Chapter Three

The Warning from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named

"Attention all staff, students, and ghosts. Harry Potter had been spotted in Hogsmeade. Report to the Great Hall, immediately." Lavi knew that voice as Snape's.

Bak followed close behind, his knife in his hand. When they rounded the corner, they saw a teacher that they didn't know. She had graying hair and this professional look.

"Follow me, men. I know you've spoken to Miss. Weasley." She said, then seeing the confused expression on Lavi's face," I'm Professor McGonagall, I'm assisting headmistress, which I should've been headmistress until that bastard came around."

"Snape?" Bak asked, his eyes narrowed," Maybe if you guys explained things better, we might be able to assist."

Throwing an evil glare at Bak, Lavi turned to McGonagall," You don't have to explain anything. Just tell us what we can do. And what was that alarm?"

"Potter had been spotted, he's coming now. But it isn't safe for him. Too bad. We might have a war on our hands, Bookman." She said as they hurried on, passing paintings with their occupants covering their ears. Then a ghost with his head slightly off, introducing himself as Nick said," Return now, Snape wants to see you. And as for you two, go find the Carrows in the Great Hall. Watch out for Peeves." Then him and McGonagall rounded yet another corner, leaving them behind.

"I take it that we go this way?" Bak suggested, pointing down the stairs to their right.

"Oh there you are!" A snobby voice called, they turned to see Pansy and Draco," This way, you might even be able to kill Potter!"

Running at full speed, the four of them reached the Great Hall before the headmaster and assisting headmistress. They did see, however, students marching down the stairs like a freaking army. Overseeing them was Alecto Carrow.

"There you are, Bookman! Now is your chance, destroy Harry Potter and avoid casualties! The lives of the students are our number one priority. Please, help us." It was Amycus Carrow, Alecto's freak brother.

Under his breath, Bak grumbled," What do they think I am? Chopped freaking liver?"

Lavi hid a grin," Probably. I mean, you do look like it."

Bak elbowed him, hard. Suppressing the pain and the longing to hiss, Lavi nodded to Amycus. Holding himself up proudly, he twirled Iron with pride," I'm here to kill the infamous Harry Potter, after all!"

"Good." Snape and McGonagall had entered, then as well as the students. Snape took his place at the top. The Carrows falling behind. Then Lavi and Bak. McGonagall went off into the corner with a rather plump man. A midget of a man soon followed.

"Many of are surely wondering, why I have summoned you at this hour. It's come to my attention, that earlier this evening...Harry Potter was sighted in Hogsmeade. Now...should anyone...student or staff attempt to aid Mr. Potter? They will be punished in a manner consistent with the severity of their transcription, furthermore...any person hound have knowledge of these events, who fails to come forward...will be treated as equally guilty. Another, if anyone in here has knowledge of Mr. Potter's movements this evening. I invite them to step forward. Now!"

The scraping of feet entered Lavi's ear as a young man with black hair wearing a robe different from the others. The collar being red and said," It seems, despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you still have a security problem, Headmaster." He said.

"I'm afraid it's quite extensive." Snape said, crossing his arms before casting a disgusted look at Lavi.

"How dare you stand where he stood? Tell them how it happened that night? Tell them how you looked him in the eye, a man who trusted you, and killed him Tell them! COWARD!" Potter screamed in fury.

The Great Hall doors opened as a small group of people stepped through, among them twin brothers with red hair, a weird-looking lady with pink hair, a man with a scarred face, and three older people.

Snape raised his wand and yelled a cruel word that Lavi couldn't understand, but McGonagall stepped forward and a duel began. One of the spells backfired and hit the Carrows, both slumping down. The next hit Lavi in his chest, throwing him back until his his the glass wall behind. If it hadn't been for Bak, Lavi would've surely died. They couldn't help but huddle in the corner as the duel continued. Snape backed up until he was close to Lavi and Bak before turning into a strange black dust and slamming into the broken window. Then he was gone.

Everyone began clapping, all except the ones in the corner with Draco and Pansy. They were staring daggers at Lavi.

"Are you ok, Lavi?" McGonagall asked, turning to the redhead.

He nodded," I'm fine. How about you, Professor?"

She nodded curtly," I'm fine."

The cheering died as they noticed Lavi and Bak. Some pointed and whispered. But the elder students managed to calm them down.

