I do own the story and a few of my own characters.
It Begins... part II
From the last chapter:
As the auror made his way to look for the Thunderbirds, the Thunderbirds were making their way forward looking for any sign of trouble. The doors to the fifth carriage opened at the same time and before he made a thought about who was entering the carriage the auror shot off another reducio curse, this time at... Harry.
Draco was right behind Harry when the auror made his shot loud and clear. The beam of red light headed straight for Harry. The curse hit Harry square in his abdomen and flashed brightly. Harry stumbled backwards into Draco's arms and if Draco cared to look at his face, he would see a stone blank expression. That was enough for Draco and in less time than it took for someone to say quit firing, Draco's wand was aimed squarely between the aurors eyes.
Draco shouted "EXPELLIARMUS! I should kill you where you stand you incompetent fool.,"
"You're under arrest just who do you think you are firing on an auror?" The auror challenged.
Draco asked blowing a strand of hair out of his eyes 'Merlin, not another idiot would someone tell this boob who we are before I skin him alive?' keeping his wand trained on the auror.
"Sir, the loud mouth is Prince Consort Draco and I'll give you back your wand but first you should know you used a blasting curse on King Harry and then threatened PrinceDraco with arrest. Do you think you can think of a suitable punishment for someone that does such a thing?" Ginny said smugly as she walked up to the uninformed wizard.
"K-King Harry is on the-the t-train?" The auror managed to say.
'Let me just kill him. There is going to be an attack soon.'
'I will handle it Draco. Harry you all right?'
'I'm fine Ginny. Modify his memory and lets get out of here and get the train to Hogsmeade'
"Yes the King and you tried to assassinate him. I should kill you myself. Thunderbirds don't need a reason or an explanation you know, to do that." Ginny threatened.
"N-n-no... I d-did not. I am s-s-so s-sorry your Ma-Majesties, please forgive me. I t-thought the t-train was e-e-e-evacuated."
"Are you scared of the Thunderbirds now auror?"
"Yes ma-ma-madam."
'Quit playing with him Gin we have to get out of here!' Ron urged his sister.
"You've wasted enough of my time auror, obliviate!" Ginny said and the auror stood stone still with a dazed look on his face.
The Thunderbirds had all crammed into the rail car by the time Ginny had obliviated the auror, guided the poor man into a compartment, and sat down while the other Thunderbirds followed Harry and Draco out of the train. Ginny had not implanted the memory she wanted the auror to have yet because Neville was still with her.
"Go on ahead Nev. I will be right there. This guy will be along a minute after us." Ginny said.
"Alright love. If he tries to hurt you, I'll tear his head off myself." Neville said and left the red headed witch to her own devices.
"Auror, you should not be afraid of the Thunderbirds. We are your allies. The train is empty; you have checked all the compartments. You tried to assassinate the King. Turn yourself in after the battle is over if you survive. Leave here in sixty seconds." Ginny ordered the still stunned auror and she left him to join the others.
Draco asked with a heated tone to his voice "Ginerva, What did you tell that fool?"
"I took care of him. And don't you ever call me Ginerva again Draco" Ginny said.
"That will get him to stop," Neville said.
Charley said, "If he knows what's good for him he will".
"He has changed. He hasn't called Hermione a mudblood since we've become Thunderbirds. Don't get me wrong I really like it. Draco's really become a nice bloke." Neville said to his one-of-these-days brother-in-law, kind of quiet like.
"He doesn't know her well enough to really be scared of her." Charley said.
"Harry does and that might be what keeps Draco alive one of these days," Neville continued.
"Aye; the bloody auror just flew out of the train. Did you see?" Charley said spotting the man flying away.
"No Charley, that's the auror. The other person must be the one that killed the engineer of the train. We have to get the train going." Neville said seeing the real auror fall out of the train with a knife in his back, he ran to see if he was all right.
'Thunderbirds the auror is dead. I'll get the train moving, you lot best hit the air.' "Charley, you come with me. We are going to move the train to Hogsmeade. You shoot the air with red sparks. Where the bloody hell did all the aurors go?" Neville said from his run towards the steaming engine looking skyward.
'Would you look for the aurors please someone? I have to get the express moving. Ginny would you fly down to the back end and ride shotgun?'
Neville thought to his comrades while helping Charley up to the cab of the train. The dead driver had bled out all over the floor and not having time for an investigation, he banished the blood, scourgified the cab, and took the drivers seat sitting on the switch. The engine was hardly making steam, its fire doused when it stopped from Hermione's spell. The firebox was full of wood, but there were no flames inside. Being a fire mage had its good times for use and this was one of them. Neville waved his hand and brought forth fire in the box under the boiler. He was also a water mage and he gave the fire a head start by boiling the water and bringing up a head of steam to put to the wheels. Neville had a full burst of adrenalin and the steam chamber was brought up to pressure in ten seconds. Charley Weasley was very impressed with his future brother, his sister's love.
Ginny had peeled off from the Thunderbird formation and landed and transformed back into her human self on top of the train just as Neville let out the first bit of steam jerking the train under her feet. 'Neville, I'm on board at the back of the train. Did Charley get the train moving?'
'No, I did it. Would you come up here and get rid of this body for us? I got rid of all of the blood already but this man gives me the creeps. Right now, I forgot how to do it. I will remember soon but he is starting to stink some too. Will you hurry?'
Not missing a step, Ginny apparated to the Engineer's cab and took one look at the dead man and with a wave of her hand he was gone head and all. This time she sent the body straight to the MLE in London.
"He's gone. Keep your knickers on there love. Hi there Charley" Ginny said stepping to Neville's side while he made the train scream into Hogsmeade.
"Hi there little sis want to shoot off some red sparks with me?" Charley said from outside the window he was leaning.
"I'll get back to the end of the train I bloody well don't know what is in there but if it is worth attacking the train over knowing who is on board, it must be important. Come watch out for me while I pop back. I wouldn't like any surprises."
"Alright I'll look out the top and let you know if the coast is clear." Charley said pulling himself upright and walking to the end of the engine and the ladder to the top of the car it was pulling.
"Looks like there are three on brooms trying to catch up and they'll be there in twenty seconds at that speed."
"That's 15 more than I need." Ginny said and she disapparated to the end of the train.
