𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗡𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗔 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗧

ACT TWO, CHAPTER THIRTEEN
the end is here.

"NEVILLE — WHAT THE — how—?" Harry stammered.

However, Neville had spotted Venus, Ron, Penelope, and Hermione. With yells of delight he hugged them too. Venus stood there in complete shock for a moment because oh my God it was Neville before hugging him back tightly. She pulled way but immediately frowned as he moved onto hug the others.

He looked awful. One of his eyes was swollen yellow and purple, there were gouge marks on his face, and the general air of unkemptness around him suggested that he had been living rough. Venus should've expected that considering everything Penelope had told her about what Hogwarts was like now.

Neville let go of Penelope. "I knew you'd come! Kept telling Seamus it was a matter of time!" Penelope then said that she admired his bravery but that he was getting beat up by them, and Neville dismissed his injuries with the shake of his head. "What? This? This is nothing. Seamus is worse. You'll see." Penelope then asked how Charlotte was doing, and Venus felt her heart stop at the mention of her friend's name. Neville got less excited. "She's . . . she's doing a lot better, but she's still pretty beat up. But you know my girlfriend, she's strong."

Venus' eyes widened in shock — did she hear that correctly. "Woah, woah, woah, wait a second. Girlfriend?"

Penelope looked over at her. "Oh, I didn't tell you? Our brave Gryffindor here finally mustered up enough courage to tell Charlie he liked her. They're cute."

Venus must've looked like a fish out of water. She couldn't really believe it. Well, she could, she just thought that it would be Charlie asking Neville out, not the other way around.

"Shall we get going then?" Neville suggested. He then turned to Aberforth. "Oh, Ab, there might be a couple more people on the way."

"Couple more?" Aberforth repeated ominously. "What d'you mean, a couple more, Longbottom? There's a curfew and a Caterwauling Charm on the whole village!"

"I know, that's why they'll be Apparating directly into the bar. Just send them down the passage when they get here, will you? Thanks a lot."

Neville held out his hand to Hermione and helped her climb up onto the mantelpiece into the tunnel. Venus, Ron, and Penelope followed, then Neville.

Harry, however, stayed for a moment, looking at Aberforth. "I don't know how to thank you. You've saved our lives twice."

"Look after 'em, then," Aberforth told him gruffly. "I might not be able to save 'em a third time."

Harry clambered up onto the mantelpiece and through the hole behind Ariana's portrait, taking Venus' outstretched hand as she did so. There were smooth stone steps on the other side — it looked as though the passageway had been there for years. Brass lamps hung from the walls and the Earthy floor was worn and smooth. As they walked, their shadows rippled, almost fanlike, across the wall.

"How long's this been here?" Ron asked as they set off. "It isn't on the Marauder's Map, is it, Harry? I thought there were only seven passages in and out of school?"

"They sealed off all of those before the start of the year," Neville revealed. "There's no chance of getting through any of them now, not with curses over the entrances and Death Eaters and Dementors waiting at the exits." He started walking backwards, beaming, drinking them in. "Never mind that stuff . . . is it true? Did youbreak into Gringotts? Did you escape on a Dragon? It's everywhere, everyone's talking about it, Terry Boot got beaten up by Carrow for yelling about it in the Great Hall at dinner!" Penelope was confirmed and that she had acted as Bellatrix too, and Neville laughed gleefully. "What did you do with the Dragon?"

"Released it into the wild," Ron answered. "Hermione was all for keeping it as a pet—"

"Don't exaggerate, Ron—" Hermione insisted.

"But what have you been doing?" Neville questioned. "People have been saying you've just been on the run, Harry, but I don't think so. I think you've been up to something."

"You're right, but tell us about Hogwarts, Neville, we haven't heard anything," Harry pleaded. "Penelope's only told us a little bit. "

"It's been . . . well, it's not really like Hogwarts anymore." Neville's smile faded off of his face. "Do you know about the Carrows?"

"Those two Death Eaters who teach here?" Penelope then told Harry that it was a lot more than teaching. The Carrows were in charge of all discipline, which actually meant punishment. Venus frowned. "Like Umbridge?"

"Nah, they make her look tame," Neville admitted. "The other teachers are all supposed to refer us to the Carrows if we do anything wrong. They don't, though, if they can avoid it. You can tell they all hate them as much as we do. Amycus, the bloke, he teaches what used to be Defense Against the Dark Arts, except now it's just the Dark Arts. We're supposed to practice the Cruciatus Curse on people who've earned detentions—"

"What?" Venus, Harry, Ron, and Hermione chorused, their voices echoing up and down the tunnel.

"Yeah." He pointed to a particularly deep gash in his cheek. "That's how I got this one, I refused to do it. Some people are into it, though; Crabbe and Goyle love it. First time they've ever been top in anything, I expect. Penelope has a wicked story about that."

As it turns out, Penelope was instructed to use the Curse on a first year, but she had deflected it onto Amycus on the last second. Venus nodded in impressment.

Neville continued. "Alecto, Amycus's sister, teaches Muggle Studies, which is compulsory for everyone. We've all got to listen to her explain how Muggles are like animals, stupid and dirty, and how they drove wizards into hiding by being vicious toward them, and how the natural order is being reestablished." He pointed to another slash on his face. "I got this one for asking her how much Muggle blood she and her brother have got."

"Blimey, Neville, there's a time and a place for getting a smart mouth," Ron commented.

"You didn't hear her. You wouldn't have stood it either. The thing is, it helps when people stand up to them, it gives everyone hope. I used to notice that when you did it, Harry."

Ron winced slightly as they passed a lamp and Neville's injuries were shined upon. "But they've used you as a knife sharpener."

Neville shrugged. "Doesn't matter. They don't want to spill too much pure blood, so they'll torture us a bit if we're mouthy but they won't actually kill us."

Penelope agreed, saying that she fought too but they left her alone because she was Bellatrix's daughter. Venus, however, couldn't help but feel her heart sink. She didn't know what was worse — the things that Neville and Penelope were saying or the matter-of-fact tone in which they had said them.

"The only people in real danger are the ones whose friends and relatives on the outside are giving trouble. They get taken hostage. Old Xeno Lovegood was getting a bit too outspoken in The Quibbler, so they dragged Luna off the train on the way back for Christmas."

"Neville, she's all right, we've seen her—" Harry started to say.

"Yeah, I know, she managed to get a message to me," Neville revealed. He then pulled out a golden coin from his pocket, and Venus recognized it as one of the fake Galleons that Dumbledore's Army had used to send one another messages. Neville beamed at Hermione. "These have been great. The Carrows never rumbled how we were communicating, it drove them mad. We used to sneak out at night and put graffiti on the walls: Dumbledore's Army, Still Recruiting, stuff like that. Snape hated it."

