Chapter thirty nine; Thunder and Lightening

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Neville Longbottom really couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the state of his fellow classmates, namely Olivia. It was obvious they had been to hell and fought their way back. The rumours of everything they had been up to, no matter how exaggerated, all of a sudden became real.

Olivia was somewhat disoriented when she suddenly came back to the land of the living. She recognised three of the four around her easily but the one leaning over her slightly and cracking her a smile took her a little longer to figure out.

Under the bruises and the cuts and scrapes on their face Olivia finally figured it out after narrowing her eyes into slits, "Neville?"

"You alright?" He asked. His voice, as always was incredibly chirpy and he grinned at her, "I thought I looked like hell."

Olivia grinned slightly and dropped her head backwards briefly before looking to Neville, "You always had a way with compliments didn't you, Longbottom?"

Neville shrugged, "I'm just a nice guy."

Olivia narrowed her eyes, "What're you trying to say to me, huh?"

Neville shook his head, "Nothing.. but I was being serious when I told you that you looked like hell."

Olivia touched her heart mockingly, "Well thank you for the compliment."

"I dunno about you guys." Neville said after nodding to Olivia, "but I think it's best we get her to Madam Pomfrey."

Olivia groaned in delight and forced herself up on to her feet, "I couldn't agree with you more, Neville."

"Steady on there tiger." Ron said, rushing to her side as she started to fall straight forwards. Neville caught her other side quickly, "I think you're overestimating your strengths here Olivia."

Not once had Olivia thought to have questioned where Neville had suddenly appeared from. Magic was magic, but Neville appearing out of no where was just mind boggling. After she had rushed to her feet in a quick and confident surge, she sharply tumbled. She felt like she'd fallen backwards down a mountain and the feeling of landing at the bottom wasn't at all pleasant.

Eventually they got into the tunnels that went direct from Aberforth's safe house to the castle.

"The access around here was tight from the start." Neville told them, "With Snape as Headmaster there was a Death Eater on every corner, they sealed off the seven secret passageways before we even came back." He turned to Olivia with a grin, "You really kicked them off their high horses."

Olivia smiled in triumph, "I live to create havoc in people's lives."

Neville shook his head while chuckling, "Amazing it was, although I reckon it scared them."

"If I'd of known this was an option I'd of never flown over that pathetic barrier." Olivia said, looking at the damp stone walls around them, "I've never seen it on the Marauders Map before."

"That's because it never existed until now." Neville told them, "This is the only way in or out. The ground are crawling with Death Eaters and Dementors."

Olivia grinned lazily, "Nothing we cant handle, is it Hazza?"

Dumbfounded, the four turned to look at Olivia silently. Harry's brows drew tightly in together as he looked at Olivia. He turned to Neville, who looked just as shocked, "I think it's the blood loss speaking."

Neville nodded once as Hermione pushed the conversation, "How bad is it with Snape as Headmaster?"

"Hardly ever see him." Neville said, "It's the Carrows you need to watch out for."

"The Carrows?" Harry asked as Olivia laughed to herself.

"Yeah." Neville said wearily, "Brother and sister, although Amycus is without a wand still—"

"—You're welcome." Olivia chimed in.

"They're in charge of discipline. They like punishment, the Carrows."

"They did that to you? Why?"

"Today's Dark Arts lesson had us practicing the Cruciatus Curse.. on first years." He told them, "I refused. Hogwarts has changed."

The mood after that was quite somber as reality continued to smack Olivia directly in the face. The unexplainable giddy state she had been in had died a blunt death and she had resorted to alternating between cursing and seething with every step she took. The weight she was putting onto Ron made her feel incredibly guilty but without him she'd still be sat on that same grassy hill she was on an hour or so ago.

They continued to walk for a few more minutes until Neville slowed his pace and turned to them, "Let's have a bit of fun then shall we?"

A sudden gust of nerves splattered through Olivia, she didn't want anyone else to see her in the state she was in. She gripped Ron's shoulder, who in return rubbed her arm, "It's alright." He whispered, "We're going to find you help."

"I don't like the feeling of this, Ron." She mumbled.

"Why?"

"I feel like this is just the start, and that everything else was like a warm up—"

"—You think everything we've done was a warm up?" Ron asked incredulously, "You think that was all easy?"

Olivia sighed, "I never said I thought it was easy, I just didn't think—"

Ron quickly grew uneasy when she cut herself off by shivering, the anxious glimmer hidden in the depths of her eyes, her trembling hands — none of it eased his nerves, "What? You didn't think what?"

"I didn't think that would all lead up to tonight." She told him uncertainty, "I think tonight's the night."

Ron's mouth opened to pry Olivia further. There were so many questions he had but he couldn't fathom much when all he could hear was loud cheering.

