Aria Black and the Battle for Hogwarts

Preparing to Fight

Almost a moment after they leave, the portrait hole opens yet again. Oliver Wood enters, followed by Alicia, Katie, and a big-bellied, weary looking Angelina.

I hug every one of them, as do Fred, George, and Lee. George kisses Angelina, and her stomach. They're having a little couple moment, but I don't interrupt them like George always does to Fred and I.

Katie smiles at me from beside Wood. "Hey Aria. It's great to see that you're alive."

I laugh a little. "If I had a Sickle for every time I heard that."

Alicia is still a little wary of talking to me. She's probably still mad about our fight.

The door swings open again to reveal Remus, Kingsley, Molly, Arthur, Bill, and Fleur.

"Did Dean and Luna make it here okay?" Bill asks.

"Yes," I tell him. "Dean's with Minerva, and Luna is taking Harry to Ravenclaw tower."

Arthur moves forward to embrace Fred and George, and Molly blubbers from behind him.

"Mum, Dad, is that you?" Ginny asks, pushing through the crowd.

"Ginny!" Molly cries. "What are you doing here?"

Ginny blushes, knowing the shrieking that is to come. "Fred, George, and Lee brought me."

Molly turns to Fred and George with a look of utmost annoyance. "What were you thinking?" She exclaims.

Lee and I exchange a look. This won't be good.

George scratches he back of his neck. "We thought she'd want to be here in case.... in case one of us were hurt."

"We'd come up with another excuse Mum, but the answer is..." Fred begins. "IT'S LEE'S FAULT!!"

Lee chuckles.

Molly is about to yell some more, but Harry comes in, flanked by Luna.

"Harry, what's happening?" Remus asks loudly in order to remove the tension that has fallen over the room.

"Voldemort's on his way, they're barricading the school. Snape's run for it." Harry says. "What are you doing here? How did you know?"

Snape ran? Ugh, to think I half-trusted that evil little......

"We sent messages to the rest of Dumbledore's Army." Fred explains, trying to divert Harry's attention from his mother's red face. "You couldn't expect everyone to miss the fun, Harry, and the D.A. let the Order of the Phoenix know, and it all kind of snowballed."

"What first, Harry?" George calls. "What's going on?"

"They're evacuating the younger kids and everyone's meeting in the Great Hall to get organized." Harry says. "We're fighting."

Everyone in the room roars in delight, and rushes out of the door.

Only a nub of people remain in the Room of Requirement.

"You're underage!" Molly shouts at her daughter. "I won't permit it! The boys, yes, but you, you've got to go home!"

"I won't!"

Ginny's hair flies as she pulls her arm out of her mother's grip.

"I'm in Dumbledore's Army-"

"A teenagers' gang!"

"A teenagers' gang that's about to take him on, which no one else has dared to do!" Fred says.

"She's sixteen!" shouts Molly. "She's not old enough! What you two were thinking bringing her with you-"