Chapter 61 : Departures and details
Seamus, Dean and Neville entered the Great Hall with the four Slytherin captives in tow.
"Now, what should we do with this lot?" Dean asked, draping his arm over Theo's shoulder.
"Well," Ginny wandered over, looking at the four tethered and subdued students with a wry grin. "Why don't we just tie them to the lamp-posts on the bridge and let old Tom decide when he arrives."
"Nah, they could be out there for hours . . .days even," Seamus replied. "How about we send them to Kings Cross . . . the hard way."
The Slytherins turned and looked at him, with identical looks of apprehension on their faces. Theo and Blaise were muttering, while Daphne started to cry. Pansy, on the other hand, tried to kick Seamus in the shin, which earned her another smack on the butt from Dean.
"Behave, young lady . . . well, bad girl," Dean chided her.
"That settles it, then," Neville announced. "Professor Flitwick?! Could you come here for just a moment, please?"
"Certainly, Neville, how can I be of service?" the diminutive Charms Professor inquired.
"We need to get these four to King Cross, and we thought a 'Portkey' would be the easiest method, considering the circumstances," Neville replied.
"Excellent! Also, I think a bit of a nap might not be a bad idea, until the Express arrives, at least." Filius was rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
More muffled protests from the Slytherins were waved aside by Professor Flitwick as he pulled out his wand and looked around for something to use as a 'Portkey'.
"This should work, Professor," said Seamus, as he produced a large metal ring, which had been the pull on the door that had been blasted apart. "We'll just tie the rope to it and then they'll arrive together, safe and sound."
"Oh, that's an excellent idea, Mister Finnegan!" Flitwick nodded. "Now, let me think of the right charm to awaken them and we'll get started."
Before the Slytherins could protest, they had one hand duct taped to the ring and were standing, facing each other, wondering how they could have messed up so badly.
About then, Draco and Sirius arrived with Peter floating between them, but they passed right by, heading to the front of the Hall.
"Ah, I see Minerva was successful," commented Filius, who then turned and raised his wand to do the charms. "You all will be asleep until the Express arrives, then you are free to undo the ropes and . . . what is the silver material you used on their hands and mouths, Neville?"
"That is duct tape . . . Muggle invention; seals things nicely, don't you agree?"
"Indeed, well, here we go," Professor Flitwick raised his wand.
"Oh, wait, Professor, their wands," Seamus said, pulling the wands from his back pocket. "Hey, there's only three."
"OY! Seamus . . . catch!" shouted Draco, as he tossed Pansy's wand to the Irish Gryffindor, who grinned as he caught it deftly.
"Thanks mate," Seamus returned.
"Well, if we're going to return their wands, I'd better go along and make sure they're comfortable and napping before we give them back, eh?" Flitwick took Pansy's wand and put it in an interior pocket of his robes with the others. "I shan't be too long."
"If you think that's necessary, Professor. Sure you won't need any help?" Neville asked.
"The day I can't handle a couple of Slytherin students will be the day I retire!" Shot back Filius, as he grabbed hold of the ring and touched it with his own wand. " 'Portus!' "
With a flash of blue light, the four students and Filius were gone.
X X X
'Pop'
Severus, Katie and Dobby appeared in the entrance of the Great Hall, just as Flitwick and the Slytherins disappeared.
"Who was that?" Severus asked, as he walked into the Hall, arm around Katie's shoulder, while she supported him with her arm around his waist, Dobby trotting along behind them.
"Severus!" Sirius came running up and helped Katie settle her patient on a bench. "Are you alright? What happened? How did you two get together?" The questions poured out.
Katie looked at Severus, grinning. "Inquisitive old Marauder, isn't he?"
"Yes, but we'd better tell him what happened or he'll just pester us to death," Snape replied under his breath.
Just then Harry, Ron and Draco approached, anxious looks on their faces.
"Severus!" " Katie?" " How?"
"I sense a theme emerging, Severus. Should you go first or should I?" Katie giggled.
"I'll go first, as I have the more pressing news to deliver," answered Severus, who then turned to the three young people. "Harry, he knows you're here, he suspects the Cup and Sword are fakes - or missing - which he'll be checking, as I speak. He knows who is here, from the Weasleys to the Malfoys. He will find out, soon enough, that all of the students were sent to safety, but he has no idea about any of our preparations, he just thinks you're taking over the castle. He'll call all of his followers as soon as he checks about the Cup, but Lucius and I will feel the burn, so that will be a bit of a heads up. And Katie has started my healing from your excellent spell casting . . . that 'Sectumsempra' stings like the very devil, by the way . . . I was a bit relieved when I realized you'd held back a bit . . . so Katie didn't arrive to find me bled out."
