fic: Courtyard Apocalypse (SuJu Crossover with the Potterverse)
Kim Heechul prizes certainty above all else in his life, mostly because it was because certainty is the only thing that is keeping him alive in the first place. With certainty, he knows his place and what isexpected of him. With certainty, he knows what must be done to please those of higher authority than him, keeping them in their ignorant bliss of thetreachery he has planned. With certainty, he knows that his father is a Death Eater and with that came the risk of him being offered to the Dark Lord as one of the neo generation of death mongers, harbinger of despair and torture. Kim Heechul remembers all of these events and he is grateful to what certainty of something has given him.
‘Give me Harry Potter,’ said Voldemort’s voice, ‘and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight.’
But this… this Heechulcannot see nor find the certainty within the situation. He cannot see thecertainty of safety for his Housemates once the siege begins, cannot see the certainty of Hogwarts remain standing after this madness of war, he cannot see the certainty of The Dark Lord keeping his word and leaving the school- the children- alone if his demands are met. Kim Heechul cannot see the certainty of all those except for the certainty of death and destruction for those on Potter’s side. He can see certainty of death for those who oppose the Dark Lord. He can see the certainty of torments and darkness if the war falls to the Dark Lord’s favor. He does not care much for mudbloods and half-bloods, but he does care about-
A hand brushes against his side and Heechul wills himself to calm as he sees Kyuhyun’s carefully blank face, paler now that the ultimatum is hanging above their heads. Behind Kyuhyun, Heechul can see Sungmin eying Parkinson warily, his hands perfectly poised behind his back in a parody of serene intrigue while the tick of his eyebrow betrays his anxiousness to Heechul.
…but he does care about the two brats under his protection.
‘But he’s there! Potter’s there!! Someone grab him!’
Swiftly, Heechul disarmed Pansy Parkinson while the other three Houses scrambles to form a protective circle around Potter, their wands aimed threateningly in challenge against his House. With his back against Potter’s honor guards and his wand aimed at Pansy Parkinson’s head, Kim Heechul begins to feel a trickle of certainty within him. He feels rather than see Kyuhyun and Sungmin on his right with their wands raised. His eyes chanced a quick glance to left and he sees that insufferable Hangeng in his Gryffindor glory, face set in that optimistic façade that Heechul detest throughout his seven years of schooling and the trickle of certainty solidifies into something monumental.
Kim Heechul is certain that his father cannot have him as an offering, he is certain that the Dark Lord cannot have Potter and he is certain that he will not allow Hogwarts to fall.
“I’m turning into a bloody Gryffindor.”
--
‘We’ve only got half an hour until midnight, so we need to act fast! A battle plan has been agreed between the teachers of Hogwarts and the Order of the Phoenix. Professor Flitwick, Sprout and McGonagall are going to take groups of fighters up to the three highest Towers- Ravenclaw, Astronomy and Gryffindor-where they’ll have a good overview, excellent positions to work spells. Meanwhile, Remus-‘
Zhou Mi stopped listening as a flash of dark hair slips through the door of the Hall, amidst the evacuating lower years. Frustration settles within his chest as he glances back and forth between the doors and Shacklebolt who by now has the entire Army organized under the Professors. His eyes catches sight of his fellow Ravenclaw Kibum as he pour over the map of the Astronomy tower with Professor Vector, Ryeowook at his side rapidly calculating the Arithmancy formula for a difficult ward or other. The pandemonium and energy seeps into his limbs as he frantically weighs his options, his red hair falling into his eyes and his wand clutched tightly in his hand. One more glance towards the door and another towards the crowd in the Hall increase the frustration, the indecisiveness and the crippling fear in his chest.
A pair of glittering onyx eyes catches his own and Zhou Mi freezes. Cho Kyuhyun is staring at him with a slight line between his eyes and Zhou Mi just knows that the Slytherin understands. With a soft inclination of his head to the door, Kyuhyun turns his attention back to Professor Flitwick.
That is all that Zhou Mi needs.
With a grimace, he runs out of the Hall and into the castle Atrium where the evacuating students hustles and bumps into him, pushing him against walls and statues and paintings. Zhou Mi did not care, his eyes searching frantically for that shock of jet black hair and praying that he can get to Potter before he wastes any more time than they can afford. Zhou Mi was there when Potter confronted the Carrows in Ravenclaw Tower and he heard enough to understand the situation. What Potter needs to do now is to find someone in the castle with the memory of the diadem, instead of searching blindingly for the blasted headdress. Pushing a stray Hufflepuff first year back into line, Zhou Mi races up the marble staircase with his wand aloft and absently warding the many windows as he runs pass them.
As he starts climbing the staircase towards his common room, Zhou Mi nearly trips and grabs the banister, a world of cursing on the tips of his tongue.
“Please,” a voice sobs and Zhou Mi glances down. A Ravenclaw who looks to be no older than second year sits on the steps amidst the running students, clinging to the stone banister with tears pouring down his face. “Please, I don’t know what to do.”
For a second time that night, Zhou Mi freezes with indecision. He needs to get to Potter and tell him to start using his head, then he needs to run down to the courtyard and help the others ward the castle on top of keeping his eye on a snarky Slytherin who he’s quite fond of. Then he sees her.
“LOVEGOOD!” Zhou Mi yells over the buzzing and screaming children.
“LUNA LOVEGOOD!!”
“Yes?”
Thanking heavens and Merlin for all that the old loon is worth, Zhou Mi falls in a crouch in front of the sobbing boy with Luna Lovegood peering curiously at them. “Right, listen here Lovegood. I need you to find Potter and tell him to not bother looking in the Tower. Tell him,” Zhou Mi licks his dry lips and takes a deep breath, “Tell him to find the Ghost of the Grey Lady. Tell him that she knows about the diadem. She has to.”
Luna stares at him for a few seconds and nods. “Alright. But you should really take this boy back to the Room, Zhou Mi. I think the nargles are upsetting him.”
“Er.. right.” Zhou Mi watches as Luna races up the stairs with a fond smile on his face, his head shaking side to side at the younger girl’s peculiarity. “Alright now.” He grins at the sobbing second year, “Let’s get you to safety.”
--
The sound of blood and adrenaline rushing in his ears is deafening. Everywhere he looks, Leeteuk sees spells flying over the students’ head and -with a hysterical laugh- he hears the old fraud Trelawney yelling foul language at the Death Eaters and Snatchers as she hurls crystal balls at them. Everything is wrong. Everything is wrong, wrong, wrong and Leeteuk is helpless to make it right. They are student, not soldiers. They should be worrying about the final examinations, not about dodging Crucio or Cutting Hexes. He is a Gryffindor and thus he would never back down from the fight, but to see students younger than him falling and colliding into walls from the sheer force of the giants and Death Eaters have him shaking with fear.
He grunts as Kangin forces him to duck from the stray curses that flew everywhere from the furious duel between Siwon and a masked Death Eater. Rolling to his feet, Leeteuk and Kangin stands back to back as they throw every hexes and jinxes in their arsenal, covering the younger students where they can and cutting down the enemy where they cannot. Leeteuk swallowed down his bile as one of his cutting curse severs a Snatcher’s arm and he wanted to laugh at the irony of it. In the haze of his hysteric, he sees Collin Creevey at the top of the marble staircase with his wand moving rapidly and sweat running down his face.
His breath hitches and blood drains from his face as Collin tumbles down the large marble stair case and stills with his legs at odd angles and neck bending at an angle it should not be capable of.
With a strangled cry, he runs toward his Housemate, not hearing Kangin’s cursing or seeing Siwon hurriedly throw a Reducto through the Death Eater’s chest, splashing the tapestries with blood. He’s almost there, he’s almost there and he can take Collin away from here and oh Merlin what is he going to tell Dennis? Just a few more steps and he is almost there-
“TEUKKIE-HYUNG!!!!!!!!!”
Silence reign in his head and for a moment everything stills as the voice registers in Leeteuk’s mind. Somewhere within him, he knows and he remembers that there is only ever one person who calls him that. Somewhere in his chaotic mind, he remembers a Saturday afternoon at the Quidditch pitch with a hyper Chaser calling him hyung with glee.
Eunhyuk.
It’s Eunhyuk.
With a strange calmness, Leeteuk turns away from the broken body of Collin Creevey and watches in horror as Fenrir Greyback savagely attacks Eunhyuk with curse after curse, the younger boy dodging and jumping to avoid the angry red colors, finally falling on his back while Greyback howls and shoots towards Eunhyuk’s jugular.
There is no time.
Time seems to have stopped for Leeteuk.
There is nothing in his mind save for the white hot anger and hatred for Voldemort….
“CRUCIO”
No one notices a Gryffindor casting an Unforgivable amidst the chaos of war, not even those fighting alongside of him. Eunhyuk -Leeteuk knows- would assume that the Crucio was a stray and it was mere luck that it hit Greyback just as he almost bites into his neck. Siwon and Kangin have their backs turned to Leeteuk as they try valiantly to push back the onslaught of Acromantula.
