Chapter 40: Prophecy

Madeline felt a sick twist in her stomach as she nodded. No, she couldn't do this. She wouldn't. It didn't matter what came from it; she couldn't torture someone innocent; someone who had watched her friend die and would continue to speak the truth despite Umbridge's attempts to silence the both of them.

She was using her as a pawn, and no one used Madeline Bisset as a pawn.

"Go on then," Umbridge encouraged, "What are you waiting for? Do it-"

"Professor, I can't-"

"Just tell them Harry!"

"Hermione!" Harry hissed, shaking his head. Madeline dropped her arm, letting Umbridge push her out of the way as she eagerly listened to Hermione.

"We'll have to, Harry, she'll force it out of you anyway, what's… What's the point?" Hermione trailed off, suddenly beginning to sob into her hands. Quite realistically, of course, but not enough to fool Madeline.

"That's right, that's right, girl!" Umbridge encouraged, "Yes, save Potter some trouble and tell me what you know, will you?"

She wailed again, "J-Just tell her Harry! If you won't, I-I will!"

"What? Where what is, girl?" Umbridge pressed, wand out at the ready towards Harry if he tried to stop her.

Hermione breathed, pretending to collect herself, "Dumbledore's secret weapon."

"Weapon? Weapon?" said Umbridge, and her eyes seemed to pop with excitement. She straightened herself up just slightly, "Alright then. Lead me to the weapon. Let's make it just you and me… And we'll take Potter, too, shall we?"

Hermione nodded as Umbridge undid the ties on Harry's arms. She pulled him up, grabbing Hermione's sleeve and leading the two of them out of the office.

"Mister Malfoy, please keep an eye on the rest of… Them," Umbridge called from behind her, locking eyes with Madeline, "And keep Potters wand safe, will you?"

Draco nodded once, "Alright."

The door shut behind Umbridge with a firm click.

The moment she was gone, Madeline felt her knees go weak, dropping down to the floor and releasing a breath she didn't know she was holding. She almost performed an unspeakable curse on Harry Potter…

She felt someone kneel next to her, the smell of green apples and vanilla filling her nostrils before she even looked up. It was Draco, not touching her quite yet, but he was there.

"You okay?" He murmured, loud enough just for her to hear.

Madeline nodded, taking a deep breath. This was… This was a lot. This was not what she'd signed up for.

"I'll be fine," Madeline reassured him, feeling his breath tickle at her neck, "Help me up, will you?"

Draco's hands were on her arm in an instant, helping her up by her wrist and elbow. Looking around, Madeline ignored the curious stares from the Gryffindors, instead bringing her eyes over to Neville.

Well; she'd already done one brave thing today, what was another one?

"Neville," she began slowly, "How important is it for Harry to do whatever he was trying to do?"

Crabbe released his hold on Neville just slightly, allowing him to take a few full gulps of air. He looked at Madeline, meeting her eyes and simply nodding.

Madeline sighed, turning back to Draco, "Sorry about this."

"About wha-"

"Stupefy!"

At once, Draco was stunned. The room sprang into action. Ginny grinned, stamping onto her captors foot until she was released, turning and casting her own Stunner. Ron and Luna fought their way out too as Madeline disarmed Crabbe, Neville stumbling out of his arms. Madeline bent down, grabbing Harry's wand from Draco's pocket as Ron did the same with Hermione's wand.

Goyle seemed to roar to life, pushing Luna aside and lunging for Madeline. Before he could even reach her, Neville pointed his want, casting an Impediment Jinx and rendering Goyle immobile.

Draco was recovering quickly. So, without a second thought, Madeline blasted the office door open and pointed out to the corridor, "What are you lot waiting for? Go help Harry."

They rushed out of the room, Madeline last as she cast a quick 'Colloportus' on the door. She ran with the others, through the corridors and alerting the paintings that something was happening. Hogwarts was on the move.

"I saw them going into the forest from the window," Ginny called to the others, Madeline not far behind.

Madeline dared to peer behind her, and of course, saw none other than Draco running after them, his goons nowhere to be seen. He was a good enough spell caster to cause the others an issue, so Madeline slowed down, allowing the others to race forwards. She turned, facing Draco as he came to a stop a few feet in front of her.

"The hell, Bisset?" Draco demanded, "You're going to get all of us in trouble for that little stunt."

