Chapter 16

"I just got back from the forest professor and it wasn't easy but Aragog agreed to help. I convinced 'em tha' those death eaters weren' gonna let him an' his children live if they took over the grounds."

"That is excellent news, Hagrid. I believe we will stand a fighting chance. We must be ready for an attack any day now," said Dumbledore tiredly.

It was now mid-March and every student in fifth year and above was working day in and day out to learn all of the defense spells they could. There was one class however, where everyone was working the hardest: potions. Though Dumbledore had told them most of the plans, he had not mentioned the invisibility potion. However, they knew why they were working on it and they also knew that the battle depended largely on this potion. It was really the only thing that would give them the upper hand against the death eaters that were trained to kill. Snape had made sure to pair up the classes in such a way that the less talented potions students were with someone who knew what they were doing. Even Neville was trying his best as he cut up the mandrake root into perfect equally sized cubes, as Hermione stirred the contents of their potion three times clockwise and twice counter-clockwise.

Everyone was on edge knowing that the attack could come any day when they least expected it. However, day after peaceful day passed and all that could be heard throughout the castle was random spells coming from different class rooms as students learned new spells. Even the Beaubatons students had learned many new spells and had even taught some spells that the Hogwarts professors had never heard of.

Finally, at the end of March, Snape told Dumbledore that his classes had made enough potion for every one. Dumbledore was elated. He told Snape to distribute the potion to each of the students in his classes first, and then whatever was left would be given to the adults. Every student took the potion from Snape with a grim nod. Snape then announced that everyone was to carry their potion with them at all times. They were given the orders that as soon as they heard the roar that signaled the race for the younger students they were to drink the potion immediately and prepare themselves for the battle. Dumbledore had put a spell on the castle that would trigger the alarm (the roar) if more that a certain number of people crossed the threshold of the school. Since no one was allowed outside, this meant that when the alarm sounded…the attack was on.

It was dinner time at Hogwarts. The enchanted ceiling was showing bright and vibrant stars in the clear night sky. Lately this had been a rather different affair now that there were so many new people in the school. The professors, parents (those that had come to fight), and Order of the Phoenix members (which included the entire Weasley family minus Ron who was sitting at the Gryffindor table) sat at the Slytherin table conferencing. Everyone else sat where they wanted.

Pansy had finally agreed to sit at the Gryffindor table, not that she had much of a choice because the adults were using the Slytherin table, but Harry made her feel much more comfortable by sitting next to her at all times. Sometimes he would reach his hand under the table and take a hold of hers for support. She always smiled when he did this. Pansy had sworn to herself that she would not let herself feel anything for Harry because she was afraid that they were all going to die. However, she was failing miserably at this. She couldn't help but want him more every time she saw him. What she didn't know was that he felt the same.

"Ron, you're doing it wrong. You're supposed to move your wrist to the left first not the right." Hermione's exasperated voice could be heard clearly from the empty transfiguration class room. Ron had just made the cat they were working with grow an extra set of teeth instead of turning it into a butterfly. "Honestly, Ron, do you want to help us or the enemy? Why don't you give it sharper claws while you're at it?" The trio, plus Pansy, had taken this time during dinner in the second week of April to get in some extra practice time. Professor McGonagall had agreed to let them use the class room because she knew they would sneak out to use it any way if she said no.

"Come on, 'Mione, how about some encouragement instead of yelling at me all the time. I get nervous when everyone's watching."

"Then I suppose it's a good thing we're all going to be invisible during the battle," Pansy said curtly. Harry put his head down to hide the smirk that was tugging at the corners of his lips. Pansy had never quite gotten over the fact that Ron and Hermione still annoyed her, and she never missed an opportunity to comment on their actions.

Ron gave Pansy a sarcastic smile before saying, "Why doesn't someone else have a go? I think I'm just hungry."

"Ron, we just ate," said Harry as he moved his wrist the correct way and turned the cat into a butterfly.

"Well, done Harry," Hermione beamed. "I still don't understand how this will help us in the battle. I mean, a person is a lot bigger than a cat."

"We did work with people once," said Pansy. "Besides, even if we can only transfigure the death eater half way, it's still better than a whole one. Just go for the head, that's what I'm gonna do."

"Yeah," Ron agreed, "Can you imagine seeing Lucius Malfoy with the head of a cat and the body of a fly?"

"That's physically impossible," said Hermione. "But it would be funny," she added as the absurdity of the statement sunk in.

They began talking about other people they would like to see in a transfiguration gone wrong. "Oooh, what about Crabbe and Goyle," said Pansy.

"What's to transfigure, they're already whales," said Harry. Everyone burst out laughing.

They agreed, much to Ron's delight, to stop be the Great Hall before dinner was over to get one last bite to eat before going to bed. They arrived in front of the doors in no time. When they opened them they saw the usual scene of adults talking and students eating. They were halfway to the Gryffindor table when-

ROAR!

