disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, just Arabella. A bit of a hectic and crazy chapter, and I hope you all like it!
The Department of Mysteries
"The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant evening," said the cold woman's voice.
Arabella peered through the glass to see whether or not anybody was waiting for them in the Atrium. It seemed completely empty. There were no fires burning under the mantlepieces set into the walls and the light was dim around them. The door of the telephone box burst open and they all toppled out of it. The only sound in the Atrium was the steady rush of water from the golden fountain into the surrounding pool.
"Come on," Harry said quietly.
The seven of them sprinted off down the hall and past the fountain. They passed through the golden gates into the lifts and Harry pressed the nearest down button frantically. A lift clattered into sight and the golden grilles slid apart with a loud, echoing clank. They dashed inside immediately and Harry stabbed the number nine button. The grilles closed with a bang and the lift began to descend. The lift was nosy the whole way down, jangling and rattling as though it were about to break down. When the lift halted, the cool female voice said, "Department of Mysteries," and the grilles slid open. They stepped into the corridor with flickering lights and a plain black door in the distance.
"Okay, listen," whispered Harry. "Maybe… maybe a couple of people should stay here as a – as a lookout, and –"
"And how're we going to let you know something's coming?" asked Ginny. "You could be miles away."
"We're coming with you, Harry," said Neville.
"Let's get on with it," said Ron firmly.
Harry let the way down the corridor and the black door swung open as he got closer. He marched forward, leading the others through the threshold. They were now standing in a large, circular room. Everything in here was black and identical. The black doors were set at intervals all around the black walls. Blue candles were scattered along the walls, reflecting off the cool marble floor so that it looked as though they were underwater. The moment Neville shut the door, the place became so dark that the only thing they could see were the blue flames and their reflections on the floor. Harry gazed at the doors in front of him just as a great rumbling noise echoed around them and the candles began to move sideways. The wall and doors were rotating. The blue flames were blurred as the wall began to pick up speed. Suddenly, the rumbling stopped and everything became still at once.
"What was that about?" whispered Ron.
"I think it was to stop us knowing which door we came in from," said Ginny, her voice hush.
"How're we going to get back out?" said Neville.
"Well, that doesn't matter now, does it?" Harry said forcefully. "We won't need to get out till we've found Sirius and we'll figure it out then. I'm sure he'll know a way out."
"Where do we go, then, Harry?" asked Ron.
"I don't know," mumbled Harry. "In my dreams I went through the door at the end of the corridor from the lifts into a dark room – that's this one – and then I went through another door into a room that kind of glitters. We should try a few doors. I'll know the right when I see it. C'mon."
He marched straight at the door facing him. Arabella followed closely behind him and raised her wand. The door swung open easily and they moved over the threshold. Lamps were hanging low on golden chains giving off the impression that the room was bright, despite the pitch-black ceiling. The room was covered with cluttered desks, looking as though the workers left in a hurry, and a single enormous glass tank in the center of the room that stretched from the ground up to the golden chains. The water was a deep, mossy green and the tank was big enough for any of them to swim in. Arabella moved forward and peered closely at the tank. It contained a number of pearly white objects that were drifting around in and out of sight.
"What're those things?" whispered Ron.
"Aquavirius maggots!" Luna said excitedly. "Dad said the Ministry were breeding –"
"No," said Arabella, leaning in closer and squinting her eyes. "There are… I think they're brains."
"Brains?" repeated Ron.
Arabella gently tapped the glass with the tip of her finger and immediately jumped back. One of the brains threw itself in her direction before drifting away lazily.
"I wonder what they're doing with them?" said Hermione.
"Does it matter?" said Harry. "Let's get out of here. We need to try another door –"
"There are doors here too," said Ron, pointing around the walls.
Harry hesitated for a moment and then said, "In my dreams I went through the dark room in the second one. I think we should go back and try from there."
They hurried back into the dark, circular room. Before they closed the door, Hermione raised her wand and said, "Flagrate!" A fiery red X appeared on the door, marking the door they already tried. When they closed the door, the walls began to revolve again, but the X was still there. They tried the door in front of them and came face to face with what seemed like an amphitheater.
The room was larger than the last and dimly lit. There was an eerily sense about the room. Arabella couldn't quite put her finger on it as she gazed around. Her chest felt hollow, but she had no idea why. In the center was a sunken stone pit that was twenty feet below them. They were standing on the topmost tier of stone benches running all around the room. It reminded Arabella of the trial she saw in Dumbledore's memories, but instead of a chained chair, there was a raised stone dais in the center of the lower floor that seemed to have grown from the ground like a tree. In the middle of the dais was an ancient, stone archway that was cracking, crumbling, and unsupported. A veil hung in the archway and was fluttering as though it had been touched, despite the lack of a breeze.
"Who's there?" said Harry.
Arabella glanced around the room and jumped down on the bench below. Hermione whispered something behind her, but Arabella kept jumping down on the benches until she reached the stone bottom of the pit. Her chest didn't feel any better and she desperately wanted answers as to why the hairs on her arms were standing. Her footsteps were echoing around the pit as she slowly made her way towards the dais. The archway looked much taller now than when she was looking down at it. The veil was still swaying gently as she walked around it. It made no sense. There was nobody else there and, yet, it swayed like a curtain on a cool, breezy day.
