Warning: this chapter contains torture, blood and violence.

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"Got 'em all," said Warrington, shoving Ron roughly forwards into the room.

The rest of them followed.

Y/N was shoved into the room Malfoy, who was gripping onto a fistful of her robes with his wand pointing at her throat.

Y/N saw Hermione and Harry's faces drop hopelessly as they watched their friends get pushed into the room by the Inquisitorial Squad.

Harry was forced into a chair by Umbridge, who was gazing down at him delightedly.

"That one," Warrington poked a thick finger at Neville, "tried to stop me taking them," he pointed at Y/N and Ginny, "so I brought him along too."

Neville was struggling in Crabbe's grip, practically choking.

Luna was passed on to Daphne Greengrass, who was holding onto Luna's wrist delicately and looked absolutely terrified.

Knowing Daphne for five years, as the wholesome person she was, Y/N knew she didn't want to do what she was doing.

Pansy probably forced her into the Inquisitorial Squad.

"Good, good," said Umbridge. "Well, it looks as though Hogwarts will shortly be a Weasley-free zone, doesn't it?"

Malfoy laughed loudly and sycophantically, earning the dirtiest look from Y/N.

"So, Potter," Umbridge continued, "You stationed lookouts around my office and you sent this buffoon," she nodded at Ron, "to lie about the poltergeist wrecking the Transfigurations department."

Ron didn't say anything, but continued to fight against Warrington's clutch stubbornly.

"Clearly, it was very important for you to talk to somebody." Umbridge said to Harry, "Was it Albus Dumbledore? Or the half-breed, or McGonagall?"

"Hagrid and Professor McGonagall are here in the castle! why would I-?" Harry froze for second... "You did something to them!"

A smirk appeared on Umbridge's toad-like face.

"I've... removed them from the castle grounds, yesterday evening." she smiled. "They're both far, far away... Now, Mr Potter- who were you trying to contact?"

"It's none of your business who I talk to," Harry snarled.

"Very well," Umbridge said in her dangerous and falsely sweet voice. "Very well, Mr Potter... I offered you the chance to tell me freely. You refused. I have no alternative but to force you."

Harry didn't dare blink as he glared back at her intensely.

"Gryffins, fetch Professor Snape." Umbridge said triumphantly.

One of the empty-handed Slytherins nodded and left the room smirking- but Harry hardly noticed.

He had just realized something.

He had thought that all the members of the Order, all those who could help him save Sirius, were gone...

He had just remembered that Snape was also part of the Order.

There was silence in the office except for the fidgetings and scufflings resulting from the Slytherins' efforts to keep the others under control.

Ron's lip was bleeding onto Umbridge's carpet as he struggled against Warrington's head-lock.

Ginny was still trying to stamp on the feet of Pansy Parkinson.

Neville was turning steadily more purple in the face while tugging at Crabbe's arms.

Hermione was attempting, in vain, to throw Montague off her.

Y/N was swearing and cursing Malfoy, but her words were all muffled by her gag.

Rolf was glaring harshly at Millicent Bulstrode, who was gripping onto a fistful of his dark blonde hair.

Luna, however, stood limply by the side of her captor, gazing vaguely out of the window as though she was bored.

Daphne looked at her apologetically and held onto her wrist as if she were a toddler.

Harry kept his face blank, as footsteps were heard in the corridor outside.

Then, Gryffins entered the room, closely followed by Snape.

"You wanted to see me, Headmistress?" said Snape, looking around at all the pairs of struggling students with boredom.

"Ah, Professor Snape," said Umbridge, smiling widely and standing up. "Yes, I would like another bottle of Veritaserum, as quick as you can, please."

"You took my last bottle to interrogate Potter's gang members," Snape replied, surveying her coolly through his greasy curtains of black hair. "Surely you did not use it all?"

Umbridge flushed.

"You can make some more, can't you?" she snapped.

"Certainly," said Snape, his lip curling. "I should have it ready for you in around a month."

"A month?" squawked Umbridge. "But I need it this evening, Snape! I have just found Potter using my fire to communicate with someone! I wish to interrogate him!"

"I have already told you," said Snape smoothly, "that I have no further stocks of Veritaserum."

Snape looked back at Harry, who stared at him, frantic to communicate without words.

Voldemort's got Sirius in the Department of Mysteries, he thought desperately. Read my mind, you greasy arse-

"You are on probation!" shrieked Professor Umbridge, and Snape looked back at her, his eyebrows slightly raised. "You are being deliberately unhelpful! Now get out of my office!"

Snape gave her an ironic bow and turned to leave.

"He's got Padfoot!" Harry shouted. "He's got Padfoot at the place- where it's hidden!"

Snape had stopped with his hand on Umbridges door handle.

"Padfoot?" cried Professor Umbridge, looking eagerly from Harry to Snape. "What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What does he mean, Snape?"

Snape looked round at Harry. His face was emotionless.

Harry could not tell whether he had understood or not.

"I have no idea," said Snape coldly. "and Crabbe, loosen your hold a little. If Longbottom dies it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork."

He closed the door behind him with a snap, leaving Harry in a state of worse turmoil than before.

Snape had been his very last hope.

"Very well," Umbridge said, and she pulled out her wand. "Very well...I am left with no alternative... this is an issue of Ministry security...yes...yes..."

She seemed to be talking herself into something.

"You are forcing me, Potter... I do not want to," said Umbridge, moving restlessly on the spot, "but sometimes circumstances justify the use. I am sure the Minister will understand..."

Malfoy was watching her with a hungry expression on his face.

"No..." Y/N muffled through her cloth gag, as she slowly understood. "no-"

"The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue," said Umbridge quietly.

"No!" shrieked Hermione. "Professor Umbridge- it's illegal."

But Umbridge took no notice, for she'd raised her wand.

"The Minister wouldn't want you to break the law!" Hermione said desperately.

Y/N's breathing started to pick up.

The Cruciatus Curse had ended the last hope in her family and she most definitely didn't want to see it being performed in front of her.

"What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him," said Umbridge. "He never knew I ordered Dementors to go after Potter last summer, but he was delighted to get the chance to expel him."

"It was you!" gasped Harry. "You sent the Dementors after me?"

"Somebody had to act," breathed Umbridge, "but you wriggled out of that one, didn't you, Potter? Not today though, not now..."

"Please, 'fessor!" Y/N cried through her gag. "He duzzin know anything-!"

"Cruci-"

"NO!" shouted Hermione in a cracked voice from behind Montague. "No-! Harry- we'll have to tell her!"

"No way!" yelled Harry, staring at the little of Hermione he could see.

