Screaming on the Inside
Chapter Sixteen
A/N: Not mine, just taking it for a spin. Huge thanks to Lady Jane for betaing! Thanks lovey! Nothing much to say about this. Sorry about the wait but in truth it was no where near as huge as the last wait.
HARRY'S POV
Looking out over the Great Hall and most of me doesn't believe it. This was it. Welcome to the Thunderdome. Two players enter, only one player leaves.
Everything had been going smoothly. Too smoothly. I looked around the expectant faces, like they were expecting a speech or something. They weren't going to get one. Not yet at least.
It had to be strange for them. Woken from their warm beds, told to dress comfortably, bring their wands and follow us to the Great Hall, our nerves on edge, the squeak of a sneaker was enough to have us all reaching for our wands. There wasn't a professor in sight.
It was such a great tactic. None of the professors would have thought. The carnage at the Ministry was far too great for any of them to even think of leaving someone behind. They all thought the Death Eaters would be too busy to even think of looking at Hogwarts. Not tonight.
It was smart. I'd give Voldemort that.
"Any word?" I turn to find Hermione looking up at me, her brown eyes wide with concern, hand resting gently on my arm.
I shake my head before turning my back on a majority of the Great Hall. Now I was only faced with the Gryffindor Seventh Years and Ginny. Milling around the head table, each displaying their own nervous ticks. Parvati chewing her fingernails, Lavender prattling incessantly, Dean and Seamus both pacing, Neville looking positively green. Ron was hovering gently near his sister; she was still pale from her vision.
Slowly I lace my fingers with Hermione's before walking over and kneeling in front of Ginny. Gently I brush some lose strands away of hair away from her face. She smiles weakly, letting me know that she's okay.
"I'm a big girl, Harry," Ginny announces slowly. "I've got enough older brothers without adding you to the mix."
I smile slightly before standing back up. "Too late."
"You're going to have to tell them something soon," Hermione tells me. I look down to find her looking out into the hall, chewing lightly on her bottom lip. Her eyes flick quickly back up to me. She doesn't need to tell me that `them' was actually code for `me'. She's desperate to know what's going on.
"Five minutes." My eyes flick to the entrance doors, a weight of anxiety settling in the bottom of my stomach.
"How do you know he's coming Harry?" I look up to find Ron looking at me, genuinely concerned, genuinely confused.
"He's coming." I sound a lot more certain then I feel. What if he didn't get there in time? What if Voldemort left people behind, knowing we would come for them?
Ron gives me an appraising look before his eyes flick out to the rest of the Great Hall. "He's still a Malfoy."
He doesn't look at me as he speaks. He knows what he's doing. He's words hit me with as much force as an outright betrayal. If Ron has any doubt in me, what will everyone else think? Am I really that crazy?
Christ, I'm leading a bunch of kids with nothing more than an incomplete Hogwarts education into what could be the biggest battle in wizarding history. I definitely had some screws loose somewhere.
I feel Hermione slip her hand into mine, lacing our fingers together, the small gesture of loyalty centring me, allowing me to assess the situation with more of a level head.
"Five minutes," I tell Ron again, lacing my words with an implication of finality.
"No Harry!" Ron almost yells.
"Keep your voice down," Hermione whispers urgently, with a wary glance towards the sea of students watching us expectantly. She's right. We don't need them seeing any disagreement between us.
Ron ignores her and continues on his tirade.
"I don't get it. A year or so ago you would never have given that bastard a second thought and now he's suddenly the most important person here. I don't trust him. I don't see why you do either."
"That bastard," I spit, taking a step closer to Ron, pulling myself up to my full height, "saved Hermione's life." I pause for a second letting those words have an impact. "He saved Hermione's life… and yours."
That was it. The grand secret that Malfoy and I shared. Nothing all too impressive. A fact kept secret because Malfoy claimed that he didn't want to have Ron or Hermione owe him a favour. He said that he couldn't stand it. He had settled instead for me owing him the biggest favour ever.
Ron steps back a startled look on his face.
"Why didn't you just tell me?" Ron asks quietly, still in shock from the information.
"Because I didn't want to have a snivelling little rat like you in debt to me, Weaselby," I hear I cold voice leer over my shoulder.
I turn to find Draco sneering at Ron, his grey eyes blazing, a large carton full of various potions in his hands, a group of Slytherin first years peering around his shoulder, haunted looks on their faces.
Ignoring Ron's sputtering, Draco slams the carton down on the table in front of him causing the bottles to rattle inside. After taking a deep breath Draco turns his face towards me, anger defining his mouth, a slightly deadened, stunned look shining in his steel grey eyes.
"We need to get this show on the road Potter," he tells me, urgency marring each syllable.
"Were they the only one's left?" I question in gesturing at the handful of first years.
Draco fixes me with his steely gaze once more.
"Left alive, anyway," he mumbles before moving past me to talk to Ginny.
"Harry?" Hermione questions, her hand coming to rest comfortingly on my arm. Unconsciously I begin to massage my scar with the palm of my hand.
