Chapter 18: The Battle Begins
Harry clutched Susan's hand like a lifeline as Ron and Hermione fell in step behind them. Sure, he'd been all bluster and rage before Susan's pep talk and was still smouldering after it, but he was keenly aware of just how dangerous this was. True, Seamus Ginny and Neville were standing in front of the four of them, shielding all but the most inspective glances, but it was still nerve-wracking. Especially as they marched by two death eaters grumpily scanning the crowd for dissenters. Harry bowed his head as they passed. Hermione had put notice me not charms over the four of them, so they wouldn't be caught if they didn't do anything to attention-seeking. But it was still frightening to walk right under their noses. Suddenly out of the corner of his eyes he saw sir Cadogan poke his head into a portrait and mutter something. Several portraits around him all got up and walked out of frame. How strange. It had always seemed like Cadogan was mostly ignored by the portraits. Susan squeezed his hand again.
"Everything's gonna be okay." She breathed. By her tone, Harry wasn't sure who she was trying to reassure. Instead of speaking he just squeezed back. The students slowly filed into the Great Hall. Instead of tables, the death eaters corralled them into groups organized by house and year. Harry serendipitously glanced at Dudley. It was bizarre seeing him in Slytherin garb. Bizzare in that it seemed right. He suddenly began to daydream of what his life would have been like if he and Dudley had gotten to go to Hogwarts together. Studying together, hating Snape together, fighting Voldemort together. Dudley caught his eyes and rose an eyebrow. Harry looked away and grinned. Better late than never he supposed. As soon as the last student settled the door to great Hall banged open. Harry was momentarily eleven again, watching Snape and his billowing cloak strut to the front of the potions class. True, the Carrows were half jogging to keep up with the man, but the vision was still strikingly similar. He could practically hear the speech.
"There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class!"
But then the flashback ended as Snape wheeled around at the front dais. Harry nearly choked. The man looked terrible. Huge bags under his eyes gave his already gaunt features a macabre look. The grim frown lines made him look nearly as ancient as Dumbledore had. His hair, still lank and greasy looked to be thinning slightly. Harry nearly felt sorry for him.
Nearly.
"Earlier this evening." Snape began, shooting looks to each house as he spoke with the same even clipped tone he always did. "One of our… esteemed faculty… was brutally attacked. By none other, than Harry James Potter." As a wave of whispers swept through the crowd Snape sneered at them before loudly clearing his throat, commanding silence once again. "If anyone had any information. They should come forward. Now." No one dared move. Harry squeezed Susan's hand one last time before he step out of the crowd. He saw it the moment the notice me not charms fell. A gasp made its way across the hall as he stood between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, staring down Snape. But all the rage he'd been saving up. All the ways he planned it in his head just didn't work. Snape looked broken. Whole and truly a shell for the man he'd known. Maybe Susan had been right after all. And yet, Harry felt bitterness well up inside him.
"How dare you." He choked out, his voice cracking with emotion. "How dare you stand there… after everything you took from me. After everything you took from the world." Shapes face and eyes somehow gained a new layer of misery as he gazed at Harry. "Your reign of terror is over."
"Potter…" Snape began with a wheeze. Then suddenly the door burst open. Several order members came pouring in, with Sirius at the helm.
"Back away from my godson you snivelling scab!" The animagus growled though Snape was already several meters away from him. Snape opened his mouth to say something, but the Carrows, Alecto looking a bit dusty and conspicuously wandless, readied for a fight. Sirius fired a hex at Snape who casually deflected it into Amyceus. Alecto yelped and dove for cover, only to be set upon by Minerva McGonagall, who'd jumped up onto the dais. The woman was quickly subdued. Now Snape was partially surrounded, with Sirius at his front, Minerva at his left, and a rapidly approaching Kingsley on his right. For a moment Harry thought the man was about to surrender. He was slowly lifting his hands as if he was. Then he met Harry's eyes for one fleeting moment. And then he was got, crashing through the tall window behind him as nothing but a trail of smoke.
