Chapter Eighteen

"The Department of Mysteries/Beyond the Veil"

They were standing in a large circular room. Everything in here was black, including the floor and ceiling – identical, unmarked, handle-less black doors were set at intervals all around the black walls, interspersed with branches of candles whose flames burned blue, their cool shimmering light reflected in the shining marble floor so that it looked as though there was dark water underfoot.

"This place gives me the creeps," Lizzie muttered, holding tighter to Hayden's hand. "Somebody shut the door," Harry muttered.

He regretted giving this order the moment Neville had obeyed it. Without the long chink of light from the torch-lit corridor behind them, the place became so dark that for a moment, the only thing they could see were the bunches of shivering blue flames on the walls and their ghostly reflections in the floor below.

In his dreams, Harry had always walked purposefully across this room to the door, immediately opposite the entrance and walked in. But there were around a dozen doors here. Just as he was gazing ahead at the doors opposite him, trying to decide which was the right one, there was a great rumbling noise and the candle began moving sideways. The circular wall was moving.

Lizzie held even tighter still to Hayden's hand as though frightened the floor might move too, but it did not as she relaxed her grip. For a few seconds, the blue flames around them were blurred to resemble neon lines as the wall sped around and the quite as suddenly as it had started, the rumbling stopped and everything became stationary.

Lizzie had blue streaks burned into her vision; it was all she could see. "What's happening?" she whispered fearfully as Hayden shook his head. "I think," he said a moment later. "I think it was to stop us knowing which door we came in from."

Lizzie realized a moment later that he was right. She could not have picked the exit from any of the other doors that located an ant upon the jet black floor. Meanwhile, the door through which they needed to proceed into could be any of the dozen surrounding them.

"Now what?" asked Lizzie. "And how're we going to get back out?" asked Neville uncomfortably. "Well, that doesn't matter now," said Harry forcefully, as Lizzie blinked hard in an attempt to erase the blue lines from her vision and adjust her eyes so she could see.

"We won't need to get out till we've found Sirius…

"Don't go calling for him, though!" said Hermione urgently, but she didn't need to tell him this; his instinct was to keep as quiet as possible for the time being.

"Where do we go, then Harry?" Ron asked. "I don't…"Harry began. He swallowed. "What did you see in your dreams?" asked Lizzie. "In the dreams, I went through a door at the end of the corridor from the lifts into a dark room – like this one – and then I went thought another door into a room that kind of….glitters. We should try a few doors," he said. "I'll know the right way when I see it. C'mon."

He marched straight at the door now facing him, the others following close behind them, set his left hand against its cool, shining surface, raised his wand, ready to strike, the moment it opened. Hayden and Lizzie had their wands raised too as Harry pushed the door as it swung open easily.

After the darkness of the first room, the lamps hanging low on golden chains from the ceiling gave the impression that this long rectangular room was much brighter, though there were no glittering, shimmering slight such as Harry had seen in his dreams, The place, was quite empty except for a few desks, and in the very middle of the room, and enormous glass tank of deep-green water, big enough for all of them to swim in, which contained a number of pearly white object that were drifting around lazily in the liquid.

"What are those things?" whispered Ron

"Dunno," said Harry.

"Are they fish?" breathed Ginny.

"Aquavirius maggots!" said Luna excitedly. "Dad said that the Ministry were breeding…."

"That's not what they are," said Hayden. He sounded odd. He moved forward to look through the side of the tank. "They're brains," he said

"Brains?" asked Lizzie, cringing.

Hayden nodded. "I wonder what they're doing with them." Lizzie joined him at the tank. Sure enough, there could be no mistake now that she had seen them properly. Glimmering eerily they drifted in and out of sight in the depths of the green water looking something like slimy cauliflowers.

"Let's get out of here," said Harry. "This isn't right, we need to try another door….."

"There are doors here too," said Ron, pointing around the walls. Harry's heart sank; how big was this place?

"What else did you see in your dream, Harry?" asked Hayden. "In my dream, I went through that dark room into the second one," said Harry. "I think we should got back and try from there.

So they hurried back into the dark circular room; the ghostly shapes of the brains were not swimming before Lizzie's eyes instead of the blue candle flames.

"Wait!" said Hermione sharply as Luna made to close the door of the Brain Room behind them.

"Flagrate!"

She drew with her wand in midair and a fiery X appeared on the door. No sooner had the door clicked shut behind them then there was a great rumbling, and once again, the wall began to revolve very fast, but now there was a great red-gold blur in among the faint blue, and when all became still again, the fiery cross still burned, showing the door they had already tried.

