The Dark Gryffindor

Please review! There are exactly four chapters left plus the Epilogue! However, I will continue to improve upon the story after I’m done. Just four chapters, including the one I’ve finished here. I can't wait to finish this, but I'm sure many of you don't want me to finish.


Chapter Forty-nine: The Midnight Hour


It did not take long after midnight for Voldemort to break through Hogwart’s defences, having had plenty of time to prepare beforehand.

After the giant clock clanged the midnight hour, there was a melee of screams. Hundreds of spells slashed the air, but none of the students were on the grounds.

Ranks of Snatchers were going over the drawbridge. They had no thoughts for the impossibility of breaking through the door.

Voldemort, Snape and Valerie drifted above the scene, flying. The rest of the Death Eaters were held back to wait and the other forces had not been utilised as of yet.

Watching down below they could see that the Snatcher’s magic was meaningless. For nobody was on the grounds to fight. The Order was above on the towers, and of course this was where Voldemort was heading.

Valerie caught a glimpse of him from the sidelines. He looked eager; the red eyes blazing as always like a conflagration. The Dark Lord’s black clad arms were stretched out with his veined hands poking forth with two wands. He had both at work, spinning them in his hands and muttering complex incantations. And yet the most powerful sorcerer ever couldn’t find a weak spot to get inside. Hogwarts was proving to be a bastion of strength, one even he could not penetrate.

Valerie screamed and instinctively went towards Snape, luckily Voldemort had not noticed this, as he was distracted too. There was an enormous explosion from down below.

They looked down from their tremendous height. The Snatchers who had been crossing the drawbridge had plummeted into the Black Lake below!

Into the darkness the men fell, screaming; yet still they believed they would somehow, miraculously be saved. Yet Voldemort did nothing of the sort. His eyes spotted shadowy dots hovering on Gryffindor tower, and surmised that it was they who had caused the bridge to break in two.

Hundreds of screams rent the air, it was agonizing to listen to the men and women drown. Snape looked to Voldemort, his eyes questioning the lack of action.

“Merlin help us! Please!” “Oh, no!” “What is that thing coming?!” “Arrgh!” “This is a hideous disaster.”

More and more yelling and screams. The army of Inferi slid through the waters like sea-snakes and with cold, freezing hands they dragged the Snatchers under.

“What will happen to them?” said Valerie blankly, but nobody in the confusion and terror heard her.

Voldemort finally looked to Snape, as they lingered over the disaster far below their feet.

“No matter. My Inferi shall make more out of them. They are no loss to me.”

Coldly and without any remorse, Valerie watched Lord Voldemort leave his men to die and soon after, become animated corpses. She was struck by how little he cared.

Voldemort went back to his spell work, as he drew closer to the tower, a tower he could not penetrate physically. He knew by the ancient laws of magic he would not be able to physically enter the tower until he’d broken the enchantments.

The entire foundation of the castle shuddered. It was all by means of Voldemort’s magic. It was only a matter of time before the school was open for his army.

Spell lights suddenly dazzled Valerie’s vision, she could barely see in front of her. There was so many curses coming towards her, she barely made it in time to swoop beneath them.

Snape came to her, almost begging, “Valerie, climb on one of the Thestrals!”

“Why? – I don’t need one!”

“You are not familiar with combat. You are under stressful conditions and won’t be able to fly. Now go to the thestrals and mount one –“ Of course, in any other circumstance Snape would never want the woman he loved to be fighting at all, but he knew Voldemort expected her to.

Valerie went to the roofs and jumped with agility on one of the creature’s bony backsides. At once it swooped in the air. She held on tightly, steering the creature by its fleshy mane.

She gained her bearing, and was flying towards Gryffindor tower, and into an onslaught of spells. Her wand out, she thought of as many jinxes as she could.

Yet she would avoid the Killing Curse, as she did not really want to kill them. She was not really on Voldemort’s side of course.

She got around the tower, by simply dodging spells. The thestral seemed to know whenever a Killing Curse was coming her way, and she always missed it by but inches. Valerie’s body filled with sweat, and she shivered as if she could feel death’s cold hand on her shoulder. Yet strangely, this sensation was thrilling.

Adrenaline soaring, whilst on the Thestral, she caught up to the Headmaster and the Dark Lord.

Right in plain sight, Mcgonagall was on the tower, and flanking her was Neville and Seamus. They all spotted her; Mcgonagall was at a loss of words.

But Seamus certainly was not. “Traitor! You were in the D.A. and you’ve committed treason against us! Avada Kedavra!”

The thestral veered to the right, just getting out of the way and the green light went off into the distance. Valerie felt deep shame and sadness that she might very well go down tonight, with everybody thinking she was a traitor.

Several people fell to their deaths from Killing Curses and Valerie watched them fall, hanging back from the fight. It was all Voldemort and Snape’s doing, as unfortunately Snape had to act on that side now and kill with his master.

The three of them fought in the skies surrounding Ravenclaw tower next, taking down many of Professor Flitwick’s students. But there was no way to get to all of them, as they retreated, realizing they were sitting ducks. And finally, at the Astronomy tower, commanded by Sprout, many also fell to their death.

Valerie watched the bodies’ land in the courtyard down below. It was sickening and she felt so sorry to see so many lose their lives. She suddenly thought of her mother -–she had been a completely unarmed and defenseless victim.

And Valerie suddenly knew what she would do tonight. She'd do everything in her power to avenge her mother’s death – as soon as she could get away from Voldemort.

With her sleeve she brushed away a singular, glistening tear. Voldemort could not see it, too busy killing all enemies who could not escape in time.

Finally it was over, Voldemort having slain all he wanted to at the moment. His goal was to give them a chance, as originally he had not wanted magical blood spilt. He wished to see what would happen after they realized they were losing. He expected surrender to be imminent, which is what he preferred.

“Severus, cast the Dark Mark. Do it now.”

Snape instantly poised his wand for the star-filled sky. “Morsmordre!”

Bursting forth in a bestial roar, a great skull and snake emerged, dominating the sky’s landscape. The Dark Mark smiled down upon Hogwarts, teeth like daggers.

Valerie, safe on her thestral floated over a now silent and subdued Hogwarts. It was a dead silence, precipatant of the inevitable sorrow. More tears fell down her face, to see the grounds strewn with lifeless bodies.

Another moment passed, and suddenly the whole castle shook, gripped by a series of intense enchantments. Voldemort had finally broken the wards and could enter freely if he wanted.

He went back to his Death Eaters and remaining Snatchers and told them his final instructions. He knew it would take them time to all get there, as they’d be met by the forces ready to fight in the castle.

Snape comprehended it too and said, “Unless they offer to surrender, the battle will continue, My Lord.”

“Yes. Let Potter’s friends die for him. He will soon learn the errors of his ways. Foolish boy.”




NOTE: There are more scenes coming before the end. Unfortunately, I am going to be busy this week, so I probably won’t be able to write them. I was very satisfied with the last scene, but unfortunately I do not think I did a justice to this chapter. Once, again please review. I will respond to any questions or comments you have personally. And the next chapter will have exciting confrontations between the characters.