15. The Seige Of Bellatrix
'You go in!' Harry let go of Luna's hand as he slowed outside the Great Hall. 'I'll be there in a minute.' He picked up his pace again as he veered off to the clock tower, wishing he had bothered to replace the watch he had drowned in the lake years before. He stopped beneath the enormous clock face and looked up as the gigantic pendulum swung before him. He backed away so he could see the hands more accurately.
He still had roughly three minutes. He took off, back inside and brought himself to a controlled walk before he stepped inside the Hall, positioning himself just inside the doorway.
The room was decorated in true Halloween tradition. Black candles and glowing pumpkins, and magical bats circling the star filled ceiling. Everyone was already enjoying the Halloween treats that lined the tables. As he stood there, adrenalin coursing through his body, waiting to hear the deep resonating chimes of the clock tower once it struck six o'clock, he noticed Ron and Hermione determinedly walking towards him. He tucked the scroll behind his leg and shifted from foot to foot, his nerves alive with impatience and foreboding.
'What are you doing?' Ron winced as he pulled up in front of Harry 'You're sweating … are you ill?'
'Probably, but that's not the only problem, is it?' Hermione looked at him through narrowed eyes.
'Not now!' Harry would have to put them off for a couple more minutes. Whatever was about to happen, he couldn't bring Snapes name into it. If this was going to be the downfall of Bellatrix LeStrange, then he instinctively wanted to guard where the information had come from.
Snapes motives had haunted his thoughts over the past few weeks, and nothing Harry pieced together seemed very likely. He clung to his idea that Snape and Bellatrix were competing to be Voldemorts top man, but however he had looked at it, he couldn't figure out why Snape had chosen to eliminate his competitor using Harry. Unless of course, this was a trap, which had seemed less likely the more he had tossed it around in his head. Snape had already proved he could reach Harry easily at Grimmauld Place, so why would he go to such trouble to ensnare him? Too much could go wrong by waiting so long.
'We're beginning to really worry about you, mate.' Ron said gravely 'I thought you trusted us? You used to tell us what you were up to. I can't figure it out,' he shook his head 'what's changed? We know something's going on, we know you're keeping something from us.'
'I can't explain it to you.' Harry said shortly, listening for the first clang of the bell.
'That's not good enough, not anymore.' Hermione frowned 'you've been expecting something, haven't you? And judging by the way you're behaving, it's about to happen.' taking in his fidgeting.
Harry could feel his movements were uncoordinated and nerve driven, as he avoided their questions and waited for the low echoing toll of the bell.
It should come any second now.
'I'll call you if I need you.'
'Need us for what?' Ron pried
'I don't know yet.'
'Your not making any sense.' Hermione continued to watch him.
He was so close to finding out what Snapes warning was all about. Any second he would know what to do. He looked at his friend's worried faces; they were about to find out anyway.
'I have to open this in here,' he said agitatedly, lifting the scroll for them to see 'and I don't want anyone else to see it until I know what it is.'
'What is it?' Hermione frowned.
'I don't know, a warning maybe.'
'We can see it though, right?' Ron pushed.
'I won't know until I've read it!'
'Harry, this is sounding ridiculously dangerous, where did you get it?' Trust Hermione to ask the hard questions. Harry looked around the room, not at all sure what he was looking for. 'Who gave it to you?' she demanded.
DONNNNNG!
Harry straightened suddenly and drew a deep breath. This was it. It was finally time.
He placed the scroll between both hands and placed his fingers under the wax, trying to lift the blood red seal. It wouldn't budge. He gripped the edges of the hard wax firmly and squeezed, snapping the seal instantly. It hissed and fizzled as a small ribbon of smoke rose from the crack.
For a split second, Harry thought it might burst into flames, fearing he had got it wrong somehow. But the whiff of smoke dissipated and Harry unrolled the parchment with shaky hands. His eyes scanned down the writing, immediately recognizing it as the same cramped hand that Snapes potions book had scrawled all through it. Ron and Hermione were watching him, their own suspenseful agitation growing as he studied the parchment.
He took a sharp intake of breath.
'What?' Ron asked 'What's it say?' Harry began to shake his head.
'I-I don't believe it…' he said quietly, baffled as he kept following the writing down the page.
'Harry! What is it?' Hermione's alarmed voice intruded as he tried to take in what he was seeing.
'I-I don't understand…' He swore as his breathing became rapid, his fear rising.
'What is it?' Hermione repeated loudly. Ron moved to look at the parchment.
'It's a warning, and a spell, but… ' feeling panic rising in him, Harry continued 'There are symbols ... I've got no idea what they mean. It looks like each has got a set of instructions to them.' He swore again. All thoughts of hiding the contents of the scroll were forgotten in his need. 'If I don't figure out what all of this means in the next four minutes, Bellatrix will succeed at doing something a hell of a lot worse than what she did at the wedding.' he said, a sick feeling growing in his stomach as he held out the parchment.
Hermione grabbed the piece of paper as she and Ron squinted at the tiny wording, reading down the page. He watched as a look of horror crept across their faces. Ron swore and Hermione's eyes watered.
'Where did you get this?' she breathed 'Is it right?'
Harry ran a hand through his already unkempt hair. 'I don't know. We can't afford to ignore it though, can we? If we do and it is right … then we wont be able to prevent her …' his mind raced at the thought.
'But Harry, who gave this to you?'
'Don't ask me that, it doesn't matter' Harry snapped, annoyed at her persistence. 'The point is we have to act on it.'
'But this could be a mistake?'
'Whatever it is, it is not a mistake.' He said angrily. He felt like too much time was slipping by while they argued the point. Hermione looked back at the parchment.
