Harry Potter and the Birth of a New Sun

Harry Potter and the Birth of a New Sun

Chapter 42 - Retreat

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The air was dead. Not still, not stale, but lifeless and without energy. If the Forbidden Forest was filled with a fountain of power, Hogsmeade was its sinkhole. Harry felt parched when first he Apparated, as if suddenly appearing into a desert wasteland not unlike the arid air where he and Singehorn met telepathically. Plumes of smoke billowed up from nearly every building in town save two - Weasley's Wizard Wheezes and a new Hogsmeade branch of Gringotts Bank. There was so much dust and debris floating all about that it was difficult to breathe. Worse yet, it was nearly impossible to identify friend or foe, as wizards and other creatures darted in and out of the sludgy air. Spells were being cast in every imaginable direction - a laser light show of epic proportion. A jet of green blasted the earth to his left, sending up a shower of rubble. A flash of red clipped his shoulder, searing his robes and causing his fingertips to tingle. Harry spun, slipped to the ground and suddenly lost his bearings. Shards of rock stabbed his knees as his chest, not yet fully healed, shuddered with pain. Another blast of green struck the wall to his left, but this time it had little effect. He raised his wand, unsure who, exactly, he was pointing it at, never mind what spell he would cast.

"Mr. Potter! You might want to focus your attention on the giant behind you."

Giant?

For a moment, the fog of war parted, revealing Professor McGonagall. Her face was smudged and her robes torn; perspiration dotted her brow, but her hat was in perfect condition. He looked up and over her shoulder to discover a giant somewhat less than twenty feet tall. He prepared his wand to cast a spell, but McGonagall stepped in front of him.

"BEHIND YOU!" she bellowed as she pointed up and over his head. "That little one is fighting with Wilhelmina's coven." Harry turned, the sharp rocks crackling under his feet, and found the most massive giant he had ever seen. It towered over most of the town's buildings and seemed to delight in stomping wizards with his feet, including, it appeared, some of the Death Eaters fighting along side him. Two professors, positioned forward of Professor McGonagall, were casting spell after spell at him, but the light leaving their wands was weak and had little to no effect.

"Stupefy!" called Harry and a thin red beam of light slipped from his wand and bounced off the giant who was so busy admiring all the other lights ricocheting from his chest that he took no notice of Harry's pathetic attempt at a spell. He turned to Professor McGonagall.

"What's wrong?"

"Nature is against us, Harry. We've cast so many spells... she has pulled her energy deep. I don't think she cares much for wars. I can't say as I blame her."

The giant lifted its great foot, preparing to stomp the helpless professors trying to defeat it.

"Tanglespin!" she cried. A beam of white light leapt from her wand and wrapped itself about the giant's ankle. The small giant behind her charged and struck the larger giant just as she tugged on her wand. It was the smallest twitch, but it pulled the giant off its feet. The other wizards jumped up and began to bind the giant with great ropes as two other wizards, hiding behind an old wooden fruit cart, pushed back the Death Eaters it was protecting. Townsfolk, Harry suspected.

"The key, Mr. Potter, is to find ways to use the smaller spells to advantage. Our enemy has yet to figure that out. We lost quite a few in the early fighting, but recently I've seen two killing curses strike true, thank Merlin, with no effect."

For a moment, Harry considered joining her for battle, but quickly gathered his wits. He wasn't here to fight.

"Professor, we... we have to retreat," he said. "We have to lead everyone back toward Hogwarts and the forest."

"You can't be serious!" she snapped. "We can't let them past the water's edge. We won't let--" She pulled her wand. "Expecto Patronum!"

A blast of white shot back over Harry's shoulder. He didn't need to turn to see what it was. He could feel the cold, crawling up the backs of his legs. He focused on his happiest moment, the moment he and Gabriella joined, turned and released his stag. It was pale as it charged the collection of Dementors moving toward them. Still, they scattered.

"Professor... the dragons... they're going to attack!"

"Then it's true? They're following you? I didn't believe it possible."

