Death Threat
A/N. I'm baaaaaaack!!!!! Ooooh, painful chapter title but it's late and I can't be bothered to change it!!!!!:}
Chapter Ten: The Rescue
Half blinded by the smoke, they walked round the dislodged boxes, coughing and franticly calling Faith's name. Without warning Jenny grabbed them and pulled them back out.
'What are you…' started Harry, angrily, once they were outside the door again.
'Shut up! The smoke's too thick but I know a spell, OK? Stand close to me,' she said quickly. 'Bublino Atum.' As soon as she had uttered the spell, a transparent bubble formed around them. 'This bubble will let us breath through the smoke,' she said, almost calmly as they stepped through the door again.
'Why didn't they use it was the front door?' asked Ron.
'It won't stop you getting burnt. Faith!'
Harry began to pray she wasn't down the front of the shop, near the fire. He tried to blot out the fear and doubt in his mind and try to think only of Faith's safety. He knew, if he let himself, he could become paralysed with fear at what they were doing.
They found Faith in the furthest corner from the fire, with tears streaming down her face, mingling with dirt. She looked at them as if they were some kind of angels as fresh tears of relief flowed freely.
Jenny reached out and pulled her into the bubble.
'I…' Faith started.
'Shh, there's no time!' said Jenny, her voice steady, as she led the way back to the door.
The flames were licking round them now as the fire had made it's way steadily up the shop and there was little time left before the whole shop was taken over by the deadly furnace.
They found the door soon enough but the flames had caught them in a tight circle, cutting them off from the door. Harry started to sweat either from the heat or from panic, seeing no way out from this burning inferno.
'We've got to go through it now!' cried Hermione. 'Whilst the flames are still fairly low!'
'How?' asked Ron.
'Use a freeze charm!' said Faith.
'I can't!' yelled Jenny. 'Nothing works! We have to use the traditional method of jumping over them before they get too high!'
'What?' roared Harry.
'Harry, we have no choice!' she said earnestly. 'On the count of three,' she continued, her voice shaking slightly for the first time, 'One…two…THREE!'
On three they jumped. Harry actually felt the flames searing up his ankles, and, hoping everyone was safe, he ran to the door.
As soon as he saw everyone was safely out, he slammed the door shut and paused to wipe his brow. Making sure everyone was unscathed except minor cuts and burns, his knees gave way. Sitting down on the floor next to Jenny, he saw she was nursing a badly burnt arm but not making a sound. She probably had the worst injury out of all of them but wouldn't let anyone touch it.
After a few moments of relieved silence, Harry spoke;
'We'd better go tell them you're OK, Faith,' he rasped, his throat feeling sore and dry.
She nodded and the five of them slowly got up and dragged their aching feet round the front.
When they rounded the corner and the immense crowd of people saw them, they bustled over like mother hens. Finally Madame Pomfrey fended them off and sat them down in the middle of Hogsmeade to tend to their wounds.
Faith was in shock and Harry felt as numb as the others looked, not quite able to take in what they had just achieved. Jenny was refusing to let Madame Pomfrey tend to her arm and actually fended her off with her wand when the concerned nurse suggested that someone should pin her down in order to let her get a look at the arm. Madame Pomfrey wisely backed off, knowing that even in this state Jenny was still a very dangerous person to deal with when she felt threatened, even without a wand, and Madame Pomfrey gazed imploringly at Harry, silently begging him to calm down the violent teen.
'Jen?' he said soothingly, standing up and trying to catch hold of her wand. 'She's not going to hurt you, she just wants to help. You don't have to be so defensive all the time.'
Under Harry's soothing influence he managed to calm her down and let Madame Pomfrey take a look at her arm.
When the worst of their injuries had been cleaned up on the spot, she told them she'd like them to go up to Hogwarts and rest in the hospital wing. Surrounded by a crowd that consisted mainly of Professors (and Sirius), they made their way back up to the castle. The other students were told not to interfere, get back up to the castle, and let the fire fighters get on with their work. Harry had a shrewd suspicion that the teachers (and Sirius) had been told not to question and yell at them until they were fully recovered…though Harry heard Sirius muttering and got the impression that he would get a tough reprimand from his godfather.
Tiredly, Harry wondered if they were going to suspend him but before he could worry too much about it, he was put into bed where he fell fast asleep.
A/N. Short-ish chapter…..only a few more to go!!!!!:}
Disclaimer: Faith and Jenny are mine, the rest belongs to JK!!!!:}