The fleeing students started to slide, one at a time, down the opening
behind the one-eyed witch. Two of the larger students were placed at the
bottom to help the students regain their footing. Lisa and Sally Ann
started the march slowly, using "Lumos" to light the tunnel with narrow
beams from their wands. Other students followed suit. After Millicent
disappeared, Minerva grabbed Dennis. As a last minute precaution, she told
him how to regain access to the castle in case the tunnel was blocked. She
whispered hurried tidings of good luck before closing the entrance after
him. Once he and Millicent were at the bottom, they checked for stragglers
before following the beams of light in front of them.
* ** *** **** *** ** *
"Professor Dumbledore, there are just over seventy-five students who volunteered to stay. They are in the Great Hall, getting last minute advice on hexes and curses from Hermione," Harry reported.
Dumbledore nodded grimly. Harry looked at him as if he had never seen him before. He looked so... different. He was reminded of that day in his fourth year, after the Triwizard Tournament when he looked so frightening, so full of power. Everything about Dumbledore seemed to be more powerful. The twinkle in his eye had changed and was now more like a flame. Looking at him, Harry realized that they really did have a chance to win the battle with Dumbledore fighting with them. Minerva and the other Heads of Houses came back to the staff room.
"They are gone. Do you think we waited too long, Albus?" she asked.
"We will see, Minerva. Now, to prepare to meet our enemy." Dumbledore strode confidently toward the door. "Harry, have the students meet us in the entrance hall."
"Yes, sir," Harry mumbled before running off to do as he had been told. Once in the Great Hall, he shouted to the others. "We will meet the others in the Entrance Hall and receive instructions on what we will be expected to do. Come now!"
* ** *** **** *** ** *
The citizens of Hogsmeade barely had warning of what was about to happen. There was a great noise as the Death Eaters arrived. Some citizens stepped outside to see what the commotion was. Madam Rosmerta from the Three Broomsticks stepped outside and was the first to fall. The Death Eaters had not wasted any time in casting the Killing Curse on her. There was a great cheer as the others watched the first victim fall. Suddenly the air was full of chants of "Crucio!" and "Avada Kedavra!"
There were great flames leaping from the rooftops of some buildings already as the Death Eaters began leveling the town. The Three Broomsticks, Dervish and Banges, Gladrags and the Post Office went down quickly. Zonko's Joke Shop seemed to explode when the fireworks and other explosive gadgets in the store caught fire. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes went up right after Zonko's. Fred and George Weasley had, luckily, joined Bill, Charlie, Ron, Ginny, Arthur, and Molly at Hogwarts shortly before the attack started.
* ** *** **** *** ** *
Lisa and Sally Ann had just about reached the cellar door of Honeydukes when they heard a great noise above them. They listened closer and heard the sounds of Zonko's and Weasley's Wizard Wheezes exploding nearby. They then heard a long, low, whistle coming from the north before they heard a great metallic explosion. "The Hogwarts Express," Lisa thought aloud. "Hogsmeade is already under attack," she told Sally Ann.
"What do we do?" Sally Ann asked her. Dennis came running up to the front of the group.
"What's wrong?" he asked. He was answered by a voice above them calling "Crucio" and another answering in screams of pain. "Come on, we have to go back," he said immediately. He turned around and ran back to the end, all the while telling people to follow him back. The group took off at a run behind Dennis, Lisa and Sally Ann now bringing up the rear, helping some of the slower students along.
* ** *** **** *** ** *
"The Death Eaters are in Hogsmeade," Professor Trelawney said as she descended from her tower.
"Did your crystal ball inform you of this, Sybill?" Minerva asked sarcastically.
"No, I saw the Dark Mark floating over a large fire coming from the south," she said airily, enjoying the sight of Minerva eating her words.
Harry entered the room, followed by the other student volunteers. Dumbledore arrived from the direction of the kitchens when Dennis Creevey and a few of the faster students came to a sudden stop. "Sir... the tunnel... it was blocked by... Death Eaters.... We couldn't... escape.... Everything was exploding... the Hogwarts Express too..." he informed between gasping breaths.
"Calm down, Mr. Creevey. You did the right thing by coming back. Where are the other three House leaders?" Dumbledore asked.
