The small party apparated just outside the ruined walls of the abandoned castles. Each was enveloped in a long black cloak, meant to blend in with shadows and the Death Eaters. No faces could be seen as they silently made their way around the fortress, glancing up at the solitary walls that remained intact despite the battle with time and weather. Moira motioned for the others to stop and knelt down where she was. The large square stone at her feet hid the entrance to the labyrinth below. In a low voice, she whispered the correct incantation, compliments of Oliverio Runyan, and the stone melted away, revealing a spiral staircase below. One by one, they disappeared from sight into the chasm below.
Rubeus Hagrid patrolled the outskirts of the school with Fang, his oversized mutt, by his side. He stopped, readjusting his heavy coat to cover his massive body, protecting it better from the cold and falling snow. Inside, the students were enjoying their last meal together before they would be placed on the train in the morning and sent home for holiday break. None of them were aware of the dangers the school would face while they were gone, but the professors, himself included, he thought proudly, would see to it the school was still here when they returned.
A low growl emanated from Fang's throat in the direction of the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid raised his lantern and peered into the dark shadows beyond. He never saw the spell that blasted him in the chest, knocking him unconscious in the snow. Nor did he see the tall balding man who sent green sparks into the sky, signaling the way was clear.
"There's no one here."
The ominous statement was made by Filius Flitwick. They had covered the entire first level, finding traces of no one.
"Runyan lied to you, Moira," Sirius said.
"Shh. Do you hear that?"
"What?"
"Pounding. It's coming from down that hallway."
Harry Potter looked up at the faculty table where Professor McGonagall and a handful of professors were sitting. McGonagall looked tense. She hadn't eaten a thing, Harry noticed. And there were four seats empty. Hagrid, he knew, was outside with Fang. He'd seen him through a window earlier. Snape's seat had been empty for a few days. Now Dumbledore and O'Shaughnessy were missing. Harry's head was pounding. Something was very wrong.
The boy stood up from his seat without saying a word to anyone. As Hermione and Ron watched, wondering what was wrong with their friend, Harry approached the table, stopping in front of McGonagall.
"Is something wrong, Mr. Potter?"
"I wanted to talk to Professor O'Shaughnessy," he answered, watching her carefully. "Do you know where she is?"
"The professor had to leave the school. An emergency. You may talk to her tomorrow."
"What about Professor Dumbledore?"
"Potter, I must insist-"
She never finished her sentence. Harry gripped his head. Pain shot from his forehead to his eyes, and seemed to run down his spine. The main doors to the Great Hall exploded from their hinges, shooting pieces of wood over the students. Several students cried out, while others pushed napkins against the gashes in their faces from the remnants of the door. A crowd in black cloaks entered the room, surrounding the tables, wands out.
Death Eaters!
Everyone seemed to realize at once who had just entered the hall. The screams were deafening. Students who tried to escape were stunned. McGonagall and the few teachers who were left were thrown back against the wall by invisible forces. The room was in chaos, all save Harry, who was glued to the floor where he stood, for he was staring into the one face that terrified him beyond anything.
Voldemort.
"Silence, my children."
The room grew silent almost instantly, save for a few whimpers or cries that were checked as soon as they fell.
"I see that we've interrupted your meal. Please, sit back down at your tables." The Death Eaters raised their wands threateningly. The students sat down stiffly, but no one touched their meals. Ron glanced up toward Harry, who remained planted where he was. He was frozen where he stood, seemingly lifeless, save for the wide green eyes, which remained locked on Voldemort, who was advancing slowly on him, speaking to the students as he did so.
"Where is dear Albus Dumbledore? Run away, I presume, leaving mere children under the watchful eye of a frail old woman. And who is this standing defiantly at the front of the room? The boy who would be a hero? Hello, Harry." He reached out, laying his long bony fingers on Harry's shoulder. White seared through the backs of his eyes. The only sound he could hear was the echoing of his own screams.
"It's coming from the second level," Moira called, abandoning any need to lower her voice. There was no one here to hear. No one but whoever was downstairs where Remus and Snape were being kept. She was running, taking the steps two at a time with Sirius directly behind her, and Albus and Filius no more than a step behind him. The pounding stopped by the time they reached the level. The only sound to be heard was the heavy breathing that had accompanied the run and the pounding of their hearts in their ears. They stepped quietly, alert for any renewal of the noise.
Sirius, the tallest in the group, opened each slatted hole in each door, peering into the shadows to find their friends. Another loud bang drew their attention to the door three down from where they stood. Another bang and the door shook violently, but the hinges held. Sirius opened the slat.
"It's Snape!"
Dumbledore directed his hand at the lock.
"Alohomora!"
The lock clicked and the old man tore the door open. Snape stared, shocked, at the four people standing in the corridor. The right side arm of his robes was torn up, revealing his bleeding shoulder and upper arm that he had repeatedly thrown against the door in an attempt to escape.
"What are you doing here?"
"What does it look like?" Moira answered. "Where's Remus?"
