Variations

Chapter 6: The Story of the Student

Dean Thomas couldn't recall ever appreciating the village of Hogsmeade quite so much. After months of constant rain the whole place had a rather washed out look and it was obvious that the residents had been forgoing all but the most essential maintenance, but after an entire year of being cooped up in Hogwarts with naught but his N.E.W.T. level schoolwork and increasingly short tempered classmates for company, Dean was sure that he'd never seen such a beautiful sight.

His fifth and sixth years, Dean had probably only attended half of the Hogsmeade visits since he'd already seen everything there was to see and had more homework than hours in the day, but he hadn't realized how freeing the option alone was until this year, when every single Hogsmeade visit was cancelled. They'd been free to wander the grounds, of course, but the weather had been so horrible that, apart from Quidditch, only the truly stir-crazy ventured outside. Dean had done just that on a number of occasions, of course, and he even recalled with some fondness a somewhat self-defeating snowball fight he and a few other Gryffindors had started in the middle of a blizzard.

Even the teachers had started to feel the pressure as the school year wore on, though they refused to crack on the matter of Hogsmeade visits until about a week ago when McGonagall finally snapped at a third year during breakfast one morning. It was fortunate that McGonagall finally came to her senses, or she might have had a mutiny on her hands. Hell, Dean might have led it if no one else had been willing.

When it started to rain again, Dean found himself surprised but not especially disappointed. After all, he'd gotten his few hours of freedom, he'd seen what he wanted to see and no longer felt like he was in danger of cursing the next first year who asked him about levitation charms. Besides, in a few days he'd leave Hogwarts for good, and then he'd be able to visit Hogsmeade any old time he wanted.

Dean started down the path to Hogwarts, walking twice as fast as usual to try and get out of the rain as quickly as possible. He only slowed down when he caught up with Seamus, who seemed to be having trouble managing a bulging bag of Zonko's products. From the look of things, something in there had already escaped its package and was now making a valiant effort to escape the bag as well, but Seamus was having none of it.

"Think you've got enough stuff there?" Dean asked as he fell in step with Seamus.

"Fanged Frisbee won't give up," Seamus grunted, finally swinging the bag into the ground, which seemed to stun the miscreant within. "I thought Filch could use a nice parting present, so I bought as many of the forbidden objects from that stupid list he's got on his door as I could."

"Nice," Dean approved, wishing he'd thought of it.

Dean and Seamus walked the rest of the way back to the castle together, discussing Seamus' plans for his Zonko's purchases, what they intended to do after Hogwarts, and generally speaking more easily than they had in months.

Harry and Ron could hardly be considered mitigating factors in the seventh year boys' dormitory, but there was no denying that things were different between Dean, Seamus and Neville in their absence, and not always for the better. Even though they were rarely involved in the action, it was as though they'd gotten used to having the occasional dose of excitement and danger to break up their studies. Without that, they'd fallen apart somehow, as though the three of them had silently agreed to keep their distance and not risk ending up at each other's throats instead. Dean and Seamus still considered themselves best friends, but often entire days went by when the entirety of their conversations consisted of little more than, "Could you pass the salt?" and "Have you figured out that Transfiguration homework yet?"

When Dean had returned to his dormitory late one night some two weeks ago, after being kicked out of the library so Madam Pince could close up for the night, it had taken him several moments to realize what was different, but once he'd managed to ignore his stomach, which had been grumbling unhappily about missing dinner, and considered a coherent thought about a different subject, he'd realized that Harry and Ron's trunks had been placed at the foot of their beds.

Dean had rarely seen Harry and Ron when they were all conscious, usually just in passing around the Common Room or library, or, less often, Great Hall, but he managed to gather that they'd returned with Hermione, intending to take their N.E.W.T.s, which to Dean was even more of a shock than seeing them back in the first place. He'd rarely allowed his mind to wander while he was studying, but when it did manage to escape it would usually start concocting wild excuses about why he shouldn't have to sit his N.E.W.T.s. From the looks of things, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had perfectly legitimate excuses that they were wasting.

Dean's trail of thoughts and his conversation with Seamus led him back to the castle and half way to the first floor when they were abruptly interrupted by the amplified voice of Headmistress McGonagall.

