Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Many of you are surly wandering why I have summoned you here at this hour" Snape starts his speech, the dull hall full of the students of each house stood up in order of the years, looking much like an army would before they left off to war. "It has come to my attention that earlier this evening...Harry Potter was spotted in Hogsmeade" A bunch of excited murmurs filled the hall as the students spoke upon each other. "I mention this in the hopes that truth will not be supplanted by rumor. For myself and a few select members of the staff this comes as little surprise. We have, for some time, considered Mr. Potter's return to Hogwarts to be not only possible but inevitable. Consequently, in the past several months and under my specific direction, exhaustive defensive strategies have been employed to defeat any attempt Mr. Potter might make to breach these walls. But know this. Should anyone -- student or staff -- attempt to aid Mr. Potter, that person will be punished in a manner consistent with the severity of their transgression. Rest assured: So long as I am Headmaster at Hogwarts, Harry Potter will never again step foot in this castle."
An applause erupts from most of the Slytherin's, making Snape hold up his hands to cut the hall into a silence, before he begins to slowly making his way down the stairs so that he remains in front of them exactly, analysing their movements.
"Now then, if anyone here has knowledge of Mr.Potter's movements this evening...I invite them to step forward now" he stops his walking as his eyes gaze over the top of them, then, sudden footsteps rig throughout the hall, making the Carrow's grin with delight until they realise who it is.
"I think I can help you out with that" He stops his walking so he's directly ahead of Snape. "It seems, that, despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, that you still have a bit of a security problem, headmaster."
The Grand Hall's doors open wide to reveal The Order, some new and some old all stood there proudly as they walk into the hall together with pride, Lacy walks forward so that she's slightly behind Harry, but still stood firmly beside him and she glanced between the students who take in that it's the Head Girl that had been missing for weeks after going agains the Carrow's.
"And I'm afraid it's rather extensive" Harry states, The Carrow's glance at Snape to see what they're supposed to be doing. "How dare you stand where he stood. Tell them how it was that night...tell them how you looked him in the eye, a man, who trusted you...and killed him. Tell them!"
Snape's eyes find Harry's, but his face remains in an emotionless mask. McGonagall stands poised, no longer an ashen ghost. Flitwick's hand twitches over his wand. The air prickles with anticipation as the students await the reply of their Headmaster. Snape moves as if to retrieve his wand. McGonagall steps forward and sends a volcanic blast Snape's way.
Pivoting, he parries the spell -- barely -- and sends it ricocheting around the room. Chaos ensues in the room. Flitwick and the rest of the staff -- inspired by Harry and McGonagall -- leap forth, wands out. Snape, outnumbered, standing at the epicenter, parries spell after spell with astonishing skill deflecting two of the curses into Alecto and Amycus Carrow.
Snape takes the measure of the room and sweeps his wand over his head, reducing the torches that line the wall to smoke and pitching the Hall into total darkness. As students scream, a great whooshing sound fills the Hall and some flying thing flickers past the windows, rattling the panes before blasting through one.
Instantly, the torches burst back to life by McGonagall, wand rises aloft. In the moonlight, Harry can see a bat-like creature beating into the night. McGonagall peers bitterly into the darkness, it was the night it was all going to go down and they had no choice but to fight back. They'd be back, with a lot more people.
"Coward! Coward! He didn't even stay to fight!" McGongall scoffs as she spins around face Harry with a tutt. "Mr. Potter, do you mind telling me hat you're doing here, which, I trust, you know is an act of complete and utter lunacy?"
"He's here for the end, Professor McGonagall" Lacy speaks up, stepping beside them with a smile. "There's one hidden here and Harry needs to find it"
"I thought it might have something to do with that" McGonagall nods quickly, before she raises her luxe loudly. "All right! Settle down! Settle down! It appears that your Headmaster has done a bunk" the crowd cheers in return, save for the few of each house that favoured their Dark Lord.
Harry suddenly cringed, grabbing his head as if in pain, Lacy instantly steps forward and grabs his face in her hands gently so she can observe him. "Fight it, Harry. Fight it"
"Potter..." McGonagall trials off, before a sudden scream erupts in the hall and the adults instantly search for the owner of the scream, only to find a Hufflepuff first year curled up on the floor holding her head tightly as she rocked herself around.
Another one erupts and then another, before Lacy herself let's out a scream from the sudden voices that she hears in her own head, releasing Harry's head as she clutched her own in pain and discomfort.
"I know that many of you will want to fight. Some of you may even think this wise. But this is folly" a chilling voice speaks to them all, Lacy's lowering her hands from her head as her eyes suddenly reach a pair of concerned brunette ones. "I will wish you no harm, I have a great respect for the students of Hogwarts, I was once myself one after all. I ask for but one thing and if it's granted, no magical blood shall be spilt...." there's a small pause that has Lacy grab Harry's hand nervously, she just got him back. "Give me Harry Potter. Do this and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter and I shall leave Hogwarts untouched. Give me Harry Potter and you shall be rewarded"
