A/N: the most important thing to note before we get started is that the main character of this chapter, Tracy Davis, is not an OC. That being said, she was mentioned maybe once in the books, so I feel pretty confident that she's the next best thing.
The Tunnel was crude but worn smooth, the only light coming from brass lamps that sent flickering shadows as people walked in front of their light. Had Tracy had the time to think about it, she would have supposed that this tunnel had been here forever.
Tracy Davis however, had no time to think of tunnels. She was at the head of a mass of students fleeing the school through the tunnel, and with all the crying and yelling and stomping of feet, she was having a hard enough time trying to plan ahead without wondering how this tunnel had come to be here.
Tracy figured the easy part of tonight would be getting the students out of Hogsmeade. They had Apparition, the Knight Bus, and Floo powder to get people out. It wouldn't be fast, but it was fairly uncomplicated. The problems arose when you factored in Slytherin house.
Pansy would lead a lot of the Slytherins to join the Death Eaters. Many of the Slytherins would have parents or siblings out there fighting with the Death Eaters. It didn't ake a great leap of logic to see that they would fight with their families, and Tracy didn't blame them; it would be safer in the long run to fight for the side most likely to win.
Most of those who didn't rush after Pansy would leave, either because they were too young, or because they knew better then to try and help. Tracy didn't doubt that Horace Slughorn would be in that number; he would never join the Death Eaters, but his only loyalty was to his self-preservation instinct.
And then there would be a small third faction. The part that was too smart to stay and be killed, but too stupid to know when to give up. They would stay and help, whether by Apparating people out or getting reinforcements. Tracy knew that it would likely only be her and two or three others helping, but she was determined to do her part.
Pansy nudged her, butting her out of her meaningless musing. Tracy turned her head to look at her, and Pansy shouted over the tumult "Almost there!"
Sure enough, there was a doorway of sorts a few hundred feet in front of them. As they grew closer, Tracy could see it led to the inside of a building—a second storey of a building, if the window was anything to judge from. There was a thin old man sitting at a table watching them. His expression was unreadable as he watched them clamber out; his blue eyes flickered over them, but he made no move to stop them as the Slytherins made a beeline for a set of steep stairs that led downstairs. For their part, the Slytherins glanced over him once, than ignored him in favour of focusing on the task of managing the stairs.
Tracy followed them down, leaving room for the others to come through. The downstairs of the building was no less shabby than the upstairs. Tracy could see it was a pub of some kind, though not one she had ever frequented before.
Pansy led the way toward the door in the front of the room, using her wand to shove the tables in her way to the side. Tracy thought she might go through it right away, but she stopped just short of the handle and turned to face the room, waiting. The rest of the students poured into the room, bustling in after her. When it became clear that Pansy wasn't going through the door just yet, they settled on whatever furniture they could find. The roomed filled with creaking and muttering as they Slytherins leaned against the furniture, talking quietly to each other.
"You know what we have to do," called Pansy shrilly, as the last few Slytherins pushed into the crowded pub. They were all mostly older Slytherins, though Tracy could spot a few younger ones as well. She guessed that the older ones had forced their way to the front, leaving the younger ones to try and find a good spot to try to listen to Pansy.
"It's simple, right?" Pansy asked the crowd, doing an admirable job of keeping her voice steady. "If we fight with our families, we'll be doing the right thing. Those still in the castle made their choice, and they choose the bloody path. We'll just be doing what needs to be done!"
Some of the Slytherins shouted approval, and Pansy pushed open the door to the outside. A loud scream rent the air as a Caterwauling Charm went off. Ignoring this, Millicent strode through the door and the Slytherins hurried after her, knocking into each other in their haste to get in line. While most of the attention was diverted toward the door, Tracy caught several of the older Slytherins Apparating away, presumably wanting no part in this war.
Tracy had to admire Pansy's speech. She had always been able to play a crowd well, whatever else her faults were. She was clever too; making sure the room was full before starting. More of them would feel the urge to go if their peers were all running out, though Tracy knew for a fact that a few of the people who had run out would be making for a spot where they could Apparate and had only run so it wouldn't look suspicious.