"Let's go," called Hermione, halfway up the stone steps. "This isn't right, let's go…"
Hermione sounded scared. Arabella did not understand why. It was harmless, after all. She could not tear her eyes away from the archway, watching the gentle veil with an equivocal fascination. Hermione called after her again, but Arabella did not move. She leaned in closer as a familiar voice filled her ears.
"Arabella… join us… come to me… Arabella… Arabella…"
"What are you saying?" Harry said very loudly, his words echoing around the room.
"Nobody's talking, Harry!" said Hermione.
"Someone's whispering behind there," said Harry, frowning. "Can't you hear it?"
"I can hear them too," breathed Luna, gazing at the veil. "There are people in there!"
"What do you mean, 'in there'?" demanded Hermione, her voice full of anger. "There isn't any 'in there,' it's just an archway, there's no room for anybody to be in there – Arabella, stop it, come away –"
She grabbed Arabella's arm and began pulling, but Arabella resisted.
"Hermione," began Arabella, taking a deep breath, "I think… I think I can hear my mum…"
"All the more reason to leave!" Hermione said in a high-pitched, strained tone.
Arabella licked her lips, her eyes focused on the veil. "I can just… go through it for a moment and come back… just to – just to see if she's –"
"Your mum is dead and we're supposed to be here for Sirius!" said Hermione, gripping Arabella's arm tighter. "When we find him, you can come back and inspect this thing, but not now!"
Arabella blinked a couple times and turned to face her friend. "Yeah… yeah, you're right. We're here for Sirius…"
Harry look once last look at the veil and then said, "Let's go."
"That's what I've been trying to – well, come on, then!" said Hermione, and she led the way back around the dais. On the other side, Ginny and Neville were staring at the veil too, transfixed. Without speaking, Hermione took hold of Ginny's arm, Ron Neville's, and they marched them firmly back to the lowest stones bench and clambered all the way back up to the door.
"What d'you reckon that arch was?" Harry asked Arabella as they entered the dark circular room.
"I dunno," said Arabella, giving him a small shrug. "If I can hear my mum's voice through it, then… well, it's got to be dangerous, right?"
Hermione inscribed another fiery X upon the door and the walls spun around again. When it became still, Harry approached a door at random, sighed, and pushed it open.
"This is it!"
"Are you sure?" asked Arabella, glancing over his shoulders.
"Definitely," said Harry. "This way!"
Arabella followed Harry inside and gapped. It was an enormous room that didn't seem to end and every surface seemed to be covered with beautiful, dancing, sparkling light. It took her eyes a moment to adjust and to the glare. After a moment, she realized that the course of the light was a towering crystal bell jar that stood at the far end of the room. Harry led the way down a narrow space towards the light. Arabella felt her heart pumping hard against her chest. They were getting closer and the light began to dim. Harry pushed his way through another door and they finally found the place. It was as tall as any church with towering shelves covered in small, dusty, glass orbs. The were lit dully and set in intervals along the shelves. Their flames were blue and the room was cold. Arabella let out a breath and saw it come out in a small wisp of cloud. Harry edged forward, muttering the numbers to himself.
Arabella moved a little slower, looking around the shelves for the slightest movement. If Voldemort had Sirius here and was torturing him, then, surely, they would have heard something by now. Unless… unless they were too late or maybe Sirius was unconscious and Voldemort was lurking in the darkness, waiting to strike or –
"Ninety-seven!" whispered Hermione.
They stood grouped around the end of the row, gazing down the alley beside it. There was nobody there. No unconscious body, no twitching body, not even a dead one.
"He's… he's right down there," muttered Harry. "Or maybe… maybe he's…"
He peered down the alley next door, but there was nobody there. He hurried to look down the one beyond that, but no one turned up. Just silence.
"He's not here," whispered Arabella, lowering her wand.
Nobody spoke as Harry ran up and down the space at the end of the rows, staring down them. Empty aisles greeted him and she couldn't stand seeing him run anymore.
"Harry, he was never here," she said roughly. "There's no sign of struggle, there's no body and we were tricked. Oh, god…"
Arabella leaned against one of the shelves and buried her head in her hands. She felt sick. Sirius should have been here, Harry had seen him, but she was glad Harry was wrong because it meant that Sirius was safe somewhere. He was safe and that's all that mattered. Even if all of what they had gone through to get here was pointless.
"Harry?" called Ron. "Have you seen this?"
"What?" Harry said eagerly.
Arabella lifted her head to see Ron staring at one of the dusty glass spheres on the shelves. Arabella got up and looked at it closely. It looked as though it hadn't been touched in years with a thick layer of dusty covering it. Underneath it was a yellow tag that was written sixteen years ago:
S.P.T. to A.P.W.B.D.
Dark Lord
and (?) Harry Potter
"It's got your name on it," said Ron.
"My name?" Harry asked blankly.
He stepped forward and craned his neck to read the label.
"What's your name doing down here?" asked Ron, sounding unnerved. He then glanced at the other labels. "I'm not here. None of the rest of us are here…"
"Harry, I don't think you should touch it," Hermione said sharply.
"Why not?" said Harry, his hand stretched out. "It's something to do with me, isn't it?"
"Harry, listen to her," Arabella said harshly. "Don't touch it. Nothing good is ever hidden in the Ministry."
"It's got my name on it," said Harry.
Arabella and Ron took a step backward as Harry's fingers closed around the ball's surface. He lifted the glass ball down from its shelf and stared at it. Nothing happened and they all moved closer around Harry, gazing at the orb as he wiped off the dusty with his sleeve.
"Very good, Potter," came a drawling voice behind them. "Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me."
