Bridget was relieved to see her Aunt in the Great Hall alive and well despite the situation that had been upon her the past year. She barely listened as Snape driveled on about her and Harry, only perking up when she heard him telling any student to come forward who knows anything she looked to her friend and he nodded, it was time.
Their footsteps echoed thought the Hall as they came out to the center aisle. Harry looked at the man, "Despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you have a bit of a security problem, Headmaster."
"And it seems like quite a big problem." Bridget smirked looking at the group that came in through the door, including many Primals entering the Great Hall behind him.
She let Harry say his piece, knowing he needed to, but she stayed by him, not knowing what the Headmaster or the two Death Eaters behind him would do. When Snape did pull out his wand she went for hers, not wanting to waste energy on the man just yet but she and Harry were both covered by Minerva. Her aunt struck first and Snape came back at her but Minerva went at him stronger, angrier, as she moved in on the man, Bridget and Harry walking behind her. The two Death Eaters were knocked out and Snape disappeared through the window and Minerva quickly turned the Great Hall back to being bright and cheerful before pulling Bridget into her arms, "I've been so worried about you my dear."
"Me too about you." Bridget smiled hugging her back.
The moment didn't last long as Harry was falling to the ground. Both Bridget and her aunt reached for him to make sure he was alright. The Great Hall grew dark again, the ceiling beginning to thunder. A high-pitched scream pierced the quiet room. Harry began to walk over to the girl and Bridget slowly trailed him before Padma began screaming too. Bridget was closer to her and took the girls arm trying to figure out what was wrong as the girl looked at her scared out of her mind. Soon they all heard the voice.
I know that many of you will want to fight. Some of you may even think that to fight is wise. But this is folly. Give me Harry Potter. Then Bridget Faltey and her brother. Do this and none shall be harmed. Give me the three and I shall leave Hogwarts untouched. Give me them and you will be rewarded. You have one hour.
The voice fade away and Harry and Bridget look at each other as every other eye in the Great Hall is on them. Pansy points at them, "What are you waiting for? Someone grab them! Find her brother!"
Ginny immediately moved in front of Harry and George was quickly in front of Bridget with Fred right next to him, the Primals quickly following suit as well as the rest of the Order, the rest of the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs. Bridget and Harry looked at each other again with small, unbelieving smiles on their faces.
"Students out of bed! Student out of bed!" Filch ran in, "Student in the corridor!"
"They are supposed to be out of bed you blithering idiot!" Minerva spoke to the man earning a grin from Bridget. Filch apologized but Minerva walked down the stairs, her head held high, "As it happens Mr. Filch, your arrival is most opportune. If you would, I would like you please to lead Ms. Parkinson and the rest of Slytherin house from the Hall."
"Exactly where is it I'll be leading them to ma'am?" He asked.
"The dungeons will do." Minerva answered him and the students cheered, Bridget just hoped there weren't people in that group that wanted to fight.
As the students began leaving Harry walked away from her to talk to McGonagall and Bridget turned to George, wrapping her arms around his neck, him holding her tight as well, "I've missed you."
"I've missed you too love." He squeezed her placing a quick kiss on her cheek.
"My turn!" Fred yelled with a smile pulling her out of his brother's arms giving her a hug, "Good to see you're still on one piece."
"Same to you, I was worried with how you and George like to keep things similar." She smirked.
"Now, now, let her breathe." She heard Remus say and she jumped up, wrapping her arms tightly around him and he couldn't help but laugh as he hugged her back, "You've lost weight."
"Is that a thing that you say after you're domestic or something?" Bridget pulled away from him and Fleur and George laughed.
"It's a boy by the way. His name is Edward, but we all call him Teddy." Remus smiled down at her.
Bridget heard a cough behind her but before she could turn Harry quickly came up behind her, "Bridget, I'm going to go and try to figure out where this is, you'll be of more use-"
"Defending, got it." She answered.
