Harry and Amelia Potter

7.30

Snape's eyes find both Harry and I, but his face remains a mask. McGonagall stands poised, no longer an ashen ghost. Flitwick's hand twitches over his wand. The air prickles with anticipation.

Snape moves as if to retrieve his wand. McGonagall steps forward and sends a volcanic blast Snape's way. Pivoting, he parries the spell, barely, and sends it ricocheting around the room.

Chaos ensues. Flitwick and the rest of the staff, inspired by Harry, McGonagall, and I, leap forth, wands out. Snape, outnumbered, standing at the epicenter, parries spell after spell with astonishing skill deflecting two of the curses into Alecto and Amycus Carrow.

Snape takes the measure of the room and sweeps his wand over his head, reducing the torches that line the wall to smoke and pitching the Hall into total darkness

As students screamed, a great whooshing sound fills the Hall and some flying thing flickers past the windows, rattling the panes before blasting through one.

Instantly, the torches burst back to life and we see that it's McGonagall, wand raised aloft, who's done it. In the moonlight, I can see a bat-like creature beating into the night. McGonagall peers bitterly into the darkness.

"Coward! Coward! And he didn't even stay to fight!" Then she turns to Harry and I. "Mr. and Miss Potter, do you mind telling me what you're doing here, which, I trust you realize, is an act of complete and utter lunacy?"

"We're Gryffindors." Harry smiles at her.

"I thought it might have something to do with that." She turns back to the room. "All right! Settle down! Settle down!" The room quiets. "It appears that your Headmaster, to use the common phrase, has done a bunk."

Cheers rise from all Houses, except Slytherin, where Pansy Parkinson glowers along with Blaise and Goyle. Even McGonagall can't help but smile. Just then, Harry and I wince slightly, pressing our fingers to our temples.

"Potters..." McGonagall looks worried.

A slow rumble fills the Hall. My fingers trembling with pain, I glance up and see dark clouds coagulating in the Enchanted Ceiling. McGonagall follows my gaze, as do others, watching as the clouds shift eerily, like blots of blood.

Suddenly the flames in the torches along the walls tremble as a chill breeze consumes the room. The Hall slowly dims. All grows progressively silent when a girl screams, her voice rising and rising. Harry and I rush through the throng, the students parting as we pelt forward, pushing past them until we find Maisie, cowering on the floor in the corner, hands over her ears, eyes clenched tight. She seems possessed.

Everyone watches, chilled. Finally I start to move forward, when I myself wince, pressing my fingers to my temple again. Another person screams somewhere in the Hall, then another. I glance about, at the circle of faces in my vicinity. All are a mirror image of Maisy now, grimacing in pain.

Harry and I stare, confused, stricken with pain. Then a voice blooms in our heads.

"I know that many of you will want to fight. Some of you may even think this wise. But this is folly."

I weave through the room, taking in the faces, listening in mute misery as Voldemort speaks.

"I wish you no harm. I have great respect for the students of Hogwarts. I was once one myself after all. I ask for but one thing and if granted no magical blood shall be spilt..." For a moment we all stand, hung in silence. "Give me Harry and Amelia Potter. Do this and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry and Amelia Potter and I shall leave Hogwarts untouched. Give me Harry and Amelia Potter and you will be rewarded."

With that, the whisper recedes and those in the Hall slowly surface back into the prickling ambience of the here and now. Above us, the clouds evaporate in the Enchanted Ceiling. And then, like iron filings flaking to the surface of a magnet, every eye finds Harry and I.

For a moment, silence. Then, Pansy Parkinson jabs her finger at us. "But they're there! The Potters are there! Someone grab them!"

Instinctively, Ginny and Fred step in front of Harry and I, wands drawn. Then, as one, the Gryffindors assemble in a line and face towards the Slytherins, shielding both of us. Moments later, the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs do the same. My eyes glitter at the sight, moved. Fred and Ginny lower their wands.

Fred turns to me and wraps his arms around me. I do the same, leaning my head up as our lips meet. We kiss passionately for a moment.

Just then, Filch bursts in the Hall. "Students out of bed! Students in the corridors!"

Fred and I part, arms still around one another and we look to Filch, who stops dead, as Mrs. Norris wends through his legs.

"They're supposed to be out of bed, you blithering idiot!" McGonagall looks annoyed.

"Oh. Sorry, mum." Filch begins to turn away.

"Wait! As it turns out, Mr. Filch, your arrival is most opportune." She stops him. "If you would, I'd like you to lead Miss Parkinson and the rest of Slytherin House from the Hall."

"Right away." He nods, then stops. "Er, exactly where is it I'd be leadin' em to, mum?"

"The dungeons should do." Cheers rise again and McGonagall's eyes turn onto Harry and I. She rises up to full height, her jaw firm. "I presume you both have a reason for returning. What is it you need?"

"Time. As much as you can give us." I tell her.

"Do what you have to do. I'll secure the castle." She nods my way.

"Is that possible, Professor?" Harry asks. She turns to him.

"We teachers are rather good at magic, Potter. We've even been known to turn out a worthwhile witch or wizard on occasion." She then glances at her fellow staff members. "I think it's time I ask a few of them to take their magic beyond the classroom. What d'you think?"

Harry and I follow McGonagall's gaze, we see Neville and Ginny conferring with a sprinkling of DA members.

"I think you're right." I smile. McGonagall nods, still sizing up Neville and the others. Harry and I turn, starting to exit.

"By the way, Potters..." we look back to her. "It's good to see you two."

"You, too, Professor." We say in unison. Harry continues to walk off and I try to follow, but I'm stopped by Fred's hand.

"Do I at least get a proper hello?" He smirks.

"What would you call that kiss then?" I question.

"An overdue display of affection."

"Oh is that right?" I laugh, I lean up and kiss him on the cheek. "Hello, Freddie."

"Hi."

"As much as I would love to stay and chat, I've got a job to do." I say, giving him one last hug as he releases me from his grasp.

"Marry me when this is all over?" He smiles.

"I suppose." I smirk at him, then run off to find Harry.