"You used to?" Harry inquired, noticing the past tense.

"Well, it got more difficult as time went on. We lost Luna at Christmas, and Ginny never came back after Easter, Charlie's healing, and Elijah's been taking care of her since Penelope left, and the five of us were sort of the leaders. The Carrows seemed to know Charlie, Eli, and I were behind a lot of it, so they started coming down on me hard, and then Michael Corner went and got caught releasing a first-year they'd chained up, and they tortured him pretty badly. That scared people off."

"No kidding," Ron muttered as the passage began to slope upward.

"Yeah, well, I couldn't ask people to go through what Michael did, so we dropped those kinds of stunts," Neville voiced. "But we were still fighting, doing underground stuff, right up until a couple of weeks ago. That's when they decided there was only one way to stop me, Charlie, and Eli, I suppose, and they went for Gran."

"They what?" Venus, Harry, Ron, Penelope, and Hermione said together.

Neville had begun to pant a little now because the passage was climbing so steeply. "Yeah, well, you can see their thinking. It had worked really well, kidnapping kids to force their relatives to behave, I s'pose it was only a matter of time before they did it the other way around." Neville turned to face them, and Venus was surprised to see him still grinning. "Thing was they bit off a bit more than they could chew with Gran. Little old witch living alone, they probably thoughtthey didn't need to send anyone particularly powerful. Anyway, Dawlish is still in St. Mungo's and Gran's on the run." He patted the pocket of his robes. "She sent me a letter telling me she was proud of me, that I'm my parents' son, and to keep it up."

"Cool," Ron replied.

"Yeah. Only thing was, once they realizedthey had no hold over me, they decided Hogwarts could do without me after all. I don't know whether they were planning to kill me or send me to Azkaban; either way, I knew it was time to disappear."

"But aren't — aren't we heading straight back into Hogwarts?"

Penelope just grinned and told him that they would see. Venus' eyebrows knit in confusion for a moment. They turned a corner and there ahead of them was the end of the passage. Another short flight of steps led to a door just like the one hidden behind Ariana's portrait. Neville pushed the door open and climbed through. Venus followed him.

"Look who it is!" Neville shouted. "Didn't I tell you?"

Venus emerged into the room beyond the passage, only to be met with several screams and yells of their names. She laughed slightly as she got tackled in a hug by someone. However, her eyes scanned the crowd for two very familiar people.

They had pushed their way through the front and stopped in front of her. None other than Elijah Rogers and Charlotte Thomas were standing there, wide smiles on both of their faces. Elijah was supporting Charlotte, who looked a little beat up and weak. Venus felt tears prick at the back of her eyes as she stared at them.

Elijah let go of Charlotte for a moment to stand by herself. He then surged forwards and wrapped his arms around Venus' waist, picking her up off of the ground. Venus hugged him back tightly and let out a small laugh in amazement. They were actually reunited. Finally, after a couple of moments, Elijah set her down and looked down at her.

"Hi, Vennie," Elijah greeted.

"Hey," Venus responded softly. She then turned to Charlotte. "Hi, Charlie."

"Miss America," Charlotte voiced. Venus giggled at her and pulled her into a gentle hug. "Oh, I've missed you."

"I've missed you both, too. I've had a wild past couple of months."

"So have we," Elijah agreed, resuming his position of letting Charlotte lean on him. "You're gonna have to tell us everything."

"Okay, okay, calm down!" Neville called, and the crowd backed away.

Venus was finally able to take in their surroundings. She didn't recognize the room at all. It was enormous, and looked a lot like the interior of a treehouse. Multicolored hammocks were strung from the ceiling. There was a balcony that ran around the dark-wood paneled and windowless walls. The walls were covered in bright tapestry hangings — Venus saw the gold Gryffindor lion on scarlet, the black Hufflepuff badger on yellow, the bronze Ravenclaw eagle on blue, and the silver Slytherin snake on green. There were bulging bookcases, a few broomsticks propped aganst the walls, and in the corner, a large wooden-cased wireless radio.

"Where are we?" Harry asked.

"Room of Requirement, of course!" Neville responded, and Venus raised her eyebrows. "Surpassed itself, hasn't it? The Carrows were chasing me, and I knew I had just one chance for a hideout: I managed to get through the door and this is what I found! Well, it wasn't exactly like this when I arrived, it was a load smaller, there was only one hammock and just Gryffindor hangings. But it's expanded as more and more of the D.A. have arrived."

"And the Carrows can't get in?"

"No," Seamus Finnigan confirmed, whom Venus had not recognized until he spoke since his face was bruised and puffy. "It's a proper hideout, as long as one of us stays in here, they can't get at us, the door won't open. It's all down to Neville. He really gets this room. You've got to ask it for exactly what you need — like, I don't want any Carrow supporters to be able to get in — and it'll do it for you! You've just got to make sure you close the loopholes! Neville's the man!"

"It's quite straightforward, really," Neville stated modestly. "I'd been in here about a day and a half, and getting really hungry, and wishing I could get something to eat, and that's when the passageto the Hog's Head opened up. I went through it and met Aberforth. He's been providing us with food, because for some reason, that's the one thing the room doesn't really do."

"Yeah, well, food's one of the five exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration," Ron announced, and him and Penelope had a little teasing moment of how Hermione had actually taught him something.

"So we've been hiding out here for nearly two weeks, and it just makes more hammocks every time we need them,and it even sprouted a pretty good bathroom once girls startedturning up—"

"—and thought they'd quite like to wash, yes," Lavender Brown added.

Venus had not recognized her either until that point. Now that she looked around properly, she saw many familiar faces. Both of the Patil twins, Terry Boot, Ernie Macmillan, Anthony Goldstein, and Michael Corner.

"Tell us what you've been up to, though," Ernie urged. "There've been so many rumors, we've been trying to keep up with you on Potterwatch." He pointed at the wireless. "You didn't break into Gringotts?"

"They did!" Neville yelled. "And the Dragon's true too!"

There was some applause and a few whoops. Venus laughed to herself as Elijah elbowed her.

"What were you after?" Seamus questioned.

Suddenly, everything stopped. Harry turned around and clutched his head in pain. Venus stared at him in concern. She placed a hand on his shoulder and shook it gently. That seemed to snap him out of it.

"Are you all right, Harry?" Neville inquired. "Want to sit down? I expect you're tired, aren't—?"

"No," Harry cut in. He looked at Venus, Ron, Penelope, and Hermione. Venus' eyes slightly widened — she knew what he was trying to tell them. Voldemort had found out about the loss of one of his other Horcruxes. Time was running out fast. "We need to get going."