"Here, take this Harry." A voice came from behind them and Bridgets eyes were wide as she turned to see her brother taking off a necklace, "Put it on, it's our fathers wedding band, it can connect directly with our moms which Bridget has, so you guys can still keep tabs on each other."
"Great thanks." Harry slid the ring onto his index finger, "Good luck out there."
"You too." Bridget patted him on the shoulder as he ran off. She watched as he went before turning on her brother.
Johnathon smiled at her, finally getting to see her, "My god you've gro-"
She punched him in the jaw. He stumbled back for a moment and she moved in on him again, "You come back after ten years and you say 'My god you've grown!' Of course I've bloody grown! I might as well be a manticore since the last time you saw me!"
"I deserved that." He muttered about his jaw and tried to say something but she cut him off.
"Yes you did! You deserve so much more because you left!" She shoved him.
"I did it to protect you!" John yelled and that was the loudest George had ever heard him get.
"Well damn good job you did of that now didn't you?!" Bridget held her arms out, "I've been tortured, wounded, chased, everything short of killed so I guess you succeeded?! Or did you figure that there was no point coming back after how long you'd been gone?"
"I didn't know where you were! And even then I didn't know how to get to you! I was fifteen when I left I still can't apparate well!" He defended himself.
"Well who's fault is that for not transferring to Illvermorney!?" She attacked once again.
"I'd already started at Hogwarts I didn't want-"
"JOHNATHON! BRIDGET!" Minerva yelled despite the entertained crowd around them.
"Sorry Aunt Minerva." Both of them said taking a step away from each other and turning to face her.
"Good, now Bridget fix your brothers face." Minerva instructed and Fred and George grinned seeing why Bridget always acted the way she did around McGonagall and it was even more amusing now.
"Ma'am." Bridget moved her wand quickly pointing it to Johnathon's face zapping it with a quick mending spell.
"Ow! Could have been gentler." He hissed towards her.
"She just said to fix it." Bridget muttered then stomped a foot down, "I have things I have to do right now! We all do! Stop distracting me John!"
Johnathon watched as she walked away with Remus, his mouth agape before muttered, "Well…my sister hates me."
"Give her time mate," George slapped him on the shoulder, "She's had it rough since you left. She just needs time to readjust to ya."
"Good to see you Johnathon." Minerva said giving him a hug. "Now, go with your sister."
John did as she said and he found her outside the Great Hall with the other Primals. Tevos looked down at Bridget, "What's the plan? You're in charge here Faltey."
"Those that can fly, up on the roofs for containment, defense, and aerial attacks, those that can't stay on the ground and help with defense and protection of students. Our goal is to keep them busy. Give Harry as much time as we can." Bridget decided.
"And no matter what, we do not let them get Bridget, her brother, or her bondmate." MacRose spoke up.
"Yes. We must do whatever it takes to keep them away from You-Know-Who until it's time." Tevos told everyone.
"Time for what?" Bridget asked.
"You'll find out." Tevos peered down at her, "I'll see you on the roof."
As they finished talking the statues from the walls began jumping down and marching out to the main entry way. Bridget, George, Fred, John, Remus, Arthur, and a few Primals watched as this happened. Bridget looked impressed, "Always wondered why those were there."
"Yes, it is very interesting." Remus broke his gaze, "Now up we go."
The six of them headed up the staircases to the roof since Bridget wanted to save all the energy she could and John noticed Georges hand in hers the whole way up. They had to stop for a staircase to move and John looked at her, "Why do they want me?"
"They must think you're my bondmate." Bridget shrugged, "For a moment they thought it was Harry, they still might but figure better safe than sorry."
"How do you know they thought it was Harry?" Remus asked as they continued walking.
Bridget smiled up at George, "Good to know that you do keep my letters a secret."
"Makes me feel special." He smiled.