"I know that many of you will want to fight. Some of you might even think to fight is wise. But this is folly. Give me Harry Potter. Do this and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave Hogwarts untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have one hour." A creepy voice that seemed to echo across the room vanished, leaving the students to stare around in horror, until.

"There he is!" Said a plump girl, pointing at Harry.

"Someone grab him!" Pansy shouted.

Ginny Weasley stepped forward first, then Neville, then the Patil twins, then Seamus and the rest of the people who were in the Room of Requirement.

"Students out of bed! Students in the corridor!" A man who looked old enough to be Bookman's father ran in. He had a major limp. At his side was a creepy cat. He stopped before he reached McGonagall.

"They're supposed to be out of bed, you blithering idiot!" She said, with the look of disgust.

"Sorry, ma'am." He said, bowing low.

But as if a lightbulb lit over her head, McGonagall turned back to the caretaker and said," As it happens, Mr. Filch, your arrival is most opportune. If you would, I would like you please, to lead Miss. Parkinson and the rest of the Slytherin house from the hall."

Filch looked confused," Exactly where is it I'll be leading 'em to, ma'am?"

She thought about it for a few," The dungeons will do." Then she turned to the dark-haired boy," I presume you have a reason for returning, Potter. What is it that you need?"

Potter looked around rapidly at all the cheering students before turning back to the woman," Time, Professor. As much as you can give me."

"Do what you have to do. I'll secure the castle." Potter began to turn away from her," Potter?" He turned back," It's good to see you."

He smiled," It's good to see you too." He finally noticed Lavi and Bak. He walked over with Neville and two others he didn't know.

"This is Lavi Bookman and Bak Chang." Neville said.

"But they're muggles!" The redhead said, but Potter shook his head," They may be muggles, but they certainly got here."

"Hermione?" They turned to a brown-haired girl, she shrugged before turning away and walking towards yet another redhead where they began talking quietly. Not doubt about him and Bak.

"We are with the Black Order." Bak said.

McGonagall said," They're Exorcists. Well at least Lavi Bookman is. Bak Chang is with the Asian Branch. Dumbledore needed the Exorcists a few years ago for a bit of Akuma problem. We hadn't informed anyone else, in fact, I wasn't supposed to know of it either but I walked in when I tried warning him of the dementor attack during Potter's fifth year."

Seamus said," And we never saw them?"

"The man's name was Komui Lee and a young man called Suman Dark." McGonagall turned to Lavi again," How is Mr. Dark?"

Lavi hung his head in dejection," He's dead."

"Mr. Lee?"

"Same. We were wiped out by the enemies known as Noah." Lavi said, he gestured to the blonde man by his side," All of his people were wiped out as well. We are the only survivors."

Bak shook his head," There's Allen."

Lavi sent a warning look to Bak. But he hadn't seen it. McGonagall noticed that look but didn't pressure it none. He cast a grateful look towards her that she returned with a curt nod.

Harry turned to Neville and said,''Hold the fort, Neville."

"Harry!" The other redhead boy who introduced himself as Ron said when they reached them," Hermione and I were thinking, it doesn't matter if we find the Horcrux."

Lavi and Bak exchanged baffled looks but Harry beat them to it," What do you mean?"

"Unless we can destroy it." Hermione said this time but Ron, yet again," So, we were thinking…-" Hermione interrupted,"He's too modest, it was Ron who was thinking, his idea-" Ron took over with a gleam that Lavi has seen so many times in Allen's face," It was completely brilliant. You destroyed Tom Riddle's diary with the Basilisk fang, right? And we know where to find one…."

This time it was Harry who cut in," Okay. Just do it. I'm going to the Ravenclaw common room. Gotta start somewhere."

He ran off, leaving Ron and Hermione staring after him, dumbfounded. Ron took Hermione's hand and ran off away. Throught the Great Hall's doors until it was Neville, Bak, McGonagall, Seamus and himself left.

"You're actually giving us permission to do this?" Neville asked.

"That is correct, Longbottom."

"Wicked!" Seamus whooped,"This is amazing!"

"But how on earth are we gonna do that?"

McGonagall smiled," Why don't you confer with Mr. Finnigan? As I recall, he has a particular proclivity for pyrotechnics."

Seamus had a shark grin as he said," I can bring it down."