Charley's wand was firing off red sparkling bolts of light higher than he'd ever shot before. When he saw his baby sister appear on the last car of the train crouched ready to repel attack, he changed his shots to boomerang reducio curses and boomerang blasting charms on one side then another. His odds of one of his curses making the distance to the targets were pretty good. The spells would go off at a certain distance and blast anything near it. He learned this technique from watching muggle WWII movies as a kid. This was like shooting depth charges only he could aim his charged up spells better than the muggles could. Ginny was throwing fireballs and had conjured a small tornado to spin low over the tracks waiting to spring up to catch the broom riders. Charley's spells changed to ones that were more accurate because the flyers were close to getting to his little sister. He used diffindo, reducio combinations and bombarda maxima boomerang spells. His spells were flying by Ginny who was unloading rafts of fireballs in every direction she could wave her wand. She was guiding them towards her spinning trap not trying to hit them. Not her big brother his spells were going to become deadly in three seconds if they got any closer.
Three, two, one..."Avada Kedavra, Avada Kedavra, Avada Kedavra, Avada Kedavra, Avada Kedavra" Charley shouted at the flyers who were now trying to cast curses at Ginny.
The five killing curses whizzed by Ginny on either side and over her head she watched as the green flashes hit the broom riders' one-two-three, knocking them off, crashing them into the long iron tracks behind the train. The brooms were swallowed by Ginny's tornado and let be dragged along the bottom of the whirlwind until they were less than toothpicks. When Ginny ended her tornado charm, a puff of broom dust was all that remained to fall to the tracks. Ginny rounded up the bodies on the tracks with a clever use of accio and lashed them to the top of the train. The bodies were broken but Ginny laid them out anatomically correct if they did not have the dark mark and these did not. Her search of the bodies revealed their identities as former Durmstrang students. Definitely dark wizards but they had not been marked. Perhaps this was an attempt by them to show off for Voldemort. Ginny put their identification back and conjured bags to keep them in until someone could sort them out. There was not much time to waste and they definitely were not attached aurors from the continent. Let the MLE sort them out later.
The Hogwart's Express came full speed into Hogsmeade before Neville put the brakes on to stop the metallic behemoth that was still puffing fire and smoke. Charley had gone from killing attackers to firing his red sparkler balls high into the dawn sky. Neville's charmed pendant that signaled Death Eaters were close was enough of a reason for him to use a charm to stop the train. Ginny knew instantly what was going to happen and she transformed into a Thunderbird on top of the back of the train. Hogsmeade station was three hundred meters ahead and the train was going pretty fast. She elected to spread her wings and take advantage of the situation and let the train slingshot her off the roof when it stopped.
There were people all over the station, aurors, reporters and the MLE to unload the cargo in the last two cars of the Express. They used disillusionment charms on the boxes and floated them into large wagons pulled by Thestrals. The boxes were making noises and shaking. Ginny could see the huge boxes even charmed while she was a Thunderbird. She landed at the head of the train in front of everyone and transformed into her human self and apparated straight to the Engineer's cab and Neville and her brother before anyone could say something. At that point, she didn't give a damn of who saw what.
"Ginny, the dark mark detectors are alarming! We've got to get to the castle quickly." Neville said when Ginny appeared in front of him.
"I know. Charley, trade me wands before the MLE investigators try anything. I got those guys covered by my L.T.K." Ginny said holding out her hand for her brother's wand.
"No need sister dear. I have a spare that I show to the ministry." Charley admitted.
"Are you sure you weren't in Slytherin?" Peaking an eyebrow at her big brother Ginny asked.
"Gryffindor through and through and you two better be off to the castle. I recon you ought to fly out the other side of the train... invisibly this time" Charley said, seeing an auror climbing aboard the train.
"See you big brother." Ginny said pulling Neville out the door on the other side of the cabin.
"Later... Oh, thank Merlin someone has come to take this train off my hands. If that clever Thunderbird bloke did not have the train moving, those dead blokes on the end of the train up there were attacking. The girl killed them. Shot 'em out' of the sky she did. Should 'ave seen it I've 'eard stories about them Thunderbirds I 'ave. Must be true, they saved the train and me. I'll see you later. Oh, thank Merlin you're 'ere." Charley blabbed all at once temporarily befuddling the auror who did not get a chance to say a word while he made his get away.
Charley apparated to the gates at Hogwarts and was swarmed by hundreds of people pleading to get into the school for safety. The dark mark detectors had been going off up the island for the last five minutes. The people in Hogsmeade were quick to run to Hogwart's when the Wizarding Radio blared the warning. The people would be safer when they remained sealed in their homes under their own family wards. The Thunderbirds had been teaching the ward spells to the citizens of Hogsmeade for the last few weeks anticipating their need, but these people were not citizens it seemed. There were the people interested in the completely mysterious behavior and the reporters from around the wizarding world who had no place to go. The people that would usually sell them illegal portkey transport to somewhere, not there were hiding under the wards over their homes, behind locked and barricaded doors, shuttered windows, the whole lot.
Charley made his way through the throng of wizards that were only going to get in the way when the battle was going on in earnest and he was sure they were going to be denied entry. He got the attention of one of his auror friends and was ushered through the gates amidst the cries from the crowd being held back at wand point.
"Thanks for that Warwick." Charley said to the auror who got him through the gates.
Charley had an idea how, but did not know for sure, how the Thunderbirds managed to snap around like the house elves did. He was not going to try it and he opted to use one of the spare brooms kept in the guard shack for special occasions. This... was a special occasion and he took the first broom he came to when he opened the broom locker. He went to the door, stepped through and kicked off into the rapidly rising light of dawn heading straight for the doors to the castle.
Charley landed a hundred feet from the doors at wand point because he was not supposed to fly that close to the castle. His argument was that he was a teacher and on the train that was attacked blah blah blah. They let him through when he said he was an order member and showed him his tattoo.
"Barmy git" Charley said as he was let through the gauntlet and into the castle.
Thundercloud house in total sixty of the worlds best defense students lead by Severus Snape were in the Great Hall having breakfast when the Thunderbirds joined them. They had finished their meeting with Dumbledore and were extremely hungry from the transformation. Harry and Draco were in the infirmary getting Harry checked out by Madame Pomphrey and their breakfasts were served there. The battle shield that Harry wore and the charmed magical absorption stones he carried kept him from blowing apart when the auror shot him. They were still being the ever-cautious parents to be about it. If they were not and Poppy found out, there would be hell on earth to pay. Besides Ginny, Madame Pomphrey was the only other witch Harry was afraid of bar none. He was happy to oblige the Medi-witch and his husband. Draco's state when he brought Harry in was bad enough to warrant a calming draught being forced on him and he was being silly while the two of them ate their breakfasts.
"You've got something on your lip. Just there." Draco said pointing at Harry.
