-Chapter Seventeen-

Witty Chapter Title (1)

"Harry! Can yeh hear me? Wake up!"

Harry woke up to a great pressure on his chest and a familiar voice. He woke up and found himself looking at the concerned face of Hagrid as he pumped Harry's chest furiously.

"It's - okay - Hagrid - I'm - awake - now!" gasped Harry.

Hagrid stopped and breathed a tremendous sigh of relief. "Bless yeh soul! Found yeh on the shore of the lake. Got yeh in here as fast as I could."

Harry looked around and realised that they were in Hagrid's cabin. He spotted Fang the Boarhound in the corner. As soon as they made eye contact Fang came running over and licked Harry so much Harry wondered if he'd drown again.

"Get off him!" said Hagrid, pushing Fang away from Harry. Hagrid helped Harry up and to get to one of the chairs and then busied himself with the fire. Harry was grateful, he'd only jut realised how wet and cold he was. "What were yeh doin' in the lake anyway, Harry?" asked Hagrid as he made a very warm fire.

Harry sighed. This wouldn't be easy. He warmed up first and then told Hagrid everything that had happened since they had last met. It took quite a while and it was getting dark outside by the time he had finished. Hagrid listened on first with incredulity, then horror.

"Dumbledore - dead?" he asked once Harry had finished.

"Yeah," said Harry, still not quite able to believe it himself. "And the Master has taken his place. He's deadly - perhaps as big a threat as Voldemort!" He got to his feet, ignoring Hagrid's shudder. "I need to get back to the castle and find Ron and Hermione - they should be back soon with the Aurors."

But Hagrid pushed him back into his seat. "Yeh've just nearly downed in the lake - yeh need ter rest first!"

"That's a point, how did I get to the surface?" asked Harry.

Hagrid waved his hand dismissively. "The Squid would have given yeh a lift - he's always doin' things like that." He passed Harry a plate of rock cakes. "Come on, eat up. Yeh need ter keep yeh strength up." Normally Harry would have politely passed - Hagrid's rock cakes had an unfortunate tenacity to live up to their name - but he found that he was actually very hungry and ate gratefully. Once he had finished he got to his feet. "Now I really have to go! I've wasted enough time!" He hurried over to the door and opened it. What he saw made him freeze on the spot.

A group of Slytherins, wands at the ready, were walking towards the lake. However Harry's opening of the door had caught their attention, and as Harry watched they started to head towards Hagrid's Cabin.

Harry quickly shut the door. "What is it?" asked Hagrid.

"The Slytherins are coming here." said Harry, alarmed. "They must be after me."

"Well, they'll have ter go thought me firs'!" yelled Hagrid, jumping to his feet.

All of a sudden there was a knock on the door. Before Harry could stop him, Hagrid pushed past him and opened the door a tiny bit. "Yes?"

"Good evening, er, Professor," said a voice Harry recognised as Blaise Zabini's (odd, would have thought it's be Malfoy). "We want Potter."

"Dunno what yer-" began Hagrid.

"We know he's here," interrupted Zabini. "Hand him over and there won't be any trouble." he sounded like he was completely disinterested in what was happening. Harry crept over to the window and risked a quick peek.

Outside in the dim light he could see around 20 or so Slytherins, all with their wands at the ready. At the back of the group he spotted Malfoy, apparently sulking. Harry pulled his wand out. This wasn't going to end peacefully.

Suddenly an idea occurred to him. Signalling to Hagrid to keep them distracted, Harry sneaked to the back door of the cabin and let himself out.

Outside he slid around the wall and peeked around the corner. The Slytherins were getting restless. "Come on Hagrid, you know it's the sensible thing to do, or aren't you smart enough?" asked Zabini, unable to keep the derision out of his voice.

"Yeh better watch your mouth Zabini," snarled Hagrid. "Harry ain't here, an' I suggest you lot scarper!"

Harry readied his wand. What was it that Willow had said about non-verbal spells? He waved his wand and said "Expecto Patronum!" as clearly as he could in his head, while picturing the happy thought of the Slytherins being scared off by his patronus.

To his delight the silver stag erupted from his wand. He had done it! The stag charged towards the Slytherins at a tremendous speed, and several of them screamed and leapt out of the way as it approached. The Stag ploughed through the group, sending some of the slower Slytherins flying.

But Malfoy had spotted Harry. "There! He's there! Stupefy!"

