Chapter Text
Chapter 28
The Battle of Diagon Alley
Time seemed to slow down. To Harry it felt as if the curses were being drawn across the air as with some sort of arcane quill. “COVER!” he screamed as loud as he could as he turned to tackle Ginny to the floor. He purposely covered the back of her head with his left hand as they fell to the floor and he felt the pain sting of it doing its job protecting her. He looked around and everything still seemed to be in slow motion, with bits of glass seeming to float in the air and people getting down.
Then suddenly like slamming on the brakes, it came to an end with. The glass fell to the ground and an explosion boomed from outside. There was as a pause in the moment, Harry looked down to Ginny, they both nodded, each of them were okay. Then the cry came from outside.
“I KILLED SIRIUS BLACK!”
Harry’s body switched into fight mode but his work this summer was starting to pay off. He had the wisdom to stop himself, but he knew someone else wouldn’t .
“Lestrange!” Neville growled as climbed back up to his feet and started running for the door.
Harry did as well but was quicker. “Neville, NO!” Harry shouted as he ran leapt from his feet to tackle his mate. They rolled out of the way narrowly missing a cutting curse being cast.
As they his the floor and rolled Neville's eyes fill with the feeling of betrayal. He cried out, “My parents!”
“I KNOW!” Harry screamed back, “but we do this TOGETHER!”
Neville’s doubts of betrayal solidified to courage.
Ron lifted himself from coving Hermione, they exchanged nods of ‘ I’m okay.’
“How does the same bloody thing happen to the same bloody bloke twice!” he cursed, as kept low and ran up with the other two by the front window.
“Because you’re friends with me,” Harry welcomed.
A shocked Mr. Granger looked over to Hermione, “Where is he going?”
“To protect me!” she yelled back, as she started crawling forward..
“So why are you following?”
“To protect him!”
“MOTHER!” they could hear a girl’s cry outside.
Harry and Ron slowly raised their heads up just barely enough to survey the outside.
Nearest to them, but still 10 feet away. Daphne Greengrass was screaming and kneeling over her mother, who was laying in a still growing pool of blood. Another 10 feet out Tonks was sitting behind a small kiosk clearly already shot up. She was already wrapping her upper right leg, and clearly in pain. About fifteen feet further what was an at least unconscious Lupin laying on the ground.
“CHOSEN ONE! If you are so willing to charge into battle with your family, What about the innocent strangers. How many innocents are you willing to sacrifice?” A second volley of hexes launched into the broom store.
Ginny ran over to the other side of the door and glared at Harry, planning to do the same to him as he had done to Neville if Harry’s nobility fired up. “NO!” she growled at him. Harry nodded.
Ron looked at the field. Diagon alley was that, an alley. It was a tunnel and they were at one end and the Death Eater squadron the other. He couldn’t get a good count,couple dozen Eaters stood ready. The greatest problem was it was a road with building on the sides. The road where the Eaters were, where they had to go, was open with no cover. Any one who stepped out was a sitting duck. Ron smiled.“I’ve got an idea!”
He turned around and looked at the others. “We take a page from the Romans. Two lines. Front line casts and holds a shield spell. Second line opens fire over the front lines shoulders.”
“You want us to HOLD a shield under fire? Do you realize how stressed the concentration on that will be?”
“Stressed is better than dead.” Neville said.
Hermione shrugged in agreement.
Harry nodded, but more that that, he grinned. “We rotate, take turns. On my signals. Everyone shares the load, we carry it longer.”
Hermione did a quick calculation in her head. “That would help.”
“DA! Get up here, We got a plan. Angelina, Hanna, I need you two.”
Another volley shot over them as the team gathered together. “Four teams. Crimson, we’re in a broom shop, I need a flight team. Draft! Angelina, Fred and George’s shop is on the other side of the Death Eaters. Go with the flight team, but you’re our messenger. That shop can be a god damn armory, I want a second front behind the Eaters and we’ll box them in. Crimson, Flight team is the lid. Teams 1 and 2 go out in rows. Front cast and hold shield. Second row, fires over the front row shoulder. This only works if we stick together! We live and die as a TEAM!. We go at my pace. We swap at my call! And we kill every damn one we can find.”
