Until Death do us Apart - Part 6

Additional wards had been placed in preparation for this wedding, and while they kept the Death Eaters outside the perimeter, they had no effect on Dementors.

Harry could already hear his mother's distant screaming in his head as he strode outside the tent.

"Anyone who can cast a Patronus, do it now," he bellowed. "We've got Dementors coming from that direction," he said, raising his wand towards the other side of the meadow. "Expecto Patronum."

Prongs leapt from his wand and charged toward the tree line. Immediately, he could see several other Patronuses following in that direction, as well. Ginny's tiger erupted from her wand a moment later.

"Are you certain, Harry?" Kingsley Shacklebolt asked, trying to herd some of the screaming guests away from the tent and back to the Apparition point. In their panic, some of the guests were running right toward the Dementors.

"I'm certain," Harry replied grimly.

"How do you know? I don't see any of them." Kingsley said.

"Trust him," Ginny replied, looking pale and strained. "He's right. I can hear it now, too."

Sirius's voice entered Harry's mind, growing clearer by the second.

"There," he said, pointing at a spot in the trees. Several of the hooded, black-cloaked figures were emerging onto the meadow, and their numbers appeared to be growing at an alarming rate.

Harry cast another Patronus and shouted at Mrs. Weasley, who had just emerged from the tent, her face a mixture of fear and rage. "Mrs. Weasley, get anyone who can't cast a Patronus back to the Apparition point and get them out of here. Arrange some Portkeys to go to headquarters for anyone who can't Apparate. Who is the new Secret Keeper?"

"Minerva," Mrs. Weasley said. She appeared slightly stunned, and Harry's heart lurched in sympathy. She'd worked so hard for this wedding.

"But, Harry, we can't send them there; it's supposed to be secret," she said nervously.

"As long as it's under the Fidelius Charm no one can tell its location, anyway. Besides, it's my house, and I like the idea of it being used as a place to house refugees," Harry said, directing Prongs towards another Dementor.

"But --"

"Mrs. Weasley, there's no time. We have to get everyone out of here." Harry suspected that Mrs. Weasley's arguments had more to do with whoever the Order was hiding at Grimmauld Place, rather than a concern for headquarters. In normal circumstances, she most likely would have demanded the evacuees be sent there.

"You're right; I'm on it. Ginny, you come with me," Mrs. Weasley said, squaring her shoulders.

"No, Mum," Ginny said. Her voice trembled slightly, but her eyes were firm.

"Ginny, this is no time to argue," Mrs. Weasley said, grabbing her daughter by the arm.

Ginny pulled away from her grasp. "Exactly. I can cast a Patronus, Mum. I'm needed here."

Mrs. Weasley's resolve wavered. She looked indecisive for a moment before a Dementor appeared directly beside her.

"Expecto Patronum," Ginny bellowed, and her tiger mowed down her mother's attacker. "Go now, Mum."

Mrs. Weasley looked one more time at Ginny and Harry with despairing eyes before turning and hurrying toward the house.

A loud, clanging sound filled the night air, reverberating across the open meadow.

"What was that?" Harry shouted, glancing around wildly.

"I think it's the wards coming down," Ginny replied grimly.

"Great. Have they started clearing any of those people out yet?" Harry shouted over the noise of the battle now taking place.