The Unknown of the Order (Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

Cease Fire

Once the echo of Voldemort's voice faded, the Hogwartians slowly awakened from their trance. They breathed again, wiped the sweat and blood off their brows, and searched for the dead and injured to bring into the Great Hall. A few climbed the stairs to search for friends. Everyone moved in a dream-like state. 

Sarah looked around on the floor. She still spotted no sign of Jacob. He must have gone to search for Merula. She did see the body of a Hufflepuff student--she seemed far to small to be over seventeen--and she used her wand to levitate the body so she could bring it into the hall. 

The Great Hall held no trace of the glory Sarah had always associated with it. Bodies had been lain in rows where the house tables had once been. In the back corner, Madam Pomfrey and Chiara were bent over a person she couldn't see. Chiara's face was white and her brow was knit in concentration. Penny rushed from one pinched-faced warrior to the next, administering healing potions for the pain. Every minute, another anguished cry rang out as someone discovered the lifeless form of a friend or family member. Even the spell enchanting the ceiling had gone off. 

It was a terrible sight. Sarah didn't want to enter. But, she did, gently laying down the Hufflepuff with the others. She turned to leave, to search for Barnaby and Jacob, when she nearly ran into another familiar form. 

He smiled at her, but Sarah had never been less happy to see him. 

"Diego! What are you doing here?!"

Diego pushed the sweaty hair from his dirt-covered forehead.

"Thought I'd come visit my old Professors," he said sarcastically. "Picked a rotten day for it."

Sarah grabbed his wrist and led him from the hall, unable to bear the cries any longer, to keep from searching the empty faces for those she loved. 

"You can't be here! Your Abuelo's visions!"

Diego shrugged, but his eyes betrayed him. He was afraid. 

"I've done alright so far. I got a patronus from Kingsley, and I couldn't just sit at home doing nothing while my friends were fighting here."

"But if you stay, you'll die."

"Only probably."

"Isn't that enough?!"

"It wasn't enough to keep them from fighting!" He flung out his arm, gesturing to the Great Hall. "They knew the risks. They knew defeating Vol--Voldemort is worth dying for. They did their part, and I must do mine."

"You have," she insisted, tears threatening to spill over. "You've done your part. You've been helping fight Voldemort since day one. Now leave, while you still can. I won't blame you."

"Maybe not. But would you leave? If you were in my position?" 

He nodded when she said nothing, then let out a small laugh. "I almost hoped you'd say 'yes.' Give me an excuse to tuck my tail between my legs and flee."

"You--"

"No." He looked at the entrance to the Great Hall. "I'll keep fighting until it's all over. I'll avenge the deaths at his hands, and should I fall...I trust others to avenge mine."

Sarah searched for the right words to convince him to leave, but she knew he was right. As badly as she wanted him to flee, to live, she could not ask him to do something she wouldn't do herself. 

Her eyes fell on a group of Weasley brothers as they made their way to the hall. Percy, who Sarah had not seen since she'd left Hogwarts, had removed his glasses as tears flowed freely down his face. To his right walked George, his face so pale, he might have been one of the ghosts.