Red Tide Rising

Briar bit her tongue and tried not to yelp in misery. She failed.

"Arg!" she roared, doubling over and sucking to ease the pain. However, shouting in the middle of ambush-laying usually led to the destruction of said ambush. Ambushes are supposed to be stealth operations, the kind which Sherlock Holmes would not smell. For Merlin's sake!- she Charmed frigging birds to sing, so's not to arouse suspicion.

But it hurt! Briar moaned internally. I want candy... She stuck a finger in her mouth to check damage, and satisfied, jumped out of the shadows, drawing fire from the confused but alert Death Eaters.

She felt like taunting them a bit as she took care of the small group of three. A little "Who's your daddy?" was always funny, after all.

She was exhausted! Needed sleep, or she wouldn't function proper--oh, no. Snape was standing over one of the bodies. He seemed to be, unpleased...

"What?" she snapped. "What the what is it?"

"What the what?" Snape asked snidely. "My, Gryffindor, how positively provincial of you..." The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Oh, great advice, Dumbledore. Bounce me on your knee when I'm young and impressionable, but there are no detailed plans for world peace, no way to solve world hungry. Only tired old clichés that made no sense when you're exhausted.

"Shove it up that great gaping hole, Snape. The one three feet above your ass." There was no reactin from him. "I bit my tongue."

"Of course. A perfectly logical reason to nearly get us all killed."

"What 'us all'? I made the mistake, I drew the fire, I handled these louts easily. What did you do?" she demanded hesitantly, trying not to bite her tongue again. Bad things always came in three, and besides the biting the tongue, she had another major problem: she was pregnant.

"My contribution is to know who these 'louts' are," Snape replied. "This is Isaiah MacNair," he said, pointing to a young boy- probably her age. "This is Kevin Mulcahy," he said, pointing to another young man. "And this is Maleficent Etah."

"The witch who wrote the text I use?" Snape nodded. "Could have told me, Snape. Honestly." Briar didn't really care- she was more concerned with where all those maternal instincts were. The one's that would usually stop a pregnant woman from jumping into a group of malicious killers.

"That's not my job, yet," he answered softly. Ass. "Mulcahy was limping already, and it seemed MacNair was a bit dazed. You didn't do much, really."

Briar 'hmphed' and twirled away from Snape. Ass. Malachi marched in from the rear, whispering into the two-way mirrors Neville had sent out.

"There's been some trouble with Lucius Malfoy."

"Of course there has. Anything extraordinary?" Briar replied.

"Well, he's dead," Malachi said. "Longbottom won't tell me how. Said to tell you that the situation was dealt with. What does that mean?"

"Means something happened that would be considered illegal," Briar said. "Longbottom's handled it. That's what it means."

"Turning innocents into killers, Gryffindor?" Snape sneered. "That wasn't in the job description."

Briar set her finest glare on him. "Actually, I think that may have been my job."

***

They had been replaced by a squad made of fifth and seventh-years, and had followed Natalie McDonald's instructions. Hermione spoke to no one, and was treated in the Command Centre for her injuries; Harry, Ron and Malfoy were sent to the Infirmary where they had potions pushed at them. Pepper-Up, Awareness Potions, Fortifying Potions... then second-years gave them each a fresh set of robes, cloaks, socks and sweaters and informed them that they were to return to the Room of Requirement.

"Sorry," Neville began. "I know you've been out nearly four hours straight, but I can't spare a single person."

"Can't another Squad go out, Longbottom?" Malfoy asked.

"No. Every Squad has at least one, usually two members who can't continue. Didn't you notice how packed the Infirmary is?" The three boys nodded. "The students are dropping like flies, the professors have been out there longer'n you- Sinistra, Sprout and Vector are in the Ward, as well. I need you three out on the grounds."

"Us three?" Ron repeated. "What about Hermione?"

"Hermione can't go out there again. Are you insane?" Draco demanded, rounding on Ron as if for a fight.

"Relax. Anthony Goldstein will join you. His entire Squad is in the Ward. He's waiting for you in the Library, and has already been briefed. What I want you to do is guard the area behind Hagrid's hut, back about four hundred yards. Not even a sparrow gets by without the password and visual identification, right?"

