Chapter 24
"I'd like to get some chocolate," Daphne told her husband.
"Me too." Neville along with Hannah followed them into the shop.
"Oh, there's Susan and Terry." Hannah spotted her friends in the street and waved from the entrance to Honeyduke's. "Sue!"
The Hufflepuff looked in the direction of Hannah's voice, and started towards her. Suddenly the street exploded with spell fire!
A green flash hit Hannah and she fell back, right into Neville's arms.
Then Harry was there. "Daphne! Get everyone out through the passage. Back to Hogwarts!"
At once he cast the patronus and sent Prongs to the castle to request aid. Then he was out into the street.
Daphne desperately wanted to race after him, but she had her orders.
She turned to the crowded store. "This way!"
The windows shattered in Honeydukes, and Ron saw his droobles spilling across the floor.
"Lavender, follow Daphne, she knows the way out."
"What about you?" Lavender gasped.
"Got to help Harry," Ron said resolutely. "Now go!"
Her pretty mouth set stubbornly. "No. Not without you."
Daphne nodded. She looked at the kids waiting in front of the trapdoor and made her selection. "Dennis, Dennis Creevey! Lead the others out! The passage will see you back in Hogwarts."
The boy gulped, nodded, and climbed down without hesitation. The stream of other kids followed, and Daphne relaxed. Duty done, she looked back to the door where Harry had disappeared.
A chill swept down the street as cloaked figures swarmed.
"Dementors," Dean gasped. He was losing blood rapidly, and Luna wrapped her jacket tightly around his shoulder.
"How do we stop them?" the clerk was trembling so hard he couldn't stand.
Luna raised her wand. "Expecto Patronum!" The silver hare bounded forth and the dementors scattered.
"You can cast patronus!" One of the seventh year students crouched in the shop gaped at Luna in awe. "How?"
"Harry Potter taught me last year," Luna said calmly.
The student looked at the body of Ginny Weasley. "Is she…"
"Dead," Luna confirmed.
Harry reached Susan and pulled her back towards Honeydukes.
"No!" She fought him, trying to get back to her fallen husband. But Harry could see that Terry was beyond help.
He thrust Susan through the door, and shielded Michael and Lisa.
Neville still crouched, holding Hannah's body close.
"Nev!" Harry shouted. "I need your help!"
Neville shook his head hard, like someone who'd been submerged in water and nearly drowned. Then he found his feet, and moved to support Harry.
Back to back, the two Gryffindors began laying down spell fire to blanket the street.
Michael turned to Lisa. "Take care of Susan."
"Don't be daft," she snapped. "I'm with you!"
They dashed to join the Gryffindors.
Fred Weasley could see two girls crouched behind the broken wall of a building. He recognized one of them. "Katie?"
"Leanne is hurt!" she screamed.
He ducked and dodged through the curses to reach his former teammate. One glance told him Leanne was beyond saving. But Katie wasn't.
"Come on!"
Ron had always had a talent for strategy, and now he saw that the roof would make a good vantage point. He found his way to the attic, kicked out one of the tiny back windows, and climbed out.
He caught a quick glimpse of a black-cloaked figure edging around a building and raising a wand to hit Harry in the back.
Ron held his patience and took careful aim.
His blasting curse hit dead on and the enemy fell; the mask dropped and Ron had a sight of platinum hair now dabbled with blood.
"Malfoy," Ron muttered. He didn't know if it was Draco or Lucius, and didn't particularly care. He took aim once more.
Fred saw dementors clustering outside Scrivenshaft's, the nearest shop they could reach. He dragged Katie towards the entrance, casting his magpie patronus as they went.
The dementors scattered once more, and he reached the interior to discover an exhausted Luna.
"Thanks, Fred."
Katie knelt beside Dean. "Fred, can you put him in stasis? He's unconscious."
Harry and Neville had taken cover in one of the empty shops, while Michael and Lisa had taken a leaf from Ron's book and made it out onto the roof.
Daphne tried to pull Hannah's body out of the doorway so she'd have room to cast, but Susan was clinging to her dead friend and moaning.
"Help me!" Daphne ordered. She could see the Hufflepuff was in shock, so knelt and grasped her shoulders.
"Susan!" Daphne shook her hard. "I need your help!"
Dulled eyes met hers. "They killed Terry. And Hannah…"
"I know. Let's make them pay!"
Some life came back in Susan's ashen face. She said nothing, but picked up her wand.
Harry was worried. The dementors had scattered, but he knew they would reform, and his few fighters were in danger of being overwhelmed. If only they could hold out until reinforcements arrived!
Hermione and Millie had gone to Gladrags.
The Slytherin girl wanted some new clothes to complement her new look, and Hermione, who hated shopping, was actually enjoying herself.
When the Death Eaters attacked, Hermione drew her wand and made her way to the door.
"We should be able to hit some from behind," she began. "I have a grudge to settle with Dolohov!"
"I'm sorry, Hermione."
A hard stinging hex hit Hermione's wand arm, and she felt the bone crack.
"Millie? What are you doing?"
The Slytherin met her eyes, unsmiling. "I told you, Hermione. I won't be on the wrong side…but for me, that is the losing side. I'm no Gryffindor, I don't want to die. I helped when I could, but now…I can see the writing on the wall!"
"So…what now? Going to kill me?" Hermione cradled her broken arm.
"Just…stun you. Take you out of contention."
Hermione smiled faintly. "Right, so the Death Eaters can have the fun of killing the mudblood."
"No!" Millie's voice was agonized. "You can run, and hide somewhere they won't find you!"
"Of course they will find me," Hermione said calmly. "They'll know I'm where I will always be, standing beside Harry Potter."
"I'm sorry," Millie sobbed. "I wish there was another way!"
"So do I." In one swift motion Hermione slid her wand into her left hand and cast a cutting curse that sliced across the Slytherin's throat.
Hermione stepped into the street without a backward glance. She had a date with Dolohov.