Fighting Panic
Title: Fighting Panic
Author: Bizarity
Rating: G
Prompt: Overwhelmed
Word Count: 800
Summary: Events of the final battle from Oliver Wood's point of view.
Warnings: Character death. Fighting.
Notes: I wrote this for my Seamus/Oliver relationship table. And for bergann to whom all my Seamus/Oliver fic is automatically dedicated.
Disclaimer: As well as the usual borrowing of JKR's characters, setting and plot this time I have also borrowed some of her words. The first line and the song both belong to her.
"You know what? I can manage him alone, Neville," said Oliver. He took the full weight of Colin Creevey's lifeless body into his arms and heaved him over his shoulder. Neville disappeared back outside to look for more bodies. Oliver carried Colin into the Great Hall. The enchanted ceiling was thick with red, green and silver ripples and Oliver's stomach rolled. He retched and Colin's extra weight threw him off balance. He landed on his knees on the floor, coughing until his throat burned. He forced himself to get up; there was no time to feel - he had to keep fighting. He walked past the rows of bodies, blind and numb until he reached a space. He knelt again, taking Colin into his arms before laying him down. He was so tiny he hardly looked real next to the bodies of fully-grown, fully-trained adults. Oliver reached out to straighten Colin's Gryffindor tie and felt cold skin against his fingers. He swallowed down more bile as he staggered to his feet and walked back the way he had come. When he reached the door he looked back; he couldn't tell which of the bodies was Colin.
Once outside again Oliver was blinded by the flashes of magic criss-crossing the black sky. The endless screaming tore at him from every angle as he breathed in charred air, crackling with magic. He could have collapsed from the weight of it all. He had no plan, was running off sheer panic, helpless. All he could do was try not to let the Death Eaters kill him. Selfish. He blinked, forcing his eyes to adjust. There was nothing around him, the fighting had moved away from the castle. He braced himself and walked towards the screaming, burning tumult of the battle.
He stopped walking when he saw a clump of people to his left. Two people standing side by side facing three others who were coming towards them. From here all five figures were identically black. One of the figures in the middle was sending whirlwind-strikes of magic in every direction. Oliver edged closer, fingers white-knuckled around his wand. As he moved a flash of magic exploded at the feet of one of the three advancing fighters. Oliver saw a white Death Eater mask glinting in the red light. Before Oliver had a chance to jump in and even up the numbers he caught sight of a fourth Death Eater approaching the people in the middle from their unprotected left side. Oliver continued to approach, watching the new arrival. Another blaze of magic silhouetted the figure and Oliver's Quidditch-trained eyes made out a drawn wand.
"Protego," Oliver screamed, pointing his wand at the space between the Death Eater and the two fighters. The Death Eater crashed into the rapidly expanding shield charm and staggered backwards.
"Expelliarmus!" Oliver saw the red bolt of magic hit the wizard and carry him backwards. He ran to join the group in the middle who had turned back to their attackers almost as if nothing had happened. As he approached he recognized Seamus Finnigan and Ernie Macmillan. He had to dodge a spell as Seamus whirled round to look at him.
"Thanks," said Seamus. Then he turned back to their enemies to continue throwing out spells at amazing speeds. One of them finally connected and a second Death Eater was sent flying.
"We've got them," cried Oliver. "Three of us and two of them." Oliver took a place next to Seamus and started aiming carefully chosen spells at selected intervals. Ernie continued to cast defensive spells while Seamus threw himself behind every hex he'd ever learned. Oliver hardly knew how it happened but finally the Death Eaters were gone. He, Seamus and Ernie were looking at each other, no longer sure what to do. Over the silence they heard a faint cry from nearer the castle.
"Dumbledore's Army!" Oliver thought he recognized the voice as Neville's.
"Dumbledore's Army!" shouted back Seamus and Ernie in unison. Then they were running. Flames broke out of nowhere; the earth was shaking beneath their feet and Oliver's eyes were drawn to a flash of silver. Neville was standing over the body of Voldemort's snake and they caught him up with them, half-carrying him into the castle. Hogwarts was full. People, noise, magic, light, confusion, emotion. Oliver slumped against a wall, overwhelmed and unable to hold any more information.
The next thing Oliver could absorb was Seamus grinning down at him. Slowly, the rest of his senses returned just in time for him to hear Peeves:
We did it, we bashed them, wee Potter's the One,
And Voldy's gone mouldy, so now let's have fun!
Oliver managed to find a smile somewhere inside him. He offered it to Seamus who grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him to his feet.