"It's not. They're coming to destroy us all. They're coming to take advantage of the very weakness you spoke of. With the wizards unable to cast spells to defeat them, the dragons will incinerate every wizard they can."

A look of shock passed over Professor McGonagall's face. Unlike Harry, she had stayed awake during Professor Binns' lectures. She knew the olds tales and had even written three scrolls interpreting the tapestry that hung at the end of the hall in Hogwarts.

"When?" she breathed.

"Soon. Very soon," he answered, suddenly interested in the sky. There were shapes moving up there, but he couldn't make out what they were. Streaks of light seemed to bounce back and forth between the clouds. Wizards? Dementors? He couldn't tell. He only hoped they weren't dragons. Where was Ron? Where was Dakhil? There was a swoosh, Harry barely had time to react as a young wizard darted past on a broom.

"Proffessor!" he called out as he dropped a small scroll and disappeared into the darkness.

"Was that Colin?" Harry asked.

"Colin? Are you serious? Colin could never fly a broom as swiftly. That was Dennis, of course. The only way we can exchange information. The patronuses are too weak." She reached down and picked up the scroll. You know, I intend to make him Seeker next year... assuming you graduate." She snapped Harry a scowl and he wondered if she might be serious. He had missed a lot of class and-- "Potter, have a go at those Dementors while I read this!"

Harry didn't have to be told twice. This time, however, he did not use a patronus. Instead, he summoned the surrounding fire. Heat. He needed only to focus the power that was already raging about them. It was, in a way, like moulding clay with a wand. Swirling... swirling... The Dementors, a half-dozen or so, closed in. "Stay back," he commanded. He could hear their voices clicking to each other, but with the power of his ring he knew they were laughing, jeering that he had no power in this dead zone.

"Compresso!" he called, and the swirling flames fell in on each other, creating a great tornado of fire. The laughter ceased. There were no screams of pain; there wasn't enough time. The Dementors were incinerated. Their sudden disappearance caused the group behind them to falter in their advance.

As the acrid odour of their cindered flesh wafted toward Harry, he noticed a commotion near the docks. Some two dozen wizards were calling out and gesturing in some way, though it was too difficult to make out much through the billowing clouds of smoke and the loud reports of wand fire echoing throughout Hogsmeade. The two wizards that had been hiding behind the fruit cart jumped out and ran over to join Harry and Professor McGonagall. One was George Weasley, the other was Samilla Fendergon, the owner of Honeydukes.

A blast of red light exploded only a few yards to their right, causing George to curse furiously and return fire. Professor McGonagall, her face briefly shining from the wand fire, simply looked up over the parchment she was reading, suggested that Mr. Weasley, who was garbed in spectacularly dark robes, should find a way to distinguish himself from the enemies he was fighting, and continued to read the parchment.

Samilla, a women not much younger that Professor McGonagall, but with smooth skin and bright blue eyes had a long gash on her right shoulder which was mended, but not well. Harry used his wand to close it completely and held his hand over it, removing the scar.

"I didn't take you fer a healer, Harry," she said, after thanking him for his work. "I always figured you fer a flyboy... like yer father." She smiled and Harry couldn't help but smile back. She had always had that effect on him. Maybe it was the candy, but more likely the goodness of the soul beneath those eyes. Even here, she smiled and even here she made others smile in return.

"So, Mr. Potter," said Professor McGonagall sharply as she rolled the scroll and vanished it with a wave of her wand, "you've been here less than five minutes and already we're told to give up. What in heaven's name did you do to bring the dragons down upon us?"

"Me?" Harry croaked. "I didn't--" There was more yelling down one of the streets and, this time, when Harry looked up, it was obvious word had gotten around--wizards were sounding the retreat.

"We're not giving up, Professor" said Harry. "We're just moving the battle. We can't stay clustered like this or the dragons will destroy us all. They may already be on their way."

"We've set up a strong defensive perimeter right here," Professor McGonagall asserted. "It's foolhardy to split up our strength into three separate groups, each scattered to the four winds. That's no defence; it's madness. Are you certain that the dragons are coming, Mr. Potter?"

