Wow it's been awhile, sorry guys! Almost to the end, though, and I promise I'll finish.
They're all here, and it's all on me. A victory, a loss, the lives and the deaths. It's all on me, and even though I stand surrounded by two armies in battle, I've never felt more alone in my life. Neville let the four of us in, Dean and Seamus greeted us, as well as each other joyously. Luna and Ginny, younger and stronger than they should be. Cho, Fred, George, who all came back for more than a school. Remus, Tonks, Arthur, Molly, with children who they're fighting for. Aberforth, who just maybe is a little more like his brother than he admits.
Hermione and Ron stand with their fingers intertwined, a basilisk fang held gingerly by the former.
"He was amazing, he really was." Hermione says fondly, and I smile for a moment before remembering that we still don't have the diadem.
"Harry… I've been thinking… what will happen if we can't find the diadem?"
"We'll find it." Ron says, before I can reply. I know he's just saying it for my behalf, but it's still reassuring.
"I'm just not sure how." Hermione adds, causing the rest of us to glare at her. "I'm sorry, but this school is full of secrets, full of places we could only dream of finding." I groan, because I know she's right, and the time is running out as our soldiers fall.
"I know where the diadem is." Draco says quietly, his face solemn and wiped clean, but his eyes are darting and I suddenly know where it is, where it has to be. In a place Voldemort thought was all his, where not another soul would ever wander. The feelings of self-importance, that drive him to hide in plain sight. We all nod and take off briskly towards the Room of Requirement, and cross our fingers that we're right, because people are falling and it's all because of me.
When we reach the room, we all immediately begin digging, through piles of diaries and toys and things far stranger.
"It's up there." Hermione says softly, pointing to the peak of a pile of armor hidden away in the darkly shadowed corner of the room. Like the cup, it glimmers slightly, and I'm drawn to it. Clambering over lusterless rusting metals, I grasp the small jeweled crown in my hand, pulling it from the stack.
"We'll take that now, thanks for saving us the trouble, though." I turn around, and find myself staring down the length of a wand at Crabbe. Goyle stands farther, his wand darting across Hermione, Ron, and Draco. When I hesitate, Goyle advances, and I quickly hand over the diadem, because I can't win without them, and it won't be a victory if they're not alright.
"Crabbe, Goyle, you don't have to do this." Draco says quietly, taking a step forward. Goyle mutters something and I shout out when red light comes out of his wand, knocking Draco to the ground.
"We actually really do, since you clearly won't. Been tamed by the Chosen One, haven't you?" Crabbe says, laughing, addressing the prone figure of Draco. On instinct, the second he's turned from me, I pull out my wand.
"Expelliarmus!" I shout, knocking away Goyle's wand. But before I can reach Crabbe, he's pointing his wand to the center of the room, and I'm thrown back when the spell takes action.
Everywhere is yellow and orange and red fiery horses, claws and flames licking at forgotten treasures.
"Fiendfyre!" Hermione yells, grabbing Ron's hand and pulling him quickly away from falling embers. I head towards the door, but stop in a second, knowing that there's no way we can get through. The fire is blocking the door, reaching at least four feet into the air, a cage that is trapping us.
"Harry!" Ron calls, rustling in the corner, dragging three brooms out from under a three-legged table. He throws one to me, and the second it's in my hands I rush to Draco, still frozen on the ground. His eyes are blinking fast, and his breathing is light but steady. Taking hold of him, I pull myself onto the broom and lift off, making sure Ron and Hermione are closely following. From the corner of my eye, I see Goyle grab onto the tail of Ron's broom. Ron shouts once, but because there are no follow-up sounds I assume the broom is still in the air.
We land outside the room, and I begin to brush the ash off my face. Goyle staggers away from us, but I don't care, there's nothing he can really do without his wand.
"Draco?" I ask softly, and he begins to sit up, rubbing his eyes free of soot. I instinctively help him, brushing the dark powder from his cheek and chin. "Stop scaring me like this."
"Well it's not really my fault, now is it?" Draco groans, pulling himself up. Suddenly a chilling voice scrapes against my ears, sending chills down my body.
"I know that you are preparing to fight. Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood. Give me Harry Potter, and they shall not be harmed. Give me Harry Potter and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight."
And I don't hesitate, I turn and run towards the doors, towards Voldemort, not to turn myself in, but because I know that's where I have to be right now, to see the monster that I need to kill before midnight.
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