"That bitch tried to get me to Crucio Harry Potter!" Madeline replied, "Do not try to defend her. I know how much you'd have killed for that opportunity, but that's not the point."

"What is the point, then? If you think you're so smart?" Draco pressed, lifting his wand."

"The point is that I'm done taking the easy route!" Madeline replied in exasperation, raising her voice so much so that the paintings around them turned to watch the argument, "There's a difference between doing what's easy and what's right. The easy thing would've been to let Umbridge manipulate me and the rest of you, but the right thing was to give Harry a chance to do whatever he was trying to do… Which is probably saving us all!"

Draco shook his head a small smirk on his face, "I can't believe you've fallen for the hero trick-"

"It's not a trick!" Madeline shouted, her necklace burning around her neck, "He watched Cedric die, Draco. He knows more about what's going on than any of us do!"

Draco and Madeline stared at each other, wands at the ready. The school was waking up, alerted that something was going on. In the distance, Madeline could hear doors closing; she hoped it meant that the others were on their way to the forest.

Draco seemed to be considering her for a long while. Eventually, he lowered his wand, but something had changed in his eyes. Madeline didn't know if it was disappointment, or respect. Perhaps both.

"Just go," Draco huffed, "Before I change my mind."

"Like you could stop me, Malfoy," Madeline scoffed, turning away from him, "I'll see you later."

And with that, she was gone.

She reached the others in the forest at the same time they found Harry and Hermione.

Madeline hadn't noticed exactly how worse for wear they all looked. For one, Ron had a bloody nose, Neville had a bruising cheek, and she looked like she'd been shocked by a ghost, hair a mess and her hands still shaking. Regardless of that, they all looked pleased with themselves.

"How did you get away?" Harry asked, wearily eyeing Madeline.

"Couple of Stunners, a Disarming Charm-"

"It was Madeline," Neville interrupted Ron, gesturing to the Slytherin girl, "She stunned Malfoy; gave us a way out."

Harry and Hermione sighed in disbelief, turning to the girl. Madeline simply shrugged, handing Harry his wand as Ron did the same with Hermione's.

"Sorry about that," Madeline awkwardly added, "I mean, I wasn't about to Crucio you or anything, but-"

"I get it," Harry nodded, "I, uh- I guess we all owe you an apology. We shouldn't have pushed you away like we have been."

"I get it," Madeline repeated, "Seriously, it's fine. We've got more important things to do, I assume?"

"We are doing nothing," Harry shook his head, "I'm not dragging you lot into this. He wants me."

"How do you even expect to get to London, Harry?" Hermione demanded, "Have you even thought this through?"

"Well, we'll have to fly, won't we?" interrupted Luna, in the closest thing to a matter-of-fact voice any of them had ever heard her use.

"If this is about You-Know-Who, there's no way I'm not coming," Madeline stood her ground, "For Cedric."

The group looked at her, Neville offering her a small smile. She lifted her wand, waving it around.

"And besides," Madeline added, "I've already demonstrated I'm more than capable of duelling."

"We're all coming," Neville added bravely, "You need us. Most of us were in the DA together, It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? And this is the first chance we've had to do something real-or was that all just a game or something?"

"Of course it wasn't-"

"Then we should come too," Neville finished simply, "We want to help."

"That's right," Luna added, smiling happily.

Madeline looked around the group. This morning, she hadn't expected to be finishing her exams to plunge head-first into some sort of rescue mission, or whatever she was agreeing to. But if it involved You-Know… If it involved Voldemort, then she was going to be there. Her uncle had sold her out to Umbridge, clearly trying to test her. He wanted to see what she was capable of? Then he will.

"Well, it doesn't matter, anyway," Harry huffed through gritted teeth, "Because we still don't know how to get there-"

"I thought we'd settled that," said Luna maddeningly, "We're flying to the Ministry!"

Madeline looked at Luna incredulously, "All the way to London?!"

"Look," said Ron, barely containing his anger, "You might be able to fly without a broomstick but the rest of us can't sprout wings whenever we-"

"There are ways of flying other than with broomsticks."

"I s'pose we're going to ride on the back of the Kacky Snorgle or whatever it is?"

Madeline followed Luna's line of vision, and that's when she saw them. Behind Harry, gleaming white eyes could be seen through the dark forest.

"The Crumple-Horned Snorkack can't fly," said Luna in a dignified voice, "But they can, and Hagrid says they're very good at finding places their riders are looking for."