"That's the spirit." She began walking away, towards the doors with Seamus and Neville in tow. Finally after a long glance around them, Lavi and Bak followed.

They went out to the front of the school, where both boys raced down the stairs, along with four teachers.

A plump red-haired woman appeared beside McGonagall," Evening, Minerva."

"Hello, Molly." She said.

"You do realize, of course, we can't keep out You-Know-Who indefinitely." The midget teacher said from outside.

Everyone turned to her, but she smiled," That doesn't mean we can't delay him. And his name is Voldemort. Filius, you might as well use it. He's come to try to kill us anyway!"

The man nodded as McGonagall pulled her wand up and shouted;

"Piertotum Locomotor!"

All around them, stone figures seemed to awaken, they jumped down from pedestal from above, landing around the students and adults, they proceeded to walk towards the bridge.

"Hogwarts is threatened. Man the boundaries! Protect us. Do your duty to protect our school." She turned to the younger woman beside her," I always wanted to use that spell!"

When the stone people passed, Lavi worked his way down, where students stood, wands aloft.

"Protego Maxima!"

"Flanto Duri!"

"Repello Inimigotum!"

"Flanto Duri"

"Repello."

"Protego Maxima."

A beautiful shield lit up around them, but Lavi knew it wouldn't last. No matter how much they put into it, it would break.

Lavi tried not to remember the past, but he couldn't help it. Lenalee's smile. Kanda's smirk, Allen's laugh. His vow to Bookman not to love the humans. That they were another piece of history that will be forgotten later. Another ink spot on his paper. No, they weren't like that to him. He loved them. Loves them. He always will, probably. He wants to forget the painful expressions on their faces when he found them dead. Lenalee, Kanda, everyone in the Black Order. The only survivors were Bak and himself. Allen? Who the hell knows? He was probably taken over by Neah, or fighting the 14th. Lavi held back tears that threatened to spill. No, not here. In a battle that was weakness. His eye already hurts him. He adjusted the eyepatch that covered his left eye. He missed his bandana, but remembered the promise he gave to Bak. To be a different person. Not the same playful Lavi. No, he has to be more serious. No matter how hard it was, he would.

Lavi realized Neville was staring at him, offering a strangled grin he turned to Bak, whose eyes had grown smaller with fear. Bak only had to deal with war once. That was when Four had found Allen in the forest. It was funny how close Allen had been to the Asian Branch. Offering yet another smile, Lavi carried on, past students and adults, back beside McGonagall.

"Potter went to the Ravenclaw commons." She said," Go up there please. Lovegood will lead you."

Luna Lovegood was odd. But he found her rather attractive. Then again, he found almost anyone attractive. She smiled, then beckoned him up the stairs. He followed, his hand lightly resting on Iron. If anyone attacked them, he was a hell of alot stronger than these magic users. After four flights of stairs they reached the tower.

"Where do Vanished Objects go?"

Luna smiled," In nonbeing, which is to say, everywhere."

The door opened wide, revealing a beautiful room that Lavi couldn't help stare. A magnificent eagle stood on a platform, golden and handsome. Poised in flight.

"It's truly magnificent." She said.

Lavi nodded," Yeah, it is." He shook his head," Better than my former room in the Black Order."

"What did it look like?"

"Messy. Covered in books and newspapers mainly. A bunkbed in the corner. Just messy."

She tilted her head to the side, Lavi couldn't help but stare into her eyes. Silver. How amazing. No, he couldn't. Don't think about her that way. From how he saw it, Neville and her were close. He liked Neville. Didn't want to screw that up. Then again, he felt loving towards Lulubell. Look how that turned out, she was a freaking Noah!

They saw a ghost. A female. Blood down her front. A painful way to go. She stared at them for a few before saying," The diadem is gone. Harry Potter will take it."

"Where?" Lavi asked.

"The place where everything is hidden." She replied.

Luna was excited," The Room of Requirement."

Lavi groaned internally. Stairs. Again. These freaking stairs move. Not cool. Not at all.

They left the bloody ghost and raced up the stair, all the while Lavi concerned that he would be flung off and would plummet to his death. That would not be pretty. At all.

End of Chapter 3

Thank you for all your support, I can't wait to bring more =)

Anonymous 3- Thank you very very very much for the support. This is my first fanfic and I'm glad someone likes it =)