Chapter 19
Nods of agreement met Harry's simple declaration, and the sixth year quickly began to outline their plan.
"I need any students fourth year and below to return to your dorm rooms," he called over the quiet hum of voices. Several people protested, but Harry just shook his head. "It's too dangerous. All of you return to your dorms. Not just the common rooms, I need you to go back to your rooms."
There was more grumbling, but those in their fourth year or lower all left the Hall. Harry nodded decisively. "All right. If anyone else doesn't want to fight, I won't make you. But you'll need to head back to your rooms now as well." He waited another moment, but no one left. Harry smiled slightly. "Now that that's settled, Cho, Luna, you'll take a group up to the Ravenclaw tower to provide cover. Neville and Susan, you know the statue of the humpback witch?" They nodded, and Harry continued, "There's a secret passage to Hogsmeade behind it. You two stake it out. Hermione and Ron will stay here with a group to defend the Entrance Hall, Blaise and Daphne will take a group down to the dungeons, and Ginny and I will take a final group to Gryffindor tower. Let's divide up now into even groups around each leader."
There was a flurry of movement as the students all picked a group. When they were all situated, Harry made a few adjustments, switching some of them to a different group if he thought they would be better somewhere else. There were a few classmates he knew had excellent aim, and thought would be more beneficial in one of the towers, rather than the dungeons or Entrance Hall.
Once they were all ready, Harry looked at his friends, and pulled a shrunken package out of his pocket, and enlarged it. "Fred and George sent me this, this afternoon," he explained. He handed out what looked like little flesh-colored balls. "These are transmitters," he said. "Put them in your ear, and we should be able to communicate despite the different locations in the castle."
They all put the devices in their ears, marveling at the genius of the twins.
"These are similar to some of the muggle communication devices," Hermione commented.
Harry nodded, smiling. "Fred and George get way more ideas from the muggle world than we give them credit for," he replied. "Now let's get to our positions."
They all nodded seriously, and left the Hall, taking their groups with them.
Harry and Ginny took the last group up to the Gryffindor Tower, Harry taking the walk to attempt to communicate with the castle itself. He had never consciously done it before, but as a Founder's heir, theoretically he thought it should be possible.
He felt a presence in the back of his mind, and smiled slightly at the comforting feeling he got. Latching onto that sensation, he confirmed that no younger students were anywhere other than in their dorm rooms. Once he got that confirmation, he asked the castle to close off the rooms, so that no one could get out until he released them.
He got something back that he was sure was an affirmative from the castle, telling him that all the students were in their rooms and the wards wouldn't allow them to leave. As an added measure, he also asked the castle to put up silencing wards, so that they wouldn't hear what was going on around them.
When they reached the Gryffindor Tower, the Fat Lady peered at them suspiciously. "Gossip from the portraits indicates quite a lot of activity tonight," she said, looking at Harry.
Harry shook his head and said the password. The Fat Lady didn't look happy, but swung open and allowed the group of students to enter.
Harry positioned everyone around the windows, before he went to go grab the Marauder's Map. Several students were confused when he walked through what appeared to be a solid wall where the staircase to the dorms should be.
Ginny just smiled, knowing that no wards the castle raised could stop her boyfriend from going where he wanted.
Harry returned a few minutes later with the Map in his hands and his Invisibility Cloak in his pocket, just in case.
He took out his wand and tapped the Map, murmuring, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
Several of the students gasped as lines began to form on the old piece of parchment.
"What is that?" Hannah Abbott asked curiously, watching the lines turn into corridors and classrooms, and small dots begin to materialize.
Harry looked up. "A family heirloom," he replied. "It's a map of Hogwarts that shows where people are in the castle."
"That's awesome!" a fifth year Ravenclaw exclaimed.
Harry smiled and nodded, before turning his concentration to the Map. "All right, we don't know who's coming, when, or where. Hopefully I'll be able to spot them on this whenever they do arrive, but we've got the most important areas covered."