"Fancy you still being here?" said a voice in Tracy's ear, and starting, she turned to see Pansy standing behind her, her wand noticeably in her hand. "It's almost like you're not coming."
"I have something to do first," Tracy said, motioning toward the stairs with her head. The words were deliberately vague. Tracy might be on the opposite side of Pansy, but she was going to leave herself enough room to make sure she could still come claim innocence if the battle went bad, just in case.
"Of course," agreed Pansy, and Tracy knew she didn't believe her. "But surely nothing can be more important than what's going on out there."
Tracy knew Pansy was giving her a second chance to change her mind. Perhaps it was a tribute to being in the same dorm for seven years, but Tracy was still surprised Pansy would offer her another chance.
Tracy was tempted, really tempted, for a second; Less than a second, a half second. She knew that her elder brother would be out there, getting ready to fight against Hogwarts. She could join him. It would make her family proud of her again
But the second passed quickly, and Tracy had made up her mind months ago, really years ago now. She knew what she was going to do, and it was too late to be tempted any longer.
The wailing from outside cut off suddenly as someone finally took care of the caterwauling charm.
"Just one thing to do first," Tracy said, knowing that Pansy would take it for a refusal it was.
Pansy gazed at her, looking hurt, but Tracy remained unmoved, knowing it was just an act. Finally, after a long second, Pansy said, "We'll I'm going to go then."
"Good luck," said Tracy, knowing nothing less was expected of her. Pansy left, joining a crowd of fifth-years and Tracy knew that if the Death Eater's won the battle, at best she would be labelled a coward for the rest of her life.
Tracy turned back to the room, focusing on the task at hand. It was refilling with a mixture of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, though there was quite a few Slytherins still getting out of the door. Tracy actually had to look down as a gaggle of third-years lined up, and she sighed. Taking out her wand, she flicked it at the door, which flew closed, almost slamming shut on a boy's nose.
"Hey," said the boy in forefront of the third years, a cry echoed by half of the Slytherin fourth years in line behind him. "I need to get through."
"No you don't," Tracy told him.
"We do," called a fourth year girl behind them.
"I can't let anyone of you fight," Tracy said firmly.
"Why not, we can fight good enough," said the third year boy angrily.
Tracy eyed him a moment before hitting him with a Knockback Jinx.
"oof," grunted the boy, clutching his stomach. He would have fallen if the boy behind him hadn't caught him. "You make a strong argument."
"I know," Tracy said. She caught the fourth year girl eyeing the side entrance to the pub and waved her wand in front of the girl's eyes to get her attention. "Don't even think about it."
One of the older Slytherins still in the room—one of the Higgs boys whose names Tracy could never remember—crossed to the door and flicked it shut with his wand.
At least someone's on my side, thought Tracy. Unconsciously, she twisted the end of her hair and stuck it in her mouth. It was a nervous habit she thought she had broken years ago, and later she would wonder what spell had made her hair into a mess of split ends. Right now though, she was too busy watching the room to notice what she as doing.
The room was rapidly filling up again, and upstairs Tracy could hear some kind of outburst. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were standing around the room, wearing worried faces. Some of the older ones were kneeling down and reassuring the younger ones that everyone back at the castle was going to be alright.
It was a lie, Tracy knew, but she would have done the same thing to keep people calm. What she was really looking for was the person who looked like they were in charge. There was always one in a crowd, if you knew what to look for.
There. It was so obvious that Tracy was a little surprised it had taken her so long. Tall, with stringy brown hair and a lean build, he looked like he might be in his seventh year. It wasn't the physicality that interested Tracy however; it was how everyone looked at him like he knew what he was doing.
She grabbed the oldest looking student she could find and dragged the unsuspecting witch toward the door.
"What?" asked the witch, struggling, but Tracy pushed her toward the door before she could get her wand out.
"Stay here and make sure no one else leaves," barked Tracy.
"But—" started the other witch.
"You. Stay. Here." said Tracy, more insistently this time. She waited until the witch had nodded, then turned back toward the wizard in charge. She pushed and shoved her way closer, ignoring the protests of those she rammed aside.
