Crookshanks | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 190

At the same time, Sirius and Jenna slowly lowered their wands, yet they held each other's gazes. At last, Jenna turned to look around the large room. Everyone was already leaving through its doors, although Jenna couldn't see any sign of Harry, Ron, or Hermione.

    Jenna and Sirius both decided to follow the rest, realizing that they were headed toward the Great Hall, where everyone was already gathered and Professor McGonagall was speaking.

      "...evacuation will be overseen by Mr. Filch and Madam Pomfrey. 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. But as Harry was making his way into the hall, all eyes fell on him.

Just then, one of the boys stood up at the Hufflepuff table and shouted, "And what if we want to stay and fight?"

     "If you are of age, you may stay," said Professor McGonagall, looking paler than Jenna had ever seen her, though she held on a brave face. "We will place protection around the castle, but it is unlikely to hold for very long unless we reinforce it. I must ask you, therefore, to move quickly and calmly, and do as your prefects —"

But her final words were drowned as a different voice echoed throughout the Hall. It was high, cold, and clear.

"I know that you are preparing to fight." There were screams amongst the students, some of whom clutched 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 presses against the eardrums, that seems too huge to be contained by walls.

"Give me Harry Potter," said Voldemort's voice, "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 everyone again. Every head turned, every eye in the place seemed to have found Harry. Then a girl rose from the Slytherin table and raised a shaking arm and screamed, "But he's there! Potter's there! Someone grab him!"

  Jenna and Sirius raised their wands along with the rest of the Order members. Before Harry could speak, there was a massive movement. The Gryffindors in front of him had risen and stood up defensively.

Then the Hufflepuffs stood, and almost at the same moment, the Ravenclaws, all of them with their backs to Harry, all of them looking toward Pansy instead with their wands raised.

"Thank you, Miss Parkinson," said Professor McGonagall in a clipped voice. "You will leave the Hall first with Mr. Filch. The rest of your House could follow, if they wish."

Jenna looked over once she heard the grinding of benches and then the sound of the Slytherins trooping out on the other side of the Hall.

"The rest of you, follow on!" cried Professor McGonagall.

Slowly the four tables emptied. The Slytherin table was completely deserted, but a number of older Ravenclaws remained seated while their fellows filed out. Even more Hufflepuffs stayed behind, and half of Gryffindor remained in their seats, necessitating Professor McGonagall's descent from the teachers' platform to chivvy the underage on their way.

"Absolutely not, Creevey, go! And you, Peakes!"

Jenna kept her eyes focused on Harry as he hurried over to the Weasleys and the rest of the Order, as they were all sitting together at the Gryffindor table. "Where are Ron and Hermione?"