Saving Each Other

Chapter 8: Hope

Half an hour later Draco and Ginny were swimming through the lake again on their way to the underground cavern. Dumbledore was getting into the castle by way of one of the towers. He was going to take out as many Death Eaters as he could on his way down to the Great Hall, making sure to 'ignore' at least one so that Voldemort would know where he was and be forced to leave Professor McGonagall's office and the students and teachers wands. Luckily no one was in the cavern when Draco and Ginny got out of the lake so after a few drying and invisibility charms they were on their way.

They proceeded to Professor McGongall's office to wait until Dumbledore made his presence known in the Great Hall. Sure enough, ten minutes later a Death Eater approached the office at top speed and knocked on the door.

"Come," said Voldemort from inside office.

The Death Eater disappeared inside the office and barely ten seconds later, both the Death Eater and Voldemort burst out of the office and proceeded down the hallway towards the Great Hall. When they were sure that they had gone, Draco and Ginny cautiously opened the door and slipped inside. After several minutes of searching, they found the wands in a deep drawer in the cabinet.

Draco found two satchels then went over to the wands and muttered, "Accio teacher's wands!"

Then they proceeded to separate the students wands into boys and girls. Then they left the office exactly as it had been when they arrived and proceeded down to the dungeons. They went to where the teachers were being held first and Draco and Ginny both muttered, "Stupefy!" Both guards fell to the stone floor with soft thuds.

Draco unlocked the door and they both stepped inside. The invisibility charms wore off just after they had shut the door again. After numerous mutterings of, "Ennervate!" the teachers were back on their feet. Draco and Ginny distributed their wands to them and then all the teachers went to help Dumbledore in the Great Hall. Draco and Ginny were the last to leave the teachers dungeons.

"We need to split up now," Ginny said, looking deep into Draco's eyes as she said this, recalling his words about future trips to the castle. We're not splitting up unless we absolutely have to. . .

Draco looked back into her chocolate brown eyes, conflict clearly visible to Ginny in his steel-gray eyes.

"Fine," he said after a seconds' thought. "You get the girls, I'll get the boys."

Ginny nodded, trying to squash the feeling of dread that she might never see him again. She started to walk away when he suddenly grabbed her arm, pulled her back to him, and kissed her with bruising force and passion. Ginny melted against him.

Draco pulled back, breathing harder than normal and said, "Be careful."

Ginny nodded and they both took off for the opposite ends of the corridors after two muttered, "Invisibilus!"

Twenty minutes later, with the help from already recovered students and their wands, the boys left their dungeon and the girls left theirs, meeting up in the center of the dungeon corridor.

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, sobbing as she fell into his arms. Ron was close to tears himself so relieved was he to see that his girlfriend had survived Voldemort's violent take over of the castle. He held her tightly and kissed the crown of her head.

Ginny observed this with a smile on her face. She shook her head and focused back on the task at hand. Ginny went over to Harry, Hermione and her brother to tell them about the next, and most crucial stage of the plan.

"Ginny!" Harry exclaimed, noticing her before Hermione and Ron. "Where have you been? Hermione said that you weren't captured with the rest of them."

Ginny waved away his questions impatiently and said, "We need to gather about ten other students so we can bring down the Environment Charm around the castle grounds."

"There's an Environment Charm around Hogwarts!" said Hermione, finally joining the conversation. "That's a very difficult charm to break. It takes about a minute of concentrated effort."

"I know," said Ginny. "Let's pick people and go! The rest of them are going to help in the battle up in the Great Hall."

"Ok," said Harry, scanning the crowd. "Let's get going."

            *****

The small contingent of Hogwarts students stood before the gates leading to the outside world staring, seemingly trying to see the invisible barrier that held them prisoner.

"Ok," said Hermione, not sounding like her usual confident self at all. "We have to say, Finite Incantatum, then concentrate as hard as you can on the barrier and try to break it down."

They all gave her quizzical looks at these somewhat strange directions but readied their wands just the same.

"On the count of three," said Ginny to the others.

They all nodded and tightened their grips on their wands.

"One . . . Two . . . THREE," said Ginny.

"Finite Incantatum!" yelled fourteen voices in unison.

Ginny was struck by a strange sensation. It was as though the barrier in front of her was suddenly tangible. Remembering Hermione's instructions, Ginny focused on tearing down the barrier with her mind. She could tell that the others were concentrating as well because the barrier was starting to writhe and flex as though under great pressure.

We're doing it! Ginny thought excitedly.

Then the barrier stiffened and seemed to reinforce itself somehow. Ginny was ready to cry out in despair when it suddenly shattered in her mind's eye. She ducked reflexively, but of course there wasn't really anything flying at her. She opened her eyes, not realizing until right then that she had shut them tightly.

She looked around at the others around her. They were also opening their eyes and staring at the gate that led to the outside world. It was Ginny that finally broke the silence.

"I guess we should see if it worked," she said, trying not to sound nervous.

Harry and Ron both stepped forward at the same time. They both went right up to the gate, then nodded at each other and stepped across at the same time. They were standing outside the grounds!

"We did it!" said Hermione excitedly. She rushed to join Harry and Ron on the other side.

"We need to get word to the Aurors," Ginny reminded them. "I'll fly into Hogsmede. It'll be faster than walking."

Harry looked at Ginny curiously and asked, "How are you going to fly there? You don't have a broomstick with you and it'll take too long to summon one from the castle."

Ginny grinned at him and said, "Then I'll just have to summon a broom that isn't in the castle. Accio Draco's broom!"

She was only had to wait a minute for the broomstick to come zooming into her hand.

"I'll go with you," said Harry climbing on the broomstick behind her.

Then they were off, hurtling through the air towards Hogsmede.