Hostages

Violet wasn't very hungry. She hadn't slept much, and was now tired and irritable, but all she could get down was some toast. Her roommates sensed her mood, and so had mostly ignored her this morning. Nagaeena, as usual, was late to breakfast. Violet, Decima, and Bernice had left her sitting in front of her mirror, applying cosmetic charms which she insisted were vastly superior to “gooey Muggle concoctions.” Violet thought that was ironic, considering that Nagaeena was trying to duplicate the look of a Muggle woman on the pages of one of Chloe's magazines, but if Nagaeena wanted to waste her time that way, Violet didn't really care. She was glad the Slytherin table was emptier than usual, with all of the Quidditch players out practicing.

She looked around the Great Hall, and noticed that Teddy and Kai were both absent as well.

“Now what are they up to?” she thought to herself, with a frown.

Lost in thought, she munched on a corner of her toast, and only realized something was wrong when Decima suddenly listed sideways, and her head fell on Violet's shoulder.

“What are you –?” Violet exclaimed, startled, and turned, to see Bernice slumping forward, her face landing in her bowl of porridge.

Up and down the Great Hall, at every table, students were slumping over, either onto the table in front of them or sagging against one another on their benches. Some slid off the benches and tumbled onto the floor. At the Slytherin table, everyone but Violet, Stephen White, and Mortimer Thickwaite collapsed. Even Ophilia looked startled for a moment, closed her eyes, and then lay her head down on the table. She saw Dewey and Mercy looking alarmed as most of the first-years around them, and every one of the older Hufflepuffs, suddenly fell asleep where they sat. Likewise at the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables; all but a handful of students were collapsing.

It was as if a Sleep Charm were sweeping across the hall. There were startled gasps and screams at other tables. Stephen was looking around, wide-eyed, and Violet saw Mortimer frantically shaking Clarice Darcy. She looked quickly at the High Table, and saw that most of the professors had also succumbed – Hagrid's head hit the table with a massive thud, while Professor Longbottom, Professor Peasegood, and Professor Rai were all slumping backwards in their seats, and Professor Flitwick had slid right out of his chair and was lying in a small heap under the table. Only Professor Slughorn and Professor Llewellyn remained awake, and they were already rising to their feet when a sharp voice cut across the hall.

“Give me your attention!”

Violet, with everyone else, turned towards the center of the room, and gasped, as a goblin materialized out of thin air, sliding his cloak off his shoulders. Professor Llewellyn and Professor Slughorn immediately pointed their wands at him. There were two loud cracks, and the professors' wands went flying. Llewellyn clutched her arm while Slughorn staggered backwards and fell over.

“We have hostages,” said the goblin, as Slughorn sat up, groaning.

Mortimer Thickwaite had drawn his wand. So had Danny Boyle, the Gryffindor Prefect. Mortimer went flying, and struck the wall. Danny cried out as another crack in the air doubled him over and brought him to his knees. More students screamed. Dewey saw a house-elf standing on the Gryffindor table, and another one on the Ravenclaw table. There was movement in a far corner of the hall, and then in another. Violet saw Nagaeena stumbling in through the side entrance she usually used, except her arms were bound to her sides by ropes, her eyes were filled with terror, and another goblin was holding a wand to her temple.

“Strike down anyone else who draws their wand!” snarled the first goblin. Dewey, by now, had recognized Slipfang. Violet, watching with a sort of numb detachment, noticed the goblin had one of those oddly-shaped metal things Kai called a “firearm” hanging from his belt.

Slipfang now had his own wand pointed at Professor Llewellyn. “Tell your students not to resist, Mair Llewellyn! Or the girl will be the first to die!” He gestured towards Nagaeena, who closed her eyes and whimpered. “We have more hostages, elsewhere in the castle. Your Slytherins at the Quidditch field too.”

“Harm anyone,” said Professor Llewellyn, her voice trembling with rage, “and nothing will save you!”

The Great Hall shook suddenly. Violet, who had been paralyzed until this moment, grabbed the table as the ground rumbled beneath her feet.

“Many more goblins will be arriving in moments,” said Slipfang. “You can surrender, or you can fight. Anyone who fights, dies.”

Llewellyn looked around, at the hall full of helpless students, and a handful of conscious ones. There were perhaps twenty-five students who had not been affected by whatever had put the rest of the school to sleep. Over half of these were first-years.

