A/N: I have a beta reader now named TigerCat. So there won't be the mistakes that you have seen from me in the past. I think TigerCat is only beta reading my new chapters, so the older ones will have to stay the same until I get someone to proofread them.
Chapter 22- The Attack
Ron was relieved that the next month or so had passed without incident. The Slytherins ceased to give Draco a hard time, and even stopped tormenting most of the Gryffindors. Harry had continued to adjust to life again at Hogwarts and seemed to be happy once again. He still had the occasional nightmare, but nothing that compared to the horrors he had faced for most of the summer.
Ron had caught Harry on several occasions snogging with his boyfriend. He was still adjusting to the thought of Harry being with Draco, but was happy for them nonetheless. His own relationship with Hermione had strengthened as well. Although they continued to fight over petty things, they were closer than ever.
Their sixth year seemed to pass more quickly than all the others. They had Quidditch practice almost three times a week because Alicia was convinced that they wouldn't have as many opportunities when the weather turned for the worse. Ron suspected that the real reason was because their first game was in November and they were scheduled to play against the Slytherin team.
They also closely followed Hermione's busy study schedule. They decided that it was important to heed Dumbledore's request to study hard and study well. If they were ever required to defend themselves against death eaters again, they wanted to be fully prepared. Ron was determined not to make a fool of himself like he did last year at the Department of Mysteries.
Before the students knew it they were immersed in the glories of the late fall atmosphere. The trees were now a myriad of yellow, oranges and reds. The cool weather was invigorating, and many of the students had taken to walking around the lake between classes. Draco and Harry especially liked the long walks, as it was something they often did together during their stay at the Burrow. They explained that it was because it helped to clear their minds and that they liked the crunching sound of the leaves beneath their feet. But Ron knew better. They were always looking for ways that they could be alone together.
Then one day the unexpected happened. During the evening meal, Dumbledore rose from his seat to speak to his students. He rarely made speeches, so when he did; every head turned to listen to what he had to say.
"I have wondrous news for you all. Our local village, Hogsmeade, has decided to throw a most spectacular party in light of the Samhain Festival. On Halloween night, you are all invited to join in the festivities in the village. It is my understanding that there will be a masquerade ball in the center of town and that all the shops will be open late for the celebration."
The Great Hall was filled with the cheers and applause of the students that it housed. Everyone was excited at the prospect of a masquerade ball. Everyone, that is except for Lupin and Snape. They both had their arms crossed in front of their chest and looked absolutely appalled at the thought of such an open event.
"I have decided to allow the celebration to take place despite the fact that Voldemort has returned. Many precautions have already being taken by the Ministry to ensure your safety. We will be temporarily extending the wards surrounding Hogwarts to include Hogsmeade so that they will protect you from harm. Plus, many members of the order will be on hand to help in case there is an incident."
Many of the students began to whisper quietly to one another. They were so caught up in the idea of a party that they had not even considered the dangers that may be involved.
"You may be asking yourselves why I am willing to take such a risk when the threat of Voldemort looms near. And I ask you, is right for us to hide from our enemy. Should we hide in shame and forget to live. I for one am not going to allow that to happen. That is how they want us to feel, because fear is what makes them grow stronger. I refuse to allow Voldemort to disrupt our way of life. I understand that many of you are afraid of the unknown, and it is completely your choice whether or not you want to attend. If you have any other questions regarding these events please see your head of house. Thank you," said Dumbledore and he resumed his seat.
Each table steadily grew noisier and nosier, until finally the Great Hall was filled with their endless chatter. Many students were discussing the threat of You-Know-Who, and others were talking about what kind of costume they wanted to wear to the ball. There seemed to be a mixture of emotions on whether or not to attend the celebration. The sudden announcement had caused a stir in the Great Hall like no other.
"So what do you guys think about Dumbledore's announcement?" said Draco. No one had seen in him get up from the Slytherin table to join them at their table in all the confusion. It was now widely known that they were all friends, so the other houses didn't really take notice of this odd interaction.