"Well played, Hermione," said Hayden, looking impressed. "Okay, let's try this one…" said Harry. Again, he strode directly at the door facing him and pushed it open, his wand still raised, the others at his heels.

This room was larger than the last, dimly lit, and rectangular, and the center of it was sunken, forming a great stone pit some twenty feet below them. They were standing on the topmost tier of the amphitheater, or the courtroom in which Harry had been tried by the Wizengamot.

Instead of a chained chair, however, there was a raised stone dais in the center of the lowered floor, and upon that dais stood a stone archway that looked so ancient, cracked, and crumbling that Harry was amazed that the thing was still standing. Unsupported by any surrounding wall, the archway was hung with a tattered black curtain or veil, which, despite the complete stillness of the cold surrounding air, was fluttering very sightly as though it had just been touched.

"Who's there?" said Harry, jumping down onto the bench below. There was no answering voice, but the veil continued to flutter and sway.

"Careful!" whispered Hermione.

Harry scrambled down the benches one by one until he reached the stone bottom of the sunken pit. His footsteps echoed loudly as he walked slowly toward the dais. The pointed archway looked much taller from where he stood now, than when he had been looking down on it from above. Still, the veil swayed gently, as though someone just passed through it.

"Sirius?" Harry spoke again, but much more quietly now that he was nearer.

He had the strangest feeling that there was someone standing right behind the veil on the other side of the archway.

Lizzie sensed it too as she slowly let go of Hayden's hand and cautiously approach the archway.

Gripping his wand very tightly, he edged around the dais, but there was nobody there. All that could be seen was the other side of the tattered black veil.

"Let's go," called Hermione from hallway up the stone steps. "This isn't right, Harry, Lizzie, come on, let's go….."

She sounded scared, much more scared than she had in the room where the brains swam, yet Harry thought the archway had a kind of beauty about it, old though it was. The gently rippling veil intrigued him; he felt a very strong inclination to climb up on the dais and walk though it.

"Hermione's right," said Hayden. "Come on, Harry, Lizzie. Let's go….." "Okay," said Harry and Lizzie together but neither of the moved. Both of them had just heard something. There were faint whispering, murmuring noises coming from the other side of the veil.

"What are you saying?" he said very loudly, so that the words echoed all around the surrounding stone benches.

"Nobody's talking, Harry!" said Hermione, now moving over to where he and Lizzie stood. "Someone's whispering behind there," he said, moving out of her reach and continuing to frown at the veil. "Is that you, Ron?"

"I'm here, mate," said Ron, appearing around the side of the archway.

"Can't anyone else hear it?" Harry demanded, for the whispering and murmuring was becoming louder; without really meaning to put it there, he found his foot was on the dais.

"I can hear them too," said Lizzie. "Me too," breathed Luna, joining them around the side of the archway and gazing at the swaying veil. "There are people in there!" said Lizzie. "What do you mean, 'in there'?" demanded Hermione, jumping down from the bottom step, and sounding much angrier than the occasion warranted. "There isn't any 'in there', Lizzie. It's just an archway, there's no room for anybody to be there – honestly, Lizzie stop it, come away….."

She grabbed Lizzie's arm and tried to pull her away, but Lizzie resisted.

"We are supposed to be looking for Sirius!" she said in a high-pitched strained voice. "Sirius," Harry repeated, still gazing mesmerized at the continuously swaying veil. "Yeah….."

They had come here for one reason: to rescue Sirius, and they were staring at an archway…

Both Harry and Lizzie took several paces back from the dais and both of them wrenched their eyes away from the veil.

"Let's go," he said.

"That's what I've been trying to – well, come on, then!" said Hermione as she led the way back around the dais.

On the other side, Ginny, and Neville were staring apparently entranced at the veil too. Without speaking, Hermione took hold of Ginny's arm, Ron's, Neville's, and Hayden took Lizzie's hand again as they marched firmly back to the lowest stone bench and clambered all the way back up to the door.

"What d'you reckon that arch was?" Harry asked Lizzie as they regained the dark circular room. Lizzie shrugged as Hermione once again inscribed a fiery cross upon the door.

Once more, the wall spun, and became still again. Harry approached a door at random and pushed. It did not move.

"What's wrong?" asked Hayden. "It's….locked…." said Harry, throwing his weight at the door, but it did not budge.

