Chapter Sixteen:
( battles between familiarity )

▂✫⌒*･ﾟ

THE STUDENTS ARE IN deep shit. Spencer does not have to think back to different scenarios or geniuses to figure that out. It is not just Lucius Malfoy that makes an appearance. In fact, right after he spoke up more black shapes (reminding her of dementors) began emerging out of thin air all around them, blocking their way left and right; eyes glinting through slits in hoods, a dozen lit wand tips pointing directly at their hearts.

"To me, Potter," repeats the drawling voice of Lucius Malfoy as he holds out his hand, palms up. His eyes wander curiously to the young Montague, and he narrows them in disgust. Spencer holds in her breath as she glares back toward the man and then glances around the room. She freezes in her spot as she spots a familiar woman standing in the further right of Malfoy. It can't be... Spencer thinks to herself. Except she knows the truth. Mordra Montague escaped Azkaban along with a few others who she knows are there as well. And even though she wears a hood, Spencer knows it is her.

"Where's Sirius?" Harry changes the topic to something he has been waiting to figure out. Several of the Death Eaters laugh. A harsh female voice from the midst of shadowy figures triumphantly exclaims, "The Dark Lord always knows!"

"'Where's Sirius?' Does the little kid need his fake daddy?" Mordra mimics Harry, pretending to care by the way she places her hand on her heart and gives him wide eyes. Spencer knows that the others could see the resemblance she shares with her aunt. The way their eyes shift to make them look innocent. She can feel their burning gaze staring at her intensely before focusing back to the Death Eaters.

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

"I want to know where Sirius is!"

"'I want to know where Sirius is!'" mimics Bellatrix Black, the woman to their left. All of them have closed in on them so they only stand a few feet away from Spencer and her friends.

Harry seems to ignore the biggest problem they're facing and continues to ask, "You've got him. He's here. I know he is." Spencer stops herself from grasping his hand to hers. It will show fear and she knows that doing so would make her aunt delightful. From the other side of Harry, Ron stirs uncomfortably and whispers something toward him which everyone hears clearly.

This in turn causes Bellatrix to let out a scream of laughter. Mordra glares at the other woman (not because she is making fun of Harry, but the two despise each other). The Black woman claps her hand hilariously as she screams, "You hear him? Giving instructions to the other children as though he thinks he can fight us!"

Malfoy glares at them. "Oh, you don't know Potter as I do, Bellatrix," the blond man responds in a low tone. "He has a great weakness for heroics; the Dark Lord understands this about him. Now hand me the prophecy, Potter."

The Dark Lord understands this about him... Spencer repeats that sentence in her head over and over. This is a trap. The Death Eaters and Voldemort knows how Harry acts when one of his own is in danger. How bravely idiotic he would be for them. Sirius is used as his trap and they dumbly fell for it. Spencer does not blame her friend, however. She, just as the others, chose to follow him knowing the consequences. There was always a doubt within, but they will blindly listen to him as their friend.

"It's time you learned the difference between life and dreams," Malfoy continues to taunt, his hand folding and unfolding to claim the supposed prophecy. "Give it to me or we start using our wands."

"Go on, then," Harry bravely answers, raising his wand to chest height. Spencer glances back at Ricky, who despite the horror struck in his face, raises his own as well. All eight of them hold their wand in the same position, ready to attack or defend if needed— which they most likely will have to do. Except the Death Eaters do not yet strike. How odd...

"Hand over the prophecy and no one needs to get hurt," Malfoy says coolly. Spencer scoffs silently at his statement. Right. As if Voldemort would gladly let Harry and them live after having destroyed his plans the first time. And based on the look from Bellatrix and Mordra, they are planning to hurt them real bad.

Harry has the same idea as he forces out a dry laugh. "Yeah, and then you'll just let us skip home, will you?"

"Accio Proph—" Bellatrix shrieks loudly, but Harry is one step ahead as he turns and yells, "Protego!" The woman cannot even finish her sentence with his rapid thinking.

Spencer raises her wand already thinking of dozens of spells to cast or deflect with. The woman seems to anger herself at how easily he fought her off. She wonders why her own aunt had not done something off the charts like her, but then she feels her cold gaze looking right at her with a spark of curiosity. Mordra distracted herself from attacking just to stare at her and Spencer can only guess it is because Voldemort truly wants Harry alive and not dead. At least not yet. And not from his own followers. He would rather be the one to do it, she easily deciphers that.

"I TOLD YOU, NO!" The elder Malfoy roars at the dark-haired woman. "If you smash it—"

Bellatrix steps forward uncaringly and pulls off her own hood. Looking at her more closely, Spencer is able to see her gaunt and skull-like face which is still very much alive with a feverish, fanatical glow. She can see her chest raising up and down angrily. "You need more persuasion? Very well— take the smallest one," she orders the Death Eater beside her. "Let him watch while we torture this little girl. I'll do it."