'Hang on mate, calm down. Hermione?' Ron tried to ease Harry's growing temper before throwing a look at Hermione. 'Can you tell what he's supposed to do with the symbols?'
'I should be able to, but I'll need time. Its some form of runes, but its complicated, they're worked in with the spell.' she said with a frown.
Harry glared at her. 'We don't have time. The parchment won't last. We need to commit it to memory.'
'To memory?' Hermione's eyes grew wide. 'Now?'
'Yes!' he said impatiently.
'If we get it wrong, even a little, the spell wont work.' She said.
'That's why we need to stop wasting time!'
'But-'
'Harry's normally right about this sort of thing Hermione.' Ron added quickly. 'He was right about Malfoy, wasn't he? He was right about Snape?'
Harry swallowed; Ron had unknowingly touched on the doubts that plagued his mind.
'What if we each memorize a symbol and its instructions; it shouldn't be too hard between the three of us. Lets have a look at it.' Ron waved her to hold it out for all of them to see. She held it up and Ron and Harry closed in on it.
'I should be able to work it out, but we have to get it right. I'll take the first one Ron, you take the second, and Harry, you memorize this last one. And remember, some of the symbols can look almost the same, but their meanings are very different. We have to get it right!' she spoke quickly as they studied the page. They were silent for a moment, and Harry registered out of the corner of his eye Ron mouthing the words as he read over them.
'How long do we have?' Ron asked finally.
'We must be almost out of time.' Harry said and he started reading over the instructions for the fourth time.
'What happens when the time is u-' But as Ron spoke, the parchment began to bubble as if it were immersed in acid. Hermione dropped it, gasping as smoke began drifting off the page slowly. They watched it fizzle on the floor, curling in on itself as it blackened, until eventually there was only a delicate charcoal skeleton left. Ron crouched down, but it crumbled the moment his fingers touched it. 'So, what do we do know?' he asked as he stood again, rubbing his blackened fingertips together.
'We have to warn McGonagall.' Hermione said as she looked to the staff table. All of the teachers appeared oblivious to the trio at the other end of the room, though as he looked around, Harry noticed Neville was staring at them from the Gryffindor table. He beckoned him over to where they were standing, and Neville jumped up with surprising speed.
'Neville can warn her, or we'll be stuck here as soon as she finds out what's going on.' He explained.
'You're right. There's no way she'd let us out without proof we can help.' Ron concurred.
'What's happening?' Neville already looked extremely worried as he looked between them.
'Something's coming to Hogsmeade Neville … something bad, and I need you to alert McGonagall.' Harry said, holding Neville's gaze.
'Of course,' Neville nodded as he swallowed.
'She would try and stop us if she found out what we were up to, so you're going to have to give us time to get away. And get the DA ready, but stay here, okay?' Harry said, his hand on Neville's chest 'you're backup only, just in case our defence doesn't work. We've only got one chance at this Neville. One go, or she'll succeed in destroying the town.'
'Who?' Neville asked. Harry watched for Neville's reaction as he spoke.
'Bellatrix LeStrange.' He knew this would have an impact on Neville, and sure enough his face changed, hardening to a look Harry had never seen on him before.
'Are you okay?' he asked slowly.
'I'll do it, you can count me in, Harry.' Neville said.
'Tell McGonagall Bellatrix has found a way to control Quintapeds, and she's going to unleash them on Hogsmeade in less than an hour.'
Neville's face dropped 'Quintapeds?'
'Yes' Hermione said pointedly.
'We think we have a way of stopping them. We're going to head there now.' Harry said quickly. 'Give us fifteen minutes before you go to McGonagall. She'll know what to do.'
'Alright' Neville said 'but how will I know if you need us?'
Harry thought about it for a moment. He hadn't really seriously considered bringing the DA to the fight; there would be enough witches and wizards in Hogsmeade that would be forced to make a stand when it came to it.
'I'll send my patronus, a stag. If you see it from the tower, that's the signal to come.' Neville looked a little unsure, but nodded slowly.
'Remember, give us fifteen minutes, okay?'
He nodded again and Harry, Ron and Hermione left the Hall.
'Quintapeds!' Ron said darkly as they closed the Hogwarts gates behind them, resetting the locks.
'Disgusting creatures.' Hermione said dejectedly.
'They're just Voldemorts style, aren't they?' Harry remembered vividly what he had read about them in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. They came from a small, unplottable island off the Northern most tip of Scotland, and had a mythical background due to the fact that nobody was really able to get close enough to study them owing to their liking for human flesh. What was known about them was that they were rather hairy and had the unusual claim of having five legs.
The trio disapparated, and then re-appeared outside the Three Broomsticks. The golden light that spilled out onto the street from the pub looked warm and inviting, and as they peered through the windows they could see that it was a busy night for these times when few would venture out after hours. The Halloween spirit was captured with large photos of hag-like witches scowling down from the walls, and ghostly shaped candles dotting the tables.
'Wish we could go in for a firewhiskey or two before we get started. Now we're actually allowed.' Ron said glumly.
'C'mon, we have to get this set up before they get here.' Harry led them away from the comforting chatter into the dully lit and quietly haunting streets.
Harry pulled out his cloak and threw it over them. They huddled together and wrapped their arms around themselves in the chill as they moved swiftly, not daring to run. Snapes message had warned Death Eaters might be at large so they had to avoid being seen. Harry found himself trusting in his gut feeling more and more, reminding himself of what Abe had told him earlier that day.
Harry had known when he read the parchment that he couldn't do it alone, and Snape knew his limitations, as much as he knew Hermione's talent. The spell would take all three of them. This was the reason he had insisted Harry be in the Hall when he opened the scroll, it was the best way to ensure he would be around the help he needed.