Yes, no one would know.
Leeteuk is not a soldier.
None of them are.
But he will do what he must to keep his friends alive.
--
“You’re joking, Perce!” shouted Fred, as the Death Eater he was battling collapsed under the weight of three separate Stunning Spells. Thicknesse had fallen to the ground with tiny spikes erupting all over him; he seemed to be turning into some form of sea urchin. Fred looked at Percy with glee. ‘You actually are joking, Perce.. I don’t think I’ve heard you joke since you were-“
The world explodes.
To Henry the sensation is like flying on his Nimbus 2001, taking the flight higher and higher into the clouds with his Hufflepuff Quidditch uniform flapping behind him and then… letting go of the broom and falling and falling until one of his teammates catches him and promptly cuff him on the head. But he is lying, of course. The sensation of soaring is correct enough, but there is no one to catch him. He slams into the wall and swears that he can feel the ancient stone cracks beneath the force of his momentum. There is nothing to do but to let himself crumble to the ground, breathing harshly and willing for his head to stop spinning. Belatedly he wonders if his older Housemates would find him only to murder him for disobeying McGonagall’s age restriction.
Shindong would scowl at him and drag him by his collar to a secret passage and put a permanent sticking charm on him. Of course, Yesung would do no more than rant hysterically as he shakes Henry thinking that making him feel like a rag doll would hammer some semblance of sense into him. But no, the one he fears the most would be Donghae. Because -Henry thinks, as he struggles to stay conscious- Donghae would rain down his rage upon Henry and he would tear him to pieces with guilt.
No, best not let them see him like this.
Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Henry struggles determinedly to his feet and glance around the destructed corridor. In between the flashes of light and warped vision, he sees Hermione Granger wobbling and reaching out to Harry Potter who has his eyes trained on a group of red-headed men. The sound of wailing and despair hits Henry’s ear drums through the blood clots and he feels his chest constrict. Shakingly, he grabs onto a statue and steadies himself.
‘NO-no-no!’ someone was shouting. ‘No! Fred! No!’
Henry stops breathing. He stops breathing and he just stares at the dead smiling face of Fred Weasley, the hand holding his wand shaking and slipping with sweat. He remembers Fred Weasley. He likes Fred Weasley and his twin George who’s always up for a good laugh. He recalls that one time Fred winked at him and bribed him to get them into the Hufflepuff common room because Donghae and Shindong declared a prank war on the twins. He - no, this is impossible-Fred Weasley is not dead. It just doesn’t make sense. It just -
No.
Henry shakes his head viciously. No. Not now. Now is not the time.
“REDUCTO!”
Henry’s curse shatters the mask of the Death Eater who caused the explosion. Hatred -deep rooted hatred- takes his heart and squeezes it as he cast as many curses as he can manage, baiting the bastard away from the grieving family. His training as a Seeker is put to good use as he runs into the duel, ducking and dodging as he goes, his wands getting warm as he battles the Death Eater. Dust flares up as his footwork increases its pace, never stopping to gasp as a curse slap him across the cheeks and inflaming the skin. The chaos and the screaming narrows down to his battle with the Death Eater and Henry does not care if he dies now, because it would be worth it and-
“HENRY YOU STUBBORN BRAT!”
A quick cuff on his head is all the warning he gets as Donghae throws himself into the duel while Shindong and Yesung runs pass them, their curses alerting Gryffindor’s Golden Trio of the oncoming Acromantulas. He wants to see so badly that the Weasleys have pulled themselves together, but he dare not as he narrowly misses a sickly yellow hex. Beside him Donghae shatters a large window, bringing down the shards onto the Death Eater, his usually sweet smiling lips pulled into a snarl.
..Percy let out a bull-like roar, ‘ROOKWOOD!’
With a warning hand on Donghae’s arm, Henry let him know all that he needs to know.
They turn and run, letting themselves become bait for this Rookwood so that Percy Weasley may have his revenge.
--
Sungmin cursed. He cursed for all that he is worth as his hands made quick movements over a Gryffindor girl’s torn neck. His uniform is soaked with blood and he can feel his wand slipping from his fingers, the ruby red liquid staining his skin. The girl’s eyes are hooded, but he can see the terror as clear as day as she garbled words through her ruined larynx. He feels rather than see Kyuhyun’s swift movements as he deflects the enemy’s attacks, giving Sungmin the luxury of concentrating on healing the worst of the wound before the poor girl dies of blood loss. He can do nothing for the possible infection by the werewolf, but he can keep her alive long enough for Madam Pomfrey to work her own magic.
“Hey, don’t close your eyes on me,” he mutters, throat dry and hands barely shaking as he healed the muscles. “Where’s that obnoxious Gryffindor courage, eh?”
Sungmin let himself smirk at the look of defiance on the girl’s face. Of course, one would only need to insult their supposedly bravery for a Gryffindor to show any reaction at all. He supposes that he should be thankful for their mindless pride if that is what it takes to keep this lioness from dying. “There it is. Now you hold on to that abhorrent show of Gryffindor idiocy that you call courage, do you understand me?”
“BLOOD TRAITOR!”
He freezes.
Sungmin’s head shoots up and his eyes widen as he sees Yaxley standing with his wand raised, a mad glint in his eyes as he holds the Cruciatus over Kyuhyun. The sight of Kyuhyun writhing in pain on the floor with his mouth open in silent screams leaves Sungmin shaking. He needs to stop the Cruciatus- who knows the extent of damage that damnable curse is wrecking on his friend- but he cannot leave the healing half way. He needs to save Kyuhyun from possible mental damage or permanent nerve damage, but he cannot leave a fellow student to bleed to death. Everything he knows about House loyalty is warring with his need to save a student from yet another pointless death.
As Kyuhyun’s screams begin to escape and reaching a gut wrenching pitch, Sungmin knows with dawning horror that he cannot choose. If anyone told him that he would have trouble to choose between his House and any other, he would laugh at them and promptly shove them into the frozen lake. But now-but now-
A maelstrom of rubble and dust nearly knocks him into the bleeding girl before he threw up the strongest Shielding Charm he can while still maintaining the steady stream of healing magic. As the dust settles, Sungmin sees an outline of Kyuhyun, twitching slightly but at the same time crawling slowly towards his fallen wand. A deafening roar of fury distracts directs Sungmin to Yaxley who looks nearly terrified as he tries to block the onslaught of magic from Heechul. From behind, Sungmin sees that Chinese Heechul is fond of trying to get closer and perhaps join the duel. Throwing a curse that Sungmin is sure to be illegal, Heechul grins predatorily and chance a glance at the Chinese while Yaxley howled in pain as his spine contorts horribly.
A low cough tears Sungmin’s concentration yet again as he throws a look at Kyuhyun. A wave of relief washes over him as a tall red-headed Ravenclaw -Zhou Mi, his mind says- runs and come to a sliding stop by his friend’s side, seemingly out of nowhere and begins to force feed Kyuhyun with potions to counter the Cruciatus.
“When this is over,” he whispered harshly at the girl as she rapidly regain her colors, “You’re buying me Honeydukes’ entire stock of licorice wand.”
--
‘Lord Voldermort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat, immediately. You have one hour, dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured. I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from
me. One hour.’
The first thing that Ryeowook notices is the silence. Hogwarts have never been this silent. Everything is stilled, everything is suspended, from the ever moving paintings to the armors that always shudder or trip students as they run towards their classrooms. There is a book in the Ravenclaw Tower that he read, once upon a time ago. The book tells the story of how the real battle begins only after the blood have been shed, when the weapons are abandoned and when the shields and armor have dented beyond recognition. It tells how the battle with one’s own mind begins in the aftermath, because during conflict one does not have to time to look around for their comrades. But when the battle stills, one sees nothing but their comrades, bathed in blood and covered in wounds.
Ryeowook can see now that the book tells the truth.
The Great Hall smells like death and everywhere he looks, he sees precious blood staining the surfaces. The dead are arranged in the middle of the Hall, like a macabre centerpiece, their fatal wounds are open for all to see. His hands are shaking, but he cannot bring himself to care as he walk down the row of dead bodies praying that he sees no one he recognizes. For every face he does not know, he feels a trickle of happiness before the feeling of disgust at himself squashes the other emotion mercilessly. But for every face that he does recognize from six years of classes and rooming together, he feels empty. Every time, it is like the wind has been knocked from his chest and his organs have been vanished to the bottom of the lake. He feels…nothing. He forces himself to breathe normally as he gets nearer to the end of the row. From the corner of his eye, sees Potter staring at two adults and -with a sickening jolt- he recognizes Professor Lupin and the woman who he assumes to be the man’s wife.
He shudders. With a great deep breath, he turns away from the cold pale faces and walks out of the Hall, his feet seemingly have life of its own as it maneuvers through the rubble and marble and blood of the battlement. Rubies and emeralds from the hour glass littered the floor, glinting in the torch light. On the steps of the ruined marble staircase, Ryeowook sees two bodies huddled together; one wracking in sobs and the other one stoically silent. The silent one raised his head from the crying one’s hair as the boy shifted and Ryewook recognizes Donghae ---and Henry.