“Everyone, stay calm, and do not draw your wands!” Professor Llewellyn said in a commanding tone. She glanced at the house-elves, then fixed Slipfang with a steely gaze. “Don't hurt anyone,” she said. “Just tell me what you want.”

The goblin smiled, as Violet and Dewey heard feet thundering up the stairs from the dungeons, and more goblins began spilling into the Great Hall.

“I want what wizards value more highly than goblin gold,” he said.

Teddy, Kai, and Gilbert were racing towards the Astronomy Tower. Through secret passages opening onto the fourth and seventh floors, goblins had cut them off from their own houses, and Teddy thought the Astronomy Tower was the only place remaining where they might be able to barricade themselves against the invading goblin army.

He was sure the staff down in the Great Hall would sort the goblins out, and he tried not to worry about Dewey and Violet and all his other friends trapped down there. He would have run downstairs to help, but the Marauder's Map showed goblins blocking any path he might take.

“They aren't going to get in without a fight,” he thought. He knew there were charms in place throughout the castle. He could already hear magical alarms screaming, and he could also see suits of armor stepping off their pedestals or smashing through their cases, grabbing weapons and shields off of walls, preparing to do battle. Fortunately, they ignored the three students pushing a bicycle past them.

They reached the Astronomy Tower, and locked the door behind them. “Not sure how long that will hold if they try to break it down,” said Teddy.

“Let's hope Professor Sinistra can summon help,” said Kai.

Professor Sinistra rarely joined the other teachers for breakfast. On the Marauder's Map, Teddy could see she was in her office, and as they ran breathlessly upstairs (“Why are you still dragging that thing with you?” Teddy demanded, as the Ravenclaws carried the bike between them), they saw her emerge to stand at the top of the stairs leading to her classroom.

“Mr. Lupin! What's going on?” she demanded. “Alarms have sounded, you should be with the rest of your house...”

“Goblins!” he gasped. “Goblins have invaded Hogwarts! They're all down in the Great Hall! We couldn't get away anywhere else, they'll probably come this way soon. Professor Sinistra, we've got to let the Ministry know! The Auror Office, anyone!”

The elderly astronomy teacher stared at the children, then said, “Step aside.” She edged past Kai and Gilbert, giving the bicycle an odd look, and pointed her wand down the stairs towards the door at the base of the Astronomy Tower. She waved her wand in a complicated figure eight, and uttered a series of incantations.

“It might not hold back an army,” she said when she was finished, “but it will take more than a goblin or three to get through that door now.” She shook her head. “I never thought anything like this would happen again.” She led the boys back to her office, where she had a small fireplace. After lighting a fire with her wand, she took a tin of Floo Powder off of her desk and tossed a pinch into the fireplace. It flared briefly, and then fizzled. Frowning, Sinistra tossed more Floo Powder into the flames. Again, there was only a brief flash of green sparks, and then nothing.

“We can't floo directly out of Hogwarts, but we should be able to fire-chat,” she muttered. “Something is wrong with the Floo Network.”

“How could goblins muck that up?” asked Kai.

Teddy shook his head. He didn't know. “Harry said the Auror Office is watching Hogwarts. They must already know what's happening here.”

“Not unless there's an Auror inside Hogwarts right now,” Kai muttered.

“Can you talk to the professors down in the Great Hall?” Teddy asked Sinistra.

Sinistra looked uncomfortable. “Without fire-chatting... I'm afraid my proficiency with Patronus Charms has never been the best...”

“So we have no idea what's happening, or if anyone else even knows what's happening?” Teddy exclaimed.

“Calm down, Mr. Lupin.” Sinistra frowned. “Stay here, and wait until we get word that the situation is under control. That's all we can do right now.”

The three boys exchanged looks. Teddy moved over to the corner of Sinistra's office and hunched down, while Kai and Gilbert stood in front of him, and Teddy opened the Marauder's Map to try to see what was going on.

“What are you doing?” Sinistra asked. She sounded worried, and clearly didn't like feeling helpless any more than the boys did. But what could she do against a goblin invasion? Her priority had to be safeguarding the students who were here with her.

“Seeing what we can do,” Teddy muttered.

Goblins filled the Great Hall now. Every conscious student had at least two goblins at their side. One was holding a short spear leveled at Violet, and she could hardly breathe for fear the point would poke her in the ribs. Several goblins carried large, velvet-lined chests around the four house tables, while their comrades briskly searched each student and took their wands, wrapping each individually in a velvet cloth and then piling them up in the chests. A goblin had already demanded Violet's wand at swordpoint. Wordlessly, she had handed it over.

