A Promise Kept - Chapter 78 - The Gambit

The Gambit

Aberforth stared at him with a mixture of curiosity and disbelief before gesturing for Harry to enter the pub.

He had never set foot in The Hog’s Head, nor would he if he knew the state of the establishment. Fortunately, Harry was not here to sample the fare on offer.

“Were it anyone else here, I would think they were speaking nonsense,” Aberforth grumbled. “Has he truly taken the castle?”

“Not quite, but he will. He’s already subdued the members of staff, and no one other than those I trust are aware of it, for now. I expect that will change when he has managed to seize control of the protections.”

Aberforth released a laboured breath.

“Albus spoke of this during the first war. That was why he asked for me to provide him an escape for the students should it become necessary. Here,” he said sadly, gesturing towards a portrait of a young woman.

She was redheaded, and her eyes such a bright blue that there was an almost milky hue to them.

“Your sister.”

“Arianna,” Aberforth confirmed quietly. “She will know what to do when the time is right. There is a portrait in the headmaster’s office you will be able to use. It is much the same as this one.”

Harry frowned.

He did not like the idea of using a passageway from here to the headmistress’s office. No, perhaps he would find a way to move it, if possible, before doing so when the opportunity presented itself.

“Thank you, Aberforth.”

“Think nothing of it, lad,” the man said dismissively. “Me and Albus may not have gotten along, but you at least seem willing to do what he never could. You will have my wand if you need it, and you and yours can use this place as you need.”

Harry nodded appreciatively before taking his leave of the pub, pleased that something had gone right in the last hours since discovering Riddle’s subterfuge.

He had arrived just in time.

Only a moment after being deposited into a disused classroom, with Fawkes’ assistance, he had felt the magic of the castle change, eliciting a shudder within him.

Voldemort had succeeded in taking control of Hogwarts, and now, Harry was very much alone, surrounded by dozens upon dozens of Death Eaters dotted around the castle, and Riddle himself.

The odds against his success were not enviable, but he’d given little choice in taking the steps he had. This was where he was needed most, and although it was difficult to see how he could be victorious in such circumstances, there was no going back now.

No, as undesirable as the circumstances were, those within the castle would be much worse off in the coming hours without his efforts. Still, he could not deny the danger he was in.

A single mistake would alert Riddle to his presence, so, for the most part, he knew he would need to operate within the confines of the cloak as much as he could.

Even so, already, he could not fathom all going to plan, but as always, he had others to call upon if necessary, though he would only do so with reluctance, his faith in them lesser than the one he was currently implementing, and Harry certainly was not relishing this one with any eagerness.

Beggars, however, had little choice, and as he consulted his map to begin the monumental tasks ahead of him, he drew the knife Croaker had bestowed upon him, anticipating that the thirsty blade would drink its fill long before his work was done.

“Where are you,” he murmured as he searched the map.

It truly was a work of art in its own right.

Everyone within the confines of the castle could be found, but for now, there was only one he sought, and he spotted him walking along the second floor of the castle.

Harry watched as the dot belonging to Tom Riddle entered a bathroom, a girl’s bathroom no less, but the Dark Lord was not attempting to become a voyeur of sorts, nor relieve himself.

Oddly, after a moment, the dot vanished entirely, and Harry frowned.

A hidden room.

There must be a hidden room within the bathroom that his father and the others who had created the map did not know of.

It was troubling to lose sight of his foe but equally provided Harry with a much-needed opportunity to proceed with his plan, and he nodded to himself when he saw that the headmistress’s office was now empty.

Carefully, but quickly, he began making his way towards it, hoping the Dark Lord would be absent long enough for him to do what he needed to.

He could not afford a setback with something so important, and not so soon, after all.

(Break)

He’d been just a boy on the cusp of manhood the last time he’d set foot in here, and so much had come to pass since he’d done so.

Back then, the vision he was now bringing to life had been little more than just that, a dream he did not doubt he would accomplish, but was not entirely certain how.

It had been quite the journey from the last time he had stood before the statue of his ancestor, and for the first time in more years than he cared to count, he felt as though he was finally home, that the journey had come full circle, and the decisive victory he’d sought as a boy was finally within his grasp.

A smile crested his lips as a familiar, curious hissing sounded from within the statue, and the Dark Lord placed a hand on the stone.

“Hello, my sweet.”

(Break)

With how little time he’d had to prepare for the monumental undertaking he faced, there were many small but important details Harry had not been able to consider, and entering the office belonging to Minerva McGonagall was one of them.

He knew that a password was required, and he could not be certain if Riddle had already had the foresight to change it.

Not that it mattered. He would find himself in the very same position, and he cursed his luck.

Releasing a deep breath, he once more consulted the invaluable map.

Of course, there was no other way into the office from what he could see, and Harry did all he could think of in the moment and leaned in closer to the gargoyle standing guard.

“I don’t know if you can understand me, but the school is under attack, and your headmistress is being kept prisoner in the dungeon with the other professors. I need to get in there if there is any chance I can stop what is happening.”

For good measure, he placed his hand on the head of the gargoyle, and after only a brief pause, it sprung aside to allow him entry.

Harry would not pretend to understand the magic of the school itself, and he wasn’t going to look such a gift in the mouth, though he doubted he would be granted many of them throughout his time here.