"This is it, isn't it?" said Ron, excitedly, joining Harry. "Here, let me," said Lizzie as she raised her leg and attempted to kick the door down, but overbalanced, and Hayden caught her as she fell back. "Always works in films," said Lizzie shrugging. "Oh, get out of the way!" said Hermione sharply. She pointed her wand at the place where the lock would have been on an ordinary door and said, "Alohomora!"

Nothing happened.

"Sirius's knife!" said Harry, as he pulled it out from inside his robes and slid it into the crack between the door and the wall.

The others all watched eagerly as he ran it from top to bottom, withdrew it, and then flung his shoulder against the door, it remained as firmly shut as ever. What was more, when Harry looked down at the knife, he saw that the blade had melted.

"Right we're leaving that room," said Hermione decisively.

"But what if that's the one?" asked Ron, staring at it with a mixture of apprehension and longing. "Yeah, you never know!" said Lizzie.

"It can't be, Harry could get through all the doors in his dream," said Hermione, marking the door with another fiery cross as Harry replaced the now-useless handle of Sirius's knife in his pocket.

"You know what could be in there?" said Luna eagerly, as the wall started to spin yet again.

"Something blibbering, no doubt, said Hermione under her breath, and Neville gave her a nervous little laugh.

The wall slid back to a half and Harry, with a feeling of increasing desperation pushed the next door open.

"This is it!"

He knew it at once by the beautiful, dancing diamond sparkling light. As Harry's eyes became more accustomed to the brilliant glare, he saw clocks gleaming from every surface, large and small grandfather, and carriage, hanging in spaces between the bookcases or standing on desks ranging the length of the room, so that a busy relentless ticking filled the place like thousands of miniscule marching steps. The source of the dancing, diamond-bright light was a towering crystal bell jar that stood at the far end of the room.

"This way!"

Hayden held Lizzie's hand tight in his as they followed Harry forward down the narrow space between the lines of desks, heading as Harry had done in his dream, for the source of the light the crystal bell jar quite as tall as he was that stood on the desk and appeared to be full of billowing glittering wind.

"Oh, look!" said Ginny as they drew nearer, pointing at the very heart of the bell jar.

Drifting along in the sparkling current inside was a tiny jewel-bright egg. As it rose in the jar, it cracked open and a hummingbird emerged, which was carried to the very top of the jar, but as it fell on the draft, it's feathers became bedraggled and damp again, and by the time it had been borne back into the bottom of the jar, it had been enclosed once more in the egg.

Before Lizzie had the time to ask where the heck they were, Harry said sharply, "keep going!" as they made their way past the bell jar to the only door behind it.

"This is it," said Harry again. "You said that last time!" said Lizzie. Harry ignored her. His heart was now pumping so hard and fast he felt it must interfere with his speech. "It's through here….."

Lizzie glanced at Hayden as though wondering when, if ever, they were going to find the right room….

Harry glanced around at them all. They had their wands out and looked suddenly serious and anxious. He looked back at the door and pushed as it swung open.

They were there, they had found the place; high as a church and full of nothing but towering shelves covered in small dusty glass orbs. They glimmered dully in the light issuing from more candle brackets set at intervals along the shelves. Like those in the circular room behind them, their flames were burning blue. The room was very cold. Lizzie could see her breath rise in a thick vapor whenever she took a breath as she huddled closer to Hayden.

Harry edged forward and peered down one of the shadowy aisles between two rows of shelves. He could hear anything nor see the slightest sign of movement.

"Keep your wands out," said Harry softly.

They all crept forward, staring behind them as they went on down the long alley of shelves, the farther ends of which were near total darkness.

Tiny yellowing labels had been stuck beneath each glass orb on the shelf. Some of them had a weird, liquid glow; others were as dull and dark within as blown lightbulbs.

They passed row eighty-four….eighty-five…

"Ninety-seven!" whispered Lizzie, They stood grouped around the end of the row, gazing down the alley beside it. There was nobody there.

"He's right down at the end," said Harry, whose mouth had become slightly dry. "You can't see properly from here….."

And he led them forward, between the towering rows of glass balls, some of which glowed softly as they passed…

"He should be near here," whispered Harry, convinced that every step was going to bring the ragged form of Sirius into view upon the darkened floor. "Anywhere here…..really close….."

"Harry?" said Hermione tentatively, but he did not respond. His mouth was very dry now.

