~ The Diary of the Phoenix ~

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his magical world belong to his respective owners and creators.









Hermione smiled at Ron and Harry as she sat down at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. "Hi" She said warmly,

"Hs msfd if gsf?" Ron asked a mouth full of food.

"Pardon" Hermione said laughing and shaking her head and her red haired friend.

"I think he asked 'how'd it go?' but I'm not entirely sure" Harry said carefully looking for a sign from Ron that he was right, Ron nodded his head.

"Good I think, she's really nice" Hermione said with a smile

"So her and Sirius..." Harry said leaving space for Hermione to finish.

"She said it would probably fix itself in time so we'll just have to wait and see." She said and Harry nodded his eyes darting to the Professors table where Aliandra had just sat down.

"Ready for the game Harry?" Ron asked interrupting his thoughts,

"Yeah I am, it's just that dream keeps bugging me and my scar is driving me mad." Harry said, "Mind you, according to Skeeter my scar drove me mad a long time ago and I'm insane so it's probably nothing to worry about."

Ron snorted but Hermione looked at Harry seriously "Do you think that means trouble?" She asked trying to read Harry's features,

"I have no idea, it should be safe, though Dumbledore's away again which isn't a good sign" He said slowly, his eyes lacking the usual spark that only disappeared when he was worried,

"Well it could be worse, just so long as you catch the snitch before you know who blasts you into thousands of pieces. We are not going to lose to Slytherin because of you know who" Ron laughed obviously trying to lighten the subject.

"That's a horrible thing to say Ron!" Hermione cried glaring at him,

Harry on the other hand had joined in laughing. "Now there's a scenario, 'Hey Voldermort I'll duel you in a minute just let me catch the snitch so I can prove that Gryffindor is going to kick Slytherins ass no matter what!'" Harry cried.

Ron laughed harder, "You know, your attitude towards the fact that there's a psychotic wizard trying to kill you is so twisted, were you not my best friend I would say that I have to agree with Rita Skeeter when that killing curse hit you all those years ago, it messed with your head,"

"Either that or Voldermort is losing his touch" Harry laughed

"He must be if his worst enemy can burst out laughing at the thought of him postponing a very painful and powerful battle so that Gryffindor win a quidditch game," Ron laughed

"Your both being really immature about this. What if Voldermort was to appear at the Quidditch game!" Hermione cried, and while Ron started to laugh harder Harry looked at Hermione seriously,

"If Voldermort turns up at the Quidditch game, then I will face him, like I have before Hermione. And there's nothing much else that can be done about it, so laughing now is worth it" He said and Hermione looked at Harry sympathetically, "Hermione, laughter is the best way to cure fear, if I can be in the middle of a battle with Voldermort and laugh about something that Ron said earlier, I'm probably more likely to win" He said then smiled at Hermione.

"You ready for the game Harry" One of the younger quidditch players interrupted taking a seat next to him, a friendly grin on his face.

"As ready as I'll ever be" Harry replied taking a bite of his toast. That, of course, set them off talking about quidditch and the game that was to come. Hermione sighed and pretended to listen while thinking over her morning with Aliandra. 'I need a friend that's a girl' She decided eventually.

* * *

"Good Morning Aliandra" Minerva said as she sat down at the Professor's table. The blonde witch turned and smiled at the old transfiguration Professor.

"Morning, you haven't talked to Sirius this morning have you?" Aliandra asked carefully keeping the volume low, the last thing they all needed now was to have the ministry find out that she and Sirius were in contact with each other.

"Yes" She said in barely more than a whisper "We obviously have a problem. I've sent an owl to Albus, but I fear that he might receive it too late"

"I haven't heard the whole story, but by the look on your face I'm assuming that an attack is imminent?" Aliandra said quietly,

"That was the long and short of the nightmare, we are lacking in details though. Usually Mr Potter is much more precise, times and dates, but this time he knew nothing except they were coming to get him, and he was not happy about it" McGonagall said.