"David, get anyone who's passed their Apparation test to start Apparating people out of here," said the wizard. Up close, Tracy realized he was younger then she had first thought, at least a year younger than her. "If Anna runs out of Floo Powder upstairs, come get me and I'll scrounge up some more from the neighbours."
"As soon as the battle starts, we can use the Knight bus," Tracy offered.
"And you are?" said the wizard.
"Tracy Davis," said Tracy holding out her hand, though she didn't expect the wizard to shake it; after all, Slytherins didn't exactly have good reputation after everything that had happened this year.
The wizard hesitated, but stuck out his hand, surprising Tracy, though she was pleased. Shaking hands meant acknowledging that they weren't on completely different sides.
"Jason Axe," said the wizard. "But why the devil don't we use the knight bus now?"
"There's still bound to be Death Eaters in the village, not to mention my classmates," replied Tracy, putting a scowl on her face. The more this Jason thought she detested the other Slytherins, the more willing he'd be to work with her.
Because the truth was, she didn't detest them. After all, they were just doing what was expected of them.
"But it we wait until the battle starts, they won't be worried about the Knight Bus in Hogsmeade," Tracy completed her thought.
"We don't have enough people who can do side along-Apparation to move many at a time," said Jason, sounding tense, obviously frustrated at leaving his friends at the castle. "It's going to take too bloody long with no matter what we do, and the Knight bus is going to have to serve as the main way to get people out."
"I know, but it's going to have to wait a bit," Tracy shot back.
Jason nodded, clearly not happy about the situation. "Can you Apparate?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'll start grabbing some people," said Tracy. She needed to get rid of the Slytherins who wanted to fight first, before they could cause any trouble. They might be too young to fight in a full battle, but a few well placed Stunners could bring down the fragile calm Jason had managed to bring to the overcrowded pub.
"Great," said Jason, already leaning down to look at a first year as Tracy made her way back to the door. "Where do you live?"
More people were crying now, even some of the older ones who should have known better. Tracy supposed she shouldn't be surprised. The mix of emotions was powerful, and you could see on everyone's faces just how scared they were.
"You," said one of the fourth year girls who had wanted to fight, as Pansy finally made her way over. "You need to let us help our families!"
"Do I?" asked Tracy haughtily. She got a hold of the girl's arm. The girl gave Tracy a dangerous look, but Tracy had already turned in place, reaching for the darkness.
She could feel the girl fighting her, swearing violently. Tracy tightened her grip, and tugged her along into the suffocating feeling.
They landed heavily in a young forest. It was abandoned now, but Tracy could picture it as it had been almost four years ago now, when it had been full of wizards, excited to see Krum seek the snitch…
But that was a world away, before Tracy had grown up and seen the world in all its shades of grey. That was when Muggles were just filth, and Wizards were the ones who needed to take back the world.
"Where did you take me?" demanded the girl, wide-eyed as she glanced around the trees.
Tracy let go of her arm, and the girl snatched it to her body, looking scared that Tracy might take it back.
"A forest," Tracy told her helpfully, Apparating away before the girl could reply.
The pub was still just as full as it had been when she left it, and before she had fully recovered, one the girl's friends had grabbed Tracy by the robes.
"Where is she? What did you do to her?" demanded the girl. She shook Tracy roughly.
"I'll take you to her," Tracy replied. She couldn't believe this girl had let herself get so close to the witch that had, not even a minute ago, Disapparated with her friend.
The girl had just enough time to let out a single "bugger" before Tracy had caught a hold of her arms and turned on the spot.
Tracy took her to the same forest. Not the same spot, she wasn't that stupid. The first girl was probably already waiting to stun Tracy when she arrived. No, this time Tracy opted to Apparate where the Quidditch pitch had been.
This time she was gone before the girl had a chance to say anything. She still had a lot more to move.