See my table for this series here.
Author: Bizarity
Rating: G
Prompt: Overwhelmed
Word Count: 800
Summary: Events of the final battle from Oliver Wood's point of view.
Warnings: Character death. Fighting.
Notes: I wrote this for my Seamus/Oliver relationship table. And for bergann to whom all my Seamus/Oliver fic is automatically dedicated.
Disclaimer: As well as the usual borrowing of JKR's characters, setting and plot this time I have also borrowed some of her words. The first line and the song both belong to her.
"You know what? I can manage him alone, Neville," said Oliver. He took the full weight of Colin Creevey's lifeless body into his arms and heaved him over his shoulder. Neville disappeared back outside to look for more bodies. Oliver carried Colin into the Great Hall. The enchanted ceiling was thick with red, green and silver ripples and Oliver's stomach rolled. He retched and Colin's extra weight threw him off balance. He landed on his knees on the floor, coughing until his throat burned. He forced himself to get up; there was no time to feel - he had to keep fighting. He walked past the rows of bodies, blind and numb until he reached a space. He knelt again, taking Colin into his arms before laying him down. He was so tiny he hardly looked real next to the bodies of fully-grown, fully-trained adults. Oliver reached out to straighten Colin's Gryffindor tie and felt cold skin against his fingers. He swallowed down more bile as he staggered to his feet and walked back the way he had come. When he reached the door he looked back; he couldn't tell which of the bodies was Colin.
Once outside again Oliver was blinded by the flashes of magic criss-crossing the black sky. The endless screaming tore at him from every angle as he breathed in charred air, crackling with magic. He could have collapsed from the weight of it all. He had no plan, was running off sheer panic, helpless. All he could do was try not to let the Death Eaters kill him. Selfish. He blinked, forcing his eyes to adjust. There was nothing around him, the fighting had moved away from the castle. He braced himself and walked towards the screaming, burning tumult of the battle.
He stopped walking when he saw a clump of people to his left. Two people standing side by side facing three others who were coming towards them. From here all five figures were identically black. One of the figures in the middle was sending whirlwind-strikes of magic in every direction. Oliver edged closer, fingers white-knuckled around his wand. As he moved a flash of magic exploded at the feet of one of the three advancing fighters. Oliver saw a white Death Eater mask glinting in the red light. Before Oliver had a chance to jump in and even up the numbers he caught sight of a fourth Death Eater approaching the people in the middle from their unprotected left side. Oliver continued to approach, watching the new arrival. Another blaze of magic silhouetted the figure and Oliver's Quidditch-trained eyes made out a drawn wand.
"Protego," Oliver screamed, pointing his wand at the space between the Death Eater and the two fighters. The Death Eater crashed into the rapidly expanding shield charm and staggered backwards.
"Expelliarmus!" Oliver saw the red bolt of magic hit the wizard and carry him backwards. He ran to join the group in the middle who had turned back to their attackers almost as if nothing had happened. As he approached he recognized Seamus Finnigan and Ernie Macmillan. He had to dodge a spell as Seamus whirled round to look at him.
"Thanks," said Seamus. Then he turned back to their enemies to continue throwing out spells at amazing speeds. One of them finally connected and a second Death Eater was sent flying.
"We've got them," cried Oliver. "Three of us and two of them." Oliver took a place next to Seamus and started aiming carefully chosen spells at selected intervals. Ernie continued to cast defensive spells while Seamus threw himself behind every hex he'd ever learned. Oliver hardly knew how it happened but finally the Death Eaters were gone. He, Seamus and Ernie were looking at each other, no longer sure what to do. Over the silence they heard a faint cry from nearer the castle.
"Dumbledore's Army!" Oliver thought he recognized the voice as Neville's.
"Dumbledore's Army!" shouted back Seamus and Ernie in unison. Then they were running. Flames broke out of nowhere; the earth was shaking beneath their feet and Oliver's eyes were drawn to a flash of silver. Neville was standing over the body of Voldemort's snake and they caught him up with them, half-carrying him into the castle. Hogwarts was full. People, noise, magic, light, confusion, emotion. Oliver slumped against a wall, overwhelmed and unable to hold any more information.
The next thing Oliver could absorb was Seamus grinning down at him. Slowly, the rest of his senses returned just in time for him to hear Peeves:
We did it, we bashed them, wee Potter's the One,
And Voldy's gone mouldy, so now let's have fun!
Oliver managed to find a smile somewhere inside him. He offered it to Seamus who grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him to his feet.
See my table for this series here.