Marked || ONEUS Leedo

17

Within a few minutes, everyone had assembled in the Great Hall. Enya kept Geonhak close, trying to shelter him from all of the curious and furious eyes. The tables in the Great Hall were gone as were the levitating candles. The room seemed cold despite the lit torches on the wall. It felt deserted even though there were hundreds of students assembled. The students didn't stand according to their houses. Everyone was wildly mixed, yet standing in rows.

All teachers were standing in a row behind the headmistress. Enya's eyes wandered through the rows and the girl realised that all of them were still with the school. Nobody had joined the death eaters. In addition, those who have retired years earlier had also come back for support and backup.

"Silence, please!" the headmistress raised her voice. Immediate silence occurred.

"You might have noticed that certain students have returned. You might also have detected that the dark magic has spread rapidly after Dumbledore's death. Other students have left us following the Dark Lord, it is indeed no secret." after a short pause, she continued "Voldemort is coming to Hogwarts. He isn't coming alone; the death eaters are coming too. They will attack at any moment."

The students started whispering with their friends. Enya could still feel the eyes of dozens of students on them. McGonagall sighed as panic threatened to break out.

"I am asking you to fight. Against the dark magic that has befouled our world. For Hogwarts. For your future." the witch looked over to the three friends but didn't say anything. Instead, another student spoke one's mind,

"What about him?"

"Yeah," another one yelled "Why is that traitor back?

"How can we know that we can trust him?" A Gryffindor roared.

"He killed Dumbledore!" Another student yelled.

"If you don't want to trust me, don't." Geonhak finally spoke up for himself "Nonetheless, you will have to face the death eaters. I am trying everything in my power to help you win this battle. If I could turn back time, I would. I will forever be haunted by guilt. Be sure that I would give my life to make up for what I've done. By helping you, I'm already indirectly signing my contract with Death. You don't have to trust me, but you have to trust our headmistress and professors."

The complaining students went quiet. McGonagall replied,

"Geonhak has been a great help to us ever since he has come back. What has happened cannot be undone, know, that I am well aware of that. He has made mistakes, but this is not to be discussed right now. This is greater than that. The death eaters are about to invade our school. That's what we should be troubled about. One more or less won't change the outcome."

Wouldn't it? Out of instinct, Enya grabbed Geonhak's hand. She didn't understand why, her body just acted on its own. He didn't jerk back as her cold hand grabbed his warm fingers. There were uncountable unspoken things between them, yet they had to put them aside. What worried the girl was that maybe when all of this was over, they wouldn't be able to be with each other anymore. Her concerns were mutual with him. None of them spoke about it. There was no time for that.

"Now, prepare yourselves." the headmistress spoke up once last time "May you all be protected and well."

The students immediately left the hall. Some were running to the dorms, some were watching the school's surroundings from the tower, and others were patrolling near every possible entrance to the school. The remaining students, such as Dongju, Enya and Geonhak, had assembled in the courtyard. It was where the dark wizards and witches would be led by their professors.

Meanwhile, the said professors were sealing every entrance except for this one. McGonagall hexed the stone guards to bring them to life and do their duty. They wouldn't hold the death eaters back for long, but it would buy them at least some minutes. Every second counted from now on.

The sky darkened with cool clouds covering the warm sun. Soon, it seemed to be as dark as night. A cold winter breeze was messing with Enya's hair as they stood outside. Everyone's anxiety befouled the heavy atmosphere. Their limbs were starting to feel numb due to the icy cold.

A signal from one student on the tower led all of the attention to the gate. Everyone who hadn't been in the courtyard just then was assembling now. The Dark Lord had been sighted just metres away from the great bridge in front of the school. Hundreds of death eaters had been following him, casting destructible spells to demolish the protection spell that was protecting the castle grounds like a magical bubble. It didn't last as long as they had expected it to. With one powerful wand flick, Voldemort himself had destroyed the remaining bits of the protection spell.

Enya grabbed onto her wand.