand!" Voldemort roared. "You all depended on him to defeat me and now he is dead!"
"We will still defeat you, Tom!" Horace Slughorn yelled. "Make no mistake."
He and Kingsley Shacklebolt had come up beside Minerva. All three of them began to battle Voldemort at once. They were talented. Horace was clever and quick thinking. Kingsley was an accomplished Auror. Minerva was acknowledged as one of the greatest witches in Britain, but, somehow, they could not bring the Dark Lord down.
Minerva heard Molly Weasley scream, "NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!". She quickly looked behind her to see the mother of seven dueling Bellatrix Lestrange, both woman looking impressive as they fought. Bellatrix was cold and ruthless but, looking at Molly, Minerva didn't fancy her chances.
Minerva turned back to her own battle. She cast a shield in front of Kingsley, who returned the favour a few seconds later. Both Order members were cool under pressure but even they were getting frustrated. Nothing they were trying was working. Horace cast another spell that Voldemort just brushed aside.
"Why isn't this working?" he hollered, looking just as confused as Minerva and Kingsley.
A loud laugh came from behind them, then the sound of a body hitting the floor. Judging by Voldemort's scream, Bellatrix had just been bested by Molly. He threw his head back and magic radiated from him. Minerva felt something pulse through her. Her whole body began to seize up and pain took over. She was thrown back through the air, though she didn't realise it. She felt like she was being turned inside out, her stomach caving in, her head spinning and her muscles flexing in the wrong directions. It was torture and she just wanted it to stop. And then it did and there was darkness.