nA/N: I had the song "I Predict a Riot" by the Kaiser chiefs blasting on my eardrums the entire time I typed this chapter. I guess I might have been carried away since this is far by the longest chapter I have written. I have been anticipating this even at the start of my story… Hope you guys will like it!

Chapter 68: The Battle of the Full Moon

Viktor and Ianthé ran towards the Great Hall.

"Giants, about five of them, are trying to get past the barriers. We need all the help we can," George Weasley said.

"I have already strengthened the secondary barriers," a red-haired man with a long pony tail said, running to them. He nodded at Viktor and Ianthé.

"The other Order members are coming," Bill Weasley added.

"Do you think it's time to let them out?" Ianthé asked Viktor.

"I'll send out the signal," he briskly walked and opened the window.

"Expecto Patronum!"

A large silver dragon shot out of his wand and into the sky.

"Nice…" Bill commented.

"What in Merlin's name?!" Fred exclaimed.

The others looked out of the window. A smaller and younger giant started to hit a giant with a large uprooted tree.

"Is that another giant?"

"Yep, Hagrid's brother Grawp…"

"Yikes…" Ianthé said, "I'd better check the students…"

She walked towards the nearest common room she could reach.

"Did you see them?" a small boy asked her as she opened the portrait door of the Gryffindor common room.

"Yes. People, get dressed, go pack only your necessities and some food. Do not, I repeat, do not ever forget your hand. It must be in your wand hand at all times. Do not be afraid to shoot any spell you could think of in case of castle infiltration."

Ginny Weasley approached her, "I saw someone that looked like Bill Apparate near the grounds and dodge the giants. Is he okay?"

Ianthé nodded.

"He's fine, he strengthened the protective spells of the castle…" she said briskly.

Loud roars suddenly pierced from outside.

A frightful shout from a student startled Ginny and Ianthé.

"Dragons! I see two of them!" Neville shouted.

Ianthé ran towards a window, "Are you a Gryffindor or not?" and berated the student.

"Is that Charlie?"

"Yep, and Nikki. Professor Krum sent the signal. They're going to torch the giants… They will get such a whipping from Minnie…"

Ianthé sprinted towards the door, "Ginny, just like what we planned. The professors will send the signal. Neville, you also know what to do, and if things do not go as planned, do everything in your power to lead these kids to safety. Ron will initiate contact."

"He's here?"

Ianthé nodded, "He arrived last night to give the plan a bit more tweaking."

She left the Gryffindor common room to go to the Ravenclaw tower.

"Luna, is everything alright?"

"Yes, I have seen the heliopaths…"

"Yes yes…" Ianthé answered impatiently, "Do everything as planned. Ron Weasley will tell when."

Luna nodded.

Ianthé left the common room and ran downstairs towards the Hufflepuff common room.

"Susan, Ron will contact and send the signal. Keep the kids safe."

Susan Bones nodded as she prepared her knapsack and clutched her wand tightly.

Ianthé then went to the Slytherin common room.

"Jeremiah, Ronald Weasley will send contact and prepare all of the things needed. You know what to do…"

"Affirmative, cuz…" Jeremiah Turner gave a salute.

Ianthé got closer to him, "Watch your back. The Dark Lord wants our hide."

"I know… I think I'm gonna be fine here. Someone's covering for me…" he whispered.

Ianthé ran towards the Headmistress' office where she met with Ernie McMillan and Ronald Weasley. Together with them is the Wizard Chess Club.

"Herze, we need to evacuate ASAP. We should not take any chances."

"Charlie's now my favorite brother! Did you see that Horntail?" Ron said excitedly.

"After the dragons are finished with the giants, they will guard the two most important entrances to the castle. Ron, where do you suggest we evacuate the students?"

"I have spoken with Ireland, and they are willing to take in all the students."

"Portkey?"

"Yes, McGonagall will activate them later. They will be on a time frame. All of the students must be here on the right time," a girl said to them.

"Very well, do you have a signal?"

"I would tell you when."

Ianthé nodded.

The door of the office opened.

Out came Hermione Granger.

"How's everything?" she asked Ron.

