Chapter Twenty-Six.
Following the Invisible.

Harry, Ron and Hermione stopped dead in there tracks as they looked down the room. Harry was holding the door half open unsure whether to walk in or run straight back out. "By the time they've realised we were here we will be gone." A man with a black moustache and a deep voice said standing at the other end of the room that Harry recognised as Walden Macnair the death eater who recently escaped from Azkaban.

"Just concentrate, the dark lord wants this in his possession by tonight." A woman who Harry had seen many times snapped back at Macnair. It was Bellatrix Lestrange. The two death eaters were both looking for something and hadn't noticed Harry, Ron and Hermione watching them. Harry felt Hermione tug at his arm urgently and the three of them slowly exited the room closing the door lightly behind them.

"So I was right then. It is in there." Hermione whispered.

"Hermione now's not the time to gloat." Harry snapped his mind racing. "How did they even get in there without all the members of the order knowing?" He wondered aloud.

"Everyone is in the great hall. As for how they got past members of the order, I don't think they are the only death eaters who came here today. I'd say the people watching the grounds are very much distracted right now." Hermione said grimly.

"Great so what do we do now?" Ron moaned softly. "Shouldn't we warn everyone?"

"I don't think this is an attack Ron, the way they entered makes it seem as though they want to be in and out of here quickly. Getting the horcrux is probably the main thing on Voldemort's mind right now." Hermione said glancing nervously towards the now disappeared door of the room of requirement.

"You know, this could be a good thing…" Ron began.

"How exactly is it a good thing Ron?" Harry interrupted him bewildered.

"Well, we didn't know what we were looking for. Could have taken us weeks to find it with all that junk in there. And now we wait till they get it and take it off them somehow." Ron finished. These words gave Harry an idea.

"Kreacher." Harry whispered. Crack. Kreacher the house elf appeared on the floor of the empty corridor looking up at Harry. Harry began talking as soon as he appeared. "Go to the common room get my invisibility cloak out of my trunk and bring it back to me. You are to do nothing else on the way." Harry ordered him firmly. Kreacher didn't say a word, he disappeared with another crack and was back in a matter of seconds clutching Harry's invisibility cloak. Harry took it from him.

"Thank you Kreacher." Hermione said kindly to the house elf.

"Filthy Mudblood talks to Kreacher as if she is Kreacher's friend…" Kreacher began rambling but was interrupted by Harry.

"You can go now Kreacher." Harry said loudly.

"Yes master" Kreacher spat at Harry and disappeared again. Hermione turned to Harry and glared.

"Hermione this isn't the time to get worked up over spew!" Ron said.

"So what's the plan?" Hermione asked anxiously ignoring Ron.

"We go in and wait. But not a sound ok." Harry told them. Ron and Hermione both nodded in agreement and they walked three times past the door once again. When the door appeared Harry slipped the invisibility cloak over the three of them and they slowly opened the door and walked inside. They saw Bellatrix and Macnair now were bending over a small black box that looked well sealed. Harry, Hermione and Ron stood inches from the doorway watching them closely.

"Why do we need this so urgently Bella?" Macnair said looking over his shoulder and scoping the room with his eyes, his moustache twitching.

"The dark lord doesn't need to share all his closest secrets with someone like you Macnair. You are unworthy of this very task." Bellatrix said with a slight laugh. Harry watched as Bellatrix pulled something shiny out of her robes and inserted it into a hole in the box, it looked like a key but smaller. Harry could feel Ron and Hermione's breathing getting louder on either side of him. He wondered if members of the order were now fighting with death eaters outside on the grounds, or if anyone even knew of any of them being here. He knew he had the opportunity here and now to avenge Sirius's death and felt the hatred for that one woman standing just more than a few feet in front of him, the one that had caused him so much misery and pain. Harry was unaware of gripping his wand so tightly it could have snapped as he watched her, that cruel smirk across her face as always. After a few seconds of waiting the small box popped open and Bellatrix shrieked with glee. She put her hand inside and pulled out a wand. "Rowena Ravenclaw's very own." Bellatrix cackled.

"Come on Bella. Now let's go we need to get out of here." Macnair said in a slightly urgent tone. Harry watched her closely as she put the wand back into the box and put it into the front of her robes carefully. Harry, Ron and Hermione moved to the side of the room as Bellatrix and Macnair made there way to the door.

