A/N: Ok I have just beta-ed my own chapter, cos Eihwaz (the wonderful, the amazing, the mulit-talented, homage-worthy Eihwaz) has run off on holiday and I couldn't open the email she sent me with the next chapters on. So, rather than leave you to wait until the 18th June (the next time when we are both around) I decided to try this. Bear with me please!
Thanx to Invisible Voice, chocoliciouz (ooh ok have fun!), PriBAngel, sassafras (You'll have to ask Eihwaz, although I kinda blackmailed her into writing the last one...), Oliverwoodschic, champtennis, Red-Emerald, KrisKG, bloomz-baby, Katrina Swan, EgyptsStar, RedRaspberry, kate (then why did you read it?), JamesIsMine04, smurfinator, abbie and kate... QUESTION: are the two kates different or just one with multiple personalities?!
Ok, on with the show, I hope it works OK...
Chapter 35
We arrived at school more quickly than I had anticipated, having barely spoken over the journey.
"Go straight to Dumbledore's office," James instructed as I dismounted.
"Aren't you coming?"
"No. I'm off to the wizard villages with Portkeys. I'll see you later," he said, leaning over to kiss me.
"Be careful."
"I will. Don't worry, I'll be appearing pretty regularly in Dumbledore's office. You can keep an eye on me, and the other prefects." And then he kicked off from the ground and waved as he disappeared into the sky.
I hurried up towards the castle, and made my way to the headmaster's office. The door was open and he was sitting inside, looking unusually grave.
"Ah, Lily," he said as I entered. "Good. James got you, then?"
"Yes, yes. He said he's gone to the wizard villages with Portkeys."
He nodded briskly. "Yes."
"So... what's going on? All James explained was that Voldemort is going to... do something tonight."
Professor Dumbledore looked at me closely. "Yes. Yes, Voldemort is intending to... well, I suppose there's no other way to put it than - to kill."
"Kill?" I echoed.
"Yes. All his followers, all his 'Death Eaters', and of course he himself, will be out in the wizarding world... killing."
"Well, why aren't you doing something to stop him?" I asked shrilly.
"I am," he said, and I flushed slightly. "But there is no way for me to prevent this whole night. I only pray that I can stop as much as possible. Even I, with my band of spies, have no way of knowing all his targets, all his plans." He stroked his beard. "Tom Marvolo Riddle. One of the best students Hogwarts has ever had. Up there with James Potter, Sirius Black and you. Less of a troublemaker than those first, perhaps. At least, at school."
"What does he have to do with this? Is he on our side?" I asked eagerly.
Dumbledore raised one eyebrow and waved his wand. The name he had just mentioned spelt itself in the air. With another shoot of sparks, they rearranged. 'I AM LORD VOLDEMORT.'
"Oh." I felt foolish.
"No," he said, "hardly anybody would recognise them as the same person, even if they had been acquaintances. He looks completely different, for starters - but that is just the start." He shook himself. "So does that fill you in on tonight?"
"James said something about Dementors. He explained what they were, but he seemed to think them significant to tonight."
Dumbledore shrugged. "Everything is significant when it comes down to it. All this means is, we have no way to rid ourselves of any of Voldemort's followers, unless through death, because our prison is now just a haven for Dark wizards. Plus, they are... lethal creatures."
I shuddered. "He said."
"Any more questions?"
I shook my head.
"Then I shall explain your role. I have all the male prefects bringing pupils back to school, and currently all the female prefects are keeping order in the Great Hall. Your job is more... sensitive. You, and James when he returns, will be aiding the heads of houses and myself break news to... victims."
I turned pale. "News?"
"More than one student will become an orphan tonight," he said. "Your job is to help them."
And then I said something that I didn't think I would say now. "But, Professor, James is - terribly insensitive."
At last he smiled. "If that was really true, he would neither be Head Boy nor a... friend... of yours."
