And now for something completely different.

- 00:18 -

In Hogwarts' main courtyard the remaining defenders were using the temporary ceasefire to shore up their defences. Those too young or inexperienced to be of help in the actual fight poured their strength into the severely damaged wards and shields of the castle, or, if they were able, gave first aid to the mass of wounded.

Now 'Headmistress' McGonagall, commanded those apt in transfiguration to build rudimentary barriers and repair some of the school's golem defenders. Filius Flitwick and whoever had the stomach for it cleared the battlefield of bodies both friend and foe und heavy use of Levitation Charms. Old Slughorn had gathered similarly gathered his potions prodigies to brew some healing drafts and blood replenishers, Professor Sprout having gone to what remained of the greenhouses to forage for more much needed ingredients.

The great hall had turned into part morgue, part infirmary. Madam Pomfrey and other healers of the order rushing to help the most severe wounded and cursed fighters.
On a tower facing the main bridge stood Neville Longbottom watching the darkness for any sign of the next wave of attackers, since the hour that Voldemort had given them was nearly over. From his vantagepoint he was one of the first to see the blinding flash that illuminated every nook and cranny of the Hogwarts ground. "Sweet merlin" He mumbled. Turning to the hatch that led into the tower he shouted "Seamus, please tell me that wasn't you".
"Not every explosion is my fault Nev. Where exactly did it come from?"

"The forest where V….. fuck…"

"Language Neville" his laughter died when he came up the ladder and saw the rapidly paling Neville. "What is it?"

"It came from where Voldemort was waiting for Harry." A sob threatened to escape is throat. "Right under the mark."

"Well shit. We have to tell the others, find Ron and Hermione, do you think they…?"

"You really think he'd go without saying goodbye to those two?"

"And ..."

"Don't have to ask" Neville interrupted him. "You go inform the rest of the DA, tell Luna that Harry's plan is still on… I'll go to McGonagall and let the order know that they'll soon come knocking on our door again. Get Dean up here to keep watch."

- 00:45 -

Voldemort was, dare he say it, happy, exuberant, if it wouldn't drastically undercut his 'Immortal Lord of Darkness' Persona he'd do a little jig, and stroll skipping and whistling to Hogwarts.
All that was left now was to subdue the remaining resistance. Can't have permanent guerrilla warfare in your country if you want to garner any respect.
As he neared the castle, flanked by his inner circle, Hagrid still dragged behind them, a light rain began to fall, glistening in the light of the near full moon. Everything was bathed in the soft silver shower, drenching the bodies littering the battlefield, dripping through the holes in the great halls ceiling, as if the centuries old and now half-broken sky-window-enchantment decided to become a bit more real.
The dementors floating towards the castle caused a steadily growing mist rolling over the black lake.

- 01:17 -

*insert epic battle music* (I prefer classical, like the 3rd movement of Beethoven's moonlight sonata, since I'm writing a bit from George's perspective you might as well play the Oompa Loompa song)
The path to Hogwarts was alight. Courtesy of George Weasley, and in memory of Fred, an arsenal of rigged firework rockets blew into the dark army, mostly aimed to take out the few remaining giants. Some were a further developed version of the firedragon that hat scared the Toad-of-pink-most-evil half to death, enhanced to burn with a multitude of Incendios and filled with Kerosene so that the impact equalled an enormous Molotov-cocktail.
Others were filled with canary-creams and aimed for the giants mouths. Thus, circumventing their innate resistance to magic and turning them into grilled poultry. Standing upon his vantage point, giving aiming aid to his artillery crew he had but 2 thoughts going to his head. One: How stupid were the Deathmunchers in the first place to leave the castle for the ceasefire only to storm it again. And two: Is it cannibalism if one of the, yet, unaffected giants wants to eat a grilled canary, formerly known as Ughn, de stronk stinker.

Meanwhile on the bridge the idiots waded through the portable swamps trying to fight their way past the last few stone knights… golems… who cares… hadn't they ever heard of a god damn broom. On the other hand… it was probably quite good they had talked Ginny out of running strafing runs on Harrys firebolt and leaving the bombarding to the pros. Otherwise the wet bits in the dumb brigade's heads might have remembered that magic other than Bonebreakers and AK's existed.

-same time, different place…- (and gods… different mind)

Time for Tiny Luna. Oh yeah … you might think her loopy and cuddly and all kinds of harmless but oh boy. Say about her what you will but target one of her Snugglepuffs? Madness you get. And even if no one saw her approach the fight that had by now spilled into the courtyard … you definitely noticed the sheer crazy that spilled out of her wand.