"I, for one, think that Dumbledore is absolutely right. We cannot hide in fear. That's exactly what Voldemort wants," said Harry solemnly.
"But Harry, it's too risky. What if this is just a ploy for Voldemort to get to you?" asked Hermione.
"I don't think it is," said Harry. "I haven't been having any visions like I normally do when he plans something like this."
"I agree with Hermione, Harry. It's too dangerous," said Ron.
"Suit yourselves, but I am going no matter what. It sounds like a lot of fun, and I think I deserve a night out. Besides, I am glad that I finally have someone to take. I was miserable at the last Yule Ball," said Harry winking at Draco.
"I was hoping you would say that," said Draco.
"Are you going to the celebration as a couple? Openly? I thought it still had to be a secret," said Ron.
"Of course, it is still a secret. We will have masks on you idiot. No one will know who is who!"
"You are right," said Hermione. "What do you think Ron, do you feel like going?"
"Well, I guess I have to go to look after you two," said Ron looking at Harry and Draco. "You both have a knack for getting yourselves in trouble."
The next couple of weeks were filled with impending excitement. Everyone was talking about the upcoming event. Professor McGonagall event taught her classes how to transfigure ordinary objects into masks for the masquerade. Each student tried a variety of shapes and sizes, but each person kept their true identity hidden until that faithful night. It was more fun not knowing what each person was going to be disguised as.
Two days before the event, Ron overheard Dumbledore and Snape heatedly arguing in the hallway. He had decided to leave his dorm after hours in search of a library book that he left in the potions classroom that he needed in order to finish his homework. He had borrowed Harry's invisibility cloak so that he would be able to go undetected. He was just returning to his dorm, when he ran into the two professors.
"But Albus, you know as well as I do how dangerous this situation will be. Extending the wards will only weaken them. Why are you taking this chance?" asked Snape angrily. Ron listened carefully, hoping to hear something that may help Harry.
"I am not overly concerned Severus, even light of the information that you and Draco have provided me. We still have no reason to believe that the death eaters will attack. What would they have to gain at this time? You are right, extending the wards will weaken them somewhat, but they will be stronger than what we could conjure up in such a short manner of time. Besides, the alarm system has also been set in place. We will be alerted immediately if the death eaters do try to breach the wards."
"What about Potters safety?"
"He can handle himself, I assure you. He will also be tailed by a member of the order as well," said Dumbledore.
"Very well. I just hope that you do not live to regret this decision," said Snape as he stormed past Ron. The headmaster sighed and retreated down another hallway that would lead back to his office.
Ron took a deep breath and thought about what he had just heard. It wasn't anything that he hadn't already thought of himself, although it was unusual to see Severus so concerned about Harry's safety. Ron decided not to tell the others about his encounter because it was unnecessary. He hadn't learned anything that they hadn't already suspected. He just hoped that when the time came, he would be able to defend his friends if need be. Ron made sure that he was still appropriately covered by the invisibility cloak and retreated back to the Gryffindor tower.
The long awaited party finally came to pass, and the six friends met up outside the Great Hall so they could walk together down to the village. They were decked out in a variety of costumes. Each person wore their dress robes, but their face was covered by a mask. Beside their hair color, it was easy for the friends to tell who everyone was because their mask suited their personality so well. Harry had chosen to be a snake, and Draco, of course, was a dragon. Hermione was a domestic house cat, and Ron was a lion. Ginny was an owl, and Neville was a toad.
Ron thought that Hermione looked completely gorgeous. She had used the same hair product on her hair that she had used at the Yule Ball. Her hair was silky straight, and was done in an elaborate up do on the top of her head. He lifted her mask and saw that she had used some makeup as well. Smiling at her beauty he gave her a kiss before replacing her mask. "Hello, beautiful," he said. She beamed him her gorgeous white smile at the thoughtful comment. Being the daughter of a dentist does have its benefits.