"Students, report to your houses at once. House guards seals yourselves in ten minutes. Teachers to your positions. This is very real."

It was fortunate that McGonagall had been fairly explicit in her instructions for the students, because one glance at Seamus indicated that he didn't know what to do any better than Dean did. McGonagall hadn't been terribly specific about the reason for her announcement, but it was unnecessary, there was only one possible explanation: Hogwarts was under attack. It suddenly felt as though everything Dean had ever learned, including topics from Defense Against the Dark Arts and the things Harry had taught him in the DA, had suddenly turned to rubbish in is mind, a pile of useless words being chased around and around by McGonagall's final warning: "This is very real."

So Dean and Seamus didn't bother to look at each other, to convey either silently or aloud the fear they were feeling, they simply turned and ran. Never before had they made the trek up the stairs so quickly, not even in first year when they'd been running late for Astronomy, or fifth when, in a fit of rebellion, they'd gone to the kitchens for a midnight snack only to race Mrs. Norris back to their tower.

When Dean and Seamus reached the Gryffindor Common Room, it seemed that no one present had any more answers than they did, but many seemed to be looking to them for solutions. It took them a moment to realize why: Lavender and Parvati were nowhere to be seen, and neither were Harry, Ron, and Hermione, which meant that Dean, Seamus, and Neville were the only seventh years there, and somehow, therefore, the authority and source of answers. Neville seemed to realize this as well and moved to stand with them, but he looked just as lost as they did.

"I think they expect us to say something," Neville whispered after a moment.

"You think?" Dean returned with more spite than he'd intended. He immediately regretted his venom, knowing Neville well enough to realize that even if he did come up with an idea he probably wouldn't voice it now that he'd been snapped at.

"Prefects, come up here," Seamus said suddenly, and now that he'd suggested it, Dean couldn't help but wonder why it took them so long to think of.

However, Dean's elation was short lived. He'd already noticed that Ron and Hermione were Merlin knows where, but he hadn't counted on two of the other four Prefects being missing as well.

A sixth year boy and a fifth year girl approached, both looking like they had no idea what use they could possibly be, and together the five of them formed a tight huddle of conversation.

"What are we supposed to be doing?" Seamus demanded immediately.

"Exactly what we are doing," the boy hissed. "We're supposed to lock ourselves in our house and keep quiet until someone comes to fetch us, McGonagall told everyone that."

"But, you're Prefects," Dean stammered. "Didn't she give you any special instructions?"

"Like what?" the girl replied. "You think we've been having special Prefect meetings, planning a secret student battle?"

"No, I-"

"If McGonagall told us anything," the boy interrupted, "it was to make sure that no one got the idea to go outside and join the fight. She was very explicit about students not getting involved."

"And that's all you're supposed to do," Dean whispered.

"What else can we do?"

"Look at them, they're terrified," Dean replied, gesturing to the rest of the students, who were sitting very close together on the sofas and floor in front of the fire.

"And how are we supposed to fix that? Tell them there's nothing to worry about, sing them a lullaby, and send them off to bed?"

"No, but-"

"Listen, if it's so important to you, then why don't-"

Their argument was interrupted abruptly by the low groan of wood scraping against stone. With a speed that betrayed their uneasiness, all five turned to face the disturbance and found Ginny and a few of the younger students pushing a sofa in front of the portrait hole.

"Um, Gin?" Dean asked, confused.

"Yeah?" Ginny replied without looking at him.

"Whatcha doing?"

"Blocking the entrance."

"But that sofa isn't nearly tall enough."

"And you don't think anyone coming through the portrait hole will trip with this sitting right here," Ginny returned.

Dean didn't need to respond, she'd made her point. What's more, he couldn't quite ignore the slight twinge he felt as he watched Ginny and her group of students extinguish the fire and blockage the fireplace with a second sofa, and then arrange the tables and chairs so that they created a sort of bunker. It was exactly that sort of fire that had so attracted him to her a few years ago, and, to be perfectly honest, still did. He'd sensed from the beginning that what they'd had during his sixth year wouldn't last. She was Harry's match and not his. Still, he never regretted any of it and even credited Ginny with keeping him from turning into something like Ron, who became increasingly renowned in recent years for taking cold showers at odd intervals.

