Neville and Ginny flank McGonagall as she sweeps out of the Great Hall and into the courtyard. Flitwick and other members of the DA, including Seamus, trail after. "Let me get this straight, Professor. You're giving us permission to do this?" Neville checks.
"That is correct, Longbottom," McGonagall assures.
"To blow it up. Boom," Neville repeats.
"Boom!" McGonagall agrees.
"Wicked," Neville whispers. "Um exactly how do you propose we do this, Professor?"
"Why don't you confer with Mr. Finnegan. As I recall, he has a particular proclivity for pyrotechnics," McGonagall remembers.
Neville and Ginny glance back at Seamus. "I can bring 'er down," Seamus assures.
"That's the spirit. Now off you go," McGonagall dismisses. Neville, Ginny, Seamus and the DA peel off.
"You realize, of course, that nothing we do will be able to keep out You-Know-Who indefinitely," Flitwick reminds.
"That doesn't mean we can't hold him up," Madam Sprout interjects.
"That doesn't mean we can't hold him up. And his name is Voldemort, Filius. You might as well use it. He's going to try to kill you either way," McGonagall assures. With that, McGonagall wheels, raises her wand and points it in the direction of the Great Hall. "Piertotum Locomotor!" Instantly, all along the corridor statues and suits of armor come to life on their plinths. As McGonagall and the others watch, the statues parade into view. "Hogwarts is threatened! Man the boundaries and protect us! Do your duty to our school!" As the statues thunder past, heading toward the viaduct, McGonagall watches with evident pleasure. "I've always wanted to use that spell."
Several yards off, Flitwick holds his wand aloft, his face grimly determined. Momentarily a "disturbance" troubles the atmosphere, this is powerful stuff, McGonagall and other Staff members step forward to assist, wands raised high. Together, they conjure a shield. "Protego Maxima Finato Duri Repello Inimicum." Order members join in as well.
A magical shield, which expands ever outward, blooming over the castle grounds, while far below the statues march the length of the viaduct and take their positions along the perimeter, still as sentinels.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Further on, small as ants from this vantage, Neville, Ginny, Seamus and half a dozen DA members approach the wooden bridge.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As we leave them behind, moving beyond the shield's reach, a massive, quivering shadow comes into view, drifting toward the castle, death eaters, their numbers staggering. We descend into their midst and a figure emerges, stepping onto an outcropping, robes billowing, flanked by Bellatrix and Pius Thicknesse. We sweep around, find his face, Voldemort.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Controlled chaos as scores of students and Staff sweep over the staircase, preparing for battle. Harry moves quickly, followed by Ron and Hermione. They speak with urgency. "Harry, Izzy, Hermione and I have been thinking. It doesn't really matter if we find the Horcrux," Ron says.
"What're you saying?" Harry asks.
"Unless we can destroy it," Hermione finishes.
"So we were thinking-" Ron say.
Hermione interrupts. "You were thinking. It's Ron's idea. And it's brilliant."
"You destroyed Tom Riddle's Diary with a Basilisk fang, right? Well, we know where we might find one, don't we?" Ron asks.
YOU ARE READING
A Potter Secret
FanfictionMy life is full of magic. I was barely a few months old when you-know-who came and killed my parents. My brother, Harry, was almost four. They sent him away but I was too weak from the attack. Papa has raised me since then, letting me run around the...
