The Time-Meddlers [Harmione]

31. The Battle of Hogwarts

"I say we arrest the lot of them," declared Wizengamot member Timothius Caladron. "Umbridge was leaving us alone, but now I'll bet she's going to retaliate!"

"Arrest people for saving lives?!" screamed Augusta Longbottom. "How dare you even suggest that? You heard Madam Pomfrey's report on the conditions of the..."

"...The new muggle-borns we have to take in and feed!" interrupted Bartholomew Headon. "They won't even be able to earn their keep for months! It's hard enough to keep supplies..."

Amelia Bones had had enough. She shouted, "YOU TWO ARE THE MOST VILE, INHUMAN MONSTERS I'VE EVER MET! YOU'RE WORSE THAN UMBRIDGE, AND OBVIOUSLY SYMPATHETIC TO HER CAUSE! YOU BELONG IN AZKABAN, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED! YOU'VE DONE NOTHING BUT STOP US FROM FIGHTING BACK SINCE WE STARTED HAVING THESE MEETINGS!" She took a deep breath and glared at them. "My only question is whether you're on the Shadow's payroll or not, because you most certainly are her most valuable allies."

"How dare you," shouted Caladron. "My family's..."

"...irrelevant!" interrupted Bones. "It seems your goal is to make sure we do nothing while the Shadow gains more power. We need to prepare for..." At that moment, a large blast was heard throughout the whole castle.

"You see!" shouted Headon. "Now we're under attack."

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At the same time the Wizengamot was meeting, Harry was sitting alone in the Chamber of Secrets, thinking about what had happened the day before. Not only that, but he was also thinking about D.A. meetings from a different timeline that had included Marietta Edgecombe, Michael Corner, and eventually Seamus Finnegan. He heard footsteps approaching his position and turned to see the love of his life. "I never asked Marietta why she waited so long to turn us in if she hated me so much. I mean, if she just wanted to be Umbridge's spy, she'd have turned us in after the first meeting. Why did she wait?"

"I heard that her mother was under a lot of pressure at the Ministry to get her to talk," replied Hermione, immediately understanding that he was talking about their fifth year in the other timeline.

"Maybe they were going to sack her. Imagine given the choice to betray me or have your own mother lose her job?"

Hermione sighed. "I never thought of that."

"Me, neither."

"I guess I should've removed that curse from her."

"I know that year Seamus didn't believe me at first, but he did eventually come around."

"And Michael Corner was always with the D.A., even if it was for his girlfriend," said Hermione.

"Yeah," replied Harry, smiling a bit. "Ginny can be persuasive."

"I know they died younger here than in that lifetime, and can't express how sorry I am about it, but you've got to remember two things. It was not your fault - it was Umbridge's - don't claim responsibility for her - and they died fighting for what they believed in. They're heroes - martyrs - and should be remembered as such. They..."

At that moment, an explosion filled their ears.

"We're under attack!" declared Hermione.

"What took her so long?" asked Harry, sarcastically. "Come on! Let's get suited up and help."

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On the outskirts of Hogsmeade, where she could safely watch the attack on the castle, the Shadow of Pain was smiling as she sipped her tea. Severus was leading the siege of Hogwarts, a place he'd been forced to live at for far too long. She observed as he, along with twenty Shadow Troopers, shot blasting curses at the castle that had stood for over a thousand years. She giggled before taking another sip as an army of trolls approached another side of the brick building. She'd have preferred giants, as they were more intelligent, but didn't have time to gather them. The huge, disgusting magical creatures bashed the side of Hogwarts with their wooden clubs. She couldn't wait for the opposition to show up, so that she could enjoy the bloodshed.