Harry, Ron and Hermione whirled round. Standing between two trees, their white eyes gleaming eerily, were two Thestrals, watching the whispered conversation as though they understood every word. Which, come to think about it, they probably did.

Madeline watched in awe as more Thestrals joined, licking at Harry and Hermione's bloody sleeves, and eyeing Ron's nose curiously. In just a few moments, enough Thestrals had appeared for them all to ride to the Ministry. There was no backing out now.

"Alright," Madeline nodded, rolling her sleeves up, "Let's go."

The group arrived at the Ministry with, surprisingly, little to no turbulence.

"So, we're rescuing your godfather," Madeline asked, "Who you happened to have a vision about?"

"Something like that, yeah."

Madeline found it odd that there wasn't a single security person in sight. Well, not a single person other than her group seemed to be in the Ministry. She was sure their absence was an ominous sign as they passed through the golden gates to the lifts. Harry pressed the nearest 'down' button and a lift clattered into sight almost immediately, the golden grilles slid apart with a great, echoing clanking and they dashed inside.

Harry pressed the number nine, and the lift began moving. It was noisy, far noisier than a lift should be. Madeline gripped the lifts railing as they began moving, catching eyes with Neville in the reflection of the mirrored lift.

When they arrived, a cool female voice said, 'Department of Mysteries,' and the grilles slid open.

The corridor was long and dark, dimly lit by torches. The bricks lining the floors, walls and ceilings were dark and shiny, silver grit keeping them together. Up ahead, there was a black door.

"This is it," Harry said almost instantly.

Harry led the way to the door, pushing at it slowly. It clicked open, everyone following him inside.

The door closed behind them. Madeline looked around curiously. The room was as high as a church and full of nothing but towering shelves covered in small, dusty glass orbs. There was little light, and she wasn't sure where it was coming from, either. Regardless, the glass orbs seemed to be glowing dully. Madeline noticed that the room was very, very cold.

Harry led the way. He edged forward and peered down one of the shadowy aisles between two rows of shelves. Madeline could not hear anything or see the slightest sign of movement, nor could Harry.

"You said it was row ninety-seven," whispered Hermione, not wanting to break the silence of the room.

Harry nodded, looking up at the end of the closest row. They were at row fifty-three.

"We need to go right, I think," whispered Hermione, squinting to the next row, "Yes ... that's fifty-four.."

"Keep your wands ready," Harry added softly.

Madeline gripped her wand in her hand, looking around them vigilantly. There was an eeriness to this room, something tugging at her to keep exploring, but she stuck with the group. They crept forwards, examining some of the yellow labels stuck underneath some of the orbs.

They passed row eighty-four… Eighty-five…

"Ninety-seven!" whispered Hermione.

They stood grouped around the end of the row, gazing down the alley beside it. There was nobody there.

"I don't mean to doubt you Harry, but are you sure-"

"He's here," Harry nodded to Madeline, "You can't see it from here. Follow me."

Harry led them between the towering rows of glass balls, some of which glowed softly as they passed. Madeline could've sworn she'd just heard one whisper to her, but it could've also been Luna talking to herself.

"He should be near here. Anywhere here… Really close…"

Madeline turned to Neville, frowning.

"Harry?"

"Somewhere about… Here."

They had reached the end of the row and emerged into more dim candlelight.

There was nobody there. Just echoing, dusty silence.

"Harry," Hermione tried again, gently, "I ... I don't think Sirius is here."

Madeline and Neville looked at each other once more, then to Ginny. She looked just as confused as the both of them.

Suddenly, Harry ran up the space at the end of the rows, staring down them. Each aisle was empty. He ran the other way, back past his friends. There was no sign of Sirius anywhere, nor any hint of a struggle.

Meanwhile, the whispering continued. Madeline furrowed her eyebrows, turning behind her. It wasn't Luna. She began creeping back up the aisle, towards the whispering. Closer and closer, following the noise, trying to decipher what it was saying to her.

She found it after a few minutes. It was hidden behind a few larger ones, but there was no doubt in her head that it was her orb, confirmed by the little yellow tag underneath it, with 'Dearborn' neatly written on it.

