Authors note: Sorry for the long wait, I've been unwell this past month. Work and real life have also got in the way of updating my stories. Hope you guys like this short chapter.
The howls of werewolves awoke many of the students of Hogwarts that Halloween night; unable to leave their common rooms that had been locked down by the professors the students sat together by their fires awaiting sunrise and news on what had happened down in the village of Hogsmeade.
"I'm sure everything is okay," Fred whispered reassuringly to his best friend and his sister who sat either side of him on the squishy red couch in front of the Gryffindor fire.
"Why hasn't it stopped yet," Ginny questioned, her brother clutching tightly to his right hand.
"I don't know Gin-bug," he replied as an explosion sounded in the distance.
"What was that" Cassie asked from where she sat in a gold armchair across the room.
"Hogsmeade is on fire," Seamus called from where he stood by the common room window, looking out into the Hogwarts grounds, all heads swivelled in his direction and many students moved closer staring at the inferno of fire and thick plumes of smoke that had engulfed the village on the other side of the Black Lake.
"They're on the grounds," a first-year student Hermione didn't know the name of whimpered, pointing a shaking finger down at the grounds where a werewolf was moving at speed towards the castle, it's orange eyes gleaming in the moonlight and blood visibly dripping from its jaws.
"Will it be able to get into the castle," Ginny asked worriedly as the wolf stood on its back legs, rearing its head backwards as it emitted an ear-splitting howl, its park responding to its call-in kind.
"I don't know Ginny, but we best be ready if they do," Percy replied, his face set in grim determination.
"Look, it's climbing the wall, that leads to the Astronomy Tower," Dean told them unnecessarily as all eyes had been on the wolf since it had first appeared on the grounds.
"Expecto Patronum, Professor Dumbledore there is a werewolf climbing the wall that leads to the top of the Astronomy Tower," Percy spoke calmly to his lion Patronus which nodded at its castor before running out of the common room in search of the headmaster.
"We need to secure the tower. the portrait is locked but I'm not sure that she will hold against a werewolf, as we have seen they can climb the walls, our windows defiantly aren't strong enough to keep them out. Sixth and Seventh years go up to the dormitories and secure all the windows, while you are there send all remaining students' downstairs," Percy instructed as he cast another Patronus.
"This is Gryffindor prefect Percy Weasley, from our tower we can see that at least one werewolf has entered the grounds and is attempting to get into the school through the Astromancy Tower, it is currently halfway up the north wall, secure your common rooms," Percy's Patronus shook out its mane and ran elegantly out of the room as the older students accented to secure the dormitories.
Aiming his wand at the tunnel that led to the Fat Lady's portrait, Percy cast a nonverbal spell that Hermione didn't recognise, layers of bricks and cements built themselves up in the tunnel, the cement drying instantly to create a barrier that would be impenetrable to a werewolf. With another wave of his wand, this time aimed at the large glass window that spanned most of the width of the common room, Percy made thick steel bars, bolted from ceiling to floor and each five centimetres apart, they were still able to see out onto the grounds, but no werewolf would be getting through.
"Boy's dorms secure," Oliver called as he descended into the common room with a group of tired boys moaning behind him.
"So are the girls," a seventh-year student named Michelle spoke calmly.
"Sunrise will be it just over three hours, we just have to wait," Percy told them firmly.
"We should be out there fighting them, Cormac Mclaggen spoke lazily as he twirled his wand between his fingers, a cocky smirk on his face.
"Faught a werewolf before have you, Mclaggen," George asked the younger boy angrily.
"No but it can't be too hard, their only an overgrown dog," Mclaggen replied.
"How many dogs do you know that can do this," George asked angrily as he pulled his blue t-shirt over his head revealing five raised red jagged scars that stretched from his right shoulder to his left hip. Many students gasped and swore at the sight of Georges scars while others became sickly pale staring at his back in fascinated horror, Maclagan turned ashen at the sight.
"Werewolves attacked our home over the summer, perhaps you read about it in the paper. Other people at the Burrow that day got hurt as well, it is a miracle that nobody was bitten. When we were first attacked, we had an Auror and a Dragon Tamer with us, we soon also had the help of a Curse Breaker, my father, Professor Dumbledore, and the Werewolf Capture Unit. But sure, go out there alone and see what fucking happens to you when you are proving how Gryffindor you are McLagan, one third year against at least one fully grown werewolf, if you are lucky and help arrives perhaps you will be permanently scared like me, if your unlucky however it will be you out there howling every month or you will be sent home in a body bag," George's voice was cold, devoid of the warmth it usually held, his eyes serious instead of full of their usual mischief.
"You're right we should stay here," the blonde third year agreed backing away from the angry twin, George took a calming breath before putting his shirt back on, directing his stare back out into the night.
"There's another werewolf," he spoke calmly his eyes locked onto a moving target that was moving along the tree line of the Forbidden Forest in the direction of the West Courtyard.
"It's going to be a long night," Harry stated as they watched Percy send an update on the latest werewolf to the professors.
"Yes, it is," Hermione whispered quietly as three more werewolves exited the forest, heading in the direction of the school…