Harry asked, "Where?" raising a napkin wiping his face.
"Missed it let me get it." Draco said and leaned in for a lick and a kiss.
"Mmmmm thank you Draco you seem to have something on yours as well," Harry said.
Wiping his lip with a seductive look on his face "Where?" Draco asked.
"You missed it. Here let me get it." Harry said and Draco leaned over to make it easier for Harry to kiss him.
Harry leaned over and he wiped Draco's face for him and leaned back on his pillow laughing at his husband's look of 'Where the hell did ya go?'
"That's not very nice you know love." Draco said.
"I know it wasn't. Come here and let me make up for it." Harry said pulling Draco over to him.
"Yes my King." Draco said while he got very, very close to his husband.
Harry kissed Draco with as much passion he could muster to let him know just how much he loved him. Draco responded with low, deep moans of satisfaction in the kiss and was just going to do something he should not be doing in the infirmary behind a curtain when Poppy pulled said curtain open
"Prince Draco! You... have already done enough to him. King Harry, you can go the two of you need to get to the headmaster's office right away. Get dressed and help him Draco... Go on the two of you I have enough to do to prepare for casualties without the two of you lolling around like kings now can I?"
"But Poppy, that's the only way we can loll around now. You know that." Draco said smirking... but moving.
"Hurry along you two. I'll be here if you need me." Madame Pomphrey said turning to leave.
"Be careful Poppy." Harry said.
"Thank you your Majesty!" The mediwitch said retreating to her storerooms.
"I wonder what's going on. I haven't felt the earth shake since we got here." Harry said.
"We could just ask you know."
"Yeah, hadn't thought about that. I've really been preoccupied." Harry said with a seductive smirk.
"Oh bollocks Harry, when you look at me like that, I throw wood. Please make a face, anything but that one...MMMMMMMMerlin you're hot." Draco said to Harry who had just finished dressing.
"Come on. I suppose we could ask where everyone is." Harry said.
"Well, why didn't I think of that?" Draco asked with a very innocent choirboy look on his face.
'Where are you all at?' Harry thought to the main body of Thunderbirds.
'Room of Requirement are you all right Harry?' Hermione thought back.
'I'm fine. Stand back and we'll pop up there'
"Three... two... one" Draco said and the two wizards snapped up to the Room of Requirement just as Luna and Blaise had stepped aside.
"I knew you were going to snap in right there you know" Luna said from beside Blaise who was shrugging his shoulders.
"Thank you for moving then. We would have hated to snap in and get splinched." Draco said to the bride of his good friend.
"What's been going on? Did they get that stuff off the train? Did anyone else get hurt? Did they find the guy that killed the auror?" Harry asked in rapid succession.
"Relax Harry. Come over here to this map and look at what has been going on. While you have been in the infirmary, Dumbledore filled us in on what has been happening. First thing was the thing with the train. While the MLE was scrambling and the aurors inside the castle were not going to leave the castle for any reason except to defend it, the foreign auror battalions were dispatched with portkeys to southern Britain. The Death Eaters had transported the battle cannons and a thousand wizards and witches with each one at the same places the detectors went off before. The MLE has its hands full. Thundercloud house is staying here also to defend the castle. There is one full battalion of aurors at the Ministry to defend there and another one to defend Malfoy Manor until your mother officially comes to Hogwarts Draco, and Diagon Alley. They did not catch the fellow that killed the auror. He must have been in the same compartment as Ginny was. It does not surprise me that the Death Eaters have access to invisibility cloaks. Moreover, to answer your other question, they got everything off the train and into the castle. They are installing the things now. It seems that Birdy had a few extra tricks up her sleeve that she neglected to tell us. We should have known with the battle brooms and the spell blasters," Hermione said.
"What exactly is it that they're installing and where are they installing it, what ever it is?" Draco asked.
"Hybrid guns, a cross between a muggle mini cannon and blasting curses in special shells. You remember the special bullets that Birdy gave you Harry?" Hermione asked.
Harry asked "Yeah Hermione why?"
"I'm told these are much bigger made for the magical beasts and flyers. They are on the tall towers and on the exterior walls; about ten meters up Just out of giant's reach if there are any with Tom. Werewolves that have decided not to fight were given Delilah's Knife and are taking up their wands for the light side if they were already a witch or wizard. . Remus has been very busy it seems I am told that there are three full packs of converts." Hermione continued to explain.
"What are we supposed to do then?" Draco asked.
"Until they begin to move away from the coast we should just stay here. We've got to pick offensive targets because ultimately, we're defenders of Hogwart's and the side of the light." Hermione said ever the voice of the obvious.
"I suppose you're right Hermione. Tonight is Christmas Eve too. I promised Draco that we could see the children." Harry said looking into the forlorn silver eyes of his husband.
"It's alright Harry. They are safe where they are. Hogwart's is important enough to stay where we are. A minute might be all it takes to get in here if we were gone." Draco said.
"No, it's not alright. I made a promise and I am going to try to take care of it if we are not going to be doing anything about the cannons down south. We could just swoop in low over the coast invisibly and grab the bloody things and fly them out to sea and then wipe those guys out before they get a chance to take another step towards us." Harry said now stroking his husbands back.
"We're with you Harry. Ottery St. Catchpoole is down there not twenty kilometers from one of those bloody dark detectors." Ron said for all of his siblings except Percy.
Bill stayed in Scotland in Hogsmeade since the wedding, Charley was on the staff at Hogwart's, Ginny, Fred and George were there and Merlin love him, Percy was staying in London at his Ministry post. He was a lesser wizard and did not have a defensive role but he vowed to serve in the background. Arthur and Molly tried to get him to come to Scotland but he threw a tantrum refusing, saying it would look good on his resume when he stayed to fight for the Ministry at the Ministry when the time came. The more volatile Weasleys were right where they should be, at Hogwarts. Molly was at Grimmauld Place and only a floo away with about a hundred Order of the Phoenix members that were standing by to go where they were needed.
"Thanks there Ron it really means a lot to me to know that you and Hermione will be there with us at the end. We've really come a long way since first year eh?" Harry said to his best mate.
"That's an understatement mate. You don't for one-minute think that me an 'Mione were going to let you go off all alone in first year now did you? When you chose me over the fer... er Draco, my fate was sealed. It looks like now that it's all said and done, all of us Thunderbirds, come a very long way indeed Harry." Ron said earning a look from his wife.
"Only ten years after my own. Sorry 'bout that." Harry said teasing his friend who was just a tiny bit slow on the uptake.
