35) The Battle I


Hello, first of all I wanted to thank the reviews. Especially the last two: Gryphnwng and Ekstacia.

To Ekstacia: I have to admit i was very touched. Yes, Harrydear is HOT, isn't he? And since I loved your review so much (and it boosted my ego XD) my SOS-Harry is officially yours as long as I can borrow him from time to time.

Though, I fear I have to disappoint you guys, I don't plan on writing a sequel soon, coz I have already started on a new idea. I have however some ideas what would happen and if anybody is interested in writing a sequel I'm more that willing to help with ideas and the likes. I just have no time to write two fics at once. It is likely though that I will TRY to write a sequel. This will however take time.

Thank you for reading this, time to get on with the real fic, lCiel


It was completely silent around him, when he shot up from his bed. His scar that had tingled on for days was completely numb and a bad feeling overcame him when he got up and threw a look out of the window onto the grounds near the forest. Only Neville's light snores were audible and for a moment he thought he saw a thestral flying over the top of the trees. But the thing, no – things, were smaller and those were not wings, but flapping, black cloaks in the wind. Narrowing his eyes, he looked closer and suddenly he saw more and more figures flying straight toward the castle.

And suddenly he felt and saw the magic boom. The front figure screamed, a red light appeared in midair and the wizard fell off his broom that had caught fire colliding with the ward. Just in that moment every light in the castle had flared up and while he was grabbing his wand and robe, slipping into his boots, and racing down the stairs, he saw the stones of the fireplace rearranging themselves. The floo was cut off and the Death Eater kept at bay, but on his way to the headmaster's office he already felt some of the magic crumble. In his dash he passed Flitwick and Sinistra, who were also running towards Dumbledore's office.

Yelling the password, the gargoyle jumped aside and he rushed up the stairs. The door was already open and some teachers seated around the room. Dumbledore stood in their midst, clad in white robes, belted around his waist with a broad, golden belt. His hair and beard were flowing over his shoulders and he looked more serious then ever before. His fierce, blue eyes were trained on a chest opposite his desk that Harry had never seen before, and he was mumbling odd words in a language nobody seemed to understand.

Then the chest suddenly clicked and opened, revealing a assortment of different items. Obviously the teachers had seen it before, because they stood hurriedly and lined up in a circle around Dumbledore. Harry looked at Bill, who winked once and motioned Harry to stand beside him.

In the meantime the headmaster had taken the first item out of the trunk. A dark, powerful looking crossbow. The reddish wood gleamed in the firelight as Dumbledore handed it to McGonagall, who nodded seriously and stepped back. Harry wondered where she would get the arrows from, when suddenly a sleek metal arrow appeared out of thin air. Gulping, he turned back to Dumbledore, who just handed a mace with a studded ball to Vector, who caressed the weapon lovingly. Harry felt the magic pulsing from it. A picture of a giant rocking the earth with such a weapon appeared in his mind.

Flitwick received a huge battle axe and armour, reminding Harry of a dwarf in battle. Harry had never imagined to see his teachers armed with ancient magical weapons. Now and then he could see a name engraved on the pieces. Some had belonged to founders, others had a statue somewhere in the castle. Bill was eventually holding the rapier of Sir Cadogan and Sinistra was swung the glaive of Morgan le'Fey, before she had departed to bring the "returning javelin of Rowena Ravenclaw" to Firenze. Soon all teachers were equipped and Harry, completely bewildered, stood among the fighters. McGonagall had hurriedly explained that the teachers had all signed to defend the school when they took up their job and were now receiving the weapon that had called to them back then and would until they would leave their job. Then she had gone with most other teachers to inform her house on the new situation and prepare the necessary steps, so Harry was left with Dumbledore.

"What will happen now?" he asked to break the silence.

"We will defend ourselves until either the enemy is defeated or retreats. The Ministry is alerted. Hagrid long ago went to contact the resident creatures. The centaurs and spiders will fight on our side, as well as for their own purpose. When the Death Eaters enter the forest they won't see the light again. He is informing them now, do not fear for him, Gwarp is with him," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, but soon grew serious again.

"And the other teachers?" Harry asked curiously.

"The heads of houses are notifying their students. The plans for such an attack have been made almost two years ago and everybody knows what to do," the headmaster said and sighed.

"But – what will they do? I mean, is this the final battle or… please, you have to tell me? Please?" Harry stuttered, growing more and more anxious with every minute.

"I may be, my boy. It really depends on Riddle."

"Ginny, you mean. Is – is there any hope for her to survive? I mean, do I – do I have to fight him like this, looking, being-" he ended, unable to voice it out loud.

"Every war has sacrifices," the headmaster began. "And no war had ever been ended easily. We do not win a war, Harry, we fight it and one party will survive. That is the course of things. And for her betrayal Ginevra Weasley will pay with her life. Actually, we are quite fortunate in a way. Since many of his defences were tied to his body and Riddle did not have the time to reinstall all of those."

"I still don't understand… why? Why did she, I… I don't understand," he said truthfully.

"Love and hate are sometimes very close to each other, Harry. Look at Tom, for example: he has been trying to kill you since you were a baby, and even though he believes to know the prophecy and therefore should be aware that your presence here won't harm him for the meantime, he still obsesses over you. Why?" Dumbledore coaxed, but Harry did not understand.

