(well, it took a while, but here it is. Hope you enjoy!)
How they Fought and How They Died: Part Two
Gryffindor Tower
"Hurry up, Neville." Natalie said in an exasperated tone.
"Hold on, now. I'm thinking." Neville said, staring intently at the chessboard before him. He reached for a knight, but then hesitated and then withdrew his hand.
Natalie let out a groan. "Please, this is not a championship game. It's supposed to be fun." She said.
Neville smiled. "I've gotta win sometime." He said.
'I'll be dead before that happens." Natalie cried.
There was a sudden crack. Neville stared gaped mouthed as several dark figures appeared in the Gryffindor common room. One of the figures turned to Neville and all he saw was the white snakehead that glared at him, it's two red eyes borrowing into his mind.
"Ah, Longbottom." A horribly familiar voice said. Bellatrix stepped forward with a grin on her face. "I've been anticipating another meeting with you. You'll envy what happened to your parents. Crucio!" She shouted and Neville began screaming and screaming.
"Eliminate all the Gryffindors. Leave nothing alive." Voldemort said to the other Death Eaters that had joined him. He pointed his wand toward Natalie who was paralyzed with fear. There was a blast of green light.
Doors all across Hogwarts began slamming shut. Gates locked and glass became hard as stone. At every exit Death Eaters appeared along with many Dark Creatures. All across the castle they began stalking room to room, seeking anyone and anything to fight them. Where they passed they left death and destruction in their wake.
Hogwarts Main Lawn
There was a crack and two dark robed figures and four trolls appeared only a dozen feet away from Harry and Ron who were running for the castle.
"Kill everything and everyone!" One of the figures began yelling. He pointed his wand to a second year girl who stood frozen in shock. There was a flash of orange and the girl collapsed, her clothing and hair catching fire.
Harry's wand was out and he was yelling "Stupefy!" before he knew it. One of the dark clad figures spun away, dropping to a knee before collapsing unconscious to the ground. Ron was beside him, yelling "expelliarmus" and sending the huge clubs the trolls carried flying across the lawns and toward the lake. The fifth year boy Harry had seen earlier pulled out his wand and began attacking the other figure.
Ginny appeared her face set and anger burning in her eyes. 'Terra Frendo!" She cried, pointing at the ground. Harry watched as the earth suddenly opened up and three of the trolls fell into the sudden pit, and then it slammed shut, crushing them.
The other troll began running off, chasing after several other students that were fleeing.
"Inferno air!" Harry cried, pointing at the last dark clad figure, who had just finished his momentary duel with the fifth year student. There was a sudden sucking sound and a wall of fire erupted around him. There was screaming and then there was no sound. Harry stood there for a moment, chest heaving and a shocked look upon his face.
"Expelliarmus!" Harry cried, pointing at the fleeing troll. The troll was tossed into the air and splashed into the lake. It splashed frantically for a moment, and then the giant squid made short work of it.
"They apparated onto Hogwarts school grounds." Ron was saying. "They can't do that!"
"Something must have happened. The wards and charms that protect the school must have been destroyed." Ginny said, glancing to the still flaming spot on the forth floor. "They must have destroyed something."
"Voldemort's here. We have to stop him before the entire school is wiped out." Harry said. "Round up all that you can, get the fourth years and below out of here. They need to flee." Harry looked around. "Send them to the Forbidden Forest, the Centaurs will not hurt them and they'll keep them safe." He said.
Ron nodded grimly. "Come on, Ginny. Thank god a lot of people were outside." He muttered and began running toward the groups that were beginning to form. Ginny spared a glance at Harry who continued looking at the castle.
Strangely Harry felt nothing. No fear, no anger, nor remorse for the two Death Eaters he had just killed. Nothing. He didn't know if that was good or not, but he couldn't do anything about it.
Voldemort had made his move. Where was Dumbledore and the rest of the Order. Surely they should be here by now. He looked about and saw Ginny and Ron separating the students, grabbing DA members and older students.
He could feel Voldemort. He could feel the cold glee, the hate, and the satisfaction of his revenge. Harry's eyes moved across the familiar spires and towers of the castle and rested upon the Gryffindor Tower. He felt his heart stop for a moment; Voldemort was in Gryffindor Tower.