She repeated the same thing a half dozen more times. Though the rest of the Slytherins who wanted to fight weren't stupid enough to get close to her after what had happened the second witch, she managed to persuade the rest to go with her. She dropped them off at the same forest, choosing a spot that was different for each one. With any luck, they would be able to find each other, and Tracy would be able to come back for them later. If they were unlucky… well, the Aurors would be able to find them easily enough.
By the time she had fought off the last boy she had taken and returned back to the pub, the rest of the Slytherins had disappeared. Tracy chewed on her hair again, considering. She hadn't wanted them to tell their parents what was happening, but there were worst things that could happen.
The Pub was still just as overcrowded. For a minute, Tracy considered leaving the evacuation to Jason and the others and leaving to get reinforcements now, but quickly discarded that idea. There was simply no way for her to get enough people in time.
The students were crowding in on her, recognizing that she was someone who could take them home, all of them expressions wearing of barely restrained fear. They just wanted to go somewhere safe, somewhere that wasn't Hogwarts.
"It's midnight," someone called suddenly. The pub quieted down. They didn't know what they were listening for, but everyone was listening for it with all their might.
And then they heard it, a faint keening first, then a series of small pops that might have been explosions.
"My god…" someone said.
"Don't worry, everything will be alright," Tracy heard the oft repeated lie go around again, but even that sounded hollow against the knowledge of what was happening.
Tracy used the stunned silence to make her way to the front door without being harassed. Without hesitation, she shoved past the witch who was supposed to be guarding the door and forced it open. Outside, it was a crisp night with only a few clouds in the sky. On any other night, it would have been beautiful.
"Make sure no one follows me," Tracy said to the witch guarding the door, shaking the witch out of her stupor. Tracy waited until the witch nodded before walking out into the night, wand at the ready. It should be safe, but Tracy wasn't going to take any chances.
The side street where the pub resided was empty. From here Tracy couldn't see Hogwarts, but she could hear the battle. Reason told her that she shouldn't be able to hear the screams, but she thought she could hear some floating down to her on the wind.
Tracy strode toward the main street, wand clutched tightly in her hand. The shops were closed, but Tracy could see lights coming from some of the buildings. Of course the residents of Hogsmeade would have heard He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but Tracy was surprised they weren't pretending to sleep.
Tracy reached the main road without incident. Unwillingly, her eyes turned toward the distant castle. She couldn't make out much, but even from this distance, she could see the lights flashing through the air, lighting up the grounds like some bizarre display.
"Pretty, huh?" said a voice behind her. Tracy whirled around, wand pointing right at the source. There was a half dozen Slytherins standing there, wands out and arms crossed. Tracy focused on the witch who had spoken. Caitlyn Pucey, a Slytherin only a year younger then Tracy, had her wand pointed directly at Tracy's heart.
"Pansy send you?" asked Tracy, lowering her wand slightly, fighting to keep the frustration out of her voice. Though it looked unthreatening, her stance meant that she could still hit Caitlyn in the knees.
"Pansy?" laughed Caitlyn, a sour note entering her voice. "No, we came back on our own."
"That was stupid," said Tracy, cursing her luck. She couldn't fight them all, and she had been stupid enough to go out on her own without anyone to back her up.
"No, it wasn't," countered Caitlyn. "They all think that we're fighting with them, so they have no reason to doubt us when we say we didn't help anyone get out of the castle."
"Wait, you're here to help?" Tracy said, taken back. It made sense. The running away made a very good alibi. In fact, Tracy was rather mad at herself for not doing the same thing.
"Yeah," said Caitlyn. "But I didn't figure Pansy would have someone waiting for us."
"I'm getting people out too," Tracy said. She was inclined to believe Caitlyn, whose family had never been even remotely connected to the Death Eaters, but she still kept her wand pointed at Caitlyn's knees.
"Really?" now it was Caitlyn's turn to be taken back. Nevertheless, her wand remained pointed at Tracy's heart. "How do you know we can trust you?"
"I don't know if I can trust you either," Tray shot back.
"That's true," said Caitlyn. She still didn't move. If Tracy had been in her spot, she would have just stunned Tracy, but apparently Caitlyn's mind worked differently. "We're at an impasse then."