"Well some Snatchers got us, took us to Bellatrix, they tortured Hermione and I a bit to find out how we had the sword of Gryffindor and who my bondmate was. She asked me if it was Harry in a very confident way and I said no, it was Cedric but that they had killed him. Then she said it couldn't be my uncle because they had killed him," Bridget looked up at John as they reached the roof, telling her story as if she herself was bored with it and not a big deal, "Oh yeah he used the curiaturs curse on me to find out where you were, got caught, failed his mission, went to Azkaban, and they probably killed him after he got out because he was a 'useless half-breed'. Apparently they didn't know before. But after that I told them it could have been mum or da too but they also killed them so I guess that made them think it was the one person in my family they didn't kill."
George couldn't help but laugh at her blasé way of telling the story and he put his arm around her, "You tired Bridg?"
"Exhausted." She looked up at him, leaning her head on his chest.
"It's obvious." Remus smiled at her, "After tonight I must insist on you sleeping for three full night before I'll let you see my son."
"What? Three nights?" Bridget whined and everyone laughed at her.
George wrapped her up in a hug as Remus and Arthur got called over by Kingsley, "Three nights will be over before you know it."
"Fine." She hugged him back, burring her face in his chest. Fred saw this and decided to follow his father to give them a moment alone and John wasn't quite sure what to do so he just sort of meandered over to a banister to look at the barrier. Bridget mumbled, "I've missed you so much."
"I know. I've checked that bracelet so much I'm surprised my arm hasn't fallen off." He kissed the top of her head. She looked up at him and before he had a chance to kiss her she was called over by Tevos.
"Faltey. Come here." The woman leaned past an entry way to look at her, "Your brother too."
"Alright." She responded begrudgingly pulling herself from George. She and John went over to where Tevos was standing and looked at the woman, "Is everyone ready?"
"Everyone but you." Tevos looked down at her, "I don't even know where your skill set is at as you didn't come to your last assessment. Do you have your wings yet?"
"I do." She answered, "I can also create full flames, have them cover both of my arms, aim and shoot them, as well as the other things we already cleared with the frog and chameleon."
"And you? What can you do?" Tevos looked at John.
"I can levitate, move preexisting fire, blend into my surroundings, as well as leap far distances." He answered.
"Good, you will remain up here to help support the non-Primals but won't go into the sky instead getting vantage from the harder to reach areas up here. But your main priority is to protect her bondmate." Tevos stared down at him with a stern eye, "If anything happens to him depending on what she's doing we could lose her in an instant."
"Ma'am." John nodded.
A Primal came by with what looked like armored breast plates and handed one to Tevos but she took two handing one to Bridget, "Now, put this on."
"What is it?" Bridget slid her arms through the metal it hooking around her back and covering her chest. It left enough space on the back plate for her wings to come out.
"It's protection we haven't needed in many generations. While you have your wings out the armor will block you from any spell coming at you since you will be flying and not many will be able to avoid a barrage of curses." Tevos explained putting her own on.
"Well this would have been useful sooner." Bridget muttered.
"You did not inform me you could fly." Tevos glanced down at her. They were all distracted as the shield around the school began to glow cascades of explosions from Death Eaters attacked it. Bridget's posture straightened, John swallowed deeply and Tevos became more serious, "I assume you will want to be stationed near your bondmate?"
"For as long as I can be yes." Bridget answered.
"Alright, just remember do not give him away." Tevos placed a hand on her shoulder, her face becoming somewhat gentle, "I hear an Ironbelly got released from Gringotts."
"I couldn't leave him there." Bridget gave her a sad smile.
"Thank you. Now off you go." The woman waved Bridget off but looked to John, "We still have a few things to discuss."
Bridget watched as they went but when they rounded a corner she turned to go and find George. She walked to the other side of the roofs, trying to ignore the sounds of exploding. As she made her way outside she passed another Primal, a Council Woman she thought, Ginead maybe? The woman looked at her, "You'll need your wings young Phoenix, best get them out now."
She nodded her wings breaking from the confines of her back as she moved along finally spotting the twins. She came up to them with a smile, "Sorry about that."
"Not a problem." They both looked at her, trying not to seem nervous as the explosions continued.