“Someone must be summoning help,” she thought. She tried not to look at Nagaeena, whose fear she was afraid might become contagious. She swallowed hard as she felt that spearpoint pricking her in the side again, and bit her tongue so she wouldn't snap something at the goblin who was poking her.

There were a dozen goblins ringing the Headmistress and Deputy Headmaster, and not all of them were holding crossbows. Some, like their leader, were holding wands, and Slipfang wasn't the only one with a Muggle firearm.

A house-elf stood at Slipfang's side, wringing its hands anxiously and looking very unhappy. Violet was trying to stay aware of where the other elves were, but they kept hopping around, from table to floor, or disappearing altogether. She wasn't even sure how many were in the Great Hall with them. But no other students had tried to draw their wands.

“Any blood you shed will be paid for ten times over,” Professor Llewellyn was saying to the leader of the goblins. “This is an outrageous act! What do you think you're going to accomplish here?”

“First, we will have disarmed several hundred wizards and armed an equal number of goblins with wands,” Slipfang replied. “Second, we will have enough hostages to deter your Aurors and hit-wizards from pursuing us. I think the Goblin Liaison Office will be negotiating with more seriousness if we send them a child's head every week they fail to acquiesce to our demands, yes?”

Both Llewellyn and Slughorn turned pale. Nagaeena, crouched against a wall a few feet from Violet, made another whimpering sound.

“Your tactics are monstrous!” Llewellyn gasped. “What you've started here will only end in blood!”

“Usually it's goblin blood!” snapped Slipfang. “Wizards only take notice when their blood flows!”

The goblins finished collecting up everyone's wands, and the chest-bearers retreated out of the Great Hall. There were sounds from above – magical alarms still howling, and the clashing of arms as well.

“Your animated armor,” Slipfang said. “Troublesome. But no match for goblin weapons.”

“You have our wands,” said Llewellyn. “Take them and go. No one needs to die today.” The goblins had also taken all the professors' wands – even Hagrid's.

“We're not done.” Slipfang gestured. Goblins began moving around the room, and separating some of the students who were still awake. But not all of them.

“The first-years,” Violet thought. She looked across at the Hufflepuff table, and her eyes met Dewey's for a moment. He had an arm around Mercy, who looked terrified but was at least not making any noise. For once, Dewey's expression was an unreadable as her own.

They were choosing the smallest, youngest students, Violet realized. The ones who would be more easily intimidated, and less of a physical threat to goblins. Which meant that she was certainly going to be one of the hostages. A horrible image of her head being sent to her mother went through her mind, and she closed her eyes, trying to banish it. “Don't panic. I am not afraid.” She heard Nagaeena whimper again.

At the Gryffindor table, Chloe Grey emitted a frightened squeak.

“Lay off!” Colin Hayes exclaimed.

Violet opened her eyes. She was very afraid that one of the Gryffindors might do something stupid. Chloe was now trembling as violently as Nagaeena, while a nasty-looking goblin leered at her and held a wand pointing between her eyes.

“You don't need to take children hostage,” Professor Llewellyn was saying to Slipfang. “Take all of us instead.” She gestured to include all the professors slumped at the table. “We will all give you our word that we won't resist you or make any attempt to escape.”

Slipfang laughed. “You still think we are stupid, Mair Llewellyn! Do you expect me to believe the life of an old woman is worth as much to your people as the life of a child? Even if we were willing to accept wizards' promises –” He spat. “– we know your people won't risk the lives of children. You're very brave. I'm sure all of you would be willing to sacrifice your own lives for your charges.”

The first-years were marched out of the hall in threes and fours. Aisha Allouzi, Deana Forte, and Connor McCormack were the only Ravenclaw first-years standing, and Colleen McCormack cried, “Connor!” as they were led out.

Connor started to move towards her. “Let me go with my brother!” Colleen screamed, and for a moment, Violet thought the McCormacks might die then and there.

“Everyone, remain calm! Don't endanger yourselves!” Professor Llewellyn pleaded.

Then the goblins surrounding the Gryffindors grabbed Colleen and shoved her towards Connor. He put his arms around his sister and held her as he and Aisha and Deana were prodded forward at spearpoint.