"Somewhere about….here…" he said. They had reached the end of the row and merged into more dim candlelight. There was nobody there at all. All was echoing dusty silence.

"He might be….." Harry whispered hoarsely, peering down the alley next door. "Or maybe," he hurried to look down the one beyond from that.

"Harry?" said Hermione again.

"What is it?" Harry snarled.

"I…..I don't think Sirius is here."

Nobody spoke. Harry did not want to look at any of them. He felt sick. He did not understand why Sirius was not here. He had to be here. This was where he, Harry, had seen him…

He ran up the space at the end of the rows, staring down them.

Empty aisles after empty aisle flickered past. He ran the other way, back past his staring companions.

There was no sign of Sirius anywhere, nor any hint of a struggle.

"Harry?" Lizzie called.

"What?"

He didn't want to hear what Lizzie had to say, or hear her complain that she was afraid or that they should turn back or whatever. But the heat was rising in his face and he felt as though he would like to skulk down here in the darkness for a while before facing the brightness of the Atrium above and the other's accusing stares.

"Harry, I – I think you need to see this….." said Hayden.

"What?" asked Harry, but eagerly, this time – it had to be a sign that Sirius had been there, a clue – he strode back to where they were all standing, a little way down row ninety-seven, but found nothing except Hayden and Lizzie stared at one of the dusty glass spheres on the shelves.

"What?" repeated Harry glumly.

"It's – it's got your name on it," said Lizzie, pointing. "Look!"

Harry moved a little closer. Lizzie was pointing at one of the small glass spheres that glowed with a dull inner light, though it was very dusty and appeared not to have been touched for many years.

"My name?" asked Harry blankly.

He stepped forward. Not nearly as tall as Hayden and just a few inches taller than Lizzie, he had to crane his neck to read the yellowish label affixed to the shelf right beneath the dusty glass ball. In spidery writing was written a date of some sixteen years previously, and below that:

S. P. T. to A. P. W. B. D.
Dark Lord
and (?) Harry Potter

Harry stared at it.

"What is it?" asked Lizzie, sounding unnerved. "What's your name doing down here?"

He glanced along the other labels on that stretch of shelf. "I'm not here," he said, sounding perplexed. "None of the rest of us are here….

"Harry, I don't think you should touch it," said Hermione sharply.

"Why not?" he asked. "It's something to do with me, isn't it?"

"Hermione's right," said Hayden. "Just leave it be, Harry."

"It's got my name on it," said Harry.

And feeling slightly reckless, he closed his fingers around the dusty ball's surface. He had expected it to feel cold, but it did not. On the contrary, it felt as though it had been lying in the sun for hours, as though the glow of light within was warming it. Expecting even hoping that something dramatic was going to happen, something exciting that might make their long and dangerous journey worthwhile after all, he lifted the glass ball down from its shelf and stared at it.

Nothing whatsoever happened. The others moved in closer around Harry, gazing at the orb as he brushed it free of the clogging dust.

And then, from right behind them, a drawling voice said, "Very good, Potter. Now turn around, nice, and slowly and give that to me."

Black shapes were emerging out of thin air all round them, blocking their way left and right; eyes glinted through slits in hoods, a dozen lit wand tips were pointed directly at their hearts. Lizzie gazed around nervously as Hayden stepped in front of her.

"To me, Potter," repeated the drawling voice of Lucius Malfoy as he held out his hand with his palm up. Lizzie continued to stare around in fear. They were trapped and outnumbered two to one.

"To me," said Malfoy, yet again.

What does he want with a tiny glass ball anyway? Lizzie thought, but then she remembered that it had Harry's name on it so it must have some importance.

"Where's Sirius?" Harry.

"You know you should be able to tell the difference between dreams and reality," said Lucius. "You saw only what the Dark Lord wanted you to see. Now hand me the prophecy."

"You do anything to us, I'll break it," said Harry.

A woman cackled from Malfoy's left as she came into view.

"He knows how to play!" she cackled. "Itty bitty baby Potter!"

Neville gasped. "Bellatrix Lestrange!" he said. "Neville Longbottom is it?" asked Bellatrix, smirking. "How's Mum and Dad?"

"Better now that they're about to be avenged!" growled Neville as he and Bellatrix raised their wands, but hesitated. "Now, let's all just calm down, shall we?" said Malfoy. "All we want is that prophecy."

"Why did Voldemort need me to come and get this?" demanded Harry. "You dare speak his name?" Bellatrix gasped. "You filthy half-blood!" she screeched, her voice echoing around the room. "It's all right, he's just a curious lad, aren't you?" asked Malfoy.