This time George stepped forward. "Professor, it doesn't matter what Harry thinks," he said strongly, but with respect. "Sirius has been placed in charge and has given the order."

"But the Minister," said Harry questioningly. "Isn't he in charge?" He was suddenly panicked. "Fred, where's your father? Is he...."

"Dad is at the Ministry. It's also being attacked, though the numbers there are far fewer."

Harry exhaled and nodded with relief. "And Fred?"

"Without you to communicate, Remus has secluded the werewolves. He thinks it's safer."

"But Ron... he could--"

Someone overhead slipped by on a broom. "EVACUATE!" he cried. "EVACUATE! Gather the covens now!"

Harry could have sworn he heard Professor McGonagall curse under her breath. She held her wand in the air and sent out a great stream of green sparks, calling for the wizards in her coven to gather at her side. Then she turned and began to run, not toward the docks, but toward the road that led back to Hogwarts. Harry and George followed, but Samilla started to run in another direction. Harry touched her arm.

"Wait," he said. "Aren't you going with us?"

"My coven's over there," she said pointing to a fountain of yellow sparks that looked like a trail of twinkling stars, blazing through the smoky air. "My leader is Nymphadora, not Minerva. Good luck, Harry." She smiled and ran, disappearing into a fog of smoke.

"Tonks?" Harry whispered, straining to see some glimpse of her as other wizards flowed past him. He began to walk toward the yellow lights, sparkling above the docks, even as Samilla disappeared into the smoke in front of him.

"Come on, Harry!" George called, pulling his shirt collar. The delay, though small, was disastrous. Before Harry could turn, blasts of orange light struck the earth around him and George. The furthest wizard back in Professor McGonagall's coven was already some fifty yards further toward safety and still running. The ground sprouted at once - a thick bramble of Devil's Snare.

Harry pointed his wand and tried to blast it with pure light, but there was not enough energy to draw from for such a spell and his wand simply spit a sparkled red glow. There was laughter overhead. Four vampire wizards, hideous in their appearance, but each holding a wand, were chortling. George tried to cast a fire spell, but it was no use. They couldn't create it here, and they were too far from the buildings to draw on the flames roaring into the night sky.

"I always liked red," one of the vampires gurgled. Harry, wearing his ring, could understand. Desperately he looked for some way to attack.

"Wait for the plants to pin them down," said another vampire.

"George," said Harry, "don't let the vines--"

Too late. George's foot was entangled and the vine was curling up his leg.

"Well," said George with little more emotion than if he had stepped on a dog dropping in the park. "That's not good." He popped a candy into his mouth, pondering what he should do, knowing that if he struggled to break free, the vine would only work its magic all the more quickly.

Harry went to try to free him, but when he did, another vine began to wrap about his arm.

"Shouldn't have done that, mate," chided George. "I thought you knew better." The vine yanked Harry to his knees even as he tried to relax, and the movement torqued his torso sending a twinge of pain across his chest. His wound was not yet completely healed and he worried that a tearing vine might open it up yet again.

"Yeah, well, the vampires there," he nodded his head to the sky, "intend to have us for lunch, just as soon as we're properly tied down.

"Yeah, I sort of figured that. Good thing I had some garlic bread with dinner. Hopefully, I'll taste bitter when they drain me."

"Actually," said Harry, "Dakhil tells me--"

A whistling filled the air. There were screams and the vampires that had been waiting to bleed Harry and George dry all fell lifeless to the ground. Another volley whistled off in another direction, again followed by screams and thumps. For only a moment the air cleared and Harry could see the Gringotts Bank, its white marble walls reflecting the orange flames of the buildings burning about it. On the roof, a number of Goblins were manning some sort of machinery. He watched as one goblin raised and lowered his hand. One of the machines belched out a thick black smoke and more whistling filled the air.

"What are they doing?" asked Harry as the vampires hovering above vanished after another of their kind fell dead to earth. "I can't see what they're shooting?" The vine about his arm began to loosen as Harry forced himself to relax.

