TIMES OF TRIAL
Disclaimer: None of the characters, places, objects etc. that you recognise belong to me. They are mot likely the property of one JK Rowling.
Summery: This story is and will probably always be centred on Minerva McGonagall and the other professors at Hogwarts. It is set in Harry's fifth year and the dream-team will likely appear however. The rating may be subject to change but all reviews are welcome.
*****
Harry sighed and brought his hands up to his mouth and blew air through them in
an attempt to ward off the chill December had brought. The snitch was being
more awkward than he thought necessary this morning. He had caught sight of it
on more than one occasion but always just as it sped out ofhis field of vision
but then again this was hardly unusual for his prized catch. What was really
getting on his nerves was the way Malfoy was hanging around on his tail waiting
for him to spot it. Harry couldn't decide if this was because the Slytherin
seeker was just too lazy to do anything else or because he genuinely believed he
could beat his opponent in a race. Well either way Draco was in for a surprise
as he dove from their great height virtually straight towards the ground. He
could see a flash of green and silver behind him as leaned closer into his broom
to gain every ounce of speed he could. Looked like his talent less year mate
had fallen for yet another Wronski feint.
"Harry!" He heard someone call just before a rush of air just past his shoulder
alerted him to a near miss with a bludger and sent him spinning. He managed to
control his broom enough to pull upwards and was rewarded with the sight of
Malfoy looking helplessly around for the snitch. He didn't ponder on it long
though as the Gryffindor chasers broke further away and scored another ten
points for their team. At one hour in they were in the lead and the snitch was
still loose. The usual triumphant roar that met such an event was absent
however. In fact the whole stadium was virtually silent. He rose up into the
air again and looked around. At the other end of the pitch Professor McGonagall
was in discussion with Hagrid who stood with his legs apart, hands on his knees,
breathing hard as if he had run all the way across the grounds. He watched as
his head of house turned and looked up at the teachers box. Following her line
of vision he found himself looking at Snape who too also turned and said
something to his co-workers before disappearing from sight presumably to take
the stairs to ground level. The sound that had been steadily increasing took a
leap as all the Professors in attendance converged on the deputy head mistress.
For an instant Harry had an inexplicable desire that Dumbledore were around, it
wasn't that he didn't trust the others he just somehow felt more secure with the
headmaster near-bye. All of a sudden he realised that all his teammates had
come to an unofficial stop and he wondered at the fact that the Slytherins
weren't making the most of it that was until he noticed that Madame Hooch had
the quaffle firmly under her arm. The beaters on both teams were somewhat
listlessly batting the bludgers between each other but it was clear to see that
their attention was elsewhere. Snape's long strides meant he reached the pair a
while before the others and was soon in deep discussion, if he hadn't known
better he would have said his two professors were concerned about something.
Unconsciously he rubbed his scar as he thought about it. Something was most
definitely up and he didn't like the look of it. The referee flew down and
landed next to Lupin, taking the quaffle with her before they to began to
discuss something. After a few seconds McGonagall and Snape approached the
larger group and the deputy headmistress spoke whilst Hagrid hurried back out of
the stadium. Harry thought of flying overhead to be able to hear what she was
saying but somehow he didn't think that that would go down very well. He
watched, from a distance, as she told them something gesturing once or twice
with her arms. When she stopped speaking there were only a few comments to which
she tersely nodded her head before everyone seemed to be in agreement. He had
half expected her to tell them what was about to happen then, but instead she
and Snape stepped off to one side again. The remaining thirty or so Professors
split into to distinct groups though he wasn't sure how they had been assigned.
Lupin and Hooch stood someway apart from the others as well and it was the games
mistress who pointed her wand at her throat and muttered what he supposed to be
'Soronus', for when she spoke next it was more than loud enough for everyone to
hear. "Attention!" She began though it was hardly necessary, as the previous
silence had returned. "There is a group of death eaters approaching the castle
grounds and they will be upon us soon. There is not time to ensure that you
would all make it safely back to your common rooms so the teachers will do what
they can to protect this area from any attack. Word has already been sent to
the ministry and aurors ad hit wizards are expected to arrive soon." Harry's
blood ran cold. This was it. The real-thing. "Once I have finished speaking
ALL of you will stay exactly where you are or risk being hexed into the next
millennium by myself or Professor Lupin with the exception of the teams," She
continued glancing up at them. "Who will go immediately to their changing rooms
and will not leave before being instructed explicitly to do so by one of the
professors. You will NOT panic but do exactly as you are told." Her brusque
fashion got the message through clearly. Harry headed back down towards the
field but had to wait until he was off the pitch before setting down as his
teachers were spreading out over the pitch. He supposed that he had expected
them to guard the perimeter of the stadium but instead they all faced inwards.
One group formed a ring round the very centre of the field whilst the others
stood perhaps two meters behind, filling the gaps between their colleagues by
forming a lager circle outside of them.
"Come along Harry." Encouraged Lupin as he ushered the Gryffindors into their
changing room. Taking one last look at what was happening outside he saw the
heads of both Gryffindor and Slytherin take up positions in the centre of the
circles. Standing back to back they drew their wands up in front of them, tips
beneath their chins, as if they were about to begin a duel.
"Harry!" He turned and jogged towards his teammates behind him he heard an
incantation rise from the many voices on the field.
"Derivo adfluxum..."
A/N: Hope you liked where this has gone... thanks to everyone who's reviewed your questions should be answered fairly soon. Now hit the little blue button - you know you want to *smile*
Disclaimer: None of the characters, places, objects etc. that you recognise belong to me. They are mot likely the property of one JK Rowling.