"Oh God," I whisper. This was all happening too fast. Behind me everything begins to fade away. The gentle whisper of people in the hall staring up at us, speculating what was happening, Lavender and Parvati's comforting words to the Slytherin first years, Ron's incessant pacing, Hermione's gentle probing. None of it was there. The room swam for a second, a ringing starting to buzz in my ears. Slowly everything began to fall back into place with brilliant clarity.
"We're going to win." I don't know how I knew, but I just knew. There was no way we were going to lose this. Not if we fought.
"What?" Hermione asks in surprise as if she is not sure that she's heard right.
"I don't know how to explain it… we're going to win."
"Harry -"
"I know you and Potter saw something. Just tell me what you saw," Draco suddenly yells, drowning out Hermione's next words.
We both jump turning to around to find Draco gripping Ginny by the biceps, his fingers digging harshly into her skin, his face inches from hers.
"Draco - ow! - stop! You're hurting me!"
Something in her voice reaches Draco and slowly his fingers loosen around her arms.
"They attacked the ministry," she whispers quietly. "Death Eaters, full force, they just walked in and, oh God, I'm going to be sick." Silent tears track down Ginny's already pale face as she begins to rock herself backwards and forwards, trying to find any little comfort she could.
I feel eyes turn expectantly towards me, questioning me, wanting the truth, wanting more of a full story.
"Your dad's okay," I tell Ron answering his unasked question. "Voldemort sent the vision. He wanted us to know what was happening. That he was coming. He attacked with full force, he wanted everyone to rush to the Ministry's aid, knowing that would leave Hogwarts unguarded. It was chaos at the Ministry. No one would have noticed the Death Eaters sneaking off one by one."
Parvati squeaks, a hand quivering over her eyes. "But Dumbledore, he'd never leave, not with the school unguarded."
"I don't think he had much of a choice. There was far too many of them," Ginny whispers, tears pouring down her face. "You didn't see it… you've got no idea."
As if on cue I feel a prickle in my forehead as my scar starts to buzz. Like some kind of screwed up radar I can feel him getting closer.
"Lavender," I call, pulling her close to me by her wrist so I could talk to her. "I need you to do something for me." Behind me I feel Ron's ears prick up. I hate to be doing this too him. I know how he feels about her. I'd kill him if he ever even considered putting Hermione in the danger I was about to put Lavender in. But she was the only one I trusted who could go unnoticed. In front of me, Lavender swallows, nodding her head, eyes wide with fear yet her mouth set in steely determination. "This is very, very important so I need you to listen to me."
"I'm ready," she intones and I'm not too sure who she was trying to convince more, me or herself.
"In Dumbledore's office, on the shelf below the sorting hat there is a sword. Silver with rubies set in the handle. `Godric Gryffindor' is engraved down the blade. I need you to go get that sword for me. The password to Dumbledore's office is `strawberry truffles'. The sword's in a glass case, but that's not charmed. Just break it with whatever you can get your hands on. Once you have it, go up the stairs and on the right behind the portrait of Bevan the Bugler, tap the portrait with your wand and say -"
Just as I'm about to give Lavender the password I'm cut off by a large bang on the Great Hall doors followed by a series of screams.
Shit.
"Neville, Seamus and Dean I need you to go and re-charm that front door. I've got every entrance except that one covered. Nothing stronger than "Colloportus" - we want to let them in rather than have them burn the place to the ground. I just need you to stall them. Charm whatever you can in front them. Most importantly don't do anything stupid. Keep charming the door every five seconds. If they get in that's okay but if you can, try to give us about ten minutes."
The three of them nod and turn to rush off to do as I'd told them. "Get Ernie to help you," I call after them as an afterthought. As they rush down the hall, Dean grabs Ernie's arm and drags him along with them, rapidly explaining what I had asked them to do.
"Lavender - tap the portrait and say `conceal'. That opens a passage way which comes out just behind the stage here. The passage way is only accessible from Dumbledore's office. It can't be opened from here. When you go, try not to be seen, if you are run like hell. Once you reach the gargoyles at his office you're safe, he has all kinds of protections around that. Once you have the sword it's very important that you are not seen. You have that sword and you become walking target practice so use the passage way. Once you get back here, get the sword to me. If you can't find me give the sword to Ron or Draco. If you get desperate, give it to Hermione. You must NOT be seen with that sword." I pause watching her face, waiting for her reaction. None comes. "Are you okay?"
She nods. "Run like hell, `strawberry truffles', break case, grab sword, Bevan the Bugler, `conceal', passageway, don't be seen with sword, Draco, Ron or Hermione. Piece of cake."
"Go out the side door," I tell her. "Once you're out, I'm sealing that and no one is going to be able to come in or out."
"Okay," she answers in a breathy voice, barely above a whisper, her face determined as her head bobs up and down. "I can do this."
Before anyone else can say anything, she turns on her heel, racing towards the door.
"Harry," I hear Ron start, trying desperately to keep the bite out of his voice.
"Not now," I tell him, as I turn to look at him. "She'll be okay." I know I'm trying to convince myself as much as him. "Lavender's tough, she'll be okay."