“Alright there, Ryeo?”
Ryeowook smiles sardonically at the Gryffindor hanging at the castle entrance. “Barely, Longbottom. But I’m - I’m trying.”
Neville Longbottom nods, a soft smile on his bloodied face. “I saw your friends- that Kibum character and the other one with the pet tortoise?” his face squints in concentration, “They’re in the courtyard, looking for ya. I reckon you should head over before they think the worst.”
Ryeowook nods tiredly and claps what he hopes to be a reassuring hand on Longbottom’s shoulder. The other boy squirmed for a few seconds and sigh as he looked imploringly at Ryeowook. “You haven’t seen Leeteuk around by any chance, have you? I asked Seamus but he said no, and-well-Kangin’s throwing a right fit and we’re all worried, see.”
“Sorry, Longbottom.” He sighs despondently. “Maybe he’s in the Hospital Wing? I heard Sungmin yelling about Madam Pomfrey and needing extra pair of hands.”
“I-yeah, maybe.” Longbottom smiles. “Fiery thing for a Slytherin, that Sungmin. I’ll let Kangin know and hope that he hasn’t strangled Dean or something.”
Ryeowook hummed and walks out the door. Stepping out onto the courtyard, however, destroyed whatever nerve he managed to save. The Transfiguration courtyard is in shambles, the sculpture in the middle is mangled with disturbing amount of blood tarnishing the silver metal and the stones are all upturned. The corner where students used to mill about playing Gobstones is singed black, a mild odor of burnt flesh permeating the air. Here and there bundles of cloak and school uniforms lay still, the bodies completely covered in ashes and left over curses.
“WOOKIE!”
He sees a blur of black robes and yellow and black tie before he nearly stumbles backwards with the force of the hug. His shoulder is steadily dampen with moisture as Yesung continues to hug the life out of him while he stares at Kibum who stands between the bodies of a girl and a Snatcher, his eyes blank and old beyond his years. Sighing, Ryeowook pats Yesung’s shoulders and put a little distance between them so he may smile at the other boy, however watery the smile may be.
“We need-“ Ryeowook glance away from Yesung and stares expectantly at a shaken Eunhyuk, his black school robe long abandoned and his white school shirt covered in grime. Siwon is at his side cradling the body of a -his breath hitches- Ravenclaw, his face forlorn and haunted. “We need to clear the way. I mean, the dead-“ he falters, “The dead bodies. We need to get them into the Hall.”
They work in silence, then. Quietly moving the bodies to check for pulse and sending them to the Infirmary or levitating them into the Great Hall where the rows of the dead begin to take a large space. Ryeowook starts to levitate a young Hufflepuff when from the corner of his eyes he sees Zhou Mi’s Slytherin, kneeling in the dirt and whispering quietly to an unmoving body of a student.
Ryeowook is quiet enough to realize that the Slytherin student is singing a lullaby.
--
‘Neville here is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me,’ said Voldemort, and with a flick of his wand, he caused the Sorting Hat to burst into flames. Screams split the dawn, and Neville was aflame, rooted to the spot, unable to move-
Siwon could not stop himself from staring in morbid fascination as Neville’s head bursts into flames, the ancient wizard’s hat fueling the magical fire, turning the flames a sickeningly bright green. He remembers putting on that Hat way back when he was an ickle firstie and he recalls the Hat’s almost teasing voice, poking fun at him from within his own head. With a splutter, he realizes that he is mourning a hat for Merlin’s sake when a boy he’s known a good half of his life is on fire and ye gods, how low can one person sink in one day?
An uproar from the distant boundary of the school catches his attention and with a startled yelp, he dodges just in time when a curse flew over his head, scattering the Death Eaters into a frenzy with Voldemort hissing and spitting at the commotion that ensues. Bedlam takes over and Hogwarts is once more in motion, once more in an uproar, once more a battlefield with students, teachers, creatures, and Hogsmeade villagers giving the Dark Army as good as they got.
Siwon throws a few quick Stuns into the foray and deftly slide in and out of the crowd, jumping over fallen bodies and kicking aside dropped wands from scrambling Snatchers and Death Eaters. His wand is raised and in the moment between being sliced by a cutting spell and blown by a Reducto, Siwon casts Finite Incantatum at Neville, freeing him from the Body Bind Curse. As walls of silvery protection rise all around him, Siwon watches with satisfaction as Neville pulls out a sword from the smoking hat and with a flash of silver glittering in the dawn, slices the head of Voldemort’s snake.
“Get up. Now.”
Rough hands haul him to his feet and he stares blankly as Kangin punches a Snatcher in the face, elbows another and blasts a third one into oblivion with his wand. His eyes are alight with fury as he battles the never ending stream of Snatchers and Death Eaters while high above them Thestrals and Hippogriffs battle it out with the giants. Far behind him, Siwon hears a stampede of hooves as an army of Centaurs runs into the foray, their bows aloft and arrows burrowing themselves within the Dark Army. Side stepping Neville’s grandmum as she sends a few Snatchers flying, Siwon aims a hex at MacNair just seconds before the Death Eater deals the final blow to a young student.
“OI YOU UGLY GIT!”
Walden MacNair sneers and Siwon grins as he throws all he’s got at the Death Eater.
--
Shindong is out of his depth. The battle is being pushed into the castle once more and into the Great Hall. Soldiers from both sides shouting and screaming, jinxes and curses of all kinds flying above their heads, bodies falling to the ground covered in blood or eyes wide open from the Killing Curse. The Hufflepuff deflects a curse from a Snatcher and pulls up a shield charm just in time before a troll brings down its club onto him and his friends. The students all around him are shaken and bloodied, but none of them relent as they try as hard as they can to push back the invaders. From a corner of his eyes he catches a glimpse of Henry holding his own against a Death Eater and fear shoots through his entire being, thinking what the hell is the kid doing here and where in Morgana’s ample ass is Donghae when you need him.
“GET BACK! GET BACK!”
“MUDBLOOD FILTH!”
“BLOOD TRAITOR!”
“NOOOO! OH MERLIN SOMEONE SAVE HER!!”
“THIS IS FOR CEDRIC, YOU BINT!”
A sudden chill in settles over his skin as he duels two snatchers, the cold completely unnatural and he can hear the beginning of Nari’s screams as one of Greyback’s demon drags her out onto the courtyard when Shindong wasn’t looking. But that’s not right, is it? That cannot be right, because Ernie is the one to save her when he himself could not and she’s currently in the hospital wing with Pomfrey, isn’t she? Cold sweat breaks onto his forehead as he transfigures the rubble at his feet to daggers and sends them across at his opponents; his breaths misting in front of him.
It’s of no use, though. No matter how hard he tells himself that Nari is alive in the hospital wing, her screams are getting louder and louder and he can see her terrified face clearly, tears streaming down her dirty cheeks and nails scraping the stone floors as her legs are dragged from behind her. All at once, the atmosphere dims as though covered in a thick blanket, the sounds of war muffled and coldness envelopes him like a cloak. In the back of his mind, he knows that this is not normal, that this is the work of a magical creature. But for the life of him he cannot recall their names as Nari’s pleading face is covered in blood as the werewolf tears into her… but that cannot be right. That never happened. That’s-
A silver otter and a terrier rushes pass him and slowly the dim, suffocating atmosphere is lift, the cold giving into warmth.
“Come on, mate. Focus. They’re Dementors, is all. You know this one. Come on now.”
Red hair takes up his vision and Shindong is staring at the grim face of Ron Weasley, another silver terrier materializing from the tip of his wand. On the red-head’s side, an otter runs headlong at the hooded figures and Hermione Granger spares him a brief but comforting smile. Shindong nods once and swallows, memories of his girl friend and year mates floating in his mind.
“EXPECTO PATRONUM!”
A ferocious silvery bear shoots from the tip of his wand and claws at the Dementors, the three students grinning at each other before turning to the next fight.
--
Potter is dead.
Harry bloody Potter, the boy-who-just-wont-die-when-he’s-supposed-to is dead.
Dead when people need him to be alive.
Typical.
Fucking typical.
“I hate Gryffindors.”
Cho Kyuhyun is less than happy and would like nothing more than to cast the blood boiling curse at the sniggering Death Eater he is currently dueling. A thought came to him as he ducks and sends another offensive; his feathers ruffled as the disgusting vermin insults his family. Perhaps it is Heechul that he should be cursing at. Heechul and his blasted ill-time conscience, turning traitor to the Dark in the very last moment, dragging Kyuhyun and Sungmin with him. Damn it all to Hades and back.
