"Is it just you five?" George asked, squinting into the dim light.
"Yeah," Dean replied. "Who's with you?"
"Sorry!" Came the female voice behind the lit wand. The light angled downward, allowing a better look at the faces of their rescuers. Hermione recognized two other alumnus from the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell. Strangely, however, it seemed that each was carrying a dark mound on their back. Dark mounds that quickly shifted positions and dropped to the ground, striding into the light and revealing themselves to be -
"House elves?" Hermione gasped, surprised. She tried to sit up, but a fierce pain exploded through her arm and she let herself fall back against Luna instead.
"Yes, miss!" One of the small creatures squeaked, moving forward. It was pale with massive mauve eyes. It was wearing some sort of tea cozy, Hermione thought, though she could not be sure in the light. The other house elf - a larger, tan creature wearing the same uniform - walked forward as well, coming to stand close to Hermione and Fred.
"Yes, yes, house elves," Fred responded quickly. "And as soon as we're out of here we'll be happy to listen to you rant on about that spew nonsense again, but for now can we please leave the Death Eater hang out?"
"What do we do?" Luna asked.
"Loomy and Sunny can zap us out of here," Katie said. "Just take a hand."
Loomy and Sunny gathered in the middle of the group and stretched out their arms. Each of the five prisoners and their four saviors held on to a portion of the house elves' arm or hand, forming a cramped circle in the middle of the cell.
"All ready?" Angelina asked.
"Best make it quick before - "
But whatever George was about to say was cut off by the sharp click of the door opening. A surprised Death Eater stood on the doorstep, his wand already raised and at the ready.
"GO, GO, GO, GO!" Fred screamed.
The next few seconds passed very quickly for Hermione. She felt someone pull away. She heard the frantic yelling of curses being thrown and saw jets of sparks launching across the room. The world began to compress as the house elves began to Disapparate. As the group disappeared, Hermione heard a single yell above the clamor in the room:
"Avada Ked -"
Then they were gone.
Hermione landed roughly on her feet, her injured leg crumpling beneath her weight and sending her to the ground. The others appeared in a circle as gracefully as Hermione had, most falling immediately upon arrival or landing sprawled across the dirt. Hermione took a quick stock of her surroundings: they were in a forest clearing. She could hear running water somewhere close by. Luna and Dean had landed on top of one another and were trying to untangle their legs. Ollivander was on his feet, his wide eyes turned upwards towards the bright spring morning. Hermione did not know how long it had been since he had seen the light of dawn, but she could tell as he took in the dim sunlight peeking through the trees that he had sorely missed it. Griphook sat somewhat apart from the group, eyeing them all warily with his beady black eyes. Fred and the two house elves were standing towards the middle of the circle, panic spreading across his freckled features. Katie…and, Katie…
Hermione saw her before anyone else. Facedown, her open eyes wide and lifeless. Her wand was still clutched in her hand.
"We have to go back for George and Angelina!" She heard Fred say dimly in the background as she began to crawl towards Katie's body. Her injured leg dragged painfully behind her.
"We can't, sir," the smaller one squeaked, the large ears on top of its head drooping down. Hermione had nearly made it to Katie now, though the pain in her leg was making it more and more difficult to continue forward.
"You CAN'T?!" Fred yelled, disbelievingly. Color had risen up his neck and painted his face a terrible scarlet. "You're bloody HOUSE ELVES! Just zap back in there and GET MY BROTHER."
Hermione had reached Katie now. She turned the older girl over, shivering at how cold the skin had already become. She took in Katie's open, empty eyes. Her face - frozen in surprise, the mouth hanging open. Had she even seen the curse coming? Had she thought she would be safe as the house elves transported them away? Hermione could not afford to think such things. With trembling hands, she closed Katie's eyes for the last time.
"Fred!" Hermione shouted, trying to get his attention. It did not work. He needed to know. He needed to see.
"We can't, sir," The larger house elf chimed in, its voice surprisingly gruff. "Orders, sir. The Headmaster said we could only go in once. We can't disobey orders, sir."
"Fred!" Hermione shouted again. Fred still did not hear.
"FUCK what Snape told you to do!" Fred screeched, panic flooding his voice. "We need to go back for them!"
"FRED!"
"WHAT, HERMIONE?!" Fred spun around, his features contorted with fury.
"Katie," Hermione responded, her voice cracking.
Now, Fred saw. The breath rushed out of him, taking all of his color with it.
"Katie," Fred echoed.
The house elves took the opportunity to disappear with sharp cracks. Fred whipped his head around a moment too soon and was left staring at the empty space the house elves had left in their wake.
"They're gone," He said helplessly. "They're gone. She's gone…he's gone. Oh, Merlin."
His knees buckled beneath him. Hermione heard a sob rip its way out of Fred's throat. The five remaining stood silently with him, none knowing what to do or say. It was Luna - dear, sweet Luna - who approached him. She kneeled down, placing a small hand on his shoulder.
"But we're still here."
Fred was still for a beat before he nodded.
"Okay," He said softly. "Okay. You're right."
He stood, wiping his face hastily on his sleeve. He looked around at the group, his eyes wide.
"You're right. Of course, you're right."
He squared his shoulders and straightened his back, though Hermione could see his wand arm shaking.
"Alright. Let's head home."