"What's so important about the sword?" Draco asks as much out of curiosity as out of trying to veer the conversation elsewhere, barely looking up from sorting through the box of potions he had collected.
Another bang at the door cuts me off before I can answer. A few girls scream and those near the door scramble further away. A bookcase sitting in front of the doors wobbles precariously until Neville charms it into place.
"I'm not sure," I answer truthfully, carefully watching Dean, Seamus, Neville, Ernie and a few others scramble to keep the doors blocked and closed.
"What have we got?"
Draco shakes his head in defeat. "Not much we can use. Poisons, truth serums, a couple of fire starters and a whole range of stuff which is far too dangerous to use with this many people in such a small area." He pauses slightly, shaking his head at the box as if it had done him some injustice. "Oh, and I almost forgot. A shitload of frightened children."
Trying to ignore his last comment, I remain silent as I survey the Great Hall, groups huddled together for protection and comfort, many alternating between frightened looks at the door and hopeful looks towards the stage like they were expecting someone to rush in and save them.
Oh, right, I was that someone. How could I forget?
"Now might be the time to do something about that." Draco prods nodding his head towards the students.
Right, speech time.
I gaze out at them - if this were a movie I'd have some kind of epiphany and know exactly what to say, my troops rallying behind my words.
Too bad this was reality. There were no fancy words, and my troops were a bunch of school kids.
The door bangs again and the Great Hall is littered with a few screams. Neville quickly turns and gives me an imploring gaze, his message clear - they can't hold much longer.
"Alarmus," I whisper and a siren wails through out the Great Hall. The students immediately go quiet, their gazes all quickly turning towards me, expectant.
"Listen up. I want everyone to pair up. Sixth years, grab a first year, fifth years with a second year, third and fourth years, you're together. Seventh years grab someone in our year. You guys are our front line." I wince as I feel the gasp go up, and watch in slight shock as determined looks pass over faces. "You guys might have been expecting some words of wisdom or excellent battle tips. I have none. The only thing I can say is - don't die. Whatever you do, don't die."
Ignoring any reactions they may have been having, I turn to seek out Draco.
"Malfoy, I need a favour," I tell him, gesturing for him to come away from the group a bit.
He smirks slightly, nodding. "Last names - must be serious."
"Hermione -"
"You want me to watch her," he interrupts, an annoying smirk gracing his lips.
I nod. "Don't take your eyes off her. And don't let her do anything heroically stupid."
I expect a snort from that, or at least some sarcastic laugh. Instead Draco sets his grey eyes on me, surveying me intensely, his head cocked to one side.
"You really do love her, don't you?"
It was a question that had the most obvious answer I was surprised that he even bothered to ask it.
"I do," I answer. "If anything ever happened to her … I don't know … she's my reason."
I don't wait to find out his answer, I know he'll do it, not because I asked him but because beneath the tough veneer he insisted on putting forth, Draco was really one of the most compassionate people I had ever had the pleasure of meeting.
"Harry," Hermione calls desperately, grabbing my arm and yanking me off to the side as I move away from Draco. Another bang reverberates through the hall.
"Hermione, we don't have ti-"
"I don't want a big scene," she quickly cuts me off. It's only then I realise the silent tears tracking down her face.
"Hey, don't cry," I tell her bringing, a hand up to brush the tears away.
Impatiently, Hermione slaps my hand away, roughly brushing tears from her cheeks. "I told you I didn't want a big scene." I hear her voice crack slightly before she continues. "I just -"
She doesn't finish her sentence, instead her hand weaving around the back of my head, pulling me down, her lips crushing mine. She moans slightly as my lips part, allowing her tongue to slip past, sweeping my mouth with the most delicious taste. She presses her body against mine, clinging to me as if she were afraid she would never see me again.
All too soon she tears her lips from mine, her forehead resting against mine as she breaths heavily. "I… um…"
"Shh," I whisper. "It doesn't matter. Just be careful. For me."
I feel her nod as another bang reverberates through out the Great Hall. I quickly graze her lips with mine, moving away from her, the loss of her body almost physically painful. Why did I feel this was never going to be the same again.
Taking a few steps away from her I face the Great Hall, automatically looking towards the door. Quickly checking my wand I jump down from the stage, striding through the students towards the door.
Seamus jumps almost a foot when I touch his shoulder gently letting me know that they can stop blocking the door.
We don't have to wait long. It must have been less than a minute since they had stopped charming the door closed before the doors swung open impressively, scattering the furniture and chairs which had been used to hold the doors closed.
Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw as the dust settled. About two hundred Death Eaters stood, wands drawn, dressed in identical deep black robes and ghostly white masks.
At the front of the group stood Voldemort, wand hanging loosely at his side, eyes flashing an eerie red against the pale of his face, the deathly white only serving to make his features appear even harsher.
Silence reverberated through out both the Great Hall and Entrance Hall as I regarded Voldemort with what I hoped appeared to be a calm demeanour.
Finally I speak.
"Hello, Tom."
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