"Prophecies can only be retrieved by those about whom they are made, which is lucky for you, really."

One by one, more and more Death Eaters appeared, blocking every possible means of escape.

"Haven't you ever wondered, what was the reason, the connection between you and the Dark Lord?" asked Malfoy, walking towards them, and Hayden shifted in front of Lizzie to block her in case spells and curses started flying.

"Why he was unable to kill you when you were just an infant. Don't you want to know the secret…..of your scar?"

Truthfully, Lizzie had been wondering these same questions for as long as she had know Harry, but had kept it to herself because she suspected that his guess was as good as hers, and that no one really knew the answer.

"All the answers are there, Potter, in your hand," said Malfoy. "All you have to do, is give that to me."

The Death Eaters continued to encircle the group as Harry rounded on Lucius Malfoy. "I've waited fourteen years," he said.

"I know…" said Malfoy. "I guess I can wait a little longer….NOW!"

Eight different voices shouted "STUPEFY!" as eight Stunning Spells flew in eight different direction and the shelves opposite them exploded as they hit. The towering structures swayed as a hundred glass spheres burst apart, pearly white figures unfurled into the air and floated there, their voices echoing from who knew what long-dead past amid the torrent of crashing glass and splintering wood now raining down upon the floor.

"RUN!" Harry yelled and as the shelves swayed precariously and more glass spheres began to pour from above, Hayden pulled Lizzie forward with one arm over her head to shield her from the falling chunks of shelf and shards of glass thundering down upon them. A Death Eater hinged forward through the cloud of dust and Harry elbowed him hard in the masked face. They were all yelling, there were cries of pain, thunderous crashes as the shelves collapsed upon themselves, weirdly echoing fragments of the Seers unleashed from their spheres…

Harry found the way ahead clear and saw Ron, Ginny, and Luna sprint past him, their arms over their heads. Something heavy struck him on the side of the face, but he merely ducked his head and sprinted onward; a hand caught him by the shoulder; he heard Hermione shout "Stupefy!" and the hand released him at once.

They were all at the end of row ninety-seven; Harry turned right and began to sprint in earnest, He could hear footsteps right behind him, and Hayden urging Lizzie on. The door through which they had come was ajar straight ahead. Harry could see the glittering light of the bell jar, he pelted through it, the prophecy still clutched right and safe in his hand, waited for the others to hurtle over the threshold before slamming the door behind them.

Instantly, the began falling. Lizzie couldn't tell how long the drop was and wasn't sure if any of them would make the drop down or where it would eventually lead to.

She heard Hayden yell, "Arresto Momentum!" and instantly Lizzie felt a slow in her descent until they all stopped an inch or so above the ground suspended there for only a moment before they all gently dropped onto the floor.

Lizzie looked around, expecting the Death Eaters to have followed them, but there was no one there.

Hayden held out his hand to Lizzie as she took it and he pulled her to her feet. "Thanks for that," said Lizzie, brushing dirt and dust off her robes. "Don't mention it," said Hayden.

"They must have gone the wrong way!" whispered Hermione who seemed to be thinking the same thing as Lizzie.

"Listen!" whispered Neville.

Footsteps and shouts echoed all round them as Hayden and Lizzie listened intently. Lucius Malfoy was shouting: "Leave Nott, leave him, I say, the Dark Lord will not care for Nott's injuries as much as losing the prophecy – Jugson, come back here, we need to organize! 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, you can torture the crippled girl if you wish, Rodolphus, you can take the left, Crabbe, Rabastan, go right – Jugson, Dolohov, the door straight ahead – Macnair, and Avery, through here – Rookwood, over there – Mulciber, come with me!"

"What do we do?" Lizzie whimpered to Hayden as he hugged her.

"We can't just wait around for them to find us, that's for sure," said Hayden. "Hayden's right," said Harry. "Let's go…"

They ran, quickly as they could past the shimmering bell jar where the tiny egg was hatching and unhatching, toward the exit into the circular hallway at the far end of the room. They were almost there when Harry heard something large and heavy shake the room.

"Stand aside!" said a rough voice. "Alohomora!"

As the door above them flew open, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Lizzie, and Hayden dived under the desks. They could see the bottom of the two Death Eaters' robes drawing nearer, their feet moving rapidly.

"The might've run straight through to the hall," said the rough voice.

"Check under the desks," said another.