Harry closed his eyes, imagining the room. The fireplace, the large squishy chairs, and tables. He tried moving there. But nothing happened. He opened his eyes. There must be a charm around it, he couldn't apparate to the tower.
There was a loud booming explosion, Harry looked up to see the Gryffindor tower erupt into a shower of fire and stone. People began screaming and shouting again. Harry watched, his face expressionless and his rage building. All those people.
He gripped his wand tightly and began running for the main gates. Behind him he heard the cries and shouts from the others.
"Harry wait!" Ron cried.
Ravenclaw Tower
A fire roared and Michael Corner stumbled back, hearing the screaming of goblins and trolls. He felt a arm grab him and looked up to see the face of Luna Lovegood. Her normally dreamy expression was replaced by a set and determined look, her wand pointed straight at the flaming monsters.
"Come on. We can't hold them." Luna cried, dragging Michael to his feet.
"We have to." Michael said. He glared at Luna, but then stopped. He looked around and saw the frightened faces on many of the younger Ravenclaw students. "We can't escape. We're too high and they're all over the place." He whispered to her.
Luna nodded. She looked back at the younger students. Like all good Ravenclaws they had been studying intently for their upcoming finals, OWLs or NEWTs. Nearly all the Ravenclaw students had been in the house when the attack began.
The dark creatures tore through the Common Room, slaying and destroying anyone and anything that got in their way. The gathered students had managed to fend off the first attack, regroup and then hold off the second wave of monsters, but then the Deatheaters showed up.
Luna shuddered. She had been a member of the DA since it began, but the pure strength, power, and ferocity those loyal to Voldemort had was terrifying.
"The only thing we can do is fight, that or give up and what then? Voldemort won't let us live, he'll kill us all." Michael said angrily.
Padma Patil pushed herself forward, gripping stubbornly to her arm, blood was still seeping out of the nasty gash and her face was white, but her wand was clenched tightly in her hand. "This is the end of the tower, Luna. We hold here or we die." She said.
Luna stared helplessly at the frightened faces of the twenty younger students that had survived the furious battle up the Ravenclaw Tower. There had been nearly fifty students and ten DA members when they ran, but now only Padma, Michael, and Luna were the last. There had to be a way out of here. She looked around at the stone walls, the sun shined through one of the open windows.
"We can get out through the windows!" Luna shouted excitedly.
"It's several hundred feet to the ground." Padma said, the sudden flare of hope vanishing.
"The brooms." Michael suddenly said, rushing to a wardrobe and pulling out several brooms. "Anthony and I were seeing if we could fix up some of the old training brooms. Hooch said it would be a good learning experience." His face clouded for a moment, Anthony had been killed in the first attack.
"There are only four of them." Luna said.
"I can apparate." Michael said. "That means we can get off the tower four at a time." He glanced at the students sizing up many of the small students. "Make that eight at a time. Two to each broom. These aren't Quidditch brooms, these are slow and heavy, but they can carry a lot of weight and are easy to handle even with and inexperienced user."
"Then where do we go?" Padma asked.
"The Forbidden Forest." Luna said. "The Centaurs there won't hurt children and Voldemort would be stupid to send any of their monsters into the place. It's the only place to go."
"We'll need time. There's bound to be some of those monster running around on the lawns." Padma said. "We can't let the kids fly down there and get clobbered by some damn giant or troll. You'll have to go first, Michael."
"No." Michael stated flatly. "I'll stay here and hold the monsters back."
"No you won't. You're the strongest out of the three of us. You need to be down there to make sure the kids won't be attacked. I'll be up here, I'm good at Summoning Charms. Luna can hold a shield good enough. You get down there and you make sure they reach the ground safely."
Michael frowned furiously; he glanced at the children and back at Luna and Padma. He wasn't stupid, he was Ravenclaw and he knew their logic was sound. He knew they were right, but he didn't want to. He didn't want to leave them here, to be the last to leave, at the most dangerous part.
"Damn you." He hissed. "I'll make sure they get down alright. But don't do anything stupid, you two come down as fast as you can."
"We'll be right behind the last group." Luna said, hugging Michael. Tears ran down her face, Padma did the same and they stood there for a moment looking at one another.
