Prologue: The Orchestra Warms Up
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, 1997:
How long can the adults keep it up? Harry wondered as he rushed down the halls to the Gryffindor Common Room. How long before they start drafting us seventh years to fight? And then the sixth years? What if it gets to where even second and first years have to battle?
He shook his head to clear his thoughts. As if. Dumbledore's smarter than that. But there's no doubt about it. Pretty soon, the people I've grown up with are going to be fighting for Hogwarts.
If we even last that long.
"Karma," he snapped, and the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open. He walked in and flopped exhaustedly on a sofa. Ron and Hermione, who were sharing some hot chocolate, shot him worried looks as he sighed.
"Harry," Ron tried, attempting a smile, "Harry, are you...Are you okay?"
"Look out the window, Ron," Harry muttered.
Ron and Hermione went over to the window, looking down on the scene.
"Oh, God," Hermione whispered as Ron shielded her eyes. His jaw fell open at the sight...
Voldemort strode in front of his legions, smiling at the number of recruits that had been called up. Many wizards and witches, all the Dementors, and assorted Dark creatures.
"All right, my army, there are a few things that I want to tell you before we go into battle. First off, show them no mercy, for they shall show none to you. Do not hesitate to use any Unforgivable Curses. In fact, I expect to hear a constant chorus of the words, 'Avada Kedavra'. Secondly, if you dare betray me during this fight, I will make you eat your own heart before I finally put you out of your misery. And finally, don't give up. If you turn tail and run, you'll be counted among the traitors. And no matter where you run, no matter where you hide, I will find you."
He glared at them all. Some of the human Death Eaters recoiled slightly. He then switched into an overly sweet smile.
"So, my followers, what is our goal?"
"Conquer Hogwarts!" the crowd roared back.
"And who is your master?"
"Lord Voldemort!"
"And what are we after?"
"Victory!"
"I can't hear you!"
"VICTORY!!!"
Cho gathered her hair into a small knot and tied it back with her good luck charm, the blue ribbon that her dead mother had given her. Normally, she would have used a simple spell to keep her hair out of her face, but she was saving every ounce of her magic for one person. She quietly drew her wand and kissed the tip. This would be the day that she had been waiting for, all of those long years. This would be the day that she would avenge her parents by finally killing their murderer.
She smiled slightly as she whispered her promise. "Lucius Malfoy, today you die."
Cho Chang took her place among the ranks of the people who were going out into the battlefield. She stole a quick look back at the Great Hall to see Madam Pomfrey and her apprentice, Cho's young friend Ginny.
"Bye, Cho!" Ginny called, waving madly with a huge grin.
"Bye, Ginny!" Cho yelled back, waving almost sadly to the other girl.
"I'll see you back here, right?" Ginny asked.
Cho smiled confidently, tears filling her eyes. She was no fool. She knew that none who faced Lucius Malfoy were left alive. "Of course, Ginny! I'll play you in Wizard's Chess as soon as I get back!"
Cho took a deep breath and stepped off of the Hogwarts threshold.
The first thing that hit her was the blood. She hadn't expected anything like this. There was a pronounced scent that was almost metallic, and everything seemed coated in red. She looked up at the sky, which should have been bright, except that it hadn't been bright all day.
It was then that she spotted her target.
She gritted her teeth and increased her pace, shoving away anyone in front of her. She ran into Death Eaters and Dementors galore, destroying all of them, losing count after a while. "Lucius Malfoy!" she yelled. "Lucius Malfoy, it's time for payback!"
He turned quickly, dispatching two Hogwarts fighters with one curse. "Payback? That's very lame, little girl. Maybe you should run back to your school. I think you might be late for Potions."
Cho kept on walking towards him, a small smile appearing on her face. "You killed my parents, Lucius. I would tell you to say hello to them, but I would rather that you rot in hell. Avada-"
Lucius shoved her backwards. Cho felt pain blossoming in her back, and her shirt was feeling very wet. She stole a look backwards to see another Death Eater holding a sharp dagger. A dagger that was coated in blood.
No, she thought, beginning to panic. I can't give up! I have to take Lucius down with me! Got to...No...Can't...Give...Up...
But the world was growing increasingly blurry, and Cho knew that, with a dagger in the back, there was no way she could survive. Lucius had escaped death.
Sorry, mother, father. Sorry, Ginny...
"Harry," Ron whispered, "Harry, I can't see the sun."
"That's because it's not there," Harry bitterly replied. "It's gone. Blotted out. Malfoy was kind enough to point it out this morning."
"The sun, all of our hopes and dreams, blotted out by the eternal night of death," Hermione muttered poetically. "The sky stained red with the blood of our loved ones, our friends and family, never to be seen again. 'Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon...'"
