"Well young Malfoy," Antonin Dolohov said angrily to Draco Malfoy, "what happened? Weren't you meant to have kept everybody here?"

"It wasn't my fault," Malfoy replied defiantly. "I told Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, Parkinson and the rest to make sure nobody left. They have obviously failed the Dark Lord and will have to be punished. Still, it's got to be the fault of that Mudblood Granger that there's nobody here. She must have somehow learnt we were coming."

"Is that so?" Dolohov said menacingly. "And why didn't you take steps to prevent her doing that?"

"I tried," Malfoy said insolently. "The others failed."

"Enough. Since they have escaped, you must be rewarded. Crucio." Malfoy writhed in agony under the effects of the curse, though Dolohov quickly released him. Soon afterwards, Malfoy got to his feet with obvious effort. "Now that you have received your reward, we need to find the students. Where have they gone, young Malfoy?"

"I don't know, sir," Malfoy said, his tone of voice very diffident now. "I can find out, however. I gave Nott a communication mirror while Parkinson, Crabbe and Goyle have locators. If I use the mirror and activate the location spell we will soon know what Granger planned."

"Very good, Malfoy," Dolohov said dropping the deliberately insulting young for the first time. "Then do so."

"Yes sir," Malfoy said slightly more confidently. He quickly muttered the spell that would activate his co-conspirator's locators. "It should be easy to find them now."

"Take three others and half a dozen serpents and follow them," Dolohov told Rabastan Lestrange who had been impassively watching while his nephew was disciplined. "If you can, catch them. Then deal with them as you feel appropriate."

"Thank you, Antonin," Rabastan said, a vicious smile on his face. "You, you and you come with me," he continued, pointing at three Death Eaters in turn. The Death Eaters gathered by the door Hermione had sealed as she fled. "Alohamora!" one of them yelled, though the spell had no effect. Another of the Death Eaters tried the same spell and got the same result. "Damn her," Rabastan snarled. "The Mudblood's obviously learned how to prevent the spell working. Stand aside." After the other Death Eaters cleared a path for him he shouted "Reducto!" The spell had the desired effect as the door flew into the corridor. "Now then," Rabastan said grimly, "we hunt." Rabastan and the three other Death Eaters raced after the students, followed by six snakes.

"Now, Malfoy," Dolohov said. "Why don't you contact young Nott and see if you can find out where they are going.

"Yes sir." Malfoy withdrew a small mirror from inside his robes. "Nott," he called into it. A short while later, a response could be heard. "Yes," came the quiet voice of Theodore Nott.

"What happened, Nott?" Malfoy asked. "Why did you leave?"

"We didn't want to, Malfoy," Nott said quietly. "We did everything we could to delay our departure, but Granger somehow found out that you were heading towards the Great Hall. She used that to persuade our housemates to leave. I can't exactly say much right now since we're running away as fast as we can, so if there's anything you want to know, ask now."

"We need to know where the Mudblood is taking you."

"We're going to the Hufflepuff common room," Nott responded, his voice barely above a whisper. "Granger thinks everybody will be safe from the Dark Lord there."

"Thank you, Nott," Malfoy said. "That will do for now. Tell everybody to go along with Granger's plans until you hear differently from me or one of the Dark Lord's loyal servants." Malfoy broke the connection and turned to Dolohov. "You heard what Nott said?" he asked.

"Yes," Dolohov replied. "They are going to the Hufflepuff common room where they foolishly believe they will be safe. We must disabuse them of that view. Do any of you know a way to make sure we reach their destination before they do?" he asked the other Death Eaters. After seeing them respond in the negative he continued. "No? Then we must rely on our little friend here. Wormtail," he said to the obviously worried little man, "you're supposed to be our expert on the structure of the school. What's the quickest route to the Hufflepuff common room from here?"

"The quickest way's probably through that door," Wormtail replied, indicating a different door to the one the students and the other Death Eaters had left through. "Then if you follow this route it shouldn't take long," he continued, showing the route to Dolohov on the map.

"You are certain of this?" Dolohov asked menacingly, the consequences of a mistake obvious. "Your record in leading us here does not inspire confidence."

"Yes," Wormtail squeaked. "That should be the quickest route to the Hufflepuff common room from here. Now I really must leave. The Dark Lord wants me back." Dolohov had appeared ready to say something unpleasant to Wormtail about his desertion of his fellows until their master was mentioned. "Very well Wormtail," he said. "Return to our master. I'm sure he can deal with you at least as well as I can."

"Thank you," Wormtail said, leaving Dolohov's presence as quickly as his legs would carry him.

"Now then," Dolohov said, "it is time for us to move and move quickly if we are to intercept them short of the Hufflepuff common room. Malfoy, you will lead, several yards ahead of us. When you meet them, you are to delay them. When we arrive, you and your allies are to attack them from behind."

"Yes sir." Malfoy ran off almost as fast as Wormtail had done. A minute or so later Dolohov led the remaining Death Eaters and snakes that had managed to penetrate the school followed him.