The cool night air bit through their meagre clothing. The sky was cloudless and starry, and the moonlight lit up the surrounding houses and hills in its bluish glow, giving no hint as to the danger that lurked. They walked some distance past the little teashop Harry had once gone to with Cho, on their first, and last date. He pulled off the cloak.
'It said to put the first mark somewhere here, right?' he asked as he watched Hermione pace the ground.
'The position of them doesn't have to be perfect, what really matters is getting the symbols right.' She said 'As long as they make a triangle, it'll work.' She took out her wand and pointed it at the ground. Ron and Harry watched as she drew a white shape on the cobbled pavement resembling a large W, mirror reflected at the bottom peaks, drawing it out in exactly the order that had been written below the symbol on the parchment. Next to it she put what looked like an upside Y with a bar across the bottom and joined the two symbols with three parallel lines, one above, one through the centre, and one below. She stopped and breathed out loudly.
'That's one.' She said.
'Let's go.' Harry urged. Ron was rubbing his arms against the chill as Harry threw his cloak back over them. They walked back down the way they had come.
The streets were empty; the only people they passed along the way was a tall weathered looking man, and a mildly pretty young woman with shoulder length blonde hair.
When they reached the lane that led out to the back of the town, they stopped, emerging from under the cloak.
'This will do.' Hermione said 'Ron?'
Ron took his wand out and did the same as he had seen Hermione do, this time the symbol was a square with a diamond laid over the top of it, and something that resembled the letter P, but with two extra arms attached next to it with what looked like feet. Ron was repeating it in the exact order he had read, when he suddenly stopped, unsure of where to put the joining lines.
'Ron!' Hermione glared at him. He frowned at the ground and then moved his wand to complete the mark, finishing his part of the spell.
'I hope that's right.' She chided.
'It is.' He said guiltily.
'We'd better get moving.' Harry said before Hermione could say anything more scathing.
When Harry had completed the last of the symbols on the road that led to the Shrieking Shack, they headed back to the Three Broomsticks.
'McGonagall would have called The Order by now.' he said as they hurried up the street, trying to keep their feet beneath the cloak.
'I wonder how many of them will come?' Ron muttered. It was true that they all seemed so busy these days that it was unlikely there would be many of them able to be reached.
'As long as this works, and its not just some elaborate plan to get Harry standing unprotected in the middle of Hogsmeade, we should be alright.' Hermione said, glancing at Harry. 'Rune triangles were used in the old days. Its said that power can be channelled through the corners and forced to meet in the centre, colliding and combining at the same time.'
'If we got it right. It's going to take one heck of a spell to banish a hundred Quintapeds!' Harry added under his breath. Hermione didn't answer; instead she shuddered, the thought of getting it wrong seemingly to ghastly to contemplate.
When they reached the outside of the pub, they stopped and eyed the people inside.
'They've got no idea what's coming, maybe we should warn them.' Hermione's face creased with concern.
'They're safer inside.' Harry said and removed the cloak. He motioned his head at the two figures walking towards them. McGonagall and Slughorn had apparated into the middle of the street, Harry not at all surprised to see them.
'Potter! What's going on? What's all this talk about Quintapeds attacking Hogsmeade?' she asked it angrily, but he could tell she was worried.
'Surely you can't be serious? Quintapeds are wild, they wont be working for the-'
'They are.' Harry interrupted Slughorn. 'He's found a way to control them, and Bellatrix is bringing them here, tonight.' McGonagall's lips thinned.
'How do you know?' she asked.
'I just do.'
Slughorn looked thoroughly unconvinced, fearful even, but McGonagall took Harry aside and spoke to him in a hushed voice.
'How do you know?'
'If I told you, you wouldn't like it.' Harry said.
'Try me.' She retorted. He tried to read her expression, her mouth was set harshly, but her eyes held doubt. He took a deep breath.
'I cant.' He breathed out resignedly. As much as he wanted to share this particular piece of information with her, he instinctively knew he shouldn't.
She sniffed impatiently. 'I really think if Dumbledore trusted me, you could too.'
'It's not a matter of trust.' He said, 'If anyone else were to find out, well … next time there wouldn't be a warning.' He almost couldn't believe he was saying it. Did he really think Snape would tip them off a second time?
She looked intensely irritated. 'What is this way of stopping the attack Mr. Longbottom was talking about?'
'It's a spell, a complicated one, but we've already set it up.'
'Set it up?'
'Yes, Hermione says it follows the old ways, but it's powerful. We've put down a rune triangle.'
She raised her eyebrows. 'Miss Granger came up with it?'
'No.' There was a couple of popping noises nearby.
'You stay put. Do you understand?' she poked a finger at him.
'I'm not going anywhere.'
Lupin and Tonks began sprinting as soon as their feet hit the ground, their cloaks billowing around them. Harry heard another crack behind them and turned to see Hestia standing underneath the Three Broomsticks sign.
'What is it? We came as soon as we got your message.' Lupin slowed and eyed Harry with a frown. 'What are you doing here?'
Harry was impressed at the ease with which McGonagall deflected Lupins questions, while informing the three new arrivals of the Quintapeds impending attack. She explained what was about to happen expertly as if it had all come from her.
'I have to get back to Hogwarts, in case the students come under threat. I have confined them to their dormitories, but I fear they will not all stay there.' She glanced at Harry out of the corner of her eye. 'I'll leave you to deal with things here, Remus. Professor Slughorn…' she motioned to him and he nodded, looking rather relieved to be leaving.
'Of course.' Lupin said. They disapparated, leaving Lupin staring at Harry.
