The Enchanter's Princess

Chapter 35: Hogwarts and Hogsmeade

"Pity," Soto laughed. "You were taken a fool, Phoenix but you've left me no choice. So, now we've established my position, we'll discuss further terms. Potters, you are no longer needed."

Soto, it appeared had won the day. At least, in the eyes of the public. Albus won a personal victory. No one knew he was behind the evacuation of all students. He felt very proud of himself as he walked the halls with Harry. According to Soot, or as he was now known as Soto, the students had filed in the Great Hall, very confused as to what had prompted their abrupt departure. All they knew was that they were shepherded by James and Nigel through the passageways back to Hogwarts and assembled in the Great Hall, waiting for their Professor.

The victory was short-lived.

Mr. Potter," Soto said to Albus, looking up from a piece of paper that appeared in his hands. "You wouldn't claim credit for getting students out, would you?" Albus did not speak. His heart started beating frantically again as Soto chuckled, like he found the whole thing rather amusing. "What would thirty-five students be doing holed up in The Three Broomsticks then? Was this a diversion of yours or…"

"Wait… the students are dow"-

"Most of them," Soto said simply, looking up at a shocked Harry Potter. "Some of them foolishly stayed behind. And in the middle of a warzone, just when things got heated. How about that?"

Albus tore from the room, ignoring the shouts of his father to come back, hearing Soto's laughter, his cold laughter in the distance. He leapt down the staircases, racing across the first floor and down the marble staircase, ignoring the stares of students as he pushed the great oak doors open and raced across the courtyard towards the Whomping Willow. As it came into view, Albus whipped his wand out as the branches came towards him and cried "Immobulus Totalum!"

The air almost exploded with the force of the massive immobilizing spell he cast on it. He leapt into the passageway and scrambled across it. The entire way to Hogsmeade, he could only think of the Guard. He told them to get out. What was James playing at? Why did Alexis leave them there? Didn't she send her Patronus? Alexis would never send him a Patronus unless all of them were sent. Did James fool her? No! Why would James keep the entire Guard in danger? And why the heck did Soto say thirty-five? The Guard had three less!

And he, Albus agreed to meet Alexis outside the inn. Was it Alexis? Had she died outside the inn waiting for him? Was that why the students were holed up? Had she sent a message out of desperation. No, no, she's fine. But the more Albus thought of it, the likelier it seemed. Alexis would have never sent him a message otherwise. No, no! Thirty-five students are trapped. That means the entire Guard. She's alive. But was she? Were there maybe four extra members and a dead body out front?

Finally, he reached the end and saw a bunch of heavy wooden planks blocking his way out. The Shack had been destroyed. Crap! Crap! Albus thought desperately. "Reducto! REDUCTO!" Albus pounded desperately at it. It was making effect but it would take too long. "Bombarda Maxima!"

Perhaps it was because the Reductor Curse weakened it but it blasted open. The planks exploded into smithereens and allowed Albus room to scramble out. He found himself standing in the wreckage, looking down the hill at the chaos below. The afternoon sun was beginning its setting but the battle was only intensifying. He could not see clearly which sides were warring. He knew the Arsenal was one of them and the Purifiers were very distinguishable but the Goblins were absent despite Incommodo's threat and some witches and wizards were wearing plain-clothes.

Albus zipped down the hill, wand out. When he could see members clearly, he started casting madly at them all. "Stupefy! Stupefy! Stupefy!"

He might have stunned a Ministry member or two but he did not stop to look. He could see the battle clearly now. Purifiers were fighting the Arsenal of Education and in the lead was Rojer Selwyn, smiting everyone around him. The Arsenal was clearly not doing very well either. Purifiers were very invasive, they moved in sync, in a very organized way, spells firing from all sides, surrounding any group of Ministry members they could find.

"Impedimenta!"

Rojer parried the spell easily and effortlessly, turning to face Albus. Albus dived to the side from a jet of green light and twirled his wand in anticipation of another spell, "Geminus Contego!"

Rojer's jet of fiery orange light rebounded, forcing Rojer to redirect it. A house exploded in a blaze of fire and Albus quailed. Whoever had been hiding in there were probably dead now. He felt a surge of hatred towards Rojer. Dare he kill him? Could he do it again? He rolled to the side again, barely avoiding a jet of black light. He barely parried the next jet of light.