The Great Hall was a picture of sleeping bags, uneasy professors and frightened prefects and pupils. There was, for some unfathomable reason, silence as I entered the room.
"Well," I said nervously, "I, er..." I cast around desperately for something to say. What did they want to hear? Did they even want to hear anything? There was a long, awkward pause.
"What's happening?" asked a third year at last.
I latched onto this. "Right. How many people here don't know what's going on?"
Nobody responded.
"OK..." At least I sort of knew what they wanted now. "Are there any... particular questions?"
Now there was a flurry of hands. I was, in a strange way, relieved. "I'll start this side and work round. If somebody else asks the question you want to ask and I answer it, please don't repeat it. If your question is relevant to one I'm answering, stand up. And if you can't hear me, yell 'stop!' OK?"
There were many questions I could not answer, some that caused panic, others that lessened it. By the end of the impromptu question time, James had reappeared twice and left, and the Great Hall was steadily filling. The Heads of Houses were taking registers, and prefects returned from time to time with more and more pupils. The Hall was split into the four houses as usual - I couldn't help noting, with a shiver, that not all the Slytherins looked very concerned. In fact, many seemed to be in great anticipation of something.
By eleven thirty, the last student had arrived. James fought his way to my side. "Could we have quiet?" he yelled over the hum of noise.
Heads swivelled our way.
"Our professors are now leaving to fight," he said tensely. "Just so you know, one head of section will be here at any one time. Lily and I will remain here throughout, in Professor Dumbledore's office. The prefects will be keeping order in here. I would like to make it quite clear now that severe punishment faces anyone who causes deliberate chaos. Expulsion awaits anybody who makes insensitive remarks to those suffering. We are expecting extreme levels of co-operation, and absolutely no cruelty will be tolerated."
He stepped back to allow me to speak. "We will be delivering - news," I said, my voice catching in my throat. "The common rooms will be open for anyone needing space, and Madam Pomfrey is in the hospital wing. The prefects will be looking out for you, but the main responsibility toward friends lies with you. This will not be an easy night, but please, as James said, make it as easy as possible."
"Thank you," James said.
At last I turned to him. "You look -"
"Yes," he said, "I'm sure I do. I am... dreading this." He rubbed at the shadows beneath his eyes.
"Me too."
All of us knew when midnight struck. A thunderbolt crashed across the sky, making several people scream. For me, the ensuing silence was worse.
Professor McGonagall was staying with us first. She sat, tight-lipped, in Dumbledore's office, with us beside her. All of us were watching the window. It was only quarter past when the first owl came. "Julie and Eric Attlee," she croaked, unfolding the parchment.
I went out into the Hall, and as discreetly as possible found Eric and caught his arm. His sister, standing beside him, let out a scream like a banshee.
"Not -" he gasped.
I pulled them out of the Hall.
"I'm so sorry," Professor McGonagall whispered when we reached Professor Dumbledore's office. "Your house went down at midnight and they were - still in it."
Tom Brown. Elizabeth, Sam and Sophie Cackle. Charlie Grim. Talulah Finnigan. Sean Abbott. Jordan and Hannah Smith. Roger Macmillan. Ernest Bell. The list was endless. Owls kept swooping in. Professor McGonagall was replaced by an almost humane Professor Sherwin, then Professor Sprout. James and I stayed, dealing out tragedies like playing cards. There was no way to numb oneself to pale faces, wide eyes and blood-curdling screams. The worst was Lisa, the Gryffindor Seeker - she did not shout, or cry, but merely began to sway and emit a low keening noise. I saw James go whiter than ever before lifting her up and carrying her to the hospital wing.
Professor Vector, head of the Ravenclaw house, took over from Professor Sprout at half past four. He looked at James and I.
"You should go and take a rest," he said gently. "I am of the opinion that delivering news is the hardest job - and you two have been doing it all night. Go and take a break."
Simultaneously, we shook our heads. "We'll stay here as long as necessary," James vowed.
Professor Vector did not argue as yet another owl arrived. "Joshua Creevey," he said.