"Arrows, maybe," conjectured George, trying not to be nervous about the fact that there was a vine creeping its way about his neck. "But we have wizards flying out there. A stake through the heart is just as lethal for them."

"Surely they've retreated with the others by now." Still strapped down, Harry hesitated, but then asked, "Erm... Have you seen Ron?"

"No. Why?" replied George quickly. "He's not... he's not... by Morgana's mother!" He tried to pull up, but it was the wrong thing to do. The vines cinched down. He tried to speak, but only gurgled.

They didn't have much time. Harry cried for help, knowing that he might just as easily bring Death Eaters down upon them. He could hear footsteps... running, but he'd been hearing that since they called for the retreat. Slowly he pulled in another deep breath to call again, when his face was suddenly covered in dust. He had to spit. The grit tasted almost sweet... organic.

"Incendio!"

It wasn't much more than a spark, but whatever dust was covering George and Harry suddenly ignited into a fantastic flash of light. The Devil's Snare released them at once. Harry, blinking, hurried to his feet. He went to help George and found Neville Longbottom, his clothes singed black, pulling the vines off from around the redhead's neck. George may have been appreciative, but still seemed agitated.

"We have to stop them!" George yelled, pointing at the goblins. "They're firing--" Another whistle filled the air. "Ow!" cried George, bringing his hand to his face. "I've been hit."

Neville reached down and picked up a handful of earth. "Yes... yes you have," he said, picking through the dust in his hand. "There it is." He held up a small pebble, only it was perfectly round.

"Buckshot?" Harry asked. "We used to sell it at the sporting goods store in Little Whinging."

"Kind of," answered Neville. "Imported madrona, harvested from the peaks of the Siskiyou Mountains - a red hardwood, harmless to humans, but, evidently, lethal to vampires. If Ron's flying out there George, he might get stung, but at least he won't get bit. The madrona, or arbutus menziesii, is related to the Greek--"

"Come on!" called Harry. "Herbology can wait. We need to--"

There were screams off to their right. All three of the wizards turned to see what was happening only to find that a giant had cornered some six wizards and witches and held one in his hand, considering if he should crush him or eat him. Without hesitation, Harry ran toward the attacker. He wondered if it wasn't the twin of the giant they had just felled. Nearly twenty-five feet tall, he wore only hides about his waste, revealing a back covered with deep scars and fresh gashes. He'd been hit by wand-fire, lots of it, but he was still standing as powerful as ever.

George and Neville followed behind. George called for Harry to stop, but he wasn't about to let whoever it was be crushed. Instinctively, Harry pulled out his wand, then stopped, realizing how futile such an attack would be. About thirty yards away, Harry quit running. George tried to pull him toward cover, but Harry resisted.

"Stop it," he demanded and then he froze. His fingers twiddled with the onyx ring on his finger. "Maybe," he whispered.

"Come on, Harry," George insisted, but Harry stepped toward the giant holding up his hand.

"STOP!" he called out, focussing on the giant. "PUT HIM DOWN!"

Slowly, the giant turned toward the threesome. He smiled, revealing large yellow teeth worn from eating too much rock. He spotted them and a great dribble of saliva slipped from the corner of the giant's mouth and splattered on the ground.

"Oh, yay," said George. "That's a wonderful idea. Now we get to play sweetbreads. I am so tired of everyone wanting to have me for dinner."

"PUT HIM DOWN!" Harry repeated.

The giant roared, holding his free hand to his head. Harry could sense the giant's pain as he tried to resist the power of the ring. "He's mine!" Harry heard him say. "Kill them all, we were told. Kill them all. This one is mine! What does it matter?"

"You're tired. You're hurt. Put him down, and I can make the pain go away. I can heal your wounds."

Hesitantly, the giant placed the wizard on the ground and walked toward Harry. As the earth beneath his feet rumbled, Harry watched as the group of trapped wizards gathered up their friend and ran toward safety.