"Cowardly snake!" Sirius bellowed furiously. There was a moment when no one dared move. Then McGonagall whipped around.
"Potter!" McGonagall cried in awe, "heavens what are you all doing here?!"
"Starting the revolution!" Dudley answered for a slightly stunned Harry. Most of the students cheered and clapped excitedly. Several professors grinned widely. Then suddenly a chill descended over the great Hall.
You think you can win?
Harry knew that voice. He'd heard it in his head like this before. And he didn't appear to be the only one. Everyone seemed to be affected in their own way. Dudley was squeezing his eyes very tight trying to keep him out. Sirius had a hand on his temple. Others just seemed to be frozen in shock or fear.
You think it is brave. But it is only foolish.
His words were like poison. Filling everyone's hearts with dread. Harry felt heavy with the weight of them. Even though he knew it was a pretty obvious scare tactic on the megalomaniac's part.
I will crush you. I will kill you.
Several people in the hall paled when they heard that. Someone, he thought a younger Ravenclaw, let out a strangled sob. Harry didn't even feel sick. He was used to Voldemort threatening him.
Unless
Now that made him pause. Voldemort didn't bargain very often. This definitely didn't bode well.
Bring me Harry Potter and I shall spare your lives. Bring me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded. You have one hour.
Harry didn't feel relief as the voice disappeared. Just cold resignation. 1 hour? Well, that was a tight schedule to be sure. How was he supposed to find and destroy the tiara thing and kill Nagini in an hour?
"Well." Minerva suddenly piped up, taking her place in the centre of the dais. "Now that that is out of the way, all first through fifth years please report to Hestia Jones. No exceptions, Mr. Creevey," she said when Dennis opened his mouth to argue. "Furthermore, anyone else with reservations for the battle ahead should kindly follow Hestia as well. She can assist with escorting you to your homes. Everyone else, kindly coordinate with Mr. Kingsley," she gestured to the tall man, "and Mr. Longbottom." Neville blinked in shock. "As headmistress, I am deputizing the both of them. Prefects, kindly assist in corralling the younger students, thank you." She clapped her hand and the hall grew cacophonous. Everyone was shouting, and Neville was already barking orders. Harry was still standing in the middle of the hall. It was the look in Snape's eyes that was giving him pause. They were almost… resigned? Or regretful.
"Harry?" Ron said, startling him from his contemplation. His friends were circling him, while Sirius hovered on the fringes.
"Right!" he cried. Then he frowned. "Sirius and Dudley, you stay and help Kingsley and Neville with organizing the defence. Ron, Hermione, Susan and I will hit all the places we wanted to." Dudley nodded. Sirius grabbed his shoulder.
"Are you alright?" he asked. "You-know-who-"
"Has said and done worse to me before," Harry said matter of factly. "I'm fine Sirius. I'll see you in a bit." the old animagus huffed before he and Dudley made their way over to Kingsley.
"Harry!" Neville suddenly cried. "Not all the order has arrived yet, if you see anyone in the halls, can you send them to the great hall? Kingsley setting it up as a base of operations of sorts."
"Will do!" Harry cried back before the four of them jogged out of the great hall.
Dudley walked down the hall feeling rather aimless. He knew that Harry had sent him to Neville because he thought his cousin might be able to help, but Dudley couldn't help but feel demonstrably inadequate next to the fully trained witches and wizards beside him. He'd only been learning magic for two years after all. How was he supposed to compare to even the sixth years who, although a year younger, had four more years of education than he did.
"Hello, Dudley." Luna Lovegood suddenly said from where she was standing by a window, watching the glittering dome that Flitwick had helped cast over the school grounds.
"Hey Luna," Dudley muttered absent-mindedly. Then he blinked. "Luna! Bloody hell what are you doing here?!"
"Hogwarts is my home," Luna said plainly. "Of course I'm here to defend it."
