Hermione's Riddle

The Return

"Very well," said Voldemort, narrowing a red-eyed gaze on Neville. Wait, red eyes? "If that is your choice, Longbottom, we revert to the original plan. On your head," Voldemort said quietly, "be it."

The Voldemort that stood before her had red eyes but that couldn't be right. Tom Riddle's eyes always flashed blue when he was angry. Did something happen during all those years to make his eyes red? Are they a side effect from being brought back to life after trying to kill Harry all those years ago? Just what exactly happened?

Voldemort's snake-like face twisted into a cruel smirk as he peered at Neville. He waved his wand and seconds later, out of one of the castle's shattered windows, something that looked like a misshapen bird flew through the half light and landed in Voldemort's hand. He shook the mildewed object by its pointed end and it dangled, empty and ragged: the Sorting Hat. "There will be no more sorting at Hogwarts School," said Voldemort. "There will be no more Houses. The emblem, shield and colors of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice everyone. Won't they, Neville Longbottom?"

Voldemort pointed his wand at Neville, who grew rigid and still, then forced the hat onto Neville's head, so that it slipped down below his eyes. Hermione felt the crowd behind her start to stir. She placed a hand on Ron, silently telling him not to do something stupid. Moving as one, the Death Eaters raised their wands, holding the fighters at Hogwarts at bay.

"Neville here is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me," said Voldemort, and with a flick of his wand, he caused the Sorting Hat to burst into flames.

A scream tore from Hermione and countless others followed. Neville was a flame, rooted to the spot, unable to move.

They heard uproar from the distant boundary as people came swarming over the out-of-sight walls and pelted toward the castle, uttering loud war cries. At the same time, Grawp came lumbering around the side of the castle and yelled, "HAGGER!" His cry was answered by roars from Voldemort's giants. They ran at Grawp like bull elephants making the earth quake. Then came hooves and the twang of bows, and arrows were suddenly falling amongst the Death Eaters, who broke ranks, shouting their surprise.

In one swift, fluid motion, Neville broke free of the Body-Bind Curse upon him; the flaming hat fell off him and he drew from its depths something silver, with a glittering rubied handle.

The slash of the silver blade could not be heard over the roar of the oncoming crowd or the sounds of the clashing giants or of the stampeding centaurs, and yet, it seemed to draw every eye. With a single stroke Neville sliced off the great snake's head, which spun high into the air, gleaming in the light flooding from the entrance hall, and Voldemort's mouth was open in a scream of fury that nobody could hear, and the snake's body thudded to the ground at his feet.

Ron took off from beside her with his wand raised, ready to join in on the battle. Hermione hesitated and that hesitation became her luck when she heard Hagrid scream out; "Harry! Harry-where's Harry?"

Hermione stumbled around, looking toward the ground. The body of her friend was nowhere to be found. "He's alive," a voice whispered in her ear. She spun around but no one was there. Was the voice right, was Harry still alive?

She took off at a run in the direction that Ron had run off in, searching the crowd for Harry.

Chaos reigned around her. The charging centaurs were scattering the Death Eaters, everyone was fleeing the giants' stamping feet. Thestrals and Buckbeak attacked great winged beasts up in the sky. Hermione continued running toward the castle; toward the entrance hall. She shot off jinxes and curses while avoiding oncoming spells.

Hermione ran up the steps, passing Charlie Weasley, and into the entrance hall. Someone bumped into Hermione but when she looked, no one was there.

The house-elves of Hogwarts swarmed into the entrance hall, screaming and waving carving knives and cleavers, and at their head, the locket of Regulus Black bouncing on his chest, was Kreacher, his bullfrog voice audible even above this noise: "Fight! Fight! Fight for my master, defender of house-elves! Fight the Dark Lord, in the name of brave Regulus! Fight!"