"Whatever you did, Harry, erm... great," said Neville. "Now let's go." The three, facing the giant, were stepping backwards. Harry stopped.

"I told him I'd heal his wounds," said Harry.

"You what?" yelled George. "Are you crazy? He'll crush you just as soon as you've done the job."

"I know," said Harry. "But it'll give you two a chance to--"

A wall of yellow light suddenly appeared between the threesome and the giant. It was only three feet tall, but it was some forty feet across. The giant stopped, considering the barrier. Harry and his friends, unsure what was going on, began to back away.

"You think this tiny wall can stop me?" laughed the giant. He brought his right foot up and over the wall, but before it struck the earth the yellow wall exploded upward, lifting the giant high into the air and bringing him back to earth with a tremendous crash. The yellow wall disappeared and twenty individual yellow glows appeared about the giant with audible pops.

"House elves!" yelled Neville. They crawled up onto the giant's chest as their foe tried to clear his head. Holding hands in a ring, the house elves cried out a spell and at the same instant stomped their feet. It was as if the giant had been struck by a massive sledge hammer in the chest. Harry could hear as the bones shattered and the organs beneath were crushed. The giant gave out a gurgled grunt and died. The moment the gruesome deed was done they vanished.

"How is that possible?" asked Harry. "There's no magic. I couldn't pull a rabbit out of a hat."

"A what?" asked George.

"A rab-- never mind." He turned to run. "We need to get out of here. Come on!"

They ran down toward the docks, weaving their way though a dense collection of trees. When they finally came to a clearing where they could see the docks clearly, they found that they were too late. All the boats were gone. Four Death Eaters were trying to cast spells out over the open water, but all they could muster were collections of green and red sparks. One was cursing loudly, calling to the darkness in the sky above him.

"The gate," Neville whispered. "You've got to get to the gate."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Harry. "You're going too. Everyone needs to retreat inside the... What were you doing out there, anyway? You should have retreated with everyone else."

"I'm looking for someone," said Neville with a darkness in his expression that Harry had never seen before. "He's out here somewhere, I know it."

"Come on, guys," said George. "Let's head to the gate. When we get there, Neville, you can decide if you want to enter, or head back out after your quarry." Neville looked back towards Hogsmeade, hesitated, and then finally nodded in agreement.

Still curious, Harry also agreed to make a run for it. All three followed the line of trees, keeping the water's edge to their left as they made their way toward the gate. In the dark, it was difficult for George and Neville to keep their footing clear and, every so often, one or the other would trip and fall. It would have been easier to follow the path, but the way was too exposed and they weren't sure if they were still behind the enemy's line.

The smell of smoke began to recede as they continued toward Hogwarts. At last the protection of the trees came to an end. There was now only an open field that led up to the front gate, but with no flames to light their way, it was impossible to see ahead. Harry closed his eyes and reached out his mind, but that vision did not extend all the way to the gate. George and Neville were breathing heavily, perspiration dripping down their brows. If they chose to run full out to the gate, they'd have no energy left to physically fight anyone who might be waiting to greet them.

"I'll go," said Harry.

"But--" began Neville.

"Just to make sure it's safe. I can outrun anyone I come across."

"Best if you're not seen at all, Harry," said George. "Do you have the cloak?"

"I won't need the cloak," Harry answered and before George could reply Harry had left.

Running with the speed of a Centaur, he followed the water's edge, still cautious to stay off the path. He slowed as he approached the gate. A group of wizards, each holding lit torches, were gathered about the gate, but unable to enter. Two were arguing about how to proceed. Quietly, he moved closer, trying to see if they were indeed Death Eaters. The arguing grew louder.

"Damn it," yelled one. "This was our only job! The Dark Lord was depending on us to open the gate and it won't budge. The main force has to come in from the south. If he finds out we've failed, he'll--"

"We haven't failed!" cried another, his voice familiar. "We just need a bit more time."

"Time! Are you dotters? Get it through your skull - whatever kindness you think he's shown you, you're not a son to him and never will be. In ten minutes..."