"Nice armor." Fred looked at her, "Bring enough for the class?"
"Only the class that's going to be air borne." She smirked at him, "I'll let you try it on afterwards but it only works if you have wings."
"Still going to try it." He laughed.
George followed her as she went to the corner near them, "Is this where you'll be then?"
"Until I take off or Harry needs me, yeah." She looked up at him. Just looking at him she could see he was frightened, she didn't need the bracelet to tell her but she took his wrist and put it next to hers, showing the colors matched, "Me too."
"Good, I might think you were mental." He tried to laugh and she did. George cupped her face in his hand, his thumb stroking her cheek, as he leaned down pressing his lips to hers. She grabbed onto his waist, taking fists of his shirt into her hands, not wanting to ever let him go and he wrapped his arm around her back, sliding it between her wings. He's almost forgotten what it felt like to kiss her, to hold her, he'd conjured up the memories as much as he could but they would disappear more and more as time went on.
"That's my sister you've got your hands on." John spoke standing next to Fred.
They broke the kiss and she sighed, "Now he cares who has their hands on me."
"Give him a break, he feels bad enough as is." George whispered to her with a smile.
She nodded as they relinquished their grasp on each other. Bridget climbed on top of the railing of the roof, standing continuing to watch the explosions. John came to stand behind her with Fred and George on the other side. Her brother watched the green lights, "Reminds me of the Fourth of July back at the second home."
"I remember mum taking us down by the river to watch the fireworks when I was seven. It was one of the best nights of my life." Bridget said with a ghost of a smile on her face. She turned to look back at John, "I don't hate you. You're my brother, I couldn't. I just wish you told me why you left like you did, have a better explanation than just 'I was trying to protect you'. So you better not die, not for a long time, because you have to explain it to me, that and a whole lot more."
John wore a sad smile, "I'll tell you everything."
"You look like him." She looked back at the shield, "Da. The few memories I have of him, you look just like him."
"You remind me of both of them." He looked up at her standing there with her red and orange winds twitching at the ready, head held high, back straight, ready for anything. The things he and Tevos had discussed were pushed out of his mind at her image, nothing could hurt someone who looked like that, not someone who was as strong as her.
Their eyes all grew wide as the shield in front of them exploded with a single hit. Kingsleys voice echoed through the roofs and hallways where they all were, "Everyone get ready!"
John moved to be next to George and Bridget knelt down, as did all the other Primals on their perches ready to take off at a moment's notice. She watched as giants began making their way towards the viaduct bridge when her eyes caught movement among the stone warriors, "Professor Flitwick."
Instinct took over as she leapt from the roof, flying down towards the long stone pathway he was on and she heard someone call out her name. Turning she saw Tevos behind her, "Grab him, I've got you covered!"
"Right." Bridget acknowledged and narrowed her wings, picking up pace. She saw the woman breathe fire at a passing Death Eater, knocking him from the air. Dipping down she reached her hand out for the professor as she turned on her side to be able to fly though the tight space between the warriors. Flitwick reached up and took her hand and she held onto him with ease.
"Ms. Faltey, I never knew-" He spoke as they flew through the air.
"Later Professor." She yelled before dropping him in the main entrance with Minerva. She headed straight back up to the roof with Tevos right behind her.
They were pursued by four Death Eaters and Tevos took one out with her fire breath and Bridget shot a fire ball at another knocking him out of the air. One of them, the man who killed her mother, grabbed onto her arms after realizing that he couldn't hit her with a curse and she dragged him up the side of the castle roughly, her talons digging into his shoulders. Once she broke to the roof she pushed him into the walkways, knocking him out the far window with a powerful blast, killing him. Something twinged in the back of her mind.
The Room of Requirement
Remus yelled out to her, "Well done!"
"I've got to go!" She yelled out to him helping him dispatch another Death Eater.
"Do what needs to be done!" He yelled back and she nodded taking off, flying towards the nearest way to the seventh floor.