He could be at the family manor by now, sitting in front of the fire with his books and Astronomy models instead of dropping onto floors and crawling on his elbows to avoid Killing Curses or nearly fainting with fatigue as he struggles to hold his ground against the slime that he now recognizes as Dolohov. His hands are shaking from the Cruciatus, his jaw feels sore from smashing into a statue, his hair is matte with blood from that giant he slaughtered and he’s pretty sure his ribs are cracked. Blood traitor, they call him. An ugly sneer forms on his face as he levitates bloodied sheets that used to cover the dead and attempt to suffocate Dolohov with them. He sincerely hopes the git chokes on the dried blood, the blood of those annoying classmates of his who are now dead at sixteen. He remembers the look on Zhou Mi’s face when he tries to calm down one of the Patil twins when a mutual friend of theirs died on the hospital bed and Kyuhyun’s determination to choke Dolohov with rust stained sheets intensifies.
A crash and a blinding light later sees Dolohov blasted across the Hall and into the opposite wall where he left a trail of blood as he slides down into a slump. Absent mindedly, Kyuhyun nods his respect to Professor Flitwick who winked. Quick as lightning he swivels around just into time to summon a Snatcher as a shield against a nasty hex, his face darkening when his House emblem is stained with the trash’s blood. Stunning the idiot who tried to hex him, the Slytherin drops the convulsing body and runs towards the Head Table, his sights set on Ginny Weasley as she stupidly tries to take on Bellatrix LeStrange on her own.
“Bit ambitious, are we?” he grins at the Weasley girl, his wand moving sharply as he casts spells after spells at Bellatrix, the floor around the three of them chipping and flying everywhere. “Hello, Madam LeStrange.”
“YOU FILTHY-“
“-blood traitor, yes we heard you lot the first time.” The Weasley girl grit out, her breathing heavy as she jumps backwards and forwards, avoiding Bellatrix’s attacks. Kyuhyun finds himself amused as he grabs her to the side and casts a particularly dark spell at the wife of his Father’s favorite business associate. A grimace settles briefly on his face-yes, that would make an excellent dinner conversation, him blasting a hole right in the middle of his Fathers’ business empire.
Lovely.
‘NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!’
And Cho Kyuhyun, heir of the Cho family legacy, the Korean branch of the Ashworth line and pureblood Prince to the very core… is momentarily stunned for the first time in his seventeen years of life.
--
Kibum let himself be plastered to the wall along with the others and praying to high heavens that Molly Weasley and Bellatrix LeStrange don’t kill them all in one misguided attempt to one up the other. Oh, he gets that the Weasley matron is very well near off her rocker from what happened to one of her sons, but Bellatrix is already over the edge and beyond, so he would rather not risk the chance of getting hit with a nasty curse doubled in effect by female wrath. A startled ‘oh no, Susan!’ that he promptly recognizes as Hannah Abbot’s has him running on top of an overturned bench and searching the chaos. He sees the Malfoys running through the crowd, yelling for their son while the aforementioned son is on the other side of Hall and -Kibum’s eyebrows shoot up into his hairline- dueling a Snatcher with Leeteuk watching his back as he deflects the stray attacks.
A creative flow of curses flow from his lips when he sees his target biting off more than she can chew with Thicknesse who seem to take perverse pleasure in pinning her to the floor amidst the dirt and the fallen.
Kibum wastes no time as he skirts along Molly Weasley’s brand of revenge and weaves his way through the dueling masses, his eyes keeping watch on Susan Bones. All around them at various distances, he catches glimpse of Ryeowook, Longbottom, and Weasley taking down Fenrir Greyback, saw Eunhyuk and Donghae wiping the floor with MacNair, and saw Heechul, Hangeng, Yesung and half the DA throwing off Snatchers and Death Eaters from the wounded who are being hastily patched up by a frazzled Sungmin, Zhou Mi and Michael
Corner.
Dropping to his knees mid-run, he scrapes them as he slides and tackles Thicknesse to the ground, taking care to bash the Ministry scum’s head into the floor and Stunning the man between his startled eyes. Scrambling to his feet, he turns and grabs a feebly moving Susan around her waist.
“Here, let me.”
Henry Lau appears at his elbow and he smiles weakly, passing the almost fainted girl to the other boy. His face, however, are drained of color as he hears Voldemort’s scream echo throughout the Hall.
“GET DOWN GET DOWN GET DOWN!!!”
But the warning came too late as Kibum is blasted forward into Henry and Susan, and a heat akin to a bomb explosion engulfs the room. He crouches over Henry and the girl, trying to cover them as best as he could, his wand having skittered across the floor when the explosion happened. From his position, he can see numerous people in similar situation, crouching over their friends and loved ones or lying flat on their belly with their heads covered by their arms while the less fortunate ones stares blankly at the ceiling, blood pooling around their heads.
‘Protego!’
He’s alive.
Potter is alive.
--
We did it, we bashed them, wee Potter’s the One, and Voldy’s gone mouldy, so now let’s have fun!
Hangeng is, for the lack of better word, exhausted.
The sounds of the Great Hall is deafening as the survivors celebrates their victory and mourn their dead, all of them sitting squished together at the four tables that Professor McGonagall have installed. He supposes that his Head of House is the new Headmistress, now that Severus Snape is dead. A heavy sigh falls from between his lips as the name of his previous headmaster pops up in his mind. Potter’s revelation that the slimy git was one of their own had been a sobering one for Hangeng. All those years spent cursing and wishing death on to the deceased Potions Master catches up with him and his conscience, momentarily halting his polite conversation with Dean Thomas.
His eyes strays to the Slytherin table which is just as crowded as the other table with families and Hogsmeade villagers amidst the surviving students. His throat clogs as he spies Kim Heechul in all of his proud Pureblood glory, conversing lightly with the Malfoy heir. Where their son looks almost normal, the parents are pale and drawn, not knowing what to do or what to say. The effeminate Slytherin sports a wicked gash across his cheeks and his white school shirt is more grimy than white, blood staining in little splotches. Sungmin is gone, he realizes. Probably down in the Hospital Wing, working furiously with Madam Pomfrey and the others to save their injured comrades. Kyuhyun is sitting on the ruined steps of the Head Table with that tall Chinese Ravenclaw, the Slytherin’s hands shaking slightly before the Ravenclaw grabs the appendages in a soft grasp.
He shudders at the memory of Kyuhyun lying on the floor screaming in agony as his nerves are set aflame by the Crucio and the image of the Death Eater as his spine contorts, poking through his skin and twisting his waist. Hangeng cannot say that he agrees with Heechul’s method of punishing the Death Eater who tortured Kyuhyun, but he doubts that he would be able to restrain himself if any of his dongsaengs are subjected to the vile curse.
Leeteuk is a mess, he muses. The older Gryffindor is sitting between Lee Jordan and Eunhyuk with Kangin across the table. From where he sits, Hangeng can see the death grip that Leeteuk has on Eunhyuk’s hand. The younger lad is quiet, murmuring now and then at Leeteuk’s ears. There are rumors, of course. Rumors that Leeteuk used Crucio on Fenrir Greyback during the battle, but no one can say that they seen for certain nor can they check his wand, not after so many spells.
Innocence is gone, there is no doubt about that. After all, Hangeng killed a good number of enemies today. Who is he to judge a lapse in judgment in the face of a friend’s impending death?
The longer he sits amidst the survivors, the longer he feels unworthy. With his head hanging low, Hangeng rises from his seat and makes his way covertly down the Hall and into the Atrium. The once pristine place where he used to lounge while waiting on friends is nearly obliterated. The high ceiling is blasted to heaven and the early morning sunlight streams into the cave-like entrance, enabling Hangeng to take in all the dried blood and messes on the chipped stone floor.
A slight brush against his side has him smiling slightly, hands deftly catching onto the slick soft material of Potter’s invinsibility cloak. “Trying to make a get-away, eh Potter?”
Potter let the hood of the cloak fall and smiles sheepishly at Hangeng, his glasses cracked and his face littered with scratches. “Just-I just need to be alone for a bit, you know?”
“Yeah,” Hangeng nods, “Yeah, I know. Granger and Weasley’s at the stone bridge, last I heard.” He offered with a wry grin. “Best rush off before they notice you’re gone.” Hangeng jabs his thumb over his shoulders to the Great Hall and watches as Potter’s head disappears under the cloak.
“You were brilliant, by the way. You too, Princess.” came Potter’s disembodied voice.
Hangeng snorts.
“I should AK him for calling me that, the great prat.” Heechul’s grumbling tone teases his ears, a hand sneaks down his arm to intertwine their fingers. “Princess, he says. Let’s see he calls me that after I hex his balls off.”
“Can’t imagine Ginny would like that, Heechul.”
“The Weaslette can shove it for all I care. I’m washing my hands off this sodding school and taking my exams at my family manor over the summer.” A shadow falls over the slighter boy’s face, his eyes much too haunted for a seventeen year old. “I can’t look anywhere and not see-“he gulps, “…never mind. Walk with me?”
“Wherever you want.”
--
--
--
The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years.
All was well.
--
--
--
Note from the author: What possesed me to write this crossoever? I have no idea. Do I find the image of the boys in Hogwarts uniform and Quiddith robes totally hot and ridiculously attractive? Yes. Do I take pleasure in imagining the arrogant Pureblood Prince personas of Heechul, Kyu and Sungmin? Yessir. Will there be more? I BLOODY WELL HOPE SO.
