A/N- I'd like to give a thank you to the lovely DelightfulSerf98 for listening to my stressful ramblings about the upcoming chapters. Happy reading!
CHAPTER FIFTY SEVEN- The Room of Requirement
With wands lit and legs limping the four walked through the tunnel until it was so low they all had to crawl. "Please tell me we're almost there, Potter. This is increasingly uncomfortable," Malfoy said behind Hermione. "We're all uncomfortable Malfoy. We'll be there soon enough," Harry replied.
Harry abruptly stopped and caused Ron to run into his backside. "A little warning, Harry. I just ran into your ars-" Ron said. "Shh, Ron. We're here. When I lift the trap door have your wands at the ready, okay?" Harry said. With everyone in agreement Harry lifted a small square door and popped out of the tunnel. Ron followed as quickly as he could, followed by Hermione and Draco.
The four were covered in mud and grime and standing in the Shrieking Shack. Harry and Ron ran to move a bed that looked like it would fall apart at any moment and moved it aside. The Gryffindors kneeled down and said "Wulfric" to another square door in the floor. Malfoy and Hermione kept their wands ready for any intruders. "What's down there?" Hermione asked.
Before they could answer the door popped open and a voice unfamiliar to Hermione said happily, "Harry! Ron! We knew it was you! Hurry and get inside! Blimey look at you- you're covered in dirt! Where have you-". The unfamiliar voce peered behind Harry and Ron and shot his own wand out. "Get back, Harry! It's Malfoy!"
"Neville, he's with us. Move aside and let us in!" Harry said urgently. Confused but obedient Neville Longbottom moved aside and let the Gryffindors in as well as the Slytherins. Trailing behind them through another tunnel Neville asked, "Why are they here? Are they good now? Where did you go? What's happening?" Ron answered, "We'll explain everything once we're inside."
At the end of the tunnel Harry opened a giant door leading into a big bright room. Before Hermione could see what was inside she heard loud cheers coming from a large group of people. "Harry has come back!" Hermione heard one person say. "What took you so long, Harry?" Another voice asked.
By the time Hermione and Malfoy stepped through the door the cheering stopped at once and more than four people drew their wands at them. "Malfoys? What are they doing here?" A boy with ginger hair asked. Hermione knew it was either Fred or George Weasley but she could never tell them apart.
"Step aside! Move! Everyone, really, please stand aside," Professor McGonagall huffed while shoving students out of the way to get a closer look. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, it's about time you two got back. And I see we have brought two new additions to our merry gang?" McGonagall said directing her attention to the Malfoys.
"Professor, they know we're here. They saw us come in through the Whomping Willow. What's happening?" Harry said getting to the point. "Well, Mr. Potter, we knew that. You caused quite a stir coming in. For now we are fine. Why don't you all sit down and have something to eat? You all look frail as can be," McGonagall said.
"Miss Abbot, why don't you bring our returned friends and hungry new ones some of the stew you had been making? Then they can fill us in on where they all have been," the old witch said.
With dozens and dozens of eyes looking at them Hermione and Malfoy sat down at a long table lined with Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and a few Ravenclaws. It wasn't hard to tell that no one was pleased to have two Slytherins join. But once the food was in front of Hermione's face she couldn't care less if there were a thousand eyes on her. Hermione ate all her stew, followed by a second portion and a thick slice of bread.
"Is this the Room of Requirement? How did you manage to make it work?" Hermione finally asked after her belly was full. She recalled a time in her fifth year when she heard Harry and his friends used the Room of Requirement but they were caught and the room was discovered. "Indeed it is, Mrs. Malfoy. We can protect students within the walls of Hogwarts. It seems to expand as necessary. There are now boys and girls dormitories as well as another tunnel to Hogsmeade for food. I suspect the rest of the Order will be joining us soon now that everyone knows Mr. Potter has returned," McGonagall explained.
Hermione looked around the room at all the faces she knew. The ones most familiar to her were the students she graduated Hogwarts with who came back to defend their old school. Almost all the Gryffindors were there, less than half the Hufflepuffs and three or four Ravenclaws who were first or second years. McGonagall was clearly in charge, as she didn't see any other professors. "Now, why don't you all explain how you came together?" McGonagall said.
