𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐖𝐀𝐑━︎━︎H. Granger ︎✓︎

❝︎CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR❞︎

▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫 ━︎━︎ 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐄, 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐏𝐄𝐑, 𝐀𝐍𝐃 Ron would all stay behind as the order began to arrive, whilst Harry made his way to the great hall with the other students. The first thing Juniper did was hug her father and Remus when she spotted them, even taking the time to hug Nymphadora. They knew the plan. They knew this would work. It had to.

Harry stood in the hall, watching carefully as Snape walked between the students and towards the front. Behind him, two Death Eaters accompanied him. To the right McGonagall stood and to the left was Slughorn.

     Snape placed his hands in his pockets, eyes moving over all of the students. "Many of you are surely wondering why I have summoned you at this hour. It's come to my attention that earlier this evening Harry Potter was sighted in Hogsmeade. Now, should anyone, student or staff, attempt to aid Mr. Potter, they will be punished in a manner consistent with the severity of their transgression. Furthermore, any person found to have knowledge of these events, who fails to come forward, will be treated as. . . equally guilty. Now, then. . ." he started to walk forwards ". . . if anyone here has any knowledge of Mr. Potter's movements this evening. . . I invite them to step forward now."

     For a long moment, no one moved. Until someone did. Harry stepped from the group of Gryffindor's, earning gasps from the students who had no recollection of his appearance being there. "It seems, despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you still have a bit of a problem Headmaster." Behind him, the Great Hall doors opened up wide, revealing the Order. "And I'm afraid it's quite extensive. How dare you stand where he stood? Tell them how it happened that night! Tell them how you looked him in the eye, and man who trusted you, and killed him! Tell them!"

     Instantly, Snape pulled out his wand, but before even a word could escape him, McGonagall rushed forwards, standing in front of Harry as the students all moved out of the way. McGonagall and Snape stood there for a moment, before McGonagall threw the first hit. They went back and forth, casting and blocking, in the process Snape had redirected a hit from McGonagall, killing the two Death Eaters standing behind him. Snape quickly took flight from the room, breaking the grand window in the process. McGonagall yelled, "Coward!"

     A wide smile bloomed on Juniper's face as the students cheered and applauded, McGonagall lighting the fires to give life back to the room. Suddenly, Harry fell to the ground and McGonagall approached them. The room grew dark as voice echoed in everyone's heads. Suddenly, a girl began screaming. Harry stood, approaching her. She had her ears covered, looking at Harry with wide eyes as she continued to scream. And then another girl began to scream, and the voice came back.

    "I know that many of you will want to fight." Voldemort's voice sent shivers down Juniper's spine. "Some of you may even think that to fight is wise. But this is folly. Give me Harry Potter. Do this and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave Hogwarts untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have one hour."