Hermione let out a loud gasp and Arabella looked around wildly, her fist clenching her wand tightly. Figures were emerging out of the darkness around them and moving closer. They were wearing black hoods with silts on them. Arabella and the other were watching as they drew closer, their wands held out. Arabella bite the inside of her mouth. They were outnumbered, trapped and out skilled.
"To me, Potter," repeated Malfoy as he held out his hand.
"Where's Sirius?" said Harry.
The Death Eaters laughed and a harsh female voice cried, "The Dark Lord always knows!"
"No," whispered Arabella, moving closer to the others. "No… she can't…"
"Always," echoed Malfoy, agreeing with his sister-in-law. "Now, give me the prophecy, Potter."
"I want to know where Sirius is!" yelled Harry.
"I want to know where Sirius is!" mimicked Bellatrix Lestrange.
"Shut up," whispered Arabella, her shoulders shaking.
"You've got him," Harry told the Death Eaters. "He's here. I know he is."
"The little baby woke up fwightened and fort what it dweamed was twoo."
Arabella raised her wand, wanting to strike now and strike first, but Harry muttered quickly, "Don't do anything. Not yet –"
Bellatrix let out a wild scream of laughter. "You hear him? You hear him? Giving instructions to the other children as though he thinks of fighting us!"
"Oh, do you know Potter as I do, Bellatrix," Malfoy said softly. "He has a great weakness for heroics. The Dark Lords understands this about him. Now give me the prophecy, Potter."
"I know he's here," snapped Harry. "I know you've got him!"
"It's time you learned the difference between life and dreams, Potter," said Malfoy as Bellatrix laughed. "Now give me the prophecy, or we start using wands."
"Go on, then," Harry said simply.
Harry, Arabella, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna raised their wands up to their chest, ready for the attack, but the Death Eaters did not strike.
"Hand over the prophecy and no one need get hurt," Malfoy said coolly.
"Yeah, right!" said Harry with a laugh. "I give you this – prophecy, is it? And you'll just let us skip off home, will you?"
"Accio Proph –"
"Protego!" cried Arabella before Bellatrix could finish her spell.
The woman stopped laughing. There was a moment of silence and then she stepped forward and pulled off her hood. Azkaban might have taken her beauty away, but her freedom gave her a mad, feverish glow. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly as she gazed at Arabella with intense hunger.
"Is that Black?" she whispered to no one in particular. "Itsy, bitsy, baby Black. Does she know how to play?"
Harry moved closer towards her, as though trying to protect her from Bellatrix's gaze. But Bellatrix did not do anything. She merely stared at Arabella with the tip of her tongue moistening her lips.
"Tell me, child, do you still have those scars?"
Arabella sniffed and did not answer.
"Not answering, are we?" Bellatrix had a wicked smile on her face as she swayed on the spot. "Did I hwurt your feewlings? Did I take away Mummy, poppet? Did I kill her and make you watch? Did I –?"
"Shut up!" screamed Arabella as Ron quickly grabbed her arm.
Bellatrix let out a shriek of laughter and clapped her hands together. "That's more like it! The infamous Black temper. Grab her," she ordered to the Death Eater beside her. "Potter needs a persuasion. Let him watch while I torture the girl again. It'll be like old times."
Harry stepped in front of Arabella and held the prophecy up to his chest.
"You'll have to smash this if you want to attack any of us?" he gritted out. "I don't think your boss will be too pleased if you come back without it, will he? So, what kind of prophecy are we talking about?"
"What kind of prophecy?" repeated Bellatrix, her smile fading. "You jest, Harry Potter."
Arabella's eyes flickered from side to side, trying to think of some sort of space through which they could escape.
"Nope, not jesting," said Harry. "How come Voldemort wants it?"
The Death Eaters let out a low hiss as Bellatrix whispered, "You dare speak his name?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I've got no problem saying Vol –"
"Shut your mouth!" shrieked Bellatrix, her arms shaking. "You dare speak his name with your unworthy lips, you dare besmirch it with your half-blood's tongue, you are –"
"Did you know he's a half-blood too?" said Harry. "Voldemort? Yeah, his mother was a witch but his dad was a Muggle – or has he been telling you lot he's pureblood?"
"STUPEF –"
"NO!"
A jet of red light shot from the end of Bellatrix's wand, but Malfoy deflected it. Her spell crashed against the closest shelf and several orbs shattered. Two white figures erupted from the fluid as smoke and began to speak to each other. Their voices were soft, but they carried throughout the entire room so that they could not hear what Malfoy was shouting at Bellatrix. As this was going on, Harry gave her a small tug on her sleeve. Arabella moved forward so that his lips were right next to her ears.
"Smash shelves when I say go –"
"WAIT UNTIL WE'VE GOT THE PROPHECY!" bellowed Malfoy. "DO NOT ATTACK! WE NEED THE PROPHECY!"
The two figures that burst from the spheres melted into thin air leaving nothing behind but the fragments of glass on the floor.
"You haven't told me what's so special about this prophecy I'm supposed to be handing over," said Harry.
"Do not play games with us, Potter," snapped Malfoy.
"I'm not playing games."
"Dumbledore never told you that the reason you bear that scar was hidden in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries?"
"I – what?" said Harry, thrown off guard. "What about my scar?"
Watching Arabella in the corner of her eyes, she found someone's toes behind her and pressed down.
"What?" whispered Ron.
"Can this be?" said Malfoy.
