Chapter 29 – Battle Cry
Harry just stood there clutching his forehead, oblivious to the world around him. He hadn't noticed that Olivia's presence had left when she stalked out of the hall with Constanza behind her. He hadn't seen Professor Lupin slip out the side door after the girls with Professor Fireoza and 'Snuffles' on his heals. In fact the only thing Harry could see was blackness. Only Ron and Dumbledore noticed that Harry was in pain but only Dumbledore knew why.
The song that had become an annoying hum to Harry ended and another one took its place. When that song ended Dumbledore rose and silence fell.
"I am delighted to see you all enjoying yourselves but alas all good things must come to an end and this is ours."
A collective groan came from the students sporadically placed in the hall.
"Yes I know but there is no changing my decision. Prefects will be receiving a list of names for their house and will take roll. Anyone not in his or her proper dormitories will be dealt with accordingly. Heads of Houses will visit each house common room to pick up the lists once the hall is cleared of all students. Goodnight."
Dumbledore sat back down to observe the departing of the student body. He was not surprised however when he noticed Harry, Ron and Hermione headed his way.
"Professor?"
"Yes Harry what can I do for you?"
"My scar…it's burning." Harry lamely explained
"So I noticed, but no need to worry Harry I believe that Voldemort is only feeling quite vindictive not anywhere near here."
"But Professor last time it hurt this bad he was near me."
"That may be so Harry but if he's here I believe that this one time he may not be here because of you. Now hurry along all three of you, you need to take roll and be in your common room."
Harry, Hermione and Ron obeyed the headmaster and headed straight for the Gryffindor common room. All three of them had the same thoughts running through their heads 'If Voldemort's not here for Harry then who's he here for?'
* * *
Eve didn't stop running until she reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest by Hagrid's hut. Eve stopped so suddenly that it took all the balance that Elizabeth had not to run smack into to her.
"Why'd you stop?"
"I need to alert you of a few things first." Eve replied
"Ok?"
"Look Elizabeth you've only been exposed to the Wizarding world for close to five months and you've only discovered your powers two weeks ago. To Voldemort your weak and easy bait. You mustn't listen to anything he tells you. There's things about us that you don't know yet…vital things and he'll use that to his advantage."
"Well can't you just tell me really quick right now?" Elizabeth questioned
"No it'll take to long…the most important thing for you to remember though is that we can't be physically connected…at all! It's true that they closer together we are the stronger our powers are but if we are physically connected we can be defeated and then everything would be wasted. So whatever you do don't touch me…got it?"
"Yea Eve I've got it I'm not a two year old ya know."
"Sorry."
The girls were about to head off again when they heard the noise of someone approaching them. They quickly hid behind a thick tree trunk until they saw who the approaching person was.
"Papí what are you doing here?" Eve exclaimed
"I think the correct question would be what are you two doing out here?" Remus countered.
"Dad we need to do this." Elizabeth pushed.
"And what exactly is it that you need to do?"
"Push Voldemort back."
"Evelyn Ivy Lupin don't you dare tell me that you plan on leading yourself and your sister into the jaws of death when neither one of you are ready to face him, especially not you Elizabeth you've just discovered it all you can't possibly do anything except get yourselves killed." Remus objected in a rage
"Papí…calm down. We need to do this and we won't die I can feel it we'll be fine." Eve calmly responded
"Yes well you may feel calm but how does your wolf feel cause mine's sensing danger and death miles away."
"Your wolf senses are clouded by the protection that you have for us…you need to go they're coming."
"I'm not going anywhere unless the two of you are coming with me!"
"Well then I'm deeply sorry for this Papí."
Eve swiftly lifted her wand up and pointed it at her father freezing him in place. Then with another flick of her wrist Remus disappeared from sight. The two sisters turned to face each other's mournful faces. They indeed did sense the death and danger but it needed to be faced and somewhere in the back of their minds they knew it would eventually all work out.