"How did you get involved?" Draco asked.
"Rabastan Lestrange showed up at my office requesting help. I was off duty, so I agreed to make a house call, knowing who he was and that it probably involved Severus. I also saw your auntie Bella and Voldemort, who was quite the perfect host, concerned with the welfare of, and I quote, "One of his oldest acquaintances".
Narcissa and Lucius joined the group.
"Bella was there?" Narcissa asked.
"Yes, she had done a bit of rudimentary healing, but I complimented her on the job she'd done, asking if she'd help me tend to Severus, which she did until the Dark Lord bellowed for her; that's the last I saw of her. He came storming in the bedroom and, I'm assuming, looked through Severus' memories of what must have happened here this morning," Katie explained. "Then he stormed back out."
"Then we called Dobby and returned here . . . I believe my days as Albus' spy have come to an end; it was just not worth the risk, with him in that state, to stretch my luck," added Severus. "And Katie was just so much excess baggage, if things started happening . . "
"Oh, so now I'm 'baggage', am I?" Katie stood hands on her hips, glaring at Severus, who seemed to realize, a tad late, that his description might have been a bit flippant, that is until Katie laughed and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "At least you had Dobby bring 'the old bag' along with you!"
"Oh, Missy Katie is not old!" protested Dobby, which earned him a hug from Healer Treiber, as the others, including Severus, laughed at Dobby's gallant defense of the Medi-Witch.
"Well, you're here now, and we know he's on to us, so let's get started, shall we?" Ron stated, referring to a list on a large piece of parchment in his hand. "Call your House Elf and gets your supplies moved and stored at your positions . . . don't rush, but we need everything in place before lunch, please."
With a couple spiffy salutes from Neville, Seamus and Dean, the group set out to prepare for the defense of Hogwarts. Meanwhile, Harry saw Albus enter the Great Hall, so he approached him to discuss what should be done with Peter.
X X X
Dumbledore stood looking down at Peter, without any expression on his face, as Harry approached him.
"How did he get out, Harry?" asked the Headmaster, without looking around.
"Slytherins stumbled across him when they were sneaking through the dungeon storeroom corridor. He made a run for it but Minerva, Crookshanks and Mrs. Norris trapped him and Draco and Sirius caught him," Harry relayed. "The question, now, is what to do with him."
"Indeed," Albus agreed. "Perhaps we should send him to Azkaban; he was sentenced to life there anyway . . . but if the Dementors abandon their post to come here to aid Voldemort, what's to keep him from turning into his Animagus form and escaping . . . although, then he'd be fair game for anyone who would want to end his life . . .safer in than out, I should think."
"Bit of a puzzle, this," said Harry. "But considering we're a little rushed for time, Headmaster, perhaps just bunging him in his cage and hanging it up on the wall so he has a ringside seat to the battle might be the best thing to do. Let him take his chances with the rest of us." Harry shrugged.
"I believe that would be the best course of action for now . . . we'll deal with his future when our business is concluded."
Albus 'Accio'd' the special rat trap he'd prepared for Wormtail, transfigured him into his rodent form and put him, none too gently, into the wired cage. " 'Finite Incantatem' " Albus unfroze the plump rat and watched as it scrambled to its feet and huddled in a corner. Peering through the wire, he addressed the trembling, former Marauder. "I've spelled this trap to be crushproof, Peter, although . . . if a hunk of the castle should fall on it, your survival might be questionable . . . in any case, we'll deal with you later."
Albus set the trap on one of the tables and walked away, leaving the shivering rat cowering in back of the wire covered box.
X X X
Rudolphus and Bella hadn't spoken more than a couple words since entering Gringott's, but the anxiety on their faces was hard to miss. Ragnok wondered what was wrong now, as he took the Lestranges deep underground to their vault.
As they approached, Ragnok touched the door and instantly the bolts and latches could be heard sliding, clicking and clanking on the inside of the massive door. As he pulled it open, Bella started to rush in, but Rudolphus grabbed her arm.
"Patience, dear. Ragnok has to remove the 'Germino and Flagrante Curses' or you'll be buried and badly burned by your own possessions," he reminded her, squeezing her arm to make his point.
