Tortured :||: Loved Series #5

10) The Place Where Everything Is Hidden

Ft. Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem

Lily's POV

"Harry." Riddles voice descended over the room, it's snake-like hissing rattling every nerve in my body. "Lily."

The cheering died in an instant, scared faces glancing around in the room. Harry collapsed to the stairs, Minnie kneeling beside him, a concerned expression on her face. A scream tore through the air and everyone turned a Hufflepuff girl huddled in the corner, covering her ears. There was something wrong with her eyes,  they were slits, snake-like. Across the room, a boy started screaming, crouching into the fetal position and covering his ears too. When he stopped, his head snapped up and his slitted eyes met mine. They were possessed.

"I know that many of you will want to fight but your efforts will be futile, I do not wish to spill magical blood." Students were clutching each other as his voice hissed throughout the room. "Give me Harry and Lily Potter, do this and none shall be harmed, and I'll leave Hogwarts untouched. The person who gives me the Potter twins shall be rewarded generously, you have one hour."

The torches flicked back on and everyone moved aside to look at Harry and me, now standing together in the centre of the room. One girl from Slytherin pointed to us. "What are you waiting for? Someone grab them."

Ginny came out of the group of Gryffindors and took a hold of Harry's hand, as Draco wrapped his arms around me, resting his chin on top of my head. From the Slytherins, a small group walked towards us, turning around before they reached us as a sort of barricade. Blaise kinked his head to look over his shoulder and sent Draco and me a wink. 

There was a hurrying of footsteps and Filch ran into the hall. "Students out of bed! Students in the corridors!"

"They're supposed to be, you blithering idiot!" Minnie snapped in reply, sending the poor caretaker quiet. She then turned to the Slytherins. "Mr Filch, you will please escort this group of Slytherins to the Room of Requirement where they will exit the castle through a tunnel leading to the Hogs Head, every student underage will follow them. Anyone wishing to fight must be over age and is permitted to stay, as for the rest of you, please join the Slytherins.

The room went up in cheers and McGonagall made her way towards us. "What is it you need, twins?"

"Time, as much as you can get us."

"Do what you have to do, I'll secure the castle and Potters, it's good to see you." 

We nodded and I turned back to the remaining group of people, our friends, our family. They had come, rushed here even upon hearing Harry and I were back. They'd come to fight for us. I clasped Draco's hand giving it a little squeeze before walking up to the twins and hugging them both. "I love you both, come back to me."

They nodded, both kissing a cheek each and followed their father and Kingsley, after they'd shook hands with Harry, upstairs to defend the castle. I turned to Remus and hugged him, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "I love you, Lily, don't you ever forget that." He smiled, hugging me once more.

Harry took my hand and we ran out of the Great Hall, up the castle stairs where students were bustling about, preparing themselves and the castle's defences. There was a tension growing in the air, for this would be it, the final battle, there was no way both sides could come out of this alive. Fear also laced the air but there was also the prickle of determination, Hogwarts wouldn't go down without a fight.

"Harry! Lily!" Ron's voice shouted above the sound of running footsteps. We paused, both Ron and Hermione catching up to us. "We've been thinking, it doesn't matter if we find a Horcrux unless we can destroy it."