"We'll have to, Harry, she'll force it out of you anyway!" And Hermione began to cry weakly into the back of Montague's robes.

Montague stopped trying to squash her against the wall immediately and dodged out of her way, looking disgusted.

"Well, well, well!" said Umbridge, looking triumphant. "Little Miss Know-It-All is going to give us some answers! Come on then, girl, come on!"

"Er- my- nee- no!" shouted Ron through his gag.

"I'm- I'm sorry everyone," said Hermione. "But- I can't stand it-"

"That's right, that's right, girl!" said Umbridge, seizing Hermione by the shoulders. "Now then... with whom was Potter communicating just now?"

"Professor Dumbledore." Hermione said smoothly.

Ron and Rolf froze, their eyes wide.

Ginny stopped trying to stamp on Pansy's toes and even Luna looked mildly surprised.

Luckily, the attention of Umbridge and her minions was focused too exclusively on Hermione to notice these suspicious signs.

"Dumbledore?" said Umbridge eagerly. "Why were you trying to contact Dumbledore?"

"We... we needed to tell him something important!" said Hermione, holding her hands more tightly over her face to disguise the absence of her tears.

"Yes?" said Umbridge with a sudden excitement. "What was it you wanted to tell him?"

"We- we wanted to tell him it's r-ready!" choked Hermione.

"What's ready?" demanded Umbridge, grabbing Hermione's shoulders again and shaking her slightly. "What's ready, girl?"

"The... the weapon," said Hermione.

"Weapon? Weapon?" said Umbridge, and her eyes seemed to pop with excitement. "A weapon you could use against the Ministry? On Professor Dumbledore's orders?"

She shook Hermione even harder.

"Yes!" gasped Hermione, "We've finished it for him, and we c-c-can't find him to t-tell him! Thanks to you!"

There was a short pause of intense silence...

"Lead me to the weapon," Umbridge said at once.

"Fine," Hermione said cooly, "Oh- and- bring your Squad. I'm sure- once they've seen the weapon, they'll all want it to use it against you too. Yes, bring as much people as you can!"

Another moment of silence...

"No, no, dear, let's make it just you and me... and Potter." Umbridge said with a horrifying smile. "Get up, now."

"Professor," said Malfoy eagerly, "Professor Umbridge, I think some of the Squad should come with you to look after-"

"I am a fully qualified Ministry official, Malfoy, I can manage two wandless teenagers alone!" said Umbridge sharply. "Just make sure none of these escape."

She gestured around at Y/N, Rolf, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Luna.

"All right," said Malfoy, looking slightly disappointed.

"And you two can go ahead of me and show me the way" said Umbridge, pointing at Harry and Hermione with her wand. "Lead on."

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It had been almost half an hour and all of their gags were off.

Malfoy had came up with a malicious idea out of boredom that involved speaking.

"LET- GO OF MY HAIR!" Rolf bellowed.

Millicent laughed in enjoyment, as she continued to tug onto a fistful of Rolf's hair, making him wince every five seconds.

"Are you going to tell me what the weapon is, Scamander?" Malfoy gritted his teeth, digging the tip of his wand deeper into Y/N's neck.

"No," Y/N laughed, side glancing Malfoy humorously. "You're not a threat to me, you know? Garlic bread looking arse ferret-"

"OUCH!" Rolf yelped.

Millicent had yanked his hair hard, and was watching delightedly as he was forced to throw his head back in pain.

Y/N froze, her smile sliding off her face, as Malfoy and Millicent howled with laughter.

Ron and Neville were looking at Rolf, alarmed, as Millicent slowly tightened her grip, making Rolf yell out in pain.

"What did you say, Scamander?" Malfoy sneered, his face stretching with enjoyment, for Y/N was now looking away from his eyes.

Millicent smiled viciously down at Rolf, who now had tears leaking from the corner of his eyes as he was forced to stand on tip toes by each of Millicent's tugs.

"I'll ask you again, love," Malfoy snarled at Y/N. "Are you going to tell me exactly what the weapon is?"

"Fuck no!" Ginny growled. "Now get your filthy hands away from her-!"

"Watch that mouth of yours, Little Miss Pretty," Pansy threatened, digging her nails into Ginny's wrist and looking at her fiercely in the eye.

"Call me pretty one more time and I will-"

"What?" Pansy laughed, "You will what, exactly, if I call you pretty one more time? Give me a kiss?"

Ginny let out a growl of fury and tried to stomp her again, but Pansy merely laughed wickedly and watched her struggle.

Meanwhile, Rolf's feet were nearly off the ground- Millicent didn't even seem to mind his yelling and desperate scratching.

He was going to get severely hurt if Y/N didn't act or think fast, but...

"Stupefy!"

A red flash struck across the room and everyone fell silent.

There was a faint gasp and a loud thud and the next moment, Millicent was lying on the floor, unconscious.

Rolf fell to his knees, gasping and massaging his scalp, and was the only person who made noise in the room for a good ten seconds.

"Nice one!" Daphne beamed at Luna admiringly.

"I've never stunned anyone outside DA before," Luna muttered, shoving her wand behind her ear and walking to Rolf's side. "You alright, Rolfie?"

Then, once they all realized what happened, everyone was everywhere all at once.

The Slytherins had loosened their grips because of Luna's sudden move, so Y/N took the chance and leapt out of Malfoy's grip, before snatching away his wand and stunning him easily.

She turned to the empty-handed Slytherins at the back of the room and also stunned them all, one by one.

She ducked a curse from Montague, who was later earned a Petrificus Totalus in the face by Luna.

Neville wiggled out from behind Crabbe's arm and yelled a successful Impediment Jinx at him.

Ginny elbowed Pansy in the ribs, only hard enough for her to let out a faint gasp and back away slightly.

Ginny took the oppurunity and quickly jumped away from her.

She grabbed her wand from the floor, before yelling the Incarcerous Spell, casting ropes to tie around Pansy's body.

Pansy wobbled in her spot for a second, before falling to the ground with a loud shriek.

Ron also took his risk and elbowed Warrington in the face, and when the Slytherin staggered back with a bloody nose, Ginny helped out her brother and yelled out the Bat Bogey Hex.

And all of the Inquisitorial Squad was defeated.

Luna was now soothing the scratches on Rolf's head with a spell, looking around at everyone with raised eyebrows, impressed.

"Nice one, Gin," Y/N panted, watching Warrington yell in horror from the crowd of big flapping bats Ginny had casted.

"You too," Ginny grinned at her, "stunned four today, Scamander... impressive."