The woman points at Ginny and immediately, everyone places her in the center and covers her protectively. Harry places himself in front of her and holds the prophecy as a taunt. "You'll have to smash this if you want to attack any of us," he snarls at Bellatrix. "I don't think your boss will be too pleased if you come back without it, will he?"

Bellatrix glowers silently. Mordra lets out a wicked laugh and claps her hands. "He is quite funny, Bella. Please, do break it for being foolish and tell me how you're his favorite after that," her aunt taunts toward her own companion. Spencer does not feel any glad for the fact that she is opposing to her ideas. She knows her aunt well enough to know that she will do anything to please Voldemort.

Realizing he has them for a while, Harry decides to continue his own conversation. Spencer does not enjoy the suspense, but she knows he is just trying to buy some time hoping for a miracle plan. To be quite honest, Spencer knows that they cannot leave unless they begin a fight.

"What kind of prophecy?" Bellatrix repeats what Harry questioned. The mad grin on her slowly begins fading away. "You jest, Harry Potter."

Harry shakes his head. "Nope, not jesting. Why does Voldemort want it?"

Several Death Eaters releases a hiss at his courage for actually saying the Dark Lord's name. Spencer tightens her grip in case any of them choose to disobey his supposed orders. She can feel her throat's dryness stirring up and all she wants to do is return to Hogwarts and celebrate with the rest of the students because exams are over. She wonders what they are doing... did they even notice her lost presence? They definitely noticed that Harry, Hermione, and Ron are not there. Her eyes slightly wander to the still-covered figures. One of them has to be Theodore's father. She can recognize his face, but not with the dark hood on. She has not heard him speak before and it is easy to figure out that the other crazy woman that is not her aunt is Bellatrix. Those two are the only insane females— apart from Alecto Carrow as well. Well, so is Morgana, but she is not a part of them... yet.

"You dare speak his name?" growls Bellatrix angrily.

Harry rolls back his shoulders and simply answers, "Yeah. I've got no problem saying Vol—"

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

"Did you know he's a half-blood too?" Harry interrupts as if he was currently not trying to die. Spencer is not sure if her friend is an idiot or an absolute badass. The more he continues, she figures it is sadly both. "Yeah, his mother was a witch, but his dad was a Muggle— or has he been telling you lot he's pureblood?"

Wait, what? Spencer blinks at the new revelation. However, she cannot help but raise her wand as Bellatrix yells, "STUPEF—"

None of them had been the one to deflect the spell since Malfoy had shouted a spell against her. One would assume he had just switched sides but no. Lucius Malfoy is selfish in every way possible and he knows that getting them injured would go against Voldemort. His spell causes hers to hit the shelf a foot to the left and several orbs shatters.

"WAIT UNTIL WE'VE GOT THE PROPHECY!" bawls Malfoy.

There is something going on with the orbs that shattered since two figures had been released. However, Spencer pays them no mind and instead began glancing around the room in thought. They came from the other side since they currently resided beside number ninety-seven. The Ministry has confusing rooms, but perhaps they could be useful. They could not do anything with being surrounded, however. Truthfully, the only plan coming to her mind where they might survive (about thirty-eight percent based on quick mathematics) is if they fight their way through the dozen of Death Eaters.

"You haven't told me what's so special about this prophecy I'm supposed to be handing over," continues Harry, playing for more time. Spencer, being the one next to him, notices his feet shift slightly toward the other side behind him. He intentionally (by the looks of it) steps on Hermione to gain her attention. "I'm not playing games," he says coolly.

The young Montague hears Hermione whisper something to him, but luckily she is being extremely quiet so the others could not hear. Spencer began counting the Death Eaters. They are eight of them, and around twelve of the others. She is not sure they could take them. All of them are Hogwarts experienced and even though Spencer knows tons of spells not taught at Hogwarts, she still feels that fear.

"Dumbledore never told you the reason you bear that scar was hidden in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries," sneers Malfoy in disbelief. He stares at them like he does not believe them. Or at least, he does not believe Harry. There is no reason for the others to realize what he means.

Even Harry gives himself away for not knowing. "I— what?"

By the looks of it, he temporarily forgets about whatever he is planning and Spencer forces herself not to send him a look in front of all of them. Death Eaters begin to laugh at his face for knowing something he does not. Malfoy sounds maliciously delighted as he says, "Can this be?"

Harry quickly whispers something to Hermione which this time Spencer heard right, "Smash shelves—"

"Dumbledore never told you?" Malfoy repeats. "Well, this explains why you didn't come earlier, Potter. The Dark Lord wondered why—"

"—when I say go—" Harry continues to whisper among their group. He makes it look as if he is definitely paying attention to the Death Eaters, and although he listens to Malfoy's words, he still bothers to try and get his plan on its work.

"—you didn't come running when he showed you the place where it was hidden in your dreams. He thought natural curiosity would make you want to hear the exact wording..." Malfoy explains, his face scrunching up in disgust.

