The Phoenix

T H E B A T T L E B E G I N S

Raven Gold-Sword

"Let me get this straight Professor, you're actually giving us permission to do this?" Neville asked Professor McGonagall, with a hint of excitement in his voice.

"That is correct Longbottom." Her voice was shaky.

"To blow it up? Boom!" Neville said, the excitement in his voice growing with each word.

"Boom!" McGonagall exclaimed.

"Wicked!" Neville says to himself, "But how on Earth are we going to do that?"

"Why don't you confer with Mr Finnigan. As I recall, he has a particular strength in blowing things up." She tried to shoo the two of them away.

Students and Professors started spilling out of the doors and filling around the front Grounds. 

"I can bring it down!" Seamus says with eagerness.

"That's the spirit." McGonagall says, literally pushing them away.

Draco and I stood in the door way looking at the sight in front of us. Several faces of terror and frightfulness, surrounding the entrance in a horse shoe-like shape. Their hands pointing to the entrance, gripping their wands tight. Professors were sending up protective spells, creating a barrier in the sky. 

This was really happening, and there is nothing I can do to stop it...

Draco pulled me out of the door way and into the cold night air.

Professor Flitwick stood slightly behind McGonagall and I think that was Molly Weasley the other side of her.

"You do know that the spells won't stop him." Professor Flitwick piped up.

"Yes I know,  but that doesn't mean that we can't delay him." McGonagall replies, "And his name is Voldemort! You might as well say it, he is coming anyways..." She quickly turned around and muttered a spell.

Suddenly, all of the statues of stone soldiers fell down one at a time from their stands and filed into ranks. They marched past the three of them and into the Grounds. The students made way for them to pass, and the statues suddenly halted at the gates.

"HOGWARTS IS THREATENED! MAN THE BOUNDRIES, PROTECT US! DO YOUR DUTIES TO OUR SCHOOL!" McGonagall cried out.

Then she slightly turned to Molly.

"I've always wanted to use that spell," McGonagall smiled at her, and she gave a weary smile back.

Professor Flitwick walks into the line of Professors and also chants the boundary charm. Molly joins in as well. Each single shot of light, joins with the existing barrier and strengths it. When two pieces join together, a flash is created, sending Dementors backwards. It was like a blanket that you have had ever since you were a baby. It felt weird to see it happening, but also slightly reassuring.

The suddenly, out of nowhere, a sea of charms erupted on the other side of  the barrier, attacking the blanket of protectiveness. With the light of the spells, we could also see the Death Eater army stood on the hill before us. There was a lot of them. Almost too many. But there was a lot of us. And I was not going to let Voldemort win this, that's for sure.