"Bravo, Scamander," Pansy said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "congrats on having everything to yourself, your way!"

But before Y/N could answer, Ginny had stepped in front of her and crouched down so she was Pansy's level.

"Seems to me, princess," the redhead sneered, smirking at Pansy in satisfactory. "like you've got some jealousy in you... get rid of it. It's not... pretty."

After another long and satisfying stare at Pansy's face, Ginny stood up and looked back at her five friends.

"Let's go and back up Hermione and Harry then." Ginny said firmly.

"Oh, and thanks, Daphne," Y/N grinned at the blonde Slytherin that stood shy in the corner of the room.

"No worries," she replied with a delightedly smile, and Pansy sent her disgusted glare.

Y/N, Ginny, Ron, Rolf, Neville and Luna gave Daphne a thankful nod before grabbing Hermione and Harry's wands and heading out the bright pink door of Umbridge's office.

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"-half a dozen perfect Stunners from Y/N and Luna, a Pretrificus Spell, and Neville brought off a really nice Impediment Jinx," said Ron airily, now handing back Hermione's wand.

"And Ginny's Bat Bogey Hex- it was superb," Neville said excitedly.

"Warrington's face was demolished by those bats," Y/N added, smiling at Ginny proudly.

"Where's Umbridge?" Rolf asked, checking behind Hermione and Harry.

"She got carried away," said Harry. "By a herd of centaurs."

There was eager clapping from Y/N... but when no one joined her and Hermione threw her a scolding glare, she stopped.

"...y-yay?" she laughed nervously, looking at Harry questioningly.

"I dunno... the centaurs were really violent- even towards us," said Harry. "She might not make it out alive- or make it out at all."

"And they left you two behind? The centaurs?" asked Y/N, looking astonished.

"No, they got chased off by Grawp," said Harry.

"I see..."

"Who's Grawp?" Luna asked interestedly.

"Hagrid's little brother," said Ron promptly.

"Anyway, never mind that now." Y/N said bitterly. "Harry, what did you find out in the fire? Has You-Know-Who got Sirius or-?"

"Yes," said Harry firmly, "and I'm sure Sirius is still alive, but I can't see how we're going to get there to help him."

They all fell silent, looking rather scared- the problem facing them seemed more real every second.

"We'll use brooms." said Ginny matter-of-factly.

"Okay," said Harry irritably. "First of all, 'we' aren't doing anything if you're including yourself in that, and second of all, Ron and Rolf are the only ones with a broomstick-"

"I have a broomstick!" Ginny bellowed.

"And I can grab a school broomstick from the broom shed and Luna can use hers," said Y/N.

"Yeah, but you're not coming," said Harry firmly, rounding on her.

"He's right." Rolf chimed in.

"Excuse me-? but I care what happens to Sirius as much as you do!" said Y/N, staring between Harry and Rolf unbelievably.

Harry reached out for her, but Y/N backed away stubbornly.

"Niff, It's too danger-"

"Stop with that nonsense," Ginny shot at him. "she's always been by your side and you're not going to give any more speeches."

"You're not going," Ron said angrily, whirling at his sister. "You're too-"

"We were all in the DA together," said Neville quietly. "It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? Or was that all just a game or something?"

"No- of course it wasn't-" said Harry impatiently.

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

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

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

"I thought that was quite obvious," said Luna maddeningly. "We'll fly, of course..."

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Y/N gripped the invisible Thestral with every last ounce of her strength, as the horse touched the dark ground of the city of London.

She felt like her whole body was shaking- travelling by an invisible creature was the oddest way of transportation she'd ever experienced.

Harry slid from his Thestral's back, looking around at the street and spotting a telephone box in the middle of it.

Rolf landed a short way off and toppled immediately from his Thestral onto the pavement.

"Never again," he said, struggling to his feet. "that felt like a fever dream."

He made as though to stride away from his Thestral, but, unable to see it, collided with its hindquarters and almost fell over again.

"Never, ever again... that was the worst-"

Hermione and Ginny touched down on either side of him: both slid off their mounts a little more gracefully than Rolf.

Ron and Neville also landed and jumped down, shaking, and Luna dismounted smoothly.

"Where do we go from here, then?" she asked Harry in a politely interested voice, as though this was all a rather interesting school trip.

"Over here," Harry said.

He gave his Thestral a quick, grateful pat, then led the way quickly to the battered telephone box and opened the door.

Ron, Y/N and Ginny marched in after him obediently and Hermione, Rolf, Neville and Luna squashed themselves in after them.

"Whoever's nearest the receiver, dial six two four four two!" Harry said.

Ron did it, his arm bent bizarrely to reach the dial.

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic." said a cool female voice from the box. "Please state your name and business."

"Harry Potter, Y/N Scamander, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger," Harry said very quickly, "Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Rolf Scamander- here to save someone, unless your Ministry can do it first!"

"Thank you," said the cool female voice. "Visitors, please take the badges and attach them to the front of your robes."

Eight badges slid out of the metal chute where returned coins normally appeared.

Hermione scooped them up and handed them out.

Then, as if it had turned into a lift, the telephone box started to move and lowered the eight of them deeper underground.

With a ding, the door of the box swung open and they all stepped out- or perhaps in- to the Ministry of Magic.

"Let's go, quick," said Harry. "to the Department of Mysteries."

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They were there, they had found the place.

High as a church and full of nothing but towering shelves covered in small, dusty, glass orbs.

The orbs glimmered dully in the limited lighting, like in the other rooms behind them, lit with only burning blue flames.

The room was very cold.

I'd have felt it, Harry told himself, his heart now hammering against his Adam's apple, I'd already know if Sirius was-

"Ninetyseven!" whispered Hermione.

They stood grouped around the end of the row, gazing down the alley beside it.

There was nobody there.

"He's right down at the end," said Harry, whose mouth had become slightly dry. "You can't see properly from here."

And he led them between the towering rows of glass balls.

Y/N had a horrible, horrible feeling about what awaited.

"He should be near here," whispered Harry, convinced that every step was going to bring the ragged form of Sirius into view. "Anywhere here... really close..."

"Harry?" said Hermione tentatively, but he did not want to respond.

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

There was definitely nobody there.

All was echoing, dusty silence.

"He might be..." Harry whispered hoarsely, peering down the next alley. "Or maybe..." He hurried to look down the one beyond that.

"Harry?" said Hermione again.

"What?" he snarled.

"I... I don't think Sirius is here."

Nobody spoke.

Y/N silently agreed with Hermione.

Harry did not want to look at any of them. He felt sick.

