I SAT WITH THE OTHER RAVENCLAWS.
Most of us were still in our pajamas, but a select few had gotten dressed. Many of us were confused; I was one of them. There was no possible way that He Who Must Not Be Named could ever attack the castle. The professors were smart—they had lots of enchantments and charms to protect us from harm. I’d bet they had loads. So how could this have happened? Maybe they were wrong. Maybe there wasn’t going to be an attack.
I turned my head to look at all of the other students in the Great Hall. They, too, were confused and scared. Meanwhile, in the front of the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall was addressing us.
“…evacuation will be overseen by Mr. Filch…” she continued. Evacuation? I turned towards Holly, one of my friends, and saw that tears were forming in her eyes. I mouthed to her to see if she was okay, and she nodded.
An older boy sitting at the Hufflepuff table stood and asked a question, but I ignored him. I was too busy thinking about what all of this meant.
More students asked questions as well, but I tuned them out. If You-Know-Who really was planning an attack, than that would mean the school could be destroyed. My first thought was that I had to get out of there. I was petrified. What if the horrible Death Eaters killed us all? What if He Who Must Not Be Named himself—
My thoughts were interrupted by a voice that seemed to have come from the castle itself. It was a loud voice that echoed off the tables. It was a high, clear voice that sent shrills down my back.
“I know that you are preparing to fight…” Holly screamed in terror, and so did a few others throughout the room. I looked up quickly, suddenly as alert as I had ever been in my whole life.
I sat there, terrified to move as the voice continued.
“Your efforts are futile; you cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood. Give me Harry Potter,” said the voice, “and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight.”
It was him.
Panic rushed through my veins, and suddenly I found myself looking at everyone around me, their terrified reactions…
And then, I saw that everyone seemed to focus their eyes on something. I turned and saw what looked to be like a seventh year, with black untidy hair and round glasses.
Although his hair covered his forehead, I knew immediately who the boy was.
“He’s there!” screeched a girl from the Slytherin table. She rose and pointed her finger at Harry Potter. “Potter’s there! Someone, grab him!”
At once, everyone at the Gryffindor table rose, as if guarding Potter. The same happened with the Hufflepuffs, and soon everyone around me stood, and so did I.
“Thank you, Miss Parkinson,” said Professor McGonagall, addressing the girl from Slytherin. “You will leave the Hall first with Mr. Filch; if the rest of your House could follow, please.”
All of the Slytherins stood without hesitation and rushed out of the Great Hall, whispering amongst themselves.
“Ravenclaws, follow on!” shouted Professor McGonagall. Holly and I stood, along with the rest of my House. I pushed the bench I was sitting on out of the way and followed the rest of the House with Holly at my side.
Holly appeared next to me, and as we walked, I noticed how pretty she was. Her hair was brown and wavy, and her face was flawless. I felt her hand slip into mine. I looked at her, and smiled. “We’ll be fine,” I told her as we walked, hand in hand. She squeezed my hand, and nodded.
As we left the Great Hall, something caught my eye. I noticed that the Gryffindors were dismissed, but half of them still sat at the long tables. They sat there, brave and scared at what was about to happen. Half of them were underage.
“Holly, what are they doing? Some of them are our age and they still want to fight!” Holly shrugged; she was too concerned about getting out of the castle.
I continued to walk with the Ravenclaws, but something was telling me to join the battle…and to be brave.
I slipped my hand out of Holly’s, who turned to see what I was doing. “I have to fight,” I told her. I turned around and got out of the line, but only to hear Holly shout my name.
“Owen! Stop, please wait!” Holly’s voice was right behind me again.
“I’m sorry, Holly. Something is telling me to go out there and be brave!” I turned around and saw that Holly was crying again.
“You are underage—you can’t fight! McGonagall’s orders, remember?”
“I don’t care. I’ve always been afraid, Holly, and I want to overcome that. Plus, I want to help—”
There was a sudden, deafening boom that seemed to vibrate the air. Holly screamed and cupped her hands and pulled them over her ear.
“I’m sorry, Holly. I have to go.” I ran away from the crying Holly, towards the Great Hall.
The select students that chose to fight were scrambling about the Great Hall as another giant boom rang throughout the castle. The sound of glass shattering was heard in the distance, and I realized what had happened. A corridor was demolished.
I didn’t know what to do. I pulled out my wand from the inside of my pocket and ran out of the Great Hall and into the corridors of the school.
In the back of my mind, I wondered if I shouldn’t have stayed behind. Perhaps I should’ve swallowed my pride for my own safety, and evacuated the castle with the rest of the students that were underage.
But I didn’t; that was all that mattered. As Hogwarts was beginning to fight, I rejoined the group in the Great Hall.
The teachers had pushed the four House tables to the sides, and were beginning to treat wounded students and teachers. Then, I noticed more people arriving at the entrance of the Great Hall.
Outside forces, other than the staff and students, were arriving to help. They were mostly adults, and I almost smiled to see that there were other wizards that were trying to help.
More and more thunderous booms rang in my ears. I stood against a wall in the Great Hall, and another bang sounded, this time louder than the other ones.
Then, I heard screaming. The screams echoed off the walls and were loud, as if the person was being tortured. I didn’t understand what was happening; I didn’t see any Death Eaters, or anyone dueling. But the battle had hardly begun.