“Just stay calm,” Dewey whispered, to the Hufflepuffs. “Do what they say, don't try to be a hero. Trust the grown-ups to get us out of this.”

He hoped he sounded convincing. Without their wands, what could Llewellyn and Slughorn do? The goblins were in control, and the two professors were helpless as the students were led away. He watched as Violet, Nagaeena, and Stephen were taken out of the hall through the side entrance.

Four Gryffindors were taken next, and the Hufflepuff first-years were the last group of students to leave the Great Hall. As they were taken away, Dewey saw that Chloe was now the last remaining Gryffindor firstie, and Slipfang was gesturing to have her brought forward to him.

Teddy had the Marauder's Map spread out on a desk, and was watching with growing unease as groups of first-years were led out of the Great Hall by goblins.

He had moved into the astronomy classroom with Kai and Gilbert, after promising Professor Sinistra that they wouldn't wander. She was pacing her office and wringing her hands anxiously, but she obviously had no idea what else to do.

“What are they doing?” Gilbert asked.

“I don't know!” Teddy was sick with worry, and he hated sitting here in a classroom while his friends were down there. So far, a few goblins had beat against the door at the base of the Astronomy Tower, but there'd been no concerted effort to break through it yet.

While Teddy was sitting down to study the map, Kai was on his feet, practically shaking with agitation. He'd pace back and forth, come back to stare at the map, then pace some more, continually muttering, “We've go to do something!”

“Violet!” Teddy whispered, and Kai dashed back to the table, to watch as Violet, Nagaeena, and Stephen were taken out of the Great Hall, and down to the dungeons.

Colin, Alfred, Edan, and Judith were being taken to Gryffindor Tower; Deana, Aisha, Connor, and Colleen were going to Ravenclaw Tower, and Dewey, Mercy, Sung-Hee, and Alduin were now entering the Hufflepuff common room.

Goblins were thick in the Armory and the Trophy Room. He saw Madam Pomfrey with three students, surrounded by goblins in the infirmary, and Argus Filch down in his office, confronting two more.

“They're looting the castle!” Gilbert exclaimed.

Teddy frowned. “I didn't think goblins made a habit of looting.” He tried to remember what Binns had said about goblin warfare. They were ruthless and cruel, by human standards, but that didn't mean they didn't have their own rules of war.

“Who the hell cares?” Kai shouted. “What are they doing taking prisoners? What are they going to do with them?”

Teddy was just as upset as Kai, but he was trying to think. He stared at the dot labeled Slipfang. Slipfang was standing next to the dots labeled Mair Llewellyn and Horace Slughorn, and then Chloe Grey's dot joined him, along with two other goblins. He couldn't make sense of this. He didn't know why all the other professors and students were just sitting there. Wasn't anyone fighting?

“They planned this,” Teddy said.

Kai whirled around and goggled at him.

“DUH, MATE!” he shouted. “YOU THINK SO?”

Teddy felt his own temper rising, but tried to stay calm. “Slipfang has been coming and going for months. They've been preparing. They've got wands. They've cut off communications, must've neutralized all those wards somehow... they're taking hostages.”

Kai looked like he was about to shout again, but Gilbert said, “We have to get help,” and then Professor Sinistra entered the classroom. “Would you boys stop shouting?” she snapped. “Losing your tempers is not going to help anyone.”

“Neither is sitting here doing nothing, Professor,” said Kai.

“We could fly to Hogsmeade,” said Gilbert suddenly.

“What?” And then Kai's face lit up. “The bicycle!”

“Are you sure that thing will fly?” Teddy looked at it dubiously.

“Guy showed us how,” said Gilbert.

“Can't fit all of us on it,” Teddy muttered.

“Out of the question! It's much too dangerous!” said Professor Sinistra. “Especially on this Muggle contraption.”

“We don't have any brooms,” said Kai. “And it can't be more dangerous than waiting for the goblins to try to break down the door.”

Sinistra looked at him for a moment, then said, “I have a broom.”

All the boys stared at her.

“I keep it in my office. I haven't flown it in years. I'm afraid it's not exactly in the best condition.” She frowned. “But – ”

“You should come with us, Professor,” said Teddy, standing up. He looked at Kai and Gilbert. “If two of us can fit on the bicycle, a broom should be able to carry Professor Sinistra and one of us.”

“Oh no,” said Sinistra. “I'm much too old for flying. There's a reason my broom has been gathering dust on a shelf.”