There was no sign of Sirius anywhere, nor any hint of a struggle.

"Harry?" Ron called.

"What?" He did not want to hear Ron tell him he had been stupid or suggest that they ought to go back to Hogwarts.

"Have you seen this?" said Ron.

"What?" said Harry, but eagerly this time- it had to be a sign that Sirius had been there, a clue.

He strode back to where they were all standing, but found nothing except Ron staring at one of the dusty glass balls.

"It's- it's got your name on it and... and Y/N's." said Ron.

"What?" Y/N spun around, holding her brightly lit wand in front of her.

She and Harry moved a little closer.

Ron was pointing at one of the small glass balls that looked very dusty and appeared not to have been touched for many years.

"My name?" said Harry blankly. "Y/N's name?"

He craned his neck to read the yellow label affixed to the shelf right beneath the dusty glass ball.

In spidery writing was written a date of some sixteen years previously, and below that:

S.P.T. to A.P.W.B.D. Dark Lord and (?)Harry Potter (?)Y/N Scamander

They both stared at it. And then at each other.

"What is it?" Ron asked. "What's your name doing down here?"

"Harry, I don't think you should touch it," said Hermione sharply, as Harry stretched out his hand.

"Why not?" he said. "It's something to do with me and Y/N, isn't it?"

"Doesn't mean we've got to touch it," Y/N whispered, but was as curious as he was.

"Don't, Harry," said Neville suddenly. His face was shining slightly with sweat.

He looked as though he could not take much more suspense.

"It's got my name on," said Harry.

And feeling slightly reckless, he closed his fingers around the dusty ball's surface.

He had expected it to feel cold, but it did not.

On the contrary, it felt as though it had been lying in the sun for hours.

Harry lifted the glass ball down from its shelf and stared at it.

Nothing whatsoever happened.

The others moved in closer around Harry, gazing at the orb as he brushed it free of the clogging dust.

And then, from right behind them, a drawling voice spoke:

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

Black shapes were emerging out of thin air all around them, blocking their way left and right.

Y/N wanted to break into a sprint and push past them, but her feet were rooted to the spot.

Ginny gave a gasp of horror and Rolf started to mutter under his breath anxiously as he realized they were all death eaters.

"To me, Potter," repeated the drawling voice of Lucius Malfoy as he held out his hand, palm up.

They were bloody trapped, and outnumbered two to one.

"To me," said Malfoy yet again.

"Where's Sirius?" Harry demanded.

Several of the Death Eaters laughed; a piercing female voice from the midst of the shadowy figures said triumphantly,

"The Dark Lord always knows!"

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

"I want to know where Sirius is!" Harry repeated, only to be answered with laughter. "You've got him," he said, ignoring the rising panic in his chest. "He's here. I know he is."

"The little baby woke up fwightened and fott what it dweamed was tuhwoo," said the woman in a horrible mock baby voice.

Harry felt Y/N stir beside him uncomfortably.

"Don't do anything," Harry muttered. "Not yet-"

The woman who had mimicked him let out a raucous scream of laughter.

She finally swaggered out from the group of death eaters and into the dim lights from the eight wands in front of her.

Y/N knew immediately- she was Bellatrix Lestrange.

Bellatrix's eyes fell on each of them and stopped at Neville.

"Neville Longbottom, isn't it?" she smirked. "How's mum and dad?"

"Better now," Neville said, gripping his wand tightly. "now that they're about to be avenged-"

Y/N, Harry and Ron each had to pull him back from attacking her, as Bellatrix cackled even louder.

"I know Sirius is here," Harry said even louder, though panic was causing him to not breathe properly. "I know you've got him!"

More of the Death Eaters laughed, though Bellatrix laughed loudest of all.

"It's time you learned the difference between life and dreams, Potter," said Malfoy. "you saw only what the Dark Lord wanted you to see."

"Go on, then," said Harry, raising his own wand to chest height.

As he did so, the seven wands of Y/N, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny Rolf and Luna rose on either side of him.

The knot in Harry's stomach tightened.

If Sirius really was not here, he had led his friends to their deaths for no reason at all.

"Hand over the prophecy and no one need get hurt," said Malfoy coolly.

It was Y/N's turn to laugh.

Like father, like son, she thought.

"Yeah, right," she said with a tongue click. "Harry gives you the prophecy and you'll just let us skip off home, will you?"

"Very well, then- Scamander," Bellatrix sneered. "you want your friends to end up like your mummy? Blown up to death for being a bad girl-"

Y/N swore she could blow up Bellatrix with her exitiumagus powers right there, but she'd expose herself and her friends would be in grave danger.

She felt Harry's hand close around her wrist and pulled her back behind him.

"If you do anything to us, i'll smash this- prophecy." he said threateningly.

Bellatrix did not move; she merely stared at him, the tip of her tongue moistening her purple lips.

"So," said Harry, "what kind of prophecy are we talking about, anyway?"

He was hoping his friends were all thinking hard about ways to get out of this, because his mind was blank.

"What kind of prophecy?" repeated Bellatrix, the grin fading from her face. "You jest, Harry Potter."

"Nope, not jesting," said Harry, his eyes flicking for a space which they could escape. "How come Voldemort wants it?"

Several of the Death Eaters let out low hisses.

"Shut your mouth!" Bellatrix shrieked. "You dare speak his name with your unworthy lips, you dare besmirch it with your half-blood's tongue, you dare-"

"Did you know he's a half-blood too?" said Harry recklessly. Y/N gave a disappointing moan in his ear. "Voldemort? Yeah, his mother was a witch but his dad was a Muggle."

"STUPEF-"

"NO!"A jet of red light had shot from the end of Bellatrix's wand, but Malfoy had deflected it. "DO NOT ATTACK! WE NEED THE PROPHECY!"

"You haven't told me what's so special about this prophecy I'm supposed to be handing over," Harry said, playing for time.

"Do not play games with us, Potter," said Malfoy.

"I'm not playing games," said Harry, half his mind on the conversation, half on his wandering foot.

And then he found someone's toes and pressed down upon them.

A sharp intake of breath behind him told him they were Hermione's.

"What?" she whispered.

"Dumbledore never told you the reason you bear that scar was hidden in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries?" Malfoy sneered.

"I- what?" said Harry. And for a moment he quite forgot his plan. "What about my scar? Why does it involve Y/N?"

"What?" whispered Hermione more urgently behind him.

"Can this be?" said Malfoy, sounding maliciously delighted.

"Smash shelves-" Harry whispered to Hermione, moving his lips as little as possible.

