Discalimer - Tisn't mine and never will be.
A/N:Straight on with the thank yous. SnapeSeraphin - I hope this chapter isn't too disappointing with the meeting. The story is coming close to an end. mysticdarkraven - Thank you for reviewing, now don't be a stanger to it.;-) CharmedLeoLvr - I love my Lucius too, just wish I could take him home. hotskittles - Malfoy's are always good to read but what can I say, I prefer the older man:-). sarcastic - I'm not betting as I know what's gonna happen:-P. LiLy MaLfOy13 - I'm glad you like it. DSMelody - Hope you like this update. MiSSxMELON - I tried my best. Don't know how he does in this chapter though. I know what you mean about Dumbledore but it was the only thing I could think of to force her to tell them or she would have been putting it off forever.:-) T'Lorie - No need to feel guilty as you still reviewed. I hope you like this chapter. Dragonmaster Kurai - I hope you eventually took a breath, I don't think I could live with myself if you passed out.;-) sweetytweety013 - Love the name:-). Thank for such a wonderful compliment. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and I hope you like the rest of it. allana - I'm glad you found someone knew. I hope you like this new update. Maddys-Murphy - I've tried my best and I'm glad it does get my point across. Love can be painful at the best of times. Gina - Lucius joining the Order was a last minute thing but I'm glad you like it. Elizabeth - I'm really flattered that you like my story that much, but it really isn't that good you know. You're going to get yourself into trouble over this little story and it truly isn't worth it. But thank you so much for liking it, it means a lot to me.:-) Angelzeus - Just keep reading and you'll find out soon enough:-P Isis3110 - Thank you for reviewing and it's always nice to be told that your ficcie is great:-)
Well peeps, this story here is nearly at an end. I won't say how many more chapters but all good things must come to an end. And I say 'good' loosely as I've read better than this story. I have some auditions coming up that I have to really concentrate on so if I don't update as often as I'd like then I apologise a million times in advance. Hope you enjoy.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Lucius cleared his mind the minute he stepped into his spot in the circle. He was slightly surprised that he had done it so effortlessly. He had been forgetting to clear his mind at night or anytime for that matter. He looked up to the centre of the circle as the last Death Eater apparated in. Voldemort glanced around before starting.
"I have prepared an attack on Hogwarts." His chilly voice echoed round their forest surroundings. There was a shape intake of breath from a most of his followers, showing that he hadn't included many in his campaign. "I had anticipated lack of faith from those I hadn't informed. Yes, we are going to attack. However, it is not the old fool we will be attacking. Our target will be the Mudbloods that are roaming in that school, unworthy of magic. Children do not possess powerful magic, it comes with age, and Dumbledore cannot protect them all."
There were laughs and jeers from the circle surrounding him, including Lucius and Snape to mask their betrayal to him.
"As you all know, I have been in America, and I have assembled a larger group of followers to the cause. The assault will be brutal and great and the Minister will have no choice but to bow down to me. You will be informed when we are going to attack just moments before. Only I know of the date and time and it will stay that way to prevent Dumbledore from being prepared." Voldemort placed his piercing gaze on Lucius as he spoke. "I trust no one." He then began walking round the circle and as he passed each person they bowed down and kissed the hem of his robes. "Everyone must stay alert and prepare for the call." And as the last person kissed his robes, he was gone.
Everyone stood completely still before a voice that sounded like Goyle spoke. Lucius looked across the opening in the middle, towards Snape, and with a nod, they left. They apparated to the gates of Hogwarts; a silent panic passed between them as they proceeded towards the entrance. The school was silent as all the students were now in their common rooms. The two men were now almost running to Dumbledore's office; how were they going to prevent this? It was impossible.
It was a grave conversation with the Headmaster that went into the early hours of the morning. They went round and round in circles discussing plans. A theory on lifting the apparating wards was discussed, thus allowing Aurors to immediately appear, but that was dismissed when thoughts of the Death Eaters having easier access too popped into their minds. There was only one option left; send the students home.
It was decided that Dumbledore was going to send them home the next day, their lives were at risk and he couldn't take the chance keeping them there.
"We can't do it all at once." Lucius spoke up after being silent for a long period. Bags were beginning to show under all their eyes. "If we do that, we risk the train being attacked and all of the students will perish." Dumbledore nodded, realising he was right. Would it really be better to lose some students rather than all? Snape flicked his wand and within a few moments McGonagall was coming through the fireplace.
"What's happened?" She demanded instantly as she sat down next to Snape. She looked bleary-eyed and ruffled, with her tartan dressing gown haphazardly tied in her hurry.
"We have to send the students home, Minerva." Dumbledore told her with a sigh. His face looked worn and tired with no hint of his usual sparkle. "The attack is going to be too great and we would only be able to protect a small number of them. They need to be divided up and sent home progressively."
"When do you propose we do this? All the parents need to be informed of when their child will be arriving at the train station." She had finally managed to get her brain to wake up fully.
"They need to go home the moment they wake up." He informed her as he sat back into his chair. He felt defeated.