"I never thought about it like that Harry. I never thought of you just as the Boy-Who-Lived. You are my best mate. I might have been an arse for a while during fourth year and I should not have been. You have gone through enough. Sorry for being a prat Harry."
"Apology accepted Sir Ronald," Harry said grinning a huge grin to his friend.
"Sir Ronald sounds kind of queer Harry. Like that muggle clown that sells those hamcakes."
"Hamburger Ron, Hamburger. And that's Ronald McDonald."
"I thought that Donald' was a muggle cartoon duck."
"Oh my God and Goddess, Ron is Right for once," Hermione said.
The Thunderbirds spent their afternoon in their quarters, in their common room or in the Thundercloud dormitories spending time with the foreign witches and wizards that were away from their families on Christmas or Yule as the case may be. They were alone for the most part. They came in two's and three's from the same nations but other than maybe a few friends, they had to make their new friends their families to have a truly great holiday and the Thunderbirds were going to do their share of cheering them up.
Harry and Draco had just finished magically wrapping the presents for their babies and had started on Birdy's and the aunties presents when they were called to come to their common room. The two wizards finished the wrapping and conjured Father Christmas' hat to wear with long red robes lined in white fox around the necks and sleeves. Harry's midnight black hair and Draco's platinum blond hair cascaded down their backs. Harry had let Draco style his now very long tresses and he looked smashing in his outfit. The two of them walked out of their rooms arm in arm into the common room where some early Christmas Eve activity had begun with the American students handing out steaming spiced cider and Christmas cookies fresh in from America.
The real prize in the rail cars was the Christmas feast from America enough to feed fifteen hundred people. The news of the build up of Voldemort's forces on the continent had spread like wildfire across the Americas and donations were now pouring into the fund to fight Voldemort at an exponential rate. There were a significant number of weapons and the ammunition to fire them, but the food was portkeyed in country and was very special. Turkeys, beef, geese, ducks, guinea fowl, venison, ham, pies, cookies, pastries, ciders and spices were the gift of five Native American wizarding nations. The new intercontinental portkey shipping was a new development that Fudge fought against from the first time he'd heard of it, and the food was entirely fresh with only a short preserving charm to keep them kitchen fresh until served.
Harry was given a cup of cider from his new friend Frankie Creevey and Draco accepted a cup from Benny Hill. The two young wizards were staying at Hogwart's because they could not ski. Their parents did not know each other but they acted the same way, leaving the younger children behind while they went off to play. They had no idea that Frankie and Benny could probably pass at least their OWLs and knowing the two of them like they did, Frankie and Benny were incredibly bright and were beginning to come out of their shells and use their magic. The two youngsters were just realizing that they had strong magic. They would quickly be strong good wizards when they grew up. The two young men were invited to eat the evening meal tomorrow with the Thunderbirds and the rest of Thundercloud house and any student that stayed behind for Yule, but tonight was special. It was Christmas Eve and Voldemort was not attacking the castle.
Harry, Draco and Adam were thinking of what they could give the youngsters for a Christmas gift that would be enduring and appointing them to the wizarding court of Camelot as Lords of something. Adam knew his mother did things like that, kind of but in America, there were not Lords, Ladies, and such on the MNN. Here in Britain, this was a bigger deal and Adam thought the two young Thunderclouds would love it. Harry had finished his cider and decided to switch to hot chocolate made the way Birdy made it in America. Draco and Adam stuck with the cider... it mixed better with firewhiskey.
The fireplace had a nice mellow fire in it that was cozy against the cold of the evening in the castle. Luna had several decks of tarot cards in front of her and she was talking to Frankie and Benny. Blaise, Neville and Ron were standing behind her not paying attention talking about babies and Christmas gifts and telling dirty jokes. Hermione and Ginny were sitting close paying attention to Luna, and what she was saying to the wide-eyed young wizards.
"First, do you have a preference to which lovers card I should use? If not, I will do a simple shuffle and ask you to pick sight unseen which card you feel drawn to when you pass your hand over them." Luna began.
"I feel drawn to the card in the center." Frankie said, Benny nodding his approval.
"Gee, you choose the male couple lovers," Luna said with a tiny smirk intended for Hermione and Ginny.
"The Lovers represents you, where you are at present. You are open to the risks that loving someone necessitates. Covered by the emperor, which is the challenge for you to be what you are but to serve your king. The fool is your foundation he has no limitations as you have none. The fool walks along in many decks stepping into the abyss however, in this deck he fly's free off into the unknown without limitations.
Your past is the ace of swards and you like Harry have drawn the sword from the stone and are free of the feelings of unworthiness. Your cosmic goals are next and that card it is emergence. You need to welcome changes to your life and by doing so you with be able to fly higher, freer and teach by example the lessons some others around you may have to learn will be a bit easier.
Your future is balance where your spiritual side and material sides will merge and be a nurturing field for your future family. Next, you see yourself becoming the person who guided you on the path of a good parent ready to defend with your life if need be the safety of family in the knight of swords. Your environment is strength and you are fearless to do what you must without question. You will sacrifice but never put your family and those you hold close in danger. How you handle obstacles hopes and fears is with the aid of the magician and in that magic attune yourself with all creation around you and not just listen but also then reach inside and feel what must be done and not just what you want it to be and have happen. The outcome of your efforts is the wheel. Where you are now is but a repeat of where you have been in the past and future. The universe will go on and you shall continue to grow and develop.
Yet, know that as you change and develop and evolve; you are becoming your own Godhead and you will eventually be a Divine entity. Damn it don't go all pale on me. Oh don't worry, this wont be for many lifetimes and that is only if you are lucky." Luna finished handing conjured cool cloths to the clammy looking young wizards.
"Thanks for that reading Mrs. Zabini" Benny said.
Blaise had almost completely tuned out the reading going on behind him until he heard Benny call Luna Mrs. Zabini. For a split second, he thought his mother was in the room but he remembered that the love of his life was now also Mrs. Zabini and his chest swelled silently with pride. Luna was a powerful witch all right, but she was completely uninhibited in bed and she was an incredibly good-looking woman. The little wizard she was talking to had earned a point in his book for respecting his wife and it was doubly good that the first ones to do it that were Frankie and Benny.
"You're welcome Frankie, you too Benny. You two are the first ones to call me Mrs. Zabini who aren't my peers and you may call me Luna from now on alright?" Luna said holding their chins looking into their eyes.
