Chapter 19: Chapter 19: December 24
Most of the students decided to stay back at the school for Christmas holidays. The reason for their stay surprised Dumbledore. They stayed to practice for the war.
Larry was duelling with Hella Lockwood. Severus watched Larry lost the duel with Hella Lockwood.
"Got energy for one more duel" Hella rolled up her sleeves.
"You sucked out my energy, Hella" Larry rolled her eyes.
"You're a damn loser, Larry" Hella voice hardened.
"Such an attitude itself a key for losing. Let me see how much energy you got" Severus walked between Hella and Larry.
Before Hella spell anything, Severus was already having her wand.
"Hahha… you lost Hella" Larry showed her palms to high-five with Severus but he refused.
Hella snatched her wand from Severus and glared at Larry.
"You're still a loser Larry. Maybe next time you won't have Snape to save you" Hella said before leaving.
"Do I need more practice?" Larry worried.
"No. For a first year girl, you've lot knowledge than you think. But yes, to participate in a war you need more practice" Severus said avoiding eye contact with her.
"Then what about these students? Will they survive the war? This is wrong Severus. They don't deserve this. Hogwarts is supposed to protect them not forcing them into the war and making their lives miserable" Larry watched Severus' expression.
But no change in his expression.
"We gave a choice, Larry" Severus glanced at her.
"Yes. Eeryone will choose to fight for many reasons. But why giving them a choice in the first place"
"Do you think they will be safe if they don't fight? Do you think Voldemort will leave them unharmed if they stayed back in Hogwarts or at their home?"
"You're not getting what I'm trying to say, Severus"
"I understand Larry. I assure you that they will be safe. I promise" Severus' hardened face showed some "Trust-me" look.
"I want to promise you something. The promise you always wanted from my mom but she never did"
Severus looked her confusingly.
"I promise you that I'll never leave you" Larry held his hands and continued.
"This is forever. Even if you left me, I'll find you and I'll be with you. I'll be there to annoy you, to fight with you, to torment you"
"I believe that is not the promise I was expecting from Lily" Severus' smiled for a second.
"Of course not" Larry grinned.
"You know what people always love the rarest things like diamond. For me, your smile is diamond. I always love that smile that appears for a seconds. Sometimes I try some horrible jokes to see you smiling but ends up in getting a horrible anger look from you" Larry smiled to herself.
"Do you know one more thing, People love the rarest thing that they can never have, like the poor fellow aims for a diamond" Severus indulged in deep thoughts.
"We did a mistake by going there" Severus told after sometime.
Larry revisited the scene in her mind.
"Wa… Wait… Severus!!! When did you went to his house? I mean the date?" her voice sounded like she found something.
-Dumbledore's office-
A black owl dropped the letter in Dumbledore's desk, it shoot up as soon as dropped the letter.
He was reading the letter when Larry got there with Severus.
"Professor" Larry gasped.
"The war is tomorrow" Larry and Dumbledore told in unison.
Dumbledore hurried to the corner of the castle grounds where no one usually goes. He waved his wand and two aeroplanes were there. The practising saw them with opened jaws.
"Augila" Hagrid came running.
"What's Augila?" Harry asked Hagrid.
"That's Augila kiddo. It can fly. It'll take people with in there"
"Like a large broomstick?" Ron asked.
"Like an Aeroplane?" Larry wondered.
"Kind of both. Augila comes from the Spanish word meaning Eagle. It is fast as eagle and it could carry lot of people. It was discovered by a Spanish witch Alicia Miguel. It have the feature combination of both muggle world's aeroplane and magic world's broomstick" Hermoine defined.
"Oh Moine. How can you be so intelligent?" Larry rolled her eyes.
"Oh Ary. How can you be so annoying?" Hermoine shrugged.
"We'll be leaving today. Be ready. I'm telling you again, it's a life and death matter. If you want, you can stay back and go to your home" Dumbledore told and left to his office.
"He's upset" Larry told Severus.
"Yeah. How could he not be?" Harry asked.
"Everyone is upset" Hella murmured.
Some of them decided to travel with broomsticks. They glanced at Hogwarts before leaving. Their minds filled with the question will they come back here alive.
"The school is enchanted, Larry" Hermoine hissed.
"Of course, it is" Larry replied indulged in thoughts.
"It's a mass suicide" Ron blurted.
"Of course, it is" Larry replied.
"Like we have a choice!!!" Hella told them from behind.
"Yeah. She is correct. We don't have choice" Cho Chang, Harry's potions' partner told.
"But there need to be some way. Like talking piece or fight between adults or negotiating or" Larry could not breath.
"Are you okay?" Harry asked her.
"No. No. I don't want the students to participate in the fight. What if something happened to them?" Larry asked with tears rolling down her cheeks.
"No. They won't. Nothing will happen to them. We'll protect them" Severus who was leading the group said.
"If you are protecting the kids, then who will fight with the enemy" Larry shouted.
"Students will fight" Severus grimaced.
"Everything will be okay" Moine convinced her.
"With Dumbledore on our side, don't even think about losing" Madam Hooch sped off.
"Yeah. She is true" Moine smiled.
"Where is the Augilas? I couldn't see them" Ron checked in the clouds.
They reached the Godric's hollow. Augila that headed by Professor McGonagall arrived but the other one with Dumbledore didn't.
"They should have reached. They'll come" Professor McGonagall told and went to practise with students.
"I don't think they're late" Larry told.
"Don't worry too much. They'll join. That Augilas were not used for so many years. Maybe there will be trouble" Hagird patted Larry's shoulder.
Many black hooded figures approached. Everyone took out their wand.
"Students, Victory is ours" Professor McGonagall shouted and started to hit the hooded figures.
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