"Dumbledore never told you?" Malfoy repeated. "Well, this explains why you didn't come earlier, Potter-"

"-when I say 'now'-"

"-you didn't come running when he showed you the place where it was hidden in your dreams."

Behind Harry, he felt rather than heard Hermione passing his message to the others.

"So he wanted me to come and get it, did he? Why?" he asked Malfoy.

"Why?" Malfoy sounded delighted. "Because the only people who are permitted to retrieve a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries are those about whom it was made."

"And why did he want to steal a prophecy about me?"

"About both of you, Potter, about both of you... plus Miss Scamander." Y/N felt her stomach tie into a knot somehow. "About why the Dark Lord tried to kill you as a baby."

Harry stared into Malfoy's grey eyes.

Was this prophecy the reason Harry's parents had died, the reason he carried his lightning-bolt scar?

Was the answer to all of this clutched in his hand?

Most importantly, why and how was Y/N anything to do with this?

"Someone made a prophecy about Voldemort and me?" he said quietly, "And he's made me or Y/N come and get it for him? Why couldn't he come and get it himself?"

"Get it himself?" shrieked Bellatrix, over a cackle of mad laughter. "The Aurors believe he's gone and are wasting their time on my dear cousin... we don't need to change that."

"So, he's got you doing his dirty work for him, has he?" said Harry.

"Very good, Potter, very good..." said Malfoy slowly. "But the Dark Lord knows you are not-"

"NOW!" yelled Harry.

Seven different voices behind him bellowed, "REDUCTO!"

The curses flew in seven different directions and the shelves opposite them exploded as they hit.

The towering structure swayed as a hundred glass spheres burst apart, smashing into white wisps.

"RUN!" Harry yelled, as more glass spheres began to fall from above.

He seized Y/N's wrist and ran for it, holding his wand tightly in his other hand.

He didn't know if the others were following behind him or not.

If anything, he had to protect her.

They wanted her, too, and he couldn't lose her.

A death eater lunged forwards through the cloud of dust and Harry elbowed him hard in the masked face.

They were all yelling, there were cries of pain, and thunderous crashes as the shelves collapsed upon themselves.

Harry found the way ahead clear and saw Ron, Rolf, Ginny and Luna sprint past him, their arms over their heads.

A death eater got hold of Y/N's shoulder and she shrieked in horror.

She tried to elbow them off, but their nails were digging into her collar bone-

"STUPEFY!" Harry yelled.

The death eater fell to the ground with a loud thud, but they didn't stop a moment to observe.

They were at the end of row ninetyseven.

Harry turned right and began to sprint in earnest, clutching Y/N's wrist firmly.

He could hear footsteps right behind him and Hermione's voice urging Neville on.

Suddenly, they spotted a thin doorway at the end of the room, and didn't hesitate to head towards it and push themselves in.

They quickly scrambled inside and Hermione locked the door behind them.

The room was dark and empty- perhaps an office- and the only light was coming from the prophecy in Harry's hand.

"Where- where are the others?" gasped Harry.

He had thought Ron, Rolf, Luna and Ginny would be waiting in this room, but there was nobody there.

"They must have gone the wrong way!" whispered Hermione, terror in her face.

Footsteps and shouts echoed from behind the door they had just sealed.

Y/N put her ear close to the door to listen and heard Lucius Malfoy roar,

"Be gentle with Potter until we've got the prophecy- you can kill the others if necessary but not Scamander! The Dark Lord needs her-!"

"What do we do?" Hermione asked Harry, trembling from head to toe.

"Well, we don't stand here waiting for them to find us, for a start," said Harry. "Let's get away from this door."

They ran as quietly as they could, past the desks and weird jars in the room.

It was a bigger room than they'd expected- and the exit was already visible.

They were almost at the exit door when Harry heard something large and heavy collide with the door Hermione had charmed shut.

"Stand aside!" said a rough voice. "Alohomora!"

As the door flew open, Harry, Y/N Hermione and Neville dove under desks.

They could see the bottom of the two death eaters' robes drawing nearer, their feet moving rapidly.

Y/N could feel and hear her heart hammer inside her chest as she held onto Harry's hand tightly and closed her eyes.

"They might've ran straight through to the hall," said the rough voice."check under the desks,"

Then, poking his wand out from under the desk, he shouted, "'STUPEFY!"A jet of red light hit the nearest death eater.

He fell backwards into a grandfather clock and knocked it over.

The second death eater, however, had leapt aside to avoid Harry's spell and was charged towards Hermione, who was crawling out from under the desk.

He was tall and not masked- his eyes dark and his hair long and greying.

Without any warning, he grabbed the back of Hermione's robes and pulled her up from the floor violently.

Hermione let out a loud scream and Y/N, Harry and Neville watched in horror as the death eater closed his gloved hand around her neck, making her gasp uncontrollably.

"The prophecy, Potter-" the death eater said in a raspy voice. "or your little friend dies."

"No!" Neville yelled, holding up his wand, but the death eater merely flicked his wrist and shot him with a spell.

Whatever spell came from his wand, it hit Neville in the face and he fell backwards onto the floor.

"Neville!" Y/N quickly crawled to Neville's side and saw that his nose was now bleeding and he was unconscious.

"Tick tock, Potter!" The death eater barked, tightening his grip around Hermione's neck. "Make the wrong move and her little neck will be crushed!"

Y/N didn't know what to do- they were all vulnerable.

One wrong move and Hermione would be dead- by the looks of it, the death eater could suffocate her to death if he simply wanted to.

"d-don't!" Hermione gasped, as her face turned slightly red. "don't g-give it to h-h-"

She was cut off by another set of her own coughs and gasps.

She tried desperately to slap the death eater's hand away.

To Y/N's horror, Hermione's feet were slowly brought off the ground.

Y/N felt her eyes tear up as the panic and desperation from her surroundings hit her.

Y/N knew in her heart that whatever they were to do, the death eater would end up killing Hermione anyway.

Give him the prophecy, he'll kill her right after. Don't give him the prophecy, he'll kill her even faster.

Not unless...

Y/N closed her eyes and felt a tear or two leak from the corner of her eyes.

Her heart painfully ached as she concentrated, hard...

"d-don't..." she heard Hermione's voice rasp.

"Y/N..." Harry said desperately, clutching onto the prophecy. "Y/N what do I do-?"

"Give me the prophecy, Potter!" The death eater's voice was impatient. "Or she... dies,"

He dug his nails into Hermione's neck, and Harry was forced to watch as Hermione started to lose her sense of talking.

"N-No- p-p-pl... d-" she was bright red in the face and her feet were almost off the ground, her eyes were pleading.