"We're here, sir," Lisa said as she jogged up to the others with Millicent and Sally Ann.
"I want you each to lead your houses back to your common rooms. Hopefully you will be safest there, behind your passwords. Nobody is to leave the common room except in dire emergency so that the location of the rooms is not divulged in case we are overrun."
"Yes, sir," the four students replied. Dennis led the Gryffindors back to Gryffindor Tower, behind the Fat Lady who was asked politely to hide in another picture so that she wouldn't be hurt for not allowing access. Sir Cadogan vowed that he would protect the Fat Lady; he had been her stand-in when she was attacked by Sirius Black. Millicent led the Slytherins back to the dungeons, Sally Ann led the Hufflepuffs down the hallway toward the kitchens to Hufflepuff's common room, and Lisa led the Ravenclaws away.
A few more students decided that since they were stuck in the castle, they may as well fight, and joined the group standing behind Harry and Hermione.
* ** *** **** *** ** *
"My Lord, the beasts have arrived," MacNair said as he bowed low to Voldemort.
"Tell me."
MacNair listed the creatures of the Dark that he had found for the battle. Among them were enough Bicorn- creatures like Unicorn that ate human flesh- for the Death Eaters to ride into battle, Boggarts, Dragons, Goblins, Trolls, Vampires, Werewolves and the Giants. The Chimaera- a vicious, bloodthirsty creature with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a dragon- the Nundu- a leopard that breathed disease and death, and the Manticore- a creature with the head of a man, the body of a lion, and a scorpion's tail- had also joined the fight, anxious for battle.
"Very good. Ensure that the Banshee stay back and are silenced until we require their services. We wouldn't want all of our Death Eaters to meet their end at such an inopportune time."
"Of course, My Lord."
The Death Eaters and Voldemort himself mounted the Bicorn. One unfortunate Death Eater made the mistake of approaching his Bicorn from the wrong angle and was speared with the two horns protruding from the Bicorn's forehead before it made a feast of his body.
Voldemort gave the signal and the Death Eaters gave a loud cheer, the Bicorn rising on their hind legs, before riding forward toward the castle. The Death Eaters were flanked by the dementors to the east, and the dragons, flying over the lake to the west, with the vampires and werewolves in front. The Chimaera raced along the banks of the lake to the west while the trolls and giants strolled along the edge of the Forbidden Forest to the east.
* ** *** **** *** ** *
Dumbledore stepped out of the great oak doors and McGonagall followed. Harry and Hermione were the next to step outside, but soon their entire party had followed until everyone that was to do battle was standing just outside the castle. There were several gasps and even more cries of horror as students and adults alike looked at the scene before them.
The dragons flying over the lake were breathing fire, and the reflection made it seem that the water itself were burning. The giants were slowly walking along, but were advancing faster than the creatures at the center. As the Dark Army neared, Harry realized that the Death Eaters were riding Bicorn, but were preceded by the werewolves and vampires. His heart chilled when he saw the creatures coming up just behind the giants.
"Dementors," he muttered.
Dumbledore heard him and looked for the dementors. "We will have to pacify them first or they will run amok on the battlefield." He thought a moment, then decided. "Minerva, an enclosure, please," he said, turning to her.
Minerva glanced at the dementors and focused on the trees at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. She transfigured that part of the forest into a large pen.
"Thank you, Minerva. Now, both you and Harry, how are your Patronus?"
Harry, Minerva, and Albus lifted their wands. "Expecto Patronum!" Harry's stag leaped forward, followed by Minerva's phoenix and Albus' lion. The lion roared at the dementors as the stag prodded them toward the enclosure. The phoenix flew overhead, confusing the dementors and helping to herd them into the pen. The phoenix then disappeared as Minerva finished the pen to completely enclose the dementors inside. Harry and Albus allowed their Patronus to disappear as they turned to face the rest of the army.
The figure of a thin man on a Bicorn lifted his pale hand and the whole army seemed to stop on a dime. The hand reached up to the hood and pulled it back, revealing the skull-white head and red eyes of Lord Voldemort to Dumbledore, McGonagall, and the rest. He seemed to grin before pointing at the castle to initiate the attack.