The friends walked quickly down the path to the village, enjoying the unusual warmth of the air for this time of year. They could hear the beat of the music pumping in the darkness. As they approached, they could just make out the buildings at the south end of town. They were only vaguely aware that they were being followed by Professor Lupin. He had been assigned by the Order of the Phoenix to watch over Harry while at the party.
In costume, Harry and Draco had a little more freedom in their relationship because they didn't risk being prosecuted by the Slytherins. They held one another's hands and looked very much content.
At one point, Ron heard Draco lean over and whispered to Harry, "I have been dreaming about you again!" Ron walked ahead quickly and shook his head to rid himself of the sexual reference to flying he heard next. Their relationship was still a little weird to say the least. They had been enemies for so long it was hard to imagine them any other way.
When they finally reached their destination, the sight before them was mesmerizing. The little village was set in a clearing of the forest; a canopy of stars covered the sky like an enormous roof top. Each shop and pub radiated from the center of town like the spokes on a wheel. Ten foot tall torches created an enormous circle in the center of town, illuminating the festivities below. Three large banquet tables were set up at one end with an elaborate array of food and drink. Several smaller round tables were set up behind the buffet so that friends could eat and drink in intimate little circles. The entire center of town was filled with Hogwarts' students dancing to the thumping beat. It was difficult to recognize anyone in the massive crowd, as their faces were hidden behind ornate masks. A variety of colors shimmered and swayed as the crowd danced the night away.
The only thing that seemed out of place that night was the adults that were chaperoning the crowd. Many of them were teachers at Hogwarts; others were members of the order or people that lived in the local village. Their jobs tonight were to ensure the students' safety, and make sure that things didn't get too out of hand. Lupin took up a position near the dance floor and watched the friends from afar. He had an unreadable expression upon his face.
"Wicked!" said Ron. He was awed at the splendor before him. The others nodded at him in agreement.
"I have never seen anything quite like this," said Hermione. "This is truly amazing."
Ginny grabbed Neville's hand and started to lead him towards the undulating crowd. "We are going to go dance. See you in a bit," she yelled toward her friends, giggling madly. Neville looked like dancing was the last thing he felt like doing, but followed her anyway. He always tried to please Ginny.
"Well, I for one cannot wait to try some of those pastries they got over there. Come on everyone, lets go eat!" said Ron.
"Honestly, I think that the only thing you care about sometimes is your stomach. Do you ever stop eating?" asked Hermione.
"Sure I do, but right now I want a pastry. Are you coming you two?" asked Ron looking over at Harry and Draco.
"Actually, I think Harry and I are going to dance as well," said Draco, smiling at his boyfriend.
"Fine, we will come find you in little while. Don't go too far off. I want to be able to find you if need be." Ron hoped that Draco would pick up on his meaning, and he watched as the green dragon before him as he nodded his head in understanding.
"What was all that about?" asked Hermione as they walked towards the buffet table. The food looked absolutely delicious. The house elves had labored away for many hours in order to arrange this impressive display of food.
"Oh, nothing," said Ron picking out a yummy looking treat. Hermione handed him a napkin and they found a seat at a table near the dance floor.
"What was that thing that just happened between you and Draco? Something is going on and I want to know. You have been acting really strange around one another."
"Well, we have this understanding with each other. We both look out for Harry to make sure that he isn't in danger. I am really worried about us being here tonight, but Harry insisted on coming," Ron confessed through a mouthful of food.
"I am sure everything will be fine. Dumbledore said so," said Hermione. She sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than anything else.
"I hope so," said Ron.
After several more pastries, and a walk around the local shops in Hogsmeade, Hermione finally convinced Ron to join her on the dance floor. She dragged him through the mass of people, and they finally found Harry and Draco in all the excitement a short distance away. They looked as if they were really enjoying themselves, and were jumping around and grabbing each others hands as they bumped to the song.
"Come on. It will be fun. Trust me!" she yelled over the music.
"But I don't know how to dance!" he yelled back.
"Neither do I! Just move your body to the beat!"