"So," Harry converses back for time, "he wanted me to come and get it, did he? Why?"

"Why?" Malfoy sounds incredulously delighted. "Because the only people who are permitted to retrieve a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries, Potter, are those about whom it was made, as the Dark Lord discovered when he attempted to use others to steal it for him."

Spencer furrows her eyebrows in thought. So it is about the two of them, isn't it? Voldemort and Harry Potter, the evil wizard that vanished in the face of Earth and the Boy-Who-Lived. Her attention returns to Harry as he spoke, "The prophecy is about Voldemort and me? And he's made me come and get it for him? Why couldn't he come himself?"

"Foolish boy," Mordra hisses loudly, clicking her tongue against the top of her mouth. Her attention goes toward Spencer and her eyes darken endlessly. Fuck. Spencer forces herself to stray away from staring back. She knows her aunt recognizes her despite it being ten years since she last saw her.

Bellatrix lets out a cackle of mad laughter. "The Dark Lord, walk into the Ministry of Magic, when they are so sweetly ignoring his return? The Aurors so busy focused on my dear cousin?"

"So he's for you doing his dirty work for him," nods Harry clearly. "Like he tried to get Sturgis to steal it— and Bode?"

"Very good, Potter," Malfoy utters slowly. "But that Dark Lord knows you are not unintell—"

"NOW!" Harry yells.

Spencer lifts her wand and with the rest of them casts, "Reducto!" Eight curses flew in eight different directions and the shelves opposite of them explode as they hit. The towering structure sways as a hundred spheres burst apart, pearly-white figures unfurl into the air and floats there, their voices echoing allowing a chance for distraction. "RUN!" Harry shouts once more as the shelves begin tumbling down around them.

She grabs Ricky's hand and pulls him forward, lifting her wand up as she mumbles a short spell and they manage to escape the pieces of glass that shatters. Ricky widens his eyes in surprise, questioning, "How'd you do that?"

"Umbrella spell," Spencer answers vaguely, before finding the others running further and she tugs in his arm to continue. She could have sworn she heard him mumble something about not even knowing about that one. It makes sense since wizards in Europe are not necessarily the ones to use them, but the ones in America do. They are at the end of row ninety-seven; Harry turns right and begins to sprint in earnest. Spencer follows close behind and returns her wand closer to her chest. The door through where they came from is right ahead. She makes her way through shortly after Hermione did and then Neville arrives right after. Harry slams the door close and Hermione gasps out, "Colloportus."

The door seals itself, but Spencer does not smile in accomplishment. Ron, Luna, and Ginny are not with them. Which meant they are still very much inside with the Death Eaters. "They're still inside," she gasps out in realization.

Their faces turn a pale white in return. Neville places his index finger in his lips and motions for them to listen to the adults in the room. Everyone silences and hears them say, "Leave Nott, leave him, I say, the Dark Lord will not care for Nott's injuries as much as losing that prophecy— Jugson, come back here, we need to organize! We'll split into pairs and search, and don't forget, be gentle with Potter until we've got the prophecy, you can kill the others if necessary— Bellatrix, Rodolphus, you take the left, Crabbe and Rabastan, go right— Jugson, Dolohov, the door straight ahead— Macnair and Avery, through here— Mordra, stay behind in the shadows, Mulciber, come with me!"

"What do we do?" Hermione asks Harry, fear evident in her face and body as it trembles.

Spencer glances back at her best friend and frowns as she notices his fear-struck face. She knows he heard Malfoy mention Theodore's father just as they all heard that anyone who is not Harry could possibly die. Right now who she fears for the most are the three that are not in the same room as them.

"Well... we don't stand here and wait for them to find us, for a start," Harry answers sarcastically. His face turns serious as he says, "Let's get away from this door..."

They run, quietly as they could, past the shimmering bell jar where the tiny egg is hatching and unhatching (the one Ginny was enchanted by), toward the exit into the circular hallway at the far end of the room. They are almost there when Spencer hears something large and heavy collide with the door. That is most likely Jugson and Dolohov... Spencer recalls what Malfoy ordered. Which means that for her right, Bellatrix and Rodolphus has gone to that side while Crabbe and Rabastan went to her left. She had hope Malfoy ordered her aunt to do one of those two things so she can know where she is, but he instead demanded her to stay in the shadows and crawl upon them if needed.

"Stand aside," one of the man say in a rough voice. "Alohomora!"

The door flew open just as Spencer dives under a desk that is available. She can see the bottom of their feet approach closer and into a stop to look for them. "They might've run straight through the hall," says the rough voice. Spencer hopes they would think that.

However, luck is not in their side as the other voice instead says, "Look under the desks." One of them leans over where Harry is and she begins crawling a bit outside, ready to attack and run. As soon as she hears his voice and a jet of red light hit the nearest Death Eater, Spencer raises up from her hiding spot and quickly casts, "Impedimenta!" The other Death Eater who is to approach Hermione is knocked back by the spell.

