Dark Side

Gathering Forces

A/N okay, so I've been writing in third person because that's how the books are written, but I prefer writing in first person so I'm switching to that for the end. I plan on posting an edited version of this story once I'm done, and that will probably be all in first person. Thanks!

Draco

We stood there, at the edge of the room, watching Voldemort take out his rage on the thirty people there. A woman screamed, a wand flashed, a splatter of blood, a shield charm cast to keep it from getting on us. The last body thudded to the floor. He stood there breathing heavily, the hem of his robes drenched red, dragging through the pool of blood covering the whole floor. The snake slithered toward him, and spoke to it in parseltongue for a moment.

"My lord-" Bellatrix said, taking a tentative step forward.

"Clean this up." He said, thoughts clearly still somewhere else.

Looking a bit dissapointed, she stepped back slightly, pulling out her wand.

"Draco, come with me." He said, walking toward the exit.

I hurried to follow him, casting a path through the blood. I followed the bloody footprints up to the drawing room.

"Do you know what horcruxes are?"

"Yes." I said calmly. Did he find out? No. He couldn't. I never slipped up.

The hissing voice interrupted my panicked thoughts, "I have seven. Potter is going after them, they've already destroyed three, and they have the fourth. My old diary, a ring, Slytherin's locket, and Hufflepuff's cup. The next is Nagini, and the last one is hidden at Hogwarts."

"That's why you wanted the battle to be there?" Does Harry know the last one is at Hogwarts? How can I tell them?

"That is one reason, yes."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I Dumbledore had told Snape, as he started Potter on this. All of the other Death Eaters are idiots, I can't tell them. I don't think Potter knows the last is at Hogwarts, but if he does, we will know when he enters Hogsmeade. Are the forces ready to move?"

"Yes."

"Contact Yaxley, have him tell everyone to have their troops ready to move."

"Anything else?"

"No. Just be ready too." He finished, turning and vanishing into black smoke.

I stand there for a moment. What the hell just happened?

I walk over to the fireplace on the other side of the room and grab a handful of floo powder. I say where I want to be, then stick my head in the flames and look out into Yaxley's office in the Ministry.

"Malfoy? What is it?" Yaxley asks, he can't keep the contempt out of his voice about how  I outrank him. Most Death Eaters fear me, because I became the highest ranking Death Eater at only 17.

"Get all forces ready to move. It may be soon." I yank my head out of the fireplace before he has the chance to reply.

My family will still be busy getting rid of the bodies, and probably assume I'm out on assignment, so I go to the hallway to get ready.

I go to the dueling room, and to a large double door that leads to the closet. I push it open, and step onto a podium in the middle of the room. A curled measuring tape springs off the floor, causing dust to swirl through the air. I cast a quick charm and the dust dissapears. I have used that spell a lot, as this place hasn't been touched in many years.

The tape flies through the air, measuring every inch of me, then drops, curling back to the floor when it's done. A panel opens at the end of the room, and a hanger appears, one of those bags you pick up suits in, with a piece of parchment attached to it. It slides along a rod on the ceiling and stops in front of me. I rip off the piece of parchment and unroll it.

Most wizards wear robes, but we found they restrict movement and are inconvenient during battle. We took a queue from the muggles, and made these. Perfect for battle, charmed to protect against minor hexes, jinxes and curses. Use it well. Best of luck.

I unzip the bag, and pull out the outfit inside. What looks like black jeans, a plain black shirt, a black jacket, and black boots. It doesn't look too interesting, at first glance, but I put it on and go over to the mirror at the side of the room.

"You look pretty badass." I whip around, expecting to see someone behind me, only to find that no one's there.

"I'm the mirror." The voice says again. "There's a wand pocket on the inside, on the right for you, so you can reach it with your left hand easily."

I look in, and see it's right. I pull out my new wand and put it in.

"Put on the hood. The jacket can keep you warm in up to -40 degree weather. Try runing, the boots have great traction, and the entire outfit is very flexible, not to mention the amazing curse reflection."

"Uh, thanks." I say awkwardly, a bit confused as I'm talking to a mirror.

"Anytime. It's been a long time since we had anyone in here. Good luck with your war Mr. Malfoy."

I smile sadly. I'm going to need all the luck I can get.

Harry

"Neville?!" We all gasp as the portrait swings forward to reveal a very beat up Neville.

"Hi guys." Neville says casually.

We follow Neville into the tunnel, and he catches us up on Hogwarts as we walk.

"Enough about me, did you guys really break into Gringotts and ride out on a dragon?"

I cough awkwardly. "Uh- yea."

Neville laughs. "That is awesome. So what happened, what's your story?"

"It's very long." I say.

"This passage is really long. We've got time. Start from the beginning. You and Malfoy disappeared after Dumbledore."

"Okay, but you can't say anything until I'm finished."

Neville nods, and I start. I tell him everything, except the whole being-in-love-with-Draco-Malfoy thing.

"You're messing with me. Malfoy's you-know-who's number 1." Neville says.

"We're really not. It's the truth. We were as surprised as you are." says Hermione.

Neville shakes his head and laughs. "Why can't anything ever be simple?"

We all laugh, then stop as we reach the end of the tunnel, and step out into a room full of people cheering.