The Death Eaters were laughing and Arabella quickly hissed to Ron, "Smash shelves when Harry says so."
"Dumbledore never told you?" continued Malfoy. "Well, this explains why you didn't come earlier, Potter, the Dark Lord wondered why you didn't come running when he showed you the place where it was hidden in your dream. He thought natural curiosity would make you want to hear the exact wording…"
"Did he?" said Harry. "So he wanted me to come and get it, did he? Why?"
Ron mumbled the message to Hermione as Malfoy said in a delightful tone, "Why? Because the only people who are permitted to retrieve a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries, Potter, are those about whom it was made, as the Dark Lord discovered when he attempted to use others to steal it from him."
"And why did he want to steal a prophecy about me?" said Harry.
"About both of you, Potter, about both of you… Haven't you ever wondered why the Dark Lord tried to kill you as a baby?"
"Someone made a prophecy about Voldemort and me?" Harry said quietly. "And he's made me come and get it for him? Why couldn't he come and get it himself?"
"Get it himself?" shrieked Bellatrix. "The Dark Lord, walk into the Ministry of Magic, when they are so sweetly ignoring his return? The Dark Lord, reveal himself to the Aurors, when at the moment they are wasting their time on my dear cousin?"
"So that's why you're here, isn't it?" Arabella said with a chuckle. "Got you running around doing his dirty work for him because he knows how willing you are, doesn't he, Bella?"
"You're no different," snipped Bellatrix. "Running around with Mudbloods and scum –"
"Enough," Malfoy said sternly. He then turned to Harry with an expression of gentle sympathy. "Haven't you always wondered the connection between you and the Dark Lord? Why he was unable to kill you when you were just an infant? Don't you want to know the secret of your scar? All of the answers are there, Potter, in your hand. All you have to do is give them to me, I can show you everything."
"I've waited fourteen years," whispered Harry, staring at Malfoy's outstretched palm.
"I know, child," said Malfoy. "I understand."
But when Harry looked up, his jaw was set and his eyes full of resolution. He was no longer playing with them. "I think I can wait a little longer. NOW!"
"REDUCTO!"
Seven curses flew in seven different directions. The shelves opposite them exploded as they hit. The towering structures swayed as hundreds of glass spheres burst apart. Harry seized a handful of Arabella's robes and ordered the others to run. Arabella followed after him, ducking shards of glass raining down upon them. A masked Death Eater lunged forward through a cloud of dust and Arabella sent a Stunning Spell before he could reach them. The Death Eaters were yelling and crying out in pain as the spheres continued to topple around them. Ron, Ginny and Luna were sprinting past Arabella, their arms above their heads as they saw their way ahead. A hand caught Arabella on the shoulder, but Harry elbowed the Death Eater hard on the face and the hand released at once.
When they reached row ninety-seven, they turned right and began to sprint. Arabella could hear footsteps behind her, as well as Hermione encouraging Neville to keep up. The door through which they had come was straight ahead and ajar. Arabella pelted straight through it, waited for the other to hurtle over, and slammed it behind them.
"Colloportus!" gasped Hermione and the door sealed itself shut with an odd squeaking noise.
"Where – where are the others?" wheezed Harry.
"They must have gone the wrong way!" whispered Hermione.
Arabella looked around wildly. Ron, Ginny and Luna were sprinting ahead of them, but they were not in the room.
"Listen!" said Neville.
Behind the door echoed footsteps and shouts. Arabella carefully pressed her ear against the door and hear Malfoy roar: "Leave Nott, leave him! The Dark Lord will not care for Nott's injuries as much as losing that prophecy – Jugson, come back here, we need to organize! We'll split into pairs and search, and don't forget, be gentle with Potter until we've got the prophecy, you can kill the others if necessary – Bellatrix, Rodolphus, you take the left, Crabbe, Rabastan, go right – Jugson, Dolohov, the door straight ahead – Macnair and Avery, through here – Rookwood, over there – Mulciber, come with me!"
"What do we do?" whispered Hermione, frightened.
"We either hide or run," said Arabella. "Come on…"
They ran as quietly as they could toward the exit into the circular hallway at the far end of the room. They were almost there when something large and heavy collided with the door Hermione charmed shut.
"Stand aside!" came a rough voice. "Alohomora!"
Arabella, Harry, Neville and Hermione dived under desks as the door flew open. Arabella skidded to a halt and peeked underneath the desk. She could see the bottom of the two Death Eaters' robes draw closer and closer, their feet moving rapidly.
"They might've run straight through to the hall," said the rough voice.
"Check under the desks," came a familiar voice.
You'll pay for that one, you filthy half-blood! sneered a voice in her head.
Arabella was shaking with anger. She poked her wand from underneath the desk and roared, "STUPEFY!"
A jet of red light hit one of the Death Eaters and he fell backward into a grandfather clock. The Death Eater that avoided Arabella's spell was now pointing his own wand at Hermione, who crawled out from under the desk to get a better aim. Arabella leapt from underneath the desk and launched herself at the Death Eater, causing him to topple to the ground and his aim to go askew. Arabella kicked him on the upper things and brought him down to the ground. She ripped his mask off and came face-to-face with the thin face of Rabastan Lestrange. Arabella gripped his hair tightly as Rabastan growled, his teeth barred.
"Do you remember what you said to my mother?" Arabella whispered, her hands and voice shaking. "Do you?"