"Damn Voldemort. Damn him." Michael cursed.
"Go." Luna said, she and Padma headed toward the stairs. The raging fire was dying down and they could hear the creatures below readying for another charge. Michael clenched his fist helplessly and vanished from sight.
Near Kitchens
"Lightning!" Screamed Hannah Abbot, the goblin that was bearing down upon her staggered back as a wave of electricity hit it. It let out a scream and dropped the wicked looking weapon in its hands.
A figure appeared by her side. "Stupefy!" He shouted. The goblin flipped over, still and unconscious.
Hannah looked up to see the strained, pale face of Ernie Macmillan. He held a hand out for her and pulled her to her feet. "Come on." He gasped.
"There's more coming." Susan Bones said, she pointed down the corridor, where they could see many more dark creatures preparing another charge. Their dead already lay piled up in the wide corridor, but still they kept coming.
"We can't hold them here." Ernie said, he clenched his jaw. "We need to get back to safety."
"We can't head up the stairs. They're blocked by Death Eaters. The damn monsters are everywhere down here. Our entire house is nothing but ruins. Where can we go?" Hannah asked, feeling weary.
"The kitchens." Susan suddenly said. "They're on this floor. The House Elves won't turn us away."
'We'll be trapped in the kitchens." Hannah said.
"The House Elves won't let anything happen to us there. They'll protect us." Susan said firmly.
"Then we go." Ernie said. "Get the students moving. Run." There was a strange cadence to his voice. Hannah glanced at him worriedly, but began rounding up the students. There were twelve of them, all that remained of the Hufflepuff house.
They quickly made their way down the almost empty halls. Behind them they could hear the scraping, huffing, and growling of nightmare creatures just staying out of sight, waiting to attack. Hannah glanced back nervously, but she saw nothing, beyond the flickering lights and the occasional glint in the darkness.
There was a roar and something big and dark exploded before the small group. It snarled and thrashed about, catching one of the second year's with a heavily talon claw. Ernie was there in a flash, his eyes blazing and his wand pointing. "Incendo!" He cried.
Hannah had never seen a common fire-starting spell worked on a living being. She gaped in horror as the monster suddenly burst into flame, it screamed and screamed. Frantically trying to put out the fire, but there was nothing to extinguish the flames.
"Get moving!" Ernie yelled. He staggered a moment and dropped to one knee. Hannah was at his side. She gripped him and felt something warm and sticky. She pulled back her hand and saw it covered in blood.
"What happened?" She whispered.
"No time. Get moving." Ernie said. His breathing was labored and his face was an unhealthy pallor. "Get going. I'll stay here, make sure nothing follows. Get the kids out of here."
"We're not leaving you behind."
"Get!" He snarled. Hannah jerked back.
There was a patter of feet and Hannah looked up to see several House Elves running toward them, in the lead was a bizarrely dressed elf. He skidded to a stop before Ernie.
"Dobby's here to stop the monsters." The elf said, he laid a hand upon Ernie and there was a flash of light. 'He's exhausted. Take him inside. All will be well."
"Thank you." Hannah wept.
Hospital Wing
The roaring troll suddenly staggered to a stop and then flopped bonelessly to the ground. Its demise didn't stop the other creatures behind it in their madden charge across the smoking shattered corridor.
McGonagall raised her wand. Cruses and spells flashing out, moving with precision and experience. Many of the monsters crashed to the floor, disappeared, transfigured into harmless things, or just plain were torn apart.
Colin Creevey stared in horrid amazement.
There were several sharp cracks and Colin turned to see three dark figures appear behind him. He moved quickly, his wand already flashing a hex before he knew it. It was brushed aside easily and he felt pain like never before. His screaming broke McGonagall's concentration, she turned. A look of fear on her face and staggered as a wave of green light tore through her.
"Professor!" Someone screamed.
"They keep fighting." A voice said. Colin looked up to see a sharp- faced man, his face almost hidden by the cowl he wore. "Why don't you give up?" He said, looking at Collin.
"Avada Kedavra." Colin said.
The man staggered back, he reached up to his face, it came away red with blood. "Not enough magic behind it, boy." The man whispered. "Here's how its done." He raised his wand at Colin.