Harry had heard enough. The gate was blocked. They would need to find another way. He turned, now standing on the path that led to George and Neville, and ran as fast as he could. He'd gone only three paces when there was a snap; the air flashed a brilliant orange and he was suspended in mid-air, unable to move more than his head.

"We caught one of the beasts!" called someone from the gate.

"A Centaur!" yelled another. "Ted, a Centaur!"

The entire group, about ten Death Eaters, ran down the path, their wands drawn. In the lead was a weedy-looking wizard with dull eyes - Theodore Nott. When he saw Harry, hanging in mid-air his eye grew wide and a manic grin split across his face.

"Playing Centaur again, Harry?" he jibed, walking carefully about the trap. "Word was you were deep in the forest, hiding like the coward you are. The Dark Lord will be disappointed that we got to you first."

"Let me go, Nott," snapped Harry, "and I'll show you a coward."

"What's the prize for Potter's head, boys?" called Nott.

"One million galleons!"

"Dead or alive!"

Nott poked Harry in the side, sending him spinning as if caught in a spider's web. "It's a shame, Potter, you won't be alive to see the school fall," he said with a sneer. He stopped Harry, so they were eye-to-eye. "When I find Gabriella, is there anything you want her to know before I kill her as well?"

Harry spat in Nott's face.

"Oh," said Nott with an evil smile, wiping the sputum from his eye, "I'll give her that... and so much more. So much more. Good-bye Potter." He tried to hold his wand steady in Harry's face, but his hand was shaking.

"Nott, there are dragons on the way!" yelled Harry. "We've got to get out of here!"

"Blast him, Ted!"

Barely able to point his wand straight, Nott swallowed hard. "Avada Kedavra!" he called, triumphantly. A dim, green light sputtered from the tip of his wand and failed. He tried again and nothing happened.

"There's no magic here," said Harry softly. Nott's eyes, dark and distant, narrowed and a simmering rage began to build behind them. "Ted, put your wand down. You don't need to do this. You don't need to serve hate. Join us!"

"Join you?" yelled Nott, foam building at the corners of his mouth. "I hate you! Damn you to Hades!" He punched Harry in the face. "If it hadn't been for you and your meddling friends, he would have never come back! But now that he has, he's taken me in as his special protégé. Damn you! Damn your friends! Granger... Weasley... I'll kill you all!" He punched again and this time was joined by another Death Eater. The group closed in about Harry save one in dark robes who drew back toward the gate.

Drips of blood fell freely from a gash just below Harry's left eye. "Friends, Ted... it's all we ever have. Don't you see? These thugs aren't your friends. Hogwarts... it's our home. You could still--"

"Shut yer face, Potter!" a Death Eater yelled, jabbing Harry in the side with his fist. It felt as if his chest wound might have opened again. Another Death Eater closed in. Nott, however, took a step backward. Suddenly, the earth rumbled - thwump... thwump!

"It's a giant!"

"Who's side?"

"Does it matter? Their bloody bonkers! Run!"

But, before anyone in a dark cloak could move, pops filled the air as a ring of yellow lights flared bright in a large circle around them - house elves.

"Shit," a Death Eater muttered, unsure if he should keep his wand drawn, or slip it away.

Harry still hung suspended in mid-air, swirling slowly one way and then back the other. As his gaze passed over the lake, he caught a glimpse of the boats landing on the far side, their passengers disembarking and disappearing into the forest. Swinging back the other way, he saw the giant, only this time he noticed a witch on the giant's shoulder. Before he could tell who it was, he began to spin back. Neville and Fred were running toward them.

The house elves began to hum. It began low and then turned into a resonating buzz, not unlike an enormous swarm of giant bees. It lasted only a few seconds and ended with them each crying "Harumph!" and slamming their feet to the earth. The soil inside the circle of house elves began to splinter and crack.

"HARUMPH!" cried the giant, gleefully imitating the tiny house elves, and he too jumped into the air and crashed down. The fissures opened wider and Death Eaters began to slip into the soil, first to their knees, then to their waists.