"What happens if they attack the train on the first group? Many of the Slytherins have Death Eaters for parents. Sending them home will not go unnoticed." Lucius pointed out to him, remembering that a vast number of Draco's friends were destined to follow in their parent's footsteps. They sat in silence while thoughts were speeding through their minds. Finally Snape spoke up.
"We send all of the Slytherins on the train," Dumbledore sat up to listen, "We send the rest home by portkeys." Snape looked smug with himself once he had finished.
"Yes, but the parents still have to be informed." McGonagall snapped sleep deprivation starting to already take its toll on her.
"So we tell the parents an hour before the train pulls into the station." Lucius had caught onto the plan and a smug smile was now playing across his lips.
"Not everyone lives near London, Mr Malfoy. An hour will not be long enough for all parents." She spoke through gritted teeth.
"You're forgetting, Minerva, all the Slytherins are Purebloods, their parents can apparate and still have time to spare." Dumbledore now spoke, feeling relief at a plan forming.
"Okay, now what about the students taking the portkeys? Muggle parents will definitely need time to pick their child or children up. Not only that, this has to be arranged with the Ministry and arrival points placed. This is going to take a couple of days, Albus, not hours." She now had a smile playing across her lips for stumping them. It wasn't that she didn't want the children to get home safely; it was a simple matter of organisation. If this wasn't organised safely then they were going to lose all of the students.
"We may not have a couple of days." Snape voiced what they were all thinking with defeat laced in his tone. Another silent period passed over them.
"Teach the students to fight." Lucius suddenly broke the silence causing McGonagall to jump at his voice. "Prepare them, teach them every hex and curse known."
"Have you gone mad?" McGonagall cried, outrage written all over her face.
"He's right, Albus. This may be the only way." Snape stated quietly, ignoring McGonagall's gasps of annoyance. The old man agreed with a heavy heart. "We have to start now."
"You've spent too much time with Mr Malfoy, Severus." McGonagall spat at him while giving Lucius her best stern look. "And I expected better of you, Albus. They're just children, they're not ready to know these things or be sent into battle."
"This is the only option we have for them to survive. I'm afraid this is the only way, Minerva. Could you please wake all the students up and have them gather in the Great Hall. Their training begins right now." Dumbledore ordered with a deadly seriousness. It was time to see if his students were a credit to their parents and teachers.
Hermione was propping herself up against Harry at the Gryffindor table, sleep refused to disappear from the students at this unreasonable hour. She was just beginning to fall into a deep slumber when she felt herself slip as Harry dropped to the floor.
"That hurt." He mumbled as he climbed back on to the bench with his eyes still shut.
"Does anyone know what's going on yet?" Seamus questioned while Ron made a pillow out of his shoulder.
"We know as…..as……….as much as you, Irish boy." Lavender snapped through a yawn. Hermione scanned the Great Hall to find everyone in various states of sleep while all the teachers were at the head table immersed in what seemed to be an extremely serious conversation. Finally Dumbledore stepped forward.
"Can I have everyone's attention?" He spoke in a tone that told them that something terrible was coming. "Today you are going to spend the day learning how to duel. I want you all to eat your breakfast," Food appeared at the tables, "and build up your energy. Then we will begin." He went to sit back in his seat and eat his breakfast.
Hermione frowned at Harry as they started to put bacon and scrambled eggs on their plates. Not one student questioned their Headmaster's motives, not even the Slytherins.
"You don't think…" Hermione whispered to Harry.
"I don't know, but something tells me we won't have to wait long." He pushed his food round the plate, not feeling hungry at all. She took another look round the hall to find most of them in the same state as Harry and her; messily dressed, hair sticking at odd angles and picking at their food while trying to stay awake. The sun was barely poking over the horizon, this couldn't be good if it couldn't wait until they had had a full nights sleep.
As soon as everyone looked as though they had finished, the food disappeared and Dumbledore had stood up and pulled the tables and benches away from them with a flick of his wand. They were now neatly glued to the wall while the students were chaotically sprawled on the floor, wondering what had just happened.
"I do apologise but it is time we began and it was just the wake up you needed." Dumbledore spoke in a light tone yet it didn't reflect on his face. They all slowly stood up feeling very disgruntled at their treatment. "Now, if you all take a look at the back of your left hand you will see a number." A sea of heads immediately peered down at their hands.
"Sixteen." Harry whispered.
"Thirty-one." Hermione replied.
"Sixty-nine." Ron added.
"Each of you has a partner with the same number. I want to do this swiftly and quietly. Number ones step forward please." He instructed. A nervous looking first year Hufflepuff started walking forward with a third year Ravenclaw. It was a long process that took half an hour to complete. Harry was now paired up with a fourth year Hufflepuff, while Hermione was with a second year Ravenclaw and Ron with a fifth year Gryffindor. "As you can see, none of you are with students from your own year. This will help to improve your strength by duelling with someone who has more experience than you. Seventh years, be as harsh as you can without doing any serious damage." The Slytherins were all smirking at this while a most of the first years faces had paled.