"You shouldn't be here," was all he said, still in shock. "The school-"
"Severus! Where's Remus?" she yelled back.
"At the school, damn it! They all are!"
"All?" Dumbledore asked.
"Everyone!" he shouted, racing past them and down the corridor. His rescuers followed. Everyone was at the school. Death Eaters. Remus. Voldemort.
"Since Dumbledore cannot be found, I will leave him my calling card. Harry, I'm sure you alone could deliver the message, but I think using all of you would have much more- impact, shall we say. So, until he returns, we are going to play a little game. I'm sure you are aware of the rules for Hide and Go Seek? You will all run and hide, and he who is it will hunt you down. And I've brought just the 'It' to really make this game interesting." One of the Death Eaters yanked on a heavy chain, which was gripped in a shiny silver hand, pulling another cloaked figure down to his knees on the ground. He caught himself with his hands before sitting up.
"Remove your hood," Voldemort demanded. The figure reached up. Collective breaths were held as the hand gripped the fabric covering his head and lowered it, revealing his identity. Somewhere at the Hufflepuff table, a lowly first year student let out a nervous laugh. It was understandable. The man was thin and pale. In his present state, he looked quite unable to harm any of them, but the older students knew differently. This was not the façade they feared, though those narrow amber eyes gazing menacingly at them did not help them relax in the least.
"Professor Lupin has learned a new trick since he was away, haven't you, my dear professor?" The same Death Eater who had held Lupin's chain stepped forward and removed the iron manacles from his wrists. He then removed a glass vial from his robes and, gripping Lupin's jaw with his silver hand, forced the liquid down his throat. Lupin coughed and sputtered, fighting weakly against the liquid, but the deed was soon done.
"I'm afraid it will take a moment until the big surprise, but until then, we have a few rules. First, no wands." On cue, wands were ripped from students' hands and robes by invisible hands and piled in the center of the room. "Second, everyone gets to play."
Harry instinctively glanced over at the Slytherin table, which was now empty. The students had been led out through a side door. His eyes were drawn back toward Lupin whose muscles had begun to tense. He was thrown forward onto the ground, his arms and body lengthening, hair thickening. The change took place much faster than Harry had expected. Or time had simply stood still. Whatever, he was now facing a full-fledged werewolf. The creature snarled and growled, stepping forward toward the nearby table of Ravenclaws.
"No, Remus. Stay." Voldemort commanded, holding his wand on the werewolf. Lupin remained where he was, though he seemed to be fighting against the physical force that held him, trying to reach the nearby children.
"Rule number three, nobody leaves the castle. Alive. I believe it is customary to count to ten? One…" The students remained frozen where they were. "Two…"
"RUN!" The cry had emitted from Hermione's throat when she had jumped on top of the table. "To the Towers! Barricade the doors!"
"Three…"
En masse, the students leapt to their feet and streamed out the doors toward their towers. They each only had one entrance. It would be easiest to defend that single entrance with an entire house than to split up throughout the school.
"Four…"
The students raced through the hallways, splitting off at the staircase and heading to the towers. The House ghosts were pushing them on, keeping an eye behind for the pursuing creature.
"FIVE!" The voice echoed through the hallways as the students took the stairs two at a time. Younger students were gripped by the hand and pulled. The smaller ones were lifted and carried on the backs of the larger students. It was a race for their lives.
"SIX!"
A stairwell began to move before the entire Gryffindor House had left the last step. Ron and Seamus were forced to jump to the landing before the staircase moved to far. Ron's long legs propelled him easily to the landing. Seamus caught it with his foot and slipped backwards, before Fred gripped his robe and pulled him forwards.
"Thanks," Seamus breathed, looking down at the drop that had nearly claimed him.
"SEVEN!"
"Keep running!" Fred yelled, pulling him with him.
"TEN!"
"He skipped!" cried Lavender.
"Keep moving!" Angelina told her, shoving her forward as an inhuman cry filled the air. It was a howl and it seemed to fill the entire castle.
Dennis Creevly tripped on his robe within sight of the already open portrait. Tears streamed his face as Harry gripped his hand and pulled him forward.
"Come on, Dennis! We're almost there!" He turned at the sound of paws thumping hard against the stone floors. Lupin was bounding quickly toward them. Dennis was frozen were he lay, his eyes also on the werewolf quickly closing the distance between them. "Come on!" Harry yelled, pulling the boy to his feet and pushing him the last few yards to the portal. They were barely inside when the portrait snapped closed behind. Harry and Dennis had tumbled in a pile on the floor. Shrieks of the fat lady echoed through the tower as Lupin attacked the portrait that separated him from the fresh meat beyond.
"Did everyone make it?" Hermione asked, standing on tiptoe and looking around her. Students were huddled together, holding each other, crying.
"That's everyone," announced a prefect, finishing her count.
"Does anyone have a wand in here? Anything we can use? I don't think this door's going to hold him for very long."
Everyone jumped at the crack of splintering wood. The door was thick, but Harry was right. It would hold him for very long.