"Right, Neville," Harry said in an exhausted voice. He couldn't believe how long he'd been fighting. "No word from the Ministry?"

"Not yet, though they're probably making some headway, due to the amount of Death Eaters who're pulling out, probably to reinforce their lines," Neville leveled. "If they don't fully retreat soon, we will all be dead."

Harry looked at Ron who merely shrugged and tugged on the new pairs of socks and shoes. "It's nearly dark, Neville. Can we sleep till then?" Ron asked.

It was odd jogging across the grounds, diving in and out of shadow, with Goldstein. The poor kid was a geek, and while Harry had never thought himself the epitome of physical fitness, he couldn't imagine anyone being so bad. It was no wonder his Squad was in hospital. When they reached their ambush spot, it took all of thirty seconds for Ron to grab Anthony by the collar.

"If you don't stop wheezing I will make sure it is no longer a problem!"

"I'll help," Malfoy snarled, wrapping his leg with a strip of cloth from his cloak, covering the area that received a nasty gash when Goldstein had stopped suddenly when they entered the forest.

"Sorry, I'm just scared. Aren't you three?" Anthony asked. Indeed, his face was white and looked clammy. Harry peered towards Draco for comparison, and saw that he was tired, but certainly didn't look scared. "I head there are Werewolves in here! And Acromantulas and Lethifolds!"

"No Werewolves today, Goldstein. It's a New Moon," Harry calmed. "And I don't think they're Lethifolds." Goldstein looked better until Draco asked, in a wavering voice-

"What about Acromantulas?" If Goldstein had looked scared, Malfoy looked like he'd piss his pants. What the hell is going on? Give me Hermione back! Harry thought.

"Of course there aren't any Acromantulas in the forest. How would they survive?" Ron said with a glance into the forest. Harry surveyed the branches above them- they were actually very close to Aragog's home. "Now can we shut up and guard the school. You two duck's remember the school, don't you?"

Nothing happened though. They waited for two hours, switching positions as the moon rose and faded the shadows. When they checked in with Neville, he said that the Death Eaters hadn't begun a full retreat, but the injured students and professors were doing better, would be ready to replace them very soon.

"There's an attack, about five hundred meters north," Neville said. "Five Death Eaters, fighting McGonagall, Flitwick and Glyphus. Move up and cover the action."

When they arrived, the fight was still on. Draco and Ron flanked the sides while Anthony watched the rear, and Harry joined the professors in the combat.

"Expelliarmus!" he shouted, disarming one Death Eater who was engaging Flitwick. Having taken the group by surprise, Harry dodged back into the darkness and streaked to another position, where he exploded from the cover and launched another attack.

He cast the Jelly-Leg Jinx and the Knee-Reversing Hex against one of the two who were engaging McGonagall. McGonagall seemed to be on her last legs- much like the Death Eater who couldn't control his own- so Harry set a Blasting Charm on her other opponent who was lifted off the ground and thrown into the forest. The flash of light that followed his landing told Harry that Malfoy had finished with him.

"Crucio!" one of the other Death Eaters shouted. The Curse was aimed at Professor Glyphus, who hadn't a chance. The spell ripped through her and the shrieking made Harry's heart stop. The other Death Eater kept McGonagall, Flitwick and Harry busy, covering the one who was torturing Glyphus. They tried everything, but could not advance on poor Professor Glyphus. Red light blasted from Ron's flank, narrowly misses the Death Eater, but dodging it broke his concentration, and Glyphus was released. Ron burst through into the clearing before the Death Eater could regain his evil nature and set a Babbling Curse at the man, who began to babble incessantly in German.

The Death Eater who'd been engaging the three- and they were championship material- flicked the counter towards their partner. But for in that moment McGonagall and Flitwick had launched a combined attack of Disarming Charms and archaic Curses to bring the man down. At the same time, the Death Eater Harry had originally disarmed had found his wand and the Death Eater who'd had his knees reversed had countered the Curses. Both stood and squared off.

