Disclaimer: Last time I checked I wasn't JK Rowling - need I say anymore?

Chapter Five Betrayal in the Entrance Hall

Previously: As the four reached the entrance of the Great Hall, their feelings of dread intensified, students were running everywhere, scattering like shards of broken glass.

Harry reached out to one of the students and whipped her around to only see Luna Lovegood. "What's happened?"
Luna shook uncontrollably and broke down into steady tears. She mumbled a hasty reply and ran away.

Not catching any of what she said Harry raced to the doors and look inside the Great Hall for himself…. Then he fell onto his knees and screamed…

Hermione, Neville and Ron ran to Harry to see for themselves what had occurred. Harry however stared blankly in front; his eyes wide as saucers.

The hall was littered by bodies, the inner most centre were dementors busying themselves amongst the fallen. Behind Harry, Hermione gave a little frightened squeak of grief and shock.

How had those dementors got into the castle? Harry glanced up and found the answer. The enchanted ceiling had a great gaping hole in the middle…

Harry gasped as a dementor turned its terrible hooded face towards them. Jumping to his feet Harry grabbed one of the great oak doors and pushed with all his might. Seeing what Harry was trying to do, Hermione and Ron went to the other side of the door and Neville helped Harry.

The oak doors closed with a shudder and a bang. "Well…" Ron said, "So much for no one leaving the Great Hall…" Hermione and Harry sent Ron disapproving frowns.

"What…?"

Hermione didn't have time to snap a reply as the ground quaked beneath them. Neville squealed in fright and fell to the ground. Harry raced past them and to the Entrance Hall… and looked out into the dark grounds.

For a moment he allowed himself to relax, he couldn't see anything moving. Then very slowly he turned his head skywards and nearly let go a scream of terror…

Dark green velvet light hung listless in the sky. A skull and a snake protrude as the figure's tongue. The dark mark floated above the roof of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry like an ominous omen.

It was then Harry saw movement in the grounds…. They were coming!

Spinning on his heel, Harry nearly bumped into Ron. "We're in trouble," Harry stated simply, "Voldemort is here…"
Neville whimpered pathetically, Ron paled and Hermione squeaked. It was all up to Harry to find their way out of this mess.

"Go gather all the students you can find and take them to the witch with the hump…you'll get to the cellar of Honeyducks…wake up Hogsmede and get to the caves Sirius had hidden himself in," Harry commanded in a voice that sounded much more braver than he was feeling, "I will be with you as soon as I can."

"But – but –but – Harry," Hermoine stuttered, "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to make sure you can pass out of the school without being noticed and I'm going to lay some false clues, find Snape and warn him McGonagall if she is still here and…stay alive…"

"Oh, I'm staying with you…" Hermione stated.
"No.."
"Me too." Ron said.
"Nooooo."
"And me." Neville insisted.
"No I need you to find all the students possible and lead them out… I need you to do that…"

Hermione and Ron wavered on the spot (Neville nodded his head obediently).
"Pur – lease…."
"Oh okay," Hermione said. "If you insist…"

Harry watched the three of them race through the halls calling out to students hiding in the dark castle. Then he turned on his heels and ran to McGongall's offices. He hit the door at full speed and rattled the doors. LOCKED! Just to make sure (and to vent some of his frustration) Harry rattled the doors more violently. It was still locked…

Harry turned about on his heels and raced down the corridor, down the stairs to the dungeon. When Harry thought his poor heart was going to burst from exertion he reached the dungeons. He sped passed the classrooms and found Snape's office, where he stopped and listened.

Content there was nothing Harry proceeded to bash the door with his fists screaming out to Snape. For what seemed like an eternity of pummelling the wooded door no one answered. Then the door knob started to turn slowly.

Harry stepped back as the door swung open revealing a very angry Snape.

"Potter, what is this nonsense?" Snape snarled.
"We are being attacked…dementors in the Great Hall…Dark Mark…Voldemort… Death Eaters…students escaping… have…to…get…out…of…here," Harry puffed in reply.