I have issues with how I ended this. Blast it.
And thanks loads to qmibao for the proof-reading. To RL friends who stumbled across this: Yeah, bitches. I went there. Booyah.
Fandom: Super Junior and Harry Potter (das right, bitchess!!!)
‘Give me Harry Potter,’ said Voldemort’s voice, ‘and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight.’
But this… this Heechulcannot see nor find the certainty within the situation. He cannot see thecertainty of safety for his Housemates once the siege begins, cannot see the certainty of Hogwarts remain standing after this madness of war, he cannot see the certainty of The Dark Lord keeping his word and leaving the school- the children- alone if his demands are met. Kim Heechul cannot see the certainty of all those except for the certainty of death and destruction for those on Potter’s side. He can see certainty of death for those who oppose the Dark Lord. He can see the certainty of torments and darkness if the war falls to the Dark Lord’s favor. He does not care much for mudbloods and half-bloods, but he does care about-
A hand brushes against his side and Heechul wills himself to calm as he sees Kyuhyun’s carefully blank face, paler now that the ultimatum is hanging above their heads. Behind Kyuhyun, Heechul can see Sungmin eying Parkinson warily, his hands perfectly poised behind his back in a parody of serene intrigue while the tick of his eyebrow betrays his anxiousness to Heechul.
…but he does care about the two brats under his protection.
‘But he’s there! Potter’s there!! Someone grab him!’
Swiftly, Heechul disarmed Pansy Parkinson while the other three Houses scrambles to form a protective circle around Potter, their wands aimed threateningly in challenge against his House. With his back against Potter’s honor guards and his wand aimed at Pansy Parkinson’s head, Kim Heechul begins to feel a trickle of certainty within him. He feels rather than see Kyuhyun and Sungmin on his right with their wands raised. His eyes chanced a quick glance to left and he sees that insufferable Hangeng in his Gryffindor glory, face set in that optimistic façade that Heechul detest throughout his seven years of schooling and the trickle of certainty solidifies into something monumental.
Kim Heechul is certain that his father cannot have him as an offering, he is certain that the Dark Lord cannot have Potter and he is certain that he will not allow Hogwarts to fall.
“I’m turning into a bloody Gryffindor.”
--
‘We’ve only got half an hour until midnight, so we need to act fast! A battle plan has been agreed between the teachers of Hogwarts and the Order of the Phoenix. Professor Flitwick, Sprout and McGonagall are going to take groups of fighters up to the three highest Towers- Ravenclaw, Astronomy and Gryffindor-where they’ll have a good overview, excellent positions to work spells. Meanwhile, Remus-‘
Zhou Mi stopped listening as a flash of dark hair slips through the door of the Hall, amidst the evacuating lower years. Frustration settles within his chest as he glances back and forth between the doors and Shacklebolt who by now has the entire Army organized under the Professors. His eyes catches sight of his fellow Ravenclaw Kibum as he pour over the map of the Astronomy tower with Professor Vector, Ryeowook at his side rapidly calculating the Arithmancy formula for a difficult ward or other. The pandemonium and energy seeps into his limbs as he frantically weighs his options, his red hair falling into his eyes and his wand clutched tightly in his hand. One more glance towards the door and another towards the crowd in the Hall increase the frustration, the indecisiveness and the crippling fear in his chest.
A pair of glittering onyx eyes catches his own and Zhou Mi freezes. Cho Kyuhyun is staring at him with a slight line between his eyes and Zhou Mi just knows that the Slytherin understands. With a soft inclination of his head to the door, Kyuhyun turns his attention back to Professor Flitwick.
That is all that Zhou Mi needs.
With a grimace, he runs out of the Hall and into the castle Atrium where the evacuating students hustles and bumps into him, pushing him against walls and statues and paintings. Zhou Mi did not care, his eyes searching frantically for that shock of jet black hair and praying that he can get to Potter before he wastes any more time than they can afford. Zhou Mi was there when Potter confronted the Carrows in Ravenclaw Tower and he heard enough to understand the situation. What Potter needs to do now is to find someone in the castle with the memory of the diadem, instead of searching blindingly for the blasted headdress. Pushing a stray Hufflepuff first year back into line, Zhou Mi races up the marble staircase with his wand aloft and absently warding the many windows as he runs pass them.
As he starts climbing the staircase towards his common room, Zhou Mi nearly trips and grabs the banister, a world of cursing on the tips of his tongue.
“Please,” a voice sobs and Zhou Mi glances down. A Ravenclaw who looks to be no older than second year sits on the steps amidst the running students, clinging to the stone banister with tears pouring down his face. “Please, I don’t know what to do.”
For a second time that night, Zhou Mi freezes with indecision. He needs to get to Potter and tell him to start using his head, then he needs to run down to the courtyard and help the others ward the castle on top of keeping his eye on a snarky Slytherin who he’s quite fond of. Then he sees her.
“LOVEGOOD!” Zhou Mi yells over the buzzing and screaming children.
“LUNA LOVEGOOD!!”
“Yes?”
Thanking heavens and Merlin for all that the old loon is worth, Zhou Mi falls in a crouch in front of the sobbing boy with Luna Lovegood peering curiously at them. “Right, listen here Lovegood. I need you to find Potter and tell him to not bother looking in the Tower. Tell him,” Zhou Mi licks his dry lips and takes a deep breath, “Tell him to find the Ghost of the Grey Lady. Tell him that she knows about the diadem. She has to.”
Luna stares at him for a few seconds and nods. “Alright. But you should really take this boy back to the Room, Zhou Mi. I think the nargles are upsetting him.”
“Er.. right.” Zhou Mi watches as Luna races up the stairs with a fond smile on his face, his head shaking side to side at the younger girl’s peculiarity. “Alright now.” He grins at the sobbing second year, “Let’s get you to safety.”
--
The sound of blood and adrenaline rushing in his ears is deafening. Everywhere he looks, Leeteuk sees spells flying over the students’ head and -with a hysterical laugh- he hears the old fraud Trelawney yelling foul language at the Death Eaters and Snatchers as she hurls crystal balls at them. Everything is wrong. Everything is wrong, wrong, wrong and Leeteuk is helpless to make it right. They are student, not soldiers. They should be worrying about the final examinations, not about dodging Crucio or Cutting Hexes. He is a Gryffindor and thus he would never back down from the fight, but to see students younger than him falling and colliding into walls from the sheer force of the giants and Death Eaters have him shaking with fear.
He grunts as Kangin forces him to duck from the stray curses that flew everywhere from the furious duel between Siwon and a masked Death Eater. Rolling to his feet, Leeteuk and Kangin stands back to back as they throw every hexes and jinxes in their arsenal, covering the younger students where they can and cutting down the enemy where they cannot. Leeteuk swallowed down his bile as one of his cutting curse severs a Snatcher’s arm and he wanted to laugh at the irony of it. In the haze of his hysteric, he sees Collin Creevey at the top of the marble staircase with his wand moving rapidly and sweat running down his face.
His breath hitches and blood drains from his face as Collin tumbles down the large marble stair case and stills with his legs at odd angles and neck bending at an angle it should not be capable of.
With a strangled cry, he runs toward his Housemate, not hearing Kangin’s cursing or seeing Siwon hurriedly throw a Reducto through the Death Eater’s chest, splashing the tapestries with blood. He’s almost there, he’s almost there and he can take Collin away from here and oh Merlin what is he going to tell Dennis? Just a few more steps and he is almost there-
“TEUKKIE-HYUNG!!!!!!!!!”
Silence reign in his head and for a moment everything stills as the voice registers in Leeteuk’s mind. Somewhere within him, he knows and he remembers that there is only ever one person who calls him that. Somewhere in his chaotic mind, he remembers a Saturday afternoon at the Quidditch pitch with a hyper Chaser calling him hyung with glee.
Eunhyuk.
It’s Eunhyuk.
With a strange calmness, Leeteuk turns away from the broken body of Collin Creevey and watches in horror as Fenrir Greyback savagely attacks Eunhyuk with curse after curse, the younger boy dodging and jumping to avoid the angry red colors, finally falling on his back while Greyback howls and shoots towards Eunhyuk’s jugular.
There is no time.
Time seems to have stopped for Leeteuk.
There is nothing in his mind save for the white hot anger and hatred for Voldemort….
“CRUCIO”
No one notices a Gryffindor casting an Unforgivable amidst the chaos of war, not even those fighting alongside of him. Eunhyuk -Leeteuk knows- would assume that the Crucio was a stray and it was mere luck that it hit Greyback just as he almost bites into his neck. Siwon and Kangin have their backs turned to Leeteuk as they try valiantly to push back the onslaught of Acromantula.
Yes, no one would know.
Leeteuk is not a soldier.
None of them are.
But he will do what he must to keep his friends alive.