"But what about Mr. Ollivander?" he asked.
"Garrick understood. In fact, it sounded as though he would be very cross with me indeed if I didn't come to Hogwarts' aid." Luna said with a small smile. Dudley chuckled. Suddenly an explosion struck the outside of the shield. Dudley and Luna looked over as that first spell was joined by several others, all testing the strength of the shield.
"The battle will be long." Luna suddenly declared, eyes looking far away. "And I fear its end might not be as happy as we'd hoped." Dudley suddenly swallowed. A wave of nausea overtook him. It wasn't overpowering, just there. Niggling in the back of his mind. "But we cannot lat down without a fight." Luna finished. Dudley nodded. And something about her words spurred him on.
"Come on." he suddenly declared. "Neville needs us at the front."
Harry and the others had grown more and more frantic as time went on. When the first spells lanced the shields they had frozen in terror.
"The hour is up I guess…" Ron remarked softly.
"Come on!" Harry cried, tossing a telescope aside. "It's not here. Let's try the library!" the group rushed down the halls. Then suddenly the castle shook. There was a distant scream and Harry's gut twisted. Then suddenly a shadowy figure crashed through the window and landed in the hall.
It had begun.
Fighting through the halls was brutal. There were death eaters and order members and students rushing all over the place. Spells and light were blinding. Two years ago Harry was sure he'd be quivering on the floor covering his ears and rocking back and forth in the fetal position by now. He'd have to give Dr. Emeline a thank you card and box of chocolates the next time he saw her if she was still alive of course. When they reached the hallway leading to the library they skidded to a halt with gaping mouths. The books in the library had come alive! They flapped around like an angry flock of birds swooping down and attacking a cluster of unfortunate death eaters. Pages were flying everywhere. And they were surprisingly effective. The death eaters' robes seemed to be in tatters, and the little skin they showed was covered in bloody scratches.
"Onwards!" A familiar-sounding portrait cried from beside them.
"Regina?!" Hermione cried in awe. The portrait turned to them with a raised eyebrow. Then she brandished her wand and the books suddenly morphed into a massive giant. It picked up one of the study tables and took a swing at the death eaters, sending them crashing through one of the large bay windows. Then the books separated into their bird-like forms again and split off into little flocks.
"It is as I always said." the portraits said with a smile. "Knowledge is ze second greatest power on earth. Zough zere is no greater treasure zan wit, no?"
"Oh my god!" Hermione suddenly cried. "You! Your! And the others!" the portrait grinned.
"I would say you must be one of mine." the woman remarked with a grin. "But you ave Godric's colours. It is a shame."
"Ya wanna fill us in?" Ron demanded.
"Those portraits! In the room of requirement! They're of the founders!" Hermione exclaimed. "She's Rowena Ravenclaw!"
"Wait! So that old guy with the dirty robes…"
"Godric Gryffindor!" Hermione confirmed. Harry blinked in shock.
"How come you only showed up now?" Ron demanded. Rowena smiled.
" 'ogwarts needed us, in a way she asn't in a very long time." the founder said fondly.
"Lady Ravenclaw!" Hermione suddenly cried. "We need to ask you! What happened to your diadem!? Was it stolen?! Was it lost?! Did you hide it somewhere?!" the portrait raised a hand to silence the frantic girl.
"I cannot give you ze answers you seek." Rowena declared sadly. "I was ze first to die of ze four. An illness took me in what should ave been ze prime of my life. I cannot tell you what became of ze diadem." Harry and his friend exchanged looks of devastation. "You must ask my daughter."
"Daughter?!" Hermione cried in shock. "You had a daughter?!"
"She aunts zis very school,'' Rowena responded with a note of sadness. "You know er as ze grey lady."
"The grey lady is your daughter?!" Hermione repeated back in awe. "I had no idea! I never read about that anywhere! How could I have-"
"Thank you!" Harry cut Hermione off, giving the ancient portrait an extremely grateful look. "Come on!" then he was off, jogging down the hall.