They froze in their spots before jumping out of the way the let the speeding younger years race to their common rooms. Everyone looked at Dumbledore who had stood up when the alarm had sounded. A magnified voice yelled, "Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw!" All of the younger years were safely in their common rooms. A loud banging was heard out side on the grounds… they were trying to break down the doors. Dumbledore quickly said a spell that locked all of the common room entrances then looked around at the eager, worried, and determined faces around them.

"Merlin be with you," was all that he said before drinking his potion and vanishing from sight.

Everyone followed suit, and one by one they all disappeared from each others view. Only Ron, Hermione, Harry and Pansy could see each other. They had fixed, well Hermione had fixed while the other three watched worriedly, their potion so that they would be able to see each other while they were invisible. They could not, however, see anyone else who was invisible.

"The adults will follow me!" yelled Dumbledore's disembodied voice. The doors to the hall opened, seemingly by themselves, and foot steps could be heard exiting the hall.

The banging became louder and louder.

"This is it guys, are you ready?" asked Harry. Hermione was visibly shaking but looked determined. Ron, who was standing next to Hermione holding her hand, looked as if he was about to face a load of spiders. Pansy looked determined…and sad.

Harry grabbed Pansy's shoulders and turned her to face him. A sheet of blonde hair covered her face as she stubbornly looked at the floor.

"Look at me damn it!" he yelled. Slowly, she looked up. "Nothing is going to happen to me or any of us, you hear me?"

"You can't promise that," she whispered.

"Yes I can," he said just as stubbornly. By now Ron and Hermione were paying close attention to the two.

Blood chilling screams were heard from outside. Everyone turned their heads to look at the open doors except Harry. "I love you." Pansy's head snapped back to look at him. His green eyes locked with moist blue ones.

"Y-you do?"

"Yes, and I promise I will do this again." He put his arm around her waist and held her close.

"Harry," she whispered. Their lips finally touched. Time seemed to freeze. Their bodies felt electrified, it was the warmest, happiest feeling either of them had ever known. It was then that they realized how much they really needed each other. They wanted to go on exploring each other. She tasted so good to him, fresh and sweet. He felt like he was tasting her soul. She felt so protected by him she never wanted to stop. Her hands were moving across his back and up to his hair. However, they were wrenched apart by Ron and Hermione yelling.

"Come on we have to move!" yelled Hermione.

And move is what they did as a hundred death eaters swarmed the great hall. Harry and the others made sure not to hit anyone on their way out. When they reached the hall way it was clear why the death eaters were running. The doors that lead onto the ground were wide open and on the surface of the lake heads could be seen bobbing up and down. The merpeople were launching spears at every death eater they could reach. Bodies were every where on the grounds. As they reached the lake they saw something that threatened to make them wretch. In fact, Hermione did wretch. A death eater had taken a spear and severed a merman's tail with it. The bloody torso of the man was five feet away from his tail. In retaliation, one of the mermaids had launched a spear at the death eater and she hit her target. The death eater was pinned to a tree with the spear through his stomach, as his intestines littered the ground.

The two couples ran back inside to join the battle. They entered to find death eaters apparently dueling thin air. Spells were flying in all direction, it was chaos. Every so often a death eater would fall; every so often a disembodied scream would be heard.

The four ran forward to help in any way that they could. Hermione sent a stunning spell towards the back of one of the death eaters and she quickly fell forward. She heard a growl of thanks that could only be from Mad-Eye Moody. They continued to push their way through the crowd sending spells towards random death eaters. Harry and Pansy lead the way hand in hand while Hermione followed.

pThen out of no where, Dumbledore's voice could be heard. "Away, stay away from my students!" They looked up the stair cases and saw several death eaters trying to get passed the Hufflepuff portrait a few floors above. Then they felt someone pass them and they knew it must be the headmaster, because seconds later, the death eaters went flying backwards away from the portrait.

Body after body, the death eaters kept falling. Harry was beginning to think that they might actually win this. His thoughts however were interrupted as the entire castle shook.

BANG! The castle was shaking as if there was an earth quake. BANG! A few stones fell from the ceiling narrowly missing Ron's head. BANG! The entrance doors were ripped off of their hinges as four giants tried to make their way into the school. They could not fit through the doors and instead settled themselves for swiping their massive hands at anyone who ran by.

A scream echoed in the entrance hall. "Help! Someone help me!" a female voice yelled. Harry and Ron recognized the voice as that of Angelina Johnson. They ran forward to help but before they got far they heard a sickening crunch as one of the giants smashed his hand against the wall. When the giant moved his hand all that could be seen was blood dripping down the wall, and the crumpled and bloody form of the ex-chaser's body lying on the ground.

"Angelina! NO!" Harry yelled.

"Harry, wait! Why can we see her?" Ron yelled as Hermione cried on his shoulder.

Through the sobs Hermione was able to say, "The potion wears off when you-you …die!"

No sooner than she said it did the dead and bloodied forms of Hogwarts students start to appear. Hermione and Pansy screamed in horror as Dean Thomas's body appeared next to them with a great gash across his face and stomach.

CRACK! The sound of apparating could be heard in the distance.

"I thought you couldn't apparate on school grounds!" yelled Pansy over the chaos.

"Dumbledore must have taken that spell off so that we could!" answered Hermione.