Even worse, two more Death Eaters joined the fray from the rear. "Anthony!" Harry screamed. "Anthony, are you alright?" He ducked a poorly aimed Disarming Charm and sent Tarantallegra towards the Death Eater, the one whom he'd originally Hexed and Jinxed. Gryffindor said it was best to go after the same area, so he had.

"Avis!" cried the man as he danced, and out of his wand burst hundreds of pretty birds, which shot straight for Harry. They swooped and bombed at him, and Harry had to put up a Shielding Charm to ward them away. They moved back towards the dancing Death Eater, but he ended the spell before they could annoy him. He was still dancing, and Harry sent a heavy Cheering Charm his way to keep him busy. The Charm worked, and the Death Eater was dancing and laughing his head off, as if deranged. He even dropped his wand.

Draco had entered the fight as well, and was fighting the Death Eater who Harry had disarmed. He was sending medium-sized rocks at the Death Eater, using the Wasi Charm. Interspersed in the flying rocks was a few Impediment and Reductor Curses. The Death Eater soon missed a rock and fell to the ground unconscious.

Ron was fighting the German babbler again and was sending Curse after Curse at the small man. The Death Eater seemed overburdened quickly and found himself crashed and bound into a tree, his wand broken when Ron stepped on it.

Harry himself was fighting a small, fat man who had just joined the fray and who wasn't very good at Shielding himself from basic Curses. "Relashio!" Harry cried and a jet of fiery sparks fled his wand and ignited the man's hood. The Death Eater tore it off and feverishly brushed the flames and sparks from his hair. It was Wormtail. "Diffindo!" he roared, and the Curse charged towards Wormtail's stomach.

Wormtail dove to the ground and evaded Harry's Hurling Hex- which he hoped would hurl the rat around, smashing him into the ground and beating him to a pulp for him (he was tired)- by disappearing into his Animagus form. "Accio Rat!" Harry demanded, and Wormtail sped towards him, morphing back into his human form and causing Harry to hit the ground before he crashed into him. From the flat position on the ground, Harry hit him with an Engorging Charm and Wormtail increased in size, much like Aunt Marge had. Harry began to cast a Pin-Prick Charm- that would probably hurt as much as any Curse he wasn't allowed to cast- when Wormtail decided to morph again into a rat.

However, this rat was enormous. Harry was astonished as the giant rat crashed through the underbrush of the forest and into the darkness.

And then a Curse ripped into him, and he could see nothing. Hoping it was the Conjuctivitus Curse, he produced the counter- it failed. Another Curse hit him, and he was out.

Pansy had no memories of the encounter in the Forest, Anthony had hid at the first sign of Death Eaters and allowed them to enter the fray, Hermione's wand had been snapped before any curses could be extracted, and everyone who had any idea what had happened had sworn to secrecy. Adam had also agreed, shrugging and saying, "I hated the bastard more than most, so I'm not crying tonight."

Draco was though. As he sat by Hermione's bed in the Infirmary, after everything was finished, the Death Eaters beaten back and the Ministry arrived to investigate, Draco allowed himself to cry- a little, and no one was watching, anyways. There were worse cases to deal with, like Padma Patil who still hadn't woken from the coma a Cruciatus Curse had placed her in. Mandy Brocklehurst was so badly Demented that she couldn't stop screaming and crying; Madam Pomfrey had originally Silenced her, but the Charm had worn off and she was working on Rufus Ratstamper, who'd just been rescued from under a tree that had fallen on him in an engagement.

"Is there anyone we love more than our dad's, Hermione?" Draco asked as tears ran down his face. Just little ones, and anyone watching would think maybe it was sweat.

"I'm sorry, Draco. I'm so sorry. It's all my fault," she whispered, ruffling his hair. She was so kind to him- wouldn't date him, or kiss him, but she was comforting him when she was in pain.

"Don't say that. 'S'not your fault at all. My father was evil, just like Adam said. This wouldn't have happened if he hadn't attacked Hogwarts. It's just-" he paused, not sure how to say this, "-why can't he have been proud of me for standing up to him?" he asked, although it wasn't what he'd wanted.

"I know, Draco. I'm sorry, too. It is my fault, though. Such a stupid curse to have used, even though I thought Pansy was unconscious. I'm stupid!"

