call me yours ( harry j potter )

64

Call Me Yours
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Sixty-Four: The Second Wizarding War

There is a buzz of activity in the room, as each House stands as a group. There are no seated people. Harry is nowhere to be found. Amycus and Alecto Carrow stand as sinister sentinels at the tall table at the top of the Hall, their eyes sweeping the crowd.

A pale Professor McGonagall and a shrinking Flitwick stand next to each other along the right and left walls, respectively. Slowly, the room goes silent as Snape steps forward. "Many of you are probably wondering why I've called you here. Well, I've just heard that Harry Potter was seen earlier this evening in Hogsmeade."

There is a murmured thrill in the hall. McGonagall's eyes sparkle with curiosity. Snape raises his voice, briefly, to quell the noise in the Hall. "I mention this hoping truth won't be supplanted by rumour."

Y/n held Harry's hand, looking down. "The news does not surprise me or a handful of select staff members. For some time, we have been expecting Mr Potter's return to Hogwarts could even be inevitable." Snape said, looking at his students.

"Over the past few months, I have employed extensive defensive strategies to combat any attempt Mr Potter might make to breach these walls. But understand this. Should anyone attempt to help Mr Potter, that person will be punished in a manner commensurate with their transgression."

While Y/n glanced over at him without being seen, Harry squeezed her hand softly. "Happily, Harry Potter will never again set foot in this castle as long as I am Headmaster at Hogwarts." As applause erupts from the Slytherins, Maisy Reynolds glowers at them. A hand is raised by Snape. After a moment of silence, the room returns to its original state. "Now then. If anyone here knows Mr Potter's movements this evening...I invite them to step forward now."

Snape's eyes rake the Hall. Dead silence. A nervous shift of glances. And then footsteps, people gasp turning to Harry who let go of Y/n's hand. "I think I can help you out with that," he said, "It seems you have a little security problem, despite your elaborate defensive strategies."

Snape stares in stunned disbelief, then his gaze shifts as one by one, others emerge Ron. Hermione, Lupin, Arthur, Molly, Fred, George, Percy, Luna, Dean Thomas, Bill, Fleur, Kingsley Shacklebolt. "And I'm afraid it's rather extensive."

After moving toward Harry, the Carrows halt and look at Snape with uncertainty. The eyes of Harry, which are narrowed by malice, tighten as he looks at Snape. Harry pointed his wand at Snape, and Snape exclaimed, "How dare you!" Harry shouted, "Tell them what happened that night. Tell them what you saw in his eyes, a trusting man...and how you killed him!"

Despite seeing Harry's eyes, Snape can see only his masked face. No longer an ashen ghost, McGonagall stands poised. The hand holding Flitwick's wand twitches. As anticipation builds, the air prickles.

He appears to be retrieving his wand as he does this. A missile is fired at Snape by McGonagall. The spell is parried, and chaos ensues when he sends it around the room. Inspired by Harry and McGonagall, Flitwick and the rest of the staff leap forward.

Despite being outnumbered at the epicentre, Alecto and Amycus Carrow were able to deflect two curses into Snape.

Snape takes the measure of the room and sweeps his wand over his head, reducing the torches that line the wall to smoke and pitching the Hall into total darkness.

Suddenly, a great noise fills the Hall while flying objects streaks past the windows, rattling the panes before flying through them. McGonagall, with her wand, raised high above her head, as the torches come back to life. A bat-like creature can be seen in the moonlight. McGonagall watches the darkness with bitter eyes.