"Sure thing Luna It was nice of you all to invite us to dinner tomorrow we didn't know if you exchanged gifts on Christmas Eve or if you waited until morning to open them so we brought you all something. It is not much but it comes from the heart. You've all been so good to us teaching us the way you have been, we hope you like it." Frankie said enlarging a small package he brought out from his robes with his wand.
A brightly wrapped box enlarged on the table after Luna had cleared away her tarot things. Adam had been snogging with Charley in a big overstuffed chair and he happened to see Frankie enlarge the box. It was Christmas Eve after all, so he banished the mistletoe he had hovering over himself and Charley and got up to see what was in the box.
"What's this Frankie?" Hermione asked.
"Well, Benny and me went together to get it for you all. You will all have to share it I'm afraid. We did not have much. Open it. It tastes good, I promise." Frankie said urging someone to open his gift.
Hermione spotted Adam behind Frankie and Benny chanting while Frankie was talking someone to open the gift; he had a tear rolling down his cheek and a smile on his face. His eyes were closed but there was a glow beginning to form between his outstretched hands. His chant ended and the glowing separated and went into the backs of the two excited youngsters. They sort of flinched and giggled a bit when the magic entered their bodies and the two of them visibly relaxed a bit.
"Hey, what did you just do I feel extra good all of a sudden?" Benny asked turning to see Adam come from behind him.
Benny's head swooned and he tipped into Frankie's shoulder. Frankie giggled and kissed his friend on the top of his head. Suddenly realizing he had just kissed a boy, he kissed the boy in front of his friends, and the boy was his best friend, he turned a very Weasley shade of red but he felt as good as Benny did and the embarrassment passed faster than it arrived. Benny sat up and smiled a very happy smile to his friend, his very best friend. He did not mind that Frankie kissed him one bit until he realized that his best friend just kissed him in front of a dozen or so of the most powerful wizards on the planet. He thought the same thing that Frankie did just as quickly and he leaned in for a quick snog on Frankie's cheek.
"Damn, I thought you two would never do that" Adam said. He leaned down and whispered "I knew you didn't like pussy Ben" to Benny.
"Frankie, Benny, you two can do that where-ever, when-ever you want to, especially around us. We're all about love aren't we you guys?" Adam said after he had plopped himself in between Frankie and Benny.
"Aye that we are and we love our family. You two..." Harry began and pointing at the two young wizards, "...are honorary Thunderbirds and in a way that makes you my family too. Come on over here and kneel in front of the fireplace. Accio Excalibur!" Harry said as Draco joined him.
Benny and Frankie had no idea of what was going on. If it was a game, they were willing to play along.
"You each have shown bravery in the face of danger, loyalty in the face of your enemies, and love in front of your friends. I can see many reasons that you both deserve to become members of the royal court of Camelot. Your innate magic is enormously strong and will serve you well as Lord Knights of the Wizarding Kingdom of Camelot. In the name of all that is good in this world, I dub thee Lord Sir Francis Creevey. Rise Sir Frankie and stand by your mate. In the name of all that is good in this world, I dub thee Lord Sir Benjamin Hill. Rise Sir Benny and meet your new family" Harry said with as much flair as he could muster.
Draco brought forth a tiny breeze to make everyone's hair flow a bit for effect. He kept his eye on Frankie and Benny to make sure they did not fall over in a faint. Adam rolled his eyes but he kept his mouth shut anyway. Frankie and Benny were stunned a bit at first looking at each other to see if anything was different and then they looked at Harry.
"Just what is a Lord Knight supposed to do Harry?" Frankie asked.
"Oh, do good, be loyal to the throne, defend me if necessary, that sort of rot. I rather think that Dennis and Colin will be jealous of you a bit. Colin is just the royal photographer but you will be doing the stuff he will only be taking pictures of. I do not know what to do about Dennis. He will feel left out I am sure, but he is skiing on the continent and you are here. Draco and I are very glad that you are. Don't we Draco have some things for you?" Harry asked his husband.
"Yes Father Christmas, we have gifts for everybody. Moreover, before any of you complain that we are being extravagant, do not. We have been told that we earn more than even I can fathom spending just now so don't worry about what things cost or if you think your gifts don't measure up. Your love is the important thing. Look here at the brilliant selection of chocolates Benny and Frankie brought us. They brought it with love and that is just as important. Frankie, this is for you from Harry and myself and Benny, this is for you." Draco said handing two huge boxes over after Harry had enlarged them.
"Thank you Draco, Harry," Frankie said.
"Yeah, thank you very much" Benny said and the two of them proceeded to tear into the festive holiday paper surrounding the boxes.
The young Ravenclaw/Thunderclouds pulled out a set of formal dress robes with the crest of Camelot on the back and their family crests on the front lapels. Sky blue woolen robes were trimmed in silver and gold brocade around the sleeve cuffs and collar and lined with deep blue satin. The robes were charmed to be cool in the summer and warm in the winter and were always, always in season for wearing.
They each pulled muggle suits out of their boxes; they had Armani labels on them. There were two pairs of shoes, one for dress occasions and a pair of muggle tennis shoes for running around in. The gifts continued to pour out of the boxes that Harry and Draco gave the young ones. Harry remembered what it was like to be away from family on Christmas even if he was in the cupboard under the stairs for his first 10 years on Privet Drive.
The volume of gifts that poured out of the obviously charmed container overwhelmed Frankie and Benny and were happy to have found the bottom. Adam was next to try some of the chocolate. He put his arms around Frankie and Benny and rocked back and forth humming a sadistic Christmas tune popular in America. He had two small packages in his robes and he pulled them out and gave his gifts to his little friends.
"They won't explode stuff like that box did. By the way, good idea Harry, I'll remember it sometime," said Adam.
"It was Draco's idea. When we got all that stuff for the babies, we found a great shop for young gentlemen their size. I charmed the clothes to grow with them for a few years and Draco charmed them to repel dirt and water. I don't know how he stuffed all of that in the box without wrinkling everything," Harry said.
Draco said, "Its simple magic dear."
Frankie and Benny had opened Adams gift with a little more ceremony than Adam could hardly stand, untying the ribbons very slowly and unfolding the paper like it was the real gift.
Adam asked Frankie and Benny "Hurry up will ya?"
The young Ravenclaws gave in to Adam and finished the paper off with a good rip and each pulled out black velvet bags tied with gold cord. They slid their fingers into the opening of the bag and loosened the cord holding it closed. Frankie put his hand in to feel around and he rolled his eyes up and stuck out his tongue trying to guess what the object was by the feel. Adam was so excited when they pulled out magical telescopes at the same time he almost peed his pants.
