Closest To Heaven That I'll Ever Be

5. Fight For Your Right

The shield was failing.

There was no denying it anymore.

For what felt like hours, we had watched spell after spell strike the protective barrier surrounding Hogwarts. At first, the castle's defences had seemed almost invincible. Every curse that collided with the enormous dome of magic had simply burst against it, sending brilliant ripples of blue and white light racing across the night sky.

It had almost been beautiful.

Almost.

If you ignored the fact that every flash of light was somebody trying to kill us. Now, though, the shield looked different.

Weaker.

Each impact sent cracks of white magic splintering across the surface before slowly knitting themselves back together. Except they weren't disappearing as quickly anymore.

Some weren't disappearing at all.

I stood in the entranceway with my arms wrapped around myself, Albus's old wand clutched tightly in my right hand.

Nobody spoke much.

There wasn't really anything left to say.

Students stood alongside professors.

Members of the Order stood beside parents who had arrived to defend their children.

Former students who hadn't set foot inside Hogwarts for years stood shoulder-to-shoulder with seventeen-year-olds who had only finished their final lessons hours earlier.

Everyone watched.

Waiting.

A particularly powerful curse struck the shield.

BOOM.

The ground trembled beneath my feet.

Several people jumped. A girl somewhere behind me started crying. Nobody told her to stop.

Another spell hit. Then another. Then five at once. The entire barrier flashed brilliantly.

"Merlin," someone whispered.

I swallowed. This was it. Everything before this had been preparation. The potions. The medical stations. Moving the younger students. Freeing the Slytherins.

The bridge. The barricades. The plans.

Soon none of it would matter. Soon there wouldn't be a protective shield separating us from Voldemort's army. Soon they would be inside.

My heart was hammering so hard it hurt. I was scared. Absolutely terrified. And judging by the faces around me, so was everyone else.

Neville stood several feet away gripping his wand with both hands.

Seamus was beside him.

Dean had gone unusually quiet.

Luna was staring out at the shield with that same distant expression she wore when contemplating something nobody else could see.

Ginny's face was pale.

Even the adults looked frightened. That was possibly the worst part. Growing up, you assumed adults knew what they were doing. Professors especially.

McGonagall always had an answer.

Flitwick always knew the spell.

Kingsley always seemed completely composed.

Remus always knew what to say.

Tonight?

They were scared too. They were simply better at hiding it.