Where Your Loyalties Lie

Chapter Eighty: Harry Potter Comes Back to Hogwarts

The entirety of the school gathered into the Great Hall, standing in straight lines. Draco and I stood at the front of one of the lines near the middle of the room. When the sound of footsteps ceased, Dad began to speak.

"Many of you are surely wondering why I have summoned you at this hour. It's come to my attention, that earlier this evening...Harry Potter was sighted in Hogsmeade." Whispers broke out around the room. "Now..." The room was silent once again. "Should anyone...student or staff attempt to aid Mr. Potter, they will be punished in a manner consistent with the severity of their transgression. Furthermore, any person found to have knowledge of these events...who fails to come forward...will be treated as equally guilty. Now then," he began to move forward, walking between the sections of students. Everyone kept their heads bowed, avoiding eye contact. "If anyone in here has any knowledge of Mr. Potter's movements this evening, I invite them to step forward. Now!"

The entire hall remained silent for a moment, then footsteps reverberated off the floor and many people gasped. I whirled around to find Harry standing in the middle of the hall, facing Dad.

"It seems, despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you still have a bit of a security problem, headmaster." The doors to the hall burst open and members of the Order filed inside. "I'm afraid it's quite extensive. How dare you stand where he stood? Tell them how it happened that night. Tell them how you looked him in the eye, a man who trusted you, and killed him. Tell them!"

Dad drew his wand and so did Harry. Professor McGonagall moved forward.

"Everyone move back!" I ordered students, trying to keep them out of the line of fire. I then moved to stand by Dad, but he shouted,

"Stay out of the way, Katie." I shrunk back into the crowd. He hesitated to strike. McGonagall sent a stream of fire at him and he blocked it. She continued to send more fire his way as he continued blocking it and moving backward, refusing to attack back. When he got to the foot of the steps at the front of the room, he quickly knocked out the Carrows, making it look as if they just got in the way of the line of fire. He blocked one more spell before he whipped around and flew out the window.

The room filled with cheers as McGonagall lit up the room's lights.

"Did you know he could do that?" Draco asked me as I continued to stare at the hole in the glass through which Dad just escaped.

I shook my head. "No."

A hiss over the crowd interrupted the other's celebration. The lights that were just lit were dimmed down. "Harry..." Near the back of the hall, a little girl screamed, covering her ears in terror. Another scream echoed in the middle of the room. I took a few steps towards the girl but Draco grabbed my hand to hold me back. There was nothing I could do to help, and they wouldn't want my help even if I could offer it.

A cold, raspy voice whispered, "I know that many of you will want to fight. Some of you might even think to fight is wise. But this is folly. Give me Harry Potter. Do this and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave Hogwarts untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have one hour."

The flames flickered brighter again as the room filled with silence for a moment. Everyone stared at Harry.

"What are you waiting for?" Pansy called out across the room. "Someone grab him!" She stretched her arm out, pointing a finger at him. I rolled my eyes.

Ginny stepped in front of Harry, shielding him. Soon members of the Order and Dumbledore's Army were guarding him on all sides. George and I made eye contact and I held his gaze.

A voice shouted from somewhere behind the mass of people, distracting me. "Students out of bed!" The group parted, allowing Filch to get through. "Students in the corridor!"