So, here's another story I probably shouldn't add to my list of WIP on fanfiction but will do so anyway. Originally written for Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition Round 11, prompt: you can't predict it all, but it was not written in time, nor did I think I could condense it enough for the competition once it turned into what it did.
Besides the obvious, there are several other subtle changes to canon, such as location of the houses, how you enter the houses, layout of the school, and so on. These changes were done intentionally, as you'll discover that some canon situations would have made things too easy for the Dark Side. Let me know if this is something you'd like more on. I originally only had three parts for it, but I think I could make this a multi-chapter story.
It was a cold day when Hogwarts fell in September of nineteen-ninety-seven—not long after Lord Voldemort had flooded the Ministry with Death Eaters, werewolves, vampires, and dementors, overwhelming the aurors and officials, and quickly eliciting a surrender. Chaos ensued all through Europe as Death Eaters began a massacre of muggleborns and muggles alike. Half-bloods were spared on a case-by-case basis, and all survivors of the light went into hiding as quickly as they could while muggle news coverage called a state of emergency for a new "plague" virus.
At Hogwarts, the professors had installed more protection wards around the school. McGonagall had performed Piertotum Locomotor on all the statues and suits of armor in the corridors, and they came to life to guard and protect the castle and its students. A large shield had been placed over the school and its grounds by Filius Flitwick. The school, though it had only been in session for seven days, had practiced an emergency drill in case they were attacked. Prefects or the nearest eldest student would lead the younger first and second years to their dorms for safety while the professors and other students defended their school. It was a success, and the first of many drills to come.
Yet, it was the only drill they would ever practice.
The next day, during a peaceful lunch hour, Death Eaters and dementors crashed through the Great Hall's windows, shattering glass everywhere along with deadly curses and spells. There was mass hysteria and panic as students fled while the professors tried to protect everyone to the best of their ability. Death Eaters targeted the muggleborns and halfbloods, knowing which were who by a pair of glasses that checked the name of every student and marked them pureblood or not, an invention by one of the Death Eaters. The dementors attacked anyone.
Blood was shed that day; many lives were lost.
It was a great tragedy for the wizarding world, even for the pureblood families. A few of their children had been among the carnage, crushed during a human stampede trying to get out of the Great Hall.
While some students managed to escape the Great Hall, there were at least a dozen or so students who had not been present in the Hall but faced their own challenges. Vampires and werewolves used their superior sense of smell to track students that had not been in the Hall, and half of those students scattered between the library, the greenhouses, lavatories, the Quidditch Pitch, and unused classrooms succumbed to the hunters. Like the students from the Hall, a few managed to escape and hide, while others were lucky enough to have no encounters with anyone and remained in their dormitories as few of their frenzied roommates burst through the doors.
The Houses were a safe space for many students who managed to get back to them. They could only be opened by a password spoken to a portrait, gargoyle, or bookcase, depending on the house. The windows to the outside were visible only to those in the house. Passwords were quickly changed, and students locked themselves inside. However, they were not fool proof, and the Death Eaters who resided at Hogwarts to teach the Slytherins and other purebloods knew of the house's locations, and a loyal servant would occasionally stand guard and wait by the entrances in hopes a student might come out.
Residing in the houses might have worked if food had not become a problem. The house elves were enslaved to serve only Death Eaters, loyal followers, or the Slytherins. Combined, this population in the school became a large group that named themselves Pure Magic.
Many of the trapped students in the houses slowly became hungry as rations decreased, and soon, many had to brave sneaking out in search of food elsewhere. And that's when Pure Magic would attack.
It started with Gryffindor. The few students who survived worked in groups and would travel together, finding snacks in abandoned bags and knapsacks in the halls before retreating. But they got too bold as the days went on, traveled too far from their tower, and one group came face to face with three werewolves. The remaining students were cautious once more.
Hufflepuff used a system of climbing through the vents and dropping down in classrooms. They created a map of their system as they explored further, finally managing to get to the kitchens, where the house elves turned a blind eye. However, the elves could not keep quiet for long, especially with such violent masters, and the Hufflepuffs were compromised.
The Ravenclaws did their best to avoid having to leave the safety of their house at all. With the food that was in their dorm, they planted potatoes, tomatoes, radishes, lettuce, a few spices, and herbs, and had even managed to sprout the start of what would be a peach tree in their makeshift greenhouse in the center of the common room. They used transfigured pots, summoned dirt from outside the window, and built a circular rock wall and filled the inside with dirt for the future tree. A couple Ravenclaws would go a bit stir crazy, and dare risk venturing out for food they could add to the garden or for a new book to read on escapes, gardening, or Hogwarts secret passages. Only once did a Ravenclaw never return.