"Expelliarmus," Neville cries out from beside her to grab the man's wand. Spencer nods toward the Gryffindor proudly before they begin running away from the man. "Stupefy!" He yells once he notices the man stand up go chase after them.

The Death Eater is struck back, frozen in his spot and begins falling down. However, instead of tumbling down the rest of the shelves, his head sinks into the surface of the bell jar as though it is nothing but a soap bubble. What the fuck? Spencer wonders to herself before shaking her head to focus on the main objective: stay alive. Except, how can she when out of nowhere they are staring at the man's head in shock. His head is shrinking quite fast, growing balder and balder, his cheeks smoothing out and... a baby's head now takes place instead.

"It's time," Hermione speaks in an awestruck voice. "Time..." she trails off as they continue staring at the Death Eater/baby. Suddenly, they hear a shout from a room nearby, then a crash and a scream.

"RON!" Harry yells with a worried tone.

Spencer points her wand at the Death Eater, but stops herself from casting a spell. He pulls out his head from the jar and she scrunches up her nose in disgust of how he looked. Harry raises his wand as well and before he could utter a spell, Hermione exclaims, "You can't hurt a baby!"

"That thing is a Death Eater!" Spencer argues in defense for her friend. "He had no problem trying to murder us, Hermione!"

"Both of you, just follow me," Harry interrupts their feud, grabbing onto Spencer's arm and pulling her forward. She remembers why in a matter of seconds. Harry has practically told the rest to head their way the moment he screamed loudly for their missing friends. They take off toward the door that stand ajar at the other end of the room, leading back into the black hallway. Knowing that they would all face complications if they do not rule out at least many Death Eaters to part away, Spencer stops herself from running away and rather turns her wand toward one of the Death Eaters approaching.

"Levicorpus!" She easily calls out, flicking her wand toward the shelves where the man lands with a crash. Spencer somehow recalls that certain spell on Snape's notes when she asked him a question one time. It had been next to its counterspell and she always wondered where he got it from. Ricky shouts her name as he has not notice her actions and has gone with Harry, Hermione, and Neville.

Spencer ducks just in time as the Death Eater's partner yells, "Impedimenta!" The fact that she dodges the spell only causes for the Death Eater to run after her friends. She swears under her breath before being caught off guard by another Death Eater reaching her destination.

"Incendio," Bellatrix Black casts toward an object near her. Spencer hisses in pain as flames manage to get in her sleeves before she mumbles, "Aguamenti."

"Little girl can play with fire!" The woman mocks with an insane look in her face.

The young Montague pants slightly before glancing up and pointing her wand to one of the spheres beside Bellatrix and muttering, "Expulso!"

As she notices the woman being thrown off by the explosion, she takes her time to run off to where Harry and Ricky have disappeared into (it always delights her how she is always being under-looked). She past a room and then knocks open a door. A sigh of relief escapes her mouth as she spots Neville, Harry, and Ricky with their wands pointing at her. The boys smiles tiredly upon noticing her, but hold on to each other as the room spun once more. It is then Spencer notices that Hermione lays unconscious and she gasps. The young girl bends down and parts her friend's hair.

"What spell was she hit with?" She questions softly. The three boys shake their head, not knowing what has happened to her. "If it was the Stunning charm then the counterjinx could help... but this doesn't seem like it."

Before they can continue, a door to their right sprang open and three people fell from it. "Ron!" Harry yells with a sense of relief. Spencer caresses Hermione's cheek before she stands up and quickly dashes toward Ginny and Luna, bringing them in for a hug. The redheaded girl groans in pain and Spencer releases her from her hold to notice that her ankle seems to not stand on its own. Ron seems to be dozing in and out of them, saying some crazy stuff about seeing Uranus and whatnot.

Spencer knows one thing for sure with three people weak to not do enough and one who can barely pronounce words by the looks of it. They are absolutely fucked. Either way, she figures they will go down fighting and helping her friends rather than sitting in a state of depression. Her eyes catches Ricky's and she gives him a thin smile and motions to help Neville with Hermione. Harry grabs Ron's arm and pulls him up while Luna and Spencer take care of Ginny. They begin walking toward a door when another one across from them opens and there Bellatrix Black returns along with three different Death Eaters.

"There they are!" She shrieks excitedly.

Stunning spells shot across the room: Harry smashes his way through the door, flung Ron unceremoniously from him, Spencer and Luna carries Ginny inside, and Ricky and Neville enter with Hermione in their arms. They make it in just in time to slam the door before Bellatrix could and Harry casts, "Colloportus."

"It doesn't matter!" Spencer hears a man scream. "They are others way in— WE'VE GOT THEM, THEY'RE HERE!"