No, the uphill fight he found himself in would only become steeper, and more difficult to climb.

Perhaps the gargoyle had simply taken pity on him, or the castle itself could feel that something was wrong, and that Harry was trying to right it. Regardless, now was not time to ponder the intricacies of the magic that governed Hogwarts.

Harry could not be certain how long Riddle would be absent, and he needed to retrieve the portrait.

Still, he knew he could not be complacent, and for good measure, he checked the door to ensure no surprises had been left for any who might just make it so far.

Much to his relief, there wasn’t, and he entered, his eyes immediately searching for the frame he would inevitably require.

Spotting it on the wall the wall among the other headmaster’s and headmistresses, he summoned it before creating a copy to put in its place, shrunk the original, and placed it in his pocket.

“Shit!” he cursed as he checked the map once more, only to see that Riddle was nearing the gargoyle just below.

Ensuring he was covered by the cloak; Harry did all he could in the moment and held the blade tightly in his fist as he poised himself, ready to strike.

Perhaps he could end it all here and now, but it seemed fate had other plans,

He heard the stairs outside the door begin to move, but somewhere in the distance, a loud clattering drowned out the grinding stone, and Riddle evidently was taking no chances.

Turning heel, he made his way towards the commotion, and Harry wasn’t sure whether or not he wished to hug or throttle Peeves for his intrusion.

Nonetheless, the office belonging to the headmaster was not advantageous to him for a fight, and with the students still in danger from the Death Eaters posing as the members of staff, he knew the odds, how slim, were better in his favour if he stuck to his plan.

Cursing once more, he reluctantly left the office to continue on where he’d left off, ducking into an alcove to plot his next move, relieved that something had indeed gone right, but not taking the success for granted.

In his heart of hearts, he could feel the hand of despair hovering above his shoulder, or was it something much more menacing?

Harry wasn’t sure, but he would press on and take each thing he faced as he was confronted with it in a bid to finally be free of the damned prophecy hanging over him.

(Break)

Peeves.

The poltergeist had always made a nuisance of itself, and it appeared nothing had changed all these years.

It hadn’t taken him even a moment to clear up the scattered remains of the suit of armour, but it was an inconvenience he could do without. Not that he would be doing so.

Soon enough, Severus would serve as the headmaster of Hogwarts, and such problems would be his own to handle. Of course, the Dark Lord would retain the power of the castle he had fought so hard to gain, but he had no desire to oversee the daily running.

What he would do with the imprisoned professors, he did not know. He liked to think most would see sense when they realised their cause was hopeless and surrender to him.

The war was all but over now, after all.

With that in mind, he began the return journey towards the office of the headmaster where he hoped the missive he’d sent to both the Wizarding Wireless Network and The Daily Prophet would be announced by the former, and then the latter in due course.

For now, however, there was still work to do to secure his hold here, and as he entered the office, he paused, frowning as he felt the faintest trace of magic that had not been present previously.

Drawing his wand, he attempted to trace it, only for his frown to deepen as it vanished entirely.

Had he imagined it?

The Dark Lord wasn’t certain, nor what it could’ve been.

Hogwarts was full of so many magicks, but he was taking no chances. Approaching the various instruments chuffing and spluttering away on the side table next to his desk, he made a few adjustments, nodding satisfactorily as he felt the additional measures fall into place.

There would be no form of communication either in or out of the castle, except for within the office itself until he said so. Other steps could and would certainly be taken, but as he tapped the wireless with his wand, he allowed himself just a moment to bask in his success thus far.

Nonetheless, he could not shake the feeling that something was amiss, that the trace of magic he’d sensed upon returning to the office was a warning of sorts.

It was unsettling, and though he took a semblance of comfort knowing that the school was firmly under control, he could not take anything for granted.

Too much hinged on his success here.

Even as the wireless crackled into life and the presenter of the late show spoke of the message they’d received from him; he found he could take little joy in the breaking news that would quickly spread across the country.

With a muttered curse, he stood and left the office once more, unable to relax until he’d at least reassured himself once more that al was as well as he expected.

(Break)

“It’s been hours,” Lily murmured worriedly, her gaze drifting towards the clock.

None of them had left the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, except for Sabine very briefly, as they waited to receive word from Harry. They were blind to everything happening within Hogwarts, and yet, Sabine did not doubt that they would hear if Harry was caught within the castle.

In the corner of the room, the wireless was playing quietly, each of them falling silent as a song ended in anticipation of an announcement.

She was terrified.

She had only just gotten Harry back, and there was a distinct possibility she would lose him again, only this time, it would be permanent.

“He will be fine,” Sirius repeated, mostly to himself than any of the others.

Sabine did not doubt the man had begged Harry to allow him to go with him, but he’d not relented, had pointed out that only one of them could do so underneath his magnificent cloak.

She could only hope it proved to continue to be so.

As ever, he was facing insurmountable odds, and yet, her faith in him did not waver.

Somehow, he would find a way to do what he needed. How? She did not know, but if anyone could, it was Harry. She repeated that mantra to herself, and even as the wireless crackled into life once more, and a shaky voice spoke, she would not allow her hope to falter.

“We have received a rather troubling letter from someone claiming to be He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named stating that he has taken control of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Our team here is doing their utmost to confirm this breaking news, and we will update you as soon as possible with further developments.”