Professor Dumbledore appeared in his office with a flash of fire at six o' clock. "It's over," he said heavily. "A death count from our side of eighty, one hundred more injured and two hundred houses ruined."
"And his side?" asked James.
"Lost forty men, and we injured thirty more. Those are the figures I have so far."
"So far?" I echoed.
"It is probable that more deaths will be discovered on each side over the course of this week."
James took a deep breath. "Professor, did you see my p-"
"Yes, James, your parents are live and well. It was in fact your father who found out that this raid was planned - so he was prepared better than most, perhaps."
James slumped back in his chair. I suddenly realised just what had been eating at him all night. Of course he was worried about his own family. I had been caught up in fearing for everybody else. "How come I didn't know that?" he asked weakly.
"It is best for these things to be secret," Dumbledore replied. "Now, I have to go and see what can be done about the remains, but is everyone all right?"
"Hardly all right," I said, "they are eaten up by fear, and many have suffered losses. But they have coped admirably."
Dumbledore nodded. "You can tell them that it is over for tonight. Ask them to try and get some sleep. It is, of course, Christmas Day, but tell them that presents and feasts will wait, if they don't mind." And then he was gone again.
The atmosphere of that night lasted for days. Five more pupils were affected in the following week. The Daily Prophet was posted round the school, so we could see what was happening. Fear drove most of the stories - facts seemed hard to find. Voldemort was openly behind this - his 'Dark Mark' was pictured hovering in the sky all round the wizarding world.
Breakfast had become a solemn time in the last years, everybody watching the windows of the Great Hall, waiting for the owl post of newspapers, and the feared letters bringing 'news', but this was by far the worst I had seen. James was one of the few not scared for himself, but both he and I kept watch round the hall for those telling moans, paling faces and shaking hands.
"It seems to be OK this morning," he said. "Do you think it might be drawing to a close? I mean, it'll be a full week since it tomorrow, you'd think that wizards would have the ability to find all the bodies by then. Or - Lily? What's wrong?" He grabbed the piece of parchment from my hands.
I retched. "They never said it would affect - muggles."
And I fainted.
Thanx to Invisible Voice, chocoliciouz (ooh ok have fun!), PriBAngel, sassafras (You'll have to ask Eihwaz, although I kinda blackmailed her into writing the last one...), Oliverwoodschic, champtennis, Red-Emerald, KrisKG, bloomz-baby, Katrina Swan, EgyptsStar, RedRaspberry, kate (then why did you read it?), JamesIsMine04, smurfinator, abbie and kate... QUESTION: are the two kates different or just one with multiple personalities?!
Ok, on with the show, I hope it works OK...
Chapter 35
We arrived at school more quickly than I had anticipated, having barely spoken over the journey.
"Go straight to Dumbledore's office," James instructed as I dismounted.
"Aren't you coming?"
"No. I'm off to the wizard villages with Portkeys. I'll see you later," he said, leaning over to kiss me.
"Be careful."
"I will. Don't worry, I'll be appearing pretty regularly in Dumbledore's office. You can keep an eye on me, and the other prefects." And then he kicked off from the ground and waved as he disappeared into the sky.
I hurried up towards the castle, and made my way to the headmaster's office. The door was open and he was sitting inside, looking unusually grave.
"Ah, Lily," he said as I entered. "Good. James got you, then?"
"Yes, yes. He said he's gone to the wizard villages with Portkeys."
He nodded briskly. "Yes."
"So... what's going on? All James explained was that Voldemort is going to... do something tonight."
Professor Dumbledore looked at me closely. "Yes. Yes, Voldemort is intending to... well, I suppose there's no other way to put it than - to kill."
"Kill?" I echoed.
"Yes. All his followers, all his 'Death Eaters', and of course he himself, will be out in the wizarding world... killing."
"Well, why aren't you doing something to stop him?" I asked shrilly.