Hayden clapped a hand over Lizzie's mouth and pressed a finger to his lips, signaling her to keep quiet as she nodded.

He saw the knees of the Death Eaters bend. Poking his wand out from under the desk, he shouted, "STUPEFY!"

A jet of red light hit the nearest Death Eater as he fell backward into a grandfather clock and knocked it over. The second Death Eater, however had leapt aside to avoid Hayden's spell and now pointed his wand at Lizzie who had wriggled free of Hayden and crawled out from under the desk to get a better aim.

"Avada…."

Hayden launched himself across the floor and grabbed the Death Eater across the knees, causing him to topple and his aim to go awry.

Neville overturned his desk in his anxiety to help; pointing his wand wildly at the struggling pair he cried, "EXPELLIARMUS!"

Both Hayden and the Death Eater's wands flew out of their hands and soared back toward the entrance to the Hall of Prophecy; both scrambled to their feet and charged after them, the Death Eater in front and Hayden hot on his heels. Neville bringing up the rear, plainly horrorstruck at what he had done.

"Get out of the way, Hayden!" Neville yelled, clearly determined to repair the damage. Hayden flung himself sideways as Neville took aim again and shouted "STUPEFY!"

The jet of red light flew right over the Death Eater's shoulder and hit a glass fronted cabinet on the wall full of various shaped hourglasses. The cabinet fell to the floor and burst apart, glass flying everywhere then sprang back up onto the wall, fully mended, then fell down again, and shattered.

The Death Eater had snatched up his wand which lay on the floor beside the glittering bell jar. Hayden ducked down behind another desk as the man turned – his mask had slipped so that he could not see, he ripped it off with his free hand and shouted "STUP….."

"STUPEFY!" screamed Lizzie, who had just caught up with them. The jet of red light hit the Death Eater in the middle of his chest; he froze, his arms still raised, his wand fell to the floor with a clatter and he collapsed backward toward the bell jar. Hayden expected to hear a clunk for the man to hit solid glass and slide off the jar onto the floor, but instead, his head sank through the surface of the bell jar as though it was nothing but a soap bubble and he came to rest, sprawled on his back on the table, with his head lying inside the jar full of glittering wind.

"Accio, wand!" cried Lizzie. Hayden's wand flew from a dark corner into her hand as she threw it to threw it to him. "Thanks," he said, "right, let's find the others and get out of…"

"Look out!" said Neville, horrified, staring at the Death Eater's head in the bell jar. All three of them raised their wands again, but none of them struck. They were all gazing openmouthed, appalled at what was happening to the man's head.

It was shrinking very fast, growing balder and balder, the black hair and stubble retracting into his skull, his cheeks smooth, his skull round and covered with peachlike fuzz…..

A baby's head now sat grotesquely on top of the thick, muscled neck of the Death Eater as he struggled to get up again. But even as they watched, their mouths open, the head began to swell to its previous proportions again, thick black hair was sprouting from the head and chin…..

"It's time," said Hermione in an awestruck voice. "What's time?" asked Lizzie. "Time….." said Hermione. The Death Eater shook its ugly head again, trying to clear it, but before he could pull himself together again, it began to shrink back to babyhood once more….

As Lizzie watched, she understood. This must have been where Hermione had gotten her Time-Turner that she used in their third year.

There was a shout from a room nearby, then a crash and a scream. "RON!" Hayden yelled, turning quickly from the monstrous transformation taking place before them. "HARRY? GINNY? LUNA? HERIMONE?"

"Hayden!" Lizzie screamed.

The Death Eater had pulled his head out of the bell jar. His appearance was utterly bizarre, his tiny baby's head bawling loudly while his thick arms flailed dangerously in all directions, narrowly missing Hayden, who ducked. Hayden raised his wand, but to his amazement, Lizzie seized his arm "You can't!" she said.

There was no time to argue the point. Hayden could hear more footsteps growing louder from the Hall of Prophecy they had just left, and knew, too late that he ought not to have shouted and given away their position.

"Come on!" said Hayden, grabbing Lizzie's hand and leaving the ugly, baby-headed Death Eater staggering behind them, they took off for the door that stood ajar at the other end of the room, leading back into the black hallways. They had run halfway towards it, when Hayden saw through the open door two more Death Eaters running across the black room towards them.