Med team: We’ve got at least 3 injured out there. When the shield gets in front you get their arses back in and do your best.”
Josh yelled over to Crimson. “Anything you want is yours.”
Crimson nodded. Given an order she followed it. “Katie, Alicia, Dean, Angelina, Grab brooms, you’re with me!”
Harry reached into his bag and grabbed his emergency healing potions kit and threw it. “Hanna, you’ve just been promoted to field medic. Colin, Anthony, Dennis, Lavender, with her.”
“Everyone else pair up.” Harry and Hermione both did a quick count, they had 16 left so 2 rows of eight. “I’m Team 1, ‘Mione’s got Team 2.”
“Me?” she questioned.
“You're the best caster we have! Our shields STAY UP!” She nodded.
“Neville, my girl’s in the air. We’re partners.”
He smiled a bit. “Well, you just made mine the medic, so sounds fair.” They exchanged dumb grins for a second.
“Everyone… this is going to hurt, and I’m sorry. But every hit, every pain, every tear, you pour right back into your wands. Merlin have mercy, because we fucking won’t. Ready positions: Teams 1, 2, Flight, Med. Flight team: You go as soon as the defense line has created enough space for you. Med Team, wait till we’ve got victims covered.”
Ron fell into Harry’s right, Nodded and just said. “Let’s give ‘em Hell.”
Neville patted Harry's shoulder to let him know he had him covered. Harry looked over to make visual contact with Hermione, Crimson, and Hanna. All nodded in readiness.
Susan slipped into Harry’s left. “Master Potter,” she nodded.
“Lady Bones, I am honored.” he grinned.
Harry turned to the battlefield enraged. “SHIELD WALL!”
“PROTEGO!” the front line cried in confident unison. Their individual blue auras of their shields flashed to life, then, more than Harry could have asked for. With the same spell being cast next to each other but a team all of the same mind, the individual shields merged. Harry got his shield wall.
“On me!” he ordered as he led the walk out. They spread out as they walked.
As soon as there was physically room for Hermione’s team to get there, she followed. “Get to positions ... .FIRE!” she cried. With that call release of spells came as the counter attack to a rather confused group of Death Eaters who had never seen this tactic before.
Crimson was chewing at the bit, waiting for just a few extra steps for a broom launch. She knew they could do a straight vertical lift if needed but it cost speed. From her last experience she knew speed was key. “Flight team, stay quick and keep shooting! Even misses are a distraction! Angelina… “ Ginny looked with fire and determination. “You get to my brothers and you get them in this fight!” Angelina nodded. “Flight team…” Ginny activated her shield charm with great appreciation and love where it came from. Then waited for another few steps…”GO!” They threaded the needle of the door like they would a goal ring and immediately.
About another 2 dozen people were left in broomstix all of whom were now looking to Hanna. “What are you all doing?” Mr. Granger asked.
Hanna, the one in charge of the last team she kept her eyes forward, “We’re fighting back.” she said with determination.
“But, you’re kids?”
“Maybe, but we’re the ones willing.”
Harry smiled briefly as he saw five brooms in the sky and heading for the Eaters. But he only looked for a moment as his focus was his shield spell. The shield wall was surprisingly resilient, yet still some curse fire made through. He could hear the team hiss and swear as cutters would finally break through. “Keep going!” he ordered.
Daphne was the first one they met, she had stopped wailing but still was wailing over her mother who had clearly not survived. Maisey and Luna’s team were the closest to her, with Luna shielding. Once the shield wall went past Daphne, Maisey quickly started pulling at the distraught girl. “Daphne… Daphne! You can’t stay here. Get back to Broomstix!
Angelina deftly and quickly flew to the joke shop, and ran inside. “Fred!”
Recognizing the panic filled voice Fred ran out from behind with George on his heals. “What’s wrong?!”
“Death Eaters attacking Broomstix. Harry’s leading a defense. Ginny’s got a team in the air. He wants us to play rear guard.”
“Did you just hear what I hear, Ron?”
“It sounds to me like Harry is throwing a party, and wants us to bring the noise.”
“Exactly!”
They looked at each other and in unison said “Whiz-bangs”
Angelina followed them into the backroom.