Sabine could only swallow deeply, and Sirius released a deep breath as he stood. At the very least, no mention of Harry had been made. Yet, and from what little she knew of the Dark Lord, he would be openly gloating had he managed to kill him.

“My turn,” Sirius sighed, taking a sip of the potion Harry had given him.

Only a moment later, he had transformed into her fiancé, as planned by the duo, and he took his leave of Grimmauld Place to play his part, albeit reluctantly.

Sabine had not missed the rather heated exchange between the two of them as Harry had explained his plan, nor the promise he had made to Sirius for when the time came.

For now, however, he was to be the Minister of Magic, a visual presence to cover for Harry and what it was he was doing.

(Break)

Despite being within the confines of the cloak, he could feel the subtle shift changes of the protections around the castle, and although he did not feel he was in immediate danger of being discovered, the possibility was becoming more distinct the longer he spent with the castle.

Nonetheless, he’d barely begun doing what he needed to, and as he paused outside the office that belonged to Professor Sprout, he readied himself before knocking.

“Who is it?” a feminine voice asked.

“Professor, I was hoping you could help me with something. It’s Abigail Jones,” Harry replied, disguising his voice.

He doubted there was anyone called Abigail Jones in Hufflepuff, but Albert Jugson, who was posing as Professor Sprout, likely did not know it either.

“Oh, yes, of course, Miss Jones,” he responded. “Come in.”

Harry frowned, unable to open the door beneath his cloak without alerting Jugson to something being amiss.

“Miss Jones?”

He heard the muttered curse of Jugson as he approached the door, and Harry readied himself, feeling rather strange ramming his blade to hilt through someone resembling the affable Head of Hufflepuff House.

Jugson gasped in shock, and Harry placed a hand over his mouth as he shoved him back into the room, kicking the door closed behind him.

It only took a moment for the man to succumb to the wound, and as he perished, the visage of Pomona Sprout shifted into the man who’d been freed from Azkaban so many months prior.

Wizarding Britain would not mourn for him. He was a monster in his own right, and yet, he was only one of many who would die here tonight. With barely a few gestures with his wand, Jugson’s remains vanished, and Harry took a seat, his heart sinking once more as he consulted the map to see that Riddle was only a few corridors away, heading in this direction, with none other than Bellatrix Lestrange in tow.

“Shit,” he cursed, ensuring there were no traces of blood, or anything else that would give away what had happened as he removed a vial from within his robes.

Adding a hair belonging to Professor Sprout, he took a swig, the unpleasant transformation finishing as knock sounded at the door.

“Who is it?” he called.

He received no response, but the door opened, and Harry stood, offering Voldemort a bow, fighting the urge to strike the man down.

“All is well, Jugson?”

“Yes, my lord,” he replied. “All is quiet.”

Voldemort nodded as his gaze swept around the room.

It was a tense moment of silence that fell between them, and Harry did not miss that Bellatrix, disguised as Minerva McGonagall, was peering over the Dark Lord’s shoulder.

“The common rooms are to be locked down until further notice.”

“I will ensure none attempt to leave or enter.”

“Good,” Voldemort finally declared. “Remain vigilant, Jugson. Something feels off.”

“Of course, my lord,” Harry replied, waiting until the footsteps of the duo had receded down the corridor before allowing himself to relax.

Twice, already, he had almost been caught, and it was only luck and a little of his own timing that had saved him.

Shaking his head, he cursed once more as he realised that he’d just hit another snag.

He’d killed Jugson without gleaning the password to the Hufflepuff common room from the man, meaning he could not access it.

He doubted the measures in place would be as compliant as the gargoyle had fortunately been, which meant he would need to find another way in.

For a moment, he pondered if he’d be able to access it from the outside of the castle, but he didn’t know exactly where the common room was, nor did he wish to blindly peer into every window of the castle when it was likely he would be able to see nothing.

No, that wouldn’t do, but as he perused the map once more, an idea formed, and he tapped it with his finger.

The Fat Friar.

The ghost of Hufflepuff.

If there was anyone available to him in the castle that could find a way in, it was the Friar. Firstly, however, there was something else he needed to do to ensure the continued success of his plan.

As with everything else, it was far from perfect, but as he removed the portrait and resized it, he offered the waiting Arriana Dumbledore a nod of gratitude before ensuring the door was locked and stepping through, as relieved as he was dreading the next part of the plan.

At the very least, he would no longer be alone.

(Break)

His gaze roamed over the map, and he could only shake his head.

There were dozens upon dozens of Death Eaters within the castle, staying hidden, but that would undoubtedly change at any given second. It appeared that for the time being, Riddle was being cautious, but that wouldn’t last.

Patience was not in the man’s nature, and Harry’s plan would inevitably see him in danger.

Nonetheless, he knew his godson, knew that his mind would not be changed.

“If you have any ideas, I’m willing to hear them.”

When Sirius offered no reply, Harry shrugged.

“I have to be in there when he closes the school down, and you know it, Sirius. I don’t like it and would rather have time to prepare. I don’t have that luxury.”

“Doing it alone..”

“Is the only way I can without being detected, at least to begin with. The cloak will keep me safe.”

Sirius released a deep breath as he handed Harry the map and nodded.