"I guess so," said Tracy, chewing her hair thoughtfully. She could hear the pops behind her grow louder as more explosions rocked the distant castle. Tracy took a moment to think things over, trying to see all the angles. Really, the conclusion was a simple one; Caitlyn and her group had no reason to lie, since they outnumbered her, and therefore they were there to help, and Tracy was just getting in their way.
"Right," Tracy said. She straightened up, stowing her wand away with exaggerated slowness. "I think you're here to help. I'm here to help too, but if it makes you feel better, you can Stun me and take away my wand."
"You would really do that?" asked Caitlyn. Her wand wasn't as steady anymore, but it was still aimed at Tracy. "Just give yourself up?"
Tracy shrugged. "It's simple math really. The six of you can do more than the one of me can."
Caitlyn looked around at her group, which just shrugged at her. The choice was hers.
"What can we do to help?" asked Caitlyn at long last, pointing her wand at the ground, and Tracy breathed in a silent sigh of relief.
"Those of you who can Apparate, start getting students back to their homes," ordered Tracy. "Those who can't, use the Floo Network to notify as many people as possible about what's happening. If we're lucky we can get an army of our own."
With a nod, they ran off toward the pub, Caitlyn in the lead. They didn't exactly cheer, but they looked determined.
"You're really on our side, aren't you?" said Jason's voice from behind her. Tracy turned to find him staring at her with something close to wonder. Tracy wondered how long he had been standing there; then she wondered how he had managed to sneak up on her without her noticing him.
"Obviously," said Tracy. "This war's not as black and white as you think it is."
She didn't wait for Jason to say anything, just stuck out her right hand. With a BANG! The knight bus came rolling down the street, squeaking to a halt in front of Tracy.
"Hello, My name's Darren, I'll be your conductor—" started the bearded wizard from inside the bus, barely looking up from his newspaper. Tracy cut him off.
"I know who you are and what the Knight bus is."
"Well, miss, that's just rude to interrupt, that is," said the wizard, carefully folding up his newspaper.
Jason started back toward the Hog's Head, calling "I'll start moving them out here."
"Moving who out where?" asked the bearded wizard. "You don't get group rates you know."
"We need to move about two hundred people out on the bus," said Tracy, biting her hair again. "And we need you not to make anymore stops."
The bearded man looked at her for a long moment, before smiling and laughing heartily. He slapped his knee, saying "That's a good one miss, you almost had me. No stops indeed!"
Tracy Summoned his robes, dragging him out into the street. When he protested, she grabbed him and turned him to face the castle.
"You see that," hissed Tracy, her sparing a quick glance at the castle before returning her gaze to him. "I don't have time to play games with you. People's lives depend on the bus, and you will not let them down by thinking this is some kind of bloody joke, you understand me? Cause if you do let them down, I'll curse you so badly that your own mother won't recognize you, then I'll do the same thing to the driver, then I'll drive the sodding thing myself! Do you understand me?"
"Yes ma'am," said the wizard, eyes reflecting the lights coming from the castle. He still hadn't blinked, the shock of seeing Hogwarts like this still reflected in his face, and Tracy had the impression that seeing the castle like this had been many times more effective than her rant. "I'll pack in as many seats as I can."
"You'll pack in as many as the bus can hold," corrected Tracy. "Some might get a little bruised, but they'll be fine."
"But," began the conductor. He faltered when he saw the look in Tracy's eye and nodded. "Alright."
"Fantastic," said Tracy, stepping to the side, her eyes flicking back to the castle. Lights were still flashing from it, casting flickering shadows over Tracy even at this distance, so she knew that people were still fighting, though that was about all she could tell. She blinked as Jason's tall frame crossed her line of sight. He was leading a crowd of students. Almost without exception, every face was turned toward Hogwarts. People wore expressions of horror as they saw their school under attack.
"Jason, you move by me. Caitlyn, grab another person and stand on the other side, let's make sure no one gets it in their head to run off and join the battle," called Tracy, taking charge. "Higgs, you make sure that no one tries to stay in the pub.
