𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐦𝐞 | 𝐇.𝐏.

𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝟕 - 𝟏𝟑

"Harry..."

The voice echoed in the worst part of my memory. It was high, cold, cruel, and sounded more inhuman than not. It hurt to listen to. It was Lord Voldemort.

Almost instantly everyone clapped their hands over their ears. More screams rang out, and everyone began moving at once. For one heart-stopping second I thought Voldemort was in the school, but then logic came to me. 

I ran to Potter, just as McGonagall did the same. We knelt down next to him, and panic shot through me at his expression. He was chalk white, breathing heavy, and looked truly scared. But there was something about this that was different then his normal flashes into Voldemort's mind. Obviously everyone could hear Voldemort now too, but somehow I knew that wasn't it.

Then he spoke again, in a hiss that vibrated in my bones. Everyone went quiet.

"I know that many of you will want to fight..." Voldemort whispered as if he was all around us. "Some of you may even think that to fight is wise. Let me assure you... it is not. Fighting is unnecessary if you do what I say. Give me... Harry Potter."

At this, Potter took my hand and pulled himself up on shaking legs. All eyes in the room that weren't screwed shut in terror turned to him.

"Do this... and none shall be harmed. Give me... Harry Potter... and I shall leave Hogwarts untouched. Give me... Harry Potter... and you will be rewarded. You have one hour."

And then, with one last sound like a snake slithering away, the voice disappeared.

There was dead silence, and then another voice, a higher, girlier one, burst through the tense air. "But... but Potter's right there!" Pansy Parkinson shouted. "Someone grab him!"

At once, without even sparing a second to think, I stepped in front of Potter and protectively put an arm out as if to block him. Weasley and Hermione surged forward behind me, and then the entirety of Dumbledore's army, along with the Order and nearly all the Gryffindors in the school, surrounded him until anyone that wanted to get to Potter would have to murder about two hundred people first.

An expression that could only be pride stole over McGonagall's face, and I felt Potter interlock his fingers with mine.

"Well," McGonagall started when she regained her voice again. "Mr. Filch, if you please, would you escort Miss. Parkinson and the rest of Slytherin House from the Hall."

"Exactly where is it I'll be leadin' 'em to, ma'am?" Filch asked.

"The dungeons would do," McGonagall ordered curtly.

Grins, laughs, and even applause broke out around the Hall as Filch led the Slytherins out of the huge oak doors and down to the bottom floor.

Potter squeezed my hand once before letting go and running up to McGonagall. The second he left momentary terror washed over me, until I saw him safely talking a few feet away. I knew it was going to be like this until the night, and hopefully all of this, was over.

Hermione, who always infuriatingly knew everything, stepped closer to me and put an arm around my shoulders. I leaned into her gratefully.

Potter and McGonagall appeared to have a short but extremely serious conversation, and I heard McGonagall say, "I'll secure the castle," before Potter came back to our tensely awaiting group.

Before he could even open his mouth Remus said, "The Order will help the professors protect the castle. Dumbledore's army can help the rest of the younger students evacuate. What do you need?"

"Time," Potter said firmly. "As much as you can get us."

"We can do that," Mr. Weasley said.

As everyone started running off, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley stayed behind for a moment. Ginny hugged me fiercely one more time.