"The grey lady hangs around the fifth floor, but the study hall." Susan supplied as she caught up to him.
"I had more things I wanted to ask her though!" Hermione whined.
"You can talk Rowena Ravenclaw's ear off when the war is over Hermione!" Ron complained in frustration. The bookish girl gave him a firm scowl. Susan suddenly pulled them to a halt.
"She really shy," she explained before opening the door to the fifth floor and peering inside. The room was surprisingly untouched. The grey lady was floating by a window, staring out of the growing battlefield with anguish on her face. But, as harry vaguely recalled, she always looks rather melancholy. Susan opened the door more and took a step inside.
"HOW DARE YOU INVADE MY-" The Grey lady began with an otherworldly shriek. The dozens of reference texts that rested on various shelves around the room all quivered ominously. But the ghost froze in recognition before the attack truly began. "Miss. Bones? what are you doing here?"
"Hello…" Susan began cautiously, "I know we haven't spoken too often. But I need to ask you something." the ghost stared at her silently, casual melancholy oozing off of her in waves. The sound of distant battles echoed from beyond.
"Well?" the ghost said after a few moments.
"It's about your mother's diadem-" Susan began. Instantly the ghost turned and floated for the nearest wall, disappearing from view.
"Wait!" Harry shouted, bursting from behind the door. The ghost stopped and slowly floated back into the room giving Harry a cold look.
"Why should I?" she said bitterly. "That diadem has done nothing good for me. It will do nothing good for you."
"We don't want to use it." Harry explained desperately. "We want to destroy it." the ghost hesitated.
"Why?" she demanded.
"Because we're not the first person who came to you looking for it." Susan suddenly muttered. The grey lady scoffed.
"Hundreds have come," she began.
"And you told them all to shove it." Harry summarized, catching onto Susan's train of thought. "All of them," he gave the ghost a hard look. "Except Tom Riddle." the ghost froze as he said that. Her face took an even more anguished quality than it had when she'd been watching the battle below.
"He… he seemed so… sympathetic." she choked. "He said he would hide it away. Never let anyone use it ever again." her face grew furious. "Then he twisted it for his own purpose! Liar and scoundrel!"
"So help us." Harry insisted. "Help us defeat him. We cant do that if we cant find it." the ghost hesitated for a moment. Then she finally spoke.
"It is hidden. In a room that is hidden. It needs to be hidden. It wants to be hidden." she responded cryptically. "And when your need is dire, and your want is sure it will be hidden no more." then she sunk through the floor. Harry blinked.
"Well that was pointless!" he cried in exasperation. But Susan was grinning.
"Come on!" she cried as she dashed from the room.
"Hang on!" Ron cried, "where are you going?!"
"Where everyone hides things in this bloody school!" Susan shouted, glancing over her shoulder,
"Whether it's secret societies or tatty old potions manuals!"
A/N: Happy Friday! Hope you enjoyed this first foray into MY battle of Hogwarts.
cgolnertheniffler: I am feeling much much better! Though was correct in thinking I had a sinus infection, so I still have a few lingering symptoms.
chao-hellsing: Turns out, Hermione isn't good at everything. She's a terrible terrible Harry Potter wrangler.
Aslan's Princess: The names were just them trying to remain discreet. They didn't want to be discovered before the time was right. They have to be able to get around after all, and that would be a little hard if the dark discovered there were magical portraits of the founders of Hogwarts running around and decided to pull a Umbridge.
As you can see, Rowena has power over the books to inspire them to fight for their home.
Knowledge is a powerful weapon.
Personally, I always thought it was a bit weird that there weren't more secret passageways out of Hogwarts. Seven seemed too small a number for such a big place. there are probably more, that Fred and George never found, or that collapsed like the one that caved in.
That's all for this week!
I look forward to hearing from you all again!
Don't forget to keep on reading!
-TTC