"Today is the day, children."
Albus Dumbledore was the first one to speak up, as the six people in the Hut of Hagrid started to wake up after a mostly sleepless night. Only Ron had, according to his snoring, slept well- but that meant nothing because, as Hermione had snorted "Ron's able to fall asleep on the back of a flying dragon!". The other five had lain awake, though. Even Albus, who knew better than anybody else that the Death Eaters could not possibly attack them here, had found himself lying awake, staring at the wooden roof of the hut, his head aching- thinking.
There was one image, one image that had kept popping up inside his head. It was the one of Minerva, how she'd stood there, as he flew away with the children. Her fists clenched tightly around the windowsill, her knuckles white. Her eyes big and greener than ever, her cheeks stained by the few tears she'd allowed herself to cry.
Her mouth one, straight pink line.
Minerva, strong and controlled as ever, but ultimately disagreeing with his decision and he knew it.
He felt bad about it, although he hardly dared to admit it even to himself.
They had always been a team- together, they'd faced Dark Lords and wars, they'd lived over forty years with each other. They knew that every day could be their last- that was the sort of life they'd lead- so they had made the best out of every single moment. Yes, their life had been a risk- a glorious risk. There had been dangers, true, but that exactly was the core of their happiness.
The pride of being happy together- through prophecies, through wars, through difficulties.
When he'd asked her to marry him, long ago, they had both known that it had been a decision of blissful madness.
They loved blissful madness.
And they loved each other.
But it was exactly because of that love, the one, only love of his life, that he felt bad now. He had left her behind. For her own safety, perhaps- but that was no excuse, at least not for Minerva Jean McGonagall- not for Minerva, Goddess of Wisdom and War, who was as intelligent as she was brave and the other way round.
Of all this did Albus think as he spoke those words
"Children, today is the day."
For it was- it really was. Now or never- never or now. He still felt bad because of Minerva- but regret, he had learnt, was useless. So he smiled at the children- a weary but brave smile- and explained
"We'll attack them- today, this morning. Remember, surprise is our ally now. They don't know we are here. But whatever happens- this is the end of it all. Whether it'll be for Him or for us, that I don't know."
He looked at the children- young adults- before him. Could he really let them risk their lives here? They were frightened- he could see it. It was only normal. But in the way Harry's jaw was set, in the way Ginny's brown eyes dangerously blinked, in the way Ron looked at Hermione and the other way round- but perhaps the most in the way Neville Longbotton slowly, very slowly, swallowed, Albus read determination.
They were young, but they knew they were needed.
=====
"Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled as Albus made the Hut door explode by one quick swish of his wand. The unknown, single Death Eater that had been guarding it looked as if he'd just swallowed his own tongue.
"Stupefy!" Ginny Weasley added, her voice shaking but clear- and all of a sudden the man was lying on the slightly wet grass, the shocked expression still fixed on his pale face.
All of a sudden, Albus was touched by the strange quiet of the situation. They had just attacked a Death Eater- they had just started The Final Battle- and yet everything felt so strangely calm, so peaceful, almost as if it all didn't matter after all.
But it did matter, and far away, loud cries awoke the six people out of their almost-dream.
"ALARM! Alarm, Milord, alarm!"
They saw a young man with light blonde hair, who'd apparently been hidden close to the Hut, run over to the tents, waving his arms and yelling.
Harry knew who it was as soon as the very first ray of sunlight touched that- almost silvery hair. He raised his wand- but the cool hand of his Headmaster's on his arm stopped him.
"Don't, Harry. They've heard him anyway. Let Draco Malfoy for one last time revel in his own cowardice.
Harry narrowed his eyes and looked up at his Headmaster- but the earnest look in the wise, blue eyes calmed him down and he nodded.
"Good, Professor. His time will come later, then."
Albus almost smiled as he heard that so well-known determination in the young man's voice and rested his hand on the boy's shoulder.
"It will, Harry. Be sure of that- it are the cowards who fall the first."
"What will we do, now, Professor?" came the ever-practical voice of Hermione Granger, who'd just come out of the Hut.
Albus turned around to her and the other three teenagers. With a weary look at the already stirring tents, he said
"We will stay here and fight here, Hermione. It is the safest- we need the Hut. When someone gets wounded, bring him here. The place will protect you, even though we aren't all descendants of Gryffindor. The time has come where every enemy of the Dark Lord can count on Rowena Ravenclaw's protection."
As he'd said this, his attention was turned away from the students.
"Expelliarmus!" called out Lucius Malfoy, who apparently led the first squad of Death Eaters.
It was the start of a long fight- and a difficult one, the six "warriors" realized.
=====
It was only two hours later, as the sun shone brightly above the lawns of Hogwarts, as the grass was already covered in broken wands and glass- and in broken bodies, even-, that the one event happened which all, perhaps, had been able to see if they'd looked up.
But no-one saw it.
No-one noticed a small, sleek grey tabby jump out of a first-floor Hogwarts window.