Albus could see the Three Broomsticks from where he was. It seemed untouched and a dome of light was surrounding it. He recognized it of course. It was Soot's dome. Soto's. Had Soto beaten him here? He scrambled from the ground, feeling a jet of green light barely missed where he had been seconds before. He leapt into the dome and got up, turning to meet Rojer. The man raised his wand, "Avada Kedavra!"

"Stupefy!"

The two spells would've met just inside the dome but the jet of green light disappeared while the Stunning spell hit its mark. Rojer fell back and Albus turned towards the inn itself and rushed towards it. The door, of course was locked. "Alohamora."

Nothing. No click. He knocked, "Guys, it's me, Al. Let me in!"

He heard movement behind the door and it opened a fraction. He was dragged in and thrown to the floor. The bar was empty save for two people over him. He could not see them yet. He yelped and reached to pick his wand up when a foot kicked it away. He stared up and saw the face. His heart skipped a beat when he saw Alexis' face, "Al… wait… how did we meet!"

"Erm… Charms class," Albus said, stowing his wand away. "Fought with our cups."

James appeared next, "What's Al's most frightening experience in childhood?"

Albus sighed, "Well, you'd know that one, James. You cursed my blanket to eat me!"

He was ushered inside quickly. Alexis embraced him tightly. "We need to talk to you before we see the other members," Alexis said, and dragged Albus to a side room and to a corner.

"Where are they?" Albus demanded. It occurred to him he might have been speaking harshly to Alexis when her eyes welled up into tears. He could not stop the next words from being spoken though. "I thought everyone was back in Hogwarts!"

"Al… I'm so sorry, it's my fault," she muttered.

"No, it's mine, forget it," James sighed.

"I don't care whose fault it is!" Albus said through gritted teeth. "Why are they here? And why did I get a message if not everyone was safe? I had to"-

"Al… we need to know what happened there," Alexis demanded. "The second we told the Guard what was happening, every single one opted to stay behind until the students were safely across."

"Where did the message come from?" Albus asked.

"From m-me," Alexis stuttered. It was clear she felt she deserved the blame here. "Nothing happened yet and some of the Guard thought we could patrol the village and make sure nothing happened. I tried to stop them but some were really enthusiastic about helping. I tried saying no but then… I just… did it. I don't know why. Something made me."

Imperius Curse?

"I thought you'd talk some sense into them," James said quietly. "Cause they respect you. You're the only one they listen to, especially with Seth. The bloody traitor."

"Is he"-

"He's here," James sighed. "But I dunno how long. Riley and Nate ended up here as well and we think Malcolm is hiding in here somewhere. We never found him. Al… we're at war."

"Oh, yeah? I had no clue."

"Al, half the Guard doesn't know half of what's truly been happening," Alexis told him seriously. "They don't seem to be aware of the fact that we're in the middle of a battle zone. The younger years especially. Fewer seem to be getting that this could very well mean the end of their lives."

Albus sighed and nodded, thinking of the group he created. James was his inspiration and Alexis sort of his advisor. He had grown to know everyone in the Guard to the point that losing any of them would be a catastrophic loss to him. They had become not only his allies but his friends. "Who cast the dome?" he asked.

"Aries," James shrugged. "It's strange. Her Amulet is glowing now and her wand did the rest. Barely any spells work in here because of that and no one has managed to get in yet. We're safe."

"Alright, we need to meet them," Albus told them. "Once we see them, we need to figure something out that will get us to a passageway. James, you don't happen to know of a passageway from The Three Broomsticks, do you?"

James shook his head, "No, and Honeydukes was closed off from us when we were found there. If only the Shack wasn't destroyed."

"How do you think I came?" Albus questioned. "If we can get the students to the shack wreckage, we can get them out with or without Honeydukes."

"Back way," James said simply. "Used it back during my first year. An undergrowth takes you to the back of the hill where the Shack was. I doubt there are any battles there because the House elves use it to sneak Butterbeer for themselves."

"Ok, let's get ourselves out," Albus said. "And once we're safe, I'll tell you what happened at Hogwarts."

Albus followed James and Alexis out of the room and up the stairs to one of the roof which was now closed down and protected by wards and spells. Albus had to appreciate Aries' mastery of protective spells. The roof was crowded with students, first to sixth year. The second Albus entered, he was hailed by Molly and Eric. Some students even applauded but some like Nate Blackberry and Lorcan Scamander pestered him with questions. Eventually, all the students stood back to give him room and demanded an explanation.

Alexis whispered, "You owe them an explanation."

"Guys, can I save the explanations for after we get out of here?" he asked. "Only we're sort of in a war zone here."

