Disclaimer: I do not own HP. I repeat, I do NOT own HP. But, of course, you lot know this, right? If not, whack yourself repeatedly in the head with a blunt object until you do.
Chapter 30 – I Just Say Goodbye"Is Weasssley ready?"
"Yes, my lord. But why will he be leading us? Should not a more experienced man lead?"
"Or woman," growled Bellatrix Lestrange, who had been released in the recent Azkaban break.
"Or woman," added Lucius.
Voldemort smiled and said, "Your opinionsss are noted, Luciusss. But Weasssly will lead my armiesss."
"But, my lord…"
"Luciusss!"
"Yes, my lord."
"Very good. Prepare everyone. Tonight we go to war."
* * * *
"How are you with that bow, Malfoy?"
"Better than I was before. Why do you ask, Potter?"
"Possibly because there are about five Death Eaters making their way up from Hogsmeade, which is – at this moment – burning to the ground."
"What?!" exclaimed Severus, Hermione, and Ginny, who were standing nearby. The three of them rushed to Harry and Draco's sides, staring over the side of the castle's battlement at the flames below.
Harry sighed and said, "Must I repeat myself?"
"No, Potter," growled Draco, knocking an arrow against his bowstring. "You don't." He sighted along the arrow and added, "I can hit the first one in the head if you want."
"Shoot to maim, not murder," snapped Severus, his dark eyes reflecting the flames that had engulfed Hogsmeade village.
Ginny frowned and murmured, "I hope everyone got out."
Harry looked at the younger girl and silently reached out to pull her close.
"Don't think about it, Gin."
"I can't help it."
"I know," murmured Harry, leaning his head against hers. Then he looked at Draco and snapped, "Take the one in the lead down. And aim for something that isn't a vital organ."
"Damn," grumbled Draco. He sighted again then let the arrow fly. The wooden shaft practically sprang into the air, gaining an aura of blood red light the second it left the bow. Five pairs of eyes watched it as it arched down towards the approaching Death Eater's.
The arrow sliced through the wards with only a small spark of light and struck the lead Death Eater in the shoulder with enough force to spin them to the ground. The other Death Eater's immediately went on the offense, drawing their wands, as one of them cried out something.
"What'd he say?" whispered Hermione – as though the Death Eater's below could hear her.
"'Forward,'" replied Severus in a bare whisper. "Merlin's beard, this is it. He's bringing the war to us."
"That's what you wanted, wasn't it?" asked Draco, looking at his uncle accusingly.
"It didn't think it'd be this soon! Ginny, go tell Minerva. Move, girl, move!"
Ginny looked at Severus then up at Harry, who nodded and whispered, "Go." She nodded sharply and ran off, leaving the four of them alone on the battlement.
"Can they get in?" asked Hermione. "Like last time?"
Severus scowled and sneered, "Albus let them in last time."
"An experience we do not want to relive," muttered Harry, laying a hand on the sword strapped to his hip.
"Not bloody likely."
"What'll they do?" asked Draco, looking at his uncle. "You've been in their ranks. If they can't get through the wards, will they leave?"
Severus shook his head, locks of green hair falling over his eyes.
"This isn't some little battle, Draco. This is the battle. The last one. This is the battle that will determine which side wins."
"The end of the war, you mean," murmured Hermione.
"End of Voldemort," muttered Harry, serpentine eyes swirling black. "The end of all the suffering."
"And the beginning of another age," said Severus. He looked at the three standing near him and added, "That is, if we win."
Hermione tightened her grip on her staff and growled, "We'll win."
"Damn well we will," muttered Draco, knocking another arrow against the bowstring.
Severus looked at Harry, who was smiling tightly at him. The two young men nodded at each other and Harry turned a Helter-Skelter grin on the black robed figures gathering below.
"I think I hear that new age of Sev's a'knockin'."
* * * *
"Professor McGonagall! Professor McGonagaaaaaallllllllllll!!!"
"Virginia!" bellowed McGonagall as the young redhead came barreling down the corridor towards her. "What on earth…"
"Its Tom!" gasped Ginny, breathing hard. "He's here!"
"Tom?"
"Voldemort!"
"Oh Merlin help us." McGonagall pressed a hand against her breast and demanded, "Severus, Harry – where are they?"
"Up on the battlement with Hermione and Malfoy."
"Merlin," hissed McGonagall under her breath. She then muttered something and when she spoke again, her voice echoed through every hall of Hogwarts.
"Attention all students! Attention! All fifth years and below will immediately return to their dormitories! Sixth and seventh years report to the Great Hall as quickly as possibly! All professors should report there as well! MOVE!"
All of the castle was instantly on the move. Fifth years and below were running for their dormitories whilst the sixth and seventh years raced down the moving staircases to the Great Hall, followed at much slower paces by the professors (minus Trelawney, of course).
The instant McGonagall and Ginny entered the Hall, Dumbledore appeared, looking rather confused.
"Minerva," he asked, "what is going on?"
"Voldemort has brought his war to Hogwarts, Albus," said McGonagall, bringing gasps from students and teachers alike. "He and his Death Eater's are surrounding the castle as we speak."
"Harry? Severus?"
"They're on the battlement, sir," said Ginny in a hot tone. She didn't trust him after what he'd nearly done to Harry. Probably never would again.
Flitwick opened his mouth to say something when there was a sudden rush over cold over the whole of the castle.
"Dementors," hissed Dumbledore, eyes flashing. He then turned towards the students and teachers ranged behind him and commanded, "To the battlement!"
* * * *
"I. Hate. Dementors," growled Harry as he watched the creatures approach the edge of the wards. They pressed their gray, scabbed hands against the invisible walls, which glowed faintly gold under the onslaught of them and the Death Eater's various spells.
"Who doesn't?" grumbled Severus, aiming his wand carefully. "If we all fire at once, we might be able to keep the Patronus' going for a bit, get rid of some of them."
Hermione and Draco both looked sheepish at that.
"We don't know how," they mumbled at the same time.
"Perhaps we may be of assistance," said Dumbledore, striding up to stand beside Harry. The dark-haired teen flashed a scowl in the old wizard's direction then turned his attention back to the Death Eater's.
"Just as long as there isn't any backstabbing," he grumbled, emerald eyes flashing.
"I assure you, Harry, that there will not be."
"There had better not," growled Ginny, moving to Harry's side with a vicious air. She had her wand clenched in a white-knuckled hand, which Harry enclosed with his own.
He whispered, "You okay?"
"I keep hearing him," breathed Ginny, looking up at him. "I keep hearing him whispering in my ear, telling me what to do."
Harry didn't have to ask who she was talking about. He knew well enough.
Gently squeezing her hand, he murmured, "He won't do it again. I swear he won't."
"I know," said Ginny, smiling tightly at him.
Harry nodded grimly then jumped when Sirius' voice rang out.
"Having a party without me?"
"Sirius!" exclaimed five different teenager's.
"What are you doing here?" hissed Harry, half glaring/half staring at his godfather.
"Well, I was giving Dumbledore a report. Now it seems like I'm joining a little battle."
"War," corrected Severus, earning a glare from Sirius.
"War indeed," said Narcissa, coming up on her son's right-hand side. She looked at Dumbledore and said, "Patronus charms?"
"Indeed."
Several wands lifted (most of them being those of the teachers) and many voices cried out as one, "Expecto Patronum!"