Summary: In Italian_Author 's FFAC you see the characters you know throughout their days at Hogwarts. But what happened when the biggest threat on Hogwarts tried to tear them up.
Word Count: 1807
A frightening jumble of nervousness, danger, and fear engulfed us whole in a tangible wave. It closed at our throats and shook us up until we felt lost and alone. I attempted to brush it off and tried recalling every defense spell and curse I could think of, but the anxiety of what lie ahead cut inside me like a rusted dagger.
Gianna and I walked hurriedly in a small group of students and faculty side by side. Leading the way was Professor McGonagall as she and Neville spoke frantically.
"Let me get this straight Professor, you're actually giving us permission to do this?" he seemed bewildered and she answered quickly and sharply as her long dark purple robes swished behind her with every step.
She was the type of witch to always keep her clothes pressed and clean, but the hem of her robes had a trace of dirt and her hair stuck out wildly from its usually neat bun. We all knew that something horrible was sure to be happening if one of our bravest and toughest Professors was visibly worried herself.
"That is correct Longbottom." I turned to Gianna and saw her clenching her wand in her right hand.
"Are you ok?" I asked in a sad attempt to shed the worries off of myself, but hearing my own voice shake from my fear told me to not even try.
"I'm fine." She responded after a blank reaction. "How about you?"
I scoffed a bit. "I mean we are at war with one of those most terrifying wizards out there, and he's got an army." I paused after I noticed the word vomit of my fear. "But, I feel like we've got a chance." Gianna stood almost silent as we trudged along.
After Cedric's death the fun little comments from her that we had all gotten used to rarely came out and we were all afraid they would be lost forever.
"Why don't you confer with Mr. Finnigan. As I recall, he has a particular proclivity for pyrotechnics." McGonagall continued. Gianna and I scurried out the door with other students and passed the five. I watched Gianna make eye contact with Seamus and give a knowing nod. His face lit up and ran up to them. Over the years Seamus and she had slowly gotten along better, after all, he was madly in love with her ever since the start and we all knew it. Cedric will always be the tragedy of her life, but something deep inside tells me Seamus may be one to help her out of this pit in the future.
"I can bring it down!" he said. The two smiled and Neville and Seamus ran off towards the bridge.
We continued to walk off across the gravel towards the walls of the school with few other students and professors. The boundaries of the school were dark, yet there was a soft glow coming from the castle as if the school was in a happy little snow globe dropped into the deep blackness of the ocean.
"How do you think Presley is holding up?" Gianna asked smiling a bit, thinking of what profanities the blonde would be shouting from the dungeons. Professor McGonagall began promptly shouting behind us.
"Probably plotting how to escape," I said looking at the castle behind me and smiling. At that moment, a huge statue of what looked like a knight flew to the ground shaking the earth under our feet. More began to fall to the ground and the small rocks that were chipped off of the stone castle began to bounce around at my feet. They began to march out the large doors of the school.
"Do your duty, to our school!" She shouted as Gianna and I backed up letting the cement defense system march by and across the bridge. Professor Flitwick standing firmly next to us aimed his wand at the sky.
"Protego Maxima Fianto Duri Repello Inimigotum." He chanted and magic escaped his wand like a firework.
Great bright light from other professors and trusted adults slowly crept up through the sky and placed itself in the air and together, it engulfed the school in a thick sphere of hope. Against the bright light I noticed small dark strands darting about-Dementors.
"We have to get inside," Gianna said grabbing the sleeve of my jacket and tugging me back, the reality of the moment bloomed in her and it was like she became human again.
The wispy entities of depression stood out like pepper in a glass bowl of water as they drifted around. We were soon completely encased in the protection spell, the strong light from the magic giving off a glow of hope. Yet we still knew it was just a sheer curtain against a hurricane of death. "Maddie!" I was snapped out of my thoughts and I turned to her. She nodded and we began to run into the castle. While running I looked back out at the scene and watched small bright curses being shot through the air like arrows, his army-it is here. The stone ceiling of the school covered up the first hits against our defense and we continued to run deeper into the walls of the school.