"Does Snape have any information?" Aliandra asked biting her lip

"No, he explained that he would not be told about an attack on Hogwarts for his own safety. Voldermort issued orders to him that should it ever happen he was to 'pretend' to fight on our side unless other orders were given. Voldermort needs Snape in Hogwarts," McGonagall explained

Ali nodded biting her lip, she looked over at Harry who was laughing with his friends and suddenly a fresh wave of pity washed over her. It wasn't fair. He should be having fun, not having to worry about Voldermort. She sighed "Are you going to cancel the Quidditch game?"

McGonagall looked up, "Do you think I should?!" She cried and some of the students looked over at the deputy headmaster and Aliandra. Their curiosity faded when the two didn't continue to talk and they turned away.

"Well, it does seem the most obvious time to attack, I think I better have a talk with my Husband" Aliandra said,

"Sirius will not want to cancel the game" McGonagall said with a knowing glance and a small smile.

"No, but he loves Harry and..."

"Harry will not want us to cancel the game" McGonagall said the same expression on her face.

Aliandra grinned, "You don't want to cancel the game, do you" she laughed shaking her head, "Its probably not worth it then, if you want the conflicting view. Voldermort will attack the school if the game is not occurring. And it would be easier to counter attacks in the air, rather in the many halls of Hogwarts."

McGonagall sighed, "Aliandra do you believe he will attack during the quidditch game? Because if so, I will cancel the event"

Aliandra went silent, "I honestly don't know" She said then she looked at her best friends son sadly. he was laughing with his friends and they were obviously talking about the quidditch game to come.

"Do you think he'll ever be free?" McGonagall whispered looking at Harry

Aliandra caught the boys gaze and he smiled at her, she smiled in return, "One day Minerva, I think we will all be, thanks to him"

* * *

"I'm telling you, Gryffindor is going to win" Remus said forcefully to Snape and Aliandra shook her head, they had only been in the stands for about five minutes and in those five minutes they seemed to have bickered more than her and James had in seven years. She was unfortunately placed between the two so most of the arguments she had been brought into and numerous times she had told them to shut up, they still hadn't.

"Slytherin"

"Gryffindor"

"Slytherin"

"Gryffindor"

"Slytherin"

"Gryffindor"

"THAT'S ENOUGH YOU TWO!" Aliandra shouted her patience finally spent. Remus and Snape had frozen in shock. "I refuse to put up with you two bickering until the end of the game, there are more important things to worry about at the moment," she said quietly, the two turned their backs to each other and Aliandra just smiled.

* * *

"You ready guys?" Harry asked, as the Gryffindor team stood looking out onto the field, he had an uneasy feeling about this game that while he tried he just couldn't shake.

"Ready when you are boss!" Mika the team's chaser said with a grin

Harry took a deep breath and nodded "all right lets go" He said grinning, uneasy feeling or not he loved quidditch games and if this was to be his last game ever, he was going to enjoy it. Not that he was going to go down without a fight. He made sure his wand was in reach for one last time then kicked off the ground.

There was suddenly a blur of scarlet as the team followed suit and the entire group flew up from the ground and around the field at stunning speeds, Harry in the lead.

* * *

Hermione and Ron watched anxiously from the stands. "I don't know what you guys are worried about, with Harry on the team, they can't lose!" Colin Creevy said from behind them but neither of them could shake the nagging feeling that was telling them that something was wrong.

"Something's not right" Hermione said quietly to Ron, an uneasy feeling had been bugging her about this game since Harry and her talk at breakfast. While she hadn't noticed it till Harry had left for the changing rooms, Harry had seemed more troubled than usual about the game.

"I know," Ron said in return looking around. He too had noticed his best friends unease but that wasn't bugging him as much as the looks on the Slytherin teams faces. They looked as though they were trying entirely too hard to conceal something. "Something's coming, and it will be here soon" He said to Hermione darkly.

