In The Shadows² ★ Draco Malfoy

*Rowena Ravenclaw

The Room of Requirement had filled up quickly with arrivals, including that of Kingsley, Remus, OliverWood, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Bill, Fleur, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. And most surprisingly Percy Weasley had turned up. 

Briar had immediately taken Harry's order to bring everyone to the Great Hall as Professor McGonagall had requested, and she found it was already full of students from every house. She was addressing the room and declared anyone of age could stay and fight, meanwhile everyone else would be evacuated swiftly

But her final words were drowned as a different voice echoed throughout the Hall. It was high, cold, and clear: There was no telling from where it came; it seemed to issue from the walls themselves.

"I know that you are preparing to fight." There were screams amongst the students, some of whom clutched each other, looking around in terror for the source of the sound. "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, the kind of silence that presses against the eardrums, that seems too huge to be contained by walls. "Give me Harry Potter," said Voldemort's voice, "and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight."

The voice stopped and all eyes turned to Harry in the middle of the Hall. Briar sighed in relief and ran towards him 

"Where are Ron and Hermione?" Briar murmured to him

"You haven't seen them either?" he asked "Apparently they said something about a bathroom, but I cant find them"

"We need to act fast!" Kingsley interrupted "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, excellent positions from which to work spells. Meanwhile Remus, Arthur, andI will take groups into the grounds. We'll need somebody to organise defence of the entrances of the passageways into the school —" 

"Sounds like a job for us," called Fred, indicating himself andGeorge, and Kingsley nodded

"All right, leaders up here and we'll divide up the troops!" 

"Dad!" Briar exclaimed and grabbed him before he was caught up in the swarm of students. Remus stopped and looked down at his daughter, sad at the fear evident in her eyes "Be careful, please"

"You too," he said, trying not to choke up. They stared at each other for a moment longer before they latched onto each other in a tight hug "I love you, Paws,"

"I love you too, dad" she whispered and squeezed him tightly once more before he was dragged away to arrange plans with Kingsley, and Briar backed away towards Harry

"Potter," said Professor McGonagall, hurrying up to them, as students flooded the platform, jostling for position, receiving instructions, "Aren't you supposed to be looking for something?"

"What? Oh," said Harry, "oh yeah!"

"Then go, Potter, go!" 

"Right — yeah —"

"I'm coming," Briar said firmly and began following him. 

They ran up the marble staircase but at the top, hurried off along a deserted corridor. Harry pulled the Marauder's Map out of the pouch around his neck and Briar glanced over his shoulder to read it. Neither of them could see Ron's or Hermione's names anywhere on it.