Rabastan punched her in the jaw, causing Arabella to tumble backward into a desk. He them pointed his wand at Arabella and bellowed, "Avada –"
Harry tackled Rabastan to the floor as Neville overturned his desk in a hurry to help. He pointed his wand wildly at the struggling pair and cried, "EXPELLIARMUS!"
Both Harry and Rabastan's wands flew into air toward the entrance to the Hall of Prophecy. Both scrambled to their feet and charged after them. Harry was hot on Rabastan's heels and Neville looked horrified as to what he had done.
"Get out of the way, Harry!" yelled Neville. Harry flung himself sideways as Neville shouted, "STUPEFY!"
A jet of red light flew over Rabastan's shoulder and hit the glass cabinet on the wall full of various hourglasses. The cabinet fell to the floor and burst open, glass flying everywhere, then sprang back up onto the wall, fully mended, before repeating itself. Rabastan snatched up his wand from beside a bell jaw and spun around.
"DUCK!" screamed Arabella.
Harry dragged Neville behind another desk as Arabella screamed, "STUPEFY!"
The jet of red light hit Rabastan in the middle of his chest. For a moment, he froze and stared particularly at Arabella, as though in disbelief. His wand then dropped to the floor with a soft clatter and he collapsed backward toward the bell jar. For a moment, nothing happened. Then his head sank through the glass surface of the bell jar and he came to a rest as though it were nothing. The jar was full of glittering wind and Arabella's mouth dropped.
"Look out!" said Neville, horrified.
Rabastan's head began shrinking very fast, his hair disappearing and his skin smoothening out. His skull became very round with a peach fuzz on top…
"Oh, my god," whispered Hermione. "It's… it's time… Time…"
A baby's head now laid on top of a thick, muscled man as he struggled to get up again. His began to swell back to its regular proportions and Arabella quickly raised her wand and said, "Petrificus Totalus!"
Rabastan's arms and legs snapped together. His face began shrinking back to a baby's as he glared at Arabella.
"You can't hurt a baby!" cried Hermione.
Arabella turned to her friend in amazement as a scream emitted from a room nearby.
"RON?" roared Harry. "GINNY? LUNA?"
They left Rabastan and his monstrous transformation, and took off for the door that stood ajar at the other end of the room. They ran halfway toward it when two more Death Eaters emerged through the door. Quickly, Harry shoved them into a small, dark, cluttered office and slammed the door behind them.
"Collo –" began Hermione.
But before she could finish the spell, the door burst open and the two Death Eaters came hurting inside, both yelling, "IMPEDIMENTA!"
Arabella, Harry, Hermione and Neville were all knocked backward off their feet. Neville was thrown over a desk and disappeared from view. Hermione smashed into a bookcase and a cascade of heavy book dropped on her head. The back of Harry's head slammed into the stone wall behind them. Arabella was thrown into the grandfather clock, her head bouncing off the surface. For a moment, she was too dazed and confused to react. She heard one of the Death Eater say something, but they were immediately silenced by a quick spell from Hermione.
"Petrificus Totalus!" shouted Harry.
The second Death Eater's arms and legs snapped together and he fell forward onto the rug.
"Well done, Har –" began Hermione.
But the Death Eater Hermione silenced made a sudden slashing movement with his wand. A streak of purple flame flew out and passed through Hermione's chest. She gave a small noise of surprise and crumpled to the floor, moving no more.
"Hermione!" shrieked Arabella.
Harry fell to his knees beside Hermione as Neville crawled toward her from underneath the desk and held his wand in front of him. The Death Eater kicked hard at Neville, connecting his boot to Neville's face and snapping his wand in the process. Neville let out a howl of pain and recoiled, clutching his mouth and nose. Arabella staggered to her feet and slammed her body against the Death Eater's, causing his wand and mask to drop to the ground. Arabella, still a little bit dazed and unable to find her footing, recognized the pale, long, twisted face of the Death Eater. Antonin Dolohov, the man who murdered her aunt and the Prewetts.
"Dolohov," snarled Arabella, reaching for her wand.
"MOVE!" bellowed Harry.
Arabella's knees buckled and she crashed to the ground just as Harry shouted, "PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!"
Dolohov topped backward, rigid as a board and unable to move. Arabella slowly got to her feet and shook her head. Then, with all the strength she could muster, stomped her foot right down on Dolohov's nose. Blood began pouring out of his nostrils and he glared at her with murderous intent.
"Hermione," whispered Harry. "Hermione, wake up…"
"Whaddid he do to her?" said Neville, blood streaming from his swelling nose.
"I dunno…"
Arabella made her way over, collapsed to the ground, and took Hermione's wrist in her hand. "She's still got a pulse. She's alive."
Harry let out a breath of relief. He then whispered, "Good, good. We're not far from the exit. We're right next to that circular room… If we can just get Neville across it and find the right door before any more Death Eaters come… he can get into the lift with Hermione, find someone and raise the alarm…"
"And we can go find the others," finished Arabella, nodding.
Neville frowned at them and said, "Well, I'b going to do find dem wid you."
"But Hermione –"
"I'll carry her and dake her wid us," Neville said firmly. "You do are bedder at fighding dem dan I ab –"
He got up, seized one of Hermione's arms, and glared at Arabella and Harry. Harry grabbed the other and hoisted Hermione's limp form over Neville's shoulders. Arabella retrieved Hermione's wand and trust it into Neville's hands. He kicked his snapped wand aside with a frown and muttered something about it being his father's old one. Slowly and carefully, Arabella stuck her head out of the door and looked around. There was nobody around. She suppressed her worry and concern before looking over her shoulder.
