CHAPTER 10: The Fight
Before Harry could reach Dumbledore he found him heading towards the front doors.
"Professor?" Harry called out
Dumbledore looked at Harry.
"Yes Harry I felt the spell the moment she placed it. What's coming?"
"Mountain trolls lots of them Professor Welsh said she would handle it."
Dumbledore looked stunned, "No" he muttered "No."
As they reached the great hall they were joined by the rest of the school and its staff. People were scattering to different windows to watch the action. Snape concerned stood next to Dumbledore and McGonagall at a window looking down at Welsh. She looked up just once and their eyes met.
Out of the mist mountain trolls start attacking her. Welsh started waving her hands mumbling incantations and trolls started disappearing left and right, yet more were coming at her.
Inside Harry, Ron, and Hermione were trying to get the doors open.
"She's put a protection spell against it!" Hermonie cried.
Snapes head whipped around and glared at them as he heard her say that, then the action outside regained his attention.
On and on she threw spells, yet as fast as she was more trolls kept appearing. Welsh was wearing down and the school could see it happening. Soon she became surrounded by trolls, looking up Welsh waved a spell at the windows closing them one by one.
McGonagall looked to Dumbledore
"Albus she isn't?" she asked with concern in her voice.
Dumbledore simply looked at her sadly
"I'm afraid she is Minerva."
"But she cant Albus it'll kill her."
"I know."
"ALBUS!"
"Minerva, even you know I cannot break the protection spell she put on the school. Welsh would not have done this alone if she felt she couldn't."
"Yes, but is she strong enough after what happen. . ."
Dumbledore cut her off, "If she isn't, Minny." he shuddered at the thought.
She placed an arm around him knowing full well what he almost said.
Snapes attention was caught as he listened to what was said.
"Then we've got to help her" he said out loud.
Dumbledore glanced wearily at Snape
"That we cannot do."
"Why? What is this mystery about her past? What happened?" Snape threw at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore sadly looked at Severus, "Its something she has to tell you Severus, its not my place."
Snape looked back out the only open window his eyes trained on Welsh. Not even looking up Welsh closed the shutters softly on the window. Snape mumbled an incantation that let them see the action going on outside.
The ring of trolls closed in on Welsh. She stood with her hands by her side summoning up power. Slowly she raised her hands and began to glow a bright blue. A brilliant flash of light emitted from her and a piercing scream was heard from outside the great hall. Everyone watched in horror as the trolls disappeared and Welsh crumpled to the ground.
Hagrid wrestled the doors open making it possible for everyone to get to Welsh.
"What's the matter?" Ron asked
"I am afraid professor Welsh has exhausted herself protecting us." Dumbledore stated. Hoping that was the only thing wrong with the young woman.
Snape carefully picked Welsh up and carried her to the hospital ward.
For 3 days both he and Dumbledore sat by her side waiting for her to move. Finally Minerva made them take a break and go to bed. She sat with Welsh.
Looking at her young friend she leaned close and whispered to her.
"Welsh dear, I hope you can hear me. Know you are loved, come back to us, prove to the world just how powerful you are. Come back." her voice breaking on the last word she began to softly cry. A slight movement startled her as Welsh finally moved into a stretch and her body relaxed into a peaceful sleep. Minerva smoothed back her hair, "I'll tell them." she said to the sleeping form.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dumbledore raised his hands for silence in the great hall.
"For those of you concerned about professor Welsh, I was informed a few minutes ago that she has finally relaxed into a restorative sleep. She should be awake tomorrow. Classes will resume at noon."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Before Harry could reach Dumbledore he found him heading towards the front doors.
"Professor?" Harry called out
Dumbledore looked at Harry.
"Yes Harry I felt the spell the moment she placed it. What's coming?"
"Mountain trolls lots of them Professor Welsh said she would handle it."
Dumbledore looked stunned, "No" he muttered "No."
As they reached the great hall they were joined by the rest of the school and its staff. People were scattering to different windows to watch the action. Snape concerned stood next to Dumbledore and McGonagall at a window looking down at Welsh. She looked up just once and their eyes met.
Out of the mist mountain trolls start attacking her. Welsh started waving her hands mumbling incantations and trolls started disappearing left and right, yet more were coming at her.
Inside Harry, Ron, and Hermione were trying to get the doors open.
"She's put a protection spell against it!" Hermonie cried.
Snapes head whipped around and glared at them as he heard her say that, then the action outside regained his attention.
On and on she threw spells, yet as fast as she was more trolls kept appearing. Welsh was wearing down and the school could see it happening. Soon she became surrounded by trolls, looking up Welsh waved a spell at the windows closing them one by one.
McGonagall looked to Dumbledore
"Albus she isn't?" she asked with concern in her voice.
Dumbledore simply looked at her sadly
"I'm afraid she is Minerva."
"But she cant Albus it'll kill her."
"I know."
"ALBUS!"
"Minerva, even you know I cannot break the protection spell she put on the school. Welsh would not have done this alone if she felt she couldn't."
"Yes, but is she strong enough after what happen. . ."
Dumbledore cut her off, "If she isn't, Minny." he shuddered at the thought.
She placed an arm around him knowing full well what he almost said.
Snapes attention was caught as he listened to what was said.
"Then we've got to help her" he said out loud.
Dumbledore glanced wearily at Snape
"That we cannot do."
"Why? What is this mystery about her past? What happened?" Snape threw at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore sadly looked at Severus, "Its something she has to tell you Severus, its not my place."
Snape looked back out the only open window his eyes trained on Welsh. Not even looking up Welsh closed the shutters softly on the window. Snape mumbled an incantation that let them see the action going on outside.
The ring of trolls closed in on Welsh. She stood with her hands by her side summoning up power. Slowly she raised her hands and began to glow a bright blue. A brilliant flash of light emitted from her and a piercing scream was heard from outside the great hall. Everyone watched in horror as the trolls disappeared and Welsh crumpled to the ground.
Hagrid wrestled the doors open making it possible for everyone to get to Welsh.
"What's the matter?" Ron asked
"I am afraid professor Welsh has exhausted herself protecting us." Dumbledore stated. Hoping that was the only thing wrong with the young woman.
Snape carefully picked Welsh up and carried her to the hospital ward.
For 3 days both he and Dumbledore sat by her side waiting for her to move. Finally Minerva made them take a break and go to bed. She sat with Welsh.
Looking at her young friend she leaned close and whispered to her.
"Welsh dear, I hope you can hear me. Know you are loved, come back to us, prove to the world just how powerful you are. Come back." her voice breaking on the last word she began to softly cry. A slight movement startled her as Welsh finally moved into a stretch and her body relaxed into a peaceful sleep. Minerva smoothed back her hair, "I'll tell them." she said to the sleeping form.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dumbledore raised his hands for silence in the great hall.
"For those of you concerned about professor Welsh, I was informed a few minutes ago that she has finally relaxed into a restorative sleep. She should be awake tomorrow. Classes will resume at noon."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~