Chapter Thirteen
This is My Job
For the life of me, I cannot remember
What made us think that we were wise, and we'd never compromise
For the life of me, I cannot believe
We'd ever die for these sins
We were merely freshmen
(Freshmen - The Verve Pipe)May 2nd, 1998The entire room fell silent when Harry and Sirius entered the Great Hall.
The large room had been set up as a temporary medical treatment centre. House
tables were pushed together and the coloured banners that used to run the length of them
were tossed aside or cut up for bandages. No longer did these banners symbolise the
separation of Houses, but instead, the unity of the students, professors, and adults in the
battle against Voldemort. The uninjured huddled together, providing support to one
another while the injured queued around the Head Table, waiting to be examined by
Madam Pomfrey and her aides.
Along the south wall, Draco was guarding the few captured Death Eaters, ensuring
their bindings were tight and that they remained unconscious and wandless. Without any
remorse in his eyes, he moved to snap each of their wands. If they made it to trial and were
found innocent—which was highly unlikely—they could always purchase new ones.
Fred Weasley was brought into the Great Hall with deep, bleeding gouges across
his face. While his poor mother paled at his appearance, Fred appeared to be in high spirits,
gladly telling George at his side that he now resembled Bill more than his own twin. Fleur
took Molly's arm and followed behind the levitating stretcher as it carried Fred into a
private area where Madam Pomfrey was waiting.
Hermione was tending to the wounded with Luna and Ginny. The redhead sat
beside a boy at the Ravenclaw table. He looked dazed as she splinted his broken arm. Next
to him, and squeezing his hand in pain was Dean Thomas, who Sirius remembered from
their stay at Shell Cottage. He was being tended to by Luna, who carefully wrapped a large
cut on his calf.