True friends
'Visa Augere,' muttered Harry while squinting his eyes towards forest edge near the stoned bridge. As soon as he finished to formulate the spell, the area he was looking at widened like he was looking at it through a magnifying glass.
The night had just fallen, and the moon was starting to rise. He had been about to go back into the cave when a movement had caught his eye. He mentally thanked the Fate as he had seen the students leave Hogwarts the morning before. Because what he was witnessing right now, was a growing number of dark cloaked wizards and witches Apparating in front of Hogwarts. The war was imminent. In a few hours, everything would be over.
'Do you think the people in the castle have noticed them?' Asked Supra who had also realised what was happening.
'I don't know,' replied Harry. He turned his eyes towards the castle, but his simple spell of improved vision couldn't beat the multiple shields defending the place. The school seemed silent, and very few windows were lightened. He couldn't tell in the Hogwarts inhabitants had seen the growing crowd of dark wizards and witches assembling in front of their gate. He sighed and turned towards Supra. He knew what he had to do.
'Alright, I am going to warn them. But as soon as I will do so, our location will be revealed, and we'll be both in danger.'
Supra tilted his head with an understanding look. Harry went on.
'Supra,' he hissed softly. 'I am not sure I will make it tonight and I don't want anyone to find you.' He pointed towards the Forbidden Forest. 'In those woods, you'll be able to have a free life, unbothered by anyone.'
'I'll stop you right there,' cut Supra off. 'There is no way I am letting you go there alone. Slytherin asked me to take care of you and I will!'
'But Salazar is not here anymore!' Retorted Harry. 'Look, I promise I will give everything I have to survive. I don't want to lose you. Believe me, you are the most amazing creature I have ever met in my life.' He sighed. 'But this is something I must do, my friend.'
'Friend?' Asked Supra with curiosity.
'Ah sorry for this familiarity,' replied Harry a bit embarrassed. 'You know I have always considered you an ally. But we've been through so much together, I don't know I…'
'I am teasing you,' hissed the basilisk amused. 'I'd like to be your friend. But isn't that true that friends stand up for each other, no matter the consequences?'
'And I am supposed to be the stubborn one,' said Harry while rolling his eyes.
The basilisk surrounded Harry with his giant body and pushed him with his nose. The boy stumbled and found himself seating on it.
'Where you go, I go,' hissed the snake peacefully. 'It's that simple.'
Harry laughed and raised his hand towards the basilisk's head to happily accepted the caress.
'I guess I don't really have the choice then,' grinned the boy.
'Finely observed,' replied Supra.
The snake accepted to get the Disillusionment Charm and listened to Harry's plan. As soon as he would warn the castle, they would leave the cave. Supra agreed to stay hidden and intervene only if needed. When they were ready, Harry raised his wand and casted silently the Periculum Charm. Red firework-like sparks rushed out of his wand and exploded in the sky. Harry disappeared in the forest under his Cloak, Supra on his heels.
'How long do you think we are going to have to wait?' Asked Cho in the silent Room of Requirements that had turned in a dormitory.
About twenty members of the Hogwarts Army had managed to dodge the attention of the professors on the morning they had to take the train. As per the plan, they had taken refuge in their old training room which conveniently had turned into a furnished dormitory with a kitchen corner. Like Hermione had foreseen it, the room had provided. They had stayed hidden in it for almost two days now.
'We can take bets if you want,' replied Fred with a motivated tone. 'Lee was telling us earlier today it would take a week before Voldemort shows up.'
The students were making an effort to pronounce You-Know-Who's name. It was mainly to avoid Hermione's irritation.
'With Fred,' continued Georges, 'we think He will arrive sooner than that.'
'I bet a hundred Galleons he is already there,' said Ron with a nervous smile.
All the heads turned towards him. He was holding the Marauder's Map and his eyes were following moving points on it. In a fraction of seconds, the students gathered around him as he put the map on the table and indicated with his fingers the teachers and members of the Order of the Phoenix who were assembling in the main entrance.
'What do we do now?' Whispered William who was starting to be a bit anxious.
'I suppose it's time to come clean,' replied Hermione with a crisped voice. 'We stayed to help after all.'
Several heads nodded nervously.
'We are going to either get killed or expelled,' said Ron while looking at Hermione with a mischievous smile. 'Might as well get killed right?'
Hermione rolled her eyes but couldn't refrain a smile.
'Ah the private jokes phase,' sighed Georges.
"Always starts this way,' continued Fred with a false tone of resignation.
Ron darted his eyes towards his brothers.
They all left the common room in a nervous silence and proceeded to take the stairs down to the Entrance Hall. By the time they arrived, almost everyone had left but Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Sirius Black.
The professors and the "mass-murderer" interrupted their conversation as they saw the procession of students arriving in the Hall. Sirius glanced at Ron and Hermione and refrained a smile. McGonagall was looking utterly outraged and Dumbledore looked at them curiously with his usual twinkling eyes.