"Keep close behind me. Come on…"
They crept out of the office and back towards the door into the black hallway that seemed completely deserted. Neville was teetering slightly due to Hermione's weight, but they managed to make it through the Time Room without anyone spotting them. The walls began to rotate once more and Arabella closed her eyes, her head pounding from her recent blow. When the walls stopped moving and she opened her eyes, she was horrified to see that Hermione's crosses had faded from the door.
"So which way d'you reck –?" began Harry.
Before any of them could make a decision, the door to their right sprung open and three familiar faces fell out of it.
"Ron!" croaked Harry. "Ginny – are you all –?"
Harry rushed towards them and Ron met him halfway, giggling weakly and seizing the front of his robes. "Harry… they you are… ha ha ha… you look funny, Harry… you're all messed up…"
Ron's face was very white and something strange was tricking out of his mouth. The next moment he was on his knees, still clutching the front of Harry's robes.
"Ginny, what happened?" breathe Arabella.
But Ginny shook her head and leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down into a sitting position. She was panting heavily and grasping her ankle.
"I think her ankle's broken," whispered Luna, looking unhurt. "I heard something crack. Four of them chased us into a dark room full of planets, it was a very odd place, some of the time we were just floating in the dark –"
"Harry, we saw Uranus up close!" exclaimed Ron, giggling. "Get it, Harry? We saw Uranus – ha ha ha –"
A bubble of blood grew out of his mouth and burst.
"Anyway, one of them grabbed Ginny's foot," continued Luna, "I used the Reductor Curse and blew up Pluto in his face, but…"
Luna gestured at Ginny hopelessly as Ron continued to giggle and hang off of Harry's robes.
"And him?" asked Arabella.
"I don't know what they hit him with, but he's gone a bit funny, I could hardly get him along at all…"
"Harry," said Ron, pulling Harry's ear down to his mouth and still giggling weakly, "you know who this girl is, Harry? She's Loony… Loony Lovegood… ha ha ha…"
"We've got to get out of here," Harry said firmly. "Luna, can you help Ginny?"
Luna nodded and stuck her wand behind her ear. She placed her arm around Ginny's waist and pulled her up. Ginny impatiently pushed Luna away, but collapsed the next moment, grabbing onto Luna for support. Harry pulled Ron's arm over his shoulder and gestured towards a door for Arabella to open.
"Um, right then," mumbled Arabella.
She was a foot away from the door when it burst open. Arabella backed up, pushing Harry and Ron with her, as three Death Eaters sped into the hall. Bellatrix was leading the charge.
"There they are!"
Stunning Spells shot across the room. Harry shoved Ron through another door and ducked back to help Arabella, Luna and Neville in with a limping Ginny and unconscious Hermione. Arabella sent another Stunning Spell over her shoulders as Harry slammed the door against Bellatrix.
"Colloportus!" shouted Harry.
Three bodies crashed into the door on the other side as a man said, "It doesn't matter! There are other ways in – WE'VE GOT THEM, THEY'RE HERE!"
"Seal the doors!" shouted Harry.
Arabella spun around. They were back in the Brain Room and there were doors all along the walls. Arabella, Harry, Neville and Luna tore around the room sealing the doors as they went. They could hear more Death Eaters coming to join the first as the went along. Every now and then they could hear heavy bodies throwing themselves against the door, creaking, shuddering, and, inevitably, cursing the kids. Just as Arabella sealed the last one on the right side, she heard Luna cry, "Collo – aaaaargh…"
Luna flew into the air as five Death Eaters invaded the Brain Room. Luna's back hit a desk and slid onto the floor where she moved no more.
"Get Potter!" shrieked Bellatrix.
She ran at him and Harry dodged her. He sprinted back up the room, grabbed Arabella, and headed towards the others.
"Hey!" called Ron, staggering to his feet and giggling. "Hey, Harry, there are brains in here, ha ha ha, isn't that weird, Harry?"
"Ron, get out of the way, get down –"
But Ron had already pointed his wand at the tank. "Honest, Harry, they're brains – look – Accio Brain!"
For a split second, everything froze. Everyone in the room – students and Death Eaters alike – turned to watch the top of the tank. A brain burst from the liquid like a fish out of water and suspended in midair. Arabella held onto her breath, watching the brain near the ceiling, when it suddenly launched itself towards Ron.
"RON, NO!"
The tentacles of the brain were moving like ribbons in the air and Ron had his arms stretched out, as though expecting a hug. Arabella didn't understand what the brain was doing in the Ministry and didn't know what would happen if he touched it, but knew it was not good. Harry tried to get to Ron first, but he was too late. The moment the tentacles made contact with Ron's skin, it began wrapping themselves around Ron's arms like ropes. Ron's smiled dropped and he began to panic. The tentacles began to wrap themselves around Ron's chest and kept tightening itself every time he tugged at it.
"Diffindo!" yelled Harry.
But the tentacles would not break. Ron fell over onto the floor, his body thrashing as the tentacles continued to tighten itself against him. Ginny screamed and attempted to help him, but was hit by a jet of red light from one of the Death Eaters. She keeled over and laid next to Ron unconscious.
"STUBEFY!" shouted Neville, waving Hermione's wand. "STUBEFY, STUBEFY!"
But nothing happened. One of the Death Eaters sent their own Stunning Spell and missed Neville by an inch.
"STUPEFY!" yelled Arabella.