Harry’s glove wand sheath was working better than expected as Crimson was wanting to keep turns tight as she began strafing the Eaters from above. It appeared to be a larger group, maybe 50. While her birthday had been great, she missed the links from the Nimbus Nest. ‘Those would be so useful -’
‘Get your head in the game Weasley!’ Crimson scolder her. ‘ You are too fast with too much fire to think of ANYthing else. ’
All the front line were sweating from exertion. “Harry, I can’t hold much longer.” Ron warned.
“Give me 30 more seconds.” Harry replied.
“I’m with Ron, We’re not used to this strain.” Susan echoed.
“Give me 15 seconds of heart!”
Hermione could see Maisey falling behind, “Maise! Hanna will get her! Get back to position!”” She let a moment hesitate as the seconds counted down. “Maisey fucking NOW!”
Somehow Hermione Granger swearing was absolutely frightening enough that Maise ran back into her position as Hanna came up. She didn’t waste any time “Colin, Dennis, I don’t care what she says or does! Just drag her back!” Then get back here!”
“Harry….” Ron's voice strained.
“Swap in 3 - 2 - 1 - NOW!
“ “PROTEGO!” the second team shouted, Neville grabbed him by the shoulder to pull Harry back and take his place. Hermione was as generous as Crookshanks as she slipped around and in front of Ron and a new Shield wall came to life as the first finally faded with much relief. But Harry made them soldier ahead. “No one quit yet. Team 1 FIRE! And be fucking creative!” Stupefy, stupefy, stupefy, Harry fired off as soon as he could.
By now the flight team had started on high speed alley passes dropping fire bolts along the Eaters. Crimson was doing her best to vary their flight pattern. It was bad enough the terrain of the Alley demanded a back and forth strafing. She tried to alternate randomly between loops, figure eights, and zig zagging. As simple as the options were, it was at least something she could hand single to other flyers on the turn backs.
The columns finally got the shield wall to Tonks. She had several bleeds, a lot of blood out and by his amateur guess a broken leg, “Harry, What are you doing?”
“Saving your life!”
“Harry, get out of here!”
“Respectfully, You’re not in charge of me. Hanna!”
“I got her, Harry.”
Hanna and Lavender fell to Tonk’s side. Lavender’s eyes went wide, “Merlin, that’s a lot of blood.”
Hanna opened the potion case. “Here, drink these two.” Tonks pulled the corks out with teeth, Her right hand, her casting hand pressing hard again a major bleed on her leg.
She threw one back than the other. “Pepperup and what was the other?”
“Blood Replenisher.”
“Shit, you think I’m that bad?”
“Have you looked around?” Hanna asked, gesturing to the blood on the ground.
Hanna looked so apologetically to the Auror “Honestly, I’m not really trained, but I’m the best you’ve got right now.” Colin and Dennis finally made it to them and reflexively came to either side of Tonks and each put an arm over their shoulders.
“AHHH Tonks yelled as the pressure released the blood sprayed. “
“Fuck,” Hanna swore as she pressed down on the gash. She started looking around.
“Dennis, I need your belt.”
“Right.” he quickly pulled it out of his trousers and Hanna quickly wrapped it around the wound and strapped it down and tied it off.
“Best I can do, get her out of here and get back, we still have Professor Lupin.”
The spell fire intensified the closer they got closer to the Eaters, but somehow their numbers were reducing … and though the D.A. were clearly taking hits. It was flesh wounds vs Eaters actually going down. For a fraction of second, Harry let himself, ‘Merlin’s beard, this is working!’
“Harry… '' Hermione's voice struggled.
“Getting tired mate!” Neville confirmed.
Harry looked over at Ron and Susan, they both nodded their readiness.
“Pass on the right! Swap in 3 - 2 - 1 - NOW!
“ “PROTEGO!” With clearer instruction the 1st team return to the Shield Wall. “We got two back, Lupin the last. Let’s pick up the pace. QUICK WALK ON ME 1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4 “ the sweat poured off him from the spell strain he could tell they were wearing down…. The shield wall was flickering in place.
George grabbed every Whiz-bag on the shelf and stuffed them into a paper sack. Fred ran to the shop’s Defense section and ran back with three gloves and a bracelet. He ran over to Angelina, “Hands,” he called out. She complied, holding them out. “Shield glove,” he explained as slipped over her left hand. “Feather fall.” he said. “Kick ass, stay safe.”