No one thought much on what had become of Slytherin house. No one cared.
Hogwarts had become a war zone, where Pure Magic led the calvary to claim the school as the top prestigious school for purebloods in all of England and Ireland. A portion of the school was dedicated to teaching, housing, eating, and lounging, while the rest of the school was a trap for any straggling halfblood or muggleborn students who had yet to be terminated. From stories around the school, very few captured students were given a chance to surrender to Purge Magic and become a slave to the school. Those were only stories of course, as no one ever came back after being captured by Pure Magic.
Days turned to weeks, and soon, more stories spread through the Houses of a place called Sanctuary—hidden in a secret location of the school. It was where many professors and students had managed to retreat to together, and where an army was currently being built and trained. It was where protection, safety, and shelter could be offered, and it was here, somewhere in the school.
Hope spread like a flame, and students began bravely venturing out in search of Sanctuary. Numbers began dwindling in all the houses as more and more students challenged going out into the castle in search of Sanctuary, never to be seen or heard from again by remaining students in the houses. It was hard to know if their friends had succeeded or failed. Even in Ravenclaw, where food was at least available, students were leaving in hopes of something better, and to assist in the war when the time was right.
Some thought Sanctuary was a myth, dreamed up by a delusional student. Some thought Sanctuary was heaven. Others had full faith that they would find Sanctuary and be rescued from the dangers of what Hogwarts had become. So, more and more students dared the great hunt.
Six months passed by, and two Ravenclaws remained in their common room, and one of them was skeptical fifth year, Roberta "Birdie" Lutterworth . . .
Lisa Turpin tiptoed up a staircase, pausing for a moment at the top. She was clothed in a dark blue cloak that hid most of her body while the cloak covered her face, and she had several tools in a tool holseter strapped around her waist, including a holder for her wand, one for her knife, a storage pouch for miscellaneous finds, and a clip where her shrunken lantern was attached to. They were her usual items for sneaking out of Ravenclaw Tower.
After a few moments of silence that would have indicated she might have been followed, she proceeded to the bookcase down the hall that led to the second tallest tower of Hogwarts, moving slowly past the couple of empty classrooms that led to the tower, her wand at the ready. Once in front of the bookcase, she pulled a blue book out most of the way, then shifted a faded yellow book before whispering, "sapere aude."
The bookcase rumbled for a few seconds then it began sliding open for the Ravenclaw, who quickly stepped inside, tapping the bookcase with her wand to encourage it to stop opening and begin shutting. With a hesitant creak halfway open, the bookcase began to close behind the student.
"Birdie?" Lisa called in a quiet whisper.
Birdie, as she was known by most of the school, was busy tending to the many plants in the common room, using her wand to distribute watering cans to all the potted areas, including the small peach tree in the center. She heard the whisper and paused in her work, walking quietly to the foyer where Lisa was stripping out of her boots. Lisa tossed a chocolate frog to Birdie, who caught it and gasped at it.
"Where, in Merlin's name, did you find chocolate frogs?" Birdie asked.
"I made it all the way down to the Great Hall," Lisa said as she stepped into the common room and sat down on a chair to rub her aching feet. "Not a sound anywhere. No sign of Pure Magic. Maybe they've backed off on actively searching for any remaining students in the school."
"Maybe," Birdie said as she ripped into the treat and took a bite. She hadn't had chocolate since the attack, and savored each little bite before adding, "but there's still the werewolves and the vampires who probably haven't."
"I know. I only saw one vampire on my trip, but I was able to distract him with a blood flavored lollipop I found with the rest of the candy. Threw his scent off me pretty quick."
"Which must mean they're probably starved for blood," Birdie said.
"It's a good sign, you know," Lisa said, pulling a black and blue shoulder bag closer to her feet from where it sat next to her chair. "It means that vampire hasn't killed anyone recently. Students aren't dying like they used to. It's been six months after all. There can't be that many students left in hiding."
"Maybe." Birdie returned to her chores, watering and tending to the gardens.
Birdie, also known as Roberta Lutterworth, was a brunette with long hair and brown eyes. She was a pureblood wizard, yet her family had never supported many of the views the other purebloods had. And for good reasons, such as the idea that murder was wrong, even if for the greater good.
