Hearing the sound of ropes being sliced, Harry was released from his bonds but before I could get closer, the Death Eaters all closed ranks around him and Voldemort, the circle closing so that now I couldn't see anything. His wand was retrieved by Wormtail and forced in Harry's hand as I desperately looked around, searching for something to help us or give me a flash of inspiration. Harry was trapped within the circle, and the portkey was lying far away from the both of us. Thankfully, they still seemed to think me gone or they simply just didn't care, but that gave me a slight edge. If I can break through the circle and grab Harry, I can get us to that Cup.
Hearing Voldemort speak once more, he directed Harry to bow with a hint of excitement to his voice, eager to prove his power and worth. "Come, the niceties must be observed. Dumbledore would like you to show manners, bow to death, Harry…" Voldemort crowed, causing me to grip my wand tightly as it gave a thrum of tenacity and irritation towards that snake-faced nutter. "I said bow." The Death Eaters all began to laugh and crow at Harry's expense, pissing me off all the more. Oh just you wait, you won't be laughing for long. "Very good, and now you face me like a man, straight backed and proud, the way your father died…and now, we duel."
Having found a better angle on the floor amongst the dewy grass, I pressed myself as far as I could into the rich smelling earth as I held out my wand and murmured spells under my breath, directing them at Harry as I could just see his feet between two Death Eaters. I layered protection spells upon him in rapid succession, and when he started to scream I used the peace spell once more to lessen the burden. The spell was still shaky as I hadn't yet perfected it, but it was enough to make the pain tolerable, and Harry had the good sense to act as if he were in complete agony. I'm here Harry, you're not alone. We'll get through this.
"A little break." Voldemort decided, retracting the torture as he continued to speak with clear anticipation. "A little pause, that hurt didn't it Harry? You don't want me to do that again, do you?" Harry remained silent, refusing to give an answer which caused Voldemort to snap, raising his voice across the cemetery. "I asked you whether you want me to do that again? Answer me! Imperio!" Wincing to myself, I had no counter-curse for that one, but to my surprise, Harry seemed to fight it off well all by himself. He twitched and struggled, I could see his feet constantly shifting, until all at once he bellowed at the top of his lungs and threw off the curse.
"I WON'T!" Good job Harry, keep it up.
"You won't?" Voldemort repeated incredulously, his voice as quiet as the grave. Even his Death Eaters had stopped laughing at this point. "You won't say 'no'? Harry, obedience is a virtue I need to teach you before you die, perhaps another little dose of pain?" Both Harry and I were ready this time, and with a grin I watched as Harry dove out of the way and positioned himself behind the headstone of Voldemort's father, the curse missing him altogether as I quickly rolled along the ground and hid myself as well. "We are not playing hide and seek, Harry. You cannot hide from me. Does this mean you are tired of our duel? Does this mean that you would prefer me to finish it now Harry? Come out, Harry…"
As Voldemort continued his taunting, I signalled to Harry who managed to catch sight of me, crouching low enough so that we could see each other from between the circle of Death Eaters. I pressed my finger to my lips to keep him quiet, then gave him a smile to try and instil some reassurance and confidence in him. I did my best to try and signal to him what I wanted him to do, which was cause a distraction so that I could wreck some havoc and confusion, something I did best. We didn't have a lot of time, Voldemort was already starting to approach, but in the end I think I got through to him. The final signal with my hands making a bursting motion seemed to express it well enough, as Harry gave a nod then all at once, flung himself out from behind the headstone.
My heart leaped to my throat and I almost cried out. That was not my idea of a distraction Harry! I meant something simple like a few misfired spells from behind the damn headstone! When I get hold of him, I'm going to kill him myself. With no other choice, I heard Harry yell out the disarming spell at the same moment Voldemort spoke the killing curse, and the two beams of light met each other in the middle. Having been halfway to my feet to throw myself into the fray, I stopped. He was holding. I don't believe it, the spell was actually holding. More than that, something was clearly happening.
I was so distracted by it all that I completely forgot about the entire purpose of this moment, staring as Harry and Voldemort were raised into the air with threads of golden light starting to appear between them as they floated off, away from the graves and closer to the portkey. Perfect, this was actually perfect. The Death Eaters started to yell and shout, racing after their master so I stood up and sent silent stunning spells at the back of their heads, picking them off from the back so that no one else noticed as I streaked forwards in order to catch up to Harry. Just hold on, hold on Harry! I'm coming!