“You too.” Fred gave her the package. “Light it when you drop in and get the hell out of the way. We’ll hold the rear. “
“Right, See you soon.” Angelina took the bag, ran outside, and was skyborn the moment she had the room. With a hand on the broom and another carrying the wiz-bags she was grateful for the shield glove as it was doing its job against the fire.She flew close to the center mass and cast incendio as she dropped the package. Then she grabbed the broom tight and flew as fast as she could, falling into rounds with the rest of the flight team.
Crimson flashed an approving grin as they continued these bombing runs. From her estimations it looked like they had already trimmed a third of the forces down. The flight team was actually holding together well, and she wasn’t about to let up.
Fred and George quickly ran toward the danger.
“George, I think our sister has fire covered in this fight, don’t you?”
“Yes I do, so you were thinking of something smoother? He replied with a smile.
“ Aqua eructo” George cast creating geyser of water from his wand flowing down the alley and blowing down the Eaters.
“ Glacius Maxima,” Fred added, summoning a harsh winter wind freezing the water as it lay, including any eaters in the past. Between wind and water the twins were creating their own defenses but for what few curses came their way their shield gloves were making up the difference.
Harry led the teams down to Lupin in double time. “Dig deep Treat it like a Patronus! Channel your emotion! ‘’Mione, We’re on borrowed time, Check him!”
Hermione knelt and reran Mrs. Weasley’s lessons through her head in an instant. Her hands came to his neck. “He’s alive
“Neville, help ‘Mione get him inside Sugarplums!”
“Harry, we’re hitting a wall here mate.” Ron warned.
“God damn it Ron! ‘Mione is right behind us. Do it for her!”
That realization need no further fired him anew. He’d made promises and he wasn’t about to break them now. He clenched his teeth hard as he held to the spell.
“Harry,” Susan asked, trembling and sweating bolts. “How long can you keep this up?”
“If I know how to do anything… it’s working through pain!”
That moment Angelina blazed down the Alley, and instant later the Whiz Bangs exploded in a cacophony of bright light and hurling the Death Eaters in all directions and breaking all the concentrations, shield wall falling.
“Scatter! Back to Wizard Tag!”
Ron ran back the last few steps to meet Hanna’s team and guarded them into Sugarplums .
Ron relayed the order to Hermione, “Wizard Tag!”
“Right!” as she dashed back into the fray.
Neville followed along, “What the hell is Wizard Tag?”
“Keep running, Keep shooting, Don’t die.” Ron explained.
“We came up with it this summer.” Hermione added.
“THIS was your summer VACATION!”
Harry and Susan had fallen relatively close together so the two nobles kept their backs together. “Harry, when I offered and alliance, It didn’t mean this bloody soon!”
“Neither did I!”
Finally through all the fire, ice and mayhem, a figure clearly emerged, Neville’s rage seethed. “LESTRANGE!” He charged the woman in blind fury. CRUCIO! He cast … and it hit her. The red energy wrapped around her like a whip and she howled like a banshee.
The howl caught Harry’s attention and when he saw it, He didn’t have an issue with the spell or the target, but was greatly concerned that Neville was so focused he wasn’t dodging and moving anymore. “Neville, got to cover your arse!” Harry sprinted and as he saw an Eater taking the shot. On the Wealey’s freshly laid ice Harry slid onto his knees behind Neville. “ “PROTEGO!” Harry shouted, throwing a shield up protecting both of them from an onslaught of spell fire.
“Neville, not torture, put her down! I don’t care if it’s dead or sleep but finish the job! Be better than her!”
“FUCK!” Neville screamed as ended the spell and cast his most powerful stun, but in that instant, Lestrange hit her portkey and popped away. “NO!”
With Lestrange gone, whatever was blocking apprating went with her. As then the Aurors started popping in to aid, Several Eaters portkeyed out but many were captured. The spell fire slowed then finally stopped. With the emergency past, and calm in the air now, most of the DA fell into exhaustion. Flight team landed. Crimson immediately ran.
“Harry!” she ran to embrace him.