“We can't leave you behind.”

Sinistra smiled. “That's very gallant of you, Mr. Lupin, but I'm more worried about the three of you flying on your own.” She sighed. “I've survived one siege. If you three are out of danger, perhaps there is something I can do to help the others.”

The boys all looked at each other uncertainly.

“You were a Gryffindor, weren't you, Professor?” asked Teddy.

Sinistra drew herself up to her full height. “Slytherin, actually, Mr. Lupin.” She gave him a beady-eyed stare, at his look of surprise. “I thought entirely too much was made of houses when I was a student, and I still do. If you choose to define yourself by your house for the rest of your life, that's your affair.”

Teddy watched the old witch walk to her office, and return with a broom that looked like it probably hadn't been out of its closet since before he was born.

“Go, then,” said Professor Sinistra. “Be quick, and be careful. Get help, and don't come back.”

Teddy took her broom, and nodded. They climbed to the top of the Astronomy Tower, and looked around.

“You sure Guy charmed it right?” Teddy asked, watching Gilbert mount the bicycle.

“I saw him fly it in the Ravenclaw common room,” said Gilbert.

“This test flight will be a little higher up,” Kai said, looking over the edge of the tower.

“Right.” Gilbert did look a bit pale. He swallowed, and said, “Either of you want to ride with me?”

“Are you barmy?” Kai looked at Teddy, and grabbed the broom around the middle. The two of them took turns placing their fists one atop the other, going up the broom handle, until Teddy lost, grabbing empty air.

“Just as well,” Teddy said, as he got on behind Kai and held onto the smaller boy. “I want you to carry me around to Gryffindor Tower and let me off before you fly to Hogsmeade.”

“What?” Kai exclaimed.

“You heard me.” They both watched as Gilbert began pedaling around in a circle atop the tower, until the bicycle lifted off. Gilbert looked almost comical, then, floating in midair with the bicycle's wheels spinning against nothing, but the situation was much too serious to laugh.

“You're going to, what, try to rescue Violet? Are you insane?” Kai demanded. And then, without any sense of irony, immediately followed up with, “I'll come with you.”

Kai took off, pointing Sinistra's ancient, wobbly broom towards Gryffindor Tower, and Gilbert followed. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the bicycle dipped slightly, after floating past the parapets of the Astronomy Tower, and then remained aloft.

“You're not coming with me,” Teddy said. “You're right, it is insane. No point in both of us doing something this stupid. And you and Gilbert need to watch each other's backs.”

“Who's going to watch yours?” Kai demanded. “If you don't have a plan, then come with us to Hogsmeade. You know, just because you're a Gryffindor, you aren't obligated to rush into danger without any clue what you're going to do.”

“I do have a clue,” Teddy said. “In fact, I have a plan.”

“You do?” Kai was skeptical. Teddy pointed, steering Kai down three floors and halfway around Gryffindor Tower, until they reached Teddy's bedroom window.

“Absolutely. A brilliant one.” With a grimace, he kicked the window, until it shattered inwards. Carefully, he climbed off the broom and perched on the windowsill, trying not to look down, or cut himself on broken pieces of glass, and then he dropped inside. He waved to Kai. “Go!” he said. With one last, worried look, Kai took off, pointing his broom in the direction of Hogsmeade.

“Merlin's Beard!” exclaimed the old Irish wizard in the painting hanging above Edan's bed. “What in ruddy blazes are ye up to, boy?”

“Not sure yet,” Teddy said, opening the Marauder's Map again. He hadn't lied to Kai; he did have a plan. His plan was to figure out what to do, once he got to Gryffindor Tower.

“I should've known... you're just common thieves! Rotten little burglars!” said Alduin. “No wonder you get treated like vermin!”

“Alduin!” hissed Dewey.

He and Alduin, with Mercy and Sung-Hee, had been led to the Hufflepuff dorms. The goblins told Dewey to open the door to the common room for them, and he did. The implied threat if he didn't was clear enough; the goblins seemed to have identified Dewey as the leader, and thus were holding their blades against the girls' necks, while pointing crossbows at him.

The leader of their group of captors was a wiry and muscular goblin with a bald head, a long goatee, and a gold earring. Dewey thought his name was Bagrim. Bagrim wasn't one of the wand-wielding goblins, but he was carrying one of those Muggle firearms on his belt.