Albus Dumbledore was the first one to speak up, as the six people in the Hut of Hagrid started to wake up after a mostly sleepless night. Only Ron had, according to his snoring, slept well- but that meant nothing because, as Hermione had snorted "Ron's able to fall asleep on the back of a flying dragon!". The other five had lain awake, though. Even Albus, who knew better than anybody else that the Death Eaters could not possibly attack them here, had found himself lying awake, staring at the wooden roof of the hut, his head aching- thinking.
There was one image, one image that had kept popping up inside his head. It was the one of Minerva, how she'd stood there, as he flew away with the children. Her fists clenched tightly around the windowsill, her knuckles white. Her eyes big and greener than ever, her cheeks stained by the few tears she'd allowed herself to cry.
Her mouth one, straight pink line.
Minerva, strong and controlled as ever, but ultimately disagreeing with his decision and he knew it.
He felt bad about it, although he hardly dared to admit it even to himself.
They had always been a team- together, they'd faced Dark Lords and wars, they'd lived over forty years with each other. They knew that every day could be their last- that was the sort of life they'd lead- so they had made the best out of every single moment. Yes, their life had been a risk- a glorious risk. There had been dangers, true, but that exactly was the core of their happiness.
The pride of being happy together- through prophecies, through wars, through difficulties.
When he'd asked her to marry him, long ago, they had both known that it had been a decision of blissful madness.
They loved blissful madness.
And they loved each other.
But it was exactly because of that love, the one, only love of his life, that he felt bad now. He had left her behind. For her own safety, perhaps- but that was no excuse, at least not for Minerva Jean McGonagall- not for Minerva, Goddess of Wisdom and War, who was as intelligent as she was brave and the other way round.
Of all this did Albus think as he spoke those words
"Children, today is the day."
For it was- it really was. Now or never- never or now. He still felt bad because of Minerva- but regret, he had learnt, was useless. So he smiled at the children- a weary but brave smile- and explained
"We'll attack them- today, this morning. Remember, surprise is our ally now. They don't know we are here. But whatever happens- this is the end of it all. Whether it'll be for Him or for us, that I don't know."
He looked at the children- young adults- before him. Could he really let them risk their lives here? They were frightened- he could see it. It was only normal. But in the way Harry's jaw was set, in the way Ginny's brown eyes dangerously blinked, in the way Ron looked at Hermione and the other way round- but perhaps the most in the way Neville Longbotton slowly, very slowly, swallowed, Albus read determination.
They were young, but they knew they were needed.
=====
"Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled as Albus made the Hut door explode by one quick swish of his wand. The unknown, single Death Eater that had been guarding it looked as if he'd just swallowed his own tongue.
"Stupefy!" Ginny Weasley added, her voice shaking but clear- and all of a sudden the man was lying on the slightly wet grass, the shocked expression still fixed on his pale face.
All of a sudden, Albus was touched by the strange quiet of the situation. They had just attacked a Death Eater- they had just started The Final Battle- and yet everything felt so strangely calm, so peaceful, almost as if it all didn't matter after all.
But it did matter, and far away, loud cries awoke the six people out of their almost-dream.
"ALARM! Alarm, Milord, alarm!"
They saw a young man with light blonde hair, who'd apparently been hidden close to the Hut, run over to the tents, waving his arms and yelling.
Harry knew who it was as soon as the very first ray of sunlight touched that- almost silvery hair. He raised his wand- but the cool hand of his Headmaster's on his arm stopped him.
"Don't, Harry. They've heard him anyway. Let Draco Malfoy for one last time revel in his own cowardice.
Harry narrowed his eyes and looked up at his Headmaster- but the earnest look in the wise, blue eyes calmed him down and he nodded.
"Good, Professor. His time will come later, then."
Albus almost smiled as he heard that so well-known determination in the young man's voice and rested his hand on the boy's shoulder.
"It will, Harry. Be sure of that- it are the cowards who fall the first."
"What will we do, now, Professor?" came the ever-practical voice of Hermione Granger, who'd just come out of the Hut.
Albus turned around to her and the other three teenagers. With a weary look at the already stirring tents, he said
"We will stay here and fight here, Hermione. It is the safest- we need the Hut. When someone gets wounded, bring him here. The place will protect you, even though we aren't all descendants of Gryffindor. The time has come where every enemy of the Dark Lord can count on Rowena Ravenclaw's protection."
As he'd said this, his attention was turned away from the students.
"Expelliarmus!" called out Lucius Malfoy, who apparently led the first squad of Death Eaters.
It was the start of a long fight- and a difficult one, the six "warriors" realized.
=====
It was only two hours later, as the sun shone brightly above the lawns of Hogwarts, as the grass was already covered in broken wands and glass- and in broken bodies, even-, that the one event happened which all, perhaps, had been able to see if they'd looked up.
But no-one saw it.
No-one noticed a small, sleek grey tabby jump out of a first-floor Hogwarts window.