Y/N loved her for caring about the world's sake more than her own life... but she couldn't let her best friend die.

Not when she could do something to stop it.

Y/N had decided- she clenched her jaw and squinted her eyes, focusing on all of the exitiumagus magic she had inside of her.

"Potter..." the death eater's voice was deadly, and his eyes were ready to murder. "too damn late Potter... say good bye to your little friend!"

"NO!" Harry shouted.

The death eater tightened his grip so hard that Hermione's neck went white- her eyes were wide and her face was bright red.

Her feet were off the ground, and the death eater was laughing in triumph.

That was it. Hermione was going I die and it was all Harry's own fault.

He'd dragged her to her own death.

However... in the middle of the death eater's awful laughter, a loud blasting sound went off...

A sound similar to a gunshot.

The death eater's smile dropped immediately, and so did Hermione, from his grip.

She fell to the ground on her knees, coughing and gasping for air desperately, banging her palm against the floor.

Harry's eyes darted back to the death eater's direction.

For a moment, the death eater's eyes were wide and horror-struck, as if he was seeing a hallucination.

Then, his arms dropped to his side and he fell backwards, as if in slow motion, onto the floor with a loud thump... lifeless.

His grey eyes stared into nowhere and blood seeped from the corner of his agape mouth creepily.

Harry stared at the death eater's dead body for a moment, then slowly turned to Y/N- who's face was glazed with sweat and tears and who's lips and hands were trembling.

To Harry's great terror, he slowly realized what she had done.

She'd turned his heart into dust... killed him.

"Come on, Y/N..." he whispered. "let's get going-"

"No..."

"Y/N, it's alright..." Harry put a comforting arm around her shoulder and could feel her sway nauseously in her spot.

Her eyes were even wider than the dead death eater's eyes and she looked as if she was facing a Hungarian Horntail.

Hermione had stopped coughing and had gotten up.

She stumbled slightly, but went forwards towards Y/N, pushed Harry aside slightly and pulled Y/N into and embrace, wrapping her arms around her consolingly.

"It's alright, it's alright..." she whispered, rubbing Y/N's back as she sobbed into her shoulder quietly but uncontrollably. "you're alright..."

It was the first time Harry had seen Y/N cry, and it was because she'd killed someone...

"What if he had a family?" Y/N whispered to Hermione miserably. "A daughter? A son? They'll never... ever see him again..."

It scared her how easily it was for her to kill him.

"It's life, Y/N..." Hermione said softly. "a horribly excruciating one, but things like this happen..."

"But you're alright, Hermione." Y/N said, squeezing Hermione slightly. "I'm not glad I d-did it, but I don't regret it... I couldn't let you die-!"

"Shh, it's alright, don't talk about it." Hermione said firmly.

As Y/N nodded and her breathing started to calm down, Harry gave Hermione a thankful look.

"Try in the room there! And find Rookwood!" they heard Lucius Malfoy's voice bellow from outside the room.

"We've got to go," Harry said urgently.

Y/N quickly pulled away from Hermione and wiped her tears.

She went down on her knees next to Neville and checked his pulse- he was definitely still alive.

"Nev... Neville," Y/N shook his body gently.

Neville stirred for a few moments- he had a clearly broken nose and blood pouring down his mouth and chin.

"Don'd gib it to him!" he gasped, jolting up suddenly.

"Neville, we've got to run," said Y/N pulling him up by the arm.

"Whas dat? Where's de provecy?" Neville said in confusion, picking up his wand and wiping the blood from his face.

"I still have it," Harry said quickly.

"Where is de-? Is he dead?" Neville's eyes widened as they fell on Rookwood, whom Y/N tried to avoid looking at.

"Yes," Harry said swiftly, "but we've got to run- now,"

"Ogae, Ogae," Neville nodded.

They all grabbed their fallen wands and dashed for the door at the back of the room, just in time as they heard the front door swing open.

The ran for it, Neville still breathing heavily and Y/N still in shock- they ran as fast as they could down the hallway.

"So which way d'you reckon we go?" Harry asked.

But before they could make a decision as to which way to try, a door to their right sprang open and four people fell out of it.

"What the-?"

"Ron!" croaked Harry, dashing towards them. "Rolf- Ginny- Luna- are you all-?"

Rolf's lip was swollen and purple- indicating that he'd probably been punched or elbowed.

Ginny shook her head and slid down the wall into a sitting position, panting and holding her ankle.

"I think her ankle's broken, I heard something crack," whispered Luna, who was was holding tightly onto Rolf's hand and who alone seemed to be unhurt.

"What happened?" asked Neville.

"Lots of things," said Luna seriously, "four of them chased us into a dark room full of planets-"

"I swear there was no gravity in there," Ron said, almost excitedly, "we were floating and all."

"Anyway," Luna continued, "one of them grabbed Ginny's foot, I used the Reductor Curse and blew up Pluto in his face, but-"

Luna gestured hopelessly at Ginny, who was breathing in a very shallow way, her eyes still closed.

"And what about Rolf?" Harry asked, staring at Y/N's brother's horribly swollen lip.

"Ron elbowed me in the face," Rolf said bitterly, "when we were in the planet room."

"Sorry..." said Ron guiltily.

"What happened to you, Y/N?" Luna asked curiously, frowning at Y/N's state.

"What do you mean-?"

"I can tell by your expression," Luna said thoughtfully, "something happened..."

There was a beat of silence, as Harry and Hermione looked at each other hesitantly.

"I killed one of them." Y/N said quietly and blankly.

"What?" Rolf, Ron and Ginny exclaimed.

"It was the only way." Y/N said cooly. "He was going to kill Hermione, and- there was no other way... I couldn't just let him suffocate her to death."

Ron and Ginny's eyes were wide and Rolf was gripping his own hair unbelievably with his mouth hung open.

"How?" he asked, looking at his sister in the eye.

"Malleah Gryffindor... remember her?" Y/N glanced up at Ron, who was there with her when she learned about her powers back in Grimmauld Place.

"Oh..." Ron stared at the floor for a moment, as if he was calculating something. Then, he looked up, terrified. "Oh..."

"What-? I don't- I don't understand!" Rolf said impatiently, "Gryffindor the poet? What is she-?"

"We don't have time for this." Y/N cut him off fiercely. "Now let's just focus on how we're going to get out of here alive!"

"She's right, we've got to get out of here," said Harry firmly.

Everyone nodded, even though Rolf still looked unsatisfied.

"Luna, can you help Ginny?" Ron asked the girl.