"Dragons plus Grawp fighting the attacking giants… nothing new…" Ron said.

Hermione rolled her eyes. She looked like she have not been able to sleep the previous night.

Ianthé quickly opened her Healing kit and handed her a small vial.

"What is it?"

"A small dose of Pepper-Up…"

"Thanks a bunch," Hermione said after steam came out of her ears, "I feel invigorated."

"Where's Harry?"

"With Snape and Draco…"

"Oh, so you guys are on a fist name basis now, eh?" Ron asked.

"Ronald, he stopped calling me Mudblood. I think it's high time that we treated him properly."

"Kids… settle down," Ianthé said, "Concentrate on the task at hand. Why is Harry with those two?"

"Voldemort's pysch-torturing him. Snape and Draco are helping him out," Hermione whispered.

"How? I mean… the Dark Lord could penetrate his mind?"

"Not exactly..." Hermione whispered, "I'll tell you the details later if we have time."

Ianthé nodded, "Since Hermione's brilliant with stuff, she could be the relay agent between the Healers and those of the defensive and assault team…"

Ron nodded, "Good idea. I decided to join the aerial assault team. At least, I could watch Krum's back…"

Hermione and Ianthé smiled sweetly at him.

"We have to go…"

"We have to prioritize the common room farthest from here," Ron suggested.

Ernie nodded, "I'll go to the Hufflepuff common room now."

Ianthé meanwhile volunteered to go to the Slytherins.

"Jeremiah, get ready. People, listen up. Get your valuable possessions and things you desperately need."

The Slytherins were still agape at her.

"What the hell are you waiting for? Move it!" Ianthé shouted.

She led the handful Slytherins towards the headmistress's office.

Ernie met up with here there, with the Hufflepuffs.

Ron opened the office and led them to a huge sack of Floo powder.

Ianthé's eyebrows raised, "Now that is some Floo…"

"Hufflepuff oldies first, then all the midgets…"

"Ronald Weasley!" Hermione berated him.

"Whatever… then the Slytherin oldies… Yell clearly St. Patrick's School, Dublin, Ireland… Ready?"

The students nodded.

They Flooed in several batches, overseen by Ron.

"I think we should get the Ravenclaws and the Gryffindors…" Ernie said to Ianthé.

The two of them ran as fast as they could.

Ianthé could hear the dragons' roars outside.

She arrived at the Ravenclaw common room.

"Luna, Ravenclaws, let's go."

They immediately proceeded again to Professor McGonagall's office.

Ron and Hermione were waiting for them there.

"Ianthé, the members of the DA insisted that they stay."

She gave a nod back before herding the Ravenclaws.

"Wait, you red-headed blood traitor!" a voice shouted.

"Phineas…" Ron growled.

"It seems like Potter is coming this way…" the portrait said.

The fire turned into emerald green. Three images appeared and stepped out of the fire.

"Harry!" Hermione caught the bespectacled boy.

"Anyone else?" Ianthé asked Draco Malfoy.

The blond-haired boy shook his head.

"Ravenclaws, get ready. St. Patrick's School, Dublin, Ireland. Once you arrive there, it is imperative that all of you Hogwarts students, Ravenclaw or not, to stick together. Is that clear?" Ernie McMillan instructed.

"Seventh to fifth year Ravenclaws…Floo powders ready…" Ron motioned.

The students crammed into the large fireplace and nodded.

There were a series of shouts but the fire did not turn into emerald.

"Oh crap…" Ron said.

"What's the matter?" Ianthé nervously asked.

Hermione tapped the fireplace twice.

"The Floo connection is broken," Severus Snape declared.

"How?"

"It is high time that they attack the Floo Network. No connection, no communication to the outside world. We are trapped."

Some students cried hysterically, being comforted by their peers.

"Now, we are officially in deep shit…" Ron commented.

Harry managed to find a grip to the chair. Ianthé approached him and gave him a vial.

"Pepper-Up. You need that badly…"

After Harry drank the potion, Ianthé got closer.

'The trick with Occlumency is using brick walls," she whispered.

"Make your mind into a large empty white room, then put up a wall, brick by brick."

Ianthé winked at him before going to the trapped students.