Hermione's gaze had moved to the Slytherins, "Harry's noticed" She said suddenly as she saw Harry scanning the sky carefully, looking for something out of place.

"The games about to start!" Colin cried happily then he started taking photos of the team, Harry in particular. "Look, Harry's already trying to find the snitch, that's a bit weird don't you think, seeing it hasn't been released yet"

"He's not looking for the snitch" Neville said from behind them, "He's looking for whatever the Slytherins are waiting for"

Ron and Hermione turned around in a flash, they hadn't been the only ones who'd noticed, and suddenly they realised that many of the students were searching the sky, students from all the houses, in particular the older students from Slytherin. "I think the war that we've all been dreading, is about to begin" One of the older Gryffindor's said and he couldn't have been more right.

* * *

That uneasy feeling had not log ago turned to dread. He had been right, he should have said something to Sirius, or the Professors, he should have warned someone, he really was so selfish sometimes. It would be his fault if anyone was hurt today, his fault for not warning anyone. As Harry scanned the field for some sign of the snitch, he found himself dodging bludgers and even Slytherin players which seemed to have targeted him.

The Slytherin team had never played so dirty, which only strengthened Harry's fears, they were coming, the death eaters were coming.

"Malfoy! What is wrong with your team?!?!?!" Harry shouted as the Slytherin beater hit the bludger straight towards Harry's head, Harry dived fast to avoid it then sent a glare towards the beater who seemed extremely angry at the fact that he'd missed,

"I didn't order any of this Potter, they're trying to prove themselves, god knows what sort of prize they'll get if they get you once with a bludger!" Draco said to Harry as he flew up next to his rival seeker.

"Malfoy, what's coming" Harry said looking at Draco surprised, his blonde haired rival had obviously chosen a side in this war, and it was the side that he never would have imagined Draco to choose.

"Exactly what you think is coming Potter," He said then he dived to follow a streak of gold but was cut off by a bludger which had been heading towards Harry. "WATCH IT CRABBE" He roared angrily.

Harry had frozen at Malfoy's comment, the Death Eaters were coming, and they would obviously be here soon. "Merlin help us" Harry muttered as he decided that staying near Malfoy would at least keep him from being hit with a bludger. "If you don't mind, I think I'll just hang around you, this way there is less chance of bludgers rushing at my head" Harry said glaring at Crabbe and Goyle who were now the two beaters on the Slytherin team.

"Whatever you want Potter, but I doubt your any safer here than you are on the other side opposite side of the field" He said pointing to six of the Slytherin players which were flying towards them, extremely fast.

"Great" Harry muttered causing Malfoy to smile, "Right then, three, two..."

"One" Malfoy said and they both dove fast. The way it happened made it look more like they'd seen the snitch, thus making it look as though Malfoy was not helping Harry, as the other way would not be good for their status as enemies. Draco pulled out of the dive but Harry kept hurtling towards the ground, enjoying the rush that came with the stunt. He pulled up just before he hit the ground.

"No need to show off!" Draco shouted rolling his eyes at Harry,

"Enjoying life while I've got it" Harry said suddenly and Draco looked taken aback by the comment. Then suddenly Harry caught sight of the snitch and zoomed off in the direction of the Slytherin goals closely followed by Malfoy.

* * *

Aliandra wasn't happy, she was worried about what was occurring in front of her, something was coming and not much could be done about it. She had alerted all the staff but they'd all seemed to have realised the same thing and were already trying to get into positions which they could fight from without hurting the children.

The first years were already being moved out of the stands quietly. It was being done by simple spells that made the students think that they needed to get something from the school, second years would be next then third and forth. Hopefully some of the older students would help to fight, but if not they knew enough to make it back on their own.

She'd sent Trelawny to go and alert Dumbledore because the poor woman was falling to pieces and looked as though she was going to start screaming about it and a panicked situation was not what they needed, everything had to be done fast and quietly. She herself had sent an owl to the Ministry - they were going to need support. A handful of professors and students and three trained aurors was not going to be enough.