"Yes," said Luna, sticking her wand behind her ear for safekeeping, then putting an arm around Ginny and pulling her up.

"It's only my ankle, I can do it myself!" said Ginny impatiently, but next moment she had collapsed sideways and grabbed Luna for support.

Harry looked around and immediately ran towards the first door he saw, careful not to be seen by any death eaters.

The others quickly followed him, running as fast as they could, not caring if the death eaters that were running by saw them or not.

Then, when Harry pushed open the door and sprinted inside with no hesitation, he fell.

They all fell. Down and down and down the deep dark room.

Y/N heard Hermione and Ginny scream as their bodies fell through the room- but when they were a few feet from the ground, an enchantment slowed them down and cushioned their fall.

"Ouch!" Y/N still landed face-first onto the rocky surface of the room.

She quickly scrambled to her feet and held up her wand to whatever they were going to face.

She looked around the room as the others got to their feet.

This room was larger than the last, dimly lit and circular, and the middle of it, where they were standing, was sunken, forming stone pit some twenty feet deep.

It was similar to a courtroom, but instead of a chained chair, stood a stone archway that looked so ancient, cracked and crumbling.

Through the archway was something only recognised as a wavy blur- perhaps a veil.

"Who's there?" said Harry, heading closer to he archway.

"Careful!" said Y/N.

Harry continued to walk towards the archway, his footsteps echoed loudly.

"What are you saying?" He said, very loudly, so that his words echoed.

"Nobody's talking, Harry!" said Hermione, now moving over to him.

"Someone's whispering behind there," Harry continued, moving out of her reach and continuing to frown at the veil. "Is that you, Ron?"

"I'm here, mate," said Ron, appearing around the side of the archway.

"Can't anyone else hear it?" Harry demanded, for the whispering and murmuring was becoming loud.

"I can hear them too," breathed Luna, joining them around the side of the archway and gazing at the swaying blur. "There are people in there!"

"What do you mean, 'in there'?" demanded Hermione, "there isn't any 'in there', it's just an archway, there's no room for anybody to be there-"

But she was cut off by yells from outside the room.

Harry suddenly snapped out of his curiosity and whipped out his wand.

"Get behind me!" he told them.

They all nodded and also brought up their wands, backing up behind Harry but still looking determined.

The last thing they heard was triumphant cackling from Bellatrix, and then there was a loud bang, and everything went black.

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Harry got to his feet though his legs were trembling so badly they barely supported him.

The prophecy was still miraculously unbroken in his left hand, his wand clutched tightly in his right.

He backed away, looking around in confusion.

Y/N, Hermione, Ron, Rolf, Luna Ginny and Neville were all held captive by a death eater each, and to his horror, Y/N was the one with Bellatrix's wand pointed at.

Something about the woman really scared him.

The death eaters all halted, gazing at him.

Some were panting as hard as he was.

Lucius Malfoy was leering, his wand pointing straight at Harrys face.

"Potter, your race is run," he drawled, "now hand me the prophecy like a good boy."

"Let- let the others go, and I'll give it to you!" said Harry desperately. A few of the death eaters laughed.

"You are not in a position to bargain, Potter," said Lucius Malfoy, smirking. "You see, there are ten of us and only one of you..."

"Harry, don' gib it to him!" Neville bellowed, as Dolohov dug the tip of his wand deeper into his skin.

"Give it, Potter!" Malfoy stuck out his hand.

Harry didn't answer, looking around at his struggling friends and still clutching onto the prophecy.

"Is that a no?" Bellatrix pouted, after a few silent seconds. "No worries... let's see how long Scamander lasts before she cracks like her papa... unless Potter wants to give us the prophecy."

"DON'T GIVE IT TO THEM!" Y/N said, gritting her teeth. The whole Wizarding World's fate was in Harry's hand. "HARRY, DON'T YOU DARE-"

Bellatrix raised her wand-

"Crucio!"

Y/N let out a horrible scream, and she dropped to the floor, her legs drawn up to her chest.

Bellatrix backed away to enjoy the sight, cackling along the way.

It was no doubt the worst pain Y/N had ever encountered.

It was like getting stabbed from everywhere, and there was no way to stop it.

She was twitching and screaming in agony, as the pain increased every second.

How many times did her father have to experience that, before he fell unconscious?

"Y/N-! Y/N!" Rolf was shouting at the top of his lungs, his eyes wide in panic.

The others were shouting with him, begging for Bellatrix to stop- but Harry was the loudest.

"NO!" Harry said defeatedly, looking at Y/N's curled up body miserably. "LEAVE HER ALONE, PLEASE!"

"That was just a taster!" said Bellatrix, raising her wand so that Y/N's screams stopped and she lay sobbing at her feet. "Now, Potter, either give us the prophecy, or watch your little girlfriend die the hard way!"

"DON'T, HARRY!" Y/N cried, her whole body shaking in pain. "Don't... DON'T GIVE IT TO THEM!"

She wasn't asking Bellatrix to stop, but was begging for Harry to not give up the prophecy.

Harry was ready to hand Lucius the prophecy, but Y/N's pleading expression was stopping him.

"Not to worry, take your time..." Bellatrix chortled, raising her wand again.

"NO, PLEASE-"

"Crucio!"

It was five times worst than the first time.

Y/N let out a gut-wrenching scream, which caused Rolf to fall to his knees defeatedly.

Hermione had tears rolling down her cheeks and Ginny and Ron continued to shout desperately.

Bellatrix didn't stop for a while, this time.

Y/N was sure she was going to die if it continued any longer.

Every inch of her body felt as though stabbed and electrocuted at the same time.

It went on longer than the first time- minutes, perhaps, but it felt like hours.

Bellatrix seemed to be enjoying Y/N's screaming state as much as a person would enjoy a humorous play.

"I'M GIVING IT!" Harry bellowed- he felt hot tears sting his eyes. "MAKE IT STOP, I'M GIVING IT TO YOU!"

Just when Y/N felt like her life was dangling from only a single thread, the pain finally stopped.

She panted heavily, tears rolling down her chin, and felt her eyelids felt extremely heavily.

Her limbs were twitching uncontrollably and she was seeing colours and shapes form everywhere.

She couldn't move or even say anything to stop Harry.

"The prophecy, Potter," Lucius reached out a hand.

Harry did not have to think anymore; there was no choice.

The prophecy was hot with the heat of his clutching hand as he held it out. Malfoy jumped forwards to take it.

Then, high above them, two more doors burst open and five more people sprinted into the room: Sirius, Lupin, Moody, Tonks and Kingsley.