Wait, what?! Spencer turns around and then sighs disappointedly. They are back in the room that she had not personally got into, but Harry and the rest definitely did. Each one of them cast their own spell among the doors. She and Ricky got back-to-back and continue locking the doors until they hear Luna try to yell, "Collo— aaaaargh..."

Five Death Eaters make it inside and before Spencer can utter out a word, she is pulled into the actual darkness and away from her friends. The young Montague struggles against the cold arms wrap around her neck and it is only until she bites the person's arms that they let go. She turns in defense before recognizing it to be her mentally-insane aunt.

Mordra circles around her with a mad grin on her face. She holds her wand pointing at Spencer's chest and tilts her head curiously. "I can recognize the beauty of the Montague females. Those brown eyes— the youngest.. right? Samantha?" The woman begins speaking in a taunting tone.

Spencer glares at her and does not respond. "No... not Samantha. More of a boy's name, in my opinion... Oliver never had good taste in name, so bland. It's Spencer, isn't it? You grew taller than I'd expect. And look at that, your beautiful jaw could rival mine!"

"Why don't you join me, Spencer? Together, you and I could eliminate muggle kind and be known as the strongest to the Dark Lord," Mordra offers quietly, letting her fingers cross against Spencer's jawline.

The young girl clenches her jaw. "I'd rather die then join the likes of you, Mordra," Spencer spits out.

Mordra's eyes darken at her response. "That's no way to respect your aunt. No wonder your sister had always been my favorite... Morgana, right? Destined to be long partners with one another. Named after Morgan Le Fay and I... after Mordred," the woman hisses silently.

"Fits both of you then... both insane wizards who lose at the end," Spencer comments lazily.

The woman screams in anger and casts, "Petrificus Totalus!"

"Protego," Spencer is quick to respond with her own spell. She tries running further away from her aunt before realizing the doors are shut closed. "Alo—"

"Stupefy!" Mordra calls out just as fast. Spencer feels her body spark in pain before tumbling down the floor. She feels her breathing her heavier by the moment, but despise it all, she clung into her wand tightly to keep it beside her. Her aunt bends down beside her and smoothly parts her hair to the side. Mordra places her lips next to her ears as she whispers, "I was hoping you'd grow up to be like me... but you're just as pathetic as your brother."

Spencer continues trembling from the spell, but it does not stop her from trying to turn her head toward her aunt in confusion. Brother? What did she—

"Spence!" Her thoughts are interrupted by Ricky who she can hear running toward them. No. No, please don't. She cannot bare it if Mordra hurts her best friend. Her mind screams loudly inside as she tries to ignore the pain. Except she cannot do it. "Rennervate!" Another spell is cast toward her, but this time it is done by Ricky himself.

The young girl feels the stunning fade away and she thanks Merlin that her best friend is an actual smart male. She hears her aunt yell in anger and before she can attack Ricky, Spencer stands up weakly and yells, "Petrificus Totalus!"

The spell hits her aunt straight in the chest and before she knows it, Mordra has frozen still and lands on her back with a thud. Spencer pants in her place and she twists herself to crack her back. Ricky quickly jogs beside her and places his hands on her cheek to check if she is good enough to continue their path. Her face and clothes are bloodied and filled with dirt that clearly does not do its justice to her own. Ricky does not look like his usual self as well, but he appears better than her. Spencer really needs a shower.

Ricky helps her walk toward where they hear the commotion coming from. They leave Mordra behind (to hopefully rot, but most likely not) and make it just in time for Bellatrix to shriek, "Crucio!"

Her best friend gasps in horror upon Neville screaming so loud, his legs drawn up to his chest so that the Death Eater holding him is momentarily holding him off the ground. Spencer points her wand at Bellatrix and casts out, "Conjuctivitis!" The Death Eater drops him— holding onto her eyes that soon swelled up because of the spell Spencer hit her with and Neville falls to the floor, twitching and screaming in agony. Bellatrix yells in anger before pointing her own wand to herself, casting the counter-spell to the curse (this is honestly the best time to have learn how to cast non-verbally).

Bellatrix laughs wickedly and Ricky has to hold Spencer's wand down, knowing his friend wants to do something, but also that she is hurting. "That was just a taster!" She refers to the Cruciatus Curse being used on Neville and not about what happened to her. "Now, Potter, either give us the prophecy, or watch your little friend die the hard way!"

Spencer feels her heart leap down as she watches Harry slowly hold out his hand that holds the prophecy. A face of anguish appears and she knows he is doing it because he is not going to let someone die for him. She watches powerless as Malfoy jumps forward to take it. However, high above them, two more doors bursts open and five more people come sprinting in. Spencer stares in both confusion and awe as she notices Sirius Black, Mad-Eye Moody (the real one), Professor Lupin, a dark-skinned man, and a pink-haired woman. She does not know the last two, but she can tell Harry has recognize them.

