". . . evacuation will be overseen by Mr. Filch and Madam Pomfrey. Prefects, when I give the word, you will organize your House and take your charges, in an orderly fashion, to the evacuation point." Professor McGonagall was giving the plan of evacuation.

Many of the students looked petrified. However, Ernie stood up at the Hufflepuff table and shouted, "And what if we want to stay and fight?"

There was a smattering of applause.

"If you are of age, you may stay," said Professor McGonagall.

"What about our things?" called a fourth year girl down the table. "Our trunks, our owls?"

"We have no time to collect possessions," he said said Professor McGonagall. "The important thing is to get you out of here safely."

"Where's Professor Snape?" shouted a girl from the Slytherin table.

"He has, to use the common phrase, done a bunk," replied Professor McGonagall, and a great cheer erupted from the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws.

We have already placed protection around the castle," Professor McGonagall continued, "but it is unlikely to hold for very long unless we reinforce it. I must ask you, therefore, to move quickly and calmly, and do as your prefects-" But her final words were drowned as a different voice echoed throughout the Hall.

It was high, cold, and clear: There was no telling from where it came; it seemed to come from the walls themselves. Like the monster it had once commanded, it might have lain dormant there for centuries. "I know that you are preparing to fight."

There were screams amongst the students, some of whom clutched each other, looking around in terror for the source of the sound. Caleb clutched Jade and I closer.

"Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood."

There was silence in the Hall now, the kind of silence that seems to have a sound of its own. "Give me Harry Potter," said the cold, hollow voice of Voldemort, "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."

The silence swallowed them all again.

A figure rose from the Slytherin table, Pansy Parkinson, she raised a shaking arm and screamed, "But he's there! Potter's there! Someone grab him!"

There was a massive movement. The Gryffindors had risen and stood facing the Slytherins. Then the Hufflepuffs stood, and almost at the same moment, the Ravenclaws, all of them with their backs to Gryffindor table, all looking toward Pansy instead, and wands were emerging everywhere, pulled from beneath cloaks and from under sleeves.

"Thank you, Miss Parkinson," said Professor McGonagall in a clipped voice. "You will leave the Hall first with Mr. Filch. If the rest of your House could follow." The grinding of benches and then the sound of the Slytherins trooping out on the other side of the Hall was the only thing that broke the silence.

"Ravenclaws, follow on!" cried Professor McGonagall. Slowly the four tables emptied.

The Slytherin table was completely deserted, but all the rest of the sixth and seventh year Ravenclaws remained seated while our fellows filed out; even more Hufflepuffs stayed behind, and half of Gryffindor remained in their seats, necessitating Professor McGonagall's descent from the teachers' platform to chivvy the underage on their way.

I went over to Nathan, who still remained at the Hufflepuff table, "Absolutely not! You are not staying!"

"But you're staying."

"I'm old enough, Nate."

"I'm sixteen!"

"You're not of age!"

Professor Sprout stepped in and made Nathan, rather reluctantly, leave.

"Alright, fine. But I don't like it!"

Kingsley had stepped forward on the raised platform to address those who had remained behind. "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. Professors 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 from which to work spells. Meanwhile Remus, Arthur, and I will take groups into the grounds. We'll need somebody to organize defense of the entrances of the passageways into the school-"

"Sounds like a job for us," called one of the Weasley twins, indicating himself and his brother, and Kingsley nodded his approval. "All right, leaders up here and we'll divide up the troops!"

I was put in Professor Flitwick's group to head up to Ravenclaw tower, and Jade and Caleb were put on Professor Sprout's to the Astronomy tower.

The three of us say goodbye, and I hope they're still alive when this is over.