“Fine, but Snape is mine, Harry. I want that bastard to suffer.”

“I will leave him for you, if I can.”

“Agreed,” Sirius sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. “You do realise that this is completely insane.”

“I know, but we haven’t been left any choice. If he settles himself in the castle, there will be nothing we can do. He will have hostages, and it could take days to even get through the protections, which he will be aware of. He will kill the students and professors. You know that as well as I do.”

Sirius did not like the plan, and he had made his thoughts known, and yet, it truly was the only one they had that might, as unlikely as it was, actually work.

“Alright, Harry. I’ll do whatever you need.”

Harry nodded appreciatively.

“Bones will need to be ready, and I will need some willing to take the place of the Death Eaters I manage to take down who are posing as Professors.”

“Your mother will be furious if you don’t allow her to do it, and Tonks and Kingsley are both Aurors. Alastor, with his leg…”

“Will be no good, and better off leading the rest of you when the time is right. Use Fred and George. They can get themselves out of a tight spot if needed, and I already have other things in place. Before anything else, I must get to Jugson, Dolohov, and Mulciber. With them gone, I might just have enough time to get the students out of the castle before it goes tits up.”

“Not the Slytherins?”

Harry shook his head.

“There is likely those that will side with Riddle and sound the alarm.”

“True,” Sirius conceded, “and the rest should be safe within the common room. I don’t think he would harm those in his house. Now, what happens if you don’t manage to get the others out before he discovers you?”

Harry’s expression darkened at the question.

“Nothing good, but I am prepared for it,” he returned, his expression quite grim at the thought.

“Bloody hell, this really is mad,” Sirius huffed.

The Ministry of Magic was in disarray.

With the Dark Lord’s message having been read out on the wireless, dozens upon dozens of men and women of wizarding Britain had ventured here in search of answers.

It was understandable.

These were parents fearful for the welfare of their children and as Sirius, disguised as Harry, peered from his vantage point near the golden elevator, he watched as the podium he would soon stand behind was brought in.

Truthfully, he would rather not be here.

He was needed at Grimmauld Place where he was to wait his turn to arrive at Hogwarts, and when he did so, there was only one man on his mind he wished to see for a final time.

Snape may have eluded him in the Department of Mysteries after revealing his part in Remus’s death, but that would not be so for much longer. Sirius could feel it, could sense that soon enough, his efforts these past years would prove to not have been for nothing.

Severus Snape may have managed to remain in the shadows, out of his reach, but in a matter of hours, he would be seized by the throat in a relentless grip that would slowly squeeze the life out of him.

Oh, Snape would suffer for what he’d done, but for now, Sirius was needed to play his part right here, to do his utmost to assuage the concerns of those who had gathered.

Seeing that the crowd was growing impatient with worry, he approached the podium, holding up his hands to still any questions, and to quell the rabble.

“I understand that you have questions,” he placated, “but I am afraid I have so few answers, but I want you to know that if there is any truth to the claims that have been made, that I will do everything in my power to remedy the situation. I only ask that you allow me to do my job and remember that I have not steered any of you wrong. I have no intention of doing so now, so, please, remain calm and I will keep you informed. Thank you.”

His words did little to calm them, but at least, for now, Sirius had managed to buy Harry some time and knowing that he could be called upon at any moment to help his godson, yet, there was one more thing he needed to do before he could leave the Ministry.

As expected, Amelia Bones was standing to the side, waiting for him to finish his address to the gathered members of the public and media, and he gestured for her to follow him.

She did so, and when they entered Harry’s office, he closed the door behind them.

“Potter, if this is true…”

“I’m not Harry. It’s me, Sirius.”

Amelia frowned at him, her hand twitching towards her wand.

“Black?” she scoffed.

He nodded and held up a hand to prevent her from asking questions.

“It is true. Voldemort has somehow managed to take over Hogwarts, but not before we learned of what was happening, and Harry managed to get himself inside.”

“He’s in there alone?” Amelia gasped.

“Believe me, I do not like it either, but we couldn’t waste any time. He has asked me to pass on the message that the Aurors should be ready to move at a moment’s notice. If things go wrong…”

“We will need to get to him immediately,” Bones murmured. “Is he completely insane?”

“I have been asking myself that these past seventeen years,” Sirius snorted. “Can I count on you?”

“Of course, I will ensure we are ready. What the hell is he doing in there?”

Sirius shook his head.

“For now, the less you know, the better, but I expect he will tell you everything you need to know when it is all over.”

He did not miss the flicker of doubt in her eyes, and although he could not rid himself of his own concerns, he once more reiterated to himself that there was no one he believed in more than his godson.

“Then Merlin help him,” Bones sighed, shaking her head as she took her leave of the office.

(Break)

“They are going to be portkeyed to the Burrow,” his mother explained frantically. “Molly and Arthur will be waiting for them.”

Harry nodded appreciatively; glad she had made the arrangements.

“And the others…”

“Are ready when you need them.”

He would much rather not put them at risk, but Harry did not doubt he would need their help.

“Anything else?”

“He has already announced what he’s done, but it’s being treated as a rumour. Sirius just spoke at the Ministry and assured them you are investigating the rumours to see if there is any truth to them. Bones is aware, and the Aurors are on standby.”

