Pricking Acille's Heel

            There was a loud whoop and several rogue Filibusters zoomed impulsively through the corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

            "What's gotten into you?" yelled Argus Filch, showing up from nowhere with a bucket and mop. As he surveyed the trail of smoke and rubble, his frown only became deeper. "You hooligan."

            The perpetrator could only smile weakly.

            "Remus Lupin," said Filch, plunging his mop into the bucket, " this is your four thousand, seven hundred, and twenty-third offense! I've about had enough!"

            Seconds later, Hagrid and McGonagall came running over.

            "Cripes," muttered Hagrid, glancing at the broken chandeliers, "I thought we weh under attack or somemat."

            "What's going on?" squeaked Flitwick, from the top of the stairs.

            Minerva suddenly grinned, as she spotted a black squirrel perching jauntily on the statue of Balinda the Bald.

            "Congratulations," she called, much to the others' bewilderment. Then, "Clean up your mess, Sirius."

            Minerva realized she hadn't been so excited for a very long time. She couldn't wait to tell Albus about Sirius' accomplishment. Suddenly, she remembered his letter from yesterday and fished the envelope out of her pocket.

Dear friends,

            Finally, Cornelius is confronting the reality of Voldemort's return. I am happy to announce that on the first of July, he will personally be giving a speech in front of Gringotts. I will be at his side in support. 

                                                                                    Cheerfully yours,

                                                                                    Albus Dumbledore

            Tomorrow is July the first.

*          *            *

            Bleary-eyed, Wallace Whitman stared blankly at the small mirror. He'd seen the same footage so many times he could still see it in his mind if he closed his eyes long enough. Along with Arabella, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Mad-Eye Moody, and his friend Mundungus Fletcher, he'd spent the whole night analyzing Ollivander's Monitor, but they still hadn't discovered any information of value.

            "How about your kids?" asked Arabella, slightly concerned that the Weasley kids were left alone at the Burrow. "Is Percy looking after them?"

            "Percy's at a conference in Sweden. We've left Ginny in charge."

            "You didn't think we'd leave the twins to wreck the house in our absence?" added Molly, shaking her head disapprovingly but grinning anyways.

            Mundungus Fletcher stood up, stretching his long limbs. "It is already seven in the morning. If we are to catch the Minister's address, we'd better hurry." He looked at Wallace, whose eyes were red from lack of sleep. "You'd better get home and spruce up, son."

            Wallace rolled his eyes and tried to smooth down his unkempt hair. It was charged with electricity and it stuck out like bristles. Giving up, he left, planning to come back in time for Fudge's speech.

            Arabella was surprised at the amount of people who showed up. Wizards without a place to stand crowded on the rooftops. She was jabbed by stray elbows; her toes trampled by unknown feet. A large man clothed in black smacked into her, but before she could yell at him or place a minor curse on him, he was lost in the swarm of black, gray, brown, green, violet, blue, yellow, orange, and red-robed witches and wizards.

            Finally, emerging from within Gringotts, the Minister appeared, wearing his pinstriped suit. He shot a jet of sparks from his wand as the crowd quieted.

            Being well informed, Arabella was quite aware of the news Fudge had to deliver. However, his message stunned the crowd; although they did not turn to whisper fearfully (there was a deathly silence), she could feel everyone squirming nervously.

            Fudge could feel the tension too. Dumbledore nodded encouragingly at the Minister.

            "It is imperative," he began again, his voice steady, "that we—"

            There was a soundless gasp from the crowd as men in black robes came streaming out of Gringotts, easily surrounding the Minister. Another ring of men faced the crowd, their wands raised.

            As the crowd stepped backwards, Moody stepped forwards in challenge. He barely had time to say a word when pandemonium broke loose.

            At the same time, Wallace Whitman showed up, his short brown hair neatly combed and slicked, and his face pink from scrubbing. His eyes widened, he broke into a sweat that ruined the purpose of his bath, and he saw Mundungus motioning at him. As screaming wizards ran past him, he simply stood there absorbing the scene.

            It took him three and half seconds to realize what to do. In another three seconds, he had escaped to Hogwarts.

*          *            *

            "No! No, it eren't possible."

            "The Death Eaters have taken Diagon Alley and the Ministry."

            "That's absurd!"

            "Cornelius Fudge is dead."

            "What about the others? What about Dumbledore?"

            "They can't take him! He's our leader. Without him, we're lost."

            "Don't say that. That's not true."

            "I told it would come to happen, remember? And you didn't believe me."

            No one paid Trelawney any heed. After Wallace's sudden arrival, the entire Hogwarts community had met in an empty classroom, where they learned of the recent turn of events. Even Filch and the house elves were there.

            "What's going to happen?" whispered Wallace. Remus remembered that this young man had never experienced the Dark days.

            "We're going to get Dumbledore back," said Sirius, although he could barely believe that the greatest wizard in the world was really captured and gone.

            Behind his bushy eyebrows, Hagrid was crying. Madame Maxime put a large arm around his shoulder. "I kept hoping it wouldn't happen. Not back to the Dark Days."