Ever since she had managed to make it back to her tower with minor injuries back when the attack had occured, she had not stepped one foot out of the tower. It was too dangerous. She was safe in Ravenclaw where there was food, water, lavatories, and a warm bed to sleep. She had no plans to leave until Pure Magic had been defeated or someone came to rescue her from the school. They were the smartest options in her case. Even as everyone else in the house found the courage to leave the ensured safety in search of Sanctuary, she believed she was better off staying put. No one knew the tower password besides herself, Lisa, and a handful of other Ravenclaws who had long ago left. She was safe.
A large kneazle with tufted ears, snow leopard markings, and a long plumed tail jumped from where she had been sleeping on the back of a chair to the pots with small plants, and she chewed on the rosemary.
"Agrippa!" Birdie scolded, picking up the large cat and setting her down on the floor. "Naughty. Shoo!"
With a huff, the familiar strutted away from her owner with her tail held high, choosing a seat at Lisa's feet for neck scratches, which Lisa indulged her with.
"I'll miss you, Agrippa," Lisa said to the kneazle. "You were the first pure kneazle I ever got to meet."
"What do you mean, you'll miss her?" Birdie asked, turning sharply and frowning at Lisa.
"I'm leaving, Birdie," Lisa said. "I can't keep holing up here in hopes this all might blow over. It's not going away. Not without help, at least."
Lisa stood and threw her bag over her shoulder.
"Come with me, Birdie," Lisa said. "You can't stay here alone. We'll find Sanctuary and help build the army for when Harry Potter comes bacj. I know he's still alive. He's always survived everything that's been thrown at him, even as a first year. He's out there getting ready to defeat this evil and we can help him by preparing here."
"There is no Sanctuary," Birdie said, taking a step back. "No one's ever found it."
"We don't know that. Many have searched for it and have not returned."
"And why not?" Birdie snapped. "Why not come back and lead the others to it if they found it?"
"It probably nearly cost them their lives to find it," Lisa reasoned. "Why risk anything to come back for those too afraid to do the same?"
"I'm not leaving," Birdie stated, turning away and crossing her arms. Just the thought of stepping foot back out into the school sent sweat down her neck and her heart picked up pace. "I can't go out there. Who says everyone who went looking didn't die?"
Lisa sighed. As Head girl, she took on the responsibility of helping the survivors get through and build the indoor garden until everyone began leaving one by one. She had hoped to be the last one to leave Ravenclaw, and had almost left with her best friend, Mandy, just a few weeks ago, but stayed behind for Birdie's sake. She couldn't stay around forever, and she decided last night that she would try and find anything useful for Birdie before she left. Unfortunately, her hunt had been unsuccessful, save for the chocolate which Birdie seemed to really enjoy. But after her near run-in with the vampire, Lisa felt assured that she was ready to brave the rest of the school in search of Sanctuary.
"I won't force you to leave," Lisa said, stepping closer to Birdie. "I hope you'll stay safe and well, and that I'll see you at the end of this. How about a hug before I leave?"
Birdie almost refused but knowing that this might be her last physical contact with another human, she slowly embraced Lisa, and the two stayed that way for a long minute before Lisa pulled away.
"Good luck, Birdie," Lisa said.
With one last pat to Agrippa's head, Lisa walked back to the foyer, slid her boots on, adjusted her tool holster, and left Ravenclaw tower for the final time.
Agrippa mewed sadly up at Birdie, who sighed and returned to tending to the garden, even though there was nothing else to be done.
A couple weeks passed, and Birdie never felt more alone. Salads and potatoes grew bland quickly when one has had it enough, especially without any kind of dressing or seasoning. Agrippa occasionally mewed to be let out of the tower to go hunt for mice, and Birdie spelled a small opening through the bookcase to free the kneazle and she would be gone for hours on end before meowing from the other side to be let back in. Birdie felt jealous of her familiar's ability to move swiftly and unnoticed through the castle.
The idea of leaving crossed her mind several times in the days since Lisa left. But then she would remember how she had been chased and hunted from the Great Hall all the way to Ravenclaw tower, and she would hug her knees and tremble in her bed. Agrippa would purr and snuggle with her, and she would fall in restless periods of sleep.
She wished she could owl her parents, but she had no clue what might have even become of them. And she had no owl who could deliver her message anyway. She was truly alone. She hugged Agrippa close and cried into her fur. Life went on despite her emotions, and she ate, slept, read, and played with the kneazle, and slept some more.
Then she heard it.
The creaking of the bookcase opening.
She had been in her dorm reading the chapters she would have been reviewing in Transfiguration that month when she heard it, and at first thought that it might be Lisa returning. But when she heard loud footsteps trying to walk softly, she quickly realized it was not.
