Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Albus jerked awake as the Express screeched to a halt. The sound of yells filled his ears, chilling him to the bone. His peaceful slumber had been brought to some freaky nightmare in the matter of seconds.
"What's going on?" Rose asked fearfully, looking out the window in hopes to spot something that would tell her why the Express had stopped, "We're not at Hogwarts yet."
Albus looked out as well, hoping to see something that would give him a clue as to what was going on. However, the yells and screams for getting louder and more frantic and he was growing terrified.
Rose was right. The Express had stopped next to some forest. They were no where close to getting to Hogwarts.
Suddenly, Albus heard the pitter patter of feet running through the Express. Yells and screams filled with fear pierced him, making him shake with terror. He gripped his wand but he had no idea what to do with it. He didn't know a single spell yet.
Rose, however, took a deep breath and steeled her expression. If Albus hadn't known her as long as he did, he would think she was perfectly calm about whatever was going on. Albus knew her better, though. He could see the fright in her eyes.
"Okay," Rose seemed to form a plan quickly, "This could just be a prank but this could be serious. If we're being attacked, we need some form of defense," The shouts were growing more frantic and screams pierced through the air, accompanied by shouts of spells. Rose tensed, "Um, okay. I have an idea. Open Apollo's and Maximus' cage."
Albus complied, quickly opening Rose's owl's cage as well as his own pet ferret's cage.
Rose nodded as Maximus scurried out and Apollo soared into the air. It seemed as if they knew something was going on as they both got in front of them, ready to attack.
"Alright. Hopefully they'll buy us some time. Do you know any spells at all?" She asked hopefully, gripping her wand so tight that Albus was surprised it wasn't snapping. A group of students ran past their compartment door, throwing spells behind their shoulders.
Albus shook his head before hesitating, "Well, I know how to do some but I've never actually done them."
Rose nodded, "Alright. That'll have to be good enough. Do you know any... defensive magic?"
He hesitated for a split second, "Uh, expelliarmus. I also know Bombarda which will create an explosion but I've never actually practiced it and it's a fifth year spell!"
The bushy haired girl swallowed, looking older than eleven at the moment, "If we have to, use it."
Albus' eyes widened but he nodded. Somehow, even though Rose was only eleven and only a month older than him, he felt like he needed to do what she said at the moment.
Weird. It would seem like it would be the other way around.
He was practically holding his breath as he stared at the door, unknowing of what was on the other end and what would happen if it opened. And at the moment, he didn't want to find out.
He was terrified. He could hear people shouting spells and he had no idea what most of them were although he recongnized a few. He knew exactly what was going on there. A fight. And, if he was correct, a fight for their life.
He suddenly regretted sitting in a compartment with just Rose. Although, James wouldn't let him set with him anyway and Victoire and Molly's compartment was already too full to sit with them.
Without any warning, their door burst open and three men stormed in. Apollo and Maximus immediately flew into action. Apollo soared at them, pecking their skin fiercely while Maximus scurried around their feet, biting their ankles. Rose and Albus yelped in surprise and fear at the sight of their masks. It was a mask that everyone in the Wizarding World knew. The Death Eater Mask.
"Uh, Exellarmus!" Rose shouted, messing up the incantation. Instead of it's desired effects, a chocolate frog that was lying on the seat burst into flames which quickly spread to the seat. Albus' eyes widened but they stayed locked on the Death Eaters who were busy trying to get Apollo and Maximus off of them. Albus knew it was useless though. There was no way to get out of the compartment. They were blocking their only exit.
Suddenly, courage roared through his veins and he shouted, "Expelliarmus!"
Somehow, by some miracle, one of the Death Eater's wands flew from their hand and into the corridor. Albus guessed it was better than in the man's hands but it did nothing to calm his fears and the courage disappeared at the next words out of a Death Eater's mouth.
"Avada Kedavra!" One of the Death Eater's shouted without warning. A green light burst from the wand, hitting Apollo straight in the chest. Rose yelled as the bird fell to the ground, stiff and dead.
Before he could even blink, the same spell hit Maximus. Instantly, an intense sorrow and anger flooded through him as he watched his pet be murdered by these people but he pushed it down, knowing he couldn't do anything recklass or risk death.
"Finally," A Death Eater muttered, grinning at the flame which was spreading quickly.
Rose screamed, loud and piercing. Albus couldn't help but think she had a very delayed reaction.
He could feel himself shaking with fear and terror. He was going to die. There was no doubt about it. These Death Eater's were going to kill him and then the fire was going to burn his body. Without thinking about it, he gripped Rose's hand.
"Look who we got here," A Death Eater spoke, voice high pitched and crazed, "A Potter and a Weasley. What fun!"
Albus shudders and suddenly, an intense urge to survive filled him. He was only eleven. He was not going to die and he was not leaving his family. He knew his Uncle George especially would break if any more of his family died. He'd heard the stories of his Uncle Fred's death and the long road to recovery that his Uncle George was still on nineteen years later.
His father had lost too many people in his life for Albus to just give up.
Rose's words come back to him suddenly. He gripped his wand tightly, mind quickly remembering what the book had said. In the blink of an eye, his wand was in the air and he was shouting, "BOMBARDA!" at the wall behind them.
Albus and Rose were flung backwards, the explosion bigger than he thought it would be. He could feel the heat of the explosion singing his skin and hair as his back slammed into a wall and he fell to the floor in a hump.
He was up quickly, though. Adreneline ran through his veins as he grabbed Rose's hands and pulled her off the ground before they both ran through the new opening that was surrounded by flames. They ignored the flames, though. They had to get out.
