She pulled her robes closer around her short stature as the wind traveled through the arches that supported and made up the stone bridge. This was the bridge that led to her Defense Against the Dark Arts class but since class was not in session, this passageway was more or less vacant. She rested her elbows on the ledge and leaned over as far as she dared, looking straight down. At a distant she could make out the lake she had traveled across when she arrived. Various students making their way across the school grounds.

Delaney missed her father. It had been coming on two years since she had last seen him, or her brother and she so badly wished she could just write to him. She missed her mom, too. She even missed her stepfather, though she would never admit it out loud. She sniffled and fought back tears. She had never been to cry, even at eleven years old, her mother rarely had to comfort her, but after everything that had been happening…. She felt a few tears betray her as they slid down her face. Delaney was still trying to block out what had happened in Divination class hoping she could just forget that it ever happened. She had gone to the hospital wing straight after class had been dismissed and her mouth was good as new but at night when she goes to sleep, she can sometimes think she can still feel the burning sensation around her mouth.

Her despair quickly turned in to anger. She hated those stupid cloaked men. She hated the headmaster. She hated this school. She hated that she had been humiliated in front of everyone. She especially hated that she couldn’t keep her foolish mouth shut.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaisieTheMagical

She pulled her robes closer around her short stature as the wind traveled through the arches that supported and made up the stone bridge. This was the bridge that led to her Defense Against the Dark Arts class but since class was not in session, this passageway was more or less vacant. She rested her elbows on the ledge and leaned over as far as she dared, looking straight down. At a distant she could make out the lake she had traveled across when she arrived. Various students making their way across the school grounds.

Delaney missed her father. It had been coming on two years since she had last seen him, or her brother and she so badly wished she could just write to him. She missed her mom, too. She even missed her stepfather, though she would never admit it out loud. She sniffled and fought back tears. She had never been to cry, even at eleven years old, her mother rarely had to comfort her, but after everything that had been happening…. She felt a few tears betray her as they slid down her face. Delaney was still trying to block out what had happened in Divination class hoping she could just forget that it ever happened. She had gone to the hospital wing straight after class had been dismissed and her mouth was good as new but at night when she goes to sleep, she can sometimes think she can still feel the burning sensation around her mouth.

Her despair quickly turned in to anger. She hated those stupid cloaked men. She hated the headmaster. She hated this school. She hated that she had been humiliated in front of everyone. She especially hated that she couldn’t keep her foolish mouth shut.

So far...keeping his head down and starting the day off with an empty bladder while limiting liquid intake until after the day's lessons were completed was working for him. Working but also...not working. It was survival and nothing more and NOTHING at all like those playful survival training camping trips the family had gone on during summer holiday. Mostly Atlas was just trying to figure out a means to focus enough so that he was still learning. If Rosier and The Hoods™ were going to take everything else away and keep it all down with fear, then at least he could learn. Though his stomach twisted terribly at the thought of that being precisely what their agenda was. At least...that a certain group strengthen their magic.

Being 11 was a lot harder than he thought it would be.

Pulling a sweet from the bag in his pocket, the Gryffindor was just about to pop it into his mouth when he saw Delaney up ahead looking forlorn and ... well ... considering THINGS he did not blame her one bit. Quietly he approached her, but also sort of stomped his feet a bit so he wouldn't totally take her by surprise, and once he was close enough he offered her the same candy he had been about to eat to her instead. "Fizzing Wizbee? Might help you feel a bit...lighter."

...at least he thought he was funny.

The temperature had dropped considerably more than she had expected. Her body shivered involuntarily, and she attempted to bull her robes around her tighter still. Perhaps she should have found a secluded section inside the castle to sulk. But suddenly her head whipped around as she heard loud footsteps approach her. It seemed as though this passage was not as deserted as she originally thought.

The figure approaching her was a blonde boy, young enough to be in the same year as her. In fact, Delaney was almost positive he had been in a majority of her classes this year…. Flagstad…Flamton…whatever. Actually… there might be two of them but apparently Delaney hasn’t been very observant during her lessons towards much of anything being constantly looking out for the cloaked Neo Alliance members. She stared blankly as he approached.

She narrowed her eyes at the candy he held in his hands. The anger that had been building inside her chest was difficult to contain now that there was someone she could direct it towards… “Not interested.” She spit out, spinning her body away from him and starring back out at the lake. However, the rage that consumed her body left almost as quickly as it came, and the snake felt a bit guilty for snapping at the boy. But only a little. Sighing heavily Delaney turned back towards the lion, scrunched up her nose impatiently as she avoided eye contact and mumbled out an apology, “Sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. Just wasn’t expecting company, I guess… I was just trying to find space to think...”