Now that the students had been galvanized into action, their fear seemed to be easing. Dean could almost feel the tension in the room decreasing, but it was too good to last. With nothing to do but gather in their makeshift bunker and wait, the fear began to creep steadily back in.

Hours went by with no news from the outside world and, indeed, very little evidence that the outside world still existed. At least if felt like hours. Dean hadn't been quite equal to checking his watch, afraid to discover that it really had been hours and even more afraid of finding that it hadn't been that long at all.

When the portrait hole opened they were all as tense as they had ever been. Dean's hand closed around his wand, but everyone was so petrified that it was one of the few that did. The newcomer slid out of the hold and stumbled momentarily on the sofa Ginny had placed in the way. Dean was certain that it was a Death Eater, come to finish them off, then he blinked and realized that it was actually Harry standing there. Relief surged through him and he thought he could have hugged Harry. In fact, he probably would have it his limbs weren't already glued to the spot.

Harry paused, looking confused to see them all huddled there, then Ginny rushed up to him. Dean, Seamus, and Neville followed.

"What's happening?" Ginny asked, sounding just as terrified as Dean felt but controlling it admirably. "McGonagall announced that we should lock ourselves in our houses as quickly as possible, but that was over an hour ago, we haven't heard anything else since."

Had it really only been an hour? It felt so much longer, but a glance at Dean's watch confirmed it.

"Voldemort's attacking Hogwarts," Harry replied. "He's somewhere in the castle. The Order, the Aurors, Ron, Hermione, and I are looking for him, but the Death Eaters are giving us trouble."

"Why would You-Know-Who come here?" Neville asked. Dean nodded rather than echoing the question aloud. "Is he looking for something?"

"Yes," Harry sighed, looking like they'd reached a subject he really didn't want to discuss. "We think he's looking for me.

"Why you?" Seamus asked, and Dean had to agree. Everyone knew that Harry and You-Know-Who had a long history, but assuming that the tyrant would stage an attack on Hogwarts for the singular goal of finding one person was egotistical even for Harry.

"That's complicated," Harry replied, as Dean suspected he might. "The point is that I can't stay here much longer without putting you all in danger."

"Listen up," Harry continued, raising his voice and addressing the entire Common Room. "You all deserve to know that Hogwarts is currently being attacked by some very bad wizards." Dean rolled his eyes and observed that he was not the only person to do so. "Does anyone have any Floo Powder?"

Dean blinked in surprise, not that Harry would suggest that any of them might have a stock of that banned substance, but that he hadn't thought of it himself. At any rate, it scarcely mattered; there was no Floo Powder to be found.

"Alright," Harry sighed. "The Fat Lady should be able to stop anyone who shouldn't be in here, but we have to make sure this place can be well defended, just in case. It would be best if first, second, and third years go lock themselves in the dormitories, the girls' side if the boys can make it up there, since the staircase will slow down most of the Death Eaters. Should anything go wrong up there, third years, you'll be in charge of defending the younger students. Everyone else, it's your task to make sure they don't have to by stopping any intruders before they have a chance to get upstairs. Should it come down to it, Fred and George's fireworks make an excellent distraction. There's a stash of them in the seventh year boys' dormitory."

If Harry thought that a speech like that would be enough to relieve everyone's fears then he'd been spending too much time with Ron and Hermione, but he seemed to realize that quickly enough.

"Come on you lot. We're Gryffindors, famed for our bravery. Each and every one of you was put into this house for a reason. The Sorting Hat saw courage in you, live up to it! Tonight we are all in danger, and tonight we may all be called upon in this battle. I know you're afraid, I know you don't want to fight, but if it comes down to it, you will have the choice to give up or to strike back. You can't give up. Together, you can face anything that comes through that portrait; all you need is to be ready for it."

There was a tense pause, then someone asked, "What about the students in other houses?"

Harry actually smiled at that.