Harry flung himself bak behind the shed, dodging Malfoys spell. He ran around to the other side of Hagrid's house and fired a quick "Impedimenta!" into the group, throwing the Slytherins even further off balance.

While all of this was happening Hagrid had charged out of his cabin with a roar, eager to protect Harry. The Slytherins tried their hardest to keep away from him while shooting spells in his direction, although Hagrid's giant-blood protected him from most of the spells. Despite having to fight Harry, Hagrid and Harry's Patronus, both sides were evenly matched. A quick "Incarcerous!" soon had Hagrid bound in ropes and struggling to get free, while several Slytherins pelted him with spells or tried to push him over with force.

"Hagrid!" cried Harry, rushing towards his friend. One of the Slytherins turned to stop him but Harry took him out with a stunning spell, only to find himself facing Zabini.

"Stupefy!" cried Zabini, sending the stunning spell at Harry so quickly that Harry barely had enough time to block it with a clumsy "Protego!" that instantly vanished after blocking the spell. Harry tried to follow it up with an "Expelliarmus!" but Zabini blocked it, seemingly with ease. Harry was then forced to throw himself to one side to dodge Zabini's "Reducto!" which blasted a hole in Hagrid's cabin instead. Before Zabini could follow it up Harry hit him with a "Langlok!" and then taking out the silenced Blaise with a "Incarcerous!".

"Oi, Potter!" he suddenly heard Malfoy shout behind him. Harry turned around and was horrified to see him standing over the prone form of Hagrid, wand at the ready. Around them several of the Slytherins were laughing and grinning, most of them looking a lot worse for wear. One or two Slytherins were unconscious on the ground, and there was no sign of Harry's Patronus. Malfoy glared at Harry. "Drop it, or the giant freak gets something more powerful!" He shouted, waving his wand threateningly. Harry noticed that despot his shouting there was a look of discomfort in Malfoy's eyes. Was he having doubts or something? Harry tried to rush his wand up, the word "Expelliarmus!" clear in his head. But it was too late. Malfoy pointed his wand at Hagrid again, looking more terrified than triumphant. "A-Avada-" he stuttered.

But before he could finish it Malfoy was suddenly cut off by a tremendous explosion from the lake (2). Everyone spun round to watch with horror as a Dalek rose from the lake, floating a meter or two above the surface.

Harry's stomach lurched. They could fly?

The Dalek floated towards the group. "Exterminate!" it cried, firing a energy beam at Harry. Fortunately it was still too far away to aim accurately and the beam flew harmlessly over their heads. It still had the same effect though; Malfoy and the Slytherins instantly fled, leaving Blaise and a few more of their unconscious housemates where they had fallen. Harry rushed over to Hagrid. He had to get him free before the Dalek got too close! But even as he ran over he saw the ropes snap as Hagrid pulled himself free. "What is that thing?" he bellowed, his temper still high from the fight.

"Never mind that, we've got to get away from it!" shouted Harry. He made to lead Hagrid up to the school but Hagrid pulled him into his cabin "There's no time! Inside!" He shut the door and bolted it. They stood in silence for several seconds, listening.

Suddenly part of the roof exploded inwards, then another, then another. The Dalek was blasting at the roof in an attempt to scare them. Some of the debris anded on Fang, and with a cry Hagrid rushed over to help him. Part of the roof exploded before Harry could join him, and harry watched with horror as the Dalek descended into the cabin, its gun stalk pointing directly at Harry.

"You have been designated an enemy of the Daleks!" it proclaimed. "Extermin-"

But before it could finish Hagrid suddenly lunged forward and grabbed the Dalek's base in his huge hands. "Leave him alone!" he bellowed. Quick as flash the Dalek's midsection suddenly spun round o that that the gun stick was pouting at Hagrid and fired.

Hagrid cried out as the deadly beam flung him backwards across the room.

"HAGRID!" cried Harry in despair. The Dalek's gun stalk swung back round to face Harry, who prepared to throw himself aside at the last moment.

But with a sudden roar Hagrid suddenly flung himself towards the Dalek and barrelled into it, bringing it crashing to the ground.

"Under attack!" shrieked the Dalek, alarmed at how Hagrid was still fighting. "Desist! Desist!".

