Wot In The Harri Potter?

54 - The Sailor's Kiss

After Crucioing one of the Carrows, I strut into the Great Hall like a queen.

"It seems despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you still have a bit of a security problem, Headmaster. And I'm afraid it's quite extensive."

The Order follow me in right on cue as we had rehearsed out in the Entrance Hall. Lupin had not been keen on this showy entrance, but Fred and George backed me up, agreeing how cool we would all look.

And by Merlin it is better than cool. It is brilliant.

Especially when Snape craps himself and flies out of the window.

Everyone cheers all around me and I blow the end of my wand for awesome effect.

"Fuck you're hot," Fred says, dipping me in his arms to give me a sailor's kiss.

This perfect moment is ruined by Voldemort interrupting our heads with an announcement.

Rude twat.

"I know you are preparing to fight. 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. Give me Harriet Potter and none shall be harmed. Give me Harriet Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harriet Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight."

I check my watch, eleven-fifteen pm. That's cool, I still have time to find the diadem, kill the snake and then blast Voldemort into the afterlife.

What I don't expect, however, is my old friend, Pansy, to raise a shaking arm and scream, "But she's there! Potter's there! Someone grab her!"

My mouth falls open as I stare at her aghast. "PANSY?! What the-?"

But I do not get to finish as Fred, George, Ginny and Neville all stand in front of me raising their wands in Pansy's direction.

"You dare touch her!" Fred snarls. "You traitor."

I feel so hurt as the rest of the Slytherins gather around Pansy in defence, all of them glaring over at me. Even Blaise looks angry at my presence. I wonder what lies Snape has been feeding them for them to all turn on me like this.

"Thank you, Miss Parkinson," Professor McGonagall says in a clipped voice. "You will leave the Hall first with Mr Filch. If the rest of your house could follow. I think there's a cage in the dungeons which will be suitable."

The Slytherins start to angrily protest. I try to push past my wall of defence to get to McGonagall and call her out on this awful decision.

"Where are you going?" Fred asks as he grabs my arm.

"To stop them!" I splutter. "She can't possibly think locking them up is safe!"

"They're going to hand you in if she doesn't." George says. "Clearly your Slytherin status means nothing to them anymore. Their parents are all out there ready to come in and storm the castle."

"We get this job done, and they'll be safe." Fred implores. "We'll all be safe again."

Ugh, they're right, I know. But the pressure to find this diadem has heightened and suddenly time seems horrifically tight.

Kingsley begins organising battle groups while I look rapidly around for Ron and Hermione who have both been suspiciously absent lately.

"Sounds like a job for us," Fred calls, indicating himself and George as Kingsley asks for someone to organise defence of the entrances of the passageways into the school.

I twirl around to face Fred, my heart hammering in my chest. He instantly gathers me in his arms and kisses my forehead as though he can tell how panicked I feel.