Students flew past us and screams were heard throughout the walls. In each pair of eyes that whizzed past there was fear. Pure stone cold blackened fear. And the younger the student, the more it showed. Some were covered in it as tears fell down their cheeks and they clung to older students. Seeing the young children being forced to fight made me realize that I'm still just as much a child as the rest of my peers. And although those of eleven and twelve looked to us for help we had little to give. We were all just children shoved into an arena and forced to fight for the unity of muggles and wizards.
Gianna and I found ourselves frozen outside the Great Hall and looking at the large wooden doors. Swirls and intricate patterns laced the entrance and they were shut tight with a locking spell. Students ran past without glancing over. All they wanted was protection and we, some of the stupid 7th years that stayed, saw our home.
"Do you think we'll ever walk back in there again?" I asked Gianna not breaking my stare towards the doors. "Be able to laugh at first years and spend Halloween eating mountains of sweets. Be able to study and watch one of us gawk at a boy at a table across from us." The memories of our moments at Hogwarts came swarming back into my mind and they gave me a deeper reason to fight for the school.
"Who knows," Gianna said barely above a whisper.
"Gianna?" I heard a voice call from behind. We both turned around to see a blonde with a black and yellow tie.
"Vivian," I said relieved as she ran over to us.
"Have you guys seen Presley?" She asked looking behind her at the students running by to possibly spot her.
"Dungeon." Gianna responded, "most likely escaped though." A lighthearted smile faintly crept onto Vivian's face as she likely thought of the image of her fighting some locking charm.
"I don't understand why this all has to happen." She said as the castle shook. "Why there has to be this, this war."
"There is nothing we can do now but fight." I said.
"We have to go deeper into the castle if we want to survive the first blows," Gianna said looking at the staircase full of running students. We made our way over to the stone steps and got swept up by the crowds of people.
The fear around us soon grew into terror as the castle shook from a deep rumble of a blow and we knew. Our defense system, the strong bubble of magic and hope, had been destroyed. The students froze in their tracks with the pounding terror as if Voldemort himself was breathing down each of our necks and wrapping a pointed claw around our arms.
Every student and every teacher, all the staff and all the ghosts knew. Through all our differences, it was time for us to come together and fight.
People began to run once again, but with a sense of strength added to that fear.
"Higher!" Vivian shouted to us as we pushed our way past the crowds of students screaming and running. We soon found ourselves on the 3rd floor. Fewer people surrounded us and I began to feel my fears leave.
'These are bad people, they do not care for us, they do not want us to live.'
My conscience echoed through my mind as he handed me a mental sword and armor. 'Anything you can do, do it. This is about saving yourself and those around you.'
I shut my eyes and breathed. The screams and cries of students flooded our ears with a thick soup like flow. I opened them and met the eyes of two of my closest friends. My strong and brave friends. There was worry in Vivian's eyes, and I knew she was at war with herself. Her morals would tell her that killing is wrong and our best bet is to hide away and avoid the war until it was all over.
"These are bad people Vivian," I said watching her lower her head. "We can't hide anymore, we have to fight back or we will die."
"And these bastards deserve every single drop of war we can hit them with. For everything they have done." Gianna added. Vivian looked up and nodded her head.
I smiled at the others and took my hazel wand out of my pocket. Then screams had ran through the stone hallways as empty picture frames shook. There were only three times any portrait had left. Once was when the fat lady at the Gryffindor common room was attacked. Then when Umbridge had Filch empty them out. And now.
They were gone and left behind nothing but backdrops and deep shades. Hopefully they would return. We would win the battle and they would return to their homes in the paintings, on the walls, upon the stone, within the castle.
Through the halls came another wave of students as they flew past us. Pushing and shoving us in every direction.
"Gianna!" I called to my left where she was once standing. A hand emerged from the sea of students and I reached out in attempts to bring back my friend, but the push of people was too much and all three of us were separated throughout the school as the battle of Hogwarts began.
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To be continued...