At first Snape looked incredulously but his disbelief was come over with surprise. The Hogwarts Professor calmly stepped from his office, turned and closed and locked the door. Harry noticed for the first time that Snape was still wearing his cloak.

"Come…" Snape's robe billowed out behind him as he marched towards the Entrance Hall.
"Thought to lay false trail…"
Snape sniffed. "What do you have in mind, Potter?"
Harry shrugged despite the fact Snape was ahead of him and hence could not see him. "I'm making this up as we go…" Harry admitted somewhat sheepishly.
"How are the students escaping?" Snape demanded disinterested in Harry's plan.
"I'll take you there."
"I just want to know where…"
"Through a secret passage," Harry said avoiding giving a full answer.

Something in Snape's mannerisms gave Harry an awful feeling that something wasn't quite right.

"Where I said…" Snape demanded.
Harry gulped there was something in the way Snape was talking that was definitely wrong. Why wasn't the professor interested himself in escaping? Why was he leading Harry towards the Entrance Hall if he was disinterested in laying fake trails? Unless….

The situation dawned on Harry in that instant. He whipped out his wand… But it was too late. Much too late…

Ahawn stumbled as the ground shook and Gryffindor himself caught him about the waist and needlessly shielded him. Helga and Rowena themselves flattened themselves on the ground. Ahawn didn't have time to think how strange it was to see two grand ladies lying flat on the ground.

"Father you're suffocating me," Ahawn protested. Godric slowly stood but his arm was still protectively draped over his shoulder. Ahawn tried to remove Godric Gryffindor's protection but Gryffindor was not going to release him.

"Father I am not a child," Ahawn protested, "You worry needlessly."

Godric however was looking into the sky… A strange green light appeared in a dotted star like patterning forming a skull and a snake protruding as its tongue.

"Black magic," Godric stated.
Ahawn's eyes widened in shock and fear. His father had always drilled him in the dangers of such a magic and the power that may be wielded, since he had been able to talk.

'But do not be fooled Ahawn,' Godric often told him, 'Such great power comes at a terrible cost.'

"It is Hogwarts!" Helga exclaimed suddenly and she pointed to the towers, "That's our design…"
"Certainly," Rowena agreed.
"But how… this garden?" Helga mused.
"Perhaps this is not the Hogwarts we know maybe…" Ahawn started shyly…
"Of course," Gryffindor hit his forehead with his palm, "The future…"

"The future," Ahawn echoed in wonder, "I wonder if I will see an older and bearded me…I wonder what that would look like."

Godric sighed heavily but could not help but gaze affectionately down at the boy he had come to love as his own boy. Ahawn was such a dreamer!

"Well," Rowena said suddenly breaking the musings, "No time like the present to see the future." She started off towards the entrance. Ahawn jumped forward to follow but Godric pulled him back.

"You're staying with me," Godric growled attempting to sound solemn. He knew despite the danger of black magic, Ahawn was bursting at the seams to see the future. Apart of him cherished Ahawn's curiosity and wonder and the other half feared greatly.

Ahawn was the type of boy always managing to find danger and trouble (many of these leading to very lethal situations).

Godric would never forget the time Ahawn had gotten himself arrested, tried and sentence to death for witchcraft. Unfortunately they were not going to burn Ahawn like the boy had anticipated…no the stupid muggles were so frightened of the then ten year old, that they had decided to hang, drew and quarter him. Godric had had to call upon many of his friends to rescue his rascally son and he himself cut his half suffocated son from the gallows…

Lost in his thoughts Godric steered his son and wandered behind the two ladies. "Ahawn… I meant what I said about listening to conversations you are not to be privy to."
Ahawn grunted in reply. "But father, you were talking about me…And I was concerned for you."
Godric turned his face away in shame, "I am more than capable to look after myself…"
"Father…"

Godric stiffened - this was it. Ahawn had the question in his tone...

"There's something happening in the Entrance Hall…" Rowena Ravenclaw hitched up her skirts and ran forwards. Something that will only once happen in the course of history. Godric moved in front of his son. "Stay in the shadows," he commanded before he too ran forwards his wand outstretched.