* * *
Albus Dumbledore entered his office with a heavy heart. He knew that Voldemort was approaching Hogwarts with the intention of attacking it and recruiting the twins but he also knew that the twins were headed out to temporarily stop him. He was just sitting down when his door burst open allowing Professor Fireoza and Sirius to enter both looking quite upset. He was about to speak when suddenly a frozen Remus Lupin appeared in his office as well.
* * *
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were glad to note at the end of their search to see that everyone on their individual lists was there. Once everyone was accounted for they found a fairly open corner to escape to.
"Where's Olivia?" Harry asked looking around the common room
"I dunno she wasn't on my list." Ron answered.
Both boys turned their wandering stares to Hermione who could only shrug and don a worried expression.
" 'Mione?" Harry asked
"She wasn't on my list either Harry and I haven't seen her since we left the dance."
Just then Professor McGonagall entered the common room looking as grave as they'd ever seen her.
"When I call your name you will say here and then you will proceed up to your dormitory."
The common room looked around in confusion not realizing the amount of danger that surrounded them all. McGonagall began to read off the list of names and slowly the common room began to empty until it was just Harry, Ron, and Hermione left.
"Good you three will stay up in here and keep an eye out on the others to make sure that they stay the tower. That mean you three can't go off either." McGonagall lectured before turning towards the portrait hole.
"Wait Professor McGonagall!" Harry practically shouted after her.
"Yes Mr. Potter?"
"Olivia…you never called her name and we haven't seen her since we left the dance." Harry explained
"She is not on my list Mr. Potter which means that she is not supposed to be here but you need not worry she's exactly where she needs to be right now."
With that Professor McGonagall left the common room and the three prefects were left slightly confused.
* * *
Professor Snape read the last name off his list and once satisfied that everyone was there was about to leave when Draco Malfoy stopped him.
"Professor if you hadn't noticed Constanza's not here." Draco bragged
"I noticed that Draco."
"Well where is she?" Draco demanded
"Where she is supposed to be now I suggest that you head to your dormitory before I'm forced to take points from my own house."
* * *
Eve and Elizabeth crept through the forest following the increasing cold. They really had no idea what they would meet or what they were exactly to do but pushed aside their feelings of unease assured that their instincts would take over when need be. As they closed in on the core of the coldness Eve stopped their trek.
"What'd you stop for?" Elizabeth whispered
"Don't talk out loud they may or may not know that we're coming and if they don't know then we have the element of surprise on our side and I'd rather not ruin any edge that we might have." Eve explained
"Oh…sorry."
"Anyway I stopped because I believe there might be Dementors ahead and I was trying to think of another way to push them back without a patronus but I don't think that there is another way".
"Not that I know of."
"Oh well let's go the sooner we get this over the better."
Eve began to move onward with Elizabeth covering her back. As they approached the clearing where the coldness was coming from Eve's suspicions were confirmed there milling around were at least thirty Dementors. Among the Dementors were Death Eaters and in the very center was the dark lord himself.
"Ah just in time girls please join our little party." Voldemort said with his back to the girls.
"I should have known he knew we were coming." Eve cursed to herself
"Hey you could dream couldn't you?" Elizabeth commented
"True."
"It is not nice to keep the host waiting for his guests." Voldemort declared in a less jovial voice. "So I suggest that you not keep me waiting much longer."
"Whatever you do remember to keep away from me." Eve instructed as she stood up straight and walked right into the center of the clearing.
"Ahh…so we meet again I see but wait where is the other?"
"What other?" Eve decided to try and get Elizabeth out of this if she could.
"Do not lie to me foolish girl I know that your twin is just outside of the clearing and I suggest that she join you before I'm forced to do something…deadly." Voldemort threatened.
Eve was about to warn Elizabeth to stay out of the clearing at any cost but was too late as she saw her sister and best friend emerge from the clutter of trees with her head held high. Elizabeth walked right up to Eve and stood next to her with at least a foot in-between the two.
"Good now that both of you are here we can get started."
* * *
Sirius rushed over to Remus and quickly unfroze him but the fear that was I his eyes did not leave.
"Rem…what happened?" Sirius asked concerned for his friend
"The girls…they…they went to…fight him…" Remus trailed off looking like a lost child not sure of where their parents are or where to find them.