--
“You’re joking, Perce!” shouted Fred, as the Death Eater he was battling collapsed under the weight of three separate Stunning Spells. Thicknesse had fallen to the ground with tiny spikes erupting all over him; he seemed to be turning into some form of sea urchin. Fred looked at Percy with glee. ‘You actually are joking, Perce.. I don’t think I’ve heard you joke since you were-“
The world explodes.
To Henry the sensation is like flying on his Nimbus 2001, taking the flight higher and higher into the clouds with his Hufflepuff Quidditch uniform flapping behind him and then… letting go of the broom and falling and falling until one of his teammates catches him and promptly cuff him on the head. But he is lying, of course. The sensation of soaring is correct enough, but there is no one to catch him. He slams into the wall and swears that he can feel the ancient stone cracks beneath the force of his momentum. There is nothing to do but to let himself crumble to the ground, breathing harshly and willing for his head to stop spinning. Belatedly he wonders if his older Housemates would find him only to murder him for disobeying McGonagall’s age restriction.
Shindong would scowl at him and drag him by his collar to a secret passage and put a permanent sticking charm on him. Of course, Yesung would do no more than rant hysterically as he shakes Henry thinking that making him feel like a rag doll would hammer some semblance of sense into him. But no, the one he fears the most would be Donghae. Because -Henry thinks, as he struggles to stay conscious- Donghae would rain down his rage upon Henry and he would tear him to pieces with guilt.
No, best not let them see him like this.
Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Henry struggles determinedly to his feet and glance around the destructed corridor. In between the flashes of light and warped vision, he sees Hermione Granger wobbling and reaching out to Harry Potter who has his eyes trained on a group of red-headed men. The sound of wailing and despair hits Henry’s ear drums through the blood clots and he feels his chest constrict. Shakingly, he grabs onto a statue and steadies himself.
‘NO-no-no!’ someone was shouting. ‘No! Fred! No!’
Henry stops breathing. He stops breathing and he just stares at the dead smiling face of Fred Weasley, the hand holding his wand shaking and slipping with sweat. He remembers Fred Weasley. He likes Fred Weasley and his twin George who’s always up for a good laugh. He recalls that one time Fred winked at him and bribed him to get them into the Hufflepuff common room because Donghae and Shindong declared a prank war on the twins. He - no, this is impossible-Fred Weasley is not dead. It just doesn’t make sense. It just -
No.
Henry shakes his head viciously. No. Not now. Now is not the time.
“REDUCTO!”
Henry’s curse shatters the mask of the Death Eater who caused the explosion. Hatred -deep rooted hatred- takes his heart and squeezes it as he cast as many curses as he can manage, baiting the bastard away from the grieving family. His training as a Seeker is put to good use as he runs into the duel, ducking and dodging as he goes, his wands getting warm as he battles the Death Eater. Dust flares up as his footwork increases its pace, never stopping to gasp as a curse slap him across the cheeks and inflaming the skin. The chaos and the screaming narrows down to his battle with the Death Eater and Henry does not care if he dies now, because it would be worth it and-
“HENRY YOU STUBBORN BRAT!”
A quick cuff on his head is all the warning he gets as Donghae throws himself into the duel while Shindong and Yesung runs pass them, their curses alerting Gryffindor’s Golden Trio of the oncoming Acromantulas. He wants to see so badly that the Weasleys have pulled themselves together, but he dare not as he narrowly misses a sickly yellow hex. Beside him Donghae shatters a large window, bringing down the shards onto the Death Eater, his usually sweet smiling lips pulled into a snarl.
..Percy let out a bull-like roar, ‘ROOKWOOD!’
With a warning hand on Donghae’s arm, Henry let him know all that he needs to know.
They turn and run, letting themselves become bait for this Rookwood so that Percy Weasley may have his revenge.
--
Sungmin cursed. He cursed for all that he is worth as his hands made quick movements over a Gryffindor girl’s torn neck. His uniform is soaked with blood and he can feel his wand slipping from his fingers, the ruby red liquid staining his skin. The girl’s eyes are hooded, but he can see the terror as clear as day as she garbled words through her ruined larynx. He feels rather than see Kyuhyun’s swift movements as he deflects the enemy’s attacks, giving Sungmin the luxury of concentrating on healing the worst of the wound before the poor girl dies of blood loss. He can do nothing for the possible infection by the werewolf, but he can keep her alive long enough for Madam Pomfrey to work her own magic.
“Hey, don’t close your eyes on me,” he mutters, throat dry and hands barely shaking as he healed the muscles. “Where’s that obnoxious Gryffindor courage, eh?”
Sungmin let himself smirk at the look of defiance on the girl’s face. Of course, one would only need to insult their supposedly bravery for a Gryffindor to show any reaction at all. He supposes that he should be thankful for their mindless pride if that is what it takes to keep this lioness from dying. “There it is. Now you hold on to that abhorrent show of Gryffindor idiocy that you call courage, do you understand me?”
“BLOOD TRAITOR!”
He freezes.
Sungmin’s head shoots up and his eyes widen as he sees Yaxley standing with his wand raised, a mad glint in his eyes as he holds the Cruciatus over Kyuhyun. The sight of Kyuhyun writhing in pain on the floor with his mouth open in silent screams leaves Sungmin shaking. He needs to stop the Cruciatus- who knows the extent of damage that damnable curse is wrecking on his friend- but he cannot leave the healing half way. He needs to save Kyuhyun from possible mental damage or permanent nerve damage, but he cannot leave a fellow student to bleed to death. Everything he knows about House loyalty is warring with his need to save a student from yet another pointless death.
As Kyuhyun’s screams begin to escape and reaching a gut wrenching pitch, Sungmin knows with dawning horror that he cannot choose. If anyone told him that he would have trouble to choose between his House and any other, he would laugh at them and promptly shove them into the frozen lake. But now-but now-
A maelstrom of rubble and dust nearly knocks him into the bleeding girl before he threw up the strongest Shielding Charm he can while still maintaining the steady stream of healing magic. As the dust settles, Sungmin sees an outline of Kyuhyun, twitching slightly but at the same time crawling slowly towards his fallen wand. A deafening roar of fury distracts directs Sungmin to Yaxley who looks nearly terrified as he tries to block the onslaught of magic from Heechul. From behind, Sungmin sees that Chinese Heechul is fond of trying to get closer and perhaps join the duel. Throwing a curse that Sungmin is sure to be illegal, Heechul grins predatorily and chance a glance at the Chinese while Yaxley howled in pain as his spine contorts horribly.
A low cough tears Sungmin’s concentration yet again as he throws a look at Kyuhyun. A wave of relief washes over him as a tall red-headed Ravenclaw -Zhou Mi, his mind says- runs and come to a sliding stop by his friend’s side, seemingly out of nowhere and begins to force feed Kyuhyun with potions to counter the Cruciatus.
“When this is over,” he whispered harshly at the girl as she rapidly regain her colors, “You’re buying me Honeydukes’ entire stock of licorice wand.”
--
‘Lord Voldermort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat, immediately. You have one hour, dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured. I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from
me. One hour.’
The first thing that Ryeowook notices is the silence. Hogwarts have never been this silent. Everything is stilled, everything is suspended, from the ever moving paintings to the armors that always shudder or trip students as they run towards their classrooms. There is a book in the Ravenclaw Tower that he read, once upon a time ago. The book tells the story of how the real battle begins only after the blood have been shed, when the weapons are abandoned and when the shields and armor have dented beyond recognition. It tells how the battle with one’s own mind begins in the aftermath, because during conflict one does not have to time to look around for their comrades. But when the battle stills, one sees nothing but their comrades, bathed in blood and covered in wounds.
Ryeowook can see now that the book tells the truth.
The Great Hall smells like death and everywhere he looks, he sees precious blood staining the surfaces. The dead are arranged in the middle of the Hall, like a macabre centerpiece, their fatal wounds are open for all to see. His hands are shaking, but he cannot bring himself to care as he walk down the row of dead bodies praying that he sees no one he recognizes. For every face he does not know, he feels a trickle of happiness before the feeling of disgust at himself squashes the other emotion mercilessly. But for every face that he does recognize from six years of classes and rooming together, he feels empty. Every time, it is like the wind has been knocked from his chest and his organs have been vanished to the bottom of the lake. He feels…nothing. He forces himself to breathe normally as he gets nearer to the end of the row. From the corner of his eye, sees Potter staring at two adults and -with a sickening jolt- he recognizes Professor Lupin and the woman who he assumes to be the man’s wife.
He shudders. With a great deep breath, he turns away from the cold pale faces and walks out of the Hall, his feet seemingly have life of its own as it maneuvers through the rubble and marble and blood of the battlement. Rubies and emeralds from the hour glass littered the floor, glinting in the torch light. On the steps of the ruined marble staircase, Ryeowook sees two bodies huddled together; one wracking in sobs and the other one stoically silent. The silent one raised his head from the crying one’s hair as the boy shifted and Ryewook recognizes Donghae ---and Henry.
“Alright there, Ryeo?”
Ryeowook smiles sardonically at the Gryffindor hanging at the castle entrance. “Barely, Longbottom. But I’m - I’m trying.”