Olivia was looking at Ron with so many emotions, it rattled him. One thing he could comprehend was that if tonight was the night then they needed Olivia. They needed everything she had and more to pull through because they would be outnumbered. They needed her healed and Ron needed her alive.

They stepped forwards together and into the light. It looked to be the Room of Requirements and there were students from varying years and houses scattered about. Makeshift hammocks and beds hung everywhere to accommodate for those staying there. It looked like a sanctuary.

It seemed that when Ron and Olivia became visible to their old peers the clapping increased and Neville lifted his hands up to help Olivia down the steps to the floor while Ron supported her from behind.

When they were all down on the ground, Olivia had to ignore the curious glances she was receiving from some of her peers. Instead she focused on the boy who was repeating himself, "We have a new weather report, thunder and lightening has struck. I repeat, thunder and lightening has struck."

Olivia rose a brow and looked to Neville, "Thunder and lightening? What's that?"

Neville's lip curled upwards, "Code names."

She could barely hold a snort, "Code names for who?"

"You two of course." Seamus Finnigan told her.

Olivia looked to Harry, and then back to Seamus, "You have code names for us?"

Neville nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah, so in times like this we can get the word to the others. It's been going since September, there's a secret radio for us to contact each other through. If there was any word of your whereabouts we'd find out through there. It was Lee Jordan who came up with the idea, although Fred and George came up with the names."

Taken aback in surprise she smiled impressed and looked to Ron.

"So anyways." Neville said, "What's the plan?"

Olivia looked nonchalantly around. Harry's plan wasn't really a plan, it was a messy idea.

"Okay." He said somewhat nervously, "There's something we need to find and it's hidden here, in the castle."

"Alright." Neville nodded, "What is it?"

Harry shrugged, "We don't know."

"Where is it?"

"We don't know that either. I realise it's not much to go on—"

"—That's nothing to go on." Seamus interrupted, unimpressed.

"I know." Olivia reasoned, "but we'll figure it out and we'll find it. We just need a push in a general direction." She looked to Harry, "Tell them."

He nodded, "We think it has something to do with Ravenclaw. It'll be small, easily concealed. Anyone have any ideas?"

As those surrounding them fell silent, the small glimmer of hope Olivia had faded. It had never been easy finding a Horcrux for them. Asking others for help would maximise the difficulty greatly.

After a while Luna Lovegood looked around, "Well, there's Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem."

"Oh bloody hell." Ron muttered under his breath, "Here we go."

Olivia elbowed him discreetly, "Let her, she might be on to something."

"The lost diadem of Ravenclaw? Hasn't anyone heard of it? It's quite famous."

Cho Chang, Cedric's ex-girlfriend, turned to her housemate next to her, "Yes Luna, but it's lost." She told her gently, her delicate voice similar to Luna's, "For centuries now, there isn't a person alive today who's seen it."

"Excuse me, can someone tell me what a bloody diadem is?" Ron asked quickly.

Olivia rolled her eyes while hoisting herself further up while cringing. Ron took her hand slinging over his shoulder and held her waist firmer as Cho answered him, "It's a sort crown, you know like a tiara."

The sound of stone shifting across the floor echoed around the room and a split in the crowd formed for the person who had just entered.

However Olivia didn't expect to see two people standing there.

The first she noticed was the one who spoke, her straight ginger hair collected over her shoulders as she had eyes for one person, "Harry." Ginny Weasley spoke. Her voice was unusually soft as she focused on the Boy who Lived only.

"Hi there." Harry replied, a schoolboy grin on his face.

Olivia shook her head and called
out, "Yeah, hey Gin. It's great to see you too."

"Six months she hasn't seen me and it's like I'm Frankie First-Year." Ron commented astounded, "I'm her brother."

"She's got lots of those though." Seamus said snarky, "There's only one Harry."

"Shut up Seamus." Olivia and Ron fired through narrowed eyes.

Neville was obviously paying no mind to their exchange and spoke out, "What is it, you two?"

And then, at last, the person hiding behind Ginny stepped to the side and looked to her before back to Neville, "Snape knows. He knows Harry was
spotted in Hogsmeade."

With wide eyes and a wild heartbeat, Olivia stepped forwards dumbfounded, "Alexis?!"

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Parting with Ron was hard, putting on the façade that she was fine was difficult, walking on her own was downright impossible.

After she and Alexis had reunited they had learnt that Snape had called for a mandatory assembly in the Great Hall. Each student was to be dressed in their robes and in their houses.

Alexis had explained that since Olivia broke into Hogwarts she had been seeking refuge in Hogwarts, in a place no teacher knew of. She had told Olivia of she was deemed a 'traitor' now in the eyes of the Dark Lord.

