Al, Caractacus Burke
The Hogwarts gates Al had anticipated walking through so much, months ago, since the first time he entered them to visit Severus in the castle, were now far more threatening, looming in the distance just over there, past the bend of the path.
They waited and it was cold and silent and suddenly there was sound all around, far worse than a dozen Weasley gatherings and Diagon Alleys put together and there were crowds rushing toward the middle and it was madness and screams and hell.
Deep inside Al there was this overwhelming urge to rush forward into it, just because the shock from the noise didn't deafen his mind for once, because he felt he could and because today, he knew he could accomplish so much! He knew he could! It's as if that tiny doze of molten gold opened his eyes at the world at last.
No I can't, his logic told him. I can't! I promised Severus.
Al stayed back then and the first spell he cast was Expecto Patronum, releasing the ghostly owl forward and sending it into the midst of the black swarm of creatures, human and not, fighting each other.