Bella jerked her arm free and glared at him, but kept silent. As soon as the curses were lifted, the couple walked into their family vault, looking for and spotting the two objects that the Dark Lord had requested.
"I'll get the Cup," Rudolphus volunteered, as he brushed a few stacks of Galleons off of the top of a small table and stepped up onto the dusty surface to reach for and grab the Hufflepuff Cup from its perch on the shelf above his head.
Bella already had the Sword of Gryffindor grasped in her hand and as Rudolphus jumped down and landed next to her, Bella jerked her head and they silently left the Goblin to lock up and re-ward the chamber.
"It looks real to me," whispered Bella, examining the sword, with its jeweled handle and Godric Gryffindor's name engraved on the blade. "Should we risk asking the Goblin if it's a fake?"
"Perhaps we should just take him with us so he can examine them in front of the Dark Lord," countered Rudolphus.
"Agreed, let the blame fall on someone besides us!" Bella agreed.
As Ragnok finished locking the vault door he was hit by an 'Imperious Spell', his face went blank and he followed the Lestranges over to the cart for the trip back to the bank's main level.
X X X
Professor Flitwick returned from Kings Cross, reporting that he'd left the Slytherins sitting on a bench, leaning on each other, asleep, wands tucked in their pockets, no evidence of duct tape in sight. He's also sent his 'Patronus' to the D.A.s on the Express, telling them not to linger when they arrived, but to 'Apparate' back to Hogsmeade as quickly as possible.
Fred and George had gotten all of the supplies divided and delivered to either a storage spot near where they would be used, or given to the defender to carry with them.
Professor Sprout had directed the placement of the Venomous Tentaculas and pots full of Mandrakes, with Peeves gleefully planning trajectories and resultant chaos. Lucius, along with Charlie, Bill, Arthur and Percy Weasley, had set up the nets for funneling the Inferi to their corral, while Ron, Seamus, Neville, Dean and Lee Jordan worked on getting the other net for catching the invading Snatchers positioned next to the Broomstick Practice lawn outside the Library Wing. Madam Pince was watching from her office window and when Ron waved to her, nodded her approval!
She, in turn, checked the protective measures in place to save her precious books . . . for the umpteenth time. Meanwhile, Sybil, Ginny, Luna, Cho, the Patil twins, Hannah Abbott and Susan Bones were getting their crossbows and slingshot ammo ready on the battlements. The Patil twins had joined Sybil by taking slingshots as their weapon of choice, as they had actually used them when they were small and were not allowed to use wands. Their mother insisted that target skills were just as important as learning spells and would be an advantage; very prophetic sentiment as it was turning out.
Seamus, Dean and Lee doubled checked the explosives under the wooden bridge and also the pyrotechnics between Hagrids Hut and the Stone Circle at the end of the bridge. Justin, Ernie, Colin and Dennis Creevey, Terry Boot and Michael Corner were placing the fireworks and smoke bombs at various places on the roofs and battlements.
Oliver Wood, Tonks, Horace Slughorn and Hagrid were readying the shield vests, gloves, night vision goggles and doses of 'Felix Felicis' for all of the defenders, to be given out after lunch.
Remus and Sirius were placing Swamps in the hallways, with the Marauder's Map as their guide, making sure that in order to get through the castle, the Death Eaters would be funneled right to where they'd be the easiest to surround and capture. Any thought of wading through the Swamps would be countered by the sight of the Venomous Tentaculas and Stinging Nettles waiting on the other side, as least they hoped the invaders would realize what the plants were, if not . . .oh well!
Filius and Albus would begin putting the dome of protective spells over the castle in the early afternoon. The six D.A.s coming back from the trip on the Express would still be able to get through the tunnel and their supplies would be waiting for them.
After a few hours of hard work a break for lunch was called and everyone descended on the Great Hall.
X X X
"Harry," Albus motioned him over. "We have to put my wand down with my double in the Chamber of Secrets for Tom to find. I don't think, even up close, that he'll realize it's not really me lying there."
"But, then he'd have the Elder Wand, sir!" Harry was aghast.
"Yes, but if you take it from me . . . and I can't, unfortunately, just hand it over . . . you'd still be its Master and that part would protect you when the time comes," Albus explained.
"You mean we have to duel?" Harry's eyes got wide.
