Chapter 4- Journey to Hogwarts.
The Lovegoods? Ron rather stated than question. Instantly Ron thought of Luna, it wasn't that he didn't like the girl he just thought of her as being rather bizarre.
"Oh god Here We Go" He said.
"Yeah were picking up Luna and Neville" Nymphadora Tonks replied. She smiled when she said this. Tonks had met Luna at the ministry that night and instantly took a shine to her and often asked the other if they had heard from her. Walking through the fields Hermione ran her hands through all the different flowers, for a brief second she imagined her and Snape here and wondered if he ever came to places like this or if his whole life was full of the dull darkness he seemed to surround himself in. There it was again, why was she thinking of him so much? There was a kind if longing in her to see him again. To see if he was okay, to watch him and to reach out and touch him. She smiled to herself at that thought.
"What are you smiling at?"
"Nothing Ronald" she said. She's going mad Ron thought.
They had now reached the door, it opened and they were greeted with a welcoming smile.
"Hello all I'm Xenophilius Lovegood"
He was a strange looking man with shoulder length hair that reminded Hermione a little of candy floss, he had hazel brown eyes that were slightly askew he was wearing some brightly coloured yellow and orange robes.
Once inside the door Luna was waiting for them.
"Hello did you have a nice summer" she said in that dreamy kind of voice that she has. Neville stammered behind her "h..h..hey". After having a brief conversation with them about the summer, they were now all stood by the little stream holding yet again another portkey, this time in form of an old watering can. Platform 9 and three quarters here we come said Lupin. Hermione was surprised that when they appeared on the platform that beside her Luna was also standing. She must have more power than she appears to have. They helped the others up, Ron pulling Neville up with Lupins help. The platform was surrounded with ministry officials, aurors and the people seemed to be sticking in groups. Obviously the ministry are more scared than they are letting on. For once Draco Malfoy wasn't shouting his head off. Him and his Mother walked silently with their heads down as all eyes were on them. Draco's father had been one of the death eaters that night in the ministry and the daily prophet had put him on the front page. After they were all settled in a compartment and saying there goodbyes the train began leaving the station. It was a pleasant journey, they were all chatting and playing games, they didn't even notice the time or that the country side had changed and the Air got more crisp.
"We must be in Scotland now" Ron said. The sky had faded from a pale blue to a dark black. Suddenly the train stopped. There were mutters coming from all round, people sticking there heads into the tiny corridor looking up and down.
"We cant be there already" Neville stammered.
"Look" Luna said pointing to the window. It was difficult to see but there was something moving in the sky. As they got closer, you could make out the swirling black smoke, a blue light shot from the darkness and the all the trains window smashed. Screams came from the first years and from many of the other compartments. Then her crazed high pitched laugh echoed down the train. Bellatrix Lestrange. All at the same time they pulled out there wands ready to defend themselves. Someone else had smashed through the door, so Bellatrix was one end and someone else the other, and two were circling the train. Suddenly all the lights went out. They were trapped in the dark with four dangerous death eaters. Then everything went silent.
"Lumos" Ginny muttered and her wand began to glow, looking round at the others who All in turn faced Hermione,.
"Think Hermione you must have a plan" Ron mumbled.
"Umm fight?" was all she could reply.
Where is Harry Potter? Bellatrix voice screeched. "
Give me Harry Potter and we will leave" she began Hitting jinxes and spells at Random, people were screaming, and talking amongst themselves. No wanted to go against Bellatrix. She was Insane. Hearing the panic Hermione said "we have to do something" Neville stepped into the darkness.
"Harry's not here, idiots. He's with Dumbledore." A high pitched scream coursed throughout the whole train. Moving closer to them she shouted "Longbottom is it?" She was inches from Neville. Her pale face was visible in the darkness a twisted smile sat on her face.
"Crucio" she cried out and Neville fell to the floor. While he was writing and screaming out. Everyone's faces peered through there compartment windows all reflecting terror. Bellatrix stood laughing in her psychotic way.
"Just like mummy and daddy" and with that a tear leaked from Neville's eye.
"Reducto" Ginny shouted out without thinking. Bellatrix was shot backwards. Ron get Neville back in the compartment. Ron ran out and pulled Neville by his robes back into the compartment but he lay unconscious on the floor. The other one was now closing in on Ginny. Micheal Cormach launched himself out of the ravenclaw compartment to take a stinging hex for her.
"Get her Alecto" screamed Belllatrix. There were mumbles coming from further down the train. Alecto Carrow was supposed to be in Azkaban. Ginny shot another spell at him and he fired one back, she was moving away from the others and down the train with spells flying everywhere. "
"Stupid children, Fiendfyre" Bellatrix shouted. A huge fire dragon shot down the middle of the train, people in the other compartments were quickly using protection spells. "Aqumenti" Hermione called, hoping it would work as she had only read about it and had never even practised the spell. A huge jet of water erupted from her wand and the fire and water collided. Keeping her wand still and in control Hermione called to Luna. Luna shot an immobilising spell and Bellatrix's spell was broken. Hermione's water jet fell and flooded the floor. Bellatrix was furious now. Edging closer Hermione And Luna were stood back to back. They couldn't hear Ginny now but Amycus Carrow was now hitting spells at Luna and Bellatrix aiming at Hermione with everything she had.
"Avada kerdava" just as the gush of green light was about to hit her, a white bright light flew right into the train and knocking Bellatrix onto her feet. The gleaming doe stood in front of Hermione an absorbed the green light. It then hovered in the middle of the train. Outside the train white smoke was colliding with the black smoke. Finally the order had arrived. There was intense battle taking place in the skies. More death eaters arrived, but so did more order. Swirling around each other firing spell after spell, it was almost like fireworks. Hermione fired a stupify spell and Bellatrix went flying out one of the windows. She was then entangled in a battle with the pink smoke. Hermione knew this was Tonks. Straining to see the black smoke, she saw a green jet and then someone fell to the floor. Leaning out the window Hermione saw it was the woman who assisted them this morning. Hovering over the body was the hooded, masked person. Aiming their wand at the sky they yelled "Morsmordre" and the dark mark lit the sky. Everyone came to a holt. People on the train were shocked, stood with mouths open, The order members had grouped together and the death eaters waited. Everyone was wondering the same thing. Did that mean Voldemort was coming? Or was he already there? Suddenly two of the white smokes intertwined and flew directly towards it and right through it. All of a sudden was light with a bit W made of fireworks. Surely not!
"Ron it's Fred and George out there" Hermione called back to Ron who was still trying to wake up Neville.
"What?" and he ran to watch. Roars of cheering came from the train. The Students had witnessed a Fred and George episode last year when the defied Dorles Umbridge.
Suddenly the doe exploded and a huge white glow filled the train. The lights came on the windows automatically fixed and the train sped off. Leaving the both the light and dark to battle behind them. Taking a look around at the others, Luna and Ron weren't hurt. Ginny was no where to be seen, and Neville remained unconscious. Hermione sat down, she was tired but she began to think, she wondered who's patronus charm that was ? Who evers it was they were powerful. To be able to break up a killing curse and remain, She thought. Better still they had saved her life. The Train was still gaining speed. It was only Minutes later and the arrived at the Hogwarts station.