Professor McGonagall came in, "What seems to be the problem here?"

"The Floo network is shut down somehow, Minerva," Snape answered, "We managed to get in before it happened."

"Merlin, help us…" the headmistress said silently.

"How are the dragons doing, professor?" Ianthé asked.

"They're doing fine, Miss Herze. The giants have retreated."

The people gave out breaths of relief.

"Dragons?" Draco Malfoy asked Ianthé.

"Yep. Courtesy of the Hadfields… How are you coping?"

"Worse… but I would rather not be in Potter's shoes…"

Ianthé raised her eyebrow.

Draco just shrugged and slumped down a chair.

"We better congregate at an empty classroom near here…" Ianthé suggested to the people.

"Better yet, the Great Hall… I'm famished…." Professor McGonagall said.

"I was hoping someone would say that…" Ron commented.

Harry still had his eyes closed.

"He must be tired…" Hermione said softly.

"He is doing Occlumency on his own… I think he's getting the hang of it…" Draco said.

Harry opened his eyes and stood up.

The people inside the office walked outside to the Great Hall.

Three of the four tables were on the sides of the wall of the hall. Only one table was at the middle.

"I think there's no need to eat at the staff table…" Professor McGonagall.

All sat down. Ianthé sat beside the first years with them.

The tall oak doors opened.

A large group of hooded men came in.

The students huddled closer together as Ianthé gripped her wand inside her pocket.

The man leading them removed the hood of his cloak.

"Dad!" Ianthé ran to her father and hugged him tightly.

Alexander Herze also looked worse for wear, far different from his elegant stature.

"Hey there, shrimp!" another man removed his hood.

"Eddie!" Ianthé exclaimed.

The men were Ianthé's and Viktor's relatives.

"We came here when we learned that the Floo network was down. Death Eaters attacked the Floo Central but some armed citizens managed to seize it back. They are still trying to repair it. Portkey can be considered an option but we still have no contact with Dublin or France," Alexander Herze said as he sat down beside Ianthé.

"The economy of the British wizarding community is also down because of the war…" Uncle Alfonse stated.

Ianthé rolled her eyes, "Uncle… I think this is not the right time to discuss economics…"

"Let me finish, child… So, I managed to pull out on my shares on the broomstick companies just in time. When they all crashed, I bought everything…including the ones making these brooms…" Uncle Alfonse took out a small box and returned it to its normal size.

"Bloody hell…" Ron exclaimed.

"We have heard of your plan for an aerial assault team…" Edmond smiled, "So we thought these are fast enough for that…"

Ron got a gleaming Firebolt, "This IS absolutely wicked!"

He examined every twig of the broomstick, wiped its already-polished handle.

"Members of the aerial assault team, dig in!"

Every member, student or adult alike, were in awe once they got a Firebolt.

"There's one for you, too, Ianthé," Viktor said.

"What?"

"I'll forfeit mine for you. I'd rather use my old broom…"

"Thanks," Ianthé said brightly.

She was about to stand up and hug Viktor but Edmond managed to warn her silently, "…erm, Professor Krum…"

"Since, you lot plan to use all my stock of wine, I think we should have some…" Professor Slughorn passed bottles around.

Viktor poured Firewhisky into a shot glass and was about to drink it, but somebody was quicker and managed to snatch the shot glass.

Ianthé's cheeks burned after she drank the entire contents of the shot glass.

Everyone looked at her flabbergasted.

She looked around and saw their faces, "Erm… sorry… Must be my nerves…"

Great Uncle Scipio laughed out loud, followed by her other uncles.

Viktor chuckled and shook his head, "I gather, Miss Herze, that you have been raiding your wine cellar at home…"

Ianthé's face got even redder.

Once everyone of age got a bit of a drink (including Hermione who at first vehemently protested but pushed by Ron and Harry to drink), Professor Slughorn motioned a house elf to get all the wine stock of the entire castle.

"We'd better get to work…" Professor McGonagall said.

"This is a simple job. I think the kids are capable enough…" Alexander said.

"We also brought some reinforcements against the werewolves…"

Some of the students gasped.