There was shouting, screaming, and roar of rage that verberated down the corridor. A lone figure appeared at the head of the stairs, his wand out and pointing. "Accio!" He shouted, the three Death Eaters suddenly began flying toward him. "Expelliarmus!" He cried and they flew away smashing against the walls. He charged them again crying "Stupefy!" The three figures slumped into unconsciousness.
Colin got to his feet and saw Harry running to him. He stopped before him and glanced back into the hospital wing, from the windows peeked out several faces of several younger students and a busy Amanda who was trying to heal his wounded brother and many others that lined the once empty hopital.
"How many?" Harry asked.
"Seventeen kids. I'm the only one who can fight." Colin said tonelessly, his eyes staring at McGonagall's lifeless body.
There was more shouting and the pounding of feet. Colin looked to the stairs and saw at least twenty older students running breathlessly toward them. He spotted the red heads of Ron and Ginny.
"Damn it, Harry!" Ron yelled as he caught up with him. "We said wait."
Harry wasn't listening. Instead his eyes scanned the corridors, the monsters seemed to have sulked back at his coming. Colin knew they were still out there, ready to attack again.
"He's close." Harry said, his voice low and his eyes distant. "I can feel him, his horrible joy."
Colin shivered. "What are we going to do?" He asked.
"You. Get these students out of here; they're only going to die if they stay here. Everyone will help you get them out of here. I'm going for Voldemort." Harry said, determination in his voice.
There was an immediate outcry of protest.
"Don't be stupid, Harry. We're doing this together. You can't stop Voldemort on your own!" Ginny cried, grabbing his arm. "You need us all!"
The others nodded their agreement. They had seen too much to turn back now, rage and hate burned in them. They wanted to fight and they wanted to destroy the monster who had done so much to hurt them.
Harry closed his eyes. "Kate, Seamus, and Kyle. You three stay here, help Colin get these kids out of here. There's still monsters around, deal with them, but get them as far from here as you can." He commanded. The three looked ready to argue, but they nodded their consent.
Colin felt a wave of relief that shamed him. "We'll get the kids out of here." He said.
Harry nodded, but he wasn't listening again. His eyes look to where the monsters were forming up again. "He's beyond them." He said and began walking toward the monsters.
The others hesitated for a moment, but then they began following him, except the three that looked helpless and angry.
Somewhere in Hogwarts
A cold laughter filled the air. "Time to die, Potter." Voldemort said, raising his wand.
"Expell-"
"STUPEFY!" The words roared like the end of the world and all became red.
Harry staggered back, barely holding to consciousness, the power behind the words. The sheer power. Fear began to creep into his heart, Voldemort had grown stronger. He had become more powerful.
"Crucio!' Harry shouted. He was met with a roar of pain. Keep moving. Keep hitting him. A frantic voice in his head screamed. Spells, curses, and hexes flew out of his wand as fast as he could say them, most shattered across the shield he had put up, but some got in.
"ENOUGH!" Voldemort yelled. There was a flash of white light and Harry staggered back, he heard the shouting of others and screaming. "IMPERIO!"
Harry felt a wonderful sensation of floating. A release of all worries and a release of all control. This is what you want. This is what you want, peace. Don't' fight, let go.
It was as if he were watching himself. He turned around, facing the students that had followed him. He raised his wand and shouted. "Crucio!"
The screaming broke through to him.
Stop it! He cried. Stop it! He struggled, he raged, and he fought, but Voldemort hung on tightly. Kill them all!
NO!
KILL THEM!
"Fight him, Harry!" Ron suddenly shouted, getting to his knees. "Fight him!"
KILL HIM!
NO!
His arm rose shakily, two wills battling one another. Harry clenched his mouth shut, but it opened. He was too powerful.
KILL!
"I won-" Harry began. Suddenly it felt as if a great pressure bore down upon him. KILL HIM!
Harry struggled, but was swept away, a vast presence that shattered his will and broke his spirit. "Avada Kedavra!" A distant voice shouted, sounding too much like his own. From a great distant Harry saw Ron fall, a look of shock, hurt, and surprise on his face.
Harry began screaming, dropping to his knees and darkness fell upon him. A cold laughter followed him and the surprise look of Ron's face burned into his mind.