With people stationed at the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor towers, a group covering the Entrance Hall, one in the dungeons in case they received opposition from the worrisome Slytherins, and one covering the most convenient passage to Hogsmeade, he thought they were pretty well covered.
They all waited in – mostly – silence, as the night drew later. Some students got a little impatient, but a few words from Harry calmed them down. He kept in touch with the others via the communicators, and everyone continued to wait.
It was after ten when Harry saw the first signs of activity. He frowned when he saw names start to appear halfway down the hallway where he knew the Room of Requirement was located.
He recognized several names – Avery, Macnair, two different Carrows, and – he growled – Fenrir Greyback. What the hell were those Death Eaters thinking, bringing that werewolf into a school?
Ginny looked over at him. They're Death Eaters, Harry, she said. I don't think they care.
Harry shrugged with one shoulder. I guess you're right.
Into the earpiece, he told the others of the development. "All right, I've got five on the seventh floor." He paused and moved his attention to another section of the Map. "Ron, Hermione, there's seven moving in from the grounds. Looks like they came out of the forest or the Whomping Willow passage. Cho, Luna, you guys give 'em hell, we'll take care of the ones already inside."
He got affirmatives back, and looked at the group around him. "Heads up, guys, we don't have a lot of time. Disilussionment Charms. They're a few hallways away, so let's break up. Two people take cover in each room. Wait for my signal before attacking." He looked around at the group of roughly ten students. "Be careful."
They all left the tower immediately, and headed down several corridors until they were one hallway over from the Room of Requirement. Harry directed the students to start hiding, and he and Ginny took a room themselves.
They waited with baited breath as the Death Eaters moved closer. When Harry heard them pass the door he and Ginny were hiding behind, he raised his wand, counting in his head. Ginny waited for him to give the signal, knowing that he was waiting for the right moment.
A few seconds later, Harry made his move. A silencing spell on the door ensured that none of the Death Eaters heard him leave the room. Though he didn't say anything, Ginny knew what he was planning, and was right behind him.
Harry stepped out into the hall behind the last Death Eater, and immediately shot off a stunner. Ginny threw out a cutting curse half a second later, and the fight was on.
The rest of the students, knowing that this was the signal they were waiting for, left their hiding spots and opened fire.
Caught between students ready and waiting to defend their school, the Death Eaters descended into confusion. But not for nothing were these names some of the most feared in the wizarding world.
They regained their wits quickly, and began firing back, with worse curses than stunners.
The students were forced to take cover from Unforgivables, entrails expelling curses, and blasting hexes, just to name a few.
Harry grimaced and tried to get his group into some semblance of order. Most students had taken to doorways, firing their shots as they could get them.
Harry shot off a Reductor curse at one of the Carrows, and grit his teeth as he saw that they were losing ground. The Death Eaters were getting closer to the end of the hallway, and closer to the Entrance Hall.
"Damn it," he muttered under his breath. "Cho, Luna, we're going to need some help. Half you guys stay there to provide cover, and the rest meet us near the main staircase."
He got an affirmative from Cho, and then turned his attention back to the immediate problem.
Greyback let out a snarl when Harry landed a glancing cutting curse, and turned his attention to the opponent who was attempting to stop him from reaching his goal.
Harry was forced to duck inside a classroom as the werewolf threw a large fireball towards him. A loud bang was followed by several stones falling from the ceiling, and the door collapsing on itself.
"Harry, we're here," Luna's voice came from the earpiece, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he got to work on clearing a path for him to exit the classroom.
It took a few minutes, but he managed to get the doorway cleared. When he left the room, the hallway was nearly destroyed, but devoid of students.
Harry, we're getting herded towards the Entrance Hall, Ginny informed him. We need some help here.
Harry grit his teeth and immediately headed towards the sounds of fighting he could hear even all these levels above the actual conflict. I'm on my way.
"Guys, I think we've got more issues," Blaise said, sounding frustrated and out of breath, like he was running and talking at the same time. "There's a group of unfriendlies heading up from the dungeons now."
