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Deepest Darkness by MithrilQuill

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Chapter 28 Hogwarts


The sun has long been gone,
And the rain pours ever on.

The streets are drab and gray,
And through misty hopeless days-


I wait for company.


It was on a dark, snowy day that four Muggles entered Hogwarts. The castle was still under siege, but they took a small secret tunnel behind the left wall and came out behind a statue on the Third Floor Corridor. Hannah walked in the lead and her fingertips caressed the walls and portraits and the frames of ancient photographs.


She led them down the stairs and Emmett gripped the railing tightly as the staircases began to move. She was aware of the whispered messages that were being passed by the portraits, but pretended to ignore them until one disheveled knight pushed his way into an ancient Yule ball frame and yelled out to her.


“And where might you be going, my Lady?”


Hannah smiled slightly at Sir Cadogan. “The Great Hall.”


It was breakfast time and she knew a small number of Aurors and Professors would be in the Great Hall eating under black banners. Pushing the doors open wide she walked in, her friends on either side of her. “The Phoenix Alliance!” a cry rose up in the hall “Muggles!” and finally a loud voice broke through them all: “Hannah!”


“Ernie!” seeing him standing there at the head of the Hufflepuff table with friends all around made Hannah’s heart leap and her head fill with memories; happy and bitter. She ran towards him and threw herself in his arms.


Ernie noticed the keen stare of a young man as his arms wrapped around his old school-friend and he lifted an arm and nodded his head towards the boy.


They were surrounded by a whole group of questioning, excited friends, but soon a firm voice broke through the chatter and the Headmistress squeezed the girl’s shoulders affectionately.


“Merlin, child,” she said, “Did you have to run off and scare us like that. You could have just refused to fight, but running off like that, giving up everythi-”


“She doesn’t have to.”


“No, Mahmoud, I had to do it in order to be me and I’m not here to stay either. I’ve found other things I can’t give up. I came here to talk to you, Professor.”


“What do you mean things you can’t give up?” Hermione questioned a little bitterly from the doorway, “We’re all here fighting our arses off and you ran away and threw away a chance to save the Wizarding World because you were sca-”


“Shut up, Hermione!” Ron interrupted just in time, his eyes were still on Hannah and he watched as one of her Muggle companions put his arm around her shoulders and took her hand in his. He caught a flash of gold before the girl’s hand was taken in the boy’s darker one and he steered Hermione away, limping slightly as he walked.


“What does she mean things she can’t give up? They killed her parents, Ron, and she’s been in the Muggle World for a few months, how can she have forgotten everyth-”


“How long exactly has it been since she ran away, Hermione?” Ron interrupted again, a thoughtful look on his face.


“Well it’s been about three, four months now, but that’s-”


“Well if that’s long enough to find the person you love and get married then we must be bloody blind!”


“Wh-”



Molly Weasley stood looking on to her youngest son’s awkward proposal with her hand grasped tightly in that of her husband. A smile lit her face that was the first for a long time.


“Remember the day you proposed to me, Arthur?”


“Yes, I do, Mollywobbles.”


***


Hannah and her friends were led off to the Headmistress’s office by Moody and McGonagall. Ernie and Susan Bones followed. They were led up the spiral staircase after the password, Lemon Drop, was stated firmly by McGonagall.


The Headmistress invited everyone to sit, conjuring extra stiff-backed chairs and was about to begin questioning Hannah when a voice spoke up from behind her making several of the room’s occupants jump.


“I think you had better read that paper first, Minerva,” Dumbledore’s wise voice said, “It contains some rather interesting information which I’m sure you’ll find useful, Remus was kind enough to read some of it to me this morning.”


A long silence ensued as she complied by reading the paper and Remus entered at a run just before she spoke. He walked over to Hannah and grasped her hand, inclining his head to her and welcoming her back.


“Professor we have members of all four houses in Hogwarts at this very minute!”


“All WHAT?”


“Nothing to worry about, it’s the young men I spoke with you about earlier. I know they weren’t supposed to enter Hogwarts, but they’re in the hospital wing now and I trust them. I think we should speak to the Minister.”


“That would be a good idea,” Hannah’s timid voice cut in, “And then you can also tell him to stop Obliviating Muggles, that’s why I came, Professor.”


McGonagall looked back at her sadly. “I’ll do my best, but everyone’s rather convinced that ignorance is-”


“Going to get us all killed. Ignorance makes fear and draws shadows where there aren’t any. Ignorance means they forget what the green flash of light means; forget that they have to run from it.”


Moody walked over to the fireplace and dropped a handful of powder into the flames. “Why don’t we talk to him right now?”


“Minister I have a certain young lady from Hufflepuff here with me and she says she might think of cooperating with the Ministry if and only if you stop Obliviating the Muggles.”


Before the conversation between them could escalate into a rather heated argument Kingsley Shacklebolt ran into the office. “There’s been a leak into the castle; some of the Death Eaters have followed them in, we’ve managed to block the entrance up for now, but there’s some still hanging around and we need everyone free to look for them and round them up.”


Everyone in the room stood up and even the Minister came in through the fireplace and followed them at a run.


The last Death Eater was found in the Hospital Wing. “Well,” Mahmoud said shaking Ernie McMillan’s hand and glancing edgily at the reporter that was taking pictures, “I think we’d better be heading back.”


“You’ll visit sometime after we win this war, won’t you, mate?”


His reply was muffled by a sudden outburst: “Mat!” Liam yelled, “You’re here!”


Mahmoud took the small boy in his arms and looked down at the blind eyes with a mixture of sadness and new hope. “I have your truck, mate; I’d have brought it for you if I knew you were…going to be here.”


“Accio Liam’s Truck!” Ernie said laughing.


Although the Minister was disappointed (to the amusement of Moody) at Hannah’s stout refusal to stay, he agreed to give the order for Aurors to stop Obliviating the Muggles and the next morning the Headline in the Daily Prophet read:

Cambridge Resistance Led by Hufflepuff; Muggles and Witches and Wizards from all four Houses fight Death Eaters in Hogwarts



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