With his mother now filling in for Jugson with the use of Polyjuice Potion, Harry had followed the map until he’d made it to the Fat Friar, and fortunately, he’d only needed to wait a few moments for his own dose of the brew to wear off.

The Ghost of Hufflepuff was certainly surprised by his appearance, but Harry simply pressed a finger to his lips and gestured to a nearby classroom that was empty.

“Roaming the halls Hogwarts is a very dangerous undertaking, young man. Now more than ever.”

“Can you get into the Hufflepuff common room?”

“Of course. I am their chosen spirit.”

“Then you need to do it and inform the Prefects that Hogwarts is in danger but assure them that I have a way to get them out of the castle.”

“You do?”

Harry nodded.

“I just need someone to let me in.”

“Then follow me beneath that marvellous cloak, young man,” the Friar instructed. “I will do what I can.”

Harry breathed a sigh of relief as he did so and was grateful that the common room was not so far away from their current position.

“Just a moment,” the Friar whispered, vanishing into what seemed to be an enormous stack of barrels in the furthest corner of an adjoining corridor.

Checking the map to ensure they would not be intruded upon, Harry’s gaze remained firmly on it until, what felt much longer than a moment later, one of the barrels opened, and a large, blond boy stuck his head out with his wand in his other hand.

“We must be quick,” Harry whispered, revealing himself.

“Potter?” the boy choked. “What is…?”

Harry nodded and shoved the boy back into the common room, which at this hour, was mostly empty.

“You must get the rest of your house down here, and do it as quietly as possible, but quickly. There is no time to waste.”

The blond nodded before hurrying off to do so, and Harry set up the portrait, ready to evacuate the students.

The began to arrive, sleepy, and clueless to what had befallen the castle, and Harry immediately began shepherding them through the painting.

“Everything will be explained to you when you’re out of here,” he assured them.

They were confused by his presence, but seemed to realise quickly what was happening, and began to hurry through the portrait, to the other side where Aberforth would be waiting to send them on to the Burrow.

Still, it was only one out of four houses, and with already having two close calls, Harry knew the odds were still very much against him without needed to resort to his very unpredictable back up plans within an already uncertain approach he was taking.

(Break)

He paced back and forth within the headmistress’s office, unable to shake that prevailing feeling that something was amiss.

He and Bellatrix had combed the castle for any sign that something was out of place, and yet, there was nothing to be found. Perhaps he was merely being paranoid, but he was certain he’d sensed something upon returning here after Peeves’s interruption.

“You heard the wireless, my lord. Potter has no idea what has happened.”

The Dark Lord nodded.

He had heard the pathetic placating of the young Minister of Magic on the radio and had taken no small amount of glee in just how out of the loop he’d been.

Even so, that feeling that something wasn’t quite right continued to plague him.

Still, he nodded.

“Indeed, but that doesn’t mean I will be taking our success for granted. I have already made some adjustments.”

“Adjustments?”

“Nothing so trivial, Bella,” the Dark Lord responded with a smirk.

It would, however, be a shame not to use the castle to its full potential whilst he and his followers were getting settled in. Of course, it was firmly under his control, and he’d collapsed the tunnels he’d used to gain entry, but that didn’t mean he could reast easily, not yet at least.

What happened next depended on the response to his declaration of taking Hogwarts for himself, and as the floo chimed for the half-dozenth time in the last hour, he grinned to himself.

Silence was his ally for now.

As much as he wished to goad Potter into doing something foolish, he doubted the young man would do so.

No, in his missive to the Wizarding Wireless Network, he had made it clear that any attempt to intervene on his ambitions here would result in the death of the students, and not even Potter would take such a risk.

No, as unsettled as he was that something wasn’t quite right, he was confident that he had everything in hand.

(Break)

“I only wish there was more I could do,” the Friar said sadly.

“I need to get into the Ravenclaw common room next.”

The Friar shook his head.

“As I am not the house ghost, I cannot enter. You will need the help of The Grey Lady.”

“The Grey Lady?”

“The daughter of Rowena herself. She tends to keep herself to herself. Her life was not a good one.”

As surprised as he was by the revelation of such a ghost existing within the castle, Harry did not have time to hunt her down and convince her to help him.

“Can you find her?”

The Friar offered him a bow.

“I will do so immediately, young man. I would suggest you wait by the entrance of the Ravenclaw common room. It is on the fifth floor, just past Professor Flitwick’s office. There is a large door with an eagle serving as the knocker. As you are neither a member of the house or a professor here, it will not ask you for the answer to a riddle.”

With Flitwick’s office being on the way, he could rid himself of Mulciber, who was disguised as his former mentor in the art of duelling and charms. In his place, he would install Kingsley, though he wasn’t certain how the Polyjuice would work given that Flitwick was not fully human.

He frowned at the thought, but it was something Riddle would’ve undoubtedly considered himself. He would not use one of very few of his inner circle if he deemed it to be risky to make such a transformation.

Not that it would matter.

In only a few moments, Mulciber would be dead, and Harry, one step closer to somehow, miraculously, navigating his way through this disaster.

Nonetheless, he’d not even begun tackling the most dangerous portion of his task, which would be quite the feat in itself if he only managed to rid Hogwarts of the Dark Lord, let alone kill the man.

No, that very moment was drawing nearer.