“Gin,” he gasped in exhaustion but a bit of a grin. ”I’m fine. Team, check team.” Every word was labored.
“Flight Team! Harry need’s a head count and status on everyone, fucking NOW!”As she hugged him she could tell she was the one holding him up. That was truly frightening. She’d lost count of how many times he’d been the one to hold her up. She couldn’t think of a single time he’d been the weak one. She quickly took the wand Harry barely was holding onto anymore and put it back in his holster. She took his arm over her shoulders and brought him back to the walls of Sugarplums.
“27… count is 27 of us.” he muttered.
“Flight team is fine. I have them checking the rest.” she reported as the got to the wall. His back slid down it to be sitting on the ground. Ginny had her wand out and started scrying.
“Gin… you are our… best healer.” he protested.
“And when the flight team tells me who it is I’m there next.” she reassured.
“Gin, I’m fine…. The team-”
“YOU ARE part of the team! NOW - LET - ME - HELP - YOU!” she full on yelled with a flash of fire and rage.
Harry looked at that fire and did the smartest thing he could… he shut the hell up, and nodded.
She resumed her health scry, while still scolding him. “Thank Merlin, I love you but you can be one STUBBORN bastard sometimes.”
“But I’m your kind of bastard.”
Ginny finished the scry. “Spell and your sodding sense of humor says you're fine, just exhausted.” She kissed him strongly but briefly and rested her forehead against his. “Now I’ll check the others.
She went into Sugarplums first to find Ron on the floor against the counter, wand ready, with Hermione completely passed out in his lap. “Hey sis,”
“Ronald… Thank, Merlin” Ginny scryed both of them. “You both are okay, looks like she just fainted. Harry’s right outside, Flight Team is okay.”
Hanna now had the time to scry while looking over Professor Lupin, “I think he just got knocked unconscious from a blast.
Dean came in counting, “19, 20, and 27 so far.”
“That’s all of us Dean, thanks. How are we?”
“D.A. is okay. Cuts, bleed, and bruises. Nothing serious.
“How is Broomstixs?”
“Shop’s shot up well. Looks like the initial Volly really hit the spectators there. Aurors are there now. I know Mrs Greengrass …”
“Gotcha, get back there. We’ll be along soon.”
Ron looked down to Hermione, gently rubbing her cheek. “Hey babe, I’d appreciate it if I could show you to your parents awake and standing. It might earn me some more credit in the protection review.”
Hermione’s eyes fluttered open with the reminder of her parents. “Merlin, yes, please.”
Ron helped her up and the four of them staggered back down to Broomstix. Which had a team of Aurors and healers already buzzing. George was busy with mending windows. Fred was holding Angelina. Both of them clasped hands with all four of the quartet as they passed by. The Grangers were sitting on a nearby bench, just getting their health scry done. Hermione would have ran, but didn’t have the energy, but did break off to hug them. Mr. Granger and Ron exchanged knowing nods.
As they continued down the Alley, Harry was starting to get some sort of strength back, but Ginny would be damned if she let him go anywhere alone.
“Romans?” Harry asked Ron.
“Seemed like a good idea at the time.”
“It was bloody brilliant, mate. YOU are bloody brilliant.”
“HOLDING a shield spell? That was creative.”
“Needs must with the devil drives.”
Finally, Harry saw the one other person he wanted to check in on, Tonks, leaning up against the inside wall. Obviously, not the greatest but she was sitting up, and talking.
“Remus?”
“Safe, in Sugarplums, just unconscious.”
A wave of relief washed over her. “Harry, so… I’m not in charge of you?”
Harry smiled briefly. “Yea, sorry about that. Was a bit stressed at the time.”
“Don’t be. Today, I’m glad. You and your team… did well. Saved a lot of lives. Thank you.”
“Thanks.”
“But…” she said, “You may have some explaining to do.” She said as she pointed behind them.
He turned around to see Professor Moody staring at him. “Mind telling me what the hell is going on here?”
Harry turned to look at Moody, letting his cocky grin come through “Yea… we weren’t afraid.”
End of Book 1
Continued in Book 2
His Name is Riddle
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14368470/1/His-Name-is-Riddlehttps://archiveofourown.org/works/56972347/chapters/144876502