Ron grinned as he watched Hermione begin to dance. She did to know how to dance, and she was awesome! She moved her hips back and forth and swayed to beat. She looked so incredible dancing before him, that he couldn't resist the urge to grab hold of her and kiss her. She was startled at his sudden gesture, but she gave into the warm kiss anyway. Pulling back from one another, Ron saw that Hermione had a quizzical look on her face. She seemed to be looking past him at something.
"What is it?" asked Ron as he turned to figure out what she was staring at.
"It's Harry. I think something is wrong," said Hermione.
They began to walk towards the couple, and Ron noticed why she was so concerned. Harry had a confused look on his face, and his hand was lying over his chest as if he was in pain. Ron broke out into a jog, and reached the couple rather quickly.
"What's wrong?" he asked looking at Harry and then Draco.
"I don't know," said Draco, looking at his boyfriend full of concern.
"Something is not right," said Harry.
"What? Why?" asked Draco concerned.
"My amulet grew really warm. Danger is near," he said. He pulled a long silver chain out from under his dress robes. The dragon's emerald eyes sparkled amidst the light given off by the torches. Ron knew that he never took the trinket off, and that he treasured the thoughtful gift. Draco reached out to grasp the amulet that he had so lovingly given him. He pulled his hand away and nodded.
"You are right, it is warm," said Draco worried.
"What should we do?" asked Hermione.
"Let's find Lupin and the others and get back to Hogwarts as soon as possible," said Ron.
They found Ginny and Neville not too far away. They quickly explained the situation and the six friends began pushing their way through the crowd in search of their professor.
Oddly, the music slowly began to die, and it got eerily quiet as the students looked about in confusion. Even the adults seemed at a loss. The light from the torches began to dim, and it seemed unnaturally dark. A cold like no other began to rapidly circulate through the crowd. The students began to shiver and whimper at what could be causing their discomfort. Why had the party ended so quickly? What was going on?
The answer became overwhelmingly clear within a manner of moments. A commotion at the northern side of town alerted them to the danger. People began screaming and running in all directions, searching for safety. Twenty or so dementors emerged from the darkness. They separated themselves in an organized manner and began to circle around the center of town. The adults chaperoning the party desperately began to produce patronuses in order to drive them away, but there was too many of them. As soon as they deflected one dementor, another approached more quickly.
"Draco, this is what I have been dreaming about. I remember being in a dark place with lots of people, but I don't recognize anyone. That's because everyone has masks on because of the masquerade. And I felt this incredible sense of dread and my chest felt really warm. It must be from my amulet, warning me of danger. My dream was a vision after all!"
"Oh my gods," said Draco.
"We need to get Harry out of here!" yelled Ron. He began to feel the all too familiar sensation that comes when dementors are near. They suck all the happiness out of your soul, and make you relive your most awful memoirs. He knew all to well what Harry would relive if they got too close.
"Harry!" Draco yelled as he watched Harry fall to his knees. Ron and Draco knelt on either side of him to support and protect his small body. They looked at one another in despair, knowing that he was already trying to fight the voices in his head.
He heard Hermione and Ginny scream, and Ron realized that five dementors had begun to circle around their small group some 20 feet away. The dark figures moved about cautiously. It was as if they were searching for something, or someone. Ron knew that they were probably ordered to find Harry, but how did they know who they were when they were still in costume. These evil creatures must somehow be able to sense Harry's presence. It was the only explanation.
Ginny, Draco, and Neville appeared to be suffering from the affects of the Dementors now as well. Ron looked at Hermione, and she nodded at him understanding what had to be done. They stood back to back and cast the one spell that would be able to fight the dementors.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM," yelled Ron.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM," yelled Hermione, but neither one of them could produce the necessary patronus. All that came out of their wands was a silvery wisp of smoke. They tried several more times, growing more and more tired with each endeavor.
During their attempts, Harry had begun to shake his head slowly from side to side as if he could shake the awful memories and voices from his mind. He slowly stood up beside his friends, and said "No…."
They looked over at him, amazed that he was able to fight off the effects of these vile creatures that were steadily coming closer and closer.