* ** *** **** *** ** *
A/N: Anybody get the joke with the patronus? It was Isis Malfoy's idea, to have Minerva's be a phoenix and Albus' be a large cat. Well, the battle is beginning... a lot sooner than I thought it would... and poor Madam Rosmerta... The next chapter's going to be pretty action packed and I'm getting kinda tired, so I'll save it for tomorrow... let my fingers rest up a bit... he he... Review!!
* ** *** **** *** ** *
"Professor Dumbledore, there are just over seventy-five students who volunteered to stay. They are in the Great Hall, getting last minute advice on hexes and curses from Hermione," Harry reported.
Dumbledore nodded grimly. Harry looked at him as if he had never seen him before. He looked so... different. He was reminded of that day in his fourth year, after the Triwizard Tournament when he looked so frightening, so full of power. Everything about Dumbledore seemed to be more powerful. The twinkle in his eye had changed and was now more like a flame. Looking at him, Harry realized that they really did have a chance to win the battle with Dumbledore fighting with them. Minerva and the other Heads of Houses came back to the staff room.
"They are gone. Do you think we waited too long, Albus?" she asked.
"We will see, Minerva. Now, to prepare to meet our enemy." Dumbledore strode confidently toward the door. "Harry, have the students meet us in the entrance hall."
"Yes, sir," Harry mumbled before running off to do as he had been told. Once in the Great Hall, he shouted to the others. "We will meet the others in the Entrance Hall and receive instructions on what we will be expected to do. Come now!"
* ** *** **** *** ** *
The citizens of Hogsmeade barely had warning of what was about to happen. There was a great noise as the Death Eaters arrived. Some citizens stepped outside to see what the commotion was. Madam Rosmerta from the Three Broomsticks stepped outside and was the first to fall. The Death Eaters had not wasted any time in casting the Killing Curse on her. There was a great cheer as the others watched the first victim fall. Suddenly the air was full of chants of "Crucio!" and "Avada Kedavra!"
There were great flames leaping from the rooftops of some buildings already as the Death Eaters began leveling the town. The Three Broomsticks, Dervish and Banges, Gladrags and the Post Office went down quickly. Zonko's Joke Shop seemed to explode when the fireworks and other explosive gadgets in the store caught fire. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes went up right after Zonko's. Fred and George Weasley had, luckily, joined Bill, Charlie, Ron, Ginny, Arthur, and Molly at Hogwarts shortly before the attack started.
* ** *** **** *** ** *
Lisa and Sally Ann had just about reached the cellar door of Honeydukes when they heard a great noise above them. They listened closer and heard the sounds of Zonko's and Weasley's Wizard Wheezes exploding nearby. They then heard a long, low, whistle coming from the north before they heard a great metallic explosion. "The Hogwarts Express," Lisa thought aloud. "Hogsmeade is already under attack," she told Sally Ann.
"What do we do?" Sally Ann asked her. Dennis came running up to the front of the group.
"What's wrong?" he asked. He was answered by a voice above them calling "Crucio" and another answering in screams of pain. "Come on, we have to go back," he said immediately. He turned around and ran back to the end, all the while telling people to follow him back. The group took off at a run behind Dennis, Lisa and Sally Ann now bringing up the rear, helping some of the slower students along.
* ** *** **** *** ** *
"The Death Eaters are in Hogsmeade," Professor Trelawney said as she descended from her tower.
"Did your crystal ball inform you of this, Sybill?" Minerva asked sarcastically.
"No, I saw the Dark Mark floating over a large fire coming from the south," she said airily, enjoying the sight of Minerva eating her words.
Harry entered the room, followed by the other student volunteers. Dumbledore arrived from the direction of the kitchens when Dennis Creevey and a few of the faster students came to a sudden stop. "Sir... the tunnel... it was blocked by... Death Eaters.... We couldn't... escape.... Everything was exploding... the Hogwarts Express too..." he informed between gasping breaths.
"Calm down, Mr. Creevey. You did the right thing by coming back. Where are the other three House leaders?" Dumbledore asked.
"We're here, sir," Lisa said as she jogged up to the others with Millicent and Sally Ann.
"I want you each to lead your houses back to your common rooms. Hopefully you will be safest there, behind your passwords. Nobody is to leave the common room except in dire emergency so that the location of the rooms is not divulged in case we are overrun."