"Unfortunately, without their passwords there's nothing I can do for them, but if I see anyone I'll remind them to check on their houses. Now then, first, second, and third years upstairs, everyone else down here. DA members should stay in charge here..." Harry looked ready to leave it at that, but Dean and several others silently informed him that they'd do nothing of the sort and he appended, "...or, if you're willing, you can come out and help."

There was a shuffle as the students moved to carry out Harry's instructions and the DA members gathered around.

"We're with you, Harry," Ginny said.

"Alright," Harry replied. "I just need the Marauder's Map; I'll be back in a minute."

Harry darted up the stairs to their dormitory, leaving the rest of them behind, so the DA members helped the older students decide where to position themselves and taught them a few last minute spells while the younger students made their way up to the girls' dormitories.

When Harry returned a minute later, he surveyed the room with satisfaction and said, "I guess we're ready, then," before leading the way out of the portrait hole.

Dean slipped out into the hallway just in time to see Ron and Hermione appear from under, of all things, invisibility cloak. He blinked in surprise. How many other things about his classmates had escaped his attention?

"They wanted to help," Harry said, prompted by a question Dean must not have heard.

"I'm not sure how much use this is going to be, then," Ron replied, handing over the invisibility cloak. "There's no way we'll all fit under there."

"I guess not," Harry replied as he pocketed the cloak, sounding dejected.

"Listen, Harry," Dean said, sensing a partial solution to their dilemma, "why don't Seamus and I go and see if we can check on the other Houses. We've got some friends in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff and we know where their common rooms are." The suggestion surprised even Dean, for he had no recollection of formulating the idea before voicing it, though he wasn't caught off guard nearly as much as Seamus, who looked less than happy about being volunteered for such a task.

"Alright, if you're sure," Harry said, glancing between them and looking hesitant but unable to dispute the point. "Be careful, though."

Dean looked at Seamus, who gave him a glare but no argument, and they both turned to go.

At first, Dean couldn't fathom why Harry had seemed so reluctant to let them venture off on their own. It was obvious that Harry had his own things to do, and equally obvious that they'd need more students if they were going to mount a proper resistance, which meant recruiting Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. However, he and Seamus had never even gotten themselves into a proper wizard's duel before and it soon became clear that they couldn't just hear about a battle second hand and automatically know how to wage one, a fact they discovered only a few minutes after they parted company with Harry and the rest.

They were hurrying along toward Ravenclaw, trying to get out of the hallways as quickly as they could, when they turned a corner and found themselves face to face with a pair of Death Eaters. Both groups stood there for a moment, surprised, before Dean finally hit upon a solution, grabbed Seamus by the robes, and pulled him back around the corner. A mad chase ensued. The Death Eaters had a wide arsenal of spells and used them at every opportunity, but Dean and Seamus were faster and more familiar with the hallways and eventually they managed to give the Death Eaters the slip.

Out of breath but reveling in their victory, Dean and Seamus resumed their quest for Ravenclaw. However, before long they came around another corner and there was Luna Lovegood, calm as you please, apparently admiring a portrait as though she'd somehow missed the order to lock herself in her house, or simply grown bored with waiting in her common room and decided to go for a wander. Momentarily stunned by their amazement, Dean and Seamus nearly strode forward to ask what the hell she was doing there when the same pair of Death Eaters they thought they'd lost appeared at the other end of the hallway. Dean lifted his wand but didn't get the chance to use it because Seamus grabbed the back of his robes and pulled him around the corner.

"What are we doing?" Dean demanded in a whisper.

"Hiding," Seamus replied, peering around the corner.

"Loony's not," Dean pointed out, joining him.

"That's her own fault," Seamus said.

"Those are Death Eaters," Dean hissed.

"I noticed," Seamus sighed. "So?"

"So they're not going to leave her alone just because she doesn't realize there's a battle on," Dean said.

"So we wait until they're closer then jump out and stun them," Seamus said.

"We can't use her as bait!" Dean spat.

"We already are," Seamus replied. "Shut up before they hear us."

So Dean closed his mouth and they watched and waited as the Death Eaters drew steadily closer, apparently just as intent on sneaking up on Luna as he and Seamus were on sneaking up on them.