'This is completely inacceptable,' said McGonagall with a blank voice. 'I don't know what has gone through your mind, but you have no idea of the danger you are rushing into! If the school wasn't compromised, I would put you all in detention and remove a thousand points to Griffindor, Ravenclaw… Hufflepuff… and Slytherin?' She had said the House names as she was recognising the faces. When she realised that students from all the Houses were present, she frowned.
'Therefore, it doesn't change the result a lot, does it?' Asked Fred innocently. It is only because the risk of getting killed was higher than any other that he had dared this pun.
McGonagall could have murdered him on the spot with her eyes and he quickly looked away while muttering excuses. He didn't really meant them.
'The Professor McGonagall is right,' said Dumbledore before the silence became embarrassing. 'The school is highly compromised. Therefore, I am afraid that the House points is currently suspended.' His gaze swept over the little group. 'I would very much like you to enlighten me about how you came up with this brave, however foolish, idea of staying at Hogwarts despite the danger. I can only assume it was a Gryffindor idea.' And as he finished his sentence, his gaze fell upon Ron and Hermione as suddenly as a hawk would have swooped on its prey.
'Please be concise,' he added calmly, 'as we don't have much time.'
'In the beginning of January,' started Hermione trying to sound as confident as possible, 'Harry pulled Ron and I apart and told us he had… something to do. He refused to tell us what it was, nor did he accept that Ron and I come with him. He just told us that what he was dealing with, was the darkest magic he had ever encountered, and this was something he had to do alone.'
Dumbledore tilted his head a bit but didn't interrupt her. Everyone was hanging on her every word as Ron and her hadn't revealed the details about their last talk with Harry before his final DADA class with anyone.
'He told us he couldn't tell you about this,' continued Hermione while looking at Dumbledore, 'because he thought you would insist on coming with him if he had done so.' A veil of sadness passed briefly on the Headmaster's eyes and he indicated Hermione to go on. 'Harry thought Hogwarts would be in danger if he succeeded and that is why he didn't want you to come with him. However, he gave us, Ron and I, material to learn how to fight against the Dark Art. A proper course about spells, some I hadn't even heard about, to train properly should we need them one day.'
'So, we thought we could maybe share that training,' said Ron quickly before Hermione confessed it was her idea. He didn't want her to take the blame alone. 'And we proceeded to regroup all the students who believed Harry and wanted to join us. Our plan was help defending Hogwarts. This is why we hid instead of taking the train.'
'May I ask where you hid?' Asked McGonagall with a dry voice.
'The Room of Requirement, Professor,' replied Ron trying to avoid her dark look.
'Ah very astute,' said Dumbledore with an amused look. 'One of your ideas I presume, Miss Granger?'
'No Sir,' replied Hermione. 'Harry provided us the indication to get to that room. He thought it would be a good place to train without being discovered.'
Sirius had stayed quiet during the whole explanation, but he was beaming with pride.
'To be honest we'd rather be anywhere else than here. But Harry needs our help. And if there is a chance to save him, I am not going anywhere!' said Ron with a defiant tone.
Hermione nodded firmly and a whisper of approving ran through the group of students.
'Mr. Potter is very lucky to have you both as friends,' said Dumbledore with pride in his voice. He remained quiet a few seconds, pondering his options. 'Very well,' he finally said, 'we don't have the time to change your mind anyway and we might need a few more wands.' He took a deep breath. 'But there's one condition. You must obey every command the adults or I will give you without question. Should you be told to hide, you hide. Should you be told to run, you run. If you are asked to abandon your post and save yourself, you must do so. I want your word. Every one of you.'
In almost a same voice, the group gave their promise.
'Good,' said the Headmaster.
'When Molly will hear about all of this,' grumbled McGonagall.
'And where do you want us to send them?' Asked Sirius a bit irritated. 'They're here, we might as well use them. Those two,' he added while pointing towards Ron and Hermione, 'have faced more than some adults in this castle have ever faced in their life. And if they tell me they taught those students how to defend themselves based on the advice of none other than Harry Potter, then that's more than enough.'
'Sirius is right Minerva,' added Dumbledore. 'May I remind you we have condemned all the fireplaces of the school. We are on our own until Cornelius arrives with his Aurors, which I hope will be soon.'
McGonagall rubbed her eyes with one of her hand and sighed. She hated it, but they all were right. She glanced at the Headmaster of Hogwarts and nodded though she was still frowning.
'Now that we are all on the same page,' said Dumbledore gravely, 'Miss Lovegood, I want you and your Ravenclaw peers to head towards the Infirmary where Madam Pomfrey will be more that happy to receive your help. Mr William Sinclar, I heard you had quite a talent in potion brewing. I'd like you to join the Professor Snape in his office to assist him in his final preparation of supporting potions to face the coming hostilities. Take the Slytherins with you. Hufflepuff, I want to you to go find Hagrid in his shack. He is gathering Thestrals in case the castle is lost. Your assistance might be most needed here. Gryffindor you follow the Professor McGonagall except for Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley. You two come with me.'