The golden threads had now sparked into an entire doming web around both of them, forming some kind of protective barrier which meant the Death Eaters – and I – were unable to get through. Voldemort bellowed for no one to interfere, silencing them as I hid myself once more, watching carefully and desperately trying to think of what to do. So the plan was out the window, now I had to think on my feet but I had no idea what was happening here. I've never witnessed anything like this in my entire life before, and mesmerising as it was, my pulse was still racing in fear.
Sound began to fill the air, filling the entire graveyard with an almost mournful lamentation as it thrummed from the golden web itself. That sound, I'd heard it before. It sounded like a phoenix's cry. No. It sounded like Fawkes. In the back of my mind, I dimly remembered that Harry's wand core was that of a phoenix tail feather, could that be why the song sounded like a phoenix? Was the wand literally speaking to him? It gave me hope, a flicker of a smile touching my face as something more began to happen. Figures were beginning to burst out of Voldemort's wand, spectral and opaque figures which appeared like ghosts. First was an old man, then a woman, both of them urging Harry to hold on until next came two more figures. Another man and a woman, but even through the golden gleam of the dome, I could still see who they were. It was Lily and James Potter. Harry's parents. Lily came first, whispering that Harry's father was coming, that he wanted to see him and that everything would be alright.
Then James Potter appeared, materialising just as the others had done and I could do nothing but stare whilst unconsciously holding my breath. Harry's father spoke quietly to him, seemingly whispering in his ear and as he did so, I saw Lily turn around and…she smiled at me. At me. Our eyes were meeting and she was smiling at me. Her mouth moved silently, but even still I heard her voice in my head like she were standing right beside me with a clear ring like the sound of a musical bell chiming before me. Be ready to run, Mia. Look after my boy for me. Watch over him…
I will.
The single response was all she needed to nod her head then turn back to Harry as I prepared myself for what came next, as if anticipating it all. Dragging his wand upwards, Harry caused the connection to arc and almost immediately the golden barrier broke with a thunderous boom of sound, the phoenix song fading into silence as the connection was severed. The ghostly apparitions all rushed at Voldemort to hold him as I sliced my wand to cause an explosion next to the Death Eaters, causing their heads to turn the other way as I pelted out of hiding and ran towards Harry who was now bolting for the portkey. "Harry!" Our hands reached out for one another upon instinct and I grabbed hold of the back of his clothes in order to push him forwards, sending him ahead as I flung spells over my shoulder.
The Death Eaters had been quicker to realise what was happening than I would have liked, now shouting curses and spells at us. Bolts of coloured light flew past us as Voldemort screamed for them to stun us, so I turned quickly whilst still running forwards and created another bombardment of explosions which ripped up the earth and shattered the marble stones, creating a thick spray of cover so that Harry and I could continue to run. A tombstone shattered beside us, throwing Harry off balance so I grabbed him and rolled, dragging him down to the ground whilst covering him with my body as a spell hit me in the back, aimed at him.
Screaming as I felt hot blood burst from a slash that had opened itself upon my flesh, I scrambled to keep Harry moving, thrusting him behind another tombstone which was too small for the both of us but I covered him all the same as more spells came surging towards us. Voldemort was now recovered, screaming for the others to stand back so that he could kill us both, and I wryly thought it was his own fault for being so arrogant as to forget about me and assume that I was dead in the first place. It was his fatal error, and as I blocked a few more spells, I once more grabbed Harry and forced him to run on my left so that I was in the way of the spells being aimed at us.
Several more hit me, causing me more pain as a Cruciatus Curse struck me but I managed to keep moving, several more cuts and abrasions slicing open my skin until finally, we were close enough to the portkey. Harry summoned it to us and as we stood, his hand outstretched, I grabbed hold of him so that my back was turned against Voldemort and the Death Eaters, shielding him completely even as he tried to shout at me. His hand closed around the Cup and all at once we were both lifted out of the air as a final spell hit me, a stunning spell, and I completely blacked out for the second time that evening.