PROTECTION ♞ h.p.

20. Kicking and Screaming

There was a moment of stunned silence as the white light from Harry's silvery stag gradually faded away. Even after the creature was gone, Harry's short, curt message seemed to linger in the cool air of the dungeon corridor.

"...wait for us..."

Remus blinked, his eyes unfocused on the sealed door of the Potions classroom.

How could he even cast a Patronus charm right now? he wondered incredulously, struggling to understand what was going on. It's a miracle he hasn't already killed her...how is he bringing her back? Unless it's a trick, but why...

Shaking himself, his eyes flicked across the shocked faces of Ginny's brothers, Kingsley and several other Aurors. They too seemed to be frozen in place by the unexpected message until finally Tonks spoke, breaking the spell.

"So, she's still alive," she announced, her shoulders slumping in relief.

"But in what condition?" Bill countered, his body alert with tension as he drew his wand. "We have to get to the gate, right now," he instructed, heading for the stairs.

"Wait!" Remus declared, grabbing Bill's shoulder as he passed him.

"There's no telling what he's done to her, Remus," Bill snapped, pulling away, "...what he's bringing for us to see..."

"But we can't just..."

"Bill's right," Charlie interrupted, drawing his own wand and gesturing for the younger Aurors in the hall to follow him.

"No, wait a second!" Remus demanded, motioning for Charlie to stop. "Just wait. We can't leave the room unguarded."

"But we can't let him get into the school either," Kingsley pointed out, stepping up. "The seal should block the signature of the spell, but if he gets too close, he'll feel the magic."

"And we have no idea what he'll do if he senses it," Tonks added, placing her hand on Remus' shoulder. "We don't know what shape they're in..."

"I only care what shape Ginny's in," Bill interrupted, his eyes flicking to the sealed Potion's room door and back. "They've already started and we can't warn them. All we can do is buy them time and hope he doesn't kill anyone else with his games before they finish."

"Bill's right," Charlie agreed, gesturing to his brother. "I'm going," he declared before he turned and ran for the stairs.

Without a second thought, Bill followed, leaving the others behind as he ran to catch up.

"They're right, Remus," Tonks pressed. "We need to get outside...you need to get outside. You might be able to reach him. Come on."

"Kingsley, stay here," Remus ordered, nodding as he pulled his wand. "Put up another ward, as strong as you can."

Running toward the stairs, he could only hope they'd be able to maintain control of the situation long enough for Dumbledore to finish the new charm.

~..~..~..~..~..~

Outside the castle the sky was overcast, the sun blocked by thick grey clouds. A large golden eagle was perched on top of the Hogwarts gate, so still it almost didn't look real. When Harry and Ginny arrived with a crack, the bird took flight, launching into the air with a startled flap of its wings.

Ginny shivered in her sundress, her eyes drawn to the large creature. It swooped away toward the Forbidden Forest before she looked through the rod-iron gate at the castle. Familiar now that she had her memories, the school seemed ominously quiet, looming in the distance.

"What if they're not here?" she asked anxiously, her eyes flicking across the few lit windows up on the hill. "What if they've gone somewhere else?"