I do not own J.K. Rowlings writing or any of her characters.
Chapter: 11
Attempted Escape
Hermione voices the obvious, that Sirius isn't there, and Harry begins to run up the space at the end of the rows, staring down them.
Ignoring him I look around at the orbs, and notice Ron staring at one in particular.
"Harry?" Ron calls, and I walk over to read the label under the orb, which says
S.P.T. to A.P.W.R.D.
Dark Lord
and (?) Harry Potter
"What?" Harry calls back
"Have you seen this?"
"What?" Harry says eagerly, heading back towards us. Harry walks down the aisle and seems to be disappointed to see Ron staring at one of the orbs "What?" Harry repeats glumly
"It's- It's got your name on,"Ron says
Harry moves closer "My name?" He says blankly, stepping up. He looks up at the orb,
"What is it?' Ron asks, sounding unnerved. "What's your name doing down here?" Ron looks at the other orbs "I'm not here, none of the rest of us are here….."
Harry stretches out his hand towards it
"I don't think you should touch it" Hermione says sharply.
"Why not?" Harry says "It's something to do with me isn't it?"
"Don't, Harry," Neville says suddenly
"It's got my name on," Harry says, closing his fingers around the dusty orb. He slowly lifts the orb down from the shelf and stares at it.
"Very good, Potter," A familiar voice drawls "Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me."
Looking around wearily I see black shapes emerging out of thin air around them, blocking the way left and right; eyes glinted through slits in hoods, an dozen lit wands tips were pointed directly at our hearts.
Ginny gives a gasp of horror and I move closer to her a bit.
"To me, Potter" The drawling voice of Lucius Malfoy repeats as he holds out his hand, palm up.
I raise my wand a bit towards Lucius, and I hear one of the Death Eaters to my side stir, and I glance over to see their wand pointed at me. Grimacing I look back at Lucius.
"To me," Lucius says again
"Where's Sirius?" Harry says
The Death Eaters laugh and I clench my teeth in anger, and fear, remembering when they laughed at me like that.
"The Dark Lord always knows!" A harsh female voice to my right says.
"Always," Lucius echoes softly "Now, give me the prophecy, Potter."
"I want to know where Sirius is!"
"I want to know where Sirius is!" Mimicked the woman who had spoke before. Her and the other Death Eaters had moved in, so now they were mere feet from us.
"You've got him," Harry says "He's here. I know he is."
"The little baby woke up fwightened and fort what it dweamed was twoo," The woman says in a horrible, mock-baby, voice.
I suppose one of the others stirred because Harry says
"Don't do anything, not yet-"
The woman lets out a raucous scream of laughter
"You hear him? You hear him? Giving instructions to the other children as though he thinks of fighting us!"
"Oh, you don't know Potter as I do, Bellatrix," Lucius says softly "He has a great weakness for heroics; the Dark Lord understands this about him. Now give me the prophecy, Potter."
"I know Sirius is here, I know you've got him!" Harry says
more of the Death Eaters laugh, the woman louder than all of them.
"It's time you learned the difference between life and dreams, Potter," Malfoy said "Now give me the prophecy, or we start using wands."
"Go on, then." Harry says, raising his own to chest height, and the others follow. I wonder why he waited until now to lift his wand up, since I had done it the moment they arrived.
The Death Eaters do not attack though, which surprises me.
"Hand over the prophecy and no one gets hurt," Lucius says coolly. Harry laughs
"Yeah, right!" Harry says "I give you this-prophecy, is it? And you'll just let us skip off home, will you?"
Before the words are even out of his mouth the female Death Eater shrieks "Accio Proph-"
"Protego!" Harry yells before the spell is finished.
"Oh, he knows how to play, little bitty baby Potter," She says, her mad eyes staring through the slits in her hood. "Very well, then-"
"I TOLD YOU NO!" Lucius Malfoy yells at the woman. "If you smash it-!"
