Chapter Fifty Six

"The Hogwarts Wolfpack?" Professor McGonagall asked slowly, "I don't-"

"We knew that the war would get here sooner or later." Neville said calmly, trying not to think about how much he'd rather be with his parents for the few minutes they were going to have now, rather than having to explain everything, however much it needed doing, "So we got ready. We've been training, learning. And now that the time has come, that the battle is here, we know what to do."

"I…" Professor McGonagall said, looking around the room, "I think… I am very proud of you all."

Daphne found Harry and handed him his set of white robes, "I wasn't sure if you wanted to wear them."

Harry nodded, "I hadn't thought about it, but seeing all of you… thank you."

He took the robes, changing quickly in the corner of the room, everyone was too distracted to watch him.

"Where are the missing students?" Severus asked, "Crabbe, Goyle, the Lestrange twins…?"

"They received letters last night from their parents saying they were needed at the Death Eater camp in the forest first thing this morning, then we got the house elves to block their entry back onto the immediate grounds." Daphne said frankly.

"That shows a lot of forethought from you Miss Greengrass." Severus said, feeling a slight chill from his sons friend still.

Daphne smiled at him, "We've had a lot of time to plan."

Daphne waited until Harry had changed before walking up onto the stage, Draco, Hermione, Neville, Pansy and Harry all dressed in white robes as well following her up there.

"We've practised, we knew this was coming." Daphne said clearly, so the whole room could easily hear here, "This will be bloody and this will be hard. No one will be judged for not staying, no one has to fight and for those who wish to stay I ask you to think about it very carefully. Anyone under the age of seventeen is not permitted to stay and fight. Anyone over the age of sixteen who has been training for medical duties, you mustn't leave the hospital wing unless it is to gather the injured. You've got your red crosses on your robe sleeves, they will allow you in and out of the hospital wing after the house elves have sealed it. You will not be able to get in there unless you have a red cross, or are with someone who has one and they want to take you in."

Neville let this all sink in before stepping forward to take over, "There is a tunnel out through the Come and Go room, anyone under sixteen and those who do not wish to fight or heal, please follow Fred and George Weasley, Conan and Cole DeGere who will show you out. Once you are in the Hogshead meet up with someone who can apparate who will get you out of here. Do not leave the Hogshead into Hogsmead itself!"

"Those who are staying to help fight, you know your positions." Daphne said, "Go to them quickly and calmly. We can do this, it wont be easy but, We. Will. Win."

Harry watched as nearly everyone in the Hall started to move out in organised lines, leaving the six of them on the stage, Luna, Cho, William and the Order of the Phoenix as well as a handful of others like Daphne's parents, Narcissa and Lucius in the Hall.

Corvus had found Thomas soon after he'd revealed himself and was trying to catch up with him in the moving line heading towards the Come and Go room. Neither of them were old enough to stay, and Neville had been very clear about Thomas and Matthew making sure they left.

All of a sudden Thomas ducked out of the line. Corvus called to him, but there was either too much noise around or Thomas was ignoring him. He followed the line, swept along to the Come and Go room.

Inside he could see students walking through a tunnel in single file that lay behind a solid wooden door on the back wall. He was just about to step through into the Come and Go room when he pulled back, moving out of the line himself.

He simply couldn't leave until he knew Thomas was safe.

Thomas pulled on Astoria's sleeve and ducked out the river of students to where Daphne and Neville were waving them over. Matthew, joined them a few seconds later.

"We just wanted to say goodbye." Daphne said, pulling Astoria into a tight hug, "You stay safe."

Astoria nodded tearfully, "I will. You do too though! I can't lose you."

Daphne smoothed her hair back, "You wont lose me." she promised.

"I could help." Astoria pouted, "I really could, I'm just as fast as you… at some of the spells."

"Oh you are not!" Daphne laughed, before forcing herself to stop as this was no time for sibling competition, "Well, maybe you are for some of them. But it's not safe for you to stay."

"Then it's not safe for you either." Astoria countered.

"I'm older, you're not of age yet and you know it." Daphne shrugged, "Look, if… if things go wrong, I'll need you to take over. Be our second line of defence."

Astoria nodded and pulled her sister into another tight hug.

"You should get going," Daphne said, forcing herself not to break down, "We don't know how long we've got."

Thomas, Matthew and Neville had just hugged, not wanting to waste a second of what little time they had left together. They finally broke apart when Astoria tapped Matthew on the shoulder.

Neville and Daphne walked them the rest of the way to the Come and Go room, handing the three younger siblings directly over to Cole and George and watching them walk into the darkness of the tunnel. So they knew they were out of the castle and as safe as could be.

"Time to get ready." Neville said, puffing out his cheeks and letting out a big breath of air.

"Time to get ready." Daphne nodded.

They turned from the tunnel and walked slowly back to the Great Hall.

Inside there hadn't been much of frenzied preparations, but rather catching up between those who had been separated for so long. Severus had explained what had happened at the end of the previous school year when he'd left the school.

He still claimed he'd killed Dumbledore in a fit of rage over Danica, who of course he still loved. Harry hadn't said anything to the contrary, although he now remembered that it wasn't the case. Gemini had killed Dumbledore, not Severus.

"I saw Tracy, in the crowds." Harry said, unable to hear any more about Dumbledore's death, "Tracy Davis. I didn't think she'd count as someone on our side."

"We gave her a letter, from her step father but apparently she ignored it. And she knew about wearing the white robes." Daphne shrugged, "I think… I think she's reconsidered a lot lately."

Harry nodded, spotting for the first time the jagged words carved into her arm that showed clearly with her elbow length sleeves.

Daphne saw him looking and moved her arm away, "I guess I'm going to need to stop wearing sleeves that end above my wrists."

Harry shook his head, "No… no. I wasn't meaning to stare."

Daphne shrugged, "Yes well… I can't blame you. It's awful."

"You know it's not true." Harry said gently, "It was just Umbridge picking what she thought would hurt you most."

Daphne gave him a gentle, half smile, "It's a bit confusing in my brain generally. Not helped by the fact I've had no time to process it all. That will come later I suppose."

Harry nodded, "You and Ron seem pretty friendly." he teased gently.

Daphne rolled her eyes, but Harry noticed her smile grew a little.

"Another thing I've really not had time to think about." Daphne said firmly.

Harry nodded, and wisely chose not to push it any further.

"It's time to head out." Pansy said, returning from the entrance hall.

"They're not in yet?" Harry asked, frowning slightly, "What's keeping them?"

"We had the house elves strengthen the barriers." Neville explained, "It'll be more difficult than they think to get in. We wanted to line them up a bit, see how many there are."

Harry nodded, double checking the invisibility cloak was in his robe pocket and clutching his wand firmly in his hand.

He stood still for a moment, taking several deep breaths before following the line of people streaming towards the Hogwarts grounds.