Neville Longbottom nods, a soft smile on his bloodied face. “I saw your friends- that Kibum character and the other one with the pet tortoise?” his face squints in concentration, “They’re in the courtyard, looking for ya. I reckon you should head over before they think the worst.”
Ryeowook nods tiredly and claps what he hopes to be a reassuring hand on Longbottom’s shoulder. The other boy squirmed for a few seconds and sigh as he looked imploringly at Ryeowook. “You haven’t seen Leeteuk around by any chance, have you? I asked Seamus but he said no, and-well-Kangin’s throwing a right fit and we’re all worried, see.”
“Sorry, Longbottom.” He sighs despondently. “Maybe he’s in the Hospital Wing? I heard Sungmin yelling about Madam Pomfrey and needing extra pair of hands.”
“I-yeah, maybe.” Longbottom smiles. “Fiery thing for a Slytherin, that Sungmin. I’ll let Kangin know and hope that he hasn’t strangled Dean or something.”
Ryeowook hummed and walks out the door. Stepping out onto the courtyard, however, destroyed whatever nerve he managed to save. The Transfiguration courtyard is in shambles, the sculpture in the middle is mangled with disturbing amount of blood tarnishing the silver metal and the stones are all upturned. The corner where students used to mill about playing Gobstones is singed black, a mild odor of burnt flesh permeating the air. Here and there bundles of cloak and school uniforms lay still, the bodies completely covered in ashes and left over curses.
“WOOKIE!”
He sees a blur of black robes and yellow and black tie before he nearly stumbles backwards with the force of the hug. His shoulder is steadily dampen with moisture as Yesung continues to hug the life out of him while he stares at Kibum who stands between the bodies of a girl and a Snatcher, his eyes blank and old beyond his years. Sighing, Ryeowook pats Yesung’s shoulders and put a little distance between them so he may smile at the other boy, however watery the smile may be.
“We need-“ Ryeowook glance away from Yesung and stares expectantly at a shaken Eunhyuk, his black school robe long abandoned and his white school shirt covered in grime. Siwon is at his side cradling the body of a -his breath hitches- Ravenclaw, his face forlorn and haunted. “We need to clear the way. I mean, the dead-“ he falters, “The dead bodies. We need to get them into the Hall.”
They work in silence, then. Quietly moving the bodies to check for pulse and sending them to the Infirmary or levitating them into the Great Hall where the rows of the dead begin to take a large space. Ryeowook starts to levitate a young Hufflepuff when from the corner of his eyes he sees Zhou Mi’s Slytherin, kneeling in the dirt and whispering quietly to an unmoving body of a student.
Ryeowook is quiet enough to realize that the Slytherin student is singing a lullaby.
--
‘Neville here is now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me,’ said Voldemort, and with a flick of his wand, he caused the Sorting Hat to burst into flames. Screams split the dawn, and Neville was aflame, rooted to the spot, unable to move-
Siwon could not stop himself from staring in morbid fascination as Neville’s head bursts into flames, the ancient wizard’s hat fueling the magical fire, turning the flames a sickeningly bright green. He remembers putting on that Hat way back when he was an ickle firstie and he recalls the Hat’s almost teasing voice, poking fun at him from within his own head. With a splutter, he realizes that he is mourning a hat for Merlin’s sake when a boy he’s known a good half of his life is on fire and ye gods, how low can one person sink in one day?
An uproar from the distant boundary of the school catches his attention and with a startled yelp, he dodges just in time when a curse flew over his head, scattering the Death Eaters into a frenzy with Voldemort hissing and spitting at the commotion that ensues. Bedlam takes over and Hogwarts is once more in motion, once more in an uproar, once more a battlefield with students, teachers, creatures, and Hogsmeade villagers giving the Dark Army as good as they got.
Siwon throws a few quick Stuns into the foray and deftly slide in and out of the crowd, jumping over fallen bodies and kicking aside dropped wands from scrambling Snatchers and Death Eaters. His wand is raised and in the moment between being sliced by a cutting spell and blown by a Reducto, Siwon casts Finite Incantatum at Neville, freeing him from the Body Bind Curse. As walls of silvery protection rise all around him, Siwon watches with satisfaction as Neville pulls out a sword from the smoking hat and with a flash of silver glittering in the dawn, slices the head of Voldemort’s snake.
“Get up. Now.”
Rough hands haul him to his feet and he stares blankly as Kangin punches a Snatcher in the face, elbows another and blasts a third one into oblivion with his wand. His eyes are alight with fury as he battles the never ending stream of Snatchers and Death Eaters while high above them Thestrals and Hippogriffs battle it out with the giants. Far behind him, Siwon hears a stampede of hooves as an army of Centaurs runs into the foray, their bows aloft and arrows burrowing themselves within the Dark Army. Side stepping Neville’s grandmum as she sends a few Snatchers flying, Siwon aims a hex at MacNair just seconds before the Death Eater deals the final blow to a young student.
“OI YOU UGLY GIT!”
Walden MacNair sneers and Siwon grins as he throws all he’s got at the Death Eater.
--
Shindong is out of his depth. The battle is being pushed into the castle once more and into the Great Hall. Soldiers from both sides shouting and screaming, jinxes and curses of all kinds flying above their heads, bodies falling to the ground covered in blood or eyes wide open from the Killing Curse. The Hufflepuff deflects a curse from a Snatcher and pulls up a shield charm just in time before a troll brings down its club onto him and his friends. The students all around him are shaken and bloodied, but none of them relent as they try as hard as they can to push back the invaders. From a corner of his eyes he catches a glimpse of Henry holding his own against a Death Eater and fear shoots through his entire being, thinking what the hell is the kid doing here and where in Morgana’s ample ass is Donghae when you need him.
“GET BACK! GET BACK!”
“MUDBLOOD FILTH!”
“BLOOD TRAITOR!”
“NOOOO! OH MERLIN SOMEONE SAVE HER!!”
“THIS IS FOR CEDRIC, YOU BINT!”
A sudden chill in settles over his skin as he duels two snatchers, the cold completely unnatural and he can hear the beginning of Nari’s screams as one of Greyback’s demon drags her out onto the courtyard when Shindong wasn’t looking. But that’s not right, is it? That cannot be right, because Ernie is the one to save her when he himself could not and she’s currently in the hospital wing with Pomfrey, isn’t she? Cold sweat breaks onto his forehead as he transfigures the rubble at his feet to daggers and sends them across at his opponents; his breaths misting in front of him.
It’s of no use, though. No matter how hard he tells himself that Nari is alive in the hospital wing, her screams are getting louder and louder and he can see her terrified face clearly, tears streaming down her dirty cheeks and nails scraping the stone floors as her legs are dragged from behind her. All at once, the atmosphere dims as though covered in a thick blanket, the sounds of war muffled and coldness envelopes him like a cloak. In the back of his mind, he knows that this is not normal, that this is the work of a magical creature. But for the life of him he cannot recall their names as Nari’s pleading face is covered in blood as the werewolf tears into her… but that cannot be right. That never happened. That’s-
A silver otter and a terrier rushes pass him and slowly the dim, suffocating atmosphere is lift, the cold giving into warmth.
“Come on, mate. Focus. They’re Dementors, is all. You know this one. Come on now.”
Red hair takes up his vision and Shindong is staring at the grim face of Ron Weasley, another silver terrier materializing from the tip of his wand. On the red-head’s side, an otter runs headlong at the hooded figures and Hermione Granger spares him a brief but comforting smile. Shindong nods once and swallows, memories of his girl friend and year mates floating in his mind.
“EXPECTO PATRONUM!”
A ferocious silvery bear shoots from the tip of his wand and claws at the Dementors, the three students grinning at each other before turning to the next fight.
--
Potter is dead.
Harry bloody Potter, the boy-who-just-wont-die-when-he’s-supposed-to is dead.
Dead when people need him to be alive.
Typical.
Fucking typical.
“I hate Gryffindors.”
Cho Kyuhyun is less than happy and would like nothing more than to cast the blood boiling curse at the sniggering Death Eater he is currently dueling. A thought came to him as he ducks and sends another offensive; his feathers ruffled as the disgusting vermin insults his family. Perhaps it is Heechul that he should be cursing at. Heechul and his blasted ill-time conscience, turning traitor to the Dark in the very last moment, dragging Kyuhyun and Sungmin with him. Damn it all to Hades and back.
He could be at the family manor by now, sitting in front of the fire with his books and Astronomy models instead of dropping onto floors and crawling on his elbows to avoid Killing Curses or nearly fainting with fatigue as he struggles to hold his ground against the slime that he now recognizes as Dolohov. His hands are shaking from the Cruciatus, his jaw feels sore from smashing into a statue, his hair is matte with blood from that giant he slaughtered and he’s pretty sure his ribs are cracked. Blood traitor, they call him. An ugly sneer forms on his face as he levitates bloodied sheets that used to cover the dead and attempt to suffocate Dolohov with them. He sincerely hopes the git chokes on the dried blood, the blood of those annoying classmates of his who are now dead at sixteen. He remembers the look on Zhou Mi’s face when he tries to calm down one of the Patil twins when a mutual friend of theirs died on the hospital bed and Kyuhyun’s determination to choke Dolohov with rust stained sheets intensifies.