"Relax, kiddos. Injuring them is a breeze…" Uncle Alfonse said.

Ianthé got a string bow and three silver arrows from Edmond.

She aimed at the knight near the staff table and shot it flawlessly. "Effortless…" she handed the bow back to Edmond.

Ron stood agape, "That was bloody brilliant!"

Ianthé just shrugged.

"She had been training since she was three, when she saw me shoot," Edmond explained, "She's quite talented at that."

"So, how are we going to prepare the bottles?" a Ravenclaw student asked.

"Easy…" Ron demonstrated.

He poured some wine on a bowl and dipped a long piece of cloth. He then uncorked a wine bottle and put the wet cloth inside with still a part outside.

"You then light this and chuck it at the enemy."

The younger students nodded and started to do what Ron did.

"The older students, follow me," Edmond said firmly.

Dusk was getting nearer as the skies began to darken.

"All the arrow guns are ready on each turret. I already estimated them," Edmond said to his father.

"I think the monitoring is a job for us," Stefan, Viktor's cousin said.

Uncle Alfonse nodded.

Great Uncle Scipio slung a quiver of silver arrows on his back. Mad-Eye Moody polished his wand.

"Scipio, I wager a Sickle for every Death Eater and werewolf I put down."

Uncle Scipio scoffed, "A Sickle? You're becoming a miser, Alastor. A Galleon per Death Eater."

"Deal," Mad-Eye Moody growled.

Hermione was rubbing Ron's back.

Ianthé sat beside Malfoy.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"What else would I lose? I lost everything," Draco said.

"You still got me."

Draco laughed bitterly, "Yeah, but only as a friend."

"I cannot offer you anything more. You must understand," Ianthé pleaded.

"I guess it's enough for me. Thanks for being there… even if only as a friend."

Ianthé hugged him tightly.

"Are you just trying to make your husband jealous?" Draco whispered into her ear.

They broke apart.

"Draco, you never change a bit… You're still the scoundrel that you are…"

Draco shrugged and smiled sadly, "I do have moments of sanity."

"Are they an item back then?" Colin Creevey asked Ginny.

"No, silly… They were just good friends. I think the reason Draco is still on our side is because of her…"

Viktor approached Draco and Ianthé. He offered his hand to Draco.

"Comrade."

Draco stood up and shook his hand.

"Just take good care of her for me…" he whispered to the young professor.

"I am doing my best."

Draco walked towards Ron and Hermione who seemed to hold hands and seriously talking.

"Weas… Weasley…"

Ron broke his gaze from Hermione, "What is it, Malfoy?"

"I want to be on the assault team," he said firmly to the red-headed boy.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ron asked.

"Admit it or not, you know I am a damn good flier. What else could I do? Polyjuice into Potter and walk into battle??" Draco shouted at him.

Ron's eyes lit up, "You just gave me an idea…"

He ran towards Alexander Herze but stopped midway, "You're on the team!"

Draco nodded.

Ron ran towards the Order members, "This will haunt me for the rest of my adult life but I am thanking Malfoy for an idea…."

"What is it, Mister Weasley?" Alexander asked.

"Voldemort's aim is to get the castle and Harry for some vendetta. Of course, being him, he will send troops first before showing up, right?"

"Yes, and what is your point?"

"There are several teams. What if we Polyjuice one member from each team? That way, the Death Eaters cannot distinguish the real Harry from the fake ones…"

Harry looked up, "That's an idea… problem is, who will ever volunteer to be me?"

"I will, Potter," Severus Snape spoke up.

Harry looked at his former Potions professor unbelievingly.

"I have some debts to pay…"

"Who from the aerial assault team?" Khan Krum, Viktor's father, finally spoke.

"Me," Ron answered.

"No way, Ron. You can't," Harry protested, "You know he wants to kill me…"

"No, Harry, after all you have done for my family, it's time for us to pay you back."

Hermione's tears fell as she hugged her two friends.

Ron went back to the aerial assault team. Ginny was smiling with her twin brothers.

Ianthé got her broom and went to the Healing team.

"Eloise?"

The Gryffindor looked at her.

"If I am hurt in any way and you have to choose between me and another, save the other. Do you understand me?"

