Chapter 3
The War Starts
Harry looked out over the silver lake and breathed a sigh of relief. The N.E.W.T.s were now over to the immense joy to any seventh year student. Harry couldn't believe how happy he was that it was all over. There was something that had been weighing on his mind though that disturbed him. He wasn't even sure what it was though. The feeling was so strange that the only word Harry could find to describe it was a feeling of being "ready" so to say. Something was about to happen. He just knew it.
Across the lawn Harry looked to find Ron and Hermione walking over to where he was sitting. Hermione looked really good in the late afternoon sun. He smiled to himself thinking I'm so lucky. Truthfully, who could have asked for better friends than Ron Weasly and Hermione Granger? They had been with him through thick and thin and somehow had come out of it all. What would he do without them?
"Hay, what's up mate?" asked Ron as he sat down next to his best friend.
"Nothing much" he replied, "just enjoying the freedom of the end of the tests."
Ron laughed, "I hear you".
Hermione now sat down on Harry's other side. "I thought they weren't that bad actually".
"Not for you maybe," said Harry "but for us what you think is easy is ten times as hard."
"Exactly" said Ron laughing.
"Oh, come on!" she said exasperated, "there is no way that it was that hard." Ron and Harry gave her the are-you-kidding looks that they had been giving her for the past seven year. "Oh come on!"
For the first time since Christmas all three of them felt as if things were back to normal. Even for the shortest time, everything was ok. They sat on the hill looking out and just talking like they used to do before anything had ever happened. The moment could be said that it was the closest that they had all felt to one another. Nothing could separate them now. They were separate from everyone else yet tied together.
Harry thought that there was no way that he would ever forget this day. Just a regular day with his two best friends. This day…. this day was special.
Over towards the Forbidden Forest there was a sudden bang that ran through the air. It wasn't loud or anything. Most people that were out lounging hadn't even realized it. A flock of birds quickly flew out of the trees and into the dusky sky a way from the forest. Harry noticed it though and it gave him goose bumps.
"Harry?" Hermione asked realizing Harry was looking straight at the forest with worry. "Harry what is it?"
"Something's wrong" he said standing up and facing the forest. Behind him Ron and Hermione did the same.
He could see them now. As spells were being cast behind the tree line it cast a silhouette on a mass of dark hooded figures just inside the forest. There were people walking near the forest but they didn't seem to see the small flashes of light.
Oh God, he thought and started running towards the small group of people.
"Hay!" he yelled "Stop!" but it was already too late. A bright jet of green and red lights shot out from the trees. Right before Harry, Ron, and Hermione's eyes the students fell to the ground motionless.
Out from the trees now came what could only be described as an army. A whole army of Death Eaters! Hundreds started walking up to the castle. Their wands were raised taking anyone down that came in their path.
All the students that had now been outside the castle were now running for their lives for the safety of the thick stonewalls. Above the forest the sky was turning black with thick thunderclouds blocking out the sun.
"Harry run!" Hermione yelled as a red shot of light came really close to hitting him.
Inside Harry emotions felt like they were boiling him alive. This is it, he thought to himself. Behind him the frightened yells of students seemed to wake him up from the spot he had been standing at while the invasion started. Turning and grabbing Hermione's hand they ran as fast as they could up the slopping lawn toward the castle.
Spells were thrown at them the entire way up. None of them managed to hit them as they ran into the entrance hall.
Inside was total chaos. Those who hadn't been outside were standing around trying to figure out what was going on. Over in a corner someone was crying. She didn't know where her friend was that had been outside just moments before with her. Everyone was talking in raised voices wondering what was going to happen.
"Is everyone inside the castle!" a teacher yelled. Through the door came a few teachers that had gone out to get straggling students. Behind them the large door slowly shut and secured its self, giving off a heavy bang as the last bolt was magically sealed into the ground.
People started to fidget and ask questions. Harry, Ron, and Hermione tried to slowly back into a corner so that they weren't seen, away from everyone else. Suddenly someone realized Harry was there.