Snape stood next to her scanning the sky, "I wish we knew more" Aliandra said quietly, "Just knowing how they were going to arrive would be enough to get us one step ahead."

"I know" Snape muttered, "I wish there was more I could tell you," he said cringing as a bludger nearly slammed into Harry's side.

Aliandra had to admit that Harry was a spectacular flyer, better than her "brother" had ever been to say the least. He skillfully wove in and out dodging bludgers that seemed constantly aimed at him, and ducking under players that seemed to being trying to tackle him of his broom. It seemed amazing that he was still up there not touched.

"Where's Sirius" Aliandra said suddenly and Snape looked at her shocked.

"I don't know, last time I saw him he was with Flitwick, talking about the spells that would get the students out of the stands."

"We're going to need him" Aliandra said biting her lip then she made her way to the stairs that were located in-between the rows of seating she had made it down one stair when a death eater appeared behind Harry. "HARRY LOOK OUT" She screamed.

* * *

Harry have to turn to know that it was a good idea to dive, he hadn't seen the death eater but it wasn't worth leaving that second when he turned open for whoever was behind him to use a curse. He dove fast and extremely dangerously hoping that whatever the warning had been about would be caught of guard,

Harry had been right, the death eater that had just used a 'crucio' on Harry was shocked to see the curse hit the Slytherin beater that had been targeting Harry earlier.

Harry raised an eyebrow and Malfoy pulled up next to him, "I believe its called Karma," He said and Harry burst into hysterics, which he couldn't say he did very often when there were people trying to kill him, or kidnap him, or either actually.

"So feel like a game of chicken?" Draco said nodding at the two groups of death eaters that were approaching fast.

Harry looked at Draco, "So you've chosen for good then" he said

"You had better hope so" Malfoy said with a grin,

"Right then, I believe I'll take you up on the game of chicken then" Harry said grinning widely.

* * *

Aliandra had jumped, and using magic landed on the pitch. Sirius was by her side in a matter of seconds. "This is not going to be fun" Sirius said looking up, the teams were flying around, half continuing the game, half trying to dodge curses that seemed to follow Harry, who was pulling off a lot of fancy flying. Two death eaters dove at them and they both took out their wands.

"Sirius," Aliandra said looking at her husband "I, I,"

"I know" He said and she smiled, they exchanged a quick glance, before stunning the two death eaters that had targeted them and stole their brooms.

* * *

Harry wasn't entirely sure about how many death eaters he had tailing him, he wasn't sure that he was going to come out of this alive, actually there was a lot of things at that moment that he wasn't sure about. There were a few that he was sure of though. He was sure that Malfoy had been sincere and was now fighting as his allie rather than his enemy, he was sure that he wasn't going down without of fight, and he was entirely sure that the number of death eaters tailing Malfoy was the same as the number following him.

Though that didn't really surprise him, after all both boys had been flying around the field shouting insults at every death eater they past. Apparently Death Eaters don't like to be called fairies, nor do they like it when you tell them that they have more chance of being called heroes than they did catching him, nor do they like it when you call their mothers old hags. Who would have thought that all Death Eaters were all mummy's boys.

Another thing that Harry was certain of was that almost every one of Voldermort's Death Eaters were here, trying to get him, because the sky was full of the black cloaked menaces, and if this wasn't all the Death Eaters that Voldermort had in service, then the magical world was doomed.

Harry couldn't tell if anyone had fallen, but the stands which only a few minutes ago had been packed with students, teachers and an array of guests was emptying quickly, some taking to the skies others escaping the battle, running towards the old school for safety.

Harry was surprised to see how many students who had taken to the air, he was beginning to be sure that they were outnumbering the number of adults that had taken to the skies which in a way was comforting. Perhaps the future generations were going to be more willing to fight than those of the past.