As the invasion from the cavalry commences, followers of Lucien Rosier do not hold back. They are wild, they are relentless. Getting to the castle won’t be easy. Brilliant light of spells being cast is everywhere. The hooded figures, and more are merciless as they make each step harder to take. Debris is flying left and right, and clouds of smoke has written off the sunny day.

Chaos is a must. Be careful now.

Simone was ready, she was standing her ground and was ready to fight. She wouldn't let the greater good down, she wouldn't let her love down. She was here to win this battle and these mudblood lovers were going to see what happens when they fight the best and go against everything that wizards should stand for.

Making her way from the inner parts of the castle she heard what was going outside and was rushing to help. She got herself ready to fight. Her wand was up and she waited for the war to come to her.

At last. Some real fun.

In a sense, Nem had waiting for this all year - maybe even longer - but without being entirely aware of exactly what they had been anticipating. The world had been changing, they had figured as much, but exactly how the Big Man's plans had been unfolding beyond the Hogwarts boundaries this year was not information they had been privy to. Nem could guess and theorise at the approach, and how it might have been going, based on what they knew of Rosier, and the situation at Hogwarts, but they'd had nothing solid. One theory, of a smooth and seamless takeover in the government, and the wider world, was now off the table.

There was the distinct possibility that Rosier had dropped a couple of notches in Nem's regard for this reason alone, but still they were present and correct, and ready to fight on the side of the Neo-Alliance. For the Big Man. It almost didn't matter that he had apparently chosen to align himself with inept associates, if it meant that finally, finally, Nem had a real chance to satisfy that mad and ravenous hunger for more. Always, always more.

Because something else had been building, something unrelated to Rosier and his organisation, something relevant only to Nem, but which they were still not entirely aware of. And yet, it was funny, they still knew it was all lining up perfectly.

When they'd heard the blasts and then of the fighting, and the Neo-Alliance's inevitable efforts to defend, it was to the stone bridge on the first floor that Nem headed to. Good vantage point, practically nestled in the castle, but with a view of the grounds, and still close to the main action. And if the castle was breached, and attackers ended up on the bridge? The more the merrier. Nem would be happy to meet them.

Reaching the bridge at a run, Nem slowed to a stop beside the blonde woman and looked out over the grounds, their face lit up intermittently by the jets of light from scores of spells. For a moment, just a moment, they watched.

Genevieve James: Order aligned, heeeeeey

Call her foolhardy (Lex certainly did, but that was something only her boss could get away with), but Genevieve James had managed to outpace the bulk of the anti-Neo-Alliance witches and wizards she'd stormed the gate along side. The foolhardy part wasn't her relative speed and ability to launch herself over blasted wall fragments. The foolhardy part was getting here without suitable back-up.

She spotted a woman on the bridge, along with a teenager. A hostage? Or a compatriot? "By the authority of the Minister of Magic, you are under arrest." She leveled her wand at the woman. If she was wrong and they were both here to storm the castle, that would shake out later. Like, much much later. Following a short time in a cell, probably, because no one seemed safe at the moment.

Separating from the larger group, Caleb headed to the bridge, thinking that might be a good place to get into the castle undetected. Naturally, he stumbled upon more fighting, so his idea hadn't panned out - but it was less chaotic here than the entrance to the school , at least for now. He spotted a woman up ahead, who shouted something about arresting another woman standing in front of her.

Call him crazy, but he had a feeling this woman wasn't going to just LET the other one arrest her so easily. He reached for his wand and steadied himself, approaching behind her slowly in case she needed backup.

He watched as a young kid ran up next to the woman and just...stood there. Didn't try to take her out or anything. Uh, ok? He blinked and stepped up next to the woman doing the arresting (Genevieve) and eyed him. "Get out of here, kid, this doesn't concern you," he snapped at them. Did they have a death wish??

Shield charms here, stunning spells there, and Penelope wasn't too far behind Vivi James. It wasn't safe to go alone - strength in numbers and all that, yeah? Backup was important. And there was another man here she had seen among their group, so hopefully he was safe.

The curious thing was the department head woman up on the stone bridge with a teenage kid. Merlin, this was the part she didn't look forward to, the thought that these people might try to use the kids against them. Hostages. Or...?

Her brow furrowed as she took a stance next to Caleb, keeping alert for any sudden movements.

