Snape's family (Severus x OC)

18 Castles, giants and dragons

Within Hogwarts the resistance was being organized to fight against the Inferi in case they penetrated the defenses. The professors helped the aurors divide people into groups, and guided them to places where they thought they could be most useful.

The wizards were spread out from the dungeons to the towers, and the people who were clearly not capable of fighting were sent to the kitchens, because it was the safest place in the entire school.

Ron and Hermione had followed Ivan's advice, and had not joined any of the groups, but instead walked the corridors alone, even though they knew it was dangerous. They were discussing how the Inferi could enter a castle that was supposedly armored, when they heard something that put them on alert. It was a kind of hiss, similar to that of snakes, but too loud to be produced by a single animal.

Without making a sound, they peeked around a corner, the one that led to Crying Mirtle 's bathroom corridor, and then they saw something that took their breath away.

A gigantic snake came out of the girls' bathroom, but what was most strange was not its size, nor its fangs, but rather its body was covered in feathers, and it had wings large enough to allow it to fly.

They cowered against the wall, trying not to be seen, and fearing that the sound of their heartbeats would alert the enormous snake. However, the animal went in the opposite direction to where they were, and when the noise of its whistles faded, they dared to peek out again.

It was then that they believed that their pulse had truly stopped. There was a man coming out of the bathroom door.

He was a very tall and extremely pale man. He had no nose, and his eyes were reduced to a pair of red slits.

Lord Voldemort was at Hogwarts.

***

The death eaters had brought forward the day of the attack, but they were still acting in the same pattern.

This time they had been divided into three cities, but one of them, located near the mountains, was the one that was bearing the brunt.

The giants walked through its streets, destroying everything in their path, killing every time they came across a living being, and without anyone being able to stop them.

Only a small group of wizards faced them, in a brave and desperate defense. Many of the members of the Order of the Phoenix, joined by a few aurors, fought against the giants, commanded by Albus Dumbledore. The wizard remained in the front row, without retreating before the fury of the giants.

He had already taken down three of them, quite a feat, considering the giants were immune to magic. His fierce and fighting character and his firmness encouraged those who accompanied him, and his mere presence was enough for everyone to remain united and harmonized.

The giants, who had finally understood that they represented their only real threat, had teamed up and surrounded them, attacking them at the same time.

"Attention everyone!" Dumbledore shouted. "Form a circle and create a protection shield."

The others obeyed and stood in a circle, protecting each other's backs. The giants threw stones at them, but they bounced off the shield.

Furious, they ripped out everything they could find at hand, ready to hit the shield until it broke. Dumbledore knew they were in trouble when the circle of giants tightened around them, each individual carrying all manner of weapons, including streetlamps, benches, fire hydrants, and even a motorcycle.

"We all have to disappear at once," Dumbledore said. "Hold on until I say so."

The others obeyed, mentally preparing to disappear. If they were not coordinated and did not do it at the same time, the shield would break, leaving the stragglers defenseless, at the mercy of the giants.