Everyone was nervous about the battle royal but for the trio of wizards bound to the castle they had something a bit more important to worry about over then a mock battle. They had a soul restoration ritual to perform instead. Fred and George had immediately sought Harry, Severus, and Voldemort out after the founder's announcement with questions on what had happened to cause all of this. Instead of answers they found themselves drafted into helping set up the ritual. Each element and direction had to be perfectly represented and balanced with a safe containment zone for Harry and Severus to sit in while the ritual progressed. Once they found out that Harry was going to be better protected by performing this ritual the twins threw the best efforts in with a will.
"So the paste goes in a circle around Harrykins and the Professor but we have to chalk the rune matrix accurately into place in under an hour," Fred reviewed, studying the diagram that had been sketched out by Voldemort.
"Then we have to pour the potion all over you when you start the chant," George said with a thoughtful hum. He mentally ran through his own calculations of how long the needed potion would still be good after brewing.
"Incorrect, I will pour it over myself. Nagini will stay in Harry's lap to avoid potential problems," Voldemort said in a subdued tone. He wasn't exactly happy about having to perform this ritual but he wasn't going to argue, he would loose... again.
"And Harrykins needs to be painted with the paste but not the Professor or snakey," Fred reminded his brother.
"Why? I mean I get what this rune structure is doing but I really don't see the need for the runes all over Harry," George said with a frown as he snatched the outline from his brother.
"Its partly because I saved Ginny from the Chamber and the Basilisk. To do it I had to kill Voldemort's diary and the magic hidden inside it behind the stuff that was killing Ginny moved to me since I have some of his magic in my scar," Harry patiently explained again. They had settled on an overly simplified explanation to tell the twins, partly to avoid having Dumbledore snatching the information from their minds.
"And this... boom shackalacka chant?" Fred asked doubtfully, sincerity practically leaking from his pores.
"What?! Let me see that!" Voldemort snatched the outline back with a scowl only for the twins to burst out laughing.
"Menaces unless you want to be banned from the Battle Royal or risk getting crucioed I suggest you not push your luck," Severus pointed out darkly, immediately shutting the twins up.
Everyone quickly got to work setting up the ritual under the watchful eye of the amused founders. Once it was set the twins were sent away to spy on the "enemy" while the ritual was performed. The twins had promised to team up with them and help them as much as possible in the coming battle.
"I've instructed the elves to form a reinforced ward line in the surrounding rooms, creating a shield around you while the ritual is performed. There should be no extra magical leakage. This will also keep anyone from interfering once the ritual has begun. It would be extremely dangerous if it were interrupted," Rowena explained once the twins had dashed off with absolute glee over their spying assignments. "I also thank you for choosing to use the extra runes on Harry for his safety."
The other founders murmured their agreement to that sentiment as everyone settled into position, almost immediately beginning the ritual. Harry made a face as Voldemort poured the potions over his head but didn't do anything to interrupt the ritual, contentedly leaning against Severus as he felt the runes on his skin activate. The moment he was done with the chant, which had turned pained a few seconds after the potion went over his head, Voldemort collapsed to the floor. The open space in the runework around him allowed him to remain safe as his muscles spasmed and his features permanently returned to an older version of his diary. As the transformation finished and the magic drained away the Dark Lord started cursing in parseltongue, much to Salazar's exasperation and Harry's interest.
"Salazar? What exactly is he saying?" Rowena asked suspiciously. Nagini was cackling at his reaction, especially since she could tell whatever had happened had helped her wizard.
"The man is in pain woman, what do you think he's saying?" Salazar shot back in deep amusement. Helga pursed her lips and shot a mouth washing spell at Voldemort, briefly ending the tirade and earning a murderous glare.
"There are ladies present," Helga pointed out disapprovingly. "I can understand why you were cursing but if you'll pay attention you'll notice that the pain is fading rapidly. There is no further need for a foul mouth."
"Yes, ma'am," Voldemort said through gritted teeth.
"Can we move yet?" Harry asked, eyeing his hurting mate with sympathy.