"What are we going to do, then, Harry?" Seamus asked. "What's the plan?"

"Plan? Well, there's something we — Venus, Penelope, Ron, Hermione, and I — need to do, and then we'll get out of here."

Nobody was laughing or whooping anymore.

Neville looked very confused. "What d'you mean, get out of here?"

"We haven't come back to stay," Harry admitted, rubbing his scar. "There's something important we need to do—"

"What is it?"

"I — I can't tell you."

"Why can't you tell us?" Neville argued. "It's something to do with fighting You-Know-Who, right?"

"Well, yeah—" Harry began.

"Then we'll help you."

The other members of Dumbledore's Army were nodding, some enthusiastically, others solemnly. A couple of them rose from their chairs to demonstrate their willingness for immediate action. Charlotte even straightened up and placed a determined look on her face.

"You don't understand," Harry stated. "We — we can't tell you. We've got to do it — alone."

"Why?" Neville questioned.

"Because . . . Dumbledore left the four of us a job, and Penelope's now along for the ride, and we weren't supposed to tell — I mean, he wanted us to do it, just the four of us, but Penelope's been helping quite a lot."

"We're his army. Dumbledore's Army. We were all in it together, we've been keeping it going while you four have been off on your own, Penelope just recently joining—"

"It hasn't exactly been a picnic, mate," Ron interjected.

"I never said it had, but I don't see why you can't trust us," Neville insisted. "Everyone in this room's been fighting and they've been driven in here because the Carrows were hunting them down. Everyone in here's proven they're loyal to Dumbledore — loyal to you."

"Look," Harry said.

The tunnel door suddenly opened behind them. Venus glanced back to see that it was Luna and Dean.

"We got your message, Neville!" Luna revealed. "Hello you five, I thought you must be here!"

Seamus gave a great roar of delight and ran to hug his best friend.

"Hi, everyone! Oh, it's great to be back!"

"Luna, what are you doing here?" Harry inquired. "How did you—?"

Neville held up the fake Galleon. "I sent for her. I promised her and Ginny that if you turned up I'd let them know. We all thought that if you came back, it would mean revolution. That we were going to overthrow Snape and the Carrows."

"Of course that's what it means," Luna said brightly. "Isn't it, Harry? We're going to fight them out of Hogwarts?"

"Listen, I'm sorry, butthat's not what we came back for," Harry voiced. "There's something we've got to do, and then—"

"You're going to leave us in this mess?" Michael Corner demanded.

"No!" Ron interrupted. "What we're doing will benefit everyone in the end, it's all about trying to get rid of You-Know-Who—"

"Then let us help!" Neville yelled angrily. "We want to be a part of it!"

There was another noise behind them, and Venus turned. Ginny was now climbing through the hole in the wall, closely followed by Fred, George, and Lee Jordan. Venus smiled, despite the situation, and allowed Ginny to hug her tightly.

Fred raised his hand in answer to several cries of greeting. "Aberforth's getting a bit annoyed. He wants a kip, and his bar's turned into a railway station."

Venus' eyes then widened. Right behind Lee Jordan came Harry's old crush, Cho Chang. Venus remembered how sad she had felt, seeing Harry and Cho in this very room together, right before Harry had kissed her out in the hallway. She felt her face heat up as Harry glanced at her.

Cho held up her own fake Galleon and walked over to sit beside Michael Corner. "I got the message."

"So what's the plan, Harry?" George asked.

"There isn't one," Harry answered.

"Just going to make it up as we go along, are we?" Fred stated. "My favorite kind."

"You've got to stop this!" Harry told Neville. "What did you call them all back for? This is insane—"

Dean pulled out his fake Galleon. "We're fighting, aren't we? The message said Harry was back, and we were going to fight! I'll have to get a wand, though—"

"You haven't got a wand—?" Seamus started to say incredulously.

Penelope then told Harry that she brought them here for a reason. They could help.

Ron nodded in agreement and spoke quietly so that no one overheard them. "We don't know where it is. We've got to find it fast. We don't have to tell them it's a Horcrux."

"I think Ron and Penelope are right," Hermione murmured. "We don't even know what we're looking for, we need them."

Venus saw that Harry looked unconvinced, and she placed a hand on his cheek, making him look at her. "Let them help. You don't always have to do everything by yourself, love."

"All right," Harry agreed quietly. Venus dropped her hand, and he turned to the room at large, and all noise ceased. "Okay. There's something we need to find. Something — something that'll help us overthrow You-Know-Who. It's here at Hogwarts, but we don't know where. It might have belonged to Ravenclaw. Has anyone heard of an object like that? Has anyone ever come across something with her eagle on it, for instance?"

He looked hopefully towards the little group of Ravenclaws — Elijah, Padma, Michael, Terry, and Cho.

Luna was the one who answered, perched on the arm of Ginny's chair. "Well, there's her lost diadem. I told you about it, remember, Harry? The lost diadem of Ravenclaw? Daddy's trying to duplicate it."

"Yeah, but the lost diadem is lost, Luna," Michael insisted, rolling his eyes. "That's sort of the point."

"When was it lost?" Harry questioned.

"Centuries ago, they say," Cho answered, and Venus' heart momentarily sank. "Professor Flitwick says the diadem vanished with Ravenclaw herself. People have looked, but nobody's ever found a trace of it, have they?"

The Ravenclaws all shook their heads.

"Sorry, but what is a diadem?" Ron inquired.

"It's sort of like a crown," Elijah explained. "According to sources, Ravenclaw's was supposed to have magical properties that would enhance the wisdom of the person who wore it."

"Yes, Daddy's Wrackspurt siphons—" Luna began.

Harry cut across Luna. "And none of you have ever seen anything that looks like it?"

They all shook their heads again. Venus shared a glance with Harry. Disappointment was mirrored from her face onto his. An object that had been lost this long, and apparently without a trace, didn't seem like a good candidate for the Horcrux hidden in the castle.

Elijah then raised his hand a little. "But, there is a statue of Ravenclaw in the common room, and she's wearing it there. I can show you what it's supposed to look like if you want?"

"He's on the move," Harry announced quietly. Venus felt her veins turn to ice. Harry glanced at Elijah for a moment and then back at them. "Listen, I know it's not much of a lead, but I'm going to go and look at this statue, at least find out what the diadem looks like. Wait for me here and keep, you know — the other one — safe."

Elijah nodded and stood up a little straighter, dropping his arm from around Charlotte.

"Wait," Hermione protested, her gaze on Elijah. "Harry, let Luna take you. Does that sound good with you, Luna?"

"Oooh, yes, I'd like to," Luna stated happily.