"'Mione, don't be like that," Ron replied, swallowing a sob. "It makes me think of...It makes me think of Percy. In that attack..." He shook his head fiercely. "Nope. Not going to think about that. There was nothing anyone could do when You-Know-Who attacked the Ministry. That was months ago."
Harry put his head between his hands. There was no hope. They would all die.
Ginny then walked in, carrying warm Butterbeer for everyone. "Something to cheer us up," she said hoarsely.
"Gin, what's wrong?" he asked.
"Cho Chang's dead," she replied, clearing her throat. "She...She, um, fought well. Brought down twenty Death Eaters and quite a few Dementors. It was Lucius Malfoy that got her."
Harry felt his heart stop. "Oh, Gin, I'm sorry. She was a good friend to us all."
Ginny set the Butterbeers down and started crying. Harry immediately stood up and gave her a tight hug.
"Harry, I'm just so worried. There are rumors going around that the barriers are breaking down, that our forces are too depleted, that there's nothing that Dumbledore can do..."
"Ginny, it'll all be okay. Dumbledore can take care of us. Hogwarts will keep standing." He gripped her shoulders.
Ginny's eyes grew wide as her pupils shrank, eventually, all that was left were two dark hazel pools. When she spoke, her voice sounded funny, very whispery, with almost an echo. "No. No, the Dark One shall rise, but one who did not die will oppose him. The Castle shall fall, but the Wise One will keep on going. The Golden One shall return, but she is not what she seems. The Potions Master shall find hope. The Dog Star will forgive. The Wolf shall be trusted, but that trust will be broken. The family of Bad Faith shall rise with the Dark One, but they must beware of Dragons, for one will be their undoing."
Harry held Ginny away from him. "Gin, are you sure you're okay?"
She nodded, her eyes becoming normal again. "Yeah, Harry, I'm fine. Just scared out of my wits."
"I won't let anyone hurt you, Gin. None of us will," he said fiercely. "In fact..."
Harry got down on his knee and pulled a black box out of his pocket. "I was planning on asking you in a year, but, considering that it's the end of the world as we know it, I might as well ask you now. Ginny Weasley, will you marry me?"
And as the couple embraced, the night was filled with the sound of the barriers falling and the Death Eaters rushing in...
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, 1997:
How long can the adults keep it up? Harry wondered as he rushed down the halls to the Gryffindor Common Room. How long before they start drafting us seventh years to fight? And then the sixth years? What if it gets to where even second and first years have to battle?
He shook his head to clear his thoughts. As if. Dumbledore's smarter than that. But there's no doubt about it. Pretty soon, the people I've grown up with are going to be fighting for Hogwarts.
If we even last that long.
"Karma," he snapped, and the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open. He walked in and flopped exhaustedly on a sofa. Ron and Hermione, who were sharing some hot chocolate, shot him worried looks as he sighed.
"Harry," Ron tried, attempting a smile, "Harry, are you...Are you okay?"
"Look out the window, Ron," Harry muttered.
Ron and Hermione went over to the window, looking down on the scene.
"Oh, God," Hermione whispered as Ron shielded her eyes. His jaw fell open at the sight...
Voldemort strode in front of his legions, smiling at the number of recruits that had been called up. Many wizards and witches, all the Dementors, and assorted Dark creatures.
"All right, my army, there are a few things that I want to tell you before we go into battle. First off, show them no mercy, for they shall show none to you. Do not hesitate to use any Unforgivable Curses. In fact, I expect to hear a constant chorus of the words, 'Avada Kedavra'. Secondly, if you dare betray me during this fight, I will make you eat your own heart before I finally put you out of your misery. And finally, don't give up. If you turn tail and run, you'll be counted among the traitors. And no matter where you run, no matter where you hide, I will find you."
He glared at them all. Some of the human Death Eaters recoiled slightly. He then switched into an overly sweet smile.
"So, my followers, what is our goal?"
"Conquer Hogwarts!" the crowd roared back.
"And who is your master?"
"Lord Voldemort!"
"And what are we after?"
"Victory!"
"I can't hear you!"
"VICTORY!!!"
Cho gathered her hair into a small knot and tied it back with her good luck charm, the blue ribbon that her dead mother had given her. Normally, she would have used a simple spell to keep her hair out of her face, but she was saving every ounce of her magic for one person. She quietly drew her wand and kissed the tip. This would be the day that she had been waiting for, all of those long years. This would be the day that she would avenge her parents by finally killing their murderer.
She smiled slightly as she whispered her promise. "Lucius Malfoy, today you die."
