A.N: This would have been done sooner, but other fandoms have been hijacking me and making me write for them, so I had to have Bella go scare them into temporary submission so I could finish this chapter.

Chapter 13

"So this is it?" Peter asked as they crouched behind a small knoll, peering around it at the large house.

James nodded. "This is it. So...uh...how should we do this? Split up in pairs to go look for her?"

"That'll be riskier..." Lily pointed out. "Assuming that there are Death Eaters and even Voldemort himself in there, we stand a much better chance facing them together."

"But our best bet here is to find Cel and get out, fast." Remus reminded her. "And that will be easier if we split up."

"Let's go in groups, then." Sirius suggested. "James, Lily, and Remus, go in through the back door, Ally and Peter, come with me through the front. Search the house as fast as you can and do your best not to be detected." ...........................

"Okay, anyone else think that was a little too easy?" Sirius asked as he and Peter tied up the guards they had Stunned. "I mean, Ally just opened that door with the simplest unlocking spell there is."

"Maybe Voldemort's just...not expecting company?" Peter said hopefully.

"Does Voldemort seem like the sort to not be expecting company?"

"Just hush up and come on, you two." Ally whispered, as she slipped into the house.

For a few minutes, they hurried through the darkened halls without encountering anyone. Then, as Sirius turned a corner and faced a staircase leading to the second floor, he froze. Three figures were gathered on the staircase, one leaning casually against the banister, another sitting on the bottom step, and the third, a woman, standing in the middle of the staircase. He, Ally, and Peter gripped their wands and moved closer together, not sure if they should fight or run. Then the woman took a step back in what seemed like surprise, and spoke.

"Sirius?"

Sirius's eyes widened, then narrowed, as he recognized the voice. "Bellatrix?"

She came forward, a shaft of moonlight falling on her from a window, illuminating her beautiful, cruel features. She smiled, and her smile was as chilling as everything else about her. "Well, if it isn't my little baby cousin Sirius, all grown up. Aren't you a bit old to be playing hero, deary?"

He flashed a crooked grin at her. "Aren't you a bit old to be playing Wicked Witch, Bella?"

The man leaning against the staircase came forward now as well, speaking in a drawling voice. "That's right, Bella, you and Narcissa both have the misfortune of being related to Black, don't you?"

"Malfoy?" Sirius adopted a perfect expression of shock. "What an unexpected surprise to find you here! Did you bring Snape along, too, or is he too pathetic for even Voldemort to want around?"

Malfoy chuckled sinisterly. "It's going to be a pleasure shutting that smart mouth of yours once and for all, Black."

During the exchange, Alexandra and Peter had come forward, flanking Sirius, and the third Death Eater rose to join Lucius and Bellatrix. For a moment they all stood there, wands at the ready. Then, at almost exactly the same moment, Sirius and Lucius lifted their wands and yelled curses at each other.

And, like a switch had been thrown, the battle began.

...........................

Celina had been brooding for almost an hour without pause now. She was good at brooding to begin with, and this situation was giving her ample opportunity to hone her skill. She hadn't even looked away from this one particular floorboard for about ten minutes. Now, as her guard was switched again, and she heard the usual brief exchange of words as one Death Eater entered the room and another left, she heard a familiar voice, and looked up.

"Snape? What the hell are you doing here?"

For just a moment, the dark-haired young man looked faintly guilty. Then his face hardened. "Where else should I be, but in the service of the Dark Lord?"

Celina rolled her eyes. "Oh, bloody hell, don't tell me you're a Death Eater too...Malfoy didn't surprise me, but I thought you at least would be too smart for it."

He sneered. "Funny, I was going to say the same thing about you and this foolish opposition. You were always smarter than your sister and those Gryffindor idiots--"

"Those 'Gryffindor idiots' are my friends. Don't make me regret all those times I tried to stop them bothering you in school." Snape waved his wand at her vaguely as he settled into the chair by the door. "Don't make me shut you up in an unpleasant way, Merlin." ....................................................................... ................

The second group, huddled under James's Invisibility Cloak, had expected to have an easy time avoiding any Death Eaters in the house. What they hadn't expected was to not see any Death Eaters to avoid.

"Damn, where are they all?" James hissed as they made their way to the second floor.

"The Aurors..." Lily reminded him, a grim look on her face.

"...Oh, right, I guess there aren't many Death Eaters left here...cripes, I hope the Aurors'll be alright..."

"Shh!" Remus whispered urgently. "I think I heard voices from that room down the hall..."

....................................................................... ......................

Elsewhere, a group of eight Aurors, led by Mad-Eye Moody, Apparated outside another old, abandoned house.

"Alright, we're doing this by the book, but stay ready for any surprises they might have for us." Moody muttered in his gruff voice. "And remember-"

"Constant vigilance!"

The battle-hardened Auror's catchphrase had been spoken loudly, mockingly, by the figure that had just thrown open the door to the house. Moonlight glinted off of silver masks as three Death Eaters emerged.

"We're glad you're finally here." the one who had spoken continued. "We couldn't start the party until the guests of honor arrived!" As he spoke, more Death Eaters came into view-from behind the house, from within the grove of trees that surrounded it, some seeming to materialize from the very ground itself. Seven-ten-fourteen-Moody stopped bothering to count when one thing became clear-the Aurors were very, very outnumbered. And, strangely enough, he smiled as that fact registered. Moody had no time to waste on emotions like panic or outrage-not when there were Death Eaters to be dealt with.

This was going to be a battle to remember.

A.N.: (cackles)