The Battle For Hogwarts

Shifting The Tides

Chapter 4: Shifting The Tides

*SLAM* The walls close off in between you and the man.

"Damn it!"

The ground shakes more violently this time and you lose your balance, toppling over. You need to get back to the surface. You retrace your steps and reach the Great Hall, which was now empty. Was that a bad sign or a good sign? You can still hear battles outside, but you're worried with more important things. Who was that man? He speaks parseltongue and knows who you are. You don't recall anyone like that before. Was it when you were a baby? Childhood perhaps? You head outside. 

"Oh there you are! Where have you been?"

"Have you gotten Hufflepuff out, professor McGonagall?"

"They're already on the battlefield. You need to hurry. Potter's looking for you."

You head into the battle and start throwing spells, over and under, here and there.

"Hey! Slytherin got out a few minutes ago! Where were you?" Harry asks.

"There was someone else in the dungeons. Sneaking around. He knows who I am, but he doesn't seem familiar to me."

"Probably a teacher you've never seen before."

"In the dungeons? Was that professor Snape?"

"Professor Snape is..." he pauses. "He's dead."

"What?!? The new headmaster professor Snape is dead?!?!"

"He died in my arms, apologizing for being so cruel to me. He explained everything to me." a tear rolls down his cheek. 

You silently weep with him.

"He wanted us to win on his behalf. And we will win this for him. For him and everyone who has given their lives for us. Now go! Catch up with the rest of Dumbledore's Army! East side of the school. I have other things to-" he gets cut off by a pain coming from his scar. 

"Harry! Are you ok?"

"Just go! I'll be fine. I have some other things to attend to." he turns his head towards the Dark Forest, sweating profusely.

You start worrying about him as he stands up and walks away, but you have to be there for everyone so you run as fast as you can towards the east side of Hogwarts and see the fighting ongoing. Trolls are now amidst the battle along with ribbon-like zouwus, illusory creatures, cyclopes, and titanic spiders. You need to help and quick. The Dark Forces are winning and Hogwarts is falling back. You dig into your pocket and take the token out. Shining in the moonlight, you flip it into the air and it fades from existence.

I hope this doesn't take long. You think.

Just then, a large shadow gets casted over you as it flies around the battlefield. What is that creature? It's... it's another dragon! But it's so majestic! It was destructive despite the fact that its scales were white as pearls with beautiful, multicolored eyes. It was an Antipodean opaleye! It was mentioned in professor Hagrid's class before. Those eyes are what gave it away, since it was described as having gleaming, colorful eyes with no pupils. They've been known to be the least aggressive dragons ever discovered but it looks like this one was trained by that Newton guy. You keep a reminder to write a letter of thanks back to him. You charge into the fight and instantly, the balance shifts. Ginny and the rest of Dumbledore's Army notices you've arrived along with the appearance of the opaleye. They cheer and thank you. Harry is still missing but they're doing a great job defending, and even though they were retreating, they still kept on fighting. This inspires you to start pushing You-Know-Who's forces back. It was pure chaos and utmost disaster. Witches and wizards falling here and there, getting knocked unconscious or leaving the mortal plane. The creatures splitting crowds apart. The dragons of Hogwarts flying overhead and searing a lot of people into medium-rare human steaks. You get hit back as a cat-like beast zooms by and your robe starts burning, little tiny sparks flying off of it. The creature you're facing snarls and growls at you. It was long and flames danced in its mane. It looked like fireworks were being set off around its neck. It let's out a roar then it apparates away. First time you've seen a beast like that apparate.

"Was that yer first time seeing a zouwu, mate?"

"Hagrid! That's what the firecracker cats are? They are massive! And hot." you say, extinguishing the fire.

"Oh just throw a toy at them and they'll be fine."

"Oh wow! I want one!"

"Good luck finding one then."

"Hey Hagrid?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know anyone named Newton?"

"Newton? You mean Newton Scamander?"

"Yes! That guy!"

"Why? Do you know him?"

"He's the person who sent the opaleye!"

"Well Merlin's beard, I'll thank him for that. How'd you meet him?"

"Oh, I didn't. Athena found him."

"Yer owl?"

"Yes! My owl that I didn't even know was named after the Greek goddess I named it after."

"Well yer owl really is a nice Athene noctua."

"See? You know what kind of owl it is! You must know Newton."

"Well, Newt was the person who gave me Aragog."

"The spider you had?"

"The giant spider I had."

"Woahhh! A giant spider!"

"Anyways you should probably help Minerva."

And then the matagots arrrived.

To be continued