He could feel it in every fibre of his being that the fate of the two would be decided much sooner than he would’ve expected only a day prior.

As he watched the life fade from the eyes of Filius Flitwick, Harry had to remind himself that this wasn’t the man he had spent countless hours under the tutelage of.

No, this was Mulciber, another who had taken much pleasure in the torture and murder of muggle and magicals alike over the past decades. Still, it was rather disconcerting seeing the visage of someone he held in such high regard having the life drained from them by his own hand.

Shaking his head, he went about ridding himself of the man’s remains before setting up the portrait.

With only a nod, Arianna vanished from the frame, and Kingsley arrived within the office a moment later, already disguised as Professor Flitwick.

“Two down,” Harry confirmed. “I just need to get into the common room.”

Kingsley nodded severely.

“The others are ready, Harry,” he assured him, squeezing his shoulder encouragingly.

With nothing else to say, he took his leave from the office, ensuring he was covered by his cloak once more, as he rounded the corridor to wait for the arrival of the Grey Lady.

(Break)

Arthur did not know how Harry was holding his nerve. It was trying enough on his own waiting for more students to emerge from the portrait, so, he could only imagine just how dreadful an ordeal it was for his superior.

“He’s doing it, Arthur,” Molly comforted.

He nodded.

“It is still only one house so far,” he pointed out.

He did not wish to put a dampener on the success, but he could not afford to lose touch with the reality of the situation. Voldemort was very much in control of Hogwarts, and there was still hundreds of students within the walls of the castle who needed to be evacuated before any would allow themselves to release a relieved breath.

“He will do it,” Molly comforted.

“I do not doubt him, Molly, but we both remember what it was like the last time around. He will not hesitate to kill them if Harry is discovered.”

As selfish as he felt, he was relieved that all of his children had graduated before such a disaster had befallen the school. That, however, did not mean he felt any less fearful of the repercussions if something was to go wrong.

No, as calm as he may appear, Arthur Weasley was terrified, not wanting to consider the very worst of outcomes.

“Look, Arthur!” Molly gasped as another group of students arrived in the back garden of the Burrow.

They hurried outside from the kitchen where they’d been preparing hot chocolate for those that would find themselves here just as another portkey deposited more students garbed in robes trimmed with blue.

“It’s alright,” Molly soothed. “We will get you home soon enough.”

They were confused but relaxed when they realised they were not in danger, and Molly began to do what she did best, comforting them as Ginny emerged from the kitchen with mugs of hot chocolate.

“Two down,” Arthur murmured, still not allowing himself to relax completely, but finally seeing the silver lining of a particularly dull cloud hanging over them all.

(Break)

He had never met a ghost as emotional as Helena Ravenclaw proved to be when she’d learned that Voldemort had taken control of the school.

It had taken her several moments to compose herself enough to even speak, but when she did, her story painted a rather unpleasant, yet honest account of the man he’d been as a boy; manipulative, cruel, and full of ambition none should harbour.

Unfortunately, Helena was just another of so many victims of the Dark Lord’s ploys.

“It will be destroyed,” Harry promised her.

“How, when you cannot hope to reach it?”

“I already have,” Harry replied.

She stared at him hopefully, her tears drying before she nodded.

“You found it.”

“In a hidden room on the seventh floor.”

Her lower lip began to tremble as she wept once more.

“My other’s room,” she despaired. “He put it in my mother’s room.”

“And now I have it,” Harry reiterated, though his words brought her little relief.

She was offended and scandalised by the actions of the Dark Lord, but to Harry, it was nothing new. Tom had spent his life committing deplorable act upon deplorable act, after all.

“Thank you,” he said sincerely. “For helping me get your mother’s students out of here. Despite what happened between you both, I do not doubt she would be very proud of you.”

Helena offered him another watery smile, and knowing he could no longer linger any more than he had, he checked his map before taking his leave of the Ravenclaw common room to head towards the seventh floor, where he hoped the Friar had found Nearly Headless Nick to assist him further.

“Two down,” he whispered in an effort to spur himself onwards.

Fortunately, it appeared that his presence had still yet to be noticed, but that would not be without the cloak that had served his family for so many generations.

He could feel the magic the Dark Lord had cast, sense it searching for any and all that should not be here, and Harry was very much one of those it sought.

“You, what’re you doing here?”

He paused as the voice spoke and peered around the corner at the sight of Professor Sinistra stalking towards the ghost of Gryffindor house, well, who appeared to be the Astronomy instructor.

Harry knew better that it was, in fact, Antonin Dolohov under the guise of the woman, the man being among the most dangerous of Riddle’s followers.

By all accounts, he was a most excellent duellist, as vicious as he was gifted in the art, and had garnered quite the reputation for himself on the circuit.

Even Filius had spoken highly of his skill, and he was not an easy man to impress.

“I am where I spend much of my time,” the ghost replied dismissively.

“You were told to stay clear of here!”

Nicholas chuckled.

“We ghosts are not governed by your rules,” he returned. “I shall roam where I wish!”

Harry could only shake his head as Dolohov drew his wand.

“Go away!” he snapped.

Nicholas lifted his chin defiantly, only for his head to flop to one side from the ruff holding it in place. Embarrassedly, he floated away as he attempted to right himself, and Dolohov chuckled to himself as he too left, satisfied that he’d bullied the ghost into complying.

