Talking With Snakes||D.M

The Horcrux and the Phoenix.

I head towards the doors and as I look out I stop abruptly. Multiple teachers and students are standing with their wands in the air, casting white beams into the sky. The streams meet in the sky, starting to form a dome around the Hogwarts grounds.

In the midst of my gazing I neglect to realize that the shield spell will not only keep them out, but it will keep me in.

With renewed vigor I rush out the door at full speed. I can see the shield starting to close in on the bridge making me push myself faster. If I didn't make it out now I didn't know if I could apparate out, or back in for that matter.

I zoom past McGonagall, catching her off guard, her focus shifting to me instead of the barrier. I let out a howl as I watch the barrier start to dissolve, her stream no longer fueling it. My howl brings her back to the task at hand and see the light emanate from her wand once again.

" Be careful Elliana!" She shouts after me, causing everyone to turn to me briefly.

I pass Lupin as he turns to look to McGonagall, instead his eyes landing on me speeding past him. I keep my gaze focused on the closing gap in front of me, watching the light slowly close in around the bridge.

" Elliana!" He shouts after me but I ignore him completely.

I'm cutting it close for sure, but I can still make it if I can just push myself faster.

I weave through giant statues gathered at the entrance of the bridge. There's about a meter until the bridge is closed off and I feel the hope bubble up inside me. I reach the barrier just in time to slide under it before it closes behind me completely.

As soon as I'm out I freeze to look around and figure out my surroundings. I'm at the very front, where the carriages normally bring us in, not the ideal spot.

I trot towards the forest to hide in the shadows to catch my breath and figure out a plan. However when I get there the smell of grease automatically consumes me and I follow it carefully.

When I get to the end of the trail I see hundreds if not thousands of wizards, witches and snatchers alike. I keep hidden from them as my eyes glaze over the scene, along with all the all the different creatures in the grouping.

I disregard them for now, searching for a particular scent. After a minute I find what I'm looking for, following the scent of various ingredients that form the smell of the potions classroom. Carefully making my way through the woods towards the scent and my ally.

I skid to a stop, jumping when I hear a loud bang ring out. When I look back the barrier around Hogwarts has started to peel apart, raining fiery bits of magic down on the school. The brilliant white of the shield slowly being dissolved by the fire left behind by the countless spells thrown at it.

When I finally tear my eyes away from the scene before me, cutting off my emotions to the school in it's entirety, I start running.

Even if the castle fell tonight, there would never be any doubts that Hogwarts lived on. After all, Hogwarts wasn't just a place, it was the people that made up Hogwarts. The students who every year roamed it's halls, the professors that have taught for numerous years inside the old classrooms.

The castle may just be material, but Hogwarts was the students and the professors and all the little living things that roamed it's halls.

It was the ghosts that made Hogwarts humorous.

It was the Professors who left us excited for each day.

It was the people who sacrificed everything for us to be where we are. People like Dumbledore, Cedric Diggory, Sirius Black and even Lily and James Potter. Even though it was in past tense that they roamed the halls it still aided us in our day to day life. They kept us moving, kept us strong and in some cases, gave us hope.