Aria Black and the Battle for Hogwarts

The Sword of Gryffindor

Days have gone by. The DA is doing surprisingly well. Snape has held a staff meeting to explain that if we are withholding info on DA, and who's doing it, then we are to be punished.

When the Prophet and Quibbler come that morning, we are all having a terrible beginning to our day. The Carrows just tortured fourth year Nigel Wolpert yesterday.

I hear several students gasp as they received their Quibblers. Snape has made it very clear that we teachers are not to receive the Quibbler in the mail. Neville begins a chant of, "HAR-RY! HAR-RY!" Many brave students join in.

"SILENCE!" Snape shouts.

Amycus marches toward Neville and yanks him up by his ear, and out of the Great Hall. I catch a glimpse of the headline on a Ravenclaw's Quibbler: POTTER BREAKS INTO THE MINISTRY!

I don't see Neville all day. In fact, all the students in my class are quiet throughout the day. I don't call them out on it, just play along and teach them.

That night, I go to the Hospital Wing to grade the fifth year's quizzes. Madam Pomfrey has always enjoyed my company now that I've stopped coming in to see her every week for an injury. I'm also here to see if Neville is.

The large oak doors open, and Michael runs in. "Madame Pomfrey!" Michael cries, out of breath from running. "A bunch of students have been tortured by the Carrows!"

I close my Astronomy book with the quizzes inside. "Why?" I ask.

"Dumbledore's Army was stealing the Sword of Gryffindor from Snape's office!" He exclaims.

My eyes widen. "Who's stealing it?" I ask, even though I know exactly who it is.

"Ginny, Neville, and Luna!"

My heart sinks. I told Molly I would protect Ginny! I told her to stay safe! That girl is going to get herself killed! And what about Neville and Luna? Neville was tortured this morning! Luna should have known better-she should've stopped the others!

The doors open, and a troupe of older students is being brought in. They are mostly limping. Some are bleeding. No one seems perfectly unscathed, but the ones who can walk help the ones who can't. I don't see Ginny, Neville, and Luna among them.

I rush to the front and help Madam Pomfrey get all these kids on beds. One girl limps behind the rest of them. No one is helping her along, but she seems just as wounded as the rest of them. I go to help her when I realize who she is: Daphne Greengrass, a Slytherin 7th year in my Astronomy class.

"Daphne?" I say in astonishment. "You're in the DA?"

She nods, draping her arm around my neck and using me to get her to a bed. "Yes." She says weakly.

I help her to a bed and ask, "Why'd you decide to join? Ginny didn't tell me you had."

"A relative of mine, Ariel, was hunted by the Death Eaters when she was young. She came to a few family dinners when I was younger. I think she lives in Surrey now, but I haven't seen her in awhile."

I'm about to press her for more information, but the poor girl falls into unconsciousness.

***

The members of Dumbledore's Army keep getting caught. Nothing is being accomplished. Ever since I learned all the people in my Seventh Year Astronomy class were in DA, our classes become discussions on Harry, and Snape, and the DA. Padma Patil and Hannah Abbot remain a little optimistic, but the rest of them have lost a lot of hope.

"How's Muggle Studies these days?" I ask them.

Pavarti Patil, Padma's sister, sighs. "Well, Carrowette basically disses Muggles and Muggleborns, and slaps people." She tells me.

Hannah frowns from beside her. "Sometimes she tortures them too! Ernie got tortured for telling her that Muggles are fairly acceptable creatures if you'd just get to know them."

Daphne smirks at the group, who have begun to accept her. I still haven't figured out how to ask about Ariel. "Who's uglier?"

"She-Carrow. Without a doubt." Pavarti says. Terry Boot from Ravenclaw nods earnestly.

Gryffindor Fay Dunbar's nose wrinkles in disgust, "Are you sure?" She asks. "Amycus has a terrible nose."

I snort. "Imagine how awesome he'd look with Corner's hair."

Michael Corner, a Ravenclaw slacker, laughs from beside me. "I have awesome hair." His hair, is in fact, long and dark. It's not flattering on him, but for some reason he loves it.

Terry Boot sighs. "I still haven't recovered from that punishment for the Sword of Gryffindor diversion."

"What're you guys up to now?" I ask.

Fay sighs. "Just graffitiing." She says sadly. "And it's not doing any good, is it?"

"There are some rumors in my house that the Death Eaters are going to go after our families." Daphne says.

"Great." Pavarti says sarcastically. "Because we all need more things on our plate."

Her twin nods in agreement.

"Class dismissed early guys." I says. "I've got to run down and visit an old friend. Just write down random words on parchment for the assignment. I'll give chocolate to whoever has the awesomest word."

They all walk out, Michael and Terry groaning about having Dark Arts next.

I apparate outside of the place where I have tracked Ariel to. It's a cottage in the middle of the woods. Interesting, right?

I knock on the door politely. No one answers. I unlock it silently and light my wand. The cottage is very clean and everything seems to be in place. No sign of struggle. I have begun my descent down the cellar stairs when a knife is pressed to my throat.

"You came." A cold female voice hisses. "A few years late, but you came. Why are you here, Black?"

I don't even turn to look at her, for fear of the knife hitting me in a deadly place.

"You're Ariel, my mother's friend." I say, but it's more like a statement than a question.

"Follow me." Ariel says. She takes the knife away from my throat, and motions for me to follow her.

She sits down in an armchair, leaving me with a lumpy love seat.

"Lemme guess, you're here to convince me to join your side of the war." Ariel says, pushing her thick and frizzy brown hair back.

I frown. "Why would I be?"

Ariel laughs mirthlessly. "You don't know? That-"

"I saw you at the Potters' wedding." I say slowly and evenly, trying to keep my anger controlled.

"And you still have no clue? You must have your father's brains..."

At this, I leap up angrily. "Listen! I'm being very kind to you, Ariel! All I'm asking is for you to tell me who you are, and about my mother."

Ariel glares at me. "You really want to hear about your mother?"

I nod.

"Bring me an antidote to the Draught of the Living Death."

"WHAT?" I yell. "There is none! I read it in my Potions book!"