Somehow they made it back into the room with the archway and the veil, going down steep step after step bouncing on every tier until at last, with a crash that knocked the breath of him, Hayden landed on his back in the sunken pit where the stone archway stood on its dais. The whole room was ringing with the Death Eater's laughter as they all swooped down upon the group of eight – everyone else arrived shortly after Hayden and Lizzie did, each Death Eater grabbing a captor and holding them at wand point as Harry stood up and faced Lucius Malfoy once more. "Did you actually believe," he said. "Or were you truly naïve enough to think that children stood a chance against us?"

Bellatrix smirked as she held Lizzie by her hair, pressing the tip of her wand into her throat. "I'll make this simple for you, Potter," said Malfoy. "Give me the prophecy now, or watch your friends…..die."

Harry glanced around at everyone. "Let – let the others go, and I'll give it to you," said Harry desperately.

A few of the Death Eaters, including Bellatrix laughed. "You're not in a position to bargain, Potter," said Malfoy, his pale face flushed with pleasure. "You see, there are ten of us and only one of you…Or hasn't Dumbledore ever taught you how to count?"

Lizzie wanted to shout something. That he wasn't alone, and that he still had her and Hayden, but what chance did they stand against ten more powerful Death Eaters?

"Crucio!"

Lizzie screamed in agony as Hayden looked and saw her on the floor writhing in pain. He felt tears build in his eyes as he listened to her scream. A few times she called out his name, and that broke his heart more. He had thought Umbridge was terrible, this woman was a merciless sadist.

"That was just a taster!" said Bellatrix, raising her wand as Lizzie's screams died away as she lay sobbing at her feet. Bellatrix turned and gazed up at Harry. "Now, Potter, either give me the prophecy, or the two of you…" she said, nodding at Hayden. "Can watch your pretty little friend die the hard way!"

Harry didn't have to think there was no choice. The prophecy was hot with the heat from his clutching hand as he held it out. Malfoy jumped forward to take it.

Then, high above them, two more doors burst open and six more people sprinted into the room. Sirius, Lupin, Moody, Tonks, Kingsley, and Ewan.

Malfoy turned and raised his wand, but Ewan had already sent a Stunning Spell right as him.

Harry did not wait to see whether it had made contact, but dived off the dais, out of the way.

The Death Eaters were completely distracted by the appearance of the members of the Order, who were now raining spells down upon them as they jumped from step to step toward the sunken floor.

Dolohov had released Hayden who made to grab Lizzie and pulled her to safety. "Are you okay?" he asked, putting a hand on her face, and gazing intensely into her eyes. "Yeah," said Lizzie.

The floor between them exploded as a spell hit it. Lizzie screamed as Hayden withdrew his wand and made to join the fighting. "No!" said Lizzie, grabbing his arm and holding him back. "You can't! It's too dangerous!" Hayden stared at Lizzie for a long moment before holding her face in his hands and giving her the longest kiss he had ever given her. "Wait for me," he said. "I'll be back. Don't move." "I love you," said Lizzie. Hayden smiled. "I know," he said, winking at her.

And he climbed over the sunken floor to join the fighting.

Ewan was fighting Lucius Malfoy as Hayden joined in, this time, dueling with Bellatrix. And his dueling style reminded Lizzie strongly of lightsaber fighting. Same with Ewan. Moody was dueling Dolohov, and suddenly, Lizzie felt a hand on her shoulder and saw Remus. "You okay?" he asked. "Yeah," said Lizzie. "I have to help Hayden!" "It's too dangerous!" said Remus. "I don't care!" said Lizzie. "Lizzie, please listen to me," said Remus. "It would be better if you stayed here." "I can't leave him! Please Dad…."

The word had slipped out of Lizzie's mouth without her realizing it. Remus stared at her for a moment before hugging her. "Okay," he said. "Just be careful." "Aren't I always?' asked Lizzie smiling, knowing that what she was about to do was probably very reckless, but she didn't care.

She lifted herself out from her shelter into the line of fire as she joined Hayden and Ewan in dueling with Bellatrix, who shot Killing Curses and Cruciatus Curses at them that either were near misses or blocked by a Shield Charm.

"God! Where's a lightsaber when you need one?" asked Hayden. Lizzie laughed as Bellatrix shouted, "Avada…."

"STUPEFY!" shouted Lizzie and Hayden together. There was a blast like a cannon that shook the entire room as Bellatrix, not having time to finish the spell, was knocked clean off her feet as their two Stunning Spells collided into one solid jet of red light that shone brighter than twenty LED lightbulbs as it hit Bellatrix square in the chest with such force that she was knocked backward, hit the wall beyond and crumpled in a heap on the floor.