They ran, not even thinking about any injuries they had. All they knew was that they had to get away and somewhere safe.
Suddenly, a voice broke through the fog of adreneline, calling his name.
They stopped, spinning around to see James and Freddie running towards them. Their wands were in their hands and their faces showed expressions more serious than Albus had ever seen on them. They looked unharmed, though.
"Albus! Rose!" James said, breathing heavily and relief shining in his eyes, "Oh, thank Merlin. You're alright."
It was the most concern James had ever shown for him and a small part of him relished in it. However, a bigger part was too terrified.
"There was Death Eaters!" Rose exclaimed, sounding hysterical, "They killed Apollo and Maximus. They were going to kill us!"
Freddie nodded, as if he already knew, but Albus saw his dark skin pale, "Come on. We have to get to Victoire and Molly. Aurors should be on their way."
Albus nodded and the four of them ran through the crowd of screaming children, their hands clasped together as to not lose eah other. His heart beat against his chest, as if trying to escape and go on vacation. Sweat trickled down his face and his head was pounding. He had to get to Victoire and Molly. He had to get to Victoire and Molly. He had to get to Victoire and Molly.
He was nearly knocked over in shock, surprise, and fear as dozens of Death Eaters apparated into the crowd of screaming students. Spells flew through the air and several students went down. Rose screamed in terror. Freddie cursed. James changed directions in a split second and they headed towards the forest. They headed for safety.
They nearly knocked into Dominique, Lucy, and Louis who ran towards them, terror shining in their eyes as well as relief that they had found them.
The three students joined their group as they ran towards the forest, a silent agreement rushing through everyone that the forest was safer than where they were.
Albus, hand clutched firmly in Rose's, felt his feet pounding on the ground as he ran faster than he ever did in his entire life. His ankle protested violently, shocks of pain coming from his ankle. It was obvious that the explosion had done more damage than he had thought but there was no stopping now. He had to keep going.
Just before they entered the forest, Molly and Victoire stopped them, "WAIT!" Molly shouted, eyes wide and a gash on her forehead, "That's the Forest of Death."
"The forest of what?" Freddie asked, voice cracking.
"The Forest of Death," Molly panted, wand clutched firmly in her hand as Victoire created a shield to protect them from any rogue spells, "No one who's gone in has ever come out. We can't go in there. It's too dangerous."
They paused, everyone breathing heavily and feeling conflicted with absolutely no idea what to do.
"What are we supposed to do then?" Louis shouted, blonde hair sticking to his forehead.
He was answered as Molly took out her wand and spoke, "Expecto Patronum."
A transparent cat erupted from the wand, circling them. Molly spoke shakily, her fear slipping through, "We need help. Death Eaters attacked the Express. They're still attacking. Please hurry!"
The cat disappeared, off to relay the message to whoever Molly meant for it to go to.
Albus stared at the forest. It didn't look dangerous. It just looked like any other forest. It looked harmless.
However, Molly was like Aunt Hermione. She was always right.
Although, if they just stayed there, the Death Eaters would most likely kill them. He hadn't created that explosion to save himself and Rose to die right here.
As if someone was trying to emphasize his point, a dozen more Death Eater's apparated into the crowd of choas. Spells were flying everywhere, both from students and from Death Eaters.
At least six of them were running straight to them, lethal spells bouncing off the shield Victoire was creating.
"And if we stay here we're dead as well. I'll personally take the forest rather than the Death Eater's," James said, faking cheer, "Last one into the forest is a rotten egg."
Victoire released the spell and immediately threw a powerful spell that knocked them all off their feet before all nine of them raced into the Forest of Death.
They instantly realized that this was a horrible, terrible idea. They had barely gotten twenty feet into the forest when a strong wind nearly knocked them off their feet and behind them, the six Death Eater's were killed as trees fell on top of them.
"YOU DARE DISRUPT THE HOME OF THE STEVENS'!" Four distinct voices echoed through the forest in one, almost as if only one voice was speaking. However, you could obviously hear the voice of a man, a woman, and two children in the voice. It slithered through the leaves of the trees and flew with the wind as if coming from the forest itself, "YOU DARE COME INTO OUR FOREST?"
They all turned, looking frantically for the source but not finding it. All of them had their wands out, trying to point everywhere so they weren't killed by the mysterious voice.
"We're sorry!" Victoire yelled, taking lead. Her voice was filled with fear and terror but it stayed strong, "We're running from Death Eaters! They were trying to kill us. We had to!"
"Death Eaters, you say?" The man's voice spoke, deep and authoritave
A young girl's voice spoke, "Oh Daddy, these are Potter's and Weasley's. I know where to send them!"
"I do too," The man spoke again and he laughed, the sound echoing off the trees. Rose squeezed Albus' hands so tightly that he was surprised his bones hadn't shattered.
Suddenly, the wind seemed to fly in circles around them, as if creating a tornado. Lucy screamed in terror, brown hair flying everywhere. Freddie cursed, shooting spell after spell at trees around them. Victoire grabbed Dominique's hand, tears trickling down her face. Albus yelled loudly, "Stop! STOP!"
Then they were being lifted off the ground, the wind blowing beneath their feet. Albus felt James grab his hand and saw that they were all holding hands now, faces showing panic and fear.
And then black dots creeped onto his vision just before they reached the tree line.
All nine of them blacked out as one.
Authors Note: I hope this chapter was okay! I was going to try and rewrite my story 'Kidnapped' (which was deleted) but this idea got stuck in my head. I promise I will eventually rewrite it.