For the first time since arriving Malfoy spoke. "I believe I would rather have that conversation in private with you, professor. There is some information that would best be kept confidential," he said. "Then follow me to my quarters. Misters Potter and Weasley will join us," she said.
"We should be there too!" Fred or George Weasley said. "Us as well!" Dean Thomas said pointing to Neville Longbottom and another Gryffindor boy Hermione did not know. All of the older students and graduates were in agreement that they should be included on the details and voiced their opinions until McGonagall shouted, "Enough! Return to your duties and ensure the Order arrives safely!"
Leaving the main hall McGonagall led the way to her bedroom. It was small and simple but served its purpose with a bed, wardrobe, and desk. McGonagall sat behind it and Hermione who was in too much pain to stand took the chair across from her desk. "Now would be a good time to fill me in," McGonagall said. Harry was the one to give the details of their meeting and Malfoy occasionally added what had happed to him and Hermione since they left school.
Once their explanations were finished McGonagall asked, "Where is your daughter, Mr. Malfoy? I assume she is safe from harm?" Malfoy put his hand on Hermione's shoulder and answered, "Her whereabouts are unknown even to my wife and I but we believe her to be very safe. You-Know-Who will not reach her."
"That is a topic I would very much like to hear more about when we have the time. Harry, Ronald, I trust you were successful in the destruction of more horcruxes?" The old witch asked. "Three to go, professor," Harry answered. For the first time Professor McGonagall seemed to relax a little.
"Good. Let's hope the Order has been successful as well. I suggest it is time to prepare a battle plan. Mr. Weasley if you would go and fetch Misters Weasley, Longbottom, Thomas, Finnigan and Misses Lovegood and Bell?" Ron went straight away to get his fellow comrades and once the room was filled with Gryffindors and one Ravenclaw, McGonagall spoke.
"Until the Order gets here I am entrusting the safety of our students into your hands. Any student who is seventeen years or older may also help us fight. If battle should break out before the Order arrives I am entrusting the safety of the younger students to the elder Mr. Weasleys and Ms. Lovegood," McGonagall began before Fred and George Weasley interfered.
"We are fighting, professor!" One of the twins said. "You-Know-Who killed our sister. We will fight," the other twin said with angry tears. Hermione felt ashamed she almost forgot the death of Ginny Weasley in her second year. The girl was only eleven years old and her brothers wanted justice. Hermione was about to agree that the boys should have their vengeance until the girl called Ms. Lovegood spoke.
"I can watch the students, professor. I'm sure I can manage," the girl said in an airy voice. "Luna is surely capable of managing a bunch sixteen and unders!" Ron chimed in. The tension of the room seemed to have no affect on Luna Lovegood who seemed to be enjoying her day as if war were not about to break out.
"Fine. Ms. Lovegood can stay here and watch the students. But we must wait for the Order before we-" McGonagall said until a deafening crash filled the room and Malfoy howled in pain. The walls shook and a glass on McGonagall's desk crashed to the floor. "Oh dear, that can't be good, can it?" Luna said barely flinching or startled.
"Are they blowing up the school, ma'am?" Questioned the other Gryffindor boy. "They are not blowing up the school, Seamus! They'd be blowing themselves up as well," Ron said. Malfoy grunted in pain again behind Hermione and everyone turned to see what was wrong with him.
Clutching his arm he said, "More Death Eaters are arriving. It won't be long before He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named arrives as well." Everyone's eyes stared at him in shock as he rolled up his sleeve to reveal the black and blue arm caused by his Dark Mark. Katie Bell involuntarily gasped and Harry asked, "Can you feel them? How many are there? Can you act as a link between them?"
"More are coming. I don't know how many but that was a great summoning. I cannot act as a link but I can feel more approaching," Malfoy said. "Ms. Lovegood- go reassure the students. Until the Order arrives we will strategize our plan," McGonagall instructed.
Luna Lovegood left the room with a twirl of her robes and ten minds got set to working on how best to defend their school, their families, their friends, and defeat a dark wizard and his entire fleet.