"Oh Adam these are really nice how far can we see with them?" Benny asked.
"You can look at a planet almost as good as with the telescope in the astronomy tower and you can take a look across a room and read a piece of paper," Adam said.
"Oh thank you Adam, Thank you Harry, Draco. These gifts are... almost too much," Frankie said with a twinkle in his eye and a grin on his face.
"Almost?' Adam said 'I think that the others have something for you as well". Charley was now standing behind Adam his erection problem abated for now.
Greg and Vince gave them both books on physical self defense without magic, Neville and Ginny gave them both a huge book on Herbology, Fred and George gave them a huge assortment of their best pranks and Ron and Hermione remembering Luna's problems gave them cases to put magical objects in for protection.
"I don't know just what to say but thank you," Benny said after he'd opened all his Thunderbird gifts.
"I know what to say Benny. Thank you of course for the gifts, but the real gift is that you have accepted us as your friends and allies. These things are great but they are only things. I value your friendship above all else. This might sound mushy to you, but I love you all." Frankie said still feeling good from Adam's magic.
"What he said." Benny blurted out.
"Aw, we love you two too" Adam said pulling the two little guys into a big hug.
The Thunderbirds and their guests along with others in Thundercloud house were enjoying the warmth and cheeriness of the common room. Princess Little White Dove and Prince Running Bear had spent some time decorating from one end of the room to the other. The decoration over the mantle was huge. Big pinecones and boughs of evergreens in swaths wrapped with gold and silver garlands. English ivy, holly, and poinsettias were set about all over the room. Mistletoe was hung all over the place and it was being used advantageously. Adam preferred to keep the sprig he had floating over his head wherever he went. He liked getting kisses but he really liked getting kisses from Charley. The common room fire was banked and instead of traipsing around the castle at night with all their gifts, Frankie and Benny were offered a room in Thundercloud house to spend the night. The two youngsters were being shown their room when all at one time the dark mark detector indicators that the Thunderbirds wore all the time flashed brightly in pulses.
'Thunderbirds, common room right now' Adam said.
"Frankie, Benny, it looks like its starting. Here is your room. Stay away from the windows, keep inside and the light out. If you want food, there is some in the common room in the icebox. If you're needed, we'll send word for you alright?" Adam said.
"Ok Adam be careful you guys." Frankie said to Adam's retreating back.
"I hope they're going to be alright." Benny said.
"Me too, after they're gone, let's get out of here and check things out." Frankie said.
"Adam said for us to stay here." Benny argued.
"Harry made us knights and that gives us the right and duty to help. I'm going even if you're not." Frankie declared.
"Not without me. I guess if you can kiss me in front of those guys that makes you special to me and since you're special to me, then I'm going to go and make sure your butt stays safe." Benny stated in an I'm-not-taking-your-shit tone.
"That's my Benny." Frankie said and he put his arm around Benny for a hug and a kiss.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
"What the..." Frankie said when the floor under his feet rumbled.
"Let's look out of the window and see if there's anything out there." Benny said.
"We better get invisible," Frankie said trying to summon the power to disappear.
" Take my hand will ya Frankie I'm right behind you? I'm just a little scared," Benny said.
"I'm not going anywhere without you Benny."
The two invisible wizards joined hands and crept to the heavily curtained windows and instead of moving them from the side, they crawled underneath so they would not be seen moving the draperies. The huge explosions that rocked the castle came from the other side of the grounds and their source was not visible. Frankie turned the knob holding the window door shut and opened it to a blast of very cold air. The two boys were higher in the castle than they thought they would be. The tower rose another hundred feet above their heads from the balcony they were standing on. Just as Frankie leaned over the edge of the balcony, a dragon flew straight up the wall in front of him. The two invisible wizards watched as the dragon landed on top of the tower. The two boys could see other dragons circling the castle to take up positions to defend the castle from the hex cannons.
The alarm had been sounded in the castle for about five minutes and other than seeing dragons flying around the castle there was not much else to see. Frankie and Benny crept back inside the room that Adam had shown them into and sat on the bed close to each other in silence. Frankie was lost in thought if you went by the expression on his face. Benny reached around his friend and gave him a one armed hug leaning into him. Frankie turned his head just slightly and kissed his friend on the side of the head. The two youngsters remained silent until the castle shuddered with another round of blasts.
The dragons outside were beginning to roar wildly. Frankie and Benny remembered from class that dragons were usually quiet unless they were angered or excited and by the sound of their roaring, they were not happy. The two boys ventured off the bed to look outside through a small opening and they managed not to disturb in the curtains. The two boys watched as the dragons flew in circles now around the castle blowing fire down at something.
"Where are the Thunderbirds Frankie?" Benny finally managed to question.
"I don't know Benny, but I hear thunder out there and it's not very cloudy so I know it's not raining. It must be them. Adam told me that they only make lightening two ways. Either they are targeting something or someone or something has thrown a curse at one of them. Thunderbirds throw back the magic tenfold in the form of lightening," Frankie explained.
"I just hope this is over soon Frankie I'm scared." Benny said.
"I do too Benny but I don't think it will be over very soon. Look up there!" Frankie said pointing his finger skyward.
"What is it? I don't see any... oh... Merlin. Look at how fast those guys on the battle brooms are flying..." Benny said just as another shudder from the castle shook them up a bit.
"It's after midnight Benny Happy Christmas," Frankie said.
"Happy Christmas Frankie Lets go see if we can help somewhere," Benny said.
"I suppose we should. Adam told us to stay here though," Frankie said.
"We've been through that. We can help let's go to the infirmary," Benny said pulling Frankie away from the window.
The two boys said their invisibility spell and walked cautiously out of the room Adam showed them into the Thundercloud house common room. The castle shook repeatedly and the two boys sprinted out of the common room and down the steps to the third floor corridor. When the two young wizards opened the door to the stairwell, the steps leading to it were gone and they were not moving.
"Looks like we have to stay here anyway Frankie," Benny said after surveying the location of the stairs.
"Not if there are brooms in here. Let's look for some." Frankie said turning on his heel running for the steps to Thundercloud house.
"What are you doing Frankie?" Benny asked.
"I'm going to open this broom closet." Frankie said.
"You don't have a key..." Benny said just as Frankie pulled his wand and aimed at the door's latches and the doors to the broom closet were blasted open as Frankie shouted "Bombarda!"
"Take one and follow me Benny." Frankie said grabbing for one of the new battle brooms.
"We're going to get into so much trouble for this." Benny said pulling a broom out of the closet for himself.
