-In memory of Dimebag Darrell, the great Pantera guitarist.

Chapter Two

Cowboys From Hell

Oct. 31, 1997 - Evening

Harry stepped into the entrance hall at Hogwarts, ready for the biggest battle in modern wizardry history. The front lines of the 'light' were ready out front. The so-called 'Air Force' (which was really a bunch of wizards ready to wreck havoc on the death eaters on brooms), were ready for liftoff at the tops of the towers. They had more reserves hidden in the forest ready if needed. The healers were on standby in the makeshift Great Hall hospital.

Harry's 'inner circle' (a joke title, but true all the same) appeared in his wake. Ron Weasley, his right hand man, who set up the strategy of the entire battle, looking very badass in some dark, almost mugglish fighting robes. Hermione Granger appeared next to Ron, looking very menacing indeed, as Harry's book smart friend, she briefed everyone on Muggle war tactics and came up with some great ideas for weaponry and stealth.

Neville Longbottom came after that, no longer the timid klutz, he came into his prime and looked the part of intimidation as well. The Weasley twins came after that, no longer the class clowns, well for right now anyway, they became the weapon makers for Harry's side of the war, carrying out Hermione's ideas.

Harry didn't like calling his group the inner circle, because it was way too much like Voldemort for him to digest. Instead the group made up of him, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Fred, and George, became known as 'the Cowboys From Hell', well maybe Hermione was more of a Cowgirl, but lets keep it simple here.

"Ready?" came Harry's intense voice.

Receiving no answer, he nodded once and opened the doors to reveal the ongoing battle.

The horrid sight of battle reached their eyes, blood everywhere, people being dragged off in every direction, curses of different colors flying everywhere and more.

The sound, the sound was, the worst sound you could here, cries of help, cries of anguish, shouts of curses, among other things.

Worse yet, the smell, the indescribable smell of battle, offended their noses

They continued on anyway.

Harry took out what appeared to be an M4, a muggle military weapon. Instead of shooting bullets though, he started firing out what appeared to be curses, possibly stunning spells? Yes, it wasn't killing anyone, yet anyway. Not just a curse at a time though, he was firing 825 rounds per minute of stunning spells straight into the death eaters.

Ron did the same only in a direction to the right. Hermione took the left, Neville covered them. Fred and George, well, Fred and George took out a M72 Light Anti-tank weapon each. Fred and George took out rocket launchers. Actual rocket launchers. They then proceeded to fire them into the largest group of Death Eaters in sight, dropping several of them in two deft swoops. The Air Force was truly wrecking havoc as planned on the Death Eaters as well, swooping down and picking their wands out of their hands, dropping blunt objects on their heads and hexing them from above.

Snipers were on top the towers picking off death eaters with M24s. Off in the distance you could see other members of the light rigging up some nice M18A1 landmine presents for the Death Eaters.

In short, the light was kicking the Death Eaters asses.

As expected, Voldemort and the inner circle arrived.

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Author's Note: Chapter inspired by Pantera's great song, The Cowboys from Hell.

Author's Note #2: Weapon names and specifications taken from the United States Air Force's January 2005 issue of Airman.

P.S.: Next chapter's title will be 5 Minutes Alone.

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