Maybe the Krafft woman would come quietly?

Not likely, but y'know...it would sure save some time.

When the professors said that the older students were allowed to fight, Louise didn't think twice. When they finally emerged from the depths of the castle that they had been in, Louise didn't follow the rest of the crew to the hiding place upstairs. She stayed behind on the first floor, hearing battle in the distance. It both terrified and excited her. Terrified or not, there was no way she was sitting back while all this happened. Her defensive and offensive magic was good and as far as she was concerned, the good guys could use an extra wand.

So she stuck to the shadows and creeped along the walls, her wand gripped tight in her hand, her ears listening for any footsteps or any other sounds that might indicated a Hood or any of the other Neo-Alliance trash humans.

Then she made it outside, where the battle was beginning. She saw the humble army across the bridge and it gave her a little bit of hope. But closer, she saw a small group forming on the bridge, and there she recognized Nem as they jogged up to the bridge to stand behind some blonde woman - an evil woman no doubt. Evil woman with box-bleached hair. It suited her.

Before she could think better of it, Louise raised her wand, standing halfway hidden behind a stone pillar, and pointed it at the back of Nem. "Flipendo!" she shouted, sending a flash of light towards the traitor.

She had just gotten down to the bridge just in time to see a spell being cast, but for the most part it seemed things were secure. "Nem, please get out of the way. I don't care what side you are on, I don't want to see any of my students hurt." She didn't care if they were trying to act big and brave and part of this new world order, Nem was still a student and she would try to protect if she needed to as their professor.


Her wand was up as she tried to figure out who was who here and if any were needed to be disarmed quickly. Though it didn't seem to be much fighting going on at the moment here. Cassie wasn't going to lower her wand and she wasn't going to let Nem out of her sight. She just hoped it didn't come to needing to make a decision she wouldn't be able to live with.

The sight in front of her was enough to take her breath away. Seeing the spells flying she wished Alphonsine could be here to see this, but she would get her back soon enough and they would stand together in the glory of the greater good. She only half looked when someone came up beside her, she had been told about the kid and how some of the students were moving to their side, which was good for their future.

Her eyes turned back to watch the show when soon a group showed up. The smile on her face only grew when the pathetic ministry started their baffle, did they really think because the minister was back that they could just walk up and arrest? She honestly started to laugh as the others came and started to tell the boy to get out of the way.

Her wand was up, "‎Protego Maxima" with a quick ""Flipendo Tria!" towards the new group and turning quickly towards the professor sent a Cruciatus Curse. "If you think you will get past the neo alliance you are all fools." Glancing over at Nem she wondered if they were ready for the fight.

"Kill the professor and I'll take the ministry goons. She seems easier for you anyway." Nem was just a child after all and that little thing looked as if she was easy for target practice.

Paul Myers, donning a poncho with ample flexibility for this occasion, had arrived as soon as he heard the broadcast. The white-haired man's eyes were an angry, steely grey as he brandished his wand, stone-faced, heading toward where he thought he'd be needed.

He hadn't thought this is what would bring him back to Hogwarts. Hadn't been back in all this time, and yet....he was here. Defending it, defending them. Even the students now, who didn't know him, he felt like he still owed them their education, their lives. His young grand-nieces were here, too, and he couldn't possibly leave them to the wayside. His sister was off at another part of the school, and he had seen some old, familiar faces. Airey, Lep, Josephina.

But he heard the tail end of the Alliance woman's order at a child to kill Cassie. "None of you are killing my people today," Paul said, his wand raised at the woman. "Your audacity, calling anyone a goon, when in fact, you're one yourself, m'dear," he clicked his tongue and shook his head in mock disappointment.

FULGARI! he sent the nonverbal her way.

Did that woman really... just try to make an arrest? Nem's eyes - shining bright in the beams of spells all around - danced with amusement. "I think she's talking to you," they remarked casually to the woman at their side, eyes still on the intruder and... the bloke who sidled up to join her. Oh, that one had attitude.

"Shut up," Nem muttered, throwing a lightning bolt spell in the direction of that little group, including the other woman who'd seen fit to join them. Their spell joined the attack made by the Neo-Alliance woman, almost in perfect harmony.

That particular spell was one of those which had a better kick with more oomph behind it, and the wand movement just so happened to bring them just barely out of the path of another spell. The jet of light from the Knockback Jinx flew by them close enough to ruffle their hair, and Nem turned to look at their attacker, eyebrows raised. Oh, really.