How they Fought and How They Died: Part Two
Gryffindor Tower
"Hurry up, Neville." Natalie said in an exasperated tone.
"Hold on, now. I'm thinking." Neville said, staring intently at the chessboard before him. He reached for a knight, but then hesitated and then withdrew his hand.
Natalie let out a groan. "Please, this is not a championship game. It's supposed to be fun." She said.
Neville smiled. "I've gotta win sometime." He said.
'I'll be dead before that happens." Natalie cried.
There was a sudden crack. Neville stared gaped mouthed as several dark figures appeared in the Gryffindor common room. One of the figures turned to Neville and all he saw was the white snakehead that glared at him, it's two red eyes borrowing into his mind.
"Ah, Longbottom." A horribly familiar voice said. Bellatrix stepped forward with a grin on her face. "I've been anticipating another meeting with you. You'll envy what happened to your parents. Crucio!" She shouted and Neville began screaming and screaming.
"Eliminate all the Gryffindors. Leave nothing alive." Voldemort said to the other Death Eaters that had joined him. He pointed his wand toward Natalie who was paralyzed with fear. There was a blast of green light.
Doors all across Hogwarts began slamming shut. Gates locked and glass became hard as stone. At every exit Death Eaters appeared along with many Dark Creatures. All across the castle they began stalking room to room, seeking anyone and anything to fight them. Where they passed they left death and destruction in their wake.
Hogwarts Main Lawn
There was a crack and two dark robed figures and four trolls appeared only a dozen feet away from Harry and Ron who were running for the castle.
"Kill everything and everyone!" One of the figures began yelling. He pointed his wand to a second year girl who stood frozen in shock. There was a flash of orange and the girl collapsed, her clothing and hair catching fire.
Harry's wand was out and he was yelling "Stupefy!" before he knew it. One of the dark clad figures spun away, dropping to a knee before collapsing unconscious to the ground. Ron was beside him, yelling "expelliarmus" and sending the huge clubs the trolls carried flying across the lawns and toward the lake. The fifth year boy Harry had seen earlier pulled out his wand and began attacking the other figure.
Ginny appeared her face set and anger burning in her eyes. 'Terra Frendo!" She cried, pointing at the ground. Harry watched as the earth suddenly opened up and three of the trolls fell into the sudden pit, and then it slammed shut, crushing them.
The other troll began running off, chasing after several other students that were fleeing.
"Inferno air!" Harry cried, pointing at the last dark clad figure, who had just finished his momentary duel with the fifth year student. There was a sudden sucking sound and a wall of fire erupted around him. There was screaming and then there was no sound. Harry stood there for a moment, chest heaving and a shocked look upon his face.
"Expelliarmus!" Harry cried, pointing at the fleeing troll. The troll was tossed into the air and splashed into the lake. It splashed frantically for a moment, and then the giant squid made short work of it.
"They apparated onto Hogwarts school grounds." Ron was saying. "They can't do that!"
"Something must have happened. The wards and charms that protect the school must have been destroyed." Ginny said, glancing to the still flaming spot on the forth floor. "They must have destroyed something."
"Voldemort's here. We have to stop him before the entire school is wiped out." Harry said. "Round up all that you can, get the fourth years and below out of here. They need to flee." Harry looked around. "Send them to the Forbidden Forest, the Centaurs will not hurt them and they'll keep them safe." He said.
Ron nodded grimly. "Come on, Ginny. Thank god a lot of people were outside." He muttered and began running toward the groups that were beginning to form. Ginny spared a glance at Harry who continued looking at the castle.
Strangely Harry felt nothing. No fear, no anger, nor remorse for the two Death Eaters he had just killed. Nothing. He didn't know if that was good or not, but he couldn't do anything about it.
Voldemort had made his move. Where was Dumbledore and the rest of the Order. Surely they should be here by now. He looked about and saw Ginny and Ron separating the students, grabbing DA members and older students.
He could feel Voldemort. He could feel the cold glee, the hate, and the satisfaction of his revenge. Harry's eyes moved across the familiar spires and towers of the castle and rested upon the Gryffindor Tower. He felt his heart stop for a moment; Voldemort was in Gryffindor Tower.
