Pariah: The Other Malfoy

Chapter 78: Potter

I took a shaky breath before nodding, turning on my heel and running to the Room of Requirement. Snape's avoidance of questions threw me, he wasn't expecting to come out of it alive. I knew he was hiding something, but there wasn't time. I threw the doors open, my eyes widening when I saw three familiar faces in front of me.

"Lyra, you're alive!" Hermione cried out, running towards me and hugging me.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do more," I said, nodding at the two boys and hugging her back, "Listen. Snape knows you're here. He's calling everyone to the Great Hall."

"Lyra, there's one here," Harry walked towards me, "Luna thinks its Ravenclaw's Diadem-"

"Luna?" I looked behind him, my grin widening, "You're alive! When did you get here?"

"She was in your basement," Ron said quietly and I baulked.

"What?"

"No time!" Harry snapped, "I'm coming with you all to the Great Hall, to confront Snape. Hermione, alert the Order—"

"Already done," Neville signalled towards Michael Corner on the transmitter.

"Right, some of you need to wait for their arrival, I need a robe to borrow," Harry nodded, "Once we get rid of Snape, we need to get ready. Search for the Diadem, prepare for a battle."

We walked into the Great Hall in rows, I was beside Harry, hiding him on the inside of the row. We filed in, standing in our houses, most people avoiding eye contact with Snape, but I caught his eye directly.

"Many of you are surely wondering why I have summoned you here at this hour," Snape began, "It has come to my attention that earlier this evening... Harry Potter was sighted in Hogsmeade."

Murmurs filled the hall, everyone glanced around, expecting Harry to pop up any second. They weren't far wrong.

"I mention this in the hopes that truth will not be supplanted by rumour," Snape raised his voice to quell the noise, "For myself and a few select members of the staff this comes as little surprise. We have, for some time, considered Mr Potter's return to Hogwarts to be not only possible but inevitable. Consequently, in the past several months and under my specific direction, exhaustive defensive strategies have been employed to defeat any attempt Mr Potter might make to breach these walls. But know this. Should anyone -- student or staff -- attempt to aid Mr Potter, that person will be punished in a manner consistent with the severity of their transgression."

Silence followed his words, I narrowed my eyes. What was Snape's plan for what came next?

"Now then. If anyone here has knowledge of Mr Potter's movements this evening... I invite them to step forward now," he eyed us all, his intense gaze intimidating.

Harry moved beside me, stepping out into the middle of the hall, shocked murmurs surrounded him as he stood defiantly in front of Snape.

"It would seem that, despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you have a bit of a security problem, Headmaster," he spoke.

I could see the shock on Snape's face, had he not expected Harry to be this bold? As Harry finished, the doors at the back of the hall flew open, I turned with everyone else to see the new arrivals. Ron, Hermione, Remus, the Weasleys, Luna, Dean, Kingsley.

And Tobias.

"And I'm afraid it's rather extensive," Harry concluded.

The Carrows, who had been advancing, hesitated at the new arrivals. I gripped my wand through my robe pocket, my heart pounding as adrenaline rushed through me.