"You'd better promise, Al," Seth said pointedly, tone suggesting he would personally hold Albus responsible. Albus almost called him out there and then, questioned why he was even with them if he planned to betray them later in the end. It was dangerous having Seth with them when he was supposed to help Rojer kill Malcolm. And despite making sure that the rest were safe, Walter and Samantha were endangered too. Still, to call him out in front of everyone when it was important they stuck together was borderline stupid.

"I promise, we can't deal with anything alone anyway," Albus swore. "I'll explain everything. We just need to get out of here. James has a way out and this time guys, follow him out."

Some members shifted guiltily and before Albus could help it, he demanded, "Now, can someone tell me whose bright idea it was to stay here to begin with?"

Finally, slowly and guiltily, Hugo raised his hand. I didn't guess this earlier? Albus thought exasperatedly. Albus sighed, "Alright, well, we'll get out of here and then we'll discuss it. Follow James." Everyone acted on command and James took up the leadership at once, like he was born into the role. Albus made sure they all followed him until it was just him and Alexis left. He turned to her. He knew the look on her face. She was worried too. When he told her to wait by the Three Broomsticks, she could have died. Till then, Albus did not know the full story of how the students were holed up there to begin with, nor did he know how Aries got to them all and managed a shield big enough to protect the whole inn.

Words unspoken hung between them as they looked at each other. He needed to say something to her. Console her, maybe? It was not her fault. A part of Albus was exasperated with Hugo for suggesting the students patrol the village. If he had not, if he had stayed silent, all the students would be in Hogwarts by then. Before he could say a word, the inn shook and he caught himself before finding his voice, "We need to get out of here."

Alexis merely nodded. The shaking meant that the inn was likely to collapse. The shield must have lifted. They followed the others down and through the back way to the undergrowth leading to the Shrieking Shack.

Albus expected to find that at least. He expected to find a secluded pathway deserted for all but the Hogwarts Guard making its way to safety. What he did not expect, though he felt he should have was the entire scene in chaos. Even the undergrowth was swarmed with Arsenal members and Purifiers, the pathway completely blocked. Aries prepared another shield just when a jet of green light narrowly missed her. It might have hit if Mark had not reached out and pulled her down in time.

It was not just a stray jet either. Some were deliberately trying to kill the students, most of them being Arsenal members. It complicated things. Albus knew then. Despite his best efforts, they were not getting out safely. Not without a fight. The first student to rush in to the fight was James. All responsibilities forgotten, he withdrew his wand and jumped right in.

"No, James"-

"Mark and the twins followed in after and then the Arsenal showed up, swarming all over, encircling the students and trapping them. Before Albus could think, Alexis yelled, "Spread out! All students spread out and protect yourselves!"

Albus had never heard her yell before but he was glad of it. The students did not need telling twice. Some had already started spread out when it happened. When a jet of green light narrowly missed Lily's ear, Hugo sent a jet of red light into the swarm at the caster and stunned him. In response, a jet of green light zoomed up and would have hit him in the face if he had not moved to check if Lily was alright. Malcolm actually pushed Neil Nott and Simon Far out of the way in an effort to get himself to safety and the stagger threw Simon into the way of a jet of red light. The circle of Arsenal members seemed ready to finish the remaining students off when Seth withdrew his wand and flicked it once wordlessly.

Albus could appreciate how powerful Seth seemed to be. Still untrained and having attempted nonverbal magic, Seth did not achieve the effects intended but it did cause an explosion big enough to send a few Arsenal members flying. Albus ducked down from a flying piece of earth and put his wand on Simon's chest, "Enervate."

Simon woke up just as Albus scrambled up and Seth stared at Albus expectantly. Albus turned to them, "Get to safety. You don't want to be here."

Neither needed telling twice. Whatever deal Seth had with Rojer seemed to have been forgotten. The two left on the path to the Shack, into the darkening sky until they disappeared from view. Albus sighed in relief before he heard Rojer's yell, "Avada Kedavra!"

Instinctively, Albus pulled himself and Alexis down. The jet had nearly hit her. Some of the encircling Arsenal members were engaged in duels but Rojer and another Arsenal member, a witch by the looks of her, had started engaging with Albus and Alexis. There was nothing else for it. The duel had started just as they raised their heads back up to meet them.

"Impedimenta!"