Other students were hiding in the stands. The would jump up every now and then to bring down any Death Eaters that came near enough to them. There would be a lot of heroes at the end of this day. Harry grinned as Malfoy came into view. The other boy was heading directly towards him, fast.

* * *

Hermione was ducked low in the stands only standing up every now and then to cast stunning spells at unsuspecting death eaters that were flying overhead. Ron was beside her, refusing to leave her alone even though she knew that he really wanted to go and help Harry. She had never been more grateful for having such good friends,

"Woah" Ron said and Hermione peeked between the chairs in the direction that Ron was looking, and she gasped, Harry and Malfoy were heading, extremely fast, on a direct collision course.

"What are they doing!" She cried and was about to jump out of her position and scream at Harry but Ron grabbed her wrist forcing her to stay down.

"Just watch" Ron said. He himself was watching the scene carefully, but there was something in his eyes that told Hermione that he knew what was going on, and that Harry was going to be alright, regardless.

* * *

Harry and Malfoy concentrated as they sped towards each other. If there was one thing about this game it was that timing had to be perfect. Harry was slightly worried though, while he had played this game numerous times with Ron and his brothers, he had never played it with so many distractions, and he hated the fact that both had to veer slightly to avoid getting hit by the numerous spells that were coming from behind them.

The death eaters either were two stupid to realise that Harry and Malfoy were heading towards each other, or they were too caught up in trying to stun Harry and Draco that they just didn't notice. Harry decided that while it was probably a mixture of both, Voldermort really did have a group of idiots for followers.

Harry stared at Malfoy and started counting, "three, two..." he started then "one" they both veered in opposite directions hard leaving the Death Eaters who hadn't been expecting the move to collide straight into each other with a sickening crunch. The group fell through the sky and Harry actually felt sorry for them as they hit the ground.

Malfoy rolled his eyes, "And to think, my father wanted me to be one of those, idiots!" He cried disgusted,

"You'd think Voldermort could find someone that was a little, smarter?" Harry said staring at the death eaters that were sprawled out on the ground.

* * *

"What was that!" Hermione exclaimed looking horrified. She'd looked away the second that Harry and Malfoy were about to crash and then when she looked back all she saw was Harry and Malfoy next to each other watching the group of Death Eaters fall to the ground

"Its a game called chicken," Ron explained, "They fly directly towards each other till the last minute, then veer away in different directions. They pulled it off extremely well though, considering the circumstances"

"A game!! A GAME! THEY COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!" Hermione cried

"Thus why it was outlawed at Hogwarts, although I doubt they'll get in much trouble for using it on the death eaters...." Ron said shrugging

"If its outlawed, how did you know what it was?" Hermione asked carefully,

"Oh, Harry and I read about it. There a whole chapter about it in 'Quidditch through the Ages' and the story behind its outlaw at Hogwarts. It is still legal in professional matches, though they don't use it very often," Hermione was still looking at Ron accusingly after the explanation and Ron sighed.

"Alright, we've played it a few times with my brother's but Harry's a good flyer and most times it was Harry and Charlie that would be flying against each other... Well it turned out to be useful didn't it!" Ron exclaimed at the disproving glare he was receiving from Hermione.

* * *

"Where's Voldermort?" Harry shouted, Malfoy shrugged in reply as the death eater behind him slammed right into the stand.

"Hey, you know that murderous godfather of yours, he's kicking some serious death eater butt!" Malfoy shouted pointing at Sirius who had just magically thrown about ten death eaters into the ground. Harry grinned and used the same spell to bring down three death eaters that had been bothering him.

"Right, he obviously baby-sat you when you were a kid didn't he!" Malfoy said when he saw the death eaters hit the ground in the same fashion as the ones that Sirius had brought down. Then suddenly Malfoy's eyes widened "HARRY MOVE!"

Harry didn't get the chance to move, and suddenly darkness was all he could see.