'We don't have much time.' Harry said pointedly.
'What's this spell McGonagall was talking about?' Lupin asked.
'The three of us can do it,' Harry answered 'but you have to let the Quintapeds into town.' Lupin frowned 'you've got to draw them in so we can banish them. It only works inside the triangle.'
'Are you sure about this Harry? There are still a lot of people in Hogsmeade.' Ron and Hermione were watching him. He could be wrong, but he had to make a choice.
'I'm sure.' feeling rather sick as he said it.
'What's going on?' The appearance of so many people outside the pub had attracted some of the patrons from inside to investigate.
Harry heard a couple more cracks, and saw some more Order members joining them, as Lupin herded the wizards back inside. It was obvious he had the same thought as Harry; he wanted to avoid an all out panic. Lupin sent Kingsley into the pub to explain what was happening; knowing that some people would chose to go home to their families. By the time the Order had navigated a plan to draw the Quintapeds in, Harry, Ron and Hermione moved to make their final mark on the ground.
There was a distant sound of wands firing, growing from the main entrance to Hogsmeade, along with the intermittent cracks of wizards appearing to help in the struggle. Word must be spreading, Harry thought, watching as Lupin made sure the new arrivals were informed of the plan.
Then a few things happened in quick succession.
A wizard came running up the main street, seemingly surprised at the gathering before him, yelling and panting desperately that huge hairy monsters had entered the town through the front gate, and would be in the centre within minutes. Then an Order member that had been sent to keep watch, apparated before the pub and informed Lupin the creatures were circling the town, and would be moving in from all sides. The lookout posted at the door of the Three Broomsticks ducked back inside to pass on the news that the monsters were here, prompting them to pull down the blinds in what seemed to Harry, a futile effort to avoid detection.
He saw the tall weathered man grab hold of the young blonde woman's arm in an effort to restrain her from leaving the building for which Harry was glad, it would be difficult to have even more people on the streets to defend. She looked extraordinarily angry as the last blind was closed and they disappeared from view, throwing the street into gloomy foreshadowing.
'Alright, everyone get into position!' Lupin yelled at the remaining wizards who hadn't left to help defend innocents. They took up positions at the surrounding street entrances, effectively encircling the trio. Harry, Ron and Hermione stood in the centre of the main road, Hermione directing them nervously as each drew a long straight line across the ground in front of them, joining the ends to make the final triangle.
'That's it!' she said, her voice unmistakably shaky. They moved to stand within the triangle and turned their backs on each other. The surrounding night sky was flashing with shots fired from the numerous wizards on the outer edges of the town, and the crackling of misfired curses hitting the surrounding buildings was growing louder.
Then all of a sudden, the noise dropped off and things went deathly quiet.
All Harry could hear was Ron and Hermione's rapid breathing, as he held his own breath. The quiet stillness was worse than the fighting. The other wizards tensed, and it seemed to Harry the silence lasted hours, but it must have only been a few short seconds.
Then people were yelling again, their voices much closer than before, the flashes of light erupting once more, this time bouncing off the nearby shops and houses. Order members started appearing in the main street as they backed away from the onslaught, firing hexes pointedly. Harry knew the creatures were close as Lupin and the others joined in the struggle, wishing he were free to go to their aid. But he had his job to do. Then he caught his first glimpse of a Quintaped.
Its sturdy, hairy legs, as tall as a man, appeared first. Then its dense, low-slung body came into view from around the building in front of him. It was a monstrous sight as its wide mouth with jagged teeth became visible through its thick brown fur. The two wizards standing before it backed away from the spider-like Quintaped as they fired at it in terror.
'I hope you know what your doing!' Lupin yelled urgently over his shoulder, still from some distance away. Harry's heartbeat raced. He had to be right about this. If he was wrong, if the spell didn't do as Snape said it would… Suddenly Harry was overcome by a wave of nausea. He could hear Hermiones gasps and Ron swearing behind him, and looking around he could see the creatures were appearing on all sides. There were stunning flashes shooting through the air before him, but they seemed to have little effect, the beasts starting briefly, as if they had been struck, then renewing their slow approach with fevered anger.
'Lets do it!' Ron said
'We have to wait until the last possible moment.' Harry said determinedly, but his thoughts were not as sure. This was all wrong. This is exactly what Snape wanted. They would have no hope of defending the town when the spell failed.
'Harry!' Lupin was firing off curses from his wand as he pushed Tonks behind him, backing towards the trio as the monsters pressed in.
Not yet, Harry thought. He watched as the circle of wizards closed in on them, he could feel Hermione's body trembling against his.
'Harry…' her voice quivered softly. It's not time, he thought, aware at Hermione's growing doubt at his continued silence.
'They're getting awfully close, mate!' Ron sounded angry. Harry watched as the defenders of the town started touching shoulder to shoulder, the horrific beasts flashing their teeth and eyeing them greedily.
Almost there.
Harry could see the tears in Tonks eyes as she frantically fired off shots. The Quintapeds were thick in the streets, pushing in on one another in their effort to get to the reluctant feast.
'Get ready,' he said finally, as he raised his wand in front of him. The three of them stood in the corners of the triangle, back to back, their shoulders touching, and their arms stretched out, pointing their wands directly above their heads.
'Harry!' Lupin was only a couple of feet away from him now. Tonks turned to look at Harry briefly, a silent plea in her eyes.
'Do it!' Ron's voice urged.
'NOW!' Harry yelled forcefully.
