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Isabella, standing beside Harry, hid her face from view, but she could not block out the shrieks as her younger self writhed in pain. Another Death Eater stepped forward.

"Wait your turn, Avery," said the Death Eater beside Snape. Avery moved back, but used a silencing charm on Isabella so that her screams would not attract attention. One by one, each Death Eater started stepping forward to use the Cruciatus Curse on her.

Harry, not wishing to watch any more, turned away. Remus started with a mixture of horror and disgust on his face. Isabella's eyes were hard and cold, but she put an arm on each of their arms. To their surprise, when they looked at her, she had a faint smile on her face.

"He's coming," she murmured.

Harry leaned forward eagerly, and Lupin watched intently as well. A silhouetted figure was walking under the same archways as Isabella had. It seemed, however, he was out for a drink, as he was looking in the direction of the nearest bar. The next cry of "Crucio!" caused him to turn his head. Seeing the group of wizards, he pulled out his wand and ran towards Isabella.

As Sirius Black came into the light, he looked much like he had when Harry last saw him in a Pensieve. His dark hair was on the long side, and still tastefully fell around his face. Sirius's face, which was very handsome, was looking livid at the scene in front of him.

"What's going on here?!" Sirius asked, interrupting the Death Eater's laughter.

Snape turned around, and his lip curled. "Welcome, Black. Have you come here to witness the proceedings?" he asked, waving a hand carelessly at Isabella, "Don't worry; we'll deal with you after we're finished with the Mudblood."

Isabella hesitantly sat up from within the ring of Death Eaters. She looked incredibly weak and shaken. After a moment, she noticed Sirius. Her eyes widened in amazement. His eyes fell on Isabella, and they grew steely. She shook her head at him, as she was unable to make a sound, and made motions for him to leave. At this, Sirius gave her the wolfish grin that they all knew so well. It was clear he had no intention of running away.

Raising his wand, Sirius turned to the Death Eaters. "I believe you're mistaken," he said quite pleasantly. He casually leaned against the pillar behind him, looking unconcernedly at the group. Snape looked at him with intense hatred, but he also looked like he would enjoy cursing him.

As Snape opened his mouth to say an incantation, Sirius flicked his wand at him, "Manotellagra." Snape's hands began to twitch and jerk around so violently, he couldn't hold or pick up his wand. Immediately all the other wizards shouted incantations, jets of different coloured magic flew at him.

Rolling his eyes, Sirius lazily said, "Protego," and all the spells bounced off his Shield Charm and went into the air. Harry watched, in awe, as his godfather raised his wand again and summoned an overhanging sign for FlourishBlott's to conk Avery on the head. Avery dropped immediately, unconscious. Sirius was fast. It was easy to see that Sirius had been very clever in school.

Dodging around two Death Eaters, he used the counter-jinx on Isabella, making her able to talk again. She had been watching him wistfully, as though she wanted to help him, except that Snape had snapped her wand in half, and she was still trembling.

After the spell had been lifted, Isabella let out a scream and swore from the pain of the Cruciatus Curse.

Sirius, who had just used the Full Body Bind on the Death Eater nearest them, threw his head back and laughed, and the younger Isabella smiled weakly. Standing beside Lupin, Isabella covered her mouth, shaking with silent laughter. Lupin looked quite amused himself, not only at Isabella's colourful language, but at Sirius' unpredictable actions.

A red burst of magic grazed Sirius' cheek, ruffling his hair. It was a very near miss, but he seemed unperturbed that he had almost been Stunned. Sirius gave a toss of his head, flinging his dark locks out of his eyes, and said impatiently, "Impedimenta."

The Death Eater was frozen in his tracks, his stance showing that he was prepared to use a curse on them.

"It would be wise for you to go see a Healer after this," Sirius told Isabella, who nodded in agreement.

"Surely you jest, Black," one of the two remaining Death Eaters screamed, obviously frustrated by Sirius interfering, "The Mudblood won't leave here alive. There will be no need for her to go to a Healer."

Sirius' eyes narrowed. "Shut up, Rookwood," he said angrily.

He then took off down the street, with the two Death Eaters following him. Isabella was left alone, and she staggered to her feet wearily.

"Thank you..." she whispered, looking in the direction down the street that Sirius had gone. Isabella then Disapparated, and Harry was then pulled out of the Pensieve.
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