Harry closed his eyes, imagining the room. The fireplace, the large squishy chairs, and tables. He tried moving there. But nothing happened. He opened his eyes. There must be a charm around it, he couldn't apparate to the tower.
There was a loud booming explosion, Harry looked up to see the Gryffindor tower erupt into a shower of fire and stone. People began screaming and shouting again. Harry watched, his face expressionless and his rage building. All those people.
He gripped his wand tightly and began running for the main gates. Behind him he heard the cries and shouts from the others.
"Harry wait!" Ron cried.
Ravenclaw Tower
A fire roared and Michael Corner stumbled back, hearing the screaming of goblins and trolls. He felt a arm grab him and looked up to see the face of Luna Lovegood. Her normally dreamy expression was replaced by a set and determined look, her wand pointed straight at the flaming monsters.
"Come on. We can't hold them." Luna cried, dragging Michael to his feet.
"We have to." Michael said. He glared at Luna, but then stopped. He looked around and saw the frightened faces on many of the younger Ravenclaw students. "We can't escape. We're too high and they're all over the place." He whispered to her.
Luna nodded. She looked back at the younger students. Like all good Ravenclaws they had been studying intently for their upcoming finals, OWLs or NEWTs. Nearly all the Ravenclaw students had been in the house when the attack began.
The dark creatures tore through the Common Room, slaying and destroying anyone and anything that got in their way. The gathered students had managed to fend off the first attack, regroup and then hold off the second wave of monsters, but then the Deatheaters showed up.
Luna shuddered. She had been a member of the DA since it began, but the pure strength, power, and ferocity those loyal to Voldemort had was terrifying.
"The only thing we can do is fight, that or give up and what then? Voldemort won't let us live, he'll kill us all." Michael said angrily.
Padma Patil pushed herself forward, gripping stubbornly to her arm, blood was still seeping out of the nasty gash and her face was white, but her wand was clenched tightly in her hand. "This is the end of the tower, Luna. We hold here or we die." She said.
Luna stared helplessly at the frightened faces of the twenty younger students that had survived the furious battle up the Ravenclaw Tower. There had been nearly fifty students and ten DA members when they ran, but now only Padma, Michael, and Luna were the last. There had to be a way out of here. She looked around at the stone walls, the sun shined through one of the open windows.
"We can get out through the windows!" Luna shouted excitedly.
"It's several hundred feet to the ground." Padma said, the sudden flare of hope vanishing.
"The brooms." Michael suddenly said, rushing to a wardrobe and pulling out several brooms. "Anthony and I were seeing if we could fix up some of the old training brooms. Hooch said it would be a good learning experience." His face clouded for a moment, Anthony had been killed in the first attack.
"There are only four of them." Luna said.
"I can apparate." Michael said. "That means we can get off the tower four at a time." He glanced at the students sizing up many of the small students. "Make that eight at a time. Two to each broom. These aren't Quidditch brooms, these are slow and heavy, but they can carry a lot of weight and are easy to handle even with and inexperienced user."
"Then where do we go?" Padma asked.
"The Forbidden Forest." Luna said. "The Centaurs there won't hurt children and Voldemort would be stupid to send any of their monsters into the place. It's the only place to go."
"We'll need time. There's bound to be some of those monster running around on the lawns." Padma said. "We can't let the kids fly down there and get clobbered by some damn giant or troll. You'll have to go first, Michael."
"No." Michael stated flatly. "I'll stay here and hold the monsters back."
"No you won't. You're the strongest out of the three of us. You need to be down there to make sure the kids won't be attacked. I'll be up here, I'm good at Summoning Charms. Luna can hold a shield good enough. You get down there and you make sure they reach the ground safely."
Michael frowned furiously; he glanced at the children and back at Luna and Padma. He wasn't stupid, he was Ravenclaw and he knew their logic was sound. He knew they were right, but he didn't want to. He didn't want to leave them here, to be the last to leave, at the most dangerous part.
"Damn you." He hissed. "I'll make sure they get down alright. But don't do anything stupid, you two come down as fast as you can."
"We'll be right behind the last group." Luna said, hugging Michael. Tears ran down her face, Padma did the same and they stood there for a moment looking at one another.