The woman steps forward and pulls off her hood. Azkaban had hollowed Bellatrix Lestrange's face, making it gaunt and skull-like, but it was alive with a feverish fanatical glow.
"You need more persuasion?" She says "Very well- take the smallest one," She orders the Death Eater beside her "Let him watch while we torture the little girl. I'll do it."
Everyone moves in around Ginny, and I grab her free hand with mine, giving it a tight squeeze before letting go again.
"You'll have to smash this if you want to attack any of us," Harry says to Bellatrix "I don't think your boss will be too pleased if you come back without it, will he?" he pauses, watching Bellatrix "So, what kind of prophecy are we talking about anyway?" Harry asks, and I can tell he is stalling for time.
Looking around at the Death Eaters I look for some way we can escape, and all I can think of is that we'd have to fight our way out, but that's a two to one fight.
"Shut your mouth!" Bellatrix shrieks, and I decide that I should listen to the conversation again. "You dare to speak his name with your unworthy lips, you dare besmirch it with your half-blood's tongue, you dare-"
"Did you know he's a half blood too?" Harry says recklessly, and I groan at his stupidity. "Voldemort? Yeah, his mother was a witch but his dad was a Muggle- or has he been telling you lot that he's pureblood?"
"Stupef-" Bellatrix shoots a jet of red light at Harry, but Lucius Malfoy bellows
"NO!" and his spell deflects Bella's, and Bella's spell hits the shelf a foot from Harry's left foot, and several glass orbs there shatter.
Two figures unfurl themselves from the fragments of broken glass and began to speak.
"DO NOT ATTACK! WE NEED THE PROPHECY!" Lucius yells
"He dared- he dares-" Bellatrix shrieks "He stands there- filthy half-blood-"
"WAIT UNTIL WE'VE GOT THE PROPHECY!" Malfoy bawls
"You haven't told me what's so special about this prophecy I'm supposed to be handing over." Harry says, again playing for time.
"Do not play games with us, Potter." Malfoy says
"I'm not playing games," Harry says
"Dumbledore never told you that the reason you bear that scar was hidden in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries?" Lucius said with a sneer.
"I-what?" Harry says "What about my scar?"
"Can this be?" Malfoy said, sounding maliciously delighted; the Death Eaters were laughing again. "Dumbledore never told you? Well, this explains why you didn't come earlier Potter, the Dark Lord wondered why you didn't come running when he showed you the place where it was hidden in your dreams. He thought natural curiosity would make you want to hear the exact wording…."
"Did he?" Harry says. I feel a nudge to my left side and Ginny whispers
"Smash the shelves when Harry gives the word."
"All right" I whisper back, before tuning back into the conversation.
"Why?" Lucius says, sounding incredulously delighted. "Because the only people who are permitted to retrieve a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries, Potter, are those about whom it was made, as the Dark Lord discovered when he attempted to use others to steal it for him."
"And why did he want to steal a prophecy about me?"
"About both of you Potter, about both of you…. Haven't you ever wondered why the Dark Lord tried to kill you as a baby?"
"Someone made a prophecy about Voldemort and me?" Harry says quietly, gazing at Lucius Malfoy. "And he's made me come and get it for him? Why couldn't he come and get it himself?"
"Get it himself?" Shrieked Bellatrix "The Dark Lord, walk into the Ministry of Magic, when they are so sweetly ignoring his return? The Dark Lord, reveal himself to the Aurors, when at this moment they are wasting their time on my dear cousin?"
"So he's got you doing his dirty work for him, has he?" Harry says "Like he tried to get Sturgis to steal it-and Bode?"
"Very good, Potter, very good…." Malfoy said slowly "But the Dark Lord knows you are not unintell-"
"NOW!" Harry yells
"REDUCTO!" We all yell, facing the shelves. As soon as the spells hit the shelves orbs break and mayhem erupts as many voices mingle with the sound of the breaking glass and creaking shelves.
"RUN!" Harry yells, grabbing Hermione's robes and dragging her forward as the glass spheres pour on us from above.
