Chapter Eleven

The Dark Side

Percy kept hold. We were hurtling towards a wood at a tremendous speed, and I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Above us came a huge explosion, as Snape and Simpkin tried to defend us from the dark wizards. Suddenly Percy seemed to turn and look at something; the next minute he'd let go and a huge burst of light split the two of us up. Percy disappeared into the trees below, and I felt my broom veer upwards. I clung on, flattening myself to it. I looked back and saw a dark wizard coming for me. I screamed out a curse- unaware which one it was. The dark wizard vanished, and I gaped momentarily. He appeared behind me, and reached out to grab me round the neck.

"Caecus!" I screamed. It was the blinding curse. I then shouted a second curse:

"Cernuus!" The wizard's broom plummeted, unable to see, the broom went straight into a tree. As I watched, ready to cast another curse on the dark wizard, I was hit from behind, I fell from my broom, falling head first. I could see Snape below me, and I knew I'd miss him if I didn't slow down.

"Lente!" I shouted for myself, and the decent slowed, just enough for me to seize the back of the Professor's broomstick with one hand. Snape looked round, and saw me hanging off. He grabbed my other hand and heaved me onto the broom behind him.

"Look out!" I shouted in his ear, pointing to another dark wizard. Snape pointed his wand, one of my hands on his arm, holding on. He called out a curse that looked to miss the wizard, but amazingly hit him full on, sending him plummeting to the ground. Simpkins came beside us.

"That's them done for. There's Percy." He pointed down at the red haired ministry wizard, both of the dark wizards were held in a strong spell, unable to move. We landed beside him. Percy told the two their rights. I became aware that there were more voices around us, help had arrived, just a bit too late.

"Is she alright?" Someone asked. I realised I was still clinging to Snape, trouble was, I knew if I let go, my knees would give way. Snape turned, and took my hands off his back and put his arm around me. The movement was enough to make my knees buckle and I soon met the ground, relieved of its presence.

"Elixa." I opened my eyes slowly. Snape was calling my name. I realised one of my arms had been put around his shoulders and the other around Simpkins. I looked around myself. This was St Mungos.

"We're here?" I asked.

"Yes, we are." Snape told me. There was a hint of relief in his voice. I took my arms from the two wizard's shoulders, and rubbed at my eyes. My face was muddy from my landing, and I could see my robes were singed from the attack. The room was dimly lit a single bed present. I stepped forward, independent of my two escorts, and saw my mother lying on her back, looking dead.

"Mum." I breathed. I clasped one of my mother's hands, looking for signs of life. She was motionless, apart from a slow, shallow breath every few seconds.

"Oh Mum. Please wake up." I pulled the necklace from beneath my robes, and clasped my mother's fingers around it. I shut my eyes, concentrating as Dumbledore had suggested, on my mother's recovery. Snape had settled on a chair at the foot of the bed, trying not to make it obvious that he was watching.

After about and hour, I got up and moved to sit beside the Professor.

"What do they think happened to her?" I asked. Snape sighed, appearing to think his answer through carefully.

"They're not too sure. It could be that she caught part of the Avada Kedavra curse that killed your father, or it could be that Voldermort has perfected another way to leave us baffled." As he spoke, I noticed Snape held his left forearms with his other hand as if it gave him some discomfort.

"Get some sleep Elixa. We have to wake on time to use Dumbledore's apparition point safely." I nodded, not quite understanding, but putting it down to sleepiness. I turned back to look at my mother and continued to concentrate.