Chapter 3- Escape From Hogwarts

"Hurry up Ron, or we're going to miss the train!" yelled Hermione, dragging her trunk against the cement pavement of King's Cross Station.

"It's 10:57, we have three minutes hurry!".

Ron ran at the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 and found himself facing the Hogwarts Express. Hermione and Ginny followed shortly afterward.

"Hurry, let's try to get a compartment." They entered the train and walked the hallway.

"Bloody hell, there's hardly anyone on the train." said Ron looking from one compartment to the next.

"I hope they don't shut down Hogwarts." replied Hermione looking worried.

"If the school survived the death of Dumbledore, the school could survive this" Ginny responded. They piled into a compartment in the middle of the train. The sky outside was dark, only bits of sun shined through the heavy clouds.

Ginny looked longingly out the window hoping that somehow, she could be reunited with Harry.

Hermione pulled out her copy of the Daily Prophet and began to read it when Ron interrupted.

"Any one we know died?"

"No, but—oh!---this is not good".

"What is it?"

Ginny and Ron took opposite seats next to Hermione gazing at the newspaper.

Ministry Fights Against Muggle Deaths

Scrimgeour, Minister of Magic has reported that yesterday evening a group of Death Eaters made their way into a small town just outside of London and killed many Muggle families including children.

"I saw 'em. Those..those masked people walk right into an elementary school and kill the children within it. Why if I got my hands on them I'd kill 'em all!" replied a Muggle man by the name of Joseph Smith.

"We are doing everything in our power to stop those attacks again. Rest assured, you can sleep safely in your beds tonight" Scrimgeour replied.

Continued on page 4A.

"Blimley, even Muggles are dying. I'd thought-" He caught the worried look on Hermione's face and stopped.

"What's wrong?" asked Ginny.

"That's where I live, just outside London near the train station and school. I…I hope my parents are alright". Tears welled up in her eyes and Ron wrapped his arms around her and looked worried.

"Why don't you send them a letter to see if they are ok." Ginny said trying to lighten the situation.

"Ok, I think I will."Just as Hermione reached for her bag there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

A short portly boy with jet black hair and a round face enter the compartment followed by a girl with long knotty blonde hair and dreamy eyes. Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood.

"Oh, hello." replied Ginny smiling.

"I hope you don't mind us sitting with you. We didn't want to be in a compartment alone by ourselves".

"Not at all take a seat".

Neville and Luna took the seats opposite it's three occupants.

"Where's Harry?" asked Neville.

Ron, Hermione and Ginny looked at each other trying to find the right words to say. It was Ginny who spoke up.

"He had to go and do something for the Order…you know..he's of age now". Ginny lasped back into her routine of looking out the window.

"Well, at least he's out there doing something useful. Hey, did you guys read about what happened?"

"I know the Muggle attacks." said Hermione sealing up her letter. "Ron, can I use Pig now?"

"Sure, but- Hermione, that's not what Neville's talking about. Look at the back of the Prophet." Ron flipped to the back of the newspaper while Pig flew out the window into the dark clouds.

Ministry to Condemn Half Breeds

After a statement issued yesterday from the Minister of Magic and his assistant Dolores Umbridge a new law has been passed that anyone who is a half breed must be found and shipped of to the Ministry of Magic where they will wait to perform their duty.

"This is the best thing for these kinds to do, help us with the war. Besides, it's better that they die and not us wizards" replied a smiling Umbridge.

In the last twenty four hours, the Ministry located and captured fifty different half breeds and how to find at least hundred in the coming week.

"Oh, no!" said Hermione, horrorstruck. "What about Lupin…Hagrid… and your brother Bill…"

"Bill wouldn't let himself get taken away." replied Ginny, trying to hide a worried face.

"Umbridge is an evil woman. I think someone should ship her off to fight because of her resemblance to a toad. I'm sure she could be considered a half-breed."said Luna who was reading The Quibbler.

Everyone laughed and continued their bashing about Umbridge and the Ministry all the way to Hogwarts.