Everyone is yelling as we are run forward, trying to avoid the Death Eaters lunging out of the dust. I run closely after Harry, a hand over my head as chunks of shelf and shards of glass fall down on us.
"ARGH!" I yell as a Death Eater grabs me around the knees from behind, and I fall over, my wand flying from my hands. "Damn it!" I exclaim, trying to kick the Death Eater or hit him to free my legs. "Impedimenta!" I finally yell, flinging my hand towards the man, who immediately is thrown off me. Quickly crawling away I grab my wand and come face to face with another Death Eater. "Stupefy!" I yell before they can fully register the fact that my wand is raised. I roll the person out of my way, their mask coming off and I see that it is Nott. Kicking him in the side I sprint to the end of the row, turning to the right and sprinting toward the door we had come from.
As it comes into view I realize that one: It's closed. And two: All the Death Eaters are grouped around it.
"Oops." I say softly, ducking into an aisle by them
"We'll split into pairs and search, and don't forget, be gentle with Potter until we've got the prophecy, you can kill the others if necessary- Bellatrix, Rodulophus, you take the left, Crabbe, Rebastran, go right-Jugson, Dolohov, the door straight ahead- Macnair and Avery, through here- Rookwood, over there- Mulciber, come with me!"
Stiffening I lean up against the shelf and hope the shadows cover me as all the groups run off.
Watching Bellatrix and another Death Eater go by I sigh in relief and tense up again as footsteps come closer.
"Where are we going to look Lucius?" A voice asks softly, from right beyond the row.
"Keep your voice down Mulciber, we're going to find the Greenwood girl. The Dark Lord thought that she might come to help, along with the others, and he wants her as well as the prophecy." I freeze at this, cursing under my breath that we could all be so predictable. "Shh…." Lucius says, and I hear them come closer.
Slowly I move to the side, keeping my back against the shelves.
"Someone's here." Mulciber says, though it sounds more like a question. I suppose Lucius nodded to him for I don't hear a sound as they creep into view, appearing at the end of the row I am slinking towards.
Surprised for a moment I stay still, hoping they won't look into the row.
Apparently luck is not with me.
Lucius walks into the row towards me. "Hello Ellis."
"Goodbye Lucius."
Quickly turning on my heel I run as fast as I can from them.
"Impedimenta!" Lucius yells and I dodge to the side to avoid it. Pointing my wand over my shoulder I send the same spell at Mulciber.
"Stupefy!" Lucius cries as I reach the end of the row, and I dive to the side to avoid the spell, quickly getting up again and running to the left, away from the door the others went in to. Stopping I go to turn around and quickly duck and roll to avoid another spell, this time from Mulciber.
Getting up I hear footsteps behind me and another Death Eater appears.
"Why don't you just face it Ellis? You're cornered," Lucius says.
"You forget Lucius, there is an aisle empty of idiot servants to my right." I say turning and sprinting into the said aisle, which I notice is number 89.
"Avada Kedavera" the new arrival yells, and I quickly drop to my stomach on the floor, using the worst tactic to avoid the curse if I want to keep running, but it is the best avoidance tactic I have.
"NO!" Lucius bellows at the new man. "The Dark Lord wants her alive!" Lucius continues and I hear his voice coming closer.
"Stupefy!"
I quickly try to get to my feet but the spell hits and I fall forward, unconscious.
A scream wakes me and I sit up quickly to find I am laying on the floor near the bottom steps in the room with the archway. I hear another scream, looking around to see Bellatrix aiming her wand at Neville's screaming form. Angry I raise my hand to go and hex her, and someone behind my grabs my arm and roughly pulls me to my feet.
" Don't even think about it." A man's voice says harshly in my ear.
"Would you rather I do this?" I ask, quickly slamming my hand into their stomach as I say "Relashio!"
Looking back at them I recognize Dolohov from the newspaper. "Accio Wand!" I say, watching the other Death Eaters. Slowly my wand flies from Dolohov's pocket, and in a moment I have it in hand.