"Not again!" cried Nott. "Potter, tell them to stop!" He held his arm up to pull Harry down, but was unable to reach his target. Harry remained spinning in the air as if fastened to an invisible thread.

"Harry!" yelled George, ready to break through the circle of house elves.

"George, stop!" cried the witch upon the giant's shoulder. "You'll sink with the rest of them."

"Hermione?" Harry called, unable to face her directly. "Grawp?"

"Hungry," said the giant with a smile, pointing at Harry.

"No, Grawp," corrected Hermione, "That's not dinner; that's Harry. Don't worry, we'll eat later."

"Yes, eat Harry later."

"No, we'll... erm--"

Neville pushed passed George and slipped in between two house elves. He looked as if he was going to plunge in with the rest of them, but George grabbed his shirt and held him back.

"Is it him?" Neville whispered frantically. "Nott, is that you?"

"What of it Lowbottom?" said Nott with a sneer. "Haven't you had enough already? Looking for a little more--"

Before he could finish, Neville reached into his pocket and cast a handful of seeds over the group of Death Eaters. They scattered harmlessly all about the circle.

"Really, Neville," goaded Nott. "Is that the best you can do? Two months of empty threats and all I get is a face full of seeds?"

Neville turned to the lake and held his wand to his throat. Then he began to scream a high pitched cackle that pierced Harry's ears. It lasted only a moment when ripples in the water appeared. Lifting his head from the lake, a merman nodded knowingly and then plunged beneath the surface. An instant later the water began to roil; suddenly the giant squid breached the surface, flying high into the air, only to come crashing back down with an enormous splash. The wave rose higher and higher as it approached the lake's edge. With an enormous crash, water cascaded over all of them, sending rivulets into the crevices that held the Death Eaters captive.

"Oh... yay, Neville!" Nott derided. "You've made mud. Good wizard! I always knew you had it in you."

Yet, it was in that mud that the dormant seeds took life. They began to grow, weaving their way into the soil and writhing about the Death Eaters like giant nematodes. At first it seemed harmless enough; just a pot of squiggly worms, but then they began to wrap themselves about their victims, searching for ways to penetrate.

"Get 'em off!" yelled one Death Eater. Soon, he was joined by the screams of the others.

"Fishes!" cried Grawp. He jumped into the air and crashed back down. The wet soil beneath the Death Eater's feet liquefied and they began to sink. The worm-like plants continued to grow. One found an entrance into a Death Eater's throat, another made its own, tearing into the soft belly of a rather fat Death Eater. They cried out as the worms wriggled inside them, searching for good spots to deposit seeds, ensuring that their hosts remained alive. Nott was one of the last to disappear beneath the soil, a worm working its way into his left ear. And even as he sank beneath the soil, his screams and the screams of all the others could be heard, fainter and fainter, not because they were any less intense, but because they were being pulled deeper into the earth below.

"There is much work to be done," muttered an older house elf. "All the town must be cleaned." There was a pop and the house elves disappeared. The muddy circle was solid again and Harry fell from the sky and landed with a thud. His face against the earth, he could hear the pleas for help from below.

"Neville!" he yelled. "We have to get them out of there."

"Why?" whispered Neville, his hand fingering the seeds in his pocket. "So they can kill again, like Voldemort?"

"You can't just--"

"Don't lecture me, Harry!" snapped Neville. "You think this is the first night we've seen this darkness? You've been gone two months! If you'd been here... if you'd been... a friend, maybe you could understand." He held a seed out between his thumb and forefinger. "I've been nurturing these kernels for two months, Harry. Was it coincidence they were ready tonight?

They won't die... not for awhile anyway."

"But--"

"Guys!" cried Hermione. "We have to go! They're coming!"

Down the path another dozen Death Eaters were making their way toward them. Harry looked at them, then down to the earth still vibrating beneath his hand, then up to Neville.

"Argh!" he groaned. "Let's go!"