"I am," he said, and I flushed slightly. "But there is no way for me to prevent this whole night. I only pray that I can stop as much as possible. Even I, with my band of spies, have no way of knowing all his targets, all his plans." He stroked his beard. "Tom Marvolo Riddle. One of the best students Hogwarts has ever had. Up there with James Potter, Sirius Black and you. Less of a troublemaker than those first, perhaps. At least, at school."
"What does he have to do with this? Is he on our side?" I asked eagerly.
Dumbledore raised one eyebrow and waved his wand. The name he had just mentioned spelt itself in the air. With another shoot of sparks, they rearranged. 'I AM LORD VOLDEMORT.'
"Oh." I felt foolish.
"No," he said, "hardly anybody would recognise them as the same person, even if they had been acquaintances. He looks completely different, for starters - but that is just the start." He shook himself. "So does that fill you in on tonight?"
"James said something about Dementors. He explained what they were, but he seemed to think them significant to tonight."
Dumbledore shrugged. "Everything is significant when it comes down to it. All this means is, we have no way to rid ourselves of any of Voldemort's followers, unless through death, because our prison is now just a haven for Dark wizards. Plus, they are... lethal creatures."
I shuddered. "He said."
"Any more questions?"
I shook my head.
"Then I shall explain your role. I have all the male prefects bringing pupils back to school, and currently all the female prefects are keeping order in the Great Hall. Your job is more... sensitive. You, and James when he returns, will be aiding the heads of houses and myself break news to... victims."
I turned pale. "News?"
"More than one student will become an orphan tonight," he said. "Your job is to help them."
And then I said something that I didn't think I would say now. "But, Professor, James is - terribly insensitive."
At last he smiled. "If that was really true, he would neither be Head Boy nor a... friend... of yours."
The Great Hall was a picture of sleeping bags, uneasy professors and frightened prefects and pupils. There was, for some unfathomable reason, silence as I entered the room.
"Well," I said nervously, "I, er..." I cast around desperately for something to say. What did they want to hear? Did they even want to hear anything? There was a long, awkward pause.
"What's happening?" asked a third year at last.
I latched onto this. "Right. How many people here don't know what's going on?"
Nobody responded.
"OK..." At least I sort of knew what they wanted now. "Are there any... particular questions?"
Now there was a flurry of hands. I was, in a strange way, relieved. "I'll start this side and work round. If somebody else asks the question you want to ask and I answer it, please don't repeat it. If your question is relevant to one I'm answering, stand up. And if you can't hear me, yell 'stop!' OK?"
There were many questions I could not answer, some that caused panic, others that lessened it. By the end of the impromptu question time, James had reappeared twice and left, and the Great Hall was steadily filling. The Heads of Houses were taking registers, and prefects returned from time to time with more and more pupils. The Hall was split into the four houses as usual - I couldn't help noting, with a shiver, that not all the Slytherins looked very concerned. In fact, many seemed to be in great anticipation of something.
By eleven thirty, the last student had arrived. James fought his way to my side. "Could we have quiet?" he yelled over the hum of noise.
Heads swivelled our way.
"Our professors are now leaving to fight," he said tensely. "Just so you know, one head of section will be here at any one time. Lily and I will remain here throughout, in Professor Dumbledore's office. The prefects will be keeping order in here. I would like to make it quite clear now that severe punishment faces anyone who causes deliberate chaos. Expulsion awaits anybody who makes insensitive remarks to those suffering. We are expecting extreme levels of co-operation, and absolutely no cruelty will be tolerated."
He stepped back to allow me to speak. "We will be delivering - news," I said, my voice catching in my throat. "The common rooms will be open for anyone needing space, and Madam Pomfrey is in the hospital wing. The prefects will be looking out for you, but the main responsibility toward friends lies with you. This will not be an easy night, but please, as James said, make it as easy as possible."
"Thank you," James said.
At last I turned to him. "You look -"
"Yes," he said, "I'm sure I do. I am... dreading this." He rubbed at the shadows beneath his eyes.