Three beams of greyish white light streaked from their wands and soared into the endless sky as they recited the words that had been spelled out for them. Harry could feel his wand starting to vibrate as the beams became thicker, brighter, the spell gathering momentum. The Quintapeds were slowly becoming more aware of the glowing spectacle; many closest to them had stopped attacking, and were beginning to back up, unable to get far, trapped by the masses pushing in behind them.
Harry looked up as his wand shuddered. The beams of light coiled around one another, intertwining and strengthening, becoming one. The air around him became turbulent and suffocating. Cloaks were flying about the wizard's bodies, being drawn into what felt like a vacuum, sucking the very air into the triangle violently. Harry could feel the power coursing through his body; it was unlike anything he had ever felt before. He was overcome with a desperate need to vent it, and yelled to his companions to release the spell. His voice carried away with the force of the rushing air but he could feel they were acting as one. Slowly they brought their arms down rigidly in front of them. The light flashed and crackled as it separated into three brilliantly white arcs that emanated from the wand tips, and remained joined above their heads.
Harry's body jolted as the power flow reversed itself. The ground beneath them shook as the surrounding buildings vibrated threateningly, the Quintapeds desperately trying to scatter in fear as Lupin grasped Tonks and shielded her body, the others bracing themselves.
Suddenly, a dome of light exploded over the trio's heads and expanded rapidly. Harry's body relaxed instantly as the power left him. He watched, as it was unleashed on their unwitting targets.
The spell had a devastating effect.
High pitched, ear piercing squeals filled the air as the light passed forcefully, yet harmlessly over the people, and racked over the Quintapeds. They writhed at its touch, their legs curling underneath their bulbous bodies before shrivelling as if all of the life had been sucked out of them. Harry looked away repulsed. He had not expected it to be so vulgar and the guilt swelled in him. Hermione had her face buried in Ron's shoulder, his hand resting on the back of her hair protectively. They were both as appalled at the resulting carnage as he was. The beasts screeched and gurgled as they collapsed in on themselves, falling like hairy dominos.
As the screams of the monsters faded, Harry became aware of another sound; a bloodcurdling shriek from a woman's voice. It was not a yell for help, but a scream of blind fury and frustration.
Bellatrix!
Harry gripped his wand with both hands, searching for his target.
Bellatrix was standing before the laneway, black cloaked, mask in hand as she looked around at her fallen army. A dozen Death Eaters stood in her wake, all surveying the hairy bodies that littered the streets.
'You!' she screeched as she caught sight of Harry and lifted her wand. 'You've interfered for the last time!'
'Harry!' Lupin called out as a red jet of light shot towards Harry, but he was ready for it. He dived and hit the ground, and as he scrambled to his feet, he saw Ron, dragging Hermione by the hand as he ran for the cover of a nearby Alley. As another jet of light screamed towards him he took cover behind the bulk of a dead Quintaped. The noise of the curses hitting solid brick could be heard as the Order members joined in the fighting, yelling instructions to one another as the Death Eaters moved in.
The door to the pub before him opened suddenly. A middle-aged wizard brandishing his wand leapt out onto the street, only to be pushed to ground by Hestia as a green beam of light soared above them.
'Julie!' Harry heard Madame Rosmerta yell from within as the young blonde woman from before, ran out of the doorway, crouched with her wand in hand, taking cover behind a nearby cart.
He could feel the beads of sweat forming on his brow as he peered out from behind the hairy mass to see beams of light shooting in every direction. The wizards who had stood together against the Quintapeds, now scattered as they urgently sought cover. He searched the area before him with only one target in mind.
Bellatrix was moving through the main street, eyes fixed on the spot where he had taken shelter, obviously just as determined to seek him out. Knowing he couldn't stay where he was, he took a deep breath, and threw himself forward. Scrambling to his feet, he bolted towards the nearest cover; a small laneway that lay alongside the boarded up Zonko's.
He felt the curse fired as it careered towards his back, and dived onto the hard cobbled pavement. The white beam soared over him by only inches and collided with the building before him, sending bricks and mortar flurrying down over Harry.
He clawed his way to his feet again and in a low crouch, moved quickly through the hairy mounds to the entrance of the laneway, panting as he reached the safety of a sidewall of the corner house. The adrenaline was pumping through his veins as he wiped the sweat away from his forehead with the back of his sleeve. He glanced out into the din and saw Bellatrix bearing down on the cart where the young woman was taking refuge.
Images of Gabrielle's horrified face suddenly filled his mind.
'No!' Came from under his breath as he darted out from behind the building and fired off a stunning spell in silence, hoping to catch Bellatrix off guard. But she knew exactly where he was, and had been waiting for him to strike. She deflected the spell, though appeared surprised at the force of it as she stumbled backwards a few steps. Harry was about to strike again when the girl suddenly appeared in his line of fire as she ran towards him.
'Get down!' he yelled angrily. The woman dived as Bellatrix fired off another curse. Harry ducked behind the corner of the house as the beam hit, tearing a gash in the orner of the brickwork. He stepped back out and aimed his wand, but Bellatrix was nowhere insight; she must have made it to the cart. He covered the blonde woman as she scrambled to her feet and ran passed Harry into the cover of the Laneway.
'You should have stayed in the pub!' he said aggressively over his shoulder at her.
'I couldn't!' came her angry reply, but before she could say anything else, Harry grabbed her arm and raced down the darkened Alley.
'C'mon!'
They hurtled down the Laneway as if the Devil himself were chasing them, weaving in and out of the hairy lumps in their path. Harry kept glancing over his shoulder, expecting Bellatrix to appear, shooting a deadly beam at them.
'You have to find cover.' He panted, and as they neared the end of the alley. Then Harry felt it. He thrust Julie in the opposite direction to him at the T-junction, diving behind a stone wall as a green beam of light flashed passed and contacted violently with a bird bath in a front garden, exploding it on impact.