Was that... Nem squinted... was that Bones, playing hero? And Kitridge, for a certainty, playing savior. Not really getting into the spirit of battle, was she? Nem had no interest in engaging in chit-chat with her today - wasn't really conducive to their fun, see - and they were already raising their wand when the blonde woman decided to bark her orders and assessments. Nem shot a glance her way, fingers twitching, and looked back towards Hogwarts' last hope. "Relax. I don't need an easy target." Go deal with the poncho, or whatever.

This was the kind of opportunity Nem had been looking to create all year, and here it had fallen right into their lap. They held their wand aloft and uttered an incantation, backing up a few steps as a huge, serpent-shaped flame burst forth and writhed through the air, emitting an intense heat. It was perfectly controlled, while they were left well enough alone to manage it, relatively undisturbed.

Nem twitched their wand, and the fiery snake reared up above Bones and Kitridge, bearing its fangs.

What a spell that was.

Fiendfyre.

Ok, so uh...that kid was apparently working WITH this woman, which was disturbing. Although the more he thought about it, the more Caleb realized that it was probably to be expected. Cults were good at brainwashing people and who were more susceptible to that nonsense than kids?

He hadn't been expecting THAT mini tornado, which came out of no where and flung him a few feet to the side. Ouch. He landed with a small thud on the ground, his wand a few feet away from him, but he quickly clambered back up and grabbed his wand. He was a few feet closer to the Slytherin boy, who was definitely not backing down any time soon from this incredibly stupid idea.

"Come on, kid, you don't want to do this. Think about what you're do..." he started, but before he could finish his sentence...they'd set a huge fire in to motion, and even though Caleb couldn't recall the name, he knew WHAT it was. That big super fire that only stopped with a certain counter spell...which he didn't know, of course. He doubted the kid knew either.

Taking an opportunity in the madness, he turned back to the blonde woman and sent a silent Stunning spell at her.

Chloe split off from her mother in efforts to reach the castle and hopefully see that Apollo was safe. Spotting her former yearmate Caleb, Chloe figured following him might be a wise decision except she regretted it the moment she saw who they had found. Breathe. She used an unforgivable on you. You can take her, can't you? She mentally surveyed the area, and the tension in the air between her boss and the kid (? UH? ) was palpable.

Without hesitating, because she knew first-hand what Simone was capable of and she didn't want to give her the upper-hand anymore than she already had it, Chloe sent a non-verbal disarming charm at Simone followed by a Bombarda Maxima at the stone near the kid and Simone. With any luck the rubble should cause delay

.... and maybe even help delay the fire from spreading??? Or would it make it worse? Time would tell.

So Simone wasn't going to go quietly? Not at all surprising... the time she'd spent at the Ministry had proven she wasn't exactly a shrinking violet. Vivi still hated to put the young student in trouble, but it appeared that they had made their choice. And weren't afraid to cause pain and injury to those breaching the castle alongside her.

The spells being cast spun past her, which was actually a little ANNOYING. HELLO? Fully fledged Auror here, and everyone was throwing spells at the other adults? Was it because she was small and blond? It was always because she was small and blond.

"For the record," Vivi stomped toward Caleb and summoned stones from the castle wall to create a temporary barrier from the fire. "FOR THE RECORD, I'm really annoyed now. You are grounded, kid." That was for Nem. For Caleb, "Can you watch my six while I put out this fire? It takes a minute."

Did they think the Neo Alliance was so little that they could get around? The second group had stood waiting for the ones that made their way. Only because Simone couldn't wait any longer did it seem she had been alone with the child. The rest of the alliance came out of hiding just in time to send shield spells up around as spell after spell came flying by.

Now it was their turn, with smirks and hisses the group of followers started sending spells every which way, Cruciatus Curse towards the poncho man (Paul), a killing curse towards the couple trying to put out the fire (Caleb and Vivi), and even a nice stunning spell at the children that decided to play hero hiding behind things (Bones).

Wicked laughter could be heard as the followers seemed to enjoy what they were doing.

The protective spells from the other members of the alliance helped with the silent spell Simone would have missed from the man in the weird outfit. Even in a war she had a moment to give him odd looks of his outfit. Her eyes were back on the main targets though of the ministry workers. Now that her backup was fully there they could get down to business.

"Protego Maxima" She shouted out before Chloe's spell came at her, "Really trying to disarm your boss, we haven't learned from the last time you were at the end of my wand?" She moved and sent the disarming charm back towards her employee before sending her a stunning spell. She would have given Nem more looks if there were more time, "Can't kill a professor? Maybe your alliance isn't where the boss thinks it is. Get to taking out that side while I deal with this group." He would listen to her. She was in command right now.

