And then Harry heard a thin, piteous scream from amidst the terrible commotion, the thunder of devouring flame.

"It's-too-dangerous!" Ron yelled, but Harry wheeled in the air. His glasses giving his eyes some small protection from the smoke, he raked the firestorm below, seeking a sign of life, a limb or a face that was not yet charred like wood…

And he saw them: Malfoy with his arms around the unconscious Goyle, the pair of them perched on a frail tower of charred desks, and Harry dived. Malfoy saw him coming and raised one am, but even as Harry grasped it he knew that it was no good: Goyle was too heavy, and Malfoy's hand, covered in sweat, slid instantly out of Harry's-

"IF WE DIE FOR THEM, I'LL KILL YOU, HARRY!" roared Ron's voice, and, and as a great Chimaera bore down upon them, he and Hermione dragged Goyle onto their broom and rose, rolling and pitching, into the air once more as Malfoy clambered up behind Harry.

"The door, get to the door, the door!" screamed Malfoy in Harry's ear, and Harry sped up, following Ron, Hermione and Goyle through the billowing black smoke, hardly able to breathe: and all around them the last few objects unburned by the devouring flames were flung into the air, as the creatures of the cursed fire cast them high in celebration: cups and shields, a sparkling necklace, and a old, discolored tiara-

"What are you doing, what are you doing, the door's that way!" screamed Malfoy, but Harry made a hairpin swerve and dived. The diadem seemed to fall in slow motion, turning and glittering as it dropped toward the mouth of a yawning serpent, and then he had it, caught around his wrist-

Harry swerved again as the serpent lunged at him, he flew upward and straight toward the place where, he prayed, the door stood open: Ron and Hermione, and Goyle had vanished; Malfoy was screaming and holding Harry so tightly it hurt. Then, through the smoke, Harry saw a rectangular patch on the wall and steered the broom at it, and moment's later clean air filled his lungs and they collided with the wall in the corridor beyond.

Malfoy fell off the broom and lay facedown, gasping, coughing, and retching. Harry rolled over and sat up: The door to the Room of Requirement had vanished, and Ron and Hermione sat panting on the floor beside Goyle, who was still unconscious.

"C-Crabbe," choked Malfoy as soon as he could speak. "Crabbe…"

"He's dead," said Ron harshly.

**

"I'm Draco Malfoy, I'm Draco, I'm on your side!" Draco was on the upper landing, pleading with another masked Death Eater. Harry stunned the Death Eater as they passed: Malfoy looked around, beaming, for his savior, and Ron punched him from under the cloak. Malfoy fell backward on top of the Death Eater, his mouth bleeding, utterly bemused.

"And that's the second time we've saved your life tonight, you two-faced bastard!" Ron yelled.