'Run!' Harry yelled at the girl. She turned, bolting up the street in the opposite direction. He looked out from his stone cover just in time to see Bellatrix vanish from the laneway. He swore and jumped to his feet, running for the small street entrance some ways diagonally opposite.
CRACK
He turned, running backwards. Bellatrix appeared in the middle of the road at the end of the T-junction, behind the wall Harry had been crouched, expecting to have taken him by surprise. He aimed a stun at her silently, his heartbeat racing. She turned in time to see it and deflected it, though again it knocked her back a few paces as it rebounded off her shield. She looked infuriated as Harry lost sight of her behind the houses that lined the street he had entered.
'Harry!'
He swung round to see Neville coming in the opposite direction up the street.
'I told you not to come unless I gave the signal!' Harry said urgently as he raced towards him. He knew Bellatrix would be right behind him.
'C'mon!' he grabbed Neville's arm and pulled him with him.
'It's only me.' Neville panted as they headed for the road in front. 'The others … are watching Hogwarts.' He panted.
'This way…' They had reached another T-junction, and veered off to the left. Harry pulled Neville with him as he made for the edge of town. He needed cover to face Bellatrix, and the forest that lined the back of Hogsmeade would give him that.
They tore down the street and Harry kept glancing over his shoulder, sure he would see Bella appear out of thin air any minute. They reached the end of the road and scanned the dully lit street. The buildings here were all in darkness, no comforting lights on in the windows and no movements behind the curtains; they stood deserted, whether from the immediate threat or past troubles. Not too far off there was a struggle taking place, he could see the flashes of light in the sky above the houses down the street, he could hear the clashes of curses as they hit the buildings near the trees in the surrounding forest.
Harry looked to the Alley some way down the road.
'There!' he said as he guided Neville, pushing them to run towards it. The roads were now free of Quintaped carcasses so they ran flat out, pulling to a stop as they came upon the darkened Alley. Harry studied the shadows that led off into the trees beyond for a moment, and then suddenly a flash came soaring towards him. He pushed Neville with him as he dived behind the corner house and watched as the beam of light pelted into the building opposite, scattering debris onto the street.
'Stay here!' He threw at Neville, who was crouched in the shadows under a windowsill. If he could make it to the trees, he would have her! Jumping to his feet, he thrust himself beyond the safety of the house, lunging into the darkened alley.
He hugged the side of the buildings, trying to conceal himself in the shadows. A green beam of light shot towards him, sending him scrambling into a nearby doorway to avoid it. The curse smashed into the wooden door behind him, splintering the wood in all directions and showering Harry with debris. He waited for a moment then dodged back out, and worked his way along, darting from doorway to doorway, watching for another attack. Then another flash of light sped towards him, causing him to take cover behind a stone balustrade lining the stairs in front of him to avoid it.
He wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his slightly trembling hand as he sat with his back against the stone, panting. He had been so determined in his effort to not let Bella get away, that he had allowed himself to become trapped. He was wondering wildly how he was going to get out of there while Bellatrix was fixed on him, when he heard a gurgling sound that made his stomach lurch.
He edged his shoulders up the stonework and turned to peer over the top. His eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat.
Bellatrix was standing on the path at the end of the road as a large hairy, spider-like Quintaped came creeping into the street from around the building. He threw his back against the stone again, swearing under his breath. Of course, there would be some who were outside the triangle!
'What's the matter Potter? Afraid of one little Quintaped?' Bellatrix laughed from a distance. 'After killing so many, this one shouldn't be any trouble for you!' Harry slowed his panting so that his breathing made less noise. His only hope was that it would pass him. He could slip out and run for the trees before it realized he was there.
He could hear the muffled thump of its clubbed feet, and a low rumbling noise gurgling from the back of its throat as it slowly inched its way towards him. Harry leaned down carefully and glanced around the edge of the stone, pulling swiftly back in and drawing his breath at the closeness of the monster. It was headed straight for him. His heartbeat raced as Bella continued to delight in his impending doom.
'If your interference means I must die at my Masters hand, then you will die too.' She said viciously.
Harry's chest heaved as a hairy leg came into view only a couple of feet from where he was sitting. His panic rose as a second and then a third leg brought the body of the beast alongside him.
'You should not have crossed me, Potter!' She hissed.
Harry sat as still as he could, yet he knew the beast had not needed to see him, it had smelt him. As he turned his head it barred its teeth at him, its giant yellow eyes glittering dangerously, hungrily.
'He wants you for himself, but I will have my revenge!' she ranted.
Harry started edging back on his hands and feet towards the doorway. He paused fleetingly as he lifted his wand and fired a stunning spell, but as before, it had little effect The monster only seemed infuriated by the sting it must have felt from it, and lunged at Harry, just missing his foot as he scrambled to his feet and backed himself against the doorway, pushing at it furiously. Bellatrix's laughter rang out.
'Say goodbye, Harry Potter.'
The sweat from his body was making his clothing cling to him in the chilly night air as he watched the creature bring its body towards him. He fired off two more curses that both battered into the beast, but had little effect except to anger it further. It was no more than four feet away when it's jagged teeth bared menacingly and it opened its mouth to lunge at him again.
Instinctively, Harry produced a shield charm as its putrid breath inundated his nostrils, causing the beast to stumble backwards a few feet as it was repelled. Harry pushed out of the doorway, and leapt over the balustrade, hurtling himself at full speed towards the trees. As he ran, he registered vaguely a figure making its way towards Bellatrix along one of the shadowed paths, and as it sank through his thoughts, he stopped just short of his cover, whispering under his breath.