"Everyone on the train, this way!" yelled a booming voice holding a giant lantern.

"Hagrid?" said Hermione dragging her luggage of the train.

"That's me, Hermione. I'm guiding everyone up to the castle."

"Aren't we going to take the carriages?"

"Nah, the thestarals left. We'll be going on foot."

Hagrid led all the students up the pathway to Hogwarts. A slight rain fell from the sky, dampening the cloths and spirits of the students below. By the time they reached the doors of Hogwarts, it was storming.

"Everyone go in, go in an' enter the great hall." Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna sat next to each other at one table. Only two of the usual four house tables were set up. After the small amount of students piled into the Great hall, Professor McGonagall entered the Hall and took her place at the front of the students. Unlike Dumbledore, she looked very odd and small up there.

"Welcome back, everyone. Now I know there aren't many of us, but I and the other teachers here are determined to teach you everything you need to know to defeat Voldemort. We can no longer waste time in teaching things you won't need to know. The most important thing is your lives. Now we won't start our lessons until tomorrow, but enjoy the feasts and then make your way up to bed."

The food appeared on their golden plates, but the students weren't that hungry. This just wasn't the Hogwarts they knew and were used to. It was like a new, desolate place. A place that was once a fantasy retreat has become a desperate reality. After only five minutes, the students went up to bed.

"I wonder if Harry is alright..." said Ginny, as they made their way to the Gryffindor common room. "I mean you know in this storm and all..."

"I think he's ok. Harry is a very powerful wizard." They entered the common room separating to their respective dorms.

Rain pounded hard on the roof of the castle blurring the view outside. The thunder roared like a lion while the lightning sizzled the ground. There was a harsh rapping on the door. Argus Filch limped over to the door with Mrs. Norris at his feet.

There was another knock. "I'm comin', I'm comin'! Gosh, give me time." He unlocked the door. "Whatd'ya want?"

His face was mingled with shock when he came face to face with a group of Death Eaters.

"This castle" hissed the voice. "Adavara Kedavara!" Filch lay dead on the floor. The Death Eaters scrambled into the castle, running this way and that.

There was a tug on Ron's robes. Ron got up cursing and looked around to find Dobby looking worried.

"What is it Dobby?"

"Weezy, Death Eaters break into Hogwarts….Voldemort". He looked utterly terrified. Neville, who was pretending to sleep, hopped out of bed and drew out his wand. Ron quickly put on his robes and made his way down to the common room.

"Oh Ron! What are we going to do?" cried Hermione, wrapping her arms around Ron.

"I don't know. But we can't stay here."

Ginny nodded. "I think we should fight."

"But Ginny…"

"That's what Harry would have done. We can call the members of the DA. I or one am not going to run away without a fight."

Ron took out his wand and looked at Ginny. "Let's do it!".

Dobby was running to the portrait hole door when Ginny stopped him. "Hey, Dobby. If you could, round up the house elves in the the kitchen and bring them up here to fight. I daresay we need all the help we could get".

The house elf nodded and pounded out of the room. Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville carefully exited to portrait hole with their wands up, except for Hermione who was holding out a coin. "We are going to need Luna. This will call her".

Suddenly there was a loud scream. They all looked around to find a group of Hufflepuff girls being attacked by Death Eaters.

Hermione looked around. "Where are all the teachers!"

"They're probably downstairs fighting…the Order too"

"But wouldn't McGonagall.."

"Shh!" said Ginny and they stepped out from the portraits shadow.

"Sectursemptra!" Ron yelled, pointing his wand at the Death Eater.

The Death Eater fell to the ground and screamed. Hermione rushed to the aid of the girls when more Death Eaters came upstairs, followed by Luna who took her place next to Ron.

One of the Death Eaters went over to the injured one and kicked it's arm. "Cissy, get up!".

The Death Eater got up and exposed her face.

"Oh my! Narcissa Malfoy!" She turned her face to them.

Bellatrix Lestrange appeared from the next cloak. However, there was a Death Eater who refused to remove his hood.