"Certainly, I want the three of you in bed for a nap until the battle so that you'll be well rested. It should also help keep you from collapsing when Voldemort draws on your magic once you leave the protective rune circle. Don't worry about the clean up the house elves can do it," Helga warned them. "From what Ro explained to me the ritual will take several months to heal all the pieces you've just acquired back in place. It will also summon and absorb the piece that Nagini carries if she dies. If Harry is mortally wounded his piece will try to get him to you before he dies or slips into a coma, while the basilisk venom and phoenix tears along with the transformation from them will make it much harder for him to be killed in the first place."
"Yes, ma'am," they chorused grumpily, allowing the elves to transport them to their quarters and tucked into bed like little children until it was time for the battle.
Everyone had assembled in the great hall with the teachers being granted the high ground of the dias and something of a barrier consisting of the house tables. The chairs had been put away to minimize potential injury via flying chair. The students all had settled naturally into an unconscious ranking split up by house and skill level. Peeves trumpeted to begin the battle.
For a moment there was nothing but a stare off between staff and students then a nervous third year squeaked and sent a jelly-legs jinx at the teachers. In an instant spells were flying and the teachers were desperately defending themselves against the onslaught of nearly five hundredspells flying at them nearly simultaneously. It was Harry, Voldemort, and Severus working in tandem and using their large cores to fuel the multilayered shield charm that kept the teachers from falling to the first barrage. Harry, having been temporarily teamed with the teachers due to his mates being staff members, worked in concert with his mates to shift between holding the defenses and tossing spells at the students.
McGonagall, being one of the teachers with some combat experience, immediately transfigured the edge of the dias into a waist high stone wall, giving them some permanent cover. The ancient runes teacher started slinging spells at the students while laughing madly, apparently using the battle as therapy for having to deal with poorly done student essays. Sprout mixed Charms with Herbology to set off plant grenades amongst the students. The plants included in her grenades had a heavy dose of a variation of Devil's Snare that was more commonly called Tickle Vines mixed well with some magical itching powder.
The arithmacy teacher waited a moment, watching the attacking students before sending off spells in random directions only for them to ricochet off of various students and cause chaos in the rear. Madam Pomfrey was moving quickly and accurately through the students. She countered what she could and sending various students off to one side for when she had the chance to deal with some of the more problematic spellwork. Each time she finished healing someone either on the field or in the healing area they immediately returned to the fray. Flitwick had to banish more than one student to the sidelines for inappropriate use of spells and counter more than one spell tossed his way despite his neutral status.
Severus, on the other hand, was using his previous experience as both target and enemy of the Marauders to put as many students as possible in ridiculous or compromising situations. Not even his Slytherins were spared from the made pranking master, reflexes and spells honed by a constant near seven year battle with the prankster kings of his time. Harry matched his human mate by using some of the spells that the Weasley twins had taught him or that he'd learned from being Hermione's friend. His score was nearly as devastating as the Potions Master's. Voldemort? He had a hard time turning his battle experience to relatively harmless attacks and stuck mostly to defending the area against the sheer weight of fire the teachers were under.
"ROUND TWO! TEACHERS ON SUPPORT AND RANDOM ROAMING! GHOSTS ON RECON!" Gryffindor bellowed. This immediately sent everyone scattering as student turned on student and the teachers left the relative safety of the dias to dash about the chaos of battle field helping their students.
Voldemort, Harry, and Severus roamed as a battle triad and were frequently set upon by students aiming for the extra points. Harry fell to a tripping jinx at almost the same time someone decided to add an icy covering to the stones underneath them. One of the older years managed to conjure paint in mid-air above them while a barrage of nearly twenty different spells from groups of students hit the shield that Voldemort was maintaining. The shield held, barely, but they still found themselves slipping and sliding on the ice while covered in multicolored paint. It was at that point that the Dark Lord started loosing his temper and split his attention between sending off stunners while maintaining the shield. Harry manged to get back on his feet in time to catch a spell aimed at his ruby-eyed mate's back and watching a furious wave of stunners fly before succumbing to darkness as he fell to the floor.