Caitlyn grabbed one of the Slytherins that had come back with her and trotted to the spot opposite Tracy, her back to the castle. Jason moved over by Tracy, idly playing with his wand as he watched the first of the students stumble between Caitlyn and Tracy, climbing aboard the Knight Bus. The conductor stayed where he was at, helping some of the shorter students climb aboard.
Tracy watched as the first dozen or so people climbed on board before going back to look at the people filing out of the pub. Most of them were looking at the castle, but a few of them had their eyes focused on the older students guarding them, looking for a way out, but when they caught site of Tracy glaring at them they refocused their attention on the bus.
Tracy swept her gaze back and forth the line several more times, before allowing herself the luxury of looking at the castle. It was hard to believe that every flash of light belonged to someone fighting for their lives. Tracy turned back to the line, but not before she caught Jason also looking at the castle.
Tracy felt bad for a moment. If it was hard for her, it had to be many times harder for Jason.
"Hey, we're helping them," said Tracy, nudging him. She ignored the glares of some of the Slytherins fourth years as they passed her.
"What, you're not going to tell me that they're going to be fine?" said Jason, his gaze never leaving the castle.
"Nope," said Tracy flatly. She watched as Caitlyn gave the stink eye to a pair of Gryffindor that had broken from the line. Sulking, they rejoined it. "You're too smart to fall for that lie. You need to stay focused on keeping an eye on your people.
"Yeah," said Jason bitterly. "It's just that it's a bit hard knowing that the people in there are dying while I'm sitting our here.
"You're going to do more good out here then you would be doing in there," said Tracy.
"That's what Neville told me too," agreed Jason without conviction, watching David the conductor helping a tiny first year into the bus. "It might not be so hard for you, but ninety percent of my friends are in there."
"I know," said Tracy, feeling that this wasn't the time to point out that most of the people she knew were out there too. "But worrying about them isn't going to help."
"Of course not," said Jason. He watched as two more students forced their way onto the packed bus; Tracy could see people being crammed in through the windows.
All the same, over the next few minutes, Tracy caught him looking up at the castle an awful lot for someone who was supposed to not be worrying.
"That all them?" Tracy asked Higgs, as he stepped out of the pub. He nodded, but raised his wand anyway and pointed at the pub, muttering a few words under his breath.
"There's no one left in there," he said, nerves making his nod jerkier than usual.
"Good, Caitlyn, Higgs, get out of here and start getting as many people as possible. I don't care how you do it."
"Don't worry, we know what we're doing," said Caitlyn, as the boy next to her stepped onto the Knight Bus and disappeared from view. "I'll head home and grab my brother, he might help."
"I'm already on my way," said Higgs, as Caitlyn hurried back to the pub, turning on the spot and vanishing as soon as she was in the door frame. He also ran back to the pub, though he forwent Apparation and went upstairs, presumably to use the Floo Network.
"I'll stay here," said Jason. "I'll start breaking into people's houses, see if I can't rally them to fight too."
"Good idea," admitted Tracy, cursing herself for not thinking of that. She turned to the conductor "You, David—"
"Darren," corrected the conductor.
"Oh, so sorry," said Tracy sarcastically. "Darren, make sure you let off those closest to you first, it will go faster that way."
Tracy didn't both to add that it would also make sure that her fellow housemates got off last. Maybe that would help insure that they didn't try and get an older relative to join the fight.
Tracy doubted that it would matter, but it might.
"That's not the..." began Darren, but Tracy had already turned her back on him, and he trailed off, swearing under his breath.
"Not exactly the friendliest person, are you?" asked Jason, letting a small smile lift the corners of his mouth.
"What are you still doing here?" asked Tracy irritably. "And aren't we a little busy for friendliness right now anyway?"
Jason chuckled a little and strolled off down the street, his body language tensing up again as he started down the main street.
Tracy turned back to the bus, but it was already starting to move, trundling off slowly into the night. Tracy saw faces push against the windows as they drank the last sight of the castle before, with a bang, they shot away.
Tracy looked around, but she was quite alone now. The others were all gone. Tracy shrugged, heading back toward the bar where she could Apparate freely.