She lets out a sigh of relief and leans on Ricky, feeling the adrenaline slowly leave her body. The two students make their way toward Harry and Neville and all help one another stand to flee. The stone floor between them explodes as a spell hit. Spencer grunts in surprise at being pushed back that her wand falls from her hold. She stretches to reach it the moment she notice a large, thick arm gripping Harry's neck tightly, almost killing him in response. Ricky cannot even help their Gryffindor friend since he had been pulled back by a Death Eater. As Spencer struggles to get a hold of her wand, Neville saves Harry on his own.

Another Death Eater notices the rogue wand and just as he heads to pick it up, Spencer holds out her hand and confidently thinks in her own mind thought, Accio wand. Her wand barely manages to escape the tip of the man's fingers before taking its place rightfully on hers.

"Avis," she mumbles toward the Death Eater sprinting her way. A flock of birds appears from her wand and immediately surrounds the man. The Death Eater screams in surprise and then hurts himself by falling on his back. She grimaces when she hears a loud thud (did his back break?) and her eyes wander up to a familiar brown eyes staring down at her in amusement.

"Uh— Professor Lupin," she stammers awkwardly, standing up and pats down her clothes as if she will suddenly look better. Spencer has great respect for her former professor, alright? Even in midst of battle she doesn't want him to see her as weak or vulnerable!

He smoothly curses another Death Eater with barely a glance as he nods back at her, having had his hand out so she can stand properly with his help. "That was an odd spell to cast... but impressive too."

"Well, it's known to be useless and now I have proven that it is not," Spencer answers confidently this time, circling around in suspense. She stares around the room before noticing that Ricky is being held by Theodore's father. Her eyes widen in alert, but then she calms down quietly as Ricky has the audacity to kick back his legs and bring the man down and then casting a spell on him. Yeah, he's good, she figures out quickly.

Professor Lupin leaves to another place to battle the Death Eaters and she gulps in wonder and tiredness. Water is definitely one of the most things she needs the most. A groan escapes her lips as she stares over and notices that her aunt is up once more. Mordra seems to be battling Black one-on-one. Her aunt has the upper hand as noticed by the fact that Harry's godfather keeps backing up and leaving no space. Spencer shakes herself off before running toward them and yelling, "Levicorpus!"

The innocent fugitive widens his eyes in surprise upon noticing her aunt suddenly fly up before he glances at Spencer. She jogs slowly toward him, still holding her aunt who is screaming in anger, and orders him, "Tie her up using the—"

"You got it," the Black male answers immediately, casting 'incarcarous' under his breath. Spencer mumbles the counterjinx before sighing in relief (she actually had never used these spells but had noticed them in Snape's desk). Mordra sends daggers to her niece and moves uncomfortably as the woman threatens, "You'll regret this, Spencer! Family doesn't matter to me!"

Spencer ignores her words and raises her wand toward her. "Silencio."

Sirius Black gives her a small smirk. "You must be Spencer Montague...? Harry told me about you and I have to say that he is right to call you a genius," he compliments lightly, holding out his hand for her to shake.

The young Montague slowly shakes his hand in shock. "Yeah, nice to meet you, Mister sir— I mean Sir Black— Mister Black..." Spencer facepalms soon after her stuttering mess. The man lets out an amused chuckle and tells her, "Sirius is fine."

             Didn't she just save his ass? Now, she is just an absolute embarrassment. He leads her toward where Neville and Harry are, who both seem to be struggling against Dolohov. She hides behind him (not intentionally, but the man practically forced her to) as they make their way toward him.

She gasps silently as Sirius flung himself toward the Death Eater and sends him flying away. Now, the two adults seem to be dueling while Spencer helps Harry and Neville up their feet. Just as the chosen one stands up, he immediately raises his wand against Dolohov and casts, "Petrificus Totalus!"

"Nice one! It reminds me of James's skills," Sirius tells his godson proudly. "Now I want you to get out of—"

A jet of green light had narrowly misses Sirius; across the room Spencer saw the pink-haired woman fall from halfway up the stone steps, her limp form toppling from stone seat to stone seat, and Bellatrix, triumphant, running back toward the fray.

"Harry, take the prophecy, grab Neville, and run!" Sirius yells, dashing to meet Bellatrix. Harry and Spencer do not see what happens next: the dark-skinned man sways across her field of vision, battling with the pock-marked Death Eater, now mask-less; another jet of green light flew over Harry's and Spencer's head as they launch themselves toward Neville — death so close to them.

"Can you stand?" Harry bellows in Neville's ear, as Neville's legs jerks and twitches uncontrollably. "Put your arm round my neck —"

Neville does so and then his legs are still flying in every direction, they would not support him and then, out of nowhere, a man lunges at them. The three of them fall backward, Neville's legs waving wildly like an overturned beetle's, Harry with his left arm held up in the air to try and save the small glass ball from being smashed. "The prophecy, give me the prophecy, Potter!" snarls Lucius Malfoy's voice in Harry's ear.