Summery: This story is and will probably always be centred on Minerva McGonagall and the other professors at Hogwarts. It is set in Harry's fifth year and the dream-team will likely appear however. The rating may be subject to change but all reviews are welcome.
*****
Harry sighed and brought his hands up to his mouth and blew air through them in
an attempt to ward off the chill December had brought. The snitch was being
more awkward than he thought necessary this morning. He had caught sight of it
on more than one occasion but always just as it sped out ofhis field of vision
but then again this was hardly unusual for his prized catch. What was really
getting on his nerves was the way Malfoy was hanging around on his tail waiting
for him to spot it. Harry couldn't decide if this was because the Slytherin
seeker was just too lazy to do anything else or because he genuinely believed he
could beat his opponent in a race. Well either way Draco was in for a surprise
as he dove from their great height virtually straight towards the ground. He
could see a flash of green and silver behind him as leaned closer into his broom
to gain every ounce of speed he could. Looked like his talent less year mate
had fallen for yet another Wronski feint.
"Harry!" He heard someone call just before a rush of air just past his shoulder
alerted him to a near miss with a bludger and sent him spinning. He managed to
control his broom enough to pull upwards and was rewarded with the sight of
Malfoy looking helplessly around for the snitch. He didn't ponder on it long
though as the Gryffindor chasers broke further away and scored another ten
points for their team. At one hour in they were in the lead and the snitch was
still loose. The usual triumphant roar that met such an event was absent
however. In fact the whole stadium was virtually silent. He rose up into the
air again and looked around. At the other end of the pitch Professor McGonagall
was in discussion with Hagrid who stood with his legs apart, hands on his knees,
breathing hard as if he had run all the way across the grounds. He watched as
his head of house turned and looked up at the teachers box. Following her line
of vision he found himself looking at Snape who too also turned and said
something to his co-workers before disappearing from sight presumably to take
the stairs to ground level. The sound that had been steadily increasing took a
leap as all the Professors in attendance converged on the deputy head mistress.
For an instant Harry had an inexplicable desire that Dumbledore were around, it
wasn't that he didn't trust the others he just somehow felt more secure with the
headmaster near-bye. All of a sudden he realised that all his teammates had
come to an unofficial stop and he wondered at the fact that the Slytherins
weren't making the most of it that was until he noticed that Madame Hooch had
the quaffle firmly under her arm. The beaters on both teams were somewhat
listlessly batting the bludgers between each other but it was clear to see that
their attention was elsewhere. Snape's long strides meant he reached the pair a
while before the others and was soon in deep discussion, if he hadn't known
better he would have said his two professors were concerned about something.
Unconsciously he rubbed his scar as he thought about it. Something was most
definitely up and he didn't like the look of it. The referee flew down and
landed next to Lupin, taking the quaffle with her before they to began to
discuss something. After a few seconds McGonagall and Snape approached the
larger group and the deputy headmistress spoke whilst Hagrid hurried back out of
the stadium. Harry thought of flying overhead to be able to hear what she was
saying but somehow he didn't think that that would go down very well. He
watched, from a distance, as she told them something gesturing once or twice
with her arms. When she stopped speaking there were only a few comments to which
she tersely nodded her head before everyone seemed to be in agreement. He had
half expected her to tell them what was about to happen then, but instead she
and Snape stepped off to one side again. The remaining thirty or so Professors
split into to distinct groups though he wasn't sure how they had been assigned.
Lupin and Hooch stood someway apart from the others as well and it was the games
mistress who pointed her wand at her throat and muttered what he supposed to be
'Soronus', for when she spoke next it was more than loud enough for everyone to
hear. "Attention!" She began though it was hardly necessary, as the previous
silence had returned. "There is a group of death eaters approaching the castle
grounds and they will be upon us soon. There is not time to ensure that you
would all make it safely back to your common rooms so the teachers will do what
they can to protect this area from any attack. Word has already been sent to
the ministry and aurors ad hit wizards are expected to arrive soon." Harry's
blood ran cold. This was it. The real-thing. "Once I have finished speaking
ALL of you will stay exactly where you are or risk being hexed into the next
millennium by myself or Professor Lupin with the exception of the teams," She
continued glancing up at them. "Who will go immediately to their changing rooms
and will not leave before being instructed explicitly to do so by one of the
professors. You will NOT panic but do exactly as you are told." Her brusque
fashion got the message through clearly. Harry headed back down towards the
field but had to wait until he was off the pitch before setting down as his
teachers were spreading out over the pitch. He supposed that he had expected
them to guard the perimeter of the stadium but instead they all faced inwards.
One group formed a ring round the very centre of the field whilst the others
stood perhaps two meters behind, filling the gaps between their colleagues by
forming a lager circle outside of them.
"Come along Harry." Encouraged Lupin as he ushered the Gryffindors into their
changing room. Taking one last look at what was happening outside he saw the
heads of both Gryffindor and Slytherin take up positions in the centre of the
circles. Standing back to back they drew their wands up in front of them, tips
beneath their chins, as if they were about to begin a duel.
"Harry!" He turned and jogged towards his teammates behind him he heard an
incantation rise from the many voices on the field.
"Derivo adfluxum..."
A/N: Hope you liked where this has gone... thanks to everyone who's reviewed your questions should be answered fairly soon. Now hit the little blue button - you know you want to *smile*