A crash and a blinding light later sees Dolohov blasted across the Hall and into the opposite wall where he left a trail of blood as he slides down into a slump. Absent mindedly, Kyuhyun nods his respect to Professor Flitwick who winked. Quick as lightning he swivels around just into time to summon a Snatcher as a shield against a nasty hex, his face darkening when his House emblem is stained with the trash’s blood. Stunning the idiot who tried to hex him, the Slytherin drops the convulsing body and runs towards the Head Table, his sights set on Ginny Weasley as she stupidly tries to take on Bellatrix LeStrange on her own.
“Bit ambitious, are we?” he grins at the Weasley girl, his wand moving sharply as he casts spells after spells at Bellatrix, the floor around the three of them chipping and flying everywhere. “Hello, Madam LeStrange.”
“YOU FILTHY-“
“-blood traitor, yes we heard you lot the first time.” The Weasley girl grit out, her breathing heavy as she jumps backwards and forwards, avoiding Bellatrix’s attacks. Kyuhyun finds himself amused as he grabs her to the side and casts a particularly dark spell at the wife of his Father’s favorite business associate. A grimace settles briefly on his face-yes, that would make an excellent dinner conversation, him blasting a hole right in the middle of his Fathers’ business empire.
Lovely.
‘NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!’
And Cho Kyuhyun, heir of the Cho family legacy, the Korean branch of the Ashworth line and pureblood Prince to the very core… is momentarily stunned for the first time in his seventeen years of life.
--
Kibum let himself be plastered to the wall along with the others and praying to high heavens that Molly Weasley and Bellatrix LeStrange don’t kill them all in one misguided attempt to one up the other. Oh, he gets that the Weasley matron is very well near off her rocker from what happened to one of her sons, but Bellatrix is already over the edge and beyond, so he would rather not risk the chance of getting hit with a nasty curse doubled in effect by female wrath. A startled ‘oh no, Susan!’ that he promptly recognizes as Hannah Abbot’s has him running on top of an overturned bench and searching the chaos. He sees the Malfoys running through the crowd, yelling for their son while the aforementioned son is on the other side of Hall and -Kibum’s eyebrows shoot up into his hairline- dueling a Snatcher with Leeteuk watching his back as he deflects the stray attacks.
A creative flow of curses flow from his lips when he sees his target biting off more than she can chew with Thicknesse who seem to take perverse pleasure in pinning her to the floor amidst the dirt and the fallen.
Kibum wastes no time as he skirts along Molly Weasley’s brand of revenge and weaves his way through the dueling masses, his eyes keeping watch on Susan Bones. All around them at various distances, he catches glimpse of Ryeowook, Longbottom, and Weasley taking down Fenrir Greyback, saw Eunhyuk and Donghae wiping the floor with MacNair, and saw Heechul, Hangeng, Yesung and half the DA throwing off Snatchers and Death Eaters from the wounded who are being hastily patched up by a frazzled Sungmin, Zhou Mi and Michael
Corner.
Dropping to his knees mid-run, he scrapes them as he slides and tackles Thicknesse to the ground, taking care to bash the Ministry scum’s head into the floor and Stunning the man between his startled eyes. Scrambling to his feet, he turns and grabs a feebly moving Susan around her waist.
“Here, let me.”
Henry Lau appears at his elbow and he smiles weakly, passing the almost fainted girl to the other boy. His face, however, are drained of color as he hears Voldemort’s scream echo throughout the Hall.
“GET DOWN GET DOWN GET DOWN!!!”
But the warning came too late as Kibum is blasted forward into Henry and Susan, and a heat akin to a bomb explosion engulfs the room. He crouches over Henry and the girl, trying to cover them as best as he could, his wand having skittered across the floor when the explosion happened. From his position, he can see numerous people in similar situation, crouching over their friends and loved ones or lying flat on their belly with their heads covered by their arms while the less fortunate ones stares blankly at the ceiling, blood pooling around their heads.
‘Protego!’
He’s alive.
Potter is alive.
--
We did it, we bashed them, wee Potter’s the One, and Voldy’s gone mouldy, so now let’s have fun!
Hangeng is, for the lack of better word, exhausted.
The sounds of the Great Hall is deafening as the survivors celebrates their victory and mourn their dead, all of them sitting squished together at the four tables that Professor McGonagall have installed. He supposes that his Head of House is the new Headmistress, now that Severus Snape is dead. A heavy sigh falls from between his lips as the name of his previous headmaster pops up in his mind. Potter’s revelation that the slimy git was one of their own had been a sobering one for Hangeng. All those years spent cursing and wishing death on to the deceased Potions Master catches up with him and his conscience, momentarily halting his polite conversation with Dean Thomas.
His eyes strays to the Slytherin table which is just as crowded as the other table with families and Hogsmeade villagers amidst the surviving students. His throat clogs as he spies Kim Heechul in all of his proud Pureblood glory, conversing lightly with the Malfoy heir. Where their son looks almost normal, the parents are pale and drawn, not knowing what to do or what to say. The effeminate Slytherin sports a wicked gash across his cheeks and his white school shirt is more grimy than white, blood staining in little splotches. Sungmin is gone, he realizes. Probably down in the Hospital Wing, working furiously with Madam Pomfrey and the others to save their injured comrades. Kyuhyun is sitting on the ruined steps of the Head Table with that tall Chinese Ravenclaw, the Slytherin’s hands shaking slightly before the Ravenclaw grabs the appendages in a soft grasp.
He shudders at the memory of Kyuhyun lying on the floor screaming in agony as his nerves are set aflame by the Crucio and the image of the Death Eater as his spine contorts, poking through his skin and twisting his waist. Hangeng cannot say that he agrees with Heechul’s method of punishing the Death Eater who tortured Kyuhyun, but he doubts that he would be able to restrain himself if any of his dongsaengs are subjected to the vile curse.
Leeteuk is a mess, he muses. The older Gryffindor is sitting between Lee Jordan and Eunhyuk with Kangin across the table. From where he sits, Hangeng can see the death grip that Leeteuk has on Eunhyuk’s hand. The younger lad is quiet, murmuring now and then at Leeteuk’s ears. There are rumors, of course. Rumors that Leeteuk used Crucio on Fenrir Greyback during the battle, but no one can say that they seen for certain nor can they check his wand, not after so many spells.
Innocence is gone, there is no doubt about that. After all, Hangeng killed a good number of enemies today. Who is he to judge a lapse in judgment in the face of a friend’s impending death?
The longer he sits amidst the survivors, the longer he feels unworthy. With his head hanging low, Hangeng rises from his seat and makes his way covertly down the Hall and into the Atrium. The once pristine place where he used to lounge while waiting on friends is nearly obliterated. The high ceiling is blasted to heaven and the early morning sunlight streams into the cave-like entrance, enabling Hangeng to take in all the dried blood and messes on the chipped stone floor.
A slight brush against his side has him smiling slightly, hands deftly catching onto the slick soft material of Potter’s invinsibility cloak. “Trying to make a get-away, eh Potter?”
Potter let the hood of the cloak fall and smiles sheepishly at Hangeng, his glasses cracked and his face littered with scratches. “Just-I just need to be alone for a bit, you know?”
“Yeah,” Hangeng nods, “Yeah, I know. Granger and Weasley’s at the stone bridge, last I heard.” He offered with a wry grin. “Best rush off before they notice you’re gone.” Hangeng jabs his thumb over his shoulders to the Great Hall and watches as Potter’s head disappears under the cloak.
“You were brilliant, by the way. You too, Princess.” came Potter’s disembodied voice.
Hangeng snorts.
“I should AK him for calling me that, the great prat.” Heechul’s grumbling tone teases his ears, a hand sneaks down his arm to intertwine their fingers. “Princess, he says. Let’s see he calls me that after I hex his balls off.”
“Can’t imagine Ginny would like that, Heechul.”
“The Weaslette can shove it for all I care. I’m washing my hands off this sodding school and taking my exams at my family manor over the summer.” A shadow falls over the slighter boy’s face, his eyes much too haunted for a seventeen year old. “I can’t look anywhere and not see-“he gulps, “…never mind. Walk with me?”
“Wherever you want.”
--
--
--
The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years.
All was well.
--
--
--
Note from the author: What possesed me to write this crossoever? I have no idea. Do I find the image of the boys in Hogwarts uniform and Quiddith robes totally hot and ridiculously attractive? Yes. Do I take pleasure in imagining the arrogant Pureblood Prince personas of Heechul, Kyu and Sungmin? Yessir. Will there be more? I BLOODY WELL HOPE SO.
I have issues with how I ended this. Blast it.
And thanks loads to qmibao for the proof-reading. To RL friends who stumbled across this: Yeah, bitches. I went there. Booyah.
Fandom: Super Junior and Harry Potter (das right, bitchess!!!)