Once everyone had been positioned in the Great Hall, the teachers went round teaching them hexes and so the pandemonium began. Different flashes of light flew around while opponents tried to dodge them. People were in different states of pain but continued to battle on. Madam Pomfrey was on hand to one side, watching in disgust. She just hoped the parents heard about this. She trusted Albus but this was unthinkable and dangerous.
Dumbledore brought the duels to a halt when it was nearly lunchtime. Everyone hobbled to their tables once they had been placed on the floor. Hermione was still flinching whenever someone moved to quickly; her opponent looked like a sweet girl but her Slapping curse said differently.
Lunchtime was over too quickly for them. They went through another long process of being put with new partners. Hermione was now with a sixth year Slytherin and felt her heart instantly drop when she saw him. A Slytherin of all people, she may as well just give up now. Then she caught Snape's eye and he gave her a nod which for some unknown reason boosted her confidence. As soon as Dumbledore shouted 'begin' she had her opponent down with a jelly leg curse. She refused to lift it and then hit him with a full body binding curse. Hermione refused to lift any of her curses until she knew how long her magic lasted. Unfortunately McGonagall wasn't prepared to wait and lifted them herself. In a flash of orange he was up and sending her a curse. Thankfully she had been watching him the whole time and bounced it back with a shield.
Finally dinner time arrived and the students were well and truly exhausted. Hermione was suffering from a bleeding nose and a black eye when she stumbled over to the Gryffindor table. Only rest was not about to come to her just yet. Snape gripped her firmly by the arm and led her straight out of the Great Hall to a side room that Harry had disappeared into when his name had come out of the Goblet of Fire.
"Ten minutes, Lucius." Snape instructed a shadow in the corner before whirling back out of the room. She watched Lucius step out of the shadows after the door clicked shut.
"What's habbenin'?" She asked while trying to stem the flow of blood. He rushed forward to see the damage that had been done to her. She shivered at his soft touch when he lifted her chin up.
"Body throwing curse?" He questioned as he produced a silver handkerchief from his inside cloak pocket. She gratefully took it off him and started dabbing her nose with it.
"If dat's what dou call it." She muffled out under the silk material. He smiled as at her as he pushed her hair behind her ear. Feeling as though it was safe to talk without stemming the blood flow, she finally looked at him. "What's habbenin' and what are dou smirking dat?" He pulled his wand out from his pocket and gently tapped her nose. She felt it tingle and then her airway open fully.
"I cannot take you seriously when you cannot articulate your words correctly." She blushed slightly while muttering a thank you. "Come, sit down." He pointed to a couple of chairs near the fireplace. She gingerly felt her eye as they got comfortable, she hoped Madam Pomfrey would do something with it or she wasn't going to be able to see out of it by the morning. "The Dark Lord is back and the attack will be soon."
"I grasped that concept but what is Dumbledore planning? Why this?" She was worried and it showed clearly in her eyes.
"The Dark Lord refuses to tell his followers when the attack will happen. They will only know a few minutes prior to the attack. Dumbledore can't send the students home as it will risk them getting killed and he can't protect you all. This is the only solution; protect yourselves." He explained to her. He firmly held her gaze, it unnerved her a little as it was as though he was trying to read her every thought.
"How does he expect us to do that? Power comes with age and practice. We'll never be able to protect ourselves." She felt panic begin to overwhelm her. Lucius moved to kneel in front of her and pulled her into a warm embrace.
"I have faith in you and your peers. Dumbledore is a good headmaster; the best this school has had and it pains me to admit it. Nevertheless, it's still true. You can't all be wrapped up in cotton wool forever." He soothingly reassured her. She gripped onto him tightly, never wanting to let go. He pulled her away and held her at arms length by the shoulders. "I have to stay away for a little while. I needed to see you before I went." She nodded understanding that with Voldemort back in the country then it was best he stayed away or he would be caught.
"Promise me you'll keep yourself safe." He gave her a piercing stare which she held with resilience. "Promise me." She repeated.
"I can only try my best. My main priorities are that Draco and you survive this and the Dark Lord falls. A world without you wouldn't be world worth living in." He had a sadness to his voice that he would never let anyone hear but her. She leant forward and gave him a gentle kiss. "I love you." He whispered as he stood up.
"I love you too." She got up and slowly walked over to the door. "Just try not to be a hero." She warned before leaving. Snape stepped into the room before the door shut.
"How does it all look, Severus?" Lucius asked sitting back down in his chair.
"The scales are not tipping in our favour. If they don't increase their speed on learning then we may as well just hand the school to him on a silver platter." Snape growled while pinching the bridge of his nose. He had watched them all day and he was sorry to say that they were not up to scratch. The only ones that seemed to show potential to protect themselves were Potter, Malfoy, Weasley (surprisingly), Granger, the Creevey brothers and the female Weasley. Even his own house was putting him to shame.
"Do think it is possible to sway some of the followers to our way of thinking? Surely they would value their freedom and safety more than him." Lucius felt him grasping at straws, but it was better than not trying to anything.
"It wouldn't work; we would be risking our cover." Snape sighed. "I believe it is time that we accept that we have chosen the losing side and go down with the ship."