Inside Hufflepuff House, Bagrim and one other goblin remained in the common room, guarding the human children, while the others seemed to be ransacking the dorms. He gave Alduin a sour look, and replied calmly, “No, boy. Not thieves. We are only looking to take back what's rightfully ours.”

“What's that?” demanded Alduin.

Dewey wanted to tell Alduin to shut up, fearful he'd get them all killed, but Bagrim seemed amused at the other boy's defiance.

“Goblin gold. Goblin weapons. Jewelry, helms, all the things wizards take from goblins and never return. We don't want your coin; that's ours too, by right, but it at least circulates, and comes back to us eventually. Your other so-called valuables we'll leave.”

“What makes you think we have anything belonging to goblins?” Alduin glared balefully at Bagrim, who was a several inches shorter.

“We'll see. We'll see.”

They stood there for what seemed like quite a long time while the other goblins searched their rooms. Mercy and Sung-Hee were clinging to each other; the goblin behind them still had his sword out, though he wasn't poking them in the neck with it anymore. For a moment, the thought of resistance crossed Dewey's mind. There were four of them, and only two goblins in the room.

But the goblins were armed; the children didn't even have wands.

“Didn't you learn your lesson from Slipfang?” Dewey asked himself. His eyes went up to the portrait of his brother on the wall. Cedric smiled at him, blissfully unaware of the predicament his younger brother was now in. “What would Cedric have done?”

He didn't think Cedric would have risked the lives of his fellow Hufflepuffs by trying to be a hero. Not unless he was very certain he wouldn't get his friends killed.

“What are you going to do with us?” Mercy asked, in a trembling voice.

“You are hostages,” said Bagrim said. “Be glad. We need you alive to be useful.”

Mercy sniffled. Dewey looked at her, and tried to smile encouragingly.

The other goblins finished their search of the Hufflepuff dorms, and had collected a bracelet, a necklace, a few rings, and some sort of clockwork device.

“All goblin-made,” said Bagrim, gesturing at the items.

“We don't steal from goblins!” said Alduin. “All that was paid for!”

“Humans always say that.” Bagrim shrugged. “Generations ago, maybe some coin did change hands.” He gestured to the other goblins, and with their weapons, they prodded Dewey and Mercy and Sung-Hee forward.

“We don't like being called vermin, though,” said Bagrim. And he drew his pistol, and shot Alduin in the chest. The loud bang made all the Hufflepuffs jump, and Sung-Hee shrieked. Dewey felt the world spinning around and his stomach contracted sickeningly, as Alduin looked startled, took two steps backwards, and fell over.

“We don't need all of you,” said Bagrim.

Alduin lay on his back, staring sightlessly up at the ceiling, while a bloodstain spread across his chest.

Mercy let out a long wail.

“I don't like wailing females, either,” the goblin said.

Dewey immediately moved between the goblin and Mercy, and put his arms around her. “Shh!” he whispered. “Come on.” He began pulling her with him. “Please don't hurt anyone else,” he said quietly to Bagrim. “We'll be quiet.”

Mercy's shoulders were shaking. Sung-Hee also looked sick, and held onto Mercy's hand numbly.

“Nonononono,” Mercy mumbled. “He's dead! He's dead... oh no, oh no...”

“Shh.” Dewey's own eyes were filling with tears, but he kept Mercy moving forward. “It'll be all right,” he murmured. And with fierce conviction, he vowed, “I promise... no one else is going to get hurt.”

But he was all too aware, as the goblins led them back out into the dungeons, how powerless he was to keep that promise.

“This is really, really stupid,” Teddy thought.

He wasn't stupid. He knew this was exactly the sort of thing Harry had told him not to do.

He was also pretty sure that even twelve year-old Harry wouldn't have run to Hogsmeade and then waited there for the grown-ups to do something. He didn't think his father would have either.

I guess I'd better be lucky, Harry.

On the Marauder's Map, he saw four red dots and four green ones now at the base of Gryffindor Tower. The red dots were Colin Hayes, Alfred Cattermole, Edan Burns, and Judith Woodbury. The green dots were Orghawk, Klewscour, Ragnok the Younger, and Grimnail.

All eight dots then passed through the portal where the Fat Lady's portrait hung. The Gryffindors remained in the common room, with Klewscour and Ragnok, while Orghawk and Grimnail began going room to room.

“What are they doing?” he mumbled aloud.

“What are ye talkin' about, boy?” demanded the portrait.