'Neville!'
'And what have we here?' Bellatrix's mocking laughter that had followed Harry as he ran, turned into a wicked simper at the sight of Neville. Popping noises rang out as half a dozen black-cloaked figures appeared, partially obscuring Bellatrix from Harry's view.
'It's time to go!' one of them said 'It's over Bellatrix! We have to get out of here.'
'No!' she bit out, 'I'm not finished yet.'
'Don't do it, Bellatrix!' Harry said loudly, keeping his wand trained on the new arrivals. Neville stood in the middle of the pathway that lay between the houses and the forest, pointing his wand at her. The Death Eaters turned at his voice, wands drawn. A beam of light shot out, as a curse was fired from one of them, but his wand was thrust skyward by another's angry hand, sending the curse careering harmlessly into a nearby tree.
'It's Potter!'
Harry wiped at his face with his shoulder, impatiently trying to remove the sweat that stung his eyes. What is wrong with me? His mind felt like it was beginning to fog over as he gripped his wand in both hands.
'Neville, get out of here.' He said in a low warning.
'She's going to pay, Harry. She's going to pay for what she did to my mum and dad.' He answered. Harry could see that his wand was shaking slightly as he swallowed nervously. It was obvious Bellatrix recognized him as she grinned maliciously.
'Another one who wants to go the same way as his parents! You want to feel their pain, don't you?' she taunted Neville cruelly.
'NO!' Harry said aggressively as he started to move slowly towards Neville. 'Its me you want!'
'Oh, now don't hog all the attention, let the boy have his moment.' she said as laughter trickled from her cruel mouth, her wand directed on her challenger. Harry saw the Quintaped out of the corner of his eye, in the shadows of the buildings behind Neville. It was slowly making its way towards them.
'He's been waiting his whole pathetic life for this,' she glanced at Harry dangerously 'and I would stop moving if I were you. I could just kill him right now.' Harry stopped with Neville still a good fifteen feet away. Neville shot out a curse suddenly, but it was flicked aside by her carelessly.
'Crucio!'
Neville's shield proved useless. His face contorted and his body curled. And as he screamed in agony, he dropped to the ground, his wand rolling away from his hand.
'It's me you want Bellatrix. Leave him alone.' Harry felt sick with Neville's pain, wincing as the screams inundated his ears. He started firing curse after curse at Bellatrix as she walked towards Neville's writhing body, but the Death Eaters stood between Harry and his target, taking all of their effort to keep up with him, though they did not retaliate at first. They appeared in particular to be struggling with the force of the stun he was casting at them, stumbling backwards in their attempts to block it and swearing angrily.
The screaming echoed through the forest behind Harry.
'STOP IT!' Harry took off towards Neville again, but the cloaked figures moved forward to block him. One of them hissed at Bellatrix.
'We don't have time for your games.'
She giggled evilly as Neville's screams became hoarse from the pain. Harry knew what Neville was feeling; he too had felt it before.
'STOP IT!' He roared.
Finally the cries stopped. Bellatrix glanced between her cohorts at Harry with a triumphant grin on her face as Neville grasped his wand and picked himself up off the ground, groggily stumbling to his feet.
'Don't move!' Harry yelled to Neville, he could see the Quintaped was lurking in the nearby shadows. But Neville stretched himself to his full height, and ignoring Harry, aimed his wand at her once more.
'No,' barely escaped Harry's lips at Neville's determination.
'Are they breeding you utterly stupid these days, boy?' she asked him mockingly. Neville was staring down his wand at her. She flicked aside a curse he sent her way and it rebounded into the house beside her, at the end of the street. A loud crack rang out as it sent broken bricks onto the pathway, but Neville fired again, this time missing Bella as she dodged her shoulder out of its path.
'You are wasting time! We have to get out of here.'
'You're right,' Bellatrix said darkly in answer to her robed companion. 'I am wasting time'. Harry knew what she was going to do before she did it. He knew she was going to revel in Neville's pain.
'Don't do it!' Harry's furious command had come too late. She had deflected another curse Neville sent her way with almost no effort, and hit him with the Cruciatus curse again.
Neville hit the ground as before; writhing in agony, and screaming uncontrollably. Harry swayed as he fought back the bile in his throat, firing uselessly at her again. 'STOP IT!'
She closed in on Neville and kicked his wand away, and then stepped back again, watching on in silent pleasure, her mouth curling into a twisted grin. The Quintaped had paused and appeared to be watching the unusual actions of its intended pray as it writhed in unimaginable pain. Harry vaguely registered another figure moving swiftly through the shadows of the street, heading towards them, but Neville's screams were filling his head, which was already becoming increasingly woozy, making him feel sick again.
His body was shaking as the chilly night air pierced his damp clothing. He lifted his shaky shoulder in agitation, wiping the relentless sweat away from his forehead. He couldn't think straight with the noise and his mind searched desperately for a way to put and end to this. He opened his mouth before he could think what he was saying.
'IF YOU STOP IT, I'LL GO WITH YOU!'
'What?' Neville's screams finally died, as Bellatrix turned on Harry.
'Leave him alone.' Harry said more quietly this time. 'I'll go willingly to Voldemort if you let him go.' His wand arm trembled as he stared over it at Bellatrix. His eyelids were starting to droop heavily and his felt the ground swirling beneath him.
'You expect me to believe you'll come to your death if I let this useless idiot go?'
'I give you my word.'
'No…' Neville croaked as he staggered to his feet.
One of the Death Eaters spoke up.
'Lets take him and get out! The others will be here soon.' he hissed. Harry watched her as she looked at him through narrowed eyes.