Malfoy turned, and raised his wand, but Tonks had already sent a Stunning Spell right at him.

Harry dived off the dais out of the way, just as Lucius Malfoy hit the floor and the prophecy shattered into a cloud of blue smoke.

The death eaters were completely distracted from the kids by the appearance of the members of the Order, who were now raining spells down upon them.

Through the darting bodies, the flashes of light, Harry could see Y/N stirring tiredly on the floor, where Bellatrix had left her.

He darted towards her immediately, and so did Rolf.

She was definitely alive, but could barely move.

"Y/N- Y/N, are you okay?" Harry yelled, as another spell soared inches over their heads.

"How do you feel?" Rolf asked through all the chaos, shaking her shoulders gently. "Niff, answer me, please,"

"Aches everywhere..." Y/N whispered, and was horrified when she heard how brittle her voice was.

She felt as if she'd been beat up for days.

"You're alright now, OK?" Rolf said, wiping her tears away with his thumb.

Y/N nodded silently and spotted Remus duelling with Dolohov nearby.

"I want to help." she said quietly, but found that her arms and legs were numb and rooted. "I can't... I can't move-"

"Don't move," said Rolf firmly, before turning to Harry. "Can you take her somewhere safe? I'm going to help Remus."

"No... don't." Y/N pleaded her brother, but Rolf shook his head firmly. "not without me..."

"I'll be fine, you go!" said Rolf, as he and Harry ducked another red curse. "Harry, take her to Luna!"

Harry nodded assuringly and Rolf took off, diving away from a green curse sent at him and pulling out his wand.

"No..." Y/N wanted to jump to her feet and drag Rolf back, but her limbs weren't listening.

She couldn't lose him too... not Rolf.

Not when she'd thought her whole life, whatever happened, at least he was going to be there.

"Y/N, listen to me..." said Harry, cupping the side of her face. "he'll be just fine, but you can barely move... you have to come with me."

Y/N looked at him in the eye as her eye lids drooped tiredly.

Harry went on his knees and bent down to slide his arms under Y/N's legs and back, before scooping her up into his arms and standing up on his feet.

He looked around and waited until all the death eaters were distracted, before shooting towards the back of the room, where Luna and Ginny waited by the door, unnoticed by the death eaters.

"Help her," Harry said urgently at the two.

Ginny and Luna didn't hesitate to come forwards and helped Y/N from Harry's arms.

"Keep. Her. Safe." Harry said almost threateningly. "Whatever she says, don't let her join the battle."

Ginny and Luna nodded, as they threw each of Y/N's arms around their shoulders.

Harry caught Y/N's pleading gaze but shook his head.

He grabbed the side of her head and kissed her on the forehead lovingly.

"I love you, but you've got to go," he said quietly, so only Y/N could hear him.

"Harry!" Hermione said urgently from behind Ginny and Luna. "Harry you have to come with us-!"

"I'm going to help Sirius." Harry said firmly. "You guys go- back to Hogwarts- anywhere!"

And before any of them could protest, Harry turned on his heel and headed back into the battle.

He quickly ran back into the pit of shooting spells and found Sirius right behind the corner of the archway.

"Sirius!" he exclaimed, ducking a spell from Dolohov and approaching his godfather.

"Harry, what are you doing here!" Sirius said heatedly. "Take the others and get out of here-"

"No, I'm staying with you!" Harry said desperately, looking into his grey eyes with a pleading expression.

Sirius gave a heavy sigh.

"You've done beautifully, Harry." he whispered. "Now, let me take it from here."

But it was too late for Harry to run back.

Malfoy and Nott had approached them from behind, shooting a spell towards Harry's direction.

Sirius jumped in front of him and blocked it just in time.

Then, they were both duelling the death eaters.

Harry shot rapid Stunning Spells towards Nott and Sirius seemed to be winning Lucius Malfoy.

"Stupefy!" Sirius shouted.

Nott, who was busy deflecting spells from Harry, received the spell square in the chest.

He gasped loudly, before falling backwards to the ground, unconscious.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry bellowed, when Lucius was distracted by Nott's downfall.

Malfoy's wand flew out of his hands and Harry caught it.

"Nice one, James!" Sirius laughed triumphantly.

Harry froze and looked back at Sirius in confusion, but his godfather was busy trying to get rid of Malfoy.

Finally, Sirius was able to hit Malfoy with a curse, sending him flying way back and hitting the wall of the room, before sliding to the floor.

For a moment, Sirius was laughing in satisfactory... but what he didn't know was that Bellatrix was aiming her wand right at his head.

"Avada Ke-"

"COLLOPORTUS!"

Bellatrix's killing curse was drowned out by her own scream.

She was sent flying high backwards, before hitting the wall even harder than Lucius, and sliding down to the floor like a rag doll.

Harry and Sirius looked around in confusion, beaming with relief, before spotting Y/N- swaying unstably only a few feet away from them.

She'd put the rest of her remaining energy into the Colloportus Curse, and was now seeing black flashes everywhere.

Harry and Sirius smiled at her thankfully.

Y/N tried to smile back, but a strike of pain hit her in the head. She stumbled on her feet and fell backwards.

Harry quickly ran forwards, caught her in his arms, and they both fell to the floor.

"Merlin, Y/N, how much more can I love you," he said breathlessly, wrapping his arms around her tightly. "You did brilliant, Y/N..."

"Thank you, Y/N." Sirius said seriously, crouching down next to her and Harry. "I would've been dead, without you."

"Y/N... Y/N, can you hear me?" Harry had only noticed that her eyes were no longer open. "Y/N! Y/N, it's Harry, I'm right here! No..."

"She's still alive, Harry." Sirius said reassuringly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

But with what cause? Will she end up like her father?

Wasn't memory loss another after affect of the Cruciatus Curse?

"Harry, listen to me!" Sirius said loudly. "Calling her name isn't going to help! Now, grab your friends and follow Sturgis back to Grimmauld Place- Y/N'll be sent to St Mongo's!"

But from the corner of his eye, Harry had spotted Bellatrix...

She had gotten up, blood running down the front of her face, and was heading out of one of the doors of the room.

He didn't know whether it was from his scar or his true emotions, but a rush of anger and the need for vengeance hit him in the face.

And so, he passed Y/N to Sirius, who yelled inaudible orders at him, before gripping his wand tightly and sprinting after Bellatrix...

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A/N ~ No complaints pls. I've decided for things to go like this for several reasons and you can 'rainbows and unicorns' my arse :)

For the rest of you that did want things to end like this, you're welcome!!

Final chapter of fifth year will be out Sunday x

-ScribllingQuills