"No — get — off — me... Neville — catch it!" Harry flung the prophecy across the floor, Neville spun himself around on his back and scoops the ball to his chest. Malfoy points the wand instead at Neville, but Harry jabs his own wand back over his shoulder and yells, "Impedimenta!"

Malfoy is blasted off his back. As Harry scrambles up again he looks around and notices Malfoy smash into the dais on which Sirius and Bellatrix are now dueling. Malfoy aims his wand at Harry, Spencer, and Neville again, but before he can draw breath to strike, Professor Lupin jumps between them.

"Harry, round up the others and GO!"

Harry with the help of Spencer seizes Neville by the shoulder of his robes and lifts him bodily onto the first tier of stone steps. Neville's legs twitches and jerks and would not support his weight. Ricky notices their struggle and quickly jogs their way to help them climb over another step.

"Come on!" exclaims Harry desperately, hauling at Neville's robes. "Just try and push with your legs —"

All four of them gave another stupendous heave and Neville's robes tore all along the left seam — the small spun-glass ball dropped from his pocket and before either of them could catch it, one of Neville's floundering feet kick it. It flew some ten feet to their right and smashes on the step beneath them. As all of them stared at the place where it had broken, appalled at what had happened, a pearly-white figure with hugely magnified eyes rose into the air, unnoticed by any but them. Spencer can see its mouth moving, but in all the crashes and screams and yells surrounding them, not one word of the prophecy can she hear. The figure stops speaking and dissolves into nothingness.

"Harry, I'b sorry!" cries Neville, his face anguished as his legs continues to flounder, "I'b so sorry, Harry, I didn'd bean do —"

"It doesn't matter!" Harry shouts. "Just try and stand, let's get out of —"

"Dubbledore!" gasps Neville, his sweaty face suddenly transporting, staring over Harry's shoulder. Spencer and Ricky both quickly turn their heads toward where Neville is staring at. Spencer feels a weight lift up from her chest upon noticing the elder man in her view.

"What?"

"DUBBLEDORE!"

Directly above them, framed in the doorway from the Brain Room, stands Albus Dumbledore, his wand aloft, his face white and furious. Spencer feels a kind of electric charge surge through every particle of his body — they are saved. Dumbledore speeds down the steps past the three boys and girl. Dumbledore is already at the foot of the steps when the Death Eaters nearest realizes he is there. There are yells; one of the Death Eaters ran for it, scrabbling like a monkey up the stone steps opposite. Dumbledore's spell pulls him back as easily and effortlessly as though he has hook him with an invisible line —

Only one couple are still battling, apparently unaware of the new arrival. Spencer notices Sirius duck Bellatrix's jet of red light: He is laughing at her. "Come on, you can do better than that!" he yells, his voice echoing around the cavernous room.

The second jet of red light hit him squarely on the chest. The laughter has not quite died from his face, but his eyes widen in shock. Spencer parts her lips in surprise, her own eyes widening in disbelief. He should just be stunned... if it is not for the Veil behind him... Her head turns toward Harry who has release Neville and jumps down the steps once more. His name barely escapes her lips before he is already sprinting toward the scene of the crime. She feels as if time slows just watching Sirius fall backwards, his body curved in a graceful arc as he sinks backward through the ragged veil hanging from the arch... Her heart falls once more as she notices him fall through the ancient doorway and disappear behind the veil, which flutters for a moment as though in a high wind and then falls back into place. Dead. Spencer just watch someone die with her own eyes.

She hears Bellatrix Lestrange's triumphant scream and the way Harry continues running to reach the veil. "Harry, no!" Spencer yells in worry, feeling her own damaged feet sprint after him. She knows that he wants to place his hand on the veil and try and bring his godfather back, but that will not work.

Fortunately, she is not the only one to have sprinted after him seeing as she would not have made it in time. Professor Lupin grabs Harry around the chest and holds him back.

"There's nothing you can do, Harry—" their old Defense Against the Dark Arts professor soothes quietly. Spencer stops in her tracks with a defeated expression as she stares upon them. Even Professor Lupin appears broken— as if he could not believe that Sirius Black has just died in front of their faces. She can tell they had been good friends by the way tears stream down his own face as he continues to hold Harry.

"Get him, save him, he's only just gone through!" Harry continues to yell in distraught. "We can still reach him —" Harry struggles hard and viciously, but Lupin would not let go...

Spencer quietly reaches their side and nods shortly at the professor. Lupin sniffs silently before letting the boy go and Spencer indulges him in a tight hug. Harry cries on her shoulder and continues trying to get out of her grasp, but he has lessen his grip as she let her hands comfort him in need.

"He hasn't gone!" Harry yells in her neck. "Sirius," he groans repeatedly.

The young Montague feels her own throat clench up. "I'm so sorry, Harry," she apologizes weakly. Her hands loosen among his body after having his weight fall on her and she places them on his cheek. Tears stirs up in his eyes, but they do not fall... yet. She places a small kiss on his forehead before pulling him out of the way.