Moving towards them silently I try to make my way around the dais to help Neville when I see Harry going to hand the prophecy to Lucius. I step forward as two more doors burst open at the top of the room.
Lupin, Tonks, Moody, Sirius, and Kingsley, who I had met for only a moment, come through the door.
Malfoy turns and raises his wand but Tonks had already sent a Stunning Spell right at him.
Harry dives off the dias as the Death Eaters, who are confused by the many spells being raining down on them, try to fight the newly arrived Order members.
Hurrying out from behind the dias I start shooting stunning spells at the Death Eaters as I dodge some of the spells flying around.
Sirius and the Death Eater he is fighting come into sight after a moment, their wands a blur. Quickly I begin shooting stunners at the Death Eater, and confused he blocks me instead of Sirius and falls.
Sirius gives me a nod of thanks and, getting around the Death Eater, goes to Harry's aide.
Seeing a Death Eater heading for Sirius and the others I cry "Relashio!" and he flies back. Quickly I scramble over some bodies and get close enough to stun the Death Eater with a wave of my hand.
Looking around for someone else to help I see Harry fighting to get a Death Eater off of his back. As I move forward Harry hits them with Impedimenta and they smash into the dias. I see now that it is Lucius and I move forward to stop Lucius from hexing Harry, when Lupin jumps in to do so.
"Harry round up the others and GO!" Lupin yells, motioning me to go with Harry.
"I'm helping!" I say, stunning Lucius before Lupin can.
"Go help the others!" Lupin says as he pushes me towards the stairs that Harry and Neville are heading up.
"Petrificus Totalus!" I yell, pointing my wand over Lupins arm. Rookwood's arms and legs snap together and he keels over, leaving Kingsley free to fight another Death Eater heading his way.
"You have helped enough!" Lupin says, turning and pushing me back from the fray, ducking a red jet of light.
Taking a step back towards the steps I look for someone else to help and Dumbledore comes down the steps by me. Watching I smile when one of the Death Eaters tries to scrabble up the steps to get away, and Dumbledores spell pulls them back.
I hear Sirius yell something and turn to see him still fighting Bellatrix.
As I turn a jet of red light hits him squarely on the chest, and he falls backward through the ragged veil hanging from the arch.
"SIRIUS!" Harry yells, reaching the floor and sprinting for the dias "SIRIUS!"
Harry runs by Lupin, who grabs him around the chest and holds him back.
"There's nothing you can do, Harry-"
"Get him, save him, he's only gone through!"
"It's too late, Harry-"
"We can still reach him-" Harry says, struggling viciously. I look away, only being reminded that I would have acted the same if I had been there to see my family die.
Turning to the steps I see Neville trying to come down the stone benches, and I slowly head up and help him down, seeing as he is struggling because of his feet.
When I help him down I walk up a couple of steps and survey the scene, watching Bellatrix's and Kingley's fight.
Suddenly there is a bang and Kingsley, yelling in pain, hit's the ground. Bellatrix turns around and quickly runs up the steps.
"SHE KILLED SIRIUS!" Harry bellows, and I look back to see him pulling away from Lupin "SHE KILLED HIM- I'LL KILL HER!" He yells running up the steps.
"Harry stop!" I yell at him as he runs up the steps.
He ignores me and I quickly go after him. Running up the stone steps I miss one and land on my right ankle but get up again quickly, hurrying after Harry as my ankle throbs painfully.
I run into the brain room and see the tank with the brains tipped over and the potion within all over Harry.
Harry uses Wingardium Leviosa to send the brains careening away from him, and continues his pursuit of Bellatrix.
I run after him, stopping to make sure Luna is okay before I hurry on past Ginny, who is looking curious and scared, Ron, giggling madly, and the still unconscious Hermione.
"What's
going on?" Ginny asks as I pass her.
"Harry's going to try
and kill Bellatrix!" I say breathlessly, still running after Harry.
Harry passes through the door to the circular room and it closes
behind him.