"Damn Voldemort. Damn him." Michael cursed.
"Go." Luna said, she and Padma headed toward the stairs. The raging fire was dying down and they could hear the creatures below readying for another charge. Michael clenched his fist helplessly and vanished from sight.
Near Kitchens
"Lightning!" Screamed Hannah Abbot, the goblin that was bearing down upon her staggered back as a wave of electricity hit it. It let out a scream and dropped the wicked looking weapon in its hands.
A figure appeared by her side. "Stupefy!" He shouted. The goblin flipped over, still and unconscious.
Hannah looked up to see the strained, pale face of Ernie Macmillan. He held a hand out for her and pulled her to her feet. "Come on." He gasped.
"There's more coming." Susan Bones said, she pointed down the corridor, where they could see many more dark creatures preparing another charge. Their dead already lay piled up in the wide corridor, but still they kept coming.
"We can't hold them here." Ernie said, he clenched his jaw. "We need to get back to safety."
"We can't head up the stairs. They're blocked by Death Eaters. The damn monsters are everywhere down here. Our entire house is nothing but ruins. Where can we go?" Hannah asked, feeling weary.
"The kitchens." Susan suddenly said. "They're on this floor. The House Elves won't turn us away."
'We'll be trapped in the kitchens." Hannah said.
"The House Elves won't let anything happen to us there. They'll protect us." Susan said firmly.
"Then we go." Ernie said. "Get the students moving. Run." There was a strange cadence to his voice. Hannah glanced at him worriedly, but began rounding up the students. There were twelve of them, all that remained of the Hufflepuff house.
They quickly made their way down the almost empty halls. Behind them they could hear the scraping, huffing, and growling of nightmare creatures just staying out of sight, waiting to attack. Hannah glanced back nervously, but she saw nothing, beyond the flickering lights and the occasional glint in the darkness.
There was a roar and something big and dark exploded before the small group. It snarled and thrashed about, catching one of the second year's with a heavily talon claw. Ernie was there in a flash, his eyes blazing and his wand pointing. "Incendo!" He cried.
Hannah had never seen a common fire-starting spell worked on a living being. She gaped in horror as the monster suddenly burst into flame, it screamed and screamed. Frantically trying to put out the fire, but there was nothing to extinguish the flames.
"Get moving!" Ernie yelled. He staggered a moment and dropped to one knee. Hannah was at his side. She gripped him and felt something warm and sticky. She pulled back her hand and saw it covered in blood.
"What happened?" She whispered.
"No time. Get moving." Ernie said. His breathing was labored and his face was an unhealthy pallor. "Get going. I'll stay here, make sure nothing follows. Get the kids out of here."
"We're not leaving you behind."
"Get!" He snarled. Hannah jerked back.
There was a patter of feet and Hannah looked up to see several House Elves running toward them, in the lead was a bizarrely dressed elf. He skidded to a stop before Ernie.
"Dobby's here to stop the monsters." The elf said, he laid a hand upon Ernie and there was a flash of light. 'He's exhausted. Take him inside. All will be well."
"Thank you." Hannah wept.
Hospital Wing
The roaring troll suddenly staggered to a stop and then flopped bonelessly to the ground. Its demise didn't stop the other creatures behind it in their madden charge across the smoking shattered corridor.
McGonagall raised her wand. Cruses and spells flashing out, moving with precision and experience. Many of the monsters crashed to the floor, disappeared, transfigured into harmless things, or just plain were torn apart.
Colin Creevey stared in horrid amazement.
There were several sharp cracks and Colin turned to see three dark figures appear behind him. He moved quickly, his wand already flashing a hex before he knew it. It was brushed aside easily and he felt pain like never before. His screaming broke McGonagall's concentration, she turned. A look of fear on her face and staggered as a wave of green light tore through her.
"Professor!" Someone screamed.
"They keep fighting." A voice said. Colin looked up to see a sharp- faced man, his face almost hidden by the cowl he wore. "Why don't you give up?" He said, looking at Collin.
"Avada Kedavra." Colin said.
The man staggered back, he reached up to his face, it came away red with blood. "Not enough magic behind it, boy." The man whispered. "Here's how its done." He raised his wand at Colin.
