𝒯𝒽ℯ 𝒫𝓇ℴ𝓂𝒾𝓈ℯ𝒹 𝒪𝓃ℯ | 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲 |

#26 The Hour

Two hours before

But I remained kneeling next to Sirius and Snape, who tried to not tremble by the loose of blood. I trembled too by the strains of red the man left on my shirt - almost symbolic for the defiled innocence - and which let the coolness of the breeze coming straight for my whole body.

Voldemort's voice echoed over from the wooden walls, too loud even with my hands over the ears, almost as if he was breathing down our neck with the taste of death.

You have fought valiantly. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. I am merciful. I command my forces to retreat, immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured.

I felt my features crumble in the attempt to prepare myself for everyone who died in that last hours.

I speak now directly to you, Harry Potter. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for an hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour.

„Don't listen to him.", Ron shook his head frantically. „We'll make up another plan if he's backed up in the forest now. We will think about something, we have an hour."

„Harry.", Sirius said in a soft voice, careful to not loose the pressure on Snape's throat. „I'll bring Severus to St Mungos and return to the castle before the hour is over. I expect to see you then, okay? Don't put his burden on your shoulder. It will be alright."

Harry silently nodded, but in his eyes I saw, that he was battling against his own guilt. I knew that boy long enough to know that he felt responsible for every death which happened in the sake of that battle. For every injury, every trauma.

Sirius apparated with a tight grip around the black-haired man and we three slowly made our way back to the castle. The sky was still black, with the ongoing fires from spells and battles there was no star to see. And even though not a single hint of the upcoming sun was seen, I had the feeling that it couldn't be far from dawn.

„Where is everyone?", Hermione asked, her arm secure around my waist again, Ron's arm too from the other side.

The castle was unnatural silent, not a trace from the Dark Lord's forces, or any student or wizard of Hogwarts. But as soon as we made our way towards the Great Hall and were greeted by a crowded room, we stopped in our tracks. The injured were lined up on stretches at the floor, those who could, sat on the benches at the side of the hall. Madam Pomfrey and a group of wizards and witches who helped, were running between the fallen silent students, their eyes focused on nothing particular or crunched up in pain. What caught my eyes and not let go of me again was the line of covered dead bodies. A row of partly faceless white.

We couldn't see one of the bodies first, because it was surrounded by a bunch of redheads, but once Ron bashed forward and Hermione quickly followed to hug Ginny, whose face was puffy and covered in tears, we recognize Fred. Mrs. Weasley had flung herself over the dead body of her son, his twin George as a crying mess next to him, stroking through the red strains of the lifeless boy. Percy sat next to them, crying into his knees, while Bill, Fleur and Mr. Weasley stood around the family in shook, greeting Ron with open arms to support him in the heartbreaking realization, that he lost his brother.

„Tiara.", I heard a voice from my right and as I turned, I looked into Theodore's compassionate eyes. His arms came around my waist to pull me closer into a hug. „Thank Merlin, you're okay."