She hit the Death Eater in the chest, but it was still three students up against five skilled Death Eaters who looked ready to kill. The moment they saw Bellatrix sprinting at them, Arabella and Harry made a run for it. They had to draw the attention away from the others and, hopefully, Neville would release Ron and go call for help. Harry held the prophecy over his head and the Death Eaters chasing them did not dare to jinx him. Arabella looked over her shoulder and saw Bellatrix leading the pack with a look of pure giddiness over her face. Harry grabbed her shoulder and they dashed through the only door still open –
The floor vanished underneath them. Arabella was wrenched from Harry's grasp and her body began bouncing down steep stone steps. She landed on her shoulders in the sunken pit where the stone archway stood. The whole room was filled with the laughter of the Death Eaters and Arabella quickly scrambled to her feet, ignoring the ache in her knees. The Death Eaters were leaping down the steps towards them, taking their time. They were in control now and there was no way out. Arabella raised her wand to her chest and stood in front of Harry. If they wanted to lay a single finger on him, they were going to have to get through her first and she was not going down without taking a couple of them with her.
Harry got up, his legs trembling, and looked at the Death Eaters. Some were panting hard and one was bleeding badly. Dolohov, free of the full Body-Bind, was leering and pointing his wand directly at Arabella's face. Bellatrix had a smug, triumphant smile on her face and Arabella wanted to nothing more than to hit her right in the nose. She was acting as though they had ready won.
"Potter, your race is run," drawled Malfoy. "Now hand me the prophecy like a good boy…"
"Let – let the others go, and I'll give it to you!" Harry said desperately.
The Death Eaters laughed at this.
"Potter, you are hiding behind your girlfriend," said Malfoy. "You are in no position to bargain. You see, there are ten of us and only two of you… or hasn't Dumbledore ever taught you how to count?"
"They dot alone! They still god be!"
"Neville – no!" urged Arabella. "Go back –"
But Neville was scurrying down the stone steps, shouting, "STUBEFY! STUBEFY! STUBE –"
One of the Death Eaters seized him from behind and pinned his arms to his sides. Neville struggled and kicked, but the Death Eater did not budge. More Death Eaters laughed.
"Let go of him!" shouted Arabella.
Before she could take a step forward, Harry wrapped his arm around her waist. Arabella, still knocked out from the fall, could not find the energy to struggle against him.
"Longbottom," sneered Malfoy. "Well, your grandmother is used to losing family members to our cause… Your death will not come as a great shock…"
"Longbottom?" repeated Bellatrix, a smile spreading across her face. "Why, I had the pleasure of meeting your parents, boy…"
"I DOE YOU HAD!" roared Neville.
"Before I met this one, of course," said Bellatrix, turning back to Arabella and Harry's hold on her tightened. "Her scars were one of my greatest accomplishments…" She then laughed and whispered, "Itsy, bitsy, baby Black… You lasted longer than your half-blood mother. Let's see how your friend here fares, shall we? Unless Potter wants to give us the prophecy –"
"DON'D GIB ID DO DEM!" roared Neville, who seemed beside himself, kicking and writhing as Bellatrix drew nearer to him and his captor, her wand raised. "DON'D GIB IT DO DEM, HARRY!"
Bellatrix raised her wand and said, "Crucio!" and everything became familiar.
Neville was dropped to the ground, his body twitching as he screamed in agony.
"Stop it! Stop it, please, stop it!" sobbed Arabella, fighting weakly against Harry. "Please, stop!"
"That was just a taster!" snapped Bellatrix. She raised her wand and Neville's screams stopped. He laid sobbing at her feet as Bellatrix spun around. "Potter, either give us the prophecy or watch your friends die the hard way!"
Holding Arabella in one arm, Harry slowly held out the prophecy with the other. Malfoy jumped forward to take it.
Then two more doors suddenly burst open above them. To her surprise and bewilderment, five more people sprinted into the room – Remus, Sirius, Mad-Eye, Nymph and Kingsley.
Malfoy turned to raised his wand, but Nymph had already sent a sharp Stunning Spell right at him. Arabella and Harry dived out of the way before seeing if the spell connected. The Order of the Phoenix began raining down spells as they jumped from step to step. The Death Eaters were completely distracted by their appearance and began running wild as Neville crawled towards Arabella and Harry. Harry flung himself towards Neville as a jet of red light flew over his head. The stone floor exploded underneath Arabella and she jumped away from the spot, but a thick arm came out of nowhere, grabbed Arabella by the throat and crushed her to his chest.
"Hello, darlin'," growled a familiar voice in her ear. "The prophecy, Potter!"
Macnair was pressing hard on Arabella's throat. She gasped for air and her eyes were watering. Through her tears, she could see Sirius dueling a Death Eater, Kingsley fight two at once with exceptional ease, and Nymph firing spells at Bellatrix. Arabella tried to call for help, but she was unable to form words –
"AARGH!"
Neville lunged out of nowhere and jabbed Hermione's wand hard into the eyehole of Macnair's mask. Macnair released Arabella with a howl of pain and Harry yelled, "STUPEFY!"
Macnair keeled over and his mask slipped off. Arabella was pleased to see that his eyes were now swollen and bloodshot. Arabella held onto Harry and began coughing, trying to catch her breathe. Harry looked anxious, but they had no time to console each other despite Arabella wanted him to hold her and stroke her hair. Arabella's foot caught something and she fell to the ground hard. She turned on her side and saw Mad-Eye lying on his side. His attacker was now bearing down on Arabella with a twisted smile.
