ME---------I'm going to try and round off the chapter.
**
Two minutes later, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sprinting down to Hagrid's hut. Supper was due to start in an hour, so they had a bit of time.
Hagrid's bearded face smiled down at them when Hermione knocked. "Oh, hello!"
"Hi, Hagrid." Harry said hurriedly. "Have you seen Grawp and the giants?"
"Well, yeah. Two weeks ago."
"Well, they're back," Harry told him. "I saw them from the astronomy tower. And they looked like they were running full speed."
Hagrid's face crinkled. "Well, in that case, they should be arriving sometime soon."
As if to emphasize his words, there was a sudden rustling in the forest, followed by several loud squawks of protesting birds.
"That should be 'em." Hagrid said. "Come on, let's go see what they have to say."
**
The giants were puffing so loud from extersion that it sounded like a bellows from a forge.
"Grawpy! Rawth! Torgus!" Hagrid said. "What's goin' on, yer three? You look properly worn out - "
"They are coming, Hagrid." Grawp rumbled, clutching his broadsword. His armor seemed to be slightly scorched near the wristguards and greaves.
Those words sent a trill of fear racing down Harry's spine. He looked at Ron and Hermione glance at him too. All of them were thinking the same thing: What sort of thing could make three giants, armed to the teeth, run?
"Who? Who is it, Grawpy?" Hagrid said, alarmed too.
"Not who," Torgus said. His shield was glistening slightly, as if some sort of fire had singed it."What."
"An army, Hagrid." Rawth said.
Harry could not help but notice the fresh blood on the tip of Rawth's gigantic warhammer. He would appreciate that their knowledge of English was quite extensive, except for their fear.
"Where? How far ou'?" Hagrid asked urgently. "And who attacked you three?"
Torgus spoke."They be here by dawn tomorrow. We saw 'em on the march. Many creatures, many people."
"And something...big, attack us," Rawth grunted. "smooth...shiny...breathed fire....black, and had daggers along its tail."
"A Hungarian Horntail." Harry said breathlessly. Hermione gazed at the giants with haunted eyes.
"Yes," Grawp rumbled. "I got burned, but Torgus covered me. And Rawth managed to...put it down. We heard more...but they were on foot. None of those....'Hungarian Horntails'."
"By dawn, eh?" Hagrid said. He turned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Hermione, ge' up to Dumbledore's office. Tell him to come down here."
Hermione dashed off without argument.
"The teachers will need to know about this." Hagrid continued, looking at Ron. Ron pounded off too.
"What do I do?" Harry asked, wanting very much to help.
"You come wi' me." Hagrid said. "An' you three, you'd better come help. We're going to start locking down the castle, from the groun' up."
***
They had barricaded half of the entire first floor of Hogwarts when Dumbledore and several teachers sprinted towards them. Ron and Hermione was closely in their wake, followed by several members of the DA who Harry supposed wanted to come. Several of them gasped with shock at the sight of the three giants. Grawp was stacking boulders up in the entrance to the courtyard, and Rawth and Torgus were dragging huge bewitched sandstone blocks to form a makeshift wall.
"Please inform me of what is going on, Hagrid." Dumbledore said quickly.
"Yes, Professor," Hagrid said. "Grawpy! C'mere! We need you to tell Professor Dumbledore what's going on!"
The story was told in less than two minutes.
Professor Dumbledore took desicive action. "Everyone inside, except for the staff. Harry, I want you to muster all the DA members in the usual place. You must brief them. But after you have everyone, meet me right back here. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, professor." Harry said. He nodded to the others, who all followed him.
**
It took a total of fifteen minutes to gather everyone in the DA room. Several complained about empty bellies, but Harry ignored them, and spoke up.
"This is our first chance to see real action." he began.
Almost all of them noticably sat up straighter.
"A Dark army is on its way here. To Hogwarts. They will be here by dawn."
At this notion, several people looked at each other nervously. But no one spoke up or interrupted, not even the First Years. Everyone looked determined and wanted to prove themselves.
"We have to meet Professor Dumbledore in the Entrance Hall. Come on, let's go."
As one, they rose up, and jogged all the way back to the Entrance Hall. Only Dumbledore was standing there. Apparently the teachers were still helping with defence.
"Thank you, Harry, for being so prompt." Dumbledore thanked Harry.
"No problem, Professor."
"Now..." Dumbledore began. "It has come to this, my fellow DA members. The Darkness has risen out of its den, and is on its way to consume us. We have now arrived at the great battle of our time. I am not going to lie to you; it will be very difficult, and some of you may get injured, even killed. So I ask you; if you are not up to this task, please raise your hand."
Not a single person in that room raised their hand.
"Oh! Well, I appreciate your determinedness," Dumbledore said. "No doubt that we will need it in the near future."
He gestured at Harry, who instinctively knew what to say.