There was the question of why only Harry was spotted in Hogsmeade and not Olivia but after hearing she was once again believed to be dead she could hardly prevent an eye roll. While Olivia saw it frustrating, Harry saw it as an opportunity.

That was how she found herself with her head down, harbouring green and black robes and marching next to Alexis into the Great Hall. She could feel her head spinning, she could feel the wetness against her stomach and she could feel how pathetically weak she was.

The Great Hall was silent due to fear, but knowing Harry was in the same room as her made Olivia feel better. Knowing that Ron, Neville and Hermione were gathering the Order as they stood was comforting.

She didn't dare lift her head up, afraid someone in her house would recognise her, or the Carrows stood flanking Professor Snape's side would try to attack her. She listened as Snape spoke, keeping her eyes glued to the stone floor underneath her as Alexis gripped her hand for comfort.

"Many of you are surely wondering why I have summoned you at this hour." Snape started, "It has come to my attention that earlier this evening Harry Potter was sighted in Hogsmeade." Furious whispers broke out amongst them, "As it is already thought, Olivianna Black is presumed to be dead but should anyone of you, student or staff, attempt to aid Mr. Potter they will be punished in a manner consistent with the severity of their transcription—" Alexis squeezed Olivia's hand tighter, "—further more, any person found to have knowledge of these events who fails to come forward will be treated as equally guilty.

"Now then, if anyone in here has any knowledge of Mr. Potters movements this evening I invite them to step forwards..
now."

Olivia stole a glance upwards and released Alexis' hand and left her side to push through her housemates to stand in the opening in the middle of the four houses.

Gasps and some cries of relief filled her ears as she locked eyes with her old Professor. She saw was Alecto's wand went up and raised her hands in surrender, "I think it'd interest you to know that your sources are wrong, Professor." She mused as another serious of gasps echoed around her, "Not even a dodgy spell is enough to take me down."

Harry joined her side then and stood close for support, "It seems, despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you still have a security problem Headmaster."

Olivia could hear the doors to the Great Hall opening behind her but she couldn't bring herself to turn around. Still meeting Snape's eyes as the man watched with curiosity, a wave of dizziness overcame Olivia and she grabbed Harry's arm tightly. Her ears started to buzz and her mind became hazy. Snape's figure became disjointed and blurry until finally she was gone.

"What about the girl, Albus? Doesn't she need to know?"

Olivia's entire body snapped around to search for the familiar voice.

"She does, but I don't think the time is right—"

Someone slammed their fist onto a table,
"—The time will never be right!"

Olivia walked cautiously through the familiar space, an office that once belonged to Albus Dumbledore,
and stopped when her eyes laid on a distressed looking Severus Snape.

"The girl deserves to know. This is what she has been looking for."

Albus cocked a brow, "And how would you know what she's been looking for?"

Severus' face contorted into pain, "She's looking for release. She wants to end her pain, getting rid of the curse is the only way."

Dumbledore rose from his seat, "I'd never expected you of all people to have taken a liking to her Severus. After all that has happened."

"She is a student of mine—"

"—As were and are many others."

Severus swallowed, "Can she find help? Is it possible for her to survive this?"

With a twisted face, Dumbledore sat down again, "There are only some curses that can be undone. Even then it must be reversed by the one who placed it there."

"The Dark Lord?"

The Headmaster nodded solemnly, "Unfortunately, yes. It can only be undone by him."

"Even if she went to him, do you really expect her to survive?"

"It's possible, if she has strength."

Severus choked on his next words, he needed a definite answer, "And if not?"

"Then she will die."

Harry watched with great worry as both Olivia and Snape slipped into nothingness. She gripped onto his arm tightly but he could still feel her body weighing heavier and heavier by the second. Her eyes were fixated on the ground, wide and full of horror while her lips parted.

And then all of a sudden she collapsed forwards into Harry's open arms. He met Snape's eyes immediately as listened as she whispered under her breath, "What did you do?" He shouted, "What did you do to her?"

He felt Olivia fist his robes as she cried in frustration.

Severus knew and he could only slip on his words as guilt rattled through him. The truth had finally been set free, although he felt no better about it.

Harry rose his wand and fired a spell towards Severus who barely had the time to block it. His mind was elsewhere, swirling with thoughts. He hadn't realised that a colleague had stepped in front of the two teenagers to protect them. McGonagall fired at Snape who deflected and she fired and fired and fired.

Olivia clutched her stomach in agony as she watched Severus deflect all of McGonagalls attempts, knocking them into the Carrows before finally escaping through the large glass window.

But as he disappeared and the students cheered in glee, Harry could only watch Olivia as she brought a trembling hand away from her stomach slowly.

In shock, he took her hand as they met eyes and around them a girls horrified scream echoed as she saw the red substance smeared all over Olivia's hand and t-shirt.

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