Deathly hallows pt1
They arrived at Hogwarts hours later in the dead of night. Her makeup had run down her face and dried that way. When he pulled the bike to a stop in front of the castle she climbed out.
“Thanks Hagrid.” She said softly and walked to the doors, pushing them open and finding herself confronted with McGonagall immediately.
“Are you alright?” The woman asked without hesitation.
Ryleigh nodded, “Hagrid got me out… the ministry is… gone.” She said gravely and McGonagall watched her with wide eyes.
“They’ll be here next.” McGonagall said.“Come on now.”
Ryleigh let the woman lead her back to their chambers.
“What’s going to happen now?” She asked.
“I— I don’t know.” McGonagall said honestly.
Xx
She was sitting with Ro in the great hall when footsteps drew near. She quickly pushed him behind her with her hand at the ready.
She knew it was him before he rounded the corner, she’d have known his rushed footsteps anywhere by now. She had spent all of her summer avoiding her confused thoughts about her ex-mentor, this man she’d trusted and then watched kill their headmaster.
Behind him stood two other black robed people, a man and a woman.
She stared at him, wand still clutched tightly in her hand.
He motioned for the two to leave and they did.
“You can lower that.” He said but she ignored him.
From behind her Ro had poked his head out and was watching them confused.
“I’m not going to hurt you Ms Walsh.” Snape said. She thought he sounded exhausted.
“You killed him right in front of me. I’m not going to put my wand away. You might as well go.” She hissed.
He took a breath before he spoke again. “I only came to inform you of regulations that have been set.” He said.
“I don’t care about your regulations. I trusted you! I thought—“ she stopped, “it’s not even worth it. Let’s go Ro.” She said and started to lead to boy out.
“I simply wanted to assure you that Bellatrix Lestrange will not be permitted on campus while I am acting headmaster.” He said finally sounding rather defeated.
“Right, I suppose that’s supposed to be kind of you? Am I meant to thank you? None of them— none of you would be on campus if you hadn’t murdered him.” She said with a scuff and continued out of the room.
Xx
“Attendance to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and Wizardry is now compulsorily for any pure and half-blood students of age.” Ryleigh read allowed.
“What do we do?” She asked McGonagall. “Snape knows that Ro and Quinn aren’t half bloods.”
“If he was planning to do anything about it he would have done so already.” She said simply.
“Quinn isn’t of age yet. She’ll have to steer clear of the Carrows. Ro will have to be enrolled.”
Xx
When the trains arrived Ryleigh and Ro were both waiting already in their robes. He had gotten a wand from the Ollivanders in hogsmede from an associate of Ollivander. Upon arrival of the older years Ginny gave Ryleigh a tight hug.
“Can you believe about Snape!” She asked and Ryleigh shushed her.
“Not out here.” She said, “have you seen Luna?”
“Saw her on the train, she’ll be here.” Ginny said and Ryleigh let out a breath. “They took all the muggle-borns as soon as we got off the train.”
Ryleigh shook her head in disgust.
“You look good kid. Nice wand.” Ginny said to Ro then went to take her seat in the great hall.
Ryleigh continued to wait with Ro for Luna, who gave her a quick sneaky kiss before heading to Ravenclaw table. Then she waited until the other first year students arrived. There were very few of them in total which made sense. She gave Ro a tight hug and told him that he would do great before leaving them with McGonagall and heading to the great hall. Most everyone looked up at her as she entered but she ignored them and walked straight down the isle to her seat in the front next to Ginny.
The first years entered following McGonagall who walked straight forward, head held high and refusing to acknowledge Snape.
She read the names off her list, “Kari Dennis”
And a girl walked forward nervously. She sat on the stool and McGonagall placed the hat on her head.
“Gryffindor” it said after a minute and she walked over to their table. They clapped quietly for her and Ginny gave her a small wave. But the tension in the room killed any excitement that would have normally come with the sorting.
Finally they got to Ro and he sat on the chair, he was fidgety and she wanted to comfort him but she knew she couldn’t.
“Come on come on.” She whispered to herself hopefully.
“Slytherin.” That hat said and she nearly cursed out loud.
The boy looked heart brokenly at her and she mouthed “it’s okay, it’s good” to him before McGonagall pointed to the table he should go sit at.
After the sorting McGonagall made her way to her own seat and they all sat in silence for a long time before Snape finally stood.
“There will be two course curriculum changes. Muggle studies will now be mandatory for all students and taught by Professor Carrow.” He said and pointed halfheartedly to the woman on his left.
“And defense against the dark arts will be replaced with the Dark Arts and taught by Professor Carrow.” And he gestured to the right of him to the man seated.
“Dismissed.” He said lamely and left the room.
Ryleigh quickly made her way to Ro.
“You listen to me. Do as your told, don’t make trouble okay? If you need something you find Minerva or me! I love you.” She rushed out as the Slytherin Prefect led him away. It was a boy about her age with brown hair.
“We’ll take care of him Walsh.” He said and she realized it was the boy who’d run away during the Yule ball. The one who hadn’t wanted to hurt her, sure he hadn’t helped her either but… she thought he would honestly do his best.
That night she spend nearly the entire night pacing her dorm while Ginny slept.
“Ryleigh, stop pacing. Go to sleep.” The girl said sleep coating her voice.
“Sorry..” Ryleigh said awkwardly and sat on her bed and let her leg bounce up and down with anxiety instead.
Xx
In the days that followed Hogwarts was a cold and hollow place compared to the Hogwarts that they all once knew. Student punishment were all referred to the Carrow siblings and as such the professors tended to not punish anyone. Punishments from the Carrows would be torture by cruciatus cure or a beating if they wanted to change it up.