"They have an army, all right." he said, standing up. "A huge one. But we have an army too! We won't be outfought! We won't back down and surrender! They don't scare me. As long as we all do our best, show no fear, and give them 110%, we won't be driven back a single pace! We've been training for this, all year. Some of last year, too! Well, it's our time now! Show me how a DA member fights!"
There was a deafening cheer of approval, and several wands were raised, shooting sparks. Dumbledore looked quite impressed with Harry's speech.
"Now, I understand that some of you are hungry." Dumbledore said. "You may either go and eat, or you can help. If you want to go and satisfy your appetite, no one will think the less of you otherwise. We all need our strength."
No one left to go to the Great Hall.
"Oh, well..." Dumbledore said, blinking. "In this case, thank you very much for your contribution. Please follow me."
What the hell chapter am I on now?
Screw it. This was the part I've been waiting for. Please enjoy.
CHAPTER TWENTY--------
The Siege of Hogwarts
It struck Harry as odd how remarkably fast that Hogwarts had turned into a passable military garrison of sorts.
The Ministry had been alerted, and Madam Bones had the sense to send any Aurors that could be spared, to help. They had conjured walls to protect all open spaces, and teachers would be found within twenty footsteps. The students were to stay in the basement corridor near the dungeons, since it was the innermost of the castle.
The teachers had erected some sort of huge wall with staircases leading up to it. It separated Hogwarts from its grounds.
"It'd make a good first line of defense." Hagrid said appreciatively.
"What will Grawp and his friends be doing?" Colin asked, tugging on Hagrid's thick moleskin coat.
"They'll be doing nothin' 'til we abandon the first line," Hagrid said. "We've barricaded ever' single window in this castle, so obviously they'll be comin' for the front gate. Tha's when they'll probably go for the stronger members. Other giants. But don' worry, the three work unlike any other team I've met. Damn near telepathic, if yeh ask me. Very skilled, they are."
After a while, Harry and several choice members of the DA were called back up to Dumbledore's office.
"What is it for?" Harry asked Professor McGonagall, who had told them.
"Well, we need a council of war." she replied.
In Dumbledore's office, Harry found the rest of the Order waiting for him there. Mrs. Weasley gave him a quick hug, and sat down. Mr. Weasley and Bill shook his hand. Dumbledore turned from stroking Fawkes.
"Please sit down, everyone."
Harry and the rest took a seat.
"Now, as you all know, we will be besieged in less than fifteen hours. We need to formulate a plan of sorts. Suggestions are always welcome."
"I was thinking, Albus - " Professor McGonagall said. She waved her wand and a three dimensional replica of Hogwarts, composed entirely of light, appeared on the table. "We have our outer wall here, right? (she flicked her wand and the wall appeared) And the lake is too inconvenient to travel across, so that would only mean that they would use brute force to try and get themselves in."
"Very thoughtful, Minerva," Professor Dumbledore said. "They most likely will, considering their standing forces. Anyone else?"
"Well, Dementors can fly, right?" Dean Thomas said. "So that means they will probably come at us from above. And behind. So we'll need to watch our backs, too."
"Very insightful, Mr. Thomas," Dumbledore said. "I shall see if we can erect a defense against these abominables."
"We need to formulate a plan for the defence of the outer wall." Professor Flitwick squeaked.
"Yeah, I was just about to suggest that, Professor." Ron offered. "Suppose we divide the DA up and an Auror or teacher command a group each? It'd make for better co-ordination."
"Yes, Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall said. "That does seem like a good idea."
"What's the DA?" an unnamed Auror asked.
"It's a defence group for the students." Moody growled.
The Auror called Dawlish was confused as to the amount of skill that the DA members had achieved over the months.
"These are the 'troops' we're supposed to be leading?" Dawlish said in suprise. "They're students, sir. They cannot fight - "
"Do not underestimate their skill, Angus." Snape said dangerously, who had helped with the barricade of the front door.
From the other side of Dumbledore's office, Moody nodded at Snape in appreciation.
"Anyways," Dumbledore said loudly. "After the outer wall is breached, we shall fall back to the gate, and wait for them to come to us. They breach it, our giants will try and hold them off. It will be the rest of our responsibility to support them as much as we can."
"If that part's breached." Kingsley said. "We'll have to split up. Guerilla tactics, hit-and-run."
"Excellent, we have a strategy, everyone," Dumbledore said approvingly. "You all know what to do. Harry, I trust you and your friends will pass on the information to the rest of your fellow DA members."
"Yes, sir." Harry said.
"Good. Everyone get some rest, we will need it for the following day. Harry, if you could stay behind, please."
Everyone filed out. Harry awaited.
"Harry, I can safely say that it's time to go for what was yours by right. But we need you at the moment. If we can hold them off once, they will be weakened, and it will present us an opporunity to go for it. Do you understand?"
Harry nodded. The safety of Hogwarts was first and foremost.
"Good. Get some sleep, Harry."