Roselynn Rivers was brimming with fear and excitement, she'd taken up a place at the Hufflepuff table where she'd been greeted enthusiastically by her Housemates. After the price had been put on muggle borns the seventeen-year-old had had to run for it and they were all glad to see her unharmed. Rose had been on the run for months before she received her call to arms, the burning of the DA coin in her pocket and she'd returned to Hogwarts. Now they were all gathered under the starry night sky of the enchanted ceiling in the Great Hall and everyone was buzzing over the return of Harry, Ron, Hermione and many other runaways. Rose focused on Professor McGonagall who was flanked by her fellow teachers, with the exception of Snape, and members of the Order of the Phoenix who had arrived to fight.
"Evacuations will be overseen by Mr. Filch and Madam Pomfrey. Prefects will organize their houses and lead them to the evacuation point in an orderly manner."
Many people's eyes were filled with fear but then Rose stood up boldly and called out, "What if we want to stay and fight?"
There were scattered cheers at her words.
"If you are of age you may stay." Professor McGonagall replied to yet more cheers from the older students.
"What about our things? Our trunks and our owls?" Called someone at the Ravenclaw table
"There's no time to gather possessions, getting everyone out safely is our first priority."
"Where's Professor Snape?" Called a Slytherin
"He has, to use a common phrase, done a bunk." Professor McGonagall answered to a storm of applause from three of the four tables.
"Now, we've already put protection around the castle but it's unlikely to hold for long unless we reinforce it, as such I must ask you to move quickly and calmly and do as your prefects–"
Professor McGonagall's words were cut off by another voice. A voice so clear and cold that it sent shivers cascading down Rose's spine. It echoed all around the Hall as if it came from the very walls themselves.
"I know you are preparing to fight." The voice said, there were screams from some of the students, mainly the younger ones, who clutched their friends close and stared around for the source of the horrible voice. One young girl who was sitting next to Rose let out a terrified squeak and clutched at the older girl's arm. Rose patted her head and shushed her
"It'll be okay." Rose muttered, even as another shiver of fear rocked her. She shook it off, she couldn't afford to be afraid now. Not when there was a battle to be fought. Her friends needed her.
"Your efforts are futile." The cold voice continued "You cannot fight me and I don't wish to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I don't want to spill magical blood."
Rose couldn't help but snort. He'd spill her blood without a second thought. He didn't consider her to be a witch but a thief, someone who'd somehow stolen magic. The very idea made her seethe with anger. The flame of battle burned even brighter within her.
The hall had fallen into complete silence now, the kind of silence that seemed to be loud in a strange way.
"Give me Harry Potter," Voldemort's voice continued "and none will be harmed. Give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight."
The deep shouting silence pressed in on the Hall again. Every eye in the hall turned to the Gryffindor table where Harry sat among his housemates looking quite scruffy in Rose's opinion although she probably had no room to talk. Suddenly, Pansy Parkinson jumped up from the Slytherin table and pointed a shaking hand at Harry.
"He's there!" She yelled "Potter's right there! Grab him!"
There was a sudden flurry of movement as the Gryffindors all stood up, glaring daggers at the Slytherins.
Rose sent a look around at her fellow Hufflepuffs and got nods in return and they stood as one and joined the Gryffindors in their defensive stance they were followed half a second later by the Ravenclaws and wands were drawn, Rose pulled hers from her jeans pocket and raised an eyebrow at Pansy, daring her or any of her Housemates to make a move.
"Thank you, miss Parkinson," Professor McGonagall said in a clipped voice. "You will leave the hall first, if the rest of your house would follow."
As the Slytherins trooped out, Rose spotted a very familiar head of blonde hair. Draco Malfoy met her eyes for a second as he passed. He looked amazed to see his old friend again..almost as if he'd seen a ghost. Rose didn't know quite how to feel as Draco was shunted off amidst his Housemates. A lot had happened in the last year but part of her still saw him as the friend she'd fallen asleep studying with as a first year, comforted as third year when she spotted the first of quite a few bruises, and sat by the lake with in the middle of a cold clear night during the Yule Ball in fourth year. All those bitter sweet memories made Rose want to scream but she had to focus.
The way things were shaping up, her old home away from home was about to turn into a battlefield and losing focus would mean death. Rose clenched her silver lime wand even tighter in her hand. She knew that if she wanted to survive she would have to fight with all the fierceness of the dragon carved into its handle. The thought of possible death inexplicably dragged her thoughts back to Draco.
She'd never told him how she really felt before circumstances had ripped them onto opposite sides and now, with Voldemort knocking at the door no doubt with a mass of followers behind him, she didn't know if she'd ever get the chance.
The thought terrified her, but still even at just seventeen years old Roselynn knew what she believed in, she knew what was right and for that she was willing to fight.
For that...Roselynn Rivers was willing to die.
