Chapter 22
Bella's POV
Quickly, I stuffed the diary, the ring, and the diadem into my robe pocket with the locket, then ran down the stairs, calling over my shoulder to the portraits, "Thank you!"
I found the Hospital Wind immediately. "PROFESSOR!" I yelled, running towards the new Headmistress: McGonagall.
"Swan, what do you think you're doing, again?!" she scolded despite her tears.
"Professor! Voldemort!—" I ignored their flinch. "—Death Eaters! My mother! Coming! Now! Hogwarts!" I panted. She knew about my 'mother'.
"What?" she said. "What do you mean? What happened?"
"From the beginning?" I asked, having regained my breath. She nodded. It pained me to see my favorite teacher, my mentor, so distressed and inconsolable. But I couldn't tell her of the Horcrux unless she already knew. "Did he tell you Voldemort's secret?" I asked in a whisper.
She shook her head a bit. I bit my lip. "Then I can't tell you. Not now. Not yet. But…Dumbledore went to retrieve…something Voldemort was after. Alice had a vision of Voldemort killing him, so I Disapparated from Hogsmeade and went after him. I got there before Voldemort, thank goodness. But…to get the thing Voldemort was after, Dumbledore had to drink a potion to get it…it made him weak and delusional.
"Just before we could leave, he showed up—Voldemort." By now, the other professors were listening, too. They all looked distressed and forlornly cheerless. Except Snape. He was emotionless. As always. "We couldn't Disapparate from the place. There was a spell…I had to duel Voldemort. There was an explosion and before the dust settled, Kreacher, Harry's house-elf, had Apparated to the cave—" Shit. Didn't mean to say that. Oh well. Overlook it for now. "—I told him to take Dumbledore back to Hogwarts. I couldn't leave yet because I'd dropped the H—erm, object. So, Kreacher brought Dumbledore here. When the dust from the explosion settled, I could barely get to the object at all. Voldemort was firing curses left and right. I finally managed to swipe the H—item but I got hit with the Sectumsempra as I did." I glared at Snape viciously. He'd created the heinous curse. Surprisingly, he flinched a bit as I glared. He was guilty, was he? He should be.
"Despite the wound, I caused another explosion and managed to scramble out of the cave. I Disapparated from there."
She nodded, then asked, "What was it that you had to retrieve?"
Carefully, I pulled the broken locket from my robe pocket by the chain, letting it swing back and forth like a pendulum. She examined it swiftly then asked, "How is it important now that it is broken?"
I smiled. "It isn't."
"Then why did you need to retrieve it so urgently?" Madam Pomfrey asked.
"We didn't get it like this. I did it on purpose."
They looked at me oddly before McGonagall said, "No matter. We need to evacuate the students immediately and alert the Ministry and the Order."
"Already done," I said. They all looked at me questioningly. "Harry and I went to Dumbledore's office and told the portraits. Everard went and alerted the Ministry and the Auror Office. My great-great-great grandfather went and told the Order. They are on their way. Harry went to the Room of Requirement to open the passageway between Hogwarts and the Hog's Head. The Order and Aurors should be here any—um, or now."
As if on cue, members of the Order came running into the room, Harry on their heels. Several Aurors, lead by Shacklebolt, followed closely.
"Got the message?" I asked Moody.
He nodded. "Black announced it and told us. We came immediately."
Lupin looked to McGonagall and asked hoarsely, "Is it true?"
She nodded sadly. "We cannot dwell upon it. We must rouse the students and help them evacuate."
"We'll do it," I said. "We'll split up and get everyone into the Great Hall."
She pursed her lips but said, "Okay. We will be there momentarily. Do not tarry."
I nodded, like the others. Hurriedly, I grabbed Harry and nodded to my friends in the background. They came with me when I left the room.
"We need to split up and get everyone." Harry said, taking the words right out of my mouth.
"Edward. You and I'll get the Gryffindors." I said. "Emmett, Rose, check the Slytherin Common Room." Emmett opened his mouth to ask something. I knew what it was. "Yes, you can open the door by force if you can't guess the password—"
"It's 'serpent'." Alice said.