"What do you mean by 'went to fight him'?" Megan asked
"I…I tried to stop them…but they wouldn't listen…said it would be alright…" With that Remus' shoulders began to shake as the impact of the whole situation hit him. His family, the one he had just put back together was about to fall apart again.
* * *
"Now I'll ask you this once and only once will you join me and become the most powerful witches in the world. Have your names go down in history for all that you have accomplished?"
"No! I'd rather go down in history as a nobody rather then join you. Besides you're nothing but a pushover anyway."
"I'm afraid that you've just sealed your own death…too bad you would have been a good asset to my reign but never mind maybe your sister will be more accepting of my generous offer."
"I doubt it."
"We shall see."
Voldemort turned from Eve who was tied to a tree and glided across the moss forest floor to the other end of the clearing where Elizabeth was tied to a tree. Eve was worried about her sister. Elizabeth had never dealt with the dark lord before and she wasn't sure how strong Elizabeth's reserve was. She just hoped that her sister would choose the right side.
Eve sat there tied to the tree struggling to hear what Voldemort was telling and asking Elizabeth. But it was all to no avail for she could not hear a thing except for the shuffling of feet from the roaming death eaters. One death eater in particular caught her eye as he walked past. She noticed a silver hand that protruded from the death eaters robes and whished that she could get lose and capture the bastard that imprisoned her godfather, but she decided that her sisters situation was a little more important at the moment.
* * *
"Join me and you can have more power then you've ever dreamed of. I have a cure that can get rid of that monthly nuisance of being a half wolf. I can also give you everything that you've ever wanted. Just join me and everything you've ever dreamed of will be yours."
"Nah…I like my life that way it is now thanks!"
"Foolish girl you have no idea what you're giving up!"
"I don't really care. You should really do some research on your desired people before you try to coax them to your side. If you did you'd know that I never give into having my fantasy's fulfilled because you can't give me what I want and besides I already have what I want so what more can you do for me."
"You'll pay for this you insolent girl!" Voldemort yelled in a rage heading across the clearing to where Eve was patiently waiting tied to her tree.
"I don't know what you did or said to her but you'll both pay for your ignorance now. No more playing let's duel!"
With that both girls were released from their bonds and pulled to the center of the clearing. Eve went to stand in front of Elizabeth to signal her going first in the duel but nothing ever goes as you want.
"No she'll go first so that you can suffer before you die." Voldemort commanded as Elizabeth was forced to pass Eve and stand in front of Voldemort. They tipped their heads to each other and then walked three steps before turning to start the duel. If Voldemort was expect an easy victory Elizabeth quickly shattered that dream. Elizabeth was quick and temporarily blinded Voldemort while she cast an invisible spell over herself. Once Voldemort had regained his vision he looked around the clearing before a smirk crossed his deformed face.
" I must commend you on your efforts however they are futile. I can see you ever when you are invisible to everyone else. So now that you've had your fun I shall kill you now."
With that Voldemort lifted his wand and shot the curse near where Eve was standing. Immediately Elizabeth appeared but she wasn't dead, just visible.
"AGH….not again! Fine you go first!" Voldemort directed in his rage of not being able to kill Elizabeth.
"Sure you can try to kill me but remember the last time we met?" Eve taunted.
"I am more powerful now and you will die!"
"Ok…go ahead."
"Eve no!" Elizabeth shouted before running in front of her sister in an attempt to save her.
Eve saw this and tried to move out of the way but Elizabeth still caught her arm as she jumped in front of her. At the same time Voldemort shot the curse at the girls. In a flash the clearing filled with a bright orange glow and then just as quickly as it came it disappeared. When they light was gone Voldemort looked for the bodies of the girls but before he could get a good look a green light surrounded him and he vanished from the clearing.
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That's it, it's the end. The only thing left is the epilogue. I hope that you've all enjoyed the story so far. I'm pretty sure at this point that I will be writing a sequel to this but it won't be out for quite awhile. I'll be sure to keep anyone who wants to be posted on it if they e-mail me. Well …….ENJOY!
~Autumn