Venus smirked to herself. Hermione only wanted Luna to go instead of Elijah because she wanted to spend some time with Elijah. But who could blame her?"

"How do we get out?" Harry asked Neville.

"Over here," Neville said.

"Wait," Venus insisted, reaching out and taking Harry's wrist in hers. He looked down at her with his pretty green eyes that she loved so much. "Harry, be careful, okay?"

"I will," Harry responded. He leaned down and kissed her softly. "I love you."

"I love you more."

With that, Neville led Harry and Luna to a corner of the room. Venus turned to Elijah and Charlotte and gave them a small smile. Them, plus Hermione, then went to a more quiet portion of the room to share stories while they waited.

╞════════ ༺ ༻ ════════╡

IT HAD TAKEN Venus and Hermione quite some time to explain to Charlotte and Elijah what exactly had happened on this trip of theirs. Knowing that Dumbledore would agree, they told them that they were looking for pieces of Dumbledore's soul. After all, they were always a part of Harry's adventures.

More and more people came into the Room of Requirement as time went on. There was Kingsley Shacklebolt, Remus Lupin, Oliver Wood, Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Bill and Fleur, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Ron and Penelope had also left earlier, saying something about Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Venus really had no clue what that meant, but they had left and hadn't returned. She hoped they weren't caught by anyone. However, it was Penelope. She could sneak around.

Suddenly, the door to the Room of Requirement opened. Venus' head snapped up from talking quietly with Charlotte and Neville, who had joined them and put his arm around Charlotte, him leaning comfortably into his side. She stood up as Harry and Luna sped down the stairs. Venus rushed over to him, and Harry grabbed her hands.

"Harry, what's happening?" Lupin questioned.

"Voldemort's on his way, they're barricading the school — Snape's run for it — what are you doing here?" Harry rushed out. "How did you know?"

"We sent messages to the rest of Dumbledore's Army," Fred told him. "You couldn't expect everyone to miss the fun, Harry, and the D.A. let the Order of the Phoenix know, and it all kind of snowballed."

"What first, Harry?" George inquired. "What's going on?"

"They're evacuating the younger kids and everyone's meeting inthe Great Hall to get organized," Harry answered. "We're fighting."

There was a great roar and surge towards the foot of the stars. Harry was forced to press up against Venus, which made her back press up against the wall. She felt her face go hot and her heart beat against her chest. They ran past them, all with their wands drawn, heading up into the main castle.

"Come on, Luna," Dean called, holding out his free hand, and Luna took it and followed him back up the stairs.

Harry looked down at her. "Hey."

"Hey," Venus replied, her stomach fluttering. "So we're fighting?"

"Yeah."

Venus suddenly felt very sick. Somehow, she always knew that it would come to this. She just didn't think it would be so soon.

Harry must've noticed her panicked expression, because he squeezed her hands. "We'll be okay, Star."

"I sure hope so," Venus responded. "Come on."

The crowd was thinning. Only a little knot of people remained below in the Room of Requirement, and Venus and Harry joined them. Mrs. Weasley was arguing with Ginny. Around them stood Charlotte, Hermione, Elijah, Lupin, Fred, George, Bill, and Fleur.

"You're underage!" Mrs. Weasley shouted at Ginny. "I won't permit it! The boys, yes, but you, you've got to go home!"

"I won't!" Ginny protested, her red hair flying as he pulled her arm out of her mother's grip. "I'm in Dumbledore's Army—"

"A teenagers' gang!"

"A teenagers' gang that's about to take him on, which no one else has dared to do!" Fred cut in.

"She's sixteen!" Mrs. Weasley yelled. "She's not old enough! What you two were thinking, bringing her with you—"

Fred and George looked slightly ashamed of themselves.

"Mum's right, Ginny," Bill said gently. "You can't do this. Everyone underage will have to leave, it's only right."

Ginny's eyes filled with tears. "I can't go home! My whole family's here, I can't stand waiting there alone and not knowing and—"

Her eyes met Venus'. Venus gave her a small, sad smile. Ginny was underage, and although she knew she wanted to fight, Venus didn't want to see her get hurt. Ginny's eyes then slid to Harry's, and he shook his head.

Ginny turned away bitterly, staring at the entrance to the tunnel back to the Hog's Head. "Fine. I'll say good-bye now, then, and—"

There was scuffling and a great thump. Someone else had clambered out of the tunnel, overbalanced slightly, and fallen. He pulled himself up on the nearest chair and looked around through lopsided horn-rimmed glasses. Venus' eyes widened as she saw who it was.

"Am I too late?" Percy Weasley inquired. "Has it started? I only just found out, so I — I—"

He spluttered into silence. Evidently he had not expected to run into most of his family. There was a long moment of astonishment.

Fleur broke it, turning to Lupin and starting to talk to him in effort to break the tension. "So — 'ow eez leetle Teddy?"

Lupin blinked, startled due to the silence between the Weasleys, and raised his voice. "I — oh yes — he's fine! Yes, Tonks is with him — at her mother's—"

Percy and the other Weasleys were still staring at each other, frozen in place. Venus suddenly felt very awkward. She moved herself in closer to Harry's side like she was trying to hide — which, she kind of was.

"Here, I've got a picture!"

Lupin pulled a photograph from inside his jacket and showed it to Fleur, Harry, and Venus. There was a tiny baby with a tuft of bright turquoise hair, waving fat fists at the camera. Venus smiled softly at it.

"I was a fool!" Percy yelled, so loudly that Lupin almost dropped his photograph. Venus jumped slightly in surprise. "I was an idiot, I was a pompous prat, I was a — a—"

"Ministry-loving, family-disowning, power-hungry moron," Fred finished.

Percy swallowed. "Yes, I was!"

"Well, you can't say fairer than that."

Fred held his hand out to Percy. Mrs. Weasley then burst into tears. She ran forwards, pushed Fred aside, and pulled Percy into a strangling hug.

Percy patted her on the back, his eyes on his father. "I'm sorry, Dad."

Mr. Weasley blinked rather rapidly before hurrying forwards to hug his son.

"What made you see sense, Perce?" George asked.

"It's been coming on for a while," Percy revealed, wiping his eyes with the corner of his traveling cloak. "But I had to find a way out and it's not so easy at the Ministry, they're imprisoning traitors all the time. I managed to make contact with Aberforth and he tipped me off ten minutes ago that Hogwarts was going tomake a fight of it, so here I am."

"Well, we do look to our Prefects to take a lead at times such as these. Now let's get upstairs and fight, or all the good Death Eaters'll be taken."

Percy shook his hands with Fleur as they hurried off towards the staircase with Bill, Fred, and George. "So, you're my sister-in-law now?"

"Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley stated, for she had been attempting, under cover of the reconciliation, to sneak upstairs too.

"Molly, how about this," Lupin began. "Why doesn't Ginny stay here, then at least she'll be on the scene and know what's going on, but she won't be in the middle of the fighting?"

"I—"

"That's a good idea," Mr. Weasley stated firmly. "Ginny, you stay in this room, you hear me?"

Ginny didn't seem to like the idea much, but she nodded under her father's usually stern gaze. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Lupin headed off for the stairs as well.

"Where's Ron?" Harry questioned. "Where's Penelope?"

"They said something about Moaning Myrtle's bathroom," Charlotte revealed. "Why they would go there, I don't know."

"Moaning Myrtle's bathroom?"

"Hey, I'm just repeating what they told us. Don't ask me questions, I don't have anything."

Harry suddenly doubled over in pain. Venus held onto him tightly, trying to hold him upright. He was in Voldemort's mind again.

All of them left the Room of Requirement when Harry came to his senses. Venus kept a close eye on him as they went to the Great Hall. The enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall was dark and scattered with stars, and below it the four long House tables were lined with disheveled students, some in traveling cloaks, others in dressing gowns. Here and there shone the pearly white figures of the school ghosts. Every eye, living and dead, was fixed upon Professor McGonagall, who was speaking from the raised platform at the top of the Hall. Behind her stood the remaining teachers, including the Centaur Firenze, and the members of the Order of the Phoenix who had arrived to fight.

Venus had always wanted to return to Hogwarts. But not like this. God, she wished her parents were here. However, they had no idea what was going on since they were in America.

". . . evacuation will be overseen by Mr. Filch and Madam Pomfrey," McGonagall was saying. "Prefects, when I give the word, you will organize your House and take your charges, in an orderly fashion, to the evacuation point."

Many of the students looked petrified. Venus, Harry, Charlotte, and Elijah skirted the walls, glancing around.

Ernie MacMillan stood up at the Hufflepuff table. "And what if we want to stay and fight?"

There was a round of loud applause.

"If you are of age, you may stay," McGonagall replied.

"What about our things?" a girl at the Ravenclaw table called. "Our trunks, our owls?"

"We have no time to collect possessions. The important thing is to get you out of here safely."

"Where's Professor Snape?" a girl from the Slytherin table shouted.

"He has, to use the common phrase, done a bunk," McGonagall revealed, and a great cheer erupted from the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws.

Venus, Harry, Hermione, Charlotte, and Elijah moved alongside the Gryffindor table. As they passed, faces turned in Harry's direction, and a great deal of whispering broke out in his wake.

"We have already placed protection around the castle, but it is unlikely to hold for very long unless we reinforce it," McGonagall explained. "I must ask you, therefore, to move quickly and calmly, and do as your Prefects—"

However, her final words were drowned as a different voice echoed throughout the Hall. It was high, cold, and clear. There was no telling from where it came. It seemed to issue from the walls themselves. Venus squeezed Harry's hand a little tighter.

"I know that you are preparing to fight," Voldemort voiced. There were screams amongst the students, some of whom clutched onto each other, looking around in terror for the source of the sound. "Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood."

There was silence in the Hall now, the kind of silence that pressed against the eardrums and seemed too huge to be contained by walls. Venus had never heard silence quite this loud.

"Give me Harry Potter, and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight."

The silence swallowed them all again. Venus glanced up at Harry, feeling like her heart had just stopped. She couldn't believe her ears. Voldemort just wanted Harry to give himself up. She couldn't lose Harry, she couldn't lose Harry—

Pansy Parkinson then rose from the Slytherin table and pointed a shaking arm at Harry. "But he's there! Potter's there! Someone grab him!"

Venus instantly moved her body in front of Harry's. Seemingly following her movement, others followed. The Gryffindors in front of them rose and stood facing, not Harry, but the Slytherins. Then the Hufflepuffs stood, and almost at the same moment, the Ravenclaws. All of them stood with their backs to Harry, all of them looking towards Pansy. Venus watched as all of them pointed their wands at her.

"You always told me not to be a coward, Parkinson," Charlotte called over all of the students. "But now look at how the tables have turned."

"Thank you, Miss Thomas," McGonagall stated. "Miss Parkinson, you will leave the Hall first with Mr. Filch. If the rest of your House could follow."

There was the grinding of benches and then the sound of the Slytherins walking out on the other side of the Hall.

"Ravenclaws, follow on!"

Slowly the four tables emptied. The Slytherin table was completely deserted, and the only one remaining was Charlotte. There was a number of older Ravenclaws that were seated along with Elijah. Even more Hufflepuffs stayed behind and half of Gryffindor remained in their seats, including underage ones. McGonagall was yelling at them to leave.

Charlotte let out a small breath. "Oh, that felt so good."

Kingsley stepped forwards on the raised platform to address those who had remained behind. "We've only got half an hour until midnight, so we need to act fast! A battle plan has been agreed between the teachers of Hogwarts and the Order of the Phoenix. Professors Flitwick, Sprout, and McGonagall are going to take groups of fighters up to the three highest towers — Ravenclaw, Astronomy, and Gryffindor — where they'll have a good overview, excellent positions from which to work spells. Meanwhile Remus, Arthur, and I will take groups into the grounds. We'll need somebody to organize defense of the entrances of the passageways into the school—"

"Sounds like a job for us," Fred interjected, indicating to himself and George.

Kingsley nodded his approval. "All right, leaders up here and we'll divide up the troops!"

McGonagall hurried up to Harry as students flooded the platform. "Potter. Aren't you supposed to be looking for something?"

"What?" Harry responded. "Oh, oh yeah!"

"Then go, Potter, go!"

"Right — yeah—" Harry immediately turned to Venus and kissed her again. "Go back to the Room with the others, see if anyone else comes through—"

"I will," Venus promised. "I know I said this already, but be careful."

Harry let her go and ran off. Venus watched after him, her heart feeling heavy.

Venus followed Harry's instructions. Her, Hermione, Charlotte, and Elijah all went back to the Room of Requirement, where Ginny was still waiting. She looked glad to not be alone anymore.

More and more people came through the tunnel, including Nymphadora Tonks and Neville's grandmother. Venus could hear the battle raging outside, even through the Room of Requirement. It made her nerves reach an all-time high and a shiver be sent up her spine. God, she hoped Harry, Ron, and Penelope would come back soon.

Her wish came true. In through the door came Harry, followed by Ron and Penelope. For some reason, the couple was holding multiple large, curved, dirty yellow objects. Venus' eyebrows knit in confusion. What were those?"

"Ah, Potter," Neville's grandmother said crisply, her hand resting on Charlotte's shoulder. "You can tell us what's going on."