"Me too."
All of us knew when midnight struck. A thunderbolt crashed across the sky, making several people scream. For me, the ensuing silence was worse.
Professor McGonagall was staying with us first. She sat, tight-lipped, in Dumbledore's office, with us beside her. All of us were watching the window. It was only quarter past when the first owl came. "Julie and Eric Attlee," she croaked, unfolding the parchment.
I went out into the Hall, and as discreetly as possible found Eric and caught his arm. His sister, standing beside him, let out a scream like a banshee.
"Not -" he gasped.
I pulled them out of the Hall.
"I'm so sorry," Professor McGonagall whispered when we reached Professor Dumbledore's office. "Your house went down at midnight and they were - still in it."
Tom Brown. Elizabeth, Sam and Sophie Cackle. Charlie Grim. Talulah Finnigan. Sean Abbott. Jordan and Hannah Smith. Roger Macmillan. Ernest Bell. The list was endless. Owls kept swooping in. Professor McGonagall was replaced by an almost humane Professor Sherwin, then Professor Sprout. James and I stayed, dealing out tragedies like playing cards. There was no way to numb oneself to pale faces, wide eyes and blood-curdling screams. The worst was Lisa, the Gryffindor Seeker - she did not shout, or cry, but merely began to sway and emit a low keening noise. I saw James go whiter than ever before lifting her up and carrying her to the hospital wing.
Professor Vector, head of the Ravenclaw house, took over from Professor Sprout at half past four. He looked at James and I.
"You should go and take a rest," he said gently. "I am of the opinion that delivering news is the hardest job - and you two have been doing it all night. Go and take a break."
Simultaneously, we shook our heads. "We'll stay here as long as necessary," James vowed.
Professor Vector did not argue as yet another owl arrived. "Joshua Creevey," he said.
Professor Dumbledore appeared in his office with a flash of fire at six o' clock. "It's over," he said heavily. "A death count from our side of eighty, one hundred more injured and two hundred houses ruined."
"And his side?" asked James.
"Lost forty men, and we injured thirty more. Those are the figures I have so far."
"So far?" I echoed.
"It is probable that more deaths will be discovered on each side over the course of this week."
James took a deep breath. "Professor, did you see my p-"
"Yes, James, your parents are live and well. It was in fact your father who found out that this raid was planned - so he was prepared better than most, perhaps."
James slumped back in his chair. I suddenly realised just what had been eating at him all night. Of course he was worried about his own family. I had been caught up in fearing for everybody else. "How come I didn't know that?" he asked weakly.
"It is best for these things to be secret," Dumbledore replied. "Now, I have to go and see what can be done about the remains, but is everyone all right?"
"Hardly all right," I said, "they are eaten up by fear, and many have suffered losses. But they have coped admirably."
Dumbledore nodded. "You can tell them that it is over for tonight. Ask them to try and get some sleep. It is, of course, Christmas Day, but tell them that presents and feasts will wait, if they don't mind." And then he was gone again.
The atmosphere of that night lasted for days. Five more pupils were affected in the following week. The Daily Prophet was posted round the school, so we could see what was happening. Fear drove most of the stories - facts seemed hard to find. Voldemort was openly behind this - his 'Dark Mark' was pictured hovering in the sky all round the wizarding world.
Breakfast had become a solemn time in the last years, everybody watching the windows of the Great Hall, waiting for the owl post of newspapers, and the feared letters bringing 'news', but this was by far the worst I had seen. James was one of the few not scared for himself, but both he and I kept watch round the hall for those telling moans, paling faces and shaking hands.
"It seems to be OK this morning," he said. "Do you think it might be drawing to a close? I mean, it'll be a full week since it tomorrow, you'd think that wizards would have the ability to find all the bodies by then. Or - Lily? What's wrong?" He grabbed the piece of parchment from my hands.
I retched. "They never said it would affect - muggles."
And I fainted.