Harry watched him leave disapprovingly, breathing a sigh of relief as Nicholas returned only a moment later, seemingly looking for him.

“I’m here,” Harry whispered as he approached.

“Is it true?”

“Yes, and we need to get the rest of the students out of here.”

“Then I will assist you, young man,” he assure him, turning towards the portrait of the Fat Lady. “My dear, Hogwarts is in peril, and we must get the students out of here. If you would be so kind to grant us entry.”

“Of course, Sir Nicholas.”

She swung forward to admit them, and Harry followed the ghost into the common room beyond, where Nicholas vanished through the ceiling.

There was a short delay before the first of the students arrived, and Harry had already placed the portrait, ready for them to pass through.

“Potter?” a bleary-eyed seventh year greeted him.

Harry nodded grimly.

“Through the portrait, quickly!” he urged.

The boy frowned at him as several others began to emerge from the staircases and shook his head.

“If Hogwarts is under attack, we want to fight!”

“Bloody hell, now is not the time…”

“You’re fighting, aren’t you? You’re only. Year or two older than us,” the boy cut in, gesturing to himself and others just as eager as him to remain.

“For the love of Merlin, just get you arses through the portrait,” he huffed. “The entire castle is already under Voldemort’s control, and he will kill you. Think of your families!”

Fortunately, Nicholas was already ushering through the younger students, leaving Harry to deal with the more stubborn of those that were refusing to listen.

It was a sudden cursing from the entrance to the common room that caught Harry’s attention, and his eyes widened at the sight of Professor Sinistra, who immediately fired a vicious severing curse towards him.

Harry deftly defended against it, and before he could offer a rebuttal, Dolohov was gone.

“Shit!” he cursed, seizing the shocked student by the front of his robes. “Get through the fucking portrait and tell Aberforth that we have been discovered. He will know what to do. GO, NOW!”

The student nodded frantically before helping to shove the rest of his housemates through, leaving Harry to pursue Dolohov, hoping he could reach him before he alerted Voldemort.

Any notion that may happen came to an abrupt end as he heard the man bellowing from a few corridors away, and Harry could only curse once more.

“IT’S POTTER! MY LORD, POTTER IS HERE!”

“Well, shit,” Harry repeated, turning to make his way back towards the Gryffindor common room, his already alert senses screaming a warning at him as he did so.

He felt an odd magic creeping into him, something he’d never experienced before, but it was quickly becoming more prominent, and before Harry could reach the common room, the wind was knocked out of him, and he was showered in the debris of the floor that had exploded beneath his feet.

“Bloody hell, he groaned, his eyes widening as he took in the enormous, thrashing tail of a serpent righting itself.

Instinctively, he closed his eyes before the basilisk could look towards, and he forced himself to his feet, running in the opposite direction, acutely aware that the snake was pursuing him.

What he could do to combat it, he did not know except for what he was doing now, and that was running, firing the occasional spell behind him as the creature tore through the corridors of the castle.

Not that he could hope to outrun such a thing, and even before he’d reached the staircase, he could feel its breath on his back as it lunged, barely missing him by an inch.

Unfortunately, he was not able to avoid the next strike entirely, and he felt something heavy thud into him, sending him sprawling over the stone parapet, and plunging towards the stone floor of the entrance hall below.

(Break)

“IT’S POTTER, MY LORD! POTTER IS HERE!”

He immediately shot to his feet and unleashed a commanding hiss as both he and Bellatrix hurried from the office, and up the flight of nearby stairs where they’d heard Dolohov announcing the security breech.

“Where?” he demanded.

“The Gryffindor common room!”

He charged forward with Dolohov and Bella in tow, a grin forming as the basilisk burst through the floor, sending Potter sprawling, before it lunged at him.

He watched as it pursued him down the length of the corridor, snapping at his heels, and he urged the creature on gleefully.

“What is that?” Dolohov choked.

“You will be fine so long as you don’t meet her gaze.”

“A basilisk?” Bellatrix almost yelped, her adoring gaze coming to rest on him.

The Dark Lord nodded, his eyes widening as Potter was hurled over the edge of the staircase.

“Yes,” he whispered rushing onward, but was taken aback as the basilisk followed him.

“ARRESTO MOMENTUM!”

“NO!”

He could only look on as Potter’s descent slowed, but he still hit the floor with a thud before he rolled away and blasted the doors to the castle door open before running into the grounds of the school.

By now, the commotion had garnered the attention of those within the castle, and the Death Eaters he’d placed here began to spill into the corridors with their wands drawn.

“The Astronomy Tower!” Dolohov urged.

The Dark Lord followed the man, not wanting to miss the spectacle, and much to his relief, the path wasn’t blocked.

Reaching the top of the stairs, he flung the door open to be greeted by the sight of spellfire lighting up the grounds, and yet, despite Potter’s onslaught, the basilisk continued to lunge towards him, undeterred, but was certainly hindered by the ball of light that burst from Potter’s wand, and enveloped itself around the head of the snake.

Not that it mattered.

It could still smell him.

His grin widened as the boy was forced to jump out of the path of another strike from the thousand-year-old creature, but he frowned as several screeches rent the air, followed by a blinding eruption of fire, which caused the basilisk to balk, and unleash a scream of its own.