Dearborn. It could be hers, or her fathers, but in that moment, she didn't care. She didn't care that Ron was shouting for Harry behind her, or that Neville was watching her. Instead, she grabbed the orb, bringing it to her ear. She'd expected it to be cold, but it felt warm, as if alive. There was a crack running through it, the whispers half-finished and barely audible. But Madeline closed her eyes, and listened;

Born from both good and evil, from intelligence and gall…

Born to carry the weight of the weapon, the one used to vanquish the Dark Lord…

When the true one reveals herself…

Upon the day when the myth becomes truth, one shall perish in the waters of the first…

Known thereafter as The Girl Who Died…

The Girl Who Died.

Madeline felt chills flood her whole body, the orb dropping to the floor and shattering into hundreds of tiny pieces. It was a Prophecy Record. It didn't matter if the orb was destroyed, the prophecy was still true; she was going to die.

She was going to die. The Dark Lord would return, and she was going to die trying to carry a weapon used for his destruction.

Behind her, it seemed that Harry had found a similar orb, but she didn't care. The fragments sat at her feet, the little yellow tag with 'Dearborn' written on it floating down with it. Madeline watched it all disappear into thin air; the tag and the fragments, as if it had never been there. As if the prophecy about her life wasn't that important to warrant saving.

"I'm going to die," Madeline whispered to herself. There were no tears gathering in her eyes, there was no time for that. She had to regroup; think and strategise. She turned back to the others, ignoring Neville's stare as she approached Harry.

He was holding an orb too, looking at it in confusion. A little yellow tag hung from it's stand, Harry's name scrawled upon it.

"You too?" Madeline whispered, ignoring everyone's stares.

But before Harry could reply, a drawling voice spoke from behind them, interrupting him.

"Very good, Potter. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me."

Madeline didn't know how she hadn't noticed it before. All around them, coming up from every aisle of orbs, were black figures becoming larger and larger, almost human. They seemed to be coming out of thin air, surrounding them. At once, Madeline lit her wand with a simple 'Lumos', trying to see through the fog of darkness.

Madeline almost wished she couldn't see them. Eyes glinted through slits in black hoods, a dozen lit wand tips were pointing directly at their hearts. She could feel Hermione tense besides her, everyone pulling their wands out.

"To me, Potter," repeated the drawling voice. Madeline turned to the one man without a hood, who looked suspiciously like the blonde of Slytherin.

That's when she realised; Lucius Malfoy.

Madeline's insides plummeted sickeningly.

"To me," Lucius repeated yet again.

"Where's Sirius?"

Several of the Death Eaters laughed; a harsh female voice from the midst of the shadowy figures to Madeline's left called triumphantly, "The Dark Lord always knows!"

Madeline saw Neville tense at the voice. She was putting two and two together rather quickly. These must be the Dark Lord's followers that had managed to escape Azkaban all those weeks prior.

"Always," echoed Malfoy softly, "Now, give me the prophecy, Potter."

"I want to know where Sirius is!"

"I want to know where Sirius is!" mimicked the woman to their left.

More of the Death Eaters laughed, though the woman laughed loudest of all. Madeline gripped her wand tightly, eyeing across the dark hoods. One of them could be her uncle, she was sure of it. This must be what her aunt had wanted her to know.

"Come on, give it to me," Lucius continued, and Harry seemed to be relenting.

He sighed, thinking, "I've waited fourteen years…"

Lucius smiled, tutting in sympathy, "I know, but I can show you-"

"Guess I can wait a little longer," Harry finished, stepping back. Madeline felt Hermione press into her side, nudging her wand towards the shelves, "NOW!"

At once, Madeline and the others sprang into action. The group all shot their own 'Reducto' spells towards the towering shelves, from all different directions. At once, blasts started echoing in the endless room. The towering structures swayed as a hundred glass spheres burst apart, pearly-white figures unfurled into the air and floated there, their voices echoing as they vanished into the air.

"RUN!" Harry yelled, as the shelves swayed precariously and more glass spheres began to fall from above.

Madeline grabbed Luna's sleeve, pulling her with her as the group ran away from the falling shelves. A Death Eater lunged forwards through the cloud of dust, but Madeline was faster, knocking over another shelf and blocking his path. Everyone was yelling, the loudness deafening as Madeline continued to pull Luna along, ignoring the shards of glass embedding themselves in her hands and cheek.

They were at the end of row ninety-seven; they turned right and began to sprint in earnest; Madeline could hear footsteps right behind her and Hermione's voice urging Neville on; straight ahead. The door through which they had come was ajar. At once, everyone began speeding up, Madeline pushing Luna through the door and into the new room. Harry was the last, closing the door behind them.