Penelope dropped all of the objects in her arms and instantly hugged Tonks.

"Is everyone okay?" Ginny and Tonks inquired.

"'S far as we know," Harry revealed. "Are there still people in the passage to the Hog's Head?"

"I was the last to come through," Mrs. Longbottom admitted. "I sealed it, I think it unwise to leave it open now Aberforth has left his pub. Have you seen my grandson?"

"He's fighting."

Charlotte got a proud smile on her face. "Of course he is."

"Naturally," Mrs. Longbottom agreed. "Excuse me, I must go and assist him."

With surprising speed, she trotted off towards the stone steps. Penelope then looked up at Tonks, obviously worried, asking why she was here and that she thought she was staying with her mother and Teddy.

Tonks looked anguished. "I couldn't stand not knowing — she'll look after him — have you seen Remus?"

"He was planning to lead a group of fighters into the grounds—" Harry began.

Tonks told Penelope to be careful, and without another word, she sped off.

"Ginny, I'm sorry, but we need you to leave too," Harry told her. "Just for a bit. Then you can come back in." Ginny looked delighted as she ran up the steps after Tonks. "And then you can come back in! You've got to come back in!"

"Wait," Elijah interrupted. "Before we do anything else, we've forgotten someone."

"Who?" Hermione asked, her eyebrows knit in confusion.

"The House-Elves. Wouldn't they still be down in the kitchen."

"Do you mean that we should get them fighting?" Venus questioned.

"No, we have to tell them to leave," Elijah announced. "Ven told us what happened with Dobby, we can't have that happen again—"

Not another word was spoken. Hermione had interrupted everything, throwing her arms around Elijah and kissed him full on the mouth.

Venus' jaw dropped. No. Way.

Elijah froze, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink, before he kissed Hermione back. He responded with such enthusiasm that he lifted Hermione off of her feet. Venus let out a small laugh and shared a shocked look with Charlotte.

"Well, damn, it's about time," Charlotte commented, voicing everybody's thoughts.

"Is this the moment?" Harry inquired weakly. When nothing happened except for Elijah and Hermione gripping each other more firmly and swaying on the spot, he raised his voice. "OI! There's a war going on here!"

Venus rolled her eyes. "You really just ruined a moment."

Elijah broke apart from Hermione, his arms still around her, and let out a small laugh. "But it's now or never."

"Never mind that, what about the Horcrux?" Harry shouted. "D'you think you could just — just hold it in until we've got the diadem?"

Penelope told him that he was overreacting and ignored the way Harry glared at her. She then suggested that they should get going, and Venus agreed.

Venus, Harry, Ron, Penelope, Hermione, Elijah, and Charlotte all stepped back into the hallway upstairs. The castle had deteriorated severely — the walls and ceiling were shaking worse than ever and dust filled the air. Venus could see bursts of green and red light so close to the foot of the castle. She knew that the Death Eaters were very near to entering the place. Venus swallowed down her nerves and pulled her wand out of the waistband of her jeans, gripping onto it tightly.

She looked down. Grawp the Giant was meandering past, swinging what looked like a stone gargoyle torn from the roof and roaring his displeasure.

"Let's hope he steps on some of them!" Ron yelled as more screams echoed from close by.

"As long as it's not any of our lot!" a familiar voice replied.

Venus turned and saw Ginny and Tonks, both with their wands drawn at the next window, which was missing several planes. Even as Venus watched, Ginny sent a well-aimed jinx into the crowd of fighters below.

"Good girl!" a figure running through the dust towards them roared, and Venus saw Aberforth, his gray hair flying as he led a small group of students past. "They look like they might be breaching the north battlements, they've brought Giants of their own!"

"Have you seen Remus?" Tonks called after him.

"He was dueling Dolohov, haven't seen him since!"

Penelope tried to reassure that Lupin was okay. Tonks, however, kissed her forehead and told Penelope she loved her before running off into the dust after Aberforth.

"They'll be all right," Harry voiced, but Venus could tell they were only empty words. "Ginny, we'll be back in a moment, just keep out of the way, keep safe — come on!"

Venus, Harry, Ron, Penelope, Hermione, Elijah, and Charlotte ran back to the stretch of wall that they had to pace in front of to get to the Room of Requirement. They paced in front of it three times, and Venus repeated I want to see where Harry wants to go. The door materialized on their third run past.

The sounds of battle died the moment they crossed the threshold and closed the door behind them. All was silent. They were in a place the size of a cathedral with the appearance of a city, its towering walls built of objects hidden by thousands of long-gone students.

"And he never realized anyone could get in?" Ron asked, his voice echoing through the silence.

"He thought he was the only one," Harry responded. "Too bad for him I've had to hide stuff in my time . . . this way, I think it's down here . . ."

Venus held onto Harry's hand tightly as they walked. They passed a stuffed droll and the Vanishing Cabinet Draco Malfoy had mended last year with such disastrous consequences. Harry then hesitated, looking up and down aisles of junk.

"Accio Diadem!" Hermione cried in desperation, but nothing flew through the air towards them, just like the vault at Gringotts.

"Let's split up," Harry instructed. "Look for a stone bust of an old man wearing a wig and a tiara! It's standing on a cupboard and it's definitely somewhere near here . . ."

They split up into groups — Venus and Harry, Ron and Penelope, and Hermione, Charlotte, and Elijah. Venus could hear the others' footsteps echoing through the towering piles of bottles, hates, crates, chairs, books, weapons, broomsticks, bats . . .

"Somewhere near here," Harry muttered. "Somewhere . . . somewhere . . ."

Deeper and deeper into the labyrinth he went. Venus kept glancing around for what Harry told her to look for. Her and Harry's breathing were loud in the quiet room. Harry suddenly stopped in his tracks, and Venus looked, her body freezing. Right ahead, on a blistered old cupboard, there was a pockmarked stone warlock wearing a dusty old wig and what looked like an ancient, discolored tiara.

Venus and Harry shared a glance. This was it — this was the diadem. Harry reached out his hand, even through they were ten feet away. However, something interrupted them.

"Hold it, Potter," Draco Malfoy ordered. "Hold it, Black."

Venus' mind spun with panic. She gripped Harry's hand tight for a moment before letting go. The two of them turned around. Crabbe and Goyle were standing behind them, shoulder to shoulder, one wand pointing at Harry and the other at Venus. Through the small space between their faces Venus saw Malfoy.

"That's my wand you're holding, Potter," Malfoy stated, holding one of his own through the gap between Crabbe and Goyle.

Harry tightened his grip on Malfoy's wand. "Not anymore. Winners, keepers, Malfoy. Who's lent you theirs?"