Cho Chang took her place among the ranks of the people who were going out into the battlefield. She stole a quick look back at the Great Hall to see Madam Pomfrey and her apprentice, Cho's young friend Ginny.
"Bye, Cho!" Ginny called, waving madly with a huge grin.
"Bye, Ginny!" Cho yelled back, waving almost sadly to the other girl.
"I'll see you back here, right?" Ginny asked.
Cho smiled confidently, tears filling her eyes. She was no fool. She knew that none who faced Lucius Malfoy were left alive. "Of course, Ginny! I'll play you in Wizard's Chess as soon as I get back!"
Cho took a deep breath and stepped off of the Hogwarts threshold.
The first thing that hit her was the blood. She hadn't expected anything like this. There was a pronounced scent that was almost metallic, and everything seemed coated in red. She looked up at the sky, which should have been bright, except that it hadn't been bright all day.
It was then that she spotted her target.
She gritted her teeth and increased her pace, shoving away anyone in front of her. She ran into Death Eaters and Dementors galore, destroying all of them, losing count after a while. "Lucius Malfoy!" she yelled. "Lucius Malfoy, it's time for payback!"
He turned quickly, dispatching two Hogwarts fighters with one curse. "Payback? That's very lame, little girl. Maybe you should run back to your school. I think you might be late for Potions."
Cho kept on walking towards him, a small smile appearing on her face. "You killed my parents, Lucius. I would tell you to say hello to them, but I would rather that you rot in hell. Avada-"
Lucius shoved her backwards. Cho felt pain blossoming in her back, and her shirt was feeling very wet. She stole a look backwards to see another Death Eater holding a sharp dagger. A dagger that was coated in blood.
No, she thought, beginning to panic. I can't give up! I have to take Lucius down with me! Got to...No...Can't...Give...Up...
But the world was growing increasingly blurry, and Cho knew that, with a dagger in the back, there was no way she could survive. Lucius had escaped death.
Sorry, mother, father. Sorry, Ginny...
"Harry," Ron whispered, "Harry, I can't see the sun."
"That's because it's not there," Harry bitterly replied. "It's gone. Blotted out. Malfoy was kind enough to point it out this morning."
"The sun, all of our hopes and dreams, blotted out by the eternal night of death," Hermione muttered poetically. "The sky stained red with the blood of our loved ones, our friends and family, never to be seen again. 'Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon...'"
"'Mione, don't be like that," Ron replied, swallowing a sob. "It makes me think of...It makes me think of Percy. In that attack..." He shook his head fiercely. "Nope. Not going to think about that. There was nothing anyone could do when You-Know-Who attacked the Ministry. That was months ago."
Harry put his head between his hands. There was no hope. They would all die.
Ginny then walked in, carrying warm Butterbeer for everyone. "Something to cheer us up," she said hoarsely.
"Gin, what's wrong?" he asked.
"Cho Chang's dead," she replied, clearing her throat. "She...She, um, fought well. Brought down twenty Death Eaters and quite a few Dementors. It was Lucius Malfoy that got her."
Harry felt his heart stop. "Oh, Gin, I'm sorry. She was a good friend to us all."
Ginny set the Butterbeers down and started crying. Harry immediately stood up and gave her a tight hug.
"Harry, I'm just so worried. There are rumors going around that the barriers are breaking down, that our forces are too depleted, that there's nothing that Dumbledore can do..."
"Ginny, it'll all be okay. Dumbledore can take care of us. Hogwarts will keep standing." He gripped her shoulders.
Ginny's eyes grew wide as her pupils shrank, eventually, all that was left were two dark hazel pools. When she spoke, her voice sounded funny, very whispery, with almost an echo. "No. No, the Dark One shall rise, but one who did not die will oppose him. The Castle shall fall, but the Wise One will keep on going. The Golden One shall return, but she is not what she seems. The Potions Master shall find hope. The Dog Star will forgive. The Wolf shall be trusted, but that trust will be broken. The family of Bad Faith shall rise with the Dark One, but they must beware of Dragons, for one will be their undoing."
Harry held Ginny away from him. "Gin, are you sure you're okay?"
She nodded, her eyes becoming normal again. "Yeah, Harry, I'm fine. Just scared out of my wits."
"I won't let anyone hurt you, Gin. None of us will," he said fiercely. "In fact..."
Harry got down on his knee and pulled a black box out of his pocket. "I was planning on asking you in a year, but, considering that it's the end of the world as we know it, I might as well ask you now. Ginny Weasley, will you marry me?"
And as the couple embraced, the night was filled with the sound of the barriers falling and the Death Eaters rushing in...