When the Death Eaters were within a few feet of Luna, Dean and Seamus glanced at each other, prepared to jump out at exactly the right moment.

When they turned back, Luna had reached a hand up, as though to run it through her hair, then suddenly her wand was in her hand and not behind her ear and she was facing the Death Eaters and not the painting, and then the Death Eaters were lying on the ground, stunned, and not poised to attack her.

Feeling as though he'd just been hit with a Confundus Charm, Dean slipped back into the hallway.

"Did you just..." he stammered, glancing weakly between Luna and the Death Eaters.

"Oh, hello," Luna said mildly, as though she hadn't done anything more extraordinary than butter her morning toast. Dean couldn't help but wonder if she might as him what he thought of the texturing on the tree in the picture she'd been studying.

"Hi," Dean replied finally, after trying and failing to come up with a different response.

"What are you doing here?" Luna asked, now investigating a nearby suit of armor.

"We were about to try and get into Ravenclaw to ask if anyone wanted to come and help us fight," Dean explained, finding it immensely difficult to hold a conversation with someone who wasn't looking at him.

"Don't bother," Luna sighed. "They're all too afraid."

"Oh," Dean replied, feeling defeated.

"But I'll go with you," Luna added, finally looking at him.

"Oh," Dean repeated, rapidly discovering that maintaining eye contact with Luna Lovegood was no easy feat. She didn't seem to blink as often as normal people and Dean soon found his eyes watering on her behalf. Seeking a second option and a reason to look away, Dean shifted his gaze to Seamus, who shrugged noncommittally.

Struggling not to roll his eyes at his friends' response, Dean turned back to Luna and said, "Sounds great. We were going to try and get into Hufflepuff next."

Instead of responding, Luna turned and walked away, but she was heading in the right direction so Dean chose to take it as an expression of agreement and followed with Seamus right behind him.

They soon discovered that the strategy they'd hit upon by accident worked almost as well on purpose and before long they'd gotten quite good at employing it. Whenever they came upon a small group of Death Eaters, Dean and Seamus would lure them into a nearby hallway, where Luna would be waiting, and the Death Eaters' attempts to sneak up on her would invariably end with them lying unconscious on the floor. Only once did Dean and Seamus have to get involved in the last phase, when a Death Eater decided to attack Luna from afar instead of waiting until he'd gotten closer, but they made quick work of him. All in all, by the time they reached the lower floors they were feeling quite accomplished.

Indeed, the deeper the challenge seemed to be in finding a way to reach the Hufflepuffs. Seamus knew exactly where their common room was; having dated Megan Jones for most of fifth year, but getting inside was another matter entirely as they were faced with a portrait of the most stubborn zucchini any of them had ever encountered. Naturally, none of them had any idea what the password might be, so they tried to reason their way inside instead, but neither Luna's unique brand of logic nor Dean and Seamus's more straightforward versions had any effect.

Growing desperate, they'd just started pitching their arguments directly to the other vegetables in the picture when the Fat Friar floated through a nearby patch of wall. Thanking whatever fate that had decided to present a solution to them so neatly, Dean rushed forward to speak with him.

"Can you go back in there and ask them to let us in?"

"You aren't Hufflepuffs," the Fat Friar said, transparent brow knitting. "What are you doing here?"

"Please, we got locked out and just need a safe place to go," Dean begged, reasoning that the Fat Friar would be more likely to comply if he didn't know their actual intention was to recruit students to join the battle.

It seemed to work. The Fat Friar laid what was probably supposed to be a reassuring hand on Dean's shoulder, but it was so cold that it actually left Dean feeling quite unsettled.

"I'll speak with them," the Fat Friar said before slipping back through the wall.

"Nice work," Seamus approved as they waited.

"Thanks," Dean said with a shrug.

A moment later the portrait opened just wide enough for Head Girl Susan Bones to poke her head out.

"What are you lot doing out here?" she demanded.

"Trying to get you lot to let us in," Dean replied, glancing away momentarily when the Fat Friar departed once again.

"What's wrong with Gryffindor and Ravenclaw," Susan demanded, looking worried.

"They're too far away," Dean said as though he'd been planning that answer all along and suddenly feeling very Slytherin.