I nodded. "Thanks. Alice, you and Jasper get the Hufflepuff Common Room. Hermione, Ron, get the Ravenclaws, okay? Ginny, Harry can you check the library and any unlocked rooms? Carlisle, Esme, I need you two to go and get the residents of Hogsmeade and bring them."
Everyone nodded. "Good. Meet up in the Great Hall. Fast as possible!"
As Edward and I ran, I knew most would not even be in bed yet.
When we got to the Fat Lady's painting, Edward said, "Occlemens."
The doorway opened.
Just about half of the Gryffindors were in there. They all looked up and looked shocked upon seeing me.
I probably didn't look so good. I mean. Come on. Voldemort just tried to kill me…again. For the sixth time in my life. Great. I mean, I know I didn't look too good. I had minor cut and welts all over and dark bruises were already forming. My hair was a rat's nest. Oh, yeah, and then there was the giant slash in the fabric of my robe from the Sectumsempra curse across my torso.
The room actually fell silent. That was handy.
"Everyone needs to report to the Great Hall immediately." I said loudly, and murmurs broke out. "Hurry. We don't have time to tarry. Now go, all of you."
"Why should we?" a young first year boldly asked.
Trying not to let too many details slip, I said sharply, "Because I highly doubt you want to be here when Voldemort attacks Hogwarts."
That shut them up. They left and went to the Great Hall immediately.
"Check the guys' dormitories. I'll check the girls'." I said.
After checking the dormitories, Edward and I were leaving the Gryffindor Common Room when I said, "Can we go to the Astronomy Tower? I need to see how close they are."
Edward nodded. "Hop on," he said.
I complied and we raced across the grounds to the topmost tower of Hogwarts.
The top of the Astronomy Tower had a balcony-like layout. Normally, I loved being out here, but not today. Not now.
I raced over to the side and peered towards the horizon.
My heart skipped a beat and my stomach dropped as I looked. Beyond Hogsmeade, I could see the Death Eaters. There were so many…hundreds. He had legions of Dementors, Acromantula, and Giants.
Many more Death Eaters were flying in on brooms and Apparating.
"Oh no…" I whispered. "…no…no…this can't be happening. Not now!"
Edward had his arms around me, holding me close. "Its okay, Bella. You don't have to do this."
I sniffled. "But I do, Edward. I have to. If it is mandatory for anyone, it's Harry and me. Only we have the power to defeat Voldemort. No one else should fight. It's Harry's and my battle—no one else's."
He shook his head. "Oh, my Isabella. You never quite see things clearly. You haven't any idea how much everyone here—students, teachers, ghosts—admire and respect you two. Even the Slytherins."
"I doubt that."
"You'd be surprised. And don't doubt loyalty. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Neville, and all our friends are very loyal. They do not fight because they must. They fight because they want to. All the teachers consider Hogwarts their home. Take Minerva McGonagall, for example. She grew up here and has lived here most of her life. Her best friends are here, and she views all her students as her children. Her husband was headmaster. Hogwarts is her home, and its inhabitants her family. She protects it with her life."
I smiled fondly. "That sounds just like her."
He chuckled. "It does."
"We need to go." I said. "They'll be here in less than an hour. We need to hurry."
He nodded and carried me downstairs at vampire speed.
We stopped right outside the Great Hall's doors. The very doors I'd been forced to walk through when I'd returned from Forks. I smiled at the thought.
"Come on. Everyone should be in there by now." I said, before opening the doors just wide enough to walk out. Thankfully, everyone was focused on McGonagall up front.
"…Evacuation will be overseen by Mr. Filch and Madam Pomfrey. Prefects, when I give the word, you will organize your House and take your charges, in orderly fashion, to the evacuation point."
Apparently, she'd told them all of the tragedy and that the Death Eaters and their leader was coming. Many were openly terrified and a majority of the younger students had tear stains on their cheek, like me.