"Come on. We can fly down to the main corridor and walk to the infirmary," Frankie said while hovering on the big war broom.
"Alright, I'm on. Let's do this before I chicken out."
"You're braver than you know Benny, to me anyway." Frankie said.
Frankie and Benny opened the doors to the third floor and flew down to the main level of the castle. There presence was quickly noted by aurors that were running about shouting orders to someone.
"What is the meaning of this get down off of those brooms immediately!" Professor McGonagall shouted.
"Sorry Professor. We could not get off the third floor. We want to help." Frankie explained.
"Well, you're down here now. Take those brooms and put them away. Come with me to the infirmary and you can help Madame Pomphrey ready the beds. If you can stay out of the way you just might be of some use to her." Professor McGonagall said as her heels clicked on the stone floors quickly.
"Yes Professor. Benny and I only want to be of some use ma'am."
"I believe that Madame Pomphrey needs for blood restorative potion to be portioned out. The last three weeks have been quite busy in the potions labs for this day's event." Professor McGonagall said while walking at a smart clip of her heels before she stopped suddenly and turned to face the two youngsters.
"Boy's This is very important promise me something will you? ."
"Yes Professor." Benny and Frankie said at once.
"Promise me that what ever you see in the infirmary won't frighten you. There are going to be severely wounded people brought in very quickly. You may be called upon to do something you might find... uncomfortable."
"You mean like holding on to someone's squirting artery or, holding their guts in or something like that?" Benny asked clearly confused.
"Perhaps, perhaps that will be the worst of it. I just don't want the two of you traumatized by what you see."
"Oh, I'm muggleborn Professor McGonagall, I watch television. I know how cruel people can be to each other in the name of making war. I've seen some pretty terrible things." Frankie said.
"Very well then if you are told to get away from something do it immediately. Some ones life could depend on seconds and waiting for you to move could be crucial. Now the two of you stay in here unless you are told other wise. It's late so you might get a chance to take a short nap before there is any activity." Professor McGonagall said just as a bright flash of magic being stopped by a dragon lit up the corridor they were standing in.
The sudden light and the noise that accompanied the huge spell was enough to shake and vibrate the huge, high windows. Professor McGonagall had her wand drawn and a shielding charm over the three of them in less than a half a tic just in case the windows shattered and rained glass down on their heads.
"Get inside there you two, quickly now. Poppy, I have two volunteers to help you with the blood restorative potion and anything else you need. They are to be your slaves until this is over with. Do I make my self clear boys?"
"Yes Professor.' Frankie asked 'Professor?" Almost afraid.
"Yes. Mr. Creevey?"
"Oh, it's Sir Francis now, but... I ah... be careful Professor." Frankie stammered.
"I shall do my best... Sir Francis. Twenty-five points to Ravenclaw to the both of you for figuring how to get down from the tower to volunteer with the wounded. Get along now. Do you think I have all night to see to the two of you?"
"No Professor. We'll make you proud." Benny said.
"You have no idea." The stern looking witch said with a fraction of a second of a melted heart before she shut the infirmary doors and almost sprinted away.
"You two over here I don't know what you're doing down here but you're here so I'm going to put you to some use. We have to have five hundred portions of blood restorative potion ready to be dispensed very shortly. This is how to do it watch, pay attention, and until I'm done say nothing alright" the mediwitch questioned to her two young assistants.
The two boys nodded and watched the mediwitch open and close the valve to the huge beaker containing the blood restorative. There was an added bit of Xanadu to each of the huge containers they were about to empty into the dosing vials. Madame Pomphrey finished her demonstration capping the potion and setting it down on a tray on a mark. She told the boys to put one vial on each mark until the tray was full then put another tray on top of it and repeat until they were finished emptying the first container.
The castle shook again and dust fell from the ceiling above where Frankie and Benny were working. The huge containers of potion were exposed to the dust and bits of cement and rock. The two youngsters had their wands over their heads with a protego shield over the top of themselves and the precious potion. Madame Pomphrey sprang from her storeroom expecting to see two crushed Ravenclaws and five hundred doses of blood restorer ruined.
"Oh thank Merlin you two protected the potion from that debris. Twenty five points to Ravenclaw each for your quick thinking." The mediwitch said turning to return to her storeroom.
"Good going Frankie."
"You too Benny, I just did what Professor McGonagall did outside. I guess it works."
"Hehehe, I did too. We got over a hundred vials filled already. I didn't want to see all that work go to waste." Benny giggled as the two continued to work diligently.
"We can finish this up if we do that task speed spell Adam taught us." Frankie said.
"Alright, I hope we don't make mistakes."
"You know how it works. We just look like we're speeded up to everyone else but we'll be working normal to us."
"Let's hope it works as good doing this as it does when we're reading."
"It will. Taskus Rapidus!" Frankie said waving his wand between himself and Benny.
Within a second of saying the spell, the two industrious wizards set about bottling the potions at an incredible rate. They managed to bottle five hundred doses of the potion in forty-five minutes. The shaking of the hexes hitting the wards surrounding the castle was barely felt because the two were moving so fast they hardly noticed. Madame Pomphrey had poked her head out of the door of her vast storeroom to check on the boy's progress bottling the potion. She knew better than to disturb the spell they were obviously using. It was not necessary and she just pulled her head back and closed the door. She had been shielding the glass vials and bottles inside her storeroom from falling off when the wards were struck. There was an emergency half-liter bottle of Xanadu hidden deep in her closet for the most extreme of emergencies. Severus had insisted on it just in case an explosion of some sort destroyed his potions lab. Purely a precaution but one she did not want to believe would need to be taken.
"Of all the ridiculous notions they are not be getting in here." Poppy muttered aloud to the walls. There was one single portrait inside her cupboard and it said,
"I should hope not, Bloody bad show that rot."
"I wasn't talking to you so be quiet and keep an eye on these things. Many lives depend on what is in here."
"Of course Poppy I'll go to another portrait if something goes seriously wrong."
"If anything goes wrong it will be turpentine for you." The mediwitch threatened.
"You wouldn't dare!" With dread in its voice, the painting said.
"I would. Now do not try my patience and pay attention in here. Those boys should be finished by now the rate they're going." Poppy said closing the closet door.
Frankie and Benny finished filling the vials in thirty-five minutes and had stored the doses for safety in a cabinet secured to one of the walls. Benny raised his wand and said 'El Finite!' and the room seemed to catch up to them along with Madame Pomphrey.