But Hagrid didn't stop. Using his strength he was able to pull the gun stalk free from the Dalek and crush its eyestalk with his bare hands. "My vision is impaired! I cannot see!" cried the Dalek. Hagrid picked up the Dalek with a roar of anger and slammed it into the ground, pushing downwards so that the entire thing was crushed like a man stepping on a can.

Once he was sue that it was dead Hagrid's strength seemed to leave him. He staggered over to an armchair and collapsed into it, breathing heavily. Harry ran over to him in alarm. "Hagrid!"

"Harry… yeh've gotta go… after Malfoy before he gets away…" said Hagrid.

"But I can't leave you!" said Harry urgently. "You need to see Madam Pomfrey!"

Hagrid shook his head slowly. "I'll be fine…. take more than that thing to stop me!" He said, starting to sound more like his old self. Harry hesitated, but knew that there was no time to argue. "I'll be back soon." he promised, before rushing out of the cabin.

Harry was halfway between Hagrid's cabin and Hogwarts when he suddenly heard the sound of Fang's howling coming the cabin behind him, but he forced himself not to think about it. He had to stop Malfoy. Harry hared up to the entrance and through the main doors, wand at the ready. How much of a head start did they have?

"Petrificus Totalus!"

Harry had barely stepped into the main doors before the spell hit him. Instantly his body snapped together and he fell backwards to the floor. "Like that Potter?" he heard Malfoy cry out mockingly. "There's worse to come!" this was followed by the laughter of the other Slytherins. Harry cursed himself inwardly. He'd blundered right into their clumsy ambush!

Malfoy walked up to him, grinning now that Harry was finally at his mercy. "You've caused a lot of trouble for me and my family Potter." He pointed his wand at Harry, then turned to the other Slytherins. "What should we do first? The Cruciatus Curse? How about the Imperious Curse?" he asked them, letting them cheer in between each suggestion. Harry struggled against the body bind spell but it was no use. Malfoy looked back at him, enjoying himself immensely. "It's no good Potter. There's no help coming!"

But for a second time the words were barely out of his mouth before he was proven wrong. Suddenly the Entrance Hall rang out with the cry of "Experillarmus!" and Malfoy's wand flew out of his hand. Alarmed, he spun round to face the staircase. Standing at the top was an aurora who Harry recognised as John Dawlish. "Remain where you are!" he called out in an authoritative voice. "You will all place yourselves at our mercy!"

For a split second it looked as if the Slytherins were going to obey his commands, and then complete and utter pandemonium broke out as they tried to escape. Dawlish appeared to have expected this however, and from every door several Aurors appeared and the Hall soon rang out with the sounds of "Incarcerous!" Most of the Slytherins were caught in the binding ropes but a handful, including Malfoy, managed to escape in the confusion. Dawlish walked over to Harry and waved his wand. Instantly the Body Bind vanished and Harry leapt to his feet. "Thanks, where are Ron and Hermione?"

Dawlish didn't reply, but before Harry could say anything else he heard a cry and was delighted to see Ron and Hermione rushing over to him. "Harry! I'm so glad to see you again!" cried Hermione, flinging her arms around Harry. "We got to Hogsmeade but couldn't find Mr. Diggory but told Mr. Dawlish and thankfully he believed us! We arrived back here around half an hour ago but there was no sign of you anywhere and Mr. Dawlish decided to search the whole school and -"

"Give him air!" laughed Ron, pulling her off Harry gently. "Glad you're alright mate. Where's Willow?" he asked.

Harry's grin faded. "Willow's dead."

Hermione gasped and Dawlish started. "Dead? What happened to him?" he demanded. "Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley told me what has been happening and I find it very hard to believe!" He said, looking around the room at the prone Slytherins and shaking his head in disbelief. Harry opened his mouth to explain but Dawlish flung up his hand to stop him. "Wait. Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley, assemble the Heads of Houses. They will want to hear Potter's story too." He turned back to Harry as Ron dashed off. "I imagine you have quite the story to tell, Potter."

Harry thought back over what he'd just been through. "Yes, I definitely do."

Appendix

(1) "Well, all the jokes can't be good. You've got to expect that once in a while." - Groucho Marx.

(2) Water bombs used to be a popular method of keeping intruders out for any Wizard who lived on beside a river, lake or the sea, but in the end it proved to impractical after fish kept blundering into them. Due to how far some of the fish were thrown by the blasts it sometimes led to the misconception fish raining down from the sky.