The blast from Chloe made Simone duck for cover only to almost be hit by a stunning spell from the man (Caleb) with that annoying Auror. She got up and took aim towards both Vivi and Caleb sending a few stunning spells and then pointing at Caleb, "Avada Kedavra"

"KILL THEM" the alliance needed to get control of this situation and take out as many as possible.

Caleb opened his mouth to say yes, he WOULD watch her back only to see a green light headed towards them. He was quick enough on his feet to push her down a bit though, so the spell zoomed past them. These people were insane!

A grin crossed his face as his spell almost hit the blonde woman, and he held up his arm to cast another. But then, she...surprised him. Perhaps he hadn’t thought about the fact that if the first Killing Curse hadn’t hit, someone could just cast another.

And sadly, no one would know what he thought, because the spell hit its target. Knocked off his feet, Caleb Newell flew through the air and landed with a thud a few feet away, blank eyes staring up into space.

Lifeless.

Shreya had never hurried through the castle so quickly. As soon as she had been liberated from the Room, she wasted no time in leading the older students outside to fight. Although her mind kept returning to the safety of the younger students, she knew they were in capable hands with Neva and Norman. At least for now. As for the rest of them? They needed to make a stand.

Wand already drawn, she pushed her way out of the first-floor corridor door.

Just in time to see the killing curse hit.

The jet of green light disoriented her, especially as her mind went to the students that may have been following her—who had now just witnessed a murder. She stalled for a split second, jaw quivering in disbelief and anger. Her eyes settled on the spell's caster in horror. The Potions professor briefly looked back to the man. Dead. Then back to the blonde woman (Simone Kraft), before unleashing a nonverbal disarming spell, followed in quick succession by a forceful, "Stupefy!" She was done waiting. She had been forced to stand by idly for too long. Now was time to fight. This was their castle, and although she didn't know the man, she would not let his death be for nothing. The Neo-Alliance had to be stopped.

Genevieve trusted that Newell would watch her back, and she didn't have to wait for him just to say so. She turned her attention to putting out the fire with a complicated countercurse. Just started to cast, and Newell shoved her to the ground. A green light flashed by, and she gave the man a silent nod. That was the spirit. Team work and all that...

And then there was a second green flash, and Newell went flying. Hit squarely, and Vivi knew there was no chance for him. Not with a direct hit of the Killing Curse. That loss, that waste of life, the death of a good man, it hit her hard in the gut, and it took everything she had not to crawl over to check on him. It wouldn't help, though. Nothing would help.

The fire was still raging, but she had to ignore it for now. Instead, she shoved the huge pieces of crumbling wall that she'd been using to block the fire, picking them up and hurling them toward the Neo-Alliance goons with a nonverbal banishing charm. It's raining gargoyles.

"Pretego"

She shielded herself from that fire snake that Nem had produced and gave them a very disappointed look, but only for a moment because spells were flying and she had to react with her own. "Nemesis Upstead you stop that right now. EXPELLIARMUS" she sent towards him to try to get his wand out of this hand. She was doing it for his own safety and own good.

She heard Paul and only had a second to noticed when a blast knocked her forward right into a Cruciatus Curse that was sent by the Alliance towards him. She fell in pain screaming. The pain from this curse once was bad enough but now twice knowing she needed to be up fighting was unbearable.

So that was a no on the going quietly thing. Duly noted.

Penelope dodged to the side while casting a silent Protego Maxima, avoiding the Flipendo tornado and lightning bolt but also putting distance between herself and Vivi and the other man.

Fortunately, a few more allies had arrived. Unfortunately, one of them included yet another student, even more of the Alliance members had jumped out of their hiding places too, AND to top it all off, Fiendfyre had been summoned. By the first student. Merlin's beard. Either they were choosing to work for the Alliance or they were under the Imperius Curse...

Something to figure out later.

Spells were being thrown left and right, keeping her from staying in one spot for too long - though the flashes of green and the man flung backwards gave her pause.

Penelope felt a horrible sense of relief that it hadn't been Vivi who had been hit, and then an anger both at the Alliance for causing all of this and at herself for letting it happen. It was not a surprise that someone could be killed out here, but it was still a tragedy.

A couple nonverbal Confundus Charms were sent in the direction of some of the Neo Alliance goons in conjunction with the stones Vivi was flinging their way. And an Incarcerous towards the student with disappointing allegiances (Nemesis).