After Defense Harrison and his fellow third year Slytherins had Herbology much to Jenna's annoyance. They went over safety procedures they would need to follow that year for working with the more difficult plants. After Herbology Harrison and his friends were enjoying their dinner when Dumbledore stood up. Harrison noticed the solemn look on Dumbledore's face and his mind began thinking of every possibility. He knew his father had a raid planned for that evening but it wasn't supposed to happen until later. Dumbledore raised his hands and the Great Hall fell silent. Draco sent Harrison a curious look and he shook his head, he had no idea what this was about.
"As you are all aware, several days ago Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban," Dumbledore began and whispers broke out. Harrison noticed Leo and Cass exchange significant looks at the mention of their second cousin. Dumbledore held out his hands for silence. "This afternoon it was decided that Hogwarts needed extra protection." Umbridge smiled smugly from her seat, her pink cardigan standing out. "As of this evening Hogwarts will be playing host to some Dementors, the guards of Azkaban." Several frightened sounds and incredulous looks exploded around the hall. Several people looked as though they were questioning Dumbledore's and the Ministry's sanity. "They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not be to fooled by tricks or disguises – or even Invisibility Cloaks. It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the Prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs foul of the Dementors." Harrison suppressed a snort, Dementors didn't care one sickle if someone was guilty or not. Harrison rolled his eyes when he saw Percy puff his chest out with pride and look around impressively, as though he had just been named supreme ruler of the universe.
"On a happier note," Dumbledore continued, his features morphing back into that of a jovial grandfather. "This Saturday will be the first Hogsmeade trip of the school year. Every common room will have a list of the Hogsmeade dates for the rest of the school year on the house notice boards. For those of you who haven't heard of Hogsmeade privileges, this is something only open to those in third year and above." Dumbledore smiled as his eyes swept over the room. "Enjoy the rest of your evening." Dumbledore sat down and began a whispered conversation with McGonagall.
"Dementors at Hogwarts," Tracey said. "I wonder whose idea that was."
"It certainly wasn't Dumbledore's," Theo murmured. "He looked angry just speaking about Dementors."
"It was most likely fathers," Draco told them. "It would make him look like he was trying to protect the students of Hogwarts from a mad man while at the same time infuriating Dumbledore."
"And of course Fudge will agree with Uncle Lucius," Leo smirked. Harrison listened to his friends discuss the Dementors half-heartedly. He was calculatedly watching Dumbledore and McGonagall who were speaking in quiet whispered. They looked as though they had forgotten where they were. Harrison suspected it was about the Order since he had seen Dumbledore waved his wand no doubt casting privacy charms, since those on either side of them appeared to not be hearing anything. Harrison wanted to read their lips but he could only see their profiles. He scowled when Dumbledore stood up and left the Great Hall followed by McGonagall.
It was several minutes past midnight and the sky was as black as coal, the only light came from spells being cast from every direction. Screams and spells could be heard all around and explosions would ring out through the air every minute or so. Bellatrix effortlessly slashed her wand through the air as she walked leisurely over the dead bodies that littered the ground. Lifeless faces stared up at the sky, fear or pain etched on all of them. Limbs hung on to bodies by nothing more than muscle tissue or bones. Blood tarnished the ground she walked on as she made her way towards a group of masked Death Eaters. Bellatrix smiled cruelly when she saw twelve crying and screaming Muggles tied together in a circle. The Muggles struggled at the ropes that held them causing laughter to echo around the once peaceful Muggle village.
"Your people once burned us alive," the loud cruel voice of Rabastan rang through Bella's ears. "And now we've come to collect payment for that crime." With a flick of his wrist Rabastan's wand was out and with another flick a jet of fire was shooting towards the giant conjured tree trunk they were tied around. Suddenly the air was filled with blood curdling screams, screams of desperation and agony. Bellatrix watched with glee as the Muggles began to burn, their faces illuminated by the orange flames. The pain they were feeling was almost palpable and the smell of burning flesh filled the air. Jeering and laughing from the Death Eaters was almost as loud as the screams of the tied up Muggles. Behind Bellatrix laid the quiet country village where the remaining Muggles began to run in the opposite direction, the odd looking metal things they had tried to attack the Death Eaters with littering the ground.
"Go get them," Lucius ordered a group of Death Eaters. They immediately ran after the fleeing Muggles as the screams of those dying a fiery death began to wane. Bellatrix grinned at the sight of the flesh melting away from a woman's face, leaving behind a skull which promptly clattered to the ground. The magical fire soon disintegrated the Muggles and the remaining Death Eaters cheered as Bellatrix pointed her wand into the air. Several others pointed their wands into the air emitting green and silver sparks.
"Morsmordre!" Bellatrix bellowed and a green light shot from her wand. The night sky was illuminated by the dark mark floating above the village, a snake slithering through skulls. The cheers of the Death Eaters grew, until more than a dozen pops were heard and jets of red light flew towards them. Bellatrix was immediately alert, she erected a shield and began firing off curses at the red clad aurors. Bellatrix dodged out of the way of several stunners and she had to resist the urge to laugh at the spells the Aurors were sending, it wouldn't do to give her identity away. Some Aurors were against killing if they could help it so they would send stunners and other pathetic spells. Bellatrix was amused by their naivety, a fellow Death Eater could just unstun or unbind them. However, on the occasion you were up against an Auror willing to kill you needed to be on your guard. Bellatrix twirled her wand and sent an Auror back into a stone wall, a loud crack was heard and she smirked from under her mask.
"Stupefy!" A feminine voice shouted and Bellatrix spun around in time to deflect the stunner. Her eyes became alight with a twisted sense of triumph when she recognized the Auror as Nymphadora Tonks. She had seen a picture of her sisters daughter, her niece, not that Bellatrix would ever claim the half blooded blood traitor as a member of her family. Nymphadora Tonks had been an Auror for over a year, and Bellatrix had wanted to meet her during a raid. To kill her traitorous sisters child would be satisfying. Bellatrix wanted the girl to suffer first so she began firing off stunners to Nymphadora's surprise since Death Eaters rarely used stunners, it was only when they wanted to take someone alive. Nymphadora dodged several stunners while sending several of her own.
"Stupefy!" Bellatrix yelled for the sixth time, and it finally hit its target. Bellatrix smiled as her niece fell to the ground, her wand slipping out of her hand.