Dumbledore has most of the remaining Death Eaters grouped in the middle of the room, seemingly immobilized by invisible ropes. Mad-Eye Moody has crawled across the room to where the pink-haired woman lays and is attempting to revive her. Behind the dais there are still flashes of light, grunts, and cries —the dark-skinned wizard had run forward to continue Sirius's duel with Bellatrix.

"Harry?"

Neville has slid down the stone benches one by one to the place where Harry and Spencer stand. "Harry... I'b really sorry..." croaks Neville. His legs are still dancing uncontrollably. "Was dat man — was Sirius Black a — a friend of yours?"

Harry nods.

"Here," Lupin mumbles quietly, and pointing his wand at Neville's legs he casts, "Finite." The spell is lifted. Neville's legs fell back onto the floor and remains still. Lupin's face is pale. "Let's — let's find the others. Where are they all, Neville?"

Lupin turns away from the archway as he speaks. It sounds as though every word is causing him pain. "Dey're all back dere," Neville answers. "A brain addacked Ron bud I dink he's all righd — and Herbione's unconscious, bud we could feel a bulse —"

There is a loud bang and a yell from behind the dais. Spencer notices the dark-skinned male, yelling in pain, hit the ground. Bellatrix Lestrange turns tail and ran as Dumbledore whips around. He aims a spell at her but she deflects it. She is halfway up the steps now —

"Harry — no!" cries Spencer, but Harry has already rip his arm from her slacken grip.

"SHE KILLED SIRIUS!" bellows Harry. "SHE KILLED HIM — I'LL KILL HER!"

And he is off, scrambling up the stone benches. Spencer shouts behind him but it seems as if Harry does not care. She stares back at Ricky and Neville with despair before chasing down her Gryffindor friend herself. The young girl runs behind him and begins panting as Bellatrix and him duel while moving. Harry is too fast for her and it is then she realizes why he is a seeker in the first place. She bends down in defeat, although it is also to check on Luna, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione who she manages to pass. Luna is still groaning in the floor along with Ginny, Ron is still in his crazed delusion, while Hermione still unconscious.

Despite being separated from Harry, she can still hear the two battling one another. Her eyes widen in shock as she hears her friend yell out, "Crucio!"

There is no way...

Then she hears Bellatrix's laugh and she closes her eyes with weary. She fixes her friend's positions upwards and silently rests momentarily. Spencer is tired. In every shape and form, she is exhausted and in need of help as well. Except she cannot rest. Her body screams that she can no longer be held up, but the worry for her friend increases immensely. The young Montague yells in frustration and let tears stream down her own cheeks before forcing herself up.

The commotions are louder than ever, and she swears that she hears a high, cold voice among her friend's and even Dumbledore's. Wait— A cold unfamiliar voice? One that sends shivers up her spine? She is not sure how she reaches her destination, but she immediately regrets it the moment her eyes meet the scene. Harry is away from the fight that takes place but currently suffering in his own mind by the looks of it and it is not with Bellatrix at all. Right in front of her stands Dumbledore and an ugly-figure with no nose— someone she recognizes right away based on the description. For a split second, she sees his red eyes and then they return to Dumbledore's stance.

Lord Voldemort.

When Harry yells something she is not able to decipher, Spencer shakes herself off and then runs toward the boy in concern. He trembles horribly and when an unknown voice comes out of him, Spencer gasps in horror.

"Kill me now, Dumbledore... if Death is nothing, Dumbledore, kill the boy..." Harry— but not Harry— utters.

Spencer breathes heavily. "Come on, Harry. Whatever is happening to you... fight it."

She ignores the fact that Voldemort stands probably around fifteen feet away from her. If she acknowledges it, Spencer fears she may never have the guts to talk to Harry or anyone ever again. New voices begin appearing in the room and just as more arrive, Voldemort vanishes from sight. Harry lays unconscious in the floor and she brings his head up to her lap, her fingers carefully soothing his face. Spencer hears herself sob in front of everyone around her, but she stays beside Harry.

Dumbledore approaches them silently and places a hand on her shoulder. "Rest, Spencer. You have done great," the elder wizard speaks gently. Spencer shakes her head repeatedly, but her former headmaster gives her no choice as he touches her forehead, and slowly, darkness took over the light.

(The last few thoughts in her mind are Voldemort's face, Sirius Black's death, and everlasting concern for Harry).

▂✫⌒*･ﾟ

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
i think this chapter sucks but it had to be done because
it was literally the most important one lmao. i mean it
is not bad bad but like it hurt me to write and the battle
scenes really took an effort from me 😔🤚

anyway, u guys got some snippets of my plan & my
bb sirius is stilldead— ouch. but like also spencer cant
save everyone guys 😭🤚🤚 and she literally had to
be put down because every bone in her hurts but she
cares too much so yeah 💆‍♀️

all of these characters deserve better 😔❤️ give them
an f pls 🤚