Looking torn, Susan glanced between the three of them, stood aside, and said, "Fine, come in."

'Thanks," Dean replied as they followed her inside.

Despite having a true source of authority in Susan, the Hufflepuffs looked, if anything, even more terrified than the Gryffindors had been before Harry showed up. They hadn't even gotten as far as blocking up their entrance and fireplace. Most were huddled in tight groups and seemed to think that it was only a matter of time before their executioner came.

Feeling a bit out of place, Dean suggested most of the same modifications to their arrangement as Harry had given the Gryffindors, which were followed after only a brief explanation.

"Also," Dean added as the boys struggled to get into the girls' dormitories. "We're going to go back out there, so if any of the older students, particularly those who were in the DA, would like to come along-"

"I knew it," Susan hissed, cutting him off. "I knew you'd couldn't just come in and stay here."

"But you let us in anyway," Dean pointed out.

"I couldn't just leave you out there." Susan spat.

"Alright," Dean relented. "No one has to come along, we'll just go ourselves. I just thought some people might appreciate the chance to defend Hogwarts."

Susan visibly faltered but regained her resolve almost immediately.

"No. You're not going anywhere either. You'll just get yourselves killed."

"We haven't yet," Dean pointed out. "They need help out there and we're the only ones who can give it."

"We're not supposed to be fighting this war," Susan cried. "It's not our responsibility and we won't help anything by trying."

"We've already helped," Dean countered.

"Remember Cedric Diggory," Susan replied.

"What?" Dean stammered.

"Remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across-"

"Got that whole speech posted on your wall do you?" Dean demanded, finally realizing where she was getting all that from.

"Of course not," Susan shouted, but she cut herself off and lowered her voice. "It just kind of occurred to me when this started. I haven't been able to get it out of my head."

"We have to fight back," Dean said, just as quietly.

"That's easy for you to say," Susan replied, voice quivering. "Your hero came back."

"According to Harry, there were a million different reasons why he shouldn't have made it back either," Dean pointed out. "We can't just stay holed up in here because of what might happen."

"I'm your Head Girl," Susan replied, volume rising.

"Take all the points you like," Dean countered. "They're bloody useless anyway. Chuck us in detention; we'll serve it when we get back. Confiscate our wands and we'll fight without them. Tie us to chairs and we'll take them with us. You can't stop us from going back out there."

"At least I can say I tried," Susan said sadly.

"That's the spirit," Dean replied as he, Seamus, and Luna turned and left.

They'd only gone a few steps down the hallway when Seamus said, "You almost sounded like Harry back there."

"Thanks," Dean stammered. "I've had his speech stuck in my head this whole time."

"That was a good one," Seamus agreed.

"Sure was-"

"Wait!"

Startled, Dean, Seamus, and Luna spun to face the disturbance and found Hannah Abbott running toward them.

"I'm coming with you," she said.

"Great," Seamus replied. "Listen, we've worked out this great strategy-"

"Actually," Hannah interrupted, "I don't want to fight. I need to get to the hospital wing."

"What for?" Dean asked, confused. She didn't seem to be injured.

"I've been studying some healing charms," Hannah explained. "I want to help Madam Pomphrey."

Dean, Seamus, and Luna glanced at each other.

"Alright," Dean said approvingly. "Hospital Wing it is."

"Listen, though," Dean added a few steps later as something occurred to him. "Don't tell Pomphrey that we're the ones who got you to come out like this. It'd get back to McGonagall eventually, and if she finds out students got involved she'll have...kittens." Dean trailed off when he realized what he just said. Any other day he probably would have laughed at the irony of his own statement, but this was hardly the time. Seamus seemed to appreciate it though, at Luna certainly did, being much freer with her laugher than he dared to be.

They didn't make it very far before coming across another group of Death Eaters, and while Dean, Seamus, and Luna were planning their attack, Hannah slipped behind the nearest tapestry to wait it out. She seemed to be nearly petrified with fear so they didn't bother trying to convince her to help.

