It Begins

Harry and the gang had successfully retrieved the diadem which was actually in the Room of Requirement where Harry last hid the Halfblood Prince's book. However, like all other fantasy stories, their quest was met with obstacles: Draco Malfoy, Gregory Goyle, and Vincent Crabbe.

The three Slytherins followed the group into the room and challenged them to give up the diadem. There was a wand battle involved between the two groups. The duel was in favor of Harry's group as he managed to disarm Draco. Then out of nowhere, Goyle decided to cast Fiendfyre towards Ron who dodged the cursed fire where it landed on a bookshelf. Seeing as Fiendfyre was cursed and needed a powerful wizard or witch to be able to control it, suffice to say, the Room burst into flames. Goyle died as he was closest to the flames.

Harry and his friends managed to grab hold of three brooms and decided to save Malfoy and Crabbe- with much hesitation on Ron's part- with Harry riding with Malfoy, Ron riding with Crabbe, and the two girls riding together with Hermione steering it. Despite the hazardous circumstances and the panic they all felt coursing through their veins, Hermione had the presence of mind to throw the diadem she had just placed in her beaded bag into the flames and there was a fiery explosion. Voldemort's face appeared from the charred remains of the diadem and screamed.

They all tumbled out of the Room of Requirement and they immediately shut the doors as the Fiendfyre was approaching them. Suddenly, Harry's knees buckled, sending him kneeling on the ground, clutching his scar. The pain was unbearable. "Harry!" Hermione called, kneeling next to him and wrapping her arms around his shaking form. "What's wrong?"

Malfoy and Crabbe looked on at the troubling scene, not sure what of what to make of it. Ron and Luna bound them and took Crabbe's wand. Although they remembered what Malfoy had done for them back at the mansion, they were still unsure of his motives and have no idea what to do with him, especially since he challenged them for the diadem.

Harry raised his head and looked at Hermione. "I know where they are," he stated shakily. Hermione looked at Ron and Luna and nodded at them and they nodded as well in understanding.

"What are we going to do with these two?" Ron gestured towards the two Slytherins. As reply, Harry stunned Crabbe who slumped forward and landed on the floor on face first. They heard a resounding crack as his nose broke from the fall. He then released Malfoy from the ropes and gave him back his wand. Ron, Luna, and Hermione looked on in shock and worry.

"Thanks, Potter," Malfoy grumbled.

Harry nodded. "What are you going to do from here?"

Malfoy shrugged in response. "No idea. I may have betrayed the Dark Lord twice but that doesn't make us buddy-buddy, Potter. I suppose I'll stay out of the way for the remainder of the battle and search for my parents."

"That's good enough, I guess. And... thank you for what you did in the mansion. For what it's worth, after this, we'll vouch for you to the Ministry."

Malfoy grunted in response and walked away from them, disappearing as he turned to a corner. As soon as they couldn't see him anymore, Ron shook his head at his best friend. "There's never a dull moment with you, huh, Harry?"

Hermione giggled, wrapping an arm around Harry. "Of course. Otherwise, life would be pretty boring."

Harry grinned at her and kissed her forehead. "Come on. They're at the boathouse." They began walking off towards said place.

"By 'them', you mean-?" Luna trailed off.

"Tom, Nagini, and Snape."

"What did you see when your scar hurt, Harry?" Hermione queried.

"At first, Lucius was there with him. He was pretty mad his new wand wasn't working for him and he sent for Snape."

Ron gasped. "You don't mean..."

Luna grimaced at the thought. "He has the Elder Wand."

"He suspects it wasn't working for him since it was Snape who killed Dumbledore, who was the last wielder of the wand, and Snape is the real master of the wand," Hermione deduced.

...

As soon as the four exited the Great Hall, Minerva McGonagall turned to address the students. She understood that war was upon them at this moment. "Fourth years, please evacuate the first to third years. Take them to my office and use the Floo network there to send them to..."

"The Burrow!" Ginny interjected. "Mum and Dad will know what to do with them."

Minerva nodded towards her in gratitude. "Fourth years, you heard her! Get to it!" As the fourth years did as they were instructed, she turned to the remaining students in the hall. "All fifth year Prefects, please escort the Slytherins to their dormitory and keep them there."

Pansy Parkinson gasped in outrage. "You can't do that, you old bat!" She was silenced as every wand, bar the Slytherins, turned towards her.

Minerva regarded her coldly. "It's just a precaution, Miss Parkinson. I know very well not all of you are Death Nibblers so... Slytherins fourth year and above who would like to join the battle against the Death Eaters, step forward now or all of you will be held in the dungeons."

Silence reigned over the hall for a moment before Blaise Zabini stepped forward. "I would like to lend my wand to aid Hogwarts in defense against the Dark Lord. Becoming neutral in this war may not be such a good idea after all."

Pansy raised her wand towards him but she was disarmed immediately. "Traitor!" she screamed.

To her surprise and fury, Daphne and Astoria Greengrass and Tracy Davies also stepped forward, pledging allegiance to the Transfiguration professor. Some Slytherins did the same and now, roughly fifteen of them agreed to battle the Dark Lord's forces. With this, the fifth year Prefects then sent the remainder of the house of Slytherin towards the dungeons without much protest as they realized they were outnumbered.

"Students who do not wish to participate in the battle, aid the fifth year Prefects in containing the Slytherins in the dungeons." Roughly one-third of the remaining student population headed down towards the dungeons.

Neville then approached Minerva along with other students. "Professor, Dumbledore's Army would like to lend a hand. We have been trained by Harry two years ago for this very moment and we would like to know of what we can do to be of assistance."

Minerva smiled towards them. She was faced by more or less thirty fearless students who were willing to lay down their life in defiance to the Dark Lord who sought to take over their world and destroy everything they love. She couldn't help but be proud of only not them but the four students who exited the Great Hall a few moments ago as they actively participated in the war they weren't supposed to be in.

"Alright, Mr. Longbottom. I would like you to aid the professors in fortifying the castle. I am going to call the Aurors then we continue on from there. You can split up into groups to cover more ground then wait for Aurors. As Mr. Potter has trained you, I assume all of you can conjure Patroni?"

The students nodded.

"Good. Send for one when you are in position then wait for further commands. You may also split up the remaining student population to aid you in your endeavors. Good luck to you all and remember-"

"Constant vigilance!" The DA continued.