Chapter 41 – Tables Turned During a Switch
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James, Sirius, and Maria prepared to descend into the fighting. In the Entrance Hall, all professors were already engaged in the battle. Dumbledore would join them, and the Heirs shortly after. The plan was to have the professors clear a path, if Voldemort decided to show up – which he undoubtedly would, if Dumbledore was right about him wanting the Heirs.
James suddenly remembered something. "Sir," he whispered urgently, "I've just remem – "
Dumbledore smiled. "I already know, James."
"So she's - ?"
"She'll know what to do."
"But then why am I - ?"
"A distraction, James. A trick. The Death Eaters will never know." Dumbledore tapped his long nose. "You know. You two discussed it in your minds without knowing it."
"…"
"The power of the amulets, James."
"James, Professor! What now?" Maria had paused at the bottom of the stairs leading to Dumbledore's office. "Sir, should we put them on now? What good will they do?"
"Put them on, now, yes. And they will protect you, Maria."
Maria fastened the clasp on the shining blue amulet, hanging it around her neck. "But how? Why?"
"Ours is not to ask why, Miss Ravenclaw." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.
For some reason, this offended Maria slightly. "So ours is just to fight?" She asked.
He merely smiled serenely.
She snorted.
Sirius cleared his throat. "So…the door?"
Dumbledore nodded. "When I open it, you must be ready. The fighting is going on right outside." He paused. "I have faith in you all. Remember…it will only take one of you to vanquish him, but three is best. Three is the only way we can be almost totally sure he won't return."
"Almost?" Sirius asked.
"…there should be four, but three will suit…are you ready?"
James, Sirius, and Maria exchanged glances.
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"Lily, wait…!" Noel stopped, clutching at something around her neck.
"What is it, Noel!? We've got to hurry!" Lily's voice cracked with impatience, but she turned to look at her friend. "What…oh, Merlin, what's glowing!?"
Noel's face twisted. "The plan. James gave me the amulet to throw them off!"
"The Amulet of Gryffindor!?"
"Yeah…and now it's glowing! Voldemort must be here!" Noel looked at Lily, whose eyes were desperate with fear and pain. "Lily…can you go on alone?"
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Remus stumbled into the passage just as the Death Eaters swarmed in. It slammed shut behind him, and he was left in the cool darkness of the passage.
"Great, Remus. You've screwed yourself over. This leads to Honeydukes'! What if they need your help!?" He said to himself. He paced the tunnel, wondering what he could do. He still had his wand. He could rush back into the castle and help…no, that would only get him killed…he could go to Honeydukes' and circle back to the front…no, Voldemort was probably waiting.
In the end, he decided to wait.
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"…alone?" Noel's words echoed in Lily's ears. She wanted to scream no, no, I can't do it by myself! but she didn't. This was their fight. She had known it from the beginning.
"There's a time when you have to let the ones you love go…you'll gave your own battle someday…"
A voice, sounding faintly like Remus. Remus, who was always calm in times of emergency. Remus, who always knew exactly what to do. What would he do now?
"…yeah. I'll be fine. I can do it. Go get him, Noel."
Noel grinned at Lily, eyes bright. Hazel eyes, so much like James's. "No worries, Lil."
"No worries."
Lily stared as Noel turned on her heel and sprinted back down the stairs.
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"Are you ready?"
Maria felt something running through her veins, so much of something that it hurt. She grabbed her wrist.
Sirius's fingers closed around hers. "It's adrenalin, Maria. Leave it alone."
"It hurts."
"We'll hurt if we don't have it."
Maria nodded. James moved in front of them.
"If we don't get out – "
"Save it, Prongs…we will." Sirius said quietly.
James hesitated. He locked eyes with his best friend, shifting them slightly to glance at Maria. The message was clear – Even if we don't get out…she will.
James spun on his heel, just like his sister does. "We're ready, sir."
Dumbledore nodded gravely. "Good luck…"
He opened the door.
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Noel ran down the stairs as if her life depended on it – and, really, it did. She vaguely wondered if Remus had made it back, and if he was safe with Lily. Hopefully he was, and would stay safe.
She could hear the fighting before she actually came upon it. She flattened herself against the wall on the second floor, peering around the edge.
It was horrific. Every professor, even ones she didn't know, was out there fighting. Dumbledore, Cheewa, McGonagall…even…
"Oh, Mom, Dad!?" Noel's and James's parents were there, along with Remus and Maria's dad and…mom (?), Sirius's, and…Jenna's. "What are they doing here!? And…there they are…"
Maria, Sirius, and James were already out there fighting. She felt a flutter of pain; Sirius must have been hit by something.
"Time to go…" Noel stood up and ran into the fray to join her friends.
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"Maria, James, Sirius! Go to him!"
"Dad!" Maria yelled, overwhelmed by an instinct to run to him. Sirius caught her around the waist. "Daddy!"
"Go to him, baby! We're just holding them off! You fight's not here!"
"Come on!" Sirius yelled in her ear. James was already ahead, shooting a Protego Charm at an attacking Death Eater. Maria nodded, and they ran to him.
"Dumbledore said this way!" James shouted.
For some reason, the Death Eaters were mostly ignoring them. Perhaps the Dark Lord had told them not to harm them…maybe he wanted that pleasure to himself. They made their way to the doors.
"Outside?" Maria asked, barely heard above the screaming.
James nodded and stepped back for them to go.
"J-James?" Sirius stuttered.
"I'm not going!" James yelled. "We…Noel and I…"
Sirius nodded in understanding. "A trick," he whispered.
James smiled. "Go! Finish him! I'll be there when she wears down!"
Sirius nodded, taking Maria and leading her outside.
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Lily paced with worry. She wasn't mad that she was stuck in the common room while her friends were in danger, she was mad that her friends were in danger and she couldn't help them. She knew that, even if she hadn't gone back to the common room, she would have been powerless to help them. All she could do was wait and hope…right?
"Lily," a gentle touch on her shoulder. Luke Jordan and Arthur Weasley. "Lily, will you be alright?" It was unusual to see on of the group on their own.
Lily nodded, hiding her tears. "I'll manage. I just…" she shook her head. "No. I will be fine. Thank you." She had a plan. At least she could be with them…one of them was bound to be there…
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"James!"
James turned around, seeing Noel running toward him. "Noel…!"
"Are they outside?" Noel's voice was heavy with fear, but it didn't show in her posture.
"Yeah. Are you ready? Were you attacked?"
Noel shook her head. "One of them fired something, but another blocked it, shouting that I was one of 'those.'"
James nodded. "Right. Okay, you know where I'll be?"
Noel looked startled. "You're not going back to the common room?!"
"No. I'll find Remus, and we'll be there."
"…there?"
"Yeah. Go get 'em, baby sister."
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"Sirius," Maria whispered. "Where is he? I'm…"
"Shhh…don't say it, Maria. I know you are. I am, too."
"Where is…?"
"Be here soon."
They walked all the way down to Hagrid's hut. Instinct told them to go to the forest and the lake. They did so slowly, grasping each other as they neared the water's egde…
"Ah…Miss Ravenwood…Mr. Black…I've been expecting you."
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a/n: OOOOH. Scary? Thanks, everyone, so much for reviewing! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.
Anyway, we're nearing the end of…heartache. lol. I had to write that…I've been listening to that some by Killswitch Engage. Anyone likey?
So…I'll try not to leave you hanging for too long. But you never know…I HAVE GOOD NEWS!! Everyone knows how I suck at math, right? Well, I sucked at chemistry too. And last trimester, I got a…D. Well, this one (in part 2 of chem.), I'm getting…AN A-!!!!
Please love me. :) lol