They all but fell into the new room; a dark, circular room made entirely of stone. Some large stones lined the room like pillars, but the central piece of the room was the large, imposing stone arch. It was as if there was a veil inside of it, acting like a door, yet Madeline could still see through it. Her, Luna, Harry and Neville began walking towards it, a distant murmur leading them.

"Voices," Madeline frowned as Hermione cast a 'Colloportus' on the door, "Can you hear them?"

"I can," Harry nodded, Luna and Neville doing the same.

"There aren't any voices," Hermione frowned, stepping further into the room. Madeline took a moment to survey them all; they looked a wreck. Her sleeve was coated in specks of blood from small scratches all over her hands and arms. Neville's nose was most definitely broken, and Luna's lip was bleeding.

"Let's get out of here," Hermione urged, "Sirius isn't here."

"But I hear them too," Luna insisted, looking up at the arch.

Hermione looked at the four in confusion as they stared at the arch, transfixed, "Guys, it's just an empty archway."

"It's not," Neville shook his head.

"Please, Harry!"

It was as if his name had invoked them. At once, the song of something soaring through the air started circling them. Harry, Neville and Madeline tore their gazes away from the arch to look up and around them, wands at the ready.

"Get behind me!" Harry called, everyone rushing to stand behind him, pointing their wands in every direction as the noise grew louder and louder.

Suddenly, a whirlwind of a tornado engulfed them. Black smoke choked them, forcing them to close their eyes. Madeline tried desperately to keep ahold of her wand, sliding it into her robe pocket and holding her arm to her chest. However, this made it increasingly easy for someone to grab her, pulling her out and away from the group.

She opened her eyes to an arm around her neck and a wand pointed to her head, holding her tightly against a robed figure as she was forced to watch Harry, stood alone with the prophecy and his wand, watching all of his friends surrounding him, held hostage.

This was not good.

Madeline tried to struggle out of the grip, but it was useless. The man had her immobilised, wand painfully pressed into her temple.

"Did you actually think," Lucius chuckled, walking towards Harry smugly, "Did you actually believe that you stood a chance against us?"

The Death Eaters cackled all around Harry, the noise deafening in Madeline's ear.

"I'll make this simple," Lucius continued, holding his hand outstretched to Harry, "Give me the prophecy, or watch your friends die one by one."

Harry looked torn. Madeline knew, in that moment, that they'd lost. He was a hero, for crying out loud! He'd do anything to save them; save anyone.

"Don't give it to him Harry!" Neville yelled, silenced by Bellatrix Lestrange as she dug her nails tighter into his neck. She raised her wand to him.

"Crucio!"

Madeline had to close her eyes as she listened to Neville's screams of pain. It didn't last very long, but by the time she opened her eyes, Neville was on the floor, whimpering and twitching, blood spilling out of his nose and onto the floor. She felt sick.

Harry looked at the orb in his hand, and Madeline watched the decision flicker in his eyes. It wasn't a choice for him.

He handed the orb over.

Lucius held it up triumphantly. Madeline had to do something; anything. She didn't come all this way to find out that her fate was set in stone, that she was going to die any day now by the hands of the Dark Lord, to watch Harry's friends get killed too. Hell, they were her friends too.

She channelled all of her energy, all of her magic, remembering what her aunt had told her. That her wand was a vessel for her magic, not the magic itself. She just needed a better vessel. She focused herself on her necklace, which was pressed right into a Death Eaters arm.

She felt it heating up, the smell of burning flesh filling her nostrils as it burnt into the man's arm. He yelled, pushing her away from him.

"What the hell-"

"You," Lucius raised his eyebrow, looking at Madeline like it was the first time he'd even noticed her, "What are you doing here-"

"Stupefy!"

Madeline stunner her captor first, wasting no time as she dodged the spells and jinxes being shot her way. She ducked under one of the larger stones as she heard Lucius call out, "Don't hurt her; the Dark Lord wants her alive!"

Suddenly, Madeline was blinded by a bright light. It seemed the room had stopped, even Lucius falling silent as, from the bright light, emerged a man in a well-fitted brown suit and shaggy hair.

He stepped to Lucius in seconds, "Get away from my godson."

Sirius swung for Lucius, and the battle began.

A/N: A lot is going to happen in the next few chapters very quickly, including this one and the previous one... If you're planning on sticking around for a while, and want to put some pieces of the puzzle together, you might want to make notes. ;)