"Harry, what is going on?" he asked.
Around him he could see the other students now turn to look at him. They were all looking at him for the answer, their eyes hopeful.
Oh God how do I say this? he thought. He wasn't ready for this. These people were looking at him expecting that he had the answer. The Great Harry Potter will know what to do. They were afraid. He could see it in their eyes. Why him, why were they all looking at him? He was no leader.
Loud noises could be heard on the other side of the door. Teachers left to go reinforce it while the students now stared at him with panic written in their faces.
Harry's heart sank. He couldn't do this. He then felt Hermione's hand in his and she held it tight in reassurance and his heart felt better.
"This is it" he said looking at her. Everyone was no hanging on his every word. "They have come to take over Hogwarts. While the school stands there is always a centre for resistance against the Dark Lord. If Hogwarts falls, the Wizarding World will fall as well."
The faces that looked at him were horrified. They had always thought themselves safe at the school but now their very beliefs were being pushed into harsh reality. There was now no were safe. Every major building or other place had been attacked and taken under control. Now they were after Hogwarts.
There were murmurs in the crowd. "What do we do?", "We need Dumbledore!" This last statement broke Harry.
"Dumbledore is gone! He's dead."
The fight at the Burrow was not being fought outside and had now taken a slight turn. It seemed that the order member where now finally getting the upper hand. Dumbledore had arrived to the aid of the order and the horror of the Death Eaters. It seemed his very presence was able to give them new hope and weaken the enemies' own strength. No one wanted to fight against a mad Dumbledore.
Harry shot spell after spell at anything that wore a dark hood and mask. Around him Hermione and Ron were doing the same. Away in the other room Mad-eye and Lupin were letting a group of Death Eaters have it.
After awhile the Death Eaters seemed to start retreating. Harry was almost fighting next to Dumbledore when he noticed someone had just aparated only a few feet in front of him. A man dressed in a black cloak like the rest of the Death Eaters, but he was different.
The air around them seemed to have grown cold as death. Everyone seemed to slow down his or her own fights and watch the man that had suddenly appeared.
Voldamort, Harry thought to himself. This was it, him or me, he thought.
He quickly raised his wand but not at Harry. A jet of red light flew out at none other than Hermione.
Hermione, No! As fast as he could Harry ran towards her and managed at the last second to jump in front of the spell.
Harry felt the stun spell hit him square in the back. Pain shot through his body. He looked into Hermione's eyes as he fell to the ground and blacked out.
Harry hadn't known how long he had been out when he finally managed to wake up. He opened his eyes and he couldn't make out through the blur were he was. Quickly he found his glasses and slipping them on the room now came into shape.
He was in Ron's bedroom at The Burrow and his two best friends were sitting at the foot of the bed. When they realized the he was awake they both came running over to his side.
"Are you alright mate?" Ron asked standing next to him looking down.
Hermione looked as if she was holding back tears, "We were so worried" she said.
"I'm fine. How is everyone else? Did they all make it out? What happened?" He was fully awake now and wanting to know how the rest of the fight went.
Hermione and Ron looked at one another. Harry could tell a silent message was being passed between the two. He couldn't help but think that this couldn't be good in anyway. Finally he saw Ron nod towards Hermione.
She sighed before she looked at Harry and told him what happened. "Not everyone made it out alive Harry. Kingsley got hit and some others." Harry could tell by the look in her eyes that there was something more to this. Something she didn't want to say. Though he couldn't imagine anything worse then order members being slain.
"What happened after I got hit? What happened to Voldamort?"
"Voldamort tried to kill you, but Dumbledore stepped in before he could. They got into a really powerful dual" Tiers suddenly burst from her brown eyes all down her face. Harry's mind went numb. What she was saying couldn't be true, just couldn't. "You know you are the only one that can kill Voldamort. He didn't stand a chance." She took in a deep breath. "Harry, Dumbledore is….dead" Harry's mind went numb. There was only one thing that he managed to do.
From anywhere in the house people suddenly jumped at the sound of someone screaming.