In a burst of maybe five minutes hell reigned among the invading force, fuelled by the crack in her mind.
It had opened up nice and -here comes the Hogwarts Express right through- wide, you know… the moment she saw the green flash, she knew what was what, she calmly listened to Seamus, took out her coin to give the go ahead to the team leaders and then she just stood there. In her head you'd have seen a kaleidoscope of colours, floating teacups, flashes of her dying mother, wild herds of all of Lunas aura-seeing imaginative creatures roaming the warped fields and forests. Her big brother was dead, and you don't do that to a fine lady such as her. She would just have to teach them some MANNERS!

When she 'came to' the death eaters didn't know what hit them. No one prepared them for fighting a skipping school girl followed by an army of floating porcelain tea pots yelling "Naptime!" before smashing them into their collective heads. The Bellatrix like mad cackle didn't help. Jumping on death eater corpses with joyful exclamations of "squish, squish, squish" whilst throwing rainbow-coloured curses made them piss their pants and run for cover, the defenders, though unharmed by Luna's magic, thought it was a brilliant idea and did the same. When a thoroughly trashed Anthony Dolohov lay there dying after having suffered unspeakable things, courtesy of the very creative use of a golf club, her energy slowly ran out.
Noting the disappearance of her conjured hail of exploding rubber ducks and the dispelling of some part human-to-animal transfigurations, Neville rushed to her side and dragged the unconscious force of nature to safety. The last thing on her lips "he's just pining for the fjords".

- 2:07 -

On the lake-side walkways the loyal to Hogwarts Slytherin contingent under leadership of Daphne Greengrass and Theodore Nott produced a collective Patronus-shield driving the dementors back. Professor Babbling hat used some hasty runework to amplify the effect outwards. The defenders felt the signature chill and slight depression, but their shield pushed all the harder with their determination to not led these monsters into their school. Continuing to push her magic Daphne turned to Theo and Tracey Davis "Any word on Draco or Dumb and Dumber?".

"Yeah, one of the Gryff girls, I think Robins or something came by with Pepper-ups. She mentioned, that the Owl and Weasel had to get them out of The Room, Dumber used Fiendfire …didn't make it… Dumb is over there guarding the passageway. Oh and Draco is apparently and I quote 'rehearsing for his role'

If looks could kill Daphne would have been the first witch in history to obliterate a dementor. Multiple thoughts of killing the git in rather creative ways flickered through her mind.
"And he couldn't … I don't know… at least come to help a bit before it's time?"

"What do I know? All Luna sent through the coin was, that the plan is still going."

-…-

Hogwarts might have been a fortress once. But those where not soldiers defending her halls. And a siege changes drastically when magic is involved. Over the next hours, the defenders kept being pushed back. Until all they could do was barricade in the great hall and hope that Harry's plan would play out as he had thought.

- 4:32-

The second phase of the battle was grating on his nerves… had he still be holding the elder wand this could have been over hours ago. But no, Potter couldn't even die right. Had to make a big spectacle of it and now he suffered the backlash… AGAIN. He could see now why Severus always muttered about insufferable Potters. He almost wished he hadn't killed him just so he had someone who understood precisely this frustration.

But the potions had done their work. So even if these morons couldn't storm the great hall in the time it took him to cross the bridge with his entourage, he'd be able to blast them off their feet himself. Mumbling once more under his breath about "stupid Potters" he turned to his death eaters "This has gone on long enough. Follow me, and let us bring these worms to their knees so they'll finally recognise their betters".

"Bellatrix… be a dear and announce us, would you?"

"Gladly my Lord…. BOMBARDA MAXIMA"

-….-

What no one had noticed, thanks to the rain and dementor-fog covering the area, was the growth of black vines covering the corpses on the battlefield. Slowly absorbing them, the vines grew small pale flower buds. Silent and steady they crept in step with the battleline ever forward. They grew from the rain on Hogwarts' towers, stabilising the castle walls.

In the forest a black crack split reality itself above the very spot where Harry Potter had fallen and vanished nearly 5 hours before. Two hands gloved in green leather pried the crack open. Out stepped, who else, Harry Potter. He was dressed in a black leather jacket (Thanks Sirius) and combat pants and boots, creating a stark contrast to his white hair and glowing eyes.
The moment he was fully through the portal he knew what would happen. The fabric of magic recognised the arrival of something, infused with power, where nothing should be. An apparition-like crack a magnitude louder than any heard before sounded. In the immediate area around him everything rapidly grew full of live, decaying and repeating the process two more times. Too bad for Voldemort he didn't hear anything. A maximized Bombarda is rather loud after all.