CHAPTER FIVE

THE DISCOVERY

"HARRY! SHE'S GONE! WE DID IT!"

Neville and Ron ran forward, their eyes wide with astonishment at the feat they had just accomplished. Hermione, Ginny and Luna followed. Harry was still looking at the body of Bellatrix, whose eyes lay wide open, and were staring up at the ceiling blankly.

"Are you all right, Harry?" asked Hermione.

"I'm fine" said Harry, turning his gaze from Bellatrix to Hermione.

"NO!"

A cry of lament boomed from the staircase. Rodolphus Lestrange had seen his dead wife's body on the ground. Mr. Weasley appeared to be unconscious. McGonagall and Shacklebolt were still trying to keep him away from Harry and his friends.

"YOU FOOLS! DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM!"

"You're a wanted Death Eater" said McGonagall furiously, "and until I die, you will not come within a foot of Harry."

Rodolphus raised his wand.

"Avada Kedavra!"

A jet of green light burst from his wand, and flew towards Kingsley. The tall, black man looked helplessly as the jet struck him squarely in the chest.

McGonagall screamed.

Kingsley fell backwards, down the staircase, landing hard at the bottom where he lay, eyes and mouth open.

"YOU FOOL!"

Before McGonagall could conjure Incarcerous, Rodolphus had thrown her against the wall with a spell. She moaned, tumbled down the staircase, and landed on top of Kingsley, where she lay motionless.

"PROFESSOR!" screamed Hermione.

She and Ginny ran towards Rodolphus, who was stepping over the two bodies as he raised his wand.

Incarce"

"STUPEFY!"

Ginny was hit squarely in the face. She stumbled forward and fell flat on her face.

"Stupe"
"AVADA"
"Expelliarmus!"

Rodolphus' wand flew out of his hand, spiraling through the air.

Ron stepped forward, his eyes fixed on Rodolphus.

"Leave her alone!" he shouted.

BANG!

Harry was blasted off his feet and slammed into Neville and Luna, who were watching the proceedings rather nervously.

Narcissa leapt towards Harry, her wand raised.

"HOW DARE YOU KILL MY SISTER!" she shrieked, tears spilling out her green eyes and down her pale cheeks.

Luna leapt in front of Neville and Harry.

"Sorry" she said vaguely "but you can't kill them."

Narcissa didn't wait.

A jet of blue light burst from her wand, picking Luna up off her feet and sending her spiraling into the ceiling. With a moan, she fell to the ground and didn't move.

"Expelliarmus!"

Narcissa lazily deflected Neville's spell.

Harry leapt up in rage.

"Now, little boy" she said coolly. "You must pass."

Harry suddenly was reminded that Draco was not with his parents, nor was Snape. The last time he had seen them, they were fleeing from Hogwarts, and Draco had not succeeded in his task. Narcissa was raising her wand when Harry asked abruptly, "Where's Draco?"

"It is not your business where my son is, boy" she said.

"He's probably with Snape still, hiding somewhere. Or else Volde"
"DO NOT SPEAK THE DARK LORD'S NAME!" shrieked Narcissa.

"Or else he's finished him off."
"As if I would tell you, boy" said Narcissa, her eyes widening slightly.

"But he's still alive, right?" asked Harry, lowering his wand a little.

"DON'T SPEAK TO ME OF DRACO!" sobbed Narcissa. "CRUC"
"Petrificus Totalus!"

Narcissa became rigid, and fell flat on her back, frozen into an awkward position.

Narcissa was definitely worried about Draco. He must have been in real trouble. But how could he get Narcissa to tell him where he was? Then he remembered.

"VERITASERUM!" he yelled.

"RON! HERMIONE! I've got an idea! We have to get out of here! Ron"

Harry stopped. He felt as though he had just vomited his insides out.

Ron lay on the ground, his red hair sticking to his face, his eyes wide open. Ginny lay sobbing convulsively at his side.

"No…" thought Harry. "Ron's not dead. He's just been stunned. J-j-u just stunned, is all…"

Rodolphus was cackling with glee as he dodged spells from McGonagall, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley, the three of whom looked as though they were about to explode.

Harry ran to Ginny's side.

"Ginny, don't worry" he said, though his voice was shaking. "He's alright."

Ginny did not make any sign that she had heard him. She continued screaming and sobbing hysterically.

"Ron, wake up, mate" said Harry, giving Ron's shoulder a good clap. "Mate, you've got to wake up. I've got to find some Veritaserum."

Harry's spirits lifted for a moment. He thought he saw Ron's eyes widen at the prospect. But then he noticed it was just a jet of light that had flown over him.

"R-r-ron, you've g-got to wake up." A tear rolled down Harry's cheek. "Mate, wake up!"
Ron continued looking at the ceiling, in the same way Bellatrix had.

"Ennervate" muttered Harry shakily, his wand pointing directly at Ron's chest. "Ennervate! Ennervate! ENNERVATE! RENNERVATE! WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"

Harry fell to the ground, now moaning just as loud as Ginny. He laid his head beside Ginny's, which was on Ron's chest.

They continued to sob for what seemed like hours, while jets of light continued to soar over them.

As the initial shock began to subside, the realization came to Harry, who was still breathing heavily at Ron's side with Ginny. Ron was dead. The times they would play wizard's chess while Hermione studied… were over. The times they would curse Snape's essays together… were over. The times they would play Quidditch together… were over. Everything… was over.