mirrorball

chapter twenty seven

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The next fifteen minutes were full of silence. There was a small bit of chatter amongst the students, but Hermione, Ron, and Clara sat together, not one of them willing to utter a single word. This had certainly not been what they expected from this journey. Fred and George approached them, looking devious as always.

"What are you two up to?" asked Ron as the twins stopped in front of the three of them.

"Oh, nothing, dear brother." said George. He and Fred sported matching grins.

"We just thought we'd need some more hands. Mind moving over?" asked Fred as the portrait swung open again to reveal a crowd of people including Mr. and Mrs. Weasley who immediately grasped the now gleeful Ron into a large hug. Kingsley, Oliver Wood, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Bill, Fleur, and Lupin all climbed out after them. As the weeping Mrs. Weasley reached out to engulf Hermione into a hug, Clara sprang at Remus.

Her arms wrapped around his torso and immediately his arms were around her. Their hug ended and Remus smiled at Clara brightly. "It's good to see you too, Clara."

"How are you?" asked Clara. "How is... well everything? It's been so long, I have so much to tell you but I-"

Remus put a hand up to silence her before he spoke. "I'm managing. With this war things are hectic but, we're pulling through. I look forward to hearing anything you have to share but first let's put this whole fight behind us, huh? Show them who the real heroes are?" Clara nodded excitedly. "Speaking of, where's Harry?"

As if on cue, Harry and Luna appeared at the staircase both wearing looks of surprise. "Harry, what's happening?" said Remus, meeting him at the foot of the stairs. 

"Voldemort's on his way, they're barricading the school—Snape's run for it—What are you doing here? How did you know?" 

"We sent messages to the rest of Dumbledore's Army," Fred explained. "You couldn't expect everyone to miss the fun, Harry, and the D.A. let the Order of the Phoenix know, and it all kind of snowballed." 

"What first, Harry?" called George. "What's going on?" 

"They're evacuating the younger kids and everyone's meeting in the Great Hall to get organized," Harry said. "We're fighting."

There was a great roar and a surge toward the foot of the stairs, Harry was pressed back against the wall as they ran past him, the mingled members of the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, and Harry's old Quidditch team, all with their wands drawn, heading up into the main castle. "Come on, Luna," Dean called as he passed, holding out his free hand; she took it and followed him back up the stairs. The crowd was thinning: Only a little knot of people remained below in the Room of Requirement, and Harry joined them. 

Clara had gotten so lost in the crowd that she hadn't even realized that Ron and Hermione were no longer by her side. Harry had noticed even before her, and when he inquired about their whereabouts, Clara had no explanation for him. 

"Maybe they went off with the group?" she suggested, now wracking her brain to remember when she had last seen the pair.

"Let's go see, we need to talk, all of us. Figure out a plan."

Clara nodded and followed Harry as he quickly bounded down the stairs and towards the Great Hall. They arrived, and pushed their way through the crowd of people gathered around the large tables. Harry moved up the Hall alongside the Gryffindor table with Clara at his side. As he paused, faces turned in his direction, and a great deal of whispering broke out in his wake.