Harry frowned as he reached the Entrance Hall and immediately jumped into the fray. "How the hell did they get in?" he asked, shooting a stunner and a blasting hex one right after the other.
"Does it matter?" Daphne's voice cut in. "Point is, we need some help. We're getting pushed upstairs."
"So you'll join the party then," Harry said sardonically. "We've got a big fight in the Entrance Hall. I don't think we'll be of much assistance."
Blaise cursed but didn't say anything else as he turned his attention back to the group of seven Death Eaters that had somehow materialized towards the back end of the hallway that led to the Slytherin dorm rooms.
"Neville, can you guys come help us out?" Harry asked, dodging a cutting curse.
"Not really," Neville's voice came through the earpiece. He sounded a little out of breath. "We've got a group of Death Eaters up here as well."
"Damn it," Harry muttered. "How many?"
"Six," was Neville's reply. "We're holding our own, but we're not going to be of much help to you."
Harry nodded, though he knew his dorm mate couldn't see him. "Just be careful."
"Got it," Neville said, before putting all his attention on the Death Eaters that had emerged from the secret passage behind the one-eyed witch.
Harry knew the students were not nearly as experienced as their foes. He was relieved when he saw help come in the form of several of their professors. Flitwick and Sprout appeared at the top of the main staircase, and Vector, Babbling, and Sinistra came from the direction of the staff room.
Flitwick fought his way to Harry's side, knowing that the sixth year was most likely the one in charge. "How many?" he asked, his quick spellwork dropping a Death Eater from halfway across the hall.
Harry shrugged slightly, most of his attention focused on the battle around them. "At least twenty," he replied. "Blaise and Daphne are facing a group in the dungeons and need help, if you would?"
Flitwick nodded. "Say no more," he squeaked, and immediately rushed off towards the hall that led to the staircase down to the dungeons, only briefly pausing to have Professors Sinistra and Vector join him.
Ginny threw herself to the side to avoid the bright green flash of the Avada Kedavra curse, wincing as she impacted with the floor.
Picking herself up quickly, she turned to face her opponent. Her stomach dropped slightly as she saw that it was none other than Bellatrix Lestrange.
Bellatrix was grinning like a madwoman, and seemed too happy to focus on the determined redhead in front of her.
"You're playing in the big leagues now, girl," Voldemort's right-hand woman gloated.
Ginny glared, and fired off a series of fiery darts towards the insane woman, who conjured a shield to absorb them.
Out of the corner of her eye, Ginny saw her boyfriend fighting his way through the crowd, and then focused on the fight she was faced with.
Harry battled to Ginny's side, so that he could help her face off with Lestrange.
They held their own for a few minutes, until another Death Eater joined Bellatrix. When Harry and Ginny picked themselves up from the aftermath of the explosion sent their way, it was to see several Death Eaters – including Bellatrix and Greyback – leaving the Entrance Hall.
Harry shot a few curses after them, but none of them landed, and then he was dragged back into the fight right in front of him.
Ginny growled, facing off against her new opponent, someone she vaguely recognized from the few times she had gone to the Ministry with her father when she was younger. She thought he worked in the Department of Magical Transportation, but she wasn't certain. Yaxley, or something like that.
When Harry's attention turned to the departed Death Eaters again, Ginny told him to leave. We've got things covered here, Harry. You go after them.
Harry looked at her briefly, before nodding and barreling towards the staircase. You be careful, he implored as he followed the path the Death Eaters had taken a few minutes earlier.
You too, was Ginny's reply, already focusing back on the Death Eaters in the Entrance Hall.
Harry wasn't sure where the Death Eaters were going, but it looked like they were heading up several levels. Focusing on the castle, he was able to get a distinct sense of wrongness heading towards the Astronomy tower.
"Why would they be headed there?" he muttered to himself as he quickly headed in that direction.
