Elysia

Chapter Seventeen ~ The Battle Begins

A sombre portrait of Idony was created and brought to life in a similar fashion as all other portraits in the school had been. The plaque read, "The first death in Hogwart's battle, Rest in Paradise." beneath her name, birth date and an engraved Lily of the Valley, her favourite flower.

The portrait depicted her amongst a field of these simplistic flowers, grinning broadly and running amongst them peacefully more often than not. I reflected upon my promise to exact revenge upon the Order for letting a child die, but I knew that it was an empty threat.

I wouldn't make them pay for hesitance, perhaps their waiting will have saved more lives than lost. I was almost frozen with fear as I planned escape routes for the children, ways to escort them away if I possibly could. I had been contacting Viperous almost hourly for updates, her annoyance melting away into fondness as we rekindled our disconnected sisterhood.

"I'm going to re-open this fireplace as a floo network when the battle begins. It's risky, and I'm really counting on the ministry being distracted and Harry winning, but it may just save their lives." I declared breathlessly, dangling my wand between my fingers.

"He will win, every soppy, feel-good movie in existence dictates that the good guys must win. I mean, they've won all throughout history, haven't they?" she said with dwindling confidence.

"Viperous you and I both know history is written by the winners, not the good guys." I replied dryly.

"Same thing." she continued with a dry laugh, reducing even me to a few nervous giggles.

"You're real uptight nowadays, you know that?" Viperous continued, raising an accusing eyebrow.

"What does it matter, I'll be as loose and free spirited as you like next year." I added with a grin, picturing myself with dreadlocks and organic vegetables.

"You haven't look too far into that prophecy, have you?" she said in an almost accusing tone.

"Two people aren't coming out of the battle, I suppose. Maybe it's you and me, maybe its Harry and Voldemort. The prophecy doesn't actually give much insight into the selection, does it?" I remarked dryly.

Viperous looked so unbearably tortured by this prophecy I was almost drawn to ask her what she thought it was. She believed that she or someone that was close to her would die, that's for certain. I found this slightly harder to believe, more intent on it surrounded Harry and Voldemort.

"Elysia you can't pretend that you aren't scared by this prophecy." Viperous added in indignation.

"Slightly less than you." I replied confidently.

"In that case, why are you setting up a floo network when you have a passage to Hogsmeade right there in your Dorm? You think something terrible is going to happen, and the children will be safer far away. That doesn't sound like the mentality of one confident in their own victory." Viperous spat, her words of truth sending me dash the flames with an angry flick of my wand.

Staring accusingly at the fireplace, I wished that Viperous could be wrong, yet despite our intellectual differences she lacked one thing that I had in abundance; denial. I was in denial about the effect Idony's death had had on me, and I was certainly in denial concerning my fate.

Denial or no, I had no choice but to be ready for the battle.

~

Neville had given Aberforth a galleon as well, expecting Harry and company to be forced to arrive in Hogsmeade due to the defences surrounding Hogwarts. The day that Neville's coin finally glowed I could hardly believe it. Before he set off down the passage he kissed me with such enthusiasm I was almost literally swept off of my feet.