Skirmish in the Viaduct Courtyard

Skirmish in the Viaduct Courtyard
Part of Battle of Hogwarts, Second Wizarding War
Date	2 May 1998
Location	Viaduct Courtyard, Hogwarts Castle, Scotland, Great Britain
Result	Indecisive; Death Eaters driven back Hogwarts students are forced to retreat to inside the castle
Commanders
Ginevra Weasley
None; all are freelance attackers
Combatants
Unidentified Ravenclaw Boy (II) Unidentified Hufflepuff girl at the Battle of Hogwarts (II)
Several Death Eaters
Casualties
None, allies invincible but able to be wounded
Several Death Eaters

Hufflepuff girl: "Harry needs our help. We have to hold them as long as we can!"

Ravenclaw boy: "She's right. Attack! ATTACK!"

— The girl and the boy

The skirmish was a brief three-rounds engagement between three Hogwartians, with Ginevra Weasley in lead, and the Death Eaters attacking the Viaduct Courtyard from the inside. Though the Hogwarts students managed to hold back the attacks, explosive spells raked the vicinity and forced the three students to retreat into the Great Hall.

Prelude

Ginny Weasley: "Neville, who is Hagrid carrying? (students and teachers mumbles)'"

Lord Voldemort: "SILENCE! From this day forward you put your faith in me or suffer the consequenses. HARRY POTTER IS DEAD! (students and teachers mumbles while Voldemort sends a green lightning-spell into the sky) And now is the time to declare yourself."

— {{{5}}}

Ron Weasley: " (Draco Malfoy walks forward) He saved your life!"

Lord Voldemort: "Well done Draco."

— {{{5}}}

Lord Voldemort: "Well, who will be next? Come now, don't be shy."

Bellatrix Lestrange: " (Neville Longbottom walks forward) Ahahahaha!"

Lord Voldemort: "Now, now, by stepping forward, he lives to see another day."

Neville Longbottom: "I'd like to say something. Yes, we lost Harry tonight, but he didn't die in vain. (Neville pulls out the sword) This isn't over!"

Bellatrix Lestrange: " (Voldemort fires a Killing Curse which Neville repels with the sword and hits Bellatrix in the stomach) Arrrgghh!"

— {{{11}}}

Draco Malfoy: "Potter! (Harry falls from Hagrid's arms, Draco gives Harry his wand, Harry and Voldemort begin to circle around each other)"

Lord Voldemort: "Your friends, your school, all in ruins. Ruins, Harry!"

— Before the battle

After Harry Potter was supposedly killed by Lord Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest, his body was carried back to the Hogwarts grounds and Viaduct Courtyard by Rubeus Hagrid. However, once Neville Longbottom took out the Sword of Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat, the second part of the battle began. Harry, only wounded and playing dead, leapt out of Hagrid's arms and began a battle with Voldemort and shortly after ran into the castle followed by Voldemort who chased Harry through the Grand Staircase and Fifth Floor Corridor. While the troops under Voldemort fought against the defenders in the castle, Ginevra Weasley and two other students defended the Viaduct Courtyard.

Battle

Ravenclaw boy: "Keep fighting... we have to win."

Hufflepuff girl: "Harry needs more time."

Hufflepuff girl: "They're breaking through our defences."

— The girl and the boy

Ginny and the Ravenclaw boy and Hufflepuff girl tried to stop the Death Eaters from attacking the Viaduct Courtyard. They apparated into the area, and began shooting violent spells across the field. There was much cover because of the debris of beams, pillars, and the antebellum stone walls.

Ginny Weasley: "I... I think that's the last of them."

Ravenclaw boy: "Where are they going?"

Ginny Weasley: "I don't believe it. We've done it!"

Hufflepuff girl: "That was brilliant!"

Ravenclaw boy: "Blimey."

— {{{11}}}

Ginny Weasley: "Well done, everyone."

Ravenclaw boy: "Look out! (explosive fireballs are shot into the courtyard)Incoming!"

Hufflepuff girl: "Everyone, get back inside!"

Ginny Weasley: "Get back to the Great Hall."

— The boy, girl and Ginny

As the attacks were stalled, the Hogwarts students defeated all three sets of the attackers. Despite the good job having been done, Death Eaters launched bombardments of fireballs into the area and forced the Hogwarts students to rush inside the castle to the Great Hall.

Aftermath

Molly Weasley: " (Ginny Weasley enters the Great Hall, Bellatrix Lestrange shoots a Killing Curse towards her that missed and Molly Weasley enters the Hall) Not my daughter!"

Bellatrix Lestrange: "Ahahahahaha! (jumps down from a table) Ahahahahaha! Come on granny, give us your best. Now, it's your turn, then the rest of your beloved family! (Bellatrix shoots a large Reducto at the corner of the roof which falls down)'"

Molly Weasley: "Leave. My. Family. ALONE!"

Bellatrix Lestrange: "You Weasleys are muck!"

— Bellatrix and Molly

When Ginny entered the Great Hall, her fellow students were already in fight with two Death Eaters and Bellatrix Lestrange shot a Killing Curse that missed her by a shot. Molly Weasley arrived, warning Bellatrix not to touch her family, they dueled to kill.

"You will never touch my children again!"

— Molly to a dead body of Bellatrix

Molly shot a powerful spell that hit Bellatrix, making her fall to the floor, dead.

Behind the scenes

• While this battle is not shown in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, it may have taken place off-screen.
• This skirmish does not take place in the novel; instead, the fighters are forced inside the Entrance Hall by the horde of Hogwartian reinforcements (Hogsmeade residents and shopkeeps, the students' families, the Forbidden Forest centaurs) and battle recommences in the Great Hall.
• It should be noted that the explosive spells at the end of the battle come closer, until it kills Ginny, unless she retreats into the castle. Even if she runs into the entrance to the Viaduct.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game) (First appearance)