"What do you mean by that? He doesn't, I mean, love me or anything, he just-"

"Obsesses over you. He has very strong feelings for you, whatever their nature may be, and they drive him on. For Miss Weasley, she used to have strong feelings for you, which changed over time. Together with the darkness that spread in her in her first year, a darkness, I admit, we all underestimated, she was prone for Voldemort's manipulation. It was not her conscious plan to betray you and her family. Never think that, Harry."

"Okay," he croaked.

"Today, and probably tomorrow, we fight for our lives," Dumbledore continued gravely, "and many might die. Don't let the past get to you, but fight for the future, my boy, for your girlfriend and child, and your friends. And Harry – you are not alone."

"You will be with me all the time?" he asked, just as Snape appeared and gave the headmaster a meaningful glance. Dumbledore nodded and turned back to Harry.

"For now. Depending on the situation I might leave you with Severus. Together you are more than up to defending yourselves. You two have made much progress," Dumbledore winked and Snape snorted. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Thanks. So what are we doing to – defend – ourselves?"

"You see, Hogwarts is more than just a castle. I highly doubt the Death Eaters will dare to risk a direct attack. I rather expect they might want to trap us inside. The aurors will try to break their lines from outside. Unfortunately many are still heavily injured or worse, or have little to no field experience and will be easy prey. Furthermore, most low-ranking Death Eaters have been caught in the last battle and now Voldemort has summoned his troops from all over the globe. The Order will support the aurors as well as we can. Should they actually try to break the wards and enter the castle, we will notice soon enough for the prefects to lead the students into the dungeons. Once the ancient mechanisms are working nobody will be able to go down there, not even Voldemort himself."

"What about the secret passages?" Harry inquired. Snape looked up with interest.

"All passages that directly lead into the castle were closed when the outer ward was touched. This happens automatically. There are also now portkey and portal wards that make it impossible to enter the castle magically. Should the last barricades fall, we will use the passage of the founders. I will tell you this now, Harry. Only the headmaster of Hogwarts knows about the secret path under the rock," and once again that day Harry felt the magic prickle around him, as Dumbledore spun a privacy ward around the office.

"A secret path?" both younger wizards asked.

"Should the need arise, the prefects will lead the houses into the dungeons, past the labs and the Slytherin dorms, down a stairway into a large chamber. The wall will close behind you once you leave the stairs. Food and drink is stormed there for many days, but you won't need it. Severus-" he turned toward the professor, "In the middle of the room is a fountain with fresh water. Move your hand along the inner rim, just under the waterline, and you will encounter a little niche. It is only there for those who know of it, mind you. A coin is hidden there. The fountain of freedom, once build by Helga Hufflepuff, is decorated with a badger. If you look closer, you will find that he misses one eye. Press the coin into the eyehole and the water will disappear and in its stead another stairwell will appear, just like to my office. It will lead you to Hufflepuff's grave. Pass the chamber with her tomb and follow the fairy lights. Tell those with you to take some food and water along, the walk is quite far. Once you reach the end of the tunnel, use the coin again and put it into the statue's eyehole. Outside you are far enough away so that they won't be able to find you easily. In the nearby village you can use the public floo to send the students home. Stay with Harry and keep him safe, Severus. This is my last order for you, come what may," Dumbledore finished and Snape sighed.

"I will do my very best," Snape answered and checked his wand.

"And I will listen to the professor and not do anything foolhardy," Harry added.

Dumbledore smiled and Snape scowled, but neither had time to answer, when blasts from outside indicated the start of the battle.


At St. Mungos the alarm bells rung. Healers were running all over the place packing the most necessary equipment. Preparing the hospital for the onslaught of the wounded after the battle, all experienced healers had left the wards in a hurry, leaving behind only some nurses to tend to their patients direst needs.

So it happened that just when the battle was about to begin a pretty blonde nurse went down corridor B7 to a small padded cell at its end, pushing a trolley in front of her. She was chewing a pink bubblegum and humming a tune she had heard on the radio that morning, carelessly swinging her cute little bum, when she heard the moans from room five.

Surprised, she stopped mid-step and peeked through the little glass window into the cell. Inside a wizard was rolling on the ground, obviously in pain. Unable to see him suffer she disregarded the many locks and wards on the door and opened it to calm that poor soul's torment. Kneeling at the wizard's side, she pulled her wand, but before she could utter a charm, a hand wrapped around her wrist painfully and something hit her head really hard.


Grinning gleefully, Lucius pushed the naïve girl off him. Taking her wand, he quickly shut the door and listened closely for a moment, but nobody had heard the punch or her scream. Looking at the girl, he memorized her features, before pointing her wand at himself. A tingle on the skin and he looked at the reflection in the one-way window in the door, satisfied with his – or should he say her – appearance. Flicking a wayward blonde lock back over his ear, he cast another glamour to let her appear to be him, before placing her on the cot.

Giggling lightly, he summoned a chewing gum from her pocket and slipped it into his mouth, before carefully opening the door and, seeing that nobody was there, leaving the building through the personnel exit. As soon as he was in the open he apparated away.


Well, I'll update around the weekend. However after that I'll be on holiday for 2 weeks with no access to my files. IF however I receive many nice reviews I might consider it to update a little more