"There are wounded coming in you two. Please stay out of the way unless you are called for. You can run for potions and help with bandaging once things are settled I should think. For now, go get two clean wet washcloths, a basin and a pitcher of the water from that... faucet over there. Can you manage that?" Madame Pomphrey said.
"Yes Ma'am," The boys said in unison and were off to do as they were told.
Benny and Frankie were finished tasking when the infirmary doors opened with a huge bang. Excited and shouting voices were heard from around the corner where Frankie and Benny were standing. Prince Running Bear was levitating two wounded wizards. Princess Little White Dove was holding the two under some sort of stasis spell to keep them alive. Madame Pomphrey was shouting orders left and right to the people escorting them.
"You go get this. You go get that. You get out of here. Put them here while I check them over. Mr. Hill, Mr. Creevey, get over here at once with those supplies." The mediwitch commanded, and people reacted instantly.
"You two wrap your hands in those towels and hold his head for me. You there and you hold his legs and arms if he so much as moves another inch he could be dead." Poppy said getting ready to treat her first of many traumatic injuries of the night.
The other wounded wizard was an auror that stepped in front of a blasting curse just as he shot up his protego shield. The blast was just a little faster than the shield, which gave room for his feet to be injured. His toes were missing. His act would earn him the Order of Merlin Elite because he stepped in front of Draco who had his back to the curses onslaught. Professor McGonagall who let Prince Running Bear into the castle had stopped the bleeding.
So far, the combatants had not entered the grounds of the castle but the curst blasters were being set up as soon as they could be brought from southern England. So far they were assembled in a half circle and soon the cannons would surround the castle. They were firing as soon as they were ready assaulting the magical wards. The dragons were flying both inside and outside the wards making the huge curses disburse on their magical scales. The fire they were breathing in huge swaths towards the ground showing their anger. The dragon handlers were dressed in full dragon scale armor as added protection to their protego shields. The dragons instinctively knew what to do because they were drawn to magical spells like moths were to light. They seemed to like being hit with curses but did not like it when the curses were cast with dark intentions. Funny creatures they were.
Charley Weasley was flying on the back of Andromeda just behind the massive creature's wing joints. The other handlers did not need to be told what to do by him. The dragons were good creatures and with little coaxing the creatures soared fearlessly into the direction of the destructive curses. They did not catch all of the curses but they were doing a valiant job of catching the ones they managed to intercept. Charley's flyers would also receive the highest accolades when the fighting was over.
There were five thousand light warriors on the grounds of Hogwart's laying in wait inside vast open spaces newly created in the dark forest. The canopy of the treetops remained only as an illusion to anyone flying overhead. The warriors were from all over the wizarding world waiting in camp for the time when the wards were buckled and the flood of dark wizards waiting to get inside came forth. They had heard of the group of wizards called the Thunderbirds. It was said that they were so powerful they could change into the mystical legendary war bird and were said to be invincible. Accurate stories circulated among the warriors from around the world. Japanese, Thai, Filipino, Continental Indian, Australian, Samoan, Hawaiian, Aleuts, sixteen different American Native magical native nations, and one thousand from the United American Wizards States alone were ready to do their share for the greater good of life on Earth.
From their places in the forest, the centaurs were keeping vigil on the people in the magical clearings. They were all armed, some with wands others were using staffs. Every single one of them carried stiletto thin long knives if they needed them. Among them the centaurs were paying particular attention to several witches and wizards using scrying stones and looking at the stars to come to some conclusion or another. The centaurs could understand this kind of magic but saw no reason to get involved at all. Firenze had been forgiven to the extent that he would deal with the humans if the centaurs were contacted. It was bad enough they considered, that he had been 'contaminated' by the humans already and could just continue being the one to deal with them.
Many of the centaurs were holding spears just to enforce their will with the humans if need be. They were paying particular attention to the talk about the Thunderbirds because they had seen Chief Thundercloud when he entered the heavens and saw his return to the sky when his staff created the new order. If it were in the stars, centaurs knew what was going on or were about to happen. They wanted to watch from the sidelines, obviously curious. The last time that they paid attention to what the humans were doing was sixty years ago. When it came to Firenze and his stubborn obsession with humans since Harry Potter came to Hogwart's, they just accepted it and chalked it up to him being slightly insane and the centaur equivalent of mad as Hades.
There were eyes among the trees in the dark forest watching the dark witches and wizards apparating onto the roads towards Hogwart's. The village of Hogsmeade had locked itself up under the ward spells that shot up as soon as every detector in and around the village began to wail. The reporters and photographers were different types entirely. The reporters were willing to stay where they were... inside, and the photographers were itching to go and capture the whole thing on wizfilm. History in the making and it was there to be photographed.
Their partners had to finally say something that got them to think one more time before they went and got themselves cursed by either side who wouldn't care who they were or if they had a wand in their hand or not. The photographers, usually a brave lot if their rudeness was anything to go by, thought twice about what they were thinking. They could photograph the aftermath and live or try to dodge curses and possibly die. They drew the line at dying for a story. The wise among them had a bottle of firewhiskey to calm them while they listened to the sound of apparating going on everywhere around them. The charmed wards seemed to be doing their jobs hiding the buildings.
Honeydukes Sweet Shoppe's basement had been taken over by two auror platoons with warbrooms. The tunnel leading to the castle was incredibly well defended and if need be, could be imploded preventing entry by persons on the dark side that might know about it courtesy of Peter Pettigrew. As it were, the aurors were going to be attacking from the rear over head when the wards broke. As soon as the wards were broken, the witches and wizards that were going to be attacking trying to win the castle and perhaps kill the so-called King Harry Potter and his consort were going to flood onto the grounds. Everyone including Dumbledore knew that Voldemort would be there as soon as his Death Eaters had broken through the wards so he could direct this attack.
The Death Eaters would just have to defend themselves from the overhead onslaught from the dragons and the few hundred aurors that his spies had seen enter the grounds. The new house at Hogwart's so called war school had few members and none of them were seen on the train leaving Hogsmeade They would be dealt with as well and when Voldemort got his hands on Dumbledore and Potter and his minion's traitorous whelp, he would begin his rule of that part of the wizarding world. The Empress Thundercloud then would be dealt with in his campaign to take over the entire wizarding world. His inner circle would rule in his stead round the world while he lived grandly in Hogwarts, this reward.
The time was twelve past three when the wards protecting the castle began to fail. The dragon's roars in anger were loud signal that there were now humans flooding through the many openings big enough for the cannons to come through and be set up to fire on the castle itself. Now there were not just Charley's dragons to protect the castle from the huge magical bursts, there were the Thunderbirds.