"Right," said Ewan. "The two of you grab your friends and get out of here – we'll sort this out….."

"Dumbledore!" breathed Hayden, staring over Ewan's shoulder. "What?" asked Lizzie. "It's Dumbledore!" said Hayden happily.

Lizzie turned to see where Hayden was staring. Directly above them framed in the doorway from the Brain Room, stood Albus Dumbledore, his wand aloft, his face white and furious. Lizzie felt an enormous sense of relief course through her body – they were saved.

Dumbledore sped down the steps past Lizzie and Hayden who had no more thought of following Ewan's orders and leaving. Dumbledore was already at the foot of the steps when the Death Eater nearest realized he was there. There were yells; one of the Death Eaters ran for it, scrabbling like a monkey up the stone steps opposite.

Ewan put a firm hand on Hayden's shoulder. "Take Lizzie and get her out of here," he said. "Get her somewhere safe."

Hayden nodded. He and Lizzie looked over at Dumbledore one final time, before, careful not to put themselves in the line of fire, snuck out of the room. There was too much fighting and chaos going on beneath them, there was little chance they would be discovered anyway since Dumbledore was there.

Lizzie looked like she had gone into shock. "Come on," said Hayden wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Let's get you back to Hogwarts eh?"

"How?" asked Lizzie, looking around and not seeing high nor hair of the thestrals they had flown on to get here and wondered if they had just flown back to the castle on their own accord. "I just passed my Apparition test last month," said Hayden. It sounded like a good plan, but there was just one problem. "You can't Apparate within Hogwarts," said Lizzie. "Hermione's told me loads of times…."

"We don't have to," said Hayden. "We don't?" asked Lizzie. "No, we can Apparate into Hogsmeade and walk the rest of the way" said Hayden. Lizzie shrugged. She didn't want to leave the rest of her friends behind, but at the same time had the utmost faith in Dumbledore that everything would be okay.

She shrugged. "Okay," she said, nodding. Hayden nodded to and held out his hand to her. "Take my hand," he said as Lizzie reached out and took it.

Instantly, she felt like she was being forced down a very tight rubber tube, getting tighter and tighter, squeezing her. She felt herself getting a slight headache, and her eyes rolled into her head as she closed them, wanting it to stop.

And then it did as Lizzie opened her eyes and they were standing in the middle of High Street in Hogsmeade. They had made it. "Shall we?" asked Hayden as they walked up the street together toward Hogwarts.

It was a short walk as the two of them reached the gates of the castle, not much talking going on between them. Lizzie still appeared shaken from being tortured by Bellatrix.

She kept wondering what happened to the others or the prophecy, or if any of them managed to get out, or…..

Before Lizzie knew it, it seemed they were at the portrait of the Fat Lady, who was snoozing in her frame and Hayden had to clear his throat loudly to wake her so he could give her the password.

Once inside the common room, both of them collapsed onto the sofa, physically and emotionally exhausted, Hayden laying on the sofa with his tall frame taking up most of the couch, his feet resting on the arm rests. Lizzie laid across him with her head against him, feeling his chest rise and fall as he breathed, listening to the sound of his heart beating. They were very fortunate to have gotten out of the Department of Mysteries alive…

It seemed like the two of them had only been asleep for only two minutes when they were suddenly jerked awake and it took Lizzie a moment to realize what had woken them.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville were back, covered in bandages and looking like they had just been through a war.

"Oh, thank God you all made it!" said Lizzie, scrambling off of Hayden and going to hug them all. But she frowned as she finished hugging Harry and saw the expression on his face. It was the same expression she wore for many months after Raven died.

"What's wrong, Harry?" asked Lizzie. "Sirius…" said Harry softly. "Sirius died." It was only now that Lizzie could see tears brimming in Harry's eyes, and Lizzie instantly felt like her heart had been turned into lead, weighing her down as she clapped both hands to her mouth in shock.

"Oh my God! Harry!" she gasped as she gave him another bone-crushing hug. "Now I know how you felt when you lost Raven," said Harry. "I didn't appreciate it then, but now I do."

Lizzie nodded, grateful for his empathy, while trying her best to show some of her own. "Is there anything I can do?" she asked. Harry shook his head as he looked at her and Hayden. "Dumbledore wants to see you both – in his office. Says it's important."

Hayden nodded as he took Lizzie's hand, and they both climbed back through the portrait hole.