Muggle | 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑊𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

Chapter 180

The eerie silence was haunting the large room as the Weasleys slowly left the room, trying to avoid looking at Sirius and Jenna, who had their eyes fixed on one another.

"Come on, Lexi," said George, pulling on my sleeve.

I started to leave as well, but before I did, I saw Jenna walked toward Harry, bringing him into a long hug.

As I finally left the room, a thought made its way over my head as I remembered Crookshanks and the way Sirius reacted when he found out the cat was pregnant.

Could Jenna have been an Animagus undercover as Crookshanks all along?

That would explain a lot; from the way I had read in the third book that Crookshanks helped Sirius in the capturing of Pettigrew, to the way the cat had tried to protect him in the Shrieking Shack.

But then again, why was she never mentioned in the books? How come Jenna only appeared after I had saved Sirius's life?

But just then, I was reminded of a more important matter, once I remembered what I had seen last year in detention with Harry.

We were looking through old detention files that I came upon something curious. I suddenly had come across a form that had the names 'Sirius Black' and 'Jenna Potter' on it.

Could Jenna be a distant relative of Harry's?

But my thoughts were cut off when we reached the Great Hall, where all the students were gathered and Professor McGonagall was speaking.

"...evacuation will be overseen by Mr. Filch and Madam Pomfrey. Prefects, when I give the word, you will organize your House and take your charges, in an orderly fashion, to the evacuation point."

      Many of the students looked petrified. But as Harry was making his way into the hall, all eyes fell on him.

      Although just then, Ernie Macmillan stood up at the Hufflepuff table and shouted, "And what if we want to stay and fight?"

"If you are of age, you may stay," said Professor McGonagall. "We have already placed protection around the castle, but it is unlikely to hold for very long unless we reinforce it. I must ask you, therefore, to move quickly and calmly, and do as your prefects —"

       But her final words were drowned as a different voice echoed throughout the Hall. It was high, cold, and clear.

       "I know that you are preparing to fight." There were screams amongst the students, some of whom clutched each other, looking around in terror for the source of the sound. "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."

      There was silence in the Hall now, the kind of silence that presses against the eardrums, that seems too huge to be contained by walls.

      "Give me Harry Potter," said Voldemort's voice, "and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight."

      The silence swallowed us all again. Every head turned, every eye in the place seemed to have found Harry. Then a figure rose from the Slytherin table and he recognized Pansy Parkinson as she raised a shaking arm and screamed, "But he's there! Potter's there! Someone grab him!"

     Before Harry could speak, there was a massive movement. The Gryffindors in front of him had risen and stood facing, not Harry, but the Slytherins.

      Then the Hufflepuffs stood, and almost at the same moment, the Ravenclaws, all of them with their backs to Harry, all of them looking toward Pansy instead. On cue, we all took out our wands, raising them at the ready.

     "Thank you, Miss Parkinson," said Professor McGonagall in a clipped voice. "You will leave the Hall first with Mr. Filch. If the rest of your House could follow."

      Harry heard the grinding of benches and then the sound of the Slytherins trooping out on the other side of the Hall.

     "The rest of you, follow on!" cried Professor McGonagall.

     Slowly the four tables emptied. The Slytherin table was completely deserted, but a number of older Ravenclaws remained seated while their fellows filed out.

     Even more Hufflepuffs stayed behind, and half of Gryffindor remained in their seats, necessitating Professor McGonagall's descent from the teachers' platform to chivvy the underage on their way.

      "Absolutely not, Creevey, go! And you, Peakes!"

      Harry hurried over to the Weasleys and the rest of us, as we were all sitting together at the Gryffindor table. "Where are Ron and Hermione?"

      "Haven't you found — ?" began Mr. Weasley, looking worried. But he broke off as Kingsley and Moody had stepped forward on the raised platform to address those who had remained behind.

      "We've only got half an hour until midnight, so we need to act fast!"

     Kingsley started ordering while Moody stayed behind him, his healthy eye roaming the hall to keep vigilance.

      "A battle plan has been agreed between the teachers of Hogwarts and the Order of the Phoenix. Professors Flitwick, Sprout, and McGonagall are going to take groups of fighters up to the three highest towers — Ravenclaw, Astronomy, and Gryffindor — where they'll have a good overview, excellent positions from which to work spells. Meanwhile Remus" — he indicated Lupin — "Arthur" — he pointed toward Mr. Weasley, sitting at the Gryffindor table — "and I will take groups into the grounds. We'll need somebody to organize defense of the entrances of the passageways into the school —"

     "Sounds like a job for us," called Fred, indicating himself and George, and Kingsley nodded in approval.

Just then, we turned to see Tonks rush through the Great Hall among the mass of running people who were exiting.

Lupin's eyes widened and he went pale as she reached him. "What are you doing here!?"

"I couldn't sit back at home while you were here," said Tonks.

"But what about Teddy!?" said Lupin, still in shock.

"He's at home with my mum." Tonks smiled, bringing him into a hug before pulling away, her arms still around his neck. "Besides... it's you who needs me tonight."

      "All right, leaders up here and we'll divide up the troops!" Moody shouted, grabbing all of our attention to himself again.

Everyone stood up to do as they were told, but as if I was acting automatically and out of my control, I grabbed onto Fred arm once he had gotten to his feet, holding him back.

"Fred —"

"It's fine," he said, taking out his wand. "I'll see you again, after this madness is over."

      "But —"

      "Oh, cheer up, Hooper!" He laughed. "We've got some Death Eather arse to kick!"

      And before I could do anything to stop him, Fred winked at me and then disappeared into the big mass of people running around outside the Great Hall, vanishing out of sight.