"You will not harm my friends!" he yelled, swaying from side to side ever so slightly. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He breathed in again, raised his wand, and yelled, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
Harry was able to produce a full patronus in the image of a stag. The large silvery stag charged at the dementors driving a few of them away. The dementors screamed in rage. The high pitch wail was deafening.
"You need to think of a happy memory in order to do the spell correctly," he told his friends. "I don't know how much longer I can hold them off."
The rest of the group slowly rose to their feet and tried to copy what Harry had done. They were mildly successful at pushing the dementors away. After a few minutes, they were able to produce substantial enough patronuses to push the dementors back to where the adult were trying to contain them.
They had just started to celebrate their success when Harry fell to his knees grasping at this scar through his costume. He began to scream in agony. He tore off his mask, and Ron could see that the infamous lightening bolt scar had turned an ugly shade of black.
"Harry!" Ron yelled as he reached his friends side.
Draco grabbed his boyfriend and forced him to look in his eyes. "Harry, what is it?'
"Voldemort," had said in almost inaudible whisper. "He's here!"
Ron and Draco began to look desperately around. What they saw was horrifying. Death eaters began to appear everywhere, and they were currently fighting with the adults who had finally gotten the dementors sufficiently detained. They must have somehow found a way through the wards. Their horrible masks looked a lot like the dementors they had released upon the town. Stunning and defensive spells were shot in every which direction, and the night was filled with would look like a laser light display if a muggle were watching the scene. They watched as red, yellow, and green bolts of light shot through the air as each spell was recited. In reality the first true battle of the second war had begun.
Ron wasn't sure in which direction they should run since the battle was going on all around them. There seemed to be no sign of You-Know-Who anywhere, but Harry was still in a lot of pain.
Suddenly, the air in front of them seemed to distort slightly, and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named appeared before them with several death eaters in tow. They must have used an invisibility spell to get past the rest of the townspeople undetected. Ron was scared to say the least, but he stood protectively in front of Harry and Draco. He wasn't sure what he was going to do, but he would rather die trying to save Harry then to let him come to any more harm.
"So Harry Potter, we meet again," said Voldemort as he gave a wicked cackle.
A/N: Sorry about the cliffie, but the chapter was getting a little long. I know it should be obvious to everyone that the death eaters would choose that night to attack, but work with me people. I am trying my best, and Dumbledore has made errors in his judgment in the past. (Isn't it the least bit strange that Harry was chosen to be the 4th champion on GoF. Come on Dumbledore, there were always three champions in the past. Wasn't that extremely suspicious?)
Many thanks to all my reviewers!
Rowenna- thanks for the many reviews, your comments are helpful. Don't worry I update almost everyday. I am glad that you liked the spell. Yeah I figured out the whole Quidditch team thing after had already posted the chapter. I am going to redo it eventually. I am glad that you are enjoying this fic so much, and I hope that you will review again.
Blood-Covered-Ivory- thanks for the info!
dragonchild- thanks! Happy writing!
DaughterofDeath- I update daily.
Dark Angel240- thanks. I actually had to find an online Latin dictionary in order to create the spell. The reason I had Snape tell Draco not to tell Harry, is that we all know how he worries about endangering everyone. I don't think he would take it well if he knew that Draco may die by using a spell to save him.
Milkyweed- the main title is from Evanescence's song Bring me to Life... I will actually include the song during the appropriate chapter and give my little disclaimer then. It is really important to that scene and will make a hell of a lot more sense.
I Forget- awww.. your so cute. What kind of hint are you looking for? Is the suspense getting to you? Well….you will just have to keep reading to find out what happens next.
Catmint- lol, I think Pansy should die as well…hmm…something to ponder. Thanks for reviewing.
Immortal Memories- Woah….don't get upset. I was only teasing. I just find your reviews amusing. They are strange to say the least. I would actually prefer you to be honest and tell me what I could improve upon, but I will accept almost any review.
Kayin-No-Kaze- I am glad you like the spell. I wanted it to so realistic, so I used Latin. Apparently it worked.