"No!" Draco said, looking alarmed. "You're not stupid, you're clever! It was a very clever curse to use, and it should have been fine. Pansy killed my father, Hermione, not you. Pansy killed him," he whispered, "and that doesn't really bother me. It's just-" he tried again, "-why'd he have to be such an arse?"

His head in Hermione's lap, he continued to cry, watching silently as people shuffled about the ward. So many hurt for only one death; poor Hagrid, who died trying to defend a school where some didn't welcome him, thinking him a monster, or stupid, or dangerous. Draco cried a bit harder, remembering that he had been one of those idiots, not knowing how great Hagrid was. Harry and Ron sat leaning against the wall, Ginny between them holding their hands. They refused to talk to any one they were so upset Hagrid had died. Draco remembered the first time he had met Harry, in Madam Malkin's shop; "His name's Hagrid, and I think he's brilliant."

Gryffindor had found the four of them immediately after her return to the school. She was bloodied and looked like she was about to fall asleep on her feet, but her voice had had none of the exhaustion Draco was sure was only visible after the fighting stopped.

"Longbottom reported what happened. I'm so sorry," she had said. And she had looked sorry too. She paused. "You did well, though, and you should be congratulated, however bitterly you wish to take that. Thank-you, you four. You did Hogwarts proud today."

Remembering her words, Draco began to cry even more. Gryffindor was proud of him for doing the right thing! Why didn't that make him feel anything? Why didn't that matter to him? His father was never proud of anything he'd actually done in life, and he'd never have a chance to see him with real pride in his eyes, now that he was dead. It shouldn't matter, Draco told himself. It doesn't matter! It doesn't, it doesn't, it doesn't.

"Wonder how it felt," he murmured to Hermione, "right before he died. He must have realized he'd lost all of his children to the enemy. I hope it hurt, a lot." He dried his tears, and lifted his head to look into her eyes. "Because it doesn't matter."

Hermione knew what he meant.

Briar was exhausted. No pretty words really explained better how she felt. Maybe world-weary. She could only just hold her eyes open as she pulled herself into the Command Centre. God, but Longbottom had done brilliantly. The boy had been a blessing that day; she doubted she would have done as well. The kids were still calling him Captain, and they meant it.

"Gryffindor," a slick voice sounded from behind her. Turning, she saw a face she would always be happy to see. "I thought you might like this."

"Adam! I thought you were in Portugal or some such, tracking down leads," Briar said, before lifting the Wake-Up Potion to her lips.

"I was, and then I got this big lead," he said, a smart grin on his face. "Apparently, Death Eaters were about to attack Hogwarts, so I hop on my broom, as I can't Apparate from there to here, and I never did master that whole Portkey thing, and I fly here. Had to pretend to be a fox for a while to get passed the enemies siege, but I managed just in time."

"Apparently. And it's Portus, Adam, you'll have to remember," she said, feeling much better. She looked around the room. Longbottom was still awake, going through the reports and journals with Ministry wizards, helping them collect evidence. Morag MacDougal was speaking with Percy Weasley, explaining how things worked in the school during the attack.

"You know, Adam, I'm not sure your brother would like you lusting over his girlfriend," Briar said sweetly. Adam's eyes jumped from Morag's body to Briar's eyes.

"You are joking, aren't you?" Adam demanded seriously. Hah!

"Well, I think they broke up a few weeks ago, but I don't know. You know how these kids are, they can't decide if they like each other or hate each other. Draco and Morag could be together again." Adam's eyes returned slowly to Morag, who was explaining in length the methods they had used during the attack. Weasley was nodding at all the appropriate places while he scribbled furiously.

"Well, she's too young for you anyways," Briar commented, as Morag excused herself from Percy and exited the room. Briar noticed she had glanced at Adam, and just before the scowl took over her face, there had certainly been a bit of- something else. Briar wondered for a moment if Morag really was too young for Adam. She certainly wasn't a child anymore. "I'm not going to even ask why she already hates you, as I've a pretty good idea, knowing you and your sense of timing. Have you been to see your brother? He's in the Infirmary."

"What? Why's he there?" Adam demanded. "He was fine when I left him."