"Now what?" Harry whispered so quietly he was unsure if the other two had heard him. Hermione turned her head to face Harry and mouthed 'Leave it to me.' She motioned the other two to follow Bellatrix and Macnair as they walked out of the door. They stopped and Macnair pulled something out of his robes. Harry saw it was an invisibility cloak and heard an intake of breath from Ron beside him. So that's how they got in easily. I'll bet they have backup ready though. Harry thought to himself. He saw Hermione moving her wand with a look of concentration on her face and Harry knew she must have been attempting a non-verbal spell. Just as Macnair slipped the cloak over him and Bellatrix Harry saw the small box slowly appear out her robes and then gain speed as it came towards Hermione, which she caught impressively. Bellatrix and Macnair were now invisible and looked like they hadn't noticed a thing. Harry saw the door of the room of requirement open. He immediately made to follow them. Hermione and Ron both gave him confused looks.

"We can't let them go." Harry said with determination thinking about how he wasn't going to let Bellatrix slip through his fingers once again.

"We can't fight them on our own either." Ron pointed out as they walked out of the room of requirement.

"Ok well we'll follow them until we get to the grounds, there's bound to be order members there." Harry whispered looking hungrily after Bellatrix. Hearing her footsteps somewhere in front of them. They followed the sound of the footsteps down the staircase's and through the corridors careful not to make a sound. They didn't come across many students, as most of them would be eating in the great hall, in the common room doing homework or outside, as it was a sunny afternoon. Harry couldn't stop thinking about how easily Bellatrix and Macnair had gotten into the school and how unsafe it was for everyone. He hadn't really realised it before now. He half expected other death eaters to jump out at them any moment. It was getting harder and harder to follow them as they were invisible and Harry's fear of losing them increased by the second. "Were going to lose them." Harry whispered in frustration. They were now nearly outside the grounds and walking through an empty corridor near the great hall.

"No we won't Harry, I still don't think this is a good idea." Hermione said fearfully. But Harry couldn't wait any longer and without thinking or before Ron or Hermione could grab him he lunged forwards with his arms out in front of him and grabbed the cloak revealing Bellatrix and Macnair who whipped around with their wands raised. Harry tossed the cloak aside as Ron and Hermione appeared and stood beside him in shock at what he had just done. Harry had his eyes fixed on Bellatrix feeling nothing but pure hatred. Her eyes were wide with surprise and excitement.

"Now Harry that was a mistake." Bellatrix said pointing her wand towards him.

"We don't have permission to touch the boy Bella. Now let's go we've got what we came for." Macnair said forcefully.

"Impedimenta!" Hermione shouted suddenly, sparks coming from her wand. Macnair who hadn't been expecting this at all was flung across the corridor. Harry saw his chance while Bellatrix was distracted.

"Crucio!" Harry yelled at Bellatrix, which she deflected.

"Don't attempt spells you can't use Potter." She laughed coldly.

"That's what you think." Harry shot back at Bellatrix with a triumphant grin. He saw in the corner of his eye Macnair had now gotten up and was heading back towards Hermione his mouth opening to fire a spell at her.

"Furnunculus!" Ron bellowed.

"Expelliarmus!" Ron and Hermione had both fired spells at Macnair at the same time jets of light flying everywhere. Macnair flew backwards slamming against a wall and hitting the floor with a thud. Bellatrix took no notice of this.

"You! Stupefy!" A voice came out of nowhere. Before Harry knew what was happening another jet of light was flying past him straight at Bellatrix, which she shielded with a flick of her wand. He turned around to see Neville running towards her not stopping for a moment.

"Neville no!" Hermione screamed.

"Avada Kedavra!" Bellatrix shrieked. For Harry it happened in slow motion. There was nothing he could do to stop it. The jet of green light shot from Bellatrix's wand and hit Neville in the chest. He fell to the floor immediately a look of horror on his face and he lay motionless on the floor. Harry stared in shock at Neville for a moment it had been so unexpected. Macnair who had now gotten up again and managed to lift the effects of the Furnunculus jinx put the invisibility cloak over himself and started to run.

"Come Bellatrix NOW!" He shouted. Bellatrix started to run and Harry breaking out of his shock tore after her.

"Avada Kedavra!" green light came from Harry's wand and missed her by inches. He saw Bellatrix look over her shoulder at him in shock as they ran out into the grounds. Macnair was now nowhere to be seen. He could feel Hermione and Ron inches behind him but he wasn't stopping for anyone. Students all around screamed and ran as they saw Bellatrix but Harry took no notice. He passed an alarmed Lupin who also started running when he saw Harry. Harry lifted his wand to fire the spell again at Bellatrix who was nearing the forest now. This time he would hit her he knew it. He felt his arm being grabbed and saw Hermione running next to him. Not again. Not now. She can't stop me now. This is too important. Harry said to himself.

"Your not a murderer Harry." Hermione said desperately pulling him back.

"You're slowing me down!" Harry shouted at her angrily. The next thing he knew everything went black.