February of 1996

74

As they entered, the charmed ceiling of the Great Hall was dark and spread with stars, and below it, the four long house tables were lined with dirty students, some in traveling cloaks, others in dressing clothes. Here and there gleamed the pearly white figures of the school ghosts. Every eye, living and dead, was fixed upon Professor McGonagall, who was speaking from the raised platform at the top of the Hall. Behind her stood the remaining teachers, including the palomino centaur, Firenze, and the members of the Order of the Phoenix who had arrived to fight. Hand in hand, Fred and Irena sat at the Gryffindor table with the rest of the Weasleys.

A voice was heard; it was high, cold, and clear. There was no telling from where it came; it seemed to appear from the walls themselves. "I know you are preparing to fight." There were screams amongst the students, some of whom held each other, looking around in fear for the source of the sound. Fred held Irena's hand tightly. "Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood." There was silence in the Hall now that appeared too large to be held by walls. "Give me Harry Potter," said Voldemorts voice, "and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school unharmed. Give me Harry Potter, and you should be rewarded. You have until midnight."

The silence swallowed them all again. Irena looked at Harry and noticed how every head turned, every eye in the room seemed to have found Harry. Then a figure rose from the Slytherin table, and she recognized Pansy Parkinson a few years below her as she raised a shaking arm and screamed, "But he's there! Potters there! Someone grab him!"

A few students turned their hands, looking at the Slytherin girl. Before Harry could speak, there was a massive movement. The Gryffindors in front of him had risen and stood facing, not Harry, but the Slytherins. Then the Hufflepuffs stood, and almost at the same moment, the Ravenclaws, all of them, with their backs to Harry, all of them looking toward Pansy instead. Professor McGonagall told the Slytherin students to go to the dungeons.

Slowly the four tables emptied.

The Slytherin table was completely deserted, but several older Ravenclaws remained seated, even more, Hufflepuffs stayed behind, and half of the Gryffindors remained in their seats, necessitating Professor McGonagall's descent from the teachers platform to chivvy the underage on their way.

"We only got half an hour until midnight, so we need to act fast! A battle plan has been agreed between the teachers of Hogwarts and the Order of the Phoenix. Professors Flitwick, Sprout, and McGonagall are going to take groups of fighters up to the three highest towers Ravenclaw, Astronomy, and Gryffindor, where they'll have a good overview of excellent positions from which to work spells. Meanwhile, Remus and Arthur," he said, pointing toward them sitting at the Gryffindor table, "and I will take groups into the grounds. Well need somebody to organize the defense of the entrances of the passageways into the school—"

"Sounds like a job for us," called Fred, indicating himself and George, and Kingsley nodded his approval. "All right, leaders up here, and well divide up the troops!" Slowly they divided into their groups Fred and Irena looked at each other.

Irena didn't know what was going to happen. She looked at him wanting to memorize everything about him. She placed her hands on his cheek, "I love you, Frederick," she told him, a single tear running down her face. He closed his eyes as their foreheads touched, "I love you, Rena." And he kissed her lips with his hand on her back, their chest pressing against each other. As their lips moved in sync, their kiss deepened.