"Yes, and he's fine now, too. But not a lot of his friends are, so he's in the Infirmary with them. You haven't been to see him, then?"

"Er- well, not yet, no. I'm not sure that I will, either," Adam said, inspecting the floor.

"Scratch!" She said on a note of exasperation. "He's your brother! He's just lost his father, maybe he can find his brother! And your sister, Samantha, her too. She's in the Gryffindor Common Room right now. Go and see them, Adam. They might just need you, though I know you hate that." Adam threw her an ugly look but left the room without comment.

"Professor Gryffindor?" Percy Weasley said. Briar flicked her eyes towards the tall, thin young man, and raised an eyebrow in acknowledgement. "I thought I would be the first to thank you for doing such an excellent job with these children. They did well today, because of you."

"They did well because they had too, Mr. Weasley," Briar amended, without scorn. She took a prideful breath. "I should inform you I'm nominating Neville Longbottom for the Order of Merlin: Third Class. He deserves it. Actually, he deserves much more, but I think it should suffice."

"Yes," Percy said. "I agree. I remember him as a first year, and I must admit, I don't hardly believe that's him who held this place together today." He inclined his head towards Briar and left the room.

Briar took one last look at the Room of Requirement, and she begged the Gods that it never be needed for this again.

Draco was just nodding off when Adam entered the Infirmary. Sammie was with him, and she broke off and ran toward Draco when she saw him.

"The prefects wouldn't let me come. They said you were fine and I shouldn't worry," she cried, cowering her body into his arms. "They say daddy's died, though."

"Yes, he has," Draco whispered. Sammie didn't react, and Draco wanted to shake her, just a little, to remind himself that she had emotions. He needed proof that she wasn't going to become Lucius's child. "Sams, are you going to be all right?"

"Yes. I'm sad, though," she whispered. "I loved him, I think, even if he was horrible. I love him, but I won't cry if you don't. Don't cry, please, Draco, because I can't stand to cry for him. I loved him, though, I did," she babbled, choking on would-be-but-weren't-quite sobs.

"No, Sams, I won't let you cry for him," Draco whispered back.

"How are you?" Adam asked stiffly. Draco looked up at him, and saw the most uncomfortable person he'd ever seen. Adam's gazed kept shifting everywhere but to Draco and Sam, as if he were a stranger to them. And, Draco realized, he was.

"I'm fine," Draco lied. Adam recognized the lie, but didn't comment. "Do you- er- won't you come down here?" asked Draco indicating the bit of space left between Hermione's bed and Susan Bones.

Adam looked directly at his baby brother and sister, and he got down and sat beside Draco, and he helped protect Sammie from her tears.

"Do you know, but I think I'm getting good at this?" Harry said as he boarded the train.

"Getting good at what?" asked Ron.

"Leaving Hogwarts sad."

"Quit it, Harry, or I'll start crying again," Hermione said sternly.

"Alls of you, shut up," Draco grumbled from behind them. "And for Slytherin's sake, won't some one help me with my sodding trunk?"

"Poor spoilt Draco, with all his fabulous processions," Morag chuckled. "But do we dare touch the forbidding trunk of a Malfoy? Doesn't it have really good anti-theft charms? We wouldn't be sucked in, like a Gringott's vault, would we?"

"I thought I said shut up?" Draco sneered.

"Hey, Cap'm," Ron greeted Neville. "Looking forward to a nice, relaxing summer?"

"If I thought I'd get one, sure," Neville said. "But, what are the chances?"

"Oh, now, and here I thought I was the only one who complained about summers," Harry laughed.

"I've never liked them much, either," Draco said.

"Nor I," Hermione agreed. "It's always like having my left arm taken away."

"Hey, shut up!" Ron cried. "I love summers, and this is the last one we get before we need jobs. 'Course, I already have a job, not like you lazy bums."

"Yeah," Morag said sarcastically, "must be nice to have a nepotistic family."

"Well," Ron said, "it's nice to have someone in the family in a position to be nepotistic."

Everyone laughed for a moment.

"I wonder what next years going to be like?" Blaise finally spoke.

"Hell," Harry said with certainty. "It's going to be hell."