He kept watching for several minutes, until he saw that Grimnail would soon reach his room. He looked at the wizard in the portrait.

“I need you to do me a favor.”

“What?” The old wizard stared at Teddy.

“A goblin is going to come in here in a few minutes, and I'm going to be hiding behind the door, and I need you to distract him.” Teddy began digging into the trunk at the foot of his bed.

The wizard stared at him. “Are ye mad, boy?”

“It's been suggested.” He stood up, holding the Beater's bat he'd brought with him when he first came to school. Unfortunately, it was only a junior-sized bat, one he'd played with since he was eight. He hoped it would be enough.

The wizard frowned. “Why would I help ye do such a daft thing?”

“Because Edan is downstairs with the other goblins, and I don't know what they intend to do with him, but I'm sure it's nothing good.”

The eyes of the old bearded wizard went wide, and then Edan's ancestor said, “Well, why didn't ye say so?” He looked at the short wooden club in Teddy's hand. “Ye mean to beat the goblin o'er the head like some common mugger? Are you a wizard or not?”

Teddy frowned. “My magic hasn't been working so well lately,” he mumbled.

“Then ye'd better not botch this, boy!”

Teddy waited until Grimnail was coming up the stairs, and then crouched behind where the door would open. For a moment, he actually felt his side twinge, where Slipfang had stabbed him. Was this brave, or suicidal? Probably both. What was he thinking?

The door opened. A goblin entered and immediately walked to the nearest trunk – Edan's, as it turned out – and smashed open the lock with an axe. Teddy's heart sank as he saw the goblin was wearing a helmet.

“Oi! What d'ye think ye're doing, you ugly little gnoll!” bellowed the wizard from his portrait frame.

The goblin looked up, and stared at the portrait.

“That's right, I'm talking to you! Get your filthy, grubby hands off me great-great-great-great grandson's belongin's, you disgusting creature!”

“I am not a gnoll,” the goblin growled, walking over to the wall where the portrait hung, and hefting his axe.

Teddy held his breath and lunged forward, forcing his chest to swell up and his arms to bulge with impossibly large muscles, like one of Kai's comic book “superheroes.” He swung the Beater's bat with all his might at the back of the goblin's head, and struck him with a resounding Klang! The blow didn't even dent the goblin's helmet – but Grimnail swayed, and then Teddy slammed the bat down on his head again. Another Klang! echoed loudly, out of the room and down the stairs, and then the goblin fell over.

Teddy exhaled as he shrank back to his normal size. That had hurt.

“Oh, well done!” exclaimed the wizard.

Teddy threw the bat aside, and picked up the goblin's axe. He wished desperately that he knew a Binding Charm or could at least conjure ropes. He turned the goblin over with his foot, studying Grimnail's face. He looked at the goblin, and at the axe, and considered for a moment, then shook his head. He pulled off the goblin's helmet, and put it on his own head. He pushed it forward to cover his face as much as possible. The wizard stared, as Teddy's features transformed until he looked like Grimnail.

“Wish me luck,” he said, and slipped out of the room.

He ran into Orghawk coming up the stairs as he was coming down. Orghawk spoke to him in the goblin tongue.

Teddy held his breath, and shrugged. Orghawk frowned, and jabbered something else in Gobbledegook. Teddy shook his head.

The other goblin stared at him, and then turned around, and Teddy brought the flat of the axe down on Orghawk's head – which fortunately was not helmeted. The other goblin crumpled and went tumbling down the stairs.

Grimacing, Teddy ran down after him. He leapt over Orghawk's unconscious form, and arrived at the bottom of the stairs, and strode into the common room. He saw the other two goblins staring at him. So were a very frightened-looking Colin, Alfred, Edan, and Judith.

“Are you two throwing things down the stairs?” demanded one of the goblins – either Klewscour or Ragnok the Younger. One was holding a wand, and the other was holding a spear at the ready. He could drive it through Edan with one quick motion.

“No. Orghawk's clumsy,” Teddy replied, grateful that they were speaking English.

“Have you finished searching their rooms?” demanded the goblin with the wand.

“No. I, um, need help. We found something heavy.”

The goblin with the spear frowned at him, and said something in Gobbledegook. The Gryffindors were just staring at him wide-eyed.

“Too heavy for two goblins. Might need three. Or four,” Teddy said.

The goblin with the wand scowled. “What? We can't leave these humans here!”

