Title: Harry Potter and The Return of the Witch part 19
Author: Magrat
Rating: R
Spoilers: as before
Disclaimer: not mine blah, blah.
Harry Potter and The Return of the Witch part 19
They ran for the stairs desperate to get out the building. Willow led the way while Tara, brought up the rear trying to keep the kids protected between them.
Willow got to the door at the top of the stairs and was surprised that it wasn’t locked. She supposed whatever had caused the Death Eaters and Voldermort to take off must have made them slack with their security. She smiled for a second their elaborate pantomime had paid off. The redhead took a deep breath and pushed the door open a crack, she couldn’t see anything so she opened it quietly and motioned for the kids to follow her. Tara kept a watch to make sure that there was no sign of Bellatrix as the kids filed out. She closed the door more out of habit than the thought that it would hide anything.
They found themselves in a dark and dreary passageway with doors at both ends.
“Which way?” asked Harry, peering over Willows shoulder.
Willow turned and looked helplessly at Tara who shrugged. “I don’t know but standing here waiting to be killed doesn’t seem a good idea, so lets pick one and go for it. I vote we should go left.”
Everyone nodded in agreement and they followed Willow down the passageway. She pushed open the door and was shocked to see it open on to a huge room that seemed to be full of duelling witches and wizards. It was a great banqueting hall; that seemed to be lined with suits of armour. It was bedlam, the sounds were tremendous with spells whizzing around the room and things being shattered. Willow could also see a couple of bodies littering the ground, casualties of the battle, she tried to close the door, thinking that there was a chance that one of them could get hurt or killed by a stray spell, but Harry had already seen what was going on.
“Sirius?” questioned Harry, seeing a familiar figure shooting spells as he duelled with two Death Eaters, laughing as he blocked and dodged their spells. The youngster tried to push past Willow to go to him.
“Harry, what are you doing?” asked Willow, trying to hold on to him.
“I have to go to Sirius, he needs our help,” said Harry.
Tara heard a noise behind them and to her horror she saw the dishevelled figure of Bellatrix coming through the other door, her wand held high ready to be used. “We have to go now…s-she is behind us.”
Harry took advantage of Willow’s break in concentration and burst through the door. He was amazed at the sights and sounds that faced him, his initial concentration had been on Sirius, but now he could see Dumbledore, McGonagall, Tonks and various other wizards battling with the Death Eaters.
Willow run out into the great hall after him, she managed to grab him as a spell whizzed at him. “Harry what are you doing? You’ll get yourself killed.”
With Willow and Harry gone, Tara had no choice but to push the other kids out into the room and slam the door. She heard a loud crack as Bellatrix aparated in front of her; Tara had already anticipated this and motioned for Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Neville to hit the floor, as she went she kicked Bellatrix’s feet from under her. Tara rolled back onto her feet and kicked the women’s fallen wand away. Seeing all the confusion she decided to use it to her advantage she had spotted an open door at the far side of the room. As a teacher at Hogwarts her first duty, she knew, was the safety of the children. “Run now…head for the door.”
Hermione, the first one who had got to her feet nodded and shook Ron who was busy staring into the mayhem.
“But there is Bill…and Charlie,” protested Ron as Hermione pulled him toward the door.
Tara intercepted Ginny as she made a break towards her brothers. “Leave them, they can look after themselves…you have to get to safety.” She finally pushed Neville towards the door and pulled Ginny with her.
Willow saw Tara flee out of the corner of her eyes and let out a sigh of relief; she couldn’t stand to lose her lover all over again. She turned her concentration back to Harry. Sirius was had one arm around the teenager’s shoulders and was laughing even louder, still duelling, seemingly delighted with the new addition to the situation.
Bellatrix rose to her feet hissing in rage like a cat. She scrambled for her wand, eager to make a kill and worried that she had let down her Master. She spotted Harry with her cousin and knew she had a good chance to make her Master proud. She raised her wand and opened her mouth.
TBC
Freddie is king