“This is not happening, this is not happening, this is not happening,” Hermione Granger repeated to herself as tears streamed down her eyes. She was quickly throwing on clothes and helping her roommates pack. She was the Head Girl and needed to be the one in charge. She ran through all of the dormitories telling the first years to just pack their bags, and stay put. If anyone was to walk through the portrait, they were to remain silent, and wait for a call. If the call was not given, then hide.
She quickly threw her cat into a cage, and put a cover over it, and put that into a sound proof closest; the girls dormitory made a small line where they packed all of the owl cages, and every other animal into this closet. Hermione left it up to the other 7th year girls to manage the lower classmen. Hermione then ran over to the boys' dormitories which was an absolute mess. She first ran to Ron's and Harry’s dormitory - they had everything under control, packed with the animals in the boy’s closet. Hermione then leaned on Harry’s shoulder and cried.
Harry Potter patted her back, and held her tight, with Ron rubbing her arms, telling her everything would be alright.
The final year at Hogwarts had been frightening for all of them, but no moment was more frightening than the one they were facing now. In their sixth year, Lord Voldemort regained most of his strength that he once had. His raids were getting worse, and the new Minister of Magic was to inexperienced to know what to do. Albus Dumbledore was at Hogwarts full time, and the Order of the Phoenix had nearly moved in to the school with them. Their job was to not only to protect Harry, but all of the students.
Lord Voldemort now had a massive army of Death Eaters and was getting closer and closer to the school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was in the dead of night that the warning bell sounded, waking up every student. The bell tolls told them they needed to be getting ready for an invasion.
The staff was nearly as messy as the students were, barking orders, and telling all of the 3rd through 7th years to make sure that everything was running smoothly and to be prepared to help step in. The second years had to stay and watch over the first years in case the common rooms were ever breached. Hermione held on to Harry tightly, and pulled back her hair. She hugged Ron too. “You guys don’t have to come. McGonagall will pardon you Harry! Your Harry Potter, you have already battled him enough - this doesn’t have to be your fight!” she cried.
Harry looked up from the ground, and merely said, “This is everyones' fight.”
“But Harry, we need a few 7th years up here too! Please stay here! Please!” she begged. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she struggled to keep them dry by wiping the drops on her sleeves.
McGonagall burst through the door, “Hermione, go to the kitchen, Hannah Abbot will meet you down there to help the house elves. Make sure they realize what is going on. And Harry, stay here and watch the common room. Ron, round up as many ghosts as you can, and tell them to meet Albus in the Entrance Hall. Seamus and Dean will go with you. Please be sure to get as many as possible!” McGonagall shouted. They all nodded their heads and quickly ran off, wands in hand.
Harry stared at Professor McGonagall with a look of disbelief. “Professor, I can-”
“No, Harry. If he kills you, you have no idea what affect it will have on the entire wizarding world, let alone the students of this school. You of all people provide every witch and wizard with the hope that they can survive. Please Harry, stay here and protect the younger students.” She said her statement and quickly left to another dorm to bark orders at them.
Hermione had run all the way to kitchen where she found Hannah who was also breathing rapidly with red puffy eyes from the tears. They hugged each other and tickled the fruit to be let in. Inside they found hundreds of house elves, lost and confused, and rather worried. There was a small sigh of relief at the sight of the girls. Hermione asked Hannah to stay with them for a while as she ran to the Entrance Hall to find Dumbledore.
“Professor Dumbledore! Professor Dumbledore!” Hermione shouted, as she ran quickly to where he stood talking with a few ghosts as more were found gliding through the walls here and there.
Dumbledore turned to look at Hermione who was breathing really hard, as she asked him whether he wanted the house elves to fight or not. “They can fight! They know how! How else do you think Dobby protected Harry from Lucius Mafloy?” she gasped.
Dumbledore looked rather calm for the situation being so drastic. “Yes, tell all of them that I want to see them in the Entrance Hall. Clever idea, Granger. 10 points to Gryffindor.” Hermione stared at him absolutely amazed on how he was thinking about adding points during this time. Lord Voldemort was bound to burst through the door at any moment.
The great door opened and everyone got tense and quickly raised there wands, but a pink umbrella was stuck through the door, and Hagrid’s voice sounded from the other side. Hermione had no time to talk to Hagrid, though, as she ran quickly back to the kitchens where Hannah was found sobbing into a towel that Dobby had handed her. Hermione pulled Dobby aside, “Dobby, listen to me. Lord Voldemort is coming to Hogwarts, he will be here at any moment. Dumbledore wants all of the house elves in the Entrance Hall, please tell all of the others this, and tell them to get there as soon as possible.”
Dobby’s eyes were wide as it is, but now they were huge and glowing. He shook his head, and walked over to the crowd of house elves. He shouted, “Dumbledore needs us in the Entrance Hall. It is urgent. The master calls for our aid.” With that, the house elves all piled outside.
Hermione went back to muttering, but this time she was asking herself, “Why is this happening? Why now? We were so closed to finishing school! Why me? Why us? Why Hogwarts?” as she grabbed Hannah’s shoulders to try to calm her down.