There was shouting, screaming, and roar of rage that verberated down the corridor. A lone figure appeared at the head of the stairs, his wand out and pointing. "Accio!" He shouted, the three Death Eaters suddenly began flying toward him. "Expelliarmus!" He cried and they flew away smashing against the walls. He charged them again crying "Stupefy!" The three figures slumped into unconsciousness.
Colin got to his feet and saw Harry running to him. He stopped before him and glanced back into the hospital wing, from the windows peeked out several faces of several younger students and a busy Amanda who was trying to heal his wounded brother and many others that lined the once empty hopital.
"How many?" Harry asked.
"Seventeen kids. I'm the only one who can fight." Colin said tonelessly, his eyes staring at McGonagall's lifeless body.
There was more shouting and the pounding of feet. Colin looked to the stairs and saw at least twenty older students running breathlessly toward them. He spotted the red heads of Ron and Ginny.
"Damn it, Harry!" Ron yelled as he caught up with him. "We said wait."
Harry wasn't listening. Instead his eyes scanned the corridors, the monsters seemed to have sulked back at his coming. Colin knew they were still out there, ready to attack again.
"He's close." Harry said, his voice low and his eyes distant. "I can feel him, his horrible joy."
Colin shivered. "What are we going to do?" He asked.
"You. Get these students out of here; they're only going to die if they stay here. Everyone will help you get them out of here. I'm going for Voldemort." Harry said, determination in his voice.
There was an immediate outcry of protest.
"Don't be stupid, Harry. We're doing this together. You can't stop Voldemort on your own!" Ginny cried, grabbing his arm. "You need us all!"
The others nodded their agreement. They had seen too much to turn back now, rage and hate burned in them. They wanted to fight and they wanted to destroy the monster who had done so much to hurt them.
Harry closed his eyes. "Kate, Seamus, and Kyle. You three stay here, help Colin get these kids out of here. There's still monsters around, deal with them, but get them as far from here as you can." He commanded. The three looked ready to argue, but they nodded their consent.
Colin felt a wave of relief that shamed him. "We'll get the kids out of here." He said.
Harry nodded, but he wasn't listening again. His eyes look to where the monsters were forming up again. "He's beyond them." He said and began walking toward the monsters.
The others hesitated for a moment, but then they began following him, except the three that looked helpless and angry.
Somewhere in Hogwarts
A cold laughter filled the air. "Time to die, Potter." Voldemort said, raising his wand.
"Expell-"
"STUPEFY!" The words roared like the end of the world and all became red.
Harry staggered back, barely holding to consciousness, the power behind the words. The sheer power. Fear began to creep into his heart, Voldemort had grown stronger. He had become more powerful.
"Crucio!' Harry shouted. He was met with a roar of pain. Keep moving. Keep hitting him. A frantic voice in his head screamed. Spells, curses, and hexes flew out of his wand as fast as he could say them, most shattered across the shield he had put up, but some got in.
"ENOUGH!" Voldemort yelled. There was a flash of white light and Harry staggered back, he heard the shouting of others and screaming. "IMPERIO!"
Harry felt a wonderful sensation of floating. A release of all worries and a release of all control. This is what you want. This is what you want, peace. Don't' fight, let go.
It was as if he were watching himself. He turned around, facing the students that had followed him. He raised his wand and shouted. "Crucio!"
The screaming broke through to him.
Stop it! He cried. Stop it! He struggled, he raged, and he fought, but Voldemort hung on tightly. Kill them all!
NO!
KILL THEM!
"Fight him, Harry!" Ron suddenly shouted, getting to his knees. "Fight him!"
KILL HIM!
NO!
His arm rose shakily, two wills battling one another. Harry clenched his mouth shut, but it opened. He was too powerful.
KILL!
"I won-" Harry began. Suddenly it felt as if a great pressure bore down upon him. KILL HIM!
Harry struggled, but was swept away, a vast presence that shattered his will and broke his spirit. "Avada Kedavra!" A distant voice shouted, sounding too much like his own. From a great distant Harry saw Ron fall, a look of shock, hurt, and surprise on his face.
Harry began screaming, dropping to his knees and darkness fell upon him. A cold laughter followed him and the surprise look of Ron's face burned into his mind.