Day Twenty-Eight
Prompt: Sapphires
Firing another curse at a masked Death Eater, George took a few steps backwards. He was angry with himself for losing Capella. One minute she had been right beside him, fighting viciously. The next minute, she was gone. He wanted to call a time-out and look for her, but it wasn't an option.
Trying to keep the Death Eaters in sight and still look for Capella was making him confused. He didn't even realize where he was until a black-cloaked figure tumbled down the stairs. The Entrance Hall, he was standing underneath the hourglasses that recorded house points.
George dodged another jet of green light which ricocheted off something to his left and shot straight into the sky. There was a loud sound, like breaking glass. George looked up and the world seemed to be moving in slow motion. The curse had hit Ravenclaw's hourglass and the glass was shattering. It burst and thousands of glittering sapphires rained down upon him. He watched them fall. Ravenclaw, Capella was so proud to be a Ravenclaw. The sapphires shone in the light of so many curses. They fell around George, surrounding him with blue sparkling lights. Curses bounced off the stones and they burst into tiny shards of pride, determination, and love. It was if they were protecting George. He bent down and picked up one of the deep blue stones. Turning it over in his hand he watched the scene around him. People shouted spells, brandishing their wands, but he heard no sound. Cloaks billowed out like approaching storm clouds and curses traced their way across the room.
It was if Capella was there with him, in those stones that represented something meaningful to her. She was there protecting him. He closed his hand around the stone. If she was there with him, how was she protecting herself?
Suddenly, everything returned to normal. Screams and crashes filled George's ears. Pell, he had to find Pell. Dodging and ducking, George ran. He had no idea where Pell might be but he knew he had to find her. Sliding on something wet on the floor, George skidded into the Great Hall. The room was chaotic. Screams echoed off the high walls and bodies lay scattered on the floor. The fighting was intense, but he didn't see Capella.
Turning on his heels, George rushed out of the room. Please, where is she? He pleaded for guidance. He ran towards the main stairs but turned on the bottom step. The sapphire was hot in his hand. The kitchens. He wasn't sure why he thought Capella would be down there, but he had a feeling she was.
When George turned into the hall leading to the kitchens, he saw dozens of house-elves fighting one very tall masked Death Eater. George sent a quick curse in the Death Eater's direction and he fell with a loud crash. The house-elves cheered and ran towards the stairs leading up to the main hall.
One little elf tugged on George's trouser leg and pointed wordlessly down the hall before running off. In the shadows of the hall, George saw someone huddled on the floor. His throat constricted and he broke into a run.
As he got closer, the shadow separated into two forms; two people. One had honey-brown hair and was kneeling on the ground, rocking slowly. The other was laying face down, her dark-brown hair splayed out around her head.
George stopped running and slowly approached the two girls. He felt like her was going to be sick. "Vega?" The kneeling figure glanced up, her face streaked with blood. She didn't say a word. Kneeling, George gently brushed back the dark hair of the figure on the floor, his heart in his throat. "Oh, no, Pell, no!" Hey eyes were closed and there was blood everywhere. Her thin t-shirt was heavy with crimson blood.
George's world seemed to close in on him. He cried her name again and frantically felt for her pulse. George felt his heart rip from his chest. There was no pulse. Pell was dead.