“What is that?” Bellatrix asked, that very same question on the tip of his tongue.

With how frequently the golden flames were bursting into life, he could not see, except for the occasional glimpses of shadows as they descended upon the basilisk, and the Dark Lord gritted his teeth in irritation as he levelled his wand towards them, determined to put an end to their intervention.

(Break)

She felt useless and knowing that there was no way in hell Harry would allow her to be with him when he might need her, she had taken her leave of Grimmauld Place to return to the home they shared.

Not pausing as she stepped out of the floo, she hurried through the house and into the rear of the property, her legs carrying her pregnant form as quickly as possible until she reached the fence to the paddock Bruce frequented.

“AURELIUS!” she called.

The griffin had been lounging on the grass, but hearing the frantic tone of her voice, he stood and walked towards her, his head tilting curiously.

Stopping only a few feet away, he chirped a warning, and Sabine swallowed deeply.

“Harry needs you, boy,” she whispered. “He’s at Hogwarts.”

How the griffin would know how to find him, she couldn’t be certain, but Aurelius unleashed a commanding chirp as he took to the air, followed by the rest of the herd, and Sabine watched until they vanished in a northern direction.

It was nothing short of dreadful waiting to hear any news that came in only drips and drabs.

The last they’d heard was that Harry had managed to free the Ravenclaw students, and both Kingsley and Lily were now in the castle with him, which she took just a little comfort in.

Ever since, however, it had been silent, but as she heard someone arriving in the next room, and the fast, heavy footsteps that followed, she immediately knew something was wrong.

“Harry’s been discovered!” Tonks announced, and Sabine felt her heart sink into the pit of her stomach.

“Bloody hell,” Emmeline cursed. “I’d better send…”

“I’ve already told Sirius, and Bones and the Aurors are already on their way. I don’t know anything else,” she added apologetically before disappearing with a loud crack.

Sabine felt helpless, but before she could even stand to consider what she would do, Emmeline placed a hand on her shoulder.

“You need to think of the baby. He will not hesitate to kill you just to get to Harry.”

Sabine swallowed as she nodded her understanding, remaining in her seat, though it was the very last thing she wished to do.

(Break)

He somehow managed to avoid another attempt from the basilisk, briefly opening his eyes to catch his bearings, knowing the behemoth was behind him, and Harry wondered just how he would get himself out of this mess.

His spellwork was mostly blind, focusing only on the magic of wear the enormous serpent was as he did his utmost not to be bitten.

Thus far, he’d been lucky, but that would run out eventually, and as he sensed it lunging towards him once more,, he struck, conjuring a blinding ball of light towards the creature’s face.

It worked.

Not only did it serve to blind the basilisk, it shielded him from looking directly into its eyes, preventing him from dying an instant death.

Doing so gave him the opportunity to take it in in all its glory, though a part of him wished he’d not been granted such. It was much bigger than he could’ve imagined, close to sixty feet in length, and thicker than anything else he’d ever seen.

It made Norbert appear to be quite small, and he was a massive beast in his own right.

“Shit!” Harry cursed once more as the basilisk struck at him again, its accuracy barely affected by its handicap.

Either it had a keen sense of smell, or it could feel his magic.

Still, at the very least, he was no longer blind, and as it reared up again, he fired a plethora of spells, only to be interrupted by the sudden eruption of familiar fire, and screeches that filled the air.

“Fawkes,” he whispered, breathing a sigh of relief at the appearance of the phoenix.

What he could do to the basilisk, he didn’t know, but Harry was grateful.

“Aurelius!” he choked as he spotted the golden griffin, along with the rest of the herd diving towards the basilisk. “Where did you come from?”

The large serpent was confused, overwhelmed by the sudden influx of foes he faced, and Harry took advantage of the distraction, bringing his wand to bear as he resized the trusty knife Croaker had given him.

Tapping it with his wand, he readied himself, wincing as the basilisk unleashed an almighty shriek of agony.

Harry could not see what had happened, but the creature began to thrash, and he hurled himself forward, placing an array of curses on the blade as he did so, hoping that one would take hold of highly resistant monster.

With little skill required, he began hacking and slashing at the basilisk for all he was worth, eliciting further screams from it, until a spell whizzed past his left ear.

Looking in the direction it came from, he saw that Riddle was glaring down at him from atop the Astronomy Tower, and Harry offered him a grin before plunging the sword into the basilisk, all the way to the hilt, avoiding the next onslaught sent his way in response.

The basilisk screeched once more, and though he wasn’t certain if it had fallen victim to his curses, or being set upon by an entire herd of griffins, the ground shuddered as it finally collapsed.

Aurelius and the others began to feast on it, tearing out its eyes, and Harry grimaced before shifting his focus towards where the Dark Lord’s gaze was burning into his own.

The two of them said nothing, each waiting for the other to make their move, and Harry released a deep breath as dozens of Death Eaters spilled onto the lawn.

Perhaps if he was quick enough, he could run, but he was not inclined to.

Already, he’d set the circumstances in motion that would either see the Dark Lord flee, or one of them finally fulfilling the prophecy.

In only a matter of moments, the sudden, eerie standoff would devolve into so much more.

The Dark Lord just didn’t know it yet.