Jumping off her bed, Birdie ran to the bookcase in the dorm and tapped it three times with her wand and it slowly shifted open just enough for Birdie and Agrippa to slip inside the small, closet-like space. It was not a large room at all and would have uncomfortably fit five persons standing shoulder to shoulder.
Birdie sat on the floor, her heart pounding in her ears and her sweaty hands dampening Agrippa's fur. The kneazle did not mind, and she growled softly as she peered through small gaps in the wood of the bookcase. Birdie took several quick breaths, trying her best to keep them quiet as she saw two figures enter her dorm.
"See anything?" one figure asked.
"Why do I need to see anything?" the other one snapped. "Use that nose of yours and search the room."
The first man who spoke huffed, then moved deeper into the room. Walking with purposeful strides as he meandered toward Birdie's bed, standing there for a moment before walking straight for the bookcase.
Agrippa's fur bristled and Birdie realized the man must be a werewolf, and she reached into her robe and pulled out a vial of bleach. It was a muggle chemical that Lisa had introduced to everyone, a chemical that was effective at throwing off any dog's sense of smell, even a werewolf's. Birdie pulled off the stopper and waved it around gently, using her hand to waft the scent. It was subtle, not obviously overpowering, but not underwhelming either.
The werewolf paused next to the bookcase, stock-still.
Agrippa started to growl so Birdie rested a hand on her back to encourage her to be silent.
The werewolf turned just slightly, and for a moment, Birdie thought he was staring right at her. She could make out his bearded face and his scruffy dark garments.
At last, he huffed and walked away.
"There's nobody here. This was the strongest scent in this whole tower and there's no one here. They must have left."
The other figure flicked his wand, and all the beds undid themselves, revealing empty beds and nothing underneath them. Birdie jumped as she felt the breeze from the spell in her hidden room.
"I told you, they must have left," the wolf said.
"You saw those plants," the man said. "They were recently watered. Someone is tending to them. They must be out now looking for food or Sanctuary. We will keep an eye out, but we will stop back here tomorrow. We'll bring the Boss to do his thing. He's good at this stuff. He managed to get that second-year Ravenclaw to spill the password after all."
The two figures vanished, but Birdie stayed put for several more minutes, too shaken to move, and twice she forgot how to breathe due to her chest tightening on her. Agrippa pawed at the wood, and Birdie let her out with a flick of her wand to create a small opening.
Ten minutes later, Agrippa returned and sat outside the bookcase, meowing loudly. Even still, Birdie took a couple minutes to push the bookcase open and crawl out. She laid on the floor, tears trailing down her face, her body not ready to stand up yet. She looked at Agrippa.
"We can't stay here," she said. "We have to go. I don't think I can do this. I don't think . . ."
Birdie remembered the breaking glass above her, the green spells barely missing her as she fled the Great Hall. She remembered being chased by two wolves until they decided to attack another fallen student. She remembered the screams and cries of so many lost lives. She didn't know what waited out there for her, but she knew she would have to pull herself together and prepare for it.
Standing up, Birdie grabbed her bag off the hatstand where it had collected a thick layer of dust. She shook it clean, making Agrippa sneeze three times in a row. Birdie shoved her medical kit of potions, bandages, and other magical medical supplies into her bag, then added a couple of her most valued books, a blanket, a shrunken lantern, a hoodie, and a necklace and kneazle figurine, heirlooms from her parents. She stuffed in another smaller lunch bag, and filled it with potatoes, tomatoes, radishes, a head of lettuce, two pack of sunflower seeds, and the other chocolate frog Lisa had brought her that she had been saving. She cast a refrigeration charm on the bag.
She then packed the vial of bleach, a few cloves of garlic, and four bottles of water that she filled. She hoped it would all be enough to last her until she found Sanctuary. If she could find it.
Now that she had everything she felt she would need for what could be a long trip, Birdie headed down to her common room. She stopped in front of the foyer and looked back at the common room.
The garden bloomed before her, and the blue and bronze themed upholstery added a rich charm to the room, along with the chiseled stone fireplace. The statue of Rowena Ravenclaw stood before her, smiling in her soft way. The sun was beginning to set outside, and a few rays shimmered through the window, and the room brightened. Birdie took a deep breath and smiled. This would probably be the last time she ever saw this room again, and she had so many fond memories here. She would miss it.
With Agrippa at her side, Birdie swallowed dryly, then tapped her wand on the bookcase. It slowly opened, and for the first time in six months, Birdie stepped foot out of Ravenclaw Tower.