We—Edward and I—were slowly walking behind everyone, trying to be unnoticed. But, naturally, the half the Order and the staff were watching me closely.
Suddenly, Ginny stood at the Gryffindor table. "What if we want to stay and fight?" she called out.
Many cheered in support.
McGonagall sighed but said, "If you are of age, you may stay and—"
But her words were drowned out by a different, cold, high, clear and dreadfully familiar.
"I know you are preparing to fight." Several screamed in fright. "Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you.—" I scoffed aloud. Like he was being honest. Yeah right. "—I have a great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not wish to spill magical blood." Oh, I'm so sure.
There was a loud silence. The kind that is so quiet, it makes you feel as if you are the only living thing in this world.
I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. The uncommon lack of breathing.
"Give me Harry James Potter and Isabella Marie Lestrange-Swan," he continued. Did he have to use my full name? Or was it just to irritate me? I decided it was. "and none shall be harmed." BS, I thought. Total BS. "Give me Harry Potter and Isabella Lestrange-Swan, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter and Isabella Lestrange-Swan, and you shall all be rewarded.
"You have until midnight."
Silence consumed the hall. I ducked behind the table of students, trying to hide uselessly.
I thought that every eye in the Great Hall found either Harry, who was trying to sink below the Gryffindor table, or me.
A figure suddenly stood at the Slytherin table. Pansy Parkinson shouted, "There they are! Grab them! Someone grab them!"
Before I could react, there was a massive movement. Every single Gryffindor in the room stood facing, not Harry or me, but the Slytherins. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs followed suit hardly a second later as well. Wands were drawn, all pointing at the seventh year girl. Aw, so they were loyal.
"Thank you, Miss Parkinson." McGonagall said in a clipped voice. "You will leave the hall first with Mr. Filch. If the rest of the house will follow."
The Slytherins filed out, then Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and Gryffindors.
Half of my House remained, along with a number of Ravenclaws, even more Hufflepuffs.
The staff were forced to chivvy the underage on their way.
Then, I noticed something. A lone, solitary student remained at the Slytherin table. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was Daphne Greengrass, a seventh year. I was amazed by her determination and loyalty to Hogwarts.
As I thought about it, I realized that she was the only decent Slytherin, despite the fact that she was a pure blood.
She wasn't liked by anyone in her House, really. She was kind, determined, loyal, smart, and resourceful. I personally liked her.
I remembered one day in my first year, some nasty Slytherin—probably the bouncing ferret extraordinaire, Malfoy—had ripped my bag using a spell, causing all my books to fall tumbling out of my bag. They'd laughed and went to class. Suddenly, someone was helping me pick up my stuff. I'd looked up and was shocked to see a pretty blond girl. I hadn't known her name then.
But then my eyes spotted the Slytherin emblem upon her robes.
"Thank you…" I had said, confused.
She'd smiled back to me kindly. "I'm Daphne Greengrass. You're Isabella, right?" she'd said.
I'd nodded. "Just Bella…um, thanks, again…but…you're a Slytherin."
She'd nodded understandingly. "Yeah, unfortunately I am." She'd looked back to where the Slytherins had disappeared. "I wish they didn't do that. I hate it when they do that. It's because of them doing things like that that causes me to hate being a Slytherin."
I'd stared at her, shocked. "Really?"
She'd sighed and replied, "Yeah. But, you're welcome anyhow. I'll see you."
From that day on, she'd been a secret friend of mine. She'd hated how some of her House were so cruel. She'd also shared my dislike of Snape's unfairness to Gryffindor.
She noticed me staring then. I smiled widely at her, and she'd smiled weakly. Quickly, she mouthed the words, 'It was the right thing to do' to me sadly.
I knew it wasn't easy to do what she's just done. It's betrayal in the Slytherins' eyes.
But it was loyalty in my eyes.
A/N: NOW YOU KNOW! YAY! CYBER COOKIES TO THOSE OF YOU WHO GOT IT RIGHT!!!! REVIEW!!!