Opening the door again I see Harry streak out the door to the left of me, which I can see the lifts through. I head towards it and both doors close.
The room spins and when it halts I grab the door to my side, opening it to see the time room, with the Death Eater still stumbling around. Closing the door the room spins again and when it stops I try another door, only to find the brain room again.
"Ellis!" Ginny calls
"I hate this room." I say with a laugh, waving bye to her as I close the door and it spins again. Hoping Harry isn't already killing Bellatrix, or getting killed, I wait until the room stops completely and close my eyes taking a deep breath.
Looking around the room I trust my instinct and try a door.
Opening it I smile and hurry out into the corridor leading to the lift.
"YOU'VE GOT IT POTTER AND YOU WILL GIVE IT TO ME-Accio Prophecy! ACCIO PROPHECY!." Stopping for a moment I listens to Belltrix scream as I breathe in deeply, then go to the lift and hit the button marked Atrium. Riding it up I step out to see Voldemorts pace slowly nearer to Harry. Tall, thin, and black hooded, his snakelike face white and gaunt, his nightmarish slit pupil eyes glance around the room and catch my eye for a moment before turning back to Harry. When he meets my eyes I feel my whole body freeze, and I watch, shocked and a bit scared, as Voldemort raises his wand toward Harry.
"So you smashed my prophecy?" Voldemort says softly, staring at Harry. "No, Bella, he is not lying…I see the truth looking at me from within his worthless mind…. Months of preparation, months of effort…and my Death Eaters have let Harry Potter thwart me again…"
"Master, I am sorry, I knew not, I was fighting the Animagus Black!" Bellatrix sobs, throwing herself at Voldemort's feet as he paces nearer to Harry. "Master, you should know-"
"Be quiet Bella," Voldemort said dangerously. "I shall deal with you in a moment, Do you think I have entered the Ministry of Magic to hear your sniveling apologies?"
"But Master- he is here- he is below-"
"I have nothing more to say to you, Potter" Voldemort says quietly. "You have irked me too often, for two long. AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Suddenly the golden statue of the wizard in the fountain springs alive, leaping off its plinth, to land between Harry and the spell, deflecting it.
Voldemort looks around and spots Dumbledore standing in front of the golden gates.
Seeing him I begin to calm down a bit and watch as Voldemort and Dumbledore begin to fight, the statues blocking exits, protecting Harry, and stopping Belltrix from moving.
Slowly I can move again, as Voldemort's attention is fully on Dumbledore.
The fight ensues and I watch until Voldemort escapes from Dumbledores fiery rope, turning it into a snake and vanishing.
When he vanishes I hear a swish of a cloak behind me. Turning quickly I see Voldemort behind me.
"You have turned traitor." He says menacingly, aiming his wand at me. I quickly raise my wand and put up a shield. His spell deflects off of my shield and he turns on his heel, vanishing. I move back so I am now standing by the wall next to Belltrix.
Voldemort appears back on the plinth, and continues his fight with Dumbledore. I drop the shield but keep my wand raised, ready to fight if he tries to hurt me again.
When Voldemort disappears from Dumbledores cocoon of water, Dumbledore begins looking around the room, and when he yells at Harry he sounds frightened.
Mentally going through spells I can use against Voldemort I watch as Voldemorts voice seems to come from Harry's mouth.
This act causes me to feel both scared and slightly amazed as I had never seen something like this before, and also disgusted since in all technicalities Voldemort was inside Harry.
Dumbledore goes to raise his wand when the voice suddenly stops, and Voldemort appears, facing me.
"I will not kill you, if you agree to join me." He says, keeping a wary eye on Dumbledore, who has gone to see if Harry is okay.
"Why would I join you? You killed my family!" I say, taking an angry step toward Voldemort. He smirks, looking me in the eye.
"They were of no importance. As you know. They never did anything for you." He says calmly, raising his wand.
"What about my sister!" I yell, before I realize Voldemort had his wand up. I go to raise my wand and the spell hits…..