For the next few hours, she Apparated into every single village where she knew someone lived and banged on the wizarding families' doors until someone answered. She pushed her way in to their homes and told the story.
She repeated the same story over and over. She spoke in terse tones, explaining that Hogwarts was under attack, that He-who-must-not-be-named was leading the attack, how dozens of people must be dead by now, and how they could save the day.
They all listened to her, wide eyed. Not one of them questioned her, her haggard appearance and frantic tones convincing them. They all listened, but not all of them helped. Some threatened to toss her out, some agreed to come, though Tracy knew they wouldn't, some flatly told her they wouldn't help, and one or two of them even tried to Stun her, calling her a traitor.
For hours she repeated the same thing, occasionally running across someone else doing the same thing she was doing. It wasn't until the sun was already starting rising on the southern part of England that she returned back to Hogsmeade.
"Miss Davis, you came too!" said a voice that Tracy hadn't expected to hear. Turning, she saw the round form of Horace Slughorn sitting on one of the bar stools.
"Professor, I…um…" said Tracy, greatly taken back at the sight of her head of house. "I was just, um…"
"Gathering reinforcements, my dear, I know," said Slughorn. "Your young friend Jason told me to expect you, but I didn't…well, I didn't expect for you to actually come!"
"Likewise, sir," said Tracy, remembering how absent he had been when the students had been in the Hog's Head. In spite of her causal tone, her heart was still thumping at his unexpected appearance.
"I know, but, well, I'm here now," said Slughorn, and when Tracy opened her mouth to speak, he quickly continued on, "You probably missed it, but He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named gave the survivors an hour break, and that's almost up."
"How many people came?" asked Tracy.
"Come see for yourself," replied Slughorn, waddling out of the door at a surprisingly quick pace.
"Slughorn," muttered Tracy to herself, still in disbelieve that he had come back.
"Miss Davis?" called Slughorn from the other side of the doorway.
"Coming sir," said Tracy, catching up with him just as he entered the main street. She was just about to repeat her question when she caught site of the crowd.
"Ah," she said. If she had been greatly taken back when she had seen Slughorn, she was now so taken back that she thought her mind might be moving sideways.
There were hundreds of people of people standing in front of the gates, some in travel cloaks and robes, but others still half-dressed in pyjamas. Some of the people there were people she had convinced to come, but many others were new to her, such a mix of faces and colours that Tracy was very taken back by it.
Numbly, Tracy followed Slughorn through the crowd to the front, past a muscled red-haired young man who was talking with his neighbours, to right in front of the gates. Jason gave her a wave, and Caitlyn nodded at her from the gate. Though Caitlyn was too young technically to be allowed to fight, Tracy figured no one would mind.
"You ready?" asked Jason, stringy brown hair hanging over his forehead. "I know everyone at Hogsmeade is."
"You did good," said Tracy, honestly surprised.
"Everyone ready?" yelled the red-haired man, looking about him. His face was a mix of fear and worry, but his voice had no trace of either in it.
There was a nodding of heads and muttering, but everyone looked resolved and ready to fight.
"Then let's GO!" he roared, from the middle of the pack, and to Tracy's surprise, Slughorn was first out the gate. The crowd followed, and Tracy found herself buffered along as people let out their own yells, almost deafening her.
Well, thought Tracy, there goes any chance for a sneak attack.
They won of course, pretty quickly after that. The Death Eaters hadn't expected an army to charge in from the rear, and certainly not such a big one. Afterwards, they celebrated and mourned, and for a while, no one cared or remembered that she was in Slytherin.
Later, of course, people would accuse her of being evil, of being one of the many Slytherins who had joined He-Who-Must-Not-be-Named. She would laugh at that, and carry on with her life. The important people—the ones that had fought with her—knew what she was.
A/N: I suppose it's a bit longer then my previous ones, but the story just kind of wrote itself, and I followed along revising it. I think it turned our pretty well though, and I always wanted to write something that made the Slytherins seem something other then the 'bad guys'
As always, thanks for reading, and may your travels be ever safe.
