The castle was no longer quiet. It roared with the sound of war.

Spells ricocheted off the walls, shattering stone and sending showers of sparks through the air. The once-pristine corridors of Hogwarts were filled with fire and dust, screams and battle cries. Fred, George, and Freya ran together through the chaos, dodging falling rubble as they hurled curses at Death Eaters who came into view.

"Stupefy!" Fred bellowed, sending one masked figure crashing into the far wall.

"Expulso!" George's spell blasted another off his feet, the force knocking a hole straight through the banister of the staircase they had just descended.

Freya was just behind them, eyes blazing as she cast protective charms around the fighters at their backs. "Protego Maxima!" she shouted, raising a shimmering shield that absorbed a volley of hexes before it cracked under the pressure.

"Up ahead!" George yelled. A squad of Death Eaters had broken through the western passage, forcing Percy and several other defenders into retreat. Fred didn't hesitate; he sprinted forward, firing jinx after jinx with uncanny precision.

Percy stumbled as a curse grazed his shoulder, and Fred caught him by the back of his robes, yanking him out of harm's way. "On your feet, Percy!" he shouted. "This isn't the time to trip over yourself!"

Percy looked dazed but nodded, raising his wand again as Fred and George flanked him. Together, the brothers forced the Death Eaters back, their teamwork so seamless it looked choreographed. Freya joined them, her spells powerful and relentless, cutting through the enemy ranks like a blade.

The fight surged forward into a larger corridor, now crumbling from the weight of the ongoing battle. Spells erupted on all sides, the air so thick with dust and smoke it was hard to see more than a few feet ahead. Freya caught sight of Tonks dueling furiously down the hall, Kingsley and Arthur reinforcing barriers as the Death Eaters pressed in from multiple angles.

"Fall back toward the courtyard!" Kingsley's voice thundered over the chaos. "We need to regroup!"

But the Death Eaters weren't giving them the chance. A powerful curse slammed into the floor near Percy, sending him sprawling. Fred was there in an instant, deflecting another spell with a flick of his wand, his grin flashing despite the mayhem.

"That was close, Percy!" Fred shouted, laughter threaded through his voice. "Try to keep your head attached, will you? Mum'll kill you otherwise!"

Percy let out a breathless laugh, his face streaked with dust. "You're insufferable, Fred," he said, pushing himself up.

George, a few feet away, smiled despite himself. "He's got a point though—don't get yourself killed, Percy!"

"Keep up, Georgie!" Fred called, his grin bright even in the smoke and dust.

"Who's lagging?" George shot back with a wry smile, flicking his wand to deflect a jet of red light. "Try to stay alive, Freddie—we've still got a shop to run after this!"

Fred laughed breathlessly, the sound ringing out amidst the chaos. "You're right. We can't let the Death Eaters ruin our profits!"

They pushed forward together into a larger corridor, the battle raging on all sides. Their wands moved in perfect sync, as if they could anticipate each other's thoughts without speaking. It had always been that way.

The floor quaked as spells slammed into the walls, sending dust and stone raining down. Through the haze, George caught Fred's eye and nodded toward the courtyard ahead. "We've got to hold the line here."

Fred gave a sharp nod, his expression fierce now. "Then let's give them hell."

The twins fought with everything they had, shielding younger students retreating behind them, trading jinxes and hexes with Death Eaters who swarmed into the corridor. Sparks lit the air like a storm of fireworks, and for a moment George almost forgot they were fighting for their lives—it felt like one of their mischief-making days at Hogwarts, shoulder to shoulder, laughing in the face of danger.

"Protego!" Fred barked, deflecting a spell meant for his brother.

"Cheers, Freddie!" George called back, banishing their attacker with a flick of his wand.

Minutes bled into what felt like hours. Their lungs burned, their limbs ached, but neither one slowed. The corridor finally cleared of Death Eaters, leaving only the groaning of the castle as it bore the weight of the battle.

Fred exhaled hard, leaning against a cracked column for a moment. "Bloody hell... I don't even want to know how we're still standing."

George smirked, though his face was streaked with dirt. "Because we're Weasleys. We don't go down easily."

Fred straightened, nodding. "Too right. Come on, let's see where else we're needed."