Alexis conjured a shield charm and the Impediment Jinx rebounded upon the witch. Albus sent a jet of fiery orange light at Rojer but it met a Stunning spell in midair and caused the very air to shake and burn. Taking advantage of the heating air, Albus waved his wand in a fluid motion, remembering Soot's teachings. Soto's teaching. He whispered, "Terra Permoveo."

The very earth beneath Rojer and the witch seemed to be moving, catching them both off balance. A well-placed trip-jinx by Alexis sent Rojer to the ground face first as a badly aimed jet of green light missed Albus by feet and fell into the crowd instead. Albus heard a distant female scream and thought maybe the jet made contact but he did not turn to look. He turned his wand to the witch, but she already cast the Killing curse at Alexis. In a swift motion, Alexis strafed to the side and so quick that her wand looked like a blur, the witch was stunned.

From the ground, Rojer pointed his wand at Albus but Alexis waved her wand, this time in a straighter motion where Rojer was laying. "Terra Dimoveo!"

The earth split. The power of the spell was not enough to make the trench too deep and Rojer could still climb out of it. Of course, he had to get up first and it would not be easy for him. "Incarcerous."

Rojer's legs were tied with ropes shooting from Alexis' wand as Albus stunned him. The duel had finished. Alexis smiled slightly, "Told you. You got good spellwork."

"Right, we've gotta find the others," Albus muttered.

"Al"-

"Hogwarts is safe now and my dad is there and"-

"Al!" Alexis said loudly.

Albus stopped talking and looked at her. He could not argue. It was clear. Nobody was getting out of Hogsmeade until the battle was over. He sighed, "Incommodo made a deal with the Goblins. They're allies because Incommodo is offering them something. I don't know what. If we can get him out of the picture, we can make it a bit better for the village. The Arsenal only entered this relying on the Goblins taking part as trump cards."

"They're losing," Alexis said quietly, watching the battle raging afar. "The Purifiers are very organized, very efficient. If they win, the Reservation will take over and massacres will happen all over the place. They'll destroy Hogwarts."

"So, you're saying we should help the Ministry?" Albus asked.

"We should help Hogwarts," Alexis corrected. "We need to fight them both."

Alexis looked very disturbed, like the battle was bothering her. She took a deep breath, "Al… we're going to die."

"N-No… it'll be fine, we'll be"-

A loud bang erupted from nearly and Walter rushed out of a burning house. Some residents were fleeing out and Walter managed a small child until they got to safety. "I saved Neil. I got him to the Shack but we were overrun. I can't find him or Simon anywhere. They disappeared!"

"We're here!" a voice yelled.

From the wreckage of a nearby house stepped Seth and Simon. Sierra was right behind them and Seth looked breathless, "I wasn't leaving until I found Sierra!"

Another bang erupted and Albus swayed, hanging on to Alexis for support. An Arsenal member yelled words, Albus could not hear them and then things happened so fast, Albus could not comprehend quick enough. Alexis summoned a Contego shield to block a bad curse and made it rebound upon the caster. Seth and his sister and friend ducked down into the wreckage again as the caster crumbled, his chest swelling and boiling and looking very bad. He might have been dying. Two Purifiers moved in on them then. Albus fired a Stunning spell but one parried it easily and the other sent his wand down in a zigzag motion, "Contego Effrego!"

Alexis' shield broke. At the same time, one sent a streak of purple fire right across Alexis' chest and she gasped, staring wide-eyed. Surprise. She dropped to the floor, eyes wide and glassy. Initially, without looking closely, she looked very dead. "NO!"

Albus might have tried killing the Purifiers if they had not dropped down by a spell from behind. Rojer appeared, looking furious as he surveyed the scene around him. Albus' heart was beating frantically but when he stole another look on Alexis' body, her eyes were closed. It made him feel a little better. That meant she had been awake when she fell and now she was unconscious.

"Stupefy"-

Rojer parried it, "Not doing so well without a teammate, are you, Potter? How many teammates did you use to discredit me? How many teammates shall I kill before you denounce the group and reveal what I want to know?"

"Impossible!" Albus yelled. "I have a second in command," he yelled, thinking of James. "And you know none of them. You've never even seen them!"

"Avada Kedavra!"

Albus dove to the side and fired again, "Terra"-

"Furnunculus!"

Walter jumped in front and parried the curse. Rojer stared in hatred. "You, Mr. Mold have irked me far too often this year. Crucio!"