"Yes, sir," the four students replied. Dennis led the Gryffindors back to Gryffindor Tower, behind the Fat Lady who was asked politely to hide in another picture so that she wouldn't be hurt for not allowing access. Sir Cadogan vowed that he would protect the Fat Lady; he had been her stand-in when she was attacked by Sirius Black. Millicent led the Slytherins back to the dungeons, Sally Ann led the Hufflepuffs down the hallway toward the kitchens to Hufflepuff's common room, and Lisa led the Ravenclaws away.
A few more students decided that since they were stuck in the castle, they may as well fight, and joined the group standing behind Harry and Hermione.
* ** *** **** *** ** *
"My Lord, the beasts have arrived," MacNair said as he bowed low to Voldemort.
"Tell me."
MacNair listed the creatures of the Dark that he had found for the battle. Among them were enough Bicorn- creatures like Unicorn that ate human flesh- for the Death Eaters to ride into battle, Boggarts, Dragons, Goblins, Trolls, Vampires, Werewolves and the Giants. The Chimaera- a vicious, bloodthirsty creature with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a dragon- the Nundu- a leopard that breathed disease and death, and the Manticore- a creature with the head of a man, the body of a lion, and a scorpion's tail- had also joined the fight, anxious for battle.
"Very good. Ensure that the Banshee stay back and are silenced until we require their services. We wouldn't want all of our Death Eaters to meet their end at such an inopportune time."
"Of course, My Lord."
The Death Eaters and Voldemort himself mounted the Bicorn. One unfortunate Death Eater made the mistake of approaching his Bicorn from the wrong angle and was speared with the two horns protruding from the Bicorn's forehead before it made a feast of his body.
Voldemort gave the signal and the Death Eaters gave a loud cheer, the Bicorn rising on their hind legs, before riding forward toward the castle. The Death Eaters were flanked by the dementors to the east, and the dragons, flying over the lake to the west, with the vampires and werewolves in front. The Chimaera raced along the banks of the lake to the west while the trolls and giants strolled along the edge of the Forbidden Forest to the east.
* ** *** **** *** ** *
Dumbledore stepped out of the great oak doors and McGonagall followed. Harry and Hermione were the next to step outside, but soon their entire party had followed until everyone that was to do battle was standing just outside the castle. There were several gasps and even more cries of horror as students and adults alike looked at the scene before them.
The dragons flying over the lake were breathing fire, and the reflection made it seem that the water itself were burning. The giants were slowly walking along, but were advancing faster than the creatures at the center. As the Dark Army neared, Harry realized that the Death Eaters were riding Bicorn, but were preceded by the werewolves and vampires. His heart chilled when he saw the creatures coming up just behind the giants.
"Dementors," he muttered.
Dumbledore heard him and looked for the dementors. "We will have to pacify them first or they will run amok on the battlefield." He thought a moment, then decided. "Minerva, an enclosure, please," he said, turning to her.
Minerva glanced at the dementors and focused on the trees at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. She transfigured that part of the forest into a large pen.
"Thank you, Minerva. Now, both you and Harry, how are your Patronus?"
Harry, Minerva, and Albus lifted their wands. "Expecto Patronum!" Harry's stag leaped forward, followed by Minerva's phoenix and Albus' lion. The lion roared at the dementors as the stag prodded them toward the enclosure. The phoenix flew overhead, confusing the dementors and helping to herd them into the pen. The phoenix then disappeared as Minerva finished the pen to completely enclose the dementors inside. Harry and Albus allowed their Patronus to disappear as they turned to face the rest of the army.
The figure of a thin man on a Bicorn lifted his pale hand and the whole army seemed to stop on a dime. The hand reached up to the hood and pulled it back, revealing the skull-white head and red eyes of Lord Voldemort to Dumbledore, McGonagall, and the rest. He seemed to grin before pointing at the castle to initiate the attack.
* ** *** **** *** ** *
A/N: Anybody get the joke with the patronus? It was Isis Malfoy's idea, to have Minerva's be a phoenix and Albus' be a large cat. Well, the battle is beginning... a lot sooner than I thought it would... and poor Madam Rosmerta... The next chapter's going to be pretty action packed and I'm getting kinda tired, so I'll save it for tomorrow... let my fingers rest up a bit... he he... Review!!