Teddy walked around Colin, towards the goblin holding a spear. “Why don't we make them carry it, then?” And as the spear-carrier stared at him, confused, he said, “Give me your spear. I'll take them up there.” He held out his hand, and without thinking about it, the other goblin started to hand him the spear. Teddy pulled it out of his hands. “You four, let's go!” he grunted at the other Gryffindors.

The goblin he'd disarmed immediately grabbed for the spear again, and began jabbering angrily in Gobbledegook.

“What do you think you're doing, dunghead?” demanded the goblin with the wand, narrowing his eyes. “Have you been eating mushrooms?”

“I'M TEDDY GET THE GOBLIN WITH THE WAND!” Teddy shouted, and swung the axe at the goblin who was wrestling with him for the spear, smacking him right in the face with the flat side of the axehead.

The other four kids were too startled to react immediately. The goblin with the wand stared, then pointed it at Teddy. “Borkk!” he growled. Electricity crackled, and Teddy was blasted off his feet and went reeling against the wall, and then he fell to the ground, twitching.

Some time later, he became aware of Colin, Edan, Alfred, and Judith all leaning over him.

“Are you guys all alive?” he wheezed. His mouth tasted like ozone.

“Yes,” said Colin breathlessly.

“Am I?”

“I reckon you wouldn't be asking that if you weren't, mate.”

“Am I all bloody and wounded again?” Every muscle in his body was sore, and he couldn't stop seeing stars.

The other Gryffindors looked at each other, and back at him, and shook their heads. “A little singed,” said Alfred.

Colin and Alfred helped Teddy to his feet. They had apparently succeeded in subduing the last goblin. Colin's left eye was almost swollen shut, Alfred's face and neck were covered with bruises, Judith's lip was torn and bleeding and she had what appeared to be a bite-mark on her arm, and Edan was limping, and clutching one hand, wincing in pain. They looked victorious, though.

“That was insane,” said Colin.

“It was brilliant!” said Edan.

“It was amazingly lucky,” said Judith.

“Yes,” Teddy agreed. He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. That could have gone very, very badly. He opened his eyes again.

“Tie them up,” he said. “The two upstairs too – one's in our room. Stuff gags in their mouths, make sure they can't move or do anything.”

As they moved to obey, Teddy took out the Marauder's Map. No more goblins were coming to Gryffindor Tower, but he saw that goblins were exiting the castle, while most students and staff were still in the Great Hall, still not going anywhere. Violet was in the Slytherin common room with Nagaeena and Stephen and several other goblins. He frowned when he saw Dewey, Mercy, and Sung-Hee suddenly disappear, as if there were a hole in the dungeons that wasn't on the map. Slipfang, Chloe, and Professor Llewellyn were in the Headmistress's office. What in Merlin's name was going on?

“Colin,” he asked. “What are the teachers doing?” And that's when he received a hurried explanation about what had happened in the Great Hall, and how most of Hogwarts was still down there, apparently in a magically-induced coma.

“What are we going to do now?” Alfred asked, after they'd finished tying up Klewscour and Ragnok. Edan and Judith were dealing with the other two.

Teddy frowned. “Goblins still all over the castle.” He looked at the other Gryffindors. “None of you can leave Gryffindor Tower, it's too dangerous.”

“What are you going to do?” demanded Colin.

Teddy sighed. He had only gotten this far on adrenalin, and not thinking too hard about what he was doing next.

“The house-elves,” he said. “In the kitchens. They're the only ones who can help us now. They can Apparate, get help...”

“The house-elves are in league with the goblins!” Colin said angrily. “I saw a couple in the Great Hall. They zapped Professor Llewellyn and Professor Slughorn, and Danny Boyle too!”

Teddy was dismayed. He looked on the map, and could not see house-elves anywhere on it. Come to think of it, he'd never seen any house-elves on the map.

“Do you think they've all turned against us?” asked Alfred.

“Dunno.” Teddy shook his head, trying to clear it. “It's not in their nature... not supposed to be, anyway.” He ached, he hurt, and he was afraid, for himself and his friends. “Slipfang must have turned them, somehow.”

The alternative was too horrible to consider. He tried to remember everything Aunt Hermione had ever told him about house-elves. He was sure she'd told him quite a lot; now he wished he'd been paying more attention. He did know she kept saying that wizards would be sorry one day, if they kept taking goblins and elves for granted. It seemed that day had arrived.