"Let's call it 'practice' . . . I haven't dueled in ages, that is if you don't count when we went to the Ministry two years ago and I was a bit rusty, to tell the truth," admitted the Headmaster.
"If that was 'rusty', remind me to never get into a duel with you when you're on your game, sir!" Harry grinned.
"Then we'll just have some fun then, but you will have to work to get it from me; we must make sure the wand's loyalty transfers to you," Albus added, to make his point. "Also, that bit of Tom in you will relish the thought of besting me, and that might be of some help, and I know you can control yourself so it won't override your good sense."
"Yes, sir. How about after lunch, give everyone a good show and a bit of comic relief . . . Fred and George stand to make a packet taking bets," Harry said, out of the side of his mouth after checking to make sure no-one overheard.
"Indeed, I dare say they will, Harry!" laughed Dumbledore.
X X X
"You are positive this is a fake?" Voldemort hissed, looking at the Goblin standing before him.
"It is a remarkably good reproduction, but it is not Goblin made, therefore, it is not the original Sword of Godric Gryffindor," came the reply from Ragnok, who stood, holding the sword, inspecting it closely.
'Severus knew it was a copy, that's why he offered it to me . . . and then suggested it be stored some place secure,' Voldemort sat thinking, his Death Eaters hardly breathing for fear of drawing his attention. ' It was a ruse to get into that vault . . . to switch the Cup . . . they knew about my Horcruxes!' He stood and started pacing, the Death Eaters standing against the wall, silent, watching. 'My diary was destroyed by Potter years ago, thanks to that fool Lucius, Nagini is dead because of Wormtail, the Ring is gone, Potter has the Locket and Diadem, and now . . . we find out about the Cup.'
He picked up the Hufflepuff Cup and handed it to the Goblin, who took it, turned it over, inspecting the underside and the scrollwork carefully. "Another duplicate."
Voldemort hissed his displeasure and renewed his pacing.
'I felt Nagini die . . . had the same strange feeling in the basement when those traitorous Malfoys fled . . . and when I was going toward the cave . . . so, since the Locket now hangs around Potter's neck, and the Mudblood dared to wear the Diadem, I can assume the Ring and Cup have been destroyed . . . I must recover one or both of those Horcruxes . . . tonight! AND KILL HARRY POTTER!'
Pulling up his sleeve, he touched his wand tip to the Death Mark on his forearm. The Death Eaters in the room either bit their lips or sucked in their breath as their Marks burned.
Lucius and Severus both gasped and looked at each other.
"Albus, he's calling them," Severus reported.
"Lucius?" Albus looked at the blond man sitting across the table, who nodded, pulling up his sleeve to show the Mark turning a ruddy red and his skin actually pulsing.
"Well, it's game on, then. Let's finish our desserts and then Filius and I will get to work," Dumbledore informed them all, as he took as piece of cake and proceeded to calmly eat it.
X X X
Death Eaters and Snatchers descended on Malfoy Manor over the next hour, swelling the ranks by hundreds. Voldemort had closeted himself in Lucius' old study, making his followers wait, knowing they would be attacking Hogwarts that night, but not knowing what, exactly, they would be expected to do.
Scabior and his minions were relegated to waiting outside, but they were just as dangerous as any of the marked Death Eaters. In fact, they intended to prove their worth during this battle, and since Fenrir was no longer their 'leader', Scabior was determined to climb into the upper echelons of the Death Eater ranks, mark or no mark!
X X X
Filius, Minerva, Severus, Kingsley, Remus, Sirius, Lucius and Albus stood on the bridges and in the courtyards of Hogwarts, pointing their wands skyward. As the clock struck the hour, they began.
" 'PROTEGO MAXIMA'!"
" 'PROTEGO HORRIBILIS'!"
" 'PROTEGO TOTALUM'!"
" ' FIANTO DURI'!"
" 'REPELLO INIMICUM'!"
" 'SALVIO HEXIA'!"
" 'CAVE INIMICUM'!"
" 'IMPERVIOUS'!"
As the spells shot up into the bright afternoon sunshine, a golden bubble formed over Hogwarts, the spells interweaving and sparkling as the magical covering thickened and strengthened. Then the color faded and Hogwarts looked as normal as could be, its invisible protective dome pulsing faintly. The Witches and Wizards who had cast the spells knew it wouldn't be able to repulse any attack forever, but it would frustrate the Death Eaters and serve notice that the inhabitants of the castle were aware of what was coming and were prepared.
And now . . . they waited.