When the coast was clear they returned to the tapestry, but Hannah was nowhere to be found. Growing panicked, they began searching for her. She'd seemed so scared that she might do anything, but surely she would have put up a fight if Death Eaters came. They were growing desperate when Luna at last spotted Hannah at the top of a staircase with a man whose red hair labeled him as a Weasley, though Dean couldn't be certain which one. Still, they all heaved a sigh of relief, knowing that Hannah was in good hands.

"We should try Slytherin next," Luna suggested idly.

Dean and Seamus glanced at each other, taken aback. Luna had come up with some gems over the years, but where they were standing that one topped them all.

"They're Death Eaters in training down there," Dean pointed out.

"All of them?" Luna said, fixing him again with that strange gaze.

"Guess not," Dean faltered, turning away.

"Alright then," Luna replied, walking past him.

Even as Dean turned to follow her, he couldn't help but hope that she didn't know where the Slytherin Common Room was any better than he or Seamus.

Their route took them past the row of unused classrooms on the first floor, but they paused when they heard footsteps from inside one of them. It sounded like some hoofed creature was frantically pacing. Dean hadn't been by there in so long that he forgot it was Firenze's classroom until Luna knocked and a deep voice beckoned them inside.

It was mostly like it had sounded from outside: Firenze was pacing endlessly across the dirt covered ground of his classroom, occasionally throwing a troubled glance at the enchanted sky above. Wordlessly, Luna detached herself from Dean and Seamus, wandered away, and laid down on a patch of ground near a tree in the corner to begin studying the sky herself.

"Are you alright, Professor?" Dean asked awkwardly. He'd been hoping that Luna might take this lead in this conversation.

"It's happening, isn't it," Firenze replied urgently without breaking step.

Dean didn't need to ask for clarification to know what 'it' was.

"Yeah, there are Death Eaters attacking the castle right now."

"The stars hang in the balance," Firenze continued. "This battle will decide the fate of the world."

Dean faltered. "I kind of wish you hadn't told me that," he stammered.

"It's Mars," Luna chimed in suddenly. "It's eclipsing Kaus Borealis."

"Even the human can see it," Firenze whispered, "but they cannot."

"Who can't see what?" Dean asked, growing worried.

"We've known it was possible for decades, centuries even," Firenze said, "but it was so unlikely. Impossible, some called it."

"Maybe they guessed," Luna offered soothingly, standing up to walk with Firenze.

"Centaurs do not trust to guesses," Firenze sighed. "I tried to warn them, but I am an outcast, they would not listen."

"Luna, will you please explain what's wrong," Dean demanded.

"Hogwarts isn't the only place in danger. Centaurs make predictions far ahead of time, but this eclipse is so unlikely, they wouldn't know it was happening unless they saw it, but Firenze is the only one who could because it's been too stormy."

It was strange. She didn't seem to be making any sense, yet she looked as lucid as Dean had ever seen her. It was obvious that if Dean wanted to know what was going on he would have to figure it out for himself.

"You're saying that the centaurs are in danger but don't know it because they haven't been able to see the stars."

"Yes."

"Professor Firenze is the only one who knows about it because he's got this enchanted ceiling."

"Yes."

"And the centaurs couldn't see it coming because whatever's happening is so unlikely."

"A planet eclipsing a star, there are few things more improbable."

"Does that cover everything?"

"Just about," Luna confirmed.

"Why don't you just go down there and tell them, or help them or whatever you need to do," Dean offered, turning to Firenze.

"I'd be killed for returning," Firenze sighed, sounding as though he'd already had to present himself with the same reasoning.

"Not if you're right," Dean countered. "If they're really in as much trouble as you think they are then they probably won't have the time to worry about you."

Firenze didn't respond, but stopped pacing and looked up to study the stars.

Frustrated, Dean cried, "Forget the stars! What's more important to you, your life or your herd?"

Again, Firenze remained silent, but this time he bounded to the door, pulled it open, and galloped down the hallway.

"You should consider making a living out of giving speeches like that," Seamus said, sounding impressed.

"You think?" Dean asked.

"Yeah," Seamus confirmed. "You almost had me racing out there to save the centaurs."

"Slytherin?" Luna said pointedly, drawing the boys from their banter.