"Tarantallegra!" shouted Dolohov, his wand pointing at Neville.
Neville's legs immediately began dancing, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the floor. Dolohov then pointed his wand at Arabella and said, "Now, Potter, hand over the prophecy or see me complete the set –"
Harry yelled, "Protego!" just as Dolohov made the same slashing movement with his wand that he had used on Hermione. Arabella felt something streak across her face like a blunt knife, knocking her sideways. The Shield Charm stopped the worst of the spell, but Dolohov was still standing and he raised his wand again.
"Accio Proph –"
Sirius sprang out of nowhere and rammed Dolohov with his shoulder, sending him out of the way. Now Sirius and Dolohov were dueling, their wands flashing and sending sparks everywhere. Dolohov drew back his wand to make the same slashing movements he had just used. Arabella and Harry sprang up together and yelled, "Petrificus Totalus!" Dolohov's legs and arms sprang together once again and he fell backwards with a crash.
"Nice one!" shouted Sirius. The three of them quickly ducked as a pair of stunning Spells flew towards them. "Now, I want you to get out of –"
"Nymph!" cried Arabella.
Nymph was falling from halfway up the stone steps as Bellatrix laughed in triumph. She ran back to the fight and Arabella dashed forward to Bellatrix. Before she could even take her third step, Sirius seized her around her waist and pushed her towards Harry.
"Take the prophecy and run!" yelled Sirius.
Arabella and Harry ducked a jet of green light as Sirius raced after Bellatrix. They quickly grabbed Neville and threw his arms over their necks. His legs were twitching and jerking in every direction. They would not support him. Then, out of nowhere, a man lunged at them. Harry and Neville fell backwards and Arabella thrusted her wand in front of her and cried, "Impedimenta!"
Malfoy was blasted off his back as he advanced upon Harry. He smashed into the dais on which Sirius and Bellatrix were dueling. Arabella was about to go over, wanting to help Sirius, when Remus jumped in front of her and said, "Arabella, round up the others and GO!"
Arabella did not move, watching Sirius and Bellatrix trade spells as though they were dueling to the death. She could barely move, barely feel her legs as she watched on. She wanted to run in and help Sirius, but feared that something terrible would happen if she did. Her worries were soon put to rest when Neville cried out, "DUBBLEDORE!"
She looked over her shoulders at Neville and followed his eyes. Directly above them stood Professor Dumbledore. His wand was in the air and there was a horrible look of fury on his face. The only man Voldemort had ever feared, thought Arabella, and he was going to save us. He began to make his descend down the stairs, his movements sharp and elegant. One of the nearby Death Eaters yelled to the others that he was there and another made a run for the nearest door. Dumbledore pulled him back with his wand as though it were nothing.
"Come on, you can do better than that!"
Sirius and Bellatrix were still battling. They seemed unaware of Dumbledore's arrival, only having eyes for each other. Sirius ducked a jet of red light and began laughing, his voice echoing around the room. Bellatrix's nose flared and Arabella's seen that look before. Suddenly, Bellatrix smiled, her teeth shining, and turned towards Arabella.
"Watch this, poppet."
"NO!"
Arabella didn't even realize she screamed. All she realized was the second jet of light that hit Sirius squarely on the chest. His eyes widened in shock and, somehow, he was still smiling. He sank backwards through the veil hanging from the arch and he looked exceptionally graceful. There was a look of brief surprise and fear before pure bliss. He disappeared behind the veil and it fluttered for a moment.
Arabella let out a small gasp and stood still. Surely, he was going to come out on the other side. It was just a veil. A thin veil that didn't do anything and could easily see through it. He was going to reappear on the other side soon and rejoin the fight with a smile. He was going to appear any moment now…
Then she remembered she heard her mother's voice through the veil. And if she heard it, he did as well. He heard her voice and that's why he looked so happy. He was going to join his wife again after being apart so many years. He was going to hold her and kiss her and never leave her side ever again. After all he had been through – thrown into Azkaban without a trial, forced into hiding, his name slandered – he was going to be with her again. But he was leaving Arabella behind. Kassandra could wait a little longer. Arabella needed him more. She needed her father more than her mother did but he was gone. He was gone and Arabella couldn't stop her breaths from coming out in searing gasps. After so many dreadful and painful years, she thought she could have it all. But she was a fool. A stupid, foolish girl that got too greedy. How could this have happened?
A triumphant scream vibrated around the room. Arabella snapped her neck to the side and saw the culprit halfway up the steps.
"BELLATRIX!"
Her voice thundered around the room and it wasn't entirely her own. Before anyone could stop her, before Remus could even reach her, she transformed into her Animagus form and began her chase. Anger and greed and hunger were pulsating through her whole body. She was in pain, yes, but it wasn't one of loss or torment or torture. It wasn't one she's experienced before but she understood it. It was one of power. The sort of pain that will never be satisfied until a life was taken – and that life will be Bellatrix.
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you all liked this chapter, though I have a hunch that some of you might not like the ending... There's a couple throwbacks in this chapter between Arabella and the Death Eaters - Rabastan's words to Kassandra, Dolohov killing her aunt, Macnair and what happened at the graveyard, and Bellatrix's words before killing Sirius. Let me know if you guys caught them!
Anyways, some ass-kicking will ensue in the next chapter (and it will be well deserved)! Let me know what you guys think of this chapter and the next one should be up sometime next week. I've already started working on it and am hoping to get it done in the next couple days. Until next time, my friends!