The Final Battle

The Plan

Somewhere in the English countryside an old, ruined castle stands on a hill. In seems inaccessible. The side that is not flanked by forest is guarded by an enormous lake. The castle itself was once as impenetrable as its grounds. Thick stone walls protected its inner rooms from the outside. Now the castle is little but rubble, swarming with hunting Death Eaters, and the only part left that has not been destroyed is the dungeons. It is there that those left wait for their leaders to think of a plan...

An indignant Professor Flitwick stood. "It's hopeless. There are only about two hundred of us left, and that's mainly students. Voldemort's army is as big as it ever was, and they won't stop until they kill us all. For every Death Eater we take down, two more take his place!"

"We have to try," replied McGonagall. "If we can keep them here until reinforcements come we might save a lot of lives."

"And put a lot of student's lives in danger in the process. Where do you think our precious help will come from? The entire wizarding world is in chaos!" This came from Snape. "Its more likely that all that will come are more Death Eaters. We'll all be killed."

A younger voice spoke. "I would rather go down fighting that stay down here like a pack of drowning rats waiting to be found"

The speaker was Neville. The unofficial council that had formed had more students in it than teachers. It had been necessary to have students fill places due to the fact that only seven adults had survived the attack on the castle. Harry Potter was there, of course, and so were Ron and Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy, Luna Lovegood, Cho Chang and a Hufflepuff named Maria Pearl. Every survivor had at least one person they knew and trusted among the council. However, someone was missing. Everyone felt the absence of the intelligent Hermione. She had gone missing in the battle the day before, yet they knew she was not dead. They knew in their hearts she was still alive.

"I agree with Neville," came Lupin's weary yet determined voice. "We have been waiting and hiding for two and a half years. The time has come to end it. I say we attack with all we have left."

Finally, Professor Dumbledore spoke. "I think what we need is a strategy. We cannot possibly hope to survive using only force. We are out numbered, out weaponed and out maneuvered. But we are not out classed. We can come back from this if we use our heads."

For a while there was silence, and then Draco Malfoy said quietly, "I have an idea."

Everyone turned to face him. Even Ron, who blamed him for Hermione's disappearance

"I think we can do it, but it will mean a lot of work. Everyone has to be committed. And we all have to trust each other."

"Get on with it!" snapped Ron.

Draco took a deep breath. He seemed unsure of himself, completely unlike a Malfoy, and yet everyone could see that underneath the wheels were going a mile a minute.

"I remember my father once telling me that a Death Eater's true power came from the fact that his enemies didn't know who he was. When you have a mask on, you're no longer a person. You don't have weaknesses. You don't have emotions. You don't have a life. You are just extensions of Voldemort. In a way, you are Voldemort, because everything you know, he would know too. You are his hands, his eyes, and his voice. I thought we could use ... a similar method"

"Are we going to run around with masks on?" asked Luna.

"In a way we are. Sort of. Who among us does Voldemort's fear the most?"

Harry looked at Dumbledore, but to his surprise he found the blue eyes staring straight back at him. He glanced around the table. All eyes where on him. Including Draco's. Horrible realization dawned.

"You mean me?"

Draco nodded. "Potter, when was the last time you had a hair cut?"

When Hogwarts is destroyed and its ruins overrun by dark wizards, the survivors hide in all that is left of the school, its vast dungeons. But they cannot stay there forever. What possible plan can they conceive to give themselves hope to live. For themselves there is little hope, but one last attack might mean the end of Voldemort, so they must try. They must try...