They hardly saw Snape, he spent nearly all his time in the headmasters office. She’d check in with Ro everyday and it seemed that Slytherin house was the best place for him to be. The carrows hardly paid any attention to them at all. She barely saw Quinn who McGonagall kept sequestered away in their chambers for the younger girls safety.
She was sitting in ‘Dark Arts’ early in October when the Carrow brother walked in, hand full of her brothers robes dragging him in.
“Ro?” She asked as she stood.
“Sit.” The Professor said and flicked his wand forcing her back into her seat.
“What are you doing!?” She screamed as he brought the tearful boy to the front.
“We’re going to have a demonstration.”
“No!” She screamed again.
“First we’ll be practicing the Imperius curse.” The man said, “imperio.” and pointed his wand at the small blonde boy.
No one said a word as the man traipsed the boy around the room like a puppet.
When he got bored he released the boy from the curse and he shook his head like he was just waking up from sleep.
“Ro?” Ryleigh asked quietly.
“Now. The cruciatus cure.”
“No!!” Ryleigh yelled again, she forced her self out of her seat, breaking her holding spell and standing between her brother and the Professor.
“D-do me.” She said. “Not him.”
The man raised a brow. “I like to see the little ones squirm.” He said. “But you’ll do for today.”
Ryleigh turned around and pushed Ro into Ginny’s arms.
“This isn’t right!” Neville shouted and the man shot a “silencio” at him.
Ryleigh stood before man. Head held high to meet his eyes. He smirked.
“Crucio” he whispered menacingly and she felt her body constrict, the oxygen flew from her lungs and she dropped hard to her knees but refused to fall any further down.
Ginny held Ro’s head away from the scene.
“Crucio.” The man said louder now and she gasped loudly, searching for air but her body was burning and she couldn’t inhale.
“Done this before have we?” He taunted. “Crucio!”
Finally she fell back into the ground, her body arching and shaking violently.
“Carrow.” Snapes voice from the hall echoed throughout the room. “Enough.”
And it stopped just like that. The Professor huffed.
“Ms Weasley. Remove Ms Walsh.” Snape snapped and Ginny ran to her side, trying to help her off the ground. Snape nodded to Neville who made a quick move to help the red head pick up the girl and carry her from the room, Ro followed after them as they passed by Snape he looked at the man again, confused.
They took her to McGonagalls transfiguration classroom where her office was attached. The class stared at them as the dragged her through.
“Stay here.” McGonagall order the 2nd years and followed after them.
“Put her there on the couch.” The woman said. “What-“
“Cruciatus.” Neville supplied, having his voice back.
“Carrow tried to practice on Ro.” Ginny said and the boy in question ran into his room with Quinn, closing the door behind him.
“I’ll talk to him.” Ginny said and followed them.
McGonagall looked to Ryleigh who was just waking again.
“Wha-“ she asked, “Ro?” And tried to sit up.
“Stay down.” McGonagall ordered. “Ryleigh your body isn’t well enough for you to be volunteering for curses.” The woman sounded stressed, overworked and overwhelmed.
“I am fine- I couldn’t let him—“
“I know…” McGonagall said sadly. “Why did he let you out?”
“Snape.” Neville answered. “Told him to stop and then let us take her.”
Ryleigh shuttered again.
“There nothing I can… do.” McGonagall said.
“I know- I’ll be fine I just need… a minute to rest…” Ryleigh said and let her eyes slide shut.
She could hear McGonagall say something but couldn’t tell what before she was out.
Xx
They’d been meeting in the room of requirement, hiding out when needed, and forming plans to resist the carrows and snape.
“We’re going to take the sword.” Ginny explained when Ryleigh entered that day. Her limp had only increased with the additional curses.
“No.” She said. “It’s in his office, how on earth are you going to get it? And what are you going to do with it?”
“We’re going to send it to Harry!” Neville said.
“How?” Ryleigh asked, “we have enough problems of our own.”
“Harry is the only one who can defeat Voldemort, love. He needs to or this will be the way it stays forever.” Luna said softly. “Help us.”
Ryleigh looked at her girlfriend for a long time before she spoke. “Fine.”
Luna smiled and gave her a kiss.
“You’re the distraction.” Luna said and Ryleigh huffed.
“Why do you think—“
“Snape has been trying to talk to you all term Ryleigh. Don’t pretend like he doesn’t have a soft spot for you. We need to use it to our advantage.”
Ryleigh looked between them.
Xx
“Professor?” She asked as she poked her head into the office.
He was standing in front of Dumbledores portrait, it looked like they were having a conversation before he spun around at her voice.
“What?” He snapped.
“I- um… wanted to t-thank you.. for a few weeks ago, in dark arts I mean.” She said.
He motioned for her to leave the office, clearly trying to hide something but she didn’t care so long as he exited with her.
“Despite what all of the students and staff would prefer to think I do not want my students tortured.” Was just response as they walked down the hall.
He walked at his normal fast pace and she couldn’t keep up.
“Sorry, can you slow down.” She asked, face bright red in embarrassment. He stopped and waited for her.
“Are you quite well?” He asked.
“No, I’ve been tortured repeatedly.” She snapped back.
He didn’t say anything.
“Is your sister managing?” He asked suddenly.
“She’s fine, lonely but, fine.” Ryleigh said softly.
“Back to the dorms now.” He said and turned to go back to his office.
“W-wait I-“ she said but it was too late, he was back up the stairs in a flash and she couldn’t catch up, but she tried, running down the hall and up the stairs just in time to see him snatch the sword of Gryffindor back from Neville’s hands.
“Detention. The lot of you.” He said. “With Hagrid.”
They all looked at each other confused. Hagrid? That was hardly a punishment at all.
“Out!” He shouted.