'Our little boy hero wants to lay down his own-?' but Bellatrix was cut off by a flash of white light and was knocked to the ground. Neville threw himself on top of her as another flash of light coming from the shadows behind the Quintaped, which had started to move in on them again, pelted into one of the Death Eaters who had their backs to the street.
Harry started firing on them in their confusion, and the hit one immediately with a stun, sending the masked figure careering backwards with such force that he took two of his companions with him as he hurtled to the ground. Then from the shadows of the street, two more curses came flying into the fray. One was deflected, but the other contacted its target, flinging him to the ground.
Harry kept attacking, and so did the person in the street, keeping the remaining four cloaked figures too busy to interfere with Neville and Bellatrix, who were still struggling on the ground. But, with three of them now returning his fire, Harry was unable to keep his shield up long enough and took a hit from two of them at once. The white-hot beams thrust him off his feet and sent him crashing backwards. There was a sickening crunch in his rib cage as it collided with a tree trunk, and pain ripped through him as he slumped to the ground.
'Watch it, you idiot!'
Harry heard the dreamlike echo of one of his assailants muffled voices as he lifted himself slowly off the ground. Pain forked out across his rib cage, and he shook his head as he staggered to his feet, trying to clear the fog that threatened to overtake him. He clutched at his side with one arm, and reached up and wiped the sweat from his eyes with his wand still clutched in his hand. He stared out on the scene before him, dazed and shaking.
Three of the six Death Eaters were down, and two were firing up the streets in search of who ever lay hidden. One was watching Harry nervously, taking in his battered condition, but did not move to attack him.
'Neville!' Harry tried to yell it, but it was impossible to get enough air into his lungs. The Quintaped was creeping up behind the unsuspecting Neville, who was busy struggling to keep Bellatrix from wriggling like a wildcat underneath him as she clawed for her wand, which lay just out of reach. All three Death Eaters now faced Harry as he glanced up the street, battling to keep upright. He caught site of a blonde head poking out of a doorway. Julie!
'LOOK OUT!' She yelled in warning, watching the Quintapeds approach on the two struggling figure. As soon as her voice rang out, the three-cloaked figures span around.
Harry took his opportunity and raised his wand with an unsteady arm firing a stun at one of them. It pelted into the masked figure, making him groan before falling to the ground. The Quintaped appeared ready to strike, its controller no longer a threat as she lay beneath Neville, and it eyed its intended meal greedily. In desperation, Harry sucked in the pain and yelled out to Neville, and turned all of his curses towards the Quintaped, as Julie fired on the masked menaces.
The curses that hit the Quintapeds hairy hide, only made it flinch, as if bitten by an annoying insect. Bellatrix had stopped struggling. She had spotted the Quintaped, and was waiting for it to strike Neville, who had Bellatrix's wand in hand. He finally turned to see what Harry was yelling about, his eyes widening as the beasts mouth boar down on him. Neville moved quickly, rolling off Bellatrix and across the ground, looking back just in time to see the ghastly mouth close over her.
'NOOOOO!' her blood-curdling scream rang out as the teeth sunk into her sides and lifted her from the ground.
The two Death Eaters that were left were backing away uncertainly, firing at the creature. The monster bit down on its screeching Quarry, and the sound of bone crunching could be heard as its prey spluttered, then fell silent. Blood ran down the yellowish fangs and dripped onto its fur as it turned and headed for the trees, Bellatrix's limp body hanging from its jaws.
With two loud cracking sounds, the Death Eaters were gone.
Some way off, Julie spoke to Neville as she approached him, but Harry could no longer see them clearly. Their voices seemed to drift into nothing as he hung his head in his hands in an effort to keep the darkness at bay. Wiping at the sweat in his eyes, he tried to keep focused on the ground at his feet when a muffled cry made him look up. Neville's still form seemed to glow an eerie green colour for a second, and then he crumpled to the ground.
Harry joined Julie, automatically firing a stun at the Death Eater who was trying to get up from the ground. As the curses hit, his head dropped back and his body skidded along the gravel from the force.
Neville! Suddenly, nothing felt real. Blackness was edging in on his world, but he knew he had to stay awake. He knew he had to see the motionless figure laying on the path for himself. Then he would see he wasn't dead.
Clutching at his side, he walked unsteadily up to the blonde girl who was crouched over Neville. Her shoulders were shaking as she wept into the palms of her hands. The vision of Neville's body shifted before Harry's eyes, doubling and swirling sickeningly. He turned from it, unable to look at it anymore. He knew where he had to go. He knew someone who could make sense of this, set him right. He limped off up the street, out of the darkness and into the light.
The buildings lurched ominously and Harry was having trouble keeping his feet, but he stumbled on. He was finding it increasingly difficult to walk the road, which for some reason appeared to be becoming lumpy and hairy. He fell a couple of times, and though the pain took his breath away, the dazed feeling in his head helped to numb the real pain.
As he rounded a bend he couldn't remember ever having been down before, he saw a sign that no longer looked familiar. He couldn't remember where he was going, or why, by the time he staggered barely conscious towards the darkened doorway.
He eased his body weight against it painfully. The heavy door opened and Harry stumbled forward, leaning himself against a wall as the door close behind him. He breathed in stabbing pain, dropping his head back and closing his eyes to the blur. Exhaustion swept over him as his legs began to give way, his body slowly sliding down the wall behind him.
He vaguely heard the door re-open, followed by urgent footsteps. Harry felt a strong hand grip his arm and heave him to a standing position.
'Thought you'd come here.' A gruff voice said as Harry's left arm was thrown over someone's shoulder. 'C'mon, lets get you up to a room before anyone sees ya.'