"Oh, right," Dean sighed, following her out of the classroom with some reluctance and wishing that the incident with Firenze could have made her forget about her plan to galvanize the Slytherins into action.

He needn't have worried. They hadn't gotten very far at all when they caught sight of a long line of Ravenclaws ducking between two concealed passageways, several of them certainly first years. Concerned that the Ravenclaws had decided to join the fight after all, Dean, Seamus, and Luna hurried to fall in with them.

"Where are you going?" Luna asked as younger student whom she seemed to know but Dean had never seen before.

"Home," the student replied, face cracking into a tense smile.

"You've got no floo powder, no Portkey," Luna pointed out. "How do you plan to get home?"

"The house-elves are showing us," the student said.

"House-elves?" Dean asked, forgetting to keep walking in his confusion.

A moment later his question was answered as a tiny, tea towel clad elf appeared before him.

"You must be keeping up, sir," he said. "We has no time to waste."

"Where are we going?" Dean asked, forcing himself to continue.

"Hogsmeade," the elf replied. "We go where the fires are unblocked to send you to Saint Mungo's."

"What if we don't want to go," Dean asked. He didn't want to pay a visit to the Slytherins, but he didn't want to leave the fight early either.

"You must!" the house elf cried, looking thunderstruck.

"The Headmistress ordered us to escort all the students safely out of the castle."

Dean's hand tightened around his wand as he prepared to fight his way past if he had to, but Seamus grabbed his wrist.

"Don't try it. House elves can be powerful creatures when ordered to."

So Dean gave up his attempts to return to the battle and allowed himself to be escorted to an abandoned Hogsmeade with the Ravenclaws.

As he waited in line to be sent through the floo network he couldn't help but note how changed the village looked compared to only a few hours before. The street lamps were unlit and the sky was dark with rain, but what little he could see was broken and dilapidated and not at all the cozy village he'd spent so many pleasant weekends exploring.

When he reached Saint Mungo's, Dean was shown to a large room where most of the rest of the students were waiting. He milled around with Seamus and Luna for awhile as the rest of the school slowly trickled in, and they passed the time recounting their exploits during the battle and generally feeling like a trio of old war heroes. He'd had his doubts about Luna at first, but now Dean had to admit that while she was still completely crazy, it was in a good way. He was even about to tell her so when he spotted Susan Bones, pacing rapidly and looking quite troubled, so he excused himself to go speak with her.

Susan didn't seem to notice him right way, so Dean touched her elbow as she passed, which turned out to be a bit too effective because she gasped and jumped.

"Sorry," Dean fumbled. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's alright," Susan replied, still looking very much on edge as she lowered herself weakly only a nearby bed. "I just..."

Dean waited, hoping very much that she would continue on her own. He'd never before had the distinction of speaking to a girl when she was in a state like this, and thought that this wasn't really the time to try. Still, when Susan remained silent he knew he had to say something.

"You did a good job," he offered, taking a seat next to her.

"I'm Head Girl and I stayed holed up in my common room."

"What were you supposed to do? You were cut off from the rest of the school. You kept your House safe, let that be enough."

"I didn't really do much to help that."

"I suppose you didn't have much to worry about anyway. You've got a very stubborn zucchini guarding your House."

"What, Alfred?" Susan asked. "Yeah, he's great."

"You named the zucchini?" Dean said, flabbergasted.

"I didn't," Susan replied, "but someone did. He'd been Alfred for as long as I've been at Hogwarts."

"Our portrait doesn't have a name," Dean said, "and it's a person. We just call her the Fat Lady. It's a wonder she doesn't get offended."

Susan giggled quietly and they sat in companionable silence for a few moments before Dean suggested, "Maybe we should make sure everyone made it here."

Susan jumped to her feet almost immediately and began ordering the Prefects to count the students in their Houses, and when they came up short they asked the Healers for a list of all the students being treated elsewhere, and when they came up short again Dean helped carry out Head Boy Terry Boot's plan to send owls to the students who were still missing to see if they'd turned up somewhere else, and then there was nothing left except to wait for the owls to come back or a Healer to come by with news. It was horrible to do nothing but they were trapped in that room, so they waited.