            "I didn't think anyone could overpower Dumbledore." said Flitwick, emptily.

            "Everything will turn out fine in the end," said Professor Trelawney, as if she wanted to reassure herself, that if she said it enough times, it would come true.

            "Not always," said Remus slowly, feeling overwhelmed with despair. He turned to Professor McGonagall for reassurance but she looked as uncertain of the future as he felt. That made him more afraid.

            "What happened to Molly and Arthur and Arabella?"

            "They were arrested for resisting the Death Eaters. I think they'll be interrogated and tortured," Wallace whispered. He still hadn't found his voice.

            Minerva suddenly stood up and made for the door.

            "Where are you going?" yelled Sirius, so loudly that everyone started.

            Her voice was neither loud nor soft, but urgent. "I'm going to the Burrow."

            "Then I'm coming too."

*          *            *

            Ron looked outside the window from between the blinds, breathing fast and glancing desperately at his siblings.

            Fred muttered an expletive. "They've got Dementors around the house."

            "We can't possibly fight them all."

            "Don't be silly," said Ginny. "We can escape by Floo."

            They found (after Ron burned himself) that somehow, their fireplace had been disconnected from the Floo Network.

            "Now what?" cried Ron, his voice cracking, as Fred quickly placed a Cooling Spell on his brother's fingertips.

            "Do curses even affect Dementors?" said George, almost shouting, but not even realizing it.

            The entire house shook as the front door fell down with a crash. A sickening cold washed over them. Ron gripped his wand with frozen fingers.

            "We'll take them at the stairs," Fred muttered, barely audible.

            "Incendio!" The cloaks of two Dementors burst into flames.

            Ginny used the Jelly Legs curse to prevent them from mounting the stairs.

            Still, the Dementors kept flooding into the house and they were now submerged in waves of cold.

            Biting his lip, George saw Ron fall, then Ginny. The Dementors were climbing the stairs.

            "You still there, Fred?"

            "Yeah," said Fred, gripping the banister tightly. "Yeah."

            "This is it."

            "The last stand of the Weasley twins."

            "It's a pity about the joke shop."

            "Wonder what the Dementor's will be like…."

            "After they suck out our mischievous souls."

            "Except they don't deserve our creativity."

            "You know…"

            "We really ought to give them…"

            "One last trick."

            One tall Dementor loomed over them. There was a loud bang and the sound of footsteps.

            The twins placed a powerful Cheering Charm on the Dementor. Confused, it sat down complacently at the top of the stairs, preventing the other Dementors from reaching the Weasleys. The sickening chill lessened.

            "That takes care of that!"

            "Only twenty-four more Dementors…"

            "Who need to be enlightened."

            "Maybe they'll stop wearing black all the…oh hello!"

            "It's about time…"

            "You showed up." George said, as he placed a fifth Cheering Charm on a particularly gloomy Dementor.

            "Expecto Patronus!" cried two voices, and as the Dementors fell back, George and Fred, carrying Ron and Ginny, rushed down the stairs to see Sirius Black and Professor McGonagall, covering each other back to back.

            "Are they alright?" cried Minerva, glancing at a pale Ginny. "Are you alright?"

            "Ron ought to be coming round soon enough," grunted George, dumping his brother into Sirius' arms. "He's too heavy to be carried."

            "Minerva," said Sirius, "you take care of the Death Eaters outside. We'll escape through the back."

            They scrabbled down the hill as fast as they could. Fred nearly tripped and tumbled down the hill, with Ginny still in his arms. When they reached the empty field, Sirius surveyed the skies. "Where are you?"

            They're coming!" yelled Fred, pointing to the approaching black specks that were the Death Eaters.

            "Where are you?" muttered Sirius impatiently, as George gripped his wand tighter.

            And then he saw it. A giant blue carriage—Madame Maxime's carriage—landed in the middle of the field. The door opened and they dashed in.

            "That was close," breathed Fred, wiping sweat from his forehead.

            They flew past the Burrow. The Death Eaters had set fire to the house. George tried to choke back a cry.

            "Where is ze Professeur?" asked Madame Maxime. "Is she okay?"

            "Minerva can take care of herself," Sirius grunted.

            He was right. When they reached Hogwarts, they found her greeting them at the front door. She instantly led them to Madame Pomfrey's. 

Despite protests from Ron and Ginny, Poppy insisted on giving the two Weasleys a thorough examination.

Meanwhile, Minerva went to visit Professor Snape, who had been given a private quarter in the back. She noticed a stack of letters in front of his cot. Every single one bore the Malfoy seal.

            "My mark is burning," said Severus painfully. He couldn't believe he was telling her, even if she did seem genuinely concerned. "He won't leave me alone. I have to go."

            "You can't even walk. Don't be absurd."

            "I have to go." Severus repeated. "I don't have a choice. I wish Dumbledore was here…"

            When he stopped abruptly, Minerva realized he was silently asking her a question. What should I do? What can I do?

            As the clock struck twelve, another black owl flew into the Infirmary. It had another letter in his beak.

            Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, then shut it. She didn't know the answer to his question.