Phoenix Tears

By Phoenix Ash

Rating: T

Spoilers: SS, COS, POA, GOF, OOTP, HBP

Category: action/adventure/romance

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters.

Chapter Eleven

The Attack

Breakfast was a subdued affair. Molly Weasley was furious at Harry for him not telling her where they were last night.

An owl, grey as the fog, flew in and dropped several letters from Hogwarts, Ginny's was exceptionally fat. She turned pale then opened hers.

"Oh my god!"

"What?" Ron asked, ignoring his letter.

"My O.W.L.'s."

Both Harry and Ron snatched it out of her hands.

ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL RESULTS

Pass grade Fail grade

Outstanding (O) poor (P)

Exceeds expectations (E) dreadful (D)

Acceptable (A) troll (T)

Virginia Molly Weasley has achieved:

Astronomy E

Care of magical creatures A

Charms O

Defense against the dark arts O

Divination T

Herbology O

History of magic P

Potions E

Transfiguration E

"Wow." Harry's eyes bulged. "Congrats, Gin." He opened his letter.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall

(Order of Merlin, third class, Chf. Witch, mugwump, International confed. of wizards.)

Dear Mr. Potter,

We wish to inform you that we have accepted you back to Hogwarts on September the first. This year, we will be taking precautions to secure the school and Hogsmeade. A list of your books is enclosed in the letter.

Yours sincerely,

Filius Flittwick

Filius Flittwick

Deputy headmaster

"Interesting." He said, reading the letter. "We need The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 7, Defense Against the Dark Arts: the auror's guide, and dress robes."

"I suppose that means a trip to Diagon alley." Mrs. Weasley said, offhandedly.

Hermione and Ron were staring at something in their hands.

"I'm Head boy." He said vaguely.

"And I'm head girl." Hermione added. Mrs. Weasley squealed.

"Oh dears, I'm so happy for you!" she hugged them, much to Ron's embarrassment.

"Mum." He pushed away, gently.

"We need to floo Remus about auror guard."

"That really isn't necessary." Harry told her, finishing his eggs.

"Why is that?"

"I've got it covered."

"But, but, there was reports that there might be an attack on Diagon alley."

"Oh, well then, I suggest that you floo Lupin." He got up and went upstairs to Ron's room and found the communicator.

"Potter to any D.A. member who can hear me."

"Seamus here."

"Neville here."

"Good. There are reports that there might be an attack on Diagon alley this afternoon, I want as many members there as possible. No armor, just bring your wands. Pass it on."

"Gocha. Seamus out."

"understood. Neville out."

Harry sighed and put the communicator in his pocket. He went downstairs and found Lupin, Kingsley, Tonks and Moody along with Hermione, Ron and Ginny.

"Ready?" Mad-eye asked, his magical eye focused on Harry's pocket.

"Yes."

"Then let's go."

Their first stop was Gringots. Harry withdrew a hefty amount of money. They walked out of the bank and stopped at Flourish and Blotts.

While he looked around, Harry spotted several books on self protection. He looked at a few in the dim light of the shabby shop.

"Harry! Come on, we're going to Madam Malkim's Robes." Hermione called to him. He paid for the books he needed and followed them to the Robe shop.

"Oh, look!" Hermione pointed at the shop display, which held the most beautiful dress he had seen.

Upon entering, the girls browsed the racks for robes while he sat and watched them try them on.

"Harry, dear, what are we to do about your dress robes?" Mrs. Weasley asked him.

"That's alright Mrs. Weasley, I'm fine."

The girls paid for their robes and they left the shop, intent on getting some food at the Leaky Cauldron.

Suddenly, there was a loud explosion near knockturn alley and several Death eaters came out.

"Neville to Harry."

"Harry here."

"The death eaters have set fire to a shop."

"Send everyone to protect the citizens."

The four ran to the explosion. Fifty death eaters rushed toward them. Joined by everyone in the D.A. they fought for the second time, wands moving faster then the eye could see.

They fought along side aurors and other witches and wizards, some students, some shopkeepers.

Harry ducked a nasty hex and punched a man in the head with his gloved hand, shattering his skull and neck.

Ron joined him and they fought off the intruders back to back, their wands ablaze with spells.

Hermione twirled and sent several death eaters down with a wave of her hand, eyes blazing blue.

Ginny moved with supernatural speed, hexing Death eaters with her famous bat boogey hex.

The twins joined the fight, shooting off several of their own deadly products on them.

Several of the inexperienced duelists were seriously injured and the D.A. moved to protect them. It seemed that they were winning.

Until the Inferi arrived.

Now they shot every fire spell they knew. The dark side was advancing, slowly gaining ground. The twins got some detonators and started throwing them at their unfortunate victims. Death eater and Inferi were blasted to bits.

Innocent people were dying, being injured, all because of Voldemort.

Harry needed to do something. Anything.

Susan was healing a man's wounds. Blood was everywhere. He was fainting fast. She replenished his blood and stopped the hemorrhaging, but there was nothing more she could do. The man screamed, then fell silent, dead. She resuscitated him, but he was still dead. And for the first time since Dumbledore and her aunt, she saw death. She closed his eyes and rage filled her mind. She howled and thrust her dagger she'd brought into a death eater's neck. He shouted in pain and fell to the ground. Shock filled her.

She had killed him.

Neville was overwhelmed, to say the least. Several death eaters and Inferi came bounding at him. Whirling around, he shouted.

"Finite inflamari!"

The Inferi and death eaters alike were blasted with fire. Their screams filled his ears and burning flesh filled his nose. Still several death eaters remained. He was surrounded. He swirled and turned, firing spells rapidly. Suddenly a spell hit his shoulder and he fell to the cold, unforgiving ground. A second spell hit his back and he whimpered in pain.

Harry saw his friend fall and ran toward him, killing any death eaters in the process. He blasted the death eaters by the several. He got to Neville and turned him on his back, only shocked to find what would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Neville was already dead.

Aha! Cliffy for your thoughts. Enjoy. Please read and review.