Walter knew brief seconds of pain. He fell, twitching when Albus yelled, "Impedimenta!" The Jinx looked like it hit but it was parried by an unseen force. Rojer froze but behind him was none other than Mors Incommodo. He looked around calmly, dangerously, staring at each one in turn. Rojer was frozen in shock, wand still raised, Alexis was motionless, Walter was recovering on the ground and Albus was standing in shock. If he could somehow take Incommodo down, the Goblins might think twice about entering. Incommodo walked up, "You've made a mistake, Mr. Potter. You've murdered an employee of the Ministry, forced your father free, and created an illegal group behind its back and discovered the identity of a person we ordered you to reveal. It is time, I think you were taught a lesson. Avada Kedavra!"

Albus leapt to the side and with a flick of his wand, he cast Alexis' body out of the way of a jet of green light. Walter turned his wand on Incommodo and gasped, "Stupefy!"

Walter was standing but he was making an effort to remain upright. As Albus threw himself over Alexis' body to protect it from further harm, a jet of green light very nearly hit Walter. That was when Seth came up, standing alone, if anything quite bravely. "No! Not him. Leave him."

Seth, it seemed was pleading for Walter's life. Albus stared in wonder as Rojer regarded Seth briefly before turning. It looked as if it would end there. Rojer would listen to Seth and leave Walter alone. He stowed his wand away and turned away to regard Albus instead. Then, in a blink of an eye, a jet of green light exploded out of Incommodo's wand. Seth blinked once in surprise as the jet zoomed and hit Walter full in the chest. Albus gasped in shock as he watched. Walter was wide-eyed, for a brief second staring in shock, like he could not believe it had happened. Then, he fell, eyes wide and staring but skin cold, body defeated. No. No, Walter. No. But it happened. He knew no amount of begging would undo it.

The entire year, Walter had fought Rojer all over Seth. All because he had stepped up and defended a boy he barely knew. Albus never asked why. The action was enough. It made Albus regret not doing it himself. It was one of his reasons for starting the Hogwarts Guard to begin with. He should've been the one carrying Seth to the hospital wing that day. He should've been the one killed. After a year of fighting Rojer, Rojer had finally gotten him. In a swift second, Walter had taken the Curse that had ended so many lives. Walter Mold, his roommate, one of Albus' best friends was dead.

Another bang erupted. A jet of green light narrowly missed Albus but he did not care. Walter died. He failed. Albus had failed. He tried. Why? Why did they stay? If the students had just left the first time, this would not have happened. He felt Alexis. Her skin was cold too but he could feel a pulse. Before he could do anything, Rojer was thrown aside. Another jet of light went astray but Harry threw himself into the fight and faced Incommodo. The wispy-voiced man turned to Harry and withdrew his two wands.

"Replaced one, have you?" Harry commented, fury noted in the tone of voice.

"Big mistake, Potter," Incommodo whispered.

The two engaged in a duel. As they did, a horn sounded in the distance, from where the Shack once stood. There, standing at the top of the hill was a horde of Goblins, all brandishing weapons. They rushed down, swarming the battle in seconds. It was over. That was it. Regardless of everything, the Goblins had entered the battle. Screams erupted left and right as some already fell as casualties. Albus could not believe it. So soon and they had lost. Even if Alexis had survived, she would die anyway. They all would, especially Albus after what he did the previous winter.

Then, Soto's voice blared out all over the village, as if taking full command of his forces, "Purifiers! Hold your fire against the DA and the students of Hogwarts. We are now in allegiance. Focus all your fire on the Arsenal of Education and their Goblin lackeys. Leave the dead, leave the wounded and round up all their forces."

Soto's voice was then drowned out by a very familiar voice blaring over all. It was Lucius Malfoy of all people, "All Law Enforcement, follow me into battle. Break away from the Ministry's madness. First sign of dissent will be killed on sight. Focus all fire on Goblins, never mind the wounded. Nothing else matters. Repeat, nothing else matters!"

Albus took one final look at Walter before he felt a hand force him up. He could feel Soot's hand on him but he knew now that Soot was Soto. He could not think of him as Soot anymore. Soto was indeed standing there, looking his usual self. He no longer looked like the strange man who taught them Defense Against the Dark Arts. "Up, Potter."

"There's nothing you can do," Seth said, voice betraying no emotion still. He stared at Walter too but this time, he at least respectfully bent down and closed his eyes. "Just get out of here."

Albus remembered as if from a distant past life Walter sobbing after a scare by Riley. "I don't wanna die." So upset at the near death experience he had back then before Riley's secret was exposed. Malcolm had actually held him and said, despite all dignity, "You won't."