They all ran toward the gate. Grawp, Hermione still on his shoulder, leapt over it with ease. Harry looked at Neville questioningly, pointing at the rather extraordinary hurdle.

"They can pass freely. So can we. Them..." he pointed at the giants down the hill, bounding their way. "They'll have to break it down."

Harry, Neville and George moved to the gate, when George caught sight of the other Death Eater that had slipped away earlier. He was cowering behind a clutch of rocks, trying to remain hidden. George held out his wand.

"Come out now, or you'll join your friends!"

From behind the rocks emerged Blaise Zabini. His black robes in tatters, his face was gaunt and his eyes filled with fear. He was on his hands and knees, crawling towards them.

"Blaise?" whispered Harry, stepping toward him.

"Harry...," came a weak reply.

Neville ran over and helped Blaise to his feet. "Here," he said offering him something that looked like a granola bar. "Take a bite. You'll feel better." Blaise took the offer, but held it in his hand, looking warily at Neville. "Go on," insisted the Gryffindor. "It won't hurt you; I swear."

George ran over and opened the gate. "We need to get him inside."

Blaise took a bite of the bar and strength began to return to his legs. Harry went over and, with Neville's help, they lifted him to his feet.

"Come on, Blaise," said Neville softly, "You're the only Slytherin worth a damn. We can't lose you."

"Draco... Draco's on our side," Blaise stammered. "I saw a vampire flying over Hogsmeade and I knew... I knew it was him."

"Streeler snot!" Neville snapped.

"I swear," muttered Blaise again, his eyes half rolled up in their sockets. "It was beautiful."

There was a rumbling coming toward them from Hogsmeade. They didn't have much time.

"Hurry!" shouted George.

Harry and Neville just grabbed Blaise, his body still shaking, from either side and pulled him in behind the gate. Neville handed his half of the lift to George and said, "I'll seal the gate." He stepped over and, muttering an incantation that invoked Dumbledore's name, red light infused itself into the door and spread out across the wall as if electrifying the entire perimeter. Blaise fell to the ground, a flood of relief passing across his face.

"Safe," he whispered.

"No, Blaise," answered Neville. "Not yet anyway. Take another bite of that bar."

An enormous crash fell upon the wall behind them, shaking the ground beneath their feet violently. Harry turned to defend, but Neville stopped him.

"No, Harry!" yelled Neville. "You need to go. Get Blaise up to the school. Sirius will know what to do."

"You're coming with us!" Harry insisted.

"In a minute," answered Neville. "The giants... they've been enchanted. The wall won't hold long. When they get through, I intend to leave them a little surprise." He reached into his other pocket and carefully began to place seeds, this time large blue ones, in a straight row along the wall. He looked back at Harry. "I said I'll only be a minute! Run!" He kept sewing the blue seeds as quickly as he could along the perimeter.

Harry looked at Neville and then back at Blaise. "Come on," said George. "Neville, only one minute more!" Neville raised a hand that he had heard and kept on planting seeds.

Nourished by the bar Neville had given him, Blaise was feeling much better by the time he George and Harry ascended the castle steps. They were met by Sirius and a number of other witches and wizards busily making defensive arrangements. Hermione and Grawp were nowhere to be seen.

"Professor Flitwick!" called Sirius. "Is the last barrier set?"

"Yes, Headmaster," the professor replied, coming from around one of the side arches to the entranceway.

"Then we're done out here," said Sirius, slapping his hands together.

"Sirius!" shouted Harry. He was about to explain about the impending attack against the wall when an enormous explosion filled the night sky with a flash of fiery blue light. Flames, as long as a Quidditch field, roared up a hundred feet high. The earth rumbled and a shockwave of air flew past them, nearly knocking Harry to his knees. He could hear low, guttural screams coming from the south gate.

"Inside!" commanded Sirius. "Everyone inside!"

They all moved toward the castle entrance, only Harry hesitated.

"Neville," he whispered. Harry moved toward the flames, but George grabbed his robes and pulled him through the entranceway.

"He's gone, Harry. Neville's gone."