Eloise tearfully nodded.

Jeremiah was beside Sarah, the Gryffindor girl that he liked.

"Oh damn…" Ianthé stopped on her tracks.

"What is it?" Eloise asked.

"People, we forgot about Nikki and Charlie!" Ianthé ran towards the doors.

"No, wait!" Alex held his daughter.

"They might be in trouble!"

"Relax, Théa…"

Ianthé seemed to have hyperventilated. She was being pacified by her father.

Edmond peered through a window, "They're fine! Erm… Nikki is mentioning something folded…. She is gesturing to her face… something related to the face and folded…."

Ianthé jerked up, "The two-way mirror she gave me!"

She ran to her quarters and got the mirror.

"Nikki!"

Nikki's face appeared in the mirror. She was wearing the hood of her cloak while she rode on Procyon's back.

"Are you and Charlie okay?"

"We're fine! Relax!"

Ianthé returned to the Great Hall clutching the mirror.

"Are they okay?" Edmond asked.

Ianthé nodded.

Suddenly, there were loud and long howls that originated deep in the Forbidden Forest.

"What was that?" Nikki asked.

"Werewolves."

Harry suddenly fell from his seat, clutching his forehead.

"He's getting nearer and becoming more excited…"

Ginny ran towards him and held his hand. Harry calmed down after a few minutes.

The members of the aerial assault squad, including Ginny, were already wearing all-black Quidditch robes.

The howls became nearer.

"It's time to go," Moody growled.

Ianthé went with the Healing team upstairs as she was riding her broom inside the castle.

"Nikki, stay put. The werewolves are coming…"

"I know. Procyon can feel them."

Ianthé reached the central turret of the castle.

Fred Weasley lighted a rocket. It tore into the sky, similar to a flare.

Ianthé gasped at what she saw.

There were many large wolves running to wards the castle's direction.

"Nikki, be ready to torch some wolves."

Nikki gave a nod.

Her face disappeared from the mirror.

Ianthé placed the mirror inside her robes.

Another series of howls sounded near the castle.

Ianthé took a quiver of arrows and a bow. She sat on her floating broom and motioned the broom to fly upward.

Some men followed suit, bearing arrow guns.

"What are you doing?" Hermione yelled.

"I'm covering for Nikki!" she bellowed back.

The wolves came in a large pack, surrounding the dragon.

The dragon became agitated and started breathing fire at some of the wolves. The others bit down on its thick scaly skin.

"Bunch of stupid wolves…" Ianthé shook her head. She aimed at the wolves and fired.

The other men flew towards the perimeter of the castle near the Forbidden Forest and shot arrows at the incoming wolves. There were two lines. As the first line reloaded their arrow guns, the second line fired.

Ianthé continued to shoot at the wolves getting near the dragon.

Nikki waved thanks at her, as she whispered something to the dragon.

Procyon again breathed fire on the approaching wolves.

A spark from Hogsmeade was shot in the air. The Dark mark.

Ianthé stopped shooting arrows to look at the Mark.

It illuminated the marching men wearing masks.

"They're coming!"

Ron looked at the situation and yelled, "Aerial assault squad, ready!"

He and the rest rode their brooms and hovered in the air.

"Ground defense squad, ready!"

Neville nodded at Ron.

On the Forbidden Forest, fewer wolves attacked but were shot by arrows coming from the forest.

Ianthé saw a huge herd of centaurs.

She flew back to the turret.

"What's the situation, Hermione?"

"The wolves are being taken cared of by the centaurs. Death Eaters, a rough estimate of a hundred, are coming from Hogsmeade. The entrances to the castle protected and monitored by the Ravenclaws and the house elves. Thankfully, no one is injured as of this moment."
A roar from the Hungarian horntail startled both of them.

The dragon breathed fire for several minutes, managing to burn the first series of attacking Death Eaters.

"Some Death Eaters might have forgotten the Flame Freezing Charm?" Ianthé confirmed to Hermione.

"But it looks like some of them did…"

The aerial assault team swooped down and managed to fire some spells. They flew away before any of the Death Eaters could retaliate.

"Death Eater count down by about thirty."