"My mother."

Harry laughed, even though there was nothing funny about the situation. Venus couldn't hear Ron, Penelope, Hermione, Elijah, or Charlotte anymore. They seemed to have run out of earshot, searching for the diadem.

"I would've thought that you three would be with Voldemort," Venus admitted. "So why aren't you?"

"We're gonna be rewarded," Crabbe said, his voice surprisingly soft. He was smiling wide. "We 'ung back, Potter. We decided not to go. Decided to bring you to 'im."

"Good plan," Harry voiced in mock admiration. He positioned himself slightly in front of Venus and placed a hand on her stomach, gently pushing her back. Together, they slowly walked backwards towards the diadem. "So how did you get in here?"

"I virtually lived in the Room of Hidden Things all last year," Malfoy responded. "I know how to get in."

"We was hiding in the corridor outside," Goyle added. "We can do Diss-lusion Charms now! And then you turned up right in front of us and said you was looking for a die-dum! What's a die-dum?"

"Harry?" Ron's voice suddenly echoed from the other side of the wall to Venus' right. "Are you talking to someone?"

Crabbe pointed his wand at the fifty-foot mountain of old furniture, of broken trunks, of old books and robes and unidentifiable junk with a whiplike movement. "Descendo!"

The wall began to totter, then the top third crumbled into the aisle next door where Ron stood.

"Ron!" Harry bellowed. Somewhere out of sight Penelope screamed, and Venus heard innumerable objects crashing to the floor on the other side. Harry pointed his wand at it. "Finite!"

The wall steadied.

"No!" Malfoy yelled as Crabbe went to repeat his spell. "If you wreck the room you might bury this diadem thing!"

"What's that matter?" Crabbe demanded. "It's Potter the Dark Lord wants, who cares about a die-dum?"

"Potter came in here to get it, so that must mean—"

Crabbe rounded on Malfoy. "Must mean? Who cares what you think? I don't take your orders no more, Draco. You an' your dad are finished."

"Harry, are you all right?" Penelope called.

Everything went silent. Venus watched as Malfoy's eyes widened. She took this time to move backwards more. Harry glanced at her for a moment, and Venus nodded slightly. She could get the diadem.

"Penelope?" Malfoy replied.

"Draco?" Penelope said. "What are you—"

Venus lunged for the tiara.

"No, Black!" Crabbe screamed. "Crucio!"

The red jet of light missed her. Instead, it hit the stone bust, which flew into the air. It soared upwards and then dropped out sight in the mass of objects on which the bust had rested. Venus' eyes widened and she saw Penelope run around the wall to find them.

"STOP!" Malfoy shouted at Crabbe, his voice echoing through the enormous room. "The Dark Lord wants him alive—"

"Oh, boo-hoo," Penelope said, her tone bitter. "If you want Harry, you're going to have to get through us."

Just to prove her point, a jet of scarlet light shot past Venus by inches — Hermione had run around the corner behind her and sent a Stunning Spell straight at Crabbe's head. Charlotte did so as well, Elijah trailing after the two. The spells only missed because Draco pulled Crabbe out of the way.

"It's those Mudbloods!" Crabbe voiced. "Avada Kedavra!"

The jet of green light flew from his wand, and Hermione and Charlotte dove aside. All Venus saw was red, angry that Crabbe had aimed to kill. Penelope did something first. She sent a Stunning Spell at Crabbe. Crabbe lurhced out of the way and knocked Malfoy's wand out of his hand. It rolled out of sight beneath a mountain of broken furniture and boxes.

"Don't kill him!" Malfoy demanded to Crabbe and Goyle. "DON'T KILL HIM!"

Crabbe and Goyle were both aiming at Harry. They hesitated for a split second, but that's all that Venus needed.

"Expelliarmus!" Venus recited.

Goyle's wand flew out of his hand and disappeared into the pile of objects. He leapt foolishly on the spot and tried to retrieve it. Malfoy jumped out of range of Hermione's second Stunning Spell, and Ron suddenly appeared at the end of the aisle, shot a full Body-Bind Curse at Crabbe, which narrowly missed.

Crabbe wheeled around towards him. "Avada Kedavra!"

Ron leapt out of sight to avoid the jet of green light, and Penelope jumped after him. The wandless Malfoy cowered behind a three-legged wardrobe as Charlotte, seemingly ignoring how weak she was, charge towards them, hitting Goyle with a Stunning Spell as she came.

"It's somewhere here!" Harry screamed, pointing at the pile of junk into which the old tiara had fallen. "Help Star look for it while I go and help R—"

"HARRY!" Hermione yelled.

A roaring, billowing noise came from behind Venus. She whipped around and saw Ron and Penelope holding hands running up the aisle towards them as hard as they could. Crabbe was chasing them.

"Like it hot, scum?" Crabbe roared as he ran, and Penelope shouted back that he was mental.

However, he seemed to have no control over what he had done. Flames of abnormal size were pursuing them, licking up the sides of the junk towers, which were crumbling soot at their touch.

"Aguamenti!" Harry cried, but the jet of water that soared from the tip of his wand evaporated in the air. "RUN!"

Malfoy grabbed the Stunned Goyle and dragged him along. Crabbe outran all of them, now looking terrified. Venus gripped onto Harry's hand again and ran with him, Ron, Penelope, Hermione, Elijah, and Charlotte in their wake. The fire continued to pursue them.

It was not normal fire. Crabbe had used a curse of which Venus couldn't think of right now. As they turned a corner the flames chased them as though they were alive, sentient, intent upon killing them. Now the fire was mutating, forming a gigantic pack of fiery beasts — flaming serpents, Chimaeras, and Dragons rose and fell and rose again. The debris of centuries on which they were feeding was thrown up in the air into their fanged mouths, tossed high on clawed feet, before being consumed by the fire.

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle vanished from view. The group of seven stopped dead. Venus glanced back, breathing heavily. The fiery monsters were circling them, drawing closer and closer, all claws and horns and lashing tails. A wall of heat was solid around them.

"What can we do?" Hermione yelled over the deafening roars of the fire. "What can we do?"

"Here!" Harry said.

He let go of Venus' hand and seized some heavy-looking broomsticks from the nearest pile of junk. Harry threw one to Ron, who pulled Penelope onto it behind him. Elijah then took one and pulled Hermione on. Charlotte took her own, since she was always good at flying. Harry then swung his leg over his own broom and looked at Venus. She climbed on behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

With hard kicks to the ground, they soared up into the air, missing by feet the horned beak of a flaming raptor that snapped its jaws at them. The smoke and heat were becoming extremely overwhelming. Below them, the cursed fire was consuming the contraband of generations of hunted students, the guilty outcomes of a thousand banned experiments, the secrets of the countless souls who had sought refuge in the room.