As he ran, he pulled out his Invisibility Cloak and covered himself, knowing that Disillusionment Charms could be fallible. His cloak had never failed.
He slowed down as he took the stairs up to the Astronomy Tower, mindful of the enemies above him.
When he got near the top, he started to hear voices, and, concentrating while creeping closer, the murmurs turned into words that he could understand.
"Hurry up, Carrow." Harry knew he would never forget the sound of Bellatrix's voice. "Dumbledore will be back any moment. We held him off as long as we needed, but now that the fight's over, he'll be returning to the safety of his precious castle."
Harry frowned as he realized that the fight in Diagon Alley that Fawkes had told him about was a setup. The Death Eaters had drawn the headmaster away from the castle so that they could get inside.
"We have enough time," another voice said, and Harry imagined that was Carrow, responding.
"What I don't understand is how they knew we were coming," a new voice chimed in. "We weren't expecting that much opposition."
"I have no idea," a younger voice spoke, and Harry imagined that this person was still a student. He didn't sound older than sixteen or seventeen. It sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.
"Well you better start thinking, Warrington," another voice drawled, and Harry ground his teeth at the recognizable tone of Malfoy junior. He filed away the name Warrington, as well. Warrington was a seventh year, and part of the group of worrisome students he had seen whispering together several times over the year.
"I did my part," the voice he now believed belonged to Warrington responded, and Harry imagined the seventh year was glaring at his younger former fellow Slytherin. "And I don't take orders from you, Malfoy. At least I didn't get caught."
Harry almost smirked. Not yet, he thought.
"It wasn't my fault," Malfoy sounded sulky, even to Harry several steps down and not in the room.
"Both of you shut up," another voice growled. "We've got more important things to do right now. Is the Dark Mark set?"
"Ready," the voice he thought belonged to Carrow responded. "When the old man returns, he'll come here first, following the Mark. We'll be ready."
"I hope so," Bellatrix said sharply. "Rodolphus says he just left the Alley."
Harry grimaced, knowing that he wasn't in any position to take on at least five Death Eaters by himself. Gin, how's it going down there? he asked.
Fighting's nearly done, Ginny replied. Several Death Eaters have already made a run for it, and the rest aren't putting up much of a fight. It's almost like they're not trying to hurt us anymore.
Harry nodded grimly. It's all a trap, he informed her. They've put the Dark Mark over the Astronomy Tower to lure Dumbledore to them.
Ginny swore mentally. You're on your own for now, Harry. Things are winding down, but help's not going to come for you. Not fast enough.
Harry nodded again. Just take care of yourself, Gin. If the Death Eaters are right and Dumbledore's on his way back now, you'll probably get help soon. At the very least Aunt Minerva, and if we're lucky, more fighters. Dumbledore's got to know something's up by now, if he's at all competent.
Ginny nodded and returned to her fight, while Harry refocused on the Death Eaters above him.
They were talking again. One of the unfamiliar voices was mentioning how easily they were able to get inside the castle.
"It wasn't that hard," Warrington sounded like he was trying to brag. "Montague told us about how when he was trapped in that Vanishing Cabinet last year, he could hear things from both Hogwarts and Borgin and Burkes. We realized that there must be another cabinet in the shop, so they formed a sort of passage. We moved the cabinet here to an out of the way room in the dungeons, and repaired it. We also discovered secret passageways on the seventh and fourth floor."
"And yet it took you a whole year," Malfoy sneered. "And let's not forget whose plan it was in the first place."
Warrington didn't reply, but Harry imagined he was rolling his eyes. He frowned in thought, remembering his own, ill-fated, trip to the shop in question, located in Knockturn Alley, before his second year. He vaguely recalled hiding in a cabinet there, to avoid being spotted by the Malfoys. Could it have been the same one? If so, it was probably a very good thing he hadn't closed the door all the way. He imagined that Warrington assumed he had discovered some impressive secret in the passageways they had used, but many people knew about the one behind the one-eyed witch. As for the seventh floor… he wasn't sure how they had gotten into the castle from the Room of Requirement, but he supposed one of the many rooms it could turn into was an out of the way entrance or exit. The Room of Requirement didn't have thoughts or emotions. It wouldn't know who was asking, but if Warrington or one of the others had been walking by while thinking about needing a way into the castle, and they inadvertently called the Room up, it would have provided for them.