The Death Eaters continued to march and finally reached the magical barriers of the castle.

"I managed to create a series of barriers that would not let a person with a Dark Mark in, but we can push a Death Eater out…" Bill told a Ravenclaw.

Harry slumped down as he struggle to walk towards the tall oak doors.

"Where are you, Potter? Do you really think you could hide from me?" a voice hissed inside his head.

Harry sat on a step in the stair case and breathed in deeply.

Snape and Ron were each holding a glass of bubbling Polyjuice Potion. When Ron was about to drink his, Draco snatched it away and drank it in one gulp.

"Are you out of your mind?"

Draco shook his head, "Just a death wish…"

Snape and Draco morphed into Harry, Hermione handed both of them transfigured spectacles.

Ron and Draco rode their brooms and flew with the rest of the aerial assault team.

"There is Potter!" a Death Eater yelled.

Draco dodged spell after spell as Ron retaliated at the Death Eaters who tried to shoot them down.

Another flyer swooped down and threw a bomb at the nearby Death Eaters.

"There is Potter! Near the doors!" a Death Eater yelled.

"But he's the one on the broom!"

The arguing Death Eaters were hit by a series of curses from Ron and Draco.

"Stupid gits…" Ron muttered.

The fighting still ensued as Harry tried to keep Voldemort from invading his mind.

Members of the Order continued to fight the incoming Death Eaters.

"Oh damn…" Harry whispered.

"What is it?" Hermione asked him.

"He's here, with more of his troops."

Another group of marching Death Eaters were getting nearer the castle.

"I think it's the time to prove our wager, Alastor," Great Uncle Scipio said.

"Indeed."

The Order members, with a Hungarian Horntail on their midst, charged at the Death Eaters.

The dragon flew and torched most of the Death Eaters who cannot penetrate the castle.

There was utter chaos during the battle, as one cannot be recognized from the other.

"Where is that Longbottom boy?" Bellatrix Lestrange yelled.

Neville shot a spell at her direction.

"There you are. Has the wittle baby gwown up?" she mocked Neville, who dodged her curses.

She finally hit Neville with the Cutting Hex on his leg.

"Poor wittle boy…" she fired a Cruciatus curse.

Neville yelled loudly.

Luna ran towards him and Stunned Bellatrix.

Luna sent wand sparks up in the air.

Ianthé swooped down, conjured a floating stretcher and got Neville to the hospital wing.

Ron's broomstick was set on fire by a Death Eater. He landed on the ground with a thud. There was a crack when he landed on his left arm.

"Ron!" Hermione shouted. She ran a fast series of spells at the Death Eaters just to get to Ron.

Both of them ran back to the castle, where Ron was treated by the Healing team.

The students from the turrets shot the ignited liquor bottles at the remaining trapped Death Eaters.

"Bring me Potter!" a loud and chilly voice said.

A Death Eater shot down Draco's broom. Draco landed on his feet but was prepared and shot some spells.

When he turned around to attack Death Eaters on his back, he was shot by a red light in the eyes.

"Draco!" Ianthé screamed.

A Death Eater still shot a spell at Draco, even if he was already unconscious.

Ianthé flew and shot spells at them and swooped Draco away.

They landed with a thud on the turret near the hospital wing.

"Someone help me!"

Most of the Healing team ran to her and helped her.

Fred flew in and dropped George.

Ianthé ran to place George on a bed.

"Ginny… He's got Harry and Ginny," George whispered to Ianthé.

She silently prayed as she treated George's bleeding wounds.

There was a phoenix song heard.

"Dumbledore's phoenix came back! And he shielded Harry from a curse! The phoenix turned into ashes…. Somebody get that bird away from there!" a Ravenclaw exclaimed.

The air around them turned chilly.

Ianthé turned around and saw what she feared.

"Dementors."

Dementors swarmed towards three figures. Voldemort, Harry and Ginny.

Ianthé looked on as Harry kissed Ginny. A silver light that enclosed the two seemed to protect them from the dementors, while Voldemort was swarmed with the rest.

It began to glow and exploded into blinding light.

The next thing Ianthé knew was someone yelled from below.

"It's all over!"