Venus could not see a trace of Malfoy, Crabbe, or Goyle anywhere. Harry swooped low as he dared over the fiery monsters, clearly looking for them too. Venus might've never agreed with how they acted or what they believed in, but this was still a terrible way to die.

"Harry, let's get out, let's get out!" Ron screamed, though it was impossible to see where the door was through the black smoke.

And then there was a scream. A thin, piteous human scream from amidst the terrible commotion, the thunder of devouring flame. Penelope cried out that she wasn't leaving them behind.

Venus tucked her face into Harry's shoulder as he wheeled around in the air. He raked the firestorm below, seeking a sign of life, a limb or a face that was not yet charred like wood. And then Venus saw them — Malfoy with his arms around the unconscious Goyle, the pair of them perched on a fragile tower of charred desks. Harry dived. Malfoy saw him coming and raised one arm, but Venus watched as his hand slid out of Harry's, due to Goyle being too heavy.

"IF WE DIE FOR THEM, I'LL KILL YOU, HARRY!" Ron bellowed.

A great flaming Chimaera bore down upon them. Penelope and Ron dragged Goyle onto their broom and rose, rolling and pitching into the air once more. Venus yanked Malfoy up, and he clambered on behind her.

"The door, get to the door, the door!" Malfoy screamed.

Harry sped up, following Ron, Penelope, Elijah, Hermione, and Charlotte through the billowing black smoke, hardly able to breathe. And all around them from the last few objects unburned by the devouring flames were flung into the air, as the creatures of the cursed fire cast them high in celebration — cups and shields, a sparkling necklace, and an old, discolored tiara.

"Harry, go!" Venus urged.

"What are you doing, what are you doing, the door's that way!" Malfoy protested.

Harry made a hairpin swerve and dived. The diadem almost seemed to fall in slow motion, turning and glittering as it dropped towards the maw of a yearning serpent. With the skill of a Seeker, Harry caught it around his wrist. Harry swerved again as the serpent lunged at them, and he soared upwards and straight to the place where Venus could only hope where the door stood open because the others were gone.

Then, through the smoke, Venus could see a rectangular patch on the wall. Harry steered the broom at it, and moments later clean air filled Venus' lungs. Venus rolled off of the broom onto the ground, coughing the smoke out of her lungs. She sat up and felt Harry's hand on her back, trying to breathe normally. Everyone else was sitting on the floor near an unconscious Goyle.

"C-Crabbe," Malfoy choked out as soon as he could be. "C-Crabbe . . ."

"He's dead," Ron snapped.

Penelope scolded him and went to talk to Malfoy, but she was cut off. A number of huge banks shook the castle, and a great cavalcade of transparent figures galloped past on horses, their heads screaming with bloodlust under their arms. Venus allowed Harry to pull her up off the ground and looked around, trying to clear the daze in her head. The battle was still going on, and there were more screams than those of the retreating ghosts.

"Ginny," Charlotte began. "Where is she? Wasn't she supposed to be going back into the room?"

Ron got to his feet, looking left and right. "Blimey, d'you reckon it'll still work after that fire? Shall we split up and look—?"

"Absolutely not, we're sticking together," Venus refused. She then looked at Harry. "Harry, your wrist."

"What?" Harry replied. "Oh yeah—"

He pulled the diadem from his wrist and held it up. It was blackened with soot, but Venus squinted over his shoulder and was just able to make out tiny words etched upon it — Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure. A bloodlike substance, dark and tarry, seemed to be leaking from the diadem. The diadem started to vibrate violently before breaking apart in his hands, letting out the faintest, most distant scream of pain.

Hermione stared at the broken pieces. "It must have been Fiendfyre!"

Elijah's eyes widened. "What?"

"Fiendfyre — cursed fire — it's one of the substances that destroy Horcruxes, but I would never, ever have dared use it, it's so dangerous — how did Crabbe know how to—?"

Penelope then said it was the Carrows, because they were always down for destruction.

"Shame he wasn't concentrating when they mentioned how to stop it, really," Ron admitted. "If he hadn't tried to kill us all, I'd be quite sorry he was dead."

"But don't you realize?" Hermione whispered. "This means, if we can just get the snake—"

But she broke off as yells and shouts and the unmistakable noises of dueling filled the corridor. Venus clutched onto her wand and her heart seemed to fail — Death Eaters had penetrated Hogwarts. Fred and Percy had just backed into view, both of them dueling masked and hooded people. Venus, Harry, Ron, Penelope, Hermione, Elijah, and Charlotte ran forwards to help. Jets of light flew in every direction and the man dueling Percy backed off, fast. Then his hood slipped and they saw a high forehead and streaked hair.

"Hello, Minister!" Percy greeted, sending a neat jinx straight at Thicknesse, who dropped his wand and clawed at the front of his robes, apparently in awful discomfort. "Did I mention I'mresigning?"

"You're joking, Perce!" Fred shouted as the Death Eater he was battling collapsed under the weight of three separate Stunning Spells. Thicknesse had fallen to the ground with tiny spikes erupting all over him, seemingly turning into some form of sea urchin. Fred looked at Percy with glee. "You actually are joking, Perce . . . I don't think I've heard you joke since you were—"

The air exploded. They had been grouped together. Venus, Harry, Ron, Penelope, Hermione, Elijah Charlotte, Fred, and Percy, the two Death Eaters at their feet, one Stunned, the other Transfigured.

And in that fragment of a moment, when danger seemed temporarily at bay, the world was completely torn apart.

Venus felt her air flying through the air. She let out a loud shriek and all she could do was hold onto her wand. Venus landed hard on the ground, pain shooting through her body. She opened her eyes to see that the hallway was wrecked. Cold air told her that the side of the castle had been blown away, the hot stickiness on her temple told her that she was bleeding.

Then she heard a terrible cry that pulled at her insides. It expressed agony of a kind neither flame nor curse could cause. Venus stood up, swaying, more frightened than she had been everything. The sight she was met with made her feel completely sick. Three redhead men were grouped on the ground where the wall had blasted apart. Venus felt someone grab her hand and pull her forwards, and she glanced up for a moment to se that it was Harry.

"No — no — no!" Percy screamed. "No! Fred! No!"

Percy was shaking his brother while Ron was kneeling beside them. And Fred's eyes stared without seeing at the ceiling, the ghost of his last laugh still etched upon his face.

» • » ✧ « • «

CHARLIE AND ELIJAH MY BABIES I'VE MISSED YOU

okay *** why did you have to kill off fred like kill off percy nobody fucking cared about him anyways