They turned around to see the giants moving out of the way and letting more death eaters in. However, theses death eaters looked different, smaller somehow.

"The Slytherins!" yelled Harry.

He wanted nothing more than to get back at the lot of them, especially Malfoy. As they ran forward, they ducked spells that had been sent their way. They had given away their position be yelling. They ducked and sent spells at the same time. It didn't take long before the Slytherins retaliated. Pansy was almost hit by a jet of silver light but Harry was able to pull her out of the way.

Once again Dumbledore yelled, "Teachers, spare the students!" he was of course referring to the Slytherins.

'Spare them', Harry thought, 'I'm going to curse them all.'

As he ran forward he heard a scream from behind him. This time it was a man who screamed. He turned around to see the decapitated body of Lupin falling to his knees while his head rolled a few feet away.

"REMUS, NO!" Harry couldn't stand it any more he couldn't just sit back and let all these people die. He turned to run outside.

"Harry where are you going?!" yelled Pansy.

He pushed his way through the mob of Slytherins and made his way outside followed closely by Pansy, Ron, and Hermione. Once outside he yelled, "You want me Voldemort, then come and get me!"

Then without warning dementors started to appear. "Sending them to do your dirty work! EXPECTO PATRONUM!" he yelled. The silver stag erupted from his wand and began to drive back the dementors. He heard the others behind him saying the spell also. Surprisingly, he saw three more patronuses charge the dementors. There was a silver otter, a fox and a bear. The four patronuses drove the dementors back towards the lake where the merpeople tried but failed to spear them. The spears did little except make the dementors angry. One of them grabbed a mermaid from the lake by her neck and gave her the dreaded kiss. The mermaid visibly paled and then the dementor threw her limp form to the ground.

"There he is, get him!" an all too familiar voice yelled from behind them. It was Malfoy leading the group of Slytherins outside. It was too late to hide. The potion had worn off.

"Not so tough without your potion are you Potter?" drawled Malfoy, while looking at Pansy furiously. "And you bitch! You betrayed your family for that?! You'll pay!"

"Go fuck yourself Malfoy!" Harry yelled. "Cambio mortis!" Harry yelled.

Malfoy ducked and the spell hit Crabbe. Crabbe yelled in agony as he sprouted what appeared to be dog legs from out of his stomach and cat legs from his own legs.

"You were right Hermione," Harry said, "It is much harder on a person. And here I was trying to turn him into a fish, oh well."

All at once the Slytherins began to launch spells. The four ran as they tried to do shielding charms at the same time. Hermione brilliantly transfigured Hagrid's hut to move far enough to shield them, as they ran into the forest.

Back near the castle the Slytherins had stopped launching their spells. "We forced them into the forest. Our job is done. Now it's up to the Dark Lord to finish them off," Malfoy said with a malicious grin.

"Of all the places to run, why did we come in here?" said Ron.

"Well it was either that, be torn apart by the Slytherins, or be kissed by the dementors. Your welcome to go back if you like but I'd rather take my chances in here." said Harry.

They walked until they were in a small clearing. There was a small patch of grass in the middle and it was surrounded by trees. The four lit their wands as they sat down.

"I can't believe this is happening," said Hermione. "All those people…dead."

Harry had his head in his hands. It had happened again. Lupin was dead and there was nothing he could do about it. He fought back the furious tears that itched at is eyes. Then he felt a comforting hand rubbing his back. He looked up and saw Pansy looking back at him, tears rolling freely down her face. He looked at Hermione and Ron and saw that they were also crying. For the first time he felt like he didn't need to be brave and he just broke down. He cried for what felt like an eternity while Pansy wrapped her arms around him. Ron and Hermione did the same.

They didn't know how long they were in the forest and every so often they would here a bang issue from the castle. After a while Pansy asked the question on everyone's mind. "When should we go back?"

No one wanted to answer. Then a voice from the bushes answered for them.

"You are not going anywhere," Voldemort emerged from the bushes closely followed by Maximus, Patricia, William, and Lucius.

The four teens jumped up at once, but before they could even get one spell off, Lucius had stunned them all…except Harry. Harry got the cruciatus curse from Voldemort. Before the excruciating pain set in, Harry could make out William and Patricia floating Ron and Hermione's bodies in one direction, while Maximus and Lucius floated Pansy's body in the opposite direction. When the spell was lifted Harry looked up to see Voldemort disappear with a swish of his black cloak.

'What am I supposed to do now?' As if reading his mind, he heard Voldemort laugh and say, "I wonder who he will try to save first." Then he heard the other death eaters laughing as well.

When he had gathered the strength to yell, he said, "You sick, twisted fuck! If you're going to kill me just get it over with!"

"Oh, but then you wouldn't be able to play our little game, and we went through so much trouble to make this possible. I had to stage an entire attack." More laughing was heard.

'If he wants a game, I'll give him a game. Besides if he wanted to kill me he would have done it already.' "Ready or not here I come!" Harry said as he picked himself up off of the ground.

He headed towards where he saw Maximus taking Pansy. After all, at least Ron and Hermione had each other. Pansy had no one…except him.