"Quiet, both of you," Bellatrix snapped. "He's here."
There was a shuffling sound, as if the Death Eaters were getting into position, and then another sound, as if someone had appeared in the room.
A moment of silence, and then, "Draco."
Harry knew Dumbledore's voice.
Malfoy had clearly lost some of his bravado at the appearance of the headmaster. His reply was shaky at best, but there was determination in his voice. "Dumbledore. Looks like we've caught you unaware."
"We?" Dumbledore sounded like he was discussing the weather. There was another rustle, and then Dumbledore spoke again. "Ah. Bellatrix, I wish I could say I am honored. And Fenrir, to what do I owe this displeasure?"
"Oh you know, big school, lot's of… fun," the werewolf's voice was silky and pleased.
Dumbledore's reply was sharp. "Now you know I can't allow you to run loose in my school, Fenrir."
"Oh but we already have," Bellatrix gloated. "You all just played right into the trap at Diagon Alley, didn't you. Made it quite easy to get in here."
"Well, I'm sure you understand that I cannot allow you to wander around here any more."
Harry almost admired the way Dumbledore was able to remain calm when faced with such odds against him. But he knew that the moment was coming, and despite the headmaster's prowess, he was badly outnumbered. He snuck closer, until he was standing at the top of the stairs, finally able to actually see what was going on.
Malfoy was standing at the front of the group of Death Eaters, which numbered six, total, including Malfoy and Warrington.
"Do it, Draco," Bellatrix almost purred. "It's your mission, you must complete it."
Dumbledore was looking at Malfoy exclusively now. "You don't have to do this, Draco. You can step away."
Malfoy appeared scared but determined to Harry, although he wasn't at the best angle to actually read his former classmate's expression.
After a moment's silence, Draco raised his wand and fired. "Avada Kedavra!" he shouted, and a weak green light shot towards the headmaster.
Harry wished he could say that he was surprised that someone his age was willing to use such a curse, but with Malfoy, he really wasn't. Dumbledore seemed almost shocked as well, and was nearly too slow in moving out of the way of the killing curse.
Harry swore to himself, ducking into the room, and firing spells at the other Death Eaters.
There was confusion all around, with Voldemort's followers trying to figure out where the new opposition was coming from.
Bellatrix and Carrow were firing back in all directions, hoping to land a hit, while Warrington and Greyback just kept looking around them, trying to figure out where their opponent was hiding.
Malfoy was still facing off against Dumbledore, and didn't look pleased about it. The headmaster was, after all, one of the most powerful wizards there was. Even he could see that, though he still didn't think the old man could hold a candle to his Lord.
Albus was still trying to get Malfoy to see reason. "Draco, you don't need to do this." He dodged another curse. "You can come back to the light. It's not too late."
"Why would I want that?" Malfoy sneered, though he was panting hard with exertion. "To play nice with mudbloods and blood traitors? Follow muggle loving fools like you?"
Bellatrix seemed to have given up on finding Harry, and was leaving him to Carrow, Greyback, and Warrington, who had finally gotten involved and were firing spells as well.
"Enough of this!" she shrieked. "Do it, Draco!"
Draco determinedly cast a powerful Reducto at the floor beneath Dumbledore.
The headmaster's eyes widened briefly as he tried to shield himself from the blast. Unfortunately, he had been expecting it to be aimed at him, not the floor.
The curse caused the floor to explode, and as he was precariously situated near the open air at the edge of the tower, he was thrown backwards, his wand falling out of his hand as he struggled to keep conscious.
He lasted a second longer, before the black encroached on his vision, and he knew no more.