"How dare you do that to me you blood traitor!" Narcissa raised her wand at Ron. Before she could mutter an incantation however, Hermione, Ginny and Neville stepped in.

"Impendimenta!"

"Imbolilus!"

Neville wasn't pointing his wand at Narcissa, but at Bellatrix.

"Crucio!".

All three spells made their opponents fall to the ground. Nevile ran to Bellatrix and kicked her in her chest. Ginny was in a duel with the hooded Death Eater. After the Death Eater cast a tough spell, Ginny shot across the room to the hall and hit the wall.

Luna came out of nowhere and yelled. "Stupefy!"

The Death Eater was stunned.

There was a cracking sound and about fifty house elves appeared. Immediately they bounced into battle, using their own brand of magic.

"Run!" Dobby yelled.

Ron helped up Ginny and the five members of the DA ran down to the moving staircase. Without looking behind them, the group ran down the stairs. On the second to last set of the stairs, the group was blocked by two sets of Death Eaters.

Immediately the gang yelled spells, some ricochting off the walls in which they'd have to dodge.

"It's no good!" yelled Ron. "We have to jump."

"Right on top of that." said Ginny who jumped to the last set of stairs. The other members followed and they ran down o the Entrance hall.

"Hold up!" yelled Ginny, who pushed everyone back in the corridor.

"What is it?" asked Hermione.

"Dementors."

Suddenly a group of Dementors glided to them. Ginny thought desperately about something happy, something…

" EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

The Dementors glided away. The group ran into the hall, dodging spells and weaving in-between members of the Order.

"Ouch!" Hermione yelled as portraits fell on them.

"Oh those rotten gits!" yelled Ginny as she was wacked with one. "The Death Eaters bewitched them".

"There, it's an empty classroom!" said Ron. They ran into it and locked door.

" I just hope the Order will be alright."

"I hope so. They were so absorbed in battle, they didn't notice us!"

"How could this happen?" Hermione said, trembling. "The Death Eaters are taking over Hogwarts!"

Ginny looked around distracted. " Hey, where's Neville and Luna?"

Ron and Hermione looked around. "I don't know, I thought they were behind us."

Hermione looked worried. "They must have gotten separated."

She pushed the door open slightly and looked around. "Oh no, there is Professor McGonagall!" The Transfiguration teacher was lying unconscious on the ground.

Hermione darted out in the middle of the battle and dragged her into the classroom. "We have to get her to a safe place!"

Suddenly an idea popped into Ron's head. "The Great Hall! When we are in there, we can send a message to Hagrid to help us!"

He group agreed and ran out with McGonagall over their backs. Seconds later they found themselves in the Great Hall.

"Here, let's put her on the table. I can think of a counter curse that should revive her".

Just as Hermione took her wand out, a cold voice penetrated the still air. "And what do you plan on doing after that?"

"Who said that?" asked Hermione looking horrified.

Ginny pointed to the High table. Sitting on Dumbledore's chair was the most vile thing anyone could look at. "Voldemort!".

"That's right! Now," He said, getting up from his seat. "Where is Harry Potter?"

Ron, Hermione and Ginny could find nothing to say. They were frozen on the spot as Voldemort got up from the chair, his red eyes glaring at them with a devilish gleam. They illuminated his white face.

He stepped down from the High Table pointing his wand at them. "Do you really think you can survive against me, the greatest wizard in the world?'

All three of them held up their wands with determined faces.

"Very well then," hissed Voldemort. "I will dispose of you!"

Just as he held up his wand however, there was a crash. Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Voldemort looking at a broken window and the creature that just flew in.

"Buckbeak!" cried Hermione. The hippogriff swopped down and took four occupants, leaving Voldemort alone in the Great Hall.

"I'd never thought I would be happy to see Buckbeak again!" said Hermione, wiping tears from her eyes. McGonnalgal was in front of her and Ron and Ginny behind her. They all looked back at the school they once knew, but would now be a hub of evil.